Pumpkin Cookies

Ok, so I was trying to find anything to do today besides studying, but whatever my intentions, I made the best pumpkin cookies ever. I asked my mom for a recipe and she hadn't been able to find one, so I went to my favorite website, food network. I found two recipes for pumpkin cookies with icing, so I used the cookie from one and the icing from the other. It was a spiced pumpkin cookie with cream cheese icing. Yum!!!! I have to say that I was inspired by Lily's blog about the pies she made. Thanks Lily. I love the fall and baking and all the warm, cozy feelings that come along with that. It was alot of fun spending the day in my kitchen with my 5 year old. She loved measuring and mixing. Maybe when she grows up, she will share these special times with her kids.

Presentations and my Grandpa

I really enjoyed class today. It was interesting hearing all of the different ideas about Fahrenheit 451. When we have projects like this, we get to look at the selected reading through the eyes of everyone else in the class. There are a lot of different perspectives! It affords us the opportunity to learn and grow as students, as well growing in our humanity.

My Grandpa used to always tell me that life is about learning. He used to ask me everyday what I learned and he was passionate about this. Although we have had a lot of work in this class, the genuine learning that has taken place has made every second of homework worth it. I can't believe I said that!

He also used to tell me, to never be afraid to change my mind. He said that if you never change your mind then you aren't truly learning and growing. My Grandpa was an amazing man!

Scheduling

Why does everything in college have to be so confusing. I went to guidance in the summer and they helped me sign up for classes and then sent me on my way. Never told me what to expect or what would be coming next. So when the signs went up all over campus that scheduling starts November 2, I was a little nervous. Not only do I not know how to schedule classes, I also have no clue about what I am supposed to take next semester. I didn't even know until I saw those signs hanging up everywhere that I even had a question about what to do next. I think that the HACC Bureaucracy thinks that we will all just go online and take care of it. What happened to people guiding you through your process. Isn't that what guidance is for. We need help. We don't know the 50 billion rules about what classes you have to take in what order. Oh well, that is my crisis for the day. Hopefully I will schedule correctly. I guess I will know soon.

Coffee Table

Who knew that it would be so incredibly difficult to find a new coffee table? I picked out the sofa and chairs in about 2 minutes, but for some reason picking out a coffee table escapes me. I have been to 5 million stores and looked at 50 trillion tables and I can't find anything that I like. I don't get it, ugh! Well as soon as I figure it out I will post a picture of the winning table, ha. Until then the search continues. If anyone knows a good place to look, let me know.

Colleen and Jordan's Wedding

We were in New York all weekend for our nieces wedding. Everything was so beautiful. I just love weddings. The Bride and Groom looked amazing, the ceremony was beautiful, and the reception was out of this world. Friends, family and food, what could be better?

We sat at the reception and caught up on the latest events with all of our family and friends. We sipped on cocktails, and enjoyed fabulous food. We also managed to squeeze in a few dances and some wedding cake. Candy Apple Martinis! I think that says it all, haha.

There is nothing better than a wedding to remind us of why we love our own spouses so much. They are so invigorating. Only problem is that I didn't have much time to work on homework, ugh. So here I go, off to finish my homework.

Burning Bright

I cannot believe it! Montag killed Beatty. I definitely did not expect that. In the last chapter of this book, Bradbury outdid himself. The action in this chapter only magnifies the extent of deterioration of human nature, and the lack of value that we feel regarding human life. The way that he illustrated the hunt for Montag and how it was televised and salivated for was ingenious. It just illustrates what happens when we stop thinking as individuals and start thinking as a collective. Montags ability to think freely saved him from the steely jaws of his potential executioner.

The contrast between the action in the city and the peacefulness in the country serves to illustrate Bradbury's point that the potential for free thought is always present. One must only free the mind of pointless noise.

I am a little disturbed by the fact that I felt no sadness at the thought of thousands of people being disintegrated. I know that this was Bradbury's intent, but because the potential for free thought is present in all humans I wish that I could feel a little sadness for them. I suppose that the mob mentality has just as much potential to surface in all of us as does free thought.

I just hope that we can all remember this book and learn a lesson from it. I am really touched by Granger's desciption of how we leave our mark on the world. I hope that by my being here I have the opportunity to effect change and leave a lasting mark on the people that I leave behind.

School Pictures

It's school picture time again. I can remember being a kid and being so exited for school pictures. You got to get out of class and they gave you a comb that you could keep. I know that I am dating myself, but when I was a kid they gave every kid a little cheap black comb so that we all had a chance to comb our hair before we got our pictures taken. It seems so silly now, but I was thrilled by the whole process. It helped that I was a little ham and loved to have my picture taken. Now that it is my children that are being photographed, it reminds me of that feeling of excitement. Getting all dressed up, having your picture taken and then waiting impatiently for the morning when you walk into class and see the pile of big envelopes on your teachers desk. Then when you take them home and your mom smiles so big when she sees your pictures. What a great time of year, Picture Time!

I need a GPS

I figured out a very important lesson today. I should have a GPS surgically implanted somewhere on my person. I travel alot with my kids sports and I thought I had a good handle on how to get everywhere I need to go. So how is it that I had to travel to some town in the middle of nowhere, Maryland today for a softball double-header? What the heck? Maybe if your kid is playing township ball, then perhaps the games should at least be held in the state in which you reside. Not a travel team folks. The worst part was that when I finally got there, I could see the field from 780 million different directions as I kept driving by it, but couldn't figure out how to get into the school, ugh! Maybe directionally challenged people should be issued GPS's with their drivers lisences. Yay!!!! That's a great idea.