These are the Moments

Sunday is our family day. After running from here to there all week, this is our day of rest. If at all possible, we try not to leave the house except to make a grocery store run at the beginning of the day. We spend time playing together, watch some football together, cook together, and clean together. We love these days!

The one thing missing from our Sunday right now is taking the family to church. We are members of a small church on the NE side of town called St. John on the Desert. All of the children were baptized at St. John on the Desert. Over the years, the wonderful pastor that was there when we became members retired due to personal health issues. Since the new pastor has assumed the leadership role of the church much has changed. We no longer feel like this is the best fit for our family. We are still searching for a church to join.

As I sit and write about family time, Edwin McCain's song lyrics run through my mind.

These are the moments I thank God that I'm alive

These are the moments I'll remember all my life

I've got all I've waited for

And I could not ask for more.

Bobby's 1st Grade Musical

"I'm ready to go to school, Mommy."

Katie prepares for school pictures

Singing in the Rain

"I'll help you put away the dishes, Mommy!"

(And by help, I mean climb on top of the

dishwasher door and try to climb inside.)

I could not ask for more!

Play Ball

The San Francisco Giants may have won the world series, but the 2010 baseball season is still in full swing at our house. Bobby elected to play baseball this fall. He has really gotten into the fundamentals of the game. It is such a joy to watch him be part of a team and play a game that he has fallen in love with. I know that this is just the start of his sports career and I look forward to many more years of standing on the sidelines and cheering him on!

Teaching Andy the importance of stretching...

Keeping my eye on the ball...

Going, going, gone!

Rounding the third base...

Cheering on my team...

Shaking hands with the competition...

Tt is for Tired

I've been trying to think ahead about what I can blog about during the next couple of weeks. One of the ideas that came to mind was to tell the story of "us". Since we got home late tonight, I decided to save that idea. The first installment of Fairy Tale Friday will have to wait to make its appearance next week.

It has been a long week. As I sit and reflect on my week, I feel like making a "T is for Tired" scrapbook page. The captions would look something like this:

*I began the week feeling optimistic about election day. Bobby and I waved signs the day before the election. I taught the democratic process in Kindergarten by voting on a storybook character after reading two different versions of the same story. I went to bed feeling hopeful on Tuesday...only to wake up on Wednesday to heartbreak.

*I spent hours preparing for my observation. The anticipation of having a special visitor in my classroom causes me severe anxiety, which in turn leads to physical tension, an increase in my OCD (perfectionism), and restless nights. Since my observation was postponed on Wednesday, these feelings spilled over into Thursday.

*I've been battling an itchy throat since mid-week. I am hoping to ward off any lingering effects with high doses of vitamin c!

*I had a tough day at school today. Thankfully, these days don't happen too often. When they do, they suck every ounce of emotional and physical energy out of your body. You are left feeling drained.

*In addition to all of the things I mentioned above, add on all of the day-to-day duties of a mommy.

Good night world. T is for Tired...

A Boy and His Dog

Andy refuses to talk. He CAN talk when he wants to, but most of the time he doesn't need to in order to get what he wants. (His big brother and sister do a lot of his talking for him! :) Then there are also the times when he is just being a stinker; I'll ask him to say a word that I know he can say and he'll shake his head no and say "uh-uh".

Andy loves Mickey Mouse Clubhouse! Last year, Santa brought a set of the clubhouse stuffed animals to our home. Over the past month Andy has developed an attachment to Pluto. Tonight, while we were straightening up the house he picked up his doggy and said "Puto". He took Pluto to his room and sat down to read him a book. He showed him a picture of a car and said "car" to Pluto. Should I be worried that he will talk to his dog and not to me???

This is a story about a boy and his dog...

"Let's watch Mickey together, Puto."

Nap time for a boy and his dog

"Carrr, Puto"

"Night mommy!"

Loss

It seems tonight that I'm at a loss...a loss for words to fill this page...a loss to explain to my 1st grader why he might not have specials next year...a loss to understand what goes on inside the heads of others.

Vail asked the voters to make some important decisions about education in southern Arizona this November. It makes me sad to realize that even though I whole-heartedly believe in the democratic process, I feel like my team lost a big game yesterday. A majority of voters chose to discontinue supporting Vail's excelling schools through home property taxes. So now we are faced with the looming question of: What is next?

We are faced with difficult economic times these days. Families are struggling to keep a roof over their heads and to provide for their families. Schools are struggling to provide students with a safe, quality education despite the budget cuts and numerous other challenges that they face. I know that despite this difficult loss at the polls yesterday, the wonderful people that I work with will continue to make a difference in the lives of the children we teach. Despite a budget that continues to be slashed every year, we will provide our students with unique learning opportunities that challenge them to become the best "me's they can be".

