Cade

Cade came over tonight to hang out with Cameron after school.  Of all of Cameron's friends, he is the most lively.  He fits in the Heinisch family well as he loves to trash talk and he has no problem stating his opinion.  I just love that about him.  He also has a vast amount of energy, so he can keep up with Cam as they bounce from activity to activity.

Cade is the youngest of four as well, so he understands the role of a little brother.  He spent quite a bit of time this evening teasing Meg about who she likes.  She must not have minded it as she rode along with us to take him home.  She even posted a #Cadeselfie to her snapchat story.

When we decided to put Cameron in Milford for his first grade year, I was confident that it was the right academic choice for him.  I wasn't sure about the friendship part of it, however.  What a wonderful bonus that he met such great friends.  I hope he and Cade are lifers.  Can't wait to see them in high school.

Another Day, Another Dollar

Mr. Larson always says that to me when I leave for the night.  I always joke back, "I think it is more like another day, another quarter."  I realize that neither of us feel that way, but there are days at school that can be pretty long.  Yesterday and today were two of those.

Over the past two years I have really come to appreciate having him in the hallway with me during passing periods.  Mr. Larson works very hard, has a great sense of humor and always listens when I need to bounce an idea or two off of someone.   There have been so many mornings that he made Meg and I laugh and started the day off great.  I know that we could still get through the day without him being at Milford, but he sure makes it more fun.  I am thankful that we have developed a bond with him.  He is definitely quiet and keeps to himself, but those who do not take the time to get to know him are really missing out.  As I heard him yell "Zeggy Meggy" down the hall last Friday as she approached him, I realized that he will be a teacher that Meg talks about for years.

Busiest Time of the Year

December is definitely a busy month for the Heinisch family, but nothing compares to May.  I started to look ahead at our schedule for the next four weeks and panic set in.  With golf, piano, soccer, tennis, library board, county council, the Spring Arts festival, school, the primaries, Cal's birthday, our anniversary and Brett coming home it will be quite a month.  Doug and my parents are always ready to pitch in and that is a big help.  Without the support, our family would not be able to be as involved as we are.

During the next month we are also planning a couple of trips to DeKalb.  Not sure why we also decided to clean out the toy room, but it will be awesome once we are done.  Doug says, "One day at a time."  I will try to hold to that in the weeks ahead.

Work Day

Many times Sunday turns into a work day and today was no exception.  After lunch we all went down in the basement to sort through the multitude of toys in the toy room.  They clean it out once a year, and for the first time in a long time, we are starting to see some space in the room.  After they pulled out what they were ready to part with, I sorted and organized it for the garage sale.  Doug boxed it up and took it to Mom's.  I then spent several hours reorganizing the storage room.  I plan to work again on it tomorrow.  Once we get the room situated we plan to bring the bunk beds over from Mom's.  The Heinisch children will then be able to have their friends spend the night and they will actually have a place to sleep.

Meg and Cam also were able to take their AR test over Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.  Both of them earned a 100% on the test.  Their favorite question had to do with Gilderoy Lockhart's quiz over his favorite color.  So glad they could share the experience together.

Super Saturday

Today was almost an exact mirror of last Saturday.  The four of us enjoyed a soccer morning.  Both Meg and Cam's game were extremely close going down to the wire.  Meg won 1-0 and Cam lost 2-1.  It was exciting to watch and they both played well.

Mom and Dad traveled to North Manchester to watch Cal play in his second golf tournament of the season.  It was definitely a slow afternoon, but it had an awesome outcome for Cal.  He once again shot a 79.  He finished 6th overall and the team was second.  We were extremely proud as this tournament had twice as many teams (12) with twice as many golfers (60).  After such a long basketball season his success has been a welcomed change.

Doug and I went to Target and dinner this evening.  It was a beautiful day and we enjoyed spending time together.  Meg and Cam finished reading Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets last night, so they watched the movie with my Dad tonight.  They both felt that the movie left a lot out from the book.  Many of their favorite scenes revolved around Fred and George.  The movie showed very little of them.  Doug and I love that they have really taken to the series.  I know that they will love Prisoner of Azkaban.

