I've been sitting here looking at my entry while my friend Wendy updated my page for me. First, thanks a ZILLION, Wendy. I adore it.
Second, I was looking at the picture of Chris and the kids with Snowy. Everything that matters to me is in that picture. My family smiling back at me. What an incredible feeling.

That will be all.

"God bless Snowy, ...."



Mikey and Molly love playing in the snow. Especially when they are playing with Daddy. This was the fruit of their efforts. Snowy. Now, Snowy was a little bit fragile. For example, he was often leaning over in the direction the wind blew. He hat was often on the ground. And his licorice mouth was often squirrel food in the grass. However, the children loved him. they repeatedly fixed him. And every night, he is to this day, included in their night time prayers. Oh, he's not just included! He is usually FIRST on the prayer list. Before the immediate family, friends, teachers, and anyone else they can list to stay awake.

He did melt, and has not been resurrected as of yet. God bless you, Snowy.

Here is a quick picture of the kids in the pool at their swim lesson. We are fortunate we can have our kids learn "life skills" beginning at early ages. The next one? Driving a 5 speed car. Mark, I will teach you that one day. Just tell me when you think you are ready!

My dear friend Karla came out to visit for a long weekend. It was her first trip away from her girls! It was lovely to eat, talk, walk, shop, talk, eat, and talk with her face to face. You know how you have friends that you just immediately clicked with, and you know they will always understand you. (And if not, they will at least PRETEND to?) That's Karla. A friend 'til the end. God bless you, Karla.

International week blows. Chunks.

I know, I need to put on some pictures. But for today, I just have to vent. Let me set the scene...

It is a pre-school. International week. And we have "flown" to Canada, of all places. Not a single thing against Canada, or the people there, but there is not that much interesting to report on the Northwest Territory. Inuit people. Cold weather. And bears.
So, my room got "culture". Grrr. Ok, I thought, I can do this. No problem...
My plans - we have 30 minutes. I will have kids that are 2 1/2, 3, 4, and kids that are 5. That is a HUGE age gap - twice the entire life of the first group for the last group. So, I have Michele pre-cut 137 Canadian flags, complete with the maple leaf. Thank God for the Ellison machine.... The kids can glue a white strip in the middle of the red paper, and glue the leaf on top of that. Simple. I smile.
Now....that will take about 5 minutes, so I have 25 more to fill. Ok, throw in a few non-fiction picture books, a few dolls, and we're done. I have now done it for 2 days, and both days it took between 28-31 minutes. Pretty good, huh?

So, why does it blow chunks, you ask? (If you don't want to read a gripe, just go to your next blog now...) Two of the classes - the OLDEST two, I might add - aren't having anything in their room. They just come to all of our classes to enjoy our work. So, some days, I have 22-24 kids in my room. Yes, we are in compliance with "codes" because their aides come with them. But try to do an activity with that many kids in a room sized for 1/2 of that!! My new suggestion for next year? If you don't have an activity, you don't travel from room to room. Why should the rest of us have to accomodate you?
Other gripe. After I had had Michele cut out the flag supplies, the other teachers all started making the flag in their rooms!! NOW what am I supposed to do? Why make the flag in your room before you even travel around for the week? If you want to supplement the week, wait until AFTER you know what everyone else plans on doing!!
Today I had the 2 1/2 class, and a class of 3's. (Molly's class) Of course when they got to my room all they wanted to do was go see the toys in MY class. Because they are different from the toys in THEIR class. I can't blame them. I didn't know the tiny kids names, they were all over the place, couldn't sit on their bottom for a 45 second story or directions, they twitched the entire time. Therefore, I twitched the entire time.

Thank God I took Monday and Tuesday off to hang out with Karla. All I have to do is the 24 kids on Wednesday, and we "fly back" on Thursday. Maybe next year for International Week, I'll get on a real plane and just leave the country.

Things to Talk About


I haven't posted a blog for awhile because I don't have anything to say. Yup, me....with nothing to say. Let me sit and ponder.

- A family in town had the dad die this week of stomach cancer. Had 3 boys under the age of 10. What a terrible tragedy - made me appreciate family and time together all the more.

- My friend, Karla, comes to visit me this weekend from Colorado Springs. I am more than a little excited! I even took time off work while she is here, just to play!

- Chris has decided to make chair rails and new base boards for the house. After he gets the painting done. When in the world will he get this PhD?

- Our cadet, Mitchie, has a date for the Ring Dance. We are so proud and excited for him!

I'll take some pictures of swimming tonight so I have something to show on the next post. I hope I can get the shutter speed to work for me!

