Seattle

After the ACSI conference, four of us drove to Seattle to spend Friday night and Saturday. I just have to say that I love Seattle. I don't like everything about it, of course, but there is just so much to do and so many interesting places and people.

On Friday night, we did something that none of us had ever done before. We ate dinner at "Sky City," the restaurant at the top of the Space Needle. There are a few unique things about this restaurant. First of all, it is 500 feet in the air overlooking downtown Seattle. And secondly it rotates so that over the course of dinner we were able to see the entire city of Seattle at least twice. It completes a full circle every 47 minutes although it seemed much faster to me. I have to admit that it was just a little unnerving when we first sat down. You can definitely feel the rotation and I was a little worried about being able to eat while spinning. But it all worked out just fine and made for great memories.

This is the Space Needle at about 8:30 on Friday night just before we went up to have dinner.

You might be a redneck if you take pictures of your $36 chicken dinner before you eat it. There is a $35 per person minimum at Sky City, otherwise you have to pay the $16 fee to ride up to the top. We thought we might as well eat up there. We had to eat anyway. The chicken was good and I saved half and had it the next night, too.

I never got a really good picture from the restaurant, but this gives you a little bit of an idea of our view. It was pretty amazing.

On Saturday we headed down to the piers. It was a gray day (no big surprise), but we had a lot of fun shopping, eating and watching people. One of my favorite things on the piers is Ivar's. It's a seafood restaurant with a sit down place inside and a fast food stand outside. We really just wanted fish and chips, so we ordered outside and sat at the tables they have available in a little pavilion. Ivar's has the best fish and chips and I wasn't disappointed this day. There are lots of gulls around, which is to be expected, and we saw a guy trying to feed a fry to one. Which wouldn't have been unusual except that he had the fry in his mouth! The gulls were smarter than he was and he wasn't successful.

One of my very favorite places is Pike Street Market. It's crowded and loud and smells like fish. And I love it! It also makes for great pictures.

I really wanted to buy flowers this day, but wasn't sure how they would do on the trip home. Look how beautiful they were.

This is a monk fish that one of the seafood vendors had on display. They had a string attached to the tail and when someone got close, they'd pull it and move the fish and scare the poor person to death. (It was pretty funny.)

The fish mongers are great. It's half market, half show. They throw twenty pound salmon around and call back and forth and play for the crowd. It's really fun to watch. I was thrilled to get a picture of the fish in midair. Pretty cool.

I love all the colors in the produce markets. And on this particular day I was craving fruit and bought strawberries and satsumas. They were delicious.

This vendors display of hanging peppers and garlic is just beautiful. The colors and smells are amazing. I bought one of these for my mom and dad for a souvenir. The peppers dry in nine months and you can eat them fresh or dried.

Later Saturday afternoon we went back to the Space Needle and walked around the park that surrounds it. More shopping and people watching. Our hotel was only three blocks away which was very convenient. (Can someone tell me how to rotate this picture?)

We spotted a Starbucks and just had to have Starbucks in Seattle. But as we walked in, we saw that we were in a big mall kind of a thing with a food court and stage. They just happened to be having a Turkish festival that weekend and we were able to enjoy a show while we drank our Starbucks. See, you never know just what you might see in Seattle!

So, as you can see, we had lots of fun in Seattle. There are more stories like the hugging street musician, the midnight walk, the half-off souvenirs, and the visit with Sylvester. But those will have to wait 'til another time. Now I have to go see if I can find some fish and chips in Coeur d' Alene that will begin to compare to Ivar's. Wish me luck.

Today's Show and Tell

*1 "lipstick" complete with demonstration on how to apply (actually it was chapstick that I think her mom found in her purse before school)
*1 stuffed polar bear named Siberia that does tricks
*1 Hello Kitty flashlight (with 3 minute explanation on how to turn it on and off)
*1 Batman figure, 1 robot, a magnetic Frankenstein and zombie, and 1 electronic game all pulled from a variety of choices in a backpack
*1 Bratz movie in a purse (An argument ensued on whether there is 1 Sasha or 2 in this particular film. I have a feeling that 1 Sasha would be enough.)
*1 stuffed horse (white and pink, of course)
*1 Spiderman web shooter with all the webs "wasted"
*1 stuffed penguin from the book fair
*1 toy police car with opening trunk and doors and a Lego guy that fits inside
*1 stuffed dog with a purple carrying case (also does tricks)

1 Down, 29 To Go

Today starts NaBloPoMo (National Blog Posting Month). And the fact that I knew just what Katrina was talking about when she reminded me earlier this week was just a little frightening. I have been a blogger for almost a year, so I guess it's okay that I'm the tiniest bit of a blog nerd.

For NaBloPoMo, bloggers are supposed to blog every day for the month of November. It doesn't sound hard because I have a blog running through my head at least ten times a day. The hard part, though, is actually putting words to keyboard and getting it posted. But I'm going to try. I certainly don't have a lack of topics--kids, kindergarteners, 7th graders, pregnancy/morning sickness/mood swings/cravings/baby names, Thanksgiving, weather changes, parent/teacher conferences, family, etc.

I have never blogged everyday for a month before. I don't even think I've blogged everyday in a week. But I do enjoy a challenge when it comes to writing. So wish me luck. And be sure to comment so that I am motivated to keep writing.

And I also want to take this chance to say thanks to all of you who stop by my blog. It's fun to share my life with all of you.

Mmm, Tacos

There are times throughout the school year that are more challenging than others. The first day (and week) of school is a challenge because five year olds don't have a clue about anything at school. Any day with a field trip or assembly is crazy because it's out of the normal routine and causes extra excitement. The first day of snow creates a buzz in the halls and the classroom that causes kindergarteners to bounce off the walls. And then there are holidays. Not President's Day or Columbus Day or Memorial Day. Those are fine. But the other holidays that include gifts or parties or candy. Those holidays are not fun for a kindergarten teacher. A regular kindergarten day is enough to suck every ounce energy from Wonder Woman. But as soon as you throw in costumes or sugar or Santa or wrapping paper it's like that myspace video with the coke and Mentos. And so here's where we are. The day before Halloween. (I have to be careful, they can sense just the thought of it.) I have actually banned the word from my classroom. I know, I know. It's just a fun holiday that lets kids pretend and get treats. Blah, blah, blah. It is the bane of my existence this week and I'm not happy. If you've read my blog for any amount of time you know that I really don't complain much. But today I am suffering from morning sickness*, craving a crunchy taco supreme from taco bell, and having to deal with 13 five year olds, who if I could choose their costumes, would all be dressed as those flying monkeys from The Wizard of Oz.

Oh, well. A few more days and it will all be over. At least until mid-November when Christmas trees appear.

*Yes, I'm pregnant. That's a blog for another day.

ACSI

I've been trying to write about my trip to Seattle for a few days now and decided that the conference was something that you had to attend to really appreciate. So I'll skip most of the details and just tell you some of my favorite parts.

*Our fearless leader wanting to stop in Tri-Cities for gas on the way to Seattle. Umm...Tri-Cities is not on the way to Seattle.

*Learning more about my co-workers. (Maybe more than I wanted to know.)

*Worship time spent with hundreds of Christian school educators.

*The classes. Especially "Music in the Christian Classroom" and "Hands On Teaching."

*Learning that there is a thought that there were, in fact, dinosaurs on the ark with Noah.

*Meeting the teacher who I want to be when I grow up.

*Freebies from the venders at the conference.

*The 40 minute quarter mile trip to our hotel from the restaurant because of the power outage. (Mostly because it made for good stories when we called home. With every call the distance got shorter and the time got longer.)

*Truth or dare during the power outage. What's told in Bothell, stays in Bothell.

*Mom's Teriyaki Restaurant.



Things that weren't so fun.

*Having the worst sore throat of my life for the first two days.

*Hard hotel matresses.

*Not being able to find chicken noodle soup anywhere in western Washington.

*The amazingly frightening traffic in western Washington.


On Friday afternoon we left Bothell for Seattle. This was the part of the trip where we played instead of worked. That'll be my next blog.

Teacher School

I'll be back in a few days. We're going on a trip to Bothell, Washington for a Christian educator's conference. Should be lots of fun. Especially the two days we spend in Seattle playing afterwards. Have a good week and I'll tell you all about it when I get home.

"Show and Hotel"

As challenging as my kindergarten class is this year, they still make me laugh everyday. Like today when one little girl was so excited that it was "show and hotel" day. So here's what came to school today to be shown and hotelled.

*one artkit with a book in which you can color anything

*one spiderman sticker book that brought "oohs" and "aahs" from the crowd

*one story about vistiting grandparents who apparently can do backflips and somersaults

*one dinosaur playset with dinosaurs that try to eat cars

*one soccer trophy

*one set of orange and red pom-poms

*one little bag of "thousands" of polished rocks (more "oohs" and "aahs")

*one stuffed polar bear

*one "Bedtime Bear" Care Bear

*one leopard print umbrella in a case that matches

*one stuffed, blue Scooby Doo

*one story: "It was my birthday and now I'm this many (5 fingers) and then I'm going to be this many (3 fingers)."

