Monday, December 31, 2007

HAPPY NEW YEAR...

...I hope! Here's hoping everyone had a good holiday season and looking forward to a great new year! Not starting out great for us so far, but it's got to look up from here. We got broken into again last night. They broke the garage door and the door to the house. Not sure where else there is damage. Stole tools again. Really mad! Time to file an insurance claim. They also took our hardwood flooring which was sitting in my office waiting to be laid. GRRR! Not sure which part is most frustrating to Dave, but for me it's the repairs that we can't afford to make and then the replacement of the stolen items...I guess for me it's about the money. Of course, there is the lack of security feeling now. Hope that will return when we move into the house and have security cameras up and Shayna living there. Yeah...Shayna's being there would help a lot! Maybe I'll work on the fence tomorrow.

On the upside, we seem to past our month of colds and fevers (I hope) and on the mend. With a little bit of luck, we should be happy and healthy in our own new house soon.

Thursday, December 20, 2007

A Year in Review!

So, I think I have finally hit the December peak! Let's recap...I finally got my CD out there; I spoke at the conference at Asilomar; I worked with a group of moms and we adopted a family; performed in the choir's winter concert; wrapped up school and spearheaded the Preschool's Teacher Appreciate December Event. Well, yep...that wraps up December. Of course, we still have Christmas with the in-laws coming, but that's not a big to-do for me. I just need to bring a little something and call it done. :)

So, now the whole recap:
January--My baby was still a baby back then and Jayden was a sweet at 3 could be. No major events.
February--Shayna learned it's not as much fun to chase cats as she thought it was. Didn't know what to do with it once she caught it!
March--Lots of visits from Michelle, Katie and Wes to celebrate MIL's 50th B-day.
April--Got some beautiful pics of the kids. Jayden peed all over the world when we finally said goodbye to diapers for real. Took the whole month, but he finally decided to do all his business in the potty! HURRAY!
May--House got broken into AGAIN and I was sad to find out that my dear friend was moving away. Spent a pleasant Mother's Day on the beach though, that was nice! Ellie is growing up too fast! Wants her hair combed and clips put in!
June--High school drama club reunion put a lift on things. I had a good time. My kids rediscovered the fun of the Exersaucer! HOW ridiculous!
July--Happy Birthday Jayden! My he seems too little to be four! Dad had his appendix out. That was a shocker!
August--Joint birthday party for the kids. Pirate themed...had a good time! Jayden and the boy next door became playmates. They really enjoy spending time with eachother. Gonna miss that when (if) we move back home!
September--Happy Birthday Eliana! Back to school for everyone! Jayden moved up to the Chavarim class and Eliana gets her first adventure in school in the Little Stars. I also went back to Notre Dame to teach just one class. Been quite an adventure for all of us!
October--Halloween! The kids were warm in their costumes! Jayden was a dinosaur and Eliana was an adorable Tigger!
November--Mom had angioplasty. Thanksgiving at my parents' house because...well you know!
December--not home yet, but soon!

Been a busy year! Hope you all have a good year and a relaxing holiday season!

Saturday, December 08, 2007

Blogger's Time-Out!

Ok...it's quiet enough that I feel secure in taking some time out to update my blog and read others'. Only problem now, is where to begin?!

Ok...me first. I have been super busy since Thanksgiving (which went nicely) at my parents' house. Dave actually thinks now we should be in our house by the end of the year. I can only hope he is right, but I am not holding my breath. If it takes another month, I would be neither disappointed nor surprised. But, the week after T-day, I worked pretty hard to prepare my presentation at the math teachers' conference in Asilomar. It went very well. I had a classroom with about 35 desks that was totally filled by3:10. With 20 minutes to go before start-time, I ended up sending people down the hall to get chairs. I think I had about 50 people in there by the time I started the presentation and then a few more drifted in after that! It was a pretty full house! People LOVED my songs and I sold over 20 CD's! AMAZING!

After Asilomar, I spent the past week helping my mom prepare for the Chanukah party for the congregation. I also found out that we bought a building! YAY! Our little congregation is going to have a home! It's pretty exciting news for the community because the congregation has been around for over 30 years and this is the first time they have been able to secure their own establishment. I think it will go far to tying down roots and getting the younger members more involved. This is especially good for me because I want my kids to get a Jewish education and now we have a place to associate with and not just a group of people.

Anyway, the party was last night and went pretty well. I was tired when I got home though and it was only 9:30!! All in all, it's been a pretty busy couple of weeks. Not that I expect it be much less busy in the upcoming couple of weeks....especially if Dave is right and we are moving home soon!

I am working with some other moms and we have adopted a family for Christmas. I am spearheading this thing (not that I really know what I am doing, but....) and I need to figure out how to divvy up the purchasing. Probably ought to get on that today! Also, I am on the committee for teacher appreciation at the kids' preschool and this month is my month! YIKES!

Speaking of preschool...Jayden has decided he no longer wants to go to school. When I talked to him the other day, he told me that they (I think he decided it was the teachers and not the kids) always take his toys away. I think there is probably more going on here that I don't recognize because I don't speak "4". But, I hope we can figure it out soon. He's been different at home too. He always has an argument about everything I want him to do. He negotiates everything to DEATH! I am kind of at my wits' end with it. I fear giving in because it will add fuel to the fire, but I don't want to end up with a kid who hates me or worse--me hating him! I need help! The advice his teachers gave me is not really helpful because they said, "Give him power in the small things." Well, I do. "Do you want peas or carrots?" is not a big deal for me, but when he comes back with "I am not eating any vegetables!" I can't do much about that. Taking toys away seems unfair to Eliana, but then it wasn't working anyway.

Ok...clearly I had more to say about Jayden than anything else! HELP!! I need an expert on age 4!!

Friday, December 07, 2007

Where have I been??

No time to update now, but here's a link to Dave's blog (which he doesn't use much) and there are some pics of the kids there.

http://www.cyberprose.com/