Thank you Thomas Edison!

WARNING: this post may or may not have a picture (or two) that may or may not be suitable for all viewers! HA!

Yesterday, the members in our household ate PB and J, Sun Chips,and peaches and pears for dinner thanks to a power outage. This is a sufficient meal, and surprisingly enjoyable due to the entire situation: steaks thawed and ready for the grill (Hubby had this too, but it did not seem like such a treat w/o all the fixins to go with it!) and oven minutes away from preheating to 350 degrees. We laughed and shook our heads, part in disgust and part in 'oh well' mentality.

You see, in our neck of the woods (or at least our neighborhood, anyway) we lose power quite often. If someone close sneezes too hard (or the slightest storm is brewing) we lose power (a bit of an over-statement, but it does happen frequently!) If five houses in the vicinity are all doing laundry at the same time, while simultaneously cooling their homes to to a whopping 79 degrees, we loose power (again, a hyperbole, but you get the picture) Last night was no different. We sat in and semi-functioned without electric for close to 6hrs. We survived. It was fun. Except with my 2yr old had to take care of business in the potty. He was scared and refused to go. Below is a picture of how we dealt.


This turned into a bigger issue than just last night. You see, when my two children went to bed 2hrs later than normal, and got up a tad earlier than normal as well, we become desperate to curtail the whining and the meltdowns and the fights among the little boys. So, we resort to measures that are a rarity in our home: allowing the boys to jump on our bed. No, we do not try to eliminate all sorts of fun around here, I am just a tad nervous, that by allowing the boys to do this, unsupervised nap times (the kind where we tuck them in and walk out of the room and shut the door) OR sleepless nights (when Mommy and Daddy clearly need their rest and the boys want to be up) WILL RESULT IN A TRIP TO THE ER! So, under supervision, the boys passed some time doing this. This is a great trick to break-in a new mattress too!

Summer Revelation

Just yesterday, on the start of my third week of summer break, I finally realized that my time spent is much different these days. Gone are the days of having to squeeze in dinner, laundry, housework, grading, studying, and bathing and playing with my boys in a mere 6 hours or so. Welcome are the days of waking up at 6:30 and having all day to get this stuff done (minus the grading of course!) For the first two weeks of summer, I was rushing around with a mental and sometimes physical checklist of all that needed accomplished (prioritized, of course!) I found myself saying, "OK boys, as soon as Mommy cleans the bathroom, we will play with your trains." Now, I welcome any diversion from cleaning! I can (for the most part) stop what I am doing, play for a few minutes and pick up later!

Believe me, I am not complaining a bit about either schedule (Not today, anyway), as I count my blessings that we are able to have what we have and do what we do! The teaching gig is a fabulous job to have while raising a family, especially when my friends and family in the corporate/business world have even less time at home during the work day.

For now, I must go and do something, whether it be necessary or not! I have two hours until I leave for class!

Boys and Boobies

I have two adorable but somewhat rotten little boys. You may or may not know this. The older is 4 and the younger is 2.5yrs. They are fascinated with body parts (which is understandably developmental and not at all a surprise) But, when they start talking about their body parts, or someone else's body parts, I harbor feelings of embarrassment or humor and sometimes both!

The two boys have a 'naked' dance, that my hubby and I have restricted to their underwear, and play 'peek-a-boo-pee-pee' when they get out of the bathtub (which is exactly how you are picturing it...opening and closing their bath towels.) The boys think it is hilarious to pretend to put sunscreen on their bodies: all parts included thanks to Imagination Movers (No, they do not sing any songs about any inappropriate body parts. One of their episodes is about getting up and being active: when they go outside, they sing the sunscreen song!)

More recently, the younger boy has taken an interest in my body parts and is constantly trying to innocently peek down my shirt either very blatantly or nonchalantly. This act is typically accompanied by "I see your boobies, Mommy?" As if I would flash him! All the while, my older one seems to only be interested in how I go potty. I sometimes wonder if they have devised a secret plan as to how to expose me entirely!

In the meantime, my hubby and I will continue to teach modesty and the importance of privacy (or pridacy if you ask my 2 yr old) and chuckle at their newest obsession once the boys are tucked in bed.

The End

My happiest memories of the 2009-2010 school year in no particular order:

1. The pleasure of teaching a handful of students for the second year in a row in my first ever eighth grade class.

2. Experiencing one of my good friend's daughters as a student in my class.

3. When a student flipped me off behind my back and two sweet girls came to tell me because they thought I deserved to know and didn't want my feelings hurt.

4. Having one of the best, most harmless pranks pulled. I was talking with a group of students/teachers in the hallway. When I returned, I saw who I thought was Ryan standing behind the curtain. It turns out it was only his shoes! Ryan jumped out from across the room!

5. Having the smelliest student of all time, but seeing the pure joy he felt when I would sit and talk with him.

6. Helping a co-worker (and Mom of 8th grader) lug eight 8th grade guys to school who were dressed in short shorts and tight t-shirts just because they could.

7. My new room! While it is next door to the district office, it is much quieter than my old one. And I have a window now!

8. Walking into school after 2.5hrs of sleep the day my friends and I went to dinner and to the New Moon Premier!

At the end of each school year, emotions run high, tension is thick, and students grow antsy. This year this was no different. However, how I allowed them to affect me did. No longer did I take things personally or harbor them late into the night. This year I celebrated the fact that I had survived another school year: that this year was unquestionably the roughest and most emotional yet, and I made it. Bring it on 2010-2011 school year.

Now, the past week and the next 10 will be filled with the smell of sunscreen and sweaty little boys, giggles and memories, picnics and popsicles, discovery and growing, and pure joy. I think I will savor these before thinking about next school year.