Ahh, Kids

Nathan, a guest at Josh's birthday party, was glad that the party was at "Skatema Plazma."

A first grader told me that there was "evidence that a boy has been in the girl's bathroom." That evidence was that the seat was up and they didn't flush!

While discussing pets and veterinarians today in class, one little girl claimed that her baby brother was her pet.

Contrary to what one 7th grader thinks, 7492.57 divided by 32.71 is not "fries."

8 Years Ago

Today my first born son turns 8. Eight years old. It seems so impossible. We waited a long time before we had kids and it took awhile after that for him to come around. And I remember how extremely happy I was to find out that I was pregnant. I knew right away because I'm one of those "lucky" women who knows pretty much the next day if I'm pregnant. Instant naseau all day long. That lasted for about ten weeks then I felt great the rest of the time. Being pregnant is exciting and wonderful and scary and miraculous. And I enjoyed almost every minute of it. And then the day came. Well, labor came. Josh didn't actually come until the next day after 32 hours of labor and a c-section. But it was so worth it. He was this adorable little bundle with tons of black hair that stood up every which way. Not to brag, but all the doctors and nurses told me that he was a cute baby and that not all babies are as cute as their parents think. (Please don't tell me if they told you the same thing about your newborn.) He was a good baby. He didn't cry much and loved being held which told me right away that he was going to be a snuggler.


And here we are eight years later and he is smart and funny and mostly sweet. He likes dinosaurs and animals and movies and girls (yikes). He has this magnetic personality and therefore lots of friends. He does really well at school but likes recess best. He still has crazy hair that sticks up everywhere and he likes it that way. And he still likes to be held and will crawl up on my lap to snuggle. Except now, everytime he does, I breathe in the smell of his hair and hold on tight because I never know if it might be the last time.

Happy birthday, Josh. I love you more than words can say.

Did You Know...

...that it takes exactly the same amount of time to say the pledge of allegience as it takes me to make sure 13 kindergarteners are all standing and putting the correct hand over their hearts.

...that picking the perfect pumpkin at a nearby farm can take some 5 year olds a loooong time.

...that no matter how many times I do dishes, there are always more to do.

...that even though my son is two days away from turning eight, I still feel like he was born yesterday.

...that regardless of what my six year old does at one moment, he can melt my heart in the next.

...that when discussing television shows with alarming plots, you should make sure everyone listening knows that it's just tv.

...that seventh graders will eat anything. Even sunflower seeds that they harvested, soaked, cooked...and burned.

...that it's still possible to genuinely surprise people. :)

Conversation

This morning on the way to school...

Adam: "A lot of people murder."
Josh: "Don't talk about that, Adam."
Adam: "But look at all the trash by the road."
Me: "Umm, Adam, do you mean litter?"
Adam: "Oh, yeah. A lot of people litter."


At lunch...

Me: "Adam, do you know where Josh is?"
Adam: "Am I my brother's keeper?"*

*We've been studying Cain and Abel in Bible class this week.

Persuasion

Yesterday at church I taught the elementary Bible class for the regular teachers who were out of town. Both of my boys were in the class and very excited that I was their teacher. I was teaching a lesson on Noah and how he made the right decision to live for God. One of the activities was to hold some little plastic stars behind my back, half marked with tape and half not marked. The class had to guess if they were marked or not and got to keep the ones they guessed right. They won the game if they had the most stars at the end. The trick was that there were two persuaders who tried to convince them which way to vote. Adam was the persuader who I told to always tell the truth and Josh was the persuader who I told to always lie. It didn't take the kids long to figure out what the persuaders were doing and they won 4 to 2. After the game, I asked them how they knew which persuader to believe. One boy said, "Well, Adam is younger and cuter so he must be the most honest." Obviously Josh took offense at that. Especially the cuter part! But he wasn't too upset and even told his dad the story after church. I personally think they are both the cutest kids I know and am proud of how honest they are. But I might keep the "younger and cuter" advice in mind the next time I vote.

Today...

Today I learned...

...five year olds can need two bandaids in the first five minutes of school.
...I can tie shoes with my eyes closed.
...a gillion is not a number.
...aloe belongs to the lily family.
...I know who's stomping in line without even looking.
...there are only two lego "humans" in the bucket, but three boys who want them.
...kindergarteners can, and will, cheat at Candy Land.
...casting out 9's is easy once you get the hang of it.
...kindergarteners love guinea pigs more than guinea pigs love kindergarteners.
...if your forehead is hot and you don't feel good you might have a "feber."
...it is possible to say "don't do that" a gillion times in one day.

Well That's New

I've been teaching for a while. I've taught every age from kindergarten to 8th grade. I've had many, many challenging students and two whole classes that have made me reconsider my choice of careers. (Not to mention the parents!) But I've hung in there because I love teaching and most days the rewards far outweigh the trials. This is my third year teaching kindergarten. The reason I took the kindergarten job is because Josh was in kindergarten the first year and Adam was the second year. But this year it's just me and a bunch of other people's kids. (Except one who feels almost like mine.) And of course I love each one. How could I not. They are completely adorable. And I truly understand that their mommies love them just as much as I love my own boys. And so I try to treat them as I want Josh and Adam to be treated by others. But here's the trouble. Out of the 13 kids in my class, at least 6 of them have to be watched every second of every day. As soon as they're out of sight, they're in trouble. Yesterday is a prime example. I had hitting, arguing, and fibbing. Not all that unusual really. But I also had three things happen that have never happened to me in all my years of teaching. First, one of the boys colored all over my white board with a non-white board marker. Luckily I was quick to catch it and was able to wash it off. Then one of the girl's was chasing another girl around with a push pin from the bulletin board. What?!?! I'm still not sure what possessed her to do such a thing. Then, just in the nick of time, I caught one girl about to give herself a haircut. To this I responded, "I have taught kindergarten for two years without anyone cutting their hair. Do not mess up my record!!" (And then I took away her scissors for a week.) All this and it wasn't even a full moon. Each day I'm having to re-evaluate my management techniques and adapt them to rogue colorers, pin chasers, and hair cutters. So I have to ask myself two questions. What will happen on Monday? And how many days 'til June? :)

It Can Happen

We have been seeing a sign on our way to school the past week or so. It says:

LOST TURTLE

704-****

*REWARD*

Lost turtle? It would be funny except that two summers ago we lost a turtle. Some people think that turtles are slow, but I'm convinced that it's all an act to fool everyone. As soon as you turn your back on these wily creatures, they take off running. Okay, so they don't run all that fast (with the short legs and carrying a house on their backs), but they are faster than the average population may think. This fact combined with leaving a 5 year old in charge of said creature is just asking for trouble. But the turtle we lost wasn't your average, everyday pet shop kind of turtle.

The turtle who ran away was a hillbilly, cross country traveling, turtle. When we were in West Virginia visiting relatives*, my uncles thought it would be great fun to bring box turtles for the boys to play with. And it was. They loved them (all 4 of them). And even my grandparents got involved. Grandpa found the perfect box for them and Grandma gave the boys veggies to feed their new pets. It really was fun, so when we got ready to head for home, we decided to bring the smallest of the turtles with us. We didn't tell the boys so that they wouldn't bug us for 2,347 miles about holding it. We quietly put it in a shoe box and hid it under the van seat. Without the boys ever suspecting a thing, we fed and watered our secret passenger and he safely made it all the way across the country to his new home. The boys were of course thrilled when we revealed what was in the box. And this free turtle only cost us about $100 (tank, heater, light, bedding, food). He was a great pet until that fateful day. Josh loved to take the turtle out into the yard to wander around in the grass and eat bugs. So one day in the late summer, he was doing just that. I got busy doing outdoor chores and Josh got busy chasing butterflies and before we knew it the turtle was gone. We own five acres with no fences, so finding a six inch long, very well camouflaged turtle was nearly impossible. We did look though. For quite a while. And still didn't find the turtle.**

So when I saw the "LOST TURTLE" sign this week, I thought of our own lost turtle and wondered if there was any way that they had found our lost turtle and that he had escaped again. Not likely, I know. When I told my mom this story, she told me the way to find out. She said, "Call the number and ask them if their turtle had a southern accent." Very funny, mom.

*The story of this trip would be a whole other blog. Maybe someday.

**Josh got a new turtle for his next birthday. We still have that one.

5 Ways To Tell That A 6 Year Old Is Sick

1. He falls asleep on the couch in the principal's office at school and sleeps through the lunch rush going down the hall.
2. You take him into the store to get some medicine and he doesn't ask for a toy or candy or pop. Just for a bottle of water.
3. He doesn't utter a peep the whole 25 minute drive home.
4. He lays on the couch watching old Tom and Jerry cartoons so quietly that you think he's asleep.
5. His mommy can't even appreciate the quiet because her baby is sick.

