Aw Man!!!!

Before Christmas I went to the doctor for my annual exam. You girls know how fun that is!! Anyway, as part of it they drew some blood to check my cholesterol. I called yesterday to get the results and dang it, my cholesterol is high!! How can that be?? I am not THAT old, I am not overweight, I don't eat fast food much, I like to run and try to make it to the gym some. I don't exactly have a sedentary desk job. What's the deal!!!

Hmmm could it be that I don't excercise with enough "regularity" or could it be that the food I do consume, though not "fast food" is still not exactly what we would call healthy. My diet would gross out even the modestly health conscious person. I could live on toast and cereal, maybe it's the butter I put on my toast! I know what it is: eggs, I love eggs for breakfast!

So yesterday I had to go to the grocery store to restock the pantry and fridge. Well if it wasn't the healthiest grocery trip to Walmart I have ever had!! Now that is no easy task, the people at Walmart looked at me really funny when I was stopped in the aisle actually reading a label!!! Gasp!

health+walmart=not exactly

But I managed to find some stuff to at least try to start eating healthier. I did all right yesterday til we went out for pizza for dinner! My pizza eating ability is known from here to Atlanta (I can hear the hearty laugh of our friend Gary in Atlanta right now if he were to read this!)

Ok so I am gonna try, I already had some sort of cereal called "Uncle Sam" for breakfast. It's supposedly full of fiber, flaxseed, oats etc. I think they just scrape the side of a tree into the box. The banana helped it down some. I kept thinking "how long til this tastes good to me?" I missed my Lucky Charms!

Well, you know I don't like to lose so I am thinking of it as a competition, how many points can I drop!!

Happy New Year! Happy New eating for me! I guess I gotta find a race to run in the spring, something to make me get up in the mornings and run!!

Merry Christmas!

I hope you are all enjoying a restful holiday season! I know I am! I finished work on Friday saying goodbye to 22 sweet children, praying they would have a safe and blessed Christmas. I look forward to seeing them in the new year! Now I am having a great time just being with my 2 favorite kids in the world, sleeping in, hanging out and playing. It's funny how quickly I can fall right back into lazy summer type habits! It's a gift.

We celebrated Christmas with my side of the family on Sunday night. It was a crazy blast. Lots of food and gifts wrapped in a blanket of noise and laughter, tied together with a ribbon of love. I had a "moment" as my children were giving their hugs goodbye to their grandparents and great grandmother. I was just standing at the door holding back silly tears, thinking how incredibly blessed my children are to have these people in their lives. They don't understand it now, but I hope one day they do.

I think they will.

Now my sweet man is off for a few days and we have some more celebrating to do, enjoying the season together, reflecting on the most incredible truth I have ever heard.

And the angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, "Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. This will be a sign to you: You will find a baby wrapped in cloths and lying in a manger."

Merry Christmas

The Christmas Crazies

Yep, it arrived this week. You can feel it in the air, and hear it in the air. It's a different kind of advent and no I am NOT celebrating it.

It's the Christmas Crazies!!

The whole school has it and my class caught it this week.

There is only one cure: Christmas break! Oh please let it come quickly!

A WHOLE week off!!

Today starts our Thanksgiving break! We are pretty happy to all be off for a whole week. (Ok Chris has to work, but somebody has to!) I am thankful for so many things! Just about a week ago I was home and the kids were playing and Chris was home and I just looked around and thought what a blessed life I live!

Here is my top 10 list of things I am thankful for:

1. For a God that loves me unconditionally and offers me much needed grace everyday

2. A husband that loves me and spoils me and adores his children

3. A son that makes me laugh and loves his mama!

4. A daughter that has a heart of gold, and shows it to everyone she meets

5. A job working with 22 kids that I look forward to hanging with (on most days)

6. A church that has a humble pastor and a desire to serve others

7. A really cool mom and dad. My mom spent last weekend herding cattle! Who would have ever thought?!!

8. A sister that is my best friend.

9. A few close friends that actually seem to like to hang out with me, or they just fake it really well.

10. A week off to eat and eat and eat, and sleep and sleep and sleep!

Happy Thanksgiving!!

A President I can REALLY get behind!!!

