Progress

It seems I've once again been away from blog land.  Most family and friends that I originally started blogging for here are now connected with me on Facebook, so my blogging bouts are further and further apart.  However DH and I made some major progress today with our SIF issues, which made me want to post. 

So on to the updates:

Work:
-I'm a bit relieved that my principal is retiring effective June 30th.  We don't know yet who the replacement for next school year will be, but I am hopeful the new person will bring positive changes our way.  Most of us feel the school morale has declined immensely over the 3 years the current principal has been with us.  In addition, the student behavior school-wide seems to have also worsened.

-I feel horrible.  A new teacher whom I'm the mentor for was told (by principal mentioned above) that she isn't being re-appointed for next year.  It's really awful.  I am livid at the way it was handled...the teacher was in the middle of instruction during 1st period, when there was a knock on her classroom door.  Upon answering the door, there was a substitute teacher who told her she was needed in the Principal's office and the sub was there to provide class coverage.  The teacher reported to the Principal's office, where our principal and one assistant principal were waiting.  They then informed her that they don't want her to return to our school next year.  After their meeting, she was expected to go back to her classroom.  Can you imagine?  I am pleased that she is sticking with it through the duration of this school year, as I think many people would have "walked" immediately upon being told their contract won't be renewed. Why this was not handled during her planning period (last period of the day) or before or after school infuriates me.  To expect someone to return to their classroom immediately after learning they were terminated?? Ridiculous!
-I do think the new teacher was doing poorly, however I don't think they gave her a fair chance.  She was hired after 13 subs had been in the classroom.  In addition, it is her first time teaching in the state of FL.  I believe she should have been given at least one more year, becuase I truly think if she'd been able to be with the students for the WHOLE school year, she could've established her own rituals and routines from Day 1 so things wouldn't have been so crazy.  To me it's like they threw her into a hornet's nest and then didn't give her any support when she tried to make her way out.

-I was informed on Weds that I will be moving back to 8th grade (instead of 6th) next school year.  I have mixed feelings about this...I really enjoy the 8th grade students, but the administrator and classroom I'll be working in are not as wonderful as those I use now. I am also a bit anxious, because county-wide the 8th grade will be using new reading curriculum next year...and new programs are always a pain in the backside to implement.  Sighs.

Emma:
-Continues to be such a joy!  I am ever thankful for my girl each and every day!

-Has completed half of the testing to be deemed "Gifted" for gifted resource classes at her school.  Unfortunately, the state of Florida allows school psychologists a certain number of school days to complete all testing, so we do not anticipate that all testing will be finished prior to school starting next year.

-Based on observations by us at home and by school staff at school, we also believe that Emma falls into the "Sensual Overexcitability" category. 

-In a nutshell, a famous Polish psychologist, Kazimierz Debrowski researched and labeled five "overexcitabilities" which gifted children often have.  http://giftedkids.about.com/od/gifted101/a/overexcite.htm

-I feel SO badly I was not honed in on the signs of this overexictability earlier!  But there are signals of overexcitability that Emma has done for as long as I can remember:
       -She MUST have clothing tags cut out of her clothes.
       -If socks don't align on her toes "just right," she will refuse to wear them.  (When we find socks she likes, I always go back and buy multiple pairs.)
        -She is sensitive to loud noises.  In movie theaters or places with loud music (concert; marching band, etc.) Emma plugs her ears.  We use ear protection for her when she views fireworks, because she hates the loud noise.   Each week at the end of dance class, the girls all form a circle, put their arms in the middle, then high five and yell "Bravo!"  Emma places one ear down on her shoulder, plugs the other ear with one hand, and then does the "high five" with the arm under her ear/shoulder.
     -She is particular about food.  She only likes certain foods and likes them certain ways.  (Ex. she prefers boxed mac&cheese to creamier homemade types.)  She also does not like for her foods to touch--she will scoot items on her plate as far apart from one another as possible.
-Fortunately, Emma's oversensitivity is mild and she seems to cope better with things the older she gets. 

-It's been interesting for me after dealing with low level IQ students for many years, to be learning more and more about the gifted and higher end needs of children. 

-It was amazing for me as a mom when for the first time, Emma (in 1st grade) passed the reading level of my lowest students (in 6th grade) this year.  Way to go, Em!

Emmaism:
-There was a Book Fair at Emma's school this week.  One of the books that she purchased was a quiz book.  DH and I cracked up today when Emma was completing a quiz about her interests.  For the question, "Who is your favorite actor?," the conversation went something like this:

Emma:  Who's that guy from "Back to the Future?"
Me:  Michael J. Fox
Emma:  No, the old guy.  Doc.
Me:  Christopher Lloyd?
Emma:  Yeah!  I love him!       

