Take me out to the ball game.....

Where we live, there is a baseball team that are the "farm team" for the Philadelphia Phillies. There are many players on this team that will go on to play for the Phillies or other major league baseball teams. These games are amazing and are perfect for anyone who wants to have a great time with friends and family and wants to make memories with their young children.

Every year, my union rents the party deck and we are served an endless buffet of food ranging from tradition hotdogs and hamburgers to bbq chicken and steak!! To drink you may get alc. beverages or an unlimited amount of 2L bottles of soda and water :-) and the price.....amazingly affordable thanks to the union, who Im sure pays for some of the ticket cost :-)

This was the start of Riley's second Season of going to baseball games and of course Paige's first season.......I have no idea who loved it more, but I do know, this is another great adventure for our family of four and so we had to make sure we took a picture to document the journey together :-)

It's as easy as ABC!

With teaching, if you present information in a fun creative way, chances are children will put the new information into their working memory. When I brag about how much Riley knows I share with people what Riley knows I often get, "well of course he can do that, his mother is a teacher". Well, no, he can't do things because his mother is a teacher, he can do things because he has two advantages, he LOVES to learn and material is presented to him in a fun, creative way. Let me share a few things you can do for your little ones in your home.

 while we go up or down the stairs with Riley, we ask him what the letter is, what sound it makes, and what is something that starts with that letter (of course he can't say what the picture is on the card).

 Yes, even my son misbehaves sometimes and has a "time out step" why not put something he can read while he's also thinking about what he did wrong (this is on the landing in front of his time out step).

When Riley goes and gets his shoes and coat out of the closet, he can practice saying the numbers, tracing over the numbers to make it, and learn what the numbers mean by counting the stickers on each card.

 While eating or waiting to be excused from the dinner table, again the letters are there to see and review. Lower case letters are written in a bright color for Riley to see that their are two ways to write the letters (and the bright color is because it is said bight colors stand out in your brain and help you to remember them......and since most letters are in the lower case form I make it a point he learns them well).

 Leap Frog=AMAZING

 We all need reading material when "nature call"

 All our doors are labeled with our name and title.

Things are also labeled to add some site words into the mix of learning to read :-)

Some days I feel like I eat, sleep, and breath being a teacher. Then again, we are all teachers when we have children, we are their first teachers, so why not be the most energetic, encouraging, well versed teacher we can be to our greatest investments we will ever have.........our children :-)

"Thank You" doesn't seem like enough......

A New Lullaby

When I my brother and sisters and I were little, my mother and grandmother would sing us to sleep. We grew up with a lot of music in our house and I can remember more songs and words to "oldies" music then any one who grew up in the same "era" of the song. sometimes I am sure friends of mine wonder how I know the Beach Boys, Beetles, and other greats so well. This is all thanks to my mother for singing at the top of her lungs dancing with us around in our living room.......wouldn't the world be an amazing place if more mommy's and daddy's did the same thing. I knew the entire "Sound of Music" soundtrack before I ever knew what a musical was....why...because while getting a bath, playing, taking a nap or going to bed, my mother sang to us. Because of this, I sing to my children. Both Riley and Paige have two night night songs that I sing to them (Riley not so much anymore because he says, "mommy, Im not a baby any more").

Here are the lyrics to  Paige's songs that she just loves: by Celine Dion

My precious one, my tiny one, lay down your pretty head.
My dearest one my sleepy one, its time to go to bed

My precious one, my darling one; don't let your lashes weep.
My cherished one, my weary one; it's time to go to sleep.

Just bow your head and give your cares to me.
Just close your eyes and fall into the sweetest dream, cause in my loving arms.
You're safe as you will ever be so hush my dear and sleep.

And in your dreams you'll ride on angels' wings.
Dance with the stars and touch the face of god
And if you should awake...

I'll kiss your little cheek
And underneath the smiling moon
I'll send you back to sleep.