I know the election for our country took place on Tuesday, but another election took place today in our little town of Sachse, in our little neighborhood, in our little school, in a little classroom on the 3rd grade hall and I think our big boy (and girl) politicians could learn a thing from the new class president of room 304. This president is as kind hearted as they come, but has a real gift for keeping everyone organized and in line. She is as honest as the day is long and has nothing to hide, she even tells on herself sometimes. She ran a positive campaign, with no smearing of the other candidates,

on a side note

that would have been kinda funny to have smear campaign on a 3rd grade level:

"have you seen Mary play dodgeball, is that what you want for president?"

or "Mary can't deliver the goods, see I brought extra dessert in my lunch for everyone."

or "Let's pull out report cards and see whose got the experience for the job"

Sorry that's my dark side coming through.

Anyway, I think room 304 has it down. They took a vote and everyone came out with smiles as they ran off to the swing set to play.

Catching our breath...

Well tennis has ended, baseball has ended, the weather is cold/cool and it's getting darker earlier. All these things are helping me to feel like I can take minute and catch my breath from 2 months of going, going, going. Don't get me wrong, I have post baseball depression, and I really miss watching Jessica swing that racket and pound that tennis ball, but basketball is right around the corner so this down time is definitely momentary.

So in my catching up I am actually doing my housecleaning schedule this week

Yes, I have a schedule:

Monday: kitchen

Tuesday: bathrooms

Wednesday: laundry

Thursday: dust/vacuum/sweep

So since the maid hasn't shown up EVER, and I am pretty sure she won't exist for me til I have enough money to pay for college and since that little thing called the stock market is, well, struggling, all that may never happen, so I figured I better suck it up and get to cleaning. As you know today is Tuesday, I don't like Tuesdays in my cleaning schedule, loathe is a better word. Mondays I can handle, Love Wednesdays, Like Thursdays, but loathe Tuesdays. I was cleaning the bathroom today and was wondering if this thing really works.

Does anyone know? I wouldn't want to spend the money unless it could buy me a few Tuesdays between cleaning. Let me know if you have tried it.

I started to be concerned about something when I cleaned my shower, there is so much hair in my bathroom that either:

A. I am going bald (rogaine for women?)

or

B. This fella is secretly coming to my house and using my shower.

I am not ok with option A or B.

What have you been up to?

So it's certainly been awhile since I posted, over a month! So sad, I am sure I have lost all 3 of my readers! I am pulling my calendar out to help me remember what I have been up to.

Ran my 10k, surprised myself that I did it since I only gave myself 2 weeks to train for it

Father-in-law came for a visit while waiting for the electricity to come back on at his house in Houston.

Jessica has been taking tennis lessons, first lesson she beat the tar outta the tennis ball like she was hitting a line drive to center field, by the last lesson she was learning to take a little off the ball.

Joshua's has played lots of baseball games, the boys are having a good season.

Chris went to Atlanta for a conference. I was jealous.

I had 22 parent conferences in one week. Yikes.

We went camping on what was probably the best Texas weather weekend we will see all year.

Ok I feel that I was busier than that but that's all I can think of...

I will try to do a little better at this blogging thing.

today

Yep, that's me today, stuck inside because of rain...

Signs of Fall

It's still hot and sunny around these parts, but there are a few signs of Fall around here:

1. Fall baseball began today. LOVE IT! Love it even more when we win 9 to 1. I know I am a terrible sport. Joshua got to be the catcher today. He's about to throw down to 2nd in this picture. So fun to watch!

2. Chris is firmly planted on the couch, remote in hand flipping between college football games. Trying to watch the Aggies til he gets too disgusted and then promptly punishes them by changing the channels.

3. Jessica already trying to decide the biggest Fall question of them all: What am I going to be for Halloween?

4. Motivation to run sets in. I actually signed up for this race today: http://www.tourdesfleurs.com/ I thought this race was in mid-October and that I had plenty of time to build back up to 6.2 miles, oops it's in two weeks!! Can you "cram train"? I will let you know that answer to that on Sept. 20.

5. Life begins to settle into a routine, gone is the spontaneity of summer, here is the routine of Fall.

Gotta go run! Literally!!

