Grad School Here I Come...well if they will have me

I am writing it here so I can not back out. So here goes...
I am going to apply to get a Masters in Education as a Reading Specialist. I feel like learning to help students overcome any challenges they face in the reading process would be an extremely valuable tool for the classroom. It is an area that intrigues me and will help me become more effective when I go back to teach.
The first step will be to study and pass the GRE. This is probably the least important step, but for me, the scariest part. So here I go to study (or nap, last night was rough!)!

Church #1 and possible job!

I have to say, Church #1 was pretty good. There was no snake charming or angry preachers at least. People were friendly, at least the lady in front of me was. The sermon was biblically based and there were no off the wall ideas (well I guess the Bible can be seen as full of off the wall ideas, but there were no new ones). The only negative was that the service was long, mostly due to a 20 minute announcement about redoing their parking lot.
Next week, Jake or I will be hitting the Methodist church. I'll will let you know!

Today I called the school district to find out about subbing. The lady said they are always needing subs and that I can write on the application that I only want to sub on specific days. I will probably start by just subbing on Fridays since Jake said he can be home that day if need be. I have to say the possibility of working is making me really excited. Obviously, I can not do too much with no childcare, but this little bit is seeming huge to me!

The Church Hunt Begins

Today we start the official church hunt. It should be interesting. I am all for change in many ways, but finding a new church is never an easy change for me. I want who I know and what I know when it comes to church and as is obvious, that just can not be when you move so far away. So, here we go. Thanks to the advice of my ever so wise sister-in-law, we are going to divide and conquer. Finding a church is hard enough but add two children who are not going to sit through a service no matter how amazing the church, it is even tougher. So, we are going to start our search with one of going and the other staying home with children. We figure this way, not only will I actually be able to hear and pay attention to the service, but if it is obvious it isn't the church for us, I can make a more subtle escape.
My random and totally ridiculous thoughts right now are: Will I get to some of these churches and be totally inappropriately dressed (no prairie skirt and high collared blouse- I don't even own a blouse!)? Will I be one of 8 people in an EXTREMELY uncomfortably different service/ theology (Snake worshiping, fire eating, screaming red faced preachers- I am totally picturing a "Footloose" church)? :) I could go on being ridiculous and extreme, not because I really worry about these things but because I find it somewhat funny to imagine.
Todays Church? I will be going to Hillside Community Church. It is a Christian and Missionary Alliance church. I don't know anything about it, except for the little I read about online but who knows! It seems (obviously) very mission minded and pretty evangelistic, and not that I am against those things, but I have my hesitations. I don't need a perfect church though, just a group of people who can endure us and love us despite us. Well, maybe a bit more than that, but you get the idea.

California Dreamin'

I thought I would post just a few pics from our time in Southern California, but as you will see, I could not hold it to just a few. Here is Ben enjoying a little sand.
Mommy and her boys
Jake's mom works at this really cool art place for kids in Redondo Beach. Lucas had the place to himself for an hour, creating all kinds of masterpieces.
Grandma Sue and Benners
We couldn't drag Lucas from the water! Jake got a work out swinging him around.
Lucas takes a fishing trip with Papa Joe on his boat.
Jake and Lucas wait to catch a big one.
Lucas meets his new cousins!
Mr. Kaden gives his auntie a smile. Don't you just want to eat those cheeks?!!

The New and Improved Szarawarski Family!

Great Grandma enjoys some time with the boys.

What can I say about Mr. Vin? This little guy is just delicious!

Lucas and Kaden enjoy some gym time.

Sweet Baby James
James and his favorite Aunt Rachel. :)
James gives Nana a smile.

Lucas and Vin are two peas in a pod! They are definitely going to give us a run for our money!

The whole crew! Impressive right? Six kids three and under all contained on one blanket. Any guesses how long that lasted?

James entertains Uncle Jake with a smile.

Poor Rose had to put up with all the boys. You can bet she can hold her own.

Auntie Amy snuggles up to Kaden.

Master Paul and Doctor Jake- Celebrating Jake's new job and Paul finishing his Masters with their engraved mugs.

That about sums up our trip. It was the most chaotic California trip yet, but by far the most enjoyable! We can not wait to do it all again for the holidays.

Lucas had a great day at Preschool!

