Birthday!

What a lovely birthday it has been this year.  With Derek traveling from Shanghai to Hong Kong and yesterday on to Singapore we weren't sure what to expect for birthday fun. As most of you already know, we share a birthday (month, day and year!) and we are not twins! (smile) We made sure to double check before getting married 12 years ago. D. is smack in the middle of his first trip to Asia this year so the kids and I are holding down the fort with the help of my parents, our 16 year old cat, and many friends, colleagues and neighbors.  This morning the kids woke up early and I heard many giggles as they set up their surprise (with grandma's help yesterday).  They came up to get me and giggled even more as they brought me down to a table filled with a lovely fruit salad. (swoon) Derek called from Singapore and said it looks a lot like Miami. I decided home coffee would not do and we left super early to stop at the 7-11 that brews my favorite blueberry coffee. (Kids got donuts. rising 46 year olds did not.) There were so many fb greetings and when I got to school many also greeted me in person! One of my students had brought a lovely plant for me and colleagues surprised me with cards, balloons, a bamboo plant, notepaper, and candy! I also received lovely flowers from another student at pickup.  The class sang to me and somehow many students knew too around school and greeted me. (floating hearts) A few friends I hadn't heard from in months texted and I got to see Delaney perform with her class at the monthly PTA Association meeting. My new rug arrived in the mail and tonight I have NO MEETINGS or Scouts or soccer or anything! (Amazing!) The kids and I are planning to eat pasta and garlic bread and watch The Greatest Showman. We came home at 4 and I had a hot shower then got in my pj's at 4:30. My idea of a great birthday! Thanks for all the birthday love this year.

A Day in the Life-The Middle

Sitting right here in the middle of life.

It's pretty much just like I pictured it.

12 years of marriage to a fantastic guy. 2 elementary aged kids. a cat. a townhouse in a nice suburb of a large Metropolitan area (which happens to be Los Angeles). my parents nearby in the sweetest home. 23 years in my career. A minivan.

Here is a list of my current roles in life:

full time wife and mother
full time teacher of 24  four and five year olds
Girl Scout Leader
PTA teacher liaison
PTA Reflections Chairperson
School Site Council Member
New teacher Induction Support Mentor
swim mom
choir mom
band mom
scout mom (Girl and Boy)
soccer mom

tired yet?

The fact is I couldn't do it without my village. My husband, parents, neighbors, friends, colleagues and so many who help me do all this.  Just today:

5 AM wake up before alarm to put in some laundry, prep breakfast and lunch, tidy, coffee/fb check, shower
6:30 kids wake up
7 AM husband attempts to facetime from China after his arrival only 6 hours earlier
7:10 we attempt skype when facetime doesn't work but have to reset password and just don't have a branch for that on my time management tree
7:30 head to school
7:50 kids assemble three bears cottage for me before first bell at 8:20(thank you!! see they are in my village too!)
8:20-12:35 teach TK
12:40-2:10 teach K (I do an ELD(English Language Development)group) and teach ELA(English Language Arts) to 10 K's that are in a split class
2:45-3:45 meet with new teacher induction partner
4:00-5:30 Mentor teacher meeting at Castaic Union school district 15 minutes across town
5:30 stop at Michael's to pick up poster making supplies for son's Student Council campaign posters (due Friday)
6:00 drive 15 minutes in opposite direction to North Park Elementary for Girl Scout Leader Meeting
6:40 to 6:50 multiple phone calls from North Park office phone to parents' cells to check on kids since I forgot my phone at school
7-8:30 Girl Scout Leader Meeting
8:50 arrive home (gas tank of said minivan just lit up on empty) to sweep kids up in my arms and brief my dedicated parents on tomorrow's afterschool schedule and dinner plan (art class, soccer practice, School Site council meeting for mom)
9:00 tuck kids in and grab glass of New Zealand Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc
9:08 sit down just in time for Modern Family (which i NEVER get to watch at its actual time)
9:10 begin this blog post
Next I will work on creating invitations for the Reflections Awards Ceremony, sending permission slips to troop consultant for approval for next week's campfire event, and sending leader meeting notes to other troop leaders, plus planning for Sunday's Girl Scout meeting and emailing Reflections judges.
phew!! if you've read this far you might need a glass of wine too! Thanks for reading my slice of life!