thirty-five, dancing and supernatural stuff

I've had several things I wanted to post this week, but report cards took over, so I am just now here... I am now (well, officially in a couple of hours)-- 35. I didn't think I looked my age until one of the kiddos in my class brought in a picture from Christmas-- um, yeah, I look my age. Sigh... guess not much more to say about that except that I miss the days when you counted down the days until your birthday and had slumber parties... I fell asleep in a chair last night at 11:00. Gotta laugh I guess. The positive side is that I have made the realization that it really doesn't matter how old you are, you can still re-invent yourself, start something new, turn a new leaf, etc. Getting older makes you realize that the things in your life are but a season until the next, so that part of getting older is okay.

Anyway... on to Dancing with the Stars... it was cool... makes you want to learn to dance (and have feet that could). They are just amazing! Can you believe I didn't get one picture? I took my camera out of the camera bag, put it in my purse and then when I took it out to take a picture, my batteries were dead... extra batteries in my camera bag in the car, of course. That was just as well though, as the security people were being pretty bossy about the "no flash photography" rule. This one guy stood in front of me yelling at a girl behind me threatening to throw here out if she took one more picture. Not a real nice way to treat people who paid that much for a ticket to see the show. Understandable for safety reasons not to allow flash, but not from those seats-- we weren't at the tables on the floor after all. So, anyway, got to see Drew and Cheryl-- they were the best-- and then Monique was there, too-- her calf muscles are scary! Wayne Newton sang Danke Schön-- and we didn't have to go to Vegas to hear it. ;) It was lots of fun! The next day, I took my personal day and even got to go have lunch with Andrew, which was really nice. :)

On to the supernatural...

On Thursday night, Tyler and I came home in the dark, while Andrew and Thomas were at scouts. We came in, got settled, and then I noticed that the barometer from behind my desk was sitting upside down in my computer chair, propped on a pillow. Now, there is no way that our dog could have done it-- there is not a scratch on the thing. Not only that, but I have three lamps in the line of fire-- two are on my desk, and one is a floor lamp... and the chair was at least four feet away from the wall. Just as a visual (please forgive the mess)...






Now, I thought, well maybe the floor lamp hit the bottom somehow, but that would have caused it to break-- and it would never had landed where it was, not to mention the lamps would show signs... AND, it was upside down, but face up on the pillow (see the read pillow in the chair)... and look at that distance and all the messy obstacles between the barometer and the chair (why I left the mess for you to see in the pics)... I just have no explanation at all-- makes no scientific or mathematical sense, no matter how I look at it. So, just chalking it up as one of those weird things that never make sense... just creepy...

We're going for family lunch today for my birthday and then I have an extra day off for MLK day tomorrow! Gotta get some more work done, but at least the report cards are behind me. :)

OH-- and Andrew is still in the midst of working out those cool things at work. Prayers still very much appreciated. ;) (sorry if that is clear as mud, but thanks for prayers--LOL).

Lynn

I should be working...

and I will... have some lesson plans to get to for the week, and I'm taking my personal day on Wed. and I have report cards to finish before Friday, but... I just had some things to post and a few moments to jump on.

I'm going to Dancing with the Stars on Tuesday night-- tickets a birthday present from DH. My Mom and I are going-- we NEVER do things like this, so I am REALLY looking forward to it! Anyway, hope to get some pics maybe-- we have decent seats, thanks to Andrew. :)

Anyway, just had to post about my new shoes, LOL. (Isn't my life way too exciting- ha!) I've been contemplating what to wear and finally settled on black slacks with a burgundy sweater that has some froo-froo around the collar. Then, it hit me, with my feet, I don't have a lot of choices, and somehow crocs just won't work I don't think, so I had planned to go buy some SAS shoes... expensive yes, pretty, not so much. So I looked around a bit and discovered some that were a bit "prettier" (within my standards of pretty these days, you know that does not mean heels or anything). AND not only that, but they were even cheaper-- go figure. So I am wearing them now to make sure all will be well come Tuesday, and let me just say-- if you have trouble with your feet, you need to go buy some of these! They are called Bare Traps. Not at all narrow and pretty darn comfy... YAY! I have some black "dress shoes" that seem do-able at this point! :)

I also wanted to post some pics here-- they are pretty much for me, they probably won't make any sense to anyone reading this, but I just wanted to get them on here for my reference... got my reasons. Just one comment about a couple of them though... the trees are in my "backyard"... I love this view and the fog rising up. These were early last spring before the trees came back to life... come on, spring-- I hate winter! Anyway, here they are...













That's about it. :)
L

What if you could do anything...

you wanted? This thought has been with me this week... it's been a strange week for me going back to work after the holidays... I've been thinking about what I would do if I could do anything I wanted. Andrew's been hard at work on some proposals for work and the thought of those possible changes has caused my wheels to spin I suppose. Then, yesterday, was an, um eventful day, is what I will call it, at work and I've just been pondering my future a bit I guess.

