3 Years...

So it has been three years since I have had a special someone in my life again.  This time I have chosen not to let him go.  But this also makes me think about others that I have had in my life for this short period of time.

My son was born a little over 3 years ago.  He has made me laugh, cry, scream, rejoice, and just stare in wonder.  Little kids are such a blessing and I hope that I can be as much a blessing to him as he has been to me.

My step son has been coming over here every other weekend for 3 years.  He has also spent every summer over here.  He would rather I not even exist.  I have spent the last 3 years loving him like my own son.  Today I am going to stop worrying whether or not he loves me.  I am sure that sounds horrible...but I can not take the emotional abuse that I am inflicting on myself.  The worst part about it is that he loves the ex step mom that could care less about him and idolizes her and treats me like a migrant.

This is basically a blog to be thankful for what I have.

I am thankful for my family.  They have done nothing but support me in times of need, love me unconditionally, and direct me when I lost my way.

I am thankful for a husband.  He has taught me that I can love again.  There are people in the world that would rather help build you up than tear you down.  As we work on this together, each day gets easier to get through.  The last 3 years have been my saving grace.

I am thankful for children.  Those that love me for who I am and those that don't...  I hope to provide a family for them that will encourage them to grow in more ways than one.  I hope that I show them the unconditional love that comes straight from the Father and can only be known from his love.

Even though things do not go my way...I can still be thankful for the time, influence and love that I can give to people around me.  Someday things might turn around.  Or, maybe not.  But what I find peace in, is knowing that I loved the best I could.

Pass me the sugar!

If life gives you lemons…

Today was the first day back to school.  I say back to school because when summer started that is the “job” I left.  Yes, the first few days are just in-service days, but still.  It’s back to work.  In some ways, it feels great to be back at school; in others, not so much.  I just can’t help but feel out of place.  I want to do so much, and have so many good ideas to use in the classroom.  But, it’s not mine.

Anyway, someday I will have a classroom to utilize all these grand ideas.  In till then, they can roll over and over in my mind until they can come out as polished gems.

One of the things that I learned at the Primary Source Workshop was using a beach ball to discuss primary sources.  You write on each colored space on a beach ball different questions you would like to discuss about primary sources.  Take a photograph for example.  You can write the following questions on the beach ball…  What is going on in the picture?  What questions does this picture raise to you?  What feelings does the picture produce?  Etc.  Then the students toss this ball around and answer questions that their finger falls on.  You can use the balls over and over since they are generic questions and it gets students to use a higher level of thinking and learn using primary sources.  Something that often gets over looked.

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Deals at Dollar General!

Visit Nicole’s Nickels to get the 411 on ways to save at our local store.  There are quite a few great deals.  Plus if I am working you not only get great deals, but you get to see me too!  How much better can it get?

Workout Partner

I really need to get some motivation to work out.  You would think the ever rising number on the scale would be enough for me.  But for some reason I just cant get motivated to do anything lately.  The house is a wreck for one.  I always seem to have to do something else.  It seems if I am not working I am taking care of a kid or too and by the time they go to bed at night I am exhausted.  When could I even make time!  Steal time!  Create time.  I know it is something you just have to do.  I would really like to be able to run a marathon next year.  It is a goal I have.  I have friends that are working out (except they are in different towns).  It seems that smart phone apps are keeping them going.  But for those of us that afford a smart phone we have to figure something else out.  I want to be healthy and stay healthy.  I am out of shape and that puts me at risk for getting sick.  I know I am by no means obese...but I am not healthy.  I want to be healthy for my family.

I just need to figure out what works.

Here are my goals for the month of August:
1.  Get my house in order.  With out my house organized I can not do anything else.
2.  Start a workout plan and stick to it.  No excuses.
3.  Love.  I don't think I have been doing near enough of it.
4.  Take some time to myself.  Not a lot...just need some quiet time to myself to regain my sanity.
5.  Pray.

I'll let you know at the end of August how it turns out.

Loving Heart? Plus Dollar General Coupon Matchups...

“Our prime purpose in this life is to help others. And if you can't help them, at least don't hurt them.”  -Dalai Lama

I feel like lately I have been drawing the short stick a lot.  I let a friend borrow our truck so that she could move and now the whole side of it looks like wolverine decided to add his personal touch.  And this brings me to a question or a Y in my path of life.  I love helping people out.  I feel that if someone needs something that I have, I will help out.  So a truck is just a material object.  But it is an object that I have a vested interest in.  It is not paid for (and even if it was) it is my property and I was nice enough to loan it out.  I expected to get it back in the same shape as I loaned it out.  Is that too much to ask???  I feel that the value of our truck is hurt.  Something we have worked hard to buy, pay for, and keep nice.  They had the truck for over 24 hours.  It came back and the whole side looks like it was driven through a forest.  Some scratches are completely though the paint to the metal.  Some will be able to be buffed out.  But that is besides the point.  If I loaned something, I bring it back in the same shape it is.  I do everything in my power to make sure if is taken care of.  (Except my mothers car, if you know the story of that deer and its demise...) 

