Blog Neglect

Wow!  I have neglected this blog for a while.  I don't know why because I have plenty to share and to say.  I did finish student teaching and got a job with my county.  The whole getting a job thing is a post in itself. God really showed up for that one.  I will share it soon.

We are in the middle of vacation bible school and getting ready for the beach.  We will not be having a resort beach trip because I have not been working this year, but we will have fun!  Everyone is bringing a friend and we are all going to meet up, even the newlywed couple.  I am so excited for some family time.

I am going shopping for some of the groceries today.  The island is so expensive.  I can't take enough for 10 people for the week in my van, but I will get stuff for breakfast and lunches and we will make ahead a few dishes and bring that.  I do not want to spend all week in the kitchen, but I really don't mind cooking on vacation.  It beats eating out and I get everyone to help with the dishes.

Well, I have to take Emma to babysit and go shopping.  I will show what I got and what we are making when I get back.

Student Teaching day 4

Well it is my fourth day of student teaching.  I am student teaching kindergarten.  I wanted to write on here every day or so just to document what student teaching is like.  I feel like this is a time in my life that I will want to remember and that I will not be able to redo.  I don't want a redo, but my life is so busy and so full right now that I want to be able to look back and remember what went on during student teaching.  The good, the bad and the ugly.

I was very nervous starting Kindergarten in a new school.  I am not one for change, even though I have always gotten along with people.  The first day the teacher or I neither one knew what do with me.  I haven't had any instruction from my college, I just observed the first two days and I hated it.  I like to be doing something, but I knew that I needed to observe and discover what the class was doing.  I also needed to learn the students name and their procedures for doing everything.

This week has been much better so far.  I have done a few small groups and written the morning message.  I have also gotten to see a few people that I know from the other school, so that is helpful in my transition to this school.  

The two biggies for me right now are working on my edTPA and studying for the GACE.  EdTPA is this big project that I have to do for the state that includes videos of me teaching.  I am going to try to video in the next two weeks.  After that it will be doing the commentary.  I need to figure out what I am going to teach. After watching today I think I will do beginning sounds.  It shouldn't be difficult to teach and everyone except for a few need practice.

So, we are off to church tonight.  Oh, yes I am planning a wedding during all of this crazy mess in my life.  We have gotten some decorations and we have the dress being fitted  We have found a florist that is not too much and the kids are paying for the photographer.  We just mostly have to iron out the details and work on food.  That won't be until two weeks before the wedding, and I won't be student teaching by then.

Sick Day

The little boy and I spent a day together last week.  He was sick with a stomach bug and I was more than happy to stay home with him.  He spent the day on the couch, and I spent the day doing chores around the house and baking.  I made two loaves of bread and a batch of cookies.  He couldn't really eat any of it that day, but he enjoyed it the next day when he was feeling better.  I enjoyed the day at home.  I also enjoyed being with my sick boy because I knew that he would soon be better.  I have a student at school that is battling a brain tumor and will not live much longer.  His family will not have the chance for him to get better.  I thought and prayed for them today while I was home with my boy.  I can't imaging the pain they are going through.  

This weekend finds us going to honor band try outs and to the Nutcracker.  I have one more class that I have to attend on Thursday night thenmy current school.. I am done for the semester.  I am so ready and so burned out. It is also my last week at   I have mixed emotions.  I am sad to be leaving the school that I know and love, but I am looking forward to finishing school and student teaching.  This has been a long time coming and I am so ready. Then next year I will be working.  Hopefully at my current school. 

This semester

This semester is almost over.  I can't believe that I am going to student teach next semester and then I will be a classroom teacher.  Never before have I had to step out in faith than now.  Not only am I students teaching in a school that I know nothing about, i'n a grade I know nothing about (Kindergarten) but I can't work this semester.  I have to give it up to God and put faith in him.

I also have some other news.  The big girl is getting married.

It was a sweet proposal.  They are a little young to me, but they are grounded and will learn alot together.  Fun wedding times ahead.

I am getting the final Christmas presents together.  I try to get done early so that I can enjoy the holiday.  We like to make cookies and crafts, have people over, and go look at lights.  Then we can enjoy Christmas.

I am going to go back and share all of my shopping trips with you.  In an effort to keep costs low I am going to track all expenses for the next few months.  I think we are often surprise by how much of it flies away.  We have been trying to cut expenses.  We have changed car insurance and homeowners, cut off the satellite and moved to just netflix and I have been trying to shop more at Aldi and Dollar Tree for all of our needs.

I try to buy as much used as I can.  I do not like consumerism.  I am often shocked at how much people buy and throw away.  We do often buy new shoes, sock, underwear, and personal items.  I do have to buy most of our pants new.  The kids are so skinny that it is hard to find pant to fit.  I wait for a good sale then buy several.  I am short and need a petite size and they are hard to find used also, but we try.  I only buy quality used stuff.  Consignment stores are great and so are thrift stores.  There are so many options for buying used that I could go on for a long time.

