School's Out!!

Woo hoo!!!  I finished the school year for the last time!  School isn't officially out until tomorrow but since I'm part-time I got to be done early!  I spent most of the day packing up my office and leaving detailed notes for the new therapist.  I've turned in all of my keys and realized that I had more school keys than personal keys.  It was a little hard saying good-bye to all of my co-workers but I'm so excited to start a new adventure--whatever that will be.  I have lots of options but right now I'm just looking forward to a few days in San Diego, then a week-long house cleaning and organizing gala before heading to Washington for my brother's graduation from EWU.

It hasn't really sunk in yet that I'm done, partly because this weirdly cold weather makes it feel like we should have another month or more of school and partly because summer vacation never sets in until you've had at least a week of not having to use the alarm clock.  :)  That'll be so nice.

Brookside Elementary, my last placement in the schools.

With my friend Mary Patterson on my last morning of work.

I Love Free Books

Since I'm leaving the school system, I needed to use up all my Scholastic Bonus Points before the end of the year so I spent a couple hours on the site, very carefully making my selections and this is what I got!  I'm so excited!!

• The Hunger Games and Catching Fire-a new series I've heard great things about and got in hard back.
• Inkspell and Inkheart--another fun series
• Percy Jackson and the Olympians Books 1-4
• Charlie and the Chocolate Factory--my favorite book in 3rd grade
• Ramona the Pest and Ramona, age 8--I love Beverly Cleary!!!!
• Fudge-a-Mania, Double Fudge and Superfudge--another series I loved growing up
• Tales of Fourth Grade Nothing--Judy Blume is spectacular
• Charlotte's Web--a classic every library should have
• Woolbur--a cute little story about an ADHD sheep
• The Tale of Despereaux--I thought the movie was super cute and I only had 38 points left; it was 25 so I got it.  :)

I've already read The Hunger Games and LOVED it.  I'm trying hard not to read Catching Fire until we leave for San Diego on Thursday so I can savor it.  The third book is due out in August.  I love it when I come across a great series just before the last book comes out so I don't have to wait very long.  I did the same thing with Twilight and Harry Potter (book 4 was almost out when I started reading it).

I'm looking forward to a great summer of reading, photography and looking for a new job.  Hope you have something great going on too!

One week left!!!

So I'm not a lot better about updating this blog.  I can't believe it's nearly the end of May--and the end of school!!  Tomorrow is my last full day with kids.  I am somewhat sad but not really.  :)  Too bad I have a lousy cold, again.  Maybe that's why I'm not too sad, I know it was one of 5 kids that had colds that I worked with on Friday that gave it to me.  It's a little nerve-wracking to be giving up a job in this economy but I'm hopeful that good things will come.

As for what has been going on here, that's going to have to wait until tomorrow.  My foggy brain is begging for my bed.  :)

A Good Day

It was quite a productive and relaxing day today. I went to the chiropractor in the morning and got some of the knots in my shoulders worked out with ultrasound (don't ask me how it's supposed to work), then after going to Costco, mowing the lawn and doing laundry, I went to The Retreat Full Service Salon here in Springville for an amazing 75-minute massage as part of their Teacher Appreciation Week package for only $25, with a free haircut thrown in!  It was quite lovely and I think I may have to go back again--soon!  I've had knots in my shoulders that are hard as granite since I was about 2 and now they've softened up to a really tough leather.  :)  It's progress.

After I was pampered at the salon, I got home to find that we had been invited over for dinner by the Cooleys.  Not having to cook dinner on top of a massage?  Priceless!!  I did make cookies to take over in order to test out my new baking stone (I think I'll stick to using it for bread and pizza, you have to pre-warm it and that's difficult with cookies) but baking yummy, melty, chocolate chip cookies is not an onerous chore.

Now I'm all set to go to bed early and read my weekend book deal--The Wrath of Ezra (Book 4 in the Leven Thumps series) for $4.99 in hardback and signed by the author!  I have books 2-4, all in hardback, all purchased at Seagull Books from the clearance table, all for $9 (I got super lucky and the first 2 were only $2 each).  I just need to get Book 1 and I'll be set but it's not showing up on clearance (apparently when they get in the first of a series in clearance, they sell out pretty fast) and so far I have not been able to talk myself into paying full price, even though I've already saved like $30 on the other 3.  Some day, I just know it'll be sitting there, with a big red sticker saying $3.99...