Teaching, School, Huggins, Thanksgiving, Money

Financial aid said there was a hang up. If any of you feel like praying that I'd get some money next week, please do. I pray for money. I say "Thank you for these symbols of abundance." and "I am abundant" and I tell Jim that we are abundant and he says, "Yeah, Right." Some people are just determined to be like that.

I am in line to do my classroom observations at Silver Beach, barring any unforeseen issues. I will start just as soon as my approval comes through from my school. My next assignment involves an observation. I have been VERY slow on the reading lately. I've been stuck on the same damned chapter for like a week, but I seem to only get about a half hour to read and then it's very slow going. It's a chapter on how to design lesson plans and I know there is going to be many many assigmnets on this in the future, so I'm taking very careful notes and trying to make sure that I understand it. I could use about 4 hours a day I think.

I start student teaching next September. I will be finished with all of my coursework by then, but I'll be responsible for some portfolio work and will be supervised and stuff. It's a little frightening to me right now, but I guess after a school year of classroom observations it won't be such a leap. It's a minimum of 12 weeks of school. Full time work, I'm expected to be there like 30min before school and 45min after school, and Huggins will have to be with Jim all day long. :( that makes me sad. But he'll be almost 2 by then and I will be home by 3 or 4 every day. And we'll all have to get used to something like that since I'm going to have to get a job when I'm finished with this. I do want to get my masters as well, but I may have to wait, or go part-time or something. What I really really really really want and hope and pray for (you do it too please), is that I have the option of jobsharing with someone, and I can continue with school and make some money and be with Huggins, and in two or three years after that I'll have a master's degree and Huggins will be 4 or 5 and I would be able to teach at a college or at a public school for significantly more money.

I am going to the pool. I am going to shave off this baby fat and fit into my pants once again. I was running, but it's all together too crappy outside now. They have a master's team, but they practice at 5:30 am. I am sometimes up at 5:30, but usually so that Jim can sleep, because Huggins is also up. I don't know if I'm going to be able to get to those practices. They also have a 7-8 pm twice a week, but I'm generally needed at home between 7 and 8 for baby bedtime. Jim's doing pretty well getting Huggins to sleep. He gives him a bottle and then they watch sesame street in the rocking chair and Huggins nods off. He'd never do that with me, he always demands to nurse.

What else? Thanksgiving is going to be rather anticlimactic this year. Just the very close family, no one unusual to stimulate interesting conversation. I'm thinking of playing some kind of mystery game where the attendees are only allowed to speak in foreign languages. Like, Turkish- get it?

Lavanderia: A Mother's Haiku

Wash, Dry, Fold, Repeat
Endless Agitate Cycle
Berry Stains Haunt Sleep

The Dog Food Game- A Video

Whatcom Middle School (ablaze with memories?)

I went to a very lovely middle school. I found out it caught fire last night. Hopefully it can be saved and the beautiful parts of it haven't been ruined.

This event has inspired a very amusing discussion on Facebook, it turns out that nearly everyone I know from middle school is on facebook and they all have lots of ridiculous memories of middle school. James Frew's are particularly funny. Here are mine.

Whatcom Middle School Memories: a top 10

1. I remember stealing Mr. Kennell's bunsen burners and leaving them in odd places around the school, also throwing them out the window while he was lecturing. One ambitious student (NOT me) threw a desk out. I'm pretty sure he got caught, but not in the moment. (Mr. Kennell still works there)

2. Our abuse of the kindness of the school counselor, Mr. Cleary. In 8th grade Lauren Beyer and Hailey Brotherton and Valerie Montoya would tell him we were emotionally distraught and spend lovely spring afternoons out on the grass instead of working in the computer lab.

3. The much talked about lurid affairs of Mr. Blank (that's his name, not an invitation to fill in the). His wife, Mrs. Blank worked as a substitute, but he also had a mistress. Some claim to have seen her.

4. James Frew's obsession (and admitidly my own) with a number of female singers including (but not limited to) TLC & Toni Braxton and (Kelly Bronson reminded me-thanks so much!) Mariah Carey.

5. Our hot 7th grade science student teacher. I do not remember his name (I'm certain that Lauren Beyer will!) I do remember him in small white t-shirts that showed his teacher (?) muscles.

6. A completely embarrassing speech I made to become school treasurer. I was completely unprepared and included a reference to feminine napkins at the request of Matt Newman. I believe I decided to run for class treasurer because it would get me out of class to make campaign signs.

7. Ms. Gfoerer shout out: She gave me the answer to a geography question so that I might beat out a loathsome classmate to go to the school Geography Bee. I later placed fourth behind some brainy 7th grader.