Show and Tell--9/14

*a nintendo magazine with all of L's favorite "charavers"
*a coloring picture of K's pet kitty named Princess
*a car, transformers named Jetfire and bumblebee, and a ninja turtle who does "that" when you squeeze his legs
*a tiny treasure chest filled with "treasures" (polished rocks and marbles)
*a pink poodle purse with magic coins (a quarter and penny)
*a stuffed cheetah with a baby doll face and hands
*a guy with "one of these and a belt and a necklace and a green thing on him and a thing to look at"
*a story about catching butterflies while camping (no show, just tell)
*an angel pin that "is so teeny"
*a monopoly junior board game that C loves very much

Ahh, kindergarten.

A Sign With Antlers

This morning I chose to take the back roads into town to school. I did this for two reasons. One, to time the trip to see how much longer it was than taking the highway. And two, to avoid said highway which often causes my anxiety to soar first thing in the morning. On the drive I discovered that the trip only takes an extra minute or two. Kind of what I thought, but I wanted to make sure for future mornings. I also discovered that there is a flock of wild turkeys that spend their mornings in a field off Ramsey Road. This was the second time I had seen them there. (Adam called them roosters, but then remembered that they were turkeys.) And the third thing I discovered was that back roads aren't always safer. Here's why.

I almost hit a deer, a big one, just after leaving home. Had she not chosen to run parallel with the car for a few seconds, which gave me time to slow down, I surely would have hit her. Strike one for lowering my anxiety.

And then shortly after that, a truck passed me and a squished pop can flew out of the back of his truck right in front of me. Not a big deal, but it caught my attention and startled me. Strike two. No sooner had that happened than out of the corner of my eye in the rear view mirror I saw a big brown tarp fly out of the back of the same truck. At least that's what I thought it was. Until I focused on my mirror. It wasn't a tarp at all. It was a moose!* A huge moose with huge antlers. And it hadn't flown out of the back of his truck but was tripping and staggering across the road right between the truck and a car going the opposite direction. If I had been three seconds earlier it would have crossed right in front of me. Strike three.

So, here's my dilemma. Do I take the highway and put my life in the hands of all the drivers going 65 mph around me (including numerous logging trucks)? Or do I take the back roads and risk encountering a thousand pound animal who doesn't look both ways?

We have actually been trying to decide whether or not to sell our house and move into town. It's a hard decision because we love our house and living out where it's so quiet and beautiful. But then there's the drive. Rolling your car a few times makes driving a little difficult, so it's been a real issue. So today, as I drove the back way to avoid the danger but had to dodge wildlife along the way, I began to wonder if it was a sign. Either way I go, it raises my anxiety. So what do I do? I just don't know, but for now I'm going to go clean my house just in case we call a realtor in the next few days. And I'm going to pray for wisdom and answers and a big bubble of safety around my minivan. And that all future signs are bunnies or kittens or at least don't have antlers.

*The moose was fine and continued on his way with no more than an increased heartbeat and a story to tell his buddies.

100

Here's the thing. This is my 100th post on my blog and I've been racking my brain trying to come up with something that would symbolize the significance of that. But I've got nothing. I thought about "100 things about me" or "100 things I love" or "100 things I've done 100 times (or more)." But nothing feels right. I even missed my first day of school blog waiting to have something special for my 100th post. All I can think of is the day I sat in front of the computer and created this blog. It was spur of the moment although I had considered it a few times before. But the truth is, I did it as a distraction. A distraction from the terrifying pain in my chest and my brain telling me that I was going to die. It was right in the middle of the worst of my anxiety disorder and I couldn't do anything but pray and wait for it to pass. I couldn't clean house because of the exhaustion. I couldn't play with my kids because of the pain. I couldn't even take a shower because I was afraid I would have a heart attack and no one was home to find me except the boys. Wow. I was really sick. Thinking about it now it's easy to see. But then I just thought that I was dying or crazy or both. So I sat and wrote as best I could. I don't even remember what my first few posts were about but I'm sure I hid most of what was going on in my writing just as I did in real life. But the writing helped. It did distract me. And that distraction somehow lessened the anxiety and the symptoms it caused.

So, here I am, 10 months and 100 posts later. Mostly well. 100 times healthier. A million times happier. Now the only thing my blog distracts me from is dirty dishes. And for that I am 100% thankful.

Summer 2 School

I have spent the last week or so getting ready for school. I am going to be teaching kindergarten in the mornings and 7th grade math, science, and music in the afternoons. I am looking forward to it even though it means no more days at the beach for a while. I am a teacher. Through and through. I love the feeling of knowing that I have taught a student something new. And there is no better reward than seeing the eyes of a 5 year old light up when they finally realize that t+a=ta. As of today I have 12 kindergarteners, but my class limit is 14 and the numbers usually change the first week of school. I have three 7th graders so far, which will be great and give me a real chance to make sure they are ready for upper level math and science.

I thought I would share a few pictures of my cute classroom with you.

This is the library and reading corner. I also use the table in the back for reading groups, art projects, and other group activities.

This is one of my bulletin boards. On it there are a variety of educational posters, the birthday graph, and yellow felt used for a felt board to do counting and games on.

This year instead of desks, I am trying tables and chairs. I do have an extra desk just in case someone can't quite handle being so close to other classmates. Hopefully I won't have to use it.

On Thursday we had open house. About half of my students came with their parents to see the classroom and meet me. It was great to see so many anxious faces.

But they also saw something that I bet they weren't expecting. This...

Yes, this is Boys 2 Men circa 1986. My "friends" and co-teachers, Kathy and Marci, thought it would be really funny to put this up on the back of my classroom door complete with hearts. Now don't get me wrong. I was a fan of the r&b group back in the day, but I never had posters of them. At least not until now. When I discovered this the day of open house I laughed like crazy and racked my brain trying to remember the words to one of their songs to sing as I walked down the hall. (I didn't think of any.) And when I saw my "friends" I told them what a good joke they had pulled. All the while reminding myself to take it down before parents arrived. Well, guess what. I forgot. I forgot all about it until the last parents were asking questions and their younger child closed the door. Oh my goodness. I explained that it was a joke and we laughed together. But I didn't get to explain to the half a dozen other families who had obviously seen it. I could have told them it was for my music appreciation class. Or that I was encouraging diversity. Or that my "friends" think that they are SOOO funny. Anything other than them thinking that I have some kind of freakish teenage crush on this harmonic quartet.

So first thing Friday morning (well, after I took pictures), I carefully took it down and put it in a safe place. Because you can bet that my "friends" will someday walk into their classrooms and find the adolescent faces of these "boys" staring back at them. And don't be a bit surprised if it's on conference day!

Also Known As...

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is: Very Lady Jen the Harmonious of Withering by the Wold Get your Peculiar Aristocratic Title

What's a wold* and why am I withering by it? I like my peculiar aristocratic title, though. Very cool. (Thanks Scots.) I think I will make my students call me this. Well, maybe not the kindergarteners. Just the 7th graders. And my friends. All my friends must now address me as Very Lady Jen the Harmonious of Withering by the Wold. Okay, just Very Lady Jen the Harmonious.

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is: Duchess Jen the Innocent of Fiddlers Green

Wait, I actually like this one better. I am innocent. (No laughing Katrina and Kathy! You know it's true.) I like fiddle music. And I have lots of green (Irish) blood. So you may address me as either of my peculiar aristocratic titles. :)

My Peculiar Aristocratic Title is: Entirely Miss Reverend Lady Jen the Disheveled of Menzies on the Minges

Okay. They just keep getting better, don't they? I love this one. This is the one. I want this one.

*wold: a tract of open country; a low hill

Catty

There are some things that they don't tell you about in parenting books. One is that when you are raising boys you should be prepared to have all kinds of creatures come into your house. I have had bug boxes full of grasshoppers, ladybugs, butterflies, moths, and other varieties of creepy crawlies spend the night on my coffee table. I don't mind. Really. It's been quite interesting seeing these fascinating creatures up close.


A few days ago the boys found a fat, furry caterpillar. They were so excited. They fixed up their biggest bug box for it with sticks and grass and leaves. They played with her (they decided it was a her...I didn't ask how they knew) and named her "Catty." Catty became their pet. They took her with us wherever we went and showed her off to kids and adults alike. They took her out of the box and let her crawl over their hands and arms. That's what Adam was doing on Tuesday night. He was sitting on the couch looking at Catty as she crawled on his arm and asked me all kinds of questions about her like "What kind of butterfly would she be?" "When would she make a cocoon?" and "How long did she have to stay in the cocoon?" I answered as best I could. Then we went on with our night. We watched cartoons together and had Popsicles for dessert. I put the boys in bed around 8:00 as usual and was lying on the couch trying to enjoy a few minutes of peace before doing end of the day chores. Around 8:15 Adam came out of his room and said, "Mom, did you put Catty back in the bug box?" "Ummm, no," I answered, "Didn't you?" "No. I forgot. I sat her on the couch arm when I got up." I jumped up since the couch arm in question was the very one my head happened to be lying on. Thankfully there was no squished caterpillar under my cheek. We looked all around the couch for Catty but she was no where to be found. She wasn't under the cushions. She wasn't under the couch. I felt like she was crawling in my shirt, but she wasn't there either. I told Adam that it wasn't very responsible for him to leave Catty out of her box to which he responded, "I got distracted by the Popsicle!!"

