My Rant

Okay, I quickly have to go off on a slight rant. Here it is, I am sitting at school and it is conference day. We have no kids here. We also had conferences last evening after school until 6:30 and today the conferences end at 11:30 so I have a little over 1 hour left and I have had 3 yes 3 parents here, that's it. The only way to fix these schools is to fix the parents and I don't have a clue as how to do that. But it is infuriating to me that these people care so little about their children's education that they can't show up to talk to the teacher. I have tried calling, but half the numbers are disconnected, most of the kids have switched address and can't remember the latest one, sending letters home with student just ends up having thrown away before the kid leaves the building, so short of driving to these people's houses, there is no way that I can let them know that little Javon won't keep his hands to himself and hasn't turned in an assignment in two weeks. UGH!!!

Okay, I am done with my rant. I just needed to get that off my mind.

Time Flys

They say time flys when you are having fun. Well I wouldn't go right to fun but it has been interesting. I can't believe it has been a month since I blogged. Oh blogger fans please forgive me!

Lets start with a quick recap of the last month. We traveled to Springfield, IL to see the Lincoln Museum etc. which was really very interesting and educational. That was the beginning of March. Then at school I have been busily preparing for the MAP which if you don't know is the Missouri standardized tests. Then our district lost it's accreditation, which put everyone into an uproar about jobs, test scores, school closings, you name it. Then came my spring break which was WONDERFUL. I spent the week enjoying being at home, making calls and getting things done that I have put off. I went to the Ozarks with a big group of friends last weekend and now I am back to school preparing to give the MAP next week.

But my kids our on Spring Break with Bob and his parents at the Lake. They have also been busy with one sports season ending and another beginning. It has just been so hectic. I hope to post some pics of our trip and other activities of late soon.

After MAP though it will be smooth sailing till summer break. YAHOO!

Blue and Gold Banquet/Flu and Other Happenings

Well it's been a hectic couple of weeks. We have all been sick witht he Flu or a stomach virus or something. It started on Feb. 13 with Adam. Affton and SLPS were the only schools around who were actually dumb enough to send kids to school that day but we all go sent home early. So at about 12:30 when we got home for a snow day, Adam started throwing up and didn't stop until 2 days later. He was the worst with it. Then that night I started in with the other end of the body and mine lasted until well into the next evening which was Valentine's Day. (how romantic!) Hannah picked it up on Saturday morning and had coming out of both ends, which lasted until Sunday evening. Monday was President's Day so the kids and I were all home together but Bob was at work. He came home about 7pm and he started throwing up and it lasted about 24 hours for him also. Justin has been lucky it hasn't affected him YET! But he does have a pretty rough cold.

So we have all been playing catch up with school work and house work etc all week long.

Tonight, Adam and I attended his Blue and Gold Cub Scout Banquet. It was cute and fun and he enjoyed seeing some of his new friends outside of school. Tomorrow we have our last two hockey games except for the ALL STAR game on March 17. Hannah also has a basketball game so as usual our weekend will be busy but I thought I would catch up on some blogging. I will download pictures of the banquet and the hockey teams soon.

Other than that, it has been the same old same old around here. NOT, there is never a dull day in this household.

Here's hoping I get a nice dull day at home soon :)

Till then, have a great week.!

A Miracle Occurred

Well, it's been one heck of a week. Kids have been suspended, 2 kids from my room moved, I got one new student and we have been trying to implement lunch detention in my room in effort to deter bad behavior. So you can imagine how hectic it has been. Then to top it all off, one of my 6th grade reading students cursed me out and threatened to, "beat my fat a*#". So as you can imagine I was this close to calling it quits, throwing in the towel and heading for unemployment. But then the miracle occurred.

We were having class meeting when one of my students, Terrance Tucker, who has been the bane of my existence for two years stands up and says, "You know guys we really need to stop jonesing on each other because we are a family and we have to go to school for the rest of the ear so we might as well get along!" Well,I about fell off my chair, tears welled up in my eyes and I said Terrance when did you grow up. It was the moment every teacher dreams of, when finally you have broken though. That moment of clarity!! We all clapped and cheered for him and I hope it is going to be the beginning of great things for him because then another student stood and said, I really want to thank Mrs. Nixon for looking out for us like she does. Again, the water works came to my eyes. But it truly was a great moment!


I hope you have some great moments this week as well.

Big News and Fun Times

Well the big news is that Adam won 2nd place in the Pinewood Derby. He was so excited. His car was really cute, it was a Luau theme this year. He and Daddy worked really hard on it.

