Focusing - Work and Girl Scouts

I am loving my new job.  For my first month, I am mostly training, so I have been spending most weekday mornings learning about school programs at the museum.  I'm learning about everything from Native American games to static electricity.  This week I learned to operate TAM, the Transparent Anatomical Manikin.  You might recognize her from the cover of Nirvana's last album - of course sans wings .

I have also been devoting lots of hours to Girl Scouts in the past few weeks.  The new Girl's Guides to Girl Scouting have been released and I have my copy of the Brownie level book.  It has many positive changes, including updated badges that are a little more challenging than the old Try-Its.  I've been thinking a lot about fundraising.  We're going to need quite a bit of money to get our troop to Washington DC this year, so we are planning a big fashion-related fundraiser for January.  Right now I'm trying to secure a location, but since I need such a big space on such a low budget, I'm struggling a bit to find exactly the right place.  Hopefully these hours on the phone, emailing, and visiting locations will pay off!

The New Job

I am really excited that I got to start my new job this week! I am working as a Museum Educator! In so many ways, this is the perfect job for me! I love Science, teaching, and working with children, but most of all, I know I am going to learn so much at this job! Isn't this the perfect job for a homeschooling mom?

 If it was just a few more hours, it would be perfect. I will still have to work at my old job as well. Oh and one more thing - the Live Animal Show. The fact that the snake is named Taco doesn't really make it any more appealing to pick it up! The hissing cockroach doesn't really do it for me either. (Wahhhhh!!! Run away!!!!) This photo is of Esme and TJ looking at the other snake I might have to hold - this one is really cool - it has a number 68 in it's pattern!

I feel so lucky that the job comes with a museum membership along with reciprocal admission to all kinds of cool places, and my employee ID gets me into even MORE, including free lawn seats at Tanglewood. If I have to hold the bearded lizard I'll just go to my happy place - sipping sparkling grape juice by candlelight while listening to the Boston Symphony Orchestra.

Little Expeditions as Fall Starts

It seems like I can't fight Fall any longer. I dreamt last night that I decided to to swimming one last time and the water was just too cold. We're getting back into our homeschooling routines, and my husband is back into working his evening shift. Next week I'll be starting my new job and soon returning part time to my old job as well. Is it time for Pumpkinfest yet? {Sigh.} My good friend Jennifer and I went out last night for a bit. She had a gift certificate waiting to be used, and so we hit the scrapbook store and had some Mexican food. She is an awesome person. We disagree on things like politics, but she is super generous and fun, on top of being a super talented scrapbooker! Check out her blog for some inspiration.

I got these stickers at the store - can't wait to use them - I will have to challenge myself to post a project using them within the next week!

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How I spent my Saturday

Our city has the best block party, and this year Esme and I worked a booth to promote Girl Scouts. We spent about six hours there - luckily we had a chance to walk around, talk to people, do activities, and share an empanada. Here's the video:

Summer Isn't Over (aka Wishful Thinking)

The truth is, I hate these first couple weeks of September. It means summer is over, and the temperatures start to cool enough to remind me that before long I'll be paying the dreaded heating bill again. Even worse, my husband goes back to work at night, and it's another long, lonely academic year before I get him back for evenings in May through August. For the next couple weeks the fun Summer outings have dried up, but the fun Fall outings haven't started yet. Back to school for me means the phone ringing between 5 and 6 am, and even with my new job, I'm going to have to answer the call one or two days a week. In honor of pretending this isn't all imminent, I'm posting the Summer Dotee I made.

This was the fifth dotee I've made and was for a swap. I really enjoy making these, but now that summer is ending, and I'll have so much to do, I think I'm going to have to finish the last couple swaps I'm in and take a break. I have so many creative projects I'd like to do, like Christmas presents, some painting, and of course lots of scrapbooking, I think I'm going to need to focus a bit. The one thing that cheers me up is that Brownies starts back this coming Wednesday! Nothing cheers me up like a dozen adorable little girls making plans to rule the world!

Wildebeast, Seal, and Chicken

What do these animals have in common? They are all animals in the food chains Esme and I have been working on! This lesson is doubling for both Brownies and homeschooling, as Esme is working on her Eco-Explorer Try-It, while learning about animals.

I let her choose the animals we'd start with for each chain, and she drew inspiration from the Planet Earth miniseries, which we've been watching as a family. I have to say, I was really impressed with her Wildebeast drawing! She did a great job copying elements from a photo.

I start my new job soon, and have to be available for subbing assignments as well, but right now I am REALLY loving being home with her and able to work on these lessons! We are having so much fun together! During this "free" time I am also getting lots of other work in order for her, so that the on the days I'm not home, she'll be ready to work independently, and Ethan will be prepared to give her lessons.

Girl Scouts is in transition this year, and the new Girl's Guide to Girl Scouting will be introduced, so we'll have lots of new awards. I'm letting Esme do as many Try-Its on her own this year since we have this time to transition. Our troop will be concentrating on all the new ones!