First day pics

I thought I would be able to post a first day pic last Monday, but we got a new camera and it wasn't downloading on to blogger for me, something about a bmp vs. a jpeg. Whatever, Chris aka superman fixed it for me. It's fun to play the helpless female when it's convenient!

We all made it through our first week of school. Joshua had a great week and Jessica did too! I like my new class. My teacher friend across the hall said on Thursday, "Do you feel like you have already been in school for a month!!??" YES!! It was weird how you fall back into old habits so quickly that I didn't actually forget everything this summer!

He's ready, I am not

Joshua starts 5th grade tomorrow and in Wylie ISD that is a new campus, the intermediate campus.
Intermediate according to webster:
Main Entry:
1in·ter·me·di·ate
Pronunciation:
\ˌin-tər-ˈmē-dē-ət\

1 : being or occurring at the middle place, stage, or degree or between extremes

So he's off to the middle place between extremes. Sounds kinda scary and sounds about right. He's right in the middle of the two extremes, not a baby and not a man. He's so ready for a change. His last year in elementary school wasn't his favorite and I think if he had to go back there for another year he would be quite grumpy on this eve of the first day of school. Like I said, he's ready, I'm not. I will miss knowing that both my kids are in the same building with me, I will miss being the one that takes them to and from school, safely in my blue bus, I will miss being able to sneak peeks at both of them during the day. Chris and my dad both said just today that it's "good for him" I promptly replied, "I don't like you" since they weren't answering correctly. I know it's good for him, but that doesn't mean I won't miss him just a bit.

In fact teaching has not helped this part of me, all week I have thought about and prayed for all 22 goofy little faces I had last year hoping they all transition ok, knowing I am gonna miss them, even the ones that made me a bit crazy. I wish I could check in on all of them.

I haven't ever really been that great with change, however change and life are pretty synonymous so I know that I will have my moment and keep going and oh can you imagine the blog when Jess goes to intermediate or they go to junior high, high school, college, oh man I can't go there yet.

Thank goodness I still have my Jessica with me! If I tear up tomorrow she will do what she does best which is be sweet!

Check back tomorrow for 1st day of school pics.

It's time...

If I had music as the backdrop to my life then a few songs we would be hearing right now might be:

It Ends Tonight By the All American Rejects
Workin' for a livin' by Huey Lewis and the News
"If I Could Save Time in a bottle" by Jim Croce

or probably most appropriately it would be the music you hear when you know Darth Vadar is approaching...

Summer is OVER and work starts for me tomorrow. Big sigh! I love summer and will miss it dearly!

Top 10 things I will miss about summer:
1. vacations
2. sleeping in
3. reading books
4. laying around in our jammies til noon
5. being the "good guy" and getting to say yes to lots of fun stuff
6. actually still being awake when Leno comes on
7. no schedule
8. talking to my sister EVERY DAY
9. vacations
10. sleeping in.
Yes, I will miss those double so they made the list twice.


Top 10 favorite memories of summer:
1. Watching Chris jump 30 feet into the Colorado River
2. Playing in the pool (yes I actually got in) with Joshua and Jessica at S. Padre
3. Staying up late hanging at the Steidley's (We will still hang out, I just can't stay up as late)
4. Going to The Lake
5. Watching Joshua water ski (for a few seconds)
6. Going to the Astros vs. Rangers game with Chris
7. Watching the 4th of July fireworks with the family
8. Seeing my friend Laura if only for a brief time and in the grossest McDonalds we have ever been to.
9. Going with Jessica to mini-camp
10. Getting pro on Wii tennis. ha ha.

There's more but I will stop with ten.

Ok well I guess I should try to get some sleep tonight, it's gonna be an early morning.

Happy Birthday to us!

Happy Birthday sweet boy of mine! 11 years old, wow! and I am still only 25! SWEET!
I love sharing my birthday with you!!

One More thing on Thursday

After mountain biking, the fellas headed off to play a round of golf while the girls had lunch and did some shopping. The boys made it back and Joshua was pretty jazzed up, he didn't wait 2 seconds to tell me that he made his first birdie in golf. (birdie is 1 under par for you non golfers!) He was on a par 3, hit his driver and it bounced and rolled and rolled up on to the green very close to the flag. He had about a 5 or 6 foot putt to make it for birdie! Chris had the camera and set it up to capture the birdie putt "just in case" he actually made it. I am sooo happy Chris did that! Check out the video below! Too fun!

