The last 2 weeks:)

Well...October is here!  We have been a busy little family!  We have been to the zoo...been to UNI football...watched Daddy coach numerous games...read a lot...Noah has been into hide and seek...play dough a lot...lots of outside time!  Daddy is about done with junior high football and it has been a good adventure!  Once football is over...the grad school plan will begin!  Scott has to get it started and finished as soon as possible:)  Noah has learned the many lessons of timeout.  We have had some issues with hitting mommy and daddy lately...so timeouts happen:(  We have been making good progress in the sleeping in his own bed!  Scott and I have been taking turns on the cot in his room...but we are making progress!  He has been saying a million new words!   Complete sentences...it is crazy.  We are blown away:)  He also LOVES counting...he can get up to 15 on his own!  I have been busy at work and visit days have begun...I love it!  Everyone so excited to visit and ask questions...good times:)  Go PANTHERS!  Here are some fun pics of our adventures!  The one with the bricks is when we went up the campanile on campus:)

September is almost over????

So...September is about over!  It flew by!  We have been adjusting back to school, football, and life!  We have our cousin living with us (Jordan or JJ as Noah calls him) and it has been great.  He is super good with Noah and with Scott coaching...it is nice to have another person around.  If you know me well...you know I hate being by myself (I even hate going to the bathroom by myself in public)...so having another person around is great!  Scott is coaching 7th grade and helping with varsity...it is going well.  It has been a tough month for teachers in the DNH district as they lost a student on 9/11.  What a life changing day 10 years ago...I was a freshmen in Noehren Hall...I don't think I will ever forget.  We started out the morning by planting a flag on UNI's campus and then heading to church.  After church, Scott got the message that a brother of one of his students was killed in an ATV accident.  The mom is a teacher at school and everyone in town knew them.  Say what you want about small towns...but in these situations, EVERYONE pulls together and supports.  We love Cedar Falls and the schools are great...but I know I want my kids to be in a small school to have the support system.  Needless to say, I was blown away by how people helped.  It really rattled Scott...it was a long week.  9/11 has taught us many lessons, but even more now, I hold Noah tight and while my house might be messy...playing in the yard or reading a book is more important.  I am a huge control person and this contributes to my anxiety issues...so I will take control of any moment I can and play, snuggle and kiss my family.

 Noah has been quiet the hoot!  He is a TALKING machine!  Everyday he works on new sentences and strings things together.  We have been doing lots of puzzles, play dough and painting!  He has also discovered a bigger love for football...and I mean he likes to tackle!  Noah learned that this weekend with Nana and Papa Connolly!  Today was a great Sunday as we played in the yard...catching and throwing the football:)  Panther football has begun and our first game will be homecoming!  We are excited.  Life is great and we are enjoying the fall weather:)  Pictures next time!

A week of (interesting) firsts...

SO...on Tuesday night as I was stripping Noah down for his bath...a rash.  All...over!  I was supposed to go back to work for an SAA training, but Scott was going to be late getting home and then boom...a rash (thanks for Paul for covering!!!).  The rash was tiney little dots everywhere and he had a super low fever (like 99...) and Nurse on call suggested we go b/c it could be strep throat.  My dad came in the next morning while I went to work and tried to get an appointment.  THERE WAS NOTHING!!!!!!!!!  Nothing for the rest of the week...so we had to go to Urgent Care.  After a 2 hour wait and a super red throat...the doctor decided to treat it as strep throat.  I stayed home with Noah on Thursday because he couldn't go to day care yet until he had his prescription in him for 24 hours. 

On Friday...I was back to work and my dad had Noah again.  My mom and I stayed home for the football game (super rainy) and headed to Target.  We were there no more than 10 minutes...and Noah threw up...everywhere!  A super nice mom grabbed a bag and then a pack of wet ones for us.  What a nice mom!  The poor Target kid who came first put his hand over his mouth and said, "I can't handle that...gross..." and turned away!  Hahahaha!  At this point my mom and I were hold puke in our hands!  Super gross...we were able to strip him down into his diaper and carried him out.  We went straight to the tub and had some toast...and again threw up!  No more food after that. 

Our weekend was great...Saturday morning consisted of breakfast with Nana and Papa Connolly!  Then a a great nap and then the UNI vs. ISU game at our neighbors:)  While UNI lost...it was still fun and all of the kiddos had a hoot!  Sunday we went to my dad's family's house.  My dad has some interesting family and now we only get together once a year anymore (kind of sad...)...so it was good to see everyone!  My aunt Patti is one of my favorite Aunts and she is a GREAT cook!  Noah had a blast playing with the kids.  We also went mini golfing and jumping on a fun pillow!  Pics posted next time.

