Life According to April Wilhelm

Feeling Good.

2010-05-16T20:08:00.002-04:00

Today, I mowed the lawn then took a walk with Karen and the girls. It was a beautiful spring day and I am feeling good.

I have lost about 32 pounds so far. It is going a little slower than I expected but that is probably a good thing. I had another fill about a week ago. It always takes me about a week to get used to the tight feeling again. I have been eating really well this week and that boosted a little more weight loss. The weather helps that I can outside more.

We have also been working on the pool. The girls actually tried to go swimming today. Still a little too cold, but the young love to try.

I am also running for school board. The elections are this week. Last week was busy with a meet the canidates night and then a budget meeting. Then a couple of local papers called. There are actually 5 people running for one position. I thought I would run and get my name out there this year and then maybe try again next year. I think there is a local man who has grown up in Lyons and has a lot of family. I think he is going to win but it does not hurt to try.

Doctor appointments

2010-03-14T17:49:00.002-04:00

I had 3 Doctor appointments last Wednesday and at one of them I had a fill for my band. They did not really put much in but boy could I feel a difference. On Wednesday, I was only able to have some Chicken Noodle Soup and scrambled eggs.

Then Thursday, was a tough day. I ate some cottage cheese for breakfast and I was doing fine. It was a half day of school for my kids that day, so they had breakfast and then a snack around 10:15 am. I had not brought my lunch or snacks thinking I would be able to run home after the kids were done for the day. However, I started not feeling very good about time for their snack. They were having graham crackers. I had a graham cracker before but not since my fill. I ate 2 squares and they just sat there. I could feel them and it felt like bad heartburn. So, for lunch I just drank and thought that eventually they would dissolve and move on down. They did not move until late that night.

I had plans to go with Karen and the girls to Applebee's for Karen's Birthday. I did not want to cancel on her, so off we went. I ordered a cheese quesadilla and thought that I would be able to eat by then. I took about 3 bites and could not eat anymore. I felt bad and I think that Karen felt bad. I hope she had a nice birthday. I tried to tell her that it was okay that I could not eat. I need to loose weight and we were out for her. I think overall the night was a success but that was a tough day.

I have been eating better since then and nothing else has gotten stuck. I am eating a lot of yogurt and soft foods again. I have lost another 4 pounds in the last few days. I am at 274. So, I felt bad for Karen and it did not feel good to have some food stuck. The only thing I can think is that I did not chew the food enough. I am fortunate that I have not thrown up. I can tell when I am full and it can get painful if I try to eat too much.

New Lifestyle

2010-03-08T17:56:00.002-05:00

Ok, I admit that I am not very good at blogging. I often do not feel like I have much to say. However, now I am starting a new journey and lifestyle. On February 1, 2010 I had the Realize Band operation to help me loose weight. I am not proud of the weight I have put on over the years. I admit that I enjoy food and I am also an emotional eater. On February 1st I weighed in at 295. I really had a hard time deciding whether to put that on here but I guess that facing the facts may help in the long run.

The surgery went well. Actually went really fast and I was home the next day. The biggest problem I faced was getting rid of the gas from the surgery. I also had a old lady for a roommate and was awake most of the night I spent in the hospital. I could not wait to come home, so I could rest. Oh and my veins are always a problem with an IV or drawing blood. Sometimes finding my veins can be painful.

Since then I have gone from a liquid diet to soft foods and now adding regular but healthier food choices back into my diet. I can really feel myself get full and I like that feeling. Before I would often have kept eating right past what I really needed. I have lost 17 pounds so far, which is good for one month. I am now at 278. However, I do want to get a fill when I go in for my check up this week. I just do not want to eat and not loose. If the fill is not comfortable they can take it out.

I am eating 3 meals with a snack in the afternoon and evening. I am eating a lot of yogurt, sugar free pudding, fruit, soups, and flat bread sandwhiches. I also enjoy some oatmeal or 2 scrambled eggs for breakfast. Now that the weather is getting nice it is easier to take walks. Plus my dog loves to go for walks. I would also like to go to Zumba which is a dance/aerobic workout but I am trying to loose a little more and then I will be able to keep up better. It is an hour long class that they offer at the Community Center and Brittany's dance studio. It is very popular right now.

So, I am working hard to make some permanate changes. I am going to blog to keep everyone updated and document the journey.

Camping with the family!

2009-06-09T13:17:00.005-04:00

This last weekend, we had a good time with the family. Bob, Teri and Haley came down to camp on Friday evening to Sunday. Carissa was excited about this fact. Then on Saturday Karen and the girls came out and stayed the night. Sue and Mark came out for dinner on Saturday but had a busy schedule for Sunday.

Everyone enjoyed dinner and we roasted marshmellows. Of course, we also had a clan of dogs to add to the confusion.

Brenna was a character of the night. When she first came the girls of course wanted to hit the swimming pool. The campground had not opened it yet for the season, but I had bought squirt guns and water balloons for entertainment. So, they arrive about 5 pm and John had just hit me with a whole bucket of water. I was trying to get him back unsuccessfully. So, when he was helping Karen park her car I was hiding behind the camper. He thought of this and tried to use Karen as a shield. I yelled to her to run away and did an okay job of getting John. Anyway, Alexis and Brenna wanted to get in on the fun. So, Brenna comes over and keeps taking my squirt guns because she quickly empties hers (usually on me). At this point, I suggest that Uncle Bob is way too dry. She goes after him and he is a good sport. He decides to pick her up and dunk only the tip of her head in the water because she will not give him the water gun. She gets back to her feet and yells "Your mean." I try to appease her with the fact that not to worry we are going to have cupcakes later. She immediately perks up and starts right back in squirting people.

