Step into my office...

(or "closet," as some call it)

hours of operation: monday-thrusday from 7:30am-4pm.

well, not always there at my desk but you know, around...

sometimes buried under piles.

my office isn't one of those offices you walk into and immediately notice how organized, neat and clean it is. nope, thats not me...

but i'm ok with that.

i am a notorious "piler."

i make lists and piles like there going out of style. it's just how my brain works.

the only time my office is free of stacks of papers on the floor, files on the desk and crumbs on the carpet is, well...hmmm. 

sticky notes (see below) are detrimental to my memory.

i color code them and order them by priority on the wall right in front of me. i'm not sure how i started doing this, it just kind of happened. my students make fun of me but really, it helps a TON on those days when i sit down and have so many emails and things to do i don't even know where to start.

and, i usually sit on a bosu ball (you know, work the core while "working," a good ol' 2-for-1) but last week i rolled over a tack (sigh) so hopefully this weekend i'll replace this awesome student chair with a big ol' bouncy ball :)

 here's the "student corner."

 i've had fun coordinating Red Ribbon Week this week.
i've enlisted the help of my Senior Seminar class and they have been quite wonderful production assistants (most of them).

Here are a few of their artwork samples:

Natural High: An activity, art form or sport that you LOVE to do and makes you feel good inside. A Naturaly High does NOT involve drugs or alcohol. EVERYONE has at least one Natural High. (pens and sticky notes available for students to post thier "natural high."

some posters were more "high school" appropriate.

(neeless to say that this one hangs in the high school wing).

  

My favorite!

recognize these guys?

yesterday we decorated the commons with Red Ribbon and wore P.J.'s to "put drugs to rest," today we plastered the halls/cafeteria with post-it notes with drug facts/statistics written on them and wore sunglasses since "our future is TOO BRIGHT for drugs," tomorrow we'll post the faces of meth pictures (scary!) and wear boots to "stomp out drugs," and Thursday students will have an opportunity to pledge and we'll wear crazy hats to "use our heads and stay drug-free!"

putting together weeks like this one is just one of the reasons i enjoy my job.

sure, there are definitely days--and weeks that i feel stressed, overwhelmed and/or underpaid underappreciated...

during those times i often find strength in re-reading the words of advice and inspiration that my mentor-counselor emailed me four years ago when i was new to this very rewarding, yet often draining profession:

i keep this tacked in the corner wall by my desk and it has served many times as a much needed reminder of the crucial importance of balance, strength and faith.

but these days, "bad days" seem to disappear about 5 minutes from me driving out of the parking lot,

onto 395, 

and into the snuggly (sometimes sticky) embrace of my baby boy.

i may be busier these days but one thing is for sure:

this little "bee" keeps me balanced.

15 {whole} MONTHS!

i took my little punkin' head to the pumpkin patch today!

it wasn't really a planned trip. we want to wait for daddy to actually go on the hayride...

but our home is in desperate need of some seasonal decor and as i drove by Bellinger's on my way home i couldn't help but get distracted by thier cute autumn display (and plus, i always like to do something fun w/Kai on my half day of work!).

he ran like mad through the little hay bale maze full of very large orange and white pumpkins and he did THE CUTEST thing when i held up a miniature pumpkin and said "look Kai, a baby pumpkin!": he took the pumpkin out of my hands and snuggled it between his cheek and shoulder, like it was his actual baby. OMG. too cute.

needless to say we came home with lots of colorful gourds and mini-pumpkins

and Kai's BIG pumpkin for carving....

like the big ol' bump on his noggin? yeah, he likes to climb unstable objects. like, all the time.

 and this is his new "trick" that is happening way too often.

 here's an example:

the other day before his bath i left (quickly) to take a diaper out and came back to find his butt-naked body up on top of our wicker under-the-counter storage bin trying desperately to reach for his toothbrush at the back of the counter. what next?
(scary thought).

no joke, last night at dinner he requested to have ketchup with his grilled cheese.

i had cut the sandwich up and placed it on his tray with his peas and he pointed to the fridge and politely demanded something in his baby-speak. i don't know how i knew, but it was ketchup.

i squirted some out on a lid and he went right along with his meal, dipping each tiny piece of grilled cheese in the red tomatoey blob.

not sure where he learned this (hmmmm DADDY???!)

silly mommy + crazy daddy =

mr. personality.

with each month i keep changing my mind that no, THIS is my favorite age...

