Quick My Life Monday

Remember this week is choose your own topic. Post below if you participate and I will check it out when I get back. Next week's topic - Tell us about your family - the one you grew up in.

For my topic, I just want to show off Camden's 1 year pics (taken when he was 13 months old, but that's ok!)

My Life Monday - Week 7

I am a bad, bad blogger. I don't know what my problem is. I just can't seem to blog (or check out your blogs like I want to so badly). I apologize and hope to get back into true blogging form soon. But I won't make any promises just yet! FYI, I will be leaving town this Friday for a week and will be sporadic between now and my return. Please don't abandon me completely!

Week 7 - Spouse Spotlight

Mark is such a wonderful husband and father. I am grateful everyday for his presence in my life. I knew Mark would be a great dad because I got to see him in action before we got married. I watched him with his two boys from his previous marriage and he was an excellent dad!

I'll never forget how Mark rejoiced when he found out we were finally expecting. He was so beyond thrilled and went to every prenatal appointment (except one) with me. And he was a champ during labor. My mom told me there is a point in every labor where you want to kill the man who got you pregnant. I never had that moment. Mark read my mind during labor. He anticipated and met all my needs and wants during labor.

When we brought Camden home, he was a smitten man. He fell head over heels for Camden and would stand by his crib watching him sleep on a regular basis. Mark was a rock during the first few months of Cam's life. Although Cam was much wanted and anticipated, motherhood hit me harder than I ever expected. I suffered from postpartum depression. Combine that with my perfectionist attitude (I must be the perfect mom) as well as a constant worrier and I was a mess for the first few months of Camden's life. The first two weeks of Camden's life, I never slept more than four hours in a 24 hour period - and not consecutively either. I was very paranoid about losing Cam and would jump up constantly all night long. And then Cam got colic and would cry for hours on end. Mark was working 50 plus hours a week during this time. He'd come home from a 10 hour day, walk in the door, take Cam from me, and send me off to sleep or rest. He never complained about the added stress on him from worrying about my mental state. He was so good to me and so patient with Camden.

When I went back to work, Mark became the stay at home Dad so he could go to school and finish his degree. I could never ask for better care for Camden. Cam transitions seamlessly from his Dad's care to my care because we have the same ideas for raising children and discuss Cam's routine on a regular basis. Mark loves and adores Cam. I love to watch the two of them interact. I fall in love with Mark all over again when I watch him with Camden.

Yesterday was one such moment. We were nearing the end of our three hour church and Camden was getting restless. Mark took Camden onto his lap and was reading to Cam. I watched him point out animals to Camden and then do the sign that goes with that animal. I watched him snuggle Camden close and kiss his little head and my heart melted once again. Mark is such a good dad!

I really am truly blessed to have Mark in my life. In addition to being a great father, he is a great spouse. I thank the Lord each day of my life for the privilege of being his wife and having his children.

Topic for next week: Choose your own! With me being on vacation and such, I probably won't get much chance to blog. I'll still put up the linky thing so leave me a link and I'll check our your creativity when I get back!

Don't forget to leave your link for this weeks topic as well as a comment! It makes me feel special. :)

My Life Monday - Week 6

Hey everybody! Again I am sorry I haven't blogged for awhile. I have good intentions. It just seems like I have less time now that I am off school. I really will try to do better this week.

Week 6 - A favorite childhood toy

I have two favorites when I think back on my childhood. The first was this giant Raggedy Ann doll my mom made for me. She made one for both me and my sister. They were huge! Or at least they seemed huge to a child. They were about three feet tall with great red yarn hair. My mom even made dresses for them. The only differences between our dolls is one had a red dress and the other had a blue dress. We played with these for days on end. They were stitched with love and it showed. My mom still has at least one of the dolls at her house. I love watching the grandchildren play with our giant Raggedy Ann.

