Bitter sweet...

This past Monday was bitter sweet for me....I headed back to work for my first day back since Miss H, and my last day of teaching!  I am so excited and thankful that I am able to be a stay at home mom!  I couldn't imagine missing anything that Miss H does....yes even the blow out poops.  However, it was a little sad to clean up my class room.  I mean I have been teaching for 6 years.  I have taught K-2 through out the years and at 2 different schools.

The bitter sweet part is that I had finally found an AMAZING school and family there. I love, love, love Sweet Lily B.  There really is no other school like this one.  The staff and work environment are over the top.  Not to mention the outstanding families and PTA.  I have never seen a community like Lily B....and am sad that I was only able to enjoy it for the past 2 years.

I had a heavy heart leaving my kids for many reasons.  1) this was by far my sweetest class...they were so loving and wonderful.  I had no real behavior issues, which was so nice.  2) the families...man my families this year were just as amazing as their children.  They were so supportive. 3) Sweet S (my special needs child), he had such a bad rap at school for his past 2 years...and well needless to say he and I were wonderful together.  He was succeeding and making progress acadmically and socially as apposed to spending everyday in the office.  I knew once I left to have the baby things would probably change with him and that broke my heart.  Not a day went by that we didn't talk about how when I left I would still be checking on him...and that I had to be gone with the baby for a while.  Come January he was so prepared he could give me the speech by heart...."Mrs. Roberts' has to be with the baby and I am going to continue to follow the rules and do my best work even if it is not fun or kind of hard...so on and so on."

When I did leave in January, it was just for maternity leave (at least that is what my parents were told...for contractual reasons I couldn't say more)  Finally at spring break I was able to inform them that I had made the choice to stay home...by this time they were good with my sub and life seemed to go on pretty good without me.  That made my choice of staying home so much better...and it showed me that my kids were pretty prepared for the new teacher to step in.  Thank heavens...I did worry about that all year...actually I think I probably taught harder this year than the past just because I wanted to make sure every child was well beyond where they needed to be when I left.

Now, where does this leave me....excited because I get to see my beautiful daughter grow everyday. I just can't picture myself leaving her with someone else and heading off to teach.  I mean I loved my job as a teacher.  I loved seeing my student succeed and grow, but I just couldn't do that rather than be with my own little one.  When we found out I was pregnant last May we knew right then and there I would be making a choice to stay home once she was born.  Chris and I both come from families were our moms were there for everything...I can remember to this day going to 1/2 day kinder (yeah when that was around...I know I am old) and then spending the afternoon with mom.  I want Miss H to have those same wonderful memories. I know she wont remember it all now, since she only 4 months old....but in the long run she will.


Thankfully mom wonderful mom made the trek back up here to help me out.  (I feel like every time she leaves from helping me with something, she is turning right around to come back and help again) She is the best mom ever....I really wouldn't have been able to do it without her especially since Miss H was with us.  It took us 3 days but we managed to pack up all my MUST HAVE school items and move them out.  I am sure we could have done it quicker but we had the time....plus Miss H had to eat and nap in there a few times.  I left some of my teaching stuff behind for the new teacher to use, but kept the stuff I loved. You know like things I though Miss H could enjoy one day in her playroom or that her mommy may want to teach her.  The fun things....and well don't kid your self I took all my SHARPIES home when I left in January.  Yes, I love them so much I couldn't stand the thought of my sub using them.  Ha ha ha.  Here are some pictures from the GREAT MOVE!

Day1: We cleaned out all of the cabinets and sorted...

 Here is what my room looked like BEFORE we began the cleaning out!  All my wall decor and such I left behind..

My Door...I decorate my door every year with a new fabric. I love it because it is different from the others.

mom removing my door fabric

Miss H taking a nap as we worked

Amy and Emily enjoying a break from there rooms in mine! 

I love this pic of mom and Harper...so sweet

 Day 2: Putting it all in boxes and containers....

 Day 3: Pack all boxes up and take them to my storage unit.  Small side note...we had to rearrange my storage unit to make room for it all. HA HA HA Yes my storage unit is holding all my apartment from when Chris' and I got married. 

Thank you dad for the van...it was very good for the move! It only took 2 loads to get everything there.

 We had to take majority of it out to rearrange.  Good thing my unit is on the corner, we used all the halls! 

Miss H being a trooper in the heat, look at those cheeks.

The unit all rearranged and organized! 

