Gift

I've been working in the basement recently trying to unclutter and organize, two of my favorite pastimes. I found my camera last week (OMG I'm still in shock) and various other items that I didn't even realize I missed since we moved. Little things, you know the ones, a small picture, a piece of jewelry, a knick-knack that so-and-so gave you that makes you think happy thoughts. And then I came across one of the most meaningful gifts I've ever received. When I graduated from college in 2002, my mom, aunt, and grandma made me this wall hanging quilt.

I had no idea they had taken the time (and it takes a while!!) to do this for me. I'm usually the one who makes people's gifts, so receiving something like this was a big thing. These three wonderful women helped me learn to sew and have been huge creative (along with other ways) inspirations to me as long as I can remember. All their beautiful craftmanship shows in this quilt. It's made up of pictures and little messages to me as a graduate. My mom cut up small pieces of fabric and sent them along with fabric markers to several family members and friends, who wrote messages on the fabric and sent them back to my mom, and that's how this quilt was made.

The colorful pieces in it are actually crayola crayon fabric, because (duh) I was going to be a teacher. I can't even begin to tell you how much this quilt means to me. Every time I look at it, which now can be often because it finally has a place in our bedroom, I get teary-eyed. Just putting it up on the wall forced me to get the kleenex. Seriously. There are several people in the quilt who are not living anymore, so that adds to the importance of it. I think this is the reason I enjoy making gifts for people. I'm not sure if everyone appreciates the gifts as I appreciate this one, but at least they know how much they mean to me to receive a gift from the heart, like this quilt.

And as for the area in the basement that I've been working on, it's lookin' all spiffy now. Check it out!

I covered the shelving unit full of teaching stuff with fabric that was laying around.

And the peg board?? There's a ton of it in this basement. This is the section that is on the wall above the built-in workbench. Looks like I've taken it over, and it's not with tools! Kenny thinks it's cute. I think I'm lucky cause most guys probably wouldn't like that too much. Hehehe....

I Found It!!!

After 6 monthes, I finally decided to unpack the non-essential items that were stacked in boxes in our ever-crowded basement. I decided to start this large project today. Yipee. As much as I enjoy cleaning and decluttering and throwing away, it's a big project, and it's going to take a looooooong time, so it's hard to just delve into a thing like this! Anyhoo, I found a strange looking box, one that wasn't recognizable to me, and I was like, "What could be in there? I don't remember packing it. Hmmm." Kenny just happened to come downstairs to see the progress at the very moment I reached in the box and found it.........drumroll please......MY LONG LOST CAMERA!!!! Yup, it was there, in the navy blue NIKE backpack I used the day before we moved on our iceskating field trip. Everything was still in the bag, the bottled water, extra mittens, permission slips, excedrin, chapstick, girl scout cookies that were delivered to my classroom that I was bringing home for Kenny, and of course, my camera. Can you handle it?? We stared at the box that I found this stuff in, and neither of us could even place where we got this box. It was a shop vac box, probably from the early 80s, and we can't figure out where it came from. We looked through EVERY SINGLE BOX that was in the move 3 times between February and April for this backpack and camera, and never once did we see this box. Where did it come from? Where was it?? I'll never know. I wasn't that upset that I already purchased a new one because I got the new one for half the price of the lost camera, and since Kenny and I have the same camera, now we have three of them! All the same! It'll be helpful because he uses his more for work and now he has a backup....no worrying about the battery dying or anything like that. So it all works out.....

Here's the backpack I have missed with the camera in it.....

Not that it's important, but here's the box it was in.....

And here's the mess I've created in the basement. Lovely, eh?

Rrrrr.....

Today I received an email from another teacher friend. I'm sure you're all aware of the controversy of saying the pledge of allegiance in school. It's banned and there are many reasons that I could dig deeply into about that, but I won't. The bottom line is that we (teachers) aren't allowed to celebrate holidays such as Christmas, Halloween, Easter, ect, like we celebrated as kids. And let me tell you, it's hard not to see those kids' faces light up when they talk about the holidays and the excitement and tell them we can't have a "Christmas" party. But that's a whole other topic for another day. The fact is that we can't even talk about church in class, even just that someone WENT there on the weekend, without someone getting "offended." I keep ranting about this, and I just wanted to share this email....

