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TeacherPerson

Name: Mary
Gender: Female

Interests: Reading-- Writing Letters-- Teaching English-- Learning History
Expertise: Chocolate Chip Cookie Baker-- Entertaining in a Messy House-- Hot bath taking
Occupation: Education/training

Message: message meEmail: email me
Website: visit my website
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bookworm500

Member Since: 2/20/2005

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Sunday, July 05, 2009

Shameless Beggar

Please, please, pretty please? Send me mail?

http://www.mycampk.com/contact/1-way-camper-emails
(Mary Sellers, cabin unknown)

You don't even have to be creative. Forwards of forwards, jokes, riddles, things to read to my teenage girl campers, and more would be greatly appreciated.

If you'd like to pray for me, pray that God will use me and that I will grow closer to Him!

Thanks

1:43 PM - 48 views - 8 eprops - 4 comments - email it

Thursday, July 02, 2009

Days of Knights

On Sunday, I leave to be a counselor at Camp Kanesatake for a week working with teens. (Yes, I really want letters and emails. I shamelessly ask you for them! Click on the link http://www.mycampk.com/contact/1-way-camper-emails. Send to Mary Sellers at Youth Quest 1 Cabin unknown)

Anyhow, as the theme is Days of Knights, I thought it would be fun to make a medieval costume. I've always wanted my own, and this seemed like a perfect opportunity to make one.

Yesterday morning, this is what my outfit looked like.

But today, here it is!

Yes, it's rather...um...voluminous. (And I didn't realize my eyes were shut in the picture below until I transferred it to my computer as my eyes are squinty when I smile anyhow. And by that time, it was raining AGAIN, so I just went with this shot.)

I'm not sure what the best feature of this outfit is. The little bellhop hat? The enormous not-even-in-the-90's sleeves? The skirt so full it has prompted two of my children to say, "You really aren't THAT fat"? The notice from neighbors I got when I was trying it on and then went out to pick lettuce yesterday?

I think it's the fact that it's my costume. And I'm happy.

Strangely enough, LibbyK doesn't want me to make an outfit for her. I just can't imagine why.

2:13 PM - 86 views - 32 eprops - 19 comments - email it

Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Invalid Summary

What a good husband says:

"I know life has been really busy for you, so I think you deserve to take a day off and rest up."

What my husband said:
"I know life has been busy for you. And I know you like to pretend that you are sick when you need a day off. So why don't I get up with the kids and take them to their activity while you sleep in. Then you can spend the day in bed and read or rest even though you have several time-sensitive, important jobs to finish. After that, I'll take you out to dinner."

Yes, I married well.

We have finished our whirlwind two weeks of life. What fun they were, but I am glad that today I'm curled up in bed (with an AP Language textbook--joy).

What's been going on since then? Let me 'splain. No, there is too much. Let me sum up.

After our return from DC, we went to see 17 Again, which I found to be quite funny. I guess being the mom and seeing the movie with a bunch of teens made it particularly amusing.
The teenage boy quotient (mamaglop!) rose by many for a party at our house and then remained increased by two for the what's-become-usual Friday night Guitar Hero Fest.
Saturday we left for camping at Prince Gallitzin, whose lake Mark J dug by himself with a shovel. (inside joke for those of you wondering what on earth I am speaking of) I got lots of nifty, artistic shots. I'll post those later.
We had PERFECT weather for camping the entire time we were there. The thunderstorms returned in full-force the first night we were home again and cozy in our beds.
Friday was another party.
Saturday was another party in the afternoon. (and I even played Ultimate Frisbee in my bare piggies!) After swimming, we went to see Transformers 2 which was crude and not funny and two and a half hours of annoyance. Mothers--do not view. We went to Dairy Queen after which was more palatable than the movie.
Sunday was church. We just had to collapse and spend the night on Facebook and watching The Princess Bride.
Monday morning, Mr. Britain got on a train and left us. We were sad. And, we lost again at softball that night. But I had pasta salad, so it was all good.

Today, as I've already stated, I'm playing hooky from life. Okay, not really. I've done laundry, ordered the kids about in various cleaning projects, skimmed and outlined the textbook for my AP Language class, started work on the syllabus, and got dressed. That's a lot for an imaginary invalid. But, looming before me are the medieval dress I really, really want to finish before I leave for camp on Sunday, the guidebook for TGD's algebra lectures which I HAVE to write as soon as possible, and the general state of the house. (I suppose that in order to keep it cleaner, I'd have to be home to clean it, eh? Rats!)

I think I shall leave you with some pictures.

I tried to find a picture in DC where Wit was smiling. No dice.

D and I played DDR at camp. I got a C both times. But I think I get an A for being a good sport.

Hench and Henchmen--HA HA!

The Sunday One-Shot Team (missing two)

1:34 PM - 61 views - 12 eprops - 12 comments - email it

Saturday, June 20, 2009

Rain Again (but say it so it rhymes)

Happy Saturday! (Er, it IS Saturday, isn't it?) Life has just been one big party of late. We stay up late and sleep in. I'm not sure how this schedule has helped Mr. UK adjust to the time zone, but he seems to be faring well.

Wait, you don't know who Mr. UK is? He's our friend from England, RH. Wit, Gockle, and I went to Washington, DC, to pick him up on Monday night. We then toured around DC for two days--mostly walking to outside buildings, but we did have fun in the Hirschhorn Museum of Modern Art guessing at what we would name the sculptures. And, of course, we went to Natural History (fun) and Air and Space (dull--I'm not a plane girl). And I had the best fries at a Ruby Tuesdays.

