Father - Daughter time

Over the past five weekends my dad my uncle and I have spent our Sunday mornings up at the Pilot Rock Gun Club. This club started when my dad was little I'm sure, and then got a rejuvenation when I was in junior high or so. I remember spending so many Sunday mornings up there with my dad cleaning, and watching all the 'old timers' shoot clay pigeons. We donated fire wood and built scoring shacks, filled the clay pigeons throwers, etc.
So when my dad wanted ME to be on his team last year for the league shoot, I was excited. We didn't do great last year, but we definitely did well. No buckles (did I REALLY want a belt buckle with a 'shooter' on it?) but I did get most improved!
This year we did OK, however I had a couple of weeks of 'not so great' shooting. We shot in the snow, the wind, the driving rain, and the sunshine. It was so much fun, and next weekend my dad will find out how we did.
So many people have found an interest in the PRGC, and that is what small towns are all about. Local people getting together to do something fun and to reconnect with each other. I'm sad that I won't be able to participate next year with my dear old dad and my uncle. However, I think Brandon and I will do things like this as we get rooted in a community.

Belts

Last year I started painting belts. I was so excited about it, and as I started finishing them, most of my friends and family were really excited too. So this summer I spent my days in Corvallis painting belts and then I sold a few, gave a few away as gifts, and sold a few more. When I am working, I hardly ever feel as if I have the time or energy to paint belts, so I haven't worked on them in quite awhile. However, I have a friend at work that finally decided she did want one for sure. Sooo... I have started painting again, and I love it! It is hard with conference time just around the corner, but it is nice to know that I HAVE to get it done, so it makes me just a little bit more motivated.
I love how bright and colorful they are.
I love how creative I get to be with them.
I love that people love them!
And I really love seeing my belts on my friends! It just makes me smile. Maybe I will be motivated over spring break to paint a few more and send them off to rodeos with some friends.
If you already have a belt, enjoy! and know that it makes me smile when I see them.

So glad it's almost St. Patrick's Day

An Irish Friendship Wish
May there always be work for your hands to do;
May your purse always hold a coin or two;
May the sun always shine on your windowpane;
May a rainbow be certain to follow each rain;
May the hand of a friend always be near you;
May God fill your heart with gladness to cheer you.

Sunshine

The sunshine is here! This weekend was beautiful, absolutely beautiful. Although I didn't get to be out in it much. Saturday I worked in my classroom for hours, and then was off to Heppner where Jill, Corey and I had a blast playing dice and cards with friends. Sunday I went to PR and shot with my dad, and then shot some more to practice. My dad and I then headed up to my aunts new house to clean out her chimney (lots of fun... not!) and then I came back to Hermiston to work on Save the Dates. I am almost done with those.

Today was a beautiful day again, and warm, comparatively speaking. I had a good day with my kids, minus the yelling I got all day from one student, and the fact that they had the attention span of a baseball. Oh well, they are cute and they enjoyed the new colored pencils I had out for them to use. =)

I am looking forward to getting some work done and then walking with Jill. March is such a wonderful month!

Accomplish

Dr. Seuss week was a success. We had a great assembly, lots of read alouds, a wonderful turnout for Family Reading Night, over 1,000 points earned for AR, cute bookmarks for the kids, lots of prizes, popcorn and videos. Whew! The kids loved it, I loved it, and now it is over. What a great week. Today I am in my classroom, in my sweats, getting LOTS done for the upcoming week.

Conferences are coming so I am working on grades, report cards, grading papers, etc. I feel so good about how much I have accomplished today. I will also have a couple of hours on Monday to work on stuff with no kids, so I think I will enter next week feeling pretty good. I have lots of St. Patrick's Day decorations up (which make me smile!) and will have a good start on the take home stuff for the kids to take with them on Tuesday. What more could I ask for!

Tonight I am headed to Heppner to visit with two of my closest friends, and tomorrow I will be with my mom and dad, shooting at the gun club and hanging out at their house. Yippee! Let's just pray that all goes well tomorrow in regards to the wedding planning.

I am looking forward to the rest of my day, I think lots will get done, and that will make me feel good. yes, good.

Tired

Life is exhausting. A while back, I remember writing, thinking, and visiting with a friend about how life changes and challenges us as we get older. I remember thinking that God pushes us to become who he wants us to be, and challenges us a bit, but never gives us more than we can handle. While I do still believe this to be true, I have found that I have to remind myself A LOT lately that this is NOT more than I can handle... because I often feel like it is WAY more than I can handle. It seems as if February was just not meant to be my month. I am glad it is over, however, this stress is lingering into March, one of my favorite months. And that just isn't fair! haha
I feel so tired, yet I don't want to take a nap (not that I have the time anyway...) because I just have too much to do. How do moms, wives, dads, and husbands do all of the stuff they have to get done? I don't have nearly as much on my plate and feel stressed out. Dr. Seuss week is coming to an end. I am trying to order invitations (and THAT is a LONG story...), I had the engine in my car replaced in Walla Walla, I have conferences coming up, job hunting is starting, I officially turned in my letter of resignation, Brandon had to move, it was my sisters birthday, I am picking out shoes for my wedding... blah, blah, blah. All of this little fun stuff is adding up to be a lot of stress!
And yet, somehow, I love this. I just want my insides to feel as happy as I am trying to appear on the outside. (I know, I'm not always too convincing) So, as we welcome in March, I am taking a deep breath and reminding myself how lucky I am and how happy I can be.
I just need some help once in awhile.

March

A fresh start has come.
I have a smile on my face.
I have a prayer in my mind.
I have a new engine in my car.
I have new glasses on my face.
St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner, my FAVORITE holiday!
I see green wheat is sprouting.
Green stems are coming up with promises of flowers.
Brandon is in a new apartment.
I finally have a better outlook on life after these past couple of weeks.
Things are coming along, and I am so glad it is March!