Friday, August 24, 2012

The Un- Picture Perfect Family

The "My Husband Wishes He Were With the Other Family" Pose


The "Unnatural Baby Body Twist" Pose





The "Honey You are so Charming, Let Me Place My (Unusually Small) Hand On Your Arm" Pose


The "My Son Really Should Have Worn Nice Shoes" Pose


The "Showing Unglamorous Bra Strap" Pose

The "Only Natural Smile is Mom Staring into Space and Dreaming of Johnny Depp" Pose 
(take me away Johnny)




The "My Hair is a Mess" Pose 
(how embarrassing)

Saturday, August 18, 2012

Week in Review

5 Month Photos- 
Wow Lookie!  Carlee is crying, who can believe it?

First Grader

Dad gets to have all the fun!

Water Fight

Apparently, jokes on popsicles sticks are funny and all, buttttt

homemade jokes are even better.  Connor wrote this joke on the back:
(stop me if you've heard this one)

"Who do snakes want to date?  Connor"

Happy Birthday to Darren!!! 

Surprise!  

We got a new pretty aunt and cousin..Uncle G. eloped- those sneaky devils! 

Meeting new Delaware cousin.
I couldn't agree more baby L. , Carlee is a cry baby!

Connor has FINALLY found a captive audience for his snake stories.
The rest of us tune him out after 30 minutes but Carlee just hangs onto every word!

Back to School

Who Moved My Cheese Puffs?

This week has been full of challenges and blessings.  I have officially completed a full week of school!  I have spent all day trying to organize the house back so we can do it all over again next week.   I've been cleaning out teacher bags, book bags, church bags, and diaper bags.  I've ran the dishwasher TWICE.   I think the laundry is reproducing.  Also, writing in after school appointments, school deadlines, etc.  I need a weekend for my weekend.  

All I can tell you is this year my cheese is being moved.  My cheese is not only being moved it is being moved, processed, and mixed with enriched corn meal, ferrous sulfate, niacin, thiamin, etc.. My cheese is cheese puffs!



Cheese Movement #1:  I have moved my house my classroom into a larger room where I will be working and collaborating with three other specialist.  It was no easy job!

Before school whenever I would get overwhelmed I would just go to my desk to tape something.  You want to know why? Because a family at church bought me this......



Do they know me or what?  I've been so excited to TAPE things.  (I got to decorate my shoe tape with stick on jewels.  I was in heaven.)  
I have read and reread the note.  Encouragement goes a long way.



Operation New Room was Accomplished-





The students are certainly enjoying it-
Reading

Reward for hard work- OT swing..fun!

Side Door= Beautiful Reading Day

                  read and recall







writing and leading

Cheese Movement #2:  I have a baby now.  That may be a simple five word sentence but let me tell you something.......  I'm having to pee while writing this blog while she naps for her fifteen seconds.

Princess is unhappy...again.


Cheese Movement #3: Mrs. E. is taking a leave.  Hurry Back Mrs. E- we are going to miss you!

Cheese Movement #4:  My son is in first grade.  Do you know what that means?  It means long spelling tests, my baby has to spell words from memory!?!  harder books, math WORD problems, lions, tigers, and bears...oh my!
Our conversation the first day of school:
me: do you want me to walk you to class sweetie?
c: nah
me: are you sure, I mean I can walk you, it will be no problem.  I can walk you real quick.
c: no, its ok, I know where to go.
me:  its the first day, are you sure you don't want me to walk you?
c: bye
me: ok, love you, have a great day. its going to be great.  all is going to be ok.  you’ll be fine....(I stop talking to myself, Connor is long gone).

(There is a reason Connor isn’t a jealous brother, he is most likely relieved I’m preoccupied.)

Mrs. N. has books that speak to boys also!  REPTILES
He couldn't spell one of these on Monday pretest I gave! so proud.


Cheese Movement #5:  I’m teaching T&Ts at church.   I opted to move up classes as opposed to teaching Connor.  I think we have established he is sick of me.   I was a little nervous until we had our first Awana meeting and I saw the list.....


...then I became frantic. Do you see all those little 'T&T's' words?  Count them- 22 TWEENS (to start)!  Don’t get me wrong I am the original DRAMA  TWEEN (I never out grew it), but do I have what it takes to grow this group spiritually?  get them excited about God?  become independent learners?  deal with flirtations!?!  Then I remember that Jesus performs amazing miracles.  For example, He did turn water to wine!  So I know Jesus will either guide me in the way to teach these children or turn my water bottle to wine- its a win- win!  I love being a believer.



So there you have it...my cheese is now Cheese Puffs.  The good thing is I never met a Cheese Puff I couldn’t eat! (Does that sound inspirational or weird?)  The point is I plan on cutting my cheese.....wait,  I mean, I plan on being a human mouse trap...tackling my cheese challenges.....  oh never mind.









Healthy Living Experiment

I know that diet sodas are bad, bad, bad...but I've been drinking the REAL sodas for 34 years. 
Switching to diet is helping me slowly reduce my sugar intake.



when cravings are too much, I eat a tbsp of p.b.




view from morning walking


view II
when I have time, a walk helps me relieve so much stress


dinner + nachos= portion control
filled a small platter and no more


Resisted Darren's two birthday cakes all weekend.
The old me would have cleared half a cake at this point.


New daily lunch-
spinach leaves, chicken, mushrooms, 2 tbsp of blue cheese dressing,
tomatoes, almonds, eggs, olives, and 1 tbsp of cranberries



Down 10 pounds!

Sunday, August 12, 2012

Happy 5 Months Carlee

Happy 5 Months Carlee



-Lots of drool but no teeth yet (we will put up with all the wet bibs for the love of the toothless grin).

-Still very fussy after feedings, even with special formula and medications.  Looking forward to days of NO FORMULA.

-Enjoying all of your new expressions (I see a toddler in you).

-I don’t want to say your a bit of a spoiled princess, but you know what you want and if you can’t get it we can hear your screams for miles.  You also bow your body in the most dramatic fashion that would make Shakespeare proud.  (Strong willed child #2 anyone???) 

-It is easy to make you laugh, gurgle, and squeal.  Listening to you laugh is my favorite pastime.

-You are major pushing up- perhaps closer to crawling.  You get VERY ticked when you can’t move forward or we put you in a chair for too long.






-You can now independently reach and grab (and taste test) things (anything could go in your mouth) including my hair.

-You are starting to develop a degree of cause and effect.  Peek a Boo is so much more fun than before when I uncovered my eyes and you were staring at the ceiling fan, game forgotten.

-You are currently taste testing rice, green beans, and sweet potatoes (enjoy rice the most).

-Not quite an independent sitter or independent bottle holder but very close (you fake the bottle holding but when I let go-  Bottle Down, Bottle Down!!!).  


-You are the most special girl to us Carlee Anne!



Saturday, August 11, 2012

Scenes from Saturdays

Let's have 6AM playtime!


Cinnamon Rolls


Bacon


ALF


Breakfast Smoothie


Chair BY Connor

                                      

Chow down time!


Time to wake up brother....



She is either saying 'I'm number one' or 'back off'...not sure.



Pink Crocs help with training for the Olympic Crawlathon.



Starting them young  (the helmet was his idea).

Shoe Shopping




Connor wanted to get Carlee a matching pair.  (I adore baby shoes but why do they have the cost the same as adult shoes!?!)




We went to lunch and this was the size of our individual drinks!?!
Connor was thrilled until we removed his drink after he sucked down half a gallon.


I LOVE days off!