It was a town where everyone knew everyone and with that, everyone knew your business…ha!  It was an average town with mostly middle class families.  The parents worked and that was normal. 

Since growing, the town has the near million dollar houses and families with very large incomes.  We don’t know everyone anymore and (thankfully) everyone doesn’t know your business. 

During December, the PTO president sent out an email to us saying that the guidance counselor was collecting items for some low income families in our community.  These families have children that go to our schools.  I am so disappointed to say that I didn’t get the chance to make a donation.  I have no excuses for this.  I got caught up in daily life and didn’t make it a priority to donate.  I am so sick about this because it is horrible. 

Today, I went to my PTO meeting and the principal from the building that the guidance counselor works from spoke.  He said he wanted to send out a huge thank you to all the people that donated to the families for Christmas. 

He said that they were able to provide gifts and necessities for 14 families in our school district!  He said he was there the day that they filled up vans and SUV’s with the goods for the families.  He said he had mothers and fathers hugging him crying, thanking him for the help. 

He said that the enormity of it all really hit him when a mother with three children said that her son walked into her bedroom saw three gifts and asked where the rest of the gifts were.  There was only one gift for each of the kids.  My friends and neighbors ( I mean the community) helped this family have a better Christmas.  They allowed those kids to go to school and talk about the things they got for Christmas, just like all the other kids.  The principal said it took everything in him not to start crying in front of this mother.  He said he walked back into his office and had to take a moment to compose himself before going back out. 

He said to all of us, “here we are so blessed and so fortunate. We forget sometimes that there are families in our own small town that need us. Families that can’t provide toys or books for their children to have the kind of Christmas that we all have.”  He is so right. 

A half hour before he said this, a lady sitting next to me was telling me how her daughter wanted some sort of Barbie van and she couldn’t find it anywhere.  She got it from Ebay for $155!  It normally retails for $70. 

I can’t donate to all causes, I can’t spend all my time volunteering for all the charities but I can make a small difference in the lives of a few people.  I intend to make this a priority next year.  I intend to do better from here on out.  I do give when and what I can and I feel good about it but I know I can do better. Can you do better? 

This display of love and compassion from the community makes my heart smile.  I felt so good today hearing that these  families were able to have the Christmas that we all go crazy trying to have.  That is the best!

My first known charity that I am helping this year, March of Dimes.  I will be walking again this year on the Team Kaydence family team.  If you know of a charity that is close to your heart, let me know.  I’d love to help out if I can!

I try to at least read everyone else’s sites to keep up to date on what is going on with everyone.  Is it just me or is everyone overloaded with so much going on?! 

It doesn’t help that our home computer is not working…you get online and then it shuts you down and you are offline.  I don’t know what the problem is but I think we need to clean out the computer.  The kids mainly use that one and maybe they have gotten us a lovely virus or something.  I don’t know, hopefully we can get it back up and running soon.

My laptop is doing fine but the power cord isn’t working very well and I have to rig it up against something so that it charges the computer.  I’ve ordered a new one, though, so it should be in this week and hopefully then, I can quickly charge it up and use it all the time again! 

Things are going well for me.  Work is going fine, I’ve gotten the hang of things and it’s getting easier.  The hours are great and time flies while I am there.  I was even invited to a co-worker’s house last week for a girls night of drinks.  I didn’t go because I had the kids and even though they said I could bring the kids, I didn’t want to be the only one with kids there.  Maybe next time though! 

The kids have adjusted well to me not being home.  They don’t seem to be acting differently or anything.  They’ve been patient with my crabbiness that the exhaustion has brought on too! I’m trying to really keep that in check though. I’m still going to the gym at least 3 nights a week too so that hasn’t changed too much, just the classes I am taking.  I miss going in the mornings though.  I think it is much easier to workout in the mornings. 

I am happy to say that my weight hasn’t gone up either.  I was afraid it would because of all the good food at work but I think that the fact that I can’t just snack all day is helping! 

