Perspective

My new word for the year 2011 is perspective. I am vowing to keep everything in it's proper perspective to have a positive and happy 2011. I tend to get caught up in the everyday part of everyday. I get to the end and wonder did I even do anything that was helpful, thankful, or selfish for the day? I often do so much that I forget what I have done. I suppose simplify could be a good word for the new year as well. So many words so, so many ways to better myself. I will try to maintain perspective in every situationn in the coming year. I will try to remember that my perspective is just that mine, and remember that others have their own perspective of the same situations. I will try to keep my work in the proper perspective and make time for all really important things in my life, family, friends, self etc.
I will try to keep perspective in our move to Mississippi, all the paper work that comes with a move, all the times spent at the DMV, moving of banking, insurance, I could go on for hours. I will keep perspective of all the boxes that have been opened and resealed for later, all the items that should have been trashed long ago. Perspective of my life as a whole. I vow to watch my favorite television shows that equal about one per evening with a new perspective, totally engaged in just that show. Not doing four things at once. I vow to do one load of laundry a night to keep the piles down to a reasonable level to let my perspective on housework keep in check. I vow to maintain perspective on fixing dinner every night. Most of my friends that do not work do not fix a complete meal every evening so why beat myself up if we end up having waffles one night a week. Or dare I suggest eating at Chick-fil-a.
I will keep the lawn care in perspective, the previous owners were retired and had a passion for gardening. I have a passion for having a gardener.
I will keep perspective with my blog, in that I do not have to blog only when I am in a good mood. I can let others see that I am not thrilled with something, i.e. the DMV five trips and still pissed at them.
I will keep perspective when no one comments on my blog..... This does not mean that others do not read it....Right......
Happy 2011 to everyone and here's to a new perspective....

Places

I have been very lucky in my lifetime to have traveled and lived in many places. I think I figured out that I have been to all but 7 of the states. The kids in my class were amazed by this as some of them haven't even been to the chick fil a that is up the street. Speaking of Chick fil a do not go to this one on the Saturday before Christmas if you do not want to park in the lot two stores over and have no way to get out of the parking spot.
I digress, Anyhow, having been to all these amazing and sometimes boring places, I have figured out one thing and only one thing. The place does not matter as much as the people that are in that place with you.
I am home in our new home alone with our dog and babysitting another dog today. I had to finish up the week at school and make sure that the tests were finished and the children were off to a good Christmas vacation. Jeff and Robyn drove to Arizona to see Allison graduate. They made the trip safe and sound and I will be headed that direction in two days via an airplane.
I am here and they are there and it is not much fun. A mall, a small town, a big city not any of it matters if you have no one to share it with. Those people that always say to me, Wow you move alot, always ask how I do it. I do it with my best friend and that is all that matters. We do it together and have for what will be 25 years this next week. It does not matter where we live, or what our house looks like what matters is that we are there together.
My grandparents were like two peas in a pod. They were so good at being together that not until we had to seperate them did we realize that they did things for each other and never let anyone else know, like grandpa covered up that he helped dress grandma and vice versa. That is true love and committment. They became like one. My parents are the same way. They almost function as one person. This is not a bad thing, it is a compliment to them both. They have found the strengths and weaknesses of each other and make it work like a well oiled machine.
Jeff and I do this and when one of us is absent the other is not all there. I am not talking half timers disease here I mean our heart is only partially there. We make it work but do not enjoy it as much as when we are together.
The dog and I miss our family. We miss Robyn, Jeff and Ally and Brody, and I can't wait to meet the newest member, Bella who sure does like to bite Jeff's toes I am told. Only two more days ........ Merry Christmas to all and remember the place does not matter it is the ones you love .....

December

How did the twelfth month of the year get here already? Seems like just yesterday we were cleaning up Christmas items and getting out the new planners for the year.
Planners, I have an obsession for planners. I have passed this on to Allison and we both get so excited when we can get a new one. One problem: I seem to have too many, I am super organized and yet I feel as if I have planners here there and everywhere. I have a plan book for school and a calendar at home and a planner that I write lists on and so on and so on. I know only have one and it will be great. Not!!! I can't seem to stream line my school planning to the computer which is required, cause this 45 soon to be 46 year old brain still likes to plan with the pencil and the tiny little squares that have helped me for the last 10 years. I try to color code all my daily work and put it in folders, and then the class wakes up and we have to switch gears in mid day and so on and so on.
I plan to the point that I sometimes think I forget little things. I then give myself a break and not do certain chores, and then the day later, I feel so behind. A vicious cycle if there ever was one.
I am not decorating for Christmas as we are going to Arizona and I really feel no guilt for this. I feel relief and I hope that we can remember this Christmas and hope to repeat it again soon. I want to plan to not stress and not fall into the trap where we have to do Christmas as Walmart wants us all to do Christmas. I am grateful that we are able to travel, have decorations to put up if we wanted and that I have the ability to plan. I hope to not plan over the holidays so, that means lots of planning for January in the next two weeks. I know I have a sickness and I must learn to accept that I am an organization freak and I need a new planner cause the old one only has 31 days left to fill in the blanks.....Peace to each of you.

Colors

Color is a part of my life everyday. I am the keeper of the crayons. I can hand them out at will, I pick them up off the floor about 1000 times a day. I discuss the slight differences in colors when the dispute arises as to if this is green or light green. To most this may seem trivial. It is a big deal in the first grade classroom.
It is amazing to me the number of children that I have had over the years that have never had a coloring book.
A good friend of mine, Janet and I used to talk about how calming coloring can be. We would try to have our class learn the technique of coloring and show the children that we enjoyed this activity as much as they did.
Yesterday I was helping my children with a math page. The page asked the children to color the picture after they had figured out the math facts. They were to use three colors and color the numbers and see what the picture was. This was a good page because the picture was not obvious until they began coloring. As they colored some said,"It is a car", no "it is a car and clouds" etc. As we finished the picture one child asked if he could color in the color book I had given each child at the beginning of our year. I said yes, he came back to the table and said will you color with me. Joy, I love that. I said sure and as I colored the others asked why my picture looked so much better. I said it is not better, I just have practiced a lot and I try to color the same direction and showed them how to outline, use harder pressure and lighter pressure to see the differences. Anyway as I am doing this my little boy that is so hyper and never stays still says to me" Ms. Comer I got it." I said got what? He says You have to "BE THE CRAYON". I smiled and said yes!!!!!!!!!
Oh, the colors in my class...... Some may actually be the brightest crayons in the box........

Teaching

For as long as I can remember, I wanted to be a teacher. I tried to find a career that made money, ie. political science, but it was not a calling. Teaching is a calling. I am called each day to be in a building with children that are needy, whiney and hungry. I am called to be in a building that has holes in the walls, floods in the bathrooms and hallways,gas leaks, electrical problems ,too many stains to count, a classroom that is now the gym and a lack of insulation on cold days.
I am called to these halls with the voices of children being told to walk, where is your hall pass, and what do you mean you can't remember where to take the attendance slip.
Today I felt as if I would explode if one more of these children did not listen to me when I said, Sit in your chair and do not move your desk off this square. I wanted to explode, when the sixth graders did not listen to me as I asked them to get a hall pass. I thought I would explode, when the child that I had just given directions to on how to do the paper, asked, What do I put here again?. Some days, I am sure that this calling is a wrong number.
Then just as I want to hang up and tell the operator to find the correct party. I am told by the same sixth grader in line to get on the bus, that she wishes she could stay at school all day and night. I forget that even when I am at my wits end and the straw is about to break the camels back, I am the most stable element in these children's lives. I am making a difference each day if it is only to wipe a runny nose, tie another shoe or to make sure that the directions are given yet again.
My babies have so little, they eat all their lunch and breakfast and are still hungry. They do not complain that they wear their clothes two weeks before they get laundered. They are not upset if they have to share. They do not make fun of each other, they do not ask for more, they only ask that I am there everyday. They adapt to every situation as if change is all they know.
I wish I had some of these traits.
I hate to eat some food and would not hesitate to complain if my clothes were not clean. I do the wash but still. I hate to share. I have a teacher aide and find sharing with her hard.
I am spoiled. I am selfish.
This wrong number may not be a wrong number after all. I think I need to realize that I am these kids, 911 and if I can remember that, I am on the right road.

