Yea. Dang thing is, office hours are M-Th. So it being Friday he won't see the email til Monday at the soonest. Ugh.

Hahah yea. I paid for his ticket. He offered, but it was only $9 and I told him to keep his $S for buying his own food there. Gonna pick him up at 10 and I'll be so tired. Oh well.

Sounds like E is having a good beginning! Katie shared with me that her Pell finally got updated (she did an appeal since she didn't get any at all, and I told her to, since I did mine because of the separation of me and Ryan) and she got about 2k more than she normally has in the past couple years, so yay for her!

I got an award letter from Mercer and got her to explain a bit on it for me hahah I'd never seen the college student loan bits before, as I never needed it at SCTC. I was offered 10k in student loans at Mercer for Spring Semester (?) as far as I can tell - I am assuming only for Spring Semester, thats what it says - but I don't think I'd need that much for the whole 2 1/2 yrs I'll be there honestly!! Not with PELL and other grants/scholarships. I can't wait to apply for the BFTS one, but that said apply 30-60 days before classes start. Can't remember if I told ya'll about that one? And not sure if I am remembering right, but I'd get like 2k a semester for school fees (tuition, whatever) and like 500 a semester just for me - a "living stipend" :o so cool. I hope it get it. Any little extra like that helps!

Read my chapter in the pain in the butt class, but looked at what I have to do for assignments and its going to be a pain, there is hardly any information, and he wants a whole freaking page on it? At least it can be double spaced. ugh. And so then I read the chapter in the other class and took the quiz for that. Easy peasy that one. Will do the 2nd chapter for it tomorrow. And work on more lesson plans, and I have to make a mobile over the next two weeks. I am debating using some of my sharks teeth and some seashells :P Just because I have those items and they're not something anyone is likely to have. She decided to switch to every other class in person, even tho that really puts us NOT coming to 50% in person, rather than the 20% she said we were supposed to be able to do online lol oh well not my problem! I do what the teacher says. So now we have 2 weeks to do the stuff she wants us to get done. I can also work on a picture frame, or I can wait until after our next class to get my artwork to frame. I think I'll just do a frame :P I have popsicle sticks here at the house, and can paint them and decorate them and make a frame, then cut/glue whatever I decide into the frame.

You did, that's awesome! I hope you get it!

$9?! That's a lot, gosh haha. Here they're normally $3-5 LOL.

I was listening online though, we won 35-13.

No idea what the score is here. He will tell me when I pick him up. :P I'll be leaving in about 5min to drive over that way. And yes. That is student price as well. Adults would cost more. Except school employees. We get in free :P Show our badge lol It was actually $8. But they charged a $1 fee for ordering it online eyeroll except you MADE me order it online or I would have paid cash, stupid system. Middle school games are like $3-5 last time I went tho, and no one gets in free. But high school is more for people except workers hehehe. LIke that includes band/chorus kids. They get in free when they do performances (which band always does, but not always chorus)

Well I guess we won? He said we were until the power went out with 4min left in the game. Everyone was leaving so I guess they ended the game? I dunno... Lol

[edit] 1210pm 8/26 Went to the doctor this morning. Have had a cough for over a week, sore throat for two-three days (I think from the cough). They did strep and covid since people near me (at school) had had those. Both negative. Got a steroid shot and an antibiotic shot, as well as pills to start tomorrow for both. Also got some prescription cough med. Then went shopping. By the time I came out I Sweated to Death walking to my car. At like 1030am. Its so hot and muggy here. Stopped at pharmacy for meds. Sent Shane to Ingles and will probably regret it because even tho I told him exactly what I wanted him to get - he called me saying "Oh I got ribeye's and beef ribs". And I said back "I didn't say to get those" - No idea if he DID get them. I said to go ahead on the beef ribs. I love them but never put them on the list because you can almost never find them. Boneless beef short ribs. Yum! Great on grill or in crock pot!

mmmm, man, I haven't had short ribs in like.. 20 years!

