To the Sea I Go...

"The waves of the sea help me get back to me." -- Jill Davis

~

Tomorrow I leave for the beach with my mom and Granny. We'll be there until the 4th of July.

I'm looking forward to the salty fresh air, seagulls flying, tingly & stingy cold ocean water on my feet, and all the wonderful senses, sights and smells of my favorite place in Oregon. Mm...

I plan on taking a walk or two by myself, doing lots of reading (currently reading Julie Andrews' memoir) and relaxing. I'm crossing my fingers for some sunshine!

Hope that everyone has fun plans for this weekend. :)

P.S. I love the picture-- I took this last summer. I thought those girls were so cute as they were playing the waves.

A Bad Day That Got Turned Around

~

Yesterday was just one of those days...

I woke up to low-level droopy clouds, damp ground, and stickiness in the air. Not my favorite kind of day. I am not fond of days like that because I feel boxed-in and a little claustrophobic. I need the sunshine desperately!

Anyway.... so that didn't help. I also had been woken up from the sounds of my mom hollering to my sister about the cats - they were trying to coordinate with them and were making lots of ruckus....

Then another irritating thing happened after another and within a few hours of waking up, I was in a nasty mood. I typically am not an angry person and don't get super cranky, but man... oh man... I did not feel good yesterday.  All I wanted was out of my house and away from everything that was driving me crazy.

Part of my annoyed mood was that I had hoped to get my laundry done (seriously needed to do that!) and I am doing two ESOL courses online. I needed time and space for both of those, but could not get it...

I got myself ready for the day and around noon I gathered my stuff and left.

I went to the library- no, I didn't quite run away, though the thought of it was enticing. ;-) I breathed a sigh of relief once I sat down at a table and got myself organized. However, just as I was starting on an assignment someone very dear to me showed up. :) We didn't know that each other would be at the library at the time, and funny enough, he couldn't find a seat farther down so had to check out the area where I was. He didn't expect to see me there (though I thought he came my direction because I had sent a text 5 minutes prior to seeing him haha). So anyway, he sat next to me and we both worked on our own things. I started to feel a little better...

After doing a few hours of work, we decided to take a walk around the park. Much to my surprise and happiness, the sunshine came out and I felt it on my face. Mmm... That was just what I needed. I felt a lot better getting some fresh air...

I had to get home before 6 because I had my belly dance class with my neighbor-friend. Let me tell you, there's a lot to be said about dancing the day away. You may look silly, mess up multiple times, and struggle to get the right movements (even after multiple times of practice! haha)... but it is a great release. My neighbor and I laughed with each other quite a bit. We also were brave in being in the front row last night! I wasn't sure about that but it ended up being okay. The thing is, no one is really watching you in those classes. Everyone is attempting to their best and having a good time as well. I enjoyed being in the class full of ladies and our teacher is amazing. My teacher is Sedona-- who is popular in the belly dance world. She's won lots of awards and does tons of shows. I'd love to see her perform one of these days!

When dance class was over I went to my cousin's house for a family BBQ. I had a tasty burger, a healthy glass of Oregon Blossom wine, and enjoyed the company of my family.

So the day started out bad and got worse... and then it slowly dissolved and got better. Thank goodness! And today is alright...

~

P.S. This is my 100th blog post! Kinda cool.. yeah I'm a nerd ;-)

5 on Friday: Lush Products

Earlier this week I went Lush (website) to get a few gifts for a friend's birthday. I enjoyed taking a little trip to NW Portland (23rd)-- I could have spent the whole day down there but I didn't have the time. So many great stores!

While I was shopping for the birthday gift, I had an opportunity to look at the products more closely. To this end, my "5 on Friday" is going to feature the 5 products I would like to try.