She then wrote his name down in her quiz journal as being her favorite actor.  Hilarious!

Secondary Infertility:
-After all these years, DH and I had our first appointment with a Reproductive Endocrinologist today. I felt we established more goals and plans in our 30 minutes with Dr. B than in our last three years with my OBGYN.  SOOOO glad we went!

-Thrilled that he (Dr. B) wrote down notes about our medical history himself---no secretary/RN like at my OB's office.  He spent time with us and heard us out.  I am pleased.

-We left with a 3-step plan:
1.  I will have blood work done with my next cycle in June.
2.  I will also do one cycle of Femara to try to get PG.
3.  If we do not get PG with Femara use, then the Dr. wants me to do outpatient lapraoscopic surgery, because he suspects I have endometriosis.
4.  And Beyond--after determining whether or not I have endometriosis and if it is entirely removed, we can then pursue IVF.     And they literally offer a "teacher discount" for IVF procedures done during the summer months....crazy, hey?

-DH and I both liked the doctor's demeanor.   And I think we were both stunned when the doctor told us he believes we can have a baby "for hundreds, not thousands of dollars" of medical interventions.

-So today, I feel real hope again (with regards to having Child #2) for the first time in several years.   Definite progress!

Back to School

Tomorrow is the first day of teacher planning week. BOO!!!!!!! Hiss!!!! Drat! Summer has been wonderful this year...LOTS of visiting with family, extended family and friends. Lots of pool visits and swimming with Emma. I hate to see it end!

An Emma-ism from the pool today: While trying to float on her back, "Look! I'm making pool angels!" Yup...definitely the same motion to create snow or sand angles...just in a swimming pool instead. :)

Something to look forward to...the amazing Kym over at The Smartness is hosting Sock-It-To-Me week again! If you are a sock lover (or office supply lover) go sign up! :)

Maybe now that "summer" is over, I'll be back in a blogging groove???

Summer Vay-Cay--Mostly Photos Edition Part II

Kicking myself for not taking photos of my parents, my older sister and her beau, or many pics with my younger sister....or pics of us with my friend Shannon and her family....sighs! But here's the rest of my favorites from what was captured on our camera:

Little Emma on the Prairie





We enjoyed our yearly visit to COSI, the amazing hands-on science museum in Columbus, OH. Auntie Laurel went with us.

(Excuse the fat rolls....but this pic was the best of the bunch.) :)


Em enjoyed playing in the "Kid Space" water area




Her water smock makes it look like she's going to Hogwarts. :)








Em thought it was cool to go inside this submarine.




My college friend Michelle hosted a cook-out at her house, where we were able to catch up with many of our friends from Ohio U.

Shannon (Michelle's daughter) and Emma


Molly's son Graham


Kasy with her youngest son, Trace.


Emma enjoyed playing on the Slip-0n-Slide--her first encounter using one.


Me and Michelle ("assigned" roommates at OU, but friends for life!)


Molly and I---pals since freshman year at OU


OU Girls: Sharon, Michelle, Shelly, Me, Molly, Kasy, Randie


I attended the "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part II" movie with my sister Laurel and DH. LOVED IT!!!!!!!!!!







Emma, DH, and I went to the amazing Ohio Theater with my parents. Located in downtown Columbus, the theater shows old movies on weekends during the summer. Emma was fascinated with the organ player who played before the movie and during intermission. We saw "The Sound of Music." Neat to see one of my favs on the big screen! Pics below are of the gorgeous theater:







Grandpa took Emma to see the organist up close.


Emmaism: in the middle of the movie Emma leaned over, "Is that man STILL in the stage?" regarding the organist whose organ lowered into the stage before the movie started. I had to explain that he has a hallway underneath the stage to get out... too funny!

Fashion Show:
For many years, Emma has enjoyed playing with my parents' neighbors' children. This year she had multiple playdates with their 4-year-old neighbor, Rachel. A highlight of summer was when the girls created tickets and put on a "Fashion Show" for us using the play-clothes from Grandma's basement.

Emma---making pirate clothes look chique.


Rachel's princess attire.


Cracks me up...


Emma's Chinese/pirate/beaded necklace look

Edit: Per her request, I just "show(ed) our vacation pictures" to Emma. She was upset stating, "I. AM. NOT A PIRATE!" Duly noted.


Bring on the pink!


