What a Week

It's before 2am Monday
and naturally I am wide awake...
Perhaps my insomnia is preparing me for the sleepless nights once the baby gets here?

Tonight though, I am blaming Brad's c-pap machine.
ya know the machine that keeps his sleep apnea at bay.
it is making a chirping sound
at first I thought a cricket had some how made it's way into our bedroom
but then i realized it is January and the crickets are all hibernating or have flown south
(what do crickets do in winter?)

Anyhoo, I had a busy week and while I was trying to drown out the chirping noise
My brain kicked into high gear
and I went over the week in my head
1. State Test
ugh
how I hate the end of the semester
it means I have to give all my classes the Utah State CTE test
its a pain
and whats worse
my money for next year is tied to the darn scores
The test is online
and so I watch my computer screen for those magic 80% to come in
its torture
I must hit the refresh button 10, 000 times
crossing my fingers that just a few more students get that 80%
the worse is the 79% that comes across
I want to bang my head
because the kid only had to get 1 more question right to pass
even worse than that is the 79.9%
I then want to smack the idiot who thought of testing
Cuz-the state will not round up that score to 80%
it kills me

Please do not ever talk about merit pay and teachers around the semester change
I can do the same things in all of my classes
and in one i will have a decent number of 80%
and in the next...only 3 students will hit that
it is infuriating
it drives me crazy
it makes me loose sleep
and Brad is sick of hearing me complain and/or getting depressed by the class with the 3

2-My ultra sound went great!
the doctor was so impressed with how I am regulating my sugar
(even over christmas)
(which is good
because I am trying REALLY hard to be good...i didn't eat any of the dessert at BUNCO last week)
that she canceled the stress tests and the other ultra sounds!
woo-hoo
I do get one more ultra sound in February
He looks good.
He looks strong.
He looks healthy.
His head does not appear to be ginormous...like a certain parental unit had as a baby
He stayed all curled up in the fetus position during the ultra sound
which is the only time the little guy hasn't had his foot or arm in my rib cage in weeks!

I am not complaining
I am trying to enjoy these last few months of pregnancy
since it is my last
I want to remember everything
even how this little guy has the knack of bouncing on my bladder
causing me to RUN to the bathroom at a moments notice
seriously
I have had to RUN out of class
and I have never done that
not in 12 years of teaching

oh and my placenta is moving away from my old c-section scar
so I don't need to really lay awake worrying about that!

3-I won $100 bucks from the radio station!
they said to be the 93rd caller when I heard a Rascal Flatts song
I was waiting for the girls to get at of school
so I started calling
I dialed and dialed and dialed
I almost gave up, but tried one more time
they answered and said,
Whats your name? "michelle"
michelle you just won $100 dollars!
and yes I was such a nerd
I screamed
on the radio
and then I had to moo
on the radio
I am a tad embarassed by how excited I was
but hey
I have $100 coming
I will moo in front of anyone for cash money!

On Saturday,
we got out the bassinet and baby bouncer
its all washed and ready
Brinley was so impressed with the bassinet
she wants the baby to sleep in her room... NOW!
(we will remind her of that in about 3 or 4 months)
She is worried about the bassinet only having pink sheets...
"mom, they are sooo000 cute but are kind of girlie" she squealed
My fiscally minded husband
said, "he will only be sleeping on them for 2 months"

( i am looking for blue ones on pay day....
or when i get my 100 dollars from K-Bull 93)
MOOOOOOOOO!

I Can't Sleep

Its almost 5am
I have been awake since 1:30
Will someone turn off my brain!
I can not stop thinking...

...Planning my sharing time for Sunday; sad about changes in Primary; worried what new calling will be; planning review game for school tomorrow; wondering if I should buy treats to bribe my classes into reviewing for test; worried about test scores; worried about class budget; worried about home budget; ohhh that was a nice kick to my bladder little guy; need to update the class list for all 220 students; thinking about next semester; wondering about subsitute during maternity leave; what should I make for dinner tonight; Bunco's tonight and I have to wear jammies, which jammies do I look less pregnant in; Oh -nice jab to the ribs little one; oh yeah-I am having a new baby in 2 months...what the heck was I thinking; I have an ultrasound on Wednesday; wonder what this new guy will look like; exactly how tall was Goliath and how am I going to draw a picture of him; I really need to get out the breast pump and make sure it is working; I may need to buy new parts; I need to buy a car seat; I hope my baby is cute; What the heck-is this baby doing the macarena in utero; I hope my baby is healthy; I really want a candy bar; why do they transfer new students into my class with only 2 week left in the semester; don't forget the Book of Mormon's that are in the van-I need to glue the scripture challenge paper in them; is Aiden the right name for the baby; is 2 middle names pretentious; what do I need to do on my prep; what can I eat for breakfast; once I deliver this baby I am going to make all of the christmas treats I couldn't; what if I end up with Type 2 diabetes-then no treats for me-EVER; I am really hungry-should I test my sugars now and then eat; i wish there was more sugar free stuff-what's out there is pretty bad...

