South bound

Flying out tomorrow evening with my family--Mom, Dad, sisters--to my cousin Nathan's wedding in Savannah.  I hear it's a beautiful place, and I am looking forward to exploring the city and seeing my Aunt Karen and her boys.   We plan to do a trolley tour Friday morning and drive out to Tybee Island Saturday morning. 
 

 

Tomorrow is the first day of second quarter so the school year is already 1/4 through.  I have to say it can't go by fast enough.  I'm in a disenchanted period with teaching.  Just tired.  So this little weekend getaway will be a refreshing break.  I'll miss my boys--Ryan is tending the homefront and Macauley is going on his annual spooky campout with Ryan's parents and their friends--but it will be fun to be with the family I came from.  Our first plane trip together!  GA here we come...

uncaged thoughts

 

Not sure what my deal is, but I haven't had many thoughts to put here on the blog in weeks now.  Or maybe I've just let them fly away...I had a quiet weekend to myself while my boys were both away on separate trips.  I didn't sleep well and got a little lonesome, but I did enjoy the time on my own.  I watched 6 movies, did a little antique shopping and scrapbooking, bought a carry-on for my trip to Savannah in 2 weeks, overfed Booker T. and snuggled with my old kitty Alice.  The boys are back and now we prep for another week of work and school... 

 

 

our last open house @ gray

We made our way through the halls of Wanda Gray for Open House tonight, the last one for our now fourth grade Wildcat (who, incidentally, is suffering the aftermath of "the worst haircut ever" given to him by a grumpy, listless stylist at Regis in the mall on Saturday--it really does look terrible, expecially up close where you can see every mark of the clippers, so good thing he's got that handsome face to ride this one out on...). 

 

Macauley showed us all around the place (again), with a quick stop in his classroom (in Big Cat Country), the library and the computer lab.  

 

 

 

Last stop, per tradition, was the gym...seems like just yesterday we were here for the first time with our little kindergartener...

 

The books of summer 2012

If I Stay (Gayle Forman)*
Revolution (Jennifer Donnelly)*
Heft (Liz Moore)
Before I Fall (Lauren Oliver)*
The Sky is Everywhere (Jandy Nelson)*
InZanesville (Jo Ann Beard)
Dreams of Joy (Lisa See)
Sea (Heidi Kling)*
The Chaperone (Laura Moriarty)
Tigers in Red Weather (Lisa Klaussmann)
The Late, Lamented Molly Marx (Sally Koslow)
Gone Girl (Gillian Flynn)
Chasing Brooklyn (Lisa Schroeder)*

I read some books I really enjoyed this past summer (Heft, InZanesville, The Chaperone, Tigers in Red Weather) and some that were just okay.  The books with asterisks are on the Gateway Readers list that is a part of the curriculum for the freshman English class I am teaching this semester.  The YA lit angst throughout each of the selections was rather tiresome for me, but I did really enjoy Revolution. 

The weekend

What a nice holiday weekend...We had a good time in Kansas City, visiting Lane, doing some shopping and getting to spend some time with my parents.  I rode this double-decker carousel with Macauley at the Oak Park Mall.  He chose the dolphin and I took the seal.  We didn't get to do everything we wanted to, so another trip will be in the works.

Most exciting, though, was the news we got on the way up to KC Friday evening that Tyson had proposed to my middle sister Lindsay!  He surprised her on the dock at their lake house with a dance to their song (Zak Brown Band) and then popped the question.  They've been together four years now, and we're looking forward to them making it official.  She wants to have a destination wedding somewhere tropical and then have a reception in Springfield when they return.  So we're gone over 13 years since a wedding in our family (mine!), and now we will have 2 in the same year.  Lane declared the Slim Down of 2013 in light of these events.  Does that mean I don't need to start until 1 January?

Still rockin'

Today I turned 36.  Last night, to remember we are still young and cool, we went with our good friends the Turners to the Poison/Def Leppard concert at Black Oak Amphitheatre in the backwoods town of Lampe, Missouri.  Wish we had gotten seats close enough the see the (also aged) faces of both bands, but it was a great show and I'm glad we lived a little and went out late on a school night.  I was spoiled rotten by my friends today, and I will have to share pics of all the loot I received.  I am now exactly twice the age of most of my students.  Also twice as smart.  Twice as comfortable in my own skin.  Maybe more.  This boy loves me either way, and I plan to grow even older with him.  My life with him (and our funny son) rocks.

Me-yow

School picture day today...my Amy and I coordinated our outfits accordingly...Almost 3 weeks in, it already feels like more than that.  Excited to celebrate my birthday later this week with a trip to Kansas City and a long weekend!

Still sweet @ 16

Our old Allie girl turned 16 today...she's a funny one.  She's taken to bursting into the bathroom like Kramer in the mornings when I'm up getting ready for school, catapulting all 8 pounds of herself against the door and sending it flying open.  I like having her there at my feet keeping me company in those early minutes of the day...can't imagine not having her around.  Happy Sweet 16, old kitty.

Wading in

We went back to school Wednesday...much earlier than years past so that we finish first semester before Christmas Break.  I mean Winter Break.  Macauley is thrilled to be in fourth grade with Ms. Craig, his favorite teacher from second grade.  He really, really wanted those black and yellow Nikes; I searched high and low to find them in his size.  He's carried that giant Trapper home empty each night so far for some reason. 

I had my usual anxiety about the start of classes--wondering what kind of mix of kids I would have, if we would hit it off, if I could get up in the dark at 6 a.m. after the lazy days of summer, if I really have what it takes to do all that is asked of me and then some.  So far, most of my worries have been quelled.  I think it's all going to be just fine.

We got a whopper storm this evening that finally filled the barren little creek behind our house to bursting.  Macauley and I put on our boots when the rain had passed and walked down for a look.

You might not think that teaching would make you physically bone tired, but that's how I've felt the last two nights.  I'll get my mojo back soon enough, but for now I'm looking forward to a quiet weekend at home to regroup before we head into week 2.

For the love of laundry

We branched out from our own little laundry facility (where these hang) this afternoon and took my giant comforter to the laundromat, much to Macauley's delight.  For as long as I can remember he has been fascinated by the laundry process.  Since he was little he has liked browsing through the appliance sections at big stores.  He kind of thinks he's the boss of our washer and dryer which is alternately endearing and annoying.  He took over at the laundromat, which was fine.  I sat and read on my Nook while he dashed back and forth with updates on how many minutes the dryer had left and so on.

Tomorrow is our last real summer day at home together.  Sad.  He'll leave for vacay with my parents on Saturday and when he comes back it will be time for school and I will be back at work.  I'll have a quiet few days to myself next week, but I will miss him and our slow and easy summer routine.  Laundry and all.

around the World Market

So many pretty things at Cost Plus World Market...We stopped by the store in Westport when we were in KC last weekend.  I bought the Guest Cottage sign on 50% off, the little rafiia-wrapped pitcher, a chicken wire basket, a headband and some treats for Ryan and Macauley from the gourmet foods section.  I can see how people could decorate a whole house using items from this store.