Bill turned 50 and Last Day of School 2022

Happy Friday everyone! Sorry I haven't been around to comment on blogs or post, but it has been the last two weeks of the school year and to say that life has been crazy.... well, life has been crazy! But I made it! Today was my last day of work for the school year! I am off work until August, so I can say I am on summer break like my kiddos. 

This past week has been crazy busy, with different work schedules, Bill ended up being sick for a couple days, Rebecca had a crazy school finals schedule that we had to navigate, and I worked different hours so that I could leave work yesterday early to pick kids up since our district was on a 2-hour early release schedule. 

Oh, and it was Bill's 50th birthday in there too. He didn't really want to celebrate, and he does not like being 50, however we did a little bit of low-key celebrating. We ordered Buffalo Wild Wings for dinner, and I had picked up a chocolate cake for him. I got him a beer glass that I thought fit his thoughts about turning 50. He said he had a good day.

 

The kiddos had their last day of school yesterday. Rebecca has had finals all week and she had one last one yesterday morning and then at 9:10AM was done with her freshman year! (How am I the mom of a sophomore?!??!). Jacob finished up his first year of middle school and Benjamin finished up his 4th grade year! They all did great but were definitely ready for Summer. 

Today I had to work to close down the kitchen at work. It meant cleaning out everything and putting plastic/garbage bags over all the food service stuff. It was hard work and my coworker and I were sweaty and gross when we were done. However, the kitchen is closed until August and we are on Summer break. We did get a nice send off from the kiddos this week when we came into work on Tuesday. 

So with that hopefully now we can get into a better schedule and routine this summer. I have some goals that I want to accomplish which I will share next week. I also want to spend some time just relaxing and reading and enjoying my kids and husband. I am not tutoring or babysitting this summer so that will be a change. I hope it means I will have time to get some things done. Hopefully I will also be on to blog more often. But no promises as life is so short...

Farmer's Market and a First Communion

Happy Monday everyone! I am getting a chance to sit down for a moment to write this out. Rebecca is doing homework; Jacob is reading, and Benjamin is playing with his sports cards, so they need nothing from me for the moment. 

This weekend was busy but wonderful. 

Saturday started out with a trip to our town's farmer's market with my favorite daughter. We hit the farmer's market, a nearby bakery and a juice shop. We came home with lots of treats and the weather was beautiful! 

Saturday afternoon it went from sunny to rainy rather quickly with some popup storms. This gave me the perfect excuse to go through the boys' clothes and store away their winter pants and long sleeve shirts, so that they have room for their Spring and Summer clothes.  

After the storms subsided, I made dinner for the kiddos and placed an online order for Chipotle for Bill and me. We used up a gift card that I had gotten 2 years ago! 

After dinner, Rebecca repotted some begonias into hanging baskets. I think that when she is older, she will be the plant lady as she is really interested in growing plants, however our current house is not really suitable for her to have plants indoors or really anything but hanging baskets outside. 

Sunday, my nephew made the sacrament of First Holy Communion at our church. He was super excited, even though it was unbearably hot in the church (it was 90 degrees with high humidity outside and they did not have the a/c on, or they did not have any of the windows open.)

 

After mass, we headed to my mom and dad's house for a cookout for Ethan. He was excited because he said this was his very 1st cookout just for him! The kids had fun running around and getting sprayed with the hose. 

It really was a great weekend. 

Today, the weather is cooler and almost perfect. It is sunny and low 70s with a slight breeze. It feels so good outside. Not sure what the weather is supposed to be the rest of this week, but I do know that I have a to do list a mile long that I would like to get done before the kids get out of school for the summer. They only have 8 more days of school until Summer! 

How was your weekend? Are you looking forward to Summer? 

Mother's Day 2022 and Choir Concerts

Happy Friday everyone! Hope you all had a wonderful week. I had a pretty good one myself. Since Sunday, the weather here has been gorgeous this week-- high in the 80s, sunny, with a slight breeze. It has been magnificent. (Literally 5 minutes after I typed this it started raining with a popup shower... I checked the radar and there is no rain anywhere else in Ohio except for over our town. LOL) 

Saturday, Rebecca and I went to the opening day of our local farmer's market. It was fun, even though it was sprinkling rain. I got some asparagus and some yummy baked goods. I also got my mom a succulent planter for Mother's Day. 

Speaking of Mother's Day, mine wasn't bad. It started with the boys making me breakfast in bed and giving me some gifts, they made in school. Rebecca also gave me a miraculous medal necklace. We all attended mass together and the boys had fun after mass playing on the playground.  

I will admit that I had some grumpy moments on Mother's Day when my husband wanted to go get fast food for lunch and then eat at a park even though it was chilly. He also had ordered me something for Mother's Day and it didn't show up until Monday so he was mad about that and it made me feel grumpy too. 

In the afternoon, we headed out to my parent's house for a cookout. I didn't take any pictures except of my plate of food. LOL We just hung out and the kids played outside. It was a nice afternoon/evening.

 

On Monday, my Mother's Day present from Bill did arrive. He presented it to me Tuesday morning. It is gorgeous!

