Dragonfly Daily

Charlie and Malachi's Birthday Party

2012-02-04T17:19:00.000-08:00

We had Charlie's birthday party today. We joined forces with his friend, Malachi's family and it was great. We had a really nice turn out. About 16 kids and their families came. We grilled hamburgers and hot dogs, had cupcakes and a piñata. The entertainment was to let the kids play at the park. It was very simple and it went great.

The wind was blowing pretty hard the whole time and it was hard to keep the decorations in place. We didn't end up opening any of the presents because I was worried that the paper would be clear across the park in all of 2 minutes. The piñata was a huge hit (no pun intended) but we needed AJ to make the final hit that broke it. He also lent his services to hanging the piñata in the tree by climbing the tree with some rope. The rope came from Malachi's grandma who just happen to have it with her from her last zip-lining experience in Costa Rica. The woman is amazing. If I ever get stuck out in the wilderness, I want to be stuck with her. She was prepared.

It was a great party and the boys seemed to have had a great time.

Happy 4th birthday Charlie!

Haircuts!

2012-02-03T19:13:00.000-08:00

With Charlie's birthday party tomorrow, Shawn took matters into his own hands and took the boys to get their hair cut. Once AJ said he wanted a haircut, Charlie was on board.

I asked Charlie if he cried and he said "Only a little." Progress.

Charlie then told the pizza delivery man that he had gotten a haircut "Just like my brother." When the pizza guy told him it looked good, Charlie very politely told him that he liked his hair too.

Hope Springs Eternal

2012-01-31T17:29:00.000-08:00

I love my job. I do. I honestly think that this was what I was meant to do. That said, there have been days where I have felt like I am teaching to kids I can't reach, with problems I can't solve, in time I don't have. But even when I have days like that, I am ready to try again the next day.

My favorite quote of all time is:

"Courage doesn't always roar. Sometimes courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says I'll try again tomorrow." - Mary Anne Radmacher

I have said this quote to myself many times in the last year.

In my school, some of the grades are expected to do a math book that is called Mac-Ro. They do a lesson each night at home and turn it in at the end of the month. The schools give prizes to the ones who turn it in. I took over this class in mid-December, so December's Mac-Ro was already in full swing. However I told the kids at the beginning of January that I would only be giving prizes to the kids who turned it in on time. And then proceeded to give them a lecture about the importance of timeliness when you are employed, yadda, yadda, yadda. If they did turn it in late, they would still get credit for handing it in, and be able to participate in the end of the year celebration. In order to get a prize however, they had to have it in on time.

I reminded them of this yesterday, since it was due today. Today, I read off of the names of the kids who had handed it in, and announced that those kids would be getting a prize. One student muttered under his breath that he wished he was back in his old teacher's class. She gave them prizes regardless if they got them in on time or not. Another student hearing this replied with: "Mrs. D has higher expectations."

And then I am pretty sure I heard angels singing.

A New Look

2012-01-29T18:16:00.000-08:00

We (I) took the rug from the bedroom and then placed it in the family room. Then we (I) took the family room rug and put it under the kitchen table. I would rather vacuum than mop any day, and it will cut down on the echoing that comes with living with tile floors.

We also recently purchased new sofas and chairs. Now we will have enough places for everyone to sit. And in the interest of marital compromise, the chairs even recline.

Picnic at The Park

2012-01-29T07:51:00.000-08:00

Our friends Mary, Leigh Avery and Amaya are moving to Oregon tomorrow. We had a cookout last weekend as sort of a last hurrah. I am sure that Charlie will miss his good friend, Shawn will miss playing basketball with them on the weekends, I will miss getting my baby girl fix, and I will also miss a dear friend. They really want to go though, so I am happy for them. And now we will have an excuse to go to Oregon again.

2012-01-29T07:44:00.000-08:00

R.I.P. Zac

2012-01-28T13:00:00.000-08:00

We lost our cat Zac today. He was 18 years old and we have had him since we lived in NH. Shawn was doing an internship at a law firm and a woman there was trying to find a home for her cat because he was being terrorized by her dogs. She said he spent his life on the counters trying to stay away from the dogs.

AJ was two when we got him. He was so excited to have a pet. They became fast friends. I have many pictures of them (before I owned a digital camera even) taking naps together and just generally hanging out. Zac was the closest thing AJ had to a sibling for many years. He was so gentle with the kids, both ours and others.

His official name was Prozac, and he was aptly named. He was always very calm. Nothing ever seemed to bother him. And when he did get too irritated with things, he simply got up and walked away.

He will be missed.

Fire Drill

2012-01-28T08:40:00.000-08:00

On Thursday and Friday, I attended a two day training at my district office for their official behavior management plan. My district has it's own conference center, complete with a cafe. It is actually rather ingenious. They even rent the space out for other non-district events on the weekends.

