3 Days and Counting

I had another eventfulday. I started it by walking with Vicki. (1st time in 2-3 weeks). It felt great! Then I had to have blood drawn for my diabetes. Kayla had an orthodontist appointment. When we got home we made cookies and cleaned the fridge.

I took Kayla to her friends, had dinner with Kyle, then went to my presidency meeting. Came home and got Kota some pizza and then picked him up. Whew what a day.

Preparing for Vacation

We are leaving Saturday to go on a two week vacation. We are spending most of the first week in the Upper Pennisula of Michigan. We love that area. I'll be posting my images as we go. We've borrowed a camper from our friends and I was getting it ready to load when I found these little guys. I'm glad I found them now! A friendly little mouse nest inside the puzzles that were behind the table. My animal lover-daughter thought they would be great pets. We of course did not agree.

I'm working on finally spring cleaning my house before we go. I thought I've procrasinated it long enough. I did not want to do that my first week off from school, so now is a good time to get going. Here are my freshly mopped rooms. I love the smell of pine sol; especially the sparkling wave scent!

This has been a favorite summer treat for Kyle and I. Fresh tomatoes, fresh mozzarella cheese, sprinkled with balamic vinegar. It is so refreshing to eat. We have a couple of people in town who sell fresh produce right from their yards. Kyle's friend Joe started doing it this year. So staying loyal to the friends we do business with him. I'm going up today to buy gigantic Indiana Melons which are my other favorite summer time refreshment. In the heat they really do beat chocolate.....well almost!

The Boys are Back In Town

Wow I sure did miss them while they were at camp. I slept so much better Saturday night when I had the chainsaw impression going on next to me. (Really, I don't think he snored much that night because he was so tired.)

 

Camp was a hot and humid experience this year. It rained on Friday so Kyle and Kota spent the first hour and a half back drying tents. Since Kyle is a tent collector it seems our tents get borrowed alot by other scouters. Kyle took several pictures on his phone and when he saves those to the computer I will post more.

I was a little disappointed that Kota only came home with one merit badge finished, but he is an Eagle Scout already so I won't kill him. He said he was having trouble finding merit badges to work on in the afternoon that he didn't have already. He has one requirement to complete on the pioneering merit badge and he will have it finished before court of honor. Kyle said it was so hot not to give him too hard of a time, he spent the afternoons at open pool.

Cemetery RS Meeting

Thursday, I went to the Ashland Cemetery with Kayla and met with some RS sisters to show some techniques on how to get information from old headstones.

We did rubbings of course, but we tried out a new technique that I found using shaving cream. We put shaving cream on the headstone and then used a putty knife (because I didn't have a squigy) to smooth the shaving cream into the letters. It was amazing how easy the words could be read. Kayla had fun with us.

Fireworks bring in the Birthday

I tease the kids every year that the reason they have fireworks on the 4th of July is to celebrate my birthday the next day. Even though that isn't true, I really to enjoy watching them every year. This year we sat at Matt Gorrell's house on Mifflin Ave. in Ashland. They were very nice. Gayle was telling us how her favorites are the one's that scream and the one that look like spider plants. Those are my two favorites too. You know they didn't have either one of those at the Ashland show. Oh well, maybe next year.

For my birthday today Kayla, Mom and I went to see Eclipse. I asked Kayla if we could skip opening day and go on my birthday instead. She waited patiently for those 5 days while her friends went ahead of her. That was nice. You know, it was good, but the book was sooooo much better. I wish they didn't have to cut and change so much for the movie. My friend Kathy Starkey and counselor in Relief Society came with us. It was neat because while we were waiting for her to arrive at the theater someone came up and gave me a free ticket to the show. Since mom already bought our tickets, I gave that one to Kathy. I guess she'll have to owe me a movie in the future. :)

Next we went to eat lunch at mine and Kayla's favorite restaurant: Olive Garden. Then we went shopping for a business suit for my interview. We started at Burlington Coat Factory which has great clothes at low prices. But, I could not find anything that fit right. Next to Kohl's--no suits. Then I went to my old stand-by Sears. I don't know why, but I always find good career clothes there. I found a great suit.

Then we went to Barnes and Noble because Kayla and I each wanted a juicy novel to occupy some of our vacation from the boys...who by the way are dying in heat at scout camp now. Boy are their clothes going to stink when they come home...We stopped by Sam's Club to fill up the gas tank then brought mom home.
My birthday present to myself is a book called Pretty Little Liars. Kayla and I are watching this show on Tuesday nights and ABC Family channel. It's pretty interesting. Each week gives you cliff hanger endings. I'm hoping the book tells the secret that I'm dying to know.

Here is my birthday suit, well at least the one that I'm willing to show on my blog. I have an interview tomorrow for the Ashland City Schools Assistant Principal Position. I feel pretty good about the interview, I'm not sure if I'm experienced enough, but we'll see what Heavenly Father has in store.

My birthday cake and ice cream. I only bought a piece instead of making a cake with the boys gone. I did not want to eat a whole cake by myself. I know Kayla would have helped, but I don't need all the sugar with the diabetes, and Kayla doesn't need it either.
The only thing that could have made today better was to spend it with my husband. I'm glad he enjoys his calling and spending a week with Jack Starkey. Scout camp is as much of a growing experience for the leaders as it is for the boys. I hope they know how much I appreciate them.

Summer Job

I don't get too many pictures of myself, Kyle snuck this one when I wasn't looking. Dakota and Kayla have a lawn care business for the summer, possibly moving into snow removal in the winter. I decided that I'd help Kota today since Kayla is at a friends house.

We worked a lot harder than I thought they were. Guess I'll have to not give him so much flack when he complains that it tires him out. He usually ends up taking care of the lawns after he has lifted weights for football. (Maybe he really is tired.) I don't know, seems like he always has energy to do what he wants to do. Guess we all operate that way.

For a 13 and 15 year old they make a decent wage for caring for 5 yards.

Coursework is Completed...Waiting for the Degree

So here is where my time and money has gone for the last 6 years.

I just turned in my final three assignments to my professor this morning.

Wow it feels really good to know that I am finished with my Master's Degree. I have applied for two positions using my new degree. We shall see how that pans out. If not this summer that is okay, because I really do enjoy teaching. I kept telling myself, I probably won't look for

administration positions before Kayla graduates from high school, but a couple of positions have come up that I really wouldn't mind having.

There is an assistant elementary principal position as Ashland City Schools that is a one year job and then back to the classroom (so it would be good to get the feet wet with my contract still available at the end of the year.) The other is a curriculum consultant for area school districts throuhg Tri-County ESC. That is my dream job. Being able to work with experience curriculum director and learning two more school districts. It will look great on my resume.

It is amazing what Heavenly Father opens up. I hope that one of the two is for me.

The best part is if I get called for an interview I get to go buy a new buisness suit! I love shopping.