2 Adults+ 1 laptop= less blog posts

We have been existing with only 1 computer (gasp!).


The husband has been working from home A LOT. I am happy about that, I really am. But the blog is getting ignored.



I wanted to write about the good deals I got this week (even though I do not profess to be a professional coupon saver or deal finder-I do occasionally find good deals and I AM a cheapskate).



I wanted to write about the art workshop I went to focusing on how to incorporate art into your classroom teaching. I wanted to show pictures of the projects I made.


I wanted to talk about my obsession with the show House Hunters. Not sure why I am obsessed. I am not looking to buy a house. But I do find it fascinating. And how my children are now obsessed with it too, they even guess which house they think the people will buy.


I wanted to post pics showing the great furniture finds that we found on craigslist and how we rearranged our house-I even took before and after photos! ( Haven't figured out how to get them off the blackberry and onto the blog but I'm sure my husband can help with that).



I wanted to post about Little T wanting to wear her bathing suit backwards and let it all hang out. Just a little too much naked, bare skin in the front for me.



I wanted to post about the tragedy of a small child dying and how you can feel so much pain but also be brought so close to G-d. Everyone is affected when something like this happens. Unbearable pain and unspeakable hardship.



There you have it. All the things I wanted to say this week and didn't. Well, maybe I did say them, just not the way I originally intended. It was a full, busy week and it looks like next week will be more of the same.


Maybe we should get another laptop? Maybe not.

The T's have it and a REALLY good book

I have been meaning to post about 2 funny things the kids said and a really good book I finished about a week ago. So I thought I'll write about both in 1 post.

The first funny story:

My friend E wasn't feeling well a week ago. She lost her voice and sounded miserable. I told her 12x to go to the doctor-I thought she had a sinus infection. She thought she had bronchitis. She finally went to the doctor and guess what? She had a sinus infection (I shoulda been a doctor!) Anyway, I was reporting back to the husband when Big T says innocently "E has a science infection?" That was funny in and of itself but the funnier part it that E is a science teacher. We all got a big laugh.


The second funny story:

Little T was talking about being sick and told someone "I have the wine flu." No honey, that is what mommies and daddies get when they drink too much alcohol. You have the swine flu-not nearly as much fun. (No, I didn't really say that). I think I might need to get the wine flu after being cooped up in the house all week with sick kids.


Anyway. On to my good read.


It's called Shanghai Girls by Lisa See. You might have read some of her other books-Snow Flower and the Secret Fan or Peony in Love. Her newest book is about Shanghai during the 1930's leading into WWII and then immigrating to America during that time. It is about 2 sisters and their lives together and the choices they make to stick together to survive. Lisa See is a wonderful writer and I love learning about other cultures. She really makes the world of Shanghai come alive. A lot of the book takes place in LA during the time of the war and beyond. The persecution the Chinese felt from white people during that time was intense. Yet, without them much of America would not have changed for the better, they almost exclusively built the trans-continental railroad. Anyway, great book, I highly recommend it. She is a gifted writer.


I do have some other things going on involving the children but until they are set I will wait to divulge any more info. Trying to keep you guessing! Is it working?


Since I didn't sleep last night (and it wasn't because of the kids-I just couldn't stop thinking) I better go get some sleep.

Good Night!

Oink, Oink

Well, I am exhausted. After one false negative, the kids are dropping like flies from the dreaded swine flu. So my first week of vacation is well, certainly not vacation. Oh, who am I kidding? As my mom said "Moms don't get vacation."

So the count is now 2 kids sick and 2 kids healthy. Hopefully, they will stay that way. We have multiple prescriptions of Tamiflu so I have hope. My heart breaks for them though. They feel miserable and they are missing the last week of school. When all the fun happens. So I have been doing a lot of promising. We will bake challah this week because Little T's class was doing that today. And we will go to the farmer's market next week because Big T's class was going to the produce store today (to practice their money skills-even though I think Big T knows how to use money, she certainly knows how to spend it!)

