Friday, December 19, 2008
Sunday, December 14, 2008
Which of Santa's Reindeer Am I?
You Are Donner |
 The most lovable and sweet reindeer, you're also a total dork! Why You're Naughty: You keep (accidentally) tripping the other reindeer while flying. Why You're Nice: You're always smiling, even if you've fallen flat on your horns. |
Friday, November 28, 2008
Saturday, November 22, 2008
Busy
I have been so busy with work this school year that I have set aside virtually no time to blog. But when I overhear students say things to eachother in the hall like:
"There is no way that Social Studies is an actual class. It's way too much fun."
Or, when a mom came to pick her son up early from my class yesterday and he complained, "Moooooom. Not yet! Five more minutes?!"
All the time and energy I've poured into my job is instantly made worthwhile!
"There is no way that Social Studies is an actual class. It's way too much fun."
Or, when a mom came to pick her son up early from my class yesterday and he complained, "Moooooom. Not yet! Five more minutes?!"
All the time and energy I've poured into my job is instantly made worthwhile!
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Friday, October 31, 2008
Sunday, September 21, 2008
The Next Survivor Series
SURVIVOR: Motherhood -
Outwit, Outplay, Outlast
Six married men will be dropped on an island with one car and 3 kids each for six weeks.
Each kid will play two sports and either take music or dance classes.
There is no fast food.
Each man must take care of his 3 kids; keep his assigned house clean, correct all homework, and complete science projects, cook, do laundry, and
pay a list of 'pretend' bills with not enough money.
In addition, each man will have to budget in money for groceries each week.
Each man must remember the birthdays of all their friends and relatives, and send cards out on time-- no emailing.
Each man must also take each child to a doctor's appointment, a dentist appointment and a haircut appointment.
He must make one unscheduled and inconvenient visit per child to the Urgent Care.
He must also make cookies or cupcakes for a social function.
Each man will be responsible for decorating his own assigned house, planting flowers outside and keeping it presentable at all times.
The men will only have access to television when the kids are asleep and all chores are done.
The men must shave their legs, wear makeup daily, adorn himself with jewelry, wear uncomfortable yet stylish shoes, keep fingernails polished and eyebrows groomed.
During one of the six weeks, the men will have to endure severe abdominal cramps, back aches, and have extreme, unexplained mood swings but never once complain or slow down from other duties.
They must attend weekly school meetings, church, and find time at least once to spend the afternoon at the park or a similar setting.
They will need to read a book to the kids each night and in the morning, feed them, dress them, brush their teeth and comb their hair by 7:00 am.
A test will be given at the end of the six weeks, and each father will be required to know all of the following information:
each child's birthday, height, weight, shoe size, clothes size and doctor's name. Also the child's weight at birth, length, time of birth, and length of labor, each child's favorite color, middle name, favorite snack, favorite song,
favorite drink, favorite toy, biggest fear and what they want to be when they grow up.
The kids vote them off the island based on performance. The last man wins only if...he still has enough energy to be intimate with his spouse at a moment's notice.
If the last man does win, he can play the game over and over and over again for the next 18-25 years eventually earning the right To be called Mother!
*thanks to Jessie for this!
Outwit, Outplay, Outlast
Six married men will be dropped on an island with one car and 3 kids each for six weeks.
Each kid will play two sports and either take music or dance classes.
There is no fast food.
Each man must take care of his 3 kids; keep his assigned house clean, correct all homework, and complete science projects, cook, do laundry, and
pay a list of 'pretend' bills with not enough money.
In addition, each man will have to budget in money for groceries each week.
Each man must remember the birthdays of all their friends and relatives, and send cards out on time-- no emailing.
Each man must also take each child to a doctor's appointment, a dentist appointment and a haircut appointment.
He must make one unscheduled and inconvenient visit per child to the Urgent Care.
He must also make cookies or cupcakes for a social function.
Each man will be responsible for decorating his own assigned house, planting flowers outside and keeping it presentable at all times.
The men will only have access to television when the kids are asleep and all chores are done.
The men must shave their legs, wear makeup daily, adorn himself with jewelry, wear uncomfortable yet stylish shoes, keep fingernails polished and eyebrows groomed.