 My class room on the final walk through...and last few items picked up!  

Slowing down,

Sorry for the lack in blogging this past week...but my life is so crazy busy now!  I am suppose to be slowing down...per my doctor however that is just not possible! I mean come on really I have to plan for a sub to be in my classroom at any moment now.  We have a baby's room to finish! We have baby items to buy, build, install, and prepare! Oh and in case you didn't notice...its the HOLIDAYS!  HA HA HA, slow down really.

Thus my blog week recap from last weeks crazy adventures: (a little long, sorry)

First of all our last week of school we have "singing in the halls" every morning for the first 30-40 minutes!  Yes, even though you may have heard that FWISD did not allow "SANTA" or "Christmas" in their schools, we still do it.  Our school is very huge in traditions and well it would take an ARMY to bring all the traditions to a stop. Anyways, the first 2 days of singing in the halls are a little crazy as the kids are getting the hang of which song to sing when.  We sing on average 10-12 songs....we cover all religions even :-)  Here is a cute little piece of singing in the halls we were singing Jingle Bells....oh and did I mention all 450 plus students and parents crowd into the main hall!  It is a blast promise!

So after singing for 40 minutes then you are suppose to have class, HA HA HA.  Not only are you to have class but you also have to give test and such!  Needless to say the last few days of school last week were a challenge, but we made it through!  

Chris even joined us for singing in the halls! 

On to the other aspect of teaching!  I love my job and I love my kids, but man does it suck to have to plan for some person to step in and be you!  I hate missing one day of school, but weeks!  YIKES! I have been really stumbling on how to prepare my lesson plans for my sub while I am out with sweet Baby R!  I started and restarted lesson plans like 4 times.  However, I finally buckled down last Wednesday and just did it.  I don't know if they are amazing or not, but well I did my best with what I could.  I mean every morning I would wake up and realize I forgot to mention something or the procedure for this or that! Not only that but I have also begun winging my sweet babies!  

Yes, I have begun to show them that if I don't arrive back after Christmas break they will manage and ACT NICE while I am gone!  HA, HA, HA, easier said than done right.  Especially my sweet S in class, he was my biggest worry.  He like Winston can tell that the end is near and has been extra needy in class.  Last week I had to look at him and say:  "S you will be amazing and wonderful while I am gone because I don't want to hear other wise....then I will have to come back up here to have a chat" Of course in true S style he said back: "Well I don't want to have a chat, but I do want to see the baby."  I then had to inform him that the baby and I would come only if he promised to act nice...otherwise he only got me and my "chat" voice!  He smiled and agreed he could do it while I was gone!  Such a sweet boy! 

Why all the fuss on making sure SCHOOL is 100% ready to go....well last Wednesday Baby R and I had our weekly visit to the Dr.  Things are moving right along, actually moving along so much that my Dr. asked over my 2 week break that I well....DO NOTHING!  Her exact words were: Spend more time on my bottom than on my feet!  Really, thus the rush to make sure we are ready at school for my sub to jump in, just in case I don't make it back to school on Jan 2.  However, I had a small "chat" with Baby R and told him/her that coming before Jan 2 would not due!  Ha like the baby cares what I think.  Now I can blog about being on CHRISTMAS BREAK!! WHOO WHOO!

Ramblings from room 211

This past week my sweet S had another funny day at school.  It is days like this that I love being a teacher! We had a wonderful day for recess that day.  Like most S does not want to come in but will line up with a sad face.  On this particular day he was extra grouchy about lining up.  I choosing my battles with S, which has to be done some days, let this one go!

As normal we did our table bathroom breaks and were ready to start math.  However, I noticed that S had not returned from the bathroom.  I sent one of my boys back in to see if things were okay.  He returns to say that S is sad and wont come out!

Oh geezzee, now I have to enter the stinky, nasty, boys bathroom! Bleh! I enter and ask S to come out so we can speak in a less smelly places.  He laughs and comes out.

Me: S why are you so sad?
S: I just need some alone time.
Me: I will be glad to give you some time, but I can't help if you don't tell me.
S: Well its just that at recess I told T (another second grade girl) that I loved her.  She didn't love me back!
Me: (with some relief that this is all our problem is) Oh sweet S....has your mom ever told you there are a million fish in the sea?
S: (confused look) no, but I know there are a lot of fish in the sea.
Me: Well, that is kind of the same thing with girls.  There are a million girls out there...some you like, some you don't like, and some that may not like you.  Maybe T is just not the right fish for you.  I think you should keep fishing....
S: I don't want to keep fishing....my heart will never BEAT again!
Me: (trying not to smile) Well, for now you will have to settle with my love for the day!  Can you handle that?
S: It's not the love I want but okay...fine.

