High Expectations

I am a mom, a wife, a daughter, and a teacher (to name just a few). In every aspect of my life, there are high expectations and I love that. I strive to do the very best I can and I wish this for my boys as well as my students.

I teach 3rd grade at an amazing school. Every year, the children are asked to do a Personal Passion for Learning project (PPL). I teach researching skills and let the class research something they care about. They are then asked to share a visual and explain what they learned. I stress that they become masters of their passion (a very focused passion) and that they explain it in their own words.

Today was the start of our PPL presentations and I couldn't have asked for more. R presented about how cheddar cheese is made. She talked about curd, health inspectors, and cheese cloth. She was animated and knowledgeable about her topic. I smiled so much that my cheeks hurt. I couldn't help but give her a hug and share how proud I was.

L followed with a PowerPoint on how to build a tree house. L and his dad drew up blueprints and walked us through the building process...it was amazing. He simplified this detailed process so everyone could understand. He even joked with his dad that this project must be done in real life. I beamed from ear to ear.

E was my finale and I was mesmerized. I've seen the crystal presentation before but never like this. Eye contact was constant, inflection was abundant, passion was there, and he fully understand how the molecules worked together. We even got flavored sugar crystals to sample. I didn't even realize that my eyes started to fill with H2O until my students started to groan.

"Are you crying?" they moaned. "Not yet!" was my stifled response.

This isn't the first time that I've been proud enough to get teary. I expressed my pride and joy in watching today's presenters. Sharing most of my day with these kids makes them feel like my own. I have high expectations for my kids and today they rose to the occasion. I am a proud teacher mama! Bring on the rest of the amazing presenters this week! I'll make sure that I rest my cheeks tonight.

Dog Smiles

Did you know that dogs can smile? If you have one, I'm sure you already know this. My husky, Sasha, smiles as well as glares at me. She raises her eyebrows and even winks. She sneezes and even has a devious twinkle when she does something naughty.  You may be asking why this is important to know. Well, I was lucky enough to catch my dog in a blissful moment this weekend. All of the human like traits expressed her utter delight. Let me explain....

For those of you who follow me, you know that my dog had surgery a little less then a year ago (Creamsicle or You'd never know). I have been super careful about limiting the space that Sasha has to run. My dad built her a ramp from the deck to the yard and even fenced off a safe space for her to play. Sasha has wanted to spend most of her time indoors of late and makes her outside trips brief. With the weather getting nicer, I've been trying to keep her out more. On Saturday, I gave her scruff a good rub and left her outside to enjoy the warm sun. I closed the sliding glass door and watched the begging eyes plead to let her back in. It broke my heart to turn away and get to work. She would be fine and this is what needs to be done to get her life back to normal.

I began working with my dad on the upstairs bathroom project but stopped to check on my girl. I went to the closest window, just like I would with my own children. My eyes scanned our yard in search of a black and white mass. Nothing to see...

                   Wait!

                              What is that thing coming up the hill?

                                                                                                You have got to be kidding me!

My eyes did not deceive me. On the wrong side of my fence was my black and white masterpiece. A smile spread from one side of her head to the next. Eyes were bright and ears were perked up. Her hair swayed with the breeze and her legs were lifting high. It reminded me of horses prancing about during competitions. Her chest was pushed forward as she took in every fresh breathe of air. She surveyed her land with pride as she worked her way back to the deck. I quickly ran downstairs in fear that she would hurt herself again. Visions of her accident replayed in my mind as I bounded down the staircase. I made it to the sliding glass door in a flash and was met with a smile and a slight raise of an eyebrow.

"Mom, what are you so worried about?", said her expression, "I'm just taking a little walk."

My heart was about to burst out of my chest. She wasn't limping or walking gingerly. She trotted up the stairs and waited for me to readjust the make-shift gate that was supposed to keep her safe. She rubbed against my leg in reassurance and let herself back into the house. A glance back put my heart at ease. Sasha flashed me her pearly whites while her eyes danced. I guess that I'll have to take a breathe and give my girl a little more room to roam.

A Little Change

It's amazing what a little change can do. A little cinnamon or nutmeg can really make a pancake pop. A little trim can make your hair have more movement. And a new floor can make a room look snazzy.

I am the type of person who wants projects fully done immediately. I don't want it done today, I want it done yesterday and perfectly. I've been making little changes to my house and it gets me super excited. Today was the upstairs bathroom floor.

My amazing dad came over to help me lay down our new vinyl tile floors. My dad is a bit of a perfectionist when he does these things (Jeez, I wonder where I got that from?). He can also be painstakingly slow as he truly measures twice (or 4-5 times) and cuts once. I love my house but quickly discovered that it has it's many mini flaws....non-straight walls being one.

After the prepping was done, tiles were laid out in little sections. T shaped contraptions were put in one direction and then moved to another. Yup, these walls did not like perfect corners. What a great opportunity this would be to show my class what true right angles are (or aren't). Tiles were wiggled this way and that to make straight lines. After what seemed like hours, the tiles were finally ready to be stuck to the floor.

Peel and stick.  
                     Peel and stick.
                                          Oh no! It's too tight...must have room to expand.
                                                            Unpeel and move.
                                                                                         Unpeel and move.

