The Scoop

Birthday Wishes

2012-01-21T11:11:00.000-08:00

Thursday was Kyla's 18th birthday. The day I had been dreading since she proclaimed her intention to move out and try life on her own. We planned a little party for her with family and a few of her friends. A pizza party, just like she had for her first birthday. On Saturday I was sitting right here on my computer checking my email when Kyla came down from her room and said to me,
"How are you doing?"
"I'm OK." I said. "I am pretty sad about how the Saints lost their game to those awful 49ers."
"Well," she said, "Maybe I can cheer you up. I decided not to move out. I think I am just not ready to be on my own."
At those words my heart soared. I jumped up and hugged her and couldn't stop smiling. I actually was torn between dropping to my knees to pray in thanksgiving to God and jumping around hooting and hollering like a crazy person. So much weight and worry was lifted from me.

So on Thursday we had the little party. I made white cupcakes with raspberry filling and whipped cream frosting with a fresh raspberry on top. We ate pizza and visited and she opened her presents... a pair of Bailey Button Uggs from us and money from everyone else.
And it just feels so wonderful to know that for now she still lives here with us where we can see her sweet face every day. Where I can hear about her day and ask about her classes. Where I can barge into her room to look for my tweezers or hairspray that have gone missing from my drawer. Where she can tell me about the rude mom who yelled at the girl at work because she couldn't set up early for her kid's birthday party. Where I can read over her debate text and give her advice on it even if it irritates her. Where I can hug her.

I am so thankful for having the gift of being the mom to this stubborn, beautiful, independent 18 year old girl. And, I wish for her every happiness that the world can bring. I want her restless heart to travel to far away places and meet new people. I want her to find a career that she is passionate about. I want her to fall in love with a man who she can build a life with... one who is loyal and caring and makes her heart go pitter patter after 20 years of marriage. I want her to experience the wonder of being a mother.. to have her heart broken open by that love so pure it can endure almost anything. And, most of all, I want her to understand, down deep in her heart, that all of these wonderful gifts were given to her by God who loves her so perfectly that she does not have to hide any part of herself from him... God who knows everything about her and thinks she is a perfect part of His creation... God who sent his Son to die for her so that all of her mistakes would be washed away... God who would have done that for her even if she was the only human to need it.
Happy Birthday, sweet Kyla. Thank you for making our family complete and bring such joy to us. We are so proud to be your parents.
Love, Mama

Happy New Year!

2012-01-06T18:52:00.000-08:00

There is so much going on already in 2012. Despite my depressing post from last month, things are going fairly well. I had a nice Christmas. I enjoyed a great staff party, fun family events and some much needed visits from out of town friends. I did not get half of what I expected to get done over the break, but for me that is pretty typical.

I did get to pick up my giant red Zen Bowl from Fire and Light before Christmas. I really love, love, love it. I tried it here on the coffee table for awhile, but now it is hanging out on the dining room table. Yay!

I had a pretty eventful "back to school" week with a new student moving into my class on Wednesday. His behavior has become successively worse each day. Even as a first grader he has been in 3 classrooms, and each move was made because of his behavior. I think he is just testing my limits.... seeing what is OK, what is not.... how much attention he will get, etc. I have been praying as often as possible for insight, wisdom and patience on how to reach him. I really want him to know that I value him. I also want him to know the joy of learning. Right now he is missing that desire to learn. I find it interesting that I just finished reading "A Circle of Children" by Mary MacCracken. It is a biography of a teacher of emotionally disturbed children. Many of her insights have helped me to get through this week. Thank you Mary, and Thank you God for putting that book into my hands at just the right time.

My goals for the weekend are: to take down the Christmas decorations (I took down the ones outside and closed the blinds so my neighbors wouldn't judge me on my late un-decorating)... to get my classroom prepared for a week of fun with first grade... to work out twice... to do the laundry... to rest thoroughly enough to get rid of my tired, old lady eyes and achy head.... to go to church.... to read. (If I get half of that done I'll be happy.)

Wishing you a glorious weekend! Love, Nancy

Advent

2011-12-23T21:36:00.000-08:00

I remember the year before I was baptized... maybe 1998, advent was the most wonderful of seasons. I was fully engrossed in my classes as a catecumen (sp?) and it was so magical and full of wonder. I was learning so much about myself and God and my relationship to God through Jesus. I was growing as a person, a mom, a wife, a teacher. I was feeling acceptance and love beyond anything I had ever experienced. I was learning to accept and love myself. It was my first year with a teaching job in Kindergarten. I adored my class. I loved my coworkers. There were many complications and some challenges that year, but things just seemed to be coming together.
This year at advent I feel like things are coming apart. I am torn in so many different directions. I am loving my new job, but it is taking up so much of my time. For the two weeks before vacation I was busy from morning to night. I arrived at work by 7:45 and worked at school until 4:30 or 5:00, then came home made dinner and unpacked my bag and worked until 9:30 then looked at the messy kitchen and felt like curling up in a ball and retreating from the world. Then vacation arrived and I started to get caught up again. Then one day my daughter made a poor choice... a very poor choice... and she became grounded for a month in a declaration not spoken by me, a fair consequence, but one I would've liked to discuss. And now chaos has returned. There are angry words and hate-filled looks. Today she announced she will be moving out. She wants to do it immediately, but I have insisted she wait until January 19, when she turns 18. I had been thinking (somewhere in my brain) that I might throw her a surprise party for her birthday this year. Now, I am dreading the date. Will she really go? How will I feel not seeing her each day? How will I sleep at night not knowing where she is or if she's safe?
So in this time of struggle, I turn to the beautiful song that I sang each Sunday in church back in 1998...

For you O Lord, my soul in stillness waits...
Truly my hope is in You.

Please pray for my girl.
Love, Nancy

Kitchen Remodel

2011-11-27T20:56:00.000-08:00

After much debating and many trips to local stores and picture surfing on the web... I finally decided what I wanted to do in my kitchen. Last Monday we started with some demolition. Here is the old tile and backsplash during the demo...

The little area of counter that we cleared stayed plywood for a while, then on Friday Mark put it together with the new materials. I picked a yellowish granite tile with lots of brown in it. It's called Giallo Amalfi. For the backsplash I chose recycled granite in the color 'espresso'. Here it is without the grout in it....
...

Here it is with the grout.....

Thankful Thursday... The Thanksgiving Edition

2011-11-23T21:21:00.000-08:00

1. This evening as I was facing some unexpected turmoil in my day, I decided to take a few quiet minutes to myself and read the Bible. I picked some quotes used at a retreat I went to a couple of months ago. I read each one (savoring it) until this one stood out to me...

1Thessalonians 5:18-In everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

I read this over and over, and I pondered it. I took time to give thanks for the person who brought the turmoil... for having them in my life. I took time to give thanks for the love and forgiveness God shows me every day. And I also prayed for the strength to interact with this person gracefully and with love.

I am so thankful for God's Word in my life.

2. I am thankful for a week of rest and catching up and working out and rejuvenation.

3. I am thankful for the little bit of scrapbooking I got done today.

4. I am thankful for finishing the editing of the pictures for my cousin's son's wedding I took in August. It was a late night last night, but I am happy to be finished.

5. I am thankful for the delicious food I will get to eat tomorrow, and for the nourishment I am blessed with each day.

6. I am thankful for the opportunity to remodel my kitchen... to pick for the very first time exactly what I want... just for me.

7. Finally, I am thankful for all of the people in my life... my family, friends, colleagues, students, acquaintences. Each is a blessing to me. If you are reading this, thanks for being YOU!

Love, Nancy

In my hands...

2011-11-16T20:50:00.000-08:00

Today I held in my hands...
my puppy's ear as I flipped it back the way it is supposed to go when I let him in from his morning constitutional...
the keys to my car and classroom with my new gym badge to get into the gym...
the hand of the "Helper of the Day" as we walked in from recess...
a can of diet mtn. dew...sustenance...
report cards filled with little marks that mean so much to parents of the little people I spend my days with...
sweet french rolls as they transformed into sandwiches for dinner...
15 pound weights that had to be lifted above my head again and again until my shoulders ached...
the mouse for the computer as I check emails and update Facebook and check in on the online world...
an old classic edition of Oliver Twist... my next book on the list of 100 books I am trying to finish.

What did you hold in your hands today?

Dorothy

2011-11-11T20:23:00.000-08:00

So at our school, ALL of the teachers dress up in a theme related costume on Halloween. We got to vote between school supplies and The Wizard of Oz. Obviously, The Wizard of Oz won. At one of our staff meetings in early October we discussed who was going to dress up as which character. I piped up that I would be Dorothy. The next weekend I trucked over to Joanne's Fabrics and spent $47 on material, a pattern, and notions. My sweet mama sewed the costume for me. I found some brown pumps at Payless Shoe Source for $3, bought red spray paint and brought home Elmer's Glue and red glitter from school and WALA! I was Dorothy. It took me a really long time to get my hair french braided that morning. I was hoping Kyla would be available to help me, but she was over at her friend's house at 6:00 a.m. being transformed into a zombie. Normally I don't really get into Halloween, but I actually really enjoyed being dressed up. I think I was the last teacher to take off my costume, and I put it back on that night to pass out candy at home. I got some snarky looks from pre-teen girls, but luckily I'm older and strong enough now that those don't slash my heart open like they did when I was younger. I am not sure if I like the dressing up part or if it's that I got to be Dorothy. I was a serious Wizard of Oz geek as a kid. It was my FAVORITE movie and I looked forward to wathcing it all year. Once, I remember standing on a kitchen chair with my face about 3 inches from the clock counting down the seconds until 8:00 when it would start. I waited there for about 300 seconds quivering with anticipation. On another occasion, I took my battery operated cassette player (you know, the flat black kind from 1976) and placed it next to the speaker on the TV and recorded the music and dialogue of the entire movie. I listened to that recording over and over again. Unfortunately, I missed a few parts because I paused the recording during commercials and had forgotten to turn it back on. Luckily, they weren't crucial parts. Whatever the reason, I am glad to be at my new school with a great, fun-loving staff. My heart is happy.
The staff already picked out a theme for next year, but I am unable to divulge this top secret information. It should be fun, though!

Newly Employed

2011-11-06T19:47:00.000-08:00

On Halloween Kyla wanted to be a zombie. We went to the mall and got her a couple of cute shirts (this little animal print was one of them) and a makeup kit that had fake skin and fake blood and all that good stuff in it. It was late by the time we finished shopping, so we called the boys and decided to get a quick dinner from Taco Bell. While we were in the drive thru, her phone rang. It was the owner of our local gymnastics center calling her for an interview. An interview on Monday at 4:45. She was super excited. After we got home, she realized that Monday was Halloween, and she was perplexed about what to do. Should she dress up? Would it be appropriate to go to the interview as a zombie? Maybe she could wait and dress up after the interview... But she really wanted to wear her costume to school. What's a girl to do?

After talking to her friend who works at the gym, she decided to dress up and wear her costume to the interview. I was a little worried... but SHE GOT THE JOB!! She worked at her first birthday party yesterday, and tomorrow is her first day of helping to teach classes. I am so proud of my beautiful zombie!

