Day 3 (This is sure taking me a while to complete)

Again, a picture less day, but here is the synopsis....

Mark and M went golfing at a course way out in a suburb called Summerlin (something like that) Kyla and I went shopping. We started out by dropping off the boys then going to several stores near the golf course and then ahuge outlet mall. We had unsuccessfully tried to get an Abercrombie & Fitch sweatshirt once already, but her heart was set on one, so we asked a nice salesboy at Aeropostale if there was another A&F in town. He directed us to a mall in another suburb on the opposite side of town from where the golf course was.

We spent at least 45 minutes trying to find it (the maps in those brochures are impossibly inaccurate) and just as we were sitting in the left turn lane to enter the parking lot, my phone rang and Mark was ready to be picked up. He agreed we should get the sweatshirt then pick them up as they were hungry and would have lunch at the course. So we park, run into the mall, find a map, locate A&F, run back out to the car, drive to the other end of the mall, run in, find the store, find the sweatshirt she wants, but it's not in her size.

Here's where things get interesting..... We ask the unhelpful salesboy (I'll call him Spike due to his hairstyle) where to find more, he says in the back room. We go to the back room. We find some other sweatshirts, but not the one she wants, then I spot a low mannequin wearing the sweatshirt she wants, and I check the size. It's the right size, so I remove it from the mannequin and find it has no tag. We go back to the front room where I take the sweatshirt to Spike and say, "This is the sweatshirt she wants, but it has no tag."

Here's where things get really interesting....
Spike: Where did you get this (flicker of nervousness on his face)
Me: In the back room... I took it off a mannequin.
Spike: You took it off a mannequin? (Now look of shock is beginning to spread across his face)
Me: Yes, it's the size she wants.
Spike: YOU TOOK IT OFF A MANNEQUIN?!? (Completely aghast)
Me: Yes, she wants this sweatshirt can you get a tag?
Spike: You are not allowed to touch the mannequins. (now wringing the sweatshirt with anguish)
Me: Well, can we buy the sweatshirt?
Spike: You can go to the register and ask if they have another size small in the back. I would help you if I could, but I'm not allowed to leave this room.

So, we go ask, and of course they do not (even though I have spotted 5 other mannequins wearing the sweatshirt K wants), so she picks out a different sweatshirt, and we buy it (for about $74) and we leave. We leave the store who has 6 navy blue zip up sweatshirts in size small on mannequins, which you are not allowed to touch, and which are not for sale. I sure hope Abercrombie & Fitch goes out of style soon as their store policies are totally screwed up!

Unfortunately for the boys we then got stuck in traffic, so it took us another hour and a half to get to the golf course. They were happy as clams when we got there until Mark heard about the Abercrombie fiasco. Then we went to WalMart. Where everything you see is actually available for purchase. This is a store I can understand.

Will try to finish up later today and move on to my current life!!
Happy shopping, Nancy

I need a time out!

I am up to my eyebrows in stress this week, and next week will probably be worse, but I know what I need.......

some great products from http://www.rosepetalbetty.com/

Go over and take a look, her products are amazing!!!

Wish I was taking a soak in a bath right now!

Love, Nancy

Day 2

We hung around the condo most of the day until around dinner time, then we caught the shuttle down to the strip. Even though it was early evening it was still about 95 to 100 degrees. My plan (if you've ever been on vacation with me, you know I have to have a plan and a list of things to do) was to start off at Monte Carlo (where we were dropped off) and walk all the way down to the Northern end of the strip to Circus Circus to see the free circus and then to Stratosphere to ride one (or all) of the roller coasters, while taking in the sights along the way.

It all started out according to plan.... we ate a good dinner (I had an excellent pear martini) at the ESPN Zone in New York New York. Then we tromped back out into the night. Now, let me just tell you that the maps all make it look like the casinos are right next to each other and a breeze to walk to. That is simply NOT the case. It is MILES from one to the other! We were walking for about an hour, and we were not even one third of the way up the strip! We watched the "Dancing Fountains" at the Bellagio then went into the Forum (a fancy mall) at Caesar's Palace to see the moving statues. Unfortunately it was late, and the statues weren't moving, but Kyla spotted Abercrombie & Fitch on the map, so we were off on a new hike (at least this one was air conditioned) to the OTHER end of the mall. When we got there, the store was sold out of the sweatshirt she wanted, and we couldn't get any of the snotty sales people to wait on us. So, we hiked back out and were almost back to the Monte Carlo when we were overcome by exhaustion and thirst. We stopped in a McDonald's to get drinks and Mark waited in line for about 20 minutes, witnessing a near fight with several drunks. After we were refreshed we hiked, I mean strolled, back to our stop to take the shuttle back to our condo.

After 4 hours on the strip we had dinner, saw a 5 minute light/water show, walked through a mall and had a soda at McDonald's. Not anything to write home about. I had better come up with a new plan for the next day.....

Oh, and I didn't bring my camera because I didn't want to lug it around all night and I sorely regretted it.

Back with more soon! Nancy

Day One in Vegas....

After a fun stop in Tuolumne County to visit friends, we were off on our road trip to Las Vegas. We arrived pretty late on Monday night and settled into our condo. It was roomy and well equipped.

On Tuesday morning we puttered around in our car trying to find a place for breakfast. I was, of course, short tempered and irritable due to lack of food.... one of my defining characteristics, unfortunately! But we finally stopped at a place called "The Bootlegger". It was all done in red velvet and old mahogany looking wood with a piano and old photographs of the family who owned it. Kyla, for some odd reason, thought they were vampires. After breakfast, we were off to shop for groceries.

Once that was all taken care of, we headed off to Hoover Dam. We stopped at a "vista point" overlooking Lake Mead where I took this photo of Kyla. When we came around the corner that overlooks the dam, I was amazed. It was so incredibly huge. We did the tour thing and laughed at our "dam guide" and his "dam jokes" We didn't really get many good pictures, but I like this one of the statues.

If you are at all interested in construction or history or engineering, I would highly recommend a visit. It still amazes me that it was built in the 1930's. Wow!

I'll be back later with more....

Toodles! Nancy

Off and running.....

Well, sort of!

We arrived home from our family trip to Vegas last night around 8:30... we had left at 5:30 am, and made pretty decent time with 6 stops.....

This morning when I weighed and measured, I found that one week of indulgence had cancelled out 4 weeks of work and I was back to my July 19th state....

Such a bummer since I had planned on being tan and thin when I give my presentation on Tuesday.... (a work thing) and it looks like that is now out of the question.... Oh well, today I am back on schedule, so I'm headed to the treadmill for 4 miles of fun!!

Be back later with photos from the trip (hopefully!)

Love, Nancy

Almost over

Summer is coming to a close very quickly, and I will be back at work, hectic and frantic to finish my day to day chores..... but before that, WE ARE ALL GOING TO VEGAS!

Mark and I and the kids are leaving tomorrow for Las Vegas. We'll be stopping off in Sonora for a visit with friends first. I am really looking forward to it. I can't wait to feel the hot sun and see the sights.

Happy Birthday to Me!!

Here is my very well worn birth picture from the hospital. I scrapped it about 4 years ago....

And this is a picture of me and my sweet mom on my first birthday.

