Galveston Vacation Part I - Grace's birthday!

We started out on Grace’s birthday. For her special treat, we took her to the American Girl store in Houston for lunch at the Bistro. You have to make a reservation, so I did earlier in the month. She’s so into American girls and dolls, etc. Scott’s mom gave her $50 to spend there, which she did, of course.

The people there are really sweet and enthusiastic about their jobs. They have little high chairs that hook onto the tables for dolls. You can borrow a doll to eat with if you didn’t bring yours, which we did for Millie.

Grace was so grown-up. She ordered her drink and her own appetizer and a grown up sandwich. Millie didn’t eat, of course, but my turkey club was good.

She spent her money, then we headed to Galveston.

Houston Farmer's Market

I had a Girl Scout training day in Houston, so I made a plan to go to the super fabulous Urban Harvest Farmer's Market on Richmond. We went a few months ago on our way to visit Scott's parents and I loved it. I love Farmer's Markets. I like to go alone or with one of the girls. Scott is not fun. He doesn't enjoy it. 

My favorite so far was the one in Des Moines, Iowa last summer. It was huge and there was so much to see and try. I love ones that have premade food to eat. The one in Beaumont doesn't have that. It has some pastries and breads, but nothing pre-made. 

The Houston market has several food trucks/stands. I got a vegan tamale with diablo sauce for breakfast. I picked up some naan, goat cheese and hummus for lunch during my training, some Kombucha and potatoes for later. 

Galveston Vacation

My parents have had a timeshare in Galveston for several years. It's small, but they like it. They go every year in the summer and usually take the girls. Millie went on Friday but Grace had some other commitments, so she went up with my sister and her kids on Monday.

That weekend, Grace and I went to the annual Midnight Garage Sale at a local church. It's a hassle - you have to get there early and stand in line. We get good stuff and it's fun, but line skippers are irritating. Saturday we had quilting at church. I had made a vegetable soup and had plenty left, so we brought some to share. Then we had a girl scout event to try to introduce girl scouting to girls in Port Arthur. It was fun, but not too productive. Grace and I were the only ones from our troop, which is fine.

I worked in the mornings on that week, so Scott and I weren't able to come up until Thursday evening.

Waiting on the Ferry

Finally get to see my babies

Millie was banned from the beach until we got there because she doesn't listen. She loves to jump in the waves and play in the water. She builds sand castles and doesn't like to leave. 

They checked out Friday, so we drove around and walked the Strand. We stopped at La King's to watch them make Taffy and try some sweets before lunch.

A lot of stores along the Strand have photo ops to bring customers in.

First night at Grandma's and Grand pa's was a water balloon/water gun fight. 

Grace's 10th Birthday

This lovely lady is turning 10. I'm so glad she's ours and we get to see her grow up. I can't wait to see how she'll turn out. She's the best parts and better than both of us. I love the way she thinks through things and solves problems. She's becoming more independent but still comes and runs ideas and plans by me. She got commended on all 3 of her STAAR tests this year. 

Grace's Adventures in Austin

One day in Austin, my aunt took me to The Thinkery and the roller skating rink. Before that, I went to Houston  and got 2 books, stuff for my bed, a cord for my tablet, 2 outfits, flip-flops, and I saw the BFG with my grandma. It was excellent.

Table runners and Pie Carriers

I found some co-ordinating napkins at Kohl's on clearance. I kept them for a long time, not knowing what to do with them. Last summer, I started watching Missouri Star Quilt Company Tutorials on you tube. I saw the one on snowball quilts, so I started cutting and sewing squares together. Of course, me being me, I never measure or plan, so I just started putting things together. I'd get to a certain point, then stop because I didn't know what to do next, then I'd think of something and start again. So they took a long time to get finished. I bought some co-ordinating blue yardage from JoAnn's for backing and binding. These were the perfect trial and error projects. I learned so much and refined so much doing them. I made them long and short. And I have several - not sure what to do with them - maybe church craft fair? Definitely giveaways :)

MSQC Beach ball Quilt

These were a little more recent - I thought they would be great gifts, so I made one for my sister and it turned out well. So I looked through my stash for co-ordinating fabrics of appropriate sizes. I had limited success on this, but they are done and they turned out well. I have 2 random patterns and one Nightmare Before Christmas for my GS co-leader. 