Fire and Light Sale

2011-11-05T20:32:00.000-07:00

For three years now, Cindy and I have been venturing up to the Fire and Light Sale in Arcata. We always get there around 10 and wait in line for about an hour. This year I was pretty amped up to buy dinner plates to go with the four bowls I got last year. I also really wanted wine goblets. As soon as we walked in the door, I saw there was no red anywhere (and I absolutely had to have a red plate) and no goblets in sight either. I felt the wind go out of my sails pretty quickly. So we puttered up and down the crowded aisles for a while. I had a couple of things in the cart, but I wasn't feeling very enthused... Then, unexpectedly, a little bit up our row, I saw someone putting out red dinner plates. I practically ran over there and claimed the one I wanted... Now things were looking up! I got 4 plates... red, blue, green and yellow. Perfect. A little while later I saw someone unwrapping martini glasses. There were 4 of them, but 2 were the same color, so I only got three... black, turquoise, and green. My Fire and Light placesettings are looking pretty sweet!

Tuesday's Top Ten

2011-10-11T19:45:00.000-07:00

1. I figured out how to use WW online, so now my activity points get used up before my special weekly allowance.

2. I lost 3 pounds last week. Yay!!

3. I have been over on my point totals every day this week, so I am not expecting another 3 pounds this week.

4. Boot Camp the first day was horrible. It was drizzly rain, and the class is held outside. We ran from 5th and F (the gym) to 6th and H, then down to 2nd and H, then to 1st and F. That was our warm up. I NEVER run willingly, so I was huffing away by the time we got there. (I was the lame girl who couldn't even run around the 1/4 mile track in high school.) The circuit training wasn't too bad, except we kept running up and down the boardwalk in between and my heart rate was just going crazy. I was the slacker/loser who had to walk. Then, I had to leave the class 20 minutes early due to a restroom emergency... There are no bathrooms on the boardwalk. Ugh! It was a disappointing morning.

5. On Wedneday I had a super sore throat and a slight fever so I had to skip bootcamp.

6. I finally made it back this Monday. It was pouring down rain, so we had the class in the gym in a little room. It was pretty smelly in there by the time the class was over, but I made it!! (There was no running required during that class, but there sure was a surplus of jumping!) Today my body is pretty sore, but feeling good.

7. My class of first graders is settling in to the routine. A couple of times this week I've looked up during groups and seen everyone engaged and busy at their independent work while I do guided reading at my table. Hooray!

8. Kyla's driving test to get her license is in 7 days. My heart palpitates just a little when I think about it.

9. I am falling behind on picture editing, housecleaning, laundry and dishes. I haven't reached the point of panic yet, though, so like a true procrastinator I will probably not take care of these things tonight.

10. Yesterday Mark and I went to all the floor places in Eureka and looked at flooring and counter top possibilities for our kitchen. It's such a big decision, I am having a hard time deciding what I want. Help me out, What is your dream kitchen?

Weight Watchers

2011-10-02T17:16:00.000-07:00

So I've broken down and joined WW online. I've been on for a day and a half. I went over my Points total yesterday, and cut into my weekly splurge points. However, it doesn't take into account your activity points for the day until after you have used all your weekly splurge points. I just don't get it. I was looking forward to that splurge on Friday... pizza and a nice girly martini...I hope my activity points will carry over.

Also, tomorrow I am back to boot camp. They cancelled my T/Th night class, so the only option is M/W at 5:30 am. I had a little mini heart attack this morning when I realized what I'd signed up for!! Guess I'll be in bed early!

Oh, my sad little blog...

2011-10-01T12:55:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I only blogged 2 times last month. I think my average for the past 6 months is probably 2 times per month. Sad.

I guess I have lost my voice.

Will you help me find it?

I am thinking of the things that happened this month I could blog about... Hmmmm....

1. Kyla NOT getting to take her driving test.
2. The Women's Retreat
3. My work life
4. My lack of photo editing/scrapbooking
5. How I never print photos out anymore
6. How I rarely take pictures because I don't like editing them
7. Recipes I've been trying
8. What I've been reading

That's all I can come up with.
Now, let me know what you'd like to hear about... or see (if I actually get my camera out, take a picture and edit it to post/print)

Thanks! Nancy

Today....

2011-09-03T21:16:00.000-07:00

working: On little school projects here and there. Hanging art, taping down nametags on desks since we've worked out the kinks, assembling assessment binders, copying homework packets and putting papers in folders to take home.

reading: Middlemarch by George Elliot. It is taking me FOREVER to get through. Did you know it was actually written by a woman and is the most acclaimed Victorian novel of its time? Still only on page 257 of 800 or so.

feeling: Content. It has been such a good day. Sunshine, work, laundry, shopping. Normally these things do not breed contentment in me, but today they did.

listening: To Pepper whine because we had chicken for dinner and he didn't get any. Also, there is Sportscenter on in the other room. (Football season is back!)

cooking: We had Rotisserie chicken from Costco for dinner, but I did make some pasta and some sauteed zucchini and yellow squash to go along with it.

worth thinking about: There is this great blog called "The Generous Wife." She sends out a daily email to her subscribers to help them to be more generous to their husbands. I am by no means super generous, but it has helped me to lean more that way. :-)

Happy Saturday! Love, Nancy

The first week

2011-09-02T17:38:00.000-07:00

I have been a first grade teacher for 5 days now. It was a good week. I've been meaning to take some pictures of my room, but I keep forgetting to take my camera to school. Also, Kyla is taking digital photography, so she is using my camera a couple of days a week. But, here are some highlights without pictures.

1. I have a cute little guy who stands up at the rug a couple of times a day and says, "Teacher, I need a hug."
2. On Monday we started learning about having our own supplies in our tool kits. We learned about sharing a "double desk" with our neighbor. We practiced lining up in alphabetical order. We talked about the rules. We met "Herm the Worm".
3. On Tuesday I tried to have a discussion about what "Working Hard" looked like and sounded like. From the blank looks on all their 5 and 6 year old faces, I realized I have to act it out, not talk about it!
4. On Wednesday we had our first minimum day. We were sad not to have P.E. I went to my first staff meeting. It was over at 3:15. I was amazed.
5. On Thursday we did our first Science lesson. It was about weather. We learned to play "Ro Sham Bo" to solve a dispute. We got to the part in our pirate book where the mean pirates and the good kids finally meet. I made myself cough from using such a growly, loud voice for "Cap'n Bones".
6. Today we had a few people absent on early vacations. We watched a "Between the Lions" video. We played duck, duck, goose.

It was a good day.

A Wedding (Part 1)

2011-08-22T22:56:00.000-07:00

So my cousin asked me to take pictures for her son's wedding. I was super excited and nervous. I went over to Hayfork at around 10:00 to take pictures of the bride, groom and attendants getting ready. Here are a few of my favorites...

The flowers
The bride's special panties

The groomsmen having trouble with their cufflinks (I love that they are getting ready in the parking lot... True outdoorsmen)

The bride putting on her jewelry

And one of the junior bridesmaids and one of the flower girls chatting.

Back with more later...
Love, Nancy

A belated birthday post

2011-08-10T20:40:00.000-07:00

I had a fabulous birthday this weekend!
1. I had a great dinner with the other Bergenske family up at their house...

2. I made myself some yummy yellow cupcakes with chocolate frosting. Look at how I even used a pastry tip to pipe on the frosting!!

3. I went to the movies with Cindy to see "Crazy Stupid Love" and after she gave me a plate of these delicious homemade "hostess" cupcakes. They were even filled!!

Wacky Wednesday!!

2011-07-27T21:03:00.000-07:00

On our last night in Vegas, the girls and I lined up for our habitual evening photos. This time I put a chair in the area where we usually stood and told everyone to get comfy.

Aren't we cute? Then I yelled "SWITCH" and set the timer again...

Now I've got Gina laughing...SWITCH!

Now we're having a good time!

OK... one last time... SWITCH!

Awwww... we lost it! But now we are ready to go see Carrot Top!!

Top Ten for Tuesday

2011-07-26T20:50:00.000-07:00

1. Mark and I drove to San Francisco on Sunday afternoon where we stayed in a pretty posh little boutique hotel in San Bruno. We walked to a nearby Chinese restaurant for dinner. SF really is the best place for Chinese food. The wonton soup was none of that broth in a cup with one wonton floating around... It was this big bowl with huge, meatfilled wontons, prawns, mushrooms, pea pods (super fresh and tasty!), carrots, and sliced pork. We also had chicken salad, mongolian beef and prawns in lobster sauce. It was great.

2. The reason we were in SF was so that Mark could fly to Santa Ana (south of LA), to pick up the boy's new Mazda RX8. It is an awfully sweet car. So yesterday Mark went to the airport at 6:00 a.m. for his flight, while I slept late, did yoga in the hotel room and missed the complimentary breakfast by a half hour.
This is the car he got...

3. I ended up on the road by 10:05 and made it home at around 4:00.

4. Mark ended up on the road by 10:15 and made in home at around 10:00.

5. We are both tired today... He at least deserves to be tired, I am just pitiful! :-)

6. I stopped in Pepperwood at my parents' house on the way home and picked up the first bag of zucchini of the season. I will be generously supplied with more zucchini than any one family could possibly eat for the next couple of months, so any good zucchini recipes would be greatly appreciated!

7. I have been plotting all weekend to make plans to see my sweet Michelle before summer is out, and we had a plan all worked out. I was floating around... so looking forward to spending the weekend with her... Then, BANG! my brain actually kicked into gear and I realized I have a cousin getting married that weekend! I really hope we can reschedule. I miss her smile and voice and laugh.

8. All of my boxes of school stuff are officially INSIDE my new classroom now. I took the last 2 loads over today. I couldn't unpack anything, though, because the 2 foot wide strip of linoleum in front of my wall of cabinets had just been waxed.

9. I am still reading One Hundred Years of Solitude... It feels like it's taking 100 years to get through!

10. It was actually raining here in Eureka this morning. I couldn't believe it when I let Pepper out and saw the wet patio. Pepper wasn't too thrilled, either! It did get sunny later in the day, though. Now, the sun is setting, and it is lovely.

Happy Tuesday! Love, Nancy

Thankful Thursday

2011-07-21T21:20:00.000-07:00

I am trying to get back in the habit of practicing gratitude as often as possible. So, if I find myself in front of the computer on a Thursday, I might as well make a list.

1. Thankful I got to babysit Sophia again this week (and will get to see her again next week). She's just getting to be so much fun!!

2. Thankful my friend Cindyanna came over with her 2 kids while Sophia was here. It made the time fly by!!

3. Thankful I have finished cleaning out my Fieldbrook classroom. I turned in my keys today. It's bittersweet. I will definitely miss my friends there, but hope to keep in touch as much as possible. It just feels good to have accomplished something between vacations.

4. Thankful for a weekend of catching up with the girls in Vegas. We laughed and danced and chatted. It was good for my soul.

5. Thankful for the Tour de France. It is something Mark and I are both interested in, so we watch it together and talk about it.... so important to share interests in a marriage. Who would have ever guessed I'd become a cycling fan? I didn't learn to ride a 2 wheeler until I was 11 or 12! I am considering asking for a new bike for my birthday which is coming up soon.

6. Thankful for completing the editing of the Cabo pictures. Now I just need to figure out what to do with them. I am considering a pre-made photo book. That would be something I have never tried before. Here's one of my favorites...

7. As always, thankful for YOU... someone actually reading my blog!! Would love it if you'd leave a comment!!

Love, Nancy

Tuesday's Top Ten

2011-07-12T20:05:00.000-07:00

1. I have been plugging along steadily in my new classroom this week. I have a vague idea of where most things will go... Now I just need to figure out if they will fit where I want them.

