The war is won!!!

Well, I may have lost a couple of battles along the way this week but in the end I won the war!! I went to the library first thing yesterday morning and blocked out time to bring the two "hard" classes in for some work. Then I sat down before each class and told them how it was going to go down. I had them do a 2 page report. They weren't happy campers. They did the papers and wanted to know if they were going to get credit for the work. I was honest and told them I wasn't sure but they had two choices...either work on the paper or go to the office. They worked. :)
Thank you for all the words of encouragement!!! Today is Friday and I woke up so happy to know this would be my last day for these classes!! My boss wanted me to sub next week but I begged off. I seriously need a quilting day. It has been much to long since I had one of those. I am going to Walker Jen's on Tues to quilt and talk and laugh. Sigh!!! Aren't those days like bubble baths??! Just wonderfully relaxing and comforting!!
Have a great day everyone!

sub update....

Today I have the "challenge" classes. The classes with the "big" kids. I tell ya, those kids won't do anything! Today I am ready for them! I have a plan! I am armed with stuff to do! I will prevail!! I am not shaking in my boots! I am woman hear me roar!!

Yeah right. Sigh. Who am I kidding?? I am so mad at this teacher! He is such a nice guy too. Boy am I writing him a sub letter! I went to another teacher and asked her for a movie to show. She was ready for me. She knew sooner or later I would be by this week looking for something for the kids to do. See the thing is...these kids don't want to watch a movie. They want to sleep. Or eat. Or talk. Today I have a paper for them to write on the movie we watched this week. I am hoping that they do it. I plan on telling those that don't they can go to the office and sit the entire hour and a half cause they aren't making me look bad! As you can see I'm not the disciplinarian around these here parts. I am working on it. It just isn't working back. When I try to get touch the kids grin and say Mrs O..it's just not you. Again, sigh.
Think about me today...I feel like I'm going off to war.

Viva la' liberation!!!

A letter to teachers....

Dear Teachers Who I Sub For,

Hello. I am a substitute teacher. I am the one who watches your class for you when you are off on an appointment or on vacation or have a sick kiddo and need to stay home. Being that I have been a sub for going on two years now I have one little suggestion to all you High School teachers out there. If you are on the block schedule and have each class for an hour and a half could you please give me an hour and a half worth of work for the little darlings. See, when an 18 year old knows that he has a sub aaaand knows that he has an hour and a half of class time aaaannnndd he knows that he sees you ever other day due to the block schedule, it really puts a crimp in things if you only give them 15 - 20 minutes worth of work. What am I supposed to do with them for the rest of the time??? Especially when you are an "easy" teacher who only teaches for about 35 minutes and lets them talk for the rest of the time. It makes me nervous, I gotta tell ya, when I am looking at big hulking seniors as I am reading your lesson plan to show a movie that they've seen in your class twice before. Do you think they sit quietly and watch the movie????? NO..THEY...DON'T!!! I am sitting here this morning dreading going into your class again the day after tomorrow cause now that their work is all done I've got NOTHING! for them to do.
So teachers...let's recap shall we.

You have classes that are an hour and a half long.

GIVE YOUR SUB WORK THAT WILL LAST THE WHOLE HOUR AND A HALF AND NOT 15 MINUTES!

Ahem, I am done now. I must got and learn French cause to day I am reading the lesson to your class in French and guess what???? I DON'T SPEAK FRENCH!!!!!!!!!!! I CAN'T EVEN TELL WHAT I AM SUPPOSED TO BE TELLING THEM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(picture me now running around the room screaming and pulling out my hair.)

Have a nice day everyone!

Busy as a Bee...

When I lived in Houston I had a friend (very dear to my heart) who was a single mom. She was the one I learned to quilt with. After a year of our being friends she left her ummmmmm can I just say "not so nice" husband for better things. On her own with her two kiddos she thrived. Quilting took a back seat to working and being a mom. Juggling all the things single moms do. Now during this time I, with my infinite wisdom, used to try to "help" her find time to still quilt. Here were some of my suggestions....

Cut out the pattern one night and sew on another...
Do it on Saturdays (cause you know single moms have nothing to do on Saturdays!)
Whenever you get a day off you can quilt then...

My list went on and on and on cause I am helpful like that. :) So this morning I had to smile when I looked at my pile of quilts that still need binding on but I can't find any time to do it since I am working during the day trying to save some money for Christmas. And...and I get home at 2:30 instead of the 6pm time she gets home! I can't even find time to blog!!! There are dinners to be made, homework to help with, laundry to do, toilets to wash, stories to listen to. You get the idea!
Oh Bek...thanks for loving me even through all my helpfullness!!!! You Rock Girlfriend!!!
And to all the single moms out there....You guys are awesome!!!

