fabric softener mixed with water..... amazingl of course the sun is shining and I'm still locked in the bathroom rubbing stuff on the walls... hehe!

Good Afternoon Ladies,
It is amazing the free time you have at lunch and recess when one student is absent. My behavior student is not here today. We are guessing that he is flooded in with his mom. We have had rain for the last two days. The sun finally came out this morning. I hope that it is a permanent fixture for awhile.
Thanks for the hugs. I am really starting to feel good about losing weight again. I made myself ride the excersie bike last night for 15 minutes. I wanted to ride it for 30 minutes but my knees started to hurt. So I just stopped. I will have to build myself back up to 30 minutes again. Tonight I am going to go to Curves and workout.
Robyn I was going to suggest trying goo gone. It comes in a bottle of orange stuff. It works really good on taking sticky stuff off of stuff. Well my students are coming back in from recess early. One of them is throwing a fit. He was pounding on my classroom windows and my aide told him to stop. Then he proceed to take his shoes and kick them off at us. Then took his socks off. Now he is begging for us to help him put them back on. He has calmed down a little but I am not putting his socks and shoes on him. He is a 13 year-old autistic student who needs to become more independent for himself. If he can put them on in the mornings to come to school then he can put them on now. Sorry to rant and rave. But it is easier to rant and rave to you ladies,instead of getting into a power struggle with my student.
Have a wonderful afternoon! I will check in with you all later.
Kerry

Robyn, your posts crack me up! And, no, I don't know what the right shade of blue is. We have also been having torrential rains. My basement is flooded, our sump pump is constantly going, and the mold is gonna start growing again. The poor dehumidifier doesn't have a chance. My allergies and asthma just LOVE this weather. The bottom floor of my school is flooded, but it doesn't keep us from reporting to school. I guess I shouldn't complain since there is no way to make up anymore lost days.

Kerry, try lowering the tension on your exercise bike. I also have bad knees, and the only way I can bike for 30 minutes is with the tension lowered.

Today, the clipboard holders were in for my observation from 1:00-1:40pm. I won't know how I did until later in the week. It appeared that it went well, but until the report is written up, I really won't know. Tomorrow, they will be back again, but this time the observation won't be scheduled. I will just have to be on my toes the whole day.

Miracle upon miracles, my aide decided to show up today. But, she came in late, so the substitute aide was already in my room. I released the sub, and of course, thanked her profusely. She went back to her regular classroom, and I'm sure her teacher was HAPPY to see her.

I've been really good all week, but there has been no sign on the scale or my measurements. I must be retaining water. Hey, no surprise there...I'm surrounded by water...maybe I will grow gills and fins!!!

Summer

.......and now your "Robyn Does The Bathroom" Moment..........I'm sure that you've been waiting for this!

For whatever it is worth....... Here is the only method that I have discovered that has removed the wallpaper glue off the wall..... after 3 days, I became desperate enough to follow the wacky advice of one of my friends who had listened to me babbling on regarding the house smelling like a pickle and the glue being stubborn! In case you ever need to do this....here are the directions that I could never find on line OR at the darn Lowe's Store....

Mix liquid fabric sofener (I used Downey!) with about 1/2 as much hot water, mix it together really well....get over the weird way it feels when you stick your hand in it....and sponge on the wall.......back up...cuss....get the little brown Pampered Chef scrapper and scrape the wall like you are taking the frost off your windshield! Cuss some more cause... VIOLA........ 1/2 your Spring Break is gone AND your bathroom is STILL unpainted!!!! Why oh why the **** why do I watch Trading Spaces and all those other shows??? And why am I so UNABLE to get this little teeny tiny bathroom painted?

After I scraped the glue off the walls....to the best of my scapping/wall softening ability, I totally sponged the walls down with the vinegar from before....and today I didn't do a thing in there....it has to dry you know... and not to worry...cause I still can't decide on the proper shade of blue.... Did you know that there is a world of difference between Misty Harbor and Maine Harbor...Geesh!