As for good news, I got a Blackberry when my cell phone recently broke. It has a really great camera in it and takes great pictures. So I should have more pics to add to the blog. It does take a really long time to add lots of pics though. Maybe I should go back to work so I will have more time to blog! Does that make sense? Staying home with my kids all day gives me no free time! Stay at home moms rock! It is such hard work to parent kids all day long. Don't get me wrong-working is hard too. But staying at home has plenty of challenges and I really respect all the moms who do it.

What else? Lulu's birthday is on Shabbos (Saturday) and I haven't even thought about it. Now any party we have will have to wait for everyone to get well. She will be 7 years old-where has the time gone? Really, where has it gone?

Dirty Diaper calling, gotta go. . . was that too much info?

Post in Pictures. lovely Lulu

Here's what's on been going on recently:

Graduation (for my 8th graders)! Here I am on the right with 2 of the best teachers in the school! I love you Emily and Yolanda!

Here is Lulu at her school play. This is a little old-her front teeth are growing in already!

Lulu and her Bubbie at her play.

Ok-not so recent. This is the first tooth Lulu lost-she has lost probably 6 more since then. But it is a cute pic isn't it?

More pics later. . . . .

School's out for summer

I won't lie to you-it's a little known secret that teachers look as forward to the end of the school year as much as the students do!  Okay, maybe that's not so secret.

Tomorrow is my last day of school and I can't wait.  As much as a I love my students, I have done all I can for them this year and now it's time for a break.  I even get one more week with just the baby before my own children are done with school.  

Then it's 6 weeks of camp and a family drive/trip to Maryland to visit my parents.  

Other really great things that have happened lately:

Little T graduated nursery school.  (I will try to post pics but they are on the husband's blackberry and I'm writing this at work).  She feels right at home on the stage and at one point she even sang when no else was and they were supposed to.  I guess that is one time that it pays to be LOUD!  She was sooooo cute!

Baby M is doing new things every day.  Her pincer grasp has developed with both hands so she can pick up cheerios and other foods with each hand and actually get it into her mouth.  She is also standing while holding on and can pull herself up holding on.  She can say "ma ma" and something that sounds like "a ba pa."

That's all for now-gotta go clean up my classroom!

Silly Shoes

Well, I seem to have taken a blogcation but it actually wasn't on purpose! I just didn't seem to have much to say.


But that never lasts long (just ask my husband).



Lots of things did happen this past week (listened to a Holocaust survivor speak, spoke with my children's teachers, finishing up the school year) but what I really want to write about is something involving my kids.



Two weeks ago I went to the Nordstrom half-yearly sale. I never go to that store unless they are having a sale because I love to shop and don't have the money you need to be able to buy stuff in that store. I did not take any children but picked out shoes for them and brought them home. Of course none of them fit (except the pair that I bought for myself) and I needed to return them.




On the return trip I made a BIG mistake and took 3 out of 4 of the kids with me. Bad, Bad Idea. One which I will never make again!! What was I thinking? I wasn't thinking I can tell you that. Because I walked out of the store with 3 pairs of Lelli Kelly shoes for almost $200! For those of you without daughters or small children these are THE shoes to have. Every girl's dream. Sequins and jewels galore.


I think you get the idea. But I do not ever spend that kind of money on my kid's shoes. (And two pairs were even on sale!) They grow out of them too fast and are too hard on their shoes for it too be worth it. But they begged and pleaded. And then they pulled out the card that tugs on my heartstrings: "All the other girls in my school have them."


Now, I know this isn't true. Those shoes are too much money for everyone to have them. But there are girls wearing them. And my girls want to be like them. And then I feel bad. Because I want my kids to have what others have even if that is superficial of me.


In the end, I held on to the shoes for a week without letting the girls wear them. And then I returned them. Partly because they were just too darn much money and partly because my kids were not behaving and they need to earn something that nice and expensive.


Then I went to Payless and bought 6 pairs of shoes for $60. And I feel much better.