These are a few of my favorite things...

I like to sing. I do it often, and with great enthusiasm. The only problem is, I don't do it well. Which I might add really perturbs me, since I really did intend to be a famous some kind of singer when I was younger. That was until I tried out for chorus in Junior High School and heard myself on a tape recorder. (Sad on many levels). So even though I threaten the Colinas staff regularly with singing during a staff meeting...I am a kind person, and only  sing in the car, the shower, and the house...where the only ones who get to hear me are guess who..yep, the dogs.  And since I feed them, walk them, and give them treats, they endure the torture.

Now you may be wondering by this point what all this is leading up to...(Yes, I do tend to ramble a bit.) So I am now getting ready to tell you.  When we hire teachers for our school, we do our best to hire outstanding teachers..and staff. It is very helpful to our students when you can do that..and very necessary. As our Human Resource Executive Director says, we should always hire "stellar" employees. And last year we did just that. Everyone (and I mean everyone of them) would have been a finalist in a "Teacher of the Year" award program for the country. The unfortunate thing was that due to cutbacks, and decreases in student enrollment, we lost every single one of them to other schools. Drat. But that's a story for another time.

As I was doing my second job this morning (walking the dogs, for those of you who were unaware) I thought about all the "stellar' things that comprise my life. And since singing, "These are a few of my stellar things" just doesn't sound as lyrical as the song from The Sound of Music, I am borrowing their title for the following stellar things:

1. Surprises..These past days have been full of them. And good ones, too. Well, at least hopeful ones.
2. Diet Sparkling Cherry Limeade from Wal Mart. Best diet drink ever. And you can pretend it's a margarita.
3. Broccoli slaw. You put it in salad, and it tastes like a combination of chinese noodles, and croutons. But without the calories and fat.
4. My iphone. It plays music, has games, checks your e-mail..if only it would clean your house, it would be perfect.
5. All my friends. I couldn't have better ones, honestly. And all of them have stuck by me, and don't roll their eyes at me (too much) when I am being less than rational.
6. Jackson Reid. Happiest baby ever..and will sing along with me when I sing. Well, at least I think he is singing..and he's not old enough yet to realize that my singing leaves a lot to be desired.
7. Whitney and Dena. They love me, faults and all. They both have grown up to be outstanding young women.
8. Everyone on the Colinas staff. The reason that our school has the reputation that it does is solely due to them.  Mr. Abney and I could be gone for a month, and they would still do the things that they do to help our children. (Now don't get any ideas about being gone a month, Mr. Abney) ` They work their fannies off, and don't get a lot of the praise and acknowledgement that they should. ..and the expectations are getting tougher, and with less funds and supplies.   And they seem to put up with Mr. Abney and I.  I can't thank them enough for all they do.
9. Todd Doss. He (bless his heart) not only runs the landscaping program for the district, but helped me with my backyard project. And didn't laugh at me too much when I had rock, tree, and bush anxiety.
10. My new lawn mower. It cost only 100 dollars, has a bag on the back of it, and I can now mow with fabulous designs on my front and back yard.  And best of all, I can actually start it without having to call out the National Guard.
11. Crepe Myrtles.  Although they are not exactly meant for the climate of New Mexico, they make me happy..and give me a little of the South, even though I'm not there.
12. The beach... Any beach at this point. I love Charleston, but one can not be picky when you live a zilliony miles away from one. I have a small "I'm going to the Beach..so there" fund going in a place where  the money will not call my name.  And I will get there, hopefully before I am 85.

Now since it's time to use my lawn mower, water my crepe myrtles, and drink some sparkling diet cherry limeade...I will stop for now. (especially since my title is a "few" of my favorite things.) Happy Fourth of July, everyone. :)