A Teacher's Vacation

Cheers to summer 2010 - raise your icy cold flavored sparkling water to that! (I know a lot of you are drinking something else perhaps a little more potent, but this is what I've been drinking lately thanks to my mama).  It feels somewhat like it normally feels when I come home to Wisconsin to stay with my parents at the lake.  We're talking gourmet meals made by none other than my fantastic mom (I TRY to help but usually I'm just in awe of her chef-like abilities), time off with no crazy, chaotic schedule (but still a to-do/to-read list, those I like), and making arrangements to hang out with old friends (by old I mean they've been by my side for years and they're never gonna officially go away, no matter where our lives lead us!).  

However... this summer/time off is different than any other because I am no longer job searching when I get a free second from part time jobs and I am most definitely not working on homework for college courses.  

No, I am a teacher (ugh, I LOVE saying that!) and instead, I am spending the next 7 weeks relaxing, not a thing on my mind, and absolutely nothing to do! ... Please don't take me seriously there.... For real.  If you are a teacher, you probably know just what I'm talking about, but if not, let me just say that to most teachers, teaching is not just a profession. It is more like something I like to call, hmm how shall I put it.. ah yes, my LIFE.  That might be a bit extreme, but really, I think and talk about it way more than almost anything else.  Just because it's summer vacation and I'm at my summer lake home doesn't mean I haven't been working on all the fun, meaningful learning that's going to take place in my classroom next year.  This includes, but not limited to: looking up good-teacher-resources online, buying good-teacher-resources/books, and reading these good-teacher-resources so that I can start lesson planning for the new school year in August.  (trust me, I know- NERD ALERT - no wonder Chris likes me..?).  But the sickest thing about it may just be how excited I get about all of these teacher-reads.  

This doesn't necessarily even mean that I'm saving time for the new school year, because I'm sure I'll find a way to stay equally as consumed with my "work"... I might even still get frustrated with certain things that happen through out the course of my day when they don't go quite as planned (you just can't even escape that).  Especially when there's an unexpected new student, a missing sub for the teacher next door, the copy machine conveniently decides to stop working the second you really need something to hand out to your kids, tons & tons of standards that have to be taught within a certain deadline, or there's a case of the missing whatever that everyone's all caught up in.  And that's okay, that's what makes the job interesting and even more exciting.  (Again, if you're not a teacher, you are probably even wondering why you're reading this because I must be loca in the cabeza.. actually, I'm surprised you even made it this far!)

Anyway.  I just wanted to say, that even though I am excited (some may say obsessed, but that's a little much now), I am so enjoying this time with my family - they are so understanding and supportive of this love of mine, and so are my friends... or at least these people are nice enough to pretend like they are.  I think a big "Thanks guys :)" is needed! 

My lake home is the perfect little get away with my parents and pups, and anyone else who we deem awesome enough to visit us.  

When the time comes to head back to Arizona, I will be just as excited (especially because I miss my AZ family and crew.. heck, I always miss SOMEBODY somewhere!!)... but for now, this summer vacation ... piles of books and all... is simply refreshing (especiallyy my mom's cooking).