Heading to the end of April!

Hope the month's end finds you well and like me STILL seeking the sun!

"Don't cry Bob returned from Argentina!" "The truth is he thought he'd never leave it." He'll go away again, on the day May 5th again, a mad existence, he keeps his promises, but what a distance."

So, Bob came home, all of his bosses got fired in a company takeover, and then he flew to Milwaukee for a 45 minute training session. Then he babysat Veronica for a day and now he is visiting his parents with Veronica. Busy times for him.

I am on my way to work on Career Ladder Committee Plan and my own, so that I will get paid for all of my extra work. Been busy. Did a writing critique with my ladies. I really need to have some time to write.

I am planning a ladies trip in June with my teaching colleagues and others to go to a book signing with author Janet Evanovich. She writes a hilarious mystery series. We go to the signing and then to a dueling piano bar. If you haven't been to one, it is worth the effort. We are a fun group of women and it should be fun!

Rachel and Cash are book buying in IN. They even lived through the earthquake. Veronica and I miss Baby Cash. We haven't been separated much before and it is hard on us. We miss Rachel too, but Baby Cash is cuter. Next month Cash will be one on the 18th and Veronica will be 7 on the 9th.

Veronica is staying with us while Rachel is book buying. She is busy with soccer and played a couple of good games this weekend. Today she is helping Poppie take care of his parents.

Drew is finishing up this semester and working. He is thinking of joining the military if he can figure out how he will be able to fly. I have mixed feelings about this.

Still haven't heard from the boys.

Cat is alive. Fish is alive. I saw a mouse in the kitchen today, but he is a "pet" that will not be here long.

Have a great week!

What the HECK!

I just had to cover my flowers with sheets to keep them from freezing. It is going to be in the 20's tonight. It is APRIL!

WHAT THE HECK!

Long Time No Write

April 13, 2008

Let me begin with this is the longest and most depressing winter on record. Yes, I said winter. It snowed yesterday and today. Yes, snowed. No accumulation, but totally depressing anyway.

I am soooooooooooooooooooo ready for warm weather more than two days in a row.

Bob is still in Argentina. He doesn't have much phone service and I actually had to call his office and make certain he was still alive and not kidnapped by Argentinian Gaucho Desperados. He is alive.

I have been working up a storm. I am somehow on the interview committee for most of the new hires for our building. I am trying to get enough student-parent contact hours to get paid Career Ladder. So embarrassing when the committee chairperson doesn't have enough hours to get paid. Clarification-I have LOTS of hours, just need some specific kinds of them. MAP testing starts this week. I am not giving it, but I still have students. Taught one day at the high school. Enjoyed seeing my former students.

Still in the writing club. Judged a contest. Finished the national bylaws.

Turned 44. Yipee!

Rachel is working and getting ready for book buying. She and Cash will be gone for a couple of weeks. Veronica will be with me.

Drew is not doing much of anything. Hope he is going to class and passing and going to work, but doubt it.

Veronica is doing well in school. I read with her Friday night and she has really improved. Remarkable because she was already good at reading. Alas, MATH is her favorite subject. She is relieved that some of her teeth are coming back in. Our friend Robin sent her a FLAT STANLEY and Veronica has had great fun taking pictures of Stanley and EVERYONE she has ever met in her life.

Cash is a ball of fun. He came to my school the other day, but put his little head down when people tried to talk to him. Later, he called me "Goomama" when he was mad at me. (See Bob, you really need to come home.) He also said cat and carefully threw his last two pieces of waffle on the floor before telling me, "Done." He also walks and runs when he wants to. But ONLY when he want to.

I planted some lovely flowers. Then I brought many of them in the house to escape the FROST!

Talked to Dolores, the boys' maternal grandmother the other day. It was good to talk to her, but she hasn't heard from the boys either. Talked for a minute with Bob's parents. I think they are the same, and just as tired of this crappy weather as I am.

Mom is waffling about her retirement date. I think she is READY!

That is all I have to share. I am just plugging through to another day. Hope you have a good week!

Happy Easter!

Hope Easter finds you happy and eating some ham and deviled eggs!

We are spread out and actually not celebrating today.

Bob is out with some co-workers in Argentina.

I am at home taking care of some household chores.

Rachel is at home taking care of her household chores from the move to her new house. Cash is helping??? And Veronica is doing activities with her dad's family.

Drew is at home taking care of his household chores in preparation for his move from his apartment to the house he and Rachel are sharing.

Haven't talked to Mike and Ryan. Miss them! Probably they are going to Easter Dinner.

Today is my mom's b-day. So yesterday, Me, Rachel, Veronica, Cash, Drew, and my friend Robin all drove to Joplin where we met Mom, had lunch, and did the exchange of gifts-Easter and birthday. We had a good time and Mom hasn't stopped talking about how beautiful her great grandchildren are. They are.

And Robin was nice and drove and bought me some ice cream AND didn't kill me with her driving. Sorry Robin, it wouldn't be me if I didn't give you some grief!

I had a busy week at school. On Friday I ran a lot of errands on the day off.

We are studying the Diary of Anne Frank and I love the opportunity to introduce my students to such an important work and to help them realize a lot about themselves. I actually had a boy who is often in trouble with the office, who is a bully, and has a bad home life complain when we stopped reading 5 minutes before class was over. He wanted to go on.

