9 Layers

Copied from Lori:

LAYER ONE:
-- Name: Jennifer
-- Birth date: January 17
-- Birthplace: Boulder City, NV
-- Current Location: Riverside, CA on my couch
-- Eye Color: Green
-- Hair Color: Brown
-- Height: 5'7
-- Righty or Lefty: Righty
-- Zodiac Sign: Capricorn

LAYER TWO:
-- Your heritage: half Greek and the rest a mix of Western European
-- Your weakness: purses
-- Your fears: my daughter being hurt
-- Your perfect pizza: wild mushroom pizza on a thin crust
-- Goal you'd like to achieve: finish the gifted certification I'm working on

LAYER THREE:
-- Your first waking thoughts: Is it that time already??
-- Your best physical feature: Yesterday someone told me my eyes, I'll go with that
-- Your most missed memory: Sunday mornings with my Grandpa

LAYER FOUR:
-- Pepsi or Coke: neither, Dr. Pepper
-- McDonald's or Burger King: McDonald's
-- Single or group dates: Single
-- Adidas or Nike: Converse
-- Lipton Ice Tea or Nestea: only hot tea for me
-- Chocolate or vanilla: chocolate
-- Cappuccino or coffee: Cappuccino

LAYER FIVE:
-- Smoke: never
-- Cuss: sometimes
-- Sing: only when I'm alone
-- Take a shower everyday: Yep
-- Do you think you've been in love: Yep
-- Want to go to college: Still taking classes
-- Liked high school: Yes
-- Want to get married: Again?
-- Believe in yourself: Yes
-- Get motion sickness: Nope
-- Think you're attractive: Sure
-- Think you're a health freak: No
-- Get along with your parent(s): Yes. I love them both.
-- Like thunderstorms: Love them
-- Play an instrument: I used to be able to

LAYER SIX:
In the past month...
-- Drank alcohol: Yes
-- Smoked: No.
-- Done a drug: Nope.
-- Made Out: If you want to call it that....
-- Gone on a date: yep
-- Gone to the mall?: Yep.
-- Eaten an entire box of Oreos?: No.
-- Eaten sushi: No.
-- Been on stage: Nope.
-- Been dumped: Nope.
-- Gone skating: No (and I never will again after my fall)
-- Made homemade cookies: Yes. Toll House ones
-- Gone skinny dipping: No.
-- Dyed your hair: Yes (every month!)
-- Stolen Anything: Nope.

LAYER SEVEN:
Ever...
-- Played a game that required removal of clothing: Yes
-- Been trashed or extremely intoxicated: Yes
-- Been caught "doing something": depends on what something is.
-- Been called a tease: Yes
-- Gotten beaten up: No
-- Shoplifted: No
-- Changed who you were to fit in: Probably in the past, but not any more

LAYER EIGHT:
-- Age you hope to be married: I was way too young, 22
-- Numbers and Names of Children: One daughter, Madison
-- Describe your Dream Wedding: Borneo. at a monkey sanctuary (perfect Lori!)
-- How do you want to die: In my sleep
-- Where you want to go to college: Taking classes at USC right now
-- What do you want to be when you grow up: Retired
-- What country would you most like to visit: Lots. Morocco is at the top of my "I've never been and I want to go list."

LAYER NINE:
-- Number of illegal drugs taken: 0
-- Number of people I could trust with my life: prob about 6
-- Number of CDs that I own: No clue
-- Number of piercings: 2
-- Number of tattoos: 0 but I want one
-- Number of times my name has appeared in the newspaper?: No idea
-- Number of scars on my body: No idea
-- Number of things in my past that I regret: Hopefully not very many

Weekly Recap

Much like Mindy does, although a tad bit different:

The best part of the week: Getting my district math test scores back. My students rocked the test!! I am so proud of them. The test was very, very difficult and required mastery on skills when we just don't have time to stop and teach for mastery. But these kids rose to the challenge. I'm so happy!

The weekly read: Just finished American Wife by Curtis Suttenfeld. I enjoyed this fictional account of the life of a First Lady of the United States.