• Each Peach (And Two's a Pair) -- Massage Bar
• Vanilla Fountain  -- Bath Bomb 
• You've Been Mangoed -- Bath Melt
• Whoosh -- Shower Jelly (so cool!)
• Orange Blossom -- Perfume (forgot to smell this one but it sounds delightful)

Okay so there are a lot more products than this that I would like to try! This is a good start though! I will have to go back again soon and pick one or two of these out to "test." 

Beginning of Summer Pictures

I said I would add these "tomorrow" to my post about the first day of summer... and here it is 2 days later. Oh well! I also didn't edit them or anything...

So many colors and shapes during this lovely season :)

Happy First Day of Summer!

"Summer, after all, is a time when wonderful things can happen to quiet people. For those few months, you're not required to be who everyone thinks you are, and that cut-grass smell in the air and the chance to dive into the deep end of a pool, give you a courage you don't have for the rest of the year. You can be grateful and easy, with no eyes on you and no past. Summer just opens the door and lets you out...." --Anonymous

~

Well, today is the official first day of SUMMER! That's right folks-- it is my favorite season of the year, SUMMER! Yippie!! Guess what else?! The weather actually matched what the calendar said about today. Oh man, what a glorious day-- and let me tell you, I sweat a lot (I'm sure you're glad to know).

Today was a good day underneath the hot summer sun, blue skies and of course, a few clouds. I spent most of the day with my friend Jennifer and we did a little shopping. I got myself a Jamba Juice and bought two little necklaces. I'm happy I didn't spend any more than I did! I've had a horrible time with my urges to buy things lately...

Anyway, after shopping we sat outside for awhile and talked, which was really nice. Nothing like a good conversation and being able to talk about anything! I feel so thankful to have Jennifer in my life :)

I ended the day with attending my first belly dancing class! I signed up for this series of classes several weeks ago but knew I wouldn't be able to attend the first two classes due to my work schedule. I was a little unsure of how I would fair through this class, but I ended up doing alright. I also enjoyed spending time with my neighbor, Nancy. We had fun laughing about our inabilities to do certain movements!

The rest of the evening was relaxing.... I took some pictures around the yard... ahh... summer. I love it!

Pictures to come tomorrow... Happy Summer!

Remembering Papa on Father's Day

Today I have been thinking a lot about my (maternal) grandfather, Papa. He passed away in 2003- can't believe it has been 8 years since then. I miss him all of the time -- he was an amazing man and such a good role model. He was a hard worker, a teacher, a strong and gentle father/grandfather, compassionate, calm, had lots of thoughts, and held on tightly to his faith in God. So to honor him today, on Father's Day, I am going to post one of my favorite poems on here that reminds me of him (had to memorize this in the 8th grade and over the years it has become very dear to me). As my mom says, "He was a man among men."

If ~ Rudyard Kipling

If you can keep your head when all about you
Are losing theirs and blaming it on you;
If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you,
But make allowance for their doubting too;
If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,
Or being lied about, don't deal in lies,
Or being hated, don't give way to hating,
And yet don't look too good, nor talk too wise:


If you can dream-- and not make dreams your master;
If you can think-- and not make thoughts your aim;
If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster
And treat those two imposters just the same;
If you can bear to hear the truth you've spoken
Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,
Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,
And stoop and build 'em up with worn-out tools;

If you can make one heap of all your winnings
And risk it in one turn of pitch-and-toss,
And lose, and start again at your beginnings
And never breathe a word about your loss;
If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew
To serve your turn long after they are gone,
And so hold on when there is nothing in you
Except the Will which says to them: "Hold on!"

If you can talk with crowds and keep your virtue,
Or walk with kings-- nor lose the common touch,
If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,
If all men count with you, but none too much;
If you can fill the unforgiving minute
With sixty seconds' worth of distance run--
Yours is the Earth and everything that's in it,
And-- which is more--  you'll be a Man, my son!