Adam was so sad. He had become quite attached to Catty and couldn't understand why she would run away to where there was no grass for her to eat when she had a perfectly fine home that he had made for her. I finally got him settled down and back into bed, but I continued to look for Catty because now instead of being a fat, furry caterpillar in a bug box, she was a big, hairy bug crawling around my house. I just knew she was somewhere in the couch and as soon as I sat back down she would attack. I'm not necessarily scared of caterpillars, but I don't want one on me. Especially when I least expect it. So I continued to look to no avail. Catty had disappeared.

Adam has since accepted that Catty is gone. And I have since accepted that there is a creature loose somewhere in my house. And every morning from now 'til winter I will be looking for, not Catty the caterpillar, but Catty the butterfly.

Everything by Number

What does it mean when a kid counts everything? My Adam does that. When we were at "Walking with the Dinosaurs" he leaned over and said "15." 15? "15 what?" I asked. "15 teeth on that big dinosaur mouth," he answered. I never would have thought to count the teeth in the huge mouth that framed the curtain where the dinosaurs appeared, but he did. Since then he has also started counting many more things, including the train cars that pass whenever we get stopped at the crossing. I didn't even know he was doing it until one day he said, "What comes after 99?!? What comes after 99?!?" Once I told him, he hurried and caught up with his counting and ended up on 257. Wow! That was a long train. Who knew? He has also apparently been counting the days that his brother has had the "American Dragon Jake Long" game boy game. A million. As in, "He's had that game for a million days. When do I get a turn?" I'm not so sure that one's accurate.

Last night at motocross at the North Idaho Fair he said, "Mom, did you know that there are 8 of those bumpy things on the track?" "No I didn't know that." But I do know how many times he asked for a snow cone. A million.

Moose On The Loose

Ever since I read about Marmitetoasty's love for moose, I have wanted to show her these painted moose that we have in town. There were originally lots of these moose statues that were painted by professional artists. They were placed all over town and then sold to benefit local schools. They appeared in parades, in front of businesses and in parks. A few were purchased by locals and are still here. I found six of them.

This one is on a condo balcony on the corner of Government Way and Sherman Ave. It seems kind of out of place, but you never know where you might see moose these days!

This one stands outside the school district building on 4th Street. Check out the victorian boots.

This one is standing in front of Kootenai Medical Center. I love that it is surrounded by a huge flower garden.

This one is in front of Cafe Doma on the corner of 5th and Sherman. Pedestrians can get up close and personal with this one since it's right on the sidewalk. This was the most dangerous picture to take. I had to parallel park!!

To get the picture of this one I had to go through the drive through at Del Taco. The boys were thrilled because they got root beers. And I got a diet coke. The cartoon character theme is especially fun.

I think this one is my favorite. I love the mini moose riding on top and the nature theme of the painting. It stands in front of Forest Steel on Government Way.

It was really fun driving around looking for moose and taking pictures. I'm probably lucky I wasn't in an accident or at least yelled at (or worse) by other drivers! It was quite a little adventure, in the spirit of Marmie herself.

Already?!?

This morning I have a staff meeting. That means three things.

1. It's not long until school starts. (Aka summer's almost over.)
2. I should start thinking about school shopping, lesson planning, and classroom set up.
3. I have got to go to the beach tommorrow!

Hairspray

I can't tell you how much I love this movie. As the opening scene began, I started smiling and I don't think I stopped for the next hour and forty-seven minutes. I love the music. I love the characters. And I love the story of "Hairspray."

Tracy Turnblad is played by the amazing newcomer Nikki Blonsky. She does a terrific job getting Tracy's passion for dance across to the audience. And that passion comes out in all of the scenes she's a part of whether she is doing a solo or dancing and singing in a group. I love that Tracy is confident, determined, open-minded and accepting. She's who I would want my daughter to be if I had a daughter. The cute-as-can-be Zac Efron* plays Link. The relationship between Tracy and Link is so sweet to watch as they realize that, despite their differences, they are meant for each other. The scene where Link sings to Tracy's picture is one of my favorites. The incredible Elijah Kelley and the ultra-adorable Amanda Bynes are also among my favorite characters as friends of Tracy and Link. Not to mention Christopher Walken, "The Queen" Latifah, Michelle Pheiffer, and James Marsden.

But my favorite character is Edna, Tracy's mom. She is played by the buxom beauty...John Travolta. Yep. John Travolta. I have to admit that when I heard that he was playing a woman in the movie I thought it might be bad. But I was wrong. I love Edna and Mr. Travolta played her to perfection. Edna is just wonderfully sweet and entertaining. She worries about her daughter, frets over her own appearance, and loves her husband. And she overcomes her fears to step out of her comfort zone to stand with Tracy, protect her marriage, and shake it like she's never shaken it before on live t.v. Go Edna!

When you put all of these amazing characters together with the terrific soundtrack and the feel-good plot, you get a movie that I can't wait to own. It just makes me happy! It made me happy on the night I saw it and it makes me happy now to think about it. And I love it when the chubby girl gets the guy!

*Don't tell anyone, but I love "High School Musical" even though I haven't been in high school for 17 years. High School Musical 2 premieres on August 17!

Close to Home

This past weekend we had planned a weekend trip to Montana. But we were reminded that there was a big festival taking place just outside Missoula, where we would be staying. (I'd tell you the name of the festival, but Arrty said that my use of the word involved has reached its limit, so you'll have to check out the link.) There would be 15,000 extra visitors to the city, so we decided to stay home. The boys were already excited about our trip and were disappointed when the plans changed. To make it up to them, we let them choose many of the weekend's activities. So here's what we did.

Friday:

Skyhawks (the boys sports camp) finale. It was great fun to watch them practice all that they had learned during the week in tournaments with their campmates. And Arrty got to go watch, which thrilled the boys. They love to share these kinds of things with both of us.

Lunch at Red Lobster (Adam's choice). We all love Red Lobster, even though Adam usually orders mac and cheese.

(Friday night I went to see Hairspray with my girls. But that will be tomorrow's blog.)

Saturday:

We spent the morning doing chores like cleaning house, mowing lawn, doing laundry, etc. Then we made a quick visit to my folks' house and had a late lunch at Outback (Arrty's choice). The boys had ribs, Arrty had the porterhouse, and even though I wanted to try the chicken, I couldn't resist the Outback Special. Then we went to see "Underdog" (the movie). It was really cute and the boys loved it. I love taking Josh to funny movies because he has this wonderful laugh that fills up the theater. Very cute. Adam giggles and shakes, and is just as cute. Then we went to Home Depot with a short list of home improvement items.

Sunday

We spent Sunday morning, just as we do every Sunday morning, at church.

Then we went to Silverwood Theme Park which is only about five minutes from our house. The boys wanted to go to the water park first, and since it was their day to choose the activities, that's where we went. (Here's where I wish I had a digital camera so that I could share some of my pictures.) They spent an hour and a half playing in the water while Arrty and I sat in the sun and talked about life, our family and all of the body art we were seeing. Then we went to the ice skating show, the magic show (which the boys loved so much that they bought magic tricks for their souvenirs), and on the train ride. After that it was time to hit the rides. We went on the raft ride and the log ride twice each, the Ferris wheel, and Arrty and Adam went on Timber Terror. (Josh isn't much of a roller coaster fan.) And the boys went on the last ride of the night on the Red Baron kiddie planes. Then we had to make a trip to the candy shop where the boys bought huge tubes of colored sugar that they got to fill themselves. They had a great day and so I had a great day.

So we didn't get to go to Montana, but we sure had fun close to home. And we got to sleep in our own beds, which is always a bonus if you ask me.

Hurried

Every month I publish a women's newsletter at our church called Grace Notes. It contains ministry news, upcoming events, a getting to know you page, and an article that I write. I thought I would share this month's article.

Hurried

“Hurry up, Adam.” “Let’s go, Adam.” “Catch up, Adam.” These are all things that I say several times a day. Adam is just one of those people who takes his time. He’s never in a hurry for anything and has the tendency to get distracted by the littlest thing: a bug or a feather or a flower. It’s one of the things about him that drives me crazy and it’s one of the things about him that I love. This particular personality trait in my youngest son causes all errands to take twice as long as they should. It causes me to practice patience when I sometimes don’t want to. And it reminds me to slow down and enjoy life a little more.

This week Josh and Adam have been at Skyhawks, a sports day camp where they have been learning and practicing baseball, soccer, and basketball. I’ve stayed close by walking in the park and sitting in the shade reading and writing. And from the very first day, all over the park, I could hear Adam’s coach saying, “Come on, Adam.” “Hurry up, Adam.” “Let’s go, Adam.” I couldn’t help but smile. Hearing it from someone else has helped me to understand and appreciate my little slowpoke a little better. But I began to wonder about his coach. It he getting frustrated at his straggler? Is he tired of hurrying him along? He doesn’t know and love Adam the way I do and, although he’s been very patient, I’m sure he hasn’t had the time to grow to appreciate Adam’s lack of hurriedness.

