Thursday, March 20, 2008

Kyle's 9th Birthday



Here is a slide show of Kyle's 9th birthday. He had a scavenger hunt to find his gift which ended up being in the car. He got a Ipod which is the only thing he wanted. He was very happy. He was also happy with his moola, itunes cards, Target card, and Vans gift card. I hope you enjoy the show.
Love,
Janice

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

My Kyle Is 9 Today!





I cannot believe that Kyle is 9! I kissed him goodnight last night and almost cried because it was the last time I'd kiss him at 8. Those kinds of things really get me! Being a parent is heartbreaking at times. He is such a sweet and good-hearted boy! Right now, I am making his birthday brownies with chocolate chips in them for tonight. For dinner he is having chocolate chip pancakes, juicy bacon, juicy sausage, and extra scrambled eggs (Kyle added the juicy part). Next, I'm going to make up a treasure hunt for his birthday gift. It is going to be fun....but first.....

I am subbing this afternoon in Noah's class. It should be fine, except Noah is in it. He always seems to show off for me. The main thing I'm nervous about is that I'm teaching the advanced math class this afternoon.....stop snickering.....I told his teacher that there is a reason that I prefer K-3, but she assured me it would be easy. Pray for me! After this hurdle I can get back to working on making Kyle's birthday fun. Please also pray the 5th graders are feeling gracious today.

Well, I'd better go work on my treasure hunt!

Love, Janice

Monday, March 17, 2008

Language Accent Quiz

What American accent do you have?
Your Result: The Midland
 

"You have a Midland accent" is just another way of saying "you don't have an accent." You probably are from the Midland (Pennsylvania, southern Ohio, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and Missouri) but then for all we know you could be from Florida or Charleston or one of those big southern cities like Atlanta or Dallas. You have a good voice for TV and radio.

The West
 
The South
 
The Inland North
 
Boston
 
The Northeast
 
North Central
 
Philadelphia
 
What American accent do you have?
Quiz Created on GoToQuiz


This is a fun little quiz. I thought of you Teri! I apparently have a mid-something/no accent. Who knew? Being a California girl all my life I've known I have no accent. Do I have an accent to a New Yorker? A Brit? Hmmmmm......It makes you wonder. Have a great Monday!

Love, Janice

Monday, March 10, 2008

Call Me Crazy....

I decided to list all the weird things I like. Well, maybe not weird, but also could be disliked by the regular population.................
*Daylight Savings Time...I love having the sun shine longer and later!
*The smell of a tire store.
*The smell of markers, rubber cement,gasoline, and the manicure shop.
*The sound of other people's children whining/crying/etc. It makes me feel not alone.
*Someone touching my feet. It's good when I get past the tickly part!
*Rainy days.
*Kitchen gadgets and office supplies.
*Silence!
*Chocolate chip cookies on a rainy day.
*People-watching at airports.
*Spelling tests.
*Reading inspiring quotes.
*Eating at a restaurant alone and going to the movies alone.
*Getting the mail. A package is the best!
*Mail order catalogs.
*Being out and about.
*Email questionnaires.

What is something weird you like?

Sunday, March 9, 2008

Happy Sunday!

Ten Spiritual Tonics by Abraham L. Feinberg

1. Stop Worrying. Worry kills life.

2. Begin each day with a prayer. It will arm your soul.

3. Control Appetite. Over-indulgence clogs body and mind.

4. Accept your limitations. All of us can't be great.

5. Don't envy. It wastes time and energy.

6. Have faith in people. Cynicism sours the disposition.

7. Find a hobby. It will relax your nerves.

8. Read a book a week to stimulate the imagination and broaden your view.

9. Spend some time alone, for the peace of solitude and silence.

10. Try to want what you have, instead of spending your strength trying to get what
you want.


I liked this quote so I thought I'd share. I hope you are having a blessed Sunday!

Love, Janice

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

My Mom Sent Me This...

My Mom sent me the most touching email. It describes how I feel a lot. WARNING: It could make you cry. Thanks Mom. I hope it helps any of you other Moms who may sometimes feel invisible.

I'm Invisible

It all began to make sense, the blank stares, the lack of response,
the way one of the kids will walk into the room while I'm on the phone
and ask to be taken to the store.
Inside I'm thinking, "Can't you see I'm on the phone?" Obviously not;
no one can see if I'm on the phone, or cooking, or sweeping the
floor, or even standing on my head in the corner, because no one can
see me at all. I'm invisible. The invisible Mom.

