Waiting for dinner

Being a good mother and wife is really a full-time job.  I have folded 5 loads of laundry this week so far.  Washed dishes twice and cooked 2 large meals.  Helped Zach with at least 2 hours of homework.  And its only Tuesday!  The rest of the week I have baseball practice, basketball practice, baseball lesson, pinewood derby, basketball game and this all on top of the normal duties.  Plus my full-time job educating the leaders of the future.  I am exhausted just typing this.  Currently I am waiting on dinner......I thought the directions said 20-30 mins......I didn't keep reading to see that it meant per pound and the pork roast is almost 4 pounds!!!  Well the timer just went off so maybe we can eat before 8pm! 

Long Time Coming

So its been awhile since I have blogged last but I got motivated and decided to revamp and renew my page.  Its the middle of the school year and I am busy as ever.  Basketball season is in full swing and Zach is doing an awesome job on defense.  Baseball season is just beginning and we have been trying out for select teams here in Beaumont.  He has one offer on the table and another try-out Wednesday.  Its like getting him into college.  I love my new life though!  My husband is awesome....well as awesome as men can be ;)  He is my best friend and true love!  I look forward to blogging more in the future. 

Baseball and Swimming Pools

As I sit here at my computer with my cup of coffee at 11:38 am on a Tuesday.... really appreciate my job. All year long you endure the drama and craziness of teenage chaos that is high school. But in all actuality I only work about 186 days a year (that is what my contract says anyway) and don't get me wrong I still think teachers are horribly underpaid; but summer break makes it all worth it to me. I could never stay home 100% of the time..I personally would go crazy but this is just about the right amount of time off to refresh my soul. This summer of course I start teaching summer school in 2 weeks but with Zach practicing four days a week during All-Star season I might as well be making some money if I am stuck in town. All-Stars and summer school end in the middle of July and that still gives me about a month before I have to report to Hamshire-Fannett. (August 18) Summer school only goes 730 am to 1230 pm so I still have half a day to relax. We still have plenty of time for the beach, water parks, movies, picnics, and the park. And for me there is plenty of time to read my books and spend time with my sweetie, Sean. After three months though, Zach and I have worn on each others nerves enough and we are ready for school to start. By the time Thanksgivings rolls around we will be ready for some time together again. :) This summer I am making Zach do daily work in some workbooks I bought and the first day was a fight but he will get used to it. I don't want him to forget everything he learned and have a hard time starting 3rd grade like we did last year. I don't think 15-30 mins a day on the weekdays is going to hurt him. I am doing some moving between Vidor and Hamshire this week so I still have to go by the schools. Today I am going to Vidor to pick up a few things out of my room. Tomorrow I will take some things to HF since I don't have to go to Vidor for ball practice. Nothing to productive though:) Now I am off to finish my coffee and relax and read my book.

Zach and his 3 good friends on the All-Star team this summer. GOOD TIMES!

Summer Goals

Now that school is officially out.....I have set some goals for this summer.
1. Lose 20 pounds.....which I have done before and will do again.
2. Spend more quality time with my son....school gets me all stressed.
3. Get financially comfortable.....because at the moment any variation from the budget gives me ulcer because the money just isn't there.

Thats pretty much it and number 2 is a priority. He will have swimming lessons and All-Star practice but we are going to have more picnics and spend more time at the pool or reading or going to B&N together. I even want to hit the beach a few times just he and I.

And in case you didn't know.....Zach made the 2nd team for All-Stars! He officially finds out tomorrow and I will post some pictures for you of my smiling baby with his trophy. He worked super hard this year to accomplish this his first year in coach pitch.

Now I am off to get some well deserved rest!

Mothers of Boys

I put up a while back that I was going to reading some books on raising boys. I started reading "Your Boy" and I could not put it down. It talks about raising a godly son in an ungodly world and it is AWESOME. She makes you feel okay about that the fact that you are not "supermom" and has great stories and advice on raising your son in a "real" man. It also gives you insight onto what kind of mother you are and what you can do to change how you parent to better benefit your son. She also writes a book called "Your Girl" and I bet it is just as wonderful so good news for mothers with girls. I HIGHLY recommend this book! I read it in two days and even read some to Sean (poor thing). I am keeping it forever as a reference so you will have to buy your own copies but I think it should be required reading material for all mothers with sons.

The Zoo and Summer Learning

Zach went to the zoo with my class and I on Tuesday and we really had a great time. I love going to the zoo with my son. Good times together.

This evening we went to B&N and I found Zach's summer learning curriculum. I believe I did my research and found what I believe to be the best books for his continued education. This last year we didn't do anything during the summer and he struggled at the start of the school year. This next year I am not going to let that happen. Here is his regiment.......30 mins a day.

The first book is a "bridge" book which takes him from 2nd grade to 3rd grade. It has some fabulous activities for every area. The second book is a complete review of 2nd grade math which we struggled with so we are going to stay on top of that. The 2rd book of course is for fun. I am a science freak so I intend on instilling some of that in my son. We are going to have an exciting summer of learning and be super prepared for 3rd grade. His teacher will be so impressed with how prepared he will be and he will feel good about himself also. Next year he will enjoy school more hopefully.

Laying Friends to Rest

Today we laid Rhonda to rest. She is no longer suffering or in pain but she will still be missed greatly. There is a void in each of our lives that she used to fill. As I looked at Colton and Kaitlyn my heart broke and it made me think; what am I doing to take care of myself. We take for granted that we are healthy but that could all change tomorrow. Being a single mom, I dread the thought of leaving Zach here on Earth without a parent. He has family but he only has me as a parent and he relies so heavily on me. I have decided to make a better effect to eat healthier and get the right vitamins, antioxidants, etc. Also, making sure I go for my check ups once a year and doing my own exams. Sometimes you can't fight destiny but I am not going to let anything sneaks up on me.