I am spending the day picking blackberries out at my parent's house. And then a nice dinner with Mark.

Now, while I was typing away, Mark came home for lunch and brought my present...... he's such a wonderful guy... he got me diamond earrings!! 1/2 carat studs.... something I've been wanting forever!! Thanks honey! You're the best!

Love and birthday hugs for all! Nancy

7 miles!!

Today on my little training schedule it says I have to go 7 miles!! Yikes! I am going to do the miles outside because walking/running 7 miles on the treadmill sounds like the most boring thing in the world! I can't take my crazy dog as he can't go that far without being carried.... and I'm wondering if I even can!! Will take Mark's Ipod and my cell phone. Am wondering about water. If I take that I will drink it all and then I'll have to find a "rest stop" if you get my drift....

7 miles!!!

Wish me luck! Nancy

Friendship

So, I went over to one of my favorite quote sites this morning to look for a quote about friendship. Last night I had dinner with sweet Danette, and it just felt so wonderful to have my heart held lovingly by a friend, so in honor of that wonderful treat there is this often used but very appropriate quote....

A friend is a gift you give yourself. -Emerson

During my search I came across this quote....

When you plant lettuce, if it does not grow well, you don't blame the lettuce. You look for reasons it is not doing well. It may need fertilizer, or more water, or less sun. You never blame the lettuce.Yet if we have problems with our friends or family, we blame the other person. But if we know how to take care of them, they will grow well, like the lettuce. Blaming has no positive effect at all, nor does trying to persuade using reason and argument.That is my experience.No blame, no reasoning, no argument, just understanding.If you understand, and you show that you understand, you can love, and the situation will change.
Thich Nhat Hanh

So appropriate for all of the turmoil in my life the past few weeks. I am struggling with being understanding and loving.... my mind whirls around in endless circles... reasoning, arguing, blaming and persuading. I am trying to let go... to understand.

To LOVE.

Wake up call

So this morning I stumble out of bed at 8:33 thinking I'm up pretty early for me.... lately I've been sleeping in until about 9.... but I could sleep no longer because I could hear M pacing around in the kitchen. So, anyway, out I wander, shooting M a grumpy look as I pass, headed for my computer and some early morning email. When M says, "Don't I have an orthodontist appointment today?" CRAP! His appointment is for 8:30!! At this point, we are already 6 minutes late, so being the responsible mother I am, I yell at M for not checking the calendar and run around for another 2 minutes looking for a phone (why, oh why are the handsets never in the chargers?) and the ortho's number before I decide to just jump in the car in my jammies (no makeup, teeth unbrushed) and hope they'll take him even though he's late.

We arrived at the office a mere 20 minutes late and I send M in to face the receptionist... Let's face it, I am a coward, and I am in my jammies (no makeup, teeth unbrushed)!! A few minutes later he comes out to the car and says they'll work him in. "Did you ask how long the appointment will last?" I ask. "No, I forgot," he says. So here I am stuck in the car in my jammies (no makeup, teeth unbrushed)!! with no way of knowing how long the wait will be. Thank God for the cell phone (and for forgetting to plug it into the charger last night, or it would certainly still be there and not in my purse!). So I call the receptionist and apologize and find out he'll be there for about an hour. Hooray! I get to go home and shower and put on regular clothes and makeup and brush my teeth!

I love summer, I really do, but sometimes I ASTONISH myself with how easy it is to turn into a total sloth..... It's a good thing I am not independently wealthy, because I am sure I would turn into a complete couch potato!

Wishing you a wonderful Wednesday!

Love, Nancy

My Attitude

So, I am having a HORRIBLE day!! And if it wasn't for that adorable Cindy calling me up today (THANKS, CINDY!) I swear I would have my bags packed and be moving back to Sonora today!

Of course, being that moving back is impossible, I have to come up with some way to get past this horrible day, so I remembered this quote I saw on one of the blogs I frequent....

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. The remarkable thing is we have a choice every day. 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. - Charles Swindoll

So here I am today, choosing to push forward and try to make this place I live in MY HOME.

I truly hope you are having a better day....

Back to Work

Last week Mark went with me to my classroom to help rearrange the furniture. Overall, my room was functional and looked good, but there were a couple of things that I just felt needed to be changed. So, I wheedled and begged until finally I got a little muscle to help me out. We got most of the larger shelves into spots where I liked them by the time Mark was fed up, so I was happy with our effort.

Yesterday I went back alone to do a little more tweaking...... and ended up moving some very large shelves alone. It wasn't too bad... mostly I kept worrying about scraping the newly waxed floor (and there are a few scrapes which I took the Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to without much result). At one point when I was holding up one end of a 6 foot long shelf and turning it around while the other end rested safely on the carpet, my back made a weird cracking noise I have never experienced before. It didn't hurt, but just made an odd sound. I was somewhat apprehensive that I might wake up this morning and not be able to move! Obviously, that was not the case and I am as spry and healthy as ever!

With the "Back to Work" mode in full swing, last night I kicked Mason out of my scrapbook room and created 3 "Center" signs. You know, labels for different areas of the room...Block Area... Library.... Math Manipulatives...etc. They are hand cut pieces with a couple of stickers or punches used. Not a style I use in my scrapbooking, but somewhat Kindergarten friendly. In the above sample I am thinking of adding arms to the poor little red head boy and maybe have him holding a magnifying glass up to his eye. All three of the ones I made feel somewhat incomplete to me, but it just felt good to get out my scissors and gluesticks and paper scraps and make a mess!

Here's to another day of work!! Hope yours is great! Love, Nancy

Struggle

And the day came when

the risk it took to remain

tight inside the bud

was more painful than the

risk it took to blossom.

Anais Nin

I feel the weekend stretching out before me full of promise. The week has been a struggle where nothing felt quite right. I was uneasy, restless, lethargic, tearful. Now I am starting to feel more comfortable in my skin. Maybe today I will find my creative spirit. Maybe today I will enjoy feeling my body growing stronger through exercise. Maybe today I will connect with a friend I haven't spoken to in a while. Maybe today I will feel sexy for the first time in months. Maybe today I will embrace life.

Or maybe today I will just do all the things I need to do without feeling really alive. Nah, I don't think that will happen today...

Today I have hope.

Being Thankful

This is one of those days that start out in a regular manner and then by the end (here I am at the end at 7:15) I am ready to burst into tears, so instead of having a little pity party, I am going to make a list of things I am thankful for.

1. Mark, who promised on the second day I met him that he would be my rock, and who has never gone back on that promise
2. Kyla, who has such insight into people's hearts
3. Mason, who told me he loved me today when I dropped him off
4. My friend Barb, who is always so kind
5. Pepper, who is sitting on my lap keeping me warm
6. My Michelle who is off in New York having a great vacation (I miss you!)
7. Taking time to have dinner with my family each night
8. That I have stuck to my training regimen and my body is feeling more fit and healthy every day
9. The promise of a new group of Kinders coming to meet me in about a month
10. Having the courage to say what I think and stand up for what I believe in so much more often than I ever have before
11. The tips from "The generous wife" that are helping me get back to knowing what's really important
12. Time for thanksgiving and prayer
13. Kyla finally letting me read a "Harry Potter" book to her
14. All of my friends, who are honest and genuine and caring and supportive ...If you are reading this, I could use a call! :)
15. The hope of a sunny day... because even if I haven't seen one in a while, I still remember how it feels to sit and listen to the chirping swallows and feel the warmth spread over my skin.

