I'm sliding in... covered in chocolate... someday.

Have you heard the one about how you should go to your grave by sliding in sideways, covered in chocolate and wine instead of being perfectly preserved? That is what I want.

Mindy over at Mama Drama says it another way:

"No special care for any specific part of myself. My body is a temple and like most ancient ruins, it could use a little restoration, but it has historical value if nothing else.

As for my house....that's a wreck too."

Amen Min... Amen!

It sings to me!

It is common to find that a particular song brings you back to a time or place in your life. I find that this is never more true for me than with each of my pregnancies. Pregnancy is such a time of confusion, amazement, concern, joy...of every high and low... that music and stories reach out and grab those hormones by the horns and just don't let go.

With Brianna, it was "In My Daughters Eyes" by Martina McBride.

With Grant it was "Godspeed (Sweet Dreams)" by The Dixie Chicks.

With Baby #3, I can't get enough of "It won't be like this for long" by Darius Rucker.

I guess I'm a mellow mama! You should see the whole i-pod playlist, I've titled it, For my kids.

Countdowns

30 days until my "baby" turns 6!!!!
14 more days to arrive at school
10 more actually "teaching"
8 days until we've been married 10 years
3 days until my 3rd Trimester

um... HOLY COW!!! and I wasn't really thinking cow...

The Last First Time

Today, someone rubbed my belly.

It is the first time for this pregnancy. I didn't find it overly upsetting like I used to because, even though I am not friends with the woman, it is the last, first belly pat I will ever get.

I'm not sure I'm making any sense.
The whole thing makes me a little sad. And Happy.

About Time!!!

Today we have been home from our wonderful Florida vacation for 6 weeks. And rather than tell you all about my life, or Brianna, or Grant, or the as-yet-nameless baby's life, I will post pictures!

Kids in line at Disney World:
Kids after Disney World:

Kids at Gatorland:

Kids at the beach:

Where am I? I am on a cruise enjoying being seasick and very, very, full (alternately!).

Lovies!

I won't bore you with all the excuses why I haven't posted in forever.
Here are some OLD pictures that show why I am SO excited to bring a new baby into my loving family.

And we're off!

We are 90-95% packed! In the morning after we get ready for school we will add all the daily necessities... make-up, shampoo, blankies... and we will be all set.

Adam and I get off work at around 1:30 on Friday.
We will rush home, pack car. Triple check house.
Pick up kids at school between 2 and 2:30.
Drive 90 minutes to Rockford.
Wait in Dinky airport with nothing for kids to do but has free parking for mom and dad.

At 5:35 CST we will be in the air, Orlando bound!

What made me decide to do this all in one day?
1. I am insane and not at all realistic sometimes.
2. It saved us over $60 per person to fly on Friday vs. Saturday.
3. Who wants to wait for vacation?

See you later alligator!

(singing off key)

Memories.... light the corners of my mind.... misty, watercolor memories... of the way, we were....

Today at lunch, we somehow started talking about proposals. One of my co-workers had this amazing proposal, something any girl would love! Her husband was waiting for her in her classroom when she arrived one Friday morning (she's a teacher). He said, you have a substitute on the way, write up your plans and lets go! They spent a romantic day, and night, at the beach and a nice hotel where they got engaged. The next night, they were supposed to have dinner with friends but he had another surprise-- an engagement party for all their family and friends.

What a great proposal!!!!!

And then in my wanderings today, I clicked upon this. I hope that woman loved her proposal too!

So I started thinking about my own proposal- the only one I ever plan on getting- and how I ruined it for myself!....

Adam and I designed my ring. I really loved this process and sure it took some of the surprise out but, I picked my own ring and love it as much today as I did over 10 years ago! WELL... on the day the ring was set to be finished, Adam was supposed to pick me up and we were going to go get the ring together. But when he arrived at my house, he told me he'd forgotten his checkbook at home, 45 MINUTES AWAY! I thought we would have to drive all the way to his house and then back again before getting my ring! SO- I started looking around his car for the checkbook. Adam is a notorious joker and I was sure he had the checkbook but wanted to joke around for some reason. I checked under the seat, I checked the glove compartment, I was turning around to check the backseat when he stopped me. He reached in the center console (which I had forgotten he had and I never would have checked there) and he pulled out a little white jewelery box. Right there, at the stop light at Book Road and Route 75, we got engaged. In his car. And we went to Subway for lunch afterward (also the site of our first date so slightly more romantic than it sounds).

Who knows what his proposal would have been, could have been, should have been.
But I still have a good story to tell!

stalling

I totally have work I should be doing....

• grading
• planning
• cleaning

I don't want to!

I've been sitting here reading back through old posts on this blog and thinking about all the things I'd forgotten. I mean, I remember the basics but when I go back and read the details... Shew! Especially Grant's first year! And I think about this little baby I'm growing and what it's first year might be like and WHY did I actively fight to have another one?

Then I think about my kids now... and how Grant tells me he loves me at least 10 times per day. And how Brianna is learning to read and wants to know everything about everything. They are so amazing, and wonderful, and loving, and perfect. And how can I not want more of that?

I like to take silly quizes!

This is what I do when I'm supposed to be working! Your IQ Is 115

Your Logical Intelligence is Average Your Verbal Intelligence is Exceptional Your Mathematical Intelligence is Genius Your General Knowledge is Exceptional

A Quick and Dirty IQ Test

You Are Apple Juice

You're very likable and quite popular. It's hard not to find something to love about you. You are playful and fun. You try to bring levity to situations. While you are entertaining, you're not very hyper or mischievous. You are laid back, low key, and even a bit sensitive.

What Kind of Juice Are You?

Things I am happy about...

• I wasn't queasy or nauseous this morning.
• Grant and I are both feeling better and back at work/school.
• 4 more wake-ups till Florida!
• Brianna seems to have missed the flu boat even though we keep forgetting to give her the medicine the Dr gave us to prevent the flu.
• Adam seems to have missed the flu boat too.
• I'm not superstitious.
• One week from today I will be getting on a cruise ship with my hubby.
• I bought ice cream and chocolate syrup... yum...
• The project I LOATHE at work will be done tomorrow at 8:00pm!!!!

IT'S A GOOD WEEK!!!!!

Time goes by so fast...

Last week I had the flu. I missed 3 1/2 days of work, slept 16-18 hours a day, and had no appetite.
This week, Grant has the flu. He's missed 3 days of school, lays around all day, and has no appetite.

It's one thing to be the sick one. I can force myself to eat for the baby's sake. I can make myself sleep. No one misses me at work and quite frankly, I enjoyed the break.

I HATE that my little guy is sick. I HATE that my independent 3 year old has been reduced to wanting to be held and carried everywhere he goes and asking for help with simple tasks. I HATE that he doesn't understand why he can't go play with his friends and color and draw and have fun all day. If I could take his sick away and put it on myself again I would do it in a heartbeat.

I LOVE my parents. They are both retired and my mom stayed home with Grant on Monday. Both my parents are there today so he can stay home and I don't have to miss any more work. They are the most amazing people. Someday I hope I can do that for my grandchildren!

Good Grief!

1. We had a girls name all settled and now Adam isn't sure anymore. He wants a name that's foolproof to pronounce, but doesn't like/want any "classic" names. BABE- You can't have your cake and eat it too!

