Preschool Projects!

As you might have guessed by now I've been having a lot of fun helping teach the afternoon preschool class associated with the local school.  We've done a bunch of projects during the year that I have enjoyed tremendously, but I have to admit the last few weeks have been even more amazing.

First we got a tadpole for the class around St. Patricks Day.  This isn't just any tadpole, this is OUR tadpole and he'll eventually turn into a water frog.  And OUR tadpole is named Leprechaun Flower (told you it was close to St. Paddy's Day when we got it). Now I've never heard of a water frog but he's pretty neat looking. He started out no longer than half an inch and probably a quarter of an inch wide, pale green brown, huge buggy eyes, and whiskers like a cat fish.  Now hes almost two inches long, super chubby, finally has back legs and he's now starting to use his back legs to help swim.  I swear he has a Buddha belly though we're definitely not feeding him more than he's supposed to get.  Hopefully he'll get front legs before too much longer and start losing his tail before preschool gets out for the year.  Each day the kids come into check his progress and make sure he's doing well.  All of them are commenting about how he's using his back legs and how much bigger he's gotten.  Apparently, he will always live in the water, contrary to most frogs, and will keep the catfish whiskers as well.  I'm really curious about what he'll end up looking like and can't wait to find out.  He's been a great mascot for our little kiddos this spring.

Secondly, because it is indeed spring, Meredith ordered a caterpillar kit for the preschool.  This kit arrived the first week of April and included 5 brown stripped caterpillars that were sooooo itty bitty.  For two weeks we watched them eat and eat and eat and eat some more, much like "The Very Hungry Caterpillar" which we read of course multiple times.  Then we watched them shed there skin once and start building a cocoon.  We then moved the cocoons to a special hatching tent and for the past two weeks have been anticipated their "coming out" as butterflies.  Well as luck would have it, Tuesday the first ones came out and of course the kids were enthralled!  We haven't named them all yet but I'm sure we'll get around to it once they are all out and about.  I think one of them died though because the cocoon started to crack and the wings started to come out but it's stayed that way for the past 3 days now and I don't think that bodes well.  Guess we'll just have to wait and see.  Next week we'll release them all and let them go on their merry way to find food on their own and hopefully lay some eggs.  Its been a great example of the life cycle for these guys and we've really had an awesome time with the whole process.

Lastly, we've been working for the past 3 days of preschool class on our Mothers Day gifts.  Now at Christmas the kids each made gifts for their parents in class and were hyped up about that... but that was nothing in comparison to how giddy they are about this project.  Each child made a fancy jar by coating them with glue and rolling the jar in multicolored glitter (made the jars look like jewels).  Next we made our own lavender scented bath salts that we filled the jars with.  Then each child made a card that was in the shape of a teapot and attached yummy flavored tea bags to so that mom and kiddo can have a tea party together.  All in all it was a great gift and they were all super excited to take them home today and give them to their Mom's on Sunday.  We made a huge batch of bath salts and I was lucky enough to get to bring home the left overs which I'm psyched about using. 

Here's the recipe if you are interested
3 cup baking soda
3 cup Epsom's Salts
4 tablespoon mineral oil
1/2 teaspoon of lavender oil or other scent of your choice
Mix this all up... let it dry a bit... put it in an air tight container and use to your hearts content

Yep... good times are being had by all (me included)!!!!

May Already?

I swear as I get older the years slip by faster and faster.  It honestly feels like only a few weeks ago that 2012 began and yet the calender says that it is May already.  Where does the time go?  Granted I've been keeping busy and my days are full but it still doesn't seem like it should be this far into the "new" year.  My month of May is nothing but black ink on a calender with something different going on almost every day. 

Between subbing, house sitting, teaching at the preschool, applying/interviewing for wildlife jobs, and starting a new nannying position ,my calender has literally turned into a collection of black ink marks and scribblings.  I literally have to check it every morning to see what I'm doing that day. I'm reminded of my friend Mollie's planner while we were in college.  I used to tease her about it whenever I saw it because there truly wasn't a spare section of paper on any given day that wasn't filled with things she was doing. Apparently I'm getting old enough that I can't remember exactly what I'm doing day to day like I used to. 

While I'm thankful and grateful for all the opportunities I've had I would love to get back to a situation where I have some consistency in the things I'm doing and even better yet if it was in my career field again.  I know it will happen... just has to be when the time is right I suppose.  I'm back to getting responses on my applications and interview opportunities so something has got to give.  It just seems like it was an awfully "dry" winter in that regard.  At least I was able to use my down time this winter to good use.  After a year of plodding through it I've lost 75 lbs and am still trying to do more.  Wish me luck.

Hello 14!!!!

After a year of kicking my own butt in work outs and better eating habits I'm suddenly excited about shopping for a new pair of jeans.  Frankly its disgusting to me to think how I'd let myself go and got so big.  I'd like to think that it was all from stress, dealing with dads death (or not dealing so well with it as the case may be), and whatever other factors may have contributed to the weight gain but those excuses are just like butt cracks... everyone's got one.  The plain and simple truth is I got lazy and didn't care.  So its been a struggle to get back to healthy mental state where I could bear down and just get it done. 