The water fight goes on for another good 20 minutes and Brenna is right in the middle. At one point, Bob is still trying to catch up because now all of the girls are attacking him. So, he picks up the water bucket and throws it at Brenna and Carissa. Brenna yells at him "You ruined me!" She is wet from head to toe and was having a great time getting everyone else but did not appreciate Uncle Bob drenching her, that ended the fight but the adults all wished we had video taped it. She was so serious that she was ruined. It was funny.

She quickly made up with him when he took her to the park and bought a popsicle. I think everyone had a good time and we are hoping to schedule another camping trip soon. Karen is talking about coming out for the 4th of July.

Beautiful Month of May

2009-05-10T18:45:00.002-04:00

Carissa's Birthday is this month and she is determined that the family get together. She had a whole speech on how she has not seen everyone since Christmas. So, we made some cards and delivered them to our local family. It looks like everyone is going to try to make it. We are going to have a BBQ, Marshmellows and camp. Carissa is excited.

We have also been working hard to open our pool. John and the girls have done a great job it took a little extra work because we did not open it last year. However, it is looking good and the girls can not wait for the really warm weather. They were hoping to get in today but it only got into the high 60's.

I had a great time in NYC with 4 other teachers. We had to drive down and it was a little tricky down in NYC but then we parked the van. We either walked, took the subway, and Friday night a cab. They really do drive crazy and I thought that was just a myth. We saw Time Square, Central park, Trump Tower and walked down 5th Ave with all the expensive stores like FAO, Tiffany's and SAKS.

Funny Things!

2009-03-26T19:47:00.003-04:00

Yeah, it is Spring! Spring came early to upstate New York. I am glad because Winter came early and was long. The birds and flowers are out. It is easier to get out and take a walk or play some tennis.

This week I had a couple of funny moments that I would thought I would share. A little boy in my class has webbed fingers and has had some surgery. We have talked a lot in class about how people are different but still the same in many ways. This week as I was sitting with him to try to get him to settle down at rest time, he was doing everything possible to stay awake. He was holding on to my pointer finger at one point and starts to count my fingers. He only counted 4 because he was holding on to one of them. He says "Oh, no. You only have 4 fingers." So I ask him what about the one you are holding on too? He decided that I had 5 after that. Then he talks about my "big hands" compared to his small ones. He is a cutie but he can also push some buttons at times. He loves to sing and parrot me. He will repeat directions or other conversations. At first I thought he was trying to be a smart-Alec but now I think he is just hyper sensitive and it is his way of processing things.

Then yesterday, I asked John to help me take out the garbage. So, he did with some grumbling. After that he comes in to put in a new bag. He pulls out a garbage bag and starts to yell at me because it is too small to fit the can. I waited for him to finish ranting then asked him to shake the bag out. He does and laughs to say "Oh it is magic." I told him that I have bought the same bags for years and that now that he has finally figured it out he needs to practice more often. By the way, he just learned how to load the dishwasher soap and start that too.

Nutrition appointmet Update

2009-03-18T19:28:00.003-04:00

I had a nutrition appointment and I have lost 11 pounds so far. Everything is going really well. I am not drinking soda, except for when we occasionally eat out. I am eating more balanced meals and writing all of it down. Plans are still set for the summer. Yeah!

We have had some really nice weather the last week or so. This last weekend we bought some cheap tennis rackets and we have been playing the last few days. The girls really enjoy going with me which is good for them too. John went with us once and he was funny. He kept trying to coach us but then struggled as much as we did with hitting the ball. We are able to laugh and enjoy it.

We are also looking forward to going camping. If the weather stays nice for the weekend. We are going to go out and start doing some spring clean up.

I am surprised but Brittany is excited about going out to camp. She often prefers to stay home on her own or do things with friends these days. I can not believe it but her 9th grade is almost at an end. I have an appointment tomorrow with the school counselor and Brittany to set up her classes for 10th grade. She has even more choices then I had back in school. They were encouraging her to look into a BOCES program but I am would prefer she does not and I think she agrees. We get some good time talking when we walk or play tennis.

February Break!!! Yeah!

2009-02-13T22:14:00.003-05:00

It is time for the February Break. My class has been passing around several illnesses and now Brittany also succumbed to an illness this week. She is only doing a little better, but tonight her school had a Winter Dance and she did not want to miss it.

Brittany has been busy and this week she competed with her team in League Cheerleading Competition. The team did okay but the great news is Brittany made the 2nd team All-Stars. It is a great accomplishment for a Freshmen. She has a new coach and has been a little frustrated this season, but the hard work has paid off.

Carissa also competed in Solo Fest this last week. She was so nervous. She really did not want to do it but her music teacher encouraged her to try. We had more than a few tears the morning she had to play. I tried to tell her of a traumatic experience I had playing the piano for at church and then making a mistake. I thought the world had come to an end, but everyone was nice and told me I did well. She did very well also on her music and scored high. She was so glad when it was over.

Well, I also go back for a nutrition appointment on Monday. I am doing really well with my attempts to change my eating habits. I have cut out Diet soda except for the occasional soda when we go out to eat. I know I have lost weight. However, I still need to get in more exercise. I need to work on that part.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Lifestyle changes

2009-01-15T18:45:00.002-05:00

I went to my nutrition appointment today and I have a lot of work ahead of me. I found out right away that my insurance is requiring me to have 6 months of nutritional counseling, as apposed to the minimum of 3 months. So, it looks like the earliest I will be having the surgery is over the summer in late July or August. I am a little disappointed that it will take that long but it gives me time to adjust my habits.

I also have to cut our soda because of the carbonation and caffeine. I am also going to have to get used to not drinking with meals. I like water so it will not be a problem getting the fluids but I am accustomed to sitting down to a meal with a drink. I also have to keep a food journal and lose at least 5 % of my current weight. I know I can do that because I have done it before while on Weight Watchers.

There are a lot of little changes that they want me to start getting accustomed to, like chewing my food completely, take at least 30 minutes to eat, 3 meals around 400 calories and 3 snacks around 100 calories. I will also need to go low-fat and sugar free on almost everything. I also have to limit eating out because many fast-food choices are high in fat and calories. She also recommend that we look up Mindful Eating on Google.