2. I have PILES of work that need to get graded and another pile is coming tomorrow. Can I make myself work... No. I sit during all my work time and look for cute cruise wear on e-bay or read silly blogs. I will be super frustrated soon and melt down but still, no working today.

3. Had a lovely weekend staying home, out of the rain, and reading a good book. Now I'm just an hour or so from the end and all I want to do is read it. I stayed up way to late last night reading and made myself sick this morning.

UGH!

HLOL!

Jenny: We use those child safety plugs all over the house to keep Hailey from jamming a fork in an electical socket but I don't really see the use in butt plugs. You think Hailey's going to jam a fork in her teacher's butthole? God, they freaked out when she just bit another kid in her class. Imagine the parent-teacher conference that I'd get if she stuck a fork in her teacher's butthole.

I have GOT to stop reading blogs while my kids (students) are working silently. The muffled laughter and tears coming from the teacher are SO distracting!

Sick of being Sick!

(My apologies if I've already used that title somewhere.)

I am 15, almost 16 weeks pregnant. That is 2-3 weeks into my second trimester; almost 4 months pregnant! I should NOT be sick anymore!

When the "morning"sickness started in late Dec. I was about 6 weeks. At that time, it was actually reassuring to be feeling sick. It meant that all the hormones were working and that little bub was growing! Throughout Jan. I was nauseous all day, everyday. By February, I got through it by chanting the number of days left till the end of my first trimester. When 13 weeks rolled around (last week of Trimester 1), I was overjoyed to feel the nausea lessening. I thought it would only be a matter of days till it was gone all together!

Here I am 14 days later, and I am still sick every morning and most evenings. I even have the joy of random puking! I am no longer reassured or willing to "grin and bear it"!

In related news, that might mean it's a boy. I was far more sick with Grant than I was with Brianna. It would figure... we had a boys name all picked out but now we aren't sure. We ARE sure about a girls name- we're just not sharing yet.

Blogs I adore!

This made me cry today. I treasure my children and my career and I feel so lucky everyday. I hurt knowing that others are sad and concerned. I wish I could help in some way!

This made me laugh out loud. Snarking is a great anecdote to sadness!

2nd Trimester

I am finally in my second trimester of pregnancy... officially. This means I am 14 weeks pregnant today. I am feeling somewhat better, the all-day/morning sickness is going away and I am not quite as tired as I used to be. I do still have my moments of both but it doesn't encompass my whole life anymore.

Now I have to wait for new things....
- Thursday I should be able to hear the heartbeat for the first time
- Within a couple weeks I should be able to feel the baby moving
- A couple weeks after that, other people who are crazy enough to touch my belly will be able to feel the movement
- in 6 weeks, we find out the gender and get ultrasound pictures!

I will have to see what my Dr. says at my check up this week but I'm pretty sure I've lost about 8-10 pounds in my first trimester. Given my overweight starting point, this is a good thing. It does not mean anything is wrong with the baby... keep your crazy comments on that one to yourself!

Happy Monday!

Old News...

If you are my real life friend, or found me through my facebook link, you probably already know but...

I'M PREGNANT WITH BABY NUMBER 3!!!!

I've never been good at secrets but I've waited and waited. I am now 13 weeks pregnant, the end of the first trimester. I've started feeling like a functioning human being again and to prove it, today I actually got a project done that I started before beginning morning sickness. I cleaned my room and reorganized part of my closet.

My other kids are thrilled about the news. Brianna has known since around New Years... Grant just found out last week but immediately began telling everyone he knows. Neither of them really understands how, why, or what will come next but they know that they will have a little brother or sister at the end of the summer.

My due date is Aug. 24. Not the best timing for a teacher...
Actually, that day is the first institute day for next school year. I will get to be hot and uncomfortable all summer and then miss 3 months of work with the newborn. If things had worked out more quickly, I was hoping for a May birthday. Clearly, my body had other plans. No regrets though! Better late than never!

I've added a link in my sidebar if you want to read more about what led up to today. That page is called, A Diary of TTC. However, since I can barely update one blog, let alone two, I will probably post everything here from now on. I will try and refrain from TMI.

SOOOOO glad to be out with the news! 6 months and counting... here we go!

Funny, Silly, Girl

Brianna has such a personality! Sometimes it bugs me and sometimes I have to hide the laughter behind a well timed cough...

Yesterday, she informed me that she had "The Cold". I said, yeah, mommy has a cold too. She replied with... "Mommy, I have the whole cold, you can't have any."

This morning, she was eating breakfast and drinking a glass of milk, a normal day. I heard her sigh, "Ah, this is my kind of milk!". (And she's right, we do keep 2 types of milk on hand. We call the soy milk "Grant's milk" and the skim milk "Brianna's milk".) It did sound a bit like a woman with her first glass of wine after a busy day.

I love that little preteen wannabe!

too busy to write

In the last 2 weeks, since posting...

Student teacher started working with me.
Trying to train her and do my job.
Wrote proposal for a "new job" within my school.
Quarter ended with subsequent piles and piles of grading.
Flag team practice just about every day with one 14 hour competition.
Lost competition but will learn from the experience.
Kids are fine, growing, changing, playing, etc.
Adam hurt his neck and now goes to Chiropractor 3x a week.

Is that all I did.... feels like so much more!

Will I ever get my work done?

I am about a week (or slightly more) behind in my grading. It's embarrassing, REALLY!

I can't get ANY work done at home with the kids around and wanting attention of all things.
I can't get any work done on my "plan time" with all the socializing to be done and stupid emails to be forwarded.

Available time at work is spent working on self-induced projects that have nothing to do with my students, planning flag routines and contests, cleaning my classroom in some vain attempt to convince myself that if my classroom were cleaner I might get more work done in it.

I keep hoping things will get better but I don't know how! Tomorrow, things get even busier for a while. Tomorrow, I begin working with a student teacher.... I'd like to start by saying it's an honor to even be chosen... Thank you to my fellow nominees, to my coworkers, and to of course my family... I couldn't do it with out you!

In all seriousness- I am very excited by this but it will change everything and while that seemed great a couple months ago when they asked me- now, I'm not so sure this is the best time. I won't regret it but I will be further behind (if that's possible) for the next few weeks. UGH!

E-mailtainment

This morning I forwarded a silly email to some friends. In less than 2 hours, 2 of my people responded one of which was Jamie. Jamie's friends then copied me on all their responses... still in that same 2 hours. It was a series of about 10 emails.

I just want to tell everyone I REALLY appreciate the e-mailtainment! My students are watching a movie I've seen about 100 times and I am procrastinating on SO much work! You guys are the best! Love it!

Back to School

There is something about being a teacher in which you never really grow up.

Remember when you were a kid and you had this sense of melancholy about returning to school after a break? On one hand you want to see your friends and socialize, on the other hand you don't want to actually have to pay attention and get up early.

It's the same for the teachers!

Happy Birthday to ME!

Thank you to my children for the WONDERFUL handmade cards, to my dear, wonderful, husband for the generous spa gift card and very sweet card, and to all my family and friends who have called or emailed with nice birthday wishes!

I got everything I wanted!