TGIF

It was definitely a great Friday in the Heinisch home.  At school I only had two classes as the rest were on field trips.  Thus, I was able to catch up on a lot of cleaning, grading and lesson plan writing.  It is rare that I am at school without students in my classroom, so I was very thankful to have this extra time.

After school Meg and I went to the hairdresser.  Meg was happy to cut an inch or so off her hair and buy a wet brush.  Hopefully, it will help as her hair is so incredibly thick!  Doug took Meg, Cam and I to Buffalo Wild Wings in Warsaw.  We had a really enjoyable evening with Meg sharing her favorite auto-corrects and the two of them discovering a funny chipmunk volleyball video game that we all got a kick out of.

Cal went with his golf team to North Manchester to play a practice round for tomorrow's tournament.  He said that he had a lot of fun.  I am really glad that they are doing that.  It helps prepare them for the tourney and creates a bond that they will always remember.

Brett checked in several times today.  He went to see Guys and Dolls tonight and absolutely loved it.  This is Little 500 weekend, so there is a lot of activity on campus.  TGIF definitely described today for all of us!

Volunteer Reception

A year ago my FACS classes were asked to prepare the food for this year's Volunteer Reception at our school.  At the time I didn't think much of it and agreed wholeheartedly.  Last night I lay in bed and wondered to myself what I was thinking when I made this commitment.  I was positive that I made a mistake.  I really didn't believe that we could pull it off. 

My students totally surprised me, however, and accepted the challenge with great enthusiasm.  My first block seventh graders started in on the fruit and vegetable trays and in no time were creating masterpieces.  Three of them decided that they wanted to stay for block two and help as well.  I was very impressed as they needed very little guidance from me.  They not only created the trays, they also made the fruit dip and cheese ball.  By the time third block started, there was not much for the sixth graders to do except put the cookies on trays and chips in bowls.  It was a great feeling to know that they were able to fulfill such a big request.  The reception went off without a hitch and all my worrying was for nothing.

I stayed for the reception and then made it to Cameron's scrimmage.  He participated in basketball camp all week and this was the accumulating activity.  Mr. Voirol asked Meg to help run the clock and ref part of the game.  It was great to see Cameron enjoy himself and fun to have Meg be part of it all.  Cam got off a couple of shots, just didn't get any to fall.  As soon as he finished we were off and ready for soccer practice.  It was a little chilly, but Cam and Meg enjoyed it.  Overall, it was a lot better day than the previous one.

A Long Day

It was a long day for me.  I felt horrible this morning and wish that I could have taken the day off.  My students are sewing, however, and it is too hard for a substitute to help them.  Thus, I had to go in even though I got very little sleep.

I had to tutor after school.  I definitely do not like Honors Geometry, but it is a subject that I know well.  Meg will benefit from that next year when she has to take the class.

The evening ended with Doug and I meeting with Cal.  Our wish is that he will start taking his grades as seriously as he does his friendships and sports.  It was a good conversation and I hope that he understands how much we love him and want him to live up to his potential.

Rewind Button

There was a movie several years ago where a man found a remote that let him control time.  I wish I had that remote tonight, so that I could push the rewind button.  The day had gone so well with Meg hanging out with me while Cam finished basketball camp and tennis lessons.  We were able to finish studying for her algebra test and help Cam with some homework.  Doug and my parents went to Cal's golf match where the Warriors were victorious and Cal finished second overall with a 41.

The evening took a sour turn when at 9:45 p.m. I realized that Cal had not completed his health project.  Our printer doesn't work well and we had not time to print the work that he needed.  I wish I had handled my reaction better and I really wish that Cal had not chosen to wait to work on this until the 11th hour.  I hope that we all learned a lesson from this.  I guess we will wait and see.

Mary Poppins

We watched Mary Poppins on the way back from DeKalb yesterday.  The older I get, the more I really enjoy the movie.  I think it captures the essence of childhood better than any movie I have seen.  Every childhood should have a little bit of magic in it and a friend like Bert the chimney sweep.  We have all listened to the songs of the movie many times over since our trip to Disney World.  There are so many wonderful tunes to sing along to, but I believe our favorite currently is "Let's Go Fly a Kite."