but really, he is more fun with each day.

here's a few reasons why:

it still melts my heart just as much as it did the very first time when he calls me "Mama."

he is obsessed with balloons, and often points to tomatoes hanging from the vines and calls them "bbbblllooooos"

he literally understands everything i say to him. i'll tell him to go get something, he does it. i tell him to "throw it in the garbage" he does it. i ask him if he wants a snack and he goes to the fridge.

he nods his head "yes" and "no"

he LOVES Elmo

every night after bathtime when we are brushing his teeth, he points to the picture in the corner on the counter of me and G and says "Daddy" and if G's gone he'll wave "bye-bye." yeah, it kinda breaks my heart.

today he had everybody in the library laughing when he was running through the stacks and shelves of books shreiking and laughing playing "peek-a-boo" and "i'm gonna getchu!"

he wants to be a big boy and walk everywhere. unassisted.

this hurts my feelings a little bit, but is a welcome relief on my back.

he always ends up sneaking onto my lap.

i plopped him into the booth next to me at McDonalds the other day (for our Monday recovery date) and he wriggled his way right up into my lap.

it's always better that way.

he still falls asleep on my chest with his little arm wrapped around my neck...

and wakes up every day with a huge smile to remind me that no matter how stressed, tired or late i am... 

everything is going to be ok. 

thank you baby boy for a refreshed perspective and giving me the most rewarding job of all.

what i've been up to (besides blogging, obviously).

yes, yes, my record-breaking blog-break has ceased.

i have hundreds of pictures on my blackberry just begging to be uploaded, but don't have the energy or patience to mess with it...maybe one of these weekends that i either don't have some kind of training, family event or out-of-town obligation i'll catch up. Kai's pretty much doubled in size since my last post for cryin' in the night....

so where-oh-where do i begin....

my job.

you know you are in the right profession when you find yourself thinking, while working, i get paid for this! i'm always encouraging my seniors and career-class freshman to find a job that involves something they LOVE doing and are passionate about--and then "work" becomes play and is so much more than just a paycheck. i am so very blessed that i have a job like this. i love what i do. i love that no single day is the same. i love that my sole purpose on site is to listen, encourage and help. i love that i get to work for a small district with kiddos from kinder-12th grade and that i literally know every single student's name (well, getting there, at least!). i love that i work with an awesome, supportive staff and administration. even on the hard, hectic, sweaty-by-10am-"where's my duty-free lunch?" type of days...i wouldn't want to be doing anything else.

Homecoming Week! (at work)

 Nerd Day.
This one was my fave.

Celebrity Day.

I opted for "tabloid girl": oversized glasses, starbucks venti, dog in purse, and like, omg, don't forget the cell phone...

neon day.

i forgot to have a pic taken at school that day so Kai and I did it after school :)

there was also super-hero day and i just wore a vintage batman/robin tee with jeans and chucks.

it was thursday. i was tired....

half-marathon training(?)

yeah, so i'm attempting to run 13.1 miles in exactly one week from Saturday. heaven help me. i did really good with my training right off the bat (late July)...and after putting in a 30+ mile week WAY too soon (i got a little too excited and overdid it. so typical) ended up with a MOTHER of an IT band strain. that sucker HURRRRRRRRRT. and took what seemed like forever to heal. of course i stayed busy with spin, Jillian and the elliptical but it was quite frustrating to not be RUNNING. well, i'm back at it but not nearly as often as i should be. i'm probably running, at best, 3X/week. one long run, one short/up-tempo run and one mid-range run. (p.s. beckyjo, i have been quite inspired by your blazing half-marathon pace and have pushed myself harder in my runs, so THANK YOU!!). i would run more, and longer but the whole work/daycare/kai/no-husband combo is really NOT ideal for training. oh well. Kai comes first. Prayers will be appreciated for me on the morning of October 15th. I hear they serve beer at the finish line so thats a plus....

Kai, Honey & me are logging lots of after-school miles, though. and Kai's new thing is holding Honey's leash, so actually Honey is walking Kai?? (and I get to run alongside!!!)

Yes, passerby's laugh....

