RAIN, BEACH & FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL

Can you tell by the look on his face? "OK, MOM---get the "first day of school" picture over with!" HA HA

1. RAIN RAIN RAIN all last week! It's finally starting to dry out ....and it appears that the Tropical Storm/ Hurricane that is in the Carribean will be in the Gulf by Saturday. UGHH

2. Jerry and I spent a wonderful day Saturday driving to the beach and grabbing a bite to eat by the water. Collin went with some buddies to Artesian Springs in Newton County and had a great time.

3. School started 8/25. Hooooooray???? Collin had an eventful first day. Our high school was on "lock down" from 10:15 - 3:40 as there was an armed robber in a nearby neighborhood--close to the schools. This robber was involved with a shooting the night before and as a precautionary measure...the schoools "locked down". Better to be safe than sorry. The suspect was apprehended about 2:30. Hopefully--Tuesday will be a "normal" day.

RIP Boo Boo

August 1998- August 2008
Boo Boo was our parakeet that we got as soon as we moved to Orange. About 5 days ago, he began losing his balance and fluttering around on the bottom of his birdcage. I "researched" online to find that parakeets usually only live 5-7 years. Boo Boo had longevity! 10 YEARS. He passed away on Thursday, Aug. 14th...my first day back at work. Although not the same feeling as losing a dog or cat, we were so used to him singing in the background of our sunroom. He'll be missed. Not something I wanted to do on the first day back at work.....bury my bird on my lunch hour! Take care---and, listen to the birds sing !

Back at W-O-R-K....S-C-H-O-O-L

Thursday was my first day back at work. I'm quite excited as my good friend is now my Principal. Although change is often uncomfortable at the workplace, it is a necessity. She is implementing alot of great ideas at the high school and is a "take charge" type of gal. I can already feel the "culture" of the campus change.

I've been busy arranging my classroom and typing up the "first of the year" handouts. It would be nice to email classroom procedures to my students and save the trees!

Collin will go to "fish camp" on Wednesday, get his schedule (although I already have it), find his classrooms, etc... It's a blessing (for me) to be on HIS campus and a curse (for him) to be on MY campus :) HA HA He'll find there are lots of perks for mom being "handy".

Krista and Amber will start their college classes on Monday, the 25th. Looks like they both will have a full load. Krista will do her "block" of education courses and is looking forward to graduating December 09.

Screws Gone

Krista and I talked this morning and she's feeling alittle groggy and sore...but the screws are out of her left hand. The surgery was short and easy and she'll have to wear a soft "cast" over her hand for the next few days.

Cool Shoes

Who says that teachers can't have cool shoes? I'm pretty darn proud of myself for finding these cool shoes at a exhibit both at convention last week in Dallas!

Removing the Screws

Krista will have a short procedure done in the a.m. to remove the screws in her left hand. When she was a sophomore in high school, she had a cheerleading accident ...breaking her hand. She had quite extensive surgery at the time and the dr. had to put in screws. They are giving her some trouble now so the dr. feels that it will be a noninvasive surgery to remove the screws. The procedure should only be about 15 minutes with no physical therapy, etc.. needed. Say a short prayer for her in the a.m. about 7:30.

Online School Clothes Shopping

Collin is not much of a shopper. AT ALL... As I have gotten "older"....my browsing days are fewer. My idea of a fun day of shopping is now browsing at outlet malls and finding a "jewel" in the rough at a resale shop! Jerry and I like to mall shop every now and then and especially like book stores. Anyway....Collin does his school shopping online. I pull up the screens on my laptop, he picks out the number of shirts/and-or shorts that I tell him and then we go on and do the same with his tennis shoes, etc.. We have gotten really lucky and 95% of the items we get FIT. Hooray. Thank goodness for Fed Ex, UPS, and DHL that delivered our clothes this year. Forget the crowds, the traffic, the gas prices! + no squabbling in the mall!

Conference and Storm

This week was spent at the FCS Conference in Dallas. Family Consumer Science is the new term of Home Economics. (we have to be politically correct in this everchanging world....) My little brain is on overload! There were 52 con-current sessions to choose from during "break out" sessions. I am teaching a new course this year called "Ready, Set, Teach!" The training was very informative and right now....I'm overprocessed with data! We had a good time meeting new friends and enjoying new places to eat dinner in the West End. We stayed at the Sheraton/ the old Adam's Mark Hotel. It is connected to the Plaza of Americas which is an amazing office building with food market/ ice skating rink. Our favorite stop was the Dallas Market downtown. We stopped on our way out and got fresh produce. It's a home ec. teacher's dream place to shop. Rows and rows of nothing but fresh fruits and vegetables. I know, I'm quirky. I'm planning on making pickles and pickled jalapenos today. The tomatoes are amazing! I picked up peaches for Jerry---his favorite.

My co-worker and I left Monday a.m. with Eduoardo (sp) coming into the Gulf Coast early Tuesday a.m. It appeared that the tropical storm would make landfall around Galveston. Needless to say...I think our area (Sabine Pass) is a storm magnet. I prayed continuously Monday evening that the storm wouldn't be a "bad one". And, it wasn't. We received some rain and wind...but nothing major! Jerry & Collin had to repair a section of our fence that had a tree limb on it. Our pool has some "trash in it"---pine needles, leaves, etc... But, this is absolutely no big deal. Today will be a "yard" day for me which I love to do. (I know...quirky....)

Monday, August 4th

For all of you that know what we have been through with Hurricane Rita, you know that this image "freaks me out". Please just pray that the wind will be minimal. It appears that the storm will be coming in around Galveston and will only be a Category 1. So.......it appears that it will be "light" in the Hurricane aspect. Jerry is on the "storm team" at work and will be there until the heavy rains leave. The news just ordered a mandatory evacuation for Cameron Parish in Southwestern Louisiana.

"Therefore, do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of it's own". Matthew 6:34

Say What You Need To Say

John Mayer, 2008

Take all of your wasted honor

Every little past frustration

Take all of your so-called problems,

Better put 'em in quotations

Say what you need to say

Walking like a one man army

Fighting with the shadows in your head

Living out the same old moment

Knowing you'd be better off instead,

If you could only ...

Say what you need to say

Have no fear for giving in

Have no fear for giving over

You'd better know that in the end

Its better to say too much

Then never say what you need to say again

Even if your hands are shaking

And your faith is broken

Even as the eyes are closing

Do it with a heart wide open

Say what you need to say

John Mayer and Colbie Caillat put on a gggreeaat concert last night in the Woodlands. Even though the heat index was 100+; it was worth the "sweat". My fave song "Say What You Need to Say" was sung as an encore...of course. It's the song played at the end of the best movie ever..."Bucket List". That is a definite "must see"movie!

Let's pray the tropical storm away that is in the Gulf Of Mexico right now. It is moving west towards the southeastern coast of Texas. UGGGHHHHH Storm Storm Go AWAY!

May all have a peaceful night ..... God Bless

Football Program

It's almost the start of school and wanting to share our football program ad that we just submitted.

Friend Day

The task was accomplished! After trying to coordinate three ladies schedules to find a totally "free" day, a friend and I drove to see our special friend in Houston yesterday. She used to teach with us several years ago and has moved into a wonderful area, done a fabulous job decorating her home, and has married a man that truly "compliments" her. She truly "glowed" with happiness. It was a busy day of eating, shopping, visiting and splashing our feet in her pool. Good times!