I need...

SOME INSPIRATION!!

I seem (once again) to have lost my scrapbooking MOJO. I really have no desire to create anything. I find my days somewhat empty and I fill them with exercise, chores (OHHH! I have to remember to do a load of laundry today!), reading, doing Sudoku, watching TV, etc.

If I happen to wander into "my" scrap room and find that it does not have any children in it (this rarely every happens), I am very likely to sit at the computer and buzz around the internet or answer my email or play spider solitaire.

Today I did pick up the roughly 100 ish pictures from our trip to Australia last year and put them into a "sleeve" type of photo album. The problem is I forgot what order we did things in, and I can't find any written notes about the trip anywhere. I know I must have written stuff down while we were there, but I didn't put it with the photos, and now it is LOST! So, where do I go from here? I can't really fill the album in just from memory.... So for now, that project will sit on my "half finished" shelf.... Unfortunately, the "half finished" shelf is FULL! And, after rifling through the stuff on it, I am even less likely to feel creative...

So, what should I do?

I guess I'll go print out my Sudoku puzzle for today, and wait for Mark to get home!

Hoping you are feeling great!

Nancy

Book 7

I had seriously considered going to Borders last night at midnight to pick up my reserved copy of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, but all of the ridicule from my family kept me at home. So, today I arrived home from my weekly grocery shopping trip with "the book" in hand. That was at 11:50 am. At promptly 1:44 am I read the last page of the 759 page book! I guess you could say I couldn't put it down! Also, I was extremely paranoid that some tidbit of info off the internet or TV would reveal too much info before I got to finish the story the old fashioned way! Next week, I'll probably sit down and reread the whole thing again.... you know, savor it!

Hope you are having a great weekend, too!

Love, Nancy

Cabo (not so) Wabo

1. the view from the 3rd floor of the lovely mall out to the marina
2. A little "nook" near the wine and cigar bar at our condo
3. Mark on the golf course
4. The only picture of me from the whole trip

We'll be going back every year from now on, so if you'd like to tag along, please let us know.

Adios, N

Zombie

So, on our vacation in Cabo, Mark (Hi honey!) accused me of not being able to relax. I think his exact words to my floppy, sighing, complaining of boredom self were "Your problem is that you just don't know how to relax!"

So here is a sample of the last 3 days of my life to disprove his theory....

1. I have basically not left the comfort of my home in 3 days.
2. Okay, on Sat, I did drive K to a friend's house, but I was the not showered, wearing my sweats, hair in a sloppy pony, sunglasses not covering nearly enough of my splochy face, preworkout me.
3. I have not gotten out of bed before 9 am.
4. I have not taken a shower before 1 pm.
5. I have not worn a stitch of makeup for 2 straight days.
6. I have not done more than pull my hair back into a pony for 2 straight days.
7. I have not called anyone or made any contact with the outside world (other than through the internet).
8. Today (at 11:45) I am still not showered, but I have made an important phone call to the insurance co of the man who rear ended me and Danette on our way home from our visit to see Michelle. This was 1 of the 2 items on my to do list for today. The other is to go to Costco and get the pictures from Cabo developed. I feel positively productive!

So, I think you will agree that I CAN relax.... I just don't choose to do it on vacation!

Hope you are having a great and productive day too!

Love, Nancy

We're back!!

Had a really nice week in Mexico with Mark. It was different from our earlier travels to Cabo in that usually our trip motto is "we have more time than money, so we do not want to go to your time share presentation, thank you, but we would rather pay full price."

This trip our motto was "sure! we'd be happy to go to see your presentation, what will you give us for free?"

We went on a sunset cruise on a pirate ship called the Buccaneer Queen.
We got $200 off our car rental.
We enjoyed a delicious dinner where we indulged in everything from appetizers to drinks to dessert (a 97.70 dollar value) for $20.
We were given passes for a day at an all inclusive resort (which we didn't get around to using).
We received 20% off of all purchases made at our resort.
And we were treated to 3 free breakfasts.... one of which included mimosas... yum!

Too bad we couldn't get deals like that in Eureka.... Sure, I'll go to your presentation..... will you give me a free breakfast and a gift certificate to buy groceries?

Keep on praying for that Sugar Pine house to sell......

Until the pictures are developed....

Sigh, Nancy

Independence Day

There is a place where truth prevails
and justice stands, where courage is more
than a word and peace is more than
a feeling...
There is a place we call America.


I am off to Cabo until the 12th.

Hasta Luego!

Love, Nancy

The Boys...

The essence of CUTE...

I had such a great weekend in OR visiting with two of my dearest friends and getting to know these sweet little boys! It was so amazing to me how taking care of their needs fills up your day so completely it's 3 pm and you haven't even remembered to eat lunch yet! I am in awe of their mom and how she's adjusted so wonderfully to being a mom after so many years of waiting. Cuddling babies and feeding babies and laughing with babies has to be one of my most favorite activities EVER!

Now, I'm off to Redding for the day with Mark, but I might check in tomorrow before I go to Mexico!

Love, Nancy

I'm Off!

Tonight by 8 pm I'll be holding one of these cute little guys!! Can't wait to go to Oregon....

And, the prospect of no sassy teenagers for 3 days also has me giddy!

Have a great weekend....

Love, Nancy

My eyes...

So for the last 20 years I have been wearing disposable contact lenses. I wore soft contacts for one year, but lost one of them about 5 months after getting them and then had to go the next 7 months with only one contact. It didn't really bother me.

But the next year, I switched to disposables just so the losing of one would not be such a bug deal, knowing that I was likely to lose one on occasion.

I don't know if I ever actually followed the manufacturer's instructions on how to wear my lenses or if I have always been guided by what ever seemed easiest, but for as long as I can remember I have been wearing my contacts 24 hours per day for as many days as it takes for my eyes to start feeling dry. On average, that would be about 2-3 weeks. At that point I take my contacts out for one night and let them soak, then pop them back in until they start to bug me again... usually about 2 more weeks.

Now, I never confessed this blatant disregard for my eye health to anyone for a long time, but eventually I revealed it to a few friends, most of whom were unimpressed, and my friend Lori, who actually follows a similar regimen, though not for such an extended period of time.

At my yearly eye appointments (which always came around about every 15 months due to my extended period of contact use) I always sat in nervous anticipation, expecting to hear the worst due to my poorly taken care of eyes. Yet, each time the doctor would find nothing to exclaim over and re-prescribe my lenses usually with a little bit stronger of a prescription.

Was the need for stronger lenses due to my wearing habits? I never had the nerve to ask, nor to confess to the doctor how I treated my eyes.

Then 3 years ago, I had to switch doctors due to an insurance issue, and I decided to come clean. I told him exactly what I've laid out before you here. I said it without remorse. I dared him to find something wrong with me.... to exclaim over the damage done.

But, lo and behold, he said the same thing all my other doctors had said. My eyes looked extremely healthy! In addition, the 8 week old pair of contacts I had been wearing for so long while putting off making an appointment at a new optometrist were surprisingly clean looking, and if I didn't want to change my habits that was OK with him. He wasn't going to lose any sleep over it.