**Teacher Applicant after being interviewed by the school administration, the eager teaching prospect said:

"Let me see if I've got this right. You want me to go into that room with all those kids, and fill their every waking moment with a love for learning, and I'm supposed to instill a sense of pride in their ethnicity, modify their disruptive behavior, observe them for signs of abuse and even censor their T-shirt messages and dress habits. You want me to wage a war on drugs and sexually transmitted diseases, check their backpacks for weapons of mass destruction, and raise their self esteem. You want me to teach them patriotism, good citizenship, sportsmanship, fair play, how to register to vote, how to balance a checkbook, and how to apply for a job. I am to check their heads for lice, maintain a safe environment, recognize signs of anti-social behavior, make sure all students pass the state exams, even those who don't come to school regularly or complete any of their assignments. Plus, I am to make sure that all of the students with handicaps get an equal education regardless of the extent of their mental or physical handicap. I am to communicate regularly with the parents by letter, telephone, newsletter and report card. All of this I am to do with just a piece of chalk, a computer, a few books, a bulletin board, a big smile AND on a starting salary that qualifies my family for food welfare! You want me to do all of this and then you tell me... I CAN'T PRAY?"**

Okay, so one of the lines of this email says that I am responsible for teaching patriotism.....and not teaching kids the pledge and the history of the flag is patriotism??? I'm not saying that teachers should preach or make students believe in what they believe in, but come on!!! What's wrong with talking about the DIFFERENT beliefs that many DIFFERENT people hold? Isn't that teaching diversity?? Where I work, I am completely in the minority. 100% the minority. So just between myself and my students, I HAVE to include diversity in everything I do in front of them, every piece of work I produce, every sentence I say, EVERYTHING. I feel myself getting completely off the main topic here, which is that teachers are so censored as to what we can say or teach to students. Of course there is a line that only parents should cross as far as teaching their own children many things that a teacher shouldn't be held responsible for, and I would never cross that line because I respect my students' parents and how they raise their children. I know the line of that email said PRAYERS, but that just opens up the door for so many other things, including and ESPECIALLY saying the pledge, and just because it has GOD in it, we aren't allowed to say it in school anymore.

Thirteen Things I Want To Buy

1. Manicure & Pedicure EVERY WEEK!

2. A whole new wardrobe when school starts in the fall (preferably a couple sizes smaller)

3. A stereo system for our house

4. A lifetime membership to Build-A-Bear

5. Lots of stocks that actually GO UP!

6. A bigger car

7. A DVD video camera (we still use one with mini-tapes)

8. A computerized system for Kenny's business (he would be SO happy!)

9. A sprinkler system that WORKS (our's wasn't blown out last fall before we bought the house so there's plenty of issues with it!)

10. More new sandals

11. Any shoes in general!

12. This Dooney & Bourke Bag

13.An endless supply of groceries so I never had to grocery shop again!

Hot Buy

I finally finally finally got what I wanted....

A new pair of birkenstock sandals! I guess I really shouldn't say new ones, because that makes you think I already had a pair, and I haven't had a pair since I was in high school, so I'll just say that I got the sandals! Arizona style, taupe colored!

I've been waiting so long to buy them. It's probably been 3 years that I wanted them, but never felt like paying that much moolah for sandals because, ya know, you only wear them a few months out of the year, and you know what they say about teachers...we're cheap. I think it's because we're programmed to look at cost because teachers have to buy in bulk for their classrooms...it makes sense. Anyway, I just never wanted to spend the money. But I finally did it. And you know what? I can't even take a picture of my feet in the sandals for you because they are in Kenny's truck! Arg!

We also got to see more fireworks this weekend with some friends...I think I'm officially firework-ed out....is that possible?

