Home from class. And sigh I get to make a prop box. For real this time. (other teacher had us do a list, we did not have to get the items) Like I have to make/collect materials. AND make a puppet to go with it. And naturally the teacher chose (out of my 3 books I suggested) one that will be a bit difficult for me to find what I WANT to use :P The Lady with the Alligator Purse. So...since I need REAL items...of course I need a purse. An alligator purse of course :P Meaning I'll have to create it somehow. And then figure out what 4-5 props to put INSIDE it...I'm thinking dr coat/stethoscope. Pizza, maybe pizza box too, aaaaaand I do not know what else yet. And I guess the lady for the puppet? But then I'd have to make a small alligator purse too sigh :P I DUNNO!!! At least I have between 2-3 weeks to do it (not due til Nov 30th).

I wonder if I can steal the pizza from school again long enough for the prop box hahaha or if I should just make construction paper one and laminate it. Also was debating just finding a stuffed alligator and putting it INSIDE the purse, rather than making an "alligator purse" (in the story, the head and tail stick off the outside of the purse for the alligator purse)

[edit] I had to make my own good morning song :P

Its to the tune of London Bridge is Falling Down

"Kat came to learn and play, learn and play, learn and play, Kat came to learn and play, she's at school today" Then repeat with kids names hahaha :P I kept it very simple.

I also had to do a transition song (I did for going outside) and any other song I wanted, so I did a lunchtime song. Maybe I'll try that one today and get a laugh when the lunch ladies (and the kids) look at me like I'm insane. Its to the tune of the Wheels on the Bus- "It's time for lunch, get your milk and spoon, milk and spoon, milk and spoon, It's time for lunch, so choose your food and go sit down"

[edit] 350pm OMG. I have never in my life TGIF'd so hard. I am so glad to be out of school for the day/week and have a few days to get myself back together. These kids....where the heck is the "pulling out your hair" emoji? Thats what I need right now.

[edit] Saturday 4pm So I've been doing school work. As per usual :P Finished my reading and did my last quiz for the EMPL class. Now I have to do the discussion board. And then make a resume, cover letter and do a video in which I answer 4 questions for a "mock interview" YAY? I think I've got the resume, but I asked the teacher to clarify for me - I want to know if I can go ahead and include my degree I am about to get at the end of the semester :P I mean, I don't have it now, but I WILL have it when the year is over. So I'm hoping she'll let me go ahead and put it on there.

And really I guess I should have asked how far back my resume has to go job wise? Like, should I put the daycares I worked at when I was 18-20 yrs old which was like 25+yrs ago??? :P I simply put my last two jobs - preK para and Kinder para (tho technically they were for the same company, but different position sort of? i mean, i'm a para either way, but different grade? so I dunno. I put them separate) and also like, i'd have a 10-15yr gap in work history if I went back to my daycare years :P So...??? I dunno. Maybe I should ask that. It didn't say in the book really...just that if you have a gap, only put years and then be prepared to explain....but i've worked as a para for over 7yrs now, is that enough work history?

[edit] Sunday 5pm So the teacher emailed me back :o shocker. over the weekend? :o Said it was ok to put the degree info in. I'm not going to bother to add anything else. I don't think it needs to go back forever, do ya'll? I mean, 2017-now is plenty of work time? If anyone was to ask, before that I was a stay at home mom :P We can just leave out the daycare in my early years hahahah

Anyway. I really came on because I just logged back into my school work, and found ALL of my classwork graded - guess i finished those assignments (I was working on one class all morning, reading, a quiz and 3 assignments!) just in time!! (even tho they were not due until Wed night - there was about 2 weeks worth of ungraded work also, before this weeks stuff, due to the teachers vision problems and another surgery I guess) I thought it was funny. First an email from a teacher, now they're grading on the weekends too? Guess you gotta do what you gotta do to get caught up! I am about to start reading for the other class now. THAT teacher is the one that took over my in person class, and I know she is going out of town this week, but I still got to get these 3 assignments done before Wed night. Thankfully next week (the week of Thanksgiving) is break, from college AND work...but I will still do college stuff. I will finish my prop box, do my puppet, do 2 journal article review papers, finish my resume and cover letter and do whatever else I can do.

