been awhile

SCHOOLS OUT!!!!! What a great feeling to have! My first year of teaching is complete!! As Mr. Flowers put it 29 more to go. To be honest I wont be a teacher for 30 year. I will do something to change this education system. World watch out!!!

Well school has been out for two days and I am already planning for next year. That is the nature of the beast I guess. My brain wont shut off. I can't stop thinking about all the things I want to do better next year. Imagine the ticker at the bottom of the news channel with all the updates, that is what I see in my head all DAY!!! I can't make it stop and there are some really great ideas so I decided to write them down. When I have hit my limit I will run down stairs and open my "To Do" list for 2007 2008 and type away. I have a list started with all the ideas and things I need to do. Sad to say this job never ends.

Well we leave tomorrow for Disney!! I can't wait. One week where I get to be a kid again. Mother inlaw is going so that makes things even better. She will do tons for us and make this week so great!! I can't wait. Matt and I are in much need of a vacation. His job is stressful and I don't make things easy so we both need some R and R.

This will be the first time we leave Stella for a week :(. Going to be hard, I am already sad thikning about it. She is our child and you have all these what if thoughts which to some people it may seem weird, we are talking about a dog. The kennel we are taking her to is really nice and a teacher at school takes her dog there so im not worried about the place. Nancy said she would go get her if she get depressed. :)

Well life is normal as usual. We are just hanging around. We still haven't found a church family yet. We were attending a church but we didn't fit in. I think being Luthern makes it hard to attend a southern baptist church. Nothing against a baptist church its just hard going from one type of church to another. Since we haven't attended this one in awhile, we really haven't looked for another. I know that is what is missing and I loved going on Sundays, made my weeks better and my mind set better, but we can't decide where to go. I know God will point un in the right direction, but I also know he wont take our lazy buts and drive us there.

So this summer I don't have a job. It is a touchy subject. I HATE the fact that I am a teacher with a 4 year degree and make ok money and still have to get a part time job for the summer. We work just as many or even more darn hours then any other buisness person and they don't have to get second job. I know some do for other reasons but most don't. I just wish society would see that we dont get summers off. We don't have a nice long break. I am putting my family under stress by not going out and getting a part time job. I hate that but if you look at the numbers I would have to work every day from 7 to five even saturday and sunday to make a fraction of what I make each week from the first day of summer to last to make a difference. I hate that. Matt has been amazing and not forced me to get a job because he knows how frustrated I am. He said it would all work out and I know it will but darn I hate it. I know this is the lowest my pay scale will be so in the years it will get easier (till we have children) but it just boils my blood. That is why I wont teach for 30 years.

So I am not the rep for our school with NCAE which excites me. I am so excited because I love to argue and I love to make a difference. I atteneded my first meeting and it was thrilling. I sat in a room with 50 or more people that were all like me!!! I know that sounds funny but these people are as crazy and want change as bad as I do. So next year my main job is to recruit people to join. I am excited to see how many I can get. I think as a teacher it is our duty to be part of NCAE. If you want people fighting for your rights you need to join. We have had two years of salary increase due to NCAE. Which would have never happened without them. The more members the more moeny and the more rights given to teachers. Right now they were working on getting teachers TWO days of leave that we wouldn't have to pay out of pocket for. I know your going huh. Let me explain. As a teacher we earn personal leave days like every other perfession but the catch is if we wnat to use them we have to pay 50 dollars for a sub. Now logically your should have your jaw to the floor right now. Sad part is there are rep. in the NC governemtn that don't have their jaws to the floor. They belive that teachers will abuse that right and be out all the time. They feel their children suffer when teachers our out. WE ARE HUMAN!!! My brother graduate from college next year and if I want to go see him fifty dollars out of my pocket. That is a joke. NO OTHER PROFFESSION has that!!! Hence why teachers all take sick leave, but as a first year you don't get that many. Parents seeing thier children win an award, fifty dollars, mothers seeing their fiver year olds proformance, fifty dollars. ALL those mean we have to pay. Its a joke, and guess what it didn't pass. they won by saying children would suffer and there wasn't enough money. MY BUT!!! That is a joke. There is money they just don't want to give it. (stepping off my soap box) So now you see why I am the NCAE rep for my school. I hate the way we are treated and I hate that people are makin decisions for us who have never stepped foot in a teachers shoes, and people who only care about money. So if you want more info ask!! or go to www.NCAE.org.