The other: By Taylor Swift


Your little hands wrapped around my finger
And it's so quiet in the world tonight
Your little eyelids flutter 'cause you're dreaming
So I tuck you in, turn on your favorite night light

To you, everything's funny
You got nothing to regret
I'd give all I have, honey
If you could stay like that

Oh, darling, don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up
Just stay this little
Oh, darling, don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up
It could stay this simple

I won't let nobody hurt you
Won't let no one break your heart
No, no one will desert you
Just try to never grow up, never grow up

You're in the car on the way to the movies
And you're mortified your mom's dropping you off
At 14, there's just so much you can't do
And you can't wait to move out someday and call your own shots

But don't make her drop you off around the block
Remember that she's getting older, too
And don't lose the way that you dance around
In your PJs getting ready for school

Oh, darling, don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up
Just stay this little
Oh, darling, don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up
It could stay this simple

No one's ever burned you
Nothing's ever left you scarred
And even though you want to
Just try to never grow up

Take pictures in your mind of your childhood room
Memorize what it sounded like when your dad gets home
Remember the footsteps, remember the words said
And all your little brother's favorite songs

I just realized everything I have
Is someday gonna be gone

So here I am in my new apartment
In a big city, they just dropped me off
It's so much colder than I thought it would be
So I tuck myself in and turn my night light on

Wish I'd never grown up
I wish I'd never grown up

Oh, I don't wanna grow up, wish I'd never grown up
Could still be little
Oh, I don't wanna grow up, wish I'd never grown up
It could still be simple

Oh, darling, don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up
Just stay this little
Oh, darling, don't you ever grow up, don't you ever grow up
It could stay this simple

Won't let nobody hurt you
Won't let no one break your heart
And even through to you want to
Please try to never grow up

Don't you ever grow up
(Never grow up)
Just never grow up








Maybe my children wont remember these songs, but I will, and I will hopefully have to honor of singing their night night songs to their children :-)

A smile or much more......

Today at work, a coworker/friend of mine asked me why I was smiling.....I said, "Why shouldn't I? I have a wonderful, loving husband and 2 amazing kids god sent to me.....that's why I am smiling". I think although he was shocked at what my answer was, he was, at the same time pleased with what my answer was. Sometimes a smile is just a smile......but on so many occasions I smile because I truly am thankful for what I have and sometimes think to myself, "I am one of the luckiest people I know".

The Beatles said it best.....

Matt and I are unique..........we have been together (11 years)  through every laugh, every giggle, every happy moment......and...some very sad moments.......we have gained and lost friends due to the fact that we have children and our night available is......... we can't. So here is our perfect song for our wonderful life that "We Love more" :-)

There are places I remember

all my life, though some have changed

some forever not for better

some have gone and some remain

all these places had their moments

with lovers and friends 

I still can recall

some are dead and some are living

in my life I'Ve loved them all

But of all these friends and lovers 

there is no one compares with you

and these memories lose their meaning

When I think of love as something new

Though I know I'll never lose affection

for people and things that went before

I know I'll often stop and think about them

(But) in my life.....................

I love you Them^ more :-)

Photo by Shannon Beth Photography

St. Patrick's Day 2012

Have you ever.................

Have you ever played the game "Have you ever......" ? well its a simple game of one person asking a question to a group of people, if you have done/said what that person asks...you then respond, "Yes, I have______" and then you ask a new "Have you ever" question.

The reason for my post is sometimes when being around other people and listening to how they react with others and to my little family or I, I want to say, "You're an idiot!!! Did you really just say what I think you said?!?!?!?!" Have you ever thought this in your head? I find myself doing it more and more every day. But my mother, father, and grandparents taught me better then that.

With Riley in school, I feel like sometimes the teachers and other staff try to "pull one over" on me......Today I flat out said, "I am an educator and what you are doing and saying doesn't make sense and here's what you SHOULD BE DOING with MY CHILD". I'm lucky enough in my career that a parent has never said this to me, but it's because I know each child is not a "cookie cutter cookie" and think one way of doing something or handling an incident, fits every child.

You see, Riley is a very bright child, who like his mother, remembers EVERYTHING. I don't mean from the day before or last week.....I mean from 2 years ago......so if you say something to my child, you better be able to back up what you say otherwise, to him, you are a liar. Another thing about Riley is he is smart. Not just with learning new things and retaining it but, again like his mother, he knows how to get exactly what he wants.

At school there is a baby that Rye absolutely loves. He loves seeing him and playing with him and giving the baby treats. One day Riley wasn't listening to his teacher and so instead of him going outside with his classmates, he had to wait in the "baby" room. Well he thought that was a reward!!! He got to be with the baby that he "takes care of". Today when dropping him off at school, I said, "listen to your teachers and have fun learning!" he replied, "but Mommy, if I don't behave I get to see Avi".......you little stinker........you are using their "consequence" to get what you want......good for you.

