Sometimes we are boring...except when we're not.

Sometimes we are boring.  Yes, it's true.  But, sometimes we are fun.  This weekend we were fun.

Who needs tv when you have farkle?

Working on a photo project Saturday morning, thought these were fun.

Why hello Mr. Squirrel.  What was that?  You have aspirations to be a model?  With that profile, why yes I think you could do it.

Watching the pig races at Geobbert's Pumpkin Farm in Barrington

Corn Maze! (Definitely not for little kids)

Seriously awesome

I make the poor guy take pictures all the time

Today we are mostly boring.  We used up all our fun Friday and Saturday.

It's the little things...or rather not so little to me.

After a busy week of what shall from hence forth be called "normal", I came home to this:

You have to understand-we hardly ever use table cloths and you can only see two/thirds of our kitchen table 99% of the time because of mail or books, computers, or homework.

What a wonderful way to start the weekend.
He's so great.
I think year number 3 will be our best yet. :)

Then and Now

As we opened the windows to let the cool air in, I smelled fall coming.  It's on it's way!

I absolutely love fall.  Maybe it's the colors or the decorations.  Or it could be Halloween (I really like Halloween despite the creepy factor).  But I actually think it's because fall is the season Wes and I met.

I love fall.

Then (almost four years ago)

 Now (2 months ago)

I was misguidedly told in high school to make a "list" of the qualities I wanted in a husband.  I can only be glad Wes was not told to make a similar list.  Years later I have found these "lists" that appear to be more of a grocery list than a list of character traits I would want in someone I am to share my life with.  I am too embarrassed to post these recent findings but it is amazing how it changes.  I used to "update" my list every year around my birthday.  I think somewhere, I have about 4 or 5 lists starting from the year 2001.  I am sincerely thankful that I was not given what my list claimed I needed.  I had no idea what I wanted or needed for that matter when I was 16.  Ten years later I am finding God knew exactly what I needed and gave it to me before I could even think to ask about that "quality".  

How many dreams do I think will be good for me/us?  Then we find we're better off trusting God than creating our own ideals.  

Throw out my list Jesus.  Change my heart so I don't even make them to begin with.

A little encouragement resulting in a busy fall

A little encouragement after an exhausting first week back.
This week I found out what after school specials I will be teaching.  The teachers get paid a certain amount depending on how many kids sign up for their class.  So, Monday after school I will hanging out with 10 5-7 year olds, dancing to Justin Bieber in our socks on the drama stage.  It's going to be a blast.  In the second class, I'll be reading kids stories and they will either draw or write responses to it and sometimes create their own alternative ending.  This class is for 5-6 year olds and I've got 8 of them.  On top of those two classes I found out my tap/ballet class I teach elsewhere got enough kids in it to continue through the fall.  I feel very encouraged.  Needless to say, it will be a busy fall but I am very excited to try my hand at these.
I've found some great children's books and I know a lot of authors from my time at work but does anyone have any suggestions?  Even though this class is for 5-6 year olds, they're all a grade ahead.  I'm willing to research just about anything!

A teacher's List for future readiness

While talking about how many people are in my family a little girl asked me why I didn't mention a baby.  I tried not to laugh because usually I don't get that from little kids.  I told her I don't have a baby.  She asks "did it die?" very seriously.  At first I found this amusing because she just figured every person has a child and there must be a good reason I don't have one.  Then it occurred to me that her short life experience may have crossed paths with a loved one who lost a little one and the smile left my face very quickly.  I'm not sure what to do with that.

On a different note...

Do any other teachers out there feel like they are not allowed to complain about their day in front of parents?  I don't mean parents of the children they teach...I mean people in your personal life who happen to be parents.  Sometimes I feel like everyone else is allowed to complain about work but because I work with kids and don't have any I get the eye roll and the judgmental statements.  I get it, I really do.  I don't have kids so I don't know that side of it...but don't we all think it's ridiculous when a 4 year old comes to school in 2 inch heels?  Or when a parent forgets to pack their child's lunch 3x in one week?  Or how about making their child look like Jonbenet Ramsey on school picture day?  Yes, I know I'm not a parent, but I would hope there would be some common sense things that people just know not to do.  

I realize I've learned a lot in my years in a classroom too so here are some obvious lessons and some that are perhaps not so obvious that I've picked up and now just consider good common sense.

In no apparent order:

1. Do NOT buy your child lace shoes if they cannot tie them (teachers do not enjoy tying 20 pairs of shoes multiple times a day because the child insists on untying them every time you turn around).  Shoes with laces should never be allowed until first grade (just my opinion)

2. Pack your child snow pants in NOVEMBER.  Just because it's not snowing does not mean it's not cold out there...insulation.

3. When you are getting ready for winter: get your child 3 or more pairs of gloves/mittens that are the same brand/color everything.  That way when the left one keeps going missing you can replenish easily.

4. You may think your child will never have a bathroom accident...and you may be right.  But if you don't put an extra set of clothes in their backpack like the teacher told you to, the next time the kid at the lunch table tips over his milk onto your child (which happens twice a week), your child will have nothing to wear.

