Pasta Sauce!

With a huge thanks to neighbors for providing me with the tomatoes and green peppers.    My mom and I canned 48 pints and 4 quarts of pasta sauce.  My mom stayed long enough to help blanch the tomatoes and put them through the blender.  That was enough for a day for her.  After boiling  the puree,  adding the paste, oil, and spices  and boiling again. I filled the jars.

I think I have enough tomatoes for one more batch tomorrow afternoon.  When the "boys" were still home I would can 100 quarts each year.  I would add different ingredients to use it for sloppy joes,  spaghetti sauce,  hot dishes, and more.

Next Saturday will be applesauce day!

Tonight I plan to work on another table runner for a Christmas/ Birthday gift ,

Sometimes Simple is Relaxing!

 

Sometimes it is easier to do something simple when I just need to take my mind off of everything else.  Last weekend I had picked up  a "Pieced Tree"pattern card.    I saw a finished runner thinking it looked quick and easy. It IS!!

Last night I cut one--put it together and finished it all except sewing the binding handwork.  Then I still had the energy to  keep going, so I cut out the other one.  Tonight I finished it.  I still have the handsewing to finish on the binding. 

It did the trick.  I have regrouped and ready to face a new school day in the morning.   My principal is still looking for options to find additional aide assistance in my classroom.  I have one full time aide and need at least a half time additional aide time. 

It is really helping that I have "good" kids.  No major behavior problem at this time.  In some ways it makes it more difficult because I want to be able to work with all of them and give them what each needs. 

This posting came across my facebook tonight-- I thought I would share it with you:  " Children with special  needs do not have an illness. It's not contagious. They only want what we all want: to be accepted.  It is Special Education Week, and this is in honor...for...all...children...who need a little extra help ♥... ♥ ♥."  

That is why I do what I do.  I advocate for my students and try to teach, guide, encourage, and help them to know they are important!!

I am feeling like a duck!

 

The past couple  of weeks I have felt like this little duck! 

Looking like I am smoothly sailing across the pond.

  While in reality I am padding like crazy just to stay afloat!

With no immediate relief in sight!!!!

I am hoping to spend some time at my sewing machine tonight-

maybe that will help !!

A Pat on the Back!!

I really did it!  After a LONG day at school today I went home-changed into my clothes for Curves and drove 6 miles to workout!!!!  I knew I had to start and couldn't not go just because I forgot to take my clothes with me this morning!!!   (Oh--by no stretch is this me!! Only in my dreams!!!!-) 

Joining Curves was one of my Charming Girls Club July/ August Self-Care goals.  I am continuing that goal.  I need to exercise to lose weight,  become healthier, and feel better about myself.

Tomorrow morning I am going to meet with my Sp.Ed. director and hopefully with my principal to explain my caseload, daily schedule and the need for an additional 1/2  time para in my classroom. It isn't fair to the students or to myself and my current para.   I usually just tell them that I will "make it work".  This year I am letting them know immediately the situation.  I told a few of the gen. ed teachers this afternoon that if I am not able to have additional help I will need to reconvene all 17 IEP meetings to reduce the number of minutes the students will be pullout out.  The teachers don't like that idea because then the students will be in the gen. ed classrooms.   WOW!! I am actually planning to be assertive!!!

Now to relax I am going to go find some fabric that I will cut to make a table topper for a friend's birthday later this month!

The Seasons Are Changing

The view from my kitchen window shows the seasons are changing.  There is a hint of red, yellow, and orange to the leaves of the trees across the field.

The soybeans are starting to turn from green to yellow to brown.  The leaves will dry up and fall off leaving the bean pods to finish drying before they are combined.

I have finished the wedding gift for Travis and Becky.  The wedding is about three hours away next Saturday.  DS-2 is a groomsman for the couple.  DS-2 is considered another son to Travis' family-and we feel the same way about him. 

Today DIL-1 had to work.  She works as an assistant director/ caseworker supervisor at a residential treatment center for male teenagers/ young adults who have been court ordered or placed by parents.  She doesn't mind working today because county social workers across the state don't work today so she is able to do a great deal of paperwork.  She didn't have day care so Cole and Kasey spent the day with me. 

Cole usually is smiling and had been just before I took the picture. He is 4 1/2 months and recognizes us when they come over.  The apple and chime ball are left overs from when my boys were babies.

When Kasey came in she said she had two holes in her blankie that needed more patches.  We found my squares and she selected a purple with white flowers and bright pink polka dots.  She still likes to "help" me sew.   She often becomes very involved and intense in what she is doing.

School is in full gear ahead tomorrow.  The students started last Wednesday.  I am still working on the schedule and trying to work out how I will teach four levels of reading to four third graders at the same time at 8:30 tomorrow morning.  My para will have three students for math at two grade levels.  That leaves four more students I need to have independent work to do during the first hour.  Anybody have an idea how I could clone myself during the school day???