day 30- productive day

day 30- September 27, 2009
productive day
It seems like every Sunday I am just trying to catch up with all of the household chores. Today, I set my alarm for 8am and ended up not getting up until 9:15. I kept telling myself to get up, but I just had the hardest time. I had a huge To Do List to accomplish today.

Meg’s To Do List

1) Walk Dogs

2) Laundry

3) Grocery Shop

4) Get Flu shot

5) Clean upstairs rooms and bathrooms

6) Organize my bathroom and craft room

7) X-Mas Gifts (see what I have bought so far)

8) Plan for week of teaching

In a little less than 12 hours I have completed everything! I am so excited to have had such a productive day. Ever since we moved, there have been a few rooms that were just thrown together and not organized at all. My bathroom and craft room/office needed a lot of help! So I spent a lot of time working in those rooms today. Last weekend, I bought some old looking tins. I used them to organize some of my craft materials. They bring some color into the room as well. I am so looking forward to hanging out in that room as I work on making crafty x-mas gifts. Speaking of x-mas… I also went through gifts I have bought in the past few months for people. I need to type it all into a spreadsheet so I can figure out who else I need to get and how much more to spend. Then, I can just keep it in my purse for reference. (Melissa is real good at this too! We are a lot alike when it comes to gift giving!)

On my way to Kroger this evening, I stopped by TJ Maxx and found a shower curtain that matches my ugly bathtub color (mauve or pinkish??). It actually looks really good. I also bought a cute pair of shoes and a mustard color top (I know I should not have bought them! But I could not resist!) Then, I went grocery shopping and got my flu shot. Chad is not feeling too well right now. I think he has a fever. I am starting to feel weird too. I hope I am not coming down with anything.

I just finished a bowl of chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream as a treat to myself for being so productive today!

day 29- it's raining, it's pouring

day 29-September 26, 2009
it's raining, it's pouring
It has been raining in Charlottesville all day today. Chad and I are dreading walking the dogs in the pouring rain tonight. This morning we got soaked taking them on their morning walk. I need to buy a rain jacket!
After sitting around the house bored for a few hours, we decided we would check out Charlottesville's surrounding areas. We first drove to Best Buy and bought Magic Jack which works awesome! I actually can talk on the phone anywhere in my house! The best thing is that it is free long distance! And my family can call me for free too! Only $20 a year!! Then, we went to World Market which is a big store that reminds me of Pier One Imports. It is really cool there. Wish I could buy some things!! Then, we drove forever trying to find shops or somewhere to go. We crossed Skyline Drive and checked out Waynesborough for a few minutes. Not much there. Then, went to a cute country/antique store on our way back home. It was nice to spend a few hours hanging out with each other. Now he is bugging me to go to some party with him tonight. Not looking forward to that. I would like to just lay around and be lazy tonight.

day 28- rain rain go away

day 28- September 25, 2009
rain rain go away
TGIF! I am so glad it is Friday. As a teacher, rain is my enemy! The children were off the walls today!! They just needed to get outside and play! "Get your rain boots, umbrellas, and jackets on! We are still going outside!"

Cute kid quote of the day: "I am going to a boring wedding this weekend. I am not the one getting married though."

day 27 lucky charms

day 27- September 24, 2009
lucky charms
There is nothing like enjoying a bowl of Lucky Charms for a late night snack. Love it! (And loving that Back to School night is OVER!)

day 26 no reception

day 26- September 23, 2009
no reception
Ugh. No reception. My phone is always dead because it is constantly searching for service. I hate talking on the phone outside on the steps because I get eaten alive by mosquitoes. So instead, I prop the phone against the wall on top of the electrical outlet in the corner of my bedroom and press speaker. I actually have service there.

day 25 work work work

day 25- September 22, 2009
work work work
I am SO ready for the weekend already! This Thursday night is Back to School Night for my school. I am supposed to make a creative book for the parents to look at as I give my presentation. So I decided to make it like a scrapbook of our classroom routines and policies. I ended up working for about 4 hours on it last night! Crazy! I still have a few more finishing touches that I need to add to it before I bind it together. Tonight, I need to write what I am going to say on index cards (maybe I can do that while the children rest today so I can have a little "me" time tonight). Only 3 more day of work then the weekend!!!

day 24 chicken dance

day 24- September 21, 2009
chicken dance
You have to watch this video!! Over the weekend, I got a singing chicken at the Jarrettsville Flea Market. The lady was asking $2 for it and I talked her down to $1. Even better! I gave the dogs all of their new stuffed animals to destroy. They got two new teddy bears, a big penguin, a dalmatian, and the singing chicken! The chicken sings and dances to the chicken dance! It is hilarious! The dogs have no clue what they should do with it! At first, they would just stare. Now, Pepper will just bark at it. Norma finally gets fed up and she will pick it up by the head or wing and carry it around the room. It is so funny to watch them! The thing is very annoying though.

day 23 driving home

day 23- September 20, 2009
driving home
Ugh. I hate driving. At least it took only 3 hours.

