Gotta Love a Toyota!!!

My old car sitting at the airport for a week. With blowing snow, freezing temps etc. I arrive at the airport and it is 20 below zero. I go out to the car, Manage to unlock it, and it starts right up. It wasn't a beautiful start it sounded cold. However, it started. I sat in it awhile trying to patiently wait for it to heat up and decided I could see through that bit of frost. There was no traffic in town. Drove home unloaded my 2 small bags, grabbed the mail, came inside and started a fire.
Oh thank-goodness for that fire place.
Flying today was interesting. Flights had been canceled left and right before I got there. People had been waiting 3 days to leave Denver. They were pretty much over the airport experience. One flight loaded and then unloaded because an engine wouldn't start. Flights were delayed in hopes that weather would change at the next destination. THey were also delayed to de-ice the planes. My plane was delayed because our Pilot was in an accident on the way to the airport. He made it in one piece we boarded and then were delayed again while the plane was jump-started. The battery died. ( and Dad I wasn't there to leave the lights on.. so not my fault)!! They kept one engine on at our brief stop to keep the plane warmed up. So All in all I have had it with airports for awhile. I have a lot to get done before being back to work on Monday. Oh thank goodness for my fireplace and my electric mattress pad!! Well I am going to preheat my mattress pad, shower off the airport grime, and hit the hay. I may be woken up again for New Years... but I am pooped. We'll see how many guns are fired in the west on New Years. Goodnight

Airport Sound Bytes:

I was bored... very very bored in the airport. I was also tired. So I did read a lot but eventually even that was getting tedious. I wanted a nap. Airports are not great napping habitats. Just when you get to a snooze an announcement comes over the intercom saying Mr. So-and-So had better boogie down to his flight otherwise they are closing the doors and leaving without him. So I was a texting fool and sent my friend M. many many texts of what I saw and heard so I will share a bit with you.

" You're a Mean one Mr. Grinch Is playing in the airport"... seems appropriate for Christmas Day in the Airport doesn't it?

"Men shouldn't wear Sequins"

" YOU would not believe the comb-over I just saw... unbelievable 2 skinny strands of hair on each side of his head. then A little curl wear they met in the front" I am still traumatized by this sight.


" Could be worse I could be waiting for a flight to Wichita"

" Sorry I am bored ... but have you ever been tempted to break out into song in the airport bathroom? They have great acoustics"

"Whats the point of wearing winter boots if you pair them with a Halter Top?"

"mom to a 3 or 4 year old boy " Thanks for being nice", boy: "what's nice?", mom:"Uh the opposite of naughty"

" I woke up this morning and I couldn't decide whether to wear my white had or my black hat... So I went with both"
No Kidding a lady was wearing 2 hats



There was many many more but I will not bore you with them all. It kept me entertained watching and listening to people. But it was a very very long day at the airport. It is good to be home for a bit. The time is flying by. I have done a little bit of shopping but not much. This trip has been more about seeing all my pals :) which has been really good. My cold is quite a bit better so I think my flight home will be a bit better. I was sooo not feeling good. I was grouchy, and tired. Oh I did learn something from the Pharmacist before I left. I told him I was flying out the next day and I needed something to help my ears from popping too badly from my cold. He said take Dramamine. I must've given him one of my "are you nuts" looks so he went on to explain. Meclizine is its active ingredient. Meclizine is antihistamine which they give to astronauts to help them during take off. So I thought well If NASA is using it surely they know a little something? So I gave it a shot and it helped quite a bit. My ears still popped some but not too badly and certainly not as badly as I had expected. On a more interesting note though... You know how they say when taking Dramamine not to operate heavy machinery????? Does it get much heavier than a Space Shuttle?? Well I'd better sign off
Goodnight.

Merry Christmas!!

