Delightfully sweet things from the garden!

As the heat begins to weigh heavily onto the Coachella Valley, the last of my crops are coming in.
It is a race against the sweltering heat...










I am still learning what-to-plant-when, and this pepper plant might not make it through the heat, but Im so excited to see the little veggie growing!











I am a newbie when it comes to corn....How do you know when it is ready to pick? Once picked, will more grow on the stalk?











Tomato plants are fading fast, but still producing! I have found that I get very upset if plants have yellow leaves, look spindly, etc...I try to keep everything trimmed and looking good. This photo was BEFORE I trimmed up my plants! LOL
Anyone else 'Obsessive' in the garden?












Ahhhhhhh...the rewards of gardening are evident! This harvest will become freshly-made brushetta for my study group today! The basil will come out of the garden as well! Nothing like home-grown foods to eat!

I'm a new Vice-President!

Tonight we held our
Delta Kappa Gamma installation for the new 2010-2012 board members.
What a night!

We thanked the outgoing- and welcomed the incoming...and had a bountiful feast while doing it!















Our society organization helps foster women in education...whether going into the field, or newly credentialed. We offer scholarships and grants for women in the field...as well as community service projects that benefit the kids we teach!
















We have a couple yearly projects...one is providing backpacks full of supplies for different age groups and genders, right before school starts. The second one is we started making "Jared Boxes" for children who end up with long hospital stays. They are plastic boxes filled with all kinds of goodies for the child to play with- coloring books, crayons, cards, toys, etc...
Our chapter ended up making a total of 32 boxes and I hope we can beat that for this next year!














I look forward to working with these wonderful ladies and getting to know them all as good friends!

Let's get ready to boogie!

Update to Momma Hummingbird...

Lookie see!? 2 Eggs!!!

Googled hummingbird nests and found out they usually lay two eggs, but don't start the incubation period until the second egg is laid (usually a day or two after the first one is laid).
Then in about 16-17 days, the eggs will hatch and they will be little black squiggly things with yellow beaks. Within 40 days total, the little babies will be ready to fly away!
Wonderful site with a great video of eggs to birth to flying away....

Watch this video below!

Will You HELP Me Lose Weight?

I can't seem to do it alone. I need someone to hold my hand and lead me. Literally.

Will you give me some words of encouragement? Advice? Recipes? Favorite things you do? Secrets you have for making it easier? ANYTHING WILL HELP!!!!

I would like to stick with Weight Watchers...simply because I've been through it and it uses REAL FOODS.

What can you suggest?

Monday Humor.....

This was too funny to pass up!
Haven't you ever wanted to do something like this?

A Special Thursday for this Week

I am proud to say I am a member of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society. What is that you say?

Our main goal is to help support other women educators, either already in the field, or going into the field of education. We also do service projects for children in need.

It is a wonderful group and so many of the girls at my school are members, that it makes it really fun!

My big news is that I will proudly be a board member on Thursday! I will be one of several initiated into position, and will become the new 1st Vice-President, along with a great friend Sheila Ruble (*my w.d.m.p.m. friend). My best friend Cathy Seeger will become the new President, along with Fran Chapman .

We will also induct Joanie Wilcox as a new member, who also teaches at my school! I am so excited!

I will take pictures, of course!

This will help get me through the last 'full' week of school we have. (Next week we have Monday off, the following week we have Friday off! Yes, 13 more school days left! Yahoo!

This is me and my best friend Cathy Seeger
when I was inducted as a DKG member back in Dec. 2004!

*Wine drinking, mashed potato-making friend

Finally....Patience Rewarded!

OOOOH! Momma hummingbird is away....
Let's sneak a peek, shall we?

Awwwww.....one teenie, tiny little hummingbird egg!

Our New Little Neighbor

Can you see? Right there...Yes, smack dab in the middle...

How 'bout now? Right there- at the knot

She is sitting sideways...
This is as close as I can get right now. Her nest is 2 days old.
Cant wait for babies!

Change of plans for my Utopia

Utopia just turned into Jury Duty the week I am out of school. UGH.

...On the brighter side, at least I don't have to plan for a sub, and it is before our vacation trip...

17 More Days till Utopia!

...Yes, ALL teachers count the days until the end of the school year, Didn't you know? OH YES!!!!
This is the time of year that traditional schedule teachers both dread and relish. Dread because we have so much to squeeze in before those 17 days end, and relish because we only have to wake to our alarm clocks 17 more times.

Let me break down the last 17 days for you-

17 school days left means that we have 3 days left this week. Lots to review and reinforce in these kids still, as well as trying to do a super clean/toss old junk within your 4 walls before school ends.

Next week is 5 solid days of teaching. See above.

Memorial Monday is no school, which means there are only 4 days that week. That helps becasue those 4 day weeks always seem to feel so long. See above.

Now comes the excitement period. This last week is full of 8th graders promotion, 6th, 7th and 8th grade reward days, and we end on June 10th. Yes, that is a Thursday, which I think is a little strange, but makes us happy because we sort of feel like we are playing hookie the last day of school. (Which we really aren't) :)

Literally on June 10th, the administration wants you to take the 'check-out list' and do everything on it and check out as fast as you can so you can turn in your keys and they can lock up. Rooms might need to be painted, carpets cleaned, furniture moved, etc....lots happen while we are gone over the sumer.

I plan on keeping my keys for awhile, so I can remove all the old stuff left by the last teacher, that is unfortunatley not being used. I have to put all my stuff away, since it is literally all over my room. I should take a pic and show you. That is what I'll do! :)

Anywho....after today we are counting 16 more days..... 16 more days....I think I can, I think I can...

Reincarnation...of sorts

Yes, it is I....Beth Ann. Coming back to resume where I left off almost a year ago! LOL
Let me tell you- A LOT has happened since then, and although I dont have time (or want to go back) to tell you everything, I will pick up where I left off- which is the wonderful town of Coeur d'Alene, Idaho. Yes, you know the one. It's the ONLY place I talk about, besides South Bend.

So- here is the scoop. My sister, who laughed at my expense regarding blogging....who tirelessly made fun of me while on vacation in Idaho blogging, who griped and complained about me having to have time to blog my adventures while I was in Idaho....IS NOW BLOGGING! :)

I have to say I am THRILLED!!!!! I dont care if she made fun of me or not (or my mom for that matter)- the fact is SHE IS BLOGGING and I will be able to read and see her adventures this upcoming year....Didnt I tell you? Well.....

My sis and her family will be selling their house, buying a motorhome and homeschooling their kids on the road as they travel the U.S. for a year! (I know, I know....who does that? Only in the movies...but really it is FABULOUS!)


She is living what A LOT of people only dream of! I know I wish I could do that!
So she will be blogging about her adventures and because you are following me, you can follow her too! :)

So, here is her house in Couer d'Alene, Id.
It is FOR SALE....(sniff sniff)
It is a 3 bd/2 bath cozy and adorable 1916 house that I would SNATCH UP in a heartbeat if we could!
You can catch her blog at: PROVOST RECESS
...and if you click on her picture of the house, you can see all the rooms inside!

Ta ta for now!