Spring

Time has been flying since we resumed school in February after ten snow days! It felt like there was a lot of catching up to do with curriculum. March is always a furious month, filled with parent-teacher conference nights where I work two days for over twelve hours at a time. We hold our conferences from 4:30 - 8 p.m, after teaching all day. We have dinner provided for us to eat in the small window of time from the last student bell at 3:35 until parents are lined up and waiting at 4:30. While I always enjoy the contact with my students' families, I am always relieved when it is over since it is so exhausting. I've also had pre-AP training this month which took me out of the classroom, and I sold 120 items of used clothing and toy items at the local Rhea Lana consignment sale. I love shopping the pre-sale when I can find Arden a lot of good deals of used clothing and shoes for the upcoming season! Usually, that is the only place I shop for her. I tagged all the clothing during our snow days in February, so that helped with the March Madness.

Teaching is going well, and I'm loving my stroll through House on Mango Street right now which is one of my favorite novels to teach. I actually mourn it when I finish and shelf it for next year. I love seeing the connections and analysis that my students can make by this point in the year, and this novel really forces them to dig into subtext and find connections. It's often the first novel that these gifted junior high students really struggle to understand, as reading has always been so easy for them. I enjoy seeing them stretch and then rejoice as they finally "get it."

I have also been wrestling with the decision of whether to pursue National Board Certification next year. This national teacher certification program offers a variety of benefits including significantly higher pay in the state of Arkansas, recognition, and portability of my teaching license to all fifty states if we were to ever move. It is probably the equivalent of taking three graduate classes during the school year with the amount of time it will entail. It involves assembling a series of four portfolios with written papers for each one that document student work, writing instruction, professional contributions, and videotaped samples of small and large group instruction. Then, there are six standardized tests that are taken in a timed session in a testing center to test content knowledge.

Right now, I am praying about the decision, but I am leaning towards pursing this next year. I have a good support system and am very comfortable with the pre-AP curriculum that I've taught the past two years, so I feel that I'm in a good place professionally to do this. It will be a crazy year from November through March next year as I complete the work before the March 31 deadline, and I know it will be hard on my family. However, the financial rewards will be very beneficial once I receive my certification. I plan to take the family to Disneyworld with my first bonus once I pass (I get three years if I don't pass on the first attempt).

We are beginning our shortened spring break tomorrow, as we had regular school on Monday and Tuesday to make up two of our snow days. I am taking the kids to see the kids' band Trout Fishing in America tomorrow, we will go to a Jump Zone-type place on Thursday, and we will probably drive up to Branson on Friday.

Happy spring break!

Snow, snow go away. Come back another day!

We have had record breaking snowfall in Bentonville! In the past two weeks, we have had three snow storms and been in school for only three out of ten school days! The last storm that arrived Tuesday night dumped around 20-22 inches in our town and set a record for the most snowfall here! Then, the temperature was below zero in the morning for the next two days, so it didn't melt quickly. The boys have enjoyed snow days, but we are all about ready to have a normal routine again. We have had TEN snow days since January 4, so we will now have to deal with how to make up the days in order to meet the state requirement of 178 days of school to count for a full year credit. It looks like five days will be added on to the end of the school year, and five days might be made up with a combination of spring break days we lose and Saturday school (no fun!).

I got a lot done last week when I thought that might be my only time off school for awhile. We were out of school for snow and ice from Tuesday through Friday, and I was able to plan ahead to take home things that I needed to get some projects done. I filed our taxes electronically from home, I planned curriculum, I tagged all my items to sell in an upcoming children's consignment sale, and I cleaned my house well. This week, I haven't been quite as productive, but I have enjoyed the down time. I just have to remember this when it is the second week of June, and it feels so miserable to be in school when the pool is calling my name!

All the kids are excited to go back to school on Monday for their Valentine's Day parties, and it was CRAZY at Walmart today, as everyone appeared to be there at the same time to restock up on food after the storm PLUS purchase items for the Valentine's Day holiday. I still have to make a trip to Target tomorrow to get a few things for my own little Valentines, so they will have cute goodie bags from mommy and daddy on Monday.

