Mom’s Stuff:
I recently turned 30. I think this would have felt like more of a milestone if I hadn’t spent the last five years of my work life telling people that I was in my “early thirties” in an attempt to seem more like a “real” teacher and legitimate professional. Still, enough people have said “Wow, thirty! That is a big one! Do you feel different?” that I thought I should maybe sit up and take notice of this birthday. So, I made a list of things I managed to do before I turned thirty that seem kind of important. Here is that list in no particular order:
Moved to a whole new state (and coast!)
Became a teacher, then literacy coach, then teacher again
Presented at a professional conference
Completed a National Board Portfolio (but don’t know if I passed or not)
Wrote an article for a professional journal (though it was rejected)
Got a master’s degree
Got married
Bought a house
Had a child
Became vegan
Ran a 10K
Started two blogs
This, of course, got me thinking about where I’m going next, both personally and professionally. So, here are some things I would like to do before I turn 40:
Run a marathon
Get an article actually published in a professional journal
Become Nationally Board Certified
Learn to speak Spanish
Have a second child
Renew my wedding vows with my husband
Travel to Italy and Australia
Write about vegan parenting in a book format (in addition to my blog!)
I’m a big fan of lists and I’m often happiest and calmest when I am making lists (superseded only by crossing things off my lists). So, I’ll check back here often in the next ten years to see how much progress I’m making on these “by-the-time-I-turn-40” goals!
LP’s Stuff:
We are really enjoying the fact that LP is totally into books now. At naptime and bedtime we have our ritual of reading his “big book” with a Curious George story or Mike Mulligan and his Steam Shovel. We have been reading bedtime stories with LP for quite a while, but lately he is able to sit through an entire story much more patiently. For example, when we first started reading Curious George the G-man and I did an “abbreviated” version, since LP couldn’t sit through the whole story without trying to rip the page, run around, etc. (even though it was the story he was asking to have read). Now we not only go through the whole story peacefully, but he often wants to sit calmly in our lap and read another one when we are done! It is so fun to watch him grow and develop, and his love of routine and development of patience is really exciting to see. Almost as exciting as the fact that he has started calling me “Mommy!”
Yummy Stuff:
For the sake of ease, there is rarely a better dinner for us than soup. It usually takes just one pot, the ingredients are things we have on hand, and it can be prepped during nap time, and then left to cook while we all hang out in the late afternoon. Tonight we had Black Bean and Corn Chowder topped with avocado from Vegan on the Cheap, and it was enjoyed by all three of us!! The only chopping that was required was some onion and garlic – the rest was black beans, corn, veggie broth and some spices. Delicious!
Video: Fun with Grandpa’s Glassescase
