At CatholicMom.com, we take a moment every Thursday to celebrate those accomplishments that make our week. My schedule has been packed this week, but there are a few things I’m proud to mention.
-1-
I put away the Christmas tree over the weekend.
Seriously.
We have a HUGE artificial tree–probably a good 6 feet in diameter–and it takes up a lot of room. We do not have the box for the tree, as it was given to us by friends who couldn’t fit both a gigantic artificial tree and a Rottweiler in their living room. What we DO have is an enormous chest freezer in our backyard shed. It came with the house, but when we tried to plug the freezer in, we found that it doesn’t work. So the Christmas tree, which divides into three parts, lives in the freezer when it’s not in the living room.
We couldn’t get two of the pieces of the tree apart when we first took it down, and with the snow on the ground for months on end, no one wanted to help drag it into the shed. So it sat on our enclosed back porch–it was too cold to use the porch anyway. Finally this weekend we got the pieces apart and I stowed them in the freezer, where spiders and crickets cannot take up residents in its plastic branches.
And I have my porch back–just in time for the nice weather.
-2-
I survived three days in a row of substitute-teaching for grades 5 through 8. Even though I’ve known most of these kids since they were in the primary grades, they need to test their limits every time, and they always seem surprised that I don’t put up with much.
On Monday it was raining so we couldn’t have recess at lunchtime. Back in the classroom, the kids all gathered around the computer and googled each others’ names, commenting on the pictures that came up. On Tuesday the playground was still wet so they had to stay inside. They asked to use the computer.
“So you can google each others’ names and then laugh about what you see? No. I think you did enough of that yesterday.”
They just looked at me with wide eyes–they didn’t even try to argue back. Then they found a deck of cards and started a game.
WIN.
-3-
Speaking of kids and using the internet for ridiculous things and online safety in general, I have a Tech Talk up at CatholicMom.com today about that very subject.
And along the same lines, read this article and go change your passwords. That’s at the top of my to-do list for today.
Do you have a Small Success (or three) to share? Visit the link-up at CatholicMom,com!
My husband was just talking to me about how I need to change a bunch of passwords! Thanks for the link. I also really enjoyed your Tech Talk on CatholicMom.com . Blessings for your week ahead!
Barb, I had to laugh when you said you JUST put away your Christmas tree – same with my parents and a good friend of mine, Susan! I think it’s because winter lasted so long this year, don’t you? 🙂 BTW, I didn’t know you were a tech-y person. Because I am NOT. I appreciate your reminder about online safety, which isn’t something our family has to deal with – YET. Our girls don’t get on the Internet yet.
Jeannie, my whole household is tech-y! My husband is a computer programmer and older son intends to become one as well. I used to work in the educational software industry as a software tester.
And this winter seemed to drag on FOREVER!
I wish I had met you earlier! Do you know how to manage/build/fix websites? I have a WordPress blog, and I am familiar with the admin page, but I HATE HTML and all the jargon that goes along with coding and such. I am constantly having issues with my blog, which is eternally frustrating. The fact that I am NOT a tech-y person does not help!
I am glad to hear you are able to go substitute teach these days. Maybe an short update on your Dementia Patient situation?
My mother-in-law has been in Assisted Living since late January, at a place that is run by the sweetest Polish nuns.