I attended the training with 3 other teachers from my school along with my assistant principal. The second day of training went much like the first. There were some PowerPoints, worksheets to fill out, etc. Then right after lunch the fire alarm went off. There were two doors to choose from. One door went right out to the parking lot (the logical choice), and the other door went to the courtyard. The minute the alarm went off, my assistant principal starts yelling "Get the babies!!!" I looked around the room. There were no babies. However, she was the assistant principal so I figured she knew what she was talking about, and followed her to the courtyard. Sure enough, there was a staff daycare across the courtyard from where our meeting was being held. We went to daycare and all ten of us either grabbed an infant or lead toddlers across the street to the meeting place.

It was a bit surreal to go from not being responsible for anyone to being responsible for small children who you did not even know were there. Luckily, it was only a drill. Everyone was fine, unless you count the poor kids that were woken up from their naps.

A Visit With Shawn's Family

2012-01-24T19:35:00.000-08:00

Shawn's sister's family came to visit Shawn's mom for this week. It was so great to see them, and it was fun to watch the boys play together. I think the 3 little ones will be the Three Musketeers in a few years, once they get organized.

USA V Venezuela

2012-01-22T09:24:00.001-08:00

We went to a professional soccer game last night. It was so much fun. They had the dome open, and it was pretty cool to be both inside and outside at the same time.

Charlie started off on my lap, his hands covering his ears for the first 30 minutes. Then he got really into it and started chanting USA! USA! USA!. He did not stop chanting until we got to the car, much to the amusement of the people around us.

AJ loved the game too, and watched it intently.

All in all, a great time.

Charlie Complains To The Warden

2012-01-20T20:21:00.000-08:00

The other day I made the mistake of taking Charlie to the grocery store, yet again. He asked if he could get a donut. I said he could, if he was good the entire trip. Things were going well. We made it to the actual donut counter without incident. Then, when we were checking out, he went into a full toddler tantrum flop, right in the middle of the store floor. I was paying and AJ was left to physically carry him out of the way of other shoppers.

Of course I was in the process of paying for the donut. We leave and I tell the still screaming Charlie to come over to the trash can. I then drop the donut in the trash can outside the store. As you can imagine, this did not improve his mood any.

Today, his note from school says:" While Charlie was painting the letter "F" today, he said he wanted to draw a picture for his mommy and daddy. "

Coincidence? I think not.

Welcome to Phoenix

2012-01-14T06:37:00.001-08:00

I was leaving work and saw this guy on horseback riding down the street. I thought that this picture was so Phoenix. I have never lived anywhere else where people ride their horses down the streets. In fact, when we first moved to our neighborhood (about 20 minutes from where this picture was taken), we went to the store one day to fine horses tied up outside the grocery store and using a parking spot.

I played with editing this picture to make it clearer and you are just going to have to trust me that this is a whole lot clearer than the original. I could have gotten a better picture as the man rode in front of the school. However, the principal was speaking to me at the time and I thought whipping out my phone, mid sentence, would not be a good idea. Instead, I stalked the guy and drove behind him, pulling over to take the picture.

2012-01-10T20:33:00.001-08:00

I should really call the health teacher at the high school and have his or her class come with Charlie and me to Target. Because after 3 tantrums and a spilled drink in the check out line, I could have sold abstinence t-shirts.

Charlie's Note of The Day

2012-01-09T17:09:00.000-08:00

Charlie handed a block to a friend and said "It's not a block. Come on man, use your imagination!"

Entomology

2011-12-30T08:02:00.000-08:00

Charlie just told me he had something in his ear. I asked him what it was and he told me it was a bug looking for nectar, but all he found was dirt.

Our Friend, The Roadrunner

2011-12-28T19:04:00.000-08:00

Christmas 2011

2011-12-28T18:32:00.000-08:00

Christmas 2011 was very low-key, but very nice.

We started the celebrations off at Shawn's mom's house for Christmas Eve. AJ had made a book of poems at school and gave them to Shawn's grandfather. They were a huge hit.

Our actual Christmas day was very quiet, as it was just the four of us. AJ was thrilled to get his own set of actual tools and a woodworking book. In an effort to win the College of Wooster vs The University of Minnesota battle, I got AJ a sweatshirt, shirt and a hat. The hat was actually an alumni hat. I said on the card that he might as well get use to the idea.

Charlie got a bike from Santa, which he has no interest in. He was however very excited to get a bunch of matchbox cars. What can I say? The kid is a cheap date.

I also made cinnamon rolls for the neighbors. I will probably be doing another batch on Friday. I gave all but one pan away, and that did not go over well with my almost teenage (read: eating us out of house and home) son.

The Kid Knows What He Wants

2011-12-28T17:08:00.000-08:00

I took the kids to ASU today to get my Institutional Recommendation paper. It is a magic piece of paper that allows me to go to the Department of Education, and get my teaching certificate with minimal hoop jumping.

While we were there, I wanted to stop at the bookstore. We walked inside and Charlie saw this t-shirt. In fact, he made a bee-line to this t-shirt. He hugged it. He hugged it some more. When we got to the checkout, he would not let the lady put it in a bag. He wanted to change into it RIGHT THERE. I'm sure there weren't too many people who would have gotten overly offended by a 3 year old changing his shirt in the actual bookstore. But just to be on the safe side, I told him he had to wait until we got out to the car. This picture was taken, in the parking lot, right after he put it on. He may never take it off.

