It's Monday, Part 2

As many of you know, I went to school for 7 years to complete my bachelors in Education and then became certified in Special Education. I have been working as a teacher now for over a year and have had some rough spots, but through good friends and God's provision, I have come through those rough spots relatively unscathed!

Today has to be one of the more difficult days since I started teaching. We wrapped up STAAR testing last week on Thursday and the kids seem to think that the year is done. I have a few students that I am trying to prepare paperwork for them since they are going to junior high (7th grade) next year and at the same time lesson plan and teach.

Today, one of my kiddos decided that work was not an option (even math games on an iPad) and my room had to be evacuated to protect the other students. When I got back to my room 2 hours later, one of my laptops was broken and a lot of things were torn up and messed up.

Don't get me wrong, I LOVE my job, but I don't love the fact that some students receive privileges and exceptions that others don't. (Not SpEd things, just not being held accountable or having the same expectations as other students in the same circumstances.)

Enough venting, I am excited to see my baby (Dani) perform in a play tonite. Gabi was supposed to perform as well, but she failed and could not participate. This will be the first time Dani has ever performed without Gabi in the play as well! She is nervous and excited and scared. I know she will be AWESOME and AMAZING!

This past weekend was Prom for Sam and she looked beautiful and had a great time with her best friend, Josh as her date. After Prom, her high school does a drug, alcohol, and smoke free all night party for the kids. It is from midnight until 6am. All the kids dress-up as characters and Josh and Sam were Peter Pan and Wendy. They looked so cute! They gambled, ate, gambled some more and hung out with friends all night.

Next on our agenda is going to be Teen Talent Follies for Gabi. She has the chance to win scholarships and awards for her singing. I am very excited for her!

That's all for now.

Jean

Verse 1 of 24 for 2011

I have committed to memorizing 24 bible verses for the year 2011.

The verse I've chosen to begin with is Proverbs 3:5-6 "Trust in the LORD with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths."

I chose this verse to remind me where I need to rely and who to turn to when I hit obstacles throughout the year.

This is just one of several improvements I plan on making for the upcoming year.


Happy 2011 everyone!!!!

My Prayer for 2011

Heavenly Father,

  Thank you for your leading and guidance through the trials and triumphs of 2010. I have been blessed immeasurably through the new relationships You have brought into my life and more importantly through the relationship I have re-established with You. Thank you for never leaving me, even when I didn’t turn to You but chose to turn away.

 

I ask, Daddy, that your Spirit would continue to drive the things that distract me from spending time with You daily, out of my life. Also I pray that the Spirit will continue to strengthen me on my path of recovery. I want to come here this time at the end of 2011 and announce that I have victory over the hurts, hang-up, and habits that you have been revealing in my life.

Thank you, I love and I yearn for your daily guidance.
Amen

Thansgiving 2010

This year has been a whirlwind! With my graduating in May, turning 40 in June, cruising in June/July, and celebrating 20 years of marriage in August and applying for jobs all summer and into the school year, it's hard to believe that the year is almost over!

This year, Donny and the girls decided that we were going to have our Thanksgiving by ourselves (no other family invited) and that we were NOT going to have "traditional" Thanksgiving foods.

It took almost 2 weeks for everyone to settle on the food; pot roast, sliced potatoes, and carrots with wheat rolls and 2 different pies (pumpkin and pecan) for dessert.

I really like to cook Thanksgiving foods and was a little let down by the majority ruling, but it turned out ok and I really enjoyed the foods and more importantly, the company.

 







The twins had a Wii tournement while Sami and Titan snuggled on the couch. While dinner was finishing up and ready to be eaten.

Sami and I started our day with an 11am showing of Burlesque. We were 2 of only 8 people in our theater so we had an entire row of seats (with movable armrests) to ourselves. The movie was fantastic and we had a really good mommy/daughter date!

Friday was Dani and Gabi's turn and Donny and I took them to go see Tangled at 11pm. It was a really cute movie and we had a really good time!
(I made out the best of everyone, I got to see 2 new movies in 2 days!!)

I hope all of you have had a blessed and relaxing holiday weekend and spent lots of quality time with your loved ones!!

Love and many blessings,
Jean :o)

A couple more shots from this weekend

Here a few shots showing how much fun the girls had at the Nasher. (And Dallas, too!)

Dani Interpreting the Reclining Woman

Gabi Interpreting The Other Reclining Woman

Dani and The Zeppelin Horses

Gabi The Zeppelin Horse

Dani the Reindeer

When ya gotta go, Ya gotta go!

One Great Weekend, A few shots

I figured I'd throw my hat into the "One Weekend, Two Shots" arena, but I took SEVERAL really good (at least I think they are good) pictures during a family outing on Saturday.

We took advantage of the free museum day and went to the Nasher Sculpture Center in Dallas. It had been raining ALL night and MOST of the morning, but we weren't gonna let us miss out!

We started the adventure with pizza, spaghetti and a sausage sub @ Carmine's NY style Pizzeria. (From left to right that is Dani, Donny, Sam, and Gabi. I'm the one behind the camera)

The following pictures are 4 of the coolest pictures I think. There was a really long rectangular tube hanging on the wall. When he we looked in the tube, we realized the inside of the tube was mirror shined and it made a kaleidoscope effect of our faces. The first one is Sam, then it's Dani, Gabi and Donny.

Sami

 

Dani

Gabi

Donny

 

 

 

I will post a few more pics tomorrow!

Homecoming!!!

Sam is a Sophomore in high school this year and it is only the 3rd week of school and it's HOMECOMING!!! I mean come on, that is almost no time for a girl to find a date that is worth spending money on a garter for let alone one that you want to slow dance with!

She REALLY wanted to go to the dance with her best friend, Travis, but he REFUSED to ask her because he is going as a reporter!? I mean he could still hang out with her and do his "reporting" job. Okay, off the protective MOM box!!!

Well, Sam has managed to stay pretty well connected and active at her junior high with their theater club and she has several friends that are now freshmen and a couple that are 8th graders. I tell you this because one of her 8th grade friends, Josh found out about the drama and called her and TOLD her HE was taking her to the game AND buying her a mum! (This was on Tuesday the game is on Friday (today) and the mums have to be ordered WEEKS in advance to get them!)

 Here is my beautiful Sami with here AMAZING mum!! This boy is such a great friend to her, he did not want her to NOT get a mum so he and his dad went to Kroger and ordered the mum @ 8pm on Thursday (yesterday) and his dad brought it to him @ the junior hs (at 3:45 TODAY) so he could give it to her after his last class @ 4pm!!


She's never had a mum before and is on cloud nine right now!!! She is so blessed to have such a sweet friend!! And I am a blessed mommy because I have taught my daughter the importance of friends and treating others kindly or she would not have a friend that would spend $$$ on a girl that isn't even his girlfriend, and who he CAN'T go to the dance with (because he's not in HS yet)!!