Week in Review

 

Carlee visits the classroom.  
The students were so sweet- they read to her, touched her hands and feet, and sang to her.  :)

We miss Mrs. E., but Mrs. L. is bringing fun ideas to keep our minds occupied

...like Goopy Goop! 

 

Family Day

       

My grandma and my great grandpa (right).  My grandma is a local author.  She has written Eula, The Red Headed Hobo and Life of a Call Girl's Daughter.  She told me she is currently writing about one of her ex-husbands whom she always thought was a murderer.

I highly suspect there is more story than truth, but true life is so totally boring.  Besides I can see where I inherited both my flair for the overly dramatic and my flair for craziness.

Papa and Uncle Mitchell time.

 

Dad and Connor's trip to the Charlotte Motor Speedway-  good bonding time.

Picnic- 

Student Bragging Time- 

they all did an amazing job with table manners, cleaning up, and completing all the math activities!

 

Gentle Cycle or Spin Dry??

Bags for the South Africa Trailblazer Mission Team- for new mothers.

This project reminded me of how much stuff we have for our children.  In so many other areas people feel so blessed and thankful to have a small bag of stuff.  We are so spoiled.

...you go mission team! 

Visit from the mema and the auntie stephie

Don't go to Connor's Pet Shop, his prices are outrageous!  I complained to the manager right away.  He told me I could shop somewhere else.

Angel

For some reason I was getting cracked up reading this question in my study bible this morning-

Does "having fun" bring happiness?

If this were Jeopardy I would answer 'you betcha'!

FYI- the answer is only yes if you include God- so no "toga parties" people, you might feel good in the moment but it leads to emptiness later.  Keep it Holy.

Sneak Peek into Mrs. E's upcoming present. ha. ha. can't wait.

   
Library Visit

We picked up our first chapter book.  I do all the reading and Connor loves it.   (Personally I think its the stupidest book I ever read about a dog vet looking for a wild python named Diamond but reading is reading.)

Having a Villa Good Time

Ever since I read this book I have been fascinated with vineyards.  I enjoyed reading about the process of wine and all the jobs at a vineyard  more than I did about the characters in the book.  Oddly enough I've never actually visited a vineyard, even though we have several that have replaced the tobacco fields within minutes of where I live.

My pal C. planned a trip for us to go with some friends.  We all said that we were much, much, much, much toooo busy.  She has raised two children and understands the need for girl time.  She highly encouraged us to get out.  Boy was I glad she planned and that I went!  The vineyards were GORGEOUS.  I can't wait to go back and get a tour. 

The air smelled like fall, just a perfect day.

The shop was beautiful and full of beautiful trinkets.  I was amazed at how many awards this place had won...including the BEST crab cakes in the south as featured in State Magazine.

During the walk, my imagination went wild with all the romantic stories that could be told, but then my friend C. ruined it by telling me how she volunteered to pick grapes one time and how terribly hard it was....thanks C. :)

The world's most pathetic lunch.  

Two of us didn't bring a thing (me- shocker), so we divided C's half sandwich into four and then ate part of B's yogurt and fruits (serving for one into serving for four).  

Of course we had to make an unplanned stop at the restaurant (we needed our nourishment).  The chocolate was mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

In the sweetness of friendship let there be laughter, and sharing of pleasures. For in the dew of little things the heart finds its morning and is refreshed. Khali Gibran

We missed you Mrs. E.

I encourage anyone to visit, it was just gorgeous.

10 Signs I'm Doing Too Much

Lately there have been a few signs in my life that are telling me that I am doing too much.  Don't get me wrong, I'm always guilty of "forgetfulness" but it has reached an all time high (or rather low) this week.

1.  I poured my soda into my salad at lunch.  (The salad dressing was in my other hand.)

2.  My reflexes are super slow.

fast feet: do not try to save time by not getting the high chair

 
Carrots anyone??

3.  This is what the back of my van looks like.  I've got church bags, diaper bags, and school bags all mixed up.  Which may be the reason I was 15 minutes late last Wednesday night because I had my school bag while my church bag sat in the kitchen floor.

4.  Brownie Sale- Demise of my Diet

I think I was the top buyer eater (and I was eating so clean in the beginning).

5.  My iPod suddenly had 267 pictures.  Do you want to see the mystery pictures?

 

 

 

 

  etc. to 152 pictures

You get the "picture".   Hey who doesn't want a minute by minute photo journal of ones life?
 A student obviously wasn't playing her educational app. (and I had no clue she was snapping away).   I guess I could be flattered I was her photographic subject, but no fun to delete 267 pictures of me!

6.  This week my fantastical teachers came together to provide little gifts to brighten Mrs. E's day during her rounds of chemo.....it was a wonderful basket!

butttttt her chocolates were starring me down like the demon it was...and I sorta, kinda had to borrow a few under the stress, 

and a few more, 

and a few more.

Yep, I'll be replacing poor Mrs. E's chocolates from her chemo basket. SHAME on me. 

I confessed to Mrs. E.  right away(another chocoholic).  She not only forgave me she sympathized that chocolate of any kind can NEVER be around me if it has a fighting chance of survival.
I need chocolate under stress in the same way that Cher needs plastic surgery in order to fit into her fishnet pants.

7.  This is what my hair looks like at the end of the day. 

8.  I swear to you I took a cat nap for like 5 MINUTES, and when I woke up caution tape was hanging across our house.  Caution Tape?  I have no idea where it came from. Connor says he got it "after school".  All I know is that if you hear of a crime scene that is missing evidence.....you never saw this picture. 

what the juice?

9.  I hyperventilated when 24 hours after signing an agreement to NOT lose my iPad or else pay for it.  I lost my iPad.  I accused everyone and their mother of stealing it (I knew those elderly neighbors looked suspicious) and destroyed the house before I found it one of the house drawers.

10.  I had a nervous breakdown in front of my mother in law.  She offered this advice- You need to stop doing so much stuff now and you need to quit rushing around here crazy like.  You need to get your stuff done at night.  Now you just stop running around crazy, you hear.

Now I know that quote wasn't a Hallmark card but it all came from love in her heart for me. 

(note to self- next time have a nervous breakdown in front to the man who sits in front of the post office.)

My friends and husband have told me for months to scale back.  No, no, no I can do it, I said.  No, no, no I can't, I'm saying now.  This week is devoted to me.  Organizing, clearing out cabinets (gone junk food), moving outside for walks, back to my vitamins, making time for more prayer and scriptures, I'm cutting everything out that I can cut out, and (this one is going to hurt) cutting the technology out after 6 to spend time with my family (school work or no school work).  I'm coming back!  If I don't, I will literally burn out and move to Vegas to be a card dealer who plays for chocolate coins.