Thursday's Update

Joshua spotted some cool mountain bikers on Monday at the Winter Park Resort and wanted to try it. Chris thought it might be fun too. So Thursday morning I took them over to the place and they rented all their gear and jumped on a lift to head up the mountain. I thought jumping off rocks made me nervous, but watching them on the lift headed up the mountain made me truly nervous. I know it's silly, but I teared up watching them go up. I found a starbucks, called my sister and settled my nerves over a mocha and a chat. They made it back safe and sound. It was ALOT more uphill than what they were told and it was pretty exhausting. I think they were proud of themselves for trying it and found a cool "bike park" at the end that was super fun, so they ended on a high note. They looked like Star Wars Clones in all that gear.

Wednesday update

Wednesday we went white water rafting down the Colorado River. It was a beautiful trip! We came up to a spot where they pull raft off to the shore and allow people to climb up to this cliff that is approx. 30 ft high and they can jump off! Right next to that, they have "punk rock" available for the younger ones to jump, it was about 6 feet. Well when the guide said, "Does anyone want to jump?" Jessica was the first one to say yes, then Joshua, THEN CHRIS!! I was ok with the kids jumping from the lower rock, but I was a bit nervous that he was going to jump 30 feet. He did it, no hesistation. I kept my butt safely in the boat. It would have been combining 2 things I don't like: heights and COLD water. Call me chicken, but I was a warm chicken!

Tuesday's events

We had a safe trip to Winter Park and we are enjoying the cooler weather. Tuesday we went to the Winter Park Resort where the base of the ski resort is located. They open it up for the summer months to many different activities. We rode the world's longest alpine slide, we played mini golf, we had a nice lunch outside, we rock climbed, and we did this bungee trampoline thing. Well I work really hard at NOT being super girly, but I guess my inner girl came out on this thing, as you can see from the video clip. I was trying to work up the nerve to do a back flip. Chris didn't get it on video, but I did do it!! Yippeee, working on overcoming my fear of heights and control issues all in one. Maybe we should call it trampoline therapy!

Fiddlesticks!!! Chris held the camera sideways. Oh well, turn your head. What a goober girl! I bet my family was embarrassed!

One Last Hurrah!

We are off for one final trip before I have to really accept the fact that summer is coming to a close. When I look at the August calendar I have small "freak outs" at how busy it is with some still fun things and with some work things. I am a going to try to enjoy this one last summer trip. We are so excited to trade these 110 degree days for a few days in the mountains where it's in the 60's! Chris may not join me on the return flight!! Ha! More pics to come hopefully!

Where's Freud when I need him...

I woke up already exhausted today because my dreams were so strange last night.

Dream 1: I dreamed that I had a c-section, but then I was home and Chris and I were trying to decide names. Jacob Christopher, Max, and Daniel, were all options that we were writing down while we were frantically headed back to the hospital. We got there and family was there and we were all excited. Well I picked up the little guy out of the hospital bassinet and it was the cutest little beagle puppy you have ever seen! Now I would love dog, but I really don't want it to be cut out of me!! Weird.

Wake up, potty break, back to sleep

Dream 2: I am at the hospital (again!) this time for a breast biopsy! I tell Chris bye and they take me through this maze of hallways and then I am sitting across from what I think is the surgeon AND my school superintendent. YIKES!!!! They are just having a conversation and I am thinking, can we just get this done!? I realize that as I am walking back to the room for the surgery that the little monogram on the scrubs of who I thought was the surgeon actually said, R.N. I'd prefer a surgeon but wasn't sure how to get out of it at this point.

