What a Year!

Well, it's been quite the year, I must say. Between losing a teacher (and friend) whom we all miss, at the end of the school year, to meeting the new teacher and getting acquainted with her and the way she does things, it's been sort of a wild ride. Not only that, but administration is pressing in on all the teachers and expecting more, it's seriously becoming more of a place that you go to earn money, then a place where you love to go to help children learn. That may just be my take on the whole thing, but I feel like I'm getting burned out at work, and with less and less compensation. It's just been a tough year. My hopes are that the state or the federal government address the issue of education and the funding needed to give the kids what they need, especially those with IEP's. We just do not have enough people to do the job that needs to be done. I realize that their are SOME teachers out there that aren't worth the wages they are being paid, and trust me, I've met some of them when they were teaching my own kids, but for the most part, teachers are not teaching because they can make a lot of money, far from it, the main reason people become teachers is because education is very important to them, and they WANT to help children learn, so next time you meet a teacher, thank them for all they do, because there is SERIOUSLY more involved them being glorified baby-sitters. Teachers are under a tremendous amount of pressure to continually push the kids further and further. This "No Child Left Behind" law might help SOME children, but it is a complete disservice to children with alternate learning styles. It should not be a "blanket" fix, it should be something that can be adjusted for different learning styles, and for different disabilities or abilities.

Ok, I think I'm done with my rant. Just feeling a little under-appreciated in terms of my job lately. LOL!

Anyway, so, on a happy note, Justin will be graduating in June! He is doing so well in school. He got High Honors for this trimester, which is awesome. I am looking forward to all the senior activities. I know Justin can hardly wait to graduate. Nicholas is also in his last year in the Intermediate school and will graduate from 8th grade in June. He is hoping to go to Ellis Tech like his brother. We already put in his application. They usually have something in April for the new kids looking to go there and their parents, so I'm looking forward to that. He is also doing really well at school, he's got straight A's this quarter.

My brother Michael is also getting married in June! I hope and PRAY that I'll be able to get out there for the wedding. It's not looking so good right now, but I guess we'll keep trying to figure out something.

I don't really have a lot of positive things to talk about for this year, it's been a really tough year for all of us, not just us, but our friends as well, and we are all doing what we can to just hang on. I know there are a lot of people out there that are doing the same, so you are not alone. I am going to try to post a little more to this blog in 2012, so it gives me an outlet, and I can also remember more of the "good" things for the year. =) That is my determination....Hope I get the chance to stick with it! LOL! Until next time.

Coming to the end

With all the snow days we had this winter, it seems like this school year is NEVER going to end.  However, I'm not really sure I want it to end.  It will be a bittersweet end.  The special education teacher that I've been working with at the high school is leaving for Wisconsin. 

Amy has been such an asset to the high school.  She is WONDERFUL with the kids, and she is very supportive of the paraprofessionals that work with her.  She will be sorely missed when she leaves.

This past Friday, we all surprised her with a cake and gifts and we took her out to a local Thai restaurant, Thai Basil.  All day long, it was surprise after surprise for her, it was awesome!  But we all had so much fun!  It was great to see everybody laughing and talking and enjoying themselves.  I didn't cry....I'm such a sap, I cry at everything.  LOL!  I did get a little teary-eyed a couple of times, but that's it.  The real test will come on the last day of school.  Our classroom will NEVER be the same.  Next year should prove to be interesting at the very least.  We have no idea who will be taking her place, but they will certainly have big shoes to fill for sure. 

Country Line Dancing...not obsolete yet

Last night my friends and my husband (surprisingly) and I went to a local VFW hall where it was advertised that there was going to be country line dancing for the next 5 or 6 weeks.  Thanks to Jeanne for telling us about it!

Before my oldest son, "J", was born, (almost 17 years ago) I used to go out every week with my mom and sister to various places to take line dancing lessons.  I've always loved dancing, so it's an excellent form of exercise for me.  Even when little "J" was still growing fingers and toes, I was out there dancing, it was so much fun!  But now that we are in the "new milennium", country line dancing is all but forgotten.  Rarely do you see any club, restaurant or studio advertising line dancing lessons.  So I was THRILLED when I heard about this!

Last night, I must admit, that as an overweight 40-something woman, trying to move my body like that was pretty difficult.  The brain isn't quite up to par for remembering the steps like it was when I was younger.  LOL!  But....all that said and done, I had a BLAST!  Not to say that I wasn't frustrated at some points, but I'm really proud of myself for sticking with it and trying to work it all out, because I think I finally got all 4 dances that were taught...at least for last night.  We'll see how I do next class.  LOL!  I came home last night sweaty, stinky and SORE as all get out, but, It was SO much fun, so I'm planning to go again next week.  I think I still have all the handouts for the dance steps for a ton of line dances when I was going way back when I was going BK. (Before Kids)  I am sore this morning, but not as bad as I thought I'd be.  So I think I'm going to survive.

I was remiss....

Yesterday, I was not feeling well, mostly due to bad seasonal allergies and sinus issues.  But in my post I did forget to mention that yesterday was an anniversary of sorts. 

