First Week = Success!

Well, we've finished up the first week of actual school with students, so it's about time for another update of my life of constant change.

This year I've returned to life on just one campus, like a normal person, which has been really nice. Last year I never really "moved in" to either of my schools, and there was a certain amount of disorganization... which I can live with. Anyone who has seen my desk or my home can attest that I'm one of those "organized chaos" people... my desk is like my own personal archeological dig. But, it's by no means my preferred way of life, particularly at work/school. But, it takes time and forethought to create the systems that lead to lasting organization. This year, I feel like I've actually taken several giant steps in the right direction, which is nice.

On a similar note, I've resolved to rein in my after school hours this year. Last year, I didn't do a ton of "overtime" work because I did the entire year more or less in crisis mode, cut a lot of things I might have done in more normal circumstances, and therefore I was pretty much shot by the end of the school day. I think it will be a temptation, now that I'm at one campus, to go back to my old ways of constantly adding on more and more until I'm either (a) at school 24/7 trying to keep everything in control or (b) running around like a crazy person at school because I've taken on more than I can do in a reasonable number of hours. So, that's the plan.

Bad news for this weekend was that I left school before 5 yesterday, assuming that I'd be able to put in a few hours today. Didn't even think about the possibility that the school building would be closed... which of course, it is. Oops. So, I'm a little nervous about falling back into my old flying-by-the-seat-of-my-pants ways on Monday, but I'll make it work.

So far, my kids seem very pro-choir and on board. No obvious attitude problems or behavior issues right off the bat, so that's good. It's looking like a great year for growth!

In other news, I'm still doing WeightWatchers. I transitioned this week from going to Monday/Tuesday meetings, to now going to Saturday morning meetings. So, I went this morning and posted a 2.2 pound loss. That's a total of 33.8 pounds so far. So, back by poular demand, my awesome weight loss chart:

I'm at 170.4 right now, so hopefully next week I'll break into the 160's for the first time in a long long long time.

One of my seventh graders this week said something about me looking different, and I said "well, I've lost thirty pounds." He said "well, that'll do it." So true.

On the exercise front, I'm gone running on the treadmill three times this week (MWF) and each time did about two miles in about thirty minutes. I've now gotten to the point where jogging at 4.5 mph for several minutes (7-10, perhaps) is doable. So, that's nice, to feel a little faster and a little more "in shape".

For those of you out there that are Scentsy fans or clients, please be reminded that Scentsy is 10% off through August, so let me know if you want something!

Now, I'm off to continue with the quest for a cleaner more organized house, since I wasn't able to go in to school today. Laundry calls. Loudly.

Back Again - and Back to School

Once again, a mini blog drought. Sorry about that.

Well, the quick update is roughly this. We had a successful trip to Kentucky/West Virginia and back. We took a quick detour through Brentwood TN on the way back home to visit Financial Peace Plaza, the home of the Dave Ramsey Show and affiliated offices. Dave was on vacation, so we didn't get to meet him, but it was fun to go anyway.

After getting home, we've had a few fairly lazy days, done quite a bit of laundry... nothing too major.

I've also managed to get off track again with regard to exercise... food has still been on track, but I haven't been on a treadmill since Monday, at MawMaw's house in West Virginia. Oopsie.

Today was church - Andrew taught Sunday School and it was an excellent lesson if I do say so myself. After church, I took a big nap. We watched the Rangers game (another win!) and did our standard Sunday night dinner at Andrew's parents' house.

Tomorrow: inservice begins.

I'm laying out my jogging clothes before bed. Here's hopin'.

On the Road

Oopsie, forgot to update for a few days there.

Well, San Antonio and TCDA was a good time - it's always good to have an opportunity to see my colleagues, especially in the choir world where each of us is the only person (or possibly one of two people) on the entire campus who teaches this particular subject area. So, the opportunity to conference, pick the brains of other people, etc. isn't really a daily occurrence unless one seeks it out.

Anyway, I got home Saturday evening, did the church thing Sunday morning, which was my last Sunday serving as the interim youth choir director. I enjoyed my time of service but am relieved that (a) it wrapped up before school started again and (b) that I therefore had a couple of weeks of true summer no-obligations-on-the-calendar freedom. All that being said, I have of course already found something to take up my Sunday afternoons: starting September 12th I will be reprising my role as Financial Peace University facilitator at church. It's been a year or maybe a little longer since I last led the class, so it will be good to be back! Personal finance is one of those things that I never knew I'd be "passionate" about, but now that I am, I'm glad there's a way for me to share that with other people.

Monday was a day of unpacking, doing laundry, and re-packing.

Tuesday, yesterday, we hit the road to squander our two weeks of true summer no-obligations-on-the-calendar freedom: we're headed to Kentucky and West Virginia to spend a little time with my side of the family.

The drive from Plano to Louisville is something that I've prided myself on doing in one day multiple times before. The good people of mapquest claim that it's a 13 hour drive, which of course feels like 14 hours when one heads east and loses an hour. So, in theory our 8am departure time yesterday would have led to an 11pm arrival last night.

Instead, we hit traffic in Memphis that obliterated a little less than two hours of our lives, stopped for dinner just east of Memphis and decided to wimp out and get a hotel room. A bed, wifi and cable TV sounded a LOT better than another 5-6 hours on the road. Also, for the first time in ever, a fitness center or other gym-like situation sounded really appealing to me. Who have I become?

So, we spent the night in the Quality Inn of Jackson, Tennessee. As luck wold have it, the hotel has a deal with a local gym by which hotel patrons can be gym patrons at no additional cost. So, last night I drove over to Jackson Sports and Fitness and spent a little time on a treadmill.

They had fancy schmancy treadmills with the attached TV so that you can watch whatever you want and hear it through your headphones without forcing other patrons to do the same. I have not used one of these before, but it was FABULOUS! I got there right as the Rachel Zoe Project was starting on Bravo, and I resolved to jog through the actual show and walk during commercials. As I got warmed up a bit, a believe there was a mid-show commercial break that I continued to jog through. Regardless, when all was said and done, I spent 62 minutes on a treadmill and did about 4 miles in that time. I was very very tired afterwards and have since gotten a great night's sleep.

Within the next 30 minutes or so, we plan to hit the road again and hopefully be in Louisville right around lunch time. Yay!