FAT Tuesday!

Or some call it Paczki (poonchki)Day for those fattening, yet delicious little Polish snacks that are consumed on Fat Tuesday. I certainly celebrate in a paczki or two when available, but as for the Ash Wednesday celebration to follow, I'm not Catholic so there won't be any services at my church tomorrow.

I can't believe that in 40 days it will be Easter! Then again, yikes it's 40 mor days until Easter?? My school district takes it's Spring break from Good Friday through the following week. Doug will be home in another week, Don's college and my second job is off starting March 23, Brian is off the last week of March, and I have to wait another 40 days. Can you see that there is no simultaneous breaks here, so therefore, there is no vacation to anywhere besides here.

I think there has only been 1 time that any of us had spring break together since I started teaching years ago. I think it happened to be last year, but only with my high-schooler.

We've been so lucky to have 2 straight days of sunshine. Although it's still been cold, at least the students have been able to get out, run around, and the sun always makes the day a little bit better.

Well I decided to take a bit of a break while getting my things ready for teaching at the college tonight, but unfortunately I have to get a bite of dinner and head out.

Happy Fat Tuesday, hope you get a paczki!

Ahhhhhhhh...3 day weekend!

Some weeks at school are very long. It feels like 7 days long squeezed into 5. This past week was one of those; a very long week. I've got some kids who are making bad choices about gossiping and some choosing not to do their homework. That calls for consequences and one day this past week I had 6 kids in detention. Then there is a group of "mean girls and boy" who continually cause drama and talk about one another. This quite often takes place outside of my classroom and therefore gets handled by the office. Thank goodness, I've got enough to deal with inside of my classroom. So it wasn't until Thursday afternoon that a valentines party was a go because of behavior. Friday went fine, but an assembly and a party was thrown into the schedule which for some students makes it a bit off and things get crazy.
Thankfully I made it through to get to my 3 day weekend.

Saturday was relaxing and a bit quiet because Don slept all day because he worked Friday night. I went and got my hair colored, a lighter shade of brown, and then went out scrapbook shopping for a browse around a store I rarely go to. Then we went back to her house and finished...yes FINISHED my cow album. I've use a Maya Road Lunchbox. Then I designed around 90 pages of cow themed pages. Each page was 7x5 and has embellishments based on the 1999 display in Chicago called Cow's on Parade. The outside of the tin needs a bit of decoration, but there are a lot of cow pages done inside. I've been able to complete my Christmas journal, my Believe book, and now the cow album this year. Now I'm going on to my Texas album from my November visit to see my friend Helen. I can't wait to work on this, it is going to be relatively simple and I think somewhat based on how Ali Edwards does her preplanned Christmas albums and such.

This weekend, I also paid my fees to attend a scrapbook weekend in June. Just after school is out, I'll be able to go Friday through Sunday to scrapbook. I'm going to hopefully be working on my photo caruosel for my European Baltic Cruise vacation from last summer. I also have tons of pages that I need to finish for other photos and my Oprah album about when I was on Oprah's Favorite Things show. Believe me, I have plenty to work on. I also have 3 H's I want to alter for a display.

I've also been feverously trying to finish my vest I've been knitting. The back pieces are finished, not sewn together, but finished and now I'm about 20 rows into the front right. I'm hoping before summer comes, to have it finished and wear it. I have plenty of stuff that also needs done as far as knitting projects lined up too. I've also found some delicious wool that is being recycled so those projects are forthcoming too.

So I need to go do a bit of laundry, go get new dog tags, I want to look for a yarn winder, and should do something about grading some papers (yes, my favorite job) in order to get grades posted to do progress reports for this week.

Hope you have an enjoyable President's day and a great week ahead.

A Two Post Weekend

Can you believe it??? I truly can't. I have had a really nice, relaxing weekend. I got a few things done. I wrote all the bills for the entire month, scheduled the online payments and now when I can get into my room to file them, I'll get them filed and finished up for February. The wonderful thing is that even with an added car repair, Don needing to buy books for school, and student loans starting again, God provided us with the funds we needed and just a bit extra to save for a rainy day. If I'm able to save some each month, I'll be able to go to my girlfriend, Marybeth's scrapbook weekend in June. It's very local, but weekend away with friends, scrapbooking, challenges, and delicious food. It also provides another opportunity to catch up on a few projects that are unfinished.

Another beautiful day in Chicagoland. I heard the weather forcast and Tuesday they are calling for 62 degrees. Remember it's February people and we should not be that warm. We are going to get hit again, I know it.

On Friday, I stayed at school with 3 others and we did Billy Banks' Boot Camp video. Those squats have me still feeling it in my hamstrings. Tonight I might hop on Wii Fit for a bit of aerobics and balance exercise. Anyone else out there do Wii Fit? My favorites are Advanced step, ski jump, and boxing practice on Wii Sports.
I'm finding I need a yoga mat for the strength and yoga exercises. Next thing to save for, I guess.

So what made your weekend special? Mine is that Don's home tonight and not working. Although he's asleep, it's always nice to share the bed. (Well sometimes having the bed alone is a simple pleasure too!)

Toodles

I see some friends have been here

but no comments? I'm so sad. I do try to update this old blog as much as possible, but sometimes I want to post but I don't want it to be a posts of whining. Today, there is no whining! Today, February 7th in the Chicagoland area was 50 degrees! Fifty freaking degrees! Ok, from previous experience, 50's in February means two things: One, everyone, especially school children, will get early spring fever and it will be hard to keep them focused through state testing in mid-March, let alone until April's spring break. Two, this is always a sign that we're going to be hit with a huge snowstorm again before spring gets here. After all it is February and there is still lots of snowtime left in this old winter.

I've also been knitting. I finished up a scarf for my son away at school. It would be a nice thought that since it was finished on the warmest day of the winter season if it would ward off any more bitter cold days. I've got to get started again on my vest. I can't wait to finish it and wear it before the winter is over. This is with my yarn from Finland. I've also gotten bit by a bug to recycle yarn. Today for less than $10, I got two 100% wool sweaters and a lambswool & angora sweater. I have to deconstruct them, but I really am thinking a pair of cute fingerless gloves might be an upcoming project with something from the wool. I did find a 100% cashmere sweater, but the condition was a bit felted. Not much worth buying and not in the best shape either.

So I've got spring fever a bit today and with the vase of stargazer lillies on my table is making me long for the sweet smell of flowers. I've got a butterfly project I started late in the summer season last year that I think soon I'm going to hang up and enjoy. When I get them hung up, I'll try to snap a couple pictures of them. Just trying to decide how to hang them, find a stick or hang them individually from my lamp in the dining room?

Well I hope you've had a great day, beautiful weather, and are enjoying your weekend. I'll try to be back soon!