A New Chapter

How many of you out there are Empty Nesters?  Well... I'm joining your club.... kind of.  I'm now an Empty Carster.  What is that you ask? For the last 10 years (well... 11 if you count the time our oldest daughter was in my belly) I have been driving to the city I teach in with a child in tow.

Our last car ride to school this summer.

 

For 10 years a DJ.
For 10 years a singer (well.... I like to think of myself as Adele or someone else famous).
For 10 years a car dancer.
For 10 years a conversationalist.
For 10 years a joke teller.
For 10 years a joke receiver.
For 10 years a car teacher to my own children.
For 10 years a discusser of life situations.
For 10 years a prayer over drivers that needed one.
For 10 years a laugher, a crier, a discipliner, an understander.
For 10 years a momma.  A car momma.


I didn't realize this new chapter in my life was going to start so soon. I didn't even see it coming until the end of the last school year.  And now... starting on Friday, I will drop my girls off at the sitter and head to the city I work in.... alone.  I didn't really feel too emotional about it until right now, this very moment.  While I know I'm going to miss the conversations, laughter, singing, and those three little voices in my backseats, this new chapter will give me some time to just be.  Do you know what I mean?  To just be alone.  Quiet or Loud.  It'll be my choice each day as this new chapter begins.

Donut Anyone?

This has been a greaaaaaaaat week and it's only Tuesday!  My teammate Em and I presented for the very first time together at a conference called High Aims on Monday.  We presented on Writing Celebrations.  Do you have them in your classrooms?  We hit home on the big ones the , but more importantly to us.... the small ones.  When we started I thought my heart was going to jump out of my chest and I was going to puke!  As the presentation went on it finally settled down and everything went smoothly.  We will be presenting again in December and January for SDE on Oral Storytelling, so if you're in Columbus for a conference, I hope you'll come and see us!!!!!




Then today, the girls, myself and our friend hit the road on The Donut Trail.  Yes, you read that right, The Donut Trail.  It was uh-mazing!!!!! It took us about 2 1/2 hours to hit 8 spots (the girls and I were able to hit one when we we to Miami University for our swimming championships). Here's how it works...

You go to one of the spots on the trail and you pick up your passport.  Buy a donut, or not.  Get your passport stamped and then head to the next spot.  You do not have to complete the trail in one day like us, you can do it over time.  When you finish, all you have to do is turn in your passport and you get a Donut Trail Shirt!!!!!!!!  We came home with a box of donuts because while I love donuts.... 8 would be excessive! :)  At each spot we bought a donut or two..... maybe more. hahaha  and we are looking forward to eating them the rest of the week.  So if you're every in the Cincinnati area..... The Butler County Donut Trail is a MUST DO!!!!!!!!!

First Stop on the DonutTrail

Photo op at every spot!

I LOVE THIS!!!!  It's hard to read but says, "Please don't touch the glass, it scares the donuts!" BWAHAHAHA

Completed Passport

We did it!  

Does anyone else out there feel this way about donuts?  I just love donuts! hahahaha