A bit of flair


The girls at the end of the show. :)


Em was excited to bike ride at my parents' house. The training wheels on this bike are a lot higher than those she is used to. With any luck, we'll be taking the training wheels off soon. (Though between high heat and lots of rainy afternoons, we haven't done much bike riding this summer!) (And YES we have a helmet at our house, but didn't have one for this bike at my parents....no bad parenting comments, please!)


Candid of me with my sister Laurel. We had many board-game nights while in Ohio. I <3 board games! :)

We bring our dog with us when we visit my parents. (Boarding large dogs costs nearly $100 a day!) He LOVES the fresh country air and playing with the dogs that belong to my parents' neighbors. Below: Viggo and Emma chillin' in Grandma and Grandpa's living room


We had a great trip!

Emmaisms

School:
WHEWIE! This rough, tough school year is nearly over!
Two more days with students. Two "post-planning" days next week, and then I'm free for some Mama/Emma time, family vacation, playdates, and fun in the sun. WHHHHOPPEE! I am drained.... But leave you with the many Emmaisms I've saved on my Blackberry memo pad the past few months.

Emmaisms:

2/18/11 On Equality:
"Rosa Parks helped make SILVER rights for the United States!"

2/20/11 On spilling hot chocolate:
"It's a good thing to spill on black because black is a big, powerful color!"

3/1/11 On clothing tags:
"I couldn't reach my butt hookers." (I think she was talking about belt loops?? Not sure.)

3/2/11 On Snuggling with Mommy:
"I always love to cuddle with you. It's like I wish you were my mom, my sister, AND my cousin!"

3/10/11 On asking our cat to move out of her way:
"Abby, please move! I said, M-O-V, move!"

4/20/11 On puppies and gender:
"I knew the one I was holding was a girl because it didn't have a penis, a wiener, or nuts. HEY! How come boys have so many names for their stuff?"

5/13/11 On exhaustion:
"I'm so tired I could sleep on gravel!"

5/16/11 Philosophy:
"Do you hold your spoon to eat applesauce the same way you hold a pencil? I do usually. But sometimes I don't."

5/17/11 On Restroom Needs while on a Roadtrip:
"I have to go SO bad! I need a pee-hole right now!"

5/21/11 On Poetry:
"Wanna hear something funny I made up? The 3 little mice in a bucket full of ice." (Should I be worried about this?)

5/28/11 On Numbers:
"Don't 2 and 5 look good together? It's 'cause 2 is an upside-down 5!"

5/30/11 Misunderstood Music Lyrics: (Singing along with "Heartbreaker" by Pat Benatar)
"You're a heartbreaker. String maker. Team Jacob, don't you mess around with me." (Insert DH and I ROFL at this one!) :)

6/5/11 On Transportation:
"That's one sick motorcycle!" (When/where did my kid learn that "sick" can mean "sweet?" LOL.)

Keep On, Keep On, Keep On Movin'

Remember the Brady Bunch episode where the kids sing on a talent show, trying to win money to purchase an anniversary gift for their parents? They called themselves "The Silver Platters" and one of the songs they sang was "Keep on Movin'." That has been my motto as of late...

School Stuff:
--I teach in the 3rd largest school district in the state of Florida. (I was also recently informed that we are the 15th largest district in the U.S. Wow.) Due to the large amount of schools, things like painting are done year-round rather than just during the summer.

Our school system re-paints the interior of all buildings every 7 years. This year my school is on the schedule to be re-painted. This means that classes have to be held in the Media Center, or auditorium or other creative areas while individual classrooms are being painted. I was fortunate because my entire hallway was painted during winter break. Thus, I didn't have to endure the hassle of teaching in an unusual place like many of my colleagues have.

However, when I returned to school after winter break my classroom was in disarray. Due to my building being painted over the break, all of my belongings were shoved on the window sill/counters and most furniture was shoved together in the middle of the room:






It took two mornings going in early and 2 evenings staying late to get my room re-organized and back the way I like it. I still don't have all of my posters re-hung....

--Our district also schedules two big "Walk Throughs" per year. These are days when district personnel from every department come to tour the school, observe in a variety of classrooms, and meet with the principal to provide feedback. Usually the Walk Throughs are held in October or November and then again in April or May.

My school had the first Walk Through this year the week after Thanksgiving. However, glitches occurred and the representatives for social studies, phys ed, and language arts were unable to attend for some reason. Thus, they bumped our 2nd visit from April to this past week. So in the midst of re-organizing after our classrooms were painted, we had to prep for visits from the big wigs.