Puke.

nope, not mine. Kai's. i was quite spoiled all throghout Kai's infancy as he very rarely spit up. well, i'm confident that this last weekend made up for the months of spit-up free life i had for so very long.

my poor baby boy came down with his first bout with the stomach flu last weekend. here's the kicker: we were out of town. he was a bit fussy on the drive to portland--i just thought he was tired so somehow he we managed to eat almost an entire bag of red vines (you do what ya gotta do on long rides with fussy babes. don't judge!). early that morning i awoke to my sweet red-haired boy covered in the most foul-smelling chunky pink vomit. i was sure it was fresh because i surely would have smelled it had it been there for too long. however, he had managed to roll in it. it was in his hair, down his jammies, in his ears...bleh. i threw him in the bath and his bedding in the washer (this was around 6am mind you) and we began our day. the plan was to continue north towards Mt. St. Helens to do a bit of hiking and then head to the lodge (in Ariel, WA) for cousin Amber's wedding. We did all of the above and Kai continued to puke. About every 45 minutes-2 hours. mostly just water/pedialite since that was all that was in his poor little tummy...but when/if he did eat, it inevitably came back up. he threw-up in my hands. he threw up in he blankee. he threw-up ALL over in his carseat. one time it splattered all the way to the dashboard. he never cried, though. not once. he just looked at me all confused like "what's going on? why is this happening Mommy?" and then would curl up on my chest exhausted and relieved. it was horrible to not be able to make it stop. and to not be able to get the smell of puke out of your nose.

we finally made it home late sunday night. since then he's been puke free and i've done EIGHT loads of pukey laundry--not to mention dismantled his entire carseat to sanitaize, wash, and re-wash every washable component of that nasty thing. but i will say one thing: it was sure nice to snuggle. especially yesterday staying home with him--he fell asleep on my chest...something he hasn't done since he was an infant. i just laid on the couch and listened to him breathe on me and cuddled. it was a welcome change from chasing him all over the house, yard, street, garage, store......

thankfully he's on the mend. still snuggly and wanting to be held, but it's less and less with each immune-boosting minute.

Kai! (just a few for good measure):

such a big boy.

eating AT the table w/the cousins AND with a FORK!

snuggles with Elmo

(or "Mo" in Kai-speak)

playing on a tired Daddy :)

and that is what i've been up to since we last met...

confessions of a back-to-work mom.

how is it possible that it all of the sudden seems to require SO MUCH energy and brain power to muster up even the most measly of blog posts?

oh wait, i know.

this workin' mommy business is definitely NOT for the weak in mind, body or spirit. serious props to you rockstar moms who do this with a whole herd of kiddos.

i struggled with morning time managment BEFORE baby, and it's kicking my butt now. the past days of worrying only about getting my own lazy butt out the door on time are over. in fact, they seem like a vacation compared to how we roll now.

here's what life looks like now. "workin' mama" style:

5:00 (a-freaking-m): alarm goes off. i try not to start my day with a curse word. wasn't i up like just 5 minutes ago? (sometimes i actually was). Honey licks my face in hopes to muster me awake enough to take her on a run, which only happens on tuesdays and thursdays when i have my amazing babysitter come over (to sleep on my couch) while we hit the pavement. on the other days (mondays and wednesdays) i cross-train from my living room from my extensively growing exercise dvd collection. i've never been a good home worker-outer but shoot, when it's your only option you take it and run. thursdays are AWESOME because i get to run AND do spin class, which is my current FAVE. and then on the weekends i have nana and papa and sometimes G so i can get my lonnnnnnnng runs outta the way. but thats besides the point. back to the daily grind....

6:00/15ish: i finish up my sweat sesh, TRY to get a stretch in and sprint to the shower (unless i'm reaaaaaaaaaally behind and then i take a rest-area shower at the sink. don't judge.) at this point i try to plug my ears when i tip-toe by Kai's room...he is at the age when showering with him awake is nearly impossible. unless he's in it with me.

6:30-45: i get ready. this, somehow is far easier then in was in previous years. i think it's because i KNOW that i have not one single spare second built into my schedule, and to be ultra-picky with my outfit would compromise my entire morning. it's honestly been kinda fun getting back into my "working attire" side of the closet that did nothing but collect dust for a year or so (in part to me staying home AND the clothes not fitting!).

6:45-7:00: if i'm lucky (it's rare) i have a few minutes to gulp down some oatmeal or bowl of cereal. i'll be honest, it's happened like, once. i get too distracted with packing Kai's meals that i somehow find a way to forget about/ignore my rumbling tummy and don't eat until i get to work. if i have a spare minute to think about it, anyway.

