Who has time?

I do not have time to blog, I do not have time to think, I barely have time to breathe! Work is good, but full of challenges. Home is good and full of joy. Today, I am home sick. I tried REALLY hard to have a clean time sheet for the month, but last night I had a fever of 100 degrees and decided I had better just stay home to rest. I am resting, but I am trying to get a head start on lessons for next week at the same time.

I miss my friends, I miss my family, I miss so many things but only because I have so many other amazing things to fill my time!

Tonight is Gavin's first Webelos meeting and he is so excited that he has read huge chunks of his handbook already! Soccer is going great! We think Ella likes it and know that Gavin LOVES it!

The Halloween decor has started to appear so, even though the 101 degree weather tells me differently, I know that Fall is really here!

Onwards and Upwards!

A quick update

Happy 11 Year Anniversary Picture

The graduate and her family who saw her through!

There has been so much going on here, I have hardly had time to think, let alone blog!

First: I finished!!!! I did it!!!! I graduated and did it with honors! It is still hard to believe and has not really sunk in yet, but I now have my Masters in Education and have applied for my Preliminary Teaching Credential for the State of California. Whew! A long haul, but definitely worth it!

Second: We partied! I had a whole crew at the ceremony rooting for me, which included my kids and my awesome husband. It was really neat! We had about 25 people over for a big

bar-b-que and had a great time. We also hosted my dad and step-mom, my aunt and uncle (who are also my god-parents) and my aunt from New York for the entire weekend! We hiked in the hills, went out to eat AND got to go and see my younger brother perform in a play that he is staring in! My cousin and her family came down from Oregon and we celebrated her 40th birthday with a little pary at our house and we also got to join them at Disneyland! My kids both rode their first "real" roller coaster (Space Mountain) that day AND it was the first time to Dland withOUT a stroller!

Third: It sounds like our home loan modification will be going through. We heard that our file is done and that they should have an offer for us by the 15th. We just hope that it is something good that we can work with. We are having faith that it will be.

Fourth: I got a job!!!! I was offered a position at Broadoaks (the private school associated with Whittier College where I have been working for the past year as a Grad Fellow). I cannot yet say what grade I am teaching as they don't like to make this public until right before the start of the school year, but it is a grade that I am happy with and I will be working with a team of three other teachers who totally rock! The position is a Credentialed Internship (read: the pay is still low), but it is a job working at a place that I love and I am really excited about the upcoming year!

Fifth: I have the summer off and Andy got a summer school job. This is what we had hoped for (although I always wish that he was going to be home all summer too...it is better financially and he says that he would go crazy being off for that long). I am going to chill with the kids, be their taxi service and enjoy long weekends (Andy has every Friday off!) We are going to have three weeks of vacation over the summer and have started planning our camping trip to the Northern California coast!

*We have also been to Sea World a couple of times and had our first camping trip of the season! We went to Leo Carrillo (just North of Malibu) and visited the tide pools, had a campfire and RELAXED!!! Andy and I celebrated our anniversary while camping...Hamburger Helper and S'mores... we can tell we have been together a while! We have some home project ideas in the works, but nothing is started just yet.

That is it for my updates... I have been thinking about a couple of posts and maybe now I will have time to write them. I found myself completely exhausted (not to mention 5 pounds heavier - ugh) after the last week of preparations and celebrations and have not been feeling well. I went to bed at 7:00 one night and slept all night, then I slept in on Saturday and later took a 5 hour "nap". I still went to bed at 11:00 and slept all night long. My stomach is still upset, but for the first time in a long time, I don't feel tired! It may take a few weeks to recover from the last two years, but I am feeling so excited for whatever is coming next. Life is so good I can hardly stand it!

Finally, for those of you who couldn't be at the ceremony.. here is the good part.. my name being called and my hood and diploma being awarded! YEEEEEHAW!!!!

I am the Master

I wrote this post on Saturday the 13th, a week ago, but it took until today to get the pics in!

Holy Smokes!!! What a week!!!!

Camping was super great! Fun time with the family and we got loads of "weather" which put us in the holiday spirit. Friday afternoon turned WINDY and the very blustery day turned into a very blustery night. The wind howled and the rain poured down. Sometime during the night the rain turned to hail and we woke up to an icy wonderland. The wind died down around 10 a.m. and the hail and sleet turned into snow. It was gorgeous! We spent most of the day inside in various locations (the motorhome, my uncle's trailer or the small rented condo) playing games and eating away.

Gavin became ill during the drive up (and by ill I mean that he yacked on the carpeted floor of the motorhome). He had a fever and felt terrible all day on Thanksgiving. He ate nothing more than a slice of bread! On Friday, he was better but still had a fever and later that night I noticed that he had a rash. By the time we got home he was on his way to a full recovery.
Monday started out in normal way, but after nap time Ella would not get up and she did not look like she felt well. We took her temp and discovered that she had a fever and just as we were about to call her Dad, she puked. In my lap. Thankfully it was no more than juice as she had not wanted to eat snack or lunch. She went home and rested, but by the evening she too had the rash. I had my suspicions, so I called to get her and Gavin into the doctor the next day. I had already planned to stay home with her, as Andy had a meeting that he couldn't miss. The doc confirmed my suspicion and pronounced it Scarlet Fever. He put us all on anitbiotics and sent us on our way. I worked on my paper and got my first major revision completed.

