All in a day's work...

I have deadlines this week for school. Does my lack of blogging clue you in to my school deadlines? I know that I miss reading all my "friend's" blogs while I am studying whether a kinesthetic teaching style has an affect on the literacy development of young children.

It is difficult to switch between preschool teacher, wife, mommy, and PhD student. Instead of writing literature reviews, I would rather draw a large picture for my professors on the white board and sing a song by Dr. Jean. In a matter of hours I switch between creating huge hats for our unit finale of Dr. Suess books and reading dissertations while trying to understand whether the statistics used were effective!

One of today's moments epitomized my struggle between these split personalities. Austin was finishing a snack before nap time this afternoon. I told him that he could watch ANY show of his choice because mommy had to work on a paper.

Without hesitation, my son chose his favorite show, Mickey Mouse Clubhouse and I was soon listening to the laughs of a nearly three-year-old as Goofy displayed his pineapple underpants to the viewing audience. Not only does Goofy wear the prementioned pineapple underpants, he also talks regularly about his "stinky shoes!"




"Stinky Shoes, mom!" laughed Austin.
"Isn't that funny! Goofy has stinky shoes!"

I need to confess that I was deep in thoughts about factor analysis and wasn't really listening to Austin's glee about Goofy's antics. Before I could transfer some vital information over to my paper, I found a child size 10 tennis shoe under my nose.

"Smell, Mom!" he yelled.
"I have stinky shoes too!"

"Uh, huh, Austin," I replied. (yes, this is where mommy neglects son to try to accomplish something for school)



I should have paid more attention.

About 3 minutes later I looked up to see that Austin had stuffed his size 10 tennis shoes full of popcorn (his snack). A stinky shoe FULL (and I mean stuffed) with popcorn!

At that point, I realized my son just needed a little attention before nap time. I put my computer down.

"Okay, sweetheart, do you want to talk about stinky shoes now?" I asked.

"No mom. I want to comb your hair!" Austin replied as he found a comb under the couch. (Don't ask, I don't know how it got there, but seeing how my two year old stuffs popcorn in his shoes, it doesn't surprise me!)

The beauty parlor commenced, and before long I found my long hair combed straight down in front of my eyes.

"Mom, you look beautiful!" Austin said.

Just as I began to get sentimental and give my boy a big hug, he finished his sentence...

"Just like a TURKEY!" and then he burst out into giggles and couldn't stop laughing.

There is nothing like my son's laugh, but little does he know that I really will look like a turkey at school on Friday if I don't get this work done!!!

Do you ever need a little more color?

I don't know how it happened, but somehow...

while we thought Austin was napping this afternoon...

he was decorating instead.

He used a pack of brand new crayons to color his fresh, white sheets.

He was thorough.

He used bold strokes.

He used multi-colors.

And now I need to do some laundry.

What a difference a year makes!

Having fun going down memory lane...

March 2007

March 2008

March 2009

A Puzzle and a Power Tool

Sleeping in? check
Lunches with friends? check
Time chatting with girlfriends? check
Being coerced into a 2 mile run? check

Spring Break has been the perfect balance of rest, movies, eating out, and time with friends. The most important time of Spring Break for me, however, is the time that I get to spend with my boy!

We went to a large toy store the other day where Austin was allowed to buy one small gift for being a good listener. While he carefully examined every possible train option in the store, I noticed a shelf of puzzles across the aisle. "Well that might be fun," I thought to myself. "I haven't done a puzzle in a while. I could do that while Austin naps this week" (basically anything to occupy my time and keep me from writing papers and cleaning).

Of course once I began the puzzle, I couldn't stop. After nap time, I gave Austin some small puzzles so I could try to finish mine. "Please let me help you with your puzzle, mom," he begged. "No sweetheart," I replied. "This is a grown up puzzle. I don't want you to get frustrated. These pieces are too small for you to put together."

I put Austin to bed that night and finally finished my puzzle at about one o'clock in the morning. Puzzle completed? check.

The next morning while I was in the kitchen, Austin asked again about the "grown up puzzle." "Can I please do your puzzle?" he asked. "Sure, sweetheart." I thought to myself, "It just needs to be put back in the box anyway." I watched as he crumpled one of the corners of the puzzle with his hands.

While you might assume that I was in the kitchen making a fancy breakfast, I was actually under the cabinets drilling in some new shelves. I would rather have a power tool than a spatula in my hand any day! When I finished my drilling, I raised my head and could not believe what I saw... that boy had put the corner of my grown up puzzle back together.



He probably would have done the entire puzzle in half my time.

I need to show you his puzzle completing outfit, however, to make this story complete.



As I put this outfit on him the night before, he said, "Mom, this DOES NOT match." I had grabbed the first pair of shorts and shirt I could find. After all, I had a puzzle to finish that night. "It's okay, you don't have to match when you go to bed."

He looked down and reviewed his outfit one more time. "Are you sure, mom? I don't think I'm supposed to dress like this."

Okay, my two-year-old, puzzle-completing son, when did you become the fashion police?

I may not be a spatula-carrying, fashion-conscious mama, but he did get some new shelves this week from his power-tool-wielding mom!

Just Playing on a Lazy Day...

As you can tell, I am playing with new ideas for the format of my blog. Forgive me for the mess as I play. :)

A typical thought at my house...

My First Official Day of Spring Break

Ahhh... I love Spring Break. That needs to be emphasized. I LOVE Spring Break! Especially since James said that this year for Spring Break we would vacation here...

Bora Bora!

