got my placement

Well-I just got the call from Ferson Creek. I will start on Tuesday, at 9am, and work until 2:30. BUT-I will not be placed where I thought I would be. I worked in the first grade last year, and loved it. I had wonderful teachers to work with, and one in particular really mentored me, and encouraged me. I was hoping I'd get placed in her classroom again. Jaimie (the teacher) even called me a few times this summer to check in, and called a couple of weeks ago to tell me that she had the numbers for an aide, and requested me. But, alas.....the first grade had the least number of hours available (4hrs) and one of the returning aides wanted the least amount (she actually wanted three). To keep her, they placed her in the first grade.
Since I didn't have any specific needs other than being able to drop off Nathan at 8:30am and then pick him up at 3pm....the 5 hour placement was fine.
I will be in the 3rd grade this year. (Which will be a great insight on what Nathan does everyday!) I will split my time between two teachers, Michelle Smith, and Dawn Spurney. I LOVE Michelle. So, I am happy with that. She actually was an aide with me last year, then applied for a long term sub position for the first grade, and now is a third grade teacher. I think it will be a good placement for me to see a new teacher in action. I don't know the other teacher as well, but she seems nice--and all I know other than that is that she is getting married in October. (to another teacher's son!) Then she will be Dawn DeMein.

I actually was hoping to squeeze one more week out of not working.....but it will be good to be back. I am looking forward to another year of learning.

shopping

Shopping is exhausting. If you are a woman, who isn't a stick figure, you know what I am talking about. Today, I thought I'd go look for some "school clothes". During the summer I live in Tees and shorts....and since my last year's working wardrobe is starting to look really tired, I thought I was due for a few things. Well, I only made it through one store. I went to Steinmart, where sometimes I find cute things, and other times, it is a complete wash. Today, I tried on about 15 different items. I came home with one overpriced shirt. Argh.

So, now all I can think about is taking a good nap. I deserve it! :0) I am going to eat some lunch, fried rice today, and then drift off to dreamland. I can't wait.....

favors

Did you ever say you'd do something you really didn't feel like doing just because you can't say no? This is the story of my life. I avoid disappointing people. Especially friends. Can't do it knowingly. I just can't. Unfortunately, this means I do a lot of favors that really don't work for me---but I say I will do them, all the time mumbling to myself that I just should of said nicely that I couldn't. The problem is, I feel like I need to have an excellent excuse for saying no. When I don't, I just feel obligated.
The favor I am doing now, is really no big deal, it just takes time commitment, and a little effort to remember to do it a few times a day. I don't want to elaborate more, just because I wonder if the person I am doing the favor for will someday read this blog (unlikely, but you never know) and then I'd feel terrible about her figuring out this was about her favor. AND-it really isn't about HER favor particularly.....it is more about how while I was thinking about her favor, I just realized that I do this way too often. I am more concerned about hurting someone's feelings, or making life more inconvenient for them, or just being a bad friend, that i end up doing a bunch of things that cause my own plans to be botched.
I am not sure if this makes me a nice person, or just a pushover. Truth be told, I know nothing will change any time soon. Because realistically--this is my personality. I have always been this way....I don't see myself ever finding it easy to turn down a request for help. And I am not sure I'd want to. It just doesn't seem right to say no to someone asking for help. I guess I am just shocked by how often people ask me.

Having said this.....please do not take this as a plea for you not to ask me for a favor!! Most of the time favors don't bother me. I want to help my friends, I really do. In fact, I think the only reason I am frustrated right now, is because my period is due soon, and I am a grouch! Ah, the joys of hormones.

figured it out

If you see the spot on my page that says "Places to visit" --that is where I put the funny lady's blog link. It says "Because I said so". Check it out! :0)

a must read

Okay, so my mom sent me a link to a very funny ebay auction by a woman who was selling pokemon cards that one of her 6 children snuck into her cart while grocery shopping. She was selling them because she would not let them keep something they tried to sneak by her. Good for her!
Anyway-this lady was hysterical. Obviously, lots of people thought so, because last I checked she had 179,000 or so hits on the auction. I think the cards sold for $149, and she thought that was crazy, of course--making sure she told the bidders that they were not worth that much. (She was feeling guilty when the bids hit $40!)
I was so humored by her, that I went to her blog. Which turned out to be a very worthwhile, funny read for me again. so, I have decided to make her blog someplace I will visit occasionaly for a good laugh and a bit of perspective when I am feeling overwhelmed by my 3 children (half of what she has!)

