Back To School

Here is Emily on the first day of school, last Tuesday. It was taken at 7:15am...even though school does not start until 9! She is in the cute outfit she paid for with her babysitting money! She LOVES her teacher and LOVES that her friends are in the same class.

The only bad thing, is that the principal decided to not let the 6th graders sit on the benches during assemblies anymore. Poor Em and her friends waited for years to be in 6th grade and rule the school and sit on benches...now they have to sit on the floor with the younger grades!

(i think they will survive this injustice)

She was so excited for this year. Her teacher handed out their classroom supply list in June (she is super organized that way). So the ENTIRE summer, Emily would ask when we were going to get her school supplies. Call me crazy, but I did not see the point of buying school supplies in June or July. I finally told her we would get the supplies the pay day before school started. Well, she decided that was to long of a wait. So she took her babysitting money and bought her supplies herself! Now I know some of you may think this is so MEAN that we let her buy her own supplies. I think it shows: a) she is somewhat impaitient and b) real responsibility on her part. She had the money and knew what she needed. Here's to a great year Em!

Here is Brin, on her first day of school. This picture was taken at 7:20 am...her class starts at 12:45! For the last few weeks Emily and I have been teasing that on Brinley's first day we would hug her to our bosom and wail, "my baby, my baby". Brin took this in good humor until last night, when I was rehearsing my antics with her and she pushed me away, threw her hands up and said, "Mom do not embarass me tomorrow!"

Gulp...

don't I have a few more years before she thinks I am embarassing?

Emily came in and started her rehersal...and Brin put her hands on her hips and said,

"don't embarass me like mom is."

then at dinner, Brin offered the prayer and asked Heavenly Father to "help mom not be sad on my first day of school"

She is in the same class as her cousin, Ashlynne.

This is so cute...

My heart may burst!

Brad and I helped her get settled and she started coloring. I snapped a few pictures and started to feel the hysterics take over so I walked over to Brad and said we need to go...now...because I was ready to cradle her to my bosom and wail, "my baby". Just as her were leaving, Brin patted my leg and said, "one more hug". I needed it more than she did.

Excuse me...my heart did burst.

Insomniac Posting

It's 2:30 am.
I am wide awake.
I am thinking about changing the name of my blog to "Hormonal Insomniac"
It's catchy
and it sums up the passive-aggressive/sarcastic posts I sometimes write.

Brace yourself...
this IS one of those posts!

Last week, I took Brinley to her Kindergarten Assessment
as I waited in the hall, I overheard a conversation between a parent
and the principal. The parent wanted to change their child's teacher and
the principal was asking for VALID reasons. At one point the parent said,
"But Ms._________is SO CUTE!"

really, REALLY?!?
as I sat in the hall trying to close my mouth
(because my jaw literally hit the floor)
I realized why I can NEVER get my masters in administration.
Because I...
I would have bitched-slapped this parent,

cute, CUTE?!?
are you SERIOUS!
IT IS EDUCATION....not a puppy contest.
since when did your child's academic year depend on if your child's teacher can enter the Miss American pagent?

Later that evening, I attended Back to School Night.
I was impressed by the information I was given.
Each teacher told a little about themselves,
presented grading policies, went over curriculum and classroom expectations.
Their classrooms were neat, organized, and inviting.

AT NO POINT DID I THINK TO MYSELF, "HOW CUTE"

This parent think she has trouble now....
wait until Junior High...

there ain't nothin' cute in Junior High.

Dinner Conversations at the Smith House

Welp...I am at the end of the first trimester...
and I feel just like I did a month ago.
I make dinner...and then can't eat it.
It is really starting to tick me off!
I am still gagging and dry heaving...
I am exhausted.
and I pee every 15 minutes...
just ask Brad,
He had to pause the movie we were watching 5 times.
This last week and a half had better be the finale to my feeling crappy or this little baby is grounded!

Dinner conversation at our house was interesting.
Usually, Brad asks us what the best part of our day was.
He didn't tonight.
He probably should have.

Somehow Brad mentioned the deer hunt and Brin asked what the deer hunt was.
Brad wanted to protect our innocent 5 year old from the horrors of life, so he said that "you find a deer, take it to dinner, read it a bedtime story and" and Brinley added, "and then shoot it".
so much for protecting her innocence.

