Puke fest.

Tonight Hubs and I enjoyed a visit to the temple.  Well.  Enjoyed is a relative term.  I enjoyed it.  Hubs suffered through it.  He had told me on the way over that he was feeling kind of nauseous, and inside the temple it just got worse and worse.  By the time we were done, Hubs looked whiter than freshly fallen snow and was making a beeline for the door.  I didn't even think he was going to make it out before he let loose.  Somehow he did and once he was safely outside he keeled over and vomited violently all over the temple grounds.  

And now, two hours later, I am sitting in my bed listening to him in the bathroom continue puke his guts out.  The boy is sicker than sick.  He takes a sip of water and three minutes later he is profusely puking again. I am trying to be super supportive by sitting close to him and rubbing his back and getting 7 up with a straw.  But mostly I'm just in his way and ask over and over, "Are you sure there's nothing else I can do for you?"  or "How can I make you feel better?"  The questions are futile- I think we both know he's just going to have to let it ride its course, but it kind of helps to pretend to help.  Maybe? Chew on that for awhile.

While I try to nurse my ailing husband, here's some ladies for you to meet and visit if you haven't already.  These chicas went above and beyond with the giveaway this month (Friday is the last day to enter- get moving!)- it really is such a great group of girls.  They are fun, generous, and not bad looking either!  Go show them so love!

Chrissy

Smiling is my favorite.  I'm a photo taking, cupcake baking, glitter loving, Random Act Of Kindness doing, knitting, clumsy lover of life. I find joy in the simple things in life like vanilla coffee creamer, good hair days and the smell of babies. I find comfort in seeing the silver lining in sticky situations and believing the best of people.

NEW YEARS RESOLUTION:  To become a big time blogger just like Bonnie :)  Finish the goal list I created last year.... and be infectiously happy.

Blog/ Facebook/ Twitter

Allison

About Me: Hey peeps, I'm Allison from a new blog, Lawfully Lost.  I write about my adventures and misadventures as a 20-something law student.  I'm a terrible baker, I'm really bad at crafting, but I have been told that I can take a decent photo.  I have no babies or fur-babies because I have a hard enough time looking after myself.  But, I do have a man baby in the form of my boyfriend of six years.  He's enough work for me.  IMHO, I excel at eating, drinking, laughing, traveling on a budget, and being a tad bit crazy.

New Year's Resolution: I told my neat-freak boyfriend that I would try not to be such a messy slob around the house.  I'm pretty sure I've promised him the same resolution for the last few years.  I'm going to try really hard with this one, and will hopefully make it to February, at least.  Not likely though...  He has put up with me this long, why change a good thing now?

Blog/ Pinterest/ Twitter

Danielle Marie and Kat

Do you remember a time when men were men and women were women? A time when doors were held, respectful tips were given to pleasant waiters and thank you letters were anticipated. What has become of these times? Are these manners on the brink of extinction?  Provocative Manners is a common sense blog with a bit of sass and a lot of truth.

Blog/ Facebook/ Twitter

Kelsey

Hi there! My name is Kelsey and one of my new year’s resolutions is to learn how to cook! I live in Annapolis, Maryland and work as a Development Coordinator at a local art center. Annapolis is breathtakingly beautiful and I am so lucky I get to call this city home. My blog, Kelsey Nicole, focuses on my love for styling and fashion with a bit of lifestyle and travel mixed in.

Blog/ Facebook/ Twitter

Mosby

Hi, I'm Mosby and I blog over at Simplicity is Key.  It's a lifestyle blog all about...you guessed it ME!  I am a senior in college in Tennessee, but grew up in the lovely state of Florida where I hope to return one day.  I love my family, my friends and Jesus.  Come stop by, stay a while, and hopefully become friends!

New Year's Resolution: To reach my goal weight...whatever that may be!

Blog/ Twitter/ Instagram: @mosby_hardin

Lauren

Hi i'm lauren from "one sweet fairytale". i write all about my adventures in crafting, relationships, baking, yoga, and everything else i manage to get myself into. this year started off with a major change when i decided to take a semester off from college. follow along with me as i get myself into even more fun!! 

New Year's resolution: learn to use my sewing machine well!! i want to be able to make my own clothes!! 

Blog/ Etsy/ Pinterest

Lindsay

My name is Lindsay and I blog at Hot Mess, Cool Day! It's a place where clumsy is the new normal and growing up is in progress (just ask my new husband). You'll find stories about my daily mishaps (from falling down at Starbucks to crashing my car), pictures of my fur pups (they're named after superheroes), and various attempts at outfit posts. I love to eat (unfortunately) and enjoy watching full seasons of TV shows (currently working through The Walking Dead). Also, I talk in parenthesis.

 

New Year's Resolution: (respectful caps) to keep my apartment clean. You'd think between two people in a 5-room apartment, this wouldn't be difficult. You'd be wrong. Judging by the stack of dishes in the sink and the status of my bathroom, the resolution isn't going so well. Oh well, there's always 2014!

Blog/ Facebook/ Twitter


Meghan

20-something.  Love my life & the people God has blessed me with.  Little moments mean the most to me, because they often become the biggest memories. Just a college girl, trying to figure out this crazy world.   I blog at They Call Her Meghan, where you never know what I'm gonna write about each day.  Come say hi, I don't bite, at least I try not to!  

New Year's Resolution:  Write more.  & not just blog posts, but I want to write my story that I've been working on since my senior year of high school!  

Blog/ Twitter/ Instagram: @TheyCallHerMeg

Kim

Hi! I'm Kim, I blog over at The Thing About Destiny where you can find me joining in too many  lots of link ups, posting random recipes I actually did not fail at, telling you how middle school Math might be the death of me and doing my best to make you leave with at least one laugh. I live in Oklahoma with the love of my life and our 3 kids.  I spend my days running my kids to sports, working, trying to become active and eat right and of course, blogging.  Come over and have some laughs with me, won't you?

