Return to one little word

Today I went out with my girlfriend, Marybeth. She has a calming effect on me. She's a Christian, down to earth, honest, and a happy, loving person. She's one of those people whom you wish you could be just a bit more like. I guess I also like that she's a very optimistic person too. She always sees the good in things even if things seem not so great. She's always supportive and caring. She always gives more than she takes, and I enjoy spening time with her and her family.

Well after I came home from our little scrapbook shopping trip, I could have been a bit more like her and did my work. Marybeth you did do your bookkeeping work today right??? Well I came home and had another quiet afternoon. Brian slept until after 2, when I actually woke him up, and Don slept until almost 5.

I worked on a CD calendar with images from my Baltic Cruise vacation from last summer with my mom. I'm all ready to print them and trip them up. Couldn't finish because you'll never guess where my paper trimmer is...that's right Marybeth's house!

Later we went to see a decorated house Brian had told us about and then stopped by the mall to see the lights that were in sync with Trans Syberian Orchestra. The tree in the center of the mall and snowflakes on the outsides of the stores were flashing on and off to the music. It was a bit short, but it was fun to see.

Then I came home and worked on some knitting. As I was about to go to bed (yes it was before this blog post actually,) I got beat into the bathroom by my son, then my husband. I decided to check my facebook and saw someone else had posted about their word of the year. Well I've mentioned this before and it made me come to my blog, look up my list and go to look up the meanings of the words. I've got the appropriate definitions written, I've looked at the synonymns for the words and they keep leading me back into a circle because they all seem to have some similarities. Anyway the list is narrowed to:

Harmony, Serenity, Restore, and Balance. I did have simplicity on there, but when I read that it means the absence of luxury I decided no. I'm able to splurge and have a bit of luxury in my life. I take care of 22 students, 2 children, 1 husband, 2 dogs, and a fish. I'm the only girl in my house and if I want to pamper myself with a bit of luxury like a pedicure then I can't choose the word simplicity. Simplicity in other areas will lead to harmony, serenity, restore, and balance.

I will review the definitions again tomorrow and of course think and pray about the word I should choose.

Until next time...Ciao!

Vacation: Week 1

This first week of vacation has been quite busy and crazy. It first started with my personal snow day last Friday. Then on Saturday, we celebrated Christmas with my family. We had a fun day, a good meal, and good company. It was quite different than most of our previous Christmases because my parents are now divorced. We also decided to draw names instead of buying for everyone. It was nice to not spend so much money, but it was just different than usual.

Then on Sunday, the bottom fell out in the weather department. I was hoping to go to church, then go shopping for the rest of my gifts. But when the windchill was in the -20-30 range, shopping and walking through the outdoor mall and to and from the parking lots at stores like Target and Walmart seems a bit ridiculous. So I just did a bunch of nothing. Sat, relaxed, watched tv, goofed around on the computer.

Monday came and the weather was still frightful, but I bucked up, bundled up, and decided that since the sun was out it was a fine day to shop. I also went scrapbooking with my friend Marybeth. We discussed that maybe we would scrapbook everyday over our vacations. We've done pretty well with that so far. So far I was able to accomplish finishing the Christmas journal I started 2.5 years ago. I finished the "believe" book. I also finished 2 more monogram letters that I want to display on a shelf that needs put up in my livin room.

I then started working on the cow album again. Each of the 2 days I've been working on it again, I've set goals of 6 pages for each day. On day 1 I accomplished 5 pages and on day 2 (yesterday) I accomplished 6 more pages. The number of photos I need to finish is probably about 20 more. I've got some ideas, but I'm finding that my letter/number stickers are dwindling. I have a lot of them still, but I'm finding the nicer ones, or the ones I want to use are running out. My goal has been to use up my supplies because they are becoming outdated and not used because I have been digital scrapbooking.

I also want to try to finish my Texas mini-album from my trip to visit Helen. I also have my Oprah's favorite things album that needs finished. I also want to work on my Baltic Cruise vacation photo carousel. I need to finish editing all those photos too. Wallgreens is having 10 cent photo developing and I should send some for printing.

Well today I've been a bit of a lazy daisy. I have played a bit of Wii. I read one of Kate DiCamillo's Mercy Watson books. I've been trying to decide if I should work on a calendar or start knitting a sweater. Both need done and I want to do both.

