Crazy Weather

We have had ice storms, blizzards and now flooding all in the month of February. I was traveling into work today on my own because Kyle was called in in the middle of the night due to the flooding. I stopped by Home Hardware in town to see how bad the flooding really was. This area is usually just a small trickle and defenitatly not flowing white water.

It was really gushing down the creek bed.

I worked for a few hours again getting my room back in shape. I got a lot more done. That has really taken a weight off my shoulders. I did not realize how stressed I was until some of the burden has been removed.

This was my drive home from school. I stopped to get the kids a sandwich and headed home on the back roads between Hayesville and the GoAsis area in Ashland. This is a creek that normally is just babbling, but today it was spilling over its banks.

Debris was being tossed around from further up stream.

It was spilling out into the farmland around it on the other side of the bridge.

It's hard to tell from the pictures, but the ditch was full of corn stalks from the field. Mud and muck was washed over the road.

I ended up having to take a detour once I got about 2 miles from Hayesville.
Cautions and warning were all over the place. I didn't drive all over Ashland like Kyle did today, but he said down by the Ashland Cemetary the waters were so high that cars were turned on their sides. By the water treatment plant where all this rushing water is headed, the road was flooded out. The plant is getting more water than they can handle.

The radio said people's basements are flooded, sewer lines are backing up; it is CRAZY weather month in Ohio.

Inspired

These past couple of snow days I have taken my days and worked hard. Yesterday I spent my intire day working in my classroom. I went to work with Kyle when we started the day with a two hour delay. I stayed the whole day since we rode together. He brought me lunch and that was the only break I took. I think Heavenly Father listened last week when I said. If I just had an 8 hour day where I was not interrupted I could get caught up. I really worked hard and have some good lesson plans to get me through until Spring break. (if we have one) No big deal either way, I think we will have three more snow days to make up.

Today I worked at home. I did laundry, I canned pinto beans (so I don't have to soak them to make my chili), I took Kayla to the Chiropractor to look at her knee (it was swollen, too much jumping at cheer practice). I washed down cupboards in my kitchen and washed the curtians. (remember I might not get spring break, so need to start cleaning now.) I also got my lesson prepared for Sunday. Whew, what a day.

My topic for Sunday is "Be Thou and Example of the Believers." Apostle Paul was a great missionary and good example of being a Christian. It really has me inspired to do better. To be the person I want to be everywhere. I think most time I have a different self at work. I'm good at the service part, but not always good at holding my temper. Hmmm, got some work to do.

Sacred White

White. The color of sacred purity. I am tired of the snow with the rest of us, but I was thinking about it. I love the color white, I just wish it was not associated with being cold. Kyle laughs at me when I buy white shirts...they usually end up with a blop of yellow mustard or red ketcup or brown chocolate ice cream...I'm really bad about getting the stains out.

Then I got to thinking about purity and cleansing. Heavenly Father is cleansing the earth, cleaning the air, giving the ground a chance to sleep. Refilling the rivers, oceans and lakes. Slowing us down, giving us something to work for together, shoveling, laughing, cuddling....

Magical, white snow...

WCAL Champs 2 in a Row

They did it. Champs two years in a row. They played hard all season. They were come back kings, nevertheless, they prevailed.

Although tonights game was not a conference game they still won. It was a weird one to watch. They were winning by 20 points or so at half time, then the Crestview Cougars came back to within 5 points. Then the boys took back control of the game.

They have one more regular season game next week with a non-conference team, then off to the play-offs again. Good news is that JV cheerleaders don't go to play-off games. So we are technically free.

After the games the boys got to cut a piece of the net.

Here is the entertainment we have had over the last 3 months. Every weekend going to watch them compete and rally the school spirit. Whew, what a season.

Last home game for this school year. The cheerleaders entertained the crowd with a dance.

