Thankful Thursday #8

Yes, it is Sunday. I am a bit behind. It's been quite a week! But I have many things to be grateful for this week, here are some of them:

1. Parent teacher conferences are OVER! And I survived! Even though it made for a really long week, the fact that we don't have any more this year makes it all worth it!
2. More comments on my vent post than I think I have ever gotten. Thank you all, you brought many smiles to my face!
3. My wonderful sister Lacey and friend Katie who went to ice cream with me late one night after conferences and distracted me from things that I worry about too much. We have found a frozen yogurt place in town that I am in love with, it is quite heavenly!

This shirt says it all, truly:

We decided to take a picture of our feet instead of our faces since we weren't feeling super beautiful.

In the end we did take a face picture. I really do love these ladies!

4. These BEAUTIFUL flowers given to me by a darling student. It was her last day on Friday. I may have cried a little. I hate goodbyes, I get very attached. Yes, they are in a coke glass. I don't actually own a vase (I have never needed one, I don't really get flowers!) They have done great in the glass, three more lillies have opened over the weekend.

Most of all, I am thankful for many, many people who made a difficult week easier to deal with! Happy Sunday!

Can I vent for a moment?

*Warning* this post contains high amounts of negativity and whining. You are more than welcome to skip this post and jump down to a much happier post about Valentine's Day that I finally posted.

I try not to whine on my blog. I figure that I don't want to read it, why would anyone else? So I just haven't been blogging for a while. When it rains it pours. I really just want to vent right now, and so cyberspace gets to listen.

• I have had three sicknesses in the past two weeks. I am ready to be done.
• My car insurance has decided to be stupid. They have been pulling an extra 42 dollars out A MONTH since November. I need to switch insurance companies. Quickly. Any suggestions?
  
• Parent teacher conferences are this week. I really enjoy my students, and their parents are wonderful, but the idea of two days of teaching/conferencing from 8 AM - 8 PM is exhausting.
  
• I really want to go for a run, but it just keeps snowing! I thought we were in for an early spring . . .
• 2 1/2 weeks ago I ordered a new couch that I fell in love with. I was told it would be in 2 weeks later. When I called 2 weeks later a very rude sales agent informed me (after being handed around to every worker there) that it had not been made yet. Today they called to tell me it will be at least 3-4 weeks until it is made and shipped. So do I cancel the order of the couch that I truly love, or put up with obnoxious workers and delayed delivery. Ug.
• Between the furniture company and the insurance company, I am sick of working with people on the phone, especially ones who make me feel like a child.

Sorry, I will be done now. On a happier note, I have found a new treat that I am IN LOVE with:

Toasted Pecan Nut Crisps. I like the almond ones as well, but the pecan ones taste almost like french toast. I keep them at school for an after school snack.

Also, my 1st graders are doing their very first book report this week. They are SO excited. We picked out our books today. I promised them that I would do a book report as well. I am reading Gregor the Overlander. I hope it's good. And I hope I can get through it quickly.

Anyone up for ice cream this week?

*Just found this quote on my friend Suzette's blog. I thought it was appropriate.

Someday everything will all make perfect sense. So for now, laugh at the confusion, smile through the tears, and keep reminding yourself that everything happens for a reason...

And this one from my mom a while back:

"I believe that God only gives 3 answers to prayer: Yes, Not Yet, and I have something better in mind."

Author unknown

Thankful Thursday #7

I am super thankful for a Valentine's Day that was fun, EVEN as a single person! I am thankful for my darling students (I was given candy, chocolates, roses, and even a chocolate covered strawberry!) and their enthusiasm for the day. I am also thankful for my beautiful nieces and the surprise that they left for me:

Coming home was the greatest surprise ever! How can a door like that not make your day? It may, or may not have stayed up for several days before I had the heart to take it down!

Thankful Thursday #6

Today I am extremely grateful for my nieces. I currently have 3, and two more are on the way, both due around May. I LOVE these girls. I love their smiles and hugs and kisses. I love walking into a house and hearing "Tay-Tee" as they run at me. I love their cute little personalities, and that each one is SO different. I am sure that nephews are fun too, but I really like my girls!

Brookie Broo

Ivy Belle

Maddie Jo

Aren't they adorable? I can't get enough of their cuteness! YAY for nieces!

Sick Day

I have been sick for the past few weeks. Just a cold, nothing too serious. But after a few weeks it gets old not being about to breathe while you sleep. I have been doing pretty well during the day time, its nights/first thing in the morning that have been causing me problems. Plus teaching on top of the cold has caused some pretty groovy laryngitis. I sound kind of manly.

I woke up yesterday exhausted and ready to be done. I decided that it was time to visit the good old doctor to see if my suspicions about my sinuses were right. I quickly arranged for a substitute and made sub plans for the day.

The earliest doctors appointment I could get was for 11:00, so I spent my morning working on homework (Have I mentioned that I am taking a class?) I went to the doctor, was told that it was a sinus infection, given some lovely antibiotics and nose spray before heading home. The doctor even mentioned the how excellent my current voices sounds. It was pretty humorous.

By this point I was feeling pretty good. After I got done we decided to go out for a girls lunch since it is a rare occasion that I am not at school.

We went to the Coppermill, which has never been my favorite place, but I LOVED it! We have some insanely good food!

We each got a different type of sandwich and (carefully) shared them without sharing germs. Each sandwich was divine, the onion rings were ENORMOUS and we ended the meal with a piece of one of my all time favorites:

Chocolate Truffle Cheesecake. Oh how I love this stuff. Nobody else had ever tried it. I think I have made them all believers.

We scraped up every last bit!

Now I am going to get some laundry done and my house cleaned, and hopefully within a few days will be breathing easier. I have to say, as far as sick days go, this one has been quite heavenly!

Happy 100th Day!!!

Last week we celebrated the 100th day of school. This is a big day in first grade. We play big time! Not only was Zero the Hero there, but she also brought her sidekick Marty the Mathematician, AND Henry the Hundredth Boy. It was pretty intense.

Zero the Hero was so excited about the hundredth day that she brought a treat/game for the students. She brought four bags, each with chocolate animal crackers in them. One bag had exactly 100 cookies. The others had more or less. Each student got a chance to choose which bag had 100.

All of the students guessed. We then counted each bag, and compared them with the guesses and found that . . . .

not a SINGLE student guessed right. What are the chances that with 23 guesses not one single guess would be right. Every other bag had guesses. I was shocked! It was okay though, we still ate them :-)

Can you believe that 100 days have already passed? I am shocked! How time flies! Happy 100th day!

Happy Saturday!

Today I made a major purchase.

I bought a couch.

A sectional, actually.

I love it.

It won't be here for two weeks.

I can hardly wait!

Happy Saturday!

Thankful Thursday # 5

It's been a hectic week. My goal of blogging three times weekly has not gone so well this week. Today's Thankful Thursday is a short one, but something I am oh-so-grateful for! Today (in the presence of extreme cold weather) I am very, very thankful for heaters, blankets, coats, and all things that keep us warm! I am thankful to live in a time when we live in heated houses.

I am also thankful that Phil didn't see his shadow! Let's hope he is right about an early spring!