I Move for a National Nap Time

I am ex. haus. ted.

Emotionally, physically, mentally.  And it's only Wednesday.

This happened a few nights ago.

Something woke Koby and me up in the middle of the night during a hellacious storm.  "A limb probably fell on my truck," he said.  "Nahhhh, I bet something fell in the bathroom," I mumbled as I rolled over back to sleep.  I can't be bothered by much at 4 am.  Not 'a limb', not one, but two trees fell on Koby's truck and also knocked over his HEAVVVVVY grill.  Somehow, nothing was damaged.  And tree-hugger though I am, I'm secretly thrilled that those eyesores bit the dust in a very literal fashion that thunderous night. 

Then, this happened.



I got a new car!  You might be able to tell I'm a little bit excited in this picture.  We said farewell to the Red Rider, the Jeep that made countless trips to and from Austin and Abilene and took my friends and me to California, the car in which I pledged many a scared Biddie, lent out to friends to use on dates, and brought Sophie home in.  Red Rider, your replacement makes me feel a bit like a mommy well into her 30s, but the White Wagon is a pretty, fancy car packed with way more features than a person could really need (heated mirrors and a panoramic sunroof?  I ask you) and I think she'll be well-suited to carting Knox to and from his future extracurriculars.  (It goes without saying that I'm now TERRIFIED of parking my new car in our dangerous driveway.)

That excursion brought us home late on Monday night, and then yesterday I took some kids on a field trip.  Who plans a field trip the day after everyone gets back from Spring Break?  A stupid art teacher.  Anyway, the trip was fun, but tiring in the way that only field trips can be.  See more at the Art Dept. website at http://www.wolvesart.wordpress.com/.  Meanwhile, Knox is on this new sleeping pattern where he essentially doesn't (thanks teeth) and so I'm feeling less than rested.  My 5K is steadily approaching and my workouts are happening fewer and further between. 

Emotionally this week has been challenging.  We lost a student over Spring Break in a car accident and it's been hard.  A loss, regardless of whether or not you were close with the person, forces you to confront the risk in every day life, the reality of your mortality and the mortality of all those whom you love.... and it's especially hard when it's a person taken so early in life.  The kids have been pretty good about it - some are still having trouble going into the classes they shared with the student, some are still missing a day here or there, but I think the ones who attended the funeral are a few steps ahead as far as closure goes, which is good.  It's really just not fair, it's one of those situations that brings up some thorny questions with God, but it's life here and it's something I'm seeing the kids shoulder pretty well.

To end on a lighter subject, I'm ready to reveal the change that could be taking place on the home/work life front, since more than a few people have quizzed me about it.  I'm (probably) going to take on the role of cheerleading sponsor next year at our school (probably) with another of the coaches.  (Pause for laughter.  Done?  Ok, me too.)  It just makes sense - we travel to all the games anyway, and this way we'd be spending just as much time with our families and getting involved on a whole new level.  Cross your fingers that the drama will be kept to a minimum, alright?

Breaking in Style

Spring break 2K12 baby!  Koby and I have taken to yelling that in the house when we're feeling particularly wild or need to justify a second helping of mashed potatoes.

It's (nearly) spring and we're loving it.  Since our break started we've already been on a whirlwind adventure with my parents that took us to the metropolis of Kress, Texas, where Koby visited my grandparents' farm for the first time and Knox finally met my dad's parents, GranAu and Granddad Thomas.  My uncle Tracy, his wife Susan and two of their four boys, Landon and Brendan stopped by and met Knox, too.  It was the first time I'd seen Brendan since he was in diapers, and Landon is already taller than me.  Sheesh.

On Saturday, which also happened to be my mom's birthday, our band of travelers ran by Lubbock to visit Grandmother Smith (Mom's mom) and to eat some catfish (Knox stuck with blueberries and oats) then headed home the next morning.  Koby's Gram and Pop visited today so Knox is still basking in the warm glow of great-grandparent love.  And I can tell you he's worn out.  Wednesday takes Knox and me to Austin where we'll stay til Saturday... my parents are nearly beside themselves.  I don't know if we have time for all the planned activities.  Koby's parents just returned from their medical mission in Haiti and so we're hoping to see them once they're rested and we get back in town!

