2009 Recap...a positive one!

Sadly, it's been a rough year for my family.  However, a lot of wonderful things have happened this year as well, and I'd like to take some time to highlight THOSE events.

In January, Scott and I welcomed our first niece to the family.  She arrived 10 days after Leo's 3rd birthday.  Technically, she wasn't my niece at the time, but I knew that she would be.  Welcome to the world Fiona Elaine! 













February was Valentine's Day...only the 2nd that I've actually been part of a couple.  We went to Cirque du Soleil that night.  It was great!  Before that, I ran some errands during the day, and came back to this...

Not much happened for Scott and me in March, but Quentin graduated from his pre-school at Poppy's school.  The Child Development class at the school runs this pre-school.  I remember being in this class as a sophomore, and it was so much fun!  I'm glad Quentin got to be a part of it.

Connor turned 5 on April 7, Ron's birthday was April 11, and Brandon turned 32 on April 26.

Zeke's 1st birthday was May 21, 2009.

At the end of May, Scott and I closed on our new home!

June brought us Scott's 30th birthday as well as our bachelor and bachelorette parties!

In July, of course, Scott and I got married.  I'm so lucky to have found the perfect person for me.☺

Also in July, we went to Naples, Florida, for our honeymoon.

Finally, Mom turned 53 on July 18.

Quentin turned 4 on August 5.  He celebrated by going to Chuck E. Cheese and a Tin Caps game.  We all had a great time!

Also in August, Scott had surgery on his shoulder to repair a muscle tear that has caused him pain for years.  I started my 8th year of teaching, and Connor started kindergarten! 

Sue's birthday was on September 14.

We also had fun at one of Quentin's soccer games and Bluffton's annual street fair in September.

 

In October, we celebrated Dad's birthday with a party at our house.

We went to Batavia to celebrate Melinda's birthday.

Scott and I went to New Orleans (sorry for the small picture).  Scott loved the seafood!

We celebrated Halloween (complete with my new mask from New Orleans).

And Quentin got new soccer pants.

I turned 30 in November, and Scott threw me a party to celebrate.

Scott and I also celebrated Thanksgiving with his parents, and then hosted Thanksgiving for the Pastores.  We all had fun playing the new Mario game for Wii that Scott bought me.

In December, Scott and I celebrated Christmas with the Pastores on December 20.

Scott and I opened our presents, then we went to Christmas Mass with Sue and celebrated with Scott's parents on Christmas Eve.

We celebrated Christmas with Mom, Dad, Brandon, and the boys on Christmas Day.  Santa even came to Mom and Dad's house!  (Zeke isn't too sure about him yet, though.)

Unfortunately, weather prevented us from going to Melinda and Andre's house the day after Christmas, but we are going to Ron and Sue's to celebrate with them today.☺

We ended the year with a party at Jeff's house.

Happy New Year everyone!  I hope to see even more of this face in 2010.☺

Christmas Questions

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags?

It depends on how much of a hurry I'm in.  :-)  I like the look of wrapping paper better, so I usually use that.  But if I'm in a big hurry, or if the shape gives the present away too much, I will use a bag.

2. Real or Fake Tree?

I like fake better.  It lasts from year to year, you don't have to worry about what to do with it after Christmas, there are no needles to continually pick up, and it doesn't hurt to put the ornaments on.

3. When do you put up the tree?

Sometime after Thanksgiving.  Since we had Thanksgiving here this year (on the Sunday after Thanksgiving), I put the tree up the following week.

4. When do you take the tree down?

Sometime between Christmas and New Year's.  Definitely before I go back to school.

5. Do you like eggnog?

No...GROSS!

6. Favorite gift received as a child?

I had so many gifts that I loved.  My parents were (and still are) great at finding things that they know we will love.

7. Do you have a nativity scene?

A tiny one.  I don't know where it came from.  I would like to get a new one.

8. Hardest person to buy for?

Probably Scott's dad.

9. Easiest person to buy for?

Kids are usually easy to buy for because they're so happy with everything!

10. Worst Christmas gift you ever got?

I appreciate the thought that goes into any gift, but I don't really like chocolate, so the random boxes of chocolates that I get from students aren't my favorites.  And, of course this year, I got a mystery-mix-in-a-bag from a student whose mother is always drunk and/or high.  Definitely NOT my favorite.

11. Mail or email Christmas cards?

I mail them.

12. Favorite Christmas Movie?

Of course, Christmas Vacation.  I also love the newer version of Miracle on 34th Street.

13. When do you start shopping for Christmas?

I shop throughout the year when I see things that I know people will like.

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present?

Of course.  Other people like those chocolates mentioned in #10.

15. Favorite thing to eat at Christmas?

???

16. Colored or clear lights on the tree?

I think clear lights look fancier, so I like those right now.  Once we have kids, we'll get more colored lights because the kids will like them better.

17. Favorite Christmas song?

All I Want for Christmas is You

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home?

Travel, for the most part.  We go to Mom and Dad's the Sunday before Christmas for the Pastore Family Christmas.  On Christmas Eve, we go to Scott's parents' house.  We go to church with his mom, and then the four of us celebrate Christmas.  On Christmas day, we go to my parents' house again for Christmas with my parents, brother, and his boys.  This year, we are going to Scott's sister's house the day after Christmas to celebrate Christmas with she and her family.  Scott's parents will be there with us as well.

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer?

Of course.  Even out of order.  Yesterday, Connor asked me which reindeer's name starts with "B," and I was able to answer "Blitzen" right away.

20. Angel on the tree top or a star?

We don't really have one we like yet, but it will always be an angel.

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning?

Both, plus some.  We open them at each celebration that we have. 

