51 - the countdown begins

This is a bittersweet day for us. Friday, March 16th. The last official day of spring break. Sadly, again this year we had no trips planned but we still spent time together just me and my kids. One of these years, we're going to have extra money and we are going to take a trip somewhere.... even if it's just a few hours away.. it would be nice to not be here in the house. Although, I do enjoy a recharge. I always think this week is going to be a refresher for school. It's really not. It's hard to refresh something that wasn't actually fresh. This is my 18th year teaching and I really think every year that I may need to think about something else that I enjoy. I do enjoy teaching, but that's just it.... I enjoy teaching. I'm not really teaching anymore... I'm disciplining, I'm mommying these sweeties that have women at their home, but sadly enough, do not have a real mommy because the person that decided to have them doesn't have time for them, or doesn't want to be the selfless person that you have to be to actually mommy. I'm also analyzing test data... that's what I do.. instead of teaching... I collect data. Because "that's all we care about.. I don't care about the kids.. all I care about is the data" I still can't believe that I actually heard those words from my leader, but that's the reality. They don't really care if these kids grow up to be respectful, or grow up knowing from their 1st grade teacher that they're wonderful in their own right, or grow up knowing how to show compassion to others, or grow up knowing the difference between reading and loving to read, or grow up knowing how things work rather than how things compute. to anymore. And next week they'll want performance on something new... that was drAll they want is performance on a standard that was set by people that aren't even listened eamt up by someone in a suit that never put their child (if they even have kids) in a public school. This is why teachers need spring break.. and relish everything about it. Ok, I'm done for today. I am still sad that my week is dwindling. I have seen BeAuTifUl BeAuTiFuL weather this week. I have seen my kids all week, every day for every hour during the day. THIS WEEK.. I have seen my kids more than their teacher did.. and for that I'm soo thankful. So, I guess on one note, I'm glad to be a teacher...because I do get spring break. And on Monday I will go back and I will "teach the test" and I will hate it, but I will try to squeeze in some fun and I will try to squeeze some lessons on respect and compassion. I will definitely sneak in moments when I share with my young impressionable kids that reading is something that you experience.... not labor over. I hope something sinks in, but I cannot honestly say that I hope it's the first thing on this list! I will count every moment that I get to see my own kids at home even during the madness of homework, dinner, and bathtime. I refuse for their teacher to know them better than I do. I want to mommy!! I want to be everything to them. Afterall, I am raising 2 future mommies and a daddy. I will start my countdown on Monday.. 51 days until Summer break! Peace and love, go read a book and enjoy it..jen

It's HOT!

For those of you that do not know me reading today.. I live in Texas!  To say " it's hot " is really a huge understatement.  We are on our 20th day in a streak of days over 100 degrees and there's no end in sight.  This morning the 5 day forecast looked like this:

Friday       Saturday       Sunday       Monday       Tuesday         
100             103              104             103             100               

Can I say R.E.L.E.N.T.L.E.S.S. 

I look out the window and it looks so beautiful out there... and I go out to turn the sprinklers on and come in drenched... AND NOT FROM THE SPRINKLERS!

We are accustomed to heat and our bodies do adapt.  A friend of mine that lives in Maryland asked me.. "how do you go out and run errands or go to the store...?"  I thought this question was so odd.  What does she mean??? I just go to the grocery store or to Target if I need to.  I just get in the car and go.  Yes, It's hot.  Damn hot!  I have to start my car and let it run for 10 minutes to cool off enough to get in so that the seatbelts don't singe the hair off of me and my kids, but let's face it.  Life just goes on... and we will start school and it will probably still be 100 degrees or more.  It happens.  I guess it's no different than my thinking this past winter when we had RECORD miracle snow over 12 inches here and EVERYTHING shut down and closed because none of us could get our cars out and we certainly weren't prepared for dressing for that.  I always wonder.. "how do people in the north do it"  I bundle my kids up in layers of clothes from their tiny head to their toes -everything covered but their eyes- and then they get in the car with the heater and stifle. I hate being cold.  But I will tell you.... I hate being hot too... this is ridiculous.  Can I please have my sweet 80 degree days back?  I rememeber a couple of days in March that were like that.  I'm going to pretend it's like that today.  I'm also adding a "Let it Snow" blinkie on the sidebar...
Love to you all, Jennifer

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Time come back!

