Soon To Be Single...

If you are thinking DIVORCE then I am pleased to tell you...













You are WRONG!
My wife and kiddos are heading out in to the wilderness (also known as Salt Lake City area) for the next three days. I will be all alone. But I will be okay. I have my ever-exciting college class to keep me busy, not to mention a mountain of work at school that I could do do keep me busy. So no worries there. They should be back Sunday afternoon, I hope. With the weather as crazy as it is, I hope they are safe. That is all I care about.

Other than that, everything is going fairly well. School continues to be fairly successful. Ok, it is going well. I have super high expectations of my students and push them really hard. They can give it most of the time, but will regress once in a while, and, unfortunately this week is a regression week. I know they will step-up because I totally believe in them. I care about each one of them, and hope they will do their very best.

I think that is the hardest part of being a teacher. Knowing that you want the very best for each student and not being able to help each one see what they COULD be if they only tried, just a little. I have the most amazing students and I have really enjoyed this year. I have experienced less frustration, less stress, and less "pouting" time. I have been able to enjoy teaching for the first time in a long time. And guess what!?! It hasn't been the kids in year's past that made it impossible to experice what I am this year, but simply because I decided before school started that I was going to have a good year regardless of what class I got, how they behaved, etc. I knew that if I worked hard enough and was patient enough, that I could mould and shape the my class into a community of learners. Learners that are respectful to each other and each other's ideas. A community that truly wanted an education and was willing to work hard for it. As I reflect on the last 1.5 quarters of school (I am freaking out that it has gone by that fast), I can see huge improvement in the class. They are working better as a community, and they are being more respectful to each other than in years past (maturity is my ally on that one). They aren't the "perfect" community of learners yet, but we will keep working on it.

I just finished one voice lesson, had one cancel, and have one more to go. Then the evening is ours (sort of- my wife has to get everything ready to go for tomorrow- and I will be helping her.)

Oh, and yea for me. I did get to wrap a few presents last night. That was all sorts of fun. I enjoy wrapping presents if it is a few at a time. But that marathon wrapping session that we have every year on Christmas Eve stinks! I know, I know- It's my own fault. I hope to avoid that this year though. But, with Christmas only 2 weeks away from today, it may be that way again.

The math night at the school went okay last night. We had about 10 parents show up from the 4-6 grade classes. Good discussion, and as teachers, we are planning on do one math night a month until testing time. So yea to that.

Well, better head off to get my voice lesson ready.

Later...

What to Say, What to Say...

I hope this made you laugh. I thought it was pretty funny! You never know what you are going to get when you open an e-mail from friends. This one is classic.

Today was pretty busy, But I enjoyed it.

School went really well. My students were able to go most of the morning without falling apart. I know that if I keep calm and remind them frequently of my expectations, that they will come along okay. I am excited about this year. We are really going to have a blast.

After school I came home and was on my way to tutoring when I got an urgent call from a member of our ward needing a priesthood blessing. I grabbed a counselor and was able to preform a wonderful service.Dropped my counselor off at the high school.

Headed to tutoring. Didn't exactly get a lot of assignment done, but was able to contact someone about the mix-up with his on-line high school and work to get all the issues resolved.

Ran home and got here just in time for a voice lesson. It went well. I am helping one of my voice students get ready for the local queen pageant. It was fun and frustrating. The person in charge of the pageant is giving the contestants 2-2 1/2 minutes for their talent. That is crazy. You can't do a whole lot of anything in that amount of time. So we used my movie software to edit the song to the right length. I am hoping we can really get this pulled together. I guess I know we can!

And that brings me to right now. My wife just came home from her Scrapbooking Night. She is in charge and does it monthly at our ward building. I love it because I get to spend time with my kids. Tonight wasn't as planned with my voice student staying until 9pm, but I am happy to help. My kids also enjoy the mom and came. She was really cute with my kids as they showed her everything we owed (Ok, not really, but it felt like it!).

I hope that tomorrow's half day is great. I love that our Friday's are halfdays. It is also picture day. That should be all-sorts of exciting!

