I guess the link on the previous post doesn’t work. Soooo, let’s try this again.

www.robinstorch.blogspot.com

See y’all there!

I’m sure that Wordpress is somehow much better than blogger. I bet it does more stuff and what not, but the bottom line is blogger (at least for me) is much more friendly to those of us who are technology challenged. It’s all drag and drop and you don’t have to know a stich of any kind of code. You have a bazillion more free cutesy blog skins to choose from and more people to design one for you if you can’t find a free one you like.

So, for the time being please change your blog reader back to www.robinstorch.blogspot.com.

Frankly, you might want to keep this one on your reader for a while just in case. I’m fickle that way! And I do want to thank Terry for changing things around for me. I love your willingness to let me try new things and not complain when I go back to what is comfortable.

My parents used to have this Shi-Tzu named Peabody. Apparently one genetic abnormality of a Shi-Tzu is a collapsed nostril. It is the most awful sound. Constant snorting and churtling. She was a sweet dog, but after a while that noise will give you a nervous tick.

And THAT was the sound I listened to for two hours as I stood in line to vote last Tuesday. The noise was being emitted from a human being and not a dog, however.

The couple standing behind, or rather right beside me was quirky to say the least. He was a plumber who had all kinds of thought on Joe the Plumber that he willingly shared with everyone. And, joy of joy, he had a voice that really carried. People two hours ahead of us kept looking back. Even Richelle, who I was on the phone with, asked who was being SO LOUD.

Then there was his wife. At first I thought someone was snoring. We were standing outside and it was very windy, so I kept just looking around trying to see if someone had nodded off in the monotony of standing around in a line that barely inched along. Nope. It was her. I’m not sure if what was wrong was a woman in serious need of a decongestant, or maybe a medical issue. Either way, not pleasant to listen to.

The snorting problem was unfortunately compunded by the fact she had no concept of personal space. She and her plumber hubs, who was hanging on top of here, just kept inching forward even though the line. was. not.

I finally just moved to the side so I wouldn’t be standing on top of the person in front of me. Now the snortling was about two inches from my ear. Good times.

There were other issues as well. Such as the fact the line was divided into two lanes “A through Land” and “L-Z”. I was in the latter and those in the former were in and out in 40 minutes.

All I can say is thank God for Richelle and her willingness to talk to me about all kinds of minutia. She distracted me enough to keep me from telling the no personal space lady to “GET. OUT. OF. MY. SPACE! For the love of Pete the snorting is driving me to a slow mad death by stabbing out my own eardrums!”

Now that I think of it, Richelle probably saved me from prison. Thanks for that friend!

Looking back it was funny. I almost called into a radio station discussing odd voting experiences, but that was more effort than I wanted to exert at the time. And, I would feel bad if they were listening. I’m sure there aren’t many Joe the Plumbers with seriously congested wives.

At least, I hope not.

We unfortunately had a pretty uneventful Halloween this year. My poor Mini-me (the oldest) ended up with strep throat. I didn’t know that’s what she had until yesterday at the clinic, but with a 103.4 on Friday afternoon, trick or treating was out. Mini-T (the youngest) went with Daddy and friends as planned to downtown Edmond and then out to eat afterward. She had a great time, and hopefully next year we can all enjoy. I’m thinking Halloween party. We’ll see.

When I went into Walmart (Did you know they were dropping the hyphen?) first thing November 1st to pick up Reia’s prescription, I was greeted by a 12 foot already decorated Christmas tree. Ok, the greeter actually said “Good Morning”, but the tree was there none the less.

As I walked around, I heard the Christmas music playing. I strolled through the decor that had filled the garden area. It was kind of surreal. This year is almost over. Why does time go by so much faster the older you become?

In normal Robin fashion, I have a spreadsheet all ready with names, gift ideas and budget. When I find a good deal, I pick it up. So, about 1/4 of my Christmas shopping is already done. Yay!

Okay, I’m rambling and didn’t really have a point to begin with. Hope y’all had a great Halloween and enjoy the holiday season. I’m certainly looking forward to Thanksgiving at my mom’s and our first Christmas with just Terry, the girls and myself.

If I have something worthwhile to say over the next few months, I will. But my thoughts are generally consumed with lesson plans, menu plans, and grocery lists.

Anyone who hasn’t been under a rock for the past several years most likely knows about, has heard of, or has seen the High School Musical mania that has been sweeping the tween nation.  I fought it for a while, but after visiting Theresa this past summer and watching it with her (she’s a musical nut), I realized I not only liked it, but it had a pretty good message.

