and to finish the update...

Sorry had to take a break. Dinner with Pop-Pop and Gramma. Let's see... I got mostly through the boys, now....me!
It seems like I have been running non-stop (mostly in the "like a chicken with my head cut off" fashion) and this Christmas break has been a good break. Honestly, when it takes me months to finish a book you know I've been busy. I read two in the last week **contented sigh***.
Like I said, I have been working at school, volunteering in Brock's class. I started working on Mondays, then Thursdays and now it is Fridays. I love working in my kids' classes. {I've been to Kindergarten for 3 years!!!(and loved every one!)} I get a resounding "Good Morning Mrs. Flynn" when I walk in (the first few times I had to look over my shoulder, wondering where the heck Curtis' mother was??!!) followed by lots of hugs. Sometimes I think that the other kids are more excited to see me than my own, but hugs are great no matter where they come from. (Plus, this is where I get girl time..."Mrs. Flynn, can you put this bow back in my hair? This is a new jacket, do you like it? I got glitter nail polish!" Can't get that at home!) I usually get drug to the carpet and sat on (in a good way) by at least 3 kids, my own front and center if he can manage. I love it when Mr. Elliot gets out the guitar and they sing, that is so neat. Brock is always astounded when I know the words to one of the songs, (like Mr. Elliot made them all up!)
On Wednesdays I haul myself to Oakhurst to work in the Family History Library. When it is slow I work on finding my own ancestors. It has now become my mission (more like Mission Impossible... *deep voice* "your mission should you choose to accept it...") to hunt down O'Kelleys, Mortons, Wages, and Coats from here to Canada and back. I hound my Gran mercilessly during Sunday dinners for names and dates. I will find these people, I will!!! I think they are hiding on purpose... Never-the-less...I will prevail! But, I have found that I must limit myself to Wednesdays at the library or hours and hours will fly by and no one gets any dinner.
Wednesdays are also Cub Scout days, and I have been the assistant den leader for Caden's pack. Trying to get a roomful of boys to stay on task for more than 2 minutes is a joke, but a couple of Excedrin and the mantra "It's only for an hour and a half" has gotten me through since September.
Around October-ish, I started working part time for my friends, who own a Christmas type business. It was nice to get out, some adult conversation, a little pocket money...but it did make me think longingly of those rose tinted hours to fill as I pleased. Lucky for them, the lousy economy didn't affect their orders, (they said I was the lucky charm... I'd work and they'd get more orders!) What started as 1 day became a week, then every spare minute up to Christmas break. It's kind of nice to be needed.
Of course, there is the regular, at home stuff that fills up the after school hours. I have found that I am much better at Algebra at 35 than I was at 16, but it normally takes me just as long to check the homework as it takes them to do it. (except, I get x3!... but Brock's is pretty easy.)
Tadhg tells me that I am the "fun nazi" and I have earned quite a reputation with their little friends, who's parents have started limiting xbox time after finding out about 'our' house rules. But, we still seem to have more than a few extra boys around the house and my boys don't seem too down-trodden...it's amazing how they'll get up at the crack of dawn on a Saturday to play xbox, but can't drag themselves up for school!!!
There are still a few home projects left to finish (the list grows, but rarely shrinks) on the remodel/conversion and I get to them as I can. But it has been nice to take the last year off, sort of, ...at least I'm not making weekly trips to Lowes and tripping over power tools.
I had taken a break from my digi-scrappin' and never did finish my last class, once school started. I felt kind of rusty, but had to kick it into high gear to get the Christmas Calendars out. Felt a lot like college, pulling all-nighters to meet that deadline (that I procrastinated) Still didn't get there in time! I made 2 versions this year, a wall calendar and a cd size ( cuz my momma asked me nicely!) I'll post some when I get around to it. Despite the frantic, 'didn't I take more pictures? where are those pictures?' I really enjoy doing my scrapbooking *note to self... take more pictures*. I hadn't printed any off, just looked at them on the computer screen, before I printed out the calendars. I was pleasantly surprised. I was afraid they'd look funky or cheesy. I guess I'm a tactile person and I like to touch the paper layers and the fun things that pop off the page, but these were okay. I'll probably do both or a combination (hybrid scrapping, yes, there is a name for my sickness!) once again, if/when I get around to it.
I have been sooo good about keeping up with my blog that I decided to join facebook, too! Like I need another thing I feel compelled to do each day! I have heard that it becomes quite addictive (like I need another addiction!) maybe, between the two I can keep in touch with family and friends and feel connected, even if it is that nebulous, floating out there in 'computer space' kind of connection. Hey, I've had more positive communication with Tadhg on my facebook wall than in real life for the last 4 days.
Tomorrow starts real life again, and that's not necessarily a bad thing, sometimes it's pretty great. We'll see how I do, I'll try to keep you posted....