Sunday, August 17, 2008
yeah, yeah, yeah
Phew, another week under my belt and I'm starting to finally feel like I'm settling into the new job. I'm still a little overwhelmed due to the fact that I'll somehow have to figure in another passenger's schedule to the routine real soon...not sure how I'm going to manage that yet (we're also attempting to carpool with my friend, Sherri, and will be adding a dance class on Mondays for Miranda which Sherri will be taking Miranda to with her own daughter after school while I take her son). I've decided that if it means I have to quit working to chauffeur 24/7 then so be it, but am hoping that it won't come to that.
Life's been a whirlwind and I feel like I can't stop to take a breath lately. I'm really feeling out of my depth here - not just because of the new job, but also with everything else that seems to be spinning around our orbit. I'm taking today off to breathe...just finished watching Sex and the City (movie) as my down-time moment (great movie...just like the show, and yes, I cried). Yesterday we went to town for a day with the family so as not to dwell on missing the memorial service for my sister-in-law. It's been difficult to keep my mind off of it all and not letting it get me down. We took the kids to lunch, then miniature golf (we had free coupons, so figured why not use them since they've been in my purse for about a year). It was a very long day and I'm realizing that I'm going to work on Mondays more exhausted than when I come home on Fridays. Weekends are supposed to be for re-energizing, but that doesn't seem to be happening. I've got to work on that.
Well, that's about it for now. Sorry this post isn't upbeat...I just needed an outlet this time around.
P.S. I've already lost 6 lbs. since starting work. Yeah!!
13:30 Posted in 01. My Ramblings | Permalink | Comments (3) | Email this
Monday, August 11, 2008
Anniversary weekend
I woke up on Saturday morning and started rushing around trying to get Adam's sleepover finished up, get Adam to soccer sign-ups, then over to the school carwash when Randy calls me (he was on his way home from Phoenix) and tells me to look under the mattress. There is an envelope that says "open on Saturday". So I open it to find that he has planned a surprise getaway for just the two of us since we barely got to see each other on our anniversary. I was to pack a bag and get home from running around asap. Adam went for a sleepover at his friend's house and Jenn and Miranda had a girls-only slumber party while we went to Laughlin, NV. We stayed at a casino called the Colorado Belle, which looks like a steamboat and really looks quite realistic, especially on the inside. All the casinos (there are about 8 of them) are on the Colorado river, so while you are in Nevada, you're looking across a river to Arizona. Turns out that it's only 2.5 hours away and SO much nicer that Vegas! The only thing in Laughlin apparently are the casinos while the employees must live across the river in Bullhead City, AZ. It's not at all trashy and gross like Vegas is, but with plenty to do. After checking in, we gambled a little then went to dinner (where we played Keno), then went to The Comedy Room for a show. Great comics and fun! Then we gambled a little more and headed off to bed around 4:30am. The next morning we went to a brunch, then toured all the casinos, finding one called the Don Laughlin's Riverside which is very family friendly with a bowling alley, movie theater, and kids castle (a huge supervised kid's area with tons to do)...it even has Catholic mass on Sundays which was interesting to see in a casino, lol. Oh, almost forgot, there is a beautiful river walk behind all the casinos, along the river, which spans the whole strip. Very pretty at night (even though it was still too hot to really enjoy at midnight).
So, our getaway was really wonderful! We're home and back to the grind now.
Here's where we stayed:
Here's a view from between the buildings...our room was to the far left of the picture, down a floor from what the deck you see...overlooking the river.
18:18 Posted in 01. My Ramblings | Permalink | Comments (2) | Email this
Friday, August 08, 2008
Personality Quiz
Ok, one thing I might change is the bedroom. I really liked the stark white one and the one with tons of bookshelves covered in books, but chose the one I did 'cuz I think pink, romantic bedrooms are so relaxing. Having said that, I don't like the room in the picture at all with the wallpaper and being so overly frou-frou.
I chose the clothing design as art because it's a type of creative art that I really can appreciate with the type of art that I do and am drawn to. Unfortunately, the site read this to mean that I buy expensive clothes, which I don't. I'm not at all into shopping, and even less into designer duds. ;0) Just wanted to clear those things up.
20:30 Posted in 01. My Ramblings | Permalink | Comments (2) | Email this
First week
Hey there! So today is the last day of my first week teaching. It really hasn't felt much different from when I subbed last year, so haven't really had much new to say about it. We currently have 13 students ranging from 3-6 years old, 4 who are new this year. We have 3 more joining within the next couple of months (2 of whom are new) and slots for 2 more kids to fill our class. So far, so good. The energy level is much calmer than last year and we are hoping to keep it that way, but not getting our hopes up quite yet, as this is only the first week... ;0) The only eventful thing that's happened so far was one of the students taking the child-sized dust mop to the fish bowl. Fish somehow survived it, no worries.