I've been spending too much time bidding on things on Ebay while I've been home and browsing the internet for project ideas for the house. I'm beginning to embrace the whole idea that my house is a work in progress and enjoy thinking of ways to upgrade items I don't really like or make the house more "me." It was really different to have custom built our last house where I picked out everything and then buy a builder's grade house this time that didn't have much of what I would have selected. Since I shopped so much for everything in the last house (from doorknobs to faucets to tile selections), I had developed pretty specific tastes of what I liked in decor. However, now I am enjoying the process of "building" again, but it is in small bits and pieces as I can afford to change things in the house. Luckily, I love the floorplan, so I'm not really renovating as in knocking down walls; it's more of the cosmetic things. There is flooring I didn't like, a bathroom window that bugs me, a dishwasher that is not the best quality, sink faucet fixtures I want to change out, sconces that are ugly (who likes seashell shaped lights??). It will probably take me years to afford to get my projects done, but I've begun to enjoy the process! That says a lot since I am usually all about the end result! This is progress . . .

Grandad

My grandfather, Verle Allyn Smith, went to be with the Lord on Saturday, January 8, 2011, at 2:30 p.m. in Oklahoma City, OK. He was 99 years old. He was such a kind and patient grandfather, and I have many good memories of being in my grandparent's house during the summer months when I was growing up. He was a quiet man who didn't talk much, but I remember how he would sit back and take in all the grandchildren's activity and just smile at us as we played. He would often pat us on the back, sometimes so hard we would jump, and say something very simple like, "You kids are really growing up." He would be smiling a tender smile, and I knew that his words meant that he loved us very much. He was known for his hard work ethic and intelligence as he graduated from Oklahoma State University with a degree in engineering and worked for Kerr McGee oil company. He provided well for his family and three children, all of whom graduated from college or graduate school. He took care of my grandmother for seven years throughout her recovery from two strokes until she died in 1990. She was the love of his life, and I remember seeing him dye her hair in their bathroom when she could no longer do it herself and then learning to roll her hair on old-fashioned rollers to give her a home permanent after her strokes. He even applied her makeup, though sometimes she came out with a bit too much blush or face powder!

Grandad was a man of few words, but he had a big heart. I knew he was so proud of me and my children. I knew he loved us. I will always remember his jumpsuits that he wore, his big recliner where you could find him reading the paper and doing crossword puzzles in the living room, and his smile.

Rest in peace, Grandad. You will be greatly missed.

*the picture above is the only photo I have from the last time I got to see him in 2007. Owen was showing him the tooth he had just lost!

Happy New Year!

We have had a wonderful, but busy, holiday season! I think it's just going to be this way with three kids from now on! My mother visited us for three days right after we got out of school on Dec. 18, then we went down to Camden, AR, for two days to visit Stuart's family. The kids enjoyed seeing their cousins who were in from Ohio, even though it was a whirlwind trip. Arden is finally starting to travel better and is enjoying sitting in her new booster seat instead of the toddler convertable car seat. I think she's a lot more comfortable now.

We enjoyed a low-key Christmas in Bentonville where the kids woke up in our house to open stockings and gifts on Christmas morning. Hudson's best gift was a Wii Poke Park video game while Owen's was an XBox360 Madden '11 game. Arden has enjoyed her new dollhouse and Melissa and Doug wooden doll bed and highchair for her baby dolls. Santa brought Stuart a Kindle electronic reader, so he has been enjoying figuring it all out!

My Christmas dinner didn't turn out very well, as Stuart informed me that my turkey breast tasted "funny," so we weren't sure if maybe the meat had started going bad after thawing several days in the fridge while we were traveling. So, we packed up the kids (still in their Christmas pjs) and headed towards the only restaurant open on Christmas Day -- IHOP! It was a long wait and totally packed, but it made for a fun event to eat breakfast food with a full restaurant of people on Christmas Day! We might make IHOP an annual Christmas Day tradition while the kids are still young. They enjoyed Make-a-Face pancakes a lot more than mom's turkey meal!

This week of our Christmas break has been full of appointments with four dental appointments, Arden's birthday, and some playdates with the kids' friends. Arden did so well at her first dental appointment, and she is in the 85th percentile in height and weight at her 3 year old check up.

Arden got her twin bed assembled right before Christmas, too. I had purchased the sleigh bed frame from Craiglist almost a year ago for $50 and kept it in the garage until Arden was ready. She was a little fearful for the first few nights since it is such a tall bed, but she is now completely adjusted to it and enjoying it. I was a bit sad to pack up her final remnants of her infancy, but her twin sleigh bed is so adorable that it has been fun to see her progress to this stage. I gave away her crib and sold the baby mattress, and I'm still trying to sell her crib bedding on Craigslist.

