When it rains, it pours…literally

I am not sure what we did to deserve a disastrous week, but all I can say is wow!  It all started last weekend when our heater broke.  Thank heavens it has been a warmer January so we didn’t freeze to death but it was still chilly!  The heater was fixed on Monday.

On Tuesday, I had a dr appt.  Most of you know I only run in survival mode, so having a couple of “extra” hours before that appt I went nuts on the house trying to get stuff done.  My tub was gross so I decided this would be a great time to bleach it.  So I did.  Then, I ran to Walmart and stopped back home really fast before the appt.  I heard a noise and asked Kayla what it was- as I realized I NEVER TURNED OFF THE WATER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  We raced in there and I was relieved to see that the water didn’t overflow to my floor yet.  However…Kayla went downstairs and dangit if I could only turn back time…

The water went through the seal in the tub and down through the ceiling of the bottom floor: soaked the carpet, RUINED our flat screen TV, burst 2 tiles, ruined 8 tiles, and made me feel like a piece of crap

So we finally got it all cleaned up and then went to get a new TV.  Bob brought it home and as we unpacked, we found it was chipped and had to repack and take it back only to find out the TV we want is on backorder.  I know….#1stworldprobs!  I am extremely grateful the carpet wasn’t ruined and the Wii, PS3, and DVR all survived.  I am also grateful we can get a new TV.  But boy I would love for all of this to stop…

Other items:

1.  At my dr appt we found that my cortisol levels are too low.  I didn’t even know I had cortisol!  So I have to go for a STEM test where they will draw my blood, then give me a cortisol shot (to see what my body does), then 30 minutes later draw more blood, and then an hour later draw more.  I feel like they really aren't doing a test- just feeding a vampire!  So, I am torn.  I want them to find I have Addison’s disease so I can finally stay up past 6:30 and stop gaining weight, but yet I don’t want another disease to add to my pathetic list.  So keep me in your prayers.  I just need answers whatever they may be.

2.  I was asked to present twice at the conf this summer.  I feel honored and agreed.  The main lady wanted more people to hear me

Bob and I are heading to Chicago this weekend!!!  I am going to the American Library Association Conference.  I am excited to meet so many authors, get new books, and find out what's trending in the library world.  It will pretty much be heaven!!!

They grow up so fast…

We got to go see Tyler perform at the Friends & Family show this week.  He looked AMAZING and even made me cry.  He is definitely in his element up there and truly seems to love it!

Alayna had her very 1st show choir show at Supernova this Saturday.  We had to get up super early to do her hair and make up.  I heard she did great (we get to see her in a couple weeks).  She looks so grown up…

A teacher at the middle school felt I should be recognized for being asked to speak at a state conference.  No one from Anamosa has ever been asked to do so.  She turned the article into the newspaper and main website.

I am also twitterpated as Brian Boyle not only favorited my tweet, but he retweeted it and wrote me back!!  Now if I could only get him to come speak in Iowa!!!  Who is Brian Boyle?  One of my real life heroes.  He wrote “Ironheart” which if you havent read, you need to- right now!  He was in a horrific car accident but worked his way back (learning how to rewalk etc) and competed in the ironman triathalon and finished it!!!  Truly inspirational and I booktalked his story this week.

Also, I worked on my Shelfie.  Yes, there is such a thing.  I am holding a contest at both schools where everyone has to match the staff member with their shelfies.  Here are some shots of mine.  It was so funny because they all faced the same way and froze, like it was an official photo shoot!

24 days til Marisa gets home!!!!!

53 days til the cruise!

Foil dinners in the cold? Weirdos!

We got Marisa’s flight information and we are so excited she will be home a month from today!!!

Nothing else new…the weather was crazy this week with bitter cold temps below zero and lots of snow!  We didn’t even have a normal day of school this week.  One night temps dropped to –40 with 40 mile an hour winds.  Yikes!!

And a Happy New Year!

This break has been wonderful and so needed, especially for me.  I think I have become somewhat of a workaholic so it was good to force myself to relax with the family.  We played some fun new games on New Years Eve called “Telestrations” and “Wits and Wagers”.  I havent laughed that hard in a while and I can see our family did not inherit any artistic talent whatsoever….Can you guess what they are?

We got a tad bit of snow- the worst part has been the 20 below zero wind chill

Bob is doing a magnificent job on the new floor in the downstairs bathroom.  Is there anything this guy CANT do??

We hope all of you had a great break and are excited for the New Year! 

Merry Christmas to All!!!

The two best things about this Christmas were 1) Getting to spend tons of time with my family and having Kayla back home and 2) Getting to talk to Marisa!

Oh how I miss her laugh!

We had dinner at Osaka.  Don’t worry Marisa, we will take you when you get back.

Made lots of goodies to share:

Had a wonderful relaxing Christmas day…

And it looks like we have ad date she will be coming home- not that we are counting down or anything…

Kayla and her cute roomies :)

Science, Sickness, and SO glad Kayla’s home!!!

Oh what a week!  1st of all we are SO glad Kayla made it home.  After several delays and flight changes, she still made it in time to see Tyler perform! AND Alayna is taller than Kayla!

Bob woke up Monday morning  throwing up.  Lovely.  Was out 2 full days of work from this awful stomach flu that is all over CR.  Yes, we got our flu shots, but apparently this is a different strain.  Lovely.  On Friday at work I had a migraine and was starting to feel yucky- hoping it was just exhaustion. I laid on the couch, couldn’t sleep, starting throwing up at 3AM.  You know its bad when you wish you were just back to bad fibro pain and utter exhaustion.I was out all day yesterday.  Better today.  Glad its all out of the way before Christmas!

Well, I made it through 21 science presentations this week and they were a HUGE hit!  Teachers kept coming in to find out what was going on because that’s all the kids talked about!  So, a special thank you to Hal and Corey for teaching me this stuff and to my parents for cultivating in me a string love of learning…

My daily oobleck making crew:

Always lots of fun with dry ice:

A cute tidbit from the week:

Student: Mrs. Hart, are you chaperoning the dance???
Me: No You wouldn’t want me to- if I came I would just be crazy and out dancing with you.
Student: Exactly! You would be the BEST chaperone!

 

CANT WAIT TO TALK TO MARISA THIS WEEK!!!!