The drive home on Wednesday was...er, amusing? Wretched? Accompanied by a huge Diet Coke and much ice chewing? We left DC at 9:30 p.m. and headed out. I had printed directions, but I misunderstood what TGD said to me. (He was there filming the last week of lectures for his Teaching Company Algebra series.) So, we didn't take the exit we should have. But, I soon realized that we were not in the right spot and turned around. Only too bad for me. There was no entrance for the direction of the highway we wanted. We could take 28 South, but not 28 north. So, I had to turn again. Then, we needed some other road, which I will call 267 (but it might be 629 or 643 for all I remember). Guess what? There was no entrance ramp for the direction I wanted to go! My choices? 267 East or Dulles Airport. I chose the airport. We had a good laugh as we circled the airport, drove through departures, and got back on the highway the way we wanted to go. Actually, there was a car in front of us (License ZZfan) who did the exact same thing. However, when we got on the highway, he turned the opposite direction and circled the airport again. We all started calling, "No, ZZfan! This is the way to the highway!"

But, adding 25% more time to a trip at 9:30 at night does not qualify for wretched. No, it rained the whole way home. Correction. It RAINED the whole way home! I saw lightning for three hours. I had my wipers on high for at least an hour and a half straight. I kept praising God, though. "Thank you that there is little traffic. Thank you that there's no fog. Okay, thank you that the foggy bit is over now."

At 1:30 a.m. with three teens sound asleep, I got pretty tired. So, I played mental games to keep me awake. "A, my name is Amy. My husband's name is Adam. We live in Allentown, and we sell accordions." (All the place names had to be towns in PA.) And then, I played another fun game where I pick a large family I know and have to go through and say the first and middle names of all the children. William Timothy, Christopher John....Sylvia Anne, Victoria Claire... That kept me alert until we hit the exit for HOME, and then I was perky.

The next day (after sleeping in a lot), we milled about and did this and that and went to see 17 Again at the $1 theater. I laughed like a fool. Oh, my. Perhaps seeing this movie from the perspective of a parent made it even funnier.

Friday (that was yesterday, right?), TGD and I went out to lunch and spent $$$ on food for our camping trip. We got home, unloaded, and I went to pick up Little Miss from her week at camp. I expected that she'd say, "Oh, no! Mom, go home!" But she came and gave me a hug. I think she was tired and ready to come home. When we got home, a kickball game was in full swing at the homework burning party. It was well-attended (um, 25?), and we enjoyed setting off the fireworks that Grammy Peep got for Hunter's graduation.

The last folks left around midnight, except for those who were sleeping over (Mr. UK, EG, and my own kiddos). So, we sat up and played Guitar Hero for a long while. Much Nerf gun shooting also happened. (I shot my foot!)

So, it's today. We are to go camping, maybe. No surprise, it's RAINING again. It's THUNDERSTORMing again. And, we aren't packed. But, it's all good. I've got five teenage boys in the house right now.

10:51 AM - 80 views - 18 eprops - 12 comments - email it

Friday, June 12, 2009

On Tenterhooks

I'm sure you've all been on pins and needles waiting to hear the final part of yesterday's post. (Wait. She posted yesterday? What was it? Something exciting? Ummm....) Yes, I was going to tell you all the mundane EXCITING things which will be happening over the next few days.

Excitement #1--A Thursday night with nothing to do! Yes, this was technically last night (although with the miracle of future posting, it's really tonight). TGD and I had a movie lined up and a whole lotta nothing. And chicken that's been marinating for two days and a grill. Mmmmm.

Excitement #2--I get to go to a wedding on Friday. One of my former AP students (and now friend) is getting married. I'm road tripping with AbbyB. TGD will hold down the fort at home. I hope I don't forget to take along the wedding present, $ and a copy of Created to Be His Helpmeet by Debi Pearl, which ought to be required reading for wives.

Excitement #3--Little Miss heads to Camp Kanesatake on Sunday. The theme is Days of Knights, and this week is designed especially for homeschoolers (as regular school doesn't let out until Wednesday) and counts as a week's worth of unit study. 5 down, 175 to go...

Excitement #4--TGD heads to VA for his last week of taping Algebra I lectures for The Teaching Company. All went really well last week, and he and they are hoping for equal success this week. I got a vicarious thrill when he timed his 30 minute lectures down to the second. Plus, another guy who was also there taping borrowed one of TGD's ties. Handsome and talented, my man!

Excitement #5--Gockle, Wit, and I will go to VA on Monday to pick up Robin, a friend of the boys, who will be spending two weeks with us. He's the son of our Cambridge pastor. (Yes, he's flying from England, just him.) We'll prop Robin's jet-lagged body up and drag him around DC for a few days before heading home.

Excitement #6--There are only two more excitements to list! Huzzah!

Excitement #7--The kids are having a big party on the Friday after school to muck about and burn homework. We shamelessly stole the idea from our neighbors. Plus, my mom gave me some fireworks which we plan to set off. Fire. Fireworks. Frisbee. Food. It's enough to warm a teenage boy's heart.

Excitement the final--Camping! Hooray! Camping at Prince Galliztin with a whole bunch of families is to happen soon. I've been looking forward to it for months. But, it just now occurred to me that I should have been praying for good weather. With the monsoon season we've had of late, it's a valid request. I'll get to debut my new Lands' End swimsuit--very Mom-ish.

What excitements have you blathering on?

P.S.--Proud Parent says, "My boys' Ultimate Frisbee team won the championship at State High this week. Go, DiscConnected!"

3:08 PM - 65 views - 20 eprops - 16 comments - email it

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