It’s time for another What’s New Wednesday post. Life has been a little crazy and I’ve fallen behind on my blog writing. Last week, I worked all week as a substitute teacher in a kindergarten classroom. It was so much fun, but also very exhausting. Those little ones take every bit of my energy. I’ll be back in Kindergarten tomorrow, but only for one day this time.
May is always a crazy month for me and this year it seems even crazier. My kids have all sorts of end-of-the-school-year projects they are finishing up. My middle daughter has prom this weekend and takes her last of four AP tests tomorrow. She graduates on May 31. We also have family coming in to town for the graduation, so I’ve got to get my house ready for visitors and plan out some meals for the crowd. In addition to all that, we have several birthdays and Mother’s Day coming up. There are field trips, parties, and other social activities on the calendar and I am volunteering at school for several year-end events. And then there’s our family Disneyland trip, but that’s actually the first week in June…if I get the hotel scheduled now. I’m also subbing at the elementary school in Kindergarten and third grade for several more days. Busy!
With all the busyness, it’s really nice to stop and write a few things down. So here’s my latest What’s New Wednesday post. There are a few exciting updates to fill in. This post contains affiliate links. See disclosure page for details.
My Little Beasties
Our home is decidedly more lively with the two new dogs, Penny and Rosie. We adopted Penny first and she settled right in. She’s adorable. Just a tiny little beastie who loves feet, shoes, and laps to sit in. About a month after adopting Penny, we adopted Rosie. She is slowly (very slowly) calming down and making herself at home. She loves Mom, so much so that she cries when I’m not home. Rosie willingly goes into her crate (Penny, not so much). It’s a good thing too because she can’t be left out on her own. She enjoys chewing on balls, on dog toys, and on underwear…yes, underwear. Rosie is a briefs thief. I am also down one pair of sandals. That could have been Penny or Rosie. They both enjoy shoes. I’ve decided to look at that as an opportunity to update my wardrobe.
They get along really well. Penny is definitely in charge. Rosie, who is twice Penny’s size, gives in to her on just about everything. They love to chase each other around the backyard and play tug of war with their toys. Rosie is really getting good at fetching her ball. Penny, not so much, probably because she can’t fit the ball into her little jaws. And they both try to steal food from the other’s dish, so I guess it’s all working out.
College Girl
I’ve posted a few times about visiting campuses in the quest for the “perfect” college for my middle child. She applied to a variety of schools and we narrowed it down to about four of them. Well, big announcement, she has committed to a university for next year. I am excited and happy because she will be staying fairly close to home. She’ll be attending the University of California, Santa Cruz. She’s entering as a Marine Biology major, but is also interested in Anthropology and Archaeology. It’s the perfect spot for that and she seems much happier and content now that the decision has been made. After all our travels to visit colleges, she picked one of the closest. It’s a beautiful campus and has some really good programs. The mascot is the banana slug, so we’ll have some fun with that too.
We took some fantastic photos of her for her graduation announcement. I have a good friend, Michelle Deakin, who is really talented. If you’re a local reader, contact me if you need her services. She is awesome!
Hospital Visits
I’ve been to the doctor’s office and hospital more times than I would like in the past week or so. First, I got a call that my son had been beaned by a ball at recess and he had some mild concussion symptoms. He checked out fine, thank goodness. Next, I found out that my Dad was under the weather. Unfortunately, my dad’s visit to the doctor didn’t turn out so well. He thought he had flu symptoms, but it turned out to be a diverticulitis attack and a perforated bowel. He also developed a bleeding ulcer while in the hospital. The good news is he’s coming home today and is eating real food again. My mom has never spent this many nights without him. I’m not sure who I was more worried about. It looks like he’ll make a full recovery. Counting my blessings, and my parents are two of the biggest.
Newest Reads
Since I haven’t had a What’s New Wednesday post in a few weeks, I have finished more than one book. One good read was A Thousand Naked Strangers: A Paramedic’s Wild Ride to the Edge and Back by Kevin Hazzard. If you’ve ever thought of becoming an EMT or paramedic (there is a difference), you should read this first. It takes a certain type of personality to handle the stress and pressure of the job. Hazzard talks about the job burn out rate, the difference between an EMT and paramedic, how he got into the job, and all the crazy things that happened to him along the way.
Another read that really held my interest was The Sisters of St. Croix by Diney Costetoe. I love historical fiction and this story takes place mainly during World War II in London and in a Convent in a small French village. While it is a work of fiction, it is based on true stories of nuns and priests helping to hide and save Jewish children during the Holocaust. I loved it and highly recommend it.
Thanks for reading and please share.