Feedback Please

A group of coworkers all agree that they want to do something together, say, sponsor a needy family or two. Then, one person becomes the point person. That one person is always the point person, but has made a point of asking for more help on previous projects. This project, she doesn't ask for help specifically, but hints at needing it. She gets marginal assistance, more than usual, so clearly the coworkers got the hint. She ends up taking care of every detail and planning point her damn self! No one even checks to see if it's getting done. They just don't ever think about it, or let her know they've thought about it.

Can she be mad?

If you scream at a tree in the woods, will it fall down on your least favorite coworker?

What a day

Today, I have to attend a wake. I didn't ever meet the deceased, but I teach her son.

This week, 3 children ages 12, 7, and 1 lost a mother to cancer.

Tonight I will go home and hug my children until they scream and run away from me, just because I can.

Today, I strongly dislike my...

1. Job
2. Co-workers
3. Location
4. Sinuses
5. Pants
6. Boss

Brianna won't let me say hate because it's a "bad word". Which I suppose is something I taught her... because it's something my grandma taught me.

I am trying to find joy in...

1. The holiday season
2. My loving family
3. My work schedule
4. I am alive to be mad and feel pain.

Please enjoy the music while your party is reached...

There's no music, just a lack of "party" aka- Me- to be reached.

What if that silly cell phone music just played forever?

Flack Gobbler Palin

A blog I read, sent me to This, and I found out that if I were Sarah Palin's daughter, Flack would be my name!

Adam would be Ammo Canal Palin.
Brianna would be Crop Shooner Palin.
Grant would be Tape Boise Palin.

I thought it was pretty funny.
What is your "Palin Name"?

I'm not so sure...

Your result for Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz...

You Are a Doris!

You are a Doris -- "I must help others."

Dorises are warm, concerned, nurturing, and sensitive to other people's needs.

How to Get Along with Me

• * Tell me that you appreciate me. Be specific.


• * Share fun times with me.


• * Take an interest in my problems, though I will probably try to focus on yours.


• * Let me know that I am important and special to you.


• * Be gentle if you decide to criticize me.

In Intimate Relationships

• * Reassure me that I am interesting to you.


• * Reassure me often that you love me.


• * Tell me I'm attractive and that you're glad to be seen with me.

What I Like About Being a Doris

• * being able to relate easily to people and to make friends


• * knowing what people need and being able to make their lives better


• * being generous, caring, and warm


• * being sensitive to and perceptive about others' feelings


• * being enthusiastic and fun-loving, and having a good sense of humor

What's Hard About Being a Doris

• * not being able to say no


• * having low self-esteem


• * feeling drained from overdoing for others


• * not doing things I really like to do for myself for fear of being selfish


• * criticizing myself for not feeling as loving as I think I should


• * being upset that others don't tune in to me as much as I tume in to them


• * working so hard to be tactful and considerate that I suppress my real feelings

Dorises as Children Often

• * are very sensitive to disapproval and criticism


• * try hard to please their parents by being helpful and understanding


• * are outwardly compliant


• * are popular or try to be popular with other children


• * act coy, precocious, or dramatic in order to get attention


• * are clowns and jokers (the more extroverted Dorises), or quiet and shy (the more introverted Dorises)

Dorises as Parents

• * are good listeners, love their children unconditionally, and are warm and encouraging (or suffer guilt if they aren't)


• * are often playful with their children


• * wonder: "Am I doing it right?" "Am I giving enough?" "Have I caused irreparable damage?"


• * can become fiercely protective

Take Are You a Jackie or a Marilyn? Or Someone Else? Mad Men-era Female Icon Quiz at HelloQuizzy

Things families shouldn't share

But don't have a choice.... GERMS!

Brianna was sick...
Then I was sick...
Now Grant is sick...

But he is so cute with his hoarse little voice. He still doesn't stop talking, he just sounds cuter somehow.

Heaven forbid Adam get sick! He's the biggest baby of us all!

So, I am at work

And Brianna is at school... for now. Although she made it through the night with no problems, and was more or less herself this morning, I am waiting with one ear for a phone call to come pick her up.

SO- I do nothing at work! Except this:

1. YOUR REAL NAME: (Edited out)
2. YOUR GANGSTA NAME: (first 3 letters of real name plus izzle) johizzle
3. YOUR DETECTIVE NAME: (favorite color and favorite animal) red dog
4. YOUR SOAP OPERA NAME: (your middle name and street you live on/or neighborhood if it's a number) Kate Summerfields (I like that!!!)
5. Star WARS NAME: (the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first name) Oshjo
6. YOUR SUPERHERO/CRIMINAL NAME: (Your 2nd favorite color and favorite drink) blue diet coke
7. IRAQI NAME: (2nd letter of your first name, 3rd letter of your last name, 1st letter of your last name, 2nd letter of your moms maiden name, 3rd letter of your dads name, 1st letter of siblings first name, and last letter of your moms first name). ohooije
8. YOUR WITNESS PROTECTION NAME: (parents middle names) Kay Charles (like that too!)
9. YOUR GOTH NAME: (black, and the name of one of your pets). Black Gretel
10. Your hood name: (first 3 of your first name and add -iqua) johiqua

Can you hear my heart cracking?

My baby, Brianna, is sick. :-(

I received a call from the day care today that she was complaining of a stomach ache and was teary eyed. When I picked her up, she still said she had a stomach ache and was just listless. No fever, but no appetite or energy either.

By dinner time, puke city. Now she is sleeping on a blanket, piled on a couple towels, on her bed which is now cleared of all the usual stuffed paraphernalia that normally graces every free space. We are hoping for a good night but planning for the worst.

It's times like these that my heart just breaks a little. I can't to anything to help her, she doesn't understand why. Baby- I love you and hope you wake up feeling better! Love, Hugs, and Prayers are all I can offer right now. Someday you'll be a mommy Bri- then you'll understand.

Funny!

Today, Adam and I were speculating on what Grant would be when he grew up, so I asked him...

ME: "Grant, what do you want to be when you grow up?'
GRANT: "Tall enough to reach the Cocoa Krispies!"

What to say?

Not much...

Halloween went well, spread over virtually the whole week so, we have candy EVERYWHERE!

Kids are good. They play nice, they fight, they gang up on us, they love us dearly.

House is good. Went to HOBO today. Bought a decent rug so no one is playing "tackle" on the hardwood in the family room. $50 for a 8x6 rug... pretty good really! That place is a little like a garage sale, or Marshalls, or something. Odd items, for clearance prices. Works though...

Work is still crazy, but not the "earth shattering, who has time to breathe" kind of crazy we were experiencing a week ago. Looking forward to 4 day week this week (Tuesday off for Veterans Day).

TOTALLY enjoying that we have absolutely ZERO commitments this weekend and next... not a single thing on the calendar!

I think that is all for now....

Happy Friday

Today- I am working from home! This is my fancy way of saying I called in sick so I could stay home, run errands, grade papers, and clean up.

The house is a disaster but I've never been so happy to see it a mess! Yesterday we had hardwood floors installed and they are beautiful! Dusty, but Beautiful! Well- actually- EVERYTHING is dusty! If you've never seen this done, they actually cut the wood to size on site, which means IN THE HOUSE, which means- sawdust, lots of it! They did what they could to clean it up but it gets in the house and settles over the next day or so. Which means that now- about 18 hours after completion- there is dust on every surface on the first floor of my house.