Next we talked about Kermit the Frog...
a song stuck in Emily's head...
and then vagina's...

Oh to be a fly on the wall at our dinner table.
(at least it can eat)

How Do People Wait 9 Months?!

We had a little scare on Friday, I was already at the doctors for blood work and so she said she would do a quick ultrasound to check. Everything is fine. I just need to take it easy for a day or two. The stress of going back to work, setting up my classrooms, and everything else just left me stressed out. On the ultrasound my little baby was moving like crazy. Anytime she tried to listen to the heartbeat, the baby would jump out of the way.

I had an ultra sound last week and it looked like a baby with little nubs for arms and legs. This week all that would fit is the head and a long arm with a definite hand. I can't believe how much they grow in just a week!

The nurse at the doctors office always laughs at how I stare at my ultrasound pictures.
I do.
I can't help it.
I love the PROOF!

and to be perfectly honest
I am also looking for a clue as to the sex.
I go back and forth
sometimes I think its a girl
other times a boy

As I looked at this weeks pictures I tried to imagine that long arm and what it would play with as a toddler.
Will it play princess and poly pockets?
or trucks and football?

(Please do not criticize my gender stereotyping.
If my girl wants to play with trucks and football,
that's fine
If my boy wants to play princess and pollypockets...
I'll let Brad deal with that ;) )

Now don't get me wrong
I really have "no preference"
Heck, we waited so long for this....I won't complain
I JUST WANT TO KNOW!!!!

How do people wait 9 months to find out!
They are crazy...
and they act all superior because they WAITED.
How do they plan? How do they shop? How do they SLEEP?

On Thursday, I was at the store and wandered in the baby aisle.
I want to buy SOMETHING...ANYTHING!
But I don't like the "neutral" stuff.
It looks boy to me.
If this baby is a girl, I want it in PINK and lavender and (maybe) pale yellow.
So I didn't buy anything.
But I REALLY wanted to.
I want something to hang in my bedroom,
so I can look at it as I am falling asleep.
I want something to touch and fold
to wash in Dreft
and sniff
I WANT SOMETHING I CAN RUB AGAINST MY FACE AND IMAGINE THIS LITTLE BABY WEARING IT!

(I apologize, I have been quite dramatic lately)

Please grant me the paitence to wait a few more weeks.

Because I can not handle Brad referring to our baby as...
Cletus the Fetus!

Technology Bytes!

It's the wee hours of the morning.
I have realized a sleeping pill won't do me any good.
I have no problem falling asleep...I just can't stay alseep.

I thought my phone was going to be ok.
It seemed to work for a while, except when someone would call they couldn't hear me. I could hear them, but there was no dialogue exchange.
But, i could text and access my notes, calender and pictures.
Having people hear me seems to be irrelevant...NOW.

On the drive to the AT&T store, I thought "I need to hurry and write down all of the things on my calender, write down my contacts that didn't get stored to the memory card, transfer pics to memory card, copy notes, etc"...I had A LOT of writing to do. BUT wouldn't you know as soon as the sales guy looked at my phone. It went completely black-with only an ominous red line across it! Seriously, I could access everything 30 seconds ago. I think he did something to get my money. I ask in a very timid voice, does the calender save to the memory card? NOPE
Notes? NOPE any way to get the contacts or pictures NOPE

All of my appointments, schedules, and notes are on the darn thing! Oh man, my to-do lists were also on there! Everything is gone! My life is a big mess, I can't remember when my next doctors appt is because it was on my darn phone. Did I set up Brin's assessment for next Thurs or Fri-my phone could tell me, but its gone.

I am still blaming the cat.

Remember the old days when people would write things down in their Franklin Planners? The only fear that I had in those days was someone STEALING my ugly Franklin binder. No one ever did-my calender, schedule, to do lists all remained with me. My life was in order.

