Family and friends

"Family and Friends are hidden treasures, seek them and enjoy their riches."

Wanda Hope Carter

I had to work the high school jamboree game last night, so we didn't go to the lake.  We asked Lance and Jessi if they had anything going on.  They didn't, so we invited them, Wayne, Kay, Katy, and Sam over/down to cook out.  If you read my post from a few days ago, you know that my house was a total MESS, so that meant cleaning this morning.  We did straighten up Thursday evening, but since I didn't get home until after 8 last night (left home about 6AM..a LONG day!), nothing got down last night.

We got up this morning, went to Bob's for breakfast, and then went to the Pig.  John decided to grill a couple of pork tenderloins and a drunk chicken.  I did potato salad and slaw and corn, and Jess green beans.  Not just ANY green beans.  These were wrapped in bacon and covered with brown sugar and then baked.  DE. LISH. US.  John and I had never had them, but I know I'll be making them in the future.

After we got back from the grocery store, I started cleaning house and John started cutting grass.  I was almost finished when Katy and Sam got here.  I quickly finished up, started the potatoes, and took my shower.  Jessi, Lance, Wayne, and Kay got here about 3.

Sam kept us all entertained.  He has one of the best personalities I've ever seen.  He laughs most all of the time.  He did have one small come-apart though.  His shirt got wet, and he did NOT want Katy to take it off him.  After a few minutes, he was back to his happy, cheerful self.  He is REALLY good at saying Pop Pop and will even say it without being prompted.  Grana...well, we're still working on that.  Once today I asked him who I was.  He said something that sounded like "Shoshie."  Like I've said in the past...I'll be whatever he decides.  He finally conked out about 8:30.  I told Katy I really expected him to just fall over at any minute because he was so tired. 

I'm so glad that John and I are developing a friendship with Wayne and Kay.  I love the way that my mom and dad and John's family have become "family." I see that happening with the Caldwells and the Vests.  That's why I put the quote at the top of this post.  You HAVE to accept the family you're born into.  Even if you turn yourself away from them or they from you, they are still your family.  When friends become family, you accept them because you WANT to.  Those friendships are often very few and far between.

I think I'm about to join Sam in Slumberland.  Have a GREAT Sunday!

I'm gonna whine

OK, I know that I really shouldn't whine when so many others in this world face much more difficulty and strife than what I ever have.  Just today, one of my very dear friends had to go to court to gain permanent custody of her mother.  She has had temporary custody for a while now, but in order to continue to do what needs to be done, she had to take this step.  Not easy.  I have another friend who has had to learn to live her life without her daughter.  Actually, I don't guess she has really learned how to do that yet.  Will she ever?  Losing your beautiful child when she is only 20 cannot be easy.  Another very dear and special person to me is having some health problems and will be having a colonoscopy next week.  She is WAY, WAY too young to be having this type of exam, but hopefully the doctor will be able to determine what is going on.  So yeah, when I complain in this post, I should be ashamed.  And I am.  I'm a big ole whiney baby right now.

Why am I whining?  Simply because I am tired.  For the last week and a half, I have gotten up at 4:45, gone to work, taught the same material for six straight hours, come home, done work for the next day, and gone to bed.  No, I don't have to get up at 4:45, but I really do love the quiet time in the mornings before the day gets started.  I use that time as an "extra" planning period.  I would rather get there early than to stay late.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE teaching British lit all day, so that isn't a problem, but I have first block planning.   That means my first class begins at 9:08, and other than the 23 minutes I have for lunch, I am going going going until 3:14.  First block planning is my favorite because I can focus on what I need to do for that day, but when you don't stop, it makes for a long day. 

My eyes feel like someone has poured a gallon of hot sauce in them.  They are on fire.  I can't decide if they feel this way because I'm close to exhaustion or if it is allergy related.  Either way, I don't like it.  And I've whined about them all day. 

I thought by Thursday of last week I was beginning to adjust, but now I'm not so sure.  I'm not coming in and falling asleep on the sofa by 6, but I am in bed by 8:30 or so every night and I sleep like the dead.  Well, except for the stupid school dreams I am STILL having!  Oh, and last night I woke up with a Charley horse.  Owowowowow!!!!

I think I'm going to go take my makeup off, crawl in bed, and read for a bit. I've started Same Kind of Different as Me.

Have a GREAT day!

So what to blog about?

Not a whole lot is going on here in the Vest household right now.  We get up, get ready, and go to work, and then when I get home, I do what HAS to be done and CRASH.  Sadly, the things that HAVE to be done haven't included much laundry or cleaning.  If we had company right now, I would be mortified.  It isn't that my house is filthy, but it looks like a tornado has blown through. 

