The Next Wonderful Weekend Recap Taking Place on a Tuesday

I'm really doing poorly at this. I have an excuse. The internet in Dyer, TN is humiliatingly pathetic. Today I took the plunge and drove to the library to use the internet. We have an interesting routine in the house these days -  the internet working until about 10:00 AM (at which point I am starting my day and normally have already done the basic internet check-up and have started chores) and from then on out not working until about 7:00 or 8:00 PM. Makes it difficult to get much blogging done...because the motivation that comes from waiting for laundry to be done or taking a lunch break from chores/shopping/exercising fizzles by the time the internet comes back on. The root of the problem will hopefully be found in the next few weeks. Until then, it's the library for me, or late night blogs.

What have I been up to? Just chillaxin'. Wait no that's false. The last time I posted was Tuesday of last week, so guess what was wonderful about the rest of the week?

1. Wednesday: I subbed.
2. Thursday: I subbed.
3. Friday: I subbed.

Oh heck yes I did. 4th grade, Computer Lab, and Kindergarten in that order. Computer Lab was unbelievably easy, like mind-numbingly so. 4th grade was mega fun because the kids are young enough to have fun with and impress with stupid things (they really loved my wealth of knowledge about the Motherland, and also the accent that comes with it) but old enough to trust that they won't be misinformed about school procedures. I felt I could actually believe them when the entire class told me "This is what we do on this page," or someone volunteered to show me how to turn on some random hunk of technology that I didn't understand. By the way, Smart Boards or whatever you want to call them? We did have them in high school, and college (proving I'm not just an old-fashioned outdated technophobe), and I still don't like them. My nice handwriting doesn't look as nice on a smartboard, and there are numerous other reasons why I think the technology should be more finely tuned before being supplied to every teacher in an elementary school. Sigh. Perhaps if I work there longer they will begin to seem like a necessity to me.

Anyway! My subbing career is going swimmingly, and I plan to take a second job to round out the end of the school year/see me through the summer. It is further affirming my decision to teach upper grade levels, as the hardest ones for me to get through the days have been my 2nd grade and kindergarten classes. Big kids are easier to get through to, and I like being presented with problems that need real problem-solving skills to resolve. "He stole my crayon," vs. "I need help with long division" is not a difficult choice for me.

Let's see, what did I do over the weekend of note. We played outside a lotttt. On Saturday we used a water hose, shovels, and fingers to play in the mud, which was lots of fun for all four of us. And, because plain old mudpies aren't sophisticated enough for my fiance, he also got the kids a gift of a windowsill garden where we're growing radishes, carrots, and onions. We'll see how the growth goes! My first downfall is I don't know what dry soil looks like and am certain I'm going to overwater the plants. It's great that I have to take responsibility for it because I'm home most! I don't want to kill Thomas and Lara's science project! Haha say a little prayer for meeeee.

Photosynthesis for Five Year Olds

The less sophisticated dirt playing...it got more sophisticated than this though! We had a dam and two ponds connected by a river by the end of the day. Matthew likes aquaducts.

Playing with the Cool New Stuff Box! Chalk and books galore!

Just a pretty picture of Lara with no particular purpose.

We also wrote on the windows with window markers, played with sidewalk chalk, and watched Veggietales (the kids are obsessed. Matthew and I now know all the words to all the silly songs. There are worse things.) and went to Dyersburg to do some shopping and pick up tools so Matt could work on his car.

On Sunday after church, Matt and I did the same thing as the day before, sans kids. Well sorta. I washed the car, instead of playing in the mud. Little progress was made because I got tired and dinner needed to be started. Matt took me out on a date on his back porch. We had the most delicious food in the whole wide world, probably because we were so hungry and we had both contributed to the cooking which made us feel both productive and grateful to the other person. Andddd we went to Dyersburg again (we just so love it there) to dump trash in the dumpster and buy things needed for next Sunday.

So my weekend was pretty tame. I don't even have crazy stories to give ya! I hope this will keep you entertained for the next 24 hours while I accumulate some wonderfulness to send your way. Namely the fact that it is Spring Break, meaning I actually have time and energy to write a blog and think about topics for posting. Don't worry friends, I won't go anywhere. I have plenty of pent-up extroversion not being put to use by having no friends in Tennessee and Matt working until bumblefudge at night. Speaking of which, I think I'll probably get to see him in about 45 minutes! So I'd better go. Have a wonderful and blessed Good Friday, Easter, all that, on the off chance that you read my post today and don't return for another week!

See Y'all!
TFMM