Weekend fun!

Let me start this post by saying it doesn't pay to be consumed with money! Money makes you tired!

See three weeks ago, I made Dan take a judging job in Florida. Well that was all well and good, till he's worked 12 hours a day for the last week. I felt sorry for him having to drive and be so tired. And since the 19 year old couldn't drive him...I did. We left Friday night at 7:00 and got to Lady Lake about 1:45am. Fell into bed and Dan had to get up at 6:30 to go judge the horse show. I told him to leave me in the room to sleep and we could just pay an extra night. But we couldn't stay the night because Dan had to work today. So we left Florida about 7:00 last night and got back home at 1:45am. I ended up sleeping in the bed till 9:00, then got up and slept in the chair till 11:00am. Ate a little breakfast, finished up the TOTY paper and now I'm fixing to bath, get groceries, and go to a youth meeting. No phones are working. I'm not sure what's wrong with my cell, but the house phone was left off the hook all weekend.

Tomorrow is the TOTY interview and it will be fine, even if I STILL don't like my hair!!!!!!!!!!!!

PS Dan and I have spent many years doing what we did this weekend, we've never seen much or just got to have fun. I hope this all changes in the future.

On the bright side Dan has now made in 1 week what he usually makes in a month.

Guess What?

One more day of school! Now that is cause to celebrate!!!! We had the "Movin' On" Ceremony today, report cards are done. I intend to enjoy tomorrow.

Check out Pioneer Woman on her trip to New York to make more money! Life is so funny that way. If you have money, it seems you can make more easier than the rest of us.

On the other hand D and I are crazy. A couple of weeks ago he got asked to judge a horse show in Florida. No biggie...$500 pay check...go for it. Then this week he has worked 12 hour days, every day, leaves the house at 5:45 and gets back at 8:00. Plus it is hotter than hades in the plant right now and humid. Then there is me...the crazy one...who has the TOTY paper to finish, chapter 2 that has to be done this summer...and I decided to teach summer school, because we need the money.

Now the biggie this weekend will be...am I working tomorrow and then driving Dan to Florida at 9:00pm so he can sleep on the way...or is he taking Matt. You remember him...my 19 year old son who lost his license from speeding through Alabama...and now I feel sorry for and have to air him out regularly. Oh and let's not forget Gabe who is stuck in the house as well now...while I work and D works unreal hours.

How come the one person who would like to be stuck in the house alone for days (me) never gets to do it?

TOY Questionaire

Okay right after they tell you that you are teacher of the year and you get you $50. Then you are told that you have one week to answer a questionaire with six questions. Now this seems simple, but I've been writing all day!

Question 1: What were the factors that influenced you to become a teacher? Now how do you answer that. I'm now on the third rewrite. I was the product of a teen marriage. Raised by my grandmother and by age 14 I was taking care of a sick mother. Folks I learned a lot. I learned complaining doesn't change things. I learned that sometimes there are jobs you don't want to do, but you are the only one who can do it. I learned that when life throws lemons at you, make lemonade. I learned something about being a teacher from every teacher I ever had. Whether it was something to do or not to do. I learned that sometimes a teacher is there to help you make major life adjustments. (I don't think I'm doing good on answering question 1).

Question 6 also has me stumped: Describe your personal beliefs about teaching, including your own ideas of what makes you an outstanding teacher. I believe that if you think you are an outstanding teacher you probably aren't!

I believe I'll cook supper and look at this again tomorrow night.

Friday Night

Last night the Hestads and the Reeses went out! Reservations and a mini road trip were involved. We cleaned up after a long field day. F could still walk at this time, after her tumble during the tug of war. We were still in a good mood after F had to defuse an irrate parent, with no help from those in charge. So we headed north.

We went to the Blue Willow Inn in Social Circle to celebrate the outgoing and incoming teacher of the year. It was fun! We sat in the sunroom, which is by far my favorite spot in the restaurant. The Blue Willow is all you can eat Southern Buffet type food. Weekends are seafood night. My personal favorite is the peel and eat shrimp, the crab salad, twice baked potatoes, the fried green tomatoes and the peanut butter pie. So I that was were I stayed. F. pretty much ate the same things I did (I was shocked she didn't tackle the salmon). Ricky enjoyed the catfish and Dan seemed to enjoy everything he tasted. To me the place is a bit pricey, the buffet is $26.95 a piece on weekends. However the food is good, the atmosphere is fantastic, and the drive is a beautiful one. We had a grand time. One plug for the restaurant would be if you like crab legs, they are all you can eat, unfortunately none of us like to work that hard to eat...the peel and eat shrimp was a challenge enough.

Of course every night is good when I get to come home with this honey!

AAAAAAGH!!!!!!!!

