back to September

September seems like ages ago, and if I'm not careful it will be another age before I update with pictures and stories.  The days become weeks that go by in a blur - which means October is waiting to be updated so here we go with a little back story-telling.  

I already posted about Governor's Island, but I don't want to forget how much fun we had going out there to enjoy bike riding around the island and having a day together...these 3 made the outing so fun, and someday we all hope we'll be in a place where they can have bikes and ride them to their hearts content!  

One kick-back afternoon back at the apartment one day, the children took advantage that I had moved the kitchen table and chairs to wash the floor to create a fort for their imaginations to run wild!....

Back to School Party!  There are two other families from our ward that live on Roosevelt Island where the kids go to the same school (there are 2 other families with school age children but one family homeschools and the other family goes to private school).  The moms had been saying that some of their children were a little nervous to start school.  I thought it would be fun to do a Back to School Party together with the all the kids so that they could be strengthened together.  On Labor Day/Monday, we got together for a Family Home Evening lesson and cupcakes & to let the kiddos play together before starting school in a few days.  

Madeleine was acting out a story with Kyler and Lexie, who are 2 of 5 children in a family that moved here from Idaho last May.  We have enjoyed getting to know their families - and I love that Lexie's hair styles has created new interest in Madeleine doing her hair in more ways than just headbands! :)

First Day of School!

Jacob started full-day Kindergarten this year!  He was so excited to bump up and be there all day like the older two :)  He has Ms. Kaplan who is an older teacher and experienced....this has benefits, but also has some downfalls.  She can be a bit old-school in some of the ways she works with the children.  The other day Bryson picked up Jacob from school and was told that Jacob had been talked a bit that day.  When Bryson asked Jacob why he hadn't stopped talking, he said, "Dad I tried to stop talking, but my mouth just kept moving!" {he took his hands out and made the actions like a shark with his hands moving up and down}.  This boy always makes us laugh!

Madeleine started 5th Grade ~ she has Ms. Gambino for a teacher, and adores her.  She also had 34 students in her class which was a big problem for the first 5 weeks of school.  We were addressing issues of overcrowding & for a time I had my thought of trying to make a difference in the political arena or thinking that parents really do have a say in the Dept. of Education.  Both aren't the case - and I'm happy to just take the good & bad with the PTA...that has enough politics in it for me for this stage of my life!

Madeleine's class now has 32 students and she is happy - has great friends and even though I still wonder if we should homeschool many days due to the fact that she has figured out that the level of attention she gets this year, compared to last year in a class of 14 students, is really different....we'll stay in for  time.  Or maybe it will be the entire year.  It's week by week on that situation.

Bryson Jr. is in 2nd grade and actually has the same teacher that Madeleine had last year - Ms. Rubenstein.  His class jumped in numbers as well - he is in the G&T program, and the class that used to be 14 in Kindergarten, went to 22 last year and is now around 28 students!  The teacher is wonderful - very warm and caring and really helps the children internalize the love of learning and the desire to do well.  We have been really impressed that he wants to read longer every night for his Independent Reading Log & he wants to finish his homework with an Incentive Chart that Ms. R started for him (after a few weeks where homework was not happening!).  All in all, it is a great experience he is having - he is becoming more confident in his learning and participating in class - and he is once again referred to as 'Bryce' in class. {I'd rather it be Bryson, but as we have two Bryson's...it actually does help a bit to have a nickname every so often....at least just in school}

In other news:

1) Important but not so important - My camera finally got fixed!  My nice camera stopped working while we were in Utah over the summer - actually I think it started in Hawaii.  The lens wasn't producing clear pictures - they were really blurry - so I sent it back to the company to fix.

When it came back, I realized how much I had missed having the camera around and how much I need to start taking pictures again.

2) The city --- this is a picture I snapped when the camera came back, but in other news of this city....well, it's a city that brings surprises.  The kids started school on the 8th & on the 12th of September Bryson came home a little early and we enjoyed having him for FHE and putting the kids to bed.  When they were asleep and we were catching up on the day, I was telling him about my day and when I asked about his - he paused and said....'Well, I got laid off today'.

Wow.  That was a huge surprise.  We had thought that we were in the clear of the latest Bank of American lay-offs that had happened the previous week, of about 30,000.  Bryson went into work on Monday, and his boss was back from a trip out of the country - and when we got called into a meeting, he said he knew something was coming up.  The interesting part, is that Bryson has been giving everything he has had from Day 1 at the bank.  He is a hard worker and although there are times when he has needed to learn with the job - overall, he felt that things were going well.  When he came out from the talk with his boss, the secretary told Bryson that he wasn't the one that was supposed to be laid off...at least from last Friday.  We think that it came down to that it was between Bryson and the Analyst that was hired over the summer - and she is a female and a minority.  Unfortunately he didn't fall into the right categories and he was the more expensive choice as he had more experience.  Sometimes all the political corrective part  of life stinks when it means you are out of a job because you aren't the right gender or ethnicity.

