I don't know if I've ever been so anxious for the semester to end and for summer to begin! I signed up for two online classes at the beginning of last summer. At the beginning of April, I had a lot left to do for both classes, and they must be finished by May 1. So, I've spent the majority of this month holed up on our sofa with my laptop on my lap, doing Spanish homework, reading about Parent-Teacher communication, and jamming my homework from my "real" classes in as well. In that time, I caught a cold from my beloved kindergarten class. I am thankful for my patient husband who has done an amazing job helping out around the house, doing laundry and the dishes, even cleaning the bathroom and sweeping.
Lately, though, my concentration has been lagging. I've spent the last three weeks working nonstop, so I'm actually surprised this hasn't happened sooner. I've started a summer reading list (partly inspired by some books on Alicia McCain's blog) and I have some boring but very productive and helpful projects for around the house in mind. I want to go through our student loan files and DaveRamsey-up our budget. Luckily, managing our finances is kind of a hobby for me--the fancier and more efficient my excel sheets are, the more excited I get.
I'm also excited because Dexter and I are planning to "go vegetarian" starting at the end of the school year. It may even start earlier since I'm feeling like my stress will let up slightly sooner than I expected. I'm excited to try out new recipes and hopefully, to feel healthier and feel good about my decision. We're also renting a garden plot which I am excited to cultivate and work in. Walking back and forth between the garden and our apartment should be good exercise too! I bought a freezer full of Morning Star fake meat products today. I'll probably avoid cooking with these most of the time, but I wanted to try them out so I'd know what my options are. They were on sale at HyVee AND I had a $20 giftcard that I got when we signed up for our cellphone plan. (I was inspired, after booking an expensive trip to the wedding of my best buddy, by Dana to pray for a HyVee giftcard after reading her blog.)
Now, I'm writing a lesson plan on the Cinderella story from a variety of cultures. After a 6-8 page nonfiction essay on doughnuts, some wrap up assignments for my practicum, a reading assessment project about my kindergarteners, and three tests, I'll be in the clear. May 9 is only 18 days away!
