zoo pics

I love San Diego. Pictures from our trip to the zoo:



L pretending to be shy.








Hand prints.








Blurry but cute.








L and the gorilla.








Checking her out.








The family








L goes exploring.








Hippo kisses.








On the hippo. The woman in back is my good friend who invited us to the zoo with her free passes.








J shows off his new talent of taking a few steps.








J practicing his other talent: falling.








Naptime.








Me & my baby








On the skyfari.








Wishing it wouldn't end.

math

Hooray! I passed a test this summer and am now "highly qualified" to teach high school math. This pretty much guarantees me a job in education for as long as I want it, wherever I go.

Little Colds

I cleaned out the medicine cabinet today because children under the age of 6 shouldn't be taking ANY kind of cold medicine, not even the pediatric cold medicines that were supposed to be safe for toddlers (see paragraph 8 of this article buried in the NY Times). I truly hate recalls--glad they recall dangerous things, but I wish they would be safe in the first place.

picking up speed

T -7 days and counting. As I type, one of the astronauts orbiting the Earth right now is a graduate from my high school. I hope they land safely.

Day 2 of New Teacher Workshops has concluded with a lovely bus tour of the district. Actually, it was a good idea and gave me a chance to see my town from a different perspective. Tomorrow I will learn about "Highly Effective Questioning." For some reason, I'm looking forward to it.

Monday was thus my last day of freedom. It truly was free since we dropped off L and J at daycare. I spoiled myself mercilessly: went swimming, got a haircut, spent $100 on books (all eligible for reimbursement because I won a grant last year to buy a classroom library), grabbed a coffee with my husband, and even caught a matinée movie by myself. It was awesome. I chose to see the Bourne Ultimatum because I heard it was a good movie, rightly so. All action, enough plot to stand on (though not much more), and a main character who is very easy on the eyes. What is there not to like?

calm before the storm

Tomorrow is the first day of the rest of the year. J and L head off to daycare while I get in full back-to-school gear with 8-hr meetings. I'm betting we'll have a few breaks here and there.

screensaver

Am I the only one who thinks it's creepy to have a screensaver of missing children? Maybe seeing kids' faces on the back of a milk carton while you're eating breakfast isn't exactly pleasant, either. The intentions are good, but I still think this whole idea is a little twisted.

Could you survive ... ?

These are excerpts from a workshop inspired by Ruby Payne's "Framework for Understanding Poverty." Feel free to critique/add your own.

Check each item that you know how to do.

Could you survive in poverty?

___ I know which sections of town have the best garage sales.

___ I know how to get someone out of jail.

___ I know how to keep my clothes from being stolen at the laundry mat.

___ I know how to live without a checking account or credit card.

___ I know how to apply for and use WIC or food stamps.

Could you survive in the middle class?

___ I know how to get my children into piano lessons or soccer teams.

___ I know how to order at a nice restaurant.

___ I understand the difference between capital and interest on my home loan.

___ I know how to get a library card.

___ I know how to negotiate when buying a used car.

Could you survive in wealth?

___ I can read a menu in French, English, and another language.

___ I know who my preferred financial advisor, legal service, designer, domestic-employment service, and hairdresser are.

___ I am on the board of at least two charities.

___ I know the hidden rules of the private Gentleman's Clubs.

___ I know which services I prefer at a day spa.

L

2 weeks left to soak up the summer

35W

Photo by Jerry Holt of Star Tribune: Melissa Hughes clutches a child near the scene of the I-35@ bridge collapse; Melissa was driving the red car in the background.

I couldn't sleep last night. The majority of the friends and family I could reach are ok. I'm hoping beyond hope that the death toll will stay low, the injured will heal, and that the missing will be found.

Hearing this story of the bridge collapse in Minneapolis is devastating. The U of M rowing club docked just under the 10th Ave bridge a few hundred yards away on the East Bank. How many times have I jogged on the River Road on that West Bank, up to Hennepin? Not to mention that I used to live here.