Back To School!

On our way to Miss Cheryl's. She really WAS happy!

Trying to get a first day of school pic. She wasn't into it.

My first day of school pic for the year!

Ahhh...6:15 a.m. Gotta love it.

We are finally back into the school routine.
It's been an adjustment now that I have to drive Tristyn to daycare.
Last year Ashlee dropped her off before school.
I wake up at 5:15 and get myself ready.
Then I wake up Tristyn and Ashlee at 6 a.m.
I grab my coffee and Nug and I are out the door by 6:15.
In the car we listen to Pokerface and Right Round.
Tristyn arrives at Miss Cheryl's at 6:25
And then I'm off to Lake Central by 6:30.
So far I have been getting to school on time and I haven't been rushing.

Tristyn LOVES daycare.
Today was the first day that I heard her cry a little for me when I left.
But Miss Cheryl steered her to the toys right away and she stopped.
I have to say that Nug is POOPED by dinnertime.
She has been going to bed around 7:30 p.m. and sleeping like a rock.
All that walking and playing wears a kid out!

First Wedding

Savannah and Abby playing.

Miles says "Hey!!!"

Tristyn is still hungry.

Burping.

Tristyn went to her first wedding on Saturday.
My friend and co-worker, Myra, got married in DeMotte.
All of my English Department friends were there.
It was a hot day and a squishy reception, but it was fun.
Congratulations Myra and Jimmy!

SCHOOL IS OVER!!!

The front of S-103...Sarah's old room.

S-101...my old room.

SCHOOL IS DONE!!!
Thank the goddess above it's over!
Those were the longest two weeks of my life!
Maybe it was due to the fact that Sarah and I were sharing a room.
Maybe it was because we were done with everything so early.
It just seemed like I was a fishy swimming upstream.
But I got everything done.
Entered all my contests on time...
Mailed all my memberships on time...
Turned in all my grades on time...
Had my checklist done early this year...

Even covered and bordered all of my new bulletin boards.

Sarah and I took one last trip to the old rooms.
They started totally ripping stuff out at 7:15 this morning.
They waste no time.
We took more pictures.
Got sad.
I didn't cry and I don't know why.
I asked my principal to get me a block...I want a cement block.
*Sigh*

I feel like a ten pound weight is off of my back for a little while.
It's good to have a break.
Ok I'm a nerd though...

I went to Office Max right after school today
And bought a new calendar planner and my summer notebook.
You know...to keep track of "stuff."
And I have the new photo textbook right here ready to be read.
NERD!!!!

Now I have to clean this house.
Get it ready to roll.
Get ready to change my life around.

This summer and next school year are going to be rough.
Everything is new.
I want a day or two to recoop and then we need to reset.
Organize this house, our lives, our schedules, our priorities.
Accomplish the "to-do" lists that get brushed off to do other things.

People think I'm crazy.
I have a crazy life.
Some people refuse to even come over here because they can't handle it.
I call it an adventure.

I love summer because it's always an adventure.
And I will continue to document it on this blog.
Life happens fast and I like to share it with everyone.
I can't wait to see what this summer has in store for us.
Hold on tight.

Good-Bye to S-101

My empty room.

Leftover textbooks.

Sign too high to take down.

The old darkroom.

What an emotional Friday.

By noon everything was ripped out of my classroom.

Gone.

The maintenance people are awesome.

They made things so easy.

The computer guys are all awesome.

They ripped everything out

And had everything re-hooked up in the new room by 2 p.m.

Except my color printer is broken.

Change can be a good thing.

Leaving S-101 after 9 years is hard.

That's where I started...my first real job.

I had no idea what I was doing...I wasn't even a real teacher.

I've taught approximatley 1,630 students in that room.

Wow.

That's a lot of photos.

Time to start a new chapter.

IT NEEDS TO BE OVER!

