Monday, November 19, 2007

Another Sunday Excursion...


Well it's official, I have done what I never thought I would see at church. Here's the situation. Megan wakes up at about 6:30 (as is her routine during the week for school) and decides that she is going to play; no big deal we don't have church for two and a half hours. Around 7:30 she decides that she is hungry and proceeds to make herself a large bowl of Froot Loops. She eats about 5 bites and tells me she's full. I am not buying. I tell her she needs to eat the cereal quickly so she can get ready for church. Slower and slower she moves, whinier and whinier she becomes. I tell her she is not getting down until her cereal is eaten, and if that means she goes to church in her pajama's, so be it! She kindly responds, "Nuh-Uh!" I walk away and finish getting ready. She tries to get down and play, at which time she gets busted and put back on her chair. The time passes for her to have a shower. I let her know that now she does not get to shower because she has been wasting time. Well the time comes for us to go to church and there sits Megan at the table, Froot Loops the size of golf balls! I tell her to go and get her shoes on because we are going to church. She freaks out yelling and screaming how she's not ready and needs more time, blah blah blah! I tell her she wasted her time and it's time for church. So we get a coat and shoes on her (Her coat had to be zipped and buttoned up all the way)and get into the car! She keeps repeating, "Everyone going to laugh at me!" To which I calmly reply,"Your right Megan, EVERYONE will laugh at you. Maybe next week you'll get dressed!"
So we get to church and I ask Megan if she would like to take her coat off. The wheels started turning and you could see her weighing the pros and cons. She decides to take the coat off. This simple act makes me realize what had really transpired that morning. There is my 6 year old, eyes red and puffy, an embarrassed expression on her face, standing in a mostly torn "Favorite" white Little Mermaid night-gown doing her best to adjust the sleeves and neck line to make her self more presentable. I couldn't help it at all...I burst out laughing...granted I probably shouldn't have but dang it, it was funny! This is one moment in my life in which I can say I truly had no sympathy for her. She made her bed and now she could lye in it. Needless to say she elected to wear the coat throughout church.
We walked into sacrament meeting about 10 minutes late so everyone got a good look. She sat down in our pew and slunk down trying to hide. After sacrament a couple of people sitting around us as a simple question, "Not a fight worth having this morning?" To which we replied, "No." The usual response was something to the effect of "Don't feel bad, I did that once too!" Each was followed by an experience much like my morning went to which helped me feel better about my decision (not that I felt bad about it!) Now for those of you sympathising with Megan, by the end of church, she came running to me telling me all about how much everyone liked her "jamies!"
This week we didn't have the same battle, this time she started to get ready, but stopped after her shower to play. I reminded her that I didn't care what she looked like, she was going to go to church, yes naked if necessary! She promptly got dressed and was ready a good 15-20 minutes early. I think it worked.

Friday, November 9, 2007

Almost Done...

Well it's official, I am almost done with student teaching, how bitter sweet. I have been very blessed in my placement. Warden is a great school district. For one every other friday is an early release; so we rush the kids out because we have a "meeting." Once the kids are gone we go down to the staff room and enjoy a huge potluck...today's theme, Italian. Now for Warden this means Stauffers frozen lasagnas, bagged Italian salad with RANCH dressing, an assortment of take and bake breads (mostly garlic) and then a plethora of pumpkin desserts. A little slice of Italy! They do thier best, Tom has spoiled me.
Warden has been a great placement for me. I found out a few weeks ago, that a kindergarten teacher, whose parents live is Spokane where she goes and visits every weekend, jsut resigned becuase she got a job in Spokane. So that leaves a postion open in the middle of hte year. Sweet, I know. I have been doing my best from the begining of the year to woo the staff and those who matter at the school. When I foudn this out, I took a few more steps to continue the courtship. My cooperating teacher, Melinda LeGrand, as well has been advocating for me as well. She has taken time to point out many reason why Jill, the principal, should hire me, in addition doing the same to the staff and office secretary. I do have things I have to complete before I am able to "get hired," but I am confident if Jill wants to hire me, she will work with me to help me get things done. Now this is all a big "What if" type scenerio, so any and all prayers you could offer would be appreciated. I aplogize this isnt up to my usual standard of comic relief, but I am tired.
All our love

Friday, November 2, 2007

Trick or treat......



I am so glad Halloween is over! I really can't complain too much, the kids did have fun. This year we went to Moses Lake to go trick or treating with Scotts family. We all met at 5:30 and didn't stop until about 9. The kids have about 20 lbs of candy! I refuse to let them have too much sugar, so the daunting task of eating all the candy has been put on my shoulders...The things we do for our kids :) Courtney was a bride, Megan was a "bampire", Hazel was a nome princess, and Myles was a cow. On Saturday we went to Moses Lake to Tristen's (Scott's nephew) preschool party. They had games, food, pictures, and a haunted house. Megan and Courtney wanted so badly to go inside. They got to the front of the line, megan took one look inside and said "I'm not going in there". But Courtney decided to be brave and go through by herself. Soon enough I herd crying. It was Courtney. She was so scared that she had gotten a bloody nose. and was crying hystaricaly. The haunted house people came and let her walk through it with the lights on so she could see that it was all fake. Eariler that day....The girls were all dressed up in there costumes and were playing. Soon they started singing songs, making up there own words as they went along. this is how is went...
Courtney sings "I am a bride, but I have no one to marry me, but that's okay because I am beautiful"
then Megan sings " I am a bampire. I like to kill and bite people. Especially brides and princesses"
and ending with Hazel "You are my shunshine, my only shunshine"
Hilarious. The things kids come up with.
Halloween day the kids had school. When they got home they got dressed and ready so we could make it trick or treating to my mom's before heading to Moses Lake. My mom is so cute! She got all dressed up as a clown to surprise the kids. What a wonderful grandma my kids have. The things she does for them. Little things like that they will remember for a lifetime. I love my mom and all the things she does for me and my family. We are truly blessed. I know this blog is a bit scattered, blame it on the candy I ate for breakfast.
Jenn
P.S. the rest of our halloween pics are in the ritchie family gallery link to the right.