6:55-7ish: i wake up my sleeping boy. i always sing this crazy-annoying song. the same damn song my mom sang me that made me want to die every morning. i can't help it, it just comes out. but it sure makes him smile (for now). i snuggle him like crazy, change him, throw some clothes on him, grab his food bag and his sippy and banana for the road, almost forget my purse, throw a treat to Honey, and we are out the door.

7:15ish: drop Kai off at his daycare (his AWESOME daycare, might i add) where he always has his little buddy peering over the couch, just waiting for us to arrive. he sometimes doesn't want me to put him down and he does this hilarious leg-lifting maneuver to prevent the whole "drop-off." but he always opens his arms and goes right to Mrs. Lorry when she swoops him up. one day he even kissed her. right in front of me. but that made me more happy than sad, because he loves her. and she loves him. i really dreaded that whole transition but it has gone smoother than i ever could have dreamed. maybe i'll blog more about that later...

7:20-30: i arrive at work. to my office, where i turn on my computer and lava lamp (kids LOVE that!), quickly check voice/emails and on quieter mornings proceed directly to coffee, and if i don't get caught up, the microwave (oatmeal). all of course, after noticing that i have dried banana smeared all over my pants from the tugs and pulls of little Kai hands, OR noticing that i forgot to do my hair or put a freakin' lick of make-up on. oh well. no one says anything...probably because the last time i worked there i was 7 months prego and looked a different kind of crazy.

7:30-4:00: WORK. have i mentioned that i LOVE my job? well, i do. maybe i'll get to tell you more about why when it stops sucking the life out of me! (just kidding. well kind of). i think that sometimes my students can tell i'm missing my baby. they ask about him randomly, and i can't help but beam at the mention of his name. i'm happy to share my time with them, though. on my senior college/career focus survey and planning sheet one of the concluding questions i ask them is "how can i help you this year?" it warmed my heart to read a handful of thier answers as: you already are.

4:00: out the door to grab the little mister--which still feels SO weird since i'm so used to perpetually being the last one to leave the building (well besides the janitors). i'm pretty sure working within the scope of my contract hours will inevitably make me a better counselor, teacher, mommy, wife, etc. i feel better balanced, less overwhelmed, and like my priorites are aligned properly (for once!).

4:00-5:30= PLAY time. in sweats. outside mostly. in the garden.

6:00ish: dinner. followed by more playtime. lately we've been riding his 4-wheeler in the front one-handed while holding otter pops....

7:30: bubble bath.

7:45: jammies/lotion, books, bottle

8:00: zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

8:30: mommy picks up the house, thinks about packing lunches for tomorrow but decides to have some wine and collapse on the couch or porch swing. mommy thinks about blogging but is too tired to get up to grab her laptop.

9:00-10:00 zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz :)

and then we get up and do it again...

change

via

change is in the air.

can you feel it?

the nights are getting cooler and the sun slips behind the horizon a little earlier each evening.

as much as i {adore} the summer months the onset of a new season, a new start, a fresh chapter...

is refreshing.

and just as i look forward to the little pleasures that make autumn so delicious (pumpkin spice lattes, football, sweaters, THANKSGIVING) i look forward to a new season: a new way of life for me and my little family.

it's not easy diving back into work after a year-long absence. especially when those 365+ days were filled to the brim with snuggles, smiles and laughter with my favorite little red....

but as hard as it is to load Kai up and strap him in his carseat and drive to daycare after i've only seen him the evening before and he's just gotten out of bed and is still so snuggly and warm...and then have him reach for me when i set him down or hand him off...

it is that much more affirming when i see an old student and they smile and look me straight in the eyes tell me "Mrs. G, i'm really glad you came back.

today in my file-cabinet merging/cleaning/purging i came across an old file folder that i keep all of my cards, notes and favorite illustrations from students in. everytime i look through it i cry, and i knew i was already in a fragile emotional state from my Kai withdrawls, but i opened it anyway...

and with tears in my eyes and a heart overwhelmed with joy i decided to {embrace} my new season.

Kai will be just fine.

daycare will do him good.

he'll learn to play and share and rough-house.

he will love me just the same.

he will always be my heart....

and will be with me while i tend to a couple hundred more.