Another, "Have you ever" Is, Have you had someone ever say something so mean to you that you actually wanted to be 5 yrs old again and say words back to them.......Yep.....I have...more and more every day......remember, I also remember EVERYTHING......so if you are going to say something mean, rude, or "un called for" to me, it better be worth it, because from then on, we are enemies and good luck getting my respect for you back.....ever..........right now it has been on more then one occasion (and only because the person is frustrated or wants to put me down to make them feel better.......hello........I teach elementary, I'm not in elementary).

One day I'm sure I will say exactly what I am thinking because I have had enough, But for now, "I have NEVER been rude to someone when they have been mean, rude, or "uncalled for" first and I'm not going to start now.

Framily :-)

We absolutely, positively, love living where we do. We love our house, we love the school the kids will be going to (my elementary of course), and the location on how close we are to anything in everything! The one thing we don't always like about where we live is we live far away from family. This is especially hard because our children don't get to see their aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents (which now a days, Paige has "stranger danger" when she doesn't see someone consistently for a long period of time). Sooooooo Matt and I, have for the last 6 years, had to go back to what we learned in elementary school, and make friends.

We have been very lucky that we were raised right and have personalities that we can get along with just about anyone no matter the age. We have made great friends with neighbors and have met great people who happen to be the parents of children that are friends with Riley.

So we have a term for these people, "FRamily". When you live far away from your family and need help in a pinch, you call your "Framily" and they are always their to help you out, be surrogate Aunts, Uncles, and even grandparents.

Thank you to all who are our "FRamily" :-)

Accomplishments

In 2006, a good friend of ours Matts and my "brother from another mother, asked me what my 5 year plan was........very seriously I looked him in the eye and said, "I AM going to graduated with my teaching degree, get a full time job, marry my high school sweetheart, get my masters degree, have two children (hopefully a boy then a girl) and buy a house............well, as soon as Paige Kathryn Wilcox was born....I did it. All in 5 years and before I was 30 :-)

I don't know who taught me about goal setting, but I do know thanks to my family, failure was never an option or a word my family uses. My parents never expected me to get straight A's or a 4.0, but they ALWAYS wanted me to do my best in what ever I decided to start......thank you Mom and Dad....I did achieve some 4.0's along the way :-) and I ALWAYS do my best.

Today as a parent and a teacher I talk to my students about doing "their" best. Which I say may not be their neighbors best and as long as they completed something to the best of their ability, I approve. With Riley and Paige, I will say what my parents said to me, "Do YOUR best work and don't you dare put your name on anything that is not your best work". Really these words are words I wish more adults would live by....imagine.....what it would be like...if EVERYONE......did their best work............

Where did you learn that?!?!?

Over the past few months 2 1/2 years, Riley has been a learning machine!! This makes both the Mommy and teacher me very happy and excited that I have a child who just loves to learn. Since I found out  he was a boy, I have been making sure he learns a lot of things before he goes to kindergarten (studies say that boys take longer to learn new things because they "don't act their age"). So together, Matt and I taught Riley his colors (by the age of 1) with M & M's (he wasn't allowed to eat the M& M until he told us the right color ), Then onto shapes (by the age of 1 1/2) with the help of Mickey Mouse Club house. Then 3D shapes but the age of 3, and now we have 15/26 letters known (with the use of a scrapbook of family members pictures. 

I also give credit to the teachers Riley has had. Riley has been in school since he turned one and comes home with new learned knowledge everyday.  When he was 13 months old he kept doing theses weird things with his hands. Matt and I didn't know what he was doing, so we talked to his teacher about what he was doing to see if he was doing it at school......he was......the teacher told us he's using sign language to get what he wants :-). Un announced to us they were teaching him and his classmates sign language and Riley had picked it up!! So what did Matt and I do???? Go to the nearest book store and get a sign language book so we could learn with Riley how to use American Sign language!!!!

There is a saying in education that I absolutely love, "You believe half of what you hear about my classroom and I will believe half of what I hear about your home"......SOOOOOO True!!! Sometimes Riley comes home and says, "You need to just give me a minute" (nothing against his teacher but you need to know that he has no idea what a minute is and you better be ready for him to ask you again). Or, "You need to be a good friend", "Let's use our patience", "let's be nice to our friends", "You're a big boy/girl". I have really enjoyed 3/4 of Riley's teachers (unfortunately one called him a baby and he believed her and so he thought he needed to stay in diapers because he knows that babies must wear diapers....trust me...Im a non violent person......but this lady obviously had no clue how to be a "GOOD" teacher and would have gotten an ear full and my foot in her mouth).

