Thursday, June 20, 2013

One of the Reasons

That I wanted to become a teacher....

Some of my grandmother's students 
My grandmother's one-room-school-house 

Florence Rosadell Lee Bauler
One Room School House Teacher
Perfect Handwriting
Child Wrangler

Normal School--learning how to be teacher took one year. 

I'm a little fuzzy on all the details, but my grandma was a one-room-school house teacher, and that totally enthralled me as a child. I've inherited some of her old curriculum books and her stamp set that made work sheets. The stamp set looks like it was made 200 years ago, instead of just several decades ago. In any case, it seemed like such a romantic notion to be a teacher.

Being a teacher is hardly romantic, but looking at her pictures from when she taught....it's hard to think differently! Oh to wear white socks with black pumps, and pin your hair in pinwheel curls. To have tinted glasses and large wooden desks.

Tuesday, June 18, 2013

Twice a Day

Twice a day, you should eat ice cream. Or maybe three or four times a day. This is what Willow thinks, and I can hardly argue because I strongly concur. We also enjoy a large helping of Greek yogurt---something that costs a fortune in Shenyang. Willow tried corn dogs out, and strawberry cheesecake. Two things she'd never had before. 

These pictures are kind of creepy. Willow likes to be swung around while wrapped in a blanket. Adam does it with her almost daily. She has been begging Tommy and Emma to make her "fly" almost every day. Tommy got tired and started carrying her around like this. It looks uncomfortable for both of them, but Willow seemed to think it was still fun. She said twice, "I need to fly". It's always shocking when you hear more than one English word come from her mouth. 


 Getting bigger and bigger by the day. I was thinking to myself that I should probably take my rings off because I'm sure my hands will swell up any minute. This is what 33 weeks pregnant looks like.


Willow concentrating on Sesame Street, and also folding a sticker into a very small square. She received the sticker at Lakeland's nursery. This past Sunday was the first time Willow didn't throw a fit or start to cry pathetically as she was being dropped of at the nursery. She likes to give the stickers to her bunnies or kitty.



And this is how Willow likes to present herself to the world. She found her sunglasses, and one of Emma's headbands. This girl loves accessories! 


Emma and I went out to Panera together. It's fun to go on little dates like that. Saturday, I got to visit with my friend Katie, who is about to travel to Ethiopia for six months.

If anyone else would like to get together, I have about ten days left in Lake Villa. Please send me a message and we can make plans!

Ice Cream & Sunsets


Some pictures from our trip to Momence. Emma came along to help me with Willow--which was especially nice and helpful while we were traveling in the car. On the way home, Emma had to deal with Willow's motion sickness and clean-up about 5 episodes of an extreme car-sick-toddler. 

Lots of pictures--mostly for Adam's sake. I could write lots of little stories, I suppose. But it's almost midnight, and I wanted to get these online so Adam can enjoy them. 


Obsessed with playing outside and her little car. 









Emma practicing piano 



Willow's first root beer float. 





"Mmmmm!" 



Playing with Aunt Hannah, who came to visit us everyday! 







Brownie & Ice Cream











Willow needed some down time one afternoon. Over-stimulated, but not time for nap. Watching her favorite movie, Toy Story, on the iPad was the answer. Didn't hear a peep from her for about an hour.


Lost power during dinner one night during our visit. Willow thought it was a lot of fun to carry around a big flashlight, until she saw the violent wind sweep her car off the back porch. It crashed into a post before landing in the bushes. Between the thunder, lightening, rain, and wind--Willow was taken aback by all the commotion and screamed in the most dramatic fashion "Oh No!!!!" She was very disturbed and traumatized until her Grandma Johnson went out and saved the car from the storm. It was fun to fall asleep to the sounds of a thunderstorm---although at one point, I felt the need to check for tornado warnings. 

oops...more ice cream pictures.








Willow recognized this classic toy from Toy Story 3


One of my favorite pictures

Willow requested pictures taken while lying in the grass--I guess she's learning about posing and such. 





Amazing to see sky, clouds, sunshine, and especially sunsets. The air is so clear--I had forgotten what it was like! I hope the pollution levels improve by the time we return to Shenyang.



Great grand-dad and great-great uncle Ken. 

Another Uncle--but this one is young. Uncle Luke. 















As they were running back, Willow took a spill and landed on her face. Instead of crying, she laughed at herself. 



Hard to believe that we'll be in Momence again in less than two weeks! I can't wait for Adam's return in about eleven days--seems like we've been apart forever.

~julie