Wednesday, April 22, 2009

The New Student

I am pleased to announce that I am a student again. It feels weird being on the receiving end of the proverbial Red Pen! I am taking an English Class via correspondence so that I can fulfill the requirements to update my teaching certificate (which lapses after 3 years of not teaching). I actually haven't gotten my first lesson back yet but I did see the grade (an A). I was very anxious that perhaps after 14 years out of school I would be a little rusty, especially since eight of those years were spent with babies and toddlers and six with teenagers and textspeak (Like. OMG! BTW, that is my BFF. Like I am ROTFLMAO. Dude!). It was really going to be a shot in the old ego if I did poorly so I am glad for the ego's sake that I made an A. I am getting to read some books that I haven't read before and re-reading some that I have. The biggest lesson I have learned so far is just how it feels to be on this side of things; I am the learner instead of the teacher. What does she want me to get out of this passage? I know what I think but will she disagree? Did I spell that correctly? Is that comma in the right place? At McDonald's they have managers learn all aspects of the business from flipping burgers to taking orders in the drive-thru. It's so that they can get a grasp on what all employees are going through rather than just the managerial side of things. Likewise, I think teachers should be required to take college classes every few years to make sure that they don't forget how it feels to be a student. So far it has been a lot of fun; I am a much better student now than I was 20 years ago.

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Our Spring Break

Here are some photos of our spring break fun. We didn't go any further than Folsom but we had a great time! We did Easter with the Broders in Folsom, drove back here for Easter with the Phillips. had a few baseball games and practices, went to the strawberry patch (so that Cullen could enjoy it too) and then the boys went back to Folsom for a few days with Grandma and Grandpa. All in all it was a lovely spring break!

Lila loves just hanging out.

It took a while but Carson found his golden egg that the Easter Bunny hid.


Lila at the strawberry patch petting farm


Slave labor



Lila got bows from the EB




Cullen still likes hunting for Easter eggs





Getting the eggs ready is the best part!

Big Decision

A few weeks ago I made a big decision after a few months of really thinking about it. I decided to go back to work for the 2009-2010 school year. I have missed working this time and while I have loved being home with Lila I think I will be more satisfied going back to work when she is 13 months old. In addition, I think Lila will be happy with this decision. She is extremely social and will love the interaction at daycare. Right now the highlights of her day are going to the gym nursery and various stores and errands. She doesn't actually like riding in the car very much but she loves getting to where we are going and waving and smiling at her various admirers. By her second trip to the Gonzales library several of the librarians knew her by name. I have her in at a daycare this side of Gonzales (almost in Duplessis) but don't have an actual job yet. I would be delighted to return to East Ascension High School in Gonzales if they have a spot for me. However, those of you in education know that sometimes you may not get a job until a day or two before school starts when they know their staffing needs. I am prepared for that and will see what comes my way! In the meantime I have started my classes that I need to take to renew my teaching certificate. If you don't teach for 3 years or more you need to take 6 hours of college credit (undergrad courses are OK) that you haven't already taken but that pertain to your major. Some examples of classes I can take are English, education, and even some psychology classes. I am taking an English correspondence class right now and love being a student again. So that's it as far as Mama is concerned. I am sure I will post again soon about stamping or the kids.

Monday, April 6, 2009

Where has the time gone?



Lila at age 8.5 months


Cullen at his honor roll assembly, age 9.5

Seriously, where has the time gone? Last I remember it was January and now we're a week into April. After having watched entirely too much Lost I am tempted to suspect some kind of time- space continuum. I expect to see Jack and Kate show up at any moment.
I am going to post some new photos of the kiddos, including the insanely active Lila Katherine Phillips. After one laid-back child and one child incapable of mobility at 8 months it is startling to have a child behave in this albeit relatively normal manner. Sometimes when we are playing on the floor I instinctively stretch my legs out to block her from getting to something she shouldn't get (fireplace, cats, dog... just fill in the blank). Here is how each child was or is different in their thoughts and reaction to the leg-block action at age 8 months.

Cullen: Oh, well, if there is something in the way then I really shouldn't break the rules and go around them. I will find something to play with right here and I am sure it will be just as fun. And law abiding. If anyone goes around them you better believe I will tattle.
Carson: Dude, you can MOVE your legs? How 'bout I just sit here and you bring things to me instead, ok? I mean yours move and I'm so cute so it really works for both of us.
Lila: (looking deviously) You think those little obstacles are going to stop me? You are stupider than you look. Watch this, woman (and crawls over the legs).