Glad it's over.

Today was my day off and a long one it was. My first class included an observation at a grade school today from 11:30 - 2:15. The plan was simple enough...until the principal just changed the agreed on placements. So, instead of spending longer periods of time in just a couple rooms, she gave us this crazy schedule with 15 minute intervals per classroom. Did I mention that she failed to consult with the teachers about this rearranged-once-prearranged schedules? I didn't have problems with my classes, but some other classmates said the teachers were surprised, and one even asked if they could try another room. I guess I shouldn't say that I didn't have problems, because I did (just not with the teachers). The schedule was a mess. The room she had me in a first had no students! The second room was going to the computer lab, so I returned to the previous room. The students in the third room were in music class, so again, I returned to the first room. The fourth room had a substitute teacher - but she was comfortable letting us stay because it was her classroom for twenty years before she retired. (That was pretty cool.)

Then I went grocery shopping, took a nap, and went to math class. Math class was typical, but since I have this funky cold/sinus get-up going on - it was much worse sitting there than normal.

Finally - I'm taking a Benadryl, and then beddddd!

Next BIG Star

Austin is a natural performer. Here is is rapping, making this stuff up off the top of his head. It says he is the Justin Bieber because he didn't know who I was talking about, but the truth is that he is the next Justin timba-timba-Timberlake.

Surprised the Girls and Austin

Chris and I decided that we would surprise Rachel,Ashley and Austin with a gigantic gift...JUSTIN BIEBER concert tickets! Things are really going to get expensive once Devon, Makenna, and Matthew start getting into all this stuff!

Work, work, work

I've been taking a week of vacation, and Chris has been working hard. It really hasn't been vacation since I have had homework, and my nephews have kept me very busy at their house. I'm a little depressed and anxious for my next essay grade. I made a huge mistake, and I'm not sure if I will get credit or not.... I had to compare and contrast a book and a movie version of the book...well...let's just say that if you read "The Borrowers," and then watch the movie with John Goodman...there are so many differences because the movie is actually (more based, though not entirely) on the third book in the series....uh-huh...I'd just like to thank the girl in my class that felt the need to call attention to this in the discussion board. Argh, now I'm panicking. I can truly say that 'ignorance was bliss' on this one.

Chris went out Tuesday for a going away party for his boss John, who has decided to start a new job elsewhere. Thursday (tonight) he went out for dinner at another persons house for a "direct-reports" get-together for John. I know Chris enjoyed having him as a boss, and is going to miss him.

English Essay

Ugh. Argh. Eh. Got my score for my first big English Report. 140 out of 150. While it is still an A - I'm a bit disappointed by the comments which don't seem all that bad, but I hate thinking I left important information out. I compared Little Red Riding Hood to Lon Po Po (Little Red Riding Hood from China,) and after telling me that it was a good comparative, "it may be worthwhile to explore cultural differences". I only had a thousand words to work with, and it was hard to keep it that short. Bummer dude, I was keeping my report just about the literature - next essay I will have to remember to step outside the box. :)

Sushi Grind

I forgot to mention that while we were eating at Ko Fushion, I tried Sushi for the first time ever... Chris gave me some salmon and it was icky! I tried to chew for a very long time, even adding more rice to help...but it didn't help. I ended up spitting it back onto my plate (I did it very classy though, lol) Then Amanda gives me a 'big roll' to try. It was much better - tasted like she and Brent said it would - like cream cheese. Still, I'm thinking that I am no sushi lover.

On the Prowl...

Chris and I have joyfully opened the house hunting door again. I'm still uneasy about buying a house right now. Yes, I'm still a little fearful for about job security for him...but, there is a whole new idea that we have decided works well for us:

We are not going to go full-blown house pricing. Our original price range was one that would max us out, because we have already done the "fixer-upper" (and failed miserably) we wanted to max out and get something that just needed maintaining. Now, we've changed our minds...again. We're looking at cheaper prices with the least amount of immediate need work. Something we can move into, be happy with, and fix up in stages.

