I bake...again!

So it would seem that the only way to get me out of my "I will read but not write blogs" funk is my mandatory Daring Bakers monthly blog post...that and a (kindly worded) kick in the pants from Jen over at Freckle On the Nose (seen here).

The September 2010 Daring Bakers’ challenge was hosted by Mandy of “What the Fruitcake?!” Mandy challenged everyone to make Decorated Sugar Cookies based on recipes from Peggy Porschen and The Joy of Baking.

As for me?  I left them until the very last day -- yesterday and had to purchase decorating couplers, tips , bags, and even icing sugar.  This only took 2 hours...imagine my surprise when both the large department and grocery stores near me had a limited stock...without the numbers of such and such I was supposed to use.  I don't know.  I make cookies.  I eat cookies.  I don't decorate cookies.

But the challenge was there and boy, were people showing up with fancy pictures of their cookies.  The challenge was on!  We were supposed to make cookies based on the theme of September.  Trying to be more than a work all the time teacher, I opted for a real person connection -- that of my addiction to college football.  And that is why I found myself digging through a 101 cookie cutter set yesterday morning on the floor of the department store frantically searching for a football cookie cutter.  [Let's hope that Mr. Fine does not read this because he does not need to know that I've brought 101 cookie cutters into the house...I told him about the 1...]

So here they are -- my football themed Sugar Cookies with homemade icing and new found (but perhaps needing work?) decorating skills:

 Any suggestions for which cookie cutter I should use next?

Put your right hand in

I'm scared to say it...but I think I've got my mojo back.  You see, I've been blissfully content and happy for a good while now.  The summer was grand -- you know all about that.  Thanks for the compliments on the boots -- I have plans for them...but I don't want to let it out of the bag quite yet.  Despite the happy contentment, I had internal concerns that my zen would fly out the window come the return of school.

And yet, it ain't so!  Many years ago, I began working as admin at my school...kept teaching and just added the admin role.  This past June, I decided to forgo the admin and return solely to the classroom.  How's it going?

I've loving it!  It's also prompted me to really work on myself, making sure that I have enough sleep and 'me time' - something that's been painfully missing over the past few years.  During the past weeks, I've:

-kept the house clean --  like seriously clean with routine and regular scrubbing no less
-attended a jewellery class and made an awesome new pendant (which I have laid out to wear tomorrow)
-made new stuff for my classroom like this jar:

-read a pile of novels
-worked out regularly
-got the nail out of my tire and the tire patched up
-actually made a hair appointment in advance


I'm so mojo'ed that the would-be annoying guy at the tire repair shop who talked on his phone about his new washer and dryer that had arrived (but were the wrong ones, of course) and which needed to be discounted for the hassle...couldn't even prick the happy bubble I'm in.

And I sorta don't want to put it out there (might jinx it) -- I think I have a really, really great class - a group of nice young people who are pleasant with one another. 

Here's to a great week!

3 weeks should do it

Yes, I've been a bit remiss...in blogging, grocery shopping, weeding.  Can we say, "school's starting?"  And here I was thinking that I could maintain a real human life outside of school.  Bah! 

Really, I can't blame school.  My 3 week blogging vacation began in England while I lapped up delicious treats like this:

(and yes, that is a chocolate, chocolate, white chocolate, chocolate brownie cake)

and purchased delicious treats like these:

 ...and then there was the whole jet lag thing and 2 (!) weeks of useless professional development that always started 42-58 minutes after it was supposed to.

So here I sit in my fuzzy socks huddled under a blanket watching reruns of the OC thinking about how I should likely get to school to finish my seating chart for the kiddies that arrive on Tuesday.

Here's to me...hopefully back in the blogging world.