Yesterday was our school district's district-wide inservice where the district administrator, school board president and others address all employees. During this inservice we were "trained" in blood-borne pathogens followed by a presentation on pandemics, specifically addressing that a flu pandemic will occur and that the "when" is unknown. This presentation was down right depressing. Statements like "people you know WILL die" were told to us. I cannot put into words the dismal message that was given. Then we had a video. It was to teach us how to sneeze. I don't know if it was because the presentation we just had was so gloomy, but the video had the entire auditorium in stitches. I found it this morning on the internet. It is five minutes or so, so it isn't that long.
"Why Don't We Do It In Our Sleeves?"
(be sure to click on the "Watch Video" link on the left side)
As for going back to school...I'm not sure if anyone in our family is ready for school to begin. The kids had an amazing summer. We now have more kids in the neighborhood and we constantly have someone showing up at our door asking if one or both of the kids can come out and play. In addition, both have had four great weeks at Camp-Y-Coda. Neither one of them has said anything about being excited for school to begin. As for me, when I got into my classroom, I was really depressed. It is an interior room with no windows and it feels a lot like a cave. It might be that I just turned 40. In any case, the beginning of this school year, my 18th year in teaching, I just don't seem to have my normal excited attitude as I've had in the past.
Friday, August 29, 2008
Tuesday, August 19, 2008
Not When She Is 9 Years Old!
My daughter cried.
She cried when I took her school clothes shopping.
She cried while in the dressing room when the jeans she picked out didn't fit her.
What have I done? Have I shown so little love for my own (chubby) body that my daughter has learned to hate herself as well?
She wouldn't talk to me at first, she just sat there with tears in her eyes and her face turning red. I pleaded for her to talk to me. I got mad when she wouldn't. She finally said that she didn't want to buy any clothes because she hates the way her body is changing. (Breaking heart)
I always tell her I love her. I always tell her she is smart and beautiful and amazing in her abilities. She must also hear me say how I want to lose weight and that I think I am fat. But I exercise and I thought I talk about it in a positive way. I make healthy meals for the whole family, not just for me. So where did I go wrong?
I have always taken her into the dressing room with me when I try on clothes. I am short. For the width that I am, the pants are always too long. My pants always get hemmed. My daughter has inherited that from me. So, she finds jeans that are the "right length" and then she cannot button the pants.
Nine years old is too young to feel this way. Actually, I don't ever want my daughter to hate herself whatever age she is! No girl should be made to feel this way.
What is a mom to do?
She cried when I took her school clothes shopping.
She cried while in the dressing room when the jeans she picked out didn't fit her.
What have I done? Have I shown so little love for my own (chubby) body that my daughter has learned to hate herself as well?
She wouldn't talk to me at first, she just sat there with tears in her eyes and her face turning red. I pleaded for her to talk to me. I got mad when she wouldn't. She finally said that she didn't want to buy any clothes because she hates the way her body is changing. (Breaking heart)
I always tell her I love her. I always tell her she is smart and beautiful and amazing in her abilities. She must also hear me say how I want to lose weight and that I think I am fat. But I exercise and I thought I talk about it in a positive way. I make healthy meals for the whole family, not just for me. So where did I go wrong?
I have always taken her into the dressing room with me when I try on clothes. I am short. For the width that I am, the pants are always too long. My pants always get hemmed. My daughter has inherited that from me. So, she finds jeans that are the "right length" and then she cannot button the pants.
Nine years old is too young to feel this way. Actually, I don't ever want my daughter to hate herself whatever age she is! No girl should be made to feel this way.
What is a mom to do?
Saturday, August 16, 2008
Real Quick
My husband was watching our son play RockBand. He decided to record him AND put the recording on You-Tube. Mind you, (1) he's 7 years old (2) he's playing this on Medium and (3) he's not wearing his glasses (arrrggh!).
2 weeks notice
Summer Vacation is just about over for the kids and me. I have one week left with them and then I go back for inservices. The kids only have 2 weeks left of summer vacation! I am going to recap our adventures this summer, in pictures (mainly).
