The End

Yesterday was the last day of school and my last day at the jr. high. I woke up glad that it would be the end of a very long and stressful year and I just knew that I would be happy to walk away and never look back. Because really? I did not enjoy my time there. It was a very negative job mostly just the nature of the job. In a typical day I spent it reprimanding more than anything else-
"Get to class, don't be tardy, why are you still in the hall? The bell rang 5 minutes ago, You need to be in the lunchroom or outside-not in the hall, do you have a hall pass, let's go visit with the principal, stop banging on the vending machine, no you may not go to _____, Please explain the rule about ________ to me, shut the door, no running in the halls......" Repeat these phrases at least 50 times each and every day all day long for 180 days.

In between that, I had to check the attendance reports and notice any excessive unexcused abscences and call parents to discuss the problem. Parents that really don't care where or what there kids are doing as long as the kid is not where the parents are. Parents that make up any excuse they can in order to not take responsibility for their child. Parents that make up any excuse so that their child does not have to take responsibility for their own actions. Parents that have taught their children to say ,"it's not fair, it's because I am brown/black/poor/have red hair/am a girl/choose your adjective", or "but so and so was______".

Then I had to send home truancy notices or recommend students for truancy school or court and then deal with parents that felt that their child should be allowed to miss 112 periods of school because ___________. Or deal with the new woman over at the district office that felt that with the counselors calling the child down to discuss attendance, me calling home and sending letters home and also talking to parents as well as students about the issue, we were not trying hard enough. She called me at least once a week to tell me I was not doing my job well enough.

Catching students sluffing and taking them to the office. Being called to classrooms to take unruly students to the office. Oh, did I mention the first aid? I was first responder at the school. What about the time the boys were throwing around a metal broom handle they found and one of them "caught" it with his head. It took me 15 minutes to get it to stop bleeding and he ended up with 13 stitches. Took the custodians about 30 minutes to get the blood cleaned up. If I had had a proper first aid kit that had something besides 26 latex gloves and 32 assorted bandaids and one roll of adhesive tape that was as old as me, it would have been better.

What about the time we had a student having an emotional breakdown because her depression meds were not working and she didn't feel well and she had a test to take that she was unprepared for. I heard her in the bathroom sobbing her heart out. I had no office, just a desk in the back of a classroom, so we did a mini counseling session in the bathroom.

Did I mention that I didn't get a lunch break? No, well I didn't. I had to eat whatever, whenever.

Day after day after day after day. No matter how good I felt of how happy I was when I got to school, by the time second lunch was over I could feel my spine compressing and I had a tremendous headache and just wanted to go home and lay down. Needless to say only the very urgent house work got done when I got home.

I was very excited to see the end of school tomorrow. Excited to turn in my laptop. Turn off the lights in my room, shut and lock the door. Excited to turn in my radio and my keys and go to the faculty luncheon and go home.

Except I wasn't. You see, in the last two years I have made some friends and joined a family of people that I am going to miss more than I thought I would. I was ok while we were eating. I was great when it was announced that I got 3rd place in the biggest loser contest. (Yay me!!) I was even fine when the principal started his acknowledgment of those that were not coming back next year. He called me up and gave me my card. I managed to be sorta flippant when asked about plans for next year. You see, I wasn't going to cry. Why would I? I no longer cared.

Then he called Lindsey up. She was my first friend at the school last year. She co-taught 4-H with me (what would I have ever done without her? I have no idea). She is my hero. I cried because I am going to miss her. But it will be ok because I can see her on her blog. Love you Lindsey.

Then it was time to go. I hugged Lindsey, told her goodby and turned to leave. I planned on quietly going. But then the principal called me over so he could say goodby. I started crying again. He did tell me that he would come visit me because his daughter will be attending the high school where I will be. (just a side note, his sister-in-law grew up in the same town as I did, small world)

So even though I hated my job and am looking forward to a positive one, I guess after all was said and done, I cared afterall.

Shoe shopping

Remember those shoes that I wanted to get for my niece's wedding? Gone. The store as well as the website no longer have them. Someday, I am going to be able to see something I like and want and not have to say, when I get a paycheck, if there is money left over.... I am going to see something I like and want and just get it. But maybe the fun is in the waiting anyway. So, these are what I got instead.
And, by waiting? The store had sent me a $10 off coupon because it is my birthday soon. And then I got another $10 off coupon for my rewards points from the store. And the really good news? DSW lets you use 3 coupons at a time when you are purchasing. The only thing that would have been better? If they had been in the clearance section.

But now I don't know what to wear dress wise. I really need to pay someone to dress me, I am so bad at that kind of thing. Any suggestions?