I actually knew a lot of the things she was saying from other attempts at losing weight. As we all know there is no magic way to lose weight. It is all about eating less, eating good foods, and exercise more. I guess I am looking at this journey and the Lap Band as a way to help me make the changes that are hard for me to do on my own. I think that because it will restrict the stomach to a size of the walnut you have no choice but to make some initial changes and then the person has to do the rest for themselves.

Both the doctor and the nutritionist said that 1 in 5 people are still not successful even with the surgery at keeping the weight off. The only reason for this is human error, not a malfunction or a stretching stomach. It is physically impossible to stretch it and they have x-rays to back it up. The only way for a person to then gain it back is by eating high calorie foods all the time. Interesting!

Blogging my weight loss journey!

2009-01-13T18:06:00.004-05:00

Okay, here I am this summer (6/2008) at camp. I am not happy with pictures and the way I look. I avoid it at all cost. However, I am beginning a new journey by attempting Lap Band Surgery to help me loose weight. I have the support of my Doctor and I have begun the process to have the surgery done.

I found out a few weeks ago that my insurance will cover a large portion of the cost of the surgery. At one point, I was not sure that I would qualify, but the lights are green and systems are a go. I now have an appointment with the nutritionist this Thursday and it looks like I should be able to schedule the surgery in about 2 to 3 months.

I know this is a life changing event and I will need to make a personal commitment. The surgery does not just take the weight off and some people still loose weight intially but then can gain it back. I will have to change my eating habits permanately and may have to cut out some foods althogether. I drink diet soda daily and I may have to cut that out due to the carbonation. I will find out soon.

Even with all of this, I am excited. I am looking at it as a chance for help in making some serious life style changes. It will not be easy but well worth it. I want to be able to hike with my girls and not be winded early. I would like to ride my bike for a few miles and go swimming without being embarrassed. I want to shop in normal retail stores. I will probably never be real thin but my goal is at least a size 14.

So, my journey begins and I would like to write about my experience and let you know how I am doing. Here we go!!!

New ----

2009-01-13T17:54:00.002-05:00

Okay we had to break down and purchase a new washer and dryer. We were able to pay cash and that is important. In the past we would have run to Sears and charged the last, high tech model. We really can not complain because our old set lasted 14 years, but our dryer went out last week. We were using a washer that a friend gave to us when our washer broke. It was old and rocked around but got us through the last 6 months. I am glad to have the new set. It is a standard top-loader with just a few settings but our clothes are clean. The dryer takes less time then our older one, so everything is great.

I have also set up a new email address because my Road Runner account was set up on my laptop and that has not been working. I am able to get on my work computer, John's laptop, or the girls computer but I am not sure how to check the email. So, I have gone with yahoo and I will send the address out but be patient if you sent something to Road runner.

Holiday Break is Over!

2009-01-04T16:31:00.003-05:00

Happy New Year. We had a fantastic holiday break. We were all lazy for the most part but the girls love their new I-pods and the WII. Now we are back to school and off to a new year. Hopefully this year will be a great year.

Extreme Makeover Home Edition. Finally photos!

2008-12-19T17:01:00.011-05:00

Bring in the furniture on Sunday. It was lots of fun to watch. They take several shots and it is not as spontaneous as I thought. I also realized that the volunteers really do a lot of work to make the house come together. However, Homemaker Over has it down to a science and everything is organized.

Designers are preparing for the "Bring in the furniture" shot.

Ty took lots of time to sign autographs.

Here you see Ty in a White shirt. If you scroll down, those are the photos when we first noticed him. John is taking pictures like crazy but some how misses Ty changing his shirt. The girls and I were not happy with him.

Now we can see his face.

This is when we notice Ty in the green shirt.

One of the Designers from the show. Sorry, I can not remember his name.

The home in Geneva with lots of blue workers.

Finally some 2008 Camping Photos

2008-12-19T16:43:00.006-05:00

Brittany has to pose even when camping.

This is a pretty good photo of our campsite with lawn.

This is our campsite in the evening and John is relaxing with the dogs.

Carissa and Megan (family friend) posing for the pictures.

John, Buster, and Jasmine relaxing at camp.

Buster and Jasmine enjoying camping.

We had a good time this summer and we are making payments for our next season. We had a great time swimming, fishing, hiking, go to the drive-in movies, and playing games. We also enjoyed our camp fires with plenty of marshmellows. If anyone wants to go camping give us a call. We can put a tent on our site or they have campers to rent.

Grand Jury Duty

2008-12-19T16:26:00.003-05:00

I have finished serving on Grand Jury and I enjoyed the experience. We had a variety of cases and some were tough. I learned a lot about the legal system and that there are check systems in place. It is amazing to see how small mistakes can change the course of a person's life. When you are first called to serve, all I could think about is how inconvientant it would be. However, I think that we should think of it as our right and responsiblity. For me it was worth the time.

Christmas Shopping

2008-12-11T12:25:00.002-05:00

This last weekend, we went as a family to do some Christmas shopping. The girls are at the age that they love to go to the mall and we have limited time with John down in New York City. So, we met Haley and Terry at the food court for diner and the girls were going to go shopping by themselves. Well we did not know at the time that the girls went ahead but then turned around to follow us. They hid behind pillars and went into other stores when they thought that we saw them. They had a good laugh over this and I will have to say that I did not know that they were following us the whole time.

Anyway, we did make a big purchase. They kind of knew at that point what we were going to get them because of the cost, we are not going to have a whole bunch of other presents. It is a topic that has been discuss for the last few months, and with them getting older it is hard to hide things. So, they did see us in the Apple store.

The funny thing is that Brittany was very upset with John. She thought for sure he was trying to trick her. So, she accused him of asking the sales people for empty boxes. She thought for sure that he had changed his mind. She was really upset that night but since has let it go. So, I think that she has now found the gift and confirmed that we did make a purchase. I thought we had it in a good hiding spot but they are home for a few hours by themselves.