So for 2 years I felt OK about my eye care. My doctor knew my routine, and couldn't find anything to complain about.

Then, we moved to our new area, and, of course, I had to find a new doctor. So, yesterday, I went to my first appointment with my new optometrist wearing the pair of contacts that I'd been using since March, and which were bothering me more than any pair of contacts I'd ever owned. When I filled out the questionnaire, I said that I wore my contacts for 24 hours per day, taking them out once per week, and using them for 2-3 weeks before disposing of them. I don't know what stopped me from telling the truth, but it must have been some form of intuition, because even this information sent the new doctor into a 40 minute appeal for me to change my ways. She lectured on the eye and it's parts, she got out charts and pictures, and showed me what could happen. She didn't actually see anything wrong with my eyes. There was a bit of "wear" on my cornea due to oxygenation that was normal for any contact wearers, but nothing unusual or remarkable. I am pretty sure she was disappointed not to have more bad news for me. After listening to her go on and on, I agreed to take out my contacts each and every night to allow my eyes to breathe more and to consider getting a pair of glasses to have as a backup.

I said these things to get her to stop talking. At the time I really had no intention of doing either of them. But later, as I replaced my 4 month old lenses with a pair newly purchased at Costco, I began to reconsider. My main reason was not really the lecture from the new dr., but my friend Gina who had an eye problem last year. I tried to imagine what it would be like to not be able to rely on my eyes. I didn't like the picture my imagination painted for me of what it would be like.

So last night, I took out my contacts and let my eyes breathe. I couldn't see the clock in the night without squishing Mark and squinting my eyes until they were almost closed. I bumped my toe on the new scale in my bathroom, because I couldn't see it in the dark, and I felt really disoriented in the morning as I stumbled around my newly fuzzy bathroom. But, I am glad I did it. My eyes feel very happy this morning. I am determined to turn over a new leaf, and do what's best for my eyes.

And, if it gets too annoying, there's always lasik surgery!

Cheers! N

Getting Ready...

I am getting ready to go (with sweet Danette) to see our wonderful friend Michelle and meet her sweet twin boys. They are almost 8 months old, and I am sad that it has taken me this long to meet them. This is them above... Jackson and Cody.... aren't they cute?

Soon after that I will be getting ready to go to Cabo with my Mark.... 8 blissful days in the sun, by the pool, maybe Marlin fishing for the first time, maybe taking a dinner cruise on a pirate ship, maybe getting a pedicure.

And about 4 days a week now I am getting ready for October 21... the 1/2 marathon... I am running about 2 of the 4-5 miles I put in on these days.... not even close to being ready yet, but closer than I was when I started.

Have a terrific Tuesday!

Love, Nancy

10 things I'd like to do before I'm 40...

1. Go somewhere in Europe
2. Be rid of my "roll"
3. Decorate my living room
4. Find a church that stimulates me spiritually
5. Collect a group of girlfriends in my new town who are kind and fun
6. Buy a piece of art that speaks to my heart
7. Teach a class at my local scrapbooking store
8. Go back to Disneyland.... I love Disneyland
9. Attend another CKU
10. Go bungee jumping

Thoughts for a Tuesday

Well, I was all excited about this box that I received from one of my students that I altered..... It's pretty cute, I think.... but then as I was getting ready to publish I came across this writing at one of my favorite blogs to visit, and it took my breath away and made me cry, and it seemed oh so much more important than my box.....

http://www.mytopography.com/

please go and read it.

Love, Nancy

For the weekend

1. I really want to go see "Knocked Up"
2. I finished the memory books through April and have only one more set of pages and the cover to do..... am hoping to design the pages today and finish the covers.
3. Am going to a retirement party from 1-4 today (not looking good for above)
4. Have booked my sister and her family to come to Las Vegas with us in August.... it's turning into a real family vacation... CAN'T WAIT!
5. Still have to grocery shop and do weekend laundry
6. Today is my first official day of training for the 1/2 marathon... have to put in 4 miles.
7. Must get off the computer and get busy!!!
8. My 15 year old son is making pancakes for me, his sister and his cousin for breakfast!!! It's a miracle!

Happy Sunday!

Love, Nancy

4 more days....

Long ago I realized that one of the things I like about being a teacher is getting to go back to being a wife and mom for 10 or so weeks during the summer. It took me a few summers to realize this, as I started out taking classes each summer, but once I got a taste of the freedom, I've never turned back..... and my salary shows it.... no advancement on the salary scale due to and increase in college units for me. I need the time to relax, to rejuvenate, to reconnect, more than the money!

But before I can be done with my job I have sooooooo much to do! Am such a bad procrastinator, I HAVE to get more organized and finish things earlier..... well, maybe next year? HA! So anyway, I have about 40 hours of assembly line scrapbooking to do for my class memory books this weekend.... Do you think I will finish?

I doubt it, but wish me luck!!

(and did I say only 4 more days to go?)

:) Nancy

Remembering

I have seen this video a few times now, and every time it brings tears to my eyes....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ervaMPt4Ha0

So in honor of my grandfather, my Uncle Blue, my Uncle Kevin, my nephew Blair, and my cousin Jimmy, and my cousin-in-law David I dedicate this video.


And, thanks so much to all the soldiers who risk their lives so I may live in freedom.

My Sister's Keeper

For a few days now I have been reading My Sister's Keeper by Jodi Picoult. It was recommended to me by my good friend Joanna, who, besides having great taste in books, is hilarious and honest and so much fun to be around. ( Hi Joanna )

Anyway, near the beginning there is a part when the mother of the girl with leukemia says, "With grim resolve I make a ballet out of rinsing the emesis basin and bringing it back. If you focus on sandbagging the beachhead, you can ignore the tsunami that's approaching. Try it any other way, and you'll go crazy."

That is such a perfect description for how we lived through the 2 and a half years that Kyla went through chemotherapy. It's a one pill at a time, one procedure at a time, one step at a time journey that you take, while never looking far enough ahead to be crushed by the "what ifs".

It's a great, great book. If you haven't read it yet, I highly recommend it.

Now, I'm off to finish the last couple of chapters, cozy in bed at 7:30.

The quote book cover

Yesterday....

I spent the day with my sweet friend Danette. We had lunch together then we went to a ceramics place to paint pottery. She made a very pretty warm colored bowl with her initial in the bottom. After much consideration, I made a small canister with colorful stripes and little dots for my scrapbooking room. It was soooo nice to sit around and chat while we painted. We are trying to set up a once a month date to get together more often. I hope it works out... She is such great company!

After I got home, there was a quiet house with no one on the computer, so I went to work tidying up the computer table and my scrapbook table. I was so content by the time I finished, that I just had to scrap a little. I ended up making a cover for this little notebook I have been filling with quotes. I am loving that color green lately.....

The first quote says:

Language does have the power to change reality. Therefore, treat your words as the mighty instrument they are- to heal, to bring into being, to remove, as if by magic, the terrible violations of a childhood, to nurture, to cherish, to bless, to forgive- to create from the whole cloth of your soul, true love. Daphne Rose Kingma

Am trying to remember to say kind words to my children EVERY DAY..... To listen carefully to the words they speak..... To give them my full presence...... even when they insist they don't want it.... maybe especially then.

