Christmas ode to my people

When I was double checking my Christmas card list (No, I'm not Santa!), I started thinking about the columns I designed in hopes of not leaving anyone out.  Friends, work, school, neighbor, family. 

I'm very blessed to have a long list of names in each of these columns.  So blessed, I can't figure out where to put people.  What if they are my neighbor and dear friend?  Friends for a reason, a season, or life... should I make columns for this?  If I work with you, are you strictly a work friend?

Clearly, through the holiday season and the whole year through, I am loved by friends.  For this, I am truly blessed.

So for all of my friends...
BFF, confidant, co-worker, co-worker I can drink and swear with, old friend, new friend, old friend made new again, timeless friend, neighbor, soul mate, smart girl, mom friend, family friend, party friend, co-conspirator, wonderwall, intellectual friend, can act stupid with friend...

Mistletoe kisses and hugs to you all!

Everything old is new again

Our school district doesn't teach from text books and handouts.  The classrooms are full of teacher driven mini-lessons, lots of journaling, and a variety of learning methods.  Hard to follow sometimes as a sub, but worth it for the quality of education.

Today I was working with fourth graders on their Washington state studies.  There actually is a text book for that.  Makes sense... they are learning the slower changing facts about our state:  land regions, agriculture, climate etc...

This book seemed familiar.  I started flipping through the pages and was sure I had seen this book before.  I remember using this book to teach Washington state studies to fifth graders, as a substitute teacher, at Marshall elementary.  Before I became a full time teacher.  Before I got married and had kids.

Could this be right?  Clearly this was an updated version.  Then I came to the page that shocked me.

Washington state governor Booth Gardner.

Seriously?  Checking the publication date of this educational textbook, it was dated 1992... one year after I graduated high school.

Yikes.  Hope things haven't changed much, or these kids will have some sad reports.

Christmas past, Christmas present

Drumroll please...

Ode to my week

It's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

Flat tires, trading cars, buying new tires

Merry Christmas, Chris... that's all you get!

Broken braces for Dominic,

Not once, but twice...

Next time I'm using twist ties to fix it myself

Doctors appointments

Working the full week

Extra guest at our house

Writer's celebration for second grade

Ordered our Christmas cards

Printing the labels

Grocery shopping by moonlight

Student council meetings

Sleepless nights

Zoo lights and eating dinner in the car

Husband packing for a trip

Forgot my coffee at home

Field trips

I'm too tired to write.

Dominic has always been a math whiz!  From the early age of second grade, he has declared his future is in engineering. 

No shock.  At three he was telling me directions in the car.  Spacial math.

At four he was building room covering wooden train designs more intricate than any railway I've witnessed.  Design.

At ten, he is being pushed to compete in higher math levels in middle school. He speaks math like a second language.

His ultimate goal is to attend a good engineering college.  He has already researched many options.  This boy cracks me up.

When reviewing the top engineering schools, we help him set his heart on big names... if we can save to afford it, and he can get the grades, he'll be able to go anywhere.  Why not shoot for the stars.

Berkeley is an obvious choice.  Most reasonably priced of the big name engineering schools.  Shocking sticker price, but half the price of the big name techs. 

He also reasons that staying in state would clearly be a wise choice.  Therefore, his local pick is University of Washington.  Good price.  Not far from home.  Far enough away to have the full college experience.  PAC 12 school, so he can attend lots of good games.  Great engineering program.

Settled.  Good goals.  I support them.

Hmmm... but I was a WSU Cougar.  Ouch.

So now I have my daughter to carry on the Coug legacy.

Maybe...

Oh, and don't forget this...

At least they have goals.