The part that we think might work to our advantage....we were wondering how much longer we could survive in this job.  And I say survive even though I despise that word, and would rather say we thrive because of his work.  However, most often we are on survival mode.  It looks like the choice was made for us that we need to look for other work, and a difference in our life and style.

So, our life since then has been to have Dad home a lot more than anyone can remember in...probably 4+years.  Jacob has been amazed that Dad is around, because when you think about it, all he has known is that Dad is gone hours and hours at a time for work.  That is all his memory holds.  The other day, he was cuddled up next to Bryson on the couch and they were playing Plants vs. Zombies on Bryson's phone - and Jacob looked up and said, "Dad, I like this new job you have!"

If only he could get paid to be Dad and be home!

He is looking into work all over - around this area and out of state.  We think it might be time to leave the city - but we need a job first.  Or at least we hope we get a job first before we pack up and move.  Our lease expires at the end of February, and by then we will be out of the period where the bank pays us for being laid off....we hope to have a job by then, if not we might take up residence in Zucotti Park along with all the other OWS inhabitants that expound how terrible and corrupt those crazy bankers are!

Back on our little island - September brought the start of soccer season:

and needing to use the tickets to Victorian Gardens that is in the middle of Central Park.  Groupon had a great deal last spring and I picked up the tickets and finally used them a day before they expired!  The kiddos went to school Thursday and Friday - and Saturday evening I took the kids in for a celebration of school starting.  We tried to get Bryson to join us, but he was busy with work....and on Sunday he was busy too.  And then Monday he got laid off.  It's times like that - you wish you had the Crystal Ball so he could have said...'hey you are laying me off anyway, figure out this project on your own'.  Oh well - he left on a high note giving his all to that bank.  We are proud of him - although we missed him for this fun play day!

You can see all the buildings in the background - I'd forget that we were in the middle of the city in our magical Central Park, until I'd see the buildings towering in the background.  As always - I'm so grateful for whomever came up with the amazing idea to make sure the city has a park for all of us to enjoy!

I love the faces he makes - there are so many, and they are so fun.  Although my favorite is just a big smile form him!

Flying feet - years from now I'll probably look back and cry and how little these feet are and how much fun we had that day.  As always - it's so easy to be a mom when you are having fun and doing nice things for your kiddos.  Would every moment of parenting be so easy to have!

We were going to leave around 7pm so that we could get home in time for a decent bedtime hour for the kiddos.  However, the park was not crowded and the weather was beautiful - and it was so easy to stay for another 10 minutes - or another ride or two.  It was such a beautiful evening that we left at about 9pm!  Thankfully the kiddos got up in time for church the next day, otherwise it wouldn't have such a happy ending :)

Bryson had a fun surprise in seeing one of his classmates, David, at the park.  They went on a few rides together, and as always I'm amazed that even in this city with millions of people we run into people we know. How great to know it's a small enough world to run into people randomly!

The following week, Bryson went out last minute to Utah for a conference at BYU.  Since he didn't have to report to work, he decided to seize the opportunity of attending the Investment's Conference and jump right back into networking and trying to work with those he knows in securing the next job.  We were set to go down to Virginia for the baptism of the kiddos cousin - so I drove out on Friday afternoon and arrived 6+ hours later down in Virginia.  I tend to not to do well on timing with most road trips - it takes me a long time, with the stops for bathrooms & food stops.  Thankfully we finally arrived!  The next morning Bryson flew into town & we enjoyed a day with family and then the baptism that afternoon.  

Bryson Jr.'s hair is too long & he was making the goofiest faces - it definitely was picture worthy! 

Back at the Thiriot's for some delicious food and more time with the cousins - as Jacob refers to them, "Mom, can I go play with my best friends that have all those boys & live far away?"  He's still getting used to knowing what a cousin is - but he is right, cousins are best friends!

There is more to September....I shall post Part II later.  We are off to a Ward Halloween Party in the SNOW!  I thought this crazy weather only happened in Utah! 

Life beyond the Bake Sales...

The PTA this year has been really, REALLY interesting. There is so much I could write, but I promise that someday I will write a book on it all. Or, perhaps a pilot reality show - PTA Moms....what really goes on behind the Bake Sales.

