Last Day of the Year

1. I pretty much wore my PJs all day.
2. Beautiful moon and stars this morning.
3. Mimosas.
4. Cutest baby ever.
5. Hanging out with my little family.

Snow Day

What made me happy today?

1. Snow.
2. Snow.
3. Snow.
4. A fire in the fire place.
5. Snow.

Boppy's Birthday

1. It's Boppy's birthday!
2. Beautiful sunrise.
3. Lots of angry birds.
4. Watching Matt and Jack ice skate.
5. Making a few cards while Jack braved Ice Age: The Meltdown.

Tuesday, or something like that.

1. Made a few cards.
2. Saw lots of former students at Michael's service - it was nice to be able to remember Michael's life with so many people who loved him so much.
3. Jack went ice skating for the first time! And he loved it!
4. Watching the kids play and sing at Rico's - awesome, as usual!
5. Sunday Night Football! :) Go Vikings!

Is it really Monday? Who even cares?

1. Dogtooth - I'm for it!
2. Dismantling Christmas.
3. "Racing" Jack around the block today - he was on his scooter and I was in my car! He won! (Of course)
4. Book club with intelligent peers and good friends.
5. Simon in his monkey suit - too cute! (and his Daddy too!)

Ski Day Sunday!

1. Rockin' out to Billy Joel with Boppy in the car.
2. Skiing with Jack and Boppy at Loveland!
3. Leftovers, again!
4. Making Simon smile, even from across the room.
5. Making a few cards...

I'm sore. Time for bed!

Christmas Day!

1. Cuddling with Simon in bed this morning - even if it was way too early. He had a good time petting Cheyenne, who's much better with baby #2.
2. Opening presents with the family! Jack wanted to play with every toy after opening it, and after about five said he was too tired to open any more! :)
3. Thanksgiving leftovers!
4. Watching Star Wars movies all afternoon/evening.
5. Watching Simon sit up all on his own and play with toys - how'd he get so big already???

Merry Christmas everyone!

Thursday, Because I Forgot

1. Hiking with Caleb and Miles - and the ridiculous conversations we had! Miles: "So I saw Snoop Dog on Oprah yesterday..."
2. King Chef for lunch!
3. Nap with both kids on the couch...
4. Boppy and egg rolls.
5. Just being on break...

What happened to Thursday?

1. Boppy's here!
2. Thanksgiving Dinner for Christmas Eve.
3. Cleaning.
4. Watching Grandpa Bonser read books to Jack.
5. Christmas music.

Ski Day!!!

1. Skiing with Jack- so much fun! And I'm so proud of him!
2. In the lift line today, Jack looked up at me and said, "You're a good mom."
3. Snow!!!
4. Simon's laugh!
5. Quiet house...
6. And Obama repealed DADT!!!

Great day.

Is it really only Tuesday?

1. The eclipse. Though I only caught the tail end of it. Still, awesome.
2. Slept in until 11:43 am today. I can't remember the last time I did that.
3. Card making.
4. Watching The Big Bang Theory with Matt.
5. Being alive. There's something to be said for that. For sure.

Monday?

1. Shopping. All by myself. And imagining Jack opening his presents on Christmas morning.
2. Stuffing stockings.
3. The wind.
4. Dinner with the Krakellers.
5. Chatting with Natalie over wine and toffee.

Sunny Day

1. Sunrise with Si again this morning...
2. King Chef with Becca Siegel.
3. Football.
4. Egg nog (whiskey, not rum).
5. Survivor. I can't help it.

First Day of Break

As we enter into this holiday season, we have a pertinent reminder of how precious every day is.

http://www.gazettepreps.com/articles/palmer-3779-hesselberg-brain.html

1. I've really been touched by the students who've reached out to me to tell me how much I mean to them. As teachers, we sometimes forget the amazing influence we have on our young people. And we sometimes forget how deeply and insightfully they think and feel. And we shouldn't. They're amazing people, and I have the best job in the world.

2. Playing with Simon as the sun rose.

3. Talking with Erin. On the phone!

4. Hannah Rickert's 1st birthday party.

5. Writing out Christmas cards for the family...

Love you all.

Last Work Day of the Semester...

1. See the title of the blog.
2. The bulletin board (nerdy, I know).
3. Beers (and a shot) and Phantom with friends.
4. Rob's party.
5. Being thankful for all that I have.

Last Real Day

1. Good classes, good times, good evals.
2. Great lunch at work.
3. Hen House.
4. I love lounging in my pjs.
5. Air time.

Wednesday (Friday?)