The next day, I had a fever and sore throat and Ella slept most of the day. This proved to be a blessing as I completed my second major revision on the thesis and had to have a plumber out to hydro jet our main sewer line to clear it of tree roots.

Thursday dawned with Ella and I feeling great, but not having been fever free for 24 hours, we both stayed home. We went to Target and ran a couple of errands before heading out for our big adventure. I had a doctors appointment to go to, but the tests that they ran didn't take very long so we were off to Burbank to see a special screening of "The Princess and the Frog". It was at the Disney Studios and was really cool. We met up with some friends and had a great time. The movie is super fantastic and they had a big Mardi Gras party afterwards! We got to meet EVERY princess (well, I took pictures of every princess while Ella hid behind my legs and waved). There were games, cupcakes and even an animator who worked on the film and was giving demonstrations. This may have been Ella's favorite part. She sat down at one of the tables and started drawing away! It was a wonderful event and it was even more wonderful to share it with my daughter.Friday we were back to work and school and it was like Monday after vacation all over again! The day really wiped me out. I had to finish our preschool version of "report cards" and write a lesson for next week and by the time the day was over I was ready to fall down. Ella had her dance class and then she and Gavin joined my in-laws for a movie night at their church. Andy and I took advantage of the time, grabbed a quick burger and then did the majority of our Christmas shopping. Whew! Later, Andy proof read my entire Thesis and reported that it only needed some minor cleaning up and a few changes. I slept so well!

Today, Andy worked on cleaning out the motorhome and putting up the Christmas lights while I have spent my day with my bum glued to the couch, computer on my lap, finishing my thesis. I am DONE! I even powered through and finished the 10 page Research Design Proposal!!! All I have left now, is to print both and then create a five slide power point presentation for class on Wednesday. AMEN!!!! I did it! I am so happy and releived and so very excited to spend some time with my family! In fact, I am not sure why I am still here on this computer and not playing Monopoly Jr. with them right now! Oh, wait, I heard whining.... I remember why.

Actually, I am off to make dinner and relax with some cocoa, next to a fire with my family while we watch a Christmas movie.

I did it.... I really did it... my Masters.... I can't beleive it!

It's crunch time!

Just a few weeks left until I have completed all of the work for my Masters degree in Education, but it feels overwhelming!  I have my Annotated Bibliography done and a REALLY rough 5 pages (out of 30?)  Then I have a Research Design Proposal and Oral Presentation with Power Point to complete.  All due, on December 9th.  That is it.  I will be done in a few weeks and I can hardly concentrate I am so excited.  My goal, right now, is to finish my rough draft before Thanksgiving.  We shall see!

It has been a rough semester with all of the changes and adjustments that we are making, but we are pulling through.  Gavin struggles with not getting enough time with Mom and Dad and Ella does too.  It is rough because I do not see them on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday!  I go to work and then to the library and don't get home until after they go to bed.  Andy is overworked at home and is exhausted, but he is incredible.  

We started having "talk time" with Gavin where one of us spends 15 minutes just hanging out with him and chatting.  Catching up on his life, friends, school or the latest book that he is reading.  He is responding well to this and I am loving the time to connect.  I think that after I am done with classes, we will make this a nightly thing and trade off kids so that each one gets some one on one time with each parent EVERY day.  If I don't have 10 minutes to devote myself to one of my children every day, I really need to get my priorities straightened out.  They used to get some one on one during bath time, but they both shower independently nowadays.. so we lost that.  I think that we are on to something good here!

We have made time to do some things together... we have been having Friday Family Nights still and have gone out to dinner, ice cream, done crafts, made cookies, watched movies or played games.  We are loving that!  We also went to a play last weekend which was really neat!  The next couple of weeks will be really rough for everyone because I am going to be at the library every night except for weekends when I will be working at home on my Lit Review.  I keep reminding the kids that if I can get done before Thanksgiving I can hang out all weekend long.  (I will take time to edit, but probably when they go to bed.)

We decided to go camping this year for Thanksgiving and I am beyond excited.  My mother's side of the family is getting together in the mountains above San Diego.  I have not celebrated Thanksgiving with this part of my family for a LONG time, and the kids never have!  We are going to have a great time (and try not to freeze to death!)  

I am at the library now, and took a break to post this update.  I appreciate my friends and family who stick with me and support me and love me through it all.  I could not do it without you!  NOW... It is back to work!

Ch - Ch - Ch - Changes....

About a million things seem to have happened since my last post and life is no longer in the "chillax" mode. We are on high speed and gearing up for a new school year. The short story is that vacation was awesome, visit from New York Aunt was fun, I registered for classes, was offered a position at Broadoaks school, accepted position, dropped classes, changed all plans for school year, re-registered for classes and resigned from job at church. Oh.. also, we started soccer and registered the kids for piano and Ella for dance.