We have enjoyed spending a lot of time together over the break, and we have been staying up too late and sleeping in, so now we have to get back to the reality of our regular school schedule over the next couple of days. I'm sure we will have a few days of adjustment next week! I don't think the boys are looking forward to doing homework again, but they are excited to return to school to see friends. If this January is anything like the previous two years in northwest Arkansas, I'm sure we will have some snow days to enjoy at home in the next month!

Happy New Year!

Top Ten

It's been so long since my last post, and if you know me well, then you are probably my friend on Facebook where I do a lot better at posting since it can just be one random sentence! As the holidays approached, things got so busy, and posting just couldn't get to the top of my long list!

So, here are the TOP TEN things I can think of that have been highlights of the past six weeks:

10. Hudson won the handwriting of the week award (believe me, it's a BIG deal!)
9. We went to Branson the weekend before Thanksgiving to see the Christmas shows and lights. I soon realized that I'm not one for 90 minute waits for shows when it is freezing,plus Arden was getting sick (see #5 below)
8. Owen participated in a school book club for 4th graders over The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
7. Stuart shopped like a crazy person on Black Friday and went to both the midnight and 4 a.m. sales! I slept in!
6. Hudson went ice skating for the first time at a birthday party which was held at the new outdoor skating rink
5. Arden got a double ear infection 1 1/2 weeks ago, and she was such a trooper that I didn't take her to the doctor until it was apparently pretty bad, so I felt terrible.
4. My students at school collected gifts for 3 siblings for Christmas and purchased coats, jeans, shirts, shoes, and toys for each child. It was amazing to see their generosity!
3. I attended the fabulous "I Get 2 Give" event at our church where you win gifts that you then give to someone else. It was a lot of fun.
2. I have Arden's crib mattress and crib bedding for sale on Craigslist and (finally) plan to move her to a twin bed over Christmas break.
1. Both boys were in the Bentonville Christmas parade (Hudson with Cub Scouts and Owen played in the Swamp Band for his school and marched). I got to ride the float with Hudson and wave at the people! It was sort of like my dreams of fame from my childhood, even though I was sitting on a haybale and wasn't wearing a crown!

Have a wonderful week! I'll post more and add pics once school is out -- only four more days!!! Whooo hooo!

Halloween and Parties Galore!

We had an awesome time in Branson last Sunday with perfect weather that was sunny but not too hot. There still were very few crowds at Silver Dollar City, so we are thinking that Sundays are the day to go! The first few pictures we took in the morning show the kids all alone in the streets there, so it looks like we are there all by ourselves instead of at a theme park! We discovered the teacup ride this time which ended up being the kids' favorite, and I think Owen rode it ten times. Arden went on the mini-rollercoaster and survived it. She was a bit scared and didn't want to go again, but she didn't cry. We saw a hilarious saloon comedy show that we hadn't seen yet, and Hudson left with some more jokes to tell his teacher at school (he is the biggest joker and reads joke books!).

Stuart's big news is that he finally got his new professional Nikon SLR camera that he has been wanting for years and years! It was a big purchase, but he loves photography so much and has been wanting a good digital camera to do more artistic, nature stuff. Hopefully, we'll also get some good pictures of the kids, too!

The week before Halloween always seems to be CRAZY with school activities! Owen has his last football game this morning (yea!), so that will help our lives calm down a bit with no weekly practice and game anymore. All three kids had fall parties yesterday in their classrooms, and the boys' school let them dress up and wear their costumes to school for the school-wide parade. Owen didn't like the prince costume which I got him at a consignment sale. Apparently, it was too feminine and not "cool" enough! So, he opted to wear his Arkansas football jersey which he already owned and put black paint under his eyes to be football player. Hudson was a red Power Ranger, and he was happy to report that he got lots of comments about how "awesome" it was. Arden will be a happy witch, and I found this adorable tulle and velvet costume at a consignment sale for her that is mainly purple and black and really sweet. However, she asked me yesterday if she would get to have the stick that comes out of her bottom to go with it (the broomstick) since that's what it looks like to her when she's seen billboards around with Halloween pictures on them! Ha! Everyone had fun at the parties, and we are all looking forward to Trick or Treating in our neighborhood and helping at our church Trunk or Treat on Sunday!

