The Sunday Salon - Week 2

Outside my window: A sunny Sunday morning. It's slated to be 90 degrees today. Hey, it feels like a cool breeze after 100 degree days!

I am listening to: Sunday Baroque on KBAQ radio. awesome.

I am watching: Rich and I love to sit down on Saturday evening and watch all the DVR shows from the week - NCIS, NCIS Los Angeles, Hawaii 5-o, The Mentalist. We hunker down with a few snacks and consider ourselves big partiers!! Haha! Actually, we have a great time together and it's cheaper than renting a movie. How I love the DVR!

I am thinking: how much fun my new book group was this week. The women there felt like immediate friends. I was welcomed with open arms and smiles. It was great - I felt like I fit right in!! We read The Stone Diaries by Carol Shields, which was a Pulitzer Prize winner in 1995. (Opinions varied and that was so fun. We really wondered who does the voting and what the criteria is for winning :) .) We had terrific discussion and I can't wait til June, when we meet again.

I am grateful for: getting to talk to all of my kiddos last Sunday. All of them checked in in one way or another and it felt peaceful and right!!

I am reading: Fatal Error by J.A. Jance. I enjoyed it at the Tucson Book Festival when she talked about the background for this book. Her books read like candy for me so I am flying through it.

I am photographing: ordinary events in my life. This week's top event - Jennie and I went out to the Cheesecake Factory to celebrate the buying of their new house. I swear the size of the portions caught on camera are as big as a new house!!

I am listing: End of the year action items. Thank heavens for lists.

I am creating: new office space. After we painted the new office a soft yellow we realized that the new office furniture will not match so... back to Home Depot! Don't you think a soft grey will work perfectly? "As you wish, dear." Gosh, I love that man!

On my Pandora: I am loathe to admit that I have fallen into the Disney soundtracks channel. On my behalf, they are wonderful for my students to listen to, we know all the words, AND I can say, " we will be cleaning up at the end of this selection boys and girls" and they all recognize when the end is coming!! :)

I am hoping and praying: that our new principal is approachable, pliable, humble, honest, fair, full of integrity and more than a little moxie. I am hoping that she is a laugh-er, a smiler, a guide, a gentle, calm, and comforting influence amidst the chaos that comes with a school. Please!

Around the house : The bedroom is still in a state of flux and chaos until the office is done. Yuck! BUT, it gives me motivation. I am getting ready to start my summer-time cleaning.

From the kitchen: Not a darn thing!! I have successfully avoided cooking all week and I have enjoyed every minute of it. Take that stove.

One of my favorite things: Shopping time with my daughter.

The children this week: At school we are still on a regular schedule for one more week. Don't tell though, we have a surprise retirement assembly planned for our principal that involves singing, flowers, dancing and projects!! Shhhh...

Plans for the week: Paint, grade, ride, paint, grade, ride, paint, grade, ride

On this date: last year I was packing boxes in my classroom to move to third grade. Wow, I am so grateful that this year I can stay right where I am doing right what I am doing. Sigh of relief!!