Mommathon

I like to read this blog from the New York Times while waiting for the boys in the carpool line after school. Enjoy!

Writing their letters to Santa

From December 2008

Crafts

From December 2008

Cute Photo Op

From December 2008

We went to go see Santa at the high school last weekend. We enjoyed a light breakfast, made some crafts and then visited with Santa. There are no pics of Santa here because they are coming in the mail.

My book club has picked Middlesex as our next read. I have heard it is very good. I am just waiting for it to come in from the library so I can get started, but first I need to finish the book I am currently reading.

I have been subbing quite a bit this week. Yesterday I taught 8th grade English for three hours. They were fairly well-behaved, but I must say that 8th grade boys are the most immature species on this Earth. Liam is more mature than those boys and I am not exaggerating. I know there is research about teenagers' cerebellums not being fully developed or something, but holy cow! Now I know what I have to look forward to in about seven years. I also intercepted a note. The girl who was passing it was devastated that I read it (to myself-not to the class-that would have really been bad since it was about a boy and how she loves him) and she was even more traumatized that she received a pink slip for passing the note. Then today I was in Montessori which I really loved. It was so much fun, but I know I couldn't do it on my own. There are two teachers in that class for a reason. The kids were good for being as young as they are and being in school all day (that's a long day for those little guys) but when they are all doing their own work...you need two adults (three would have been nice, actually) to help them all get started, check their work, answer their questions, address those who are tattling, etc. Tomorrow I am back to 8th grade for a few hours in the afternoon. I am sure I will have more stories to tell...

Monday-Stir Fry
Tuesday-Crockpot Chicken, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy and Green Beans
Wednesday-Italian Sausage Soup and Salad
Thursday-Southwest Chicken Foil Dinner minus the veggies
Friday-Pasta with Italian Sausage and Salad
Saturday- MIL's Birthday Dinner?

This is the longest book I have read in a long time, but it was worth every second. The characters are amazing (some you will love, some you will pity, and there's at least one you won't like at all), the title is SO fitting and the last page affirms why Steinbeck is a literary legend.

Liam got his first stripe at Tae Kwon Do last night! He was so excited; you would have thought he had earned a new belt. He has definitely been bitten by the TKD bug. He wants the next stripe very badly and wants to test for it on Friday. I had to inform him that he has not even learned everything yet that he would be tested over. I have a feeling that if they teach it to him on Friday he will try and test over it after class. I don't think they let them do that though. Either way, I am very excited for him and glad that he has found something that he enjoys doing.