Life of the Party

     This is a sequel to Firekeeper's Daughter, and is was a pleasant transition to a new main character's perspective. Hearing the next phase in the series from Perry's point of view was an unexpected change as well. One could say that I would love to read/ listen to another book of this caliber. I spend my very long commute each morning and afternoon immersed in the Audible app. Learning about their culture has been an absolute pleasure. It gives me a new perspective as a teacher of Indigenous students.       Perry's character longs to bring home one of her own ancestors from a museum collection. I couldn't imagine what it would be like to be in someone's shoes going through the same thing. Before reading this book, I really enjoyed going to different exhibits and seeing their artifacts on display. I now see that this isn't something we should be doing out of respect for the dead.      Perry's character at the end of the book gets trap...

      Today I sit and ponder what accomplishments I have achieved this year. Some big and small ideas circulate through my mind. It's not about fancy materialistic items that I have obtained this year or awards I didn't  receive. My accomplishment was, "I survived, thrived, and made it here."      I know that isn't much of an explanation. Some people might not really grasp what I'm trying to say and some people might not even care. Battles are not often what people see, they can and are what happens behind closed doors. I made it another year without complete failure, so I'm proud about that. Depression and anxiety didn't get the best of me on days when I almost gave up. I learned new skills and developed new hobbies. The road that spans across this year was long, treacherous, and scary.   Mom guilt is a real thing and it consumed me entirely. It took things from me that cannot be described. I'm still shaken by the days of deep depression whe...

      Have you ever heard someone say something that completely contradicts who they are as a person? My outspoken personality is somewhat of a burden when this occurs. Today is not your day and I'm not the person you need to ask for a honest opinion. Don't ever ask me any questions. I will not sugar coat anything. Said person asked me when will I be "from here and be a local?"       Well, I didn't hesitate. It's a simple answer and I'm not so sure he was ready for what I had to say. "Never." You'll eventually be accepted and welcomed, but when things aren't in your favor people will always remind you that you moved here. Roots run deep here in small town USA. My favorite neighbor has been her for years and she still runs into this from time to time. When an older person asks me about my folks, I always start with my great grandparents and work my way down. Usually, they will know one of them. You cannot just simply fit in here by associa...

       It would be so amazing and convenient to actually have cell service in my area. I haven't upgraded my phone in so long I bet the newer stuff is lightyears beyond my 5C. Yes, it still works just fine. It is blue in color and fits perfectly in the palm of my hand. Upgrading now seems almost ridiculous. My motto is, "if it works why fix it or replace it?"  We still have the traditional land line too. Verizon needs to get with the game and upgrade their towers. I've had a cell phone for over thirty years and have never had service at home. Not that I need it, but it would be an extra layer of protection. It takes our local small sheriff office more than 40 minutes to respond to our house.         Discount?  You would think they would give customers like me some sort of discount, but sadly no. They suggest we use wifi calling, but then again we don't really access to this either. Wild Blue satellite internet is over priced and oft...

      It was an excellent gift to be able to go see the Christmas show at Dolly's Stampede. I think I will forever call it Dixie Stampede. My husband and I made the two hour trip over the mountain to go see the day show and let me tell you it was amazing. The price was a little ridiculous and the food was mediocre, but the show was phenomenal!      The overall experience is well worth the drive. Standing in the cold to enter the building with a toddler was not. She loved the horses and the animated toys that days around the arena. I personally enjoyed the ice skating scent, as well as, the arial show. I would have come to watch the show and not eat. It was that good! Everything is kid friendly and there was even a chair for mother's who are breast feeding. The staff was overall friendly and helped guide me to a restroom that had a chaining table.     I wish I would have taken some pictures to share with you all, but I was holding my toddler in my ...

      Sometimes you've just got to get out and explore. I was somewhat disappointed that we didn't get snow down here in the valley area. We got to see some sleet and some mixed participation, but no actual snow. My husband always willing to go adventures, and of course asked if we wanted to go find snow. I was overly excited and quickly loaded the truck with our essentials. Living in the mountains verses visiting them are two very different experiences. I think outsiders do not understand that you need 4WD when you near the top. There is a reason you don't pass many cars along this stretch of highway this time of year. 

