July Update

OMG... summer is half over already... where has the time gone? I have been able to tackle so many projects so far this summer:

1. sanded and repainted the outdoor furniture

2. cleaned out and organized Matt & Jon's room

3. cleaned out and organized Chris's room

4. shampooed the family room carpets

5. kept up with daily chores

6. even started painting the family room (Chad will finish this project this weekend)

Well, I leave tomorrow for Pennsylvania. Chad won't be traveling with us - he can't get three weeks off from work at one time. Here are a couple pictures from the past couple of weeks.

The last picture is taken from the 4th of July picnic we had at our house. My twin boys are holding one year old twin girls.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME...

Ok... so my birthday was yesterday... I was awoken by three little bundles of joy waiting to give me homemade cards (my husband helped the boys and they had an arts n crafts time together). Shortly after breakfast, we headed to the gym and I treated myself to water aerobics. Then we ate lunch at the cafe at the gym. After naptime, we had to run to Sam's Club for some things... on the way home, we pass by a Starbucks. I asked the monkeys behind me, "Anyone want to stop at Starbucks?" OMG... you should have heard how loud they said YES!

So I treated myself and the boys to some Starbucks drinks. We were the only customer there so we had 100% of the attention of the three employees... or I should say the boys had their attention.

Here is pic of just how cute the boys have become...

Chad bought me a digital video camera for my birthday. So here is my first attempt at posting a video...

Walking update...

Ok... so I've been trying to increase my cardio since I'm now on summer vacation. But you know how life always seems to try to get in the way. I really want to get closets organized this summer and I'm working on repainting the table and chairs outside.

Anyways... boys and I went for a walk this morning:
1.4 miles
29:30

Not a great time... but when you think about it, I was pushing a 30 lb child in the jogging stroller. We took for stop breaks to drink water... we also stopped to watch the pretty butterfly... we stopped and then tiptoed following behind a jackrabbit... then we saw and talked to a quail family. The time wasn't bad at all then... all things considered.

Last week we took a really long walk...
1.89 miles
39:00

We went mile one in under twenty minutes... but then the sun came out from behind the clouds and really started heating things up. We also had a couple hummingbirds that we circling the plants around us so of course we had to stop and admire. Matt really wanted one to land on him so he could carry it home...

MAY UPDATE

I know... I know... I seem to be getting worse not better about blogging. Now that I'm on summer break, I had high hopes of getting everything all clean and organized and keeping better updates on the blog. So far I have been failing. At least I got out this morning for a walk with the boys - have to keep up with the cardio. I have lost ten pounds so far and looking forward to more melting away.

Last weekend, we took our first of many family road trips. Friends of ours live down in Tucson, so we decided to go and visit. There is an ostrich farm near their house so we decided to check it out. We were able to feed the ostrich, deer, donkeys, and lorikeets. Then we climbed up into a monster truck and went baahaaing through the desert... even found a spot to go ostrich fishing...

Sick Child...

Ok... so I have an unplanned day off today. A week and a half ago, Jon had a 102 degree fever so I kept him home (we had the flu going around school, strep throat, mono plus all the scary stuff of the swine flu). Anyways, nothing ever came of it but I think I did the right thing.

Well, Matt woke up this morning and you could tell by looking at him that he didn't feel good. I took him temp and he was up over 102. So I called in a sub and have stayed home to help him fight this. I'm hoping he gets over it quickly like Jon did.

Matt stretching w/ daddy........ Chris focusing on a puzzle

Chris on the slip n slide........................................ Matt on the slip n slide

Chris following right behind Jon

April 2009

Ok... life is so full of surprises... and clean ups... and laundry... and mops... and bathrooms needing cleaning... and tests to grade. I just don't seem to have enough time anymore. There are days that I'm not sure how I do things. There are so many things that have happened and I'm not even sure what I've posted on and what I haven't. So here is my list:

1) Chris turned two! We had a little party for him and he absolutely loved all the attention.

2) Matt tripped Jon, which wasn't a big deal. However, Jon landed teeth first into the glass coffee table. Both front teeth were bleeding and the one was pushed back from the other one. I took him to the dentist the next morning and we took x-rays. It moved somewhat back into place on its own so the dentist wanted to wait. Well, a week later the tooth was turning grey - he wouldn't use it to eat with or even to talk with. So I took him back to the dentist and we took x-rays again. What happened was the ligament that attachs the tooth to the bone broke and his tooth was moving up in the gum causing all this discomfort (it was pretty evident on the x-ray since there was a shadow around the tooth). So they decided to pull the tooth. We are watching the other one to see if it will have to be pulled but it looks to be fine now that the one is gone.

3) We attended the Safety Days at the Swapmeet again this year. The boys love to see all the firetrucks and ambulances and garbage trucks and police cars and police motorcycles, etc.

4) Last but definitely not least - we signed the boys up for soccer. They just love having their own jersey with their own number.

Here is a recap of how the games have gone so far:

#1 Lost 2-1 (Matt scored)

#2 Won (Jon scored)

#3 Game cancelled due to rain

#4 Won 7-0 (Jon scored twice and Matt scored twice)

#5 Won 2-1 (Matt scored)

#6 Tie 1-1

We have two more games to play in the season then we will decide what's next.

TEACHING JOB

Economic Crisis - those two words scare a lot of people these days. I know people all over have been feeling the crunch for some time. Teachers, on the other hand, are only just now feeling the pinch. Since our funds come from a year ahead, we are just now feeling the pinch of crunch time.

Our district has been straight forward with us since day one. They originially gave us a worst case scenerio -
* going to half day kindergarten
* losing teachers
* losing counselors/ health aides
* losing computer classes
* pay portion for health insurance
* etc.

Each update from the state alleviates some of our district's pressure. A board meeting is scheduled for Monday evening since they have to approve of teacher contracts before they are handed out - they will be delivered April 15th since we have 30 days to sign and return.

They have decided that all day kindergarten will be funded whether the state funds it or not. They have also decided that computer classes will not be offered next year - teachers can sign out use of the computer lab and still take their class in. They have also decided against having teachers pay a portion of their health insurance - some were causing a stink about this since admin people receive family insurance at no cost.

I do know of several teachers who will not be receiving contracts next year - either first, second, or third year teacher - the district says they chose them based on performance but I'm not too sure about that. I know of three first year teachers keeping their job and two third year losing theirs.

I just keep thinking and praying that things start to turn around soon. God help us all!