Reach for the Stars

Today, B, my youngest child brought home a booklet he made in his 1st grade class. His entire class made booklets about the future that included things he would do in 2011, and various other things with regards to their futures. B has some very big plans for his future because on the page that said, "What I will be in the future?", Brady wrote, "an old man".

I'm so glad he's got his future all mapped out and it does indeed include him becoming an old man.

Have I mentioned how much I love that kid? Love, love, love....

Family Ties

I could not love the HUB Channel more, simply because they show "Family Ties". If you didn't grow up in the 80's, you might not remember the show, but me? Looooove it....and even better? I've watched it with my boys and it's now a motivator to get them to take a bath/shower and get ready for bed BEFORE it starts because well, they love it too. We then snuggle up in bed and watch the show. I love watching it with the boys, especially when they ask me questions like this, "Mom, why is Alex talking on a phone that is attached to the wall and has a cord?" It doesn't make me feel old at all, explaining about the old days when phones had cords. I also like it when they things like, "Mommy, did TV have color when you were growing up?"

Or the fact that we are watching Family Ties right now and my six year old just said, "This is an old, old, old, old, time show."

Sigh...

So It's Been Almost Two Years...

Seems just like yesterday that I wrote. Okay, not really. It's been a long time and I finally decided that I need to start writing on this blog again. My goal is to come and blog everytime my boys say something funny, which pretty much happens all the time. Of course, I'm their mother and I think they're hilarious, but I want to record it all so that someday I can have it for them as a memory. Or blackmail. Either one.

The boys are eight and six now and it's never a dull moment here at home. They keep me laughing. Like tonight when Brady, my youngest, was talking about our sweet little neighbor girls. They both go to a private Catholic school and Brady is intrigued by it. He says to me at dinner time, "Mom, did you know that because K goes to a private school, she has to wear.......umm, clothes, because it's private." I told him that I was pretty sure every kid at every school had to wear clothes (at least that's the rule where I teach and the rule where my boys go to school).

Love my kids...

Come Look at my Poop

Seriously...this topic was a conversation between my boys today. Now let me preface by saying we are strange- my family announces when we have to go to the bathroom and we tell people what we have to do in there. Okay, family and friends- we certainly aren't so classless that we announce it to strangers. We just aren't shy. It took my sister-in-law years to feel comfortable with this. Actually, she's been a part of this family for 15 years and she may still not be used to how we announce this.

My boys are not different, except they like to show their poop to each other. Hence the below conversation:

M (our six year old who is in the bathroom pooping yelling for his brother): "B, you HAVE got to come in here and see this."

B: "Are you pooping because I don't want to see that!"

M: "Yes, but come here and see this. It's super small, like a pebble."

B: "Oh, a rock?" He runs right in, like a pebble is something he has never seen before. Maybe it's because the pebble is magically coming out of his brother's ass and not something he found outside, but whatever the reason, B made a beeline to see that thing.

M: "See, it's like a pebble."

B: "Eww, your poop stinks. But that does look like a pebble."

Sigh....this is my life. My fault, I started the whole not shy about poop phenomenon, but never have I asked anyone to come take a look at it. At least not that I remember.

The Principal's Office

A conversation with my oldest, who we refer to as highly "spirited":

M: "Mommy, I have been to the principal's office three times total."

Me: "Super great. You are in first grade and have me beat by oh, THREE times!" Yeah,I was a total good girl.

M: "Yeah, I know...one time I yelled in Gretchen's ear and I had to go there in Kindergarten."

Me: "Yes, but you technically didn't get sent there that day. You and Gretchen were in the hallway with your class, you two were having an issue and you also had a substitute that day. It just so happened the principal was walking by, knew you had a sub and decided she would just snag you both to talk about what was happening."

M: "Yep. Then I had to go that day after the girl in Kindergarten asked to see my penis and I showed it to her at nap time."

Me: "Yes, I am also well aware of that time too and you weren't in trouble then at all either. Trust me, porn star." Of course I didn't say porn star in my response.

M: "Then this year I had to go because at recess I got mad and yelled and hit someone."

Me: "I can't tell you the pride I feel about that. Let me just reiterate to you, son- going to the principal's office ISN'T something you want to do. Most kids want to avoid being sent there."

M: "I can't help it. If she asks me to come to her office, I have to go."

Me: "I know you do...let's just not make it a habit as you grow older."

Why is it always the teachers kids?

I Got It!

I freaking got the teaching job! I am so beyond thrilled. I wanted this job so badly and can't wait until August. The principal called me tonight to let me know she is recommending me for hire .

So excited!

Then I am brought back down to earth when I hear my boys in the shower talking about their butts, about what comes out of dinosaurs butts and if dinosaurs poop out of their mouths.

Don't ask.

Long Time, No Blog

Wow..it's been almost a week since my last blog! Sorry. It's not that the boys haven't done anything cute or funny, because trust me, they have. It's just that we've been so incredibly busy.

First, I am actively searching for full-time special education teaching jobs in the fall. With the exception of the horrible experience when I tried to return to teaching two years ago, I have been out of teaching for six years. Wow. I can't believe it's been that long. I have had two interviews. One interview came down to me and another person. They gave the job to the other woman because she had more reading strategy knowledge then I did. It wasn't a special education position, instead it was a teaching job that would help avoid putting students in special ed. The Director of Student Services liked me so much at that interview, she has made it her goal to get me hired in her district by fall. LOL. She said not hiring me was the hardest decision she has ever rendered in her career and really wants me to teach. I interviewed on the phone last week with the same district, this time for a Level 1 Elementary Special Education position. I taught Level 1 the last two years of my career, spending the first nine teaching Moderately and Severely Behavior Disordered students.

The phone interview went so fantastic that the principal asked me to come Friday for an in-person interview and tour. I went, it went well, I should know by the end of this week if I got the job. My worry? I didn't get it because yet again they asked me for specific reading strategies I used. Well, it's been six years and while I have many strategies I used, I am sure by now thanks to No Child Left Behind, things have changed. Let me tell you, the whole special education realm is not as I left it six years ago. I am so afraid I won't be hired because of this.

So what am I doing? Regsitering for some continuing ed courses that teach current reading strategies. Believe me, I have let the principal know that I just interviewed with that I am registering for this and hopefully that will make a difference. Maybe I am overreacting, but before these last two interviews, I have never been turned down for a teaching job. I was hired on the spot for my interview with the school I ended up leaving to stay home. Before that, I was hired the same day fresh out of college for my first teaching job and the job two years ago? Hired three hours after my interview. I figure something must be wrong with my skills if I am not being hired...so I may as well hone those skills.

Besides this we were gone all weekend at a waterpark/hotel with our kids and some family friends and their kids. It was fun...but man waterparks are freaking tiring!

So, that's what's happening on our homefront. I promise to fill this blog soon with funny things the boys do. God, it never really stops.