5. It is really not helpful to hang around the classroom in the morning when your child is crying.  If you leave they will stop.  It's like some unwritten preschool rule that all the kids know but don't let the parents in on.

6. Don't try teaching your child sounds to get ahead of the class if you can't teach them correctly.  "F" is not "fuuuu" it's "fffff", "M" is not "maaaaaa" it's "mmmmm".  You really just confuse the kid and the teacher has to unteach to reteach.

7. A granola bar doesn't constitute as a lunch...not for a 3 year old, 13 year old, or 30 year old.

Okay that's all my raving for now...I know I don't have it all figured out and I am not saying I'm going to be the perfect parent-or even any good for that matter.  But at least I won't be worrying about stupid stuff like lost gloves or extra sets of clothes.

A Team Effort

We are discovering new ways in which we work together.  It's a blast.

Excuse our grossness...it was a warm day in Chicago

A New Way to Live

I'm not exactly sure where I'm standing on this...just some thoughts bundled together.

During a wonderful visit with friends, I was more properly introduced to Dave Ramsey...not in person but rather, his ideas.  If you haven't heard of him, I recommend looking him up.  I bought his book The Total Money Makeover.  Some of the stories in there are absolutely frightening.  Young couples making $40,000 combined with $150,000 in debt!  There are even stories of older couples, the age of my parents, who are in just as much debt.

Now don't get me wrong, we don't have debt like that.  We don't own our own home and we are not making car payments.  Student loans are what run us into the ground.  But after reading these stories about how these people made it out of debt....within a FEW years makes it super encouraging that we could possibly do that too.  (Those of you who are Ramsey enthusiasts are saying "DO IT! DO IT!")  but it's definitely scary.  I like his "tagline" so to speak "live today like no one else so you can live tomorrow like no one else".  When I see people our age buying houses or nice cars I definitely tend to think "oh man, that would be nice...maybe next year" in a sad melancholy voice in my head.  Again, don't get me wrong.  I love our life.  But I'm not perfect and just like the human race, will always tend to want something I don't have...even if it's just cooking skills.  I'm definitely not trying to knock those people who already have a house and the new car.  I'm just wondering if I want that too...right NOW.

If you're not familiar with Dave Ramsey, let me give you the first few steps...before step 1 he tells you to make a budget then numero uno...save a small emergency fund for those rainy day mishaps.  Two...start paying off that debt.  This step takes years but if you stick to your guns and decide you will not buy that new tv, dress, or go out to dinner every week, this is entirely possible.  There are many more steps but this is about as far as we are.  I'm just not sure how gun-ho I can actually BE about it.  I LIKE enjoying a nice dinner every once in a while, I LIKE going to H&M...and the list continues.  BUT I LOVE the idea of having no debt by the time we're 30 even more.  By deciding to jump on board I am resigned to the fact that my extra funds from doing extra jobs around work will go to paying off our loans...not dinner out.  Again, I'm not sure how well we'll do but I'm willing to give it a try.  I know in the book it says unless you have "gazelle intensity" you will not make it out of debt...I'm hoping this "gazelle intensity" comes after we can cross off that first loan (I have about 5 for school)...crossing fingers....my personal goal is December!  Then, when Wes finishes school we can start tackling his loans.  At the moment it's a little weird to start listening to Dave Ramsey because he doesn't want you to have debt or loans but that is how we are able to put Wes in school now.  No, the loans are not going to pay for loans...that's stupid.  But it's really weird to think that we want to pay off some loans and then it's like...oh yea, we're taking out loans right now.  It's comically hypocritical.  But at the same time we truly believe God is placing us on this path of Wes being in school so that eases my heart rate quite a bit.

I'm still not sure about all this and how I will do with the temptation to buy a new sweater or two when fall comes around, but it was definitely encouraging when I gave the book to my dad, whom I highly respect, and he agreed with the 90% of things that I did in the book (eventually Dave Ramsey says to live without credit cards completely and Wes and I just can't agree with that in our society) and he even encouraged us to do it!  

I have to say I am also HIGHLY encouraged by the couple (a very close friend) who told me about all of this.  They are doing it with "gazelle intensity" and I feel like there is very little fear, just the realization that they don't want to be paying off two cars, a home, etc etc.  They want to live like no one else now so they can live like no one else later.  It's even more encouraging knowing they have a child and it's possible to live this way with a kid!  That baby will not remember giving up going out to eat...but that 10 year old will remember her parents sitting over the kitchen table calculating the mortgage plus the new car and wondering how they will pay for vacation and summer camp...

A friend and I were talking about entitlement the other day.  Our generation feels entitled to the things our parents had, but worked years for.  We feel that we DESERVE a house by the time we're 25, we DESERVE a new car every 4 or 5 years.  But in reality, we DESERVE nothing and with that mind-set, perhaps it will be easier to jump on that gazelle...

I'm still not sure where I am on all of this.  But I am enjoying hearing about this new way to live.