All That Jazz

Ok, you have heard the jr. high beginning band. You have heard the jr. high concert band. And you have heard the high school symphonic band. I told you about Mr. Mott, the jr. high band director. Now let me tell you about Mr. Burgoyne, the high school band director. He spends an awful lot of his time at the school doing all thing band- 7 periods of band during the day, marching band all summer and then after school during the months of Sept and Oct. The man eats, sleeps and drinks band. Then as if that were not enough, three days a week he gets to school 1-2 hours early (think 6 am ladies and gents) to hold a jazz band class. So of course the student's are there by 7 am and work, work, work. Prepare yourselves to be wowed, amazed, to stand in awe here. I know I always do.

I am going to post 2 videos of the Jazz band concert. Matt doesn't like to play solos, so he doesn't take the spotlight in any of these, except that he is behind the soloists so you get to enjoy him enjoying the music.

While I have the program for this concert, the songs were just listed and they played them in a random order, so Matt will have to tell us which song this is. Matt?

Ok, if you have to choose only one video on this week long video postings, choose this next one. There is a soloist that just blows me away each and every time I hear him. He is the saxaphone soloist. He graduated last year and spent this past year playing at BYU with their Jazz band ensemble, Synthesis. He composes his own music. He came back to play a couple of songs with the jazz band for old time's sake. At the year end jazz concert last year I did not video tape the songs he soloed in because was not playing in them. Stupidest thing I ever did- He played a couple that he wrote and in one of them he played two different saxaphones. At the same time. THE SAME TIME. Remember this name- Ben Nichols. Believe me, you will hear it again in the future. He just got his mission call, so it will be 2 years, but you will hear his name again. Remember you saw him here first.

I was running out of tape, so there is only part of this song, but it was my all time favorite at the concert. And, I do know the name of this song:

Sing Sang Sung

Here Comes the Sun

I am going to take a little break from the concerts. Tomorrow's posting will be amazing, but tonight, I am reveling in the idea of what the next 8 weeks can hold. You see, tomorrow is the last official day of school and I am awaiting that final bell the way a wee child awaits hearing sleigh bells on Christmas Eve. And then? I am going to sleep in every single day. I may not even get up until 6:30.

My house is going to be scrubbed- top to bottom and all the unused stuff that seems to multiply exponentially in relation to my tiredness will be hauled out and sent to bless some small third world country. My basement will finally get painted and rearranged in a nice comfy, inviting, make yourself at home way. (with Sharon's help and great eye for these kinds of things- I hope)
I am going to make it to Curves more often. My flower beds will be cleaned out and weed free. My pond will be re-done and the waterfall rocked in. And I will post pictures that I have let Jessica fix in photoshop to keep you all updated. I will cook all kinds of yummy things and take pics of the process and post them on my how to cook blog. Oh, and I promised Brandi lots and lots of picnics. And I'll take Hunter to the park, or just to the front lawn to blow bubbles and show him the world and see them anew all over again through his eyes. Jacob and I will lay on the lawn in the wee hours of the morning and watch the meteor shower in early August. And it will be glorious and wonderful and time well spent.

Oh, and reading. Lots and lots of reading. And postings of readings. I am behind in my postings and book reviews, so I will have to get them posted. There are books that you can be sure I will be reading in the coming months-

1.J. Scott Savage's Farworld
I got an e-mail from him yesterday letting me know that my ARC is on it's way. Ethan and I are going to enjoy reading it and coming up with questions for the blog tour. I will be giving away a copy of this book after the tour, so be sure to check back for details. (your book won't be an ARC, but the final deal. You won't want to miss it.)

2. And coming in September, David G. Wooley's long overdue 4th volume in his Promised Land series, Day of Remembrance. (if you are reading this, David, I would be happy to do a blog tour for you as well. All you have to do is ask) So of course I will have to re-read the other three books, just to remember all the little nuance and tidbits that have escaped the little grey cells. I was feeling that Christmas Eve feeling again when I saw the release date. I am going to have to make a countdown for the release so I can be sure and be first in line for it. (as soon as I know the exact date, I will adjust the count)

3. Anything that catches my eye during all our trips to the library. And there is always something to catch my eye. So many books, so little time.

Then, in August I start work again. This year, though, I will be lucky enough to work at a high school instead of a jr. high. Ethan is happy about this because it is the school that he and Matt attends, he will have his learner's permit and he thinks he will be driving to school each morning. And if my brain doesn't have enough to do, I will go back to school for myself and get a master's in adolescent psychology.

So what do you have planned for your summer vacation?