SO happy though!
:-)

Another successful birthday

Yesterday we had Grant's Birthday Party. It went very well! The family was all there, the food was delicious (Thanks Moe's!), and he loved his presents!

I was so funny to see him exclaim over each new gift. Even a bag of new clothes was met with genuine excitement and the comment, "Look, New Clothes, Wow!" I hope at 13 he accepts gifts as well as he does at 3!

I love my little boy to pieces! And this week, when he drives me crazy, I will try and remember how cool he was on his birthday.

Temper, Temper!

My children have each had a temper tantrum each of the past 3 mornings.
Over things like using the potty and how many donuts are to be eaten.
While getting ready for school.
When we are already late.
Because mommy can't find anything to wear.
And daddy is rushing her.
Because, oh yes, it would be such a good idea to drive together and drop off the kids together and work together and have to leave work at the same time together and spend time at home together.

I love my children, I love my husband, I need a drink!

Have I mentioned yet...

We are working on potty training Grant.

His teachers have been bugging me since August to just put him in underwear. WELL- since I'm the one who has to do all the laundry, I held off. Finally last week, with his 3rd birthday around the corner, I gave in and sent lots of underwear and dry pants to school.

Everyday I pick up Grant, and his zipper bag full of wet underwear.
Except for yesterday! GRANT HAD A DRY DAY! I've never felt so happy to see a cubby with no zipper baggie!

Yeah Baby! You go boy!
Let's keep it up!

Thought this was funny...

This has always been one of my favorite songs from the 80's and thanks to Jenny finding this on YouTube.... Too funny!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8HE9OQ4FnkQ

Cutie Pie!

Grant's language has finally reached a point where not only is he clearly understandable, but he understands the context of phrases. I am constantly floored by his knack of using the right phase at the right time!

While tickling him last night, I stopped to cuddle him close for a minute and he breathlessly said, "Oh, I'm laughing so hard I can't breathe!" I laughed so hard- I couldn't either!

When picking him up from his bed this morning, he said "I love you mommy, but I'm too tired to get up." I made him repeat the "I love you" part at least 3 times!

When his sister did a new gymnastics trick in the family room, he clasped his little hands together and said, "That's so cool Bri- Good Job!".

Too cute Grant-man! I love you too!

And it got me thinking...

Jamie's comment on my last post made me think...

How did I feel about having two kids who were more independent and vocal? Why did I want another little one who couldn't talk or help themselves in anyway?

And I realized- I don't mind that they are helpless- I kind of like it. I like being the provider of all things good; food, dry diapers, cozy clothes, comfort, love.

I have no delusions- I'm sure I was frustrated from time to time when my kids were babies. Like the nights that Brianna would cry unless we bounced her; she especially liked going up and down the stairs around 2 am! Like the month I returned to work and Grant absolutely, flat out, refused any style of bottle we could find.

BUT- I never held it against them, they were babies, that is what they were supposed to do. Actually, now I think I hold things against them more, and get more frustrated. When Brianna waits until the last possible minute to tell me she has to go potty and we are running through the Target or Jewel. Or when Grant chooses to get angry and throw or hit rather than using his words, words I know he darn well has by now.

I am some sort of crazy person- I prefer the helpless little baby. At least I know what to expect!

Bittersweet

Today I mailed the invitations to Grant's 3rd birthday party! I can't believe that my "baby" is going to be 3 years old soon. I still look at pictures of him as a baby and I can remember exactly how he liked to be held. I can remember all the nights I slept with him on my stomach because it was the only way we could both be asleep at the same time.

It's been no secret that I'd like a 3rd baby. However, as Grant gets older, and the possibility of a 3rd baby seems less likely, I feel more nostalgic. I know that children get older, and I love the kids more everyday, but I L.O.V.E. babies! I love holding them and cuddling and how they snuggle up and fall asleep. 3 and 5 year olds don't do that...

I have a proposal...

When children have birthday's, where is the present for the mommy?!?

Who carried the child and nourished it for 9 months? Who gave birth to the screaming watermelon? Who nursed and stayed up more nights? Who's the first one the day care teachers call to pick up the puke-monster?

Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't give up a minute of any of that... but give a girl some love!

Every child's birthday is also a Momday! It is the day we changed our lives to be a Mom, and we love you, but it's our special day too!

Help?

Oh Loyal readers who are few and far between...

How do I track my "business" on a blog?
How would I know if I am getting hits, etc, if people don't comment?

If you know me- e-mail me please!

www.yearbookyourself.com

This is totally what I WANTED to look like in 1990....

But I would have loved 1966 too....


Thanks to Jenny at Bloggess and Good Mom/Bad Mom for the link!
I've successfully wasted quite a bit of work time today thanks to you! :-)
LOVE IT!

Seriously rambling

I just noticed that in changing my background and updating my system with blogger... I've lost some of the things I liked about my blog. I lost my links to other blogs I read. I've lost my list of categories that my posts fall under. I lost my "about me" section.

I suppose I'll get around to fixing it... someday!
Until then- whatever is my new mantra.

I have increasingly noticed over the years that unless faced with a immediate need, I don't want to or can't make a decision. ESPECIALLY at home. As a teacher and team leader at school I make thousands of decisions on a daily basis. What to have for dinner or what errands to run just seems to difficult come evening time.

Is there some amateur psychologist who'd like to tell me why in more detail?

I don't like Ike

I just wanted to send a heartfelt hug and my prayers to all those in the path of Hurricane Ike. It's going to be nasty and I hope you are safely away from the danger zones.

Especially to my friends at Mama Drama and Good Mom/Bad Mom.
Stay safe with your babies of all ages!

I really have nothing to say

I am trying really hard to post more often. And today I have a little extra time but I'm not sure what to say...

Brianna is loving Kindergarten. Everyday she comes home with a folder full of little work and she talks about all the friends (but she doesn't know their names yet). It's great! Best side affect for our family- she sleeps GREAT! Between getting up early and go-go-going all day long, by bedtime, poor little dear is wiped out! Soon it will be dark outside earlier and we may even make her bedtime sooner.

Grant is a great kid too! He talks ALL THE FREAKING TIME! Even his "teachers" at daycare say that he just talks to them constantly. It can be really cute sometimes... SOMEtimes. He fell into a table the other day and really hurt his head. Like- we Googled the signs of a concussion- bad. He seemed fine pretty quickly but it was 2 days before he even let me move his hair around to see the spot on his head. However, he loved the children's Tylenol and now asks for it when he's hungry. Good thing mommy knows better! Silly boy!

Adam and I are just as crazy as always. Work is finally settling into routine after all the start of school nonsense. I still feel scattered about half the time but I'm not sure that will ever go away. We signed the kids up for Gymnastics this fall and that starts tonight so...

That's all I can think of right now. What do you want to see/hear?
I am working on a photo fashion show of all Brianna's new school clothes! Still a few more outfits to wear...

Huh?

So- I don't think I have yet commented on politics on this blog. I am perhaps the least political social studies teacher EVER. I care about politics and who represents me however, I am just a bit too practical about the exact size and scope of my single vote. I vote... I don't obsess over it.