Today and tomorrow we are going to squeeze the last little bit out of summer by heading to Splash! (our local water park) and San Clemente with family the next day. Andy and I both start work on Wednesday and I think that we have emergency child care (almost) sorted out for the next two weeks until they start school.

I will post about vacation and the job... AND about my fabulous new shoes as soon as I have a spare second. Tonight I have to take my CPR class but maybe tomorrow?

I am here..

I have been busy! Busy RELAXING! (and putting my house and life back in order!)

I put things away, I made lists, I read a book, I scrapbooked for an entire day, I watched two movies and a whole bunch of Oprah's, I have cooked and baked and yesterday, I slept for 12 hours. Yes, you read that right! TWELVE hours! I don't think that I have done that, since college! (technically I AM in college right NOW, so maybe that is why!) I fell asleep on the couch at 7 p.m. after my sweet son covered me with a blanket and my daughter snuggled up with me. At 11 p.m. my darling husband turned down the bed and I slept until my alarm went off at 6.. I then hit snooze until 7 a.m.!!!! I feel really good today! (ya think!?)

The garden is CRAZY out of control!!! I will post pics soon!

We went to San Diego last weekend. Here are the highlights: Before leaving, we discovered that our DVR died. It would not turn on. Ordered new one, it came on Tuesday and is now installed. Took a u-haul truckload of furniture to my cousin who is in college and moving into her first apartment. We got lost. Unloaded furniture. Drove to return truck - got lost. Went to family graduation party for my cousin who just finished high school. Had a blast, until Ella came to me crying and holding her arm. Subluxation, nurse maid's elbow, dislocation, call it what you want, it hurt like hell and we took her to the ER. Way to break up a party! Andy and Gavin went with my uncle to his house (where we were planning on staying the night) My aunt and cousin (who was the grad) went with Ella and me to the hospital. My cousin and her friend had been swinging the kids. One had the feet and one had the arms and they were swinging them like a hammock (is that spelled right?) Used to do that with my little cousins! It's fun, until a loose jointed peanut like my daughter gets her arm out of whack! Waited several hours for x-ray and when the tech moved her arm, it popped back in. 7 p.m until 11 p.m. at the ER... not too bad, really! Visited with friends on Sunday and finally saw their new place, had lunch and lots of fun! Drove home. Watched a movie, a video tape, the last one we might ever see, our VCR died. (what is up with this!?)

I passed the CSET... with flying colors I might add (or brag!). SO relieved! I think that is why I slept so long! Today I spent the day with my mother-in-law! She cashed in her Christmas present! There are a bunch of antique and gift shops along the Boulevard that we both have wanted to check out, so together we went shopping today! I got a cool night light (my early birthday present) and I did some Christmas shopping. She bought a nice grocery shopping bag and a clock. We stopped for lunch at a little bakery and had chicken salad on fresh croissants (heavenly) and a homemade chocolate chip cookie for dessert! Yum!!! It was a great day!

Ella had her last day of preschool today and Gavin will enjoy his last day party tomorrow. He is sad and excited to be leaving the 2nd grade. It was such a great year for him! He has grown up and matured SO MUCH this year and especially in the last couple of months. The tantrums have almost dissappeared and the level of focus and responsibility have increased. Oh, I do see the light! He has been practicing piano (WITHOUT BEING ASKED) EVERYDAY!!!!!! He really likes his songs right now and FINALLY realized that if he practices...the songs are REALLY easy!!!

I should get off to bed, the house is a mess and we have company coming over for dinner tomorrow. They might be shocked to see my house this way! I will be running the popcorn machine at the party tomorrow and then we are going bowling to celebrate the end of the school year! Later you can find me drinking Mojitos and celebrating my wonderful and amazing life with my incredible family. If you are local and care to join me.. stop on by!!

all...most...there....

So close to done... finished the big papers, have to do a 3 page final and 3 journal entries tomorrow after I put in an hour at the office... THEN I AM DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I will be making a big batch of Chicken Enchilladas for dinner and then, I will fall down!

I can't wait to focus on the holiday stuff and put the school stuff aside for a while.

Oh, but wait.. I have a meeting at school next Monday and then a test on the 10th and then, what???? More school stuff!? I thought that I was on a break!

Until I finish...

Wishing I could post more often...

I keep thinking that I will post, but I have SO many things to fill my day! Most of them involve school or trying to play catch up with the house and then chill out with the kids. The other night when Andy and Gavin went to piano, I really wanted to do all of the dishes so that Andy wouldn't have to, but .... Ella asked me to play with her, and so we did some "activities" together. I bought a workbook program for each of the kids when they were toddlers and it introduces shapes, colors and lots of other concepts. It has songs, rhymes, games and sticker pages and set comes with a CD and a craft. Ella has really almost outgrown the program but we haven't gotten through all of the books just yet, so we are still doing them. Now, she is such a big girl and gets the concepts so quickly and has a much longer attention span that we did an ENTIRE book in one sitting! She loved it! Then we made a sock puppet together and had it do silly things! We listened to some music and danced together and before I knew it, the time was up and she was off to bed. Needless to say, I did not get the dishes done, but I had a great time with my girl! Thankfully, Andy realizes what was more important and wasn't the least bit upset. He did the dishes and I conked out on the couch, exhausted.

