Things heard on a snow day
YES! (mom and kiddos)
Can we have pancakes? (Sure)
Can we stay in our pajamas all day? (Sounds good to me!)
When are we going out in the snow? (Later)
Can we watch a movie/play Wii/play DS? (First pick up your toys)
Please pick up your toys.
Pick up your toys!
Can we make cookies?(Later)
The sound of kiddos playing (joy to mom's ears)
The sound of kiddos fighting (not so much joy)
Can I help make cookies? (Sure)
Are the cookies done yet?
Are the cookies done yet?
Are the cookies done yet?
These are the best cookies ever!
Let's go outside!
Where are my boots/mittens/snowpants?
You need pants under your snow pants!
Who wants to be sacked? (Not me!)
I love the snow!
I'm cold, can we go in? (Yes, please)
Can I have another cookie?
Can I have another cookie?
Can I have another cookie?
Can I have another cookie?
I love you, Momma. (Me, too)
Things accomplished during the snow day
5 loads of laundry, folded and put away, for the most part
1 bathroom cleaned
1 batch of homemade pancakes
5 dozen star cookies baked
1 pot roast cooked in Crock pot
3 people's Amazon wish lists examined
4 items added to my Amazon wish list (including a new crock pot)
1 Thank you note written for the wonderful oranges from Texas
2 Christmas specials (The Charlie Brown Special, A Christmas Story, my favorites!) okay those were yesterday, but it was snowing!
1 Test review for my 6th grade math students
Untold Facebook checks
Things not accomplished
The test for 6th grade math
Bills
Ironing
The kitchen floor mopping
Wednesday, December 9, 2009
Friday, December 4, 2009
My friend, Tammie
I lost a friend this week. Tammie left this world to join her Lord and Savior. She will be missed.
Tammie was the E.A in my classroom the year I taught 2nd and 3rd grade special education at Jolley school. I loved working with her. I would have an idea for a bulletin board or some such thing and she would start fiddling. Before I knew, she would have the board done much better than I had imagined it. She had high expectations for the students and dealt well with my lack of long term lesson plans. I thought we worked extremely well together, if she thought any different she never told me!
Tammie regularly went above what was expected. In addition to the small groups she taught, Tammie worked one on one with a couple of my higher need students. I was amazed at the growth they made that year. And then there were the girls, two sisters who regularly attended school in dirty, ill-fitting clothing. First Tammie brought in clothing from the civic for them, then she started picking up clothes for them when she would be shopping for her own children. Every day she would be sure the girls were clean and school appropriate.
Tammie was happily married to Randy, the man of her dreams. She never complained about him after more than 20 years of marriage. Of course he made her coffee every morning, who doesn't love a man who does that! They had four children. Two Tammie gave birth to, and two they adopted through foster care. Their second daughter died when she was four. Tammie talked of her often. Tammie survived what most of us can't fathom and was still a loving and funny person.
Among other things, Tammie and I shared a love for snow, especially big fluffy flakes when we were snug at home. One day, I saw it was snowing. Tammie and I went over to the window. I commented on the large flakes. Tammie said, "Come on God, you can do better than that." Within two minutes the dime sized snow flakes became quarter sized. I've never seen snow flakes that large. I told her I wasn't praying anymore, from then on I was telling her my prayers because she obviously had a direct line to God. Made sense to me, lose one child and provide a safe and loving home to two who started out with crappy parents, you deserve a direct line.
We only worked together that one year, budgets changed and I found myself teaching at the middle school, for the fist time without an EA in the room. Last November Tammie was diagnosed with brain cancer, she was told she had six weeks to live. She fought for over a year. She died on Tuesday. I'm not going to lie, I'm struggling with it. I don't understand why she, who gave so much, who had lost her daughter, was stricken with cancer. I believe in a loving God, but I don't understand God. I know the last couple months were hard, and I know she was ready to meet Jesus, but I hate that those three children, a daughter in her early 20s, a son in 7th grade and a daughter in 4th, have lost their mother.
What I'm really trying to say is give your kids a hug, appreciate the little joys in life, like snowflakes, and say a prayer for Tammie's family. God bless us everyone.
Tammie was the E.A in my classroom the year I taught 2nd and 3rd grade special education at Jolley school. I loved working with her. I would have an idea for a bulletin board or some such thing and she would start fiddling. Before I knew, she would have the board done much better than I had imagined it. She had high expectations for the students and dealt well with my lack of long term lesson plans. I thought we worked extremely well together, if she thought any different she never told me!
Tammie regularly went above what was expected. In addition to the small groups she taught, Tammie worked one on one with a couple of my higher need students. I was amazed at the growth they made that year. And then there were the girls, two sisters who regularly attended school in dirty, ill-fitting clothing. First Tammie brought in clothing from the civic for them, then she started picking up clothes for them when she would be shopping for her own children. Every day she would be sure the girls were clean and school appropriate.