Our summers begin with our annual trip to the county airport for their Wings & Wheels celebration for Father's day. This year the kids made paper rockets and were able to launch them using a set-up with pipes and a 2-L soda bottle. After that, my husband took the kids for their annual ride in the airplane. This year our son was able to sit in the front seat with the pilot and was given the opportunity to hold the controls. They were able to fly over Kohler and take pictures of our house from above. My daughter also took pictures of the school and Woodlake Market. They also flew over the city of Sheboygan. This weekend was also a big race weekend for one of our friends so he (Brice) and his girlfriend (Laura) were staying with us and came out to the airport as well.
These first two are when I took the kids to Appleton to visit my friend, Annie, and her kids. We went to a local park to go letterboxing. They loved exploring, finding the hidden treasure and finding a turtle (that at first we thought was dead).
Now are my pictures from the 4th of July. Since our family was IN the parade this year, I have no pictures OF the parade, however a few friends and my parents were able to see the parade (and take a few shots), but I have not seen them yet. What I do have is a picture of is when our friend Donny spotted a tortoise in the bushes (because our dog was acting all excited). It just so happened the day before I received a "lost and found" note from a neighborhood youth. We called and sure enough, this was the missing pet. Another picture is of the Ravine Park where all of Kohler meet to listen to the Kiel band play and then enjoy the fireworks. Everyone sets out blankets and chairs (as early as the 3rd of July) to claim the best spot. No one steals the items laid out. The last one is self-explanatory and quite beautiful!
My son's teacher, Mrs. Nebel, held a party at her house for all the kids and their siblings at her home. I have a group shot of all the kids who were there. If you look above the house, you can see when this was taken...just as everybody was about to leave (a huge storm with hail was approaching). The other pictures are of my kids enjoying one of the many activities that Mrs. Nebel had for all the kids - from swimming, to the trampoline, to legos and FOOD!
Camp pictures...The kids spent a lot of time in camp. My daughter was at Girl Scout Camp (Left) and Drama camp (Below) and 3 other weeks of other camps; while my son was in Wet-n-Wild camp with his two best friends (Left & Below) and also had 3 other weeks of camps.
My son was invited by one of his best friends to be a part of the Jr. Coho Derby this year. His step father is an avid fisherman and has a really nice boat. This was my son's first time out on Lake Michigan in a boat - and fishing for that big of a fish. He caught a 4.58 lb, a 4.51 lb and a 10.12 lb King Salmon. His friend caught a King Salmon over 13 lbs so he won a trophy. In order to have the fish be "yours" the kid had to reel it in all by themselves. How exciting is that?
My Grandfather turned 90! Our family traveled to Marinette on an early Sunday morning to join my Grandparents and my parents to celebrate this. In addition, we celebrated that on August 27th, my Grandmother will be 88 (I'll be 40 on that date).
We took a trip to Green Bay to go to Bay Beach. This is always a favorite for the kids. This was the first year our daughter was tall enough to drive the bumper cars herself. They enjoyed the swings, the playground and the train. I was able to take a few pictures as my husband and daughter as they were coming down the big blue slide.
I planned another ladies luncheon with a few of the ladies I worked with when I worked at New Holstein High School (now 7 years ago). This year my friend and mentor, Judy, was unable to attend. It was too close to her 50th wedding anniversary and she had company at her home. The ladies who were able to attend Mary, Grace, Jackie, myself and Annie. We had a nice time being able to catch up on what everyone is up to - work - husbands - children - and grandchildren (not for all of us).
Our summers begin with our annual trip to the county airport for their Wings & Wheels celebration for Father's day. This year the kids made paper rockets and were able to launch them using a set-up with pipes and a 2-L soda bottle. After that, my husband took the kids for their annual ride in the airplane. This year our son was able to sit in the front seat with the pilot and was given the opportunity to hold the controls. They were able to fly over Kohler and take pictures of our house from above. My daughter also took pictures of the school and Woodlake Market. They also flew over the city of Sheboygan. This weekend was also a big race weekend for one of our friends so he (Brice) and his girlfriend (Laura) were staying with us and came out to the airport as well.
These first two are when I took the kids to Appleton to visit my friend, Annie, and her kids. We went to a local park to go letterboxing. They loved exploring, finding the hidden treasure and finding a turtle (that at first we thought was dead).
