More of My Journal Wrecking Pictures

It was hard drinking out of the funnel, because the water went through the bottom. It was fun anyway. xD


This last picture is my favorite. My friend Amy did it. It's the sweetest destructive thing anyone's done to a book. Lol. I got nervous when I heard the ripping. I couldn't look until she was done!

JPITSOL

My French teacher is crazy, brilliant, funny, and awesome all in one. He is Mr. Huntley, and probably one of my favorite teachers. We learn so much in his class, and we're always having fun. We read and write stories, act out dialogues, sing songs, watch videos, and so much more. He has a collection of clothes, hats, and other random items in his classroom that we dress up in. All while learning French.

He is truly my favorite teacher, though, not just because of the fun stuff. He has taught us life lessons. One of them being what he calls JPITSOL. He said this is a Buddhist idea that he shortened into an acronym. It means Joyfully Participate In The Sorrows Of Life. He told us "If there is one thing I can teach you, let this be it." Instead of being angry when things go wrong, find the humor in it. Crack a joke. Have fun. His SmartBoard keeps shutting down randomly while he's teaching. Instead of being mad, he's started a score to see which period in breaks down the most in.

I think this is important! It's definitely something I am going to try and remember forever.

On a side note- Mr. A. loved the cookies, and I am now signed up to take Conflict Resolution 2nd period next semester! The tradition started in 9th grade when he first became our guidance counselor. He always used to complain about students wanting to make changes to their class schedules. My friends and I promised him one day that if he made the changes we'd give him a plate of brownies. It just became a fun tradition after that. =)

Classes

When I got home from school I had just enough time to do my homework before my cousin came in and stole me over to her house so we could watch her new DVD, Guys and Dolls. I loved it! My cousin and I are both fans of musicals. It is a long movie, so I ended up staying for dinner. I left with new scratches from her puppy, and a delicious chicken recipe. I'll share the recipe with you later. It is so simple, but SO good.

My cousin brought me home and I showered, only to get out and remember that I wanted to make chocolate chip cookies tonight. Luckily, we had a mix in the cupboard! I want to make these cookies because it's been a tradition since 9th grade that every time I want to make a change to my class schedule I give Mr. A., my guidance counselor, some sort of food. I thought I had my schedule for next semester figured out a month ago, but I decided just today that I want to add a class. I want to take Conflict Resolution 2nd period. My current 7th period teacher is teaching that class and he was telling us about it today. It is a new class, but it sounds promising.

This Friday and next Tuesday-Thursday I have midterms/ finals in all of my classes. I am going to have a lot of reviewing to do! Because of this I may not be on as much. It also means that the new semester begins soon. I will have new classes to talk about, and a new homework schedule to adjust to.

Wreck! This! Journaaaal!

I've been doing some more journal wrecking. The four letter word page was a lot of fun! Emeline, my friend from France, helped me with it. I think it was really helpful for her to think of words in English. She came up with most of them! I was busy writing them all down as she said them. Even after the page was full we kept coming up with new words the rest of the day.




Maybe it's because I grew up watching silly game shows on TV- I can't help but think that, if you say it right, Wreck This Journal sounds like the name of a TV game show. Each word would have an exclamation point after it, and the host would draw out the last syllable of journal as he was saying it. Just one of those silly thoughts that make me laugh. xD

As you can see, blogger is letting me add pictures again! So I was able to add the pictures of my banana bread and oatmeal chocolate chip cookies on that other post.

Banana Bread and Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Here is the banana bread recipe! The bread came out great. I took a picture, but blogger won't let me add pictures to the post. I will try to add them later. I made 3 mini loaves, so they only took about 35 minutes to bake.

1 ¾ C. flour
2 TSP baking powder
½ TSP salt
¼ TSP baking soda
1/3 C. shortening
2/3 C. sugar
2 eggs
2-3 bananas

Heat oven to 350F

Sift together flour, baking powder, soda, and salt
Mix in shortening
Add sugar gradually until light & fluffy
Add eggs and beat
Add flour mixture alternately with mashed bananas little at a time
Beat until smooth

Bake 1 Hour or until done

I also made Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies. I use a crisco recipe which can be found here. I simply substituted the rasins and walnuts for a cup or so of chocolate chips.

