what a wonderful day

I spent the morning in my jammies. The afternoon cleaning bathrooms. And the evening working on this. My About Me layout for 3Scrappy Boys.
Now I sit looking up Hokie stats and learning that they LOST today to Georgia Tech. Bummer. Oh well.
Family's been on my mind this week. Family is forever, ya know. It's taken me quite a number of years to realize that. 38 to be exact. :) I'm hoping to reconnect with extended family and really reach out to immediate. Perhaps I come off as aloof when I don't mean to. It's easy to be out here in cyber space, blogging and scrapping and going on with my day-to-day life. And then every Saturday I do the Sunday church service projection and I'm pointed right back to the heart of the matter...family.

I have been burning this candle for HOURS today. A candle given to me by my first grade class yesterday for my birthday. This brings a huge smile to my face. The aroma - oh, this is just so homey, so wonderful. I even took it upstairs with me when I got cleaned up today. :) It's been by me all day while I've been scrapping. I'm back home, baby!!! I've been printing pix, scrapping for ebay and myself, and lovin' every minute of being creative. I've missed this since school started. It's good to be home.

Camden's not feeling well tonight. He had a fever this evening and fell asleep before 8:30. So I KNOW he's ill. No church for him tomorrow. Bless his heart. He goes and goes and goes. And when he's sick, well, he just stops. God bless you, Camden, with good health for tomorrow.

And while I'm on good health...God has answered a prayer! Al doesn't have cancer!!!!!!! What a blessing. This wonderful man has a growth in his lungs, but the doctors don't believe it's cancer. Thank the Lord!!!!!! I cannot imagine the relief he's feeling, but I imagine it must be akin to starting over. What a blessing.

Like father like son

Camden started Cub Scouts tonight and Benjy got two Darth Vaders. A big day for all in our house. Sounds simple, huh? Well, Cub Scouts is the beginning of a new era for Camden. Curt was an Eagle Scout and is not ready to volunteer as a helper to other young boys trying to achieve the same thing. Camden is so proud. He came home, took off his uniform, and gently laid it out. So proud. Makes his momma proud, too.

As for the Darth Vaders, well, Benjy is Darth Vader for Halloween. And he has talked about nothing more for more than a week now about NEEDING TWO DARTH VADERS. He's not been rude, or a beggar. Just convinced. So, since Camden had his special thing tonight, I spoiled Benjy by taking him out for two Darth Vaders. Cheap enough. Easy enough. And already one has a broken arm and a missing helmet. But the smiles and animated playing he had were soooo worth it all.

Rescue Heroes

Camden's decided he's not ready to part with his gigantic collection of Rescue Heroes after all. Yesterday he dragged nearly every action figure, vehicle, animal, backpack, and accessory to the side yard. I swear, it looked like Fisher Price exploded. Of course, I got to help put it all back in the garage. After having the night to consider the mess of toys, he told me this morning that he still wants them. Scrapped are the plans to sell them on ebay. (Much to my relief, actually.) So today, while he was at karate earning a High Five for his knife hand strike, I lugged his toys back up to his room, set up the command centers (he only has THREE!!!), made space for the huge Rubbermaid box filled with the heroes and their baggage in his closet, and surprised him with the whole set-up. It was kind of like Christmas.

I'm really quite happy he's holding on to these guys. The've been with us since he was three years old. It's nice to know that he's not outgrowing his boyhood so quickly.

On another note, he was in class with me again today. Another wonderful day for me to share my classroom with my son. He is a smart little boy, but it is a bit trying to separate Mom from Teacher mode. No news yet as to tomorrow. I'm actually hoping he'll come with me so he can go to Chapel with us, as we do every Tuesday. I think he'd really enjoy that.

Camden's been going to school with me since the teachers in his district went on strike last week. He'll join me again tomorrow. Thank goodness he's still learning. And we're not doing a bad job in tiptoeing around each other as we discover the difference in me acting as Mom and me acting as First Grade Teacher. All in all, it's been wonderful to have him around my school; I am loving sharing it with him.

daily happiness

I got up today at 6:20 a.m. - nearly an hour late - and still made it to school on time, even with getting the boys ready and dropping them off on my way to school. Whew!