Dream 3: First day of school!!! My students are jumping all around tearing up my room. I can see Jessica across the hall and realize she isn't with the teacher I requested. I contact the principal and have her moved that first day. I see her later and she is miserable. I can hear the first teacher all day long and realize that she is a great teacher and I just moved my daughter out of there!!! At about lunch time I stop and think, "where's Joshua?" I then remember that he is at a new school and I don't know how he got to school, did he go to "meet the teacher", did he get his lunch etc. So I grab my cell phone and call Chris, crying, feeling like the horrible mom I am, and he tells me how he got Joshua to school and everything was fine. Still I feel terrible that I didn't know anything!

So I woke up today feeling a bit haggard! Makes sense since I spent the night, giving birth to a dog, being cut on by a nurse, messing up my daughter's school year and forgetting my son!
Whew!

When I grow up...

When I grow up I want to be just like her!!! This is my grandmother, Manny (Mary). SHE IS AWESOME!!! Manny and her partner in crime Martha, her sister, are the main reason we get to go to S. Padre each year. They spearhead the trip each year and seem to enjoy a week of eating out, shopping, and watching grandchildren and great-grandchildren play. She is an example to all. She joined us on the beach one day, she even went for several spins in the dune buggies and if we could have figured out where to rent one of these flying things she was ready to do that too! What amazes me most is that she does all that and looks beautiful too!!

I love you Manny!

We are hoping to be the next set of partners in crime... ;) We aren't quite as sophisticated as Manny and Martha though!!!!

Beach Pics

So all the pretty toenail polish is wearing off of our fingers and toes, but that's ok! We are having a great time. We spent Monday on the beach and then in the pool. Tuesday we all went to the water park here on the island. Schlitterbahn. Today all the fellas went for a long, long golf day. The girls spent time on the beach and ordering pizza for lunch and just hanging out. Tomorrow my sister and I are making breakfast for the the family, so I guess that means I gotta get up before 9:00...

Here are a few pictures. Of course Jessica immerses herself in the sand and digs in with gusto. Joshua is having fun on his boogie board, though the waves are very tame this year!

S. Padre here we come

First things first before heading to the beach and that is properly manicured toes to go with tan feet! Love 'em. My sister and I took the girls (Joshua sat this one out) to get our fingers and toes done. They gave all the girls fun flowers. Then Jessica and I made a quick trip to mini-camp, now I am back and frantically washing and packing so we can get out the door this morning. More pics from the beach to come!!

Should I be nervous?

Joshua spent about an hour at the pool today flipping like a mad man. I have decided I am weird, I get super nervous about ALOT of things, like when they are away at friend's houses, or when they are playing soccer or baseball, or when they run a small fever, but for some reason things like this don't get me worked up. I don't know why.







Then I was trying to take a cute picture of my girl when he popped his smilin' mug outta the water just as I clicked!! Goofy boy!

Just FYI

Just in case some of you were concerned that I am being completely lazy and totally unproductive this summer I offer you proof to the contrary!!!

I am a Wii Pro at tennis and bowling. Folks this takes daily committment! You can't be a slacker and earn the 1000 points necessary to be a pro! Blood, sweat and tears I tell you!! I think that I can relate a little better to the Olympians now. I know what it takes...

All I could do was laugh yesterday when Chris came home from work to find me in my swimsuit (with my cover up, though he would have preferred just the suit) all alone in the living room playing wii tennis. No dinner started, house not exactly perfectly picked up, wife stinky from the pool, kids playing at the neighbors.

I love summer!!!

Summer Fun

The Lake was a blast! We spent the first day on their pontoon boat, tubing and swimming in the lake. The kids loved tubing and they even got to drive the boat! The next day we pulled out the pontoon boat and their ski boat. We tried our hand at water skiing. Well, Chris of course could do it, no problem. Joshua gave it go and got up on the first try!!! Jessica couldn't try because the skis were too big for her. I tried and tried and tried and tried, but couldn't get up. It's no fair that I have the soreness from trying but not the glory of actually enjoying it!!! Oh well. We had a really fun time!! Thanks sweet friends for taking us!!! I feel so "in" now!!

Some things haven't changed

When Joshua was little he would spend time playing with his cars. Most of the time the cars ended up in very interesting lines. I snapped this picture one day. I don't know why he did that or what he was thinking when he did. The other day I snapped this picture when he was playing with his army stuff. Still putting things in line. However, this time he had a battle plan in his head that would have made Patton proud. It's good for a mom to still see some of the "little boy" she knew still hanging around. It goes way too fast.