Old Age Has Its Privileges

2011-12-28T17:02:00.000-08:00

We got a pizza from our favorite pizza place the other day. When we were done we were all too lazy to clean up right away. A few minutes later, we looked and saw this. We were not sure if he was guarding the pizza or if the box was the perfect spot to sit with his arthritic hip. No one had the heart to tell him that there wasn't any pizza left.

Happy Holidays

2011-12-16T20:12:00.000-08:00

ITeach Celebration

2011-12-11T08:27:00.000-08:00

The theme for the night was The Oscars. The auditorium was decorated with stars and even our very own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. There was even a red carpet. It was very cute. We each got an award and a nameplate for our desk at the ceremony. My classmates and I were responsible for coming up with some type of presentation to sum up our experience. We used "Oh The Places You'll Go!" by Dr. Seuss as a template and each person made up his or her own stanza.

These are my classmates from the last year. We had our moments, but there were many times I wondered if we were all going to end up in some type of support group together. They came from all walks of life and I am so glad I got to know them.

This is a picture of me with my mentor, Kelly and Lauren, who worked in the classroom next door. They are a big part of why I looked forward to going every day.

It was a fun night.

Shawn made a gift basket for me to celebrate. It had flowers, apples (because I am a teacher) chocolate and wine. He chose the wine based on the labels. One was called Liberty School, and the other had a picture of a duck followed by ducklings. It was too cute.

I am so glad I did the program and I am so glad it is over.

My New Classroom

2011-12-11T08:01:00.001-08:00

I started my new job this week. And as I was telling some people, I really don't think they thought I was going to actually show up. That might be because the situation is a little less than ideal. I am taking over a class while the old teacher starts a new class that is a 3rd/4th SEI class. I am taking the majority of her kids. I went to observe her a few times and her kids are a handful. They are very sweet, but chatty. And did I mention we are making this transition a week and a half before Christmas break? What could possibly go wrong? In fact, when I have been introduced to others around the school, I have gotten comments that range from "You are brave." to "So they are throwing you to the dogs, uh?"

The administration were very generous and gave me 3 days to set up my classroom. The district I am now in, is very different than the district I am coming from, with very specific requirements for what you have to have on your wall, etc. I needed every minute of those three days to wrap my mind around all the new information.

My co-workers on the 4th grade team have been very welcoming, very supportive and extremely helpful. I think they understand how daunting this all is. I am ready for the actual teaching to begin on Monday. I am looking forward to getting a routine down.

I wish I had a "before" the before picture. Because when I walked in that first time, there were not even any desks. But it has started to take shape. I am sure I will be scouring yard sales for bookshelves and books, and cubbies and anything else I can think of to make it more homey. But it is a work in progress.

Before:

After:

iTeach

2011-12-07T03:52:00.000-08:00

Last night we had our celebration for completing the teaching certification program. I still have two more classes to take in the Spring to get my Masters, but I can now officially teach people. Maybe people will start listening to me now.

I will post pictures of the event and talk more about the actual night in a later post. But honestly, right now I just want to enjoy the fact that I made it through the program. It was basically a year-long teaching boot camp.

What makes the program unique and rigorous is that you are in the classroom as an intern, from the second week of January. There are three internships, each five weeks, during the Spring semester. I was in seventh grade science, and two separate third grade classes. With the internships, we gradually increased our actual teaching experience. At first we were just doing the copying and grading papers. By the end of the semester we were teaching much of the day.

During the summer, we co-taught with another iTeach classmate in our district's summer school. My co-teacher and I taught students going into 4th grade. We were completely responsible for every minute of the day. I had a great co-teacher, Sam. We worked really well together. It was stressful, and fun. It was challenging. (E.g. we were given one ream of paper to use for the summer). And when it was over, I felt like I was ready to have my own classroom.

I could not have asked for a better student teaching experience. The model we were following was a co-teaching one. In this day and age where a teacher's pay is based on student performance, there is no way a Mentor Teacher was going to give up total control of their classroom to a novice. I feel so lucky to have gotten placed with Kelly. I got to work with someone who I enjoyed hanging out with everyday. We had very similar teaching styles and the students could sense that we were a united front. I learned a ton and I looked forward to going every day. And probably the best part is that I have a new friend.

The iTeach coursework was a heavy load. In the spring we were in the classrooms three days a week, and we took 18 credits that first semester. During the summer, we taught M-TH and then had class all day Friday. During our student teaching semester, we were also writing our action research paper. My paper was about Cognitive Guided Instruction in math. Basically, I was exploring whether the use of manipulatives and CGI effected how struggling 3rd graders learned subtraction with regrouping. Also, if in a large classroom (we had 32 students at some points), CGI and the use of manipulatives made students less reliant on direct instruction.