Here is the blog address in case you'd like to check it out, too:

www.mom2my6pack.blogspot.com

If I knew how to set up a link to it on my page, I would....I know you can do this, I just haven't investigated to see how! Maybe I will figure it out someday.

it's lookin' good

So, I just heard a message from Doug Springborn at Ferson Creek (Assistant Principal) about a teacher's assistant/enrollment aide position, wanting to know if I would like to come back.....(he must have called earlier today, and I missed the call--bummer!)
Hmmmmm....let's see......uh, YES!!!

I should be getting a call from him again tomorrow about the particulars---(I actually called back and spoke with the secretary, as Doug was not in at the moment I returned his message.)

So.....things are lookin' good for me. :0) I am glad--I was really hoping and praying they'd need me again this year.

encouraging

So, I forgot to mention, that I was encouraged to find out that Nathan's teacher has had a similar background as me. Of course, it is a little different than me, but it gives me yet another hoope that I, too, might not have to forget about my dream to be a teacher one day. Mrs. Teirney taught for two years in Pennsylvania right out of college--then stopped to raise her family...then moved to Illinois, got a teacher's assistant job in D303 and worked to get certified here. After 4 years of aiding in our ditrict she was hired as a third grade teacher 2 years ago.
So--not quite the same as me, but similar. I never had my own classroom....biggest difference! (And therefore lack some confidence that I already did this before....) But, I WAS prepared for sure, and the timing of Ben just didn't allow me to start....raised my family (not that I am finished)....got my certification up to speed....started aiding last year, and should be again this year......and hopefully--will one day be considered ready to teach in D303.

I will take whatever encouragement I can get! I should have a chat with Mrs. Teirney, and see if she has any advice for me...

Happy Birthday, Ben!

Today is Ben's birthday. He is fifteen! FIFTEEN! Can you believe it? I can't.
Sometimes it seems like it was a very short time ago that I was sitting on the couch with him drawing pictures and having him guess what I was drawing. (I think it was mainly when he was between 10 months and 2 years old when we'd spend a lot of time doing this....) I'd draw ten different kind of balls--he'd guess exactly the right one each time. I'd draw a bulldozer (one of his favorite things--along with steam shovels, and dumptrucks) and he'd yell, "Bull-doh-er!"
It seems like yesterday that he'd run up to me with his favorite books to read before naptime--he especially liked "Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No good, Very Bad Day"--which he knew from start to finish, and if I stopped he'd finish the paragraph word for word from memory.
Wasn't it just a few weeks ago he ran up and down the sidewalk collecting leaves, pointing out birds, and caterpillars? When he held my hand as we walked to the library? When he was my favorite shopping partner, thrilled to sit in the cart or stroller, and look at all the sites around him in Target or the Mall?
When did he stop playing with Play-doh?
And when did he change from sitting on my hip, to now being able to pick me up? When did his smooth, soft baby skin turn into a rough, and sometimes stubbly surface? When did those muscles develop? When did his voice change into a deep baritone?
Of course, my little Benjabunny is still in there--he is still my little guy with the sweet disposition. (It might just be harder to find these days!) He still loves his mommy, although sometimes now he is actually looking after me, and opening doors for me, and helping me on with my jacket, instead of me doing those things for him. He still is goofy, and silly. He is still insightful--and amazes me with the things he observes that others seem to miss.
He is a wonderful, special child. And I love him!
This year will bring more changes for him, I am sure. (He reminded me last night that he now can get his driver's learning permit!--WHAT??) It is his first year in High School...and he has many things to learn and explore. He still has talents to discover, and ones already recognized to develop.