So.....I've eaten junk all week, gone through a box of Kleenex, NOT exercised... huffed Downey and Vinegar... WHAT fun!

Kerry, did he put on his socks and shoes? I am dying to hear how it turned out! Bless you for teaching autistic teens! I have much admiration for what you do! I'm afraid that I'd weigh 500 pounds trying to deal with those kiddos!

Summer, glad to hear that the observation went well....or well from your view! Sorry to hear that you are also needing to do the back stroke to get around.... I am sorry to hear that your breathing issues will be or are going nuts! I'm sorry that you had to release the substitute aide...too bad that you couldn't send out the other one to some other place! Good luck with tomorrow and your toe shoe dancing for the day! You KNOW that you will do well!

Meet you out in the ocean (what shade is THAT?!) as I'm also noticing that my toes are webbing together and my skin is starting to begin to get that irredescent bluey greeny fish scale look to it.... this rain is just tooooo much!

I don't know why I'm watching 48 hours about high school shootings..... how depressing and sad and scary....

Ya'll take care! I'll check in tomorrow.... I know you will be waiting for my bathroom update!

chinoiserie blue is nice....but NOT for a tiny bathroom...
delphinium bud is nice too....but well...I'm a tad concerned about how blue EVERYthing will look....
rainfall is a color that I like...but after this week...I REFUSE! LOL

... perhaps I'm thinking about this WAYYYY to much! ...ya think?!
hehe
Robyn

THE SUN CAME OUT TODAY!!!!!!!!! Oh Mr. Sun, Sun, Mr. Golden Sun, please shine down on me...thanks for shining down on me...

Just when I was beginning to look like a mermaid...

Today the clipboard holders were in my room from 930-11am. After a while, I got so used to them being there that I really let my guard down. Hopefully that is a good thing. I will find out tomorrow at 12 noon at our school leadership team meeting. I'm the co-chair, so I have to be there, like it or not. I will let you all know how it goes.

I went to my alma mater, Southern CT State University, to register for a graduate class in the fall. I will be taking Child Development. It is a good place for me to start my masters since I always did really well in those kind of courses. My only concern is the arduous process I will have to go through to matriculate in grad school. It is a state school for pete's sake! You would think I was applying to Yale! Well, just like everything else on my career path, I will not be overwhelmed. Instead, I will take it one step at a time, and try to chill out.

Robyn, thanks for the wallpaper removal tip. We have used that Goo Gone. My DH may want to try your way when he does the dining room. Oh, and don't feel bad about the bathroom. When we moved in our house 5 years ago, we began our upstairs bathroom, and it came out awful. We stripped off the mistake, but never fixed it until February when I did it myself. I obsessed over that bathroom for years. Now it is done. Yours will get done too.

Hi Kerry & Ginny!

TGIF tomorrow!!!!!!!!!!The beginning of my spring break on Saturday!!!!!!!!!!!

P.S. The scale is beginning to move downward. I've corrected my indulgences over Easter weekend. Now it is time to make some serious progress!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

See ya!!!

Summer (It is on its way!!!

Hi Ladies,
The sun has been shining for the last three days. It is so nice to see the sun. But boy oh boy do my boys have a cause of the pre summer vaction syndrome. They are starting to act silly and refuse to do any work. So I think the next six weeks are going to be very long. How long do you gals have before you are out of school for the summer?
I went to Curves last night and they have a new machine. It is called a PEC/DEC. It is to work your upper arms and back. Boy oh boy is my shoulders, chest and upper arms/back sore today. But I am going back tonight to workout again. So that I can say I have my 4 days in this week.
So Robyn are you ready to go back to school on Monday? Did you enjoy your break from school?
Summer how did your meeting go today? Did you do well in your observation with the clipboard holders? Congrats on the scales going down! Keep up the great work!
Ginny how are you doing, honey? Haven't heard from you in a while and miss you!
Enjoy your weekend! I have to go to an Area Recognition Day for TOPS during the day tomorrow. Then I have to go with the DH, and the stepsons' to a demolition derby to see our nephew derby. So I am hoping to get to relax a little on Sunday after I get home from church.
Have a great weekend!
Kerry

FREEDOM!!! I AM OFFICIALLY ON SPRING BREAK!!!

