Thursday, June 23, 2011
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
Quick Preview
of our weekend home.
There was a big birthday party at my mom and dad's for my dad, Dave (husband), Jason, and Michelle's two-year-olds.
Andy and Laura invited us over for supper and sauna/swimming on Friday night. I took out my new camera for about an hour and snapped some photos of some of the things the kids were doing. That included this - some kind of game they were getting ready to start.
I tried uploading a lot more photos but the Internet here is really slow right now so it timed out. Maybe tomorrow I'll have a chance to go somewhere that has better Internet so I can share some more photos.
There was a big birthday party at my mom and dad's for my dad, Dave (husband), Jason, and Michelle's two-year-olds.
Andy and Laura invited us over for supper and sauna/swimming on Friday night. I took out my new camera for about an hour and snapped some photos of some of the things the kids were doing. That included this - some kind of game they were getting ready to start.
I tried uploading a lot more photos but the Internet here is really slow right now so it timed out. Maybe tomorrow I'll have a chance to go somewhere that has better Internet so I can share some more photos.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Wrap-up
I just looked back at what I was talking about the last few times I blogged and realized there were some cool things that happened at the end of the school year that I haven't mentioned.
The seniors finished :) Well, most of them. They had a big service learning project to do before they were done and after lots of hard work and many extra hours, it turned out pretty good. I learned a lot for next year (the biggest thing is to start it as soon as the term begins and finish as early as possible) so hopefully next year's project will be even better.
We had ZERO snow days the whole year, but to make up for it in the end, we had a power outage day in May (on a beautiful day, no less) and one again in June. It was like a dream having two beautiful spring days off! I got lots of yard work and painting done on my two extra days off.
My students tested well in March so it was fun to get the results back. I told the 11th graders that if the average ACT score for the whole class was higher than last year's average, I'd give them a pizza party. They did it! and collected on the pizza party one afternoon.
I coached a team at a Local History competition and we placed 2nd! I was so proud of my students! The best we had done before that was 7th or 8th so we were really pumped.
Year Three was definitely better than my first and second years so we will see what Year Four brings. If the tenure laws don't change in Michigan, I should have tenure after next year, and I also have to renew my certification to become a Professional teacher (rather than the Provisional teacher I am right now). The tenure thing doesn't mean too much but the re-certification means that I'll have paid thousands of dollars to a university while spending (way too much) lots of time working on higher learning.
The seniors finished :) Well, most of them. They had a big service learning project to do before they were done and after lots of hard work and many extra hours, it turned out pretty good. I learned a lot for next year (the biggest thing is to start it as soon as the term begins and finish as early as possible) so hopefully next year's project will be even better.
We had ZERO snow days the whole year, but to make up for it in the end, we had a power outage day in May (on a beautiful day, no less) and one again in June. It was like a dream having two beautiful spring days off! I got lots of yard work and painting done on my two extra days off.
My students tested well in March so it was fun to get the results back. I told the 11th graders that if the average ACT score for the whole class was higher than last year's average, I'd give them a pizza party. They did it! and collected on the pizza party one afternoon.
I coached a team at a Local History competition and we placed 2nd! I was so proud of my students! The best we had done before that was 7th or 8th so we were really pumped.
Year Three was definitely better than my first and second years so we will see what Year Four brings. If the tenure laws don't change in Michigan, I should have tenure after next year, and I also have to renew my certification to become a Professional teacher (rather than the Provisional teacher I am right now). The tenure thing doesn't mean too much but the re-certification means that I'll have paid thousands of dollars to a university while spending (way too much) lots of time working on higher learning.
Back!
I've tried to post a few times from my phone but that hasn't worked for me. I guess that's my only excuse for taking three months off. Wow, three months.
Happy first day of Summer! Hopefully you're somewhere that is getting summer today. I am - it's 90 degrees here.
It should be a wonderful summer being off for three months, but right in the middle of it I have to take three courses for my Master's Degree. :( I've been looking at the syllabus for each class and all the work I have to do for just one class is looking overwhelming. Not to mention adding the other two. Shoot. The fun starts on June 27 and lasts until August 5th. It doesn't sound right (looking toward the end of the summer), but I might start to really look forward to August 5th.
