Long Overdue

Wow, three years and no update!  I don't know where to begin.  My life is easier to sum up . . . I am okay; maybe not great but good.  I left the classroom in May 2024 and haven't looked back.  I do teach summer school which I really do enjoy.  Travel in summer is expensive so it works for me to stay home in summer.  I work some weekends at a local winery and that keeps me busy.  I enjoy chatting with customers.   The goal after "retiring" was to travel . . . and that I have done until I had to have surgery on my rotator cuff last December.  What was suppose to be a 12 week recovery with physical therapy twice a week has turned in to 25 weeks with only 3 more sessions in June.  I have been very dedicated to following directions and yet I am a very slow healer.  Not going to lie, there have been tears and a lot of frustration but the end appears to be in sight . . . not 100% but better.  I am hopeful that I will be good to go by December!   I can't wait to get back to traveling!  I did experience some great trips between "retirement day" and surgery.  My goal is to visit as many countries as my age . . . I am only 4 behind so I hope to catch up before my next birthday.

Colin is Colin . . . I don't hear from him much and it has been a hard transition for me; did I mention tears?  I swear this stage of "parenting" has been the worst for me but what can I say or do?  There was an Aggie Ring dunk, filthy roommates, and some unsolicited budgeting lessons . . . he did very well and made the grades! He recently graduated Magna Cum Laude from Texas A&M and will be moving to Colorado for graduate school.  

It is hard to believe yet another Memorial Day has rolled around . . . this year will be 22 years since Sean died.  There are days that I cannot wrap my head around that number . . . it feels as if I slept and missed a decade or more.  I think about him all the time.  I feel so isolated some days but try to keep pushing forward.  Grief is really strange and hard even all these years later.  So many milestones missed, and I sure would have loved a partner to do life with day to day . . . the good and hard days.

Christmas Card Catch Up

2023

 

2024

 

2025

 

I'm alive . . .

I have been meaning to do an update for weeks that turned into months so here I am . . . three days of no work due to a Texas ice storm and nothing but time!  Colin went to college.  Here he is with all his freshman classmates.

Colin and I both survived his first semester of college.  I don't know who missed who the most but I can tell you my house was super quiet and always tidy!  He only came home twice all semester and the first thing he noticed was how clean the house was as he walked from room to room.  It was funny that he walked from room to room the first time he came home as if he had never been in this house.  And then he admitted it was weird not seeing all his crap cluttering the house!  It didn't take long to get comfortable and there were several pairs of shoes in the living room.  He also noticed there was zero food in the house especially junk food!  While I won't say he did not have fun the first semester, he did very well and his grades exceeded my expectations.  He studied A LOT and his grades proved it.   I am his biggest cheerleader but also his biggest critic too.  I know that isn't the best qualities to have but let's be real . . . life is tough!  He did humor me with a 1st day photo . . . 

. . . melted my Aggie Mom heart!  I get a little teary eyed just remembering getting the texted photo.  There were a lot of middle of the night text messages that were panic mode and doubting his abilities and complaining about how long Chemistry pre-lab took (always takes longer when you wait until the last minute) and how the lab teacher was hard to understand and the list goes on BUT he survived and thrived and that is all he needed to do.  I held my breath often and lost a ton of sleep worrying about him.  If I could just convince him to work ahead and not wait until the absolute last minute to submit work then life would be so much easier on me (and him too!).  Then I get photos like this and I don't know if I should even ask what's going on . . . 

Christmas break was good too.  I was worried that after four months of us both living our own lives that when we were under the same roof for four weeks it would be a disaster.  It wasn't.  We laughed a lot and just enjoyed being together.  We went to Utah for a week and had a wonderful time!  I have to soak up those days because I know my days of being a priority are limited.  I sent him back by himself three weeks ago for second semester . . . it was even harder than when I sent him off in August . . . really! 

I am hoping he makes good choices and continues to study . . . you know, I know what he needs to do and he knows what he needs to do but if he does that remains to be seen!  Already looking forward to Spring Break in March where he will come home to relax.  

Merry Christmas

 

all packed and flying the nest

I had been planning for this day all summer.  Picking up items I thought he would need in the dorm.  Of course, it was way more than he ever imagined but it was not that much other than basic needs stuff.

. . . and he is off!

It sure was weird to be going in two cars and that is when it sort of hit me that only one would be coming back!  About 30 minutes from our house we hit torrential downpouring rain that was no fun.  We desperately need the rain but it was dangerous driving conditions and our cars were slipping and sliding.  I texted that we should pull over and let it pass but we pushed onward.  The blue skies returned and we arrived in College Station with no problems!  Move in day wasn't until tomorrow at 3pm . . . which wasn't ideal since it is August in Texas but with the drought we at least expected no rain.  