This is pretty much me right now. I'm not mad at anyone in particular...just the hell life will be for the next six months!!!!!!!!

Remember middle son's spring break in Mississippi. Remember middle son's ticket in Alabama. Now middle son's license has been suspended for six months because unless you are over 21 you can only have 4 points on your driver's license. Seems that he managed to acquire the magical number while flying through Alabama, when he was stopped by some backwoods country law.

So for the next 6 months he will be dependent on us. He is in North Carolina and needs to come home before said license expires. He will be pissed and moody. I will have to put up with his mood and his dad's bad mood because he is pouty and moody.

So I'm pissed!!!!!!!!!!! Why is it that happiness and elation can only live here for about 24 hours before being rooted out by something dark and mysterious? UUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGHHH.

Teacher of the Year!?

What in the world! NH called me around 4:15 when I was on my way to the chiropractor and says, "Guess What? I'm surrounded by great teachers. Last years TOY and this years TOY."

My response was did you win! She says no, you did!!! WHAT!!!!!!!!!

I had just had a long conversation with another teacher about how NH needed to be TOY. I was the one who nominated her and wrote this wonderful paper I might add. Seems NH nominated me!! Go figure.

Oh well, I have great friends and it is an honor to be TOY. I remember 24 years ago holding this fat little baby boy and deciding to stay home with him. Oh how I thought my life was over with! At the time I was sure that my professional life was over. Then this award today.

Life sure is funny isn't it.

Freda, Nanci, and me at Hannah's wedding. What's with us all wearing the same colors.

Greatings from the Far Side of the Lake

This weekend I brought back a boatload of work to do! There is just so many things going on. Things are so busy this time of the year. Plus in a week moment to replinsh the cash flow at the Manor I signed up to teach summer school. However, I plan to use some of that money for a couple of massages (maybe even a spa treatment day) and a trip to OK.

Anyway, last night G-man had a middle school dance. It was a luau, so he wore a Hawaiian shirt. He had fun, but Dan and I ended up piddling around Monticello until dance was over. We ate Mexican. They forgot to put the guacamole on my order and didn't bring it after I asked for it, so my meal was free. We then stopped at the grocery, have I mentioned I love the grocery store here. Then went for DQ. So not bad, but I was tired.

This morning is busy with housework, schoolwork, and movie watching.

This is a picture of the swampy marsh I pass every morning on the way to work. It really has changed over the seasons.

This is a picture of the drummer boy at his concert on Thursday night.

And finally all people are settled on a name for the pup. She is now Lucy.

Lots of Stuff

Today I took off work to be a mommy. I don't do that very ofter with G. The others had much more of me. Anyway we went on a field trip to see the King Tut exhibit in Atlanta. You gotta love Atlanta!

Since the exhibit is about ready to close, there were a ton of people there. I don't really like these type things when there are so many people in one room you really can't see anything. I think they tried to stagger folks, but it didn't work.

This is G's class. One little girl (who hid in this picture) amazed me with her approach to the treasures of King Tut. She read carefully each thing. You could tell this wasn't her first time at a musuem, so I asked one of the teachers. They said she was from New York (you know I love all things New York) and it showed she was a bit more cultured than the rest.

Afterwards my big boy wanted to go and get a hamburger (we didn't eat breakfast). I thought it could have been the biggest one I'd ever seen. We went to Chili's and I thought of F and the endless chips and dip.

Next, we went to the Scholastic Warehouse sale. Be still my heart. However, my heart would have been beating fast had I known what I was teaching next year. I thought of all types of author studies that we could do.

We topped it off with a little stop a Sonic for a Cherry Limeade. Heavenly and it was Happy Hour.

Also, I haven't shown ya'll this cutey who now resides with us.

That's because we can't settle on a one syllable name(its a boarder collie thing). Anyway, her registered name is Bella. We just lost our beloved Belle a couple of years ago, so Matt's not hip on the name. Everyday her personality changes. I'm thinking she is a Matilda (Mattie for short) of course Matt wants no part of that. He wants to name her Jane...this dog is no plain Jane.

Why We Don't Do Vacations

This occurred to me today. We don't take vacations because we pay a fortune to send last child to private school. There are times I think this is a waste, and then others times I think it is an investment. For my little man that is now about 5'10" I think it is best choice. (Now don't be hating on me for teaching in public and sending said child to private. I can't work and homeschool)



However, for what I pay in bus fees, fundraisers, and tuition. We could take TWO family cruises per year. Or we could go to the beach, rent a house and eat out 4 weeks out of the year. We could go to Oklahoma, Minnesota, the Grand Canyon, Washington DC and New York City in one year. Or I can stay the course and give him an education.



I think I'll pick the education. So for now this will have to wait!



One day when he is a successful engineer I'll see NYC.