Blog/ Instagram/ Twitter

Heidi

I'm Heidi and here are some things you need to know. 1) I try to be a blogger at Row House 14 when I'm not teaching middle school students. "Try to" because I mostly write about my twitter faux pas and how my cat thinks he is in love with a milk ring and sleeps with it. But I also try to write about tasty recipes and stuff too, so you don't think I'm a crazy cat lady. 2) I make super awesome greeting cards that will probably make you laugh. 3) In my free time, I like stalking rocks stars. Just kidding. Well, maybe not.

New Year's Resolution: To cut back on buying shoes. I may be setting myself up for failure...

Blog/ Etsy/ Twitter


Megan

Hi there!  I'm Megan, the writer behind A String of Purls!  I call it a 'life and knitting' blog, but it's really so much more than that.  I write about the adventures I go on (a carnivorous plant store, for example, or how I went on a date with a guy who is 6'9"), the pictures I take (hello outfit posts!), and sometimes post tutorials (how to build a lightbox, or how to make a decorative yarn vase).  And, of course, I talk about all of the knitting I do!  I've been at it for ten years, so I'm a bit of a veteran, and completely obsessed!  Come see what I'm up to and say hi!

New Year's Resolution:   I want to be happy this year.  2012 was a really rough year, to say the least, and there's a lot of changes in store for my life this year, so through it all I want to take it on with a smile and positive outlook.  This past fall I realized that the old saying "people come into your life for a reason" is completely true.  That person taught me that I cannot keep living in the past, and how important it is to accept where the pieces have fallen and to move on with life.  That's how I want to live 2013.

Blog/ Etsy/ Twitter

Aren't yellow starbursts just the grossest?

Warning.  No correlation between post and pictures.  None whatsoever.

This is the third blog post I have started today.

I never do that.

I just sit down and then I write and then I hit publish and then I go dig ice cream out of the freezer.  But for whatever reason, nothing that I write today seems to nail it.  I am expecting visitors from a few blogs, so I want something quick, funny, and witty.  Something to make them laugh, but to also show depth.  To show that this is a happy place, a space on the internet where people can make off with free stuff and vote for books for book clubs and even get into an animated discussion about how wrong it is when people don't put their shopping cart back!

So I started a post about happiness and learning to be happy no matter the situation.  That'd get those readers!  But then it felt a little boring.  A little blah.  And not entirely genuine.  So I saved it and decided I would revisit it another day.

Next I started a post about grief- about working through grief, about accepting difficulties, about loving yourself.  I am currently reading Anne Lamott's Traveling Mercies and I have been so touched by some of the things she has said about heartache and sorrow- I want to share all my own thoughts on the subject with you!  But then it felt too heavy. Too deep.  I've got a bunch of visitors for crying out loud, you can't just throw a huge post on grief at them first thing!  Don't get me wrong- it's a post I desperately want to write, and want to share, but for today it just felt too heavy.  A topic for another day.

So instead I will share little gems found in my days of what is usual and what is ordinary and hope you will maybe consider letting me pass it off as a post?

Tomorrow.... marks the official end of the quarter.  All my grades are in and now I am just dealing with the occasional straggling student who is wondering why he has 25% in the class.  Remember those three huge writing assignments that you decided you didn't want to do?  That'd be the reason.  I try my best to patient during this week and pray extra hard for charity and kindness and empathy.  But sometimes I still snap.

Yesterday....I graded the students' essays on Les Miserables.  One student's essay opened with, "SEX!  Now that I have got the attention of your nasty mind I would like to discuss the book Les Miserables that takes place during the French Revolution."  Yes.  You got my attention, buddy.

Yesterday... I read an essay that started with, "Les Miserables is a big, long book about a bunch of people who try to get other people to feel sorry for them."  Hmmmm.  Surprisingly accurate.  Maybe my students aren't doomed when it comes to college level writing?

Today... My student asked me why I buy spaghettios, cheese sticks, and fruit snacks for my husband.  I need to buy him "big boy" food.  Apparently she had been reading my twitter which linked to his twitter and now she knows all about my husband.  Isn't social media totally freaky?!?

Today... my Italian foreign exchange student said goodbye to me.  He is going back to Italy and I had no idea.  I thought he would be with us until the end of the year and my heart died a little.  It's weird getting attached to students.  They drive me so crazy and then at the end of the day I'm crazy about them.  Make sense of that for me, will you?

Right this second... I am hungry.  There is soup in the fridge, but I had that for lunch.  I'm too tired to make a new meal.  The Honeycomb is out.  What's a poor struggling woman to do?

The past two weeks... it has been under 20 degrees.  I don't remember the last winter this cold.  I am trying hard to love winter and embrace the season no matter what, but sheesh ice on the windshield does not make anything easier for anyone.

Sunday... I emailed my college besties and said we are meeting for a weekend in April I don't care what you say, I miss you.  And they said ok.  I'm now counting the weeks until we are all together again snorting spaghetti noodles and gossiping about boys.

Monday... My sister moved to Germany.  I now have one sister living in Argentina and one sister living in Germany and one sister living out of country is enough, don't you think?

Now... All I can think about it finishing this post so I can crawl into bed and read Traveling Mercies until I drift off to sleep.  It's that good.  She is such an in your face writer, and so brutally honest about her experiences.  She is raw and vulnerable and exposed and that is totally the way I like my writers.

Now peace.  And if this is your first time here, I sure hope you'll stick around.  Check out the Best of Bon page or the top ten most popular posts on the right sidebar if you aren't quite satisfied with this post.  You know I gotcha covered!

MWAH!

When you take 214 seventeen year olds to the movies.

Yesterday I did something a little bit reckless and totally stupid.

I took 214 high school students to the movies.

It's just that they worked so hard to finish Les Mis, and they all wrote fantastic essays, and they read 400 pages, and freak, children should be rewarded, dontcha agreee?!?  

