AFK

If I had readers they would have missed me I have been AFK for far too long.

Moving is a pain, a big pain!! I have been without internet in the home for three weeks. With assignments to get done and turned in online this has been a true nightmare. I was not about to try blogging with my smartphone that is simply too plugged in even for me and I am never fully disconnected from the web. Plenty has happened in the past few weeks, but retelling every moment will be lengthy and uninteresting so have some photos!

Love, Peace, and Chicken Grease!!

Days Fly By



A blog has a very real appeal to me. I talk allot, I can honestly say that as long as I can remember I've been told that. I laugh loud, again I've been hearing about it for 23 years. I am not ashamed of these things, I live, laugh, and play hard. I work my buns off for everything I have and I do my best to enjoy what I am fortunate enough to have.

 

That being said it's been a busy week therefore I have not been posting but here have some fresh content.

 

Sometimes after kiddo is down for the night mommy gets to relax.

Why do we love living on the island? Well here are the lovely dear across the street.

Daddy doesn't always work.

Goofy girl climbed up on the hood (daddy was blocking the edge she was safe).

I was lucky enough through my involvement in Social Toaster to win a NickMom Night Out.

The box held: a letter, tote bag, NickMom tumbler, magnets, a corkscrew, a $25 Sephora gift card with a Sephora compact mirror, a 4G flash drive, and mommy drink recipes. You can get in on the action @ http://sot.ag/tpjp/

 

 

 

Hope this finds you all well. I am feeling aligned with the universe, I think it calls for the return of an old send off familiar to my family and any fans of the movie The Pest

 

LOVE, PEACE, AND CHICKEN GREASE!



Mom Bod

Two days a week the husband does not work. Two days a week Momma is off the hook. Not that I don't adore being a mom, but we all need a break from our roles now and again.

On this day when I have the power to do as I do without worry of the kiddo I have the audacity to spend it at school...

There are certain things about being a mom that are far from glorious, one of these is the long lasting effect on the body (at least for some of us). In my case a long battle with undesirable weight has been waging since I was in middle school.

It's time to take control and tell the mom bod to be gone and hit the gym. SVC students are you aware that for $20 we can have the use of the gym for the quarter? I went in for my first work out and was pleasantly surprised by the facilities. It's been a long time since I made the effort to work out in a gym setting. I changed in to my sweats in the locker room and hit a cycle machine. I started pressing the buttons and found a surprising amount of options. I chose the fat burning cycle, was asked my age and had my optimum heart rate determined. The cycle machine than asks that you hold the censors located below the seat which then collect your heart rate information. If you continue to hold these handles as you work out the machine will automatically adjust your resistance to keep your heart rate at the optimum point to achieve your goal.

Dripping sweat like I hadn't in 4 years I felt incredible. Staring out at the Yacht Club and the flag pole (flags at half mast in memory of all the horrid events the past week has held) there is a feeling of peace. The only thing that felt better was the long hot shower after the work out.

The second item on the agenda for this visit to campus was utilizing the computer lab as the software for MIT is very pricey. However side tracked I became when I discovered the wonderful student life board had arranged for a spring tea party in the student lounge. I love the student life events on campus I've only participated in two so far but the one's coming up sound like a blast. Tea, cookies, sandwiches, cupcakes, fruit and tea cups to be taken home made this one a huge win. I really appreciated this snack after my work out it hit the spot.

My first time using a school computer was confusing. Not knowing what user name and password was required was frustrating. The annoyance was replaced with gratitude quite quickly when a lovely aid in the library kindly told me it was simply my Moodle access info jeez so simple.

Beach Bums

Some days have little to do with school. Some days I only read and work on assignments while the baby girl is sleeping. And on the best of these days we also hang out on the beach and have picnics. A long walk and a good lunch in the sun is the epitomy of why I have always loved the island.

 

First thing we saw on the beach was a starfish, leave it alone kiddo it isn't dry it will smell.

Not far down the beach another starfish.

This one is totally dried out.

Check it out, let's bring it home.

Look a fort... or at least part of one.

A pic with Mommy? Check out my shell!

Look I have another one!

Picnic time!

 

Just one agate today, but it's a big pretty one.

 

What an awesome day. Only thing missing was Poppa, but he had to go make the cheddar. Thanks for that babe I love you.

 



School it Happens

Reading Mommy's textbook.

