More Catch Up (not to be confused with Ketchup).

M2B =) days 165 - 173.  Monday, July 19th - Tuesday, July 27th.

Monday, July 19th happiness:  Today I started my first day of work at my new job.  I am a teacher's aide for a 3rd grade class.  Although school does not start until next week, all of the teacher's and aides had to be there this week for training, and to get ready for school.  I chose this job because for the most part, it coincides with Joseph's schedule.  We will have nearly all of the same school holiday's, and I will be home when he gets home from school.  However, since he was not in school today, it was hard to leave him home alone.  

After work, I had a bit of information overload.  I needed chocolate and music therapy.  Today's chocolate of choice was Hershey's milk chocolate with caramel.  Yum.  And today's music was Lenka.  You can't help being happy when listening to Lenka!

Tuesday, July 20th:  Today was my first full 7 hour day at work.  Again, I came home with information overload.  I know it will get easier.  It is just a lot for me to process right now.   I was tired.  Brian came home and took care of making dinner.  I really needed that.  It made me happy.

Wednesday, July 21st:  Today it rained.  Gorgeous, beautiful, refreshing rain.  It wasn't much, but I loved it.  As I was driving tonight the sunset coming through the clouds was amazing, so I thought I would make it my picture of the day.  Alas, my camera battery was dead.  I had to take a mental picture instead.

Thursday, July 22nd:  Today, my teacher, took me out to lunch.  We went to Paradise Bakery, where she suggested I try the new Summer Berry Salad.  It comes with poppyseed dressing.
I am in love with this salad.  I think I could eat it every day and be happy.  I told you lots of my posts are about food.  Food = happiness.

Friday, July 23rd:  Today was meet the teacher day at our school.  I got to see all of the cute little faces that are going to be in my class starting on Monday.  It made me really excited.

Also today, I promised Joe that since I have been leaving him alone every day this week on his last week of vacation, that I would do something fun with him Friday afternoon.  So, we went and saw a movie:
I'm not a huge Nicholas Cage fan, but I did enjoy this movie.  It was fun hanging out with Joe.

As soon as the movie was over, I had to hurry home to drop off Joe and pick up Brian.  We had plans with friends tonight to see a movie.  Yes, 2 movies in one day.  What was I thinking?  I clearly wasn't.  Anyway, tonight we went to see the movie Inception with friends.
Ok, to those of you who I talked to about this movie.  I DID NOT HATE IT.  I just didn't think it was the best movie ever, like a lot of you seem to.  I liked it, I just think they took the concept a little too far, and it went on a little too long.  It was a visually stunning movie.  I liked the acting in it.  For once Leonardo didn't annoy the heck out of me with one of his SO fake accents he always try's to do.  And, it was fun to go out with friends.  All in all, a good night.

Saturday, July 24th:  Today I went to Bishop Gale's funeral with my mom and dad.  While funeral's are not usually happy things, I did enjoy listening to Val Jr. give the life history.  I learned a lot of things about Bishop that I didn't know.  I felt the spirit.  I laughed, I cried.  And, I got to see the Gale family.  A family that I grew up with and that I love very much - especially Sister Gale, and Janice.  

Afterwards, my mom and I went to lunch at Paradise Bakery (I told you I was addicted to that salad).  It was nice to spend some one on one time with my mom.  It's something I don't get to do enough.  

After leaving Brian and Joe home alone all morning, I came home and Joe looked like this:

Yeah, his hair is green, and we have church tomorrow.  Don't worry.  It washed out.

Sunday, July 25th happiness:  Tonight for Family Home Evening, we did back to school blessings.  Joe went first.  I can't believe he is going to be in 8th grade.  He is excited to rule the school.  Then, I asked Brian to give me one.  I am, after all, going back to school too.  I am nervous about my first day with the kids.

Monday, July 26th:  Joe is ready for his first day back to school!
My first day went well.  One of the girls brought me an apple.  How cute is that?
I love the kids already.  One boy came to school with bed head, and he sits in the back and wanders back to my desk all of the time to tell me things.  I love it!  

Also, at lunch today in the teacher's lounge, I told someone I had a 13 year old son, and they told me that there was no way I look old enough to have a 13 year old.  Did I mention I love this school?

Tuesday, July 27th:  While I am really enjoying my new job, the thing I am not particularly enjoying, is my new lack of free time.  I used to have tons of it.  Now, I get home just in time to pick up Joe, and then we go into the afternoon routine of snack, homework, chores, dinner, etc.  It doesn't leave much time for errands or bills, or cleaning, or any of the other things I used to do while Joe was at school.  So, I have asked Joe to step it up and help me out with more of the cleaning.  So far, so good:

I guess it's fun to do dishes when you get to play with the knives.

That's it for now.  

Happy Day!