P.S. if you tell him about these pics it will ruin it all! I will be in big trouble. Shhhhh!

Guess What!!!!!

If you read my Memorial Day Mystery Post (scroll down, I am too lazy to link it and it's not that far down) then you heard my loud lamenting about the lake. Well my sweet friend Staci heard my cry and has orchestrated a full weekend for all of us at the lake!! I am invited!!
Yippee!!!

Does this make me a dork?

Yes is the answer to the question, but read on for your entertainment. I had some time last night after working out before I had to pick Jessica up from the VBS she attending this week, so I indulged in one of my favorite things to do. Now you might be thinking: a trip to Starbucks, or a trip to Ann Taylor Loft, or maybe even a mani/pedi, all great things to me, but one of my most favorite things to do is to go to the bookstore. Oh, yes now I hear it, you're calling me a dork. That's ok. I can handle it.

I realized last night that going to the bookstore gives me such a thrill. I wonder if it's the same high that some chics get when they buy a new pair of shoes (never understood that one) or maybe the feeling a fella gets when he heads to Best Buy, (Sam's club does it for my husband)

I don't know. All I know is that I was giddy with excitement when I walked out with my purchases. Yes, I went in to browse, but there is no such thing for me.

I was trying to figure out what it is about the bookstore that "gets me." I love the way a new book smells. (I had a student write a story about her favorite place and she wrote about a bookstore, she was my BFF after that!!) I love the newness of the book, not written on, never read by anyone. (Except maybe by the lurkers that hang at the store for hours on end reading books they don't pay for, that is NOT me) Now the rational side of me sat there and said, why are you buying this book, you should try to check it out at the library, for free. Or why don't you look for it on ebay. Nope, that doesn't give me the same thrill as a new book does for some reason. I have to own it new, and own it forever if I so desire.

Well like all normal people when confronted with our issues, we start looking to find the root of our problem, where did it start, or who can I blame for my issues. Well the blame lands squarely on my dad. How appropriate for the child to blame the parent for their issues. ha ha. My dad is a professor and I can still remember loving going to the bookstore on the campus! My dad always had a book and I am pretty sure prefers owning the book to borrowing the book as well. If my memory serves me right, I think my dad would gladly lay the blame on his own father who spent countless hours reading. So now that I have found the root of my "book need" I can claim that it's in my blood and I just can't help it. Right?

So, I am now trying to pass the obsession on to my kids as well. I purchased each of them a book. I think it might be working on one of my kids, not so sure about the other yet. Let's just say when I presented one their book, I got a "cool thanks" and when I gave the book to the other kid, I got a full on body hug, you know the one where they are hugging you with arms and legs! I think there was a slight squeal involved as well. I understood the excitement.

Yes, I am a dork. Here is my latest purchase for myself and the kids:

It's here!! It's here!!!

You got it, it's summertime for the Havard household. Alot has happened since I last posted. We'll play catch up in bullet points:

• Joshua's baseball team started tournament play. They lost their first game, won the next 3 then lost the fourth game by one run. Joshua decided to make it more interesting by getting strep throat, so he missed one game, but made it to the last one. I am working through my case of PBSD that I get each season. (that is Post Baseball Season Depression)



• The kids enjoyed field day at their school and quite frankly so did I. I even joined in for some of the fun. I appreciated the comments I got from volunteers after the event that my class was the "most competitive" and the "most polite" not sure which one of those things I am prouder of! Ha ha.



• Chris and I gave the kids a Wii. WOW the Wii is soooo fun. Wii can't stop playing it. My arm is sore from a pretty serious left hook I landed boxing.



• I said goodbye to 22 really sweet fourth graders, that are more than ready to become 5th graders. They go to a different campus next year for 5th and 6th grade so I won't see them too often. You do get pretty attached when you spend 35 hours a week with them.



• Joshua and Jessica finished up their year, they both had great years. It was bitter sweet watching Joshua play on the playground that last day knowing that was it. I really enjoyed being at the school with both my children. It will feel strange next year. Jessica and I will miss him being in the same building.
  