 

cowboy Kai & more.

i was trying reallllly hard to wait until Saturday when G would be home from work to take Kai to the fair. i really tried. i made it a whole DAY.

wednesday when he woke up from his nap i couldn't take it anymore. i can hear it from our house, for cryin' out loud! i packed a bag and threw him in the jogger and we walked over and spent the entire afternoon/early evening walking around the fairgrounds:

people watching, dancing and singing to live music, touching pigs and goats and sheep, watching cows get baths and led around in arenas, sitting on four-wheelers and in big trucks and tractors, watching the kids ride the crazy rides (with envy, i'm sure!), pushing the stroller around with the diaper bag as passenger, tasting nibbles of pina colada snow cone and elephant ear and BEST of all, riding a pony! (pretty sure that was his favorite).

i wasn't sure how he'd do since he's never really "rode" an animal before. i mean, we've put him on Honey but not sure that counts?! he's ridden on a carousel before so maybe that prepared him a bit...

i initially thought i'd have to walk alongside him and hold him up in the saddle but sure enough, they strapped him right in and he was secure enough for me to let go...

and he looked (and im sure felt!) like SUCH a big boy on that fast-movin' pony...

he definitely wasn't happy about having to get off.

 so then we bought a snow cone.

he found the turkeys and canadian geese quite interesting....



someday we will have a house with enough land for a chicken coop!!

(fresh eggs!)

i'm sure we'll be back for more with Daddy on Saturday afternoon....

***

Kai is absolutely OBSESSED with pushing things right now. mostly things with wheels i.e.:

strollers, cars, bikes, trikes, bbqs, LAWN MOWERS....

he did this over at my parents house for almost a whole hour.

no joke.

***

 it's hard work bein' a wingman...

you can't tell very well here, but this shade of blue is honestly Kai's best color. it makes his big blues POP and complements his orangy shade of red/blonde.

just a little fyi :)

(thanks auntie Kelley for the shirt!!)

skinnydippin'!

peek-a-boo!

smiles for monday.

my house is a disaster, our a/c is busted, i'm sleep deprived and forgot to shave my legs this morning....

but i'm really, really, happy.

i'm back to work and i love my job. have you ever had the feeling when your working that you are right where you are supposed to be? that you were made to do what you are doing? best. feeling. ever. i'm so blessed that i have found a career that fulfills not only my pocketbook, but my soul.

as tough as it is to be away from my smiley son during the day i'm so very pleased with his daycare and rest at complete ease when i drive away. the adjustment is honestly going better than i EVER could have imagined. THANK. YOU. GOD!

my half-marathon training problem is now solved. i had a work/training dilemma on my hands. you see, G will be working in Vancouver for another few MONTHS and is only home on the weekends. i'm aiming to run at least 3X/week for the half-marathon that i JUST RESGISTERED for in October (or should i say OKtober!) with my sis-in-laws. i'm gonna realllly try and be a bad-ass and follow that half up with the local half the following weekend. so technically i'll be running a full marathon. just in two weeks time. that counts, right?! anyway, back to the dilemma. my work hours are mon-thurs and a handful of Fridays from 7ish to 4ish (that "ish" is SO very broad, too). Kai is at daycare during that time and the LAST thing i want to do when i pick him up at 4(ish) is either take him to my mom or sisters OR have a babysitter come over so i can train. seriously, NOT OK! i've just been away from him for the bulk of the day and to leave him again feels wrong and selfish on so many levels. i have a few working mommy friends who get thier workouts done while thier HUSBANDS are in bed and their children are still asleep. THAT is ideal, really. you get it done before baby is up and they never knew you were gone. perfect....oh, wait....husband is only here on weekends. shoot. BUT, i did manage to find an AWESOME babysitter who lives oh-so-conveniently right down the street from me. what if SHE could come early a couple days a week and kind of be my fill-in husband (you know, sleep while i work out! haha)?. 5:15 is crazy early for a 17 year old girl, but i told her i'd compensate well...for an hour or so of sleeping/watching tv on my couch and listening for baby and maybe feeding him breakfast. i'm happy to report that she went for it (YAY)...now to keep on truckin' with this training...(i'll blog about that later!)

and, oh yeah...it's fair week! i'm pumped to take Kai (last year he was so tiny when we walked around w/him in the baby sling people asked me if i was carrying my puppy around in there. no joke.) to see the animals and ride a few kiddy rides and nibble on an elephant ear (haha!). G and i are also excited to have some grown up fun (what is that?!) on Saturday night at the rodeo, too.

it feels good to smile on monday.

Kai thinks so too.