Rain

So the goal is just to write, even if I don't have much to say. It's been raining for the past two days which was really nice, it always cools the valley off. There has even been the nip of fall extremely briefly in the past couple mornings. Just in time for the first official day of fall!

Our washes & the river were flowing really nicely yesterday & today. Its funny how I took water for granted living in New England. Now I get so excited when I see it, I miss the ocean so much. This is just a mucky wash near my home, so not the same thing LOL.

Tomorrow is Yom Kippur, I am helping in the kitchen to help prepare the break fast after all of the services. I am also going to make an apple pie coffee cake for the break fast. I am slightly nervous because it is a new recipe & I am making it in the oven v. the crockpot. So we will have to see how it turns out.

School is going well, my Political Science class is a hoot, lots of interesting debates go on in there. Anatomy & Physiology are going really well, this week is the skeletal system. For the oral exam I recalled what I had learned 6 years ago at Cortiva so that was awesome. For history last week we had a pop quiz & I aced it, which was unexpected. To be honest, it was my Humanities course that really helped me pass the History pop quiz, they cover extremely similar material. Likewise the Philosophy course I took this summer, has so far been useful to my Political Science class.

Next week is my birthday & then four days after that Chavi turns thirteen I still can't believe I will be thirty-seven, when did I get so old!


    

K'Tiva V'Chatima Tova - May you be inscribed for a good year

L'shanah tovah! This is the time of year were we prepare ourselves for the end of one year, & make ready for the next. This past Monday was Rosh Hashanah, and this Wednesday we will celebrate Yom Kippur.

If there was an award for most inconsistent blogger I would win it. As much as I love writing, it is the first thing to get tossed overboard when my life gets hectic. So let's play a little game of catch up!

We are well into the fall semester in my household, & so far it seems to be going along gang busters. Chavi is a 7th grader & doing pretty well this year (knock on wood). He has aspirations of being a TA next semester for his favourite science teacher this is encouraging him to maintain an A/B average. He will be 13 next month & is preparing for his Bar Mitzvah ceremony. We have time though, his ceremony is not until 2016. He DID join the knitting club at school & he seems to be enjoying it. He is contemplating joining the gardening club as well, but that would require getting up even earlier on Tuesday mornings than he normally does.

J-bird is in the third grade & this is also his first year of Tuesday evening Hebrew school. He is very excited to be finally be with the big kids & has asked me about doing his Bar Mitzvah in Israel. That was a firm "we will see" from me. Also new for us this school year is J-Bird needing reading glasses! So far my forgetful little bird has managed not to lose them, which for him is a large accomplishment. Both boys were very happy with the chuggim (elective) that they were selected for at their religious school on Sundays. The drama chug suits them & their temperaments very well!

I am taking four classes this semester: Political Science, History of Mexicans in the Southwest, Humanities Intercultural Perspectives, and Biology A&P. I went with a wide range of methods as well I have a hybrid course, an online course, a self paced course, and a lecture course.  I can say my course load is keeping me on my toes! I was pretty proud of myself for getting all A's in my summer courses.

For Selichot this year we went on a hike with one of our Rabbi's, & a few other families. It was very brief just about two miles but the water was flowing nicely in Sabino Canyon. Unfortunately, the weather was so lovely all week long but  in true desert fashion decided to heat up again that morning. It was still a very nice outing though, we even saw a very cool desert tortoise crossing the path.

Something else we did this past summer that was a lot of fun was The Loft's Kid's Film Fest. It is a 100% free family event, they show one film a day for a little over a week. This year we were able to see Disney Nature's Bears, The Goonies (my two night owls feel fast asleep), & a Mary Poppins sing-along! They always have a cool craft going on for the kids to do, free bike helmets, & each film has a theme, & a raffle prize. It is a really well planned, & crazy fun event.  Speaking of Sing-Alongs at The Loft we have been to FOUR this year (counting Mary Poppins)! We just love them to pieces.

