Monday, April 30, 2012

Overheard

At the class officer election assembly, the following questions were asked and the following answers were given.

Q: If you had to be a breakfast cereal, what would you be and why?
A: Captain Crunch.  Because he drives a sick boat!  Hello?  He's a pirate!
Pirate Crunch??

Q: If you had to be an animal, what would you be and why?
A: A flamingo, because I've always wanted to be a flamingo dancer!

Flamingo

Flamenco Dancer

Flamingo Dancer???


To be fair, these kids were being asked questions on the spot.  Still these were just too funny not to share!

Friday, April 27, 2012

Confession

VIA


After years of denial, I'm afraid its time I come out in the open. Not only was I keeping it from everyone I know, I was afraid to even admit it to myself.

The truth is friends, I . . . am a morning person!

Someone said that to me in college, "You're so lucky you're a morning person."  "No, I'm not," and I didn't even know I was lying.  But who was I kidding?  I was the first person to show up at a 7am meeting and I was dressed in a pink skirt with my hair done and I was in a great mood.  All the signs were there.

A few weeks ago I was talking with my students about how excited I was to sleep in until 8 and they informed me that was not sleeping in.  And here's the clincher: In my heart of heart I really feel like sleeping in until 8 is wasting a good part of the day.

I don't leap out of bed at 5:30 am, but once I'm showered and dressed its really not so bad to be up.  Its actually kind of nice.  In an ideal world, I could wake up at 7 in the summer and 8 in the winter.

My name is Kimberly Thomas, and I am a morning person.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

Call it what you will. . .

OCD, Perfectionist, Insane Person.  Call it what you will, but I have a problem.  I cannot deal with papers that have those rough spiral bound notebook edges.  I try telling my students that they cannot turn papers in if they have been torn out of a spiral bound notebook, and that I will return them with out a score, but my students have eight teachers, how can they be expected to remember that?  Because I'm certain they aren't doing it to annoy me. . . right?  Its just that they make the papers stick together and they don't lay flat, pretty much a teacher's worst nightmare.  (Just me??)

So I accept them, and I try, really try, not to let it bother me.  But somehow, with out thinking, I find myself tearing off the perforated edges most notebook paper has.  Before I know it, I've wasted 30 minutes of my grading time ripping those tiny edges off. 

What happened to good old fashioned college ruled loose leaf anyway? 

(And for my next post I'll be sharing all of my fab photo skills. Because you know these pics are HOT)

Friday, April 13, 2012

What's For Dinner

Sometimes I get stuck in a dinner rut and keep turning to the same four meals over and over.  I'll change the side dish and hope that Adam thinks its something new, but seriously, who am I kidding?  Add to that the fact that I haven't had a kitchen in four months, and I wasn't even in a rut!  I was totally out of the game!  Since we got our kitchen up and running about a week ago, I sat down on Monday and really hammered out five dinner ideas.  I'll share if you share. . . deal? (Now, if I was a real blogger, I would have taken pictures of my own dinners.  Sorry, you'll have to live with the pics from the internets)

Ceasar Spaghetti 
Do you love Ceasar salad?  I totally do!!  I got this recipe from Rachael Ray on Dr. Oz, and made it over the summer and it was "eh".  But it had so many ingredients that I love, I decided to give it another try and YUM!  I think the key was not to skimp on any of the ingredients, especially the anchovies.  When the recipe said 6 anchovies, I added 8.  It really gave the sauce more flavor (but don't worry, it wasn't a fishy flavor!!  It really tasted like ceasar!)

Chicken Picatta and Lemon Quinoa
This is seriously my favorite dinner EVER.  I try not to make it every week, but I probably do make it once a month.  My husband hasn't complained so that is a good sign.  For the quinoa I just make it like normal, but use chicken or veg broth instead of water and add in the juice of half a lemon.  And what ever herbs I feel like. 

Spaghetti Squash and Herbs
Ever since Adam discovered spaghetti squash in his Biggest Loser cookbook (he's not large, just loves the show!) he's been buying me one almost every week!  This was good, but not as good as when Adam made me spaghetti squash and avocado pesto.  I really should have made some grilled chicken or something more substaintial as a side dish, but I didn't want to go over board with the chicken this week!

Roast Chicken and Vegetables
I linked the recipe that I used, but I didn't like it.  The recipe doesn't call for veg, but I put in potatoes, carrots and onions, and they just tasted like they had been boiled in wine.  BORING.  So next time I'm going with more of a dry roast, probably with the old onion soup mix standard.

