Interview With Tucker: Age 3

1. What's your name? Tucker B. aaahhh, (running away) I don't understand you!!!
2. How old are you? What's your name?
3. What's your favorite color? green
4. What's your favorite book? My favorite book is NO David, its called NO David. That's my favorite book.
5. What's your favorite song? My favorite song is, this one...."Let's make it last forever, screamin' Hallelujah!" (that is the ring tone from Matt's phone a Paramore song)

6. What's your favorite movie? Um, Ratatouille

7. What's your favorite TV show? Diego
8. Who's your best friend? Daddy
9. Favorite smell? Candles

10. Favorite candy? um, um, candy, candies. A snake.
11. Favorite sound? baaaack (think chicken sound)
12. Favorite instrument? i show you Mommy. it's rock star!!! (think noises you would make while strumming air guitar) dduuhh, duuhhh, nnaaahh, dunnaaahhh. My favorite song is Rock star. Watch this, I'm a strum this. (He is playing a Rock Band Guitar)
13. Favorite thing to do at home? um, play with my toys

14. Favorite game? um, Rock star (Rock Band)

15. Favorite food? um, chicken
16. Favorite drink? um, milk
17. Favorite animal? um, um monkey. My favorite animal is monkey.
18. Favorite things to do? running around
19. Favorite place to go? no, um, OMSI.

20. Favorite toy? my choo-choo train

21. What do you like about Daddy? typing with Daddy and neck drags (a wrestling move that Matt does with him)
22. How old is Dad? um, 3
23. How old is Mom? um, 8
24. What makes you happy? my toys

25. What do you want to be when you grow up? I'm going to be a space rocket, when I grow up. When I grow up I'm going to be an astronaut. Hey Daddy, come to my room.

A special post interview note from Tucker: (He wouldn't let me ask him questions unless I let him type a little in between each question. This interview was completed after three separate attempts.)

kkkkkkkkjjjjjjjjjjjjjj666666666rrrrrreeeeee (after typing this, he declared "That's 'E' ") hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhrrrrrRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

RRRRRRRREEEEEEEEQQQQWWWWWWDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDDD

DDDDDDDDDDDEEEWWWQQQQQFFGM,,,,,,,,,,,/////////oooooooooooooooooooooooo

ooooooooooooooooooppppppooooooooooo

Matt Update

Matt returned home last night from his trip to California for the big interview and test. He thinks he did well. He used his entire allotted time (ONE HOUR!!) for the interview and completed the testing portion within the time limit. He said on a scale of 1-10, 10 being flawless, he said he feels like he was probably between a 7 or 8. Which, knowing Matt, means he probably interviewed really well because he his pretty hard on himself. He was probably more of a 9 (don't mind my biased opinions!). So now we wait. This will, undoubtedly, be the longest week or two that we have endured in a long time. We are waiting to hear if he passes his interview and test and if he will move on in the application process. For now, he has done all he can do, and he did the best he could do. Now the ball is in their court.

I am super proud of Matt. There are only a few people from Portland that got selected to interview for this position. He worked tirelessly for 3 days straight preparing for the interview. He had to endure many new and stressful situations, like traveling, being in the unfamiliar territory of Southern California, and having one of his interviewers be an attractive woman (nothing like a good distraction while you are trying to concentrate!). He was focused, driven, and prepared and I couldn't be more proud. Without doubt, there will be another update on this situation and hopefully it contains much excitement and exclamation marks!!!!!!!! Thanks for your prayers and good thoughts. He felt the calm and confidence that he needed as the interview came and went, thanks to all of you.

Valentine's Day...Already?

Ok, I'm not trying to be crazy about all my holiday stuff coming out months before the actual holiday, but I realized today we are only one month away from Valentine's Day. If I don't post this new, pink background soon the day will come and go and I will still have some Happy New Year thing up!
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ALSO...for all of my praying, crossing fingers, good thoughts (whatever you do) if you could do those things for Matt tomorrow I would really appreciate it. This afternoon he flew to California for an interview that means A LOT to us. The job is not in CA but the regional interview is happening there. He will be interviewing at 7:45am. His needs are confidence, ability to clearly tell his story and a sense of peace and calm nerves to get him through the lengthy interview and testing. He has worked VERY hard to prepare for this interview and has passed several levels of screening to even get to this interview. We hope to be able to report back good news in about a weeks time. Until then, pray for Matt and pray that the "dudes" like him and they think his abilities fit the position.

Where Is Your MOTHER?!?

This is one thing I'll never understand, how parents let their kids run wild without consequence.  On Friday night we went as a family to Pump It Up Jr to see Elmo.  Tucker had a wonderful time running, jumping and playing with me.  (I also managed to get another rug-burn like mark on my elbow from running and diving into the inflatable like a wild 3 year old, but maybe I should have saved that comment for a "Not Me Monday" like Angela.)  So back to my beef...  Children, unsupervised, out-of-control, no discipline, spoiled, WHERE IS YOUR MOTHER??  Let me explain.  I often use this phrase, "Where is your MOTHER?" whenever I see a child doing something that I'm SURE a mother who cared would NOT want their child doing.  At PIUJ there was a young child, maybe 2, who was going to the drinking fountain, getting a mouthful of water and then running around the premises until he found the perfect place (or person) to unload the cocktail of water and unknown amounts of germy kid saliva.  I witnessed him do this one time and thought, "Ok, there are lots of things that Tucker gets to do once.  He kicked me, ONCE.  But I'm telling you, there was a correction and if it happens again it won't be pretty.  So, OK, this kid just spit some water.  His mother will surly be running up to him any second now to correct the behavior and make sure there aren't any more kid-spit-fountains anytime soon."  Just as I finish my thought, Spitty goes back to the water fountain, runs over to me and Matt and unloads his second helping very near Matt's foot (probably just the bad aim of a 2 year old...I'm sure his preference would have been to soak him).  At this point, the Mommy/Teacher in me is ready to discipline this kid myself.  SIDE NOTE: For those of you who don't know me as well, I'll give you a little personal information.  I HAVE NO PROBLEM DISCIPLINING YOUR CHILDREN.  As I'm wildly searching the place for Spitty's absent mommy, he has reloaded and is headed for Elmo!  I can't help myself any longer.  I'm starting to shake and sweat with anger...WHERE IS YOUR MOTHER?!?  I still can't find his egg donor, so I pull the ultimate 2nd grade move... I tell the PIUJ supervisor.  Yes, call me a tattle-tell, that's me.  Not only do I despise unruly children, I also can't stand wet socks.  Spitty violated both of those things.  I don't think I like him.  The End.  