We plan to rent "Saving Mr. Banks" when we return this movie to Netflix.  Doug has not watched it yet, and we can't wait for his opinion on it.  Watching Mary Poppins just reminds me all over again that one person's tragic childhood memories can turn into something wonderful.

Easter

Today was a gorgeous Easter Sunday.  The sun was shining and the weather was beautiful.  Brett decided to spend Easter weekend in Bloomington.  My parents had offered to come down, but he had a paper that he wanted to finish, so he told them to hold off.  He enjoyed two different Easter services (one at a Presbyterian church and another at St. Paul's.)  He said that he loved walking around campus and looking at all of the blooming flowers.  He also was a lector at mass and has really enjoyed being a part of that community.

Since my parents were not going to Bloomington, we invited them to ride with us to DeKalb.  They accepted the invitation and enjoyed visiting with Carl and Jeanette.  They have not been to DeKalb since before Cal was born.  The rest of us had a wonderful time as well.  Doug and Carl made dinner and my Mom brought the pies.  The guys played pool, horse and State Sequence.  The rest of us visited with Jeanette, looked at pictures of our Disney trip with her and looked at the jewelry she had set out for us.  She has been feeling a lot better and her ability to eat has returned since she stopped treatments.

It definitely is a long trip out and back, but worth the time.  We plan to return on Mother's Day, so that Brett can be a part of the adventure.  It is never fun watching someone that you care about fight such a terrible battle, but Jeanette is every positive and always glad to see us.  I hope that all of the Heinisch children adopt her positive spirit.  I know that Doug has!

Spring Sports

Today was the official start of the Spring Sport season, although the weather didn't quite feel like it.  The wind and cold, however, did not dampen the Heinisch children's spirit or play.  Meg and Cameron both played very well in their soccer games.  Neither team won, but I was very impressed with their skill and knowledge of the game.

Cal was the big winner of the day as his team won the Northrop Invitational at Colonial Oaks in Fort Wayne.  He impressed us all with his score of 79.  That made him low medalist on his team and earned him 3rd place overall.  Not too bad for the first tournament of the season.  Jeffrey and Tristen also played well finishing with an 80 and 82 respectively.  Added to their trio is a foreign exchange student from Denmark, who broke 90 as well.  I know that Coach Coverstone has plans for them to make it out of sectional as a team.  I believe it is possible.  No matter what, it was a fantastic way to kick off the Spring season.  Happy to see that winter is truly over.

Good Friday

What a wonderful Good Friday it was!  The weather was beautiful and the sun was shining.  Cam and Meg had piano.  While it was Meg's turn, Cam chipped and putted at Black Squirrel.  Both played well.  We went to lunch afterward at Steak and Shake.

Cal and his friends got up in time to catch a pick up game at the LYC.  He then went with his golf team to Fort Wayne for a practice round for tomorrow's tournament.  Cam and Meg decided to go over to Mom's.  Cam wanted to fish.  Doug and I went to dinner in Warsaw.  It was a nice way to celebrate a glorious day.

Four Day Week

It made it a lot easier coming back from Spring Break knowing we only had a four day week.  Even though it was short, it was a busy one.  Today my seventh graders decorated their bunny cakes, eighth grade taste tested their carrot cakes and sixth grade decorated eggs.

I stayed this afternoon to clean up and then went shopping for their sewing projects next week.  We also stayed late so that Meg could take her test on Charlotte Doyle, which thankfully she received a 90% on.  After that, both she and Cam had their first soccer practices.

Cal added to the busy day by rushing home for the softball game after golf practice. They eventually were asked to leave as they refused to sit on the overcrowded Wawasee side.  The boys didn't seem to mind as they came to our house to play pool, eat pizza, go to the LYC courts for basketball and eventually crash in our basement.

I was glad to be able to rest.  There are only 32 students left for the school year.  They will be busy ones, however!

Meetings

I have a really hard time sitting through meetings.  It has been the most challenging part for me in adjusting back into the work force.  Today was one of those days when I just couldn't take it.  Halfway through, I started to get a migraine and it was all I could do to make it to the end.

When this happens, I always think of my own children and students.  I understand their frustration with the boredom that can sometimes be found in the classroom.  It takes a lot of patience to make it through a day of classes, lectures, and school work.  I guess if they can do it, then I should be able to as well.  

