The cute 4-year-old girl asks, “Mrs. Ashton, How do you take your clothes off?”

Now I know what you are thinking, because I paused and thought what do I tell a 4-year-old in answer to this question…but I did answer her.

Me: “Over my head…the same way you do.”

Girl: “But doesn’t the baby show?” ¬†(at this point I realized she thought the baby was under my shirt and not under my skin)

Me: “Oh no, you can’t see the baby because it is under my skin.”

The next conversation took place a few minutes later…

Girl: “Will it hurt when you go to have your baby?”

Me: “Probably a little bit…Did your mommy tell you that?”

Girl: “No, but it will hurt, because when you go to the doctor to have the baby the nurses just take the baby out.”

Now I did laugh at this because she is right that would be painful…thankfully that doesn’t happen but I wasn’t going to explain that to her!

I answer with “not right now” she continues to touch my belly and asks “Is it a boy or a girl?”

I respond with “It is a boy” she asks “Why?” I answer “Because that is what God made it”

She gets a very determined look on her face and says “When I grow up I am going to have a baby girl and be a painter.”

I am still not sure what being a painter has to do with having a baby girl but kids say the cutest things.

I was hanging out with Lori and we drove to Mission Viejo to pick up a package that UPS had attempted to deliver, but hadn’t left since no one was home. ¬†After we did that we went back to her house and watched a movie. ¬†I walked home around 10 and headed to bed.

Friday dawned beautiful and I had to work… I did my normal morning work and then headed upstairs to sub in Spanish… I know, what is Renae doing subbing in Spanish since she doesn’t even speak it? ¬†Well the teacher left very good detailed instructions of what her students were supposed to be working on and how they were to act. ¬†I managed just fine. ¬†That night, James had a softball game and I went to freeze, ummm… I mean cheer, for him. ¬†:) His team, The Goats, won, he ended up sliding at some point in the game and tearing the scab off his leg… It was a big scab on a sore he had gotten sliding the week before. ¬†When we got home he cleaned it and we headed to bed.

Saturday dawned cloudy and rainy. ¬†We headed to the church around 9 am for Cantata practice. ¬†I didn’t get to sleep in like I normally do, but that is okay… We were at the church until 12:30 and then we headed to Chino so I could get my allergy shots. ¬†Then James took me home and I took a 2 hour nap. He headed back to Bethel to work on some design stuff that had to be done by Sunday. ¬†He arrived back home around 5 and we went to South Coast Plaza, which is a ritzy mall close to our house. ¬†We walked around the mall for about 2 hours and then headed to Souplantation for dinner. ¬†It was a great end to a busy day.

Sunday was a typically “normal” day… arriving at the church at 8 am, heading home after service for lunch and a nap, back at the church at 4 pm for choir practice, and back home to relax before work on Monday.

Monday turned out to be pretty laid back… I worked my normal hours and then headed home to do some laundry and then went back to pick James up from work and then back home for the rest of the night.

Tuesday, I worked all day. ¬†I did my normal morning work and then covered a k-4 class in the afternoon. ¬†After school I helped out by organizing some choir music and then went over to a friend’s house for dinner and a movie. ¬†I went straight to bed when I got home at 10 pm.

Wow, finally to today, Wednesday! ¬†Today I had a somewhat fun day. ¬†I was privileged to go on a field trip with James’ 5th grade class. ¬†We went to The Discovery Science Center in Santa Ana. ¬†Most of you would know it as the place with the big black cube off the 5 fwy. ¬†It was a lot of fun and gave me a break from the “normal” work week. ¬†I was able to take a 20 minute nap in the auditorium after we got back and so along with that and a White Chocolate Mocha from Starbuck’s I am ready for church.

I hope you have all had a great week so far!

This will be mine and James’ 2nd Christmas as a married couple. ¬†It will however be our first Christmas at home, just the 2 of us. ¬†We will be joining my parents for Christmas dinner. ¬†I am looking forward to the many traditions that we will establish this year. ¬†We just finished decorating on Monday night and I am very excited about it. ¬†We got a 4′ fake tree and it is sitting on our table. ¬†I love our tree. ¬†I would love to have a real one, but I am allergic. To see pictures of our decorated apartment click here I am so thankful for this season and what it represents.

This week has been a very busy Christmas week. ¬†Today I did narration for a k-4/k-5 Christmas program and tonight is the 1st-6th grade Christmas program. ¬†I am not a part of this but since James is I am in a way. ¬†I will be here and be helping out. ¬†I am not upset about this… Remember I like Christmas… it is the kids I can’t handle. jk ¬†On Friday night there is a High School Drama production… yep you guessed it, it is Christmas also!

