October day off

Well, today is a day off with Austin. Austin has been out of school all week for Fall Break at GAB. I decided to take today off to spend time with him. We are having a fun day at home. Tomorrow starts a four-day weekend for Britleigh. School is closed Friday and Monday for Columbus Day break (our fall break). We will relax at home before driving to Laney (Augusta) for the football game. Saturday we will attend a wedding, but that is all that is scheduled.

Have a great weekend!!
dsr

wonderful weekend

Well, I am going to start this post by tell you about the wonderful night we had last night in Dublin. Britleigh and I went to see the Glory Revealed tour. We had the best time listening to uplifting music and praising God. If you get a chance, the tour comes to Atlanta at the Verizon on October 1oth. It is a great concert. Mac Powell from Third Day was there along with other great artists.

Friday night, I went to the football game in Swainboro as a band chaperone (and yes I rode the bus...front seat of course). The band did a great job. This year's show is themed around Michael Jackson. The kids are having a great time performing the songs and all ages are enjoying the step back in time.

This week will be a very busy one. We have things to do continuously all week with school activities, BCPS Open House on Thursday and our first home football game on Friday night. Mom flies in on Friday night and Wynita is picking her up. We are all going to Lake Sinclair for Labor Day weekend. Wynita found a house that has everything including a small beach for the kids. It will be a nice get-away and family reunion will the Smiths finally back together as a family. We will be glad to have Mom home after four months.

Well, I better get back to getting ready for church. I am listening to Glory Revealed as I get ready. You can listen on the website as well. Check it out.

Until later...
dsr

Two weeks of school down....

Two weeks of school completed for Britleigh and I. Austin started this past Monday so he has completed one week. The week went well but we were definitely busy and TIRED at the end! I was so glad I did not have to answer to an alarm clock this morning.

School is going well and I really enjoy my class. They are a sweet group of students. Windy, Kelli and I are still smoothing out our schedules, but everything is going well. We are a great team!

I am taking a break now from my Walden school work. I am in Module 4 (week7) this week. I am proud of my progress so far. I have made 100% on my papers and discussion. I know it will get alot harder but I am still very proud of my work so far. It is definitely different from my master's work.

Our school board is meeting Monday night to discuss our furlough days. We have to take three furlough days before Christmas. It is rumored we will have to take seven more after Christmas. I hope not. That would almost be one whole day without pay per month. OUCH! That will pinch our wallets as well as take instructional time away from our students. We need all the instructional time we can get. The CRCT will be here before we know it. Seven days after Christmas break would really hurt. Lets hope that is not the case.

I have enjoyed my Saturday at home today. Britleigh and two friends worked on a class project for Honors Biology. They tested the durabilty of paper towels with quarters. (Viva paper towel won against Bounty, Bounty Basic and Target premium brand.) Austin has enjoyed his day playing Madden 10 which came out yesterday. We had to make a special trip to Target last night for the special purchase.

Doug has completed his building. I will have to take a picture to post later. (It is raining now or I would go out and take one.) The building is really nice. He is very proud of it. It also has room for him to park his truck as well as the boat, lawn mower and 4-wheeler.

Well, I better get busy on school work.
Until later...
dsr

Where has the summer gone??

WOW. Tomorrow is the first day of school...well for Britleigh and I. Austin starts next Monday so he has a few more days to enjoy being at Mema's. He is a big help with the babies (when he is not playing Playstation).

I am very excited about tomorrow. I have a new class. I did not loop this year, so I will have a class full of new faces. Britleigh starts high school....wow, that was hard to say. I can not believe she is old enough to be in high school. I am very proud of her. She is in the Honors program and will be taking four honors classes as well as playing trumpet in the band.

Austin will be in 4th grade. We will go to visitation on Sunday. The residency students will stay after visitation/registration but Austin will come home and commute daily like in the past. He is not excited about going back to school but is excited about seeing his friends. I hate his friends live so far away and can not come over to visit.

Well, I better get ready for bed. A very big day tomorrow and I will be exhausted when it hits 3:00!!

PS- Mom has an appt on Thursday with the neurosurgeon after a MRV. Please continue to remember her in your prayers.

Until later-
dsr

Great week!