Well on the Eve of Christmas I am packing my backs and getting ready for my Day of flying tomorrow. Did I just write "BAGS" as in plural, as in more than one??! Well Let me just Rephrase that... I am packing my Backpack. There that is more accurate. Anyhow, Since there is no shopping here that has saved me a lot of room in my suitcase. All that room I saved by not shopping is being taken up by a myriad of cold remedies. Flying with a cold...that is how to torture terrorists. Give them a good sinus infection and send them 20,000 feet up with out a sinus decongestant. They will confess things they never did. Anyhow so that part I am not looking forward to. I am a little nutty, I do enjoy flying. Just not the getting on and off board rituals. Where we hurry hurry hurry get on to our already saved seat. Why do we do that??. Then upon landing claustrophobia has set in and we can't wait to get off and get some breathing room. Mom said no one was going to want to sit next to me. I said that's okay I don't want to sit next to them either. I'll just set out my box of Kleenex, box of Airborne, Dramamine, Nasal Decongestants, Lipton Tea DEFENSE, and wait for them to ring the flight attendant. :)

It was very foggy here the last couple of days with freezing fog. A definite chill in the air. There
is also no concern about having a White Christmas... this snow is going to be here awhile. Today the sun came out. It has been clear and cold which gives me hopes for making my flights tomorrow. I went to the store today to buy Mom some delicious treats aka UTAH TRUFFLES. I think they will let me stay a couple days since I brought those. Everything has a price for admission these days.. even parents ha ha! I went to the Post Office Today. For a small town they are extremely efficient, but they are also very friendly and helpful. They make going to the post office easy. I don't think I've ever waited more than 2 minutes there.

I am really really reallly glad I have my Kindle. I remember the days I never could pack enough books and still had to get more at whatever location I was at. Now I have my wonderous Kindle and I can read until my eyes give up. I always said if I ever got amnesia the best part would be I could re-read thousands of books and it would all be brand new. That would be the silver lining in amnesia. That and I could look at everyone like not only are they strangers but incredibly insane strangers. Okay a bit off topic here. I think you get the idea that I really like to read and my Kindle allows me to read A LOT! Since we don't have a used book store here this keeps me going.

Well I Had best do those dishes, finish the laundry, and finish packing my backpack. Merry Christmas Everyone

SNOW DAY!!!

Don't have to dream about it anymore it is a reality. Although it took almost 2 feet of snow in a day and a half to get a snow day. So all Snow Day Really means is (Stay home and SHovel)! Anyhow I have shoveled a lot of snow today my arms are turning into over-cooked noodles. It is pretty though. It has also been very quiet. Not a lot of people out on the roads. I am working on a casserole for my dinner. It is one I split in half so I am not eating it for the next 2 weeks. So the Recipe that has traveled from my Sister-in-law goes like this. (By the way there are a million variations you can find on the internet). Oh and I also tweaked it a little so I liked it more.. hey what's a recipe for anyway.
The EXTREMELY HEALTHY AND LOW FAT/LOW CARB
Tater Tot Casserole
(sarcasm just in case you don't recognize it when you read it)

2 Pounds Cooked Ground Beef
2 Cans Green Beans Drained
2 Pkgs of White Sauce/Country Gravy Mix
2 Cups or so of Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 Pkg Tater Tots.

Cook the Ground Beef. Drain. Put in 9 x 13 pan. Make and pour gravy over meat. Mix in Green beans. Flatten out mix in pan. Spread shredded cheese over meat layer. Spread tater tots over cheese Layer. Bake in oven at 400 Degrees until Tater Tots are done. Split in half if you're not feeding the Family. Some people use cream of chicken or cream of mushroom instead of gravy. And some put in Sausage instead of hamburger. They also add lots of other nasty things to it, but You can find that out for yourself somewhere on the WWW. I refuse to help you. The Gravy is good and What the heck though might as well go for the gold with this one.

I have not much to report other than I've enjoyed my snow day so far. I have got a lot of cleaning, laundry, etc done as well. I may just be prepared for Christmas Vacation after all. Tomorrow is another work day though. 1 day left. The kids that are still in town I hope are worn out from snow shoveling, and snow play. How come their batteries charge faster though?? It is so unfair. I have been fighting a cold this week. I don't think it is going to go full blown (knock on wood). Well I am going to go read a book on my wonderful wonderful Kindle.

If you are an avid reader this is just well addictive. :)

Snow Day Dreams....

Even though the plows couldn't begin to keep up with our snow.... no snow day. I am trying to send telepathic messages to the Superintendent. The transmissions might not be working well due to snow. Sigh... Only 2 more days of school though I can make it... yes I can... I will... I think ....

