Happy graduation day Jordan-you ROCK!
Thursday, May 16, 2013
Jordan: Preschool Graduation!
Happy graduation day Jordan-you ROCK!
Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Talent Show!!!
A month ago, Karianna told me she was trying out for the talent show at her school. I congratulated her and really encouraged her to do it-she sometimes doesn't like performing, and I thought this would be a fantastic boost to her confidence. I was a bit nervous that she was putting together a dance with a couple of girls at school though-no adult help, a bunch of 3rd graders (half of which dropped out in the first few days)...I was just hoping they would make it to the audition stage.
They did, and despite the drama (they forgot the CD, and Karianna considered dropping out because the leader of the group was suggesting singing while dancing)--they made it into the Talent Show! I was super proud of her, but still a bit skeptical. They were trying to figure out costumes, and I wondered if they were actually practicing, and doing a legitimate dance. I had images of them getting on the stage and doing a smattering of somewhat synchronized steps before just looking at each other like, "what do we do next?" Have a little faith though Rachel-Karianna assured me they were practicing every recess to the point where some other kids in her class were starting to get mad at her that she wasn't playing with everyone equally....ah, 3rd grade drama!
So tonite was the talent show. Karianna was dolled up in her outfit, boots, fedora, make-up and all. We went early to get a good seat and to snap a few pictures. They were 14th in the lineup, and we patiently waited until their turn. They got on stage, and I was instantly proud of Karianna: she was standing with her head held high, smile on her face, and completely confident. Major success already! And then the dance actually started. They danced their way through Taylor Swift's "Trouble", which, preteen or not, is actually a catchy tune. They were fairly synchronized. The dance moves matched the words. Karianna had SWAGGER!!!! She smiled, she mouthed the words, she had attitude, she put emphasis on her moves--I was so IMPRESSED!!!!!! I couldn't believe this was my little girl, who only a few years ago dissolved in tears in a primary program because she was overcome with stage fright. She has come so far in her confidence in herself-she even told me afterward she isn't scared anymore of being on the stage-she's "used to it". I can't say how much it means to hear her say that.
So the entire dance was great. The rest of the acts in the talent show were great. I am already looking forward to the next talent show Bush does. I am such a proud mom tonite-I am just so proud of my kids and all their accomplishments, and their sweet personalities and their talents that just blossom all the time. The Lord has blessed our family so very much, and I am very grateful for that tonite!
Tuesday, May 14, 2013
Playing Family
Jordan and Sara have been playing really well together this week. Their big game is playing "family". They get babies, dress them up, make beds for them, and then pretend to be the mom and dad together. I caught this little moment of them this afternoon making a bed on the couch. I overheard Jordan say to Sara, "Good night Rachel, I love you!" and then Sara replied, "Good night Jared, I love you!" It was just super cute!
Monday, May 13, 2013
Mother Tell Me A Story
Here's our Mother's Day story, short version:
The kids ushered me back to bed Sunday morning after I got up early-as normal- to lay out church clothes and toothbrushes. I obliged, and they met me in my room 15 minutes later with a lovely mother's day breakfast and flowers from Jared. It was a lovely start to the day and was super yummy-I love breakfast foods!
We got ready for church and the kids sang with the primary, and a group of mothers. Their song was beautiful-it was exactly what I had pictured in my head, and the bishop was crying for 10 minutes straight after it. That's when you know you did it right.
I got to go to Relief Society today and spend the time wrestling James while trying to listen to the message-which I actually really enjoyed! That boy goes to nursery in 3 weeks, and I love watching his mischievous little eyes try to get away with things. The lesson was a good one for mother's day, all about families.
We got home and since a mother's job never ends, I did the dishes and cleaned the kitchen while the kids ate lunch that Jared made. The kids gave me their beautiful cards and homemade gifts from church and school-made my entire day right there. Jared had a beautiful card for me, and I really needed to hear the message that was in it. I love that man so much!
We visited with both Grandmas thereafter. The kids made them all cards, and I sent them up to the door each holding a flower for Grandma. I made corsages for both of them for church...I've never attempted that before, and I think they turned out okay.
We went to bed later that night with another mother's day tucked under our belts. It was a lovely day-not perfect, but what day in the life of a mother is perfect? I am blessed with beautiful children who amaze and teach me every day. I am blessed with a husband who loves me more than I think I can understand. I am blessed with a beautiful mother who has done a fantastic job raising her children and is thus a great example. I am blessed with women all around me who are likewise wonderful mothers (whether or not they have children) and who nurture the children that our Heavenly Father has entrusted in our care while we are in this mortal life. It is a unique blessing, calling, and privilege to be part of that army. Happy Mother's Day to all.
The End.
The kids ushered me back to bed Sunday morning after I got up early-as normal- to lay out church clothes and toothbrushes. I obliged, and they met me in my room 15 minutes later with a lovely mother's day breakfast and flowers from Jared. It was a lovely start to the day and was super yummy-I love breakfast foods!
