This is the transition from theory to practice: maggio 2008

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30 maggio

8 months and bigger now

So I was looking at these pictures I took last week and HM walks by and says

"Ya, you are even bigger now than these pictures!!"

Which is probably true

I think Sadie gained a whole pound in about 24 hours...

So here are *kinda* current pictures of me:

HM says I was standing up "too straight" in these pictures too

He says I could make myself look even bigger!

LOL... maybe we'll try that for the next pictures...

16.41 | Aggiungi un commento | Collegamento permanente | Pubblica su blog | Health and wellness

29 maggio

It is done

School is over:

My room is cleaned

My keys are turned in

My cabinet is locked

My desk is cleared

And my grades are entered

And my roll sheets are turned in

YAY!!!!

And P.S. My sister is on her way home fro m her mission as we speak...

YAY AGAIN!

16.06 | Aggiungi un commento | Leggi commenti - (1) | Collegamento permanente | Pubblica su blog

28 maggio

You make me vomit

So last night

While I was busy puking up everything I had eaten for the last 12 hours

I thought to myself:

How in the world did all of this fit in my stomach?

I mean really!

How did I get so much stuff inside of me?

And more importantly, how come it hasn't been processed already?

I mean I ate this stuff like 8 hours ago?

Why is it still around???

Last night was a unique night

I haven't been sick like that since my brother John's wedding--or was it Chris'???

Where I had about a 104 fever

And I threw up in the bathroom of the plane

Good times...

But last night

I added another unique thing on my list of experiences

It was the first time I have thrown up

in the bushes since 3rd grade

When I had the flu and threw up on the way back from the Bookmobile

Right before I went back to class

And subsequently slept the rest of the day away

With my head on my desk

(I always wondered why my teacher never bothered to wake me up)

And a wet paper towel over my mouth

(this made me feel better for some reason)

And was woken up when it was time to go home

I remember this girl Susanna

Who I always liked

But didn't like as much after this

Made fun of me as she got on the bus

because she said I had red marks on my forehead

(from sleeping all afternoon obviously)

I went home

Found my mom vacuuming my room

told her I was sick and that I had thrown up at school

And either she didn't believe me

Or she didn't seem that impressed

I don't remember

I just remember feeling disappointed in her reaction to my tragedy

So yesterday I got home about 12

We have Finals so we are on a short schedule

And HM and I had lunch together

And shortly afterwards

I had bad heartburn

Nothing out of the ordinary

But weird since I had just eaten

But whatever

So we hung around for a bit

Can't remember what we did really

It got later

We decided to go to the $1.00 Movie

So we had some Chile Mac really fast

And ran to the movies

My stomach still felt weird

And by the time we got the theatre

I felt kinda naesous

Sadie kicked a lot during the movie

And I felt weirder and weirder

We stopped off at HM's parents to pick up Dudey

And I was feeling sicker and sicker

Until we got in the car to leave

Drove about 30 yards to the end of the cul de sac to turn around

and I had to get out and run to the bushes

to throw up

It was lovely

Nothing like puking next to someone's trees

We made it home without incident

HM made me a little nest of pillows and watched late night comedy shows with me

Until about 12

when I threw up everything I had eaten for days

I swear

I think I have 2 stomaches because what the hell...

I thought I might throw up an organ soon

I mean what else was down there???

For the next 3 hours

I laid in bed

feeling Sadie kick

and I thought:

What must it sound like from the inside to hear someone throw up?

I mean they talk about how babies hear your heartbeat

And all the sounds your body makes

And heck, it's gotta be loud in there!

But what does vomiting sound like???

So finally, after not finding the answer to any of these questions

I decided to get up

and drink some warm milk

Sadie wasn't sleeping

And neither was I

So I drank some milk

Rocked in the rocking chair

And felt a little better

Until 5 minutes later....

When we all met again...