On a side note, John was hysterical this weekend. We went to deliver some oranges to Karen. When he pulled into her driveway, he tried to pull up the hill a little to back in. When he pulled up the hill it made a huge scrapping noise. So I said what are you doing? He replied "I did not know it was a hill." I started laughing because it is obvious and is steep. What I think he meant is that he thought he could drive up it, like he used to do with the truck.

Christmas!!!

2008-12-05T13:03:00.003-05:00

I love Christmas time!

I do not like the crazy shopping malls and stress of buying gifts. However, now that my girls are older and we have been sticking to a tight budget things are loads easier. The girls want one expensive gift, and then we will get a few more things for stocking stuffer and so on. We usually do not hit the mall until after the Christmas season. Oh and I am a teacher I can already see a rise in behavior between Halloween and Christmas. The children usually come back from the holiday break calmer and ready to work. I look forward to that too.

What I love is the spirit and friendly mood. I love getting together with friends and family. I also love going to my children's concerts. We are also going to try to go to my niece's chorus concert. At work, we are doing a secret Santa and we have to keep it under $20. We give small gifts the week before and then have a pot luck to reveal who we had. It is always fun to try to figure out who has you.

I love to have a white Christmas. This year we have already seen a lot of snow and cold weather. I think we are in for a long winter. I may end up regretting the white Christmas.

Long Overdue New Post

2008-11-30T15:48:00.003-05:00

I have not posted in ages. I have not particular reason, other than my laptop is broken and has still not been fixed. Our family has been busy. In October, we enjoyed visiting with Grandma and Grandpa Vastbinder as well as the rest of the East Coast Vastbinder Clan. We do not visit with each other nearly enough unless their is a holiday or another reason. Everyone is so busy with their families and commitments, it is hard to get together. Then in November, John went to a conference in Vegas and also had the opportunity to visit his family in Utah. He had a great time and it had been a few years since he had the chance to see his family. We are still hoping to get out west this summer.

Now, John is off to NYC for a job that is suppose to run anywhere from 2 to 8 weeks. He is very nervous about it because he will be in a hotel in New Jersey then commute into NYC for the job at Chase.

Brittany and Carissa are doing well in school. Carissa really likes her teacher this year and that helps a lot. Brittany is doing a great job in 9th grade and the fact that she is in High School still scares me. I guess it has made me realize that I will only have her for a few more years. She is a beautiful, young lady who will do great things but she grew up so quickly. Carissa's cheer leading is done for the year. I tried to talk her into to playing basketball but she did not want to. Brittany is on the Varsity Basketball Cheerleader. They have a new coach and she is not really happy with some of it but she is sticking with it. She has her first game this Tuesday.

No More Braces

2008-09-29T16:41:00.002-04:00

Brittany is so excited because she no longer has her braces. She has had them on for a little over 3 years. Her teeth look really good and she says that her teeth feel funny.

The day that she was scheduled to get the braces off the Dr. was funny. She walks out to the waiting area and tells Brittany that her arm hurts from playing tennis the night before. Brittany did not know what to say. Then the Dr. laughed and told she would try to take them off. After they were off the Dr. then had to borrow Brittany's sun-glasses to check her teeth. She was great with Brittany and we are glad to be over that milestone.

FYI: Everything else is going great. We are busy with school, work, and football. Brittany went to her Homecoming dance this weekend, which was tough on her Dad. He let her stay until 10 pm until she gets a little older. Carissa is loving the 5th grade. She really likes her teacher and is doing fantastic. She also has been enjoying the weather and enjoys jumping on the trampoline.

Life is good.

2008-09-21T16:56:00.003-04:00

Quick update: Carissa went to Haley's birthday and had a great time. The girls stayed up most of the night playing WII and having fun. In two weekends, we have Brenna's birthday party to go to. Fall is a busy time of year for family birthdays but it has been great to visit with family.

Brittany is enjoying Varsity Football Cheerleading. Carissa's team on the Jr. Lyons is full of drama. I think it is the pre-teen thing. However, she seems to be having a good time over all.

My class this year is great. I have some concerns but so far no one is physically violent. Thank goodness.

Brittany is 14

2008-09-08T16:17:00.002-04:00

I can not believe that my oldest child is 14 years old. We only have 4 more years with her and then she will be off to college and other adventures. She decided that she wanted money this year and then she wanted to go to the mall. She picked out some clothes, jewelry and I think had a good time. At first she told me that she did not want a cake but then decided she wanted an ice cream cake. She is a great girl and I love her very much.

We also had fun at Alexis's birthday. She had family and friends playing at Perkins Park. I can not believe she is 6 years old. Brenna did have a hard time with the fact that none of the presents were for her.

On a side note. I am feeling better. I still have a cough and I have a follow up appointment tomorrow but we are getting back into the school and cheerleading routines.

Labor Day Fun and more

2008-09-02T14:13:00.004-04:00

Brittany made it onto the Varsity Cheerleading Team, which she is really excited about. She has also been asked to help on an All-Star Cheerleading Team and they are taking a trip to Darein Lake at the end of the month. The only down side to all of this is that she will not be able to help coach the Jr. team. We had told them that she may have other commitments and I think it was hard for her to choose what to do. I guess it is hard to be wanted. (Ha Ha).

This weekend we went to camp for Labor Day and we invited family to come visit. Karen's kids love the swimming pool and Uncle Bob was the only brave adult to join them for their cold swim. Everyone had a good time and we talked about trying to get together more often but everyone is so busy. We at least made a few plans for Christmas.

