Today I was reading a post from another blogger about how full her childhood was which got me thinking about mine and THEN got me thinking about what the heck happened to me??? I used to be so silly! I was in drama plays which had me on stage in front of hundreds of people (silliest was being in the Velveteen Rabbit as a bunny) OO I was in a traveling roadshow in which I had to sing and dance in front of my peers from different schools, I was part of our local Jr. Miss program and did a monologue as an evil stepsister, I used to perform every year with one of my best friends in our school talent show-- we would lip sync to rather adult songs and just be silly on stage-including throwing candy into the audience! Bubba Shot the Jukebox and Any Man of Mine (there was a 3rd but I can't remember what it was) have special memories that I hold near and dear to my heart. PLUS I am an elementary teacher! Being silly is in our BLOOD!
In thinking about it, I'm pretty sure I pinpointed when this change happened... it was a series of years that ended in what I call 'the divorce' in which I wasn't forced but wasn't encouraged, for sure, to not be as outgoing and active in areas that pushed me outside of my comfort zone. I became a firm resident of the comfort zone. I have always wished I had not given up on what I loved to do. Oh well, can't back that up, can just move forward. Having a 2 year old definitely helps to find the silly again. We dance and run and laugh a lot!
I'm working on finding the silly again. :)
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Tuesday, April 3, 2012
LOVE this boy!
Dax is two and a half and SO much fun! I LOVED the baby stage of his life (and miss it something fierce) but am really enjoying my silly, curious, loving little boy! For me he just turned into a little boy these last few weeks. He sits by me on the couch now instead of always in my lap. He answers questions and can recount parts of his day. He remembers his friends names and talks about them all the time. He has a 'girlfriend' :) Miss Alli and Dax hold hands at daycare, walk up and down the hall holding hands and I hear they squable like a little old married couple. Alli's Mom is one of my sweet friends so I am so happy she and Dax are such good buddies. They have gone to daycare together since they were about 6 and 9 months old. Dax LOVES going to daycare and will sometimes ask to go to 'Eens' (Maureen's) house at random times when we're home. He hardly even says by to me when we get there because he's so excited to play with his friends.
Dax has a serious soft spot for animals. He adores his two kittens-- who are now turning into big kitties--our dogs Axle and Dakota, the pets at daycare, and of course, the cows! He thinks the cows are pretty way cool and is so happy Papa got him some more to watch. :) His most recent excitement is seeing 'melk' (elk) with Papa. It's been several days since he's seem them and if you ask him what he say with Papa, he'll say 'see melk.'
Here are some pictures. I can always tell when I've either been busy or really stressed out because we have hardly ANY pictures!
Dax has a serious soft spot for animals. He adores his two kittens-- who are now turning into big kitties--our dogs Axle and Dakota, the pets at daycare, and of course, the cows! He thinks the cows are pretty way cool and is so happy Papa got him some more to watch. :) His most recent excitement is seeing 'melk' (elk) with Papa. It's been several days since he's seem them and if you ask him what he say with Papa, he'll say 'see melk.'
Here are some pictures. I can always tell when I've either been busy or really stressed out because we have hardly ANY pictures!
New Mom advice...
I went to one of my sweet friend's surprise mini baby shower yesterday and at one point our friend who organized the shower said she had hoped to create little note cards for all of us to write our advice to her on. I wasn't sure if anyone would be offended by what I would have written... here it is:
The best new mom advice I ever got after having Dax...
Ask when you don't know or are worried about something BUT
if your gut tells you something else, listen to it.
Sometimes the best advice is to NOT listen to every other Mom telling you
what she did, didn't do, would never do or thinks every mom should do.
Sometimes the best advice is to be YOUR child's Mom and figure it out for yourself.
I believe this came from my Mom during one of my crying fits. :)
While I have a very sweet friend who is my 'go to' with Dax questions or pretty much any quesiton under the sun, I have learned over the last two and a half years that really, truly it is best to go with what your gut is telling you when it comes to baby 'things.' I have heard too many stories about how a parent listened to their internal voice and saved their child from getting much sicker or even their life. I think my problem is I have always had an anxiety problem and whenever anything out of the normal comes up, I immediately think the worst-- I have been blessed though to not have my major anxiety attacks anymore. Those were the worst... okay getting off subject...
Being a Mom or Dad is hard work. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. While it is full of hugs, kisses, snuggles and silly stories to tell, it is also full of tantrums, scrapes, bruises, talking back or not listening at all. It's full of HARD decisions every day but it is also the most rewarded job around.