I watched most of Sarah Palin's speech last night. Jamie had some reviews of it that I sort of agree with. But mostly, I just kept thinking of the same thing. I would want to be friends with her but I don't want her a breath away from control of the nation. She seems like fun and I admire her resolve and family confidence. I would love to have a conversation with her and share mom stories and hear more about her kids and life and argue with her about our ideals. I don't want her telling the world who can, or mostly can't get an abortion. I don't want her influencing the education world in which I work and in which my children are learning. Just because she seemed fun... it's not a reason to put her in control of anything!

Ahhh, the quiet!

I have just successfully dropped the 2 amazingly wonderful children with Grandma and Grandpa for the night. Adam is at his fantasy football draft. We have wonderful dinner plans later but for now the house is silent and I have a massage scheduled in 45 minutes.

Honestly it's a little too quiet. I love it but... I had to turn the radio up REALLY loud on the way home to fill the silence.

A couple day's from now I won't believe I even just said that!

This touched me today

Back in September of 2005, on the first day of school, Martha Cothren, a social studies school teacher at Robinson High School in Little Rock, did something not to be forgotten.

On the first day of school, with the permission of the school superintendent, the principal and the building supervisor, she removed all of the desks out of her classroom.

When the first period kids entered the room they discovered that there were no desks.

'Ms. Cothren, where are our desks?'

She replied, 'You can't have a desk until you tell me what you have done to earn the right to sit at a desk.'

They thought, 'Well, maybe it's our grades.'

'No', she said

'Maybe it's our behavior.'

She told them, 'No, it's not even your behavior.'

And so, they came and went, the first period, second period, third period. Still no desks in the classroom.

By early afternoon television news crews had started gathering in Ms.Cothren's classroom to report about this crazy teacher who had taken all the desks out of her room.

The final period of the day came and as the puzzled students found seats on the floor of the deskless classroom, Martha Cothren said, 'Throughout the day no one has been able to tell me just what he/she has done to earn the right to sit at the desks that are ordinarily found in this classroom. Now I am going to tell you.'

At this point, Martha Cothren went over to the door of her classroom and opened it.

Twenty-seven (27) U.S. Veterans, all in uniforms, walked into that classroom, each one carrying a school desk. The Vets began placing the school desks in rows, and then they would walk over and stand alongside the wall.

By the time the last soldier had set the final desk in place those kids started to understand, perhaps for the first time in their lives, just how the right to sit at those desks had been earned.

Martha said, 'You didn't earn the right to sit at these desks. These heroes did it for you. They placed the desks here for you. Now, it's up to you to sit in them. It is your responsibility to learn, to be good students, to be good citizens. They paid the price so that you could have the freedom to get an education. Don't ever forget that.'

By the way, this is a true story.


Please consider passing this along so others won't forget that the freedoms we have in this great country were earned by U S. Veterans.

I doth overreact a little...

Yesterday I received a phone call from the daycare center that another student had scratched Grant's neck during circle time. They applied ice and gave hugs and it was all good.

When I went to pick him up, I had to sign a copy of the "incident report".
I read it... the written version sounds like Grant was the one scratching others, not the victim.
Except...
I CAN SEE THE SCRATCH MARKS ON HIS NECK!

SO- I don't sign it. I ask that the teacher who witnessed the event rewrite it properly. She looks at me funny and agrees. WE SHALL SEE LATER TODAY....

They probably throw out the little form later but DUDE- Grant is the victim here... VICTIM!

So Cute!

This morning, rather than let the kids come in our room to watch cartoons, Brianna went in Grant's room to play. I wandered that way a little later to see what was up.

Brianna was sitting on the ottoman of the chair, Grant was in the chair, and she was telling him a story. He looked mesmerized so I hid around the corner to listen.

She was telling him a story about her dream from the night. She described a pink castle floating a blue sky riding on a cloud that was shaped like a fluffy white bunny. She said that her cousin Hannah lived there and she was just visiting for a party. She described her dress, Hannah's dress, the party food, and all the games.

Either she has a GREAT imagination or GREAT dreams!
WOW!

Thanks Brianna!

So, for Christmas last year, Brianna got a digital camera designed for kids. Today, I got around to downloading the pictures....

Here's a blurry one of Aunt Jamie showing off something....

Here's a decent one of Grant, just a LITTLE off center....

There were a LOT that looked like this....

"Baby Carole" showed up quite a few times....

As did lots of AWFUL pictures of mommy...

Just because...

It's been awhile.

I have been working 2 days a week on a new program for our school... Educators out there... PBIS? I'm a little stressed about work, but not really because of the new school year. I am NOT excited to start again, and that stresses me out. I know that boredom is a common problem in teaching... this is my 8th year doing EXACTLY the same thing. I am going to have to spice this up somehow!

Grant is doing pretty good in his new bed. We do have to check on him more because he has a tendancy to get out to play... then fall asleep somewhere else. Once we found him basically standing, but leaning on an ottoman for his rocker! If we don't catch his strange places, we get VERY short naps!




Brianna is getting excited about Kindergarten but is still cautious. We found out her teacher's name and next weekend we will get to go see the classroom. We meet the teacher for an "interview" on the 28th and she starts class on Sept. 3. I just know the time will FLY!



Adam ran his second triathalon this morning and everything went very well. We will have to wait to see if he beat his brother again but I'm just glad that he's happy with his performance. He's decided to keep training through the off season and try and do a longer triathalon next year. I am so proud of him! From couch potato to triathalete in 8 months!

I'm sure it will be a while again now... school next week.
And lets face it... I'm not good about updating anyway!
:-D

Monumental Day

Tonight, my baby is sleeping in his big-boy bed for the first time! (Hopefully pictures soon)

And my crib, which has cradled my 2 children for the last 5 years is in many pieces in the hall. Where it will end up is still a battle....

I vote for the basement.
Adam votes for the curb.

It's looking more and more like he's going to win the big argument.
And I'm going to be really sad for a while.

Assvice central!

Also known as... how to give advice about something you (thankfully) know nothing about!

Saturday, after enjoying a lovely evening with my mom, dad, and sister, I received a frantic phone call from a friend. She wasn't even making sense at first. She babbled about not knowing who to talk to and she thought of me and she couldn't tell her mom...

I finally got her to just tell me!

That evening she'd found out her husband of almost 5 years had been cheating on her. She found some inappropriate text messages and photos on his phone. Turns out he'd been fooling around in some form or another (including everything) with a co-worker for almost 6 months.

She kicked him out of course, and is desperate to figure out what to do. They have 2 little girls (2 and 9 mo). He of course had to give a lame-ass reason... their sex life at home just wasn't hot anymore, it was like a job.

HELLO. TOGETHER 12 YEARS. MARRIED 5. 2 KIDS. JOBS. WORK. LIFE. DUH!

So anyway...
What do I say to that? I found myself saying stupid things like;
"Take it one day at a time."
"Write down what your feeling to get it off your chest."
"Try and sleep, you need to stay healthy."

Well, really, I just listen a lot but...What the heck should I say?
Can anyone help me here?

