Fall break-Disney style :)

So we just returned today from our fall break trip to Disneyworld. Fun times! The only thing that would of made it better was if Kirk had been with us. He only got 2 days off for fall break and so it was best he not go this time around. He went last spring with a friend and her family and of course we are still keeping our fingers crossed that he gets a call from Disney soon offering him a spot in their Disney college program. We left last Friday and started the drive down. We stayed in Dothan, Alabama and after the first hotel not working out for reasons I don't care to explain-yikes! We got in  a room about midnight that night and then drove into Orlando Saturday afternoon. We stay at the Shades of Green when we go as it is the military resort there. It is on Disney grounds (across from the Polynesian resort) and we get all of the benefits that Disney guests do plus the savings is more than half on our accommodations and ticket prices. I am so thankful that Disney continues to honor and show their appreciation to our military and their families. There is no way that we would have been able to take our family there for vacay as often as we have been able to if not for the military discounts. I am by no means a Disney expert but please hear me when I say this- DO NOT take young children to Disney expecting it to be the most magical time ever. I see more children having melt downs there than I do with happy faces. This is no joke. There is a time for everything and unless you take an infant because you have older children and no one to keep the baby for you then don't do it. It is simply too much for toddlers and young children. The first time we went Kirk was 5 and  Kara had just turned 4. They made it fairly well but by the last day Kara was wiped out. I can't imagine taking them any younger than that. It is just so much to take in, crowds of people and even in October it was hot! I felt so sorry for the little ones who were having breakdowns and their parents were fussing at them. Oh well that's just my input for what it's worth. On another note, I've heard that the Disney cruise is the best cruise out there and it might be a better option for small children as you have all the benefits of seeing the Disney characters but not dealing with the crowds at the park.
While in Orlando, we met my cousin  Elizabeth and her husband Phil for lunch one day and I also visited with Deanna Jump and her sweet daughter and son in law.  Do you know what I love the most and appreciate the most about Deanna?- she's as genuine as they come. She truly inspires me to not only be a better teacher but to be a better person all together. I just love her to pieces and she has the sweetest family!!!! So thankful for her and all the special teacher friends I have made through SDE conferences.:) so we did a 4 day park hopper and hop around we did. Usually 3 parks a day. We also did the Mickey's Not So Scary Halloween party and I highly recommend it for anyone going during fall break. It was a great way to ride some rides that normally had ridiculous wait times in the Magic Kingdom. We started the drive home late yesterday and made it to Atlanta for the night. I refuse to go through Atlanta unless during the night time hours and even at that it makes me a nervous wreck!!! I am thankful to live in my small town. We made it home this afternoon so as you guessed I'm busy washing clothes.:) Kara and Kali took off to the high school football game, Kirk is with friends, Marty is at guard drill and me and my girls-Molly and Mindy have the house to ourselves.
I really did miss my sweeties in my class while off for fall break this week. I am thankful for the break and rejuvenated to see them again on Monday. I have grown so attached to them already and I'm so proud of their hard work and progress thus far.
Hope you and yours are doing well and I hope you live in a place where you get to enjoy the change in seasons with cooler temps and the changing of the leaves. Absolutely beautiful!

Another Monday down...

Woo hoo!
Another Monday in the books!!!! I have really seen in the last week how much the students are catching on to our schedule and our academic skills. They are also doing better with their listening and behavioral skills. :)
Kirk had his phone interview with Disney last week and felt good about it. Now we play the waiting game!!!
Kara had such a fun week with football homecoming activities. She worked so hard on AB club activities ALL week long and lost a lot of sleep. She was a nominee for Miss HHS which is an honor in itself and even though she didn't receive the title she is my Miss HHS. :)
Marty and I left right after the pep rally on the square and took her to Camp Clements in Doyle, TN for her TN FBLA fall retreat. Marty and I stopped and spent the night in Smyrna on way back to break up the drive.
Kali enjoyed all the homecoming fun (as much as she could as a middle school student):) she got to ride in the parade since Marty was driving a truck in it. She's a lucky gal to have been able to reap the benefits of having an older brother and sister.:)
I love my students!!! They bring me so much joy!!! Loving this school year with them.:)
After all my attempts at entering giveaways,I finally WON one! Woo hoo! I won a gift card @creativeteachingpress and I won a camera bag from jototes!!! Check their websites out below!!