      Yeah, it's that time of year again. Our wedding anniversary is upon us and I'm not ready for it. I haven't made any plans because it's so close to Christmas. Do any of you go all out for this? How do you celebrate this big day?      Maybe we could go out to dinner or maybe prepare a sea food boil here at home?  It would be something special to just not cook like I usually do. Should I suggest it or see if he even remembers?      Memories...     This time years ago I was waiting for our turn to get in front of the magistrate in Swain county. I was extremely nervous and couldn't form sentences correctly. I held my husband's hand with all the confidence in the world. My breathing was strained during to stress. I couldn't believe we were getting married like this. No real wedding nor family present. What pushed us to doing this? Did we just settle.     No. Money and family issues helped guide our decision. Josh...

      Maybe it's a southern thing, but I would know because I've been here my entire life. Men hate dealing with women when it comes to rural farming. Let me set the scene for you...     A man contacted me via Facebook about purchasing one of MY baby goats. Once he got to the house he requested to speak to my husband, even stated, "it's men's business." Really? I tried to explain that I would be the one who he had to deal with. First of all I didn't feel safe with his very abrupt nonverbal language. He seemed to be used to always getting his way and was almost juvenile in his mannerisms (tantrum). I ended up asking him to leave. He literally stomped his foot and crossed his arms. He and my toddler have a LOT in common!        I deserve the right to be able to conduct a farm exchange without my husband present. I missed out on a $500 deal, but it was totally worth it.  Maybe it's because I wouldn't budge on the price. He knew the pri...

  Night of the Living Rez By:  Morgan Talty        I couldn't stop listening to this book. I was completely wrapped up in the story of a young boy who slowly unwinds his harrowing childhood. We don't really get the full picture until the last twenty minutes of the book. I'm still confused what happened to the baby, but it was heartbreaking. I think I will go back and purchase the book to reread it for myself! The narrator did not do a decent job of using different tones for different characters. I think this is why I was lost sometimes and had to replay whole chapters.      I was left with so many questions as a reader. I wanted to know which version really happened the night the baby died. I also want to know if the protagonist was really a good person? He did "good' things but we also witness so many negatives. 

       My evening was filled with making Christmas treats for my coworkers. I really do enjoy all the activities we do as a staff. In many ways my school family is more like a miniature version of a real family. We check in and show up for each other! This week each team has a designated day to bring in treats and snacks. Our day rocked. I have attached a photo of some of the Christmas goodies. I made 10 batches that ranged from regular muddy buddies to some of the cheese cake variety.      The trick is to use all white chocolate with the peanut butter and add extra vanilla to the mix. The strawberry flavoring comes from jello packets added to the powdered sugar. These yummy morsels are completely addictive!  Tomorrow will be homemade peanut butter fudge. This is what I give my peers for gifts. 

     I was certainly not the life of the party in 2024. It is absolutely laughable to think about that. I was a worn out mama trying each day to survived parenthood, a job, and working on a farm. Partying is not on my current todo list. I haven't even been out on a late night in years. I've had late nights up with my children and trying to comfort them. The following days would be filled with dark circles under my eyes and yawning each time I became idol.      Party? No. Not unless I can wear my floppy pajamas with the big pink dots along with my lime green Crocs. Image that image... Uh, no. The party would start at 5:00 and end way before 9 PM. No real agenda and messy hair seems to fit the situation.      My ideal party would include a massive fluffy chair, coffee, and a book. I really miss the days where I could sit and read for hours. One could find me sitting like a statue reading in my favorite spot each afternoon. I would average aroun...

