Ahh fresh new board smell. Come join us friends, for more of the and Kat show :P We know you're lurking out there reading our posts.

To answer your question in the last post on the other board - this morning I went to the doctor because yesterday I started feeling crappy. I've already had a cough for over a week, but yesterday it was really bad, and my chest hurt (probably from coughing so much). I also just felt blah, and aches and pains. So anyway. Upper respiratory infection is what they said, gave me steroid shot, antibiotic shot, and more antibiotics starting tomorrow, plus some stronger cough medication.

I was supposed to go to the parade tonight with my neighbor. But with not feeling well, and its supposed to be rainy, I told her I wasn't going to go.

After the doctor, I went shopping, then to the pharmacy. I have to go to another store because Walmart did NOT have ANY REGULAR candy canes WHAT??? REALLY? They barely had any of the weird flavor ones. But I decided to make "snowman soup" for the kids at school to send home in their Christmas gift bags and I need regular candy canes. I have tons of hot cocoa mix because I bought Nathan a pack of like 30 back in spring and he's barely touched it. So I bought Styrofoam cups to draw snowman faces on and need candy cane stirring sticks.

Today and tomorrow I will be working on my schoolwork - as I said before - I have to do my interview recording (that'll be fun as I cough my way through it) and 6 assignments - 2 I have finished and turned in, so 4 more now.

Oh goodness, I can't believe I closed out that last thread!

The Mieke and Kat show, for real!

Oof, I hope you can kick it and get to feeling 100% soon!

I've only seen regular candy canes at the dollar tree, for some reason! But we like the sweeTART ones :P

That sounds super cute, though!

Today I just.. wrapped the rest of the presents. Had to get the angel tree things all wrapped to turn in tomorrow, so.. that's done, now. They're all done. FINALLY.

Tomorrow we're headed to church, then there's a Sunday Funday (Which, honestly.. I really don't want to do? Maybe I would if there weren't so many of them, but every month it's something else, I just.. I don't want to. I may say that I don't want to be a part of Januarys. I think I need to take a hard look at the things I'm doing, and decide which of them actually give me joy, you know?!), and then El and Lil have another Christmas concert. Our THIRD one this week, actually!

I'm going to go to Locust Grove they usually have a larger holiday section and so more stuff available. If not, then I'll try dollar general on my way back home. Or Ingles (depending on price) because I need to pop in there which is really why I am going to Locust Grove (I like that Ingles best) - I don't need a lot but want a little more variety than pork chops and pork ribs for dinner this week! :P So, I am going to pick up hamburger meat, pot roast and I dunno if anything else or not. Depends on sales. Oh, and some Kool-Aid. They only sell Strawberry at Ingles (I can't find it at Walmart and half the time I can't find black cherry or anything else either, Walmart seems to be out of stock a LOT!) I did get myself some raspberry chocolate candy canes, since the regular peppermint ones hurt my stomach now days.

I've been wrapping gifts as I get them, but yesterday I put the ones that are wrapped out under the tree. Silly me decided on one type of wrap per person (since I have about 20 rolls) and didn't think that when Shane asked me to wrap HIS gifts, that all his gifts would look like they are from me hahaha - I should have chosen a different wrap to wrap the "from Shane" gifts in. Oh well too late now. I did put gift tags on, so we can tell really, but the wrap is all the same for each "to" person :P

That is a lot of concerts. I did that for a while when it was Shane Katie and Nathan doing things (ok for Shane it was the parade, not concert, ROTC but still, activity) Glad I don't have that much to do anymore, even tho sometimes I miss it, which is why I was going to go to the parade with the neighbor!

And yes! Do not go to events that do not bring you joy. You need rest days and personal/mental health days! Take a break from it all especially if its not something you don't want to do! (or just want a break from)

ooh I see you are using your new gift! Its gorgeous!

[edit] 10am Ok been to walmart and ingles and back. Got what I needed. Then I totally went nuts rearranging my bedroom and the livingroom (again - I had Nathan help me move some stuff yesterday) WHY? I dunno. I think because I felt like moving stuff :P Also the couches need to be sat on in different seats and that won't happen unless we move the couches around. They don't quite fit right, so I don't know if I'll leave them like this - but I never put my recliner up, so its not like they'll be in the way of someone else (since no one is almsot NEVER here) to put up their recliner if they wanted to. Still have to put all the small crap back in place and figure out where I am putting the movie shelf. Rearranged the bedroom thinking I might move the desk in there but then realized the dog would whine at me if I was in the bedroom on the computer all the time. I could let her go in there with me, but I don't normally allow her back there because that is a cat safe space (the cats can go down the hall to the bedrooms the dogs cant')

Also, I cannot really get to the litter boxes anymore, but this means the dogs can't either hahahah except behind the couch which is a small space to walk thru right now. I might move it up except then it will be more infront of the other couch. Ugh.

Going to go do school stuff for a bit and be still.

awww, Kat and Mieke you keep the CCA board alive!