Can this school year be OVER yet?!?!?!
SERIOUSLY!!!!
I almost can't take it anymore.
It is sooooo hard to get up in the morning.
I rolled out of bed at 6:20 this morning.
Took a quick shower and jetted to Dunkin Donuts.
I made it to school by 7:18.
Only 3 minutes late.
I have 5th hour plan, so it's ok.
BUT SERIOUSLY?!?!?!
Can this school year just die already?!?!?!
Ugh!!!
I was whining from about noon on today.
There are two weeks left of school.
Kids need to follow directions.
I am at the point where every question that is asked
Is answered with complete sarcasm and falsehood.
Call me a bad teacher, but come on...it's MAY PEOPLE!
FIGURE IT OUT AND READ DIRECTIONS!!!
Today I got 3 paper cuts.
I banged my head on my desk at least 4 times from exhaustion.
The newspaper is done for the year.
DONE. DONE.
36 page senior issue..all color...done.
Incoming freshmen issue...done.
Thank GOD.
Now...what to do with them for 2 weeks?
All 20 computers will be ripped out of my room tomorrow at 10:30 a.m.
What to do? What to do?
CAN'T IT JUST BE OVER?!?!?!

Fun With School Supplies

Here's a little video of fun with Miles in S-103.
So much fun with paper clips and a rubber band ball.
He also played peek-a-boo with himself in the mirrors.
And at 13 months he found his way
From the auditorium to my classroom...
Close enough to Mommy's room.
I was impressed.
He is totally a journalism dork.
I love it!

Doctor Update

Went to the Doctor today.
I missed my appointment last Monday.
And then again last Friday.
But I got there extra early today!

My weight...181.2.
She was very proud of me for this.
I have no idea how I've gained
When I haven't been eating much this week due to stress.

Blood pressure was normal.
Again, I laugh because I have been stressed out of my mind lately.

Baby's heartbeat... in the 130's.
She said it sounded good.

My belly measurement...34...perfect.
34 weeks.
She says I'm due July 1st.
I thought it was June 24th.
Whatever...she'll come when she's ready.
She'll probably be ready before I am anyway.

I have to drink some raspberry tea or something now.
And take some other healthy pill junk.
She said to make my cervex softer.
Hey...whatever works lady.

Right now I'm an emotional wreck.
Horomoes are all over the place.
I cry all the time.
Sleeping is horrible.
My anxiety is at new heights.
I'm exhausted, yet I keep going.

There is no stopping.
Not until June 7th.
Not until the last final is graded.
Not until the walls are knocked down in my classroom.

And I eat pizza after the graduation ceremony.

How You Know You're REALLY Pregnant

Senior Banquet was tonight.
It was a big hit.
$180 for the DJ was scary, but he was good.
Food was good and the costumes were creative.
Thanks to all of my friends for sacraficing their Friday night
To chaperone and hang out with 400 seniors.
God bless you all!
I have to say that Sarah and I can throw a kick ass party.

The dance ended at 11 p.m.
After dropping Sarah off at home I decided I was hungry.
Out of all of the fast food places I pass by on the way home
I couldn't say...Hey...that sounds good.
No.
I wanted Fruity Pebbles and I wanted them right then and there.
So, I stopped at Meijer at 11:45 p.m.
Picked up some Fruity Pebbles, Rice Krispy Treats cereal and Captain Crunchberries.
Oh...and some grapes which are in the freezer right now.

Usually after an event like this where I'm in charge
We go out for a drink to relax and celebrate that it's over!
Tonight...I sat on the couch and ate Fruity Pebbles.
And they were damn good.

My Love For Photography Has Returned

Ask me the story behind putting this sticker on my car.

When teaching photo for 8 years
You get kind of burned out.
For a long time I wasn't shooting anything.
I used to shoot for myself for fun.
Then it just got old.

Thanks to my new friends at Bella Photography
My love for photography has returned.
I love bringing my camera around everywhere
To shoot candid shots of the kids, Tammy...whatever!

Rick and Jodi Bella have "adopted" me.
I have shot a couple of weddings with them
And by myself.
Now that's a lot of trust.
Jodi and I have shot some engagement photos together this week
And I had a blast and learned a ton.
How fun to go out and do what you love
Not because you have to,
But beacuse you want to!

Check out the Bella Photography website at
http://www.bellaphotographs.com/

Read their blog and browse through the wedding proofs.
Then call and book us!