The day was crazy, start to finish.  It certainly didn't help that I woke up half an hour late, sped to work, and then ran around like my chicken with its head cut off trying to get permission slips out and class planned all with just a few minutes before the morning bell rung.  There were multiple trips to the office (So you can just write me one check and then I pay for it all?!?) (Wait, how many students are on the excused list ?!?)  (Mrs. Hare is supposed to watch my third period- did you mark her down?!?) I about dang near passed out when the secretary told me that there were over 300 on the list.  We only had enough busses for 180 students!  The theater was only big enough for 200!  Turns out she was looking at the wrong list, but sheesh I could have just died right there on the spot.  I'm not making that up- I really could have!

More running, more scrambling, all while trying to throw in a quick lesson for my sophomores on the ever important differences between affect and effect.  Then I surprised them with a test and got another teacher to watch them while I ran to the office to get the check cut ($1,224 to see a movie.  WOWZERS!) and load the students up on the bus.  Only SOMEBODY (Ahem, other teacher involved, cough cough) had much more students than he had anticipated and thus it was that we ended up with 214 students and only bus room for 180.

The way I see it?  Not my problem.

I started checking kids' names off the list and shuttling them outside and what do you know?  Only two of the three busses had shown up!  And the movie was to start in a mere ten minutes!  I dived on to the first bus, told the other teacher to deal with the aftermath, I had to be first to the movie to give them the check, peace out! (I guess all the kids crammed into the third bus?!?  Who's to say what ever happened with bus #3?)

That's how I escaped the madness of the overcrowded busses.  I fled like a thief in the night.

Why, yes.  I was quite stressed.  How can you tell?  Is is the lips turning purple thing?  Oh don't worry about that, that's totally normal.

Next it was a $1200 check to a man in a tie and all of a sudden we had free reign of the theatre.  "Go on in kids!  Theatre Number 24!  Hurry in!  The movie is starting soon." I yelled at all of them. Boy!  Who would have thought it'd be so fun to be in charge of a movie theatre?  Night job, anyone?

Oh, but of course, we had to get popcorn first!

Riley's coat is totally stealing our thunder.  Rude.

I say myself all calm and cozy like but couldn't quite rest until the movie was on, but the previews weren't coming!  So I rushed to ask what the deal was- the movie's 2 hours and 40 minutes and we got to be back for afternoon busses, yo!  Let's get this thing started!  And so the nice man with the tie started it right away.  And that was the only time in my entire life that I told a whole movie theatre when to start and it listened to me.  Mark it in the books, my friends!

The actual movie ended up being fine- I guess as fine as watching a movie with 200 seventeen year olds can be.  They giggled at the over dramatized, highly emotional scenes, and they certainly didn't respect Jean Val Jean's heart wrenching death scene! But what can you expect from 17 year olds? I suppose that could be a lesson to film makers- the film's emotion needs to be believable.  If 17 year olds are laughing during a "touching" scene, then maybe they haven't worked hard enough to create authentic emotion? Then again maybe teenagers are just rude and immature.

I did, though, turn around halfway through the movie and chew out the kids in back of me.  No doubt they were confused, I am sure they thought I was another student.  But students don't usually turn around and yell,  "Girls!  If you can't get it together leave the theater but if you're just going to giggle there's no reason for you to be watching the movie.  Now stop laughing or get out now."  In any case, they stopped giggling.

Man, don't you just love being bossy sometimes?

We got back to the school in the nick of time for the afternoon bell and the kids to all bound right back onto the busses to go home.  I had left my cell phone in my school drawer and there were frantic texts and calls from the secretaries about me not being back in time.  The substitute for my third period class never showed up so I guess those kids just ran wild in the school?

I was an absolute basket case by the time the day was over and I can say this much with assurance: the movie was fun, but not fun enough to ever attempt again.

At least until May, when The Great Gatsby comes out.  Heavens knows I HAVE to take my juniors to see that one!

If you want a full report of the movie, you're not going to get it from me.  I liked it fine, but I wasn't over the moon about it.  And to tell you the truth, I wasn't over the moon about the book.  The whole thing is a little too cheesy/sappy/ highly coincidental for me.  I get that it's the Romantic period and Hugo wrote it to be that way, but it's just not my style.  I guess I like the drama more underplayed.  Chances that I will teach it again next year are slim.  So very slim.

I am however, very excited to hear my students' assessment of the movie as compared to the book.

Those kiddos sure can be smart.  I'll keep you tuned in to what they think.  Y

ou know, in case you care and all.

Let the voting begin! Book Club Style!

Alright girls, we are so close here to getting the coolest book club EVER started!  I have taken all of your suggestions in this post and out of them, comprised a survey.  The rules of the survey are this:  You can vote for five.  Choose the five books that you would absolutely love to read and discuss with an intelligent group of girls.  Some books don't require that much discussion whereas some books you just absolutely have to talk about with someone.  Consider that as you are choosing.  If you are wondering what the books are about the comments in this post gave tons of information, and of course there is always goodreads to help you find your way among the books.  Each participant gets five votes and the poll closes on Thursday.  At the end of the week I will post the results and our reading list for 2013.  We'll select a book for each month, starting in February so I will post the whole reading schedule for the year.  That way you will know ahead of time what we are reading, what books you need to request from your library, and what books you might want to sit out on.

Wow!  I feel just like Oprah.  Except way less powerful.  Now get voting!  I already know what five I am voting for!

Quizzes by Quibblo.com

Y'all ready to get book clubbed?

Ever since the idea popped in my head two days ago to do a blogging book club I have thought of nothing else.

Okay, that's a lie.  I've thought about a lot of other things like why does it snow so much, how do all my clothes get dirty so fast, ice cream with or without hot fudge?  BUT what I was trying to say is that I'm excited for the idea of a blog book club. Crazy excited. When I first threw the idea out there to the masses in blog land I was almost positive I would get one meager comment back saying, "Uh... yah, I might participate if I have absolutely nothing going on, but you know.  Don't count on it."  I was floored when so many intelligent, thoughtful women replied back, "Freak yah!  Let's get this online book club going!"  And so we shall, ladies!

