Who else is loving Joyce's new look? Mah-velous! Just mah-velous! And, she's decided to take next week off for the hodgepodge. It's almost as though she did it just for me, since I'll be on break!
1. What is one area of your life where you're a perfectionist? Is that a good thing? My job. I think it's a good thing. It's horrible to go into a school behind someone who isn't!
2. What's something you find perfectly ridiculous? Where do I even start on this one? I honestly think social media is getting pretty ridiculous. I've really toned down just how much time I spend on it. I mostly get on Facebook to check my notifications; Twitter to post my blog posts. I'm very, very rarely on Snapchat (only when MS sends something). I spend most of my time with Instagram, but the new stories feature? That's ridiculous! 3. What's a skill you've developed by way of that old fashioned saying, 'practice makes perfect? Playing the flute. I used to play for hours to perfect that skill. Now, I'm down to just playing for Mass, but I still practice; just not as much. 4. What's your idea of a perfect breakfast? One that someone else makes & serves! 😲
5. What's a trip, holiday, vacation, or day outing you've taken that you'd rate a perfect 10? Tell us why. Last summer's trip to South Dakota and Colorado was pretty darned close to a 10. Camping, National Parks, the Rockies, my sister...what else can I say? 6. What quote or saying perfectly sums up your life right now? If you can't do perfect, how about one that comes close?
7. How would you spend $300 today? When you think about it, $300 really isn't that much! I'd probably put it toward my credit card bill. 8. Insert your own random thought here. Ah, Spring Break is next week! I've got a busy week planned with appointments. I think I'm going to need a Spring Break to get over my Spring Break!
I'm amazed that it's been over a month since I last posted! March was busy, busy, busy! I kept meaning to write several posts, but it never happened (obviously!). I was super focused on Lent and spending more time writing on my Catholic Blog that I just didn't have the drive to write anything here. I'm afraid to even open up my Bloglovin'; I shudder to think about just how many posts I have to read!
So, what happened last month? Well, at the end of Feb., CH & I took a long weekend trip to see this one for Family Weekend:
It was a really good weekend. We got to see MS, meet his friends/classmates, sit in on a class, go to the casino and a baseball game, and just get a taste of what his life is like. We managed to get in some good food & drink, too!
(Gator...we discovered that it's acceptable to eat gator on a Friday during Lent!)
(Oh, yes I did! I also found out that Community Coffee has a King Cake Coffee, so I made sure to pick up a bag from Winn Dixie before we left!)
The live oaks on campus are just beautiful.
As an added bonus, I got to meet another Speech/Language Pathologist who invited me to be a part of an online group. We're called The Frenzied SLPs. It's an awesome group...most of us have at least 10 years experience in the field, and we "talk" frequently through FB Messenger. Anyway, this lady is just a fantastic person. We met in a coffee shop with our husbands for beignets & coffee. It was like we've known each other forever!
A couple of weeks after our visit with MS, I had Spring Break. CH took a week off, and we headed to Edisto Beach State Park to camp for the week. We left on Sat. & spent the night with some friends we met on our trips to The Keys. They live on Lake Murray, so they took us out on the boat to see the sites from the lake. We had Laika with us, and we were concerned about how she would do in a boat...with the noise. She was quite the champ; she acted like she had "been there, done that"!
They have a beautiful house. This is what we woke up to on Sunday morning:
Edisto was absolutely wonderful. Before break, when someone asked if I was going anywhere & I would tell them Edisto, I was immediately asked where it was. When we got there, I think half of East Tennessee was there! Most of the campers were from East Tennessee. After some boyscouts left, a family who lives a couple of streets over from us moved in! Spring Break deserves a post of its own, so I'll save that for another post. This pretty much sums it up:
I guess that's enough for this post! Next up...Edisto Beach, SC!
1. Share a favorite song, book, or movie title containing the word green? Green Acres came to mind right away. Who remembers that show?