The second toy I think of is my Cabbage Patch doll. Remember when those first came out and were the rage? They flew off the store shelves! I remember my mom finding out a store was getting a new shipment in. She planned to be there when they were put out so she could get one because they sold so fast. I remember her calling and telling me about two dolls she had in her cart. One was blonde haired, blue eyed and the other was red head if I remember right. She told me to choose over the phone which one I wanted. Being a blonde myself, I only wanted the blonde one. And so she bought it and brought it home to me. And I remember being so disappointed because my doll was ugly! It had blue eyes and blonde hair all right, but she wasn't cute at all! Plus she had an ugly name!

After awhile, she grew on me, ugly name and all. And again, my mom whipped out her sewing skills. She made me, my doll, my sister, and my sister's doll matching outfits. Yes, I matched my doll (I'll have to dig up a picture of me in my 4H sewing outfit modeling with my matching doll). She made our dolls Halloween clown costumes. My mom made cheerleading outfits, pajama's, dresses, and so many other cute little outfits. We had the best dressed dolls on the block. Again, my mom kept these dolls and their little outfits and it gives me great pleasure to watch the grandchildren play with these as well.

I realize that what makes these two toys special is the love my mom poured into making an ordinary toy a little special. The effort that went into creating first a Raggedy Ann doll and then little outfits for our Cabbage Patch dolls brings tears to my eyes today. My mom must have spent hours sewing. And she did it because she loved us. I hope I can be half the mother she was and give my children similar memories.

Share with me your favorite toys growing up! Leave your link and a comment below.

For next week, since it is Father's Day on Sunday, we'll do a Spouse Spotlight next week. Tell us what makes your spouse great!

My Licve Monday - Week 5

I apologize for my long absence! Life has been crazy! Between travel, illness, and a few other issues (anybody out there with an ex spouse in their life? It's making our life fun - not mine, because I don't have one, but dh's), this is my first opportunity to blog. Thank you to those who were concerned. I have returned - no thanks to Blogger. I've been trying to get on to Blogger forever now and finally the heavens blessed me with a log in. Woohoo! I swear on all I hold holy, if Blogger freaks out on me during the process of blogging tonight, I will jump through my computer screen and strangle some innocent Blogger worker.

Ok, now for the real stuff.

Week 5 - Pictures of something significant to me.

My pictures are actually rather dumb. But I took these pictures before the school year ended and they do mean something to me. It's the bulletin board behind my desk in my room at school.

Why is it significant to me? All the other bulletin boards in my room are educational in some way. But the one behind my desk is for me and for fun. As I tell Mark and students, I spend 8 hours of my day in this room. I want one area that feels homey. And so I fill the bulletin board behind my desk with fun little things. Each year it changes because I let the students contribute to it too. I hang up pictures they draw me (which you see a lot of), stories and poems they write, their school pictures, or whatever else they give me.

I also hang special things. This year I had about a million pictures of Camden hanging up, showing his age progression. It helped me not miss him as much. You see the little red school house and the little chalkboard looking things below it? That was made for me six years ago by a student. She made it as a wedding present to me. I treasure that handmade gift like no other.

The yellow and blue bags were bought for me by my mother, also a school teacher. They have funny little pictures, like a kid with a pencil through his head that says "Education Victim." The Christmas looking balls were a Christmas present from one of my best teacher friends this year. A framed poem was a college graduation gift (it's about teaching).

It's very special to me. When a day is stressful or overwhelming, looking at my special bulletin board restores peace. It represents a big part of who I am - a teacher.

I can't wait to read yours! Please don't forget to post your link if you participate. Leave a comment too!

Next week's topic - A favorite childhood toy. Share one (or more) of yours with us.

My Life Monday - Week 4

I'm doing this early because I am leaving town tomorrow and will be gone on Memorial Day. Please don't forget to add your link and add a comment if you complete today's MLM.

Week 4 - In Memory Of . . .

