First Day of the Semester

 Every semester is a new beginning!

Every semester is a chance to meet knew peers and professors, and these meetings can be very important for your professional future.  First impressions are crucial and I have a few tips about it.

When you meet new people in your classes, don't forget to get a phone number, email, or a full name to find them on Facebook to be able to message.  It's important to keep connected to those you meet, you never know when you will need their help, or when they will need yours.

I hope these tips help you to easy into meeting new people!

See y'all soon, again!

-Ms Curly Texan

Evelyn's First Year of School

This post is a long time coming and all pictures are extra large because this is an extra special post.  It originally was going to be written as "Evelyn's First Week of School" but it just took too long to post so then it stretched from her first week to her first year of school.

This post will be the 

Highlights of Evelyn's First Year of School.

 Daddy helping Evelyn get on her new shoes.

Evelyn putting her lunch away for the first time!

The first week was nerve wreaking for me but not for Evelyn.  She didn't even look at us when we dropped her off on her first day.  Her teacher had to tell her to say bye to us.  Oh, how they grow.  

School was very fun for Evelyn, all year long.  She made many friends and became The Girl That Hugs Everybody and when she hugs them, she would also lift them up.  Evelyn is the biggest in her class so it wasn't hard for her to do it but it is not safe in anyway for her to do it.  Every time, "Do not lift just hug.  No don't lift.  Evelyn I said not to lift him!"  Every time.  The kids loved it though and would ask her for hugs all the time.  Evelyn has always been the mothering type and school hadn't changed that in her.  She became more chatty and listened less to us since she started school but she became an even bigger helper.  Evelyn loves to help every one in any way she can and I'm glad that school only encouraged that.

Evelyn's school does fun extra days and I'm sorry that I didn't really take any pictures of her dressed up.  One of the first special days she had was for Dieciseis de Septembre (September 16th); Mexican Independence Day.  We live in Texas, and maybe it's just South Texas that does this, but we recognize  Dieciseis de Septembre because it was important that Mexico gained it's independence from Spain.  This often is confused with Cinco de Mayo which is actually celebrating a victory for Mexico against French invaders which became a turing point in the war.  Mexico gaining it's independence meant that later, Texas was able to gain it's independence from them.  Stepping away from the history lesson; to celebrate, the kids all brought something from or about Mexico to class and talk about what they brought.  Tio Stevy, by this time, was back from his mission in Mexico and he had brought souvenirs so Evelyn took two things to class and talked about them.  She was very excited and her teachers said she did well.

Thanksgiving came and Evelyn and I made a turkey.  We were given a picture of turkey to disguise so that it wouldn't be eaten for Thanksgiving.

Can you guess who are turkey is impersonating?  Sheriff Callie!  We used scrapbook paper, penne noodles for the fence and went outside to find weeds.  The only thing we didn't do by hand was Sparky, whom was a print out.  We used him because "Sheriff Callie always needs Sparky!" as Evelyn declared.  

Christmas was when Evelyn's class was visited by an elf and left gifts for all the kids.  Evelyn had lots of fun at Christmas time.  We receive a gift from her for Christmas; a picture of Evelyn wrapped in green and Christmas lights.  She was a tree...so adorable!

Texas Public School Week was all about dress up!  It was fun!  One of the days was "Dress what you want to be when you grow up."  Evelyn first said, "Firewoman!" and said because that's what Daddy is.  A fireman.  So I asked her if she wanted to be an EMT or a doctor like Daddy too.  She was hesitant and didn't want to say no.  I could tell she didn't want to disappoint us by not being like Daddy.  I told her that she didn't have to be like Daddy, that she could be whatever she wants.

"Really?" she looked surprised.

"Really.  Now what do you really want to be when you grow up?"

Her eyes brightened and she shouted, "I want to be a race car driver!"

So my mother in law pieced together blue Dickies and a small men's work shirt to make a racer's jumpsuit.  I made felt patches of actual name brands.  She loved it.

Graduation was May 15th.  She did so well!  The kids sang for us.  Each class took turns on the stage while they all sang.  Evelyn's class was on stage for De Colores.  They sang four songs.  Evelyn was amazing and it surprised me how well she did, considering that she often got into trouble during graduation practice.

After we took our pictures with Evelyn, we took her home, she changed her clothes and we went to McDonald's.

50s Dance!

