One thing I look forward to every winter is the latest season of the Bachelor on ABC. It is hilarious to me to watch whack job women think they're going to fall in love with an equally crazy man. The show never lacks for drama, high pitch screams or crazed giggling. As fake as it all seems (and is) I LOVE it! My favorite this season is Gia. That may change though.

My friend Elisabeth watches The Bachelor with her 86-year-old grandma every Monday. Here are some reactions that Elisabeth's grandma has had too the show.

"Throw up."

"I may have to leave the room"

"Talk about phoney, I mean, they know the camera is on them don't they?"

"She shouldn't smile, I mean smiling is good, but she has too much smile."

Saturday, February 06, 2010 10:54:18 PM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)    Comments [0] Trackback

Last month I started student teaching in the same 7th grade, language arts and social studies classroom that I was in before winter break. It is SO much fun but SO much work. I get to school around 6:45 and don't leave until about 5.  Here are some of my favorite moments of teaching so far:

- I had decided to paint my nails this dark brown color with sparkles. I was helping a kid write something when he asked me, "Jeez Ms. Keeton, are you going goth?!" I replied that, "no, I am not going goth, this is a very cool color."

- I was explaining a project to a class and a smarty pants kid told me it was a "corny" project. So I told him he was "corny." He stopped complaining. (He actually really liked the project)

- Yesterday, I started having a class start line up outside the classroom before I let them in because some students think it's acceptable to run around the classroom and tackle their friends to the floor before finally sitting down at their desks. I was explaining this new routine and the reason behind it to these students when I heard a certain student say, "I hate Ms. Keeton."  It was quite humorous.

Saturday, February 06, 2010 10:37:30 PM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)    Comments [0] Trackback

My dear friend Elisabeth came over for dinner last night. She showed me this video and it was hilarious. Enjoy.

Saturday, February 06, 2010 10:24:04 PM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)    Comments [0] Trackback

Sadly our first Ford F 150 died. Kelly was devastated. Thankfully we were able to get him another Ford truck that is better than the first. We now are the proud owners of a Ford F 250 and a camper! I was extremely hesitant about the camper. Kelly has tried to talk me into getting a camper off of craigslist.com in the past. We even went to look a one a while back. It was absolutely disgusting! So that was a no go.

As far as this truck and camper Kelly and I had a long conversation before we bought it about if it would actually be reliable and if the camper was actually in good condition. I made him swear to me that camper wasn't gross. Well he told the truth. The camper is old and kind of musty but it good shape. We are looking forward to summer and lots of camping.

Kelly's new pride and joy.

Saturday, February 06, 2010 10:20:48 PM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)    Comments [1] Trackback

Kelly made this smoked salmon chowder a while back when our friends Emily and Peter came to visit. It was delicious. I thought I’d share the recipe.

10 strips uncooked bacon, chopped                   6 cups chicken stock

2 onions, minced                                                    8 red potatoes, diced

4 stalks celery, minced                                           4 tablespoons butter

3 carrots, finely chopped                                       1 cup flour

5 green onions, finely chopped                            5 cups milk 

1/4 bunch fresh parsley, chopped                        1/4 lemon juice

1 teaspoon pepper                                                  1 15 1/4–ounce can corn kernels

1 1/2 tablespoons chopped dill weed                  1 lb. smoked kippered king salmon, flaked   

1. Saute bacon in a large pot with onions, celery, carrots, green onions and parsley. Add pepper, dill stock and potatoes; simmer until tender

2. In a small saucepan, melt butter until bubbly. Stir in flour and cook over low heat for 1–2 minutes. Stir into the soup and simmer for 5 minutes.

3. Slowly add mild, stirring constantly; cook over medium heat until slightly thickened. Add lemon juice, corn and salmon. Cook, stirring, at a gentle boil to desired consistency.

*Thank you Costco and Trappers Creek for this recipe.         

Saturday, January 23, 2010 2:06:23 PM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)    Comments [2] Trackback

Yesterday I was trying to motivate some students to finish an assignment and I told them,

“You know, the kids last period finished this in 10 minutes, so you guys should really get moving.”