This, like so many other things in life has caused me to consider my relationship to God. How many times has he said to me, “Hurry up, Jen?” “Come on, Jen.” “Let’s go, Jen.” There are things in my life that I’m supposed to be doing but haven’t quite gotten around to yet. There are places I’m supposed to go and people I’m supposed to see, but have gotten distracted by urgency instead. But I’m blessed because, like I know and love Adam, God knows and loves me. Even more. And lucky for me, he has unending patience and teaches me, even on the soccer field, to listen to his voice. So now when I hear that voice hurrying me along, I’ll try to pick up the pace. And the next time I’m rushing Adam, I’ll be a little more patient.

Meddling

I'm always interested to read bumper stickers on the cars in front of me as I drive. I have never been one for bumper stickers myself, but I think you can find out a lot about people from the ones they choose to display. For example, you can tell if they are political or religious or proud of their honor student. And you can sometimes judge their sense of humor or occupation or hobbies. But I saw one the other day that I absolutely could not figure out. I read it and read it again and wondered who would display this particular bumper sticker. It said..

Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons...
for you are crunchy and good with ketchup.

What?!? Who puts that on their car for the world to see. A dungeons and dragons geek (no offense), a medieval historian, a fantasy writer, Shrek? I still haven't quite figured it out. Maybe someday I will find the perfect bumper sticker for my minivan. But I'm pretty sure it won't have anything to do with dragons or ketchup.

Sweetest Wedding Ever

I just got home from the sweetest wedding ever. My sister married the love of her life. It was small and intimate, held outside in a friend's beautiful back yard overlooking Hayden Lake. But the real beauty wasn't found in the setting, but in the bride and groom. They are so much in love that you could feel it in the air. And they both so deserve it. The last few years haven't been easy for either of them. So now that they have seen and felt what real love can be, they appreciate it all the more. They stood in front of family and a few friends and declared their love to each other and their dedication to their new family that includes my wonderful nephew. It was wonderful and amazingly sweet.

My sister seemed to be kind of missing from my life for a few years while she was in a less than desirable relationship, but now she's back. She's smiling and laughing and so, so happy. She calls me and shares her life with me and tells me stories and I absolutely love it. She has always been my best friend and I'm so glad to have her in my life again. The real Ada is back. The fun, happy, life-loving one. Welcome back, sis. I love you. May the rest of your life be as full of love as tonight was. And call me, I love to hear your voice.

Time Flies...

I absolutely can't believe that it's almost August. It seems like I just finished school and it's been almost two months. We've been busy doing work around the house with a few fun things thrown in. But there's still so much I want to do. Like...

• spend a few more days at the beach
• go on a long weekend trip to Montana
• attend an Indians baseball game
• take a trip with the boys to Chuck E. Cheese
• make a visit to a T-Rex named Sue
• see more free movies at Riverstone
• enjoy Sunday concerts in the park
• spend a day at Raptor Reef
• go for our annual day at Silverwood

And all of this has to be done during the month of August when I also have to start getting ready for the next school year. Yikes. I have to go get started on my list. Today looks like a great beach day!

VBS

This week is Vacation Bible School at church. VBS is always busy and crazy and fun. We have about 100 kids attending this year, mostly visitors from the community. Our theme is Noah and my job is to teach the story, piece by piece, focusing on obedience, trust, faith, and hope. It's always exciting to share the Bible with God's children and especially those to whom it may be a new experience. I pray every morning that God will water the seeds that I plant and that these children will take something away from this week that will last them a lifetime.

And it's always fun to meet new kids. Being a teacher by profession kind of gives me a little advantage over those who only teach during VBS. I know within a few minutes the personality of the class as a whole and most of the kids individually. I've taught enough kids in my day that I can spot a "challenge" a mile away. That happened yesterday with one boy in particular. He wasn't disrespectful or especially disruptive. But I knew. I knew that if we spent anymore than our allotted 20 minutes together, there would be some issues. So I taught my class and he showed off and gave silly answers and I just smiled thinking about his teacher next year. Good luck whoever you are. You're going to need it.

I asked him at the end of class, "You get into trouble at school, don't you?" His answer said it all. With a mischievous little smile, he cocked his head and said, "Maybe." Yeah right, maybe. There's no maybe about it. But for some reason it's the kids like him that I remember most fondly. Not during the school year in which I see them everyday, but after. When it's only the memory that's left. The memory of their smile and silliness and sweetness under it all. So here's to all my "maybe" kids. Thanks for the memories.

It Will All Be Over Soon

I have a confession to make. I know that what I'm about to say is going to be hard to believe, but it's true. Every word. I just hope that this revelation won't make you think badly of me, but I have to get this out in the open. Okay, here it goes. I have never...read a Harry Potter book. Or seen a movie. I know, I know. It's unbelievable that I have completely missed out on the storm that is Harry Potter. When the books first came out I wasn't really interested because I'm not a big fan of fantasy and I have to admit that the witchcraft turned me away. And now as the whole thing has grown to have a gigantic amount of overexposure, it's just to much for me to get mixed up in. I have friends who are big fans and they often have conversations that sound like a different language to me. I just smile and wait for it to pass. There are stories in the news about these books that make me wonder what kind of a slow news day they have to have to report on if Harry is going to die. He's not real, people! And waiting in line to buy a book. I love books, but it would have to have pages made of money for me to wait in line for it. One good thing I will say about the whole thing. These stories get kids to read, so they can't be all bad. Right? And maybe, since I've heard a few million times that this is the last book, all the readers of the world can move on and meet some new people. So, Harry, I never knew ya. But the truth is, you have enough friends as it is.

Ramblings

My mind is full today. I don't know if it's med withdrawals or just one of those days. Here are a few of the things that are spilling out of my brain today.

I have great friends. We had girl's night out last night and it was a ton of fun as usual. I was reminded once again of how blessed I am to have this group of sister friends.

Josh is getting too tall. I'm not tall at all but he is catching up to me way to fast.

Adam is the cutest thing ever. And a little dramatic. As I walked into the living room this morning, he said, "Mom, you would not believe how hungry I am!"

I have a lot to do today: clean the playroom, go into town to run errands, work on VBS lessons, take the boys to Fun Friday at church, prepare the communion trays for Sunday, call the Indians baseball guy about church night, pay bills, and probably more I'll remember as I go.

What a blessing the Bible is. Today's favorite verse is Psalm 25:15, "If I keep my eyes on God, I won't trip over my own feet." (from The Message)

Day 1

Today is the first day in six months that I haven't been on anxiety medication. I have to admit that not taking it this morning caused me a little anxiety. But nothing like what I suffered before my treatment. It all stems from the car accident that I had in April 2006. It seems that thinking that you are going to die, even for a few brief moments, can wreak havoc on your brain. My neurotransmitters were all out of whack because of the stress of it all and made me think I was having a heart attack or going crazy or both. For months I suffered from anxiety/panic attacks and all the symptoms that came with them without knowing what it was. It took two weeks of major symptoms to finally make me realize that I needed help. Counseling, to help me see what I was dealing with, and medication (even though I fought it) helped me to slowly get better. Now here I am, off the meds and hopeful that I can stay off. And better able to recognize and deal with my anxiety.

I did some research this morning on how to control anxiety naturally. I found that diet (high in fresh food, low in anything processed) and exercise can help a lot. Also relaxation techniques and meditation/prayer are helpful. Sunlight, fresh air, adequate sleep and nutritional supplements (magnesium, B complex, and calcium) were also mentioned as natural ways to deal with anxiety. All things I kind of knew and don't always do well with.

So, today is a new day. I've already meditated and prayed on my front porch in the fresh air and had a healthy breakfast. Now I'll just need to throw in a little exercise, take my vitamins, and go to bed at a decent hour. Because, whatever it takes, I will get well and stay well.

So many people suffer with anxiety attacks and aren't aware of it so they don't seek help. Following is a list of symptoms of an anxiety/panic attack:

• heart palpitations or racing heartbeat
• chest pain
• hot flashes or chills
• cold and clammy hands
• stomach upset or queasiness
• frequent urination or diarrhea
• shortness of breath
• sweating
• dizziness
• tremors, twitches, and jitters
• muscle tension or aches
• headaches
• fatigue
• insomnia
• apprehension, uneasiness or dread
• impaired concentration or selective attention
• feeling restless or on edge
• avoidance
• hypervigilance
• irritability
• confusion
• nervousness or jumpiness
• self-consciousness and insecurity
• fear that you are dying or going crazy
• strong desire to escape

If you or someone you know suffer from panic attacks, don't suffer needlessly. Get help. Life is so much better without the pain.