Memories & Stuff

A while back, one of my blogging buddies wrote a post about things that that trigger memories....like smells or sounds. That happened to me today. One of my best friends made me a mixed CD yesterday and one of the songs (Champagne Supernova) on it took me right back to a span of time when I had to sleep on the bottom bunk of my brother's room while my dad gutted and remodeled my bedroom. I was in high school at the time, still adjusting to my parents' friendly divorce (and I mean that, it really was very cordial), and mad as hell that I had to be subjected to sharing a room with my brother. I think back to falling asleep in that bottom bunk, hearing my brother snore up on the top bunk and my dad snore in the next room, and how I wish I could go back to that time for just a little while. I think about it now and how cozy and safe I was there. My brother and I spent one week with my dad, one week with my mom when they got divorced. It was a pain going back and forth, but they only lived a couple miles apart and I basically saw both parents every day. Anyway, the entire time this song was playing in my car today, I was every bit of that person back in high school. It was like I was walking around my dad's house (he doesn't live in that house anymore) and I could remember every little detail and smell, and I swear I heard the snoring too. My brother used to insist on sleeping with a CD player going, and that particular CD was a favorite of his, so I really did lay in bed listening to that song. And then the song ended and I was back on the freeway, driving out to meet a friend to go shopping today, in the present time. Crazy how that happens. I really miss that time when it was just my dad and my brother and I. Of course I miss (and have fond memories that I cherish ALWAYS) of my childhood way out in the country, but I also miss the times in my dad's first post-divorce house, just the three of us.

Then as I'm driving home yesterday after the shopping excursion (I'll share what I got at a steal in a minute) my mind kept thinking about how things used to be in high school and college, as far as me spending time with my friends. In high school, I was barely home. I was in every club and played softball and was in the marching band and so all 0f my friends were in these activities with me, so we were always together. Even on the weekends, we were always driving around being social. And it kind of carried over into college too. I lived in the dorms my freshman and sophomore years with the same roommate who actually I roomed with for all 5 years of college. We always had people in our room, and always had jam packed weekend plans, except for the occasional treck home to do free laundry and get some cash from our ever-so-willing parents. My junior, senior, and super-senior years of school were spend much the same way...I was never home at our apartment, always either in class, working, or at someone's house hanging out. There was never a down moment! And it was 5 years ago that I graduated from college, and I have not had that lifestyle for 5 years, yet I never really stopped to notice how I've changed. Rarely do I hang out with friends like that anymore, which is normal as you get older, I know. I talk on the phone and visit friends occasionally, but it's so limited. Like my friend yesterday, who is 6 months pregnant (yay!!) and we met for lunch and shopped and had an awesome time. She was my best friend from nursery school until graduation, never a moment apart, and I barely ever see her. And everyone says that happens to them, so it's normal, it just is crazy how much you can change in such a short period of time. Priorities, boyfriends-fiances-husbands, marriages, kids, jobs, all that stuff seeps in and there's so little time for the other stuff. Can you believe how much I was THINKING today? Like all this stuff was in my head. Crazy. And all because of one song! I'm not whining about not getting to see my friends often, because I talk to them and see them as often as we can get together. I just remember a time when I was with my friends as much as I'm not with them now. Scary. Kenny told me a long time ago that this is how it happens. The older you get (he's older and wiser...wink wink wink) the less friends and time for your friends there is. There may be less time and opportunities, but that doesn't mean there isn't ANY time! I just am not ready to fall into that catagory!



Oh yeah, the things I got on sale yesterday....

From the GAP:
1) a new bag to use for school, perfect size, burlap, cute stripes-$10
2) t-shirt-$2.99
3) sweatshirt-$5.99

From Victoria's Secret:
1) bottle of perfume-$5
2) another bottle of perfume-$6

Grand Total: $30

I was so happy! Not that it's great stuff, but it's stuff I was out of, so I guess I "needed" it. But only $30 spent at a big mall? Come on ladies, that's pretty good!!

4th of July

This is what we did for the 4th of July.....

WORKED!

Not the kind of work you get paid for, the work that makes you "feel" good at the end of the day. In other words, work on the house.