      Praise really goes a long way, especially in the education world. Today I'm thankful for my grade level team who makes the more chaotic days bearable. It's not about where you work but rather the peer culture that is set up there. We are a team and we succeed by doing our parts. Even when I miss a day, my team checks in. Emails and texts alike are sent through out the day to see how Taylor is or to simply check in on me. I AM thankful. I could even go as far as saying we mimic a family. Through work we have become friends and now that has developed into a team family. 

      Oh this is going to stab a few people the wrong way, but we're all adults here. Feel free to comment and/or add to the discussion. My husband's family doesn't always seem to understand that we are living paycheck to paycheck and buying all these extra gifts is causing us to go into debt. I thought I was done shopping and felt that what I owed was  manageable, but then I get texted a whole registry to purchase from. Everything is over the top. Even asking for family to pay for their honeymoon excursions.       We didn't even have a wedding because I couldn't even afford to feed them all. I wouldn't have been able to even invite anyone for me. The audacity and entitlement to assume that I would spend that kind of money on a Christmas gift doesn't sit right with me. Oh, not to mention that online "look at me" party registry that was sent to me. The "look at me" is referring to a gender party that I didn't attend. A baby shower is a...

      All joking aside. Have you ever had to run for your life from a Shamoo rooster? Well, I have and he was completely determined to flog me to death. I couldn't get through the fence face enough. I needed a name for our newest member and I call him Devil. If I can get close enough to him, I will take a picture for you guys. He is a massive bird who is very territorial over his coop and yard.      Devil will become the best chicken dumplings if he doesn't learn to chill out. I will have to face him again tomorrow  and try to introduce him to his hens. Ha! I might just take him out and tell my husband he killed himself. 

      A person is more than a number, but yet the "number" is what we focus on. There is so much more to a student than what they scored on a single assessment and to hone in on that one aspect is ludicrous. Teacher rant of the day...         Can we just move on past standardized testing? It's 2024 and these NC check in tests are absolutely insane. I want my students to know they are more than their scores. They can succeed in so many places and areas that are not accounted for with these various tests. I scored well on my tests as a child, but the stress didn't equate to what I was really learning in class. There are some many things not being addressed in that test. To take on single snap shot seems unjust.        I know they want to measure how well teachers are instructing students and the student's performance. Political figures want to ensure that teachers are actually their jobs. Trust me... No teacher got into education...

    Yes, you did in fact reading that right. This week is Christmas Spirit Week here at my  school, and I'm so ready and excited. Teachers have a very detailed planned week of Christmas goodies and dress up along with our middle schoolers.      By the way, middle school students love when their teachers participate in any dress up days. It shows that you are interested in what they are into and they will even coordinate with you. Tomorrow is pajama day and three of my students approached me on Friday about wearing red/ black flannel bottoms and a black top. I had to borrow a pair from my mom, but it will be worth it to see their faces. We have a Christmas pajama day, flannel day, dress as a Christmas character, and ugly Christmas sweater day. It's going to be a fabulous start to winter break.      What my students don't know. I packed goodie bags for my homeroom kiddos. I want them to know how great of a group they are. I get to start an...

      Working on the water during freezing temperatures has its battle scares. My gloves had grown stiff due to the water temperature and I carelessly removed them. My hand carries the results of that dumb choice. This is the first time I have never had this happen. I'm a little concerned as it seems to be spreading. I'll check in at Urgent Care this afternoon.  

     In the dark moments of the mornings just before day break is my silent moment of solitude. I cherish these few moments of reflection. It gives me time to write blog posts and time to just be me. The me who isn't constantly "on" or needed at every waking second of the day.       Silence is when my self dialogue kicks in. Ponding how my day will unfold and preplanning conversations that haven't even taken place yet. I rehearse any reading materials that I will use in upcoming lessons or I make lists of things that need to be done. Silence is forgiving and will allow you to embrace thoughts.       Silence is usually broke by a faint giggle drifting from my very rambunctious toddler's room. She always wakes up in a happy mood ready to play. She is what makes each morning spent at home special. I long for lazy Saturdays when I'm the one to wake her. She is always surprised when I walk into the room and will repeatedly say, "momma" u...