Golf

Our new home is on the eleventh hole of the Shadow Ridge Golf Course. I have learned a great deal in my life on the golf course.
I began playing golf when I was nine in Willmar, Minnesota. I was not exceptional, but I did enjoy the game and the walking. The smell of the course after a fresh mow and the pain of all the balls I put in the water.
I played as the only girl on the Hellgate High School Golf team for two years until my sister entered high school and then there were two of us. I took twelth in the state of Montana state tournament when I was a junior and enjoyed my senior year with the perks of leaving early everyday to play nine holes.
I have loved the game and this comes naturally as my parents were avid golfers and allowed us to play. I never really cared if I won the match or not. Sorry Dad, but I still never even care to keep score. I enjoy the walk and the time outside.
Now a days the game is so expensive and the clubs so high tech, it leaves me little time to play. When I do play I use the same clubs that I had in high school and when my husband plays he uses them as well.
Anyhow, now a days they play with carts and you must wear certain attire to golf. I used to walk and go barefoot cause I hated golf shoes. I also played witht he boys and still hate to play with girls cause they are so slow.
Our home is about 150 yards from the 11th green. I haven't gotten a score card to see how long this hole is but I am guessing it is an easy par 4. The tee box is visable from my patio. All morning yesterday I heard the dog bark as I was unpacking boxes. This means that people are in the yard which is out of bounds hunting their lost balls. Jeff found three up by the windows.
Conclusion:
Most golfers Suck!!!!! Most golfers pull to the right!!!! Most golfers would rather throw down a new ball than go into someones yard. Most golfers have to use their seven iron from my house to make the green and most of them have failed. So by the time they hit the green they are on their third shot or fourth if they took the penalty. Watching their putting, most golfers are two putters at best. That means that the majority of the golfers in life are double boogie or boogie golfers.
What does this mean.....
Not much except I love watching the golfers from my porch. I miss playing and am going to walk the course this week. And most golfers lie if they tell you they are par golfers.
Also side note:
During a tournament at this same golf course on Thursday, someone threw out a cigarette and started the 12th hole on fire. This fire then flared up again in the evening and burned 4 acres. No house lost but too damn close. Do not smoke and golf people. My dad will tell you DO NOT SMOKE AT ALL!!!!!!
Here's to finding more balls in my yard and laughing at all the stupid swings this week.

Fall

Fall has arrived. Two days in a row now there has been little humidity and a nice breeze. I feel the need for some sweatshirts, jeans and a warm cup of tea. Only problem is all my warm clothes are in Arizona.....
Jeff left yesterday for Arizona and has the impossible task of getting the house ready to be packed. Allison and Brody are helping him and I hope my daughter is able to save some of my stuff, from the trash bin. Funny how one collects so much stuff.
I am really excited to see my Ally and Bird. I am also so excited to get to move into a new home.
Things I will not miss:
The three flights of stairs to the apartment. Winded everyday
The gate at the entrance that will work and not work on its own mood
The noisy lady down below
The lack of parking spots
The need to keep Mocha from barking at other rude dogs, go get them Mocha
The lack of dishes, and utensils
The very squeaky and uncomfortable bed
The glass coffee table that is always moving on the wood floor
The dusty wood floor
Having no privacy
Things I will miss:
No payment
The pool
That is about all.....
Can't wait to move even if I have to lug all our stuff down the three flights.
Want my own, driveway, mailbox, porch, kitchen with my stuff and a house to hold all my stuff......
I can't wait to sit and have a warm cup of tea on my back porch on a crisp fall morning and watch the golfers on the eleventh hole. This will be bliss... Only 11 days to go.

People = Food

So my daughter wrote on her facebook that oreos remind her of grandpa Paul. Here are my food and people reminders:
Mom = best potato salad ever. Never an onion to be had or too much mustard. Yum! Idaho Spud candy bar.
Dad= dilly bars, oreos and candy on a road trip. Everytime I drive with Jeff and he won't get me a snack I say my dad would get me one. Doesn't work but I try
Jeff= nuts, any kind of nut and scones. You say scones and he will try them.
Robyn= chicken chimmie changa, but minus the sauce and really it is just a tortilla and chicken and cheese. She also lives for salads but must be iceburg lettuce
Ally= lasagna she loves this and makes a mean one herself. She is turning into a great cook.
Brody= meat. The boy loves meat and meaty meals. He never complains about food, but loves dove choc. and candy....
Aunt Cheryl= greasy tacos...
Uncle Jim= popcorn and cheese wiz. So good, can't explain
Pam= beer and beef jerky sorry tuff that is you also makes mean soups and is an amazing cook but just talking memories here
Bill= italian anything. His mom was the best cook and he grows a mean garden and uses his produce in amazing ways.
Grandma Hazel= swiss steak and any dessert on the planet. My favorite recipes are hers .
Grandpa Martin= pepsi, juicy fruit gum and chewing tabacco
So those are my people and food, Me, I have no idea what you people think of as far as me and food. Let me know.

our new house

Here a a few pictures of our new house. The current owners are so kind to let us come look, sit and measure. The man is on a cruise to the middle east with his son and the wife is home alone. We have so enjoyed our recent chats and the time spent in the house. She is looking forward to seeing her friends in Illinois and ready to move back to her old stomping ground. We are ready to move into the home and get back to some sense of normal.
Decided not to publish interior photos until it is ours out of respect for the current owners. Would not want someone publishing photos of my house in boxes so stay tuned to when we close and you will see the inside.

Football oh, yeah

Today is our first football game in Hattiesburg. The tailgaters set up their tents yesterday and the students had to move their cars for the alumni to park their RV's. The gold and black is covering this city. The game is at 6pm and if we start walking now we might make it to the stadium by then.
Also I want to let you all know that we must celebrate today because the Cleveland Browns are officially undefeated... This will change tomorrow but for one day we can be proud and hopeful for a fine season.
Griz Football and we won last week 72-2. Enough said
So Fall has begun and football is starting and it is time to move into a house soon so I can bake an apple, a pumpkin and a choc. pie for my family.
Happy Fall Ya'll

politics smallitics

When I was in high school I had the opportunity to be an aide to the capital in Helena. I had a wonderful time and loved the experience. I even went so far as to major in political science my first year in college. Philosophy and polictical history, ended this dream which was more of lets make money than what I really wanted to do with my life.
I am still interested in politics but as a by stander. I do not go out and promote candidates, or wear my view on a bumper sticker on my car. However that being said, I do have a view point, but I really try to listen. I do not do a very good job of listening most of the time, but I try. I am very sure of one thing. No matter the party, politicians just like to hear themselves talk. I think if we really listen we find that they are not listening to us. They like to talk, they like to make us think that they are listening but they are not. We must be the ones to listen to ourselves and to speak out about what is right and what we need as a country. I do not feel that this has to be a party issue. It is a people issue. What will make us a stronger country, what will help our people, what is the right thing to do. How can we stay free and equal....
We need to speak for acceptance, love one another for our differences, and to recognize that PEACE is the most important thing that our world needs. I want to thank my two nephews who are in our armed forces going out there and protecting us every day. I admire and love you two boys more than you will ever know. Please stop today and say a prayer for the men and women protecting us. Pray that the politicians hear our cries to end this WAR and to help our country to heal and come together as the leader of the free world. Welcome our differences and see our needs. Help your neighbor, be a friend to someone new today. Welcome the differences.....

Changes

It is a time of changes for our family. I have read the book "who moved my cheese" like ten times and I still feel as though I fight change. I do not know why this is. I cut my hair and then let it grow back to the way it was. I try not to arrange the cupboards and within days I am "rangin up" in alphabetical order so I can find the beans and corn etc. Yes my pantry has the canned goods in abc order. You mean yours isn't?
I told Jeff the other night that I am tired of feeling like all the traits that I have others make fun of.
Example: I am organized and everyone I know always remarks on my ways, I get upset by this and Jeff and Robyn and Ally say that they are really compliments. Not sure I will ever believe them.
I like to talk to people, my family will always roll their eyes when I speak to people and even tell others "within a week she will know everyone at the apartment complex"
Well, I have tried to change, I have tried to not be my normal self and I can't do it.
I am going crazy in this apartment not being able to make any organizational moves. I have tons of stuff to take care of and none of it can happen yet. We can't move until Oct. we are wasting time here people.
I look for work and yet, I know I have tons of work ahead of me. I try to do my thing and then the bank calls and they have lost my paper work that I sent a week ago. See people organization is the key........
I am so frustrated....
I wish I could just go with the flow. I can't I admit it. I am an organization junkie and this is about to send me over the edge.
Does anyone know anyone here that needs me to come and organize their closets, cupboards, anything? I will come color code your schedule, put your clothes in color catagories, yes my closet has my clothes in order of color. I know it is a sickness but, I love it and I will come fold your laundry. Help, I need to organize something.....

