Projects

Those of you who know me well know that I have a really hard time when school gets out for the summer and I suddenly don't have to work for 3 months. It's a big change for me. I don't know what to do when I don't have to be accountable for much. Anyway, I find myself doing "projects". I haven't updated my classroom much in the last 2 years due to different things, mostly lack of resources to update with and I was not sure what I was going to be working with last summer. I have done small things like borders and posters, but nothing BIG.

Throughout this school year I was shocked to find that parents actually buy book orders from the Scholastic magazines I send home and I soon began to rack in the teacher points for selling. And when I say buy, I don't mean like a $25 order here and there, like I was used to in Idaho. I mean I was putting in orders of over $200 for each magazine I would send home. Those points are USEFUL! I accumulated a lot of books this year. I actually have what I could call a decent classroom library now. To go along with that you need to have a place to put those books and I have always dreamed of a cute little library corner.  This has become my project this summer.

When we moved into this house we no longer had a second family room and thought we would just put the older couch in the bedroom we are using for the toy/family area, but we misjudged the room in there and the fact that the couch won't fit through the door so it was either take it the dump, put it on the lawn with a free sign, or Alicia gets a couch in the classroom. I began thinking of what I could do with this trashy looking, not in great shape couch to make it presentable for the classroom, not to mention less attracted to all those germs. I started looking for ideas and soon found that someone had covered a couch in crazy duct tape and then placed it in the classroom. My mind went WILD! Duct tape...there's mustache duct tape. MUSTACHE people! We all know that I LOVE my mustache decor in the classroom. That's not changing anytime soon. SO I began to think I could easily cover this couch in duct tape and then it would be easy to wash and be ADORABLE and somewhat trashy, but not too trashy. But what would I do with the throw pillows that cover the back of the couch? I decided to just make large pillowcases (I can sew well enough for that) and I would have the perfect seating for my new library.

It turned out so well (in my opinion). I can't wait to see what the kids think when they see it. It's not common, that for sure.

Then next I started to think about how I have a bigger room this year, but it doesn't lead itself well to book storage so I looked at prices of small bookcases. I decided to get some of those and mod podge fabric to the backs to make them more attractive. Those are not done yet, but on the way. 

The tops of those bookcases would need some decor so I got busy on that. I plan to set these on some easels along with the READ and Dr. Seuss saying I already have in my room on top of the bookcases.

Then Saturday I happened upon a garage sale of a retired teacher who had a rug that would match the entire thing perfectly so I added it to my decor.

As you can see the colors all go together really well! I also made a burlap wreath (first time ever) that I don't know where exactly I want it, but really wanted to make one after seeing some on Pinterest. 

Because mommy gets to do projects the kids think they should too. I let them paint with me the other day and Kai cried almost the entire time because he wasn't expecting it to be like work and he didn't want to wait between colors because that would take all day. Havyn was meticulous and enjoyed it just like me. Kael just blobbed orange everywhere and couldn't wait for it to dry. Koen wasn't interested, his age is really starting to show. He doesn't seem to think the same things are as great anymore. 

Good, Bad, and Ugly

I saw this tonight snd I really think it was meant for me! In the last few years I have struggled with feeling like I am good enough, pretty enough, and strong enough. I'm surprised Tyrell has stuck around, honestly. I've been really HARD to live with. I have found myself wondering what on earth I was put on Earth to do. Why does it all have to be so hard? Why can't things just be good all the time and people be nice to other people and bumps in the road go away? Why!? I am not writing this for people to feel sorry for me. I do that enough for everyone. I have had ENOUGH! I'm trying to tell myself these three things every day all day and hoping that if I do it long enough I will believe it. So many people have told me how talented I am and how much they wish I could just see it. It's not that simple for me. I have slipped into this place where I am fearing that I may really ruin my dreams if I don't find a way to cope with not being LOVED by everyone, perfect at everything, and loaded with more friends than I could ever need. Right now, I am fairly certain people avoid me because I am not that fun to be around. I have always struggled with anxiety and depression, but seemed to hide it a little better than I have in the last couple of years. I have tried different treatments and none seem to help. I finallydecided it was time to take control and even if it was awkward and embarrassing I was going to go to a Psychiatrist who could offer some new ideas. I have to find a happy place because there will always be people who don't like me and may (and have) spread gossip and hurtful things about me and I can't go home crying and feeling sorry for myself anymore. I need to hold my head high and know that I am good enough, pretty enough, and strong enough. It's so easy to write this, but so much harder to remember it. Yesterday was a GREAT day and today was a BAD day. I am just going to have to repeat this (at least until I can get my meds to the dose I need) when I think about the yucky stuff. I have to remember the good stuff. I have made some decisions that have been some of the best for me personally (others will disagree and may even talk about how I am not being good enough in their eyes) in the last year and a half.

First Fun of Summer 2016

I have been dealing with some personal health issues for quite some time now, and nothing we have tried in the past years has helped so I went to see a specialist in Rapid City this last week. The kids were excited to go because that meant they got to go to Storybook Island and Dinosaur Park for the first time this summer.  They even got ice cream at Storybook Island this time!

Truck

Tyrell has been waiting for years to buy himself a truck. We haven't ever been able to afford it. Finally about a week before this last move, there was a sale in which they would give you a certain amount for your trade no matter the condition. The Trailblazer had been declining fast and we were starting to worry it wouldn't make even as far as the school I work at just outside of town. Tyrell saw it as his chance and sure enough it all worked out! His new to him truck has already been put to the test (we were not able to find a moving truck the size we needed or close even a month before the move). It has done several loads and even driven a good distance to pick up a dresser for the boys. He still has to look out the window to see if he is dreaming, but he really did get a truck! I am glad that we could finally make that dream a reality for him!

Too Many Moves

Since our new journey to WY we have lived in 3 places (yes, that says 3). We haven't even hit our year yet (close,though). I won't go into details of why we have moved so much because I don't think that's really important. I do believe the home we are in now will be long term since we are finally working with owners and they too want long term.

Jr. Kindergarten

Since we found out that Havyn needed Jr. Kindergarten we were a little leary about what to do this coming year as Kael was supposed to enter Kindergarten as well. We had decided that he if he didn't get into Jr. Kindergarten he would stay in daycare another year so they wouldn't be in the same grade. We also didn't feel like his maturity was where it needed to be for Kindergarten. He's a smart stinker so we were unsure of what would happen. Luckily he made Jr. Kindergarten and he and Havyn will attend the same school in the fall, but not the same grade. He didn't score nearly as low as she did, but his maturity is definitely going to be where I hope to see growth. I kind of feel bad for his teacher. He's a little spit fire, that's for sure!

Kael's Glasses

When Kael was screened for Kindergarten he failed his eye test so we took him to the eye doctor who confirmed that he needed glasses. After several attempts to find the "right" pair we finally ordered some orange miraflex ones. He was bound and determined to have orange glasses and was NOT going to change his mind. Of course, the eye doctor didn't have any in stock and as we were watching him try some others on we feared for the glasses. He was not kind or careful and wouldn't not lend to advice given to him. Miraflex are not easily breakable and are made of a flexible material that lend really well to kids. We looked through catalogs and hardly found any orange, but happened upon one pair that was the right color and size and we prayed. When they came in I was a little scared to take him in to get them. He has worn them with not much prompting or fighting! I was shocked! His first response when he had them on was that rocks look cool with glasses. I don't know that he really knew what rocks looked like before. Poor guy!