Well that is all for now! I am going back to make spelling lists for next year and working on my to do list!! Hope you enjoyed my soap box. Many more to come! :)

27 DAYS!!!

Can you belive that in 27 days I will finish my first year of teaching!!! Or as my principle said, finished one year 29 more to go. This year overall has been really good. I don't think I started stressing till after Christmas. My kiddos have been really good this year! They overall have been a GREAT first class! My team has been amazing! We truely get along so well!!

Well Matt and I are doing great! He just took a new job and he is really excited. He really wants to move up in insurance. This is a great move for the entire family. The house is going well. We bought a grill last weekend, and matt has cooked two meals already! Its GREAT!!!

My trip to Guatemala was life changing!!! I can't explain in words how this trip has changed me. Seeing the people in this country thank God for the little things they have showed that as Americans we are greedy! It was hard to to feel good because you know your better off, and these people give everything to get to Antigua to celebrate Gods love. It was BREATHTAKING!! Then to go and see the ruins and the volcano was an added bonus. This trip creates a fire in you that makes you want to change the world. I see these children in this country want to go to school and learn as much as they can and the children here complain all the time!!! I don't know but it was a trip I will never forget!!!

Fatty Fatty

Ok so the past few month I have been noticing some changes. I have been slowly buying new clothes because the others don't fit anymore and I the scale seems to slowly get higher numbers. The last time I checked I was at 137 and that means I have gained 12 pounds in ONE YEAR!!! Ok so when you gain a pound here and a pound there you think in your head so what its fine. When the year is up and you weigh 12 pounds more you like where did it all come from. So the past few weeks I have been slowly becoming more and more depressed because I hate the way I look and my pants are to tight and I had to buy new underwear because the others wouldn't cover my butt! So needless to say matt and I have had some heated conversations because I want to do something about it but I can't. I have no where to work out and I have nothing to workout with. Before in the appartments I lived in there was always a nice gym. I could get motivated and just go on up and workout. Now if I get that motivation nothing! I can walk down the street or jog but my legs start to itch and my knees start to hurt and then I am done. So I am in need of workout equipment. We are vernturing offf today to find me something so this depression will go away. The problem we have is when will I work out! So I told matt if we buy something i PROMISE to work out at least four times a week. I want my skinny legs back. The other problem is that people don't see the weight because I can hide it and its all in my legs and butt. The people don't see the red creases my pants leave on my legs when I get undressed at night. People don't see the wedges I have because my underwear doesn't cover my butt. Those are all the hidden weight gains people don't see. So when I talk to people the get mad becaue they say shut up you don't need to work out. So that is why having a blog who doens't talk back is nice.

So the other thing I am changing is my diet. I am going to try to eat better meals and not snack as much. My diet coke addiction will dcrease, but I WILL NOT STOP! I can't stop and I don't want to stop. So the chips and the sweedish fish are out the DOOR!! So please leave some encouragement for me to get through this weigh gain freakout!!

Overwhelmed.....

Being a teacher you take on a duty that I only teachers can understand. I leave my job everyday with this weight on my shoulders and I wonder if that will ever go away. I have always been someone who is dedicated to their job but I have always been someone who hates doing things half ass. This past few days I have felt I have been givng my kids half ass because of all the OTHER stuff we have to do. ALP is an afterschool program that kids are put in if they are low and you don't think will pass the EOG. I have decided to do work ALP which means every tues and thurs till five. Its like an extended school day. Since deciding to do this I have thought more about ALP then I have my own class. I have been planning for that and not thought about my day with 21 kids. Its sad, a teacher said today that if we had time to plan for our own class we wouldn't need ALP. I think thats true, if we were just able to do our own darn job we wouldn't have to have kids be put in an afterschool program. I really am overwhelmed. I feel this way because I love my JOB!! I hate this feeling that I can't do my job and that is the hardest part. I know all the teachers feel this way and that teachers have said this for YEARS!! I def think that as a teacher I just hope in years to come things will get better. I know what I need to do and hope that I will be able to my job some day.

been awhile

The new year has come! This past year has been a long but fast one. Things are going really well. Stella got her woman parts removed which makes her an it. I still love her though.

The house is going great. We went to a struggling artist show today and got some painting for the downstairs. I am so excited to hang them and make this place look a little more pretty. I love getting things for the house!! Matts hates spending the money but its ok cause in the end he loves it.

