Well today was a fun day!! I quilted two quilts for a customer and went shopping with my daughter. We needed to get supplies for a project she needs to do for school so naturally we purchased everything we didn't need and when we came home we remembered we didn't buy one thing she needed. So needless to say I am going back to the store tomorrow after church to get the rest of the stuff!!

What made it fun was that after dinner I took the night off! I worked on my scrapbook for about an hour. I finished 4 pages with pictures from Christmas 2001. They came out really neat. I also found some pictures of our trip out west in 2003. So next time I take some time off I will start those pages. My book won't be in order but it will be fun to look at!!

Then I read some email and right now I am going to put some binding on a small quilt I quilted about 3 months ago. I still need to work but I also need to take time off for myself. Tomorrow I am going to quilt two quilts for me. They aren't really for me and will be donated to the Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Organization. That is the group that hosted the cancer walk a few weeks ago that the girls and I walked in. We had a blast.

Guess that is all for now. Have a great rest of the weekend!!

A Celebration!!!

Today is a celebration of sorts! My hubby and I have been married 19 years! It doesn't seem like it but it's been a great marriage. I hope we continue to have laughter and joy for more years to come. It's been interesting and challenging. I love him and the life we have together with our children and pet.

I am slowly getting over my cold. I still am coughing and have some of my voice back. Right now I am in the process of sewing and watching tv. I am watching Bill Engvall on the comedy channel. He is a really funny comedian. He talks about real life and it's side splitting funny tv. We love watching him here.

Next week is a stressful week for my second graders. They are going to be taking the Standford 10 test which tests them on their knowledge of everything we have covered since school started. I am really nervous for some of them. Please keep them and me in your prayers.

Spring break is only 2 1/2 weeks away. I can't wait. I get to sleep in and get caught up on my sewing and quilting and I also hope to start making some new clothes. I love teaching but need time off.

Guess that is all for now. I haven't had time to finish any of my own quilts or work on my scrapbook. I am hoping that I can do some of that over break or this weekend and then I will post what I have been working on.

Have a great week!!

SICK!! SICK!!

Ok I have been sick for about 2 weeks now and I am sick of being sick. I have been going to work everyday to get my students ready for the state test they take in one week. I have lost my voice and now I have a bad cough.

I thought I would be home on Friday but we did another concession stand at the ball field. It was fun but now I don't have a voice again. I am really tired. Today I worked on quilts for customers. I did three today but need to do more tomorrow. I still need to get some laundry done and put some away.

This week at school we are getting our report cards ready. I have mine done and when I go to school on Monday I should just have to print them out. I still have to work on my lesson plans for next week but I might wait and do those on Monday. The kids don't have school but the teachers have to go in.

That is pretty much all my news this time. I have been going to bed early to try and get rid of my cold. Tomorrow we have to get up early for church. I will talk to you again soon.

HAPPY EASTER!

Last event of the weekend

Well today was fun. I helped the JROTC run a concession stand for the Minnesota Twins baseball game. We are the winter home of the Twins and the Boston Red Soxs. The school gets tips for working the stand and the kids cook, and pour soda, and the adults pull beer. We have a great time with the kids and the instructors. I spent my Sunday afternoon doing that. I am a little tired but we had a blast.

Then we came home and ran out to get a bite to eat. I have been on the run all weekend and no time to get to the grocery store. I will try and get there tomorrow after work. I also managed to squeeze in 3 loads of laundry between church, breakfast and going to the stand.

This week should be a fairly calm week around here. At least that is what I am hoping for. HeeHee...It's a four day work week because Friday is Good Friday and we have off. I can't wait to be able to sleep in. I am hoping to get all caught up on Friday with laundry, household chores(my girls will do those) and email and work. I am behind in my quilting and sewing so I have to get moving this weekend.

I am also trying to get my older daughter ready for spring camp. It's a 4 day camping trip with her JROTC group. We bought the tent yesterday and now just have to get a few other things and she will be all set. A friend is taking out his 5th wheel and we will load all our stuff in that. The kids and the instructors go out on Thursday and I will join them after school on Friday. This is during the first week of April. I went last year and we had a blast. I just love being with these high school kids. They really keep me young.

The march for the cure

Ok so I am trying a little harder to keep you posted about our crazy life. Yesterday started my wacky weekend. Right after I got the last second grader on the bus I practically ran back to my classroom and gathered all my stuff together and ran to my car. This in itself was tricky because we were in the process of getting some serious rain. Now I know we need the rain but not last night. I made my way to my daughter's middle school and parked my car in the distant parking lot. I really needed to be closer to the band room but school was letting out and all the parents were in line to pick up their kids. I walked to the band room and met up with the band director. We were waiting for two school buses to come and get us and take us (the band director, me, the 7th and 8th graders and all their instruments) to a local high school for the Florida Bandmasters Concert. This is an annual event that showcases the middle school bands and they are graded on their performances. The kids have a new band director this year and they are trying really hard to adjust to him. It's been a tough year for these kids. I was very proud of them though because they earned all excellents. It was a good night. We got back to the middle school around 8:30pm and then drove my friends son home. I took my daughter and myself to McDonalds for a late dinner. We came home and she went to bed. (We had to get up early today but I am getting to that)...

My older daughter came home from a date with her boyfriend and after he went home she and I stayed up and talked until 12 midnight. I love talking to my girls and it gives us a chance to spend some time together. I treasure these moments with my girls and it reminds me of the conversations I used to have with my own mom when I was a teenager. I really miss her.