This week we have been busy with end of the year choir concerts. Jacob had his on Monday evening and he and his fellow 6th graders did a great job.

Last night, we had May Fiesta, which is the end of the year concert for the high school choirs. It was a wonderful show that started with solo and small group performances. Rebecca sang "Reflection" from the movie Mulan and it was beautiful.

 

All the music was related to movies. It was a wonderful show with the concert ending with combined choirs all dressed in formal wear. Her dad and I are so proud of her! 

 

Work wise this week has gone well. The last 3 days the teachers have taken the kids outside to eat which has made our lunchroom job much easier and quieter. Today I filled in as head cook as my coworker took a 1/2 day off. Things were pretty easy to do. 

This weekend I need to get some cleaning projects done. I also need to get the boys to work on some end of the year projects for school that are due. I also want to go to the farmer's market tomorrow morning. Sunday, we have my nephew's First Communion to attend. Hopefully it will be a good weekend. I am trying to focus on the positives and stay away from the news, etc. It's all I can do right now. 

Have a great weekend everyone! 

 

Staff Appreciation and Super Hero Literacy

Happy Friday everyone! It is rainy and dreary here today, but T.G.I.F! 

This week was "Teacher Appreciation Week" in our district and the school that I am working at now took it a step farther and made it "Staff Appreciation Week." We had several surprises at work. (I know that I am blessed at this school, as my mom also works in the school district and the school she is at did not include the lunch ladies in any of the celebrations.) So this week started out with a gift of our favorite drink and candy donated by one of the families.

 

Tuesday, the office staff and principal bought everyone Chipotle for lunch. I had a yummy burrito. And we were given a little gift bag that had post it notes, a pen and candy in it. 

Thursday, the PTO ordered in lunch from a local cafe for everyone. It was super yummy! 

Today, there was a bag of granola cookie bites waiting for the staff from the district office. AND I got to hear lots of thank yous from the kiddos in the lunch line, and then during the last line just before the kids were dismissed (the 5th and 3rd graders) the teacher on duty had them all yell "Thank you for our lunches!" It was really sweet. 

So, overall it was a good week at work. I even had my evaluation by my boss and there were no complaints on my evaluation so that is good. It was a crazy week as we have entered field trip season meaning some kids need to eat lunch early, or we are prepping sack lunches, etc. I am blessed though to be at this school and working with my coworker. 

Last night, I took Ben to his school for a "Super Hero literacy night" where we did fun super hero activities like play super hero bingo, make a super hero mask, do exercise activities like super heroes, etc. Ben had fun and thanked me for taking him. 

Not sure what the weekend has in store for us. All 3 kids are fighting colds. I have a ton of cleaning that I need/want to do. We shall see what comes up this weekend. What are you doing this weekend?

 

Wrapping up April

Happy Sunday everyone! And Happy May 1st! I can't believe it is already May. It seems like April flew by and here we are in May... last month of school for the kids before Summer and with that comes lots of end of the year activities. It has already been crazy busy with end of the year activities for some things.

The last few weeks have been crazy. I have been dealing with some depression issues as well that adds another layer onto my already busy schedule. It is hard. Which may explain why blogging has taken a backseat? I don't know. I am hoping to get back into eating better this week and hoping that helps out.

So, what else has been going on? 

End of the year choir concert for Knox Youth Choirs. 

The kids had their Spring concert for Knox Youth Choirs. It was great hearing all 3 kids together in one concert. I caught Rebecca helping out her brothers practice here at home one afternoon. 

They all sounded great and are looking forward to starting up again in the fall.

 

The crazy Ohio weather has been keeping us on our toes. 

We've had some really pretty days with highs near 80 and we've had some rainy days. We've had days where there was frost on the windows in the morning and we've had freeze warnings. This morning we had thunderstorms and humidity. I am hoping that since it is May the cold days will be far less, and we can stay about 60 degrees.

 

Bill surprised me with flowers. 

Hulk almost died in the washer. 

I had to wash Hulk for Ben. Hulk is like Ben's security blanket, and he has to have Hulk to sleep. Well, while I was at work Bill texted me that Hulk fell apart in the washer. Uh Oh. When I came home, I helped Bill restuff Hulk and I sewed him back up and thankfully Ben is happy that Hulk lives!

Ben is a brat. 

Speaking of Benjamin. Yesterday I told him to go get a shirt on because I was tired of seeing his chest. Well, he went upstairs and then came back down like this and told me "I have a shirt on." That boy is going to the death of me. 

 

Rebecca cantered at our Church. 

This morning, Rebecca did her first cantering assignment at our church during 10AM mass. She sang the Responsorial Psalm and the Alleluia. She sang beautifully and I was quite the proud momma when several people stopped her after mass and complimented her and thanked her for doing a beautiful job.

 

So, I think I have caught up. I think. May will be crazy busy. We have Mother's Day, end of the year school stuff, 2 end of the year choir concerts for school, Bill traveling for work at least one day, the craziness that is the end of the year in lunch lady land for me, etc. Such is life. I am going to try to be a better blogger this month, but no promises ;) 

How's everyone else doing out in blogland?