Emma and I stayed late at my school 2 different evenings so I could get things "just so" in my classroom before the walk through. Murphy's Law of my life----for the first time ever no one came to my classroom during the Walk Through. (Usually since there are only 5 of us in the reading department we ALL get visited during district walk throughs.) Sighs...

School Reports: The 7th grade assistant principal came to me just after the visits were completed and said there was a "reading department emergency." I worried that one of my colleagues had been hurt. She then informed me that the principal was meeting with the district personnel who had finished the Walk Throughs and they were upset I had not sent her (the principal) any updated reading department reports. I explained that I usually only send reports once per quarter, and as 2nd quarter is still in session new reports hadn't been sent yet. It irked me a bit... I haven't done anything wrong or out of the norm, and didn't appreciate the insinuation that I had.

Books: I've been reading up a storm. One of my New Year's resolutions is to keep better track of my book reading this year. Last year I did not keep close track and I know I read things that did not get recorded on my "Books Read" list.

I received the 10 books in the "39 Clues" kids' series for Christmas and finished the last one this morning. What fun reads!

DH: Said I could read the last novel he finished. 90,000 words, wowsers! I am stoked---he's let me read a sentence or chapter before, but never a whole book. Yay! I will start it this afternoon. :)

Emma:

While cleaning our computer desk today, I found a few Emmaism's I haven't posted before.

9/18/10 While walking the dog with Grandpa:
"When it's hot outside, hot air comes out of your mouth."

11/11/10 On only wearing socks and underwear:
"Look, I'm a pattern: Naked, not naked, naked, not naked."

1/10/11: "I was just a little bit hot, so I took my shirt off while I was pretend cooking."
(See pics below.)





I think that's all the latest.

My Quirky Girl

Tidbits from my ray of sunshine, my quirky girl...

A dinner conversation with Emma:

Emma: I'm sad because Ms. H and my boyfriend both won't be at school tomorrow.
(DH and I exchange "huh?" glances.)
DH: Who is your boyfriend?
Emma: Bryce.
Me: When I spent time at your school, he seemed pretty nice.
Emma: Yeah, he is.
Me: What does it mean to 'have a boyfriend?'
Emma: It means you love someone.
DH: Indeed.
Me: Does Bryce call you his 'girlfriend?'
Emma: No, I haven't told him yet.
ROFL. Gotta love kindergarten romance.

-----------------------------------

A Laundry Conversation:

This weekend as the washing machine was filling with water and I was loading it with clothes...
Emma: Mommy, what are you doing?
Me: Honey, use your sense. What does it look like I'm doing?
Emma: Do you mean use my SENSE of humor?

-------------------------------------

Staying Warm:

When we went to Ohio for Thanksgiving we bought Emma the Cutest.Kermit.hat.EVER! (Of course we forgot to take it along. Doh!) However, it has been cold here recently, so Em has been able to wear her winter hat a lot. Turns out she LOVES it and has even been sleeping in the hat.

This weekend at T.arget I bought myself a sleeping mask in the $1 section. I thought it was cute and cheap and might come in handy on the occasional nights DH stays up watching TV while I try to sleep. As soon as Emma saw the sleeping mask, she coveted it.

Last night I checked on Em (who had been tucked in for over an hour) before I went to sleep. My child cracks me up....the pics below show my SOUND ASLEEP girl in both the HAT AND the MASK. HILARIOUS!!!!!!!!





How I love my little sweetie. :)

Emmaisms

Ahhh...one of my favorite parts of summer break is that I get daily cuddle time with Emma. Nearly every morning, she comes staggering into my bed just after she has woken up. We lay together and cuddle for a while before getting up to start the day. On mornings when I arise before she does, she still finds me and sits in my lap for some cuddles before we get going to face the day. I love it! And the long limbs on my little girl remind me that she won't be sitting in my lap forever, I must cherish it while I can!

It's been a long while....below is a compilation of Emma-isms. A 5-year-old's perspective on things:

11/15/09 The ending of "The Star Spangled Banner:"
"...the land of the free...and the home of God's brain." (Why wouldn't God keep his "brain" in the U.S.A.?)

1/13/10 On the characters we've met at Disney World: "We met the REAL people at Disney. The actors are in the movie, but the REAL people are the ones we see at Disney."
(I wonder how long the "magic" will last...I love that she still doesn't think the Disney workers are also actors.)

1/15/10 Answering the Introduction Circle question at gymnastics--Where in the world do you want to go on vacation?
"Heaven or the North Pole." (I'm thinking God and Santa....definitely 2 cool chaps to visit.)

