Loving This Weather

The weather the past week or so has been perfect! Cool jacket-requiring mornings turning into sunny warm afternoons. We have not turned on our heater yet, so for about a month or more there has been no A/C or heat running up our electricity bill. The only drawback has been that our house has stayed pretty chilly, even on these nice sunny days. It's been about 68 inside even when it's 75 outside. I've found myself going to the sunroom or deck to warm up. I feel like a cat when I do that. But I can't complain. This is the perfect time of year as far as I'm concerned.

And the leaves are really starting to turn colors. I've had a few people express doubt that fall in Texas can be beautiful. The Northeast gets all the press when it comes to colorful leaves. And they probably are more stunning than other areas of the country, but that doesn't take away from the beauty here. I've seen trees that look absolutely on fire with red and gold. I love it.

Now, we just need to add the food. By that, I mean Thanksgiving. Give me the murmur of family visiting, a t.v. football game in the background, a good book in my hand, and a buffet of delicious food sitting out for intermittent grazing and I am set.

Mixed Messages

Ava got on a sign-making kick today. Not sure what prompted it, but I have found signs taped all over the house. For a while today she even walked around with a "kick me" sign taped to her back. Most of the signs are concentrated on her bedroom door, but they are slightly misleading. Upon closer inspection, the signs under the cheery pink "Welcome" sign are a bit less welcoming.




(By the way, Ava's school is selling that ready to bake cookie dough for a fund-raiser. $12 a tub, or $14 pre-portioned cookies. Both 2.7 lbs. Almost every flavor imaginable. Just email me if you want to order, and I will have her call you. She's much friendlier on the phone than these door signs imply.)

Pumpkins

Cody got into a pumpkin-carving frenzy the day before Halloween. He found this great website with tons of templates that could be printed. Bookmark it now for next year. We had three pumpkins, so he carved each of them in a different way. The longhorn was not a template from the site I mentioned. I had to draw that one.

Can't Believe It

I went to a 3 hour training session at the museum of art Friday. I'm leading a really cool art program called Go Can Gogh at Ava's school. The art museum trains presenters and supplies lesson plans for each grade level. The PTA provides the parent volunteers to present these fabulous art lessons to each class.

So I was in a room of about 50 parent volunteers receiving training for this program. First we learned about 4 different learning styles and how we are all different. Blah blah blah, since I am a teacher I know that kind of stuff already. But it was okay to get reminders about it.

Then, the lady presenting to our group taught the 2nd grade art lesson to us. She took on the role of "teacher" and asked us to be a class of second graders. Well, that right there ended any normality of the day. I was shocked as the adults around me proceeded to be obnoxious and make completely idiotic comments as newly christened "second graders." The presenter even asked us to not give her a hard time and to not be the mischievous second grader. Apparently, many chose to ignore that plea. I guess people were trying to be funny by making their ridiculous comments. And maybe some of it was funny, for about 5 seconds. Then, as several people in particular continued to make one stupid remark after another for the entire lesson, I found myself embarrassed for us as a group. And I wanted to shrink into the table, or knock some people upside the head. Some people are so clueless. I can't explain how annoying it was that these people kept acting immature, even though it was clear the presenter was tired of stopping the lecture to address the comments and the group as a whole was tiring of it as well. These were adults! Adults who must have thought they were a riot.

I really can't believe so many people are so clueless as to how ill-received their attempts at humor are. Honestly, real second graders are probably more mature and insightful than these supposed adults were.

Nyquil

About 2 hours ago, I suddenly got a nagging cough. It's the annoying kind that is a nearly constant tickle in the throat, feels very dry, and seems to have no purpose. I've never had a cough appear so suddenly and without warning before. But the one positive thing about it is that I am already planning on taking a huge swig of Nyquil before bed tonight. Is it sad that I am looking forward to Nyquil so much? It's a little scary because I almost formed a Nyquil addiction many months ago when I had a serious cold. I took it 3 or 4 nights in a row and would have continued to take it even though my symptoms were improving, except Cody basically forced me to stop. But I clearly recall how deeply and soundly I slept thanks to that wonder drug, and I can't wait to sleep that way tonight. I already warned Cody that he better be sleeping lightly in case the kids cry out in the night because I am not planning on hearing it.

Not a Favorite

I'm rather disappointed in Max Lucado's recently released children's book The Tallest of Smalls. The main problem, in my opinion, is the wording choices. The lines don't seem to flow easily, some words are over kids' heads, and sometimes sentences are all twisted up to make them fit a rhyme even though it makes them difficult to understand or read. The tale is mediocre at best. The book tackles the valid teaching point of not trying to fit in with the "in crowd" and instead finding value in your relationship with Jesus/God. However, the approach taken to make that point is not easily understandable or overly inspiring. Jesus is thrown into the picture at the very end, and very briefly. It doesn't seem especially memorable or high-impact. It's kind of a cheesy, poorly worded tale that didn't capture my kids' attention when I read it to them. The best thing going for the book are the gorgeous illustrations. Maria Monescillo's artwork is truly incredible. It's too bad the story isn't up to the same level as the stunning art on the pages.

Losing Track of Time

I am having a hard time with the month of October. Apparently, as the fall moves forward, time is getting faster and faster. Days are passing in blurs. Months begin. I blink, and they are half over. I blink again and the next month is beginning. My specific problem is that I can't seem to remember that we are so far into October. I have a huge meeting on the 30th that I think is weeks away. Not true. I bought some discounted scones at the grocery store on Tuesday because the "sell by" date was October 22. That is ages from now, I thought to myself as I tossed them into the cart. Not until I got home and saw the date on some school papers of Ava's did I realize that Tuesday was the 20th. I got an email a few days ago from Lucas' teacher telling me that phone conferences would take place on the 22nd. Wow this email is going out early, I thought to myself. I looked at it again today and realized that the 22nd was, gulp, TODAY. I barely got my reply in and a time set up. I feel so dazed and constantly a step behind. The worst thing is, I have a feeling this is only going to intensify as we barrel toward Thanksgiving, Christmas, and the end of the year. Is there any way to slow things down?

Cute

Various cute things my kids have done lately:

Lucas wore a buttoned up, collared dress shirt for the first time Sunday. After Cody dressed him, Lucas ran into the kitchen to find me. He exclaimed in the sweetest, proudest voice, "Look Mama, I'm a daddy!"

Ava wrote me the following note and left it beside my bed a few weeks ago:

AVA

to: becey

From: your little friend

Re: When's the fair?

The flakes on my nose. icy cold. I don't care. When's the fair comeing? P.S. What ya doing at the party?

This morning she was standing at the sink getting ready for school while the boys and I played in their room nearby. She suddenly yelled, "What?" I told her I had not said anything. She said, "Why did you call AVA?" I told her I didn't call her name. She stood puzzled for a second then said, "Oh, I guess it was the voices in my head."