Pictures from the girls

Another challenging and exhausting week

This has been a very challenging and exhausting week.  Especially discouraged by the fact that my fibro is worsening and I can’t seem to fix it.  Hopefully the doctor can help me find some solutions next month.  I think this picture sums up how we all feel.  I found her asleep like this…

One highlight was that Bob bought me flowers!

Sorry this is short this week.  My phone broke so I wasn't able to take many pictures.

Marisa and Jared- Good luck with the performances this week!

Also, keep Brandon and Kayla in your prayers.  They are having a terrible tie trying to find an affordable apt at BYU.  If any of you have any contacts, they could use some help!

Life is too short

I got a call late Thursday night from school that an accident had happened and one of our students had been killed.  I didn’t sleep all night- so worried because I love all the students and just couldn't imagine losing one.  I looked up information in the news and saw it was around the same place Tyler crashed 2 years ago and it said 2 people were killed and 3 were lifeflighted to Iowa City with life-threatening injuries.  My heart just hurt and i didnt even know who they were yet.

The next morning we had a staff meeting and the news got worse.  It was an entire family-a single mom and her 4 girls.  They were stopped at the light.  A pickup truck was in front of them.  Another pickup came and smashed into the back of them so hard that their car flipped and ended up in the shape of a ball.  The 7th grader and her sister 11th grade were pronounced dead at the scene.  The mom, a 4 year old sister, and the 9th grader were severely injured.  Elysia, the 9th grader broke her back and her brain is bleeding.  Isabella, our student, was such a beautiful wonderful girl.  One time I remember, she came in asked me for any books about Muslims.  She told me how she wanted to learn about other cultures so she could better understand other people and where they are coming from.  I showed her Malala’s books and we talked about a bunch of different things.  I think heavenly father took her because he needed her up there.  Friday was a tough day as students found out and there were many tears.  I came away grateful that I have the gospel and know what I know.  Grateful I am sealed to my family for eternity. Things like this remind you to put things in perspective because lives can be taken away literally in an instant.  I didn’t even know her that well, but the hurt was real. 

https://www.gofundme.com/help-jenny-rose-and-her-angels

 

We had a fun Halloween.  We couldn't dress up for school so I just did my hair.  Tyler and Alayna spent the evening passing out candy.

Cindy and I worked super hard this week to organize the back room and make more room in the library for stations since my Makerspace grant was approved!

Then last week on the treadmill, I saw something run across the floor.  At 1st I thought it was one of our guineas loose- until I saw it shapeshift as flat as a piece of paper and disappear under our storage room followed by a very long tail!  Bob got a trap and the 1st night we caught 3 baby mice.  I am NOT amused.  Bob and Alayna drove them 3 miles away and let them loose.  I am a little afraid of what is in the box today…so gross! (Yes, I am aware of the irony that we technically own and hand out with 7 rodents, but still gross)

Bob and I had a date night (at home in Pjs because this week exhausted me) and we got to see the new Star Trek movie on Vidangel.  I loved it!

Tyler continues to do an awesome job being our home chef.  He is still on the waiting list for BATC and is looking for a job here in the meantime.

Happy 18th Birthday to Tyler!

Tyler finally turned 18 this week and is now a full-fledged adult!  Go, Tyler! We celebrated at Olive Garden and yesterday he went to get his full adult drivers license!

My huge Harry Potter clb started this week and we spent the time making wands from chopsticks.  It was exhausting but a HUGE success!

ALayna joined the LM bowling team and is very excited about it!  She also went to help out with the ward Halloween party.

I dressed up for Red Ribbon Week…

For Twin Day , Cindy and I were the giving tree

Oct 23

Made some delicious apple pies-This was it.  Our apple trees were demolished by an army of jerk ladybugs.

And here is Alaynas beautiful picture that she refused to let me post

The book fair was a HUGE success and we made over $6,000 which means about $3,000 of new books!!!

So, Friday I literally didn't move from my bed.  I always think I cant be more exhausted and then I surprise myself.  Again, I love my job and I am so happy and loving this experience, but wow the exhaustion isnt getting any better.

Hop onto my school blog to see the latest there. http://ihartbooks2.blogspot.com/

October 16

It was a long week and, as always, I am shocked at how busy it is!