Since we updated all the landscaping recently, we ordered new shutters because the 60's look is, well, about 50 years out-of-date. They arrived via UPS on Tuesday so Kenny decided yesterday was the day to put them up. And then our front doors needed to match the shutters, so a quick trip to Home Depot to match the paint (they are open on the 4th!!) and he was ready to go! I did NONE of the work. NONE!! Usually, I'm right there digging into whatever project is going, but not this one. And it was nice, not being the one to make/clean up the mess for once. I did mundane things like laundry and the dishes....hey, it counts as work!! I'm sure you are sick of seeing pictures our house, but just so you can see the difference, here's the house when we bought it (left) and then a couple weeks ago just after we relandscaped the whole front (right):

And here it is now, completely brought up to date 50 years!

Here's a close-up of the color because from distance they look black, but it's really maroon:

So that's what we did for the holiday. Not too exciting, but productive. We did see fireworks last night and we always have our flags out on the porch, so even though there was no BBQ or sparklers, we're still patriotic:)

We won!

Every Tuesday I play softball with my coworkers. We had a rough start two months ago, like everyone GETTING TO THE GAMES on time was an issue, so the first few innings we generally sucked. But by the 4th and 5th innings, we rocked. So finally, after much hard work of getting everyone to the games on time, we have a great record and a lot of fun!! Kenny finally made it to a game tonight and took pictures and videos.....you can only imagine how thrilled (being completely sarcastic here) I was about RUNNING on video. But, I have nothing to hide, it's all out there anyway, so here's a clip. Oh yeah, the little scuffle at the end was totally random and the girl in the black shirt who I work with is the sweetest person ever....she pushed the catcher out of the way as clearly she couldn't get to the plate....this NEVER happens in this co-ed league, so of course it happens on the one video clip I share....go figure. Okay, I'll shut up, here it is:


Photo Sharing - Video Sharing - Share Photos - Free Video Hosting

We won, a lot to a little, I can't remember the score. But as usual, we came back at the end of the game and creamed 'em.

I heart softball!!

One more shot.....

Happy 4th of July!!

Tiny Adventure

We bought a canoe! It was last week actually, and we used it today for the first time. Kenny and I actually go canoeing every spring and summer with friends during camping trips, but we always rent the boats. We saw a good one for sale and bought it and it's awesome!

Funny story~we are canoeing in a nearby lake, just a small one, this evening. It's a beautiful day, cooling off, but sun still shining bright, and there are people out and about on the edge of the water fishing, talking, playing with dogs (Kenny drools at the sight of a man and his dog), you get the picture. We are paddling along totally enjoying ourselves. The lake actually turns into a river and goes under a road, and Kenny wants to go under it. So we get closer to the bridge, thinking we can just zip right under it and keep going. We get closer, and closer, and closer, and then I get this real panicky feeling, like something is telling me this isn't a good idea. I yell at Kenny to STOP steering us in that direction and turn around NOW. He's all, "Why? I want to go under there!" And I'm yelling at him to stop. "I HEAR FAST RUNNING WATER! WE ARE NOT GOING IN THERE!!" is what I yell to him. And sure enough, there's a HUGE dropoff, and we would have been completely screwed if we had kept going. Thank the big man upstairs that I heard that water when I did. Kenny kept saying (after we safely turned around) that he couldn't believe there wasn't a sign that warned boaters to turn around. We turned around in our canoe to see if there was one that we had missed, and there was, but it was teeny and hidden behind a tree, so it didn't do much good. He thinks I completely overreacted about it, and that we weren't as close as I thought to the dropoff. All I can say is BS! It was ME that was in the front of the canoe and it was ME that heard the water!! In my opinion, it was ME that saved our butts!

Rockin' Girl Blogger

I got an award!! I'm so honored since I've never received one before....thanks Lori for thinking of me!!

I know I'm supposed to nominate 5 more bloggers, but so many of you have already been nominated, so I'll just do 1!

Tee Tee from Double Duty!! She sooo000 deserves the Rockin' Girl Blogger Award! She's always got something exciting going on! It's all you girl!

Today is.....

Kenny's Birthday!!