Oh my gosh Kat, I'm so sorry! I must have accidentally deleted the notification and didn't notice. :(

YAY for a break from school and work.. even if it's just to do more school work and probably clean the house :P

life happens ;) I'm sure you've been busy!

Quite! Burnt out, really, is more like it :P

BUT I'm not doing anything tomorrow. Lily and Iz are cleaning their rooms.. maybe I'll wrap some Christmas presents. In my bedroom. With the door closed. And no one bothering me haha.

Aww. This week was rough at school (work) for me too. I was quite glad when yesterday came and next week is break. We finally got a meeting on our one child....and they will be doing ... nothing. Great. "Oh we'll retest him in a year, and in the meantime you can do MTSS and document it" MTSS is behavior support strategies. Which we have already been doing and they aren't working.

Anyway. I have no idea why but I woke up at 4am. And could NOT fall back asleep. So here I am at 520 am out on the computer. Yay. Maybe I'll lay down and rest later today, even if I don't sleep. Then maybe I won't wake up so early tomorrow.

Oh no! But yes, definitely "nap". Resting is always a good plan haha.

And ugh, that really stinks and is unfair to you guys AND the other kids in the class.

Football is STILL happening, they're playing this week too but we don't know what day or time yet :P

I'm only working two days next week, I'm just working both my church days on Tuesday so I don't have to go in Friday, and the kids and I are going to decorate the house instead :P And I'm working Monday at the sfchool, since there's a half day Wednesday.

We still have football too! Nathan went to the game again last night, we won again. Guess we both have great teams this year!

Just got done putting away all the groceries. This time I stocked up a little - and got a little extra bits for Thanksgiving. Its only going to be me and Nathan, but I like to have a bit of extra special things. So like we don't go all out and have a huge turkey and ALLLLLLL the sides, but we do like to have sparkling juice and olives, which we only get for Thanksgiving and Christmas (ok the olives we randomly get a few other times thru the year but the juice is definitely holiday oriented). I also usually make extra bread (like, homemade bread AND cornbread and sometimes biscuits too) and one or two extra side dishes, like we'd have mac and cheese AND rice or broccoli/rice casserole. BUT - we normally split it up. So like if we have mac&cheese at lunch, we have the broccoli/rice at dinner. And reheat ham (we rarely actually do turkey lol) Same for the breads. If I do cornbread for lunch, I do bread or biscuits for dinner.

Plus I had to buy all the nonfood items - so like dog food, cat food, cat litter, laundry soap, toilet paper. I spent too much :( Oh well.

No school at all this week for us! I'm so glad. I hate half days and half-weeks. Like ok I can deal with a Monday off or a Friday off, but when you have two/three days off and/or two/three days of school, its annoying. I know its the norm most places tho. But I'm glad we usually do whole weeks off!

OH! I saw in my email that I was going to get another deposit from the collge, for excess PELL funds... So I went to look at the paperwork online to see how much (cuz it won't hit my bank for a few more days minimum) and it LOOKS like I'll get over $900?? WHAT? I might just go talk to financial aid on Monday (or after it hits my bank) and make sure that is correct, because I don't see how I could get that much back!! I only got like $200+ earlier this semester. Maybe its because they held all that extra until my mini-mester was halfway thru? But I had no idea I'd get that much extra!! :o Just by getting the FULL PELL !! :o If I do get it, that'll be a blessing. Because I already owe myself $500 for the repairs to the house :/ Used some of that for car parts (for the car I have no idea what is going to happen to atm) I called the contractor AGAIN yesterday. Hopefully I will get a response today. I also called another contractor earlier - last week maybe? But then found out he was out of town for his church (he knows my neighbor and worked on her house - goes to her church, so thats where I got his #)...he hasn't called me back yet either :/

Ooooh, that's incredible! Hopefully it is real haha.