Does anyone have any ideas for next time I hit a "posting slump"?

Six Things That Make Me Happy

1. A freshly painted room. Thanks, Chris.

2. Mail from friends. Real mail.

3. Cheesesteaks from CC Peppers. Coast-to-coast, no onions

4. Stamping at my craft table

5. Unlimited long distance

6. Blueberry pancakes

Notice I didn't mention the kids - I did that LAST time. I don't want them all to be the same. Besides, they are a given. They are my kids.

Six Weird Things About Me

1. If I am tired, hungry, or cold, I get GRUMPY.

2. My sense of humor is weird, according to Chris.

3. I have to have both shoulders covered when I go to sleep, and I sleep on my stomach.

4. I have arctic feet. Ice cubes. Really.

5. As mentioned before, I have to wear rubber gloves to do dishes or clean. I have extremely sensitive skin, and I only shower, not bathe. If I am to clean ANYTHING, hand over those gloves.

6. I collect cookbooks. Do I use them? Rarely. But I read them like a novel. I don't even really LIKE to cook. But I LOVE cookbooks.

OK, I'm tagging Wendy, Laura, and Keeko. If I could figure out how to link them, I would. Erin tried to explain it, but I can't find a little chain anywhere...???
Also, I'll work on putting people's blogs on the sidebar of mine. Anyone want theirs posted on mine?

"Happy Vallemtimes Day!"

That is the greeting we got yesterday when we woke up from Molly. However, the best part of the day came later. They were playing in Mikey's room, and he comes running down the hall yelling "She stunk me out! She stunk me out!" I asked him what he was talking about, and he said "Molly has gas. Stinky gas!" So, of course she comes out and says that she doesn't, that it was HIM. She says "Let me smell you." He lets her smell his bum. He says "Let me smell you!" He smells her bum and yells "TOLD YOU!!"

I still don't understand WHY they feel the need to smell the bums. If it stinks, why would you want your nose up in it?

More things they say. As requested.

We were watching the Super Bowl. Molly came out and asked "Who's winning? Indy-apples?"

Our heat went out downstairs last week, during the COLDEST week of the winter so far. The pipes under the house had frozen. Well, the heat/plumber/fix-it guy was here to fix it. Molly is sitting on the steps watching, and says "Dad, is this OUR house?" We've only lived here for 6 months - where does she THINK she has been living?? C'mon good sorority bid!!

Mikey's drink of choice lately - Tank. You know, the orange powder you mix with water, the astronauts drink. I laugh every time he asks for it.

Speaking of astronauts, I feel really sorry for that chick that cracked last week. You know she had to have her act together to do what she does. It just goes to show, your life can change in an instant. And the chick she attacked in the parking lot? A PSU Det. 720 grad from 2002. Small world. Oh, and her? Her life will never be the same, and all she did was date some space shuttle pilot, which she probably thought was pretty darn cool. Personally, I think he is way too old for her....

The other night, Chris was pushing Molly's bed back into place after he dug out a stuffed animal mashed against the wall. Molly was already in bed, and after he pushed it she chirped "Thanks for the ride, DUDE...!" She's a funny one.

My friend Laura had her baby on the 9th, just as she had dreamed she would. A few weeks early, but not very. She was healthy, and a whopping 5 pounds, .7ounces. She has to wear preemie diapers!!
Congratulations to Laura and Bryon on a wonderful baby Evelyn! I can't wait to come to Colorado Springs to meet her!

I've been tagged by Erin to do 6 Weird Things About Me, and 6 Things That Make Me Happy.
That will be the next post. Promise.

Things kids say...

Mikey went into school the other day and told Mrs. T. "Molly isn't coming in today..." Mrs. T. asked "Why not? Is she sick?" He said "No, she has a doctor's importment." Mrs. T. grinned and said "A doctor's importment?" Mikey said "Yeah, my importment is NEXT week.."

He hurt his foot on the furniture. He started to fuss with it, so I asked him what he hurt. His answer? "My thumb toe."

Molly went to a dance clinic on Sunday afternoon. The kids learned a dance from the Lionette dance team up on campus, and at half time they went onto the basketball court and performed their dance. Molly went down to the court with Chris and his movie camera. She asked him to come out with her, and he told her he couldn't. So, out she went. She looked at the crowd, and just started crying. She ran to the dance student, who picked her up, and handed her to Chris. That was it. The whole dance, down the drain. To top it off, when she settled back down in her seat, she started crying again because she wanted to go do her dance!! I guess she is not meant to be a dancer....