Oh sweet innocent love...how it can be so mean at such a young age! Not to worry S's mom and I had a chat about his heart break.  The next day he returned to tell me he was moving on...and that my love for him this year would be enough.  But he was still fishing!   I love this child! He makes my job 100 percent amazing! I love the innocents of my sweet second graders.

WILW

Wheeeeew!  You know the next 4 weeks are busy utter chaos in my life.  School is wrapping up and it seems like I can't catch a break to even breath or ~blog~ Yikes!  I have so many things I am loving that I had to take a break!

Here are the few millions of things I am LOVING from last week and this week

Last week ROCKED thanks to my wonderful PRINCIPAL and our PTA

~Loving that last week was teacher appreciation

~Loving that I am at a new AMAZING school who actually APPRECIATES the teachers

~Loving that Monday was write your teacher a sweet note!

~Loving that TUESDAY the PTA provided us with breakfast and lunch! 

~Loving that Wednesday was bring your teacher a TREAT day

~Loving that Thursday we got an HOUR lunch thanks to the great PTA moms

 who stepped in to watch our kiddos!

~Loving that FRIDAY our kids washed our car at recess...and they loved it too.

This week I'm loving: 

~This sweet puppy who has spent a lot of time snuggling up with me...he has been a bit under the weather!

~That we (the teachers) have ZUMBA after school on Tuesdays...so no matter how tired I am I have no reason to workout! (It's in the school gym for gosh shakes.)

~Life in general, minus the end of year chaos aaschool, it is pretty awesome right now!

~My sweet husband who really picked up after me last week when I wasn't feeling well.  He ran like 3 errands for me at all hours!  What a sweetie I have!!

~Oh and did I mention I am LOVING that it is thundering as I type this post! Ah what a wonderful sound 

Take a deep breath in...

now release it! Ahhh didn't that feel good!  You know as a teacher you really look forward to many things, but mostly BREAKS!  HA, breaks from your kiddos for a moment to breath in and relax a second or two. This spring break I have a big plans, thus the reason I need a few extra deep breaths!

Normally I get to enjoy my sweet niece and nephew for spring break...this is the first year I am not.  I'm pretty bummed by that; but know I get them for a week this summer!  I ALWAYS get them for a week in the summer, it's "AUNTIE" time for them.  Well for my sister and brother-in-laws vacation time..ha (I love to spoil them...so they have do go through auntie detox when they leave!)

Needless to say since I am not hanging out with them I have to be super productive!
Here are the endeavors I WILL accomplish over the next week:

HOME LIST:

• Chris' work awards banquet
• get my blog swap gift organized and mailed
• SPRING CLEANING
• Move out the extra stuff
• manicure the flower beds and pots
• squeeze in some spring clothes shopping 
• house hunting (just for fun)
• work out EVERYDAY!!!
• prep for the OKC marathon (yeah haven't even started, YIKES!)

SCHOOL LIST:

• new center groups for the kiddos 
• new table groups (their talking is making me CrAzY)
• file away old paper work 
• prepare POST SPRING BREAK rules (they always come back a little rowdy, have to lay the law down again for the last 11 weeks)

Okay, whew I am pooped just typing my list out!  I guess I may have to give up my dreams of sleeping in and eating bon bons all day.   I do know one thing for sure... I will be NO WHERE NEAR the FORT WORTH ZOO for the next week. Thus posing a problem since we live with in the radius of it.  ZOO traffic + Spring Break= MADNESS!!!

^SIGH^

AHHHH.....well I have just taken a huge sigh for the past couple of days.  Life around here has been a little crazy.  On Friday my grandma had a seizer.  This was very worrisome to our family.  Grandma has not been doing amazing for the past 6 months, so we could have done without this.  Needless to say while my grandma was under going this trauma; my sister was also having a procedure done.  FRIDAY was CRAZY on the WORRIES!!  Abby's procedure went as well as planned.  Grandma seems to be making steps towards recovery as well. Thank you to my sweet friends so sent out an extra pray this week.