Now are my pictures from the 4th of July. Since our family was IN the parade this year, I have no pictures OF the parade, however a few friends and my parents were able to see the parade (and take a few shots), but I have not seen them yet. What I do have is a picture of is when our friend Donny spotted a tortoise in the bushes (because our dog was acting all excited). It just so happened the day before I received a "lost and found" note from a neighborhood youth. We called and sure enough, this was the missing pet. Another picture is of the Ravine Park where all of Kohler meet to listen to the Kiel band play and then enjoy the fireworks. Everyone sets out blankets and chairs (as early as the 3rd of July) to claim the best spot. No one steals the items laid out. The last one is self-explanatory and quite beautiful!
My son's teacher, Mrs. Nebel, held a party at her house for all the kids and their siblings at her home. I have a group shot of all the kids who were there. If you look above the house, you can see when this was taken...just as everybody was about to leave (a huge storm with hail was approaching). The other pictures are of my kids enjoying one of the many activities that Mrs. Nebel had for all the kids - from swimming, to the trampoline, to legos and FOOD!
Camp pictures...The kids spent a lot of time in camp. My daughter was at Girl Scout Camp (Left) and Drama camp (Below) and 3 other weeks of other camps; while my son was in Wet-n-Wild camp with his two best friends (Left & Below) and also had 3 other weeks of camps.
My son was invited by one of his best friends to be a part of the Jr. Coho Derby this year. His step father is an avid fisherman and has a really nice boat. This was my son's first time out on Lake Michigan in a boat - and fishing for that big of a fish. He caught a 4.58 lb, a 4.51 lb and a 10.12 lb King Salmon. His friend caught a King Salmon over 13 lbs so he won a trophy. In order to have the fish be "yours" the kid had to reel it in all by themselves. How exciting is that?
My Grandfather turned 90! Our family traveled to Marinette on an early Sunday morning to join my Grandparents and my parents to celebrate this. In addition, we celebrated that on August 27th, my Grandmother will be 88 (I'll be 40 on that date).
We took a trip to Green Bay to go to Bay Beach. This is always a favorite for the kids. This was the first year our daughter was tall enough to drive the bumper cars herself. They enjoyed the swings, the playground and the train. I was able to take a few pictures as my husband and daughter as they were coming down the big blue slide.
I planned another ladies luncheon with a few of the ladies I worked with when I worked at New Holstein High School (now 7 years ago). This year my friend and mentor, Judy, was unable to attend. It was too close to her 50th wedding anniversary and she had company at her home. The ladies who were able to attend Mary, Grace, Jackie, myself and Annie. We had a nice time being able to catch up on what everyone is up to - work - husbands - children - and grandchildren (not for all of us).
Sunday, August 10, 2008
You may want to try these
Earlier I was writing that I am trying to count my calories and keep a journal of what I am eating. Now I am searching for new and easy recipes. I really do not look for "how healthy" they are, just that I am able to determine the information so I can record it. I found two recipes that are just awesome!
Recipe #1 - Thai Chicken with Basil
Ingredients you will need... 1.3 lbs chicken breast cut in 1 by 2 inch pieces, 2 Tbls of Asian fish sauce, 1.5 Tbls soy sauce, 1 Tbls water, 1.5 Tbls sugar, 2 Tbls cooking oil, 1 large onion cut into thin slices (I prefer to use scallions - I like their flavor), 3 fresh red chiles cut into thin slices OR 0.25 tsp dried red pepper flakes, 3 cloves of garlic - minced, 1.5 cups of lightly packed fresh basil leaves
Directions... In a bowl, combine chicken with fish sauce, soy sauce, water and sugar. In a nonstick pan or wok, heat oil - add onions and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in chiles and garlic, cook for 30 sec longer. Add chicken to the hot pan. Cook until almost done, stirring about 3 minutes. Add the marinade and cook 30 seconds longer. Remove from heat and add 1 cup of basil. Serve with the remaining basil.
I do not serve rice or noodles with this, instead, I prefer to serve with green vegetables and a side of fruit. I have gotten rave reviews from my family. My biggest complement is that my son (who rarely eats meat) loves the chicken.
