Tuesday, September 30, 2008

What did I ever do to the Bellevue School District?

I, for one, am so glad that Thornley's school starts at 9:05. If it didn't we wouldn't have been able to have the awesome times together as a family in the morning. If school started at say, 8:00 or 8:30, my kids wouldn't have time to ask to watch tv, play the Wii, chase each other around the house (I think I heard an idiot this morning, but I'm not sure), oh and all the time to listen to the whining is just priceless! This morning, Thornley came in while I was doing sit-ups and asked why I do them every morning because my stomach isn't flat yet - just think, if he'd been in school already we couldn't have had that conversation!
Oh, it's going to be a great day!

Saturday, September 27, 2008

Not mourning, just missing

This past week Adam preached on the beattitude, Blessed are those who mourn (it was really good, if you want to hear it go to www.nccextol.com, click on media, and click on blessed are those who mourn), and it really made me look at the whole "mourning" process differently. As most of you know, my grandma passed away almost 2 months ago; now I wouldn't say I mourned the death of my grandma, yes, I was sad, but at 93 she'd lived a good life and I didn't (and still don't) feel like something was wrongly taken from me. I DO however miss my grandma, little things happen here and there and I find myself wanting to call her and talk to her.
This morning was one of those times; we signed Thornley up for Cub Scouts and Adam is going to be his "den leader", so this morning Adam had to go to "leader training". My grandma LOVED the whole scouting program. My mom was a brownie and girl scout and my grandma was her troop leader. When I graduated from college and was having a hard time finding a job in the area that interested me, my grandma thought I should look into working for the Girl Scouts, because she thought so highly of the organization and must have loved being my mom's leader. So my initial reaction when we signed Thornley up and Adam decided to be his leader was, I have to call grandma and tell her, she'll be so excited for Thornley, but then I remember that she's not here with us anymore; which makes me sad, but I know that she's in heaven, so she already knows.
On a total side note, but not really, I had to work an event at church today, so when Adam was done with his training he came to pick up the boys and they headed off to the boy scout store to buy HIS "uniform". Didn't have his size, but did get all the badges for both he and Thornley (who already has his shirt) - anyone want to sew them on for me?!

His boots weren't made for walkin, I guess

Every year Thornley's school has their BIG fundraiser, which is a walk-a-thon. The kids participating all get sponsors and then walk around the "track" after school for 3 hours (give or take). Thornley REALLY didn't want to participate this year, but I said it was either that or go door to door with Sally Foster catalogs (really, they have cute paper, if you want some let me know), and the walk-a-thon won. The event is a bit crazy, and they pack a TON of stuff in a small space; t-shirt sales, raffle ticket sales & items, bake sale, beverages (water & coffee, don't get too excited), etc.
Adam got to Thornley's school at 3:30, in time to find Thornley and get him "registered". Jack and I arrived shortly thereafter (yes, this is a whole family event, which adds to some of the craziness), bought some raffle tickets, some water, and something from the bake sale and started walking. Last year I made Thornley walk 20 laps, this year we didn't quite make that many, but he certainly complained as if we'd walked 200.
So, I'd had enough of the whining and complaining (and they didn't serve dinner this year, and I was hungry), so we left early. Only to receive a phone call a short while later saying that we were the lucky winners of the Web-kinz basket. Yippee!
Thanks for everyone who sponsored him - he did make enough to get his free t-shirt.

Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Settling In

I long to be settled in, to routines, to where we live, to work, whatever, I just like that settled routine feeling of life. I remember shortly after I met Adam he was saying how he just wants to stay in one place so long that he becomes "just Adam", and people know him, accept him, and he doesn't have to defend/explain himself repeatedly; you know, the whole "getting to know you" stage that comes with change.
It did take me a while to feel "settled" into life in Bellevue, but I think both Adam and I feel settled (I must say it took me a bit longer than Adam). There are hiccups here and there, but for the most part, we totally feel like Bellevue is our home and will be for a long time (I know, for some of you these are odd thoughts, but I guess when you're married to a pastor, change somewhere along the way is inevitable, and it's just something you expect).
Now, I had an experience today, and I'm thinking, is this something particular to Bellevue, or would life be like this where ever we lived?
Thornley is a child who likes structure and routine, and doesn't embrace change; so this whole full day, new teacher, new rules, new people in class thing has thrown him for a bit of a loop. Today he said he wanted to take the day off; he'd go back to school tomorrow, so I knew some stuff had gone on and it was just a bit of anxiety that needed to be worked thru. So we have a little chat, I give him a bit of a pep talk and off to school we go. We arrive and he comes undone; again, I think it was his anxieties over the new routine, new class, new rules, but none the less, things weren't going particularly well for Thorns this morning. One of kids in his class is from his preschool. They weren't in the same class, but I recognize this boy's mom and we have chatted on and off over the past few years. So I'm helping/dragging Thornley into class as he's screaming that he hates school and just wants to go home, and the mom says to me as I'm on my way out the door, "That is one of the problems with choosing 1/2 day kindergarten". Excuse me? I hardly know you lady! I have absolutely no regrets over our kindergarten choice last year, and further more how dare you question me and my parenting choices!
Now, I'm not stupid, I know my kid has some quirks, but he's really a sweet sensitive kid who just doesn't adapt to change well, which is what I would have said to the lady if I could have picked my jaw up off the ground.
I just wonder, where do people get off giving parenting advice to people they HARDLY KNOW?!
So while I'm still processing thru that lovely encounter, Jack and I head off to do some errands and go back to school and have lunch with Thornley. We get back to school, get signed in at the office, and I see Thorns' class in the library. Thornley LOVES the library, and he has a smile from ear to ear because he gets his own library card this year, and gets to check books out! We have lunch, go out to the playground, and I'm helping Thornley look for some of his friends that are in other classes this year, when I run into a dad of one of the kids from Thornley class last year. So I go up and try to make small talk with him and ask him how things are going, "great, fabulous", and ask how his son is adjusting to first grade "fabulous, loves it, no problems". Really?
So I'm wondering, am I the only one who has a kid who's having a hard time, or am I the only one brave enough to say it? Is the need to appear problem-less everywhere, or just more pronounced here?
I don't get it, but hope that this new phase will pass quickly and we will feel settled in to the new routine soon!

Saturday, September 13, 2008

A Sparkling Celebration

What did you do today, Meghan? Well, thanks for asking, today I had a bridal shower for my friend Jenny. Jenny was Adam's intern for 3 years, and saved the day during the year of "the Rash", and came back to work for Adam when he had to let an intern go. Jenny and Connor are getting married the weekend of Oct. 4th, and Adam is officiating the ceremony (hopefully, unless he gets the stomach flu again).
You people know me well enough to read my blog, so I'm assuming you also know I never "re-party". Re-gift, heck yah, but re-party, NEVER! Each party is thrown with a specific person in mind, and should be unique to them. It's THEIR special day, not just another day for me to throw out decorations and have the same party I had for the last person I threw a party for. Both my boys wanted Toy Story parties when they turned 3, and both boys had Toy Story parties when they turned 3, and both parties were totally different (except of course, the napkins).
So what type of shower should I have for Jenny? There is only so much you can do with a bridal shower, that's at church. I found super cute invitations at Target, and my theme was born...A Sparkling Celebration. Everything was silver with blue accents, and I found CUTE diamond ring confetti at the party store. Jenny didn't want people to buy things off her registry, she wanted help decorating her house, so I decided we were going to, "help add sparkle to Jenny & Connor's house".
For the big game, I went around to many a Goodwill this week and last and bought random trinkets that could be used to decorate. Then bought some banker's boxes from Target, and called my game Design on a $1.99. Everything I bought was $1.99 or less, and each team took a box, took 5 things off the table of trinkets and had to design a room. It was so fun, and everyone was super creative!
Jenny lived with a family for 2 years while she was the youth intern, and the woman that she lived with thought it would be funny to go to Goodwill and buy some super tacky decor and wrap it really pretty and give to Jenny as gag gifts. It was so funny watching her open gifts and try to be polite about them, when they were really hideous!
Janet brought her chocolate fountain and of course the food was AMAZING!!
I wish I had brought my camera so I could have shown the creativity! Truly a fun celebration!!