day 22 sunflower fun

day 22- September 19, 2009
sunflower fun
It was so nice to be back in Jarrettsville. The weather was GORGEOUS! Melissa, the boys, Gran, Joe, mom, and I went to the flea market down the street. Melissa and I got a lot of nice deals and went home with lots of stuff. Jayden was a little angel the whole time. Tobster started to get a little antsy and wanted to get out of his stroller. On our way back to the car, Joe took pictures of me with the sunflowers. There were SO many bees all over each sunflower. I was lucky not to have been stung!

day 21 my room

day 21- September 18, 2009
my room
After a long day of work, Chad and I went to Chipotle for dinner. Then, I was headed for Maryland for the weekend! I was so excited to see my nephews and family! Unfortunately, I was not too excited for the drive at all. I left around 7:45 pm and made it to Maryland at 11:15. I was exhausted! I slept in my old room at my parents house. As I crashed onto the bed, I was trying to imagine what the room looked like when I still lived at home. Now, it is a baby's room with "Snuggle Bug" painted on the wall.

day 20 homemade instruments

day 20- September 17, 2009
homemade instruments
I have been working on the Five Senses with the kids this past week. I thought for the sense of hearing, it would be a good idea to make our own instruments. After Easter this past year, I bought lots of plastic eggs dirt cheap. I had the kids choose if they wanted rice, beans, pasta, sand, or pennies to go inside of their eggs. After they filled their eggs, they decorated them with foam stickers. Once all the children finished, we met back on the rug and shook our new instruments to the beat of a Milkshake song. It was a big hit!! So cute!

day 19 mmm mmm good!

day 19- September 16, 2009
mmm mmm good!
Much better day today! I started a new behavior system and seating chart in my classroom. The day went by a lot smoother. I still had two children who went home on red, but at least I did not go home crying! Tonight, I decided to treat myself to some homemade chocolate chip cookies! I LOVE baking. Probably not the best hobby to have! It is SO nice to use all of my nifty and new gadgets to bake with. I do not think I have ever whipped up a batch of cookies this fast before. The Kitchen Aid mixer was mixing the first part of the recipe as I was preparing the second part. AND my cookie scooper is the best too! All of my cookies are the same size and I do not ever have to touch the cookie dough to get them off of a spoon- old school! LOVE IT! Time to go enjoy some cookies and of course some leftover cookie dough! mmm mmm good!

day 18 peace and quiet

day 18 September 15, 2009
peace and quiet
Wow! What a day!! My class turned into a bunch of little rascals!! I need some peace and quiet.... Tonight's To Do List= NOTHING!

day 17 the small things

day 17 September 14, 2009
the small things
It was so nice to get outside today with my little ones. I love to just step outside my teacher brain and "take it all in". Watching my two boys taking turns shooting the basketball, hearing the pitter-patter of little Bella's feet as she runs up the hill trying to catch the fly away bubbles, seeing the children in the sandbox working together to make a castle, and listening to the little girls laughter as they paint with water on the walls sounds so small, but is my favorite part of teaching!

day 16 laundry surprise

day 16 September 13, 2009
laundry surprise
Ugh. I am not feeling so well today. I have a horrible cold, sneezing non-stop, and am so tired! Despite how I am feeling, there are a lot of things to get done around the house before the week begins. We took the dogs for a long walk this morning (we try to do long walks on the weekends). Then, I was off to Kroger to grocery shop (did not stay under $100- probably because of all the medicine and meats). I made it home in time to watch the Ravens and plan for teaching this week. In between commercial breaks, I was folding and washing clothes. I was so excited to see a dollar bill as I was emptying the dryer. In the middle of folding, a ten dollar bill fell out of a shirt. Then, another dollar bill, and another, and another. When I took the picture, I had made $16. When I was finished folding all the laundry, I made a total of $19! It definitely was not my money. Chad says it was from Thursday night when he went out. Oh well. Too bad for him! Next time, he will remember to take out all his money before throwing his clothes in the hamper. Hmmm.... maybe I will get a new shirt to wear this week! Ha ha!

day 15 curvy brick wall & Rotunda

day 15 September 12, 2009
curvy brick wall & Rotunda
What a beautiful day today! It was so nice to sleep in this morning. Well.... only until 8:30. Pepper needed to go to the bathroom. After running a few errands, Chad and I headed to the UVA football game. By the time we drove all the way to the parking lot, I realized we forgot my ticket! Ha ha! So we had to drive to Chad's school to print it out. 20 minutes later, we were back to the parking lot, walked 20 more minutes to another lot to tailgate. After the game as we were walking back to our car, we came across this really cool curvy brick wall. I just had to take a picture. It's pretty neat. I also HAD to take a picture of the Rotunda which is the most recognizable symbol of the University. The Rotunda was designed by Thomas Jefferson and was inspired by the Pantheon in Rome. I am also looking forward to going to Jefferson's home, the Monticello, one weekend soon!