Harry Potter

We finished watching Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone last night.  Cam had never seen it all the way through and Meg wanted to freshen up on the series before she has to read the Chambers of Secrets.  It was as good as I remembered.  Cam grabbed the book and started reading it as soon as the movie ended.

I am glad that they are interested in the series.  I loved reading all seven books when Cal and Brett liked them.  Some of my favorite memories were going with them to pick up the new book at midnight on the release date.  The lines at Barnes & Noble were long, but there was so much excitement that we didn't mind waiting.   I think I might read the series again this summer.  Then I can answer all of Meg and Cam's questions and share once again in the magic that is Hogwarts!

Back to School

I have to be honest.  I had no desire to go back to school today.  Meg was excited to see her friends, but Cam agreed with me!  Cal spent Saturday and Sunday playing basketball and golf with his friends, so he didn't seem to mind getting up early either.

School was fine, however, and the students were good.  Eighth grade spent twenty minutes filling me in on their excursions of the week long break.  I left at noon today to shop for food for the classes to cook this week.  That should be fun!

Unpacking is Never As Fun As Packing

Today I was able to unpack all of the clothes and finish the laundry.  Although, unpacking is not that hard, it is never as fun as packing.  The excitement of the trip or adventure always makes that enjoyable!  Unfortunately, the somber mood at the end of a vacation makes the task of unpacking ever more daunting.

The highlight today, however, was downloading the fantastic pictures.  This year Disney offered a Memory Magic package and for the first time ever I had more pictures to choose from then I would need to make a book.  I was also able to get pictures of all six of us.  As Cal hates taking pictures and I am usually the photographer, it was nice to have some wonderful family ones.  Ordered the book from Walgreens tonight.  Can't wait to see it!

Home Sweet Home

Doug was able to drive all night, so we pulled in at 7 a.m. this morning, almost exactly 18 hours after we left.  I was miserable the last hour of the trip as car sickness set in, but overall it was an easy trip home.  Doug listened to "Eleven Rings" by Phil Jackson on CD.  It was interesting and kept him awake.

Four of us went right to bed as soon as we walked in the door.  Cal went over to Mom's at 9 a.m. to visit.  He then had enough energy to play basketball with Jayce and go golfing with Sam.  Cam and Doug were both up by 10:30 a.m., but Meg and I slept until after 1 p.m.  I still felt disoriented when I woke up and carsick, but I started to perk up by dinner time.  I was able to get a lot of the unpacking done and the laundry washed and dried.  That was an added bonus that I hadn't counted on.

Doug took Meg and Cam to mass and they came home with palms.  Doug and I then went to dinner at Hacienda.  I have really enjoyed spending the week with the Heinisch children, but it was also nice to get away with just Doug.  Cam, Meg and Cal all went back over to Mom's to visit with them.  They showed off their souvenirs and gave them the Waldorf and Statler magnet they bought for them at Downtown Disney.

Once we returned, Cam wanted to play Toy Story Mania on the Wii.  It is not quite like the ride, but enough to seem like we were still in Disney.  Doug even pretended to wait in line for 90 minutes before we started.  Once that was over we were all ready for bed.  It was nice to crawl into my own bed, but I hate watching this vacation end.  It has definitely been one of the best ones that I can remember.

Last Day

We packed yesterday, so we could sleep in today.  After breakfast we headed out for one last trip to Hollywood Studios.  Meg and I decided to give Twilight Tower a try.  We were both afraid of motion sickness, but the ride was a lot less bouncy than the last time I rode it.  

We then headed to Muppets 3-D.  Cameron has been quoting it all week, so it was a must.  On our way to Toy Story Mania, we were able to take a picture with a Green Army Man from Toy Story and buy a couple of last minute souvenirs.  Toy Story was as fun as always, and Cal won this time around.  

We left the park and were on the road by 12:20.  Traffic was heavy in Atlanta, but better than we expected.  The boys played NBA 2K14, we watched movies and listened to music.  By midnight we crossed into Kentucky.  The ride home is never as much fun, but recalling the memories of a wonderful family vacation have helped.