Snow Day # 4

We got hit with some bad weather overnight, so today is snow day number four! I'm actually not complaining. I finished any homework I had last night, so I'm free to do other things. Like watching a movie, reading a book, blogging, and baking. I have been wanting to bake something for a few days. One of my friends at school said she wants banana bread. We have bananas, so I guess that's what I'm making. Banana bread is easy to make, and easy to give away to people! The worst thing about baking for me is the temptation to eat everything. I like going to my Aunt Jen's house to bake- she has a huge kitchen and there are always tons of people there to eat the food. I will post the banana bread recipe later, along with pictures.

My sister and I need to pick restaurants we want to eat at when we go to Disney World next month. This is the first real vacation we've ever had, so we're all wicked excited! I want to visit all the different 'countries' they have there, and try new foods. It's going to be a busy week...

More Journal Wrecking =)

There wasn't much going on today. I worked on the FAFSA a bit in the morning, I am so grateful that it isn't confusing or difficult. The online application is so easy to understand and fill out. I've been reading and getting things together to go back to school tomorrow. Here are some more wrecked pages from my journal!



You probably can't read this- it said 'tear this page out, put it in your pocket, put it through the wash, and then put it back in the book'. It wasn't easy unfolding the paper, I ripped it a few times. xD

Cooking

This is a picture of my recipe book. I got it for Christmas, and I'm already filling it with recipes! The best ones are the family recipes. My favorite is my great grandmother's bread, but I also have her peanut butter fudge recipe. It's amazing. I was already warned by my mom and aunt to never give it out. Apparently my great gram was very protective of it. When I look thru it I realize that most of the book is going to be baked goods!

I also got a crock pot for Christmas. It will hopefully help me balance out the baked goods. xD I started cooking a pot roast in it this morning. I can't wait for dinner! My mom found tons of crock pot recipes for me to use, so I am going to be keeping the resolution to eat more home made meals. Cooking and feeding people is a lot of fun. I think I'm going in the right direction by going to school for restaurant management. Only nine more months until I leave for NECI! I'm both terrified and excited, but now I'm almost sure that I'm making the right choice.

Where do your recipes come from? Does your family have any recipes handed down for generations? Other than family recipes, I actually get a lot from here. She writes books about a caterer who solves murders, how could she not include tons of recipes? I think I'm going to go and make that fudge now. =)

Smiles Are Contagious

I had some fun with my WTJ. After babysitting all day I was feeling exhausted and upset, because the little boy I babysit was so sad to leave. He made me laugh and smile when he was here, the way little kids can. Seeing him cry as he was leaving made my heart break. I pulled out my book and decided to get thru a few pages. I'm glad I did. My mood is up a bit now, and I'm ready to sit down with a good book until I fall asleep.









This last picture was one of my favorites. I'm going to find that message later, probably at school sometime when I'm in a bad moon and I need it most. Silly little things like that are good reminders. A good mood is contagious, but don't wait to catch it from someone else! =D

Dedication

Happy New Year! We went to Borders today (I think I'm set on books for a while!) and I found Llewellyn's Witche's Datebook 2009. I had the 2008 calendar, so I bought it. In it there is a poem that I really connected with. When I read it, it was (for lack of a better way of phrasing it) like deja vu. That is pretty much how it happened. There is still a lot I don't know, but I have learned so much the past few years. I hope 2009 continues to let me learn as much as I can. There is always more room in my head for information!

Dedication

At first you weren't sure what path to take-
The left, the right, the summit or the pond-
Nor how to pour the ale or cut the cake,
But in good time you learned, and passed beyond.

Though other roads were wider, smooth and new,
An older Way rose up beneath your feet.
You followed it, and studied it, and grew
And spoke with fellow souls you chanced to meet.

So now you stand, outside of time and space,
To dedicate yourself among the Wise.
The trees lean down to listen in this place;
The Moon shines as your witness in the skies.

"I am a Witch!" You say the words, times three,
And what you say forevermore, shall be.

- Elizabeth Barrette