So, here's to you, Ben! Happy 15th Birthday! I pray that this next year is filled with many wonderful things for you. I pray that you are blessed in ways you can't imagine right now. Know you are loved muchly--by me, and MANY others.

Mean Moms

My mother-in-law just sent me this poem in an email. I have read it already, but it seems to be more timely now, while I am raising a teenager! Thought I'd post it here.

Mean Moms

Someday when my children are old enough to
Understand the logic that motivates a parent,
I will tell them, as my Mean Mom told me:
I loved you enough to ask where you were going,
With whom, and what time you would be home.

I loved you enough to be silent and let you
Discover that your new best friend was a creep.

I loved you enough to stand over you for
Two hours while you cleaned your room,
A job that should have taken 15 minutes.

I loved you enough to let you see anger,
Disappointment, and tears in my eyes. Children must
Learn that their parents aren't perfect.

I loved you enough to let you assume the
Responsibility for your actions even when the
Penalties were so harsh they almost broke my heart.

But most of all, I loved you enough to say
NO when I knew you would hate me for it.

Those were the most difficult battles of all.
I'm glad I won them, because in the end you won, too.
And someday when your children are old enough to
Understand the logic that motivates parents, you will tell them..

Was your Mom mean?
I know mine was.

We had the meanest mother in the whole world!
While other kids ate candy for breakfast,
We had to have cereal, eggs, and toast.

When others had a Pepsi and a Twinkie for lunch,
We had to eat sandwiches.

And you can guess our mother fixed us a dinner that was
Different from what other kids had, too.
Mother insisted on knowing where we were at all times.
You'd think we were convicts in a prison.

She had to know who our friends were
And what we were doing with them.
She insisted that if we said we
Would be gone for an hour, we would be gone for an hour or less.

We were ashamed to admit it,
But she had the nerve to break
The Child Labor Laws by making us work.

We had to wash the dishes, make the beds, learn to cook, vacuum the floor, do laundry, empty the trash and all sorts of cruel jobs. And get a real job when we were almost old enough.
I think she would lie awake at night
Thinking of more things for us to do.

She always insisted on us telling the truth,
The whole truth, and nothing but the truth.

By the time we were teenagers,
She could read our minds
And had eyes in the back of her head.
Then, life was really tough!

Mother wouldn't let our friends just honk
The horn when they drove up
They had to come up to the door
So she could meet them.

While everyone else could date
When they were 12 or 13,
We had to wait until we were 16.

Because of our mother we missed out
On lots of things other kids experienced.
None of us have ever
Been caught shoplifting, vandalizing other's
Property or ever arrested for any crime.
It was all her fault.

Now that we have left home, we are all educated, honest adults
We are doing our best to be mean parents just like Mom was.
I think that is what's wrong with the world today.
It just doesn't have enough mean moms!

gotta get going

I finally fell asleep last night. My thoughts settled down, and I slept hard until 7am this morning. I am hoping to get showered, and then start to clean what I can before I have to go to the airport, to pick up Mom. I need to do the bathrooms, clean the foyer floor, and then tackle the windows, and dust the upstairs/downstairs. Nathan is supposed to clean his messy room while I am gone. Jacob and Ben will hopefully pick up the slack of what I couldn't finish before I had to leave.

It is so wet here. It has been raining a lot for the last week. I believe the forecast has rain in it for everyday this week, too. Hopefully, the rain won't interfere too much with any plans Mom and I come up with. I know we want to go see a movie one day....that won't be a problem. But, I thought one day we'd walk through Geneva to go shopping. That might not work. I guess we will just have to see. I am just glad we'll have time to visit.

awake when I shouldn't be

I hate when I can't sleep. I hate when my brain won't shut off and my thoughts race. Tonight is one of those nights. I guess I may be feeling nervous about going to the airport by myself--even though logically, I know I shouldn't be. I have got my GPS all programed, so I won't get lost. I do have to park, and that whole process--and it being a slight unknown, gets me a little concerned...but I just tell myself I am a capable human being....I can handle this.