2. I got to babysit Sophia yesterday. She is so funny now. I was chasing her around the house saying "I'm gonna get you!", then I would catch her and hang her upside down. Every time I tried to stop she would look over her shoulder and say, "Get oooo" and run away. Who can resist that?

3. Tonight we had kebabs for dinner. They were really good. I made some with chicken marinated in a lemon pepper marinade and some with shrimp. I also made two veggies (which I ate). I sauteed the mushrooms before I put them on the skewers. I think it made all the difference.

4. Of course, the difference could have also been the garlic butter. I was worried that the shrimp kebabs would be plain, so I made garlic butter with a whole cube of butter. Mark put so much on his that his rice was swimming in a lake of butter. He looked pretty happy while he was eating it!

5. I have been meaning to edit my pictures from Cabo all week, but I seem to keep getting caught up playing Bejeweled Blitz or Zen Bones instead.

6. Tomorrow I am heading out to Fieldbrook to pack up my classroom there. My whole Volvo is filled with the boxes I have emptied at the new classroom. I wonder if I will be able to fit everything in one load or not?

7. I am officially un-addicted to Diet Mountain Dew. I couldn't have any of it while we were in Cabo because they don't sell it there. Then when we got back I decided to just keep going with Coke Zero. Some days I don't even have any caffeine. I just have a Minute Maid Light Lemonade. Shocking, I know!!

8. I have been reading this blog I found called "The Organized Classroom". It has some pretty good tips on it and many links to cool (FREE) stuff.

9. I had a really sore throat and extreme sneezing earlier in the week, and I was worried I was catching a cold, but my hearty immune system seems to have fought it off. All those years of teaching Kindergarten still come in handy!

10. Tomorrow I'm leaving to spend the weekend with 3 of my dearest friends in Las Vegas!! It should be a blast!! Hopefully none of us will suffer from heatstroke!

Happy Tuesday. Love, Nancy

Savory Sundays... The Senor Greenberg's Edition

2011-07-10T19:39:00.000-07:00

So before we went to Cabo, Kyla said to me while riding in the car one day..."I am so excited to go to Mexico! I will get to eat Mexican food every day!" Little did she know, her favorite Mexican food (bean and cheese burritos) would not be on any menu in Mexico, and waiter's would all look completely perplexed when she tried to order them in fast English.

One night when we went shopping down at the big mall at the marina, we were hailed by yet another host trying to convince us to eat at his restaurant. Kyla looked at the menu and was sold when she saw that they had "burritos". So, being my carb loving daughter. She ordered bean and cheese burritos with a side of mashed potatoes. Here is her dinner:

Mark ordered the Filet Mignon which came with mashed potatoes and asparagus:

The boy had steak with Ranchero sauce. He loved it:

I went a little crazy with the tapas menu. I had Asian Beef Skewers with peanut dipping sauce:

Jalepeno Macaroni and Cheese

and Angus Beef Sliders with Swiss Cheese, Carmelized Onions and homemade pickles.

I couldn't eat most of my dinner! Maybe because we had gone to Hagen Daas a couple of hours earlier!!

Cabo Trip

2011-07-07T13:23:00.000-07:00

Mark spent most of his trip golfing. He golfed 6 times in 7 days. We never set foot on the course, though. He found a friend who liked to go out at 7 am, so we were just getting out of the shower around 11 when he would get back from golfing.

The first day we spent quite a bit of time at the pool.

Kyla met the iguana.

Then we went to the marina for dinner. Mark and I shared this:

I had too much to drink.

The rest of the week was mellow, but nice. We shopped a little.

This is still my favorite store in San Jose del Cabo.

We spent a bit of time in the condo just hanging out and at the pool.

Our big event was going to on a Snorkel Tour on the Pez Gato.
I'll have to blog about that one later! Adios!!

Cabo... a look ahead

2011-06-24T23:55:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow we are leaving to go to Cabo. It will be our first time bringing the kids along. Hopefully we will have fun, get to relax and make some great memories together.

I am looking forward to introducing the kids to this iguana who hangs by the pool.

And to drinking many refreshing drinks during happy hour. (Did you know that in Cabo "Happy Hour" goes from 10 am to 6 pm?)

Mark will probably golf a few days with "the boy" (I am still not allowed to say his name on the internet for fear of high school girl stalkers!) in tow. Maybe Kyla and I will ride along in the cart and take pictures. Kyla could practice her driving. :-)

I am also bringing along a prodigious pile of books to read. Even bigger than this one! I can't wait to update you all when I get back. ]

Love, Nancy

Changes

2011-06-22T19:56:00.000-07:00

Well, since I've been a missing in action blogger, many things have been going on around here. I plugged along and finished my school year with a lot of laughter, a few tears and a huge rush to complete the things I thought were important enough to work on as the school year drew to a close (and the students became less and less focused on academics). The 4th and 5th graders chose "Animal Abuse" as the topic for their Project Citizen venture. Most of them were extremely passionate about it. They are sweet kids with a great love for animals.

In the couple of weeks since school has been out I've been taking walks with my wonderful sister and these two adorable girls.

I've been bravely taking this girl out for a couple of driving lessons.

And, just today I found out some very nice news. I will update you soon. After everything is settled.

Love Vacation Reading

2011-05-01T17:28:00.001-07:00

Leonardo's Swans by Karen Essex

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book was just right up my alley. It's historical, with many references to Renaissance Italy and real works of art. It made me want to travel to Milan to view the last supper and to the Louvre to see the marble bust of Beatrice d'Este. I liked the rivalry and jealousies of the two sisters.... I could never decide which one I liked best. And Leonardo da Vinci was a fabulous character. His character stole the novel.

View all my reviews

Book Review

2011-04-25T15:33:00.000-07:00

A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess

My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Written in the 1960's, this is a vision of a futuristic, ultraviolent England where teenagers spend their evenings drinking drug laced milk then beating, raping and stealing from the "starry" (old) people who just happen to be around. There is an entirely new vocabulary included which is based loosely on Russian, rhymes and happenstance. Luckily for me the version I read contained a glossary. After about 70 pages of senseless violence without a hint of remorse, our "suffering Friend and Narrator" Alex lands in jail. When he proves himself capable of murder even there, he gets to be the first candidate to try a new technique of rehabilitation which promises he will be a model citizen in a fornight. This rehabilitation forces him to always choose "the good"... and brings up relevant questions about free will, as much as I despised "may faithful Narrator and Friend". Thought provoking and well worth reading.

View all my reviews

White Knuckled

2011-03-29T19:50:00.000-07:00

Yesterday as I was driving home I got a phone call from the girl. She was home from school and wanted me to take her driving when I got there. For some strange reason I agreed. Without hesitation. What was I thinking?

I hadn't driven with her in a really long time. Our first try at driving she freaked me out so bad I had her pull over. She swerved to the edge of the road without slowing down. Later she very matter of factly said, "That's how Juno does it."

The second time I let her drive she got so mad at me that when I had her pull into my parents' driveway she jumped out of the car with out putting it in park and stormed off leaving the driver door open and the car rolling forward.

So you can see why it surprises me that I readily agreed. What was I thinking?

She has been driving with Mark twice now. To a parking lot. She has also had her first official driving lesson with the paid instructor. So, I guess I thought she had improved. What was I thinking?

Anyway, we got into the car and she pulled the seat up as far as it will go so her short little legs can reach the pedals. Then she adjusted her mirror and looked over her shoulder. Then she waited a few minutes before pulling out.... without looking over her shoulder again. Luckily no one was coming. We drove around a little in our neighborhood before heading out onto the real road. We have really wide streets in out neighborhood, and she did pretty well. She didn't really slow down before turning the car, however. She does all of her braking in the middle of the turn. I mentioned that, and on we went.

Unfortunately, we were out right around 5:00, so the traffic was pretty thick. She was going well below the speed limit and had trouble keeping the car in her lane. I am sure some of those impatient drivers backed off because they thought they were traveling behind a drunk. Maybe I should make a "Student Driver" sign to put in the back window.

We drove through town on some not too busy roads and out onto a country road. I hung in there for 30 minutes. I tried to keep my voice steady and my hands from clutching the door for safety. She almost veered off the road several times while looking into her rear view mirror. At one point she said, "You really make me nervous." I just sighed and didn't answer.

On the way back she was more steady. She kept the car in a somewhat straight line and only veered out of her lane twice. She even did a perfect parking job by the curb in front of our house.

When I walked into the house, Mark said, "You look haggard." I guess my face was somewhat tensed up and crinkly from the stress. Again, What was I thinking?

The next few times it's his job to take her out. He's supposed to be the one teaching her anyway. I did the boy's driving lessons. And since he's always making fun of me for being a bad driver, he shouldn't be relying on me to teach both of our kids to drive!!

A Saturday...

2011-03-26T22:54:00.000-07:00

reading: Watership Down

feeling: very low on energy

cooking: steaks, broccoli au gratin, rice pilaf, & rolls for dinner... with brownies for dessert!

completing: laudry, shopping, paper correcting and recording

watching: Inception on DVD from Netflix ( I liked it)

worth thinking about: I have looked down the long days of our lives together, she said & in all directions, there is no future without love. -Brian Andreas

Thankful Thursday

2011-03-24T19:48:00.000-07:00

The exhausted edition....

1. Thankful that I got home at a decent hour today and already have all my papers corrected and entered into the computer gradebook except the American Revolution Narratives.

2. Thankful for friendly coworkers who pop into my classroom and chat.

3. Thankful Kyla had her first driving lesson with the paid instructor today and arrived home safely. She said that he said she "did a good job, but neede to practice".

4. Thankful we had one day this week with some sun shining down on us.

5. Thankful I have almost all of the laundry completed before the weekend. (I didn't start last weekend's laundry until Tuesday, so I just kept on washing everything, and I should get by doing only one load this weekend.) Yeeeee!

6. Thankful I bid on a Family Portrait Package at the Luau for Learning (a school fundraiser), and I won it!!

7. Thankful the Luau for Learning earned around $15,000. Nice job ladies!!

8. Thankful my kiddos have been coming to church with me on Sundays since I re-offered the "If you come to church, I will take you out for lunch after" deal. Last Sunday they both came along, and we had a terrific discussion about God's path for each person's life over chips and salsa at Rita's.

9. Thankful the engine light on my car has been off for 2 days straight. I keep looking down there thinking something's wrong since there is no light shining up at me.

10. Super, duper Thankful that Mark booked our airfare to Cabo this week. My soul is thirsting for some relaxation and my body is yearning for some sun. I just keep closing my eyes and imagining I am here:

(This picture was actually taken in La Paz, but you know what I mean!)
Happy Thursday!
Love, Nancy

Missing him

2011-03-08T19:13:00.001-08:00

Mark is out of town for the week. I just don't function well without him. It is like I am missing my anchor. I just need him here to hug me when I am feeling needy. To chat about other things and take my mind off my worries. To help me put things in perspective. And he makes me laugh.
Seriously, if you can look at this and not laugh, you have a heart of stone. Miss you babe.

Monday

2011-03-07T20:06:00.000-08:00

working: It's parent teacher conference week. I have 25 conferences to do. Today I had them scheduled from 1:30-5:30 back to back. The first cancelled and two others didn't show. It was nice to have the break, but now I have to reschedule.

reading: Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier. You know, she wrote The Girl with a Pearl Earring. This one is about a pair of women during the 1800's who discover fossils along England's coastline. Friendship, scientific discovery, God. It's all in there.

feeling: A little lonely since Mark is in Redding for the week getting his Crane Certification.

cooking: Pancakes for dinner tonight

worth thinking about: If you want to know what a man's like, take a good look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals. J.K. Rowling

Wish

2011-03-05T20:11:00.000-08:00

I go through phases of feeling greedy. Times when I want, want, want.... no matter what I have. It's a dream of a different life. Don't get me wrong, I love this life, but sometimes I just can't stop wanting...

