"Get Ready to Go"

 These are words I say every single morning.  This is how I think they are interpreted by the children in this house...

Child #1:  I think I should wander around the house not getting ready.  Instead, I should be trying to create problems with whatever sibling is closest and if it can result in screaming on their part-even better!

Child #2:  I shall wander around aimlessly and maybe even just stand in places as an obstacle in the kitchen to others trying to get around.

Child #3:  I will magically be ready to go instantly.  I should be able to stay in bed until mom yells that she is pulling out of the driveway.

Child #4:  I will do all the things I need to get ready.  I hope an adult remembers to tell me that my shower is done, that I need to get my things, and reminds me of the things I am missing once we are in the car.

Child #5:  I can chill until someone helps me get ready.  Who needs independence at this point?  Everyone loves helping me!

To another morning tomorrow...

Oh Happy Day!

Today is a GOOD day!  

So glad to have the past 4 years of "leadership" as a thing of the "past" now.  I have so much hope and faith in this country and its history!  I know we will pull through the current challenges as we have before.  It may take a while and it may even take a long while, but I think we have taken a step in the right direction today with the installation of a new and (I hope better) president to lead us back to the path we have strayed so far from in recent years.

I am a fan of positivity, kindness, and most of all LOVE!

I think our most important role in life besides loving God is to help make things better for those and the world around us.  Anything I currently believe in stems directly from this belief...to make things better for others.

I have come a long way from the days of this post...I remember that naïve lady so set in her own ways. Life has offered me many experiences and as a teacher, has also given me the wonderful gift of insight.  I have gotten to "see" into the lives of many students, their struggles, and different ways of thinking about the world.  My empath-ish soul appreciates the gift of learning about what makes us different and what makes people tick.  I have also grown into a much more openminded soul and try not to pass judgement too quickly.  

This has put me at odds at times with some family members, but again, I will say in my world-LOVE wins.  If it's good for someone else and isn't really hurting anyone else, let it be!

In addition, I got my first dose of the COVID vaccine today too...may this pandemic end sooner rather than later.

God Bless and also comforting thoughts to those that see this day with fear or sadness.  I obviously don't feel the same, but I know how you feel as those feelings were very real over the past 4 years for both me and many others in this beautiful country of ours.  

Let there be peace!

Adios 2020!

I have always been a fairly positive person...able to see the bright side even in the most frustrating or dire situations, but this year seems to finally have caught up to me!  

Now don't get me wrong, I'm still positive, but that being said...I am more than happy to watch 2020 go right on out the door too.

I was holding my own until these past 3-4 months.  Things that did me in...

1) My grandma dying and getting to bury her and say final goodbyes on my 40th birthday.

I was honestly looking forward to turning 40 and not dreading it like many, but having my beloved grandma's funeral on the same day was TOUGH.  I'm also not a crybaby (although I realize how ironic this must seem as I am complaining at the moment.) I am grateful for the close friends that did help me celebrate the next day as my own family here at home barely acknowledged my day.

2) Working my butt off thinking that I would still have the ability to improve myself within the messed up teacher evaluation system. I had been doing lots of extra things in the Spring while we were shutdown to stay connected to my students.  I had not complained even once about anything we were asked to do due to the health department restrictions/pandemic concerns.  I was trying to make school feel like a safe and special place while still sticking to the rigors of our curriculum as much as possible.  Then my balloon was deflated because of one/two pieces of the evaluation system that just cannot be done right now because of those said restrictions and had to settle for just receiving the same grade as before.  It was very defeating for someone who is always trying to better herself and her teaching to know that it did not matter one iota what I did or didn't do...I could not "improve".

3)  Getting put on quarantine with my family just as December started.  December is one of the best times to be a first grade teacher and I missed my class terribly.  My own kids missed their teachers and friends terribly.  Then just as we were to be able to return...my whole school switched to remote learning which means we've been home since December 1st.  WE MISS OUR PEOPLE!!!

On the plus side, hmmm, you didn't think I could actually leave such a negative post for the world to read did you?

My family did give me a brand new laptop for Christmas...just mine...can you believe it?!?  So, I anticipate visiting this space much more regularly because writing has always been very therapeutic for me and if it brings someone else just a bit of joy-even better.

I am so looking forward to 2021 and all that it might bring, although, I do wish my grandma was still here to share it with as I miss her terribly, but getting back to school, friends, and students will help immensely.  I also have great hope now that the vaccine is being distributed, cannot wait to get mine, and am grateful that my job qualifies me to be one of the early "eligible" candidates to receive it!

Adios 2020, Glad you're leaving!!!

Saturday School...

Students had been slipping on their responsibilities and work completion this week at Home School Academy so Saturday School had to be implemented!

Curriculum Agenda:

1:  Laundry 101

2:  Vacuuming 101

3:  Pick Up the Crap You Leave Everywhere 404

4:  Do You Need Your Ears Checked 305

5:  Where Did These Kids Disappear To 405

Lectures Presented:

1:  "Butts Do Not Belong in the Dryer"

2:  "Vacuums Can't Pick up Trash"

3:  "Do You Throw Your Wrappers on the Floor in Your Classroom?  No, Well This Is Your Classroom Now!"