      Friends are the family that you get to choose, so pick wisely. Me, well I can honestly say I have two best friends that are more like sisters. We call ourselves sisters, because in a way we are. We are the for each other's big events and we are there for the sorrows. You don't really keep all your friends from school, but I did get to keep one, and she is now family.        My sister is everything I want to be, both as a mom and person. She is truly in her element as a parent of one daughter. I have seen her rise to the challenge of raising a girl in today's world. Her husband and her moved away and I was so proud. Seeing her succeed makes be beam with pride, see I didn't always think we would be where we are today. Our lives have went in different directions through the years. Watching from the outside one could probably say that our friendship will stand a lifetime.  When my father passed away, she was the first person at my house to help ...

      Autostar is by far the best car dealership around. Our salesmen have always been overly nice and supportive through the entire process. We have purchased multiple vehicles from them through the years. I especially like the Chevy Autostar in Waynesville, NC. Brandon is the person to ask for! He always goes above and beyond. They even call days later to see how things are going.         

      Being a Social Studies teacher is sometimes seen as the "easy" job or the one reserved for coaches. I have never seen it as an easy job by no means. It is my job to provide instruction on historical events, geography, primary sources, world religions, current events and help make a connection to content. That is a completely different topic than the one I want to speak on today. SPELLING is my focal point.  Even as a teacher I misspell things and make minor errors. Even on this blog I do not go back and edit. I do not have time for those tedious tasks. So here is my opinion: kids can make spelling errors in my class.        I'm not going to ding a kid for misspelling things because we live in a modern world where technology takes precedence over everything. Some of my kids utilize text to speech apps. Before you ask this is Gen Ed kids that use it too. We do a lot of handwritten assignments in my room. This is where I get to see their true w...

     Some people are under the assumption that spring water is amazing. Yes, we do not have a well and I do not worry about contamination due to owning all surrounding property. Our fresh water comes from a spring nestled high on our mountain. The was is very crisp and pure to the taste!        The chilling weather last week ended up freezing our water lines that run down to the house. The line is buried beneath 2 feet under the surface. There is only two places where it can possibly freeze and if you leave the water running in the sinks, it doesn't freeze. Early Saturday morning I woke up to find that our water was froze. I had to walk down to the creek and dip water to flush our toilets. Now, for some people this may seem outlandish, but for our area this is common. Bundled up in multiple layers I made the way in the dark down to the creek. I loath this.        The temperature finally reached the high 50s around 3:00 PM. Luckily e...

      It's that time of year, folks! Bundle up and layer those clothes and this morning was no exception! I glanced at the temperature on the porch and it was in the single digits. Our heating pump is struggling to keep up with this weather and my animals look miserable. I stuffed houses with straw and hay to fight off the cold.         I long for the days where we had highs in the 50s. I carry warm water down for the chickens and turkeys daily. Heated water bowls don't really help when there is no power to plug them into. My chickens, bless their hearts are still laying a few eggs a day, and for that I'm thankful. Even the wild turkeys have almost stopped laying eggs, but they love the laying pellets that I put out each day. We have one tame hen that refuses to roost each night and chooses to bed down in the chips. I find this odd. If you have any suggestions please feel free to send a message.        It's Christmas time so I ...

      It official!  I have a flock of wild turkeys roosting and feeding with my tame ones. This just makes me beyond happy. The wild turkeys actually climbed into the coop with my white ones and roost! They have grown accustomed to me and do not shy away when I bring the feed bucket. They can fly away, but they have chosen to stay with us for the winter I guess. They fly over the fence and forge but will come back over every afternoon to eat with our birds.        The wild flock consists of only hens, so my Jake, Mr. Struts is beyond happy with his sudden addition. He is a beautiful red and white turkey or traditionally called, bourbon. Struts is a gentle giant that loves to be petted. Oddly enough, he will sit on eggs when the hens get up to feed. It doesn't bother me that the wild turkeys have taken up with my group because I collect their eggs as well. Turkey eggs make the best omelettes! 

