The End of November's NaBloPoMo

I have made it to the last day and have managed to post everyday. I enjoyed doing my writing at the end of the day to a point that some days I think that I miss the midnight deadline. I started out doing both NaBloPoMo and posting a status everyday of things I am thankful for on Facebook. I kept up with NaBloPoMo, but gave up mid-November on the thankful statuses. I just didn't feel the passion anymore to continue to post things that seem to have become trivial to be thankful for. I did say that I would probably post on the blog my thankful status posts from Facebook on the last day so that is what I am going to do.

Day 1:  I am thankful I was able to spend time with my family this evening attending Church, dinner, and Riley's last Spooky Gym as an elementary student!

Day 2: I am thankful that my children got to meet their great grandmother while in Thailand last year.

Day 3: I am thankful today for my health and for the ability to lead an active life.

Day 4: I am thankful that we live in a city with an awesome library system!

Day 5: I am thankful for my parents who are always there for me and my family. I love you very much.

Day 6: Thankful that I knew Linda Umstattd! Wonderful person and friend. May she rest in peace.

Day 7: Today I am thankful for my friends, old and new, young and old, near and far. You all have influenced my life and made it richer! Thank you for letting me be a part of your lives.

Day 8: I am thankful that I am able to foster my children's interests, whatever they may be, from trucks and trains to Lego, Nerf guns, archery, and hunting. The future looks to hold more artistic interests, drawing, pottery, and cake decorating.

Day 9: To my gramdmother, Mon Chaisurat, thank you for leading us by your example. We will remember you always.

Day 10: Thankful today for a day of rest in order to be refreshed to face the challenges of a new work week.

Day 11: Thank you to all those who serve and protect our country.

Day 12: I am thankful today to know many parents who love and care for their children; parents who take the responsibility of raising a child seriously and believe in being a parent first and then their friend.

Day 13: Thankful for all the opportunities I have been given in life, personal and professional.

Day 14: I am thankful for my education and that I am able to use my education to influence the lives of others.

Day 15: Thankful for my parents today and everyday! They have always supported me in whatever I wanted to do!

Day 17: I am thankful for all children; they teach you with their innocence and truthfulness.

Day 20: Thankful that we are able to help where we can, both in our local community and overseas!

Day 30: Last, but not least, thankful for my husband and the life we have built together. May we continue on our adventures together for all the days of our lives. Love you very much.

Well, after going through my post, I had 18 days of thankfulness. I have much to be thankful for in my life and although I try to concentrate of the positives in life, sometimes the negatives do get me down, but not for long!

Always the Last Gift of the Year

Our last gift of the year is always the celebration of our oldest's birthday.  This year, he turned the big NINE.  Next year will be double digits for him.  We celebrated in style by having his birthday party on his birthday as we did last year.  We invited his friends and for the first time, one of his sister's friends and her family.  The group that celebrated with our son was the same as last year so the kids all know each other and had a great time.  It was fun.  In some ways, I would like to put some space between Christmas and his birthday, but in other ways, I am glad the celebrating is over all in one shot between Christmas and school starting after the new year.

What Was My Favorite Gift Before the Age of 10?

I don't remember my exact age, but one of my favorite gifts was a Cabbage Patch Kid.  I never thought that I would get one because people were standing in line for hours to get one.  My mom and dad both worked all the time and didn't have time to go and stand in line for a toy.  On Christmas Day that year I was so surprised to open up a Cabbage Patch Kid.  He didn't look anything like me.  He had blond hair and a green outfit, but it didn't matter because I got one.  His name was Louie Wilton, and I chose not to change his name.  Eventually, I ended up with a girl with brown hair named Lea, I believe, but Louie was always special because it showed me how much my parents cared for me.

By the way my mom arranged for her friend to go and stand in line for her to get me one.

Alone v. Social

Do you enjoy being alone? Would you rather be around other people?

I go through phases of liking both.  I am an only child so I can be alone; it does not bother me.  Now that I have a family, I do enjoy the time that I get to spend alone because those moments are few and far between.

I mostly don't mind being around other people especially if I know them.  My husband comes from a big family, and I love to be around them when we get the opportunity.  I can get along at a party of strangers, but don't always feel like I particularly have to be social.  I don't have to be the center of attention and can float back and forth between talking with people and standing around observing the scene.

I do need my down time each day for myself.  After school when I have been with students all day and after I have decompressed with colleagues, when I get home, I need about a half an hour to do what I need to do before we can start homework or dinner.  My alone time gets me through the social times.

Jeff Foxworthy

 

Jeff Foxworthy takes me back to my high school days.  We use to have Ski Club on Tuesday nights.  We would leave after school and get back close to 11pm.  On the bus someone usually had a boom box and would play Jeff Foxworthy or another comedian for the bus ride to the slopes.

 

Here is what Jeff Foxworthy has to say about Ohio...

If your local Dairy Queen is closed from September through May, you may live in Ohio.

If someone in a Home Depot store offers you assistance and they don't even work there, you may live in Ohio.

If you've worn shorts and a jacket at the same time, you may live in Ohio.

If you've had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed a wrong number, you may live in Ohio.

If "vacation" means going anywhere south of Columbus for the weekend, you may live in Ohio.

If you measure distance in hours, you may live in Ohio.

If you know several people who have hit a deer more than once, you may live in Ohio.