Dinner at Derrick's and a little heart medicine

No youth meetings this week because they were attending the temple this weekend, so we went to Dinner at Derrick's. It was a culinary experience. We ate a lot of Chinese inspired food since he came back from his trip to China. We had spicy fried cabbage and a ham stew that was loaded with fresh veggies and fresh fruit for dessert. I brought some very American bacon-wrapped chicken with brown sugar and chili powder. It was quite good!

My very pick fidget even ate the ham stew and only gave the cauliflower to her dad.

It was a quiet respite from the normal humdrum of life. Thanks for the invite and conversation Derrick.
Thursday was Heartsmart 101 at our Relief Society women's meeting. We learned how to take care of ourselves physically and spiritually. I left with a very full heart that night. I got to laugh so much, mostly at the end when it was just the presidency there. Kathy and I were hurrying around trying to get photos for our blogs because we were so engaged in our meeting that we forgot to take the pictures.
I promised I wouldn't put her whole picture in my blog,s so I just have her arm with her very delicious dark chocolate dipped strawberries. Yummo!

Nature Calls

Me (walking in the door after having a meeting cancelled): We are so going for a walk tonight.

Hubby: Okay in 20 minutes after this show is over.

Me: okay I need to eat my sandwich anyhow and change out of my dress clothes.

20 minutes later....

We went on a winter hike. After all 40* is a heatwave lately. We drove over to Byers Wood (aka: Ashland County Landfill) which is a few miles from our house. They converted the full landfill into a park-like setting which has some mild hiking trails.

We saw this great old barn. I love the silo.

Kayla and I taking a bit of a breather. Stomping through the ankle-deep, crusty, icy snow was a nice workout. Plus, I got to put off grading papers for interim reports just a bit longer.

Show-off! Kyle was out on the ice showing Kayla and I it was safe enough to come out an join him. Neither of us decided that we would because we were about a mile from the car and didn't want to risk going back soaked with freezing pond water.

The frozen pond was fun to look at.

The sunset was beautiful.

We got to reflect on the day we had today as we crunched through the snow.

The white pipes are where the methane is released. If they weren't there you wouldn't know you were trapsing through a landfill. It was a lot of fun being out in the fresh air and soaking up the last of the days sunshine.

Kyle and I used to go hiking every weekend when we were first engaged. Nature often calls to our souls, to come out and play. I am always revitalized when we take the time to go out.

Thank you Father for such a great place to remember Thee by!

Get the Drift

We were out in the beautiful sunshine yesterday. Enjoying the heatwave of 38* and getting our Saturday chores done. We were out driving on our cut across road from Hayesville to the GoAsis in Ashland. The country roads were really drifted.

This one was huge.

The drift was taller than the kids.

What a great day to be out in the sunshine, soaking up some rays, enjoying the laughing kids and feeling alive. Life is good when you let it be!

New Driver

Kota did it. He passed his driver's test Saturday. He took his test after the BMV closed, so we had to get his license today.

He was a bit bummed that he had to wait two more days to be able to drive without us. But he endured those days well.

He can now drive without his parents, so we moved to the backseat and let him drive us around tonight.

Kyle looks a bit grumpy giving up the driver's seat, but he was happy.

No more worrying about getting the teens everywhere they need to be. Now Kota can help with the running. Bittersweet, time of life. It's fun watching them grow, but I hate seeing them approach adulthood so soon. I never realized 16 years could go by so fast. It was just 16 years ago he was driving us crazy with colic.

Kota getting his ride ready to take his little sis to cheer practice. (Sigh, sniff, sniff)

I guess they all grow up sometime.

Happy Birthday Babe!

Kyle turned the big 39 today. He really doesn't mind getting older. I wonder what his mid-life crisis will be? I actually would be surprised if he has one. His only quirk is tent collecting so the worst thing is I'll have to buy an army tent with a wood burning stove. Although he has a goal of building a teepee this year to take on the scout campouts. We shall see if he works that random thought to product.

