Locks of Love

From this ...

to this...

in one short afternoon. Alex got her hair cut on Monday for Locks of Love. Over 10 inches came off (and she still has long hair!). It was kind of emotional for her, but she is really glad to have done it. She has started to look a lot like Alyssa. I am sure we'll get used to it. The pony tail for dance was really cute today! A new look for spring- she is still my beautiful girl.

TGIF

Finally, Friday is here. I have so many things to get done this weekend; I don't really know where to begin. I suppose I should make a list, as that is how I generally get anything done. Right now, I can't even focus enough to make the list!!
Need to do something creative this weekend, but it may just be cleaning for me. We'll see. I have two weeks left of my long term sub job, and I can't believe how fast this one has gone. Six weeks is nothing when your first job of the year was four months!!
Want to work on my House that Cleans Itself. I did make a purchase (I know that it's out of order, but I saw a solution that I hope will help with the mail issue in my house.) Mail just stacks up around the kitchen and family room until I make one big pile and deal with it. Hopefully, this will eliminate some of the stacks. DeAun has always said the pile is my enemy, and I know that, but I can't seem to get them out of my house. Piles of laundry, piles of dishes, piles of paper, piles of stuff dropped off by people coming in the house (only Tony is really exempt from that comment, and the floor of his room is proof he takes EVERYTHING upstairs when he enters.) I am hoping the book will make a difference. I am going to set up my devotion station and work on my entry way this weekend, I think. I have to reread parts to know what order I am supposed to be doing things in. I think I have to make a drawing, too. Good Luck to me!
Tony may have a baseball game on Saturday afternoon, which would be interesting to take pictures of- I rarely have enough light to shoot a whole game. Weather is changing to good for the duration- I think we have passed the freeze points, so I may be off to the nursery for some impatiens to plant, and maybe some other plants, too. I want to plant some pots for the deck and that is FULL SUN, baby, so I need to do some research on what can survive out there. The front yard is almost all shade, so it will be totally different. Just writing on this blog is reminding me of things I want to do- yikes, really need to start the list!!
Happy Weekend!

LAST CHEMO WEDNESDAY

Today was our last chemo Wednesday! For the last 11 weeks or so, I have been taking my friend to chemotherapy on Wednesday mornings. (She had twelve of these treatments, but I wasn't there for the first one) Then, I drive her back to school where she teaches for the rest of the day. Since I have been long term subbing for the past three weeks, I have been going back to work, too. Today was the last treatment!! It was very exciting- we took the whole day off to go out to lunch and shop a bit. Very nice break in the middle of the work week. A little emotional- -I will miss my Wednesday mornings with Gena and all of the fabulous nurses that are on staff at the oncology center. The picture is of Gena with Dr. Muir, who promised to wear his kilt on the day of her last treatment. He really came through- doesn't he look great? I mean, this was not just throwing on a skirt- check out the tassels on the socks and everything!

All of the other patients applauded as they took out the line and announced it was her last treatment. Several said how much they enjoyed having her there, but hoped they would never see her in the chairs there again. Amen to that. Here's hoping this protocol wiped out any vestige of remaining cancer. She's on to reconstruction and final healing. Nothing but good thoughts and prayers heading her way. I just know she is on the road back to total health.

Yum!

Yum! Don't you wish more of your social outings included cupcakes?

Took some pics at a 2 year old birthday party- gotta love this age- lots of movement, and no coordination of activities. Everyone does their own thing near one another, but not with each other. Maybe adults would have more fun if they could do that at parties, too. I'll just be over here, reading for a while, you feel free to surf the web or whatever. Actual conversation?? Cooperative play?? Who needs it??

That's not really what I would want- I do want conversation, preferably sprinkled with sparkling wit. Anyone know where I can find some of that??

42nd Street

We had a bit of a rough weekend. Justin's viewing was Friday, and the funeral was Saturday. Attending funerals for 18 year olds is WAY down on the list of things I ever want to do again. Tony did such a good job speaking. I could tell he was nervous (talked a little fast), but he did a great job. I asked him if being a pall bearer was hard after he got back from the graveside, and he said it was, and that he never wanted to do that again. I hope he doesn't have to do it for a friend again until he is a very old man.

We ended Friday and Saturday nights with 42nd Street, and that was wonderful. I was amazed at the talent. There is a lot of tap dancing in that show, and the girls were fabulous. The voices on the leads were amazing as well. So proud of all of those girls I know through Tony and Alex. Considering the drama teacher left before production really started, and the choral teacher was out on maternity leave, it could have been a major mess. It was not in any way a mess. I loved it all, and it helped to end my Saturday on such a happier note.

Can't believe another week starts tomorrow. This past week was alternately really long and really quick. Mark is on his way to Camp LeJeune for a couple of days. I hope to have things in the house under better control when he gets back. I am particularly intrigued by a book DeAun gave me- The House that Cleans Itself. Would love to get that working. I am about half way through, and I can definitely see the wisdom. Going to try and start slowly while I am still working.

Looking forward to a more positive week and time to blog and work on pictures. Have an assignment for class that I didn't have time for this weekend, and will have to fit it in tomorrow. All about Point of View. Can't wait- may need to bribe Alyssa...