50's week was so fun also!  On Wednesday, we went to the school to watch the Pre-K 4 perform.  Evelyn had so much fun and did such a wonderful job.  We didn't get in the very front row but we still had a fair view.  The first class, my mom's class actually, finished first and when Evelyn's class went backstage, two people got up from the front row.  I ran, literally, to take a spot and I was able to film the whole thing from the front row!  Yay!

Ms. Benavides, Evelyn and Ms. Garza

All four of us in Evelyn's classroom after her dance.

Evelyn and Harvey Principal Ms. D. Mireles

Nurse Cox and Evelyn

Evelyn and Grandma Garcia

Evelyn, Grandma Garcia and Raven

After the 50s dance, we were able to take Evelyn home.  She changed her clothes and we went to McDonald's.

The last week of school, the last week of May, was all about fun!  Monday was Memorial day so the students didn't have school.  Tuesday was Field Day where the kids were able to play outside with water.  Parents were asked to send extra clothes and shoes and the kids were able to wear any shorts (that weren't short shorts) and also a hat.

Last day of school was a half day.

Teachers' gifts were given...

and surprises were made...

What Evelyn was coming home to.  Check out and see what the Summer Adventures Poster is all about.

Evelyn came in to take off her boots,  unbeknowest what awaited her. 

Gives Daddy her back pack for the last time this school year.

"Is all this for me?" 

"Yes it is!  Give me a smile and look at the camera!"

"Now dig in!"

And boy did she dig in!

Looks like she liked it!  We let her just eat as much as she wanted since it was the last day of school.

She ended up eating nearly half of it.  Good thing she just had lunch at school.

Later, after Grandma and Grandpa came home, teachers didn't get a half day, we went out to eat.

Then we went to McDonalds to get ice cream and let Evelyn play.

It was a great last day of the first year of school!

Evelyn's response when I asked her what she remembers about school:

"I remember about playing on the play ground.  I remember seeing my teachers around.  H* Elementary school used to be my new school.  Then we had new kids come in.  A long time ago, I remember, you were at my new school, Daddy was at my new school, Raven was at my new school and I was at my new school.  I was playing at PE this week all the time I was playing at PE, all week long and I would go to the cafeteria after PE then when we were all done eating our food at school we would put it in the trash can then when we were all done with our work we would give it to Ms. Garza so she could put the smily face.  That's all I need to remember."

I want to break this down for you, really for me to remember everything Evelyn was talking about in the future.

Evelyn put emphasis on Harvey Elementary not being her new school.  She's grown and school is not new for her anymore, and even though you can never get a first back, it is a nice feeling not being new to school.  When Evelyn talked about all of us being at school with her, she was remembering her first day of school.  I think PE was her favorite part of school first, then eating in the cafeteria with her friends.  The work she would give to Ms. Garza was their weekly homework they did every Tuesday.  Evelyn was so happy with herself when she would turn in her homework.  Getting her to focus on it was rarely smooth but she was so happy when she would finish it.  She would show it off to Daddy and which ever grandma we were living with at the time.

Evelyn did so well during her first year of school.  She had challenges, we as her parents had challenges, but she adapted very well to going to school everyday and doing homework, eating in the cafeteria, just about every part of school she did so well in.  She was great with her colors and shapes, though she didn't always give right answers to be silly, and she perfected the alphabet and cleared on her numbers!

We are so happy with our grown girl

EVELYN!

Pre-School, Pre-Med, Pre-tty Stoked

That word play wasn't bad was it?

Evelyn is Starting School

Four years ago I was about to have a little girl.  My first child.  My first mini me.  And she really did come out as a mini me just as I look like my mom.  Maybe even more.  The first two months of a newborn are the longest.  Ever.  Then, they sleep through the night, roll over, giggle, laugh.  They army crawl, they pull themselves up to a table, they eat food, they walk, they talk and then... "Where did it all go?"

My baby is growing and it's shaking me.  When I first started school, when I was four, I wasn't afraid to go to school but now that Evelyn is the one going, I am terrified.  What if she doesn't make friends?  What if she has an accident and all the kids laugh at her?  What if she is scared?  What if she's not scared?  Should that worry me?  Does she have to be fearless about this?  Can't she just stay home longer?  Like it used to be?  Is this why more mothers are opting for home schooling?  You get to make sure that your kids don't get teased, that they have food they want to eat.  You guarantee that they have the teacher's (which is you) undivided attention at all times, you can keep her from all those kids that might teach her bad habits.  You can keep her from those kids that might laugh at her.  Those kids that might not like that she tells them when they do something bad.  Those kids that might push her down.  Those kids that might say hi to her.  Those kids that might have fun with her.  Those kids that might teach her about being a friend.  Those kids that might help her to know who she is.  Yes, you might be able to keep your kid from all that if you never let them go.

