Mrs. P Update

After laboring for 2 days with not much progression, 1 "false alarm" trip to the hospital & 5 days overdue, she is being induced at 9am tomorrow morning. So, tomorrow will be a big day! We will finally get the meet the little girl who is refusing to enter the world.

By the Way

My resolution is failing miserably. Think I can run 18 miles in the next two days? I don't think so either.

Credential Info

For any and all who are interested, this is an email I got from the Certification, Assignment, & Waivers Division of the California Commision on Teacher Credentialing regarding what to do if my credential were to expire.

With the signing into law of SB1209 on September 28, 2006, professional growth requirements are no longer a prerequisite to credential renewal.

Under SB1209, local school districts are directed to encourage their teachers to participate in professional growth activities. Thus, this is now a local employment issue, not a credentialing issue.

The only time the Commission will require professional growth documentation is if you are the holder of a Child Development Permit. Otherwise, effective immediately, the Commission will no longer be requesting verification of professional growth requirements (including clock hours and days of service) when renewing your teaching or services credentials.

With these new regulations in place, it will no longer be necessary for you to file for a two year extension of your credential to complete fulfillment of any requirements, since these will no longer be considered by the Commission. Thus, when you are ready to renew your
document, you may do so for the full five years.

Please note this from the CCTC web site:

"Effective January 1, 2007, the Commission will require all clear, professional, and professional clear credential holders to renew their Credentials online. See Official (Coded) Correspondence 06-0011 for more information."

The information formerly printed in the Professional Growth Manual is now out of date. For further information on this and other recent changes that may affect you, please consult the Commission web site or the Main Credential Information Page.

Thank you for contacting the Commission.


David Crable
Information Services
Certification, Assignment, & Waivers Division

So it looks like all you have to do to renew is pay your money, no hours or teaching days required! Sounds good to me.

In case you were wondering..

My friend, Mrs. P still has not had her baby. Today is her due date. It looks like little baby P wants to cook a little longer.

The New Room

Today was a day of re-organization. My sewing room was turning into a nightmare. Since deciding to have gift baskets on AllyZabba the once mostly organized room had turned into a mess of boxes, fabric, and just junk! It was becoming increasingly more difficult to actually sew in the sewing room. Not anymore...I wish I would have thought to take a picture of the before, but those of you who know me know that when it comes time to organize I cannot be stopped. By just taking out one chair and a small table we were able to create much more space in the room. I had been cutting all the fabric on the floor and that was just becoming a hassle. So I found a great cutting table on Craig's List for a very reasonable price and it fits perfectly in the room. We cleaned out some of the old things in the closet to make room for the AllyZabba gift basket items. Now the room is clean and well organized. We added some shelves to the wall to get some of the sewing things off the sewing table to create more work space and it makes the room look nice as well.

Oh and BigZabba fell and hit her head tonight. It was a fall that was worthy of a band-aid, so we had to take a picture of it. If you look close you can still see the wet cheeks & glisteny nose from the tears.

Homeschool

Since my previous post about my credential I discovered that my credential doesn't expire until June 2008, so I have more time that I thought I had to complete my requirements. So in light of that, I think (I say 'i think' becuase I am still hesitant to commit myself!) I have decided to homeschool BigZabba in the fall. This would allow me to complete my requirements and still have time with my baby! I was starting to get sad thinking about my little girl being gone from 8:15 - 2:30 every day. That is a long day for a little kid. I know that I would have been the crying Mom on the first day of school. The last few days I have been looking into different homeschool curriculum, groups, etc. and while it could be overwhelming, I am actually getting really excited about it.

Anyone have any advice or things that I should look in to?

Allison, I looked into the Professional Growth hours that you mentioned in your comment and I found this on the CTC website. What do you think this means? They no longer require verification of hours and teaching days...so does this mean that it is on the honor system? Then it says, " As a result of the changes outlined above, the Commission will no longer issue the two-year extension for individuals who did not complete their professional growth requirements, but issue a five-year document instead." What does that mean in English? If you don't complete the requirements they wont give the extension, but a five year document? What?

Method

I have always been somewhat of a clean freak, but ever since I started using Method cleaning products it has gotten really bad. All the products smell so good..especially the granite cleaner. It makes me want to clean all day! So if you need a kick start to your cleaning regimine, go get yourself some Method and have a party. (Well maybe not a party, but you get the idea.)

Another Baby!

No, not my baby...my sister is having baby #3! She is due in September. They recently bought a Chevy Trailblazer. Upon hearing the news that they were having another baby, her husband said,

"I have just one thing to say....we should have bought the Suburban."