Friday, September 12, 2008

Oh Happy Day!

You've read it hear first folks (unless you too received the district email before reading my blog), the district and union have reached a settlement! They are voting on Sunday, so what does that mean? School may ACTUALLY start next week?! Jack is speaking on behalf of the Anderson family here...



Aren't you glad I learned how to post videos?!

Thursday, September 11, 2008

The Andersons Have Talent

Not only can Jack sing, but apparently he does impressions as well! Here he is, being Chad singing Big House, and Adam (unbeknownst to him) is taking on the part of Ryan. And speaking of talented - hello! I figured out how to add a video to my blog!

I have a dream

Call me Martin Luther King/Rosa Parks for the canines. I have a dream that one day all canines regardless of breed or fur color will be treated as equals. I know, you think the teacher's strike has finally tipped me over the edge (which is possibly true), but it's true! Had you said this yesterday I wouldn't have believed it either, but today, I witnessed with my own eyes and heard with my own ears: canine discrimination, and at the zoo of all places!
Today being day 8 of the teachers strike, and being a Thursday (meaning I didn't have to go to work) Cori and I took the people to the zoo. We didn't see too many animals, but the kids sure had a fun time playing in the little play area by Bug World. But I digress...at lunch time we went to the little "cafe" (and I use the term loosely) area by the birds (that's right, I like to be as close to WE's at all times), when we saw "the act" taking place. Now I must admit, I was in line at the time, and not in earshot, but Cori was and told me all about it (well, the words she could repeat infront of the little people).
So we see a few interesting characters walking by, one of whom has his dog with him. Not to pass judgement, but I'm not sure how these people even got thru the gates, because they looked as if they spent the night on the streets, and had a "liquid breakfast". Shortly after they walked by where we were sitting, security was on their tail. They must have caught up with them and had a few words, because this is what was overheard...
"@#$&*, I mean I don't even have my walking stick with me" (mind you, he MAY have been visually impaired, but since the dog didn't have one of the "working dog" jackets on, or even the special harness, I'm thinking the visual issues may be due to something else)
and then...here is the kicker...
"I mean, if he was a white dog they wouldn't have said anything."
Yes folks, sad but true!

Sunday, September 7, 2008

It's all fun at the game, until someone gets some germs

Last night we went to the Mariners game with Mark and Cori. I knew there would be some fun and laughter, but I never thought there would be this much laughter...We get settled in our awesome seats (shout out to Papa Pearce), with our amazing new cell phone holders (courtesy of the freebie on the way into the game) which Adam put to good use right away,



and then what do our eyes behold?????!!!!!!!

The woman with the orange (burnt orange, to be exact) hair and the MASK! What the stink is this mask for you may ask, good question, none of us had the guts to go ask, but it did make for some lively conversation. Especially when the people behind us noticed it. Adam thought it would be funny to go sit behind her and start coughing and talk about awaiting the results of his TB test, and the jokes went on, and of course, he HAD to google breathing apparatuses on his phone, but we still couldn't figure out what the stink she was doing with this contraption on! And if you're so afraid of germs, why wouldn't you wear gloves, and why would you go to a ball game in the first place?
24 hours later and still so many unanswered questions. Thornley is very intrigued, and I think we may have found his Christmas gift!

Saturday, September 6, 2008

First Day of School

You may be wondering why I have no first day of school pictures up yet. Well, because there has yet to be a first day of school. Thornley was supposed to start last Tuesday, but there is a teacher strike, that is still continuing on. Jack WILL start on Monday, as will I, since the private preschools don't go on strike. I admit, I'm all about the teacher and supporting them. We all know teacher's don't make much, but it would be nice for them to be able to live on their salary. Could you live in Bellevue on $58,000 a year, if you were married and had a family? Even if you were single, it's tough. Bellevue is a pricey place to live, and it really annoys me when they do salary comparisons and say how well we pay our teachers compared to someplace where you can buy a NICE house for in the $200,000 range.
Anyway, let me step off my soapbox for a moment so I can head to some garage sales to look for some "boy toys" (meaning cars & rescue heroes) for our class of 13 boys and 3 girls that starts on Monday!