Spring Break Trip First Leg: Great Smoky Mountains

 Teaching has it's perks for all the hard parts...like a week off in the spring.  Whohoo!

 This year Kyle talked me into to not working it away lesson planning all week, and just take a break.  To leave the state.  Decisions, Decisions...we decided to go visit our friends in the south.  Only trouble was that I had to be with my students who were part of the National History Day Club, who's projects were being judged on Saturday.  So we left Ohio by way of Fremont.  We took 75 south instead of 77.  Kentucky here we come!

We ended up in London Kentucky in our favorite hotel chain: the Country Inn and Suites.  We decided to continue through the Great Smoky Mountains in Tennessee before we headed over to South Carolina.

 We've always heard of Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg.  It was way too busy.  Bumper to bumper traffic.  We just toured from the car.  It wasn't worth fighting the crowds for us.
 There was so much to see there.  I don't know how a person could decide what to see first.  It was super commercialized...kinda like an Eastern Vegas.

 We even drove by the Titanic...

 Iceberg and all.

 Once we got out of the chaos of people we got to see the mountains themselves.  It was 29 degrees, so much for all the summer clothes I packed.  I was super cold!

 There was frost in the forests and it was beautiful.  I only wish we could have had a bit of sunshine.

 The clouds were floating over the mountains.  That is always fun to watch.

 It was a super, gorgeous ride.  I'm glad Kyle always drives so that I can just look around.

 They really were beautiful, I can only imagine how much nicer they would have been with a bit of sunshine.

 Couldn't you just see a gnome living here?

 Later that afternoon we arrived in South Carolina to visit our god-children.  It was the whole purpose for going.

Aren't they super cute!  I think that it was worth the break to have fun with these little guys.

Life lessons

The theme song of the month (all you Ally McBeal fans from the 90s) is Running just as fast as you can...okay maybe that is just a one liner from a song, but that about sums it up.  We just entertained family during a parent teacher conference week, roll your clocks back an hour, daylight savings time week.  Getting ready for National History Day competition in Fremont week.  Students who are ready for spring break so are super challenging week.

I find in these moments when I feel over extended and stretched thin, that I get to learn life lessons too.  These moments are sacred to me.  I got to bond with my nieces of various ages.  I got to talk college with the oldest, who is thinking of coming to OSU.  I got to play connect four with the youngest two and talk about things they like.  We did a road trip together and had a great time.  There is a bit of patience to be learned sharing a one bathroom house with ten people.  There is more to be learned with two dogs following ten people around everywhere they go.  Noise levels like a lunch cafeteria daily.  But, it was a great visit and service to our family and we'd do it again anyway.

I have a job where you see and hear a lot of things that you don't like to hear.  Students who are not loved by the family they live with.  We have a couple who are really struggling this year.  They are constantly on my mind.  We are taught to emulate the Savior and help these children.  I am finding more often then not the world is cynical to these situations.  That, mercy and grace are not always extended.  I've had the opportunity to talk about the savior with a couple of my colleagues and how I want to extend mercy and grace and be like the Savior and that has brought on some wonderful conversations.  Not all days come out with life lessons, but it seems like there has been occasion to have tender mercies among the busyness.

Double Booked All Week

 February ended with a bang.  March has come in like a lion in my house, not so much with the weather...

 Last weekend, Kyle and I went to the Ashland High School Big Band Dance to see our friend's son Cameron play the sax.  He is an excellent player and even had a big solo.  We had an excellent time there.

Leap day we met with the Young Single Adults and said goodbye to one of the Elder's who was serving in our area.  This started the week of double bookings.  I swear I have never been so over extended in years...I had a dental appointment, a building meeting and the YSA event, where we feed the missionaries dinner right after their P-day.  Then we plan the YSA event too.  Umm, left school thinking about getting everything I had planned done after school.  Skipped the meeting ....and the dental appointment...not by choice, because I forgot!  Ugh.

Tuesday, had parent teacher conferences until 7 pm.  I arrive at school at 6:30 am everyday, kids come at 7:10, but we start teaching at 7:45, they trickle in and out of the classroom, but 7 pm makes for a super long day.

Wednesday, started the major cleaning because MN guests were coming...a 9 pm phone made me slap my head.  I forgot to deliver a dinner to a sister in our ward tonight...guess I'll do that Thursday now.

Thursday, delivered a meal.  Found out my mom had lost her job.  Still have major cleaning to do.  Guess we'll order pizza since we have cleaning to do.  Came home with a ton of papers to grade.  Almost in tears cause I can't do all of this.  Exhausted from extra hours at work....get a phone call that our friends the Eichhorn's are coming up to clean house for a showing from South Carolina.  Casey and Christina want to meet for dinner.  (might not get it all done.)

Friday, realized that I committed to taking tickets at the middle school play, same night friends are coming for dinner, still have to finish cleaning, might need some groceries for our guests.  Dinner with friend got cancelled after I found out I wasn't needed to sell tickets since the show had sold out.

Saturday, youth temple trip where my guys were needed and Kayla went along.  I decided to stay back and take care of bedding for our guests.

Mom wanted to get together, I told her if she did the laundry mat run with me, I could do lunch with her.  What a crazy way to spend the day with Mom, but she was a big help in folding the blankets!

I'm hoping now that the guests are here, that that lion will tame into the lamb and that I will not be double booked everyday this week.  Phew!  I need a vacation!