At first I thought about starting the book club in June when I'm on break and have time to breathe but then I thought for a second and just decided that was one of the stupidest ideas I've had for awhile.  Who wants to wait until June?  Let's get this going now!  February, watch your butts, we're coming for you!

The coolest way to do the book club is definitely to have its members choose the books.  Looks like we've got some decisions to make!  Everybody who wants to can leave a comment on this post suggesting a book(s) that they would want to read for a book club. At the beginning of next week, when we've gotten a good list of books, I will do a blog post with the list of all the potential book club books.  Every reader can then vote for their three favorite books.  But only three.  Don't get greedy with your votes, y'hear?  The top eleven voted books will be our reads for 2013- one book for each month February through December.  Sounds easy enough, right?!?

A couple of things to think about when suggesting books.

a.  Keep it PG-13...ish...  This one's hard to put a strict rule on, but just use your judgment. I am pretty comfortable with the levels of what I read, but so that we can reach as wide an audience as possible let's refrain from heaps of f words and graphic sex scenes.  What I'm trying to say is no trash.  There's a difference in books that may have difficult scenes but have great purpose to them and just plain dirty nonsense.  We don't want none of that.  Sorry, Fifty Shades.  You're for private book clubs that are definitely much spicier than this one. (And yes, I just called Fifty Shades dirty nonsense.  I'm awaiting the blogger outcry.)

b.  Book suggestions should be a good mix between scholarly and entertaining.  I love Shakesepare,  but we're not going to be reading Macbeth around here.  Too tough to hack alone.  On the reverse side, I don't want to read Twilight.  What we want is a good mi- something that will challenge us intellectually but not bore us to tears.

c.  Not too long.  We're only going to have a month to read each book, so I would say not to attempt anything that is more than 400 pages or so.  We don't want to kill ourselves off here.

And now, to start the suggesting off, here are some of my "suggestions"- books I think would be oodles of fun to read and discuss online with smart, sassy women like yourselves.

1. Life of Pi- Loved the movie, been dying to read the book.
2. Glass Castle- Read this probably 8 years ago, a memoir about a child growing up in poverty.  Fast read and thought provoking.
3. A Thousand Spendid Suns- One of my all time faves about repressed women in Afghanistan.  Spicy!
4. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close- I heard the movie was super lame, but I love the book.  Very unique way of writing it and told from the viewpoint of a very thoughtful eight year old.
5. The Fault in Our Stars- All I know is I've seen it on a lot of best of lists and I am dying to read it. Apparently it has something to do with cancer and it will make you bawl your eyes out.
6. The God of Small Things  I really know nothing about this book except for that I have heard it was good.
7. Gone Girl-  Again, I have heard it mentioned a lot, but don't know what it is about at all.
8. The Help- One of my favorite books ever.  I would read it again in a heartbeat if this book club forced me to it.
9. Room- I haven't read it, but it's about a lady who is locked up with her kid for a bunch of years.  Or something similar?
10. Sense and Sensibility.  Or some other Jane Austen book.  I haven't attempted Jane Austen since high school.  I hated her then, but am looking to give her a second chance.
11. Five People you Meet in Heaven- By Mitch Albom, who wrote Tuesdays with Morrie.  One of the feel good types of book.
12. We Need to Talk about Kevin- I like the title.

Now it's your turn!   Throw out a couple of suggestions.  And if you like somebody else's suggestion, second it!  The more nods one book gets the more likely that it'll be on the list to choose from for our book club.

Eee gats!, isn't this exciting?  And yes, I'm finding a way to work Eee, gats! into my daily writing escapades.  BE PROUD OF ME, PEOPLE! 

I love you. And that's that.

Coupla things.

I've been thinking about goals for the year and goals for the blog and where I want it to go and what is the purpose of this blog anyway and my oh my haven't we suddenly gotten quite deep?  I love Starbucks giveaways as much as the next girl, but I would like to think that this whole blogosphere runs much deeper than that.

In fact, I know it does.

There is a certain site where people go to bash on bloggers.  If you don't know what I'm talking about, count yourself lucky.  I recently got my very own page.  Big day for Bon Bon!  Interestingly enough, some of the criticism made me think and change up the way I do a couple of things on the blog.  Not all criticism is bad, afterall.  One person mentioned that I hardly ever respond to comments.  And I thought, "Crap. They're on to me."

The truth is I'm awful at responding to comments.  I am sorry. It's not that I don't have time, it's that it falls low on my priority list, somewhere below daily posts, grading research papers, and burning dinner.  But that is something I want to change.  I have such an appreciation and love for you that reads this blog and I absolutely soak up your comments.  Bathe in them, if you will.  Somehow I have convinced a group of intelligent, thoughtful, and funny women to read my frequent ramblings.  And for that I am so grateful.  So I want you to know that I am making a goal to be better to respond to comments and to let you know more often how much I like you. Because isn't that the reason we all blog anyway, because of the great people we meet?

Also, I am overwhelmed at the response to yesterday's post.  So so so excited about the idea of a blogging book club/ link up party.  Details will be forth coming.  ETA is February.  BOO YAH!

Now.  For a chick I am digging on.  Her name is Blaire and she is the writer behind Market Confidential.  Which I would love to name a child.  Blaire.  Not Market Confidential.  I think it's the most classy, chic name.  ANYWAY... Blaire is just getting started in this crazy blogging biz and I'd love it if some of us helped her hit the ground running.  Show her how awesome and loving this blogging world is.  Also, just so you know.  I'm calling it right now.  Blaire's going to be the next big blogger.  She just fills a niche in the blogging world that I think is totally ignored- that of the working, professional woman.  Mommy blogs have got their corner, fashion blogs have pretty much stated their ground, and you know, recipe and craft blogs kinda vomitted all over the internet.  But what about a little more shout out for us working women?  That's where Blaire comes in!  She talks about working in the corporate world and how to dress for the job.  I especially loved her post on what boots are appropriate for work (what do you think?  Over the knee boots- nay or yea?).  Not to mention the girl has impeccable style.  Not to mention her blog design is flawless.  Not to mention she's the most sincere, thankful girl I've ever interacted with.  Not to mention she's smoking hot.  Can you tell I'm smitten?   Read up on what she has to say in this post and then don't forget to show her some love on her blog.

