Wednesday, December 30, 2009

Monday, December 28, 2009

Christmas Eve


After spending much of the week prepping for the holidays, we finally were able to enjoy some time with family. Each Christmas eve, we try to spend it with my natural father's side of the family. DH had to work that morning, so he woke up extra early to go in at 6am, so he could get off by noon. He made it home by 12:30, so we were on the road shortly thereafter to make the hour drive to Salem.

By the time we arrived at my grandmother's house, some people had already arrived and the festivities were getting under way. Almost that whole side of my family came together for the first time in years. The full house included my Grandma G, Gordon (my natural father), Great Aunt Grace, Aunt Rhonda and Uncle Ross, Aunt Cheryl and Uncle Dale, cousin Heather and her two daughters Vanessah and Lauren, cousin Derek and his wife Kazue, cousin Andrew and his girlfriend Kim and their two daughters Kaitlyn and Kiera, cousin Cory, cousin Kelsey and her husband Jason and their three kids Malia, Zadok, and Maclin. Whew! Pop quiz on all those names tomorrow. ;)

We set our Christmas tree brownies down on the counter along with all the other goodies that my extended family had brought. It's one big potluck, so everyone just grazes like we're at a buffet. My aunt was busy slaving over the hot stove to make her lumpia, so DH parked it right there in the kitchen to get first dibs. He's a sucker for my Aunt Rhonda's lumpia (a Filipino spring roll). I made the rounds to give everyone hugs and hellos, then I made the kids and myself a plate of food.

After everyone filled their bellies, we opened presents and such. As much as we enjoy that, the best part of the night (in my opinion) comes when we sit down to play our annual game of Balderdash. You roll the dice and read the word on the card that matches the number rolled. The words all crazy words that you have make up a definition for. Then you read off all the definitions and try to guess the real one. There's a little more to it, but that's the gist of it. My family and I get really into it. My cousin Heather won this year and oh did she gloat! She even snapped a photo of it with her phone to post it on Facebook. Too funny!

DH doesn't like board games much, so he kind of snoozed in a recliner. The kids played with Grandpa Gordon and their cousins. We had such a wonderful night filled with lots of fun, food, and family. By the the time we finished the game, it was well after 7:00, so we figured we better get going. The kids enjoyed watching the Christmas lights go by as we drove the hour back home.
Once we walked in the door, we sent the kids to change into their pajamas. Then they wrote their letter to Santa and set out milk and brownies (we didn't have any cookies) for him. And lastly, I read them The Night Before Christmas, something I've done every year since N was born. Then I finished getting some things ready for the next morning before turning in for the night. Before I went upstairs to bed, I spent a few minutes just admiring the Christmas lights illuminated in the dark. It's something that helps me reflect on how blessed I am to have my family.

Gordon and Me

The 3 Musketeers
(My Great Aunt Grace, Aunt Rhonda, and Grandma)



My cousin Heather immortalizing her win at Balderdash for FB



Breaking glass...oops I mean singing Christmas carols



My awesome cousins
(Cory, Kelsey, me, and Heather)



Opening gifts




K a happy girl




N so proud of his gameplay




N and K with their Grandpa Gordon




Smile cousin Lauren!




Lots of family and lots of love


Sunday, December 27, 2009

Holiday Doins

Our holiday break began with a thousand things to cross off the to-do list. The kids and I raced around trying to finish our shopping and other errands. I also spent three nights wrapping presents and working on Christmas cards. Since I had so many work-related projects to complete during December, I procrastinated these other things, so it was my fault that I had to fit so much into so little time.

As if all the shopping, wrapping, and cards weren't enough, I had to clean the house from top to bottom for Christmas. We had let it get pretty cluttered, so I was glad to do it. The kids happily pitched in by sweeping and vaccuuming the downstairs for me. I gathered all the miscellaneous stuff, washed the dishes, tackled laundry, and packed our bags for our upcoming trip to Bend. After we had the house sparkling, we baked Christmas tree brownies and made Rice Krispie balls. I wish I had taken photos 'cause they turned out really good. Keep trying to remember to keep my camera handy!


