Winding down the March Madness

This week was the craziest one yet. After having parent conferences last week, you'd think we would get to relax a little this week, but that isn't the case. This week was the school's Shakespeare Festival.
On Monday morning, I got to get the girls all dolled up because the preschool students sang before the play in the afternoon. They wore their cute dresses that Nana Janet bought for Easter last year. I spent at least an hour ironing the flowers nice and flat the night before. Of course, by the time they performed (after lunch) the flowers were little wrinkly bits again. (At least I tried.) Jared was even able to make it for their performance. They only sang a couple of songs, but this time BOTH girls sang. Naiya sang nice and loud and led the class in all the hand motions. Eva sang to the floor, but at least she sang!! I took them to Diva's for cupcakes and hot cocoa after school to celebrate.
Tuesday there was another matinee performance of the play (The 12th Night), and this time my class danced the May Pole Dance after the play. The months of practicing paid off because they did a wonderful job.
Wednesday was school as usual. Jared was able to take some time to come and help in Naiya and Eva's classroom in the morning. They have been learning about plants; so he came and helped them plant some flowers and seeds. The girls were in heaven having their daddy help at school.
The girls got to spend the afternoon with Neema and Pa because my students performed again in the evening. We performed after the play (not until about 8:30). It makes for a long day. The long day is especially long when you know that you have to do it all again the next day. Thursday was our final performance (again after the play in the evening). Friday was school as usual (with a load of tired students and teachers.)
All in all I realized that I was "Mrs. Chamberlain" for well over 50 hours last week. It was very nice to get to see my family and be "Mommy" again Friday after school.
The girls had a birthday party at Fat Cat's on Saturday. It was a lot of fun (even if a couple of my students were there to call me Mrs. Chamberlain again ). Then the girls and I went shoe shopping for Easter shoes (for them). Eva had so much fun, she didn't want to leave. She told me that she would like to come back and try on more shoes again really soon. Naiya was just wondering why she couldn't wear her sneakers (or her snow boots) with her Easter dress. Jared worked yesterday until well after dark. Landscaping season is in full force.
I am EXTREMELY grateful that we only have one more week of school before spring break. I've never been so ready for a week off. A "week off" so that I can spring clean, file the mountains of paperwork on my desk at home, do taxes, find songs for the spring program, get my things together to renew my teaching license, go to the dentist and OBGYN, spend some time with my family, and maybe get a little sleep.... maybe.

Is it just me?

Does any one else feel strange when they sit back and look at their life? Today I was working on school stuff on the laptop in Neema's kitchen watching my girls play and waiting for my husband to return from a trip to Home Depot. It hit me how strange it is that this is my life. I know I'm 30 and all, but I still don't feel old (responsible/grown-up) enough to have a husband, a house, kids and a "real" job. I'm not complaining, I LOVE my family, it's just strange. Am I the only one that feels like that?

Even a Day Like Today

Even a day like today needs a list of things you appreciate. Maybe I should say ESPECIALLY a day like today needs a list of things I appreciate.
So, today I appreciate....

1- That my girls feel well enough to go to school
2- Hand sanitizer
3- Disinfecting wipes
4- Air freshener
5- Washers and Dryers
6- Advil
7- Dove chocolate bars
8- Dr. Seuss books
9- Bed time
10- Each and every moment of quiet

Lent

I am not Catholic. I do, however like the idea of Lent. I think it is good to practice self control. I think it is good to evaluate your habits and make sure that you aren't developing addictions (it can be a fine line).
I try to give something up each year after Fat Tuesday until Easter. It usually doesn't last. This year I am giving up coffee, but not just any coffee, McDonald's McCafe coffee. I was not a big coffee drinker. Sure I had a cup now and again with my friends in high school. I had a cup at the diner after leaving a club late at night, but I hadn't had a cup of coffee in at least 6 years. Until.... It was time to go back to work full time. You see timing is everything. It just so happens that my returning to teaching was timed perfectly with McDonald's selling their new McCafe beverages. It took one. In the summer as I was getting my classroom ready it started with iced mochas. I'd have one on the way to the school and sip on it to stay cool and stay awake. I kept telling myself that when school started I would stop. Then school started. I was still tired... even more so. So I'd stop by on my way home to get through the rest of the day. I told myself when it got colder I would stop. The problem with that, is that they also make hot mochas. They are even better than the iced. You can see where this is going.
On the Monday before Fat Tuesday, I had 3, oh yeah, 3 hot mochas. The last time I pulled into the drive through on my way to Neema's with the girls Naiya and Eva said in unison "One large hot mocha nonfat, please." That is when you know you have a problem.
Hi, my name is Lucie. It has been 15 days since my last drink. I could really use one today.