Would any be selling quest points? I need a couple of items before the seasonal shop passes over. I can pay 25k per point (it's the going rate, I think) and I need 135 (poss an extra 60). I never have any time to quest these days! I look forward to getting back to it 😆

OMG I have so many, I can give you some haha.

Maybe 5k a point? Or 10k a point, if you really want. Just let me know what you need!

Kat, that sounds fun! Exhausting, though :P

After church this morning, we set up for our funday today. And Iz volunteered to be Santas elf, she's very excited about it. We're going to make snowglobes, do a scavenger hunt, play some other games, decorate cookies, and do pictures with Santa.

I think it'll be a fun time, and I'm really excited to do this one.. but I hope people show up!

And then we're going to rush home and eat dinner quick before the concert tonight :P

I swear, whenever I get sick, after I get medicine I feel energized. And then I feel wiped out if I'm stupid enough to use the energy LOL I'm not TOO pooped tho. Got two assignments done. Two more assignments to finish. Think I'll do the recording this afternoon for the other class. I've been practicing my answers. Now I gotta record them.

No extra quest points here. Gosh. How do you have extra mieke? I always spend mine and STILL need more!!! I also haven't quested regularly since school started tho...bad me.

[edit] 450pm Ok I recorded my video. I honestly think I could have done better on it. I bumbled a bit here and there, but I really didnt feel up to recording it 20x so three was my limit. I said I'm done at that point - I'd made it thru all the questions, even tho my answers and the way I phrased the questions was a bit bumbly :P So I submitted it. Oh well. Even if I get half credit for being crappy I still have a passing grade! lol And I doubt it was THAT bad, just bad to me.

I've got like 4.5k haha. I haven't quested properly in uh.. a while, but. Yeah, IDK. I've got a bunch?

YAY for passing, but yeah, I'm sure you're just beating on yourself!

I'm so exhausted, but the funday was fun! Santa mentioned this morning when we were decorating that he needed an elf, and Iz volunteered! No one was as shocked as I was haha. But I posted some pretty cute pictures of her :P

! Yes please! Absolutely 10k a point! So cheap! :) I would like (all from seasonal tab): 35 50 50 60

Kat, I bet you spend all of yours on books for all your pets and that's where they go! I never quest, which is why I don't have enough 😆 I used to do loads of quests back in the day. You could do 30 per NPC with a gold account but now I get bored after like 10!!

Aw, sounds like your weekend has been so festive Mieke! :)

books are last to be bought, but yes - any extra goes there. I've gotten the beanbags, plushies, stickers first. Then food. And minions now is what I've been working on. But also books yes yes yes LOL The seasonal shop wipes me out most of the time before I get a chance to go back and buy more books from the others. (And leaves me still needing seasonal items !!) I try to quest at least on weekends right now when I have more time and during breaks I try to quest every day. I got out of the every day habit no matter what tho. I don't really get bored by it (its not FUN by any means) but I do it for the quest points and sps. And if I focus and do nothing BUT quest, it takes me around an hour.

WHOA :o I don't think I've ever had more than - well I'm not sure if I've even EVER had 1k at one time!!

I fell asleep in my bed reading. I have a vague memory of Nathan turning off the light...lol he can be so sweet sometimes. Then of course I woke up at 415 this morning and the dog started whining before 5 since she sensed I was awake. Ugh. So up, showered and ready now for work.

For a while I had over 10k haha. I'm a hoarder, I guess!

I do have to buy more books though, I only buy one to begin with. But I just buy the foods, beanbags, plushies, and books.. but only one copy :P To start with, anyway!

Woke up feeling not terrific this morning, so I called off and I'm going to stay home and do uh.. not much.

El had a final this morning, a persuasive essay on what their final grade in the class should be. BUT she also got her research paper back, and that got an A, so I think she's pretty much set in this class!

She's got another one at 11, that's a 50 question math test, but I think she'll be fine.

Oh, Trade Lot

4.15, Kat! wow. I dunno how you do it! I would probably have more time for questing if I wasn't so busy with everything! haha. Been in for a supervision meeting today - my last one, so hopefully will get this thesis handed in soon!

Hope you get some rest and feel better, Mieke :)

Kat, I'd be asleep by 5pm if I got up at 415! haha.

Took some tylenol this morning and then I went through all Isabelles drawers and closet. Got rid of two full trash bags of clothes! (Kitchen sized, not the big black ones, but like.. still!)

Oh believe me I'm tired when I wake up that early. I wanted to doze off at naptime today and if the kids had settled better, I might just have :P They were quite wild today. No surprise there. We even had a nice, lovely BITE happen. Plus, TWO emotional parents, one in person and one thru email, regarding a specific child and what is being done about him (referred them to admin). Oh and a surprise visit by the PreK people. Thats always fun. So, she came in to inspect while the teacher was out in a conference, and I had the behavior specialist in with me to deal with the child previously mentioned, so yea. That was fun.

You got a forum point while making a post! Check out the shop here!

Oh no! Of course that's the kind of day people get to see with surprise visits, everytime, right?!