As always, I found relics to peruse at GranAu's house... this one was the senior annual of her own mother, Lora Lee, who went to high school at Post High in the 20s.  My great-grandmother.  It was funny to see pictures and read captions of teenagers decades ago who act exactly like the seniors I teach - except these wear flapper dresses and hats and call bf's beaux.  Really has me itching to do a vintage photo shoot, if I ever end up taking pictures again.  So those pics are strewn in among other from the weekend.

"When long dresses were in style."

This dress would probably be the most unflattering thing I could put on my body.  She pulls it off, though.

Senior girls posing for the camera.  This might be the 20s version of today's hand-on-hip+head-tilt.

"She can look innocent."

Powder Puff Football. Check out these names!  Octavia, Willetha... a veritable mine of unique baby names if you're in the market!  Lora Lee is the second from the right.

"So ugly she hurt."

Knox with cousin Landon, who declined us all a trumpet performance.

Grandmother Smith.

Granddad Thomas

GranAu Thomas

Tracy and three future Gobs?

Brain Vacated

Image courtesy of mollyflewthecoop.com

If you'd prefer to operate under the assumption that your children are taught by perfect people / you were educated by prime-specimen humans, disregard this post now.

Although, if you think that and still read my blog, you need your head checked.

Today that whole "positive thing" flew out the window.  Probably the most positive thing I thought of all day was "ONE AND A HALF DAYS UNTIL SPRING BREAK" or something similar or far more inappropriate to post for the world to see.

I became Art Nazi today.  Today I found myself wishing my students were adults and not teenagers.

Today, a kid pulled out his phone and started texting someone while standing

right
in
front
of
me.


You should know that teachers are 'supposed' to confiscate phones if they even SEE them.

So I say, "Put your phone away!  You're not supposed to be doing that!"

And he says,

HE SAYS

"But Miss, I need to text someoneeeeee..."

My brain exploded.

And then I verbally exploded all over the kid.  Then he says,

HE SAYS

"Why are you so angry?"

Did you know your brain can explode twice in one day?

But now I'm home and covered in a nice paint+charcoal mixture, my sixth period had a great success with a larger-than-life Frida portrait, Koby's making hamburgers and Knox is chomping down on some graham crackers and I've got some Cab in a coffee mug.  Life is good.

And Spring Break begins tomorrow at 1 p.m.  I think we can all make it.

Checking In

As I mentioned in my last post, we taught Knox to growl.  I don't mean to say that he wasn't doing it before, just that we began ... a growling conversation, as you might have seen in the video.  When I tried to get him to growl back at me the next day, this happened.

Yes, I had to prompt him more than once to make this face.  Yes, he eventually cried and I stopped.

So it would seem we're taking a step back on the communication front.  But where am I in regards to my New Year's Resolutions?  I'm glad you asked.

Be healthy.  I haven't consumed a coke of any kind in weeks people.  I don't know if I'm necessarily drinking more water... but tea and coffee are made from water so that counts right?  I'm jogging three times a week in preparation for my very first ever 5k race in Dallas on April 15.  It's very slow going.  When Knox comes with me it's so slow we're almost going backwards.

Be happy.  I have failed miserably at purposefully finding something every day to be thankful for - not to be read as I am unhappy.  Room for improvement.

Be smart.  Compulsive spending?  Don't think I've done a lot lately and we've been pretty good about donating (or at least adding to the to-donate pile) or giving away the things we don't use often.  It's really liberating.  Photography business still very disorganized, but I have an excuse - every one I want to ask for advice on legal+business type issues is having or just had a baby.  Probably not the best time.

Be present.  Check and check.  Loving life, family, job - something is in the works with the last two things.  No, I'm not pregnant.  Details to come. 

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Sandwiches vs. Reality -or- Being a Good Wife

Don't you just love it when life fits together in that puzzle piece way?  When you hear a word or message that speaks to you somewhere down deep and it's just so applicable...

That happened, to me, today.

My friend Sarah shared an inspiring podcast ('The Respectful Wife' by Mark Driscoll) with me and a few other of her married compadres today- bonus!  It's a free sermon.  (Search Mars Hill Church in your iTunes to find some more... think I'll be doing that soon.)  I'd upload it here but it's nearly an hour long - I highly encourage you women to go and check it out!