1. A weekly manicure/pedicure
2. 10 hours of sleep each night
3. Close friends nearby who I can call up at a moment's notice or drop in on for a visit.
4. A flat stomach and tiny waist
5. A housekeeper
6. A private jet to take me away on vacation
7. More time to read
8. A weekly girls' night out
9. A pair of really fabulous comfortable boots
10. Walls covered with glorious pictures I have taken

I could go on and on, but that's not really the point. Whenever I find myself in this greedy place, I try to stop and take note of all the wonderful things I have in my life. I try to stop and make a list of all the things I am thankful for. I try to stop and revel in the beauty of this very moment.

So why does this greedy me keep coming back?

Thankful Thursdays

2011-03-03T19:39:00.000-08:00

1. I am so thankful that my 4th graders' have completed their STAR Writing Test. I was almost positive it was going to be a summary (since they haven't tested summary in a long time) and I was right!! We had been working on summaries for AGES! If it would have a been a Response to Literature with poetry I would have cried.

2. Thankful that the week is almost over and the weather is giving us a break with one day of NOT RAIN tomorrow. Can't wait to sit outside (in my wool coat) and soak up some sun!

3. A big SHOUT OUT to Cindyanna for taking time out of her busy day of mothering 2 babies to read my 5th graders' summaries. A fresh perspective is always good! Thank you!!

4. Always thankful for the cozy little weiner dog hanging out on my lap.

5. And the big one for today.... So thankful that the mechanic has finally found the time to install my new fuel pump. The Volvo is back in my garage. I haven't driven it yet, but Mark says it's running great. I am gonna feel 30 feet tall driving to work tomorrow!

Grand Prix

2011-02-27T16:07:00.000-08:00

So one of the many stories you missed out on due to my lack of blogging for the past 2 months was our acquisition of a Pontiac Grand Prix.
After my car became stranded in the shop (where it remains to this day) and the boy's car died an untimely death, we were left with one car... the Audi A8... and 3 people with different places they needed to be each day. Mark to work and back, Me to work and back, and Mason to school, work and back. (Thank God for the bus that gets Kyla where she needs to be.)
I beleve the death of the BMW occured on a Wednesday night. As the boy was driving home from school, the BMW kept reducing its speed until he was forced to pull over at the top of the hill on Herrick, unable to continue, and walk the rest of the way home. When Mark and I got home from work (we were driving together each day at that point in time), we got the car and managed to drive it over to the shop where Mark was having it worked on. It was a really bad week for the boy to be without a car. He had just started back to school, and he had to get a drug test that week in Arcata to start work at SPI the next week. Fortunately, after many pleading phone calls, we arranged rides for him to get through the week.
We thought long and hard about what would be the best solution to our car shortage. We considered renting a car, borrowing a car, etc. Eventually, it became clear to us that we should just find an inexpensive, reliable car and buy it outright. So on the next lovely Saturday, Mark and the kids set off for Sacramento. They had originally planned on buying a VW beetle, but it was sold. Then they had their sights on a Grand Am, but it too was sold. So on their arrival they found this Grand Prix.

Kyla loved it.... and was very verbal about loving it.... much to Mark's chagrin and the salesman's glee. And after a 10 hour drive and a few hours at the dealer, they trio arrived home with Kyla's new car. She owes us $2500 for her half of it. So far she has earned $25. I predict she will start working harder to pay it off now that she has her permit and the driving bug has bitten her!
Isn't she just the cutest?!

February Happenings

2011-02-26T16:32:00.000-08:00

This post will take the form of a list because I am in a "list" mood.

1. My Volvo has been in the shop since Christmas break. Yep, about 2 months. It needed a new wheel bearing (which was easily accomplished). And, even though it was running fine in my opinion, it needed a new fuel pump. (And there's where we had our hang up) Apparently, the fuel pump I needed is exceedingly rare. So we tried buying fuel pumps off the internet and from local auto parts stores and through our mechanic, but lo and behold 7 (wrong) fuel pumps later and my car is still in the shop. Actually, Wednesday, Mark and I drove to the Volvo dealer in Santa Rosa and bought the correct fuel pump ( I guess 8 is the magic number!) and now we are just waiting for it to be installed. I am comfortably settled in Mark's Audi, so I have been barely inconvenienced by being without my Volvo for 2 months, but Mark is using an old Ford from his work, and I think he wants his car back at some point. I will keep you updated about when this actually happens.

2. The boy's BMW died last month also. The transmission went out. And it was going to cost him more to replace it than he paid for the car, so he sold it to the mechanic. He is now saving his money for a Mitsubishi Eclipse.

3. The girl got her driver's permit yesterday. She was pretty nervous in the DMV waiting room. And since we got there late and had no appointment we waited for about a half hour. Her body was actually shaking.... like, vibrating... from her nerves. I went along for moral support, but she did all the talking and even filled out her own paperwork. She missed only 6 questions. I was impressed. So now the fun of teacher her how to drive begins. Luckily it's Mark's turn. I taught the boy.

4. I took ZERO pictures in the month of February. Yep, that's right, none, nada, zip. I am planning on taking my camera to school Monday to take pictures for the February memory book. I think I will do group shots. One of the 4th graders and one of the 5th. I have no idea what the page theme will be about. Maybe something about friendship. Hmmmmm.... I'll have to think on that.

5. I am currently reading The Remains of the Day. It is really interesting although slow in some parts. Working hard to get through it this week. My goal for the year is 52 books. That's one per week. Right now I have completed 7, so I am a little behind. I thought I'd get more reading accomplished this week, but it's just not happening. Oh, well, there's always summer.

6. My work out schedule has really stalled out this year. I don't have much enthusiasm for doing it, and after I work out I don't feel like I've accomplished anything. I think it's a Boot Camp hangover. Trying to decide if I should rejoin Boot Camp in March. What do you think?

7. The weather has been crazy. When I put Pepper out this morning there were little piles of icy snow around the trees. BRRRRR! Now it is sunny but windy. Trying to work myself up for a walk. The dog could sure use it. Poor, fat baby!! He seems pretty cozy curled up on my lap right now, though. Maybe we'll skip the walk. :-)

Wow!

2011-02-09T18:39:00.000-08:00

So I can't believe I skipped a whole month of blogging. Long ago, when I was in a beginning teacher mentoring program, the leader used to talk about the "energy level" of teachers and how their year progresses. Say we put it on a scale of 1-10. 1 meaning you are completely depressed, you feel like things in your classroom are going horribly and you don't want to be there. Conversely, 10 would mean you feel great about each day, you are optimistic about the things that are happening in your classroom and you love your class and your job. Well, teachers start out around the 7 mark in Late August and early September... they dip a little in late October when the crazy Halloween energy hits, they go up a bit in preparation for the Winter break... Then, it's January. That month of January and the dreaded February are a teacher's low point. They bottom out around 4 or maybe even 3 before picking up steam and finishing off in June with an 8.
So what is my point in all this blathering? Well, I have had a particulary hectic and stress filled January. I have been feeling the pressure of getting my class ready for state testing (a writing test in March and the BIG ONE in early May). I have slacked off on the working out, which inevitably makes me feel worse, but I just can't seem to fit it in. I have slacked off on housework. And we have had a large number of car related issues I won't go into at this time. It has been a tough month.
Sorry for abandoning Blogland. I will try to get back her more often. Miss you!

Love, Nancy

Goodbye, 2010

2010-12-31T12:07:00.000-08:00

This was a hard year for me. One of the hardest I can remember. Having to face the idea of not having a classroom.... of being unemployed... facing the reality that people I thought would value my job in Ferndale enough to save it.. did not. It broke my heart. It filled me with self doubt. It hurt.
But now there's a new place. I like it there. The kids are older. They can do things I never could have imagined in Kindergarten. They are funny. And smart. And filled with life experience. They are not as affectionate or honest as Kindergartners. They have already put on masks to hide their true selves in many situations. You see, they care soooooo much about what their peers think. But they can write and discuss and remember with me. It is challenging. And fun. And my colleagues... they are wonderful. They always have a kind word and a smile for me. They work together. They support each other. I am blessed to be where I am now. It is just where I need to be.
And in this new year of 2011, I am hoping that my uncertainty will continue to diminish. Now that I've done this for a while, I have a better feel for what works, what doesn't, where I'm going and how I'll get all 25 souls in my charge to the places they need to be. My prayer is for the next few months to be filled with laughter and learning and community. Most of all, community.
Love, Nancy

Crazy Sweet!

2010-12-30T19:46:00.000-08:00

That Crazy sweet Cindyanna bought me a bottle of my FAVORITE champagne just for feeding her fish and cats and bunny on Sunday. I just couldn't imagine it sharing it with anyone else, so I got her a babysitter and invited her out to lunch (with a champagne appetizer, of course!). Unfortunately for Cindy, the champagne gave her a head ache, so I had to do all the drinking. We went out to the Banana Hut. It was my first time there and it was yummmmmmmy. I had coconut prawns with sticky rice and a little salad. We talked and laughed for about 2 hours straight. It was fabulous! Thanks for coming to lunch with me!!

Little Bits

2010-12-28T22:53:00.000-08:00

We had a little martini party out at Danette's on Thursday. Lots of laughter and catching up. Reconnecting. Planning a girls' trip. We met again on Monday for sushi. (I had beef teriyaki... I don't hate the raw fish, just the seaweed) I am so thankful for these two girls and for their insight and friendship.

Now tomorrow I am having lunch with Cindy. Yay!

Still Trying to Channel...

2010-12-26T18:51:00.000-08:00

The Christmas Spirit.

One time on Hollywood Boulevard I saw a young girl with a baby. It was a crisp winter morning & her hair shone dark purple in the sun. She was panhandling outside the Holiday Inn & the door clerk came out & told her to be on her way & I wondered if anyone would recognize the Christ child if they happened to meet. I remember thinking it's not like there are any published pictures & purple seemed like a good color for a Madonna so I gave her a dollar just in case.

-Brian Andreas

Happy Birthday, Jesus

2010-12-25T13:39:00.000-08:00

Happy Birthday, Jesus. I can't even begin to list all the reasons I'm glad you were born. I do want to tell you that I love you. I want to know you more and better. I want to see the world through your eyes and love people the way you love them. Thanks so much for loving me, for being there for me, for loving and caring for those I love (and even for the ones I don't, boy, do I need to grow up some more). I don't really have a gift for you personally (sorry, you're one of those "you have everything" kind of guys), but the Word says that when I do something for "the least of these," I'm doing it for you, so I'll be looking for opportunities to reach out to the needy, the broken, the heartsick. I am so glad you are here.
Love, Nancy

Ugh!!

2010-12-20T19:24:00.000-08:00

Yesterday before I went to dinner at Danette's house, I forced my family to sit for a Christmas Card picture. We took about a dozen, and this one is the best of the bunch. Not great, but decent. I uploaded them to Costco and today I went to pick them up and they looked horrible. Ever since I got my new expensive lense Costco can't develop a single picture for me. They come out all wonky and dark. So, I returned the cards and went online for a new set from scrapbookpictures.com. They cost twice as much and who knows when they will arrive, but if they look decent it will be worth it. Look for your Christmas cards somewhere around New Year's.

