2 week updates

Wow... super busy. Thinags we have been doing.

Keith
working in wayne pa (still over an hour away)
cleans the house
putting air conditioners away
cleaning the attic
video games on the computer
painting the cabinets in the laundry room
yardwork (leaves are coming soon)
playing trumpet again
katie bird visits
takes another breath everyday after work... he didn't get laid off today
union dinner dance this friday coming up

Kim
work, still no contract
grad school = papers, papers, papers
cheerleading = drama!
hs football games
knitting club at work
apple picking with Diane last weekend
approved wedding album design
tired

Ahhh...

I'm realxing a little bit right now. Shhhh. Don't tell anyone. I feel selfish about it though. I feel as though there is something I could, wait, SHOULD be doing. But no. I have big plans for food shopping in about two hours! [I'm sure Keith will say somehting funny at the store.] It's crazy how we let our lives go hay wire. Especially living in the north. Correct me if I am wrong, but I feel as though there is a huge presser to get things done faster, better and cheaper. I also feel we are expected to do more stuff. I am partly at fault. I want more. I want faster. I want to be better. I had my 2.5 year break from a 5 year madness call college and fulltime work. It's time to go back so that I'll have a 1 year break before more choas enters our world.

Remebering 9/11

It's hard to believe 8 years ago 9/11 occurred. Many of us can recall exactly what we were doing as the terrorist attacks suffocated our TV screens. I was nearly out the door, on my way to my great grand mother's funeral. But I think about my students. My oldest student was 10 when 9/11 occured, with my youngest student of age 6. Today at school we had a passing of silence at the ringing of the last bell. The one that signaled the end of 7th period with travels to 8th. I am proud, and shocked, that in the two halls I also traveled, all voices were muted. At such young ages it is hard to know if these kids understand the seriousness of this historical day. Yet, they are able to honor it. Kids that are usually disrepectful everyday to their peers, to teachers, and to their parents respected those who they did not know. This gives me hope. Hope that maybe they will respect others more. Maybe the violence that occurs around the corner will diminish. Maybe there will be respect by all.

Crazy Schedules

Our schedules, aka my schedule, is going to get crazy busy! This is an FYI because I know that I will not be able to update the blogging as much. As to why, well first of all I am back to work. Not so bad but we have to do lesson plans, in addition to our exhausting UbD unit plans. But also, I have the cheerleaders this fall. I am secretly hoping for a losing football season so that it doesn't go into playoffs. And finally, I am taking two grad classes which do not end until 9 pm and the drive is 45-60 minutes long. Usually Keith and I are in bed by 9:30. So please do not feel neglected. I will do my best to keep the updates going, as well as checking in on you!

My darlings

I took a sick day Tuesday after getting Keith's cold. I toughed it out Monday but was defeated. Whenever I do not feel well, I draw a stick figure girl on the board and write: Ms. Dreher is sick. =(



When I came in on Wednesday (when my co-workers said I should have stayed home), I found this on my board.
At first I thought, "Awww. Look at that! They even gave me curley red hair."
Then I took a closer look, in the lower left hand corner. Do you see it? Isn't that nice?

April Updates

• Keith's beard is really long. He has to wear a beard net at work, you know a hair net for his beard. If I stick my finger in it, the hair goes past my first knuckle.
• Speaking of knuckles, Keith is trying to get me to stop cracking. Not gonna work.
• I've been going to the Chiropractor. From wearing high heels too much I've managed to misplace my 5th lumbar. The best part... the doctor says no house work or yard work. I cheat and still do things here and there.
• Tuxes for the wedding are selected. We took my dad today to be measured. I had a slight evil enjoyment out of it. The last time he wore anything formal was at his wedding, in 1980.
• Keith has been working in the city so he has been taking the train in. This week he found a car parked on his bumper and then the next day he had foot long scratch. He has one more payment until he owns it. I'm going to take it to inspection during spring break for him... I'm so nice!
• My car is almost a year old. I have 5700 miles. Not bad. I guess thats what happens when you live within 3 miles from work.
• Our wedding bands came in. Very pretty.
• The bridesmaid dresses and the flower girl dress came in.
• I'm sending our all the invitations next week. I'm making the programs too.
• SPRING BREAK!
• We meet Jenelle & Roger's puppy. She's a Weimeran (sp?). Her fur is grey velvet and she has blue eyes. I wanna puppy.
• I finished the bridesmaids' jewelry.
• We flew kites last weekend. The kids in the park kept trying to play with them when they fell to the ground.
• Keith's parents took Katie to the vet. She's 30 lbs. She should be 24. So everything that she gets extra treats, Keith and I continue to count up. Sunday she had pancakes... 31. Thursday she ate pizza crust... 32.

Updates

Keith - still with the same contractor. Working at University of Penn putting in a new system for the science lab. Lately he's been putting in overtime. Hey, we'll take it. Esp. when a lot of guys in the union are out of work. He did buy new boots and now his back is hurting a little, but not as bad as his feet were. His old boots were four years old.

Kim - I think there are about 60-ish days left of school. But it doesn't really matter... I signed up to teach summer school June 24-July 30. Wait... when is the wedding? July 18. Yeah, I'm teaching during the wedding. I have a sub for the day before. And the honeymoon? We decided not to leave until after Keith's brother leaves, so that we could maximize our time with them. Not knowing when that exactly is, we choose to leave July 31. So I can make a couple extra bucks in those 5 weeks.

Other wedding stuff - We met with the officiant tonight. He seems cool. So now I can go ahead and start the programs. We have the travel agent next week. Other than that, just the tuxes and the remaining items on Keith's to do list.

Other general stuff - American Idol... we love Danny, Adam and I am partial to Lil. We have been watching that new show "Lie to Me". Pretty interesting stuff. Right now I just use my teacher stare to see if kids are lying. Keith is getting into electronics and circuit boards. He's been playing with them. We got our taxes done and we both are getting money back. Yea! I had to pay last year. Boooo.

SNOW DAY!!!

We got about 10 inches of snow between last night and today. My school was cancelled offically at 9 pm lat night, very surpising. Keith got a text at 4:30am from his foreman that the day was bagged. So, what have we done today?

We first woke up and got all bundled to go play in the snow. Keith's parents live 1/2 a mile away and their street is excellent for sledding. We drugged our feet through the snow in the woods, and got a little lost. Keith missed some of the landmarks he has known since a child, due to the amount of snow. I tell you, that was surely a workout in its self.

After sledding we went inside for some hot chocolate. Katie was sitting on my lap and her scarf was on backwards. So I tried to fix it but she bit it and Keith went to get it out of her mouth, but instead dumped his hot chocolate all over me. Good thing I still had my snow pants on so I didn't get wet.

We came back home and did normal things in the house: computer, video games, TV. TV during the day is wacky. We have learned 1. that we are NOT the father, 2. we too can have a valuable job (esp if we do not have a HS diploma or GED), 3. that fall from last week can turn into a lot of money if we hire THE injury lawyer. And we haven't gotten to the soap operas yet!

So now what? Well, I have some grading but I do not feel like it. If I were at school right now, I only have an hour left anyway. Also, tomorrow is our State mandated testing for the HSPA (high school exit test). I'm worried about school being in session. I think I will need a ride again; my car sucks in the snow.

Where is your HW?

I wish I was lying.

You can barely see, in the background there is a list of how their notebook is suppose to be set up so that this does not happen. These papers are taking up 3 student work spaces!