Leavin' in the AM

I'll be headed to Vegas in the morning!!!! We will be going to The Lion King tomorrow at 8 pm. Friday and Saturday we have a big supper planned for all of the family. I can't hardly wait to actually get to Vegas! I'll try and post pics when we get back from our trip.
Michael and I signed our papers for our mortgage. I'm pretty excited about the whole house thing! It'll be WONDERFUL as soon as we actually get to get into the house. I'll try to get some pics up of our new house too!
Well I better go so I can get packed.... I'll write when I get back!

Class done - Preparing for the Trip

This morning was WONDERFUL! I got to sleep in. I knew that I wouldn't really get to sleep in for a while since we'll be headed on our trip on Thursday. I wanted to take advantage this morning! I was sleeping extremely soundly and then the cat, Callie, jumped on my head and laid down on the pillows above my head. I started to pet her and then looked at the clock and it was 9:30!!!! I don't know the last time that I actually slept that long. I was amazed. Normally during the summer I wake up when Michael gets up but I just slept right through him juggling stuff around this morning.
A friend called me to see if I wanted to go with her and her kids to go get golf balls out of the pond at the country club. I was game so I headed over to her house. We ran around the golf course and found about 14 golf balls. Afterwards we went and ate at Applebee's for lunch. We both had some coupons so that helped out our bill A LOT!
Mid-afternoon I finally made it to school. I got all of my students' portfolios organized and turned in. I also finished cleaning up my desk so that it's ready to be moved out of the classroom. Every year they have to remove everything from our rooms so that they can rewax the floor. I'm just glad that I have everything ready to go so that they can wax the floor and they aren't waiting on me! :-)
I'm pretty excited about tomorrow... I am going to get stuff packed and ready to go for our trip. We leave on Thursday morning and we will be in Vegas until Sunday. After we get back I am planning on starting to pack things up around the house. I will also start my first Master's class on Monday right after we get back!
Well, I better get to bed!
Good night!

Summer!!

So, my summer has semi-official started. I had my last day of school on May 22nd. Then I spent Memorial Day weekend with my family and friends. We went to the Great American BBQ in Bonner Springs. The boys accomplished to get second place in the World Brisket Contest. As for the rest.... they were disappointed! Michael and I got back on Sunday and he had to put some rub on more meat! On Monday he cooked the pork for the St. Greg's Golf Tournament! While he was working on that I went to school to finish up grade cards. Monday we also looked at a house. It belongs to a family friend so we just called him to see if he would let us in. Michael's parents came with us. I completely loved the house. Michael liked it a lot too. It was built in 1971 and needs some updates but the structure itself is in great shape. We decided that we would like to go with our Realtor the next day and my parents to look at the house.
Tuesday morning we meet for some end of the year information. I had planned on cleaning and boxing up my classroom but I got a call from a friend that her babysitter was sick and she was in a bind. I ended up spending my afternoon watching two ADORABLE little boys from noon to about 4:15. I was pretty amped up by this point to go back and look at the house. My parents came up to look at the house with us. They liked the house too! We talked to the Realtor and decided that we wanted to put an offer on the house.
On Wednesday I had my catechatical class for school all day but in the middle of the day I snuck away and went to sign the papers to make the offer on the house! Thursday I had the same class all day. I was really nervous about the house but I was pretty hopeful. Friday morning, while I was at the St. Greg's Golf Tournament helping out a friend, Michael called and asked me if I wanted to buy a house! We were able to come to an agreement and we signed the papers on Friday mid-morning. I am still in shock that we are actually going to have a house of our own. One that needs a little TLC but a house of our own. To say the least I am totally STOKED!!!! We're supposed to close on July 15, but I'm hoping somehow we will be able to close sooner. We talk to the Mortgage guy tomorrow!!!
Michael and I will be homeowners!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)
This past weekend I had a friend come and stay with us. It was really nice. We relaxed and watched movies and just talked. Today I went to my classroom and I am almost compeltely finished with everything. I really only have a couple things to do tomorrow... That's why I said my summer has semi-started. After tomorrow I am completely free for my summer, except for my summer classes ;)
This Thursday my family is going to Las Vegas. When I say family I mean extended family on one side of the family. My aunts, uncles, cousins, sibling, parents, etc. We will all be heading out on Thursday and we won't be back until Sunday. I am pretty excited about this little vacation and I know Michael is even more excited than me! So even though my school year has ended our life is still pretty crazy!!!!

Ash Wednesday - The Beginning of My 40 Days Without Facebook!

I know it seems silly but this year I decided to give up Facebook. I am also giving up some other stuff and attempting to accomplish other things during Lent but this is the most interesting thing I came up with for Lent.
I LOVE to get on facebook and catch up with old friends and see pictures of what they are doing in their life, however, I realize that I spend entirely too much time on this particular website. So I've given it up so that I can use my time more wisely. Maybe with my extra time that I save I will be able to do good for others.
As for my other Lenten promises... I am limiting my TV watching time (again to use my time more wisely). Basically I am going to allow myself to watch the news (to stay updated on the weather!) and that's it. The only exception will be on Thursday night because I love Gray's Anatomy and Private Practice. I am also going to make sure that I tell my husband something nice (or that I am thankful to him for) each day.
I am aware that most of these seem simple but I hope it gives me some more me time and some time to focus on the more important things like family, friends, and faith.
I better go... I'm going to clean my desk off (my classes Lenten promise is: We will keep our desk clean- which I guess includes me!) and then I am going to go workout... which I haven't done in three weeks so I am kind of looking forward to this!
Hope everyone has a great day and we only have two more before the weekend!!!!!!!!!!!