Recipe # 2 - Easy Beef Tenderloin
Ingredients... 3 lb beef tenderloin, 0.75 cup soy sauce (I prefer the low sodium), 1 stick of butter (that's it!!)
Directions... Melt the butter. Add the soy sauce. Put the beef tenderloin in a glass cooking dish and add the butter-soy mixture. Cook for 10 minutes at 350°. Turn over the meat and cook an addition 30 - 40 minutes (until the meat is 140°). Let it set for 5-10 minutes.
Again, I try to stay away from grains, potato or noodles with this and serve a salad, cooked vegetables and a side of fresh fruit. This 3 lb piece of meat served our family of 4 for two meals AND the kids had another meal out of it AND I made two salad topped with the meat in thin slices (with a small amount of the marinade as a dressing). The way I made so many meals out of this is portioning. I cut the whole meat into slices/portions and when I need to reheat, I only heat the amount I will need so that the other pieces do not get over-cooked. This meal was praised by my family more than any meal I have made in a long time PLUS it was sooooo easy to make. My son even ate this meat - for a total of three meals!
Recipe #1 - Thai Chicken with Basil
Ingredients you will need... 1.3 lbs chicken breast cut in 1 by 2 inch pieces, 2 Tbls of Asian fish sauce, 1.5 Tbls soy sauce, 1 Tbls water, 1.5 Tbls sugar, 2 Tbls cooking oil, 1 large onion cut into thin slices (I prefer to use scallions - I like their flavor), 3 fresh red chiles cut into thin slices OR 0.25 tsp dried red pepper flakes, 3 cloves of garlic - minced, 1.5 cups of lightly packed fresh basil leaves
Directions... In a bowl, combine chicken with fish sauce, soy sauce, water and sugar. In a nonstick pan or wok, heat oil - add onions and cook for 2 minutes. Stir in chiles and garlic, cook for 30 sec longer. Add chicken to the hot pan. Cook until almost done, stirring about 3 minutes. Add the marinade and cook 30 seconds longer. Remove from heat and add 1 cup of basil. Serve with the remaining basil.
I do not serve rice or noodles with this, instead, I prefer to serve with green vegetables and a side of fruit. I have gotten rave reviews from my family. My biggest complement is that my son (who rarely eats meat) loves the chicken.
Recipe # 2 - Easy Beef Tenderloin
Ingredients... 3 lb beef tenderloin, 0.75 cup soy sauce (I prefer the low sodium), 1 stick of butter (that's it!!)
Directions... Melt the butter. Add the soy sauce. Put the beef tenderloin in a glass cooking dish and add the butter-soy mixture. Cook for 10 minutes at 350°. Turn over the meat and cook an addition 30 - 40 minutes (until the meat is 140°). Let it set for 5-10 minutes.
Again, I try to stay away from grains, potato or noodles with this and serve a salad, cooked vegetables and a side of fresh fruit. This 3 lb piece of meat served our family of 4 for two meals AND the kids had another meal out of it AND I made two salad topped with the meat in thin slices (with a small amount of the marinade as a dressing). The way I made so many meals out of this is portioning. I cut the whole meat into slices/portions and when I need to reheat, I only heat the amount I will need so that the other pieces do not get over-cooked. This meal was praised by my family more than any meal I have made in a long time PLUS it was sooooo easy to make. My son even ate this meat - for a total of three meals!
Wednesday, August 6, 2008
Fortuitous Entry
I have so many different things on my mind...there will be no cohesive transitions from one point to the next and for that I am sorry...
I have a whole day to myself. What am I going to do? Both of the kids are at camp this week and my husband works from 8 - 3 pm, then must do some campaigning. His palm cards arrived and now the hours and hours of door-to-door knocking begins. I wasn't like this on Monday or Tuesday. I had gone to work and was doing inventory of the chemical supply areas, but today, nothing. I did get up and ride with Kim today; we did a hard-earned hour-and-a-half of biking. I feel good after those bike rides! The television is just a bad and wasteful idea. I turned it off so I don't get sucked in (I should really hide the remote as well).