Not a whole lot going on today, just watching the superbowl. We are hoping the Steelers win. Kyle's been a fan since we were dating. We've watched them go to the Superbowl several times since we've been married. I like watching the game, but my favorite is the commericals, they are so witty.

Happy birthday Kyle we love you.

Good Works in the Volunteer Army

We went out the chapel tonight to put in the first of our two weeks of cleaning duty at the church. We worked for a couple hours cleaning tonight. I was thinking while I was scrubbing toilets, that my mom couldn't have dragged me into the church I grew up in to clean it as a teenager. But my son was washing windows, taking out trash, cleaning chalkboards, straightening chairs, and honestly...not even complaining that he was cleaning and his sister was at a basketball game. Sometimes, I really appreciate being in his presence. Kyle and I performed another type of service last night. We decided that we would try to attend the temple on Thursday nights since our weekends are so packed. We used to try to go every month, but lately every six was the reality. We went with our temple buddies Mike and Brooke Bryant and ended up with a van load when the Yates' joined us. That felt good to go.

Dakota was ordained a priest in the church a couple of Sundays ago. He is now old enough to bless the sacrament and not just pass it and set up the table. He blessed the sacrament for the first time last Sunday. He did not stumble or even appear to be nervous. It sounded like he had done this for years. Maybe a bit of maturity is setting in on the 16 year old.

Sometimes church life is busy and at times I do things begrudingly or with a chip on my shoulder. But, I always know that what I'm doing is going to help someone eventually. It just might even be myself.

We are an army of volunteer who love the Lord. (stole this slogan from a friend).... I can't think of a better place to be.

Blizzard Activities

The snow was swirling and whirling outside my house yesterday. I had planned on spending time in my classroom after being at the conference, but I decided the whirling, swirling snow would keep me at home. I pondered about my husband and friend all facing the adversity of the swirling snow and feeling a bit bad for them for having to brave the weather....Then I thought, they all could have gone to school to be teachers too...because the school bus never makes it in in bad weather.

Even though my camera could not catch the beauty of the snowfall, it was snowing great big, fluffy, white flakes. The gigantic flakes were accumulating nicely in my backyard. Yep, still good to be the snowed in teacher, warm and in her pajamas at 11 am.
I saw these crows hunkered down in my oak tree. They were all huddled together to keep warm. They often use my compost pile to eat their dinner.

It is amazing to me that these birds were out in the elements. I figured they would try to find a barn or something to keep warm in until the storm passed by. But they were there most of the afternoon just waiting.

The kids watched some movies, Kayla started reading Twilight for the 800th time, they hunted grizzly bears on the Wii, and I decided I wanted to move around; that sitting at home is sometimes boring, maybe I should have gone to school for something that wouldn't ground me everytime there was bad weather.....Na!

To entertain myself and get some excercise I have been learning Kayla's cheer dances. Yep. I'm learning how to be a cheerleader. Actually it is a lot of fun. Kayla and I get to giggling when I mess up in the same spot for the 50th time. Oh well, it has been fun. Can't wait to get back to school.....

Winter Retreat and Learning

Most of the days of the year I spend my life with children of poverty. Those children come with a lot of baggage and a lot of learning disabilities. They come expecting that we provide everything they need, including the pencil and paper. What I never realized in college was how much entertaining that I would do, just to get a lesson through to the students. All the hours I would spend to find alternative ways to teach the same concept to 28 different children. Most days I love it! Somedays all my buttons are pushed and I feel all dried up with my bag of tricks.
That's where the winter retreat has rejuvinated my creative juices. I spent the last two days in Columbus at the Hilton Easton Hotel.
I am not sure why the people who put on the conference choose such grand places for us to learn, but it is fun while we are there.

My partner Suzie and I spent the last couple of day learning about how to meet the wounded student, how to reach the child that sits in his chair upside-down and backwards; the kids who challenges the color of the sky; the gang leader; etc.
All of this in little 'ol Ashland--You betcha! Now I have a lot of work to do at getting the winter blahs out of my room, so let the learning begin!