Spring Break Trip: The Carolinas

So, it's pretty awesome to get to see some of your great friends.  It doesn't hurt any that they live in the warm South Carolina.  So we often bother them over Spring Break before it get ridiculously hot down there.

Our first full day down there, we spent it in Greenville, SC.  We enjoyed a nice day walking in the park.

 The kids enjoyed some sunshine.  Here is a typical look at what it feels like to be the big sister.

 I remember having two siblings trailing around me, even when I didn't want them around.

 Later that evening, we got to attend Grady's first t-ball game.  Joey occupied himself playing with his truck...(watch that little guy like a hawk...)

 It sure was fun watching this kids play.  My favorite was watching the kids play in the dirt instead of having their glove on.  Cracked me up!

 Sure is awesome, when Dad is one of the coaches.

 Remember that little guy playing with the truck.  He thought he needs some of that dirt the others were playing in.  Before we knew it he was at the pitcher's mound.

 We spent the next day back a Greenville, SC shopping around the Mast General Store, which is a favorite stop.  We got our best souvenirs for the kids there and the the CVS, believe it or not!

 

The last day of the trip we venture up to Hendersonville, NC to do some hiking in Dupont State Park.  It was beautiful.

 Lots of natural beauty and we saw a couple waterfalls.  This was triple falls.

 Such a super cute family.  We sure to love and miss them being closer.

 Then we hiked up to Upper Falls.  This was the best view.  We hiked in close so the kids could dip their feet in.

 Nothing cuter than a baby in strong arms.  He will make a good grandpappy some day.  He wants the kids to have their children call him grandpappy, because that is what his dad goes by.

I don't find myself in front of the lens too often, but thought, I could allow one picture of the two of us.  It was a needed vacation.  I came back ready to teach again.  I can't believe this was three weeks ago already.  We are just beginning 3 weeks of state testing.  Whohoo, said no teacher ever!

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!

OH, for the Love of Rest

So what did you do Valentine's weekend?  We took a break from our world and headed down to Marietta to visit my Aunt Cyndi and her family-cameraless.  I always forget something when I pack, and that was it this time.  Although I don't have camera documentation, we had a good time.  We did not know, but it was my cousin Sofia's birthday.  She turned 9 on Saturday.  So our plans for a double-date changed to a family outing.

Things are hectic in a house with 5 children ages 9-17.  It's a good hectic, never a dull moment.  We enjoyed going to church with them.  Sometimes it is nice to just go and listen to the lesson with no responsibility in the preparation of them.  We both left spiritually enriched.

At school on Friday, I like to do a "heart attack" with the kids.  I had kids in all states of getting an assignment finished, so I let the one's who were done, have a bit of fun--that also motivates the others to focus and get done. ;)

I had them pick one teacher or adult in the building that gives them a bright spot in their day and to tell them.  On a construction paper heart they wrote their message...then with great stealth, they snuck through the building without getting caught to deliver their message-the attack.   Have you ever seen a pack of 12 year-olds make it through a school building without a peep...it is so fun to watch the twinkling eyes.

My favorite message I received was from one of my boys.  He said, Mrs. Crawford you are a bright spot in my day because you get my humor.  I love coming to your class and working on all the different projects.  Plus, I'm a lot nicer than my brother!  (who I taught 2 years ago)

 Tuesday, our students who wore their pajama inside out, and may or may not have flushed ice cubes...were successful in getting a snow day Tuesday.

 Teachers never complain about a break in the work week either.  I tell you what, 5:30 is always hard dragging the ol' body out of bed.

 Kyle took a personal day and we spent the day together.  We did some traveling around for Winter pics.

It is always good to spend a day together we ended our Valentine's on Tuesday with a dinner at Longhorn in Tallmadge since Kyle needed to get his temple recommend renewed at the stake center.  Super fun weekend and lots of love passed around from school to family.  What a great way to get through the blahs of gray winter skies.

Game Shows, Birthdays and Blizzard?

Kyle and I were in charge of the Ward Social this past weekend.  We broke out of 30+ year tradition.

 The break out, was not out of rebellion, but out of requests from the bishop and ward members.  To move it from Valentine's Day weekend, and to not have a chili cook-off.  We were met with mixed emotions.  Excitement and disappointment...needless to say, we broke tradition and people still had fun.

 It is amazing how much work and planning go into a social.  So about 3:00 we had made our third trip of the week to pick up the remaining things needed.  We were at the building at 3:30 setting up and getting things ready.  Our friends the Jeffery's showed up around 4:30, right as my panic button was just about ready to go, that we weren't going to be ready when people came in and made short work of what needed to be done.  So by 4:45 we had time to take a breather, just before the masses starting rolling in.

 We had around 70+ people come to the social.  They brought in their comfort food and desserts and you know, I didn't even miss the chili.  Then for entertainment we played game shows with everyone

 in the room.  My helper to get people signed up for games decided to pass the clipboard around that had my cheat sheets on it for while the games were going on.  Wonder if anyone one saw answers before the games started....
We played Not-So Newlyweds with four couples who have been married 30+ years.  It was fun to see the answers they gave.

 Kyle emceed the meeting and ran a couple of the game shows, on his birthday.  What a trooper.

 Then we played several minute to win it games with all ages.  Let's make a deal, and family feud.

 We ended up cutting what we planned short, so that we could clean up.  I think it was an overall success.  I told Kyle I hope we aren't in charge again next year!!!!  Planning big parties is not my favorite thing to do.  I ended up staying home Sunday, because my head cold got the best of me.

 As far as birthdays go, it was hectic all weekend.  Kayla and I did convince Kyle that he had to let us buy him a present.  It could be whatever he wanted, so we went over to Mansfield Friday night to get a few shirts.  He work one of them Saturday.

 Monday we went to Applebees to have half-priced burgers to finish celebrating Kyle's birthday.  We had an excellent time.

 Today, we are watching the first significant snowfall of the season.  It is beautiful.  It keeps coming and coming.  Not sure it will add up to a snow day tomorrow...

but one can always hope.