This weekend I am working on my final paper for my Psych of Ed class...it is going to be tough and I have to do really well (read "A") on it, because I expect it of myself. After Dream Dinners this morning, I came home to an empty house (Andy took the kids to his parent's house for the day) and I read the article and began my note cards for my paper. I don't feel like I got much done, but I am sure that it is more than I think. (It usually is!) I will let thoughts roll around in my brain tonight and get up in the morning and continue with my note cards. This is a technique that I used in college doing my under grad work and it seems to help. I write all of my thoughts, quotes, questions and answers on cards and then organize them into the order that they will fit into my paper. Then I sit at the computer and type up the paper, using my cards as the meat of it so that all I really have to type is the filler and more of my thoughts. I got the intro, the closing and the first section figured out in cards, so I have 3 more sections to get to. I am hoping to have the cards done by tomorrow night! I want to have the paper written by the end of Thanksgiving weekend.... only thing about that is that we are having work done on the family room that weekend!

We decided that our Christmas gift to ourselves will be the lighting in our family room. We have wanted it for a while and now that we have lived here for a few years, I think we really know what we want. We have a great electrician that is a good guy, a hard worker and gives us a low price.. plus he lets Andy work with him which helps Andy learn and gets the work done faster (less money). I am really excited about the project and wanted it done before the holidays, BUT realized that it had to get done before we decorated or everything would be covered in dust! So...it will be done and the next weekend we will have the electrical done in Gavin's room. The closet system is now in, and then Andy will paint the trim...it is moving along, but it is a slow process! I am impatient and I want it all done NOW!!!!

I am nervous about the holidays, I know that they are going to sneak up on me because I cannot devote even so much as a thought towards them right now. School takes all precedent....My last day is December 9th and everything is due then... I have several short journal entries, the last two sections of my TPA (Teaching Performance Assessment) which is a BIG project, a 3 page write up and my big final. That doesn't sound like much, but I also have readings for class next week and the week after.. and on Monday, I present my Math lesson. I feel like I can handle it, but not much else...this season may be on the simple side.. no Christmas cards, not as much decorating, and because of money...there won't be many gifts. I will enjoy the gift of family and time....oh, and sleep!

Still Here, Still Hangin On

October was INSANELY busy with parties and soccer and midterms and ?????? I made it through and I am exhausted, but hanging in there! Sadly, we cancelled our trip to Arizona this weekend but we are all wiped out! Ella was begging to stay home in her pajamas and do nothing all day!

I have a list a mile long of posts that I want to do (yes Gina, I still have the tag waiting!) but it is time for us to head to my in-laws house for the yummy dinner that I made! We are having Ham Chowder, Sweet Potato Biscuits, BLT Ceasar Salad and Blackberry Swirl Pie for dessert!

We did some catching up on household chores yesterday and I got ready for the last push of my semester. I have some projects to complete and a lot of reading, but the end is in sight. I go back and forth between relieved and completely freaked out! We have started on Gavin's "new" room now that our roommate has moved out. We decided what the plan is and the first step is having the closet system installed tomorrow. We also found some GREAT stuff for Ella's room at a yard sale! We picked up a headboard, footboard, a dresser and a little cabinet to sit on top of the dresser! I am excited, but I know that it will probably be summer time before we even get to that project! All of the pieces need to be refininshed, but Andy is looking forward to the challenge! I am so thankful for his enthusiasm and dedication to me and to our family. He has really worked hard to make our home a wonderful place and he keeps on working to make our marriage strong and happy. (even when I am a total grump butt)

I am rambling... but there is so much to share! I just didn't want anyone to think that I had dropped off the face of the earth. I am here, and I will post again soon!

I think I'm getting the hang of it...

This is the first week of the "schedule" as it will (mostly) be during the fall semester. I told someone that I think I have been home more this week, than I was all summer long and it really might be true! Scary!
Monday: Ella with babysitter and me studying all day. I also went to the gym. Class that night was canceled.
Tuesday: Ella and Gavin both at school, me at work and in class in the evening.
Wednesday: Ella had tumbling class, we went to the market and I worked on paperwork, I finally caught up on all of it and I did some PTA stuff for the Fall Carnival.
Thursday: Both kids at school. Normally I will do my fieldwork in the morning, but today I went to the gym and I have been home studying. I have finished a great deal of next week's work and hope to not have to study all weekend long.
Friday: Ella and I will spend some time together doing some fun activities and we will make our regular shopping trip and a Costco run. Both kids will get their hair trimmed and Andy and I have a date.

