So it's kinda crazy to think that I am now a quarter century old/young (however you want to look at it).  Random thoughts that have crossed my mind:

• Age is all relative.  People who are older than me tell me that I'm (so) young and start telling me "when I was your age" stories.  My kids (i.e., my students) al think I'm really old, but then again they don't really have a concept of age past 10.  I figure, I'm always going to be younger to some and older than others, so I'm going to (try to) stop complaining about how "old" I am and just enjoy each year and all the experiences that come with the number. 
• Speaking of my kids, I came to the realization in September that they were all born in 2001.  It was weird to think that they were only infants or not even born yet when 9/11 happened. 
• It's great to have friends with whom you share a lot of history and/or common interests. 
• I'm very sad about how this country views education.  We've been hit with so many budget cuts and regulations (e.g., testing and accountability for schools) that it's a wonder our kids are learning anything these days.  If they're taking money out of education, they better find some to put into building jails and such because that's potentially where many kids these days will end up.  Maybe I should start looking into home-schooling...
• Dancing is still as fun as it was in high school and college, and it's even more fun when you actually know what a leader's throwing your way.  At present, I most enjoy salsa, cha cha, and various forms of swing (east and west coast, and lindy hop) mainly because I've had the more experience in these dances and I like the music. 

*Just for fun (a conversation with my brother about birthday presents)....
me: greg says "we need to start a collection: pirated dvd's nick's bought"
nick: dude
nick: little mermaid was on accident!
me: ha ha =) hey... it wasn't me who said it
me: talk to your brother
nick: w/e
nick: next time i'm getting you a husband
nick: much easier

      Things are coming along slowly, but surely in this massive kitchen project.  Here are some pictures to show you what's going on:

 Before any changes

Our Temporary Kitchen Setup.. but the sink is in the garage

The Construction Zone

Shielding the rest of the house from dust particles with a thick layer of plastic

Cabinets, dry wall, and insulation have been removed

This is what used to be our formal dining room - it is now filled with cabinets

A view of the skylights from the roof

A view of the skylights from indoors.. plus a look at the framework to support the wall cabinets and ceiling

Putting in the last piece of sheet rock

Yay!  No more messing with fiberglass insulation!!

Projected Appearance of the Kitchen

     So that's the progress.  We're a few weeks behind schedule because we were supposed to have the cabinets installed by the end of July.  Here's our schedule:

1. Slap putty into any holes in the sheet rock and smooth out all corners and edges
2. Prime and paint the walls and ceiling - we're more concerned with the ceiling since it's going to be the most exposed area of sheet rock
3. Install the wall cabinets, then the base cabinets
4. Order the granite, hire a contractor for this portion of the project, and make the final decision on the granite color (we all like Blues in the Night)
5. Hook up the electrical elements to the actual light fixtures
6. Decide on the floor and backsplash designs (and maybe hardware for the cabinet?)
7. Install the tile flooring
8. Have the granite installed along with the undermount sink
9. Install the faucet
10. Install the tile backsplash
11. Install cabinet hardware
12. Restore proper order to the house by putting all kitchen items in their new cabinet homes, and placing pieces of furniture in their respective locations

     In addition to this crazy project, I've been preparing for the upcoming academic year.  I've hit the back-to-school sales with great excitement... to the point that my family is wondering where I'm getting the money for this stuff and whether it's coming out of my pocket, or if my budget covers all my costs.  I don't know the specifics yet in terms of budget, but regardless of the amount, I know I'll have to spend more as a first year teacher.  So, if you, or anybody you know has old children's books, puzzles, board games, office supplies, bookcases, etc. that you/they don't want anymore, I would be more than happy to save you/them the trouble of posting those items on Craigslist or Ebay.  Gift cards (or checks) are always great too .  I've been shopping at Target, Office Max, Office Depot, Staples, and Lakeshore.  I think monetary gifts to education are tax deductable too  (can anyone confirm this? I'm not totally positive about it...)

     I have also been trying to solidify my classroom management plan, and to move in and set up my classroom.  These things are proving a little more challenging than buying stuff.  For the management plan, all my ideas seemed to be scattered and unorganized so I'm attempting to put everything on paper in categories so that during the first week of school, the students won't be completely lost.  Moving in and setting up the classroom is tough because a summer school class meets in my room, and I don't have the key.  Right now, all my supplies are sitting in the room where all the cabinets are, so it would be great if I could move my stuff out of the way before we begin installing the cabinets. 

     Even though there is a lot to think about and plan for this first year, I'm excited about the possibilities of my profession - to see a resistant student come to love school; to watch a class full of 6-year-olds develop in maturity and knowledge; to challenge students to aim high and see them accomplish their goals.  Plus, they're just so darn cute in first grade! 

     I believe I've bored you enough with my somewhat random thoughts, so I'll stop here for tonight.  But once again, if you have stuff you would like to get rid of, let me know.  Have a happy day!