Last night we made soy candles for the kids’ teachers. J and I had gone to a ceramic show last month and found these lovely tiny pots (made by a knitting friend of mine). I had been trying to think of fun things to put in the pot (honey, spices, tiny plants…) when I remembered reading that you could make soy candles in the microwave. We bought the stuff at Joann’s and on the tip of one of their employees used an old crayon for color instead of the commercial dyes. We also added apple pie scent to it. I figure, who doesn’t like apple pie? This was a very easy craft, but I admit I was a little paranoid about the hot wax and the kid’s pouring abilities to let them do much more than affix the wick and peel the crayon. They still had a good time though and are now making festive bags to wrap them in.
This little light of mine December 15, 2009
Plans December 5, 2009
Once upon a time I had a plan. Sort of.
When I was 23 it was to be a High School or Middle School Choir Teacher. And then I got the job teaching elementary school General Music. And I loved it. It was amazingly rewarding to see kids who wouldn’t necessarily be inclined to make music discover that it was for them, too. That it’s meant to be part of the human experience.
Then I fell in love with my best friend and got married. This fit right in with my plan and I kept teaching music to the kids that I adored. I could see myself teaching there until I retired.
Then I got pregnant. As excited as I was, I was torn about whether to quit teaching. I toyed with idea of being a working mom. My husband and I both had mothers who stayed at home and felt that we’d benefited from it, but I still wasn’t sure. Finally, a good friend of mine, who happened to be pregnant as well, said, “Nicole, you are the sort of person who throws herself completely into what she’s doing. If you try to teach and raise your child, you will always feel guilty about neglecting the one you’re not with.” Or something like that. It’s been seven years and my memory’s not what it was.
So I’ve had seven wonderful years being the stay at home Mom. My friend was right and I never regretted it. Over the years, I’ve had offers to come teach music at different places but none ever seemed to fit my schedule. I had a new plan. When the boy was in school full time I’d go back. I figured I’d substitute teach for a while, and then look for a part time position.
Then my friend (the same one) called and invited me to interview for the part time general music position at her school. I couldn’t ignore this one. It fits with my kids’ school schedules, I get to teach general music again, and I still get to have time with the boy in the afternoon. My husband and family were unanimously excited for me.
So I went for it. And I got the job. I am both scared and excited. It’s all I can think about. I’ve even started having teacher dreams again; (Gratefully, not the kids-hate-me-and-throw-a-riot dream. I hate that one.) trying to remember what I used to do. It’s like a dormant part of my brain is waking up.
I told L today and she rushed over and gave me a hug. “I’m so happy you got a job, Mama!” I asked her why she was happy and she said, “Now you have something to do while I’m at school!” Heh. First graders are funny.
So anyway, here’s the moral of the story. The most significant things in my life have never followed my plan. Sometimes you just have to make the proverbial leap of faith and know that everything’s going to be ok.
(Remind me of this a couple months from now, please.) 
How not to make Christmas Cookies. December 5, 2009
So this is what my mother’s sugar cookies look like when you read the recipe wrong. 1/2 a POUND of butter. Not a 1/2 cup. Oops. They still taste good though.
We're HUGE. Oh yeah.
Holiday Wii Fit Challenge November 30, 2009
So yesterday J wanted me to play a game of Raving Rabbids with him on the Wii. I am embarrassed to say I was short of breath by the time we were done (He likes to do the “running” ones.) So this morning, I dusted off the Wii Fit and did 30 minutes of exercise this morning. (31 actually ) Now I know the exercise recommendation for someone my size is an hour a day, but we all have to start somewhere.
Anyway, I got to thinking. I bet there are other people out there who are as out of shape as me and own a Wii Fit. I figure if we can all do at least 30 minutes a day on the Fit, then we can at least keep the pounds from inching up during the holidays. At this point, I’m not looking for weight loss (though that’s always nice), I’m just trying to start a routine and thought that maybe some of you would want to do it with me. You can post your times on your blogs, your facebooks, your twitters, just do something to keep yourself honest.