I feel pretty human, very centered and mostly calm. I still have not managed all of those photographs, but now that the other paper work has been handled I think that I can get to that.

I should finish up my homework so that I don't have to do ANY this weekend!! THAT would ROCK!

Overwhelmed

O.K. the first full week is over and I am in shock. Andy is struggling with his new classroom situation and all of the "extras" that have suddenly been piled on. I had class three nights and homework and work two days and went to the dentist. I am "in charge" of the Pie Contest at Macy's Fall Carnival, my Creative Memories order is due and I still have not finished with those photos. For those of you who asked, yes there really were 800 photos. However, I discovered that quite a few were taken by Ella and were pics of the ground, carpet, the dogs nose REALLY close up and her feet. Those have been deleted. There were also lots of duds that I deleted and I think that I have it down to about 500. Now, when you see my scrapbooks and each page is FULL of pics, you will understand. I cannot afford to leave a page not filled!

Ella had school and went to the babysitters one day, and Gavin had school and day care and piano and soccer. He also struggled with his behavior in class and lost 8 of his 12 "coins" for the week and feels very discouraged about that. I had a converstaion with his teacher and with the principal and that is a topic for a whole different post. Needless to say, I am overwhelmed and exhausted.

Andy worked hard in our patio garden this weekend and it is now full of plants and looks soooo great! I did not know that we were going to do this project, it just "happened" and I am so glad that it did! He needed to "zen" out and just focus on something else. I need to do that to, but I don't have time. I really think that I am going to call in "sick" on Tuesday, so that I can finish my reading for class, finish with those photos and finish up with this giant pile of paperwork before it engulfs my entire kitchen bar!!! (I hope that my boss isn't reading this!)

I was tagged for a photo thing.. but I am tired...all I want to do is go to bed, so... I am!

Back to School

We are all back to school (except Ella who starts next Tuesday!). Gavin is in 2nd grade, Andy is teaching 7th grade math, I am back to work and had my first class last night. I am taking 9 units again, which is full time for Masters... it will be a lot, but I know that we can handle it! We enjoyed our vacation and even headed down to San Diego for the holiday weekend and went to Legoland, walked in Torey Pines Preserve and met my Dad's horse! The kids swam and we relaxed and on Sunday we went to the zoo! Monday was spent relaxing by the pool at Jack and Sharon's...one of my favorite summer spots!

Gavin's arm is doing really well, the cast is off and he is getting over the stiffness. The scar is big, but it looks like it is healing well.

Kelsey, my cousin's baby girl has been in the hospital... please pray for her and for the family. You can check them out here: http://sweetpeakurtz.blogspot.com/

I have been knee deep in paper work and photos, just trying to get a handle on all of the things that fell by the way side during my summer craziness. I uploaded 868 photos on Wednesday and have edited about half. Next, I will file them and order prints... I am hoping to finish today.

I will be placing a Creative Memories order soon too, so if you need anything... please visit the website: http://www.creativememories.com/ and be sure to enter my name "Yvonne Huffaker in Whittier" as your consultant. You can have items shipped directly to your door and not pay anything extra!

Hopefully a more interesting post will come next week... this weekend Gavin has his first soccer game, I will be in N. Hollywood for an all day training for Sunday School teachers and Andy will be cleaing up the crazy, overgrown yard. Oh, and I have homework....

Summer wanning

Well, I had about a week and a half off, not worrying about anything.. just relaxing and having fun.....
that seemed to come to a screeching halt today... when I registered for classes for the fall. I realized that I had so much work to do, things that I had fallen behind on during the summer and now, school is going to start. I freaked out a little, figured out the calendar, secured babysitters for next week when Andy and I both have to work, but the kids are not yet back in school, made dinner and then... got calmed down again. I am going to take 9 units, so it is going to be a full load for me...but I figured if I could survive 9 units in 6 weeks, I can surely do it in 14 weeks, right? I'll keep you posted!

Today, Ella and I spent some time together ... we went to Color Me Mine and she painted a little ceramic puppy dog. She was so cute, and I forgot the camera! We then went to the used book store, uptown and read and browsed and bought a few books. She went with me to school to register and just played and was so good (It only took me about a half an hour).

Tonight, Gavin is having his first sleep over with friends (vs. family... which he has done before). He is next door and it helps that I can hear them through the open windows. I don't know if he will actually sleep there, we will see... I really do expect a knock on the door around 11:00 p.m. But he does play over there, all the time and likes it there, so maybe he will be just fine. We are taking advantage of the time alone with Ella to play a board game or two and have some story time together. Later, we might watch some Olympics... or I might read.

I don't really know how I will get done all of the "stuff" that I need to take care of, but I guess I will just have to keep prioritizing and plugging away at it all, one thing at a time. Having this time off from work really makes me wish that I could quit. I am just "over it"... I don't really like it anymore...I feel like I just go to get a paycheck and that isn't my style. But, we need that paycheck...It would make school so much more "do-able" though... hmmmmmmmmm

I am rambling... so, I am signing off for the night.... off to enjoy some more vacation time...
tomorrow we will swim and see dinosaurs and Friday we will board Noah's Ark.... it is almost over and as with any vacation, it was not long enough!