Summer School

Ahhhh....it started today. Summer school. It's more like summer tutoring. But it sure pays well and it's only 2 days a week, 3 hours per day. And it's easy and actually fun! Plus I usually get to know a few students that I will have in the fall as well as a few students I have already had in class, so it's a good time. And did I mention the money is awesome? Well, it is. It didn't even bother me that I had to get up early. I'm used to sleeping in a little bit, but truthfully, I'm still up and coffeed and ready for the day before 8am. It's just in my blood.

Here are a couple pics from the backyard, the parts that are finished:

I just added mulch to this awesome line of privacy trees...they are so low maintenance! You can see the garage sale chairs Kenny picked up for us and the hammock too. I can't wait to use it!

The lillies that were already planted when we moved here...I love their color!

More lillies and the new baby hostas I planted, suggested by Lori!

To see what this area looked like before, go back to this post and look towards the bottom for the pictures.

There is still a small ugly old deck to rip out, but first I have to remove all the rocks from around it. Talk about tedious work. We're keeping the rocks and going to use them eventually around the patio that we'll have poured to replace the deck....one day anyway. I'm thinking that's going to be next summer at this point! Kenny's head has spun around twice since I mentioned the patio. His exact words..."You're never happy! We just finished this huge landscaping project and all I want to do is enjoy it and you're already on to the next topic of complaining! Give it a rest woman!" I can't help it. I'm a do-er. I just do. Everything. And all the time too. I never ever stop. I guess that's why I'm a teacher, because there's always something that needs "done."

Anyway, look at these lillies in our backyard:

They need something....see how they are slightly matted in the front?? Okay all you plant bloggers....what do I do with that? I love these lillies, and I want them to be there for many years, so how do I get rid of the matted look??

We're Done!

I am thrilled....and tired! We are finally done with the front landscaping. Can I get a Hallelujah!?!?!?!

What do you think? Not bad for first-timers! And we really did start from scratch too! Ignore the ugly yellowish shudders....the new ones were ordered yesterday and take a VERY long time to get here, but it will be well worth the wait!

To celebrate our finished landscaping project, we went to the fireworks that our city had tonight. We drove to the area where we could park and find a place on the grass to sit and watch the show, and before we got out of the truck, it was hard to tell if we were in a good location to see or not, so we waited in the parked truck for a few minutes. It was a super pleasant evening, perfectly warm and so the windows in the truck are down. A guy comes walking by on Kenny's side of the truck, walking towards the back of the truck. He has no idea we are in the truck (it's dark) so he stops dead in his tracks just pass the back passenger door on Kenny's side, with his back towards us. He drops his pants (and I mean all the way to the ground!!) and starts peeing!!! Keep in mind, this isn't the country, we are smack dab in the suburbs! I can see his bare ass in the rearview (haha, REAR view, get it?) on Kenny's side and then Kenny says, "Hey man, you got a nice ass." I couldn't believe he said that!!!! Wait a minute, yes I can. He's so like that. Anyway, the guy is COMPLETELY startled and probably didn't even know what to say, so he says, "Well, thank you," and then bolts. His two friends were about 3 car-lengths in front of our truck and saw the whole thing and were cracking up. It was pretty funny!!

Sore

My hands hurt sooo bad!! Waaaahhh!!

I know, I know, quit bitching. But they really do hurt! Kenny and I worked ALL DAY outside on the landscaping. And you won't get to see the finished project until tomorrow because that's when the mulch gets here. We got up early, for him anyway, at 10am, and went to the landscaping place. We were directed to this particular place because a friend said if we mentioned his name we would get a discount. After walking around not knowing what in the world we were doing, one of the guys starting mapping things out for us. You have to remember we started from scratch. Actually, below scratch, because we had ripped out all the nasty shrubs and there were gaping holes to deal with. Anyway, 2 hours later, the truck was loaded up with plants, hence, the mulch having to wait until tomorrow! And we did get a deal, a 30% discount. Talk about awesome!! We stopped at home depot and rented a rototiller and got lunch too. Then it all began. Thank goodness it wasn't hot today....I want to say it was about 80 degrees and sunny, but not the typical hot & humid Michigan weather. Kenny rototilled while I cut out more sod and we both shaped the entire length of the front of the house. We sloped the dirt so the mulch will "sit pretty" as they instructed us to do. Then the digging started, and so did the blisters! Whew! What a ton of work that was. Kenny actually had to stop and a take a cat nap for 15 minutes and then he was right back in the game. I sat down numerous times and starting thinking that hiring a company to do this work might have been worth it. But then I thought about how much money we were saving by breaking our own backs, so that motivated me to get up off my ass and keep working! Four hours later we were done. And I promise to put the pictures up as soon as I can after the mulch is down. Now I have to rest my hands!!