"Identity Management: The communication strategies that people use to influence how others view you."- Looking In, Looking Out

In other words the things we do to make sure people think of us the way we want them to. In my case this most often applies to doing my make-up, my hair, and putting on perfume. It is interesting to realize that the terms in your textbook actually apply to your daily life. For example yesterday for the first time I walked into my Interpersonal Communications class and realized while I had intended to return to the bathroom and put on make-up before I left the house to do laundry before going to class I had indeed neglected to do so. First thought upon realization, oh no all of my blemishes are showing. Next thought oh crap this is what I've been reading about... Do you actively change your dress or demeanor to fit an impression you are trying to make?


What a class Interpersonal Communications. After the starting realization that I had no chemicals on my face I was treated to another not so simple surprise realization. While reviewing the chapter with the class it comes to me, according to this textbook I can reasonably be categorized as having low self-esteem this was a shocker to me. Something to work on I suppose, glad that is the goal of my textbook. Perhaps this class will do more for me than I had ever dreamed.


One of the best moments thus far in my return to school happened last night. First %100 score on a college quiz!!! Granted it was a 15 question multiple choice chapter review in which I was permitted to use my book (which I didn't). Still a very happy moment that reaffirms my goals.


Goals now that's a fun thing to ponder what are my goals? I know I think of them through out the day as I do everything I must as a wife, mother, daughter, and student but actually writing them out... Well let me give that a go eh?


Short-Term (2-6 months):

• Complete my quarter with 15 credits
• Realize a 3.5 GPA
• Be invited to join Phi Theta Kappa
• MOVE (that's more like a 2 week goal)
• Realize my faults and find ways to improve

Long-Term (6 months +):

• Get hubby's medical bills paid off
• Attain regular overnight visitation with step-son (this may not take so long not sure yet)
• Purchase home 4 rooms or more 0.5 acre of property or more
• Attain MIT ATA
• Find employment (this could fit under either category)
• Have second child
• Raise happy healthy individuals

Hmmm.. it's a start I suppose.

Boston Marathon

When you're a mom you don't often get to watch the news through the episodes of Bubble Guppies, Dora the Explorer, and Peter Rabbit. However today when the kid got ahold of the remote she changed the channel to channel 2 (not intentional she is 2.5 years old). It was a shock to the three adults in the room sitting around discussing teryaki to see the smoke on the screen.

New York Times Boston Marathon Video From Boston Marathon Finish Line
2 dead 23 injured at last count. No idea who or what caused this tragedy, but there is already a sense that this will be one of those moments that in the future people ask where were you when.... happened.

With the threats coming from North Korea and the pro gun groups in an uproar how do we respond to acts like this? Are we to live in fear? Shall we take the idea we held after the events of 9/11 and see this as an act to inspire fear and refuse to be afraid? Do they win if we are scared?

As a parent there is a level in your mind that makes you afraid for your young ones when these events appear on your television. If this is what our world is coming to in our generation, what kind of world are we leaving for our children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren to inherit? Is it our responsibility to work towards peace in our lifetime so that they may reap the benefits in their future? My opinion yes, working now towards a more peaceful world, I'm not suggesting World Peace in all it's grand ideals, is very much our responsibility. I would simply hope that something I do today can help my daughter and step son to not live in the fear that has been prevalent for my generation.

In my generation we have seen the violence and the terrorism brought to our own shores. We have seen the image of our country abroad change drastically. As I understand it once upon a time before I was old enough to think of it Americans could tell of their nationality proudly when traveling, now days you are better off saying your Canadian. Has becoming the "World Police" put our country at more risk than we can afford? Would we be better off concentrating on the atrocities occurring within our own borders instead of sticking our nose into everybody else's business? Their are pros and cons to both sides of this argument and personally I don't feel educated enough to make up my mind quite yet.

The Unexpected

There are some expectations I had for being a college student. I assumed I would of course learn, but also that in some ways I would change professionally. Turns out there was more that I did not expect. For Example:

• The use of modern technology for class purposes.
• The age range of fellow students.
• The experience range of fellow students.
• The level of expertise of the instructors.
• The amount my personal life would change.
• The amount of introspection, self-evaluation, and possibility for change.

When last I was in school (sounding older than I am here), we used the internet for research, we created powerpoint presentations and we abused Microsoft Word. I had no idea that coming to college would introduce me to so many forms of modern technology that can be used for the purpose of furthering education. Forum posts and blogging as homework? Wow! Moodle and Moodle2 have been to of the things that have totally blown my mind. Such a level of intereaction with fellow students and instructors. I am taking a full load of 15 credits and yet I spend only about 3 hours a week in a classroom. I am unendingly impressed by the way my instructors are including so much technology but then it seems fitting with my study path. Taking the courses I am for my MIT ATA everything is entertwining in such a way I have never experienced in education.

The range of fellow students was a pleasant releif for me. One of my orignal fears was being the oldest person in my classes.