On June 4, 2009, my husbands father, Neal, passed away.  I will never forget that day, it was a tough one for all of us.  He was a good man, and I will miss him.  My faith teaches me that I will be able to see him again, and I will look forward to that day. 

Now, because I don't like leaving people with something that is not pleasant to think about, I wanted to say that I am SO excited about tomorrow!  Tomorrow evening, a bunch of my friends and I are going to go to Country Line Dancing!  I know....that was SOO 90's, but I used to do it back in the early 90's and I loved it.  Well, I just love to dance, period. LOL!  So I am really looking forward to doing this tomorrow.  I'm sure I'll be telling you all about it later.

As for today, well, there are no real plans as far as I know.  I have to do some laundry, dishes, and prepare everything for us to go to work and school for the week.  But aside from that, whatever the day brings us, I guess.

How Old am I...REALLY?

Yesterday, I had more fun than I've had in a long time!  After working a half day at the high school, my boys and I participated in National Donut Day by going to Dunkin' Donuts for an iced coffee and a free donut.  Our friends daughter, "K" works there, so we also went to say hello to her.  She was having a "Game Night" at her home and had invited a bunch of friends, including "J", but also said our whole family was invited.  Later, I asked "J" what time it was supposed to be for.  He told me 4pm.


Ok, so fastforward.  I had to pick up mail for a friend who was out of town, so we left a little early so I could do that, then run to the store so "J" could pick up some soda for the party.  Then we drove over to our friends house.  Apparently she had told everyone else 4:30, so we were a little early.  No big deal.  I didn't want to leave "J" and "K" alone at the house, so I stayed.  I wasn't planning to stay, I figured I'd go back home for awhile, and then when my hubby got home we could go over together.  So anyway, I stayed until one of the other friends showed up.  "K" was going to take "J" and the other friend to go pick someone up, but just as she was getting ready to leave, a whole bunch of other friends showed up.  LOL!  Her parents weren't home yet, so she didn't know what to do.  So I told her to go pick up her friend and I'll stay at the house until she got back.  I have to say though, before I go on, that I just LOVE this whole group of friends, such a great bunch and lots of clean fun and laughter.  So it was a pleasure to hang out with them for a little while. 


"K" got back with the friend, but I decided to go ahead and stay until her parents got home anyway, just to help out to get things set up.  I am so glad I did.  Erin (the mom) and I got things going once she got home, she was thankful for my help and told me so.  All the "kids" went downstairs to play games, it was SO fun to listen to them all laughing and talking and just having a blast.


Well, long story short, when it was getting dark, we had a bonfire outside.  It was so fun.  We just all sat around talking and laughing, but then the REAL fun started....MARSHMALLOW FIGHT!  I don't even remember how it got started to begin with, but everyone was throwing marshmallows at each other, and just about dying of laughter.  I felt like a teenager, just goofing off and having fun and laughing until my stomach and my head hurt. Like I said earlier, this whole group of "kids" (ok, lets say young adults because some of them were in their 20's and 30's, but they are still kids to me) is such a wonderful group, I couldn't ask for better friends for my kids.  We didn't leave until around 11pm.  PHEW!  By the time I got to bed it was 11:30pm.  Wiped out, head hurting, stomach hurting, but very happy and content.  Can't ask for a better day than that, now can you?

My Son Has Been INDUCTED! & "Sad" phone?

My first post and my son "J" has been inducted!  Ok, not AB-ducted or InDicted, which is what I kept wanting to call it for some reason, but IN-ducted, into the National Honor Society at his VoTech High School.  He is studying electronics and has done very well.  I'm SO proud of him for making the Honor society!  He has a friend, who is also in electronics that was inducted right along with him, it's always nice to have a friend along for the ride.  Next year they will both be seniors, hard to believe, seems like just yesterday they were little guys.

On another note, I have had a red Samsung Reality cell phone, but it has been giving me some problems.  When I went to the Verizon store they said it was a software issue and she was trying to fix it, but because of the nature of the problem, could not.  She called to have them send me a replacement phone.  I told her that when I login to my account it always says my phone is black, but it's not, it's red, and I'd like another red one.  Well, it came in today.....guess what??  It's not red!  It's.....get this......LIGHT BLUE!  Seriously?  What is Verizon thinking?  Since they only send the front part of the phone, and not the battery or the back, did they think I'd be happy with a blue front with a red back? I don't THINK so! (When I told a friend that I had a blue phone, she asked me if it was sad, LOL!) Once again, got on the phone and called the store.  They said if I wanted, they have a back for a blue phone.  Well, I'm upset because I really LIKED my red phone, and now I have to have a blue phone.  Not that I don't like blue, but it's just the principal of the thing.  When I went to pick it up, well, the back is actually black, so it's not even blue...I'm going to look online and see if that's really the color of the blue one, or if they are trying to pull one over on me.  *sigh*  PLUS, I had a screen protector on the touch screen on the other phone and now I have to buy another one?  How fair is that?  I'm not happy at all.  I may have to send in a complaint to Verizon about this.  I should get back at least as much as I've put into it, right?