Another thing that is very.....endearing and not yet annoying about Riley and his eagerness to learn is all his questioning..........I have learned that if he asks a question I need to find the answer even if Matt or I don't know the answer......the latest question Riley asked was,  "How is snow born?"

So the next time your child asks you a question or they say something and you don't quite hear them....ask them to say it again. You may find that they just solved world piece in a sentence :-)

Family First

For the last few months, Matt and I make sure that every Saturday we go out and spend the day as a family. During the week is hard to get all 4 of us together and with us being tired from working all day, Riley being tired from school, and Paige excited to see us after she has been with her sitter all day. So Saturday is the day. We don't sleep in, we get up at around 7 am and get moving!! After a morning snack, its Gymnastics class for Riley, Then out breakfast! After breakfast it is already time for Paige's swim lessons! WE really enjoy teaching our kids how to swim sooner then later (Rye has been swimming on his own since he was 2). Then showers for all and out to lunch and then on to our family adventure!!!

Todays adventure was the Jacobsburg Environmental Education Center. Typically this would not be a February event.....but when its 50 outside and sunny you go! It was sooooo beautiful and I got a lot or real nice pictures of Matt and Riley (Matt has been wanting to take Rye hiking since we found out at our 20 week ultrasound appt he was a boy!).  We hiked 2 MILES with a 3 yr old and a 6 almost 7 month old in a stroller!!! No one complained!!! Not even mommy!

Since our Saturday adventures have been happening, I make sure we always stop to take a family of 4 picture. Which is very hard to do unless I get a complete stranger to take it.......which means I am making a lot of new, friendly people who hopefully don't mind stopping to help us take our picture.

The man who took this picture actually lives 5 mins away from the center and was with his son who was about 12 and he actually showed us where a really good place was to take a family picture. He then told us they have been going there every week for the last 12 years!!! (See  :-) we're meeting some real nice people when we ask them to take our picture).

Stay tuned to next weeks adventure!!! Who knows where life will lead us!!!

Glad I saved.......

If you know me, you know that I am a freakishly unsaving, throw away everything that is not special not a pack rat saver of things. I am very organized and try to make sure my family and I live in the least amount of clutter as possible. With this said, there are a few things I am very glad that I saved from "baby Riley" for "baby Paige".
First:

Baby Riley loved the Boppy to sleep with.....






 Baby Paige loves the Boppy to sleep with.

Second: The "Bumbo"

           Riley                                 Paige                        

 

Third.........Baby Tub..........Riley

Baby Tub..................Paige

 

Fourth.........Bouncer...........Top Paige.....botttom Riley

Fifth............Activity Gym.....Riley

Activity Gym......Paige

Many of these things were very expensive.....however, well worth the money :-) Especially since BOTH our children will have used each of them :-)

Other items we love and were able to use for both:

1. Graco Car seat/stroller combination

2. Pack-N-Play with changing pad attached

3. Dresser changing pad and cover (we have the Sealy brand one with the buckle strap)

Parenthood

When the adults in the house are finally allowed to unwind and watch tv our children are in bed, Matt and I finally get to unwind with a few shows we watch. One show we find very amusing is  "How I Met Your Mother". We started to watch this show because of two reasons, 1. The main character is the guy who played Dougie Houser M.D and 2. That is one of the questions we have yet to know how we are going to tell our kids how we met (how many people marry the person they dated before they could drive a car?!?!).

Back to my reason for this post........So we were watching the show and one of the main characters Lilly (the band geek from American Pie) is prego and she's running around and says, "Every time I put one fire out another one begins.....oh god......this must be what it's like to be a parent!!!!"...For those of you who have more then one child or are someone who works with kids you know that statement is right on the money. As soon as you think you solved one problem with one child another child has an issue and it seems like it doesn't end until the students are gone for the day or the kids are all in bed. Matt and I are very fortunate in the fact that Riley knows Paige is a baby and needs our help and is very patient with getting his turn of attention (having 22 kids to yourself is another story).

So the next time you find yourself "relaxing" take a deep breathe and enjoy because chances are it wont last long :-)

What did he say?!?!?!?

Often times when we are talking/playing with Riley he says something that makes us ask each other, "What did he say?" Today when I was getting him dressed, I really had to work to get him dressed got some much needed exercise. He is a very busy three year old boy :-) I said to him, "Rye, some times you drive me crazy!!!" He then replied, "Well mommy, sometimes you drive me crazy!!!" ........I looked at him and said,  "what did you say".