The amazing thing is that I went to school today

It was the last day of school basically

And only 4 hours

But I was so tired

Because I basically only slept for a couple hours

But I made it

And HM made me some soup when I got home

And I am happy to report it, along with some Saltines, water and ice cream

have remained in the right location

For the past 8 hours

But no promises

Since I have learned that food can be stored

In my 2nd stomach somewhere

Just in case it is called up

to peform on center stage...

23.06 | Aggiungi un commento | Leggi commenti - (1) | Collegamento permanente | Pubblica su blog

23 maggio

The Last Full Day

Today was the last full day of school

Most of my classes had a "party"

After they turned in their projects

My 5th period even ordered pizza!

For their game

I tried to teach them Bunko

And I must say

It's interesting what you learn about teaching a game

When you try to teach kids

Who can be kinda slow...

It was then I realized: hey, you aren't just slow in English

That's just who you are!

LOL... how terrible of me

But it was true

So in case you ever want to teach HS kids how to play Bunko

Here are three tips:

Tip#1: Demonstrate how to roll the dice so that it doesn't go flying off the desk EVERY TIME. They won't be able to figure this out on their own and will spend the whole time chasing the dice around the room and the game will take FOREVER.

Tip#2: Emphasize that after their turn is over, they should give the dice to the next person QUICKLY. If not, they will stare at the dice for a good 5-10 seconds, look around at everyone else at the table, then slowly pick up each die, one at a time, and hand them to their partner and the game will take FOREVER.

Tip#3: Teach them beforehand how to make tally marks otherwise, some of them will keep score of all 23 points using a million little tally marks that take all day to count because they never learned to make the little cross-wise mark to show a group of 5

Tip#4: Remind the person keeping score that they should not stop after every time they roll to mark how many they got. They should wait until the END so that they don't waste time. Again, if you don't point this out, they won't figure it out on their own and the normally fast-paced game takes FOREVER.

I am frustrated with someone

And i'm not the only one!

(that's for sure!)

But mostly

There's not a lot I can do about it

Especially as the "in-law"

So mostly I just feel bad for his family

Because they can't do anything

But yet, they should do something

But it's still his problem

And no matter what his family does

It still won't matter

Until he decides he HAS a problem

I feel bad that we celebrated his 21st birthday

without him

Because he was too drunk to attend

And didn't want to be around his mom

when he was like that

But was defensive about his actions

and said:

What is wrong with what I'm doing???

It's sad that he has to steal money from his family

And that when confronted

He blamed it on them

And their poor examples to him

Earlier in life

It's sad that he often doesn't come home

And doesn't have a job

And lives at home still

And doesn't go to church

And sleeps off his hangovers

On the couch all day

It's sad that he's the example

of what NOT to do

and the example we hope Dudey

WON'T follow when he's older

It's sad that the only time he feels bad

About what he has done

Is when he's tweeked out

Because that's the only time he feels "normal"

It's sad to see him

And to imagine what he could have been

And where he could be now

Compared to how he is now

And wonder what his future could hold...

And how things will work out

And watch everyone

As they mentally hold their breath

That it won't turn out TOO badly...

That someday he will learn

Without things having to turn horrible

As they have for others in his family

Who've had the same problems

So mostly I just feel bad

And I watch

And I hope too

That things will eventually be okay

And he'll be okay...

Someday...

Working in a busines with family

Is always treacherous

I think

Because in a normal business

You don't INSTINCTIVELY trust those you work with

You SHOULD

But you don't trust them as you trust your family

You assume

When it's Family

That they won't lie to you

About what they did

They won't tell you they did something

When they really didn't

And they will act in everyone's best interest

Because you are Family

And you are in this together

When it's Family

You never want to find out

That the reason you didn't succeed

Was because a Family Member

ruined things

Non-family? Sure, it happens

But when it happens with Family

Suddenly it seems to be worse than it would normally

And it's frustrating too

Because you have to still love them

You still have to go over for Sunday dinner

And go to visit them

And have them over to swim

And buy them Christmas presents...