Cereal

Tonight for dinner we had Chicken & Broccoli Casserole. This might not be all that exciting to you, but to BigZabba this was the best dinner ever. Why? you ask, well because it had cereal in it. See, BigZabba is a huge fan of cereal. She was so delighted that there was cereal in her dinner that she picked each corn flake out of the food before she ate all the other stuff.

For anyone who would like to have cereal for dinner (so to speak) here is the recipe:

1 10 oz. bag frozen broccoli
1 cup cooked chicken (cut up)
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 tsp. lemon juice
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 cup crushed corn flakes
1/4 cup melted butter

Combine the first 5 ingredients in a large bowl, mix well. Combine corn flakes and butter. Put chicken mixture in a casserole pan and pour corn flakes and butter mixture on top. Bake at 350 for 25 minutes.

LittleZabba's Big Week

Here is a video of LittleZabba's big week. Her accomplishmets are: saying "more" in sign language, using a fork & walking...all while popping out 3 teeth at the same time. (it was one tooth just the other day, but there are two more now making their appearance).

Enjoy!

What a Day!

This has been a busy but super fun day. The morning began with a 7:30am phone call. My first reaction was, "it must be Mr. P! the baby is on its way!" But it wasn't, it was my Mother, aka ShaSha. She says, "I am at your back door waiting to be let it." She decided to come visit, after dropping my Dad off at the airport. She offered to stay home with the kids while DaddyZabba and I went to the fabric district to shop for AllyZabba, then to the California Market Center to go to the CMC Gift & Home Market, then to the LA Convention Center to the CA Gift Show. We had a great time and were able to get some great things at the Gift & Home Market.

We have wanted to sell gift baskets on AllyZabba and now we can. I am very excited about the items we picked for our gift sets. It will be a few more weeks before we have everything ready to put online, but it is going to be good.

After the errand running for AllyZabba we came home and had dinner. During dinner BigZabba asked if she could go home with ShaSha. So, everyone agreed, she packed her bag, and off to went to have an overnight with ShaSha. If this doesn't prove the spontaneous nature of my family then nothing will.

Love

"Mommy, I love you 52 thousand 30 hundred"

LittleZabba's New Tricks and a Big Honor

This has been a big week for LittleZabba. Her list of accomplishments are:

-saying "more" in sign language on a consistant basis during meal times (rather than yelling, pointing and pounding on the table as was her habit before)
-she actually colors, just like her big sister
-stabbed her food with a fork & put it in her mouth (it took a few stabs for her to get the food on the fork, but she did it!)
-it only took 13 months and 5 days, but she is getting a tooth! the very tip of one tooth has poked through the skin.

On to the big honor...my friends, Mr. & Mrs. P are days away from delivering their 3rd child (1st girl) and they asked if I would help in the delivery room. It is such an honor. I am very excited to be able to help and meet their little girl!

Hey You Lurkers..

I stole this idea from another blog, so thanks for the idea! I average about 30 visitors each day. I know you are there. Who are you? It is time to de-lurk and start commenting..even a simple hello will do.

The Reminder

The other day BigZabba was playing with her plastic horses while we were at the hair dresser. As always there was a Mommy, Daddy & baby horse. This day they were all fighting "the bad guys" and the Mommy & Daddy were showing the baby how to fight and then run away. Now these horses happen to be anatomically correct, which BigZabba was more than happy to point out to everyone.

See, this is the Mommy, she has these things for the baby to get the milk out. And this is the Daddy, he has this thing here, it is the reminder that he is the Daddy.

My Resolution

I don't make resolutions, but this year I did and I am already regretting it.


As you can see I am not doing so well on my goal. After, actually during, my last race I hurt my leg somehow. Now after each run my calf hurts really bad. So I was giving it some time to heal, or do whatever calf muscles do. After 6 weeks I would have thought that it would be better, but it really isn't. I ran the above 2 miles this morning and I can say that my leg hurts enough that I will not be running on it tomorrow. It looks like Lola might be getting $20 out of me.

Where Do They Come From?

It is always interesting to see where my readers come from. For the first time more people come to me directly than through TweedyGirl. At one time DaddyZabba told me that if it weren't for TweedyGirl and her loyal readers I wouldn't have anyone coming to my blog. I guess I may be developing my own following...well maybe not, but it is a nice thought.

Teachers?

To any current or former teachers out there...

I have a credential renewal question. My credential is close to expiring and I am beginning to panic about it since I have done nothing to fulfill the renewal requirements. I was reading the Professional Growth Manual and in there it states..

During the period you are away from education it is acceptable to allow the credential to lapse or become invalid. There is no penalty for allowing a credential to expire as long as you are not currently employed in a position that requires it. When you decide to return to education you may request a one time 2 year reinstatement of the professional clear credential. During this 2 year period you must complete all requirements. Activities completed while the original credential was valid, during the lapsed time, and during the 2 year extension period may be counted toward the required hours.

