finding our groove . . .
It is amazing how much you can truly get done in a weekend, and still feel rested after the two days. I think we have found our groove :) (well . . . for the past couple of weekends that is). And, yes, I'm not blogging as much as I used to, so you don't know every detail about our lives, but I have resolved to not quit, because I just LOVE having those blog books around the house as a journal of the experiences we have had as a family.
So, time to play catch up a little . . .
For our open house last month, the theme was imagine, explore, and discover. I asked the kids to write down a sentence using one of those three words and we placed it on a poster outside our room. One of the kids wrote this:
So, yes, teaching is stressful, I definitely lose my patience sometimes, I get overwhelmed, but I still find myself thinking about it nonstop--try this or try that or maybe that would be fun . . . . I know when I start to lose the creative side of myself (in that way), it maybe time to be a principal. :) I love working with my sixth graders, and coming up with ways for them to truly learn the information I'm teaching to them. The big STAAR test (state exam) is coming up the end of April, so in the next three weeks we are reviewing everything they learned in the sixth grade. It will definitely be a stressful time for me & them, but hopefully one in which they finally grasp what is being taught---so they will succeed on the test & in seventh grade next year . . . fingers crossed.
I should have added to the spring break post below, because we ended our spring break with a trip to Memaw and Papa's house. :) Ally's family was there, so it was a good opportunity for cousins to play. Karston slept out in the tree house with Papa. I was pretty scared about this because the tree house is like Swiss Family Robinson--definitely a good 25 feet in the tree, and since Karston likes to wonder around at night (sleepwalk) . . . yes, I was worried. Early that morning, (someone in the house's alarm went off--I won't name names) I was awoken at 5 AM. I went out to check on the campers, who had already started to get up. I was able to spend some one-on-one time with my Dad, which I enjoyed tremendously. It definitely made the whole trip worth it, to learn more about my Dad. He told me that when his dad had died, they really didn't have a lot of information about his life. My Dad had started his own scrapbook about what was really important to him during his lifetime, so we would have some source to know about him when he died. I am so thankful I don't have to feel that I don't know him, or read about him in a scrapbook. I am thankful I get to talk with him . . . about Vietnam, my mom, the cars he has owned, and his feelings about us . . . I'm glad I know my dad. I love talking with him and spending time with him--yes, that was the highlight of the trip. :)
(the above picture) Moon is toward the top of the picture (brightest), Venus is to the right, and Jupiter is the dimmer star toward the left corner. And, if you were standing looking at this site, and turned yourself around, you would see a bright red star-Mars. I am an astronomy nutcase (I know). It was one of the hardest classes in college, yet I would take an Astronomy class every semester if I could---I LOVED it. And, yes, I'm pretty sure I'll be going to the Johnson Space Center this summer for a week--I can't wait. This time I'll be learning how to incorporate STEM into my middle school classroom-the program is Middle School Aerospace Scholars Program. I had to earn ten points teaching NASA lesson plans in my classroom. I've already done that, sent in the write ups, and pictures, so I'm just waiting to hear my final dates and stuff. I think the NASA people were impressed how much I used NASA stuff in just about every teaching area from circumference to building rockets in a review session. :)
Karston wanted to try something new this season, and decided to tackle soccer. Karston is a thinker, and the chaos of the soccer field has definitely given him a headache, but he is improving with each practice and game. (above) Kayden gets ready to cheer on her brother. :)
Josh is in the Valley for the "unforeseeable future." A major hail storm hit on Thursday night damaging quite a few cars (1000 claims just on Friday). He had to pack everything up and head out Friday morning. This should make it quite a busy week for us at home--with dad gone, but hopefully, will get through it, especially since it is only a four day week. We had been really excited to go to Pops in the Park at Whataburger Field. The Corpus Christi Symphony was playing at the ball park, and there would be fireworks too. I pretty much had ruled out us going, since Josh was not going to be there, but at the last minute I decided we should still go. We loaded up, and headed to the ball park. The weather was perfect, the music was amazing, and the fireworks were awesome!! Camee, of course, LOVED seeing all the violin players, Karston LOVED hearing the Star Wars theme song, and Kayden LOVED her ice cream cone. :) It was a perfect night for us to hear patriotic tunes, and be together (almost all of us) as a family. We were texting Josh the whole time with videos and pictures.
