Feel Good Moments

Today I was at the Dollar Store picking up some last minute items for my classroom.  Since I am changing grades, I needed some more mature items!!  As I was checking out a woman behind me in the line asked if I was a teacher.  I explained that I was and I was getting a few last minute things for my classroom.  She then blew me away.  She asked me if she could PAY for my school supplies!!  Huh, I was dumbfounded.  Here was a perfect stranger who does not have a child in my classroom offering to pay for my supplies.  She said her children had a great experience at school and with everything that has happened to the school budgets, she felt that teachers deserved it.  I have been very lucky in my last 3 years of teaching to have wonderful parents in my class who have been SO generous and always willing to purchase things for the classroom or offer their time.  This woman had no relationship to me and her children were out of school!  This type of kindness just doesn't happen anymore.  I literally got goosebumps and gave the woman a hug.  I tried to thank her for her kindness, but there is no way I could adequately explain what her generosity meant to me.  I always try to follow the golden rule and live by what comes around goes around, but today I have decided to make an effort to pay it forward as well. 

Children's Museum

Steven's Point recently relocated their Children's Museum and added activities.  It was great.  There were a lot more things for Joelle to do and more space for all the kids to play in.  Joelle was really digging being a dentist- can you tell!!

 If only she knew she would be sitting in a dentist office for several hours waiting for her mom to get a new crown!

Joelle LOVED the art area.  She made 4 different paintings and a couple of chalk drawings.  This was a perfect thing to do on a rainy day.  We were able to get out of the house and Joelle was able to burn some energy. 

Rainy in Wisconsin

Wisconsin welcomed us home by providing plenty of RAIN!  We spent the first few days relaxing indoors while we waited for the chance to play outside, even if only for an hour.  My cousin Terry and his family was up at the cottage for the week.  Because it was so rainy we went to the Holiday Inn Express to swim!!  Joelle took a liking to Terry's daughter Kaylie.  Kaylie was a sweetheart and let Joelle follow her around.  We were in Wisconsin for 4 days before we had a full day of sun.  That was on Friday and we were on our way to Emily's house in Eau Claire for the weekend. 

A LongTime

It has been a long time since I have posted.  On June 17th David and Megan flew to California on their own to spend some time with their mom's family.  On June 21st, Joelle and I flew to Wisconsin for the annual summer vacation.  Steve was on his own for a few weeks, you would think this was a good thing, but he really missed us!  On June 30th Steve flew to California to meet up with the kids and spend some time with his family.  I returned home late on July 11th and I have been working in my classroom ever since!  I will be teaching 5th grade this year so I had to move classrooms and decorate all over again!!  I will be posting bits and pieces of the vacation over the next few weeks. 

Sea Life Aquarium

Joelle and I went to the Sea Life Aquarium.  It was very neat.  Joelle really enjoyed herself and practically ran from one section to the next.  She found a "Nemo" fish and lots of sharks! 

There is a section where you are able to touch sea stars, anenomie, and crabs.  Joelle wasn't too sure what to think about this.  She was a little leary about touching the fish, but ended up really enjoying it.

Here we are at the entrance.  She was so excited to see some sea horses!

As you can see by her big smile, she really enjoyed it.  We really liked all the different types of sharks they had as well as their "Ray Bay" area.  When she was standing next to the tank, there were around 6 or 7 rays hoovering!!  After you finish in the Aquarium, you come out to a little play area.  I am pretty sure she had as much fun there as she did seeing all the fish.  The only thing she was not keen on was a tune that you walked through and the bottom was glass.  She didn't want to walk on it because she was scared.  I practically had to jump up and down on it so that she would see it wouldn't break, and even then she went through really fast!  All in all it was a great day!

Memorial Day Weekend

This year instead of having people over to our house and cooking, we went over to a good friend's house.  Steve and David have know each other since the days of Applebees.  David and Veronica have been wonderful friends and we were soooo looking forward to the get together.  Steve and David put the kids to work!  Joelle had a blast feeding Georgia, the turtle.  There was also a very intense game of Phase 10 going on as well.  David warned us that his mom was a card shark, and he was right!! 

The kids got to put the rub on the meat.  They also had the opportunity to put it on the grill.  The plan was to sear it and then put it on the smoker for the rest of the cooking. 

Believe it or not, that is not the smoker!!

David and Megan are so eager to cook.  When I was their age, there is NO WAY I would have prepped a whole chicken for the grill.  I still like to wear gloves now!!

<The end result was some really delicious beer butt chicken!!  There was a taste test and David's chicken won.  Which was just fine with Megan.  We went to the pool and there were many races between her and David and Megan won each one.  We had a terrific afternoon with some terrific people. 

Mother's Day part 2

After having a wonderful breakfast and getting my cards, the day was for relaxing. Joelle and I went swimming. Well, the pool was still pretty cold, so we only got our legs wet. Then we dried off in the sun. A very good day!