Tuesday, October 30, 2007

Halloween Picture


Maya and Zekey as cowpeople. :)

Bummer!

Well, I didn't get my karaoke grant. It is really a hard pill to swallow because I put a lot of time and effort into that and thought it was well done. It makes me curious to see what the 50 grants that they approved were for. But, they are very secretive and do not let you know. They don't even have any contact information for you to get insight into what was wrong with your grant. Oh well! I already have Karaoke Club up and running anyways. It just means I have to continue lugging the music teacher's machine up and down the stairs (okay elevator) daily. I'll see if I can get it through someone else.

Thursday, October 25, 2007

Fun, fun, fun!

Well, honestly I do not think my life could be more fun! I am just having a great time. Such a great time that I almost feel guilty. School is great! Today I sported a mullet wig in my 3rd grade classroom. We were discussing homophones the other day (two words that sound the same, but aren't spelled the same). The students had to draw a picture for hair and I drew a mullet on the board and a lot of the kids didn't know what a mullet was. So, the classroom teacher told me that she saw a mullet wig at her local supermarket and I said that I would love to have a mullet wig and would wear it to school. Well, I found one at Target and wore it today. Some of the kids thought it was my real hair. I always wear my hair in a ponytail and I told them that I was just wearing my hair down. I then wore it during dismissal and the kids loved it. The art teacher said that she has an Ariel (Disney's Little Mermaid) colored-Wynona Judd style wig that she is going to bring me to wear. I think I will just start wearing crazy wigs for the kids every so often. It keeps things fun!

Tonight we went to the daycare for a Halloween party. It was fun. Maya, Zeke, and I were cowpokes. (Is that the proper plural version of cowpeople?) I have to say we looked pretty cute. Zeke actually kept his hat on for a lot longer than I thought he would. They had a pot luck and then the kids could play games, do art projects, get their faces painted, and decorate cookies. They loved it. It was nice hanging out with Zekey's teachers. I know daycare is costing us probably about as much as Zeke's college tuition will, but it is really worth it. Maybe this early learning will allow him to get a scholarship later in life and we will not have to pay for college. (Or help him pay for college. Kevan has racked up enough debt for us that helping our children pay for college might be a small miracle.) I know Maya really benefitted from going there. She still continues to amaze me with her vocabulary. Today she went to the daycare because she had off from school. They made a radio show and copied them onto CDs for the kids. Maya was telling me all about them in detail even before I was able to listen. She even went into the behind the scenes and even why she voted for each child to have his or her different part. Like I said earlier, I am very lucky. I love my children, my husband, my family, and my job. What more could a girl ask for? (Part of me is worried about jinxing myself by writing this, but I figure why worry! That will not solve or prevent anything. And people should know that I am doing well. Don't get me wrong, I do still have sad times. But, right now I am in a good place.)

Saturday, October 20, 2007

Family Fun!

Well, today we had a great time. Maya had Tae Kwon Do this morning and she is really doing well. It is amazing for me to watch her. I love seeing her interact with other people. I am not gloating, but she is the only kid in the class that does everything she is asked to do every time. Well... almost every time, she was too shy today to shout help when they were discussing what to do if you a stranger started to grab you. That is definitely something we need to work on. She really is doing well. It kind of makes me sad that she doesn't want to continue beyond this class because I know that she has potential and it would be fun to see her move up the ranks. But, she wants to explore other things which is all right with me.

Zeke amazes me too. Tonight we were at Boo at the Zoo. They were reading "scary" stories in the primate building. Zekey was so intent on listening to the story. He kept leaning over to see the pictures better. The women that were reading even commented. He just loves to listen to books! He is a kid that loves learning. He really likes group time at school and even if he hears the word group will plop right down on the carpet at school. It is very cute to see. But, he is only one! I hate to say it, but if people can condition one year olds to participate in group time there is hope for older children, but maybe it is just my kids. I am very lucky.

Children are amazing! Not only my kids, but other kids too. I met two little boys at the playground today with Zeke and Maya. They were probably around 10 or 11. They were so good with Zekey. They were letting him play football with them and he was loving it. This generosity and patience renews my hope in the youth of our neighborhood and all of Milwaukee. I truly am blessed. My spirit was renewed today! :)

Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Dancin' Fool

Well, today I had a great time with some children that were helping me during lunch. They taught me a new dance, the I HAVE REMOVED THE LINK TO SOULJA BOY. IT CONTAINED BRUDE REFERENCES TO SEXUAL ACTS THAT MAKE IT DISGUSTING THAT SO MANY YOUNG CHILDREN KNOW THE DANCE. They think it is hilarious to watch me do it and it is reallu fun. It actually reminds me of the old Cheri Oteri and Will Farrell SNL cheerleaders' dances with moves like "the superman" and "the motorcycle." If you get the chance learn the dance. I am sure it will be the craze at all of the local shindigs. (Mark, if you read this you need to make sure that your DJ has it for your wedding. :) ) So, it looks like my job just gets more and more fun. Karaoke twice a week and comic books once a week and dancing whenever possible. Pretty great if you ask me!

My children are doing well. Zekey is limping a little bit. He did something to his foot when he was at daycare. His foot has been a little swollen, so we've been icing it. The swelling has been going down. Zekey is now really into singing and dancing. I have been trying to teach him "the soldier boy." He already knows how to "raise the roof." He just looks at me and laughs when I dance for him. He will sometimes try the superman. Maya just thinks I am nuts.

Maya got to take home the secret snail from school today. It is a snail lunchbox where you hide something and then write three clues for the other students to guess. Here are her clues see if you can figure it out. 1. It is white like snow. 2. It is what Yankee Doodle rides. 3. You can cuddle with it. ..........................................................................................................................

It's a ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

little white stuffed pony! (She won it at the pumpkin farm.) So that is the excitement here.

Monday, October 15, 2007

I'm Back

Well, as you can see I have not been the avid blogger. In fact, I forgot my site name and my username! I obviously am not the professional blogger that the rest of my family is. Kevan blogs just about once a week and right now I am up to once every six months. Now that I have found myself again, I will try to write more. I'm not sure anyone will care about what I have to say, but the cute kid anecdotes might make you say Awww!

Today: I was watching the Indians game and had to stop because I was getting too nervous. I couldn't take it. I lasted through the top of the eighth. Go tribe!

I got things together for my Comic Book Club. An exciting new venture I am starting at school. It all starts tomorrow and I am really looking forward to it. I also have my Karaoke Club tomorrow at lunch, so it will be a very entertaining day! I am really starting to enjoy my job!

Zeke has found a new love of singing and was walking around with the microphone to Maya's leapfrog Karaoke machine and was singing away during Dancing with the Stars (We were watching the tribe game on and off.) Maya was imparting her baseball knowledge on me. She said if someone throws a ball and the other person catches it, then you are out. When Dancing with the Stars was on she kept coming up to me and saying, "Okay judge, what's my score." Anything less than a 9 stinks in her opinion. She said an 8 is a "sad number." She said that when she is older she wants to do ballet on that show. Maya is rooting for the Cheetah Girl, Sabrina. She did like Marie's dance today. She always tells me who to vote for and then after she is sleeping, I have to go to the computer and vote for them. She knows the show very well and knew which people we did not see today. She even noticed that there were two Marks. I didn't realize it. She was disappointed because we tuned in late and missed Mark Cuban's dance. That child has a memory like an elephant! Well, I have to go and see if I have anything "school appropriate" to wear tomorrow. Oh! The plight of the working mother! UGH!