Then lastly, I have had a busy week with work and family appointments, and in the mean time I started to not feel well. Finally when my family is stuck in a small camper with me they began to realize that I was not kidding. I kept them up all night with my coughing. I just was not feeling better no matter how much Tylenol Cold I took. So, after our picnic on Sunday we came home early. Then on Monday morning I called the Dr. office and they wanted to go to the emergency room. After about two hours, a breathing treatment, and an x-ray they told me I have pneumonia. So they took me out of work for 2 days. I can not believe that I have to miss the first day of school. But I am feeling better and breathing a lot easier.

Extreme Makeover Update

2008-08-24T20:17:00.002-04:00

It is really amazing how they can build a home in such a short period of time. The heart of the show is the many volunteers that work day and night to make it happen. We went over on Friday night to see the progress. They had so much going on at once. They had a crane bringing in the roof of the porch, while large trucks were bringing in dirt, and at the same time they had people siding the home and finishing up the roofing. Whomever orchestrates and coordinates the contractors, volunteers, donations, and so on is good at their job. The show makes things look so smooth and easy but much of the work is done by the local volunteers.

It is also interesting how they make things look like they are spontaneous and real-life but it is not. They do several takes with the designers and then edit it together to make it look seamless. Tonight after Carissa's football game we stopped by and they were getting ready to move in the furniture. So, we had the pleasure of seeing Ty and the designers. They did a couple of takes with the designers running out shouting for everyone to get ready to move in the furniture. John was taking lots of pictures but it could be a few days before I can post them.

The show can bring a community together. I only wish the feeling of volunteering and giving could continue on in many other areas.

Extreme Makeover Home Edition nearby!!!

2008-08-19T18:20:00.002-04:00

Yes, we love this show. Brittany says she would love to have Ty's job. She has been working on architecture art in one of her classes and found that she liked it. So, when we heard the show was coming to a town near us. John and Brittany got excited. The show did not announce the name of family and town until yesterday morning and after Cheer practice John and the girls took off to take a look.

Of course not much was happening so far. They are cleaning out the house and preparing it for demo. Anyway the family is looking forward to watching the progress of the house and plan to visit the location several times. John and Brittany would have volunteered but they already have enough volunteers for now. We will see.

Check out the link.

Where did the summer go?

2008-08-09T20:12:00.004-04:00

Where did the summer go? I am headed back to work on Monday. I know my husband is happy about this and I look forward to a new school year.

The girls and I have been watching out for some back to school sales. Just like any holiday, it seems like the back to school sales starts earlier and earlier. However, we have found some good sales. We found notebooks for 5 cents and crayons for 25 cents. Brittany can not wait to go clothes shopping and John promised we would start next weekend.

The girls and I spent this last week at camp. While John was at training in Virginia. We had fun riding bikes, swimming, and playing lots of games. One morning I could not get the girls to walk the dogs. So, off I went with the dogs for a walk and Jasmine started to pull me over to the horse shoe area. While I was waiting for her to do her business, I looked down and found a couple of dollars. I came back to the trailer and told the girls that it pays to walk the dogs. It was a little easier to talk Carissa into walking after that. I did really find the money but I should have thought of this sooner. The only time she did not care to walk them is at night because we could see the bats flying low over the trees.

While is was fun to be at camp, I am glad to be home with all of its space and comfort. Home Sweet Home.

Time for Cheerleading

2008-08-01T09:31:00.002-04:00

August is always a busy summer month and it signals a return to our school routines. It is that time of the year when my girls return to cheerleading. Brittany has been invited to try out for the High School Varsity Football cheerleading team and she seems excited about it. Carissa begins practice for the Jr. league tonight. Both teams take a lot of commitment but it is what they enjoy.

The girls are also getting excited about school. The stores are beginning to put out school supplies and have sales. Both of my girls like to plan out what they need, what they would like to get for school, and of course Brittany loves to shop.

I am also starting back to work on Aug. 11th this year, which will give me lots of time to might my families and set up my classroom. Carissa loves to come over while the school is empty and help me set things up. I appreciate her hard work because some of the furniture is hard to move by yourself. I could wait till my assistant comes back to work but I like to have the room in some order. Otherwise I find it hard to get things done.

Babysitting conversations

2008-07-16T11:03:00.002-04:00

Well the girls are still having a great time and getting along great. Yesterday was quite and we did not have a lot to do. So, we decided to take a walk. We went to get some slushies. While we were walking, the garbage man came around. Of course Brenna is fascinated and asks what he is doing. Haley and Carissa explain as the push her in the stroller. Then Haley says "That is a nasty job and I would not want to do it." Carissa agreed with her. Then Haley says "But I would do it if I got a hundred dollars a week. Would you?" Carissa replies that she would also.

I had to chuckle because a hundred dollars would not be enough for them in a few years. Kids.

Sunshine - Explanation

2008-07-15T09:28:00.003-04:00

I use Sunshine in my user name not because of my first name. Rather because of the context I use it with my children at school. I am careful about using names and harsh words with my students. However, there are times when they can really push my buttons and I do not want them to know that they have pushed my buttons. So, I will often use the name sunshine. My assistant thinks it is funny and now knows the true meaning behind the endearment. She likes to use PITA for Pain in the Ass, but that is too close and other adults could know what that means. I have asked her not to use it. It would be horrible if a parent were in the classroom and caught on to her acronym. Well in any case we do not walk around calling our students names but sometimes a person can get frustrated and you need a way to vent.

Anyway, it is not meant to hurt but it allow me to vent. It is amazing how many children at this young age do not want to be called anything other than their name. They are very literal thinkers and will remind me of their name. Many will say no I am not "sunshine" or "sweetheart", I am ________ and give me their name.

Family Fun

2008-07-14T16:51:00.002-04:00

Today we had a house full of girls and they seemed to have a great time. My girls are now babysitting Alexis and Brenna, then Haley came over to spend the night. They had a busy day playing at the park, going for a quick swim, visiting the library, and a quick nap. It was a lot of fun.