I am so blessed to be part of a team raising Dax. Dustin is the best and when I am about to lose my mind he seems to always swoop in with either his Daddy voice or his big arms to scoop Dax up and redirect him. THIS is why we're supposed to be with a partner when raising children because doing it on your own would be very, VERY hard! Not impossible, of course, but much harder.
I am blessed. I love my family!
The best new mom advice I ever got after having Dax...
Ask when you don't know or are worried about something BUT
if your gut tells you something else, listen to it.
Sometimes the best advice is to NOT listen to every other Mom telling you
what she did, didn't do, would never do or thinks every mom should do.
Sometimes the best advice is to be YOUR child's Mom and figure it out for yourself.
I believe this came from my Mom during one of my crying fits. :)
While I have a very sweet friend who is my 'go to' with Dax questions or pretty much any quesiton under the sun, I have learned over the last two and a half years that really, truly it is best to go with what your gut is telling you when it comes to baby 'things.' I have heard too many stories about how a parent listened to their internal voice and saved their child from getting much sicker or even their life. I think my problem is I have always had an anxiety problem and whenever anything out of the normal comes up, I immediately think the worst-- I have been blessed though to not have my major anxiety attacks anymore. Those were the worst... okay getting off subject...
Being a Mom or Dad is hard work. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise. While it is full of hugs, kisses, snuggles and silly stories to tell, it is also full of tantrums, scrapes, bruises, talking back or not listening at all. It's full of HARD decisions every day but it is also the most rewarded job around.
I am so blessed to be part of a team raising Dax. Dustin is the best and when I am about to lose my mind he seems to always swoop in with either his Daddy voice or his big arms to scoop Dax up and redirect him. THIS is why we're supposed to be with a partner when raising children because doing it on your own would be very, VERY hard! Not impossible, of course, but much harder.
I am blessed. I love my family!
Friday, March 23, 2012
RIF
I've started this post several times over the last few weeks but each time I started it I would get to a certain point and hit delete. Why? Wanting to not admit out loud what I fear may happen and because of that word 'may' and 'might' and 'hopefully not.' I'm trying very hard to be optimistic but my optimism keeps waning.
Our district is facing a possible RIF or basically releasing some of us from employment. It's scary. It makes my stomach hurt and for the first time, it makes me cry. Come June I will have completed my 5th year with our organization.
I've been a teacher for 5.4 years in June which blows my mind but I also can't believe that after 5 years I'm now facing not having the job that I have grown so accustom to. Facing instability that I thought I had avoided by staying in one spot and not trying out other positions. There have been other teaching jobs that have come up and I haven't even glanced their way because why would I leave a stable job? Sometimes I wonder where I would be if I had left a few years ago. I don't want to leave though. I love having a job that allows me to work full time while also watching my son grow in front of my eyes. Heck, I love having a full time job.
I am not good at being unemployed--- since I was 12 years old I've had some kind of employment- babysitting, retail, office assistant, lifeguard, substitute teacher and classroom teacher. I don't know how to be unemployed and having a child makes it that much scarier to me. I am thankful there are programs out there that can help me insure that he will have health insurance. I know that we will be able to have food on the table and a roof over our heads but the things we don't expect like illness and injury scare me. That part makes me want to cry that much more. I feel like if I lose this job that I will be failing to provide the life for Dax that I want so badly for him. I know that he will always be loved, fed, dressed and safe but it's those silly things like- I want him to have new toys and new clothes each time he grows out of the old. This is something that I will have to work through and get over.
The good part of a RIF? I've been trying to come up with those just to give myself a positive spin. So here goes... more time with Dax unless I find another full time job, subbing- I love being a substitute teacher and have missed the classroom so much over the last few years, exploring the possibilities of a new career or occupation (not sure this is all good but could be), maybe going back to school to add an endorsement to my qualifications or to learn a new trade, and having lots of free time... The other perk to being a teacher is that I will still have a pay check until August. This gives me a couple months to concentrate exclusively on finding new employment-- when I'm not snuggling with Dax.
If you're still reading this, thank you. I appreciate you taking the time to 'listen.'
I won't know anything for sure until May 15th (possibly earlier but that's highly unlikely) will update when I know something for sure.
Our district is facing a possible RIF or basically releasing some of us from employment. It's scary. It makes my stomach hurt and for the first time, it makes me cry. Come June I will have completed my 5th year with our organization.
I've been a teacher for 5.4 years in June which blows my mind but I also can't believe that after 5 years I'm now facing not having the job that I have grown so accustom to. Facing instability that I thought I had avoided by staying in one spot and not trying out other positions. There have been other teaching jobs that have come up and I haven't even glanced their way because why would I leave a stable job? Sometimes I wonder where I would be if I had left a few years ago. I don't want to leave though. I love having a job that allows me to work full time while also watching my son grow in front of my eyes. Heck, I love having a full time job.