2/17/10 Making Inferences:
"Tinker Fairies are kind of like cars. They have to get dust everyday to have energy. And cars have to have gas for energy."

2/18/10 After looking at the ride status to prepare for our Disney trip and learning the Splash Mountain ride would be closed for renovations:
"Maybe it's closed so people don't get wet literally." ("Literally." Cracks me up.)

Caught awake at 10:40 p.m. the night before our Disney trip:
"I keep trying to sleep, but I'm excited, so I just look out the window."

3/2/10: Regarding male anatomy; to DH who turned to get dressed in the corner:
"How come you don't let me see your little weenie?" (ROFL! Poor DH!)

5/1/10 On playground wounds:
"Remember the boo-boos I got on my knees yesterday? They're ouchstanding." (I think "ouchstanding" is a wonderful way to describe boo-boos. I'm going to add this word to my vocabulary repertoire.)

5/5/10 On profanity:
Emma: "Oooooh! Daddy almost said the f-word!"
Me: "What's the 'f-word'?"
Emma: "Friggin'!"
(Huge sigh of relief...was wondering how in the world she could have learned the "real" f-word.)

5/27/10 On Jewelry: "Why don't boys get blow pop rings when they get married? Then they can suck it whenever they want to." (LOLOLOL...I know she didn't mean this like it sounded, but sooooo funny nonetheless!!!!!!!)

6/1/10 On killing Mommy's Ego:
"You should be on Biggest Loser, cuz' you're really huge."
(Ouch. Who needs Bobb and Jilian?)

6/28/10 On Literature:
"I know the names of two authors! Mary Pope Osbourne and Moby Dick!"

7/1/10 On Make-overs:
"People won't even neck-ig-rize me when we get to Ohio, since I have a new haircut AND new glasses!" (Neckigrize...recognize....heehee.)





Pics of my girl before we went to the pool yesterday. Tonight we're heading to Ohio for our 2 week vacation... Thanks, Emma for reminding me to take time to neckigrize the small stuff.

Random Ruminations

Drat! It's only February and I've already broken my blog-resolution to post at least one time a week! Here's the latest...

School/Work: My students took the 8th grade Writing F.CAT test last week. Continuing with the crappy last-minute notice teachers have been given at my school this year, we were not given the rosters for the students scheduled to test with us until the day before the test. ACK! Fortunately all of the students who tested in my room were present the day before the test, so I was able to inform them where to go during test day. However, there were many students who were nearly late for testing in other classrooms, as they didn't know where to report until the morning of the test. (Don't get me started about how teachers are not assigned "homerooms," apparently that would be too logical...) Fortunately, the testing itself went well. I had purchased granola bars and bottled water to ensure all of the students who tested in my room had "breakfast" prior to testing. This seemed to help them focus, so I will definitely do something similar for the other F.CAT testing next month. It is my 7th year teaching, and only the 2nd time I've ever been able to "proctor" F.CAT for students whom I teach. (Usually I get stuck proctoring a room full of kiddos I don't know. I HATE it when that happens!) I truly believe knowing the students and having rapport with them made a difference in the testing experience for my students and I!

Blog Love: Two cool things: First, I received my SITM socks in the mail last week. WAY cool, I looooove argyle! I will be wearing them to my OB appointment this Tuesday. Pictures and more sock details will be posted next week.

Second: I might be able to meet a few fellow bloggers in person! The wonderful Anxious Mummy is sponsoring a Southeast Georgia blogging event, but was kind enough to invite me since Jacksonville is relatively close. Yay! :)

DH's Job: It's sounding like his job is secure for now. The "higher ups" at the company have assured workers that their center is NOT going to be bought out in April. Thus, DH is hanging in there. Meanwhile, he is plugging away at his 3rd novel, as he continues to try to get published. His ultimate goal is to one day make a living at writing, and quit his current day job altogether. Woot-woot! How wonderful would that be?? I'm so proud of his perseverance. :)

TTC: SOOOO glad I started using the fertility monitor my friend loaned me! Turns out I DID ovulate. (Whew!) However...it wasn't until day 21- 22 of my cycle. Thus, I will definitely continue monitoring...the expense of the "pee sticks" are worth the "knowing" at this point. (And of course I need more than one month of accurate data to determine the regularity (or lack thereof) of my cycle.) I will definitely discuss things with my OB at this week's appt. Also, THANK YOU to those who recommended the Fertility Friend website. I had been using "mymonthlycycles dot com" which is NOT nearly as user friendly!

