Winter Fun

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A job, a job!

Today I had 2 job interviews. One job interview was for an ESL aide at South Cache 8-9 center. The other job was at the Valley Montessori pre-school. I interviewed for the job at South Cache at 11 am. I was done in about 20 minutes. At 12, they called and offered me the job! I still interviewed at the Montessori school (I thought it might be afternoon hours). I still have a job interview scheduled at 1:15 at Ellis Elementary tomorrow. I think I'm going to cancel that job. It's not really worth driving to Logan for 2 hrs of work at about $9/hr.

So, my new job should be exciting. I realized when I was at the 8-9 center I hadn't been there since I was in 8th grade (like 15-16 years ago). Wow, that made me feel old! The principal there was the vice principal when I was there in 8th grade. Finally I will be working for a MAN principal! Perhaps things will go better this time (considering the last 3 principals I had were women!).

I will be working with 2 (yes, TWO) students. Let me rephrase that. I will be working with 2 students, but 1 on 1. A teacher's dream come true I think! One of these students recently arrived from Guatamala and doesn't speak English, just Spanish (sounds familiar to my teacher brain). The other student recently arrived from Canada and doesn't speak English, just French (I knew there was a reason I took French all 4 years of high school!). There is actually a curriculum for me to use this time (not like when I was working over in Brigham or teaching English to construction workers). I'm hoping that the curriculum won't seem so juvenile to the students this time (last year was ROUGH because the curriculum was geared more towards beginner English speakers or to be used like a reading curriculum). I will only work for 1.5 hrs a day (9:30-11:00). This means that both of my boys will be in daycare, but, I think what they're paying me will work out fine. Of course, I don't have to figure in 30 min. (or even 2 hrs) travel time per day either, so that helps!

I am excited because this will at least keep me in a classroom working with students. It will also allow me to be home with my kids (no parent teacher conferences, after school "stuff", grading papers, curriculum planning, etc.).

And, to top it all off, since I will be under 40 hrs and less than 30% of my weekly unemployment check, I still qualify for my unemployment. So, this is like extra money in my pocket. Ah the benefits of joblessness!

Have a Little Faith

I love author Mitch Albom. I read his book "Tuesdays with Morrie" back in high school. I recently read "The 5 People You Meet In Heaven" too. There's just something about his style of writing that pulls you in and keeps you completely and totally sucked in his world.

Last night I finished "Have a Little Faith." I wasn't sure what to expect when I first started this book. I actually saw the book listed in a magazine and thought I'd better see if I could find it. The library once again came to my rescue.

This book reminded me of "Tuesdays with Morrie" a little bit. In the beginning of the book he is asked by his childhood rabbi if he would give the eulogy at his funeral when he passed away. Mitch Albom was thinking the man had weeks or days left and decided he'd best learn about "the man" rather than just "the rabbi." Thus begins his visits. His visits continue for EIGHT YEARS. Along the way you begin to hear about a pastor named Henry Covington. I couldn't quite figure out the connection between the three until about 3/4 of the way through the book, but I finally got it.

I think the reason I enjoyed this book so much is because 1-it did remind me of Tuesdays with Morrie & I love that book and 2- ever since my AP European History class in 10th grade with Mrs. Morgan, I have had a growing curiosity to learn more about other religions.

This book gave me the chance to see that religion isn't static and it isn't a completely different idea in my LDS church from what it is in a Jewish synogog (sp?) or a "Christian" church with a Baptist like pastor. The main idea is the same and the people are the same. Mitch Albom mentions that he always separated "us" from "them" and I can see how so many people do that (and how easy it is to do). Perhaps if more people could erase the "us" and "them" line, things would be much better in different places of the world. Easier said than done, I know!

Anyway, I thought this book was a really good one and wanted to tell you that if you have the chance, you should read it. And, if you haven't read his other books, give them a try - I can almost guarantee you'll be hooked just as quickly as I was!

Favorites Tag

My sister tagged me before Halloween & I just noticed! For some reason my blog doesn't show when she updates her blog so I have to check it randomly. Guess I never scrolled far enough down to see this one! Sorry I'm slow Cass!

1- What is your favorite picture?

I actually love all the pictures Shalamar did. I can't wait to have her do them again after baby is born. Actually, I'm thinking of having her do some maternity ones. Anyway, I love, love, love this picture. It shows the true personality of the kids. Even though they fight with each other and act like they don't want anything to do with each other sometimes, I know they still love each other. This picture shows how loving Sam & Nash are to Caleb and how much Caleb wants to be just like his big brother and sister. I'm contemplating blowing this up to an 11 x 14 for my front entryway (right now it's just an 8x10).

2- What is your favorite book, and why?

I LOVE the Children of the Promise series. I love reading Historical Fiction and this is not only based during my favorite time period to study, but it's also about an LDS family in SLC.

After all the books I've read this summer/fall I have several others that I love as well. However, I must say that I still think this is my all time favorite. I'm thinking about reading it again.

If I had to pick an author (aside from Dean Hughes) I'd pick Mitch Albom. Right now I'm reading his latest book Have a Little Faith.

3- Post your favorite recipe.

I LOVE the chicken enchilada ring from Pampered Chef!