Brenna and Alexis both wanted something different for lunch, but they were happy with some grapes, noodles, and a few graham crackers. I am sure that they keep Karen hopping. I am also so proud of Brittany and Carissa. They are both so good with the girls. When I ask them to do chores it is a major production but two young girls come over and then boss them around.

Haley likes to play Game cube with Carissa and I. She loves the Shrek games because we can all play together. (And yes we still have the old technology of a game cube but it works.) We all laugh at our mistakes and tease each other. Good times. We had such a good day that Haley convinced her mom to pick her and Carissa up for her baseball game then bring her back. Teri tried to explain to them about the price of gas and both the girls offered to pay the gas money. So, we are going to do it all over again tomorrow. Let's hope the fun continues.

This is not an ad.

2008-07-10T09:50:00.002-04:00

If you have dry feet and can not afford a pedicure then check out the Ped Egg. It is easy and works. It is also fascinating to see the dry skin that comes off. I do have to work on my feet for a while but they feel better after. During the summer, when I do not wear shoes as aften or socks my feet really get dried out.

My girls even like to try it and John did too, but he does not like the sound of it scraping your feet. I am going to get one for my sister, Karen.

MOLLY CAME HOME.

2008-07-07T19:58:00.002-04:00

Molly came home tonight. Carissa was outside jumping on the trampoline and Molly showed up on the deck. She meowed a few times and was eager for some attention but she is fine. I am not sure where she was. She is clean and seems healthy. She is not real interested in eating or drinking. I guess none of that matters. We are just glad to have her home and now we get to take down the flyers. YEAH!

Molly is Missing.

2008-07-07T13:13:00.002-04:00

Molly is missing and Carissa is devastated. We came home from vacation and she was no where to be found. We came home on Saturday and have not seen her. The cats have been going outside with the dogs. It is impossible to keep them in the house with the door opening and shutting to get the dogs out to the bathroom. Usually the cats lay on the deck and come running back in with the dogs. So, we left on Tuesday for vacation and Brittany was sure both cats were inside. We did try to look but cats are very stubborn and do not always come when they are called. So, off we went to camp and we have not seen her since.

Today, Carissa and I went to the Humane Society and we made posters to hang up around town. Carissa and Brittany also made a text message to send out to their friends. Both of them together text all the time and sent out the message to a lot of friends.

Anyway we have not heard anything and Carissa is a sad little girl. This is her first time loosing a pet and things are not looking good. She is hopping the flyers might lead to something. Molly was a great cat that kept to herself, used the cat litter, and we have had her since she was a kitten along with her sister.

Vacation

2008-07-06T20:34:00.002-04:00

Well the whole family had a fun and relaxing vacation. We did not do much other than go to the pool, play some games, and enjoying our campfires. I enjoyed the fireworks at the local park in Auburn. I also found out that John thinks they are all the same and is not a big fan. He did go because the girls and I wanted to go. We also went to the drive-in theatre on Saturday and watched a triple feature. The Hulk was pretty good, but I was disappointed with Wall-E and then Strangers was well strange. We enjoyed a beautiful evening by sitting in the bed of the truck in our chairs sharing pizza.

My sister, Karen and her girls came to visit on Friday. The girls had a good time in the pool because they could touch in the 3 foot end. They also seemed to enjoy the playground and we had a good time visiting with her. John invited her to spend the night with the girls. She did not do it this time but we are hoping to talk her in to it in the future. We have a few pictures that I will update soon. I have to downlaod them to the computer.

The cranky campers did not appear again during the week which was a blessing. We tried to keep to ourselves or others who were friendly and that seemed to work. We did put the dogs in the camper with the windows closed, air conditioner on, and even the radio. This seemed to help. However, plan B is in the works. We did find out that the one gentlemen is a retired Marine and this helped to explain his personality a little but the rest of the week went great.

Cranky Campers!!!!

2008-07-01T09:10:00.003-04:00

We have had an uncomfortable weekend at camp and I am open to any suggestions on how to deal with our neighbors.

One of the first weekends, we stayed at camp we were reminded by several people that we needed to be careful about the 5 miles an hour driving rule. Okay we agree that their are a lot of children wandering around and we need to be careful. However, I do not think that our truck even idles that low. We have to ride our brake when we are on the grounds. So, sometimes you may not be watching but believe me they are and will even follow your car to remind you. We have had this happen to our friends a few times. We joked and laughed the first few times.

Then this weekend things became more strained. We decided to go swimming Saturday evening and we were only at the pool for about 10 minutes, when the owner shows up. He asks who has been jumping in the pool and doing flips. A young mom with 3 little boys admits that her boys have been jumping in. He then proceeds to yell at her and says that there are signs posted as well as the fact that she signed an agreement. This lady had just arrived at the campground for a week and was not accustomed to the rules. Instead of giving her a warning or simply talking to her, he yelled at her in front of many people. He could have handled the situation many different ways and it was uncomfortable for everyone.

Finally, yesterday we went swimming as a family. When we go anywhere we put our 2 dogs in the camper while we are gone. We have a small Lhasa Apso who can be mouthy when we are not around. I guess she barked the whole time we were gone. We had left the windows open. So anyway our neighbor greets us and tells us that we need to muzzle her or take her with us. I was not happy. We were only gone a little over an hour. She was inside the camper, so while you could here her but she was not any different than the tons of other dogs in the campground. The neighbor also has a small dog that barks whenever someone walks by their camper. I was really upset because Jasmine is my dog and she does fine when we are with her. We are not at the campground all the time and do not often leave them alone in the camper. I think he could show a little understanding and tolerance.

At this point, we are not sure what to do. I at first told John and my girls that we should do as they ask and try to kill them with kindness. Any campground we go to will have a set of rules that we need to follow. But come on - relax already. Camping is suppose to be fun.

Yeah - SUMMER

2008-06-25T09:58:00.002-04:00

Well, Brittany has finished for the summer and today is Carissa's last day. It is her moving up day and she was so excited to find out who her new teacher will be for next year that she did not sleep well. She has a half day and is going to call me with the news when she is done.