Beatles tunes

Matt's band concert

The Beatles

Matt plays trumpet.

I love the jr. high band teacher. I always say that he is the best thing that ever happened to the jr. high. He came in during Donovan's 7th grade year when the teacher had to have bipass surgery. The teacher then retired and he took over. He purchased steel drums for the band and took them places that I have never heard a jr. high band go. A Maze Ing. He takes these students and teaches and coaches and prepares them for the highschool band. This is one of the results.

Next post-the amazing high school jazz band.

Choir concert

This is from Ethan's choir concert. I can find the program from every concert but this one, it is just not where it is supposed to be and I have no idea whatsoever how to spell the name of this song, but you say it Tawn Tay. I believe it is French and it was my favorite. I think it was the students' favorite as well.
(Ethan is in the back row in the middle)






This song is sung by all the choirs, men's accapella, women's, begining, chamber. The chamber orchestra accompanies them. It was so impressive and brought tears to my eyes.

You Raise Me Up

Ethan and Jacob band concert

Theme from the movie "Cars"
Ethan plays tuba there on the right





Jacob's one song that I made it there for and I started the recording part way through.
He plays percussion and is back row left hand side. Suspended cymbal and slap sticks in this song-
"Pirates of the Caribbean"




*Here I am going to put a disclaimer about my photography skills. Someday I promise to learn how to use my camera to its full capacity. I also promise to remember before I get to an event that I need a tripod and go purchase one because you can definately tell when my shoulder seizes and jerks.

End of school craziness

It's that time of year again- end of school programs. It gets crazy at my house. I only have 4 kids left in school, but my time is spread out over 3 schools and sometimes I can't tell if I am coming or going.
Jake- band concert (he didn't bother to tell me that the traditional time had been changed to 5:30 until I walked in the door from the dr. at 5:00. Needless to say, I sent him to walk the two blocks and I went as soon as I could, I missed all but the last number.)

Ethan- band concert- same night 7:00

Ethan- choir concert

Matt- Band concert-same night but Ethan's teacher did 3 concerts, 6, 7 and 8 pm. I went to the 6 pm concert and made it to the high school for Matt's concert with 15 minutes to spare.

Matt- Jazz Band concert (the concert that went on and on and on...)

Brandi- dance festival- during my work hours, so her dad is using my video recorder to tape it for me. I am kinda glad. If there is one assembly that I just hate, it is this one, sitting outside on the hillside on the grass watching a bunch of k-6 kids line dancing for 2 hrs to really lame songs with even more lame choreography.

Over the next couple of days I will post some video of the different concerts. Just a couple of the better performances.

Tribute

A lot of videos today interspersed with pictures of my boys. Pick and choose what you want to watch (some are kinda long). This is just my way of saying thank you.

So true

I got this in an e-mail today. It was attributed to Jeff Foxworthy. I am not sure if it originated with him or not, but these are so true. (my comments in red)

1. YOU might be a school employee if you believe the playground
should be equipped with a Ritalin salt lick.
2. YOU might be a school employee if you want to slap the next person
who says, 'Must be nice to work 8 to 3:30 and have summers off.'
3. YOU might be a school employee if it is difficult to name your own
child because there's no name you can come up with that doesn't
bring high blood pressure as it is uttered.
4. YOU might be a school employee if you can tell it's a full moon or
if it going to rain, snow, hail...anything! without ever looking outside.( and hate incliment weather because the kids have to stay inside)
5. YOU might be a school employee if you believe, 'shallow gene pool'
should have its own box on a report card.
6. YOU might be a school employee if you believe that unspeakable
evils will befall you if anyone says, 'Boy, the kids sure are mellow
today.'(or you try very hard to not even think it)
7. YOU might be a school employee if when out in public, you feel the
urge to snap your fingers at children you do not know and correct
their behavior.(been there done that)
8. YOU might be a school employee if you have no social life between
August and June.( or can barely keep up with you house and kids)
9. YOU might be a school employee if you think people should have
a government permit before being allowed to reproduce.
10. YOU might be a school employee if you wonder how some parents
managed to reproduce.
11. YOU might be a school employee if you laugh uncontrollably when
people refer to the staff room as the 'lounge.'
12. YOU might be a school employee if you encourage an obnoxious
parent to check into charter schools or home schooling and are
willing to donate the U-HAUL boxes should they decide to move
out of district.(done this one as well)
13. YOU might be a school employee if you think caffeine should be
available in intravenous form.(but NEVER, EVER for the students)
14. YOU might be a school employee if you can't imagine how the ACLU
could think that covering your students chair with Velcro and then
requiring uniforms made out of the corresponding Velcro could ever
be misunderstood by the public.(what? someone would have a problem with it? better than duct tape)
15. YOU might be a school employee if meeting a child's parent instantly
answers this question, 'Why is this kid like this?'(said this just last week)
16. YOU might be a school employee if you would choose a mammogram
over a parent conference.
17. YOU might be a school employee if you think someone should invent
antibacterial pencils and crayons...and desks and chairs for that matter!
18. YOU might be a school employee if the words 'I have college debt for
this?' has ever come out of your mouth.
19. YOU might be a school employee if you know how many days, minutes,
and seconds are left in the school year!(see side bar)