OMG!

So much has happened in the last 2 months, it really makes my head spin! There is a lot that I haven't posted about because there was not time... there still isn't....

Today is my last day of classes! HOORAY!! I worked really hard last weekend to wrap up some projects and last night I stayed up until a little after midnight completing two more. One big project just needed some small revisions, but when I went to open my document I found most of it missing!!!! I guess that I didn't save the right copy or something.. anyway, it meant that I had to retype half of it (this is a BIG document!) Luckily, I had the hard copy to work from, but it was still time consuming. Then I decided to start another project, one on an English Language Learner from my field work. I had done eight assessments on this student to determine his language abilities and then I had to analyze the data and discuss my findings. I did the whole thing last night and went to bed feeling satisfied with my accomplishments. Those two projects are not even due until August 8th, but I set a goal to be done by Friday, the 1st because that is the last day of classes.

I am up early this morning to start my last project, a Literacy Profile. This resembles the ELL profile, but focuses on a proficient reader. I had to collect data and now I will sit down to analyze the assessments and report on my understanding of the information. I am shooting to finish this by 11:00 a.m. so that I can go and watch Ella swim today (she is being bribed to jump off of the diving board). My "drop dead" time for today is 12:30 because I have my last class of the term today at 1:00. The project is not due until 12 noon tomorrow, but I want it done NOW!!!

Why am I blogging then? Because Andy just told the kids that they could watch t.v. until it was time to go and I was finding it difficult to write academically with "We're going on a trip in our favorite rocket ship...Zooming through the sky... Little Einsteins" playing in the background. They are finished now and Andy is taking them to school, so I am going to put my nose to the grindstone and get busy. Wish me luck and tomorrow I may actually SLEEP IN!!!

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

I cannot wait to be done with this school thing for the summer! I really want to CLEAN MY HOUSE!!! You know how, when you are away from your kids you really miss them? Well, I really miss having a neat house.

Right now, there are things scattered from one end to the other. The house is "clean" really, I mean... Andy is doing dishes and all of that, and we do have a house cleaner. It is the clutter! There is a lunch box on the bench, sliffpers on the floor under the kitchen table that have been there for a week, a magazine tossed in the corner that needs to be repaired, doll stuff in the family room, legos on the window seat, 2 sloppy piles of assorted books on the coffee table and two more on the window seat, the couch is covered with toys and books and the pillows have not been put in their proper places for 4 weeks! There are cd's on the entertainment center and today, while helping Ella to "find" a purse to use, I discovered that her entire doll/dress up area has been picked up and just "dumped" into the baskets and bins. Nothing is where it should be. I asked her why she hasn't played dress up lately and her answer was, "Do you think I could find anything in this mess?"

I won't go on to tell you about the other rooms but they are just as bad... it's not a lot and you can see the floor, it's just that I haven't been going around and straightening up. I could be doing that now, but I felt that I needed to vent! Well, the clutter will wait and I will go into a massive straightening up mode when this is done. I have even been having fantasies about cleaning out the garage!

Our roommate told us that she is going to be moving out in November (or so), which is bittersweet. We will miss her, we will miss the extra income, but we will relish the children being able to have their own rooms. I know that I will spend most of the winter, cleaning closets, redecorating and organizing. I am looking forward to it all.

But, for now... I am heading back to the books. I have several HUGE projects due at the end of the term and I do not want to wait until the last minute to try to pull them together. I am doing really well in my classes. I am keeping up with the work and scoring high on all of my assignments. Most of the work comes easily, although there is just a MASSIVE amount of it. I am trying to figure out what my school schedule will be like for next year (and the next) so that we can see how it will all pan out and when I will be able to start teaching full time. In the midst of that, we are still debating about baby #3... we don't seem to be able to let that go. I just don't know if now is the time, but do I really want to wait any longer? So there is a lot going on in my head and in my heart. Prayers for peace and answers are always welcomed.

It has been a summer of growth for all of us here at the Huffaker household and there is more to come... We will find our answers and our right path... maybe it is under that pile of books in the living room.....

The Half Way Mark

I am half way finished with this summer madness! I don't know whether to breath a sigh of relief or to run screaming. There is a lot to do and a short amount of time to get it done. I turned in a mid term today. It was o.k. It was the first academic paper that I have written in 11 years.. so, I was a bit rusty. I actually did not go to my classes yesterday, so that I would have time to do it. I feel guilty, but there are only so many hours in a day! Tonight I am taking a break. I ate pizza and watched the kids swim and hung out with the Arizona Huffakers.
Tomorrow I will study in the morning and we will join them for an afternoon at the Orange County Fair. I will most likely be studying all weekend long.. I will miss a birthday party at Chuck E. Cheese's... oh, man... hee hee hee....

Off to bed I go, for a sound sleep before a long weekend of mind numbing studying.

Wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Academia

AHHHHH my brain hurts! My neck is stiff and my shoulders have migrated up to my ears. I am on the last day of my 2nd week...only 4 more to go...and enough work to fill up 3 months!

This week, I started my field work which showed me what working full time might be like! I had to be TOTALLY ready for the day (dressed, jewelry and makeup) and get the kids out of the house, dropped off at Gramma and Grampa's house and be at the school by 8 a.m. I made it! The kids were not dressed or fed.. but they did that with Gma and Gpa... It was exhausting beingn in the classroom for 4 hours. I worked with a boy who was having some SERIOUS behavior issues and he has already been asked to leave the summer program. I worked with several students today and the teacher complimented me, saying that I was a "natural". That felt really good!

Last weekend was rough, I worked all day on Saturday and missed going to church with my family on Sunday to take advantage of the quiet so that I could work for 3 hours. Andy and I went head to head over some issues, but now that the pressure has been released, we seem to be working together much better. I am letting go of the house stuff more and more and trusting him to take care of what needs to be done. This is harder than it may seem!

This week I have been tired and overwhelmed with information that has no place in my brain yet. Today, I am taking advantage of some morning hours to work on projects for next week. (oh, and blogging too) I am at the library and have been doing some research on line. I have a lesson to write, some reading to do and journals to compile from my fieldwork.

This weekend, we are making our traditional trek to Chula Vista to my favorite relaxation spot on the marina. We will camp, and relax and eat and visit with friends. We will swim and play and have a great time together. I wish that I did not have so much work to bring with me, but I will look back on this summer and know how much I accomplished. Besides, working in the sun, with an ocean breeze and a fruity drink in my hand doesn't really sound so bad!

Happy 4th of July... celebrate gleefully... we are so blessed to live here, with the freedoms that we have... remember and appreciate... I know that I will!

Wants vs. Needs

I want to post... I want to read (a novel).... I want to watch t.v.... I want to read to my kids
I need to study... I need to read (textbooks)... I need to write...I need to sleep.

Our weekend was glorious... today was tedious... my buns hurt from 6 hours in a chair...my neck and shoulders are kinked and my mind is a blur. I have looked at the "new way" of doing things...all of the info for my classes is online... it is different.. but kind of cool... once I get used to it. Andy did a fabulous job today... he got the shopping done, and the laundry, and the kids are showered and off to bed.

I will do what I need to do.... and save my wanting for another day... until then...

SUMMERTIME!!!!

Well... it is officially here! Not only is school out, but today was 89 degrees and GORGEOUS!!!
It got hot enough in the house to need the A/C on so that I could get some work done, but I only had it on for about 2 hours during the late afternoon. We are catching a lovely ocean breeze and it is wonderful outside, I wish that my hubby and I were out there enjoying our patio and an icy beverage together, but.. he is doing dishes, and I am... well... supposed to be packing, but here on the computer instead.

The kids enjoyed the first 2 days of the week, without much to worry about. They played at Gramma and Grampas house on Monday while I went to my orientation for the Masters program. It was very overwhelming...but I handled it with a few deep breaths and a reminder, that I will be fine!

The kids spent Tuesday with Gramma and Grampa again while I worked and today, they started their summer programs! Ella will go to preschool every morning, I will pick her up on my lunch break, run her up to the pool for her swim lesson and I will get to watch her swim while I eat my lunch. Andy will work until 12 noon and then meet us at the pool, have his lunch with Ella and then take her home (or off to run errands). I will go back to class and meet up with Gavin who will have summer day camp at Broadoaks every day until 4:00! He will take a 2 week break from that to go to Sports Camp, but that is later this summer. He will get to do the Science Acadamies and Music, Art, and Cooking Acadamies! This week they are working on Maps and starting the Music Acadamy! He had a great time today and was glad to be reunited with some of his preschool buddies!

We already signed up for the summer reading programs at the library and look forward to our weekly visits there. We started reading "Winnie the Pooh" and I plan to read that and "House at Pooh Corner" to them during the summer...I really hope we can finish them both! In addition to all of that... we have decided to make every night at mini "family night" since we will have all been at different activities all day, we thought that it would be nice to "reconnect". We are going to working on a program to learn Spanish! (any of you who remember me trying to learn in college might be shocked.. but, I think that I really DID learn a little bit!) We have a kit that we are using and it has a set of CD's and great activity books... we have done 2 already and know how to say "Me llamo ....", "Vivo en...." and played "Juan Dice" (Simon says). We are working on a silly alphabet song, but it is tough!

Gavin has started his "Summer Quest" which is a great program that we used last summer too. It is a workbook with fun activities and worksheets that act as a summer "bridge" to help him keep his 1st grade skills and start building his 2nd grad skills. It also has ideas for "Adventure Days" which are just fun things to do together and we will do these on Saturdays. This weekend we are making giant chalk drawings of ourselves and having Lunch Pizzas.