(P.S.  Blaire confided to me that she is a guest post virgin.  

Well isn't this an exciting first night for her?!?!

EEK!!!)

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Helloooo Life of Bon readers! My name is Blaire and I blog over at The Market Confidential. I'm a newbie at this whole blogging thing myself, but I've been a fan of reading them for a very.long.time. And seriously, is Bon Bon just not of the best ones out there?! I adore her and her blog! And am beyond excited to be guest posting here today!

Since this is my first time sponsoring Bonnie's blog (or any blog for that matter), let me fill you in on how this little blog came about. I decided to start The Market Confidential because I got so bored with professional women's attire. Apparently there's this conception out there that you have to dress like a dud to be considered "professional". WRONG ladies. You can totally dress cute, fun, and glam without losing credibility. Disclaimer: I have a business management/econ degree. Not one from Parson's School of Design. But I see enough to know what I'm talking about...kinda.

And I needed a creative outlet. When you're in the financial industry, your eyes start to cross after awhile at all the facts, figures, analysis (is that a plural version of this??), market information, political information...yours crossed yet?? Oh yeah, it gets mundane after awhile. I think my clients are the reason I stay sane;)

BUT, the blog is not only a fashion-idea blog. It kind of runs all over the place. Workout ideas for during the work day, energy/food boosting tips to get you through those eight+ hours, beauty tips, etc. with interjections of my personal life are what you can expect. I'm always looking for new ideas, so please shoot some my way!  Pretty please?!

Here's just a couple things you'll see often (outside of the things mentioned above)...

Diet Coke and mimosas...because that's how I function

This bundle of cuteness (who is also my nephew. No kiddos here yet, thank GOODNESS.) He drains my bank account on a daily basis. 

I'm a terrible picture taker, but THAT is one of my New Year's goals. But it also is the reason I don't have any funny pics to throw at y'all today. I wish because I love seeing them on other peeps blogs. How awesome was the pic of Stephanie from the last sponsor post in front of all those jello shots?! I loved that! And couldn't stop laughing. But  since I don't, and I only have boring pics, here's yours truly...just so you can put a face to the blog.

Thanks so much for having me Bonnie! Y'all stop by and say hi! 

What we did in class this week Round III

First things first.  What I wore.

I've been into tights lately.  It's really all you can do when it's butt cold outside.  Also been into pops of color.  The winter is sucking the life out of me so I've been trying to liven up my wardrobe with at least one color piece.

Next.  What we did.

Seniors:  We just finished reading an abridged version of Les Miserables.  I am positive I lost at least half of my students- I gave them 10 reading assignments of 40 pages.  Ouch.  I told them it was good practice for college and that they must learn to skim, DANG IT!  Today we talked about the end of the book- namely Javert's reason for committing suicide.  This move totally throws me off because I see Javert as such a strong and determined character and when he goes and **spoiler alert** throws himself off of a bridge, it just seems totally contrary to his character.  We decided it was two things:  1) everything he believed in came crashing down (What Jean Val Jean's not a terrible character?!?) and 2) pride.  I guess he just didn't have the humility to accept the kindness of Jean Val Jean.

I also enjoyed ranting to 40 attentive students about my dislike for Cosette.  Dislike is a soft word for it, actually. I hate her.  She is such a weak character, has no redeeming qualities, and yet everyone in the whole book is obsessed with her and sacrifices heaven and earth for her happiness.  I think she's spoiled.  And ungrateful.  One student brought up that maybe it's everybody else's fault she's so lame- everybody tries so hard to protect her that she just lives a sheltered life totally oblivious to the suffering of everyone else.  Ah, student, now you've made me think!

Lest I not forget- a couple of days before Christmas break students performed in groups a song of their choice from the musical.  And you said I couldn't make them sing!  It was a combination of amazing/awkward/hilarious/terrifying.  Highlights included my Italian foreign exchange student doing the can can to Master of the House with a twin on each arm.  Lowlights included 18 year old boys pelvic thrusting on desks to Lovely Ladies.  Yah, never going to let them perform that song again.  I just kept picturing the principal walking in at that moment.

P.S.  I'm taking all my seniors to see the movie on Monday.  Wish me luck!

Yep.  It is a light show.

Juniors:  They finished their research paper and I am 16 papers away from being done grading them.  (I started with 80- so close!)  They had to choose a problem and solution in society.  Of course half of them chose to write on legalizing marijuana.  They're 17, what do you expect?  As much as I hate grading the research papers, it's awesome to see how hard they worked and that they sorted credible sources and made a works cited page and actually thought deeply about a problem in our society.  Topics ranged from salary caps for NBA athletes to gun control to bullying in high school to teen pregnancies to affirmative action.  I especially enjoy it when the students present their projects.  The rest of the class is required to write down two questions for each presentation and then we have a short Q & A session.  I am always amazed at what thoughtful questions the young bucks can ask and I think it's good for the presenter to be a bit put on the spot. They can act dumb, but don't be fooled.  These kids are smart.

We're now moving on to Tuesdays with Morrie.  I'll be the first to admit it's not the best written book, (probably written at a fifth grade reading level) but the kids totally soak it up.  They adore Morrie and while I am always nervous they'll think it's lame, they love the sentimentality of the book.  Last time in class I had students write on butcher paper everything they would do/think/say if they found out they had five months left to live.  Answers varied from knock up Selena Gomez and fight a midget (they're clearly delusional) to leave a gift for all my family members and write down a history of my life.  They have varying ranges of maturity I guess you could say.

I'm totally looking forward to tomorrow's discussion.  Early on in the book Morrie states that "Our culture is not kind to us.  It does not make us feel good about ourselves."  I can't wait to talk about that tomorrow- how reality tv, facebook, twitter etc is "not kind".  What does our culture make us believe about ourselves?  Also excited to play for them an excerpt of Morrie's real voice from Mitch Albom's official website.

