To The Doctor We Go.... Again...

Oh what fun making trips to Provo is...

Well, I guess we DO get to see lots of our friends and that really IS fun. But driving up every other week for some doctor appointment isn't what I would call "fun". After all, my two youngest sons spend the whole trip trying not to barf and the oldest three is back are fighting and bickering and hitting each other. Ah, the joys of six children. What were we thinking???? (and I agree with you sitting there at your computer saying, "And he wouldn't have it any other way!" I wouldn't. But this stage in the game is a bit much for me).

We decided to make the trip up and back in one day. We were tired of packing for multiple days, and despite what everyone says, our family wears quickly on people and we still wanted to have friends when this experience is all over with.

We were up and going yesterday morning by 6:30am and we STILL didn't get out the door until after 8:15. I was highly annoyed because we had a lot to do before we ever made it to the doctor. With traffic and having to stop in Price for an unexpected potty stop (dang kids), we made it to my cousins house in Pleasant Grove about 15 minutes before we had to be leaving to go to the dr. appointment. I thought that was a bit embarrassing- "Hey we are here, now here is our kids and we will be back sometime this afternoon..." They were super good sports about it and very mellow. I was grateful that they were willing to keep the boys. (Thanks Phil and Melissa- you two were lifesavers).

This dr. appointment was in Orem in the Physicians Plaza next to Timpanogos Regional Medical Center. It was pretty easy to find. The purpose of this particular visit was to learn more about how my wife's hysterectomy would affect her and to ensure that she was healing properly. I won't share much of what was discussed as it is personal in nature, but we did learn that she will be on estrogen for the rest of her life. We asked why she needed it if she wasn't showing any menopausal symptoms. He gave lots of really good reasons. So... she has a sample to try which is a gel she just rubs on her arm every day. Pretty low key and easy. We will see how well it works and then go from there. It was a good visit and I think my wife left feeling much better about things.

After the appointment, we headed back to my cousin's house. We had called to see if the boys had killed off my cousin yet and offered to take him and his family to lunch. He just laughed and I said that I would talk to him about it when we got back to his house. Just as we were getting their house he called and said that everyone had eaten and that we were to turn around and go and eat. We argued, but he was certain they would be okay.

Our apartment we had when we lived in Pleasant Grove was just down the street from there so we did a drive by. it still looks the same. It is where we lived with my oldest son when he was just 2 years old. Crazy stuff. We took a picture of it, but I don't feel like uploading it. Takes forever to upload pictures to Blogger anymore, hence the reason I don't do many of them... lol.

Because we were in PG and would be driving by their house, my wife and I decided to do a quick visit to the Perry household (Kelly Perry is the one who came to the hospital to do my wife's nails and visit). They hopped in the van and we went to a fairly quick lunch considering we had my two-year old who took FOREVER to eat. We dropped the Perry's off and raced back to my cousin's house. Unfortunately, just as we arrived back, my cousin's wife had to leave to take some kids swimming. Well, unfortunate for us because we wanted to visit and fortunate for her because she got to escape my children. They were truly on one. Fighting, hitting, jumping off the furniture. It was mortifying. My cousin was totally cool about it, but I was ready to head out ASAP simply because I felt like we were unpleasant to be around.

After we left my cousin's house we headed to Sam's Club to pick up my new glasses. I was excited that they had come in. I mean, I ordered them on Monday after all. Here is a side view. The side bars are way chunky compared to what I would normally wear. Below is a front view (excuse the ugly mug wearing them... lol. Just look at the glasses). I like them, which is good, because I will be wearing these for about 2 year or more before I replace them if I stay on my current plan. However, my wife and I have discussed looking into vision insurance with all the kids we have. Probably a good idea. We will have to see what our money situation will be once everything has settled. I need to ask the district what options I have (if any) through them as well.

After we picked up my glasses and gassed up at the Sam's gas station (talk about cheap fuel- wow!) we headed to Springville to pay a visit to the Mannings. Shockingly they opened their door when we knocked. We wondered if they would close all the blinds and pretend to be gone... lol. we went in and visited for about an hour before deciding to head to Denny's for dinner. I won't even go into detail over that. The kids were decent and it was nice to simply visit with our friends. We headed out from Denny's. My oldest daughter had decided to stay in town so she could hang out with a friend and go swimming. She had spent the night before we left at her friends house and then ALL day. Stacy assured me it was okay but we still wanted to get home.