Monday night (the other first)...Noah and I made a quick trip to HyVee.  He rode in the car cart and as I am picking him out of the cart at check-out...I found he had taken a pack of rolos!  He stole it!!!!!!!!  I had to turn around and pay for it b/c he had already started unrolling them and eating them. 

The crazy  week of back into the swing is back.  Planned suppers and rushing around!  We did have our first Kindermusik...went well!

A quick update...almost a month late!

Well...school has started and we are (sort of) back into a routine!  Noah is a playing machine!  We spend every minute outside that we possibly can:)  He loves saying, "outside" "drive car" "ride bike"--his trike.  We also play a lot in the sprinkler, baby pool and now a slip'n'slide!  We also love chalking...everything (the sidewalk, the stoop, the house...a no-no!!!).  We are working back into the bed...but it is a slow move.  We are going to make a real effort Labor Day weekend to get him back in his bed.  Noah is back into puzzles...which is fun!  We do a lot of matching in our household.  Football is back in full swing and Noah also loves saying, "Daddy coach fooball..." and "Daddy teach kids"!  A riot:)  We went on a huge bike ride on Saturday night...all the way to Four Queens...which is farther that we thought, but we made it!  Daddy is super tired and Mommy is tired from being back into everything (SAA and regular hours).  Our weekends have become even more precious to us.  So...don't be offended if we leave or ask you to b/c we want our time with our fam!!!  Here are a few fun pics from the past few weeks:

A quick update...

Well...we have had a busy few weeks!  Scott started back up with football and has started getting his classroom back up and running.  Noah started back in full-time day care.  I had August visit days (over 900 people came through in three days) last M-W...needless to say the three of us are pooped!  Our cousin moved in with us which has been super fun for us.  Noah LOVES JJ and we have to make sure Noah leaves him alone:)  Noah's favorite words this week have been, "Mommy's owie?  On your foot?"  I sprained my ankle Sunday...awesome way to end the weekend!  UGGG!!!!!  My friend Jamie and her hubby saved the day and stayed with Noah while we went to the hospital (Scott thought the area on my foot looked funny...I missed the stairs carrying in the recycling and went down hard!  It is a pretty nasty sprain...and looks bad and funny colors...but getting better)!  Noah is all about being Mr. INDEPENDENT and does not want any help with anything right now.  Since Daddy has been gone at night with football...he really misses Daddy and instead acts up a lot!  We are ready for a normal schedule to start:)

Another interesting event in life...my 10 year reunion!  We went to the Dike Watermelon Days parade on Saturday night and my 10 year reunion was that night.  Only one of the people I still talk to on a regular basis was going Saturday night...and surprisingly I was nervous!  I'm not sure why...I loved high school, I had a great college life, married to an awesome guy, healthy child and my dream job.  Weird...Scott didn't go to his and was not psyched to go to mine.  But...being the trooper he is...we went.  Everyone looked pretty much the same...bigger in some ways...but mostly the same.  Some were successful...some weren't, but really...not much has changed.  With Facebook...I'm not sure reunions still mean the same thing anymore.  I did chat with some people that made the night super fun!  Made me feel super comfortable and relax a bit.  It will be interesting at our 20 year reunion...maybe more will have changed:)

Let the madness begin of school starting!  A few fun pics:

Stuff...

So...vacation was amazing!!!  My parents rented a house right outside Galena, IL.  We had a RIOT!  It was a great break and the time with the family was awesome.  My brother and sister-in-law played a ton with Noah (he LOVED saying, "Uncle Matt"...but for some reason Aunt Jenna...he just liked saying "Yenna..")  We went swimming which was the first in 4 years for my mom...it was a fantastic to see her in a pool since her surgery!  We even took one of those old time photos! It was nice to be away from it all:)  I will post some pics. 

Scott started football camp yesterday and I started August summer visit days.  Summer is over now...ugg:)  My parents...thank goodness for close-by family...have Noah overnight tonight.  Scott and I are dragging butt!  I am incredibly blessed...Scott left me a voicemail telling to look at the to-do list on the door in the garage.  At first...I thought...really?  A to-do list?  We are having a couple hundred students and families come through campus these three days...I am pooped from doing campus tours and directing people!  But...catching up on the house is a constant battle...so oh well.  My list...included taking a bubble bath, reading and going to bed early.  REALLY!!!!!!  I already know that I am one incredible lucky lady...but this is just another example of how great he is.  The house is clean, dishes put away, clothes put away, etc.  I am taking his advice and relaxing and going to bed early!  I LOVE YOU:)

Being married to a teacher...having a mom as a teacher...teaching degree myself...sister-in-law as a teacher and other family members as teachers...I thought this piece of info from Matt Damon was interesting!  With the election coming in 2012 and Gov. Branstad's education summit...everyone has education on the mind.  I am SICK and TIRED of all of the bashing of teachers.  I know there are crap ones are out there...but the vast majority are very passionate...step up parents...do your job.  Enough ranting...here is the article.  I don't know anything about the organization...but I really liked his words (website listed):

