Job interview

I went to my job interview in south Ogden today. I got lost on my way there and had to call and have the secretary guide me to it! I made it, 24 minutes late, but I made it.
The interview itself went pretty well. He was quite understanding about the whole getting lost part. He asked several questions and I answered them to the best of my ability. Good interview practice! I had several questions ready for him as well.
What I know about the job is:
*They just posted the job Monday because it was an unexpected position.
*It is for a 5th/6th split class. 12 5th graders and 14 6th graders.
*The students in this class aren't "advanced" per se, but they are your higher end kids that can work independently.
*I would teach both the 5th & 6th grade curriculum. 6th grade doesn't worry me since I just did it, but I am unfamiliar with the 5th grade curriculum.
*I would have to teach all my own "specials" (pe, art, etc.). This doesn't bother me since I had to do it at the charter school. But, it is nice to get a break for part of a day to catch my breath and get ready for the next part of the day. Or, like I had last year - planning time with my colleagues.
*I would work with 2 women (5th grade) and 2 men (6th grade) to accomplish my grade level goals.
*The principal is a man. This would be a nice change after working for 2 women and dealing with all that drama.
*There are just under 500 kids in the school. Only 1/2 day kindergarten is offered.
*The position begins Monday and the kids start on Wednesday.
*Weber district starts their step 1 teachers out at just over $33,000/yr. + benefits. Last year I was either a step 3 or 4 (I can't remember). So, I would be looking at between $33,000 and $35,000/yr. + benefits.
*It isn't too far from the school I was at last year. About the same drive time but further south a bit. The population of kids ranges from "hill kids" to a few transient kids. Not a high turn over rate and lots of parent support.
*Weber district does NOT require their teachers to get their ESL endorsement. Which means even though I'm half way through, I wouldn't have to finish it. However, I don't know that if I do want to finish it if they'd pay for it.

So, now that I know a bit more about the job. I've decided I'd actually probably really, really like the job. Which is funny because I didn't want to apply for it (I almost didn't) and I really, really don't want to go back to work. They said they'd let me know today. So, guess we'll see & then go from there!

May the gods of fate not sneek out and bite you in the behind!

I hate karma

So 2 days ago I applied for about 10 different jobs. Eight of them were teaching jobs in Weber district and 2 of them were teacher's aide jobs at Sam & Nash's school. My rational was that I could list it on my unemployment paperwork because I seriously doubted that Weber school district really still needed 8 teachers with school starting just next week. I've been freaking out about the unemployment because my mother in law is going through it right now and she's had a hard time getting enough contacts for workforce services to be happy with. Hence my applications.

When I first found out that my contract wasn't being renewed I was happy to get out of the school. My principal and I just weren't a good fit together it seemed. As the days went by, I was angry and bitter about being let go...again. I felt like I'd wasted the last 10 years of my life! I finally came to the decision that I was done teaching and was going to do something else with my life. I hadn't moved any of my school stuff that sat in the middle of the garage because I didn't know what to do with it. Yesterday, YESTERDAY, I finally cleaned out the garage and moved all my stuff to the back of the garage and sat it at the top of the stairs (getting it ready to haul down and store). I had unpacked my classroom library about as soon as I got all my stuff home. The kids have gone through it fairly regularly. Not quite as much as I had thought, but still, enough to make me happy.

I have always told Samantha to NEVER, NEVER answer the house phone. It's ALWAYS telemarketers and never anyone I want to talk to. I put my cell number on everything and anyone that knows me knows if they want to talk to me to call my cell.

My brother in law came over this morning and worked on the boys' bedroom (more mud) since he got rained out at work. He had just finished and we were outside talking when Samantha comes outside with the house phone in her hand and announces, "Here mom. It's for you." Before I could say anything she said, "It ISN'T someone selling something. I asked." Great. I gave her my dirtiest mother look and took the phone.

Much, MUCH, to my surprise, it was a principal at one of the schools I had applied for a job at. One from Weber District. One from the district that I got an automated email with my application telling me I must have a letter of recommendation from my previous principal included with all my paperwork before my application would be further considered. I didn't have a letter of recommendation from my previous principal. I asked for one this past spring but never got one. So, with the automated email I sent an email of my own to my previous principal and bluntly asked for one so I could apply for other teaching jobs. A letter of recommendation I have yet to receive and send to Weber District.

So, here I sit in irritated contemplation. Wondering...Why? Why? Why did I apply for that particular job? It's for a 5th/6th split in south Ogden and I had finally accepted & was looking forward to the fact that I was going to be home with my not so little baby this year. I had finally accepted that it was going to be just me and Duleb and I was going to finally have time to do all my projects that are half started. I had finally accepted that Nash was in Kindergarten and Samantha was in 2nd grade and for once, for ONCE, I was going to be able to be a mom that went and helped in my child's class.

Tomorrow I will leave my house at 8:30 am and drive to Syracuse to drop my children off at my sister in law's house. I will then turn around and drive another 30 minutes to south Ogden to find this new school. I will then sit through a 15 minute interview and wonder whether or not I should sabotage this interview because I really don't want to go back to work. I will then drive the 30 minutes back to my sister in law's house and wonder if I did subconsciously sabotage that interview and whether or not I really should have done that. I will worry again about unemployment and that we might not get enough money for all our payments. And if, IF, I am offered this 5th/6th split position, I will call my husband and rationalize why I should and shouldn't take the job. Of course, there is this irritating reminder in the back of my mind that if I teach for just 1 more year, just 1 more, then I will finally, FINALLY, have my level 2 license and won't have to renew my license for 5 years rather than renew my level 1 for a second time.

Did I mention that I hate karma?

