Dig In

What will you do on the coldest day of the season? Well, we will sit outside on the basketball court to watch the ground breaking for the addition to our school. Excited for the work, but not for the temperature. At least I get to wear jeans!

Senior Discount

Hubby, Toots, and I went to a high school band contest the other night. As we were paying admission, I asked about the senior discount. The lady taking the money said it was for those who say they are seniors. So hubby took the discount, and he asked about the cost for Toots. The other worker said that she was free to walk in with her mother, meaning me. I turned to the man and said thank you! But then Toots ratted me out by telling him that her mom was at home. Gonna have to teach Toots when to talk and when to be silent.

Whatcha Gonna Do?

On our way home from a band contest last night, we passed the prison. Our granddaughter, Toots, informed us that her daddy watches the bad boys there. And the bad boys get to go outside to play in the backyard. She then began singing "Bad boys, bad boys, whatcha gonna do..." over and over and over again. Upon entering our city, we saw a driver pulled over by the local law establishment. Toots commented that there was another bad boy the cops got, and her daddy would be watching him.

It's Your Turn to Win

The last time Toots was here at my house we played the game Memory, the one where you turn over cards and match the pictures. Toots sure has matured. When we first began playing the game several years ago, she would get mad when I got a match. She would be even madder if I won the game. Well, this time, she even helped me find the matches and predicted that I would win the game. Could this change, this maturity be a result of spending so much time with her dad, who had been laid off from work for nearly 6 months? No, I didn't believe it either!

Give Me a Parent Menu, Please

We ate supper last night with Toots and her parents. I told her that I had missed her and asked where had she been? She quickly answered that she had been right there, in that seat. LOL When it came time to eat, she ordered the chicken and noodle dinner, which is not on the children's menu. She said it was on the parent menu. And she ate like a parent!

Please Watch

All of the fall shows on tv are competing for our attention. The teases that run like commercials are sometimes enticing me to watch, while others are overboard on their message. We are trying to watch all of our favorites from last year, but with the moving of the shows from this night to that, we are having overlap and have missed a show or two. Guess that is not earth shattering, but that's my story this morning.

Sleep, Sleep, Sleep

Eight hours of sleep! What's the matter with me? I wake up groggy and disoriented, as if I have had no sleep.

To Do List

Gotta make the doughnuts!

Family Time

My family and I spent the day together yesterday in the BIG city. We had a great time going out to eat together, sharing food, teasing one another, laughing, complaining, catching up, taking photos, and overall enjoying being together. I would not trade that time for any amount of money in the world!! Well, I might consider it for a million.

Rolling Down the Highway

Hubby drives his little, black, convertible, sports car in the summer. When Toots was with me the other evening, she commented that Papa drives his little car with the top cut off. She also wondered if his hair was blowing in the wind.

Lesson Plans

Someone has volunteered to work with the gifted students from my room. That's great, except this person wants me to get all the materials ready, at least 2 weeks in advance. Do I look gifted?

Two Mimies, Who Could Ask For Anything More

I got to share some time with my granddaughter's other Mimi and Papa last night. They are moving closer because of work and were here on a house hunting mission. It will be great to be able to see them more often. Toots is already planning for us to go spend the night at their house. In fact, she wanted me to stay at Toots's house last night with all of them. I declined. Don't think Toots would have let any of us sleep.

Time Is...

Yesterday seemed like a long day, especially the afternoon. At school we were trying to get all of our assignments in. I had just given them their workbook page to do in groups of two when I glanced at the clock. We only had 5 minutes until time for the buses. Even the kids couldn't believe how quickly the time had gotten away from us. Wish every day at school went that quickly.

Let's Sing and Pray

My granddaughter, Toots, spent the night last night. In fact, she spent the day also. When we were ready to go to sleep, (okay, I was past ready, and she was still bouncing off the bed) she told me how many songs we were going to sing and how many prayers we would say. After we had finished, I asked her who taught her to give such wonderful prayers. She said that we had done that. Don't take credit for it though. She always talks as if she is speaking directly to God, as we all should, and talks about what is important in that day. Someday I hope to be able to record what she says. Her prayers and sincerity would put most elders from our churches to shame. Thank you, God, for this wonderful girl who teaches us so much!

Oh Where Is Our Garden?

