Comps Questions

So, thankfully I got my questions for my graduate comprehensive exam early. This is great considering I am taking Friday, the weekend, Monday, & Tuesday off from anything teaching related at school to work on them. The negative....I will be working my a$$ off to finish them. One question involves creating a whole freakin' curriculum. Had I known that was going to be a question, I would have started that a little earlier. A whole curriculum!? Is this for real? It has to be related to John Dewey, yes not only known for the Dewey decimal system, but also for his work in education. Looks like I have my research cut out for myself along with the other two questions I must answer. Wish me luck!

Princesses & Pigskins

I don't know if many people know this about me, but I love college football. Yes, this former princess girly-girl loves college football. My love of college football most likely initiated back at Iowa State during my first tailgating experience. Before, I never really understood the point. Then, my guy friends as well as my sorority sisters taught me a lot about the game. So here we go at my take on sportscasting....

It was an exciting game for Big 12 football fans. Iowa State upset Nebraska winning the game 9 to 7. This was the first time in over 30 years Iowa State beat the Huskers in Lincoln. In other college football news, Sam Bradford is out for the rest of the season for the Oklahoma Sooners due to a shoulder injury. This has brought big tears to my eyes, as Sam is currently one of the hottest football players in my book. Not to mention the fact that I used to hate the Sooners due to an old tailgating experience and then began to love them because Sam Bradford is amazing. Don't worry, I am still a Cyclone at heart. The verdict is still out in the SEC as to whether the Florida Gators will upset the Alabama Crimson Tide. Secretly, I am going for Bama as I just have a distaste for Tim Tebow. Guess we'll see. It should be interesting.

Support Bras

I knew that would get your attention:) My sorority used to give out the "Support Award" every week in chapter. It was this big, and I mean the biggest, crummiest, support bra I had ever seen. It was passed along to various sisters for showing support when people needed a friend. So, I hearby give everyone the support bra award for all the nice posts and support you all have offered me in my time of oral pain. I also have my graduate comps coming up next week, which is probably another reason I've been vomiting. Truth is though, I'm a heck of a lot less nervous than before for all the kindness and support. Thanks a million!

Self Improvement

So, my hands are shaking terribly from nerves and I had to take the day off. I have not yet blogged about this because I am a little embarrassed as well as nervous to the point I've thrown up twice today. Yes, twice. No, I'm not pregnant. That would be joyful vomiting. I am getting braces. Two weeks ago, I went in thinking the braces would be totally on; however, ran into some problems and they were only able to get the brackets on. Apparently, my teeth are so crowded my spacers would not go in. They snapped and broke three trying to pry them between my molars. Next, they tried the old school wires, got two in on the bottom; but, crammed as the might could not get them in on the top. So, Dr. Carter, my orthodontist, has another plan in mind. I feel like a total pumpkin mouth right now because I've been walking around with just the brackets on my teeth. I'm excited and looking forward to a future of straight teeth, but am incredibly nervous about the pain I'm going to endure this afternoon.

10 Years

I know it has been a while, almost like ten years, since the last blog. Life got the best of me again. I am nearing the end of my graduate studies, it's the end of the quarter at school, and I had other personal duties to attend too that left me completely exhausted and crabby by the end of last week. Anyhow, the Creston High School Class of 1999 finally had their 10 year class reunion. Before attending the reunion, the Kenyon family and the Nickels celebrated Pumpkin Days in Orient, Iowa. I purchased a fairytale pumpkin from non other than the legendary Novak Gardens man. The guy is rumoured in the town of Creston to be sort of like Kokapeli. I can't imagine ever having much to do with this guy other than politely saying hello and purchasing produce from him; however, since we're still trying to conceive I thought it might help things along if I had my picture taken with him. John Oscar and Jacqueline both enjoyed the parade. Next year, we hope to make it back for the couples lawn mower race.

Next, was the class reunion. It was the nice/good-to-see-some/awkward feeling that I had expected. Jen and I posed for a lovely picture with the fellow buffalo of 3 mile lake lodge before crashing the Class of 1994 reunion, which was way more fun than ours. They had a theme- The Past, Present, and Future; plus, a class president who was way more ambitious than others. Their class reunion completed the theme with tarot card readings, a photo booth, and magic 8-balls as favors. All in all it was a great and memorable weekend. At least what we can remember of it:)

Really Boring

No friends, I am not trying to grow my own magic mushrooms. These are growing voluntarily in our yard. Funny thing is that I'm finally getting somewhat of a tomato crop. Okay, so I have one tomato that has not been raped by the squirrels; but, really I was mistaken when I saw the mushrooms in my yard and thought the squirrels had yet again taken my one and only tomato. While the squirrels do enjoy these mushrooms, trust me, they were eyeing me as I was taking pictures this evening, I am wondering if the mushrooms are really safe to have in my yard and why they are growing. Sorry Sam! I think by now you realize how boring I really am since I am blogging about fungi, tomatoes, and squirrels.

In other non-boring news, we are headed to Greenfield, IA for the annual Citywide Garage Sales. I am really hoping someone, and I know they are out there, is busy cleaning their home and selling some very vintage items. Just something totally cheesy like an old Budweiser hanging ceiling lamp or something. That would be cool. We are also in pursuit of a Little Tykes slide for my friend Jen since she won't be able to make it to this monumental event. Wish us luck!

Theta Love

So, I must apologize for the quality of this picture; but, at least we got the picture. It's been a long time since we all got together. With the extended weekend, my good friend Samantha and her husband, Ryan, came down to Kansas City. It's been too long, way too long. Sunday night Sam, Katie (another fellow Theta & Kansas City resident), and myself all got together for dinner at The Other Place in downtown Overland Park. It was quite the night catching up, watching the fellow bar patrons, and seeing things we had not seen since college (as in drunk girls making out). The most comic moment was when I thought I smelled a skunk. Being that I get a little nervous around non-domestic animals, I said with great concern, "OMG! I smell a skunk!" Sam and Kati both started laughing at me and informed me the people behind me were smoking more than cigarettes. We soon left, as Kati is 8 months pregnant and for the simple fact that we are way too old and responsible for that kind of shenanigans. The bar waitress was kind enough to get this snapshot in time that won't be forgotten.