Dog Nap

Since Jack has been able to face forward in his car seat (and view the DVD player in the car) he rarely falls asleep while we are driving. However, we have timed a few trips too close to nap time and he zonks out with his chin to his chest in the most uncomfortable position possible. Needless to say, the naps are too short to do the job and too long to leave him wanting more. Well, here is where we hope his new doggy neck roll comes in. It should be perfect for keeping his head in a comfy position while he naps in his car seat on occasion. We haven't had a chance to use it in the car yet, but he tested it out this morning on the couch while watching Kipper the Dog. He looked pretty comfy to me!

Toy Tornado

Jack loves his room. It's not very big, but he has all his favorite toys, his cozy bed, and even a small tent set up to play in. So it is not unusual for him to just go hang out in his room with all his stuff. Earlier in the week, he spent some quality time in there while Mommy graded some papers. As you can see he removed nearly EVERY toy from his bins! This picture doesn't even do it justice! There were books, cars, dinosaurs, puzzles, stuffed animals, blocks, and even his toy piano! Time to purge the toys perhaps?

Eggs to Dye For

Jack had fun dying Easter eggs with Grandma today. Leave it to Disney to make Toy Story Easter eggs. I never understood why rabbits brought eggs in the first place, but this is crazy! He had a great time and managed to get green everywhere. I can only imagine how long it will take for the food coloring to wear off.

Aside from the fact that he is refusing to nap at her place, it's been good. He loves his Mr. Potato Head and had a great time at the Farmer's Market and the park this morning with his cousin Max. When he saw the vendor passing out strawberries he thought he had died and gone to heaven. He chowed down on three in a row. Tomorrow night he has a spaghetti dinner to attend and then home! Our house is too quiet when he is away, but I am so grateful my mom could help with day care this week.

Minivan

Minivan for us? No way! Minivan for Jack? Fine by me! We went to a dedication ceremony for Junia and Eden today and all Jack cared about was the minivan. He patiently waited for his turn and then when all the other kids were distracted...WHAM! He climbed in the van and scooted around for at least thirty minutes. It was another beautiful day in Ventura and a lovely celebration for the girls.

Civil Disobedience

Today, Jack attended his first protest rally. Funding for education continues to be short changed in our country.

In just my little school district, 39 teachers have been fired. This is not because they were ineffective. Some of them had up to 7 years experience serving children in our community. But we have to cut millions of dollars to stay afloat next year. We won't have fewer students, just fewer ways to meet their needs. Fewer minutes of individual attention. Fewer moments to connect with them on a one-on-one basis. Fewer chances to get them inspired about learning. If I sound angry, it is because I am...mad as hell and I'm not going to take it any more! So today, our family stood up for what is right, what is important. Someone must stand up for our children. My two-year old did! What are you going to do?

Luck o' the Irish

No pinching around our house today! Jack dressed up in all his green finery and headed off to Karen's house to play with his friends. We hope you all had a fun St. Patrick's Day.

Pool Time

It was gorgeous in Ventura yesterday, so we decided to take advantage of our new pool membership. Jack got all decked out in his swimsuit. (Mommy and Daddy were much less thrilled about wearing swim suits.) Then we loaded him up in the wagon with the towels and off we went. It's only about 50 yds. away, so the commute couldn't be any easier! First we played in the baby pool. It is only 2 feet deep, so Jack can stand up and walk around on his own. Come to find out, however, it is COLDER than the big pool. So we went and played in the big pool instead. We had a great time and left just as 8 more cars arrived and unloaded! Apparently everyone had the same idea on a beautiful, sunny Sunday.

Soapbox Warning

If you have children, grandchildren or are just concerned with the fate of education in our country, then wake up and smell the disaster! Funding for education in our state is being cut even deeper this year. In my district, any teacher with seven years in the district or less will be CUT COMPLETELY. We are talking about new, enthusiastic, highly trained teachers, ready to change the world...CUT! Just on my campus, 24 teachers will be whittled down to 20 (including me, who will be forced to change campuses after 10 years). We will not have fewer students on campus, just just fewer teachers! Children will be packed into larger classes despite the fact that research has PROVEN that smaller class sizes are better for student learning. Kinder - third grade, plan for 30+ students. Fourth grade and up, plan for 35-40 students per class. There is NO MAXIMUM! Additionally, students will often be combined into mixed grade classes to cut costs. Having taught combination classes most of my career, I can assure you that it is NOT in the best interest of the students! Even the BEST teachers are stretched beyond their capabilities, and the bottom line is we already have too little time to give students the individual attention they need for optimal success. Please contact your representatives in the state and let them know that education is supremely important and you won't stand for them balancing their budgets on the shoulders of innocent children!