Food I'm Totally In Love With: Has to be the cupcakes from The Cupcakery in Las Vegas. Brought some back last weekend and YUM! It's a very good thing I can't order online and have them shipped.

Weekly Comment: The phone call from the parent of a child who is moving. To another school in another district. The parent called to thank me for being such a good teacher. That touched me!

I Am....

stolen from Emily

I live: in a cute 1950's ranch house that has an entire wall of windows in the living room and I absolutely adore it
I work: at a job I love, teaching school
I smell: honeysuckle, one of my favorite smells
I listen: to Sirius satellite radio in the car
I hide: a lot of myself from most people
I walk: every night
I write: in my blog
I see: my beautiful ten year old
I sing: in the car, out loud
I can: juggle my life most days
I watch: as many St. Louis Cardinals baseball games as I possibly can
I daydream: too much
I want: to go to every USC football away game
I cry: easily and too often
I read: a lot of fiction, and certain blogs ever day
I love: my parents, my family, my home
I rode: four wheelers every weekend when I was growing up, in the Las Vegas desert
I sometimes: buy really expensive purses
I fear: my daughter being hurt or worse, dying
I hope: that Obama is everything we want him to be, and more (good answer, Emily!)
I eat: not as well as I'd like
I drink: lattes from Starbucks
I play: with my class at PE
I miss: my grandfathers
I forgive: myself, even though it takes longer than I'd like
I drive: the car I've always wanted, a BMW 5 series
I lost: myself for a bit, but I've found myself again
I dream: vividly and I go through dream books to try and figure out my dreams
I kiss: a boy!
I hug: my baby girl
I have: the best friends on earth
I remember: most things
I don't: forgive easliy
I believe: that most people are good, until they lose my trust
I owe: Heather a lot, for getting me through some tough times
I know: how people can lie to you, even people you'd never expect
I hate: liars, more than anything
I wish: I knew what the future will bring
I wear: jeans whenever possible, preferably custom made ones
My ex: is an ex for a reason
Maybe I should: slow down sometimes
People would say that I'm: quiet
Life if full of: highs and lows
My past is: over and I need to remember that
I get annoyed when: people don't know what they are doing but still act like they know everything
Parties are: depending on who is there, they can be super fun
Tomorrow: I have to give a huge district test
Never in my life have I: been to Africa, although I want to go
When I was younger, I: wanted to live in California, and I do
When I'm nervous: I pick at my fingernails
When I was 5: I walked to kindergarten with the girl across the street
My life is not complete without: spending time with my daughter
If you visit my hometown: you are probably there to gamble
The world could do without: mosquitos
If I ever go back to school: I'm in school now, classes at USC!
And, by the way: I am getting the travel bug again

Birthday!

This weekend is my birthday. I'm so excited! My parents are planning a party for me, which means going HOME. And...my very good friend Heather, of Chasing Butterflies, is coming with me! Yay me! And yay for good friends wanting to celebrate...

The birthday plans include a fancy dancy hotel. We are staying at the Loews at Lake Las Vegas. Ooh la la! It's an absolutely gorgeous hotel, I'm thrilled we were able to get reservations. Saturday night my entire family is meeting for dinner at Steak, the best restaurant in Henderson. We plan to eat, drink, and party through the menu. And my parents have ordered a pecan bundt cake from Nothingbundtcake. Yum!

Heather and I plan to drink mojitos, laugh, talk, and enjoy our time in Las Vegas. What else are birthday weekends for?!

Word for 2009

Inspired by Mindy and Heather, I'm choosing a word for 2009. A word to try and live by, a word to sum up what I want for the year. My word is cherish.

1. To treat with affection and tenderness; hold dear: cherish one's family; fine rugs that are cherished by their owners.
2. To keep fondly in mind; entertain: cherish a memory.
   

I want to cherish myself, first. I don't always do that. And I want to cherish my daughter. My family. My friends. My students.

And cherish the things I hold dear. I am guilty of wallowing in self-pity way too much, of forgetting the good things I have, the blessings in my life. I need to remind myself to cherish...

