Popular Sovereignty

I have begun teaching the seniors who are very different creatures than Sophomores...

My first 10 years of teaching I had the luxury of only teaching upper classmen...I was very grateful for this.  Freshman and Sophomores were squirrely immature creatures that I didn't really desire to interact with at least not in a structured classroom setting...

Then I had freshmen for the first time when I went to teach at PAA...

Then I had sophomores...and while I still maintain my opinion of freshmen I have grown to love sophomores...they are trying to mature...and they can be easily manipulated for the most part :)

It has been a couple years since I have had seniors and I have missed their maturity, their wisdom, their "I'm almost all grown up and know everything" attitude.  I love the more relaxed attitude in the classroom and the more mature discussions.  I also love their general excitement about the future.  These kids are only a few short months away from graduation.  Everyone is asking them about what is next?  College? Where? What will you take? etc...  Its an exciting time in their lives.

And among all this excitement it is my job to make them excited about government :) To pound into their heads permanently that they have a voice and it shouldn't only complain about the government.  It should be used for good.  It should be exercised in a way to make a difference in the world they live in.  They should pay attention to what is going on around them because it affects them and if they don't like it they have the power to change it!

Frychik

Family Time

Last night was magical...

 After seeing snowflakes for days with zero accumulation it finally happened.  It started to pile up after dark.

 The weathermen were clear that it would be transitioning to rain rather quickly the next morning

 So we headed out at 11 pm...

 As all 5 of us (Ella said NO THANKYOU!) walked down our snowy, quiet streets I just felt so thankful that we have been spending more time together.  The boys are getting along better and they are old enough that Jeff and I are the ones that have to keep up.  No longer are there limitations to what our boys can do and with their active social calendars our time together is more and more precious to me!

On our first walk I whined a bit about not bringing my camera.  So after our first walk we headed out for a second adventure at about 11:30.  They boys stayed home this time and since I was reasonably sure there wouldn't be school the next day I didn't shoo them to bed.
I guess while Jeff and I had taken the car to take pictures Josh decided to hop on his mountain bike and track us down :)  Thankfully he wore protective eye wear! :)

We finally returned home at 12:30 and made hot drinks and continued to look out the window.  We were all too excited and we realized that the morning would sadly bring rain...

But it was lovely while it lasted...

Happy Snow Day!

Frychik

Morning rambles...

I woke up this morning at 5:30 to peer out my window in hopes of seeing a white landscape...

I need to move to Maine...

I woke up again at 7:00 am to make the boys lunch...they are headed up to the  mountain today with a friend.  I'm always nervous when they go up without me...I guess there is a part of me that believes that I'm the only one who can keep them safe...

I have registered for my third Masters class -

Historiography = This course is the study of historical thought from its emergence in the classical world to the present. Students concentrate on how history has been interpreted, rather the facts of history themselves as well as contemplate the fundamental questions about the nature of history, and investigate the relationships between theory and evidence in historical writing. Emphasis is on the narratives historians have used to reconstruct the past, and the major historiographical schools of thought that have developed over time.

Sounds exciting huh!

On Wednesday I begin teaching Seniors US Government.  I love teaching government and Seniors so I'm excited about it.  I'm not excited about going in 5 days a week.  Previously I had the luxury of dedicating Mon/Wed to studying for my classes and/or mommy/wifely duties and occasionally personal pursuits such as lunch with my mom or photography...

I'm more and more drawn to photography.  I have really enjoyed participating in Capture Clark County and I realize there is a photographer community out there I just need to figure out how to jump into it...I'm realizing I'm very good at articulating what I want and very bad at figuring out the steps necessary to accomplish what I want...

Today a friend is coming over to pick out a picture or two for her walls...my Mom has chosen some for her walls as well.  Someone else just recently suggested I print some up for another wall...I'm thrilled but I also feel like there are far better...that is where I always stop myself...

Thanks for letting me ramble...

Frychik

FLS - Book club

 Last night was book club at Renee's house.  The first thing I noticed was the maple bars...I have no control when there is a maple bar within reach...I called dibs and then felt selfish when the other "ladies" (of which I apparently am not) waited demurely to see if anyone else wanted their choice of donut...noticing this and fearing for my reputation I gallantly cut my maple bar in half (huge sacrifice! But admittedly the right thing to do for many reasons!) placing the other half back on the plate.  However, I'm jumping ahead and that was on a very small part of our lovely book club evening...

 First of all Suzanne looking up at me asked "why are you so tall!?" or something along those lines to which I replied (looking down) "its not so great when you are the towering giant in every picture!" She quickly found a step ladder, climbed up and we posed for this picture being the same height :)  (love ya!)

 Yummy food + wonderful friends = the perfect book club!

Judy found a friend above the fireplace :)

Sorry about these pictures ladies but since this is my blog and I obviously didn't take the pictures and only about 6 people read I decided to share these not so glamorous shots :)  I noticed I seem to have some sort of effect (affect?) on people seated near me last night as I revealed the next book?  Apparently I'm terribly funny :)  Enough said....

