*SIGH*

A few things make me sad.

One thing is the amount of reading I do. 

Now, I'm a reading teacher, so I read ALL the time. But, several of the books I read are read each and every year. That's fine. But, I miss reading for me...for enjoyment. This really hit me, just now, when I was updating my reading list. 

Before I went back to teaching, I read 30-50 books each year. Do you know how many I have on my list now? 

Go ahead.

Count them.

That's right.

Ten. 

That's it. TEN! So sad. I will easily add another 4 novels, but let's face it. They are novels for 10 year olds. I will read: "A Tiger Rising," "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe," "The Little House on the Prairie," and "The Tale of Despereaux."

Those are all GREAT BOOKS...for 10 year olds. 

Another thing that makes me sad is knowing that, as much as I love to write (blog) and work on my live cooking, the time is limited. I won't get to do either of these things as much as I want. 

Maybe....I have another senior this year. My house is getting *bigger* as years go by. I have other drivers. I have kids who don't need ME...they just need my funding. 

That's good AND bad.

SUMMER

I love summer.

I love spending time with my kids and my hubby. And, in my old age, I am even OK with the hot temps. (Of course, we have only hit 100* less than a handful of times this year. Talk to me in August when we're almost 75 days in triple digits and I'm having to stand outside for 2 hours on the blacktop in the middle of hundreds of cars teaching AND reteaching parents how to pick up their kids from school all the time assuring them that "YES, MA'AM, I know how hot it it outside, but I don't think you do as you are scolding me from your air-conditioned vehicle that you've been in the whole time" while the heat index outside is 113*, but on the blacktop, it's probably more like 135* and I've had 7 bottles of water and still don't have to pee...)

BUT, I digress.....

No, my thoughts today go toward the compliance bundle. Anyone in education knows what I'm talking about. It's a series of videos, reading packets, power points AND YES.....QUIZZES that train me (us) EVERY. SINGLE. YEAR. how to identify bullying, suicide red flags, sexual harassment, issues with blood borne pathogens, how to not say the wrong thing to the wrong person during a conference, how to teach to 57 different learning styles (all at once), how to recognize autism, SPED, speech, dyslexia, dysgraphia, child abuse, (but God-forbid I find out if they are on free or reduced lunch) and do I know what each and every one of the 52,875 acronyms in education means?  (I mean...really....you can't tell me if a kid doesn't eat at home? BUT, I have every possible address, sibling info, and even grandma's phone number....

Again...I digress.

Normally, we get bundle info at the end of school and it opens June 1. (Just know...this takes us HOURS.) This  year, my powers that be (actually THEIR powers that be) have decided to change how we do things. SO...the window opened yesterday. A friend of mine is already having issues. Instead of being done and able to go into the summer knowing this looms BEHIND me...it is now looming BEFORE me.

SO, it begins. The middle of the summer, I have to carve out about 20 hours to get this done. I do it every year. I am not complaining about the doing...but WHY in the name of MIKE do we have to change?! Holy COW! Education does not have a chance to perfect jack-squat because by the time we see results, there has already been a change. 

I know it seems like belly-aching. *You have all summer off! What else are you going to do with that time?* Yeah....about that Ms. I-know-NOTHING-about-what-teachers-do...This is the one AND ONLY time in a calendar year that my house will be somewhat presentable, I get a full 8 hours sleep most nights, my kids DON'T eat out 4-6 times a week, AND we all wear clean undies without having to dig around for that holey pair that we save *for such a time as this.* 

I am not asking for kudos or props. Y'all, I generally dislike the mushy-gushy *TEACHER! We love you! You are valued. You are loved.* Blah blah blah. I KNOW that! You need me in the classroom because 1.) it's a God-call...He's working on your angel and I get to help 2.) You're not willing to do it so...there's that and 3.) You GOTTA understand we do it for the love of kids...nothing else because really? Dirty undies? Fast-food all the time? Lack of sleep? Lack of funds? Working 50-80 hours a week for what WE make? BAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

***DISCLAIMER*** Just so you know, I'm not bashing my school in any way. This whole series of events is typical in education. The intensity varies from district to district, as well as type of school. I'm not mad at anyone. It is what it is, and I do my job and I LOVE my job...but I don't think *normal* mankind gets it. 

Then there's the compliance bundle....*sigh*.

WRITING

All of the sudden, I'm in a writing mood!


AND, a recording mood. REALLY? What's up with that?

I've been doing my own little crazy version of a cooking show. LOL!!! I've been on *Live Video* via Facebook. It's quite fun. I hope I can stick with it.

I seem to think that I have the time, as Hogg 1 is in college, Hogg 2 is a senior, Hogg 3 is learning to drive, Hogg 4 will need quite a bit of attention to get through Algebra, Pa Hogg is gone 18 days a month, I still teach 4th grade AND I'm area coordinator for JBQ.

I GOT THIS!

If you would like to see my videos, please go to Feedin' the Hoggs!

*TAP*TAP*TAP*

•  Is anyone out there?

• I'm in the mood to write.

• I miss my blog.

• I miss my readers.

• Has anyone missed me?

• It has been over a year since I blogged. It makes me sad. Truly.

• I enjoyed it. I.....just got busy. 

• I have friends who still blog. I don't keep up.