School is going great! I have a great class and I am really feeling good about this year. Not sure how effective I am and if my kids will pass the EOG but I am doing all that I can. I really don't know if they will grow but I do know that my kids love learning and I love teaching them. Some days are harder then others but my kids are really good. I hate the state of NC but theres nothing I can do to change their rules. OUr children have to learn so much in math its impossible to get it all taught WELL.

well thats all for now. back to cleaning the house and taking STella for a walk.

pictures pictures

Lets try for more pictures.

finally!!!

Well is has been about two months since I updated. I kept trying to add pictures but it wouldn't let me so I would get mad and not write anything. I just gave up and decided that I should write even without the pictures.

Well we moved into the house on the 28th of September. It has been amazing!! Having a house is what we needed. That small appartment was killing me because I felt cramped and I needed space for my things and not just his or ours. They still haven't built the darn deck but its cold so its not a huge deal.

Well we got our first baby!! HEHE I mean our first puppy!! She is the cutest thing ever. Her name is Stella and she is a boxer rottie mix. She has the sweetest personality. Her ears are funny looking so when she props them up. I love her so much!!! Matt and I just laugh every day because of her. She brings so many smiles to us and makes each day more fun.

Well school is GREAT!! I am really suprised how not stressed I am. I wake up each day wanting to be at school and my class is amazing. I have great kids and I really love teaching them. They truely make each day the best it could be. Teaching is one of things that I have so much passion for I wake up each day to make the day before better. I do put alot of pressure on myself and there are days I don't do my best but I try really hard.

Well Matt and I are doing great. It has been a year and six months. Its hard to belive that we have been married that long. We have grown so much together. We are closer now then we have ever been.

Well in April I am so excited because I get to go to Guatemala!! Our school is providing a service trip that you can go on. You have to pay but not near as much as it would be if you were going on your own. I am really excited because you spend half your day learning spanish and the other half in an orphanage helping children. I am so excited!!

Well the family is going great. Mom got married to her ten year boyfriend. FINALLY!! I mean it was about time. They needed to since they have been together so long. I am glad they got married just hope it lasts.

SEVEN DAYS!!!!!!!!

Well we have hit the count down. Today is the seven day mark till we are homeowners. I am so filled with so many emotions. I am ready but scared. Here are some of the recent picks we took. Doesnt look this way anymore because they cleaned up and are ready for move in!!!

Well school is great. I have great kiddos and I love teaching. Nothing really eventful is happening. I have my fist parent teacher confrence so that will be interesting. I can't wait to have this weekend off. We are starting to pack which is so exciting but closterphobic. We have no where to put all the boxes. With the new bed and the old one taken down we have no kitchen and the family room is full.

Well next weekend we will hopefully have all our family up to move!! That is the best part about it all!! We bought all the paint and we are READY for the move!!

Labor Day...

Ok so this weekend was a three day weekend. I really was not wanting to stay at home for three days. Now that I have my own room and class to take care of, I felt like this monday was a waste. People think I am crazy, and mark my words a few months from now I probably wont feel this way about our days off. Having the house almost done we are saving saving and saving more so really all there is to do is stay at home. What fun is that? There is only so much TV a person can watch. I brought home things to do but its boring when you are at home working on stuff. When I am in my room have that vibe and more motivation to work. Ohwell, only a few more hours left.

Ok so today we did something MAtt and I thought we couldn't. We picked out paint colors. Now to a normaly person this may not seem like such a big deal but it was. IT WAS HUGE!! We have talked about colors for two years now. Before we even thought about buying a house. HE is more of a neutral guy where as I am colorful. So right there tells the story. So finally since Home Depot had a GREAT sale on paint today we bought paint. So that made it real which meant we had to pick colors. We sat down on the floor with EVERY imaginable color and picked them out. IT WAS GREAT!! The only room that we are still not sure about is the dining room. I will try to post the color.

Well we went by the house and they have the cabinets in!!!! We were shocked because that meant they had painted and everything. They are going so fast. I am not sure but they may get done earlier. I can't wait because not only are we moving in all our family is coming up and that will be the first time they are all up here together!! I think I am more excited about that.

Well the first week of school was GREAT!!! I love my class already. I am so attached to so many of those little people. I can't wait to really get to know them and figure them out. I have some where I am sort of stumped by some of their behviors but I have such an amazing team we are already working out some strategies. I can't wait to actually start teaching them the fun things. We are starting the Human Body Kit this week and that is one of my favorite things to teach. I love science in general but this kit is alot of fun to teach. I am so excited abou thtis year, but I know there will be those days where I wont come home feeling this way and I want to prepare myself for those days. I belive that if I cherish these good days and use them to help bring those bads days up I will do just fine. :)

The first day is over!!