Most days, my commute to my field work and my own classes was 45 minutes to an hour. So two hours out of my day were spent driving. And I was the only one in my program with kids. When AJ and Shawn's soccer schedule started getting more complicated, Shawn was gone two nights a week and most weekends coaching soccer. Many times I simply felt that there were not enough hours in the day. I would often get up at 4am (and a few time at 3am) to get homework and lesson planning done.

Despite the crazy soccer schedule, there is no way I could have done this without Shawn. Many times this past year he was the main parent and caregiver to the boys. He showed up at events that I could not get to, and even went to things like (ironically) parent/teacher conferences when I teaching my own classes. His support was complete. He gave me a hug, a pep talk or a beer, depending what the situation called for and my state of mind at the time.

In a few hours, I will start my new job teaching fourth grade. They have given me a few days to set up my classroom and get settled. I have my students starting on Monday. The iTeach program was hard. There were several days I just wanted to walk away. I am so glad I stuck it out. Am I nervous to start my new job? Yes. Am I terrified? A little. But, I do feel prepared.

Family Shenanigans

2011-11-27T18:46:00.000-08:00

We went to Deb's house today to have dinner and say hello since we missed Thanksgiving together.

The visit started off innocently enough. Then Charlie wanted to run outside, and like something out of Chevy Chase movie, ran right through the screen door. The door came completely out of the track and landed on the patio. Poor Charlie was so surprised; it scared him to death. Luckily no one was hurt.

This is Shawn putting the door back into place.

After things settled down again, AJ and Grandpa decided to go look at the ducks and turtles in the pond.

Can you guess what AJ is doing in this picture?

If you guessed, using a duck calling app on his phone to attract the ducks, you would be right. Leave it to AJ to find a way to use his iPhone in absolutely every situation.

Where Charlie Learns Big Brothers Can't Do Everything. . .

2011-11-25T17:48:00.001-08:00

Around Portland

2011-11-23T15:51:00.000-08:00

The Food

2011-11-23T15:32:00.000-08:00

We ate out quite a bit. Although I did not get pictures of everything we ate at some amazing places.

The morning we left, we went to a place called Mother's. It was the cutest restaurant I have ever seen, with tons of country charm. The place is a local favorite and right after we sat down, there was not an empty chair to be found. I did end up buying the cookbook.

At the restaurant attached to the hotel, we had a delicious meal our first night. The dessert I had was a s'more. It was chocolate mousse, on top of a graham cracker crust, with a marshmallow topping. It was delicious, of course.

Our first meal in Portland was at a great place called Higgins. I was determined to order things that I would not normally order. And that explains the reason I got ice cream made from mushrooms. It was delicious. It tasted like maple or brown sugar ice cream.

This was a pizza place that was featured on Rachel Ray's show. It is called Old Town Pizza. I tried to take a picture of the story on the menu, but it didn't come out. The restaurant is built on top of tunnels that were used in the white slave trade 100 years ago. One girl was kidnapped and brought there. She fell into the elevator shaft and apparently has never left. We were told to look out for Nina, as she tends to hang out in the back of the restaurant. We never did see her, though.

This was bar none, the best chocolate croissant I have ever had. Ever. We stopped into a tiny cafe that was no larger than my kitchen. It was so cozy after being out in the cold.

The Hotel

2011-11-23T15:22:00.000-08:00

We stayed at the Hotel Monaco. I loved the hotel. It was quirky, friendly and fun. The interior design was very traditional in style, but very untraditional when it came to how it was all but together. Not one piece of furniture, fabric or treatment matched, but it somehow all worked. When you walked into your room, you had the feeling that no one else in hotel had exactly the same decor you did. I don't know if that was true or not, but you never got the sense that someone, in some far away corporate office, was making the design decisions.

The best part of our stay, was every night the hotel hosted a happy hour in the lobby. The mix of people was eclectic and some people even brought their very well behaved dogs. There was a roaring fire, comfortable seating and all the wine, beer and hot toddy's you could drink.

I Love Flying

2011-11-23T15:07:00.000-08:00

I love the different perspective you get on the world. I love seeing how the landscape and terrain change in a matter of miles. We started off in desert, (I didn't get any pictures of that.) and ended flying over snowy fields.

Of course I love the clouds. I especially love the fact that I am looking at them from above. It just feels like such a great opportunity.

A Walk in The Park

2011-11-12T11:25:00.001-08:00

A Pirate Ship

2011-11-12T11:24:00.000-08:00

Or as I like to call it, "Keeping Charlie busy while I mop."

Not To Name Drop. . .

2011-11-11T14:53:00.000-08:00

but I know Optimus Prime.

I am his chauffeur.

This is Charlie at his school. That little pumpkin now sits on my desk.

You may notice that Charlie's costume is a bit sparse. After waiting in line for 20 minutes at the costume store, and trying to keep an eye on Charlie and my sanity, I forgot to check the costume before I left the store. I got it home, only to realize that it was missing the helmet, the breastplate and the sword. Shawn, being the awesome dad that he is, took the costume back to the store. The store's solution was to give us back half our money since half of the costume was missing. Shawn and AJ then went to Toys R Us and found a mask. It actually ended up working out. The mask they bought was a lot better quality than the one that would have come with the costume.