Bown Family Reunion

While Trav was home we took our kids and my sister's kids to the Logan Aquatic Center. They had so much fun. They even got to play with another friend of ours that was there at the same time. Nash and Caleb both went down the water slide and loved every second of it. Poor Caleb screamed and screamed when we left. That boy should have been born with fins! I thought I had my camera in my expedition, but when we got there there was no camera so, no pictures! We also took the kids down to the park while Trav was home. They love going to the park and I don't take them nearly enough. It's just been too stinkin' hot during the day and then we're busy at night. I keep thinking I should take them to Merlin Olsen and let them play in the stream. They would think they'd died and gone to heaven! This weekend we headed down to Manti for the Bown reunion. Just before Travis came home his grandparents were in a nasty car accident so they weren't able to come up to the mountain with us. Grandpa Butter has a broken sternum and Grandma Butter was in the hospital until Saturday. We did get to stop in Nephi on our way down Friday morning and see Grandma. They are pretty bruised and battered, but they have high spirits. I don't know how Grandma persists, but she is a pretty dang amazing woman! She has GOT to have something important here to do! We took our trailer and the kids were super excited to get to go camping with their dad again. They didn't even whine about the ride (which I feared would be terrible!). On Saturday Aunt Jamie and Uncle Robbie showed up with Clayton & our new cousin Jaxton. We also had Uncle Chad and his family show up Saturday night. Samantha was in seventh heaven though because Uncle Glade and Aunt Lori were there with their brand new baby GIRL! I asked Sam if she wanted me to leave her at their house (that's 11 kids now) so she could have a sister finally. She said "No, let's just take this sister home!" She sure was a cutie and I was more than happy to snuggle her for a good part of the weekend! We did lots of 4 wheeling and playing with cousins. I even got 3 books read! Yep, according to my husband, I was "completely worthless" this weekend. I told him I'm okay with that though! ;) Since I was so busy being worthless and my husband isn't much of a photo man, I only got 2 pictures of the entire weekend! It's okay though because they are the of the most important thing - Nash and the fish he caught (he out fished his dad!).

2 year well check

Today I took Caleb to the dr. for his 2 year well check. Everything went well and much to my surprise, he didn't need shots and won't until his kindergarten shots!

He weighs 25 lbs 7 oz and is 33 inches tall. That puts him in the 17% for weight and 20% for height. He sure is my little shrimp!

Things Caleb loves:

Buffalo (thank you trip to Yellowstone - he considers elephants to be buffalo too!)

Dogs

Water - this is his ultimate favorite thing in the world. I think he must've been a fish in another life!

Dirt and mud - he really only likes these when someone else is digging in it with him.

Helping mom - doesn't matter what I'm doing, but he really loves standing right in front of me and sticking his head between my knees and then holding on. He just giggles and giggles when I walk with him like this.

His dad - he is definitely a momma's boy, but he still loves his dad.

His brother and sister - he wants to be just like them so much! Samantha is such a great sister and just loves to mother him. Who knew after the week of tears she cried when she found out "Sparklie" was a boy!

Things we love about Caleb -

How he says his own name - "Taleb"

His puppy dog eyes when he says "peas (please)?"

The way he says thank you "tank you!"

His big gorgeous smile and bright blue eyes.

How much he loves us!

Bottles, naps, and potty training!

I've been slowly throwing away Caleb's bottles for several days. On Saturday I finally threw the last one in the recycle bin. When Caleb asks for a "ba ba" I have told him that bottles are for babies and he's a big boy now. Since we have a new cousin (Jaxton), I've told him that we sent all his "ba bas" to baby Jaxton. As the days have gone by, he seems to be a little bit more accepting of this idea. Now when he asks for a "ba ba" I tell him they're "all gone". He just tilts his head and looks at me and says "baby Jaxton?" At least I know he understands what I've told him!

Bed time has been the toughest without the bottles. He refuses to drink milk out of a sippy cup for some reason. I've told him he could have milk or water or go without. He finally decided that he would have water in one and he's been content with that - lucky for me! Since he doesn't have his bottle to go to bed with, he hasn't been going to bed (and staying there) until around 1 am for about the last 3 days!

Taking into consideration that he's not going to bed until 1 am and he's getting up around 9, you'd think (or at least I think) he'd need an afternoon nap still. Well, take what you think and throw it out the window. He's also been refusing to nap! Today I did finally get him to take an afternoon nap, but that was only after 30 minutes of repeatedly putting him back in his bed, giving him a sippy cup with a little bit of orange juice, and me laying by him for nearly an hour! Maybe tomorrow will be easier??

I finally decided I should probably start potty training Caleb since my cousin's daughter (who is a month younger) has been potty trained since last fall. Today marks day 3.

On Saturday I decided I would try putting a pull up on him just to see how he would do. Caleb wore the same pull up for nearly 9 hours and stayed dry - using the potty about 5 times.

On Sunday we weren't too successful. He wore the pull up just fine, but every time I put him on the potty he just tried to jump off. He wanted to stand up like his brother, but he isn't tall enough. When I put him on the stool, he just wanted to play. When I finally sat him back on the potty, he refused to put his feet down and stood on the toilet seat to potty (still never going potty)! We also went to WalMart on Sunday and bought him his first package of real big boy pants. He's thrilled that they are Spongebob. He's tried each of the 3 pair on and snuggled with them as well. ;) He also insisted on taking Bob to grandma's house today to show them to her!

Today has been better than yesterday but not quite as good as Saturday. He's wearing the pull ups and he's gone potty for me, but he refused to go potty for my mom while she had him so I could go to the dentist. Only 2 accidents today though, so I think it's progress!

I'm hoping we'll have the no bottles and the potty training whipped into shape before too many days go by!

And, on a side note, I thought for sure I had at least one cavity - which is part of the reason I broke down and made my first appointment since 2006! Much to my delight, NO CAVITIES (still! ;) ).