Okay, my ten minutes of down time is now over. I gots to go and get ready to sub. Peace out everyone!!!
dawn

setting myself up...

You know you're setting yourself up for failure when you sign up to blog every day for a month!!! At least I am! Where have I been???? I went away for a girls weekend...pics to follow in next post...then I got horribly sick with the Ebola virus/pneumonia/the flu/ a cold/ the plague. After I felt a little better I had to go to work to make some mon-ay for Christmas gifts. That brings me to today. Today is housecleaning day. Walker Jen and her family are coming for Thanksgiving. I got lots to do around here before then and I have to work tomorrow...the day before Thanksgiving! AUGH!! It is feast or famine in my life, I tell ya. A couple of the teens told me yesterday that their moms weren't cooking on Thanksgiving (W-T-HECK???) so could they come over aaaannnndd the hubby invited a newly married couple. So far I am counting on at least 15 people with a possible of 5 more drop ins. It's gonna be a rockin' good time!!!!
Okay, I gotta go and get my house started. I have a mound of laundry that is taking over a whole room and I have a couple of errands to run.
Thanks for hanging in there with me!!!!
dawn

green with envy!!

I was minding my own business this morning enjoying a cup of coffee and perusing the 750 blogs I have bookmarked when it happened.....I went to Tracey's site...ozcountryquiltingmum.blogspot.com...to see what she was up to and guess what???!!! Her wonderful hubby, the father of her children, the one who makes her heart go pitty pat bought her a long arm quilting frame with machine.
Yep
I will let that sink in for all the quilters out there.
I looked at the pictures and drooled for a minute and tried to figure out a way to sneak on a plane to use her frame. I had another sip of coffee and looked some more. I felt wonderfully happy for her cause ladies, this is a five star gift for a quilter. Your man can do no better then to buy this for you.
Congrats Tracey on your wonderful present and even better...congrats on picking out a wonderful hubby!!
p.s. can you have him call mine and give a suggestion as to what to get me for Christmas??
Tracey??
Ummm anyone???
heehee
happy quilting!!
dawn

Why is it that the man of the house must have the TV turned on to football and takes a nap at the same time. If I sneak in there and turn it to something worthwhile, something educational...like E Entertainment well then he wakes right up all annoyed.

Inquiring minds want to know!

empty house...

My two oldest kiddos are gone for the week. This is the week we have Far-East here in South Korea. All of the sports teams have their final championship games. Football is here but cross country is in Japan and cheerleading is in Seoul. We only have our little Boo-Bear home for the next couple of days. I am missing them already. The house is so quiet with out those two and all the friends they bring home with them. Last night I was watching some funny U-Tube vidoes when Middle Daughters best friend stopped by to say hi and check on us. :)

On the plus side?? My house is really clean!!! :)

Living in a double wide...

When I was in High School I had this friend. My bestest bud. Her name was Missy. Her dad was a Capt in the Air Force and they lived in the coolest double wide you ever did see. I had this secret wish to live in a double wide as well. I used to fantasize that I would win 330 million dollars. Why that amount you ask?? I have no idea. It seemed like a nice round number. One I could live comfortably with til the end of my days. Yep. I'm a planner.
Back to my double wide. I had this baby all decorated in my head. I spent many a night daydreaming about living in it. My living room was white. I remember that. I had a fireplace and my bedroom was something straight out of a Saharan harem. Am I classy or what!!? Much tulle and velvet. Oh, I remember I wanted a bunch of plants. Don't really remember why but I seemed to think that rich millionaires who lived in trailers wanted a lot of plants.
Oh the good ole' days. Livin' in a trailer...a millionaire.
I must admit, I look up double wides from time to time to check them out. I still have a fondness for them. I'm thinking that when I get these kiddos all grown and gone I may have to act on the fantasy. Me and the Capt in a mobile home...I get all tingly just thinking about it!!
heehee

She rules me with an iron fist!

I just got off of the phone with my Boo-Bear. Seems that after giving her presentation at school she had to go to the first floor for something and fell down the stairs. She hurt her back. So she calls me to tell me she is in the nurses office. The nurse gets on the phone and says she got the wind knocked out of her and that there is a small bruise starting to form. Boo-Bear gets back on the phone and informs me that she wants to stay at school but can I have a special bed made up for her on the couch and her special cartoon channel on and waiting for her when she gets home. I inform her that, yes, I can be persuaded to do this for her. She giggles and before she hangs up she tells me she may be late cause she is staying after for home-work club.

Yep, she rules me. I have to go now to get the special blanket I use for when the kiddos are sick, make up the couch and get the TV ready so she can watch cartoons on her special channel. I may even go to the store and get her some special 7-up cause we all know that it makes a small bruise feel better!

:)