Hard work pays off... :)

So I just had finals in the 2 hardest classes I've taken so far... Critical Thinking & English Comp. My English Comp final was pretty easy, so I wasn't too worried about an A in that class, but Critical Thinking was hard! Depending on how I did on that final was going to determine how I did in the class for an overall grade. Well... I just received the following e-mail from my teacher (can you see my excitement??):

Hey LouAnn,
I just finished the grades. Congratulations! You got the second highest grade on the final exam: 178 out of 200 points and the highest grade in the class: 969 out of 1000 (A). In fact, you earned the only A in the class.

I am so proud that all my hard work paid off! I worked my butt off in both of those classes and between kids, soccer and work it was really hard. Mostly the guilt on having to spend so much time on this schoolwork that I really didn't want my family to suffer...Hence, sacrificing sleep.

Well, all for now... I'll post again later ~ Thanks for looking :)

LouAnn

It's a rare moment...

When my daughter actually allows me to photograph her...

And one of Trav, for good measure:

Happy Fall, Everyone!

2 cute kids...

Just sharing a couple from Saturday... it was a beautiful fall day - we went to Fort Foster in Kittery, which is a gorgeous park along the ocean... In all the years I've lived in Maine, it never ceases to amaze me how much of my own state I've never seen! Anyway, a friend of mine who I met at school asked if I would take pictures of her boys - thanks guys for letting me be a part of your memories!

Cute little guy...

Can you believe he's only 8?

Brothers...

Education...

I never realized until the last year how much I would value an education. Since returning to school a year ago I have learned so much and value it immensely. I have always considered myself a math person, and considering my degree program is in Accounting, I often wondered why I should have to take all these "useless" electives & "irrelevant" classes. Wow... I'm eating my words now!
I'm currently taking Critical Thinking and English Comp II... I am absolutely amazed how much I've been challenged and continue to learn - surprisingly I love it! Critical Thinking has forced me to evaluate my speaking (in a sense). It's about arguments: how to argue, evaluate arguments, write arguments, repair arguments and refute arguments (correctly). It's amazingly hard, but at the same time wonderful. I almost feel like I'm growing and changing for the better... crazy, huh??
In my English Comp class I have learned to appreciate literature so much more. I've always liked to read, but never realized how many of the classics I have never read... I tend to read less challenging novels, which are fine, but my reading list continues to grow and I will read all those books someday. I may have read (been forced to read) some in high school, but honestly I can't remember which ones and what they were about - I had no appreciation for them then. My reading list consists of:
Lord of the Flies
To Kill a Mockingbird (I know, huh?)
Pride & Prejudice (and other Jane Austen novels)
The Red Tent
Gulliver's Travels
War of the Worlds
Michael Creighton books and Flannery O'Connor as well...
Moby Dick
Of Mice and Men
The Great Gatsby
Weathering Heights
The Count of Monte Cristo

etc., etc., etc...

I have a lot of work ahead of me, don't I? But I feel so motivated to be even more educated...

When I decided a little over a year ago to go back to school I thought I was too old and I should forget about it, but thanks to the support of my family and friends I have realized that I'm not too old and I still have a full life ahead of me...

So, thank you for everyone who has supported me through this journey! I have 6 more classes (18 credits) until I have my Associate's Degree in Accounting, but I will continue after a small break to pursue my Bachelor's degree...

Love, LouAnn

My boy is 8!

I can't even believe it! It seems like just yesterday he was born... where does the time go? Her are just a few pics from his b-day on Friday (the 3rd) - we let him open some gifts before school... that made his day ;o )

a new bike (it seems so big!)

If anyone is out there...

Here's an update to our life:

It seems we constantly have something going on... between work/school/soccer/dance classes and plans every weekend I have failed to keep you all up to date.

A few weeks ago we were invited to a skate party - I have not roller skated since I was probably 12 or 13! Boy, was that fun! We now have a winter activity that is indoors when it's way too cold out to play!

All for now...back to studying. See you all soon!

Love, The Toveys