Thankful

     On Friday the nation was rocked with the horrible news of a tragic school shooting in Connecticut. All school shootings are tragic and gut wrenching, but this particular event truly stopped me in my tracks. I can't quite pinpoint why, but I'm thinking it's because it happened in an elementary school to students who are the same age as the students I see everyday. When you read what those staff members did to protect the lives of those kids they were entrusted to, you find yourself shaking your head in agreement. As I read the words and the scene plays out in my head I know that I would've done the same thing those staff members did. It's just simple, those kids in my room are not just students, they are my students. I've never met a single teacher who doesn't think the same thing.  At times like this though, we are forced to stop and rethink our priorities, AND change our attitudes. 

     This week before Christmas our district has a FULL week of school. Monday through Friday. I will admittedly  tell you I was a bit discouraged wondering how I was going to get my little friends to stay focused and keep their excitement about Christmas at a manageable level. Now, I will admittedly tell you that I wouldn't want to be anywhere else these next five days. I will take extra care this week and know how blessed I am with such a great group of kids. If I don't get a single point across to those kids all week, I still count it as a great week, simply because I am able to spend it with them.

      I will be thinking and praying for the staff, the families and all the lives that were affected by the tragic events. I can't even imagine their pain, and loss.

THE .... FLU...

Flu: 3 Binkleys:1

Jon, Elli and I all got the flu. It's miserable. A 20 month old child with the flu is possibly THE worst parental experience. Well OK now that I'm pondering it - it's probably not that bad, but in the moment it was horrible. She can't tell me she's sick, until the vomit is all over me. She wakes up puking, then we have to clean the bed. She wants chocolate milk so badly, and you so badly want to throw it out the window because of the smell. The only thing worse than a 20 month old with the flu? BOTH adults in the house also have the flu. She pukes, I puke, Jon pukes. It's a vicious cycle. 

We've been puke free for almost 24 hours (everyone knock on wood). My headache is now a dull pain rather than the pounding tribal drum that it's been the last 12 hours. I was even able to tolerate a little sunlight today. 

Harper has won the prize as the only Binkley not knocked out from this horrid experience. A HUGE thanks to Mamo Denise who took Harper and kept her while the three of us curled up in misery together.  This marks the first time in MANY years that either Jon or I have gotten the flu (because we admittedly refuse the flu shot) but it is important to note that Elli had her flu shot last week. Coincidence? I say no...

Meet Gina!

So... in my quest to find low fat recipes I have stumbled upon a new favorite blog...

I happened to find her blog through pinterest (imagine that) and I've been addicted ever since. I've tried about 15 of her recipes from her site and I haven't had a bad one yet. Some of you may know that I was banned from Racheal Ray's recipes several years ago by Jon. My cooking skills and her recipes were just not a good combination. Well not Gina! She uses ingredients I can pronounce, and fresh things I can find in my small town grocery store.  Even my red meat, fried food, coated in butter loving husband has enjoyed everything I've made from her. Yay! Best part?? For someone like me who needs those nutritional facts, it's listed on every recipe!! She's given me the opportunity to spice up my kitchen skills and keep everything low fat. I just might be in love....

Check her out! Meet Gina from SkinnyTaste!

This is how we do it...

It's been a while my friends, and in true Kali form I feel it's appropriate to update you in "list style". So this is how the Binkleys did Fall 2012...

#1. For my birthday in August we took Harper to the opening Mizzou game with Amy, Steve and the boys! Even though it rained, we had a blast!

#2.  We've had a fun time filling our new house with newer furniture and making our house a home. Here the girls are enjoying the new couch sporting their USC gear from Uncle Brandon. (Don't get used to them like this, they are true Tigers - just ask their Dad)

#3. We've had fun raking ALL the leaves in our new yard. It's incredible how we can spend hours blowing & burning leaves, and two days later it looks like we haven't touched them! The girls (and even Jon) had some serious fun jumping in the big piles

#4. We celebrated the marriage of two sweethearts (The Egnews). Their rehearsal dinner was in the Mizzou pressbox, which was pretty fun!