I could go back for my Master's... but what would I want to pursue? Library Science? Writing? I could really get serious about learning photography. I could write. I could design as a freelancer. Teaching is what my degree is in, but do I see myself always doing that? I guess I'm struggling with that. I felt God leading me to do what it is I am currently doing, but was that just for a season? Not sure... as the boys get older and Tyler begins school and homework, can I see myself juggling all that? So I am just pondering... what would the dream / ideal thing be?

Then, I've still got ucky health crud going on... too gross to discuss, but I've got to deal with it somehow.

Just wondering how it all fits. But, if I have learned anything over the last year, it is that *I* am *NOT* the one in control of my "destiny". How limited a life it would be if I were, and I know that I should thank God for that, really. Just got my wheels spinning and curious about the next season.

L

So many things

to write about, and I had every intention of doing so over the break, but there were too many other things to do. It was a good break-- a much needed one and probably the best Christmas break I have ever had. Makes it really hard to want to go back to "normal life"... and I even got an extra day-- we were supposed to go back today, but can you believe we lucked out with a snow day? LOL I REALLY wanted an extra day to try and get my brain back to "Mrs. Baker"... planning to do today for school... sigh...

Anyway, got some pics to share from Christmas, so I'll add those here. Also, so many things I haven't written about... the publisher of my book, sadly, closed. Such beautiful people, I wish them all the best... anyway, got my last case of my books and the rest are being sold through various places online now. Sad> :( It's like another chapter closing, but I know it all fits together somehow. I miss writing and creating, I really do. I know I am where God has planted me for this season of my life, but it makes me curious as to where He will lead me in the future, too. So many different places He has taken me.

I really need to take care of some planning, laundry, etc., and have lots still to write... I need to come back. Andrew showed me a blog yesterday and said that was what a blog looked like when someone actually blogged (meaning I don't enough)-- so maybe that will be a New Year's resolution for me (though I don't believe in making them)... anyway, I digress...

Here are some pics from the break... I WILL write more later. :)

There's just no getting rid of a dog's red eye sometimes... sorry. ;)


















OH... and we had family pictures done with Andrew's family over the break, too... these are some framed of the boys, now hanging above the fireplace... thought it was okay to post them this way (excuse the angle to avoid flash). :) I am going to put 5x7 pics on either side of each of the boys and then add our family picture on the mantel under the pictures. Will post the final view when it's all done. :)



Happy New Year!
L

A photo-less post, but picture this...

I was too tired to get my camera, but Tyler fell asleep last night in the floor of the living room on his tummy in the perfect shape of an X. All of us, with the exception of Thomas, had fallen asleep while watching School of Rock-- too funny how tired we all must be. Emeril, our dog, had crept over and had fell asleep with his head on Tyler's arm. That was the first thing I saw when I woke up-- too cute.

We were worn out I suppose. Took Tyler to the dr. yesterday, and we have finally determined that Tyler has asthma. Good thing is that it has not been the "can't breathe, scary" type, but it has been the "can't stop coughing and wake up in the middle of the night, and always have a cough" type. We have already seen a HUGE difference in just one day with the inhaler-- good sign I think. AND, his behavior has even been better-- I think he is relieved to feel better. Poor thing also has had an ear infection, which was missed completely by the new Ped. we saw a couple of weeks ago-- he is now on my list of all of TWO Peds. we will not see again.

Anyway, did most of my Christmas shopping for extended family all in one day on Wed. (the first day off from school) and just have a little left now. Andrew will be off with us for the duration of break starting at 3:00 today-- yay!!! He has some exciting things going on at work, so he's a happy camper right now! :) We're supposed to take the kiddos to my MIL's tonight, too, so we can have a date for the first time in a least a year. Looking forward to it and finishing shopping at last.

Going to try and make some mini gingerbread houses and cookies today-- if I can get to the store to get a cookie cutter-- car starting issues... if it works out, maybe I'll get some pics. of something finally-- LOL.

Lynn

Wow-- twice in one month!

I'm going to post again-- weird!

I've been doing some online searching for Christmas, so I'm actually "here" and thought I'd swing by.

Life is nuts. I mean nuts. Too much work, still finding my footing and lots of things to take care of there. Field trip tomorrow to the Nutcracker. Today, I pulled out some more of my scrapping tools with the kids-- took me long enough, but there you go. Nervous about getting everything done before Christmas and there's all the other things still going on, too, like work evaluations and school politics. Just swirling around up there and no time to process before reacting to things these days. Anyway, just 5 days to go before break-- yee-haw!

So, Andrew found out who this was for me (thanks, dear)... yes, it's from another JC Penney Commercial-- I guess their marketing people have good taste. :) It's "The Weepies"... what a name for a band-- LOL.



Merry Christmas,
L

Playing "catch-up" well, in photos anyway...

Tried to get these on here last night, but my computer had a hiccup... don't have much time before out the door to shop for Christmas... I really just want to go to sleep... shhhh... LOL... anyway, just thought I'd share a few pics and will catch up in words soon I hope. I know it's been a while...















Hopefully sooner than later...
L