Monday, May 30, 2011
Sunday Best: Time and Love edition
Yesterday at church, the bishop (our minister) talked about raising your kids right. His message was that the two things kids need are time and love. I know we have the love part down because we are very affectionate in this house (both physically and verbally), but I worry about the time part. I needed the reminder to be a more present mother and to spend time liberally, spontaneously, and individually with the kiddos.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
It's all about the food
I have been enjoying some good food lately. Tuesday night, I went to the Melting Pot with my mom and sisters. Anything dipped in cheese and chocolate tastes delicious, right?
Then, yesterday, I told my classes they could bring in food for an end-of-year party. In the past, this usually meant chips, sodas, and packaged desserts from WalMart. However, this year I am teaching solely ESL students and the dishes were much different. I am not sure of the names, but I enjoyed these amazing biscuit things from Columbia, a Puerto Rican rice dish, and lots of different Mexican dishes. My students were bringing in big, disposable metal pans full of food. One girl told me to take the rest of her food home. It was rice with the chicken and gravy you pour over it. Tom will NOT eat leftovers and he definitely wouldn't eat anything a student made. So, I just pretended like I cooked it and served it for dinner last night. He commented on how good dinner was and I was all, "thank you." I just hope he doesn't ask me to make it again.Monday, May 23, 2011
Ironman Texas
My dad and two brothers competed in the Ironman this Saturday. For those you you who don't know, the Ironman is a 2.4 mile swim, followed by a 112 mile bike ride, and then finishes with a 26.2 mile run. My brother Mark had already completed an Ironman previously, but Daniel and my Dad had "only" done half Ironmans. Even though I was feeling pretty sick, I wanted to go cheer them on so as soon as Tom got home on Saturday, I drove out to the Woodlands for the event.
The Ironman is expensive. It costs over $600 to enter and the training takes up a lot of time. So much time, in fact, that my mom and sister-in-laws wore these shirts the day of the race:
The Ironman officials are very strict. If you do not finish each portion within a certain amount of time, they will pull you out of the competition...all that time and money wasted. My sister saw one swimmer reach shore just seconds after the cutoff time and they pulled her out and wouldn't let her finish. Pretty intense, right?
My brothers finished the swim and bike portion faster than expected. And each time we saw them on the run, they were smiling and looking great. 
After their last loop, we headed over to the finish line. We expected to see them within the hour, but no one showed. Meanwhile, my mom gets a call saying my dad passed out during the run and is in the med tent. So, she headed over to the tent and we continued to wait for my brothers to finish. An hour passed and still no boys. Finally, 1.5 hour after we expected them, they went running by. Daniel seemed in great spirits, but Mark looked a little out of it. Apparently, 6 miles to the finish line, Mark got really sick and couldn't keep anything down. He was on the ground and the medics kept coming over to him, but if you get any medical assistance you are pulled out of the event. So, Mark and Daniel kept fighting them off. The medics were getting ready to override Mark's decision so he staggered a few feet down the road and hid behind a bush. Daniel stayed with him for the next 45 minutes until he recovered enough to finish the last few miles.
After their last loop, we headed over to the finish line. We expected to see them within the hour, but no one showed. Meanwhile, my mom gets a call saying my dad passed out during the run and is in the med tent. So, she headed over to the tent and we continued to wait for my brothers to finish. An hour passed and still no boys. Finally, 1.5 hour after we expected them, they went running by. Daniel seemed in great spirits, but Mark looked a little out of it. Apparently, 6 miles to the finish line, Mark got really sick and couldn't keep anything down. He was on the ground and the medics kept coming over to him, but if you get any medical assistance you are pulled out of the event. So, Mark and Daniel kept fighting them off. The medics were getting ready to override Mark's decision so he staggered a few feet down the road and hid behind a bush. Daniel stayed with him for the next 45 minutes until he recovered enough to finish the last few miles.My dad ended up with IVs in both arms and an EKG. 
I am proud of my dad for finishing the swim and the bike. And I am proud of my brothers for finishing the Ironman by 8:00. However, I think all three of them are COMPLETELY INSANE and I hope they have it out of their systems because it is REALLY STRESSFUL being a spectator at these things.