I pulled up to pick Lucas up from preschool and his class was out on the playground. It was so fun to watch him out there with all the kids. He was just walking around with his teacher, which didn't surprise me. He probably felt safe with her and for that I am very grateful. When I met him at the classroom, he showed me the firefly he had made before saying goodbye to his teachers. In the car on the way home, he told me all about how he had made the firefly- I take the paper Mommy, and I smash it like this. I stuck it... Where's my glue Mommy? Is it at school? Can I use it next time?" I reassured him he could use it next time and so he continued. "I stuck the paper in the glue and it is sticky Mommy." I have to say I was pretty impressed. I was not expecting him to tell me anything about the day. He also told me about another kid in his class named Luke. "I am Lucas and Luke and he is Lucas and Luke!" I just love these little conversations!
My fears of a first day of school accident were also unnecessary. He didn't use the potty at all, but at least he was dry!
He is all excited for Thursday!

Lucas' First Day of Preschool

Lucas is currently enjoying his first day of school! It is so surreal to leave your 3 year old somewhere with people he doesn't know and be ok with it. He seemed to be great though. Waking him up this morning at 7:30 was hard since we are 2 hours ahead here, but he rallied and was fine.
When we got to school, he walked in and immediately started playing with a lego table.


I pulled him away to find his name tag and thought I would get him to go over to a puzzle table where the rest if the kids were, but he was not interested in that. He seemed to be ok so we said our goodbyes and headed out. I can not wait to see how the morning went!

We were that family

We are now finally home after an amazing California trip. We had such a great time with friends and family and already miss all of them.

We flew home today and the first short flight went great! Both kids were very excited I think to head home. The second flight was a bit more challenging. We were totally that family that has the child screaming at the top of their lungs. You know, that ear piercing, heads whipping back with jaws dropping kind of screaming that makes you think, "Why doesn't that parent make them stop????". That was us. Ben apparently was/is constipated and was working on something for most of the flight. It was ridiculous really. BUT, we made it and both kids crashed when we got in the car.

It is good to be home. We had the basement carpet put in while we were gone so it was fun to come home to that. The boys also immediately seemed relaxed and relieved to be back in their own space. I was so impressed with them this trip at how flexible they were with all the changes that have been through (Ben hasn't slept in his crib in over a month!). It was evident though, tonight, that they both will enjoy being home.

Tomorrow is a big day! Lucas has his first day of preschool. We are all really excited (I am also a bit nervous) for him! I am sure there will be tears on my part. It is going to be crazy to leave him there since we have never done anything like this. On top of that, we are leaving him somewhere that is completely new. He doesn't know a soul, we don't even have anyone to put as his emergency contact! That just makes me feel VERY FAR AWAY. I am feeling more excited and less stressed about it though today. Hopefully he will have an amazing day and that will put me at ease. I will have to post about that tomorrow.

California Trip

We are now down in L.A. on our California Adventure. Before flying down yesterday from Sacramento, we spent the week with our friends, the Fosters. It was so great to be with old friends again. We were even able to head up to Chico for a night to see the Solecki Family, which was fun. Seeing our old Davis gang, always reminds me how great community can be. One night we were having dinner at our friends, the Whitefords, and Amy came walking in the room holding Ben. I said something like, "Oh sorry you had to watch my kid while I just sit here." and Julie turned to me and said, "Rach, you are back in the village. This is what we do." Boy do I miss that village.

The boys loved playing in the creek in Chico.

Nate gives Ella and the boys a ride.

While up north, Lucas was in his first wedding. It was pretty cute to see him all dressed up. He and his friend Sam were in it and they were supposed to carry ukuleles down the aisle. I wasn't sure Lucas would actually make the walk down the aisle, but he did it! The wedding was beautiful and we were glad we could be there to celebrate with Josh and Susie.


Now we are in Redondo Beach and Lucas, Jake, and Jake's dad went fishing for a few hours on Papa Joe's boat. I'll have to post some pictures later this week of that.

Picture Update

The natives are getting restless!
Jake took some pictures this morning of the basement and I thought I would show you what the basement looks like now.
This one shows the corner that almost stumped Jake, but of course, he figured it out and it looks great to me!
Here is Lucas' room after I finsihed the touch ups. I am so glad I was able to save the stripes.

Here are a few shots of Ben's room. We still have to put up the closet doors so we don't see the taupe colored closet.