Aside from that, it's almost our first anniversary. In some ways it feels like we've been married longer than a year because some of those stretches when we were apart went by r e a l l y
s l o w l y. At the same time, a YEAR already?!
We're going to New York for a couple of nights this weekend before we head home for a two week vacation (full of getting stuff done like home repairs, making wood, and tons of homework). We're hoping to camp for four nights in the middle of all that but we'll see. I just may bring my school books with me for some "leisurely," entertaining reading material.
I hope you're all enjoying "summer!"
Happy first day of Summer! Hopefully you're somewhere that is getting summer today. I am - it's 90 degrees here.
It should be a wonderful summer being off for three months, but right in the middle of it I have to take three courses for my Master's Degree. :( I've been looking at the syllabus for each class and all the work I have to do for just one class is looking overwhelming. Not to mention adding the other two. Shoot. The fun starts on June 27 and lasts until August 5th. It doesn't sound right (looking toward the end of the summer), but I might start to really look forward to August 5th.
Aside from that, it's almost our first anniversary. In some ways it feels like we've been married longer than a year because some of those stretches when we were apart went by r e a l l y
s l o w l y. At the same time, a YEAR already?!
We're going to New York for a couple of nights this weekend before we head home for a two week vacation (full of getting stuff done like home repairs, making wood, and tons of homework). We're hoping to camp for four nights in the middle of all that but we'll see. I just may bring my school books with me for some "leisurely," entertaining reading material.
I hope you're all enjoying "summer!"
Sunday, March 13, 2011
Mañana
(Tomorrow)
I'm not looking forward to tomorrow and I'm already hoping this week will go by quickly. That doesn't sound like a very good combination already.
Tomorrow we start a new term so I have some new classes. That includes one that I've never taught before so it means lots of work. I'm going to complain for a minute. It also includes a class that has 90% of the senior class. Booo-hoooo. Remember when you were a senior? You thought you had it so rough and couldn't wait until it got to that one very important day... I'm not talking about graduation, but the last day you had to go to high school. The last day you had to put up with school (for now anyway).
Well, I can tell you (from a few years' worth of experience) that the teachers were probably looking forward to that day even more than you. Senioritis? Really? Do you want to pass this class (and graduate)?
Maybe it's been too long for me to remember "what it was like" being a senior. Whatever it is, I don't care... Those seniors still have (at least) one more class to pass before they can collect that diploma and move on. If you're in my class, you still have a lot of work left before you're done.
On a much more lovely note, we leave for our vacation in 11 days! :)
I attempted bread again and it's better but not as good as I want it to be. I think try #3 will be next weekend.
One week down, one week left until my hubby's home again. I try not to think about how long he's gone for during the first half of it, then really start counting down during the second half. It's starting to feel long so I hope this week goes by quickly!!
I'm not looking forward to tomorrow and I'm already hoping this week will go by quickly. That doesn't sound like a very good combination already.
Tomorrow we start a new term so I have some new classes. That includes one that I've never taught before so it means lots of work. I'm going to complain for a minute. It also includes a class that has 90% of the senior class. Booo-hoooo. Remember when you were a senior? You thought you had it so rough and couldn't wait until it got to that one very important day... I'm not talking about graduation, but the last day you had to go to high school. The last day you had to put up with school (for now anyway).
Well, I can tell you (from a few years' worth of experience) that the teachers were probably looking forward to that day even more than you. Senioritis? Really? Do you want to pass this class (and graduate)?
Maybe it's been too long for me to remember "what it was like" being a senior. Whatever it is, I don't care... Those seniors still have (at least) one more class to pass before they can collect that diploma and move on. If you're in my class, you still have a lot of work left before you're done.
On a much more lovely note, we leave for our vacation in 11 days! :)
I attempted bread again and it's better but not as good as I want it to be. I think try #3 will be next weekend.