Later...

P.S. My daughter seems to be finding friends at school. I want her to have a great year. We found out today that she didn't qualify for all-day kindergarten. I am thankful in the end for that. She enjoys coming home and being with her mom.

Laundry Baskets and Back 2 School Night

Whew readers. What a day!


It was Back to School Night tonight. I think that it went well aside from the fact that only 12 of my 24 parents showed up. I was pleased to get parents I didn't think would come. I am excited for this year. I think I have a different mind set this year. I find myself NOT frustrated as the kids leave each day, but planning and thinking how to make tomorrow better! Yea. It only took 3 years going on 4 go get there. I think I have finally figured out what these kids CAN give, and it is different from the last school and district. Not better. Not worse. Just different. Once I made the mind shift change (at least I think I have made it), life seemed less stressful. I enjoy planning, correcting work, and even going to faculty meeting. So, anyways, it was a successful night.


Wednesday in our house is laundry day. My amazing wife is always so good to get our clothes cleaned. I appreciate her willingness to do that. After she gets clothes folded and put away, there are empty laundry baskets on the floor. Our baby is so funny! He loves to put things on his head. That and get in every stinkin' cupboard we own! Tonight he took a small round laundry basket, put it over his head and sat on the floor. It was hilarious. It hit the floor and all you could see was dark and hear a little giggle. He would stand up and then do it again. It was way fun to watch. I have such cute kids. I love them SO much! My daughter had a good day today again in kindergarten. I am thankful for that.


I told my wife my new goal is to come home from school and spend 15 minutes with each child every day doing something they would like to do- Read, Music, Video Games, Color, Play Kitchen or House (Yes, I will even play house), whatever. Great goal. Not working how I had planned. But I did get to spend time with my oldest and youngest. The middle two tomorrow I hope. I have tutoring after school and then I am teaching a voice lesson. It's all good though. Life is busy and good.


I hope that life continues to be good. That doesn't mean easy or always fun, just good.

Later...

Nice, But A Little Disappointing

As we are sitting here watching the closing ceremonies, I can't help but be a little sad that they are over. It doesn't seem like it has been four years since the last ones and 17 days since this one started.

The closing ceremonies have been a little disappointing for me. They had such a spectacular opening ceremony I guess I just expected a little more out of it. They really didn't do a whole lot. Oh well. I am proud of our American competitors and the outstanding job that they have done!

Here was out final results:

United States Medal Count
Gold 36
Silver 38
Bronze 36
Total 110

Way to Go!

As far as the rest of the day, I was able to make it to my morning meeting (and I wasn't even really late- Shocking). My mom did call at 2:30am to tell us the men's basketball team had won. We were sleeping, but appreciated her thoughtfulness.

Church was nice (See http://ldspointofview.blogspot.com/) for more about how that turned out.

I was able to come home and relax. I was supposed to teach a voice lesson at 4:30, but shockingly enough it was a no show. My wife and I are going to be taking on a lot of voice and piano students in the near future, and we are going to be composing a letter that states if you miss a lesson without 24 hours notice, you will still get to pay for it. We are tired of waiting around or cancelling other things we could do to sit and wait and have students not show up. I think that it might help with the problem.

We came and had dinner with my parents which turned out nice. After dinner we watched the replay of the men's volleyball gold medal match (since it wasn't live) and the closing ceremonies.

Now we are home and the sewer smell from the man hole across the street is SO STRONG we can't even open our windows. I guess that is okay seeing as it is still 88 degrees outside and only 83 inside.

I feel grouchy today. Which is really too bad seeing as how church went well. I think that my biggest problem is that I am run down after staying up to watch the Olympics the last 2 weeks. I still can't believe that they are over.

Well, my daughter starts Kindergarten in the morning and is very excited and a little nervous. I am nervous for her. She can be extremely shy and has a hard time speaking up if she is scared. I think she will get into it and be okay. I guess you will get to know as you follow along with the saga of the Hughes family!

Goodnight-

Later...