Friday, May 24, 2013

Summer Plans


Summer is coming at us so fast that my head is spinning and it is not a good feeling.  My summer to do list consists of 1) finding a job, 2) having the kitchen floor and linoleum replaced (not by choice), 3) getting rid of a bunch of junk, 4) continuing education so I don’t have to retake all of my certification tests, 5) taking the EC-6 Generalist test so I can teach 5th and 6th grade should there be a job opening, 6) being my grandmother’s driver and doing whatever else she needs, 7) helping my little sister with whatever she needs done should she move, 8) hopefully getting some more stuff unpacked and repacked at my Dad’s house, 9) spending as much time as possible with family and hopefully a little one on one time with my nephew/niece peeps, 10) getting the church office organized so I can get the office moved out of my house and I can do all church related work there, 11) vacation, 12) whatever honey do’s the hubster has for me to do  and whatever else pops up unexpectedly like visiting with friends, yard work, you know the life stuff!! 

1)      Finding a job:  I have been looking for a teaching job since 2008.  I was lucky enough to work full-time as a second grade teacher the 2011-2012 school year.  Unfortunately that job didn’t work out pas the one year mark.  I have been subbing but that just doesn’t help pay enough of the bills mainly because I am not always motivated to work every day and I am very picky about the jobs/schools I work with.  If I do not get a teaching job this year, I will have to give up teaching and find something else to do.  I don’t want to give up on teaching but the hubs and I would like to make enough money to live on and to find us another place to live in. . . .a place of our own (which I think we deserve after being married for 16 years).

2)    The kitchen floor:  we have a sunken spot in our kitchen. . . .it is a pretty large sunken spot and I am waiting for the linoleum to give way and have one of us standing on the dirt under the house.  We will be having the entire kitchen subflooring and flooring replaced.  That means the rest of the house has to be clean enough to house the microwave cart, kitchen table, refrigerator and stove.  I hope whoever does the work does it quickly!

3)     My sister is having a garage sale once school is out and I have a lot of stuff that needs to go from my house.  Some people (my husband) consider me a hoarder.  Yes, I will admit that I am a pack rat, sentimental about “stuff”, lazy about throwing things away, have a ton a teaching stuff that needs a home (see #1) and that I live in a house with no storage.  I also have clothes that need to be gone through, a cabinet of containers that needs to be gone through and a misc. cabinet that needs to be gone through.

4)    In our great state, you are no longer able to receive lifetime teaching certificates like my husband, Dad and sister have.  You must receive 150 hours of continuing education for your certificates to be renewed.  I have gotten what hours I do have on my own because I have not been employed except for one year.  My summer will be spent doing as much online training as possible so I do not have to pay the $180 to retake each test and the $75 (this were the prices last time I checked).  I also hope to have some classroom training but I haven’t had a chance to sit down and figure out what classes are worth the time and money.

5)     About 3 or so years ago that the certificate that I and several of my friends received was not good as it was thought to be.  My certifications are Early Childhood – 4th grade Generalist (meaning I can teach any subject in ec-4th grade) and 4th – 8th English, Language Arts, Reading (this means that I could teach those three subjects in those grades).  Well, according to the Department of Education, 5th and 6th grade are elementary and if you teach in one of those grades, you must be certified to teach ANY subject. . . .math, English, science, social studies.  That is not how the certifications were set up here.  In many schools in our state, 5th and 6th grade are in intermediate school or middle school and those students do not have one teacher for all subjects.  Anyway, long story short if I want to teach in those two grades I have to take a new certification test.  Yuck.

6)     My grandmother is 89 years old and over the past year she has begun falling, a lot.  I have already been driving her to her hair appointments but I am pretty sure that over the summer I will need to begin grocery shopping and possibly cooking for her (on occasion).  This means that I will have to be even more organized with my time.  I have to admit that it is a little overwhelming and sometimes I am selfish and wish that someone else would do it but my Mom is gone and that pretty much leaves me.  Yes, I know that sounds selfish and I feel bad about it but it is what it is and some days I just feel that way.

