Hi everyone!
I hope everyone had a better day then me today. By 9:30, I was looking for some chocolate. Thank God, I didn't find any or I would have eaten it and went looking for more. LOL. My students were very active and rude today. I guess it doesn't help that their parents feel sorry for their disablilties and lets them rule the roost at home. It really makes my day all the much harder. I have to go to my TOPS meeting tonight. SO that was another reason I did not give into my craves. I am glad my friend gets off work shortly and we can go to the high school indoor walking track and walk a mile or two and help me destress. So what is everyone's weather like? It is very cold and sunny here. I hope everyone has a wonderful day tomorrow at school. I have to go to a workshop on ways to handle autistic children.

Welcome Kar.

I was just blindsided by a very special friend of mine, my DD's Godmother. She is a nurse who works crazy hours, and two other parttime jobs because she and her DH just built a half-million dollar home. Anyway, her DH is rather immature and doesn't really like spending time with me and my DH. But my friend and I have been through a lot and have been very close for a long time. Our dilemma has been when to see each other for Christmas. The holiday came and went because of our conflicting schedules and her frequent travelling. (They go on vacation about every 8 weeks...no lie! No, they do not have kids yet.) Because she works every other weekend, she invited us up to her house in the boondocks about 30 minutes away during a school night. I explained how DD has homework every night and goes to bed at 7pm. Not to mention the fact that I get home at 5:30 on Mon. & Tues., have a standing appointment on Thurs. leaving only Wed. when I get home at 4:30. Yes, we could get a sitter and get DD's homework done before we leave. And if that is my only choice, that would be fine. I just can't believe that my friend is completely booked the weekends she doesn't work. That is Friday, Saturday, & Sunday...not anytime at all?! I really think she is being pressured by her DH. Every time I suggest going out for dinner or whatever, there is always an excuse. If she wasn't so important to me and my DD who loves her like an aunt, I would just give up. And, she is my DD's guardian named in our will should something happen to us. No, there isn't anyone else that I would trust to raise my DD. I'm just so frustrated right now, because she is calling me selfish etc. I emailed her that we would just have to get a sitter during a weekday to visit. I just can't be friends with people who don't have kids. They just don't know what is involved. AAAAAHHHHH!!!!!

Summer

Summer so I take it I am not the only one who had a bad day. My best friend and I are in the same kind of situation. My husband and her husband don't get a long very well and so it is tough trying to get together and do things as couples. Usually it is just the two of us getting together when I go home to visit my family and we go shopping. It is very hard to get other non-teachers and non-parents to see how hard it is for us to balance school and home life. Plus still try to keep our sanity and not go looney.
I went to my TOPS meeting tonight. I lost another pound. I was happy with this. I have now lost a total of 16.25 pounds since last April. I keep telling myself that this is my year to reach my goal weight. I am thinking about trying Leslie Sansone's The Walk Diet. It is a 6 week "activity-based" way to walk off the extra weight. It starts Feb. 2. If anyone is interested in it, go to her website at www.lesliesansone.com Well I better go. I have to type some stuff up for my TOPS group. If I don't do it now, I will forget. Have a great Wednesday, everyone.

Hi all teachers, welcome and hi Kar. Between DH having all of last week off before the start of his new job this week and my kids being on the computer 24/7, I have had no time to post much less check my e-mail! My own sister probably thinks I've kicked the bucket.

Painting a classroom during the year? With kiddos still using said room? Many Robyn, and I thought my district was insane. Summer huge hugs and sympathy on the nose problems, I hope after all of this you feel better than ever and can say it was worth it.

Work has been hectic, and is only going to get worse as the dreaded TEKS season gets in full swing. I feel so sorry for some of the kids. And a little concerned about my own. Lots of shakeups and changes going on on campus, the ever-present fear that they'll replace me or do away with my position is rearing it's ugly paranoid head. On the food front I'm doing okay. The holiday damage came to about 5 lbs, (I told you it would show up sooner or later, you just can't play and not pay eventually--and I played hard some days!!). I'm back on track though, water water water, bike, taking good healthy lunches and avoiding the lounge, and the candy jar in our office. That alone is a major accomplishment. Oh, and journaling, I'm faithfullly writing every bite so I don't lose track. I'm hoping by spring to be back, if not at goal, then really close to it. No excuses, just gonna do it.

I don't know when my kids will let me back on so if I'm awol it's just that I can't get a turn. Keep up the good work ladies!
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Kar, thanks for your input. It is nice to know I'm not alone.