So, I might not have caught all of General Conference this week, might have slept through some of it (don't know where I got that from), but did enjoy hearing the Prophet bless each of us during his final remarks. I needed that!
And on a side note-about a year ago I was having a real hard time with my first graders, I felt I wasn't cut out to teach the little ones. And then I thought, you know, I haven't ever had a calling/job teaching primary kids (what we call the children's program at church). I was primary music leader for a short time, but I had really never had any calling in primary. I thought maybe Heavenly Father knew I couldn't handle six year olds. Just about that time, I was called to serve in the primary presidency.
Well, now, I was thinking--should I be looking for another job . . . maybe in an elementary grade level, since these big sixth graders give me such a hard time . . . and yes, you guessed it, I'm the new Beehive Adviser in YWs--teaching 12-13 year olds. :) It is just plain funny sometimes . . . . :)
So, time to play catch up a little . . .
For our open house last month, the theme was imagine, explore, and discover. I asked the kids to write down a sentence using one of those three words and we placed it on a poster outside our room. One of the kids wrote this:
I should have added to the spring break post below, because we ended our spring break with a trip to Memaw and Papa's house. :) Ally's family was there, so it was a good opportunity for cousins to play. Karston slept out in the tree house with Papa. I was pretty scared about this because the tree house is like Swiss Family Robinson--definitely a good 25 feet in the tree, and since Karston likes to wonder around at night (sleepwalk) . . . yes, I was worried. Early that morning, (someone in the house's alarm went off--I won't name names) I was awoken at 5 AM. I went out to check on the campers, who had already started to get up. I was able to spend some one-on-one time with my Dad, which I enjoyed tremendously. It definitely made the whole trip worth it, to learn more about my Dad. He told me that when his dad had died, they really didn't have a lot of information about his life. My Dad had started his own scrapbook about what was really important to him during his lifetime, so we would have some source to know about him when he died. I am so thankful I don't have to feel that I don't know him, or read about him in a scrapbook. I am thankful I get to talk with him . . . about Vietnam, my mom, the cars he has owned, and his feelings about us . . . I'm glad I know my dad. I love talking with him and spending time with him--yes, that was the highlight of the trip. :)
Josh is in the Valley for the "unforeseeable future." A major hail storm hit on Thursday night damaging quite a few cars (1000 claims just on Friday). He had to pack everything up and head out Friday morning. This should make it quite a busy week for us at home--with dad gone, but hopefully, will get through it, especially since it is only a four day week. We had been really excited to go to Pops in the Park at Whataburger Field. The Corpus Christi Symphony was playing at the ball park, and there would be fireworks too. I pretty much had ruled out us going, since Josh was not going to be there, but at the last minute I decided we should still go. We loaded up, and headed to the ball park. The weather was perfect, the music was amazing, and the fireworks were awesome!! Camee, of course, LOVED seeing all the violin players, Karston LOVED hearing the Star Wars theme song, and Kayden LOVED her ice cream cone. :) It was a perfect night for us to hear patriotic tunes, and be together (almost all of us) as a family. We were texting Josh the whole time with videos and pictures.
And on a side note-about a year ago I was having a real hard time with my first graders, I felt I wasn't cut out to teach the little ones. And then I thought, you know, I haven't ever had a calling/job teaching primary kids (what we call the children's program at church). I was primary music leader for a short time, but I had really never had any calling in primary. I thought maybe Heavenly Father knew I couldn't handle six year olds. Just about that time, I was called to serve in the primary presidency.
Well, now, I was thinking--should I be looking for another job . . . maybe in an elementary grade level, since these big sixth graders give me such a hard time . . . and yes, you guessed it, I'm the new Beehive Adviser in YWs--teaching 12-13 year olds. :) It is just plain funny sometimes . . . . :)
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