While getting all the snacks out for the Superbowl on the table, Rye looks at the table full of snacks and said, "This is the life".......... Matt and I looked at each other and asked, "what did he say???"

We have a friend of ours that is really funny to watch when she interacts with Rye. When he talks to her she looks at us and says, "what did he just say?" It's not that he doesn't have speech, it's that she isn't paying attention to him listening hard enough to hear what he is saying.

One thing I wish I did from my first year teaching and when Riley starting speaking, was to write down every silly, odd, beautiful, tender thing they ever said.........I hear some really interesting things from my students (so parents beware what you say in front of your kids......chances are your kids teachers know all about it) and some beautiful tender things from Riley.

So the next time you listen to a child talk to you or talking to their parent, listen closely, it may put a smile on your face :-)

live in the moment, remember the past, and to embrace the future when it arrives :-)

Have you ever said out loud, "I wish is was summer", "I hope the next few days, months, years, go by really fast"? I have and yesterday really made me realize that I need to live in the moment, remember the past, and to embrace the future when it arrives :-)

The reason for this post, is yesterday we went to the mall for our usually exercise of walking the Lehigh Valley Mall (No we are not the 8 am walkers, we are the, it's a little chilly outside to have our kids out walking around so we are going to go for an "indoor" walk).

Lately everything I have been putting Riley in is getting small....he is 3 and 3T is starting to not fit anymore (he's been like this since he was a baby) so we decided to start looking into some 4T shirts........well....we didn't go to Children's Place........We went to PS Twenty 09 by AEROPOSTALE!!!! I couldn't believe when I asked them what size they started at and the sales person said 4T......MATT AND I SHOP AT AERO........not our sweet little baby boy.......well I we realized at that moment, I we don't have a baby boy anymore, we have a boy.......a boy that in 2 years I will no longer miss while he's at school because he will be attending the same elementary school I teach in. He will have the same principal that when he was 1 1/2, he was visiting me at school one day and she spun him around in her office chair (that better be the only time he is ever in her office).

So even though at times, I want the future to come, I will live in the moment, remember the past, and to embrace the future when it arrives :-)

Then................................

Now............................

Mommy/Teacher

Ever since I found out I was pregnant with Riley, I make sure that I read to him (and now Paige) as often as I can. As a child, I was read to and sung to a lot....so much in fact that I still remember the book titles and the words to the songs that my mother, grandmother and father all read and sung to me. This had such an impact on me as a child, that I want to make sure my kids know as many stories as they can and even more songs and nursery rhymes then I know now......Matt and I grew up very differently and often times when Rye and I are singing a song from Raffy's greatest hits, Matt doesn't know the words (some of students don't know simple nursery rhymes or toddler songs either) and is hearing the song for the first time. Parents parent differently and sometimes its the easy and free things in life you remember the most.

I heard a lot when I was pregnant with Paige, "just wait........ having two children is sooooo much harder then one".....well duh.......but me being a super amazing pretty good at multitasking, I make sure both my children get what they need......often times, at the same time.

I often thought being a mommy would help me be a better teacher but I think being a teacher before I had children has helped me with patience and knowing what is truly important for my children to have embedded into them long before they start kindergarten.

Story Time

Language Arts: Letter and letter sounds recognition

Thanks to www.starfall.com computer skills/letter sound and sight word practice

You don't have to be a teacher to do these activities, just a mommy with some know how on what materials are out their that will help your children succeed........remember...you're their first teacher :-)

Glad we didn't listen..........

When Matt and I were in high school, we did a lot of the same activities. I was a soccer cheerleader, he was a soccer fan.....when I was a basketball cheerleader, he was a basketball player, the we both participated in track and field. While doing all these activities and spending so much time together we really got to know each other and I thought he would be a perfect match for my younger sister me. We dated and hung out at practice and after practice and even even on the bus rides to and from the games. and the rest they say, "is history".

We did't get a lot of support from a lot of friends about our relationship because I was a senior and he was a sophomore in high school, but we didn't listen.

When college letters were coming back I picked somewhere to go close enough that he could visit or I could go home........."Long distance relationships don't work" we heard....but we didn't listen.

Then 5 years and 1 day (started dating feb 2, 2001) of dating later and no one "rooting" for our relationship to last, Matt proposed Feb 3, 2006........ and I once again said yes :-).

