From Somewhere in New Jersey

I'm on the Megabus from NYC to Baltimore.


Today was a "mental health day" for Heather. Does anyone else suffer from extreme guilt when taking a day off of work? I do. I feel guilty that its a day when my students are learning. I feel guilty that someone else in the building may be acting as my substitute because we are either too cheap or its too hard to get a real substitute. It shouldn't be that way. I should be able to use the personal day that I am given to use in any way I see fit. I had fun. It's been 20 years since I have been to New York and I've been wanting to go back that whole two decades. By the way, when did I get old enough to say "it's been 20 years since I did that"? But, back to the topic, I rarely take days off, and have never called out sick in my five years at this school. Even when I had walking pneumonia and passed out in the shower. I'm dedicated and responsible and I don't like feeling like or being treated as though I'm not. The sad thing is that I think I'm the one making me feel guilty. Had to get that off my chest.




Heather

Sunday Social

1. What is your favorite holiday season tradition?

I love the Christmas candle-light service at church. I've been to it at different churches and it is always beautiful and reverent. When the lights go down and the sanctuary is filled with tiny, flickering candles, and everyone is singing "Silent Night", that's when it feels like Christmas.

2. Do you have a certain holiday movie you watch more than others? What is it?

I mean, of course...

"SANTA!!! I KNOW HIM!!!"

3. Show us your favorite decoration or pinterest decoration you wish you could have.

4. Favorite holiday song?

Hard question! I guess I would pick "Oh Holy Night".

5. Favorite holiday dessert?

6. What is on your wish list this year?

Nothing really. I did agree that I need new pots and pans. I'm so old.

Scavenger Hunt Sunday!

1. Missing: Missing makes me think of my brother, whom I am always missing. But, I couldn't get to his resting place for a picture, I went to another. Chances are, someone was/is missing this person.

2. Numbers: Roman numerals- how fancy!

3. Purple: my favorite color.

My mom hates it when I take her picture.

4. Music: Shooting at an education rally- HARD WORK!

5. Bracelet: She may kill me if she fights out...

Sunday Social!

Look at me! TWO posts in one day! I'm like a real blogger!



1. Name 4 jobs you’ve had in your life: My first job was at a dry cleaners (I went swimming through plastic-covered clothes to find the right numbers). In college, I had an all-too-long-and-awful summer cleaning hotel rooms. I spent a few months sitting in front of a computer doing brainless tasks that a computer could do at a mortgage titling company (at least I think that's what it was...who the hell knows?). My first real job was as a Child Care Consultant, which sounds so fancy, but really just put a lot of miles on my car.

2. Name 4 movies you would watch over and over: Mean Girls, The Notebooks, Pirates of the Caribbean, Annie.

3. Name 4 places you have lived: Freedom, Pennsylvania (actually New Sewickley Township thankyouverymuch!); Ambridge, Pennsylvania; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; and Baltimore, Maryland

4. Name 4 of your favorite foods: PIZZA!! GRILLED CHEESE!! ENCHILADAS!! PASTA!!
I love food.

5. Name 4 things you always carry with you: iPhone, credit card, driver's license, chapstick

6. Name 4 places you have been on vacation: My favorites: Tuscany, Italy; San Francisco; New York City; Hilton Head

Scavenger Hunt Sunday!

1. Home or Thankful
It is the house that built me!

(Sometimes, I like to be artsy and I really have a
love affair going with macro and depth of field pictures.)

2. In the Kitchen
Sweet potato biscuits for Thanksgiving dinner!
I wanted more pictures in the kitchen but my mom
got mad because it was so messy in there. Haha!

3. Couple
My newest subject with my oldest friend.

4. Bubbles
Went back in the archives for this favorite of my other friend's daughter.

5. Trees
So trees are one of my favorite subjects...had to pick more than one...

Scavenger Hunt Sunday!