So here it is: Monday Nov 29th 31 minutes
Sawyer Sawyer Locke November 23, 2009
I found this while I was cleaning this weekend. Drawn by the girl.
so now I wonder – if underneath all the junk in her room is a hatch. Maybe I should start checking her math homework for the number sequence. Hmmm.
And yes. I do have the Sawyer Song stuck in my head. Again.
Mapleton Public Schools November 19, 2009
Where’s Mapleton, you ask? It’s a school district here in Colorado where a good friend of mine works. I used to accompany choir in Mapleton. I say used to because they’ve already cut the music program to try and make up for the enormous funding short falls they’ve experienced over the last few years. And I figure if a dollar helps, that’s less than half a Starbucks latte. And you might say, why should I donate to a school district where I don’t have kids? All children deserve a quality education. I have to believe that a more educated population is a better one. Here’s an email from my friend explaining it better.
Hi everyone.
I am really not the activist type of person, but I can’t stand it any longer and need to ask for your help. My school district is the lowest funded district in the Denver metro area. The newest building was built in 1972. The per pupil funding is 1500 less PER KID (almost a third less) than it is in my own kids’ district. The property taxes are the lowest in the in the metro area, and the property values are pretty close to the lowest, which is why the funding is so poor. And since the parent population is grossly outnumbered by small business owners and retired folk, we can’t pass a bond, although in the last one we came close, and we failed by 50 votes.
Meanwhile, our kids’ test scores have grown a higher percentage than any other district in the metro area (12.5% district-wide). We are doing more with less, but the inequities in funding are grossly unfair. We have had countless fundraisers, campaigns, and pleas with the state, with businesses, and have tried everything we can to raise the money. We are doing more with less, but the inequities in funding are grossly unfair. Just look at a school in your own kid’s district and then come and look at ours. It isn’t right.
Please read the attached email, donate a dollar, and then forward this to everyone you know. This is our last attempt to keep a $ 32 million dollar grant that we will lose if we don’t come up with $22 million by Dec. 31st. If you usually donate to a charity during the holiday season, this is a good one to give to. It’s a real need, and it can do real good, right now.
Thanks for listening.
Love you all.
L
Instructional Guide
Monterey Community School
waltonl@mapleton.usA child of four would understand this. Send someone to fetch a child of four.
–Groucho Marx
“Viral Campaign” information–for My School
So far over 600 people have been invited to follow the cause on
Facebook and over 60 have already joined
http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=169854212794
You can also follow the efforts on twitter
http://twitter.com/helpmapleton
Mapleton Public Schools just lost a bond election by a total of 56 votes! This loss is pretty devastating. The $22,000,000 would have gone to match a $32,000,000 grant from the state. The Building Excellent Schools Today (BEST) program would have allowed us to completely redesign the schools at the crumbling Skyview Campus. We have until December 31, 2009 to raise the match . . . so we need your help!
We are launching a “viral campaign” today, asking everyone who sees our call for help, to donate at least $1.00 toward our campaign and then forward the link to everyone they know . . . with everyone’s help, we just might raise the money!
I know this is pretty unusual for a school district to ask for help like this – and we can’t give up! It’s been heart warming to see so many people rallying here in the district – in fact – I’ve cut and pasted a little email I received this afternoon from a kindergarten teacher at one of our schools . . .
>>> Sarah Gilbert 11/5/2009 12:02 PM >>>
Our kindergarten classes would like to contribute our popcorn profits from this year’s business to the fund raising pool. We won’t make $22,000,000, but in previous years we’ve earned around $500. We have $104 so far (from our sale today). We’ll have a total by Dec. 15th, but we could provide totals/money each week if that would be helpful -where should we send money (and are lots of $1 dollar bills and quarters okay?)