SHOVEL

I chose that as my title because that was what was occupying my hot little hand ALL day long. I think I may even have blisters now! But I did get quite a lot of work done. You know that black stuff that separates the grass from the landscaped area?? You can tell I've never done ANY landscaping before, so forgive my knowledge of the proper vocabulary. Anyway, I redug the little trenches for the black stuff that was already in the backyard, and since I am increasing the landscaping area, I had to add some (on sale at KMART!!) and so that required digging more trenches. That's back breaking labor I tell ya! But I did get some good sun while I was working. All that's left to do in the backyard now is plant the plants. The front yard? Tomorrow that will be the project.....getting it 100% ready to plant the plants. And I think Kenny will even be able to work with me tomorrow. So far, I've been solo on this huge project because he's super busy and now I'm on vacation. He wants to help and feels badly that he can't, and it does get irritating at times trying to make decisions without him, but I just do what I want and he likes anything, so it works out.

I also had to water the lawn today with our little cheap sprinkler. We have a fantastic sprinkler system in the yard, but apparently the lady that used to live here didn't blow out the sprinkler system in the fall and the water left in the pipes froze and something probably busted, so the thing isn't working. Story of my life. One of Kenny's good buddies is coming to fix it for us no matter what it needed, but not for two weeks. So the bottom line is the lawn needs water. Add it to the list of things to get done! It keeps growing......

Tonight I went to a wedding shower for a coworker, and it rocked!! It wasn't the typical assembly-line style shower where everyone watches the bride open the gifts. We played euchre (lot of the women were like me....sorely inexperienced at cards) and after every round we switched seats and when the bride sat across from you, you got to give her your gift. So she actually opened it with you right there, and it was awesome for her because she's very shy in front of a crowd like that, so it was her cup of tea. Our principal was there, and she OF COURSE had to embarass the poor bride by giving her dirty nighties....her face was SUPER RED. What principal does that????????? That's how she is....she's a hoot to work with. I'll have to get into other stories about her later. I will just say that she plays on my softball team, in a fun, not-too-competitive coed league, and she stands in right field when we have the field and talks smack to the batter on the other team.....not your typical principal!!

I think I just rambled on about nothing.....hope you're still awake!

One more thing....I was ready TheFlipFlpMamma blog tonight and she's having a tough time....take a second and click on her site and send her family some love!

Out of the Loop

Where in the world have I been? I am asking the same thing. I have been done with school for exactly one week, and no posts. Nothing. Have barely even touched the computer. And I have no good reasons, because I've had the time. This is what I've done....

On our (my co-pilot N) way home from our last day of school LAST Thursday, Kenny calls and says I need to meet him on the side of the road at a given intersection so he can give me a fuse that the fuse box needs because he blew one and he just had to give it to me right then, and he was on his way out so he couldn't do it. Whatever. So we pull over to the side of the road and I get the fuse and a kiss and a congratulations-you're-done-with-the-schoolyear, and then I get home and change the fuse. Exciting? So exciting in fact, that I fell asleep on the couch....for 12 hours. 12 HOURS!! I woke up the next morning and was confused....I kept thinking I was late for school, why am I on the couch, where's Kenny, and so on. I got up and realized that I had fallen asleep the day before and that it was now Friday. My first day of vacation. But I didn't feel right. This school year ended very nicely, with some sadness/emotions that I haven't ever experienced before. The end of the year has always been a huge debockle of craziness in my school, not to mention the exhaustion of working with kids every single day and seeing them on their way to the next grade. But this year, I was less focused on that because things went so smoothly all year and more focused on missing the kids. So it was overly emotionally exhausting.....does that even make sense? Anyway, that's why I slept so long and was in a funk for the first week of my vacation. I threw myself into this HUGE landscaping project we have going on here....as well as going out of town for a few days. Finally, today, I feel like myself again, like I just arrived back on planet Earth this morning when I woke up. Whew. It was a long flight!