Move-in day arrives and we show up around 3pm, find two parking spots near each other which was nice.  Colin went to check in and get his room key.  We went up to do a quick inspection of the room.  It was a bit disappointing (only because I knew how much this room was costing me) that there were obvious signs of damage or poorly touched up paint.  But the biggest issue was the AC was not on and the room was hotter than a sauna.  It was awful . . . I immediately had Colin fill out a work order and I set off to find help!  There was no way we could unload and set up in a room hotter than hell.  First item was to find the fan and go buy more later.  We cool off and ventured down to the car to start unloading and you know what happened; RAIN . . . lot of rain.  We grabbed what we could, loaded the wagon and took off running for cover!  Colin room is on the 5th floor and the only dorm with an elevator which was so nice!  

Someone was working harder than the other person!  We slowly got the first load unpacked and put away.  Colin thought the whole process would take about an hour . . . silly boy!  Colin's original dorm was about a 20 minute bike ride to the main campus to which I said absolutely no way!  Just too far from where classes will be and not a typical on-campus dorm experience so I told him to log on when it opened and change to a room on main campus.  He tried a lot . . . we both tried and one day a single room in the newest dorm opened up.  I told him no matter what just pick one if it opened up and do it fast!  And on the day we were sitting in Rudder Auditorium during new student conference this single room opened up.  So while it is not ideal since he is in a room alone and he wanted a roommate it is a room near all his classes and all the action on campus.  You know what is the best part of his room?

The view from his window which is where his desk is looking out at!   That is Kyle Field in the distance.  Colin made the comment that he had a great view for football game fly overs and I quickly said but you should be in the stadium to see that.  We managed to get all his stuff from the car to room in two trips!  And then we set out to pick up supplies we forgot or that he thought he needed but mainly another fan or two!  Want to see the trash from the neighbors next door (4 girls and a cat)?

And just like that he was settled and ready to get the fun started at Howdy Week . . . 

. . . which meant it was time for me to leave.  HARDEST thing I have had to do as a parent . . . it was the best hug but also so heartbreaking too.  There were tears . . . of joy, happiness, worry, sadness, hope, and love!  I gave some words of advice and Colin said some of the sweetest things I have ever heard him tell me.  There are so many times that I have felt like a bad parent or failure but as we chatted I realized that maybe he was going to be okay.  It was just a very touching moment in Lot 30 for both of us. . . and then we both turned and went our separate ways.  I drove the 96 miles back home, took a shower, and went to bed.  Thankfully I had a few days before I had to return to school to adjust but man the house is so quiet and going to take time to get adjusted.  And just as I was crawling into bed I got this . . .

. . . just what I needed on such a hard day!

catching up

Lots of changes in the Sims house . . . Colin graduated!

Summer seemed to just fly by too!  We went on a quick trip to the Dominican Republic (check the travel blog for that fun)!  And then things go super serious with college planning.  A few days after graduation, we were at New Student Orientation registering for classes!  Absolute awful academic advisor . . . she made changes to his schedule without telling him . . . dropped classes, added classes he already had credit for . . . just not a good experience!  We did manage to get a mailbox.

Which also happens to be the exact same mailbox I had 30 years ago . . . yes I asked if it was available.  In early August I dropped him off at Fish Camp to meet up with 600 of his new Aggie freshman . . . 

. . . and picked up a kool-aid drinking die hard Aggie!

And within 24 hours he tested positive for covid and was stuck at home for the next five days!  At least he would still have some time to hangout with his friends before they all went their separate ways.  Next up:  the big move . . . empty nest is no fun!

College Bound

Wow!  It has been a long time since I posted on here.  Trust me I lay (or is it lie) in bed and think about what I am going to write and never follow through.  The last time I posted Colin had submitted his application to his college of choice and finally seven months later he received his news he had been waiting to hear . . .

Y'all we had about given up hope!  We have both lost sleep and stressed over this application.  We had the back-up school all ready to go but it all worked out.  I sure hope Texas A&M is ready for him and that he ready to put in the work!  

I am so happy and proud of him.  I know Sean would be too! 

denial . . .

 How can this even be possible?

I think the best word is bittersweet!  Man I can not believe he is a senior!  In other news, we have been spending a lot of time filling out college applications too . . . I was doing the exact same thing 30 years ago and it was so much more complicated now!

catching up

School has been out for a week and we have done very little.  While I want to get out, travel, and explore new places; I just can't seem to get motivated.  I want places to be open with limited restrictions and well that isn't happening.  Don't get me wrong I am a planner but sometimes I like to be flexible and just show up at a museum and well that can't happen right now.  I will say it has been so nice to be in Texas and not wear a mask.  I still carry one but don't wear it unless required.  It is freeing!  I hated every minute of wearing one at school trying to talk and teach and it was so hot and miserable.  I have also been struggling with one thing lately . . . time!  I have a senior in high school . . . let that sink in!  It is going to be a hard year for me and even harder this time next year.  He finished his junior year with excellent grades and managed to move up a lot of spaces in his class rank.  So much that I emailed his counselor questioning one class on his transcript, yep I am that mom.  We have a couple of college visits in the works during the summer (nothing exciting just around Texas) but just gearing up for the big college applications when the system opens up on August 1.  I am ready but not ready.  

