We say yes at school!

Working with children you often have to phrase things so they are positive and easier to understand. For example if you tell a child "Stop running!" they only hear the running part, not stop. This is even more common in a classroom with limited language skills and children that don't always like to cooperate. The most common saying in Cody's preachool classroom is "We say yes at school." About a week ago he wanted a snack while I was making dinner and the connversation went something like this:

Me "Cody why are in the cupboard?"

Cody "I'm getting a snack."

Me "I already told you I am making dinner. It is not time for a snack."

He proceeds to get gold fish crackers out.

Me "Cody I said no. Put the crackers back in the cupboad."

Cody yelling "Mom, we say yes at home!"

Me....I was laughing so hard I didn't have a repsonse!

Over the days Cody has used this phrase more and more so I took it upon myself to talk to the teacher about it. She got a good laugh out of it as well then said well I guess our rules don't always teach them the best for home now do they! Cody was standing there listening the whole time so she turned to him and said "Cody sometimes we say no at home." He says "We say yes at school and we say yes at home!" Guess there is no reasoning with the kid!

Life as a dog owner!

Life as a dog owner has definately been a bit busier. I am happy to report that so far we have a really good puppy. I think she is better for me (or maybe I am the only one that actually pays attention enough). Today she has started going to the door when she needs to go potty! I was so excited! We have had a few accidents on the floor as is expected, but I must say I am pleasantly surprised at how few compared to other stories I have heard! She sleeps from 9pm to 4am without having to be let out in the middle of the night. She does wimper a bit when I have to put her in the crate, but even that is getting better each time.

I recently read the book Marley and Me and as with many people they got a dog to preapre them for children. I think I am quite opposite. I am not really a dog person. Cats I can handle, but dogs were always outside growing up so it has been a battle between Zach and I for our whole marriage! So in my case having children prepared me for a dog. I think I am far more patient and ready now to deal with this puppy then I was years before. She knows the word no already and loves her supply of chew toys! I even taught her to lay down beside me when I am at the computer doing homework (like I should be doing now!) or reading on the couch (I am not a lap dog person and do not want her to lay all over the couch!) and she lays there happily beside me. She has learned to hang out in the kitchen when I am cooking so she can catch any drops of food. Yesterday she ate some onions!

I do realize it is still early since we just got her Saturday and I may change my views of things in a week or so, but for now things are going rather well.

Lucy is home!

Today was the big day for us to go and get Lucy. We ended up getting stuck in several staus so the 3 hour drive took a little over 5! She was much smaller than I thought, Zach said she was bigger than he thought! The sister and brother had already been picked up so we didn't get to see them. Lucy started out the biggest, but as of the vet visit Tuesday she is the smallest weighing in at 7 lbs 8 ounces! The brother was 8lbs 4 ounces and the sister was 9lbs 1 ounce. The family said it's becuase when he would feed them the others would push her out of the way and she was too nice to push back! He said she was by far the calmest, but the highest jumper so escaped easier. They also say she has the best color of the three. When we came to pick her up the neighbor kids all came running. Two girls were sad to see her go and said "Lucy is our favorite!" so we felt bad for taking her, but good that we got the best of the three. Now the real fun begins!

Happy Birthday Zach!

Today is Zach's birthday and so I had to post some pictures! Unfortunately it is not the birthday he had in mind thanks to his wonderful squadron so that makes three years in a row of dissapointment. At least he is not deployed this year! I have class tonight which just makes it worse for him so the boys and I have a "party" planned for tomorrow. We bought him some silly presents to cheer him up, had his mom send his favorite cherry chip cake mix, and we are making him a yummy dinner. Since he won't be home until 6 at the earliest it gives us time to set up after school and surprise him.