Well as you can see, there has been a lot going on over vacation so far. Doug left today to go watch Northern Illinois University play in the Independence Bowl in Shreveport, LA. He went with 3 other guys from school. I'm a bit nervous for him driving all that way. They left this morning at 3:30 am. I just hope they make it safely, act wisely, and return home safely. I know they are going to have fun, but as a mom, I worry from the time they leave until the time they walk back in the door home safely. If you could, please say a prayer for their safe arrival there and home and for safe and sound judgements while there.

I still have a week and a day left on vacation. I want to make the most of it and get things finished. I know that next Sunday evening I'll probably grade papers and get back into the swing of school. I'll be back soon with a few Christmas photos.

Enjoy your last week of December/first week of January! Happy New Year!

Snow Day....My Way

Well it wasn't an official snow day for my school district. See my district never calls a snow day unless Chicago Public Schools do. Seems crazy that our administrators won't make a decision that looks out for the well-being of their staff that needs to travel so far, especially considering the superintendent lives further west and south than I do. Anyway, my policy on snowdays is this...If I will have to leave over 2 hours early to make it on time, if the schools in my area close, and the majority of schools on my route to work close, then the roads are probably too bad for me to try to trudge along at 15 miles an hour. So today was my unofficial snow day.

What did I do on my snowday? Not so much; and it felt great! Made a phone call to the college, made chicken, noodles, and mashed potatoes for dinner, took a shower, scrapped up some dirty dishes, clogged the sink with potato skins, and that's about all. I do need to make some Jello-Pretzel salad for dinner tomorrow and wrap all the gifts for our family Christmas tomorrow.

I should also be finishing Christmas cards, I have about 10 left. I need to make cookies. I also need to balance my checking account. I just have little things to do over winter break, unless you consider decorating for Christmas and finishing shopping little things.

This weekend is going to be busy, but what else do you expect hearing from my blog. I guess I don't know what to do unless I'm super booked and busy. I'm really out of sorts when I don't have plans. That is what I need to learn to work on.

YIKES!!! I just remembered I have a knitting project that I need to finish by tomorrow too! That's it, I'm done, that project MUST be done!

Adios!

A wedding and a narrowing of the list

This weekend I went to my cousin's wedding in Columbus. He was in from Virginia to get married to his high school sweetheart. It was great to see him and finally meet her. I've been around but never met Lacey. Matt is my cousin who I continually brag about as he was the one who played football for the Naval Academy.






I haven't had time to edit these photos, sorry. You can see a few more from the photographer on Heather Claypool's blog.


Also, after considering what I want for my life next year, I've been narrowing down the list. Here is what I'm down to:

Harmony
Serenity
Compromise
Restore
Breathe
Balance
Simplicity

I'm also thinking of removing breathe and compromise. I need to breathe every minute. It's something I don't want to have to stop and do. I'm also tired of compromising. I've compromised a lot this year and it's not about me compromising anymore. It's about taking my life back into my own hands and taking care of myself, mentally, physically, and emotionally.

So now I've narrowed it down just a bit, it helps to sit and type things out so when you reread it you see it right in your face.

Hope you are having a wonderful week. There are only 3 more wake-ups left until break! YAHOO!!!! Considering that yesterday morning I drove to work on ice and tonight it took amost 2 hours to drive home through the snow, I'm in a pretty ok mood. Of course there are a few children at school whose neck I'd like to wring, I'll try to get a few things done and then maybe I'll feel better. Tomorrow is a looooooooonnnnnnnnnnnnngggggggggg day with a meeting during my planning period, an after school meeting, 2 assemblies we are performing in during the day and the evening performance for families. So I'll say another prayer to get through another day.

Ciao!

Almost that "one little word" time

Last January, I posted on my other blog that my one little word was BELIEVE. I needed to do a lot of believing. Believe it or not, it was a good word, especially over the summer. It took me quite a while to pick that word. I've been just now starting to think about my word for 2009. I've actually just been talking to my good friend, Marybeth about it.

I've come up with a list that will need to start narrowing down. Here it is:
Harmony
Serenity
Compromise
Stop
Restore
Breathe
Shed
Less
Balance
Simplicity
Prioritize

I usually look up each word in the dictionary and make sure what I need is in that definition. Sometimes I even use the thesaurus to find what I'm looking for. Then I'll start looking or making things that will be around to help me remember.

Are you picking one little word to help you next year?