Funniest conversation:  
Student: "How do you spell voluptuous?"  
Me:  "V-o-l-u-p-t-u-o-u-s."  
Student:  "Are you sure it doesn't have an M in it?"  
Me:  "Uh... yep.  Pretty sure."

Sophomores:  We finished our poetry unit last week.  BUT.  They all bombed the poetry test.  Which meant that today I let them retake it.  And they did better.  Phew!  I am still struggling to help my students love poetry.  I introduce them to all the crazy poets, Sylvia Plath (killed herself by putting her head in the oven door!) Emily Dickinson (never left the house!), Oscar Wilde (Arrested for public homosexuality!)  but they still don't totally take the bait.

My favorite poem ever might be William Carlos Williams' this is just to say.  We had a long discussion about whether or not this is a "poem."  Most students agreed it definitely was not a poem!  But then when I asked them why, the couldn't put a finger on it.  Love getting the tikes thinking about what exactly constitutes poetry.

The day before Christmas break we had an ugly sweater Christmas party.  Kids came in their ugly sweaters, we guzzled hot chocolate, and all sat in a circle on the floor while students read out loud for the class a poem they had written.  We snapped for applause and even had lamps on and a picture of a cozy fireplace in the background.  I got this idea from a comment that Kelsey left on my last What we did in class post.  And well shoot, I like it so much that I am officially stealing it forever!

Banned Book Club:  We read Perks of Being a Wallflower for December.  (Full discussion here) and in January we are tackling Slaughterhouse Five.  Our meeting is January 31 so we will discuss it then.  Feel free to join in on the club!

P.S.  I am thinking of starting a blogging book club.  You know, we all read the same book each month and then discuss it.  We could discuss it here in the comments and y'all could also link up your own discussion posts.  If I were to attempt something like that would you be in my book club?  Please please please please say yes.

Pretty Please?

P.P.S. this post idea is stolen from e at e tells tales.  I think she's real great.

To fight in front of the wee ones?!?

I ain't got no kids.  But someday I might.  And sometimes Hubs and I lie down in the bed at night and talk about everything the future holds.  Are we going to be good parents?  Are we going to be able to provide for ourselves?  Are all of our kids going to come out as pale freckly ginger freaks?  (Hey!  The odds are in their favor!)

Last night we had a conversation about how one day we'd be parents and one day we'd have to make tough calls with our children and we might want to parent differently and how in the world do you raise a teenager?

And do you know what I got to thinking?

How about fights? (I guess I like talk about fighting in marriage!)  Is it okay to argue/discuss/disagree in front of children?  In my home when my parents were having a disagreement they went into another room, or else sent us kids downstairs.  I'll be the first to admit that I sat on the stairs and listened to their arguments.  I wanted to know how it worked.  Why was dad frustrated?  Why was mom crying?  What was going on here and why couldn't I listen to it?

A month or so ago I read something that said parents shouldn't argue in front of their kids.  And I guess that thought has just been mulling around up in my head ever since.  Then tonight I read another article that said that when parents argue in front of kids it can cause the kids to have unhealthy future relationships.

So I got to thinking about it all.

And you know what I think?

I think that's crap.

Of course I don't want to be at Greg's throat all the time with little kids around, and no one wants parents who can't stop bickering.  But I think kids can see the way their parents argue and learn from it.  I think a positive role model of how to work through disagreements is not only okay, but preferable.

My parents always worked out their issues behind closed doors.  It didn't even dawn on me until I was married that they had big issues.  Of course they do.  Every couple does.  But I honestly did not know this until I was married myself.

The first few months of marriage I was overwhelmed.  I couldn't cook to save my life, Greg and I both had crazy expectations, and it seemed like we were disappointing each other over and over.  Neither of us wanted to make the other one upset, but it was like we just couldn't help it, we kept not coming through for the other one.

I felt almost guilty for these disagreements.  Like we weren't a perfect enough couple or in love enough because there were suddenly so many things we needed to work through.  I've mentioned before that early on in our marriage I thought every fight meant we were getting divorced.  I honestly started to wonder if we weren't going to make it because we had fights.  I didn't realize that this is normal.  No other couples talked about their arguments.  My newly married friends never admitted to me that they argued (Of course not, every relationship is perfect!)  And I never saw my parents work through their disagreements.  In fact, the only thing that helped me was knowing that my brother and his wife had also had a hard time adjusting to marriage.  That was the sole thing that let me know that maybe Greg and I weren't freaks, maybe we weren't mismatched, maybe it was just a natural getting married and moving in together and learning how to make all your decisions together stage.  I wonder if I had watched my parents/ siblings/ friends/ neighbors work through disagreements if I would have been more comfortable in my own marriage those first months.  If I would have had more confidence and security knowing that surely every couple has to figure out how to work through problems together?

So what do you think?  Do you have arguments in front of your kids or do you take them to another room?  Would you argue in front of your kids?  Did your parents argue in front of me?  Please, someone, can't you just give us all the right answers already?  

Winter: The perfect excuse to do nothing

And here we find ourselves.  Right smack in the middle of the January blahs.

Interestingly enough, I am enjoying this winter more than I have winters past.  Is it just me, or is there is something totally relaxing about winter.  I can put my pjs on when I get home from work at 4:00, hibernate in the basement, drink hot chocolate, soak in sudsy baths, and never leave the house again until I have to go to work in the morning.  I can read blogs all night without feeling lazy, I can go to bed as early as I feel like because it's just too cold to go out!  Gone is the desire to go out anywhere.  All I want to do is cuddle on the couch and relax.  And you know what?  According to winter, that is totally okay!

Also, I love January because The Bachelor starts again.  I will admit, though, I've been a little peeved at Bachelor ever since Emily and Jef broke up.  I have absolutely no faith in the system and look at it now as nothing more than entertainment.  But... great entertainment it is!  And so it is with excitement and glee that I will hibernate in my basement tomorrow night and enjoy two guiltless hours of The Bachelor.  Care to join me?