I am proud of my dad for finishing the swim and the bike. And I am proud of my brothers for finishing the Ironman by 8:00. However, I think all three of them are COMPLETELY INSANE and I hope they have it out of their systems because it is REALLY STRESSFUL being a spectator at these things.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Ellie graduates
Yesterday, I walked into Jack's daycare room right as his teacher was checking his temp. "102," she informed me. Because I had already taken off work the day before and I had just read the school-wide email saying we didn't have any subs available for Friday, I made Jack's teacher check his temp again. Still 102. I believe my exact words to her were, "You're killing me." You see, this is so not the weekend for sick kids. Tom was leaving for Austin to coach the Congress Avenue Mile and I had Ellie's graduation to attend on Friday and the IronMan on Saturday. There was no time for sickness. I took both kids back up to school with me so I could write out sub plans (even though we apparently didn't have any subs).
This morning, Jack still had a fever, but seemed in a good mood. In fact, when I went to take a picture of Ellie all dressed up for her graduation day, he jumped right in shouting, "Cheese!"
After dropping Ellie off, Jack and I played for awhile and then laid down for naps. While I was sleeping, I missed a call from daycare saying that now Ellie has a fever and is hunched over the trash can saying she is going to throw up. Most parents would be concerned about their sick child, but my first thought was, "I paid $20 bucks for a cap and gown that she will never wear?" Plus, I was really looking forward to her graduation and the cute photo op (with my old, crappy camera since my nice one STILL isn't working) it would make. They decided to let Ellie stay for her graduation, mainly because she was begging them. I gave them permission to dose her up with Tylenol and patted myself on the back for my excellent parenting.
Because Tom is out of town, my mom came with me to graduation. I don't think she realized we would be crammed into a small room and have to sit in tiny, chairs that had tennis balls on the feet. It was so hot in there that I thought I would faint. But Ellie was super cute in her little white gown and cardboard hat.
Here she is accepting her "diploma" from Ms. Ginger.
All the kids read a speech they had prepared. Here is Ellie's:
This morning, Jack still had a fever, but seemed in a good mood. In fact, when I went to take a picture of Ellie all dressed up for her graduation day, he jumped right in shouting, "Cheese!"
After dropping Ellie off, Jack and I played for awhile and then laid down for naps. While I was sleeping, I missed a call from daycare saying that now Ellie has a fever and is hunched over the trash can saying she is going to throw up. Most parents would be concerned about their sick child, but my first thought was, "I paid $20 bucks for a cap and gown that she will never wear?" Plus, I was really looking forward to her graduation and the cute photo op (with my old, crappy camera since my nice one STILL isn't working) it would make. They decided to let Ellie stay for her graduation, mainly because she was begging them. I gave them permission to dose her up with Tylenol and patted myself on the back for my excellent parenting.Because Tom is out of town, my mom came with me to graduation. I don't think she realized we would be crammed into a small room and have to sit in tiny, chairs that had tennis balls on the feet. It was so hot in there that I thought I would faint. But Ellie was super cute in her little white gown and cardboard hat.
Here she is accepting her "diploma" from Ms. Ginger.
All the kids read a speech they had prepared. Here is Ellie's:I have been at Montessori since I was 1 year old. I learned my ABCs and how to read. I learned addition and subtraction. I still haven't learned to nap, but I made a lot of friends.
Completely adorable.
The graduation ceremony last 1 1/2 hours. The kids were getting restless and none more so than my little Ellie. I started keeping track and she got in trouble 4 times during the ceremony. And by "got in trouble," I mean that a teacher had to go to the back row and reprimand her. Nice.
It seems strange to say I am proud of my girl for graduating preschool of all things. Because, let's be honest, everyone graduated. The preschool dropout rate isn't really a big concern. But, still, I am proud of my little girl.
Completely adorable.
The graduation ceremony last 1 1/2 hours. The kids were getting restless and none more so than my little Ellie. I started keeping track and she got in trouble 4 times during the ceremony. And by "got in trouble," I mean that a teacher had to go to the back row and reprimand her. Nice. 
It seems strange to say I am proud of my girl for graduating preschool of all things. Because, let's be honest, everyone graduated. The preschool dropout rate isn't really a big concern. But, still, I am proud of my little girl.
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