Charlie didn't care. He was too busy practicing his ninja moves and protecting the citizens of our town Halloween night to worry about a missing breastplate. He also became friends with a VERY patient motorcycle cop, who answered endless questions and took his helmet on and off to Charlie's squeals of delight.

Typical

2011-11-06T09:54:00.000-08:00

After YEARS of trying to get a picture of a hummingbird, AJ and I were manning the garage sale and one flew into the front bushes. AJ said: "Look a hummingbird!", took my iPhone and snapped this picture. It took all of 10 seconds.

And Speaking of Being Old and Yucky. . .

2011-10-30T16:15:00.000-07:00

Student to me: Are you 20?
Me: No
Student: Are you 23?
Me: As far as you know.

Cute But Delusional

2011-10-30T16:11:00.000-07:00

Today we were playing play-dough. Charlie made a comment about something we had made being old and yucky. (Some of the play dough has seen better days.)

Me: Is mommy old and yucky?
Charlie (rubbing my arm) No, you are perfect.

Charlie's Note of The Day

2011-10-30T16:10:00.001-07:00

Charlie was telling a friend today the importance of brushing his teeth for fresh breath.

Portugal Pictures

2011-10-24T19:19:00.000-07:00

Pumpkin Carving- A Diplomatic Endeavor

2011-10-23T20:05:00.001-07:00

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You might have thought that we had two Jack O' Lanterns. But, AJ has learned that having a 3 year old brother is a never-ending list of compromises. AJ wanted a scary face on the pumpkin and Charlie wanted a happy one. AJ decided it would just be easier for all involved if he made two faces on the same pumpkin.

Portugal Update

2011-10-15T13:13:00.001-07:00

I talked to Shawn yesterday via Face Time and he said that AJ got hurt in the game. The doctors at the sports facility checked him out and it looks to be only a sprain. Shawn said that AJ was in a lot of pain though, and may be on the sidelines for a few weeks. AJ, always the optimist, did make the comment that he knew he would always remember the trip now.

Tree, Meet Apple

2011-10-15T13:10:00.000-07:00

Just in case you had any doubt about whose kid this was. Charlie even has the eyebrow thing down that Shawn does. In fact the only proof I have that this kid is mine, is that he is eating a cupcake, something Shawn would never do.

Portugal Update

2011-10-13T14:56:00.001-07:00

Just got an email from Shawn. The team had their first win in Portugal and AJ even scored a goal! Whoo Hooo! Shawn said the team is really coming together and they have another game tomorrow.

They also went to the beach today and got some good pictures. Although it pained me, I am glad I sent my camera along with them. It would have made me sad to see the other side of the Atlantic ocean through a picture off of a phone.

2011-10-09T14:56:00.000-07:00

Charlie: Mommy, you are my princess.
Me: (totally melting, of course) Aww, you are my prince.
Charlie: (taking me by the hand) Let's go play trains.

I believe I just got sweet-talked.

World Travelers

2011-10-09T10:32:00.000-07:00

I took this with my phone (in case you couldn't tell), because I gave the guys my camera, with strict instructions to take pictures of things besides soccer fields. It was like giving them my right arm. Seriously.

Charlie- Hide and Seek MASTER

2011-10-08T18:44:00.001-07:00

Weekend Poster Child

2011-10-02T11:14:00.000-07:00

Everyone's a Critic

2011-09-28T19:34:00.000-07:00

Today in class I was reading an article about skunks to the class. The article was saying that most animals have muted coats, but skunks have flashier coloring. I was trying to explain, through the use of context, what muted meant.

Me:I have a jean jacket on and a black dress. I am wearing muted colors.
Student: You don't match?

Who's the Teacher, Now?

2011-09-25T19:57:00.000-07:00

Me: Did you get those stickers from the library?
Charlie: Liberry
Me: No, it is called Library.
Charlie: Say Li
Me: Li
Charlie: Berry
Me: Berry. But it's not called liberry. It's called the library.
Charlie: No, it's called liberry.
Me: Hey. look over there! Is that a dinosaur?

Avery and Charlie

2011-09-25T17:34:00.000-07:00

Also known as The Mini Me's since they both look exactly like their father.

Teamwork!

2011-09-25T17:33:00.001-07:00

Getting Some Input on My Lesson for Tomorrow

2011-09-25T17:32:00.000-07:00

Our New Mascot

2011-09-24T10:49:00.000-07:00

This hawk has visited us a few times. And every time I have tried to get a picture, he sees me in the window, and flies away. Today, luck was with me, and I was able to get a few shots. I apologize for the lack of focus, but as usual, my camera was on the wrong setting and I was trying to get pictures before he flew away.

My Brush with (Lost) Greatness

2011-09-21T06:02:00.000-07:00

I had the most random conversation today. As I was leaving school, a guy stopped me and informed me he was on the Olympic rugby team and needed to warm up. He was *very* sure his practice was at the school. I am *very* sure that in a school where 98% of the people are women, I would have heard about the Olympic rugby team practicing.

