I am so excited about this upcoming long weekend. Unfortunately, my plans for sleeping in this morning didn’t work since Taylor was up in the night complaining about not being able to breathe. Alth.ough I wasn’t up at my usual 5:30, I was out of bed by 7:30. Yes, all three kids were already up and were jumping on the trampoline outside. (I don’t usually let them play outside prior to 8am because they’re usually way too loud for so early in the morning!) I’m going to try my best NOT to get too stressed out about doing the chores and getting the house organized. I have 3 days off before I go back for an inservice and I’m going to try to relax even though I have a long to-do list. Maybe I’ll get the chance to do some scrapbooking. Or just flip through a magazine. Or enjoy a Starbucks. Now THAT sounds like a good weekend . . .
Archive for August, 2008
Yeah, a loooooong weekend!
So I’ll try to catch up! Mom’s 61st birthday was on August 17th and I finally got around to uploading my pictures today. So here’s a couple:
Today was Liam’s 3rd birthday and we celebrated it at Chuck E. Cheese’s. I hadn’t been there in ages and they had done some remodeling. There were a lot more games and since the party was early in the day, the crowds weren’t too bad.
Oh great. not a good start.
With 2 days of school down, I’m already starting to feel incredibly overwhelmed, particularly with the students I have in my class. You tend to forget what it’s like at the beginning and how immature the new 4th graders are coming in at the beginning of the school year. Granted, they do a lot of growing up, both emotionally and academically but I’ve already been warned about a couple of the students I have in my class. I’ve spent part of the weekend going over different strategies to use next week so I can actually TEACH. Yikes, I definitely have my work cut out for me this year!
First Days are here again!
Taylor started his journey in middle school on Wednesday with orientation. The weather was very cooperative for picture taking as well as hanging out by the bus stop. Today was completely different as Jocelyn and Wesley began their school year. It was pouring down when we left the house! By the time we got to school the rain had tapered off so I could get some pics by the front of the school. They all enjoyed their days again and are excited to be back in school! (hmmm, wonder how long that will last?!)
I might add that this was by request, the whole entourage seeing Taylor off to school! Jocelyn and Wesley are in latchkey so they didn’t get the honors – besides, it was RAINING!
You have no idea. . .
I came home from work today extremely tired. I was picking up the children from my Mum and Dad’s house and mentioned how much more I needed to do tonight in order to be ready for school tomorrow and Dad said, “What have you been doing all week?!” I can see how some might think that since I went back to work on the 7th and it’s now the 13th how could I NOT be ready for the first day of school?! Meetings, primarily. There’s data to go over, mission statements, visions, and expectations to be laid out, even more expectations to be set forth from the new principal, planning meetings, and in addition to that, getting our rooms ready. It’s A LOT harder than you think! All in all, I think I’m ready. My plans are laid out, my walls are ready, my copies are made, my name tags are in place, whew!
Summer’s over . . . for me!
Today was officially the last day of summer for me as I go back to work tomorrow. Us teachers have to start work earlier in order to be ready for the students that will arrive on the 14th. Lots of meetings with a few hours to work in our rooms (I’m hoping to work on lesson plans!). I’m looking forward to the new year although there will be a lot of changes with a new principal and a new teammate for our 4th grade team. My kids are excited they’re going to get to spend time with Grandma and Grandad while I’m at work! Taylor goes back on the 13th for 6th grade orientation with Jocelyn and Wesley following the next day at their respective school. Here’s to a fabulous year!!!
This is the second time this summer in a matter of weeks that I haven’t felt very well. The last time was a 24 hour tummy bug that hit mid-July. This week seems to be another bug of some sort that started yesterday and has left me feeling extremely lethargic. For those of you who know me, I am NOT one to lay around. The idea of not being able to do the errands I need to do, work on my classroom, and clean the house before I go back to work Thursday drives me absolutely batty. And of course the children aren’t getting a long because it’s sooooo HOT outside and Ken leaves for an out-of-town photo shoot. Perhaps it just coincides with coming back from wonderfully cool Colorado to 100+ degree temperatures in Kansas. Ick. Since the world doesn’t stop just because I don’t feel well, I muddle through the day, and when I get a burst of energy, I use it to get another chore crossed off my to-do list.
Dad’s Retirement
Today the family celebrated my Dad’s recent retirement. Hard to imagine working for the same company for as many years as he has — since we moved to the U.S. back in ‘84! He has more than earned it and loves to tell everyone that tomorrow is “yet another Saturday”. In a book that I’m currently reading, i dare you by Joyce Meyer, it says that “[people] spend their lives doing what they hate and are not courageous enough to do what they really want to do.” I truly believe that my Dad loved what he did as an engineer and has made a significant contribution to the aircraft industry. Cheers, Dad, and happy retirement!!