Shoes are scattered all over the place.  Piles of laundry can be found in the bathroom and in the laundry room.  And there are two baskets of dirty clothes sitting in the hall.  The breakfast room table has several grocery bags sitting, waiting to be emptied.  I'm not a fanatic about having a spotless house.  I want people to feel like they can prop their feet (with or without shoes) up on the ottoman.  Kick you shoes off and tuck your feet up under you on the sofa.  BUT right now, I really don't want visitors.  I don't want anyone to see my house looking so unkempt.

We have our first high school football game Friday night.  It isn't actually one that "counts" on the season.  Last year, Mr. Reyes made the decision to assign each faculty member to work one game, and we'll do the same this year.  Originally, I wasn't scheduled to work Friday night, but one of the teachers who was supposed to work has to go to the volleyball game, so Mr. R asked if I would fill in.  I readily agreed.  Hopefully, it will be the only game I have to work.  It will be HOT, but I'd rather get it over with.  I'll be working in the main parking lot.  Should be fun.  LOL

Since I have to work the game, I won't be going to the lake, so on Saturday, I can get my butt in gear and get this house cleaned up.  If I don't, I may go crazy.  One of our bunco subs does housecleaning.  I'm seriously thinking of asking her if she would be interested in doing a really good housecleaning for me once a month.  The other weeks, I could do enough to keep the house from getting so messy.

I guess that's about it.  I need to go check the load of laundry in the washer.  My capris that I plan on wearing tomorrow are in that load, and I need to make sure I dry them and hang them up before I fall asleep.  I would have more than enough time to iron in the morning if I fell asleep before they were dried, but I hate ironing in the mornings. 

Have a GREAT day!

Kenny Chesney - The Boys of Fall

Susan sent me the link to this video yesterday.  After school, I sat at my computer to watch it.  I had chills.  I love the way it begins because the coach is telling his players exactly what I try to tell my students.  When he says "I would give anything tonight to jump into one of these uniforms with you guys", I know what he means.  Even though I have no real desire to relive my teenage years, there are many times when I would give anything to be able to sit in one of those desks at Oakman High School one more time.  I would give anything to know then how quickly life would go by.  I would love to go back so I could focus on TODAY.  I try so hard today to do just that.  I try to enjoy the moments I have, whether they seem important or not.

Today I showed the coach's speech to my students.  I wanted them to hear someone else say the same thing that I tried to say to them on Monday.  Now I want to share it with you.  Take a few minutes to watch this video.  Make sure you watch it all the way to the end, though.  Even if you aren't a Bama fan, you have to appreciate it.

Have a GREAT day!  Enjoy your TODAY.

What period is it?

Day two of the new school year, and I feel like I could sleep until Christmas.  I know that the reason is because I'm just not used to getting up at 4:45 and going ALL day long, and I know that in a couple of weeks, I'll actually be able to stay awake later than 8 or 8:30 PM.  Until then, I just want to sleep.

It's hard to believe that this has been my 20th start to a school year.  I had one year at a private school and one semester in Walker County.  I'm starting my 18th year at Benjamin Russell.  Oh WOW!  (To quote Sam  LOL)  Suddenly, I feel like a veteran teacher.  I mean, I know I'm a veteran teacher, but for some reason that fact hit home as I was typing this.  Because of not being able to count the year of private school toward my retirement, and because I taught only one semester in Walker Co., my years toward retirement are only 17 1/2, but to be one of those teachers who can say she has taught almost 20 years suddenly blows my mind.  I'm not old enough to have taught that long.  hahaha

For the last, oh, 15 years, BRHS has been on a full four-block day.  This year, we are on a five-block day.  ALL DAY LONG I have been so confused.  When 3rd block is over, my brain tells me I should have only one class to go, but the clock says otherwise.  I keep saying 4th block when I mean 5th block.  We have also gone from 96 minute classes to 78 minute classes.  I am LOVING that so far, but it will take some getting used to.  We're already behind on notes.  Oh well...I'll figure it out. 

When I got home this afternoon, I sat down to watch the news.  It was all I could do to sit upright, so I decided I'd lie down on the bed.  HA.  Thirty minutes later, John came to see what I was doing and woke me up.  I've been up almost two hours now, but I'm about to go iron clothes for tomorrow and crawl back in bed.  I'm still trying to finish The Sound and the Fury, so I'll read a few pages and then close my weary eyes.

I hope y'all have a GREAT day tomorrow!  Sleep tight!