The job

Well in case you did not know, we now have comcast cable high speed so you will be able to reach us on our home line.

I am posting this on my ibook which is connecting wirelessly to our highspeed connection. The job has been overwhelming, fun, challenging, exciting all at the same time. The 1st thing my boss did was give me this laptop which did not have a wireless card. It is a G3 laptop so wireless cards are no longer made. I found one for slightly over 100.00 on ebay which the district techs installed for me yesterday. This will enable me to work from home as well as access any wireless network in any school I will be in.
Connie, my new boss is wonderful. So far we get along great. We have a lot in common. In fact my second day on the job, she came over to pick up a cable that I had in my laptop bag that she needed and we sat out on the front porch for two hours getting to know each other while drinking a beer. Yes, I actually finished a beer.

What I will be doing....I am responsible for end user support for the Horizon library automation system, updating and maintaining the media services website, overseeing the grant writing process for my department and all the libraries, training, coordinating and running professional development opportunities and developing library policies and procedures for the 22 elementary and 16 secondary schools. I attended a grant writing workshop in Colorado springs and will be taking a two credit grant writing class in the fall through Emporia. Also I act as a liason between media services and the technology services. It has been a LONG two weeks since I had class last weekend. I work from 6:30 -5pm Monday through Thursday until August. So far I have not figured out a good balance between home and work and school. Yesterday, I took the kids to the pool and went to Borders. Today the kids and I are going up to Crystal Rapids in Loveland which is a wave pool. I will not be swimming, I will be doing the reading I need to for my Management of Information agencies class next weekend. Doggie has a camp reservation and Kids and Randy will be going camping.

The GRADES

The Good:
Kristen's
A Tiny Raft(science elective) A
Reading B
Band A
Health B
English B
Math B
PE B
Pups and Patterns(math elective) A
Science B
Social Studies B

Way to go Kristen!


Now for Matt-
Orchestra A+-Yeah Matt

The Bad:
PE C
English-C
Social Studies C
Science C


The Ugly:
German-D Comment: Assignments not completed
Math D-

Matt's grades are unacceptable to us since we know this is not his best. He was awarded appropriately based on the amount of effort he put into it. He did however pass onto 10th grade so this is the bright spot.

Here Fishy, fishy

While I was at class all weekend, Randy, Matt and Kris went camping and fishing.

Kristen caught 4 fish and Matt caught 3 and Randy caught one. Delicious trout for dinner tonight.

How can this be???

Matt had a dentist appt today and the hygenist said his back teeth look good, but he is not brushing his front teeth?! Does he have to be a nonconformist in every aspect of his life? You would think the toothbrush would hit those front teeth at least accidentally once in a while. Today was the first day of finals. Three more days for me at Mead. Yeah!

Weekend update

Kristen's party was a success, but ended up being two hours too long in my opinion. Went into work for two hours afterwards to ward off an attack by Tori the terrible. Started working on what amounts to an annual report of the state of the library today. Randy and Matt ended up coming home last night due to high winds and went back for the camper this morning. Kristen and I went to the pool while Randy worked and Matt "studied" for finals. Randy and Matt caught 5 trout so we had baked trout with lemon and butter for dinner. yum. Kristen was pretty grumpy the rest of the day. Post birthday let down I guess. Randy is still working at 10pm and I heard him mention on the phone to Singapore those dreaded words " If I fly there.....". Tomorrow night Matt has a dentist appt and then I am meeting classmates for coffee at 7:15.

party update

The party is well underway! Brenna, Chandra, Meagan and Emma are here. They have played Nintendo DS and now are out swinging. They found a snake in the yard. She got a beading kit, a stuffed frog and matching pillow, Ice princess DVD, lip gloss and a charm bracelet.

Party Day

Kristen is 12. Woohoo for her! The obnoxiousness is still persisting. As every year is uncharted territory as with Matt, no one knows what awaits. H-why couldn't you have had kids first and give me advice? Her room is finally clean-happy dance about that. It only took since April 21. A mere 5 weeks and numerous threats. Her royal highness started the day disappointed because I would not run out and get McDonalds for breakfast.

gifties

Randy got Matt and Kristen t-shirts from the National Palace. Kristen is getting a japanese kimono and a butterfly cell phone cover and I got pearl drop and diamond earrings in a beautiful heart shaped box.

Randy is home

He got in around 5:30 but this project is still in crisis mode so he is down in his office working. Totally unfair after spending the last 26 hours travelling. He may be leaving on Memorial Day for Minneapolis and will probably be going back to Asia(Malaysia this time) in three weeks. Kristen has been totally obnoxious and I will be glad when her birthday is over. Randy and Matt will probably go camping somewhere this weekend to escape the onslaught.

little bits of nothing

• Sabrina was crying last night because for some reason her water bowl and food bowl were in different places
• We are borrowing a friend's lawnmower who is particular about his mower
• I have an eye exam tonight which I may end up rescheduling
• Lots of things to do tonight
• Matt has a cold which he thinks gets him out of mowing
• Awake since 3am so I cleaned out lots of work emails. Now all I have left are emails from my new boss-7 pages worth.
• Kristen has to finish her archery time line-stupid assignment when you consider this is for a PE class

Every one is tired

Kristen found parts of her book report in the library. Other parts she had to redo again. Last night was her concert. It went really well. I will have to make a copy of the tape so Randy can see it. Randy will be coming home 5/25. Everyone is really tired this morning. Neither kid wanted to get up. Only one with any energy is the dog. This weekend is going to be haircuts, Matts wants friends over and bowling on Sunday after church.