During one of the six weeks, the men will have to endure severe abdominal cramps, back aches, and have extreme, unexplained mood swings but never once complain or slow down from other duties.
They must attend weekly school meetings, church, and find time at least once to spend the afternoon at the park or a similar setting.
They will need to read a book to the kids each night and in the morning, feed them, dress them, brush their teeth and comb their hair by 7:00 am.
A test will be given at the end of the six weeks, and each father will be required to know all of the following information:
each child's birthday, height, weight, shoe size, clothes size and doctor's name. Also the child's weight at birth, length, time of birth, and length of labor, each child's favorite color, middle name, favorite snack, favorite song,
favorite drink, favorite toy, biggest fear and what they want to be when they grow up.
The kids vote them off the island based on performance. The last man wins only if...he still has enough energy to be intimate with his spouse at a moment's notice.
If the last man does win, he can play the game over and over and over again for the next 18-25 years eventually earning the right To be called Mother!
*thanks to Jessie for this!
Thursday, September 11, 2008
Sunday, September 7, 2008
Hmmm...
I would say this is pretty right on. It's interesting that answering five questions about my bed are this telling!
What Your Bed Says About You |
 Outward appearances are a concern of yours, but not your primary concern. You try to take care of yourself and your home, but it's not an obsession. You are an organized and disciplined person. You do the right thing because you want to, not because people expect you to. You are very low maintenance. You tend to go with the flow, and you're easily pleased. In relationships, you tend to be quite dominant. You enjoy taking charge. You tend to be a dreamy, head in the clouds type of person. You think in terms of possibilities. You are a traveler. You are comfortable anywhere, and you rarely feel homesick. |
Sunday, August 31, 2008
First Days of School Pictures--3 years apart
2005
2008
(Although it looks like it, Benjamin really is not wearing the same shirt as he was in kindergarten...)
(Although it looks like it, Benjamin really is not wearing the same shirt as he was in kindergarten...)
Sunday, August 24, 2008
First days of school
On Friday, after a two full days of kindergarten, Matthew exclaimed,
"Tomorrow is the weekend?! I want it to be a school day! I looooove my school! I looooove my teacher! I want to go to school tomorrow!"
Now, Matty has had many experiences with preschool, and has never been enthusiastic about going. So, to hear him say these things about school is music to my ears! I hope he continues to always "loooooove" school this much!
"Tomorrow is the weekend?! I want it to be a school day! I looooove my school! I looooove my teacher! I want to go to school tomorrow!"
Now, Matty has had many experiences with preschool, and has never been enthusiastic about going. So, to hear him say these things about school is music to my ears! I hope he continues to always "loooooove" school this much!
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Back to School
This is such an exciting time around my house this year! About two weeks ago, Benjamin woke up proclaiming that he was ready to be back in school. Matthew is gearing up for his first year in "Big Boy School" and is super excited about finally being able to join Mommy and Big Brother instead of having to go to "Little School" (aka daycare) by himself.
I have very fond memories of the beginning of a new school year as a child. I always loved the brand new, waxy smelling, beautifully pointed crayons. And the whole box of unused, perfectly pink eraser tipped pencils. New school shoes that squeak on the linoleum of the school...everything so fresh and full of possibilities. I love reliving that with my own children.
Being a teacher, I have a different vantage point of a new school year, but with the same ripe excitement and enthusiasm. Brand new plan book, clean desks, and a blank walled classroom, full of possibilities. I love meeting my kids on the first day, as they walk slowly around the classroom, gazing at everything, trying to envision their upcoming school days.
I am truly looking forward to this school year!
I have very fond memories of the beginning of a new school year as a child. I always loved the brand new, waxy smelling, beautifully pointed crayons. And the whole box of unused, perfectly pink eraser tipped pencils. New school shoes that squeak on the linoleum of the school...everything so fresh and full of possibilities. I love reliving that with my own children.
Being a teacher, I have a different vantage point of a new school year, but with the same ripe excitement and enthusiasm. Brand new plan book, clean desks, and a blank walled classroom, full of possibilities. I love meeting my kids on the first day, as they walk slowly around the classroom, gazing at everything, trying to envision their upcoming school days.
