project 365 vol. 45

I'm going to try something today.  Instead of doing a long (but hilarious) description of all my pics from last week I am giving myself a 5 word limit.  It's like twitter, but different.  Don't worry, it'll still be hilarious.  I hope.

Sunday November 11, 2012

Sunday brunch with Kaway.  Yum.

Monday November 12, 2012

Early for work.  Bagel.  Cocoa.

Tuesday November 13, 2012

Jeff is leaving Dallas.  Bye :(

Wednesday November 14, 2012

Shirt = one week of jeans.

Thursday November 15, 2012

Creamy chicken white bean enchiladas.

Friday November 16, 2012

Date night with my fiance.

Saturday November 17, 2012

Cat in a box.  TAILgate.

project 365 vol. 44

Here's what's been goin' down!  

Sunday November 4, 2012

Gabe was here a few weekends ago!  We hung out and ate ducks the last night that she was in town.  

Monday November 5, 2012

I made some oreo cheesecake cookies recently.  They tasted great.  It was also cool because when you make those cookies, you have oreos leftover afterwards.  I made sure they didn't go to waste!

Tuesday November 6, 2012

Election day!  Election day!  We watched.  We ate chili.  We hung an American flag over our TV.  The flag is still there.  Austin doesn't want to take it down, but I do.  It's the biggest fight we've ever had (not really).

Wednesday November 7, 2012

We had a LOT of chili leftover after our election par-tay.  We ate it for days and put some in the freezer.  I can't wait to pull it out of there on a chilly winter day and eat it up!

Thursday November 8, 2012

I got my first Starbucks of the season a couple of Thursdays ago.  Grande Peppermint Hot Chocolate with no whip pleaseeeee!  YUUUUMMMMYY!

Friday November 9, 2012

I went to Houston last weekend, and on the way I stopped at one of my favorite spots: Cooper Farms!  I got a drink, filled up my car, took a potty break, and bought my Dad some pumpkin bread.  I love that place.

Saturday November 10, 2012

We saw Le Miz for my grandma's bird day last Saturday.  It was SO good!  I love love love the music in that show!

my weekend: birthdays, aggies, and le miz

 This past weekend, I went to Houston.  I love going back home and seeing my family and friends, and this trip even had a bonus!  It was my grandma's/cousin's birthday celebration, so we went to see Le Miz!  It was a great trip...

I arrived in Houston late Friday night.  I would've gotten there earlier, but I spent about 30 minutes in the drive-thru lane at the McDonald's in Fairfield because there was a bus full of high school cheerleaders taking over the restaurant.  I guess it serves me right for eating McD's...

Anyway, my point is that I didn't have a whole lot of time to do anything once I got there on Friday night, so I'll start my story on Saturday morning.  At brunch.  At Benjy's. 

with Jimbo

White Peach Mimosas

Chicken and Waffles

with Mimi

Brunch was amazing, as always.  If you live in or around the Houston area and you haven't had brunch at Benjy's, GO.  I recommend the chicken and waffles.  The bacon chocolate chip waffles are also delicious.  That's right...BACON CHOCOLATE CHIP waffles.  Yum. 

Since we'd stuffed our stomachs to the maximum capacity that is sane for any normal human being at brunch, we decided to do the only logical thing we could do: go to my Uncle Rick's for cake and ice cream. 

Mimi and Jessy opening presents

While we were at my uncle's house, my cousin Josh found this great jacket that belonged to my Pappy.  This picture/story doesn't really have anything to do with the rest of this post, but I like it:

Go Oilers!

Once we left Uncle Rick's we really were full, so we went shopping.  I had a Groupon to Sam Moon (a store that sells a bunch of accessories), so I got a purse for 9 ducks.  Awesome.

As we were shopping/galavanting around Houston, a little football game was going on.  You might have heard something about it...

That's right.  My Aggies beat the #1 ranked Alabama Crimson Tide.  Roll Tears Roll...

Because we were shopping and doing other important things like getting ready to see an amazing show, we listened to most of the game on the radio.  I felt like I had gone back in time...

I saw the final score at another one of my favorite H-town spots, Barnaby's Cafe, thanks to my trusty ESPN scorecenter app.  I felt very un-girly downloading that thing, but a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do when it comes to the Aggies.  

I had the pesto chicken salad sandwich.  Delish.

WHOOP!

Once the Aggies were finishing playing and I was finished eating, we headed to the play!

The whole crew

Wow.  The show was so great!  It is so crazy to me that people can sing as well as the actors in this show did.  I mean, I try and try, and I don't even come close!  I think I could get there eventually, but Austin always makes me stop practicing because I'm "hurting his ears".  He's so sweet.

I ended my Houston weekend by meeting up with one of my favorite people, Kaway!  I've talked about her on ze blog before, but in case you don't know, Kaway is one of my very best friends.  We met in high school on the dance team, and we've been chums ever since.  We met for brunch at Pappasito's.  I like going there for brunch because they have frozen mimosas for 99 cents and FREE sopaphillas.  The food's not too bad either :)

Once brunch was over I packed up and hit the road.  It was kind of a stormy drive:

Things brightened up once I hit Buc-ees though.  I can always count on that place.

I'll be making the trek back to H-town next week for Spanksgivin', and this time I'll have Austin by my side to keep me company.  I can't wait!