7)     My little sister who lives about 5 minutes from me is looking for a job in the big city.  If/ when she gets one, that means she will be moving 3+ hours away.  My Mom would have jumped right in and helped her get packed, help get her house cleaned up good and moved.  I am pretty sure that Mom expects me to do what she would do.  I don’t want her to move and I refuse to talk about it.  I know again, selfish but . . . . . .

8)    It has been 4 years since my parents had to pack up their entire house to get their foundation cracked.  A lot has gone on since then.  My Mom only got to spend a few nights in the house after it was fixed.  Over this time we, mainly Dad have gotten a lot of the stuff unpacked but there is still a lot to be done.  I am hoping that I can encourage Dad to get it done this summer. I am hoping that maybe this will help give me some peace and closure.  I don’t know that it will but I know that Mom wouldn’t be happy knowing that it wasn’t finished yet and I know that there are some things that just need to be out of storage to help make home, home again.

9)     I miss family vacations.  We haven’t been on one with my whole immediate family since we went to Alabama back in 2005 I think.  I love spending time with my family and I never feel that we spend enough time with family.  I really need it.  I only get to see my middle sister and her family maybe 6 or 7 times a year.  I miss them a lot.  The kiddos are getting so big and I am afraid that before long they won’t want to spend time with us.  I love them so much and the thought of losing close touch with them breaks my heart.  Hoping to find some extra time to spend with them.

10)    Our church just moved into a building of our own and for the last 7 years I have done all of the church secretary work from my home.  I can’t wait to begin working out of my office at the building.  I especially can’t wait to get all of the paper out of my house!!

11)      Can’t wait for vacation.  Trying out a new destination this year.  More on that later.

12)    Although my husband is still in the school business, he no longer has summers off.  Since I am home during the summer I get to do whatever he needs me to do plus the mowing, trash taking out, trailer packing, gas getting and whatever else pops up.

Well, that pretty much sums up my summer.  It will be super busy and will go by too quickly but I hope to enjoy it as much as possible.

 

Sunday, May 19, 2013

2nd Grade Memories


Today as I sit in a classroom with no windows and one student, I think back to the things that I have missed about being a full-time teacher.  I also looked at some pictures of my kiddos from last year.  Not being rehired was very hard.  I had been looking for a job for four years and although I did not plan on working in a private school I ended up enjoying the job, the kids and my co-workers very much.  I miss being in the classroom everyday helping my students discover things about themselves and the world around them.  It is so exciting when they catch on to something or read a book and they really “saw” what was happening in the story and realizing that people are different and they can still work together and be friends.  It is the hardest job I have ever done but it was by far the most rewarding job I have ever done.  I really hope I get the opportunity to do this again because without a doubt in my mind, this is the job that I was meant to do.

What We Are Eating This Week!


Well, I thought I had our menu for the week all planned out and then Dad ask tonight if we wanted some bbq brisket and potato salad so because who can turn that down. . . . .the menu has changed!

Monday:  bbq brisket and potato salad

Tuesday:  taco salad

Wednesday:  fend for yourself

Thursday:  leftovers

Friday:  out to dinner with Dad and RAW

Saturday:  fend for yourself

I hope you have a great week!

Tuesday, May 7, 2013

Walking

I am really trying to be healthier these days.  I am tired of being tired, not feeling like doing anything and so many other things.  I decided over the weekend that I was going to set aside 30 minutes and head out to the pasture to walk.  Walking in the pasture is not easy due to grass, cow tracks, cow pies, hog digs, creeks and gullies.  Yesterday I decided to take my camera with me because I haven’t picked it up in two weeks and because I was hoping to find something cool to take pictures of.  I ended up spending about an hour walking and taking pictures.  It was nice and relaxing.  I saw a scorpion, some cowbirds, some cows, a scissortail, wrens, a hollow tree and clouds.  I felt better when I got home and I can’t wait to do it again this afternoon.  I do need to mow myself a path from my house to the big pasture!!  Thankfully my Dad had mowed the pasture last week.  Here are some pictures of what I saw (by the way, I love living in the country!):

purple thistle
my Mom's cows

the family lake

supper time

looking back on my way home, I am being followed

hollow tree

sun and clouds

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