And if only we could just focus on Bake Sales! But oh no. This year, we have had parents who like to complain. A LOT. And they complain at meetings, they call in to the Dept. of Education, and then I get called into the Principals' Office. I also get called at home from the district's office....at 8pm at night. Some of the mean parents have lied to my face, and tell me they will be adult enough to say if something is wrong, and then just text the other mean person who is trying to...I don't know...destroy the PTA. Who does that?! Last week after our co-treasurer resigned, and I had to call out someone in the meeting for trying to destroy our PTA by being malicious and trying to sabotage our efforts, and then one of our Board member's mother came into our meeting to tell us that her daughter was not stealing money from the fundraiser that she wasn't giving us the money for (oh yes - all in one meeting & there was more!) --- there was finally a lull in the meeting and I started to read the revised Bylaws to the group. And I finally broke. I got up from the table and went out into the hallway and just stood there sobbing. Why bother with the PTA --- it was more like a soap opera than a group of parents that could focus on trying to help make things at the school better for all the children.

There was a rally which led to the news reports and being on TV regarding the overcrowding in our school. And there were many, many positive reports after that...but again trouble because I took pictures and used them for the media. Oops. As all other things, there is a learning curve with this volunteer position. I don't know everything, there was no official training but there are 20 pages of our Bylaws and over 40 pages of the Chancellor's Regulations that I should have memorized by now according to someone in the DOE office. I told her I am a mom first --- she didn't seem to care.

I AM getting better at managing my emotions & figuring out how to stand my ground and play the political game - but during the month of September and through mid-October most days I just really wanted to find a fire and light Bylaws and Regulations up, and just walk away and never come back. It's true.

And then there are happy days. Amazing events like the International Dinner with dozens of families came together in costume, and cooked and we danced and played games and had the most incredible time. And the Scholastic Book Fair which made twice the amount of money than any other we've had. And there has been good laughs and good friendships....and I've lost weight. Yes - the stress paid off and I could not eat breakfast for over a month and got physically sick whenever I thought about the PTA and meetings, and I think I can see my cheekbones again. So, there is definitely the silver lining to every cloud.

And there are stories like the following that made me laugh. I just read this a little bit ago, and realized I have to write about all of this that has been going on in my life. Why there haven't been consistent posts, answers to emails and phone calls returned. And the irony is that at the end of the day - I dream of resigning. I want to be "unemployed" by the PTA, however I also do not like to quit or see something through. Which is a little tricky when you dream of how you can exit out of something and make your life less stressful.

So - here you have this little story that one of my friends posted and said she thought of us when she read this....and oh yes, I see some strong similar ties. Ironically - my other friend on the PTA handed me the following quote on Monday - it says: "THE THRILL OF DEFEAT. Why an epic collapse is the best thing that can happen to a {PTA}.

How sad that we all dream of living our posts on the PTA! And without further ado....the letter as found in

http://www.newyorker.com/humor/2011/10/24/111024sh_shouts_semple

---------------------------------------------------------------

Hi, everyone!

The Mountain Room is gearing up for its Day of the Dead celebration on Friday. Please send in photos of loved ones for our altar. All parents are welcome to come by on Wednesday afternoon to help us make candles and decorate skulls.

Thanks!

Emily

Hi again.

Because I’ve gotten some questions about my last e-mail, there is nothing “wrong” with Halloween. The Day of the Dead is the Mexican version, a time of remembrance. Many of you chose Little Learners because of our emphasis on global awareness. Our celebration on Friday is an example of that. The skulls we’re decorating are sugar skulls. I should have made that more clear.

Emily

Parents:

Some of you have expressed concern about your children celebrating a holiday with the word “dead” in it. I asked Eleanor’s mom, who’s a pediatrician, and here’s what she said: “Preschoolers tend to see death as temporary and reversible. Therefore, I see nothing traumatic about the Day of the Dead.” I hope this helps.

Emily

Dear Parents:

In response to the e-mail we all received from Maddie’s parents, in which they shared their decision to raise their daughter dogma-free, yes, there will be an altar, but please be assured that the Day of the Dead is a pagan celebration of life and has nothing to do with God. Keep those photos coming!

Emily

Hello.

Perhaps “pagan” was a poor word choice. I feel like we’re veering a bit off track, so here’s what I’ll do. I’ll start setting up our altar now, so that today at pickup you can see for yourselves how colorful and harmless the Day of the Dead truly is.