Then we proceed into this week.  Today I had one of my biggest days yet at school. I had my FORMAL OBSERVATION at school. (non teacher friends...this is like your major moment to see if your principal thinks your are teaching to the TOP potential) Therefore, my Monday was spent worrying about how TUESDAY would go and planning, planning, planning.  I mean I get observed pretty regularly (once every 2 weeks with a quick 15 minute walk through), however you still want to be OUTSTANDING!  This morning I sat all 25 of my sweet darling BEEs down for a quick recap on all our rules.  I also explained that Mrs. H would be joining us at some point today.  They were very aware of my EXPECTATIONS! (not that they are much different from a normal day)

Thus the reason I can now take that HUGE DEEP BREATH & SIGH.  I feel like it went pretty spectacular if I might say so myself. (picture a pat on the back here)  All Majority of my sweet darling bees were right on target.  Of course with 25 it is almost impossible to ensure they all are following 100% of the time.  However, I will take majority for now.  Now tomorrow a few of my bees will receive a small "debriefing" from me.  The rest of course will get some STICKERS!  Ha, they are so cheap to please....I love that.  AH for now I plan to take a moment and just relax, then back to life! **Oh and a lot of laughing at my husband who is YeLlInG at Angry Birds as I type.  (I love his determination)

Death bed....or so it feels!

Okay I know you are so tired of hearing about my illness!  However, this bug has really kicked my rear!!  Yesterday I was trying to be a brave teacher and headed off to the troops just like normal.  No sooner had I made my way to work did I begin to feel the pain coming back.  I ended up having to leave before 10!  Thankfully the 3rd grade team has a compliance teacher (for non teachers...that is a classroom that has over 22 kids, they get an extra teacher to be legal).  She took over my kids till a sub showed.  I am so blessed to have such an amazing team at school.  They jumped in and just went with what they had left (which was not much).  I headed straight to the doc!  Lots of lecturing on how I was way to dehydrated, some new meds, and major rules on how much fluids I needed then out the door I went.  Headed home and slept for about 2 hours....then drank and drank and drank!  I promise you I am so sick of drinking that I could go crazy!

Today was a new day...I was actually able to eat food for the first time in 4 days!!  (FYI this has been a great diet, but painful too).  I did head back to work...I just can't leave my kids.  Although I now have 5 kids out with the same issues!!  Please bug leave our classroom NOW!!  Oh and did I even mention my poor tennis team.  They have been amazing too.  I have been scheduled for 3 matches.  One got rained out (thank the LORD), the other I had to opt out on....Thanks Mel for playing for me! Well needless to say "MOM" (our team captain) is going crazy; but good news I think I will be able to play that match tomorrow night!  YIPPEE!!  You know I am sick if I can't even play tennis, come on.

A little side note: I have to be better by FRIDAY!  I am going with a my sisters good friend Kara to see RYAN STAR!  I have never been, but am excited to get to go.  You can read about how Kara won tickets here.

New ways....and pumpkins?

Okay so I am in search of a blogging program that will work with my Mac!  If you have any great ideas let me know.  I mean yes I can just use blogger but really....the picture upload makes me CRAZY!  I would like one that is user-friendly and easy to up load pics.

Speaking of pictures! I have some of our latest class project at school.  I will have to give my mom all props here!  She sent me the idea from her school and I have love, love, loved it every since.  Here is the quick version.  I send a manilla pumpkin cut out home with each kid.  They then must do what ever they can to disguise it.  When the pumpkins return they CAN NOT look like pumpkins!

Our class pumpkin patch! 

a clown, football with a field

 a "cat", spiderman

 lion, halloween truck

 a mouse, secret agent

 another clown, of course a Shrek

 

 a horse

 a pizza guy (some are a bit of a stretch!)

  a cat ballerina, a puppy dog

a puppy with a leash,  and a lion mask!

The fun is that the kiddos get to really be creative! They were all (except 2) very creative and took such great PRIDE in showing them off.  Love it!  My mom also does a turkey, but the pumpkin is my favorite!  (ps...the wall hangers are also an idea mom and I share! They are simple to make and the kids can hang their own work!)

She wants to what?

Thursday I was pretty happy since I had such a wonderful interview.  I mean at least I gave it my all.  That day at school we had FIELD DAY which was a BLAST!!  My kiddos were so excited.  They all did such an amazing job at there events.  I love watching the joy on their face when they win a ribbon.  Everyone showed amazing sportsmanship too!  I think this is my first year that no one cried because they didn't get a ribbon! Yippeeeee my sportsmanship chat worked!!