Love, Nancy

Granny's Christmas Party

2010-12-19T16:24:00.000-08:00

Every year my little granny puts on a HUGE Christmas party. She rents the hall at the Trinity County Fairgrounds and people come from all over to get together and catch up. Yesterday my mom and I drove over to Hayfork for it. My cousin Andy and his girlfriend Danielle have a sweet new baby named Cherilynn.
My cousin Logan (who was Santa) and his little daughter Josie.

My sweet Granny
Me and my Mama and Granny

I took loads of pictures and couldn't possibly upload them all here since Blogger is slow to upload and I am too lazy to resize them all. But I hope you find time to get together with people you haven't seen in a while. That's what Christmas is all about.

Love, Nancy

My Angel Tree

2010-12-18T20:03:00.000-08:00

One of my favorite holiday traditions is putting up my angel tree. It's a solitary activity. The tree goes up in a flash, and that always puts me in a good mood. Then I carefully unwrap each ornament. Most of them have a story or association with someone that fills my heart up.

This angel was brought to me by my sweet friend Gina from Italy. I also have a pink glass ornament my Aunt Roni gave me that she bought when Uncle Blue was stationed in Germany almost 40 years ago. I have two clothespin angels with my babies handprints printed on muslin as wings. There is a cross given to me by my dear friend Marie when I was becoming a Christian. The raffia angel I bought on our trip to Kauaii is also a favorite. There is just something about that tree that touches me and helps me to remember what Christmas is all about.
Rejoice! Love, Nancy

Post a Day

2010-12-17T20:29:00.000-08:00

Because it's the first day of Winter Break and th days of vacation seem to be stretched out before me like an endless row of unopened packages. My optimistic self is planning on posting every day until the end of 2010! Today I give you my fabulous theme wrap for this year. All of packages are wrapped in white paper, red paper with snowflakes or red, green and white striped paper with poinsettias on top. Aren't they pretty? I just love looking at them under the tree.

(Now let's just hope Pepper doesn't eat any of them like he did last year!)

Merry Christmas! Love, Nancy

Finding the Christmas Spirit...

2010-12-11T21:53:00.000-08:00

And the Grinch, with his Grinch-feet ice cold in the snow, stood puzzling and puzzling, how could it be so? [Christmas] came without ribbons. It came without tags. It came without packages, boxes or bags. And he puzzled and puzzled 'till his puzzler was sore. Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn't before. What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store? What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more? Dr. Suess

Just about....

2010-12-04T22:10:00.001-08:00

I was just about to start complaining about all the things I should be doing, but am ignoring while I have a little relaxation/computer time.... when I realized my 2 faithful blog readers are probably sick of listening to me complain, so here are some of the hilarious pictures from our Thanksgivng football game. Taken by Liz, photographer extraordinaire!
Mark's team: Mark, Saeng, Cheryl, Livi, Charles, Dennis

John's team: John, Dave, Me, Alyssa, Kyla, Madi

Mark's team started out by handing off the ball to expert runner, Charles. He got a first down. Yay Charles!

When it was our turn with the ball, we tried running Kyla. She ran straight into a crowd screaming the whole way!

John punting. I was sure he was going to kick by arm.

When Mason arrived he had to switch from team to team according to who was behind

Our cheering section

The football gang. I hope it becomes a family tradition.

Happy Thanksgiving

2010-11-26T15:53:00.000-08:00

I had this great idea to make a Thanksgiving mini album with pictures of all my food and the guests and all of our festivities. And (I know you will be so horribly shocked by this...) I got all carried away and forgot to take pictures!! I made the Portabella Mushroom Bisque and the Cranberry Chutney early, so at least I have pictures of those. I'm off to go try to arrange the leftovers to get a couple of shots!

Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!
Love, Nancy

October Ending

2010-11-07T12:43:00.000-08:00

The last week of October felt like a freight train tunneling right through me. And now it's over and my hair is tousled and my heart is racing and I'm trying to get a grip on what just happened. I hardly caught my breath last month.

Mark had a birthday which we celebrated quietly here at home.

I went on a camping trip for 3 days in the rain with my 5th graders. I spent most of my time cuddled up in the lodge while they all tramped around in the rain. Then when they got back I consoled their tired, wet selves.... Kept an eye on them for mischief.... Tried to help them contain their energy after eating giant brownies... Encouraged them to get full nights of sleep.... And laughed and sang with them and parented and shushed them.

Then it was John's surprise 40th birthday.... With a gorgeous cake and punch filled with worms.

Then Halloween with trick or treaters at our door from 5:00 to 9:00. We actually gave out all of our candy this year. There were lots of cute kids, but more often than not, there were adults at our door with more than one bag and the speech that their "babies were asleep in the car" or adults accompanying kids with their own bags or even a few adults with the audacity to trick or treat kidless. I didn't mind, just found it odd.

Now it's November and I am trying to make a last grasp at sanity and organization before the holidays hit. But I woke up with every centimeter of my body aching yesterday so I am trying to rest and recover for another busy week, but there is laundry to do and work waiting in Fieldbrook, and shopping and cooking and the ever present cleaning. Thank God for the extra hour. Wish me luck!!

Super Swamped

2010-11-02T20:48:00.000-07:00

Well, the camping trip with the 5th grade them immediately into Halloween weekend totally got me. I am officially exhausted and it's only 8:48 on Tuesday. Have some great pictures to post and stories to share, but it will have to wait. I am doing the dishes and going to bed early. Night all!

What's going on?

2010-10-22T19:42:00.000-07:00

1. I went to a workshop today.
2. I got to sleep in until 7:30 and leave the house at 8:50 (as opposed to waking up at 6:00 and leaving the house at 7:15). It was nice.

3. I got my new lens in the mail Monday, and this is the only picture I've taken all week.
4. I have to go to the workshop again tomorrow.
5. I am sad Michael C. from Project Runway was eliminated. I can relate to his feelings of inadequacy and trying to prove to his parents he is good enough to be a designer. I am praying he will realize he is talented and deserving just the way he is... with out winning a contest.
6. I haven't been working out at all lately, and this is affecting my energy level, weight, quality of life, etc. Have to get back at it.
7. Stayed at work until 9 p.m. last night getting ready for my sub. That is just too crazy late to be at work.
8. Had pancakes for dinner tonight.
9. Just started reading 1,000 Days in Tuscany by Marlena de Blasi. Love it. Thanks Cindy for the Borders gift card. :-)
10. Am ready for bed at 7:53. See what I mean about energy level?

Savory Sundays

2010-10-17T19:17:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow we are having a potluck at work, and I signed up for dessert. So I thought I'd better make double cobblers... one for home, one for school.

I use lots of different types of fruit for this. My favorite is blackberry. I pick the berries out at my parent's house. It's also great with peaches, apples, apples and pears, or like this:

Apple Berry Cobbler

Peel and slice the apples. Sprinkle some sugar and lemon juice on them. Throw some berries in too.

For the topping: Put 1 cup oatmeal, 1 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon in a bowl and mix up. Sprinkle over fruit. Melt a cube of butter in the microwave. Pour the butter over the top.

Bake in a 350 degree oven for as long as it takes the fruit to cook through. Apples-45 minutes or so, Berries or peaches- 30 minutes or so.

Serve with whipped cream or ice cream.

Thankful Thursdays (It's back!)

2010-10-14T19:27:00.000-07:00

1. Thankful my daughter came home from school today with a couple of friends.
2. Thankful the mashed potatoes for dinner came out well.
3. So very thankful that occasionally adult people I like to talk to come into my classroom and we have pleasant conversation.
4. Thankful I have a new ipod and dock for my classroom. Now if only I could get the hang of that teeny tiny touch screen.
5. Extra thankful for my sweet mama (who celebrated her birthday yesterday) and for her sobriety and newfound joy in life. Looking forward to a dinner out with family in honor of her.
6. Thankful for changing the math portion of my day which is now going MUCH better thanks to "stations"
7. Thankful I get to hang out with Cindy on Saturday at the Fire and Light Sale. I am planning to bring my chair and a Diet Mtn. Dew for the wait in line.

Happy Thankful Thursday! Love, Nancy

Savory Sundays

2010-10-10T19:25:00.000-07:00

Tonight I tried a new recipe, and it was yuuuuuummmmmmmy and easy!

Chicken Sausage Kabobs

Marinade: 2/3 cup soy sauce, 1/3 cup dry sherry, 3Tbsp. sugar, 3Tbsp. oil. Mix together and pour over cubed chicken. Marinate 30 minutes.

Alternate chicken on skewers with chunk pineapple, sausage slices (I used aidell's chicken apple), and green onions (about 1-2 inches long)

Broil for 10-12 minutes basting with leftover marinade often and turning once.

That's it! I had planned to have ours with rice, but forgot to buy rice, so we had thin spaghetti with butter and soy sauce on it for our base.

ENJOY! Love, Nancy

Weekend

2010-10-09T20:33:00.000-07:00

I want to document my life more. I want to reflect and remember. But right now I am still in survival mode. I am struggling to make my curriculum the best it can be. I am getting to know the 25 souls I spend my days with... their quirks, their fears, their likes and dislikes, their strengths, their wit. At 9 and 10 they are harder nuts to crack than the 5 year olds. They are less likely to share, more reticent. More private. But they want to be known. They love answering the "Question of the day" each day. They try really hard to make each other laugh. They blush when they speak out in front of everyone. But their eyes sparkle and they grin. They make me grin.
I finally received the money that unemployment owed me from August. And I got to spend all of it on whatever my heart desired. So today I bought a 50 mm fixed aperture lens to go with my new camera. And, and ipod. I was the last member of the family around here without one, and I really wanted my own. Mostly for my classroom. I want to put fun music on it so when someone says something really brilliant I can puch a button and James Brown will yell out, "I feel good! nanananananana! You knew that I would now! nananananana!" It will be great! So now I'm off to upload my music. Yay!

Fearless

2010-09-27T18:56:00.000-07:00

This weekend I went with my sweet friend, Danette to her church's annual women's retreat. The food was delicious. The company was great. I met some lovely, funny, kind and supportive ladies. I got to reconnect with a couple of people I hadn't seen in a long time. I got to spend time with Danette, who is always so kind and encouraging. And the program was just exactly what I needed. It was all about knowing and believing that we are each created specifically by God with a purpose. That He loves me just as I am. That He gave me special gifts to make a difference in this world. That I do not need to fear any of the trials of this life because He will always be there.
This doesn't mean that things will always be wonderful. It is not a recipe for happiness. But it does give me hope. And with hope I can keep on living this messy life of mine. Doing my best each day to be the best me I can be. And not beat myself up too badly when I fall short.

Thankful Thursdays

2010-09-24T00:00:00.000-07:00

Well, I almost made it on a Thursday! It's 12:01 as I type this, so just barely in to Friday.

I am so thankful for my understanding family. For them putting up with me working insane hours and being cranky and doing less than my fair share around the house the last few weeks.

I am also thankful for the beginning of routine and focus and lots of laughter and fun and learning in Room 6. The stress is lessening and I am starting to love it.

I am blessed by my sweet friend, Danette, who is taking me to a women's retreat this weekend. Almost 3 whole days of not thinking about curriculum and classroom management (not in the behavior sense, their behavior is good... just in the teaching of 2 separate grade levels in the same 7 hours you would get for one!) and especially for not grading papers over the weekend! And not having to cook and being treated to terrific food! And hearing Betty Chinn speak!

I will try to post back on Sunday... wishing you weekend full of blessings!