a quick month

 I can not believe the last month has sort of passed right by me!  Last I posted we were in a bit of a mess.  The state of Texas had a major . . . like once in a lifetime . . . winter storm that caused severe issues for the entire state.  Our temperature did not get above freezing . . . mainly stayed in the teens and even dropped below zero one night . . . for an entire week!  Let me tell you it was not fun but we were lucky and very thankful that we had power and water the entire time.  If you remember we had 75 two week old baby chicks for the Houston Livestock Show so to say we were a bit stressed was an understatement.  Plus we had 6 left over big chickens from the county show too.  My poor parents lost power for seven days . . . thankfully they had propane heating and their neighbors loaned then a generator on day four . . . I know it was tough for them.  The roads were so bad they could not get out of their driveway so it wasn't like they could just come stay with us.  My mom didn't want to leave in fear of a pipe busting too; it did!  In the upstairs bathroom above the living room.  They are tough . . . way tougher than we would have been.  We did not leave our house for the entire week . . . I went outside a lot for fresh air and to shovel snow.  So the month passed by and I have had good sleep.  Of course that can only mean one thing . . . NO MORE CHICKENS!  I tell you we managed to survive another 42 days with those stinking birds but the day of the show was a bit of a circus!  BUT we did it!  I really don't know if I can write about the magnitude or seriousness of this chicken show but there were 467 entries of chickens . . . yes almost 500 pens!  A pen is three birds so in the building there were a lot of chickens!  And that doesn't include the turkeys.  We of course had no clue if we should show the girls (pullets) or boys (cockerels).  So we took both . . . we hauled 6 boys and 6 girls from our house to Houston which is about 3 hours by car.  See we are totally crazy.  All week Colin told me he had a gut feeling he should show the boys but my heart said to play it safe and show the girls because usually the competition is not as many with the girls.  Statistically there are less girl birds entered which increased your odd of making the sale and top 100.  Did I mention we left our house at 11:45pm the day before the show and sat in our car in the line for hours before we were released to the NRG show grounds?  Oh yes we did.  We had not slept in almost two days . . . nerves and stress and excitement.  So by the time we walked into the show barn the birds had been in a plastic container (with no lid but a lot of air holes) for about 7 hours.  You can imagine how active they were when we got them out and they had feed and water!  Of course by now it is barely 7am.  I won't even mention the drama that I caused between me and Colin as we were driving to get to the show barn . . . I got lost . . . Colin could not read the map to help me . . . we were both already exhausted and our best side was not shining.  I said some very mean things and of course I felt horrible after the fact.  We readjusted our attitudes (mainly me) and set out to do our best and hope for the best.  Colin was optimistic while I was not.  So I know you have heard me talk about his amazing chicken teacher but she left to another school . . . we still miss her a lot!  She was there with her current students and we were all a group for the show helping each other when needed.  Colin trust her like no one else and she is still a very valuable part of our team.  (He is still not sure about his current teacher as she just doesn't have the knowledge and experience but he is trying.)   Colin and the former teacher discussed what he should do . . . she felt he should play it safer and show the girls, but Colin kept telling her he was curious how the boys would do too.   It was  hours of trying to decide what to do.  I pulled Colin aside and we had a discussion about the what ifs.  I told him that it had to be his decision and we would all support it no matter what.  But he had to be willing to accept the outcome if it was not the top 100.  The goal was to make the top 100 pens so he could be a part of the auction; that is a big deal.  At that point we had no idea just how many boys and girls were entered so it was a total guess on what to do.  So after many hours of pondering, many walks with the teacher and Colin trying to decide . . . Colin just could not shake off his gut feeling to show the boys.  So we took the boys to the sift.  The sift is where you get a base score of your birds and they use that to place you for the show.  It is not a final placing just a starting point.  You can still move up in the placings.  Since the show was a private event, they did broadcast the show on the internet so our family and friends were watching as we went to the sift.  I was deflated with our scores and at that point just knew we were done.  The score was 7-9-8-8 . . . ten being the highest.  The 7 pretty much sealed the deal that we were done but my ever so optimistic son would not give up hope.  My friend was watching and said she could see my disappointment even though my face was covered by a mask.  I texted my parents and told them we were pretty much done that there was no need to log on later.  By this point it is maybe 11am.  It was just a sit and wait day until your turn to go into the actual show ring to get your final placing.  You are then assigned a group to go back . . . the later your group the better as the judge starts placing the pens from bottom to top.  The key was to keep your birds alive until show time which can always be a challenge.  So there were 292 pens of boy birds in the show and you want to be in the top 100 to make the sale.  We eventually found out we were in callback group 4.  There was a bit of confusion on how many groups there were and at this point we thought we were in the top 100 but they had not posted all the groups.  I told Colin what I thought and we were excited and then I had to go tell him the bad news.  The math teacher in me came out and starting running numbers.  I felt just awful that we thought we were good and then we were not!  He took the news pretty good and we just decided to make the best of it.  He stayed with the birds and gave them water . . . one was starting to look not so good and we were not sure he would live for his call back group.  If your bird dies you are then placed at the bottom of your callback group.  I again started thinking about the odds and what we needed to do to be in the top 100 . . . I told him we needed to beat 25 people in our call back group.  There were about 45 in our group and we need to be near the top to be top 100.  I think that motivated him a little bit.  It was a bit of a glimmer of hope that it wasn't all over yet.  I called my parents and told them to log on that we were still alive.  So finally around 2pm we enter and man my nerves were a mess!  It is hot, I stink, the birds are stressed, we are so tired and hungry.  So call back group 4 went well . . . we were in the top 5 of the group so we moved up to call back group 5.  AWESOME or a miracle?  I don't know but we were so thrilled.   At that point we knew we were at least in 75th place so we met our goal.  We stood for hours . . . the birds did not drink for those hours and were so stressed!  So long story short (I know it is not short), we ended up moving ahead of 25 people in callback group 5 and placed 51st!  51st out of 292!   WOW, there were no words at that point.  I was so happy for him and he reminded me that he just knew his gut feeling was right!  All I could think was how did our birds get such low sift scores and move ahead of so many that had better scores?  I don't know how I ended up with a confident kid, a kid that is so laid back (just like Sean), and one that just knows when to follow his gut; but I am sure glad he did. 