After field day I headed out with a few other teachers to cool off and catch up.  We had fun chit chatting!  Then from there I headed to my normal, TENNIS!  While we were all eating I happened to check my email.  I think I was searching for something about this weekends match.  I noticed that I had another email from the principal of the school I interviewed with.  She was so kind and said that the teachers really enjoyed meeting me.  However, since she was unable to meet with me could she come to my classroom on Friday and observe!

STRESS!!!!! I am now at a 10 out of 10 on STRESS!!!!


She wants to come watch me teach, the day after field day!  Not to mention a week full of testing!!!!  Oh my oh my, was I freaking out.  I immediately responded with YES, please come any time!  I mean heck come on by if that will help me get a new job.  She then replied back stating that they would be there  about 9:30 a.m.

NO SLEEPING was had on Thursday night.  I mean I tried and tried and tried to sleep but couldn't.  I was so nervous about the observation.  I know it seems silly to be nervous, we have people observing all the time.  I mean at least once a week someone is in my room checking things out! Finally at 5 a.m. I couldn't take it anymore!  I just got up, got ready, and headed to school.  I mean heck I could at least tidy up my room a bit rather than sit here and not sleep.

9:15 a.m rolled around and we were steady going...reading and such.  Then the principal from the other school rolled in.  She also brought the math coach with her!  They sat at my teacher table and just watched as we continued on with our lesson.  The end of the lesson was a group vocabulary activity that the kids just love.  My kids love working in groups and creating things.  Once the kids were busy and on task I simply chatting for a second with the principal.  She was very kind, and asked if she could call me after school.  Of course, call me any time!!!

The rest of the day I wondered if that would be a good call or not.  Of course everyone was telling me I was crazy and it would be fine.  However, you know how it is to get your hopes up and then be crushed.  I didn't want to do that.  After school I had to run home and get ready for tennis.  We had our first playoff match  starting at 7.  Of course every time my phone rang my heart stopped.  Then when it was someone I knew I was like...ahhhh.

Around 4:30 I received THE CALL!  Again she was very nice.  She told me thanks for letting her come today and watch our class in action.  I told her really she is welcome anytime.  From there she proceeded to speak about how the teachers really enjoyed meeting me.  She knew that I was a very dedicated teacher from the looks of today.  Then asked me if I would like to join their team! YES of course I would (much jumping up and down and trying to act collected).  I could not believe it, I have a new job at a new school.  The new school is really wonderful and the teachers there seem very close.  That makes it even more fun to join such a positive team.  Next year I will no longer be a leopard but now a BEE!!!

Changes....not one I really wanted this year!

For those of you who have followed me for a while or those of you that just know how crazy my life is...now you can follow this!!!  Well it has come...the CHANGE I 100% didn't want this year.  I mean heck a girl can only take on so many changes in a year.  First of all I got engaged (a change I LOVE LOVE LOVE), next I moved (a change you hate at the moment but love in the long run), and now..................MY JOB!!!

Yes, it is true all the years that my school has been "saving me" have come to an end.  Why?  Well to put it bluntly, I ONLY speak ENGLISH!!  That's right, they have no need for me at my school next year, even after 5 years there!  FWISD is taking on "duel language" and putting Spanish classrooms in all Hispanic schools, so I am out of luck.  I have known the last 3 years that it was only a matter of time until I would be SURPLUSED (teacher word for transferred).  Looks like even if I am not ready, I WILL be moving.  The question is where??? As of today I have no idea, but I have a few leads for some schools that have openings.  Hopefully one of those will pan out and I wont be sitting here August 24th still wondering.

If you hear of any good schools (in the dfw area) who need a teacher let me know!!!  I am VERY open at this point; not like I have a choice right?  Now I am off to pack up boxes (I HATE MOVING) and place my whole classroom in storage!  I mean heck my whole apartment is in there already, what's a bit more.  I mean its not like I should be putting FINAL touches on a wedding or anything.  It is only 43 days away, why not squeeze in job hunting too!  HA, all I can do is laugh!!

Pee pants, specimen cups, and more....

I love my job, okay most days any ways. I do have an amazing class that makes me laugh every day. These kids are great....and say the darnedest things. However, today was one of my most unusual days EVER!!!!