Top picture is of the hallway upstairs. The first door is the bathroom. Second door is closet. Third door is bedroom two. The doorway straight ahead is the laundry room. The doorway to the right is our bedroom. I am standing the loft taking the picture.

Next picture is of Matts office.

Third picture is take right as I walk up the stairs looking at the loft.

Fourth picture is half of our bedroom.To the right is the doorway to our closets and bathroom.

Fifth picture is of our living/fmaily room. The doorway to the left of the firplace is matts office. The hole in the wall is for the tv. I am standing in breakfast area taking the picture.

Ok so the bottom picture is of the kitchen. The half wall is the bar and the sink and stuff will be on that side. The hole is the pantry and the doorway is to the dining room.



Well yesterday was the first day of my teaching career(sort of). I was so excited when I woke up, and my stomach didn't turn till the bell rang. I wanted to make sure everything was ready and I still didn't have everything. The day went really smooth. The kiddos were great, but I sort of felt they kept thinking in their heads that they already knew all the things I was telling them so I felt self concious. They were really excited that they earned money for things. They really want to have money so they will work hard for it (I hope).

Well Matt and I went out today to buy some things for my treasure box, and that was hard. I don't know what kids like these days. I didn't want to spend alot of money but I also didn't know what to buy. I went to the dollar store and they had some things but I kept thinking that the kids wouldn't want this or that. I was thinking as we kept walking around the store that I should have them write on a peice of paper all thet hings they would like to see in the treasure box. I know they will write expensive things but some may write stickers or markers or something like that.

Well here are some pictures of the final drywall. This week they are putting up molding and then painting. I am so excited!! We are giving the appartment a 30 day notice on monday. I am so excited but scared because its finally happening.

DRY WALL

so here is the house with walls...sorry the pictures have the white specs that is the drywall dust in the air

finished product...sort of...

Here is the way the kiddos will see my classroom!! I am not going to do anymore till they get here. I am so glad I am finished. Next week I am going to start planning and getting things together. I can't wait till they come. I got my class list today and I have 20 kiddos. That is great hope I wont get anymore. I know I will but I really like having twenty. The picture with the yellow paper behind it is for my little brother. See the monkey, he drew that in highschool and was getting rid of it and so I took it and have saved it for all this time. I wanted to get it framed but when I was getting my stuff together I found it and thought it would be such an ispiration to my kiddos. If you look hard the poster that its under is a "THINKER" chart which is a reading strategy!! I am so proud to say that James drew that and all the ladies at work were impressed. I can't wait till the kiddos see it!!

my first classroom!!!

Ok so these are pictures of the almost done classroom. The one on the bottom is taken as you walk in the door. The other is taken behind my reading tabel. The big white board on the bootom picture will be covered as a builiten board. The wall to the right of that will also have something on it. The white board in the top picture is my dry erase so that is where I will be teaching from!! I am so excited. More pictures to come~~

SEPTEMBER 28TH

Ok so that is the date they say we will close!! I CAN"T WAIT!!! I told him I was going to call him everyday till then to make sure he is sticking to that date. I am pretty sure he will unless something drastic happens. Right now he said he needs six weeks, and so that date is six weeks and a day!! I am so excited.

Ok so walking into my classroom yesterday was horrible. I about lost it. I had no idea that it would overwhelm me that much. I really thought I could deal but I couldn't I didn't know where to start or what to do. Today was thirty million times better. I got things organized and I was getting rid of alot of things. I also put our my desks and got those into groups. I need to get things done because I want to get my bb done before parent night. In college they didn't teach you about organizing your room. I had saved so much I didn't want to get rid of things but I didn't know what I was going to do with it. I feel alot better leaving today!! I can't wait till school starts!! We found out we test the kids the first tuesday through thursday so that first real week is a waste so that is nice to know that I wont have alot of planning to do those days. It really hit me today that I am a real teacher!! It is finally here!! Pray for me because I woke up at 2am and had to get out of bed get a sheet of paper and write down all the ideas that were running through my head. It was running a million miles a min. I had all these plans on what I wanted to do and I didn't want to forget it so I repeated it in my head over and over again but then I couldn't sleep, so I had to get up. I hope this wont happen alot through the year!! Well I am off to bed so I can wake up early and get things done!! Thanks for reading!!(I will post pics of my classroom tomorrow)

12 days and counting...