We got ready for church and the kids sang with the primary, and a group of mothers. Their song was beautiful-it was exactly what I had pictured in my head, and the bishop was crying for 10 minutes straight after it. That's when you know you did it right.
I got to go to Relief Society today and spend the time wrestling James while trying to listen to the message-which I actually really enjoyed! That boy goes to nursery in 3 weeks, and I love watching his mischievous little eyes try to get away with things. The lesson was a good one for mother's day, all about families.
We got home and since a mother's job never ends, I did the dishes and cleaned the kitchen while the kids ate lunch that Jared made. The kids gave me their beautiful cards and homemade gifts from church and school-made my entire day right there. Jared had a beautiful card for me, and I really needed to hear the message that was in it. I love that man so much!
We visited with both Grandmas thereafter. The kids made them all cards, and I sent them up to the door each holding a flower for Grandma. I made corsages for both of them for church...I've never attempted that before, and I think they turned out okay.
The End.
Chapter Books
JD has been reading Junie B. Jones chapter books for a long time now. I was surprised he liked them, since the main character is a girl. I think he just likes how irreverent they can be, and figured that was just fine! The other day though, he brought home a book I personally don't like, and I THINK I remember telling my 3rd graders long ago that I would never put them in my school or home library. I think I have to change my mind now.
JD read a Captain Underpants book. He loved it. He finished the last 6 chapters by flashlight under his blanket so I wouldn't make him put it down. He loved it. Did I say that already? I meant it. How can I deprive him of reading something he loves? Sigh. Guess we'll be stuck getting Captain Underpants books this summer. I am going to introduce him to Magic Tree House books as well though, see if we can get him into that. A bit more "appropriate". Oh, too funny. Jokes about wedgies and toilets. Wonderful. ;)
JD read a Captain Underpants book. He loved it. He finished the last 6 chapters by flashlight under his blanket so I wouldn't make him put it down. He loved it. Did I say that already? I meant it. How can I deprive him of reading something he loves? Sigh. Guess we'll be stuck getting Captain Underpants books this summer. I am going to introduce him to Magic Tree House books as well though, see if we can get him into that. A bit more "appropriate". Oh, too funny. Jokes about wedgies and toilets. Wonderful. ;)
Friday, May 10, 2013
Preschool Water Day!
Karianna Wins!
My company had a contest this week for teacher appreciation week. Employees had to get their kids to draw what they thought their mom or dad did for Educate Online. As soon as I read the prompt, I immediately thought of those gifs that float around Facebook, the one about moms has maybe 5 boxes with captions like, "What my husband thinks I do", "What society thinks I do", "What I really do" etc. I decided to make up a template with 5 boxes all about what teachers do for Educate Online. I gave it to Karianna, told her to have at it, and then submitted it. Here's what she drew (and you really have to blow it up to get it).
Lo and behold, Karianna's picture won! She won the award for "most funny" (which I really think should have been "funniest"). It means I get a 25-dollar amazon gift card, and I had already made a deal with Karianna that she could have 5 dollars from me if she won. Now that I type that, it does sound kind of cheap...she did do most of the work...but she's happy for it, so we'll go with it! Yea for Nana!
Lo and behold, Karianna's picture won! She won the award for "most funny" (which I really think should have been "funniest"). It means I get a 25-dollar amazon gift card, and I had already made a deal with Karianna that she could have 5 dollars from me if she won. Now that I type that, it does sound kind of cheap...she did do most of the work...but she's happy for it, so we'll go with it! Yea for Nana!
Friday Funny
Just thought I'd share a "Friday Funny" from my 5:45am session today with a Virginia student. He's a 7th grader and we were working on a fractions lesson. He was working on some improper fractions and while assessing prior knowledge, I asked him what type of fraction 7/5 was. I was expecting him to say "improper fraction" since the numerator is bigger than the denominator. Instead, this very awesome student told me, "It's a Dolly Parton fraction." I couldn't fault him--the top is bigger than the bottom in that case as well. :) We had a good laugh about it!
Thursday, May 9, 2013
JD in Goin' Buggy!
As is 1st Grade tradition, JD got to perform in the annual performance of Goin' Buggy! He was the first speaker in the entire thing, and we have been working hard at having him speak with both clarity and prosody He did fantastic-he got a few claps and cheers after his lines that didn't come from our family row, so I figured it must have sounded good to everyone else...of course it sounded good to me, I'm the mom :) I was super proud of JD, it is so cool to see my kids being so brave and standing in front of others to perform in any way. He sang all the songs loud and clear, and I kept holding James up to help direct the songs or make funny faces. I also kept asking James where JD was, and he would point him out every single time. JD would crack up or smile really big every time he caught one of James' antics! It was just so cute, I am sad Jared had to miss it, and proud of the other kids who did quite well sitting with me and Grandma. Great job JD!