The poor janitor today. He shoveled snow all day long. He was walking with a "hobbly-hunchback" on his way home. I had more sympathy when I came home and shoveled my walk. I had to take an ibuprofen when I was done. Anyhow, today in many of my classes we cut out paper snow-flakes. That is something that kids just seem to never outgrow. What does surprise me here is how many students in upper grades are useless with scissors. We are going to be using scissors a lot more in the future. I was shocked at how difficult it was for them to cut paper. They all wanted me to cut for them. Uhh NOPE!! Your hands will have to get tired. I made at least one snow-flake in every class so my window is riddled with snowflakes. I even made a huge 3ft by 3ft one for the P.E. Teacher. Anyhow even the ones who whined about cutting being hard really enjoyed making snowflakes. I hope I can find more projects that are fun for upper grades that involve cutting paper. Hmmmmm

I need to put on my pj's and build a fire. I hope I don't have to go far tomorrow. I could barely drive around this afternoon. I walk to school so that is fine. Errands though could be treacherous. I can't think of any errands I need to do. Anyhow they don't plow much here so in small cars you can bottom out fairly easily. We shall see what tomorrow will bring... hopefully snow-day, snow-day, snow-day, snow-day

ok I am off to start that fire and reacquaint myself with flannel pj's.

Whew!

All that anticipation, stress, and excitement and now it is done. WHEW!!! There are at least 15 things I would do differently. Mostly to do w/ Organization. I did get a lot of compliments and thank yous. That meant a lot. What was really special about our Christmas program tonight for me... well I'll tell you what it wasn't first. It wasn't the kids, although they did great. It wasn't the community, although most of them were there. It wasn't the voices singing, although they did well. It wasn't the compliments, although they were nice. It wasn't the Thank You's, although I appreciated them. It was something that I didn't expect from this staff. It was alllll of the staff members who stayed after the program and stacked chairs, cleaned the gym, put stuff away, pushed in the bleachers, etc etc. That is what meant the most to me. I really did not expect that much help from our staff. Were there those who didn't do more than they absolutely had to?? Yes there were. However, I was very impressed by the amount who stayed to help. The janitors came in to a clean gym and were shocked. Anyhow, I had a lot more staff support than I realized. That's what staying after meant to me. It meant the staff appreciated, supported, and wanted to help me. So I am very grateful for that.

There were several moments of laughter, kids singing wayyyyyyyyyy off key. Kids singing apparently in rounds ( not intentionally), kids Waving delightedly to the crowd, kids calling out to their families. Sometimes all I could do was shake my head and laugh. They did their best and their families seemed to enjoy it. All of the bleachers were full, all of the chairs were filled, and standing room was left. I would guess probably 600 or so family members were there. It was very cool to see that kind of community support.

There was one thing I knew in advance. I didn't give a dress code. Almost all teachers asked me what their kids should wear. I said dress nice. I did not give a dress code or require any kind of dress. Do you know why? Because here, sometimes their best is a pair of jeans with holes in the knees and a ratty t-shirt. Maybe their parents don't,can't, or won't help them. That doesn't matter to me. So I am glad so many came in their best whatever that was and had a good time. I can wish all I want for them, but wishing doesn't get them or me far. So I am glad I said nothing about that.

I am trying to remember other details about tonight but as you can imagine my brain is cooked! Not cooked enough to download and delete those carols yet. It is cooked enough to get some sleep though... Good night!

"Kindergartners are cute" "Most of them anyway"

There are exceptions to every rule. So yes, kindergartners are cute.. but some of them make one want to pull your hair out. One thing that is cute about them... as we watched their Christmas song in ASL they said oh Santa lives next door! He came to talk w/ the narrator then left again. Some of them thought it wasn't Santa but his brother. Then they all decided that it was Santa. They crack you up :)

Well I got a thumbs up for a project I did from administration. Even better it was an opinion I really respect. So that left me feeling really good. I spent a lot of time yesterday cleaning my classroom. It had gotten away from me w/ all the "prop" making, art construction, etc etc. I couldn't stand it anymore. Hopefully the janitors appreciated my efforts :). I have a very small room.. and shelves, storage, etc are lacking!! I am constantly putting things away that will be pulled out again in an hour.. but they have to be put somewhere to dry. I keep hoping for shelves. Apparently I have to beg long, and loud, and clearly to get them. Sigh.