Yeah, we need to go pick up some things after church tomorrow, we're having apps for dinner on Wednesday... including sparkling grape juice! I picked that up last week, though :P

Ugh contractors are basically the worst, they're so hard to get a hold of!

I really hope so too. Its never been wrong before, but I've never gotten back such a large sum before either. usually just a little bit. The $200 earlier this semester was a big amount for me!! (other than the covid $ when I first started lol)

Been playing farmville. Now going to go do my training work (I had some professional development training earlier this month), and I have to do an online video/quiz and then an assignment w/ the kids. I talked to my red table about the activity and we'll do it when we get back in school. But gotta do the online stuff. So gonna do it today and get it over with. Then work on college classwork off & on all week - I got the felt to make a puppet. Going to try to figure out how to cut out a hand puppet of the Lady with the Alligator Purse. Blue jacket, purple shirt, pink neckscarf. Green alligator purse. :P Oh and brown yarn hair (in a bun!!), plus I am thinking pipe cleaner glasses? Or sharpie. Not sure yet. I plan to hot glue this all together and hope its durable enough for the teacher LOL Because I don't want to try and buy a doll and turn it into the old woman AND have to slice it open to stuff my hand up in it.

Pipe cleaners would be good glasses! If the face is big enough, anyway.

I just.. wrapped the kids Christmas presents and then took a nap haha.

Tomorrow we're going to church, grocery shopping, home to clean up, then some friends are coming over for the first time in like.. forever

Got an 85 on the quiz. There wasn't a video - usually there is, so that's why I thought there was. I also thought I did better on the quiz, but eh. I missed 3 questions out of 20. I also wrote out journal article 2 for one of my classes. I'll read a chapter and do an assignment today too, or maybe more depending on my mood. Since this week I have LOTS of time (no work, plus 2 weeks to finish the work since thanksgiving break for college too) I think the pipe cleaners will work, but if not, sharpie to the rescue LOL I'm still debating how to do the front. Should I like, do the whole puppet in one color first (the blue jacket) then add the other colors on? Should the front be all peachy for her skin and the back blue, then add the jacket/scarf/purse/face details on top of the peach? I'm leaning that way - peach front, blue back, and add pieces to the front. I can only hope I can draw/cut it out to fit/look good. Then hot glue it all together lol THAT i know I can do.

I've wrapped a few presents - mostly things Shane has bought - tho today I wrapped 3 things I bought. Small things. I told the kids stuff from me would be very small this year. I'll be able to get something at least - I got my $150 reward card for my healthcare Its been a tradition that Katie and I get stuffed Christmas bears for years. But the last few years they've made the bears into ornaments, so I've gotten those instead. I got Katie AND Wesley one this year. I could not resist - one was dressed in purple and had a crown (Queen Elizabeth of England) and the other was dressed in a black suit with a black beret (French beret) and since they went to England and France - they both got a bear to represent this year for them :P Wesley won't be getting any other bears from me tho. Just this one year. LOL But I'll keep getting them for Katie as long as she wants. I asked her to pick mine, so I could be surprised which one she got me. I usually have to pick out my own stuff and I really don't like knowing what I got. Shane is an idiot and ALWAYS tells me what he gets, or asks me to wrap things, so I know what I've gotten from him...same as everyone else did - a calendar and a cup w/ my name on it. One of those metal yeti type cups. It is decorated somehow, that is the only thing I don't know - what it looks like. So cups, calendars and ornaments is what I wrapped so far :P (I picked out an ornament for Shane but haven't seen one for Nathan yet) - I am also making homemade ornaments to put in their stockings, little yarn beanie caps lol and I am making those to give to co-workers and my neighbor as well. The ornaments are also a tradition. Everyone gets a new ornament every year! :) Oh - I have been seriously considering, since they are older, wrapping snacks/household items for them hahaha like laundry soap, bathroom stuff, etc. Because then they don't have to spend their money on things, they get things to open, and I get to buy them something I know they'll use. And snacks of course, like christmas candy or treats, but also whatever their favorite snacks are.

Ooh I hope you have fun with your friends. This afternoon or tomorrow afternoon me and my neighbor will get together and play some games.

