Do You Cricut at Work?

Every now and then, something comes across my desk in this form : Hey can you make a big check for a luncheon in about two hours?? That's when you whip out the Cricut Expressions and say "No problem!" and start cutting out letters. My co-worker and I spent about two hours making this check for a volunteer luncheon. By the time we were done, I had dragged her over to the dark side of cricuting...I think we have a convert folks! The teeny tiny words are the amount all written out....

Mud boggin - Subaru style

Today, my Chaz said to me...let's go for a drive. It's a beautiful day, there's not a cloud in the sky. I've got my cross stitching in my lap ready to stitch some drive time away...HA! That was NOT to be!

We drove through our local state park, took a few lefts, a few rights, and found this bitchin' puddle and before you ask - YES WE DROVE THROUGH at about 25 mph! (well, he drove - I took the picture):

Did we have fun?! Oh ya! We did! So much fun that we did it again:

The only down side is the car is a champagne gold so the dirt doesn't show all that much...but she's filthy!!

DISTRICT THREE CHAMPIONS!

After a long, tough season, the girl's softball team came through and won the District 3 Championship tonight! The entire team has busted their butts to get here: extra practices, batting, fielding, whatever they needed to be the best in the District. Final score (if you can see the scoreboard in the background) 8-1 over Chuck Stone Little League of Athol. That's the way..uh uh ... we like it....uh uh!!!

Just to update : We are now in the sectionals portion of our adventure. We won on Monday 7/13 over Westfield but lost tonight 7/15 to Westfield so we're going there on Thursday night 7/16. Rachel walked to first and then managed to round the bases on a series of overthrows and errors on the other team's part. She loped across home plate like she's done it 1,000 times! Looked good doing it if you ask me....but I'm biased!

If we lose we're done and our adventure stops here. If we WIN however, the adventure continues! Who KNOWS where we'll go!!!!

More graduation stuff

Here it is! The official document that says I'm done. It's all mine and I earned every inch of it. It's been a while since graduation - just over a month and only one week left until I start the next round of courses.

Everyone has been asking me what I'm going to do next - that's simple. I'm going to still work at my job, keeping tabs on my elders and driving them crazy, er, to the grocery store and doctor's appointments! Not much has changed and I'm happy in my current job. The degree will hopefully open some doors at a later date, but for now, I'm satisfied to be where I am.

Chaz is happy - he's working at a residential home for adults with disabilities as the assistant house manager. The hours are cockeyed (3-11) but we still seem to make time to see each other, even if it's only for an hour or two here and there. We just passed the one-year mark in early May and everything is going very well. We get along great and even when we disagree, we seem to be able to work everything out without either of us feeling shafted. People notice how well we get along and how well we work together for a common good - a good home for the kids, success in our professions and happiness in each other. In three words, it's all good!

A Preview of Things to Come

Well, here it is, the night before graduation, and I'm trying out my cap and gown. I'm excited beyond belief! When I started this journey so many years ago, this day was soooo far out there, at times I thought it would never come. Not only have I succeeded in graduating but I've done it with Honors. Wow...pretty heavy thought - that I've completed one phase of my life and am already looking towards the next.

The kids are terribly excited - no one can stop grinning! Rachel tried on my cap and Sam gave me a big hug and, as he says, "a well deserved "ATTA GIRL"." Without their support this day would not have been possible. They've accepted peanut butter and jelly sandwich dinners without complaining, having a mom locked in her room memorizing formulas for Algebra and yelling at a political science columnist because he's a pinhead. My friends have stood behind me all the way too - I have a fortune on my laptop that reads "Right now, there's an energy pushing you to stay on your path." I got it one night when I was pretty disgusted with school and my seeming inability to memorize the pathway of blood in the body! I got through it and here I stand, just waiting...

My next round of coursework starts June 30th - at the end of that tunnel, I'll receive my Bachelor's Degree in Human Services. I haven't picked a concentration yet but I'm 90% sure it will be gerontology or elder studies. It's less than a year's worth of work but will be very well worth it when I'm done. More photos tomorrow night of the ceremony...

It's Almost Here!

The day that I have worked towards is almost here! I'm talking about graduation day! Final grades for the current semester were posted on Friday and I finished my time at MWCC with a 3.43 for this semester and a 3.31 overall - just enough to graduate with honors on Wednesday night. I am very happy with my accomplishments; it's been a long road getting here but the journey has been worth it.

Starting June 30th I begin my BS work at St. Joseph's College of Maine. No, I'm not moving to Maine - it's on line which allows me to keep both jobs and my life here in Massachusetts. I have 11 classes to take, and will be taking three over the summer - Victimology, US History I and ....I"m drawing a blank on the third class....hmm wonder if it's interesting! Ah yes, it's an Ethics class (my first ethics class was too specialized for acceptance). The other beauty of working on line is that I can work at my own pace, and quite possibly finish before my deadline, enabling me to keep on truckin'!

I'll be picking up my cap and gown Tuesday night - will post photos when I can get to it.

Happy Mail

I received a letter in the mail Saturday that made me absolutely squeal in delight - no, I didn't get my tax refund - BETTER than that (but not by much!!!) I got the "it's time to order your cap and gown" letter from the college. I guess it's really true! I'm GRADUATING this year!! I have earned enough credits for my AS in Human Services. I can't stop grinning! The big event is May 20th at 6pm and I am so happy! I have worked hard to gt here and I was beginning to think this day would never come.

Starting in September, I'll continue working towards my BS in Human services and should finish that program next May. The degree will be from St Joseph's College of Maine. I also got the course listing and picked my classes. I'm planing to take three this summer, four in the fall and four in the spring (my usual schedule), so that I can graduate next May. I haven't got a clue what I'm going to do with this degree at the moment; I'm just happy I'm working when so many aren't. Stay tuned!

Happy Holidays!

The last month has been utterly crazy, what with school schedules, storms, power outages and what have you. We've all managed to stay relatively sane during the holiday season.

Christmas was quiet; just the kids, Chaz, his parents and myself for christmas morning. Our little tree was pretty bare the night before, but when we woke up however, it was a totally different story. Each person had a big gift bag from Nana and Grampa, with beautiful hand crocheted blankets in pinks, greens, blacks, peaches and blues. Each blanket was crocheted to suit its owner.

My gift to Chaz this year was a large blanket that I've been working on since June. Funny how I was able to work on it right in front of him and he didn't even consider it might be for him!

Little Bit got a present from Chaz's dogs Zoey and Snoopy. Guess he liked it! It was a green teddy and within an hour, it was in shreds under the desk! Doesn't he look guilty?!

Brian's blanket was black and white - very striking! Sam's was in camo yarn which, according to Mom, was a b-e-a-r to work with because the colors ran right into each other.

Rachel received a christmas camel. Yes, everyone must have their very own christmas camel! It's a webkinz to add to her ever expanding collection.

So after christmas, it was back to work for everyone. Kids are on vacation for another week. It's been over 30 days since they've seen the inside of a classroom so grading should be interesting!