Mrs. Binggeli

Here is my schedule for next year (just in case anyone wanted to know).  It is so much more simple than last year that I think I just may be able to keep my head on straight.  I just hope I don't get totally bored on odd days (or more likely, forget what things I tell which class period).

Odd
1st - Secondary Math 2
3rd - Secondary Math 2
5th - Secondary Math 2
2nd Lunch
7th - Secondary Math 2

Even
2nd - Prep Period
4th - Math 1010/Math 1030
6th - Secondary Math 2 (SPED Co-teach)
2nd Lunch
8th - Math Lab

Changes

Today we got the fall addition of the Chronicle in the mail.  I guess it's official . . . James is going back to school at the U.  He'll be starting up in a couple of weeks to begin a program wherein he'll earn his Masters of Nursing with an emphasis in Care Management.  I think he's excited or maybe nervous.  I never really know with James.  I know he can do it, but I just hope he can do it without a lot stress.

To add to the changes, James also started a new job this week.  He will be working as a floor nurse at the University Neuropsychiatric Institute or UNI.  The benefits of the job are that the hours are very regular and there are no graveyards. He works three 12-hour shifts on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, with the occasional shift on Sunday.  He's a float nurse, so he'll rotate floors and work with patients from pediatrics to geriatrics.  He doesn't have to wear a typical scrub uniform and can instead wear "business casual."  He's been at training and orientations this week and begins his regular schedule next week.  The benefits of the new job will be that he should have plenty of time during the week to focus on his school work, it will give him some much needed hospital experience, totally new patient experiences, and in a year he'll get half tuition!

He's enjoyed working for First Choice Home Health and I think he is really going to miss some of the people he works with, but it was definitely time for a change.  His job was pretty grueling and he brought home more work than a teacher.  He was never finished and never had any time off.  He'd work late into the night or wake up at three in the morning to try to get caught up.  He'd pull out his computer on Saturdays and Sundays and spent most of our Colorado/New Mexico vacation on his computer.  He'd put 100 miles on his car in a day and never leave the Salt Lake valley.  He'd be assigned the most difficult patients and be called on difficult situations.  I am looking forward to him having a job that doesn't require him to bring work home every day.

I'm also looking forward to maybe James picking up the kids from school one day a week (or one day every other week) and letting me stay late to get caught up on things so that I can bring less home and he can have some quality time with Molly and Jack.  Though I am teaching on one of my prep period's this year, I am hoping for a much less stressful school year.  I am not teaching as many different classes, I'm not teaching U.S. History, and I'm not teaching any new classes I've never taught before, except for a Math Lab homework class (but that class shouldn't require a whole lot of prep time).  

Anyway, that's what's happening around our house.  Wish us luck!

Summer Lovin' Even Some More

One day we found a passing Mantis with one leg squished under the garage. We tried to save him and we have him a nice home in a planter box, but he never moved away from where we put him and I'm afraid he may have had a painful immovable death.

We went to eat at the Blue Iguana one night. I've actually never been to the Red Iguana, but now twice to the Blue Iguana.  It was good, but the Rio Grande is still my favorite. 

After dinner we decided to take our evening walk by wandering around Temple Square for a little while. It was a nice evening.

We tried to Toilet Train Jack.  Everyone kept telling me, "boys are harder," but I thought I could defy the odds. Nope. We actually had quite a bit of success, too, but also some failures. He pretty much can pee on command and I think we'll keep having him go in the toilet, but the reasons I stopped were:

1) I'm losing patience. We have one more week before school starts and I don't want to spend it confined to home.

2) It just isn't clicking. He can stay dry for hours and then at random just pee his pants and not even seem to notice or feel any remorse about it.

3) #2 in the toilet is not happening at all and our attempts to encourage that haven't helped either.

I still think there is hope and that he'll get it before he's 3, but as of today, I don't really want to deal with it anymore. I am going to try the pull-ups route (which we didn't do with Molly) so that we at least don't lose all the progress we have made going #1.

 

We met up with some daycare friends at a splash pad one day.  The kids had fun!  I totally failed to put sunscreen on Jack and even though it was super overcast, he got sunburned.  After few coats of aloe vera he seemed totally fine.  

I was relieved it wasn't his sister. A slight ailment like that may have killed her.  We have had several discussions lately about "The Boy Who Cried Wolf" and how if you tell people that something is wrong with you so many times when nothing is wrong, eventually no one will believe you.  Molly is constantly dealing with broken legs, broken ears, and my most favorite - difficulty breathing.  "Mom, I can't BREATH!!!" in an all out scream and wale can be brought on by just about anything . . .  putting shoes on, combing hair, eating, asking her to pick up some toys.  Sigh.  I just do not understand this girl sometimes. 

Sometimes they are really good and really cute and just want their pictures taken!

This week we went to the Treehouse Museum in Ogden with a friend of mine, Brooke, and her kids.  I think everyone had fun, though I don't want to have 5 kids and stick them all in the car at the same time anytime soon, especially when they are all hungry and tired!

RAIN!

The last couple of weeks have been blessed with some torrential downpours.  Some have only lasted a few minutes while others have lasted a couple of hours.  The kids have decided that playing in the rain is pretty fun!

 

Pioneer Day(s)

We celebrated Pioneer Day twice this year!  On the actual pioneer day we went to swimming lessons, came home, and watched the parade.  James had to work, of course, but my Aunt Cindy called an impromptu barbecue and swimming at Grandpa's house.  It was fun and we were glad to go since we didn't see some of our extended family on the 4th who were there on the 24th.  After Grandpa's, we came home to throw a few poppers and light some snakes and smoke bombs.  Then we went to bed.

 

Our other 24th was on the Saturday after the 24th.  Annie has been having a Petersen Family 24th of July (or the Saturday closest to it) party at her house since she's lived in her new house.  It's always fun and the food is always good!  The highlight this year was a candy cannon that Ross borrowed from a lady at work.  It was pretty exciting!

 

 

My dad and his siblings had a sibling photo!

 

 

Quinner hung out on my lap for a while.