We made it home around 10:30pm and picked up my daughter and headed to our house (just around the corner). We found all was well and it didn't take long to get everyone in the house, in their PJ's, and sleeping- including me...

Today (Friday) has found me busy, busy, busy. I wasn't up and going very early, but once up I have cleaned both bathroom, swept and mopped the kitchen, watered the garden, took the kids to lunch at the school, got the baby fed, changed and down for a nap, and vacuumed. I still need to mow and water the front lawn, but I will have to wait until my wife returns from her trip to Grand Junction with her friends. They went for a "girl's day". I am glad she went. She needed to escape this jungle. Well, I best go and check on the garden- I am sure that by now I have created the next great flood. Noah might come sailing by any minute.

Oh, one last thought. We got a second bill from Dr. Brady in Price. I tried to call, but his billing assistant is out of the office until Monday. I am waiting to inform them that because of the surgery HE HELPED WITH my wife spent 24 days in the ICU and 3 more days in the regular ward. We have made several trips back to Provo for various appointments, including another ER visit. That I am currently in the midst of paying off major medical bills and deciding on legal action against those involved. So, when I get everything else paid off and have made final decision about legal action I will get around to paying their bill. I can't wait to hear what he/ his billing lady says to that. I will let you know.

Later...

P.S. The whole medical saga will end on Monday with the benefit dinner that is being held for our family Thanks to everyone who has donated, contributed, or helped in any way. We are truly grateful and humbled). After that, I will no longer be tagging these posts in the series. We are ready to move on. It will be months before my wife is back to full strength and ability, but the time has come to focus my posting on other things- so yeah for us all. No more depressing posts about medical stuff, just about teaching...lol.

The Time Has Come...

Okay,
After the camera killed yet another SD card, it is going to the trash heap! I am SO going to buy my wife a nice camera tonight. She loves taking pictures and I love reading her blog posts- it is a total win win situation! Besides, she has had these lame point and shoot cameras for too long! So, be on the look out for crisp, clear pictures coming to a blog near you!

On other news...
I had a realization today...
I am struggling to love teaching. I know that I have great ideas and concepts for teaching kids, but when it comes time for the delivery, I stink! This was brought to light after spending a good portion of my break at the school working to update my morning schedule, create new and interesting motivation plans, and redesign my teaching strategies and style. What did all that work lead to?

Snotty comments
Lack of cooperation
Resistance to the new format

Now, I am not only blaming the students. I am sure, in all my wisdom that I have somehow NOT communicated well what I wanted to get across to my students, but...

Anyways, Moving on again.

As my test draws ever closer, I am finding myself studying less and less. I am not sure if this is a subconscious effort to pretend I don't have a test, or if I have come to the conclusion that since I never plan to become an administrator, I don't really care if I get the certification. What that may mean for me is a huge debt that I owe back to the district and frankly, that is okay with me too! If I pass "Wahoo", if I don't, I will have to see what I want to do. I will still be able to have the credit hours to move pay scale lanes. I am not sure that I want to drop another $400 for a lame test that in reality doesn't tell anyone anything about me. I seriously wonder what the kickback for colleges and districts is that use the ETS tests.

Well, I need to move on with my evening!

Later...

"Just Keep Swimming...Just Keep Swimming"- Dory, from Finding Nemo

I think that is one of my favorite movies. I love that line (along with many others such as "He touched the butt (boat)", and "Es-ca-pe"). Today has been a strange and off day for me. I am not sure why, but meeting with my advisor from the U of U last Thursday and discussing everything that has to happen between now and May so I can graduate has me feeling so overwhelmed that I feel like I am going to drown in my stress.

I know that it is spread out over a huge amount of time, and that everything will be okay- but it just seems SO crazy right now. Silly me, I am stressed over my Praxis test in January- the what if's are eating me up. I hate that the perfectionist side of me wins out so often and leaves me feeling deflated and angry at the world. But, I guess if I didn't have some vice to keep me on the Earth I might be translated- Ha Ha!