Have a great rest of the week!!!
www.jototes.com
www.creativeteachingpress.com

The touch of a child...

Here we are with 18 days under our belt! Whew! Ok it's caught up with me I'm TIRED!!! I won't tell you what time I went to bed last night-I'll just blame it on the Benadryl that I took because I got stung 3 times by a wasp!!! Yikes!!! Looking forward to a 3 day weekend!!! I'm going to enjoy a Friday night at home with Elijah and Annalesa and whatever movie they want to watch.:)

Kirk is off and running this week with his classes and work. He has a phone interview Tuesday night for Disney program-woo hoo!! Prayers please!!! This is something he has wanted to do since he was little and we went to Disney and he heard about the program. :)

Kara is working parent/teacher conference tonight at school and in full gear for homecoming week next week. She is a Miss Huntingdon High School nominee and of course we are proud as we always are of her many accomplishments. Right after the homecoming parade and pep rally at the court square next Friday afternoon she and I will hit the road for a 3and a half hour drive to Cookeville, TN for her fall state FBLA officer retreat. Kirk will head up earlier that day as he is going to be leading some of the workshops.:)

Kali is adjusting to Faith being gone but it has been very difficult for all of us. I found myself today wanting to ask Kali to invite Faith over for the weekend. :( she was a constant at our house.

So about the title...for those of you that don't know I celebrated the end of the school year this past May by no not getting a tattoo BUT getting a cover up of a tattoo. Yes I said it!!! A TATTOO!!! Believe it or not I was young once :) and after a spring break trip to Panama City one spring break-4 of the 5 of us who went came back with a tattoo. Mine was on my ankle. It was the Greek letters for Phi Mu my beloved fraternity for women. After 25 years of covering it up when I first started teaching, people dropping their mouth when they saw it, or simply adults and children asking what it was I decided I had the nerve to get it covered up and I knew what I wanted it made into-a cross. I went by
myself the Saturday after the last day of school in May and had it done. YES IT HURT I almost passed out while having it done.

So yesterday 17 days into school and not one child has asked me about it. This is after sitting in front of the class reading books, talking, etc while wearing capris, dresses, and skirts that often expose my ankle -UNTIL yesterday and while outside at recess a child came up to me and without saying a word rubbed their hand across my ankle and cross tattoo. People this simple touch of a child was like the hand of Jesus going across my ankle. Each child is unique and special and I know in my heart this child was sent from heaven as one of his special angels. These are moments that remind me The Lord is always near. It sent chills down me. Thank you Lord for children-many who are angels among us. God Bless!!!

It's ok to stop and take the time to laugh...

It seems so odd that I've we've been in school for three weeks and other teacher/blogger friends are just now getting started. That's the south for you!!! Of course, that just means I'm 3 weeks closer to summer break.:)  I have a really sweet class and I have already gotten attached to them. They are so sweet and loving and are trying so hard to do all the things that we are supposed to get accomplished in a day. I always forget how hard and exhausting  the beginning of the year is for me and the students. Bless their little hearts!!!
My brother in law was licensed as a Baptist preacher this morning and we were blessed that all of my husbands side of the family was able to be in attendance along with my brother in law's family. Blessed to have such a wonderful family!!!
Kali's friend Faith and her family made their move to Wisconsin this week. We have shed lots and lots of tears and miss them terribly.:( praying that the girls stay close and get to visit soon...
A quick story to share that explains the title. One day this week something funny had happened and the kids just went on and on laughing about it. I finally said "ok that's enough it's time to get quiet". A little girl asked "why Miss Leigh Ann we're just laughing?" I honestly didn't have an answer for her but the truth is that I get so caught up sometimes in the stuff that I have to do that I forget that it's ok to take the time to stop and laugh. Thank you Lord for children who can put things in perspective when adults sometimes lose sight.:)