Vegan Shepherds Pie
This was good, but I'll probably put more spices or some fresh herbs when I make this again.  The sweet potato on top was a MUST.  I chopped, boiled and mashed one sweet potato and spread it on top of our filling.  This is one of the most health meals EVER.  Seriously ever. 
So spill it, what is your favorite (healthy?) dinner idea?

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

Picture Me

So I was thinking the other day about how I don't have a lot of pictures of myself on this blog.  I guess pictures personalize a person's writing.  But lately I have gotten unphotogenic.  Or else its true what they say about baby girls taking their mom's beauty. . . In any case the answer to this problem is a picture that is so bad its almost cute again, you know?  So here it is:

We're so happy is spring!!

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

Just Ask (or Government Jobs at Their Most Efficient)


There is an application that all high school clubs must submit each year if they want to be a school recognized club.  It requires that I answer about 8 questions and submit 7 permission slips from parents giving consent for their child to participate in the club.  I totally see why its important for clubs.  But FCCLA (Family Career and Community Leaders of America) is not a club.  Its a CTSO (Career and Technical Student Organization).  If my friend stopped doing the Harry Potter club, no big deal.  But if I stopped doing FCCLA I would probably get in trouble. 

Sure, we might join in during club week.  When asked, we might explain that we're a club centered on the family.  But really, we're totally different.   We're a national organization. 

And so, this application seems. . . dumb. . . to me.  Why do I have to apply for something that I have to do.  Seriously, have no choice. 

But no one questions it.  For years we've just been doing it, jumping through hoops that no one has time to jump through.  Asking for permission to continue doing my job.  I hate it.

So today I asked, "Do I really have to do this?"  The answer?  Yes, but only the questions.  You can skip the permission slips. 

I never do things that don't make sense to me.  It always pays to ask. 

PS I got a call into a head guy* at the district office to see if I can get out of the question part for the future.  Baby steps here.

*official title

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Kickin' it oldschool


On Tuesday I read this post by my friend Julia.  A quick google search later and I found a random myspace survey.  My cousins and I used to really love these things.  In fact, I remember Hayley and Lauren wrote a survey and made it a contest for the funniest answers.  I miss those days.  So here are my answers to a myspace survey with 62 questions.  If you decide to go oldschool with me, copy this and write your own answers on your blog and leave me the link!!  I wanna read what you have to say!

VIA
1. Song that always makes you sad?
Probably Eleanor Rigby.  As I continued writing this Tears in Heaven came on my pandora playlist.  That one for sure.  Skipping it.

2. Last thing you bought?
Is it a good thing that I can't remember?  Oh wait, I couldn't remember because it was BORING.  I bought formula and diapers and wipes.  

3. Last person you argued with?
Probably Adam.  Not because I don't love him, but just because we're together all the time.  More opportunity for disagreement.  

4. Do you put Butter before putting the peanut butter on?
Absolutely NOT.

5. One of your stuffed animals' names as a kid?
Thomas H. Dooley.  The H was for Hermansen, my maiden name.  Little did I know my married name would be Thomas.  Did I just blow your mind????

6. Did you ever own at one time a Barenaked Ladies Cd?
Nope.

7. Favorite day of the week?
Friday or Saturday.  Friday is just like any other day of the week, but you're happy just because its the last one.  It doesn't really make sense.  But by the time its Saturday the weekend seems almost over. . . 

VIA
8. Favorite Sundae topping?
Home made hot fudge.  Stuff from a jar just cannot compare.

9. Did you take Piano lessons?
Yes.  

10. Most frequent song played?
On the radio?  How would I know?!?!?!  Or maybe they meant when I played the piano?  I really liked Claire de Lune.  Because of Oceans 11.  

11. T.V. show you secretly enjoy?
The Bachelor.  Although its probably not a secret, but I'm not totally proud of my viewership.  I know they aren't going to find true love or anything, I'm just fascinated by the reason someone would go on the show after all these seasons proving that it DOESN'T WORK.  No matter, I still love it.  I hope that the good girl/guy wins in the end, but I know it most likely wont end in marriage.  I don't know why I like it so much!!!  I guess its like people watching in detail. 

12. Would you rather play basketball or hockey?
Gee, if I really have to, I choose basketball, just because it seems less likely that I'll injure myself.

13. Date someone older or younger?
I'm married so I have to say how it is:  Younger.

14. One place you could travel right now?
VIA
Could?  Or would?  I would go to St George just because its close and warmer and it wouldn't be too hard to take Olivia on a 4 hour drive.

15. Do you use umbrellas?
Not really.  I own one, I think.  I don't know where it is.  I just let my hair get wet and it is what it is.

VIA
16. Do you know all the words to the Canadian national anthem?
I don't even know ONE word.