Yeah, I think household stuff like that can be a pretty good gift, especially if it's the kind they'll use! A little boring, but also like..e verythign is so expensive! haha.

Yea, I am thinking about it because there won't be a lot of gifts. And I think its more fun to open a lot of gifts than one card with $ in it or something like that.

I often get the little prepacked bathroom gift sets anyway. For a fun small gift. But I think Katie usually uses something else, she'll use that stuff if I get it, but might as well make up my own "gift set" of things she uses normally....which is why I got to thinking about wrapping that kind of stuff up for everyone. And then my thoughts moved on to TP and laundry soap and stuff hahaha I might ask her if she'd be ok with gifts like that before I buy it. Plus I need to know what brand. And if she is like NO then I can get other little things instead. Shane on the other hand, doesn't really need "household" stuff - but I will get him some bathroom stuff. And maybe some cleaner stuff, he is always cleaning his truck. Nathan tho, hmm. I can do the shampoo/conditioner/body wash easy enough, but I dunno what he'll think about it for a gift LOL If its not a prepacked gift set like I normally get :P Also I don't think he'd appreciate household stuff or cleaning stuff. Not at 17 and still living with mom hahahah! Dunno what to get him tho.

Just sorted through all my jewelry. I put some stuff back even tho I never wear it (bracelet my dad got me overseas, the first pair of earrings he got me, before I even got my ears pierced LOL, and a few other sentimental things I've had since I was a kid...) Sent pix to Katie to see if she wanted any of the other stuff....and I guess I'll find a pawn shop or something and see what kind of $ I can get out of the rest of it. I know one bracelet is real diamonds and gold. I think one other is. Several are gold or gold plated (not sure which). and my wedding ring is gold, so is the mom ring (and it has diamonds) - so I know I probably won't get what they are worth. I can't find but one of my diamond earrings tho. Weird. I haven't worn bracelets or earrings in YEARRRRRRS (like 10+) and I never really wore any rings except my wedding band.

[edit] 225pm Monday Ugh. This puppet is a lot harder than I thought it would be. I think I finally have the clothing sorted, now am trying to glue it together. Found some googly eyes. Debating how to do the nose/mouth (draw it on? use a tiny peice of felt?) - there wasn't peach felt so I used white for her skin. Still have to do the alligator purse as well for her.

picture

255pm mmm hahahah guys I feel like this thing is horrible. But at least it is a puppet. and it vaguely resembles what it is supposed to be...I still need to do glasses but I don't have pipecleaners or sharpies here.

EDIT OH for the love of.... Tues 110pm So I've been emailing and finally think I got it figured out why I was not being registered for classes yet even tho the advisor said I would be asap. Sheesh. Stupid hold for the transcript, because i'm STILL IN CLASSES. UUUHH??? YEA? you guys knew that. WHY put a hold on me signing up for classes?? Whatever. I talked to all the right people and hopefully I'll be registered for classes soon. Then I can get them the transcript (and probably have to pay for it to be sent again) after fall semester is over. sigh

ANYWAY. ALSO! :o Yes. The deposit was made. over $900 into my bank account :o I didn't bother about going to the school. I mean, all the documents say its right. AND they've never screwed me over yet, so I'm trusting its correct. I won't spend it, not until I pay for my siding and windows to be fixed hahahah :P

Also, after finishing the puppet, I have this vague recollection that the teacher said NOT to use googly eyes, as they'll come off...sooooo I might pull them off and draw on eyes. She was talking about sock puppets when she said that, not to glue on googly eyes or buttons for eyes...

EDIT - 155pm Ok yay. Got my schedule for starting Mercer in Jan now. Phew. And even tho this advisor fussed about how SHE was supposed to be the one to set up my schedule because the other lady I spoke to earlier was for k-5 not B-K, its teh same schedule :P I figured it would be. That lady earlier this year really seemed to know what she was talking about.

I adore your songs!!!!!! ❤

Awww Kat, I think the alligator purse part is super super cute!