Love, Nancy

Moments of wonderful

2010-09-17T20:34:00.000-07:00

So many difficult moments these last few weeks. Moments when my eyes filled up with tears and my heart squeezed closed in my chest and seemed to stay that way. When my breath was frozen and stuck in my throat. When the air seemed to push in around me and my brain felt trapped in a vice. But then between these difficult moments there were moments filled with wonder.
Like when my niece called me on the phone to let me know her science fair project was due in February so could she please borrow my incubator in January to hatch some chicks.

Or when a girl in my class brought me a beautiful bouquet of red tulips (my favorite)

Or getting to meet this adorable boy
And take pictures of his adorable selfAnd watching his sweet sister kiss him and dance around him and call him "Co co".
When I put up the vocabulary chart and students kept laughing and trying to work the words "predict" and "confirm" and "overseas" into our everyday classroom conversation. Or when I said "It's time to stop writing." And one of my hardest, least-interested-in-academics 4th graders moaned because he didn't want to stop. When one of my new colleagues said, "Thank you for staying here" after I was offered a position back in Ferndale (which I declined). Or almost everyday when Mark muted the political conversation on the TV he loves so much to listen to me talk about my day. It has been a hard couple of weeks. But each day there is joy and wonder and cause for celebration. And I plan to revel in the wonder of all of them.

My fantasy life

2010-09-10T20:08:00.000-07:00

So I always had fantasies of getting a fabulous digital camera and wowing my thousands of blog readers with my spectacular photograpy skills combined with wit and humor. Not suprisingly, that isn't happening. First of all, I still don't know how to use my camera very well (even though I love it). Secondly, whenever I think of uploading pictures my brain gets all wiggly and agitated because I have to shrink the pictures so much to get them to load. I have 2 hilarious shots of the 17 individual letters the Employment Development Department sent me informing me that I would not be paid for unemployment the week I was unavailable for work while in Mexico. That cost our state $7.48 in postage alone. No wonder our budget is in such bad shape! I also have numerous wonderful shots of my cute nieces from Labor Day weekend. And the clincher is I have pictures of adorable, new, precious Colton Price Taylor at the age of exactly 14 days. But I guess you'll all just have to wait because I have no desire to attach my camera and fiddle with them. I am off to play Bejewled Blitz!
Happy Weekend! Love, Nancy :-)

Thankful Thursdays

2010-08-27T17:08:00.000-07:00

(A day late)

I am so thankful that Colton Price has joined us! He was born Thursday, August 26 at 11:47 a.m., and weighed in at a whopping 8 pounds 7 ounces. I can't wait to meet him!!

Hello!!

2010-08-25T21:16:00.000-07:00

So sorry I have been absent from my blogging duties, but I actually have a good reason this time. First, I was in Cabo relaxing and enjoying my carefree summer. Then, I came home and had 3 job interviews, an appointment and a seminar at the Employment Development Department in 4 days time. I am happy to say I turned down the first job, was chosen at the 2nd and got to cancel the 3rd! (Unfortunately I did have to attend the boring job seminar) But I only had 4 days to prepare and begin teaching. So, I have now completed my 3rd day as a 4-5 grade teacher and things are going well. Every day I feel a little better, a little more sure of what to do and how to do it. I will try to get back here and keep you up to date. It's going to be a wonderful year!
Love, Nancy

Thankful Thursdays

2010-08-05T20:46:00.000-07:00

As an adult child of 2 alcoholics (and a first born to boot) I am a dyed in the wool people pleaser. I have always been good at being what the people around me needed me to be. I usually hold my tongue when people say things that appall me. I have been reluctant to trust people enough to let them see the "real" me. But now that I am 42 (today... I am 42!), I am finally able to embrace the flawed, unfinished, limited being that is me. God created me. He shaped my body, my mind, my sense of humor. He did it with love. He did it with purpose. He does not care if I always say the right thing or attain the next goal. I am finally aware of the fact that my real life is actually in this (in every!)very real, imperfect, beautiful moment. There is no point of focusing on that next glittering goal, because first of all, there aren’t any more to aim for, and second of all, that takes my attention away from the true riches, which are right in front of me. And it is in this dwelling, this quiet, this actually opening to the notion that life’s real meaning is right here, that I’ve finally realized that just by being me I am enough. And for that I am forever thankful.

Thankful Thursdays

2010-07-29T11:05:00.000-07:00

So I decided to start a new routine of posting things I am thankful for once a week... and what better day for that than Thursdays. (I had to go for the alliteration.) So here are some things from this week:

1. I am thankful for the opportunity to interview for a job and the hope of teaching in my own classroom for the 2010-2011 school year.

2. I am thankful for this puppy who loves me unconditionally and cuddles with me and seeks me out and always wags his tail and looks adoringly at me.

3. I am thankful that the girl wanted money and did all the vacuuming and dusting and bathroom cleaning this week so I didn't have to.

4. I am thankful that the boy now has a job and even though he comes home really tired and sore from all the work seems more focused and happy than before.

5. I am thankful that I have a husband who takes such good care of me and our children. This week he was commited to finding a reasonable car for the boy to buy, and he spent many hours on the internet looking and bidding until yesterday he finally succeeded. (More to come on that later...)

6. I am thankful for my new camera... which I haven't been using as much as I thought I would, but I love nonetheless.

7. I am thankful for our county library where I get numerous books at absolutely no cost. I had to stop reading Vanity Fair on page 452 (about half way) to read Eat, Pray, Love which I only had 6 days to read since there is a long list of people waiting for it after me.

8. I am thankful that I finally took the time to put some family snapshots in this photo holder that has been present in 4 different living rooms in 4 different houses in the last 6 years... just empty. Now it has a few pictures in it. Hopefully more to come soon.

So here goes....

2010-07-26T13:37:00.000-07:00

Wish for your deepest desires, she said & when I asked if they'd come true, she said they always do, so you might as well get them out in the open while you're still young enough to correct any serious mistakes. -Brian Andreas

Wednesday at 1:20 I have a interview for a 1st grade teaching job. So there it is... my deepest desire right out in the open.

Almost here....

2010-07-20T20:20:00.000-07:00

Well, my camera has left Seacaucus NJ and is now in Vernon CA.... I can't wait to meet it!

Waiting

2010-07-15T21:11:00.000-07:00

So here's a picture of my new beloved camera. It is somewhere in transport on its way to me... although I can't track it yet via the internet, so it can't be too close. I am such an impatient person when it comes to waiting for things I want. I don't want to wait 7-10 business days for my camera to come. I want to hold it in my hands today. I want to take pictures of my breakfast and my crazy dog and my kids. I want to read the manual and figure out how to do things I couldn't do with my old camera. I want to take pictures and post them here 30 seconds later. I also don't want to wait for someone to call me and offer me an interview or a job... I want to unpack my supplies in a new classroom today and start dreaming about my new students and my new classroom set up and my new curriculum. I am impatient. I am tired of waiting.

Today

2010-07-14T15:50:00.000-07:00

1. I got up later than I wanted to. (9:09 instead of 8:00)
2. I got suckered into watching "Make room for Multiples"
3. I didn't have time for a "real" workout, so I only walked the dog... although I did go up the BIG hill
4. I had to drop off Kyla at a friend's which made me even later...

BUT...

5. I picked up Madi and Livi at 11:40
6. We went to McDonald's for lunch
7. They played in the Playplace
8. We ate our burgers and fries (McDonald's has the best fries)
9. They played in the Playplace some more
10. They got fudge sundaes
11. We drove to the library
12. They each got their own library card
13. They picked out 2 books each (both wanted these fairy stories)
14. They checked out their own books
15. We went to the Summer Reading activities
16. Livi got picked to put letters on the Chicka Chicka Boom Boom tree
17. Madi got to be a "wild thing"
18. They made art (lots of art)
19. We went back to the children's room and did a couple of puzzles
20. They played outside on the boat thingy
21. We went home at 3:00

It was a great day....
Notes to self for next time: bring camera and a book to keep myself busy

Available

2010-07-10T12:35:00.000-07:00

I am always available for babysitting. Last night I got to hang out with this handsome 3 year old. Check out those muscles!! We read lots of books. He is becoming one of those boys who LOVES nonfiction. He had this dinosaur book with oodles of text (which I very aptly paraphrased) and a field guide type of book about reptiles and amphibians. He wanted to read every page. I tried to convince him to choose his favorites, but he said, "My mommy reads every page." So I did my best. In the middle of the text he would interrupt me and say, "Is it a mean snake?" That was his main concern. I kept trying to figure out what "mean" meant. Does it mean poisonous? Does it mean carnivorous? He just wanted to know if it was mean. I am glad I have all this extra time and energy to spend with my nieces and nephews. What blessings.

Group Therapy

2010-07-08T19:33:00.000-07:00

The day after we went to Yosemite, Mark went golfing and these 2 girls came and picked me up to go wine tasting in Murphys. It was a great day. We caught up on old news and new news. We laughed and talked and drank wine and laughed some more. We had lunch then were back at it... Closing down the wineries. After that we went to the condo and sat on the deck. When Mark came home we were still chatting. When Mark wanted me to leave and go with him to drive the girls to the movies we were not finished chatting. So he had to go alone and we went and had a very late dinner with martinis and more laughing. We closed down the restaurant. It was a great day. It was the kind of day that fills my heart up with hope. I stored the memory of this day away to savor when I am sad about my career, when I am lonely and have no one to talk to, when I am stressed about stupid stuff. I am so thankful for these kinds of days and for these 2 girls.

Yosemite

2010-07-07T23:50:00.000-07:00

We had such a beautiful time at Yosemite on our little vacation. The weather was gorgeous. The sights were spectacular. The company was pleasant. I just loved it. It would be wonderful to have the time/resources to spend days there just savoring and exploring the goodness. We saw a deer super close up and birds and squirrels galore.

On our way into the park we stopped at a Vista Point where a fire had obviously been through at some past time. The girls posed for a shot for me anyway.

Not too far down the road we stopped at another little viewpoint with a pretty little waterfall by a bridge.

The girls can always use some time outside the car to check their text messages.

Once we were in the valley. We parked and wandered around until we found somewhere to eat. We had burgers and fries. I went over to the store and waited in an extremely long line to buy bug repellent and bottles of water for the hiking ahead. The girls loved the squirrels and birds and kept sneaking food to them until I pointed out the $5000 fine for feeding the animals signs. Then we were off to Yosemite Falls.

It was roaring and lovely from our long winter.
I convinced the girls to stand in the spray for a picture... despite the hair-related consequnces that we would all suffer from.
>
We walked out by a different path and enjoyed this view.
Then after much confusion, we found a bus and hopped on to go and hike to the footbridge at Vernal Falls.

This is the view of Vernal Falls from the footbridge. We were planning on only going this far then retreating to do the short hike to Mirror Lake, but Mark is always up for a challenge and insisted that we climb to the top of the falls.

We stopped about half way up the climb from the footbridge to the top of Vernal Falls and I asked some unsuspecting hikers to please take our picture. You can see they obliged me.
Before long, we were hiking up stone steps that were taller than my shins. It was 'strenuous' as the brochure promised. But, I took a second and looked up, and the scene just took my breath away. It was truly spectacular.Not long after this, we got to the most difficult part. The spray from the falls was pelting us like an ice cold shower, the rock was wet and slippery, and the climb was steeper than ever. Neither of the girls complained too much about her sopping wet hair, but they were both displeased by soggy shoes and socks. We rested for a while and munched on some fruit before descending.