Instead of getting mad at them

Or firing them

As you would a non-family member

I think at some point

when you are in business with family

You have to choose:

Do I want a good relationship with my Family Member?

Do I want a good business???

And when i'm already in business with the Family Member

How do I not be?

Or and how do I make both work without making one bad?

It's an interesting matter of diplomacy

That in the history of my husband's family

Has been fraught with tragedy

and "I never want to speak to you again's"

And holding grudges against each other

Even 12 years later...

So you cajole

You are patient

You try to get them to help you

And you discreetly stop letting them do certain things

Because you know they can't do them

Without hiding things

and lying about what really happened

Because they are scared or nervous???

Who knows why...

I guess when it comes down to it

That's how we should be with all people

But families we have to be

So we practice

In our family

Being like we should be

To everyone

18.10 | Aggiungi un commento | Collegamento permanente | Pubblica su blog | Health and wellness

21 maggio

Crazy stuff

I am down to 2 week visits at the doctor

And I haven't even written since my last doctor visit

so here you go:

LAST TIME--2 weeks ago

Dr. said Sadie was probably 3 to 3 1/2 lbs

THIS TIME: (yesterday)

Dr. said Sadie was ALL of 4 1/2 lbs--almost 5 lbs!!!

So she's growing fast!

I'm 33 weeks along

And she's moving and kicking like crazy

Here is what happened this week for her:

3d Ultrasound - 33 weeks. 'Sleeping peacefully'

Week Thirty-Three

Amniotic fluid is at its highest level during your pregnancy.
Your baby's head size has increased 3/8ths of an inch due to rapid brain growth.
Neurons and synapses are developing in huge numbers -- forming connections in your baby's brain will give her the skills she needs to thrive as a newborn. This week, she may be able to coordinate sucking and swallowing with breathing.
While most of her bones are hardening, her skull is quite pliable and not completely joined. The bones will be able to move slightly to make birthing easier.
You baby takes intermittent deep breaths -- of water! That's okay, though since she gets oxygen from the placenta. This breathing exercises muscles and encourages her lung cells to produce more surfactant (a protein essential for healthy lung development).
Your infant is now 17.2 inches (43.7cm) long and weighs 4.23 pounds (1918gm).

Today was a monumental day:

I got to take my nap today! :)

The last couple days have been crazy!

I've been working on HM's video for his painting business

And every day it just seems like something went wrong

and we haven't gone to bed before 11:30 for two days

So I am happy to say that it's finally done

And I even took a nap today

And feel a lot less exhausted!

This is the last week of "real" school

We get out early on Friday

Then no school Monday

And then next week is Finals

So we get out at 12

YAY! :)

I think this is the most excited I have ever been

for school to be OVER

Usually I am kinda sad

But this year I am counting the days!

Today I had an interesting thing happen

I have this student named Edgar

He's only been in my class about 3 or 4 weeks

He's never does anything

And only comes to class ... maybe 3 times a week tops

If at all

Whenever I suggest he do anything

He tells me no

because he could care less he says

He misses so much school because he says he works

And acts like school is just a big inconvenience

And up until like 2 weeks ago

He treated me like he thought I was the biggest jerk ever

I can't say I felt any different about him

He seems like a nice kid

But what do you do with someone like that???

School is almost over

And it's too late to try and get him to do anything really

And he barely comes anyway

So on Monday

he comes up to me after class

And asks me when my baby shower is?

(my 2nd period is throwing me one and have been planning it for weeks)

Tuesday I said

And you are having a girl? he asks.

Yes, that's right.

Alright, he says, I am going to bring you a baby present

Because I won't be here for the shower

(I'm thinking: so what you like me now? What happened to the brat kid that used to be here?)

And do you want me to bring something for the shower?

Sure, I said, bring some plates

Big or little ones he asks?

I think big ones, I say

Well, i'll just bring both, he says

I'll bring it Wednesday

Because I'm not taking Finals

(what's the point? he says)

And I have to work Thursday and Friday

So Wed will be my last day in class

So today he shows up

Late

But still

With a big pink blanket

So cute!

for Sadie

In a little baby gift bag even, with purple paper

And a whole bag of plates for the shower

The girls all teased him and asked him

He went shopping for all this himself?