My house is still not up to my standard of "ready" but I feel I can't do anything more about that now when my family is sleeping, and I am trying to be quiet.
But it bothers me, and so I am also thinking about that. What can I get done tomorrow morning, if I get up at 7am?

Jacob thinks he lost his schedule, which he needs for his first day of Middle School, and that gets me aggravated and concerned--his locker number is on there, too. I called the school and left a message, hoping I could get another copy....but I am feeling like the failure mom, that allows her child to lose something so important. So I am thinking of that, also.

Which leads me into the thoughts that I'll never be able to handle my own classroom, when I can't even manage my household in a way I am satisfied with. So those thoughts jump in, too.

And then they all just swirl around my head--over and over. So then I have to get up, because I am starting to feel restless and a bit crazed by it all. And THEN i start wondering if I really am just a bit nuts? My logical self trys to take over and say "Kim, just get a grip....you are fine". I only get like this occasionally.....surely if I was going nutty, this would happen to me much more often, right? (Yikes!)

I know I am a wee bit stressed with juggling the details of my family's life right now....with school starting (having three different school's beginning of the year requirements and times, etc. to think about and try not to forget), the new job of team coordinator for Nathan's team with new things to learn and juggle there, thoughts on getting my semester hours in so I can continue to be certified, getting myself prepared and ready for any interview that might come along, finishing my D303 application, and on that same note knowing I will want to "impress" this year in my placement at Ferson Creek to better my chances for a teaching position. And all along figuring out how I can feed my family better, get my house in order to sell in the Spring (with a gigantic "to do" list....not even started, but staring at me as it is stuck to my fridge door reminding me how little I have accomplished)......and the regular homework and activities schedule that is always there....not to mention always having to handle the sibling angst and arguements that tend to happen at the very worst times. It is no wonder I feel a bit crazy sometimes, right?

Someday....not sure when.....i will long for these nutty busy days. (So I have been told!) When my house is quiet, the kids are grown, and I have figured out the balancing act of my own life!! (can't even imagine that EVER happening!)

Off we go.....

Well-today we leave for Milwaukee. Too much to do, hardly anytime to do it. This morning I have to shower and get dressed, take Shiloh back to the Still's house, pick up my van from getting an oil change, etc. at Firestone, fold the just washed clothes (to pack), pack the suitcases and the car, take Emmy to the Healy's (which she won't be happy about), and get whatever cleaning I can get finished done. Yesterday, I did not accomplish as much cleaning as i wanted to....the story is too long to explain why, but it had a lot to do with unexpected things popping up in my day. My house is pretty much a pit--and the sad part is, there will be really no other time to clean before Mom comes to visit on Monday morning. SORRY Mom!!

I just checked the Milwaukee weather....it is much different than what we were originally expecting, and it looks like we may be getting wet. :0( I hope it isn't too bad, because Ben was already complaining that he had to go....oh well, I am not in control of these things. Here is what the forecast looks like:

Forecast for Milwaukee

Today
Sunny. Highs in the upper 70s. Northwest winds increasing to 10 to 20 mph and shifting north.

Tonight
Becoming partly cloudy. Lows in the lower 50s. East winds 5 to 15 mph.

Saturday
Mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of thunderstorms. Highs around 70. East winds 10 to 15 mph.

Saturday Night
Thunderstorms likely. Lows in the upper 50s. East winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 70 percent.

Sunday
Thunderstorms likely. Highs in the lower 70s. East winds 10 to 15 mph. Chance of rain 60 percent.

