playing with pictures

Shanna showed me a fun website where you can make some fun pictures.

I am a product of my choices...I live by design

Anyway, I let off steam; I am at peace with the world now. The whine-fest is over. The 4th period situation is out of my influence, so I am going to focus on what I can control:
I am going to choose the subject.
I am going to request both of our aides for that period.
I am going to think outside the class for inexpensive activities.
I am going to use Mrs. G's room and split into groups.
I am not going to try so hard to keep things academic anymore, because it is obvious I care too much.

So...onto better things. Today is beautiful. No one would go to the beach with me, so I went
myself. The weather was warm but not hot. The water was too cold for me. But I did see some people in it.



My chair.



Me in my chair.

View from my chair.



View from my chair.




Wild daisies growing at the beach.

stupidness

With the budget cuts to the schools, every teacher has to "do more with less". Here is how I am apparently going to do my part. In normal, sane circumstances me and Mrs. G split the students in the unit by grade: 9-10 and 11-12. This way we don't have our immature and gullible 14 year old freshmen with our 19 and 20 year old seniors. Well, Mrs. G has off 4th period, and normally there would be another teacher available for those other students. Not anymore. So I get all of them in a small room for 2 hours a day for the entire year. (4th period is block, so you would normally only have them for half the year.) To top it off I have no new materials and we wont be getting any money for stuff. So I guess we will just be using the same exact books we have used for the past 3 years with the same kids. Nothing like boredom in a classroom to set off the mischievous and the bullies looking for entertainment.

yup, more food

A really good lunch :)
veggie burger with lettuce, creamy dill dressing, and no salt ketchup on a sprouted grain bun (Ezekiel), with cauliflower-spinach mashed potatoes


I made up a chili that I really like:
2-3 onions chopped
2-3 cloves of garlic chopped
1 green pepper chopped
2 jalapenos chopped
3 cans of no salt added beans rinsed and drained (I used black, pinto, and white kidney, but any mix will do)
2 cans of no salt added diced tomatoes (15 oz)
1 can tomato paste
about 1 TBS Chili 9000 (a really good chili powder from Penzeys)
about 1 tsp cumin

spray pot with nonstick spray
saute onions and peppers over med-low heat until onions are clear, add water if necessary
when onions / peppers are almost done, add the garlic and saute a few more minutes
add the rest of the ingredients, mix well, and simmer over low heat for about 20-30 minutes. stir occasionally.
This is better the next day. (sorry for the bad pic)


Spaghetti squash with garlic -basil veggies


1 large spaghetti squash
3 carrots, shredded
1 onion chopped
2-3 zucchini, shredded
2-3 cloves of garlic, minced
4-5 fresh tomatoes, cut up
good handful of fresh basil, chopped

preheat oven to 350
put squash in the oven for about 45 min, until easily pierced with fork
meanwhile chop and shred the veggies
spray a pot with nonstick spray
saute the carrots, zucchini, onion, and garlic over med-low heat until done to your taste
add tomatoes and basil and heat through until tomatoes release their juice

when squash is done, cut in half
use a spoon to scoop out seeds
use a fork to pull spaghetti squash into "noodles"
top with veggie mixture and eat up