The First Thanksgiving

I'm pretty sure most people can guess the things for which Chuck and I are grateful this year.

Topping the list is our healthy baby. It amazes me that I can still think about how much I love him and start to cry. I wonder how old he gets before this goes away. (A corollary to this is health insurance. Even though I complained a lot about my Kaiser doctors, fact is, Rhett cost us $5.)

Next on the list is our home. We love our house and it is perfect for us. I feel so happy to not regret this decision.

Then probably come the recession-proof, government jobs that we both have that enable us to own the home.

And for me? I'm grateful for the freezer. It might be my favorite thing in the house.

Bruno? Having TWO eyes.

Chuck? He's also grateful for Bruno's two eyes.

Everett? He's grateful for his girlfriend, the TV.
Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving.

P.S. About the top picture: you might wonder what is all over Rhett's sweater: blood. He was playing with an empty soda can and must have cut his tongue. We were on a walk with him in the carrier and didn't even notice. It was pretty sad. Way to make memories, baby.

P.P.S. That's my friend Camie in that first picture.  We sure like her.

Things That Make You Go Hmmm...

Here are some thing I've been pondering this week:

1) If you are a guy, do you know how to turban-wrap your hair after a shower?

2) Do you call these "nilla wafers" or "vanilla wafers"?
3) Is this a "truck" or a "semi"? (Werner is my favorite company, by the way. I think their colors are beautiful, in a marketing way, of course.)
4) On average, how many squares of toilet paper would you say you use to go number one?

5) If 1% milk is milk with 1% milkfat, what % milkfat is whole milk?

Answers to come...

Hey Chuck, Is Your Tongue Always Like That?

(e)Rin Tin Tin

Unless you took French, you probably don't know Tin Tin. But see if you can figure out why his picture is posted here next to mine...

Honestly, what is happening with my faux bangs? I never asked for these; they just appeared. And they're curled backwards almost exactly like my seventh grade Utah bangs. This can't be good.

Made for Monday

Draft snake. It really works!
Camie--Does the fabric look familiar? Other pieces will soon become a door stop.

Fish for a "Go Fish" game for my nephew's birthday. They have magnets in their noses and can be picked up with a magnetized fishing pole. (As seen here: http://memoirsofamommy.com/?p=31.)

Whose Fault?

Given this is C and E, I figured I could go ahead and post for a change. I do read the blog and the comments, but today a conversation at work has inspired me to go ahead and see what people outside of my high school math department think.

First off, a little bit of background is needed. I was sitting in the math office during lunch and 3 other teachers were discussing the pastors at their relative churches. One of them was talking about how their pastor's daughter was pregnant and how she was so impressed with the pastors wife when she stood up in front of the congregation and took 100% responsibility for her daughter's situation and that she felt as though she was too busy caring for everyone else and forgot her own. The teacher then added, "it is still in part [the pastors] fault too." When I heard this, I had to chime in. I asked, "why isn't it the children's fault?" This led to a fairly heated conversation about if a pastor's child isn't perfect is it okay for a congregation to lose respect for the pastor...etc.

As a parent, I know that e and I will do all in my power to do the best to teach Rhett and help him to make good decisions. If he makes poor choices, we will do our best to support him and help him to overcome mistakes and grow from them. If he makes mistakes would it be okay for people to judge me? Better yet, if I were a bishop would it be more okay then? If the prophet's children make mistakes would we judge him for that? Should our positions within the church change how we are looked at when our children make mistakes? According to those here at work, our opinions should change. I could see passing judgement on a leader for their own mistakes and shortcomings, but should the actions of children lead to judgement on the parents?

Laughing Rhettilda

Ever since swim class where Rhett was taught the Hokey Pokey, he can't stop laughing about it.

Maryland Doesn't 100% Suck

So I know I complain about Maryland, but honestly, autumn here is awesome. We're just passing the peak colors for leaves in our neighborhood and people are starting to get their leaves raked to the curb for the big county leaf vacuum to come. (Yes, there really is a big vacuum, Virginia.)









As much as I wish this last picture was staged, I have to admit that it wasn't. I was crouching to get a super sweet pic and gravity just got the best of me. I didn't think that was supposed to happen until I was at least 65.

How Much is Time With Chuck Worth?

Chuck is currently working on obtaining his administrator's certificate. When he finishes at the end of this school year, he'll be certified to be a vice-principal. In addition to the course work he's taking through the university, he has to take some classes through his school district. At the end of the first of these school district classes, there was a panel of recently-hired administrators, and a Q & A session was held. The thing that Chuck took away from this was that he (and I) should expect him to work 12-hour days, 12 months a year if/when he is an administrator.

Right now, Chuck leaves the house around 6:30 a.m. and comes home around 3:30 p.m. (nine-hour days). If I could have my way, I'd have him home eight minutes after the end of seventh period, but he has to do something he calls "prep." (Sounds made up to me but whatever.) The fact that I am home alone with Rhett until 3:30 is hard enough. But 6:30? Could I do it? Do I want to do it? And what about the effect on Rhett? We start his nighttime routine at 6:30. Chuck would walk through the door minutes before Rhett was put down for the night. They'd see each other only on weekends.

Becoming an administrator would bring to pass only one thing: more money. This difference in pay would give me the option to stay home completely if I ever desired. Or if I continued to work, it would give us bigger inputs for retirement, Rhett's college, home improvements, etc. I know having money doesn't bring happiness; but I strongly believe that not having enough money does bring unhappiness. The money becomes a big factor.

On the other hand, Chuck coming home at 6:30 would leave us almost no time to spend together as a family. He'd get home from work, Chuck would eat dinner (no way I can wait until 6:30), and Rhett would go to bed. That's it. Sure we'd have Saturdays, but is that enough? When I think about what I want for my child, I want him to know his Dad. I want them to spend time together, play in the back yard together, walk the dog together. And as a non-administrator, he has summers off. Sure he gets a job for six weeks, but it leaves us three weeks to do whatever we want. (Of course, we'd have no money to do anything...)

But how do you make this decision? Even now, I feel like our finances are very tight. The extra money would be wonderful. But at what cost?

Made for Monday

Upper-left: The quilt top for a Christmas table runner. I need time to garner enough courage to try the crazy binding.

Upper-right: Rhett's trick-or-treat bag. It should last another year or two.

Lower-left and lower-right: Halloween dresses for my niece and Ziggy-my-almost-niece, made from the same pattern as this dress.

P.S. Happy voting tomorrow!