It's time for...........




1. What is one thing on your bucket list? If you don't have a bucket list let's pretend you do.

How about 5 things:
1.  Travel--I love to travel but husband hates it.  Anywhere is fine with me-Italy would be the choice of places.2.  View the famous Northern Lights
3.  Ride in a hot air balloon
4.  Build a home for Habitat for Humanity
5.  Learn a different language-preferably French


2. What makes a good dad?
Characteristics of a good dad:  loving, putting family first, spending time with his children, having a positive influence, being faithful, and not only teach-but show.  I think my husband is a G-R-E-A-T dad.  He puts his children first and schedules everything else around their schedule.  So many times the girls call home and say, "Let me speak to Dad."  Why?  My answer would be "No" or find a solution to it, but he jumps at their beckon call.

Charlie with his two favorite girls!!!

3. Are you afraid of insects? Which ones?

I am not really afraid of insects unless I see one that is poisonous.  Usually I just step on insects and go on.

4. We're barbecuing...what's on the grill at your house?
Chicken--My husband loves to cook, and he is great at it.  Glad for this because I am no cook by no means!!!  We are also going to barbecue shrimp--this is great!!!!


5. Do you believe that playing is more important than winning?

She is a 'shorty' but with a lot of hussle.

Being a mother of a girl basketball player, I believe playing is more important than winning.  It doesn't matter how much time my daughter gets to play or if there or games she never gets in to play, I just go and watch.  This year will be the last time she plays basketball-she will be a senior in college and if nothing happens I plan on going to all of her games.  Just watching the team in the huddle, warming up before a game, the look in her teammate's faces will be just a few things I will miss.  I can't tell you how many points my daughter has scored or any fancy shots she takes (my husband can, though) or even the final score of a game.  I just go and yell (sometimes a little too loud) and enjoy my daughter and her team's performance.  Winning is a thrill, but playing is important.  I think I am rambling on this......

6. Do you tan? Use self tanners? Visit tanning salons? See your dermatologist at least once a year?
When younger, I loved to lay in the sun.  Then started going to tanning salons, then I bought a tanning bed.  Now I don't bother with either.  I get too hot.  I have never been to a dermatologist.


7. Five years ago I would never imagine that today I would be called Mamow right now.  My step-son has a 2 yr. old.

8.  Random thought.

Summer vacation starts tomorrow!!!!!  YIPPEE.......

Too Many Thoughts.......

Too many thoughts going on in my head.

#1 Daughter left Saturday to head back to pharmacy school.  Sad to see her leave, but I kept reminding her the end was in sight.  She wasn't too thrilled about leaving, especially leaving boyfriend.  OMG--I had forgotten how hard it was to return to college and leave boyfriend behind.  I thought the world was ending!!!! Daughter called late Saturday night, and she had forgotten her white coat.  Now this is like a basketball player forgetting his/her basketball shoes or a golfer forgetting his/her golf clubs.  So yesterday after church my husband and I took her white coat to her--driving through storms after storms.

Thought one.....was I that way while in college-forgetting things after being home for awhile?

I have been planning this trip to New York for a while.  I am looking forward to going with husband even though I don't think he really wants to go.  You see, hub is not the traveling man.....His response to travel is why should I want to go there-I haven't lost anything there.  Anyways---#2 Daughter is singing "How Great Thou Art" on June 26th-You GUESSED -we will be in New York.  Daughter has tried to change the date, but with her schedule this is the only time she is available.  We have heard her sing this before and the church is going to record her singing, but...

Thought two...should I cancel trip?  I know hub will be truly disappointed not hearing her sing as well as I but......

Today was our first teacher work day.  Boy some people must have had a terrible, horrible weekend.  They wear their feeling on their sleeve!!!  We all have much work to do and rush around like crazy, but the least you can do is pretend to be happy. 

Thought three....why on earth do people have to take their frustrations out on co-workers?

 My husband's cousin, the one who had the motorcycle accident last week, is doing much better.  He is still in excruciating pain, but he is happy to be home.  Last night while visiting him, his wife was concerned about insurance.  Apparently the person who hit him has only 30 thousand worth of coverage.  This is very little considering med-flight, surgery, etc.  My husband ,who sold his insurance company two years ago, was able to give some pointers about insurance.  This seemed to give her some peace of mind until I asked if the person who had caused the accident called to check on her husband since he wasn't injured and refused any treatment.  Of course, this person hasn't.  If this had been me-I would have sleepless nights, and I  would  have somehow found out how to contact this family and offered my condolences.

Thought four....is people not very thoughtful anymore?