Avery's Birthday Party

2011-09-17T09:06:00.000-07:00

He Does Love His Blankets

2011-09-15T20:28:00.001-07:00

I've talked about Charlie's waffle weave blanket obsession before. I thought I was the smartest parent in the world when I bought 6 of them, in all different colors, and deliberately rotated them in and out of use. I figured this way, he wouldn't get attached to just one blanket, (that we would then drop in a store parking lot and never see again). Also, I figured that having multiple blankets would allow me to wash them without him really noticing.

Smart? Not so much. Now he is obsessed with all of them, not just one. And if given his way, he carries them all around in a giant ball, complaining how heavy they are, the whole time. I am able to wash them. But even that aspect has not quite gone according to my plan. As I was picking him up from school today, his teacher informed me that he recently told her that he prefers his blankets "stinky", and does not like it when I wash them. Awesome.

He Knows His Place

2011-09-10T02:25:00.000-07:00

We were at dinner tonight and we were sitting outside. Another customer was letting her daughter scooter up and down the sidewalk. It was super annoying and it was hard to relax at dinner. I got a little punchy and I pretended I was meditating. I told everyone I was going to my "happy place"" for a minute. AJ, without missing a beat, says: "Am I there? "

Yes. Yes you are, AJ. :)

A Scarf

2011-09-03T19:21:00.000-07:00

I made this scarf for my friend Deborah, who moved to IL last year. She has only lived in warm places all her life, and I thought she might need it on the tundra. She received it last week after I finally got it mailed. I wanted to wait until she got it before I posted a picture. It was fun to make and very therapeutic for me to start and finish a project.

It Looks Like Someone Else Wants to be a Vet

2011-09-01T21:30:00.001-07:00

I had to change the batteries in Charlie's turtle nightlight/stuffed animal. Charlie put the turtle's head in his hands and said, "Don't worry, you will be ok."

Dad's Visit

2011-08-29T05:00:00.000-07:00

Dad was in town for business so we met him at a the local favorite pizza place, Oregano's. (I'm not sure if you can read the staff's t-shirt, but it says: "Make Marinara Legal".) We got there at 5, and we were told there was a 30 minute wait. But I was smart enough to say we would take first available, even though that meant eating outside in the 110 degree heat. They had the misters and fans going, so it was pretty comfortable. We got seated in about 5 minutes.

Dad and I will meet again for dinner tonight after my class ends at 7pm. I am taking him to my new favorite place, Fez.

Zac Update

2011-08-28T15:34:00.001-07:00

The vet called today and said that Zac is in the early stages of kidney disease and also most likely has hypothyroidism. We have a treatment plan which involves a new type of food and medication. If he responds well to treatment, she said he has a few more years in him.

On a side note, I don't think I have had such a through medical conversation with my own doctors. I was on the phone with her for 1/2 an hour going over all the intricacies of it all. I was very impressed.

2011-08-27T17:45:00.001-07:00

We had to take Zac to the vet today because he seems so sick. He is 17 years old. He has lost a lot of weight and just seems to be generally not feeling well. He had blood and urine drawn and is getting the "senior blood panel" done. We should know more tomorrow, but I have a feeling it will not be good news.

I Have My Uses

2011-08-23T17:02:00.000-07:00

AJ is running for office at his middle school. He made these posters and he asked me if I could help.

This is a picture of one of the ones he did. AJ picked out a totally different color scheme for the ones I colored.

He explained that he would have asked his dad, but I was able to "color in the lines."

Fun With Apps

2011-08-20T06:57:00.001-07:00

The "Bro-stache"

The Answer is NO

2011-08-18T20:00:00.001-07:00

Apparently at circle time, Charlie told his friends that he wanted "two babies from Mommy".

That is not going to happen.

I fell for that line from AJ, and then this happened:

Just So You Know. . .

2011-08-18T17:16:00.000-07:00

I am about to start an action research paper. The grading rubric is 16 pages.

Sigh.

A Portrait

2011-08-18T17:10:00.000-07:00

Trumpet Pointers

2011-08-15T21:40:00.001-07:00

Shawn use to play trumpet. And being the good dad that he is, he got AJ started on the basics. AJ seems to really like it so far and was even able to play a few notes by the end.

I Think This Bird Might Be Lost

2011-08-14T13:50:00.000-07:00

I was working in the kitchen this morning and saw this bird. The picture is not great, but I have never seen another bird like it since we have lived here. (So basically, I am claiming that this is Arizona's version of the Yetti.) Anyway- it has a bright yellow breast, greenish feathers and a really long tail. It looked almost like a parrot. I am wondering if someone's pet has escaped.

Band

2011-08-14T07:07:00.001-07:00

Now that AJ is in middle school, one of the classes he can take is band. He has decided to play the trumpet. I have decided to drink more and be thankful that he did not choose the violin. I am also wishing we had room for a piano. Because even at its worst, piano doesn't sound that bad.

We went to the music store on Saturday to rent his instrument. He saw 3 of his classmates while he was there.