I had parent-teacher night on Tuesday, so I was at school from 8 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. with no break! What a marathon. The parent-teacher conferences began at 4:15, so we only had a quick break to grab a bite to eat before heading to the gym for arena style conferences. I had 37 conferences, so I don't think I stopped at all until 7:00, then I got to grade a few papers while I waited. It made the whole rest of the week exhausting to begin with such a long day. I'm glad it's over, and there isn't another day like that until March! Additionally, our school had an accreditation inspection from the Department of Education on Tuesday, and two people were on campus to ask questions, observe, etc. They ended up coming in my room and watching for a bit, then I got asked questions about my lesson plans, standards, 504 plans, parent contact log, etc. Luckily, it was easy, and I knew all the answers and had all my documents in order since the principal had warned us to get everything all gathered up ahead of time.

It was Red Ribbon Week at all the schools this week, so the kids wanted to dress up each day for the various themes (hat day, red day, etc), plus I had a lot of activities and extra assemblies going on during my workdays in my building, too.

Then tonight, Stuart is taking the boys to a Razorback football game in Fayettevelle since we were given last-minute, free tickets! They will have so much fun. I am opting to stay home where it's warm with Arden.

I attempted a fall craft this week which is much more like the old me (before I went back to teaching full-time and have no free time anymore). It was fun to gather all the supplies this week, but the craft didn't work out as I had hoped. I was trying to replicate a picture in Pottery Barn that had indian corn wrapped around a large glass candle holder, but my indian corn husks wouldn't bend, wouldn't stand up straight, kept slipping on the glass and leaning, etc. So, I finally gave up and just stuck them inside the glass container and wrapped the jute around the outside of the glass. It looks really good on the dining room table, but it isn't the candle holder that I was hoping for. Oh well. It was still fun to try to make something again.

So, that is the end of our fun and crazy week. We've all had too much candy (except Stuart who doesn't even like candy), and I am officially sick of candy corn!

Fall

I love fall . . . the crisp air, the changing colors on the trees, pumpkins on porches, and candy corn! Yes, I am on my third bag of candy corn this month!

The wood floors were installed about six weeks ago in my hallway, dining room, and home office, and I love them! The installation was relatively painless and all done in one day while I was at work! So, we didn't have any half-finished flooring to stay off in the evening with the kids which was wonderful. On the second day, the men came back and finished up the transitions and trim around the baseboards, then we had the task of moving all the books and office electronics back into the office. So far, the floors are just what I was hoping and show little dust or dirt. They really warm up the space, and I can't wait to do the great room next! Maybe we will be able to do that this spring . . .

The kids are doing well, and the boys got straight A's for first quarter. I can't believe second quarter and the holidays are almost upon us. I have bought all of Arden's Christmas presents, birthday gifts, and stocking stuffers, so I'm thankful for some headway. We went to Silver Dollar City a few weekends ago, and Stuart recently went to Atlanta for four days to the Catalyst conference.

Stuart had a birthday this month (let's just say that he's getting closer to fifty than forty-five now!), and Hudson has begun reading so well! I'm so proud of him. Arden is a whirlwind of words and energy, but she is constantly funny! One of her favorite expressions now is, "I'm just joking!" She has learned her ABC's, and she is counting pretty well, too. I can hardly believe she will be three in a few months.

School is going really well, but I'm still busy all the time. I am in a much better routine than last year with some things, but the grading will be busy forever! I have gotten some family routines down, but meals are still really hard to do during the week since I don't get home until almost five on most days. Luckily, Stuart isn't picky, and the kids will eat a sandwich or cereal for dinner if necessary.

Owen has been playing flag football this season for the first time, and he is really enjoying it. Hudson also started Cub Scouts and likes it a lot. I will be glad when football ends, so that we have more free weekday night, but it has been really good for Owen.

We are headed back to Silver Dollar City this weekend for one last trip to their fall festival. It's so wonderful to have Branson only 90 minutes from our house, so it is an easy day trip. Now that Arden is older, we have no diaper bags or sippy cups and can travel light! Owen will want to ride roller coasters while Arden will ride Dumbo. Stuart will eat a funnel cake, and Hudson will want to buy a huge bag of fudge. Good times!