Day 4

Week one is almost over... Hallelujah! I don't remember being this tired the first week of school last year. And the kids we have this year are all saints and Rhodes scholars compared to last year's darlings, so I don't know what my problem is.

I really do like my kids this year. They seem so small and sweet. I even like the boogers, even though I can already tell they're going to be boogers. I can already tell who my biggest challenges are going to be too - a group of 6 boys in my Pre-AP class. Smart and smart-alecky. Cute but obnoxious. Loud but funny. Basically, they are Tater in 10 years. So I already love them, but I'm sure they're going to make me crazy. I do also have a couple of special needs kids that are going to be a challenge in making sure they get everything they need to be successful, but nothing like last year.

I also really like my team of teachers. I feel very blessed to be working with this awesome group of Christian ladies. There are some faces I miss A LOT this year - Jenny, Leslie, Bill, Coley... but I'm looking forward to getting to know some of the new folks.

It's gonna be a great year... or not. The choice is mine.

And I choose greatness.

Anybody want magazines?

For some reason, I have subscriptions to 4 different parent/kid magazines... I haven't renewed any of them in forever, but they keep coming. And the truth is, I don't read them. So anybody want some? I have several issues of Parents, Parenting, Cookie and WonderTime, which is put out by Disney (got that one for free, but it's good!). I will even deliver.

Otherwise, they will all go to school to be dissected and destroyed by 7th graders with scissors. But first I'll have to go through them to take out breastfeeding pics. :)

It doesn't get any better than this

• Sleeping til 7 and then bringing Tater back to bed for some giggly snuggles
• A lazy morning complete with vanilla caramel coffee
• Making brownies with a helper

• A 2 1/2 hour nap. For Tater, not me. I got a lot of scrapbooking stuff organized and actually watched a TV show that was not animated.


• A dust-free living room... the only cleaning I did today. And I'm ok with that.


• Playing outside with my "boys" while a lovely pork loin got happy on the grill


• A 3-dollar kite that actually flies pretty well


• Weather cool enough to require putting on jeans and a jacket in August


• Watching my husband blowing bubbles for Tater to chase and whack with a hockey stick


• Watching my husband climb up on top of his truck in order to get more distance out of said bubbles
• Tater deciding he would rather go to bed early than finish his supper and going down with no fight whatsoever, thus leaving me time to post this.

Thank you Father for reminding me what's important... reminding me to just slow down and take it all in every now and then. And for showing me that I really do have it all.

Tater's fun week

I may have not been having so much fun this week, but Tater sure did.
While Nana is in Odessa helping out with Grandma Peacock, Tater has certainly been making the rounds... and having a blast.

Tuesday he hung out at Auntie Carey's house and played his little heart out with Caleb and Connor. I made the mistake of telling him he was going over there Tuesday on Sunday, so you can guess what I heard all day Monday! They went to the pond, watched a bumblebee, and played, played, played. Tater just adores his cousins... and his Auntie "Cawee"!!

Wednesday he played with my fabulous photographer friend Jenny and her boys. Tater thinks Mason is the coolest! They played with trains and turtles and balls, and sweet sweet Jenny took a couple of pictures of my handsome boy - she texted me to look at her blog and I saw this...All I can say is wow...

Then Thursday was a double serving of excitement, since he spent the morning with Mom's friend Laura and her 3 grandkids and 3 dogs, followed by lunch and afternoon fun with Jessica and Kamryn (who is a whole day older than T). They play so well together! We don't get together with them nearly enough.

And finally, Tater got to spend Friday with his "girlfriend," Cheyenne, who he lovingly calls Shiny. She is a 7th grader, so he's definitely going for the older women. Her big sister Genna is now evidently his best friend too. That would probably be because they took him for pizza and snowcones. They are such sweet girls, and he had a blast with them.

But next week, our beloved Nana will be back, and Tater will be able to get back into his school-year routine. We have missed you, Nana! He said last night he wanted to go to Nana's tomorrow, and seemed disappointed when I told him he got to stay home with me and Dadddy fo the next 2 days...

I am so grateful to have such wonderful friends and family that is willing to take care of my little man! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU for your help and friendship!

And what a week

Well we are back at work, and already going 80 miles an hour...

I have to admit, there is much less worthless, mindless, butt-numbing crap to sit through this year, and we seem to have a lot more time to get things taken care of, but it also seems like we have a lot more to get taken care of too...
Today was a "work day" in which I worked in my room for about 2 1/2 hours total. Of course, a lot of that was our team getting silly and spending time on unnecessary things like Hobby Lobby and tie-dye, but still. :)

I guess I'm ready. It has been hard leaving the little man this week, but I understand the greater plan - His, not mine. And I like my job. And I like my team.