On May 14, we return to Houston for the Poultry Auction . . . we are so excited . . . winning a bit of prize money is always nice but the experience was so much more . . . 

the end and beginning

I can't believe I haven't updated since Christmas.  Not a whole lot going on except CHICKENS!  Which if you have followed our journey the last 5 years you know they consume every waking minute!  No joke I tell you.  So the first week of January Colin picked up 56 baby chicks.  They are so cute for a few days and then I just see them as work . . . a lot of work.   It is constant checking, feeding, watering, making them wake up to eat, the temperature is right, cleaning . . . and that cycle repeats 24 hours a day.  I can't even tell you how many nights I slept without waking up in the middle of the night to check on them . . . oh yes I can tell you . . . ZERO!  I woke up at least once or twice every single night . . . EVERY.SINGLE.NIGHT.  The things we do for our kids.  The past week was our local county show and man it showed us that hard word really does pay off!

Indeed we . . . I say we because me, my mom, my dad, and Colin worked hard . . . did the best we have ever placed!  It truly is a team effort . . . so Grand Champion (1st place) and 3rd place out of 69 entries.  That is pretty amazing!  Let me tell you about that amazing teaching with Colin.  She came into our lives when Colin was in 8th grade and his second year of chickens.  She knows her stuff!  Sadly, she left his school for another school near by.  We were both so sad but she still helps us.  Now isn't that amazing!  Her school is much smaller, and I know she is doing awesome things there but man we miss seeing her daily.  So even though her current students compete in the same show as Colin, she still answers any and all questions and helps us pick our best birds.  I will give Colin credit as this year the last two weeks he told me he knew the best two birds and well when she came she agreed so he has learned a lot from her.  There really are not words for her dedication to current and past students and her drive to make sure her students succeed.  What an amazing teacher!

And let me not forget that about four weeks into this project we picked up 75 one day old chicks for the Houston Livestock Show to be held in March.  Yes, for about two weeks we had a lot of chickens in our garage.  The little meets the big . . .

The little is 2 weeks old and the big is 5 weeks old!  They grow so fast.  So there is not rest . . . now if mother nature will move along and get this artic winter gone it will make us all much happier.

Christmas Cards

There are two things that I looked forward to every year . . . making Colin's Halloween costume and Christmas Cards.  It has been a few years since I made a Halloween costume but still love the yearly cards . . . until this year.  I mean we did not travel so there are no fun photos.  Maybe we should have documented exactly what we did the last year?  Sitting in front of a computer in pajamas, watching endless television, sleeping crazy hours.  So I decided not to do Christmas Cards.  It was a hard decision but it was made.  Fast forward a few weeks . . . a few cards starting arriving and man did they provide me so much joy and smiles.  I started regretting not doing cards.   So I started looking for a few photos and it was done!  It was one thing we did spend a lot of time on before lock down . . . all those chickens.  I joked it was the year of the Cs . . . Colin, Chickens, Cancelations, COVID.  I did not have the best photos but hopefully it provided someone else a smile too!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year . . . hopefully 2021 is better . . .  

souvenirs

When I travel I usually try to pick up something that reminds me of that place or that moment.  If all else fails we pick up a magnet and add it to a board where we keep them all.  It is fun to look at all of them.  Since I have not traveled in a year (I know it has been sad for me) that means I have not accumulated much to remind me of where we went.  I have many souvenirs that bring back many fun memories and even a sad memory too.  A few years ago we were in Germany/Netherlands for Thanksgiving break.  Thankfully some of the Christmas Markets opened that weekend so we went.  I was so excited and to introduce them to Colin too!  Man oh man what great memories I have of  all the German Christkindlmarkt that I have visited.  It makes my heart so happy.  When I was pregnant with Colin my doctor's office was right across the street from the Weiden Christkindmarkt.  By that point I was making weekly visits to Weiden for check ups which I did not mind at all!  So when we were in Germany a few years back we stopped into Obi (hardware store).  We really stopped to find a rest room but ended up looking at all the Christmas decor.  There was a tree that had these small cordless battery operated candles that I kept going back to.  I loved them but just wasn't sure that I really needed them.  So I got them and let me tell you they bring me such joy and many smiles every year that I put them on my tree.  By the way my tree has not been decorated yet but I wanted to put that garland on it this year and the candles so it doesn't look totally naked.  

Now here is the kicker to the story.  They work on batteries and turn them off/on with a remote.  I can even make the flame flicker or be solid.  I love them so much!  There is one that will not turn off.  I have tried to see if I can adjust it and nothing works.  Then I stopped trying to fix it because that my friends is my sign!  If you know me (or have been reading this blog from the beginning) you know that I believe in signs and my first sign after Sean died was an article that mentioned a teapot.  And you know what else?  That one candle does not flicker either . . . it is a constant solid flame that only goes out if I take out the battery.   This time of year from mid November to Christmas is always a bit sadder and sometimes the smallest sing gives me that extra push that I need.  This small candle reminds me of the love I have, had, and will continue to hold in my heart . . . it is solid and never flickers . . . never fades!  

a lot of nothing

School is going good for both of us . . . we are both in person since late August and well until last week it was smooth sailing!  And then Colin was exposed to covid by one of his friends that tested positive.  Colin and this kid are in 2 classes together and eat lunch at the same table so they were close to each other several times a day.  Colin's high school had 39 active cases in less than a week and that doesn't include kids that were in close contact and had to quarantine.  Now his high school has over 2,000 kids but not that many are currently attending in person.  

If there was one thing we both learned in the spring it was that our house is our home and not a classroom.  So on Friday, November 13 (just something else to stress me on an already sad day), I received a text from Colin saying he was told to report the nurse's office and that he was probably going to be quarantined.  I mean we were not surprised since his friend test positive on Wednesday and well it was already Friday.  So he was sent home for 14 days from his last day of possible exposure.  The good part was only one of the weeks was a actual in school learning and the other week was Thanksgiving Break, but still we had 7.5 days to figure it all out.  Figure it out?  Yes, the nurse told Colin to let his teachers know and he was told to go home.  Well isn't that nice!  Nothing more and nothing less.  So as soon as he arrived home, we started emailing teachers and trying to figure out how to do virtual school.  Of course you know the teacher in me is strict and expects promptly submitted work that is quality.   So we had the weekend to sort of figure it out which meant I was on his school issued iPad figuring it out.  I still had work and came up with a plan and schedule for Colin to do each day I was not at home.  Can you guess how that went?  It did not.  I went to work and came home and had to do work with him.  I don't know how he turned his 6 hours of in school learning into 10 and some days more.  It was not pretty . . . we argued, we yelled, we fought . . . this last week brought out the worst in both of us.  Our home is our home . . . our home does not function as a school too.  Now if the teenager would just stick to his school schedule it would be much easier but well he is 16 and "has it under control".  Thankfully we are home this week with no assigned work . . . there is still work to do . . . well not thankfully but I would much rather be on the road.  For the last 9 years we have spent this week traveling but not this year!  Tuesday ends his 4 day quarantine and well we are still planning to stay home and skip my family Thanksgiving.  I can not have him exposed again and quarantine to miss two more weeks of school.  

I guess I am thankful we are both healthy at this point in time but honestly our last trip was November 2019 to Turks and Caicos . . . man I would do anything to be on the beach right now.  Or the mountains.  Or a hotel.  Or just about anywhere but well home is home which is where we will be!

Interesting side note:  On Wednesday I received a phone call from the school nurse.  She said that Colin had emailed one of his teachers letting them know he was on quarantine but that they had no record of him being sent home.  She wanted to know if I had talked to her or what the deal was.  I refreshed her memory on the conversation we had on Colin's cell phone speaker . . . I was like if it is a mistake he will be back tomorrow.  I was like seriously this school is huge and the lack of communication or information when my kid was sent home is unacceptable.  I would think that when I kid is sent home from close contact they would have received a letter telling them what to do, their teachers would have been emailed or let known, or an email sent with details on what to do next.  Nothing!

In School Learning week 2

We are starting week 2 on in school learning for Colin and second week my students are back too!  It has been good and the students have been really good too.  I have no clue about Colin's school but it is super big so I am sure it is not as good as it should be.  Let me tell you I'm not a fan of the restrictions but it is what we have to do.  Wearing a mask is hot and your face sweats!  Yes, it is gross.  Not being able to hug your students or give an encouraging pat on the back is hard!  Sometimes kids need that and they can't even see me smile at them because of the mask!  I do have one of those clear face shields but usually wear a cloth mask.  BUT they are back and we are so far behind and trying to catch up and embrace all the restrictions.  It is hard but you do what you can!

