Helloo! Anybody There?

It has been over a year since I last posted and am not even sure if anyone will read this. That roller coaster ride in my last blog? It derailed...but it's back on track.  I've just been (a) too lazy (b) too busy (c) too tired to blog.  I haven't even been following many blogs. I've only read a few. I like to read about what my sister does.  When I looked to see the time of the last blogs, some of the ones I follow haven't updated in a while, so I don't feel as bad. I'm only blogging right now because I'm just procrastinating...I should really be grading papers and updating the electronic grade book.

So what's been going on?  Here's a quick update:

• As soon as school was out, I left town! I met L in Sevierville and we spent 2 nights in a cabin in Townsend. L brought our bikes. We got caught in a rain storm while we were riding.  We drank 2 bottles of wine in 2 days.  L rode his bike around Cades Cove...I walked 3 miles around. We also drove around the Cove later that evening.  It was a relaxing and enjoyable time.
  
• C left for Germany, his duty station, the first of June.  I miss him.  He has at least one more year there.  Because of the time he took after Ranger School, he didn't get to come home for the holidays.
  
• Summer was long. I didn't attend as many workshops as I had in the past.  I did attend one in Atlanta.  That was fun.  I went with a co-worker.  We stayed near a mall that had the Cheesecake Factory (yum!).  And we went to an IKEA store.  (Overrated if you ask me.  I did like seeing the furniture setup.)
  
• I did take an online class.  I was hoping we would offer the high school version and by taking the class I would be able to teach it.  That didn't happen. (We didn't offer the class.)
  
• N didn't get to play last summer.  He had surgery on his foot and was still rehabbing from his elbow surgery the year before.
  
• I got to teach Geometry first semester this school year as well as an Algebra I class.  That was fun.
  
• The holidays were quiet without C.  My mother-in-law had pneumonia at Thanksgiving and I contracted shingles so N, L, and I stayed home and bought the dinner offered by Cracker Barrel.  (That was good.  Well worth it!)  MIL was not feeling well during Christmas.  She only stayed over Christmas Eve and didn't attend Christmas mass with us. L took her home early afternoon Christmas Day.
  
• Second semester has me teaching Algebra II and Algebra I.  My classes are a good size (23 for Algebra II  classes and 15 for Algebra I).  I like that.
  
• TN is implementing the Common Core State Standards so we've been talking about that.  It's starting to get to me.  Can't I just finish this year first?!

Okay.  You are caught up!  Oh, wait.  N is back on the mound as a reliever in AA.  He pitched last night and had a relatively good outing.  He's about to finish his MBA! I'm so glad he decided to get it instead of wasting his time with video games!

If you have read this, please leave me a comment so that I know you came by.  I hope to write again...sooner than later this time!