The Hills Are Alive....

I thought I'd do a little post with some beautiful pictures I've taken here.

I took this one from our bedroom balcony. I was loving how the clouds were just sitting down in between the mountains and us.

I took this one one morning while waiting for the bus. It was about 7:00 and the sun was just starting to peek over onto the mountains. We have been watching the snow line come down farther and farther during the past few weeks.

I took this one from the balcony outside of our kitchen. Again, with the clouds down low and the mountains peeking above. Doesn't it look like we live in a quaint little Swiss village in the Alps or something? Oh, how looks can be deceiving!

Just one more.

He said the "G" word...

Student (we'll call him Bob): Mrs. Bruce, Vladislav said the "G" word.

Me: What's the "G" word?

Student (whispering): You know...G-U-Y...

Me: Guy?

Student: No, gay.

Me: Oh, well, that's not a bad word. How did he use it?

Student: Bob, are you gay?

Me: Well, are you?

Student: No.

Me: Then, you just say, "No, I am not gay."

He then went back to his seat and started singing, "Vladislav and Richard, sitting in a tree...K-I-S-S-I-N-G!

Clearly, lesson learned.

Practise Your Maths

Since things are not quite as organized as planned at my school, we did not have parent/teacher conferences this October. Thank goodness. But, we did have to write student progress reports.

I normally do quite well with this ~ don't have very many errors with spelling or grammar.

Until I started being forced to speak like a Brit.

The British people have two spellings for practice.

• Practice - noun, verb, -ticed, -tic·ing.
  –noun
  1. habitual or customary performance; operation: office practice.
  2. habit; custom: It is not the practice here for men to wear long hair.
  3. repeated performance or systematic exercise for the purpose of acquiring skill or proficiency: Practice makes perfect.
  4. condition arrived at by experience or exercise: She refused to play the piano, because she was out of practice.
  5. the action or process of performing or doing something: to put a scheme into practice; the shameful practices of a blackmailer.
  6. the exercise or pursuit of a profession or occupation, esp. law or medicine: She plans to set up practice in her hometown.
  7. the business of a professional person: The doctor wanted his daughter to take over his practice when he retired.
  8. Law. the established method of conducting legal proceedings.
  9. Archaic. plotting; intrigue; trickery.
  10. Usually, practices. Archaic. intrigues; plots. –verb (used with object)
  11. to perform or do habitually or usually: to practice a strict regimen.
  12. to follow or observe habitually or customarily: to practice one's religion.
  13. to exercise or pursue as a profession, art, or occupation: to practice law.
  14. to perform or do repeatedly in order to acquire skill or proficiency: to practice the violin.
  15. to train or drill (a person, animal, etc.) in something in order to give proficiency. –verb (used without object)
  16. to do something habitually or as a practice.
  17. to pursue a profession, esp. law or medicine.
  18. to exercise oneself by repeated performance in order to acquire skill: to practice at shooting.
  19. Archaic. to plot or conspire.
  
• Also, British, practise (for defs. 11–19).

Now, since I believe all my readers are from the U.S., you most likely agree with me that practice with an "s" is just practice misspelled.

One more thing that has bothered me since I came here is that the British teachers call math, "maths." I don't know why, or where it comes from. But, I cannot simply change my whole life of saying "math" to now saying "maths."

However, I have been advised that I do.

On a much nicer note, look what I get to see out of my classroom window each day:

Except for today because it's cold, foggy, and dark. Depressing. And, it's FREEZING in the building because for some reason, the air conditioning is running full-force.

Recommended Viewing

Click here to read a blog by a woman who lives overseas with her family. I thought it was very interesting, since that's my life now! Let me know what you think.

Ummmm....

Found this on the boys' restroom door the other day. It makes me giggle.

P.S. I miss Velveeta Shells 'n Cheese

Cardboard Testimonies

On Sunday, towards the end of our pastor's sermon, he showed this video. It made me cry, surprise, surprise. But, I just thought it was worth sharing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7PolU2JRH_A

Once again, I can't get the actual video on here, so you'll just have to click on it.

Oh, Yeah.....

I'm not really a dessert eater. I mean, I'll have the occasional slice of pie, if someone else has made it. Once in awhile, ice cream sounds good. I really am not a cake eater. When planning the wedding, I wanted a tier of brownies instead of a cake. We ended up getting a cake, which was beautiful. We got two flavors: chocolate with chocolate filling and lemon with lemon filling. When we went to the cake tasting, I absolutely loved the lemon one. I was happy with getting the cake if I got to eat lemon.