One week down, one week left until my hubby's home again. I try not to think about how long he's gone for during the first half of it, then really start counting down during the second half. It's starting to feel long so I hope this week goes by quickly!!
Monday, March 7, 2011
I'm always counting down to something. I don't set out to do it or anything but I always find myself thinking "only _ _ days until _ _ _ _." Or "Wow, I can't believe _ _ _ _ _ _ is only _ weeks away!" or whatever.
I'm not counting my life away or anything. I don't think. It's just the way my mind works.
That being said...
This is exam week, which means Friday off! Even better: we're 2/3 of the way done with this school year!! I looked at my calendar the other day and realized between now and May, I only have three regular (as in I'll be there all 5 days) weeks of school.
Caribbean vacation: we leave in 17 days and cruise in 19 days! Woo-whoooo!!
It's snowing right now. I hear we're supposed to get a "significant" amount on Wednesday. I'm not sure what that means but probably more than one inch. Shoot. It makes that number up there (17, 19) that much sweeter!
I'm not counting my life away or anything. I don't think. It's just the way my mind works.
That being said...
This is exam week, which means Friday off! Even better: we're 2/3 of the way done with this school year!! I looked at my calendar the other day and realized between now and May, I only have three regular (as in I'll be there all 5 days) weeks of school.
Caribbean vacation: we leave in 17 days and cruise in 19 days! Woo-whoooo!!
It's snowing right now. I hear we're supposed to get a "significant" amount on Wednesday. I'm not sure what that means but probably more than one inch. Shoot. It makes that number up there (17, 19) that much sweeter!
Saturday, March 5, 2011
One of my goals
I like bread. More and more I can't find bread at the store that I like so it's been a goal for about four or five months to start making bread. I don't have a bread machine but I have a Kitchen Aid mixer and today I finally put the hook to some use.
Here is the result...
It was alright. Dave liked it (or at least he said he did). I learned a few things so maybe next time it'll be better... It's actually probably better than store bread but Dave's mom's bread is so much better. So is my mom's (when she makes it). And everyone else that makes their own bread.
My ultimate goal is gluten-free bread. I'm looking for a good recipe!
Here is the result...
It was alright. Dave liked it (or at least he said he did). I learned a few things so maybe next time it'll be better... It's actually probably better than store bread but Dave's mom's bread is so much better. So is my mom's (when she makes it). And everyone else that makes their own bread.
My ultimate goal is gluten-free bread. I'm looking for a good recipe!
Monday, February 28, 2011
Hiatus
(Crazy thought) This winter is going by really quickly. Somehow.
Tomorrow's March already. We're finishing up our second trimester this week with exam week next week... that means we're almost 2/3 of the way done with the year. It's been a great year and I have some new challenges coming with the start of the third trimester. I'll be teaching a math class for the first time at this job. I'm really looking forward to that but I know it's going to be lots of work.
Dave was traveling a lot at the end of 2010 and beginning of this year. He's been home quite a bit since the middle of January, though, so it's been really really nice! He's leaving again in a couple of days and I'm not looking forward to it. The good thing about the end of the school year coming up (quickly) is that over summer I'll be able to travel with him again.
Speaking of travel, in a few weeks (at the end of March) we're going on a Caribbean cruise vacation! Seven days of cruising plus a couple days in Florida :) :) :)
Hope you're enjoying the sun these days!
Tomorrow's March already. We're finishing up our second trimester this week with exam week next week... that means we're almost 2/3 of the way done with the year. It's been a great year and I have some new challenges coming with the start of the third trimester. I'll be teaching a math class for the first time at this job. I'm really looking forward to that but I know it's going to be lots of work.
Dave was traveling a lot at the end of 2010 and beginning of this year. He's been home quite a bit since the middle of January, though, so it's been really really nice! He's leaving again in a couple of days and I'm not looking forward to it. The good thing about the end of the school year coming up (quickly) is that over summer I'll be able to travel with him again.
Speaking of travel, in a few weeks (at the end of March) we're going on a Caribbean cruise vacation! Seven days of cruising plus a couple days in Florida :) :) :)
Hope you're enjoying the sun these days!
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