22. Most annoying thing about this time of year?

People who lose the spirit of the season and look at it as an annoyance.

23. What do you enjoy most about Christmas?

Getting together with family and seeing the kids open their presents.  I love how excited they get.

24. Hot Chocolate or Cider?

Hot chocolate, of course.  Cider is gross any time of year, and it's a drink that annoys me.

25. What do you want for Christmas?

Happiness for everyone I know.

My Job

Today was the last day of school for students.  I still have to go tomorrow, but this was it for the kids until January.  It was an upsetting day.  At first, my reasons for being upset seemed selfish.  It seemed a little out of character for me, so I've been thinking about the real cause of my bad mood tonight.  And I think I've figured it out.

I miss forming real relationships with my kids.  I loved my first year of teaching.  I didn't really like anyone I worked with, but I loved my kids so much that it made up for it.  When I went to Garrett, I pretty much liked my first year there.  Yes, Megan and Sam were little bitches, but I loved so many of my kids that I had a good year.  The second year was good, too.  Third year there...horrible.  Bad principal, bad year with the kids, bad stuff going on for my brother.  Just bad.  My first year at Clay was back to being great.  As was my second.  My third was a little more stressful, but I still really liked my kids.  This year, I have a good group of kids.  I love what I'm teaching.  I like the people I work with.  But I feel like something is missing.  So, I started going back through the years to see what the common problem is with the bad years.

It's more students.  I can't argue that it's the group of kids, because last year was a "bad" group, and I still had a pretty good year with them.  My two worst years were the years that I had the most kids.  I feel like I don't get to know as many of them as well.  I don't see them for as much time during the day, and I don't get to know them as people as a result.  It makes it harder to see the good in every kid, which I've always prided myself on being able to do.  This makes me sad.  I didn't get into education to teach math.  I like math, but I could've been an accountant if that's all I cared about.  I got into education because of the kids, and I really feel like something is lost this year.

So, what's the solution?  Working on a half-team was good because I still got to see the kids two hours each day.  Those kids knew me so well, and I knew them.  But, with budget cuts, I think the half-teams are going to go away.  I don't think that will be an option for me.

What about elementary?  I don't miss teaching reading/writing, and I'm not sure I want to go back to doing that.  Plus elementary teachers are weird (as a general rule - no offense of Jenn and Miesha).  Among other things, they wear weird jumpers and sweaters that scream, "I have no style because I just spend my days with eight-year-olds, so who cares?"  I have a lot of middle school materials, and I don't have a lot of extra money to spend on elementary materials right now.  I would miss being able to focus on math, and I would miss all of my friends at Clay.  But, I would be happier with the kids.

So, what should I do?

P.S.  Elementary teachers do tend to get more students to tutor in the summer, which would be nice...

P.P.S.  There are about 30 teachers that I could "bump" at the elementary level, based on experience.

More Christmas Decorations

I finally found a candle to go in the center of the pine cone wreath I found for our entryway table...and then it was too small.  Scott laughed when he saw it.  Hard.  So, I went back to the snowman candle, and I've decided he looks cute burrowed into his pinecones, so I'm keeping him.

The final decoration (for now, anyway) is thanks to one of the students I tutor.  About two weeks ago, when I got to the girl's house, her mom was hanging their wreath, and she had found a framed initial to put in the center.  I loved it!  I told her that, and she told me she got it at Hobby Lobby.  I asked if she would mind if I copied, since we don't really know any of the same people.  She said she didn't mind. 

Unfortunately, when I went to Hobby Lobby, I found the pre-lit wreath and I found the framed initials...but they were out of the letter H.  :-(  So I got some other things to spruce up the wreath, and figured I would keep looking for the H.

When I went to tutor last week, the mom asked if I made my wreath.  I told her that they didn't have an H, but I was going to keep looking.  Today, she surprised me with my Christmas present.  She put in a special order for the H so I could complete the wreath.

Here is the finished product (still unlit)...

Merry Christmas (again)!

Christmas Decorations

It's our first Christmas as a married couple and in our new home.  As the years go on, I'm sure we'll add more to our Christmas decorations.  For now, this is how it looks.

Introducing...our Charlie Brown Christmas tree (we plan to get a new one for next year)

The wreath on our front door (and our snowmen).  I added the pine cones and berries.  It has lights, but I need to get a cord that doesn't look too tacky.



















A Santa and his snowmen.  Behind that is a snowman picture, drawn by the mom of a former student.

Random Santas, snowmen, and Rudolph figurines.

Another snowman and a countdown Santa.

The world's smallest Nativity scene.  I think I need a new one.  :-)

Our snowman pillows

A snowman basket with pine cones.  And a bell that Scott loves.  He likes to ring it at me.  I like to call him Dot when he does this.

Mr. and Mrs. Claus watching to see if we are naughty or nice.

Our reindeer friend.

Our greeters

Mom just got us this tart warmer.

Here's another view.

Another tart warmer

Our Christmas garland at the back of the couch.

Another snowman at the end of our garland.

Merry Christmas everyone!

I'm Not a Screw

I was told tonight by my adorable nephews that I am a Screw.

They want my mom to get a big blow-up lawn figure to decorate for Christmas.  Not quite my style.  Mom knows this, so she blames me when the boys ask her to get one.  She tells them that she would get an inflatable doll for the lawn (my preferred name for these things), but Butbo (that's me) won't let her.

Tonight, the boys pressed the issue a little more than usual, and they decided that I am a Grinch and a Screw.  You know, that Ebenezer guy who is visited by the ghosts of Christmas past, present, and future. 

So, to prove to my nephews that I am not a Grinch or a Screw, I've updated my blog with a Christmas background.  Personally, I think it looks a lot better than this: