Really glad I am not living in Chicago!

Wow!  There was a 4 foot snowdrift in front of my garage door this morning!  Thank you Lord for a tractor with a loader on the front.  It is still drifting a little, but hopefully I can get to class tonight.  I saw a title on the Nathan Klinge family page "A Case of the Klinge's"  that said "Snowmaggedon, Snowverboard, Snowlate!"   It made me very grateful for the measly 8-9 inches of snow that we received.  It also made me grateful for a job that allows me to stay home on bad weather days. (and yes Kevin, I do have a real job!)

This is a picture from Christmas 2004.  I think we have changed a little!  I realized yesterday that I have no recent pictures of Kevin and I together.  So I used the camera in my Macbook to take a friendly one.  I will have to make sure that I get a good one taken in the near future.

One thing leads to another!

It all started when I decided that Chris and Jude needed the 7x9 rug out of my kitchen.  I thought it would be easy to replace---WRONG!  After much searching, I finally found one that I could live with, at a price I could live with at J.C. Penney. Unfortunately, the black outline clashed with my navy blue theme.

The Navy cotton duck curtains, over my very wide sliding glass doors, did not look good.  They also completely darkened the room when pulled.  I ended up ordering (J.C. Penney to the rescue again) 8 semi-sheer black panels, 4 for each side.  I really like to softer new look.

Last on the list was my very patriotic border (stars and stripes hearts about 25 years old).  Took a while to decide on one with a message.  I really miss Dutcher's Glass and Paint!  I had to rely on the internet to find what I wanted.  Of course that also meant that I needed to put a new border in the office.  http://www.borderstogo.com/

I really like how the office/laundry room turned out.  It says in gold lettering at the bottom, "God of Mercy - Full of Grace - Bless our Family's Dwelling Place. 

The kitchen is growing  on me.  I didn't realize this border would be so busy and that I would be sooooo picky about what to hang on the wall.  This one is a bunch of signs that say Faith, Family, Friends, Laugh, Love.  My family is making me look at it for a couple of weeks before they will allow me to make any more changes, like maybe new wall color or maybe a different border?!?

Just finished grading tests

I think I was an idiot!  I put 9 essay questions in my last test.  The biggest problem is that the handwriting is all over the board and the thoughts are random and incomplete.  It is always a problem when my students assume I know what they mean. 

I always think of the saying - never assume anything: it just makes an "ass" out of "u" and "me"!

First class in Ed Research

I had my first 3 hour class last night and did not even contemplate snoozing!!!  There are 15 of us in the class, 10 of which are Mental Health/Counseling majors.  I am thinking that I will not be the only one talking.  My textbooks are going to cost around $200!!!  Only 1 more class to go and then my Comprehensive exams and writing my creative component.

All of my beautiful girls had a birthday recently.  This was Abbey's 21st birthday.  Aren't they beautiful! I am soooooo blessed!

Back in the swing of things

I just finished my first full week back to school and am well into the second.  I have Physics students working on mousetrap cars (that will be raced on Thursday), 9th grade students studying Earthquakes, Engineering students doing robotics, and Middleschoolers learning how to sketch.  My desk is covered with papers to grade and record!!!!

My family is determined to get me into shape.  We now have a membership to Anytime Fitness and the Wii has been moved into the office so that I will have room to do the Wii Fit Plus, when I do not have time to go to the gym.  I am enjoying having others to workout with, but am really sore and out of shape :(

Next improvement will be finishing my Master's degree in Science Education this year.  My Ed Research class starts this wed night and runs from 5-8 in the evening.  Let's hope my study habits are ready to be honed!  I also need to decide what I will do as my research project.

I am looking forward to the middle of February!  Sam, Cass, and I will fly out to AZ to visit my parents!  Woo Hoo!!!!

It was a hectic Christmas season, but was fun to spend time with family. My brother Brett and his family came in from Nashville, TN for 3 days of fun in the snow --sledding, sledding, sledding! Good thing we own a Sleep number bed. My new number is 30! Brother Bruce and his family came from Pella on Saturday to join in on the fun. Jake is now taller than me! :(

We have started a new year of school. This is the first year that I have only 3 preps. I am adding a new class called Principles of Engineering. I was able to attend a training seminar at the University of Iowa this summer. It was a great experience and I met some really wonderful teachers.