Juggle Struggles

So, I'm 31 and I think I may be going through a midlife crisis. I have struggle more this year than any other. I just feel, so often, the balls I am juggling are all about to come crashing down. At times, I have even felt overwhelmed.

Don't get me wrong, I am not suicidal, no need to alert the higher ups, but something has to give. I took on a new job in an amazing school district and I struggled to find a balance. A balance that shared enough of me with my students, co-workers, family and self. At times, I have to admit, my family lost out more and that is so wrong. I have a beautiful son and a great husband, but this past year has taken its tole. The everyday stress of dealing with kids, parents, curriculum, and politics keeps me walking around with my shoulders up to my ears, not to mention the constant, "will I or wont I have a job next year?" I have a house to keep up, family to cook for and classes to take.

Being an educator has its advantages, but recently the disadvantages are starting to take over. Sure I get to be with my son for almost 3 months, not uninterrupted, more like 2. But where does that leave me, or him, the other 10. I am paying someone to raise my child and I am having trouble with that piece. So blog-o-verse a question to whom ever would like to answer it.

How do you find a balance?

Where will I find mine?

Op aint got shhht on my book club

So, in order to form a more perfect union- Matchew and I have decided to start our own book club. Actually I suggested and I feel he may be just going along for amusement purposes.

We are going to read Battle Creek by Scot Lasser. Anyone else want to join us?


Here's a blurb:

Gil, who's been diverting money from his father's checking account to keep the team in cleats, is the center of the novel. But Lasser introduces us to the rest of the roster, too. There's sexual athlete and power pitcher Ben Mercer, who succumbs to baseball's equivalent of the Dark Side and starts throwing spitballs. (Mercer, by the way, is a stockbroker when he's not on the mound, which may make for a certain harmonic convergence between him and his bond-trading creator.) There's also a young hitter, Luke James, whose promising career gets truncated by a well-placed bean ball. Throughout, Lasser has a fine, glancing touch with "the dance of infield practice and the pop of the ball in the catcher's mitt, the flicker of signals from the catcher with a man on second, and the lean of a ballplayer as he rounds third base." But aside from the generational head-butting between Gil and his father, the author's explorations of the wild and wooly world of American masculinity have something tentative to them. Aiming, perhaps, for the back fence, he has an unfortunate tendency to check his swing.

Issues in Mom-dom

James A. has really become very conniving the past few months. He no longer keeps a secret and enjoys sharing every little detail of little incidents with everyone we know. Note to self- James cannot keep a secret.

After 7 months on the shelf I am finally dusting myself off to get back into race mode. Although I have not committed to any, I am easing into it slowly. Plantar Fasciitis is a PITA. After 2 doctors, a physical therapist and a few pairs of orthodics, I am allowed to run 20 minutes 3 days a week. Before this I never knew what a strassburg sock was or that I am an inch and a quarter shorter in leg length on my right side. With all this I am asking myself, "Is running really worth it?"

We are planning a vacation to visit my sister Marge in the next few months. We cant wait to load up the Honda and head out into the sunset with 14 hours of driving ahead of us. OK, maybe a little trepidation, but oh well. Anyone have any suggestions for how to pass the time?

So I am unbelievably excited that they are turning one of my all time favorite books into a movie. Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs, is bound to be an instant classic.

Four

What a great feeling it is to be four. When you are four, the world is at your fingertips, life is one big piece of monkey cake and then you wake up crabby from a nap, and everyone is out to get you. I wish life was that simple to me still.

The birthday cake is gone, the decorations are all on the floor and with Wall-E in his Leapster, James could not be happier. He woke up in the middle of the night to check and make sure he was still four and that life didn't play a mean trick on him to make him 3 again. He is so proud of being 4.

A day centered around family fun with James. The morning at Bonkers and roller skating. A nap and an afternoon of bowling, cake and presents. Life is Good!

Brushing the cobwebs off

Just wanted to stop in and clean up a bit since my last post was last year. So I am still on the bench after the chicago marathon. I have plantar faciitis. I'm on month 4 and I don't think it will ever go away. I miss a good hard run- it was 57 today and I was really wanting to go for a run. Instead I decided to pulled out the bike and pick James up. Oh well, it could be worse.

Tomorrow is James' 4th Birthday. He is such a weed. He told me, "tonight is my last night driving in my car bed as a three year old." Ugh I just want to freeze time and keep him as a cute 3 year old who says goofy things and tells me I'm beautiful. It doesn't take much to impress a three year old! We made his monkey cake and cupcakes for daycare. I has hinting toward a pirate or tractor cake, but he reminded me it was his day.

At this rate, I'll pop back in in July... ; )

What are your kids reading?

As an avid word eater myself, I find I have book "piles" everywhere-
In the living room:
YA chapter books for my classroom
Best Practices Texts for my classroom
Parenting books
Texts for my Reading Specialist degree
Guilty Pleasure texts- like Chelsea Handler, that hot mess Tori Spelling and a new fave David Sedaris
In the kitchen:
Cookbooks, magazines and favorite recipes
Upstairs in my craft room:
idea magazines, old teaching materials, art project ideas for James
Next to my yoga mat:
Triathlon and marathon training books
Next to the couch:
current magazines from Triathlete, Runners World,, Mailbox Preschool, Taste of Home and Us (gotta see what Britters has been up to!)
In James' room:
ABC/123 books, board books, pop-ups, well worn books, books that make us giggle, poetry books, Golden books and creepy books that make us wriggle...

So I guess if it's one thing I want to pass on to him, it's this love/passion I have for language. We went to Borders in the mall yesterday and if you have ever been to a Borders in the mall, you know how jam packed the space is and how hard it is to move with 1 other person in the children's section... so we played w/ books and walked away w/ 2 new favorites:



He loves interactive books right now. Pop ups, lift a flap, googly eyes, etc. The bus w/ wheels was one we left behind- shhh. So here's my big Q of the day- What are your kid's favorites? James has 4 that we reread constantly. He will "read" them with me when we are out on a walk or driving to school because he knows them by heart.
I could have made a list of 20, but made myself quit.

I'm alive I swear...

Coming up for a quick breathe of air...still training for Chicago Marathon...need to get in longer long runs. Must get 2 more hours into each day...

Ok- I'm a little stressed, things are calming down though- love my new job. It is a little demanding though. I'll survive.