The experience range of fellow students is amazing. Especially going to school with NAS Whidbey so near by.

In high school I recall being taught by teachers who seemed competent enough most of the time and yet having the feeling that I was blindly putting my trust into the school district that these people had been properly trained to teach me. No offense to high school teachers I had more than a few who were awesome and helped shape my path. It is an entirely different experience to be learning from instructors with PhD's in the field you intend to pursue.


While I knew my perfesional facade would greatly change with the new knowledge I would gain I never could have guessed how my work would relate to my personal life. All this and not even quite a week into classes.

Last but certainly not the least the amount of introspection and personal growth was entirely unexpected. Interpersonal Communications CMST 210 has been the most unexpectadly life changing. Reading my text and beginning to see parallels to my everyday life and giving me ways to change my communication skills and self-concept for the positive as well as help me enforce a positive self-concept in my daughter.

Self-Concept Video

The Good Ole College Try

A blog they say, that is your assignment this week start a blog and type three posts. Well okay I'll match your blog and raise you a college experience from the point of view of a mom. The only blog I've written was on Myspace when Myspace was still the space to have and the place to be. So here I am in front of the computer screen trying to remember how I did this.

I sat thinking of what I could write about for several hours. What could be interesting and give me enough material? I am a wife, mother and now a college student, what in my life would hold any interest for my classmates or friends/family? Well there it is my ticket to a blog that does my life justice, school. It happens everyday though not often in a classroom for me.

I graduated High School in 2008 with dreams of joining the Navy and allowing them the pleasure of paying for college. I found quite quickly however the Navy was not the road I was meant to travel. I spent five years thinking college would be to expensive, to hard, or to time consuming to fit into my life. I became a wife, a mother, an employee. I learned how to communicate in a marriage at least I began to learn and continued to adapt. I learned what it meant to be a mom and spent every minute trying to be the mom my daughter deserves. I worked my tush off full time and brought home the money. Unfortunately work it seems was also not where my path was due to tread at least not recently.

After a death in the family and with relatives on Whidbey Island who needed our support I moved my little gang back out to the island. I've spent the past four months searching for work, begging and pleading with the universe to provide employment, but alas here I sit still lacking in the employment section of my life. I looked at my daughter and asked what is mommy going to do? The answer was in her eyes. All I've wanted for her since I found out she was going to be joining my life was to be able to give her everything she needed and as much of what she wanted as I could. It was time for mommy to go to college. Time to get an education so I can get a real career and make more than just enough to get us through. It was time for mommy to step up and be the example her lil girl needed.

So I walked myself into a strange environment Skagit Valley College with its large halls and students with heavy packs walking the campus it was quite intimidating. I followed the arrows that lead me to just the woman I needed. I told her I think it's time I got back into school can you help me? She smiled so large and was so enthusiastic to help me I no longer felt the fear and trepidation I had walking into the building. I was handed a stack of papers and had the Compass test explained to me. The next couple of weeks I rode the buses out to the public library and college as often as somebody could watch the kiddo for me. I spent hours at the computer filling out federal aid forms and bouncing from office to office in the college to get everything in place.

Finally everything was ready now time to sit back and wait for classes to start. No big deal... except it was only February and classes didn't start until April 9th. I waited anxiously for my books to arrive in the mail and watched the days fly off of the calendar.

April 8th, new student orientation, finally it was time to test my new status in society FULL TIME STUDENT. Still scared wondering how I was going to pull this off I left my daughter with my father and hopped on the buses to the college to find out what I needed to know about that first day of school that was suddenly not so far away. I met wonderful people and had my nerves set at ease. I learned a bit of how the students interact and allot about how the college is laid out. In the end orientation did everything my friends and family could not do to put my mind at ease. I walked away with one thought over shadowing all the rest finally I said to myself I CAN DO THIS!

I got home logged onto Moodle for the first time and there it was my first online class and assignments for the next two months spread out before me. I grabbed my book, read, took notes and took the quiz. Wow I thought my first college assignment and I did well, I can definitely do this. Two days of my nose in a book and my fingers sliding like the wind across my keyboard and I truly felt like a college student.

April 10th, my first class on campus... Nervous all over again, felt like the first day of high school. What do I wear? Where is my class? Do I sound like an idiot? Okay I survived that wasn't bad, that wasn't to far off from how I remember school.

The next few days involve many books a high lighter, several composition notebooks, and my ever faithful ink pens. My daughter learned what it meant that mommy was studying and she should go bug Poppa, Umpa, or her toys for a little bit. I learned what it meant to juggle study and giving her the attention she deserves.

That brings us up to date, I'll let you know how it goes.