Where to start...

My last blog was posted July 31.  Almost four months ago.  Wow.  You don't even know how many times I had something happen that made me think, "wow, that would be an excellent blog!"  and then life continued happening and it never got written.

I guess a good place to start would be to look back on the last thing that I updated...but who has time for that.  I have my {almost} three year old in bed screaming at her babies to "lay down and go nigh-night!" but forgetting to take her own advice.  Yeah, I know that it's already 10:30 and I'll have one heck of a morning fight tomorrow when it's time to rouse her for day care.  We got in from a three night stay away from home only about two hours ago.  Since then, it's been mad dash cleaning and preparing for the week ahead.  It's a short one indeed, with thanks to Veteran's Day, but the short weeks always seem longer.  I traded my rare "alone time" with the hubs for thirty minutes of blog time.  Good trade-off?  We'll see.  I guess it will depend on how well my thoughts flow from this jumbled mind of mine onto the keyboard.

So, I got a job.  I am teaching 5th grade in the same school where I student taught.  I was hired about two weeks before school started.  From the second I got the phone call, I have been working non-stop.  The room was in disarray when I was hired.  The teacher that I replaced moved to Florida and only had time to grab her most personal belongings.  I fared well with that because I walked into a nearly furnished classroom.  Well....nearly.  I still had so much work to do.  Because all that she did leave, was scattered EVERYWHERE.  So in the matter of a day, we had to get Kage back into a day care and me into work.  Huge life change.

After two days of cleaning.

 

I had the best moving crew!

Once I met my students, I realized I had my work cut out for me.  Twenty-eight fabulous students all in my hands....and I love every minute of it.  But, being a first year teacher (at an unfamiliar grade level) leaves me busier than ever.  I work about 11 hours a day.  And weekends. 

Hence, the lack of blogging.

Any spare moments that I find, I give to my family.  My evenings are precious.  My baby and my super supportive husband deserve more of me than the blog did.  That's what it comes down to.

You understand, right?

It's almost impossible to fill you in on the last four months.  Impossible.  But here's a run down of a few things that come to mind:
(if you know me at all, you are so not surprised by the bullets)

• We moved.  We now live about 15 minutes from my school, 10 minutes from her day care.  It's a nice(r) three bedroom/two bath/2 car garage home.  Still a rental but one stop closer to buying.  And we're out of our cracker box apartment.
• Kage is now in a home day care.  And we love, love, love it.
• Kage has fully potty trained.  (yesssssssss!)
• We took our first family "vacation" to the Wisconsin Dells in October.

• We fell off of our budget band-wagon, but are slowly climbing back on.  Ugh, this has been a difficult one to face.
• Kinley got her first bicycle (or Ride-a-cycle, as she calls it.)

• We celebrated Halloween with the cutest Minnie Mouse you ever did see!



 



In addition to all of those highlights, I feel like I have changed so much since I last considered myself a "blogger."  I have been allowed the opportunity to reevaluate my time with my family.  I feel like Richie and I get along easier, or maybe that depends on the day.  :)  But overall, I guess I just feel more settled knowing that I'm doing a job that I love, and one that I worked so hard to get.  The time that I am "off" is more valuable than ever before.  Stay-at-home moms have it rough, but so do working moms.  I've been blessed to play both sides and I honestly couldn't tell you which one I enjoy more.  They both have their perks!

 

I'm not sure when to say that I'll find time to blog again, because I honestly don't know....but I am hoping to get back to it more regularly.  I miss my little therapy sessions!  I look forward to reading up on my favorite blogs to see what everyone has been up to since I've been gone!

 

Till then...