Pray that the Thunderstorms at least hold off! AND pray that Jacob feels okay, he was sick this week with a stomach thing. Threw up on Wednesday..... and is still a little sore. Also-Ben had a weird thing going on last night, that is a little more delicate in nature, so I won't go into that....but pray he is fine and healthy, too. I am really hoping this turns out to be a good fun family time. That is my prayer.

wiped out

Why is it that when I attend my kid's soccer tournaments, and basically sit around all day watching games, and passing time between games chatting with parents and eating---I come home so exhausted? This weekend was Jacob's seeding tournament. It was in Rockford-about an hour and 15 minutes away. Yesterday and today we woke up about 6am, got on the road by 7am, and didn't get home until about 7pm. Both days were in the 90's....extremely hot, and very sunny. Poor Jacob was the one running around. Three games each day. He is quite exhausted, too....but he should be. He was using a lot of energy. We packed a cooler with lots of water, ice, gatorade, grapes, strawberries, sandwiches, and also brought other snacky type things (which we never ate, by the way), and when not watching games, sat under our team canopies for shade. But, I tell you, you'd think I was the one running around the whole time--the way I feel. It is amazing to me just how much time in the sun wipes you out. Not to mention, how tan you can get after repeated weekends of games. Not the best thing for my skin....but not too easy to avoid either.
Next weekend--Jacob's tournament in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It is supposed to be in the high 90's, so I hear. Guess I will be exhausted again!! That's okay.....I love watching my kids play!
By the way...jacob scored today. He usually doesn't much anymore--as he plays left midfield, or defensive midfield. Which means he normally is a play maker, and concentrates on placing the ball and assists. But, today...his friend TC hit the cross bar when he tried to score, and jacob came running from the left mid position to crash the goal---and was at the right place at the right time....to get the rebound off the cross bar, and head the ball in! It is fun to be able to score sometimes, too. :0) Of course--my modest child, when congratulated later by the parents for a great goal.....completely just turned it around and complimented TC's great effort to score, and said "It is really TC that should get the credit!" I love that about him! :0)

Shiloh

My friend Kerri's dog, Shiloh, is staying with us for a week. She is Bernese Mountain Dog (www.berner.org), and she got here this morning. Generally, she and Emmy get along really well. They play in the backyard, settle down pretty quickly when they are inside, and share bones and food. Unfortunately, all the playing, excitement, and food exchange caused Shiloh to throw-up a little while ago on our living room floor. Emmy threw-up for an unknown reason at 5:30 this morning in her cage. So, that makes 2 vomit clean-ups for me today thus far. Yuck.
Both of them are shedding severely too. Clumps of hair at a time. Our house is going to look great this week. Note sarcasm in voice. :0)
Mom is coming right after Shiloh leaves.....I hope to have the floor not looking like another color by then.

Individual style

Ben has been cracking me up lately with his mission to be an individual. He has been developing his own style lately--and believe it or not, I'm kind of digging it. It borders "punk", but not quite. His style can be defined by what he left the house in today--typical "Benware". On his feet, old-school black and white checkered Vans with no-see ankle socks. Long tan skinny shorts (they go just below his knee) with random stitching here and there on the pocket, or thigh, etc. Two T-shirts layered. A black one underneath, and on top, a new one he just got from his favorite store (Target!). It is gray with a large bird on a branch (he is very into trees by the way), and a set of headphones printed below. Mainly, artistic t-shirt images are the rule....but DEFINATELY NOT any shirt that says a brand on it. (Up until spring this year, he would wear anything that said American Eagle, or Aeropostle on it....times change!) He also was wearing 3, yes 3, belts. One that actually held up his shorts--much better than when he always wanted his pants to have the falling down look! This was the first day he wore the 3 belt look. The other 2 non-functioning of the 3, were criss-crossed in the back and hanging loose on his hips (does he have hips?). Both of these belts were black--one with a huge belt buckle with a pirate skull and crossbones on it, and one being Matt's old leather one that his dad made for him in the early 80's. It has the Christian fish imprinted all around it. On his hands--more flash. He wears two plastic gumball machine rings, a plain silver band, and sometime when he feels like it, will add a thinner silver band above the knuckle to the finger with the other silver band. He also has everchanging wrist decor....today I think he went out with two rubberbands, and a woven string bracelet on. Finally, the forever non-changing accessory....his iPod, with the earbuds in his ears!
What cracks me up the most about this, is I totally get it. I think back to when I was his age--and I was doing the same thing. I wanted so badly to not follow the "trends" that the majority was wearing. I wanted my own look....and I shopped in thrift stores, (bought my share of men's old suit jackets, that I'd roll up the sleeves and wear with jeans) and sought after shoes no one else had. What is funny, is, I have always heard about the infamous moments that we, as parents wouldn't understand our kids clothing choices. I think it is humorous, that I actually get it this time! :0)

