This September my family and I will be participating in the annual Alzheimer Walk. We walk in memory of my Grandma Snow, who passed away 15 years ago from this awful disease. Please consider donating or joining our team, Betty's Bunch. Click HERE to support finding a cure for Alzheimer's.Monday, August 25, 2014
Walk to End Alzheimer's
This September my family and I will be participating in the annual Alzheimer Walk. We walk in memory of my Grandma Snow, who passed away 15 years ago from this awful disease. Please consider donating or joining our team, Betty's Bunch. Click HERE to support finding a cure for Alzheimer's.
Sunday, August 24, 2014
First Day of School #3
This past week, both Leah and I headed back to school!
Leah had her first day of First Grade on Wednesday. We met her teacher, Mrs. Clemmons, Tuesday night at Open House. Leah found her desk and was amazed by all of the workbooks and journals inside! She was excited to put her box of school supplies in her desk. We learned that each day she would have a different 'special': library, gym, music, art and computer. On her first day, she had gym! She came home with lots to tell. Her favorite parts of the day were sitting at her own desk, eating lunch in the cafeteria and gym class. She said she loved her teacher and is excited about the upcoming year!
I started my 14th year of teaching on Wednesday. I can't believe it is year number 14! Time is flying by! This year I am teaching Math 2, Math 3 and Advanced Precalculus.
On the first day I usually plan some sort of activity for the kids to complete. This year it was the Marshmallow Challenge. I found the activity on Pinterest. Students worked in groups of 4 and were given 20 pieces of dried spaghetti, 1 meter of string, 1 meter of tape and 1marshmallow. Students were given 18 minutes to construct a tower as high as possible that would hold the marshmallow at the top. Here are some of the various towers, and one that had a good effort :-)
And here is the winner at 68 centimeters!
Looking forward to a good 2014-2015 school year!
Leah had her first day of First Grade on Wednesday. We met her teacher, Mrs. Clemmons, Tuesday night at Open House. Leah found her desk and was amazed by all of the workbooks and journals inside! She was excited to put her box of school supplies in her desk. We learned that each day she would have a different 'special': library, gym, music, art and computer. On her first day, she had gym! She came home with lots to tell. Her favorite parts of the day were sitting at her own desk, eating lunch in the cafeteria and gym class. She said she loved her teacher and is excited about the upcoming year!
I started my 14th year of teaching on Wednesday. I can't believe it is year number 14! Time is flying by! This year I am teaching Math 2, Math 3 and Advanced Precalculus.
On the first day I usually plan some sort of activity for the kids to complete. This year it was the Marshmallow Challenge. I found the activity on Pinterest. Students worked in groups of 4 and were given 20 pieces of dried spaghetti, 1 meter of string, 1 meter of tape and 1marshmallow. Students were given 18 minutes to construct a tower as high as possible that would hold the marshmallow at the top. Here are some of the various towers, and one that had a good effort :-)
And here is the winner at 68 centimeters!
Looking forward to a good 2014-2015 school year!
Sunday, August 17, 2014
Wednesday, August 13, 2014
First Day of School #2
Today is Pat's first day of school...for the ninth time!
All nine years have been in the Hamilton district. This year he is teaching grades 5-12! Have a great day, Pat...and Happy National Left-Handers Day!!!
All nine years have been in the Hamilton district. This year he is teaching grades 5-12! Have a great day, Pat...and Happy National Left-Handers Day!!!
Tuesday, August 12, 2014
First Day of School #1
'Tis the season of Back to School! The boys, Max and Noah, had their first day yesterday.
Max started his second year of preschool. He was so excited to go back and move up to the 'Blue Room' with Ms. Krissy! And he is so excited that he will still see Ms. Kelli every morning for breakfast!
Noah started his first year of preschool. He's just shy of two-and-a-half, but we decided that the time was right for him. I was tired of picking up three children at three different locations nearly everyday, and Noah was ready for some interaction with other kids. I think it will work out well!
We received reports on tho boys mid-day. Ms. Krissy commented on Facebook that Max was taking a good nap. Mr. Andrew sent me an email that Max was acting like he had never left for the summer and Noah was fitting right in. However, Noah was having some difficulty at nap time. If I had to guess what would have been problematic on day #1 it would have been lunch because Noah is so picky (he didn't eat a thing) and nap time. At school the boys sleep on a cot, which is a first for Noah. Noah is used to sleeping all alone in his bedroom and when he was at Suzy's house last year he slept in a pack n play in his own room. I'm sure Noah will get the hang of it!
When I picked them up in the afternoon, both had smiles on their faces and said they had a great day!
And a few more of the few dozen pictures I took...pictures that show their personalities!
Max started his second year of preschool. He was so excited to go back and move up to the 'Blue Room' with Ms. Krissy! And he is so excited that he will still see Ms. Kelli every morning for breakfast!
Noah started his first year of preschool. He's just shy of two-and-a-half, but we decided that the time was right for him. I was tired of picking up three children at three different locations nearly everyday, and Noah was ready for some interaction with other kids. I think it will work out well!
We received reports on tho boys mid-day. Ms. Krissy commented on Facebook that Max was taking a good nap. Mr. Andrew sent me an email that Max was acting like he had never left for the summer and Noah was fitting right in. However, Noah was having some difficulty at nap time. If I had to guess what would have been problematic on day #1 it would have been lunch because Noah is so picky (he didn't eat a thing) and nap time. At school the boys sleep on a cot, which is a first for Noah. Noah is used to sleeping all alone in his bedroom and when he was at Suzy's house last year he slept in a pack n play in his own room. I'm sure Noah will get the hang of it!