So my plan for losing weight is working. A cereal bar for breakfast, take a modified taco salad for lunch (just lettuce, ground beef, and salsa), and trying to have a big bowl of broccoli for dinner, but occasionally eat something else. I went to my aquafit class last night too, but that was only the 2nd time since it started (have missed 4 classes total...mostly due to monsoons closing the pool down). Weighed myself this morning and have lost 4 lbs. since Monday. I hope this continues!
Okay, off to school. Will try to update again soon.
p.s. We got Jenn's schedule for the fall term. Yeah! I can't remember all the classes, but of course Physics and Physics lab as well as an Engineering Math class are on there. Cross your fingers that this all works out!
07:13 Posted in 01. My Ramblings | Permalink | Comments (1) | Email this
Sunday, August 03, 2008
Weekend update...
So yesterday was the dreaded day...the day when I would go against all of my instincts and brave a family get-together in Phoenix with the in-laws for Randy's parents' 50th wedding anniversary. Most reading this know the backstory of why this was something I dreaded and I will not go into it all here, but just suffice it to say that I was really not wanting to do this. Jenn decided to come along as well because she wanted to see her cousin, Roxanne, whom she hadn't seen in quite some time (she usually stays home for these things). Well, I have to say that the day turned out to be a really nice surprise. Everyone was mellow (yes, everyone! I know, shocking!!) and thoroughly enjoyed each others' company. It couldn't have gone better. Most of the day was spent in the pool (by everyone but me and Sabrina anyway), having a blast together. Jeff was launching the kiddos off of his shoulders over and over and they had the time of their lives. Miranda had had 4 weeks of swimming lessons and was finally becoming brave enough to put her face in the water. Well, one day in the grandparents' pool and not only was she jumping into the water and going straight under, but by the end of the day she was swimming around the pool with only her little floatie-jacket to keep her up (which she's never trusted before), as if she'd been swimming all of her life, using her arms and legs!
One highlite of the day was the talent show. We had to perform in order to earn our cake and ice cream.
The kiddos: Adam did magic tricks, Miranda told jokes and sang "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Bat", Jenn recited "Jabberwoki" and "Fire and Ice" by Robert Frost, Roxanne did a 3-minute portrait of Curly (the dog), Tyler drank a glass of water (he wasn't into it), and Muriel told jokes.
For the adults: Randy balanced chairs on his fingertip and chin. Jeff photographed everyone's "inner self" (he's a great photographer), Sabrina sat and "looked pretty" (she didn't get any M&Ms for that one), Preston made Curly do tricks, and Beverly put a roll into the player piano and made everyone sing "Happy Birthday". I even forced myself to sing "Seeds" by Kathy Mattea. I was incredibly nervous of course, since I completely freeze up when singing in front of people, but did alright until the last line when I got too nervous to sing anymore. Oh well, still good that I forced myself to do something that terrified me, even if I used Miranda as a human shield while singing.
It was just a fun, joyful day and everyone had a good time. It was so unexpected that I am still reeling from it. ;0)
Tomorrow begins my journey into full-time teaching. Ok, so I'm a co-teacher, but it's still a lot of work. I'm a little nervous about it, mostly about trying to juggle the kids and work, but am giving it a shot. I'm questioning if I should have agreed to this, or just stuck to subbing, which I really enjoyed and which gave me a break between the exhausting energy of a class full of 3-6 year olds.
Tuesday marks mine and Randy's 13-year anniversary. He says that 13 is a lucky number, but I say let's wait until the year is up to claim that, lol. I think it will be a good year, as they've all been. Well, that's about all that is happening in our lives currently, so am off to spend one last evening with the family before I'm too exhausted at night to enjoy it.
17:09 Posted in 01. My Ramblings | Permalink | Comments (2) | Email this
Wednesday, July 30, 2008
Quickie
Got Jenn registered and paid the tuition deposit for ERAU today. She'll start at the end of August and I think it will be a good fit (she's sticking with Space Physics with a focus on Astrophysics). Still trying to figure out how to get her back and forth though since I'll be working...trying to figure out if there's any way for her to live in the dorms instead, making it easier on my schedule as well as hers if she ends up tutoring and copy-editing for the school newspaper as planned. Ugh, when did life get so complicated?! I probably made a mistake thinking that I could work as well as keeping up with the kids' schedules, but I'm going to try...stay tuned to watch my complete nervous breakdown. I'm sure you won't have to wait long.
19:12 Posted in 01. My Ramblings | Permalink | Comments (6) | Email this
Tuesday, July 29, 2008
Ten on Tuesday
10 Things to Do When It’s Too Hot to Go Outside
1. Have a karaoke party with the family
2. Have a movie marathon
3. Read a book
4. Soak in a relaxing tub (usually while reading a book)
5. Make shakes / smoothies
6. Catch up on internet stuff
7. Game day
8. Go out to lunch and a movie with a friend
9. Go shopping
10. Break out the water toys and play in the backyard
23:05 Posted in 03. Daily Lists | Permalink | Comments (2) | Email this