It's hard to feel like I've been on vacation yet, since there has been so much to do. However, much to our delight, Grandma J invited the kids and I out for lunch on the Tuesday before Christmas. We ate at a quaint little country restaurant that we love. The place is cozy, complete with a fireplace for ambiance. Even though their menu is a bit limited and a little spendy, their food is delicious and worth the trip.

Will post Christmas recap and photos very soon! We just got home from a very long and tiring holiday weekend. Battling a bad headache and am too exhausted to blog about it all in one night.

Gingerbread House

About a week before Christmas, the kids and I tackled a long overdue project that we had wanted to do for the past couple of years, but just never got around to until this year. We built our first gingerbread house! N and I constructed it, and then he and K decorated it to their heart's content. It was hard for me to let go of creative control, but I figured this was for them and should reflect their taste. Here's a little video of the process and a couple pictures of the final product.

View from the front

View from the back



Wednesday, December 16, 2009

Sunday, December 13, 2009

Rockin Around the Christmas Tree!

K and I were goofing around with the camera and she wanted to perform a little diddy for someone very special to us. So this one's for you Auntie Shelley:


Payback Palin-Style

Now I'm not much of a Sarah Palin fan, but every once in awhile she does something that you just have to respect her for. She has the courage and kahunas to say and do a lot of things in the face of many obstacles and mockery. One such recent example made me laugh. Let's just say, William Shatner and Sarah Palin make strange bedfellows:

http://tv.yahoo.com/blog/sarah-palin-gets-back-at-william-shatner-on-the-tonight-show--866

Saturday, December 12, 2009

Little One

Michelle Duggar apparently gave birth to her 19th child via emergency c-section on Thursday to a very tiny baby girl, whom they named Josie Brooklyn. She wasn't due to deliver until March, so little Josie was born at 25 weeks due to complications resulting from a gall bladder issue Michelle was having (started her contractions). While most of us don't know the Duggars, that baby girl deserves our prayers as it is rare for one so small and so young to survive. It might just take a Chistmas miracle to see that little girl through, so she and large family need all the well wishes they can get.

Saturday, December 05, 2009

Things are coming up roses...

Must give a shout out and two enthusiastic thumbs up to the boys of both U of O and OSU. Both teams played their hearts out on Thursday night during the annual civil war game. This event is the most highly anticipated game of every season due to the ongoing rivalry between the two schools. I always root for alma mater of course, so I am a Duck through and through. What made this year's game especially exciting for all were the stakes. The winner of this game would go to the Rose Bowl (first time EVER that the civil war game would decide such a fate). Whomever walked away victorious in the end, it was still a win-win for the state to have an Oregon team there. U of O went into it ranked 7th nationally, and the Beavers were ranked 16th (another amazing feat for both Oregon teams).

They went head to head and traded the lead throughout, with the Ducks coming out on top. You couldn't have asked for a more outstanding game, and I have never been a big follower of football. I confess that I was flipped back and forth between Survivor and the game. I happened to transfer to the U of O during my junior year, the last time Oregon played in the Rose Bowl. Now fifteen years later, they are heading back to Pasadena. I might actually watch a football game on New Year's Day for the first time in years. I was raised by a football fanatic (wink wink Mom) who LIVES for this day, so in her honor I end with this...GO DUCKS!

Munchkins, Munchies, and Music

Well, I survived another intense week at school, have enjoyed a busy weekend with my family, and finally have our laptop back in working order. In a nutshell, I visited a website for blog backgrounds that apparently released a trojan virus on my system and DH found tons of malware all over it. Thankfully, he troubleshoots computers for a living, so he saved the day. Why oh why do people make viruses? It's just plain mean!


Anyhoo, Monday was tough for all of us to come back after the long and much-needed Thanksgiving weekend. With testing, report cards, and parent conferences (well except for a couple) behind us, the staff has begun to breathe a bit easier. Myself and my fellow English teachers spent much of our week planning next year's budget and trying to get things planned for the last couple of weeks of December. However, the school also had to endure a 2 day visit from the Primary Years Programme authorization committee from the International Baccalaureate (PYP/IB) that all have been training for like mad for the last four years. The last few months have been the most challenging, but now that it is over, hopefully things will calm down a bit.