Before & After Hair Cut

Before I head off to bed I have to talk about the best thing of this weekend (yes I know tomorrow hasn't happened yet but this is a winner!)-- I got my hair cut, finally! I have been going nuts for the past few weeks so it's great to finally have a change. I feel refreshed and a bit lighter. So... here I am:

Before....

After... (Side note: it was a bit misty today so the styling got a little messed up- gotta love living in the PNW lol)

 I'm proud of myself. I didn't totally chop it off! ;-)

5 on Friday: 4 + 1 (Belated!)

I could have written my "5 on Friday" post yesterday but never got around to it. I wasn't sure what I wanted to write in the afternoon and was far too distracted with updating my blog layout. Then I went out in the evening and didn't get back until late so I didn't bother to write. Oh well! ;-)

So here it is... This week I am writing about 4 blessings and I have 1 big announcement!

Blessings

• Ironically after venting my frustrations on Monday, I got a little break on Tuesday. Work didn't need me on Tuesday evening due to so many cancellations (last day of school for one of the big districts). So I enjoyed the evening and loved that I didn't have to go anywhere. Not great for money purposes but it's alright-- I'm thankful for the breather. :)
• Had time this week to finish the amazing, The Help by Kathryn Stockett. Wow! I love this book so much. I'm sad that my journey with the characters is over. I will admit, I did get a little choked up at the end. I love how Stockett described the setting in such detail, I got lost in the deep Southern world back in the 60's. My heart ached many times though- so sad what colored women (and men- this story is focused on women) experienced in those days. Yes, the book is fiction but it is based on history- the author did lots of research and also grew up during those times. She took a huge risk in writing in a black woman's voice but did an excellent job and know it was done respectfully. In addition to the difficult subject she wrote about, she also did a marvelous job showing the strength of the bonds between the women-- their friendship and how their connections helped them to overcome difficult challenges. It's amazing book and I highly suggest that you read it!
• Went to my sister's boyfriend's graduation ceremony on Wednesday evening. I enjoyed hearing "Pomp & Circumstance" and seeing him in his cap and gown. Great ceremony and inspirational too. The principal at my alma mater is a wonderful individual- he was a teacher of mine when I attended there (6 years ago!). The motto for his class is, "Go confidently in the direction of your dreams. Live the life you have imagined." --Henry David Thoreau. I really like that and liked how the speeches were centered around that theme. Of course, who is going to remember that, I don't know. I know I don't remember much from my high school graduation besides feeling antsy for it to be over. I'm more appreciative of these events now, however.
• Lil moments to myself when I'm out and about. Sometimes there is nothing like some good country music and driving around. I got Lady Antebellum's "Need You Now" CD (yes an actual CD!) and I love it!

One Big Announcement

• I recently received my passport and guess what I'm doing with it?!?! GOING TO COSTA RICA!!! Yes! This chick is going out of the country for the first time. :) In August, Mom and I will be going back with her exchange sister, Leonor (she stayed with my mom's family in high school). Leonor is coming here at the end of July for my Granny's 100th birthday party and then we'll be flying back with her on August 10th. We'll be in Costa Rica 10th-21st. I can't wait! 

Hope everyone had a delightful Friday! I had a great one! haha Happy Weekend!

P.S. Yes there are 5 items in this picture- one is more "symbolic"... the colorful pillow. I decided to use it to represent rest & relaxation. Plus, it provided a nice background for the other items!

Craving a Slice of Peace

Consider this a warning and probably TMI but... I am highly hormonal right now. I am quick to get irritable, more emotional than I would like to be, and am feeling thrilled with the fact that I'm in my room with the door shut. (Tiny unrelated side note: yes my calves are very tight and sore today. It's a good sore though!)

I need space. Lots of it. I would do anything to have 24 hours of tranquility. I know I shouldn't complain too much but I am seriously feeling exhausted in all areas but mostly emotional. I'm hoping that writing some of my thoughts down will help to me to breathe a little easier. It's only hope though.

