ct winter is not mild.

i never write. i point that out each time and say i'll write more often. i may make a point of writing each saturday or sunday. it might be nice to reflect on the week.

december:
1. was busy and nice. heather (school psych), kendra and i went to the pottery place during a snowday we had. the jeep got stuck in the snow and little arm heather pushed the sucker out of someone's front lawn.
2. i also discovered an inside door to the basement. it's note worthy for 2 reason. 1. i don't have to go outside to do laundry. 2. it provides me with more light switches and i don't feel like i'm in a scary movie. i'm a little less scared of the basement now. i just hope i never get stuck down there if the lights go out.
3. ryerson elem. had their christmas party, which was a little bit of awesomeness. a couple people had too much to drink, funny yankee swap gifts, entertaining conversation. heather (school psych at ryerson) and josh asked me to be in their wedding. today we were talking about her meeting jennt on friday and how i felt bad because it was really quick but maybe another time they could actually meet and talk. she noted that she really should because jennt might be my date to the wedding. ;) possibly the first wedding pizza celebration of 2009.
4. i went to maine for a week at christmas. mum and dad came up via jersey, saw branford and the apartment. we drove to maine on christmas eve. went to church, ate, exchanged presents. lots of snacking, presents and lavigne family time. we also attempted to potty train nate. just the beginnings where we identify the potty and 'going pee pee in the potty'. more to come on that in february when we attempt to fully train him.
5. during the rest of winter break i took it easy. had coffee one day with kendra. really avoided doing much.

january:
1. new years was spent here watching movies and trying to stay warm. i really enjoy being alone some times. a lot. :) i talked to a few people through text and that was enough for me for the night.
2. heather had us go into a local bridal place to do dress fittings. standing in my socks and underwear in the middle of a room on a pedestal is awesome. especially in front of 5 others. glad that one is done.
3. work is busy as always but i'm working on some personal goals that i rocked last week. rocked.
4. this past weekend jennt and i drove to philly to visit jocelyn. jennt decided the day before she would join me. i love spending time with the girls. philly was a lot of fun. i'm excited to go back.
5. h and michael are finally living together again! michael got a job offer in va and was able to move up this past weekend. how exciting! i clapped when i found out. we were supposed to meet up while i was down in philly but we decided moving the hubby in was more important and we would plan another trip soon. i vote for when it's not so cold.
6. so excited to see obama in office. so excited. the schools all watched and i was able to catch the swearing in and speech.
7. yesterday ended a little rough but i'm still fine. i'm looking forward to getting together with kendra tomorrow night, friday collaboration with heather, supervision with donn and driving to maine for the weekend.

i have a crazy love for popsicles.
*jp

i forgot...

about blogs. until this morning. jennt said something about her blog or blogs or something and I remembered: 1. people have them. 2. i have one. 3. i haven't looked at it in over a month.

a run down in list form.
1. i've settled in here in CT.
2. i try to visualize some sort of a future here. i think i could wrap my head around it if i give it time. very unlike me.
3. the job is sometimes stressful with a month of eye twitching. they sign me up for more than one person can handle. i still really like one of the schools and it helps me make it through. overall i enjoy my time.
4. i made cookies for the favorite school on sunday night. all monday that's what people talked about. i loved it! i'm going to bake for them as often as i can. :)
5. kendra and i have beer and bitch fridays fairly often where we walk to the pub down the road, have a beer and catch up. school-psych-heather came last night. it was a cold walk/ jog home.
6. this winter is going to be hard. the northeast is chilly.
7. nate and maddie are doing well. she has some lungs and is growing fast. nate has entered his terrible twos even before his second birthday. potty training this winter.
8. i'm back in the gym rhythm. i setup a plan (behavior program...) for myself this month. the first five days earned the new john legend cd. the second five earned the new counting crows cd. i have 3 more times and i get a pair of shoes. yay!
9. beth lewis had her baby last night at 7:35pm. 6 lbs, 14 oz and 21 inches. she has blue eyes and wavy dark hair. she's going to be a heartbreaker.

i'll try to be more mindful of updates.

cold wind blows,
*jp

we get lost in the moment.

Nate and Maddie.

Random trips north

the baby is here!

as you can see her belly was huge. it felt like a medicine ball under her shirt. firm and all up front. last night i sat in the hospital room watching her belly move around. so weird. this was cristina yesterday while walking into the mall. we walked the maine mall for almost 3 hours after eating lunch at the olive garden. prior to that we were at the hospital... and left without a baby.

the process started sunday morning and was super hard on cristina. poor thing spent two nights in the hospital and woke up each morning to be sent home.

today at 6:47 or 6:57 tonight the baby was born. i got the call at 7:04. it's a girl. dave said he's ten feet off the ground. they really wanted a girl. dark hair and so cute, according to cris. once i have some pictures i'll share. she's going to be one tough cookie. or at least stubborn as hell. ;)


excited!
*jp
i'm excited.

i'm emotionally charged.

