Morning of the test...

Ready, set, go!

I was up later than I wanted to be....mucher later. 1:00 was bedtime. Then Avery woke up at 1:20.

But the good news is that I did really well on the practice test. Hopefully that translates over to the real one.

I must go make a good breakfast now.

Wish me luck!

it's addictive...

Love birds are nesting
Their eggs snuggled in my door
Bird poop everywhere.

Another try

The grass is greening
Ladybugs are exploring
Time to mow again.

Studying Poetry

So I study on for this Praxis test. I only have 2 more days to cram in all that I can. Last night, when I went to bed, my brain actually hurt. Really! But I am learning all sorts of new things. Kevin just loves all this. Every time he walks by I say "did you know..." or "would you like to know about..." or "what do you think the difference is..." etc.

So last night it was Poetry among other things. I don't know a lot about it so it is mostly new ground for me. Take Haiku. A Japanese 3 line poem. My sister and her friend do these quite often. I have never known what they were, but I am ready to try one. Check this out...

The kids all snuggled in
Steam rising above the rim
Ready to get my study on.

Okay Bob. Is that a real Haiku?

Opps... make that 3 little eggs

update...

...on the nest. We have 2 little eggs!!!!

I will have to rope off the front porch so no one goes near it.
The things we do for love(birds).

Avery's day part 2

Here is the page made from the Avery's Day posting...

Too busy...must study

Signs of Spring

A pair of love birds have decided to change my door decor. I haven't even changed out the flowers for Spring, but now it will stay as is. I tried to discourge them. When they started to store twigs in there, I moved them out. But they were sure that my front door was where they wanted to nest.

I hope they are happy.

Dillon's humor

Okay, so I have been upset lately about Bailey's lack of humor. The other morning I was driving the kids to school and I was upset once again. I was lamenting to Bailey about where my happy little girl had gone and Dillon pipes up from the cheap seats. "Mom" he says "I just put in a call to the lost and found kid department. They have a 5 year old red head there that is happy and laughs alot."

"Really! Ask them if they will take a trade."

"Hold on." mumble mumble "Yep, they'll take her!"

Meanwhile, Bailey is just looking back and forth between us.

Then a little smile peeks out.

More change...

Anyone that knows me knows that I do not do well with change. Never have, never will. I like the known. It's easier, and reliable. Definitely a friend of mine. But when you have 3 kids, change is going to happen.

Right now, as I embark upon my new adventure in schooling (change number 1), I am encountering a few changes around my house. Avery is beginning to be able to get around (change number 2). She started to crawl a couple of days ago, but really hasn't taken off yet. Today I noticed that she definitely has more mobility. She was all over the living room, getting into as much as she possibly could. All with the cutest little smile on her face. But that doesn't change the fact that we will now have to live our lives crawling over gates. Yeah fun. And with the other two monkeys that we have, it will be a miracle if there are no ER visits in the next few months. These two are going to make every move they can to get over the gates. We really should invest in the opening kind this time. It might actually save us money.

Another change going on is with Bailey (change number 3). When Dillon was little, under 5, he was the happiest little boy. Then something happened, he grew up. Became a real little boy, not a little kid anymore. I can't remember when it started. Maybe in Kindergarten, maybe over the course of the year. There was no one event that helped make the change. This is not to say that he is not happy, he is, but different. He notices more, takes in more, comprehends more, and in turn has become more guarded. I guess some of it is good. I love to see him learn. I love to see him strive to figure something out, but I hate the negativity that seems to come with it. He is quick to correct Bailey. He is quick to point out when something is wrong. And lately, he is always right. It was so sad to see that happy child go, but there are so many positives in him that it was okay. A part of growing up I guess.

Now it is happening to Bailey. Our shining orb of happiness is being cut down by dark clouds. Things used to just roll right off her. She would laugh and play. She would giggle and go and go. So independent! Our happy little bumblebee. But lately she is whiney. Crying. Clingy. Who is this? I can't stand to see her change!! Please God keep some of that sunshine alive in her! Help her to be carefree, love life, find the flowers in the rain type girl.

So right now I am sad. So sad. This is just another one of the difficult things about being a parent.

If this effects me this much, what is having teenagers going to be like? I can't even go there.