But yes, no googly eyes, choking hazards :P I do love a good googly eye, though!

And yayyyy for the deposit going through already, that's terrific!

I wasn't going to pick up any angel tree kids this year because we're kind of broke, but then the one kid wanted exactly the things that I had extra that I had picked up on clearance this year.. so I grabbed him.

Then I noticed two teenage boys, one who's 12 (OK well, ALMOST teenage!) that in big CAPS asked for "BOOTS, size 9 mens), and then in teeny tiny letters (or legos). Like.. if the kid needs boots, that's just sad. So I picked him up too (with Alex's go ahead). And a 15 year old who wanted some sweatpants and a hoodie (or legos, again in small letters). So we got the one kid black winter boots that can be worn all year though, and a star wars lego set, and we ordered the other kid a pair of sweats from aero, the x wing lego set, and an Eagles hoodie.

Because when they're asking for clothes and shoes first thing, that's really a.. IDK. that's a 'pick me' kind of thing for me, you know?!

Another little boy was 5 and his just said 'warm pajamas and star wars sheets'. But he was taken, thankfully!

So.. from zero angel tree kids to three but.. I just feel really good about it so. Pfft. We're not doing the family Christmas games this year is all, which is fine.

Aww thank you :) I did my best lol

that is lovely that you could do that for those kids. I don't think I've seen an angel tree around here in years. I could just not be looking in the right spot. And yes, anyone who asks for clothing first, deserves to be chosen and given extra gifts if you can! I wonder if those boys are brothers. since both of them wanted clothing/shoes, and then legos in tiny letters.

No, they weren't. The one who wanted sweatpants and a hoodie DID have a brother though, but someone picked him.

I think these people just.. really needed the clothes/boots, but had to pick something else, as well? But.. like, even 15, that's still a kid, you know?!`

Oh goodness, I've seen a bunch of them. Even the bowling alley has one? LOL

As I said, years since I've seen one, and I don't think I ever participated, so I was not sure how they worked, if you could tell who the people were/if they were related. I think the last time I saw one was in Walmart when Shane/Katie were little? Before Nathan was born. Guess certain areas just don't do them anymore? I dunno. HAD to pick something else? What is wrong with asking for clothing for christmas? Eh. I would have thought it the other way around. They wanted the legos, but NEEDED the clothes so wrote that, but added the legos for just in case. But as I said, I don't know how the thing works.

In Katies youth group we would try to find a family to give Christmas to. We didn't always find one. Two different times we used the same family again as we didn't find a different one. Once we helped an adult couple as well as the family, due to need from medical bills. We always got household supplies (soap, shampoo, toothpaste, toilet paper etc), sometimes food (like some items for a christmas dinner), as well as clothing, and toys for the kids. We always tried to get something for the adults as well, special bath items, hats/scarves/gloves or a gift card to use for something they needed. (one lady told us she needed personal items, so thats why the gift card)

You could tell because they're worded the exact same way, if that makes sense? Plus, it's listed on our paper who's related haha. And they just put the paper out there on the table to have people sign their names when they take the tags.

We do that for 4H, just pick a family, including the parents. Including stockings for everyone.

Well no matter how it works, or how you know, the fact that you helped someone celebrate makes it worth it :) I know those kids will appreciate the clothing AND the legos!

I've been making banana muffins. I have walnut and chocolate chip. Going to freeze them in batches of 4 mini muffins (oh, yes because they are mini muffins, not regular size) for breakfasts. I plan to make the broccoli and rice casserole today too, hopefully. I like it better leftover :P And I'll be cooking rice anyway later tonight for dinner, since Nathan decided he wanted spanish rice for dinner (something simple, and beef, since we'll have ham ham and more ham the next two-three days lol)

135pm ugh this dragging out the school work thing is killing me but I'm trying to just take it easy and do one thing a day :P This weekend I might give in and just finish everything that I haven't gotten to. Which, isn't a lot LOL Three assignments for one class, and write out answers for my questions for the video "interview" in the other. (and begin practicing them) I think I've done everything I can for the other two classes.