Friday was particularly crazy as I somehow managed to burden myself with four class "Fun Fridays" in a row. My students earn gems in a jar for good behavior and when they have filled the jar, they earn this special day. All four classes came off without a hitch, but took quite a bit of management and planning to achieve this end. I opted to set out some arts and crafts for holiday card-making, gingerbread books, or whatever tickled their fancy. I also had a game table and reading corner. For three of my classes, I provided some mini muffins or doughnut holes with apple juice as an added treat. My first graders can be quite squirrely and messy at times, so the very thought of cleaning up that kind of mess after them was too much, so I had to nix that part of it (they were never the wiser). They worked pretty hard over the last few months for me and it was my way of recognizing them for it. My toughest group to impress, the 3rd graders (who happen to be full of TAG-like prodigies), actually clapped for me as a thank you. That's never happened to me EVER, so you can imagine how much that meant to me.


Well, after rushing home after all that, I picked up my two monkeys and got them dressed up for an evening Christmas concert by Portland's Christian Center. We had some time before it began, so we did a little holiday shopping at Target and grabbed a quick bite to eat. To support my long time childcare provider's family, I take the kids to see their annual show. It is quite a spectacle and a very popular tradition for locals to attend. They sing a mix of traditional holiday hymns, popular carols, and throw in a couple of more recent hits. My favorite was "A Brand New Christmas," though I'm not sure who it's originally by. Their adult choir sings throughout the concert, with songs from their teen and children's choirs sprinkled throughout. Two of my childcare provider's daughters have been in the show for years as a part of their bell-ringing group. It's a beautiful and inspiring concert and we look forward to it every year. The assistant coach to the Trail Blazers, Monty Williams, was also there and gave a testimony. It's always a moving concert. The kids got a little tired and cranky at times, but did well for overall. It was late when we got home, so we just went right to sleep.


This morning (Saturday), we woke up early and got going. Hubby took us to MickeyD's for breakfast (real healthy, I know but it still tasted good). Then we headed to Loch Lolly Christmas Forest to pick out our tree and enjoy some other favorites. As I've said in years past, DH started going there when he was young, so it's been wonderful to pass on this tradition to our kids. It was already getting pretty crowded, so we found our tree fairly quickly. DH chopped it down and together we mounted it on top of the car. Next, we went over to their common area to see Santa. The kids of course loved that! N had no problem asking for a laundry list of items and K had to stop and think about her choices for a minute before shyly telling Mr. Claus what she would like. Very cute.


We also sipped some free hot cocoa and got up close and personal with some of the geese that were roaming around the nearby pond. I knelt down to take photos and a couple of them came right up to me and kept nipping at my scarf. It was colorful and for some reason they mistook it for food. It was comical. K got spooked by the geese when they got too close for her comfort, so we had to move on. As an added bonus, we got to see Sugar Plum and Frosty, two reindeer that were apparently in town from the North Pole just for the week. K kept asking where the rest of Santa's reindeer were and I told her they were busy getting ready for Christmas. They were really neat to see!


We came back home and sprayed the tree for bugs and will let it sit out overnight. We'll set it up and decorate it on Sunday, something the kids love to do. We are also going to try making our first gingerbread house. Will let you know how that turns out.


.

We sat up on the balcony for a better view. No pictures allowed during the concert.

Concert was about to start.