It's summer here in Texas, so of course, it is about 104 every day on average.  This is no new thing for us.  We are used to it and we adjust.  When it's that hot, you can do some errands during the day, but after about an hour or 2 you have to go home and just sit.  And I know what you guys that aren't from TX are thinking... "why don't you do things early in the morning".. well I know this may be hard to imagine, but most of the time we don't even get below 90 until after midnight, and that's IF we do.  Most mornings, we begin at 85-90 degree temps, so by 9 or 10 we are well up into almost 100 temps already. So usually, with a 2 year old and a 6 year old, the afternoon is a great opportunity for nap time.... OH how i love nap time (for myself too) So every year, I say.. things are going to be different this year.. we are going to stay on a schedule! Every year I'm wrong. So nap time gets later and later every day and then we end up pushing bedtime later and later and then we sleep later and later in the mornings... My kids are off schedule, I'm off schedule, aghhh... I just want my nights back.  During the school year, my kids go to be around 8:30 and I have until around 10 or 11 when I go to bed to MYSELF.  Now, my kids are up until 10 or 11 and I don't get up until they get up... I want my time back. I'm alone zero time. I must work on it.

Welcome 2011

Happy New Year. 2011 is here and we welcome a new year and a new beginning. This holiday season was great and went by way too fast. Today was our first day back to school and work and so on and so on, and although it was rough on our little one to go back after 2 weeks home, I think the rest of us rolled into 2011 just fine. Jack is luckily staying with his Nanny and Papa this week because he doesn't have to go back to school until Thursday, so his vacation is still going strong. Lucky boy!
So 2011, This year I do not wish to make resolutions, but instead I want to spend each day being kind and encouraging to others around me. It occured to me during the break while talking and joking around that I do not wish to be 'known' for some of the things that I've been 'known' for before.. like "pulling a jennifer" in a store, or "being late" I think that I want people to remember me as someone that encouraged them. Oh sure, I'm sure people can say lots of good things, like.. 'she's a good mom... or she's a good teacher, .. or at work I'm kind of known for having cute handwriting, so I get called to write "cutesy" on several things or signs... but really do people think of me as an encourager to them??? I want that. I will work on encouraging this year. I hope I run into you for practice. If you see me, make sure to come and see me, so I can encourage you!
I will also try to keep up with my blog better too. Have a good 2011~~jen

Tacos... you can do it!

Hey if you are someone that thinks they can't make tacos.. you need to raise your hand and slap yourself right now.... Now that you have some sense knocked into you.... let's talk. Tacos: once a week dinner at the Macdonalds. All five of us love tacos and we have it once each week. If we have left over meat, we use it later in the week in our eggs for breakfast or on a salad for lunch. So to make tacos you can buy a packet of taco seasoning at the store for about 75 cents. Brown your meat (we use ground turkey because we don't eat a lot of red meat here and it tastes the same when you add seasoning to it anyway) when it's brown drain the grease if you have a lot.. if it's just a little.. who cares! Add the packet and then add 3/4 cup of water and let it simmer about 5-10 minutes. It will take you this long just to get your tortillas heated up (in the microwave with a small bit of water on a paper towel for steam - about 3 minutes) your tomatoes cut and your shredded cheese and sour cream out. Then dish up and dig in.

HOWEVER...

If you're like me and you love tacos and make it a lot or want to make it a lot.. you do not have to buy those silly packets every time. You probably have the ingredients in your spices right now to make it.

If your spices are from a spice rack that was a wedding present from someone.. I hope you just got married, because otherwise.. they're probably too old to have much flavor. Just go spend the one dollar and 50 cents to get new ones, folks!

Here's how you do it.

Taco Seasoning:

1 1/2 tsp paprika

1 tsp chilli powder

1/2 tsp garlic salt or salt

1/2 tsp oregano

I love to add 1/2 tsp of cumin too. I just love how it tastes. It's up to you.

It's that easy. Enjoy!