I had a class today which was very encouraging and I felt like I made good progress. I also spent more time working in my room today getting things organized for the Christmas program. Then I was thrown off my buggy into the drink (so to speak). Some changes might be occurring in one of the grade levels. I don't understand it and sometimes I wonder if logic is thrown out the window when decisions are made. I also heard some sad news about one of my students. I think the student's life will be better with current changes. I am just really sad that the student had to go through what they did. Why our society tolerates and barely punishes certain things is beyond my comprehension. Some people cannot, will not, ever be rehabilitated. It just makes me really, really, angry that we treat our criminals with more respect than our victims much of the time. I know there are people out there trying to fight that... but America we've got it A** Backwards. Grrrrrr. Protecting the innocent should always come first. Anyhow, so I know you don't really know what I am talking about but just know that a lot of children need our prayers.

So "THE PROGRAM" is next week. Acck. Most of the staff has been very encouraging and very supportive and helpful. There was one staff member who asked me if they had to come. I said "yep". Who does this person think will take care of their classroom students? Gee no problem Why don't I just take on all 400 kids and everyone can stay home??? Anyhow that person waited to see if I would ask why, take pity on them, etc etc. I didn't say another word. SO with a sigh they left. uggh!

Today has been the oddest combination of ups and downs. I have been receiving a lot of compliments about the work my students have done. That is very encouraging. Teachers from other schools even have made a point to come let me know how much they enjoy checking out what my students have created. So that makes me really happy. It is something I have control over and a lot of these kids really need that boost. So I am looking forward to sharing that with them next week. So wish me luck and lets hope if they don't sing well that they will sing with gusto!! :)

Lights, Battery..... dead .... AGAIN!!!!!

Since I have moved here I have left my lights on ummm... probably getting close to 10 times now. SERIOUSLY!!! Mom and Dad brought me a battery charger so I wouldn't have to beg friends and neighbors for help anymore. It is terribly inconvenient, annoying, irritating, frustrating, but apparently not enough for me to stop repeating the same mistake! If there was every a person who needed their car to scream at them when they left their lights on that would be me! I even have a sticky note on my dash but even that I can ignore after awhile... OH DEAR

I have new neighbors moving in this week. They came from much much warmer places so we'll see how they adjust... cause it hasn't been really cold since they arrived! Oh boy.... why is it that you can lose your car keys, important papers, your checkbook, your wallet, your purse, the deed to your house, but when it comes to that chocolate treat you attempted to hide and forget... you always remember? Chocolate is on the brain today and I am lacking this delicious treat sigh...!

This link is for my teacher friends: It pretty much sums up the frustrations that we sometimes feel as teachers when talking with administration. Good administrators probably don't do this they probably learn from their teachers. However, there are exceptions.

Today we had our first "dress rehearsal" for one 5th grade class. They were pretty excited and sang fairly well. Hopefully they will maintain their excitement through next week. I have one class that is so tone deaf I can barely bear it. It is an assault to the ears. Even the poor computer guy was wanting to cover his ears. We had to sing the same verse about 10 times so that they would sing it on key. What they lack in skill they make up for in enthusiasm. So your ears might be hurting but they will be heard. The kindergartners are continuing to work on signing their song in American Sign Language. Those little sponges learn it so quickly. It is the rest of us that have troubles. All week it is practice, practice, practice. Next week is the program. NEXT WEEK! Fortunately I am too tired to have a panic attack right now. It is early to bed for me.

Over the weekend I went to a craft fair. 98% of the items found there can be found in your great-grannies crochet box. There were doilies, dishtowels, kleenex box covers, etc etc. I wasn't out of any of those items or in need of them. However, I there was a booth displaying the photography of a local Wild Horse Photographer. Some of her photos were from this county. If you are interested let me know I will send you the link. She lives on a ranch as well and I think sometimes they come through her property.

OH before I forget my brain did its job and I didn't dream of spilling paint. However, I have been dreaming of ALLLLLLL the things I have to get done in the next week. I had a co-worker say how stressed she was about everything she had to do in the next couple of weeks including the Christmas Program. I just looked at her and managed to bite my tongue. All she really has to do is show up and keep the kids from running amok!Oh well when I am at school painting the sun that will melt Frosty the Snowman I will call her and ask her how busy she is! Hee hee. Tonight, I am taking a notepad and pen to bed with me. Perhaps if I write it down I will sleep more restfully. OOOH speaking of a restful sleep. Those who know me well know that I am a terribly light sleeper, it takes me a long time to get to sleep no matter how tired I am. If I have white noise in the background I sleep much, much, better. Well I was able to get one of these and I will let you know how I like it.