And to think, last week I was going to complain about my husband. Thank God for my boring little issues!

plans change

I was going to post tonight about feeling sad, and having no one to talk to, but then I was skimming my "usual blogs" and following some links and I found this.

I never read this blog on a regular basis before tonight, but now I've read some of the archives, and cried a lot.

I still feel sad, and maybe sometime I'll feel like talking about it.
But I also feel SO DAMN LUCKY to have my children and my husband and my health.
So life's not perfect... I'll get over it.

Best Laid Plans...

Yeah.... so I said I was going to post more often this summer since I am home and have a much faster Internet connection... clearly, that was a pipe dream!

Updates since the last post:

1. Cleaned house like a mad fool for a week to prepare for Brianna's 5th Birthday party.
2. Successfully coordinated 2 birthday parties for Brianna. One for kids at a local bouncy place and one for family and close friends at our home. ALL IN THE SAME AFTERNOON!
3. Took a whopping 1 day off.
4. Attended major birthday party for cute niece who is actually one day older than Brianna.
5. Cleaned house some more... did some working out... threw surprise birthday party for mother-in-law (with help from all her kids, I just hosted), and had not one but 2 "girls nights" in the same week.
6. Took hideous wall paper down from Grant's room... which people... seriously, there should be a law! If you put up hideous wall paper, you must remove said paper PRIOR to new ownership! We spent large portions of 4 days on this and we still have to repair, prime, and paint!
7. Decided not to go for new job as assistant principal. The timing and situation just don't seem right. I'm taking it as a sign...
8. Prepared for big vacation of the summer!

When all is said and done, June FLEW BY! I can absolutely NOT believe that it is July. We leave on the big vac-a tomorrow. First time the kids will see Disney World, I am very excited, they think they are excited but really just don't know what to expect.

Maybe I'll get around to an update when we get back... Ya'll are used to waiting for me, right?
:-)

There has been a request from the peanut gallery...

to hear details about this little job interview (?) which I threw into my last post.

We found out on Wednesday that one of our assistant principals in our building is leaving for a principal job elsewhere. While I would very much like to move to administration, I had settled myself for another year of teaching and taken on some projects I would like to finish... maybe...

I don't know for sure if I will be pursuing the job but I might... or not... or I might....

My gut feeling is they will want someone from outside the district for this job. Besides the fact that this is the AP in charge of my husbands team so if I were seriously being considered, it would force some systematic changes at the school.

Or maybe I'm just rationalizing because I am scared. It would definitely be easier to stay with what I know and not rock the boat right now.

Or maybe rocking the boat is exactly what I need. When I didn't get that silly voted-on thing last week, a close friend told me it was because something better was in store for me. Is this it?

Lets just say I've started the application... but who knows....

FINALLY!!

School is out!

The students went home.
The classroom is all packed up.
The grades are final.
The files are backed-up.
I e-mailed myself all my favorite links from work.

Nothing ahead of me for 8 weeks but sun and summer.
Well, Except:

Unpacking
Working on committee work (14 half days, paid)
Painting
2 small needy children
A job interview?!?

I can't wait!!!

once again, just a nerd

So, last week some time I think I mentioned that I was running in an election at work for a new position. Maybe? I don't remember now and am too lazy to go back and check.

ANYWAY- I really wanted this new position because I already do a lot of the work, and I really care about the job, and it's more money. (It's one of those things I'd do on TOP of what I already do, not a new job). Unfortunately, our higher-ups felt that the staff should choose the person...

SO- an election! In which I had to submit lots of information about myself, in which I actually gave a "brief biography" when asked for it! My competitor, gave her whole stinkin' resume, so needless appeared more qualified than me! I didn't get it.

I feel like the prom queen runner up... just not quite good enough.

As a teacher...

And as a human being who cares about the world around us...

I find this to be amazing, and distressing!
What must they have thought? Just by simple picture taking, how much did we disorder their lives?

WOW!

Parenting Dilema

In the course of parenting, there are dilemma's to deal with and decisions to be made everyday. It can be tough but it is important to make the right decision for the future of the children.

Grant loves Dinosaurs.
He pronounces them DinoROARs.

I love it! I think it's cute and funny and it makes me giggle.
I call them DinoROARs too!

Will he be scarred for life? Will he be a teenager and still calling them DinoROARs? Like the friend of a friend who called butterflies "flutterby's" until she was 18!?!

Do I really care? ... Nah, too cute to care!

I hope my mom doesn't read this

No... it's not about THAT!

Can someone tell me when your biological clock STOPS ticking?
I was just sitting here in my (empty) classroom crying over how cute a friends new baby is... and wishing SO hard that I could have another beautiful baby.

I have 2 beautiful, wonderful (if rambunctious) children. God has blessed me more than I deserve. And I can list 20 very practical reasons why I probably shouldn't have a 3rd baby.
(Whining) BUT I WANT ONE!

This week it was announced that the Duggars are having #18. That's right, 18!!
I only want 3.

I'm willing to make some sacrifices. I'm willing to puke for 12 straight weeks and have back pain and be up all night for the next 6 months and eat nothing but pasta for a year. Whatever it takes to feel butterfly kicks and watch first smiles and hear first words again.

Adam is having none of it. And I can't fully say I blame him. 2 kids is a lot of work! It takes both of us to deal if they both decide to be horrible at the same time. But as Brianna grows, that is happening less and less. She is as reasonable and logical as any 5 year old I've ever seen. 90% of the time, she "gets it". And as Grant grows, he becomes more reasonable, for a 2 year old. I keep trying to convince Adam that by the time we have the baby, Grant will be 3 1/2! That is a huge change from now at 2 1/2! It won't be like this forever!

GOD, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference.

Which is this?!?

When the obvious hits me over the head!

Today at work, I am applying for an additional leadership position for next school year. It is a position which is voted on by the school; someone to be like a lead-teacher in certain areas. While I have no doubt that I am qualified, I need my application to make that clear to the rest of the staff.

One of the questions asks me to select an "Area of Growth" for next year... ie... what is my weakness, or at what do I suck!? They give us the following list to choose from:

Group facilitation
Long range planning
oral communication
written communication
compromise
recognizing alternatives
decision-making
taking initiative
preparing an agenda
Attention to detail
task prioritization and delegation
sharing ideas in a positive manner
showing genuine interest in individuals
fostering organizational change
working toward consensus

I had to e-mail some coworkers who know me well to see what they think my weakness is.
AND THEN IT OCCURRED TO ME... If I can't even decide on my own weakness, then decision making must be the one to pick!

DUH!

This morning I took pictures...

Just because Brianna looked cute and Grant was mostly smiley... and it had been awhile!


He is asking for "Uppy!"

And the other 6 dwarfs hid under the beds!

I am GRUMPY.

It's a "up on the wrong side of the bed" and "don't even look at me like that" kind of a day.
I don't know why... The morning was crazy but no more so than usual.
The kids were sleepy and cranky but not much more than normal.
My co-worker is annoying but it's the same way she always is.

I just need a break.
I need Adam to go somewhere by himself and leave me alone for a few hours, or a day.
I need NOT to be reminded that there are 9000 boxes still to unpack.
I need to find a new babysitter.
I need a quiet day at work where I can surf the Internet and ignore my paperwork in peace.
I want a new purse. (I don't know how that will really help, and it might make Adam kill me, but I just know it's the answer to some of my stress!)
I want to finish my book without dirty looks from my husband or screaming children.
I want a massage! for a week!

