Glory Days

Facebook is like a drug, can't get enough.
Reconnecting with old friends, it's a blast.

Going over the glory days of growing up in Berkeley/SF.

Super cool fun.
Just when I start to feel old and boring....I get a call.
More later....

WELCOME EZRA ORION

Congrats to Vanessa and Matthew in Maui.
Ezra is here.
Will get pix soon. He's very, very cute and I can't wait to cuddle him this summer.

Hurray!

Almost done.....

Vejigante Mask Jake and I made. Paper maiche and lots of it. For Jake's Puerto Rico report. Coqui!!!


Had my exit interview at C Uni.
Man, they raked me over the coals, and like they weren't gonna pass me? yeahright, wouldn't look good on their already dwindling numbers. But whose numbers aren't dwindling these days?

So, now I just have to do another shitload of paperwork,

(as long as I don't have to write another blasted paper; I'll fill out forms and make copies till the cows come home, just please, no more papers, reflections, writing about how the California education standards, relate to the Cal teaching standards relate to how I will accommodate every single child at every single second-I'm a damn good teacher and I love it, but writing about it, incessantly, for hundreds of pages?FOR FUCKS SAKE already- one of my favorite quotes again by the late great Frank Zappa- " writing about music is like dancing about architecture")

where was I?

Oh yeah, so more paperwork, goes down to HQ in OC, sits on someone's desk for a week or two which means three and THEN they apply to the Cal Teach Comm.

Then, I will have a party.
When I get my actual credential, I will have a big party.
When I get my own classroom, I will have a big FUCKING party.

Sorry about the cuss words, but you know me.

Rest assured, I know how to turn it on and off. Like a light switch.

Love my long term sub job. LOVE it. Go to work happy. That's a good thing.
Hope you can say the same. Hey, in this day and age, any job is good.
Peace be with you.

Balloon Boy

Ok, so, like I said, we're science geeks.
We're all jazzed about the Maker's Faire in May. It's where science inventors show their gadgets. It's a favorite of our favorites, the Myth Buster boys, Jamie and Adam.

Jake wants to create something to show at the Maker's Faire. I doubt we'll arrive with something by March 19 but God bless him for trying. He's trying to create a dirigible, aka a blimp toy that runs around the room on a battery and balloons.

So we go to Safeway to buy some balloons. There is almost no one there late on Friday night. An extremely tall man, I'd say almost 7 feet walks past us, we both notice him.

We're about to check out and Jake lets go of the balloons. Disaster. We remember the tall guy. We find him and he very kindly reaches up and easily grabs the balloons.

This kind of stuff only happens to us.

Coraline in 3-D

Awesome special effects, amazing style, decent story line, cool lead girl who is bored and lonely, scary parents, the AbFab creators, what more could you ask for in a kids movie?
I give it two big toes up.

OMG Why do I love AI?

I'm not talking about Artificial Intelligence, I'm talking American Idol. I admit it, I can't get enough.

Happy Valentine's Day Part 2 Jake Saves the Day

We had a big fun family Valentine's Day planned.

Jake's sleepover buddy got picked up at 10 a.m. and we started to get ready. I did the usual "clean up your room" chant, especially messy after two lively boys staying up till one occupied the room.

Jake looked up at the ceiling and said, Mom, there's something wrong with my ceiling.

Gulp. Some faint shadows. Doesn't look good, like storm clouds over a trailer park. But never fear, I live with McGyver, the handiest man on the planet.

Yes, you guessed it. We have a leak. Some pesky valley oak leaves decided to wiggle their way under a roof tile and allow rain water in. Now, while I worship rain water, I want it to keep it's holy self outside my delicate house.

Our family day turned into getting out the ladder, loppers, gloves, green bin, Black Jack roof tar, and the umbrella. We all pitched in, excuse the roof pun, and cleared the leaves from the roof and the gutters (eww gross), patched the loose tile, sealed all the flashing on every pipe in the roof from our solatubes to the vents, cut away branches, palm fronds, you name it. Jake even held the umbrella on the roof for Daddy when it began to rain so he could finish the sealing.

Our roof is officially fixed. We are ready for the blessed storms that are about to pound us. And not a moment too soon, have you seen the satellite picture?