Camden's school district is on strike as of tomorrow. I should be freaked, but I'm not. I'll just take him to my school where he'll be in my class. I feel so much peace about this. I'm ACTUALLY EXCITED! Of course, I've told him he'll get no special favors, no slack. He must follow the rules and do the work just like everybody else. But I'm really looking forward to having him under my wings tomorrow. :)

Monday Monday

But it's OK. It was a great Monday!
As far as Mondays go.
The boys got up, got dressed, brushed their teeth, without any arm-wringing on my part. What a blessed way to start the day! (That's my daily happiness, too!) We got everywhere on time!
My kids at school have earned their chip party for good behavior. They're just the best class. And, to top it all off, Camden came home, WILLINGLY read a book to me and studied his spelling words. Wow. That child would do just about anything to play his new Playstation game. :)
Busy week ahead. Tomorrow is the start of three crazy nights - PTG meeting at my school tomorrow night, Camden's open house at his school the next, and Cub Scout sign-ups the next. Whew, I'll be glad for Friday to get here. I may sleep all weekend long.

daily happiness

My boys are sleeping safe and sound after an afternoon at the Pittsburg science museum with their dad while Mom spent the afternoon hours at Craftique checking out the primitive crafty things. (Mom, you would LOVE this place! I missed you so much when I was there - and not because I wanted you to buy me one of everything! hehehe.) Yes, my boys are wonderful. Safe. Sound. Happy. Blessed.

PS - No, Mom, I didn't make it till October with the Halloween costumes...........they wore them today. ALMOST PERFECT FITS! But, still, out of the wrappers. But, not out of the house! :) ;) :)

Halloween already???

We went to Target tonight - twist my arm!
Mainly, we went to buy the Star Wars Lego Playstation 2 game since it just came out on Tuesday. And, believe me, Camden has never let a spare moment go by without telling us that the game was "available on Tuesday!" So, we went to get that, so I, feeling a bit sad for Benjy that he had nothing, we ventured to the toy section. On the way, I found some stationery that just called out to me, so I got it. Then, in toys, we found the Star Wars action figures. Benjy didn't want C3PO and Chewbaca. Nope, he wanted the Dark Side folks, Emporer Palpatine and one of his goons. As if that was not enough, the boys found the Halloween aisles while I was in the school supplies clearance section. I found a box of 12 highlighters for $2, which I need for school next week, while Benjy and Camden both found their HALLOWEEN COSTUMES MORE THAN A MONTH BEFORE HALLOWEEN!!! Benjy wants to be Darth Vader. No surprise there - hey, he can even SAY it this year! Camden is Anakin. For those of you not versed in Star Wars trivia, Anakin is the guy who turns into Darth Vader after a scary little fall into a volcano's lava pit. Yick. I'd truly post pix, but we've told the boys they can't wear their custumes till October. Seems unfair to keep them till Halloween, so I thought we were doing pretty great to get through September, if we actually make it. ;)
Daily Happiness:
Talked to Jodie tonight. So proud of you, girlfriend! You take care of YOURSELF. I love you!!!!!!!!!

Not only am I neglecting my blog lately, but I'm also not even taking pictures. I've not scrapbooked since mid-summer, and I haven't even found the energy to send out a few thank-you's to Camden's school transportation folks for helping get him from his morning daycare to school. Gotta make a list and get these things done!!!
OK, here's a little thing inspired by another blog, Ali Edward's Daily Happiness blog. It's really simple. List a happiness for each day. Well, if I can just get on here, I can do it. :)

Today's daily happiness:
Camden and Benjy both wanted to have dinosaur egg oatmeal for dessert tonight. How cool is that?!