One of my more vocal students replied, “Why are you always comparing us to that other period?” I apologized and thought about other ways I could motivate students. Then about a half hour later that same student jokingly slammed his assignment down in front of me and exclaimed, “Here’s my assignment! Tell third period they can stick this in their juice box and SUCK IT!”

It was hilarious! This kid had perfect comedic timing. Maybe he should think about a career in stand up comedy. But I still want him to turn in his assignments in the mean time.

Saturday, January 16, 2010 10:40:52 AM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)    Comments [0] Trackback

I am sorry I have to wear hearing aids and still can barely hear you. I’m sure you get tired of having to practically yell at me to have a normal conversation. The person you can blame for this would be your grandpa. You see he got a new tweeter in the mail back on a cold and rainy day in January in 2010. He forced me to listen to Top 40 music at decibels that no human should ever subject their eardrums to, while he danced around in his underwear to Lady Gaga, Jay-Z, and the Black Eyed Peas. In other words, blame your grandpa.

Love,

Grandma Keeton

Thursday, January 14, 2010 9:19:21 PM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)    Comments [1] Trackback

Some of my middle school students have been talking lately about whether break dancing or jerking is better. They have been telling me they want to see me jerk. I told them that maybe if I practice a lot I’ll jerk for them. However after watching videos on youtube.com of kids jerking I think my inability to keep rhythem and in general coordinate my body to do not much more than walk and talk on my cell phone I’m going to pass on jerking.

Thursday, January 14, 2010 9:09:29 PM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)    Comments [3] Trackback

I hope Pete Carroll is going to be the new head coach for the Seahawks! I watched a story on 60 Minutes about Pete a few months ago and he seems to be exactly what (I think) the Seahawks and Seattle needs.

60 Minutes Segment: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/12/11/60minutes/main4663108.shtml

http://www.petecarroll.com/

Saturday, January 09, 2010 3:44:01 PM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)    Comments [0] Trackback

 My trophy which is proudly displayed in our living room. Kelly – victory tastes good.

Last year and this year Kelly and I went up to Bellingham to participate in our friend’s Mike and Jenn’s annual scavenger hunt. As you might know I may be a little on the competitive side when it comes to…everything. So when I get to do a scavenger hunt I go a little nuts.

Last year my awesome team of Micah and Peter came in 2^nd place. Kelly’s team won. I was devastated. We worked so hard! However in the end it just wasn’t enough. I vowed to try even harder in 2010 to ground Kelly’s team into the pavement…and I did (with the help of my teammates) At the end of the night when everyone’s points were tallied my team of Andy and Andrew WON the hunt!!!!!! I almost didn’t believe it!

Teams were picked randomly and couples cannot be on the same time. (this is a good thing.) I got to have two awesome men on my team, Andy and Andrew. We had to create team names for ourselves. I didn’t want anyone to be confused as to which team was going to win so I decided on the tactful name of: Team F*#% You Up. I think it was quite subtle. We were all given as list of about 20 items that we need to take pictures of or take pictures of us doing something or of strangers doing something. We had three hours to complete our mission. Some of the tasks were:

1. Find 3 subaru in a row (This was completed by asking a Trader Joe’s employees if they owned a subaru and if they could please drive theirs and park it next to the other two in the parking lot).

2. Rearranging letters on a billboard. (I have bruises from completing this task).

3. Getting the farthest away from Mike and Jenn’s house (we did this one!)

4. Standing in a boat (We may have trespassed to accomplish this one, I’m not sure)

There are lots more and I’ll post the pictures once I get them from Andrew.

These guys really went all out for the big win. When I said, “we need to run,” then ran, “when I said, “give me a lift up into that tree so I can climb up onto that carport and switch around letters on a billboard,” they lifted me up, “When I said, “Puleeeze, let me ask the bartender just one more time if I can do a keg stand on one of their kegs,” they let me ask (keg stand was completed – thanks Boundary Bay). These guys were awesome!

I’ll post photos of our crazy antics when I get them from awesome teammate Andrew.

Thank you Mike and Jenn for hosting my favorite event of the year!!!!!

Saturday, January 09, 2010 3:20:08 PM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)    Comments [0] Trackback

Things I am looking forward to this year:

Kelly and my 2^nd wedding anniversary

Graduating with my Master in Teaching and K-8 teaching certificate

Earning a paycheck

Learning all I can learn about teaching while actually teaching

Finishing raising our front yard

More painting

Turning 28 which means I’m closer to having babies!