After hiking to the top of the falls, we decided Mirror Lake would have to wait until our next trip. So we hopped back on the bus and made our way back to the car. As we were driving out of the valley we were treated to the warmest evening light shining on the sheer granite cliffs.

I just adore lupine. I had to get a close up of this gorgeous creation as our parting shot. I would love to go back again.

A graduate

2010-07-06T21:44:00.000-07:00

I am proud of this boy for many reasons. He graduated high school. He is planning to go to college in the fall. He has a beautiful, sweet girlfriend and he appreciates her. He is kind. He always makes me laugh with his great sense of humor. He takes good care of the dog when we are out of town. He is responsible and doesn't party or get into trouble. He hangs out with lots of different kinds of people and gets along with them all. He cares about his family... especially his grandparents. He knows himself well. He is articulate. He thinks about things... I mean, really, thinks about them. He is a really good kid. I am proud of this boy.

My options...

2010-06-24T20:21:00.000-07:00

So, now what? What to do with my days, my evenings, my brain that keeps going back to planning the lessons, the curriculum, the fun... then suddenly stops, aghast at the idea that there will be no more lessons or curriculum or classroom fun. So what are my options?
1. Get a REAL camera and try to start a photography business
2. Substitute
3. Become a foster parent
4. Clean my house a lot
5. Volunteer
6. Start my own little private school for 4-5 year olds here in my house
7. Play Bejeweled Blitz professionally
8. Scrapbook and submit my pages
9. Get a different job
10. Adopt a child
11. Cook and bake and entertain
12. Read more books
13. Write a book
14. Plant flowers and actually take care of them
15. Move away

What do you think? Love, Nancy

Random Gratitude

2010-06-23T20:55:00.000-07:00

I'd like to tell you all about how I cried most of the way to work today to continue packing up my room, but since I am working on my attitude, I will think of some things I am grateful for instead.
1. Taco Salad for dinner
2. A car with seats that fold down so I can fit LOADS of stuff into it
3. Chatting and laughing with Cindyanna on the phone
4. Bejeweled Blitz
5. That the dishes are already done
6. Talking to my girl on the phone for a while... She has been out of town for 6 days now and I miss her
7. A supportive husband
8. Cozy slippers
9. a small flicker of excitement about our upcoming trip to Tuolumne County
10. No alarm clock

What are you grateful for? Love, Nancy

90% attitude

2010-06-21T11:02:00.000-07:00

So I didn't get the job I had been not so patiently waiting to hear about. And I spent a good amount of time wallowing in self pity. Then, at Mason's graduation the Superintendent gave a little speech and she talked about the quote (which I have heard before, but obviously needed to hear again) that says something like... Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% your attitude and how you deal with it. So I started thinking and praying about what kind of a life I would want to have if I wasn't a teacher. I certainly haven't figured anything out yet, but I am considering a few things and trying to keep my options open and my attitude positive. Even though one door has closed, I am trying to find the right open window to crawl into a new and different life.

I can't believe it!

2010-06-14T19:31:00.000-07:00

I still haven't heard about that job. I am totally freaking out. The closer the end of the year gets without me having a job lined up the more REAL the idea of not being able to be a teacher gets. I honestly don't know how much more I can take. I've been a teacher for 12 years now.... 15 if you count my years teaching preschool (and if you've ever taught preschool, you know it is a TOUGH job). I just can't imagine my life without a classroom. I just can't.

4 more days

2010-06-13T20:50:00.000-07:00

Well, only four more days of school. People repeatedly ask me about my summer plans, and I've got nothing. I mean, we are going on a couple of trips, but I am not even excited. I want to be, but nothing.
I just finished reading The Other Queen by Phillipa Gregory. It's about Mary, Queen of Scotts. Makes me want to go back and read more about Elizabeth and her riegn. Get the other side of the story again.
I had my 2nd job interview at St. Mary's on Friday. Spent most of the weekend going over and over and over all the things I wish I'd said, done, included in my lesson plan, etc. The only thing I haven't 2nd guessed is my outfit, but who know, maybe it was completely inappropriate, too.
I worked on my report cards today. Got them mostly done, just have to add some details about attendance and writing and counting.
I am off to finish up my memory books tonight. Just adding a few missing pieces from kids who were absent and doing the finishing touches on the covers.
I am worried about being able to scrapbook 40 pages by Thursday for Mason's graduation. I just haven't had the scrapbooking mojo lately. I guess I'm just gonna have to buckle down tomorrow and force it!
Wish me luck!!

Random Details

2010-06-04T16:57:00.001-07:00

1. In 14 days and 2 hours this boy (my sweet, charming baby boy) will graduate from high school.
2. Today I packed up the first box of "stuff" from my classroom and was close to tears for about a half hour.
3. I am already working on the May pages in my classroom memory books... which is a miracle. Usually at this time of year I am working on February and panicking.
4. I haven't exercised all week... And it shows in my ability to cope with my life.
5. I still haven't been able to wrap my brain around the idea that there are only 9 days of school left. There is still so much to teach... so many ideas to share... so much fun to have together.
6. This dreary, drizzly June weather we've been having hasn't helped my attitude either.
7. Yesterday we had a picnic at the park and I got rained on several times and walked around with an afro the rest of the day.
8. We've refinanced our house again to help prepare financially for me to be out of work.
9. Mark has decided to watch Friday Night Lights on Netflix and I am super excited to have a show to share with him again.
10. I have a case (yes that's 24!) of Mike's Hard Lemonade in the laundry room... that's gotta cheer me up!

Time stands still

2010-05-31T19:31:00.000-07:00

Even though it is almost June, I am still stuck back in March. I have not progressed much since the day I was handed (and had to sign) the paper that said I would not have a classroom of children to teach next year. For all these weeks I have gone through the motions. I wake up. I eat. I shower. I go to work and laugh and talk and work as hard as I can to make each day a learning experience for the 19 souls I am with from 8:00 to 2:15. I clean up and get things ready for the next day. I come home and make dinner. I do dishes. I try to relate to and encourage my family at home. Although, if I must confess, I think this is where I fall the flatest. I work out. I go on the internet. I watch TV. I read a little from the book I have out from the library. Then I go to sleep. But my heart just isn't in most of it. As often as I pray, I just can't find peace. I can't feel joy. I feel like I am in limbo... dreaded limbo again. I am often on the edge of tears. I am eager to lose myself in someone else's life. I am not as patient. I am not as giving. I can feel myself closing up with this pain of being told I can't be a teacher anymore. I am curling inward a little more each day.... unwilling to trust... afraid of taking a risk... Fearing the future.

Baby sitter

2010-04-25T14:29:00.000-07:00

So yesterday was my second time babysitting my great niece, Sophia. She is a super easy baby and rarely cries. So I just spend the whole time holding her and talking to her and walking around doing little things around the house. Yesterday I took her on my Saturday errands with me, and it went really well, only I got a sore bicep on the right from carrying her around for 2 hours straight!

The first time I watched her we had a couple of little photo shoots. Isn't she just adorable!!

Happy Sunday! Love, Nancy

April Stuff

2010-04-22T21:58:00.001-07:00

1. The eggs are incubating. They have been in for 11 or so days. At day 8 I tried to candle them, but couldn't really see anything. I was super worried and freaking out that they had been refrigerated since when I got them they were so cold. I looked all over the internet and got conflicting stories about the viability of eggs that had gotten been refrigerated.... Turns out they had just been in the barn. So, I am feeling better. Hoping for 8 fluffy little chicks in a week and a half!!

2. Just about done with parent-teacher conferences. I have one more to go tomorrow afternoon. Overall they went really well. I am really happy with how much this class has learned. They are much higher academically than any class I have had in the past. It's been fun to watch how fast they learn!

3. Was on a consistently good workout regimen for about 2 months or so. This week has been a bust.... No exercise since Sunday. I can feel the lethargy setting in.

4. Off to watch the Season Finale of Project Runway. Hope it's worth an 11:00 bedtime!

Hee Hee!

2010-04-03T20:07:00.001-07:00

just chillin

2010-03-23T18:51:00.000-07:00

So I refused to go for a walk or to do any exercise today. I came home, made dinner, then prompty poured myself a glass of wine and sat out on the patio reading Anna Karenina. (Boy, that book is taking forever to read) I read a few chapters (they are exceedingly short) but was frequently disturbed by my psycho, but lovable nonetheless, dog who was barking non stop in the corner. I had to keep catching him and tossing him back into the house. The boys kept letting him out because he was whining... you see he hates to be separated from me. It has been a really long time since I had red wine, and after the first sip it has tasted delectable... could be dangerous for a Tuesday night. Wish me luck! I have to stay sober enough to watch LOST at 8:00 and then again at 9:00. LOST is the best part of my week!

Cheers! Nancy

Sunday

2010-03-21T15:04:00.000-07:00

A list of goodness from my Sunday:

1. Thought I bought a turkey breast, but it turned out it was a whole turkey so the house is smelling great while it roasts.
2. Spent time reading up on Waldorf methods since the job I am applying for is in a Waldorf inspired public charter school.
3. Printed out my Cover letter for aforementioned job and some work stuff I had been putting off.
4. Found my old resume, but haven't tackled it yet.
5. Thoroughly enjoyed church this morning.
6. Puttered around online and found lots of stuff for our new "Jobs People Do" unit... I need good stuff, open house is coming up!
7. Had a delicious salami sandwich with that fabulous peppered salami.

How is your Sunday going?

Sunshine

2010-03-20T12:44:00.000-07:00

We have had sunshine here for days on end. It is so wonderful to wake up to sun shining through the window. I am so thankful... will possibly sit outside today and read while I bask in the warmth.

Excited!

2010-03-18T20:37:00.000-07:00

Last night while fiddling around online I actually found a local teaching job to apply for. It was like a giant weight just lifted right off of me. I actually was smiling without forcing myself... I maybe even giggled just a tiny bit... Then tonight I scored over 500,000 on bejeweled blitz... my all-time highest score! Things are looking up!

How are all of you doing out there? Is there anyone still reading?

Love, Nancy

Stop worrying already!!

2010-03-15T21:21:00.000-07:00

this is an invitation to an amazing future & I can guarantee it because most futures are & even if they aren't, there are better things to do than blaming me

Quote by Brian Andreas....

Notes to self: Focus on the present. Be thankful for what you have. Enjoy each day. Play more.

Cute boys....

2010-03-14T13:34:00.001-07:00

This is Cody. He is 3 years old. He loves to talk and will chat about any and everything. He soaks up new words and sayings like a sponge. He knows all his letters, can read lots of environmental print by sight and can spell many things as well. He's also a great counter. He knows a lot about machines and equipment and used to have an obsession with fans. The first thing I did when he came to my house was to show him our ceiling fan and let him use the remote to turn it off and on.

This is Jackson. He is 3 years old as well. He chats a lot too, but is a bit quieter and harder to understand. His brother Cody often repeats what he says right afterwards (kinda like a translator). He knows many of his letters and likes to cuddle up with everyone. He is very affectionate. He gets really involved in whatever he is doing. Watching him eat a popsicle is like a religious experience. He pulls on his ear when he is tired. He resists sleep, but almost always loses.

I just adore these 2 boys. Spending time with them is such a pleasure for me. It helps that I really like their Mom and Dad... they are one of my favorite couples to hang out with. I just wish we lived closer together so I could see them more often and maybe even babysit!

It's Friday!