I ended up dropping El off for breakfast and some seminars this morning, then picking her and her friend up after lunch and took them shopping. Brought them here, El dropped their stuff off and packed a bag, Nyx and Alex put together the scooter she bought.

Dropped them both back off, they're going to a baseball game with the entire freshman class, and then El is sleeping over in the dorm tonight.

WHAT!? Oh but they are so good! And I hate beef ribs on the bone. In fact I don't like pork ribs on the bone either :P I am very much a boneless person. I am ok with pork chops on the bone, but I do prefer boneless there too LOL At least Shane didn't get the rib eye steaks. I rarely get those. They are too expensive, but very good!

I cannot remember, is El getting their own dorm room? Or just being allowed to sleep over with friends who have one? Since y'all live so close.... if I remember what you said correctly... (oops edited that to El's preferred pronoun)

I have read chapter 9 (the 4th chapter to do in the creative arts class), taken the quiz. Ooops. Forgot to answer 1 question and got 2 wrong so I'll redo that one later. (the two I got wrong I dithered between two answers and evidently chose the wrong one on each sigh lol) I wrote up one assignment and submitted a discussion board assignment. Then I went to another class, made 2 comments to complete my discussion board assignment. Went to the third class...and re-reading my chapter to see if I can get more info on the two papers I have to write. AND I did this week's work ethics in that class :P The one fairly easy assignment hahah! I also just roll my eyes when the books comment "need to be up to date" and the most recent information they give out is usually like 2015 or something :P (like for laws/legislation or most recent educational practices)

it is amazing how getting medicine can make you feel better. This morning I felt like a slug. And while I am not being very active, I really didnt' feel like even reading anything this morning, so... yea. I am feeling better and able to accomplish things.

Need to shampoo the carpet. I should vacuum first BUT there are wet spots and I have no idea where; I can't see them I just keep stepping in them. I don't know if its pee or coughed up water, or spills or what. It's in various places around the room. sigh I don't want to vacuum over wet spots. Nathan has a friend we have to go pick up at 5ish. Then there is dinner. I might make Nathan cook it even tho he'll have company :P I was asking Nathan and listing off things we have (since he has company coming) and Shane shouted out that spaghetti sounded good, so Nathan shrugged and said spaghetti was ok. Maybe I'll make Shane make it instead if Nathan doesn't want to.

Ah, nope, they're living at home, just a sleepover!

Medicine is really amazing, isn't it?! Sometimes, anyway.

I'd say Nathan AND friend could make dinner, nothing wrong with that!

Yep lol he agreed to help me with it. I told him because I wasn't feeling well I didn't want to exert myself too much. Plus I dont want to end up coughing on everyone's food, even tho I've taken a cough pill earlier. He wants to wait til like 630 to even start cooking tho :/ eh. ok. a little late for me but its ok

I did just exert myself and use the bag of lemons from that little shop last time I went and made homemade strawberry lemonade (strawberries frozen from previous shop haha!) Its pretty decent. I wish I'd had a strainer, and a juicer, but I managed. So its a bit pulpy, mostly strawberry bits. I like them better than lemon bits so its ok.

edit 650pm Ok so one of the more difficult papers is done. Not quite a full page. But close. I have notes for the other one and will type it up later or tomorrow. I need to go through and turn things in hahaha I am debating what to turn in for the creativity class - I don't want to turn it ALL in because she said that for "participation" points on Thursdays for online days we need to submit an assignment. So I'd rather have a few left over I can submit on those days.

[edit] 10am Ok, so all assignments done in that one class, except the quiz. I guess I'll do that later or tomorrow. A bit afraid to do it. What if it's all wrong again? But the others are all complete and uploaded. Two assignments, a discussion board and work ethics. (ECCE 2201) Uploaded two lesson plans, a written assignment, and did the discussion board for the other class. And redid the quiz. (ECCE 1113) Debating reading the Ch1-4 again and going ahead with the quiz in my third class (EMPL 1000) ...before going back to the first class and the worrisome quiz there :P

Hi lovelies! How are you all doing? Back to school already?! It amazes me how much you all fit in to one day!