2. Ralph Waldo Emerson is quoted as saying, 'Shallow men believe in luck. Strong men believe in cause and effect.' Would you agree? Are you a believer in luck? Even though I use the word "luck/lucky" quite a bit, I'm not a strong believer in luck.
3. Spring water, Hot Springs, handspring, spring fling, spring break, spring fever, offspring...which 'spring' word best applies to something in your day, week, or life right now? Spring Break! I can't believe it's halfway over already!
4. What's something you do to make yourself look or feel more confident? I'll dress up. Not like "evening dress" dress-up, just not my usual khakis!
5. It's National Celery Month...are you a fan? If so, what's a snack or dish you enjoy that calls for celery?
I can take it or leave it. I really like peanut butter & celery.
6. What's one thing you wish you'd learned sooner? To be myself and not worry about what other people think. 7. Would you like to own a second home? If so where would you want that home to be?
Nah, not really. Of course, if I had someone to come in and clean both of them, then that would be a different story! If I had another home, I would choose The Keys.
8. Insert your own random thought here. I'm seriously thinking about going to see "HOME" when it comes out in a couple of weeks. First off, Jim Parsons is just hilarious. Second, this clip cracks me up every time I see it:
I'll probably be the only adult who is watching the movie without a kid!
~NOOOO! It CAN.NOT be Friday already! I knew this week would go by way too fast! ~ YS had his first performance for his solo class on Wednesday. Since I'm on break, I was able to go and watch him. There were 4 individual students and 1 group that performed in front of the rest of the class and some instructors. Following each performance, the student had to stand on the stage and listen to comments and suggestions from the instructors. YS had some positive comments, and he said that the written comments were also very constructive.
~ I spent most of Thursday printing and laminating material for the rest of the year (9 weeks, but who's counting?). This is what my pile looked like:
Now I get to do a lot of cutting and organizing. ~ While I was doing that, I watched Season 1 of this per MS' and his g'friend's recommendation:
FREAKY. But good.
~ Yesterday's pictures from a walk in the park:
~ Have you heard of Jamberry Nails? I'm not a "girly girl", but I tried a sample, and it stayed on my nail for 3 weeks. I finally took it off, and it did no damage to may fingernail! AND, it just so happens that I'm having an "internet party", so if you're interested, let me know and I'll send you the information! Here's my sample after 2 weeks. You can tell that my fingernail polish on my index finger is coming off.
~ I've been posting a picture of the week from OS, but this week he had 2 that were amazing:
I just finished eating my "Yucky Charms" (because what else would you eat for breakfast on St. Paddy's Day?), so I'm ready to review my weekend! We really didn't do anything exciting over the weekend. A little bit of cleaning, a little bit of grocery shopping, and that was about it. We went out of our usual routine last night, and had dinner where YS works. It's a fairly new pizza joint, and it's more of a "put on what you want" kind of place. Kind of like a Moe's or Chipotle's, but for pizza. We splurged and got cannolis. I played around with my speech blog a bit, and made a header, plus figured out how to make my writing space wider. As long as I don't have to touch the html in the template, I'm good. It makes me really nervous to have to go in and change something in the html. I just won't do it, especially after messing something up with my speech blog a few weeks ago! My plans this week: Finish cleaning the house (LONG overdue!), attempt daily mass (notice I said "attempt"!), get about a gazillion things ready for the rest of the school year, and hopefully, hopefully get some reading in. On Tuesday, I'm meeting a couple of other SLPs from our system to write a proposal for a poster session for our National Convention. Fingers crossed it's accepted. I've never been to a national convention, and would LOVE to go. This would be our ticket! Wednesday, I have a hair appointment followed by YS' first college recital, then meeting friends from school for burger night & trivia. Sometime this week, I've got to get Pepper to the vet for her shots, and getting a pedi is a MUST. And, I think I need to do a little retail therapy, too. So, I have a full week! Hope the luck of the Irish is with you today!