Ahead of the Game

It is Friday afternoon, and I am already home from school. We had a teacher workday, and I got to leave after my grades were exported (and not before 2:30). My grades were exported before noon, so I am way ahead on next week. All of the copying and planning is done. Hooray- good to know I won't be rushing around when I go in on Monday! Love feeling ahead of the game, and work is one of the only places I get that. You are almost never ahead of the game at home. Darn kids want to eat more than once a day, and don't get me started on how many clothes they wear. Laundry could be a full time occupation. Nice to be ahead somewhere.
This weekend, I am shooting a two year old birthday party- I am kind of excited. Been a while since I've done the Blue's Clues set. Hoping to get some good images. Maybe even some for my class. If I can't get a good one tomorrow, I will have to set something up for Sunday. My class is studying Documentation (what we do most of the time) vs. Interpretation (what those classic images are) Hoping to luck upon an interpretive image or two of independence or toddlerhood, or something. We'll see. Hope the weather holds for outside shots, and for the sake of the mom giving the party.
Baseball game tonight- shooting that, too. Need to process both games this weekend. Also have a quinceanara to go to Saturday evening. Should be nice. Alex is dancing in this one for her friend Alexis. Hope to get a few good shots of that, too. Camera should be getting a workout. I need all the practice I can get.
I really need to work on perfecting the technical aspects of the camera so that the art of the picture is all I have to really think about. Once the technical part is good, the critical eye is all you have to worry about. That only comes with practice. Working on it- time (as always and with all things) is an issue. At least I will be forced to work with the camera this weekend. It's a good thing.

Blog Update

Haven't blogged as much as I want to, but this full time work is kicking my butt. I really need a little time to myself. Luckily, there is a lot of photography work right now between baseball and a few spring sessions, but that just continues to cut into the "me" time.

1. Biggest Loser- I love this show and everyone needs to go and vote for Roger to be in the finale. http://www.nbc.com/The_Biggest_Loser_5/vote/register.shtml I have really gotten into this season- I am not sure, but I am thinking Ali might really be the first female biggest loser. Roger is a big guy (6'3") and I don't know how small he can get. I tell everyone I know that I want to be on "The Moderate Loser" for people who want to lose between 10 and 50 lbs. Ok., and I want to know the plan they were on this last week, for people to lose 10-15 lbs. in week 15 of a diet and exercise plan, they did SOMETHING- that doesn't just happen.

2. The sun is finally shining again. At least for this afternoon. I do not do well without light. Ask anyone. I am not productive in drizzly gray days, and that is all we have had for a week. probably a contributing factor to lack of blog.

3. The mama dog for my as yet unconceived (is that a word?) puppy is in heat! She should be bred this weekend, and that means an LL Bean cover-worthy puppy is headed my way at the end of next month. I cannot wait to get a new puppy. They are so much fun. Furry love.

4. I have a teacher workday tomorrow. I have some work to get done, and I think they are going to let us work tomorrow and not go to a bunch of classes. That means I will have completed two weeks of my six. So much shorter than the last job!

5. So much to do- don't know when it is all going to get done, but I got one of the hardest things off my list today, so YAY for me.

I'll try and be a little more consistent on this blogging thing. I think it is good for me to write things down and gain a little perpective.

In Memoriam

Justin Whitaker 9/7/89-4/7/08

The world lost a great kid this week. One I have always been happy to know. a happy kid. a kid who loved baseball. a kid who would say your name in the kind of voice that made you think he was thrilled to see you. even if you were just the mom of one of his teammates. such a strong spirit. the kind of person you hope you would be if you were struck with cancer in high school. the kind of inspiration you would be happy to call your own son. the kind of superhero that could bring a community together in ways I have never seen. this is Justin. the best kind of kid. the kind God wanted to spend more time with. the kind we are so sorry to see go. the kind of kid who will never be forgotten. We'll see you on the other side and I can't wait to hear you say "Mrs. Adams!" like you are thrilled to see me again.

The Best Laid Plans...

so, back to that to-do list for Monday. I had just started listing items on page 2 while I was having breakfast. Not the best thing to do while you eat, but I was trying to multi-task. The phone rang, and it was the school where I substitute teach. I was planning to turn down the job as I answered the phone. I just needed a couple of days after spring break without the kids in the house to get things back on track. Guess again- the woman whose maternity leave I was covering had the nerve to have her baby on the last night of spring break. (TWO WEEKS early- none of my kids came early- o.k. none of my kids came without being forced, but still...) So I got no notice, and now I am back in the classroom every day until May 9. Not that I am counting or anything.

I am teaching Math to sixth graders. Yesterday I had to show them how to measure things with a ruler. It isn't the Geometry class I was teaching in January, but you can't say they won't ever use it.

My two page list is being pushed to the weekend, along with a few other things that will need to happen during that very short two day period. I know I am a whiner about this, but I do not know how moms who work full time do it. I know I would have to have some hired help, which would mean making more money than this. I am paying the youngest child to do a few jobs around the house- she cleaned out my refrigerator beautifully, and she is working on the pantry as I type. Love that kid.

My Spring Challenge is starting slowly. I haven't done any of the exercise part unless driving counts. I am concentrating on water and sleep this week. I will try and continue to add to it as I go. I really want to get my act together about my health. Every Wednesday I take my friend to Chemotherapy for her breast cancer. Every Wednesday we talk and laugh and make plans for "Chemo- the musical." She is amazing. I know she hears it all of the time from all kinds of people. I have to say that I have said she was amazing from the time that I met her, well before a cancer diagnosis focused attention on her amazing-ness. She is an excellent teacher, but more importantly, an excellent human being. Proud to know her. Proud to drive her to chemo and sit beside her. (Will link to her blog as soon as I figure out how to do that.) But I have to say that Wednesdays have started making me focus on my health. At 41, I need to work a little more diligently on that.

and with that, I need some sleep...