I ask the sales guy, do any phones save calenders, notes, to-do lists. "Only the smart phones-because then you can link it to google calender and sinc it with...yada...yada...yada...yada..." about 5 minutes later I come out of my techno coma...I have NO IDEA what he said. I have NO IDEA how to do those things. And I can't get a smart phone: 1. you have to pay for the data plan and I can't afford it. and 2. I am not cool/important enough

So we decide on a phone, it has a key board and calender (that can't be saved)
(its PINK!)
the color is sooo important
my last one was blue
I always wished it was pink

I guess the fact I am excited about PINK, proves why I am not cool/important enough to get a smart phone.

In other techno/21st century news:
I joined facebook last night.
I held out for as long as I could.
But all of the ladies who teach FACS (Home Ec) in the district wanted to set up something so we could communicate. and I was the ONLY one, the ONLY ONE who did not have facebook.

I would like to point out, that we can NOT access facebook at school. It was one of the many sites the district blocks. With good reason, can you just imagine if teenagers could go to school and use it?! Well actually, a lot of teens have smart phones and access it at school anyway. You just can't do it on a school computer.
So I argued this point.
They argued more.

So after the phone store, Brad helped me set out my account.
I am disappointed with myself

I feel dirty ;)

My Day

I Know...2 posts in one day! Crazy!
Went back work.
Should say the opening session was motivating,
it was...just way too long.
It's hard to stay motivated when my behind is asleep and I am starving.
Seriously
it was a good thing I packed fruit snacks and a granola bar or I would have started knawing on my new motivating book.
Once I got home, my day took a turn from long and boring to DRAMATIC!

First I walked in and my preggo nose smelled a burn smell. It seems there was a tiny fire when Em made mac and cheese for lunch. The cause was just a dirty burner. Luckily, Erin saved the day and put out the blazing inferno that Emily was sure she created.

I walked upstairs and (thanks to my preggo nose) smelled cat pee.
I looked and couldn't find anything
so I sent Emily up there to investigate
she found it...
ON MY BED!
ON MY DOWN COMFORTER!!!!
(it was on Brad's side...again)

The cat now has an execution date set for Saturday.

Which has led to much crying and sadness for Emily and Brinley.

I ripped the comforter off my bed to take it to the dry cleaners.
I removed the sheets, blanket and matress pad to wash at home.
As I was stuffing the matress pas in our washer, my phone slipped from my shoulder and fell into the washer as it was filling with water.

My phone has been executed.

I am blaming the cat for EVERYTHING! (I should've stayed at work.)

Don't call the Enquirer just yet

It really early. Before 6am
I am bugged because I go back to work today and here I am WIDE AWAKE
But something has been on my mind...

Originally this was supposed to be a sarcastic....passive-aggressive....worldly justification response to the "concern" we have been getting over our age.

But, I can't bring my self to actually type it.

Yes,
we are over 30
in truth we are over 35
and we are having a baby!
We don't feel we need a tabloid headline "Oldest couple in Tooele expecting"

Yes
I realize I am Advanced Maternal Age
Yes, we realize this puts certain risks higher
and while I have several snooty comebacks

the truth is I am scared.

Pregnancy is a nerve wracking nine months for everyone. Maybe I worry about things more than others. But worrying does keep me up at night. Brad is more pragmatic..."worrying does nothing, he says...what happens is what is supposed to happen...we will deal with whatever happens..."

It's not OUR dealing with it that worries me the most.
It's society.
Society is cruel
Think about how often the word "retard" is thrown around.
Heck,
I use it to describe something Brad has done at least twice a month.
The worry that someone may use this word to describe my child
brings out the momma bear in me.

So thank you for your "concerns"
we are not ignorant of the risks, but
we wanted to complete our family.
should we have ignored this feeling?
just because the general population of Utah thinks we are too old.
(and it is a Utah thing)

The blessings outweighed the risks.