People

For two days now I have seen people not watching their children by the pool. Here is my problem:
I went to the pool to relax and read a magazine, being the person I am, my radar is alway up around the pool. We lived in Arizona and every evening, the weather man would say "Watch your kids around water" to sign off his forecast. This was because almost every evening there was a drowning or near drowning in the area.
Being a mom, a teacher and just a caring person, I have always been aware of water and the need to watch everyone, not just kids. I respect water and I know that a person can drown in as little as cup if all the aspects align.
So for the second time in two days I went to the pool and watched parents not give a crap....
Last night four mind you adults were talking, drinking and they got up and left and went to an apartment. Out of the pool comes a little boy looking at me and Jeff and his new assistant as we sat there and he asked "Where's my mamma?" I said I think she left baby. I got up and talked to him, as he cried and he said I got put back in kindergarten when I asked how old he was. I saw the people and went to walk him as his mom finally realized she left him. I said to her, he was pretty scared and she said oh, he is fine. Pissed me off.

So today there is a family of 12 out there in the pool. They do not live here and I have no idea who belonged to whom. Two adults all the rest kids. Well, they played football in the pool as four little ones played in hot tub fountain and the shallow end. Once I heard the dad lift up the little one and say" Dallas if you gonna drown you need to tell someone".
They all got out left and went to an apartment, the weight room etc. I watched from the side lines as the little one, climbed the fence and got back into the pool area. then came two older but not but 10 and the other three little ones. No parent in sight. I then said to Jeff enough...
I walked over to the young man that came in and asked him how old he was. He said 16 and I said, ok, you need to watch these kids and I do not want to see you in the pool. I would recommend you call your parents and tell them to come watch these kids or I will be calling the officer that is on duty here.
So I watched him text his mom and left.
Am I a jerk or not...
I refuse to believe that people are this stupid but they keep proving me otherwise. I do not care if you are the parent or not please say something and take a stand
WATCH YOUR KIDS AROUND WATER.

Food

I am writing this blog and I am not hungry at all, just for all of you out there wondering. We have been eating out quite a bit as of late. Let me explain.
It is hard to go to the store, fill your cart and then realize that you have to cart all these items up 38 steps. My calves rock at this point. My lungs and my asthma now that is the killer.
So going to the store has taken on new meaning for that reason as well as the following:
1 pan in the furnished apartment
No pantry to grab the items that one never buys but knows are always in the cupboard
Four plates, four spoons, four forks, you get the idea, you want to eat you have to clean your plate from the meal before.
I know, you all say get paper plates, well easier said than done, cause you have lots of trash that way and the trash is a car ride away and yeah.
So eating out is easier most of the time. However we are all tired of this. I know you ask me anytime and eating out is always the option I would take.
We have not even eaten out at that many places. I mean we are so anal we even eat in an order.
No I take that back we are cheap.
Monday is Dickie's Bar Ba Que night. 5.00 pulled pork sandwich, side, and a drink. The onion tangler's are Jeff and Robyn's favorite, taste like a blooming onion only little pieces. My favorite side is the baked potato casserole. Mashed pots with bacon and chives and it rocks.
You also get ice cream for free at the end. Nice way to end a Monday.
Tuesday is Chick fil a. Right down the road and we can get a sandwich and fries or a kids meal and a side salad. If you get the kids meal and do not like the toy you can trade it in for a huge ice cream. Always clean and people are always overly nice,
Wednesday we usually eat at the apartment. Most weeks it is tacos and chips and salsa.
Thursday: Mellow Mushroom love this place and they make a olive oil and garlic rub that they put on instead of tomato sauce and portabello mushrooms. Love this the crust is like bread sticks. Jeff gets red sauce to dip his in. The place has a giant light bright with Brett Farve on the wall. So fun. TV's all over and very relaxed.
Friday We eat at home cause everybody else is eating out tonight.
Saturday and Sunday we eat where ever.
There are no grocery stores here. They do have a walmart which is so crowded it is too difficult to drive too and the shelves are always half empty.
There is a store corner market, they are very expensive and I am not impressed. The pasta sauce is almost 8.00 a jar. Give me a break.
So I am on a mission to find a nice farmers market and other areas to get meat etc. Target has most of the food that we need on a daily basis minus the veggies and fruit and meat. I have to work this area. I am so looking forward to having a kitchen and being able to cook dinner. I am looking forward to left overs. I know I can't believe I just said that.

blogging

I have done 71 of these silly things and absolutely love writing to whoever is out there reading. I am continually surprised to have people tell me that they read my silly little blog. I wish you would all sign up to be followers or leave me comments. It is amazing to me how calm I feel writing. I love to read other blogs so I guess I should realize that people might enjoy mine.
I have had comments on my writing like, you write about the strangest things, my spelling sucks, always has and your writing if so fun to read. I love all the comments and yes I do have weird things pop in my head to write about. The spelling is usually the lack of glasses on my face. So today is going to be my random thoughts:

Newest book read:
The Help by Kathryn Stockett
Oh,my this book took me about 6 hours to read and I loved it. For those of you not having read it yet, you will be interested in the fact that it is based in Jackson, Mississippi which is only 80 miles from us here in Hattiesburg.
For my mom and those that know me really well, I am Miss Skeeter, the outcast no one would let into Junior League enough said.

My hope for the week:
Pray our appraisal comes in good on the new home we want to purchase. A person we know got theirs and it was 200,000 off the sale price. Lets just say, lots of people have their homes over priced. The economy sucks all around.


I am missing Glacier Park at the moment. Not sure if I am missing the cool air, the beautiful scenery or the looking for bears and walking up to the gorge. May be it is all of it. YUP that is it.

Am so glad that I have hair, just not thrilled with the current color. Brown, with more grey than I am able to keep colored. I was blond for a long time cause it covered the grey so much easier. Not sure what to do. At the moment the frizz has hit and my hair has a mind of its own. I really wonder what some of these southern women's secret is to look not hot and sweaty in 107 degree heat with 107 percent humidity. Give me a fan

Been watching home and garden tv a great deal. In anticipation on the new home. Yeah, sort of really just watching cause there is not much to do in a one bedroom apartment at the moment.
Things I have learned:
Jeff and I tend to be very plain in our decorating
Neutrals are my go to colors even in my dress. Does that mean I am classic or boring?
I really love green and brown and bringing the outdoors in.
I hate the look and style of furniture that looks so uncomfortable no one would ever sit in it.
I love a comfortable home with lots of room to read. I have more books and paper and scrapbooks than I should.
Our new home will have a new frame that I plan to build that will encompass our 100 signed baseballs. This is my project. I am going to challenge myself to make this item as I am unable to find what I have a vision of.

okay, so that is my rambling for the moment. Happy Monday to all.

Day Trip

Today Jeff, Robyn and I finally took a day trip to another part of our new state.
I had read about Natchez,Mississippi and it's older Antebellum Homes. There was to be many antique stores etc.
The first and best part of any of our trips is the fact that Robyn and I fall asleep in the car right away. This gave Jeff two hours to drive and think. He also listens to ESPN radio and really he loves this part of any trip. Minus my snoring of course.
We get to the Visitor Center and not only is there a pictorial of the area, they offer free coffee and soda. Nice!!!!

We got a map of the area and decided to go to the cemetary first due to the heat and humidity. Robyn thought this was morbid and was not overly enthusiastic. This was the oldest and largest cemetary I have ever been to. The iron works around the graves were amazing. I took photos which you will see above or below depending on if I remember how to down load them. As we drove around, we found graves of unknown soldiers, people from Spain, Ireland, England and more that have immigrated to the area.
One of the neatest was a standing moselium that if you looked through the door, a stain glass window in the back was all aglow.
As we were leaving Robyn said that she would like to look into our heritage more. This was music to Jeff's ears, as he loves history and often comments that the only history he knows so little about is his own. We walked downtown and looked at some stores, but were rather disappointed. The visitor center was very nice and we learned a lot about the area. The mighty Mississippi River was outside the window and it is really a powerful sight.
We then went to a small winery and got a taste test and we got to go and pick some of the Muskidine fruit. We drove home to rain and we were all very glad for our little adventure.
P.S. The antique stores were over priced and Jeff said why would we want a southerners old furniture. I would have to agree. Antiques are really just junk from ones past and if it is not your past does it have value? We watch american pickers weekly and love the show, but part of the fun is that they find the stuff not in stores, but rather on the road, by stopping at unique places. We will have to explore this antiquing thing a bit more... Robyn's take on the antiques, it smells like old people.....