Yes, James and I talked about spending Spring Break lounging out on that deck in Bora Bora, but then decided... "no, we would much rather just hang out at home and taste gourmet olives at our new Kroger." Sorry, Bora Bora, maybe next year.

Some of the benefits of Spring Break:
- I am not lesson planning! This was one of our lessons from last week. Can you tell what we were doing during our cooking lesson?

Do you need a hint?

We are still on our Dr. Suess unit, so we were making Cat in the Hat hats:) Our icing didn't quite turn red... but let me tell you. Pure sugar on Nilla wafers... my four year olds didn't seem to mind.
----------------------------------------------------------------------

Several things need to be done this week...
I have papers to write
and the house desperately needs a good spring cleaning
i could also organize the garage

instead, I think that I will blog, go to Ikea, and maybe find those left over nilla wafers and some icing...

Prayers from my baby's heart

When did my baby become a little man?

Austin, you have such a sweet spirit even at two! I am so blessed to be your mom. Everyday this week when I picked you up from school, you have said, "So, mom, how was your day?" My sweet Austin, every single day that I have been your mom has been the best day of my life!



Last night we were praying before bed and this is what you prayed, sweet boy...

"Dear God,
thank you for this day.
I hope [sic] you pray for mommy and daddy and Austin.
Help mommy and Austin to have sweet dreams.
In Jesus name.
Amen."

Then you opened your eyes, looked up at me and said, "Mom, I think that you need to pray now!"

I prayed and then you said,

"Mom, you are such a good pray-er."

Austin you make me laugh out loud! When did you grow up???

A New Office

Did I tell you that I am going to England this summer to study Global Leadership?

While I am there, I am going to have to go to Dorchester and pick up one of these Shepherd's Huts to park in my backyard...



Why? You might ask... Well, because I want to write my dissertation sitting inside at this desk sipping hot tea.

Not Me Monday...

Today, for the first time, I am joining the party hosted by MckMama...



This carnival blog is a time for all of us to confess what we definitely did not do this week. I had to post this time because I had so much to share.

First of all, it is important for me to tell you that I did not shove everything under my roll top desk and then shut the top when we had unexpected company. No, m'am. Not me. I would never do such a thing. All of my things are neatly put away exactly where they belong (especially my son's inhaler and breathing machine. I keep them stored and sanitary at all times).



And in the midst of that mess, I definitely did not find Christmas thank you notes already stamped but still lacking addresses. NOT ME! My thank you notes were sent in a timely manner two months ago...


My house is so clean and organized, in fact, that I would NEVER throw a Mr. Cl*ean Magic Eraser into the tub... and then move it around with my foot while taking a shower... and then consider the tub clean. I would never do that, NOT ME!



And while taking the above cleaning shower... I would never find the water rising and realize that a toy had been shoved down the drain. I would NEVER pull a toy (especially a spider, for goodness sake) out of my drain. Not me. That just would not happen at my house.



In fact, my eyes would never leave my child during bath time. He has my fullest attention. I would never sit on the floor and read while he plays. Not me. And if you did find me reading during bath time... It would only be because I was having my quiet time right there on the bath room floor, not because I was trying to find cute cupcake ideas... not me...

And finally, I must let you know that I WOULD NEVER give my husband a lecture about our current finances and our spending habits and then run out to Hobby Lobby and purchase a large barn start that I just had to have. That is not something I would ever do... no, not me...



But if I had done it... my kitchen sure would look cute, don't you think?

Now, you need to head over to MckMama's blog to read what she and everyone else have not been doing this week.

A Staple Gun, some Sheets, and My mom

As many of you know, my mom is a crafty little wizard, a handy-woman extraordinaire, and a baby whisperer (which I don't need at the current moment). I do, however, need her other talents. So, when she came into town last weekend, she asked if there was anything I wanted to accomplish. "A Kitchen Renovation!" I screamed aloud!

However, before I reveal the kitchen, I need to show you what she did to my living room with $9 sheets from Walmart and a staple gun.

Living Room Before

Living Room After

Yes, new window treatments for $9 and a staple gun! Maybe someday I will do a close up tutorial... Until then, I am going to pretend that I have fancy drapes hanging up in my house and that my mom didn't rip up sheets with her hands and then staple them to my wall.

I love them...
Ignore, the pinkish pillows on the couch, we were just experimenting with splashes of color on the couch... those aren't the pillows that will stay..

My mom, however, can do whatever she wants to my house because of how she helped me in my kitchen. Here is my kitchen before...

and here it is now!

another before...

and now...

Mom, when are you coming back to Texas??? I have some carpet on the stairs that desperately needs to be replaced. Can you do anything with a staple gun on stairs???

It will not return empty...

The Bud House
Originally uploaded by ~Mina~

*** Photo found at The Bud House on flickr.

Teaching preschoolers is not always easy. An adventure? Yes. A joy? Fully. Easy? mmmm...

Sometimes you wonder if you are truly making a difference in a child's life. " Will they remember anything I teach?" You question. This year, I felt led to claim Isaiah 55:10-11 as a teacher. I am so blessed to teach in a Christian environment. We talk about scripture daily and get to pray together as a class.

Although I may not see the "spring" in the lives of these children. I cling to the promise that God's Word will not return empty in their lives!

Isaiah 55:10-11 (New International Version)

10 As the rain and the snow
come down from heaven,
and do not return to it
without watering the earth
and making it bud and flourish,
so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater,

11 so is my word that goes out from my mouth:
It will not return to me empty,
but will accomplish what I desire
and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.