This is something Bryce's daycare lady shared with me today:

...conversation with 2 year old...whats your name? "Bryce", what's your other name?... "Lowenbach"....whats your brothers name? "Cayden", whats his other name? "Brother", whats your moms name "Carrie", whats your fathers name? "Coach" Thought you would like this Carrie!

What a little man!

My kids make me laugh:

What Bryce said, "Dad, will you fart me like ketchup"

Cayden had to spend a recess inside today reading because he forgot to bring his signed reading slip to school. He said, "I didn't really mind because Ms. Cary brought me the second Harry Potter book." Apparently, staying inside to read wasn't much of a punishment for him...

My Job

I just have to say that I love my job. I don't love every single minute or every single day but I really love my job. And, yes, I'm mad that the recession has so affected what my school is able to afford especially because at the end of the year it is my salary that gets cut. However, what the recession has not affected is my passion about my mission as an educator. I (and all my teacher friends) still spent countless hours outside of the classroom to make sure that the education that the students get is "priceless". Most of us spend more hours now than ever because we have kids who need us more than ever. Of course I am not perfect. And, I guess I feel that I need to say it because I am tired of people complaining about public education. We are a state government funded institution and therefore, in the big picture, we all decide how much support we give public education. Most of us are voters and all of us have a voice. If you think there is a better option than public school - fine, just please don't bash the teachers and schools in the process but know that we do take it personally if you move your child somewhere else. Teachers are THAT invested in our jobs and we are doing a heck of a job (if I don't say so myself). I chose this profession and so I try not to complain too much about it. Yes, I have big classes. Yes, teenagers can be difficult, Yes, my job is stressful, No, I wouldn't change my profession. Please don't think I am some superhero. My job also allows me to spend lots of time with my own children and I laugh a lot during the day and I don't have meetings all day (shout out to my non teacher friends), and there are plenty of other benefits that make it a perfect career for us. I do believe in the mission of public school and think that along with parents we can teach kids and make the world a "nicer" place. I just had to get that off my chest so thanks for listening.

Like Father Like Son

Jeff's clean clothes pile.













The top of Cayden's bed.

Not all the similiarities are positive ones.

These are pants. Cayden's pants to be exact. I just bought these pants 4 weeks ago.

They are now TOO short. They did fit 4 weeks ago. He wore them just 3 weeks ago when we had a couple of cold days. Now, they are at his ankles. What the hell? Seriously? If you know anyone that wears an 8 slim please let me know because I will have to get the next size up obviously.

Happy

I am Happy.

Why?

Because we finally got a piano

And.....

I am taking lessons with Cayden

I have always wanted to take lessons but just never could growing up. I made myself a promise that someday (yes SOMEDAY) I would do it. Now is the time. I am sure that 34 isn't too old to learn (keeping my fingers crossed)? So, to sum it up - having a piano makes me happy. I love listening to Cayden play and I love doing the simplest things on it myself. Jeff on the other hand.....

All He Wants for Christmas (early please!)

Cayden lost his second top front tooth yesterday while at the lake and out on the boat. It has only been noticeably loose for a couple of days. This is an unusual turn of events for him because normally he holds onto his loose teeth for weeks before they finally drop (literally) out. His last tooth was so loose and stuck out so bad we called him snaggletooth for a good two weeks before it finally came out. The tooth even resisted coming out after Jeff tied a (full) Gatorade bottle to it with floss. The floss broke but the tooth remained. We are ALL grateful - especially Cayden- that dad won't have to try and yank this one out.

Sept. 11th Remembering

Yesterday passed and I did all of the normal things - breakfast, dishes, a little work, hanging with the kids, etc.... except all day I kept thinking about September 11, 2001. But, I never said anything to anyone not knowing how to talk about what I remembered and what an emotional day it was. I didn't even talk to Cayden about the day and why it was special. How do you talk to a 7 year old about what happened? So, today I was thinking that maybe I should write down what I can remember about what I was doing that day. When I hear stories of what others experienced that day sometimes it still moves me to tears. I was lucky to be so far away and safe in a physical sense. Many others were THERE and had family THERE.