Education

As far back as I can remember, I have wanted to be a teacher. I played school all day long and after I went to school I continued to play teacher and make my sister play the student and correct papers,write on the chalk board and read books. I love school. I love the smell of the school supply isle at any store. I love the feel of new paper,notebooks with unwritten on pages and pencils that need to be sharpened.
So I have taught in Montana, subbed before I had Ally. In Michigan taught art in a one room school house, in New York lead a group of Brownies, cause I had two babies at this point, in Texas, and in Arizona. Now I am in Mississippi and the term school is taking on new meaning.
I went on more job huntings than one can count this summer. I took "my packet" of resume, recommendations and licenses to every district and school within an hour of Hattiesburg. I was lucky to get three offers for a job on the same day. Here is the rub. I took the one for the most money, I know I should have seen it coming.
I raced home to Arizona to get my teaching stuff. I have one entire side of the garage filled from floor to ceiling with my stuff. I drove for two long days with my daughter Robyn and a dog in 105 heat to get to the job.
I carried box after box to my room, decorated, planned and got down to teaching only to have the worst experience in education in my life. I was yelled at by my supervisor on a daily basis,sat with other teachers in meetings while we were all belittled and told we were no good. I had had enough when I got a note a day about small items like: no names on the bathroom doors,using the word buns, etc. I began to throw up daily and feel horrible.
I was told to make the children walk in a line with no speaking, eat with them and do not talk and make sure that they never behaved like children.
Well, those of you that read this know me well enough that I teach by letting them be children. I let them make mistakes and that was my clue, I had made a mistake.
I quit and have not felt better.
I decided to give subbing a try. Went to the sub training to be told that there were 300 subs on the list, do not expect to work until Dec. or Jan., make sure I dressed in a certain way, make sure the children were not behaving like children and that no one will leave any of the campuses during the day. Kind of came across as JAIL to me.
I came home very depressed and not sure what to do with the fifteen bins in my car that hold only a portion of my school supplies. I do not think that teaching should feel like a prison.
The schools are using words that are on the "big test" daily, they are doing practice pages the look like the "big test", they are having rooms look similar so that the children all see the same things.
Anyone of you feel like screaming yet. I did and I worked out my frustration by lugging and I mean lugging my boxes up 3 flights, 38 stairs today. That is 38 steps up and 38 steps down 12 times. That is 912 steps to think about my decision.
I want to continue to educate, I want to make a difference and I want to find where I fit in the world of achadamia. I want to be a catalyst of change, I want my students to grow and learn and love school like I do.
I just do not know if public education still holds those beliefs. I hope that there is a place in this world where an education is like mine: art, fun, colorful, interactive, and test free....
I am now following my gut. I will teach school and I will do it on my terms, I just have to find the others of you out there that agree with me and my convictions. If you are a parent and you see testing as the only thing that your school is focusing on, say something. Go to your kids schools and complain. We need to get this country to figure this out. Life as a child should be wonderous and school should be where an imagination can sprout and dreams come alive....
Here's to a school year of new crayon smells, clean white paper, and a teacher for each child that thinks testing STinks.

Spelling errors or bad typing

The answer is none of the above. I forgot to put my glasses on when posting the last two posts. I have been fighting the fact that they are now necessary in my daily life and have come to realize in the last week or two especially, that I am not teaching at the moment and cannot blame the tired eyes for the lack of focus.
I was unable to read the directions on the back of a medicine bottle yesterday, unable to read text on a paper for Robyn and needed them to see the computer at the library bookfair with my tutoring buddy Redwan.
So it is official. I am old..................
My eyes are old and I need help.
So today is the first day that I will acknowledge the need for glasses all day. Wish me luck

new home

It is amazing to me how a home can become ones own is a very short time. I was able to go into our new home on two occasions yesterday. First I went by to let the current owners know that we are not stockers, just live in a one bedroom apartment and need some sort of outlet and happiness so we drive by our new home daily. Weird I know.
I was able to speak with the owner and his wife and be in the house for almost two hours. It was amazing that in that time I was able to feel the home. The inspection report came back unbelieveable. Not a thing wrong. I would have guessed this from how maticulas the home is kept and the man is Jeff only about 15 years older. They too have binders for all the manuals etc. See there are others of us out there.
Anyway, I was able to sit in the kitchen and while talking envision how I would make it our home. Later in the evening we were able to go over and see the sunset at the house and talk about some of the systems with the owner,security etc. before they leave for a trip to Illinois to find their new home. As we were driving away the lights were on the house and a full moon was shining. It is going to be a great home......
I was able to get some pictures and I am going to figure out how to scan them to add to this post so be patient....

Time Away

I have been away from my blog for too long. I have spent the summer trying to make our move to Mississippi. I will start by saying,it has been one of the most difficult moves for our family.
I have not blogged for who wants to hear all my frustrations,failures and just plain crankiness about living in a one bedroom "furnished" ya right apartment. Three adults and a dog are getting rather tired of running into each other.
Enough about the negative.
We have made an offer on a home and it has been accepted and we are to close on Oct. 15th. This seems so far off, to all of us. The home is currently owned by a wonderful older couple that have it so sparkling clean and neat that I feel the need to go in and take pictures for it will never be that neat again. The man has been ill so Robyn suggested we make him cookies. I feel that this will be a great idea for I know how I feel about my Arizona home and having to say good bye to it. Maybe it will brighten their day.
Robyn is loving USM and I find that I am drawn there. The campus is alive and I have found a curriculum library in the main library. My love of books drew me there and the lady may be leaving....Can you say job opportunity...
As for a job, I hated the one I took and was ill for two weeks. I knew in my gut it was not right, but did not follow that feeling. Lesson learned.
I am tutoring a boy in the afternoons from Bangladesh. Love this and his mom and dad. The new baby sister is amazingly cute and I feel such reward from this experience.
So my blogging is back and we may actually have a home soon. Yeah!
I do have a question that I would like you to comment on if you would.
Does artwork have to be useful to be considered art????

Transition

So living life in transition really sucks for a type A personality. I am normally in charge of everything, all is organized and my life runs relatively smoothly for the most part. Now do not get me wrong, I do not always know what will happen but I always have a plan or a plan B,C,D,and E.
At the moment, I have an apartment that is furnished with other peoples stuff. I do not have my bedding, my bed, or even my pillow. I take that back, Jeff and I smashed two of our pillows in our suitcases this last trip home.
So as not to sound like I am an ungrateful whiner. I realize others are in far worse conditions than we are, I know that my life is wonderful compared to others, but at this moment, I am frustrated and I want to vent. So if you do not want to read further, I understand.
I never thought that I was defined by my job, but I am. I miss not planning for a new school year. I miss not looking at school supplies and organizing my room for the tenth time in a day. I miss the anticipation of the first day.
I miss not having my lasagna pan. I can't eat lasagna and the tomatos at this time, but I miss making it for Jeff. I miss not being able to bake and have the stuff needed to bake in the pantry.
I miss my daughters, I miss my new son in law. I miss my dog and I miss my house. Okay, I feel better now. I have vented and now I am going to call three more schools for the tenth time to see if they need a teacher for the up coming school year. I am going to go get a sonic drink and drive through another neighborhood looking for a home to lease or rent. I am going to make every attempt to find some organization in my caotic life. Thanks for listening...

Home

What is home? Is it the house? Is it the fact that all the items in the house are yours? Is it the fact that the ones you love are in the house? Is it the fact that you can get the mail?
I have been wrestling with this word for two weeks now. I have looked at about 25 houses here in Hattiesburg, but not one of them has screamed to me "Your home". This has happened in the other six homes that we have owned. I know it sounds weird, but each and every house we have purchased has welcomed me home the moment I have entered.
I am frustrated that this is not happening. Am I looking for the wrong thing? Are my standards out of whack cause we have been spoiled. I have a beautiful home in Arizona that I really do not want to sell. Is this the problem? I do not need as much room as we have in the last few moves, cause Robyn may or may not move with us.
So we looked at apartments yesterday. We need an address, will this make everything seem more normal, I do not know but getting mail is important to the process of setting down roots, so we went looking around at temporary living. I hate apartments. I love the hotel more than these small cubicals where not one person seems to care that there are 500 others in the building. They are rude, and seem to treat one as if they have no other choice than to pay 1200 a month for a small cubical. One even said it was furnished, but that did not include pans, towels, sheets. Furnished for who then?
I have one chance to move my household goods, therefore in the meantime, I need furnished like in pans, linens etc. So how to make some sort of move, into a stable place where the roots can begin and I can bake a cake if needed is necessary. I am going to plsy scarlett o,hara today and go to the beach and think about all of this tomorrow. Stay tuned to the home finding saga.