Today I'm stoked to introduce you to Stephanie from Bourbon and Glitter.  I've got to say, this girls makes my New Years resolutions look like mere child play.  I came up with 15 goals and thought I was totally tackling the world.  Stephanie has got 101 goals for 1001 days.  ONE HUNDRED GOALS.  Talk about motivated.  This girl almost makes me want to get out of my winter hibernation and start more of my own goals.

Almost.

Take it away, Steph!

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Well readers, it's guest post time, and I'm pretty excited to be here on Life of Bon today. Obviously for the reason that Bonnie is awesome and hopefully guest posting on her blog will make her like me and then I'd feel like one of the cool kids, but also because "write a guest post" can now officially be checked off my list of 101 in 1001.  It's a list of 101 things I'd like to accomplish in 1001 days.  I really love checking things off that list.  Or any list really.  Either way, my name is Steph and I blog over at Bourbon and Glitter.

Since this is my first time at Life of Bon, I wanted to do an introduction to me. Now, I wish I could give you a quick description to sum up everything you'd find on my blog, but I just can't. It's everything from making goals to making cocktail cupcakes to making 1000 jello shots.

um... dedication?

In my blog, as in my life, I never take anything too seriously. I like to think that sometimes you'll learn things, find some recipes you like, get some ideas for bar crawls and costumes (two of my very favorite things) but mostly you'll just see a lot of photos of my fur baby, Hawkeye.  After the Iowa mascot, not the comic book.

But I make no apologies for that, because she's just the darn cutest dog ever.  Sure there's an occasional serious post but I want you visiting my blog for the same reason I like to write it - pure fluffy entertainment with a hint of humor just to make you smile. I like to amuse people. I guess I feel like, after a lot of ups and downs, my life is heading pretty consistently in a positive direction, and I want to document that. Like any blogger, checking my blog stats is fun.The best part about that is it shows me that most of the visits to my little space are repeat viewers. That's pretty awesome if you ask me- my readers like to stick around? Lucky me! So maybe, just maybe, you've read enough to come on over and see if you might like to stick around too.

So thanks very much for having me Bonnie! And you awesome Life of Bon readers, I hope you'll stop by soon!

Book Talk: Perks of Being a Wallflower

Today was our monthly banned book club meeting.  The students showed up in droves!  And by that I mean we had 30 students there.  Egads, success!

Our December book was The Perks of Being a Wallflower.  I am aware that its January, but you know, you do what you can.

I loved the discussion that we had today.  I am constantly amazed by how smart the students are.  I think the greatest moment in teaching is when a student gives insight that I had never thought of.  They take an angle or see a view or make a point and I just sit back and think, "Wow!  I never saw it that way, but you're totally right."

Here's some things we talked about:

What are "the perks of being a wallflower"?  What are the advantages and disadvantages to being a "wallflower" vs. a "participator".

Charlie's relationship with his Aunt Helen.  This one gets so complex.  ***Spoiler Alert*** Charlie's aunt is dead throughout the course of the novel, but he looks back on her fondly and implies that her unexpected death is the reason for a lot of his loneliness and depression.  He states that she was the only one who ever called him special and got him "two presents"- one for his birthday and one for Christmas.  It isn't until the very end of the book that we find out that the aunt had been sexually abusing Charlie as a young boy.  Thus making the whole relationship that much more confusing.  Some students were willing to forgive the abuse, stating that she had been abused as a child and that we are all victims of victims.  Others didn't excuse her so quickly, losing all respect for her once they had found out.  I was especially interested by one student's comment that she thought the sexual abuse part of the book was "unnecessary".  That the author didn't need to add it in to explain Charlie's weirdness and that the book would have been better without it.

"We accept the love we think we deserve".  Agree or disagree with this statement?  Where have you seen this in other literature or in your own lives?

Why is the book commonly banned?  Should it be?  This one got the kids all riled up.  Some said they would be wildly uncomfortable reading this in class while others said it would be refreshing to read something this "real" in school.  Of course we brought up the drug use, the teen sex scenes, the child abuse, and the abortion.  One student brought up that he didn't think the abortion played that big of a part in the book and pointed out that the movie had cut it out completely.  I haven't seen the movie yet, but I am dying to.  The best part was when a kid who unknowingly stumbled in to the meeting raised his hand and said after a long discussion about the sex and drug use, "I don't know what book you are talking about, but I would like to read that in class.  It sounds way more interesting than what we read!"  I bet it does, kiddo, I bet it does.

 "And in that moment we were infinite".  What is the significance of this line (One of the most famous lines in the book and movie.)

What makes Charlie different than other protagonists?  Do you consider him weak?

Is this an accurate representation of high school?  I was especially interested in this one as the kids all seemed to agree that it was pretty accurate.  I felt that the book was a bit over the top/ dramatized but the kids disagreed.  THE TEENS HAVE SPOKEN!

If you haven't read the book, I suggest you do.  It's a super fast read at probably a 7th grade reading level and barely 200 pages  Charlie, the protagonist, is so incredibly thoughtful and sincere and you can't help but fall in love with him.  I can totally see why the book is banned for high schools, but I don't see the book to be immoral.  There is love and friendship and family and even some warm fuzzies in there if you look hard enough for it.

Have you read Perks of being a Wallflower? What did you think of it?!? And those of you who have seen the movie, give us a review!  How does it compare to the book?

P.S.  January's book is SlaughterHouse Five. We will be discussing it on January 31.  Pick up a copy so you can join in on next month's discussion!  Internet book club- boo yah!

New Year you are hereby resoluted!

For three years in a row in high school I had the same New Year's Resolution:  To get my first kiss.

Some girls just start slow/are awkward/ don't flirt well.  Don't ya'll worry, I learned.  It just took a while.

After I got my first kiss I didn't know what to do on New Year's anymore.  Make real resolutions?  WHAT?!?  That doesn't sound like fun!

I feel like New Year's Resolutions kind of get a bad rap.  Like we all make them and then promptly forget about them.  This has got to change, I say, it's got to change!

I present to you...