First day

Today was it-the first day with all 17 of my smarties!!!! The day went really well and I didn't come home as tired I thought I would. :) I really do have a sweet class and I am looking forward to the school year ahead of us.
Kirk starts classes next week and has decided to commute this semester for the 3 days he has classes. He is also applying for the Disney scholarship program and we are all praying he will get accepted into that.
Kara has already hit the ground running with her senior year classes and extra activities. She is one busy girl as always.
Kali seems to be easing back into school without much pain.:) she is not having as much homework as the last two years and I am thankful for that.:) Her best friend since first grade is moving next week to Wisconsin  so they have been spending as much time as possible together. We are going to miss Faith so much. She and Kali are the kind of best friends that actually look alike. Even as her mom, I have to sometimes glance at them more than once to know which gal it is.:) Looks like we will be making a road trip to Wisconsin next summer or at least half way to swap out girls for the summer.
I hope all my teacher friends are having a great year!!!

Summer 2014

Today is it!!!! The last day of summer vacation for me!!! Yikes!!! Where did summer go?
I have inservice tomorrow, Wednesday and Thursday of this week. On Friday, we are going to Fort Campbell to get some things Marty needs for guard and Kara has scheduled a tour of Austin Peay for that afternoon. :)
Kali had a wonderful week at church camp!! The first day of camp the electricity went out due to a thunderstorm and they got to experience real camping.:)
The boys were blessed with the mission trip to Jamaica and came back with lots to share. I hope they will be able to go back next summer as it was mentioned several times how good it was to have some men on the mission trip.
Yesterday I took Kara to Camp Clements for the FBLA state officer meeting. Kirk will go and pick her up tomorrow. I have inservice and I don't think they would excuse me from it to go and pick her up.:)
I am excited to meet my new sweeties for this year!!!! We are going to have a wonderful year!!!!
Thanks to all of you who asked about me and prayed for me during all my doctor appts. this summer. It seems that ulcers are the culprit of my problems. For now, they want me to go in every 3 months to check my blood counts and see if I can get my blood built back up. Of course there is a long list of food and drinks to avoid-basically EVERYTHING good.:) I can do this!!!!!
Looking back on the summer, I don't think I can say that I accomplished a lot. I didn't get all my projects done around the house that I wanted to but oh well there's always next summer.. I spent most of the summer making sure kids got to where they needed to be and we had several fun day trips and a few trips to Nashville for overnight stays. I didn't get caught up on my scrap booking.:( maybe I'll do that Christmas break.:) We will take a family vacay during fall break as that seems to be a good time for us to get away together. As fast the summer went, I know the school year will go almost as fast so I'm going to enjoy every moment of it.
Here's wishing all my teacher friends the BEST year ever!!!

July:)

Summer is flying by!!! Kara attended the National FBLA conference that Tennessee hosted at the Opryland Hotel June 28-July3. Kali and I went up and spent two nights there and got to see the opening ceremony. It was very impressive with 10,000 plus FBLA members from across the nation!!! Our hotel room had a balcony that opened up for a beautiful view of the Cascades waterfall. It was very relaxing to watch the falls and hear them.:)
Marty and Kirk are in Jamaica on a mission trip with our church. We have been able to Facebook just a little. They are spending a lot of time working at an orphanage and playing with the children. This was Marty's first time to go on a mission trip and I've lost count of how many Kirk has been on. Kara was sad she didn't go this year but June was a very busy month for her and she had several trips then.
I spent most of this week staying busy so I wouldn't dwell on the thoughts of not being at I TEACH K!!! It was the first summer since 2011 that I had not been. I enjoyed the pics though that everyone posted on Facebook so I felt like I was still a part of it.:)
Kali leaves for church camp tomorrow until Saturday. She is excited to get there!!! The boys won't be home until late Wednesday night so Kara and I will have a little time alone. I go back for more tests since week. The last tests still did not show why or where I am losing blood so this week I will have some more and hope to get some answers.
Just a few more weeks until school starts so we are enjoying every moment of summer break until then!!!!