4 Years in Review

Norah was born 4-ish years ago.

Five years ago I was moved to work in a new school.  Changing positions was not a novel idea, I changed positions quite a bit.

I had worked with preschoolers, but I was moved to the middle school.  I cried.

I really hated it.  The kids walked, talked with intelligibility, sat, wrote, read, answered questions . . . I had no clue what they needed from me.  I was told to clean up the caseload and reduce it.  So who really needed my services?  I was stuck in a room in the back of the library.  I saw no other adults unless I left my room.  One teacher had a joining door and she saved my sanity, I loved her and loved that she asked about my youngins'.

I cringed each day as I opened the door to enter. I never before watched the clock hoping school was over.  I had been at that school for about 2 years, like 8 years prior.  A LOT had changed and whenever I asked questions I was referred to someone else who knew the answer.  And then I was told "but you worked here before, you should know".  As if things always stay the same years and years later!

Then my room in the back of the library was to be converted to a green room, so I had to box up everything, pack it up and move for my 2nd year.  By the offices, in the front of the school.  I had a lovely neighborhood.  I enjoyed seeing my teacher neighbors at passing time.  I could conduct administrative tasks with ease and quickness.  I decided that I had to learn to like my job as going through my career unhappy was not good for my health, sanity, and family.  I quickly learned what they needed from me, and have quite the strategies and support to give to these students.

Then at the end of my 2nd year, I had to pack up everything into boxes because of a huge summer of construction and improvements.  Moving in was relatively easy as I had to just put things back the way they were.  After all my stuff was found, since all teachers' items were stored in PODS outside.

Then the next year a wall was to be be built, splitting my office, again.  I guess historically my office had been two;  I had a "back" door and a "front" door in my small, rectangular room.  But lovely and large for a speech/language therapy room. But no more.

So I had to pack up everything into boxes again after my 3rd year and move to the other side of the school for my 4th year.  And share with the OT.  And learn a new neighborhood of teachers.  I quickly adapted as I was away from the offices, had large windows, shared a printer with my hallway, had lots of space, and enjoyed the company.

I have just spent two days, with my kids in tow, setting up my room and getting ready for my 5th year at the middle school, my 14th school year!  Last night I realized that I am in GREAT shape for the start of the year.  Thanks to not having to unpack one box, decide where to put my desk, and how to arrange my room!!!  All I had to do was wipe down the furniture, tear paper off of my shelves, hang my posters/decor on the walls, empty my drawers, and arrange my desk-top and the tops of my shelves.  Mental effort can be spent on actual job-like duties!

Love/Hate Thursday

I love being off of work in the summer.  It's like I lead a double life.  Working Mom by school-year, stay-at-home Mom in the summer.

I hate that I am still working on accepting the fact that Eric's work does not allow him to take a week off for a summer vacation.

I'm in denial that summer break is coming to a close.

I love french press coffee in the morning.

I hate washing the french press glass by hand.

I love this, bought super super cheap.  It goes in the dishwasher.

I love going to sleep with a clean kitchen.  It doesn't happen often.

I hate waking up to empty the dishwasher.  I grumble when I do, and that's about daily.  I want to wake up and start the day by making breakfast with easy clean up.  Not dealing with the day before.

I love, love, love, the size of my kitchen and the cabinets within.  LOVE!

I love my projects and being a little bit crafty every day.

I dislike the unfinished and untouched projects collecting cob-webs!

I love that there is delicious yarn and a new pattern waiting for me.  I may just have Eric wrap it up and give it to me for my birthday.  It's that delicious.

I love numbers and dates and patterns they may have.   I love that on August 12, 2012 Eric and I will celebrate our 12th anniversary.

I love that we are going to see a movie and dine across the street from our first home together.  That is dinner AND a movie, I cannot recall the last time.  We would have coffee after, but our coffee house closes at 8:00 on Sundays.

I love getting new glasses.  These will be my frames.

I hate waiting for them, about a week or a little more.

I love the many pool days we have had, never shivering when we get out.  Makes for quite dry towels at the end.

I love that this week is cool.  We will be able to clean up our neglected yard and enjoy being outside, without melting.  I think I am ready for all things cool, crisp, apple-y, orange-red-yellow-brown, and fall!!!

I love that the we have been invited to a block party with the theme of "hoedown".   Costumes, hayrides, games, crafts, food, desserts, and good people.  Any ideas for a hoe-down like dessert to bring?

Anything you are loving or hating right now?

Trick-Or-Treat Wardrobes

So, I am now not too late in Halloween costumes.  I think my kiddos have decided, and am hopeful that they will not change  their minds.  The best thing is that I only have to gather, create, or purchase 1 costume.  The other only requires acquisition of an accessory.  Such exciting times, I know.