I am truly looking forward to this school year!
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Benjamin the Photographer
Benjamin took my camera outside today to capture some of the beautiful nature in our backyard.
Water in a wagon
Thursday, July 24, 2008
You know you're a child of the 80's if...
You used to wear acid washed jeans.
You owned a Rubik's Cube.
You were obsessed with Pacman.
You remember people who had a Betamax VCR.
You watched MTV when it still was mostly music videos.
You remember when people thought you could get AIDS from mosquitos.
You owned an original Nintendo, complete with the Duck Hunt gun.
You watched the Olsen twins on Full House before they were tabloid material.
You loved E.T. and ate Reese's Pieces all the time.
You owned some Garbage Pail Kids cards.
Your mom used to wear shoulder pads.
You thought Thriller was the most awesome song (and video!) ever.
You met up with all your friends to go roller skating.
You saw Ghostbusters in the movie theater.
You remember Madonna when she when she was still pretty trashy.
The Cosbys were practically your second family.
You "adopted" one of the Pound Puppies.
Top Gun made you want to be a fighter pilot... or marry one.
You remember the first cassette tape you bought.
You played the original Trivial Pursuit.
You used to use gel in your hair.
You worried about acid rain.
---------
I found this on blogthings.com, under one of their many self-tests and I couldn't believe that I actually met all of these criteria!
You owned a Rubik's Cube.
You were obsessed with Pacman.
You remember people who had a Betamax VCR.
You watched MTV when it still was mostly music videos.
You remember when people thought you could get AIDS from mosquitos.
You owned an original Nintendo, complete with the Duck Hunt gun.
You watched the Olsen twins on Full House before they were tabloid material.
You loved E.T. and ate Reese's Pieces all the time.
You owned some Garbage Pail Kids cards.
Your mom used to wear shoulder pads.
You thought Thriller was the most awesome song (and video!) ever.
You met up with all your friends to go roller skating.
You saw Ghostbusters in the movie theater.
You remember Madonna when she when she was still pretty trashy.
The Cosbys were practically your second family.
You "adopted" one of the Pound Puppies.
Top Gun made you want to be a fighter pilot... or marry one.
You remember the first cassette tape you bought.
You played the original Trivial Pursuit.
You used to use gel in your hair.
You worried about acid rain.
---------
I found this on blogthings.com, under one of their many self-tests and I couldn't believe that I actually met all of these criteria!
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Life with boys
If I am going to get through my boys growing years, I realized the other day that I am going to need to toughen up.
On Wednesday we were having a play date at a friend's house. Being the cautious parent I think I am, Benjamin and Matthew were slathered with sunscreen and bug spray, and I sent them off to play in the backyard with their friend as I hung out with my own mommy friend, Jennifer. The boys had a blast playing outside in the woods and on the new outdoor play set of our friends. After several hours when we were preparing to go, I sent Benjamin out to retrieve the toys they had been playing with. A couple minutes later, Benjamin rushed into the house, explaining that there was a snake in the club house. At first, I thought it was a joke-Benjamin is at the age where he likes to see my reaction to such news, so at first I didn't take him seriously. We all trudged outside to see the alleged snake and low and behold, there it was, in the corner of the playhouse WHERE MY KIDS HAD BEEN PLAYING! When Benjamin had picked up the toys minutes earlier he discovered the snake underneath, just centimeters from his hands. I felt dizzy at the thought. My friend Jennifer, a native of North Carolina, assured me that it was a non-poisonous black snake. Apparently that is a good thing--the people of North Carolina value the black snake and it's ability to keep away rodents from their homes. And since it wasn't a huge snake, she said that even if the boys had been bitten, it would have only felt like a small pinch. However, that was not exactly reassuring for me to hear. I had another dizzy/faint feeling upon hearing this information and knowing that our kids were in the close proximity of a snake that could have bitten them.