Colin is self sufficient in the mornings; hopefully this continues.  I have been on drop off door duty the last two weeks so at school super early.  Colin has 1st period off so his school day starts late which must be nice, LOL.  He has done an excellent job waking and getting to school on time.  I have been impressed to say the least.  I must admit on his first day, I was off and a bit sad.  It was the first time he drove himself to school and I didn't drop him off.  Trust me I did not miss the 1st day traffic and ridiculous car lines, but I felt a bit useless.  My school has been virus free that I know of but Colin's school has had 5 cases this week . . . the school has about 2,400 students but 35% are at home doing online school.  So the stats are very low.  Time will tell . . . so here is to a healthy year . . . 

Back to School

Oh my I can't believe that I actually returned to my classroom last week . . . let me tell you I was SO ready and it was all good.  I didn't realize I had a little gold mine that I had left behind when I left on March 5 . . .

. . . I was a bit surprised by the Clorox wipes because you can not find them anywhere in our area!  When we were in Florida back in July, I was in Walgreens and found a package.  I was thrilled and the lady thought I was nuts . . . or high because that was when my eye were a mess.  Oh and the funny thing is the Lysol was on clearance for $1.48.  I bet the price would be over $5 now.  The room was a bit musty smelling but the first thing I noticed was someone cleaned out all the dead crickets in the lights above my desk!  I usually do it several times a year (yes it is gross and stinks) but thought would do after Spring Break and we all know that turned into a 5 month 'break'.  Kids don't start until the 25th so we have time to plan and get ready.  Honestly, I have no clue how I will be able to work with students but will be there doing what I can when they come back.  Let's be honest they will all be behind and the focus is to work with those kids at school in person and not home virtually.  

In other news, my eyes are still a mess.  Ophthalmologist has determined it is a skin issue so going to see a Dermatologist later in the week.  The eye doctor did say it was time for bifocal glasses . . . I'm in 100% denial.  Of course today they look good so thankfully I have been taking photos over the last 4 months to share with the dermatologist.  

All four of Colin's wisdom teeth are in and need to come out.  Of course this happens just as he is to return to school . . . why couldn't we have found this out while we were stuck at home for months?  So in early September he gets them out.  Oh what fun that will be for me!

It's hot in Texas . . . like H-O-T we must be in hell hot . . . I haven't been able to walk the last few weeks and really miss it.  Last night we had thunder and 20 drops of rain.  We are so dry . . . my yard  feels like thorns as I walk across my once lush St Augustine grass.  

I spent all day yesterday sucked in to a mindless TV show on Hulu . . . some spin off from the 90 Day Fiance series.  I am just amazed at how gullible some of these American are . . . seriously you have been 'dating' online for 5 years, sent over $40,000 to your fiance in the Ukraine, and never met in person?  Then you are shocked she doesn't show up for a planned trip to Mexico?  I mean come on!

We are good . . . healthy and getting back into a routine!

growing up and catching up

Is hard to do?  I don't know about that but I can say as a mom that has dedicated so much to her only child watching your child hit milestones is a bit h-a-r-d!  If only time would slow down, right?  It has been a super crazy, lazy summer for me.  I have planned many trips to only cancel each and every one!  It makes me sad but I know some day life will get back to normal . . . hopefully right?  So what has been going on with us?

After five super long weeks of waiting, Colin finally received his official driver's license.  Due to the shut down they were closed but allowed those with all the documentation to mail/email it in.  It was a long process but it all worked out.  He is street legal to drive solo.  Do you know it took him over a month to go on a solo drive?  Seriously, he did not even ask to drive to Sonic or to a friend's house or around the block . . . nothing!  I guess it wasn't cool to drive mom's car?  Deep down I think he might have been a little nervous/?

As a super last minute change of venue for a family wedding, we found ourselves in Florida.  I know crazy right?  The wedding was suppose to be in Texas on 4th of July but the Navy had other plans with the pandemic and restricted our nephew/cousin to his house . . . seriously it was a total mess but it all worked out.  It was super small but so beautiful too.  Colin was a reader and oh and this is how I woke up the morning of the wedding . . .

I have been having eye infections and skin infections for several months but had been better.  Seriously, do you know how hard it is to find an urgent care and pharmacy open on a holiday that falls on a Saturday?  I went to half a dozen pharmacies to get 2 prescriptions filled but was much better by wedding time.  Since we flew from one hot state to another, I decided I was going to spend one day at the beach . . . I mean why not?  I picked Sandestin, Florida which was absolutely the best 20 hours in a very long time.  We rented two chairs and an umbrella and soaked up some rays . . . it was just what I needed.

It was hard to leave but I was just thankful for the time we did have there.  I have never been to a beach on the gulf coast other than Texas.  The beach was beautiful!  I ventured out to my chest and could still see my feet!  So can't do that at a Texas beach!  I can see myself going back!

