Reading Pays Off

I've heard many stories of a young Jared who loved to read. Jared was reading Roald Dahl before he was in Kindergarten and would later read on his walk to school! Well, this wasn't the Jared I married, so last Christmas I gave him a zombie book and asked him why he didn't read anymore? 

I now have a book enthusiast for a husband.

For the past eight weeks Jared and I have been taking part in our library's adult Summer reading program. In order to qualify for a grand prize, we had to read three books that were at least 100 pages long, and for every five books we read we got to pick up a prize at the library (we claimed a flashlight and lots of candy). 

Stats: 

Lauren - 10 books, 2,269 pages

Jared - 15 books, 5,431 pages

Tonight we gathered at the library for a culminating event to celebrate the many great readers in our community. (We really just went to win a Kindle). I can't list all of the prizes that were given away tonight, but trust me, there were over a hundred. 

Jared played it cool (see the pic below) and read while the winners were being announced, but I was biting my nails and frankly, getting depressed. You see, there was a time when I won a lot of contests. But my luck ran out when I got married, don't ask me why.

 I finally gave up on myself and thought, "Just let Jared win something!" and voila! Here's Jared with his $5 gift certificate to a cafe we've never heard of. Yay!

  This would have been a frowny-faced picture if we went home empty-handed.

Jared had to pick up a few books before we left for home. I hope he doesn't still expect prizes!

Capture the Light

Yesterday I began packing for our move next month, when I came across an old pack of Sparklers. I added it to this year's pack and Jared and I had a good time.

 Success!

 "Bird"

 Jared wrote "LOVE" but I told him to write it over and over so it got a bit messy...

 Lauren's initials

Infinity 

 Jared started down the street and ran toward the camera. Does anyone else see a freaky image in the top right corner?

Jared's initials, which he likes to point out are the same as James Bond, Jack Bauer, and Jason Bourne (and Justin Bieber) 

We still have 10 sparklers left, if anyone wants to join us for next time!

Aviary Day

Yesterday, Jared & I went to the Tracy Aviary in Salt Lake City with Alisha and her kids. We got in for just $1 each with our Pass of All Passes. Sadly (or maybe not), I don't have any pictures of Alisha or me. We were pretty sweaty by the time we left so you'll just have to use your imagination. 

Jared handled his Uncle duties very well. He led us around the park and made sure we made it to a couple of bird shows. He even held up two children at once so they could see a Macaw. It's good training for him.

Here are some pictures from our adventure:

Learning myth/facts about Owls 

Burrowing owl

 Annie kept climbing on rocks and asking for her picture to be taken

Annie & Uncle Jared

Searching for wild birds

Jared had his suspicions confirmed that female peacocks are brown

Just after I took this picture, the boy in the yellow shirt looked through his binoculars at the peacock and yelled, "I see one mommy! I see one!" 

The peacock was about four feet away from him at that point.

We got to see many birds, but I don't think it's as exciting as what can be found at the zoo (notice that most of my pictures are of people). Next stop: Hogle Zoo!

Sitter vs. mom

Do you know what happens when you tell a demanding three year-old that you won't take him to Target and buy him a Batman toy? 

I do.

First, you get told you're dumb, and then the three year-old pees in his underwear to teach you a lesson.

For the past few days I have been babysitting for a small family. The children are cute, fun to talk to, and are pretty well behaved, but being with them means I get Gatorade and Slurpee spilled on my shoes, toilet water wiped on my pants, and sweat dripping down my neck just from buckling them all into the car. I stopped wearing makeup a few days ago.

I have to wonder...

Is this what being a mom is like?

Everybody Loves a Superhero

As part of an assignment this week, I am required to take two pictures of the same scene, having one in clear focus, and one with a blurred background. 

At first I tried to be cutesy, and photographed my wedding cake topper:

But then the several Avengers figures next to my camera caught my attention, and I decided to give them a try:

Once again, the Avengers save the day.

As Seen at Target

Have you seen these around lately? They're like a phenomenon around here. The car seat canopy, or cover, is everywhere. 

I see the appeal in them because they help to keep your baby warm in the winter, or covered up when he's sleeping in public, but then how will strangers like me get the chance to "ooh" and "aww" over your little angel? I really have mixed feelings about this product.

But I also see this as an opportunity. I found an online tutorial for how to make one of these, and it's actually very easy. Since I have no real purpose for one of these myself right now, I have begun to make them for my many pregnant friends, hoping they will actually use them. 

I recently gave my first one away (wish I had a picture) and upon telling my friend that I made it, she exclaimed that she thought I had bought it from Target. 

Target is probably my favorite store, so that made me feel pretty good.

I have a few more projects in mind, but currently no sewing machine. The one I ordered should be ready for pick-up in two days, but until then I've got bags full of fabric calling my name. And if you're pregnant, they might be calling your name too.

Teachers have things to learn too

I learned an important lesson recently. 

When introducing a new math unit to the second graders that I student teach, I used a bakery theme to make things more interesting. I talked about donuts, cookies and cakes, and by the second day, the entire class was convinced that I had promised them donuts. 

Not so. 

However, about a week later, I did tell them that if they all passed their upcoming math test, I would bring donuts in for everyone. 

Well, the students did an AWESOME job on their test.

I strategically showed up at the grocery store that night at the very moment when donut prices dropped to $0.25 each and guiltily packed away all but three of the donuts while other would-be donut buyers walked away defeated.

The next morning at school I had this great idea that if I hid the donut boxes in the back of the room on the floor, nobody would find them.

Well, the kids did find them...and so did a few hundred ants.

So when it should have been time to celebrate having mastered the art of three-digit subtraction, I was struggling to appease a classroom full of eight year old ant haters. Thankfully my mentor teacher had time to pick up new donuts and put on a Magic Schoool Bus video all about an ant colony. So it turned out to be somewhat educational for all of us.

And the next day, when the students each wrote advice to me on how I can be a better teacher, one of them wrote, "Buy ant killer spray!"

So learn from me : do not leave food on the floor unless you plan on never seeing it again.

 Oh, and always buy the budget donuts.