On this Memorial Day, there are three people I will be thinking of. The first two are my grandparents on my mom's side (my grandparents on my dad's side are still living). My grandpa passed away in 1986 when I was only 11. I don't remember tons about him, but he was a hard working, honest man. He was gentle and soft spoken. When my mom was a child, one of seven children, my grandpa was a dairy farmer. He owned acres of land in the Woods Cross, UT area. The government decided they wanted to put a freeway through his land and offered to buy his land. He didn't think the price was fair and he liked farming, so he turned down the offer. Well, the government condemned his farm so he would be forced to sell (apparently they can do that). He could no longer sell his milk, so he lost his source of income and had to sell the land for a pittance. My mom tells stories of being very poor. In spite of that, my grandpa rebuilt their lives. He built a spacious house (for the time) with 5 bedrooms, two baths, and two kitchens. He built it himself. He saved enough money to leave my grandma well taken care of until her death. He also left a mission fund that paid for one-third of each grandchild's mission. And there are 33 grandchildren in all! Because not all of us served missions, there is money left over in the fund. The remainder will be used to pay the first and last month of the missions ALL the great grandchildren may serve. That is a great legacy to leave behind. I hope I can be half the person he was.

My grandma died last year shortly before Mother's Day. She had spent the last few years of her life in a nursing home because of severe memory loss. I always remember how welcoming she was. She opened her house to everybody. When we were younger, she held huge Thanksgiving dinners at her house. All of her seven children, and their spouses, and all 33 grandchildren would gather in the huge family room downstairs for Thanksgiving dinner. It was a blast. The adults sat at one table and the kids sat at other small ones. I loved those times at her house. My grandma was a former school teacher and had old ditto's stored in her house. We would use those and play school on a regular basis. As a teenager, whenever I traveled from my hometown in Idaho to Salt Lake City for various things, she opened her house to me and my friends, letting us come as we pleased. I rarely remember her door being locked. She welcomed everybody with open arms. She had a strong testimony that never wavered.

The last person I will be thinking of today is my stepson Tyler. He was a beautiful, pure, ACTIVE boy who died too young. I didn't get the chance to know Tyler well. He died before my husband and I got engaged. But I love him and miss him as if I had known him well. He holds a very special place in my heart. Camden has Tyler's name as his middle name in honor of him. Tyler died in August of 1999, just 10 days after his 4th birthday. He drowned in a reservoir near here. Mark and I were in the temple when it happened. When we came out of the temple, Mark's ex brother in law was waiting to tell him what happened. Mark and I both have peace that it was Tyler's time to go. We (and Mark's ex wife) firmly believe if it hadn't happened that way, it would have happened another. We still miss him daily and especially on special days. We know he watches over us and our family. I have no doubt that he has met Camden, that he and Camden were friends before Cam came to earth. I know Tyler is Camden's guardian angel. Camden already has a laugh that was Tyler's laugh. We're sure Tyler taught it to Cam before Cam was born.

To my grandparents, O and J, and to Tyler - We love and miss you. And today, we remember you and honor you.

Please share with me your memories of loved ones you may be remembering and honoring today. Leave a link below when you have done this week's MLM. Whether early or late because of the holiday, share with us.

Next week's topic - Take a picture of something (not somebody) that represents part of who you are. Share that object and tell why it is significant to you.

It may take me some time to get back and check out your blogs, but I will be back! I'll will try to check in Tuesday!

It's the Final Countdown

Woohoo! It's the last day of school for me! Grades are done and on the computer. My room is mostly ready to go. Classes are enjoying their reading marathon (with more talking than reading right now, but that's ok). And me? I am ready! Seven hours left in the day and then I am free for the summer.

But you know what? The last day always makes me a little sad. I'm going to miss this group of kids. Sure, they've been annoying at times. And sure, their work ethic sometimes leaves a little to be desired. But when it is all said and done, most of them are good kids and I am going to miss them.

A college professor once said that she always cried on the last day of school when the students left. She said she knew it would be time for her to get out of teaching when she no longer cried. I took that to heart and use it as my measuring stick each year. And you know what, every year I shed a few tears when the students say goodbye. Even thinking about it today, I'm a little teary eyed. The year I no longer cry is the year I know I need to say goodbye to teaching.