Here are a couple pictures of the work I have to get accomplished......

And here's me accomplishing the work....very slowly....

And here's what my feet look like all dirty, and yes, that's a bug on my foot.

This is only a teeny section of the backyard. There is still mounds of work to be done there as well as a new patio and then the front yard.....I will be working until next summer to complete this!! The lady that previously owned this house obviously wasn't up to tending to the landscaping for the last few years, hence my long hours in the grueling sun. But, in some crazy way, I like the work. I love getting dirty and then when I take a shower and see all the grit and grime on the bottom of the tub it makes me feel like I accomplished so much. I will continuously post pictures so you can witness the progress...but it will be S L O W!!

It's good to be back on Earth today. Very good. I missed it.

Day at the Zoo

The zoo rocked! I love that place, and this particular zoo is ALWAYS the cleanest, friendliest, most enjoyable field trip of the year. It was 80 degrees and sunny, perfect zoo weather, and all the kids had a great time too. When you're a teacher, and you go on a field trip, there's usually very little relaxation time or enjoying time because you're constantly worrying about where the kids are, allergies, bandaids, lunches, time....the list goes on. But this trip was soooo different. I think it's mostly because I "retired" from being the person who plans all the field trips. I took this year off because I was the one who primarily had planned them for four years. Way too much. Anyway, I didn't plan a thing, and I got to take my mom who also had a blast. The three kiddos we had with us were fantastic! I couldn't have asked for a better field trip day. Here are a few pictures.....

Obviously we found Nemo....

I don't think this fish was having a good day....

I can't remember what this is but I loved it....

My mom enjoying the carousel....

I can't remember what the issue was that kept them from looking at the camera....

Finally, we got the picture.

Can you tell I loved the aquarium the best? Every year we take the kids on this field trip we run out of time for the aquarium, so this year, I insisted we get there. We missed the elephants but Kenny is already planning a trip for us soon:)

Good Day:)

I love days like this. It's Sunday, we worked hard all week and yesterday, and today was the day to unwind. First of all, I slept in. That's worth a million bucks by itself. I made a YUMMY breakfast and even yummier coffee. Then my mom arrived and we chatted and she showed me how to use our new weedwacker. THAT was fun. I mowed the entire lawn and did the weedwacking....I actually love doing that kind of work, so it's less work and more fun for me. My mom and I did a little shopping and then bought food to make burgers (more yum!) and now we are just relaxing. Kenny is passed out on the couch, my mom is watching cable (she doesn't subscribe) and doing suduko. Can it get any better?? My mom is going on my field trip with me as a chaperone tomorrow, so she's here for the night. Our third overnight guest! I only have four days of school left....I can't believe it. Time has flown. I'm happy and sad. I want the time off, but I will really miss these kids. I will, however, enjoy my time with them on our last field trip of the year tomorrow:) And of course I'll enjoy my momma being there!

No T13

For the first time in a while I didn't do a Thursday Thirteen. Guess I needed a week off. And what a week it has been. Every day at school has been packed with non-direct teaching activities. Usually, those kinds of things are saved for the last week of school, which unfortunetly, isn't until NEXT week. So I guess we're starting to wind down early this year. Because I have two grades in my class, things are very different this year as it comes to a close. I am seeing the second graders get a form of senioritis. Not kidding. They are starting to treat the first graders (the babies!!) different, almost mean. They are snapping at them, and tattling more too. I think it's because they know the end is near, they won't have me again as their teacher next year, they are moving on to the next multi-age classroom, and this is their way of distancing themselves from the first graders and even from me. Never in a million years would I have predicted this would happen. This is my first real year of teaching multi-age...I say real because my intership was multi-age, but that was only 4 months of teaching someone else's class. Anyway, it's interesting to see the changes. The second graders are going to be in the classroom next to me next year, so I will see them every day. That's making this transition a little easier on me. For most of the year, I have been prepping the second graders for this move to the big kids' multi-age class, and also prepping them on how the teacher is. He's older, stern, strict, and old school. Familiar with the phrase "he don't take no shit?" That's him. Way different from me. WAY DIFFERENT. So all year they have been nervous to talk to him, and I've encouraged them to be social with him so they would be more comfortable in his class this fall. They wanted nothing to do with him all year. Until yesterday. He came in to see them and to jokingly tease them, which is his style of teaching. My second graders ran up to him and hugged him and just couldn't get enough. I was floored! What a drastic change from the last time I mentioned his name! It kind of made me sad that they are ready to leave me, but also it made me feel good that they will be okay. I have to stop talking about the kids now....the tears are forming.