4:  "Do You Think Shrieking Will Make Us Listen To You Better?"

5:  "Kids Missing, Grab a Beer!"

Luckily for the students, everything is Pass/Fail and work can be attempted until a passing grade is achieved! 

Outcomes:

Child no. 1 passed with flying colors which was a happy surprise for the teachers!

Children no. 2, 3, & 4 showed moments of glory, but verged on the edge of failure most of the time.  Eventually, they turned themselves around and pulled a passing grade

Child no. 5 seemed to create distraction and lead to the non-completion of work by others.  It was determined that he would be responsible for the informal observations at this time.

Life does continue on...

Who knew how much significance that last blog post's title would hold at this moment in history!  I wrote that post almost 2 whole years ago with every intention of checking in from time to time.  What can I say-life happens and life with 7 people in the household resulted in blogging taking a back burner for me.  It feels like the right time in the midst of COVID-19 quarantining to bring it back, but let's catch up first!

In the last 3 years since Todd's birth, I have...

*been transferred from a Reading Specialist position to that of a first grade teacher.  It was a big change and a lot overwhelming at first, but I was ever so grateful that it also meant that I got to keep my job when others were losing their's around me.  It has been a good change and I.LOVE.FIRST.GRADE!  I never thought I would ever say that, but I do!

*ran 2 full marathons!  I always had that little dream in the back of my head and when my sister-in-law got picked for the New York City Marathon, it was all the push I needed to sign up for one of my own.  She was going through a tough time emotionally so getting picked was actually a godsend for her as it gave her somewhere to focus her attention and I knew I could offer support as a training partner.  It's no easy task covering all of those miles on your own.  We then ran the Chicago Marathon together this past October too!

*My kids have grown by leaps and bounds.  I'm on the brink of having a highschooler in a bit over a year.  I have also learned that I do actually really like 2 & 3 year olds. They are so much more fun and cute when you don't have several of them back-to-back-to-back. Haha!  I am definitely enjoying each of these phases so much more with Todd.  It's amazing what a couple of years gap between these stages will do for a parent.

*That being said, if we can just conquer #2 on the potty, the world will be an even happier place!

And currently, our world is filled with all things family, togetherness, and home because as with many others in our country, we are sheltering in place to help prevent the spread of the current pandemic.  It has been quite a change, but I think it has been good too.

Current thoughts:

*We are making it through the homeschooling process okay.  It is not my strong suit, but we're managing the best we can.

*I miss my students something terrible!  Don't get me wrong, I am enjoying all of this bonus time with my kiddos, but those kids are my kids too and I only get so much time with them and it is slipping away in the midst of this event.  I pray for them daily and hope that I will still get some more time with them before our year together is done.

*My kids miss their teachers and friends something terrible too!

*Online teaching-I don't want to do it, but may have to do it.  I don't feel confident about it at all, but will do what I can if it comes to this.

*Trying to be less focused on the daily to-do list and more focused on making some quality memories.

*Hoping nothing happens to my dear grandma during this time or to anyone close to the people I love.  Not being able to participate in a funeral of someone who has meant so much to my life would be quite unbearable.

I refuse to end on a sad note!  COVID-19 pandemic quarantine bonus-getting to enjoy dessert almost every single day! :)

Life continues on...

Our little baby is now well on his way to becoming a 15 month old.  The other kiddos are continuing to grow and move on through life as well with the last of the big 4 preparing to start kindergarten next year.  Sniff, sniff!

Things life is teaching me along the way...

*Differences between children...some make me wistful for them to be adults-the logic and wisdom that comes from living life will be a great aid to them I hope;  some make me wistful for their younger selves-more snuggles, more innocence

*"Enjoy every second" is not an attainable goal...feeling crazy or acting crazy is not something I wish to hold onto for myself or them

*I enjoy looking back at my kiddos "being little" pictures, but truth be told as I stated above...I would not want to go back to those days with all of them because life was CRAZY at times.  Part of it was due to close ages, part of it was due to trying to understand behaviors, and part of it was due to fluctuating hormones on my part. :)

I love these kids with all of my heart and I love the gift of time that I have been given with them.  It helps me appreciate them and this same precious gift that several people I know have lost along the way either due to death or broken relationships.

Newest Love!

We welcomed TODD HUBERT to our family a couple of weeks ago!  He was born on the 27th of January in the afternoon weighing in at a whopping 9 lbs 4 oz.  The doctor was guessing that he weighed at least 10 pounds when he arrived...lucky for me this was not the case! :)

He's been a wonderful addition to our family thus far and all of the kids adore him.  We'll see if those feelings remain as he grows and eventually becomes mobile.

He has not suffered from the same tongue tie issue that Don did initially, thus, he has been gaining weight and eating like a champ!  Mama appreciates it too as my milk supply seems to have been well established this time around...my baby is content when he eats, I am not pumping around the clock, and so.much.less.stress!!!

Now off to sneak in some more baby snuggles and, hopefully, a nap at some point! :)