So here are the promised pictures of our new television:

It still looks just crazy large in our living room…I think it’s going to take some getting used to.  Eric called about having it delivering yesterday morning and found out they couldn’t deliver it until today (Tuesday).  So after pondering about it all day, Eric called them back and asked if he could come and pick it up.  So that’s what he did.  Good thing, too, since there’s A LOT of snow on the ground here.  I don’t think they would’ve made it if we had waited to have them deliver it!

After classes yesterday, I came home, and Eric was already there working on unpacking the television.  He also had brought me my Valentine’s Day roses so that I could enjoy them for longer.  Here’s a pic of those, too:

I made pizza for dinner and then headed to the mall to finish my Valentine’s shopping and such.  Good thing, too, since I doubt I would’ve made it to the mall today!  So now I can wrap gifts and stuff today.  I also need to clean up the packing from the television and a few other “normal” activities/chores.  We’ll see what I decide to do!

On Friday, I decided to take nothing home with me and to do nothing for
classes today.  As a result, it was a lovely, relaxing
weekend.  Unfortunately, it meant that I needed to get a bunch of
stuff done this morning before heading to my classes.  But it’s
finished, and now I can do a quick blog update before moving on to
teaching for the day!

The weekend, as I said, was quite nice.  We went out to eat on
Friday (tried a new Chinese place…great service, food was a bit
bland) then went home and watched Superman Returns.  Someone told me that they didn’t like it much, but for a Superman movie, I thought it was okay. 

Saturday, Eric went to work from 9-2:30 or so.  So I was on my
own.  I did lots of little projects on the computer and around the
house.  Then I started reading a book.  I read the whole book
on Saturday.  And I even cleaned the bathrooms, made dinner, and
started the laundry on top of it!  I’m an overachiever, I know!

Sunday was church, then home for the afternoon, then the return of
small groups.  We had Italian for lunch, then we both relaxed for
a bit before running out to buy a mover’s dolley for Eric. Our new tv
is supposed to arrive today (I’ll try to post pictures tomorrow) and he
wanted to have something to help him get it into the house. 

And apparently, relaxing is good for me.  I was quite the
entertaining, social person on Sunday…I should try that whole
“relaxing” thing more often!

I’m really late, I know, but it’s been a crazy morning.  I had a
dept. meeting, so I had to actually work when I got to my office. 
I’ve spent most of the morning organizing myself to address the student
whose paper was “not well done” yesterday.  My parents are at a
meeting together today, however, so I just ate lunch in my
office…which bought me some time to work as well.  So in about a
half-hour, I’ll start two hours of workshops.  And then I’ll be
done. Praise Jesus!

Last night we (and by that, I mean Eric )
ordered a new TV for us: a 50 inch flat screen HD rear-projection
monster.  I left out most of the abbreviations that are actually
part of its name, mostly because I can’t explain them well and you
probably don’t know what they mean.  But early next week, a brand
new television will be arriving at my doorstep.  Eric is VERY
excited.   I’m excited for him.  But I will definitely enjoy the great picture quality when I’m watching my Travel Channel shows!

We also went to a hockey game last night with Ryan (my BIL).  The
Blue Jackets won.  The people sitting around us were annoying and
stupid.  The walk to and from the area was FREEZING BUTT
COLD.   My
toes didn’t thaw all the way out until we got home.  But it was a
nice evening out.  And now it’s Friday.  Praise Jesus!

I remember, from when I was actually in school, that I never liked 2-hour delays.  I still don’t.  I felt so rushed all day yesterday because the hour or two that I normally spend in my office getting ready for classes was taken up with driving.  I only arrived on campus about 20 minutes before my first class.  So the whole day just didn’t feel right, like I should’ve been allowed to just sit in my office for a while and work.

But I did survive the afternoon workshops.  Unfortunately, I’m pretty brain-dead by the end of 4 straight peer group workshops, but it could be worse (it has been worse!).  SO, I called Karen on my way home and generally vegged out in the evening.  I made soup for dinner and Eric had orchestra, so I just played on the computer and read.  I got Marla’s new book yesterday, so it was one of the things I read.  SO far…very good!  I went to bed about 9:30, which was very nice as well!

Eric got up this morning just after 6:00 (which is early for him), so my day is running about 20 minutes ahead of schedule (thus, this pre-7:00 post!). I wonder what I should do with all my free time?!?

I never left the house yesterday and got a few important things done.  I even read all the papers I needed to have read for today’s workshops.  I will be driving to CU today, but there is no rush.  The University is on a 2-hour delay, so no one has to be there until 10:00, and my first class isn’t until 11:00.   I’m giving a test in that class, too, so I’ve already emailed the file to my secretary and, on the off chance that I’m not there right at 11:00, she can start them testing for me!  And of course, Clark County NEVER clears their roads,   so I’ll have to drive VERY slowly on that stretch of road!

And here are some pictures for you all to enjoy!