Dissatisfaction

So lately, Jacob has been expressing a bit of dissatisfaction with what we do together as a family. Of course, what he is saying has seemingly come out of nowhere.....and I have to admit....it hurts a little. Just the other day, we had a conversation that went something like this-
J: Mom, why don't we do the fun things other families do?
Me: What do you mean?
J: Like, we never go tubing.
Me: Jacob, we don't have a boat. That is why I let you go tubing with Eric. You still got to go.
J: I know, but we never do things.
Me: Like what, honey?
J: We never go to the water park.
Me: I thought you don't like the water that much. And Nathan isn't that great in the water yet, either. Wouldn't being at a water park make you a little uncomfortable? I thought maybe you'd rather spend time doing other things.
J: I don't know. We don't go to Six Flags, either.
Me: We went two years ago. You are right, we haven't been back. But we did go to Disneyworld this year. That was a big deal.
J: But it wasn't Six Flags. All we do is sit around the house.
Me: What about all the things you have done with friends this summer? Like the sleepovers, and movies (didn't we just go see Hairspray?) and eating out, and going to the pool, we also went to a parade, etc.?
J: That is not going somewhere.
Me: So where do you want to go?
J: I don't know, but we never do anything fun. Like tubing. Or paintball. And why can't I get an airsoft gun?
Me: What? Now what are we talking about? I am sorry you feel so deprived.
(quiet)
Me: And anyway, most of our weekends are filled with soccer. That makes it very difficult to do trips. Would you rather not play soccer?
J: no

The truth of the matter is--the conversation made me want to cry. I realized that maybe he was right. (in a way) We don't take day trips very often. I don't know where we would go. The kids seem too old for the zoo. Ben is in a stage where he thinks every thing is lame....(typical teenager attitude.) We should have taken a summer vacation, I guess. But--finding someone to take the dog is hard. I hate kennels. We were going to take a trip in July to Philadelphia, but that didn't work out. And now there is only two weeks until school starts--and we have my friend's dog Shiloh starting this thursday until we leave for Milwaukee(soccer tournament)next weekend. So....there just isn't time now. So-I feel guilty. When the time rolls around for the "What did you do this summer?" essays.....my kids will come up blank. I guess there is some sort of embarrassment in saying "we hung out with friends, took it easy, went to the pool, etc." When apparently, many other kids can say, "we went boating, we took amazing trips, etc." I hate that kids expect so much these days. We are surrounded by families that think kids need to be entertained all the time....taking them places....making sure they always have someone to play with....never letting them just sit and be bored, and to find something to do. Chores seem to be obsolete --except of course in OUR family. And living in a community that many of the families are extremely wealthy, make our kids think they are even more deprived. We have done our best teaching them that money doesn't buy happiness, that earning your way builds character, that you are supposed to be bored sometimes, that you can't always be entertained, etc. but, sometimes, when you see your kids feeling like they are "missing out" and wishing somehow they belonged in one of those "fun" families.....it breaks your heart. I am not regreting not handing our kids everything they want. I don't regret saying "NO" to the things we say no to. But, it hurts to think that maybe your kids feel like they are being neglected--because we don't focus our whole lives on what they think we should be doing (like going tubing, apparently!). I know our kids know they are loved--and I like to tell myself that when they look back they will realize that they were lucky to be in a family that cared enough to say no. I know when I grew up, I had an entirely different perspective. BUT-I do get concerned that we don't do enough things that memories are made of. How do you know if you are accomplishing that? I don't want my kids to reflect on their upbringing and think "yeah, our parents loved us, but we just didn't do anything!"

