Pedicure

BEWARE! There is a photo of my feet at the bottom of this post. I have been told that they look like Flintstone feet. I had to post this pic though, because I had my very first pedicure a couple of weeks ago, and I LOVED it!!! Matthew and the kids bought me a manicure & pedicure for my birthday, and the gift certificate expired in 6 months. Since it was winter at the time and I didn't see my feet much then, I decided to wait. I actually called the place the weekend before and told them that my certificate expired that Monday, and could I come in on that day and use it. They said yes, so I finally went alone to make sure that it didn't expire and become a waste of money. I knew that I would probably enjoy it, but it was for a place out of the way, and I knew that I'd have to find someone to keep the kids for an hour or so. I finally got there and enjoyed every minute of it! Well, the pedicure. The manicure was nice too, but the pedicure...why did I wait 6 months for a free pedicure?!! I think this is something that I will have to treat myself to often! So, here they are. :)

Tonight I worked on another project for school. :) I am so excited about some of the small things, like my duty badges. That sounds kinda funny, but I don't know what else to call them. Maybe it's just the word "duty". Duty. I don't know. Anyway, this summer at the daycare, I have probably heard a hundred times, "I want to be the line leader!" or "he/she was the line leader yesterday!". That one I have heard over the years, but "I wanted to turn the light off!" was one that surprised me. They actually argue over things like that...on a daily basis!!! I guess I shouldn't have been surprised since my two fight over such silly things all the time. So, the job poster that I bought had badges on the back that can be used for each child. I copied them, colored them, laminated them, made cute little badges hung on colorful ribbon out of them, and will have them each wear one every day. Of course they will be rotated. They include things like "line leader", "light monitor" :) , "door holder", etc. I went on and on about these, just like I am doing now, to Matthew earlier, and the second that I stopped talking, he started a new conversation on a whole different subject! Maybe the kids will be as excited about them as I am.

Anyhoo... here I am again, blogging at almost 1am because I am putting off getting ready for bed. It's not the going to bed part that I am avoiding. I could fall asleep right here and now, but it's the preparation that keeps me up so late. Sounds silly, I know. If I could just go to bed, I doubt I would stay up as late as I do. However, I know that before I can get into bed, I have to go around the house and make sure that all outside doors are locked, lights and tvs are off and that the kids' doors are left open. I have to put on my jammies, remove my contacts, remove my eye makeup, wash my face, apply my step 2 & 3 skin care products and brush my teeth. My cell and Matthew's need to be on the chargers and my alarm clock set. Ok, there may be more, but just reading all of that out loud, made me realize that these are probably things that most people (at least most mothers) probably also do. And look! It's now after 1am and I am still on here! Do you want to know why?! The batteries in my wireless mouse died about 3 sentences ago, and I actually felt that it was necessary at this time of night to change them out! I hated to think that all of this rambling (yes, I ramble a lot!) was a waste of time! Ok. So, I am now off to start my nightly routine. :)

Sweet dreams.

4 weeks 'til school

Normally, I would be dreading this. Not only is Ally now going into the 1st grade, but Noah will be starting Pre-K this fall! We are 4 weeks from this happening, and yet I am so excited!!! I'm excited about teaching! I'm sure the other will hit me as we get closer and have to get the kids ready for school, but right now, I am just ecstatic!! I finally finished cutting out all of the material for my classroom that I had laminated today. I cut some out earlier and then sat down at 7pm to finish up. Ugh!!! My hand is so sore from using the scissors for 5 straight hours! Poor me! :) Ok, I'm over it. Anyway, this week we painted the rooms, halls and bathrooms of the school , did some major cleaning and a few repairs, and now I am able to get my room ready! Yay!! It's getting there. Ally and Noah are enjoying the computers that we put in there. This was Noah's first experience with a computer. It was so funny! Yesterday, Ally and I showed him how to turn it on and when a box popped up, I told him to hit "ok". He reached up and touched the monitor where the box was at! :) I guess that's not so silly these days with all that comes out now, but it was cute to see him learning what the mouse was and how to use it to control the little arrow on the screen.

Tomorrow I plan to spend some more time with my brother, sister-in-law and nieces, while they are here visiting from Spain. I also need to get my house clean one of these days!! I really want it all clean at one time, even if it is just for a short time!

Goodnight!

Turtle Update

Ok, so it looks like the turtle thing is all over. I know, that didn't even last as long as the dog! The poor things just aren't getting what they need with this aquarium setup and the kids have agreed that they will be better off in a natural environment. We're hoping to find them a nice new home very close to here. So, tomorrow morning, we will head out in search of the perfect place!

Pet Turtles

Noah and Ally got pet turtles this past weekend. ...I'm already wishing they hadn't. I am really hoping that these don't turn out like our pets in the past. The poor kids can't keep a pet! :) We have bought 3 dogs since Ally was born and they were either sold or given away because we realized that none of us gave them the attention that they needed. The kids promised to, in the beginning, and then the dogs either jumped on them and scratched them, which they couldn't handle, or they just lost interest. Anyway, I was talked into getting Noah some sort of pet because he keeps trying to make bugs and worms a part of our family. We started out thinking that we would get them each a tiny turtle, a little aquarium and setup for about $20 a piece. Wrong! We found out that it's illegal to sell turtles smaller than 4" in Alabama. The 4" ones were $20 each, just for the turtle, but no one had any left. We finally found one place that had 3, but they were $30 each! So, two 4-5" turtles, and an aquarium. Then we went to buy rocks and things for the aquarium, and found out that turtles must have complete water for swimming and complete dry land for basking. We finally found a way to slope the rocks to make both. After talking with a pet store employee, we also found out that they need a heat lamp andUVB lighting! Ugh! Oh, and the original aquarium that we bought did not have a pump, so we returned it and got one that does. I forgot to mentioned that after we bought them, we found out why it's illegal to sell them smaller than 4". Turtles can carry and transmit salmonella! Yay! :( ...and my biggest concern was somehow killing the turtle!!? Well, the aquarium has been set up, a swimming pool and tanning salon added, and we've found that the pump does not reach the water! By the way, "Charlie" and "Trixie Ann" were purchased by Ally and Noah with their own money and the help of their Grammi (who also bought the aquarium kit). So, it's a little harder to give up on these pets! I will keep you updated on their survival in the Gentry home. Just please pray with me that Charlie and Trixie Ann don't ever become parents!

I will post a picture of them later.

Ally and I went out this past weekend to look for some new locations to take pictures. She is my little model. :) I don't have to tell her much. In fact, she kept pointing out spots and poses, and I pretty much just followed her around while she went from pose to pose. :) I have a feeling that someday, she and I will be shooting together. Maybe Noah will model for us. LOL!

New job

Some of you may know this.  Some of you may not.  I recently traded being a bank teller (which I have been on and off for about 7 years now) for being a teacher!  I love it!  I will be teaching pre-k 4-year-olds this fall at a christian school very close to my home.  Noah will be attending the school there, and possibly even Ally.  For now, I am teaching the arts/crafts for the summer daycare there.  Love that too! :)

Although I am working everyday now, instead of just 2 days a week, I am off by noon!  The kids are there, and I even get to see them most of the morning.  This job is such an answer to prayer!