I want to do some scrapping today. Lisa would be proud of me. I also need to thank her for the wonderful card she sent me (add to my to-do list).
Brat days has come and gone. We were to be in the parade ("Elect Alex for Assembly"), but some drunk driver had other ideas and drove into the parade route, injuring some of the observers so the parade was canceled. The injured people are doing fine now and the guy who did the damage is in jail - and that is what really matters. None-the-less, it would have been nice to get Alex's name out there in that kind of venue. I took this picture while we were waiting for our turn to go in the parade (spot #57a of many). My mother-in-law was the driver, my mother was going to resupply the handouts to hubby and me and refill the candy containers for the kids as they ran out. Do you like how we match the car???
School will be starting soon. Arrgghh. I feel like I have spent so little time this summer doing nothing and a whole lot of time keeping busy. I used to be bored over summer break and couldn't wait for the school year to begin. I have three more weeks and I go back for an in-service. Oh, that is when I turn 40! Yep, that is on my mind as well. 40. I'm moving to a new age bracket when I need to fill out my age for something. I need my mammogram. I need another colon exam. What other places do they need to investigate? Isn't this the magic age the experts say is when you need to exercise more and eat less because now the pounds will really add on? Is menopause coming soon?
Speaking of gaining weight...I found an on-line journal to keep track of my food intake and my exercise. I have been tracking my normal diet (including the snacks; I've tried really hard to NOT snack. Some days I am really successful, others I am not). I am able to see how many calories I take in and how many I use when I bike. I also do a daily morning weigh-in and enter that as well. In one week I have lost 5 pounds. It is not much when you consider my starting weight. I do have a goal. I want to be in the "not obese" section for my next BMI test I have. To do that I need to be at 125 lbs. I haven't been that since BEFORE I got married, maybe even before I was engaged. So, I am going to keep track of my food intake, keep exercising (like I have been for over three years - yes three years of YMCA classes, biking in the summers, spinning classes with my school district). I am going to see if I can change something - anything. And, I am writing it all down so that if nothing works I can go to my doctor and say, "See, I HAVE been trying and I still can't drop the weight; are you sure there isn't anything medically wrong??!?"
There is something that I am looking forward to this week...a luncheon that is planned for a few of the ladies I used to work with in New Holstein. We are planning to eat at the Brickhouse Bistro for lunch this Friday. Last week another friend from PHS had a luncheon at her house that many of us attended, and she made it a "Swap stuff" party as well. We brought things - toys, decor, clothes, books - and laid them on a table. After lunch, we drew numbers as to who would pick first and so on. Then we chose items from the table to keep. Anything not taken at the end of the party would be donated to a charity. What a way cool idea!
I guess my day of "what to do" has been filled with completing this entry and scrapping and I will also read Gap Creek, as for that is the next book chosen my the book club. I just picked it up last night. Off to have some me time!
I have a whole day to myself. What am I going to do? Both of the kids are at camp this week and my husband works from 8 - 3 pm, then must do some campaigning. His palm cards arrived and now the hours and hours of door-to-door knocking begins. I wasn't like this on Monday or Tuesday. I had gone to work and was doing inventory of the chemical supply areas, but today, nothing. I did get up and ride with Kim today; we did a hard-earned hour-and-a-half of biking. I feel good after those bike rides! The television is just a bad and wasteful idea. I turned it off so I don't get sucked in (I should really hide the remote as well).
I want to do some scrapping today. Lisa would be proud of me. I also need to thank her for the wonderful card she sent me (add to my to-do list).
Brat days has come and gone. We were to be in the parade ("Elect Alex for Assembly"), but some drunk driver had other ideas and drove into the parade route, injuring some of the observers so the parade was canceled. The injured people are doing fine now and the guy who did the damage is in jail - and that is what really matters. None-the-less, it would have been nice to get Alex's name out there in that kind of venue. I took this picture while we were waiting for our turn to go in the parade (spot #57a of many). My mother-in-law was the driver, my mother was going to resupply the handouts to hubby and me and refill the candy containers for the kids as they ran out. Do you like how we match the car??? School will be starting soon. Arrgghh. I feel like I have spent so little time this summer doing nothing and a whole lot of time keeping busy. I used to be bored over summer break and couldn't wait for the school year to begin. I have three more weeks and I go back for an in-service. Oh, that is when I turn 40! Yep, that is on my mind as well. 40. I'm moving to a new age bracket when I need to fill out my age for something. I need my mammogram. I need another colon exam. What other places do they need to investigate? Isn't this the magic age the experts say is when you need to exercise more and eat less because now the pounds will really add on? Is menopause coming soon?