There's a new baby!!!!!!! Abigail Joiner!!!!!!!!! YAAAAAAYYYYYY!
That, obviously, is a happy happy thing! And now here's the rest:

1. Middle Eastern food and music day! Such great food and company! (Including, even, the 16 grape limit and the 5 chickpea cookie incident!) Nice way to round out the semester...
2. Catching up with former students who are making the transition into "real life." Is this real life?
3. Got my Dewey Christmas CD today!
4. Impending snow...
5. Simon laughing at Jack. For no good reason. Just because Jack is that funny.

Oh. And impending snow.

Tuesday, but not THAT Tuesday

1. Mahmoud Darwish: "My here leaps from my footsteps to my imagination . . ."
Excerpt from "Mural"
2. An hour to myself.
3. I love that Simon's favorite toy right now is... his feet!
4. Jack loves Ramen! With peas!!!
5. Air time!!!!!

Last Monday

1. It's the last real Monday of 2010.
2. Middle Eastern Poetry.
3. Book club.
4. Snuggling with Jack on the couch.
5. Ummmmmm.

Suuuunday

1. The Metrodome. Seriously.
2. Going out to lunch with Matt. Just Matt.
3. Making Christmas cards.
4. Simon's laugh.
5. Hot wine.

Sat (but didn't sit) day

1. Sleeping with Simon on the couch, and one touch coffee.
2. Jack, on his way to the North Pole for the first time... "Will the polar bears tackle me?"
3. Trail running with Boppy in Palmer Park.
4. Crafting with Jack.
5. Hanging out with the Krakellers.

Friday Funday!!!!

1. Great conversations with kids today about their grades... so many of them have made so much progress! I'm so proud of them.
2. Being able to add a section of Senior Comp. Thank goodness.
3. Laughing our asses off at lunch! WHAM!! NKOTB!!!
4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows!
5. No work to do this weekend!!!!!!!!

Yes!

Th-th-th-uuursday.

1. Last IB day... got lots of stuff done!
2. Seth Green.
3. My fellow alumnus in education.
4. Pink scarves.
5. HIMYM.

Silly day...

Wednesday

1. New jeans.
2. Listening to Simon babble.
3. Watching Jack in the pool - he's always smiling from ear to ear!
4. Time for myself.
5. Chatting with Linds.

Tuesday

1. Good work at work today, even though I didn't get to play with kids.
2. The moon setting over the mountains.
3. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qSJCSR4MuhU
Seriously. I love this. Thanks to Becca and my second favorite Jew (Jesus).
4. Listening to Simon chatter away in the bathtub...
5. Linus's monologue... and watching it with Jack:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pn10FF-FQfs

Monday

1. Cuddling with Si-Guy this morning before my shower.
2. Lunch with Matt at The Taste of Jerusalem. Yummy beef/lamb shawarma!!!
3. Watching and listening to Simon bouncing in the bouncy swing when I got to school... He was laughing and telling stories all about it!
4. Reading with Jack (Magic Tree House #2: The Knight at Dawn).
5. Quiet time and watching football with the family.

Sunday

1. Watching Jack and Boppy put decorations on the tree.
2. Watching Jack "decorate" the house (he took all the gift bags out, put cars in each of them, and hung them on various hooks and door knobs).
3. Making some cards.
4. Ordering Simon a customized stocking from the same place we got Jack's 5 years ago.
5. Didn't do a lick of work all weekend...

Parade Day!

In St. Paul, MN, parade day was always followed by "take a bath so you can feel your extremities again" evening... :)

1. Sleeping in some. Kinda.
2. Old Chicago pizza and Winter Beer Tour.
3. Target.
4. The Parade of Lights - sleeping bags, cocoa, Santa, etc. We were totally prepared and completely comfortable.
5. Bath after parade anyway...
6. Matt loves today - still snuggling with warm, sleepy baby!

Friiiiiiday! :)

1. Great day at school!
2. Such great conversations with professional colleagues over beers/gin&tonics tonight.
3. Chasing Jack around the table tonight, resulting with his assessment: "I peed my pants!" :)
4. Rainbow Brite!
5. The moon and Venus - so beautiful!!!

13 Hours on Thursday

It's Thursday still, right?

1. I wasn't the only one in the department at 6:15 am this morning. I work with some really dedicated people!
2. Free pizza for lunch! (Why is pizza so goooood?)
3. Great conversations with colleagues.
4. Funny old ceramic Christmas cottage. Taped to the desk, and then nailed to the wall.
5. Coming home to my family after a long day at work - kissing Matt, feeding Simon and snuggling with Jack.

Life's good. Hard, but so worthwhile.

Wednesday. Long Day.

1. Purple mountain majesty this morning!!
2. Looking through beautiful Middle Eastern Poetry for class.
3. Watching Jack get the hang of swimming.
4. Alone time with Simon.
5. Snuggling with Jack.