Random Thoughts on Monday

I have been awake since 3:00 am.
At 4am I marinated the tri-tip for dinner tonight and made muffins.
At 5am I checked my favorite blogs and my email.
Then in desperation for something to do,
I checked my class lists for this school year.
As I looked at my Foods II roll, I went down the list and thought:
good I am glad she took my class again;ok he was a pill, but kind of funny;oh crap!
why in the h-e-double hockey sticks did that girl sign up!
Then I looked at my Foods 1 rolls, lots of new names, lots of seniors, and quite a few kids that have already had Foods 1 and 2.
Why take it a second time? I hate that.
See here is why I don't like kids in Foods 1 that have already taken it.
The first day or two of school, I try to act MEAN/HARD/you know, the type of teacher that will NOT put up with their monkey-shine.
I do it to weed out the jerks that are in there to play and the girls who are to squeamish to touch a raw egg...let alone raw chicken.
BUT if a student has had me before they know I am a pushover...I am all talk...and i put up with way more monkey-shine than I should.
And these "veterans" will spill the beans about what a softie I really am and all hope is lost! Monkey-shines from day 2!
Brad says they take my class for the third time because I am just that awesome.
(or I grade too easy)

After looking at my class lists
I ate a muffin
as I walked past the fridge I smiled at my ultra sound picture and may have patted my little fetus. I smile whenever I see that little alien looking picture.
IT'S PROOF THERE IS A BABY IN THERE!
(i may sing to it too)

As I sat on the couch watching Law and Order:SVU here are the other things running through my mind:
*where are we going to put this fetus when it's born?
*we need to finish our basement
*if we finish our basement, will the spiders leave?
*Brad told Emily to mow the lawn today as her chore, how can she be old enough to mow?!
*I hope I can start the mower for her. Sometimes it won't start for me.
*my garment tops are awfully tight.
* what am I going to do if/when my boobs get fuller?
*Law and order is scary...why do I watch this...it puts horrible images in my head
* i really need to buy a lesson plan book
* i really want another muffin
* i really want to go to Virg's and order a breakfast skillet
*i hope that teacher does not teach kindergarten or if she does that brin does not get her
*i had better sleep once school starts
*are there sleeping pills safe for pregnant ladies

At 6:30 I went back to bed.
and slept
until Brad woke up at 7
Restful night

An Offiical Announcement

Well


After 2 years of trying


After 2 years of hoping


After 2 years of praying


After a couple of "uncomfortable" visits to specialists


After rubbing Monica's cute baby bump for luck


After one REALLY LUCKY rub of Jennifer's baby bump


After ALMOST coming to terms with the fact it was not going to happen

We got this:

Yep!

It's official

The pee stick (magic genie) granted our wish

the rabbit has died

we are Pregnant

Preggo

Preggers

Knocked Up

Expecting

In the family way

There is a bun in the oven

We slipped one past the goalie (not that we used a goalie-it's just a clever saying.)

Baby Smith #3 is due in early March

Before I sign off,

A couple of apologies:

#1 yes, I really did rub Monica and Jennifer's baby bump for luck

I am a little embarassed by this now.

Thank you both for putting up with me and letting me treat you like my own Primary Buddah

#2 I did not mean to imply that Jennifer's baby bump was luckier. I am sure that I had all of this luck stored up and that last one just pushed the odds in our favor!

# 3 to those of you with mild sensibilites, I apologize for displaying my pee stick. I did crop off the urine soaked part!

Last Week of Freedom

well it's august.
TV commercials are advertising Back to School Sales
Walmart has all the notebooks, crayons and backpacks out.
And I got the dreaded welcome back letter from my principal.
Guess there is no escaping it.
I'm going back next week...

Each year I have this internal struggle with going back
I am excited-new ideas, new students, a new start
I am not
I look forward to getting back into our routine
I will miss watching morning TV and not showering until 10am
My kids are driving me crazy
But I will miss them
My own kids drive me crazy
Now I am going to go and let OTHER peoples kids drive me crazy

This summer has been a quiet one around here.
I didn't accomplish ANY of my summer goals.
I looked at the list I wrote in May,
Nothing was crossed off.
I do have a week to try and finish some things on my list
but that would probably interfere with morning TV
and I would have to shower before 10am.

Happy 5th Birthday!

Brinley's Birthday was yesterday. I can not believe she is 5 and ready to start Kindergarten in a few weeks. Brinley is definately our more SPICE than sugar girl. Aunt Stephanie says she is crabby and Gagam says she just has LOTS of personality.
No matter how you describe her, she is FUNNY. Here are some of our funny/crabby/spicy stories from the last few weeks.