2010-03-05T19:16:00.000-08:00

So I'm hanging out at the computer drinking a yummy hot cocoa with a generous dose of Peppermint Schnapps in it (It is only 30 proof). I am looking forward to a great visit with Michelle and Jim and the boys and Danette and hopefully Keith as well. It's such a blessing to spend time with friends.

Chest Cold

2010-03-03T19:37:00.000-08:00

So today I woke up with a raging chest cold... but thanks to Dayquil, I survived the day pretty well.... although my cheeks were not as soft and my voice was not as gentle as usual. By the time I got home from work, I was aching in every cell of my body... my eyebrows were even actually aching! But I took an hour nap then went to Rite Aid to buy Ibuprofen and now I am feeling better again... I am looking forward to Nyquil to get me through the night.
Sorry about the poor-pitiful-me post yesterday... it was either a pre-sickness blah thing or the honest to God truth sprouting out in a moment of weakness... I still haven't figured out which and don't have the energy to worry about it.
Hope things are well with you and Happy Wednesday.

Love, Nancy

Books....

2010-03-02T18:17:00.000-08:00

Right now I am reading Must Love Dogs. It is funny because I didn't really like the movie too much, so I am not sure how the book ended up on my to-read list over at goodreads, but somehow it did, and so I am reading it... If only for the pleasure of crossing it off my list. (I get A LOT of pleasure from crossing things off of lists.)I am enjoying the book pretty well. The main character, Sarah, is divorced and is just plugging along in life, not taking any chances. She wants to date, fall in love, spend time with people, HAVE A REAL LIFE... she even knows she wants these things... and she knows how to go about getting them... she just doesn't have the courage to take the first steps. Each time she goes to make a change, she puts it off. She chickens out at the last moment.
I am so like Sarah in my life right now. I feel like my soul has shrunk down to this tiny little ember, and although it is still smouldering, there is very little warmth being felt. I want to spend more meaningful time with my kids. I want to plan family outings. I want to see my family more. I want to talk to people. I want to connect, to make friends, to keep friends. But when it comes right down to it, I never take the necessary steps to do these things. I stick with my same old routine. I spend my weekends doing chores, shopping, working out. I rarely call anyone. I don't invite people over. I have lost my courage.

Almost

2010-03-01T20:26:00.000-08:00

It seems like just yesterday that he was this.. with his curly blond hair just coming in and the gorgeous blue eyes shocking me every time I saw them (I had always swore that Mark and I would never have a blue eyed child). His voice chimed and tinkled like the sweetest of bells. He was curious and funny. He ran to me with his arms held high begging to be picked up, to be held in my arms. He wanted to spend every moment of every day with me. He came to me with every accomplishment. He came to me with every sorrow.

Now, he has become this in just the blink of an eye... His hair has darkened to a sandy brown. His eyes are still gorgeous, but it's hard to see them under all the hair and the masculine eyebrows. His voice is deep and resonant. He is still curious about some things and his amazing wit always catches me off guard. He is perceptive. He is compassionate. He is so tall now, my head reaches to about his shoulder. I am lucky if I get a hug once per month. He spends almost every minute of his day in his room. He plays video games and guitar and talks to his girlfriend on the phone. Occasionally he tells me a detail or two about his day. If I ask too many times or push too much I am accused of nagging. I am really proud of the almost man he has become.

Taking a Break

2010-01-31T18:52:00.001-08:00

Obviously from my lack of blogging, I have been taking a break. But, I have conciously made a decision to not blog for a while and focus my energies elsewhere. See you in March!

A long weekend

2010-01-16T21:03:00.000-08:00

I am in desperate need of a long weekend, and thank God (and Martin Luther King Jr.), here it is. I have big plans for the weekend... a to do list clicking around in my brain. But, so far I haven't accomplished much. I went grocery shopping. I watched the last 1/2 of the Saints game. After all, they are my favorite football team, and I haven't watched them play a single game all season. You can see I am a somewhat flaky fan. I read last week's church bulletin in my email from my friend Karen. I made a very colorful and pretty dinner. I walked with my sister. Oh, and I took Kyla to the hardware store to buy the paint for her room... so now after much hard work by her and Alyssa we have a lavendar room in our house. I wonder where they will sleep tonight? And, most importantly, dinked around on Facebook for a while and them played some Bejeweled Blitz. I scored 5 games over 150,000 (which is my current goal). The last one was close to 400,000. It's been a good day. The list can wait for tomorrow.

Happy Birthday, Sis

2010-01-10T15:01:00.000-08:00

So today is my little sister's birthday! This is a picture of her with our Granny take a couple of months ago. Doesn't she look great? Even though I had too much fun at my brother-in-law's post earthquake party last night (He has a generator and a wine cellar)... I dragged my sorry butt out of bed and went walking with her at 9:30. That's how much I love her... now off to take my second nap of the day so I have the energy to make dinner.

For a new Year...

2010-01-01T15:46:00.000-08:00

I try not to do any resolutions on the New Year, as they inevitable fall flat by February. But, for the last few years I have been choosing a "word" to inspire me throughout the year.... I got the idea from Ali Edwards... her blog is on my sidebar if you want more info.

This year I haven't felt super inspired to choose a word... actually, I haven't felt super inspired about much of anything. But, I went over to Inspiration Peak (which is a really good quote sight) and poked around for a little while anyway because it sounded better than putting away more of my Christmas decorations... and I have an announcement:

My word for 2010 is PLAY.

Here are some quotes I found thought provoking:

No one imagines that a symphony
is supposed to improve in quality
as it goes along,
or that the whole object
of playing it is to reach the finale.
The point of music is discovered
in every moment of playing
and listening to it.
It is the same, I feel,
with the greater part of our lives,
and if we are unduly absorbed
in improving them -
we may forget altogether
to live them.
Alan Watts

Be aware of wonder. Live a balanced life--learn some and think some and draw and paint and sing and dance and play and work every day some.
Robert Fulghum

And forget not that the earth delights to feel your bare
feet and the winds long to play with your hair.
Kahlil Gibran

Be glad of life, because it gives you the chance to love and to work and to play and to look up at the stars.
Henry Van Dyke

The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life.

Attitude, to me is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, than education, than money, than circumstances, than failures, than successes, than what other people think or say or do.

It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company ...a church ...a home.

The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past ...we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way.

We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude ...I am convinced that life is 10 percent what happens to me and 90 percent how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our attitudes.
Charles Swindoll

Play in the forest, play in the desert, the ocean and the mountains, play wherever you can find an open piece of land to play on, but do it lightly. Drink in the sun, the air and the water and when you leave remember you would like your children to be able to do the same and that they too will want the same for their children.
Author Unknown

You can understand and relate to most people better if you look at them - no matter how old or impressive they may be - as if they are children. For most of us never really grow up or mature all that much - we simply grow taller. O, to be sure, we laugh less and play less and wear uncomfortable disguises like adults, but beneath the costume is the child we always are, whose needs are simple, whose daily life is still best described by fairy tales.
Leo Rosten

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light not our darkness that frightens us.

We ask ourselves 'who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?' Actually, who are you not to be? Your are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.

It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.
Marianne Williamson

For tomorrow

2009-12-30T22:38:00.000-08:00

These are my plans for the last day of 2009:
1. Get ready to have company over for dinner including Mark's brother and his family who we hardly ever get to see because they live in LA.
2. Go to the library and pay my late fees and get 3 new books.
3. Work out.
4. Call my Michelle because the Christmas Card I sent to her was returned in the mail today.
5. Finish reading Fever:1793 which has been a great relief to read after trudging my way through A Tale of Two Cities (which I liked after I was finished with it).
6. Cuddle my puppy and hug my kids and kiss my husband.

Sophia

2009-12-28T15:53:00.000-08:00

On Christmas Eve I had the pleasure of meeting my sweet new great niece, Sophia. She is just a couple of weeks old and as cute as a button. She is so tiny most of her clothes don't fit her yet. She sleeps all day and keeps her parents up all night. She is a joy to hold... all stretches and yawns and oh so cuddly. What a perfect gift! And I even might get to babysit her someday!

After

2009-12-26T10:20:00.000-08:00

After all the anticipation of Christmas, it is nice to revel in the total relaxation that comes with having everything complete. I slept especially well last night, but woke up to some very bad news from the bathroom scale. So now my stress level is climbing again at the thought of all the steps that will need to be taken to reverse the effects of Cinnamon rolls for breakfast on Christmas morning and pie and merry berry bars and the delicious homemade caramel given to me as a gift from one of my sweet students. Overall, I thought I had a good week with over an hour of exercise every day... the elliptical and weight lifting and walking the dog. But all of my efforts have been in vain and the real work is ahead. You see, I went off of a prescription that helps keep your weight down but has other side effects I could not live with. And, I am at that magical age where (as all my older friends keep informing me) my body and metabolism are just changing. I can wish for liposuction and tummy tucks all the live long day, but I know that's not going to happen. So, I need to make a change in my eating and moving habits. It needs to be a permanent change. And, I need to take it one day at a time or I will get overwhelmed. So here I am on day one... Only 1/2 a bagel for breakfast along with a glass of milk and an orange. And now, I am off to work out. Maybe that crazy Billy Blanks will do the trick for today.

Happy Christmas to you!

December 22

2009-12-22T15:22:00.000-08:00

Some observations from today....

1. I am not keeping up on my December Daily due to lack of a digital camera and am all blah about it.
2. I have pretty much everything ready for Christmas except some gift cards I need to buy that I have no money for and am therefore putting it off.
3. I am not sure if being ready for Christmas early agrees with me... I keep wanting to buy more stuff (which again I have no money for).
4. Sent my sweet friend Michelle her birthday card today... I hope she gets it by the 24th!
5. Have been working out quite a bit so far during the break. It feels good to move.
6. The sun is out finally, and it looks cold and windy out there, but still better than more drizzle.
7. Tomorrow I get my hair cut and am going to work to get a few things done.
8. Got 4 Christmas cards in the mail today and only 1 piece of junk mail.
9. Talked to my sister on the phone.
10.Totally cracked up last night at Sheldon in The Big Bang Theory. That show always makes me laugh.

Wow!

2009-12-09T20:44:00.000-08:00

I had no idea it had been so long since I blogged! What a slacker! Not much is going on around here.... the boy is sick and coughing constantly. I think he is the loudest cougher in the whole wide world. Today in the car I counted the seconds between his coughs and the longest span was 65 seconds while the shortest span was 7 seconds. He was averaging 2-5 coughs per minute. And, since he was listening to his i pod, his coughs were even louder than usual. It was not a fun ride home... maybe I need to get him a new pack of cough drops. The girl is in love and has a nice hickey on her neck to prove it. She has finally earned her way back into the real world after being grounded for almost 4 months. So she's been at the boyfriend's house twice this week after school. She even ate dinner over there tonight. She's been in a better mood, though. Tonight she came in and said, "Hi Daddy" to Mark. The use of "Daddy" is usually only heard while she is asking for something she knows she is unlikely to get. I almost fell off my chair.
The Christmas card picture is done and has been sitting at Costco for a couple of days. Three Christmas trees are up and decorated. The big one is sitting without it's lights or adornaments in the dining room waiting patiently to be finished. My scrapbooking desk is a heap of messy ness, so nothing's going on over there. I also have stuff for the classroom memory books spread out all over the floor in the bedroom upstairs. I have to finish at least one of them before Christmas break, because one of my sweet students is moving away and I need to give it to her before she goes. It would be nice if I could have the others done as well.

Off to watch that crazy show "Modern Family"
Happy Wednesday!