Time

Time, We never have enough of it to do the things that we feel are important. Then there are the times when we are anticipating something and we seem to have too much time. This is where I fall today. Right in the middle of these two places where time is neither moving quickly or slowly. Just standing still.
My oldest daughter is getting married on Saturday. Seems like just yesterday I was in labor for 32 hours wondering what this little person would be like. She has turned into a beautiful, responsible young lady. She is going to make a beautiful bride, if she just lets her parents and her type A personality chill for a minute.
She is working, going to school and getting married. Lots on her plate but she is capable of doing it all and more. I love you Allison Marie.
My youngest daughter has been home for about a month now from college and she is working at the mill. She is learning how tired ones feet can be at the end of the day, how nice it is to have someone else pack your lunch and to chill in front of the tv. She has kept me laughing this last month as I miss Jeff and worry about the new adventure that we are undertaking.Last night Robyn and I must have been so tired that we were laughing at the silliest stuff. All I have to do is try to sing or dance to the music that the girls listen to and they are rolling on the floor. I know forty five year old white woman dancing to music in the car that she does not even understand would make me laugh too.I love you Robyn Anne.
So we have come to the point where one child will be on her way to her new married life this weekend, one daughter will get to spread her wings alone for a time and the forty five year old lady will get to be with the father, husband and best friend that she has missed for more than a month. Time can stand still for a bit longer, but then we must go forth and enjoy everything that is laid out before us. Here's to a wonderful weekend and new adventures for all.

Life

So life has taken over for awhile here on my mountain. My wonderful husband is in Mississippi starting his new job, Ally and Brody are getting married on June 5th, If you are upset cause of no invite, do not be, this is going to be simple, small, lovely and just what they want. Robyn is home from college, keeping me sane and mocha is protecting us and warming our feet.
The wedding seems to be coming together and I will mail out announcements after the wedding .the kids are thrilled and it is exactly how they want it. Love that they are doing it so small and sweet and realize their life together is what is most important. They are just perfect together and have weathered so much. Jaidyn our angel is smiling from heaven.
Ally is enjoying her summer job, stressing due to perfectionism, and looking very professional each and every day.
Robyn is also enjoying summer employment, liking pricking fingers and doing hearing tests. The term nurse is being explored and she is up everyday at five. Amazing
Jeff is learning his new surroundings and trying to find us a new home. He has what seems to be a pet chicken, the bird appears at his window each day at5. The girls have named it chicken noodle and chicken doodle so we are calling it noodle-doodle.
He likes the pool and hot tub at the hotel and realizes how much he misses my cooking.
I am sad to be ending my teaching year but hope to have an interview or two in Mississippi in June. I need a root canal due to teeth clenching at night but the meds have let me eat today. Yeah, after a few weeks of feeling crummy, I am grateful and wish that the scales showed the lack of food, but I will not let that frustrate me. Lord knows that frustration appears regardless.
Goals:
Finish school and let kids know how wonderful they are.
Stop gritting teeth and relax with a mouth guard.
Get the wedding off with out too many hitches.
Go to Mississippi and find a new home and job.
Be greatful for all the mixed up things I call a life.
Try to blog more ...... Did you miss me???//

Happy Mother's Day

Mother's Day. Why just one day a year? Being a mother takes 24 hours a day 365 days a year and still at times, I feel as if I should be doing a better job.
I have wonderful, beautiful daughters that I am so proud of. I love being their mother. I wanted to be their mother before they were born. We had trouble getting pregnant so the thought that went into these two wonderful children was full of science and patience and prayer.
I have been very blessed as they are the most amazing young ladies. Each day they grow and change and make me proud. They worry about grades, if their friends are doing okay and most days if their mother is doing okay. Jeff left today for a seperation that is due to the new job. I really do not like being away from him as we have always made our role of parents, one of co-parents. If I had had a long day, he would take the girls for a walk, let me go teach basket class which turned into an every Monday night thing which the became "Noodle Night" for him and the girls. It has always been the two of us. Yes, I help with the need for new clothes, makeup etc. but the girls call dad when they need to ask techniccal questions, tell him about something that learned in class or to ask nicely for money for school and books. I am so grateful that they also ask him all the computer questions.
They also know to ask him to go to the movies with them, as I have a tendancy to fall asleep and snore at most movies. I did make it through Iron Man 2 yesterday, but it was so loud I do not know how anyone could have slept.
In other words, I love being a mother, and a wife, and I hope my girls are able to see that in me most days. I know I am not perfect and make lots of mistakes in mothering, but if trying my best each and everyday is enough, then I am a Great Mother.

Wow

I can not believe that this is post number 60 for me. Who would have thought I had so much to say...
Today was the coldest day in sometime around this mountain. Cleaned the house til it sparkled and left for a few hours to let someone view our home. We took the dog with us which meant or options were limited, also the fact that Jeff and I still feel crummy. We were both chilled to the bones and driving around watching the clock til we could come back to the house.
Jeff cleaned the wood stove over 3 weeks ago and it was so pristine. By three we had to break down and start a fire. I love the wood stove. It is so warm and Ally came over and went for a burger with us. Too bad neither Jeff or I could taste it. No appetite or taste buds at the moment. Came home sat by the fire and watched Avatar.
Hoping that I can keep my eyes open, but not gonna happen. On a good day, I sleep through a movie.
I am going to look at this rest as a blessing and the lack of appetite as a blessing as well... Diet without trying.
Oh, yeah and it snowed here today too. May 1st. You would think I lived in Montana or something.
Here's to us feeling better tomorrow, warmer weather and a warm fire in the fireplace to help put one to sleep.

Kiddos

As a teacher I have had many "Kiddos" in my life. It is funny how some remain at the forefront of my mind, while others will fade in and out. I never forget any of them, I just think my mind puts them in different order every now and again.
The last few weeks have been difficult with all the changes in my life. Our move still seems so far away not knowing if the house will sell quickly, slowly or at all. I have a job to do at the moment, but will I be able to find another job in our new area, questions, worries and more uncertainty than I am used to or like in my life.
My patience has been wearing very thin on all fronts, and I caught myself snapping at the kids on Thursday. I did not mean to, I did not want to, but one more repeated question of "Where do I put this?" My answer was, In the same place you have put it all year......
Not good for the teacher to act like that. I decided we needed a break. We are studying magic the next two weeks. Not having a movie that covers the topic, I asked the kids what movie they think they could find magic in?
I was hoping and I was thrilled when they chose Charlie and the Choc. Factory. We all sat down to color some mother's day gifts and watch this movie.
The children would chime in every now and again where they saw magic and optical illusions like I had shown them on the computer.
As I sat resting, one child came up and asked to sit on my lap. As I gently rocked my chair I asked her if she felt okay, cause she was so warm. She said it is not me Ms. Comer, it is you that is warm. I think you are sick. I was caught off guard and she went back to her seat. Moments later another child came up and said "Are you giving free rocks in your chair?" I said sure and he sat on my lap. I asked are you feeling okay? and he said yes but I think you need to rock cause you do not feel good. I said really how do you know that? You are all white and warm he said.
So two hours later as I drove home to check on my husband who was ill, I realize that I really do not feel very well, I wake up to a well husband, and a sick me, with the fever , the chills and the headache.
Children know so much, they sense everything. Jeff and I have been going and going so much that it finally caught up to us.
I look forward to feeling better and returning to my little kiddos on Monday.Hoping that they are the ones that gave this little bug to us and that I did not pass it on to them of course.
I wonder if I ask them, if they have insight into when our home will sell???

Oh, yeah, and they can tell when I am sick, but not one of them told me that I forgot to put my makeup on for work on Monday. Maybe that means I do not really need the makeup or is it that I look that poor all the time????

Our Home

Moving

So moving is so mind boggling at times.
I have moved as a married lady seven times. As a child I can't even count how many times we moved. We moved from state to state, house to house and town to town.
Moving can be very cleansing, literally and figuratively. I have cleaned my house so many times in the last few weeks, I can't even remember what needs to be cleaned. I have gutted closets, packed up items to declutter the house and even cleaned windows, screens and misc. items that I did not know we owned.
Getting rid of stuff that I really do not know why we still had, why I had in the first place and just what and why is this????