Tying Up Loose Ends

We spent today doing everything that we wanted to make sure we did before we leave tomorrow.  That meant one more trip to Magic Kingdom.  We were there early enough to finally catch Peter Pan.  We also rode the easier access People Mover and Aladdin's Magic Carpets.  After Monsters Laugh Floor we had lunch at Meg's favorite - Cosmic Ray's.

We then decided to try Blizzard Beach.  Brett has hated that water park ever since he scraped his knee there.  We really enjoyed the family water raft.  Cal was ready to leave, and Meg and Cam wanted to hit the pool one more time, so we headed back to our hotel.  

We have stayed at many different hotels at Disney World on our various trips.  I have to say that by far, this has been my favorite place.  Tonight was an example of why.  We had appetizers in the Innkeepers Club, walked over to EPCOT, and came back to enjoy the street performers while the Heinisch children snacked on Mickey pretzels.  Desserts were served later in the lounge and we ended the evening on the balcony watching the last of the performances below.  It was a great way to unwind after such a busy day!

The Magic

PToday we started at Disney's Hollywood Studios.  This has definitely become one of the Heinisch children's favorite parks.  There aren't a lot of rides, but the ones they have are a lot of fun.

We grabbed lunch there before spending the afternoon at Typhoon Lagoon.  It was cool today, which worked to our advantage as it wasn't crowded.  We were able to ride all three slides on the water coaster, travel twice down Gangplank Falls and enjoy the wave pool before heading back to the hotel.

The guys had tickets to the Orlando Magic game against the Nets this evening.  They were excited to see Oladipo play and Cal wore his jersey.  Cam was able to purchase a new hat for his collection and Cal a Magic shirt.  All were happy as it was a close game with Orlando the victor.  

Meg and I spent the evening doing what we do best - shopping.  Our first stop was Downtown Disney.  Meg then decided that she wanted dinner at Cosmic Ray's in Magic Kingdom.  We caught the bus to the Grand Floridian.  As nice as our hotel was, this one takes the prize for best hotel in Disney.  I would agree. 

From there we jumped on the monorail.  Dinner at Cosmic Ray's was as good as Meh remembered.  We were also able to ride the new Under the Sea ride, catch It's a Small World, and climb through the Swiss Family Treehouse.  After a little more shopping, Cameron called to say the game was over.  Thus, we caught the bus back and met up with the guys in the room.

The Rain, Rain, Rain Came Down, Down, Down

The rain that had been predicted for today came in before noon.  However, it didn't hamper any of our plans.  We were able to finish everything that Brett wanted to do at EPCOT before returning for lunch on the Boardwalk.

Back in the room, Brett packed for his trip home.  The Magical Express was late picking him up, but I didn't mind.  I enjoyed visiting with him.  His flight home landed early and he was able to catch the early shuttle back to Bloomington.  I was so glad that he was able to join us in Florida, and that he wanted too!

Doug and Cal enjoyed a soggy round of golf.  The rest of us braved the weather as well and caught the bus to Downtown Disney.  The guys caught up with us at Disney Quest.  After a couple of hours of video games we headed back to the Boardwalk for dinner.

Cal picked the ESPN Club and we all enjoyed the atmosphere and food.  After dinner Cal headed back to the room and we walked over to EPCOT for their firework show - Illuminations.  It was wonderful and we all loved it.

We ended the evening with desserts in the Innkeepers Club and watched the street performers from the balcony of our room.  Cam and Meg really enjoyed the performances.  It was a wonderful way to end a wonderful day!

Oh, What a Night!

Cal, Cam and Doug hit the golf course once again this morning.  Brett, Meg and I slept in and then took the ferry to Hollywood Studios.  By the time they rode Rock N Roller Coaster and did some shopping, the guys were back from golfing.

Lunch was at Pizza Planet.  We were able to watch Muppets 3-D and ride Star Tours before we headed back to the hotel for a break from the heat.  So far it has been 90+ everyday!

Our night turned into a memorable one.  Doug and Cal joined us for Star Tours, the American Idol finale and Twilight Tower of Terror before heading to Buffalo Wild Wings to watch UCONN vs. Kentucky.  We decided to wait in line for Fantasmic. It is Brett's favorite show.  First we had to stand by a family that was fighting.  Then we had to listen to horrible pop versions of popular disney tunes.  Once we were seated, a woman asked Cam to remove his sorcerer's hat, so her son could see.  We were all flabbergasted by that as her son was Cal's age and could have easily moved over to see better.