The other news is the fun time I had at the lake. We scrapbooked, ate, shopped, ate, slept, ate, talked, and ate. Can you tell the theme of our weekend? We had a really good time just gossiping about work and men and sharing each other's family pictures and scrapbook albums. Although the weather was extremly cold, we stayed in and kept warm all bundled up in our sweats and PJ's.

We enjoyed a delicious Sunday brunch at Black Bear Lunch and had fun eating at Pickled Petes, one of my favorite lake places. We found extra supplies at Wal-Mart and hit the outlet mall despite the cold. I am feeling very refreshed and relaxed now and eager to get back into the swing of school and home. My diet however was blown as you can tell by all the eating we did so I have to get back on track and back to the community center to exercise this week.

Can't Wait

I am finally going away this weekend with my work friends to the lake. We are going to scrapbook and gossip and just catch up and RELAX!

I have been stressed at school, stressed at home, just stressed!!

I got all my scrapbook stuff out and ready to go and packed up, I got pictures printed and ready so now all I have to do is wait for the weekend.

So here goes a recap of the resolutions. Flossing and Moisturizing- Check
Exercising- Check minus (hoping to go tonight) Eating out- unsatisfactory (way too much) Scrapbooking -Check (should be taken care of soon) Not too good I know but it's only been a few weeks and I really do have the whole year. RIGHT?!?

Boredom and other such musings

Well winter is in full gear and to say my kids are bored with it is an understatement. They are having a little touch of cabin fever, constantly fighting, or arguing about what to watch on TV, video game to play, or chores they don't want to do.

As for me, I am very busy at school trying to prepare my students for the state MAP tests that occur in April. It is very stressful because our school really needs to show some improvement in order to make state sanctioned Annual Yearly Progress. For the last 2 years our school's scores have gone down, so we really need to improve them but it is such an uphill battle.

Anyway, as far as the resolutions go I am doing okay. Still flossing and moisturizing and I joined the Affton Community and have started exercising which I like but wish I had more time for. I am still cutting back on what I eat especially at school. But the eating out part is a hard habit to break. I think I have definitly failed in that area of my resolutions. I need to retrain my kids into seeing that we have food at home that can be eaten. It is a hard concept to teach though as I am usually the first one to say let's go out.

But I will keep trying. I am looking forward to my scrapbook weekend with the girls in 2 weeks.

Update

Well, a week into my resolutions and it's not going so well. The weather has been very nasty and that has hampered my exercising. I am trying to cut back on portion size and eating out though. My kids seem to think that we need to eat out every meal ( I wonder where they got that idea) so it's hard to breakt hem of that habit. But I have stopped eating fast food for breakfast and stopping to get a coffee which always turns into a cappucino (way too many calories to think of). And I am trying to bring lunch to school instead of ordering it.

I have been very good about flossing though so I guess that is one resolution I am keeping.

Family time is hard because the kids are so busy with sports but we do manage to watch a movie together or play a board game now and then.

As for me and Bob, we are planning to go out next weekend or possibly have friends over so I guess that counts as doing something together.

I have a scrapbook weekend set up for Feb. with some friends and that should help get caught up in that department.

I am also moisturizing every night and I have seen a real difference in my hands, they don't look like a 60 year old woman's anymore.

On the whole I would give myself a 60% for keeping up my resolutions which for my class would actually be a good grade but for me it's unacceptable. I promise to do better!!

Resolutions

Well this year I plan to publicly post my New Year's Resolutions in hopes of actually keeping them. I am trying to be very specific about this so I can really stick to it. Encouragement is always welcome!

1. Lose 30 pounds by spring break (March 20)
2. Exercise at least 2 times a week
3. Floss my teeth every day
4. Moisturize face and hands everyday (yes I have found crows feet)
5. Spend one evening a week in family time
6. Eat out no more than once per week
7. Go out with my husband at least twice a month
8. Get caught up with my scrapbooks by summer

It seems like a lot but I am at an age where I really need to start taking care of ME! My hands and skin need some work and my dentist has warned me that my nice, clean, teeth won't stay that way if I don't floss.

I am determined to make some lifestyles changes that will affect my whole family. Wish me luck!

The Christmas Loot

I love all these photos, they turned out especially good this year. Well, Hannah got the cell phone she wanted plus makeup, clothes, jewelry, shoes, slippers, and so much more. Grandma made her a pretty new blanket for her bed and she got a slurpy machine and is dying to try it.

Adam got a new bike and a Nintendo DS game system which he has been playing non-stop. He also got clothes which he didn't like and movies and games and other toys. He loves his new UNO Splash game and his Tractor Tipping game. We have to play both games consecutively when his DS is being charged.