Upon arriving home, we decided that after playing in the hot sun (and with snakes), we would get ready to go to the pool. As I was preparing the pool bag and dressing myself, the boys were playing in Benjamin's room. I could hear them laughing and the occasional thump coming from upstairs. I did what I swore I'd never do before kids (yet I do it all the time), I yelled through the house from downstairs, "Don't jump on the bed!" After a couple minutes of quiet, a blood-curdling scream emerged from upstairs. When you hear your child cry out like that, in the millisecond it takes you to realize that there is something seriously wrong and that this is not minor cry or a fake-attention-getting cry, it's utterly terrifying. I rushed toward the stairs--in slow motion of course, because for some reason in those moments, every movement seems to take forever, and you cannot seem to get to your child fast enough--and stood at the bottom. I looked up in horror to see Matthew's hands cupped underneath his mouth, which was full of blood and Benjamin staring at me in shock. I screamed (something I am not proud to admit), "WHAT HAPPENED!!!" Benjamin tried to explain, as I rushed Matthew into the bathroom, that they had been playing some sort of game (still on the bed) and Matthew had fallen forward and landed on a paperback Harry Potter book. Yes, a paperback book. No, not a bookshelf as my husband thought I meant when I spoke to him later, but a simple paperback book. And what caused all the blood was the fact that this book dislodged Matthew's second upper tooth, the one that was just starting to get the slightest bit wiggly, but was by no means ready to come out. Somehow in the midst of all of that, Matthew had managed to retrieve the tooth and opened his hand to give it to me as Benjamin explained. I sat there on the toilet, holding a wad of toilet paper in Matthew's mouth, trying to sop up the blood. My heart rate slowly began to return to normal when I realized it was nothing more than a tooth lost. I managed to put on a brave face for Matthew, despite still feeling shaken, so that he would not react to me freaking out and told him how cool it was that no one would have to pull that tooth out now and that the tooth fairy would get to visit again. After the bleeding had finally stopped and his mouth was rinsed out, I sent them to the car so we could go to the pool and realized that I was shaking.
On my way to the pool I felt exhausted, as if I'd just exerted myself, which I guess I kind of had. I couldn't help thinking that after the events of the day, maybe we shouldn't be going to the pool. Maybe we should just stay home and try to keep away from anything possibly dangerous. But everything turned out fine, there were no scares or emergencies, and we all enjoyed the cool, calm waters of the swimming pool. The margarita I enjoyed later that evening was also helpful in calming my frazzled nerves!
On Wednesday we were having a play date at a friend's house. Being the cautious parent I think I am, Benjamin and Matthew were slathered with sunscreen and bug spray, and I sent them off to play in the backyard with their friend as I hung out with my own mommy friend, Jennifer. The boys had a blast playing outside in the woods and on the new outdoor play set of our friends. After several hours when we were preparing to go, I sent Benjamin out to retrieve the toys they had been playing with. A couple minutes later, Benjamin rushed into the house, explaining that there was a snake in the club house. At first, I thought it was a joke-Benjamin is at the age where he likes to see my reaction to such news, so at first I didn't take him seriously. We all trudged outside to see the alleged snake and low and behold, there it was, in the corner of the playhouse WHERE MY KIDS HAD BEEN PLAYING! When Benjamin had picked up the toys minutes earlier he discovered the snake underneath, just centimeters from his hands. I felt dizzy at the thought. My friend Jennifer, a native of North Carolina, assured me that it was a non-poisonous black snake. Apparently that is a good thing--the people of North Carolina value the black snake and it's ability to keep away rodents from their homes. And since it wasn't a huge snake, she said that even if the boys had been bitten, it would have only felt like a small pinch. However, that was not exactly reassuring for me to hear. I had another dizzy/faint feeling upon hearing this information and knowing that our kids were in the close proximity of a snake that could have bitten them.