MIssing tooth by Dillon

It is very weird to have a lost tooth. It is so fun because you can get money from the tooth fairy. I like it because I could get rich some day. I like to loose my teeth, but I don't like when my mom tries to yank it out.

study time

I am very busy in my life right now, so please excuse me for not visiting more often. This week so far, I have cleaned my house, done laundry, cooked dinners, made lunches, worked 8 hours at the child care center, worked 4 1/2 hours for Dillon's school, interviewed for a scrapbook store job, studied for my Praxis test, read all my new student orientation materials, chauffeured children to and from school, swimming lessons, ballet, soccer, etc. Just a few things really.

So as I am studying for my Praxis exam, (it is a test you need to take in order to get your Colorado teaching license), and I am relearning all sorts of things! There are 4 sections to these tests, math, literacy, science and social studies. So far I have only gotten to the literacy and science sections. The study guide only tells you what subjects are on the test. You then need to look up information on the subject, so it is more intensive than you would originally think.

In the science section, which I am working on right now, I am relearning all about weathering verses erosion, volcanos and earthquakes, the layers of the atmosphere, structure and properties of the oceans, currents, waves and tides, the "water cycle", and the origin of the Earth. And that just scratches the surface of that section.

I am finding all this amazingly interesting! I love to learn new things, and even though all this is not new to me, going back to look at all this again is really fun. Keep in mind that we are talking elementary education. This is not indepth study. Talking about the weather cycle means knowing evaporation, precipation, infiltration and runoff. The cloud types: stratus, cirrus, and cumulus and what that means. Very basic stuff. But basic doesn't always mean easy.

Some of this stuff we could come up with as basic knowledge. I asked several people what they thought the answer to this question was... "Why do monuments in Egypt last for thousands of years, while the same monuments transported to northern climates deteriorate very quickly?" ... and almost everyone gave the same answer... Dry verses wet climates, so the weathering would be quite different. I am not sure yet if this is the right answer, but it is in the weathering section of the study guide.
I am also assuming that most people know that the tides are caused by the pull of the moon and sun, but at what time do the high/low tides have the greatest difference? During the full and new moon cycles, when the earth, sun and moon are all aline.

So last night I was working on Earth history: Origin of the Earth, Paleontology, The rock record, Geologic time scale. I had a hard time with this. I can't tell how deep into this section I need to dive. Do I need to know more than the Earth is 4.6 billion years old? Do I need to know more than that Paleontology is the study of pre-historic life forms on Earth? And what the heck is "the rock record"? If you can answer that you will get a prize! Help a girl out, would you?

I'm off to study again.

A real student now

Well, I have been accepted to Regis' Graduate student program. I was able to convince them that I was student material. Wow

now I have to convince myself.

Page of the day

some words don't sound the same...

Bailey has two new things about which she keeps informing us. I am not sure where she learned these things, but it is vitally important that we all know it.

"If you don't have any water for 3 days, you are going to die" she says with all the seriousness that she can muster. But looking in the rear view mirror at this cute red head, who is spouting this information, it is hard not to laugh.

"I know what happens when your heart stops beating. You die." Another line she keeps repeating. At least I know what triggers this one. There is a commercial playing on the radio here about AED's and how important it is to have one in schools. Whenever she hears this she says her line. Today she added "This guy doesn't know anything and he's a doctor! You don't do anything when you heart stops beating. You just die."

Oh, what am I going to do with this girlie?

Rockin' and Rollin'...

Look out world! Here I come!

wondering....

I am going back to school.

Do you know how weird that sounds? Taking some classes. Yeah sure. No big deal. But going back to school? Weird.

For my master's degree. Really weird.

Okay, so far I have only applied to go back to school. I haven't been accepted yet. Hopefully I will find out soon, because the semester starts May 2nd.

So all this started when I decided to apply for a job at Dillon's school. I applied for my substitute license just so that I would be covered while I found out what I needed to do to have a real teaching license. I am still confused as to what I exactly need for sure, because I do have a degree in Early Childhood Education. I do know that I have to take the state licensing test. So I was going to send in my transcripts with my licensing test scores to see at what level license I could receive.

Well, that sounded too hit and miss for me. Plus I wanted to take one or two classes to brush up on instructional techniques. Apparently you can't just take a course or two. You have to be enrolled. Then you have to declare why you are there. What plan of action are you taking? A real plan.

Okay, so now it doesn't feel like I am trying to sneak in the back door. I am doing this for real. I am pursuing a master's degree in Elementary Education.

Wow.