Rest in peace

Those on Malaysian flight 17.  Sad day for so many families. 

Late night blogging

After just getting home from Sarasota, where I've been teaching since 12:30 pm, I was inspired to repost this most awesome Weird Al video (thanks Marley). This is truly an English teacher's best friend! 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Gv0H-vPoDc

It's starting.

Some teachers are starting to get notice of their impending travel dates. These so far are all ADVETI and private schools. However, it makes me stress even more about everything we have to get done.  My prediction: August 10 I'll get an email for an August 17 leave date. Let's see if I'm right! 

Ouch!

Just posting to share a moving-related injury. While loading yet more books into the car to take to donate, the lift gate came down and smacked me in the head. So I'm sidelined with the baby today. Just another day in my clumsy life :-) 

🇩🇪🇩🇪🇩🇪

Way to go Germany!   I had on my lucky shorts, we cooked up bratwurst and potato pancakes, and cracked open some St. Pauli Girl. An amazing game and quite the exciting time today!  

What I won't miss...

Lakeland is beautiful, but I won't miss driving there twice a week to teach. Sometimes I feel like I'm risking my life!  Pictures below: 

Yeah, this truck didn't like it when Florida banned "truck nuts" so he created some of his own. Oh, Lakeland. 

A practical passport post.

Anyone out there trying to get passports/document authentications done, listen up. If you have started the process early enough, you don't have to pay courier fees or wait three weeks for a post office passport appointment. 

Pro tips that worked for us:

Passports: 

Check with your local clerk of court office to see if they accept passport applications. If they do, most of the time they have a walk-in service to drop off and process your application. It took us ten minutes from walking in the door of the office to walking out with the application done.  Passports were received in the mail in three weeks! 

Passport pictures: take them yourself with a free phone app. Just stand against a white surface (like an interior door) with lots of light. Prop a baby or toddler up on an adult's shoulder to grab a good picture of them. The app will save your picture in the correct format.  Use a drugstore or Walmart app to order the pics online for less than a dollar for a six-picture sheet. 

Documents: 

We chose to use ProEx for my documents, because we were in a time crunch, but sent my husband's and daughter's through the mail. It was easy and so much cheaper. If you do it this way, allow at least 30 days. Take your documents to be notarized at your county clerk of court (if necessary).  Our marriage license and birth certificate were already notarized when issued. Send with payment and self-addressed stamped manila envelope to the state dept of state. Florida took about a week to get us our documents back. Repeat that process to the US Department of State. This took about two weeks to come back. Finally, resend to the UAE Embassy. About a week and a half later, you are good to go!  $310 and about 14 days vs. $130 (including insured postage) and about 30 days. Save money by planning in advance!! 

Hope this helps someone. Good luck! 

What I'll miss about Florida.

Everyone hates on Florida an awful lot, but as someone who was actually born and has lived a majority of her life in this state, I beg to defend Florida for a moment. Here are my Florida top ten: 

10. Orlando. I still tear up when I walk down Main Street USA in the Magic Kingdom. There's a good reason why people from all over the world flock to the theme parks every year, despite the ridiculous prices and heat. 

9. The roads. They're flat, straight, and well-marked. Sure, there's almost constant construction on the main highways, but it's very easy to navigate in Florida. 

8. Winter. I spent nine years in the northeast, and winter stinks. I don't miss scraping ice off my windshield, having to warm up my car 15 minutes before I want to leave, or driving on slippery roads.  Give me our 70 degree highs and 50 degree lows. 

7. Sunshine!  It's not called the Sunshine State for nothing. I love the sun and being able to open the blinds and lighting up the whole house. 

6. Foliage. Or plants, to those who don't get it. I love palm trees, live oaks with gently swaying Spanish moss, azealeas in February, poinsettias in December, and orange blossoms in the spring. 

5. Thunderstorms. No, really. I adore lightning and thunder and driving rain. Nothing puts me to sleep quicker. Also, because the utility companies are so used to the weather, power outages never last long. 

4. The Strawberry Festival. It's starting to get more well-known, but it's essentially the same as it's always been: a home grown festival celebrating a lowly crop. And they have the best strawberry shortcakes. Ever. 

3. Southern hospitality. Not so much in the coastal areas, where almost everyone's from up north, but in the internal parts. My students from Lakeland and their parents are always so polite, well-mannered and sweet. 

2. Publix. Oh my gosh, how I love Publix. The stores are clean, the staff is friendly and helpful, and the food is amazing. Great hoagies custom made, incredible fried chicken and fresh sides, and a bakery to die for. I grew up getting my free cookie from the bakery and weighing myself on the huge scale by the front door. I love you, Publix. 

1.  The beach. Anyone who knows me knows this is always my number one reason for living in Florida. White sand beaches, gentle waves in the Gulf, and so many memories made by the water make the beach my favorite place to recharge. 

I do enjoy Florida. Most of the time. 

Go Germany!

Just getting ready to go back to work after the long holiday weekend and looking forward to the game (that I won't be able to see) at 4 pm. Here we go Germany!!! 

Easy day.

Spent it relaxing, ironing, watching tv and eating. Good thing too, since we had ridiculously heavy thunderstorms today!  Enjoying my quiet time with my family. Also had a check in from my editor- I love saying that - checking on my moving process.  It's getting more real all the time. 

Fun at the beach yesterday - courtesy of my sister. 

Skipped a day!

Already skipped a day. We went on my sister's boat and came home completely exhausted. But it was a great, fun day filled with lots of laughs.  I'll just consider this one yesterday's and do a post later on today. Here's a pic:

Aurelia having a great time on the beach. She's just like her mama!  

A long time ago...

I saw Star Wars, A New Hope for the first time.  I've been in love ever since. And how are we celebrating the 4th today? By relaxing, snacking on our favorites, and watching the original trilogy. We got started a bit later due to the Germany soccer match, but we are well into it now. And look who's getting to experience it for the first time: 

Happy Fourth of July from our family to yours :-) 

Two faced

So it came to my attention today that not all my family members are as excited for me as they pretend to be. That's fine. I just want people to be honest about their concerns with me, not talk behind my back. The only two-faced person I want in my family is this one:

I have to do what?

Making lists, hard choices about what to keep, donate and leave behind, teach 12 classes a week, fight for my summer pay from the charter school, and try and fit in time to see family while they're visiting. I kinda feel like this sometimes: 

In other news, I've gotten a lot done and am really looking forward to the move. I know there will be tears at the last moment, but it's going to be a great experience for all of us. And now a moment of silence for the US National Men's Soccer Team. You did great. 

Doing what I have to do

So this is where I'm watching the end of the US game in between reading classes. Thank goodness this church has technology!!! Onward we go with a post a day in July! And hopefully the US goes on.