This plan work for us because it has a great back-up plan. While the market may be turning around (pending on who you ask,) ...should...something happen with Chris's employment, the lower price means lower mortgage - which means if the house doesn't sell right away, it will make a great rental property, and thus allow us to quickly rent it out for a great price, because let's face it...IF something happens, we just want to get out from under the payments. Rent-to-Own would be ideal, but there is no need to think about that right now.

So hopefully soon we will have a home and no longer an apartment. =)

Weekend Update!

First are a couple pictures from the competition in Oaklawn.

This weekend was so much fun! We left for Brent and Amanda's house after work on Friday. Makenna was still awake when we got there, so we played with her and chatted for a few before going to bed.

Saturday we went to Peep's for breakfast, and then we went to the aquatic center for Makenna's swim lesson, and then back to the house to relax. For lunch, we met Kristina, Dustin, Rachel and mom and dad at Cracker Barrel, and then we made our way to the Ice Arena. An old friend from high school stopped by to say hello - Thanks Emily - It was great seeing you again! The girls skated five times each (I think, I may have lost count.) And they did wonderful! (Videos at Kristina's youtube account). Here are a few pics below.

We made it back to Brent and Amanda's house way late (almost 11), and then we spent the morning hanging out. Around 12:30 we went to KO FUSION (yum!) for lunch. Amanda taught us to rub our chop sticks together to avoid the random splinter piece that likes to hang out there. So, we had to practice.

Summer Classes - Registered -

I have been registered for my Multi-Cultural Classroom summer class for a while now, but I just decided on Saturday with a push from my co-worker Kelly, that I will be taking 2 summer classes...Multi-Cultural Classroom and the dreaded Chemistry. It is being offered face-to-face right here at this campus, and I figure that has to be easier than trying it online again, plus...I really don't want to take Chemistry and Physical Science at the same time. SO, I am hoping that I can handle two - three credit hour summer courses. However, if I wimp out I will only be dropping the education course, not the Chemistry.

Inspired

I'm watching the Oscars, and I am so being inspired (to try) to put together and film my short film script I wrote way back when in 8th grade. I pull it up from time to time (from the looney-tunes themed disk) and think about re-working it, but I always decide it's perfect....maybe now is the time to shoot a cheap, completely amateur, negative budgeted film...? I'm thinking no promises, but I'll certainly look in to it.

...More Tickets....

...That's right!... But this time it was WE (and not just ME) that bought more tickets. In our Events list you'll notice that on May 1st we are going to see Alan Jackson...hey who can pass up $25 tickets to see Alan Jackson!?! We couldn't...so we bought two extra tickets.

Last Week

Last week Chris went to Vegas and watched "Crazy Horse" Cabaret show instead of gambling. He got to hang out with big-wigs and it seems he has made quite the impression. He was told by the president of the company that the guy above him was making comments about Chris's presentations. Chris feels like everything went good, and he's proud.

Saturday I had to work, but my mom drove up to get me, and together we went to Oak Lawn, IL for Rachel and Ashley's ice skating competition. We got there just in time to see Rachel do her compulsories. Chris's flight got in about that time, and he met up with us while we were checking in to the hotel. Then we ate the yummiest wings ever at Hooters, and back to the rink for more skating.

Later that night I sat at the pool while the girls swam with their friends. Mom was so great, and had an Italian beef sandwich waiting for me when I got back to the room. Love you mom!

"Do the Smarty-Pants Dance"

There are no more worries over my Exceptional Learners class, between getting all points available on the previous assignments, plus 5 extra credit points for for wearing my ID on a random check day, and the 10 extra points I got for being so active during the video discussion - I now have a 98.4% in the class. I'm still very close to a B - because with professional classes 94% is the cut off for an A. But, I don't anticipate failing another test now that I have better insight into how she will be structuring her questions.

annnnnnd....

I sat for almost 30 minutes with my hand on the desk as I waited for my math final to be graded. ACED IT BABY! I'm so excited, I tried to contain myself because people were still taking the test, but an excited whispering "yesssss!" did escape me.

That's right, I'm officially doing the Smarty Pants Dance.