Ron rewarded Jake with $20 and said, dude, if you hadn't been so observant, that small leak that's fixed and will dry quickly, could have turned into thousands of dollars of dry rot repair. Good job buddy! Jake was very proud but his pride quickly turned into, can we go to Toys R Us?
He's really into TechDecks right now, the tiny skateboards you play with like hot wheels.

Now we're watching the Universe on the History Channel. So freaking cool, we are science geeks.

Our Valentine's Day was hard work, but we're all proud of ourselves and each other. When we Lugos (Leckys) pitch in, we get it done. An entire roof fixed and sealed for an $11 can of Black Jack. My husband is the coolest man in the Universe.

Happy Valentine's Day

My family, Yosemite.

A friend who is studying for her masters in divinity, asked our book group to participate in an interfaith housing activity.

A housing community in Concord, for low income families, run by the interfaith group, puts on activities for community improvement.

We came in, with our kids, and decorated cookies and made darling Valentine's cards.

The kids were just like any other kids in the fact that they were bright, sweet and smart. The only difference: they don't have a lot of money. They don't all have computers in their apartments or DSs or Wiis in their rooms. They don't wear juicy or seven jeans, their clothes come from target at best. None of them had cell phones. Most of them only have one parent, have never been on a plane, been camping, sailing, or skiing. They aren't on little leagues or competitive soccer. They don't frequent museums or zoos. They can't have sleep overs with their friends cuz there's no room and no extra food. Just wanted you to think about all that.

One girl, who made an amazing Valentine's card, Victoria, wants to be an artist when she grows up. I was humbled by her multi media collage of a card as I made my accordian heart man. What a talent.

I felt good to be doing this activity, I felt good to be exposing my son to helping others. We did alot of that this Christmas season: cards to wounded soldiers, make a wish donations, etc. I felt good to be helping kids to make cards for their parents/friends for Valentine's Days. Most of them do not have the layers of art supplies and creative outlets like our kids do.

The one thing I felt uncomfortable about is that they KNEW we were there to help them, like charity. These kids exist on so many handouts and on so much less than so many American kids, it must get uncomfortable. I've never been on that side of the fence and I thank God every day I'm not although lately, with the economy the way it is, I feel like it could be a reality. Pretty efing scary.

But back to the point. I think these kids were a bit uncomfortable. Maybe it's my paranoia but I felt a bit sheepish, like a trespasser, like we were strangers invading their meager but safe and comfortable home.

Hmm..., maybe I just felt guilty that I've been whining about money so much lately....while we are in the thin of it these days....I should just shut my mouth and be grateful.

Food for thought.
Either way, what we did was of the best intention and the kids are not the worse for it.

Happy Valentine's Day. I am grateful for the love I have in my life.
My family, my kids, my friends, my community.

Hail This Glorious Day

It just happened. Saturday, February 7, 2009, 5:55 p.m.
My son is laying on his bed and reading a book. Now you might not think this is a big deal and he has done this before, however, today is different. Two things make this moment miraclous.

One, he did this all on his own.

Two, it isn't a primarily picture book.

Thank you Captain Underpants.

POLAR BEAR PLUNGE 2009

"Holy frick, that's cold!!!" said Jake.
Actually I think his words were aghhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!

It's February 1, 2009, it's 57 degrees outside with a chill wind which brings the air temperature to about 49 degrees at 10:00 in the morning. The pool water is 51 degrees, even colder than the San Francisco Bay.

Who wants to go SWIMMING?

Obviously, we do. And when I say we I mean I went in too. I have to wait for an email for photo proof but I swear on my wool sweater I did it. And it was freaking cold. I'm just glad I didn't yell out an obscenity. My body was on shutdown, I couldn't talk if I wanted to. And I've been in some cold water.

These Indian Valley kids (and parents) are HARDCORE! One kid even swam a lap, lengthwise. Jake did it shortways and I don't even know how he did that. Yikes. I jumped in, jumped out, three seconds tops.

The coolest part of the whole thing is the club builds a sweat lodge and makes hot chocolate for the recovery. No whip cream please, it's too cold.

The sweat lodge was awesome, complete with steam. Seriously cool. I mean warm.
It was nice to be back at our pool, even if my head still aches and my ass is still frozen.

The home made sweat lodge, a luxury indeed.

Close the door!

The Motley Crew, before the plunge....har har.

Zack, Niko, Nathan and Jake make popsicle toes.

Ready, set, HYPOTHERMIA!!!!