I am not good at being unemployed--- since I was 12 years old I've had some kind of employment- babysitting, retail, office assistant, lifeguard, substitute teacher and classroom teacher. I don't know how to be unemployed and having a child makes it that much scarier to me. I am thankful there are programs out there that can help me insure that he will have health insurance. I know that we will be able to have food on the table and a roof over our heads but the things we don't expect like illness and injury scare me. That part makes me want to cry that much more. I feel like if I lose this job that I will be failing to provide the life for Dax that I want so badly for him. I know that he will always be loved, fed, dressed and safe but it's those silly things like- I want him to have new toys and new clothes each time he grows out of the old. This is something that I will have to work through and get over.
The good part of a RIF? I've been trying to come up with those just to give myself a positive spin. So here goes... more time with Dax unless I find another full time job, subbing- I love being a substitute teacher and have missed the classroom so much over the last few years, exploring the possibilities of a new career or occupation (not sure this is all good but could be), maybe going back to school to add an endorsement to my qualifications or to learn a new trade, and having lots of free time... The other perk to being a teacher is that I will still have a pay check until August. This gives me a couple months to concentrate exclusively on finding new employment-- when I'm not snuggling with Dax.
If you're still reading this, thank you. I appreciate you taking the time to 'listen.'
I won't know anything for sure until May 15th (possibly earlier but that's highly unlikely) will update when I know something for sure.
Sunday, March 11, 2012
4 on 10
Darn it! I just can't get my act together to do a REALLY good job at these 10 on 10 things. Yesterday on March 10th my reminder went off on my cell phone while I sat in the parking lot of ESD 101 waiting for a class to start. I was on the south hill by 7:50 in the morning- for those of you that don't know, that's like an hour and half drive from my house plus about 30 minutes to drop Dax off with Gigi and Papa. I was up at 5:30! I also spent more time driving yesterday that actually moving around or taking fun pictures for sure. I should have been better, lord knows I could have and should have taken more pictures but 4 is an improvement over last month... sorry they aren't more exciting... but here you go... BRING ON THE CELL PHONE CAMERA PICTURES :p
7:54am this morning called for a BIG Starbucks drink! Sitting in the parking lot of ESD waiting for Lynnette to get there so I didn't have to walk in by myself
10:22am In class at ESD- BEST CLASS I've taken in a LONG time! Lynnette and I almost jumped out of our seats a couple times because we were so excited about how we could use what we are learning!
11:39am I WON a door prize! I never win anything :) Discovery channel own Discovery Education which is the streaming program we went to class to learn more about! So cool! Can't wait to put what we learned to good use!
5:25pm This is Dax and Great Grandma Gregerson looking at his 'fishies' at GiGi and Papa's house. Dax just loves them because he controls the stream of bubbles. I got a very sweet picture of them from behind too but like this one the best. :)
That's it... I'll try to be better about this in April... one step at a time right?
TODAY is my Grandma Gregerson's birthday! I feel so very grateful to have my grandmas still here to be able to watch Dax grow up. Last night we did a lot of talking about grandparents around my Mom and Dad's table. It was a great reminder of how blessed we are to have three living great-grandmas to love Dax. Is it silly that I didn't REALLY know my great grandparent's names? We always call them Great Grandma and Grandpa Gregerson and Great Grandma and Grandpa Gilberts. I knew George and Minnie's names but for some reason had no idea grandma's parents were Oscar and Bessie. I love sharing stories from my Dad's childhood and Mom's too. I did get teared up a couple times thinking about how much I wish Grandpa Gregerson (and the other grandpa's and grandma) had been there to share his memories and to have Dax sit on his lap. At least Dax got to snuggle with Grandma Gregerson last night :) I do love that!
Happy Birthday Grandma! Here's to many, many more!!
Sunday, February 26, 2012
March 2012 Menu
What this Mommy did while her two year old was down for a nap:
THIS is what we're having for dinner for the month of March
If you click on it, it gets bigger. :) or at least it's supposed to...
There are many blank dates this is because there are going to be nights that 'what's for dinner' doesn't sound good or I forget to pull it out early enough or INSERT EXCUSE HERE (ha!) so we end up having something else -- which means there will be 'leftover' dinners that need a new home.
I really try to do a lot of make ahead meals because it just makes my life easier throughout the month and if we don't eat that dinner it can stay in the freezer for the next month.
See some code on there you don't understand? What, you can't decipher my writing? Silly you! ha! Here you go :
**=in the freezer/make ahead
online = I have book marked the recipe on my computer for easy access- for me. Look below for links to recipes for you
FFF= recipe came from the book Fix, Freeze, Feast. I found this one on Amazon! Love it!