Justin got clothes, and shoes, games, a Nintendo DS, and two framed Cardinals posters that he had been wanting. He is really into Monopoly and got two versions of it both of which we have already played. He also got both Pirates of the Caribbean Movies and has been watching them day and night. I got a microwave for my classroom, some new silverware, bath stuff, a movie, dish towels, and we got a new gas barbecue grill. Bob got a paint ball gun and so did Justin and they can't wait to try them out. Bob also got some cologne and shaving kit and we also got a new coffee maker. After almost 12 years of marriage, stuff starts to wear out that's why we got all the new kitchen stuff. Sounds boring but it's what we wanted.

We had a really good Christmas, I was glad to see my 78 year old grandmother and all my aunts and uncles that I only get to see about once or twice a year. This weekend we will see Bob's aunts and uncles that we also only get to see once or twice a year. There are some new babies added to the family to show off.

No plans for New Years as Bob is working nights (someone has to)! I may let my kids have friends over and just hang out with them. I plan on watching The Devil Wears Prada and the Davinci Code, my two new favorite movies, and eating the last of the holiday junk food.

Hope you have a wonderful New Year!

Happy Holidays

It's Christmas evening and all is well. We have survived another holiday of monumental proportions. In the course of two days we have seen about 50 relatives and the kids have opened about 30 presents each. Our house is over flowing with wrapping paper and discarded tape, half eaten cookies and chewed up candy canes. We are truly blessed to have our family around us happy and healthy to share in this joyous season.

I will post more post-Christmas news soon including pictures but for now I am basking in the sound of happy voices from the other room and a full belly as I type.


Season's Greetings to you all!

Christmas Blues

I really don't feel like it's Christmas. I have been so busy with the kids' activities and Adam's birthday (which is today) and my school work that I am very stressed about Christmas. The kids seem to want everything and nothing all at the same time. I am still not finished and have a class tomorrow night, and a work Christmas party on Wednesday night. I am off on thursday but my kids aren't so that will be my day to finish shopping, wrap everything, finish those last few Christmas cards and decide what everyone will wear on Christmas and CHristmas eve.

We just finished decorating our tree on Saturday that's how far behind I am.

I kow in my last post, I was bragging about how caught up I am at school but in a week where all the kids have been sick with strep and Bob has worked day and night, I am exhausted and now behind with school stuff also. But still I have time to blog.... don't know how that works except I have a rare few minutes to myself at school because there is a dance this afternoon that I don't have to go to so I am blogging after I graded a stack of papers.

I think I really need to get back to church. I have been reluctant to go to another church because of the hypocrisy I felt at Hope over the last year or so I was there. I need to focus on the main reason for the season and stop letting all the commercialization get me down.

I hope your pre- Christmas hype is less stressful than mine!

Skipping School

Well, my kids are sick today. Justin has a sore throat and Hannah's asthma is acting up so we are staying home from school. I am really upset about it :) I let Adam stay home also, probably shouldn't but he hasn't missed any school yet and he thinks it's fun to skip school with mom. Better not get him into that habit........

Anyway, it's great, I slept late and so did everyone else. We go to the doctor at 11 but until them I am going to finish decorating the tree( no I 'm not done yet) and catch up on some wash.. It is so hectic around here but I still have time to blog.

I am caught up at school, all papers graded and recorded. The end of the quarter is the 30th which doesn't make sense since we are off school then but whatever. I will still make my kids work the rest of this week and next but.... you know how it is my grades are pretty much done since I do my gradebook with excel and it calculates it for me. Anyway not much else to say, finished my Christmas cards and am getting those in the mail they turned out really really good and I did all myself using Word, and Publisher. I may try to link it to my blog if possible.

Oh one more thing, Justin and Hannah's hockey team won their first game. YEAH! Justin scored and he played great and Hannah is finally getting the hang of it.

Adam's 7th Birthday

Adam had his birthday party at Happy Joes again this year. He enjoyed seeing his friends Josh and Kyle and playing games, eating pizza, and ice cream. He also had fun with his cousin Megan, grandparents, parents and brother and sister. Adam was excited to get some new video games, clothes, shoes, a sleeping bag and other toys.

Oh the Weather Outside is Frightful...........

Adam had a great time sledding and playing in the snow.

The kids went sledding in Francis Park with Max and Alex Rode.

A wintry pose for our Christmas card.

