Step In To My Office......

Just thought I would share my latest accomplishment with everyone! I just got my CDL (with air brakes certification mind you) and I'm now a bus driver for our school! Go me! Of course, its not a passion of mine to drive a 15 ton bus down muddy roads with 70 screaming kids on it, but the extra money will help me out a lot and the kids are tolerable most of the time! It took a lot of time, studying, and work to actually make it through the process, so I'm quite proud of myself for actually getting this far! Now for the driving part......

THE WAVE

Now, doesn't that look like fun????

Grace..... no, not the forgiving kind

I'm never really sure if anyone ever reads this blog, but if they happen upon it, this should serve them some entertainment.......

I was on the playground yesterday at school. We just got a new teeter-totter on Monday. A really cool one that looks like a giant M. When you teeter on it, it changes into a giant W. Max height off he ground would only be about 4 feet, but still fun when there's about 20 kids on it (I'll have to post a picture of it soon). It's called THE WAVE.

The kids were having a great time. Teetering and tottering. These things should always be tested by a competent adult. Since there wasn't one around, I thought I'd better check it out. It was great. Until......

I've never had to use workman's comp before...............

I'm sure I will be fine. There appear to be no broken bones. Maybe it is true then that things hurt worse and longer when you get older. In spite of bearing my entire weight and that of a child, my elbow has not turned any colors.... YET. It does hurt to move, but is fine if I just hold it to my body. Surely I can do most things this way.

I work with wonderful people. Quite funny people actually. "Ride a wave lately?" Haha "There is a sign on that new toy that says 'ages 6-12' " Haha "Teeter tottering you say?" yes doctor.... Haha And you KNOW I will never live this down. Ah well, all in the name of fun. Come on, you know you would have tried it too!

The Great State Fair Of Oklahoma!

For my friends who have moved abroad, an Okie staple:

And we're off......

Of course, everyone (or at least the 2 people who happen upon this blog) knows that school is now in full swing. We are really enjoying it, too!
The weather has been BLISSFUL the last few days (highs in the 70's)! I love fall. I think it's my favorite season. And as I was walking across campus today and got that "woo-hoo" feeling, I couldn't exactly tell you what created it, other than I just love fall.
Anywho, school is going great and Tiffany and I are busier than ever! We move from class to class to music/band/P.E. to special ed to yearbook........ You would think I would be shedding the pounds, wouldn't you?..........
Colton is just getting in to the meat of first grade. They got issued their "tiger binders" last week with specific folders inside for math, spelling, and reading. Today they got their first real spelling list (to, she, but, that). I love first graders. They're really starting to learn and they still WANT to be there!
As for Joe, he's been struggling at college. He went of with his days and nights mixed up (too many late summer nights) and hasn't seemed to be able to get out of that funk. He's already missed classes - not that this is a surprise to his MOTHER, but still..... If you read this, pray for Joe, please.
This week also begins the Oklahoma State Fair. It's suddenly the perfect weather, too! Since the few people who might stop here would be former Okies and now living afar, I'll have to post some pictures of the fair next week (we are going on Thursday).
The weather has also given me the urge to go camping. Colton and I love to camp, and do so whenever we can. I really would like to go somewhere this weekend with the weather in the 70's, but next weekend is parent weekend at SWOSU and we will be driving to Weatherford to viisit Joe for the first time. They will have a day of activities, and then Roman Nose is just a few miles North of SWOSU, so we had already planned to spend the rest of the weekend there. Maybe I'll just have to be patient........ Yikes!

Put me in, coach!

Well, our family is once again off to school!

Colton has started first grade and is loving it. He says he's going to stay in first grade until he's an old man. I'm hoping that means he's going to teach......

Joe starts his first college classes tomorrow. He's been in the dorm for a few days now and is such a socialite that he's already going and doing. I'm glad, but being a mom, I always worry. Right now? I worry that his poor roommate will have as much trouble waking him up in the morning as I did. I'm sure he really won't, but I worry.......

I have been promoted to the fourth grade this year (along with my charge, Tiffy). We are busy little bees and buzz between 2 campuses and 5 buildings on a normal day. But we like it that way. Tiff is still getting adjusted to school schedule. She has only had one day so far that she didn't try to fall asleep on me! Scheduling is still crazy with trying to figure out who wants us where and when. Between occupational, physical, and speech therapists, music, band, P.E., special education and LUNCH, there's not even much time in the classroom! But hey, she will not be a child left behind!

Other than that, things are settling in. We did get a lot of rain from the leftover "Tropical Storm Erin", so the yard is flooded - AGAIN. But hopefully this time the sun will dry it out in a few days. Kingfisher didn't fare so well. I think they will be under water for some time.