Okay let me give you a few ground rules for the way our room works. Due to the fact that we are a LARGE elementary school (over 800 students), and have only 2 boys and 2 girls bathrooms it makes breaks a task. Therefore, as a class we take 3 WHOLE CLASS breaks. At this time my kids MUST go to the bathroom. In class we have a rule....if or when we return from bathroom break, and you choose to ASK to go to the bathroom within 20 minutes of return for our group break; you will have to change your color. The reason for this rule is that a few of my sweet angels choose not to use their bathroom break time wisely, instead playing. Then when we return for instructional time they now NEED to go to the bathroom. Hence the need for our 20 minute rule. Let me tell you about TODAY'S EVENTS!!!!

Please take a seat for this....


Today I have a child (whom I will call Bobby) who chose not to use the group bathroom break time wisely. After specials we take a group break, he goes into the bathroom and PLAYS!!!! He returns to line, we head to our room. The students then tear out their math TEST and we all prepare to take it. In the middle of the test (about 5 minutes after our bathroom break), Bobby comes running up to me...............he is frantic! I look at him and ask what the problem is that he is disrupting our test. He claims that he could not "hold it" and well he pottyed on himself. Sure enough I look down to see a completely wet right leg but notice a large bulge in his pocket. This child tends to be one who does not follow the bathroom break rule, so his mother send "back up" clothes. When he returns from changing we continue our test. Then thinking to my self what the heck is that bulge in his pocket...and I hope it is not anything that will be turned into me to grade or touch, now that it is covered in pee!!!!

I move along to our next lesson. We continue our day as if nothing has happened, then it comes time to head home. I send my bus and after school kids on their way. I am now down to my 6 parent pick up kiddos, including Bobby. On Thursdays I do locker checks to make sure we have clean lockers...well Bobby's locker is out of control. I then explain to him that he needs to clean EVERYTHING. This is when I notice something unusual....I see that he has a specimen cup. You know a cup that most of us would pee in at the doctors office.

LIGHT BULB goes on in my head. I think back to the fact that during our pee pants problem he had a BULGE in his pants. I then realize that either A: he did actually pee in his pants or B: he had peed in this cup then placed it in his pants pocket. Then when he sat down in class to take his math test it spilled all over his pants.....

This is the dilemma I am left with at the end of the day: did he pee? or was it the pee in the cup that leaked out? What I do know is....he had not had the cup in his pants all day, and must have just grabbed it out of his locker prior to specials. Now why would this child do this. I have no clue. One can imagine how I approached the parent on this situation. The good thing is she actually is a teacher at my school.

That is when I got more crazy information.....yes it can get even more messed up! She informed me that yesterday when he went to the doctor he was to use this cup, but would not. Therefore the nurse sent it home with hopes that later in the day she could get a sample brought back in. Instead Bobby chose to use this cup this morning before they headed to school. The mom told him to throw it away and how gross it was. Now we come to another question....was it pee from this morning or from the bathroom break???

Honestly I don't know that I really want to know the real truth to this whole messed up situation. However, I did ask the mom to see what she could get out of Bobby. Maybe tomorrow I will have some answers...........I think I can say I am the only person that this crazy stuff would happen too! Just your average day in FIRST GRADE!!!

Lessons, sometimes learned the hard way!

I will begin this with this statement, "I do not have children (I know a shock to a few!) and I understand lessons must be taught but really!!!"


Okay since I do not have children, as stated above, I do not always understand the way parents think. My dear sweet friend Ms. Yang (she is our ART teacher) has been teaching her sweet daughter (who is 7 I believe) a lesson the past 3 weeks. Her approach is very different this is why I must "blog" about it. Let me set up this picture please.....The Yang's are very simple people: they are vegans, do not have cable TV, and her daughter can only watch the non cable TV on Saturdays (and not for long either). So Yang's daughter has been wanting a pug dog for a very long time. Yet Yang wanted her to PROVE she was responsible enough to take care of this dog. (As if being a very smart, well behaved child is not enough)


Therefore her daughter got a STUFFED PUG DOG!!! (yes stuffed, as in NOT REAL) Yang told her daughter if she could prove to be responsible for this stuffed dog for 2 weeks then MAYBE she could have a real alive one. Her daughter very determined (like her mom) has taking this responsibility to the extreme. Every morning she takes her STUFFED dog out on a leash to the front yard. She waits for it to "potty" and then comes back in. From here she takes the dog in and plays with it, talk to it, and feed it. She even goes to the pet store and buys it cute things like shirts, toys, and collars. Yang will even pretend the dog has had an accident (place some chocolate chips on the floor) and call her daughter to clean up after her puppy. I believe that this may be the extreme side to proving a point....but I am happy to say it has all been worth it. What Yang's daughter doesn't know is that on FRIDAY....when she gets home she will have a REAL ALIVE PUG PUPPY waiting for her.


