This RIF is a RUINER!

So my awesome job that I thought I would never in a million years get will be coming to an end in June. Seeing is how the state of Illinois can't pay their debts to their school districts 12,400 teachers will be or have been let go, myself included! I am so pissed about this. This job is awesome, and awesomly close to home. Lauren will be going to my school next year and she told me that she was looking forward to going to the same school where I work. I took a sick day today to get some things in order. I put together all of my paperwork to send to the state to get my ELL certification put on my teaching certificate, updated my resume and cover letter, and searched the school districts that are in my semi-area. I found eight school districts that have openings that I qualify for and will be sitting at my computer for a countless number of hours getting all of my information uploaded to them. After those districts, I'm going to get my application in to other districts that don't have any openings listed just in case something does open up. I HATE this part. I feel like I just did all of this. I did, last March. I can only hope and pray that Dan gets back to work soon. For crying out loud, it's been 13 months and our family and relationship has taken a major hit because of it. I can't help but feel like we're such losers. Come June both of us will be sitting on unemployment and God only knows how much longer Dan will be able to collect. I keep trying to see the light at the end of this tunnel. The only thing that I can come up with is that if I don't get another job (I'm pretty sure I won't...remember that 12,400 number?) the only thing that I can see is that at least I won't miss Alli and Brooke's first day of kindergarten. I keep thinking that it is time to make a career change, but what it would be I don't know. I look back on my life and think about my decisions. The only decision that I can honestly say that I regret is that I went into teaching. I should have been a speech pathologist or x-ray technician, there seems to be a lot of those jobs out there. So, for now, I can only sit at this stupid computer and hope that something works out. That or the state wins the lottery or something. Whatever happened to all of the money that the state was supposed to get from the lottery anyway? Damn Illinois!

Our cat might be on to something!

Our cat loves to run outside. I swear he knows when we get visitors that it's a free pass to get out. Funny thing is, he never comes back when we try to get him. If you need a laugh, come over to our house when we're trying to get him back into the house. Of course his favorite time to get out is when we are going somewhere for a couple of days. Our next door neighbors just call him and he runs right to them. Our neighbors think that we are the worst pet owners in the hood. But, today a came across a picture. This isn't our cat, but it's our cat's twin. The girls think that it is, in fact, Kitty. I now know where our cat goes for days at a time. He is a cat after my own heart!

A poem for the season!

I am the Chaplain for my Mom's of Multiples group and wrote this for our December newsletter. I kind of like it so I thought I'd share. Watch out people, I got a new camera last week and will now be updating this blog with pictures.


“Twas the weeks before Christmas, and the kids are in bed,
And mom heads down to the computer instead.
The laundry, the dishes, the lunches can wait,
The internet and I have a much needed date.
Hail ebay, hail Amazon, hail Craigslist too.
I have a credit card, and there’s some damage to do.
Babies, trucks, and ipods galore,
If I had tons of money there would be so much more.
Christmas shopping is upon us again.
Buying the greatest presents means I’m the best mom then.
Of course, that statement isn’t really exact.
Being the best mom is a way bigger task.
Hugs, kisses, cuddles, and scratches,
Those things don’t have much better matches.
So remember when you’re in line for the best of sales,
The time you spend with them is better than mail.
Santa will hopefully bring more than just gifts.
Maybe just maybe he’ll bring one less fit.
And when he doesn’t, take a gulp of air,
Our kids are our treasures and there aren’t any to spare.
I hope you and your families have the merriest of days,
Because the love between you really does pay!

Technologically Challenged!

O.K. so here's the deal. My computer was dead, got that fixed. Plugged it in in hopes that I could get back to posting but guess what...the monitor didn't work. Waited to get a new monitor but that took forever. Got the new monitor, hooked it up, installed the new printer and viola!! Since I like to post pictures in the blog, I took the camera wherever I went. Guess what, the damn thing was broke. That's o.k., I have a backup digital...guess what...it wasn't working either. Damn the technology (or should I say, damn those twins)! So now, a whole summer has pretty much gone by and I have minimal pictures to prove it. UGH!! So here's the skinny. We've spent a bunch of days at the lake. We've spent a couple weekends in Michigan. We have spent countless numbers of hours at the softball field, and I have spent an infinite number of minutes cleaning the house. I am hoping that a new digital camera will fall from the sky and land in my pretty little hands. Until then, enjoy your last days of summer before the kiddos go back to school. Did I mention that I have a full time teaching gig? Yay me!

I'm not dead....

My computer has just been in the shop for the last 2 weeks. I'm hoping to get it back today, I dropped off the software days ago so he could get everything reinstalled so I'm hopeful that today will be the day. My lovely aunt let me take her computer table off her hands for her. Perfect timing because our old one needs to be thrown in the garbage ASAP. The twins keep pushing on the top and it toppled over and completely SMASHED the printer. I happily bid on a "new" one from ebay yesterday and won one. That should be her tomorrow. So, I've been lugging my work laptop home with me everyday so I can stay connected ( and apply for jobs)! I didn't want to use it to put any pictures on here just in case something goes wrong with it. Hope all is well with everyone. In other news, I finished up at my small Christian college last week and will be taking my last 2 classes online. These classes are approved by the state of IL, are 5 weeks shorter than the other place, and $600 cheaper!! Yay. I will be finished with the extra certification the 1st week of July instead of the middle of September. Double yay!!

What's That You Say?

You know the phrase.....kids say the darndest things? Well, mine really say funny things. I should have been writing these down for years because I know that I've let 100's of them go by. Alli cracks me up. Some of my "favorites" by her include the use of "wesmarrow"...that's a combination of "westerday" and "tomorrow", then there's the often used "bwankie" for blankie, and one of my favorites...."goed", oh and that is go-ed. She REALLY cracked me up today when she wanted a treat. Now, I guess I should preface this by telling you that Dan is the treat maker. It kind of drives me nuts because the girls think that they should get a treat every night. I just don't think that it is good practice to indulge the girls in treats after dinner every night. Anyway, Alli comes up to me and says..." Mommy, I'm going to go down-the-stairs (that's another one of her sayings) and ask daddy to make us a treat. You can't make treats because only daddy's make treats and you're not a daddy." Isn't that hilarious? I'm laughing just thinking about her little voice saying it!! I think the real reason why she had to ask Dan is because she already knew the mom's answer!!

Just Dance

Since Dan has been laid off he's spent lots of time lately with the girls while I am at work. When I got home yesterday this song came on the radio and Brooke started going crazy. It was SO funny. It came on again today so i grabbed my camera as fast as I could, changed the settings and viola, Brooke's (and Alli's) first music video. Look out Dancing with the Stars, we may have a new contender!! This is my first attempt at posting a video so I hope that it works!