I always think that moving will be so easy, but I really have tried each and every move to like where we live. Each move has offered new places to explore, new friends to be made and new experiences that we never even thought of. I hate leaving my houses, ( we had a lady that would paint each of our houses for the last 5 moves. She is now too old to paint them so I am in need of my current home and our soon to be new home )Our house always becomes our home.
I hate being told to clear off the pictures hung on the fridge, What? This is our life? You mean I have to put it away.

I am probably the realtors worst nightmare when they suggest that I make sure the house is magazine ready and picked up. But I live here........I also work all day and come home exhausted most nights.
I am never caught up on laundry, job security, I very seldom have the dishes done by the next morning and I love to have my blanket on the couch at night.
So for the next few weeks, I will be frustrated in having to clean my home continuously and the worry that it still is not clean enough. I hope another wonderful wife, mother will come in and fall in love with this home like we did. It is an amazing house with amazing sunsets and has been a wonderful home for six years.

To our new home, I know you are out there waiting just for us. You will offer new adventures, new cupboards to fill, neighbors to meet and friends to make. I can't wait to find you and fill you with all of our love .

Thursday, Friday and Saturday

Had so many great plans for the list of days in this title. Thursday, work, go look at a few of my favorite little stores for inspiration and home to watch the draft.
Not!!!!
Work long, go home to pick up house for realtor to take pictures , text Jeff all the draft names, cause he was at work late and then fall into bed missing Survivor and CSI.
Friday, field trip to Payson, two hours away with 20 kids and parents to look for geodes, and fossils. Cold and blustery, but a wonderful trip. The children we so excited. The geodes were plentiful. These are rocks, that when broken open have crystals in them. Our wet winter was a true blessing, there were millions of them that washed down. The children were so funny, loading down their backpacks and then realizing that they had to walk back about a half mile to the bus. If you want to find geodes, you will find many a pile on the side of the road tonight as the children learned of their error in judgement and dropped them like bread crumbs in hantsel and gretal.
Fun and exhausting home to pizza, a bubble bath and watching the draft on the couch with Jeff.
Tomorrow, sleep in and clean closets again.
Life is full and we are all blessed to be living it.
Go rock hunting, it clears the senses.

Wings

So I told you all, all eight of you that read this silly little blog of mine, that today I would let you know about my wings.
I really do not like birds. I never have and they really freak me out if they get to close but I have always loved angels. I collect them and I relate to them and not to be weird or anything, I feel as if I have a few that watch over me on a daily basis. So my wings are angels wings not bird wings.
I will not be working in Show Low anymore after May and that was really hard to accept, but on top of that Jeff had started looking into a new job for himself. He has felt the need to grow and learn and I can't blame him. He needs some new wings.
So last week he accepted a new position that will be giving us both wings. We will be relocating to Mississippi. Yes, back to the south for us.
The girls are torn and Ally and Brody will be staying in Arizona for the time being. Robyn will go to visit with us this summer and then she will decide where she wants to continue her schooling. This is okay, they are both growing up and I know that they are getting their wings.
I look forward to the new area, new friends and the chance to possibly teach in another state. Can I just take one test and get a certificate for all fifty states here people. This will be my seventh move in 25 years and our seventh state. I will miss my friends here, but know that the true friends never leave I am hoping our house sells quickly and putting my faith to work on that note. I am grateful that Jeff will have a new adventure and his wings are growing and I look forward to what our new town has to offer. (THEY have a TARGET). Jeff says that means I definitely have to get a job......
I am in awe of living somewhere with all the amenities. I am going from 3,000 people in our town to over 70,000. I may be walking around dazed and confused for a while.
Oh,yeah, did I tell ya it is an hour to the beach.......
I know, I am just in awe of that fact. All of my life I have wanted to be able to drive to the beach and walk around looking for shells for the day. What bliss that sounds like to me. Read a book watch the waves, etc.
So tell all those that you know to pray our home sells quickly and that my new wings are strong and soarable.

Mood

I so wanted to do a picture for this weeks art. My Mood has been cloudy all week and then I got the news that I was one of the teachers being Riffed. This is a reduction in force notice. In other words I have no job for next year. Yesterday, my mood was horrible. I felt bad for myself, felt like I was losing my friends and I felt bad for the children that will be in much larger classes next year.
I gave myself 24 hours to process this entire thing. Then I said I will get up and get over it.
So today on the way to work I heard three songs in a row with one word in common. WINGS
I now have wings and I will let you know what I mean by this on Monday. God is great and It feels wonderful to fly.

Spring Cleaning

So are all the rest of you suffering from this ailment or is it just me?
We decided that over the winter we have collected much clutter in the house. This is usually the case as we tend to live in the living room by the fireplace. Wouldn't you after you get over 6 feet of snow. The warmth of the fire and the blankets make it the perfect place to read, do art and to watch movies.
Now I have to go thru all these books, magazines, movies etc.
So we decided to start in the garage and clean it up, move the snow blower etc. Well, the dust, dirt and wind equals asthma attack for me.
I coughed until I could cough no more, I sneezed until I could sneeze no more and then the attack. I could not get any air in. I was freaking out. I stopped, shut my eyes and remembered the words from lamaze class, slow down and do not panic. It worked. I have never had an attack like that. I was scared to death. I knew air was getting in but the feeling of panic was so overwhelming.
What did I learn from this experience?
1. I need a maid. Wishful thinking
2. Spring is not my favorite season anymore.
3. We have too much crap collecting dust that makes me sneeze.
4. Simplify, simplify, simplify
5. I need to take this cleaning thing one room at a time and not try to do as much as I did yesterday.

So here is to a clean house, no more asthma attacks and summer when all the pollen is gone.

Happy Day to you all.

If you can read thank a teacher

So this has been a very long week. Seventeen of my coworkers were "Riffed" this week.
Riffed is reduction in force, basically there is no money in Arizona and they can't seem to make any decisions in the legislature to fix the situation.
This is the second year that we all were told of lay offs and then we wait and then they hand you a letter and say thanks. This really sucks!!!!!
I was lucky in that it was not me this year however, this will mean that our classes will be very large, 30-35 kids, we may not have p.e., music, or and breaks in the day. We have lost so many great people to this mess. There are single mothers, teachers within six months of retiring and the list goes on and on.
The ones that remain are just as upset and devistated as those that are being let go.
I was so in awe of these professional people that showed back up at work today in the midst of all of this. What awesome people they are.
Do we as a society feel that other programs are worth the loss of our futures education? We are behind in this area already.
I can read because a teacher helped me and I had great parents. My kiddos are in the third grade and many have never heard of a nursery rhyme. This is not the parents fault necessarily, for when you have two people that need to have two jobs just to get by it is hard to take the time to read with your children. Our society needs to think about the current state of affairs and get their priorities straight.
So here is my challenge to all of you:
If you are able to help out a classroom in your area by donating your time to the kids or the teacher please do this. Ask to be a listener, listen to children read. Ask a teacher if you could take some projects home to help him or her out. Ask if you could eat with a class at lunch. Ask if you could help with an art project. I mean just offer your time and encouragement to a group of youngsters that are longing to hear : Mary had a little lamb.
Today I showed a video , I know cop out... No we had worked so hard preparing for AIMS this week that the kids were so exhausted. The video was Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The original
We did not finish it and when I said I needed to turn it off the kids said, no we have never seen it.
I said to them did you know this is also a very cool book? They were all so excited, they wanted to go to the library.
How many copies of this book we have is limited, but to see the kids connect with a fun non violent movie that was new to them was so amazing. I still love the song, The Candyman Can.
It is what every child dreams of..... All the candy in the world and it comes in the form of a book

If you could read this thank a teacher......

Umbrellas

My attempt at art this week. I seem to be on about a third grade level with my drawings. All I can say is that when I draw on the board for the kids, they always say, "Wow, how did you do that?"

Makes my day. Try your hand at some colored pencils today, brings back the feeling of calm and coloring is so wonderful. Today my class finished their writing benchmarks and they were so tired, I gave them a coloring page and for 20 minutes, no lie you could have heard a pin drop. I had to stop and just take in the view. I prayed the phone would not ring, the door would not be knocked on and that no one would sneeze. It was so amazing and silent that I sent my husband a text, Did blank just freeze over cause this is wierd. Then I looked outside and saw a pig flying so I knew I must be dreaming........