I know that mothers home school because of the quality of the local schools or more to say the lack thereof.  Sometimes.  I just wonder how much of it has more to do with us not being able to let go as parents.  What happens to these kids that don't get the full experience of school.  Do they become lost soul who wander once released into the wilds of university?  I fear for those kids who don't know who they are around different kinds of people because we do change with who is near us.  Do you act the same with your friends as you do your doctor?  I hope not.  Unless your doctor is a friend.  Even then, in the exam room, it's different.  You are different.  If you home school, don't have your children trapped inside the house.  If you home school your children, take then out with other home schooled children their ages on special field trips to get to know others so they don't miss out on getting to know others and getting to know themselves.

I know that this is just the very beginning of letting Evelyn make her own choices and trusting that she will be okay as long as she is guided by us, her parents.  It is so important for children to know who they are, that they are children of our Heavenly Father and that he wants them to succeed also and that He is there when they are afraid or unsure of anything.  I need to remember that too on Monday when I drop Evelyn off in her classroom.

Tom is Starting School

Since late April, my husband Tom has been trying to enroll in college.  The small town just South of us is a university town.  It has a university.  Truly!  I have completed two years of university there and we, as a family, had planned on me finishing my degree before Tom would start his.  Well, time went by and I dragged my feet way too much.  This year we decided that enough was enough.  It wasn't happening for me so it was now time for Tom to start school before he got too old to be a doctor.

Tom grew up with a PA father and (eventually) an RN mother.  He grew up hearing and learning about medicine from his dad and was so intrigued by it.  After graduating high school, he considered starting with criminal justice.  He attended three different community colleges as his family moved around the country.  A great and humbling event happened in his family and Tom knew that he needed to serve a mission for our church (The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints).  For Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.

Tom was sent to Ecuador for two years to proselyte.

After her served, he came home and moved almost immediately down here to Texas with his parents.  They went to Sturgis with his oldest sister, her husband and his brother and his brother's wife.  When they came back, Tom tried to get into Border Patrol but was told they were on a hiring freeze.  It happens at times.  We re-met while he was trying to get into Border Patrol.  We hung out a bit with the singles' group of our church, Young Single Adults (YSA), so when asked by the hiring agent whom he spent time with, he mentioned the few of us in YSA.  I received a call about her meeting me to ask questions about Tom.  The thing I remember from the interview the most is that when she asked if I thought Tom would be in any way a threat to our country, I chuckled thinking that was the dumbest question to be asked about him.

"No, I couldn't image that he ever would be."

I honestly couldn't and I barely knew him but for some reason I knew that I knew that about him.  I knew he could never hurt his country.

It was just after our first date when Tom was told they were on a hiring freeze.  He worked a Wal-Mart remodel then as a host at a Chinese restaurant owned by the husband of an RN his father worked with.  May of that year he spent in Aggie Land getting his EMT Basic.  He loved it.  Worked almost five years in EMS.  Medicine became a very large part of who his is.  He starts school on Monday and it still doesn't feel real.  I still am getting used to him not working EMS.  In Emergency, you work 24 hours or more at a time.  It's hard on a wife sometimes.  It's hard on the kids sometimes too.  Between EMS and school, Tom drove hot shots and eighteen wheelers.  Another job that keeps you away for days at a time.  He didn't go far most runs but much of the time he would be gone all day.  He was home more nights though.  I remember, when Tom was still working EMS, Evelyn would cry some nights because Daddy wasn't going to come home.  Even though he had the job before she was even born and Daddy working on an ambulance was all she knew, it was still hard for her to understand.  I'm getting off topic though.  And making myself cry too.

A new chapter starts in our life as Tom starts school again.  He has ADD and also has dyslexia and dysgraphia.  I'm not saying this myself, he was diagnosed with all three since he was a child.  It is difficult for him to focus without someone helping him to stay on task and even then he is still very good at school work.  Things around the house...eh.  A school assignment can take maybe an hour or two, clearing out the office and turning it into a play room...may take more than a week or two which means it will take months to do.  Looses focus for longer projects which shows that he has improved over time.  Either learning to compensate or grew out of some of it.

Tom will be starting with a pre-med degree; biology of medicine.  So this blog has now become about becoming a doctor's wife as well as being a mother, crafter and Texan.