Frayed. That's a good word and definitely describes how I feel (and how I have been feeling for weeks!). 

I have been going non-stop lately. I can blame myself for part of the craziness and then there's the external stuff that has encroached into my mental space and daily business. I don't want to throw a giant "feel bad for me" party but I do need to let some of this frustration out... so bear with me.

Generally, keeping busy is good for me. I like to have responsibilities, opportunities to make money, and to be involved with professionals. However, life has been more than just plain old busy lately- it feels disorganized and chaotic. 

I don't like how lately I've just been going through life but not really living it. I don't feel satisfied. With mom's wrist being broken things have changed some- I'm pulling a lot more weight in our household, changes in jobs, new cat, ESOL endorsement test on Saturday, general running-around/errands, as of today my degree plan has changed drastically (found out I was able to add in a reading endorsement instead of doing the foundational education courses- so much better but an unexpected change), being sick recently and still not 100%,  mom's having eye surgery tomorrow (cataract, nothing serious thankfully!), and other stuff I won't disclose on here... just been too much. Spring semester ended in May, which took out the school factor in my life... So then that left me with just a part-time job and subbing. Then things picked up again with the two weeks of transitioning to the new job... then it was new job and subbing... and now it will be school and part-time job. One thing I am thankful for is that I am taking 3 less credits this summer, a result of this new plan- so that's a little silver lining....

I'm sure this seems like nothing to some people and I do know that this is not an awful life to lead. I'm not saying that by any means-- I am just saying I need a break. We all need a break from time to time.

I want time to smell the roses. I mean that quite seriously too. Honestly, I just want to sit somewhere peaceful in nature, close my eyes, feel the gentle breeze, listen to the birds chirping, the kiss of the sunshine on my skin, and to breathe deeply. That's what I want. I just want all the noise to stop.... and to just live totally in the moment.

We all need this don't we?

Here's to hoping we can find a slice of peace....

_
*First picture was found online (again- yes I have been in habit of that lately oh well). I searched for the picture in Google Images. 

*2nd picture is actually mine, I took it last summer.

Jelly Legs

"There is a bit of insanity in dancing that does everybody a great deal of good." -Edwin Denby

I may not able to walk tomorrow. However, if I am able to I am sure I will feel every little muscle in my legs creak and groan....

This morning I took my first ever Zumba class. Oh boy. Let me tell you, if you want something to laugh at to make your day better-- watch me attempt to dance. 

May I remind you, I am nearly white as sheet (thankfully with a few freckles to livin' things up) and a redhead. In addition to sticking out from my coloring, I also am probably the world's most uncoordinated person. My left side is just there for symmetry- not for functioning. I'm sure of it. 

Also, if you ask me to move my arms around at the same time I'm supposed to do something with my legs... well, you're in for a treat. ;-)

Needless to say today's experience was quite humorous. I had a great time dancing my lil heart out but I'm pretty sure the smiles from the instructor were from my inability to stay on the beat.

Surprisingly and strangely, I was not too bad at the merengue movements. Amazing! Those were my brief shining moments. I'm sure Carrie Ann Inaba and Bruno Tanioli would have raved about me at that point. I know I would have left Lenn Goodman speechless... ha. Oh the fantasies. :)

Anyway....despite my funny body shapes when dancing and feeling out of breath (oh yeah, my face was a lovely shade of pink after awhile), I had a glorious time and I love it. I'm looking forward to next Sunday!

5 on Friday: Seasonal Cold Survival Kit

Since I am almost over my little June cold, I thought it might be appropriate to write about the five "remedies" things that helped me get better. I tried making a collage with the pictures with a few different programs but they didn't turn out... so I'm just going to list them with a brief note. I'll try and get crafty later on! If only I was a Photoshop genius. *sigh*

• Chicken Noodle Soup.. mmm... 

• Tea-- at one point I almost lost my voice (due to subbing one afternoon) but thankfully the warm liquids did their trick.