Death in Our Home
Since that was a way serious title, let me immediately dispell any worries: it was the death of a plant.
I went to wake James up from nap yesterday, and when I entered the room, I smelled poop. I flipped on the light to see dark brown/black stuff all over his pack and play, on his hands, on his face....on his tongue....ew. I inwardly groaned-I hate cleaning up poop.
Upon closer inspection though, I realized it was not poop (though James was poopy). It was soil, and littered amongst the soil was the remnants of Karianna's bean plant that had been on her window sill. Apparently, James pulled aside the curtain, craned his arm around the window sill, and snagged her plant....then tried to eat it. He literally had soil all over his mouth and tongue. Ew again.
So into the bath he went, the sheets all went to the wash, and I had to be the bearer of bad news to Karianna, who swore to never speak to James again. That lasted about 3 minutes, for which I am grateful. I do think we will let Karianna buy a new plant over the weekend, she was really enjoying taking care of hers for the short while it survived the disaster we call James.
On a side note, James sure looked pleased with himself....little stinker!
Upon closer inspection though, I realized it was not poop (though James was poopy). It was soil, and littered amongst the soil was the remnants of Karianna's bean plant that had been on her window sill. Apparently, James pulled aside the curtain, craned his arm around the window sill, and snagged her plant....then tried to eat it. He literally had soil all over his mouth and tongue. Ew again.
On a side note, James sure looked pleased with himself....little stinker!
Tuesday, May 7, 2013
Predictions Came True
I think it was not even a month ago that I typed about how Jared and I knew our van was on borrowed time, which is why we have been saving up like crazy for a new car.
Predictions come true every now and then.
On Saturday, we were driving down the freeway when all the sudden, the van bucked, lost power for a few seconds and then picked back up, just at a lower speed. Jared was thankfully right at our exit, so off we went, anticipating the car to die once we came to a full stop. It didn't, and we luckily made it home. We stopped the car and smelled burning rubber; the check engine light was on....not good. Jared did what he could, looked some stuff up, called a few people. What we think we have on our hands is a transmission problem. We think when we were on the freeway we lost a gear--whatever that means. For now, the car still drives, but I can't push it over 45 or over 4000 rpms. We have an appointment with the mechanic but not until Thursday. I am trying to drive it as little as possible because Jared is gone all day and night--I don't have much immediate help, especially without a cell phone, if something happens. When we take the van into the mechanic on Thursday, we really aren't expecting to replace much. We are not going to pour money into this car when we know we are replacing it soon. We laughingly regretted putting 60 dollars in the gas tank right before the freeway incident!
What that means is we may be purchasing a new car sooner than we anticipated.
We didn't really want to do that until September-December. We just may not have much of a choice any longer. So over the last few days we came up with plan B, which will work just fine and gives us a plan for buying a new car over the summer. If the van ends up with a transmission problem that will let us drive it-just not on freeways-we will probably max that out so we can wait until the end of summer to make the big purchase. If it is just a belt that we can replace relatively inexpensively, we will probably do that and stick with Plan A. If the transmission is shot and the car is really undriveable.....well, we will need help with transportation until Plan B becomes possible at the end of this month.
In the meantime, we'll bide our time until the mechanic appointment on Thursday and just be grateful we have options.
Predictions come true every now and then.
On Saturday, we were driving down the freeway when all the sudden, the van bucked, lost power for a few seconds and then picked back up, just at a lower speed. Jared was thankfully right at our exit, so off we went, anticipating the car to die once we came to a full stop. It didn't, and we luckily made it home. We stopped the car and smelled burning rubber; the check engine light was on....not good. Jared did what he could, looked some stuff up, called a few people. What we think we have on our hands is a transmission problem. We think when we were on the freeway we lost a gear--whatever that means. For now, the car still drives, but I can't push it over 45 or over 4000 rpms. We have an appointment with the mechanic but not until Thursday. I am trying to drive it as little as possible because Jared is gone all day and night--I don't have much immediate help, especially without a cell phone, if something happens. When we take the van into the mechanic on Thursday, we really aren't expecting to replace much. We are not going to pour money into this car when we know we are replacing it soon. We laughingly regretted putting 60 dollars in the gas tank right before the freeway incident!
What that means is we may be purchasing a new car sooner than we anticipated.
We didn't really want to do that until September-December. We just may not have much of a choice any longer. So over the last few days we came up with plan B, which will work just fine and gives us a plan for buying a new car over the summer. If the van ends up with a transmission problem that will let us drive it-just not on freeways-we will probably max that out so we can wait until the end of summer to make the big purchase. If it is just a belt that we can replace relatively inexpensively, we will probably do that and stick with Plan A. If the transmission is shot and the car is really undriveable.....well, we will need help with transportation until Plan B becomes possible at the end of this month.
In the meantime, we'll bide our time until the mechanic appointment on Thursday and just be grateful we have options.