Whoa.  It's always been a struggle for me to be a deliberate person - deliberate in word and deed as a girl-now-woman, a daughter, sister, wife, teacher, mother...  I'm a boisterous, opinionated, passionate, highly independent but sometimes self-righteous person, and it's hard to be deliberate when your mouth moves faster than your brain.  I was convicted to be a more deliberate wife in thought, word and action because of Mr. Driscoll's biblical and God-hearted message.

It got me thinking - where else can I be more deliberate?  A message I kept hearing over and over in the podcast was "Are you a nag?  Do you drill, drill, drill a message in?"  *Squirming like the proverbial schoolboy* Maybe Mr. Driscoll was prodding a sore spot... In a particular class period students are always saying 'You're so negative!!'  Let me say, it never ceases to take me by surprise.  I have NEVER been called a negative person, in any arena.  But as Art Instructor Mrs. Andrews in First Period I am 'negative' because I 'always tell them what they're drawing wrong'... but I know I'm not.  What I know is that they won't get better until they fix their mistakes.  What I know is that I'm following the 'sandwich method' - for those of you who didn't study education, that is when you begin a critique with a 'warm fuzzy', add your criticism, and finish with another 'fuzzy'.  It's all very technical.

But no matter how many sandwiches I present my kids, regardless of how firmly my methods are built upon best practices, the reality is that they feel criticized.  The reality is that I need to be deliberately positive and encouraging.  And I started thinking - obviously a 2:1 ratio of encouragement to criticism is faulty.  People (husbands, children, students, friends) need to hear good things about themselves - to the point where one feels repetitive.  I may know that I'm supporting Koby, but the reality may be that he's focused on a criticism that I utttered in a moment of frustration.  Being deliberate, showing discretion: it takes effort.  Being a good wife, teacher, mother should be hard.  I think it's something for which we must continually strive.

So, as I listened to my free podcast while Knox napped after school, I was motivated and inspired to to apologize to Koby for some hurtful things I'd said when I should have been encouraging and understanding.  Here's the scenario that happened:

Enter Husband.
Husband: Hey, whatcha doin?
Me: Oh, listening to a sermon on how to be a better wife.
Husband: Huh, that's what my devotional was about today.
Me: What?
Husband: On being a good husband.
Both: Smile.
Enter swoon.

And life just sometimes fits.  Thanks God.

In other news, we taught Knox to growl.

Post # Admitting Defeat of It's About Time

Any other moms out there overwhelmed by the sheer number of things we can buy for babies?  I'm here to present you with the things I've personally learned to love ... and live without.  Obviously, every family, every baby, every mother is different - but if you're planning a baby shower, expecting a bouncing bundle, or still washing pureed carrots out of your hair, this may help.

NEED IT
definition: Spend money on this.  It's worth it, and there's really not a duplicate.

1. Bumbo Chair.  This is great for pre-high chair babies.  You can get them for around $30, they're easy to clean, light, good for eating and playing.

2. Strollers for All Occasions.  I run (sometimes).  I needed a jogging stroller.  Sweet husband bought me the In-Step jogging stroller for X-mas. (A bargain at $130 - I am OBSESSED.  Unfortunately they no longer make them.)  In addition to a 'heavy-duty' stroller, I would pick up the <$20 Cosco stroller at Walmart.  It's great for quick trips, easy to fold/unfold and transport around.

3. Boudreaux's Butt Paste.  It. is. the. best.  It's all-natural, doesn't smell like what I remember butt cream smelling like, and has a funny name.  Get it anywhere.

4. Toys for Carrier.  Get the toys that can clip around the handle of your baby carrier.  The two I usually have attached pull and shake.  They've saved Knox from a few melt-downs... in fact, Mommy has a near-meltdown if she pulls out of the driveway and realizes the toys are missing.

Other things I ♥ : attachable headrest mirror so I can see Knox while I drive (about $10 at Walmart), Skip-Hop diaper bags, Pack 'n Plays, infant/baby tubs, AYR nose drops for infants, hydrocortisone cream (check with your doctor first: for rashes and irritations).

SKIP IT
definition: Things to consider skipping under certain circumstances.