It's gonna be another long day

Kristen lost the instructins for her book report for the second time. She has a concert tonight. My goal is to survive her. Major meltdown in progress and I am out of wine.

What a day

Just generally bad day at work. Nothing went right. The worst possible person will probably get my job. Kristen is really obnoxious right now, she is stressed because I am leaving Mead. Matt had a concert tonight. He was told to take a shower before hand which he did and then fell asleep with wet hair. Put on his concert clothes 30 minutes before he had to be there to discover his pants don't fit. Unless 7-11 sells mens black dress pants, not a lot I can do. He wore his black jeans. Told him to wet his hair. He used an unknown substance which he chose to call gel. I know there is no gel in the house. Orchestra teacher handed out letters for those students who went above and beyond. Only criteria missing for him is an A. He has a B. He does not want a letter like he does not want honor roll. Per Matt, people would expect too much of him yet. GRRRRRRR. He suggested the concert would be better with pyrotechnics. Double GRRRRRRR. Kristen is getting ready for bed under protest. It is not fair to her that Matt stays up a little later. I am in desperate need of a day off but can't take it because I am an idiot and told new boss I could start one day after finishing at current job.

Bath night

Today was Sabrina's bath night. The end result is great. Nice and soft fluffy doggie that smells like the scent of citrus. She was better than she normally is but still not great. She sounded like a wounded sheep the whole time. Tomorrow will most likely be spent in book report hell since Kristen lost the instructions and her teacher will most likely not give her replacement. They only have 12 more days of school. They are so ready for summer. I am so ready for them not to have homework issues or meltdowns. Tonight was great though-no meltdowns or meanness on anyone's part. Sabrina has a different opinion of course.
As my new job gets closer, the more excited I am getting. I thought it would make me sad to leave, but the more demanding and inconsiderate the teachers are, the more anxious I am to get out. The principal is clueless as to what I do which explains why she submitted the job posting for the wrong position.

Matt and Kristen are flying east this summer, but

After this evening separate planes might be best , or better yet separate planets. Yes, they are getting along that well. Matt's comment to Kris: Humans need air to breathe, but you wouldn't know anything about that, would you? And here I thought I might miss them. I am ready to send them to their father in Singapore.

What I wanna be by Matt

He said last night he wants to be an orchestra teacher and he won't need to go to college for that......

Supreme Sunday

From Sabrina: This weekend was terrible. First I got caught in a miniblind string in Kristen's room and then today I stepped in gum. Good news, HE is gone again. Yeah!

From Holli: Great weekend. Went out to dinner for an early Mother's day to Olive Garden Friday night. Sat Got my final assignments for the semester finished and went shopping at Borders. Grass got cut before R. left and packing was uneventful for a change. Today: Took R. to the airport and then took a nap. After church took kids to the go kart place, they had fun and I am currently reading Beach Road by James Patterson. Heading to see the movie Hoot tonight. Busy week coming up, but can deal with it with out grad school and having to cook every night. planning grilled cheese and soup tomorrow night.
After I get home from movies, if not too tired, will start the cleanup of this house. I am thinking the maid will start 7/1 since I get paid 6/30.

Blah, blah , blah

It has been raining and cool most of the week. I of course hate this. Mom says I have not been the best dog. Just because no one else sees the nutritional value of egg shells, doesn't mean I should not partake of this delicacy. She was mad at me for that. Kris says all I do is eat and sleep. Not true, I am the constant vigilant guard dog. No dog shall enter the perimeter on my watch. Last night Kris felt sick and mom kept her door open. Inch by inch I crept, closer and closer to my objective. I sat next to the bed and cried, whimpered. No reaction. Finally I threw caution to the wind and leapt up onto the bed only to have her yell at me to get down. I landed on something hard and it might have been her legs. I need more surveillance next time. Matt is staying home from school tomorrow due to Cinco de Mayo and gang threats. Randy leaves Sunday and may not come home until right before Kristen's birthday. Cumbres and Toltec is out due to that and Kristen is busy planning for her party. She wants to hold a lottery to see which are the lucky girls that get to come. Mom told her to pick 5 of her closest friends.

Newsflash

We do not have a live in maid, nor do I foresee it in the future. Everyone needs to stop living as though this is reality and not a fantasy. To make myself feel better I made scalloped oysters for dinner and do not intend to share( well, Matt says he wants some, so he can have a tiny, tiny amt)

A princess kind of day

All hail the queen. Kristen feels that unloading/reloading half of the dishwasher is enough work for the day. "All I do is work 24/7" Huh? After church we get to have the division homework meltdown and your room must be clean or else everything will be sold meltdown(she started cleaning up her room a week ago)