He acted embarrrassed and said that yes, actually, he did do it himself

So sweet

He came up to me after class

Gave me a hug

And told me good bye and good luck with the baby

Odd... but cool I guess

I'm glad he decided I wasn't such a horrible jerk after all!

I guess you never know...

20 maggio

Irish Painting Video

What do you think?

17 maggio

Put this on your To Do list... :)

How does one do that exactly?

This was the sign at the entrance to a play we went to last night

12 maggio

Okay Chelsea, here you go:

Want to see what I look like these days?

This is it:

(Photos taken on a Sat. morning when HM said: you really should take some pictures to send to Chelsea..)

I definitely FEEL bigger than I look I think...

Yay for the new Work Van

The finishing touches were put on today

HM finally has his

FINISHED

NEW AND IMPROVED

Work Vehicles:

22.30 | Aggiungi un commento | Collegamento permanente | Pubblica su blog | Entertainment

10 maggio

News

Do you ever find yourself thinking:

"I should put that in my blog"

Until you have a list in your head

a mile long

because you haven't written in awhile

At those times I think:

it's a good thing you are an English Teacher

it gives you a good excuse to be a little crazy!

So here's the list of things that have been happening around here:

Chapter I: Four Days of Work for a Truck

HM has done a lot of work for this lady, we'll call her Gable.

Gable always has some project in mind for her house

So HM has done all kinds of things for her

And so has his dad

She has lots of money and lots of time on her hands

WHY?

Well, that's the sad part

A couple years ago

Her husband was driving home from Hart Park--which is this HUGE park

in NE Btown where you drive down into a valley by the river

Anyway, so he was coming back driving UP the hill

and a couple teenagers were coming down

and the teenagers hit this huge bump in the road

Thinking it would be fun to kinda ramp off of it

Lost control

and hit the husband head on

They all rolled down the hill

and the husband was still alive

But his vehicle caught fire

and he burned to death

(according to the witness who tried to help him)

So Gable has the insurance money

plus the settlement from the cour case caused by the accident

Where it was determined that the city was negligent in not fixing the hazardous bump in the road

that caused the crash

She's a sweet lady

And it's a sad story.

So during one of those jobs

HM noticed this big work truck

That never seemed to be used

And asked Gable about it

Gable said it was her husbands

And a good truck

But rather big and she didn't really ever use it

And was going to sell it

Gable had also mentioned to HM that she wanted the outside of her house painted

So HM came up with a plan

And asked her if she would like to have her house painted

in exchange for the truck?

She was delighted.

She said she wasn't lookking forward to having to deal with

A lot of strange men coming over

to look at it

So for the last 4 days, HM has been painting her house

And Wed, he got to bring home his new truck

he is tickled to death with it

It's the first "real nice car" he says

that he ever owned

Chapter 2: The Conversion to White

As part of expanding the business

HM has wanted to get his van repainted for awhile

So a couple weeks ago

He drove past Maaco and saw they were doing a sale on repaints

So he decided to finally do it

And in the process,

We decided to have the truck painted too!

And use it as a work vehicle as well

It looks like a new truck

Totally different

and totally weird too

So now I have TWO white cars :) :) :)

And we even put this decal on the back of the truck

I know it's supposed to be a manly work vehicle

But I just think it's adorable :)

Chapter 3: A Name on the Wall

My sister in law Chelsea is very good at those vinyl lettering deals

She made us something to put in Sadie's new room

And I FINALLY got it up

And it looks so cute

PERFECT Chelsea

Thank you!!!