Emily

Parents:

The photos should be of loved ones who have passed. Max’s grandma was understandably shaken when she came in and saw a photo of herself on our altar. But the candles and skulls were cute, right?

Emily

Mountain Room Parents:

It’s late and I can’t possibly respond to each and every e-mail. (Not that it comes up a lot in conversation, but I have children, too.) As the skulls have clearly become a distraction, I decided to throw them away. They’re in the compost. I’m looking at them now. You can, too, tomorrow at drop-off. I just placed a “NO BASURA” card on the bin to make sure it doesn’t get emptied. Finally, to those parents who are offended by our Day of the Dead celebration, I’d like to point out that there are parents who are offended that you are offended.

Emily

Dear Parents:

Thanks to their group e-mail, we now know that the families of Millie and Jaden M. recognize Jesus Christ as their Saviour. There still seems to be some confusion about why, if we want to celebrate life, we’re actually celebrating death. To better explain this “bewildering detour,” I’ve asked Adela, who works in the office and makes waffles for us on Wednesdays, and who was born in Mexico, to write you directly.

• Emily

Hola a los Padres:

El Día de los Muertos begins with a parade through the zócalo, where we toss oranges into decorated coffins. The skeletons drive us in the bus to the cemetery and we molest the spirits from under the ground with candy and traditional Mexican music. We write poems called calaveras, which laugh at the living. In Mexico, it is a rejoicing time of ofrendas, picnics, and dancing on graves.

Adela

Parents:

I sincerely apologize for Adela’s e-mail. I would have looked it over, but I was at my daughter’s piano recital. (Three kids, in case you’re wondering, one who’s allergic to everything, even wind.) For now, let’s agree that e-mail has reached its limits. How about we process our feelings face to face? 9 A.M. tomorrow?

Emily

Dear Parents:

Some of you chose to engage in our dialogue. Some chose to form a human chain. Others had jobs (!) to go to. So we’re all up to speed, let me recap this morning’s discussion:

—Satan isn’t driving our bus. Little Learners does not have a bus. If we did, I wouldn’t still need parent drivers for the field trip to the cider mill. Anyone? I didn’t think so.

—Ofrenda means “offering.” It’s just a thing we put on the altar. Any random thing. A bottle of Fanta. Unopened, not poisoned. Just a bottle of Fanta.

—We’re moving past the word “altar” and calling it what it really is: a Seahawks blanket draped over some cinder blocks.

—Adela will not be preparing food anymore and Waffle Wednesdays will be suspended. (That didn’t make us any new friends in the Rainbow and Sunshine Rooms!)

—On Friday morning, I will divide the Mountain Room into three groups: those who wish to celebrate the Day of the Dead; those who wish to celebrate Halloween; and Maddie, who will make nondenominational potato prints in the corner.

Dear Mountain Room Parents:

Today I learned not to have open flames in the same room as a costume parade. I learned that a five-dollar belly-dancer outfit purchased at a pop-up costume store can easily catch fire, but, really, I knew that just by looking at it. I learned that Fanta is effective in putting out fires. I learned that a child’s emerging completely unscathed from a burning costume isn’t a good enough outcome for some parents. I learned that I will be unemployed on Monday. For me, the Day of the Dead will always be a time of remembrance.

Sunday Funnies

We got a big laugh at dinner a few days ago, when Bryson decided to do a twist on asking about our day. It was a Tuesday night, and on those evenings Madeleine has theater class, and Bryson Jr. and Jacob have soccer practice.

The conversation went something like this....

Bryson Sr: "Madeleine, so how was soccer?"

{she looked confused, and started to say "Dad, you know I don't....}

Bryson Sr: "And Bryson, how was the PTA?"

{the kids looks started to change from confused to a look that seemed to read, 'something funny is going on here!'}

Bryson Sr: "Jacob how was theater class?"

{pause}

Jacob: "And Dad, how was Kindergarten?"

 We instantly started to laugh and couldn't stop for a few minutes.  It was a great ice-breaker for the meal. A different routine than usual and we had a great big-belly laugh that lasted well through the meal. The kids tried different spins on the game, trying to think of how to ask about the day using someone else's activities.

And then, as if we didn't get a good enough laugh.....at the end of the meal, Madeleine was helping to clear the table with Jacob they passed by Bryson.

Madeleine stopped and pointed to her Dad's head and told Jacob;

"See, this is where the pancake flew and burned the top of Dad's head.

That's why he has the missing circle of hair right there!"

Jacob's face was priceless. He has been reading 'Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs' lately and this statement has him believing the book is for real.

Daddy/Bryson's face....well, he is a great sport! :)