Change of Plans

My husband and I are both teachers, and since we are "almost" empty-nesters, we decided to spend some time traveling this summer.  Our first trip was going to be to Colorado to camp and visit our youngest daughter who is a student at Colorado State.  However, Mother Nature has caused us to rethink that plan.  The forest fire west of Fort Collins is still burning and so there will be no camping there.  My heart goes out to all of those who have lost their homes, and I am so sad to think of all that beautiful acreage burning.  Our daughter is safe, but says it is very smoky.  We have postponed our trip and hopefully will be able to visit later this summer.

Our second trip was going to Pennsylvania to visit my family.  We do this almost every summer, but this year we are going to take our time and a detour through The Smoky Mountains in Tennessee and North Carolina and then drive through the Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia.  I can't wait!

ADD with a Twist

I've diagnosed myself with a new syndrome:  HADD or Hobby Attention Deficit Disorder.  I'm sitting in my sewing/craft/computer room looking at 20 spools of ribbon from when I decided I would make key fobs for everyone-I made 3.  Across the room I can see 3 sewing and embroidery machines, which sit next to my serger.  I have a basket full of yarn for various crochet projects and my most recent find, loom knitting.  I have 2 organizers filled with scrapbooking and cardmaking supplies.  My Cricut sits behind my laptop.  I have 3 drawers filled with baby items and fabric to embroider or sew for my Etsy store, which has nothing for sale and never has.  I love all all of these hobbies very much, but I can't seem to stick with any of them long enough to complete more than one or two things.  (I started a cross-stitch angel the summer after my youngest daughter finished 1st grade.  She just finished her freshman year of college; the angel is still on the frame.)

It's not just crafts, either.  I have a bookshelf full of workout DVDs from my fitness kick awhile back.  I own dozens of cookbooks.  We won't even talk about the hundreds of dollars I've spent on my doll collection.  It spills over to work as well.  I own a laminator and too many professional books to count.  I'm contemplating ordering empty vending capsules from Ebay to make "Brain Bubbles" because I saw them on someone's blog.  Pinterest has only made this obession worse!

My only consolation is that I am not alone in my obsessions.  Since we have been married, my husband has accumulated supplies and equipment for: remote controlled airplanes, hunting, reloading, woodworking, brewing beer, gardening and fishing.  He not only has every fishing gadget known to man; he makes his own fishing rods.

Please look for us on an upcoming episode of Hoarders.  I'll be the one sewing/quilting/crocheting/scrapbooking/reading and drinking home-brewed beer!

It's alive!

My blog is coming back to life!  I had just started blogging when life took an unexpected twist.  Once I accepted my fate, I actually got excited about going back to the classroom and teaching first grade.  Teaching kind of took over my life for awhile.  At first, I was really excited about buying and making things for my classroom but around January of last year, major fatigue set in.  I was MUCH younger the last time I taught first grade!  Blogging was the last thing on my mind.

Now I've been back in the classroom for 2 years and I am loving it again!  It's summer now and I will again spend way too much time on the computer, following teaching and crafting blogs.  My goal for the next school year is to continue to work on organization.  So much of my stress my first year back came because I couldn't keep up with things.  It seemed like I was always a step behind my teammates.  This year was much better in spite of a really "challenging" group of students.  Next year will be even better, I'm sure!