When I picked them up in the afternoon, both had smiles on their faces and said they had a great day!
And a few more of the few dozen pictures I took...pictures that show their personalities!
Friday, August 1, 2014
Good Wife vs. Good Mother
I often find it difficult to be a Good Wife and a Good Mother at the same time. I know I am a Good Wife, but when I am, I feel like I am not giving my children the attention they need. I also know I am a Good Mother, but Pat usually takes a back seat. And don't get me started about being a Good Self...I know that never happens because I never put myself first. But back to being a good wife and mother...it is hard to be both simultaneously.
Which brings me to tonight. I chose to be a Good Wife. Pat has been working the past two weeks at band camp and tonight was the Preview Show for the band families. Pat had asked if I was going to come and bring the kids. I laughed. There was no way I was taking my three children to the show. I knew exactly how that would end up...lots of tears and most of them would be shed by me! But I knew I needed to be a Good Wife and support my husband, so I packed the kids up and we headed to the high school. I think Pat was excited I had changed my mind...he loves to show off the kids to his colleagues and students. We were able to have dinner with Pat and even got to go to the band office where Leah found some pom-poms and Max and Noah found some drums. Maybe I had been wrong in thinking the night would end badly.
We then headed out to the stadium and we chose seats all the way at the top. I wanted to record the show and I wanted the kids to be able to see. It was hot...the plastic stadium seats had been heated all day from the hot sun and we were all sweating before the show started. The kids complained they were hot and bored but they didn't want to leave...they wanted to watch "daddy's band." I started to worry how their behavior would continue.
The band actually performed the show backwards. They performed their halftime show first, followed by the pre-game performance. The halftime show was pretty good seeing how the students had learned it in two weeks. And my children were mostly well behaved. At times Noah wanted in my lap, but for the most part they were pretty good.
Then the band performed their pre-game show and that is when Rocky happened in real-life. Max and Noah started throwing punches at each other and were tackling each other. We were lucky that the bleachers did not have the empty space under each seat otherwise one or both would have fallen straight to the ground. I was surprised that neither went tumbling down the stairs. I somehow avoided a trip to the ER! And during all of this I was trying to be the Good Wife...watching the show and recording it for Pat to see and to share with family and friends. And while I was being the Good Wife I was definitely NOT being a Good Mother...because my boys acting out scenes from Rocky and they were tackling each other. I can be heard in the video attempting to discipline the boys, but I was distracted by the show and my 'discipline' was not very effective. As soon as the marching portion was finished, we quickly exited the stadium. I felt bad for Leah who had been really good all evening, so she did stay with Pat for the remainder of the show. I felt bad leaving early, but fortunately Pat understood why while watching the boys exchange swings and tackles coming down the stairs.
But in the end I was a Good Wife. We made it through the important part of the show causing little embarrassment to ourselves. And I guess I was a Good Mother, at least in my children's eyes, because I rewarded my little fighters with a trip to Flubs.
Which brings me to tonight. I chose to be a Good Wife. Pat has been working the past two weeks at band camp and tonight was the Preview Show for the band families. Pat had asked if I was going to come and bring the kids. I laughed. There was no way I was taking my three children to the show. I knew exactly how that would end up...lots of tears and most of them would be shed by me! But I knew I needed to be a Good Wife and support my husband, so I packed the kids up and we headed to the high school. I think Pat was excited I had changed my mind...he loves to show off the kids to his colleagues and students. We were able to have dinner with Pat and even got to go to the band office where Leah found some pom-poms and Max and Noah found some drums. Maybe I had been wrong in thinking the night would end badly.
We then headed out to the stadium and we chose seats all the way at the top. I wanted to record the show and I wanted the kids to be able to see. It was hot...the plastic stadium seats had been heated all day from the hot sun and we were all sweating before the show started. The kids complained they were hot and bored but they didn't want to leave...they wanted to watch "daddy's band." I started to worry how their behavior would continue.
The band actually performed the show backwards. They performed their halftime show first, followed by the pre-game performance. The halftime show was pretty good seeing how the students had learned it in two weeks. And my children were mostly well behaved. At times Noah wanted in my lap, but for the most part they were pretty good.
Then the band performed their pre-game show and that is when Rocky happened in real-life. Max and Noah started throwing punches at each other and were tackling each other. We were lucky that the bleachers did not have the empty space under each seat otherwise one or both would have fallen straight to the ground. I was surprised that neither went tumbling down the stairs. I somehow avoided a trip to the ER! And during all of this I was trying to be the Good Wife...watching the show and recording it for Pat to see and to share with family and friends. And while I was being the Good Wife I was definitely NOT being a Good Mother...because my boys acting out scenes from Rocky and they were tackling each other. I can be heard in the video attempting to discipline the boys, but I was distracted by the show and my 'discipline' was not very effective. As soon as the marching portion was finished, we quickly exited the stadium. I felt bad for Leah who had been really good all evening, so she did stay with Pat for the remainder of the show. I felt bad leaving early, but fortunately Pat understood why while watching the boys exchange swings and tackles coming down the stairs.
But in the end I was a Good Wife. We made it through the important part of the show causing little embarrassment to ourselves. And I guess I was a Good Mother, at least in my children's eyes, because I rewarded my little fighters with a trip to Flubs.
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