Marching On.

Here we are - almost through the month of January. Basketball season has started for Emma and Tripp. Eli is already doing soccer practice and his "official" season starts in a month. We have four months of school left. Eli has three college hours this semester. That will put him at nine, and with nine added in his senior year, and ACT-testing out of English 101 and 102, that will have him graduating with 24 college hours. Holy moly! That is a full year under his belt. Speaking of Eli going to college, we are now in the planning stages. Oh, boy. This summer, he will have senior pictures made. And we should have ordered a class ring already. Except that he does not want one. Make him or not? I don't know. Dave says everyone needs one. Eli just doesn't seem to care. I have offered to take him on tour of colleges. He flat out says no. Then he agrees to go see ETSU and Belmont(in Nashville). He says UT-Knoxville is the place for him. But is it the place for me? :) We are in the process of planning summer vacation. My mother in law suggests we go to Ohio. Isn't that great! :) There is a Jack Hanna Zoo she wants to take the kids to. We can't do Disney just yet because Tripp still likes about two inches to be able to ride the "good stuff". I gave my vote today for Vegas and the Grand Canyon. We talked about DC, but there is so much walking. And with a baby in a stroller, well, I don't think that the museums will appreciate that. Neither will the baby. I am loving my first grade class still! I love teaching and I am thankful every day when I walk into my classroom. It is mine. And I love my co-teachers. They are wonderful. I think that I can still impress my first graders. They have extra special light bulb moments. For instance, just telling them how many continents are is fascinating for them! Showing them the globe is thrilling. And talking about the moon, the sun, nouns and verbs and synonyms... Oh, my!

Friday - ooooh no!

Not the usual title of my Friday posts, I know.





This means I am just a few days of going back to work after a busy vacation week. I guess I should just accept it. There is only one month till school goes back and all the summer stress of babysitter issues will be over. We made it this far - now, we must finish up. Dave has had a busy week - work is beginning to come in! Actually, he is at work again today. And he has a job all next week. It just leaves me needing a babysitter. Or the kids will have to be locked inside the house. :)
This is where we have spent the last couple of days. Ah, it was good. We fished, caught turtles, swam and ate junk. *I use the term WE loosely* I really just observed. I read two Nicholas Sparks books that I hadn't read before. I love him so much because most of his books are based in NC on the coast... and I lived there for a couple of years. I can really visualize what he is describing. The book I finished last night was based in Wilmington. So that was close to my heart.

Homework is calling me. Not really, I just have to complete a unit by Sunday. Since we have 30+ people coming over on Saturday, I have to clean and get a move on other things. Off to write a lesson plan... have a great 4th!

middle of a vacation.

We have been at home this week... vacation time! I am absolutely having a blast with the kids. Today was day three of hanging out by the pool with the kids. So far, in the past three days, I have logged in 10 hours at the pool.

This is what happens when little boys go to timeout under trees after they skip naps.

My kids look like little brown biscuits. That is what I have been calling them. They are so toasty, and sweet. I wish I could take pictures of tan lines - but I would get in trouble.

Tomorrow, we are off to the houseboat for some family time. We are going to stay for a few days. The kids are super excited. We have done such a bad job of taking them to the lake. We had them down a couple of weeks ago and Emma saw a jet ski.... she said, so excitedly, "Look! A water motorcycle!"

It is gonna hurt when I have to go back to work next week. I am NOT looking forward to it. I like my productivity in the office. But, boy, do I miss my babies.

It's Friday and Eli's Home!

Is that exclamation point a good one or a bad one?

It could be interpreted as this:

Eli's Home! :)

or

Eli's Home! :(

Just kidding, Eli. You get the happy face. We missed you so much. You are a joy (most of the time).

My vacation starts today at 3 p.m. I will go home, clean house until about 5 p.m. I need to go to the grocery store. Then, I am off with some girlfriends for a get-together. It is a dad's night with the kids. I am hoping to spend some time talking, laughing and just hanging out. With no thoughts of school, dirty laundry or misspellings on the church bulletin. (Some people were just plain nitpicky this week, I tell ya :)) Nothing like an 8:02 a.m. phone call that informs you that your bulletin did not match up with the previous night's announcements at church.

My thoughts for next week are this: I hope to spend some time playing with the kids, at the pool, taking naps, jumping on the trampoline and being a mommy.

We will see how it goes.