If you have switched from 'heat' to 'A/C' in the same day and back again, you may live in Ohio.

If you can drive 75 mph through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching, you may live in Ohio.

If you install security lights on your house and garage, but leave both doors unlocked, you may live in Ohio.

If you carry jumpers in your car and your wife knows how to use them, you may live in Ohio.

If you design your kid's Halloween costume to fit over a snowsuit, you may live in Ohio.

If the speed limit on the highway is 55 mph -you're going 80 and everybody is passing you, you may live in Ohio.

If driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with snow, you may live in Ohio.

If you know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter and road construction, you may live in Ohio.

If you have more miles on your snow blower than your car, you may live in Ohio.

If you find 10 degrees "a little chilly", you may live in Ohio.

If you actually understand these jokes, you definitely do live - or have lived - in OHIO!

 

Ironically, most of the things he has said are true, which probably makes a comedian's job easier!

It's 11-11-11, make three wishes!

I wish for good health, love, and happiness for all those that I love near and far.

I wish for my family to be able to continue to travel and see the world.

I wish for my parents to be able to retire and enjoy long life.

Hawaii Day Four: Snorkeling

We went to a beach in Makena to go snorkeling on this day. Ron, my brother in law, and nephew went off to snorkel and got the opportunity to see a sea turtle. I was not able to go out with them because the kids were not situated on the beach and the sand. They just wanted to play in the sand, and Riley did not want to have anything to do with snorkeling. I tried to follow the snorkelers out, but found that my swimming abilities were not good enough to challenge the waves without a life preserver of some kind. Once they got back, the idea was floated to climb over the rocks to go snorkeling, but everyone was too tired from their last trip out to go with me. Hopefully, we will be able to go snorkeling again or go to Turtle Town because sea turtles are my absolute favorite.

We had lunch on the beach, and left about 2pm when the wind picked up and started blowing our things around. Once the kids were settled at home, my niece and I took the electric bikes (ebikes) out for a ride. We went down to Kihei Rd. to look at the little gift shops and stores that are there. The bikes are very fun to ride. They go about 20 mph, and you can peddle if you want to, but don't have to.

The adults went out to celebrate Ron's 40th birthday at Sarento's, a restaurant on the shore. We got there in time to have our pictures taken and see the sunset. It was a very nice evening with good food and friends/family.

Subbing

I have spent some of my free time substitute teaching.  I have found that I enjoy it, and I really do miss my classroom kids.  I like the variety of subbing and getting to know different grade levels and their expectations.

It is amazing to see the differences between the urban school district where I spent my teaching career, and the suburban school district where I current sub.  In the urban school district it seems that there was a great deal of concentration on social norms and school norms that the suburban children seems to come to school knowing.  Walking in the hall is a different experience in the suburbs.

The suburbs seem to have a great deal of diversity and proof that their taxpayer money is well-spent.  The children are generally the same no matter where you go, but the accommodations that are provided by the suburban school district for their children are wonderful.

One day I may have my own classroom full of kids again, but I am enjoying my small snippets with kids.

PS

I actually ran into one of my students that I had in Kindergarten last week.  He is now in the third grade and seems to be doing well.  Good for him!

Boo Hoo!

We did not come home with the National Championship, but we did get to see New Orleans and travel the 1-10 from New Orleans to Biloxi, Mississippi. It is amazing how much rebuilding there is left to do. That part of the country is forever changed by Katrina.

We ate Louisiana cuisine, visited the French Quarter, and Bourbon Street the first night we were in New Orleans. We did most of our travelling by walking because we stayed in the Warehouse District. We spent our second day in New Orleans partying like a true Buckeye at Ernst's Cafe right down the street from our hotel, the New Orleans Buckeye Hangout! Our last morning in New Orleans, we ate beignets at Cafe du Monde, which Ron did not think was much of a breakfast, doughnuts not being his thing! I, on the other hand, wanted to try them and loved the warm doughnuts with powdered sugar. We saw some donkey drawn carriages and went to the Hard Rock Cafe for our traditional t-shirt.

One of the best parts of our trip was going to the Garden District. I wanted to visit the toy store there, but did not find anything for my kids. For lunch we went to The Big Fisherman, bought a bag of crawfish, and took them to eat by the Mississippi River. Boy, were they delicious!

I did get to rest and relax on our trip, sleep in and read a few books by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. What a great trip!

What makes parents happy...

When going out to eat, what makes parents happiest is when their children are happy. Twice in the past month we have gone to restaurants where my children have not been fed. These experiences are made even worse because I have a highly sensitive son who somehow thinks it is his fault that he does not get his food.

The first time at IHOP we ended up leaving after 40 minutes and watching all the tables around us get their food including people who were seated after us. When I asked the server where our food was, she said it would be right up, but continued putting in orders in the computer instead of checking where the food was. My husband asked our server where our food was and she continued to take customers' orders rather than check on our food. When my husband asked to speak to a manager, he waited for 10 minutes and no manager ever came to our table. Needless to say we came hungry, but we did not leave happy.

The second time at a local Japanese restaurant, we got all of our food and my son's chicken never came. It is difficult to enjoy dinner when your son keeps saying, "I'm hungry, where is my food?" Because we were almost done eating, we ended up cancelling his order and taking him to McDonald's afterward.

Please remember when families with children go out to eat, it is an effort that is only enjoyable if the children are happy. Order for and serve the children first and all will be happy.