Busy Week: This week I have my OB appointment on Tuesday. Thursday is my yearly formal evaluation conducted by my school principal. Then Friday--- DH, and EM and I are headed to 3 days at Disney World. (Ode to tax return $$ and great deals for Florida residents!) I'm looking forward to it, as we haven't been to any Disney parks other than Magic Kingdom for many years. We still haven't determined which 3 of the 4 parks we'll be visiting, but my brain is ready for a getaway!

SORRY blog buds....I've been negligent about commenting the past week, as I've been busy getting the paperwork for my yearly evaluation ready... I have Monday off, so am hoping to catch up. :)

I leave you with some Emmaisms:

2/3/10 On Toxic Gas:
"Know something funny that happened at school today? I had a whole bunch of really stinky farts. And know what else? Everyone thought it was Todd! He has stinky farts all the time. So they thought it was him and not me!"
(Cracks me up! And I love that at 5 she's already learned the female etiquette----the stinky ones are ALWAYS a guy's fault! Lol.)

2/4/10 On What DVD Mommy Would Like To Watch:
"I know what your favorite movie is! That one with the werewolf!" (A.K.A. Twilight New Moon)
(a. First of all, that movie is not even available on DVD yet! b. Second of all, I'm big time Team Edward, NOT Team Jacob.) :)

2/9/10 On Royalty:
Em: "I know how ladies become queen."
Me: "You do? How?"
Em: They are princesses and then when the queen gets old or dead, the princess is the queen."
Me: "Oh. How do girls become princesses?"
Em: They need to have a crown, some candy, a purse, and high heels."
(If only I had a crown...I could be a princess!) ;)

Emmaisms

Nothing too new around here, so thought it was time to share the latest Emmaisms I've been recording...

On Fashion:
While at my parents' house for Thanksgiving, my Dad was helping Emma with a Barbie doll. Upon seeing the Barbie's typical non-practical attire, my Dad said, "Barbie better be careful, or she's going to fall on her keister." After we all chuckled, my sister asked Emma if she knew what Grandpa meant. Emma replied that "Yes. Grandpa means Barbie is going to fall on her high heels." (Butt...footwear...whatever! Lol.)

On potatoes:
NO idea what prompted this, but as Em and I were grocery shopping during winter break, our cashier was chuckling at something the bagger boy said. Em looked at the cashier and said, "Why are you laughing, I'm not a potato?" (Ummm. Weird.) 12/19/09

On Heights:
A few weeks ago, Em was talking with my sister Laurel on the phone. Emma said,
"Are you afraid of heights? I'm not!" She then promptly fell off the furniture she'd been climbing on and got a large bruise on her leg. (Is this height karma?)

On Santa:
As we were driving around looking at Christmas lights a few days after Christmas, Emma said from the backseat, "Mommy, do you know how I know that Santa is real? Cuz' I've seen him! Duh!" (How could I argue with that?) 12/27/09

On Broadway Lyrics: Emma and I were driving along singing to the "Don't Rain On My Parade" song as sung on the Glee CD Soundtrack I received for Christmas. The first stanza is:
Don't tell me not to live, just sit and putter,
Life's candy and the sun's a ball of butter.
Don't bring around a cloud to rain on my parade.
After singing this, Em started laughing. She said, "Mommy, that is SO silly. If the sun was butter it WOULD be raining on us!" She found this idea hilarious.

On Disney Quotes:
We cracked up, when Emma told us that Woody (the cowboy toy from Toy Story) says, "There's a stink in my boot!" (Woody actually says, "There's a snake in my boot," but we think Em's line is more logical and humorous.) 1/2/10

Hope everyone's year has gotten off to a good start...and that you're discovering some fun -isms of your own. ;)

Sunday Ruminations

Halloween: Em decided a few weeks ago she was going to trick-or-treat in the Supergirl costume my Mom sent for her birthday. She had a blast....and WOW what a TON of candy! I think we only went to 15 or so houses, but the amount she collected was enough to fill a large mixing bowl. Wowsers.

We went to DH's parents' house last night. We hadn't seen them since August! Due to us being out of town for Emma's birthday, DH's Mom working most weekends, and them being out of state for 2 weeks on vacation last month, we just hadn't been able to connect with them in person.

Em was thrilled with the B.arbie items and H.ighSchoolMus.ical dolls Nana and Papa gave her as a belated birthday present.

Paycheck Vacuum: Sighs. My car started making a loud noise on Thursday afternoon. We were able to get it into the repair shop...$957 for a broken air conditioning compressor. Yikes! Sucked my paycheck right out from under us. And while part of me was willing to go without A.C. for a bit, the mechanic advised against it, as it could lead to further belt and/or engine damage. Argh!

