Lovely day and some pics

There are few things better than the way I spent my day. Up early (ok, I could do without that) and did dishes with Grady's "help". Then our Sunday cinnamon rolls and off to church. Grady cried in the nursery when I left (as usual) but was having fun when I picked him up. Taylor had fun in Children's Church. I heard a good message.
After nap/rest time it was outside. I sat on the deck under the shade canopy and felt a cool breeze on my face while the scent of some majorly gorgeous roses floated on the air. I watched my kids play in the sand/water/yard and have some serious fun.
What a wonderful day.
Now, here are some photo collages for your viewing pleasure.

Taylor watching TV at one year old. Grady at 18 months. They sit so similarly!

Four years of Taylor standing with Daddy on her birthday!

Just my handsome Grady Boy!

Taylor looking snazzy in a new birthday outfit before church this morning!

Why 4 is the Perfect Age

Taken from the Chicago Tribune (by my friend and then I stole it from her!)

Five reasons that 4 is the perfect age
Leslie Postal, Tribune Newspapers May 24, 2009

Four is the perfect age. At least for my daughter, at least right now. And, yes, it's silly to say that because every age has its wonders, and besides no age lasts, well, more than a year. Still, I'm loving age 4, maybe more so the second time around because I realize how fleeting it is, how soon enough we'll be at 5 and then kindergarten and, oh, yikes. But now she's 4, and I love it.

Here's why:
1. Four delights in walks or bikes around the neighborhood. Four still loves to collect treasure (sticks, flowers, etc.) on these little jaunts. Four still reports with great enthusiasm that she met a neighbor -- or a neighbor's cat -- on her walk. Four walks holding your hand, happily.

2. Four has her own fashion sense. Four wears the hood from a Batman costume to the park and to the supermarket. In the latter, she asks with great innocence, "Why is everyone looking at me?"

3. Four sleeps through the night, is well past potty training and doesn't turn the house upside down when you take a shower. Four makes you miss your baby sometimes but delight in this little independent person she's become -- one who no longer needs you to tote around a small army's worth of supplies. Four still likes if you have snacks in your purse, though.

4. Four sings and dances, unabashedly. Four colors amazing pictures, with giant heads and stick bodies and big smiles. Four loves books and is into letters and numbers. Four can do puzzles and hang upside down on the monkey bars. Four makes you laugh when she threatens, "I'll put a duck on your head!"

5. Four is sweet and cuddly and full of over-the-top praises for everyone she loves. So, "You're the best Mom I've seen on Earth." The corollary to this is that Four is also brutally honest. To wit: "You have a big, giant bottom!"

I have a four year old!

I can't believe my baby is 4 today!!
Some pics from the way too many I took at her party!

Before her party! With her new fake 4 year old smile. :)

Time for cake!

She got a new swing set at Grandparents' house!

Grady wasn't into posing for this at all!

My pretty girl with her pretty flowers(weeds!)

Loving Ryan....

As all couples do, Ryan and I have our moments (good and bad) Right now, though, I'm loving him (well, I always do but you know what I mean) Tonight he told me his plan and then called Taylor in the room and asked her if she would like him to come pick her up from daycare at lunchtime on Tuesday (her birthday) and take her to McDs. She was thrilled and skipped away singing, "I get a special day with Daddy!" Awwww, melt my heart!
Tomorrow we're having her birthday party. She's 4 on Tuesday! Seriously, how is that possible!?!?
I wrote her (and Grady) letters when I was pregnant and on their 3,6,9, and 12 month birthdays and then every year. I need to write her 4 year old one but I'm tired tonight and my typing is suffering so I think I'll wait til my fingers are more awake!

Grady sings.....

Please ignore my bad hair and bad singing. I was getting ready to put Grady down for bed and he loves to sing.

Make photo slide shows at www.OneTrueMedia.com

Are you sick of high paid teachers?

I, for one, am sick and tired of those high paid teachers. Their hefty salaries are driving up taxes, and they only work nine or tenmonths a year!
It's time we put things in perspective and pay them for what theydo....baby-sit! We can get that for less than minimum wage.
That's right. I would give them $3.00 dollars an hour and only the hours they worked, not any of that silly planning time.
That would be $19.50 a day (7:45AM to 4:00 PM with 45 min. off for lunch). Each parent should pay$19.50 a day for these teachers to baby-sit their children.
Now, how many do they teach in a day... maybe 30?So that's 19.5 X 30 = $585.00 a day. But remember they only work180 days a year! I'm not going to pay them for any vacations.
Let's see. . . that's $585 x 180 = $105,300
Hold on! My calculator must need batteries!
What about those special teachers or the ones with master's degrees?
Well, we could pay them minimum wage just to be fair. Round it offto $7.00 an hour.
That would be $7 times 6-1/2 hours times 30 children times 180 days=$245,700.00 per year.
Wait a minute, there is something wrong here!
There sure is, duh!
Make a teacher smile, send this to him or her!

OMG!!! There are no words........

WARNING:
This could disturb some people so if sexual references bother you, stop reading.



In the interest of not identifying anyone in any manner, I won't go into details about the student or the parent. Suffice it to say that there are many issues in the home.
Ok, so the mom calls me yesterday and I was gone so at 8:30 am this morning I called her back. Long story short, there was a nasty song instead of ringing and then it clicked like she picked up but then all I heard was bath water splashing, major moaning and groaning (getting louder and louder and then softer and softer) and after listening for about a minute and realizing this wasn't a song but really her I figured out (with 99.99% suredness) that she was getting it on with herself in the tub and accidentally pushed answer on the phone rather than ignore. I quickly hung up and I've felt dirty all day!!!! :) I think I need therapy to get rid of the mental image and the audio in my mind!!!!! At least it was just her (from what I can tell) and I wasn't listening to the two of them (it's two women)!!!!! Seriously, I don't think I'll ever be able to top that one!!!!!

Not much to say

I haven't posted in a while. I just don't have a lot to say. I'm sort of in a funk. I'm ready to be out of school, I'm tired of my students acting like complete idiots, I'm tired of the crap that goes on at school. I'm ready for it to end.
My children are cute and do cute stuff but nothing blog worthy lately.
Taylor's bday is coming up. Planning the party and stuff.
My parents here tomorrow to watch kids. Probably will go to dinner for mother's day. Bday party for a friend of Taylor on Sat. at a bounce town type thing. Mother Daughter Tea with MIL and Taylor on Sat. evening. Church and dinner with inlaws on Sunday.
I'm signing Taylor up for a 4 week (once a week) dance class this summer to see how she likes it. She's doing all sorts of dancing and tumbling right now so I thought I'd take advantage of that.
That's about it. BLAH.