Jeff's parents were staying with us for a couple of weeks while they were waiting to move into their new home in Greeley, Colorado. When I came downstairs that morning Bob was putting his tie on and watching the news and as I came into the living room is when the footage of the plane flying into the Twin Towers was first aired. It was surreal because no one knew what was happening. I honestly don't remember if Jeff and Barb were still in the house that morning or not. After staring at the t.v. for several minutes I left the house and turned on my normal radio station and heard.... silence. I usually listened to the station that had a pretty entertaining morning show and hearing nothing and then talking and confusion and that was erie. I had a 15 minute drive to work and the whole time I remember hearing, "we don't know why the plane hit the building". I think it wasn't for a little while that they realized, or were sharing, that it was a hijacked plane that purposely hit the Twin Towers. I was teaching in Ault, Colorado at the time and when I came into school the athletic director had pulled a tv into the common area and again there was silence. That is something for a high school. As the morning crept on we all kept the news channel on in our room and unfortunately that meant that most of our students that day saw the towers falling right as it happened. There was shock and tears. Students had more questions than I knew how to answer. By afternoon, we were all on overload and kept the t.v.'s off. That night Jeff and I had Grandma Rene and Anne over for dinner. I called my family and the thing I remember most is just wanting to know people were okay and to tell them you loved them. What else could you say? But having family near was important and having family know that you loved them was important. The world didn't get back to "normal" for awhile. I don't think it still is...

On the next day of school I had my students write their thoughts and reactions to what they saw and felt and I do wonder if they still have those. I know that mine is out there in the garage with my old books. Last time I read it I was suprised at the emotion, about how much responsibility I felt to my students who were floundering for understanding while at the same time trying to grasp how serious it was. New York is a long way from Colorado.

It will be a day that shapes me forever. I hope that I never, never, ever have to watch something like that again and I hope that my children don't experience that sadness and shock either. I guess I don't talk about it because I don't know that there are words to express how I feel.

I will always remember.

2nd Grade For Real? Already?

I'm not sure that it is possible that my first born son is going into 2nd Grade this year. It was hard for me this year to swallow the fact that he is getting Older and Bigger. His teacher this year is Ms. Cary. She wore tie dye on the first day of school and immediately Cayden thought of his Nana. Jeff took him to school for his first day which was hard for me but while Cayden is starting his first day I am busy welcoming 240 9th graders to the high school. So, I picked him up and dropped him off for his SECOND day. Jeff refused to be the picture taker so I had to take the picture on DAY 2. Cayden wanted it noted that this picture is not officially his First day of school! Here is a picture that compares his Kindergarten picture to his 2nd grade picture.

Kindergarten
2nd Grade - just a bit taller, eh?

If You Leave Hungry, it is your own fault

Over Labor Day we went with a large group of friends (18 was the final count) to The Cowboy Dinner Tree. Jeff and I first went to this amazing restaraunt when we lived in Silver Lake, Oregon ('98-'00). The notable thing about The Dinner Tree is the size of their proportions. HUGE is the only way to describe it. Way back in the day they only had one item on the menu - steak. Now, they have added a chicken option and the food is better than ever. We had a great time and ate a great meal. It is so big that you have to think about leftovers before you even get dinner.

1st course - Salad family style. Eat as much as you want before the next course.
2nd - Cowboy beans and/or soup. Tonight it was a delicious corn and potato chowder served with warm rolls. Yummm.
3rd - THE STEAK (closer to a roast) or THE CHICKEN. Comes with a baked potato. See photos below.
4th - Dessert. Cake with berries and heavy cream if you still have room.

Roll us on out of there...

The Steak and Potato. Yes, that is a WHOLE chicken in the background.
Cindy and Macee

The Crofchecks and the Slopers

Us - Fat and Happy

Crater Lake

A huge log bridge over the creek by our campsite.

Wizard island at Crater Lake

My summer "to do" list included three things: Olympic National Park - check, Mt. St. Helens - check and Crater Lake - check. Jeff and I have visited Crater Lake, Oregon a couple of times but not since we have moved back to Oregon. Cayden has never seen it and it needs to be seen to be appreciated. We fit it in on one of the last weekends of summer. We camped overnight on the Rogue River in a beautiful campground. The boys love camping and Bryce especially is a different kid when he gets to be outdoors. The ride down wasn't so fun with him but once we got there.... Here are some pictures of us at camp and Crater Lake. Plus, on the day we left Jeff "took one for the team" and let Cayden and I sneak out of camp to do a hike along the river while he distracted Bryce and packed up the trailer. Thanks again honey! It was a beautiful day.