Thursday, January 31, 2008

Thank heavens its Thursday

HI....wow I have to get better about writing here. I was really tired last night and spent most of it on the computer getting some paperwork done for taxes. That got dropped off today so we should be set for a while. With work and the kids sometimes some of the paperwork gets put off but I think I am set for now.

I also started feeling icky last night. Everyone at school, kids and other teachers, have all had some sort of cold and I think now it's my turn. I started getting a sore throat last night and I had the worst migraine last night. I have never had one quite that bad before, I even felt sick to my stomach. Naturally, the medicine was in the downstairs bathroom so I didn't get any until this morning. I feel better now but I am heading to bed early tonight. I have some sewing to finish and papers to grade and then it's bed time for me.

I have a fun Saturday coming up. My older daughter is in JROTC in high school and their All County competition is this Saturday. I am going. These kids twirl 12 pound rifles like it was nothing. They spin to music and are amazing. I love watching them. It reminds me of when I was in that program when I was in high school. I am just hoping some of my friends will come to see the kids. I also help with the girls uniforms as some of them have no clue how to dress themselves. The instructors are the best and they are great with the kids. We helped collect money for parking during the football season and we have the best time with these teenagers. I just love being with them. I think it helps keep me young.

At school I get to work with super teachers who have so much to offer as colleagues and also great friends. Then I have my students who are wonderful. They work so hard to read and learn and please me. I love it. Today they earned their last point (everyone had a good day) and tomorrow they are getting chocolate cake for their reward. They are so excited. Then I also get to hang out with my younger daughters friends from middle school. They are great too. Very grown up and smart and fun to be with. Then there are the high school kids (young adults really) who are great people. I know that these are all kids in ages from 7 (my class) to almost 18 but I love being with them. I learn so much from them. I truly think that our future is in good hands.

My friend is busy working on her scrapbook and I had to look for some stuff for her last night in my scrapbook box. Now it's all I can think about. I want to get more pictures printed from my other computer on my picture paper and start putting my stuff together. I am going to set a goal that I do that either this weekend or one night next week. I also want to set a night aside so I can get some quilting done for myself. Even if it's just for one hour on these projects. I am not sure I can do that tonight though. I need to get to bed early as I have a hectic day at school tomorrow and then I have to be at the high school at 6AM on Saturday. WOW!!!

That is all for tonight. I am going to try and be more diligent in my writing.....I am hoping next time I can add some pictures of my projects.

Saturday, January 26, 2008

Saturday 26 January 08

Ok so typing everyday is not my thing.....the other night my sister in law came over for a visit while she was in town. She brought my mother in law and father in law too and we had a great visit. It was nice to see family and catch up.

The weekends are when I try to get everything done. Laundry (didn't get to that today so that gets moved to tomorrow)and I did type lesson plans today so I am ahead there for the next two weeks. I also quilted 3 quilts for a customer so that was a good thing. Tomorrow I have another couple of quilts to quilt for customers. I have a short arm quilting machine and I try to finish some of my quilts too. So before I stopped quilting for the day I put a small quilt of mine on the machine and got it quilted. Then I cooked dinner and now I am working on the laptop. I will start sewing in a minute.

Another job I have is sewing at home. I make dust masks for a woman who sells them all over. Check out the links in my favorites to see what they look like. They are wonderful, my hubby wore one while he built our house.

Did I mention that I am a teacher? I teach second grade and just love it. I am a late bloomer, I decided while my children were still in middle and elementary school that I wanted to persue my childhood dream of being a teacher. With the help of my family and friends I completed my degree and graduated last year magna cum laude. I am really proud of that and I just love watching the kids in my class "get it"!!! I love teaching them how to read and find out all the wonderful things that are out in the world.

My goal for tomorrow is grocery shopping, laundry and also getting my camera charged so I can post more pictures of my stuff. I have a great quilt in progress that I want to show you. It's a northwoods quilt from a block swap on AOL years ago. A group of women who shared the same love of the northwoods swapped quilt blocks. After almost 10 years I am finally putting the quilt together. I have the center and then I got busy with my crazy real life and haven't touched the quilt in weeks.

What I need is to plan time in the week for me. I loved working on one of my UFO's today. (In quilt language that is an unfinished object). My goal this year is to finish about 20 quilts of my own. Now I do live in Florida and we really don't need many quilts down here. I mostly donate my quilts for the soldiers, Quilts of Valor, cancer charities and for kids. I love making them and sharing them. I will post some pictures soon as I charge the camera tomorrow.