BUT, at least you were all dealing with it.

The poor parents though, that there's TWO families complaining about a child and the admin isn't really doing anything about it. :(

Edit: PS Kat, I REALLY love this new HA, it makes me happy everytime I see it! So thank you, yet again, for the lovely lumi present!

Well I can't say admin is doing NOTHING - but what they are doing isn't effective I guess? And if I was a parent (heck as a teacher I'm the same) I would want them to do something MORE than what is being done - which is not much IMO- us removing him from the room when he acts up, us taking him to the office if he hurts anyone, the behavior specialist coming into the room daily (now that we have one again) to check on him and spend time with him.... (He either gets sent back to our room after a while, or if its a more serious injury/hurt, gets sent to a Kindergarten room for the rest of the day) - I don't know that they ever even call his parents, even tho they SAY they're going to. I mean, if I got a call saying my child hit someone and was in the office, I'd be up at the school picking them up or at least taking them to the bathroom if you know what I mean!!

Honestly the day went pretty well all being said and done. Glad its over tho. Cannot wait until this week is over because all its going to do is get crazier until Friday when we all crash and burn and go insane from the caroling in the gym and the class parties :P Not to mention pie in the face for the counselor (rather than the principal this time because I think he cheated and paid $ to get her pile of "snowballs" bigger than his hahahahah - he got pied in the face less than a month ago) Then thankfully I'll have TWO weeks at home - and the kids will have THREE! As I go back a week before the kids return.

I'm so glad you like it! :D <3

My brain is fried. I literally cannot think of how to respond for my last two assignments and they are like, simple things. UGH! I did one but feel I didn't do it right. Whatever. Oh and I got a 100 on my video. :P Thats me all stressed over nothing apparently.

Maybe it's time to take a break on the classwork Kat, at least for a few hours or days :P I'm sure you have, now, but!

And yeah.. that's basically doing nothing :P I know you guys are doing as well as you can, but it doesn't sound like administration is!

OH HOW ABOUT... speaking of ridiculous school things. We're paying 3.4m for what is basically a fancy new field house.. a "wellness center". Well, something like 5% of taxpayers and parents are for it, 85% are very against spending the money when our books are super outdated, it was 117 up on stage and 93! in the audience at the elementary concert last week, the hot lunches provided are government/prison food (It's the exact same things we give away at the food share.. and that's basically all school food programs around us), etc etc.

WELL. Even after people showed up at all the school board meetings, AND did petitions and such to not have this happen.. the school board voted for it.

NOW, starting on Monday, they're having a big 'donation kick off party' and they want everyone in the school and district to come and donate $175k to EQUIP this building, that they swore up and down wouldn't be a problem to equip. (Also, there will be no one to staff it, they say gym teachers, but gym teachers are already going to be teaching health and science classes during the day, LIKE THEY CURRENTLY ARE), so no one is going to be able to use it.. and we already are down 3 custodians and another one is retiring soon, so there will be no one to take care of it. And it's an entire new building, and it's also going to cost a lot for water, electricity, etc etc etc.

Like.. ARGH.

Umm well I can't. I have to finish the last assignment before Wednesday night. Thankfully after that I do get a break until Jan 8th!! I probably won't do it til tomorrow night tho, because concert tonight. I still can't think of what to do for this last assignment. I hate not doing something but I am halfway tempted to just not do it. I know once she grades the other stuff, if I get full points I've got another A. Whats another 15 points. Not much :P

Books? What are books...our highschool hasn't had new books since oh I dunno. Before Shane? I clearly remember him (and his teachers) saying that all the printouts they gave the kids were their "books" so don't lose them.

Ugh. Why do something that almost everyone was against? Crazy.

[edit] Ok i've been brainstorming and google searching and I THINK I have enough that I can get the last assignment done I'll write it up later tonight or tomorrow. :P

We have books, but they don't really use them.. instead they just use kahoot and quizlet LOL. Who needs to read, anyway?! :P

When I was in school, I remember that my Mom had my science book too. Which was insane!

YAY, I'm glad you got some ideas! Booo for not being able to take a break but.. you're almost done!

And speaking of.. El took their last two finals today, officially done with their first semester of college! Which seems impossible but.. here we are! :P

Nathan says they do have SOME books, but they are like, classroom sets only, so shared by all 3 or 4 blocks of students, so the kids can't take them home to use them or anything. And not every class. Just some classes. I remember having my own book, having to write my name in it, lug it around school or store it in my locker. AND take it home to do homework. Honestly, looking at the college books, with all the revisions, its tiny little things that really don't matter and they print up new books? WHY? Wasteful. So I can understand keeping old books for a long time if they're still useable!!

Yay for El! They're doing so well so far!

Oh no, ours had super super SUPER outdated information haha. Like.. they were talking about how the Cold War was still happening, super crazy stuff in science, etc.

I think that having digital copies is a great idea, since they all have the chromebooks now, so that they can be updated quickly, easily and cheaply. But like.. tehy don't even have those!