I really love what I do. I enjoy the youth of today. There are many, many problems among our youth today. This world gets more and more wicked each day. But really? Deep down most of these kids are good at heart. There are many shining examples. And once the hormones wear off, they will really be awesome.

Oh, and on a special note, this is post 100 for my blog. Woot!

A few pictures that make me happy

This is what I have been working on for the past week. These are my students autobiographical writing portfolio's. Also the inspiration for MLM (they have to write about some of the same topics I have already given you or will be giving you). The best part about those? They are all graded! Students turned them in a week ago today and now I have them all done and entered in the computer. Yay for big project being done!


These are Camden's new books. I just got them this last week. There are 24 in all. The best part? They cost me nothing! My students place book orders, I get bonus points, and I used some of those points to get these books. I LOVE getting books for Cam. You can count on a new children's book thread here in a few weeks.

And so you know, my students didn't get cheated by me using some bonus points to get books for Cam. These are new books I got for my classroom library. I love books!

And one last not so happy picture . . .
These are the papers I have left to grade for the year - the every day assignments we do. I haven't been keeping up on these because I was working on their big projects (and blogging of course - a girl has priorities!). I hope to have these done and in the computer by this time tomorrow. And then I will be done with grading for the 2005-2006 school year!

My Life Monday - Week 3

Welcome to week three of "My Life Monday"! I can't wait to read about your name. Please don't forget to add your link and add a comment if you complete today's MLM.

Week 3 - My parents named me __________ because . . .

My name really is Rachelle. No alias for me on the net. I figure, if you really want to stalk me, go ahead. It will add some spice to my life. Just stay away from my son or I will go postal on your hiney. ;)

My parents originally wanted to name me Michelle. But I had a girl cousin born a few months before me and her parents named her that. My mom thought and thought of a new name for me. After awhile, she came up with Rachelle. She thought she was being creative and making up the name Rachelle. Not so. She found out at a doctor's office a few years after I was born that Rachelle is a real name because there was another girl with that name in the office. My mom got to talking to her mom and found out, Rachelle is a real name.

I like my name. It's not a name that very many people have. I'm not one of the millions of Jennifers from the 70's (do not take offense if your name is Jennifer). I think my name fits me for the most part (unless you are one of those people who thinks of Rachelle in the trailer trash way).

One of my biggest pet peeves, however, relates to my name. Specifically the pronunciation of my name. It's just like Michelle, but with an Ra at the beginning. Say it with me - Rah-shell. It's not Rachel, Rachael, or Raquel. And I have been called all those at one time or another. I hate when people say my name wrong. To me, it's not that much of a difference from Michelle, so why is it so hard to pronounce?

So do you want to hear the mean thing I do to people with my name? It's really mean. You want to hear it anyway? Ok, here goes . . . I judge a person's intelligence on whether they say my name right the first time they see it. If they call me Rachel, they are dumb. If they call me Rachelle, they are smart. I know you are all checking to see if you said it right in your head the first time you saw it. If you said it wrong in your head, I forgive you. ;)

It is great for telemarketers. If somebody calls my house asking for Rachel, I hang up on them. Because if you can't say my name when calling my house, you probably don't really know me. And usually that means a telemarketer.

So there you have my name. Not too exciting, but I do like it. I wouldn't change it, except maybe spell it the way it sounds to stop the stupid people from calling me the wrong thing.

And for next week's topic: Since it is Memorial Day, the topic is "In memory of . . . ". I know Memorial Day is supposed to be for those who died in war and to honor Veterans, but maybe there is somebody else whose memory you want to honor on that day. Many people use Memorial Day to honor any special person in their lives who has passed on. We'll do kind of a loose interpretation of it. With it being a holiday weekend, you may not be around on Monday itself. Feel free to post early or late. I myself will be traveling to my Idaho hometown for my brother's wedding, so I will post either late Thursday or early Friday before I am cut off from internet access for four days (how shall I ever live?!?!).

