Watch out, I'm pretty proud of myself.

I've been crafting it up during my holiday break: scarf after scarf after scarf.

Dra asked me to make her a beanie.

I think it's adorable, and I probably should have looked for a tutorial, but I'm beaming with satisfaction for figuring a pattern out on my own.

What do you think?

All of the nephews are over at my parents'.

Here's Ezra playing with my mom's Christmas present. He loves wearing the apron; he and my mom made us sugar cookies with sprinkles with the cookie press I gave my mom for Christmas.

Earlier this morning, after I had showered and readied myself, I ran downstairs to continue playing and Ezra stopped mid train crash, "Hey! You look pretty good. I mean your hair."

Last night while waiting for our dinner at Cracker Barrel, my mom wandered back from washing her hands.

Ezra: "Grandma where the heck have you been?"

SNL Christmas Song | Movies & TV | SPIKE.com

Roommate Christmas:

My contribution to pot-luck breakfast?

Caramel Pull-Aparts

Note to self: For next time, remember that mom said to only use 24 of the 30 Rhodes rolls.

Oops. Didn't realize it'd make such a difference.

Final Product was delicious and eaten by the boys immediately.

Ingredients:

• 1 package Rhode's frozen dinner rolls dough
• 1 small package of cook and serve butterscotch pudding
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1 cube butter

Combine dry pudding mix with the brown sugar and pecans. Melt butter. Place frozen roll dough in a well-buttered bundt or angel food cake pan. Pour melted butter over frozen dough and sprinkle with pudding mixture. Leave cake pan out over night. The dough rises beautifully by morning. Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Invert on platter to serve. Serves 10.

- Rose Payne

I drew Janey's name.

I presented her with a hat with flaps, a pretty long scarf, and peppermint and black licorice candy. I made two out of three of those gifts.

Karen had me!

She gave me a new door knob that I can lock from the outside, ear plugs, a little lint roller, bath salts, a chocolate orange, and candy in my stocking. I jumped off the couch and smothered Karen in a huge hug. She knows me so well.

Turkey and Vegetable Chili

I made this for my fam for our Biggest Loser Finale party. It is so good! I added some chili powder, and we ate it over a baked potato. Two thumbs up.

(It served more than four, more like six or seven.)

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

For the chili: 1-½ tablespoons olive oil 1 large onion, medium diced 1 garlic clove, minced 1 small red chili, seeded and small diced ½ teaspoon ground cumin 1 large carrot, peeled and small diced 1 large celery stalk, medium diced 1 small yellow bell pepper, seeded and medium dice 12 ounces 1% lean ground turkey 4 medium size ripe tomatoes, medium diced 8 oz cooked white or black beans 4 cups baby spinach Freshly ground black pepper ¼ cup plain fat free Greek style yogurt Micro cilantro to garnish, (can substitute with chopped chives or chopped cilantro)

METHOD

• Place a large saute pan over medium high heat, then drizzle with the oil.
• Add the onion, garlic, and red chili and sauté for 2 minutes, or until tender.
• Sprinkle the cumin over the onion mix and stir well, then add the carrot, celery, and bell pepper and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the vegetables begin to get tender.
• In a separate saute pan, brown the turkey in the remaining oil over medium high heat, then transfer to the vegetable mix.
• Add the tomatoes and the beans and cook for a further 8 minutes, stirring occasionally, or until the tomatoes have broken down and most of the liquid has evaporated.
• Stir in the spinach and remove from the heat.
• Season the chili to taste with freshly ground black pepper
• Spoon the chili into serving dishes
• Spoon a tablespoon of the yogurt onto each garnish with the micro cilantro and serve.

Nutrition Facts: Calories 280 Total Fat 7g Sat Fat 1.5g Cholesterol 35mg Sodium 120mg Total Carb 28g Dietary Fiber 9g Sugar 7g Protein 29g

Today a student called out to me from across the room, "Ms. Bateman!?"

"Yeah Skylar."

"You're funny."

It's because I had them raising two fingers, then down to one finger, and I warned/laughed, "An appropriate finger."

I am funny.

In another class, a girl was up at the board showing us how to find the median of a list of numbers, and the kids were calling out helping her put them in order from least to greatest. One boy called out, "Seven!" but there was no seven, so he looked at his neighbor sideways, drug it out into, "Seven ... teen ... is the last number ... in the list," and it was. It made me laugh so hard because it was so secret, and only he, me, and one other student noticed. I had my hand covering my mouth, trying to be respectful of the girl who was at the board, but my eyes were shiny with tears.

