Free expression

This is a picture I took of Ali on Sunday morning... I had left her upstairs putting her babies "to nappy time" in my bedroom. She was also playing with her pink purse, which apparently was filled with (unbeknown to myself or her father) magic markers.



(her girlie parts have been blurred out to protect her privacy)

Miss Ali was pretty proud of herself when she walked downstairs into the living room... that is until her Dad said "Oh Myyy Looooord, Alison"... and then she started crying! I guess she punished herself, because her dad and I were laughing too hard to say anything else!

My Sweet 1st Born

Two nights ago, as I was tucking Miss Alison Elizabeth into bed she said to me:

"Mommy? Thank you for making my heart happy."

It is moments such as this I remember everything in which I have to be thankful.

It is the small things that make you feel so big.

Year 29

We celebrated my 29th birthday on Monday, and I wanted to make a list of goals for the last year of my roaring 20s.  This is a sporadic list  (in random order) of what I want to work on, and keep myself accountable too.   At this point in my life, I want to make solid, attainable goals and achieve them!

1.  My first priority is me.  I want to be healthier and more active. 
2.  Incorporate activity and exercise into my every day routine- and no longer look at exercise as a sporadic chore
3.  Take more pride in my appearance and buy up to date clothing/accessories that make me feel good about how I look
4.  Really listen to my husband and take time to cherish him.  I chose him to be my life partner, and I need to put more time and energy into that commitment
5.  Spend more time with God, at church, and in the Word. Nourish a Christian relationship in my home and be an example to my spouse and children
6.  Research and work hard on being a better parent and find a constructive way to discipline
7. Give more energy and dedication to my job and my students. Be more innovative and give everything to my lesson planning and teaching to create a better environment for learning
8. Be an optimist. Focus on the positive and BE THANKFUL for everything I do have. Do not give my mind over to the negative or self loathing
9. Slow down and cherish my life

Mother's Song

Ali watches Disney Junior every morning... and every time this poem is read, I find myself with tears on my face.
It is so beautiful!  I am going to frame it to hang in both girls' rooms.
fast forward to :38 to get to the poem:)



Mother's Song
a Traditional Lullaby
(read by Jennifer Garner)

My heart is like a fountain true
That flows and flows with love to you.
As chirps the lark unto the tree
...So chirps my pretty babe to me.

There's not a rose where'er I seek,
As comely as my baby's cheek.
There's not a comb of honey-bee,
So full of sweets as babe to me.

There's not a star that shines on high,
Is brighter than my baby's eye.
There's not a boat upon the sea,
Can dance as baby does to me.

No silk was ever spun so fine
As is the hair of baby mine.
My baby smells more sweet to me
Than smells in spring the elder tree.

A little fish swims in the well,
So in my heart does baby dwell.
A little flower blows on the tree,
My baby is the flower to me.

The Queen has sceptre, crown and ball,
You are my sceptre, crown and all.
For all her robes of royal silk,
More fair your skin, as white as milk.

Ten thousand parks where deer do run,
Ten thousand roses in the sun,
Ten thousand pearls beneath the sea,
My babe more precious is to me.

Ali's Haircut and my birthday

Ali bananas got her 1st "official" haircut last week!  It was time to cut off that slightly curly, kinda nappy baby hair that was always getting tangled...

I took her to my good friend, Jen, who has been cutting my hair for years.  She did so great! She held really still and felt so cool - it was adorable.  We decided to add some bangs, too!

She's pretty sassy since the haircut.. not sure if we're now in Ms. Independent Terrible Twos, or if the haircut has gone to her head !

...and on another note. Monday is my 29th (gulp) birthday.  And let me tell you- since having my 2nd child, I really am starting to feel my age. I have become more nerdy, less trendy, and definitely not young, cool,or hip (like I ever was.. but less so now than ever!)

So here's my dream list of gifts I wish I would receive for my 29th year of life:

The iphone 4

A kindle, or any other hand-held reading device

An ipad

Xbox 360 with Kinect

A pair of BKE dark jeans with white stitching

A full night's sleep withOUT a 2 year old in my bed

(Almost) Famous

Some pretty crappy things are going through the legislature in Idaho right now concerning education. A local reporter came to the high school that I teach at yesterday and did a news piece focusing on the issues... and filmed ME teaching in my classroom !
If you click on the link below, there is a little video in the top left corner of his article. The blond teaching in the classroom that they show is ME in action!
...let me say I was sooo proud of my kiddos for behaving ! :)


Teachers Fired Up Over Idaho Education Reform Proposal

An interesting device

So a couple of weeks ago I was contacted by CSN stores to do a product review.. and let me tell you, it was hard for me to narrow it down on what to pick.  I wanted to pick something for myself, because I always seem to get a toy for the kids, which they totally do not need. 

What I ended up getting is this :

Ok, so I know you are asking yourself what in the world is that thing... and those of you with dirty minds are going there...but what it is is a "Backnobber", and what it does is you hook it over your shoulder like so:

and what it does is press on your "trigger points" ( i.e. knots) and release them!  You can also use it on your neck, lower back, and butt...And let me tell you- I love the thing!  I have had a bad back FOREVER (being as I had size E boobs back in the day before I had reduction surgery in 2004) and am constantly begging my husband to rub out my knots or using a door jam.  This thing works great, it's totally convienient to use and it's actually helping my back feel better! I'm so obsessed with it that I even started bringing it with me to work (yeah, I'm cool like that). 

If you want to get one for yourself or someone you love who has a messed up back like I do.. go here to check it out!  Or you can go here to the product's website for more info!