Thanksgiving

Dad waving. He always waves in pics. hee

My sweetie

Mom

The girls goofing around.

Part of the meal. The turkey tasted better than it looked.

It was a great day. I went over to my parents' house early to put in the bird. My dad helped me get it started. Everyone was going to come to our house but our oven broke. We got another one online and it is sitting in our family room right now until an electrician can hook it up. So I took everything over to Mom and Dad's and cooked it there.

Later the girls and Jay and Aunt Dee and Uncle Jim came. We all ate and fun was had by all. Then Aunt Dee washed what seemed like a million dishes and I helped tidy up.

The girls played outside only briefly. They weren't really dressed for the snow.

Some of the favorite moments of the day:

• Being with my mom and dad early in the morning
  
• Everyone being together during the meal.
  
• Stuffing
  
• Talking to my aunt
  
  
  
• Turkey finally getting cooked!
  
• Invited to Christmas Eve at McGraw house


• Making food for the ones I love most in the world.


• Emily riding home with me and talking "woman to woman" as she put it. :)

new do's

Tara's new haircut, wearing her favorite zoo shirt

I love Emily's new cut so much! No more tangles!

I'm gonna wash that gray right outta my hair!

Today we all three got our hair cut. I love how Emily's turned out the most. Her hair is now in a bob. It's a bit hard to see in the picture I took. I need a new camera I guess.

I'm really liking my new job. I got my ID cards for my medical plan in the mail a couple days ago and felt giddy. I know it doesn't take much to make me happy. :) I am really glad that a big test over six chapters for my night class is finished. I don't know how I did. I think I did alright.

Jay has been on leaf duty for the last couple of weeks. Imagine 12 oak trees surrounding the house. Nuff said.

We have decided to move our girls to my new district for school. It has much more opportunities since our current district's levies will just not pass. Because I am a full time teacher, the girls can go there tuition free. Yay!

Our oven died. I mean really died. It was 43 years old and it had duct tape on it since we moved in five years ago. We ordered a new one that should arrive right before Thanksgiving. I hope so, since I have lots of family coming, and I imagine they might want some turkey!

Learning to use a nail and hammer

The girls made leaf presses at Home Depot today as a Brownie function. Then they gave three bags of toys each to Goodwill to earn a patch. I was proud of them. It wasn't easy giving up some of their toys but they did it willingly. They still enjoy Scouts and I'm glad.

Jay stayed and helped all the girls make their projects. He thought for sure that one of them would bash their finger with the hammer but thankfully no one did. He said that the instructor told them to pick up a nail and they all held up screws instead. Cute.

Halloween and stuff

Millie

The loot

The princess and the rock star ( Hannah Montana)

Halloween cards

Halloween was fun. The weather held out for the girls and me to round the neighborhood. Last year they petered out after half the neighborhood. This year they made it all the way around.

The girls are at round two of swimming lessons. They failed the last one. So now they are retaking the class. We'll see...

Three more days of old job...then on to new job... yipppeeee!

The girls also got a Halloween card and money from Aunt Dee and Uncle Jim. Before sunset Emily had spent her money on candy and Webkinz. Tara took her time. She lasted two days. Then she got four stuffed dogs.

The hamsters got loose AGAIN. And again it was a few days until they were all found. Tara the hamster whisperer found Goldie today downstairs. Tara is on some weird hamster frequency. They appear to her. If she could only learn to keep the cage closed!

Thoughts on work

So I gave my notice at work and within 30 minutes I was getting congratulated by staff at my school. Word sure traveled fast! Throughout this week people I never talk to at school have commented to me about my new job. Schools are very interesting places. Your business isn't really your business.

The kids at my school are a hoot. They are full of energy and are very tactile. They are always touching each other. There have been so many times when I've said, "Let go of him!" in the hall. Middle school. Need I say more? I will miss them though. I will miss them saying "Hey Miss C!" I have one more week. The days are dragging. I want to get to my new job. I want to get settled and start my new career. But there are still IEP meetings to be had, modifications to be made, endless paperwork and then it's on to my new work life.

I got my cap and gown and I am so excited about graduation. I have class in a couple of hours. Just about a month and a half away now. I can't believe it!

The best news ever

I interviewed for an ESL (English as a Second Language) position this week. I got the word later that same day that I had gotten the job!!!!!!!!!! It is the best job I could ever hope for. It is for an ESL teacher/consultant. I have to give my other job my two week resignation on Monday. That will be awkward. But this new job is the best of my entire career. I am grateful beyond belief.

I am going in soon to sign the contract and get more info. The interviewer, one of three, called me to tell me so I could give notice to my other employer.

Today we all went down to Amish country to celebrate. I know that isn't Jay's favorite way to spend a day but he went anyway. What a good sport he is. It was a beautiful day.

Tomorrow Tara has TWO birthday parties to attend. Both are for boys. So today we were in the land of boy's toys at Target. Boys have some cool stuff out there. I'll have to venture into that aisle more often! We got one boy a huge stuffed snake. Apparently he's into reptiles. We got the other kid a toy motorcycle that does wheelies. It's hard buying for complete strangers (other than to Tara I mean). I hope they like the presents.

Happy Happy Happy Dance happening in the C. household! New jobs RULE!

Em and Millie

Last night sleeping. The camera is still taking blurry pictures. But they were so cute together. Millie will push Em's head over so she can get a better position on the pillow. :)