Don't forget to leave your link below if you participate in today's MLM. And leave a comment too. It makes me feel special. :)

The Letter Game

There is a fun game going around out there. Somebody gives you a letter of the alphabet. Then you have to choose ten words that start with that letter and explain why you chose them. You can play along too if you want. Leave a comment asking for a letter and then I'll give you one.

I asked Mama D for a letter and she gave me "Y". She said she wanted to challenge me because I am a teacher. Well, I took that challenge and decided to challenge myself a little more - being an English teacher and all. So I give you my "Y" list - all verbs AND in alphabetical order AND I will try to relate them to my life in some way. Yeah, I'm a little obsessive. ;)

1. Yak - Something I am really good at. I can yak for hours with Mark, a good friend, my family. I can yak about almost anything.

2. Yammer - Similar to yak, but with more complaining. This is what some of my students are doing right now. They are yammering on and on about the new cell phone policy in our district which says they cannot have cell phone during school hours next year and how "It's not fair" or "I'll bring mine anyway." Gotta love teenagers.

3. Yank - Maybe I'll yank their chain and tell them ipods are banned too. That will get them really yammering.

4. Yawn - Did you just yawn reading that word? I did. Think about a nice slow yawn. Are you doing it now?

5. Yearn - I yearn for another baby. A little tiny one to cuddle and hold. I yearn for new baby smell and new baby yawns.

6. Yell - Ok, who hasn't yelled in their life? I will sometimes raise my voice, but I try not to really yell. But you know what? Sometimes it just makes things better when you do.

7. Yelp - What my dog does when I accidentally step on him. I don't do it very often, but sometimes he gets under foot. And then he yelps to let us know we got him. Poor little thing.

8. Yield - I hope my beautiful grape tomato plant yields some yummy tomatoes this summer. I just started growing it from seed a few weeks ago. It has glorious little sprouts coming up now. I can't wait till it yields its crop.

9. Yodel - Can you yodel? I can't. Ok, I probably really can, but why? It's really not that pretty of a sound. Maybe it's one of those art forms I just can't appreciate yet.

10. Yoke - Are you evenly yoked with your spouse? I think Mark and I are evenly yoked. We carry that cart pretty well, being yoked together.

So there you go! Do you want to participate? Leave me a comment asking for a letter and I will give you one. And if you want a bit of a challenge, like all one part of speech or something, request and your wish shall be granted.

Don't forget "My Life Monday" for next week!

Mr. Sun - We need to talk

Dear Mr. Sun,

Is it all right if I call you that - Mr. Sun? I'm not sure if you are male or female, so I took a guess. Maybe I should be politically correct and say "To whom it may concern in the sun-o-sphere". We'll just run with Mr. unless you tell me otherwise.

Now that we got that all sorted out, can we talk about the heat? I realize your job is to heat the world and I appreciate it. You do wonderful things with those rays. But don't you think you are laying it on a bit thick right now? My poor little home is reaching temperatures of 80 degrees inside. And that's just the main level. Upstairs, where we sleep, it's much hotter. And I haven't even cooked indoors the past few nights. Can you imagine how hot it would get if I did?

Remember Mark - the big tall guy? He thinks he is melting if it gets over 72 inside. Once it hits 75, it's all over for him. He's not doing so well at night right now. And Camden? The poor kid is having the hardest time sleeping. He's just too hot. I'm kind of not sleeping so well myself with the heat and the two of them.

I realize we haven't put up our air conditioning units yet so it's partly our fault. We plan to rectify that situation tonight. But even the weather man says you are a little extreme right now. He says you're not usually this warm this early in the season.

I really like how you provide warmth and all that. And your lovely rays help my flowers grow. So I'm not asking you to disappear or go away or anything like that. But if you could kick it down a notch, I would be most appreciative.

Your ever loving friend,

Rachelle