Training Your Instincts

Today, we had a fire drill.  It was not unlike other fire drills we've had, except for what happened on the way back into school.  A student dropped his bookbag, stumbled, and passed out.  It was very brief - he woke right up on the sidewalk.  I, of course, had a teacher with a cell phone call the nurse.  But what happened as the nurse was coming was amazing.

A fourteen year old boy took charge of the situation before anyone else could.  He cleared the crowd around him.  He had the student lie down on the grass.  He checked that he could track motion with his eyes.  He checked the student's oral intake for the day.  He had the student talk about what he last remembered happening (he didn't remember passing out).  By the time the nurse arrived, every question she has was answered.

I walked back into school with the student who helped out.  It turns out, he took a first aid training course, and it just came naturally to him.  When he was needed, he just did what had to be done.  Students like this reaffirm my hope for the future.

A Real Simple Pleasure Thursday :o)

For the first time in a few months, it feels like simple pleasure Thursday.

I finished therapy yesterday.  I'm done - no more.  It was totally accidental, too.  The last time I went in, I didn't really have much to say.  I hadn't had a panic attack in a long time, I was off my meds, things were good.  So when I went in yesterday, I again had no complaints, nothing to talk about.  The appointment somehow organically morphed into a termination session.

I feel so good - accomplished, confident, and most of all, happy.

Being sane is my simple pleasure :o)

My Massive To Do List

I have a to do list.  Or two.  Or three.  Okay, really, I have many, many to do lists.  When condensed, it seems like an insurmountable monster.  Broken down, not so bad.  So here it goes:

Wedding
- buy travel insurance (way late!)
- get engagement ring fixed (really worried about this)
- buy shoes
- schedule hair appointments
- decide on a wedding cake
- sign the catering contract
- email the florist (again!)
- email the priest
- email the musician
- make sure the girls got dresses
- make sure the flower girl didn't already grow out of her dress (it's close)
- finish and mail invitations
- pay for everything


School
- finish recommendations (due today!)
- plan for next week
- revamp a test
- plan for Thursday night's upperclassmen back-to-school night
- email my "student teaching" coordinator
- plan "student teaching" lessons


Home
- finish mountain of laundry (half-way done!)
- mow the lawn
- tend the garden
- do something with the tomatoes
- clean out the fridge
- clean the office
- fix the computer
- clean the kitchen (especially the floors)
- change out the tablecloths (why I can't seem to do this is beyond me)
- check on my prescription
- organize the pantry
- write a long overdue post about the pantry
- balance the budget
- vacuum the house
- make some freeze ahead dinners
- get Dad to fix fridge
- try to schedule some relaxation time

I'm pooped just thinking about this list!

New Week, Fresh Start

We are at the beginning of a brand new week, and it feels good. 

Spiritual - Today, *B* and I went to church, and discussed Mass afterward at breakfast.  I really enjoyed teaching him about the things that Catholics do and do not believe.  Think of it as the religious version of Mythbusters.

Wedding - We stopped by my grandparents' house and borrowed a longer chain for the necklace I'll wear for my wedding.  All of the invitations are addressed (minus five for whom we don't yet have addresses).  I have the materials to finish putting the invitations together.  They should be assembled next weekend.  We bought a card box, and a blue garter (woo hoo!).

Housekeeping - For the last few weeks, we've been really behind on laundry.  I mean REALLY behind.  When *B* did laundry, it got tossed on our bedroom floor because we didn't have any more baskets, and neither of us had a neither of us had enough time to put it away.  Clean got mixed in with dirty, and it was a giant mess.  We rolled the whole lot of it down two flights of stairs.  We're two loads into it, and all of it is put away.  We can actually see carpet again!

I'm now off to make zucchini bread for my department as a Monday morning treat.  I hope your week goes as well as mine will!

It's Here!

It's finally here.  I've been waiting about 2 months for this day.  I have my dress!

This is the front.  I'm apparently not allowed to hold my cats in the next three and a half months, as evidenced by a large cat scratch on my chest.

And this is the back.  It's wrinkled, but I was told the seamstress could steam it out.  I bought the dress a size too small in June, and I vowed to get into it.  The dress is now too big!  And I have only lost 5 lbs.  I had lost more, but Indiana killed me.

For the wedding, I'm fairly certain my hair will be in some form of french twist concoction.  I also have a lovely veil, not pictured here.

Left to do to look good in my wedding dress: get skin under control, work out more (arms and neck are trouble spots), and get a longer chain for the gorgeous snowflake necklace my mother bought me.

112 days and counting!

The Dangers of Coupons

Growing up, my dad always complained that my mom never cut coupons.  "By cutting coupons for an hour, if you got $30 worth of coupons, you would be paying yourself $30 an hour" he always said.

The original owner of our house had paid for a 1 year subscription to a large, local paper, so we get the Sunday paper for a few months.  I decided I would start clipping coupons to help us out with the grocery bills.  Wouldn't you know it, our food bills increased.

Now, granted, this is my fault.  A coupon is not a magical "cheaper than all" card.  I found that by having a coupon, I allowed myself to purchase things I never would have before.  Specifically, I bought name brand.  In the last couple of months, we've had a fair amount Kraft Mac and Cheese, lots of frozen, pre-cooked chicken tenders, and more shampoo than I can count to name a few.  The only coupons that have actually helped us save are cereal coupons - I'm addicted to Frosted Mini Wheats and Cinnamon Toast Crunch on alternating months.

I imagine that it takes an immense amount of time to ensure that one saves the most on food.  I would think that's why homemakers are so very busy.

So here's my question to you:  Working women (or men - I don't judge), how do you keep your grocery bills down?  Do you keep a pricebook?  Shop generic in one store only?  Clip coupons?

Simple Pleasue Thursday

My simple pleasure for today is that freshman back-to-school night is over.  I'm home after a 14 hour day.  I'm going to bed.


Night, y'all.