It is my last day with the kids and then I have a day to clean up. It is always easier to clean up the room than it is to set it up in the fall. This year my room is going to be painted. Yeah.

My family and I are looking forward to spending the next week at camp. We will be there for the 4th of July and the weather looks great. John has not had a vacation for over a year and he is looking forward to the time off. We are going to be lazy by sleeping late, swimming and enjoying a few campfires. The water in the camp pool was only 68 degrees this last weekend. John and I did not get in but that did not stop our girls from enjoying the large pool. I am hoping the water will be warmer this week. However, at night it has been getting cool and we have had a little rain almost every day. The rain is what we need for some grass seed we planted on a bare spot at camp but not to warm up the pool.

Ok - Last night I laughed at the stupidest shows but it was funny. Carissa had the TV on and this new show called WipeOut came on. I was set to go read but stayed for a few minutes and got hooked. They had these 4 large, red bouncy balls that the contestants were suppose to jump across. No one was able to do it. They all fell in the water and it was hysterical. It never got old. It was so stupid but funny. Check it out.

Update on Balloon Festival

2008-06-17T17:00:00.005-04:00

We had a great time on Saturday at the Balloon Festival. We had great weather, good music, and the balloons were able to launch. I am attaching only a few photos here. Be sure to check out my Facebook page. I added a couple of pictures that are funny. Carissa and I had a good time posting and attaching comments. Especially since John would not add pictures of himself to his page. In the above photo, John and I are trying to be "sick" (which means cool, I am told).

Balloon Festival, John's Birthday, and Father's Day

2008-06-13T18:17:00.002-04:00

We have a busy weekend coming up. This weekend happens to be John's Birthday, Father's Day and one of our favorite balloon festivals. Tomorrow Brittany has to play at a concert for band, then we are going to go to Syracuse for a music and balloon festival. We have gone the last few years and enjoyed ourselves. Brittany has been looking forward to it for a while now. The cost is only $5 a person and we are going to pack a lunch this year. The bands range from local bands to some well known acts, and if the weather is good then the balloons will launch in the evening. Hot air balloons are a beautiful site to see.

I am also am looking forward to only a week and a half of school. I hate to say it but this year I am counting down the days.

Hot, Hot, Hot

2008-06-05T14:29:00.002-04:00

It is hot and muggy here. My girls can not wait to get to camp this weekend. They are hoping that they have finally opened the pool. They originally said that they would open it over Memorial Day but they still had not opened it last weekend. The drive-in movie theater is also open and we are considering going this weekend. We will see.

Last night the girls and I had a good time looking through our old photos. I posted a few on Face book. They especially enjoyed the photos of when they were a baby and our animals were babies. It is fun to reminisce.

The girls are also looking forward to the Sryacuse Balloon Festival. We have gone the last few years. The weather is not always good for the balloons but the bands that are scheduled play regardless. Last year, we had a good time with Grandma and Grandpa, but this year we are going to pack a dinner and drinks. Anyone interested in going with us just give me a call. Brittany is trying to talk some of her friends into getting their parents to take them. It is a good time for a low cost.

I HATE INTERVIWING FOR A NEW JOB

2008-06-03T16:55:00.002-04:00

I had an interview this afternoon for an English Teaching Position at Lyons High School. I think that it went well but I have felt that way before. I am not sure why I have not been able to land a job so far. I am considering subbing. I strongly feel it will add to my resume and give me the experience I needed to get a permanent position. So, in the fall I am going to try to make this happen.

Interviewing is an emotional roller coaster. I get so excited about interviewing and the possibility of a new job. Then I get nervous and worried. I want the job and I want to impress the interviewers. I know that I get nervous and do not always articulate or sell myself as best I would like to. Finally after it is all over, I am relieved it is over but the anticipation of whether I will be called back kills me.

Teaching has really become a competitive career for some states. Where I live things are tough. They interviewed 6 people for the one position. Those really are not good odds.

Well either way, I hope I am learning something and can do better at the next one. If I am ever in the position or on a committee to hire someone, I am going to be sure to be empathetic to their position and feelings.

Happy Birthday, Carissa

2008-05-30T17:23:00.002-04:00

Happy Birthday, Carissa. I can not believe that she is 10 years old. She told me, "I am a double digit number now, so you do not need to wrap my presents. You can just give them to me right now." I told her that it was a nice try.

She is a lovely, young lady that is mature beyond her years. I often forget that she is years younger than Brittany. She is good with words and loves to debate topics. She also is a sensitive child who loves animals.

It was easy to buy her presents this year. She made a nice list and for her birthday cake she wanted strawberry shortcake. Carissa also requested that we go to the mall with Haley and then spend the night at our campsite. Carissa received some birthday money from both Grandparents and she is always eager to spend her money. She is also hoping that the pool will be open at camp and she is negotiating a time when we will come home on Sunday. I think that topic is still up for debate.

Memorial Day

2008-05-26T20:38:00.003-04:00

We had a great Memorial Day. We were not able to go camping with our friends at the State Park because it is a 2 and 1/2 hour drive. Our budget and gas prices just did not allow it this year. Several others had to back out as well.

However, we had a great weekend at Hejamada. We started off the weekend by going shopping for bathing suits and with young teens that is no easy project. We did find some nice looking but modest suits and all were happy, except Dad who fell asleep on the mall bench after a 2 hour wait. The girls also had fun picking up a few summer outfits at Steve & Barry's (Brittany's new favorite store).

Everyone in our family is making new friends and meeting new people. The girls are making friends with girls and boys, which is hard to admit that my little girls are growing up.

It is also going to be an interesting summer because everyone lives so close to you at camp and often know what you are doing most of the time. For example, our beagle got upset with us because we went for a walk without him. So, he decide to tear the screen on the door of the camper. John did a great job of getting new screen and repairing it but I was surprised by how many people commented on the incident.