  
• I closed up the classroom on Thursday, it looked really empty and was way too quiet. I am sure you will all be shocked to know I am already thinking through next year.



• I was taken out to a very nice end of the year celebratory steak dinner, by my very sweet and handsome man.



• The June calendar already looks full of really fun stuff.

• Let the summer begin!!!!

The Memorial Day Weekend Mystery

Well it all started on a warm Friday afternoon when some friends asked us to come by and check on their pooch while they were away. No big deal, I thought, these are great friends and I am happy to do it. I innocently asked where they were headed and the response was, "the lake." Ok, I didn't want to appear dumb, because it seemed that I was supposed to know where this "lake" was, so I left it at that. Then a few hours later Jessica went to go play with her friend down the street and came back with a sad look on her face. Her friend couldn't play because they were getting ready to go to "the lake" and shortly after that I got a call seeing if Joshua could watch their dogs while they were gone. Ok, no problem, but my suspicions about this place called "the Lake" were beginning to grow. It all became very clear to me on Sunday when we were bored and tried to call some other friends to go eat dinner with us. No answer, hmmmmmm. That evening she called me back and just guess where they had been: "the lake."


OK people, I have concluded that "the lake" is really code for some really cool party place where you are ALL going together and not inviting me!! Why? I ask you Why? What did I do to be left out of "the lake" Is it because you have heard about my one attempt at waterskiing and the atomic wedgie it gave me? Is it because you have seen how I can munch and you are fearful I will eat all your snacks? Is it because it annoys you because I don't really like to get in the water?


Ok so on this last day of Memorial Day Weekend I have decided that if you call, I won't be around. I will be at "the lake" with all your doggies!!!!



I just had to add this update:
Tuesday morning, back at work and I ask a student about a math assignment that I had sent home to be done over the weekend. His response, "I couldn't do it, I was at The lake all weekend."

Cheating...

I found this on another blog, copied and pasted. I thought it would be fun to do...

I am: loved unconditionally.
i think: too much.
i know: I have control issues. (No comment necessary)
i want: summer to start NOW
i have: the best husband ever.
i wish: I could see what my kids are going to be like as grown-ups
i hate: my stomach.
i miss: my grandparents.
i fear: failure.
i feel: pressure to get it all done everyday.
i hear: my children playing downstairs.
i smell: no dinner cooking, oops!!
i crave:a good run in the mornings.
i search: for ways to be a better teacher.
i wonder: if I could really run a marathon.
i regret: not trying more things when I was growing up.
i love: to watch Jessica score a goal and Joshua throw a 3rd strike.
i ache: for children that have parents that don't care about them.
i care: about my students
i always: say "I love you" to my family.
i am not: very nice on the inside.
i believe: sometimes it's best if I just stay quiet.
i dance: to embarass my kids.
i sing: in the car when I am alone.
i cry: when I have PMS or when I am really really mad.
i don’t always: care about people like I should.
i fight: unfairly, because I keep quiet til I have it all settled in my mind.
i write: quick, usually meaningless, blogs
i win: as much as I can, because I like to win!
i lose: at foos ball everytime!!!
i never: eat enough vegetables.
i confuse: some rules in baseball, but I am getting much better.
i listen: to Joshua tell me about his day, each night at bedtime.
i can usually be found: in my house or in my classroom.
i am scared: when my phone rings late at night.
i need: more hours in the day.
i am happy about: my family, my friends, my life.

You're turn!

Happy Mother's Day mom!!

I just wanted to do quick list of all the great things about my mom. She is by far the best around and here's just a FEW reasons why!

1. She is strong. I think this is one of the qualities I like the best in her and desire to have in myself.

2. She is not afraid of change. If I told you the story of her urban to country life change of the last few years, you would agree wholeheartedly.

3. She loves my dad. I think there isn't anyone that my parents would rather hang out with more than each other.

4. She is a good mom. I think she put aside alot of things in order to raise my sister and me. She was a mom that was truly "present" in the moments of my life growing up.

5. She is a FUN mom and a REALLY FUN grandmother! This only bugs me when I am on the receiving end of her "schemes" (ha ha)

6. She is a wise mom. She taught me the importance of seeing each side of a situation. She has a wonderful ability to empathize with others. She has a wonderful way sensing when to give advice and when to hold back and just listen.