My goals for myself this year are getting more involved in my community, and making my health a priority. So far since the middle of August I have lost a bit over 11 lbs! YAY go me! I am excited to continue this journey towards living a more healthy life.

I am continuing to be active in the Pima Community College Social Services Organization, & have joined the Veterans Student Association as well. At the synagogue I am in Chavi's 7th grade class Kiddush Club, am co-chairing the Purim festival, attending the Youth Education Council meetings, & making sure the Shabbat No'ar breakfasts go swimmingly. I also joined the PTA at their public school.

I think that it is going to be a really good school year, & I am looking forward to all the adventures my family will have over the next few months.

    

Weekend Roundup

This week was Valentine's Day & J-Bird helped me make these little treat bags for his class. We used several items from #Target's Dollar spot: pencils, erasers, & treat bags. Price wise the cost ended up being only a little more than we would normally spend, & I thought this was cuter. The bounce balls were the #1 most loved item according to J-Bird.

He also informed me that he is in love with a girl in his classroom. When I reminded him of our no girlfriend policy his response was "Ima, it's just puppy love, it is junior love!" The things he says just crack me up.

Chavi was a bit bummed out about his middle school Valentine's Day festivities (there were none). He reported that only the girls got anything, they either have boyfriends or they gave things to each other. He said people would think it was weird if the boys gave each other things too. That made me feel a little sad for him & the other boys feeling left out just based on their sex, & lack of a girlfriend. Although in our home 6th grade is still under the no girlfriend rule, he has a crush on a girl in his circle of friends. It seems both of my boys have girls & puppy love on their minds lately. I want to dive under the covers, chanting "I'm not ready, I'm not ready".

My parents gave both boys a DVD, Chavi was given The Sandlot. I love this movie, every time I hear the word forever in my mind (and sometimes out loud) I repeat it just like it is said in the film "FOOOOOREVVVERRR" Both boys think it is just an amazing story, & I can see it being played often in our home. Saturday evening they went outside to play some baseball. It involved a ton of loud spitting, a lot of strikes & a few really nice pitches. Watching them play was hilarious, I was dying of laughter on the inside. Even the gross spitting, it was all so dramatic as they played just like The Sandlot boys did.

It made me miss the way we used to play back in the 80's, do you remember playing with one large core group of neighborhood kids? I wish children still played like that.

Keeping this short this evening, I can feel a tension headache building. I am thinking a nice cup of herbal tea, and a warm compress on my eyes might help. Either way it can't hurt.

School & Other Randomly Assorted Thoughts

This winter I went BACK to school (yes again, I really, really want my BSW) My course work this semester is: Social Work 110, Psych 101, Spanish 101, & Writing 102. A ton of reading, exams, & research papers, not to mention one class wants AMA citation, another wants MLA *yikes* My Psych class is the hardest, it is just SO much being thrown at my brain in one go. All but one of them are hybrid courses, which is a whole new experience for me. Hybrid means a ton of work on the computer, with the added bonus of lecture times, & in-class work.

 My youngest asked me the other day why I forgot to buy him gum at the store. I explained to him that I have three peoples schedules bouncing around in my brain, sometimes things fall out. To be honest (or fair?) gum wasn't ranked high on my list of priorities, & he was right there with me so he forgot too. Still, I know the boys depend on my NOT forgetting (even little things like a new pack of gum), they need me to have Super Mom brain. Sometimes, I feel like they have Swiss Cheese for Brains Mom instead.

As a result of my going to school I spend a lot of time driving: to & from my school, each of the boy's schools, school events for all three of us, Synagogue events, Hebrew & Sunday school, etc. (so much time in my mom mobile, my music of choice is currently Taylor Swift on repeat.) It is a lot to keep track of all of the things, with no one to remind, or at the very least commiserate with me.