I did say that I was supposed to be packing, right? Oh, that is becasue .... 7 months ago, I booked us a rockin campsite at Carpinteria ON THE BEACH!!!! We were hoping to leave tomorrow around 12 noon, but Andy really needs to work all day to prep for Summer School, so we will head out after dinner. It will be cooler and there won't be any traffic. I baked cookies and cornbread tonight to take with us. I did all of the laundry and have clothes packed for the kids. Most of the food is all ready in the motorhome too...

I had better finish that up... AND I still need to pay bills.....and work all day tomorrow! Tomorrow is my last day of work, until after school is out! Wow! 6 weeks off!!! I haven't done that since Ella was born! I will most likely go in a few hours here and there to keep things organized and not too far behind (besides, I nee MONEY!) and I think that I will do money stuff on Sundays after church.

I am excited and nervous and ... I dunno... just wondering how this summer will go.... I guess that it will go FAST!

Off... and running....

Updates

I have been feeling REALLY good lately (except for the unbearable exhaustion...but, hey...I am a mom!) so I thought that I would share about it!

I have been busy, but not stressing about all of the things that I need to get done. I feel much calmer and more centered, but I am not sure why. I don't know if something is different...or if it is just my state of mind. Yes, I know that means that something is different, but... My days have seemed longer, but my weeks shorter. I have been getting most of my to do lists done, and feeling very calm about it all.

My stomach is good. I have only had to take the Prilosec one day since stopping. Remember, the directions say to take it for 14 days and then, stop. While I was on my scrapbooking retreat, I really ate poorly and paid the price with some serious indigestion, heart burn and general yuckiness so I took one pill and was back on track. I have also been sleeping really well.

The diet continues to be a success too! I have now lost 12 pounds and even though I did not have any loss last week...I know why and I will do better this week. We have been to a lot of parties lately and when faced with all of that yummy food I just have a little bit of everything and end up eating way to many calories. I am starting to think that my goal of 140 is not low enough to look the way that I want to, and I may continue on to try for 135. That would put me at the weight I was when I got married and I think that I looked pretty darn good. Heck, I wore a bikini on our cruise! I will NOT be wearing a bikini any time soon, however... the babies have left their marks and the tummy will never fully recover!

I worked out today! I have continued to walk Gavin to school almost every day, but the morning yoga and strength training never really stuck. My mom and stepdad just opened a gym near my home, in fact...it is closer than Gavin's school! I walked there today and it took me 15 minutes! I did all of the weight machines in two rounds which took me a half hour and then I walked home. I helped Andy prep dinner and then I showered while he finished it up. So, I am all ready for bed, except for brushing my teeth, which I will do as soon as I get off of the computer! (This is major for me, because there are lots of nights that I....fall asleep on the couch watching t.v. and Andy comes to help me get to bed and I just fall in with my clothes on...I know, it is very gross and really does not fit my personality...but... like I said earlier.... I am TIRED!)

The oven did finally get fixed and I can't remember if I told you that or not. But, it did. The correct part was ordered and took 2 weeks to come in, but when it did the technician came right out and it was fixed within 5 minutes. YEAHHH!!! I baked muffins THAT day, and have since made an egg casserole for breakfast, cinnamon rolls, coffee cake, muffins again and a pork roast. I love having my oven back up and running!

We planted quite a bit to get ready for a "Gramma Shower" that we had at our house last weekend. We finished the pots on the porch... that is the photo at the top of the post! We also put some plants into the back yard and patio area. The fountain and the fan on the porch were used during the party and were appreciated by all. I found an inexpensive table, couch and chair set at World Market and we might just go and buy it. I could study on the patio!!!!

My financial aid paperwork is finally completed and I was awarded loans to cover all expenses plus an additional $2000. We talked about not accepting the additional funds, but we are really unsure of how much I will be able to work during my 6 weeks in school, so we will take it and sock it away and use it if we need it. I felt better to be safe, than sorry (and eating beans all summer) I am hoping to buy my books tomorrow and I will be working LATE to try to get all of the stuff done that needs to be done, before I start classes on the 23rd. I am a little nervous, but excited. I got my bookbag, and my folders are labeled....I know that I am a big nerd but it helps me feel like I have some sense of control.

I got to see baby Kelsey this weekend. I not only saw her, but got to hold and cuddle and ooh and goo over her. She is a little itty bity thing, but oh, so sweet. She is one special baby, and we all pray that her life will be one of joy and happiness. She will have challenges, but her parents are ready and willing to do whatever it takes to help her grow and develop. You can follow her story and see her beautiful birth announcement here: http://sweetpeakurtz.blogspot.com/This is Gavin's last week of school and he has grown up so much this year. Less tantrums and lots more cooperation. It seems that in the last two months of school, he has finally gotten the hang of it. We have been having loads of fun and we are going to be reading about Ancient Egypt tonight as we continue to make our way through the "What your 1st Grader Needs To Know" book! The kids are heading in right now, to get ready for bed and Andy is going to go to the gym, so I should wrap this up and get to it.

Summer is right around the corner and we are all excited for the adventures that await!