See this is only a smidge of the things that have been running through my head the last 3 hours!
will someone please
SHUT
OFF
MY
BRAIN!

Happy New Year

welp

Christmas Break is over.

I had to go back to work today

and man

I am soooo tired!

2 weeks of not having to wake up early, getting showered and dressed late really spoiled me.

So did 2 weeks of eating a good breakfast...

by 10am I was STARVING!

(By the way, Atkins Protein Bars are the most disgusting thing I have ever eaten)

We had a wonderful Christmas.

Here are the girlies in their Christmas Eve Pjs. This is a tradition I did as a kid and have carried it on. Plus, it is the only time I can dress them matchy and no one complains!

All of the girls wishes came true

...except for the laptop that Emily wanted

...santa (and I) don't think an 11 year old needs her own laptop.

Santa did leave a new camera and mascara in her stocking

so that ALMOST made up for it!

She also got lots of new clothes, including TWO shirts from Areo

She is at a hard age...too old for toys...

except she did ask for Bendaroos...

which have proven to be fun!

Brin was in Barbie paradise...

after all the gifts were opened she ended up with four new ones!

She is also in love with the pillow pet Gagam gave her! It's pretty cute and I am totally going to buy the monkey one for me! I mean the baby.

Our family gift was the kinnect for the X-box. Brad discovered that our furniture arrangement did not allow for "maximum playing" so on Sunday, we spent the afternoon rearranging the furniture.

as for my Christmas Break To-Do list, I did accomplish some of it:

1. Finished book 5 of Fablehaven-finished the series...disappointed in the ending

2. Start and finish the Hunger Games. I started this on Saturday morning and finished it that night! It was THAT good...can't wait to read #2!

3. Finish my 12 month of Snowmen Quilt-

I heart snowmen!

Every month in 2010 I got a free new snowman applique. The designs are from bunnyhill.com She has a new FREE one coming out for 2011. I think it has to do with jars....

So I have finished all 12 and need to assemble the quilt.

This is one of my favorite appliques from the set.

4. Finished the baby's quilt. (I am finished...and it is super cute)

His name will be appliqued in the white space...once he is here and we (meaning me) have permanently chosen a name!

I got the free pattern at modabakeshop.com. They offer free quilt patterns every other day or so and some of them are super cute.

This was the first quilt I have ever had to assemble on the diagonal...I think its is called 'on point' in the quilting world. It was kind of confusing.

5. Finished my Holiday table runner (I actually used it before christmas dinner)

6. Baked banana bread for all of Brad's work people

7. Baked cookies for santa with Emily and Brin

It is always a lot of fun...Em always puts flour on her face...and I spend several months cleaning up all the sprinkles!

13. Finished organizing recipes- but spent time on some foodie blogs...so I have more...I really need to stop looking at blogs

14. Organized craft dungeon-sort of

15. I did try 4 new recipes.

16. Found a new Ob. I decided I wouldn't go to the one here in Tooele for a band-aid, let alone have her cut me open and yank out my child! I am fully aware that this makes 3 Ob's this pregnancy...but, for the first time in 3 months I am at peace with our decision.

17. Survived driving home from new Ob, in the blizzard last Wednesday. I never went above 30mph on I-80, it was that bad!

18. My mom visited and got snowed in with us! We had a nice visit...and watched it snow all day on Friday. We also watched as my crazy sister tried to drive in all that snow! She did a 360 in front of our house and almost took out the fire hydrant on the corner, then she ran the stop sign and almost got hit by an SUV, then the nerd called WHILE DRIVING and started to screech "I am slipping!" My mom said she is a "stubborn little ******* and a tad OCD". True...so True.

Hope you are all safe and happy

Here's to 2011...

Damn Toy

One of the things Brinley asked for was this walking FurReal Pup.
(its NOT the one that poops)
I picked this up in early December at Wal-mart
it is acitvated by light or movement and barked and shook my entire shopping trip.
I was quite annoyed with it...
and I hadn't even left the store.