Websites for more information:

www.anxietypanic.com

www.helpguide.org

www.womentowomen.com

Christmas In July

We had a yard sale at our house today and just like every other time that I have a yard sale (about every two years), I am vowing to never do it again and to just take the stuff to Goodwill and be done with it. That's where most of it goes in the end anyway. We did make a little money and our effort was mostly for Josh and Adam to encourage them to get rid of some of the bazillion toys we have scattered around our house. They got to keep the money for anything of theirs that they sold. (They made $32.75 and are so excited!) But despite all the work for very little reward, something good came out of it. I went down to the basement last night to look for last minute items to include in the sale and started going through some boxes of books. I knew that I had tons of children's chapter books that I had bought while I was in college and since the boys are just now getting old enough to read them, they have been in those boxes for awhile. I love books, which is probably why their are hundreds in my house. Literally hundreds. One lady bought 55 books this morning and I still had three boxes left to sell. And there are still two boxes downstairs to keep and one to go to school. Not to mention full bookshelves in every room in the house except the kitchen and bathrooms.

Going through the boxes was like Christmas! Each one contained books that I had read before the boys were born and it was like seeing old friends. So many of those books are so good and I can't wait to share them with my kids at home and at school. I couldn't help but smile as I pulled out some of my favorites: "Sarah, Plain and Tall," "Julie Of The Wolves," "Ella Enchanted," "The Secret Garden," "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory," "Number the Stars," "A Taste of Blackberries," "Jacob Have I Loved," "Onion John." All so wonderful.

But in addition to those books, I came across a bunch of books by author's that I had studied in my American Lit class this spring. I have been meaning to get to the library to check out some of their works but haven't yet. And now I don't need to. I have a stack of books just waiting to be devoured. Among them are "The Red Badge of Courage," "The Sound and the Fury," "Life on the Mississippi," "The Red Pony," "The Great Gatsby." Some I have read and others will be deliciously new. I also found an old book that I read when I was a teenager called "Jubilee Trail." I remember loving it, so it goes on the list as well as "Jane Eyre." Now I just have to decide which to read first. Maybe I'll go alphabetically.

I always say that I don't collect anything, but I guess I do. I collect books...and the friends I meet in them. And so now I'm off to make some new friends.

Half Old

Today the boys and I went to the free movie at Riverstone. It was "Over The Hedge." We'd seen it before, but hey, it's free. Aidan, my 4 year old nephew went with us. We had fun and enjoyed the show with lots of other families. On the way home we had the following conversation.

Josh: "Mom, can we go play at the park?"
Me: "No, Josh, it's too hot."
Josh: "Not for us."
Me: "The news last night said stay inside. The hot weather isn't good for kids or old people. And you're kids and I'm old."
Josh: "You're not old."
Aidan: "Yeah, you're only half old."

Thanks, Aid.

15 Years

Today I have been married for 15 years. 15 years of good times and bad, rich and poor, sickness and health. And I am better for it. I am just as happy and in love as I was in 1992. Maybe even more so.

I am married to a man that I met when I was 11 years old. We went to school and church together. I'm pretty sure it was playing four square when we realized we were meant for each other. Actually we did like each other then, but we went to different high schools and didn't actually start dating until I was a junior and he was a senior. We dated for three years before we got married, but I like to tell people that we were engaged since middle school. It sometimes feels like it. We were married seven years before we had kids, so we had plenty of time together, just the two of us. It was fun. We worked and went to college and wandered all over the place trying restaurants and seeing movies and going to concerts. I hardly remember a time without him in my life.

In honor of our 15th anniversary, I thought I would share 15 things about my husband.

1. He knows me better than anyone, including myself.
2. He has wonderfully blue eyes that shine when he laughs.
3. He has seen me in all my craziness and still loves me more than anyone.
4. He knows what I'm talking about when I say "I knew it!" and "ice cream."
5. He likes to watch cooking and food shows on television. (Probably because he doesn't see anything like that at home.)
6. He is a great dad and makes me glad that God put us together in this family.
7. He believes in the power of prayer.
8. He loves and understands my family.
9. He's a great teacher in and out of the classroom.
10. He likes his music loud. And preferably from the 80's.
11. He knows the difference between trips and a set.
12. He has always worked hard to support our family.
13. He knows the lyrics to every song he's ever heard. Not to mention the artist, title and year it was released.
14. He's the only man I've ever kissed.
15. He is my best friend.

I thank God everyday for him and the blessing of our marriage. Especially today.

I love you, Arrty. Happy anniversary. And many more.

Differences

My sons were born 19 months apart. When Adam was born, he weighed a pound and a half more than Josh when he was born and quickly caught up with his brother. They even wore the same size diapers for a while. That's when I knew it was time to potty train Josh! Now Adam outweighs Josh by a few pounds and they are almost the same height. Over the years I have had lots of people ask me if they are twins. I guess it's because they are so close in size because they don't really look that much alike. And, in fact, they couldn't be more different. Josh tends to be more serious where Adam is silly through and through. Adam loves anything artistic but Josh willingly admits that he doesn't even like to color. Josh has this crazy, cow-licked hair that sticks up all over the place if it's not cut short. Adam has fine, smooth hair that never looks messy. Josh loves to sit on my lap and snuggle or have his back scratched. Adam has to be asked for every hug he gives. Adam likes everything vanilla. Josh prefers chocolate. But one of the biggest differences between the two is that Josh talks to everyone and has never met a stranger where Adam is very shy around people. Even those he knows well. I was reminded of this on Friday when we went to "Fun Friday" at church. It was a bike riding day and both boys were very excited. Adam has just started riding without training wheels so ended up on the ground pretty regularly. (9 times to be exact. He counted.) But there were lots of people around, so even when I knew he was hurt, he wouldn't make a sound. That would draw attention to him, and he hates that. So he'd just get himself up and dust off or lie there with his shoe stuck under the bike until someone rescued him. I can guarantee that if the same thing would have happened to Josh, everyone would have known it including the neighbors. I'm pretty sure that he thinks, "The more attention the better." So my Adam ended up with scraped knees, but no one knew. Heaven forbid that he would actually cry in front of people. And he only said a handful of words the whole morning. But believe me, he made up for it later when it was just us. He always does.

Loaded

How rich are you? >> I'm loaded. It's official. I'm the 55,394,943 richest person on earth!

4th

Yesterday morning the boys and I were driving into town to have breakfast at my folks' house. The boys were excited about the bbq we had planned for later in the day and the festivities to come. So I asked them, "Why do we celebrate the 4th of July?" Josh, without hesitation said, "It has something to do with Jesus." I had to laugh while explaining that this holiday, in fact, doesn't have anything to do with Jesus like most of the others we celebrate. But by the end of the day, I realized that I was wrong. Everyday has something to do with Jesus. We spent time eating and playing and laughing with friends. We sat out in our yard without having to be afraid of anything but getting sprayed by a stray super soaker. I held in my arms the 9 week old baby of friends and marveled at her tiny feet and lovely smile. I watched my two healthy, happy sons slip and slide and play in the sprinkler. I enjoyed blessings that many in this world can't even imagine. So I learned, that this day, just like all the others, has everything to do with Jesus.

"I have come that they may have life and have it to the full." John 10:10b

Asleep

Before I go any further, I just want to say that I am not a poet. I don't ordinarily write poetry and don't in fact even like to read poetry unless it's written like a story. But I have noticed that when my sons sleep, their little faces look just like they did when they were babies. And a few weeks ago, while I was lying beside them as they fell asleep, this poem came to me without even really thinking about it. I got up and grabbed my notebook and started writing and very few words changed from what I thought during those moments when their faces magically changed from six and seven years old to six and seven days old. So here goes.


Asleep

When he's asleep
His face is the same
As it was so long ago.

When he's asleep
I see the one
That I cradled in my arms for hours.

When he's asleep
His face looks just like the one
I studied those first few days.

When he's asleep
He's my baby again.
Not loose teeth and
Two wheeler bikes and
Video games and
Size 2 shoes.

When he's asleep.

"Craft Night"

We had "craft night" Saturday night at church. This is one of the ministries I am involved in. I love to organize this fun night for the ladies. We call it "craft night," but here's what I did.


I set up the tables and chairs in the "bus barn" where the event was to be held.


I copied "Grace Notes" (the newsletter I do for church) and stuffed it in the mailboxes.


I went to Costco with Kathy for her latte freeze and my berry smoothie.


Then we went to Safeway for Chinese food.


We went back to the church building to find no one was there even though "craft night" officially started 42 minutes earlier.


We ate our chinese food and talked.


We considered taking off for a movie.


We finally broke out the actual craft stuff.


I worked on my scrapbook of pictures and journaling from our spring break trip to Seattle.


Kathy and I went in to the church building to prepare the communion trays for Sunday.


I went back to working on the scrapbook and visited with a few others who came in a little late.


We all considered going to the movies, but decided that the movies we wanted to see should be seen with our husbands and/or children.


I tried to help Kathy reply to a text message. (We didn't figure it out.)

I finished my beautiful scrapbook! Yeah!!

I finished my chinese food.


I cleaned up.


I made 3 cards.


I loaded my stuff in the car and helped Kathy do the same.


Now you know why I always put quotation marks around "craft night." Only about 20% of what happens actually includes crafts. :)

Who? Meme?