Sarah
>>>>>>>
Please let me know if you can help . . . here’s the link to forward on, add to your facebook and any websites that will get the word out.
donate.mapleton.us ( http://www.donate.mapleton.us/ )
Gratefully,
Charlotte
OK everyone . . . let’s do it!!!!
Carrie Moore
Mama’s Boy Socks November 18, 2009
I’ve been making socks. I actually made these for J quite a while ago but he lost one and was devastated. Every day when I was knitting he’d ask for a new one, so yesterday I indulged. They’re basic turkish toe up socks with a short row heel. I don’t even remember what the yarn is. I think it might have been the first skein of sock yarn I ever bought.
New BSE and Mammogram guidelines? November 17, 2009
Hey look. Nicole’s writing another post about cancer. Crazy.
I can’t help it. It’s part of who I am now and these new guidelines freak me out a bit.
New York Times Article on new BSE and Mammogram guidelines
Here’s a link to the actual task force website.
I’m not stupid. I understand the math. And the money. And the risks. (I did have to sign all those freaking forms, you know.) The hard part for me is, like most young women with breast cancer, I would be dead if I’d had to wait until 50 for a mammogram. And you could argue that since I found my lump that I still would have been diagnosed. But would I? I have to admit that one of my big fears about these new recommendations is that it will be harder to convince insurance companies to pay for the scans. AND the new guidelines discourage SBE (Self Breast Exams). So maybe I wouldn’t have found the lump at all? I understand that mammograms and BSE aren’t the very best tools, but they’re the only tools we have right now. Find me a better way to detect breast cancer and I’ll blog about it ad nauseum. But don’t tell women to stop doing BSEs. Don’t use unnecessary anxiety and discomfort as a reason turn a blind eye to what’s going on in our own bodies.
You know what causes even more anxiety and discomfort than a mammogram?
Cancer.
I find this all very disturbing.
Zune Shuffle November 13, 2009
Two things.
Yes. I have a Zune.
And I’ve never done the ipod shuffle post. You know, the one where you put the ipod on shuffle and list the first 10 songs. So here it is. My musical taste in all it’s weirdness.
1. Gallows Pole – Led Zeppelin. Reminds me of high school and Laserium Zeppelin. heh.
2. Goodbye Love – Rent. Well we all knew I love musicals.
3. Helplessly Hoping – recorded by me and two of my friends actually. We used my ancient microphones at school. And yes. I do have recordings of our trio on my Zune. I like to listen to us. Reminds me of fun times.
4. Missa De Beata Virgine – Josquin Des Prez – I’m a music geek. What’d you expect?
5. You Oughta Know – Alanis Morissette. I’m officially old enough to admit publicly that I listen to her in all her angsty bitter greatness.
6. Hotwax – Beck. Love Beck. One of my favorite concerts. Although my friend and I were probably closer in age to the moms in the audience who brought their jr. high kids. “I’m the enchanted wizard of rhythm.” How can you not love lyrics like that?
7. Love’s Recovery – Indigo Girls. Yeah. Love them too.
8. The Lowlands of Holland – The Chieftains and Natalie Merchant. Pretty song. But not my favorite on the album. I actually got this cd from a student. One of the best presents I ever got. Love it.
9. I Just Don’t Think I’ll Ever Feel Get Over You – Colin Hay. He’s still got it. Long after “We come from a land down under…”
10. Sissyneck – Beck. Again. See #6.
So there you go. A tiny glimpse into what’s on my Zune.
Suicide Pact November 9, 2009
I wonder how many google hits I get for that title.
It seems to me that major appliances have a suicide pact. Like the year our furnace and our water heater died. At Christmas. Or when the oven and the dryer went to that big appliance repair shop in the sky.
The brand new dishwasher. Is fine. But the aluminum wiring isn’t. Next weekend poor husband and father in law are switching out the aluminum for copper.
It makes me afraid for the washer. Perhaps I can stage an intervention.