I bought a new (to me) car before school started. It needed some things done to it before I would take it, so it's been in the shop (or somewhere - who knows) for almost 2 weeks, and I've been driving a "hooptie" loaner. They didn't even scrape the "Buy now - $695 down!" off the front window. But I got to go pick up my "new" car today. I'm very excited, as are normal people when they get a new vehicle, but when you haven't owned your own car in a few YEARS, it's a real treat!

I've also taken the coach's offer to sit at the gate and collect money for whatever games we happen to host. It's a staff job, but not many like to do it. And it does pay, so since I'm not hanging around this year chasing a senior, I have time to spare and a wallet to fill. Heck, I'm even going to get my CDL and drive a BUS! Oh boy! We'll let ya know the developments on that one!

Ok, since pretty much only one or two people actually READ this, I'm going to go to bed now. Night!

Pictures from Enid trip

On A Roll

Well now, this makes for TWO posts in the same YEAR! Wooooo Watch out, she's on a roll!

Colton and I just got back from a visit with my best friend from high school (not AT, but FROM) Laurene. She and her family live in Enid, so we thought it would be a good short visit right before school starts. And it was.
Laurene had to work most of the time, but Colton and I and her 13 year old daughter did a little running around during the day. I saved the big "surprise" for Colton that we were going to get to go to Leonardo's on Tuesday. I told him it was not a pool, but he would get to get wet. Well, AFTER we've paid to get in, the lady tells us that the water part of the castle had to have new flooring installed and takes 48 hours to dry, so no water. Bummer. It was HOT. So we played inside Leonardo's for the first part of the day, and found some sidewalk fountains outside one of the buildings downtown there (apparently NOT for letting kids run through, but we didn't get asked to leave), and so, Colton got to get wet after all. And we got some great pictures (hey! I'll post some)!

School will start for us on Wednesday, the 15th. I have to go in on the 14th, so Colton will get to spend one last day with Joe. Joe leaves for college (Southwestern Oklahoma State Univ) on Saturday, the 18th. I'll have to make it a point to let you know how that goes. I'm not really sure what I'll do. You know, I have discovered why God makes them teenagers. It's so that when they DO leave for college, you're not quite as heartbroken as you would be had they stayed cute and innocent!! We'll see what happens......

Colton and I are very excited about school though! Wednesday is our short day (our school doesn't have the days out for "teacher's meetings" like most do, but we get out of school every Wednesday at 1:45 for teacher's inservice). And of course, football isn't far behind. I do love high school football - always have. But, this year, I can see myself working alot at the gate for most of the games, paying my dues for NOT helping at ALL last year!

Ok, there's a little post for ya. I'll try to be sure to write sometime in the next week to let you know what the first day of school was like and what it's like to send a kid off to college.

Hey! It's a new blog!!

I am finally posting another "blog" on this ... blogger. It seemed to have really bothered "Olyvia" that I never posted here and she actually said (notably, before she was probably STANDING on her own) that I had the worst blog in HISTORY! Sheesh! Slammed by a drooler!

Anyway, since I only use this blogger to keep up with Tim and Brandon (and Olyvia (and Jamie)), I thought I would put up a yearly post! Maybe I'll even post quarterly, but let's not get too eager.

2007 has been a great year for us - one of the best actually! Joe was a Senior in high school and it was really great watching him live the "American dream" senior year! The football team went to the state semi-finals, we got to watch close friends make their commitments to college, every sport that Crescent has got to play in the snow this year, which, if you think about it, is pretty incredible in itself. There were of course highs and lows, but graduation was definitely a high. It was truly a pride that swelled up through the whole ceremony until when they threw their hats up in the air, I found myself unconsciously jumping up and down. And I didn't cry. It was too exciting! Like a winning home run made in the last inning by your own kid! Can't describe it. Yall will see.

Colton amazed me all year with his reading. He was only in Kindergarten, but the way he could put things together just blew me away. It's really wild too, having them so far apart. I get to see the things I did with Joe that made him the person he is today, and I can put that into action with Colton to develop who he might become. It's cool.

As for me, the 30's are so nice. Of course, the whole physical thing is horrible, and apparently isn't going to be improving anytime soon, but the 30's have me at a place in my life that I would NEVER go back to the 20's. I don't even know how I made it through them the first time sometimes!! I like who I am now. And I'm figuring out that I'm good on my own. I'm now what I make me.
I got to pay off my house this year, which, was very anti-climactic, FYI. No one was there when I mailed the last payment. No party. No recognition. But all the same, I can say it's paid for! This was also the first summer that we got to stay home and still get paid! That was very cool!

Since we're all involved in school, our "year" is usually from August to August. I guess that's why I decided to blog (that and the boredom). Right now, we're all excited about getting back to school!

So there, Olyvia, now you have an updated blog.... well, for now anyway!