5. Baby Monitors.  Don't have a heart attack.  Skip this if you have a small house, unless you plan on investing in one with a video screen OR one of the ones that has the motion sensor.  We have a great monitor set, but never use it because Knox can't sneeze in his room without us hearing.  We don't leave him in the house while we're out on the porch or in the backyard either, so it has collected dust.

If you live in a modestly-sized home or apartment, I would also recommend skipping a bottle warmer.  Again, we have an amazing one, but never use it because the nursery is so close to the kitchen, where we prepare the bottles, and we don't make tons of bottles in advance.

I would also skip an over-the-body infant carrier (think baby Bjorn).  I have one that I've used quite a few times, but sometimes it was a trouble > reward situation because when Knox was small, it was a little frightening getting him in and out, and then when he was big I felt like my back was definitely not getting a physically-safe work-out.  It's useful for times when your little one just isn't happy by his or her self and you really need to get some work done, but some good alternatives are a little seat that vibrates (around $20-$30 at Walmart), an infant swing, or simply not doing your chores.

6. Baby Products.  Obviously, not all of them, just these: any butt paste that isn't Boudreaux's.  Shown here is California Baby brand butt cream - I have some Bubble Bath for Cold and Flu in this brand though and it is really nice - I found that the butt cream, while smelling really pretty, was really thin and just didn't compare with BOUDREAUX's!  (Can I get a commission here?)  Don't buy baby powder (most books I read said to definitely NOT use it anyway).

Other things I never use: pacifiers (Knox loathes them) and baby hangers (I use a dresser), a bassinet or a "changing table" (I put a changing pad on top of Knox's dresser).

HACK IT
definition: There's an economical way of getting around these things, and I'll find it for you.

7. Baby food.  Alright, this one might be a Catch-22.  I'm still working up on the cost comparison, but my early estimate is that they're fairly similiar.  The winning punch here is that making your own baby food is much more earth-friendly :-) I have the Kalorik baby food steamer/maker (thanks Nana and Poppa) and I've been using washed baby food containers to freeze and store my home-made organic baby food.  A friend told me she'd puree an organic sweet potato, pour it into an ice cube tray, and voila!  Dinner for her baby for a week!  I love 'making' Knox's food and knowing EXACTLY what goes into it!

8. Boppy Pillow.  If you're more gifted than me with a needle and thread, you can totally hack this.  If not, spring the $40 ish and get it.  Get the pattern here.

9. Diaper Genie.  Instead of paying anywhere between $40 - $100 on a Diaper Genie, plus $20 on the refill bags, I took the advice of another mom who told me her Diaper Genie did nothing to prevent the poop smell from penetrating her nursery.  We bought a $15 step-to-open trash can from Walmart and we re-use plastic grocery bags to tie up diapers as we change them before putting them in the can.  It's a great way to use all those bags instead of throwing them away or letting them pile up because "you'll use them", and it seals the scent just as well as a Genie (or so my friend said).

I hope this helps... remember, sometimes one woman's Boppy is another woman's bottle-warmer.  I've lived and learned when it comes to baby stuff, and this is what I know about life at seven months with baby.  I know that it can all be useful in the right circumstances (read: please don't be offended if your shower gift landed on the 'skip it' list), and I'm grateful that we have all that we do at our testing disposal!

Pride and Joy

Post # I-Forget of Let's-Get-Real

Did you know it's President's Day?  Apparently my district didn't.  Anyway.  Recap: GO!

Enter: super busy weekend
Exit: even trying to post every day

It was a valiant effort.  (Cue applause.)

I know you were eagerly awaiting the update on our Sea Monkeys.  They were knocked over by a visiting two-year-old before they had even hatched.  How have we been coping since the loss?

Well, Friday was Randy's (a.k.a. PaPa, which I have accidentally been spelling PawPaw) 50th birthday party in Albany at The Icehouse restaurant.  (See Facebook for pictures.)  It was fun and relaxing to be around family and fajitas.  It even worked perfectly with our crazy schedule because I traveled to Abilene that day to drop off some artwork for the Grace's Youth Art Month show... check out my students' work at our Art Dept. website.

Saturday was SING SONG! (For Knox and me - Koby went on a hunt that evening.  They got skunked.)  Elizabeth did an amazing job as a cute little firework in an act that was spectacular, astounding, impressive.  Again, great to see family, semi long lost friends AND to have backup when Knox got a little restless.  (At the tippy top of Section J smack dab in the middle.  ACU alumni, you feel me.)  Thankfully, he made it through until post-EOX performance.