I haven't really had much patience for subeta recently - dunno why. Well, it might actually be the warm weather. I have a little office in my front bedroom and it has a huge window which the sun shines in all day. So it gets quite warm in here and it can be too much to bear! That's probably the realistic truth!

I've not been up to much, just working and chipping away at my thesis and my accreditation application (for therapeutic counsellors we can apply to our membership body for something that says we have a good amount of experience!). I'm nearly done with my accreditation, which is exciting! Thesis will take longer!

Hope you are all doing ok :) xxx

Hi ! Ooh accreditation! good for you!! I would not want to be in a room that got hot in the sun either. I do love having the sunshine in tho. My desk is in my living room, and I have two nice big window sets that let in plenty of light but isn't directly in the sun.

I think I can only accomplish so much in a day when it is a day I am not doing anything else :P Like, no workday, or errands to run around doing. So I get a lot accomplished on weekends once my shopping is done.

I haven't really been having much patience for subeta lately either, I haven't even been doing my dailies each day, let alone quests! :P

El had their first two classes this morning, and apparently they're going pretty well! I dropped them off though, and picked them up, because they need to decorate their cake, and help Iz with hers, because.. I need to drop fair projects off tonight!

We had a great time at the orchard yesterday, Danielle and I especaially, I think! Alex and Matt hung out by themselves mostly, El, Colette and Ra hung out, lily and Connor hung out, and Devlyn switched between Danielle and I and the big kids. And Iz mostly hung out with Danielle and I :P

We got a LOT of cucumbers though, so I think Alex is making pickles tonight. I'm going to drop Lily off at marching band, drop E off at their night class (Misbehaving Women! I'm jealous, honestly :P It's one of the honors only classes, and apparently it's pretty great), and then run to the fairgrounds with Iz (And Danielle, and maybe Devlyn), and then.. hopefully by the time I get back it won't be time to pick everyone up again LMAO.

Well one of our "darlings" was withdrawn today. According to the principal (and PreK director) they are being replaced by another with behavior issues. Hopefully not as bad as this one. Today this child kicked me, pinched me, kicked the other teacher, climbed on top of three shelves, and a table. Jumped up and down on the table. Ran away from us in the hallway. Stood on the cafeteria table. Took shoes off when I asked if they wanted me to tie their shoe that was untied. Ran around the cafeteria in socks. Ran away from the principal. All before 1130am.

Also I was told I have to basically attach the other child to my hip 24/7 (ok well, 8/5) :P Like I was already doing that 80-90% of the day. But now I have to sit next to them at lunch, hold their hand in the hallway, especially after lunch so they don't run off (yes this one is also prone to running off, but at least they are not running AWAY from us, just running off to explore or to not be in line, or so it seems mostly, where the other one was running to get away from us)

At least E had a better day than me :P Misbehaving Women? interesting name of a class....

6pm Speaking of class. Instructor emailed me back today. Said he never got the first two emails sigh He verified I do have the correct book link. And then told me that the "quiz questions are generated by the publisher". Ok so are they from the right chapter? because I still don't think so! I also don't think chapter 2 questions were either!! Even tho I did get 100 on that one, google helped :P (and didn't very much last time lol) I am debating writing to him again stating that again I don't feel the questions matched the chapter I read - they really didn't! More of these questions I found the answers or close answers to in chapter 1 NOT chapter 2!!! And some questions were not in EITHER chapter all at, no mention whatsoever. UGH UGH UGH. But seeing as I got a 100 on this quiz I'm not sure if I should bother. sigh especially if they quizzes are randomly generated and there isn't much he can do about it anyway it seems? I dunno. Anyway. That is all of this week's work done now. I wrote down upcoming stuff to see what I want to work on next. lol