#5. Our sweet niece Abby celebrated her birthday on October 29th. We spent the afternoon at Grandma's and the kids enjoyed Loft House cupcakes! Delicious!

#6. October went out with a bang as we went Trick or Treating on Halloween! We have a butterfly fairy and a witch. Harper had a blast and Elli is enjoying the fruits of her sister's labor.

Harper "flying"

Parental Nightmare

This blog post is not for the faint of heart. In fact, if you don't have children, you should probably stop reading now. If you have continued reading even if you don't have kids, this is your final warning. You will probably think I'm disgusting and even hear yourself uttering the words "why is she blogging about this?"

Jon and I have a parental nightmare on our hands. Our dear, sweet, tubby, giggling little Elliette is a -- wait for it -- night pooper. Yep, you read that correctly she is a night pooper! Why is this a parental nightmare do you ask? Well let me tell you. It all should be prefaced by stating that our dear, sweet, tubby, giggling Harper woke up every morning from the time she started sleeping through the night dry as a bone! She would quickly fill her diaper after waking up (which is why cheap diapers never worked for her), but I digress. When Harper was in the middle of potty training I was getting frustrated at her inability to EVER go #2 on the potty. So we started reading blog after blog. Jon stumbled upon a parent sounding board in which a parent was venting about the problems their toddler was having pooping in the middle of the night and not waking them up! They would wake up the next morning finding little "treasures" in their son's closet. Can you even imagine??  Well a few months ago our little Elli started  pooping in the middle of the night. She doesn't wake up, she sleeps right through it and it's a disgusting, sticky mess by the time we realize what's happened the next morning. I'm freaking out that this will continue after two and potty training will take on a whole new nightmarish meaning!

If you made it this far - you must be parent - and I hope you are laughing. At this point, what else do you do?

Hello?! Can you see me?

Squint, no really squint. See that blur of a blog that's frantically bobbing up and down on the horizon? Yep - that's me! I eat, sleep, kiss on my kids and work. I promise updates are coming - maybe in November? ha. Until then, here's the shortened version.

I love my job - but I feel like a first year teacher all over again! My girls are adorable and growing like weeds. Harper is loving every minute of preschool (she's superstar of the week - if you see her this week she's bound to tell you). Elli is loving her new sitter and starting to say one-two word sentences. We are thoroughly enjoying our life at the moment!

First Day Jitters

If you're not familiar with the book First Day Jitters you should read it. It's a great story for all ages. It is a picture book - I wouldn't want those of you who read my blog and are NOT teachers (there are a few of you!), to hunt it down and be disappointed. 

I started journaling my adventure in my new classroom a couple of weeks ago. Then friends, I left you hangin! How rude of me. These last few weeks have honestly been a whirlwind. New employee training, Granny's funeral, more employee training, open house, and now tomorrow - First Day of School! Yikes! These last few days have been long ones, but I'm just as excited and nervous as our main character in that book First Day Jitters.

I'll be learning right along with my little 2nd graders tomorrow. I'm SUPER excited about my kids, my school, my curriculum, my team, I think it's going to be an awesome year.

Here's a sneak peek of my room as I left it tonight after open house (it's still a tad messy from the crowd). 

Highlights would include my huge bulletin board above the bookshelf. It's titled "Binkley's Learning Pad" and I'm planning on using that space for anchor charts made with my kids during whole group reading instruction. My class library, which says "read it, read it" to go along with my frog theme. The biggest change for me this year - no teacher desk! I'm using my guided reading table to house a few teacher items I might need, other than that what belongs to me, belongs to my kids. We share our space equally! 

Two personal goals this year (well two that I can quantify at the moment) would include: 

1. Mastering my new 2nd grade curriculum - and by mastering I mean knowing my standards as thoroughly as I did my 4th grade ones

2. Beefing up my primary library! My books are all chapter books!

A wise theater mentor once told me that nerves are a positive thing. They keep you on your toes, and keep your mind sharp. Those "first day jitters" have nothing on me. Bring it on 2012-2013 school year - bring it on!