Poor Lily has had a growth on her side for several months.  We brought her in and the dr was pretty sure she had been nicked at some point and an infection had been building. She said guinea pig infections are thick so she would need surgery.  So we dropped her off Wednesday morning.  Apparently the mass was HUGE and they were able to remove it all because it was encapsulated.  When she cut into it she found that it wasn’t an infection, but actually a tumor.  They asked if they should send it in to be checked for cancer.  We said no and are just happy she is running around her cage again and eating.

These are the stitches all along her side

That same day, I was working on the books at school.  Almost every barcode and spine need to be redone.  Anyway, I have to use goo gone on most of it and I have label scrapers to help.  One of them is a razor on 3 sides.  At one point, I pushed just a little to hard on one of the labels and the razor slipped on the goo gone and slashed right into my finger.  The side of my finger was sliced wide open.  I ran to the nurse and by the time I got there, my hand had a pool of blood in it.  She helped me wash and wrap it.  I debated going in for stitches but really didn't have the time.  I ran to walmart and got a liquid bandage, butterfly stitches, and heavy duty antibiotic and now it is doing much better. No infection!

I had a formal observation this week along with a pre and post observation meeting with the principal.  As you all know, that is something I dread and it makes me physically ill.  Those meetings this week were literally the best meetings I have ever had.  He was extremely complimentary, said I am excellent teacher , and went on and on about what a huge difference I am making to all  the students and staff.  Again, it brought me to tears.  How wonderful to be a part of such a positive environment, where I get up excited to go to work every single day, where I love everyone I work with and I have solid support.  It’s incredible and heart warming! Now if I could just find some doctor to cure fibromyalgia and the nightmare of my CFS, I could rule the world!

The book fair arrived this week and its been even more insane than normal.  Day 1 I sold 128 books.  Day 2 (not a conf night) I sold 30!  Everyone has been so excited and it has been so awesome to see.  I run it this week too.  But the most amazing thing was that through the ENTIRE parent conference night I was bombarded by parents telling me what a huge difference I am making in their childs life.  I heard several times “So, you are Mrs. hart? My kid talks about you all the time!”.  It was heart warming and awesome and has made the hell I went through in Anamosa all worth it just to have been able to make it here.

Tyler came to  help me so I had an extra set of eyes. 

He has also become our own Home Chef.  MAN I love that place and hope they never go out of business!

Stromboli Tyler made from scratch

Alayna and I worked most of yesterday on her history project.

She also had her 1st barn dance last night and had a great time especially because there were kittens every where to hold.

I was also able to arrange to get therapy dogs to visit the library.  We have many special ed students who have been terrified of the library from past bad experiences.  I arranged for them to come in, meet the dogs, read books to the dogs, etc.  It was a HUGE success. I was almost in tears.  The kids were so happy, come in all the time now, and I am working with the asst principal to get a permanent one for our library!!!

I assume Kayla is alive? I did hear from Brandon yesterday who was on a fun fishing trip!

Apparently Marisa got to spend some time with my parents!  So fun!  Wish I could have been there!

I havent mentioned lately how amazing Bob is- he made this amazing grape jelly out of all of our grapes, has been a huge support for me, and I thank heavenly father ever day for helping me find him!

October 2

Well, I think this picture of Alayna sums up how we have felt the past few weeks.  How grateful I am for a conference weekend to relax and focus on the things that are the most important!

I stayed home from school on Friday.  My body finally gave out.  I am trying to find ways to get that balance that I need, but this week will be crazy.  I have therapy dogs coming in, I am being observed, getting ready for the book fair, OCM olympics, Alayna should get her braces off, etc.  Here are some of the things I did this weekend:

Ironed on 18 shirts for our OCM Olympics

Made the Harry Potter invites for the club I got roped in to and now we have almost 40 kids signed up for

Made Literary Pumpkins.  The jellyfish is for my new favorite book.

Alayna started her pumpkins- I am anxious to see how they end up…

We watched “The shallows” and I loved it!!! And I snuggled with babies

Here is a picture of one of Marisa’s mission reunions this week.  We got to skype with her yesterday and hope to skype with Kayla and Brandon today.

Here are some pic of Alayna at the bonfire.

AND we found that we have a ladybug infestation and they ruined ALL of our honeycrisp apples!  Jerks!