17. Favorite Cheese?
Pepperjack.  

18. The Smith's or the Cure?
Um, I'm sure I know songs by both groups but I can't really make an informed decision right now.

19. Do you prefer Blondes or Brunettes?
Blondes.  

20. Best job you ever had?
Working at a dr's office is pretty much my ideal job.  

21. Did you go to your high school prom?
Yeppers.  Both my junior and senior year.  Not my best memories.  Not bad, just not all its cracked up to be.

22. Perfect time to wake up?
VIA
6am in the summer, 8am in the winter.

23. Perfect time to go to bed?
9:30pm

24. Do you use your queen right away in chess?
I have no game plans for chess.  I just do what I want and lose.

25. Ever been in a car accident?
Yes.

26. Closer to mom or dad...or neither?
Both.  Its different with each of them.

27. What age is this exciting life over for you?
NEVER!  I think our preferences change as we age so even though getting old looks boring to us now, I bet it wont be when we get there.

28. What decade during the 20th century would you have chosen to be a teenager?
1960s.  No doubt.

29. Favorite shoes you have EVER owned?
Probably some high heeled hot pink shoes.  They might not be my favorite right now, but they were my most favorite when I bought them.  Does that even make sense???

30. Do you have an article of clothing you have had since you were in high school?
Yes, two skirts from the very end of my senior year.  They still fit!!

31. Were you in track and field?
Nope.

32. Were you ever in a school talent show?
Yes in elementary, Missy, Stephanie and I all wore vests and sang a song Missy's sister wrote.  

33. Have you ever written in a library book?
Probably.  I don't remember.  My dad used to write in my school text books all the time and I would freak out!  

34. Allergic to?
Almost all fresh fruits and vegetables.  Eating local honey every day takes them away but they come right back if I stop doing that.  Crazy.

35. Favorite fruit?
Fresh peaches off my parents tree in California.  Well, I'm sure any fresh peaches would be good.
VIA


36. First celebrity crush?
I think it had to be Jonathan Taylor Thomas.  I don't think girls my age were given a choice.

37. Baseball hat or toque?
Who wrote this?  Do people actually call it a toque?  I say neither because hats aren't allowed at the school where I work.  And I forget to wear them the rest of the time!

38. Do you shampoo first in the shower or soap?
Shampoo very first so the conditioner can soak in while I wash and shave.  



39. Wet the toothbrush or brush dry with the toothpaste?
Either.  I don't have a strong preference one way or the other.

40. Pen or pencil?
Pen for most stuff, pencil for my grade book and lesson book.  

41. Have you ever gambled at a casino?
Yep and I won $20.  Stopped right there and walked away.  I know how to quit when I'm ahead.

42. Have you thrown up on a plane?
Same trip as the gambling actually!  I was sitting by my boss from the school district.  I was pregnant so that's why I was so sick.  

43. Have you thrown up in a car?
Oh yes, lots of times.

44. Have you thrown up at work?
Despite being pregnant all last year, I never did throw up at work.

45. Do you scream on roller coasters?
I don't know.  I'm sure I do, but its one of those things I don't pay attention to.

46. Who was your first prom date?
Mark.

47. Who was your first roommate?
Jamie.

48. What alcoholic beverage did you drink when you got drunk for the first time?
Never have been.

49. What was your first job?
Stocking greeting cards at a grocery store.

50. What was your first car?
1986 Toyota Pickup

51. When did you go to your first funeral?
My great-grandma when I was 9???  I'm guessing.

52. How old were you when you first moved away from your hometown?
18

53. Who was your first grade teacher?
Mrs. Something-That-Started-With-An-S.  Yeah, I probably would have changed it if that was my last name.

54. Where did you go on your first airplane ride?
Utah?  I was a baby, I don't remember.  But my first plane ride I can remember, I went to Amman Jordan.

55. When you snuck out of your house for the first time, who was it with?
I never did this!!  Seriously!

56. Who was your first Best Friend and are you still friends with them?
Missy Stebbing.  YES.  (And who was your English teacher and did she teach you not to capitalize random words?)

57. Where did you live the first time you moved out of your parent's house?
Deseret Towers, U Hall.  Not U Haul.  Talking to credit card people was always amusing. 

58. Who is the first person you call when you have a bad day?
Adam.

59. Who's wedding were you in the first time you were a bridesmaid or a groomsmen?
Missy's

60. What is the first thing you do in the morning?
Hit snooze

61. What was the first concert you attended?
Carrie Underwood?  It was the best because of the boy I was with.  She was also really good, but I don't really like Country music.

62. First tattoo or piercing?
My ears when I was 18.   I'm a rebel like that.

If you made it all the way to the bottom, thanks for sticking it out!!