Today (Saturday) we woke up at 6:30am and got ready for the Race for the Cure http://www.komenswfl.org/. My school put a team together and we walked. It was great, the weather was wonderful and it was a great opportunity to meet with my colleagues out of the classroom. Since I had stayed up so late and had to get up so early today I was really beat when we got home. After the race the girls (my daughters walked with me) we went to breakfast and dropped one daughter home. The other daughter and I went on a few errands and then came back to the house. I wasn't able to work any more so I just chilled on the couch and those that know me who are reading this are probably in shock. I even fell asleep on the couch for about a half hour. Then I got up and got dinner ready. My daughters boyfriend came for dinner so I had to get some food for this boy to eat and the rest of us too!!! I felt much better after dinner and then cleaned up the kitchen and decided to work on a quilt for a customer. I didn't finish it but it's started and I will finish it tomorrow.

I won't tell you about tomorrow yet. I think I have said enough for tonight. You all are probably tired by now. Get some rest I know I am heading to bed early tonight!!

Where do I start?

WOW! I can't believe how much time has gone by. I am not sure where to start. We are all finally over our colds. It's really hard to get better when everyone at all the schools, (elementary, middle and high) are sick and our weather has been crazy. One day hot and one day freezing!!

Last weekend I took Friday off from work and went to a state competition for my daughter's JROTC Exhibition Show Team State Competition. We go to Lakeland for the night and then the next day drive to Tampa for the competition. These are kids who spin 12 pound rifles and are really good. They also have duel, squad (5 people), platoons (16 people) and individual competitors. These kids are 9-12 graders and work really hard. I love going with them. It was the second year I went and its a blast. Having been through the program myself in high school I love seeing how much the program has grown not only in my local county and school district but also statewide.

We had to get up early on Friday (4:30am) and be at school to help out the instructor who is a retired Command Sergeant Major from the Army. He is a great guy and the kids love him. The main instructor a Lt. Col. was going this year as one of the judges and we briefly saw him on Saturday on the field. We loaded up the buses (charter buses) and headed toward Lakeland. We stopped for lunch and got to the hotel by 3pm. We checked in and got in some practice time before going to a local mall for dinner and some free time for the kids. After dinner at the mall (and some shopping!!) we normally go back to the hotel and the kids go swimming for a few hours before lights out. Friday night brought strong winds and heavy rain to Lakeland Florida. It was really blowing out there so the kids stayed inside. Some kids stayed in the lobby playing games or just visiting with each other and the rest were in their rooms getting their boots and uniforms ready for Saturday. At 10pm it was lights out and then the chaperones went to work walking the hallway of the hotel so we could keep the kids quiet for the other guests. Finally we went to bed around 11:30pm. We had to get up at 4:30am again to get the kids up and make sure they were dressed and packed and downstairs to eat. We had to be back on the buses to drive to Tampa for the competition.

It was a freezing day with temps in the 40's and 50's. We were all freezing and the kids had some jackets to go with the uniforms. I got stung by a wasp while I was watching one of our groups perform and had to be really quiet and that was really hard to do. The other mom with me was a nurse and asked if I was allergic and I had no idea because I had never been bitten before. My wrist hurt and the stung area was red but nothing else happened. I still have a little red mark from the sting but it doesn't hurt.

The competition ended around 6pm and then it was time to board the buses. We are not sure how we placed in all the events but the commander of the exhibition platoon (a female junior cadet) one 3rd in the state of Florida in the individual exhibition competition. We are so proud of her. We all were crying in the stands....it was a great way to end the weekend. We got home around 11:30pm on Saturday night and we were tired. I listened to music from my iPod on the bus as I didn't care for the movie they were watching on the bus. I also fell asleep as did most of the kids. We had a blast as usual.

I love being with these kids. I know I am getting older but being with these kids keeps my heart and mind young. They are our future and it's good to know that we are raising good kids who care and know there is more to life then their own small world.

The week at work was crazy. We are getting our students ready to take a state comprehension test in two weeks. Right now the 3rd to 12th graders are taking the FCAT or the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test. The kindergarten thru 2nd graders take the Standford 10 test in Florida too and its pretty much the same thing but at a lower level and there is no essay to write for the little ones. It's mostly a math and reading test.

Tomorrow night I am going with the middle school band to the Florida Bandmasters Association. They compete there for ratings as to how they play. Its a big event for the middle school and high school bands.

On Saturday my school formed a team and we are walking in the Breast Cancer walk here in town. It's pretty cool because there are lots of teams and my younger daughter is walking with her friends from the middle school and my older daughter and I are walking with teachers and staff from my elementary school. I am looking forward to it. We each are walking for the women in our family who have or had breast cancer. My mom, my great aunt, my best friend and my matron of honor from my wedding. I also donated two quilts for their raffle and they were really happy to get them. I hope to be able to give them more as time allows me to finish my own quilts.

Sunday I am going to be working the concession stand at the ball game with the JROTC kids again. They do this to raise money. We did really well last year and the kids make the food and run the cash registers. The adults pull the beer as the kids can't touch it because they are under 18. We have a blast doing this. My daughter goes and I do too. She is doing one this Friday during school but I have to work so I can only help out at night or on the weekends.

So when I am not here posting to my blog you can bet I am busy doing something. After I got home from school today I started dinner. Put in a load of wash. Quilted a lap quilt on my machine upstairs and took a shower and graded about 3 sets of tests. I posted here and now I am going to have a snack and then get back to the sewing machine. I promise to write more often. Have a great rest of the week!!