Well the winter weather has finally come and it is a welcome sight to students and teachers alike!! We all had a snow day on Friday and enjoyed sledding in the park, drink hot chocolate and watching movies all evening. The snow and ice left many without power including both sets of grandparents but by the next morning all was right with the world. Bob has been working all weekend and I have just been hanging out with the kids. I even managed to forget my bag of papers and lesson plans at school so it will just have to wait till Monday. Sunday is Adam's birthday party, he is going bowling and to Happy Joes with his two friends and the family. His real birthday is the 18th and we are going to try to go to Our Lady of the Snow's light display and have dinner over there as well. I have been working on the Christmas shopping but still have much more to buy. I hope all of you have enjoyed the weather as much as we have!

Thanksgiving 2

On Sunday, we went to my parent's house with my brother and his family and my two aunts, Sandy and Debbie. Mom made a fantastic meal of turkey and her orignal dressing plus a cornbread sausage dressing, green bean casserole, cauliflower with cheese sauce, sweet potatoes, etc. It was sooooooo good, I stuffed myself. Then she had a pumpkin cheesecake for dessert that was yummy.
It was a great evening all around. We don't see Aunt Sandy and Debbie that often and it was nice to see my mom's two sisters on Thanksgiving.

Monday I took a personal day off work because the rest of the family was off and we hung Christmas lights, did some shopping, ate at a new deli down the street and the kids went and saw Flushed Away with grandma and grandpa Nixon. It was nice to run errands and get some Christmas shopping done on a day when everyone was at work. I really miss my old Fatted Calf days when I got a day off during the week, having to do everything on the weekend is so much more crowded.

Anyway, the holiday has been perfect and I am looking forward to Chritsmas mostly because it means a new year is coming and I am always hopefull that it will be a better one than we just had.

Recent Family Pictures

Justin's football team in action.






Here is a picture of the first day of school.

Thanksgiving

Well, Thanksgiving has come and gone and I was feeling like I didn't have much to be thankful for since we aren't moving, can't sell our house, and have had a pretty tumultuous year. But then, I thought about it and I realize that I am very thankful for my health and the health of my family. I am thankful for my new friends at Monroe and for my supportive friends and family that have helped me through some pretty rough times.

So I invite you all to comment on my blog, you have to sign up but it's easy.

Anyway, last night we went to my Grandma's home for Thanksgiving. My aunt and uncle, three cousins, my parents, and my kids were all there. The food wasn't as good as I remember from years past but i enjoyed spending time with my 78 year old grandma and her boyfriend Gene as well as my much beloved Aunt Leslie and her family. I was reminded of the last Thanksgiving before my grandfather passed away. He was very ill with liver cancer at the time but Thanksgiving was always his favorite holiday. I remember him being so tired that he had to put his head on the table for a while but he perked up when the meal was served and even asked for a second helping of Grandma's good stuffing. It's hard to believe it has been 10 years since then, but I am greatful for the memories!

November 2006

Adam turkey bowling.

Two of my favorite student, Sam and Tiffany

Hey, I can't believe it's been since July since I last posted. Let me get you up to date quickly. Our new house deal fell through and we havn't been able to sell the old one. We have decided to narrow our search to Affton so that we can keep the kids in the schools. They are doing great and loving school.

Hannah is in a classroom that has computers on every desk, sh e has become quite good at typing and power point. She is playing hockey and basketball and keeping busy.

Justin is playing hockey and wrestling and he loves his new school. He has started to make friends and he enjoys switching classes. He had a lot of fun on the football team this year and looks forward to next year.

Adam is playing hockey and he is also in cub scouts. He has an active troop, they just had a turkey bowl which was quite fun.

Bob is wokring two extra jobs over the holidays and he is keeping busy with that and coaching 2 hockey teams.

As for me, school is crazy but I'm hanging in there. My 7th graders are challenging in everyway but I love them all.

Life in Summer School

Well it has been a while since I've written but things have gotten really busy. The end of the school came and went and I was glad to get a week off before starting summer school. But now summer schoolis in full swing and it is not easy to keep these kids busy for so many hours during the summer.

The kids are fine, enjoying their summer and Hannah has been playing lots of ball. we went to the Ozarks last week and had a good time on the boat and and swimming in the pool as usual.

The house is still for sale and we haven't heard anything on it yet. The new house is underway but we haven't been out to see it in a while. We did pick out all our colors which was a lot of fun, yet nerve racking.

Hannah leaves for Girl SCout Camp on Sunday and she is happy to been able to go to Fiddlecreek again with her best buddy Kasie. She turns 10 on July 1st and we are trying to plan a party for her. Justin and Adam have been hanging out, Adam has had a few friends over and Justin has seen his friend Alex a few times.

Nothing much else on the home front.

LATER!