i got sad last night thinking about alabama. it's so strange for me to think i get 'homesick' for alabama. i think part of it was that i ranted to h for a long while last night. also because i feel like i'm overwhelmed, expected to do more than i'm able at a time and i'm being pushed into a corner. i have to write a behavior plan but i'm not going to find out the ACES way of doing things until tomorrow afternoon. i'm presenting the behavior plan thursday at 2. two more students were added to my case load today. i have 2 more behavior plans to write for next week. i have a student hitting himself. i'm constantly running from school to school. i also have a meeting thursday at 9am but i don't know what i did to warrent a meeting. i know the principal at 'hell elementary' asked the sp.ed. director to call the meeting with me and donn (guy i work for at ACES). i asked the secretary if there is an agenda for the meeting when she sent a message asking about 9am thursday... i didn't get a response. i don't know what i did and i don't like not knowing. and to top it off, i can't focus.

i got all veclempt when trying to fall asleep last night but moved past it and finally fell asleep. today sitting at the computer writing heather i did the same thing and had to breath. and then i was talking to a student's one to one (personal paraprofessional) and she started saying the change must be huge and asked how i was adapting and i jokingly made a sad face and fanned myself saying that i was actually struggling with that today and then i actually got a little upset. glossy eyes and a bit of a tight throat. she in turn got the glossy eyes. she's really sweet.

i need the following:
1. to get the bsp i need to present thursday DONE.
2. have the effing meeting thursday morning and get it over with. we all know i'm going to get worked up and leave shaking.
3. present the student's behavior support plan and get that dagum meeting over with.
4. have friday come... though i have an early morning parent meeting, supervision and a ppt meeting where i meet another family. oi.

i am greatful for:
1. h listening to my rants
2. you reading my rants
3. kendra accepting my random complaining text messages about throwing water balloons at school staff and drinking liquor from coffee cups during behavior leadership meetings (note: she suggested the drinking, i suggested the mixers to cover it, she is responsible for coffee cups to drink out of... not that it's happening).
4. also for the ladies coming this weekend. i'm really going to need it.
5. the gym to boost my moods. the people watching and the exercise is awesome.
6. butternut squash ravioli by lean cuisine. i had it for lunch and it's my favorite. i should learn to make something like it.
7. kerry d.(sp.ed teacher i have a desk next to) and heather (school psychologist) at the good elementary school. they are wonderful and listen well and talk about random things to keep me from freaking out. they're young, 30, and people i can trust. and heather goes to my gym and has the same love of starring at people while working out.

wednesday:
7:30 work on behavior plan
8am check in at high school
9am meet with teacher and the school psych (heather) about a student at good elem.
10-12 behavior plan writing.
12:30 daily kerry d. meeting
1-2 travel to north haven (it takes 40 minutes from madison)
2-4 behavior leadership meeting. BOO.
4-5 revamp behavior plan and pray an hour will be all i need.
5:45-8 gym!

i'm done. i think i'm going to get into bed really early tonight and maybe go to the gym at 5am to work off some anxiety before i start another day. send me those good vibes because Lord knows i need them.

good vibes!
*jp

i think i feel good. i feel good.

i'm going to make a list because i really like lists and i'm in a good mood.


cris: is very pregnant and lovely right now. i'm excited for the second pair of little running feet on their wooden floors. we get along so much better now. it's weird what distance did for us.


love: truth is... richie and rachael remind me of love and relationships and gives me that faith. and nate is just pure love. i think i'm in love with life. at least in the moment.


excitement: i like the possibilities in front of me. i had fun labor day weekend up in maine. saw melissa friday, the lavigne family and jennt most of the weekend and jennt's family sunday. i joined the gym here and started taking classes this wednesday. each day i try something new. i've taken 7 classes and have only one more i want to try out. this weekend kendra (also new to aces consulting team) and i are either going to go buy some shoes or check out the irish pub down the road. a pub in walking distance sounds kind of stellar. and! in two weeks the girls are coming for the weekend. it's like "ladies' lunch" but in a new state... and after 2.5 years jocelyn can come. excitement!


new digs: i like branford. it's this small 'gilmore girls' type town. this morning there was a blueberry pancake breakfast on the green put on by one of the churches. we have a town wide family picnic on the 13th. there is also a 'touch the truck' thing some time soon. and a road race possibly tomorrow in new haven. anyway, it's strange to be some where with little shops and places to eat, with people running and walking outside, and an awesome library system. all this after being in wetumpka where no one walks outside or rides their bikes or walks over to the local coffee shop... mostly because wetumpka wasn't set up that way. everything i need is in walking distance. people recycle. i have more to do. kendra lives within a couple minutes walk. ct life can be fun. oh, and the job is going well... lots going on, lots to do, lots of challenge already... one week at a time.

a shower and a stretch sounds good. also more 'house' (season 4) and more strawberries.

come do my laundry.
*jp

august 17th - 23rd

i've done some walking recently to get some exercise and get to know the area. i took pictures while walking. walking adventures.


flowers by the local high school.


one of the church doors on the green.


branford sign on the green.


stairs up to my place. i'm working the legs every day. maybe i should start running them. we'll see...


little church building by the yale site. it's where ministers got together to donate books to open yale.



trolly tracks out by some hiking trails.



the trolly yard. this one is actually a streetcar from nola.



i believe this is a river. i came across it on a hike one day.



stop sign in north madison area.



a house on the same road at the stop sign. i thought it was amazing but the picture just doesn't show that.



i found the train station here in town. one ticket to the city.



boat yard in branford.



flowers outside a corner store.



i loved this garden with the umbrellas.



and this fence color.



shoreline from short beach area. this was the halfway point on a long day of walking.

NOTE: i put this together a while ago but never posted it. enjoy some pictures.