Every day this week I've come home and been busy until midnight. Monday it helping a friend with a project. Tuesday was our softball game (we won again!!) and then finishing up my grades which we due on Wednesday. Wednesday I mowed the lawn and watered everything, then potted a few plants and went though some more school paperwork. Tonight I came home and cleaned the entire house in about 2 hours. That's good for me...usually it takes half a day. I still have to water the potted plants and finish folding laundry. I'm taking Tasha's advice from a long time ago of doing one load of laundy a day and then on the weekends it's not overwhelming. Kenny has been so busy lately that I've been doing all the housework so he doesn't have to worry about it when he rolls in late every night. We are bad though. We have forgotten trash day two weeks in a row. Ooops. We are going to be swamped this weekend both days, so I thought it would be nice to get all the cleaning and stuff done today. He is so lucky to have me:)

I was going to save this for another time, but what the heck? Ever since September 11th happened, it seems that when I look at a clock, ANY clock, it says 9:11. I swear it happens on a daily basis. It can be the DVD player or cable box clock, my cell phone, in my car, the alarm clock....anywhere I look it seems to say that at that time of day, either morning or night. Every time it happens, I think to myself, "See, it's happening again! I'm not imaging it!" Kenny thinks it's because before Sept. 11 happened, no one really thought about those numbers like that. And now, because those numbers are so talked and thought about, I just notice it more when I see them. I still think glancing at a clock every single day unconsciously and seeing those numbers is wierd. Just wierd.

I should have titled this post as Dear Diary!

Weekends go too fast. All the time. I feel like I just woke up from my Friday afternoon nap. But it's already Sunday night. I have 9 more days of school with the kids. This has been the best teaching year. E V A H!!! I HEART these kids so much. It creates an uncomfortable feeling of anxiety when I think about the year coming to an end because they are so much a part of my life. Not that in the past my students weren't special to me. They all were. It's just this group is like family. I actually cried a little in the car yesterday when I thought about them not being mine next year. They will be someone else's. Ewwww. Don't like that thought at all. I'm just not ready to give them up yet. The end of the year is always a ball of emotions. Glad for the much needed vacation. But not looking forward to saying goodbye. And this year feels like it will be so much harder. I've only cried in front of my class once, last year, when one of my students (who ADORED me, which makes it that much harder) had to move away, and it was time for her to leave on her last day. She jumped into my lap and started crying that she didn't want to leave, and her dad happened to walk in the room right at that second, and she held on to the back of my neck and sobbed. The WHOLE class was watching this. I let her cry for a minute, and then her dad signaled for me to let her go. I tried. I swear I did. But she wouldn't budge. Then I couldn't hold back the tears either anymore. Finally her dad pried her away and took her to his car. He came back and asked if she could call me on the phone. So we kept in touch for a little while on the phone, and it made us both feel better. That's how I feel about not just one student that I have right now, but ALL of them. It's not going to be easy. I just have to prepare myself for it. I know I'll be fine. I'll see these kids every day in the hallway next year. I'm just going to enjoy them for the last 9 days. As I've done for the last 172 school days. Monday's only 2 hours away. Here goes nothin.

This Week's Theme:

ART

All year my students have asked to draw on the board.....they ask just about every day, and I usually say no because of the mess with the chalk they will make. This week, I finally caved in and said yes. They were beside themselves with happiness! And what a mess.....