Prayers

I have had the same discussion with my mom and allison the last two days. I truly believe that when one needs comfort and love, it does not matter what religion a person is. I believe that any and all prayers are needed in many circumstances.
So here today I am asking for prayers for many people and for many different reasons. If you are offended by my request I am sorry but I feel that no matter what our beliefs might be, the fact that we believe in something higher than us, will aid and offer comfort.

So here are the requests:
Robyn's boyfriend, old boyfriend what ever, his cousin and his wife just had a baby girl at 33 weeks. She is 3 lbs. 11 oz. and in need of prayers. The mom will get to see her today as she was flown to the valley and the mom was too ill to fly.

Robyn's and Ally's friend Brandi from high school delivered her third baby last week at 32 weeks. He is 4lbs. Also in need of prayers.

Seventeen of us teachers will be riffed this week. Riffed stands for reduction in force. Our state has no money and it is now coming down to some very drastic and awful moves. I may be one of these teachers, but I am not asking for prayers for me, but for the children that will now be in much larger classrooms. I have no control over this and the decisions have been made and there is no changing this, however we can pray that the people effected can find other work, can feed themselves and their families and that those that will remain will be able to service the children as they need to be serviced.

A lady I work with has colon cancer, her surgery is tomorrow. Pray it goes well and that the dr. is able to get it all. Pray that she is able to recover and her family is able to comfort her.

Finally, this is a personal prayer, Our grand daughter Jaidyn would have been two on April 22nd. She was with us only 24 days, but she is an angel and we miss her so much. I believe that God is gracious and he will provide us with other grandchildren, but Jaidyn is our special angel. Pray that we are able to celebrate her life and that we learn about what took her and can prevent that in other babies.

Thank you for your time in reading this and I hope all of your prayers help each of these families.

Allergies

So why again was I so ready for Spring????

My allergies are out of control this year. Okay, I need to let some of you know the background on this.
As a college Freshman, I had an allergic reaction to strawberries. Yes, I had eaten them for 19 years and then pow. So from there we head to yearly pnemonia, finally figured out that the live Christmas trees were causing some of this so we go to the fake ones, and no strawberries. I can live with this I think.

Move to the South and live with the yellow pine pollen for nine years, in which time my hives begin and I develop asthma they think. Okay, a life of singular to follow, but wait....

Go to visit my parents in Montana two years ago to have my tongue swell to the point of an emergency room trip to find out that it could be some medicine that is causing the swelling, funny I have been on this medicine for five years. Well, as I experiment with different foods I find that the tongue swells every time I am exposed to tomatos, funny tomatos and strawberries are in the same food group or something. Anyhow, that now limits the American meals that I used to enjoy...pizza, lasagna, spaghetti, ketchup anyone feel for me yet???

So today on the way to school I sneezed 15 times, this is not funny for a 45 year old woman that could wet herself with each sneeze. Not only was I exhausted by this attack but I looked as if I was crying by the time I got to school.

Now, I am home and able to take some benedryl cause if I take it at work I will fall asleep. I miss my favorite foods, my nose is running and my eyes itch and I have to write myself a note to buy more kleenex for the house and classroom cause I will forget by tomorrow.

Can I have a do over on my attraction for these allergies? I long to have a pizza with strawberry shortcake for dessert. Oh, well, me and my kleenex will cozy up to the fire and hope that the wind that is forecast for tomorrow at 50 plus miles an hour will blow some of this pollen away and I can breathe again soon.
Happy Sneezing Season to you all.

Monday After Spring Break

I think that the Monday after Spring Break should be a national holiday.
I think that all twenty of my kiddos cried today or whined that they were hungry or something about them hurt.
I finally decided that I would do the mothering that they were asking for and just go with the day. Most of my plans were put aside as we took it much slower than a usual Monday.
The weather is changing, not for the best, we are in the spring cycle of nice day, windy day, snowy day. This breeds colds, runny noses, allergys and the use of many kleenex. We are all so drained from studying so hard and the multiplication and division is not coming as quickly as it has with other groups. I need to find a way to make the old flashcard idea a new and exciting game. I still have not found a way to teach these facts other than good old memorization. My need for a soda today was great and of course today was the first day of my new plan to not have anymore soda.
These are the things that I am grateful for today. All of my kiddos came back to school safe after our break. They all spoke of something fun that they had been able to do over the break and they were all so excited to see me.
We worked on our reading packet together and read our new story. The story is about a pretend town made out of rocks, the kiddos then drew their own make believe town. I had four make libraries in their towns.YES YES YES
So here is to another day tomorrow and a little less tears and a few less whiners and a six pack of soda for the teacher....

Doodles

This week's challenge by my neice Heather was to doodle. I do this on a daily basis. I sit in meetings and draw on my papers to the point that I have to redo my papers.

I have always been one to color code my notes, etc and to add just plain doodles on the sides. So this will be a piece of cake. Ya, Not!!!!

If you look at the results you will say, who did that her third graders. I figured my work would be amazing. So Not.....

I have got to come to the realization that some areas may not be my fortay.

I need to narrow down my artistic endeavors. This has been a problem as of late. Just read some of my past posts.

I have been making journals for all of Robyn's friends at school. I have made mini ones, and larger ones. I have made magnets, coffee cozy's etc. to the point that the girls on Robyn's floor think that I am Martha Stewart. But none of this is my art work or is it. I use papers and objects that others have created. I need to have the picture in front of me and then I can go from there. A blank piece of white paper is overwhelming and scary at this point. So see my doodles, and realize that I still need work on my artist side.. Here's to the ability to keep trying....

One Step Forward Two Steps Back

Ever feel like you are treading water????
For the last few months I have felt like for every step forward, I take two steps backwards.
This has been applying to all aspects of my life:
My class seems to get some concept and then I test them and whoosh right in one ear and out the other.
My artwork, if it can even be called that at this point. I fight with the making art with a purpose vs art for the pure pleasure of creating issue daily.

My house, I cleaned all the laundry and not even five minutes later, Jeff came and dumped the laundry basket by the washer. I cleaned the floors, put down carpet powder to let it sit and washed the dog, only to have a wet dog run through the house and get carpet powder on her paws and proceed to mark up my nice hardwood floors with puppy paw prints. UGH!!!!11
I do not mean to sound ungrateful for the fact that I have clothes to wash and wear, I have a job, and a wonderful house and husband, but I feel as though I am not moving forward but rather backwards.
Even the weather is taking a turn to the dark and rainy side once again and not the sunshine of spring that I so crave at this point.
I went to my favorite store today, The store is called Embellish and the owner and her husband are wonderful people. I consider her (Trisha) a friend. I love the smell of her store, the items that she carries are scrapbook and antique and just plain amazing fun objects that no matter what mood I am in when I enter, the feeling of calm and rejuvination comes over me while I am there and carries over after I leave. Well, Trisha was feeling the same way that I was today. Not to say that this was good, but it was nice to see that I am not the only one with "I have had enough Winter"". I want to thank Trisha and Tony her husband, for each time I enter their store, I feel as if I belong there. This is a welcome warm feeling that one does not get often enough.
I will continue my walk, and hope that the steps backwards become less each day as the sun finally decides that it is needed and welcome here in Pinetop, Arizona.

Good Mail

Yes, I said "Good Mail". Seems as though these days all the mailbox holds is bills and lots of media driven envelopes that want us to stimulate the economy by buying more stuff.

I have lots of stuff, I have more stuff than I need. What I crave is some good mail.

I was in the valley, as we up here at 7000 feet call Phoenix this last weekend and I was in my favorite spot, Barnes and Nobel. I found a book called "Good Mail Day" by Jennie Hinchcliff and Carolee Gilligan Wheeler.

I was hooked by the cover.

Mail has always been something that I love, covet and want to have endless supplies of. My grandfather Martin was a mailman. I remember thinking how lucky he was to get to walk his route everyday and chat with all the customers and hand them letters. What a great job. I am now older and realize that he had to battle dogs, weather, and cranky people, but it is nice to have a blissful dream of a job.

I love mail. I will spend my off period at school every so often sorting the teachers mail and putting it in the boxes for the secretaries. They are alway so appreciative, and grateful, for it is always last on their list. I do not tell them that it is calming and serene for me. Why break the idea that I am just really nice right?

Anyhow, back to the book. So I purchased this book and made my own Good Mail Day Art this week. I mailed the Art to my parents, my sister and my neice. I know I did not start off with a group that would be critical, but it was still a leap. Will they like what I did? Will it arrive in the mail unaltered? Did I encourage them to write back?