Usually I am not with it enough to participate in Scavenger Hunt Sunday, but yesterday I went out on a mini-adventure around Baltimore with my camera. When I looked at the items on the scavenger hunt, I was happy to see that I could make some of yesterday's photos fit right in! And, ok, one I had to swipe from my archives. Don't judge!

1. Vision:

This art is from The Baltimore Love Project. The Baltimore Love Project "expresses love by connecting people and communities across Baltimore City through love themed murals". What a beautiful vision!

2. Strong:

This one I had to raid my archives for, but when I read "strong" I immediately thought of military. I don't know this man, but he's a cutie!

3. Buttons:

So last winter the button popped off my favorite pair of jeans. I had no idea how to put a denim button (they don't have holes) back on so the jeans so I went out a bought a regular button with holes. It had to be big enough not to slip through the original hole and this sparkly one was the winning button! It is so not my style at all. Unfortunately, sewing a button on jeans was low on my priority list, so the jeans and button sat sadly in my closet for almost a full year. This past week, I missed my jeans and finally sewed the button on. Good thing I only wear longer shirts because this button is ridiculous.

4. Map:

Not my favorite picture. :(

5. Favorite Fruit:

I mean, I know I can't eat it, but Apple is by FAR my favorite fruit...

Sunday Social: All About Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving is my FAVORITE HOLIDAY!!

It was not always my favorite holiday. I was a Christmas girl all the way up until I moved to Baltimore. Now, I completely understand and appreciate the beauty of Thanksgiving and all it has to offer. I mean...food, football, family, shopping the next day...what's not to love?

So here goes!

Favorite Thanksgiving Memory: I have two.

I'll start with the funny one. A few years ago I was in the kitchen helping my mom get the turkey ready for the oven. We had it unwrapped and removed all the inner disgustingness. For some reason her and I started goofing around with the turkey and she ended up picking it up to make it dance. It slipped out of her hands and landed *THUNK* on the floor. We picked that bad boy up real quick, gave it a quick bath, and shoved it in the oven, laughing so hard the whole time.

The second story may seem sad, but stick with me. Two weeks after I moved to Baltimore from Pittsburgh, I received the most awful phone call of my life. My brother had passed away. This was early September. As I said, I had only been in Baltimore a few weeks. I did NOT want to return to Baltimore after the funeral was over. I think I cried harder on the drive BACK to Baltimore than I did on the drive up to Pittsburgh for the funeral. I was a mess and was convinced that moving here was the worst mistake ever (I eventually got over it and have grown to love BMore). Anyway, the next time that I went home after that was Thanksgiving. I counted down for that holiday for months and could not have been more happy to be home. It really made me appreciate everything that family represents. I know that seems like an odd choice for best memory, but it was like an awakening about the true importance of family and thankfulness. That is what Thanksgiving is all about.

Favorite Thanksgiving Food: You know, people ask me all the time what I eat for Thanksgiving dinner. I am vegetarian and for some reason people can't seem to see anything but the turkey. I think they are all crazy. It's all delicious. But, I am sorry, I will NOT be confined to just one favorite choice! I love, love, love mashed potatoes. I don't make them for myself, so mashed potatoes are a holiday luxury. But, my mom makes great cornbread stuffing and there is always an awesome vegetable casserole too! Plus, cranberry sauce and warm bread! Yum! And pumpkin pie with whipped cream! Oh, Lord. I love everything but the turkey.

What is a Thanksgiving Tradition you and your family have? We usually watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and whatever awful teams are playing football. Good football never seems to happen on Thanksgiving. We always pray before eating and some Thanksgivings I can get people to play board games with me. :)

Show us a favorite Thanksgiving picture(or 5) from years past: We don't take a lot of pictures for Thanksgiving. :( I have Christmas pictures and random pictures from when I am home for Thanksgiving. But, they are not Thanksgiving-ish to most.

Here is my mom and her cat.

Here is me during some early morning shopping on Friday

What are you most looking forward to about this Thanksgiving? Being home. :) Seeing my family and friends. Seeing my baby Goddaughter for the first time since she was a newborn. And mashed potatoes.