• Good quality tissues. Thank you Kleenex! When you have to blow your nose 9 million times (which I'm still not over this nasal stuff quite yet, darn it!), you need good tissues. Don't want to be blowing your nose with sandpaper, which ironically, is how the kleenex feels at the doctor's office. Oh, and technically this isn't really a "remedy" but it helped get me through this lovely experience...

• Unnatural but oh so helpful, Alka Seltzer. Seriously did wonders for me at night- cleared up my sinuses and made me very sleepy. The drowsiness probably made me turn over less from side to side- I'm sure Cheese Puff appreciated that. ;-)

• Now, for my favorite remedy: Cold Eeze! I started to feel questionable Friday (2nd) night and took one of these things. Then I had several of them throughout Saturday and know they made it so my cold didn't get any worse. Hey, it could be a placebo but it works. At least I know I'm not sucking on sugar cubes (even though they are not too bad for taste- the tropical fruit flavor is my favorite). :)

In addition to these big five, drinking plenty of fluids (water) and getting rest (don't think I did very well in that department- was fairly busy) are also important. Here's to hoping the cold bugs go away and you all stay healthy! Happy Friday too! Enjoy your weekend :-)

____

Note: I do not own any of these pictures nor take credit for them- I was lazy today and took them from the Internet. I Googled for each of these items. I don't remember all the websites I went to so hopefully this disclaimer is sufficient! 

Mid-Week Thoughts

It's Wednesday and I feel like writing a short post...

-- I forgot to write about Summer's dramatic exit... she did leave by giving us a decent storm! We had a few good claps of thunder and some lightning. Other parts of down got more of a storm than we did. Certainly made things exciting!

-- I'm almost over my cold but not quite yet. I subbed in the afternoon for a 3rd grade class on Monday and then nearly lost my voice after that. Seems like I'm more prone to losing my voice these days when I get sick. Thankfully, my voice is okay - just a lil raspy.

-- As soon as I finish writing this post I am going to study. Yes... Big groan. haha I have my ESOL Endorsement test on Saturday (I also paid $160 for this lovely experience, fyi) and I am dreading it. My professor loves to tell us, "No one has failed it!" You can see it as half-full: it is "pass-able." Or half-empty: I don't want to be the first to fail. Either way, I'm nervous and hope I will be prepared enough.

-- Mom gets her cast tomorrow so hopefully the doctor will have some good news about her wrist. I certainly hope it heals soon! Thankfully she hasn't been in much pain so that's a blessing. So unfortunate that she broke her right wrist.

-- My cats are driving me nuts! The baby, Cocoa Puff is one fiesty little thing. She is seriously obsessed with Cheese Puff-- and I mean more than the "Bella obsessed with Edward" type. Though unlike Bella's preferred type of "pouncing," Cocoa Puff is a little mean. She loves attacking poor Cheese. I keep telling him to toughen up and smack her. Yes, I'm encouraging violence ;-) haha Needless to say, I want them to get it figured out! I'm pretty sure yesterday we went from WWIII to WWX. 

-- Speaking of disasters, though this is on a much more serious note, I finally had a chance to read about the Wallow Fire in Eastern AZ. Wow! This fire is larger than the city of Phoenix. To give you an idea Phoenix is about 519 miles and this fire is 607 miles or 389,000 acres. The pictures are pretty amazing- talk about overwhelming. CNN has a good article and this website, Wildfire Today has a good post if you're interested.

-- Found this quote and thought it was good, "Hope is important because it can make the present moment less difficult to bear. If we believe tomorrow will be better, we can bear a hardship today." ~ Thich Nhat Hanh

Hope you all are having a good week so far!

The Warm & Friendly Weekend Guest

Summer came to visit this weekend. She was a little unexpected in her arrival, but happily greeted by so many.

On Saturday, she came wearing a stunning dress fashioned with bright blue skies and a few wispy clouds. She came, of course, with that bright shining smile that radiates such warmth. Such a beauty.