After I posted here, I called my only married friend with kids. She also happens to be a real straight shooter. She tells you the truth whether it hurts or not, and I've always valued that about her. So, I told what happened, and she was very supportive. She told me that although I am really strict about keeping DD on a schedule especially on a school night, I'm not being rigid and selfish, I'm being a good mom. She also reminded me that my other friend has pointed out to me in the past that she admires the way DD has a bedtime and isn't dragged out to restaurants etc., late at night like her niece is. And now that it is an inconvenience to her, suddenly the trait that she used to admire she is calling selfish behavior. My friend who has kids has the same problem with her friends without kids. Is it so wrong to make your child top priority?! I am willing to get a babysitter for DD so we can visit my friend. DH will have to do her homework with her since he gets out of work earlier. It is doable on a weekday if I make special arrangements. I just find it so hard to believe that even though she works every other weekend, she doesn't have one friggin day or evening on a weekend that she can make plans with me. I really think her DH is behind this, and she is caught between him and me and doesn't have the guts to be honest about it. For my DD's sake, I have to make peace with her. She is her Godmother for Pete's sake.

It is such a shame to me that friendships that have withstood the test of time and other stressors begin to fall apart when marriage and children enter the picture. My best friend's husband isn't nuts about my DH, but has the maturity to be social with him knowing that his wife and I and our kids are really close. I'm so grateful that I have her because she is the only friend I have that really "gets" me and my lifestyle. I really need to make more friends with other parents!

Robyn, I forgot to thank you for your funny response for my adventure with the ENT. I want you to know that I blew my nose by mistake a couple of times today. It is such a habit. Nothing bad happened. Since I may need surgery, I have a feeling that this is just the tip of the iceburg.

Take care and enjoy hump day!

Summer

Yikes! Sorry to hear that everyone (Kar and Summer!) has had a horrid day! Well....
COUNT me in with the "WHAT A YUCKY DAY" group. The preparations for the painters is about to kill me. I was near tears all day today. (NOT the way to be with 23 6 year olds!) The kidlets were on the whole angels....considering what could have happened with the crap piled to the ceiling. It has been suggested to me more than 100 times that I need to throw away my stuff. I'm SOOO angry at the attitude of others. I agree and admit that my room is full of stuff that has out lived its usefulness. HOWEVER, January with a room full of first graders is NOT the time to go through the crap and pick and chose. AND the impending doom of the painters ...and the fumes from all the paint.... and the boxes everywhere...and the usual "issues" of my darlings... ARGGGHHHHHHHHHH

Today as the children were leaving my principal came down to the sty (my room) with a person from HR (in a full length mink coat no less) to photograph the scene of the accident that happened with the other teacher 2 weeks ago. I was mortified. The room is totally in an uproar. Junk EVERYwhere. There were 5 witnesses to the accident...they ALL "testified" that the room/piles/boxes were NOT an issue in the accident.

You all are talking about friendships and stuff.... I have not spoken to the "friend" who I considered at one point in my life, "my best friend" since May. I've not seen her in over a year. We live less than 30 minutes from each other. Things change. People change. It bothers me like crazy. BUT I'm done with trying to keep up the friendship. I love the memories of the times we had together. BUT... I've come to deal with (usually) that it is NOT how it was. The last time we talked we were strangers. It was the most awkward thing I've ever experienced. Especially since she was part of my life (part of my family) for 22 years. She was with my husband and I when both of our children were born...... I miss her. But the person that I knew and loved and "hung with" is no longer. Sighhhhhhh

Kar, I highly recommend the WATP program. (What is your current activity level?) I am searching for time to exercise regularly again.... I found that I "surpassed" the WATP tapes quickly....ie, they werent enough...BUT they were great for a while! Does that make any sense?

I've babbled ENOUGH! ...and Queer Eye is going off....time for bed! LOL
Hang in there!

Summer, your message cursing the Sunday School superintendent had me bent in 1/2 ROTFLOL! I'm sorry that the vision of the SS super. is soooo WHACKED! Did you try explaining it to her the way you did to us?! I got the message! LOL Maybe you just need to "splain it" to her! Hope your nose made it thru the day! (((hugs)))

ok...really...gonna go to bed....
take care
Robyn

Hey girls, apparently we were all posting at the same time!!! Great minds think alike! I don't have time to respond properly to all of your wonderful postings. I will check in tonite. Glad to see you back Story. You were missed.

Summer

Morning Ladies,
I just want to wish you all a wonderful day. I am getting ready to go to my workshop. My kids yesterday were cheering that I was not going to be there today. But watch as soon as they walk in my room tomorrow morning, they are going to tell me how much they missed me and love me. LOL.
I have been doing WATP videos for the last year. I do one every other morning. The other mornings, I ride my excerise bike, do ab excerises and workout on my excerise ball. Then three days a week since the end of Dec. I go to Curves in the evenings to workout. Plus one or two nights a week, I get together with one of my friends from TOPS and we walk at the local high school indoor track. Since I started incorprating excersie into my life and watching what I eat, I have lost 16.25 pounds (April 2003-present). I feel so much better and have energy for my 6 Special Needs students and my three step-children.
Well I better go and leave for my workshop. Talk to you all later. Have a great day with your students!