Monday, May 6, 2013
Tempe Splash Park
Our family activity this weekend was heading to the Tempe Splash Park. We were planning to go to Fountain Hills, but I realized the Tempe one was opening on Saturday, thus we adjusted our plans. The kids had a blast-the weather was perfect, and the water felt perfect! Jared wasn't feeling the best, so he stayed put at our table. I ran around with Sara and James, got into a water fight with Jordan and JD, and played volleyball with Karianna-which all the kids eventually joined in on. We stopped at McDonald's for ice cream, and when we got home we were greeted by the amazing aroma of the roast beef in the crockpot-which was SO delicious. We didn't need the car issues that popped up on the way home, but otherwise, it was a great Saturday.
Earlier that morning, in order to let Jared sleep in quite a bit, I took the kids out for ice cream and playtime, and then I took all of them grocery shopping-and we actually had fun doing the latter. Jared got to sleep until about 12, and then took a 2-hour nap. I think it was a good amount of sleep for someone who had worked 80+ hours during the week. He had to stay home from church on Sunday because he started running a fever Sat evening/Sun morning, but I went with the other kids and had a blast doing the music in primary-I love my calling so much. We practiced our mother's day song for next week, and it was so emotional, that all the moms couldn't stop crying. I am so excited to sing the song with the kids next week. This weekend went much better than last, and for that I am very grateful!
When Jared Woke Up....
....this is what he got from the kids. He slept until 12pm, which he drastically needed, and the boys lost no time in hanging out with him....or standing on his shoulders. Before I took this picture, Jordan was just calmly watching TV. Jared was dozing off. JD looked like he had no clue. Boys.
Flashback to my Birthday
Jared and I got to go to dinner the next night, thanks to Kristen and Steven, who babysat the kids. We changed up plans last minute and ended up at Black Angus, where we had one of the best steaks I have EVER had, plus my favorite strawberry lemonade. It was a great weekend, I felt very loved and blessed.
Graduation
Not from school, just from the table. Our table only seats 4 (and the chairs are not in the best shape as they are). Thus we invested a bit of money into a little side table for the kids. This is James' graduation that was previously mentioned-he no longer sits at the big table where he has easy access to blinds that he easily destroys. He now sits in a big kid chair at the little table. He has to use one of our kid lawn chairs that has arms-the other chairs don't and he has slipped off of them a few times. He loves sitting at the table. He knows I bring his food over that he is to go straight to his chair, pull it out, and clamber into it. He looks like such a big little man at this table, and I love that the kids fight over the chance to sit with him!
Thursday, May 2, 2013
Dental Stuff
I've been to three dental appointments in the last 2 days!!!!
Thankfully I love the new dentist I am seeing. I was extremely nervous going in and I am particular about my dentists anyway. Every single person I encountered in this office put me at ease immediately. I could easily see myself being friends with most of them. The dentist herself seemed uber qualified-it was just her "vibe". For such an unfortunate situation, I am feeling so blessed that I found a good office to help me with my teeth.
So turns out there was a filling on the tooth that I cracked, and a cavity had actually formed under the filling. Long story short, the tooth had a degree of tooth decay, thus requiring both a crown and a root canal. Not great news, but I was glad to not lose the tooth! So on Wednesday, the dentist did a pulp debridement, where she took the nerve and the tooth pulp out; she filed the tooth down to a much smaller size, and they made the crown right in the office using some of the coolest technology I have ever seen. They fit the crown on my tooth temporarily and set me up for the root canal the next day. I was so nervous that my jaw kept shaking involuntarily-I couldn't stop it. I got one full shot of lidocaine, but could still feel the work they were doing; the 2nd shot took all the pain away, thankfully. I watched Sweet Home Alabama while they worked and wore my cool ray bans. I had some jaw pain that night, which radiated up to my head in the form of a huge headache. Thankfully Tylenol solved that problem pretty quick.
I went to their sister office to see their endodontist for the root canal Thursday morning. I was super nervous about this because the idea of a root canal freaks me out. I was surprised at how easily it went! The endodontist gave me a double shot of lidocaine right off the bat and I felt absolutely nothing thereafter. I did close my eyes for most of the 45 minutes procedure because the sight of the sharp tools was making my stomach turn. Once they were done, I headed back to the dentist and they fit the crown permanently on my tooth. They gave me a full check-up and as I suspected, I need a scaling and planing of my gums on my lower jaw-basically a deep clean, which I have done before because I always have a degree of gingivitis. Last time I had this done, my whole mouth needed it. This time around, only 2 spots on my lower jaw needed it-I was super proud of myself that it has gotten better. I do have a few cavities that need to be filled, so we will take care of the cleaning and the cavities on Tuesday--my fourth dental visit in one week! Crazy!
So at the end of the day, I am glad this is behind me, and I a glad my mouth is in better shape. I am not the best at going to the dentist, but I have a huge goal right now to really stay on top of my 6 month checkups and not let being a mother and putting my kids first get in my way of good oral health. Glad this week is coming to a close!