While my heart feels saddened to think about continuing to do even more with even less, I am inspired by the educational community I am blessed to be a part of. I entrust my own children into their loving hands each day...and I will continue to stand in awe of the way these amazing individuals who are helping to shape my little ones future. THANK YOU!

Thank you to my charismatic and caring superintendent, who took time out of his own schedule to stop by and say thank you on Saturday. I know that there isn't another superintendent out there like you...and I am thankful for your commitment to the Vail community every day.

Thank you to my supportive, kind, amazing principal for everything you do! You always know just what to say and make me feel like a part of your family. Your door is always open and I know that you are there when I need you. I am blessed to be a part of your Cottonwood family.

Thank you to my co-workers and friends! You have supported me through some tough times during the past year. I love sharing my life with you and can't think of a better group of people to work with each day. Thank you for inspiring me to be a better teacher!

(A special thank you to my amazing parapro. You know who you are! You save my life every day...literally! I am thankful for your commitment, your creativity, and your friendship.)

Thank you to my students! The minute you walk through the door each day, my heart fills with joy at your eager smiles and I cannot wait to go on another learning adventure with you. You make me forget everything except the joy of learning for the hours that I am privileged enough to spend with you.

Thank you to my husband! You always ask me about my day, spend countless hours with me each year in my classroom, and even help me glue projects together! You patiently give up your time with me so that I may give that extra personal touch to my classroom. You are an amazing teacher yourself!

Thank you to my children! You teach me patience, sharing, joy, love and much more every day. You remind me to take the time to smell the roses and to make use of those "teachable moments" that occur so often. Thank you for sharing your mommy.

Ode to Butterflies

We've all experienced it. The anticipation or occurrence of something so monumental that you can literally feel the butterflies taking flight in your stomach. They flit and flutter so rapidly that your heart starts beating a little faster and your knees begin to shake.

This is my 11th year teaching. I've had countless observations; yet I still get butterflies every time I even think about being observed. I am being observed tomorrow...so that means a sleepless night and a morning filled with anxiety. The butterflies will dwell in my tummy until I've completed my lesson and conducted my post-conference. (Unfortunately, I have to wait until Monday for my post.) I don't know why I get so nervous about observations. I just do. The butterflies take flight each year, despite words of encouragement and wisdom.

There are wonderful things that make my tummy flutter as well. So here is my ode to the shiny, happy butterflies...

Date nights with my hubby...it's been 14 years, but I still enjoy the

anticipation of spending an evening out with the man that I love.

Watching my angels sleep. I could sit for hours just memorizing

the feel of their little hands in mine and watching their cherubic faces.

Being right there for all of the "firsts"...their first steps,

their first words, their first EVERYTHING! My heart skips a beat every time.

Teaching - Every morning I feel blessed to be a part

of my amazing class. My students brighten each day and

make me feel like I am truly making a difference.

Heres to the butterflies that inhabit each of us. May they always be bright, beautiful butterflies. :)

You Are So "Boo"tiful To Me!

Amidst the chaos of my afternoon, I hear my cell phone ring. In the midst of making french toast for dinner, holding Andy away from the hot stove, and watching as Bobby sprayed cinnamon all over, I answered the call. My good friend and life-saving parapro, Charlotte, was calling to see if I had seen Ami's post about the NaBloPoMo. Sure, I'd seen it...but I hadn't been crazy enough to respond to it. Charlotte proceeded to tell me that I HAD to participate this year and my first post should be my little darlings dressed up for Halloween. I told her that I would commit if she promised to provide inspiration when the well runs dry.

So here goes...

These are my "boo"tiful children. They have the innate ability to make me laugh harder than I ever thought possible. They can inspire within me the urge to want to lock myself in the bathroom for a minute of sanity. They fill my heart with unspeakable amounts of joy and love. They give meaning to my life.

I torture them regularly with my camera. I carry it EVERYWHERE. They are such good sports and hardly ever complain that I am once again subjecting them to my obsession to digitally capture each moment of their childhood so that I never forget these wonderful days. I dread the day when I hear the words "Mom...not again!". But I also know that I'll continue to torture them regardless of the moans and groans. Here are just a few of those moments from this years Halloween excitement:

Lord Vader

"Luke, I am your father!"

Princess Katherine

"The fairest of them all..."

T-I-Double Guh-ER

"Tiggers are wonderful things!"

Bobby, Katie, and Andy - You will ALWAYS be so beautiful to me!

It wasn't that long ago that there was another little boy dressed as tigger...

The world is a different place now. Wish you were here with us. We love you, Auntie Missa!