This should be a sign for any sensible parent....
if a toy annoys you in the frickin' store....don't buy it...just imagine how it will annoy you later!
I am not sensible

I get home and get it inside
without Brinley hearing the damn thing

Later that night I was wrapping it
and noticed that it wasn't barking and shaking
"Good, the batteries ran out. Now it will be quiet until Christmas morning
and then I will just put new batteries in". I thought.

At one point I did lay awake worrying that the trip home from Wal-mart might have some how broken him...but decided to worry about it later.

That box has been moved and rearranged by each of my kids
at least 800 times
...with not a bark, pant or woof.

it is now two days before Christmas...
This afternoon Brinley bumped the box
and wouldn't you know it...
it barked, it panted, it shook.
I tried to pretend nothing was happening...
I left the room...
before she could ask.
then I heard her giggling....
and I knew she figured it out.

She told emily and daddy about the barking present...
she even told dad it walked

Now she is worried that it is the puppy that poops.

Holiday Plans

Its VERY early...
before 5am
and I am wide awake.
and super excited.
Only 3 more school days until Winter Break!!!!!!

I have so many plans of what I will do the next 2 weeks.
So many projects that need to be completed.

In hopes that I will stay motivated...
and NOT spend the next two weeks
on the couch
drinking cocoa and watching Elf, The Grinch, and It's A Wonderful Life
Here is my goal list:
(so that all of you will keep me off the couch)
1. Finish book 5 of Fablehaven
2. Start and finish the Hunger Games (i have been trying to read this since summer)
3. Finish my 12 month of Snowmen Quilt (I am about 1/3 done)
4. Finish the baby's quilt. (I am 1/2 way finished...and it is super cute)
5. Finish my Holiday table runner (so I can actually use it before christmas dinner)
6. Bake banana bread for all of Brad's work people
7. Bake cookies for santa with Emily and Brinley
8. Think of and deliver an economical and clever neighbor gift
9. Make the plaque to go next to my nativity set ( I have planned this for over a year and it's still not even started)
10. Christmas Cards ( I don't even have a picture yet)
11. Sew baby shoes (I found a really cute pattern on-line and have been thinking about making these soft sole shoes for MONTHS)
12. Decide on those last minute presents...buy them...wrap them...
13. Finish organizing recipes
14. Organize craft dungeon
15. organize Brin's room (so we can put up the crib)

on second thought....
cocoa and Elf sound way better!

never say this in front of teenagers!

what a week
i am pooped
but...
only 5 more school days until winter break!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(the exclamation points are so you will know how excited I am)

Funny story happened this week

*warning*
if you are a prude...
please click on a more family friendly blog!

So my Foods 1 classes had to learn about eggs
so we went over the usual...parts, nutrition, color, etc
and then I had to demonstrate the three stages of beating egg whites.
For some reason, it was taking a long time to get to the third stage, which is stiff peak
So to cover the time I stopped my hand mixer and said,
"the longer you beat it the stiffer it gets"

So the kids at the naughty table started giggling.
(there is always a naughty table...the naughty kids flock together...
these are the kids you hope your kids aren't friends with...
because they are so "worldly" and know way more than a 15 year old should)

I am honestly confused by the laughter.
and must have looked puzzled
it made them laugh harder
so in my head I back-track what I just said....
and realize why the preverts are laughing...

and then I found it a tiny bit funny...
but under NO circumstances was I going to laugh.
so I had to turn around and pretend to look for a wisk....
it took me a while to find it...so I could compose my face...
when I turned back around I had my most disgusted teacher look on
and said, "you are all sicko perverts and should be ashamed of yourselves"...
then the whole class laughs and I can enjoy the fact that I said beat and stiff in the same sentence!

there is a 15 year old boy in all of us

90 days!

I have this pregnancy timer on my computer.
it keeps track of what week we are on
today, i clicked to see how many days are left...

90 days!

holy cow

90 days

on one hand that still seems like a REALLY long time!
(haven't I been pregnant FOREVER already)
on the other hand....
90 days is comin' pretty darn fast.
I still have so much more to do...
so many more packages of diapers to buy...
finish my two quilts...
put up the crib and bassinette...
wash the bouncer and swing...
find a carseat...
make sure the breast pump is working...
(sorry if that was too much info)

oh boy
90 days....

90 days until maternity leave!!!!!!!

90 days until my mom will come and stay with us
and make potato soup just for me!!!!

90 days until I have an excuse not to leave my house for at least 4 weeks!

90 days...
and then I will get to snuggle and cuddle and sniff the little man
we have been dreaming about for YEARS...