Our firepit

A few weeks ago, we had a great time sitting around our fire pit telling silly stories, laughing, and just having fun together.  It didn't even seem to matter that it was 90+ degrees when we started the fire...go figure!

Keeping busy

We are always looking for activities for the kids to keep them off the TV and video games.  Kathryn got a bracelet making kit for Christmas, but until this summer she was too busy with school and homework to focus on making bracelets.  The kids and I have had a great time this week trying all of the variations of the kit.

Jackson turns 4

My nephew has his 4th birthday party this weekend.  I cannot believe he is 4 already!!!

Playing with Kitty

One of her favorite things to do!

Jason turns 36

Happy birthday, Jason!

Cross stitch

It feels like I've gotten a lot finished...

 

 until I see how much more I still need to go:

 Will I get it finished before school starts?  Who knows! 

Bike riding

Flowers from my gardens

I need to adjust some flowers in my gardens, since it seems one or two colors always bloom at the same time. I need more color!

Painting

Summer!

Today the kids and I began our summer vacation! This is the earliest in the year I can remember the kids getting out of school. We are out so early because snow days were built into the school calendar, and we never had to use them (since we had essentially no winter this year). It feels so strange to hand in my keys and make plans to NOT work for 2 months. When I was making plans to go back to school, I thought having the same schedule as my kids and having a 2 month break in the summer was the best thing about being a teacher. Don't get me wrong, I still think it is pretty fabulous, but now I realize how essential this 2 month break is. Maybe my year was harder than the average school year, but even so, I could see teachers around me (veteran teachers) become overwhelmed at all they were asked to do. This 2 months to refresh and reset our minds will make us better teachers next year. I couldn't imagine losing this summer break. What must year round school be like?? Anyway, I was more than ready to put this year behind me. It was hard. Much harder than I thought it would be. I am proud of myself in a lot of ways for how I did. I made mistakes, but I learned so much. Lessons I learned this year will make me better in the future. But I also feel bad that I will not miss most of my students. I will think fondly of them, and will be interested in learning how they are doing in life if I see them in the halls of the middle school or in Walmart, but I will not wish them to be in my class again. It was time for them to move on, and I wish them well in their lives. So, we have big plans for the summer! This will be the first summer break in a while that I actually have a paycheck to use on recreation. In my head I have a schedule of things the kids and I will do to keep ourselves busy, but as always, a lot of it will be just being around the house, getting things done that I dream of doing when I'm really busy during the school year and working outside to make things prettier. But it will be relaxing and refreshing, which I desperately need.

A 2-working parent-home. Yep. That's us!

I am developing a new respect for my friends and family who have always worked and raised their families. It is hard. I'm finding out that it is difficult to split my time between my family and my work. I am bound to do less well on one or the other, but that is the life a working mom, it seems. That sounds a little depressing to write it out here, but it feels like the truth right now. I am not able to spend as much time on my kids as I once did, and I don't have the energy or patience to mediate or teach my own kids like I once did. I'm hoping that over time things will balance more, but at the same time I'm realizing that balance won't come until I focus on that. So, although I hesitate to make resolutions, I did this year. One of my "resolutions" was to spend less time on work things and more time with my family. I only allow myself to work late 1 (sometimes 2) days each week, and I cannot bring work home with me unless there is some "emergency" where something just has to be done, and there is no way I can juggle time to get it finished in time. I also still do my regular Sunday lesson planning, since I have not figured out where the time for that will come during regular work hours. At some point, I hope to get that done at school too, so I won't have to bring that home either. Teaching is what I am meant to do; these last 6 months have confirmed that for me. I went back to school for my degree because I really felt God wanted me to work with children and show them that there are people in the world who will love them. Although it took a long time, that purpose has not changed. I am really working on my brain to remember what is important: My family. God's will for me. Then all the other stuff. I guess things have been overwhelming for a little too long, and I am nearing desperation to be free of the burdens. It's time for me to find a new way. So that's what I'm working on: the new way to live my life!

Kindle Fire

Today I got a new tech. toy! I have been thinking about getting one for a while and finally decided to go ahead and do it after Christmas. So far (after about an hour playing with it) I am really happy with it! I can do Internet stuff as well as using it as an Ereader. I'm pretty excited to have a few minutes before bedtime to wind down. Since I began working, trips to the library have all but stopped,so having access to reading material will be good. We'll see how this works, but I think it will be pretty great!

Trimming the tree

We followed tradition and put the tree up Saturday. I pushed for white lights this year, and with a 3 to 1 vote, we got the white lights! Kathryn was disappointed, but once she saw the finished tree, she did agree it looks very nice. Now the Christmas fun can begin! 11 1/2 days until the kids and I are out of school. It can't come fast enough.

Fink Thanksgiving

The kids building a fort out of leaves. They were entertained for hours! We had to stop them at dark to clean up (by flashlight).

 

My class

New fan

Yay Jason!!!

Kathryn's Bedroom renovation

Kathryn's Birthday weekend

Poor Kitty

Kitty disappeared for about 2 days, and when he came back, it looked like something had gotten his head in its mouth. His injuries have healed, but it's scary now when he doesn't come right away when we call. We have come to really like having him around, so I hope he keeps himself safe!

My birthday - 34!!!

1st Day of School 2011