Chapter 4: A Month of Waiting for Tables

As always

It seems we are always doing something like this

HM and I--but mostly HM

Worked on redoing these two tables we got

They have been sitting in our garage for EVER

But we have just been too busy to work on them

So at 11pm on Saturday, they are almost done

One, we just stained and repainted the gold

The other we picked out tile and actually TILED ourselves! :)

Oh and Ah... I know

Both came out beautifully

And Finally:

Chapter 5: A Surprise Package

It's always nice to get mail when you don't expect it

So this last week a package arrived

With a cute night light, a soft blanket and a bib

Thanks Brooke!!!

08 maggio

Bookmakers

So I have a question:

Have any of you ever used one of those "bookmaker" programs?

There are a lot of them

Just a simple search gets you a list

Just to name a few:

Booksmart

Photoworks

Heritage Makers

Blurb Book

Life Photo

LuLu

Picaboo

Shutterfly

Snapfish

See I went to this "party" the other day

For Heritage Makers

it is probably the best program I have ever seen

Simply amazing

It takes all the perks of doing a cute little scrapbook

And makes it all digital

The only downside

is that once you go to buy the book you made

Out of all your cute photos and things

And it cost like 30 bucks for a small tiny book

If you want to get a real size one

Or have more than 20 pages

it costs you more like 50 or 70 dollars

I'm not big on scrapbooking

But on the computer I can imagine myself doing it

and it's a good idea for small projects

but not really something you could use for everything

even though you might like to

One example was of someone's vacation

They had a bigillion photos

And instead of spending what would be like 100+ dollars

developing the film

They made a book

That goes through each day of their trip

Totally cool

And in comparison

Probably a lot cheaper for that instance

Another one was an ABC book

All made with photos

of the baby

Who we assume is now grown

and learning to read

awh, how cute...

But say for example

You wanted to "publish"

...like your blog?

there are programs that you can hook up to your blog

and it downloads everything on the program

and wham

there's your book, ready to print

...course you would have to sell your firstborn to pay for it

but it's there

But not all programs are as expensive as Heritage Makers

Too bad you couldn't use the H.M. program

And then have it published by another company...

somebody cheaper...

Some places have reasonable prices

Where you can get a realistic amount of pages

For a realistic price

But they don't have many options for what you can do

You just put your pictures in order basically

Maybe write a caption

And then have it printed

Nothing fancy

But would you get the book

and it would be crap?

That's my question

Has anyone actually used any of these programs?

And if so, what did you think?

News

Right now, my oven is being fixed

AGAIN.

Ya, I know you are thinking: didn't that already happen????

YES.

IT DID.

But then a week later: it broke again.

Same problem.

So now, 3 months later

GRRR

It is being fixed

AGAIN

And so far I have heard from the kitchen:

whirrr... whirr... Ah man, that's not good...

And "Oh my gosh..."

This isn't good.

Right now he's on the phone with someone

Telling them he thinks maybe he ordered the wrong part

Because there is something wrong.

Double GRRRRR

I think it's going to continue with our toaster oven and a crockpot if you want my guess...

17.55 | Aggiungi un commento | Collegamento permanente | Pubblica su blog

07 maggio

Where did those Kidds go?

The other day I found myself thinking:

I wonder what ever happened to my cousins the Kidds?

I have a cousin Tyler who is the same age as me

We went to school together

And he has 5 other siblings

What happened to them I wonder?

When everyone gets older, it seems it gets harder and harder to keep track

Of who got married to who

Who just had a baby

Who just had ANOTHER baby

etc

So for those of you who every wondered this same thing, I'll share my discovery with you!

If you are in for a little catch-up reading, here are blogs for all our long lost cousins:

Chelsi and Ben's family blog: http://www.krofffam.blogspot.com/

Ben's own personal blog: http://coachkroff.blogspot.com/

Tiffani's blog: http://7leavitts.blogspot.com/

Tyler's and Katie's blog: http://krazykookykidds.blogspot.com/

Jeremy and wife: http://familyofkidds.blogspot.com

Happy Reading!!!

Also, stef: as you poke around these sites, there are other people's blogs that I recognize but that you might actually know... so look at the lists too and you might find old friends... I didn't... but you might! :)