Emma "The Bad": I spoke with her teacher in person. Ms. T admitted that she DID show students "some" of the news on TV. She claims to have only shown a news clip from when Summer was still missing and her mother was crying and distraught saying that she missed her. The teacher said she wanted to reiterate to the students how sad their parents would be if they were ever lost or ran away. And to help remind students not to ever go somewhere with a stranger. I was extremely fired up by this...especially since the school director told me she had asked the teacher NOT to turn the news into a stranger-danger lesson... However, as time has gone on, I'm mostly over it now. I don't like the way things were handled, but I believe Ms. T really had the students' best interest at heart. Ms. T mentioned multiple times that like me, she was disappointed that students parents had allowed their 4/5 year olds to view the entire newscast. She said that students discussing the news had been going on the entire week---from when Summer was only missing, to when Summer was found dead, to news footage of her funeral. And while the way she "taught" students the importance of staying with their parents is NOT what I would have wanted for Em...the reality is that I cannot control what happens when Em is at school. Gulp!

Emma "The Good/Funny": DH was at work on Saturday while I was home with Em. I was in the shower and DH called. DH and I have specific ring tones attached to our cells, so when we are the ones making incoming "home" calls, we're able to identify the call by sound. Em can't reach our home phone when it is hanging in the receiver. So she got my cell phone off the table in our foyer and CALLED DH's CELL and left him a voicemail: "Hi Daddy. This is your little girl, Emma. Mommy is in the shower. You can call us back after lunch time, okay?" I didn't know she even knew HOW to dial my cell, let alone how to locate DH's number on it. Too, too funny!

Books: I've been updating my Books Read list on the left sidebar of my blog. However, it's been awhile since I posted about anything that I've read. Recently I read the first 4 books in L.J. Smith's The Vampire Diaries series. I found the books to be enjoyable, fast reads. However, I was stunned by how similar some of the vampire characteristics are to the vampires in Stephenie Meyer's Twilight saga. I was further surprised in researching the Internet and publishing dates to learn that the Vampire Diaries novels were released a decade before Meyer's books. And though I LOVE the Twilight books and think Edward and the Cullen family could kick the Salvatore family's vampire butts any day...it was a bit of an eye opener for me to see that some of Meyer's ideas weren't 100% original. What a bummer!

This weekend I've started a new young adult series: The Shadow Children by Margaret Peterson Haddix. I read the first two books (Among the Hidden and Among the Impostors) yesterday, and started on Among the Betrayed today. The books are about a society that only permits families to have 2 children or less. There is a "Population Police" that captures (and sometimes kills) any 3rd (or higher) children. The main character of the first 2 books is a 12-year-old boy named Luke, who is an illegal 3rd child. I don't want to give away plot details....but the books have been entertaining and suspenseful. I will definitely be recommending them to my 8th graders.

DH's Novel: He has promised to let me read the ENTIRE first draft over Thanksgiving weekend. Yay! Meanwhile, he toggles between editing his first book and working on writing his second. Super cool!

Emmaisms: Let's close with some Emmaisms. First, a conversation I jotted down from July 4th, regarding excellent teachers and bendable straws:

Em: These are called antignal straws.

Me: They are? Who taught you that?

Em: Let's just say that I have a really good teacher.

Me: Oh. Did Miss Stephanie teach you that?

Em: No.

Me: Then where did you learn it?

Em: I just taught myself.

(She may be a "really good teacher," but how about some modesty?)

10/13/09 On learning more about the world:

Daddy, did you know there's a place in this world called Duval County?

(Yup...and you've lived in it your whole life, Kid.)

10/17/09 On transportation:

"A long, long time ago people didn't have any cars....they only had taxis."

(Forget the camel, donkey, horse, or elephant...taxis have apparently been around for years.)

11/1/09 On elderly parents:

"I get to have 5 scoops of Mac&Cheese, since I'm 5. Sorry, Mommy. I know you're 101. But we don't have 101 scoops, so you'll have to just have 5 too."

(I'm aging quite nicely, if I do say so myself...)

Disney Fun

Though just a short weekend trip, we had a blast...

Friday morning DH and I dropped Em off at school. We then went to Panara where DH worked on his novel and I did some school work. (Both of us were determined to have NO MORE work this weekend!)

Then I dropped DH off at work. I did some errands, checked some blogs, and loaded the car. I then picked Em up just after naptime at her school. We headed to pick DH up at work. Then we were Orlando bound.

