Back-To-Back Birthdays

We live for birthdays around here. Clearly, the food is the most important part of the day. We have back-to-back birthdays which keeps me on my toes, but I like it.

ANDREW'S BIRTHDAY

February 20th

Meals:

Breakfast: McDonald's McGriddle

Lunch: Chubby's Burgers. This was our fist time dining-in a restaurant in ages. It was amazing to go on a date.

Snack on the way home: Purple Turtle Shakes because obviously we were starving.

Dessert/Cake: Pumpkin Bars

Presents:

A Google Pixel Phone. Andrew got this in January. I felt bad not giving Andrew anything on his bday, so I gave him a small present relating to each of the 5 senses.

                    Smell: Cascade Springs Drinks

                    Taste: Cool Ranch Doritos

                    Touch: Orange Tie

                    Hear: Audible Credit for his commute

                    Sight: Redbox movie, "Tenet." Not for me, but I gave it a try for a solid 45 minutes before pulling out my book.

JENNA'S BIRTHDAY

February 25

Meals:

Breakfast: Kolaches

Dinner: La Hacienda. We got to go out again thanks to my parents. It was glorious!

Dessert: Kazookies at "The Chocolate." The gooey cookie with ice cream did not disappoint and I definitely want to head back pronto.

Don't forget all the free stuff I got throughout my birthday week: A Crumbl cookie, a small 1 topping pizza from Marco's, and $5 off my Cafe Rio meal.

Presents:

Andrew had the 26th off of work, so we did most of our celebrating then. My biggest request was alone time. (Welcome to motherhood!) I went to Piyo at the gym with friends (for the first time since last summer), read lots, and went shopping solo. Andrew got me heated socks and a Swiffer mop. These gifts truly age me because I was thrilled.

JAMES' BIRTHDAY

March 16

In care you're wondering, we did make a paper chain countdown for James' birthday again this year. He was jealous we got to celebrate Dad's birthday and Mom's birthday, but not his.

Schedule:

The night before his special day, James anxiously told me to go pick-up balloons while he was asleep. He also gave me strict instructions to be sure to wake him up in the morning. He didn't want to miss out. James was pretty amped up all day.

Breakfast: Pancakes 

James: "Dad, I wanna tell ya something. You make the best pancakes ever!"

PRESCHOOL: James got to bring a birthday snack and a birthday spotlight. To top it all off, they celebrated St. Patrick's day and apparently some Leprechaun's visited the classroom and made a big mess and left treats. James has not stopped talking about it since.

Lunch: Chick-Fil-A at Andrew's new office. James has been asking about touring Andrew's work since before Andrew even started. I think James was expecting another office party and was a bit disappointed that everyone wasn't wearing costumes and passing out treats.

SURPRISE: I thought I had done a good job keeping this a surprise, but apparently not. After lunch I told James we had another adventure ahead. He said, "Are we going to the Dinosaur Museum now?" I invited a few of James' friends to join us at the Dinosaur Museum. James has never been (Covid) and I've been eager to take him. Harrison Hendricks, Philip Alling, and Maeve Hollis came. 

Our time at the museum was wild. Corralling both kids was not easy. James sprinted throughout the exhibits and was hard to keep up with. At one point, he even tried to go through an emergency exit and yes, the alarm started blaring. Isabelle wanted nothing to do with the stroller and definitely made her opinion known by kicking and screaming when she didn't want to move on to the next display. The kids had a blast though and were definitely worn out by the end. They were especially fond of playing in the sand and I was content too because it meant they stayed put.

To end the little celebration, we had doughnuts from the Lehi Bakery. I enjoyed putting together party favors and am proud of how they turned out.

Dinner: Stroganoff (James' pick). James treasured hearing all the things we love about him at the dinner table. He directed the convo to ensure everyone got a turn.

Presents:

We got James a scooter, bubbles, new pajamas, and shorts. (He was spoiled by many others too!)

James: "This is fantastic! Izzy, let me show you how to ride my scooter. Just be careful not to break it."  

Bio:

James is tender-hearted and caring. He brings up Grandpa Ken who has passed away often. He cherishes Isabelle and is always thinking of her. He adores books. We've recently started reading him chapter books. He's a big fan of "June B. Jones" and "The Boxcar Children." He listens to stories on Alexa everyday during Quiet Time. James is bright! He knows a lot about the gospel and looks forward to family scriptures and church. He also knows the first few articles of faith. We've been playing games as a family, and "Go Fish" is his favorite. He doesn't like to be skipped in "Uno." James is extremely friendly. We were getting in the car the other day and James dashed outside to tell our neighbors, "hi." He then explained: "Mom, I just had to go say hello to the Hortons." He proceeded to ask me to roll down his window in the car, so he could talk to them some more. We love our sweet, energetic boy.

There's nothing quite like a birthday, especially towards the end of a long winter. The thoughtful texts, phone calls, and messages are always a highlight. I am blessed with caring friends and family who helped make our birthdays special. My mom even did  separate birthday dinners for Andrew and I, so we didn't have to share the spotlight (or pick the same meal). I have plenty of time to gear up for Isabelle's 2nd birthday in July! In the meantime, what am I going to plan next!? Obviously, the food will be the focal point.

Mrs. Ditto Returns

Recollect going to sleep the night before your first day of school. How were you feeling? Anxious? Excited? Were you dreading your alarm clock or looking forward to it? The night before my first job as a substitute brought back all those memories and emotions. I woke up wide-eyed and ready to go at 5:00AM. I wasn't sure if I felt more nervous or eager. Would the kids be mean to me? Would I remember everything-- a lunch, a cell-phone charger, my book, etc.? My mom was even there to see me off, just like old times.

Why am I subbing? 

I want to keep my teaching license active. In order to do so, I have to have 100 hours of approved teaching credits/classes/experience. I learned that subbing can count for some of my hours. Almost immediately, I applied to be a substitute teacher. Having a current teaching license moved me through the process quickly. Before I knew it, I passed my background check and was ready to roll. 

Where am I subbing? 

Jordan School District. I have been a substitute for them previously and grew up going to school in the Jordan School District. The pay for a substitute teacher is DOUBLE what substitute teachers make in Alpine School District (the district I live in) which is crazy to me. My parent's AKA, the babysitters, also live in Jordan School District, so it was a no-brainer for me. Yes, it's a bit of a drive, but I'll happily make it.

My only hesitation in working as a substitute teacher was the pandemic. I was worried about exposing myself to germs being around so many kids. As a Jordan School District employee, I was eligible to get the Covid-19 vaccine. I feel blessed and have so much hope for the future. I'm grateful for a vaccine to help end this pandemic and to stop more people from dying. 

My first day back in the classroom as a substitute brought me so much joy. I guess I had forgotten how much I enjoy teaching. I was giddy explaining advanced math (I mean, how advanced can it really be in 5th grade?) and proud of myself for knowing how to do it. During the read-aloud, I used enthusiasm and a whole new set of voices that I didn't know existed. During my 3 breaks (music time, lunch, and recess) I was too antsy to even read my book! I spent my time getting the next materials ready for the students. To top it all off, after loading my kids in the car afterwards, I noticed that they were extra cute. Some time away from them will do me good. I'm proud Mrs. Ditto is no longer a name of the past.