On the first day of school the kids gave to me, A COUGH RIGHT IN MY STARTLED FACE!

On the second day of school the kids gave to me, TWO DAILY SNEEZES and a COUGH RIGHT IN MY STARTLED FACE!

On the third day of school the kids gave to me, THREE GREAT BIG HUGS, TWO DAILY SNEEZES and a COUGH RIGHT IN MY STARTLED FACE!

On the fourth day of school the kids gave to me, FOUR TOOTHLESS SMILES, THREE GREAT BIG HUGS, TWO DAILY SNEEZES, and a COUGH RIGHT IN MY STARTLED FACE!

On the fifth day of school the kids gave to me, FIVE..... STICKY..... FINGERS, FOUR TOOTHLESS SMILES, THREE GREAT BIG HUGS, TWO DAILY SNEEZES, and a COUGH RIGHT IN MY STARTLED FACE!

On the sixth day of school the kids gave to me, SIX UNTIED SHOES, FIVE..... STICKY..... FINGERS, FOUR TOOTHLESS SMILES, THREE GREAT BIG HUGS, TWO DAILY SNEEZES, and a COUGH RIGHT IN MY STARTLED FACE!

On the seventh day of school the kids gave to me, SEVEN PLAYGROUND ROCKS, SIX UNTIED SHOES, FIVE..... STICKY..... FINGERS, FOUR TOOTHLESS SMILES, THREE GREAT BIG HUGS,TWO DAILY SNEEZES, and a COUGH RIGHT IN MY STARTLED FACE!

On the eighth day of school the kids gave to me, EIGHT I LOVE YOU'S, SEVEN PLAYGROUND ROCKS, SIX UNTIED SHOES, FIVE..... STICKY..... FINGERS, FOUR TOOTHLESS SMILES, THREE GREAT BIG HUGS, TWO DAILY SNEEZES, and a COUGH RIGHT IN MY STARTLED FACE!

On the ninth day of school the kids gave to me, NINE SQUIRMING LIZARDS, EIGHT I LOVE YOU'S, SEVEN PLAYGROUND ROCKS, SIX UNTIED SHOES, FIVE..... STICKY..... FINGERS, FOUR TOOTHLESS SMILES, THREE GREAT BIG HUGS, TWO DAILY SNEEZES, and a COUGH RIGHT IN MY STARTLED FACE!

On the tenth day of school the kids gave to me, TEN TRIPS TO THE NURSE, NINE SQUIRMING LIZARDS, EIGHT I LOVE YOU'S, SEVEN PLAYGROUND ROCKS, SIX UNTIED SHOES, FIVE..... STICKY..... FINGERS, FOUR TOOTHLESS SMILES, THREE GREAT BIG HUGS, TWO DAILY SNEEZES, and a COUGH RIGHT IN MY STARTLED FACE!

On the eleventh day of school the kids gave to me, ELEVEN GLOWING FACES, TEN TRIPS TO THE NURSE, NINE SQUIRMING LIZARDS, EIGHT I LOVE YOU'S, SEVEN PLAYGROUND ROCKS, SIX UNTIED SHOES, FIVE..... STICKY..... FINGERS, FOUR TOOTHLESS SMILES, THREE GREAT BIG HUGS, TWO DAILY SNEEZES, and a COUGH RIGHT IN MY STARTLED FACE!

On the twelfth day of school the kids gave to me, TWELVE REASONS FOR CHOCOLATE, ELEVEN GLOWING FACES, TEN TRIPS TO THE NURSE, NINE SQUIRMING LIZARDS, EIGHT I LOVE YOU'S, SEVEN PLAYGROUND ROCKS, SIX UNTIED SHOES, FIVE..... STICKY..... FINGERS, FOUR TOOTHLESS SMILES, THREE GREAT BIG HUGS, TWO DAILY SNEEZES, and a COUGH RIGHT IN MY STARTLED FACE!



AND HOW WERE YOUR LAST TWELVE WEEKDAYS SPENT???????

KAREN

PS. This is dedicated to my fellow Kindergarten Teacher Assistants & Teachers: Gladys, Virginia, Claudia, Tracy, Jeannette, Patty, Marcie, Jamie, Bonnie & Stacey!

I have been so busy with all of my busy stuff that I didn't realize how long it had actually been since I had posted.

Let's see! What have I been up to?

Our oldest daughter and her two little ones spent the weekend with us. She had been so sick with mono and she's finally feeling better.

Our little Jordyn will be 5 on October. I can tell she is getting older because she told me several times that things that she loved doing with me before are now boring, like looking at the stars. But in the next breath she wanted to go to the back door to see the stars and make a wish, so I haven't lost her after all! We played Kindergarten and Restaurant. She's always busy with her busy stuff as well, although most of hers is make believe.