Tammie was happily married to Randy, the man of her dreams. She never complained about him after more than 20 years of marriage. Of course he made her coffee every morning, who doesn't love a man who does that! They had four children. Two Tammie gave birth to, and two they adopted through foster care. Their second daughter died when she was four. Tammie talked of her often. Tammie survived what most of us can't fathom and was still a loving and funny person.
Among other things, Tammie and I shared a love for snow, especially big fluffy flakes when we were snug at home. One day, I saw it was snowing. Tammie and I went over to the window. I commented on the large flakes. Tammie said, "Come on God, you can do better than that." Within two minutes the dime sized snow flakes became quarter sized. I've never seen snow flakes that large. I told her I wasn't praying anymore, from then on I was telling her my prayers because she obviously had a direct line to God. Made sense to me, lose one child and provide a safe and loving home to two who started out with crappy parents, you deserve a direct line.
We only worked together that one year, budgets changed and I found myself teaching at the middle school, for the fist time without an EA in the room. Last November Tammie was diagnosed with brain cancer, she was told she had six weeks to live. She fought for over a year. She died on Tuesday. I'm not going to lie, I'm struggling with it. I don't understand why she, who gave so much, who had lost her daughter, was stricken with cancer. I believe in a loving God, but I don't understand God. I know the last couple months were hard, and I know she was ready to meet Jesus, but I hate that those three children, a daughter in her early 20s, a son in 7th grade and a daughter in 4th, have lost their mother.
What I'm really trying to say is give your kids a hug, appreciate the little joys in life, like snowflakes, and say a prayer for Tammie's family. God bless us everyone.
Friday, September 25, 2009
To blog or not to blog
As you can see, I started this blog in July and I have published a grand total of two posts. Oh my. I think about posting, I write posts in my head, I've even got a couple drafts started, but that's about as far as it gets. Why, why am I not writing? I can come up with many excuses, I'm sure anyone out there could guess the main one. No time. But if I'm honest with myself, there is time. I'm busy, of course I'm busy. I have two kids, a husband and a full time job teaching middle school students. That all keeps me busy. But I have time to read. If I make it a priority there is time to write and read.
I'm not writing because I'm scared. I'm one of those goofy perfectionists who is so worried I'm not going to do it right, I don't even start.
I'm also scared of putting myself out there. I don't expect to become one of the big name bloggers, but what if I blog something and somebody starts an argument. I hate confrontation. I started a small one one my Facebook account about healthcare. I don't argue well, I see my point and I want everyone else to see it as well. I often can see the other person's perspective to a degree, but I can't understand how they could really believe that healthcare reform shouldn't happen and happen soon?
I'm also scared of being ignored. I have no idea how to develop a readership, but I want people to follow me. Both because I think I have some interesting things to say, but also to get other's perspectives. As long as they aren't far from mine.
But I'm going to start blogging regularly now. Really, I am.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
A Lazy Sunday
We didn't go to church this morning. That's pretty unusual at our house. I don't think you have to go to church to get into heaven or anything. I don't think they take attendance. But I really like listening to our minister, he is really good. And it's just the routine around here. But our service was combined this morning with another church about 15 minutes away and we just didn't feel like going. Okay, I didn't feel like going. Jim goes to church most Sundays with me because it make me happy and because it's much easier for me to convince the guys to go if Jim is going too. So when I told him last week I didn't want to go to the special service, he didn't argue.
It was a nice day. The guys took every pillow, and I mean every pillow, in the house and stocked our bedroom with them. There was basically no open floor in there. They had forts and crawl space and everything.
I got to watch Sunday morning on CBS, the whole show without worrying about being late for church. I love that show. I had coffee in a real cup, not my travel mug. I love real cups of coffee. It was a truly lovely morning.
Then we had to clean up, not so lovely.
It was a nice day. The guys took every pillow, and I mean every pillow, in the house and stocked our bedroom with them. There was basically no open floor in there. They had forts and crawl space and everything.
I got to watch Sunday morning on CBS, the whole show without worrying about being late for church. I love that show. I had coffee in a real cup, not my travel mug. I love real cups of coffee. It was a truly lovely morning.
Then we had to clean up, not so lovely.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Garage Sale
We are having a garage sale. I am not a big fan. At 33, this will be my first garage sale. It just always seems like more work than it’s worth. But Flylady, who hates garage sales, had a bit about helping your kids have a garbage sale, oops, garage sale, to teach them about money, and also to declutter. Then my almost 8 year old brought it up, I don’t know where he came up with the idea, but he has been obsessed about money lately. (Side note, we don’t currently give the guys an allowance, I’ve been thinking about changing that but have no idea how much to give, or where that money will come from.) Anyhoo, Jon came to me in the middle of June with his idea to have a garage sale. I was in the midst of an intense class so I told him we would in July. And look here, it seems to be July already. How did that happen?