The Crafty Gemini Pie/Casserole carrier

Partial Teaching Assignment Change

I got the phone call today. The heads up. I've been in and out of school all summer because of summer school. This week is EOC retesting, so I've been "helping" out with that, though, of course, they're paying me to do it.
Something that is good that they did for us for the next year is offer to trade inservice days for some online training modules you can do over the summer. I finished one part over summer school - just some modules on technology options, mostly Google products. I learned a lot and will utilize some info, which is always what you want from that kind of thing. The other one was a module that takes you through the new evaluation rubric. That one was a bugger. But it's done and I passed, so yip!

Back to the phone call. Usually the curriculum director lets us know what it's going to look like when they start finalizing the master schedule. I have my administration certification - I know that is not an easy job. Especially in science, where there are so many certification potentials. She told me earlier that I was going to have more Anatomy. That's good, though not all of those are going to be seniors - which is what makes Anatomy so great - they're all seniors. At some point they stop caring. Juniors probably do that too, but they still have another whole year to gear up for.
Today's phone call was to tell me that my other assignment wasn't going to be Biology. It is going to be either Chemistry or IPC. Neither of which I have taught before. I am certified in Chemisty. Not certified in IPC. IPC are freshmen. Chemistry are a combination of sophomores doubling up, juniors and seniors.

I've been thinking so hard about revamping my biology curriculum - moving to a more critical thinking model, less notes and facts. I'm glad I haven't done the actual work to lay that all out - I figured that I would do that and I would end up with all Anatomy. Oh but no.
I'm certified for Chemistry but I've never taught it and I certainly haven't done those kind of labs or understand that material in the depth required to do the labs. I can do IPC. All of that is laid out from the other teachers. And they are freshmen. Neither one of them are tested subjects, which I don't really care about. So I don't know. We'll see. Hopefully something will pop up out of no where and solve my problem. Bwahahahaha.

Summer Plans

The girls spent the first week of July with grandparents. Millie spent a few days in Houston, then Grace spent some time in Houston, then she went to Austin with her aunties. They want her to stay for drama camp, but I don't know if she's going to want to.

My summer school ends on July 8, then I'll be testing the next week. My parents are going to Galveston that week, so we may go up that Thursday. One or both of the girls may go with my parents if available. There is a girl scout luau and then a free movie on the 10th. The next week is Grace's birthday on Wednesday, so she wants to go to the American Girl store and have lunch at the bistro there. Then we're going to Galveston and do the Rainforest Cafe for dinner. Hopefully we'll find some fun things to do there. I want to go to the Longview Balloon races that weekend, then drop her off at summer camp in Conroe. Then we may be done for awhile, except for girl scout beach weekend. Then some days working at school and starting inservice in the middle of the month. 

It seems like it's almost over. . . . 

Row by Row Experience

www.rowbyrowexperience.com


So I've been collecting these. On my trip, I got 3 in San Antonio, 1 in Slaton, 1 in Boerne and 2 in Lubbock. Friends have gotten me ones from College Station, Fredericksburg, Cedar Park and Waco. I've been to Houston for 3.  I've been getting the kits because I'm more likely to do it. I don't really think I'm going to make a quilt. Quilting is hard on a home machine. I like to make quilted stuff and piece things together. But with the kits, I'm thinking I may have enough stuff to make 2 - maybe one for a quilt top and maybe one for a wall hanging or table runner. BUT I have a lot of projects to work on before I start on them. Since I don't plan to win prizes, I can be working on them for the rest of the year. Lots of new skills and practicing skills.

For later this summer

For later this summer