My Current Employers

So I changed the title of my blog after loading a photo editor (that ended up not working because it's ancient) and the program asked me for my name and employer. Well, um, eerrr...ok...employer, like a job? Well my full time, under paid (understatement), no medical benefits, all holidays and weekends, no paid vacations "job" doesn't really have a name. And yet, I named them. Isn't that funny? So as I entered my name into the photo program, I thought "employer? Hell yeah I have employers, they just suck at sending me any monetary compensation! Their names are Tucker and Addie, and well let's be honest...Matt too". So there you have it, Tucker, Addie & Associates. Plus, I thought it sounded like some high powered attorneys office and they are always trying to con you out of money too, so PERFECT!

Addie's 6 month appointment

Today Addie went to her 6 month appointment with our wonderful Doctor.  We go to a family doctor in Camas, the same great guy that delivered her at Southwest Washington Medical Center. She checked in today at 15 pounds 7 ounces and 26 inches tall.  She is 50th percentile for height and slightly less than 50th for weight.  She hasn't gained much weight since her last appointment, only about a pound.  He said she is doing great and has no concerns about her growth.  He doesn't need to see her again until 9 months, which will be the end of March.  

She is teething like crazy, but no teeth yet!  She can roll from her back to stomach very easily and does that all the time!  She can roll from her stomach to her back, but she doesn't do that as frequently and that's a new skill.  She can also sit up by herself, but only for a few minutes.  She gets excited and flaps her arms like a bird, we think she may fly away one of these times.  Addie is eating baby food now.  She eats dinner every night and either a breakfast or lunch depending on how hungry she seems.  She loves everything we have given her!  She is not picky...imagine that!  We are so blessed that she is a healthy and happy baby.  Sometimes I still look at her with such amazement that she really is a SHE!  

My Pseudo New Year Resolution

So the only way I could be anymore behind on the blog is if I just gave the whole thing up and QUIT! Some of you probably thought I did with the lack of blogging in my life. I guess sometimes my real life takes over my happier and less chaotic "blog/virtual life". I am so far behind on reading every one's blogs and writing in my own that I don't even know where to start.
Maybe I will just say this, I don't really get into New Year Resolutions but I think what 2009 has brought to my life so far is a renewed desire to become a nurse. I should have just done it a long time ago when I was at WSU, but many things prevented me from doing that. First of all, my first bio sci class was one of those typical HUGE classes and I was taking notes for myself as well as my high school friend that was sleeping in the chair next to me. I was still adjusting to college life, mostly trying to balance fun and school, and therefore I earned a C in the class and decided that if I can't do better than a C in a basic science class then I should just come to the realization early that I'm not a science girl and do something else. I had always wanted to be a teacher too, so I pursued that with great passion. Another ridiculous, but true, reason I didn't do nursing at WSU was because the last 2 years of the program were in Spokane and I didn't want to leave Pullman. Stupid? Maybe. But, nevertheless, the truth. I was having too much fun. I lived in G215 for goodness sake, could life be any better? We had paper parties (stapling shredded paper to the ceiling), we watched "wheel" (our roommate who owned the TV got mad at us and took it into her room, so we found a 10 speed bike tire on the side of the road, brought it home, and put it where the TV used to live. We watched "wheel"), and we had THE WALL (one large, blank wall where you could post anything from a passed or failed test, a rejection letter from the vet school you were dying to get into, your bra, pictures of hot guys from magazines or anything else that seemed important at the time). I had fun roommates and unforgettable memories. I do not regret my decision. But now I think I'm over hanging out with other people's children. Maybe I'm just burned out from subbing too long. I'm not trying to mislead any of my readers by making you think I'm some veteran teacher who is burned out and ready to move on. The story is quite the opposite. With Matt being in the service, we moved around quite a bit. The longest stay we had was on the island of Oahu for 3 years. During that time, I interviewed for a few jobs and got turned down from all of them. Everywhere else I just did sub jobs because we weren't there for an entire school year. So I'm tired of subbing. As a type A, organized, schedule loving teacher, going into a new school with a different floor plan, reading lessons as the kids are walking in the door and trying to outsmart kids who are trying to pull one over on you all day just gets old...FAST. Maybe I would feel differently if I had a contracted job, but I don't. So back to the whole new year, 2009, renewal thingy....I have decided, after many moons of thinking I can't, that I am smart enough, dedicated enough, and gosh darn it, people like me. Now, do not be fooled, it will not happen this year, and possibly not even next, but believe-you-me, I will wear scrubs to work one day.