I am excited to announce my very first meme tagging. Thanks Katrina! And what could be better to talk about than eating out at my favorite restaurants? That's on my top 10 list of favorite things to do. Maybe top 5. (Mostly because there are no dishes to do afterwards!) :) Since I live kind of out in the boonies, we tend to have a little larger range so my restaurants are all over North Idaho, USA. Some are favorites because of the food. Some because of the atmosphere. And some because of the memories they hold. So here goes.

1. Toro Viejo. Toro serves my favorite Mexican food in town. And I've tried a lot! They have the best chips and salsa, the best lunch specials, and the best appetizer platter. I've gone there with my family, my extended family, my friends, and by myself. And it never fails to please.

2. The Rib Ranch. The Rib Ranch has good...wait for it...ribs! I love the small family atmosphere and the way it feels like a good country restaurant. We took Josh there for his first birthday. He had grilled cheese and vegetable soup. The receipt is in the scrapbook and the memory in my heart.

3. Wolf Lodge Steak House. I have been to Wolf Lodge only a handful of times in my 27 years as an Idaho resident, but I've loved every time. I love steak. What can I say? And at Wolf Lodge, that's truly their specialty. Our 15th anniversary is coming up in a few weeks. That sounds like a Wolf Lodge worthy event!

4. Canton. The Canton, in downtown Coeur d' Alene, has the best egg flower soup in town. Not to mention yummy lemon chicken, egg rolls, and special chow mein. That's where Arrty and I went before my senior prom in 1990. And I can't count how many other times we have enjoyed great Chinese food at Canton. We recently took the boys there for the first time and they loved it. Especially the cool soup spoons! :)

5. Ground Round...I mean Nosworthy's Hall of Fame. I haven't had a Hudson's burger in well over 20 years, so I can't really compare the two, but come on. What's a burger without all the stuff on top including bacon and ham and pretty much whatever else you want? And they have fries. Lots and lots of fries to go along with a huge and delicious burger.

Honorable Mention: Mr. Steak. I can't list my favorite local restaurants without mentioning Mr. Steak. From the time I was 16, I went to Mr. Steak for my birthday for the free meal. But even when it wasn't free, I loved it. Arrty and I especially have good memories from our dating days to the night after we got married and beyond. We were so sad to see it go and still, when he asks me where I want to go for dinner, I occasionally say, "Mr. Steak." To which he responds, "Mmmm, Mr. Steak." Then we go to Outback.

So there it is. My favorite local restaurants. Now I'm hungry and have to go get breakfast that will unfortunately not include nachos or ribs or steak or lemon chicken or fries. Oh, well. There's always lunch.

(I'm tagging non-bloggers Kathy, Ada, and Marci to tell us their favorite local restaurants. Use my comment section.)

Flying Solo

10 Reasons Why It's Good To Go To The Movies By Myself
(This list should take nothing away from how much I love to go to the movies with my family or friends. It's just good to go alone sometimes.)

1. I get there on time and don't have to wait for anybody in the lobby.
2. I get to choose the movie.
3. I get to choose whatever snack I want (usually Raisinets and Diet Coke).
4. I don't have to share said snack.
5. I can sit wherever I want.
6. I can laugh out loud and not worry about what anyone else thinks.
7. I can cry and not have to pretend that I'm not.
8. I don't have to explain anything about the plot to anyone.
9. I don't have to clean up any spilled snacks.
10. I get to soak it all in--the movie, the emotions, the solitude--without distraction.

10 Reasons Why It's Good To Go To The Movies With Kathy

1. We usually get there on time and since we ride together, I don't have to wait in the lobby.
2. She and I like the same movies.
3. We can go in together on a snack combo and save a little money.
4. She will share her Junior Mints if I ask.
5. We agree that anywhere but the far right side of the front row is an okay place to sit.
6. She doesn't mind when I laugh out loud.
7. She pretends not to notice when I cry.
8. Not only does she understand the plot, but makes witty comments about it.
9. I usually don't have to clean up any spilled snacks because she catches the spill in her purse. :)
10. I get to soak it all in with someone who is my favorite distraction.

So Many Posts, So Little Time

All weekend I have had posts formulating in my head. Everything I did seemed to have blog written all over it. Here are some of the things I have considered writing about. (Some of them may appear later this week as their own post.)

*My wonderful husband, who seeing the beginning of a mommy melt down, took the kids home from town so that I could go to the movies by myself. (This after his 50 hour work week, mind you. He's my hero.)

*Ocean's 13--the movie I watched by myself on Friday.

*The benefits of going to the movies by myself.

*Our family day Saturday driving around Beauty Bay looking for morel mushrooms and how much fun the boys had.

*How blessed we are to get to live in this beautiful place and the rich and famous only get to visit. (Unless, of course, they choose to live here.)

*The Ironman and how inspired I am by the athletes and the community that supports them.

*The fact that my youngest son now rides a two-wheeler without training wheels.

*How hard it is to consider selling our house when it's so perfect this time of year.

*How much I loved the movie "Bridge to Terabithia."

*My sister's wedding plans and how happy I am that she's happy.

*Adam saying, "It was so funny, I forgot to laugh about it!"

*That I now officially hold the record for saying, "Keep your hands to yourself," the most times in 10 minutes.

Let me know if anything sounds interesting. All these blogs and so many more are in my head just waiting to be shared. :)

Me and My Shadow

Yesterday was one of those days. One of those days when I was very much looking forward to a few minutes of peace wherever I could get it. So when my husband got home from work and told me that he was not going to Bible class (he's been working overtime and the long days keep him from doing much after work), I thought I might just get those few minutes. So I fed my family and got myself ready to go. I was just getting ready to walk out the door when Adam decided that he wanted to go with me. What am I going to say? No, you can't go to Bible class. I don't think so. So Adam, aka "My Shadow," quickly got ready to go with me. I knew that my plan had been changed. And I was right. He talked all...the way...to church. He asked questions that I knew he knew the answers to. He talked about what had happened that day. He talked about the things we passed on the way. He just talked. So much for peace. At church he went to his class and I went to mine. Ahh, 60 minutes of relative peace. I didn't have to get anybody milk. I didn't have to answer any silly questions. I didn't have to break up any fights. I enjoyed every second of it.

I had also planned to go to Home Depot to buy plants after class. So with Adam in tow, I went. He is very much interested in anything scientific and so was very excited to look at all the flowers and plants with me. The fact that I let him choose some to plant absolutely made his day. I asked his opinion and we discussed which would look good together. He was interested in everything and didn't get at all bored even though we were there for almost an hour. So this trip that I had intended to make solo turned into a very nice duet. I truly enjoyed shopping for plants with my youngest son.

On the way home, we talked about our trip to the store and he asked me why there were so many kinds of flowers. The teacher in me said, "Why do you think there are?" He said, "So that we have lots of pretty things to look at." Good answer. Then I told him that I thought God had a very good imagination to think up so many wonderful plants. "Yeah," he said, "He's a cool God." Yes he is. And not only because of the plants, but even more because of the people he gives us to share their beauty with. And the times that he helps us realize that moments of peace aren't always found alone.

Thought of the Day

The days are long...but the years are short.

Millie

Saturday was girl's night out. For a few years now, a bunch of us have bought summer theater tickets and Saturday was our first show. We all met at Applebee's for dinner. (I had garlic and asiago chicken. It was yummy. I wish I had some right now!) During dinner we passed around prom pictures and told stories. It was so much fun and a great way to learn something new about each other. After dinner we rushed to the theater. We were a little late, so by the time I dropped everyone at the door and parked, I barely made it before curtain. (Thanks, Kathy, for waiting for me!) The show was "Thoroughly Modern Millie" and it was great. It was well acted and funny and so entertaining. I love the story about how Millie wants to be "a modern" but finds out that deep down she's not so modern after all. Maybe I've seen too many plays, but I knew from the time she tripped Jimmy that they would fall in love. But it was fun to watch how the relationship progressed. They both fought it. He didn't want to be tied down. She didn't want to be poor. But fight as they may, love overcame--as it usually does. And then, guess what?! He was rich! (I knew that, too, about halfway through the play.) It was so much fun, as always. The company was the best. The show was great. The conversation was...well... interesting. (What happens at Applebee's...) Only a few weeks until the next show. I can hardly wait!

Who Needs the Maytag Man?

My refrigerator quit working. I noticed it about a week ago when the milk wasn't as cold as it should have been. We have a friend who is a refrigerator guy, so we called him. He told us to take everything out and leave the doors open to let it defrost, then see if it would work. And it did. For about 2 days. Then it happened again. So I called him back this morning and he said we needed to replace the defrost timer. Arrty is at work, so I began my search for the defective part. It is not shown in any of the paperwork that came with the fridge. So I went to the Frigidaire website. I found a picture of what the defrost timer looks like, but still no help on where to find it. Back and forth to the kitchen pulling off panels and searching. Then finally I went to Ask.com. "Where is the defrost timer on a refrigerator?" It took me to a page about do-it-yourself repairs and there it was. Not only did it tell me exactly where to find it, but how to take it off and replace it. In case you ever need to know, the defrost timer on a refrigerator is underneath the fridge on the left hand side. I removed it and am shortly on my way to get a replacement. I love it when I am able to do handy things like that. (But glad that I have a husband who usually does those things so that I don't have to.)

