A Litany of Things...

Here I am again.  I haven't blogged in forever.  I don't know what my problem is.  Strike that.  I do know what my problem is.  I've been busy and tired.  I know that it's a common problem with everyone this time of year.  Here's what I've been up to...

A couple of weekends ago, I went to see my cousin Gracie perform in Guys & Dolls.  It was a great show and she did a super job.  Those kids have been practicing every hour they weren't in school for months now.  The photography was pretty hard in there because it was dark and everyone was always dancing and moving, but here are a few shots I got of our Gracie girl...

The day after I attended Guys & Dolls, Jennifer and I decided to do a speedy version of a Canton trip.  We were there by 8:30 a.m. and we were leaving my 11:30 a.m.  Since it was Sunday and the last market day before Thanksgiving, we lucked into some Thanksgiving decor steals and deals. 

I got these cute Pilgrims (Jennifer got them too, and managed to buy the last set of adorable Indians to match.  I'll have to be on the lookout next year.). 

I have them in a planter by the front door.

I've been looking for turkeys to complete my mantel Thanksgiving decor for a couple of years and got these at a great price.

They are a pretty bronze color and so sparkly.

I did finally mange to get all my Halloween stuff put away and get the Thanksgiving stuff out.  Another new addition to the decorations is this door hanging on my front door (Hobby Lobby).  It really shows up from the street, especially at night when the front porch light is on.

Here is the mantle.  I'm not in love with it, but it's as good as it is going to get for this year.

I've also managed to get some planting done in the front and back yard.  I am only planting some containers for fall/winter.  I probably wouldn't even mess with it because I'm so dang tired of watering everything after the hot/dry summer we've had, but I just love Violas and can't resist planting some.

These are the planters out front.  I forgot to take photos of the back.

 

I've also been busy with non-fun stuff.  I have been in court for what seems like all day every day for the past several weeks (mostly all on the same juvenile case for which I have been the attorney for the past 4 years).  The said juvenile case has resulted in me doing all sorts of things that they never teach (or warn) you about in law school like:

(1) lecturing a teenager

(2) buying supplies (toiletries, etc) for a kid because their parent is too crappy to do it (this isn't the first time either)

(3) lecturing a teenager some more

(4) telling a mom all the ways that she is a crappy mother

(5) getting an escort to my car by the sheriff's deputies (for my protection)

(6) getting whisked out the back of a courtroom by the bailiff so that I could take a "secret" way out of the courthouse so as to miss the same people that resulted in my escort the week before

(7) trying to find a place for a pregnant teen who already has a one year old to live

I have also been busy with school between testing, grading papers, preparing for a classroom evaluation, and wrapping up the semester.  Today, one of my high school/college (dual credit) students had located a copy of an old exam.  At least I think that's what he was up to.  Why he brought it to class and was showing his friends there, I don't know?  Well yes I do.  He's 17, so he thinks I'm stupid.  Too stupid to catch on to what they are doing.  But the girl who exclaimed "How did you get the test?!" to which he replied, "Sssshhhhhhh!!!!!!" kind of gave it away.  So I wasn't planning to, but now, I'm totally re-writing that test.  I plan to keep the first 5 questions or so exactly the same and then I'm going blow their little 17 year old minds!   I kind of like being evil like that sometimes. 

So that's where I've been and what I've been doing.  Sorry for the absence.  I think that all of this activity, paired with the time change, has just zapped me of all blogging energy at night.  I'll try to be better!