Now after being together for 11 years, married for almost 5, 2 children, 2 busy careers and owning a house together........................................................... We're glad we didn't listen :-)

I like where I am, and don't miss where I'm not...

Have you ever played the "what if" game? What if I lived some where else? What if I went to a different college? What if I didn't move? etc, etc, etc. Matt and I often play the "What if" game and sometimes I say wow....what did we do?!?!? Well after today I don't think I am going to play that game any more.......I was showing a fellow teacher friend of mine that I haven't seen in awhile (and she is not on Facebook) pictures of my kids and the house we purchased in 2010.........her response to the pictures was simply, "what a perfect world you live"...........I looked at her and then looked at all 10,000 pictures I have taken over the last 5 years and said back to her, "I really am.....aren't I".  Sometimes playing the "What if" game can be fun or entertaining.........But I am really liking where I am and don't miss where I'm not :-)

Siblings

When we decided to have a second child the one thing we worried about knew we had to create, was the bond between Riley and his new brother or sister. We made sure Riley was involved from the very beginning with going to all the doctor appts and ultrasounds.....our doctor even let him listen to the baby with her tools :-) and when every she would listen to the baby's heart beat she would make sure he heard it nice and loud. Riley was so into a baby being in mommy's belly he was convinced he also had a baby in his :-)

Any time someone would ask Riley if mommy was having a girl/boy baby, he always replied, "girl baby". We're not sure if he really just wanted a baby sister or if it was the fact that his Aunt and Uncle just had a baby girl that he absolutely loved from day one and just wanted her, but he never once said boy....it was always "his girl baby".

Now 6 months later and he loves her more and more every day and she feels the same way! She looks for him and giggles at him and I'm pretty sure her first word is going to be mommy Riley. When my family sees them together or hears stories we tell about what they do together....my parents and grandmother say, "sounds a lot like you and John".  If my two children have the same bond as me and my big brother, then I know that we created something special for them and that they will always be in each others corner for life.

                                                  Picture by Shannon Beth Photograph



I am so glad my son has a little sister to love and protect and someday buy her husband a brewing kit, and I am very excited and thrilled that my daughter has a big brother that will always be there to protect her and be there for her no matter where they live or what their doing.

Alarm what?!?!

For the last 4 years we have Matt has set an alarm clock every day and every day, I laugh. Why? Because we don't need that annoying beep beep beep beep to wake us up we have a little one that comes into our room and whispers in our ear, "Mommy, Daddy, the sun is up it's time to get out of bed". Riley doesn't do this at any normal time........he does it as soon as you can see it is day.....6:00 am for those of you who do have that alarm thingy.......... It is clear to see, that our son is a morning person like his Momma!

Today we had a busy day.........6:00 wake up call, followed by a ride to get a hair cut for Riley, gymnastics at the YMCA and then back home to get Daddy and Paige to go back to the YMCA for swim lessons for Mommy and Paige and free swim for Riley and Daddy.  We try to make our weekends full and to make sure we do some kind of activity out of the house (We love our YMCA membership in the winter months).Then showers for all and up to our hometown for Miss Teagan's 1rst birthday party.

One day we will sleep pass 6 am again and our weekends will be back to sleeping in and relaxing all day, and on that day,  I know, we I will be sad not waking up to a little ones voice and heading off to mommy and me classes, so for now, I will enjoy the quite and beautiful morning sun with my little family.

Having the Best of Both Worlds

Since I could remember, I have only ever wanted to be two things in life.....a mommy (probably because I thought I had the best mom and grandmother) and a teacher (I had some good and some "not so good" teachers). I never once thought for a second that I couldn't have both. Now, half way through my 6th year teaching and having two children, although I am busy all the time and very tired, I am able to have "The best of both worlds".

I enjoy what I do for a living.....although at times......it can be very stressful......... but I want to work hard for my family and I want my children to one day say, "My mom is a teacher and she's the best". I was always very proud and still proud of my Momma for all the jobs she needed to have when my siblings and I were little......I am still proud of you Mom!

From 4 pm to 7:30 am and every holiday and weekend, I get to be a mommy and wife. I would not trade this time for all the millions of dollars in the world. I make sure our weekends are packed with family fun activities (gymnastics, swim lessons, Color Me Mine, walks around the malls.........even movie time), then off to church on Sundays.......as long as we all are up and ready to make the 45 min drive to one of the greatest churches.

Some say you have to choose.......I'm here to tell you, you can have "The best of both worlds"