Goodbye Weekend...

Goodbye mischief at wine tastings

and getting the last (very large) pour of my favorite

Goodbye nightcap on the patio

vodka (even amazing honey vanilla bean vodka) is still not my friend

Goodbye waking up with no plans

and dreaming of all the fun we can get into

Goodbye long conversations over brunch/lunch/dinner

and secret whispers across the table

Goodbye people watching

my fav outfit: red white and blue...pasty white guy, blue apron and

red thong...yikes

Goodbye water bottles filled with adult beverages

my beer+lemon juice creation=yummy! plus it masked the taste of beer

Goodbye project starting

chalkboard paint mixed with wood glue does in fact stick to glass

old tvs will make for great fishtanks

realizing we have way way way too many books

Hello Week!

Looking forward to

working only 3.5 days

afternoon wine tastings

a trip to the car spa

a fridge full of fresh veggies

and a house guest this weekend wahoo!

inspired by

a little game

I like to play this time of the year

how long can we go without forced climate controlled air

Technically we've already lost this game (several times) due to 85* weather and a certain someones insistence that 80* is too hot for a home. I might agreed, but only due to the fact that my classroom wasn't temperature controlled yet. And the worst is sweating all day while chasing toddlers and coming home to a sweaty house.

However, the ac is officially back off and the game is officially back on!

I see it as a challenge (although I'm not as hard core as certain friends who may or may not refuse to turn the ac on until august)

As Spring begins I turn off the heat and play the game of opening the curtains, sun warming up the house to avoid turning on the heat. More reasons to snuggle under blankets right? We cook long meals in hot ovens just to add some warmth to our home.

As it gets warmer I begrudgingly close the curtains. Blocking out the sunlight I love for the sake of the game. Once the sun goes down (or to the other side of the house) windows flung wide open, fans placed appropriately to draw in cool air.

In the mornings I eagerly see how much I can get the house to cool down before heading into work. Today what started at 71.5, was all the way down to 68.5 before I left- victory!

I love having a second story house, cause second story windows can be left open all day letting cool air circulate. I love being "forced" to sit on the patio after work when the house is too warm to sit inside. Oh and the torture of having to drink a glass of chilled wine to cool down.

teaching toddlers wreaks havoc on my nails

or why I don't get pedicures

During my break yesterday I glanced down and noticed horror of horrors my previously fabulously painted dark purple toenails look like they had been run through a sand blaster.

Nope just my toddlers

and their constant stepping on my toes

and their needing to drive small cars across my feet

and their lack of body awareness, oh were you standing there?

as they drive their bikes around and around (and over my feet)

not to mention the sandbox and its need for a teacher to sit in it to supervise, lest we start throwing sand at our friends, or like the curious move I watched yesterday as a certain lil guy sat with his mouth wide open, tongue hanging out as a friend 'wiped' sand off his tongue (ignoring the fact that her hand was equally covered in mud)

or the mulch piles where we dig for worms, grubs and roly poly bugs

These forces combine to create "hazardous working conditions" for my painted toes.

Some would say I could just wear close toed shoes. Ha! If I'm going to be outside for 2 hours each day, I will have fabulous flip flop tan lines!!!

I heart Summer

Sandled feet in the grass, flip flop tan lines

New picnic baskets filled with snacks and

grownup beverages (some more concealed than others)

Playing the game: vintage woodstock or from a thrift store

New views in familiar places

Makes me happy

***

cause what makes me happy is the best part of the tradition

a tradition

Sad Monster, Glad Monster is a favorite in my classroom right now. One each page the monster tells us all the things that make him sad, glad, angry, silly...

We have a tradition. After we read each page, we all close our eyes, take a deep breath and (mostly) one at a time tell each other what makes us feel...

Surprise fresh flowers in my delivered produce, coming home to a clean kitchen, peeks of sunshine after long rainy days

make me glad

Long rainy days, saying goodbye, parents who ignore the fun stories of their kids adventures and focus on but did you "learn anything today"

make me sad

Jumping in puddles, winning penny slot machine games, shaking glitter onto posterboard (and the living room rug)

make me silly

Broken windows, parents who let their children play in the middle of the street, waiters who ignore my table then don't collect my payment expecting me to find the hidden register myself

make me angry (and find themselves footing my bill)

Friends headed for far away places, unexpected noises in the middle of the night and threats of tornadoes

make me worried (not necessarily b/c of the impending destruction,

rather the nightmare of entertaining toddlers in a dark basement

hallway for hours on end)

tidbits from our trip

It's still funny when the border guys ask if I'm carrying personal protection

Even funnier when the border guys ask how we know each other (insert slightly inappropriate comment about the reason for personal protection)

IHOP in our hotel=best thing ever. Pancakes and coffee in jammies is a perfect way to start the day

The weather at the falls reminds me of Cali. Cool, misty kinda gross in the morning. Cleared away by noon. Afternoon of sunshine with white puffy clouds

Lots of walking and long bike rides hopefully have combated the large amount of yummy food I consumed

A plastic bag does keep the camera safe from crazy misting spray and makes for rather "artistic" photos

Mixing traditional tourist activities with sun filled afternoon walks is a great balance to the day

Baked Goat Cheese and Red Wine really is the best thing since sliced bread

Wine country makes my heart happy

Goodbye Weekend...

Goodbye bottle of wine with dinner

and falling asleep soon after

Goodbye early morning alarm

and stupidly forgetting to turn it off

Goodbye cheering for 55K of my closest friends

and planning for next year- pink tulle, streamers and more glitter

Goodbye celebrations

of life, of upcoming births and 75 years

Goodbye card playing shenanigans

and prize bartering

Goodbye lazy Sundays

brunch, nap, dinner with friends

Goodbye weekend chores

found in my car: 3 tupperwares containers of black ooze, 2 winter hats,

a pair of mittens, a half full bottle of wine, 3 flip flops and a blanket that

still sheds sand if you shake hard enough

Goodbye late night conversations

and how far our responsibility as a society extends

Goodbye road trip planning

maps, snacks and detours

Hello Beautiful Week!

Looking forward to a quick 11 hours of work, road trip commencing,

wandering around wine country, and getting a stamp in my passport

Inspired By