New Hobby

After being home alone for a month and being nearly bored to death, I have taken on a new hobby. I thought once my kids were all in school, I would take up sewing, scrapbooking, biking, or something just for myself. But I just couldn't motivate myself to do any of the above things. I haven't even had the desire to get all my closets or digital pictures organized like I promised myself I would do when my kids were all in school.

It was such a rewarding experience to teach my four children to read. It has been kind of sad for me to finish up my boys' reading lessons. We aren't planning to have anymore children, so it made me sad to know this would be my last time teaching kids to read.

So what is my new hobby? Tutoring. I know it doesn't really sound like a hobby. But I love it. Over the summer I tutored a friend's set of twins. They were going into 6th grade and having a lot of trouble with reading and spelling. I borrowed the Barton Reading and Spelling program from a friend I knew in Hawaii. It gives step by step directions to teach children with dyslexia or other learning disabilities. I found teaching these twins to be very rewarding and the program greatly improved their reading, spelling, and confidence.

I would like to become a certified Barton tutor after I get more experience. So I volunteered to tutor children at our local elementary school. Now I have four new students to work with. I am excited to finally have something to do with all my "free" time. I hope to eventually make money with my tutoring, but for now I will just take another form of payment, the happiness I get from seeing these children finally succeed.

Too bad one was so darn cute!

Eric ran for Student Body President of his school last week. Armed with lots of candy, he set out to do the impossible-- break the streak of an all girl student body presidency for the last several years. He thought he had a good chance to win since there was only one other boy running and there were 5 girls running. He thought that the girls would split the girl votes and the boys would split the boy votes. Unfortunately for him, one of those girls was an adorable little blond girl that apparently half of the 6th grade boys have a crush on. Maybe things would have turned out differently if he could have run in 2nd grade when boys and girls still hated each other.

Anyway, we are very proud of him. He wrote and typed his entire speech himself with no help from us. Then he had to get up in front of several hundred students and give his speech. He did a great job. We are proud of Erin too. She showed Eric where her loyalties lie. She had a friend running for president also. But she became Eric's fourth grade campaign manager. She filled many treat bags, made posters, and tried to get her friends to all vote for Eric.

The following is Eric's speech

Hi, my name is Eric Perez, and I'm running for Student Body President. I'm running because I think I can make La Mesa a better place to be. I am responsible, respectful, and I don't like wasting any time. I also have several ideas. I think instead of class representatives voting on an idea, they should ask the class and the class should vote. I would also like to get a group of kids together to become hosts. They could show new kids where everything is and help them when they don't know what to do on a class assignment. When I was new to La Mesa, a few other students were a big help and I want everybody to have that experience at a new school.

At lunch time, when you finish eating you could go to a table and play board games. For recess I would like to get a big basket with ball, jump ropes, and other playground equipment. Also, I'd like to have a party day, where you have almost a full day of parties. We could also do a wall painting where everybody helps paint. It would be a good time to get to know each other and be creative. Another thing we could do is troop care packages. We could all write letters and draw pictures to send to the troops.

We could also do a mini-Olympics. There could be events like farthest kick, most baskets made in one minute, and other events like track and field. We could also give out prizes for spirit wear. Everybody who participates would get a piece of candy or a similar prize. At recess we could sell Popsicles and other desserts.

I would also like to donate money to fifth grade science camp. Science camp is a great place to learn and to have fun and I want all the fifth graders to be able to go.

So vote for me, Eric Perez and I'll make La Mesa a better place to be.

Politics

Mario says my blog should be about family and not politics. But I just have to say that I love John McCain's new running mate. She is no Mitt Romney but she is a strong woman with strong moral values. I love that he picked a running mate that shares my same conservative values. Way to go McCain!

McCain/Palen 2008

Hopefully we'll see Mitt again in 2012 or 2016!

What now?

My four kids have been in school for about 4 weeks now. They are all doing great. So by now, you would think every closet in my house would be organized, the bathrooms cleaned, all my digital pictures from the last 5 years put onto a portable hard drive, and several scrapbook pages completed. Unfortunately I haven't even touched all those "projects" that I have been putting off for years saying that I would get it all done when my kids go to kindergarten.

I can't even really account for most of my "kid-free" hours. I know several hours have been spent in kindergarten with my boys. Mario tells me to cut the apron strings. But I know that the teachers need lots of help. At first when they went to school, I wanted to be selfish with my free time and not volunteer more than once a week at the school. But as the days went by and I found myself volunteering more and more, I realized that is where I want to be. I want to be at school with my kids. The teachers appreciate the extra hands. So for now, I am content with pushing off all my projects and just spending lots of time with my kids in school doing whatever I can to make kindergarten great! I know that by fourth or fifth grade (maybe even earlier since they are boys) they won't want me to come close to their class. I may embarrass them with all my hugs and kisses in front of their friends.

So if any of you have been wondering what I have been up to since all my kids have gone to school......kindergarten and loving it!

Not as quiet as a mouse anymore!

Today after school, Nathan's kindergarten teacher came to tell me a funny story that happened in her class. Up until the last couple days, Nathan has been very quiet in his class. He rarely said a word unless the teacher called on him. With several rowdy boys in the class, I think she was glad to have one quiet boy.

Nathan's true personality came out today in class. Nathan had to use the bathroom. When he came out of the bathroom, the class was very quiet and sitting on the rug listening to the teacher. Nathan snuck around the corner and made a great big lion's roar as he pretended to pounce at his class.

Nathan's teacher told me she had to control herself from laughing aloud. She said it was so unexpected from such a quiet child like Nathan. I was crying from laughing so hard when she told me this story. It sounds like something he would do at home, but never at school. I guess it is good he is feeling more comfortable at school. But maybe he is a little too comfortable now.

Thank goodness his teacher has a lot of patience. I guess you have to when you teach a bunch of kindergartners.

Mario

That's what happens when I don't sign out of my blog and I go out for the evening. Mario got a hold of my blog.

Crush

I think about him day and night. I don't talk about it much, but I am so lucky to have Mario for a husband. He is simply the most wonderful thing that has ever happened to me-a gift from above. Yes, he's helpful, friendly, kind, charming, witty, brave, thoughtful, reverent, courteous, thrifty and well liked throughout the community and ward.

But that's not all. He is so incredibly smart. He can do complex mathematical calculations in his head. He has a superlative command of syntax, not to mention quite an extensive vocabulary. He simply chooses not to employ them. He would never want anyone to feel inadequate.

Which leads me to his next, and perhaps most endearing attribute. He is very humble.