Today was another good day @ school... One girl in my class had me cracking up twice...
The kids had a word ladder for morning work today... they are given a word and then asked to make certain changes to turn it into another word-- working all the way up... Anyway... one of the words today was "tine"-- this one gave them trouble as they had never heard this word. The clue was "one of the points on a fork"
So as we go over it-- I explain that each of those points are called tines-- some forks have 3, some 4... and some fancy-pants forks have 5...
One of my hilarious girls exclaims-- "Good grief! They name EVERYTHING! And who ARE they anyway??"
Ah bless them all...
And ANOTHER...
The SAME girl said today @ recess (re: our upcoming 3 day trip to Tremont)--
"Are we allowed to take a shower because I have a STENCH!"
Oh lord.... Thank God for a good class... and TGIF!
For the record-- I have a good group this year! (I will pause while you all applaud, sigh, thank Jesus for me, etc...)
So the first day of school-- which was a week ago today... YES! The first day was a FRIDAY... I gave the kids one of those get-to-know-you scavenger hunts.. One of the things they were looking for was "Someone with an unusual pet"
Naturally you would be looking for things like snakes, ducks.... one boy has a quail for a pet (Don't tell Dick Cheney!)
Anyhow... I do have an oddball-- every class does-- and this is a GOOD oddball, but odd nonetheless... and MUNCHKIN... he blends in with the kindergarten kids...
So he says, "Well, my dog is pretty unusual... we had her neutured too young and since then she has been a big weirdo"
(you REALLY have to hear this kid's voice to get the full effect...)
Needless to say-- when he said neutured, I got nervous where this was going....
I just watched a special report on ABC about Randy Pausch-- the professor famous for his "Last Lecture" that passed away last week. I was not overly familiar @ all with him, or his talk. But damn. Simply amazing...
I am still processing it all-- and honestly, still crying too hard to really type much. Of course, it made me think about my mom and her fight with cancer. She, like Randy was a fighter-- a Tigger, if you will.
I think it is inspiration from people like my mom and Mr. Pausch that have recently inspired me to quit worrying so much and just live. Do the things I want to do... go to the places I want to go... LIVE MY LIFE!
I look forward to getting his book... In the meantime-- here are some links if you are interested. I recommend reading/ listening to him if you have ever been depressed (an Eeyore)... or felt helpless... or lost someone close to you to a disease such as cancer.
Sharpen your pencils... and get out your STICKY traps!
So it is almost time for yet another year of school to begin. Teachers reported last week to begin preparations-- organizing rooms, planning first units, assembling bulliten boards, and finally seeing test scores from last year's crew.
Last year my room was PACKED... too many students! This year it looks like I will have 5 or 6 less-- which may not sound like much-- but is a HUGE difference! I rearranged the room-- mainly by moving my desk. After getting all that settled, I began rummaging my drawers looking for all the supplies I stashed there... instead I found evidence of a rodent party in the 2nd and 3rd drawers... apparently the 2nd drawer was the mousey-potty...
EWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWW! YUCK!!!!!!!!!!!
So I promptly got out my blood-born-pathogen-rubber gloves... and recruited teachers braver than I--- in case the party-goers were still present--be they coherent or "passed out"
Once it was ascertained that no mice were left in the drawers... I threw most of the stuff away... and cloroxed everythings... twice.
Sticky traps are now strategically located in the room.... SHHHHH... don't tell Fievel, Jerry, Mickey, etc...
Today was registration... still not POSITIVE on #s... but looking like 20 or 21... this is much more manageable. And all in all looks to be a good group of kids. This makes me HAPPY! This time last year I was full of dread... Though let me just say-- I was pleasantly surprised by the test scores... MAJOR improvement from those kids... MAJOR!! All my kids were proficient (even special ed!) and MANY were advanced. So there. BOO-YEAH!
OK, I have procrastinated enough... I have homework to do... (sigh) it's that time of year again! Does anyone have a pencil I can borrow?
So today was the first day of inservice... we had a nice short meeting-- then had the rest of the day to work in our rooms... I have been rearranging quite a bit... yesterday I went to school and moved my heavy-ass desk...
Today I was looking for my stapler (I will pause for Office Space Jokes...............done? Good. We shall commence...) Anyway, I discovered something HORRIFIC and NASTY in 2 (not ONE... but 2! Count them 1, 2) drawers....
Apparently my desk played host to a MOUSE this summer... the middle drawer was apparently the restroom for Mickey....