Wishing you a wonderful week!

Love and Hugs! Nancy

A thought on this late night.....

We have stopped for a moment to encounter each other. To meet, to love, to share. It is a precious moment, but it is transient. It is a little parentheses in eternity. If we share with caring, lightheartedness, and love, we will create abundance and joy for each other, and this moment will have been worthwhile."

Deepak Chopra

Late last night....

we found out that the sale of our house was not going to go through.

It's a LOOOOOOONG drawn out story, so I will try to make it as readable as possible.

First, we had agreed to sell our house at $10,000 below our "target" (this was actually $39,000 below our listed price) because we knew it may need a little work and we were eager to have things there wrapped up before our deadline rolled around here on August 1.

While some inspector was doing his thing he noticed that there was some water under the fireplace in the lowest part of the house. Upon closer inspection he saw a small crack in the mortar of the (gorgeous) real rock fireplace. Mark (showing his eternal generosity and integrity... which is one of the reasons why I love him, although I forget and yell at him due to fear of poverty [see post below]) offered to lower the price another $5,000 to make this repair even though we had already agreed on an AS IS price.

The potential buyers replied back that they wanted to lower the price another $29,000. Needless to say, we are trying to terminate the deal, so hopefully our house will be back on the market tomorrow.

We are in great need of prayers, good karma, and some new buyers!!

In spite of this, I feel very hopeful about our situation. I am trusting that there is a plan for us.

Also, I am sooooooo looking forward to a wonderful, restful 3 day weekend

So, do you have any fun plans?

Hugs & kisses! Nancy

For Mark, who I yelled at earlier......

Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and rightdoing,
there is a field.
I'll meet you there.
When the soul lies down in that grass,
the world is too full to talk about.
Ideas, language,
even the phrase "each other"
doesn't make any sense.


mevlana jelaluddin rumi - 13th century

Cutie Pie

Here are those promised pictures of my cutie pie nephew, Charles. I had the pleasure of watching him on Mother's Day when his parents went out for a movie. He is almost crawling and was hard to photograph as he kept scooting straight for the camera at such a high rate of speed I couldn't get it to focus. All the effort was well worth these two funny shots. He's so cute!!

First prom....

So here are a few of the shots I took of M and his girlfriend on Saturday at the prom. I would have loved to have taken 3 or 4 rolls of film with them leaning on the barn, strolling through a field of tall grass, etc..... As it was I got about 14 shots total. These are the 5 I liked best. I saved each of them as a full color, faded, black and white, and sepia shot. They make a cute couple, don't you think?

Back with some cute shots of Charles soon.....

Love, Nancy

A couple I fiddled around with....

A couple of pictures from the prom

Harvesting the Heart

is the name of the book I started reading today... It is by Jodi Picoult, and I have been hearing so much about her lately that I have been dying to read one of her books. There's this quote in it that struck me....

"He believed with the zealousness of an evangelist, as if spirituality were something that ran through your veins and not through your mind."

Now, I do not in any way, shape or form consider myself "zealous" or "evangelistic" when it comes to my spirituality, but this just struck me the wrong way.

With every fiber of my being, I feel the spiritual connectedness of all mankind.It is in my veins, my heart, my entire self. It is religion that is in the mind... NOT SPIRITUALITY.

It is religion that fills your mind with "shoulds" and "do nots" and rules and regulations.

It is spirituality that brings a gift of peace into a heart on a day when your daughter is diagnosed with cancer or your son swears at you for the first time or your job seems overwhelming. It is grace. It is not something you can force or earn. It is given. And all you can do is open your heart and accept it.

So, as you read this, I hope you find spirituality in your veins.

Unbelievable

Tonight at 5:40 I had to help M with all the accoutrements involved in assembling a tuxedo. He then loudly resisted while I put "product" in his hair and blew it dry. He again resisted photographs (but I got a few) and we set off in the car to meet with the girlfriend.

Having most of my photography experience with girls being Kyla and Alyssa (who are always more than willing to pose and follow my *weird* directions) I was surprised to find that this girl hated having her picture taken as much as M!! I did, however, get them to pose for me in front of a barn.... I am hoping the redish background will really set off the color of her light green dress.

After I ran out of film.... which came WAY to quickly..... I rushed to Costco to get it developed, and was disappointed to find it closed. So, I'll have to wait for tomorrow to see the fruits of my labor. (And that means you'll all have to wait, too!)

I still can't believe M is at the prom.... my life justs seems very surreal tonight.

Until tomorrow! Nancy

It's official!!

I spend way too much time in front of the TV and the computer!! So instead of playing Spider Solitaire for the next 38 minutes I am going to put on a warm coat and take my puppy for a walk!!

Of course, I have to be home by 9:00 to watch Grey's Anatomy, but at least it's a start!

What did you do today?

:) Nancy

I know.....

I have been a BAD BLOGGER lately.... rarely ever checking in more than once a week. I have no good excuse. But, if you have a minute, I'm asking you to say a little prayer for the well being of my boy.... he's having a tough week and could use all the help he can get.... which, of course, means his mom and dad could use a little prayer too.

I hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day. I woke up to Kyla knocking on my door with waffles (real, not eggo) and strawberries and yogurt and a big glass of milk all served to me on the breakfast-in-bed tray. Mason gave me a "Happy Mother's Day" (remember to think this in a deep voice) then, "Do you want a hug?" Of course, I wanted one, I never get those anymore....l Later, I got a bad farmer's tan on my arms while sitting on my deck finishing the last couple of chapters of The Nanny Diaries.

I'll try to check in again soon.

Hugs, Nancy

Spring

Spring and fall are definitely the best seasons here in Hum Co. Today the weather was HOT! Like over 80!!! It felt so good to sit in the sun and soak up its rays. My class was LOUD today, but mostly good. I tried to spend more time outside with them, but it's STAR test week so we could only go out for 15 minutes in the morning while the 1st-3rd graders were out, ere we might be loud and obnoxious next to the windows of the kids trying so hard to concentrate on THE TEST while we are whooping and hollering! Then in the afternoon they were so hot, they all wanted to go inside! Poor little things, they are so unaccustomed to the heat!
On another note, I mailed the contracts to sell our house today, and I am feeling MUCH better about it. This is my path, and I am determined to find joy in it, every step of the way.

Hope your day was as lovely as mine! Love, N

I made a wish....

for our house to "JUST SELL...... I don't care, just sell it!" and it did, and now I feel like a part of me has been torn out. This was the house that I dreamed of owning, the house I always wanted, the house I loved despite its quirks, the house I made into the home for our family...... Soon it will be a vacation cabin for 2 couples... It will not be a home. My heart is aching despite the relief of the financial burden.

A few more

long overdue Easter pictures.....

I thought I should add a couple of the older kids, although they're not as much fun to photograph!

Feliz Cinco de Mayo and Happy National Scrapbooking Day!!

just a quick update....

I am finally getting around to putting up a few Easter pictures.... and this cute one of Charles that was from awhile ago.....

I am having quite a struggle around here for the computer. The "my space" addiction has quite a hold on my children. I am seriously considering putting a one hour limit on computer time per day....... Just don't have the energy to enforce it as of today, so I will have to hope their obsession wears out or I get some gumption.....