My fourth grade class from last year planted 6 cabbages in our outdoor classroom last spring. Since we don't have school over the summer, we never met to take care of them. And we have been busy with the start of school so far this fall. I finally got a chance to take my class outside yesterday. I was explaining how the classroom was developed, what each part was, and then began showing them the garden plots. When I spied one of the cabbages easily, I decided to look for the others. I found 4 large heads that were good and one rotten one. The kids helped pick and carry them in. I weighed them at home and the biggest tipped the scale at 9 pounds. What is amazing about this is that they were in thick weeds. I've tried to grow cabbage before at home and had difficulty. Guess the key is plant and abandon. It worked last year for the tomatoes also. We had a wonderful crop. Pictures to follow soon.

You Start Monday

After being laid-off for about 6 months, my son-in-law got a job. It's not with his former company, but it is a job. At least now he can also do some of those part-time jobs that he wants and enjoys. And the health insurance will be good. No more Cobra and the high payment now!! Way to go JSS!

Dancing Queen

Toots, my granddaughter, is taking dance classes for the first time ever. She is enrolled in a beginner class which consists of 3-year olds. Toots will be 5 next month. Well, last night, at her second class, the teacher suggested that she be moved to the 6 and 7-year old class because she is so far advanced from the other girls, and she is picking up the skills so quickly. She will try the new class next Tuesday. Never thought of her as an overachiever except in talking. LOL

Are You There, Anyone?

My cell phone has not been ringing. I'm beginning to think it may be broken. I checked recent calls and was sad to see I had received only 4 calls in the last 8 days. I'm not doing much better in text messages either. Oh, well, no news is good news.

C-H-R How Do You Spell That?

Toots spent the night with us last night. Since she is on her nebulizer for asthma problems, she was very hyper at bedtime. We were taking turns saying our prayers and singing our songs when we burst out laughing. Toots was trying to sing the song, "I Am a C...." The song should go like this: I am a C, I am a C-H, I am a C-H-R-I-S-T-I-A-N. This was Toots's version on medication: I am a C, I am a C, I am a C, I am a C-I-C-I-C-E-I-E-I-O. She didn't realize she had repeated the C until I told her. As hard as she tried, she couldn't get past that. So we just rolled on the bed, laughing hysterically. Fortunately we were upstairs in mommy's old bedroom or Papa would have been checking to see why we were not going to sleep. We could work on that spelling, but for now it is too C, too C, too C, too C-U-T-E!

How Language Is Acquired

Yesterday I called my daughter but Toots answered. She wanted to talk a long time, of which I didn't have the time. I asked to talk to mommy, but mommy was unable to come to the phone at that moment. I asked Toots if she could remember to tell mommy to call me. Her answer was too cute. Yes, I'll remember. I'll be sure to keep my eye on her.

Yard Sale Without the Yard

I hate yard sales. Well, I'd best explain. I hate having my own yard sale. I always give away anything we might have sold in a yard sale, cause I don't want to be bothered with it. So what am I doing on my day off? Hosting a huge yard sale with all the other parents/kids in our Bible Bowl programs. We set up last night in the church's gym. Lots of STUFF, antiques, furniture, bathtub, clothes, shoes, longaberger baskets, craft supplies, etc. I will gladly go work this sale because it is not my responsibility and not at my house. Hope we make lots of money for the BB programs.

Mabel, Mabel Set the Table

Toots came by after her first dance class. She looked so cute in her black leotard, especially with her white undies peeking out. She spied the jump rope that I bought and decided she needed to go outside to practice her jumping. She twirled the rope overhead and jumped with both feet. Success. She made it over the rope. And again, and again, and again, but each jump was an individual. She made me tired just watching. Soon I will teach her how to spring on her toes and combine her jumps. Notice I said teach, not show.

Too Tired

Too tired to post much this morning. Guess my mind is in a little bit of a fog. Looking forward to having a day off next week for Labor Day, one where I don't have to make lesson plans for a sub!

Confession Is Good for the Soul

When Toots and I were leaving church on Sunday, she told me that she had confessed to her classmates and teacher about something bad she had done. She told the class that she had spit in her mommy's face (true story) and that Jesus doesn't want them to do that. They need to listen to Jesus's voice in their heads. Wow, she is maturing so much. We are very thankful about that. And we are very thankful for all the teachers who give of their time and talents to work with the children at church. I'm sure Toots would thank you too.