I tell him I be doin' like pilates, make me sound more educated

Things I have been schooled on at school

At the beginning of the year I thought I had been handed the easiest most well behaved students ever. My rose colored glasses broke about a month ago. All of my classes really go just fine until I get to 6th and 8th period. Holy cannoli. I thought I had good classroom management, but I honestly have no flipping idea what to do when it comes to 8 (yes 8) BOYS who all gang up on me and act ridiculous.  They truly seem to have no respect for adults.  It's not just me they are like this with, their others teachers deal with it too.  I have lost my patience with them, which a teacher cannnooot do. But I did. You have to be an actor and be "on stage" all the time. They have seen my weakness and now exploit it. Oh Rachel why did you do that.

 I'm slowing getting back the reigns.  Luckily I have an empty classroom co-joined with mine through my storage closet. Each day this week I have made one of the lucky students go sit in there by himself the whole class. Finally...peace. Well "peace" is a loose definition for that class.  But I'll take what I can get.

On Tuesday I had an inner meltdown at the end of class. My first year of teaching I never even had one. This week I did. I wanted to kick them in the rear as they left my room. I was literally on the verge of tears in front of them. But I kept my cool.  When I got home however my mind was racing with all the things I wanted to scream at them.  So angry! Arrrrrggh!  Plus it didn't help that my house was a total wreck.

Thankfully I have sweetest husband ever. 

On Wednesday he took SUCH good care of me. He says he didn't do it for the thanks he'd receive and shushed me when I tried to thank him. So I won't go into all that he did for me. Just that it completely and utterly changed my attitude.  I felt like I could breathe normally again.

Classroom management is seriously more than half the battle with teaching.  If you've got a good plan, things will run like clock work.  

Yep this week I got schooled.  I pray for patience. 

 

as of lately...

Over the summer, August loomed over my head. I knew I had to go back to work and so I waited til the very possible last second to change my calendar to August. Then I refused to look at it.  Now that I have been working for about a month now...I have to say it is...livable. I am learning how to do things fast and trying to slow time for the important things.  Harrison's picture is my background on my school computer and I honestly get teary eyed almost every time I see it.  However I am very grateful to have good people to watch him for me.  It's hard enough leaving your kid, so having people you trust makes it so much better.

For now we seem to be in the swing of things.  I wake up, get ready, get harrison up, feed him, and then get to play with him til 8:30 when I drop him off.  Thank goodness for those extra hours in the morning.  They have saved my sanity and my health.  David is still working at the MTC as senior missionary training coordinator. He loves it.  He goes to school in the afternoon and is doing an internship every 3rd weekend at the hospital. Last weekend was his first shift and he came home smiling.  He works with patients who have just had heart attacks.  He is loving it.  It has helped light the fire again for the path to medical school (which has been long and grueling). 

David is still serving as ward clerk, which keeps him busy all Sunday and Tuesday nights. I am a counselor in the Young Women so I am gone on Wednesday nights for mutual...after a long day working. I am so jealous of stay at home moms out there. Enjoy the peace of being in one place and of being with your children.

We are honestly busier than we have ever been in our whole life.  Add a kid to the mix and life gets interesting. These have been the hardest weeks...ever.  But as busy and stressful as it is, it has been the biggest blessing in our lives to have our little Harrison. He is pure joy.  We love him.  

In other news, my sister is coming this week with her little mymy. I know she is coming to see her husband's family, but I don't care. I'm just glad I get to see her period =) I sure do miss her.

Oh have I mentioned I am illustrating a book?! So excited. It's one of my life goals so I am pretty pumped.  It is for my dad's cousin.  I've only done one illustration so far, but it is grrreat. Add that to my daily list of duties and I have no time. But it's ok!

Harrison does this funny sucking in of his bottom lip now. I love it.

 He is not into solids anymore, he barfs them up. But if I let him play with his spoon first his seems much more into it =)

 He is sitting all by himself now! I know here the chair is supporting him. But I had to get a picture of this.  This green chair is the puss on the face of our living room. It is gross and ugly, but David got it for free helping a guy move.  He wanted a "man" chair. It reclines and yes is comfortable, I'll give him that. But it is hideous and I don't know how to save it. I will live with it for now until we give it to another guy and his poor wife.

  

Harrison's tricks

Didn't I just give birth? What happened.   Harrison has some new skills now to boast. He is growing quite perfectly. Next post I'll try not to talk all about him, but no promises. He's basically my life.

 I started teaching again today. Wahhhh. Leaving him is SO so sad. I am trying to have a good attitude, but honestly I'm not good at it yet.  I try to put on the brave face but all I want to do is go home and snuggle with my baby.  Especially because his life seems to be happening in light speed. How does one find the balance of working and taking care of your family? Hopefully I don't have to do this long.

Until I get some other alternative, I will try to enjoy every single stinking second of this precious little boy.  He is honestly a very good baby.  He rarely cries and if he does it's for good reason.  He is a charmer and a flirt. It's EASY to make to smile and laugh. It's music to my ears.