So, we have been going through toys. It’s been harder than I’d anticipated. There are toys Jon is ready to sale, which I am not. Five-year-old Joey is more likely to want to keep most things. We’ve gotten a good-sized pile, but we are still debating a few things, namely the Little People collection. We have the LP barn from seven years ago. It was a gift from a couple of my sisters on Jon’s first birthday. He loved when I would turn the knob that would throw the farmer out of his bed. Jon would giggle every time. We also have the pirate ship, Noah’s Ark, the bus, and plenty of Little People and animals. Packed away in the Christmas décor box, is the Nativity Set. We all know that’s not going anywhere! The guys have not played with the LP toys regularly in a couple years, but I often get them out when we have younger guests. And I just love them.
But I know it’s not only the toys I’m having trouble giving up. It’s also my boys’ childhoods that are slipping away. In five weeks, Joey will go to kindergarten and I will no longer have a preschooler, let alone a toddler or a baby. I loved being the mom of little ones. I know there were struggles and I certainly remember them, but it was worth it, it really was. Looking at the Little People reminds me of those days. There have been a lot of toys I’ve let the guys put in the garage sale pile that remind me of those years. I look at the stuffed Diego and I don’t see fabric and stuffing, I see Jon playing with his favorite character. The Cars toys bring back birthday parties and seeing the movie. My sisters wanted to see it too, so we had two little kids and six adults in the theater. The penguin toys remind me of Joey dancing his Happy Feet dance. I let those toys go. I have the memories and the pictures; I don’t need the toys clogging up my house. But I’m holding on to the Little People.
There’s another reason I’m holding on to the Little People toys. Unlike the Tonka truck or the Hyper ship that I tripped over for years, the Little People toys are relatively gender neutral. What if we do have a little girl? What if I give away, or sale, all my toys and I finally get pregnant? We’ve only been trying for three years. It’s not completely out of the question yet. Jim tossed the crib a couple years ago, it was in tough shape, and my sisters have used all my baby clothes for their little boys. And if we do have another baby, he or she will have their own Christmases and birthdays to get all sorts of new toys for me to trip on. But you can’t buy that Little People Barn anymore. They’ve revised it several times, but the one we have is the coolest, by far. And the pirate ship isn’t even available. I’m keeping my Little People!
So, we have been going through toys. It’s been harder than I’d anticipated. There are toys Jon is ready to sale, which I am not. Five-year-old Joey is more likely to want to keep most things. We’ve gotten a good-sized pile, but we are still debating a few things, namely the Little People collection. We have the LP barn from seven years ago. It was a gift from a couple of my sisters on Jon’s first birthday. He loved when I would turn the knob that would throw the farmer out of his bed. Jon would giggle every time. We also have the pirate ship, Noah’s Ark, the bus, and plenty of Little People and animals. Packed away in the Christmas décor box, is the Nativity Set. We all know that’s not going anywhere! The guys have not played with the LP toys regularly in a couple years, but I often get them out when we have younger guests. And I just love them.
But I know it’s not only the toys I’m having trouble giving up. It’s also my boys’ childhoods that are slipping away. In five weeks, Joey will go to kindergarten and I will no longer have a preschooler, let alone a toddler or a baby. I loved being the mom of little ones. I know there were struggles and I certainly remember them, but it was worth it, it really was. Looking at the Little People reminds me of those days. There have been a lot of toys I’ve let the guys put in the garage sale pile that remind me of those years. I look at the stuffed Diego and I don’t see fabric and stuffing, I see Jon playing with his favorite character. The Cars toys bring back birthday parties and seeing the movie. My sisters wanted to see it too, so we had two little kids and six adults in the theater. The penguin toys remind me of Joey dancing his Happy Feet dance. I let those toys go. I have the memories and the pictures; I don’t need the toys clogging up my house. But I’m holding on to the Little People.
There’s another reason I’m holding on to the Little People toys. Unlike the Tonka truck or the Hyper ship that I tripped over for years, the Little People toys are relatively gender neutral. What if we do have a little girl? What if I give away, or sale, all my toys and I finally get pregnant? We’ve only been trying for three years. It’s not completely out of the question yet. Jim tossed the crib a couple years ago, it was in tough shape, and my sisters have used all my baby clothes for their little boys. And if we do have another baby, he or she will have their own Christmases and birthdays to get all sorts of new toys for me to trip on. But you can’t buy that Little People Barn anymore. They’ve revised it several times, but the one we have is the coolest, by far. And the pirate ship isn’t even available. I’m keeping my Little People!
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