Please excuse Normal Ashley for a moment while Crazy Ashley interjects:
OH MY HOLY FREAKING GOSH I GOT A 5 ON MY WRITING TEST! DO A HAPPY DANCE! DO A HAPPY DANCE!
Normal Ashley is back. I know I just worry but I really wasn't sure if I would pass. It's graded very weirdly and it's not like some really smart people are grading it. These dudes/gals are trained like monkeys to look for a specific formal or key parts. People have failed because the essay was too good and didn't stick to the format or because they used too much fluff or big fancy words. It's graded 1-6 (6 being best), you need 4 to pass, and I've heard 6 is nearly impossible. I kept saying PLEASE GET A 4! PLEASE GET A 4!
I'm really just relieved and feel lucky that I made it through the first half of this process. Now I can really focus on studying and passing this last test. If I thought waiting for the writing score this time was hard...I'm probably going to lose my mind on the last one.
Still haven't heard from SJSD. They should have rejected me by now.
Happy FRIDAY!
Friday, March 14, 2014
Thursday, March 13, 2014
Tuesday, March 11, 2014
Yesterday and Today
A few things can be noted about yesterday and today.
Yesterday was awesome for three reasons: (1) it was freaking beautiful; (2) I found out I have a certain benefit for working in my daughter's school district and don't have to pay for before and after school care for the rest of the year (woo-hoo!); (3) a friend who I haven't talked to in awhile messaged me.
Today is pretty awesome too. Again, it's freaking beautiful. The kids have swim lessons today and it's so fun to watch them. I feel a little bad that neither kid can swim or ride a bike. Do you know how I learned to swim? I jumped off a boat into the lake. I guess I just knew I could. And you know how I learned to ride a bike? I went to the very top of a down hill, concrete drive way and just rode. I never owned a helmet. I think my kids are sheltered, but that's how I like them. Also, today is good because I'm subbing for high school (not always a good thing) and everyone is on a field trip so I only have to monitor a few students and I'm getting a ton of studying done. I'm pretty embarrassed about how rusty I am in grammar. Don't judge me for my blog posts and Facebook statuses because I don't pay as much attention, but it's nice to refresh on the many ways to use and not to use a comma. I always thought I at least would always understand and remember nouns. A noun is just a person, place, or thing...right? WRONG. It can also be an abstraction or idea. Yup. Never heard that one in all my years of school. It really doesn't matter how much I refresh. I will always think in my mind there is probably something wrong with every sentence I type/write.
There are a couple things on my mind that could make the next few days not as awesome. First, I'm waiting to see how I scored on the writing section of my first test. I passed the multiple choice but it takes longer to grade the essay and if I failed I have to retake the entire thing! I'm also waiting to find out if I did or didn't get the teaching position with SJSD. Call me insecure, but I'm kind of thinking I didn't. There are only 2 positions, I'm not certified yet, and I probably awkwardly fumbled at least two answers in the interview. But you never know; maybe I rocked what I did know. I'm hoping I get a big fat YES on at least one of the issues above because it will help me survive the NO of the other. The only thing worse would be the return of winter. That would crush my soul.
Happy Taco Tuesday! I recommend eating a Taco to make your day awesome; preferably from Taco Bell.
And I'm outty.
Yesterday was awesome for three reasons: (1) it was freaking beautiful; (2) I found out I have a certain benefit for working in my daughter's school district and don't have to pay for before and after school care for the rest of the year (woo-hoo!); (3) a friend who I haven't talked to in awhile messaged me.
Today is pretty awesome too. Again, it's freaking beautiful. The kids have swim lessons today and it's so fun to watch them. I feel a little bad that neither kid can swim or ride a bike. Do you know how I learned to swim? I jumped off a boat into the lake. I guess I just knew I could. And you know how I learned to ride a bike? I went to the very top of a down hill, concrete drive way and just rode. I never owned a helmet. I think my kids are sheltered, but that's how I like them. Also, today is good because I'm subbing for high school (not always a good thing) and everyone is on a field trip so I only have to monitor a few students and I'm getting a ton of studying done. I'm pretty embarrassed about how rusty I am in grammar. Don't judge me for my blog posts and Facebook statuses because I don't pay as much attention, but it's nice to refresh on the many ways to use and not to use a comma. I always thought I at least would always understand and remember nouns. A noun is just a person, place, or thing...right? WRONG. It can also be an abstraction or idea. Yup. Never heard that one in all my years of school. It really doesn't matter how much I refresh. I will always think in my mind there is probably something wrong with every sentence I type/write.
There are a couple things on my mind that could make the next few days not as awesome. First, I'm waiting to see how I scored on the writing section of my first test. I passed the multiple choice but it takes longer to grade the essay and if I failed I have to retake the entire thing! I'm also waiting to find out if I did or didn't get the teaching position with SJSD. Call me insecure, but I'm kind of thinking I didn't. There are only 2 positions, I'm not certified yet, and I probably awkwardly fumbled at least two answers in the interview. But you never know; maybe I rocked what I did know. I'm hoping I get a big fat YES on at least one of the issues above because it will help me survive the NO of the other. The only thing worse would be the return of winter. That would crush my soul.
