October 2k18 school stuff

Ahh yes, here come Jackers and Will biking home from school to read this exciting update on all the school-related things in October... 2018...

More subbing! I picked up 13 jobs during this month all over the district, which was a great way to get to know different schools and subjects. This particular day I was able to be at an alternative high school in the childcare room - spending an hour after lunch rocking a sleeping baby in a dark room? Heaven!

This was a first grade class - found one of Grandma Thomas' books in the teacher's collection of 'read aloud' options for after lunch. Pretty obvious choice!

Preschool for Carma continued to go so, so well - she and Chuck got into a great routine on his days off while I subbed. I loved seeing the outfits she came up with once I got home from school!

Clyde had a choir concert! Cute boy:

As always, the younger siblings' favorite part of the concert was helping to put away the benches, tables, and chairs afterwards!

Mmm maybe a second grade classroom this day? We did a cute exercise talking about how to turn an enemy into a friend and I was pretty impressed with the ideas the kids came up with:

I got to sub in my friend Chris' math class at East Valley! She left logic puzzles for the kids to work on, so obviously I had to attempt it too. And Clyde was thrilled to have me at his school! ... kind of ;).

Another day at East Valley - this time in 7th grade English/Language Arts. It was pretty perfect timing for us to run over and grab Carma after preschool!

Another day of math at East Valley and another logic puzzle and another selfie with Clyde as we left. Also, shoes off relaxing on the floor during prep period.... because.... middle school.

I hadn't specifically planned on subbing for any of my kids' teachers, but Mrs. Keene reached out to me and asked if I was available - I figured if she thought I could handle it then I should at least try! Will and Jack loved carpooling to and from school together, and I loved being in Will's classroom. Mrs. Keene had clearly done so much in the first eight weeks of school to establish high expectations and a safe environment for these kids to thrive.

Mishmash of other days - I did one? two? at high schools and didn't love it - again, oddly enough I feel such a pull towards middle school! I did another day at South and another day at Park Ridge too. It's really fun to pull up the list of available jobs and see the options - and especially fun to get 'preferred substitute' emails alerting me to jobs being posted by teachers whose rooms I'd subbed in already and who had specifically said they'd want me to come back. 

Obviously the transition to working a few days a week meant a lot of being flexible and missing things - like Carma's preschool field trip to Linder Farms! Melinda had to work that day too so we sent Carma and McKay with Chuck and pleas to take many a picture:

And of course he came through! They clearly had the best time feeding animals at the petting zoo area, picking pumpkins, running around the small corn maze, and burying each other in the corn pit. 

More preschool fun - dress-up day for Halloween; Elsa and Mario are a pretty cute duo:

And more pictures from when I'm gone at work - I think the talented Grandma Pam is responsible for this amazing hairdo... and fun afternoon plans with Chuck are responsible for a cute sleeping girlie on the drive home :).

October 2k18 church stuff

As usual, we pulled out all sorts of tricks and excitement to keep the kids quiet and semi-engaged during General Conference. As is NOT usual, Chuck was home with us!! He was a great help when the announcement about switching to two-hour church in 2019 made Will cry haha (bless his little soul, he really loves primary!). 

Okay, so I bought those chunks of sand? rock? forever ago on clearance at Target and finally remembered about them and the kids had legit a swell time chiseling them down to find hidden 'gems' within. Cute!

Between Conference sessions Nerf battle at our house, always a good time:

... even when the rain started haha.

And then the rain realllllly came down... and it was time for conference again, so we shut it down:

 Okay, obviously Janell and I only held those nerf guns for the picture haha. Also I love the picture of Chuck and Lee - Nerf, it's what brings siblings together, even well into their 30s ;).

Don't worry, the elders had permission to participate. I may have asked them like twelve times to make sure. Also, Jason hahahaha:

The whole crew of participants! And a couple bystanders/sidewalk chalk artists :).

The elders had asked if they could watch the afternoon session with our family and obviously my first response was "absolutely not, there's a great deal of yelling and spirit disruption as I try to keep my dang kids quiet so I can hear from men and women of God about how to be more like Jesus and love others". Luckily Chuck took the phone call and told them "yes of course" and it turned out way awesome. My kids were blessedly somewhat quiet, one elder fell asleep, and they both loved the candy bowls haha.

 Ahhh the irony of using social media to recruit fellow attendees of a meeting where it turns out you're challenged to a ten day social media fast haha. 

Well, either before or after my ten days I grabbed these way cool screenshots:

Some spare time activities: Cub Scout pack meeting and a cute Halloween themed carnival the Scouts put on, Chuck spent most his time making jewelry with Sister Marsh and Sister Janes :).

Temple trip! Subbing has def cut into my temple attendance, insert allll the sad and crying emojis here.