That is the key, if you get Good Mail, you have to reply. So I am trying this new art form and if you are interested, comment and you will get a surprise in your mailbox.

Here's to everyday being a Good Mail Day.

Art for the week

This is our art for the week. I teach third grade and most days, I am trying to get them reading and doing multiplication so much that we forget to take time to do ART.

I have made it a point to do art with my kiddos each week thanks to my neice Heather. I have an aide that comes on Wed. and she is 78 and from Boston. She loves coming and trying our projects. The kids love seeing all of us try the same things.

So here is our projects for this week. We read a story about Picasso in our reading series, see once a teacher always a teacher, gotta keep reading. Anyhow, he had blue periods, rose periods, etc. The story told of how he never quit and always did what he wanted to do no matter what other artists were doing at the time.

My directions to the kids was to pick something of importance to you and make a large drawing of it. We needed lots of white space to fill in.

Next we took our paintbrushes and turned them over and used the "wrong" end of them. We dipped them in the paint and made pixel paintings. Small colored dots.

We had a blast and for a class of children with absolutely no patience we were able to work on these masterpieces for over an hour. It was so calming and fun. The pictures turned out great and my photos do not do them justice.

The ice cream sundae bowls are what we are making as we pass our multiplication tests. See I have a real problem making art that is not serving more than one purpose. I am working on this.

Until next week. Happy painting.

Art vs. Usefulness

So I am been struggling with my creativity as of late. I think I have finally figured out where the problem has come from.
I am always trying to make my art "useful". I think this comes from my daily dilemma with my creative side and the organizer in me.
I have always made items that have a purpose. I make baskets, and they have tons of uses. I scrapbook, I have over 100 now and they are a purposeful place to look at our photos, and store them. I make collages that are letters and notes, I make journals, for others to write in. I have recently made "real old fashioned" mail. This is to make people day brighter and to encourage others to write again. So when I sit down to just play with art, it is very difficult to justify the time that I am spending, not producing a useful item.
I am not an artist by any stretch of the imagination, therefore I have not allowed my work to really be considered in my mind as real. I bought a book this week on journaling, and in it , it tells the reader to let go of the inner critic. I criticize all of my work and figure that I should be spending my time in a much more useful aspect. After reading this book, I am now going to try to silence my inner critic. I feel better when I am making things and I am able to relax. I am going to try and silence my inner critic this week. I am going to make ART that is not useful, in the usual sense of the word, but useful in that I am calmer, happier and more content after I have let out some of my creative energy. So here is to an art filled day.

My creativity for the week. Now if I can figure out how to link this to Heather's blog.

This is the marble painting that the kids and I did in class. We cut the paper into shamrock shapes. My letter is my new idea of collage. Use found objects to make a collage to write a note to a friend, loved one or a stranger. Take the time to give someone a handwritten note.

stress

I am so tired of stress. I see it in my children, my husband, my classroom kiddos, and myself. Very rarely do I not see a person that is not in some sort of turmoil or stress. Today, with a white out, I had to slow down and concentrate in order to make it home safely. There were three accidents, a jack knifed truck and the wind so strong that at points I could not see my hood.
I focused, held on to the wheel tight and slowed down. My breathing slowed, and for the first time today, I could breathe. My asthma has been acting up all week and I get moving so fast I can't catch my breathe. I could finally breathe. Is it that easy, slow down?????
I find that if I stop and think I feel better. I am going to do this tonight I am going to breathe. Yes, I have report cards to write, grades to average, a driveway full of snow and laundry, but tonight, I am going to breathe and be grateful that I am able to do so. So my advice for today, let the stress go....Slow down and if something does not get done, well be greatful that you can try again tomorrow.
Breathe

creativity or lack there of

I am in a funk. I have been trying new creative endeavors and failing miserably. I keep trying, but I am throwing more away than creating at the moment. I feel that way in my teaching at the moment as well. I am trying to stuff so much information into the little ones heads that we are in a funk and not making any gains.
The snow keeps falling and we are all in a state of "If spring break does not get here soon" something not so wonderful will happen. Like the class may eat the teacher.
I have tried putting some art into our days and that seems to have brightened a few spirits. Today we made marble painting shamrocks. They are beautiful and if I can remember the camera tomorrow I will share. Today I forgot to put my makeup on, now that is a scary teacher.
Any way I have decided to do some art and show it on my niece's blog each week. So far this has gotten me nothing but a heap in the trash and the stress of why did I say I would try this? My daughters are both taking or studying for midterms. I feel that if you do not try to learn new things you become old and stale and shrivel up a bit each day. So here is to my midterm, create something wonderful by Thursday. Wish me luck.

Rites of Spring

Spring is here. I know, I still have four feet of snow in some areas of my yard, the wind is still whipping about 40 miles an hour and I have a fire going in the wood stove, but believe me Spring is here.
How do I know this. Baseball has started.
At our house the first day of spring training is the start of spring. It could be 10 degrees and snowing but it is now spring.
Baseball is a passion of our family. We love to go to the games, love to watch the games on television and we actually have the hopes each year that the Cleveland Indians will make it to the World Series and Win.
Our hopes are usually dashed by May but come on, we can dream....
My husband trained his women right from the start, that you had better like this game, and you had better be good at begging for balls, and catching them.
We have caught and gotten signed over 100 major league baseballs. We have them in cubes in our "sports" family room. These are my husbands pride and joy.
Our baseball days started early when in our first year of marriage, Jeff took me on a trip to Arizona to spring training. I was told to go and get autographs while he tried to catch a ball out in the homerun area. Well, I got this old man to sign the program and Jeff came back with a ball. (I think he knocked over 10 senior citizens for it), anyway I told him I had no idea who he was. It was Bob Feller and for those of you like me, he is a Hall of Fame Pitcher and Jeff was now in love with me forever. But,he asked me to now go get the ball signed. So goes our life.
I also sat in a hotel lobby about 6 years later in Milwaukee carrying on a nice conversation with an older gentleman once again. I was waiting for Jeff to finish a conference and so excited, I was going to my first "real" baseball game. I told this man how excited I was and that I did not know much about baseball but my husband loved it and I wanted to learn. We had a great talk and then I got up to ask if the conference had let out yet. The man at the front desk, said,"miss you need to have that man that you were talking to sign this paper" I said. Why, he said, just do it and your husband will be thrilled. Okay, so I go and tell the man what this man had said and said I am sorry I do not know who you are but, would you mind signing this and I enjoyed our talk. It was Nolan Ryan, another Hall of Fame pitcher and the man that was pitching that night at the game Jeff took me too. So I am really stupid about the players, but my gift for gab has served me well, and Jeff loves this in me.
The girls have begged, smiled and looked overly adorable for more than their share of our hundred balls. Robyn can't wait to go to the games over spring break with her father, and Ally as well. This is a family tradition and it means that the cold yucky weather will soon end and our beloved sunshine will not be far off.
Now I have to go shave my legs, paint my toes, and see if any of last years shorts still fit, for I am going to be in the warm sunshine this weekend, watching a game I love and sitting next to my bestfriend. Life is good.

My Hands

My hands are changing. This may not be earth shattering to others, or in that case to myself, but the change has become noticeable.
I have always had very smooth hands. I have had what I consider large hands, but they have always served me well.
I have made baskets from reed with these hands, I have washed many dishes, babies, dirty hands and faces with these hands. I have created art with these hands, shook hands with important and unimportant people with these hands. I have worn rings on these hands, my wedding ring, my college ring and rings from my parents on these hands. I have dug in the dirt, moved rocks, massaged Jeff's feet nightly with these hands. I am proud of my hands, they are hard working and comfortable hands.
Here is the thing that made me think of my hands and take a long look at them: I had to be fingerprinted for my job once again. As the lady was doing this she asked me to relax and let her do the work in order to get a good print. I did relax but as she came to my left hand she asked if I had worked with my hands a great deal? My response,"I am a teacher, work with my hands, that is a silly question in my book"
Why did she ask this? My left hand finger prints are wearing off. I am right handed so this was interesting to me. I learn a great deal from my hands in any given day.
I use them and abuse them, I never put on lotion, and I should. I have wrinkles in my hands all of a sudden like my mom's, my sisters, my grandmothers. I remember I would love to hold my grandmother Hazel's hands. She always took the time to do her nails, had all the stuff by her chair and her hands were so soft. I am glad my hands are changing, it shows I have lived a good life. I want my kids at school to hold my hands, maybe the only ones they ever hold. My hands are me. I am glad they are softening as I hope I am as I grow older.