Well that is all for now. I will post more tomorrow.....maybe pictures too....

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Tuesday 22 January 08

WOW!! 20 people have checked out my blog. I am so excited.....this is really cool. Apparently older adults don't have blogs....at least that is the feeling I am getting from my daughter. She told one of her friends that I have a blog and the friend was really surprised. I think it's cool. I have kept a diary as a young girl (that is back in the old days of paper and pencil before computers were in every home). LOL....

Ok the title of this blog is my crazy real life and I think I need to explain how I came by that title. Here is what I did today after reading it tell me what you think.

530am: Wake up and dress and make sure 16 yr old is up and getting ready for high school. I need to drive her today as she has practice after school.

610am: Leave for high school, drop her off at 630am and drive to bank to drop off the night deposit so there is money in the bank today.

7am: Arrive home and make the coffee. Dress for work and apply make-up so I don't scare the kids at school. (LOL) and then fix coffee to go, grab a peanut butter cookie on the way out of the house.

730am: Wake up 13 yrd old for middle school, she has to walk to school today.

800am to 345pm: Teach second grade. (Please note that I normally stay at school until 430-5pm but I had to leave early today.

400pm: Leave my school and drive to my daughter's middle school to check out the band pictures. This took long because the guy from the photo company didn't know what he was doing. While I was waiting to see the pictures I called the car insurance company and had to pay the bill over the phone. It was due yesterday but the banks were closed. Hubby surprised me and came to the middle school to pick up the 13 yr old but I sent him to the high school to get the 16 yr old because her practice was done at 5pm.

530pm: Arrive home and start cooking dinner. We eat and talk and catch up on the day. I insist on eating together at night and we all have a blast at dinner most nights.

630pm: Everyone comes in my studio, the 13 yr old does homework in my studio, the 16 yr old has me braid her hair, the dogs are in the studio as well, 16 yr old leaves her cell phone with boyfriend, he shows up with the phone but hasn't eaten. The 16 yr old gets him some dinner and everyone is currently in my room visiting with me. Hubby is watching tv in the living room ALONE!

Almost 8pm: I will start sewing eventually and the kids will start moving out into other room. I have to grade some test papers and get the results ready to turn into my principal this week. I also need to sign papers for a school field trip and work on my classroom newsletter. This will continue until about 1030pm when I finally head to bed.

Can you see now why this blog has its name? This isn't an unusual or different day in my life. THIS IS MY LIFE! Every day of the week. But you want to know something? I love it. I love being involved in my kids lives. They come home from somewhere and seek me out to tell me about their day. It's wonderful. I normally don't get my 13 yr old from school, my dear friend picks her up in the morning and brings her home at night because I am at my school working. It was great getting her today and being able to hear about her day.

One of the things I have learned is time management and how long it takes me to do something. You have to have some sort of plan to get through the day. Prayer is everything. I can't make it through the day without praying. I won't sit here and spout my religious beliefs to you but I will tell you that it's the only way I can get through the day.

Thanks for checking me out. I don't know what tomorrow will bring but I look forward to it. It's always different and exciting.

Monday, January 21, 2008

Quilts of Valor











These are pictures of some of the quilts I have done. These quilts have been donated to the soldiers through the Quilts of Valor program. Being a Vet myself I understand the importance of thanking our service men and women. This is my way to say thank you to these young people who allow us to live in freedom. I didn't make all these quilts. These quilts were pieced by someone else and I quilted them on my short arm quilting machine.

Monday 21 Jan 08

This is new for me. I am not sure if I can keep up with this but everyone tells me I do alot. I don't see it so maybe if i see it in writing it might help. I guess I should start my telling you a little about myself. I am Marie, I am married to David, this year will be 19 years...I still can't believe we have been together that long...it really doesn't seem possible.

We have 4 children, 2 from his first marriage and our two girls. My girls also keep me busy but more on that later.

I went back to college 4 years ago to become a teacher and now I teach second grade and love it. Those kids keep me on my toes but they are wonderful and I can see them growing in so many ways.

We also have two dogs, a 4 year old yellow Labrador Retriever named Daisy and a 9 year old German Shepard, rescue, named Gretchen. They complete our family. We also have one outside kitty, she adopted us when we lived in our old house. Her name is Li'l Bit....she is a little gray kitty who is about 9 years old I think.

I also have lots of hobbies, camping with my family, reading, sewing, quilting, playing games on the computer and my daughter started me on scrap booking a few years ago.

I am sure you will hear more about these hobbies on this blog and also my crazy real life. Now I have to go figure out the rest of this blog stuff.