Thankfully I love the new dentist I am seeing. I was extremely nervous going in and I am particular about my dentists anyway. Every single person I encountered in this office put me at ease immediately. I could easily see myself being friends with most of them. The dentist herself seemed uber qualified-it was just her "vibe". For such an unfortunate situation, I am feeling so blessed that I found a good office to help me with my teeth.
So turns out there was a filling on the tooth that I cracked, and a cavity had actually formed under the filling. Long story short, the tooth had a degree of tooth decay, thus requiring both a crown and a root canal. Not great news, but I was glad to not lose the tooth! So on Wednesday, the dentist did a pulp debridement, where she took the nerve and the tooth pulp out; she filed the tooth down to a much smaller size, and they made the crown right in the office using some of the coolest technology I have ever seen. They fit the crown on my tooth temporarily and set me up for the root canal the next day. I was so nervous that my jaw kept shaking involuntarily-I couldn't stop it. I got one full shot of lidocaine, but could still feel the work they were doing; the 2nd shot took all the pain away, thankfully. I watched Sweet Home Alabama while they worked and wore my cool ray bans. I had some jaw pain that night, which radiated up to my head in the form of a huge headache. Thankfully Tylenol solved that problem pretty quick.
I went to their sister office to see their endodontist for the root canal Thursday morning. I was super nervous about this because the idea of a root canal freaks me out. I was surprised at how easily it went! The endodontist gave me a double shot of lidocaine right off the bat and I felt absolutely nothing thereafter. I did close my eyes for most of the 45 minutes procedure because the sight of the sharp tools was making my stomach turn. Once they were done, I headed back to the dentist and they fit the crown permanently on my tooth. They gave me a full check-up and as I suspected, I need a scaling and planing of my gums on my lower jaw-basically a deep clean, which I have done before because I always have a degree of gingivitis. Last time I had this done, my whole mouth needed it. This time around, only 2 spots on my lower jaw needed it-I was super proud of myself that it has gotten better. I do have a few cavities that need to be filled, so we will take care of the cleaning and the cavities on Tuesday--my fourth dental visit in one week! Crazy!
So at the end of the day, I am glad this is behind me, and I a glad my mouth is in better shape. I am not the best at going to the dentist, but I have a huge goal right now to really stay on top of my 6 month checkups and not let being a mother and putting my kids first get in my way of good oral health. Glad this week is coming to a close!
Monday, April 29, 2013
We are on Day 3
Today is the 3rd day we have been on our new family schedule. Jared is hanging in there, he has managed to get about 4 1/2 hours of sleep each night. The first day was overwhelming just learning the new responsibilities at his 2nd job. The second day was easier from that standpoint, but harder because I forgot to pick up his migraine prescription and it left him feeling very out of sorts all day. I managed to get him in bed about 20 minutes earlier after the 2nd day though, which I think is just more helpful for his psyche. The kids have overall done a good job keeping our house very quiet until 8:10ish in the morning.
I'm doing okay thus far too. I have a hard time falling asleep before Jared gets home, so I haven't been able to really zone out until around 1 in the morning. Those early morning teaching hours have been hard, but I think a few more days of this and I think I will acclimate more. I have enjoyed supporting Jared in this--which may sound weird, but it's true. Things like putting together a good dinner with leftovers; packing his lunch/dinner in the morning; laying out his work clothes; getting back up at 3:20 when he gets home....they are all simple things, but it has made me feel like I am contributing to helping him get the time he needs to rest. I'm sure the weariness of this will set in, and I already hit a point during the day where I just wish I could take a break. But I just remind myself that Jared is working super hard, so I can work super hard too.
A kind of cool realization I've already had-maybe better described as a silver lining. I think over the course of the last several months, I have gotten really used to Jared being home at night to do dinner for the kids. I generally teach a few hours after he gets home from work, which usually meant he made dinner for the kids. Sometimes I would have dinner ready to go, he just had to serve; other times he would do everything. As a result, I have gotten really apathetic about making dinner. It wasn't fun for me, it was something I rushed through, and just didn't care all that much about as long as it had a protein, a fruit, a veggie, and was gluten free. Sounds sad, doesn't it. With Jared gone, it has really helped me focus on dinnertime as a family time, with a focus on healthy, balanced meals. Already I am finding myself looking forward to making dinner-finding fruits and veggies we haven't done in a while, helping the kids see that eating them is fun (ex: the corn on the cob is like clothes...you are supposed to eat until the cob is naked!), and having good conversations while we eat. I'm no gourmet chef, and never will be. But tonite we ate chicken seasoned only with lemon pepper seasoning, corn on the cob (hence the naked cob explanation), and fresh salad. The kids all chorused loud thank yous as we set the table together. We had a great family prayer over the meal. We had that awesome corn conversation. We talked about how school had gone for everyone that day, and what the little ones are anticipating doing in preschool tomorrow. And we all watched James for choking hazards, as he tends to shove all his food in his mouth at the same time. It was great, and I found myself sitting back and thinking--this is a silver lining. I like feeling needed at this time of the day, and I'm glad for the responsibility.