The night became even more memorable as the show started.  Two minutes into the performance, it started raining.  Thus, they postponed the show.  We waited in the rain, listening to more poor versions of our Disney favorites, and even joined in the wave.  

Unfortunately, the show was cancelled for the evening.  On the bright side, Cam, Brett and Meg got to ride Rock N Roller Coaster, and I bought Brett the Soundtrack to Fantasmic.  Meg dreamed up all of the ways they could video tape their own version of the show this summer.  The funniest part of the night happened on our way out.  Meg kept telling us all of the things she wanted to say to the woman who asked Cam to remove his hat.  (I think it bothered her more than him.) As we were laughing at all of her comebacks, it dawned on Meg that the family was in front of us in line for the ferry back to the hotel.  Even Brett got a kick out of that!

Park Hoppers

Today we took full advantage of our park hopper passes.  We were at the Tree of Life when Animal Kingdom opened ready to conquer Dinoland.  Brett and Doug reluctantly joined us for the Dinosaur ride, but enjoyed it in the end.  The Heinisch children took on Primeval Whirl or as Doug calls it - Primeval Hurl.  Needless to say, Doug and I chose to sat that one out.

Our fast passes covered three of our favorites:  Expedition Everest, The Jungle Safari, and Kahli River Rapids.  We even had time to catch "It's a Bug Life" before lunch.  We had reservations at Rain Forest Cafe, and Brett and Cal found Hawaiian shirts they needed while we were waiting.  Lunch was delicious and the conversation lively.  We all agreed that for us, Animal Kingdom is a half day park.  Since we have park hopper passes we decided leaving to rest up for Magic Kingdom at night was the smartest choice.

We did stop at Fantasia mini golf.  Cal redeemed himself from his loss on Friday, by easily defeating all of us.  We had a chance to enjoy the wine and cheese night in the Innkeepers Club before heading out.

Magic Kingdom was packed.  However, we managed to hit all three mountains again plus the rides Brett still wanted to do.  It was after midnight when we crawled into bed, happy and tired from a full day of park hopping!

Brett Arrives

We headed to our hotel for the next seven days - The Boardwalk Inn - bright and early.  Our room wasn't ready, but we were able to activate our magic bands and eat breakfast in the Innkeepers Lounge.  Doug and Cal had a 9:30 am tee time at the Magnolia.  They left well ahead of their tee time as the were excited to play at one of Disney's premiere courses.  It hosts a PGA event every fall.

Meg, Cam and I headed to EPCOT.  Our hotel has a walkway into the back of the parks which we could easily get to in five minutes.  We made a beeline to Soarin and then rode Nemo, Figment and Maelstorm.  As it was close to 90 degrees we took a break from the parks to try out the clown water slide at our hotel.  

Cam and Meg enjoyed the pool and the activities.  They even participated in a Disney movie song challenge.  We had communicated with Brett multiple times during the day.  He caught the 4:30 am shuttle for the Indy airport and made it to Orlando by 1 pm. I was impressed with how well he did on his own, especially since he hasn't flown in over a decade.  

We spent some time unpacking and then headed back to EPCOT with all six of us. Once we used up our fast passes there, we caught the monorail to Magic Kingdom.  The Heinisch children were excited to have caught all three "mountain" rides in one day!  I, however, was most thrilled that Cal chose to give up watching the final four to spend the evening with us!

We Made it!

We rolled into Disney World at noon today!  We stopped to sleep for about an hour in Georgia at 5 am.  There were quite a few cars at the rest stop with the same idea.  Cam woke us up at 6 am by accidentally turning on Wheels in the Sky, but we were rested enough to keep going.

We checked into All Star Sport for our first night.  After lunch Doug and Cal headed to the golf course and the rest of us the pool.  We all met up at Downtown Disney.  