So here is my question.  Cause this really makes me NOT want to help anyone out again.  I know that all people are not this way but how do you tell?  Or do you just go through life helping people with a loving heart and hope you don't get screwed over too much.

On a lighter note...I also paid $22 bucks for a package of socks.  That is what I get for not watching the register, and not checking my reciept till the store was closed.  Looks like I will be making a trip back to Wichita to get that oops fixed, which will negate my savings unfortunetly.  ANOTHER short stick.
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As far as coupons go today...At Dollar General if you have the $4 off coupon for Airwick Freshmatic Ultra use it on the ones that are on sale for $4.  This will score you a nice way to freshen your home.  Josh put one in the bathroom for me and it has lasted a very long time and it always smells so good.  So make sure you grab this deal!  If you dont have the coupon you can go here and get a $2 off coupon and get one half off. 

There are also other deals posted on Nicoles Nickels for Dollar General, so make sure you check those out too.  Make your dollar last as long as you can!!

"Be kind whenever possible.It is always possible."  -Dalai Lama

Blog Direction...

The best road to progress is freedom's road. -John F. Kennedy

I am not sure what direction this blog is going to take.  I think it will be a combination of a few different things.  I will write about my life as a teacher.  This will include juggling family life, school, and my sanity.  I will include different activities I use in the classroom.  What works and what doesn't!  I don't have much experience in the classroom...so some of this might be old hat.  I will also write about my couping.  There are not many coupon sites for small town America and I will try my best to help those of you use your coupons with sales going on in this area.  So that is the jest of this blog.  My day to day life, struggles and accomplishments.  Hope you can take a tib bit here and there or at least be inspired to try something new, save a buck or two, or just laugh.

This week in summer school I was having trouble getting the students pair up.  They would always pair up with their buddies, and even though I would have them switch partners it wasn't random.  In the Primary Sources workshop I attended one of the presenters showed us a way she divides a group up.  She took little figurines and had the students draw them out of a container.  (she had bugs, coins, dinosaurs, etc.)  So I took that idea and implemented it today.  I had different styles of bugs I had them choose from and the groups worked really well.  With a bigger class, I will add more things that are history related.  From the Dollar General I picked up army men, cowboys and Indians, dinosaurs, bugs, etc.  Depending on the size of groups I want I will put the required numbers of items into a basket and pass them around for the students to draw out.  Then they have to find their partners.  This also helps them get up out of their seat and transition to another activity.  The basket I used today was transparent.  I think I will make it so they cant see what they are choosing or make a bag that they draw the item out of.

This week in summer school I am also teaching reading to junior high.  I am learning right along with them!  It has been fun to teach information I haven't covered since I was in junior high and a learning experience to apply methods I have learned to a different content area.  So far I think they have had fun and I have too.  Cept for the bleep the other day...Enough said about that one.

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Coupons:

Do you use Bounce products?  Click here to get $10 worth of coupons sent to you.  These should arrive with in 4-6 weeks.  Any little bit helps when it comes to laundry!  Thanks KCL!

Free samples are also fun!  RegularMom has a great way to get free samples from John Frieda.  Click on the link above to get free samples of Frieda Frizz Ease Smooth Start. 

Anyone have problems with their partner snoring at night?  RegularMom also submitted a link to get free Breath Right  Nasal Strips.  Click the button at the bottom of the page, fill out your information, and have 2 snore free nights coming your way!

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This is all I have for now.  I will begin working on adds and deals you can get on this at the local stores in the county when I have time.

Do not pray for easy lives.  Pray to be stronger men.  -John F. Kennedy

Summer Break...

Well I am done with school and I haven't been very good at keeping this updated.  I have been able to apply for my teaching license, and now I am waiting for that all to go through!  All I have been doing so far is applying for jobs and spending time with the kiddos.  Off to make lunch and enjoy the day.

Spring Break is Over!

"I was born for the storm, and a calm does not suit me." -Andrew Jackson

Spring Break is over and I reluctantly headed back to the middle school to continue my 40 days (and 40 nights) of my student teaching.

Today was my first lesson that I taught here.  I was excited to find out that I would be teaching about Andrew Jackson.  He is one of my favorite presidents and I love reading about him.  I will probably break out my American Lion book and charge myself with finishing it. 

I took the PLT test last weekend and I should get the results come the middle of April.  I am eager to see how I did.

Spring Break was a lot of fun.  I got to spend the whole week with my son.  Also, even though he had to work most days, I still was able to get some hubby time too.

Not much else for my first post.