day 14 never forget

day 14 September 11, 2009
never forget
God Bless the USA...

day 13- time to relax

day 13 September 10, 2009
time to relax
The children wore me out on Thursday. Time to light the candles and relax...

day 12- time for fun

day 12 September 9, 2009
time for fun
I am SOOO tired. Those little 4 year olds wore me out today! I am tired! But, I made some time to play with the pups tonight! We had a great time!! Right now, the floor is full of stuffed animal stuffing. I would love to have enough energy to get up and vacuum, but oh well! It will have stay there until tomorrow afternoon! GoOdNiGhT!

day 11- out and about

day 11 September 8, 2009
out and about
Tonight, I got up enough courage to go to a nearby bar for the Partners Association Happy Hour. I missed the association's orientation a few weeks ago and have missed a few of their events. I have been kicking myself in the tush for not signing up and meeting new people. So, tonight I saw on their calendar that they were meeting at No.3 a bar across the street from UVA. I made myself go (all by myself which took a lot of guts for me). I am very proud of myself! I met some really cool gals. Looking forward to the next event!

day 10 organized & happy

day 10 - September 7, 2009
organized and happy
Happy Labor Day! I spent the day organizing my office and closets. Poor Chad... I took over every closet upstairs- the two extra bedrooms and half of our bedroom closet! My classroom is like an icebox. So I decided this long weekend would be perfect to get out all my fall clothes. I noticed I have WAY too many clothes. Most of them I do not even wear. So after this Winter, I am getting rid of a lot of stuff!!

day 9 savings

day 9- September 6, 2009
savings
I must have been really tired today! I slept in until 10:30 this morning, took the dogs for an hour hike, came home and slept until 3! I felt so lazy!! I actually accomplished a few things: finished laundry, made a delicious dinner, and went grocery shopping. My goal tonight while grocery shopping was to spend no more than $80. This can be really hard. We are used to spending around $150 when we lived in MD. We realized we spent way too much money on things we really did not need. I have stopped buying prepackaged dinners like Bertollis. Man, do I miss them. So easy. So quick. After shopping at a variety of grocery stores, I found that Kroger was the cheapest. I WAS SO EXCITED to see that I only spent $65.24 tonight! Wahooo. The littlest things can get me excited! I saved $14.03 using my Kroger plus card. I also have some kind of saver rewards which you can save on your gas as well! As I was looking online, you can even download Kroger coupons onto your card for when you go shopping. Pretty cool. Maybe next time I will try that! Can't wait for Chad to get home from school tonight to tell him how much we saved! He'll be proud! Ha ha ha. . .

day 8 go cavaliers!

day 8- September 5, 2009
go cavaliers!
UVA football game... disappointing

day 7 evening walk

day 7 -September 4, 2009
evening walk
Every evening, I look forward to taking the dogs for a walk. Especially since it has cooled down a bit outside. As we walked tonight, Norma kept looking over at the baseball field. She remembered the groundhog from the night before. Long story short, we let the dogs play in the gated in baseball field. Pepper and Norma found the groundhog and first started to play with it and bat it around. Once the groundhog bit Pepper a few times, it was toast! She killed it within minutes. It was like watching a National Geographic show! So anyways... Norma wanted to go back into the field to find that groundhog. We had a nice walk before we headed to Darden for a trivia game night.

day 6 morning ride

day 6 - September 3, 2009
morning ride
On my way to work, I saw ANOTHER hot air balloon. I probably have seen a hot air balloon at least once a day for the past week! As I was talking on the phone with my grandmother, I kept hearing a loud noise above me. The balloon was landing in our parking lot at work. It was pretty neat to see how they land. The balloon guy even let the children help pack and put away the balloon. What a great start to a beautiful morning in VA.

day 5 candles and cake

day 5 September 2, 2009
Today is Chad's Birthday! Right now I am waiting for him to get home from school so we can celebrate!! We did not have enough time after dinner to celebrate. I have been craving this cake all day!! I love cake, especially the icing!! Since we are on a very strict budget, I did not get him very much at all this year. Pepper got him peppermint patties. Norma got him nuts. And I got him UVA mesh shorts. I put it in a really big bag and filled the bag with lots of balloons!! He probably will think he is getting something big! Ha ha. I wrote some things on each balloon. Once they are put in the right order, it is a little birthday poem. I know it sounds cheesy!! There are 26 candles on the cake and 10 of them are trick candles! I am sure he will just love that! Come on Chad!! Get home so I can eat some of your birthday cake!!

day 4- Ready to Go!

day 4- September 1, 2009
Finally! My classroom is finished! It took about one week to get everything cleaned, moved, and stapled up. I had a lot of fun getting creative and trying some new things- like the learning tree. I had no clue what I was doing. It seemed like I was just crumpling a bunch of paper and stapling it five hundred million times! That thing will definitely not come down this year! I got to meet 8 out of 10 of my kiddos today for sneak-a-peak. Seems like a great group of kids. Well, I am SO tired and I still have conferences to get ready for before bed. Goodnight.