Virtual Shopping Spree

It's been kind of a crazy busy day at work today. But I did have some downtime and I used it for some constructive online shopping. I shopped as if money were no object and I could have whatever I wanted.
Here is some of what I would have bought today if my bank account were a happy account and money grew on trees.

Because it's been that kind of day and virtual cheesecake is better for me than real cheesecake

Plants for the backyard

The Dancer by Lladro For my patio Something to wear for my niece's summer wedding (how the shopping trip got started)

I actually have this pattern
Maybe I'll keep looking because I don't know if I feel like sewing this summer.

Shoes from DSW Shoes. Which means the pink dress. Unless I decide to go with a yellow dress. Or maybe I'll go with something entirely different.

But with prices being what they are these days, this is probablywhat I'll end up with!

Who said it

I love the quote "What ere thou art, act well thy part"
Today I have heard it said a couple of different ways:
what ere thou art, where ere thou art, who ere thou art
I have also heard it attributed to both Shakespeare and David O. McKay.

My question to you is this, which is right and who said it?

To my mother

I didn't get a card sent to my mom this year. Sorry mom. I have been very remiss in this department lately. I don't mean to be, but somehow life just seems to get in my way. So instead I will just tell all of you about my wonderful mom.

Mom grew up the 3rd of 6 children, the only girl so she also grew up knowing how to take care of herself. She was expected to work alongside of her parents and brothers to keep the farm going. When she was born, the little town the family lived in did not have electricity. Her family was one of the last to have in door plumbing and electricity. This was always a place of peace and tranquility for me in my growing up years.

My mother graduated in the top 10 of her class. (I do have to tell you though that there were 8 (I think) in her graduating class). To me she was always the smartest mom around. She always knew the answer to whatever I asked. She taught me to love books and knowledge and the process of gaining that knowledge. When I was 5 or 6 my parents purchased a set of encyclopedias for her children to use and thus started me down the path of life long love of learning.

My mother also instilled a definate sense of right and wrong in me. In fact, my sister and I were discussing this one day. We were talkng about how Mom would never, ever allow us to put our feet on the furniture, or on the dash of the car. Even now, 20+ years later and we make the payments on the furniture or car, we still cannot put our feet up. We try, but hear Mom's voice and after a few minutes have to put our feet down. This is also the reason I do not carry a comb in my purse- one should get dressed (and that includes hair and makeup) before leaving the house and be done with it.

Now, was my mother perfect? No. Did she make mistakes? Of course. If you ask her does she wish that she had done some things different? Yes. But every mom in the history of the world feels that way. As far as I am concerned, she was the perfect mother for me. Because of her I am the woman I am today. I know how to hold my head high. I know how to be honest, even when it would be easier not to. I can take care of myself, I am strong. I know the Lord and love Him. As Abraham Lincoln said, "All that I am or hope to be, I owe to my sainted mother"

Thanks mom.

Sacchrine and guilt for breakfast

I truly do not like mother's day. I do, however, like the idea of mother's day- a day to pay tribute to your mom and the wonders that she brought to pass in your life. Too often in our world this turns into a day that women are told that as a mother she needs to be perfect and very few of us feel that we are even close to adequate. Why can we not understand that we don't have to be perfect, but that we just have to do the best we possibly can for the families that we have? So I take my paper flowers, macaroni necklaces and grade school glued cards, give my children a kiss, put the goodies in my goodie drawer to pull out and look at as the years pass and they grow into loving responsible children with families of their own. I am only now comng to realize that all the sacchrine and guilt I ingested through the years would have been best served with a little laughter and knowledge of my love for my children and their love for me.

Shopping

If you would direct your attention to the sidebar, you will see that I have installed a banner that will link you to a cool source of modest clothing- Funky Frum. Just click and shop. I love their skirts.

I love how each season they have a new theme for the names of their clothing. This season it seems to be ice-cream flavor names.

Go take a look around and see if there is anything that catches your fancy. And check back often as things go on clearance or change as new shipments come n.

