Inspiration

Here I am on day 3 of bed rest, miserable sick with this cold/flu thing and bored.out.of.my.mind.   For the 6 hours I'm awake each day, there's maybe one where I feel well enough to get out of bed and move.  Today I chose to spend that hour in my craft room - big surprise.  Studio Calico posted a challenge yesterday that really grabbed me. Kelly Purkey created this layout and challenged us to use rainbow hues on a layout.

Awesome.  I love how simple and graphic this is, how the colors and the large black and white photo compliment each other so well.

Then, being the *severe* Pinterest addict that I am, I had pinned this image over the weekend, courtesy of RoadTripinFinland.  There was something about the panels of color across the top and the fade to colorless at the bottom.

Kelly's layout and challenge combined with this pin instantly in my head.  Don't you love it when inspiration lightning strikes like that?  So here's what I made.  Thanks KP, SC, and Pinterest for sparking my creativity.  You never let me down. :)

Busy Beginnings

So the new school year started here August 10th.  That means I actually went back to work the last week of July, spent countless hours arranging the classroom, lesson planning, attending professional development for the new math program we'll be using on our campus, and organizing boatloads of papers and materials.  Then I had to prepare for Meet the Teacher night, which is always fun but lots of work.

Then the kids came.  Getting to know them, teaching and reteaching and reviewing the procedures and expectations for our classroom. And the meetings came, faculty meetings and parent meetings and team meetings.  Last week was Curriculum Night when all the parents come to hear what their children will be learning, see how I teach and present, and get buried under district paperwork.

But I made it to *this* weekend, the end of the third week of school, finally past all the evening commitments and the beginning of the year chaos.  And to celebrate, of course, I got sick.  My immune system hung in there just long enough and when the tidal wave of stress and extra work passed, the germs took over.  Sucks. It's just a cold - tired, a bit achy, super snotty, lots of sneezing - but it still sucks. 

We did have birthday plans this weekend, movies and dinner and brunches, but it was all canceled.  I've been sleeping a lot and burning through tissues like nobody's business.  There have been some highlights, though.  I did get to go to my favorite LSS yesterday and use my birthday coupon, ordered the Glee Club kit and Debate Team add-on from SC using another birthday coupon, and ordered a bit from Twopeas using a gift certificate.  And after I woke up from yesterday's nap, I made this.

I suppose I can't complain *too* much then.  It wasn't the weekend I hoped for, but given the circumstances, it hasn't been all bad.  And that's that.  My Kleenex and I are ready for another nap...

Wordless Wednesday: That Face Became This Layout

Wordless Wednesday: This Face

The Ocean

Just sharing...nothing of importance to say.  One of those days :)

Rationalize

If I don't go over there, I won't have to see how thin and frail she's become.
If I don't go over there, I won't have see her alone, in that bed, watching mindless tv, again like always.
If I don't go over there, I won't have to repeat stories or see and hear her blank silence when I ask a question.
If I don't go over there, I won't have to see all the medical equipment.
If I don't go over there, I won't have to witness Dad's sadness, as he sits beside her and barely speaks...particularly today, their 43rd anniversary.
If I don't go over there, I won't cry all the way home.

If I don't go over there, she could be perfectly lucid today, and I might miss having a real visit with my mom.

Kim Watson's blog: Giveaway + Studio Calico Boardwalk kit.

Kim Watson's blog: Giveaway + Studio Calico Boardwalk kit.: "So are you feeling lucky?? Do you LOVE Studio Calico ??...''   Then get over to Kim's blog and enter to win this:

Almost

This precious picture...

 

Became this layout...