An N-sized tree


A K-sized tree




A partial view of this large tree farm

This little fella was not shy at all

Take a gander at these geese...pun intended





They provide a firepit and free hot cocoa to help people warm up among other goodies

Sugar Plum and Frosty


Sitting in Santa's sleigh



Loving my monkeys



Chilly but Chipper

Sunday, November 29, 2009

Family, Friends, Food, and Fun

What a busy holiday season it has been so far! My week began with more parent conferences to wrap up and some fun holiday activities with my students. Tuesday night was spent at my daughter's Thanksgiving concert at her school. The kinders, 1st, and 2nd graders performed a myriad of songs and readings that ranged from folk songs, poems, to classic favorites. K was excited for us to see her sing with all of her classmates. She seemed a little overwhelmed by all of the people there, but participated in most of the songs. A few of my favorites were "Albuquerque Turkey" and "Rockin Robin." I was very impressed with the turnout of families there to support the kids. DH ended up having to stay home to take care N, who was recovering from a nasty virus. My MIL was able to attend though, so K really loved having her there with us.

Wednesday was a very relaxing day overall since I just let my students finish up some poetry and craft projects they had started the day before. I sat down and colored with them, which they loved! It has been a very stressful at work lately, so it felt good to just take a step back and appreciate some quality time with my students. I am hopeful that things will begin to calm down now. You can probably imagine what a welcome break the four-day weekend was. On Wednesday night, I had to make Costco run for a veggie tray, appetizers, and dinner rolls to take over to my MIL's house on Thursday. Traffic was insane!


On Thanksgiving, we spent a quiet morning at home just watching portions of Macy's parade and eating some cereal. Then we all got cleaned up and headed over to my MIL's home for the big feast. DH's sister, her husband, and their two little boys were also there. It was a pretty low-key day with lots of yummy food. All the Thanksgiving staples were on the table such as a golden brown turkey, stuffing, sweet potatoes, green beans, cranberry sauce, twice baked potatoes, and dinner rolls. We also ate a lot of appetizers beforehand, so it was a surprise we had any room left for dessert. There was blackberry orange cobbler, pumpkin pie, and vanilla ice cream to cleanse the palatte. The kids played together and I got my baby fix by watching little 7-month old Kellan, while DH helped his mom and sister clean up in the kitchen (quite the sight to behold). If you know my in-law's family history at all, you know just how far they have come in the last few years alone. Suffice it say, we've been building bridges over troubled waters and it seems that bygones can finally be bygones.


We were all pretty tired and turned in early. My brother-in-law told us that there is a chemical in turkey (called Triptafen) that makes you sleepy. Well, I don't know anything about the chemistry of birds, but it was a good thing we did go to bed. The kids and I got up and braved the crowds of Black Friday. Actually, I've learned where to go and places to avoid from years past. Since I began this new tradition for us two years ago, just N and I have made the shopping excursion. This year, K got to finally come along. I would prefer to go alone to get more done, but the kids literally BEG to go. DH had to work this year, so he couldn't stay home with one of them. Thus, they both lucked out.


We slept in until 5am (an hour and a half later than previous years) and were out the door by 6am. Fred Meyers is always our first stop and is fairly close to home. They get busy like everyone else, but the crowds aren't too crazy and they also serve apple juice and doughnuts for their customers. Now that is shopping done in style! Their bargains were unreal, so I was able to get most of my shopping done in one place, always a bonus! We stopped for some Dutch Bros. hot chocolate and then drove clear across the river to the southeast end of Portland to meet up with DH for lunch. He treated us to some burgers at Red Robin. After a window-shopping trip to Toys 'R Us, the kids were getting tired. I wished I couldn've bought their presents right there to take advantage of the sales (but couldn't with the kids right there to see), I took mental notes instead. We made a quick grocery stop and then called it a day.


We spent Saturday over at the home of some good friends. My friend, R and I played some cards and chatted, while the guys tinkered with and fretted over their computers. I got to hold her now almost 3 week old baby girl again, so that was extra sweet. When I changed her diaper, I was happy that it was like riding a bike, second nature even though it's been a few years since I've done it. Though of course she had do her business right in the middle, but I caught most of it. The mess wasn't too bad, but it was hilarious that she just kept piddling as I would almost have her cleaned up. Too cute.