Another thing I learned from Rhonda; her positive attitude. No matter what life was handing her, she was always smiling, always hopeful. She never let you in on how bad it was or if things were going badly. If she can find hope in her situation then what on Earth do I have to complain about.

This is the second mother of one of my son's friends that has passed away in the past year. It makes me think, worry really. So many babies who will grow up without mothers. I can't imagine doing that to my son but sometimes you can't control it. I am going to love and enjoy my son everyday we have each other.

On a lighter note, 8 more days of school! Zach and I are going to the Zoo tomorrow on a field trip with my environmental club. It is going to be a nice change. I will post pictures soon.

Rest in Peace Rhonda Trahan

The earth lost a beautiful soul today. Rhonda was a good friend and the mother to 2 dear children one who played baseball with my son for 2 years then All-Stars this summer. Colton and Zach have been good friends for 3 years. Rhonda had been battling cancer ever since I have known her and this morning at 130 am her body finally succumb to the disease. God Bless her family. Her husband is now left to raise Colton (7 y.o.) and Katelyn (4 y.o.) by himself. Colton, Rhonda, Zach, and Katelyn at Zach's last birthday

Being the Bad Guy and Raising Boys on Your Own

Today was just not a good day for us. As everyone knows, I am a single mother of an adorable little man but boys will be boys and today mine acted out. At recess he and another kid got into a verbal argument over the silliest thing in the world but to 2nd graders it probably isn't silly. Of course, that verbal argument became physical and they ended up wrestling around. No one was hurt but both boys were sent to ISS. Now although Zach didn't not start the physical fight he did start the verbal one and then made a bad choice to push back. I was beside myself and went to talk to the counselor about his "aggression". I panic when I think that Zach might go up to be a thug and that I will fail as a parent. Its the stress of being a single mom to a boy I guess. No immediate male role model and I don't make the best disciplinarian but I try and fighting is NEVER allowed. After talking to the counselor and the principal and the teacher then Zach; I feel better about the situation but Zach was still grounded this evening. They assured me he was not a discipline problem and they did not think he had angry issues. It was a silly argument that got out of hand. None the less, things are going to be different around here and I need to do some changing too. I have added two new books to my summer reading regiment. And lots of pray for strength and guidance.

Please be in prayer for Zach and I. I want nothing more than to raise a wonderful Christian child but I am imperfect and only human.

Love of Learning "Open books, open minds"

My Mother's Day was lovely. Zachary gave me a Willow Tree figurine called Love of Learning; which is appropriate because I am constantly reading something new: fiction or nonfiction. I find that if I read I can block out all the stress and worry in my life. My stress relief these days has become reading. You can get lost in a book and visit distance lands and exotic locations. You can learn things about yourself that you never realized. I love nonfiction also; my favorite learning topics are diseases, weather, and environmental/nature subjects. I have read about everything from the Ebola outbreak in the Sudan to camping in the Redwoods to Great White Shark research off the coast of San Fransisco. And I do believe I have read every book published about hurricanes. The way weather works and can bring life and take it away so fast fascinates me. I have seriously thought about getting my masters in something weather related. I have even thought about flying through a hurricane but Sean said that was a definite no......men are no fun!

I just hope that Zachary inherits my passion for books. I am starting him off early on reading.

Watching Indiana Jones

So today wasn't a total waste, as I sit here watching the Temple of Doom. Ended up meeting my family at the mall today and we had some good times....as the pictures show.

Now I am waiting for Sean and he and Zach are taking me to Outback for an early Mother's Day dinner. No one has ever taken me out for Mother's Day so I am excited.

New Hair and Disappointing Saturdays

Had a hair appointment this morning and I LOVE my new hair. Will get pictures up ASAP. However, this Saturday is such a bummer. I wanted to go to the beach but Sean just wants to sit around and enjoy his weekend off by doing nothing. I, however, do that every weekend and want to get away but haven't been able to because he was working a turn-around. Frustration! I want to be supportive but I am a little spoiled being able to do whatever I want and now I have to take Sean into account and the fact that he works all the time. I suppose I am being selfish but it is still going to take me time to get used to this schedule of his. The only saving grace this Satuday is that the Indiana Jones movies are coming on today. So I will just sit home and watch them. Then tomorrow is Mother's Day and Zach (and Nana) got me something and I promised I wouldn't peek so it sits on my entertainment center waiting for tomorrow. Plus we are going out with Sean's family for dinner (in honors of Mother's Day) so that will be nice.

Off I go now to meet my family at the mall. Satrudays are suppose to be relaxing but they never are. Summer break will be here soon enough!

Trying something more grown up

Well this is my first entry on this blog site. I do MySpace but am looking for something a little more grown up that my family and friends can view and keep track of my son and I. I am of course a single mother of a wonderful little boy, Zach. Light of my Life!

We are the middle of baseball season and finishing up the school. I teach science at Vidor High School and sponsor the environmental club. Only till the end of the month though and then I will start a new job at Hamshire-Fannett High School which I am very excited about. My two passions in life are baseball and saving the world. I am not a hippie and not really a treehugger but I think we should protect and take care of the Earth God gave us. We only have one. I buy organic food for my son and I because I think the less chemicals we ingest, the better off we will be in the long run. Can't help where we live but I can help what we eat and what we bring in our house. I have taught my son to recycle and not waste.And then there is Sean. The other light of my life. We have been together for almost a year now and other than being MALE I don't have much to complain about. He is a great guy who loves me and my son.

Tonight I suppose I will head to bed. Tomorrow is Friday and although the end of the week; a busy day at VHS. Remember its Teacher Appreciation Week! So you better appreciate you teachers!