Norah wants to be a princess.  I am shocked.  This may change.  She previously declared she wanted to be a bee.  I have already made her a cape and a crown for a previous birthday gift.  We were looking on Etsy this morning for ideas.  After some discussion, I realized she is not a tutu kind of girl, but more of the satin dress.  She pulled out one of her long satin dress up dresses and emphatically told me that was a princess dress.  So, more looking for dresses (I'm not a huge fan of sewing sleeves and gathers and things that require button holes or zippers).  I would be sort of willing to buy a dress rather than having to make one.  Then, I wonder about her last year's Easter dress.  Then I re-discovered a satin dress with pink and green stripes that Grandma could not resist buying on sale for Norah.  This was a recent purchase.  It coordinates with her cape quite nicely.  Norah is quite willing to make her own star wand out of perler beads.  Tonight Daddy asked her if he could make her a wand, to which she said yes.  All that is left are her shoes.  If her feet don't grow, her Easter shoes should be fancy enough to wear and not worry about ruining as they probably to most likely won't fit her next spring.  Unless Payless and a coupon come through and provide something more pink-ish and sparkly (size 10 or 10 1/2 if anyone finds a bargain)!

Simon has decided to be a knight.  Both Simon and Norah are in love with this cute little show called "Mike the Knight".  We have nothing knight-ish in the house.  This will require gathering, collecting, purchasing, or creating.  Accessories always make the costume.   Here is one option to use as a guide.  However, we are interested in more of a helmet than the crown.

Items neeeded: armor/breast plate, shield, helmet, sword and sheath, and black boots.

Perhaps Halloween and party stores can supply some of these items as a knight is not an obscure costume.   I just hate spending money and getting flimsy material that rips one minute after donning it.  The idea of buying a costume is against my grain.

But how cute for my brave knight to save his darling princess!

Does that mean I am the lovely queen?

Project Bag

I recently saw this on Etsy.  I loved the simplicity and the fabric of it, but realized I could make it.  Not that I need another bag or purse.  I like the ones I have.  But, I found this  free pattern and fell in love.  I made a bag for Norah using two fabrics I used on her reversible dress.  It is adorable.  I put a pocket on the inside and the outside for her as she loves pockets.

I found some fabric that my Japanese sister gave me.  No, she is not Japanese, she lives in Japan.  I think she got it from her 100 Yen store (or a name something like that).  Similar to our dollar stores.  I thought it perfect and I had just enough.  My requirement was to use all materials from my stash.  I did not have a pretty patterned lining for this, but I did have red satin-like material.  (Left over from a red cape for Lil' Red Riding Hood a few Halloween's ago.)  I put two pockets in the lining, red on the inside of the pocket and the floral material for contrast on the outside of the pocket.

This was a pretty simple pattern with very easy to follow directions.  The only problem or difficulty was within myself.  Some of the details caused extra thinking and some seam ripping.  I was not ruffled or frustrated.  The variety of my finished projects has provided enough experience to carry me through sewing small projects quite well.

 Here are my on-the-go items.  Keys, cell phone, card holder (for store discount cards, reward cards, library card, etc that won't fit in my beloved small wallet),  and wallet.  Oh, I usually toss in a lip gloss as well.  But that's pretty much it!  Did you notice they are all red?

This was fun, and I cannot wait to use it.  Sometimes as my purse, sometimes to tote a small project, and I can't wait to see for what else it will come in handy.

I'm thinking of whipping up more of these beauties sans pockets.  I would use them to give gifts.  Giving gifts with useable wrapping is so very pretty, oh - and functional, too.

(Please do not mind the shadowy pictures.  I used my laptop to take the pictures on the couch.  No downloading needed and instant sharing.  Convenience won over a better photo!)

Not a "Fair" Comparison

The MN State Fair is the best fair in all of the land.  I mean the very best.  Nothing can compare.  People here say, "oh, I've been to fairs".  They just cannot comprehend the huge-ness of the MN State Fair. I have loved the fair since the first time I went.  Then, my college had to start before fair time.  I was able to go with my best friend and Dad before the fair started.

Then I stayed in IL.  I always return to work 2 weeks before Labor Day, so the fair has never been a possibility.  My return visit to the fair was on my maternity leave when Simon was itty-bitty.  We then had a second visit when my school was under construction and my work/school year started after Labor  Day.  We went during the first week of the fair and loved it! If I recall correctly, this was also the year Mom spent fair time in the hospital.  Simon now starts school 1 week before Labor Day.  We have to drive late Friday, of Labor Day weekend, to get there.  Driving back to IL on Labor Day is not a day of rest and traffic increases greatly once you pass WI Dells.  Madison to Chicago is usually bumper to bumper.  We went last year for the great State Fair weekend, but man was everyone ty-rid the entire next week.  I feel it not quite fair for Eric to spend his Labor Day off of work every year driving in a car.  The beginning of the school year is tough enough for me, but taking that weekend trip seemed to put me a bit backwards last year.  Granted, we play VERY HARD at the fair for two full days.  My parents live about 5 blocks from the entrance so we walk there and can come and go as we please.  Spending two full days at the fair is awesome, but you could not ever see EVERYTHING in those two days.

We have decided that we will go every other year to the State Fair.  I have to stop checking the website for daily events, new attractions, and the advertised new "food on a stick".  Can a person be "fair-sick"?

This year is the year that we do not go to the MN State Fair.  To still give us a big fair feeling, we are going to try the Sandwich County Fair in Sandwich, IL.  About an hour away from home.   A bit closer.  This fair is touted as a great big fair, we'll see about that.  But, if we get a sense of farm and have fun, this will work for the other, every-other year fair fun! It won't be the "great MN get together", but it'll be a fair!  And we'll have a ton of fun!