BONNIE'S 2013 NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS

1. Don't forget about New Year's Resolutions.  Hey!  This one is the most important one, isn't it?!?

2.  Do two acts of service every day.  One for Hubs.  One for someone else.

3.  Go on vacation.  Priorities people.  Priorities.  I really want to go with Hubs to visit his mission in Russia this summer.  Saving and praying we can somehow make this work.

4.  Read 36 books.  On my immediate to read list is this and this and this.  Oh, and I can't wait to reread this.

5.  Exercise 3 times a week.  It'd be a lot easier if I didn't hate it so dang much.  Anybody got suggestions to get a girl to enjoy a little work out?

6.  Be more friendly and outgoing.  Look for people who need a friend.  Go out of my way to meet people, to say hi, to get to know those around me.

7.  Make an effort to keep strong relationships with siblings and friends.  Hubs is great.  But I've still got a lot of other people I knew long before Hubs ever entered my life.  Keeping up relationships can be tough, but it's so worth it.

8.  Deeper, more thoughtful prayers.  Let's face it, I need some serious guidance in my life.

9.  Choose to be happy.  I've heard it said countless times in my life that happiness is a choice but until recently it never registered in my head.  The discovery was made while I was on Instagram.  I was jealous of every picture I saw.  Everyone seemed so happy.  "Oh my gosh those stinkers are in San Diego?!"  "Oh she gets to stay home and read all day, I'm so jealous."  "She walked her dog today, that looks so gorgeous." "I wish I could have gone skiing today!"  It took me a second to realize I wasn't jealous of any of their actual situations, I was jealous that they all seemed so happy in what they were doing.  I could be happy no matter what the situation was, I just had to choose it. This year is going to be a happy one for me.  (Instagram plug:  Follow me @thelifeofbon)

10.  Beat my little sister in tennis.  This one shouldn't be too hard considering she hasn't played for a year and a half.  Sucker.

11.  Reach 4000 followers on the blog.  Yikes.

12.  Try two new recipes a month.  I'm trying to be realistic here.  No overdoing it!

13.  Say thank you as much as possible.

14.  Be the type of person that makes others feel good about themselves.  No more sarcasm (especially with students), no snide remarks.  People like to feel good, so I should make them feel good.  I guess that's called being nice?

15.  Get preggers.   

JK about #15.

Maybe.

Guess you'll have to keep reading through 2013 to find out!

Did you make New Years Resolutions?  If so, leave the url in the comment box so I can check it out!  I can't wait to see what your goals are!

(P.S.  Pardon our mess.  We're under a bit of construction around here!)

I'm never going back to work and you can't make me!

But I don't want to go back to work tomorrow, I don't want to go back to work tomorrow, I don't want to go back to work tomorrow!  Can't Christmas break be a month long?  None of this ten days crap, I DEMAND A MONTH!  Too bad nobody cares, huh?

In typical Bon Bon fashion, I have procrastinated all the work I was supposed to do over the break for the night before the day I have to go back.  I didn't even open the bag where the 100 research papers are hanging out.  I didn't crack Perks of Being a Wallflower for which I am supposed to be leading the Banned Book Club discussion on Thursday.  And I still have to read 40 pages in Les Mis and write a lesson plan for my sleepy seniors who will come walking into my class at 7:40 tomorrow morning.  This teacher biz is the worst!  I'm quitting.

Except for I did just get ten days off.  Yah, I guess I'll quit my whining.

While I grade research papers (let's be honest, we all know I'm going to go start harrassing Hubs, then clean up some laundry, then look at more blogs, then take a shower THEN maybe grade a research paper or two) I am going to let Chantal do a little bit of entertaining.  What I like about Chantal is that she talks about having kids in a way that both people who do have kids and don't have kids can relate to.  I ain't no mama so I'm always wondering why moms only ever want to talk about their kids.  Well Chantal addresses that head on!  Also, I hate to admit it, but her kid is pretty stinking cute.  Make sure to read this post when you visit Chantal's blog and to keep her in your thoughts and prayers as loved ones go through some tough stuff.  This life ain't easy.

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Hey Hey! I'm Chantal and I blog over at Scattered Seashells. I've been blogging for some time, though this blog originally started as daily journal my husband could read while he was deployed. I'm an Army wife, after all. But today, I don't want to talk about me. I want to talk about my best friend, my bestest buddy. Her name is Penny. She's short. She's kinda pudgy (it's okay, she knows). She walks like a drunk zombie. She is brave, fearless, and has looked into the face of a bear and growled back. She's my baby.

 
 I never wanted to be that baby-obsessed mom. You know, the one who can't stop talking about their child's achievements, their behavior, their poop. Once the baby comes, though, your whole world is wrapped around them. What else am I going to talk about? "Oh, yeah, I vacuumed the living room today. That was something!" I live vicariously through my toddler. She is my best friend, though. Penny is an unabashed Mama's Girl who will follow me to the end's of the Earth. We have some fun chats, albeit a little one-sided. We go shopping together. We read books, we watch some fun shows (Yo Gabba Gabba, anyone?) and we have dinner dates every three hours at my boobs. We're pretty close, as close as you can be. You tend to get a little close to someone when you're changing their diaper frequently and bathing them every night. Anyway, I did create her after all. I like that. I create my best friends.

Anyway, it's been an awesome year with her so far, one of the craziest years of my life. A whole new world, the mothering world, has opened up to me. No longer am I begging for puppy play-dates for my border collie. Now, we are attending real play-dates with real people. Who would've thought? This girl let's me follow her around all day taking photos. Since she came along, I take upwards of 1000 photos a month. No biggie. Poor dog hardly every gets in, but here's a cute shot of him, just so he doesn't feel left out.

 
  Awww. Anyway, I am Chantal and I am obsessed with my bestest buddy, my baby Penny. It's okay, because she's obsessed with me too. By the way, it's her birthday this month, so come on by and say hi! 

(Come by my blog to see more photos and subscribe to my Instagram to get up-to-date ones! Username: cshels)