The highly anticipated High School Musical 3 arrives in theaters this Friday. We will of course wait until the mob has subsided to go see it. However, if you have children (girls I would assume) who are so excited they just. can’t. stop. talking. about. Troy. and Gabriella. and the gang, then go to Susie’s blog and not only get a sneak peak of the newest HSM 3 hot throb (who happens to be her nephew), but you could also WIN stuff. Stuff your tweens will swoon over; I feel certain.

So, get thee to her blog post haste. And for the record, I can’t say, type or even think about my friend Suzie without playing the scene from Seinfeld in my head where Elaine’s character goes into a tirade about being called Suze. =) I lead a sad, sad, Seinfeld related life.

Ok, it’s not really what you think. I have moved from Corinth to my parents (for 3 weeks), from my parents to our Dallas home, and from Dallas to Edmond within a two year period. I’m not planning that kind of move again, well ever, unless God says so. This is a bloggy kind of move.

Last year I moved my blog from my Blogger account to Wordpress. It has really been great. I can check on and work on my blog from work now, where as before my blog was blocked. I did leave the old blog up and running though since I lurved my blog skin. Go check it out. It’s super!

However, when I changed my theme this last time I started getting all kinds of spam. Most of it goes to a needs moderation page, but good gravy, who wants to moderate 33 vi*ag*ra comments a day?

At this point I either need to figure out how to put that box on your comment where you have to type in the letters before it will post, or I’m moving back to blogger. I don’t have time to work on it at school anyway. I seem to be terribly busy teaching students. The crazy things teachers do. =)

So, does anyone know how to do that? I can’t find it on the administrative part of my blog. Or do you vote just go back to blogger?

I should mention that the 3rd debate is going on right now. Terry is mortified that I have a) not watched the other two debates or the VP debate and b) I am blogging during the last debate. Still don’t know who I am voting for.

I love how The Message words “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”.

It says, “Ask yourself what you want people to do for you, then grab the initiative and do it for them.”

It really is such a call to action. A call to not be passive in your relationships or the people you pass on the street, but to DO something. Something great for them. Possibly unexpected or just unexpected from you, a person they barely know.

My prayer is that God will show me this in a very real way today and that I will leave an impression of Him on someone.

I love the way God works.

Heaven knows this woman doesn’t need any link love from me. And I planned on writing a sweet, touching and somewhat comical post on how great she is. But frankly, her birthday is now almost over, I already gave her a present, and I’m tired and ready for bed. At 7:20pm.

So, without further ado..

Happy Birthday Cindy!!

If my children remember nothing else about holidays here in the Storch house, they will remember their mommy loved Christmas music and Chex Mix like no one else.

I won’t go on and say I make the best Chex Mix in the world, but I do have a few people who just might. So today, in honor of Fall, and in hoping cooler temperatures will arrive soon, I am going to give you MY homemade Chex Mix recipe. It is very much like the original with a few tweeks.

Ingredients:

• 2.5 cups each of rice, corn and wheat chex…I buy generic yall. Can’t taste the difference.
• 1.5 c each of pretzels, mixed nuts, cheeze its
• 1 stick of butter, melted
• 5 tablespoons of worchestershire sauce
• 1.5 teaspoons seasoned salt
• 3/4 tsp garlic salt
• 1/2 tsp onion salt

Directions:

• Mix cereals and snack foods in a big bowl (one with a lid is great.)
• Whisk seasonings into butter, and pour over other dry ingredients.
• Put lid on bowl and shake like a maraca! The more you shake the better coated it is.
• Transfer to jelly roll pan. If you have the Pampered Chef bar pan, it’s the best thing to use.
• Bake for 1 hour at 250 degrees, turning with a spoonula about 45 min in.
• Eat warm or cold and enjoy!

Happy Fall Y’all!!!

I have been avoiding the Bratz craze like the plague. Mostly, because of the name. Who wants their little girls playing with a brat? Doll or otherwise. But today, we received some toys from a friend whose daughter has outgrown them. Of course, a great big trunk full of Bratz dolls and doll clothes was in the mix.

I started to just put them away to take to the donation place, but instead I place them to the side and went through all the clothes instead. (I so appreciate hand me down clothes like nobody’s business!) When Reese woke up, first thing she found were the Bratz products….and was instantly smitten. She cried this morning when she had to stop playing dress up doll and go to school.

As I watched them play I wondered if they are really all that different than Barbies, a toy I do let the girls play with. I mean they look different. Bratz have big fat lips with obvious lipstick and liner, and gobs of sparkly eye shadow, along with stylish clothes. Barbie has the perfect body, and multitudes of stylish clothes, a dream house, dream Ken, as many convertibles as she wants since they only cost $10 and make great birthday gifts.

So, I sit here wondering if I should really not allow the girls to play with them. Frankly, they may be a little star struck over them because I vehemently oppose them. Who knows.

I’d love your thoughts today!