Jada gets her braces off in three weeks!  She is so excited.  I have to see if I can take off of work though because she has to go in the morning to get them off then again in the afternoon for the retainers.  I was thinking that my mom might be able to take her because some weeks her day off is Tuesday but not that week.  I started thinking that it didn’t matter if she was off or not. I want to be there.  These are the things that are important to me.  Working and earning a paycheck is very important and vital to our lives now but my kids will always come first.  How could I miss out on this very big day in my daughter’s life, right?!  I am starting to realize that the balance of family and work is very hard.  I don’t know if I could have done this years ago.  I also decided to tell work that I cannot work on Aug. 31st as this is the kids’ first day of school.  We have a tradition on the first day where I help the kids get ready, we take pictures outside of their outfits and backpacks and then I drive them to school.  If  I have been doing this since Jada’s first day of kindergarten, how do I stop doing that this year?!  Unfortunately, my supervisor girl who is 23, does not understand these parenting dilemnas.  She looked at me like I was crazy for saying that I may need the day off when Jada gets her braces off.  I’m sure that she will think I am even crazier for wanting the first day of school off.  She will be sure to make a smart remark but that’s okay, I am still going to ask for the days off.  The other people understand, even though some of them don’t have kids either. 

I have to get my car inspected this month and time is quickly slipping away from me.  The two places that I usually go to are not open on Saturdays so I am going to have to see if I can drop it off after work and have them do it in the afternoon.  I hope they can do it.  I know that I need some things done for inspection but I am hoping for less than $500 in repairs.  It will suck but I know that it sounds like it is falling apart!  We have been looking at cars online for me.  We would like to trade mine in for something newer and bigger but not something brand new.  We don’t want a big car payment because we have a savings plan in place to buy a house so this would put a big dent in our plan.  We would rather keep on saving and get out of here!

Why is being a grown up so hard?!  I wish I was a kid again.  No responsibilities but feeding the dogs! 

So, yeah, that’s what has been going on with us.  I have so much more to say but it will have to wait.  I have the day off today and I am spending it with my family.  Time is precious these days.  I’m taking the kids shopping with me.  Time to stock up on snacks for the week!

This morning before school, I was telling the kids that they should give their classmates their email addresses so they can keep in touch over the summer.  Yes, my kids have their own email addresses.  Jada got hers when her bestest friend ever moved away.  Chuckie got his this morning as I was telling them to give their friends their email addresses!  He is thrilled. 

I started to think that when I was younger, I think I gave out my actual physical street address and phone number.  I told the kids that they can give their friends their phone number too but I think they want to just stick with the email address.  Wow, what a huge difference between myself and them! 

I didn’t even know what the heck an email address was until after high school!  I realize that may be late for people my age but I didn’t know.

I guess exchanging email addresses in second and third grade is just a part of being in the new generation.  My kids are growing up so fast.  Makes me want to cry….or it could be the fact that it is the last day of school

I have had so many ideas for a post but then when I went to sit to type it all up, something else came up and I never posted anything!

Let’s see……

I am happy to report that my weight loss/shaping up journey has been going well.  I have been going to the gym at least three times a week but usually four times.  I have been doing the weight lifting, treadmill and several different classes.  My favorite class is Cardio Hip Hop.  It is so fun and I’ve learned the different combinations pretty much.  I think I enjoy it so much because I love to dance and it sort of takes me back to my cheerleading days.  I feel so good about having something for myself.  That’s how I feel when I take any class.  My kids aren’t there, my husband isn’t there, I’m not taking care of anyone else but myself.  I have been maintaining my weight but the difference in the way my body looks is awesome. I can see it and Chuck keeps saying how good I look and how much I’ve slimmed down.  He’s a great support for me.  I have sort of hit a plataeu as far as my weight goes but I’m not sure if it is due to the weight lifting.  The number isn’t as important to me as the fact that my clothes are fitting better and I am in better shape.  That was always my main objective.  I mean that has always been my objective but I would like to see the number go a little lower.  I will continue to work on that though!

So many of my thoughts are about our upcoming vacation.  I am so looking forward to it and I just cannot wait.  I brought out all of Lincoln’s shorts from last summer and not surprisingly, they all still fit….even the ones that are size 9months!  He’s our little guy!   I will only have to buy him some t shirts and I need to make sure that we all have white shirts for our family portrait on the beach.  I have planned some things for us to do but I want to make sure that we do get the chance to just hang out at the beach and house and spend this time with family.