Colin bought a car . . . well kind of.  So we have been looking for several months.  We had it narrowed down to two models.  We ended up with his second choice (VW Jetta) only because it fit our budget better.  He loves it!  Actually he did not care which one I bought; he was just happy to have a car.  I told him he was responsible to pay for 25% of the car, and I would pay the rest.  I made him a deal that if he researched and negotiated the price with the salesman on his own that I would deduct that from his 25% share of the cost.  Let me tell you he got a better deal than I would have received.  Do you know he reduced what he owed by almost 50%?  And got the total cost of the car down by 15%.  I was impressed and trust me I have heard about it a lot!  I hope this makes him take more pride and ownership in the car.  He is finally venturing out on his own.  If you are wondering yes I do track him, LOL!

Colin got a job!  I know what a busy week it was for him.  Car on Monday and job on Friday.  I wasn't thrilled about him getting a job as it wasn't necessary financially.  He has been asking since he turned 16 so when a friend texted me about a small family pizza place was hiring; I told him about it.  The main reason I was on board was it is only open from 3:30pm-9:00pm so he would not be out super late.  He went to get an application and set up an interview.  I am still not 100% on board but think it will be a good learning experience for him. 

I am still just sitting and waiting to see if I have a job in a few weeks.  It is a crazy time.  Our state has set up guidelines for school to reopen only to change them often.  It is anyone's guess what will happen.  So I sit and wait and wonder what will happen.  Oh and sharing a garage is hard . . . I have been so used to parking in the middle and doing projects in the garage . . . not anymore since 2 cars take up a lot of space.   Today officially ends out self imposed two week quarantine since we were in Florida.  Stay well!

Memorial Day 2020

We remember every day but it tugs at our hearts little bit more today . . .

D-O-N-E

Where has the month of May gone?  I can't believe we have been out of school since March 6 . . . 79 days.  I continue to walk daily but the Texas heat is starting to get to me so we shall see how long my motivation last.  We have started to hit a wall . . . you know when the home bound loving 16 year old says he is bored and getting tired of playing on his computer that you have been home too long.  We have slowly introduced ourselves back into society.  We still try to keep our trips in public to a minimum.  I was at a big box store buying some flowers and you would never know we were suppose to be practicing social distancing.  People are just crazy and seem to have forgotten we are still suppose to be aware of our surroundings.  The only place it seems to still be evident is at restaurants if they are even open at all.  We went to one of our favorite local Mexican food places and it was pure bliss.  Of course other than the staff we were the only people eating inside.  We just sat there and enjoyed it and were thankful the establishment survived being shut down for months.  In other news last week Colin had a lot of big news . . .

1.  braces are off . . . 30 months total and a small delay due to shut down
2.  driver's license driving test passed . . . now we wait on Texas DPS to open to get the card
3.  10th grade work all submitted . . . I admit I was done about 4 weeks ago!

So many things to celebrate sounds like it is time for a vacation . . . I am eagerly awaiting what our summer travel plans might be . . . at this point we have nothing really planned but I am hopeful we will be able to go somewhere!

***Just after I posted this I received the weekly email from Colin's school principal letting families know that since school iPads are being turned in this week that learning would now transition to e-learning on any computer or smart device . . . it took all I had to not hit reply and let her know that we are good . . . no thanks . . . we are D-O-N-E!*** 

May 4th

I am not really a Star Wars fan but my social media feed is filled with a lot of people that are so may the fourth be with you . . .

If you like Star Wars then you would love the Star Wars land at Disneyland!  I was very impressed by the themeing during our trip there last summer.  Since we can't travel it is fun to go back and look at some of our fun trips!

hitting the wall . . . walking it off

I can't believe it has been almost a month since I was on here.  I guess that is good and bad?  So we have officially been out of school for 55 days.  We have been doing home learning for about 45 days.  I wish I could say it was just all rainbows and unicorns, but it is not.  As a parent I have expectation for school work and doing your absolute best because I know grades are important for college admissions.  As a teacher, I still have high expectations that students do their best work and turn in on time.  Colin is a smart boy but when mom is your parent and a teacher well it is a no win situation for him.  He thinks I am too strict and mean.  This is why we don't work/attend the same school!  I don't care if you want to play on the computer that assignment is due and it better be near perfect!  As you can imagine we disagree often on this concept and well I am in charge so better get to it kiddo.