Now that it is Sunday, I am feeling more refreshed. It's hard to believe the past four days flew by. K and I spent the afternoon taking down our autumn decorations and put up our Christmas ones. Next wekk, we will go get our tree. We have a lot of activities coming up that will keep us busy in these final weeks of 2009. There has been much to be thankful for and many more things to look forward to. This truly is the most wonderful time of the year.
As Ralph Waldo Emerson so eloquently wrote:
For flowers that bloom at our feet;
For tender grass so fresh, so sweet;
For song of bird, and hum of bee;
For all things fair we hear or see;
Father in heaven, we thank thee!

Many happy blessings to everyone!

K at her concert


All the 1st and 2nd graders singing



A family feast

Grandma J and N



My little turkey and me

Cleaning the kitchen together

DH and N
(I really like this one of them)



N and K with two of their cousins



N helping me entertain this not-so-little bundle of joy



K helping her cousin read

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

Sunday, November 22, 2009

A Wild Life and Wildlife

This past week, our school library and our English department hosted an author visit. Shelley Gill is a renowned children's author who has lived a very exciting life and has chronicled many of her adventures in her picture books, with many of her storylines based in Alaska. Among many of her journeys, she has raced in the Iditarod, swam with whales, climbed a mountain in Antarctica, and spends her summers as a whale detective to study their migratory patterns and to help protect them. After reading several of her books to my students, I learned just how passionate she is about wildlife. As I listened to her presentation, she raised many interesting points about the dire ecological straits our planet is in. She seamlessly blended history, science, writing, and living life to its fullest during her visit. Her basic message to our students was that the reason she decided to write books was to help change the world in her own unique way.


Now I try to avoid preachy blogs, but on the heels of meeting Shelley Gill and reading a recent article, it definitely made me think. I believe in signs and having faith in a higher power, so when science backs up what the universe has been trying to show us for years...how can anyone ignore it?! I believe that all things are connected.


Global warming is real, no ifs, ands, or buts about it. I am baffled by the silly political squabbling surrounding this issue. If certain politicians or celebrity names are attached to an environmental cause, their opinions are dismissed as left or right wing mumbo-jumbo. It's not about them! It shouldn't be about monetary implications! Climatologists have offered study after study as proof and have forcasted severe implications if the world does not react accordingly. Mother Nature doesn't care what political party we all belong to or whether you believe it exists at all. Global warming threatens not only humanity, but every living thing on Earth. People can choose to believe however they want, it doesn't make the reality go away.


For instance, plankton are slowly disappearing. Now you might think, "so what?" Well, without plankton, the oceanic food chain would greatly suffer. Plankton are at the bottom of a very long food web that ends with whales and polar bears. I do not profess to be an expert on any of these issues, but I have done my homework. Wildlife have as much right to be here as we do. We share this planet with them, despite our arrogance that we run the show. I think Mother Nature would beg to differ. In the long run, I wonder if we can even stop what may be an inevitable future, but maybe we can buy more time us all.

Wednesday, November 18, 2009

Wordless Wednesday

All you need is LOVE

Monday, November 16, 2009

Pause

Here is a heartbreaking article I came across today. It reminded me a lot of a gal I worked with many moons ago, early on in the war. She was a single Mom in the National Guard and was set to be deployed to Afghanistan. She understood the risks, but when one joins they rarely think they'll have to go to war. She had no one to care for her son and had no idea how she would get out of it. As it turned out, they took pity on her situation and agreed to give her an honorable discharge from service. Things worked out well for her, but it is sad to think how many families have been affected by this war that just won't end.


Last night, I was watching an episode of Food Network Challenge that focused on "Thanksgiving Family Feasts." There was one family that was competing that really caught my eye and had me rooting for them. The husband had been deployed four times, so he gone so much that this holiday was going to be an extra special one for them. Most wars ask soldiers to serve an average of two tours of duty. These wars that we've been fighting in both Iraq and Afghanistan have seen multiple families sacrifice for literally years. Kids are growing up without their mothers and fathers. I have some dear friends that have or are currently serving overseas, and you can be sure it has been a struggle for all involved to get through each day. It truly gives you pause.