• I enjoyed it. I.....just got busy.

• I have a lot I need to say....want to say.  

• I still teach 4th grade.

•  I'm still married.

• ....to the same dude.

• We renewed our vows this past summer. (More on that, later.)

• I have a kid graduating.  (More on that, later.)

• I want to write a book.

• I've been encouraged to write a book.

• I don't know how to start.

• I don't know what to say.

• I don't know if anyone would read it.

• It's 268 days until Christmas.

 

Five Minutes

I did this a coon's age ago.....kind of interesting. 

I'm going to type out everything that comes into my mind in the next 5 minutes. I will only elaborate if my thought process goes further. 

Ready?

Get set.

GO!

Right now I am listening to Shane and Shane "I Need You."

Such an appropriate song for me right now. 

I have had a cruddy last couple of weeks. 

JBQ.

UGH! Still upset about all that mess.

I just need adults to play by the rules and act nicely.

It is still stinkin' hot outside.

It's the middle of October. 

It won't be long before I need to....

First I need to clear the coat rack.

I just donated a lot of coats, but I need to sort through them.

I need to move the *overflow* to my son's closet.

I share a closet with my hubby. 

It's tiny.

Who does that? I need more space.

It wouldn't be nice to just move him to my son's closet.

Pretty soon, space won't be so tight.

I'm sad.

My oldest is getting college letters daily.

He just ordered his class ring.

He still asks some crazy questions.

I'm glad he is still home.

Still so much to do with him.

I love the fall flowers on my table. 

And the sparkly corns. 

I cut up a watermelon for small group.

It's GROSS!

Its all mealy.

We only have 5 extra kiddos tonight.

Again.

Phone call, people.

My youngest is feeling the sadness of not being included.

I love the wind. 

A hot wind is better than nothing.

Laundry needs to be done.

Always.

Tomorrow is our day off for The Great State Fair of Texas.

Thank goodness! 

I need the day. 

I have a lot of clutter to go through.

I am always distracted from things that I need to do.

My dog is wet.

And under the table.

*sigh*

He is always wet.

He is always under the table. 

I need to replace the sliders on the chair legs.

They are hairy.

From the wet dog under the table.

I need to do it before Thanksgiving.

I need to take my personal day for my Thanksgiving shopping.

And my Christmas candy making.

I should put that into the computer this weekend.

Get it marked off my

THAT'S ALL! Peace out!

Time change

No, I'm not talking about Daylight Saving Time. I'm talking about starting school. 

It's nice to be back into my routine, but HOLY SMOKES! I get busy right around NOW.  It will be increasingly difficult to get on here and post. I certainly will have tons of stuff to say, but not a lot of time to say it. 

Time....well, time causes me problems. There's just not enough of it. Well....that's not entirely true. I'm simply a poor manager of time. 

BUT, that is not why I'm on here today. 

You know, my last post was celebratory. I was excited because that wasn't the full 3 weeks. We went camping. Not "tent and pee behind a bush" camping, but stay in a cabin, kind of like church camp, camping. 

Meals were provided. Thankfully, we weren't served SOS, but we had things like: spaghetti and meat sauce, ham, brisket, beans, and potatoes, breakfast tacos, biscuits and gravy.

I will tell you....I ate. I didn't go crazy eating all this stuff that is *unclean.* But, I didn't go hungry, either. I will say that I was a bit nervous, because I wasn't drinking my water, eating clean, doing my exercises....(well, I have trouble doing my exercises, anyway.) I worried that my 8.5 pounds would be undone by 4 days.

I am happy to say that I only gained 2 back. Further, after 1 day of getting back on track, one of those pounds was gone. 

It's going to be hard to do this during school. I'm not saying it will be impossible. We just wolf down food SO quickly, and often get stress munchies and tired munchies. 

BUT, I WILL TRY!

DRUMROLL PLEASE!

OK.....after... 2 weeks (well....2 weeks yesterday) and questionable straying, I went ahead and weighed and measured.

So, the good news is that my efforts were not completely sabotaged. I am learning what my friend, Catey says.....follow the 80/20 rule. So, I CAN have my treats. I just can't make a glutton of myself. (Being a glutton is within my skill set, not gonna lie.)

Anyway, these numbers are TOTAL....including my 3 day fix. If I figure that into the date, then I started this July 4....so three weeks from this coming Saturday. 

Before I go on, I am now, officially excited about this clean eating thing. I can DO this.....I will continue to learn what is good, bad, and too much. Will I drink sodas again? I don't know. I had some horchata last night....I LOVE horchata.....I often CRAVE horchata.....and it was too sweet. YEA!!! If it's too sweet, I don't want it.   I had pizza last night. I felt bloated. It tasted good, but the feeling afterward....well, maybe it was just enough to make me rethink stuff like that. I don't think the pizza, in and of itself, was too terribly bad, but the crust? I need a whole wheat, or something besides white flour dough.

OK....you've been patient enough. Besides, I need to roll. I am having a dinner party tonight. I need to start cooking. It will be with great happiness, too!

Since July 4, I have lost 6.5 inches and 8.5 pounds.

What the WHAT?????

YEP!!!!

SO, this morning, my steel cut oats with half a banana and 2 teaspoons almond butter taste a LOT better. 

Clean eating, y'all. It's where it's at!