*she told daddy, "dad, I decided I love you almost as much as I love mommy"

*she wants to be a cheerleader in high school so "she can kiss in the hall"

*at the grocery store the other day, I went to hold her hand in the parking lot. Brinley puts up both hands and says, "mom, I got this". When I asked her "what?" She proceded to tell me that she is a big girl and knows how to look for cars and does not need to hold my hand. Once we get in the store she wants to ride in the shopping carts that have the car attatched. I point out that big girls do not ride in shopping carts, especially enormous ones shaped like a car. Brin thinks for a second and says, "maybe inside the store I can be little and outside I'll be big".

*Practicing letters one day, I write C A T. We sound it out and say cat. Then I change the first letter (mat, rat, bat, etc...) I go back to C A T, I point and say "what does this one say?" She looks at me and says "MEOW"

*at the dinner table, asks why babies don't just climb out of mommies mouths when they are born. Trying not to laugh I ask "why don't YOU think they come out of mommies mouths?" Brin thinks for a minute and says, "because then the mommy would choke"

*at the library I ask if she wants a book about what babies do while they are in their mommies tummy. she throws up her hands and says, "no way! that is disgusting! I don't want to see all that blood!" (it did NOT have actual photos, it was cartoonish and cute)

*when she doesn't like something-her new phrase is "it's creepin' me out." Brin uses this to describe an outfit she doesn't like, the underwear that gave her a wedgey, a polly pocket dress, a barbie with messy hair, and a casserole I made for dinner last week!

Crabby or Spicy she keeps us all laughing!
Happy Brithday Barney!

Cabin 2010

Our view at sunset.

We had a great trip to the cabin. It took a whole week for me to recover, I was exhausted!

Probably the first comment I should let everyone know: There were no rodents in the cabin! Yeah! No bats dive bombing me in the wee hours of the morning and no rustling of mice. I actually even slept (for the most part). I did still jump at most noises and listened for the flapping of wings and had to get up and pee 4 or 5 times, but still got more sleep than usual!

However, NO trip the cabin is complete with out some catastrophe. This year it was a broken water pipe. When we got to the cabin Brad turned on the electricity and then went outside to turn on the water. I was in the kitchen waiting for the water to come on, it did for a few seconds and then sputtered off. Brad tried the water in the bathroom..nothing. We couldn't figure what was wrong. Brad went outside and said a very bad word. Water was coming up from under the walk way, which meant a pipe leading to the cabin had burst. He quickly turned off the water and called his mom, so she could call the handy man. The handy man came(the next morning) and he and Brad had the water fixed by 10am. Crisis averted.

Stephanie and Jef came up Thrusday with the boat we all rented. The plan was to spend all day Friday and Saturday on the lake. I however, got really "boat sick" on Friday and spent the afternoon at the cabin with the little girls. Saturday was better and I was able to spend the day at the lake.

Something must be wrong with me...I only took 7 pictures the entire week we were there.

7 pictures! I can't even believe it.

I just didn't even think about bringing my camera.

So i have no pictures of Emily (or anyone else) on the tube.

I have no pictures of the "biggest" sandcastle Brin, Brad and Ashlynne made.

I have no pictures of the gorgeous scenery you can only see on a boat.

Nothing. Nada. Zip..

SEVEN lousy pictures, I quickly took while leaving.

How will all of the people who read this know what a happy time we had...I have no picture evidence of our fabulous family moments!

Something must be wrong with me ;)

Oh wait Brad took 5 or 6 with his i-phone.

so we have about 13 pictures total.

Speaking of the i-phone...

Brad has one, Stephanie has one, and Jef has one

apparently...

I am not cool/important enough to have one

this year they all got service on their cool/important i-phones

and friday night, I looked around the cabin

the three of them are on their cool/important i-phones

the three kids are on their leapsters, dsi's, and i-pods

and I...

I am reading a book

Like a freaking peasant!

Which begs me to ask the question.

How would Grandpa Reece like the i-phone? The man was against installing a rotary phone in the 70's. and here is his legacy, staring at a screen like some kind of techno zombie!

I'm just saying.