The 2 beauties above are my sweet nieces..... love the mischieveous look in Madi's eye and the giggle on Livi's face.... it's not often that Livi gives up her worried "crinkle"!!

I am still hoping for more adjectives on the link below.... (down about 3 posts or so) check it out if you have time.

Love, N

Happy....

and tragically behind on all schoolwork!!!

Had a WONDERFUL trip to Tuo Co this weekend.... lots of chatting, talking, about things serious and not with friends who we miss. Am hoping to get back soon to soak up that soothing essence of friendship.....

Had a pretty good day back today with the youngsters. Am entirely stressed about getting my room ready for open house this Thursday, but maybe I will not do as much as I planned... Maybe I will let some of it go... let some OLD artwork grace the walls and ceiling and hallway.....

If you have not yet clicked that little link in the post below.... please go and do it.... am loving the results!

Happy Tuesday! Hugs! Nancy

Sorry...

for not being around lately.... have been suffering from same old blahness again....

Help me out and go answer these QUICK questions about me.....

http://kevan.org/johari?name=nberg

Love, Nancy

Back to Work

I am severely dreading that moment tomorrow when I am in front of my class and someone starts to act up. Inevitably, it will happen... sometime.... hopefully not in the 15 minutes between the start of school and music class... my prediction is DURING music class..... So, how will this be handled.... I guess it depends on the infringement.....

I am so relaxed.... so content.... it's hard to picture how the day will go tomorrow.... I have missed those sweet little souls, but I worry about how much they have forgotten these past NINE days.

Wish me luck!

Hugs! Nancy

Refreshed

So, I've officially ended my week of Spring Break, and I feel pretty refreshed. I have my class memory books now complete for August, October, November & December, and September is in the works. Today I watched "Little Miss Sunshine" which I thoroughly enjoyed, and I have been rereading "Gone with the Wind".

If you notice a post from a while back about M missing, some nosy girls (not the girlfriend) found my blog and messaged him on "my space", and now I am forbidden to write about him. Most especially about his love life... this is very difficult for me, as I spend a LOT of my time worrying about him, and now I am limited in the places where I can vent!

Have been wishing I could scrap more for myself this week, but the demands of assembly line scrapping necessary to complete the class memory books have sucked out all my creative energy. It is well worth it however, as the kids in my class LOVE to see their pages, and making them each this special gift is something I believe in.... for some of them it is the only scrapbook they will ever have.

Today...

Today I sat with my 15 year old son and his counselor and discussed his future plans.
Today I got to work early to have a parent teacher conference before the students arrived.
Today I wore my navy blue capris.... because the weather is getting warm.... and a turtleneck sweater because it's never warm enough here.
Today I sat on the floor of my classroom and organized the calendar numbers for the rest of the school year.
Today I laughed with my colleagues in the lunch room.
Today I talked to my mom, my mother in law and my sister in law on the phone.
Today I rested my body after three straight days of exercise.
Today I cuddled with my puppy on the bed and watched Friday Night Lights.
Today I drank 24 oz. of diet Pepsi.
Today I tried to call my Michelle twice because I miss her.
Today I didn't have to urge anyone to come out from under the table.
Today I received the bad news that one of my sweet students is seriously ill again.
Today I made cheeseburgers and french fries for dinner.
Today I took the time to pray for my concerns and the concerns of others.
Today I felt fullness inside myself......

Instead of doing my report cards...

or running on the treadmill... or cleaning my bathroom....

Actually, instead of doing anything I SHOULD be doing, I am in my scrap room making this cute page of Kyla and my nieces from last Halloween.

The green paper is velvet paper from SEI. It is sooo soft and yummy! And, all the supplies are old stuff.... didn't use anything out of my new basket at all!!

Hope you take some time to do something you LOVE today!

Sweet little guy

Last weekend we had the pleasure of babysitting our 4 month old nephew, Charles. As soon as he woke up, Kyla and I were ready with a photo shoot! Here are my favorite shots....

100th post

Here I was all set to blog about some other thing when I logged on, and then I have to go and notice that this is my 100th post!! So, what in the world can I do to celebrate? Go and eat 100 chocolate chip cookies? If I had any chocolate chips in the house, I would certainly consider it!! Instead I think I will name 100 people I love..... if you are on the list I would love a comment from you, and if not maybe you can comment and tell me what a bad friend I am!! (Of course, these are in no particular order... except for my #1!)

1. Mark
2. Mason
3. Kyla
4. My mom
5. My dad
6. Cheryl
7. Dave
8. Alyssa
9. Alivia
10. Maddie
11. Michelle C.
12. Michelle D.
13. Danette
14. Gina
15. Karen K.
16. Ann
17. John
18. Liz
19. Charles
20. My grandma Millie
21. Aunt Ronie
22. Joanna
23. Steph
24. Anne
25. Lori
26. Shari
27. Karen T.
28. Kristin
29. Shelley
30. Marie
31. CJ
32. Jenny
33. Susie
34. Jim
35. Kristy
36. Blue
37. Kody
38. Ryder
39. Jace
40. DJ
41. Raquel
42. Aunt Kathy
43. Uncle Kevin
44. Uncle Bill
45. Uncle Louie
46. Dennis
47. D3
48. Blair
49. Jessica
50. John K.
51. Rick
52. Greg
53. Eric
54. Terri
55. Karen M.
56. Trevor
57. Taylor
58. Alison C.
59. Ryan
60. Alison K.
61. Grace
62. Jill
63. Dolores
64. Nancy T.
65. Aunt Toni
66. Johnny
67. Katie
68. Bob
69. Aunt Pat
70. Ron
71. Lanore
72. Shay
73. Julie
74. Melissa
75. Shelly
76. Linda
77. Uncle Blue
78. Ronnie
79. Bridgid
80. Bryleigh
81. Carson
82. Colby
83. Cyrie
84. Emma
85. Ethan
86. Galilea
87. Jasa
88. Kamden
89. Kevin
90. Kyler
91. Maddie
92. Madison
93. MaKenzie
94. Marcus
95. Mariela
96. Riley
97. Sawyer
98. Savannah
99. Tommy
100. Colin Firth

Numbers 79-99 are the special souls who fill each of my Monday-Fridays with activity, fun and learning!!

And if by some MIRACLE I get more than 10 comments, I will send out fun presents to a lucky comment leaver!!

Just a little update...

The "running" which is still mostly walking.... is coming along. I skipped on Thursday, but was just too drained to attempt it.

I scrapped a page today... and am hoping to work on my class' memory books tomorrow... maybe not, though, report cards are coming up and I have lots to do to prepare for that.

Got to babysit my nephew, Charles, tonight... took a few pics and will post them as soon as they are developed.

Kids are growing up too fast, but can't post about it here as they would die of embarrassment and never forgive me......

House still for sale...

Doesn't the new kitchen counter in our "old" house look nice!! Wish we would have made all the changes while we lived in it!

So, offers anyone?

Tired, oh so tired....

Have been sticking to my training routine so far for the race.

The waist high mob (as I AFFECTIONATELY call my class) has been wild and crazy.... it must be the wind... it is carrying a hint of spring fever.

Spend too much time looking at magazines planning to scrapbook without completing anything.