Landon is 7 1/2 months now and oh such a boy. Exploring constantly. He is so cute that he just melts our hearts with his big blue eyes and precious smile. He has his first tooth and always sticking his tongue out feeling it.

Our other daughter, Amy, who had surgery to hopefully cure her sleep apnea is doing well and is on the mend.

Yep, I have lost 25 pounds, but the last five pounds are really pesky by coming and going, but hopefully they will soon stay off, so I can work on the next 25 pounds. We are still in a drought situation, so it has been so extremely hot and every place feels like a sauna, which isn't a real bad thing, because I figure I might just sweat those pesky pounds away.

I still walk to the lake, which is now more like a mud puddle, every chance I get, which hasn't been too many lately. Poor ducks at the lake. I said a long prayer there yesterday for rain. Maybe we'll get lucky and a hurricane will come our way. We are only 90 miles from Houston and they have had some floods and we get lightning and not a drop of the wet stuff.

Well, school actually got off to a pretty good start. Already 9 days under my belt. We finished doing vision screening on the Kinders. We have a very interesting group this year. Every year each class seems to have a certain personality of its own. I have already taken the jumprope outside at playbreak and they are enjoying it. The majority have never jumped rope before, which amazes me since that was one of our favorite past times when I was a kid. Too bad the kids these days don't get introduced to the simple things in life like we were. But of course, I would have embraced the chance to be on a computer when I was a kid, yet so glad they weren't available to us.

This weekend is our Labor Day Weekend County Fair, with a parade on Saturday downtown which goes right by the video store where I work. It usually always rains during fair weekend, so hopefully we'll get some.

I hope everyone had a great summer!

Karen

Taking over baby duty is a tiring job, but oh the rewards. Those wonderful innocent smiles, the sloppy wet kisses and the laughter. I really miss our grandchildren, but I had to come back to my real world of other people's children.

Our two daughters are getting better and I want to thank everyone who sent their well wishes and their prayers. Neither one is 100%, but they are being looked after by their wonderful husbands.

Today was the first day of school. We have 136 Kinders. We have 7 Kinder classes, so each class has 19 or 20 students. We had a good day today, but once the kids get comfortable, their true personalities emerge. Then the real fun begins!!!

I wanted to come back with some clever sayings or a poem, but alas, I am pretty worn out. Playing Mommy again for two weeks was a challenge, and now with school off and running being my 20th year as a Teacher's Assistant, I'm tired. It would have been worse if I hadn't been eating right this summer and now have lost 23 pounds. So once I get back into the swing of things, I'm sure I will hit the ground running.

Well it is Friday, so these I guess I can put in my Friday Facts.

1. We just got here to Lubbock last night around 11:30.WHY?

2. Our oldest daughter got sick and we received a call at 4:00 AM Tuesday morning. Her husband was taking her to the emergency room and asked if we could come to watch our two grandchildren. WHERE?

3. In a town only 30 miles from where we live. OUTCOME?

4. The doctor wasn't sure, so said it was viral syndrome. SO?

5. I stayed to watch the kids until our son-in-law could get off of work. AND?

6. Today she has another doctor appointment with their family doctor and hopefully he will be able to figure out the right diagnosis. KIDS?

7. Our daughter's in-laws are going to take over babysitting duties so we could come up here and watch Charlie while our daughter and son-in-law leave this evening for a short weekend trip before she has her surgery on Tuesday. QUESTION?

8 Why didn't our mothers and fathers warn us that raising them is the easy part, it's the grown up kids that deplete our energies? WHY?

9. We are older and now they have adult issues. SO?

10. Hard dealing with my adult issues along with our five children's issues. COUNT THEM! 1,2,3,4,5,6 sets of different issues. WHEW! It wears me out just thinking about it! BOTTOM LINE? Don't you just love bottom lines?

11. I WOULDN'T HAVE IT ANY OTHER WAY! Why?

12. Because we love them unconditionally! AMEN!

HAVE A WONDERFUL WEEKEND! Karen

Tomorrow Chuck and I are off to Lubbock, not for the one week we were first planning to be away, but two weeks because of Amy's surgery.

I will be pretty busy, so I won't be on the computer much, but I will be checking in now and then and give an update on how everything goes.

Yep, we are going to have an extremely tough job keeping up with our 6 month old grandson, Charlie. As they say, "It's a dirty job, but someone has to do it!" LOL!!!!

And the best thing would be, if I lose another 20 pounds. Now that would be great!

I do hope everyone keeps our daughter, Amy, in your prayers.

God Bless and have a wonderful week!

Love,
Karen



Our Grandsons. Charlie age 6 months & Landon 6 1/2 months