I'm doing okay thus far too. I have a hard time falling asleep before Jared gets home, so I haven't been able to really zone out until around 1 in the morning. Those early morning teaching hours have been hard, but I think a few more days of this and I think I will acclimate more. I have enjoyed supporting Jared in this--which may sound weird, but it's true. Things like putting together a good dinner with leftovers; packing his lunch/dinner in the morning; laying out his work clothes; getting back up at 3:20 when he gets home....they are all simple things, but it has made me feel like I am contributing to helping him get the time he needs to rest. I'm sure the weariness of this will set in, and I already hit a point during the day where I just wish I could take a break. But I just remind myself that Jared is working super hard, so I can work super hard too.
A kind of cool realization I've already had-maybe better described as a silver lining. I think over the course of the last several months, I have gotten really used to Jared being home at night to do dinner for the kids. I generally teach a few hours after he gets home from work, which usually meant he made dinner for the kids. Sometimes I would have dinner ready to go, he just had to serve; other times he would do everything. As a result, I have gotten really apathetic about making dinner. It wasn't fun for me, it was something I rushed through, and just didn't care all that much about as long as it had a protein, a fruit, a veggie, and was gluten free. Sounds sad, doesn't it. With Jared gone, it has really helped me focus on dinnertime as a family time, with a focus on healthy, balanced meals. Already I am finding myself looking forward to making dinner-finding fruits and veggies we haven't done in a while, helping the kids see that eating them is fun (ex: the corn on the cob is like clothes...you are supposed to eat until the cob is naked!), and having good conversations while we eat. I'm no gourmet chef, and never will be. But tonite we ate chicken seasoned only with lemon pepper seasoning, corn on the cob (hence the naked cob explanation), and fresh salad. The kids all chorused loud thank yous as we set the table together. We had a great family prayer over the meal. We had that awesome corn conversation. We talked about how school had gone for everyone that day, and what the little ones are anticipating doing in preschool tomorrow. And we all watched James for choking hazards, as he tends to shove all his food in his mouth at the same time. It was great, and I found myself sitting back and thinking--this is a silver lining. I like feeling needed at this time of the day, and I'm glad for the responsibility.
Darnit.
How annoying. I have a chipped tooth. And it's not just a little chip, it's a big one. I don't even know when it happened, I was chatting with my mother-in-law and felt something weird stuck in my tooth....it wasn't food though, it was part of my tooth that had come off! I don't even know what to think, I've never had this happen before. I made an appointment with our dentist for Wednesday, and as of right now it doesn't hurt at all (I'm hoping that means it's not that bad). I get super nervous going to the dentist because I don't have the best teeth, and it has been a while since I've gone. Ugh. Now I have to go for something serious, and that makes me even more nervous! I guess I'm sticking to liquid-ish food for the next day and a half and I'm hoping this is a one-stop fix rather than multiple follow ups. This is such bad timing. :(
Its Official....
My blog is boring. :( Things have been so crazy I haven't felt one bit of desire to update the blog--probably because we are in sink or swim mode right now as we get used to Jared's schedule. Jared has been on his new crazy work schedule for a week-this is the start of week 2. The first half of the first week went okay. I felt like I was handling it well, Jared seemed to be doing okay, albeit tired, and the kids were hanging in there better than anyone. I managed to get up at 3:30am each morning to help Jared transition to bed as quickly as possible, and we managed to streamline his morning routine so he can sleep until 8:15 in the morning. The last few days of the week were hard. We were all hitting a wall, I think. Even the moments we had together seemed hard and frustrating. We were all glad when the weekend came, but I found even that difficult. It was hard to find a balance between letting Jared get as much sleep as possible, spending much-needed time with the kids, and spending time with me. We are definitely still in the acclimation period of this--I'm hopeful week 2 will be easier all around, especially as the weekend rolls around.
Our schedule at home went okay this week. It's almost easier to stay on a schedule as a "single parent", just because there's no one else to help out (I don't mean that to sound sad, just a matter of fact). We've designated certain times "no-TV" times, and the kids have had some good playtimes together. We have a good dinner routine now-the kids do reading time while I prep dinner, we eat, and then we immediately do baths/showers/cleaning bedrooms before bed. The only thing I missed out on doing last week that I wanted to was get out of the house more. I'm hoping to get to the park a few times this week, depending on how hot it is, and maybe jump in the pool a few times as well since we have 100 degree days coming up. I've managed to keep the house decently clean on my own, though I'd be lying if I said there are 6 loads of laundry waiting to be folded on my bedroom floor--in all honesty, there are actually 7 (and soon to be 9 as soon as I finish the last few loads).
