Happy December!

Wow!  It's been awhile since I've posted anything.  As I mentioned in my post on September 3rd, I was busy getting ready to move.  At the end of the last school year, I decided to resign my position.  I decided it would be best for me to move back to Portland where I have family and where I lived most of my life.  The past two years were extremely stressful on me.  I needed to make a decision to take care of myself.  In those two years, I had bronchitis, some sort of flu even though I had a shot, and strep throat twice.    

I spent the 3-1/2 months packing and cleaning, but finally I made the move at the end of October.  I have been living in Portland now for just over a month.  I really don't like packing and moving except it gives a chance to really go through everything.  Most of my family were there on Moving Day.  They were such a great help!  I am so thankful that I am able to live with my dad while I look for another job.  I was hoping to substitute teach this year and I applied in July.  However, I have not been added to the substitute list.  I began my career as a substitute teacher because it was hard to find a job then.  I'm hoping things will be straightened out and I will be able to begin subbing in January.

It's hard not teaching right now.  I miss being with the kids.  I read the teacher blogs and miss teaching about certain topics.  I told the kids that I would write them, however, I have been so busy with packing and now unpacking.  I plan to start writing them.

I wish I had lessons and pictures to share.  That will have to wait.  I'm hoping to start working on lessons that I can sell through TpT.  I started writing one last year as I taught about penguins, but didn't finish it.  I hope to work on finishing it and have it ready in the the next couple of months.  My problem, though, is that all of my teaching stuff is in a storage unit with some of my things from my house.  It's also too cold to go over there.     

I miss being creative as a teacher, however, I am able to be creative by stamping and making birthday cards.  Here are a few cards that I made in the past couple of weeks:

I am beginning to make Christmas cards and Christmas gifts.  It has been nice to find time for making things.  I've even been thinking about starting a crafting blog to show and demonstrate how to make some of the things that I make.  Here is one of my Christmas cards:

I'll probably make a couple of other designs.  I need to hurry and finish the cards so that I can mail them and get to the gifts I am making.

     I recently watched my niece's high school performance of Peter Pan.  My niece had the part of Peter Pan and she was wonderful.  She had a lot of singing parts and even did some flying.  The entire cast did a wonderful job!  I enjoyed it so much that I went to see it twice!  I was so proud of her!

     It's hard to believe that Christmas is right around the corner.  I hope school is going well for all of you as you teach your kiddos and have some fun with them.  I imagine most of you have one week left.  Enjoy those last few days!