Or my baby's Mama?
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Just to brag on my mom...
So for almost 30 years my mom has been bragging on her three lovely daughters (oh and rightly so). However, after this article was written in the Houston Chronicle about my mom, I thought it was my turn to do a little bragging. You'll read about how awesome she is in the article below:
Rosehill Elementary principal finds her niche
By FLORI MEEKS
JeanineDeyoe says she likes it when people describe her as a
"teacher's principal."
"I'm a teacher first," said Deyoe, the new principal of Rosehill
Elementary School in Tomball. "I think it's important that a principal
work with teachers. It's the same with parents. We all have the same
goal."
Deyoe, who lives in The Woodlands, has been interested in education
since she was a girl in western Kansas.
"I come from an education family," she said. "I've always enjoyed
working with kids. I truly found that teaching was my calling."
Deyoe has taught in Vicksburg, Miss., with the McGregor district in
central Texas and the Conroe Independent School District before moving
to the Tomball district this year.
Her experiences run the gamut. She's worked with kindergarteners and
seventh-graders in affluent communities and in Title One schools.
"Sometimes you hear back from miscellaneous people how you impacted a
child's life," she said. One of her neighbors works in the chemical
industry. When a young man came to observe him on the job, he mentioned
that it was one of his teachers, Deyoe, who got him interested in
science.
Her neighbor couldn't wait to tell her the story.
"That was so exciting that I helped develop interest in a career," she
said.
"Any time you can have a positive influence on students, it's so
rewarding."
Despite her love for the classroom, Deyoe decided several years ago to
shift to administration.
"That was where I needed to be to feel I was using my talents to their
fullest for others," said Deyoe, whose father was a principal."It was a
natural progression for me."
Deyoe began her administrative career at Conroe's Austin Elementary
School, where she worked one year, followed by three years at Collins
Intermediate School.
From what she's seen, the best principals in the field are the ones who
make it a priority to listen to others, Deyoe said.
"They have to be able to understand what others' needs are, spoken and
unspoken," she said. "They also have to have the ability to see the big
picture. They look at how all things in the school affect each other."
Beth Hall, a counselor at Collins, said Deyoe demonstrated those
qualities regularly when they worked together.
"Her interpersonal skills are outstanding," Hall said. "In my opinion,
very few people come along in administration with her capabilities."
At Rosehill, Deyoe wants to get to know the teachers and parents she'll
be working with and get to know the school's needs.
"I want to look at the data and see where the strengths are, and where
there are weaknesses," Deyoe said. "I'm going to be communicating with
teachers so I know where student achievement is, and we can intervene
where needed."
But Deyoe said her ultimate goal is to maintain a safe campus.
"If you don't have a safe environment, you can't have learning," she
said.
Deyoe and her husband, Bill, are the parents of Kristine, 27; Rylie,
24; and Shelley, 21, along with one 9-month-old grandson.
Saturday, September 29, 2007
Best thing to do on a fall day in Georgia....
One thing I love about living in Georgia is that the mountains are just about an hour's drive north. When Stephen and I moved here four years ago, we started taking drives up to the mountains just to do some exploring. It started because I wanted to see the fall colors changing in the trees. Stephen agreed because we had just purchased a 1.8T Jetta with a sunroof that was fun to drive. During our "exploring", we have come across some Georgia "gems". These "gems" have become our favorite part of fall and our favorite thing to do for a day trip. Those "gems" would be Burt's Pumpkin Patch and Amicalola Falls.
Burt's Pumpkin Patch is just that. A large open field covered with pumpkins of all shapes, sizes and colors. This was the first time I had ever seen white or blue pumpkins. They also have gourds and squashes, homemade baked pies, breads, candy, etc. They offer a hayride for the kids (something we'll probably do next year). The experience is so fun; I'm amazed that it's free to enter! The pumpkins are reasonably priced and worth buying anyways. There is a creek nearby with shady trees - perfect for picnicking. We packed a lunch and sat under a big acorn tree. (thanks Caleb for pointing that out)
Amicalola Falls is a state park (bring $3 cash to enter) with a lot to offer. It is right off the Appalachian Trail, which always attracts an interesting group. They have accommodations for all types - a hotel-like lodge, a 5-mile "hike-in" lodge, cabins, campgrounds, and plenty of nature trails. The obvious reason it is so popular is for its 729-foot waterfall, which is the tallest waterfall east of the Mississippi River. You can either park at the top of the falls and take the stairs down, or park at the bottom of the falls and walk the paved trail (stroller friendly) to the bottom of the falls. Either way, it's worth the climb!