Man I hope when I do become a parent I am as creative as Yang. I know it seems silly but you know that when that dog arrives it will be well taken care of and loved. I can honestly say I probably would have given in about 1 week into this craziness. Yang I love your ways...you are such a wonderful mom and have raised an amazing little girl!

Back to work again....

Man what a week it was. I really did love my break from the kiddos at school, but it was wonderful to see their smiling faces on Monday. After taking any type of break it is always a bit hard to get back into the swing of things. However, with only 10 WEEKS left of school.....slowness is not an option.

Oh Monday....for me Monday's are NO FUN! I have morning duty at school, so I have to be there early and in the hall. Most people would love to have duty on Monday not I, I very much dislike it. Mostly because when I walk in on Monday my room has to be ready for kids, as I do not have time to work but instead duty. Therefore the Monday after a week break you can imagine would be hectic, but I had no idea! Per most Mondays I roll in around 7, and try to do a few last minute things till 7:30 when I must move to the hall.

Well when I walked in this Monday I was very sad and happy. Happy because over the break FWISD FINALLY chose to fix my very rippled carpet. I have had this "work order" placed since oh AUGUST.... Normally rippled carpet is no problem, however I have a wheelchair student. We (the therapist and I) have worked now for 2 years (I have had this student for 2 years now) on her becoming more independent as far as rolling around the room to where she needs to be. These ripples cause a very large problem for her, she has very weak upper body strength. Needless to say....it makes it way harder on her than should be!

SAD because my room was in shambles! As you can imagine, putting my room back in order was not on their list apparently! I mean my teacher table was on the opposite side of the room for gosh sakes. All of the student tables were in the front corner by my new PROMETHEAN board (which you must treat like gold...we love it). It is as if these MEN (I have to assume they are men for their lack of detail) did not even pay attention to how the room looked when they walked in. Needless to say, we must strive on through all our small challenges. My challenge was to make a class room that had been emptied, look as it did prior to break. The most wonderful thing about kids though is that they adapt pretty well to new situations. My students were great for the most part with our small obstacle. They helped me move tables and chairs to their normal home, only settings us back on "instructional time" by about 20 minutes.

As for the rest of the week, well it was busy and flew bye. I feel as though now is the point when everything begins to run away and you can't catch it. We still have a lot to do in class to get everyone ready for 2nd grade, but we will make it there I am sure. The thing that is really stressing me out most is not that I have 6 kids who need to speed up their words per minute, but that I still am unsure about my job for next year. I have applied to 6 other districts and without hesitation I am going to begin attending job fairs here in April. Until then I will just hope by some miracle someone at my school either quits or retires...which as of now is about a billion in 1 chances!

The smartest girl I know....

Sweet LITTLE BEAR is the smartest girl I know. Okay so maybe since she is my niece I think this more than others but really she is. As most know Little Bear attends a preschool in her home town...this is her 2nd year there and next year she will go on to Kindergarten. Therefore her teachers have begun pushing sight words and reading. Well if there is on thing E loves to do it is read. She has loved to read from birth. I believe that this is because she had an AMAZING AUNTIE reading with her pretty much daily (Okay her mom likes to read too). I think it was at about 1 1/2 when she could pretty much read Goodnight Moon on her own. Now when I say on her own, I mean she like most kids who are learning to read memorize their favorite books. She knew this book inside and out; and even added a few lines of her own. Good night bears sitting in their chairs, with no table (she always added the with no table).

Okay so I shall get to the point here, right! E's teachers sent home about 56 sight words (sight words are words you just have to know...they can't be sounded out like the, should, cinch etc). They had broken them up into list that were to be memorized. Well the teachers wanted the kids to try and learn the sight words by the end of the year....E has done it she had learned all 56 words already! Yes that is right, she is BRILLIANT. Since she completed the list she is now on to BOOKS!!! Rock on LITTLE BEAR! (for the complete story by Abby click here....she has better details) I couldn't pass up a moment to brag on the smartest little 5 year old I know!

I LOVE YOU E!!!!