Now I will tell you what I know about Zach! He was born at Ellsworth AFB in South Dakota in a blizzard! He was a boy through and through always into something! I guess I have three boys as payback now! He used to camp out in the backyard with his friends, but usually they would sneak inside part way through the night! He got caught jumping out in front of cars with his friends.....the car he jumped in front of happened to be a police officer! He played sports and had his dad as a coach. he said he dad was always hard on them, but he is glad and wishes coaches could be that way now. He moved to the Phiilipines, but when Mt. Pinatubo (spelling?) errupted they were moved back to the states. Part of that adventure was getting to stay on an aircraft carrier and stop in Anchorage, Alaska which sparked his interest in living there! His mom doesn't recall the adventure being so great! His love of the Air Force is what led him to enlist. He told me that the day he had to give up his military ID he felt like he lost part of himself. I didn't understand it then, but now after 10 years I know what he means!

His first loves are Ford Mustangs and airplanes! He loves, loves, loves, to biuld model airplanes! At one point we had almost 30 parked or flying in our house in Alaska! He does a really good job on them and over the years has learned tricks to build them better. Some even had working motors! He has this obsession with inventing and building things. I had the little hand vacum upstairs and he sat staring at it till I asked him what was wrong. He said he was trying to figure out how to turn it into a jet engine! Needless to say he has way more creativity then I do!

He has sacrificed a lot of time away to provide for our family. We are proud of him being in the Air Force and for the things he has been apart of. Two of the most memorable are when he took Christmas gifts to a Arctic Village in Alaska. The kids made little gifts for each of them. Zach was given a piece of moose antler the kids had painted. He also left two days after Christmas to help the people of Thailand after the deadly sunami (spelling?) and said that even though they slept very little and had no contact with family it was the best month of his AF career. He had refugees coming off the planes with just the clothes on their backs shaking thier hands and hugging them to say thank you, loaded pallets full of food and water labled the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints onto planes to be dropped in areas that could not be reached and did any job that needed to be done to get aid brought into the people.

So obviously you can see from the picture overload and all we love Zach! I think a quote from Ryan sums it up best!

"Dad you are the bestest man and dad I ever had!"

Pink Sunrise

These are not the greatest pictures, but I wanted to post them anyway. I think it was Thursday morning I was rushing to get kids moving. Scout nights always push bedtime back and with it being the pinewood derby I am sure Zach had a harder time getting them home and to bed at a decent time. So everyone got a late start! As I was telling Ryan for what seemed like the millionth time to eat and get dressed I opened the roladens and saw the pink sky! I immediatley stopped and told them boys to come look. It was beautiful!

Pinewood Derby 2009!

This was Ryan's first pinewood derby, Tyler's third and from what I hear they had a good time! I was at class so missed it, but Zach was able to so it's all good! Ryan made his car into a bumblebee and Tyler designed a hot dog! Zach had to work in the pits so most of the pictures our friend Melinda took. Ryan placed 1st for the wolf den and Tyler placed 4th for the webelos den. I love the picture of Ryan jumping after he won a race and the one of Cody cheering him on! I am sad I missed it, but it's only fair since Zach has had to miss so much. Oh they not only raced the cars forward, but backwards too! I guess the bee's tail got bent in the process!

Working with kids....

It never ceases to amaze me the things I see and hear when working with kids. To be honest it's one of the reasons I enjoy it so much! This week I was working with some 3-5 year olds at the CDC and we went out to play. The teachers were not playing with the kids, just standing up by the building so I decided to go play. Isn't that a perk of the job! Of course I am the new person so everyone wants me to come play with them. I was in playing house with a few kids when the little girl leans over and says "My mommy likes beer. She likes it a lot!" I did my best not to laugh and said "Well there are other people that like beer too, not me personally, but that is fine." Then the boy next to us says "Of course you don't like beer. Only men drink beer. Not moms." Of course this sparked a bit of an arguement with the girl arguing that her mom likes beer a lot so yes girls can like beer too not just men!

It has been a very tiring two weeks, but I really am enjoying my time with all the different kids. I am getting the hang of names and faces which is not easy considering I rotate between six different places! The principal said she would help me get variety and that is exactly what I am doing! I get a kick out of some of the things that go on. I had a cute little red headed four year old boy kiss my hand. He smiled and said I like you. It was very sweet. And of course I am a little partial to red heads!