PS- Today is my grandma's actual birthday, so HAPPY 81st BIRTHDAY, MIMI!!!  I love ya lots and can't wait to see you soon :) 

project 365 vol. 42 & 43 *DOUBLE EDITION*

Sorry this is 10 years late!  :)

Sunday October 21, 2012

Before we left College Station a few weekends ago, we had to stop at one of our favorite spots to get some grub.  Fuego, you have my heart.  And my stomach :)

Monday October 22, 2012

I bought myself a little treat on this Monday.  Fall boots and anytime flats!  I discovered a DSW right by my school, and I have a feeling that the proximity could be a little bit dangerous.

Tuesday October 23, 2012

It was red ribbon week at my school a few weeks ago, and on Tuesday we had a big presentation.  The film the kids watched was projected on 3 giant screens...it was kind of cheesy (hey what school assembly isn't?), but it was also pretty cool.



Wednesday October 24, 2012

 Wednesdays are softball nights!  Those crazy boys tailgate in the parking lot before and after!

Thursday October 25, 2012

I made a new treat for the my favorite boiz a few Thursdays ago...Chubby Hubby Truffles!  They're basically peanut butter pretzels covered in chocolate.  They were good!  Thanks to my sister, Fox Chandler, for the recipe!

Friday October 26, 2012

Austin and I were both wearing our boots last Friday.  I asked him to take a picture with me, and he actually agreed!  I had to pinch myself because I thought I was dreaming haha. 

Saturday October 27, 2012

It was one of our good friend's bird days recently, so on this particular Saturday we had a par-tay!  My friend Ashley (the one who was in charge of the election party) had the cutest decorations!

Sunday October 28, 2012

I worked an "Under the Sea" birthday party on this Sunday.  What a cute cake!  I love doing b-days...everyone is so happy, and I usually get free cake and ice cream.  Splendid!

Monday October 29, 2012

You guys.  Austin made dinner for me a week-ish ago.  I was at the dance studio for a long while, and when I got home, this was waiting for me!  Chicken Parm.  Cooked by Austie.  I love it!

Tuesday October 30, 2012

I worked at our school's football game on this Tuesday evening.  I was in charge of watching the student section to make sure no one did anything crazy.  Bonus: I can now add "security experience" to my resume!

Wednesday October 31, 2012

Happy Halloween from Mowgli!!  I've already showed you this picture, but I like it!

Thursday November 1, 2012

I started November off the right way...with Nutcracker tickets!  I can't wait to go and see this with some of my D-town gal pals...I'm sure it will be beautiful :)

Friday November 2, 2012

 My friend Gabey came in town for the weekend!  This is us at Kona Grill after we'd waited for about 17 hours.  We are happy to see each other but even happier to eat some sushi!

Saturday November 3, 2012

Ahh the great shopping adventure of 2012.  I love all of the things I purchased on this day!  In fact, I'm wearing some of the stuff in those bags as I type!

20 questions

The reaction that I get from people when they find out I teach middle school is generally the same across the board. 

The widening eyes.

The eyebrow raise.

The look of absolute horror.

That is usually followed up with a, "WOW, you're brave," or a, "My goodness, how do you do it?!"

My answer?

"I cannot deal with little kindygartners because they can't do anything for themselves.  Also, I still look like I'm in high school, so teaching kids that actually are in high school probably wouldn't work."

The truth is, I really do like working with middle schoolers.  Sure, they're moody and can definitely catch an attitude with me every once in awhile, but they are actually at a great age.  They're old enough to where they can do things by themselves (i.e. go to the bathroom or sharpen a pencil), but they're not so old that they are lost on the cutesy things that I like to do (i.e. free time Fridays or my bookworms wall). 

One of the things that is particularly funny to me about middle schoolers though, is the questions they ask me. 

Just the other day I had a doozy of a question from one of my students.

We're currently in our "persuasion unit", so we're talking a lot about commercials, marketing, and how media targets specific audiences.  One word that we've been using a lot is "tweens" (kids aged 9ish-12ish).  Now, I know that the word "tween" was derived from the word "between" because this group of people are in the stage BETWEEN being a kid and being a teenager.  Apparently all of my kids didn't quite get that though.  This caused one little boy's hand to shoot up and ask me, "Ms. Chandler, I understand the TEEN part of the word 'tween', but I don't get the WEENERS?"

Seriously kid, why are you talking to me about weeners?  That's just weird.

I also get asked some pretty crazy personal questions.

For whatever reason, my students are obsessed with finding out my age.  They must have some kind of bet riding on it or something.  I've come up with a great answer though.  At least, I think it's great.  Any time one of my boogerheads asks me the dreaded, "Ms. Chandler, how old are you!?"  I say, "I.  Am..........................................................97 years old.  Don't I age well?"

It gets a puzzled look (and usually a laugh) every time.

Another thing my kids want to know about me is whether or not I am a member of various social media sites.

"Ms. Chandler, do you have facebook?"

"Are you on instagram?"

"What's your twitter name?"

Yeah right, guys. 

My answer for these questions is one that I stole from my friend KK's older sister who is also a teacher.

Any time I'm asked a question like that I simply reply, "What's (insert name of app/site here)?"

"What's twitter??"

Let me tell you, it is really amusing to hear a 12 year old attempt explain the ins and outs of facebook.

The way I see it, these kids are just preparing me for when I have little puppies of my own.  Hopefully by the time my own kids are in 7th grade I will be immune to goofy questions.

Either that, or I will have zero tolerance left and will end up going crazy.

Let's hope it's not the latter...