Saturday was also Melissa's last basketball game.  Ever.  Finito.  (Sadly, no pictures.)  I can't even tell you how much I admire my younger sister for not only being a woman of integrity, but also for being an incredible athlete, a hard worker, and crazy smart to boot.  She's a graduate student (who graduated with, like a 3.99 as a business major) who works full time and still managed to become UT Tyler's leading women's basketball scorer of all time this year.  What's she going to do next?

Sunday we were visited by friends Derek and Kim as they made their way back from Sing Song, and THEN we visited Brooke and John, who just moved HERE!  What?  Yes!  Welcome to Colorado City, population: your new best friends.  Sunday was also the Day of Regret, as it was the final night before grades were due and Mrs. Andrews still had a pretty hefty stack of Rhythm + Variety Projects to grade.  Weeeeeeeeee.

Here we are in a new week, Knox is officially seven months old TODAY (no picture... yet), and did I hear someone say FIFTEEN (school) DAYS UNTIL SPRING BREAK?!  Oh, it was ME!

Post #14 of 29

Koby and I don't really have a romantic story.

But that's not to say we don't have a love story.

The first Valentine's Day that we were together, I made him a card in one of my graphic design classes (with a waffle on it) and then we went to a BBQ joint with one of his friends.

On one Valentine's Day I was so sick that we cancelled dinner plans and Koby just sat on the couch with me, watching t.v. and intermittently bringing me medicine.

We have probably never successfully surprised each other with a gift, due to a combination of e-mail espionage and the basic inability to keep present secrets from one another.

We don't do grand gestures, we don't believe in Hallmark, and eight times out of ten we prefer grilling and TBS to dinner and a movie. Maybe we're boring according to St. Valentine, and even though some people may not understand our methods of showing affection (did you know a Diet Root Beer can mean "I'm sorry", "I'm thinking of you" or "Happy Valentine's Day"?), others do. I think some people don't notice love when it isn't dramatic and extravagant or if it doesn't sparkle - it's easy to overlook the Diet Root Beers out there when Edward Cullen is running around watching teenaged girls sleep. One of the best things I've ever heard said about Koby and me was after meeting and spending an evening with us at a wedding: a guy told his wife "I like them. They're so in love."

At first it made me laugh really hard. When I picture people "so" in love, I imagine more than diet soda and sea monkeys (my V-day gift for Koby today). But we are so in love, and I feel complimented that someone could tell that just from one evening.

There's something about being with your best friend that makes you feel young, happy and comfortable. That's why it's so awesome that I'm married to mine. What's better than feeling young and in love?  (Answer: getting to feel like that every day.  Especially on the days you're covered in baby poop and pureed carrots.) I might not shout it from the rooftops or spell it out on a banner in the sky, but I can blog about it.

Post #11, 12 and 13 of 29

It's Monday, I've sucked it up again with the whole "post every day" thing, but here's what's new: we spent a happy weekend in Austin with my family (sans a Pack 'N Play for Knox - NOT recommended) and got to visit with some of my college friends at a couples shower for my friend Marie, who is pregnant with her second baby.  It was great to see Abby, Meagan, Caroline, Hayley, all their respective spouses/boyfriends/offspring and of course, Marie...

Marie is one of those friends who's become like family to me.  One of those friends who I wish lived closer, so our kids could grow up together.  Maybe one day.

The morning of the shower I headed over to Marie's house to take some pictures of her baby bump.  Marie is on strict bed rest because of pre-eclampsia, a condition that caused her daughter Lyla to be born at 32 weeks.  She's currently at about 32 weeks with new baby Wyatt, and so we're all praying that she's able to stay pregnant as long as possible to avoid another lengthy stay in the NICU.  Anyway, we popped into her backyard, bribed Lyla with some jelly beans and snapped some non-strenuous photographs.

I can't wait to finish editing the rest of these pictures... two beautiful models = fun and easy work.  Check out www.paintsandpistols.com to see some more photography... and some exciting things are going to be happening with P&P Photography soon, so stay tuned.  Not telling yet.  It's a surprise.