Anyways, if you see me around and I look angry, don't take it personally- it is just stress! :)

I have enjoyed the past couple of days, however, visiting with my sister. she came yesterday and is staying until tomorrow.

This week is scheduled out to be super busy. Monday and Tuesday working at the school (Tuesday Melinda and I are copying and binding all the newly revised handbooks for the school- over 125 copies to be printed and bound- Yea...BLAH), Wednesday I am attending a Math meeting on the other side of the district (1.5 hours each way), Thursday we load up the herd and head to my wife's family reunion in the mountains somewhere at the aunts cabin- we are tenting it with five kids (should be interesting) until Saturday and then back home again- I am looking forward to that the most! Thankfully that will be the last major road-trip of the summer. If only my Masters Classes didn't start the same day as school, what a much more pleasant week it would be. Thankfully, I will NEVER have to worry about that again. College just isn't for me- especially with my HUGE need to get straight A's. Much too stressful, and honestly, and I can't say as it really is worth the time investment. I think that today's college teachers are more out of touch with what is going on and the needs of the education system that I find it to be tedious, busy work, and time consuming hoop jumping. I know I am supposed to be in this program, but I really want to quit it. If I wasn't bound by a contract to the district, I really probably would drop out. Guess it is a good thing there is a contract.

Well, I have whined and moaned enough in this posting. A little on the depressing side actually, but I am feeling quite down lately. I can't even really put my finger on why. I am sure that tomorrow will be a much better day- back to my classroom I go- :)

Later...

Sometimes The Up's Out Number The Downs...

But not today! (Or in Nottingham, if you are Robin Hood).
I think I may be back on the road to having pneumonia again. I can't tell if it is allergies and exercise or sick. Either way I want it to go away.

Today at school was so frustrating. You would think that at this point in the school year (Day 146 of 180) that my class would be able to function without being told every little thing they need to do. But, alas, that simply isn't the case. I think it begins to wear on me at this point. You can only be patient so many times and then it just become irritating. In fact, I had two students today that I usually have to baby along that I simply told them at the beginning of the day that I refused to baby them and that if they wanted to slack off, to go for it. I did my absolute best to ignore them and their behavior today. The finny thing was that one of them actually worked better today than they had in the past. This event, and others in the recent past, have lead me to believe that possibly I am not being the best teacher. Most all the kids like me as their teacher, but I don't feel that any, if few, are actually learning anything. Hence I begin to question my teaching strategies and ideals. This may be the beginning of a teaching revolution- where I wage war on my own teaching practices looking for ways to conquer the enemy known as stagnant, ineffective teaching practices. I have never felt that I just "turned the page" in my lessons. I usually invest 5-8 hours a weekend preparing for the next week (and this is non-paid time). I begin to question the value of this. In light of recent events, I think that I may re-evaluate this practice. This leads to another whole new dilemma of being able to stand by what I have said to myself and not let "the kids" allow me to revert to things I have taken away. I guess that is a HUGE weakness of mine. That I want SO MUCH for the kids to learn, that I am willing to "eat it" in the management department so they can have the "learning opportunity" that they really didn't earn. I guess guilt plays huge into my personality. I don't like feeling like I have let someone down, so I try to be the peacekeeper and make everyone happy. Top that with a sprinkle of perfectionist and a dash of anxiety and you have one really messed up person- Mr. Hughes.

So, as you can see this has been a week, so far, of great depth as far as wanting to reflect on my teaching and life in general. I don't know where this will lead. I truly think it will be out of this town and on to a different adventure. I have to teach here for at least 3 more years because of a contract that I have, but at the expiration of that commitment, our little family will be truly looking at a new adventure- one that may take me out of education all together. My wife and I have talked about this quite a bit, and it would be really hard on our family, but maybe better for my health and happiness. I know that I have blogged many times on this subject, and every time I have relented my feelings knowing that making a change would lead to lots of change and upheaval of my little herd. But I don't see that happening this time. I could be wrong, but as I get further and further into my administrative licensure, I am realizing that this isn't really I wanted to deal with. All being a principal is is a glorified teacher. Instead of dealing with just a class, you deal with teachers who have the potential to be just as unruly AS the students, plus the students, parents, community, AND district to contend with. I don't know, it is all VERY overwhelming.

Well, this has been great therapy for me.

Later...