Feeling Pretty Good

I must say that I am feeling pretty good about this whole accreditation visit. We (the teachers) had our interview yesterday after school and the team sounded very impressed my school and it's atmosphere. The big word that they used yesterday was family. Everyone that had came in prior to us (parents, principal, students, and support staff) said that they felt they were a part of a family. I have to admit that's how I feel about my work and I am blessed to have it that way. We all getting along really well. Of course we have squabbles like families do but when push comes to shove if I needed something I believe I could call any one on my staff and ask for help and they would be there. I have to say it's nice living in the that kind of environment when accreditation rolls around because everyone gets stressed. We have helped each other through this process and I am thankful for everyone there. I haven't ever worked at any other school but frankly I don't want to. I like that I can pray in school and when something upsets my kids we can pray to God about it. That is a great feeling and after some of the things that have happened in the last three years of my teaching I can't imagine NOT being able to pray and rely on our faith to deal with some things. I don't know how I go this job because I came in with NO experience-straight from college and they still wanted me. That's taking a big risk on someone new and without any experience to rely on. I guess God was pushing me that way... between Michael being Alumni at the school and finding out where I could get the application to me turning down another job because I just had a feeling about the one I'm in. God wanted me there so that's where I'm staying. I never felt so certain about any decision in my life (besides my marriage to my husband). It makes it easier for me to get up and face the day knowing I have support from my teachers and principal.
Enough of the why I love my job business... I have to go get ready for work.
I hope everyone has a great Friday and enjoys the BEAUTIFUL weekend!

Stressed Out #2 (aka BEYOND FRUSTRATED)

I don't even know what to say besides that I am beyond frustrated. It is currently 3:30 in the afternoon and the temperature is 62 (yes... that's right it is 62 degrees on January 30) and I am stuck inside working on my stupid curriculum mapping. I know that this is a necessity for the accreditation process but I just feel that it is busy work to keep me from enjoying the weather or my husband (he's at home relaxing-This is one of the first weekends we haven't had anything planned and I'm stuck at school). I crave to be outside but I'm afraid if I give in I'll never finish and then I'll feel like I have let down the school and my boss - which would be AWFUL!
The other reason I'm frustrated is that I only worked out once this week (Monday) and I can say that I really do miss it. I finally thought I would get a chance earlier this week and I started feeling yucky. I still don't feel very good. I love that I haven't been sick all year and the now A WEEK BEFORE ACCREDITATION my body decided to give in and feel like crap.
I know I gripping and moaning and complaining but I need to get it out of my system. Maybe if I do it now I won't take it out on other people. I am so ready for all of this to be over. Basically at this point I am really looking forward to Valentine's Day because that will mean all this is over and I will get to spend the weekend with my husband. I really don't care what we do I just want it to be US and NO ONE ELSE! I feel like I've barely seen him and when I do he is doing something for me (really it is for the school but same difference). I feel terrible but he believes in this school and says he doesn't mind. I am pretty thankful for the fact that he doesn't mind helping me. I know I take my frustration out on him and most the time he really could care less... So to say that I'm lucky is an understatement at this particular time. He's been pretty wonderful over the last week or so.
Well... I need to get back to work on curriculum mapping (my own form of personal torture!). Hope everyone enjoys the beautiful weather and enjoys the Super Bowl tomorrow!
Jamie

Stressed Out!!!

To say that I am stressed out right now certainly is an understatement! I am currently amazed by the fact that I am still somewhat sane. I have been sooo busy that I am losing track of what I have done in the several days. I have to look at my calendar to remember what I have been up to.

The next two weeks are going to be extremely stressful. This week is Catholic Schools Week. Which means that we are going to be busy everyday with extra stuff to do (make things for parents, going to the movie, doing something for the community, etc.) This cuts down majorly on my teaching time but we'll make it through. The thing that I am the most stressed out about is next week.... We have our Accreditation Teams coming on Thursday and Friday. They will come into our classrooms and observe us teach. At the end of the day on Thursday they will interview all of the teachers. Friday they will go to Mass with us and let us know how we have done on our accredidation. I am so ready for the next two weeks to be over it isn't even funny. I am hoping to find some enjoyment in the next two weeks just so that I can make it through.

With everything that I have to do in the next two weeks I don't know how much working out I'll be able to do. I had been doing sooo good since I started on January 2nd. At this point I don't even know when I am going to find time in the next couple of weeks. I am started to get a little disappointed because of the fact that I have only lost eight pounds and I have worked out 16 days since the 2nd. I know that I've missed quite a few but I just thought I would be getting better results. Right now I feel extremely disappointed with it and frustrated.... I want more results but I feel like giving up. We'll see what happens.