It's going to be a good year.

What a day...

Today was my last official day of summer. SD starts tomorrow. So how did I spend my day? Playing, snuggling, enjoying and making memories with Tater? No. I wanted to, but that just didn't happen. He was in all-out terrible two mode, and I had a monster headache all day that I could not get rid of. The whole day was a battle, culminating in dinner, which became a full-blown war. Definitely NOT the way I wanted this day to go.
I'm more disappointed about going back than I expected to be. I cried a few times today, but not everytime was it because I didn't want to leave him. A couple of times it was because I did and felt guilty.
Ugh. And I dont' even get tomorrow to make it up to him. And here come the tears again. I'm going to bed.

One word answers

One Word Answers

1. Where is your cell phone? counter
2. Your significant other? Randy
3. Your hair? ponytail
4. Your Skin? freckly
5. Your mother? incredible
6. Your Favorite Thing? snow
7. Your dream last night? kids
8. Your favorite drink? DP
9. Your dream/goal? contentment
10. The room you’re in? living
11. Your ex? which?
12. Your fear? failure
13. where do you want to be in six years? here
14. Where were you last night? church
15. What you’re not? lots
16. Muffins? struesel
17. One of your wish list items? dishwasher
18. Where you grew up? here
19. The last thing you did? paint
20. What are you wearing? grubbies
21. Your TV? old
22. Your pet(s)? evil
23. Your computer? school's
24. Your life? mine
25. Your mood? contemplative
26. Missing someone? coworkers
27. Your car? Ford
29. Favorite Store? Target
30. Your summer? gone
31. Like someone? yes
32. Your favorite color? Green
33. When is the last time you laughed? lunch
34. Last time you cried? Sunday
35. Who will/would re-post this? Sara
36. Whose Answers are you anxious to see? everyone

Wow, not very "big" words for an English teacher...

Ah, cool...

The a/c is all better. The repair guy had it finshed right before I left for VBS yesterday so it was nice and cool when I got home. Yay.

VBS has been going great. Our church does "Fuel Week" for middle schoolers at the same time as VBS but separate, and that's who I've been working with. Gosh, these little goobers make me crazy, but I love them. I'm also finally getting to know more people at church, which is good. Only bad thing is that it's over at 9, so getting Tater wound down for bed has been a nightmare. I'll just have to accept that 10:15 is bedtime for this week. And it meant I missed girls' night last night. :( But, it's 8 AM and Tater is still sleeping. I think this is a record.

I had wanted to make a last ditch effort at a play date this week, but it doesn't look like it's going to happen. I am trying to get my new old bedroom furniture (THANK YOU Ang!) sanded and repainted and into my bedroom so I have a relaxing place to retreat to once school starts. So that's taking all my free/naptime time, which means my house is beyond filthy. As in my floor's probably actually too gross for my own kid to walk across, much less yours.

We only have a week left! Waaah! I haven't even been to my room this summer. So I guess my stuff stays unorganized for one more year. Oh well... I have learned to thrive inside my chaos.

I can't believe it's already August. Wasn't it just June? Pooh.

OK, I'm gonna go make coffee. Maybe that will perk up my mind and my mood. Happy Wednesday!

Satan's a booger

I know what he's doing and he's not gonna win.

It is now 88 degrees in my house, the a/c guy was supposed to be here 3 hours ago, and I am past cranky. I'm getting a headache and I have no energy or motivation to do any of the things I need to get done today. Plus VBS starts tonight and I'm working with a small group, therefore hopefully building some connections with some middle school girls.

Therein lies the evil one's plan. He wants me to stay tired and cranky and headachy so absolutely no good work can happen through me tonight. But I'm onto him.

The rejoicing starts now. I'm going to worship my Father regardless.

Screw you, Satan.

The Pit

Our air conditioner went out again last night. The air conditioner that is not even a month old. This coming right after the security light outside (think street light) went out early last week, making our property eerily dark at night. And after the water pressure took a scary dip yesterday making us wonder if the well pump was broken for the 3rd time in 2 years or, worse, the well was drying up. Thankfully, the water issue was temporary. But the air is not. We spent another lovely evening sleeping in our 85 degree money pit of a home with fans blasting us, since opening the windows isn't an option until at least 3 in the morning. Oh and that's plug-in fans - not the ceiling fan in our room, which, of course, broke a couple of weeks ago.

So now I am at home waiting for the air people to call. I need to go grocery shopping, but will definitely wait until that phone call comes... I really don't want to spend another night in the pit of hell. Ok, I'm being dramatic. But that's my mood this morning. Good morning!