 It is very hard to concentrate on school work, with these thoughts going on in my head.  I get one piece of paperwork finished, and then I start thinking again. Tried listening to music, but this hasn't helped me today.  This I find strange because music is how I can focus.  I guess I will be here longer than expeted.

Thought five....how do men stay focused?  

Thought six...these are thoughts....are they?

Does anyone else have any thoughts are the subjects?

Tammy



Thankful Thursday

I am linking up with Thankful Thursday--

Thankful for---

tommorrow being  the last school day for students
AC when I get home
two beautiful daughters
a husband who loves to cook
rain this afternoon after being in the high 90's all week
tomorrow is Friday
people who take the blame when they are in the wrong

Wednesday's Hodgepodge

Answers to Joyce's Hodgepodge   joyce-fromthissideofthepond.blogspot.com


1. Do you and your family enjoy camping? What do you enjoy most/like the least when it comes to family camping? When was the last time you camped?
  As a little girl, I remember going camping with my family and our next door neighbor.  I can remeber cooking hotdogs on a fire, fishing, and doing plenty of running.  At night, I remeber sitting on my daddy's lap watching the fire.  I liked to play in the fire and my grandmother would say-if you play in the fire, you will pee in the bed, so I wold throw my stick down and go back on sit on daddy's lap.  I don't remember how we slept-if we had sleeping bags or what, but I do remember waking up in the mornings froze to death!!!!
Now that I am older, I am definitely not a camper.  I need my bed, a shower, and most importantly electricity. My husband is not a camper, so we have never been on a camping trip as a family.  Now I feel sorry for my daughters because they have not experienced what I did as a young child. 




2. Did you attend a summer camp when you were a kid? Is that a happy or not so happy memory?
When I was in the fourth grade, I attended a summer church camp.  I can remember it being very hot, someone crying (homesick) and sitting around the campfire at night singing.  I think this was somewhat a happy memory.




3. Over the course of your life, what have you probably spent more time pondering than anything else?

Honestly, I don't know.  Maybe the well-being of family members. 



4. Which of the seven natural wonders of the world would you most like to see? There are many lists of 'wonders' but this is the standard natural wonder list-Mount Everest, The Great Barrier Reef, The Grand Canyon, Victoria Falls, The Harbor of Rio de Janerio, Paricutan Volcano and The Northern Lights.


I would have to go with The Northern Lights.  What an amazing sight this would be to see.




5. What was your first real job?
My first real job was teaching emotionally disturbed teenagers.  I was so excited to finish college and get offerred a teaching job.  This was both challenging and rewarding.  I taught ED students for two years.  Then I taught fourth grade, high school Englilsh and Algebra I and currently teaching eighth graders---what was I thinking????????  Each teaching assignment was a little closer to home.
My first teahing job was a 90 mile drive.  Now it takes me less than five minutes to drive to school which sometimes doesn't give me enough time to clear my head before entering the house.  I had to establish a rule--give me five minutes before talking to me-just 5 minutes to settle down and then the other part of my day would start.  This works!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!




6. Lemonade or Sweet tea...which do you prefer on a hot summer day?

Sweet tea

7. What is something that always brings a smile to your face?

My daughters always bring a smile to my face.  Both are doing college rotations and they have been home for 7 weeks.  #1 daughter has to leave Saturday and #2 daughter will leave shortly afterwards.  I have still been in school (3 days left yeah) and after a hard, hot day at school, I look forward to them telling me about their day.  Of course they try to out do each other--drama queens if you want to say that, but I have really enjoyed our conversations.  Since I get home before they do-they say Mom give me 5 minutes before you start questioning us about our day!!!!  Lesson learned from me.

8. Insert your own random thought here.

We had our church picnic Sunday at a park close by.  The weather was beautiful!!!  I remember having picnics as a child, but seldom do now.

I have never seen so much food!!!!

The water was inviting.

Have a great day!!!  Please remember Charlie's cousin who was involved in a motorcycle accident in your prayers.  He is improving everyday!!! 



 I AM your Deliverer, I AM your Healer, I AM your Peace, I AM your Joy, I AM your Friend..Call on Me anytime and I Will be there for you. Love, Jesus




Dark Clouds.......

When we hear of someone with cancer we automatically think death.  Believe me, I have walked down this road with my husband.  But cancer is a 'word' and 'not a sentence.'  But when we hear someone has bronchitis or pneumonia we know that person will feel better soon.