This year is the first time we have shared this experience with friends. (not sure why it took us this long) We went with our community group friends, the Presleys, and my sister, Rylie. It also just so happened that our dear friends, the Stegers, (from Orlando) had rented a mountain cabin this very weekend in this very area, so they joined us as well. Today really was such a fun day, and I highly recommend the experience!! (google Burt's Pumpkin Patch for directions)..and go with friends!!
Burt's Pumpkin Patch is just that. A large open field covered with pumpkins of all shapes, sizes and colors. This was the first time I had ever seen white or blue pumpkins. They also have gourds and squashes, homemade baked pies, breads, candy, etc. They offer a hayride for the kids (something we'll probably do next year). The experience is so fun; I'm amazed that it's free to enter! The pumpkins are reasonably priced and worth buying anyways. There is a creek nearby with shady trees - perfect for picnicking. We packed a lunch and sat under a big acorn tree. (thanks Caleb for pointing that out)
Amicalola Falls is a state park (bring $3 cash to enter) with a lot to offer. It is right off the Appalachian Trail, which always attracts an interesting group. They have accommodations for all types - a hotel-like lodge, a 5-mile "hike-in" lodge, cabins, campgrounds, and plenty of nature trails. The obvious reason it is so popular is for its 729-foot waterfall, which is the tallest waterfall east of the Mississippi River. You can either park at the top of the falls and take the stairs down, or park at the bottom of the falls and walk the paved trail (stroller friendly) to the bottom of the falls. Either way, it's worth the climb!
This year is the first time we have shared this experience with friends. (not sure why it took us this long) We went with our community group friends, the Presleys, and my sister, Rylie. It also just so happened that our dear friends, the Stegers, (from Orlando) had rented a mountain cabin this very weekend in this very area, so they joined us as well. Today really was such a fun day, and I highly recommend the experience!! (google Burt's Pumpkin Patch for directions)..and go with friends!!
Friday, September 28, 2007
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Trip to Vicksburg
Here are some pictures from our family trip to Vicksburg to visit my Grandmother. Adler had a great time and especially loved the watermelon! It was fun spending time with our family. Stephen had fun taking pics...
Cgroup Kiddos
In June we had a Community Group party at our house. Here are some pics of the kiddos.
August Visitors
Here are some pictures I've been meaning to post. Adler's future wife, Emma Kate, came to visit in August. We had a great time together! Thanks again for coming Katie and Emma!
Riverwood Young Life
Here are some pics from Young Life. Adler liked to play back up with the egg shaker. (although I'm pretty sure it just wanted to try to eat it most the time)
New Kicks
Adler took his first step last week at Young Life, so I thought it was time for his first pair of shoes. Of course, what else would you buy the coolest kid on the planet but camo crocs! He's quit the stud.....
Thursday, September 13, 2007
What not to do: Vol 1
Last night I came home from a long day of work. Excited to go to YL, but knowing that it'd be stressful getting there. As I got home, I needed to change, but Adler was waking up from a nap, so Kristine went and got him out of bed. She was bringing him towards our bedroom, so I decided I'd like to play with him a bit. (SIDEBAR: Adler loves Peek-A-Boo and hide-and-seek)...so as Kristine got close, I could here her saying "Who's In there"/etc/etc. So I jumped around the corner and gave a playfully, but loud "BOO".
What ensued was not the reaction I was hoping for. Adler's face molded into that of fear and pain. He started crying harder than I've heard in a long time and doing that "6th grade girlfriend just broke up with me for a 7th grader" gasp for air. I totally scared the crap out of him and it literally ruined the next hour. Only after we got to the car to leave for YL did he finally burp/spit up a bit, which made him feel a LOT better. I can only guess that when I jumped around the corner, he gasped and swallowed air the wrong way, got super uncomfortable and couldn't relax.
We did make up later, but boy did he not like me for a little while.
So....what not to do: don't jump out and peek-a-boo your baby, unless they already know you're there and want to play with you.
:)
What ensued was not the reaction I was hoping for. Adler's face molded into that of fear and pain. He started crying harder than I've heard in a long time and doing that "6th grade girlfriend just broke up with me for a 7th grader" gasp for air. I totally scared the crap out of him and it literally ruined the next hour. Only after we got to the car to leave for YL did he finally burp/spit up a bit, which made him feel a LOT better. I can only guess that when I jumped around the corner, he gasped and swallowed air the wrong way, got super uncomfortable and couldn't relax.
