I'm on my way!

Yup, yesterday I went down to Butler County Community College and got signed up for my A and P Massage course. I also talked to the person who will be my instructor for the rest of the classes...non Butler courses. I'll be taking classes each Monday and Thursday evening this next semester...but at least I'm getting started! Yippee! We're making progress!

As per Heidi's request....

My dear sister Heidi left a comment this morning saying that she is waiting for my next blog, and that something exciting has to have happened in my life.

Well...to tell you the truth, not much is happening in my life.

This last weekend was spent with my parents in Hesston. Thursday the rest of the Buller gang joined us and we had turkey with all of the fixings. In the afternoon, Becca and her new boyfriend Micah, joined Patrick and me for a walk to the Arboretum and back. Mom left right after dinner for the NE surprise visit.

Friday Dad went to work, and I spent my day working on staining the window trim. I also took a nap. What can I say, I lead an exciting life!

Saturday, Dad was home and he calked the house while I finished up sealing the woodwork. I also tried to tidy up the house a little bit so that Mom wouldn't be so upset when she came home! Saturday night the Buller clan convened at the Donley's house to celebrate Patrick's birthday, and just to have another excuse to be together. The cousins spent the night, the boys watching the games, and the girls starting Carmen's Christmas shopping.

Sunday I headed back to Hesston and straight to bed. I spent the entire rest of the day in bed, not able to move because I was so sick. I finally was able to get up at 4:00 and start gathering up my stuff to go home to Marion. I went back to bed again after putting some laundry in, and trying to pick up a little bit.

Mondays I usually have yoga class in the evening, but due to the Thanksgiving holiday, I believe that we are taking a break until next week. Instead, I think that I'll head out to Julie and Quinn's to see the Christmas decorations and to sit in their hot tub. I also need to get my house vaccuumed and some grocery shopping done so that Pickerings and Mom and Dad can come for supper tomorrow night. We plan on spending the evening going over possible travel routes, and expectations for the trip. Any evening spent with Pickerings is enjoyable!

It's Heidi's 25th Birthday, We Wish You Many More

Today is my little sister's 25th birthday. It is hard for me to not be able to spend time with her and celebrate on this day. I know that it is even harder on her though, so I'll try not to whine. It can be hard living away from your family and friends, but it is even harder on the special family days that are celebrated.

Heidi, you are my little sister. Your friendship is precious to me. I have so many good memories of us together...
Do you remember:
...me pouring all of my toys over you as you sat defenseless in the beanbag?
...walking to the school bus in Lehigh?
...watching the sunflowers grow in petri dishes?
...playing in the playhouse on the farm, fighting off the invaders and cooking dinner at the same time?
...playing with Grandma B's kittens before dad took them?
...playing horse on roller skates with a jump rope tied around your waist?
...Rapunzel, Rapunzel, let down your goooolden haair! Weren't you a dashing prince?
...playing softball with mom and dad?
...Tuesday night piano lessons and fish night?
...playing tennis on warm summer evenings?
...slumber parties in the gray playhouse?
...locking me out of the house when you were mad at me? :)
...playing kick the can with the neighbor kids, and waiting for the front porch light to flash 3 times?
...troll pictures?
...Ciao Bella...Bill...Ashcroft...Bela...Bell...Belly? what were the other names?
...going to the "The Magic Flute?"
...choir tours?
...Prieb burgers?
...symposium?
...spa day?
...wining and dining at Carmen/B-ryans, my house, your house?
...pulling Mange's tail (oops, I meant Manje)?
...WINFIELD!

Heidi, Happy Birthday! You are very special to me, and I miss you terribly! I love you!

Looking forward to the end of the week

Yup, it's only Tuesday, and I'm already looking forward to the end of this week and the beginning of next. I might even say that I'm looking forward to Monday, which will really tell you how my week is going!

I should say that I had an excellent weekend, spending time with my cousin Carmen, her new son Adam, and our friend Whitney. Whitney makes a mean blueberry martini, and we had lots of fun searching the internet for possible gift items! :)

This week at school we have Children's Book week. Each day the kids are able to dress in a different way, much like a high school's spirit week. Yesterday was sweats day, today is hat day, tomorrow is PJ day, Thursday Crazy Color day, and Friday is fish day (school shirts). I'm just excited that I can be wearing comfortable clothes for most of the week!