She stayed through the night, her warmth held in by a thick layer of clouds-- like a big comforter covering the city. While Summer rested her eyes, her presence was still very known.

This morning we woke to Summer feeling a little lazy. She decided to stay in her bed of clouds much of the day, but yet she kept us all warm too with her dazzling personality. The day sort of paused-- winds did not knew not to bother her morning rest. She finally started coming to later on, allowing the slight breeze to tickle our feet.

We know her visits can be few and far between, so we prepared a little celebration in honor of her appearance today. Don't worry we dressed appropriately with t-shirts and shorts. ;-)

We got out the chairs for the front and back! (Yes we did apologize for our wintery welcome mat)

We planted flowers- of course, several more than this.

We opened the doors and windows to let Summer in.  This invited other unexpected guests to stop by....

Summer's warmth was such a gift- I was able to dry my clothes on the line.

Now Summer is about ready to depart... As she came in such a surprising manner, she may leave that way as well. After all, she doesn't like to be forgotten! Right now purple-ish and dark gray clouds are settling in all around...Will she go with the threat of a parting gift, the storm? Or will she go out with a big bang?

Please come again and soon! Stay for longer my friend, don't be a stranger.

Two Special Sub Days

"You teach best what you need to learn." --Richard Bach

As I mentioned in my previous post, I had two great days of subbing at my favorite school. I subbed in a 2nd grade classroom, one that I have subbed for several times this school year. Whenever I sub, I always learn about myself as a teacher. However, I feel like I have grown the most with this class simply from all the time I have spent with them. I have enjoyed being with the students and getting to know each of them. I have also seen them change in many ways during the school year. As they have changed throughout the school year, I have had a variety pack of sub days with them. Those days have varied so much that they might as well be packaged and branded with the Heinz 57 label.

But these two days I'm referring to were different than all the others and a complete 180 from the last day I subbed for them. They weren't just good they were great.

With this 2nd grade class I have found myself disappointed at times-- either in myself or with them. Though they are just kids, very young kids, I know that I have high expectations for them (as I do for all students!). The biggest frustration has been when the morning goes smoothly and then it "falls apart" in the afternoons. The afternoon issues are fairly common when subbing and really it is understandable: the kids have had lunch and have more energy. For some reason though, it has bothered me the most with this class. I have tried various approaches to minimize the behavior problems (like putting heads down at certain points, using reward tickets for a drawing later in the day, talking with them etc....), but they have only helped a little bit.

After subbing for these kiddos, I always come home thinking of how to make future days more successful. It finally hit me not too long ago that it wasn't always their fault for the breakdown in the afternoon-- I needed to change something within me. When I reflect, I do think of ways that I could do better but this was a much deeper thought process than other times.

I finally concluded that I needed to change my expectations. In changing my expectations, I didn't lower them but decided to approach the day differently. For example, I decided that I would treat the morning and afternoon as two distinct times. That way I wouldn't feel like the whole day was bad if the afternoon had a few rough patches. Further, I gave myself permission to be understanding in students' afternoon behavior. Yes, students will be more talkative and need more kinesthetic activities at that time of the day. I decided to change my whole thought process from, "They were SO good in the morning and now look at them-- they ruined the entire afternoon!" to "They were so focused and good at working quietly in the morning. This is the afternoon and they need to get their work done but they also need to have opportunities to talk with their peers." Boy, this change made a big difference in how I felt about teaching that class! I had positive attitude all day and didn't worry when they arrived back from lunch recess. This thought process gave a plan and options for teaching math and other subjects in the afternoon- for example, I made sure to adjust the activities to give them time to interact with their peers.