Have been praying lots for my husband's stepmom who is dying of cancer and won't let anyone contact her. Also for his dad and the pain he must be suffering.

Have been having lots of arguments with Kyla.... the teenage years are here.

Need a vacation soon....

Sweet and Sassy

Yesterday I also did a little scrapping... here's a layout I made with Kyla and some of those flowers I painted. Doesn't she just crack you up?!?

October 21

I checked it out online, and the race (not that I will be racing, of course!) is on October 21. I ran yesterday.... and again today. As of now I am only able to run for about a mile out of 4, but it's only the first week of my training, so I am OK with that. I know I am pretty out of shape aerobically as I only workout regularly on the weekends and 2 days out of 7 is not enough to keep your heart in shape. But this goal feels so good to me.... and tomorrow is my rest day!! Yay!

The real test will be on Tuesday when I have taught all day and need to come home and run. I will be stopping off to buy new shoes that day as my current running shoes are 10 years old! Of course, they haven't been used for much running in the last 10 years, but I definitely need new ones... and some of those nifty socks that keep your feet from getting chafed. Hopefully the new socks and shoes will inspire me! LOL!

A goal....

So this morning as I was bopping around doing a lot of nothing.... looking at magazines, sponge painting flowers in every color of the rainbow just because I felt like it, walking on the treadmill, watching TV.......

This thought hit me.... and I do mean "hit" literally, because it came with a force few thoughts ever have..... I am going to run a half marathon. In September.

So I went to Google and printed up a little training schedule.

This decision has made me feel full of purpose, and as FULLNESS is my word for the year, I am feeling happy.... very happy.

I spend so much time berating the state of my almost 40 year old body.... It's time for this to end. If I don't like it, I will change it.

Now, off to do a little running (but mostly walking since I am so out of shape! LOL!).

On Sunday....

Kyla and I took Pepper and went to the beach to get some sand for my classroom. One of the things I keep promising myself to do more often is to go to the beach . There is just something so magical about the ocean. It is so soothing to walk along listening to the waves, feeling the wind in your hair and the sand under your feet. Of course going anywhere with Pepper is the opposite of soothing. He pulls so hard on the leash he chokes himself. The choking causes him to stop and cough about every 10 feet. Also, he goes crazy every time he sees another dog, so we have to pick him up and carry him. Being that it was a fairly nice day (50 degrees with cloud cover and only a little wind) the beach was a pretty busy place. Dogs were running wild everywhere. Kyla, of course, flips out wherever Pepper is concerned. She is sure he's going to get off his leash or pull the leash out of my hand or get attacked by a dog or be hit by a mini-meteorite!! There is just no rationalizing with her. She runs completely on FEELING.... and she just loves that little stinker so much that she gets herself all freaked out! Needless to say, the beach was not soothing or magical. It was downright horrid. So after about 15 minutes we were on our way home.

Stopped off at Woodley Island Marina to finish off the roll of film. I made Kyla walk out onto a little dock thing so she was in front of Carson Mansion. She has always loved that building and it really puts her out that it is a private club and she cannot go there. While there she was sure one of us or Pepper was going to fall into the bay. Ack!

Hopefully next time we will have more luck.

A boy

There is this boy who lives in my house. He is slowly metamorphising into a man. He has hairy man legs and a deep voice. He is the tallest member of our family. But he also comes and asks me for hugs about once a week. He does not know how to put gas in the car. He generally doesn't know where he is in his new hometown. He works out everyday, but he doesn't consistently do his homework. He is getting a C in Spanish and a D in Algebra. Today he didn't walk to my classroom after school as he was supposed to. I returned to an empty classroom after my staff meeting. I cleaned up around my room and checked my voicemail. Nothing. About 15 minutes later he called and said he was "somewhere" and would call me when he was ready to go. Does he not understand what kind of fear that puts into a mother's heart? I need to know exactly where "somewhere" is... I need to have a timeline for when he will be done, and he MUST be on time. For the next 4 years, our survival depends on these boundaries.

It's going to be a long road. Wish me luck.

Would you, Could you, in a car?

Well, tomorrow is Dr. Seuss' birthday, so in the world of Kindergarten we have been rhyming our little hearts out this week. Today I was doing a listening game with my class, and I said, "Say 'tam'"(because that's what the book said to say)..... "tam"..... "Whisper to your neighbor something that rhymes with 'tam'"..... and all I heard was lamb and jam and clam and Sam..... What a good little class I have!

Tomorrow we will be eating Green Eggs and Ham. We will make a graph of whether we like it or not, then we will write about it in these little "Cat in the Hat" journals that look like red and white striped hats. What a lovely day it will be.... I hope it isn't raining!!

The neighbor strikes again!

So on Valentine's Day, the dreaded neighbor from across the street came and paid Mark a visit... (if you look back to November 3, you can read the first part of this story). He was complaining again about how our dog's barking disturbs him. He admitted that we limit Pepper's time outside to 15 minutes about 3 times per day, yet even that small amount of barking was driving him crazy......

So, my sweet husband who is light years ahead of me in neighborly instinct.... went to the pet store to weigh our options. He considered a shock collar, wherein we would have to shock our baby each time her barked. Then he considered some new do-hickey that squirts the dog in the nose when he barks (too expensive). Finally he settled on this classic nylon muzzle.

When I arrived home from school that day I was shocked to see my sweet puppy obviously agitated by this foreign contraption. But regardless of my feelings on the topic, each time that I put him outside I attach the contraption to his head. He is still able to bark with it on... it just kind of limits his range of motion therein keeping his bark at a lower pitch.... you know, less yappy. You can also see from the photo that he can get his prodigiously long tongue out of it. The neighbor has conceded that he can live with this new arrangement. I am debating on whether I should put this picture in his mailbox with "Are you happy now?" scribbled on the back.

What do you think?

Home

Our whole family went to Angel's Camp to our little condo for the week. It was soooo nice to be there. I am not sure what I should call that place... I guess the closest I can come to reality would be "our second home". We had great times visiting friends in Tuolumne County and productive times working on the "old house" which we are still trying to sell. On Tuesday I sat at the table and felt my world expanding beyond it's narrow range in the company of many dear friends and lively conversation. On Thursday I went to Columbia Elementary and spent the day popping in on eveyone's lunch hour and later into their classrooms... I felt like I smiled for the whole 3 hours I was there. It just felt so free-ing to be among trusted friends again. I miss that school so much and pray that I will find that connectedness at my new job. I am giving it time and prayers, and I guess I should throw in a little more effort too.

But going back to my "word" for the year.... remember it was "FULLNESS".....

This trip really helped to re-fill my soul.

So thanks to Joanna and Rick and Steph and Greg and Lori and Anne and Maryanne and Kristin and Shelley and Robin and Laurie and Don and John and Karen and Karen and Terri and Cherub and Michelle and Carol and Natalie and Stacy and Suzanne and Scott and Liz and Sharon and Julie and Lisa for the light you brought into my heart during a stormy week.

Of course, being present in the moment, I didn't take a picture all week....