Last night was my one "off" evening before the week really gets started. I relaxed by going to yoga and trying to get some of my house cleaned up. This week is Symphony concert week, so I'm going to be burning a lot of gas between Marion and Wichita this week. Tonight, Thursday, and Friday are rehearsals with the orchestra and conductor. Sat. and Sun. are concerts. This last week is what we wait for all season, but it is a lot of work right at the end! It makes such a difference with having the concert conductor! Much more enjoyable!

Wednesday I won't be driving to Wichita, but my voice won't have much of a chance to recover. I have Vespers practice in the evening to prepare for the Presbytarian church's December Vespers practice. Since I've missed several rehearsals already, I feel that I need to be there. My Sunday night my voice is going to be trashed!

To add to my stress this week, I'm having some problems with one of the individuals who works for me. I'm going to have to talk with her today about what is going on, and set some goals and a timeline for improvement. I hate this part of my job! I don't like being the "mean" boss. :(

Great news!

I have two items that have brought excitement to my life lately...as you can see after reading the next two items, I don't really lead an exciting life if these bring me so much joy! :)

So...as many of you know, I've been waiting to get my raise until all 5 districts in Marion County had settled within their district. The last one that we have been waiting for, finally settled this week, so it will be exciting (at least for me) to see whether our wait has been worth it.

The second item is that I think I have figured out a way to get my massage therapy classes started! Starting in January, it will involve driving at least one night per week to Andover, and many more hours being tutored here in Marion, but I think it will actually happen now! This turn of events helps me to plan at least a little bit more of my life for the next year or two. Yippee! I'll have about 500 hours of "practice" time that will need to be completed, so I'll be looking for willing volunteers! Let me know if you are interested!

Busy, busy

So as the title of this post said, I've been busy, busy. I've been wanting to post over several things, but my evenings have been pretty full lately, and I haven't had a chance to sit down and actually do it.















This last weekend, Mom, Dad and I headed to the farm in NE. I had a comp. day on Friday since we had parent/teacher conferences every evening the week before. It was good to see the people on the farm, and enjoy the warm weather they were having. Grandpa just turned 80, so we had a mini celebration while we were there. Heidi and Tim had sent along a photo gift for him, which he loved. Heidi, Tim and I also gave him a book. I'll have to add a clip from the Swedish folk tales book, since Grandpa enjoyed reading it to us and laughing at it. Dad, Mom and I enjoyed being able to walk around the section and down to the river, and seeing the fall colors and the occasional green snake! :) It was a very good weekend, and I hated to see it end.


















Monday was a full day of school, and then yoga in the evening.








Tuesday was Halloween and a nightmare day at school. Teachers seriously think about quitting their jobs on party days. What with the sugar rush, and rooms full of parents who think that their child is "so cute" during the un-controlled parent-planned parties, its enough to make you have a headache! To top that off, it's Halloween and so everyone goes out for even more candy and wild fun! Afterschool, I headed downtown for the city-sponsored "trick or treating" with Denise's kids. It was good to see the business owners, and fun to see all of the costumes. I spent the evening at home, handing out candy to about 25 kids. It was a pretty quiet night, except for my pumpkin getting stolen! There were many pumpkins stolen that night, and they were smashed all along Main Street. The kids also TP'd all of the park downtown. I'm just glad that all I had was a pumpkin to steal, and that there aren't any trees on my property!
























Wednesday was a pretty good day. The day after Halloween is always a pretty bad day, with kids coming down from their sugar high and the excitement of the night before. My kids did pretty well getting back into the routine of things, so it made my life easier. Last night I headed to Goessel/Newton for a much needed haircut, and to do some early Christmas shopping.


Tonight I head to Wichita for Symphony Chorus rehearsal, and I also hope to go out with Becca for supper.

Tomorrow we have a technology inservice all day. All of the area schools (Hillsboro, Centre, etc...) will be coming to Marion for an entire day of lectures. I'm sure I'll be quite tired of sitting by the end of it. In the evening, I'll head to a fellow teacher's house and spend the weekend. Her husband is out of town, and she wanted some company. I think there will be a "girl's night" party tomorrow night, for the teachers in our building. We'll see what all happens!



Jayden learning how to make scary faces.























Grandpa reading from the Swedish Folk Tales book.






Downward facing Zoe--one of my favorite yoga poses. :)