If you see me coming today people, you'd better be able to provide something from the second list... or just run the hell away!

15 excuses for why I don't blog

1. Packing up old house
2. Cleaning new house
3. Crying about old house
4. Saying good bye to WORLDS BEST neighbors
5. Unpacking at new house
6. Helping 2 kid under 5 understand "new house" vs. "old house"
7. Drying tears of said kids
8. Crying some more
9. Taking multiple days off school to prepare for and move
10. Cleaning old house
11. I do sometimes work at work
12. Making 90 bazillion phone calls to cancel old services and set up new services
13. Sleeping a whopping 4 hours per night
14. New committee/team at work which needs lots of attention
15. Stressing about combining numbers 1-14

And 5 reasons why I hope to get better about it...
1. New house has upgraded Internet! (Dial-up house is dust!)
2. New house computer is right off family room so I don't have to isolate myself to use it.
3. Got new camera with phone for mommy's day so will have pictures to post!
4. Summer is coming and work is slowing down.
5. I miss my blog buddies!!!!!

During the silence...

Yes, I am well aware that long silences are more the norm for me and you probably weren't wondering what was going on but anyway...

Here is what has happened since the last post.

-Student didn't just leave for month, she left until August! More work, less accountability for me.
- Went to wonderful workshop with group that has now become implementation team for new initiative. Fun and challenging! I love it.
- Settled repairs on new house.
- CLOSED ON NEW HOUSE!!!!! WAHOOO!!!!!
- Assessed empty new house and noticed all the flaws we didn't see before. Started having flashbacks of the movie "Money Pit" but am trying not to stress.
- Took today off work to wait around new house for locksmith and carpet cleaners.
- Thanked God for neighbors unsecured wireless connection which I am borrowing.

Happy Friday Everyone!

S.T.R.E.S.S

I read somewhere recently that moving is the 2nd most stressful thing an adult can go through, second only to divorce.

STRESS.....

I have SO much to do this week before we close next week and my over-involved self volunteered for a workshop on Thursday and Friday so I will be totally out of touch for most of those 2 days and then I found out today that one of my students is leaving for Europe this weekend and will be gone A MONTH visiting a dying family member and I have to give her enough work to do to keep caught up for A MONTH and did I mention I won't be able to do anything productive on Thursday or Friday?!?

Rejuvinated... sort of.

Wednesday I decided that I think I felt a little spring fever coming on and that I (cough, cough) would need to take Thursday off to "recover". IE- I called in sick to work on Thursday so I could enjoy one entirely wonderful day to myself!

Now... I think I cursed myself...

I mean, my day was lovely. I got some much needed things done for the move, and I read for 3 consecutive hours without interruption or screaming in the background, I took myself to breakfast at Panera and played on the computer, thank you free wi-fi!

However, now I am sick. I mean actually might go to the doctor later sick. My left sinus feels like a rock and now my ears ache and I generally feel like I'm moving underwater. To top that... I am dizzy on and off if I try and look down and read. I look a little strange reading/grading papers with the paper held directly out from my face!

Oh Well, It was worth it!

Lessons from Elementary School

Boy and Girl, Sittin' in a tree.
K-I-S-S-I-N-G!
First comes love,
Then comes MARRIAGE,
THEN comes a baby in the baby carriage!

Someone, and someone else, and someone else, and someone else forgot to listen though!

Engaged, not engaged, Tomato, Tom(ah)to....It's just too much!
Am I officially old now?

But I might need it!

Adam wants me to start packing. Actually, he would even do the packing if I just tell him what to box up. (He's a GREAT guy!)

FYI- we can start moving things into the new house in just under 3 weeks. We have to be completely out of our current house in about 5 weeks.

I JUST DON'T KNOW WHAT TO PACK! What can I live with out for 5 whole weeks (more like 8-10 by the time I actually unpack it again)? We packed up a bunch of mommy's kitchen toys... We packed up some kids toys (6 days ago and no one noticed yet... sad huh?). I could probably pack up linens or something.

I'm just convinced that whatever I pack, I will need it the next day. Yes- I know I haven't used in in months or years, but tomorrow I WILL! but only if I pack it today.

a link kind of day

Creepy!

I am sad

I admit, I have my own religious struggles but I can never, will never, understand faith that does not advocate for itself. God would not want this.

I need to go hug my kids!

quiet, lazy, day

One of the luxuries of teaching middle school, is that when directed properly, the children can work for extended periods of time on their own. IE- I can plan activities that are both educational and allow me to have a whole day "to myself".

The problem with this plan is when I plan a day like this... say for instance, TODAY... I very seldom actually use my time wisely. I get the kids started each class period, and then sit down to do my mountain of paperwork and grading, and then the strangest thing happens.

The Internet CALLS MY NAME! Literally, I can hear my computer calling out to me...
Come check your e-mail....
Search for furniture...
Check out summer vacations...
Send stupid chain e-mails...

So here it is 10:30... I've been at work for over 3 hours... and have gotten no work done.
Oh Well.

The battle is won, the war continues

I would like to document, for prosperity and the good of my brain, the events of the evening of Tuesday, April 1. And while this is a long frickin' story, it is no joke people!

The family was having "catch-as-catch-can" for dinner. AKA- when your hungry, eat what you want. At approximately 6:15 pm, Brianna decided it was time to pick her dinner. This is no easy feat when mommy won't let you have plain noodles (because it takes to long to cook). So Brianna stands in the door to the pantry. And she swings the pantry door. And she hangs on the pantry door. And she bangs the door into the refrigerator. And she accidentally bangs the door in to Grant. And she hangs on the door some more. All while muttering "hmmmm".

Mommy is getting annoyed so I calmly got down on one knee, held Brianna's shoulders gently to get her attention, and said "Please stop playing with the door".

Brianna says "OK Mommy."

Within 3 seconds flat, she is playing with the door. Now, rationally, I know she isn't doing it on purpose, she probably doesn't even realize. However, she knows better and I am getting really annoyed now.

I again took her by the shoulders and asked her to repeat after me. "I won't play with the door". She silently refused.

I tried to explain that mommy has already asked her once and she knew better. Silent refusal with some wiggling.

I explained that if she says the words I will know she heard me. I explain that I need her to be a "good listener" and say the words. Enter lots of wiggling and angry face. She says angrily, "I'll say it if you let go of me". I let go, she runs away silently.

Perhaps I will summarize a little here... I am pissed! I take her shoulders again, progressing to a baby like cradle hold when squirming becomes thrashing. For about 10 minutes I hold her and repeat calmly that she can get up when she says " I won't play with the door". She cries. She screams. She makes the angry grunting noise and shoots daggers with her eyes. (Meanwhile Grant thinks this is alternately fun and wants his turn, or he screams because I am not paying attention to him.)

From the kitchen floor we progressed to the "time-out" spot. I instruct a crying Brianna to think about being a good listener and I'll be back when she's ready to say the words. Every 2-3 minutes for the next 30 minutes, I check on her. She does some fake crying, she sneaks out of time out to see the TV, she says shes ready and then refuses to say it, she says it in her meanest voice and yells at me.