"What a funny guy." (That's from the end of Home Alone.)

Two Things:

Today in church, I was playing prelude on the organ, and a guy came walking up to talk to me. I found a stopping point, and he asked if he could play with me. I had a second of panic thinking he wanted to sit next to me and have a little duet. He pointed over to the piano, and I understood. I shrugged and agreed to it. We started with Angels We Have Heard on High. I played straight from the hymn book, and he jazzed the hymn up very nicely. We finished on Silent Night. I loved it, and I hope the congregation enjoyed it. It reminded me of my piano days where we had to do a duet during our summer recitals.

My roommates brought home a delicious smelling Christmas tree last night. This morning, roommate Karen was working around the tree, I was in my room getting ready for church, and then I heard her yelp. I came out to help, and she was searching for the huge bug that had flown out of the tree and landed on her neck. We couldn't find it. I grabbed my bag and headed downstairs and came face to face with the bug we had searched for. It looked like a box elder bug on steroids. I ran upstairs screaming that I had found the bug. I dropped off my bag and mustered the courage to say I was going to stomp it, but then it was in a corner, and I got scared it would be elusive. Janey went to get a boy from downstairs, but I coaxed it on to a poster and screamed as I carried it outside. Ammon came out right as I stomped on the monster, then he teased me for killing it and for screaming so much. Whatever, I was proud of myself for taking care of the situation. It really pumped me up for the drive to church.

Toby's Day after Turkey Bath

It's a good thing my mom installed a bigger sink.

What a cute little monster.

Today in class, I helped a student with a problem he wasn't understanding. He called me back,
"Oh, and Ms. Bateman? I have another question. Have they figured out cloning yet? Cause I REALLY don't want to go to my Aunt's tomorrow."

It was a serious question.

Jay's birthday is Saturday, and I just hung up from a long-winded conversation that started on the topic of what I should get him. In his defense, I did ask him to tell me what to buy for him. So he called and told me to get ... drum roll ... Gremlins! I laughed and refused, but he reminded me that it's his birthday, not mine.

"But what if I get scared when I buy it?"

"Oh, yeah right."

My pants fell down at the gym.

I was doing up-downs, I felt my pants slide a little, but I am stubborn and wanted to finish my set. It wasn't til I stopped that I realized my pants were practically under my green-striped butt cheeks.

Just trying to keep my life classy.

I finally hemmed my own jeans!

Usually, I'll take my jeans to my mom, chat it up, and eventually she just takes over.

I did ask a lot of questions (thank you mom and Dra). On my second pair of jeans, I had to get out a piece of paper to write out the math.

Ugh! I totally didn't match up to my starting point. Looks a little ridiculous, and it's conveniently in the front, but I'm still proud of myself.

Big Ball of Embarrassment

Spirit week has insisted that I come dressed up:

Mon = Nerd Day

I borrowed Jay's wolf shirt, and fanny pack, and I borrowed my dad's suspenders. I put horrible clips in my hair, tucked my shirt into my underwear, had super messy pony tails, glasses, wore long white socks, and topped it all off with my tevas. The fanny pack was a huge huge hit. (Turns out they're incredibly useful.) I felt so ugly yet so funny.

Tue = Ugly Sweater Day

No details really needed. I was practically sweating all day. Again, I felt so ugly yet so funny.

Wed = Today = Western Day = Cowboys and Indians!

I should take a poll, but I would like to give myself the best-dressed/favorite award. I wore my cute new moccasins, tight jeans, black shirt, brown top over top of black shirt that has gorgeous beading, feather earrings, a cute brown long tie around my right arm, and ... a huge feather headdress that Em made! My kids were so in love with me, but I have to admit that I was a little nervous to dress up as an Indian. I felt like I needed to clarify that I wasn't making fun of anyone. I hadn't seen Skipper and Maggie (teacher buds) before school started, so while Daniel (student teacher) was teaching, I ran to Skipper and Maggie's doors, stayed in the hallway so their students couldn't see me, waited til they caught sight of me, did a little jig, and snuck away as they laughed and laughed. I heard one of Maggie's students shout, "What are you laughing at?!" I am so funny and cute.

Tomorrow = Neon Day

I borrowed Em's bright blue pants, I'm still debating whether I want to put those tight suckers on and live through a whole day.

Friday = Decade Day

Shrug, no idea what I'm doing yet. Any suggestions and/or outfits I could borrow?