Shawn use to play the trumpet himself, so he showed the boys the special thing you have to do with your lips when you blow into the mouth piece. AJ didn't do too badly. But the funniest was when Charlie tried. He blew into the trumpet and made it sound like he had been playing the trumpet for years. He is a pretty good mimic, so I wasn't that surprised.

Fun At The Fountain

2011-08-12T18:07:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday, my friend Mary and I took her kids and Charlie to the fountain in town. AJ joined us later. It was a fun thing to do in AZ in August.

2011-08-11T20:43:00.000-07:00

Charlie puckers up and tells me to kiss him. Then promptly shrieks: "EWWW! I kissed a girl!!"

First Day of School

2011-08-08T21:07:00.001-07:00

AJ's Computer Camp

2011-08-07T16:49:00.000-07:00

I just realized I never posted pictures from AJ's computer camp at ASU this summer. He went to a week long overnight camp where he got to create his own computer game. He stayed in a dorm on campus and even had a horrible roommate! It was just like he was actually at college.

This picture is of Shawn playing the game AJ created.

2011-08-06T21:37:00.000-07:00

Charlie's Note of The Day

2011-08-06T09:39:00.001-07:00

Charlie drove the car around and gave tickets to speeding friends.

Finally

2011-08-05T20:01:00.001-07:00

We are a HUGE Thomas the Tank Engine family. Two Christmases ago, a neighbor was moving and had 2 bins full of Thomas stuff she was selling. We got most pieces for a dollar each. For those of you who don't know, that is a huge savings. And the great thing about what we bought, was that the collection was about 10-15 years old. So, they had some trains in there that we had never seen.

Charlie plays with his trains a few times a week. And I have been looking for a train named "Charlie" since he became obsessed with them. Honestly, I thought it would be a lot easier. Thomas the Tank Engine is a British series and you can't get more British than the name Charlie. However, I didn't come across one until we were at Barnes and Noble the other day. I was VERY excited. If we ever give these trains away, I am sure we will keep this one. And maybe the Thomas one. And maybe the Gordon one. Who are we kidding? We are never getting rid of these trains. I like playing with them too much.

I Think She's Cold

2011-08-03T17:17:00.000-07:00

AJ's Ohio Trip (Part 1)

2011-08-03T11:26:00.000-07:00

Our good friends, Brittney, Brandon, Maddy and Lily, recently moved to Ohio. AJ and Maddy are the best of friends and it was hard for AJ when she left. As luck would have it, our family reunion was this summer, and also in Ohio. We decided that we would send AJ a few days early to visit with Maddy and family, and then he could meet up with my parents for the reunion. The biggest news was that it was AJ's first solo flight.

From all accounts, the visit went well. I don't have much to say about it since I wasn't there, but here are some pictures. Brittney was nice enough to take some portraits of AJ while he was there.

Thanks again to the Millers for having him. He had a great time!

I Wasn't The Only One Who Got A New Haircut

2011-08-02T15:33:00.001-07:00

We girls have to stick together.

On second thought, she looks ridiculous. If anyone asks, I've never seen her before.

2011-08-01T17:12:00.001-07:00

‎"Don't share needles!" (overheard at the yarn store today)

He Didn't Get This From Me. . .

2011-07-29T17:57:00.000-07:00

Charlie's Note of The Day:

Charlie was so funny today after eating snack. He said "Oh no, I think I ate too much sweets. Now I should eat vegetables."

New Hair

2011-07-29T16:37:00.000-07:00

Try not to be awed by the amazing professional looking picture.

2011-07-27T09:33:00.000-07:00

Charlie: "Good job cleaning my room, Mom. High five!"

Everyone Looks Cooler in 3-d Glasses

2011-07-26T10:21:00.000-07:00

AJ and I went to see the Green Lantern on the first day of my vacation. We got there a little early and had a lot of time on our hands.

Saturday Morning

2011-07-26T09:58:00.000-07:00

Aj's soccer team is going to Portugal in October. Because of this, there are a lot of car washes, raffles and concession sales. Last Saturday, they had a carwash at the local grocery store. I took my white car, which had been the victim of the recent haboob. (It's a word, look it up.) I have to say, it was great timing on the soccer club's part. They got a lot of business that day.

Charlie and I decided that waiting for the car to be washed would go a lot faster if he had a donut.

A New Generation, Part III

2011-07-26T09:56:00.001-07:00

This is Charlie and his best bud, Avery playing with an iPad. They are (with no help from us) looking at backboard-shattering basketball videos on YouTube.

A New Generation Part II

2011-07-26T09:53:00.000-07:00

Please notice the forgotten children's menu/activity page as Charlie plays with Shawn's iPhone.

A New Generation

2011-07-26T09:43:00.000-07:00

Instead of putting a pencil behind his ear, like Bob the Builder, Charlie chooses a stylus from my DS.

And Speaking of Baking. . .

2011-07-26T09:41:00.001-07:00

Charlie and I made some Playdough pizzas. You know you want some.

