Highs and Lows Link up

Highs

• One week closer to the end of the semester (which means more time for blogging, I mean, staying home with my baby boy!)
• Got not only my 2D Design Students and drawing students, but also Rhonda's 3D Design students, all ready for the Student Art Show next week.
• Finished a word block order, the recipient was so thrilled she immediately placed another
• Sissy is still with us
• The rain caused a few games to be canceled so I didn't have to sit outside freezing or chasing Jack at ballgames all week long
• ***edited***THE SUN IS SHINING TODAY and THE BALL GAMES GOT CANCELED BECAUSE IT'S TOO WET :)****

Lows

• It has be raining ALL week.
• I had to do lots of extra running because ball games got canceled because of the stupid rain.
• freaking gas prices and having to drive all over God's creation for kids games and school and such
• Cara got hit in the head with a softball at her game the other night and had to go to urgent care and the ER...can't wait to see that bill.  
• must be PMS-ing-crying at EVERYTHING(Family-if you are reading this-beware at Easter!).

Flashback Friday

Little man feel asleep after a sprint through IKEA!

But woke up for fun at the Children's Museum!

I forgot how little my baby was...holding a baby.  awww

He looks like such a little man...still loves shopping!

Union Station-home to Cincinnati Children's Museum

and because Matt had the camera...a butt shot

This trip was taken right after Jack's first birthday.  We snuck away to Cincinnati, stayed in our favorite hotel and went to the Children's Museum.  This is a picture that I was photo-shopped into...because on this trip it was just the 3 of us...we didn't have anyone to snap the photo.  It could still use some more work.  We didn't let anyone know we were there.  Not even our family that lives there.  It was a great trip doing our own thing and enjoying our baby boy!

Now go visit Christopher and Tia and see the other fun flashbacks this week!

Flashback Friday: Long before the Terrible twos

My sweet baby Jack at 3 months old.  Gone are they days of him being immobile.  What is it about us that makes us always want the next step?  When they can't crawl we want them to, then we want them to walk, and run, and talk.  Then we wonder why we didn't enjoy them being cute little buggers that would just happily lay there.

Now we have entered the Terrible Twos and he is wanting independence and Jack's rules, not Momma's rules! We had quite the morning today.  He doesn't like when he wakes up after Daddy has already left for work.  It always throws him off.  So, we had a temper tantrum and time out before 8am.  In the morning this usually infuriates me, but today I was uncharacteristically calm.  I usually try to get us out the door by 8:20 so that I can get him to daycare and then myself to work with plenty of time to prepare us both.  Today, I just said who cares.  There is nothing that I HAVE to do before work, so we slowed it down and got ourselves ready for the day in our own time(and still managed to make it everywhere on time).  Even when he drives me crazy, I love my little bugger and am so grateful for every moment I have with him.

Note to self:

Blogging when sick is not advisable!  Holy Run-on Sentences!!!

Sick of being sick.

I barely made it through the day today.  Luckily I'm such a good teacher I can just sort of float along :) Actually I'm lucky that my students have talent this semester and I don't have to baby them along.

So, my plan for working less and making more money is not really going as planned.  I got hired yesterday to teach at another college.  It doesn't pay more and I have to drive 35 minutes to get there.  I think that it's a good career move overall and could lead to the ultimate goal...or at least contribute to being about to achieve it, but I'm excited about the class itself and the fact that it's at a 4 year university.

Jack ate today at school and pretty good at home too.  That makes me feel better.

Oh sickness go away!

exhaustion

The Roo hasn't been eating  at daycare.  Not snacks.  Not lunch.  I've tried just about everything.  I'm going to ask if he can eat with the "big" kids and see if the mellower classroom makes a difference.  I think there might be too many toddlers and chaos for him to sit and eat.  Additionally, he had a cold and was running a fever.  Went to the doctor to make sure it wasn't an ear infection.  Now I have the cold. 

Yesterday one of my friends from High School had her 3 month old daughter pass away suddenly.  I haven't heard a cause and don't want to speculate.  I just know that she tried for awhile to get pregnant and then to have the baby taken from you so suddenly.  It doesn't make sense.  Two years ago another one of our friends, HER best friend, lost her 3 year old son to cancer.  These are good people. While we may not be as close of friends as we once were, my heart is breaking for her.  I can't even fathom. 

Today I called Jack in sick.  I think I was sicker than him. the cold.  the sadness.  I'm just blah. blah blah blah blahblah.

Come on Spring...I need you.

The Sun Fried My Brain!!!

When I was in second grade, I won a Golden Apple Award. I don't remember what I did...or even what happened to the award.  It was some big deal that someone had nominated me to receive.  What I remember is the local newspaper came and took my picture.  I'm pretty sure I probably argued with my mom about dressing myself.  I'm also pretty certain I (and especially my mother)didn't know I'd be getting my picture taken that day. It also appears I forgot to brush my lovely permed hair...which would not be a surprise to me.  I also remember it was very bright and they had me looking into the sun.  So, this was the picture in the local news to celebrate my great accomplishment (that I can't remember)

In true Rika fashion, I always slept (and continue to sleep) until the last minute possible.  Even this morning as Jack woke up and wanted to know where Daddy was and couldn't possibly walk to the bathroom where he was showering without me, I protested and tried to stay in bed.  After I convinced him that he would be okay in the bathroom with Daddy and without Mommy.  I then proceeded to climb into bed when my alarm would be going off in 3 minutes.  I need those extra 3 minutes darn it.

So, the moral of the story is--always look your best :)