So the kiddos come back in 12 days!! I am so excited!! I have waited for so long for this and its finally here. The only scary part is my room is a disaster and I need to get it all together but I only have three days!!!! So I am going to go later today and see what I can get into. The really dont want us there till the 16th but we will see. I have gotton so many new things for my room. I am so excited because I ddin't think I was going to be able to get anything. I bought fabric for big pillows yesterday. Today I am going to my dear friend Shannons to sew them.

Well we found out last week that the builder said the house wont be done till the end of sept. Which is ok I guess, but it struck a nerve when they told us and I lost it. I was so mad that day because to them we are another homeowner that wants a house. They have no reason to speed up. Ohwell....

Well my little brother came to visit with his g/f. I had such a great time!! I haven't seen him in sooo long. I tried hard to get his hair cut but he wouldn't let me. His g/f is REALLY sweet!! I really like her. She was VERY genuine and really listened when you talked. She actually held a conversation and wasn't shy. I hope they stay together. I wnat him to be happy and he deserves it with all the crap we dealt with!!!

Only a few days left!!!

Well in about a week and a half I will start my first year of teaching!! I can't wait!! I found out today that as a first year I get 300$ for my classroom!!!! That is God working his magic. Matt kept saying with this house we were going to have to save and I was going to have to wait, and look we were taken care of!! I am so excited!!

Well this picture is of the house before they work on the drywall!! It actually looks like a house and there isn't a huge pile of dirt out front!! Its only a month before we move in. We have already picked paint colors and know what rooms are what color. The living room is going ot be hard because he was a brown color I guess I can handle that. Our bathroom is going to be a blue color!! Our loft is going to be a green, my office I am still not sure yet. Our bedroom is another room we are unsure about. Th spare bathroom will be a gold color, our dining room will be white and red. His office will be the same color as the family room. The kitchen I don't think will have a color because I want to do a tile backsplash and then there wont be a wall.

Well I think my father is going through a midlife crisis. We went to Charlotte for Matts bday and we ate with my dad and he stunned us all with two new tattoos. He got one on each arm. On is a sword with a skull on top and it says fear no evil. The other is a skull with a hat that has four bullet wounds and its the ace of spades supposed mean something with luck.It was so funny because my dad isn't like that. Hes a police officer so I thought he was crazy.

sore loser

ok so its so funny how as an adult I am still a sore loser. We played our last softball game yesterday and I wanted to win so bad. I woke up nervous because I wanted to win so bad. The team we were playing has won the last few years and we have never made it this far. We were down the whole game and then we scored like four homeruns. IT WAS GREAT!!! We were tied top of the seventh ten-ten. They scored for runs that inning. It was our turn up to bat and we could only pull one run and then it was over. I wanted it to bad. I do have to say though I actually hit the ball everytime I got up, and they went farthe then ever before. I was so excited. Next year though I am so excited I can't wait for it to start.

Well I have four days left of summer school and then a week off and then I start school!! I am so excited. It;s real. I mean it is the moment I have been waiting for, forever!!! I have doing alot of planning and geting things ready to laminate and stuff. I just went online and requested alot of first day books to read so the children aren't so nervous. I can't wait to start!!! I am so excited now!!

Well we went to the house and they have the siding all on and then we walk through and then amonth it will be done. I can't wait!! Last night we picked our paint colors so that we are ready for the first day!!! Keep the calender open mid september we will need as many painters as we can get!!!

when it rains it pours

Ok so Matt didn't know what he wanted for his birthday but now he does: a new tooth for me and a new alternator for his car. What a lousy birthday and I feel horrible, but I need a tooth and he needs a car. I feel horrible as a wife that I can't provide a good birthday for him. I really wanted to do something special but I can't. I know that its not about the money so maybe I can make somthing good for him to eat and have a nice evening. It just sucks. I hate the fact that we have to take this stupid money and put it towards a car and a tooth. As my mother always says "thats life.." I think that is her motto.

Well on a lighter note, Jodi bought her weding dress. That means its real!! WE have a wedding to go to in July!! I am so excited for her!!

Well I am starting to feel better about school. I have taken some of the pressure off my shoulders and I know that I am not expected to be perfect. I am not expected to teach everything there is and do it perfect. I need to know that I am a good teacher though and that is all I hope for.

look what they did!!

They bricked it!! The fun part though is that when we took this it was 6 in the evening which means they have worked all day!! I am so excited!!!