Yesterday's daily happiness:
I put in a prayer request for Camden at yesterday's staff devotional time. (And that time, alone, is worth an entire month of daily happinesses.) Camden had been so angry the previous afternoon when he came home and I told him he had to do homework. He just ranted and raved after having such an awesome day at school. He eventually settled down and quite grudgingly did his spelling work. But, in the time it took him to complete it, he could have done a week's worth. My prayer request was for God to help him with his anger, give him patience and wisdom. And to give me and Curt some of the same. After all, it's a loooong way till self-suffiency in college for this little guy. That afternoon, Camden came home from school, happy and delighted to tell about his day. He did his homework with Curt, but didn't do spelling bec. Curt didn't know about it. When I came home, he only complained for a snitch of a second and then obediently spelled his words as I called them out to him. Not another fuss. Not a single tantrum. Just complete cooperation. Wow, God answers our prayers and gives us exactly what we need. Thanks be to God!

Mom and Benjy at play

The cool thing about having Benjy at my school for two days a week for preschool: I get to sneak kisses and hugs when we pass each other. It's not often, but today we had Wet and Wild Field Day for the afternoon - preschoolers through the 6th graders. Benjy was on a team of mixed ages, the youngest of 10 kids. I was with his group, so I got to watch him interact with the other kids. One fifth grader just latched right on to him, holding his hand, teaching him the water games, letting Benjy take his place, and encouraging Benjy to SOAK him every chance he got. Benjy was absolutely precious. Six months ago, I would never have believed he would be communicating in such a fun and animated way. But he was! Totally into all the attention he got as the baby of the group. He even hammed it up some, showing off and relishing his role as the star. What a blessing that I got to see that. What a blessing that God put me at this wonderful, awesome place. My school is my mission. It's right where I belong.

Rocket Boy

Here is a shot of Curt and me on our last morning at the beach.

Al Greene and Benjy having a V8 Juice tasting party. Al and dear friend Bernice came up last week and stayed a night after touring Falliing Water nearby. They were so wonderful. I just giggled my head off at Al. He really has a way of making people laugh. And that Bernice and all her points of light. She's just all around a dear and wonderful friend.

The boys and I had one last pic on the dock at the beach. I just found this on my camera today, so I thought I'd share it. :)

Rocket Boy Camden - He got up this morning, dressed himself for church before I'd even crawled out of bed, and made himself comfortable launching himself off the spinning chair tipped over on its side. Crazy kid. I just love his spirit.

Just some random thoughts today.

I've finally caught up on checking the message boards out at 3 Scrappy Boys. I'd missed chatting with the girls there, and every time I thought to go over, I knew it would take more than the couple of minutes I had. This weekend I spent an hour checking out the posts and posting myself. The gallery's next. Can't wait to see what everybody's been making. Now, if only I could get caught up on scrapping! I'm so unmotivated, even though I have about 3 or 4 kits hanging around just begging to be used. I think I'll send an order off to Kodak and when the pix come back I'll be ready to rock.

We bought our first ever matching set of furniture yesterday - a leather sofa, loveseat, chair and an ottoman. I think we're finally grown up. In our nearlly 14 years married, we've never bought a set of anything (unless towels and sheets count). :) It's to be delivered on the 12th. Can't wait to lug this old loveseat down to the basement and redo the family room!

OK, that's it for now. Adios!

Long time....

OK, so it's been a while. Since my last post I've been thinking....
* Family is forever. (Thanks, Aunt Sandy) Family is what keeps me ticking. (God is what makes me tick.)
* My blog log-in didn't even work last night!
* School is wonderful. I've never been in a place where I felt totally, completely RIGHT. I have that now.
* My boys deserve the best I can give them. Last week I came home, kissed them, loved them, and promptly dragged out my books and lesson planner. Next week. I'm gonna give them ME.
* I miss talking to my sister, my parents, my friends.
* God has blessed me with a wonderful opportunity. I have a "mission" - to teach. That is my calling. I'll happily live up to that. I'll also live up to my calling as a MOM. I'll come home from school next week, curl up with my boys, and LOVE THEM. Yes, that's my other calling. To love my boys and train them up to be strong men, like their dad. :)
* I have got to take some pix of my family this holiday...... :)