Well, I have to get some things done before bed.  I will post the shopping trip and menu this week.

Fall Break

We are on fall break around here.  We have the whole week off of school and I only have to go to class on Monday night. The professor for my Tuesday night class said that if we got all of our work into her by last Tuesday night and she checked it off, then we didn't have to come this week.  I spent all day Sunday getting everything done so that I didn't have to go this week. Yeah me!

So we are going camping (in the camper) on Wednesday and coming back on Saturday.  The kids want to go shopping tomorrow at the outlets for some boot and long sleeve shirts.  I told them that we could if we could find some bargains or some buy on get one free deals.  I also need to go shopping for the camping trip and for the week after.  I don't want to have to go to a store while we are camping and I don't want to have to go out when we get back.

We are going on a picnic after church today. We are having such nice weather that I feel like we need to enjoy it.  I just love being around my kids and husband.  Some people say that they don't enjoy the teen years, but I really do.  I think this is my favorite stage yet.  They all have such interesting personalities.  I guess that none of mine give attitude or lip about stuff so that also helps with the enjoyment!

Well it is church day and I have to finish getting ready!

Weekend Happenings

Friday  night had us at the local high school football game.  The little girl plays in the high school band, so every Friday night in the fall is football.  My little nephew met us and watched the game.  He had a great time with the little boy.  The other picture is of the middle girl getting her driver's licence.  The real one that you can drive by yourself.  She did great on her test and I know that she will be a responsible driver.

The above pictures are of my shopping this week.  The first is a quick trip to Sams, the second is a quick trip to Wal-Mart and then the last is my trip to Aldi.  I spent about $70 at Aldi and $45 at Sams, which is under my $150;00 a week so I feel good about the trips.  I think Wal Mart ran me about $30, but some of that was the insoles for my shoes.  I have heel pain without good insole and that and the bubble bath would go into my household budget of about $250 a month so I am good there also.

Feast or Famine

I feel like when you have your own business, often times there becomes a feast or famine mode.  There are times when you have several jobs come in and feel really good about your fiances, and   then there are times that you are having to wait and there is little cash money.  That is where we are this week with the grocery budget.  We are waiting on payment on a few of Steven's big jobs, so we are tight right now.  It is ok though.  We can pay all of our bills, we just have to wait on a few of our wants and the cooking will be a little more creative this week.  This is why I love to stock the pantry with extras and eat that when we are tight. This is what I am thinking about making this week:

Monday:  Crock pot chili
I will use dried beans and ground deer meat that we have on hand.  I also have cans of tomatoes on hand and all of the seasoning.  This meal will be no additional money this week unless I buy some frito type chips to eat with it.  We also like to put cheese and sour cream in it, but I have that on hand also.

Tuesday :  Cream cheese chicken in the crock pot.

I have to have crock pot on Monday and Tuesday because I have class on those nights.  This meal requires chicken, cream of chicken soup, itialian dressing mix and cream cheese and pasta.  I will need the cream cheese and dressing mix.

Wednesday:  Sloppy Joes and oven fries.  Ashley usually cooks on Wednesday.  She gets home earlier from class and everyone is running out the door for church.  All I need for this is sloppy joe seasoning.  I might buy a new bag of potatoes.  The ones I have are looking a little yucky.

Thursday:  We almost always have soccer, so I want something that everyone can serve themselves, so I usually make a casserole or soup.  This week I am making chicken broccoli cheese casserole.  I already have the chicken, broccoli. cream of chicken soup, sour cream and crackers.  I will serve with a salad, so all I need are some salad makings.  I might get some more sour cream just to be sure.

Friday:  Away game for football.  We might go to the game.  If we do I will pick up a little ceasars pizza for us to eat before the game.  That way we are not spending money on concessions.

I didn't include Saturday because I really just grill some meat and make a salad.  I never know who will be here so I don't do much.  I also try to make some quick bread like banana or pumpkin bread for breakfast or snack and some wheat bread to have with dinner.  Sundays is always hamburgers and hotdogs and either homemade fries or chips.  It depends on how late church goes.

Everyone eats eggs or bagels or cereal for breakfast.  I have all of that on hand except I may need more bagels.

Lunches are packed sandwiches, fruit, chips and crackers.  I do need chips and crackers and fruit.  I have sandwich meat and pbj.

So you see, I am going to shop this week, but not for much.  We will have plenty to round out the week and no one will be hungry or crazy.  Next weekend we can make a Sams run and stock up for camping. Yeah for fall break coming in one more week.