PT= recipe came from Pinterest and is saved on my FOOD :) board. WHAT you aren't part of Pinterest? Then message me and I'll invite you. Silly you!
Most of the time I 'wing' the sides each night because we always have frozen corn, veggie blends, garlic bread, rice and such on hand. This month I did put some ideas on some of them.
I try to do my shopping for THE ENTIRE MONTH in one shopping trip. This usually amounts to 1-2 hours in Winco. WITH Dax. He's an angel and doesn't usually loose his cool until we get to the bakery where I then bribe him with a donut for the ride home. :) It's his little, cheap reward. :) Yes, he even gets one if it is dinner time. What angel shouldn't get this kind of spoiling once a month. :) haha!
I promised you links, here they are:
Easy Mexican Casserole:
http://www.plainchicken.com/2010/10/mexican-casserole.html
Honey-Sesame Chicken (this recipe is actually calls for skewers but I use chicken breasts. Still yummy!)
http://makeaheadmeals.blogspot.com/2008/03/40-honey-sesame-chicken-skewers.html
Saucy Chicken Enchiladas:
http://www.heatherdriveblog.com/2008/12/saucy-chicken-enchiladas.html
Pioneer Woman Fettuccine Alfredo
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/07/fettuccine-alfredo/
Pioneer Woman Frito Chili Pie:
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/09/frito-chili-pie/
Give me your feedback. Was this helpful, will you use this? Should I keep doing this each month? :)
PS if you're on a diet, these recipes probably aren't for you... I <3 food!
THIS is what we're having for dinner for the month of March
If you click on it, it gets bigger. :) or at least it's supposed to...
There are many blank dates this is because there are going to be nights that 'what's for dinner' doesn't sound good or I forget to pull it out early enough or INSERT EXCUSE HERE (ha!) so we end up having something else -- which means there will be 'leftover' dinners that need a new home.
I really try to do a lot of make ahead meals because it just makes my life easier throughout the month and if we don't eat that dinner it can stay in the freezer for the next month.
See some code on there you don't understand? What, you can't decipher my writing? Silly you! ha! Here you go :
**=in the freezer/make ahead
online = I have book marked the recipe on my computer for easy access- for me. Look below for links to recipes for you
FFF= recipe came from the book Fix, Freeze, Feast. I found this one on Amazon! Love it!
PT= recipe came from Pinterest and is saved on my FOOD :) board. WHAT you aren't part of Pinterest? Then message me and I'll invite you. Silly you!
Most of the time I 'wing' the sides each night because we always have frozen corn, veggie blends, garlic bread, rice and such on hand. This month I did put some ideas on some of them.
I try to do my shopping for THE ENTIRE MONTH in one shopping trip. This usually amounts to 1-2 hours in Winco. WITH Dax. He's an angel and doesn't usually loose his cool until we get to the bakery where I then bribe him with a donut for the ride home. :) It's his little, cheap reward. :) Yes, he even gets one if it is dinner time. What angel shouldn't get this kind of spoiling once a month. :) haha!
I promised you links, here they are:
Easy Mexican Casserole:
http://www.plainchicken.com/2010/10/mexican-casserole.html
Honey-Sesame Chicken (this recipe is actually calls for skewers but I use chicken breasts. Still yummy!)
http://makeaheadmeals.blogspot.com/2008/03/40-honey-sesame-chicken-skewers.html
Saucy Chicken Enchiladas:
http://www.heatherdriveblog.com/2008/12/saucy-chicken-enchiladas.html
Pioneer Woman Fettuccine Alfredo
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2009/07/fettuccine-alfredo/
Pioneer Woman Frito Chili Pie:
http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/2011/09/frito-chili-pie/
Give me your feedback. Was this helpful, will you use this? Should I keep doing this each month? :)
PS if you're on a diet, these recipes probably aren't for you... I <3 food!
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Meal Menus
So I'm starting to gear up for planning another month of dinners for my family and I got to thinking that maybe I should try to figure out how to post them on here. I have two thoughts behind this: 1. I can keep track of what I've planned before-saving time in the futre and 2. maybe someone else out there would find it useful too.
I am hesitant too because I am a very picky eater and...well... let's just say there aren't a lot of 'greens' on my menus. Ha! So NO teasing! :)
Any thoughts??? Anyone read this? :-p
I am hesitant too because I am a very picky eater and...well... let's just say there aren't a lot of 'greens' on my menus. Ha! So NO teasing! :)
Any thoughts??? Anyone read this? :-p
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