I am so happy. I thought this day would never come.

The review went well for the school overall. Some of the upper grades were weak in the area of "deep structure thinking." But considering the lack of leadership, support, professional development, etc., we had until January, I don't think they did as badly as they could have.

Everybody LOVED my class. The clipboard holders were amazed that I am only a 3rd year teacher. I got lots of praise. There's nothing like "job security" to make your day!

So, the only other hurdle to get through this year will be my formal observation with my principal. It is all a matter of planning the "perfect" lesson. I feel pretty good right now since she has already seen me do well. At this point, I just want to get it overwith.

Today was another sunny day which gives me hope for a nice vacation. My basement really needs to dry out. The school is finally dried out.

My last day of school isn't until June 25th. We had 6 snow days, otherwise, we would have gotten out on June 17th. I'm just glad they let us keep our April break. I wouldn't have made it all the way to the end of June without a week off.

You will probably see a lot more of me this week.

Take care one and all!

Summer

hello everyone!

.....I can't BELIEVE that it is Saturday already! Where did my Spring Break go???

I have enjoyed getting up AFTER the sun! Thursday we went to Richmond and spent the day at the Virginia Science Museum. That was a lot of fun! On Friday, we went in the other direction, to Norfolk to get the kids some new shoes. (I drive to a special kids shoe store as my children's feet are HARD to fit!) Came home in time to get to the grocery and cook yummy stuff to go with two steaks dh grilled.

I found a forgotten gift card....that was MINE! Had fun searching for just the perfect purchases in Books A Million! Didn't spend a dime on anyone but ME! Mean Momma!
Last night, I got in bed at 9 with my purchases! Didn't get to sleep until after midnight! YUMMY!

Today we have baseball......I've got to print my homework pages.....(I got them ready last Friday when I got home from school!) I plan to do NOTHING on Sunday....maybe a bit of laundry....

I am covered in poison ivy or oak or something........I didn't get it from the walls of my bathroom..... we were working out in the yard LAST weekend before the rain came. What I don't get is HOW I got it WHERE I got it....I was wearing long pants and a sweat shirt...??? SOOOOOo anyone know how to get this stuff to dry up and stop itching??? It is making me nuts!

gotta run.....one of the boys is calling me! with that tone in his voice!
Robyn....I'll be back!

Robyn, Rhula Gel (I'm not sure of the spelling) is what my sister always used on her kids. Besides calamine lotion and baking soda made into a paste, that is the only thing I know of. I'm sorry you are itching. Take some Benadryl too to stop the itching from the inside out. Sorry your vacation is coming to an end. When are you done with school? Do you have to go to the 25th of June like me? My DD's school is threatening to go to one vacation in March next year to get us out of school earlier in June. The parents had to fill out a questionnaire. I vehemently disagreed with that stupid idea. They tried that at my sister's school, and in the month of February, attendance was atrocious. The school really needs to close that week to give the building a chance to be germ free. Then to go from March to June, my sister thought she would go out of her mind. The following year, her district switched back to February and April. It would be a nightmare for me because DD would want to stay home with me the weeks I'm off, and if we could ever afford to travel during one or both of those weeks, we would have to take her out of school...how would they like that?! On the questionnaire, I threatened to take her out of school for those two weeks. (I probably wouldn't do it.) Then that week in March, I would be screwed. I would have to find childcare. What a pain in the a*s. I think I made my objections very clear. Hopefully other parents will do the same.