Making Cookies

2011-07-26T09:30:00.000-07:00

Charlie and I made some cookies the other day. I had recently read an article by Paula Dean that said you were suppose to cream butter and sugar TEN MINUTES. I had no idea. So, I wanted to try it and see if there was a difference. The cookies were really good. However, they didn't taste as homemade to me. But they did taste like they came from the bakery, which I guess is the point.

Nighttime Swim

2011-07-26T09:27:00.000-07:00

Making Herself At Home

2011-07-26T09:24:00.000-07:00

Look who I found when I was putting laundry away!

Water Balloons

2011-07-26T09:15:00.000-07:00

The last day of summer school, we had a water balloon toss. I had been filling up water balloons for a few days whenever I had gotten a chance. It wasn't really my activity, but water balloons never last as long as you think they are going to, so I wanted to have a few extra on hand. Water balloons are a pain in the butt to fill and I was not very good at filling them. Many a water balloon escaped while I was trying to fill it and sprayed me and some unsuspecting child that was standing next to me at the time. We would all laugh, and they would yell "Do it again!". I'm not sure they were really getting the point.

AJ volunteered to fill water balloons for me after I was complaining about it at home one night. He has a natural gift for it. He was able to finish about 20 in the time it took me to do 5. He, of course, saved some for himself and Charlie to play with. They had fun, I got my water balloons filled and everyone was occupied for a whole half an hour.

Summer School

2011-07-23T12:35:00.001-07:00

Teaching summer school was a really, really, fun experience. I loved having my own classroom (I co-taught with a classmate), and the kids were amazing. I learned a ton, and I am a better teacher now than I was when the four weeks started. It was a challenge to be under constant scrutiny. It was like a never ending job interview or a performance evaluation. The principal, the curriculum coordinator, my mentor teacher or the program coordinator could walk in at anytime and start taking notes. It was emotionally exhausting to be "on" all the time.

And you might want to sit down for this, but my two favorite subjects to teach are now science and math. I loved teaching math. Who knew? And I think because I struggled with math as a kid (and ok, if I'm being honest, a college student) I think I understood what needed to be shown or said for it to click. Of course I didn't get through to all the kids, but when you have kids who are bummed when math groups get cancelled for the day, you realize you might be on to something.

I also loved teaching science. We taught around the theme of water all summer. And we tried to incorporate the theme in all of our lessons. Of course science was probably the easiest.

One of the most fun lessons I have ever taught was about water filtration. We cut water bottles in two, inverted the top to make it a funnel, and then placed it in the bottom part of the bottle. Then we used rocks, cotton balls, and paper napkins as filtering material. I made the yucky water in front of the kids. I started with drinkable, clean water, and told a story about a giant flood that contaminates the water. We had dirt from the road, oil from a pipeline breaking, hay from a farm, leaves from trees and food coloring from the town dump. I let the kids figure out how to layer the materials, and we recorded their plan on the board. Then, we ran the dirty water through the filters. The kids did a great job. You would have been able to use water from 3 out of the 5 groups who did the experiment.

We had been told by our program graduates that we would want to quit during summer school. And you know what? I did. There was one week in there that I had to literally sit on my hands to keep from calling our coordinator and quitting the whole program. But I am so glad I stuck it out. As with most things in life, the hardest things have the most value.

I am now on a 2 week break until regular school starts. I will be student teaching in 3rd grade. I am looking forward to it and feel much more prepared than I did before summer school.

Patience

2011-07-23T12:30:00.000-07:00

Charlie: I want a puppy
Me: Maybe one day.
Charlie (excitedly): Monday?
Me: No, I said one day, not Monday.
Charlie (after pausing) Wednesday?

Fourth of July (In No Particular Order)

2011-07-21T13:43:00.001-07:00

For the Fourth of July we had the usual crew over for a cookout, swimming and fireworks. I had not really cooked in a long time due to school, so I had a blast making all the food. We had marinated chicken, and homemade strawberry ice cream with lemon pound cake. My friend Bretta (blue shirt) made a yummy salad with strawberries and spinach.

Although I paid for it later, I was glad I took a few days off and let myself enjoy the Fourth. We even had some great seats for fireworks. Our neighborhood puts them on each year. We all sat on the front sidewalk and watched. Then, because we live up against the desert, we saw about 6 more fireworks shows all around Phoenix, in the distance. This is the best Fourth of July house EVER.

Safety First

2011-07-21T13:41:00.001-07:00

2011-07-21T13:39:00.001-07:00

Ewwwwwww

2011-07-21T13:06:00.000-07:00

A Riddle: What can you catch with a dog catcher's noose, a net and a tranquilizer gun?

Answer: The ginormous big, fat, hairy, tarantula-looking spider that was in my garage this morning. The thing was as big as my fist. It was silhouetted against the open garage door. When a spider has a silhouette, I'm out.

I of course screamed like a girl and ran out the other door.

Are There Birth Announcements For Vegetables?

2011-06-20T19:00:00.001-07:00

My very first vegetable, in my very first vegetable garden.

New Play Dough

2011-06-20T18:59:00.001-07:00