Avoiding work

So I finally have a bit more time today to update you (my faithful few!) about what has been happening in our neck of the country...mainly because I'm avoiding a stack of grading on our coffee table. The past month has been an exciting and nerve-racking one. We've finally decided that we'd like to purchase a home and we're now exploring that option. We've already looked at a couple and found one we really like (a 1923 bungalow...in need of some TLC), but we'd like to look at a couple more just to make sure we're making a good choice. Then to the bank to see if we can afford it, and then finally/hopefully an offer. However, we are also trying to make sure we're not putting the cart before the horse as we're waiting to make sure James and I both have employment in the area for next year as James is looking for something new and my school system can RIF until May 1...so one more week of keeping those fingers crossed! Yet we have a bit of a conundrum as our lease is up at the end of June/beginning of July so we need to make a decision soon. So we're not rushing into things...but we've got to hurry up and decide soon!

Other than that we've been busy trying some new things:
1) making freezer jam (blackberry) - A little sweet, but good over all.

2) flying a box kite - After a crash landing in the first 5 min., we got it under control.

3) trying out the telescope - A nice view of a full moon a couple weeks ago.
So these activities have been keeping us rather busy in addition to school, house hunting, and worrying about next year's employment. Yet speaking about the aforementioned topics - specifically school, this past cycle has been great compared to the beginning of the year. It has certainly helped that my students are much more focused this time around, more willing to participate, and a bit (just a tinsey-bit) more dedicated to their grades...all of which makes a world of difference. In our current unit we're studying the Jazz Age next and the history of the woman's rights movement. This seems to be an era that they enjoy and it has a lot of relevance to today's society, which helps the students pay attention. We even play a couple of games (a version of "Battle of the Sexes" and a 1920s consumerism/great depression game) and hold discussions over them during this unit which tends to help also. However, I'm about to introduce a very short assignment over Steinbeck's Grapes of Wrath...we'll have to see if I can keep their attention through that one! I'll have to let you know.

What we've been up to

April has been a busy month around our duplex. We've enjoyed a couple of Spring Breaks, given and taken tests, explored the idea of house hunting, hunted for jobs, celebrated numerous birthdays, and relaxed with family and friends. While we don't have a lot of specific items to share, we wanted you all to know we're still around and enjoying married life.