a few pictures...

The final chapter...

of this school year is just about done. My 5 week teaching assignment only has 2 days left of it. I am sad and happy all at the same time.

It has been a wonderful experience, just as I had hoped it would be. A real taste of what having my own classroom would be like. The planning, the grading, the discipline, the parent meetings, and the fun. All the fun.

I really find it amusing that I feel so conflicted in this role. I have no trouble being in charge when in the classroom. I have no trouble making the classroom decisions, but when faced with being a part of the faculty... I turn inward. I hold myself back. And yet when I try to declare that I am not a part of the faculty, the teachers all pull me in saying "Yes you are!" So I know that I am the only one holding me back. I wonder if it is because I am uncomfortable, or simply that I know that this is not my position and therefore do not wish to seem overconfident in it. I know my place, and yet I have loved receiving all the support from the students, parents, and other teachers.

I think that when my time comes, and it will come, that I will be happy and confident knowing that I am supposed to be there. But for now, I will resume my happy, supportive, substitute role and still have some free time for me and Avery. I only have a few more years with her being so little.


Ms Neuhart and Ms Whalen's 2nd grade class

14 years of wedded something or other....

Yep, 14 years ago today, in Jackson Wyoming, Kevin and I were wed. It was a beautiful day. All my pre-wedding pictures have the Teton mountains in the background and we have a great picture of Kevin getting his hair combed by his dad before the ceremony. And of course we both look like such babies. Young and foolish and in love.

I had dreams of fabulous vacations and bigger diamonds on the 5 and 10 year anniversaries. I had dreams of working with children, creating a home, having babies someday and having Kevin by my side always.

Some of those dreams have become reality and other more material ones vanished. There have been hard times, but they are few and far between. We have grown from young and foolish, to older, wider (yes wider)versions of ourselves and we are the best of friends that share so much. We have three beautiful, smart children (if I do say so myself). A loving family and caring friends. Careers that allow us to work within our passions. And a comfortable home. Who could ask for more?

So on this day I want to say thank you. Thank you Kevin for being there for me. For supporting our family financially. Dealing with me pregnant (which was NOT easy). For knowing when to back off (most of the time). And supporting me in this crazy endeavor of family, school and work that I have taken on in the last year.

I love you doodie!

Another first in my parenting experiences....

I had to ground Bailey this week.

Now when I mention this I am assuming that you all are transporting back in time to when you are a child and you had to be grounded. I know that I have memories of hanging off my front porch yelling to my friends that I couldn't come off the porch because I was grounded and I am sure you all have had experience such as this as well. Not being able to run off and play with friends. Having to just watch the street ball game from your window. And the teasing from your siblings as they came home all hot and sweaty from running wild.

Bailey's not grounded that way. In fact, I had to explain to Dillon why her punishment looks differently then his would have. He is used to not being able to play on the computer, with the Wii or being able to watch TV when he is grounded. Those are things that matter to him. Especially when he had to miss the entire first round of the hockey playoffs because he brought home Thursday folders two weeks in a row with an F in them. So sad, but then again he is not Bailey.

Only she is Bailey. It is very difficult to punish her. She just shrugs her shoulders and goes happily on her way to something else. But this week, I found a weakness.

On Thursday morning Bailey got up and was down in the kitchen crafting away and not getting ready for school. She had the markers out and her doodle bear. I had warned her once that she needed to get ready. She decided this was more important.

She was grounded for not listening. Grounded from crafting.

Yes, crafting.

Three days without markers, glue, paper, beads, bracelets, pictures, any crafting materials what-so-ever. And she was crushed!

Screamed and screamed and carried on like a wild thing.

Even her teacher came to me that morning to see why she was out of sorts.

Her time is almost up and she has been able to get through it... almost.

She was caught making a bead bracelet today.

I guess she will have to wait one more day before she can craft again.

My first pony...

My hair is always in my face, but I just won't keep my clips in. So today my mom tortured me with my first pony. I didn't like her putting it in but it lasted all day long!

To all my mother friends..

a post for you all. Even though some of you only have canine babies...

crazy, crazy dog

Okay, so we have established that our dog is completely bonkers.

We are three days into this latest escapade and five bandages, one busted collar, a police officer and a new kennel brings us to now.

So yesterday morning we awoke to Abby chewing through her one bandage. I called the vet and took her back over there for a rebandage.

While there, the vet asked me to come back and take a look at her back paw. Apparently Abby had hurt herself again! So we figured out it was not the fence nails as first presumed. (I know, I know, to assume is to...)

Any ways. We are now thinking that she maybe cut herself on some metal lawn edging. So now she has both her front right and her back right paws bandaged. I went straight over to the pet store and got her a C collar to keep her from chewing her bandages again.

All is well until this morning.

Kevin decides that the collar is not really needed. He takes it off and we head off to church.

An hour later and we now have to rebandage both paws and put the collar back on.

We won't mention how I reacted to this.

We head off to my Mother's day lunch and while we were gone she managed to break her collar and take off one of the shower doors.

Immediately, I begin to set up her kennel, hoping against all hopes that she will not destroy this when the door bell rings.

Officer whats-his-name is here to talk to us about our dog. Remember last week when neighbors were not too happy with a barking dog. Well, apparently they also decided to call the city. Officer WHN was very nice and we explained that we had taken care of the issue. He offered me a "Happy Mother's Day" and a warning and then left.

I am not sure I can take any more.

A day off

Today, being teacher appreciation day and all, the kids and I had no school. We enjoyed our time here by creatively crafting and putting together things for the store's blog. Everything was going so well, and then we had an emergency.

A four inch long laceration that was deep enough to need stitches. No this injury was not crafting related. Remember how I told you my dog was a little nuts? How she ripped down a board from the fence? That board had 3 long nails sticking straight up. Running through the yard and next thing you know you are heading to the doctor.

It could have been worse. It could have been a kid, but no, it was Abby.

Either she did it on accident, or she is more depressed than I thought!



A little cutie enjoying dress up fun!

A new nephew...

Yep, the waters have been a little too fertile lately.

My sister had her beautiful baby boy this morning at 12:13 am.
His name is Isaac Charles Rice. They live in Brooklyn, NY, but I will get to see him next month when we head out to our annual beach week in NJ.

To see more about him click here.

I have...

CLEAN CARPETS!!!



But one crazy dog!
Last week, my first week teaching, she was good. She stayed on her lead out in the yard. All went well until Friday, when she barked literally ALL DAY LONG. My back door neighbors were more than happy to come inform me of each and every bark. They were concerned for my dog. Was she okay because she has been barking all day? I assured them that she would not be left out for long periods of time any more.

Then on Monday and Tuesday she stayed in the garage. Yesterday she chewed through a toilet plunger, a bag of clothes for good will, and she shredded her dog bed.

Today she dug down to the sprinkler line and ripped off one of the boards from the fence.

Is there any hope for rehab? I think she is bored. Kevin thinks she is a few cards short of a deck and needs military type training.

Christyn, I know that you have gone through a dog that chews. Is there any hope? What can be done?

HELP!