After a little bit of shopping we lost to Doug at Pirates Cove mini golf.  Dinner was at Buffalo Wild Wings and we enjoyed the pool once again.  Meg wanted to stay up and watch Frozen, but we were exhausted.  An early end to our first day, but still a great one

We're off!

Golf was cancelled and Doug left work at 3.  Thus, we were able to leave at 4 pm today for our journey to Disney World.  I spent the afternoon sleeping thanks to Mom picking up our dinner, Meg and Cam, and Dad picking up Cal.  I was afraid I'd be too excited to sleep, but I was out for about 3 hours.

Everyone was great this evening.  We listened to songs and watched Disney movies.  The Heinisch children even played several games on the XBOX.  The only glitch so far was the torrential rain and construction in Kentucky.  It delayed us for about 45 minutes.  

It's quiet now.  The three Heinisch children are asleep.  Doug and I are listening to Bob Knight's "My Story."  Georgia is about 75 miles away.  Can't wait!

One More Day

What an adrenalin filled morning.  I got out of the shower just as Cal texts me that he forgot his blue folder and needed it immediately.  I hurried to get dressed, threw my make up and hairspray into the bag, and flew up to the high school.  Once I caught up with him I sped to school and was able to make it on time.

School was exceedingly busy as it was a cooking day.  My 7th and 6th grade classes were awesome in the kitchen and needed very little help.  My 5th and 8th graders were another story.  We ended up with some inedible frosting and too much butter on the grilled cheese, but overall we did pretty well.

After school I hurried to Monteith.  Oil was leaking in puddles from the oil change yesterday and they agreed to get it in right away.  The manager kept kidding me about taking the Civic to Florida, but I was not buying into his suggestion.  Mom dropped me off at home and I had just enough time to make my bed and start a load of laundry before the piano tuner came.

Once the van and piano were taken care of I headed back to school.  I still had one counter left to clean and things to get ready for tomorrow.  Cam had chess club, so I was able to accomplish all I needed.

Cam and I rushed out of school to pick up the pigs and Grandma to make it to the middle school just as Meg's swim party ended.  The pigs were very well behaved during their nail trimming session.  We said goodbye to them at Grandma's and headed to Casey's to fill up with gas for our trip tomorrow.

Tonight has been devoted to cleaning, packing and studying for tomorrow's tests.  Cam had time to color three more entries in the Easter coloring contest and practice on the newly tuned piano.  Four of us are very excited for our vacation to start tomorrow.  Cal has not said much, so I am guessing he is looking forward to warm weather as well.  It has been a long winter.  Can't wait for the break.

April Fools

My 6th grade class was busy working on their children toys, games and books today, so I decided to sit down at my computer to log in attendance.  This is a rarity for me as usually someone needs something and I am all over the classroom helping with one project or another.  Today, however, everyone seemed to be busy.  As I sat down I took hold of my computer mouse and moved it around on the mousepad as I have done a thousand times before.  For the first time ever, nothing happened.  I looked all over for the arrow on the computer screen, but it wasn't there.  I decided that I must have needed my glasses, so I located them, moved the mouse again, but nothing.  Then it dawned on me, the Smart Board was on and the mouse must be on that screen.  Thus, once again, I moved the mouse anxiously looking at the Smart Board, but it still couldn't find it.

At this point I started to become a little anxious.  I had already filled out a help desk ticket for my classroom computers and I know that it takes awhile to get help.  Just as I was ready to unplug the computer and see if that was the problem, one of my sixth graders couldn't take it anymore.  Jonas had to let me in on a little secret.  At the bottom of my mouse, they had covered the wireless connection with a sticker so that it wouldn't work.  I had to laugh.  Obviously, they got a big kick out of their April Fool's prank and so did I.  There are so many students in that class that were favorites of mine from last year.  We are always joking with each other.  They got me good.

When the original prankster returned from borrowing a stapler, I told him how disappointed I was in Jonas for touching my computer mouse.  I explained that Jonas would now be receiving a detention for his prank.  At that point, Billy panicked and admitted to the entire scheme, and we enjoyed letting him know that I was just getting him back.  I do not ever remember anyone pulling a true April Fools joke on me.  I was glad it was them.  Tomorrow they will receive "Smarties" for outsmarting the teacher.  I love that class.  They are a bright spot in my morning!