[edit] 8/30 645pm So, I forgot to tell you all the new child's name - you know how we have some different names for kids this year. The new child's name is Kairo :) So yep. Another unusual name. And another one to twist my tongue, because now we have Kairo and Kyrie (Ky-ro, Ky-ri) and we already have to say Priest, Princeton, Pierce, Paxten, (ok so Priest is in the other class, but we say his name too since we have brother Princeton in our class), Kailynn (Ky-lyn), Kennedi, Coraline, Lainey, Lanie (Lah nee), Layla, Layton. Phew. Lots of similar letters and sounds! LOL Anyway. We are now at 10 & 10 (10 boys, 10 girls). I like even numbers :) Today and yesterday were much calmer ... even the little one we still are having trouble with is doing (slowly) better. It's much easier to redirect that one without the other one there.

[edit] Sept 2 535pm Just finished Chapter "I DONT KNOW WHICH ONE" quiz. The paper said read chapter 4 take chapter 4 quiz. The quiz link says chapter 3 quiz. ALMOST NONE OF THE QUESTIONS MATCH CHAPTER THREE OR CHAPTER FOUR!!! AAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHH

However thanks to google I got 100% (again and sometimes I feel like its cheating, I guess it really is, but its an open book test, so why not use google if its not in the freaking BOOK! Plus another teacher told me to hahahaha tho not the teacher for this class).

Also, because I don't give a damn anymore - my work ethic post for this week, for teamwork was the following "This weekend was a team effort to get my lawn mowed. I had to go to the store and get a new lawn mower battery. My son replaced the battery in the mower for me. When my lawn mower was not cutting correctly, (due to the fact I need new lawn mower blades also!) my neighbor offered to finish mowing my grass. So myself, my son and my neighbor were a team to get the lawn mowed correctly, so it is now nice to look at, easy to walk on and safe for the dogs."

DIES But as I said, I don't care anymore about work ethics, and you know what, it was teamwork! :P

It is teamwork!

And I'd say it's not cheating, if you actually read what you were supposed to then.. screw it?! You're using open book well :P

Those ARE a lot of close names, I'd be tongue tied all day long!

OK so.. what's going on here. College is going well. El got their license on Friday! And started their new job yesterday.. we drove together yesterday because they were afraid, then Iz, Alex and I accidentally spent 5 hours at the orchard because by the time we were done, it was too close to time for them to be done so.. we just stayed :P

Today they drove on their own, though, and did just fine!

Tomorrow we're going to the fair, but today.. I just wasn't feeling entirely well so.. hopefully tomorrow will be better.

So if I read that right, El has a job at the orchard? Which would be why you drove with them there, then spent all day and then waited for them to get off instead of leaving since you'd been there that long anyway? :P Sounds like a great place to have a job! I know ya'll love going there. If that isn't right, then her job must be near the orchard for ya'll to have spent that time there LOL

The county fair here isn't usually until early October. So about a month from now. When we are lucky it lines up with fall break ;) It doesn't always and I am always sad when it doesn't. I used to love taking the kids during break and going all day, rather than just a few hours at night. Or on a busy weekend.

Yeah, they're working at the orchard!

The last two weeks they had training at the pumpkin patch and then at the orchard, and then this weekend was their first actual.. on the job training?

Ours always runs Wednesday before through labor day, but.. it's SO. HOT. It's like 90 all week basically. Annoying :P

Iz is super excited to see weather she won some ribbons, though!

You'll have to let me know what they win for!!! I'm sure you'll get some ribbons! How exciting for E!!