Shoes

Jess introduced me to a new shoe store, DSW Shoes. They have some cute, cute shoes. And, if you head back to their clearance section, you can get these cute, cute shoes for a serious discount. As much as 80% off!!

This is what I got.

One thing I cannot find, however, is a pair of white pumps. Mine are 10 years old and starting to look it. But no one carries white pumps. I have been looking for 2 years now.

Pacbell, Canon in D

One thing about living hundreds of miles away from family is this, they never get to attend the plays, concerts, ball games, recitals or what ever of my kids. That has always made me sad as I sit and watch other Grandpas and Grandmas and Aunts, Uncles and cousins fill the rooms.

One good thing about having a blog, family can now see these things- if I remember to take the video camera with me. And last Friday night, I did remember.

The woman I have sharing the frame with Jacob is his wonderful piano teacher, Wanda Orr. She is also my wondeful visiting teacher and friend. She had Jacob perform last. He started piano lessons 2 years ago, when he was in 5th grade. Within 6 weeks of starting, he had finshed the entire book that she started him in. She does group lessons and everyone else in the group was still on lesson 3 or 4. The boy amazes me. In the next couple of weeks, I will post his performance with the jr. high percussion ensemble. (if I remember to charge and take the camera).

Just follow the script

I was listening to some old music this weekend. There is a line in one of the songs that goes: "If this were a movie, we'd be right on cue. But here in the real world...."

Then later that day, Ethan was watching an episode of Stargate and I needed him to do something. He asked if he could wait until the episode was over. Of course I wanted to know how much longer and he didn't know as it was a DVD instead of on t.v. So I asked him, where are they in the conflict? Has it gotten extremely bad yet? Does it seem that there is no way to resolve it and time is counting down to mere minutes or seconds before doom is sure to happen? Or are we still building to that point? Or are you about to see the last second rescue? His answer told me where in the sequence of events he was as well as about how much longer the show had.

I started thinking about that. If my life were a movie, would I be on cue? Where am I in the sequence of events? Am I hitting my mark more often than hitting miscues? What happens when someone doesn't follow the script? Can I improvise and make it a good show anyway?

It is sometimes hard to step back and look at the scenes objectively. And realisticly, there are no scripts, no looking ahead to see how it all turns out.

There is a major conflict in my life. For me it seems hopeless and I felt helpless to change it. I really needed someone to step in and rescue me. But, just like the song, here in the real world, that doesn't happen. However, after meeting with my bishop about it a couple of weeks ago, I no longer feel that edge of the seat drama, my life can't get any worse, I just want the credits to roll about the whole thing. The conflict has not gone away, it has not been resolved and I still don't know what is going to happen, or when, or anything other than this: it will be alright- eventually. There will be a resolution. And I will get to live happily ever after. Right on cue.

What makes you cry?

I usually have the news on in the mornings while I am getting ready for work. Sometimes it is just background noise and sometimes I only pay attention-sorta. And everyonce in a while something catches my attention and I pay full attention. Sometimes I am surprised, or angered or outraged or incredulous. There are even times that I want to throw something at the t.v. But the times I "hate" the most are when I already have my make-up on and something makes me cry.

The thing is, I never know what it is that is going to touch me that way. Yesterday? It was a story about girls softball. Now, if you know me, you know that I am not athletic at all (except if you count dance) so why would I even care about girl's softball?

Here's the story (read it in full here) Sara, from Western Oregon University, hit her first ever home run. However, she collapsed from a knee injury when she got to first base. It is against the rules for her team to help her make it around the bases. Basically, she was stuck there. If she made it to home plate, hers would be the third point brought in with the hit and her team would win. If she had a pinch hitter take her place, the hit would not be counted as a home run and only two of the points would count and the game would continue. Then, the amazing thing. Central Washington, the opposition, first base player, Mallory Holtman, and shortstop, Liz Wallace, picked up Sara and carried her around the bases, thus ensuring that Sara's team would win and theirs would lose! Now, if that isn't selflessness and sportsmanship, I don't know what is. And I cried when I heard it. Not just an Aww, isn't that nice, or a slight moisture in my eyes. No, full on tears running down my cheeks and causing me to have to redo the make-up.

Then, today there was a story about a company of Marines coming home and greeting their friends and family after alost a year being in Iraq. I was happy for them and not really paying attention- until they mentioned the name of the company. It was the company that my oldest son should have been assigned to. Would have been assigned to except he got sick in boot camp and was held back a couple of weeks. I cried realizing that he could be coming home instead of going out. And, I had to redo my makeup.

So, what are the unexpected things that make you cry?