Upon arriving home, we decided that after playing in the hot sun (and with snakes), we would get ready to go to the pool. As I was preparing the pool bag and dressing myself, the boys were playing in Benjamin's room. I could hear them laughing and the occasional thump coming from upstairs. I did what I swore I'd never do before kids (yet I do it all the time), I yelled through the house from downstairs, "Don't jump on the bed!" After a couple minutes of quiet, a blood-curdling scream emerged from upstairs. When you hear your child cry out like that, in the millisecond it takes you to realize that there is something seriously wrong and that this is not minor cry or a fake-attention-getting cry, it's utterly terrifying. I rushed toward the stairs--in slow motion of course, because for some reason in those moments, every movement seems to take forever, and you cannot seem to get to your child fast enough--and stood at the bottom. I looked up in horror to see Matthew's hands cupped underneath his mouth, which was full of blood and Benjamin staring at me in shock. I screamed (something I am not proud to admit), "WHAT HAPPENED!!!" Benjamin tried to explain, as I rushed Matthew into the bathroom, that they had been playing some sort of game (still on the bed) and Matthew had fallen forward and landed on a paperback Harry Potter book. Yes, a paperback book. No, not a bookshelf as my husband thought I meant when I spoke to him later, but a simple paperback book. And what caused all the blood was the fact that this book dislodged Matthew's second upper tooth, the one that was just starting to get the slightest bit wiggly, but was by no means ready to come out. Somehow in the midst of all of that, Matthew had managed to retrieve the tooth and opened his hand to give it to me as Benjamin explained. I sat there on the toilet, holding a wad of toilet paper in Matthew's mouth, trying to sop up the blood. My heart rate slowly began to return to normal when I realized it was nothing more than a tooth lost. I managed to put on a brave face for Matthew, despite still feeling shaken, so that he would not react to me freaking out and told him how cool it was that no one would have to pull that tooth out now and that the tooth fairy would get to visit again. After the bleeding had finally stopped and his mouth was rinsed out, I sent them to the car so we could go to the pool and realized that I was shaking.
On my way to the pool I felt exhausted, as if I'd just exerted myself, which I guess I kind of had. I couldn't help thinking that after the events of the day, maybe we shouldn't be going to the pool. Maybe we should just stay home and try to keep away from anything possibly dangerous. But everything turned out fine, there were no scares or emergencies, and we all enjoyed the cool, calm waters of the swimming pool. The margarita I enjoyed later that evening was also helpful in calming my frazzled nerves!
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Protein Smoothie
I have been experimenting with making a good tasting protein smoothie and I think I finally came up with one that I can actually drink without gagging! I love it because it tastes good and because it keeps me full well into the afternoon. Here is the recipe:
1 cup Dannon Light & Fit vanilla yogurt
1 cup frozen fruit of choice (frozen cherries are my fav.)
1/2 cup sugar free kool-aid or crystal light of choice (I use grape sugar free kool-aid)
1 scoop whey protein
Blend and enjoy!
Calories: 240
Fat: 2
Carbs: 29
Fiber: 3
Protein: 33
1 cup Dannon Light & Fit vanilla yogurt
1 cup frozen fruit of choice (frozen cherries are my fav.)
1/2 cup sugar free kool-aid or crystal light of choice (I use grape sugar free kool-aid)
1 scoop whey protein
Blend and enjoy!
Calories: 240
Fat: 2
Carbs: 29
Fiber: 3
Protein: 33
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Can you decipher this?
Matthew likes to sit beside me and do his "work" on the computer next to me when I am on the computer. Today he typed up the following sentences:
I luv mi mom
I luv bruther
I luv mi dad
I lic trans
I lic casls
I lic thu gras
I love chocolate milk
I want mi new techr
I lic mi cinpeoodr
I lic mi spreclr
I dont luv thu weds
Can you guess which one I helped on?! I will give bonus points to those of you who can figure out the last 3 sentences!
I luv mi mom
I luv bruther
I luv mi dad
I lic trans
I lic casls
I lic thu gras
I love chocolate milk
I want mi new techr
I lic mi cinpeoodr
I lic mi spreclr
I dont luv thu weds
Can you guess which one I helped on?! I will give bonus points to those of you who can figure out the last 3 sentences!
Sunday, July 6, 2008
Charleston, SC
Folly Beach
Downtown Charleston
Charleston Harbor
Our
"Castle"
Hotel
Charleston is full of beauty and history. Our hotel was right in the heart of downtown and we were able to walk everywhere. The food was delicious, the people were gracious and charming, the weather was perfect, the ocean was warm...we had a fabulous time!
Saturday, June 28, 2008
Thank you letter to the tooth fairy
Matthew lost his top right tooth last night. This morning I came downstairs to find that Matthew had written a letter to thank the tooth fairy, with a little help from his big brother!
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