2008 in review...

1. What did you do in 2008 that you’d never done before?

Went to West Palm Beach and started classes at USC.

2. Did you keep your new year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year?

I didn't make any last year. This year I'm making two -- seeing more baseball and keeping in better touch with old friends.

3. Did anyone close to you give birth?

Yes, one of the gals at work

4. Did anyone close to you die?

Yes, one of my parents' friends, who was always around when I was a child.

5. What countries did you visit?

England and France -- ooh la la!

6. What would you like to have in 2009 that you lacked in 2008?

I can't say I lacked anything this year...

7. What dates from 2008 will remain etched upon your memory, and why?

Election Day.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?

Moving on from a horrible boss and the residual from that.

9. What was your biggest failure?

Hanging on to bad feelings too long (mainly due to that horrible boss).

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Yes, I fell in May and hurt my knee. It's been a nightmare trying to get it 'right' -- here we are at the end of the year and it's still not right.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

Has to be my car. Love my car. Love.

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?

My daughter, at times...last night she told me her life's work will be to ensure "everyone in the world has adequate housing." She's 10.

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed?

My daughter, at times...she's 10 and wow, I'm not looking forward to the teenage years!

14. Where did most of your money go?

My gorgeous car and TRAVEL!!!

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?

Paris in April. London in November. Watching my daughter decide to take piano lessons and synchronized swimming, but not play volleyball.

16. What song will always remind you of 2008?

Something by the Ting Tings -- reminding me of West Palm Beach this summer...

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? 
b) thinner or fatter? 
c) richer or poorer?

Happier. Same. Richer.

18. What do you wish you’d done more of?

Reveling in the moment. Sleeping in. Just being with my daughter.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of?

Stressing about things I have no control over.

20. How will you be spending Christmas?

Christmas was spent with my family.

21. Did you fall in love in 2008?

Oh yeah, with places!

22. How many one-night stands?

Not a one.

23. What was your favorite TV program?

The Office. Cardinals baseball games. USC football games.

24. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year?

No, but I have a strong dislike for someone who has hurt one of my friends.

25. What was the best book you read?

The First Hour I Believed

26. What was your greatest musical discovery?

The alternative music station on Sirius.

27. What did you want and get?

That gorgeous car!

28. What did you want and not get?

Can't think of a thing, unless a trip to Morocco...hmm, maybe in 2009!

29. What was your favorite film of this year?

Sex and the City

30. What did you do on your birthday?

I went to dinner with friends, spent a weekend in NYC...all the fun things!

31. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?

Not falling and hurting my knee.

32. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2008?

A lot less casual than in the past.

33. What kept you sane?

A new boss. Lots of long walks. Good friends.

34. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?

Hands down, Obama.

35. What political issue stirred you the most?

The presidential election.

36. Who did you miss?

I missed Carol, not working with her every day. And I missed Heather, for a while.

37. Who was the best new person you met?

I met Cara, at work. And re-met some people from my past. Very cool.

38. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2008.

Bad situations aren't forever.

39. Quote a song lyric that sums up your year.

I can't think of a single one right now!

Holidays

Just cannot shake the holiday blues...there's really no reason to be blue. Had a lovely Christmas, surrounded by my family. I'm not sick, my daughter isn't sick. I'm off work for another week. Have tickets to the Rose Bowl to see my favorite team. But for whatever reason, I'm....blah. Down in the dumps. Curled up in a ball with a book, not wanting to do much. Is it the season? Maybe. Is it the weather? Maybe, it's colder at my parents' house than at my house in Southern California.

Madison had a nice Christmas, got just about everything on her list. Santa found her even though we were away from home (whew!). My parents hosted our annual Christmas Eve party and the food was fabulous, the holiday nog (complete with brandy) flowed, and there was plenty of laughter. Christmas itself was nice, surrounded by more family.

Still not back at home...maybe we'll hit the road tomorrow. We need to be back in Southern California by Wednesday, in time for the Rose Bowl -- that's the only time frame.

Hope you all had a lovely and peaceful holiday!