Well, this has a been a great week. We finished post-planning on Wednesday but have been busy ever since. Britleigh got her spacers yesterday for braces. She gets them next Thursday. Her teeth are sore so she has been eating light today. I just made her cream of chicken soup and mashed potatoes. :)

Today, we all went to Johnny G's in Warner Robins. The kids took a friend each and they played for three hours. Doug and I enjoyed watching them play. We got a really good deal today too. I did not know they had early Thurs-Fri specials. We got four armbands, a large pizza and pitcher of Pepsi for $35. I thought I would be playing close to $60 with no food. We actually ate at Burger King before we went. Next time, we will just eat there; It was a great day and cheaper than expected...even better :)

Tomorrow we will be just taking it easy. Doug has to work to cover for someone on vacation so we will just stay at home and enjoy the sunshine. I am so glad to see the sun shining for awhile. We have not seen that in weeks.

Have a great weekend...
dsr

Celebration weekend!

Happy Graduation Britleigh

and Happy Birthday Austin!

Britleigh graduated 8th grade Thursday night and today is Austin's 11th birthday! My family came for the big weekend. Daddy, Wynita and Palmer came for the graduation. Lance came on Friday and we all cooked ribs on Friday night. They were delicious!!

I have to work three days this week and then we are out for the summer. The school schedules for Austin and Britleigh & I have matched this year. It was wonderful. We had the same spring breaks, same last day of school. This was the first time in four years our schedules have matched. Next year's schedule is not so great. Maybe it will not be too long before we bring Austin back to Bleckley. :)

Have a great Memorial Day!
dsr

It's ALIVE

Yes...we are still here. We are counting down the days for school to be out. I have 13 more days left. Brit and Austin have 12 days left. He has off Mother's Day Monday and Brit graduates Middle School on the 21st (Thursday) so she will not have to go to school the last day. If she went, she would have to sign in as a visitor...funny, huh.

Mom is in Alaska visiting her mom and family. She left last Wednesday. She will be visiting for two months so she will be back at the end of June.

The RESA Movie Academy Awards Banquet is this Thursday. We are sooooo excited about our movie. If you have not had a chance to see it, you can watch it online. Our movie title is Cotton. Go the website and our movie is listed fourth. Cross your fingers that we win!!! Our project was due March 20th but we turned ours in on March 6th so we have anxiously waited for two months. I am excited May 7th is finally near!

Until later...

Getting ready for another full week

This weekend has been another great weekend packed with a lot to do. Friday evening, we spend a couple hours with Doug's grandmother. She came home from the hospital Thursday evening. She broke her pelvis and has been at a swing bed at the hospital. Doug spent the night with her on Thursday. We all ate supper with her on Friday night.

On Saturday, we did really Saturday stuff like washing clothes, etc then we attended a wedding shower for Doug's cousin, Ryan Daniel. He is getting married in May in Athens. After the shower, we went to my parents' house. The purpose of the trip was to pick up Mom. She will be staying with Doug's grandmother for two weeks while she gets better. It will be nice having mom next door. We will be able to go visit her after school everyday for two weeks (then we will be on Spring Break!!!)

Anyway, I better get busy. I have to finish my lesson plans and get to bed. I have three more days (6 total) of early duty at school. Getting there and at my "post" by 7:20 is really a big chore. IT is JUST 20 minutes earlier but man it really is tough to get going. It makes it more difficult to have a clone of me just as hard to get out of bed as myself...and yes, I am talking about Britleigh. I know she will be glad when I am done with early duty too. I am glad the early duty rotation only comes three times a year and this is my last rotation this school year.

dsr

Playing in the SNOW!

This picture was taken when the snow starting falling. We had a blast!!
Peanut did not last long outside...we had to take him back inside.

I told Britleigh and Austin the snow was a birthday present from Granny. Today was her birthday and as always, I thought of her today.

Ok, do not faint!

I know...it has been a LONG time since I posted. I hope to do better.

Austin and I are enjoying a Saturday afternoon at home outside. It is 55 degrees with no wind. I just walked 2 miles so I decided to stay outside and let Austin play. He has not have a chance to play on his swing set/playhouse in a while. Actually, all he wants to do outside is play football. He LOVES football. I wish he could play. Besides the visual thing, there is now way he could play because he could not take any head impact. He does love to play though. His favorite thing is punting/kicking. He is getting pretty good with the hand-eye coordination.

Well, we are off to play some ball. Of course you know we will be watching the Super Bowl tomorrow night. We will only miss the first quarter.

until later...