Speaking of gaining weight...I found an on-line journal to keep track of my food intake and my exercise. I have been tracking my normal diet (including the snacks; I've tried really hard to NOT snack. Some days I am really successful, others I am not). I am able to see how many calories I take in and how many I use when I bike. I also do a daily morning weigh-in and enter that as well. In one week I have lost 5 pounds. It is not much when you consider my starting weight. I do have a goal. I want to be in the "not obese" section for my next BMI test I have. To do that I need to be at 125 lbs. I haven't been that since BEFORE I got married, maybe even before I was engaged. So, I am going to keep track of my food intake, keep exercising (like I have been for over three years - yes three years of YMCA classes, biking in the summers, spinning classes with my school district). I am going to see if I can change something - anything. And, I am writing it all down so that if nothing works I can go to my doctor and say, "See, I HAVE been trying and I still can't drop the weight; are you sure there isn't anything medically wrong??!?"
There is something that I am looking forward to this week...a luncheon that is planned for a few of the ladies I used to work with in New Holstein. We are planning to eat at the Brickhouse Bistro for lunch this Friday. Last week another friend from PHS had a luncheon at her house that many of us attended, and she made it a "Swap stuff" party as well. We brought things - toys, decor, clothes, books - and laid them on a table. After lunch, we drew numbers as to who would pick first and so on. Then we chose items from the table to keep. Anything not taken at the end of the party would be donated to a charity. What a way cool idea!
I guess my day of "what to do" has been filled with completing this entry and scrapping and I will also read Gap Creek, as for that is the next book chosen my the book club. I just picked it up last night. Off to have some me time!
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Today is August 3rd - and that is important to me!
12 years.
2 children; 3 places that we've lived; 2 jobs that I've had; 10 jobs changes my husband had (and a new business owner for the last 4 years!); 1 dog; 30 more pounds to my body; too many cars...
50 million "I love you's"; 100 million hand holds; 75 million hugs; an uncountable number of laughs...
living with and loving my husband - a priceless and unmeasurable experience!
Happy Anniversary!
2 children; 3 places that we've lived; 2 jobs that I've had; 10 jobs changes my husband had (and a new business owner for the last 4 years!); 1 dog; 30 more pounds to my body; too many cars...
50 million "I love you's"; 100 million hand holds; 75 million hugs; an uncountable number of laughs...
living with and loving my husband - a priceless and unmeasurable experience!
Happy Anniversary!
Saturday, August 2, 2008
If you have the time
I've always been a fan of Joss Whedon's work. My most favorite is Buffy the Vampire Slayer. Here is my short story (with a 30 minute long video...sorry)
So I was on the internet and saw the latest Bumbo video. My kids are fans of the first three. My mother-in-law was interested in it because the kids were interested in it. Then she told me to type in Dr. Horrible. See, my mother-in-law had heard about this while watching The View and I guess this is the newest, biggest thing on the internet. I did the search and found a short movie that stars Neil Patrick Harris AND it is created by Joss Whedon. It is also a musical...and it's funny. It was created during the writer's strike. It was created because Joss was bored and wanted to do something. If you have the time to watch this, it is funny!
So I was on the internet and saw the latest Bumbo video. My kids are fans of the first three. My mother-in-law was interested in it because the kids were interested in it. Then she told me to type in Dr. Horrible. See, my mother-in-law had heard about this while watching The View and I guess this is the newest, biggest thing on the internet. I did the search and found a short movie that stars Neil Patrick Harris AND it is created by Joss Whedon. It is also a musical...and it's funny. It was created during the writer's strike. It was created because Joss was bored and wanted to do something. If you have the time to watch this, it is funny!
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