 And yes, I'm very confident at this point in life that I have picked a memorable book for our next read!  I have never read it and as I stated last night for some reason picking the book this time stressed me out (what if they don't like it!) So in desperation I searched the shelves of Powell's and for whatever reason settled for this one (it was in the literature section.) 

Seconds, after revealing the book I heard the first comment, "There aren't any paragraphs!" and then I casually commented that yes after purchasing said book I did read online that there is a certain lack of punctuation in the book...I can't imagine why I would have been drawn to such a thing?

Frychik

Finals

So it's finals week around here.
For Ty it is his first finals week and he told me last night that he was stressed. While I did try to comfort him I don't really feel sorry for him...it is a normal part of life and...its good for him :)
Josh seems to be taking these tests seriously as well.  I like to see my kiddos working.  I hope it pays off :)

So for the next three days the boys will be taking tests in the various subjects they have been learning since August and then next week we begin 2nd semester...

Half the school year is already gone!

Josh is well into his basketball season and so far the Kodiaks are undefeated! His offense is still weak but he does very well on defense all those years of swatting away soccer balls seems to have helped him in basketball.

Check out his wing span...

I begin teaching another class at CAA next week and on Feb 6 I begin my third Masters class...so I've been enjoying a break for a few weeks trying to squeeze in time for picture taking, reading and cooking for my boys (nothing makes them happier than a hot meal)

This is the look I get from my boy when I show up to take a picture of him... :)


My favorite pic of Jeff right now...

It generated a few laughs when I posted it on FB.  For those of who don't know we had a unplanned fire drill right in the middle of church. It turns out a 2 year old in his grandpa's arms is taking the blame for it...that's Jeff's story and he's sticking to it! :)
Things I'm looking forward to today

1. My last "day off" because next week I will have classes to teach 5 days a week
2.  Getting a hair cut and that Tyler is getting a hair cut!
3.  Book club tonight!!!!!!!!!

I sincerely hope you have things you are looking forward to today :)

Frychik

My morning...

The first thing I heard at 6 am was the one of my offspring banging around and then the shower turning on...
Since they don't have school until 8:50 today I wondered "what the heck?" and rolled over...
Then my husband got up at some point and banged around and I thought "what the heck?" and rolled over...
Then my husband was waking me up and I thought "go away!" But then I thought better of it and asked what time it was, and he informed me it was 7:15 and all of the hot water was gone...

Have you ever done that?  Woken up earlier than planned and then fall back to sleep for what you swear is only moments to find an hour has gone by...

The hot water is a big issue around here!  We have plenty! I mean lots and lots of hot water... We have had as many as 8 people take REASONABLE showers and all were toasty in the process.

However, I have the biggest hot water HOGS on the planet! My husband and I have tried everything to convince the brats to take 10 min showers.  Honesty what are they doing in there!!!!!!!!!!!!  I have long hair which needs washing, conditioning, I have unwanted body hair that needs shaving (sorry) and I can accomplish all that in 10 min...

Josh and Ty are the only ones who had hot water this morning...by the time Jeff took his shower it was only lukewarm which means I'm still waiting for my shower...

Which meant I drove the kids to school in my jammies and then I decided a SB Chai sounded delightful and drove to SB in my jammies.  As I was driving I thought of my Grandma who always warned to never go out without clean underwear in case you were in an accident (???) and I thought how appalled my Grandma would be to know I was out and about without any underwear (again sorry TMI!)
But then I thought if I do get into an accident it is the boys fault for HOGGING the hot water!

Happily I managed to pick up my chai and make it home safely all the while singing along to my new Adele CD

and now for my hot shower...

Frychik

2011-2012

We were invited to some friend's home for a New Years Eve party.  We ended the new year with games, laughter food and of course watching the ball drop with Dick Clark.

I kissed my husband at midnight and wondered what 2012 would bring for us...
I'm a worrier and I have to admit I didn't entirely look to the future brimming with confidence but I am hopeful!

It was an odd New Year because the boys were elsewhere...
Not only where they elsewhere Josh was doing the driving and I was nervous...
Its a hard thing to let go...not because I don't trust my son because I do...because of the idiots who drink and drive
It didn't help that we were celebrating with a fireman, who after finding out I was nervous about my kids being out an about on their own, made the causal observation that the national statistics for drunk drivers on New Years is 1 in 3- drivers are drunk...

Thankfully, we all made it home and were tucked into our beds by 1 am
and up again at 6:30 am to do some skiing...

I was seriously questioning this decision at 6:30 am because I was TIRED!
But I began feeling better about things when we saw this...

The wind had been howling all the way up the mountain and I was worried that the weather would be miserably cold but as soon as we turned to the south side of the mountain everything calmed down

If you were on FB yesterday you probably noticed I posted just a few times how great it was... Fresh snow and sunshine!  It totally made it worth getting up for!

I wished more than once that I had my camera with me.  The views were amazing! That is Jefferson and the 3 Sisters off to the South.



Yes, Josh was with us but never when I had my phone out taking pictures :(

It was a great way to begin the year.  Just the family and a mountain full of snow and sunshine :)

Here's hoping 2012 is a good year!

Happy New Year!

Frychik