Another change came from the knowledge I have gained about these second graders over the course of the year. Without consciously recognizing it until now-- I have learned so much about the culture of the class. I have learned about their interests, their learning styles, and how they all work together. One of the biggest things I have learned is that this class loves to share about their lives. I think this is also a big part of their developmental stage too,  "Early-elementary children are wrapped up in themselves" (Purdue website). In knowing this, I made plenty of time for sharing. I sort of used it as a reward for them but also as a way for them to express themselves. They really enjoyed getting time to share, I know it made the days much better.

In addition, I was even more firm in making sure that students stick with the classroom procedures. I always make sure that students are quiet before going into the hallway, but I was even more particular this time. I made sure they were totally ready before going to another location. I think reminding them of the procedures helped quite a bit.

Lastly, I added in a little reward system as a way to compliment certain students. I learned about this idea from my friend Andrea and decided to try it out. She tells the students at the beginning of the day that she will be looking for "Super Students." At the end of the day the students get to choose a prize to go along with their compliment(s). Basically, it's for students who are consistent in following directions, doing their work, helping out etc... Generally this is what I looked for when choosing the students but I also did it a little differently the second day. On the second day I chose two students who I felt needed encouragement and who did manage to get some work done (they have learning disabilities too). With that said, I chose four total students (2 boys and 2 girls) and jotted down 2-3 reasons on a little square of paper as to why I picked them. I would read off my reasons to why I noticed them, gave them the compliment paper, and let them choose a prize. This took place at the end of the day so it was a nice conclusion. This also allowed for a quieter/more efficient transition into getting ready to go home. Anyway- students really enjoyed this, liked picking out a prize (of course!) and even clapped for each other. Thank you Andrea for this awesome idea!! (two exclamation points for you.. hehe ;-) )

All these four changes drastically improved my two days with these sweet kids. I loved leaving on a positive note and giving some students room to have fun. These two days have greatly changed my outlook on subbing and I will continue to look for ways to improve my teaching. I also have to remind myself that while these were two good days and these changes helped- sometimes things just happen. But that's why schooling and teaching isn't about perfection... it is about the process- that wonderful experience of learning and growing.

P.S. I will write more about the topic of subbing in the future- I must note, though, I have had many other fabulous days of teaching but I wanted to highlight these two because of my personal changes and how they affected this class. :)

5 on Friday: Summary of Week

Well, here it is... Friday already. It is also June! What a crazy, crazy week. For this week's "5 on Friday" I am going to just summarize what happened in these past few days.

• Substituted on Wednesday (1st) and Thursday (2nd) in the 2nd grade class at my favorite school. I have subbed for this class several times this year so I know the routine well. I'm so happy to say that these were the best two days I have had with them all year. I give them credit as well as myself ;-) I intend to write a post soon about substituting and will explain more about why these were two good days.
• In addition to subbing, I tutored at Sylvan in the evenings on Wednesday and Thursday. Whew! That means I worked a total of 21 hours in two days. Very exhausting but lucrative.
• Bad news: Mom broke her right wrist on Wednesday. She was walking with a friend during their break at work and were in a crosswalk. Some truck cut in front of them (something like that) and Mom was trying to get the driver's attention-- so she was waving at them. In the process of avoiding getting hit and yelling at the driver, my mom fell down hard and literally broke the fall with her wrist. Thankfully the break isn't in need of surgery. Needless to say, it is interesting around here! That was crazy to come home to after a long day of working. Whew, again.
• I woke up today with a stuffed nose and sore/swollen tonsils. So many sick bugs going around! My sister is close to being done with her cold. I feel thankful that I don't have the flu-like bug that's out there. Hope to avoid that!
• Seriously loving the sunshine & blue skies today. Praise God! I wish I could be out on some adventure but I'm still enjoying it. :)

Happy Friday to all of you!! 

_____

Because I'm paranoid, I want to note that I do not take credit for the picture used in this post. While I strongly prefer to use my own pictures, I found this one through Google Images and wanted to use it. The full res picture is on Flickr - photographer is Rune T. You can see it here.