I flew overnight from Vancouver to be with you today. I landed in New York a few hours ago and caught a flight down here because I needed to tell you all in person that I think you're awesome.
I was raised by a teacher. My mother is a professor of early childhood education. And from the time I went to kindergarten through my senior year in high school, I went to public schools. I wouldn't trade that education and experience for anything.
I had incredible teachers. As I look at my life today, the things I value most about myself -- my imagination, my love of acting, my passion for writing, my love of learning, my curiosity -- all come from how I was parented and taught.
And none of these qualities that I've just mentioned -- none of these qualities that I prize so deeply, that have brought me so much joy, that have brought me so much professional success -- none of these qualities that make me who I am ... can be tested.
I said before that I had incredible teachers. And that's true. But it's more than that. My teachers were EMPOWERED to teach me. Their time wasn't taken up with a bunch of test prep -- this silly drill and kill nonsense that any serious person knows doesn't promote real learning. No, my teachers were free to approach me and every other kid in that classroom like an individual puzzle. They took so much care in figuring out who we were and how to best make the lessons resonate with each of us. They were empowered to unlock our potential. They were allowed to be teachers.
Now don't get me wrong. I did have a brush with standardized tests at one point. I remember because my mom went to the principal's office and said, 'My kid ain't taking that. It's stupid, it won't tell you anything and it'll just make him nervous.' That was in the '70s when you could talk like that.
I shudder to think that these tests are being used today to control where funding goes.
I don't know where I would be today if my teachers' job security was based on how I performed on some standardized test. If their very survival as teachers was based on whether I actually fell in love with the process of learning but rather if I could fill in the right bubble on a test. If they had to spend most of their time desperately drilling us and less time encouraging creativity and original ideas; less time knowing who we were, seeing our strengths and helping us realize our talents.
I honestly don't know where I'd be today if that was the type of education I had. I sure as hell wouldn't be here. I do know that.
This has been a horrible decade for teachers. I can't imagine how demoralized you must feel. But I came here today to deliver an important message to you: As I get older, I appreciate more and more the teachers that I had growing up. And I'm not alone. There are millions of people just like me.
So the next time you're feeling down, or exhausted, or unappreciated, or at the end of your rope; the next time you turn on the TV and see yourself called "overpaid;" the next time you encounter some simple-minded, punitive policy that's been driven into your life by some corporate reformer who has literally never taught anyone anything. ... Please know that there are millions of us behind you. You have an army of regular people standing right behind you, and our appreciation for what you do is so deeply felt. We love you, we thank you and we will always have your back.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/dan-brown/matt-damons-powerful-educ_b_914420.html

It's a wonderful life...

This has been a fun week with Noah!  He started saying his own name...which is HYSTERICAL!  He will say Noah's mommy, Noah's daddy and Noah's bed, etc.  It is so great:)  He has two really good buddies, Jani and Harrison that we hang out with on a regular basis.  He can say Jani (it comes out Yani...), but Harrison comes out YaYa...no idea where that came from (he has a Harrison at day care...).  Today after swimming at the "big pool (he says it like that!!!)" we went to Panera with Harrison and Jani (and their mommy's) and while leaving...he said...HARRISON!!  Big day!

Last week I got to have a fun night out with the girls.  I have had trouble ever since college figuring out the friends thing.  I have come to the conclusion that I am a "lifer" of a friend.  I have 2 best friends that have been my best friends since I was in like 3rd grade (maybe not the entire time...but friends since 3rd grade and since high school and college...we have all been in each other's weddings), 2 friends from grade school and junior high, three best friends from college and one best friend from grad school.  I have had trouble with that transition into adult world with friends.  I think it is because I don't want to invest in a relationship that won't last b/c I am all or nothing...if you know me...I tend to share...A LOT of info and I guess I expect it back:)  The other friends I have made since grad school have been great  and I count them as some of my best friends...but some have moved which puts me back to square one.  Throw in the baby and hubby and it's like dating all over again to find people in your same situation.  So...back to last week...a fun night out at Applebee's with some girlfriends!  Our hubby's get along which is great so they hung out with the kids and we had a blast.  We laughed, drank and ate.  It was so much fun and I think I may have babbled a bit too much about how much fun I was having!  I think it might be something we try to make a regular monthly thing!!  So whether they live far or near and I talk often or once a month...I am very blessed to have the ladies in my life whom I call a friend...thank you so much for listening and making me smile!  

One other fun piece...Scott bought me another dozen roses...BEAUTIFUL pink roses.  They popped open during my lunch hour and are gorgeous.  I am so lucky to have a great husband...who does this "just because".  Off to bed...