Some days I am only a pair of hands, nothing more: Can you fix this?
Can you tie this? Can you open this?

Some days I'm not a pair o f hands; I'm not even a human being. I'm a
clock to ask, "What time is it?"

I'm a satellite guide to answer, "What number is the Disney Channel?"
I'm a car to order, "Right around 5:30, please."

I was certain that these were the hands that once held books and the
eyes that studied history and the mind that graduated summa cum laude
- but now they had disappeared into the peanut butter, never to be
seen again. She's going, she's going, and she's gone!

One night, a group of us were having dinner, celebrating the
return of a friend from England. Janice had just gotten back from a
fabulous trip, and she was going on and on about the hotel she stayed
in. I was sitting there, looking around at the others all put together
so well. It was hard not to compare and feel sorry for myself as I
looked down at my out-of-style dress; it was the only thing I could
find that was clean. My unwashed hair was pulled up in a hair clip and
I was a f raid I could actually smell peanut butter in it. I was feeling
pretty pathetic, when Janice turned to me with a beautifully wrapped
package, and said, "I brought you this." It was a book on the great
cathedrals of Europe. I wasn't exactly sure why she'd given it to me
until I read her inscription: "To Charlotte, with admiration for the
greatness of what you are building when no one sees."

In the days ahead I would read - no, devour - the book. And I would
discover what would become for me, four life-changing truths, after
which I could pattern my work: No one can say who built the great
cathedrals - we have no record of their names. These builders gave
their whole lives for a work they would never see finished. They made
great sacrifices and expected no credit. The passion of their building
was fueled by their f faith that the eyes of God saw everything.

A legendary story in the book told of a rich man who came to visit
the cathedral while it was being built, and he saw a workman carving a
tiny bird on the inside of a beam. He was puzzled and asked the man,
"Why are you spending so much time carving that bird into a beam that
will be covered by the roof? No one will ever see it." And the workman
replied, "Because God sees."

I closed the book, feeling the missing piece fall into place. It was
almost as if I heard God whispering to me, "I see you, Charlotte. I
see the sacrifices you make every day, even when no one around you
does. No act of kindness you've done, no sequin you've sewn on, no
cupcake you've baked, is too small for me to notice and smile over.
You are building a great cathedral, but you can't see right now what
it will become."

At times, my invisibility feels like an affliction. But it is not a
disease that is erasing my life. It is the cure for the disease of my
own self-centeredness. It is the antidote to my strong, stubborn
pride. I keep the right perspective when I see myself as a great
builder. As one of the people who show up at a job that they will
never see finished, to work on something that their name will never be
on.

The writer of the book went so far as to say that no cathedrals could
ever be built in our lifetime because there are so few people willing
to sacrifice to that degree.

When I really think about it, I don't want my son to tell the friend
he's bringing home from college for Thanksgiving, "My Mom gets up
at 4 in the morning and bakes homemade pies, and then she hand bastes
a turkey for three hours and presses all the linens for the table."
That would mean I'd built a shrine or a monument to myself. I just
want him to want to come home. And then, if there is anything more to
say to his friend, to add, "You're gonna love it there."

As mothers, we are building great cathedrals. We cannot be seen if
we're doing it right. And one day, it is very possible that the world
will marvel, not only at what we have built, but at the beauty that
has been added to the world by the sacrifices of invisible women.

Great Job, MOM!

Share this with all the Invisible Moms you know .... I just did.

Uh, what to write......

I'm struggling with writer's block lately. I would really like to avoid having my blog be a complaint session that you must endure. EVERY day has something to complain about, but I want to keep away from that, so it's been difficult to update every day with something fresh.

As of late I've been doing things to try and earn some extra money....watching my friend's dog, Mary Kay, subbing....I really want to help out and get some bills paid down, so that's the bulk of what I'm doing. I'm still praying for God to lead us where he wants. He doesn't seem to be talking yet....story of my life!

The kids are good. We are planning for three big birthdays this month. Kyle is turning 9! (yikes!) and the girls are turning 5 (ouch!). I just registered them yesterday for Kindergarten (very bittersweet!). They are very much looking forward to their big days! All Kyle wants is an Ipod (that's all?). We are going to take the girls to Disneyland for the day..no brothers. We are going to have lunch with the princesses and let them pick out their birthday gift at Disneyland. I'm looking forward to it. (SHHH! They are going to get a call (recorded) from their favorite princess on their big day..Aurora for Lauren and Snow White for Brooklyn.)

Have a good day, and I love you all!
Janice