Last April I was up to a whopping size 22 (and at that point I'd actually lost some weight) but as of today I'll be shopping for a size 14 jean because my old 16's are literally falling off my butt and I don't have a decent pair anymore that are okay for work.  I haven't been this small in years, not even in college.  I say small but know compared to the rest of the world I'm still a "big girl" and probably will always be.  And I'm okay with that but its nice to get back to feeling good and having the energy that I used to have.  I'm still working at it and would like to lose another 30 lbs by the end of this year.  But that's just my next goal and I don't feel like its beyond my reach. 

I do wish there was a gym in town for me to go to because its so much harder to motivate yourself when you are home working out rather than going and forcing yourself in a separate location.  I mean the couch and fridge are literally only a few feet away.  Its also hard when you don't have a buddy to work out with.  But maybe that will make me all the stronger in the end.  I also wish the local store carried healthy food options that I could afford.  I love fresh fruit and veggies and I only get to Missoula or Sandpoint about once every 3-4 months or so if I'm lucky and the local store barely gets iceberg lettuce and tomatoes in every week.  But at least today is a Sandpoint trip day and I've got a list a mile long for yummy/healthy foods: snow peas, broccoli, carrots, asparagus,spinach, zucchini, squash, grapefruit, oranges, etc etc.    Also planning on picking up a new set of free weights for my workouts.  I have a set of 5lbers and they are getting to easy to use so its time to either go up to 7lbers or maybe even 10 but I know too much is going to hurt for a while. 

Happy Dalmation!

Mace and I decided yesterday afternoon that we needed to go get some wood for next winter.  You may be asking yourself... "why are they getting wood in April?"  Well the simple truth is its easier to do now than in the middle of a hot Montana summer and frankly we are both so tired of being in the house.  So we packed up the saws, the splitting maul, and our ever faithful dalmatian, Cassie, in the truck and went up to Miton Peak to find some downed larch and red fir. 

Cassie has been showing her age lately and we're starting to worry. Its sad to see a member of your family get old and know there is that inevitable end coming around the corner.  I don't think she has any concerning ailments but she is slowing down and starting to sleep more than be active.  I guess that's what happens when you are almost 12 (84 in dog years).  But she always perks up when she gets to ride in the ol' truck and is even happier when she gets to sniff around in the woods while we're sawing and loading wood.  When she was younger she'd actually go explore a bit but these days she just likes to prowl around the edges of the road and maybe venture up a hill about 20 feet away from us.  I know that she loves the new smells and the change from our yard but she also knows her limitations.  I'm always afraid that she'll decide to go exploring again and wind up being some mountain lion's or bear's lunch so I keep an eye out for her.  She usually stays within eyerange anymore so my job has gotten quite a bit easier over the last few years.  But the main thing is even though she's is getting old she still loves to go out and see new and interesting things.  I mean just look at the smile on this ol girl!

Keeping Busy

The last year hasn't been especially easy for me.  I've been trying to find a new job and in the mean time I feel like I've been floundering a bit.  But I've been blessed by good fortunes as well and have been able to work with people that I otherwise would never have met. 

First and foremost I've been teaching at the local preschool 2 days a week with a wonderful woman by the name of Meredith Sterling.  She is by far one of the sweetest people I've ever had the pleasure to encounter.  The kind of person that would literally give you the shirt of her own back if it would help in any way.  I've been able to open up to her about stresses in my life and issues I have living in such a small community with so little in the form of intellectual stimulation. She has gone out of her way to share her own experiences and struggles since she grew up in a community near Chicago and found aspects of living here difficult as well.  She has also invited me to join her scrap booking club and although I'm definitely a newbie I've felt welcomed and right at home with the group that has been meeting for years.  I've been having a lot of fun getting some of my artistic and creative juices flowing again and have gotten into sketching and photography again to add bits and pieces to my scrapbooks and journals.  So to Meredith I must give you a great big thank you for these opportunities and the motivation to pick myself up by my bootstraps.

As luck would have it she also introduced me to her husband Bruce who is the District Wildlife Biologist for Sanders County for Montana Fish Wildlife And Parks.  I've been able to go out with Bruce and keep my hands in the wildlife pool and gain some connections and experiences that I have been missing.  He has been sharing tidbits of information and also telling me about how he started out.  We also have a lot in common since he grew up in Rawlins.  Granted there is a good 30 year age difference but when it comes to stuff in Wyoming if you've lived there in the last 70 years you feel a connection to other residents.  He's been trying to get me out in the field with him as much as possible so I can add new and different experiences and skills to my resume to make me more appealing to future employers.  I love that I can ask him anything under the sun and he is more than willing to discuss and share any and all information he has.  I look up to him like a mentor and appreciate everything he has done and how hard he works in his own job for the state.  Again I can't thank him enough for that.

