Friday, April 26, 2013

Friday

We love Ocoee's daycare and on Friday's I get to drop Ocoee off because it is my day to go into work late. We spend a morning together at not crazy person speed, where I kiss her as I rush out the door, already late. Instead I enjoy a pot of tea, she eats her boca's and pickles (yummy combo) and we listen to music. I also get to spend a few minutes chatting with the ladies who teach in her room at daycare. It was funny this week because they told me that Ocoee is getting to be the bossy kid....they said it in nicer terms but that is what they meant. When I told hubby, he laughed and said I wonder where she gets it. I responded that I get paid to be bossy....as teachers we have to direct 35 hormonal tweens, you tend to be bossy.

I actually think she is mimic how we treat the dogs. We are often telling them out of the kitchen, outside, don't eat Ocoee's food, sit, stay....think about how bossy you are to your animals. Unless you have cats :) So she is treating the kiddos at school like dogs....in a nice way.

She also went 3 days without a proper bath. We let her skip a bath one night because it was late and then she realized she could miss a bath she then refused to take one for 3 nights. I did some sponge baths to help with her stink factor but how funny is that.....she is rebelling!

Everyday bring new adventures and joys with you my lovely Ocoee.

Cheers
J

Monday, April 22, 2013

Ocoee's first haircut

On Saturday Ocoee received her first haircut. This normally would have been a huge event but really all I did was snip a one inch lock off her bangs.

The hair was frizzy and oddly long so the new cut really does show off her face. We kept her tiny snippet of hair for her scrap book and then gave her a shampoo and condition with mummy's aveda products.

We may never go back to the organic baby shampoo! Her hair looked so much healthier and nice. Even hubby who thinks hair and women are a mystery agreed!

My salon bill just got higher. One thing I love is that when Ocoee got dropped off for daycare her teacher notice her hair cut right away. We literally made one snip with the scissors-just goes to show the right haircut goes a long way.

Best thing is now her hair stay always from her snotty little nose :)

Cheers
J



Earth Day friendly recipes

Check out The post punk kitchen for yummy recipes that fit in with Veg week and earth day. This is also national parks week. I have visited quite a few in my lifetime and have others I still long to see.

Ocoee recently had her 18 month check up and she weighs almost 26 pounds....25.84 and is 33 inches tall. She is talking up a storm and usually strings a few short Ocoee words together, like dada outside and brodie no.

Happy Earth Day! One of the reasons why hubby and I live a pesca-veggie lifestyle is it has a much lighter impact on the earth and our limited resources as humans living on earth. We have aligned our "morals to our menu" and could not be happier. This might be a bit extreme for you so maybe you could try:

Recycling: Make it a habit
Use re-usuable bags: Much cuter, hold more and don't break.
Plant a graden and buy local
Purchase organic: Better taste, less chemicals and sustainable farming methods
Get your own urban farm....try chickens
Live with a less is more mentality-This is by far my hardest area but I am always working towards this.

We do what we can, when we can....and it all matters!

Cheers
J


Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Young people

I am truly blessed to work with young people. As often as they drive me crazy I also see and work with students who inspire me. I had a chance to reconnect with a former student today and it was remarkable to sit and watch her as an adult and professional in her career. She was poised, articulate, genuine and an all around wonderful human being. It gives me hope and excitement that Ocoee can grow up to be one of these amazing young persons that are truly the future.

It also lets me know that my career path is fulfilling because in teaching at this time of year we are pretty emotionally and physically wrought.

Cheers
J

Thursday, April 4, 2013

What to read this summer-Book ideas!

My friend shared this with me, Thanks Tam!


COOL BOOKS TO READ!

I am currently reading, The Favored Daughter: One Woman's Fight to Lead Afghanistan into the Future.  for book club.

For young adult I am reading, Beautiful Creatures, the first in the series.

And still working on for the home front reading, How Children Succeed. 

Happy Reading

Cheers
J

Tuesday, April 2, 2013

Easter weekend

For Easter this year Ocoee was ready to go for egg hunting. All the days getting eggs from the chicken house really paid off and she is semi-obsessed with egg hunting now. She has to have her rain boots on and her egg basket in hand. She has made up a sign language symbol for basket and calls egg "negs". And she says this all the time and is always ready for a hunt!

The Easter bunny brought Ocoee new books, smart wool socks, puzzles and a few other cute things. She was jazzed to go through her basket and look at her new books. We have a legitimate book worm on our hands. There were a few chocolate Easter eggs that she enjoyed in wrapping and then giving to us. I truly can't imagine how we pass so many germs around this house :).

We had a few friends over for an easy brunch and Easter egg hunt in the park. Easter in Alaska means full snow gear and looking out for moose. We were socked in with fog in the morning but the afternoon cleared to perfect blue skies.

At the park we all smashed confetti stuffed eggs and I realized even though Easter isn't a religious holiday for us-it is a celebration of spring, renewal and the fact we survived another winter!

I'll post nice photos soon but for now here are a few shots.

Cheers
J





















Monday, April 1, 2013

Toddler Talking Development

Ocoee is officially 18 months old and her language is really starting to take off. Yesterday I asked her to say please and she said please-no problem. She also said sorry.

OH, how heart melting to hear her little toddler voice trying on these new words for size! Easter pictures to come!

Cheers
J