Pink

When walking by the "pink" toy aisle yesterday at Fred Meyer...

Josh: "Shield my eyes! Shield my eyes!"

Remembering

Last night I went to the basement in search of my prom pictures to take to girl's night out on Saturday. I knew about where they were. The first place I looked was with my Coeur d' Alene High School yearbooks (1987-1990). The pictures weren't there, but whenever I touch my yearbooks at least an hour of looking at pictures, reading notes, and reminiscing occurs. I was flipping through, smiling at the big hair of the 80's when I came across some newspaper clippings. They were from the CDA Press dated January 26, 2002. It was the story of Tory Kelsey. He was killed in a gun accident in California while serving in the Marines. I knew Tory. I was in choir with him and picked him up every morning at 6:45 to drive him to jazz choir class. Some mornings he was fully dressed, but most of the time he came out carrying shoes or a shirt or some other article of clothing. Tory was one of those kids who fit in with every group. Everyone loved him and his smile could light up a room. And he was cute. He came to CHS in our junior year and the first day he walked into choir class all the girls froze. We were used to choir geeks (no offense, I was one, too), so this boy who was absolutely cool and gorgeous was a breath of fresh air. And he could sing. Our choir concert audiences grew that year simply because there were so many more 16 year old girls coming just to see Tory. He was fun and funny and sweet and smart.

It's hard when you're 19 and someone your age dies. It is especially hard when that death was absolutely preventable. And it's even harder when the person who died could have changed the world. Our choir teacher called a bunch of us to sing at Tory's funeral. We gathered in our choir room at CHS for practice. I guess when you enter the military you kind of plan your funeral. Tory had chosen "Nights in White Satin" and "Old Irish Blessing" as the songs he wanted sung. So that's what we did. Through tears and shared memories we learned the songs. And later that week, we sang them at his funeral. The night before the funeral, a friend and I went to the viewing at the funeral home. There he was, lying in a casket in his Marine uniform. I kept expecting him to sit up and smile. But he didn't. I realized then that he was really gone. The funeral was hard. It always is I guess. But he was 19. He hadn't really lived. He never got married or had children or did all the things that I know he would have wanted to do. Tory is 19 forever.

Also with the newspaper clippings, I found a copy of a letter he had written to our choir teacher. Here is what he wrote in closing his letter to her.

But one last thing I've learned. Music is the last form of magic man has to himself. Think about it. Nature makes music: birds, insects, animals, waterfalls, rain, thunder, whales, and just life in general. Music holds the key to peace, especially in one's own soul. You, ma'am, are a magician and teacher of magic. You teach the children and they learn the beauty. Music can make us happy, sad, strong and invincible or cowardly, depending on how it is played. That is powerful magic. Teach on and change the world.

Irish Blessing and Love,
Tory L. Kelsey
LCpl./USMC
Tenor

Tory,
May the road rise to meet you. May the wind be always at your back. The sun shine warm upon your face. The rains fall soft upon your fields. And until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of his hand.
Love,
Jen

Trading Places

Josh had a dentist appointment today. He was getting two sealants on his permanent molars. The dentist says he really needs to have his teeth sealed because they are "groovy." I love that my son has "groovy" teeth. :) But also, his left top front tooth, which had fallen out at least six weeks ago, hadn't come through yet so the dentist wanted to make an incision so that it could catch up with the other front tooth. When we found this out a few weeks ago at his check up, I was a little nervous at the prospect of the incision and always said "incision" instead of "cut" to keep Josh calm about it. But of course after a few days, he asked me what exactly they were going to do to him. I told him that they were going to cut his gum so that the tooth could come through and he was a little nervous, but didn't make a big deal about it.

Today he was such a trooper and didn't make a fuss at all during the sealants, the numbing, or the incision. The only way I knew that he was at all concerned was that he asked me to stay in the room with him. Usually he is good staying by himself. But all I could think of as my baby sat there with the dentist cutting his gum, was that if I could take his place, I would. He felt no pain. He wasn't even all that scared. But the mommy in me wanted to protect him from even the least bit of discomfort. Even if that meant that I had to go through it. I honestly think that it was harder for me than for him. When he was finished, all he wanted to know was when the numbness would go away so he could eat lunch. And he even said thank you to the dentist as we left. What a kid.

(He is fine, had raviolis for lunch, and hasn't said a word about his tooth.)

Grease Is The Word

I was flipping channels this weekend when I saw that "Grease" was showing on VH1. Whenever I see it on tv, I have to watch it (even though it sits on the shelf as part of my video collection). The scene I happened upon was the dance at Rydell High that is being broadcast on television. There is a part where the kids are doing a dance that has the boys in one line and the girls in one line and the couples, one at a time, dance between them before taking their places back at the end of the line. All of a sudden, watching this scene, made me remember a dance that I had been a part of in high school. The only school dance I went to was my senior prom. But as a member of jazz choir, I once performed at a benefit dance and after the performance we stayed and danced. I don't even remember where it was or what it was for, but I remember dancing down the line just as the Rydell students were doing. I remember who I danced with and can see it in my head like it was yesterday. I remember having such a good time and being happy and laughing with my friends. Isn't it funny how the brain works? I hadn't thought about that night in such a long time. But I'm so glad that the memory was triggered by Danny and Sandy.

Jazz choir was one of my favorite high school experiences. I loved my teacher and still count her as a great blessing in my life. I loved the music. It was always so much fun to sing those great jazzy tunes. I loved my choir mates. Being such a small group, we got to know each other and were friends in and out of class. I loved being part of the select group of students. We had to audition and being chosen my junior year was quite a boost for my self esteem. And I love the memories of traveling to performances and competitions. Especially the memory of singing for our supper at Pizza Hut on one such trip. I don't think I would want to be in high school again, but if I could just go to choir class and skip p.e. and geometry, I would at least consider it. :)

Stalling

My children are stallers. They are experts at avoiding actually falling asleep at bedtime. Trips to the bathroom, drinks, forgotten stuffed animals in the living room, funny stories they forgot to tell me, being too warm, being too cool, messed up blankets, toenails that need to be cut, backs that need to be scratched, questions that can't wait until morning. All these and more come up each night to postpone falling asleep. And sitting here, I just realized where they get it. From me! I should be doing one of at least 100 things on my to do list, yet here I sit telling you all the things that I should be doing instead of actually doing any of them. Today's priorities are cleaning the house, doing laundry, typing Grace Notes, and making a grocery list. So, instead of going into great detail about the most effective way to disinfect a bathroom used by two little boys, I will go now and get my gas mask and rubber gloves and dive right in. (Figuratively speaking, of course.) Wish me luck!

Done

Okay, I'm back. Since my last post I have finished the school year. The last few days are very busy which is why I haven't posted for the last week. Monday was kindergarten graduation rehearsal, graduation preparations, our school's night at Triple Play, and swim lessons for the boys. Tuesday was more graduation practice, decorating for the reception, picking up the cakes, the graduation ceremony, the reception, and finishing report cards, awards, and thank you cards. Wednesday was our last day with awards presentations and lunch with the staff. Today, I went to school and cleaned my room, did book inventory, and completed my students files. So now, here I sit officially finished with the 2006-2007 school year. It went by so fast. Amazingly fast. Graduation went well, and although I did have to pause for a moment to compose myself, I didn't cry. I graduated my little class of 5 and 6 year olds each of whom now has his or her own little spot in my heart. One of my students is especially special and made it difficult to hold in the tears on Tuesday night. My own baby, Adam, graduated. He is officially a first grader. He'll go to school all day. He'll have spelling tests and homework and real grades. And I will have no one to spend my afternoons with. (I actually volunteered to teach 7th and 8th grade math and science in the afternoons next year. That should make for some great blogging!)

But even though I will miss my kids, I am so looking forward to summer. Last summer was spent in pain and physical therapy so I feel like I missed my absolute favorite time of year. But this summer will be different. Days at the beach. Mornings sitting on the porch reading good books. Time playing with the boys. Hikes with my family. Time to organize my house. Free movies at Riverstone. Afternoons in the park. Walks in the cool of the evenings. Hours of scrapbooking bliss. Ahh. I can't help but smile just thinking about it. And I can't wait to get started. Now I just have to decide which to do first!

Show and Tell--June 1st

Our last kindergarten show and tell:

1. Dora purse with coloring book and crayons

2. Adam's Stick from the Stickman

3. talking Woody Doll from Toy Story (He says, "There's a snake in my boot!" among other things.)

4. Batmofield (aka Batmobile) complete with Batman action figure

5. toy horse drawn carriage pulled by a horse named Ruby

6. a stuffed horse named Penny with dyed brown fun who spends her days chasing butterflies and her nights beating up her big sister

7. a box full of stuffed animals including an ice skating orange dog, Flower Polka Dot Bow the yellow duckling who wears a polka dot bow and holds a flower (hence the name, I suppose), and a purple frog with green feet named Froggy

8. a bouncy ball that is "crazy and obnoxious"

9. a Barbie (Did you know that they have painted on underwear now?)