Philosophical discussion with a 5-yr old...

A bit of background here. The gal who watches Christopher, Nada, has/had a little blue parakeet that Matthew loved to lovingly-torment. Well, KJ died today. Matthew was really saddened by this - not to the point of tears but said many times over the course of the evening how sorry he felt for Nada that her bird died.

So, we decided to get her a new bird - the boys and me. On the way to the petstore, travel cage safely tucked on Matthew's lap, the following discussion ensued:

Matthew: I have an imaginary friend. He lives in my pocket. He is really old and I think he will die tomorrow.

Me: Really?? How will you feel about that?

Matthew: Sad

Me: How do you think he feels now, living in your pocket?

Matthew: He likes it. Sometimes it gets dirty in there, just like when I have been playing in the sandbox at school. Then you put my pants in the laundry and he gets clean. He doesn't come out of my pocket, though. But he gets clean.

Me: Cool!

Matthew: Yeah. When he dies tomorrow he will go out of my pocket and up to heaven.

Me: Really?

Matthew: Yeah. Kind of like Nada's bird and Baba (that's my dad) when they died and went to heaven. Hey - Kind of like we live in God's pocket and when we die we leave His pocket.

And for the rest of the drive, all I could see what the final scene from Men in Black II when they open the locker...

Guess it could be worse than thinking we live in God's pocket, huh?

meme du jour, ala Nancy

Again, if you are reading this, consider yourself tagged and pay along...

6 wierd things about me. Only 6?? Gosh - which ones do I choose??

1. My students will tell you that I have a thing for sharp pencils. Actually, I hate pencils and would prefer the kids use pen, but the world has not come around to my way of thinking and the arcane practice of using pencils prevailed so I insist they use sharp ones. Dull pencils to me are the visual sister to nails down the no-longer-useful chalkboard.

2. I won't eat anything that has two shells. Bivalves... uck! Clam chower - now that I will eat, but you will find a nice pile of clams at the bottom of my bowl.

3. I talk with my hands. I blame it on my Italian heritage, but if you consider that I am maybe 1/32 Italian, thent he arguement holds little water. Nonetheless, this gets even more pronounced if I am excited or trying to remember something. I think I must mimic a propeller.

4. I've been known to break into song in the middle of class, especially if a student has the gaul to ask what an adverb is, or a conjunction... Sing it with me - Conjunction-junction, what's your function?? Hookin' up words and phrases and clauses....

5. My dogs are my children, and have all rights and privleges of the two legged members of the family.

6. I am the only child of two only children and have no understanding of nor tolerance for sibling rivalry. I just don't get it - and probably never will - and my kids are just going to have to work with me on this one!

Tag - you're now it..

If you're reading -- consider yourself tagged.

I AM: a wife, mother and teacher. I am also certifiably crazy-go-nuts because of it all.

I WANT: enough money to be comfortable in life and not be so crazy-go-nuts all the time.

I WISH: I could be paid for walking around in shorts and flipflops on the beach.

I HATE: stupidity, rudeness and those who feel entitled to break the rules.

I MISS: my dad.

I HEAR: the laughter and giggles of my 8 mo. old son as he plays with our 1 yr old dog...

I WONDER: what life will hold for my children...

I REGRET: Will come back to this one...

I AM NOT: good with numbers. Remembering them, yes. Doing anything pracitcal with them, no...

I DANCE: very, very badly, but mostly infront of my children to make them laugh.

I SING: show tunes. LOUDLY at times!

I CRY: way too easily, at silly things like commercials.

I AM NOT ALWAYS: nice.

I MAKE WITH MY HANDS: photographs that I hope will hold a dear memory or moment in time for someone.

I WRITE: Ramblings of my slightly conscious mind that make sense really only to me, and then, not even consistently.

I CONFUSE: my childrens' names all the time.

I NEED: about 5 more people to join my Arbonne team.

I SHOULD: schedule that mammogramm, have my blood-work done again and see if my body has returned to its rather rational self after being pregnant with Christopher.

I START: working part time in the fall, so help me GOD!

I FINISH: unless its housework, most everything I start.

He's going to wanna kill me for these later on...