I am also hoping to do better keeping up the blog this week-take some more pictures, maybe let that be a motivator for doing some more creative things with the kids. We'll see how it goes-lofty goals for the week, who knows how it will play out?
Our schedule at home went okay this week. It's almost easier to stay on a schedule as a "single parent", just because there's no one else to help out (I don't mean that to sound sad, just a matter of fact). We've designated certain times "no-TV" times, and the kids have had some good playtimes together. We have a good dinner routine now-the kids do reading time while I prep dinner, we eat, and then we immediately do baths/showers/cleaning bedrooms before bed. The only thing I missed out on doing last week that I wanted to was get out of the house more. I'm hoping to get to the park a few times this week, depending on how hot it is, and maybe jump in the pool a few times as well since we have 100 degree days coming up. I've managed to keep the house decently clean on my own, though I'd be lying if I said there are 6 loads of laundry waiting to be folded on my bedroom floor--in all honesty, there are actually 7 (and soon to be 9 as soon as I finish the last few loads).
I am also hoping to do better keeping up the blog this week-take some more pictures, maybe let that be a motivator for doing some more creative things with the kids. We'll see how it goes-lofty goals for the week, who knows how it will play out?
Friday, April 19, 2013
By the Way...
...its my birthday today. I am officially 31...well, will be in a few hours, at 1:10pm ish. Yea me!
An Interesting 7 weeks
The next 7 weeks of life in our home is going to be interesting.
Jared has been looking for part time evening work for a while. We are both acutely aware that our van is only running on borrowed time and even though we wanted to wait another year or two before needing to replace it, we just don't think it is going to last that long. We've already had to nix any trips up north or camping weekends because we know our car can't take it. The suspension is terrible on it, and we just don't see the point in spending hundreds of dollars to repair it when we know we will be getting a new car anyway. Thus, we now drive 5 miles an hour over any bump in the road. We also solve the part time evening job for Jared, it was just a little different than what we expected.
The whole process happened within a week's time: he applied, he got called the next day, he got invited to an orientation on the merits of his resume alone, he got drug tested, and his background check cleared in record time. He starts on Monday, and given that this is a contractual position, he will work the job for 7 weeks, at which point he will be done but have a great chance to sign on with another contract through the hiring company he worked through.
He'll be working at Sonora Quest Laboratories in downtime Tempe, a mere 5 minutes away from his regular job. The travel will be perfect, and he doesn't even start until 6:30pm, giving him half an hour to grab dinner. He'll be in scrubs, sorting, cataloging and detailing the various specimens. Jared is pretty excited about this opportunity, especially since his entire income from this 2nd job will all go into savings for either a down payment on the new car, or for paying off the little car we currently have. If this works out for him, and he likes how it fits into his schedule, we will probably be looking at purchasing a new car during the end of the year clearance sales. We like the plan-it is a huge blessing.
There is one catch.
Jared won't get home until 3:30am.
Yikes.
That's a big catch. It means he will be working 2 full time jobs. We didn't anticipate that-we were looking for a part time job concentrated on the end of the week/weekends. It means he'll be gone from 8:30am until 3:30 am the next morning. I'll need to guarantee he gets to sleep until 8am each morning before he does it all over again...5 days a week.
That deserves another "Yikes".
See, this is why we are glad for the contractual nature of this job. Jared is a night owl-he rarely goes to sleep before 2am anyway. But I'm a bit concerned how working so many hours a day and having no time with the family or to relax will affect him. We will be protecting our weekends and his sleep time. I will be changing my morning teaching schedule so he won't need to worry about helping with the kids. The kids are sad they won't see Jared except for weekends, but they are in good spirits about it. Its a sacrifice, and if it doesn't work with our family, he doesn't need to sign on to another contract after the 7 weeks is up. If we feel we can keep up the schedule, then woohoo...who knows, the next contract may call for something different.
In the meantime we are preparing for this change into single parenthood. Our daily routine is going to get a little stricter since I will need to stay sane. We are starting job lists since I will need the kids to pitch in more around the house without Jared around. We are simplifying meals. Dinner is the worst time for me, usually Jared gets home from work right before dinner time, right before I teach evening sessions, and he does a great job taking care of dinner at least 3 weekdays/week...I need to make that shift in my mind that its up to me now to manage my time wisely enough that I can still manage my work schedule and make sure the kids are well provided for. It is bound to be an interesting 7 weeks for so many reasons....I'm just hoping every one of us will make it through and feel better off as a result.
Just typing all this makes me feel optimistic, like we can make this work. A good friend of mine was telling me the other day of her years as a single mom while her husband was so busy with career training....her suggestions really helped me realize we all have seasons of life like this where we pay our dues to make certain things come to pass. I have to look at how perfect this job was-the timing, the location, the work description, the ease of hire-and thank the Lord for the opportunity that he is providing Jared to make this goal happen. I guess this is all a matter of perspective, and perhaps that should be my goal for the next 7 weeks: keep my perspective in line, see the big picture, remember what matters at the end of the day.