My overhead projector has a baby dragon living in it!

Last Thursday, my student teacher, Daniel, was teaching; I was across the hall, hiding out in the math office, cutting and pasting and humming, and he came busting in to ask me a question. He scared me, I laughed, then he laughed. He explained that my overhead projector wouldn't turn off, there was a message on the board saying it was overheating. Meh, it's done that before, so I stomped over in my boots to help out. (I was looking mighty great at work today, Dean complimented me, Nic complimented me, and later that afternoon, I got a lot of nods and doors held open as I walked to the back of the gym to change into non-flattering clothes ... I digress). So I grab the compressed air bottle, move kids out from underneath the projector (dust flies out and it's gross, but I didn't tell them that), and coach Daniel through where to send that air. He did a great job, I tried to turn the projector off, but it still said it was overheating. I shrugged and suggested Daniel spray a little bit more. He touched the projector and made a side comment about it being really hot and how he hoped he didn't burn his face off ... and then ... he sprayed through the back, and flames shot out the side right by his face! I kid you not! Flames!

I gasped. Some students also witnessed the flames.

I didn't know what to do! And I couldn't get over trying to figure out how the heck flames came out. Then it started to smell like smoke, then I envisioned my projector melting in on itself. I stomp/ran over to Carrie, blurted out in front of her class, "I need help! My projector just shot out flames; I'm not exaggerating!" She suggested I push my emergency button and get the custodians in there quick. I ran/stomped back (I was so loud in the halls with those cute little boots) and excitedly said, "I've never been able to use this!" and pushed the emergency button. Sweet secretary voice came over the intercom, "Did you need help?"

"Yes! I need Dale in my room quick, my projector just shot out flames!" then the kids started laughing, and I didn't hear the beginning of what she said, but I did hear that they would be there quickly. They came in, I acted out what happened while the kids sat silently as I entertained them, then they brought in a huge ladder to get a better look. That ladder was literally about two inches from the ceiling. It looked so silly and tall. They said they would put in a work order, "Do you use it much?"

Of course.

They laughed and suggested I leave it alone as much as possible today, which wasn't hard. The students were all sorts of riled up, and Daniel was in the background of the noise saying frantic things like, "We're still correcting at the end of class!"

What an adventure.

Gaggle of Trick-or-Treaters

Happy Halloween!

Sisters' Pumpkins: Mine on left, Dra's on right.

"Wow! I love my pumpkin."

Thank you Zach.

Zach's lighting the fire within.

Toby Monkey!

Pajama Spidey Eli

Muscle Black Spidey Ezra

Woody Abe

Gypsy Me - Ezra snapped this picture.

Ezra whispered, "You look beautiful Aunt Amy", then buried his face in my orange skirt.

Eli kept jangling my belly dancing skirt.

Excellent 30 min Bicep/Back/Kill your Quads workout:

(Be careful as you step out of your car. After working out and stretching, going grocery shopping, and driving for half an hour, I nearly ate it as I tried to exit my car. I put my weight on my left leg as usual after swinging my door open, my leg refused to support me any more, forcing me to catch hold of the door. I was so pathetically close to face planting.)

1. Lunges around half the gym coupled with bicep curls.

2. Lunges remaining half of gym coupled with shoulder presses.

3. Rep of twenty pull-ups on assisted dip machine (focus on pulling straight up and not bending your back).

4. Rep of fifteen froggy jumps.

Repeat steps three and four two more times.

5. Set of 20 bicep curls on big-armed resistance machine (I'll have to look next time for official name of machine).

6. Squat down on one leg, other leg straight out in front of you not touching the ground ever, and stand straight up using only one leg. Do a set of ten, then switch legs. Hold on to something for support if you need it, but don't let yourself pull up with your arms.

Repeat steps five and six two more times.

Something Wicked This Way Comes ...

Alta vs Davis Girl's State Soccer Game

The Lineup.

Coach Mitchell is on the far left in his red jacket. He was my grandparents' good friend, taught most of us, and I think Zach worked with him for a bit.

Toby's first soccer game. Happy as a clam.

Sissies all bundled up.

Me and Toby ... and Dra.

We were on the edge of our seats most of the game. Up to watch a goal shot, down with a, "So close!" and repeat and repeat and repeat.

Toby relieved his stress by sucking on his thumb.