We did make up later, but boy did he not like me for a little while.
So....what not to do: don't jump out and peek-a-boo your baby, unless they already know you're there and want to play with you.
:)
Monday, September 10, 2007
Sunday, September 09, 2007
That last post it getting old....
Okay, so Stephen has been back for 2 weeks now, so I figured it was time to update the blog.
For Labor Day Weekend, we drove out to Vicksburg, MS to visit my grandmother. She has lived in the same house for 30-something years. She has a great piece of property - right off a lake, which always seems peaceful. She used to have a pool in her back yard. Some of my favorite child-hood memories are of painting flowers on her back patio, eating cherry tomatoes off the vine, fishing in the lake, gazing at the incredibly large oak tree in her front yard, and cannon-balling into her pool.
The back patio is now a little over-run with cob-webs and wasps (which we tried to get rid of), the dock on the lake is no longer usable, the over-growth at the edge of the lake makes fishing pretty difficult, the swimming pool has long since been filled in with concrete...it's crazy to see the effects of time, however, it is still one of my favorite places and will always be a cherished family location.
My parents also drove out from Texas. My sister, Rylie, joined us too. It just so happened that my aunt and 2 cousins were in town at the same time too. So , in a way, it was a mini family reunion.
My grandmother and her husband had very interesting lives. My grandfather worked for the government teaching third world countries farming techniques. They lived in all over the world...and her house is decorated with mementoes from all their exotic travels. I always enjoy asking questions about different pieces in her house and looking at her picture albums. Stephen enjoyed taking pictures around the place - check out his flickr site for some pics!
Everybody enjoyed seeing Adler. He is getting so big! Crawling all over the place, easily pulling up to standing, will let go for a brief time, can say "ma ma" and "da da", loves to clap and do "touch down!". I'm pretty convinced he has been trying to say "tristan" and "adler" over the past week.
He and I started a music class on Thursdays. He loves being around all the kids, playing with the instruments (the drum sticks are his favorite) and he gets very serious about watching the instructor.
The best part is we are going on a VACATION next weekend with our small group! We are going to Gulf Shores with 4 other couples sans children! Stephen's mom is coming in town to keep Adler for us! I'm sure she would appreciate a prayer or two her for her weekend ;)
That's all for now!
For Labor Day Weekend, we drove out to Vicksburg, MS to visit my grandmother. She has lived in the same house for 30-something years. She has a great piece of property - right off a lake, which always seems peaceful. She used to have a pool in her back yard. Some of my favorite child-hood memories are of painting flowers on her back patio, eating cherry tomatoes off the vine, fishing in the lake, gazing at the incredibly large oak tree in her front yard, and cannon-balling into her pool.
The back patio is now a little over-run with cob-webs and wasps (which we tried to get rid of), the dock on the lake is no longer usable, the over-growth at the edge of the lake makes fishing pretty difficult, the swimming pool has long since been filled in with concrete...it's crazy to see the effects of time, however, it is still one of my favorite places and will always be a cherished family location.
My parents also drove out from Texas. My sister, Rylie, joined us too. It just so happened that my aunt and 2 cousins were in town at the same time too. So , in a way, it was a mini family reunion.
My grandmother and her husband had very interesting lives. My grandfather worked for the government teaching third world countries farming techniques. They lived in all over the world...and her house is decorated with mementoes from all their exotic travels. I always enjoy asking questions about different pieces in her house and looking at her picture albums. Stephen enjoyed taking pictures around the place - check out his flickr site for some pics!
Everybody enjoyed seeing Adler. He is getting so big! Crawling all over the place, easily pulling up to standing, will let go for a brief time, can say "ma ma" and "da da", loves to clap and do "touch down!". I'm pretty convinced he has been trying to say "tristan" and "adler" over the past week.
He and I started a music class on Thursdays. He loves being around all the kids, playing with the instruments (the drum sticks are his favorite) and he gets very serious about watching the instructor.
The best part is we are going on a VACATION next weekend with our small group! We are going to Gulf Shores with 4 other couples sans children! Stephen's mom is coming in town to keep Adler for us! I'm sure she would appreciate a prayer or two her for her weekend ;)
That's all for now!
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