The School Year is Coming to an End!

2008-05-22T17:54:00.003-04:00

I have to say that this year I am extremely glad that the end of the school year is almost here. I have a difficult class this year. Today, we had a field trip to visit the Kindergarten Classrooms and also have lunch in the cafeteria. The kids were wild and off the wall. I have to say that my stress level went through the roof. However, overall the children did well when it came right down to it. I have high expectations for my children and the group this year is like none other that I have had. I have several children with major problems. They have social, emotional, and learning problems that can really hinder their ability to control their impulses and self-regulating skills.

I have learned a lot from them. One of the things that I learned was that high levels of lead could have something to do with it. It is a major problem in this area with older homes and then the recent discovering of lead in many toys. I have also read a lot of information about brain research and their ability to help determine the way a brain thinks.

Anyway, I know I am rambling but I am glad I have a 4 day weekend. I also understand why teachers have a long summer break. They really do need to mentally rejuvenate, so that they do not get burned out. And with saying all that, it still touches me when one child invites me to go camping with her, another wants me to take her to the zoo, or another little boy just wants me to come to his house with PB&J sandwiches.

Update:

2008-05-09T13:26:00.003-04:00

Okay, so we finally had the squirrel move on. Hopefully he is doing okay but he has not been in our garden for a few days.

The other update is that we are excited to go to our camp site this weekend. We did go last weekend and had a good time. We played badminton and lost the birdie in the tree. The girls threw the football in the tree a few times but could not really see where to throw. This is because the birdie is a green-yellow color. They finally decide to move the picnic table over to the tree to stand on it and look around, (and the picnic table is heavy). Then I see the birdie on the ground behind my oldest.

My youngest also got a kick out of my oldest last weekend because we got a schedule of events from the campground when we checked in and on the schedule it listed a band or DJ every Saturday. My oldest asks who the DJ is and John answers "DJ Daddy John ." Brittany responses with "Oh man is he an old guy." Carissa and I laughed and answered "yes." Then John says "Hey I am not old." Brittany finally got it and we all laughed about the joke the whole weekend.

We are going to go again tomorrow to do some more clean up. We also think that are friends may decide to get a seasonal site. The cost of gas and admission into campgrounds up, so they went to look at some sites on Wednesday.

My girls and their love of animals!

2008-05-04T19:36:00.003-04:00

Last Monday afternoon, my girls and a couple of neighborhood children found a baby squirrel. They brought it back to our house and they had to feed it. I told them it was a wild animal and to leave it alone. The mother was probably looking for it. Well they were worried, so they gave it some carrots and set up a build-a-bear box to keep it warm. Which I found out was still there the next morning.

So, I thought for sure the thing would be gone by morning anyway. Much to my surprise it was still in the box even after school. So the children gave it more food and water. At this point, I thought my husband would have a fit that a box with a baby squirrel was living in our front flower bed. He only in passing asked what the box was for and was to preoccupied to comment more on it.

Needless to say, we went camping this weekend and came home. My husband finally took more notice of the box. I again thought for sure since we had been gone since Friday night and it is now Sunday night that the animal would be gone. It wasn't. Then my husband instead of getting upset that my girls are caring for a wild animal - wanted to bring the squirrel into our house with 2 dogs and 2 cats. I flat out refused but he is concerned with it dying. So, he and the girls changed the wet bedding, put in a hot water bottle to keep it warm, and fed it more carrots and other food.

I am actually hoping to attach some pictures. It is really funny that they are caring for this animal. I am worried that they are domesticating this animal and I do not want a pet squirrel. KIDS and husbands!!

Taking things for granted.

2008-04-28T17:31:00.003-04:00

Oh man our washing machine belt broke and we do not have a washer right now. I am going to have to go to a Laundromat for a few weeks. I really depended on the convenience of having a washing machine and now I have to take the time to take our laundry out. I take lots of things for granted until they are not there.

John is taking the bus!

2008-04-25T10:47:00.002-04:00

John decided to start taking the bus to work since we live about 50 miles from where he works. In the past, his commute was costing us between $60 and $80 in gas a week, and 6 dollars a day in parking. Now he is riding the bus for $2.50 a day. He does have about a half hour more in travel time, but it is actually working out really nicely. Now that he has done it for a few days, I think he is enjoying it or at least happy with the money we are saving. I am proud of him. I know that he was not totally comfortable with this decision. He is giving up convenience and time to save money. However, it does make a lot of sense. The bus stops only about 4 blocks from our home and only one block from his work.

I have also been walking to work which is really close and then I come home for lunch. We have really been making a lot of life changes to try and save money. The walking is doing us a lot of good too. We are now considering selling our truck for now.

Camping this Summer.

2008-04-17T16:31:00.003-04:00

Well, we put down a deposit on a seasonal site at Hejamada Campground. My oldest daughter is really excited and she helped me to clean the camper out this week. We took out all of the sheets and bedding to wash. We also made a list of supplies that we need. She even promised to help do the dishes more, so that we are not wasting money with paper products. Our family is trying to cut down and save money in a few different ways.
Actually, take this seasonal site is one of the ways that we hope to be able to do some fun things this summer but still save some money. Last year, we spent over $600 to camp for just a few weekends. So this year we are paying for the season and we can decide when to join in the activities or just get away. I actually believe this will help us and take the stress out of planning when to go, where to go, and all of the time driving and set up a site.
Another way we are talking about saving is getting a car instead of our truck. Gas prices are killing us. I have been walking to work and so even with the truck I have only been spending about $30 in gas a week. However, the truck payment is also costing us more than a car payment. This summer we will need to decide for sure what we are going to do.

I did it.

2008-04-16T10:25:00.000-04:00

Okay, I have been reading a few blog written by family and friends. So, I decided that it was time to give it a try since we have family living all over the country. I am actually surprised at how easy it has been so far. Now I am going to try to personalize things.