[edit] How did they do at the fair? I feel a bit like them right now LOL I have been crafting for my "creative arts" childcare class. I have made a photo frame (popsicle sticks, markers, some old tiny paper roses from the RenFair hair styles, some foam letters for my initials I stole from school (hehehe) and hot glue), a mobile (yes, like a baby mobile, but not exactly, it can be anything dangly- mine is almost more like a windchime except I don't have the metal bars to chime together - the things are at different lengths) - I used an old seashell, plus 6 of my sharks teeth, and hot glue, and thread. I am HOPING the hot glue comes of the sharks teeth nicely (eeek) I want those back. I have to use the frame to frame one of my pieces of artwork. So at the school I have made a "mini me", a fingerpainting, and a marble painting...I decided to frame the mini me. I have also made a collage about me for this class so far and a paper hat (out of a giant coffee filter, pastel chalk, and some paper flowers/pipe cleaners that I made to attach to it) I plan to take pictures and show ya'll one day hahaha :P I keep forgetting to take the pictures

oh gosh yes, I definitely need to see this hat!

A few first places, I'll need to get out their ribbons and show them off haha.

But like, El got third place on her cake, and Iz got fourth.. but the first place, the kid didn't do. I know, because I've seen her piping and writing. This was her grandmas work (who's a professional!). Second place deserved first place though, they did great! I thought Isabelles was honestly really good too, especially since she was 10 and everyone else was 15 plus. :P

Well I was going to take the pictures tonight, but the teacher is sick, so class was cancelled. And she has a faculty meeting next Thursday so we won't meet again in person until Sept 21. Bah. And my hat, mini me, finger painting and marble painting are at the college classroom. I do have the picture frame and collage and mobile here. I just quickly completed 3 lesson plans for class, I was going to double check with her tonight but. Eh. So based on what I wrote down, she said we could do lesson plans on the marble painting and paper hats - the links online said "artist style" and "mural" :/ We did do a artist style paper, but not a lesson in it? So ok. Anyway, I added a note saying, "per our last in person class" and submitted those plans LOL I am a bit disappointed; I wanted to finish my frame (put the mini me in it and add a backing) and "turn in" the projects hahahah :P (basically, show them to her)

On to the next modules - chapters to read, quizzes to take, new lesson plans in creative arts to figure out and work on (hopefully AFTER an in-person session) - we will be on MUSIC, instead of ART. lol After that I think will be SINGING/SONGS and then DRAMA (or dramatic play at least, like, dress up/pretend type stuff). I think.

Ugh for grandma doing the cake for the child. That is not fair to the other kids. I saw Iz's cake picture. it looked awesome!!

Yeah, it's not fair, but it is what it is! There's quite a few that were like that, you could tell the kids didn't do them.

But it's no big deal overall!

Ooooh that's awesome, that was a nice and quick three lessons done!

Yea, the lesson plans are easy. She gives us a template; we have to fill it in. Basically, choose a book, write the title/author, write what you will say to the kids at the beginning and end of the lesson, all the steps on whatever activity you are doing, the materials you will need, and then at the end, how do you assess if the kids understood the lesson/what you were teaching?

I read one chapter and took a quiz last night. Was so sleepy I didn't attempt a second one. I will do that today. Then start on the assignments in the other class, since I can't do the assignments in the creative class until we meet in person, as I need input on what to do really (lesson plans! but not sure on what!)

My neighbor asked if I liked playing card games last night :o And told me to tell her whenever I wanted to come over and play - hmm. Now I am wondering if she feels bad for me, living alone, and thinks I'm lonely? :P I think she's realized my family lives far away, and now I have no adults around except Shane, and then there is Nathan too of course, but he's a teenager. (Her sister comes over to visit now & then, and her son - they both live like an hour or so away) Or maybe I am overthinking this hahaha and she just found a way to be friendlier than we already are. To be honest. I do sometimes feel lonely. I like being alone, and doing solitary things, but I do think I miss adult company sometimes. I have no idea how to meet people tho. My brother was telling me about this facebook dating thing? He says its the most real out of the different ones he's tried to use to meet people. (like you know, tinder or whatever type of thing lol) NOT sure I trust ANY of those type of things, how do you know the people are actually what they say they are??? And I don't GO anywhere or do anything. So I don't meet people.

Yeah, I'm not sure I'd trust any of those either. But! It might be nice to have a friend? Like, maybe that's all she's looking for, too?