 And then my ten days ended... and a couple more days went by... and then I hopped back on insta and fb. 

Pretty sure this breaks a rule, but I wanted a picture of Clyde up on the big screen! He was in the youth choir for stake conference:

 That evening the Scouts had a Court of Honor and we got to award all the merit badges these boys completed at Scout Camp, which was way fun! Chuck and I even got a couple patches for being leaders up there.

Ahhh I love this - miracles haven't ceased, angels still minister to the children of men as well. 

Not sure what I expected texting Sam and Quinn with this question of ethics. For the official record, I just ran away to the other foyer... so it could still technically be in the church building somewhere. Another year older and wiser.. and bigger and stronger.. too.

Carma, Jack, and Will had their primary program at church towards the end of October and Miss Overcast and Mrs. Keene sweetly accepted the invitation to come watch the boys, who were SO excited to have their teachers in the congregation. The sweetest!

Favorite six-year-old, favorite song to sing for ward choir.

 Ahhh the church has the perfect leaves: gorgeous and crunchy under your feet and I don't have to rake them :).

sept 2k18 : allllll the other things

Carma would like to welcome everyone to this final wrap up of last September. Also, is this just me making assumptions based on television stereotypes or does Carma look like a wealthy woman showing up for brunch sliiiightly hungover?

We'll just stick with Carma pictures for a bit... since as always, there's a plethora. We found this cute Mickey Mouse/R2-D2 hat at Savers and obviously had to show it to Janell at the next Cookie Wednesday.

Fierce? That's one word for it haha.

Carma transitioned fantastically well to me working a couple days at week, pretty much because that meant she got Chuck to herself or Grandma Pam. On days with Daddy, trips to Costco were tradition.

And on days with Grandma, there was usually adventures and dressing up!

Ahhh, another Costco run with Daddy. Also Chuck apparently drew very few lines re: makeup in my absence haha.

Girls' Night... apparently we attempted a more serious picture? Oh man I love us.

Also - this. Yep!!

All smiles... minus Kaitlyn. Understandable, we're a little much ;).

 Ummm this facebook memory made me laugh.

'The Mother Octopus' is one of my favorite instagram accounts:

 'Also me:' hahahaha.

David and Sage came to town! We spent a fun evening with them at Larry and Iris' house playing games. And Uncle David indulged me and my need for a selfie with him to properly document the visit. I love my aunts and uncles!

 Will has an up and down history with praying mantis haha. 

 Chuck and I went on a date to hear Richard Ostler speak at BSU, and this was my instagram caption for the evening: Left my house tonight in actual clothes (ie jeans and a shirt with no letters/words on it) and this blurry parking lot selfie is the only photographic evidence I have, whoops! I did get to spend 90 minutes being uplifted and encouraged to reach out and listen to those around me with love and kindness and offer a place to belong. I’m glad it’s not my job to judge everyone (jury duty that one time was stressful enough 😅). My job as a woman/American/Democrat/Latter-daySaint/Costco shopper (I was trying to thing of other groups I passionately belong to and it seemed to fit...) is offer love and kindness- freely, without conditions or pre-qualifications or asterisks. If I disagree with you politically, I can still be loving and kind (I might have to take a few deep breaths 🙃). If I worry about your life choices, I can still be loving and kind (and bite my tongue when unsolicited advice attempts to roll off of it 🤐). If you’re one of my children and you fail to BRUSH YOUR TEETH FOR TWO COMPLETE MINUTES or PUT AWAY YOUR LAUNDRY after the tenth reminder, I can still be loving and kind (.... I think... hasn’t actually been verified 🤔). If you have the misfortune of crossing my path when I’m sleep-deprived or hormonal, I can still be loving and kind (provided copious amounts of chocolate is consumed during the process 🍪). Today of all days was a good time to hear this. We’re all in this together. Love and kindness, yo. #endofrant ✌🏼

 Ohhh we got to have Kaitlyn K for a bit one day, and ohhh it brought me joy. Kaitlyn possibly had mixed feelings about the whole experience.

Some friend pics from the month - we sure love having those Curtis boys over, Carma was pretty thrilled when a long-awaited playdate with Macy rolled around, and we loved making it to one of Alayna's soccer games.

Feel free to skip this screenshot and scroll down to where the funny ones start... because yeah, this one isn't funny. (Deep breaths, Jana!)

You made it to the funny ones! 'The Dad' instagram isn't one I follow but I like to pull it up and read a bunch at once when I need to laugh.

 Wellllll this one is awkwardly familiar. Mostly with whatever pop Chuck orders. I like to lecture him on how unhealthy it is and then drink 3/4 of it haha.

 Jack is loving piano lessons! Cutest little musician:

 Will's creativity will never cease to amaze me. 

Few more pictures from home. It was a crazy, stressful, happy, busy September - we'll take it though ;).