The Joy of School

I'm embarking on a new endeavor this year, I've decided to help teach Joy School for my daughter. At first I was so nervous about how much work it would be but now that I've read the manual and begun work on my lesson plans, I'm pretty excited.

Here's how it works; We have 6 students and 6 mothers. Our classes are two days a week which comes out to basically teaching two days a month. My classes in September will be on the body and all the lesson plans (scheduled to in 5-25 minute increments) are included for me. They have a list of reading supplements which can be used for each lesson or you can use your own books. There is a song CD and written lyrics provided.

This first month, each mom is responsible to help prepare some of the standard charts/supplies. For example, hand puppets/ weather charts and birthday hats. (I've got the weather chart) then all the supplies, including a box for each child with his/her own school supplies (provided by parents) are placed in a large Rubbermaid container so that all supplies can travel from house to house each week.

My first lesson is Sept. 15, I'll let you know how it goes.

Download Complete, One Item Remaining

I've often accessed websites and found the above message on my browser while waiting. It always makes me laugh when the "one item remaining" is the major part of the page, i.e. the check copy that I'm trying to see on my bank site or the photo of the car accident about which the article is written or the log in and password boxes of a commerce site. It makes me wonder, how could I hold my children off when they're driving me crazy about snacks? I could get the napkins, the cups and plates and then simply say don't worry, just "one item remaining", your snack. Or I could simply wash all the clothes but not the underwear. "Just one item remaining". Or maybe, when I'm really groggy in the morning and I'm up and functioning but I can't seem to get a full sentence out..."I'm sorry kids, mommy's brain is the one item remaining asleep."

I am sans children this morning. The older ones are off to school and the younger ones are at Grandmas! Oh the possibilities. Focus Tiff, focus! NO CLEANING, MUST HAVE FUN!

I was browsing through a Halloween costume catalog that came yesterday. I think the company that makes this catalog is confused with what holiday they are promoting. Here are some of their costume titles:

Anita Valium (straight jacket)


Pocahottie (Indian Princess)



Mrs. Freddy Kruger's Naughty Nightmare (A female Freddy Kruger)


I think someone should tell then that Halloween is not porn night.

Who'd a thunk?

My Kindergartner met with his teacher for the first time today. It was his evaluation before actually starting school. She ran him through a series of basic questions about the alphabet, numbers and basic math. He did pretty well in my opinion and as we left the school with his older brother I said "You are pretty smart mister." To which my older son said "oh yeah, why is he so smart?" My brilliant Kindergartner responded with "Because I thunk everything I know."

Now wouldn't we all like to be so happy with ourselves each day? I'd love to go to bed each night happy in the knowledge that I "thunk everything I know".

So many times I have great thoughts for blog posts. No, really- "I have thoughts". I'll find myself in front of the computer thinking I'm going to write about something that has inspired/enraged me lately and all of a sudden, I have no more thoughts. What a bummer. It's funny how this electronic, income non-producer places so much pressure on my psyche. I blame this in part, on my stupid all-or-nothing personality. The need to either be perfectly well written or just no writing at all. I admire so many of my friends blogs that are always updated with the cutest pics of kiddos and friends doing super creative, fun things.

I take no pictures.

I have no friends. (I've asked all of them to do too many volunteer projects.)

My children watch a lot of TV.

Well, things are a changin' lassies! I'm going to extend myself an original Good Force Challenge- be more aware of others and the world around me.

Because I am of the species that requires challenges or format in order to get anything done, I must approach it from this angle. I am nothing, if not a great format follower! From now on let there be pictures, let there be mindless postulating on issues and events far beyond my control, let there be inspiration and let there be a new ability to actually place those mindless postulations and brilliant inspirations onto the screen before you!

It's been such a great week, busy, but great. All of our students have had successful first days and I'm so glad that things are starting out on a positive note.
I hope everyone else has had good experiences with the first days of school and that this school year will be one of your best!

It's official, school has started! I have gone to 3 orientations, found eighteen classrooms, opened two lockers, found one bus stop, met 12 teachers and purchased 10 binders. I'm so glad it's finally here.

Camo's orientation went well although we both came home and felt overwhelmed. I whispered many prayers as he went to school the next day that everything would go well,his locker would open and he would find his classrooms without trouble. I sat in the car preparing myself for whatever his reaction would be and was relieved to find that he had a great first day. Phew!

Won's first day is today and I am praying his goes well also. I did a really great job of getting him registered, finding his locker and classrooms and showing him the bus stop. I introduced him to some kids in the neighborhood so I'm hoping he'll start to feel included soon. I did realize later this morning that I forgot to tell him to pay attention to what bus number he was on so he could get back home. And I forgot to give him the card with my phone number on it. After a few phone calls I got the message to him and I think he should be fine. Here's hoping that my little fifteen year old from South Korea isn't feeling too small all alone at a big high school in America.

Oh No He Didn't

My twelve year old just asked; "what do you do all day" (in THAT tone) and then followed up with "all you do is sit around". Oh yeah, he did. So guess who got all the mom jobs today! We'll see how snotty he is when he's had a day of dishes/laundry and food fixin'. Twirp.

A Whole New World

I was sitting with my daughter on the park bench last night, waiting for soccer practice to be completed. We were playing a silly game and at the end, I reached and cupped her face in my hands and looked into her green eyes. The sun rested on her face and she was smiling in the most beautiful way and I couldn't help but wonder, will I remember this little face when she is grown? Will I recall this moment when I looked at her, with full attention, and saw what a sweet happy child she is? In that moment I wanted nothing but her happiness all her life. The best of every experience in her growing up years to help her be the most wonderful woman in her future. A whole universe of potential was reflected in those little eyes and I couldn't help but be grateful she was smiling.

He Speaks Harry Potter

There may not be much we can talk about but I have managed to strike up a conversation about HP! Seems it is the new universal language!

And So It Begins

We have successfully acquired our foreign exchange student. Our first day has been quite fun and he seems like a really great kid. On an scale from one to ten, his English is about a five/six so there have been some silent moments after questions have been asked but all in all we seem to understand each other.

It was an interesting experience coming home from the airport. It felt not too unlike coming home from the hospital. For those of you who have had this experience, doesn't it seem like the world looks different? I noticed so many things from the freeway that I usually don't. I hope that our student's presence here continues to bring me the opportunity for greater awareness of the world around me.

Now, I need to go communicate to him our plans for the day. Wish me luck!

The Pledge

So my blogging the last year can best be described as sporadic. Now that my year from hell is officially over, I am most interested in resurrecting my blog to it's former glory (or lack thereof). I am most excited to write about the many thoughts (rational or otherwise) I have all the time but simply don't take the time to express.

Since I am preparing for our exchange student in four days, I thought I'd start there. It's been quite the process getting ready for this young man. I have been corresponding with him and his family via email for several months. It's been somewhat entertaining to read his thoughts because his writing level is about that of an eight year old sometimes. I have found myself mentally preparing for a young child. It wasn't until I saw his latest pictures that I realized he is in fact a young man. It's changed my perspective on how I will interact with him and what level of communication we will have. I am looking forward to learning more about young adults and understanding the process he will go through, not only as a teen but as a young man in a foreign country.
Although I do not know him, I know that God knows him and I pray every night that he will help us bridge the language/cultural barriers of our respective countries and remind us that we are in fact brother and sister.