Well, Stephen and I cut the cake and fed each other....blah, blah, blah. I gradually made my way back to our seats and there was chocolate cake waiting for me. I asked someone to get me a slice of lemon and they came back and said the lemon was all gone. I wanted to cry.

I was the bride!!! It's a sad story, isn't it?

Anyway, if my husband to be wasn't allergic to all nuts, I probably would've gone for a cake like this one:

That's what I'm talking about, people.

That is a chocolate peanut butter cake.

My two sweet loves, brought together in a lovely combination. Chocolate cake with peanut butter frosting, topped with a chocolate glaze.

Yes, please.

I would start making some sort of rendition of this cake right now, in the big K, if the love of my life wasn't so stinkin' allergic.

One day, I will secretly make this cake and have to hide it somewhere and gain about 10 pounds, scavenging it over the course of a few days.

If you would like to try to make this yourself, simply click on today's blog title and it will take you to the Smitten Kitchen website. Then, take pictures of what you create and please share with me. For now, I will live vicariously through you.

29

** Even though the date above says the 6th, it was the 7th here in the big K. Stephen's birthday is on the 7th.

I've been having fun the last couple of days, slightly harrassing my husband because today is his birthday.

He is 29.

It's not really this birthday that I'm giving him a hard time about. It's next year's. Ha-ha!

Just kidding. But seriously, I am going to have to throw a serious 30th birthday party next year.
Now, the real point of today's entry is my tribute to my husband. Did you know...

• I knew within the first week of us dating that we would get married.
• Stephen is my best friend.
• Stephen always dirties a plate to make his sandwich in the morning.
• We call each other "baby" - gross, I know.
• I am a crier and Stephen is the best hugger.
• When he played basketball in high school, he was number 24.

"SINK IT 2, SINK IT 4, SINK IT NUMBER 24!" Yes, I cheered for him.

• He loves it when I cook for him.
• He completely gave up watching sports when we moved to the big K.
• He is working hard to learn Russian - more power to him.
• When his temper flares up, he gets really loud. I get annoyed.
• He is really good at math. Like really good.
• He keeps me informed about politics and the Market.
• His smile melts me.
• The power went out over the weekend for 6 hours. We talked and talked and talked to each other.
• He makes me feel like I matter more than anyone ever has.
• He convinced me to move halfway around the world.

Stephen, you are who I waited for for sooooooo long. I am so thrilled and excited that we get to spend the rest of our lives together. So, I will be there when you turn 30, 40, 50, 60, 70, 80, 90, and even 100! And I will try to harrass you with each passing decade. Because I love you. And that's what loving wives do.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Apple Pie in the Big K

Are you thinking what I'm thinking? That there looks like some apple CAKE, not apple pie. Paula-Mom, your lovely son says you make one heckuva pie. He has mentioned cherry pie, but how's your apple pie? I'm gonna need some of that in December!

Mama, we should definitely make some of Aunt Eenie's apple slice bars when I'm home, too!

Great, now my mouth is uncontrollably watering. And I'm going home to where we don't have anything close to American Apple Pie. Fantastic.

It's Twins!

Hahaha, I know a few of your hearts just skipped a beat there from the title! I am sooooooooooooo funny.

One morning, I was making something with eggs. I believe it was....wait for it.....

SCRAMBLED EGGS.

And I came across a twin egg! Oh, I have heard of such a phenomena, but have never actually witnessed it with my own eyes.

See the two yolks that are right next to each other on the left side of the bowl? That's them!

In case you were wondering, they were quite tasty.

I'm a Little Behind...

I am the worst wife, ever! Even though things have been crazy, there is no excuse for me withholding the biggest CONGRATULATIONS that I can produce to my husband:

This is him, holding his CFA Level 3 results, which said he.................
PASSED!!!!!!! Whew!

He never has to take a CFA test, ever again! I am so proud of you, Stephen! You worked so hard ~ I know this because I was there with you in our 375 sq.ft. apartment, trying my darndest to be quiet, which was especially hard when I'd put on my I-pod while I did dishes or whatever and couldn't help but sing along. (I intensely annoyed him a few times!)

Nothin' like a nice cold one to celebrate ~ yes, this was back on August 22, but whatever. And he went for the expensive import beer....Amstel!