See what I learned today!

I almost ordered pom-poms online for my classroom (or my half of the room. Ahem!!!), but decided to try YouTube first. It didn't look too bad, and I got a nice start on mine!

Really, check out YouTube Video if you need to do this. Super Easy!

Just thought I'd say...

I love the summer sounds of evening bugs.

Lemonade!

I finally made the drive out to my classroom today. The principal seemed nervous as she walked through the whole school and finally stopped at my classroom (at the very tip of the school! but not too far from a bathroom, so that's good!). She turned and then mentioned I'd be sharing it half days with the title one/special teacher.  I considered this, happy that my worries the job wouldn't be filled were unwarranted, but very unhappy at sharing with another teacher, after I had been told I'd be sharing with a para.

He had already been there, claimed the bigger desk, and I felt a bit displaced. The room is a cluttered mess. There is a big pile of boxes that need broke down and carried out, and what could be an okay room aesthetically is a mess. I didn't know where to start. How were we to break the room up. I moved one thing right to the middle of the white board, to start, but then I thought the other way might be better. I might lose the big whiteboard, but I would have access to the computers, which is necessary. Why block them off and have to interrupt whenever we need it. So, Tierney and I plan to go back tomorrow and move some more. Hopefully he isn't here, or gets there after we get started, so I don't have to consider his input. I want a window, I want computers for my students.

I'll deal with it. I haven't met him yet, but hopefully we get on okay, and he talks  just the right amount and not too much. I hope he's gone in the afternoons, but I don't know his schedule.

The drive is a killer. An hour wouldn't be so bad if it were interstate all the way, but it's winding two lane roads which require me to slow down rapidly around certain curves. It's scary because I AM the sort of person who spaces out while driving.

I was about to just resign, but then I was reminded of the reasons I chose to work, and they haven't changed. I don't like needing "help". If everyone chose to get help, what sort of position would our country be in? I can't stand not being able to support myself and my children if Karl died or just really screwed up. I want to travel and enjoy the nicer things.

So. The adventure begins. My heart is so torn, but it's the bigger choice, the choice which promises growth, and the better one.

Now to sit back and live with the consequences. 

Pillows!

I know, I know...a post about throw pillows.

But anyway...I mentioned I wanted some throw pillows for the couch to Karl's mom. Bless her heart, she bought me a couple yard sale throw pillows. The problem is the 80s/90s country design colored all cranberry and hunter just wasn't working for me, SO...

I bought this fabric today, 

and Tierney is going to sew covers for the pillows for me. So I can tell Kar's mom they got put to good use AND save a bundle. On Etsy, covers go for about 16 each, I got enough for two or three pillows and thread for $17.

And just some fun morning snapshots...

Already?

I finally got slipcovers for the sofa and loveseat. And I love them! I loved their lightness and the easy, relaxed feel of them. However, I put them on last night, and when I woke up there was a pizza smudge on the top of the loveseat. I got some oxyclean and started cleaning and that started pulling dirt up from the loveseat below!

Then Liam picked his mosquito bite scab and bled on it. Can I cry now?
:o).

Liam was a bit camera-shy today!

Yesterday

On a whim, from a teacher's buy, sell, and trade board on Facebook, I purchased a small climber with slide. It was $75 dollars, and I was cursing my impulsivity until my dad and I brought it home and we set it up.
Liam was so excited, even though it was supposed to be for Gabe's birthday. Gabe likes it, too, but he can't do much on it yet.

Liam asked, "Do we have a park now?! We have a swing, and a slide, and a sandbox!"

So it was worth it.

And last night, Liam sat through the whole first chapter of Little House in the Big Woods (23 pages!), and was able to answer questions about it afterwards. And wanted me to keep reading!

Life is good!

Not much to say

I haven't been writing much. I struggle with balancing complete honesty with looking at the bright side, and I haven't felt much like dragging other people into it. I can't figure anyway around slightly twisting the truth in my own mind, in order to be happy. And I hate that.

But I am not unhappy. Blah..Enough about feelings.

I am in the process of trying to organize my house.  I finally cleared the back corner of the kitchen (again!). Right now it has a table with the sewing machine, small wire shelves with Tierney's fabric odds and ends, and a small wire bakers rack (sort of) with other sewing and some scrapbook supplies. I think I have scrapbook supplies in the basement or something, but I am not looking for them.
I should have more prints made and scrapbook more, but with places like Shutterfly, it's almost not necessary, anymore. I would like to make it a full time crafting area. I plan to bring the small plastic shelves with knitting supplies and  yarn in there tomorrow (today).

I had originally planned to have a little coffee nook there, but it was too far from the water source and just too inconvenient. Then I thought I would make it my own noncomputer writing desk, but it got all cluttered, and now I am just going to designate the whole area for creativity. The hard part is keeping the clean laundry from piling up there. It's not fancy, but I will publish a picture when I can (Karl has the camera in Germany AND one of the kids had taken my camera charger. We had two and both are missing. I guess I should scout their electronics and see whose matches the camera.

I have been really bad about keeping the counter and table cleaned off. While the counter just looks bad, when the table is covered with clothing and various items it completely affects our lives. We stop eating meals together, but instead each person huddles up with their plate and their entertainment. That is not best practices for happy family living!

It's just hard to find a place for everything. It is hard to get rid of things which might be of use at some point. But, really, it's mostly a matter of just doing it, little by little. And keeping up with it. And I can do it, if I could just quiet the little voice in my head telling me to relax, it'll still be there later.


Love,

Jill