Catch up again

I see I'm not keeping up very well. Lots going on, just not updating.

Still taking my DMACC class - still kicking my butt. I have a paper due Tuesday that I haven't started yet and a huge, enormous paper I also haven't started yet due on April 6. Like ginormous. I have requested books at the library for my research but that's it. Eeep. On the plus side, I do have 3 days off work this week + the weekend so I should be in business. My days off involve a lot of dr. appts. but I hope to get some stuff done on the off time.

Had the kids' school conferences last week - same old, same old there. Zach is lazy and disorganized, but skating by, Tiff is doing okay and working hard, but missing a few assignments, Macy is struggling lots and her teacher thinks she would have benefited from special ed. but not much to do at this point in the year in 5th grade, and Brady is doing well but constantly rushing to be the first done so making careless mistakes. Frustration almost all around.

I am in an online crop this weekend and have lots to do today to get "caught up", but looking forward to it and have some ideas in my head so that's good. We went on a drive today to allow Zach to work with a friend of ours on math. Math = not the strong suit for Scott or I, so Aaron came by to help him out. I hate to blame Zach's math struggles on his teacher, since I'm married to and the daughter of a teacher - - but I think it's his teacher. It's the only class where he consistently turns things in and still get crappy grades. He's only missed 2 assignments in there but has failed all his quizzes and tests. He says the teacher passes out worksheets daily and then turns on his Ipod. I don't know if that's completely true, but I know that he doesn't understand what he is supposed to be doing. He said today he learned more in an hour than he's learned all semester. :-(

Here's a few photos of things we saw on our drive. I saw the train coming and got my camera ready. Turned out pretty good I thought, considering we were going 65 in one direction and it was going who-knows-how-fast in the other. Timing is everything. :-)

Quiet Sunday

I've been working around the house today, trying to get some sort of organizing done. I just really wish I was born with that gene, but unfortunately, no. I got a couple bags of the girls old clothes ready for the DAV and hope to get one more before the day is done. We're having dinner here tonight with Dixie. Steak, baked potato and salad. Crap, reminds me I was supposed to go out this afternoon and get the salad dressing because all we have right now is French. Blech. Well, maybe a quick trip to the store will be next.

I've doing a bit of scrapping - trying to stay in the DW2008 challenge on 2peas. Got my 4 projects done for the month in the nick of time on Friday. Three were done earlier in the week but the last was a mad dash. Ah well, I like them and they are pages scrapped, ya know. I need to figure out how many I have done so far this year and keep track from now on so I know how I do.

Also joined a new message board that has lots of challenges. Looks like a fun group, we will see how it goes. I just need that extra push to get going I think. And I've found the joy of online ordering lately too. Ergh. My cc balance doesn't appreciate it but I think I've done okay with keeping it "reasonable". I got some new foam stamps after I found some that I LOVE at HL on their sale one week. I got some new BG paper pre-ordered that should be here shortly too.

Hope to keep up better here, didn't mean to disappear. Once spring is finally here, maybe I'll be more in the mood to post. Snow and cold makes me crabby. Lots of melting this w/e but another 4 - 6" expected tonight. Seriously.

Catchin' up

I would like to state for the record that I am DONE with winter. UGH! So over it. I am tired of being freezing cold all the time and walking like a penguin because I'm afraid I will fall. I'm tired of my kids wanting to go outside all the time and having to explain that it is subzero wind chill and they can't go out. I'm tired of being tired and cranky because I get no sunshine. I'm just plain over it.

I'm making spaghetti for dinner as we speak. Gotta put new cartridges in the printer and help Tiff with her science project after dinner. She thought it was due next Tuesday and unfortunately, it's tomorrow. :-( I want to scrap after dinner but I don't know yet again if I'll get to. Need to get laundry done, need to clean the house in general. Argh.

Macy at the hop

Big day last Friday - first dance for Macy. The theme was at the hop and she had a great time. Borrowed vintage saddle shoes from grandma, bought a costume cheap off the internet and had a great time. She learned how to Crank that Soldja Boy and all.

Depressed

It started yesterday morning when Scott took the dogs out in the morning. Bailey slipped on the ice and totally messed up her back legs. She has been going downhill for at least a couple years now - vet said she had arthritis and she was having a hard time going downstairs for awhile now. She still had some kick in her but this really hurt her bad. We tried yesterday to baby her through but eventually she was not able to walk at all, so we made the decision last night to have her put to sleep this morning. It was hard, but watching her like that was hard too. We didn't tell the kids before school (not my idea, but it was okay). Big kids took it okay, Macy cried awhile and Brady just wants to know when we can get a new dog. Macy says she doesn't want another dog, because then this will just "happen over and over." So sad to hear her so upset too. I've teared up a few times today, and cried myself to sleep last night. We had Bailey longer than 3 of our kids! Scott found her on the side of the road as a pup in 1995 and here we are in 2008. That's pretty long for a lab, especially a hunter that jumps out of boats and into the frigid water to retrieve. Here's my girl - she was such a good dog. Edit: we already have one dog, Malley is a 2 year old lab we deliberately got so we wouldn't be dogless when Bailey was gone. Brady wants another dog. Not right now.

inspiring

Checkin' in

Just a quick update on life here! We went to Eric and Amy's for a Super Bowl party today/tonight - had a lot of fun there! We all brought snacky foods, gave Eric and Wendy b-day gifts, played a game Smart Ass or something like that, watched the game and commercials. Laughed a ton!

My DMACC paper isn't due now until Thursday, I guess. I signed on tonight to send it and now it's not due. Hopefully my partner will get my review done and sent to me now. I was going to submit without it because I refuse to be late with it.

I need to get off to bed here soon. I wish for a snow/weather day but have no hopes of it! Gots lots to do this week - hopefully check in sometime!