The weather at 2:00 yesterday afternoon…

Then at 3:30…

Then at 5:00…and again at 8:00…

Yep…it snowed a lot yesterday!  And it looks really pretty this morning…at least it’ll stay for a while since it’s SOO cold out there!

Oh…and one final picture of my most recently completed knitting project…just so you can all see my skills!

Everybody seemed a little “blah” yesterday…I’m not sure how much was caused by the weather and how much by the long, busy weekend.  My student who LOVES the Colts was in a very good mood, but overall, my students were just bland.  But then again, so was I yesterday!  So I finished classes and organized my life a bit in my office.  Then I headed home.

The evening was all about relaxing.  I read a book until Eric got home.  He thinks he knows what TV we should buy with our tax refund, so he was very excited about that.  Then we watched TV all evening, even ate dinner on the couch.  I also knitted some and we both played Sudoku puzzles.  Then we went to bed.  Sleep is a lovely thing.

I wish I had something more exciting to talk about today.  I will have to work on that…

• I am standing in the classroom of my 11:00 class right now, trying not to be annoyed.  I just sent away the one student who showed up for class today.  We were supposed to review for the test, which I moved to Wednesday so that we could finish the review today.  The two who aren’t here were here on Friday.  The one not here on Friday came today and had no questions  It’s a tad annoying really.
• The schools in Columbus called off last night because of the cold.  There was much jubilant squealing from the ladies in my small group who were affected (3 before I left…probably more before the night was over). Apparently, the children can’t wait in the cold for 5-10 minutes for the bus. 
• Cedarville didn’t cancel classes today, even though my students have to walk outside repeatedly and for surprisingly great distances in temperatures that quite literally makes your face hurt and your boogers freeze. I think the children could’ve waited for their buses.

On a happier note, I got a ton of grading done this morning before my first class (was supposed to be).  Maybe I’ll go finish the rest of it before I head to Mom’s for lunch.

I also had a good, but very tiring weekend.  The houseful of teenaged girls (6 high schoolers and their leader) filled the house with squeals, chatter, and high-pitched laughter on Friday night, Saturday morning, Saturday night and Sunday morning.  Eric was somewhat amused by the whole thing, commenting, “High school girls are weirder than I remember them.”  I told him they hadn’t really changed much.  But I enjoyed hosting them, and on Friday night, I stayed up for their small group time and had the opportunity to answer some really tough questions that they were wanting answered.  That was a good time!

Of course, I’m really tired.  But the weekend is over, and now that the routine of “weekdays” is restored, I should be able to catch up very quickly!

So apparently 60 degrees is really the new 45 degrees in terms of my
office.  Whatever they did on Tuesday has at least upped my base
temperature enough to be comfortable.  It’s been much nicer to
come into my office the rest of the week…though I’m still using my
space heater!

Yesterday, I got home from CU at about 2:30 and goofed off for just a
bit.  Then I graded for a couple of hours.  My BIL, Ryan,
stopped in about 5:00 to drop off some hockey tickets for next week,
and he stayed until about 6:15 (Eric got home about 5:15).  Then
we got around and left for the church for our meeting about this
weekend.  That lasted from 7-9, but dinner was included and we had
a good time laughing with the people who were there.  In fact,
when were were introduced, Ken said, “The Hogues are another young
couple.  They don’t have kids yet either, but they are both really
cool.  Well,” he paused, “Eric is cool, but Shannah is
entertaining.”   How true, how true!

I started to get ready for bed about as soon as I got home.  I am
very tired this morning, too.  And I’ve had the second bad hair
day in a row.  I hate that!  Yesterday it all fell flat
before I left.  Today I can’t get the back to flip but the top is
like a bush.  ERGH!  Oh well…I suppose I’m really the only
one who realizes how bad it is!

Today is a department meeting (in about 5 minutes), then classes. 
Mom has a lunch meeting today, so I’ll be lunching alone.  That’s
okay, I’d like to try to finish my grading before the afternoon
classes, but we’ll see if that happens.  Anyway, then it’s home to
clean my house before we are invaded with high school girls for the
weekend. Should be fun!

I wish I had some pictures to post today.  I’ve been in the mood to have pictures…but I don’t have any new pictures worth showing.  I’ll have to work on that!

I’m going to CU for a bit today.  I don’t know if I’ll hang around all the way until the 4:00 meeting.  I don’t know why they ALWAYS schedule my department for the last interview of the day (4-5), so I don’t get home until 6:00.  We have a meeting at church at 7:00, too, so it’s going to be a busy day…again.

Yesterday, I got home from work about 4:30.  Eric got home just after 5:00.  I had to leave about 5:45 for a meeting at church.  Then I got dinner at Tim Horton’s and went grocery shopping.  I got home about 15 minutes before Eric got home from orchestra practice.  We didn’t get to bed until after 10:00.  I was very tired!

I just deleted a whole paragraph that was nothing but whining…I need to work on my attitude today!