Do you not know what causes that?

Teacher Appreciation

Here was my stab at something creative for teacher gifts:

Inside is a thank you from the child, a gift card to a bookstore and it says, "Now it's time for summer reading..."

Spring Sing 2008

This year Ada's class sang a bunch of sun related song, while Owen and Clara's group sang bedtime songs.  This was Ada's 1st year and Owen and Clara's last...

It's official...

I got into the Masters of Public Health Program as a part of the School of Public Health and Information Services for the graduating class of Spring 2010!  Just thought I'd share my good news...

Forget the crayon and post it notes!

Try a fever!

Yesterday I got up with the thought of having a really low key day.  I went scrapbooking in the morning to make a birthday present for a friend.  Then I studied in the car a bit to warm my brain up.  As I sat there I realized I was hot.  I had developed a fever.  Then a headache and cold chills. GREAT!  So I popped a bunch of ibuprofen and debated not taking the exam. Off to lunch with Kevin, where by surprise we met a two friends, one who doesn't live in town.  So we sat with them for a bit.

I drove to the location and got there in plenty of time. I ran through my flash cards one last time.  I waited for the car clock to read 1:38 and I sent text messages to some people.

The actual location was difficult to find and I started to panic.  Finally I found it. You have to do all of this stuff to check in and it was a bit crazy.  So when I sat down at the computer and got to the actual test I was shaking so badly I could barely type.

Luckily for me I know how to write, or at least it doesn't scare me.  In fact the two essays sections, while I don't know my score on them, they actually calmed me down. I'm strange, I know.

I took my break.  I stretched, ate nuts, drank caffiene and used the facilities.  The next section would be eitehr two math and a verbal or two verbal and a math.  When the first section that came up was verbal, I knew I had two maths to go. Nothing really stands out here except that I had two reading comprehensions that were over 100 lines long.  It's the scroll that kills your concentration.

Next section was math.  G had prepared me that she ran out of time, even with 28 questions and 45 minutes. I knew to focus more on the early questions.  In the end I had to randomly guess on 4-5 questions at the end.

The third section, I was prepared for this to be math. I thought about getting more scrap paper, but decided against it.  Imagine my surprise when a verbal popped up.  by now my concentration was broken and the apperance of yet another verbal section with more 100 line reading comp threw me completely. I bet this section counted and that I scored less than the original verbal section.  (BTW, I did not notice the research question that supposedly was going to show up in November.)

In the end I scored at least 150 points more than the school requires on the upper end, but ultimately 50 points less than my original goal. (I had really high aspirations. LOL)  This was higher than my practice score by about 200 points, so I am pleased. Kevin says I can stay. ;-)

I spent the evening in bed, taking drugs and doing nothing else...

HELP! Right NOW, I need YOU!

As this post goes up, I'm taking the GRE.  Please think positive thoughts for me...

What will I study?

I've had a few questions about this, so let me say that I'm planning to apply to a Masters in Public Health program and I'm really, really excited. I take the GRE for real this Friday. I've got most of my ducks in a row and should have my application complete by the end of next week!

GRE Practice

Well, I've been toying with the idea of taking the GRE and going to grad school for awhile. I was talking to another mom at the pool this summer and she and I have nearly identical dreams.  So we've been working hard to make it happen and we're preparing for the GRE. I've been really lax in my studies because of my family, but today I took the practice GRE. 

I wound up thinking "I don't know this!" and guessing some or at least not putting my full effort into it. I didn't even have stuff to write with for the math.  So I hurried up and found post it notes and a crayon.  So I actually used crayons and post it notes!

Here's the kicker - if what I need to get in is x, I scored (x+200)!

Wonder if they'll let me take my lucky crayon to the actual GRE!

(Then DH, when I called to tell him the good news, said, "I'd have jumped off a building with that score..."

The GRE is having a deleterious effect on my vocabulary.

Every since I started studying for the GRE, my vocabulary is coming back. I keep using "big" words, and I haven't even started studying the vocab.  So maybe all is not lost or maybe it's "harmful in a subtle way."

Oh duh!

I forgot to mention I started a GRE class.  I'm taking it because I'm considering a return to graduate school...  Because I have nothing else to do with my life, right?

Where do I start?

Well, it's been a wild couple of weeks to say the least.  It started off at the Lamaze International Conference in Phoenix, Arizona.  The good news is that I figured out how to fly and NOT drool on myself for days afterwards - Xanax!  I actually worked on a plane.  It was great to not have panic attacks.  And lest you believe it to be a one time trick - it worked every time. I rode four, count them, four airplanes in two weeks!

In AZ I gave two presentations and lead two special groups. They were fun and exciting. I also enjoyed just relaxing with my good friend, Pat. I also picked up some goodies for friends who are CBEs. My room was way far away and it felt like a real hike, but it had a nice view of the mountains.

I came home for about 40 hours.  In which I went to HS open house, had a dinner date, shopped like a mad woman, fixed dinner for 15 guests for Rosh Hashana, did a radio interview, and went to services. I left services to go to the airport, and changed my clothes in the parking lot.

ICEA was fun, though I was wiped out. I had a good time with my room mate, Teri Shilling, even though I think I drove her a bit nuts.  She did get some good laughs in, mostly at my expsense. We had dinner with Penny Simkin, Kathy McGrath and Rachel Miller one night which was so fun to just sit and talk. We also spent a lot of time talking to Debby Amis and Jeanne Green while at ICEA, though they had led a training seminar at Lamaze, but they were busy then and unavailable for converstaion. I did two more presentations and helped Teri lug her two 74lb (EACH!) suitcases to her sessions.

I made it home in time to spend some girl time with Laurie and Paula.  We stayed out until 2 a.m.  Then back on the road with the kids for school, brunch, our first book club and stamping!

Some memorable highlights from the week:

• Ada insists on telling me how to drive. If I go the "wrong" way she tells me all about it.
• Hilary apologized for a flare up she had - which was very mature of her.
• Grandy (my mom) had a birthday and I took grandma to see her.
• Grandma informed Mom that she wouldn't live much longer. (Grandma didn't know why we were laughing so hard.)
• Clara and Owen are loving soccer and ballet.
• Lilah has fallen and scrapped up her knees again!  Poor baby. Though she is pleased with her new shoes.
• Isaac is not liking homework, but glad to be back in Tae Kwon Do and chess.
• Benjamin, after a lengthy conversation about the role of electricity in the body, including the ability to pass that electricity on, concluded: "So if it's a lightening storm outside, don't walk around holding hands..."
• The fish is alive, even after I cleaned the tank, but the boys declare that the tank still smells.
• Kevin is very, very, very glad I'm home.