tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-102793312013-05-13T21:10:15.727-05:00Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478907565207389300noreply@blogger.comBlogger699125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10279331.post-86745361084138643402013-05-13T21:10:00.000-05:002013-05-13T21:10:15.741-05:00

"I just don't want to put things off anymore." Words written to me by my Mom as we make plans for a short weekend gathering in June that has tentatively been planned for someday for several years. This fall we learned first hand that sometimes somedays cease to be a possibility long before you expect. In many ways, the pain of Rod's sudden death is still very raw, but it is also pushing us to

Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478907565207389300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10279331.post-19167261599220737002013-03-31T13:34:00.000-05:002013-03-31T13:34:17.727-05:00

We decided to do spring break a little different this year. It included 29 hours spent in St. Louis. The weather was less than springy, but we had a great time anyway. We drove into the city right around the lunch hour and decided to exit the interstate at a random gas station just to get a sense of where we were and find a bite to eat. Totally by accident we found the Schalfly Bottleworks, a

Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478907565207389300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10279331.post-30991492540535657932013-03-13T21:58:00.000-05:002013-03-13T21:58:21.343-05:00

We've been projecting around here, and I've been writing about it over on my new dedicated craft/photography/creative blog. The problem seems to be the more we make, the more I want to make, the more I have to write about about, the fewer hours that seem to exist in the day. Weird how that happens. My most recent post over there...the creation of a flannel duvet cover for Lexi's new down "fluffy

Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478907565207389300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10279331.post-32902906827659025462013-03-01T12:10:00.000-06:002013-03-01T12:10:11.870-06:00

Brea woke up early this morning with an icky tummy. This is not how she had planned to spend her day. In PJs, yes. At home, no. Today at school kids are celebrating Dr. Seuss' birthday. PJs, slippers, and silly socks are being worn. Stories are being read. Birthday cake is being eaten. Brea's words to me mid-morning were, "It makes me mad that I'm not at school today." It reminds me of the

Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478907565207389300noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10279331.post-81700599960990246632013-02-27T09:32:00.001-06:002013-02-27T09:48:00.779-06:00

Yesterday, as our house was waking for the start of the day, it started to snow. 90 minutes later I white knuckled my 6 mile drive to school on a single cleared (a term I'm using loosely here) east bound path on the divided highway I drive each day. At 1:00 school dismissed early, I drove home (on wet, but clear roads), and spent an hour clearing the walks and drive of our corner lot. The

Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478907565207389300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10279331.post-31552441982447000942013-02-25T17:54:00.001-06:002013-02-25T17:54:04.160-06:00

Yep, it's that time of year. That time of year when I start to feel the depression of winter's hibernation melting. That time of year when I get restless for a little bit of change and reorganization. This spring I'm sweeping up the annoying cobwebs in my life according to the internet. Email, Facebook, Twitter, blogs, Linked-In, Words with Friends...it can all get so over whelming. I feel like

Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478907565207389300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10279331.post-9192624695399144622013-02-19T18:20:00.000-06:002013-02-20T11:13:41.725-06:00

I had this random thought the other day walking the hall at work...in a school... Sometimes the current workings of the educational process feel a little like a manufacturing factory. Raw product in, standardized product out. I've been thinking about this random thought for a couple of weeks now and wonder why it crossed my mind. Is it because I'm not an educator by training? Or because I work

Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478907565207389300noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10279331.post-91022569144130528392013-01-16T21:12:00.001-06:002013-01-16T21:13:42.267-06:00

Friday night I slipped on comfy clothes and headed over to a friend's for a casual girls' night complete with take out, wine, knitting, chatting, and a movie. We watched Magic Mike. I've seen better movies, but I've also wasted 2 hours on MUCH worse movies. There was one section of dialogue that keeps running through my thoughts. Brooke, the eventual girl friend, asks Mike what he would choose to

Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478907565207389300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10279331.post-31823695423897151272013-01-11T18:23:00.000-06:002013-01-11T18:23:29.597-06:00

The teacher whose room I work in this year is expecting her first baby in March. While I can honestly say I have ZERO desire to have another baby, it has been fun watching her belly grow and to get caught up in her excitement. She's gonna be a great Mom. Today I had to make a visit to the Principal's office with a concern. I didn't like going to the Principals office as a kid. (Not that I was a

Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478907565207389300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10279331.post-46717519577159209992013-01-03T17:15:00.000-06:002013-01-03T17:15:32.652-06:00

I've decided managing our finances is a lot like practicing yoga. I work diligently at it, knowing it's a slow, gradual growth project. Gradually I start to feel like we're getting on top of things, like we've reached some sense of order and control. Then life steps up and smacks me in the back to the head, reminding me that a sense of control is but an illusion. Yesterday I went to my 2nd

Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478907565207389300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10279331.post-87707898904469400732012-12-30T20:53:00.000-06:002012-12-30T20:53:22.007-06:00

Christmas Day 2012. The final installment in my peek at our holiday at home. Santa stockings, elf bags, lego building, English poppers, Belgian waffles, and paper lanterns to remember a light that went out in our family this year. In memory of my step-dad Rod, who was a warm and constant light in our

Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478907565207389300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10279331.post-78588398619994277592012-12-29T20:32:00.001-06:002012-12-29T20:32:30.321-06:00

December 24, 2012: the day of family, traditions old and new, wine, Midnight Mass, and LOTS of garlic.   Even though I am no longer part of the Catholic Church, Midnight Mass is a magical thing that always brings comfort to my heart at the holidays. I'm glad I could share that experience with my daughters for the first time

Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478907565207389300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10279331.post-26296870659459674762012-12-28T13:55:00.000-06:002012-12-28T13:55:26.564-06:00

Decorations, food preparations, and games... peace

Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478907565207389300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10279331.post-46013773082625184092012-12-19T21:45:00.000-06:002012-12-19T21:45:02.169-06:00

Last year, on December 31st to be exact, we took some family photos. Then around Valentine's Day I ordered up some ALL Holidays cards to send out to family and friends. (Because, you know, I'm totally on top of the holiday card sending out thing...hence the ordering them in February.) I didn't exactly get those 75 cards in the mail until, well, yesterday. (Many thanks to my little elves

Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478907565207389300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10279331.post-50511344114462613262012-12-14T17:17:00.000-06:002012-12-14T17:21:11.577-06:00

Today while I sat in a classroom supervising students as they worked on their math assignments, I watched Lexi through the window enjoying time with her friends during recess. My heart smiled. Those moments, moments of learning and carefree fun, those are the moments that SHOULD make up a school day. As a Mom, and an elementary school employee, my heart is breaking over the news and

Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478907565207389300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10279331.post-18334524308241827572012-12-07T20:39:00.004-06:002012-12-07T20:39:54.132-06:00

December 1998...the last time I was home for the holidays. December 2002...the last Christmas we spent with my Mom and Rod here in Iowa. This year, weather permitting, I will be going home for Christmas. I hate that there has to be that disclaimer about the weather, but we live in the mid-west, it's winter, and we must be realistic about the possibility that safe travel across Iowa and Nebraska

Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478907565207389300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10279331.post-89154603705612852682012-11-05T14:14:00.001-06:002012-11-05T14:22:21.294-06:00

There are some events in life for which you don't need a photo to remember the details of the moment in the years to come. Watching my Mom say her final goodbyes to her recently deceased husband is one of those events. A heartbreaking image, yes, but also one so full of love. I woke this morning in my own bed, with my husband at my side, my dogs at my feet, and my girls soundly snuggled in their

Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478907565207389300noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10279331.post-48477432859914169272012-10-08T16:19:00.001-05:002012-10-08T16:19:16.825-05:00

Saturday, despite the cloudy 40 something degree weather, we did this... It was dirty and messy and total fun. Scott and I were so impressed with how well Brea did jogging most of the 3 miles with little complaint of being cold or tired. Lexi danced with me during the end of the run color party and looked to be having fun without being embarrassed. That

Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478907565207389300noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10279331.post-33030175415811720852012-09-05T21:22:00.002-05:002012-09-05T21:22:57.355-05:00

"I feel like I'm wasting my potential." Those are words I actually spoke to my husband earlier today. They are just the tip of the iceberg of feelings I seem to be facing lately about life. Feelings sparked by comments. By conversations. By situations. Mid-life crisis? The emotional changes of fall? Lingering personal troubles with settling in to our current community? Too much unused mental

Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478907565207389300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10279331.post-79974774281257183922012-09-02T16:48:00.000-05:002012-09-02T16:49:14.424-05:00

Have I mentioned how lucky we have been in life to meet so many kind and generous people? It's true. We have been so fortunate to be welcomed into the hearts and lives of many families through the years. This weekend has been one reminder after another of just how blessed a life we live thanks to those warm hearts. Today Lexi and I got to join a friend and her horses for a morning ride. Lexi

Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478907565207389300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10279331.post-87599441683677349572012-08-27T18:57:00.006-05:002012-08-27T22:18:07.905-05:00

This weekend we finally found time to do something the girls have been begging us to do all summer ...we split them, and their stuff, up so they no longer have to share a bedroom. They've shared a room Brea's whole life. When we were house hunting they were okay with continuing to share a room for a bit after the move, but they both took house tours with an eye to what might eventually be their

Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478907565207389300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10279331.post-62802339119610940182012-08-24T18:35:00.003-05:002012-08-24T18:53:36.931-05:00

I have a hard time remembering my age sometimes. I often tell people I think it's because I started dating Scott in high school when we were so young and still to this day he can make me feel like that giddy teenager. Or because we dated and got married in college, even before I could legally drink in public, and it's been like we just continued living in frozen time. But mainly I think it's

Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478907565207389300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10279331.post-70403246741383139422012-08-23T21:31:00.004-05:002012-08-23T22:59:57.589-05:00

As a teaching assistant I spend my day in a single classroom full of students. (Technically speaking I am a 1 on 1 SpEd Paraeducator, which is a fancy way of saying I help 1 kid get through the school day a little more smoothly and successfully than he/she might be able to do on his/her own) And while I am an adult whose pretty much always in the room through the year, my relationship with

Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478907565207389300noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10279331.post-77871820741269185472012-08-02T17:00:00.000-05:002012-08-02T17:01:38.365-05:00

Someone is VERY excited to FINALLY be getting ready for 1st grade. I think she thought this day would never come this summer... As much as I hate to admit it, I am ready for the return of school, and a more regular schedule (and daily adult interactions....and the return of a second pay check) as well. I will be attending 4th grade this year. Apparently 5th grade was too much for me last

Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478907565207389300noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-10279331.post-22692203712077564732012-07-24T11:26:00.000-05:002012-07-24T11:27:23.876-05:00

Look what we harvested from one of our tomato plants last night. This is honestly the largest caterpillar I think I have ever seen. He's kinda cool...and kinda gross. Touching him felt like touching a living gummy worm. Ewww. He put a pretty good dent in the foliage of one of our cherry tomato plants so we plucked him off and brought him home, mainly so I could get his picture. (Our

Jennhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07478907565207389300noreply@blogger.com0