2 c. coarsely chopped cooked chicken

1 c. shredded Cheddar/Monterey Jack cheese

1/2 c. mayo (not miracle whip)

2 roma tomotoes

2/3 c. finely crushed corn tortilla chips, divided (I usually don't use these)

salsa

1/4 c. chopped olives

1 can (4 oz) chopped or diced green chilies, undrained

1 TBSP Pantry Southwestern Seasoning Mix (this is pampered chef brand - you can use taco seasoning too, but it isn't quite as good)

1 lime

2 pkgs (8 oz each) refrigerated crescent rolls

sour cream

Preheat oven to 375. Chop chicken and olives using food chopper, place in mixing bowl. Add cheese, green chilies, mayo and seasoning mix.

Chop 1 tomato. Slice lime in half. Juice one half of the lime to measure 1 tsp. of juice. Reserve remaining lime for garnish. Add chopped tomato and lime juice to chicken mixture.

Reserve 2 TBSP crushed chips; add remaining chips to chicken mixture and mix well. Sprinkle reserved crushed chips over flat side of large grooved cutting board. Unroll crescent dough. Place dough sticky side down onto crushed chips; press down lightly so chips adhere to dough. Separate dough into triangles. Arrange triangles, chip side down, in a circle on classic round stone (or round pan) with wide ends overlapping in the center and points towards outside. There should be a 5 inch diameter opening in the center. Using medium scoop, scoop chicken mixture evenly onto widest end of each triangle. Bring points of triangles up over filling and tuck under wide ends of dough at center of ring. Filling will not be completely covered. Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.

For garnish, cut remaining tomato into 8 wedges. Cut remaining half of lime into 4 slices; cut in half. Arrange between openings of ring. Cut using spatula. Serve with salsa and sour cream.

4- What is your biggest pet peeve?

I REALLY hate it when Trav goes in my kitchen and turns a can 1/4 turn so I can't see the label. Drives me NUTS! I have quite a few pet peeves though.

5- What are you going to be for Halloween?

I contemplated being a pregnant nun. But, I went with the kids and didn't dress up because of the rain and because I never made it to my mom's house to get the nun costume.

6- Describe your dream vacation.

I'd love to go back to New Zealand, Australia, and Hawaii. If I couldn't do that then I'd like to go to France, Germany and Italy. I don't think I'd take Trav though. He HATES foreigners and he doesn't care too much for travel. I think I'd take my mother and leave the kids home with Trav!

7- What is your proudest accomplishment?

Graduating college? Getting married and staying married to the same person for 11 1/2 yrs? Having children and not selling any of them to strangers? Not too sure.

8- What is something you are looking forward to?

Despite my initial feelings, I am excited to stay home with the kids. I'm looking forward to having the boys' room finished downstairs and them moving into it. I'm looking forward to finding out if this baby is a boy or a girl. I'm looking forward to getting this baby here and losing the atrocious amount of weight I know I'm going to gain!

Here are my 8 new questions (those tagged answer these instead of the same ones I answered, yes, some of them are the same):

1-What is your favorite picture and why?

2-What is your favorite movie and why?

3-Would you rather go on your dream vacation with your husband or take the family and why?

4-What is something you are looking forward to?

5-What is your biggest pet peeve and why?

6-Post a favorite recipe or craft directions.

7-What is your favorite Christmas tradition and why?

8-What is one new Christmas tradition you would like to begin and why?

I Tag:

1-Ashlee

2-Tannie

3-Heather

4-Natalee

5-Nic

6-Angela

7-Amy

8-Anyone else who wants to play!

The things kids do...

Caleb has become addicted to Charlotte's Web. I remember all too well Samantha's phase of this...I have a dog that reminds me of it every day! He doesn't call it Charlotte's Web though. Nope, it's "The Piggy Movie." He wants to watch one of them (we have 3 different ones) every night before bed. When I won't let him watch it, he insists on taking the dvd to bed with him!

When I took the kids to the book fair at the school on Monday, Caleb picked out a True or False Farm Animals book. It is affectionately referred to as "Piggy Book." I think God miscalculated when he placed this farm boy in our home! Not only does he now sleep with his "Tractor Book," but also his "Piggy Book," "Piggy Movie," Lamb (all 3 or 4 of them - depending on how many we can find at bedtime), his pink Care Bear which he calls his "Buffalo," his horse, his green dinosaur that Grandpa Larry gave him when he got tubes, his monkey and his cow. Whew! Even my mom commented on how little room there was for him in his bed the other day when she was here and helped tuck him into bed. Little does she know that when he wakes up in the middle of the night and comes to snuggle with me he brings EACH and EVERY item from his bed to mine! Granted, sometimes I find a trail from his room to my bed, but generally speaking most of them end up in bed with us.

This boy is a farm boy at heart. I feel bad that we don't live on a farm because I know how much he loves EVERYTHING (yes everything - from the cowboy boots to the cow poop) that has to do with farm life. He is in 7th heaven when we go to Manti and he can become Grandpa Butter's little shadow. I think that perhaps I should make more trips to Manti just for Caleb!

Caleb has recently rediscovered the Fisher Price Little People farm that we got when Sam was little. He was thrilled! I don't think he's going to allow me to put it away for quite some time. In fact, I'm wondering how long it will be before he manages to get the entire farm, zoo and all the people and animals that go with them upstairs! Today I picked up the farmer, the tractor, and several animals. I don't think it will be long before the rest appears.

Despite all his farm "quirkiness" I can't deny how much this little boy makes me smile every day. He will be a great big brother - especially if he can manage to pass his love of farming on to his sibling!