Blessed...

Aging...it's a process I'm getting a new perspective of.  I see changes in myself and my lifestyle as I grow into a grown up.  I'm most of all noticing those around me growing older.  Though the plans of having children aren't priority for Jon and I yet, are my parents really old enough to have grandchildren??  When did this happen?

I'm mostly thinking about this topic because of my grandparents.  I've been extremely blessed to have grown up with 2 sets of wonderful grandparents.  Grandpa M. and Grandma M. lived right next door and a personal relationship was easily and naturally formed.  Grandpa and Nanny lived 12 hours away and with the aide of phone calls, letters, and trips there and here we also formed a meaningful relationship that only grew stronger when I chose their hometown college to attend and was able to visit them several times a week for laundry, meals, love, advice and comfort.  Where did the time go when Grandpa M. could lift me and toss me into the ocean or pool on one of our trips to Florida?  When did Grandpa get too physically tired to work hours in his workshop?

As I've watched Grandpa and Nanny move from their home to a condo and watched Grandma M. move Grandpa M. into a nursing home where he can get better care I wonder where the time goes.  I could cry and cry about the failing health of my grandfathers (and I often do) but mostly I'd like to think about all the wonderful years they've spent influencing the lives of others.  Grandparents are truly grand and special.  I hope that my grandparents always know how much their love and support has meant to all of us.  

They're aging, but doing it with class and grace.  Feeling blessed...

Sweet, Sweet Summertime

It's finally here.  Extra hours in the day.  Dinner ready by 6.  Laundry caught up.  Dishes clean.  Bed made consistently.  Dog walked.  Homemade iced tea prepared.  Banana bread baked.  Books read.  Bike rides daily.  The signs of summer...and it's only the first full week.  Ahh!


In other news, I'm getting back into the swing of playing tennis.  (Pun definitely intended.)  We've played the past two days and I'm loving it!  My muscles are not used to the motions of tennis and reminded me of that when I woke up this morning.  Sorry, muscles, for giving you such a long break from what you love to do.  That wasn't kind of me at all.  Here's to playing tennis all summer long!


On today's agenda:  laundry, exercise, read, a trip to the library, and dinner at Mom and Dad's with the fam.  Yum!


Welcome, summertime.  Sweet, sweet summertime.  :)

It's (almost) here!

We did it!  Tuesday was our last day of school.  We packed and played and mushed all the last minute stories in the day that we could.  We ate the last box of goldfish from the cupboard and even snuck in some popsicles in the afternoon.  As I waved goodbye to the string of buses with my colleagues I saw another great year coming to a close.  Sure, there are things I could have done differently, lessons I probably should have taught and classroom materials I should have put back when I was finished using them.  

Which leads me to my next point...it's ALMOST here.  Summer will officially begin when I've put those things back where they belong.  I have the daunting task this year of cleaning up, boxing and moving my things to a "holding room" until a classroom is transformed into my new classroom.  This new classroom will be worth all of moving I'm doing today.  It will have bathrooms...ahhh! :)  It will have tile...cha-ching!  It will be wonderful!  But today, I put on my work clothes and I move, move, move.  I clean, clean, clean.  I sort, sort, sort.  I refuse to pack and move things I have not used in the last three years.  I may make trips to recycling or our area thrift shop.

Here goes nothin' and hoping that tomorrow it is (really) here!  Sweet, sweet summertime!

The Storm

The rain pours on the roof of our porch and the thunder roars and rumbles.  I am reminded with each breeze through the screen that sometimes we need thunderstorms to remind us to breathe.  It's such a busy time.  Just 6 school days separate me from a three month holiday from my job.  Though, as teachers, we're still busy preparing for the following year, teaching summer school and working other random jobs because we can.  My desk at school is overflowing with paperwork, e-mails, packing (I get a new, real, kindergarten classroom next year...complete with restroom...hallelujah!), and assessing.  But for tonight, I will listen to the pitter-patter above me, curl up with a quilt and read my book that I've been dying to finish for the last few weeks (or months).


Sometimes we just need a reminder...breathe...relax...enjoy life.  Enjoy the storm.

Food...

I just finished watching a documentary on pbs (hey, it's a rainy afternoon in Northern Indiana!) called Food, Inc.  Blah!  My stomach is churning as I have all these new thoughts swirling around in my head.  I vow to take a closer look at the products I purchase and consume.  I remember feeling the same way after watching Super Size Me earlier this year.  Guess who is guilty of eating fast food despite my vow to stop after that movie??  It's tough to make changes but once we are educated it's even harder to make choices without a nudge from within telling you what a poor choice it is you're making.  And I guess that's a start.
Farmer's Market, here I come...


In other news, 5 weeks until summer vacation?!  Whoa...slow down, time!  Too much to do... too many lessons, hugs, pushes on the swing, stories to read, shoes to tie, bandaids to adhere, report cards to fill out.  Oh, dear!

When I grow up...

Jon and I had a fun day planned out today.  We decided to stop by the pool and spa store and take a course in hot tub 101.  We've had this big ol' hot tub just sittin' here without water all winter long.  It's time we fill that thing!  We've got the supplies and knowledge to do it now.  We also headed to Notre Dame for a lacrosse game.  The weather was a bit chilly, but the sun was shining brightly and it felt oh-so-good!  The game was exciting (although, ND lost) and we'll be going to some more this spring.

After the game was over I talked Jon into making a pit stop to the "teacher store" so I could breath in bulletin board materials, erasers, paint, paper, pens, manipulatives.  Before I walked into the store I was remembering my childhood memories of making trips to the "teacher store" with my mom.  I am so glad she saw the passion her third grade daughter had and went with it!  Mom would let me wander the isles, dreaming and scheming of what could be.  She also let me make little purchases for my classroom whose students consisted of teddy bears, younger cousins and neighbors.  Well, today as I walked into the store my attention was immediately drawn to a little girl, no older than 7, walking around the store with her mom and dad.  She was making choices of the newest additions to take home for her teacher play.  And what did they call this little blonde haired cutie??  Katie!  It was as if I was watching my childhood!

Counting my blessings that I'm living my dream!

TGIF

Ahh! I love the weekend! There's no better feeling than 3:30 on a Friday afternoon when I've put the last child on the bus. Though I love my kiddos dearly, I need a few days to breath and renew before a new week begins. Jon and I had a great evening relaxing, eating pizza and watching basketball at a cousin's house. A perfect start to the weekend!

Tomorrow we plan to catch a lacrosse game at Notre Dame before doing a little shopping for spring break essentials. It's hard to believe that a week from tonight we'll be in Florida! Hooray! Also on the agenda for the day is to check out our hot tub...could this be the weekend we fill 'er up with water and chemicals?!

Here's to Friday evenings, when it seems the weekend will never end...

Welcome to the blog!

Welcome to the blog! I had some free time on my hands last week while home sick and thought I'd set up an account. We'll see how frequently I actually end up posting...

We had a very exciting week in kindergarten! It's been valentines week and love was in the air! We decorated our boxes last week and over the weekend I transformed our housekeeping center into a post office. My kiddos had a great time delivering their mail this week. today we had a party (with waayy too many sweets!) and read our love letters. We were all feeling warm fuzzies by the end of the day. :) What a fun time! Those are the memories that stick with you until you're grown up!

Now it's a four day weekend--yippee! I can't wait to spend the weekend with my valentine! More updates on our plans in a later post.

Happy birthday, Honest Abe!