Well, Spring Break is over. I sure could use another week to do stuff I didn't feel like doing last week. Like: cleaning my house. Waking up at a decent hour so I wouldn't waste the day. Making sure I got used to the time change. (It's not good to eat dinner at 8:00...but I guess it's okay if you don't go to be until 11:30/12:00 when you're used to going to bed at 10:00.)
I actually was up when my alarm went off...I was really worried I'd have trouble getting up since I was so tired last week. Does anybody take Zyrtec? That's what I usually take when I've got some sinus stuff going on, and I've not had any trouble taking it. I'd been waking up with headaches, so I started taking it at night and it seemed to do the trick. Now I'm wondering if that wasn't what was making me so tired because I didn't take one last night, and I'm not tired this morning; even after not sleeping well last night. Of course, I'll probably be ready to take a nap around 1:00!
So...back to the ol' routine today. Only 8 more Mondays until summer break! (Not counting today, of course!)
I had a hard time yesterday morning: After taking the girls out, I had to decide whether to go back to sleep or get up and go to the DMV to get my license renewed. After wasting time on Pinterest (Darn you, creators of Pinterest!), I figured I'd better get my boo-tay up and get to the DMV. I have a list of things that have to be done before I can laze about and get caught up on blog-reading and movie watching.
I ended up at the DMV around 10:00. I drove into the parking lot, thinking it wasn't looking too great. There were quite a few cars, and when I walked inside, it was pretty full. Great. It was going to be a long wait. BUT, apparently if you're just going in for a renewal, you don't have to wait very long. I asked the lady why I couldn't renew online, and she said that the state is linking the licenses to passports/birth certificates. CH said that some states won't let illegals get licenses anymore, so that was why I had to go in. I guess I didn't realize illegals were able to get a license, because we had to take our birth certificates in when we originally got our license. Anyway, I was out of there in about 30 minutes. And, my picture didn't turn out too badly, either. At least it's something I can live with for the next 5 years.
After I got home and ate lunch, I taped off part of the kitchen to prepare for painting. I figured that was enough for one day, and, honestly, do I really need to tape anything off besides the cabinets? So what if a little bit of paint gets on the ceiling and doorways? Will it really matter? I just know that once I paint the walls I'm going to realize that the doorways and floorboards need to be painted. This is going to be quite the ordeal, I'm afraid.
Then, I was too tired to do anything, so I decided to sit down and catch up on a little bit of blog reading. I'm taking it one step at a time, people!
Curves was a must...it's been a couple of weeks since I've stepped foot in there. Must get back in the habit of going and not make excuses. Then to Adoration.
I ended up painting the kitchen area last night. I figured it really wouldn't take very long, and that would give me tomorrow to do nothing. When MS came in from class, he helped a bit, but then lost interest. The walls are still yellow, but they're more of a "lemony yellow" instead of daffodil. I'm not real sure if I like it. Maybe once I get everything back on the wall I'll like it better.. And, yes, after I painted, I realized all of the trim needs to be repainted. But, you know what? It can wait until summer.
~It's FINALLY here! Spring Break! Woo-Hoo! (I still have to get through today, then I'm scott-free for the week!) I'm afraid the week is going to go by waaaay too fast...don't they always when you don't have work?
~ My plans are some reading, flute-playing, cleaning, and maybe some painting. Our kitchen area really needs it. After 8 years, I think it's time to spruce the place up a bit.
~ The temps are suppose to be in the mid-70's! I just KNEW we'd get snow next week since we haven't gotten any this year. Maybe we'll get some the week after as a sort-of "last hurrah" for winter!
~ I e-mailed the person in charge of a local community band, and he gave me the date to meet for next fall, so now I have a date to shoot for. I don't think my fingers will ever get back to be as fast as they were, but if I can just get a little close, I'll be happy!
~ Don't forget to set your clocks forward on Saturday night!
The first day of Spring Break was a good one. It started with Daily Mass, breakfast at Chick-Fil-A with the "old people" (my parents, another couple, and another lady), then the grocery store. My Adoration Hour flew by.