I had parent/teacher conferences last week and I didn’t check on the kids’ grades this grading period because I tend to really get on their case when I know their grades.  I was happy to learn that they each had A’s and B’s.  Chuckie actually moved on in his little math quizzes…he is now on the level with multiplication…which they haven’t even learned yet in second grade.  He’s a smarty pants so I’m not too surprised.   Jada tested very well on her math and surpassed all the baseline levels!  I’m so proud of my kids!

Okay, I have to get going now….gotta bring the dog in, she’s barking at something…there have been skunks out there before and I don’t want her to get sprayed!!

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I am even happier since going to orientation.  I am so darn excited for this school year.  I went to Chuckie’s classroom first.  I met his teacher at the building walk through when I showed him where his classroom is, etc.  She commented to the student teacher how I am always volunteering at the schools, Lincoln in tow.  She said it was fantastic and incredible how I managed it.  Bonus points for her for noticing!!  So, last night, she had a scavenger hunt set up for the parents to find some details of the classroom (what color is the science bin, how many pets do we have, etc) and we took a SNAP test.  SNAP is a math program that they do at the schools where the kids take timed tests to check their math facts accuracy and speed.  Normally, the kids get 3 minutes but she gave us 1 minute.  Then, she announced that we just had to finish the tests and she would tell the kids that we only had one minute!  She’s fun like that.  I was happy when I found out that they would be learning sign language but they are also learning a little Spanish too!  So, so awesome!! 

Now, his teacher has these great concepts in teaching and fun ways to introduce the cirriculum….she has been teaching for 35 years!!!  When I think of a teacher that has been teaching for 35 years, I think of those old women who are known for being mean and set in their teaching ways.  Not the case with his teacher.  Though, she has a reputation for being strict and sometimes mean, I don’t get that vibe from her at all.  She has control over the students when she needs to but they need that and she also wants them to have fun. 

Now, on to Jada’s teacher.  I had her when I was in third grade for math.  She is funny, wants the kids to laugh and go to school in an environment where they are happy and not miserable.  She wants to see a smile on their faces and build their self confidence.  That, in many ways, makes her a great teacher.  She tells the kids that they are going to make mistakes along the way and that it is okay. 

She earned her Master’s degree with a focus on mathematics education, which is going to be so good for Jada as that is an area that she struggles in.  I am so pleased with the fact that she will have a teacher that will help her along and can give her the foundations that she needs to keep going.  Jada even had the chance to be the teacher’s assistant yesterday which was a big deal. She said that Jada sat a little taller since she was the special kid that was chosen.  She has rewards in place to help motivate the kids during the year and she really focuses on positive reinforcement to foster their confidence. 

I am more than happy about the teacher assignments this year.  I know that we’ll have a great year.  I dont’ think there will be any regrets to my saying that later down the road.

One thing that might be a problem….those SNAP tests I was talking about, both the kids are currently on the same level, with the same math problems.  I fear that Chuckie will progress faster than Jada and that might sting a little.  Chuckie is just very good at math and things come easily to him academically.  Jada does very well also but she must work a little harder to get where she is.  He may pass her up by next week so I just hope she won’t have a self confidence breakdown because of it.  She is finally getting to a point where she is comfortable with who she is and she has the self esteem that was lacking.

Chuckie is going to be learning sign language this year which I think is just awesome.  He already learned how to sign “I said no/yes”  I’m hoping to learn it right along with him. 

Jada’s teacher does have some rules that are new to Jada….like not being allowed to close your assignment book but rather keep it open to the current day’s page so that it’s easier for her to just write in it.  Whatever.  Also, the kids must keep their library books in their backpacks and not set them down on the floor or shelves because that makes her angry.  Again, whatever.  Nothing too bad.

Jada goes from 10 or 15 spelling words a week to now having 20 words a week with five robust vocabulary words to memorize.

I have a feeling that this school year is going to be a good one.  I’m hoping for lots of learning, fun and a well-rounded child come June.