Sunday, February 28, 2010

I'll Give it a Go

Some of you may know that I love to cook. I love to try new things for dinner and to get ideas from people, recipes, and the internet and then make them my own. But one thing I am not, is a recipe follower. If I mention that I have a new recipe for something Dustin will reply with, "well, I guess that won't be worth a shit then." I am not good at step by step strict instructions....therefore, I am not a baker. I don't have the patience, the precision or the perfectionism required to let yeast rise or dole out a 1/2 tsp of baking soda.

Sure I would love to create a beautiful braided french bread or those yummy jalepeno and cheese breads like the amish make. But I just cannot do it. No sense in denying it, I just can't. But today, I'm going to try something totally out of my element. Something I've never, ever even considered doing before. (This is where TV would add a dunh, dunh, dunh) Homemade Noodles. Oh yeah, I said it, homemade noodles. Like the kind every grandma can make by heart without a recipe.

I am inspired by my new favorite blog, The Pioneer Woman. She put up a recipe for them on her blog and I think I can handle it. It's just eggs, flour, and water. I got the step by step instructions and I called my grandma to double check the procedure. It seems easy enough and I can do it, I do not have to be afraid. I can someday be the grandma that people say, "oh I miss Grandma Lindsay's noodles so much, no one could make those like she did." Big shoes, my friends, but I'm going to give it a go. So, say a little prayer for me today. And I'll post some pictures later so you can see my success (or laugh with me at my mess.)

Thursday, February 25, 2010

Today was a good day

Today was our class field trip to the Coterie Theater. I hate field trips, hate hate hate them. It's stressful, what if I lose one? What if they get snatched? What if they go to the bathroom and set off a bomb or something (fires happen by elementary schoolers all the time....trust me).

But today, was a good day. They ate lunch in the downstairs atrium and had a blast. I always like seeing who they choose to eat with, it's interesting to me. They loved the play and with good reason. It was a heck of a show. They followed directions, filed in patiently and no one even asked to go to the bathroom.

And it doesn't stop there. We then had a music concert to attend tonight. They sang a rock song and wore sunglasses and did the air guitar. One of the precious little ones rocked it out too. A few did solos, there were recorders played, it was awesome.

All in all, it was a good day. Their happy little faces choke me up all the time. They get so excited over the fun little things. I am so proud of those kids. It's a good thing they don't really belong to me or I just don't know how I would stand all the cuteness. Today was a good day, today I remembered why I became a teacher.

Wednesday, February 24, 2010

A Typical Day

On a typical day, this is what I put up with...


Seriously, those fingers, who needs 'em?


And really, the sleepy baby look, I could take it or leave it.


So, please take pity on me for what I put up with on a typical day. It's one rough life, but I guess I'll keep on plugging through.

Tuesday, February 23, 2010

Fifteen

I love that song by Taylor Swift and I have to say I am not much of a Taylor Swift fan. I begrudge her for her Entertainer of the Year award...she's a teenager! What about those life long accomplished artists that really deserve it? Okay she is huge according to my 6 year old neice, but 2 years ago so was Dora. Anyway, enough about Taylor.

Her song though, Fifteen, really touches a nerve with me. I can see, in retrospect, that I really was that boy-crazy, my-mom-is-an-idiot, the-rules-don't-apply-to-me 15 year old girl. Curfew? Who needs it! Don't get into cars with boys? Why not, it's fun! You get the idea.

Hearing that song reminds me of my younger, more carefree days. I had no interest in following rules or respecting my mother. I thought had no idea that the things that I did then would effect me later. And now, I realize I was an idiot. And I get freaked out on many different levels about Reese being an idiot. What if she thinks being 15 warrants an all night drinking frenzy or climbing in the back back of some boy's car? What if she hides cigarettes and collects beer tabs? What if God-forbid she gets pregnant? Oh my it scares me.

So I hope for two things. 1. That my knowledge of what is to come will help us to prevent rebellions and 2. That I will develop a relationship with her so she feels comfortable coming to me (or calling me to come get her on a dark gravel road...). In the meantime, I will listen to Taylor sing about her experiences of being a teenager and remember that night at the cartbarns when I drank Bloody Marys and threw up on my mom's white couch...man, those were the days....

Sunday, February 21, 2010

Roll Over!

Reese rolled over today! Those little milestones are the greatest accomplishments to a new mom ever! Today we were giving Reese some tummy time. Lately she's been pulling her leg up like she wants to roll over but has seemed pretty far away from it. We moved her arm for her today and she got to rocking around again. All of a sudden, she just whipped right around and landed on her back. The whole room cheered and clapped. It was one of the most exciting things ever. I just love seeing her do new tricks, it makes me feel so proud and so happy, how do people not just burst right open with all this love?

Sunday, February 14, 2010

Play Time

Today I was in the kitchen cooking dinner and I could hear this beautiful little sound. I came to look and this is what I found:

Hehehe Mommy you are so funny!


Ooooh, this gym is the best!


You mean, if I put my hand out, I can touch this stuff?


Today was the first time she batted at her toys, it was also the first time she laughed without two morons in her face making goo goo noises at her. What a big girl I have!

Saturday, February 13, 2010

Valentine's Day



Last night I blogged about family dinner. Tonight we had the best one ever! Here's to having our first V-day as a family. We didn't need a babysitter (although Mommy and Daddy are needing a date night bad) and we didn't need to go out. We had the best little date night ever right here on our living room floor. Complete with Miller Lite in our wedding wine glasses, flowers and chocolates compliments of my 3rd graders, and a beautiful little baby!

Friday, February 12, 2010

Family Dinner


I am a huge believer in a family dinner each night. It might sound a little idealistic but I think that it is important to have meals together. It's the time when kids get to learn manners, they learn to share, and they get to talk about their day. It is also a time for them to hear their parents have conversations with one another. It's a tradition I believe strongly in, I have long before all the research came out, because that's how I grew up.

I can't wait for Reese to eat dinner with us (okay, I can, I don't want to rush her but it's something I'm excited for). I am excited to teach her good manners and to have conversations with her. I want her to believe in family and dinnertime and morals the way we do. I just love the idea of all of it. So, we are starting early! Reese is finally ready to sit in her bumbo, it's a little big for her, but she sits in it and looks pretty stinkin' adorable. I love love love it. So, here is a picture of our first family dinner!

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Right vs. Easy

Right now Lent is just right around the corner. Every year I make the same "resolution" to become a better person, a better Christian, a better Catholic. I spend a lot of time thinking of what I will give up and I read a lot of devotions during the first few days (isn't that how it always goes). I hope each year that I will be better by the end and usually it turns out okay.

This year I keep thinking about what truly makes a good person. It's not just being nice to people, although that helps. It's really about digging deeper and thinking about what is right not just easy. Today I was faced with a problem that keeps coming up in my life; my job. I see something happen time after time and I always complain about how bad it is but secretly duck my head thankful it's not me this time. I always feel so bad standing by when I know something is wrong and never doing anything about it. I teach my kids to stand up against bullying and to come talk to someone when they see something happening that is wrong but I don't do that myself.

Today, I have decided not to stand by and let this keep happening. I may not do much but doing nothing isn't helping either. It is time for me to be a better person, to work harder to do something right even if it is not easy (and it won't be). I am hoping that little by little I will build my character to a person I can be proud of. But most of all, I hope that I can help a friend who really needs it.