Hey Robyn. I don't know about you, but I think the book club thread is a bust. People aren't really posting very much. So far, it hasn't been much help for me. I feel like I get so much more right here. Oh well.

Kar, it sounds like you are doing everything right. Good for you!

I'm beginning to calm down from last night's fiasco with my friend. My current reaction is a lot of sarcastic comments to myself. I guess I'm feeling pissed off right now. I'd better not speak to her anytime soon.

My next door nightmare is trying to blame my 6 year old because she fell on ice walking her into school. Nice.

My DH is looking into a different position at work which would allow him to bring DD to school, therein saving me $100 a month and less aggravation with the next door nightmare.

My aide was out today, yet again. She hasn't put in a full week since she returned from maternity leave in November. I had to steal the aide from K because I have to have a ratio of 1:10 at all times. The K teacher was annoyed, but she knew it wasn't my fault.

Tomorrow we get our new principal. God help us. I have to go in 30 minutes early for her welcome breakfast. Oh goody!

One of the early childhood supervisors came in and discovered my students painting a cardboard box which we are turning into a puppet theater. Out of nowhere she told me to pick one out of the Lakeshore catalog, and she would order it for me. Stuff like this NEVER happens! Cool!

Oh, and I was very obedient today. I turned in my lesson plan to the Sunday School superintendent. (I hope I won't have to go through this every week.) It will certainly keep me following the curriculum. That way I can tell her where to look for the info herself.

Gotta go.

Summer

Hi Ladies,
I hope everyone had a better day today! I went to my workshop. It was wonderful and I learned a lot of new ideas to use with my students. The only bad thing about it was we sat for most of the day and I am use to being up and moving around my classroom and school building with my kids. But it was the needed kick in the butt to get over being on Christmas Vacation. For some reason this year, vacation mode just seemed to stick with me a little bit longer. I was a little bad today with my eating though. They sat out bowls of mini candy bars and I kept helping myself to them. I usually can resist the temptation. But for some reason today they just looked really good. Please give me words of advice on how to not give into my chocolate craves again. I think I had about 6 to 10 of them. But they were soooo yummy! LOL. Please give me a butt kicking for giving into my craves. Well I need to go and get well rested up for my boys tomorrow. I am sure I am going to have fun making heads and tails of what they did today. Have a great Thursday!
Love, KAR

Kar, the last time someone asked for a butt kicking it was Summer, and I obliged her but today I'm just too pooped! Forgive yourself, we all give in sometimes. I did stock up on a couple of boxes of Slimfast snack bars so I can have my chocolate and count it too, 2 points each and really really good. I'm glad to hear someone else rides and exercise bike as well. During the school year that's about all the workout I get. I ride 20 minutes every morning and try to ride the same or more at the end of the day, I'm not always as successful in the p.m. I like to wear my walkman and listen to the radio and read while I ride. If I'm not reading, that 20 minutes seems to take all day. Currently Maeve Binchey is keeping me company, Quentins, for the second time. Anyone else read and re-read and re-read books? I will read them over and over if I love them. Others, like the first in the "Key" series of Nora Roberts latest trilogy, I couldn't even finish. I can't waste time on less than wonderful reading.

The water is starting to work, I can feel it kicking in and flushing out my system. (sorry if that's too graphic!) I'm so ready to feel better all over, so tired of being tired and knowing it's this excess weight. But I'm so thankful that I can feel it this time, and not wait to feel it until it was 50 lbs, instead of 5. Been there, hated it.

Speaking of friends and the angst they can cause, DD is struggling with that very thing now. Friends who go for months and not call or write, then suddenly turn up wanting her undivided attention/support/loyalty. Why do they think they have the right to exclusive friendship with her, expect her to drop other people because they say so? At 14 she's learning, the hard way I'm afraid, to deal with these kinds of friends. I'm not telling her what to do, but offering my opinion if she asks. I don't think she'll let herself be used and discarded, yet again, but she'll be hurt by it just the same. When it comes to these kinds of things, I agree, boys are easier! DS just says like me or leave me, I don't care.

Work is, well, work. Tough time of year, no break until March. My classes today tried my patience to the limit. And that was before one of the boys decided to show his butt--literally!! An Anacin moment for sure.

I hope everyone is having better days and restful nights.
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Well, it seems my friend has come to her senses. She took back that I am selfish and our friendship is one-sided. She is behaving more rationally now. STRESS REALLY TAKES A TOLL ON HER. So, it appears that the drama is over for now. I'm too old for this crap.