8. Going to movies at the Sunset Square Cinema with Matt Witter and Lauren Beyer (back when a move cost $3).

9. Andrea Garcia and Lauren Beyer and Haily Brotherton and I having slumber parties during which we all attempted to sleep in my twin bed. AND climbing out of my window to have midnight adventures some of which involved boys on roller skates.

10. The Asian kid who was repeatedly hit by cars. I remember we sat him down and talked to him about the importance of using cross walks. What was his name? He had bald spots from road rash.

My husband is Rad

It's ok to use Rad.

His work is being talked about on this super cool blog: Check it out.

http://www.atomicindy.com/2009/11/mid-century-modern-artists.html

Thank you for these symbols of abundance!

I was talking with my darling friend Ms. Ashely and I was recounting to her how I've been able to survive the last year without working. It's amazing. I wanted so SO much to be with our baby and so SO much to finish my degree and teaching cred. These are the things I crave. I wanted a baby very badly, I would use the word yearned, and as the world is already over-run with people I wanted our baby to be a hands-on experience. I didn't want to have a baby and then send it off to daycare at 6 months. I would like to never have him be in daycare, but there may be a situation that arises that prevents me from sticking to that, hopefully not.

The universe magically takes care of me, and I appreciate it. I have been able to stay with my son and stay on schedule for school because symbols of abundance have come my way. I will graduate in October 2010 with both the B.A. and the teaching cred. I start classroom observations at (I hope!) Silver Beach Elementary and Whatcom Middle School this month. and then student teaching after that. I'm so SO thankful that I've been able to continue my education. I always wanted to finish this and this is the easiest I've ever had it, because of support from Jimi and a change in lifestyle and my school's design. Thank you Thank You thank you.

Huggins had a GREAT birthday!

He thought getting ready for the birthday was super fun because Jim and I were both in the house all day doing unusual things. And unusual is very interesting to a One Year Old.

Then when people started arriving, he was Very Excited. Cindy appeared with 10 trader Joe's Balloons all tied together, which he immediately got his hands on and went walking around the house with them. I got some good pictures of that. A tiny toddler dwarfed by a bouquet of balloons.

As soon as one fun person arrived and we talked with them another one arrived. Huggins was very cheerful all day and there were three other babies here and none of them broke down. I made an awesome cake with fabulous frosting, easily my best cake yet
Huggins loved that too. He mainly toddled around looking at people and babies and playing with toys and balloons all afternoon. It went smoothly and I was complemented on a nice party. :)

Cindy and Ray and Jeanne were here and Ashley and Jacklyn and Johnny and his baby. And my friend April and her son Jonah. Our neighbors Barbara and Larry came and Ruth and Gary. Becky and Araya came up from Oregon to stay with us. That was very nice.

When we opened presents, Huggins did understand the concept that things were under the paper, but as soon as we gave him one and he opened it he was completely satisfied to play with that one for the next half hour. There must be some way to avoid the traditional greed that goes along with the birthday party. I've absolutely got to figure it out by three though because if I don't we'll be wrapped into the same thing as everyone else. Maybe I've got to start including a charity donation thing in the birthday party. Please put money in this jar and we'll send it to Pakistan instead of bringing presents.

Here's the run down of the best first birthday presents ever:

Ashley got him a green and "green" tricycle. It's made of metal and recycled plastic and it's a lovely shade of green. Both Huggins AND Pearl love this. They take turns on it, she rides it and then when he gets interested she pushes him around on it. It's a bit too small, but I'm sure by spring he'll have mastered it and we'll move it outside. She also got him a helmet and gloves.

Gary and Ruth got him a cookie monster doll (Which I think is awesome and in 6 years when he announces he's "too big" for sesame street I plan to keep it myself) and a snowsuit, which he has yet to try on.

Becky got him some clothes and an ice fisherman hat, I will take a photo and send it along.

Jim and I got him two pairs of pretty cool shoes. One pair looks just like some that Jim owns and the other has a skull and crossbones on it. He really likes shoes, he'll go get them and go "hmm hmm" in a very cute voice (that means he wants something) I should teach him the sign for want. We also got him some clothes (Yawn!)

Grandma and Cindy got him a starter train set, which is going to be cool. Pearl said she loves trains so I'm sure that'll be something they can do together.

Snoopy and George got him a giant bouncy ball that has glitter in it that MOVES when you bounce it. It's like a cross between a bouncy ball and a snow globe.

And AND last but not least. My Dad and my Mom inadvertently pitched in together (Which I think is hilarious, by the way) to get him this:



It's super small and he fits on it perfectly, and it rolls really smoothly. We just brought it home and he's sleeping, but I can't wait to watch him play on it. I promise to do photos soon!

Thanks Everyone So much,

Carly (and Huggins)