So does this mean that I don't need to worry about renewing until I want to return to teaching? The way I read it, I don't need to renew until I want to go back to teaching and then I will have no penalties and I won't have to go back to compete any additional coursework or take any extra tests because I allowed the credential to expire. It will be like the lapse never happened and I can renew when I want with no consequences.

Is that how you read it too? Please say yes.

Ah Food!

We are teaching LittleZabba the joy of food. Just dig in and don't worry about making a mess..that's what wipes are for!

Almost Old

Today Lola and I were talking about how we were feeling old...not wanting to leave the house after 4pm, getting into pj's by 7pm..etc..

Lola - I need to get my hair colored..I found more gray hair. I am so old.
Me - If you are old, what am I?
Lola - Almost old.

Where is San Francisco?

Overheard at Disney's California Adventure today.....

(while walking in the front gate, under "The Golden Gate Bridge")

kid - oh look. It's San Francisco.
mom - No, it's not San Francisco, this park is all about California.

Thankfulness

I take so many things for granted...my home, my family, my health & the health of my family, my stuff...everything. I occasionally read BabyCenter's birth club boards. Tonight I was reading and saw a post by a Mom whose daughter is 2 weeks younger than LittleZabba. Her daughter is in the hospital with lesions on her brain, hooked up to many machines, unconscious and having seizures. I cannot even imagine what she must be going through watching her little one go through all of this. It breaks my heart to think of it. I really have so much to be thankful for. I take for granted that my children are healthy, that my husband has a job, that I can stay home with my kids, that I live in a free country...all these things have become normal & expected for me. At any moment any of these "normal" things could just be gone. Then what would I do? This was a good reminder that I need to once again give all parts of my life to God and trust Him with it.

Ok Nosey

The check out guy at Trader Joe's was a little too nosey today. The conversation started out as small talk while he tallied the groceries...

TJ man - How old is your baby?
me- She's one
TJ man - How many months?
me - (laughing) 12
TJ man - My son will be 13 months tomorrow. Is she talking?
me - No, not yet.
TJ man - Is she walking?
me - No.
TJ man - How many teeth does she have?
me - None yet.
(I was only slightly annoyed by the interrogation, but then he had to throw this question out there..)
TJ man - Are you nursing?
me - um..no
TJ man - With no teeth you really should be.
me - ok.

And with that I picked up my bag and walked away. What was that all about?

Another Episode of..

..this date in history...

(written just like I wrote it then)

1988 - Today we were one hour late from school. I did not know how though, so I was at school at 8:30 cause our electricity was out. I woke up at 7:30. This man came to the door. Everyone is worried he'll come back. (It was this crazy guy in army fatigues banging on our front door yelling that he knew we were in there and we should open the door..creepy)

1993 - Well it's a new year! Christmas was really good! We had fun just staying home and playing with Dad's new game boy! He's gonna need lots of new batteries, and soon! My braces came off December 15. I'm really glad those gross things are gone. Horray! I finally asked (insert boy name here) to winter formal. I hope it goes well and nothing stupid happens. (It was a horrible date! All night I tried to convince him that we should be "together"..it was terrible) This "thing" with (winter formal boy) is really confusing. I don't know what's up. Maybe it would be better for us to just be friends. And then there is (insert DaddyZabba's name here!!) I don't know what is up with him either! I'm too confused!

1994 - In six months I will graduate. Wow. I wonder what this year will bring. I'll start college this year. Other than that I have no clue! To start off the year I worked (at McDonalds). I guess that's good. I started off the year on the right foot. I hope that brings good fortune!

Doppelganger

A doppelgänger is in some cases, the physical double of a living person.

Who is LittleZabba's doppelganger?

My Only Regret

I was having a trip down memory lane this week and I came across this memory...my only regret in life...

After a few years of marriage, I don't remember how many exactly, I had put on a few pounds and I was curious if my wedding dress still fit. So, one day I got out the wedding dress and put it on. I was actually surprised that it still fit. So I was having a little fashion show for myself when I heard what sounded like a truck pull up outside. I looked out the window and saw the FedEx man in front of my house. I started to panic. I was in my wedding dress and the FedEx man was coming to the door. So without really thinking I frantically tried to unzip myself from the cumbersome dress. I got myself out of the dress, but then I realized that not only was the man steps from the door, but I was now naked. I ran to get some clothes, while trying to avoid the windows, and after only 3 rings of the door bell I got to the door. Whew.

After he left I thought about the whole situation again and I wished I would have done things differently. Wouldn't it have been so great to just answer the door in my wedding dress. I could have answered all flustered, and said something clever like, "Oh I am so glad you are here. I was waiting for this! I can still get there in time!" Oh well, maybe next time.