Writing things down, doesn't mean I won't forget, or double book, because I am so far from perfect (which I am at peace with, perfect is not ever going to be a goal of mine). It is not helping that winter, is the season I struggle most mental health/mood wise. To combat the mental fuzz, I put things in my phone, on the calendar hanging on the fridge, in my day planner, & on the white board. Being organized does not come easy to me, I am trying to learn though. Can you become type 'A' by sheer force of will? Ask me again in a year!

OH, & because I might be certifiable (I kid). I also joined the Social Services Student Organization at my campus, & I am on the Purim Festival committee at our Synagogue. Gold star points for moving out of my comfort zone, & getting involved on a deeper level.

My next step in the 'Take Control of Your Life, Be Better Organized, & Prepared' journey I am undertaking, is to write out a list of goals for myself. I am thinking short term, for just the next six months. I don't think I am quite ready for long term thoughts & that is okay.


    

A Very Brief Synopsis

I have been ignoring this blog.

Every time I think of updating I start to have anxiety and close the Mac. Long story short my marriage crashed and burned a little over a year ago. Then my car died just to add insult to injury. That sounds flippant. I don't mean it to be, but I also don't want to blast the gritty details all over the web. It was painful, and private.

I didn't want to just ignore it though, so there it is.

 At the end of June, I packed the little boys plus what could fit in the minivan, and we made a 3K journey across America. It was the scariest thing I have ever done, even now I can't believe I actually was brave enough to do it. Not so much the driving, or the camping, but leaving my old life.

Now here we are in our own little place, and our universe feels pretty peaceful most of the time. The boys are both in schools they love, and I am back in school too. I am finally finishing my degree, and pursuing a career in social work.




     

Hit the Ice

I scored some free tickets to the Providence Bruins game this past Sunday! Mr. G took the boys to their very first hockey game, & I met them right before the third period started (I work every weekend). We lost, but that's ok everyone had such a good time! The boys even got to see their first ice brawl, one of the Philly Penguins got into a fist fight with one of our guys on the ice.

I can't wait to take them to their first Boston Bruins game, they are going to love it! I asked Chavi if he still wanted to play hockey after seeing it in person & he said "YEAH!" I however am not sold on the idea, I think its just to aggressive for his personality. We will see how learning to skate goes though, he might surprise me.

Catching up to the New Year

It's been a while, I guess I am some what of a fail blogger *whoops*

This past summer all sorts of things happened: both boys spent a week at sleep away camp, Mr. G returned from his deployment, we spent the 4th of July in North Carolina, spent time at the Y, beach, zoo, & of course the library. J-Bird even got to go on a canoeing adventure with our friends!

Big changes happened this fall:
Chavi started middle school & decided to play the trumpet in band. J-Bird was placed in a collaborative classroom & is finally getting OT again at school.

Some changes for me too, I went back to work! I am now gainfully employed, at a popular chain of small grocery shops. I love it there, it is the perfect job for me, for right now. Working while fun, has also thrown our household into all sorts of chaos. It has taken a couple months, but we are figuring it out. So of course Mr. G was switched from days to overnights, adding even more fun to our household routine. I am learning to really love scheduling, I have a planner, a gigantic calendar, & a dry erase board just to keep us all on track. It works MOST of the time.

me: post long crazy day of work, the holidays get to be bananas in retail

OH, I learned how to can (finally) I took a two night workshop over at the URI outreach center. I can't believe I was so scared of it! Even the pressure canner is not so big & bad once you know how it all works. It is pretty simple basically, ALWAYS follow the instructions, & never get creative. Canning is not cooking.

Mr. G's parents & one of his brothers came up here in November. They got to experience a little bit of our Thanksgivukkah extravaganza, which was fun to share with them. The visit went really well, & for that I am happy.

We discovered Chavi has my vision so new glasses for him & the Durango met with an unfortunate demise.  We are now the proud owners of a new (to us) volvo, which was a win in my book.

I think that pretty much catches us all up! Coming up in the next couple of months will be a trip to D.C. & a visit from my Mother (which includes a trip to NYC for me) I could not be any more excited, hopefully 2014 will be an amazing year!

Hoping you are having a very dapper New Year so far!