Lastly I've been lucky enough to be subbing at the local grade school about 4 days a week for the last 4 months which has been an absolute god send... both for paying the bills and just for keeping me busy and not fretting over the small stuff in life.  I've gotten to know the staff and the kids at the school and actually feel like I'm contributing.  My favorite days are the ones that I get to sub for the math and science teachers because I get the sense the kids struggle the most with these classes and I know how that feels.  Even though I pursued and education and a career that is heavily tethered to the sciences I always have had to work so much harder in these areas than others like English, history, language arts, etc in school.  I've actually been able to help some of these kids understand formulas and incorporate some of what they are studying to real life applications.  They seem to be getting it and are challenging themselves more each time I go in there which is amazing to see firsthand.  I have a greater appreciation for the amazing teachers I had growing up and how much effort they really put in.

So even though I've had these odd ups and downs I can see the good in my life and just wanted to take a moment to really reflect on it.

Under The Weather

Back in October I got my annual flu shot and while I complained then about how bad the nurse was who gave it too me I have to say I still appreciate the positive effects the flu shot has on my overall heath during cold and flu season. Unfortunately my dear sweet fiance chose not to get a flu shot this year since he had had some bad reactions from it the last few years he'd gotten it. Mace has a somewhat compromised immune system to start with so I figured that if I at least got the shot then maybe the chance of bringing home any bad bugs would be eliminated or significantly reduced anyway.

It seemed like that plan was working, or at least it was until this past week. I had been subbing over at the school everyday for 3 weeks straight because a really nasty bug was floating around town and everyone in school had gotten it. Teachers were out for a week at a time and the student population was literally cut in half. For me it was great because it gave me an opportunity to get some great hours in at the school and I love working there with the kids. The bad news was that at the end of that 3 weeks my immune system finally called it quits and I came down with the bad bug as well (thankfully it wasn't nearly as bad for me though as it had been for everyone else). In turn that also ment I brought Mr. Bad Bug home with me.

While I was only sick for the weekend and a couple days early the following week, Mace started to feel icky as soon as I was turning the corner and he is still down and out. Its been over a week and I feel so bad for him. His chest is congested and tight, his throat is so sore he cant even talk, and his head is stuffed up like crazy. This is the most miserable I've seen him for years and I was the cause of it. So for the past week I've been playing nurse maid and trying to get him to feeling better but to no avail. All my at home remedies aren't doing him any good. I do believe that if he isn't feeling any better tomorrow morning I'm going to put my foot down and take him to the doctor. I'm worried that he might be dealing with walking pneumonia (something that a few of the other folks in town have contracted) and I don't want him getting any worse.

Big Game Anticipation!

In my lifetime there have been a number of Superbowl games that I've really enjoyed and I am hoping that today's game between the New York Giants and the New England Patriots can join that list. Now you may be wondering why I have any interest in this game at all since typically I don't root for East Coast teams. I'm a tried and true Bronco fan and should be all worked up that my boys in blue and orange didn't make it to the big game. While a part of me is sad that Tebow didn't make it clear through the playoff unscathed I have faith that he and the Bronc's will be back next year and with more experience under that young teams belt will do even better. In other words I'm excited for their future and not disappointed in their past season what so ever.

So that brings us back to today's game and why I'm so excited for it. Its pretty simple actually, I HATE the New England Patriots, Tom Brady, and the grand cheater himself Bill Belichek. I know that hate is a strong word and should be used sparingly so I will redefine this hatred in football life only. I can remember as a kid the Patriots going to Superbowl after Superbowl and it would be a complete blowout. The other team I put into this category of hatred is the Dallas Cowboys for the exact same reason. While I look at the Pats as all that is evil and wrong in the world of professional football today I see the Giants in the opposite light. A few years ago New York was in an uprage over how the team was being coached, who the quarterback was etc. And yet both Tom Coughlan and Eli Manning have withstood these barrages from their own fans with grace and humility and have come out on top. Coming from a small school I have the tendency to root for the underdog or those that people have serious doubts about, especially if they comport themselves with dignity. I've seen the Giants as a whole do just that and so of course I'm on their side today.

There has been this tiresome debate this year as to whether or not Eli Manning is an "Elite" quarterback. When the heck did this turn of phrase come into existence? From what I have seen from Eli as well as his older brother Patton I can't imagine anyone questioning whether or not these two individuals are elite both on and off the football field. I love watching their interviews because even though their teams would be completely different (and not nearly as successful without them-- as we saw this year with the Colt's 2 win season) they are always putting their teammates accomplishments above their own and never say a bad word about anyone they encounter. I've always thought that football players were in a very unique position to be mentors and heroes to the millions of children in our country but so few players comport themselves in such a way as to be that good example. The Manning brothers however are people I'd gladly have my own children one day emulate. I think their parents raised them right. So today I wish the Giants well and I truly look forward to watching them beat the Pats yet again in a Superbowl.