My new principal arrived today with a lot of fanfare, the superintendent, assistants and other bigwigs. There was an elaborate breakfast with all of the trimmings. My principal is a tiny woman, seems friendly, and appears to have a sense of humor. Give it a couple of months, and I let you know the REAL DEAL. The superintendent came to observe me during a special, (whoopie!!!) so I escaped dealing with her.

My husband got a new position at work which changes his hours so he can bring DD to school!!!!! Now my nextdoor nightmare will be less involved with my life. There will be still be drama with her, but at least DD won't be involved.

Have a great Friday!!!

Summer

Anyone know how to send / post a photo here? I would love to show you my classroom.... You all would DIE. ????? I know I am...dying...daily!

TGTomorrowF!

Story I just wanted to say Thanks for telling me it was okay to splurge with the chocolate. I love riding my excerise bike. I read a book too when I riding. That is the only way sometimes that I have the time to read something of pleasure for myself. I love to reread really good books over, too. I am right now in a Nicholas Sparks kick. I am reading Message In A Bottle. It is really good. Has anyone else ever read the book? He is a really great author. This is my last book by him, until he comes out with a new one. Any suggestions on any must read books? I really love to read romance and fiction books.
Summer I am happy that your next door nightmare is going to become less of a part of your life. I am glad that your friend came to her senses. It is sad when people who are childless, have the nerve to call people with children selfish. Especially when they are the ones who give up the most of their time and engery to do things for and with their children. Congrats to your husband how his new position at work. I know how it is to have to been observed today. My boss came in and observed me this afternoon. That is the only time he comes into my MH classroom unless my one autistic student is out of control and distrupting the whole school. It was a little nerve racking to have him watching me while I was working with two of my students teaching them a new game I just got. Plus it didn't help that one of the students had to become an actor while my boss was in the room. He sure acted up for me while the boss man was in the room. But when the guidance counslor came in later he was just fine. He was polite and on his best behavior. It is just irrating how he acted while I was being observed. Oh well, hopefully this is the last time I will be observed this year. I ended up coming home and taking a nap tonight. I really should have worked out but I was just drained from my day and didn't have the engery.
My husband did take me out for dinner. So that made my day better. I was very proud of myself, I ate a good sensible dinner. Then when he got dessert, I passed on getting one myself. I asked for a glass of water to sip on instead. I did ask the hubby for a bite of his pie though. I forgot how sicking sweet pecan pie is. Well I hope everyone has a wonderful Friday and enjoy your weekend.

I guess this 'tis the season to be observed. I got it twice this week. Geesh. I worried and obsessed about it until today when starting first thing this morning the bottom fell out of the day. Murphy's law was in full force in my school: if it could go wrong, break, get out of control or screw you up, it did. We were just looking at each other and shaking our heads in bafflement. WHAT IS UP?? Another full moon?? By this afternoon I just said screw it and did my lesson, let them observe me and my beloved little ones in all our gore and glory. If someone else can do it better, bring them on. Crappy days bread crappy attitudes, please pardon mine. I need to remind myself that just like when you eat bad fish "this too shall pass". Potty humor, man I am in bad shape.

Sorry to vent vent vent and then vent some more. I'll try to bring happy thoughts to the board tomorrow. Summer so glad the DH has the opportunity to help you out. The same kind of thing is happening with my DH's new job. He can get the kids to school 1 or 2 days a week, takes a good 20 minutes off my morning. Being teachers you all know what we can accomplish with 20 minutes to plan and prepare!! Bliss.
Also, the friend situation is a load off your mind, for now. Being in a similar situation with my DD and her godmother I feel I should caution you to start now to prepare your DD for a time when this woman hurts her through her careless remarks. She may be too young to pick up on things now, but that won't remain the case. DD's godmother told her once when she was 5 "Don't grow up to be like your mama, one smart *** is enough". DD has never forgot that and it is a sore spot for her even now. She asks how can I remain friends with some one so thoughtless and cruel. The upside? Those long talks are wonderful opportunities for bonding and passing on your own values. I still treasure this woman's friendship, though she can be thoughtless and cruel, and AWOL for months on end, because at a time in my life when I felt I had NO ONE, I had her to lean on. The very deepest secrets I told her she kept and never judged, never advised, just listened and propped me up. That's what I needed and that's what she did. When I was afraid my DS was going to die in infancy from the condition he was born with, she listened and held me while I cried and prayed with me when no one else would. Everyone else, save for DH was all full of platitudes and putting on a good face. So I defend her, to an extent, to DD, but have to let DD form her own opinion. Oh and by the way, I see her becoming such a beautiful young woman, she takes my breath away.

Forgive the ramble, happy Friday to all and to all a good night.
story
p.s. Robyn, are the paint fumes affecting your mental faculties yet, and if not, how will we know when they do? JUST KIDDING GIRLFRIEND. We feel your pain, hang in there.