Hairspray-The Movie

We just got back from seeing Hairspray....I really liked it. It was fun, and good-hearted, and had my toes tapping. The group of teenage girls that sat in front of us, I think, saw the movie a few times already. They came in all dressed in 60's garb, with their hair teased....looking like they stepped off the movie set. It was cute. They also cooed and sighed everytime Zach Efron (Link) appeared on camera. It was a riot---and it reminded me so much of doing things with my middle school/HS friends. Mainly, because if this movie came out when I was a teenager....I could see us being the ones all dressed up and being Hairspray groupies!
I hope this musical resurgence stays.....we need more fun movies to go to....especially ones the whole family can see.

As a sidenote--I thought "Seaweed" was quite goodlooking in the movie. Loved the "rippled" hair.

summer soccer workouts

Soccer Team Camp is well underway....Nathan has training at Campton Fields everyday from 8-10am, and Jake has training from 8-11am. Thankfully, Nathan seems to be enjoying his first year with Campton so far--he was very excited to receive his practice and game uniforms on Monday. His team is the U9 Campton United Reteiro Team, and I have been asked to be the Team Coordinator. Nathan's coach's name is Kevin Healy, and he is new to Campton. He seems nice, and nathan likes him. This weekend will be Nathan's first Seeding tournament. The Seeding Tournament games are for seeing which bracket your team fits into for the best competition for the rest of the year. They play teams from all over northern Illinois. If you'd like to check out the schedule and results you can go the NISL website: www.northernillinoissoccerleague.com

Jacob has begun his first year with a new coach--he has had the same coach (Brian Nail) for the last 3 years...so this will be interesting. His new coach is Micheal DesLauriers (the kids call him Michael "D") Here is his bio that appears on the Campton website:

MEET COACH MICHAEL D.
Michael DesLauriers, new to Campton but certainly not new to coaching, has been coaching for 20 years in club soccer, high school soccer, and with the Olympic Development program at the State and Regional level. He carries a USSF National B License, NSCAA License, and USSF National Youth License. He has received the IYSA 1997 Boys Coach of the Year, has won multiple championships at the State, Regional, National, and international level. He has developed and helped place players at the collegiate level, professional level, and Regional and National teams, and the US Men’s National team. We welcome his experience and enthusiasm for the game!

Michael D. has developed quite a reputation on Campton as being a little insane, and TOUGH, TOUGH, TOUGH! Jacob, who of course, is thrilled to have any new soccer opportunity has been very excited to take on the challenge. Today he had a large amount of fitness training....and his first words after practice were "I hate the hill!" Apparently, they have to do sprints, 100x each of 10 yards, 20 yards, 30 yards, and 40 yards up this steep hill they have on the training "pitch" (that means field in soccer language). Then they did the whole thing again--backwards. The "exercise" is appropriately called "SUICIDES". Jacob said they trained with the U14's today and half of his team couldn't make it through the runs. (Jacob did.) :0) But, if you stop....no rest for the weary! You have to do sit-ups for the duration of the time your team is finishing the sprints. I think the kids are amazing for pushing themselves like that.....especially when it is 90 degrees outside, with very little breeze! Who says kids nowadays are out of shape?? Jacob is amazingly fit--I am constantly in awe of his ability to keep running fullspeed as a midfielder the majority of a game....his endurance just kills me. This year the field length gets bigger--it will be 120 yards long....so his runs will be even longer. This training is good for him. And I am glad he sees it that way. He knows he is getting stronger with each insane fitness exercise that Michael D. makes them do.

Ben is at Six Flags Great America today with his friends Aaron, Christian, and Cole. Cole and Christian's dads went with them. I cracked up when Ben said that they were going to be leaving really early....9:00am!! How funny...that just shows a true teenager's sleep habits right there. :0)

officially re-certified

Finally got my butt in gear and went down to the Kane County Regional Office of Education to reinstate my Type 03 certification. It was so easy, I wondered what took me so long. After filling out the form, a quick check on the computer with my SS#, and paying my back fees, I was done. The lady said, "You can teach starting right now, if you want!" If only it was as easy as that!