People, this was not fun. This was torture.

Eventually I won. She said the words nicely and around 7:15 settled in to some Cheerios for dinner. Holy *&%#.

I think I may start researching boarding schools. If this is 4, I am not looking forward to 14!

Still Kickin'

I just felt the need to post something to recognize that I was still alive.

Since my last post:
1. We had a nice spring break at home. Sure everyone was sick but we relaxed a lot.
2. We are officially under contract on both homes... the one we're buying and the one we're selling. A few hurdles remain but it might be time to buy some boxes!
3. We stopped cleaning our house. (see #2)
4. We drove 3+ hours to swim in a pool and do nothing. Well actually, we went to campaign for my aunt who was running for local political office. It was a long boring day and unfortunately it didn't seem to help much.
5. Back to work... enter frantic-ness.
6. Found out that THIS SATURDAY is kindergarten registration for the new school district; became more frantic because we NEED to get in to the extended day program and that is first come first serve and we aren't actually residents yet and can we even register at all and if we wait until we are resident's there is NO way we are getting into the program we moved for!
7. Made a few phone calls... We can register by showing our contract on the new house. AND we don't even have to wait our turn... as a district teacher I was able to bend the rules and we can register at 8am. (We were originally assigned by last name and couldn't register until 3:00pm- Exactly when we had planned to be 1 hour away!)
8. WHEW!
9........

Well actually that might be it. I'm sure there is more but now I'm tired from typing without ever pressing the period. Maybe tomorrow I will tell you about my 4 going on 15 year old and her 40 minute temper tantrum/stubborn streak!

Lucky 13

13 years ago today I went on a blind date with someone I met on the Internet. We squeezed in a quick first date at Subway before I had to report to play practice. Later that evening I told my best friend/college roommate that he was "OK" and that "I guess I'd go out with him again".

Tonight we will recreate that first date. This time we will have our 2 adorably rambunctious children in tow and will probably spend the entire time planning our big move into our new home.

13 years can go so fast... and so much can change.
Luckily the important things are the same... and everything else is so much better!

I hope I don't jinx it....

We sold the house!!!!!!!!

We have accepted an offer on our house... well actually we've been negotiating since Monday afternoon but late last night we left our emotions out of it (mostly) and decided to accept the offer.

I am feeling quite a few emotions today. I look at what has been MY house for 6 years and know that in about 2 months, it won't be MINE anymore. It will be some other family's home.

Some other family will put their children to bed in the nursery where my children first slept through the night. Someone else will bathe in the tub where my children had first baths and water fights and blew bubbles. No one will know that the flowering tree in the back yard was "The Brianna Tree" because we planted it to celebrate her first birthday. No one will remember when the living room/dining room was empty of furniture and Brianna used it learn to walk and run. No one will look out the bedroom window and remember all the nights I sat there and nursed the babies throughout the night.

I try to remind myself of all the memories we are about to make in our new house. It will be the place I take pictures of Brianna and Grant before taking them to the first day of school. They will learn and grow in this new house too... a new house we LOVE and can't wait to live in. But it won't be the house I brought my new babies to when we came home from the hospital. It won't be our first home, that home now belongs to someone else.

I can only hope they love it as much as we did.

Where did my pictures go?

Sorry about the below post, I don't know where my pictures went... they were there when I checked it earlier.... This is THE MOST adorable baby being hugged by a gigantic dog!

If you want to give me your e-mail, and I actually know you or can verify you exist, I will forward you the e-mail.

In an e-mail I received today

Instructions for properly hugging a baby:

1. First, find a baby.

2. Second, be sure that the object you found was
indeed a baby by employing classic sniffing techniques.

3. Next you will need to flatten the baby before actually beginning the
hugging process.

4. The 'paw slide'
Simply slide paws around baby and prepare for possible close-up.

5. Finally, if a camera is present, you will need to execute
the difficult and patented 'hug, smile, and lean' so as to
achieve the best photo quality.

Stress is my shadow

SO- I don't talk about work much. It's not a good idea to blog about work... I mean, you know I'm a teacher, but not where or who...

But I have to put this out there...

Yesterday, at school, in the middle of the school day, a child tried to hang himself from a stairwell/landing. Thanks to the quick actions of one of his friends, and some nearby teachers, he didn't succeed. The child was known as a little disturbed but no one knew it was like this. Even his friends didn't believe him as he started to put the thing around his neck. One friend reportedly helped him slip it around his neck thinking he was joking... that same friend who tried to save him by lifting him back up seconds later.

Some of this is rumor, some is validated but not yet public information, some is public. I didn't even know this boy but I am having a hard day. In 9 years of teaching, and as a future administrator, I've been brought in on some hard kids/cases. This beats all.

Why does this world have to be so hard?

When I went home, I told Brianna I was sad. She's 4... she doesn't ask questions, she just gives the world's best neck-breaking hugs!

Like sanity and time for myself...

Jamie's Tag will just have to wait!

Love you James!!!

The typical morning car ride

In this scene, the characters are:
Johanna: The harried mother who is trying to eat breakfast and drive.
Grant: The 2 1/2 year old boy who is learning to talk and like attention.
Brianna: The almost 5 year old girl who is part patient saint and part victim.

(For the sake of the script, the strange garbled language of the 2 year old will be translated into real English.)

G: Pancake, Pancake mommy.
J: Are you eating your pancakes Grant?
G: Pancake, eat pancake mommy.
G: Pancake in bag mommy.
G: Eat one pancake mommy.
J: Good Job Grant, Eat your pancakes.
G: Moon, Moon, Moon, Moon, Mommy.
G: Pancake moon mommy.
G: (progressively louder) Moon Pancake, Moon Pancake mommy.
B: Mom, he's trying to tell you he took a bite out of his pancake and it looks like a moon.
J: Oh, Thank's Bri. Did you make a moon pancake Grant?
G: Yeah, moon pancake.
G: (louder and louder) Moon, Moon, Moon, pancake, moon pancake mommy.
J: Eat the moon Grant.
G: Bite Moon Mommy?
G: I eat moon pancake mommy.
G: (still louder) Boat, Boat, Boat pancake mommy.
J: Is your pancake a boat now Grant?
G: Yes mommy.
G: Boat, Boat, Boat in water mommy.
G: Boat in water mommy, water, water, boat in water mommy.
J: OK Grant, you made a boat.
G: Boat water mommy.
J: Yes Grant, Boats go in the water, good honey, eat the boat.
J: How are you doing Brianna?
B: (answer overlapped and eventually drowned out by Grant's next line)
I want more pancakes mom; mine are gone already.
G: (LOUDER) I eat boat pancake mommy. Eat boat, Eat boat, Eat boat mommy.
J: (LOUDEST) OK Grant, you ate your boat.
Brianna, I'm sorry, I don't have any more. You can eat cereal at school.
- a few seconds of silence-
G: another pancake in bag mommy.
G: pancake, eat another pancake mommy, pancake, pancake
J: (rolls eyes) Yes Grant, you have another pancake, eat it.
G: pancake, eat mommy?
G: Moon pancake mommy!
- repeat for each of the next 5 pancakes!-