Alta scored in the first two minutes, but Davis had been matching each goal. We were up 3-2 with 20 seconds left in the game, and Davis scored. Alta's Coach Mitchell looked absolutely livid. So we played two ten minute overtimes, and we had shot after shot, but no one scored, so we went to a shootout. I started texting my friend Deanne who played for Mitchell when we were in high school, and she said that there was no way we would lose in a shootout because Mitchell makes them practice shootouts religiously.

Each team gets five shots no matter what. Alta made their first, Davis missed their second! Alta missed the next (No!) and Davis missed ... and so on til we were still tied after each team had shot five times. We were all so so so anxious.

So then we went to a one to one shootout. So if one team makes it, and the other misses, the first team wins, but if the first team made it, and the second team made it, then they keep going until a team can't match a goal. (Does that make sense?) So we made our first, phew! But Davis made their first too. Then we made our second! Then ...

our goalie blocked Davis' kick! I haven't screamed and jumped for that long in a very long time. It was such a blast.

(Felt a tad guilty for the girls from Davis who were crying because they had missed their shots ...)

What a great, great night.

Free Scuba Class!

Last week, my friends invited me to Jordan Landing for a free scuba class, and I invited Dra and Emily, but those two uninvited themselves by having asthma, so Em snapped pictures for me. I should have taken my underwater camera in to the pool with me. Maybe next time.

The Pool:

Shallow end = 4 ft

Deep end = 13+ ft

Can you see me? I look very childlike next to Chris Gainer.

Testing the equipment. I had on blue flippers, but is that me on the left?

Deep end.

They had rockets at the bottom that you could throw to each other, but I was horrible at throwing underwater. I would try to throw to Jess, and the rocket would always shoot straight up. Chris tried to pass to Jess, and he slammed the rocket right into my goggles.

Anyone want to take a scuba certification class with me? Once you pass, you are certified for life.

Hogle Zoo

Four turkeys

Baby elephant tickling her mama

Left to right: Ezra, Eli, Abe

We (James, Jackie, Dra, Ezra, Eli, Abe, me) were all at the zoo on Monday, and as we were just walking away from the tiger cubs, we rounded a bend, and we could hear a squirrel screaming at us: high pitch squeaks and clicks non-stop. Ezra, Jackie, Eli, and I stopped to see if we could spy the squirrel that was so mad, and there he was, not too high up in a tree, practically shaking both fists at us.

Eli was very bothered.

Jackie explained that the squirrel must be mad at us, and he (the squirrel) must be telling us no. Eli did not like this, and he started screaming at the squirrel to stop, stop, STOP! and he kept pointing his finger at the squirrel which graduated to Eli trying to punch-stop the squirrel. I laughed, Jackie laughed, then Jackie softly told Eli he probably can't tell squirrels no ... and Eli broke down in massive tears.

I laughed even harder. It was so dang cute.

So Jackie cuddled the crying Eli, and we started to walk away.

As soon as we started walking away, that dang squirrel bolted down his tree, across the lawn, and jumped for the trunk of the tree closest to us. It scared us all. Then he boldly came running down the fence straight towards us! I thought for sure he was going to jump on one of us. He was right by Ezra's face, but he wasn't screaming at us anymore.

I told Eli that the squirrel was just coming to apologize for making him cry, but man alive, I was terrified that the squirrel was really out for a scratchy revenge.

Last Day of Vacation: Disneyland

Ben's first trip.

(Sorry about the peek-a-boo finger in some pictures, still getting used to a new camera.)

Shoo be doo dob de dah ... Doo bop she doo!

Loved the decor.

We watched the firework show, they had holograms for crying out loud!

Hats off to you Disneyland.

Cruise: Day Four - Day at Sea

What did we fill our time with?

Learning how to fold towels:

Ben and his bulldog

Me and a chicken that I was admiring so the guy just gave it to me.

Going down the waterslide:

Ben's tribute to Karli.

Sliding Thurm

Here comes Ben.

Saltwater Pool Ben

Bean Bag Toss Competition!

Bruce: He was also in the karaoke competition, and his Frank Sinatra impression was one of my very favorites. Plus, doesn't he just look so cute and cool?

I found myself shouting things like, "You got this!" "Next time, own it!" "You're just a squirrel trying to get a nut!" I said this to strangers too, sometimes I have to shake my head at myself. I just get so excited.

Ben's Concentration

Bean Bag Jig (I got my first one down the hole!)

3rd Place Champ!

Ping Pong Competition!

Thurm doing his thing.

Ben competing.

So glad I didn't sign up for this one, both boys got out in their first round, but they looked real good.