 
 
 

However, I just had to share... I know, for some of you, naked baby pics are just not your thing, but these turned out so cute - nothing offensive is in sight, and he was just such a happy little model sitting there in the sunlight, watching the world go by...

He is trying really hard to learn how to crawl. He wants to MOVE - and at this point scooting is his main mode, but you can see the frustration in his face when he wants to go forward and instead goes backward... poor kid!

With these latest additions, I have blackmail shots of all three of my boys, waiting in a safe place for prom night, their rehearsal dinner, or some other equally embarassing moment.

After all, is that the mother's perogative? 

33 days and counting

Of actually IN CLASSROOM school, that is. I don't know who is more excited for school to be out - my students, or my co-workers.

Of course, 33 days roughly translates into about 7 weeks of school. Almost 2 months... insert an exasperated and exhausted sigh here...

I had an interview today with another elementary school. In all candor, it was not as much an interview as it was a fishing expidition. I'd seen a posting for a part time position at another school so I went to check it out. Even the school was not certain that the position would stick. Add to the mix that I am not certain if my current elementary position will or will not be pushed to full time next year (and if its not I would stay) nor do we have any idea what the middle school will even look like let alone what the special ed cencus will be - it was more of a "If this works out, then we can say we met and conducted an interview' meeting.

Even so - I'd say it went well. Part of me really wants and needs to get out of the school and the situation I am in. The other part feels enormously guilty for even thinking about leaving. If there are some shakeups in the administration then I would consider staying. If not, I can't bolt out of there fast enough.

You know - when you ask for a job with security, it just might pay to be a little more specific as to what you mean by that...

Happy Easter to all...

 
 
 
 

Had to post some of the pictures from today - it was a lovely day for Easter... sunny, warm but not too hot. We managed to get the whole clan up, dressed and to the sunrise service at church. That in and of itself, nothing short of a miracle!

We spent the rest of the morning and afternoon being lazy. I played a few mean games of 1:1 soccer with Parker. Not only is he a surprisingly fierce competitor, he is also surprisingly good!

This afternoon we gathered at my mom's house for a lovely evening and Easter Dinner. We were joined by dear friends, including two other kids for the boys to play with.

As they say, a good time was had by all... 

'I like to move-it, move-it, I like to move-it, move-it..."

Anyone see Madagascar, or is the song lost on you all?? While I didn't get any good exercise in yesterday, I did go for a 9-mile bike ride Tuesday. It's the first real ride I've taken in a while, and it was very nice to be out and about with my good ole' buddy again!! I do think she needs some air in her tires, or I need newer legs (It was much harder going uphill than I remember...)

I discovered a trail that I might just check out someday - but it scares me a bit to think about going it alone... for no other reason than I fear finding critters along my way - its a horse trail, walking trail and bike path - and it goes out into the washes of the desert. Where SNAKES live... I've run into a snake from horseback once - that was terrifying enough - from bike-level, I think I'd have a heart attack right there...

But the trail looks really interesting and it would be a nice change of pace to be out among "nature" for a bit... just not too much nature, you know??

And I ra-a-an, I ran so far away....

No, not running away from home, but I am very proud of myself because after an eon, I have started exercising again... and not only that, I am trying to make my dreams of being a runner come true!!

My neighborhood is one mile in circimferance if you go door to door and hit each sidewalk. Pretty cool knowledge for the control freak in me that HAS to know how far I've gone.

I started last week, walking the neighborhood at least once. Shins hurt, hip hurt - I was a mess. But I am very proud of myself that I did not give up!

Now, I go for two laps. I can't run a full lap yet, but I am not going to let my ego dictate my running schedule. I do one street/cul-de-sac, walk the next one, jog the one after that... and am slowly decreasing the number of recoveries. My goal will be to jog both laps, then add distance.

I know I must look rediculous... I am going only for distance, not for speed, and I think my 4 yr old neighbor could outrun me! (I know for a fact Parker could!!) But heck - I am out there, I am doing it, and I keep going back!!!

Baby Steps....

Oh, and I am actually calling my excusrions "Wogging", because it really IS a euphamism to say I am running!!