I hope you are all enjoying your holiday season. ¬†Only 2 1/2 weeks of school before Christmas vacation… then we get 2 weeks off to enjoy all the festivities! ¬†Just don’t forget that Jesus is the one who gave us Christmas… Without Him we would have nothing to celebrate!

On Tuesday I subbed from 10:30-12:00 after that I did my normal k-5 nap room from 12:05-12:35 and then I headed into Chino Hills to get my allergy shots.  It was warm on Tuesday also, 85 degrees.  The heat had me feeling a little sick so I enjoyed the a/c all evening.  Tuesday night instead of cooking dinner we headed to the mall to eat at Baja Fresh.  I had gotten a gift card for my birthday.

 Today I woke up to an overcast sky.  I was heading into sub from 8:00-12:00 in k-4.  It has been a good day so far.  I just laid the kids down for nap time.  It is nice to have peace and quiet for a little bit.  At 12:05 I am going in to do my normal k-5 nap room and then I am done for the day.  We have church tonight so i will only have a few hours at home.

Tomorrow so far is a normal day with teacher breaks from 9:00-10:20 and playground duty from 11:00-12:05 and then the normal k-5 nap room from 12:05-12:35.  After that I am free for the rest of the day.  

Friday is a totally different story. ¬†I have my normal work hours (same as Thursday) then I am subbing in a k-4 class from 2:00-2:30 and then the school has Spring Festival starting at 3:00-8:00. ¬†On top of that, we have a ladies meeting at 7:00. ¬†I will be at the school all day and it will be a busy one. ¬†:) ¬†I don’t mind busy days or weeks, it is nice to be able to serve the Lord, impact the lives of children and add a little money to my paycheck. ¬†

On Monday, James and I had a blessing. ¬†James’ phone died, like not just messed up, but wouldn’t even turn on at times. ¬†So on Monday we went to purchase a new phone for him. ¬†I had been teasing him about getting the new one and he taking my old one. ¬†Well, we went to Ryan Thomas’ AT&T store and James picked out a Samsung Propel.

 

His Phone

 

Her Phone

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

As Ryan is finalizing the transaction he looks at James and says, “these phones are buy one get one free right now.” ¬†So I got a new phone since we were already paying for James’ ¬†Isn’t the Lord good? ¬†I am really liking the new one. ¬†It has a full keyboard so I am having to get use to that, but I don’t mind. ¬†

On Saturday, we have to get my allergy shots in the morning, a youth activity (Iron Chef) in the afternoon, and a young marrieds activity in the evening.  So our day is full.  Maybe I will get to breathe on Sunday.

Hope you are all having a good week!

On Tuesday, I was having problems with allergies and my eyes were itching really bad so I stayed home from work and watched the Inaugural events!  My girls had a volleyball game at 3:30 and it was an away game so We left the school at 2:30!  The girls had convinced themselves that we were playing a really good team and they did awful in the first match!  We lost 6-25 so in between games I gave them a pep talk and told them the other team was playing sloppy and they needed to get their act together!  They did much better in the 2nd match but still lost 21-25!  So our first game was a loss but the girls did have fun.  James and I got home around 5:30 and James made Creamy Ranch Breaded Chicken Pasta (you can find the recipe at James blog)  

Yesterday was Wednesday and I worked in the morning planning on going to the allergist at 2:00.  When I got to work I was asked if I could do a K-5 nap room!  I told them I could stay until 2:00 so instead of leaving at 12:35 I was able to work until 2:00.  At 2:00 I left and headed to the allergist!  I was able to get eye drops and those will hopefully help!  I came back to the church around 4:15 and hung out with James, Spencer, and Rebekah in the auditorium!  We went to church and headed home!  

So now we have come to Thursday and I am subbing in a k-4 class!  I will be working all day and then having volleyball practice after this!  I am thankful for all the extra hours at work!  I am also thankful that we have Monday off!  It is Chinese New Year and almost all of the kids are absent anyways!  Ruth is planning on coming and spending the day with us when she gets out of class!  

This weekend we have a young married activity on Saturday night and I am hopefully going to be spending some time with my cousin, Jeremy!  I am not sure what we will be doing yet but we are working on something!  I hope you are all having a great week!

Among other news, I subbed in K-4 this morning and am not really sure what the rest of the week holds but I am loving the extra hours!  

Hope you all have a great week!

They are all doing great!  I am blessed to be working with them!