I have to get DD ready for gymnastics. Talk to you all later.

Summer

Remember I washed my walls with Dawn and vinegar??? WELL now I'm bathing in it...
seems that the stuff supposed to take off wall paper glue is also what I'm supposed to use to get rid of the itching poison ivy...altho it may be oak...the bottom line is THE ITCHING WAS DRIVING ME NUTTY ENOUGH TO BATHE IN DAWN! It seems to have worked or at least helped! There is a huge huge web site about the stuff....if you google poison ivy! ...just in case you ever need to know! Thanks for the RhuliCreme idea.... That stuff has also been helpful! as has Benedryl and etc...things for skin itching!

Here in the south...said in my best southern belle voice...we don't have February vacation. I had never heard of it until I met a friend from Maine 100 years ago...
and her family always visited her in February. We get a full week off for Christmas...oops sorry Winter Break....and then hardly ANY time off between then and Easter ...I mean Spring Break.

Gotta go.... kitchen is calling my name...again! gotta go clean!
take care..
Robyn

Hi Ladies,
Sorry to be missing in action the last couple of days. But we have had the stepkids this weekend and have done nothing but run run run with them. All three of them had ball practice twice this weekend. Then yesterday I had to go to a TOPS Area Recognition Day with one of the high school girls in our group to see her get her award. I was gone from 8 until 4, only to come home change clothes, eat a quick salad and then off to see my nephew in a demoltion derby. Got home at 12:30 and went to bed. Got up this morning when the phone rang and woke me up at 8:30. It was my sdd telling me that she had ball practice at 1 today. I got ready for church went to church. Came home to an angry dh since he had words with his ex. She thinks that we don't do enough with their children and that I don't want to be around them. Just because I didn't think it was my responsiblity to take stepdd to ball practice. I was going to use that time to have some me time and clean house a little bit. So I was a nervous rack wondering if she was going to show up at practice and cause a big old ruckus. But she was there and never nice towards me. So I guess I should thank my lucky stars that she wasn't *****y like she had been early in the day with my dh. I never thought I would say it but I am looking forward to going back to school tomorrow. At least I will be able to slow day a little bit and fall back into a routine. Well I better go and fold some laundry. I want to try and get it all done today. Even though it is a never ending process. I hope you are all enjoying the nice weather we had this weekend. I am hoping to squeeze in a walk with the dh tonight.
Well I will talk to you all later.
Have a great week! Summer enjoy your spring break!
Kerry

Well, yesterday was a great day, and I am paying for it today.

Yesterday, DH took DD to gymnastics for me so I could get my nails done. Boy were they in baaaaaad shape. (I've only been getting my nails done professionally since last June as a way to take care of ME for a change.) Now I am spoiled. If I have to miss an appointment, it is tragic. I'm really not one of "those people," I swear!

Anyway, I picked up some essentials plus cold cuts and low fat Cape Cod potato chips for lunch. Then DD and I went to see the movie, "The Prince & Me." WOW!!! What a great movie!!! And, I was able to see it with DD and not cover her eyes! We will soooo get it on DVD when it comes out. After the excellent movie, we went to a cute little diner-like restaurant right on the beach. We always start going back to the beach around this time of year. It was windy and cold, but just smelling the sea air gave us such hope for the upcoming summer. After our dinner with an ocean view, we got ice cream cones, (this is where I made a wrong turn ) and sat on a bench watching the waves roll in. We went home and played dominoes. I won!

In the middle of the night, the stomach pains began. Ever since I had my gallbladder out, every once in a while, I will eat something too fatty for my stomach to handle. There is no rhyme or reason. I have had fried clams, fried shrimp, and ice cream on vacation, and nothing happens. Then I will have a bowl of homemade New England clam chowder, and I get diarrhea like you've never seen. I think it was the ice cream. I never eat real ice cream anymore...just low-fat or fat-free frozen yogurt. So, today I am green. I know better. If I just stayed on my diet, this wouldn't have happened. I just wanted to celebrate the awakening of the world around me...spring and the iminent arrival of summer.

