I'm begging you, please give me a job!

"Find a job you like and you add five days to every week."
-H. Jackson Browne
So to celebrate the last day of my long-term substitute teaching contract, I'm busily putting together resume packages for the big job fair tomorrow. I have three scheduled interviews in the afternoon and a plan of action for the free-for-all morning. Guess I better go downstairs and see if I can find something to wear!! Wish me luck!!

My first pupils

"What people need and what they want may be very different.... Teachers are those who educate the people to appreciate the things they need."
-Elbert Hubbard

As Gayle told me the other day, I owe you some stories from my substitute teaching adventures. Don't worry... I'm working on that one. But in the meantime, here are some pics of some of my students to whet your appetite.

Mardi Gras at our house

“Being from Louisiana, we understand the Mardi Gras season. It's a delightful party.”
-Lester Duhe

We will not be hosting any Mardi Gras parties at our house any more. I seem to have some awfully bad luck when I plan such an event. We had to cancel our open house this past weekend so that we could travel to Shreveport, but not before I had started decorating the house.

There are lots of wedding and party planning websites and blogs online these days. But few have ideas and inspiration for Mardi Gras. If you have better luck than me, then Mardi Gras is a great excuse for a party. Can't beat a big pot of red beans and rice, a loaf of French bread, and a giant king cake sent from a Louisiana bakery. Here are some other decorations that I created on the cheap:

1. paper garlands hung in the windows with fishing line, 2. after-Christmas-sale ornaments in a glass bowl, 3. clearance gold glitter bouquet from Michael's, 4. leftover beads overflowing from glass vase, 5. more paper garlands, 6. add purple ribbon to Christmas wreath, and voila! you've got Mardi Gras!

Throw me something, mister!

“Mardi Gras is in our soul.”
-Kim Priez

On Saturday after Poppy's funeral, the grandkids had to get out of the house. Too many tears. Too much time indoors. Too many almost relatives. Too many stories heard too many times. Our times together are never long enough. So despite the sad circumstances, we were determined to enjoy our time together, too.

With Mardi Gras just a couple of days away, one of the annual parades was planned for Saturday evening. We parked the car about half a mile from the parade route, and walked the rest of the way. We had two Mardi Gras newbies in the group, so we were determined to do Mardi Gras right. We strolled the street looking for familiar faces. However, the sun had already set, so instead of friends and former classmates, we only found irritating high schoolers and disgusting white trash.

We turned around and headed back the least crowded spot we had seen, in front of a house up for sale. We stood around for awhile, hoping that it wouldn't be too long until the parade wound its way around to Kings Highway. I mean, it was a chilly night, and we really hadn't wrapped ourselves in enough layers.

Just as we could hear the sirens and see the flashing lights of the police cars clearing the streets, a voice called out, "Hey Callie!" Across the street, our good family friends, three generations of the Parker clan, were gathered. We hurried across the street to greet them.

Parade began. Floats passed. Tow trucks blared. Music blasted. Beads flew. Arms waved. Children danced. Bags were filled. Necks were decorated. Photos were taken.

Afterwards we walked away agreeing that just like Christmas, Mardi Gras is much better with little kids around. You could catch the beads in the air, and then throw them on the ground, excitely yelling, "Look, Raina! Look! There's beads on the ground! Get them! Get them!!"

Let's just say no one walked away empty handed. Only at Mardi Gras are you willing to dive in the street to pick up a string of plastic beads lying in the dirt and then hang them around your neck!

Better late than never

“Win as if you were used to it, lose as if you enjoyed it for a change.”
-Ralph Waldo Emerson

I can't even imagine how many online giveaways I have entered. I figured that one day my luck would have to change. At some point my name would be drawn from the hat, my number heralded by the Random Number Generator. Sure enough, a week or so ago, it did... and for an awesome assortment of paper, labels, tags, and cards from Elise at enJOY it, one of my favorite online inspirations. Here's a shot of the goodies...
Thanks, Elise!! Now I've just got to figure out what to do with it all!