We checked into our hotel and then walked around the grounds a little.

Em chillin' in a hammock near one of the hotel's lakes.




One of the best features of staying at Disney hotels is that they offer free transportation to all of the Disney parks.



DH and Em on the bus. Friday night we went to Downtown Disney to eat dinner and check out the shops. (Em spent her birthday money from Nana and Papa on a cute "Baby Minnie Mouse" plush toy.)

Saturday morning we were at the Magic Kingdom when it opened. At 8:50, there is always a short song/dance show as Mickey and other characters ride in on a train and "welcome" visitors to the park. The show ends with a countdown to the park opening. Em loved this!

We were able to ride Peter Pan, Snow White, and The Haunted Mansion without waiting! Then we headed to Splash Mountain. DH and I have ridden the ride many times and have never gotten too wet. Unfortunately, Emma and I were DRENCHED! She was crying and upset at first, because she was soaked and uncomfortable. Luckily it was a 90-degree day and sunny, so we dried out in time. But you'll see we both have flat hair in all our pics. Bummer!

For me, one of the highlights of the trip was our Saturday afternoon lunch in Cinderella's Castle. Em and I had never eaten inside the castle before. DH hadn't dined there since high school. I made the reservation back on Father's Day, because reservations fill up quickly, as you can book the date up to 3 months in advance. The lunch is called "Cinderella's Royal Table." It's wonderful because there are a variety of princesses that visit each table during the meal. Each of them took time to autograph Emma's book and pose for a photo with her. Every diner is also entitled to a photo package of photos of the diner with Cinderella. Em LOVED the excitement of eating inside the castle, and was tickled pink to see many princesses there.


Em with Belle
(Emma thought it was funny when Belle saw her shirt and said, "Oh! I should have a picture of YOU on my shirt!")


Em and Sleeping Beauty (A.K.A. Aurora)


Em and Princess Jasmine (1st time she "met" this princess)


Em and Snow White


Ceiling view from our table


Em at lunch. Note the Mickey shaped kid's plate.


DH at lunch


Em and Cinderella.
(Emmaism of the weekend: Em to Cinnderlla "Your castle is lovely." Awww!)

After our awesome lunch, we headed to some more rides...


DH and Em check out the loot after riding Pirates of the Caribbean


I don't know what we'll do when she gets too big for the stroller. We haven't had a Disney visit yet, where we haven't convinced Em to take a mid-day nap so that she can stay up late for the evening parade and fireworks. It's worked every time!



Close-up of Em's hand. She fell asleep holding the "Wishing Star" that was given to all diners in the castle.


See the gold ribbon on the carousel horse? On our way to the Magic Kingdom, the bus driver was giving park trivia. He informed us that there is only one horse on Cinderella's Carousel that has a gold ribbon on her tail. This horse is named "Cindy" and is Cinderella's personal horse.

Of course, Em immediately wanted to ride on Cindy. We explained that with 50 horses on the carousel and numerous people waiting in line, there was no guarantee that Em would be able to ride Cindy. Fortunately, Emma seemed content to at least "find" her.

However, as luck would have it when we were waiting in line to ride the carousel, we ended up being FIRST in line to enter for our group of riders. Thus, Em WAS able to ride Cindy. She was thrilled!


Em on Cindy and Daddy on an anonymous horse


Em was fond of the purple roses that adorned Cindy


We were able to ride many rides. Though the forecast predicted rain, we had a lovely sunny day. We watched the evening Spectralight parade and saw some fireworks before riding a few last rides. Em thought it was hilarious when we sat behind DH and rode Thunder Mountain during the ending of the fireworks show. DH would point at the sky as though he were creating the fireworks. Quite humorous.

We left the park 15 minutes before it closed, caught the bus back to our hotel...and fell asleep easily!

This morning we were able to have some time at the lovely Coronado Springs Resort where we stayed. The hotel had many lovely features.

The decor of the hotel is Spanish themed. Below you can see the view of the restaurant, conference center, and gift shop buildings. They were located across/around the lake from the room we stayed in. (It looks far, but was easily walkable.)




Em and the Minnie Mouse doll she bought pose by the lake.


Awesome waterfall at the hotel swimming pool.


Em and Minnie at the hotel playground. (It was super hot, so we didn't play much. Though we did enjoy the lovely heated pool this morning. Awesome!)


Em took this photo of DH and I just before we left the hotel.

Lovely, lovely weekend! And I'm feeling much less stressed...let's hope it lasts! :)