           As a herd of young elk cross the road traffic comes to a stop. This is often the case as you are passing through Cherokee, NC. Visitors often find themselves bombarded with the elk who are accustomed to the traffic. They are unaffected by horns and moving cars, so they will often take their sweet time crossing. This year has be especially difficult to get across the parkway due to the influx of traffic. Hurricane Helen took out the major roads into Tennessee, so the parkway is now a super highway for visitors. Today I was caught in traffic for over 45 minutes as pictures were being taken. One tourist decided he wanted to pet the elk and attempted to do so. I wish I would have recorded the whole situation for America's Funniest Home Videos. The elk snorted and ran from the man slamming into his new BMW. I literally laughed out loud as he had a meltdown over the massive dent left in his driver's door. Why even try to pet an elk? Instant Karma!...

    Analyzing my current behaviors has been somewhat informative. I wonder if there is some weird diagnosis for people who have to have lists to function? I have to have the lists checked off in order to feel accomplished. It's strange to really think about it all. The lists are do not serve as reminders, but more of importance. I arrange items based upon the tasks at hand and what matters most, which often leads to a massive let down for me.       My current list consists of the many chores that need to be done that go beyond the daily tasks. Mostly things that need to be repaired or moved. Lists assist me in my daily life of routine. I live a monotonous life and each day is basically a replica of the day before. Nothing changes and that is to be expected. When new things to arise, I really struggle with change. I even have list for school as well and I make various lists for my students as well.      We have lists of missing work, agendas, ...

      This is a true gem. During secret Santa at work someone gifted me an audible subscription  for three months. The three credits that accompany this gift has afforded me three new books to listen to along with a plethora of "free" books with the gift. I've never been the type of person to purchase books or even listen to them. I usually borrow books from the library or friends. Audible is AMAZING. My very long commute to and from work is often done in silence because our local radio stations go in and out. I hate static. I have found a new love for books. Yes, you can still get the same enjoyment out of listening to a book as you can reading it.          I have spent the last several weeks listening to samples of different books. The narrators are beyond talented and really make distinctions between characters. I'm currently listening to, "Firekeeper's Daughter" by  Angeline Boulley . This riveting story about the  Ojibwe reser...

     Not to brag or anything, but I really LOVE snow days. I am fortunate enough to work at a school that cancels school when there is inclement weather. I don't have to risk my safety to travel to work on snowy cold days and they also don't always make us use our leave time.      It was extremely hard to get up and face this cold winter morning. I found myself bundled up with multiple layers just to crank my car. I fell down the ramp and lost my hot coffee. I almost did come on in to work. Pain is still radiating down my left side where I landed on the rocks at the bottom of our long ramp. It had frozen over last night as it will do often before Spring gets here. Oh how I loath winter weather and cannot wait for it to be gone.     Putting out hay was absolutely unbearable! 

      Another mishap.      Either I'm the most clumsy person ever or the most unlucky person alive. I went out to let my house dogs out to pee and told my toddler it was too cold for her to come out on the porch. Of course she was angry and didn't understand. To my dismay she slammed the door which somehow locked the door. Imagine, I was in my yard in shorts, house shoes, tank top, and no coat in this cold weather. What should have been a few minute task turned out to be a learning moment. I had to stack items against the house and climb in through the window. My mind was racing because I thought Taylor might get into something. I do have cabinet locks  and baby safety crap everywhere. Baby gates block her from the kitchen, bathrooms, and laundry room. My mom brain was frantically trying to process what to do.      I could see her inside from the window. She had climbed up on the couch and was drinking from her sippy cup waving at me. It...

      Society as a whole has become a consumer based community. Yes, I did participate in the Black Friday sales events, but not for  electronics or lavish clothing. We went for the pet food sales. I can now confidently say we have enough grain supplies to pretty much get us through the winter. 50lb sacks of feed was on sale for 12.99 last week and I just couldn't pass that up. The normal price is around $23. Corn for the other animals was 5.29!!!