Going back through older posts...

So, I went back through some of my older posts just to see what I'd talked about in the past. I found a post on tofu and how much I thought I didn't like it. I remember trying tofu a long time ago and not liking it very much. But, more recently, my husband used tofu in a recipe with chicken and he chopped it so fine I never even noticed it. So, I guess I like it now, especially if it's chopped really fine.

Another interesting topic I'd discussed was meeting biological family members and getting to know them. During all of this, my relationship with my father has not changed. I haven't spoken with him very much, I'm not sure why. And to me, that's sad. I miss him, and don't want him living there anymore. I want to get to know him better, have a real father-daughter relationship with him, and that's hard to do long distance - which anybody would understand. So, over the past couple of weeks I have been discussing the subject with my husband, wondering if he'd be open to the possibility of having my father move in with us for the duration - essentially the rest of my father's natural life.

He hasn't exactly said 'yes' to the idea, but he hasn't said 'no' either. So I still need to find out if having Harry move here is a viable option. We are certainly NOT moving to Libby, MT. We like where we are, James is about ready to start his job w/the post office, I'm a teacher's aide at my daughters school and she will be entering the third grade come August of this year. I already have her teacher decided on, she knows she'll finally be upstairs and is looking forward to staying with all of her friends and classmates. I'd hate to disappoint her by picking up and moving to what I would consider a 'foreign' town . It's windy, cold and snowy for long periods of time in MT and I am (after 10 years in a very sunshiny state) not willing to go back into the deep freeze. Not now, not ever.

That being said, this post has been concluded.

Beginning of Day Two of Babysitting

Babysitting, in all honesty, seems like such a 'babyish' term, especially when one is babysitting an 8 year old girl. So, I guess I should say 'watching' or some other more eloquent term.

The girls had a bit of hashbrowns, with a little extra sharp cheddar cheese melted on top and a glass of fresh-squeezed grapefruit juice (yup, the girls decided they'd pick 17 grapefruits off a neighbor's tree and I didn't like the idea - so I told them they had to squeeze the juice out of them! In hopes that they won't do it again). I rinsed them off and cut them in half, gave them a bowl for the juice and two big spoons to help them get the pulp and juice out. I put down a big plastic bag underneath everything on the kitchen table so that if they did make a mess clean-up would be effortless - and it was. I sent them on their merry way to play outside while I strained the seeds and pulp out and into a pitcher. I added some sugar and put it in the refrigerator to get cold overnight. I told them they could have some tomorrow (ok, now today).

Now, on day two the girls are watching yet another movie and eating a healthy snack (they must be growing as they seem to be hungry almost all the time!) of chocolate graham cracker Goldfish. Which, by the way, they both seem to love!

I will end here, for the moment...

End of Day One Babysitting

So...Sierra has been gone for about 4 hours now. Carli has fallen asleep on the couch watching 'Coraline'. This is the second time today she's watched it, me too. I love the movie. I remember when we had it on Netflix - we watched it over and over and over. Anyway...you get the point.

Sierra was a very good little girl...she seemed to be on her best behavior. She even tried her darnedest to get Carli to act better. It was pretty cute really.

The girls got along better than I expected, considering both of them are 'only' children. They were able to share their toys and work together on the rubber jewelry kit Sierra brought. I'll have to put it outside tomorrow, as it still has not dried out enough.

So ends Day One of a Four Day journey.

Beginning of Spring Break - Monday edition

Today marks the beginning of the next four days of Sierra coming to stay with us while her mom Alice goes to school to become a massage therapist. So far things are going well, both girls are getting along nicely and sitting quietly together on the couch watching 'Coraline'. Carli has seen it already, but Sierra has not. So it's fun to watch her reactions to what's going on.

Alice dropped off quite a few movies (dvd form) which will help out a lot. I have plans for the girls tomorrow and Wednesday. I'm hoping my girlfriends will come through for me and join me. It'd be more fun to have adult company when I'm out and about. I can do this by myself, but I'd rather not have to.

Well, I suppose I'd better wrap this up and go get breakfast. I'm starving and have only had coffee so far.

Thanks for reading!

Weekend Edition

Here I sit, watching (ok, listening) to the t.v. and also hearing my precocious 7 year old pretend to cry because she wants to be carried to bed, instead of walking herself there. Well, she is just going to have to wait, dad is busy on his computer and I am diligently busy on mine. She has her 'benny' blanket in her hands - one she has had since she was an infant and loves it to pieces. It's starting to tatter now - imagine that after all these years.

I have been going through other blogs on here and even found a few that I would like to (and am actively) following. Some I have done anonymously, and others where I have let it be known who I am. Not that anyone would care, but it's fun to scroll through and see what others write, how they write and what they think.

I've been blogging on here for quite some time now...a year or longer, I think. My husband just started posting the other day and already has three followers - me among them. He's doing quite well at it, I'm proud of him. Really I am.

Friday, March 12, 2010 and beyond

Yay, the override passed! What that means, for me exactly, I'm not quite sure. Good news is all the teachers at my school will have jobs come next year, provided they want to continue teaching. Some may retire, others may return. It's up to them.

As for what else is going on next week during Spring Break, well, let me tell you! Since Carli and I are not in school/at work, I was wondering how I was going to keep my precocious 7 year old entertained for 5 days (well, 9 if you count the weekend before and after). When I noticed a friend of mine on Facebook was searching for someone to watch her precocious 8 year old, I decided to take her up on it. These two attended Summer School together and became fast friends, so much so you'd think that these two had grown up together and had known each other forever.

It's going to be interesting for me to have two children in my home, especially since I'm used to having only one child. I hope they are able to entertain each other without serious repercussions (fighting, basically not getting along). They are both pretty much only children and are not used to sharing their personal belongings with others. It will be definitely interesting, that's for sure.

Any thoughts and/or comments would be greatly appreciated.

Sunday Edition - March 7, 2010

Once again, it's Sunday. It's been an interesting week at work because things are coming down the pike about the states budget. We might have funding for one more year for teachers, instructional assistants and administrative staffing. Provided the override for Tempe passes on March 9th. If it doesn't, some will be out of work. Teachers included perhaps. And that's sad. I hope it passes because I would like to be able to continue working where I am. I love my job and my co-workers are some of the best to work with. I consider myself very lucky to be a part of the Holdeman Family. We're voting 'Yes' for the override. I hope other Tempe residents will consider doing the same.