Happy Taco Tuesday! I recommend eating a Taco to make your day awesome; preferably from Taco Bell.
And I'm outty.
Friday, February 28, 2014
For Uncle Bill
My family lost a great man this week, greater than I ever really knew. Uncle Bill is the husband of my grandma's twin sister (both my grandma and her sister married very talented artists). He is my mom's uncle, my great uncle but I always thought of him as a grandpa-the only grandpa I ever really knew. He raised an amazing family and was an important part of St. Joseph history-a very talented man.
As we get older it seems death occurs more and more often and closer to home. It's a sad, confusing chain of thoughts. But I think we are not really grieving those who are gone. We are grieving ourselves. We are grieving what our life will be missing because that person isn't a part of it anymore.
We all know that we're going to die and that everyone around us is going to die. But I don't think we ever totally grasp that today could be our last day or the last day we'll ever see a loved one alive. Death is always sudden, even when expected. Death always leaves you wishing you had one more hug, one more chance to say, I love you. Death is hard and dark, but only for those of us who are left behind. So whenever there is a death I try to take comfort in the fact that even though I am sad and feeling lost they are not. Their spirit is free and happy.
I miss you Uncle Bill. And I do wish I could hug you just one more time.
Obituary
**If you're ever curious just how talented Uncle Bill was, take a look at the amazing paintings in the conference room at the Remington Nature Center in St. Joseph. When no one is in there I like to go in and admire them**
As we get older it seems death occurs more and more often and closer to home. It's a sad, confusing chain of thoughts. But I think we are not really grieving those who are gone. We are grieving ourselves. We are grieving what our life will be missing because that person isn't a part of it anymore.
We all know that we're going to die and that everyone around us is going to die. But I don't think we ever totally grasp that today could be our last day or the last day we'll ever see a loved one alive. Death is always sudden, even when expected. Death always leaves you wishing you had one more hug, one more chance to say, I love you. Death is hard and dark, but only for those of us who are left behind. So whenever there is a death I try to take comfort in the fact that even though I am sad and feeling lost they are not. Their spirit is free and happy.
I miss you Uncle Bill. And I do wish I could hug you just one more time.
Obituary
**If you're ever curious just how talented Uncle Bill was, take a look at the amazing paintings in the conference room at the Remington Nature Center in St. Joseph. When no one is in there I like to go in and admire them**
Tuesday, February 25, 2014
Merry Late Christmas
Here are some Christmas pictures because I feel like it. :)
And here's one because my cat is really cute.
And here's one because my cat is really cute.
More Snow? REALLY?
UM YEAH. I'm pretty much over this whole Winter thing. Seriously, the only thing that gets me through it are pictures like these wiht my fancy new camera.
The Rest of My Life
Besides subbing and studying I have been hanging out with my kids and trying to improve my life style habits. I’ve been eating better and exercising for a little over a week and already seeing an improvement. I haven’t stayed this strong since I was on weight watchers a few years ago and I think the difference is that Charles is on board with me AND I’ve done it long enough that it’s getting easier. Have you ever heard of T25? It’s a crazy hard work out that you do 25 minutes a day. Charles and I have been doing it in the living room every night. I’m not craving bad food so hard and the exercises are getting easier. I’ve said it a million times before and I don’t want to let myself down again but so far I’m feeling good and I think we can do it. I hope we WILL.
I’ve had a lot of friendship changes in the last year and my social life is definitely suffering. I miss my friends. I think part of that has to do with not working a full time job and living in Platte City away from anyone I used to see. I get a little lonely sometimes but I think things will change when my life settles down and quits changing so often. Isn’t it so hard to make friends and keep friends when you’re an adult?
My house SOLD. It was a long, annoying process. We did it to help pay some debt and start over. Right now we rent a duplex and plan on buying a house again in a couple years.
I still have big dreams of settling down in the perfect house, getting and keeping a really great job, adopting a child, taking a lot more family vacations, and just maintaining a more positive outlook on life and passing that onto my children. Sometimes I look back at who I was when I was 20 and I can’t believe the ways I’ve grown and how I’ve changed. Hudson is in school again and lately he has been coming home and saying to me, “Mommy, it’s okay to make mistakes. That’s what my teacher told me.” Yes, Hudson, thank you for reminding me. It’s okay to make mistakes.
I’ve had a lot of friendship changes in the last year and my social life is definitely suffering. I miss my friends. I think part of that has to do with not working a full time job and living in Platte City away from anyone I used to see. I get a little lonely sometimes but I think things will change when my life settles down and quits changing so often. Isn’t it so hard to make friends and keep friends when you’re an adult?
My house SOLD. It was a long, annoying process. We did it to help pay some debt and start over. Right now we rent a duplex and plan on buying a house again in a couple years.
I still have big dreams of settling down in the perfect house, getting and keeping a really great job, adopting a child, taking a lot more family vacations, and just maintaining a more positive outlook on life and passing that onto my children. Sometimes I look back at who I was when I was 20 and I can’t believe the ways I’ve grown and how I’ve changed. Hudson is in school again and lately he has been coming home and saying to me, “Mommy, it’s okay to make mistakes. That’s what my teacher told me.” Yes, Hudson, thank you for reminding me. It’s okay to make mistakes.
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