Snow, Warm, Hot, Hotter, Freezing Rain

That has been the weather pattern in just the past four days. Crazy. Oh, and lucky me I have acquired (courtesy of my students) the lung-filled hack with the green goo filled coughs (did you like that description?). I have been achy all over and just generally not feeling well. I'm not sure, but I think that my class might have noticed when I got all grouchy. I hate doing that because it erodes the fragile community that we have worked to create. Sometimes it feels so pointless. I teach lesson after lesson on being kind, respectful, and honest. We discuss what that means, what it looks like, we role play, and we do worksheets (not that THOSE are super helpful at times). I think everything is going well and then I have a student who comes to me in tears feeling that no one in class cares about them. I overhear students talking about horrific movies and video games they play and the things they do to each other inside and outside of school. I step back and ask myself why I even try to teach those things and if it is worth it. I guess if I don't try, I CAN'T make a difference, but sometimes I truly wonder if the effort and stress are worth it. Will I give up? I really want to, but these darn perfectionist genes I posses won't allow it. I don't know where those stupid genes even came from.
Well, that is enough whining for one day, so I will spare your ears.

Later...

P.S. Please send some health and warmth our way- we need it!

Saturday is a Special Day...

It is the day you...

Feel like it wasted away.

It has been a strange and quite unfulfilling day.

I was up late this morning- I just could not get my butt out of bed. I guess it was a good thing when the phone rang at 8:50am and I was informed that I wouldn't be tutoring today. (Well, he said that he would call later today when he was ready- he didn't). So, that lead me to think, great- I can get all sorts of the things done. Planning at the school, watering the grass, looking for items on Oriental Trading for International Speak Like A Pirate Day (Sept. 19th- More on this at a later date- also check out http://teachertechhelper.blogspot.com/ for links etc. in the near future.) That isn't exactly what happened.

It went more this this:

*Wake up late

*Get the mail

*Decide to run to school to get a book my wife wants to read (Percy Jackson Series Book 1- See Amazon link on right hand side of page- Highly recommend this series, especially as a read-a-loud for 6th grade students). Looked for 20 minutes and couldn't find the darn thing. I guess that is my fault for having 3,000+ titles in my class library. Decided to say, "Stuff It" to that idea, and left. However, while there I noticed that all the plants my mother "left" for me at the school were as dry as a bone, and therefore I spent an additional 20 minutes watering those.

*Got home and decided to water the garden and grass before going BACK to the school to plan out Monday. That was very rewarding (NOT).

*Went to leave, but noticed that my computer desk here at home was in desperate need of a cleaning up. I have been stacking papers and bills and mail there for several weeks without really doing much about it. So over and hour later, I had the old bills shredded, the other bills filed, and my area clean and dusted.

*Lunch

*Ran up to my parents to put new batteries in their clock. Watched a little bit of the "Rhythmic Gymnastics" (or whatever it was). I can't help but think, "Wow! Really? This and not golf or sumo wrestling or something else?" But I guess being a guy, that really didn't do much for me.

*Dropped off a bag of old clothes to the local thrift store. (Ok, so it is the only thrift store in town).

*Headed to school. Spent the first hour getting little odd jobs and annoying projects out of the way. Finally sat down to plan (It is now after 3pm). Spent more time looking for the materials I needed (Dang me for cleaning my room and rearranging things) than actual planning. Also realized that we won't be doing computers this week as the breaker they are on is weak and keeps flipping off. That was fun! Ok...maybe not so much.

*Finally made it home and had a wonderful dinner (thanks babe).

*Had to run to the store as we needed bread and milk. Called my mom to see what she wanted us to bring to the "Closing Ceremonies" party we are having tomorrow. Bought lots more stuff.

*Came home. Read sciptures. Brushed teeth. Had family prayer. Sent kids to play for a few minutes.

*Blogging and thinking that I need to be doing a million other things.

And, that is where we currently sit.

Well, maybe it wasn't such a great day, but I am thankful that I had it for my use. I am thankful for a sweet little family. Ok, I have just been a little irritable today. I hate those kinds of days. Hopefully tomorrow is a lot better. Actually, I know it will be because I am going to MAKE it better. Thanks for reading my faithful readers! Hope you smile everytime you visit! :)

Have a great night,

Later...