Teacher Appreication Day

Today, we had our teacher appreciation day lunch. I would like to take a minute to list ten things that I appreciate today.

1- Yummy lunch catered by the Naked Fish in SLC.
2- Amazing parents that put together the yummy lunch as well as a bucket of prizes and are willing to have lunch with and hang out with a bunch of k/1st graders for an hour in the middle of their day.
3- My wonderful mom who cooks and freezes food for my family to help with the cooking while I house sitting for her (as if she didn't have more than enough to do to get ready for her trip).
4- The AWESOME water pressure at my parents house that makes for fabulous showers.
5- Sleepy tea in the evening to help me relax and fall asleep.
6- Green tea in the morning to get me going.
7- Mrs. Jones who works in the class next to mine and opens my door /turns on my lights on morning when I come hauling in 5 minutes before school starts. (a.k.a. this morning)
8- The police officer that looked the other way as I sped past him this morning while hitting EVERY possible red light between Neema's house and the school.
9- My husband for staying home for "one more day" with the still a little sick girls... (possibly more for him than for them ;)
10- Feeling appreciated.

In Like a Lion**

The month of March is living up to the saying. It's not the weather. (The weather is actually quite mild and lovely.) It's all the stuff that is going on. I am currently blogging from Neema and Pa's house where we are house/dog sitting for another 6 days. It is nice here, and I get a lot done. I actually get my bottom out for a walk with the dog now and again, which is good. One thing I haven't been getting a lot of is sleep. Quilla is a barker. The girls don't take kindly to that at night. Also, they are sick. AGAIN! (I could scream, will scream, and am currently screaming.) It's not too severe this time, but the second night here (Friday night) Naiya woke up with this quiet (progressively getting louder) cry of "help!" Her eyes were goobered shut. Poor thing couldn't figure out why she couldn't open her eyes. She's been sick since then and is just starting to feel better. Meanwhile Eva wasn't feeling hot on Sunday and last night she climbed into my bed in the dark night asking for a snuggle. Then she whispered in my ear, "Mom, when morning comes, will you please help me open my eye." Sure enough, she'd been goobered too. (I would like to add that I did NOT make the poor child wait until morning before I helped her peel open her little eye.) Plus I woke up with a cold sore on my nose. I do not get a lot of cold sores, although they do come now and again. I have never had one on my nose. I will get by quite nicely for the whole rest of my life it if never happens again.
Report card final number are due this week. Parent teacher conferences are in two weeks. My class (and the other first graders) need to learn the May Pole Dance because 3 weeks from now we will be performing it in the Shakespeare Festival. That will mean one day time and two evening performances. Meanwhile I have to remind myself to breathe.

On a (some) positive note(s), Here are some things that I am thankful for....
1- Besides these damn colds my family is fairly healthy. (Before this round hit, it had been at least a month since we were sick.)
2- I have a job.
3- Jared's schedule is flexible enough that he can stay home the girls when they are sick.
4- We have a roof over our heads. (Currently we have 2!)
5- Cold sores don't last forever.
6- My kids are so darn cute.
7- When I home today the girls hugged me as if they hadn't seen me in a week. (I LOVE that and will miss it dearly when that stops.)
8- Tomorrow is teacher appreciation day and the parents are making us lunch AND staying with our classes during lunch so that we can enjoy eating it. (Normally we eat lunch with our class.)
9- Spring break is only 5 weeks away.
10- My 27 year old brother lives in a tree house in Washington... seriously. (I'm thankful for that because it makes me giggle and it makes him happy.)


Here's to hoping that March goes out like a lamb. :)


** As a side note strictly for Courtney... "Don't I look like a lion? ROAR!"