Once we finally got the first section done, things finally started to move. Tiles were slimmed and trimmed to fit perfectly against my imperfect walls. Unused pieces were molded to fit while some imperfect corners found a spot in the trash. The finished product made me smile.

"Thanks dad, it's gorgeous! What time will you be here tomorrow to put in the downstairs floor with me?", I asked with a sly grin on my face.

My weary kneed dad just looked at me...."I'll talk to your mom and see. Be up and ready by 9....just in case."

I love my dad and the face lift that my house is getting. Guess who will be up at 9 in the morning, showered and ready to go? Yup...this girl!



Restless Dreams

The boys were tucked into bed and my body was holding down the couch. This is always the signal for my cat to nestle himself somewhere on my body. Sometimes it is on my lap, under the blanket, or on the arm of the chair. His body must ALWAYS be touching mine...it's one of the "must" rules in our home.

A slight chill filled our home tonight. It could be from the cold front that visited or the clear sky that didn't hold in the heat. Either way, this meant that Mojo (my cat) needed some extra heat. He pawed at my arm until I lifted the drawbridge of fleece that covered by body before settling in under the covers at the crook of my knee. After a couple rounds of spinning in circles, he formed a perfect comma. My chills began to disappear and the mini earthquake of purrs began to dissipate as well.

Merra!    Merra!     Merra!

What in the world is that sound? It was high pitched and in short spurts. I stopped and listened for a bit....There is was again. This time it was coming from my leg.

Twitch!   Twitch!

Merra!     Merra!    Merra!

My cat began to twitch by my leg. Not wanting to wake the sleeping beast, I gently lifted the blanket to reveal ears twitching and front paws dancing. I've seen this scene many times before with my dog.  My dog dreamed all the time...usually with a grunt every once in awhile.

Today, I caught my cat dreaming for the first time. I only got a second before his eyes snapped open and then began to glare in my direction. I smirked, gave him a quick scratch between the ears, and lowered the blanket. My mind quickly began to wander. Was he dreaming about chasing something? Catching that pesky bug? Getting that piece of turkey meat? I will never know, but the high pitched "merra" sound is now saved in my memory for the next time it occurs.

Back to your kitty dreams Moj....hope they are fun!

A Fresh Start

Most people start the day after a good nights rest. I feel that I start a new day around 10 at night.

My wearisome legs are released from the business attire and welcomed into a pair of worn out sweats. I swear that they breathe a sigh of relief the second the furry fabric touches them. My Super Hero grabbing arms are wrapped in fleece after a night of chasing and carrying my amazing boys. My body is now wrapped in relaxation.

It doesn't just end there though. Freckles are revealed again as I erase away the work of the day..one bead of sweat at a time. One color disappears while another is released for the night. A warm washcloth after a long day feels like a blanket that has just been taken out of the dryer and wrapped around your body.

And we can't forget the mouth that has been yammering all day long. A minty rub on each tooth is like a personal massage. I try my best to give each tooth it's personal time. A rub here and a persistent scratch there gives them a bit of a sparkle...almost like a goodnight kiss. This is my opportunity to keep them healthy and say thank you for all the work they do during my day. I may eat some not-so-healthy food during the day but the night time is when I eat healthy (no food at all....you can't beat sleeping for keeping junk food out of your mouth).

After the nightly routine is done, I begin the shut down process for my brain. It is persistent and wants to run some last minute updates but I insist that it completely turn itself off. Once that is done, the fresh start is complete. Everything is rested and has time to revive.

The start of the day has begun and it is my time to make the most of my fresh start. Let the day begin!

Decadent Birthday

Another birthday...wow, the time has flown.

I finished a loooong day at work and was greeted by a house full of guests. My mom, dad, sister-in-law, and grandmother were bustling around in the kitchen getting the dinner ready. The children buzzed around the house like little bees while the dog looked around in annoyance. What more could I ask for...well, a husband being home would be nice but that's another story.


Dessert was easily my favorite part. My mom gently took ceramic ramekins of chocolate decadence out of the oven. Creamy milk chocolate wafted out of the oven and made a direct path to my nose. My salivatory glands were in full effect.

"Mom, whens dessert? It smells good in here.", urged my six year old.

Powdered sugar was generously snowed on to the tops of the cake while raspberries nestled into the centers. J was quickly captivated by the raspberries and how great they complimented the chocolate. Three year olds know this kind of stuff.

With the first crack of the crisp top, the spoon slid into the chocolate lava. "Mom, this is like the Earth. You have the crust and the hot lava." Yes, that would be why it's called a lava cake. The chocolate ooze stuck to every taste bud in my mouth. Mmmmm!

Moments to treasure

A small head was just nestled into my shoulder. Fruity shampoo filled my senses and dampened my shirt. Little fingers twirled my hair like spaghetti on a plate. Twirl after twirl. Baby soft skin swept across my cheek as little arms pulled me close for a snuggle. Then my shoulder started to sag as the weight began to shift. I looked forward to find that eyes were closed and breathing had slowed down.

My three-year-old sweetheart had fallen asleep in my arms. My memory quickly flashed to those moment when I would rock him in my arms until he fell asleep. His whole body fit within my arms but now he wraps around me. Where has the time gone? I sat there, for 3 hours.....just holding him and wishing that time would stand still. 

What a gift this moment was. I savored every minute and can't wait for it to hopefully happen again soon.