EWWWWWWWWWWW!!! ICK!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was terrified I would find a dead-- or worse-- ALIVE mouse in my drawer... thankfully Talbott and Johnston are braver than I and helped me clean out the drawers... I did, however, wear my handy-dandy latex gloves... perhaps they need to add a mouse section to the blood-born pathogen video we have to watch every year...
Anyway... several teachers have found similar gifts in their rooms... I now have 2 sticky traps in the room... yesterday they caught a mouse in the office with a sticky trap... I just hope this was a SOLO party mouse-- and that he doesn't have lots of buddies running around...
Now who wants to volunteer to come check the sticky trap? Anyone? Bueller?
No.... not my hair... Some photo highlights from the summer... now that mine is drawing to a close :(
Up first-- UK trip with Nan--
Next up is Dad's 65th b-day-- in New York City
Then we have Justy & Matt's wedding... SO MUCH FUN!!
THE VEGAS CREW
So most people want a party or such on their birthday... well, for Lacy's 25th, she wanted to hike to Mt. LeConte... 10 mile round trip-- and might I add, NOT an easy hike...
The cats have had a good summer.. lots of naps, freak outs, and Carl bringing in leaves and cicadas
So Josh and I helped TG move apts in IN... not necessarily FUN... but good to see TG... Too bad Bloomington has THE worst bowling alley EVER... oh yeah, and Josh got a ticket! ha ha!
When things get particularly stressful, Leigh and I meet up for margaritas... last time we ended up in the middle of a rehearsal dinner from Vonore... drinks were bought for us... rednecks sang kareoke... and TOO many margaritas were ingested...
So that's it.... My summer picture wrap-up... Inservice starts next week. Kids come Aug. 1... depressing, I know.
Stacy: So we've been ripping down all this awful wallpaper... it's everywhere! Even on the ceiling-- I think that's a British thing, wallpaper on the ceiling...
Scott: Well technically I think that would be "ceiling paper..."
Tonight was fun... most of the old DIY/ Scripps gang (& Josh the honorary team member) met up @ the Crown and Goose for dinner and drinks... It was great to see everyone, reminisce, and tell the England tales of Alice Mary Stilton Teacosy and Emma Primrose Worrthington Snogbottom.
What holiday is closest to your birthday? Halloween… one of my FAVS
What is your name if you spell it without the letters "e" "y" and "t"? Saundra
If you named a band after your birth-month and your pet's name, what would it be? November Cleoor November Carl
How old will you be in 5 years? 36
How about in 20 years? 51
Where was the last place you went? Indiana... well actually, home from IN... after a brief stop @ Josh 2.0's house
Do you have a twin? Nope
What was the last movie you watched? Phantom of the Opera… HA HA HA… I am still laughing @ the secret video of TG singing…
Are you afraid of shots? Not afraid… just not a fan(I assume we mean shots as in NEEDLES… not as in DRINKS… though there are many of those I am not a fan of either—5 Star General = WOOF!!)
What color are the walls of the room you are in? Midnight Blue
How many letters are in your middle name?: 5
Is your Last name more than 6 letters long? 6 exactly
What are you lookin foward to? October-- VEGAS
Have you ever dyed your hair an unnatural color? not unnatural…
If a gorilla and a horse had a baby, what would the new creature be called? Horilla
Does anyone call you baby? Probably… and nobody puts me in a corner!
Regular Cheeto's or hot? not sure I have had the hot ones… I do like those spicy fritos… damnit TG!
How's your heart lately? peaceful
What's your favorite fruit? Strawberries… or peaches
Do you have a piercing? Ears
If someone doesn't like you, its usually because...? i'm honest
Do you wear the hood on your hoodie? at times… esp on COLD days @ recess
How long does it take for you to take a shower? 15 mins?
Do you like being around a large group of friends, or two best friends? depends on the situation… sometimes large groups are fun… but sometimes you need to take it down a notch or two
Whose birthday is coming up? my cousins and aunt in Aug
Do you like roller coasters? Yep
Do you have a tattoo? indeed
What is wrong with you right now? NOT motivated
What was the last movie you went to? Wanted
Do you care what others think about you? Not usually
Do think you'll be married in 10 years? who knows? Does it matter?
Are you afraid of the dark? nope… LOVE the dark
Do you like your life at the moment? pretty much, yeah
What kind of shirt are you wearing? a 1997 Run for the Deaf tshirt
How late did you stay up last night? 2
Has someone of the opposite sex ever told you they loved you? yup
Did you ever lose a best friend? who hasn’t?
What are you afraid of the most? snakesJ
When is the last time you wanted to punch someone in their face? wow… I’m not sure…