Inspiration

Anna Quindlen : ...but the biggest mistake I made is the one that most of us make while doing this. I did not live in the moment enough. This is particularly clear now that the moment is gone, captured only in photographs. There is one picture of the three on them sitting in the grass on a quilt in the shadow of the swing set on a summer day, ages 6, 4, and 1. And I wish I could remember what we ate, and what we talked about, and how they sounded, and how they looked when they slept that night. I wish I had not been in a hurry to get on to the next things: dinner, bath, book, bed. I wish I had treasured the doing a little more and the getting it done a little less.


Pablo Casals : Each second we live is a new and unique moment of the universe, a moment that will never be again And what do we teach our children? We teach them that two and two make four, and that Paris is the capital of France. When will we also teach them what they are? We should say to each of them: Do you know what you are? You are a marvel. You are unique. In all the years that have passed, there has never been another child like you. Your legs, your arms, your clever fingers, the way you move. You may become a Shakespeare, a Michaelangelo, a Beethoven. You have the capacity for anything. Yes, you are a marvel. And when you grow up, can you then harm another who is, like you, a marvel? You must work, we must all work, to make the world worthy of its children.


Mother Teresa : It is easy to love the people far away. It is not always easy to love those close to us. It is easier to give a cup of rice to relieve hunger than to relieve the loneliness and pain of someone unloved in our own home. Bring love into your home for this is where our love for each other must start.

Contentment

is settling in to me again. The last few weeks I have been suffering from malcontent. Just a sense of my life being out of kilter.... feeling flat..... sloth like.

This week that feeling has been floating away. I feel more free.... less overwhelmed... more hopeful.....

This cycle of emotion is one I am bothered by. I wonder if the way I feel is "normal". Is it depression? Is it hormonal? Is it just LIFE?

Sometimes I feel such a dichotomy inside myself....

I want to whine and snap and complain, yet still be considered "nice"
I want to cry and lean, yet still be considered "strong"
I want to be alone and isolated, yet not feel "lonely"

Luckily, (or unfortunately, depending on how you look at it) this snappy, crying, isolated ME only comes around at home. Mason says I have a split personality... I seem like a completely different person at work vs. home.

I try to be the best ME I can be all the time, but sometimes there's just not enough oxygen, not enough energy.

And then I wonder who the real ME really is.... If I were a character in "Shallow Hal" would I be seen by Hal as a gorgeous, thin beauty or a wrinkled up old witch?

Then I remind myself that I have been created with the potential for good or bad inside myself and I need to rejoice and strengthen the good and accept and work through the bad. I am a work in progress, and I am LOVED just the way I am.

No Words

My Valentine

I guess we're going on 20 Valentine's Days now, and I can truly say I love him more every year. It's not because of his expert shopping skills.... This year I asked him to think of a way to show me how much he loves me and he bought me a watch. He said I am always running late and needed to be more aware of the time....

but deep down he really wanted to buy me the ULTRA expensive camera I've been pining away for... we just can't afford it right now. The TAX man came knocking on our door today (before Valentine shopping) and we owe money to the fed and state.... we are officially rich now, so we have moved up into yet another higher tax bracket. (I keep wondering if we are so rich, why can't I afford to buy myself a new pair of jeans without using credit? But that's off the topic)

Back to my valentine.....

Here are a few reasons why I love you on this night....

1. You spent the day helping your mom run errands even though you didn't really want to.
2. You are distressed that you didn't have time to vacuum the carpet.
3. When I heard you and Mason laughing out loud at a movie it made my heart do a little flip-flop.
4. You finished all the pages in our little "Just the 2 of Us" scrapbook.
5. You are a kind neighbor.
6. You are working hard to get into shape.
7. You are smart.
8. You work really hard and are dedicated to your job.
9. You are taking me to Sonora next week so I can see my friends.
10. When you breathe on the back of my neck I still get goosebumps.
11. You know just what to say to make me laugh.
12. When I am cranky and whiny you love me anyway.
13. You cuddle me every night when you are asleep.
14. You said "Thank you for a nice dinner" even though you didn't really like it and had to drench everything in Ranch dressing.
15. You washed my car today even though it is raining.
16. You are getting little crinkles around your eyes, and they look great on you.
17. You know me better than anyone, and you still like me.
18. You always ask how my day was.
19. I miss you when we are apart.
20. I can always count on you... you are my rock.

The 101st Day of School

The 100th day of school is a HUGE deal in the Kindergarten world. There are celebrations and activities galore. Our 100 day was yesterday....... I had so much to do it carried over into today. Here is a list of our 100th day doings:

Days 98 & 99-
Counted and ate 100 Cheerios (or took them home in a ziploc)
Made 100 day crowns with 10 strips of paper and 10 stickers on each strip
Wrote and illustrated "I could eat 100 _____"
Made a class book with 5 stars on each page..... ( actually came to 105, but in a regular class of 20, it would have been 100 stars)
Students counted and brought collections of 100 items to school


Day 100-
Read all time best 100 day book: Miss Bindergarten Celebrates the 100th day of Kindergarten
Made adorable paper crafted portraits of our 100 year old faces and dictated the sentence "When I am 100 I will ...."
Made a snack of 100 items (10 each of 10 items)
Made a necklace with 100 fruit loops on it
Found 100 Hershey kisses hidden around our classroom with numbers written on the bottom and placed them on a 1-100 chart

Day 101- (held over due to wild and crazy behavior on day 100)
Counted 100 cookies shaped into a snake and ate 1 cookie each
Played with 100 balloons.

And, an activity I planned for today: wrote a pseudo paragraph about the 100th day of school....
consisting of the following.....
Completed this sentence: The 100th day of school was _______.
Then illustrated a series of 3 activities in boxes with these words under them.... First, we _____. Then, we _______. Finally, we ________. (Adults wrote for most kids here, a few did own writing.)
Completed this sentence: It was a ______ day.


Here is my paragraph:

The 100th day of school was rainy. First, we ate too much sugar. Then, we all lost control of our senses. Finally, we almost made the librarian cry and gave our teacher a headache. It was a poorly planned day.

Note to self: limit sugar intake on 1st rainy day in weeks!!!!

Oh, and just so you know, next week looks like this: Monday-birthday, Tuesday- field trip, Wednesday- Valentine's Day, Thursday- birthday. I hope I survive!!

I Can't Believe it!!

I've been germed!!

Unfortunately, one of the 32 times sneezes that has been aimed my way in the last week, succeeded, and I am officially sick. I spent the day hyped up on DayQuil, and I still think I had a fever. It was not a picnic. Tomorrow I have to have all of the teachers in the school in my room for a staff meeting, so my room MUST look nice, but I left work at 3:15 without doing any extra cleaning and came home to take a nap. I did this so I will have the energy to watch 24 tonight. A GIRL HAS TO HAVE PRIORITIES, YOU KNOW! I will just put all the clutter that's on my desk into the closet. No one will ever have to know!

Oh Happy Day!!!!

Today when I opened my email I was greeted with the most luscious news........


THE NEW HARRY POTTER BOOK IS BEING RELEASED ON JULY 21!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I am quite crazy about these stories and have been lurking around various wizarding sites for months trying to get a snippet of information, but now I have it! From Borders (where I just preordered my copy) and JK Rowling's site as well!

Oh Happy Day!!!

Now I just need to make sure I am not disturbed for about 48 hours beginning on July 21 at 1:00 am, and I will finally know how the story ends!