I have had a very long September, and also, I can’t figure out where it went. I know those things make no sense together. They are also totally true.

What I am Teaching

Antigone –  My tenth graders read Antigone. So, we got to talk about fatal flaws and knowing when to keep your mouth shut. How sometimes your pride gets in the way of what we really wanted in the first place. We talked about strong women and how some people don’t like that. I love Antigone, and fully believe that if you hate it, it was taught to you wrong. Such a great play.

 

Animal Farm- I taught Animal Farm, and I cried. Again. I love that book so much. It is about Communism and Trotsky and Lenin, but mostly it is about power, and how when we get it, it is really easy to abuse, and how we have to be very careful where we get our information and what we believe.

 

What I am Recommending

Happy Light– If you have been reading on here any length of time, you know I struggle with depression. Just enough, really so that I can pretend I don’t have a problem. This year, when I got back to school it smacked me dead in the face and I could not recover. I was like, what the heck is wrong with me? I figure it out though! My classroom has no windows. None. I bought this happy light on Amazon, and immediately, I mean two days later immediately, my depression was gone and has not come back. I thought the woman on the box was ridiculous, but now, I feel like her.

Dickies- I feel old and lame admitting that these are my absolute favorite dress pants, but they are. I liked them so much in black, I ordered them in tan. My kids like to hug and pull on me the second I get in the door, so I like the weight of these pants. My lovely girls have put runs in pants a little less sturdy. Also, they are flattering and comfortable.

Starting your Christmas shopping- I am about 50% done with my Christmas shopping and I am glad. We do the whole: something to wear, to read, you want, and need for the girls. I have done everything but the need (probably tights). Brenna is teaching an advent course I am wanting to take, and I want to have time to really think about it.

Re-dying your pants- For less than seven dollars you can make your faded black pants that fit you perfectly brand new. Same goes for turquoise, and red, and even dark denim. I gave three different pairs of pants a new life in my washing machine using rit dye.

Where I am driving

Hill Crest Orchard- We had a family day with my sister and her husband at the Hillcrest Orchard. It is seven dollars to get in, and three dollars more for the petting farm. And totally TOTALLY worth every penny. We did so much of everything else we forgot to pick very  many apples and had to buy some on the way out. Petting goats and chickens and kitties, the cow train, the giant slide, the mule wagon ride and the tractor wagon ride, the jumping pillow, the tractor tri-cycles, the milking a cow. (Juliet was especially enamored and likes to tell people the right way to do it.) We all had a fantastic day and didn’t even get to the ponies or the  mini-golf. We are, for sure, coming back next year.

 

My Dear Friend Gayl’s: Jennifer and I took a day to go see our dear friends Gayl and Jamie (they are mother and daughter), at Gayl’s house. It was so wonderful. Picturesque and simple and perfectly inviting. Good conversation over good food and hugging people that you usually just see through a screen is awesome.

What I am eating and drinking

Crayon Cakes: I made this adorable cake for Priscilla’s birthday. It was not that hard and I totally recommend it. It was choclate inside, of course. My girls know how to pick cakes.

Caramel Apple Sangria: One of my co-workers mentioned this in passing. I used this recipe, and it is as good as you think it will be. Worth the three trips to the various liquor stores to find caramel vodka. So yummy. So easy. I am pretty sure I am serving it for my birthday party!

Soups: I don’t really have a recipe but I put a can of garbanzo beans, some frozen spinach, some Italian sausage and some tortellini in the Tuscany blend chicken broth. It took fifteen minutes and my husband thinks I am a genius. They have a Thai blend that I am thinking about now.

On the blog

I wrote some things I am really proud of this month. On heartbreak, the awesome dad I had, and authority.

And then a post I wrote last year resurrected itself, and I found many new readers! YEAH! So glad to have you.

I am only about twenty people shy of a thousand likes on my Facebook page. Every Thursday we gather to rally, and cheer each other on. Y’all are really awesome, and need to be reminded at least weekly.

 

Looking Forward

My Tedx talk is coming up quick, so I am shutting it down until then. No plans, no road trips, probably very little blogging. Maybe even less time on social media. I know I need to, and that everyone understands, but it feels scary to unplug. I am sort of nervous about this talk and would appreciate any good will you might have for me.

While it may be quiet here, I will be featuring all my awesome friends who are blogging for 31 days straight in October!

When I give my talk I will re-open my cool t-shirts in case you missed them, and add kids t-shirts.

After I put myself in time out I will be celebrating BIRTHDAY MONTH! Super excited about my cake, that I will make myself with my mother’s recipe.

I ordered the girls Halloween costumes, expect total cuteness.

As always, I am linking up with Leigh, and would LOVE to know what you are into too!