On April 7, I hit a wall and it all exploded like SpaceX . . . we live close to a SpaceX engine test site and they test the engines often.  When I say close I mean maybe 15 miles from our house but it is loud, the windows vibrate and so do things on the wall.  We are used to it but if we have visitors from out of town it makes them stop and ask if we are under attack.  Yes, it is that loud.  Anyway, I hit a low . . . Colin and I had a huge argument about his lack of respect for school work and me.  He is still responsible for his grades and staying up until the wee hours of the morning is not acceptable to me neither is sleeping until the afternoon hours.  I realized that I had to make a change and get out of this house or I might just go crazy!  I am already a bit crazy but crazier.  So I vowed to spend at least 60 minutes outside being active.  So every day since then that is exactly what I have done.  I put on my shoes and start walking.  Most days I spend closer to 90 minutes but no less than 60.  You know what?  I feel good . . . some days I dread going, but once I am out and about I am glad that I am.  Since then I have walked 103 miles the last 23 days.  My goal is 3 miles a day but I usually walk more than that.  Yesterday I walked 7.3 miles!  If only it wasn't already hot and humid here in Texas.  It really does change my plans but make it work.  The weird thing is I still feel fat since my clothes are tight, but I tell my self it is for my mental health.  I have tried to be more relaxed about school work but well that is SO hard for me.  I am trying but we still have 19 days of home learning and I can not wait for it to be o-v-e-r!  I am a bit tired of the busy work and projects that are really a bit much.  The other day I told Colin that he will be out of school for almost 6 months by the time school is suppose to open again . . . that is insane!  That hasn't happened since he was 4 years old.  So many of my students will struggle next year.  That is sad for me that my struggling students will not have support during this time.  Many parents will just blow off school work because they either can't help there child or they just don't care.  Sadly, some of my students will do nothing during this time and be placed in the next grade level.  It is not a good outlook for school year 20-21 but hopefully we get back to school in August.  It is going to take a lot of time to get kids back to where they were and honestly I don't know if we ever will catch some of them up to grade level.

In other news, I am itching to go on a trip.  My poor travel blog has been black since November 2019.  I did cancel a trip over Easter weekend and about to cancel one to Florida in June.   I do have one booked for July and August but will cancel if I need to.  They say that part of the fun of travel is just planning which I agree but being stuck at my house is a bit sad for me.  I will say my bank account is happy!  I am beginning to think 2020 is the year of no travel.  I know it is best but I really need a change of scenery.  I have even thought of renting a van and just taking off for a month.  Who knows where I will go but maybe that is part of the fun. 

Texas is 'opening' back up tomorrow, but we will still be keeping our distance and staying home.  I might sneak out to the nursery down the street to buy some flowers because some bright flowers on my back porch will make me happier.  We still only leave our house for allergy shots and to restock at the grocery store with an occasional curbside food pick up.  It is all good . . . we will survive. 

Colin has missed getting his drivers license and braces off.  He is just waiting for the call to reschedule both those appointments.  I asked if he could only do one this year which would he pick?  Of course he said drivers license . . . he really wants the braces off too so hopefully both are accomplished by July!

Stay safe . . . stay well!

Here we go . . . Week 5

We are starting our 5th week of no school.  The first week was our official Spring Break and in the middle of that week things started to turn upside down.  It hasn't been easy to be confined to home, but we are getting into a routine.  Well and parenting has become very relaxed . . . I am at the point of whatever you want to do then do it BUT you better have all school work turned in on time.  Probably not the best plan, but it is working at this point.  Me on the other hand, well I am going a bit crazy.  I don't have any specific work for school so each day I try to accomplish one inside and one outside house task.  Of course it has rained a lot so not getting much done outside but slowly checking things off my list.  I have spent a lot of time watching television shows . . . last night (Saturday) I was up until 3am because I could not turn off the show.  Odd thing it is a series I have watched before but I just love it that much.  Last year I watched the entire Call the Midwife series . . . loved, loved it and had the same issue with turning it off then too.  If I could go back and live life during that time period in England that would be what I would do.  It brings back a lot of memories of living in Germany.  Life was just so different . . . granted more expensive and more taxes but just more relaxed and well it is Europe.  It is something I guess it is hard to explain until you live it.  Today I joked with one of my friends that lived in Germany at the same time as me that this shelter in place almost feels like a Sunday in Germany and Groundhog Day all in one.  We laughed!  So back to Call the Midwife . . . I have decided to go back and watch it again and it is funny all the things that I missed the first time that it almost feels like I must have skipped some episodes or napped during them.  I just love it!  I have also watched a few other BBC shows but for some reason Netflix removed them at the end of last month.  I finished The Handmaid's Tale on Hulu in a few days too . . . it was a bit slow but once I got into it I could not stop!  Other than that not much else is going on here.  We leave our house 2 maybe 3 times a week . . . Colin for allergy shots and me for groceries.  I find myself washing a lot more pajamas (mainly pajamas) and my poor dishwasher runs daily which is not normal for our house.  I figure if my teaching job gets cut that I have a lot of practice being a short order cook the last few weeks too.  Why does the teen think he needs 3 meals a day?  Oh and then there are snacks too.  That has been the hardest part of my once a week grocery shopping is trying to figure out how much food to buy and that is if it is available.  Store shelves have become more stocked the last week too.  So we plug on and hope for the best. 

Oh and I miss the chickens . . . at least if they were here I would have something to do!  I even thought about going to get a few baby ducks for fun but I knew my dad would not be happy if we showed up with some new farm pets!