He hasn't yet mastered sitting on his own, but he is oh so close.

 He's eating solids, namely rice cereal and carrots.  He does NOT like squash.

 He has figured out how to roll over, but I still haven't caught him in the act.  Usually it's at 2 in the morning and he's crammed against the side of the crib on his tummy.  But hey, he's doing it sort of.

 Usually he's twisted like so.  He's very good at the twisting.

 Expert at smiling, seriously...gerber baby much?

 This is his 5 month picture below...ahh sigh. He makes my heart melt.

shadow box memories

In the hospital the nurses gave us prints of Harrison boy's feet, the tiny blood pressure thing for his arm, and a host of other things.  At the time I thought, what am I gonna do with the tiny blood pressure thing? Ah ha! Shadow box!---> with all his little hospital things I don't want to part with.  This project took me literally like 5 minutes total.  I just used doubled sided tape and pins to hold everything in place. Easy and I plan to make one of these for all our future kiddos so I can stare at it and try to remember how little they were when they are old and getting married.  It's on the wall right outside our bedroom and I love it.  It's just missing a picture of him in the hospital and then I'll be happy.

 the little card they put in his crib with all his info

 his sweet little beanie and shirt which is actually 6 month size

 the blood pressure cuff, so tiny!

 I love this scrapbook paper, 12x12 to fit perfect in my 12x12 frame

 his hospital bracelet, chinn baby =)

we have a son.

Wow we have a son? Like a kid??? Sometimes it hits me when I'm in public and other people stop to coo at him, and then I realize they're doing it to my own kid! Ya, love those moments.

Little H is getting so big.  My arms get tired trying to hold him.  He is a hungry hungry boy.  We're going to try rice cereal with him soon and I have a feeling he will LOVE it.  Everything that gets into his hands ends up in his mouth.  Especially his clothes.  He grabs his shirts and pulls them in his mouth.  His mouth is a musical instrument.  He makes lots of noises and babbles to himself. I love it.  He is such a happy baby.  When he's not eating or sleeping, he's smiling and giggling.  Such a flirt with anyone who talks to him.  Being his mom is so awesome.

 and yes he does fuss like any baby, and I love his "fuss face" too. Cracks me up.

I love how he looks when he's sleeping.  I go in and spy on him when he naps.

Last Saturday we heard his first real laughter.  He had the giggles. Luckily we caught some on camera!  Flying in the air is his all time favorite game.

Reading

I thought I would have more time in my life when I wrote my last post.  Now that baby boy doesn't sleep all day like when he was a newborn, I find myself busy most of the day with him of course.  However I have found time while he's napping to make him a book to look at.  I've wanted some good baby books for him, but I haven't got around to getting any.  At the BYU bookstore I found they have lots of blank books! So I bought one that's perfect baby size and has hard pages so they can be chewed on etc.  It was only 2.60! So I started drawing in it with a black sharpie.  I really had no plan in mind I just drew random things in it.  I drew a picture of him, some lollipops, a whale, a lion, a shirt with buttons, a mother deer and fawn, and then a page with them all together.  It makes no sense, but he loves to look at it!

projects

I can't really stand to sit around and do nothing.  I've always walked fast, even if I'm not in a hurry.  Just feel like I gotta get somewhere and do something!  However I slowed down while being pregnant, and now with my little guy it makes me a little slower too.  Now that I find myself at home full time until the fall (when I teach again)...I'm wondering what to do with myself.  I've decided to make the most use of my time that I need a bucket list of things to complete before summer's over and a basic routine every day.  I've already finished some projects I'm excited about, but so many others I'd love to get started!  I used to have a chronic problem of starting things and not finishing.  I've mostly gotten over that habit, but there's still a few things I've delayed: in particular a painting of the Manti temple for my mom.  Started a long time ago and meant it to be a Christmas present.  Boy I suck. I'm gonna finish it mom I promise!!!!

things to do:

go camping
go to a rodeo
SWIM
go to a drive in movie
go to the hogle zoo
blow bubbles
fly a kite
read harry potter (never read them)
lay in a hammock
go to a play
go to yellowstone
be outside A LOT

PROJECTS to do:

finish my mom's painting
painting for Sam
finish harrison's room
paintings/pictures for our bedroom
work in our garden
Harrison's baby book
change our front door wreath
make cool awesome things for my art classroom:

• fabric banner
• painting for bulletin board
• felt flowers
• collaged pots for supplies

I did manage to finish one project: a mobile for Harrison's room.  It's just a ball of twisted aluminum wire that I started wrapped around a basketball.  Then I just twisted and turned wire around inside.  I cut out little bird-plane things from stiff orange felt and then hot glued them around it random places.  It hangs from fishing wire.  I've got to make it super secure so it doesn't come crashing down in his crib and poke him in the eye or something, but I love the way it turned out. WOO project complete.