It's odd how things you never think will move along do, and things you think for sure will, don't. Just when I think I've got it figured out, something new (and not necessarally bad) comes along that gives all my marbles a good toss and I get to once again crawl around on the floor and gather them all back up.

It keeps things interesting though I guess.

Yesterday, in the series of two back to back meetings, I got the green light for a bunch of huge projects that are competely insane, and I can't wait to get them going. I'm a planner, and I love to take on big projects, and (contrary to what some people believe) if the project doesn't involve me, I always get them done and do them well. This is especally true with other peoples projects, or projects that involve work. (My priorities are simple, if it's work or a responsibility to someone else, it gets done first. If they're mine, sometimes I finish them and sometimes I set them aside until I know what direction I want them to go. And sometimes, I just get bored with it and have to take a breather until I'm ready to move the project along.)

One of the largest one involves PST (for those of you who don't know what PST does, our company teaches courses for people in Early Education fields (childcare, centers, administration, preschool teachers, ect) so they can get their yearly licensing hours so they can keep their certification) and the implementation of live courses (currently we do mail order and on-line courses) in the Oregon area. We've secured a lovely classroom and the most amazing timeslots to use this classroom so it's just perfect. Our first series of live trainings are set for April, and I'm really looking forward to having them moving along.

The second one, is one that has made everyone who's heard about it, save three people, call me completely insane. I teach a children's class once a week at a Center, and more and more (especally since spring and summer are not all that far off) I've slowly introduced alot of activites and structure to this class to keep it something that builds week on week, not just a bunch stand alone weekly classes. I've even started the planning of extra weekly classes for summer so that the kids who attend can feel like our activites span throught the entire week, not just when we have them, so that they feel like they're part of the rest of the activities in the Center.

My goal is to make the kids feel like their just as much members as their parents are, and have them really want to come back. So far I've been doing really well. I started with three kids a class, and I now average about 20 kids a class, with about 50 enrolled. What really tops it all though, is the parents tell me that the kids say they have to go, because they can't miss the class. That right there makes the not so great parts of it all worth while.

Anyway, one of my major ideas for expanding the class into a 'Center Program' of sorts if you will, is the plannings of some major trips. Normally my classes are set up in three month season blocks. Every three months there is a party, a field trip, a voulenteer session, a game day, a movie day, and a free play day. The rest of the days are filled with art, science or some other activity that fills up our hour. (Like next week, where we're blowing stuff up...it should be extremely entertaining.) But twice a year I'm going to start throwing a major field trip (major being one that either takes us out of the state, or includes an overnighter trip somewhere) and I got the green light to start planning some very big ones.

The first is for this July, for a summer camping trip, which isn't very major but does include an overnight so it becomes one of the bi-annual major ones. I haven't picked a place to camp yet, and I'm tempted to either make it a camping trip at a local state park, or a camping out in the Centers backyard as a test of how the kids will handle an overnighter so I know how the next one will go. Either way, this should be fun.

The second is in August, I've recieved a nod from the Aquarium for a private sleepover in one of their exhibits (this one, tell me that is not just awesome). I'm extremely excited about this, and have already started to do a bit of planning to make it a weekend trip to the beach that will include some other stops on the way.

The third, is next March, and is currently causing me to wonder if I got myself into something that will make me go grey. I got the basic go ahead to start the kids on thinking up ways to raise money to take them down to Disneyland. (Yes, me, a few adult voulenteers and nearly 50 kids going to Disneyland. I love it.) Unfortunatly I have absolutely no idea where to start with this thing. I contacted their group information line and requested information, and I'm thinking of talking to a (nice) travel agent who might be able to either help me set this up or point me in the right direction.

Sooo, all comments about me being insane aside, if anyone knows anything about planning a trip to Disneyland I could use some pointers right about now. Also, some fund raiser ideas, I already have a huge list of basic ones (yard sales, bake sales, car washes, ect) but I could use some ideas on some really creative ones.

And maybe let me borrow a few of your marbles.