So, today my dinner is rice with lots of selzer water to wash it down.

Tomorrow I had better be better. DD's best friend, her mom...my best friend, the mischievous little brother who's in love with DD, DD, and me are going to the zoo for the day. I will need to feel good to be able to handle the walking and the kids.

Kerry, what a BUSY weekend! I can't imagine that it is easy to deal with a stepfamily. My DH was married before, but didn't have any children, so he was able to cut ties. He feels bad about leaving behind his in-laws and a God son. Once in a while he has to go to a wake or a funeral, but otherwise, they aren't in our life. Thank God.

Robyn, your poor skin. You will need some major moisturizing when you are done with these coo coo treatments. But hey, whatever works! When I had mono, I broke out in a hideous rash. Looking back, I think I had chicken pox on top of mono, but who knows? Anyway, I remember sitting buck naked and spreading a paste of baking soda and warm water all over my body to control the itching. What a picture!!! At least I was 19 and thin at the time. If I had to do that now with the sagging boobs...oh Lord...now THAT would be a picture!!! Sorry you didn't have February off, but didn't you get a week in November? See, I just had Thanksgiving and the Friday after off.

Well, somehow with a stomachache, I have to try to straighten up my house in case DD's friend comes over after the zoo to play. Maybe I will just get up super early tomorrow instead.

Summer

running in real fast....

went to the dr today...the itching was JUST too much.... I am now on Steroids and other assorted pills....and I do feel a bit better! The dry skin will have to wait until I'm done with this rash before I start moisturizing! and trust me...the total nekkid with baking soda paste is NOT pretty at my age...and sagging... tried it last night....and well... besides looking like an albino JabbaTheHut...not much stopped itching! BUT...the drugs are taking effect!

The week in November was all of my leave and then 3 days without pay..... it wasn't an official "doors of school are closed" vacation! BUT...I will stop whining now that you reminded me of THAT wonderful week in Florida....sighhhhhhhhhh...It WAS wonderful!

Summer, sorry that you aren't feeling well today....dairy...do you think it is something to do with the dairy / fat , etc...??? I have 2 very good friends without gallbladders and icecream is a huge NONO for both of them.....due to the very problem that you have had with it.... Sorry that you're sick...but ATLEAST it is due to a wonderful time!

Kerry, sorry you have to deal with an ex as well as ball practice! Sounds like you will be returning to work to relax!

ya'll take care....
....gotta find my bookbag for tomorrow!
Robyn

Hi everyone!
So how is everyone's Monday going? Mine is okay. I have had an eventful day. My autistic student shoved our tv off the cart and it hit my little down syndrome boy in the head. So it was scary because a huge knot appeared on his forehead. His mommy came and to him home. I am really looking forward to going to Curves and working out my tension and stress from this morning later in the day.
The ex came over last night and was just so sweet to me. It scared me to death. I was waiting for her to stab me in the back with something. But I have to be nice to her for the sake of the kids. I am just glad that I didn't start eating for emotional comfort.
Well I will try to check in with you all later. I have to go home, change clothes, go workout and come home to try to do some light housework. I only got the laundry done yesterday. But atleast that was a start.
Have a great evening!
Kerry

HI Ladies,
My little boy came back today. He is fine. I am just glad that his mom is not mad at me or my aide. She is very understanding. It is great to have a few parents like that every once in a while. He gave me a great big hug and kiss when he saw me this morning. That made me feel really good. I have watched what I have eaten today. I had two apples and my weight loss shakes for breakfast and lunch. Can you tell that I have TOPS tonight? Well my boys are in from gym. So I have to go. Have a great evening. After I leave school I am going to go to Curves and workout so I don't start to snack when I get home. Have a good evening.
Kerry