Obviously, there are many arguments for and against this war. I no longer know where I stand. I want it to be over for the sake of saving lives, but how and when that should happen is still unclear. The tide is constantly shifting in the Middle East, so there just doesn't seem to be end in sight. No matter what side of the fence you are one, we should be supportive of our troops and their families. While we may not yet have the right answer on how to end this terrible war, we can be sure of one thing this Thanksgiving:


Be grateful for loved ones close enough to hug this holiday season.


Saturday, November 14, 2009

Tis' the season of grades, good times, and googoo-gagas

It has been an insanely busy couple of weeks. It's report card season and of course that means pulling really long days at work. After finally completing the nitty gritty of filling out all of the grading forms, my next task will be getting prepared for parent conferences this coming week. Needless to say, Thanksgiving break is welcomed in more ways than one!


With all of the work-related stress going on in my life right now, the unfortunate side effect has been neglecting things at home. I try my best, but sometimes things just get missed. My family is usually pretty understanding during this time of year, but I know it takes its toll at times. I've been trying to do better, but there just only so many hours in the day to make everyone happy and keep some semblence of my sanity. One example of this craziness still to come is an hour after I finish my final parent conference, I have to book over to my kids' school to attend my daughter's winter concert. She is super excited and has been practicing really hard. It will be the best way to release all of the stress, relax, and finally enjoy the season. My son's will be later in December (don't know why they separate the grade levels, but they do).


This is my favorite time of year, starting with Thanksgiving and running until New Year's Eve. We have to rotate among all of the families, so we are somewhere different every year. My MIL is hosting it this year, so that will be fun. Then I get up bright and blurry the next morning with one or both of the kids to brave the shopping of Black Friday. I started this tradition just three years ago with my son. This will be my daughter's first time, so it should be an experience having both of them with me. I prefer to go alone or take just one child, but hubby has to work this year, so it's either stay home and miss the sales or take a chance that they'll last at least a few hours. Will cross my fingers.


After that, we have my birthday...something I no longer get overly excited for. I guess with age we stop looking forward to that annual reminder that youth is a thing of the past. I am facing #36 this year (did I say that out loud?). Yes, I am not to the point where I am embarrassed to keep it a secret. Hubby usually treats me to a nice dinner date with or without the kids (depending on the year and our mood) to a place of my choice. Just on the heels of my birthday, we have Christmas and New Year's. This is my absolute favorite part of the whole year. I will save my gushing for that in another blog as it could easily take up several pages.


Instead, I will share the wonderful day I had yesterday. I woke up exhausted both physically and mentally, having just finished report cards at 8:30 the night before. I literally felt the brain cells dying. Hubby tried to motivate me to get out of the house to go to a sporting goods store. As you can probably guess, I didn't budge. So he took our son with him to have some quality father-son time. After vegging for another hour or so, I called a dear friend of mine who gave birth this past week and whom I hadn't seen in far too long. I asked her if she was up for some company and she said yes.

K and I got up and though we were moving slowly, we finally got going. We stopped for some Dutch Bros. hot chocolate and drove out to my friend, Rosalee's house. K was excited as she hadn't seen her kids forever. She is best friends with Rosalee's middle daughter, so they had a blast catching up and playing dolls together. R had her 5th child, a girl, on Monday via C-Section. Little Emmalie Margaret was too cute and cuddly for words. She was so tiny and delicate. Can you tell I love babies?

People ask me sometimes if I want more kids and I always say yes, but the life of travel that we are striving to provide for our family is not conducive to having a whole brood. We just couldn't afford it. My family traveled all over this country (via car) as a child and I have so many lasting memories that I want to share with my two monkeys. I think that's partly why I love teaching elementary, it gives me a chance to be with a bunch of kids all day, yet leave some of that stress behind. My two keep me happy and busy enough. In the meantime, I get my fill of babies by having a lot of friends and relatives that have plenty of kids to love. Enjoy some pics of baby Emmalie below:


R feeding 5 day old baby girl


Meet little Emmalie Margaret


Hang loose!

A bundle of joy!