Very, very, very tired

Forgive the lack of blogging. Work is insane and they have asked me to stay on a couple more weeks in January if necessary :( I don't feel as though I can refuse, but after that I'm done. I'm so tired at this point, I can barely put together a coherent sentence. And only 27 days until Christmas and my entire family arriving here!

It's a Small World

The Morning Visitor

Let the Magic Begin . . .
My Favorite Ride
A Visit to Another Land
An Escape from the Parents
Yet, Another Distant Land - LegoLand

We came, we saw, we now have to make Thanksgiving dinner for 23

This is where my photos from Mouseland should be so that I do not have to write anything as (1) I am exhausted from Mouseland, (2) PH has had migraine since leaving Mouseland and I have spent the day trying to keep small children quiet, (3) the bug man sprayed today which means small children could not go in the yard (see (2) and you understand the dilemma), (4) 23 people are arriving in less than 48 hours and are expecting large, traditional dinner, and (5) photos from Disney remind me that since the school year has begun I have put on a ton of weight (no, seriously - a ton) and this is rather depressing.

Instead, blogger is failing and you get whining and disappointment. Sorry.

Off to Mouseland

We have never taken our children to Disney. I understand we have broken some Florida state law by depriving our children of the phenomena. We had this belief that the children should be old enough to actually enjoy it. Having reached the ages of almost six and almost four, we have decided it's time. I have next week off and tomorrow we leave for the Land of the Mouse for four days. Right now the kids only know we are going on a trip. You will probably hear their screams of delight when we tell them. I'll be bringing the computer so I'll try to download a couple photos in between running between parks. I wonder if Mickey serves wine?

For Claire

I have been tagged by Claire over in Germany. She wants to know seven Random and/or Weird Things about me. Me, a rather boring attorney turned teacher about to be full time mother. Thanks Claire!

1. I can still do a cartwheel and a handstand at age 38. All those years of gymnastics make me impressive to my five year old daughter.


2. My parents brain-washed me as a kid and I have a vast and frightening knowledge of old country and western lyrics. To this day, I know all the words to "Mama, Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to be Cowboys", "Reuben James", "She Stopped Loving Me Today", and "I Believe in You."


3. When I travel, I always visit a local grocery store and spend at least an hour looking at all the different items.


4. As a kid I had to go to a speech therapist for slurring and I stuttered when I spoke publicly through college. The stuttering just stopped in law school.


5. I think living without a change of season and mountains is soul destroying.


6. I chew on pens. It helps me think.


7. My middle name is Angela; the derivative of the name being Angel; I think my parents understood the use of sarcasm.

Now, according to the rules, I must now tag three other. Here are the rules which you must abide by if you are tagged.

1. Link to your tagger and post these rules.

2. Share 7 facts about yourself: some random, some weird.

3. Tag 3 people at the end of your post and list their names (linking to them).

4. Let them know they’ve been tagged by leaving a comment at their blogs.

I will tag: Expat Travels, Merisi, Sunshine, and anyone else who wants to join in.

Job update: I have given notice and will stop teaching in January. I can only make two observations about this most recent experience (1) January is still a long ways off and (2) this period will not be pleasant.

Two Roads Diverged . . .

I need to make a decision and soon. This job of teaching was suppose to become easier this year - I am no longer new, and I have materials now, and I've done some of it before. Yet, I am still working nearly every evening and on the weekend too. Some is me I'm sure, but some is that instead of replacing a teacher who left last year they increased the number of students in my classes, and put me in charge of a year-round student activity, and I still teach Advanced Placement classes and my scores have to remain high. I have tried to manage this - working mornings and nights so I do not have to work on weekends, trying to only work one or two weekend a month and leaving my nights free. Nothing has worked. The end result is that I am exhausted, slightly insane, and have little quality time with my family. I know this is a dilemma faced by many working women, but I am lucky enough that I can chose not to work. Wealthy we're not, but comfortable yes, and my pittance of a salary does little in the way of contributing to our overall family budget. So I need to make a decision - I've always worked, always contributed financially, and have always known that if needed, I could independently and financially survive. Not working outside the home seems as though I failed, that I was incapable of being a good mother and a good employee at the same time. I feel like a traitor. Yet I know that I am missing too much - too many of those moments of childhood that I can't recapture and I feel physically ill and tears gather when I think about it. I NEED TO MAKE A DECISION.

Her eyes were closed, but the tears were glistening on her cheeks, and I think, in a moment more, they were in my eyes as well. It never really died, then-- the soul that can suffer so excruciatingly and so interminably; it withers to the outward eye only; like that strange moss which can lie on a dusty shelf half a century and yet, if placed in water, grows green again.

-Willa Cather
A Wagner Matinee