Goals are good. We'll see how this pans out. For now we shall enjoy our weekend together, as a family, and see what the new week has in store.
Jared has been looking for part time evening work for a while. We are both acutely aware that our van is only running on borrowed time and even though we wanted to wait another year or two before needing to replace it, we just don't think it is going to last that long. We've already had to nix any trips up north or camping weekends because we know our car can't take it. The suspension is terrible on it, and we just don't see the point in spending hundreds of dollars to repair it when we know we will be getting a new car anyway. Thus, we now drive 5 miles an hour over any bump in the road. We also solve the part time evening job for Jared, it was just a little different than what we expected.
The whole process happened within a week's time: he applied, he got called the next day, he got invited to an orientation on the merits of his resume alone, he got drug tested, and his background check cleared in record time. He starts on Monday, and given that this is a contractual position, he will work the job for 7 weeks, at which point he will be done but have a great chance to sign on with another contract through the hiring company he worked through.
He'll be working at Sonora Quest Laboratories in downtime Tempe, a mere 5 minutes away from his regular job. The travel will be perfect, and he doesn't even start until 6:30pm, giving him half an hour to grab dinner. He'll be in scrubs, sorting, cataloging and detailing the various specimens. Jared is pretty excited about this opportunity, especially since his entire income from this 2nd job will all go into savings for either a down payment on the new car, or for paying off the little car we currently have. If this works out for him, and he likes how it fits into his schedule, we will probably be looking at purchasing a new car during the end of the year clearance sales. We like the plan-it is a huge blessing.
There is one catch.
Jared won't get home until 3:30am.
Yikes.
That's a big catch. It means he will be working 2 full time jobs. We didn't anticipate that-we were looking for a part time job concentrated on the end of the week/weekends. It means he'll be gone from 8:30am until 3:30 am the next morning. I'll need to guarantee he gets to sleep until 8am each morning before he does it all over again...5 days a week.
That deserves another "Yikes".
See, this is why we are glad for the contractual nature of this job. Jared is a night owl-he rarely goes to sleep before 2am anyway. But I'm a bit concerned how working so many hours a day and having no time with the family or to relax will affect him. We will be protecting our weekends and his sleep time. I will be changing my morning teaching schedule so he won't need to worry about helping with the kids. The kids are sad they won't see Jared except for weekends, but they are in good spirits about it. Its a sacrifice, and if it doesn't work with our family, he doesn't need to sign on to another contract after the 7 weeks is up. If we feel we can keep up the schedule, then woohoo...who knows, the next contract may call for something different.
In the meantime we are preparing for this change into single parenthood. Our daily routine is going to get a little stricter since I will need to stay sane. We are starting job lists since I will need the kids to pitch in more around the house without Jared around. We are simplifying meals. Dinner is the worst time for me, usually Jared gets home from work right before dinner time, right before I teach evening sessions, and he does a great job taking care of dinner at least 3 weekdays/week...I need to make that shift in my mind that its up to me now to manage my time wisely enough that I can still manage my work schedule and make sure the kids are well provided for. It is bound to be an interesting 7 weeks for so many reasons....I'm just hoping every one of us will make it through and feel better off as a result.
Just typing all this makes me feel optimistic, like we can make this work. A good friend of mine was telling me the other day of her years as a single mom while her husband was so busy with career training....her suggestions really helped me realize we all have seasons of life like this where we pay our dues to make certain things come to pass. I have to look at how perfect this job was-the timing, the location, the work description, the ease of hire-and thank the Lord for the opportunity that he is providing Jared to make this goal happen. I guess this is all a matter of perspective, and perhaps that should be my goal for the next 7 weeks: keep my perspective in line, see the big picture, remember what matters at the end of the day.
Goals are good. We'll see how this pans out. For now we shall enjoy our weekend together, as a family, and see what the new week has in store.
Thursday, April 18, 2013
A Wicked Weekend
I'll post-date this eventually since Karianna and I got to see Wicked at the beginning of this month, but I wanted to get the pics up here at the very least!
I'm super glad I got to share this with Karianna. I am sad Jared couldn't come, but it was a special weekend for us. Karianna is amped up to see Phantom of the Opera next (who knows when)-she has caught the broadway bug! A big thanks to the Hammerquists for letting us stay with them overnight-it was fun to see it with family!
3 weeks....
Wow, it has been 3 weeks since I have blogged!!!! That is a (bad) record for me! I'm usually super good at at least taking pictures as a way to bookmark what I want to blog about, but even that hasn't really happened. I guess the month of April has been crazy for some reason and time has just slipped away from me. So as a sacrificial offering, here's a random picture of the older kids sitting nicely together on the couch...touching...and not fighting. It's a moment to remember.
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