Taking middle level language arts and social students endorsement classes (so I’m highly qualified to teach those subjects to middle school students)

Working out on our elliptical, gotta love endorphines!

There are more but I can’t think of them.

Me and a bunch of awesome people at our friends Mike and Jenn’s house in Bellingham ringing in the new year.

Kelly and my elliptical machine. I have already dedicated hours to this machine while watching a wide variety of chick flicks. I’m glad we have a lot of them. I wanted to get one last fall but put it off. Then after coming back from Hawaii and putting on work pants I discovered that I no longer needed a belt to keep my pants up.

Saturday, January 09, 2010 2:49:36 PM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)    Comments [0] Trackback

Kelly and I were able to go to Hawaii for a week before Christmas. We stayed in Hilo on the Big Island for three nights and then in Waikiki on Oahu for four nights. Everything was awesome! Also I totally recommend our travel agent Cheryl Huber of Travel Design who coordinated a ton of stuff for us.

View from our room at the Naniloa Resort Hotel in Hilo, Big Island.

We rented a jeep and drove around the whole island. It was so much fun!

Kelly and the jeep in a lava field on the Big Island.

Kelly in a lava field. We were told that the giant lava mound next to him was probably a tree that was run over by lava making its way from a volcano to the ocean.

On our way to Volcano National Park on the Big Island.

Big Island.

Me, standing on (cold) lava at the Punalu'u Black Sand Beach State Park on the Big Island.

Kelly taking a nap on black sand. He napped for a good hour and had black sand all over him.

Big Island natives swim and spear fish off of this beach! They actually sell fish spears at Wal-Mart!

Holding a coconut on the Punalu'u Black Sand Beach State Park on the Big Island. (Yes, I had big hair, it was very humid.)

Punalu'u Black Sand Beach State Park on the Big Island.

A guy found a sea urchin and cracked it open and offered it to me to taste. It tasted horrible but can you say you’ve tried fresh, Hawaiian sea urchin guts? I don’t think so.

Kelly walking around.

Kona Brewery. A friend recommended we go here. It was a lot of fun.

Weird plant life we had never seen before at the Kona Brewery.

Kona Brewery sampler. I recommend it!

White sand beach near Kona.

Kelly resting after body surfing.

This was my first time at a warm water, sandy beach. It was awesome. However, I wasn’t used to how powerful the waves were. I may have swallowed my fair share of salty ocean water.

Kelly and me in a lava tube at Volcano National Park on the Big Island.

We drove out to a lookout where you can see hot steam from where lava from a lava tube is flowing into the ocean. Unfortunately you can’t see actual hot lava unless you take a boat out to see the lava flowing out of the tubes.

Kelly was very sad when he realized that he wasn’t going to be able to see hot lava on our trip. So to answer your question, no, Kelly was not able to poke lava with a stick. I think he is still mourning his loss.

I have more pictures from the four days we spend on Oahu that I’ll post later.

Saturday, January 09, 2010 2:40:55 PM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)    Comments [0] Trackback

Kelly showed this video that some people made to go along with the Black Eyed Peas’ song, “Imma Be.” I thought it was hilarious!

Wednesday, January 06, 2010 8:31:59 PM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)    Comments [0] Trackback

Kelly showed this video to me today that some people made to go along with the Black Eyed Peas song, Imma Bee. I thought it was pretty funny.

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Wednesday, January 06, 2010 8:22:08 PM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)    Comments [0] Trackback

A few days ago Kelly connected all of our fire alarm/carbon monoxide detectors in the house. He worked on it for about five hours – I kid you not. Then today he rebuilt his antenna for his Ham radio. While he was talking to someone on his radio our fire alarm/carbon monoxide detectors began beeping quite loudly and an automated voiced said repeatedly, “Warning: Carbon Monoxide!, warning, carbon monoxide!” It was incredibly obnoxious but hilarious. He eventually figured out how to fix the problem.

Monday, January 04, 2010 5:26:36 PM (Pacific Standard Time, UTC-08:00)    Comments [0] Trackback