MS is also on Spring Break. I talked to him on Friday night and asked when he was coming home, thinking he was going to spend the week at home. With his mama. Only he had other plans that he didn't tell us about. His plan was to go to the beach with some friends. On $49. This boy just goes with the flow and has a good time...always. We made him sweat it out, but we did end up letting him go (and CH gave him a little extra money). I did remind him that if he got into trouble there would be no calling his parents to come and get him since he's over 18. Let's hope he knows how to behave!
Saturday I met Ashley, my bloggy friend (and IRL friend!) at Horse Haven. This place is amazing! They rehabilitate horses who have been abused and/or neglected. Ashley wrote a post about a horse who got out of the fence; he had the sweetest face! I had hoped to meet him, but he had been adopted and went home a few days earlier! I had a good time watching the horses, hearing them talking to each other, and talking with Ashley. I've said this before, and I'll say it again: She is an incredible young woman! She volunteers every Saturday evening at Horse Haven. I've never been around horses (I have ridden a couple of them, though), but if I had, this would definitely be a place to volunteer. To me, horses are one of the most beautiful animals in the world.
One day last week, these were delivered from Schwanns:
Cinnamon Sugar Cake Donuts
This needs no caption.
I got an e-mail from Jessica at Belleicious saying that I had won a giveaway! And it was my favorite: DESSERT! Thanks, Jessica! If you're looking for some awesome recipes, Jessica is your girl!
Spring is busting out all over the place! I love the beginning of Spring in East Tennessee! Down the road from us, there are a bunch of forsythia that are blooming. There is a long line of them, where there used to be front yards:
(That is just a small sampling of the bushes.)
The Bradford Pears are in full bloom....there is a long row of them in front of the airport that is just stunning. Unfortunately, every time I go by a place to stop to take a picture, there are cars behind me or I'm going the wrong way. Hopefully sometime before they lose their blooms I'll have the opportunity to share.
Do you still have snow on the ground where you are, or is Spring beginning to arrive?
First day of Spring Break. This is the only day I was setting aside to sleep in. Here's how it went for me:
Husband's alarm goes off #1: dogs haven't been out, so husband takes them out. Going well so far. Except...husband's alarm goes off 4 more times before he gets up to get ready for work, plus YS' alarm goes off and he knocks something off trying to get to it, and MS gets 2 texts. OY! Guess it just wasn't meant to be!
I am going to have lunch with a friend today. We try to get together for lunch when I'm out of school. Her husband was one of the assistant football coaches for my sons' high school team. She has a small business on the side and makes things like decorative & planter chairs, bracelets and necklaces, flip-flops, skirts, and clocks made out of antique Tole trays. To see her creative gifts, go to Facebook and search for "The Peacock". Once you're there, look under photos to see what goodies she has! She can make things in any colors you want! Or, you can follow the link that's on my sidebar. Just look for the peacock:
Well, it's time to go to the grocery store today. I make that visit 2 times/ month, right after pay day. I sit down with a calendar, and write out what we're going to have for dinner each night. The purpose: 1) to get the boys to stop asking me what's for supper, and, 2) so I won't spend over my budget on groceries and buy stuff we don't need. This is a chore that I absolutely don't like to do. I feel like we have the same thing over and over, and I can't stand trying to find new things to fix. So, after I write what we're going to have for supper on the calendar, I make out my list. I actually make 2 lists: the first list is just looking at each recipe and writing down the ingredients I need, the 2nd list is to put those items in order according to how they are in the grocery store. I've been going to the same store since we moved here (about 5 1/2 years), so I know the layout pretty well. One big problem: I was in the store a couple of days ago, and an employee let me know that they're moving things around.WHAT? I've made out my list according to the old way; surely they haven't changed things around that much. And, could they not change it because I know it by heart? They really need to get into Mary's world, for sure.
So now that everybody thinks I'm really, really weird (!): My coworkers think I'm OCD: I think I'm organized. Of course, to look at my house (mainly my desk) you'd never know it.