My friend, Sarah, who teaches special education brings her students to my class for this unit. The boy who yells out inappropriately talked to her about how he was affected by the video that Bob brought back from Holland. Our two boys who are in wheelchairs talked about how people with disabilities were persecuted by the Nazis.

The kids and the movie, Freedom Writers, reminded me that the Diary of Anne Frank isn't just a story. I have taught it enough that I needed to be reminded that I have a responsibility to remember the people who aren't here anymore to tell their story. Isn't sacrifice what Easter is all about?

Right now I am sitting at the computer in my nightgown and bathrobe and I am getting ready to do some mending and then go to school and get some work done done. (oops-Low by Flo Rider came on I had to dance...) It might not sound like much of a holiday, but I do enjoy time alone and not being responsible for other people. It is something I never had until now.

Have a happy holiday and remember everyone who helped you get where you are today.

It's Official

It is official! Cash turned 10 months old today and he is WALKING! Say it isn't so! Pictures when he stops long enough for us to catch him!


































Veronica and Cash love playing! Veronica has her sweet little animals and Cash is already playing with dirt.

B-U-S-Y 3-14

Hello to you all! It is March 14 and I am off of work! It is our two day spring break! However, I will be leaving in a few minutes to go to Osage Beach for the Middle School Conference. Good times and we learn some things and we get crazy in the evenings!

We are all well at this point. The sun has been shining occasionally and it was been warm outside a couple of times. It won't last.

Bob has been home and leaves for Argentina on Tuesday. As a favor to one of my friends he is helping with a first grader's project by taking a Flat Stanley. Can't wait until he has to explain why he is carrying a paper doll and taking pictures of it! Bob is working on his "novel" and he gets a lot more done than I do on mine.

I am just busy. Lots of meetings right now. I did enter the first chapter of my novel in a contest. If I win, I will need a whole book ready. That should be interesting.

Rach is working and getting ready to move. She recently got her hair done and it is cute.

Veronica is still pretty toothless and pretty sweet. We took both of the kids up to see Bob's parents and Veronica worked very hard to entertain Toni and Herman. On that note Herman and Toni seemed well. I think they were both tickled by the kids.

I am always amazed when I spend time with Veronica to realize just how smart she is. She is also funny. This week she took an anatomy book to school. Rachel sometimes gives her some of the college books. The book actually showed what you look like inside. I asked her if the book might be a little mature for her classmates, and she told me, "It's okay, Grandma. Momma took out all of the boy and girl parts."

Baby Cash is this close to walking. He does walk when he doesn't realize it. He is making more noise. When he is eating if he doesn't get his food fast enough, he slaps his high chair tray, looks you straight in the eye and says, "Hey!" in way that you know he means BUSINESS! He also gets so excited when he gets to go outside that he stands up and lets out a yell that is similar to one Tarzan might release. See, he is related to me.

My Drewsie has been on spring break and working. He will be glad to get moved next month to the house he will share with Rachel, so that he can have cheaper rent. He keeps hoping for good weather, so that he can fly.

Haven't spoken to Ryan and Mike. Bob is going to call this weekend.

Cat is alive and so is the sluggish fish.

And I need to go get dressed. Believe the world will be grateful.

Have good times! Happy almost St. Patrick's day and Beware the Ides of March.

Marching on in March

Hurray! A new day! A new month! And the sun is shining and it is close to 70 degrees outdoors.

At least until the morning when snow and gloom return. Oh well, live in the moment.

Bob is back from Holland. He found it interesting and brought back presents. Everyone was thrilled with their gifts. He even bought a stuffed animal for Cash. The last time he tried to buy a stuffed animal, Veronica was about one years old. When she saw it in the bag, she threw it to the floors and literally tried to stomp the stuffing out of it. We think it was because it was a little black and white dog wearing a red beret and she thought the dog was bleeding. In any case, Bob has been afraid to buy any more stuffed animals. Cash was much nicer about his little bear from Poppie.

I am feeling much more positive than last week. (And the fish is still alive.) This is a really busy time for me and I have things to do pretty much every day after school this week. And next week too. And the week after.

I am also a little thinner. I have been trying to be with some success!

Rachel has been working on her new house. She has been painting Baby Cash's room and it should be really cute. She plans to move in the next couple of months.

Drew is just going to school and flying when the weather lets him. He is flying all around the state on solo trips.

Veronica is just a joy. She came over one evening and we had girl time. We read and played games and just enjoyed our time. She offered to put pillows around when we played Twister, so I wouldn't break my bones.

Baby Cash continues to learn new things. One more tooth, makes five, and he has discovered the joy of singing. Loudly.

Ryan and Mike's maternal grandmother Dolores took her phone over, so the boys could talk to us. It was nice to hear from them, but Ryan didn't seem very happy in general. They are both happy to be 17. They plan to graduate from high school next January. WOW!

We looked at a house for my mom to buy. However, she is terribly sick right now with the flu. She also is disgusted enough with her work, that she may retire before August. Hope so, we worry about her.

Bob's parents are over the flu. Toni has a birthday this week. We haven't seen them much. Either they have been sick or we have been sick or Bob has been gone.

Bob and I also did some house and land looking. We want to build a small house in the future. It will be our LAST move until we die. I know, you don't believe it. Bob means it!

Okay, that's all I've got. And I have way too much to get accomplished this week and today to blog any longer.

Have a great week ahead for you and yours!