7. She wasn't ever a "smothering" mother. She was pretty good at letting us make our own decision (even the bad ones)

8. She is extremely talented. Her art work never ceases to amaze me. How she can do what she does to a blank canvas is a true gift.

9. She is loyal. I wouldn't mess with anyone she loves, it could get ugly.

10. She is discerning. She is a great judge of character and situations. She knows how to "trust her gut".

I love you mom! Thanks for teaching me how to be a good mom to my own two. You were teaching me long before I even realized it.

LeRay

FREEZE!

Sometimes I wish I could just freeze time and keep them this way forever. Thankfully I realize that I have said that with every stage so far. I found this poem I wrote when we lived in Atlanta and I was up late one night, wishing to "freeze" time again... (Speaking of freezing, it was freezing this morning at the soccer fields, they had their arms in their shirts trying to stay warm!)

If I could keep them small I would...

I'd hold them in my grip so tight

protect them from the cold of night

Keep them ever near my chest

listen for each and every breath.

Carry them through each trial

and walk with them each mile.

I often think this plan is best

but God reminds me, in Him I rest.

God knew best when this power

to mothers he did not give.

See if they remain small and in my care,

a seed is all I'd have to share.

Slowly and gently God says, "Give them to me"

I will show you the flowers they will be.

I loosen my grip, and God takes my open hand...

I can't walk them through this land,

But I trust the ONE who can.

No need to comment and point out my "over protectiveness" screaming out in this poem, I am very aware of it already! ha ha!

New for me

So I am experiencing something this week that I don't think I have ever experienced: Interviews!! Yes I have been the interviewee, but never the interviewer! That's what I am getting to do this week. It makes for a VERY full day when your normal planning time or after school time is taken up, but it's been neat because it's different. How you ask? (or maybe you didn't) Well to start with I am in a room with only adults, that is REALLY different from my normal routine! I am trying to size someone up in 30 minutes, yikes and deciding if they are a good "fit" for our team. I recently read "Blink" and was thinking about that today and trying to filter through snap judgements that I should pay attention to and snap judgements that I make that aren't helpful. I couldn't help but be aware of all the conclusions I was drawing as the interview moved along. I also felt a wave of sympathy or empathy for some,thinking about how they need a job to support a family or to get a career started, shouldn't we just hire them all, so we don't have to make one feel bad... bet you didn't know I had this "nice" side did you!! ha! I don't let it out too often!

Detoxed

SO I really did it! I gave up coffee that day that I wrote that last post. I haven't had a cup of creamer with a dash of coffee since Friday morning! I switched to green tea. They say that's good for ya, something about "free radicals" and "antioxidants", I thought those were some really out there liberal groups, apparently not though.

My fear is that I have lost all creative thoughts with the loss of the caffeine, I have wanted to update my blog for several days and each time I think to do it, I gotta whole lotta nuthin!

My students had to write a poem last week that I thought was fun, so I thought I should give it a try, it's what we called "I use to, but now I"

I use to be terrified to speak in public,
but now I only feel a little sick if I have to.

I use to drink coffee,
but now I drink green tea.

I use to hate spinach,
but now I like it.

I use to think I would NEVER go back to work,
but now I teach 4th grade.

I use to think baseball was boring,
but now I love to watch it. (one team only)

I use to think I always had to have a boyfriend,
but now I hope Jessica NEVER thinks that.

I use to hate excercise,
but now I like it (can't say love just yet)


I use to love to do crafty things
but now not so much.


I use to want to be a doctor
but now I just go to Web md

I use to be able to eat whatever I wanted
but now I have to watch what I eat


Ok this is boring... I bet my students didn't like it either. Oh well.

Stand Back!!!

So I was thinking about giving up coffee! It's really because I think I need to give up creamer. I use WAAAYYY too much of that really yummy stuff. It's good, but not good for me. I am kinda sad and just thought that I better warn people if they see me during the detox phase I cannot be held responsible for my actions! I think I better make sure I do this during a non-pms week. That combo could get someone seriously hurt.

However, like I said I am thinking about giving up coffee!