Last week a teacher friend was diagnosed with bronchitis and pneumonia.  We all knew she wasn't feeling the best, but being the dedicated teacher she was; she kept coming to school to prepare her students for out state testing.  This teacher felt very bad Friday so her husband took her back to the hospital.  Sadly, she passed away Saturday.  She will be greatly missed by all in our profession.

After church on Sunday, we had our church picnic.  I needed this to just clear some thoughts going on and for me to stop questioning God.  Later that evening my husband received a phone call telling him his cousin was hit hit by a car while out riding his motorcycle.  Now this special cousin was my right hand while my husband was taking his chemo treatments.  We rushed to the hospital where later surgery was performed.  While this cousin was in surgery the weather turned very stormy and the sky was a light show.  Again, I kept saying, Tammy get the negative thoughts out of your head.  The cousin make it through surgery, no brain injuries-Thank God!!!  I know he will have a long road to recovery, but he is still alive and has a wonderful support system.

So the dark cloud that has stolen my weekend may now leave.  I know that every dark cloud has a silver lining and better days will come.  I woke with the sun shining brightly this morning.

Asking for prayers for all families with dark clouds.

Sizzle, Sizzle, Steamy Hot

Not summer yet???  You could have fooled me!!!!  We have been in the high

90's for the past 7 days!!!

Oh, I remember this winter---ugh-too cold and wishing

for warmer weather.  Be careful what you wish for

you might get it-but I say to myself

where did spring go?  What spring?  We jumped from winter right

into summer!!!!!!

On the bright side--we have only 6 days left of school.  Since many schools do

not have AC we have been on a 2 hr. early release.  Now let me

clarify the 2 hr. early release is for students, not for teachers.  So
teachers don't get hot!!! huh?  So I have been using the
early release trying to get my classroom
put away until August.

 

On another note--the hot days make for sleepless nights.  I can't seem to

get to sleep at night.   I toss and turn, toss and turn, and toss and turn. 
The next minute I hear my alarm clocks going off and up
I jump out of bed.

Tomorrow night is the dance for 8th graders.  It is the last hooray for
them.  The young ladies and men usually dress up for this.
They are served a steak dinner and then head to the
gym to do some dancing!!!! 

I seem to be rambling on and on and on and on-guess it is because of
so many sleepless nights!!!!!

Ready for the weekend-wonder what I will be doing........
Enjoy Life

Wednesday's Hodgepodge

Wednesday's Hodgepodge
http://joyce-fromthissideofthepond.blogspot.com/

1. Have you ever been to the US capital-Washington DC? If so, what's your favorite site? If not, what would you most like to see on a visit to that city someday in the future? Is it even on your list of places to visit?
I love all the sites in DC-they seem to all touch me in some way.  I haven't been able to see the Holocaust Museum and this will be on my list of places to see the next time I am in DC,  My oldest daughter has seen the Holocaust Museum and she loved it.



2. When did you last attend a wedding? Are there any weddings on your summer calendar? Were you a summer bride? If you're single, is summer the season of your dream wedding?

The last summer wedding I attended,was 3 years ago. 

Summer bride yes--June 20th will be 30 yrs.

All weddings are beautiful and make me cry.




3. What is your favorite way to eat strawberries?

Strawberry pie would have to be my favorite.

Last week I had a student bring me 2 gallons of strawberries.  After washing the strawberries and capping them, I placed them in the refrigerator.  This weekend was a scorcher!!!!--so I noticed my strawberries were shrinking.  Daughter #2 was just taking them out of the bag and popping them in her mouth.  She told me this really cooled her off.   So I tried this and not to tasty for me.  I decided to make a fruit dip and yum, yum---what a cool treat.

4. What is one thing you are especially looking forward to this summer?

So many things to get done---I desperately need to do some serious cleaning--not looking forward to!!!  I will be going to New York in June, so I am very excited about this-first time trip to New York!!! 





5. Do you use/like the self checker at the grocery store?

Depends-If I am in an extremely hurry, I use the self-checker.  I don't mind using them because I usually bag my own groceries anyway!!!!



6. Share a favorite piece of common sense advice.
A Yiddish proverb I use to tell my daughters:  "Seek advice but use your common sense."
Another piece of advice I would give them--If you have a bad cough, take a large dose of laxatives.  Then you will be afraid to cough!!!  LOL!!!




7. Barefoot, flip flops, tennis shoes, sassy sandals-your first choice for summertime?

Flip-flops were my first choice--Closely in second would be sassy sandals.



8. Insert your own random thought here.

I certainly hope I can comment this week.  I do like reading other entries and commenting, but every time I tried to comment I was sent back to my homepage :(