The last thing on my agenda for today is MS' soccer game. It's the first "real" game of the season, and it's going to be a tough one. The school they're playing is a much bigger school, and their scrimmages didn't fair too well. I don't think this new team has gelled like last year's ...there are a lot of new players on this year's team. They made it all the way to the state championship game last year, which was the first time a school from our county has even made it to the state tournament. They've got a long road ahead of them!
There have been a couple of rock slides on major highways this winter. Yesterday there was another one on Hwy. 129 at the Tn-NC border, also known as "The Tail of the Dragon". This part of the highway boasts 318 curves in 11 miles, so, of course it is a favorite of motorcyclists and sports car drivers. As you've guessed, it's also a very dangerous road, especially for bikers who think they are more experienced than they really are. Here's why rubber-necking is not a good idea:
Seriously? He didn't see it? Hmmm.... Hope his dog is going to be okay.
Those 2 dreaded words every educator hates to hear: BUS DUTY. Of course, I was late; I got to the school just as the 1st bus was rolling up. And, of course, the principal's car was already there. Luckily I have an outside door to my room (a total luxury in my field), so all I had to do was unlock the door and throw my stuff just inside, then go back out, just like I had been there the whole time!
Oh, I forgot to mention that when I left the house, there was a whole lot of "ZZZZZZ's" in the house. all 3 boys + my husband. Middle and Youngest Sons are on their 1st week of Spring Break. That is not a typo: I did say 1st Week. The school system they attend is on a "modified year-round" schedule. That means 2 weeks of Fall Break, 3 weeks of Christmas Break, 2 weeks of Spring Break, and, about 7 weeks of Summer Break. It seems like every time we turn around, they're getting a break. "What about me" you ask? I get the normal 1 week of Fall & Spring Breaks, 2 weeks of Christmas, and around 7 weeks of Summer Break. They are going back to school after summer the same time the teachers go back in my school system. If I'm lucky I'll have a couple of days to myself. I know, I know...I shouldn't say I'm lucky. In a few years I'll be a lonely empty nester and will want those days back. Youngest Son has had a great time taunting me with me not only having to work this week, but having bus duty 3 days. Kids can be so cruel. Youngest Son is not my favorite.
Bus Duty: Getting to school at 6:45 and watching the little darlin's until the bell rings at 7:30. We rotate between "stations": the bus outside (which means dealing with the middle schoolers who think they are still in Kindergarten and like to run from wall to wall), the cafeteria, and the gym (where the kids go after eating b'fast and before the bell rings). I try to avoid being in the gym during the last rotation: you have the most amount of kids at that time. Well, since I was late this morning and started outside, guess where I was for the last rotation? Man, those kids can be really loud that early in the morning! I had to send 2 kids to the office because one kid went over to another one and a shoving match started, almost causing one kid to tumble off of the bleachers. Okay, the bleachers are only 4 risers high, but I could see that one kid falling and hitting his head on the bleachers. Didn't feel like dealing with blood yesterday morning, so off they went. The secretary said they left as best friends!
My intern is on her spring break this week, so I'm having to do all the work myself. (Poor, poor me!) While we were playing a game, one of my kids said, "Dameit". I asked him what he said, and he told me that he didn't mean to say it, it was an accident. I asked him again what he said (to make sure I hadn't heard what I thought I had), and he repeated "Dameit". I said, "You mean 'dang it'?" "Yeah", he said. I'm still wondering if that's really what he meant to say! Mr. Principal said that one kid was giving him trouble, and he told the boy to stop acting like a horse's butt. (you have to imagine this with a heavy East Tn. accent) He said as the kid was getting on the bus, he informed Mr. Principal that he wasn't going to be a horse's butt on the bus.Welcome to my world. Kids are really fun to play work with,especially the younger ones. I know my parents heaved a humongous sigh of relief when I finally decided on my profession!
Only 5 more mornings of bus duty this year! I think I can make it!
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