What was I thinking????

I must have had a moment of insanity, a lack of oxygen in my brain, temporary amnesia, blood toxicity,or brain trauma. But I with a complete lack of inhibition decided to let kindergartners use tempera paint. 15 cute little demons with paintbrushes.Painting hearts warm colors of red, orange, and yellow! I never thought this statement would come out of my mouth "Please don't use the paintbrush on your forehead"!! Luckily that was a disaster that was diverted. They were all wearing paint smocks and quite happy in their artistic endeavors. It was only I who was having panic attacks! Also when you've covered your paper in as much paint as you can possibly manage to load onto a brush then hold up your picture to show your teacher the amazing masterpiece you have made and no paint falls in your lap... Well all I can say is Miracles happen every day!! I don't know what else to say about that other than they definitely painted warm hearts warm and I am definitely crazy enough to bring out the paint again! Sigh

Christmas Program insanity is in full swing. Every time I think I have a handle on the festivities I am proven wrong. I stayed late after school with students who really wanted to finish painting their props. I wanted to go home and put on pajamas and recuperate. I just may dream of spilling paint. Okay back to the Christmas Program. We have a lot to do. Next week is our "Dress Rehearsal" for 5th grade that is going to be highly entertaining. What was I Thinking??? Okay I think all teachers develop amazing abilities ... overnight brain cleansing washing all those thoughts of impossibility out and replaced is believing the kids are capable of so much more!! Then you start a project and realize they can't cut in circles. Do I really need to have a day of circle cutting? OH yes I forgot not only did I paint I brought out the GLITTER!! Glitter is almost a curse word in the minds of Janitors across these fifty states. I told the kids the school was almost out of glitter and it would be sad if we used the last of it... so they let me put glitter on their pictures for them. The janitor doesn't even know the disaster averted there!

Oh man I had plans to write more tonight but.. my brain is one big useless noodle right now. It is time to sleep. One quick thing though... for this small town I thought it was pretty neat. A house close by (luckily not too close) set their lights to music. So you can tune in to a radio station and watch the Christmas lights "dance" to the Music! Pretty fun stuff :)! Okay have a good sleep I plan on sleeping till oh that meeting tomorrow morning! I will probably get up for that ... Goodnight
Please excuse any and all grammar and spelling errors.. I did mention my brain had checked out didn't I??

Yep That's Right!

There are lots of things that tell you you're living in a small town. There are some things that just make you chuckle though. Such as the Motel Office being combined with the Liquor Store. "Buy by the Case and Save!! Motel Office-Check In Here"! Yep That's right. I guess for some it would make a better nights sleep. Dad and I attempted to go to the landfill.. it was closed to day but we were able to drive by the City Corrals. It looked like a little shanty town for Horses. There were a few sheep there. It looked like people rented the space and then built a little shack for their horse! They even had an area to practice Barrel Racing. Some of the people had strung up Christmas Lights on their stable. We got kind of a kick out of it all.

I don't know about all y'all but I am done with the cooking and eating thing for awhile :)! I think we tried all our recipes out this weekend. One more to go though and then we will freeze it. I found a great cookbook called Freezer Pleasers. It has some good ones! Most of the recipes appear to be doubled so when you bake one you can have it for dinner and freeze the other one. Sometimes by the time I am done preparing and cooking something I want to wait awhile before I eat it.☻ Especially if I have taste tested it for goodness throughout the cooking process.

So this evening in a mildly heated debate we were discussing mixing meats. Now what I mean by this is eating pork with beef, or chicken with beef, etc etc. I am anti-meat-mixing. Bacon does not go on a Hamburger.. Cream of Chicken soup cannot be mixed with cooked Hamburger. It is just wrong!! I am sure some of you plebeians with a lack of sophisticated and refined taste-buds have eating those little steaks with bacon wrapped around them. Siggh. That is just plain wrong. Granny suggested that perhaps we agree to disagree! What a silly idea I know I am right(tee hee)☻.

We went to our little museum today. It was an interesting mix of odds and ends. I guess I can check that one off my list of things to do. I don't know the official plan for tomorrow. I am just glad it warmed up to 36 today. It was like a heat wave after -19°F. Dad is watching some silly football game on my laptop. Thank goodness I have headphones or we'd all be suffering through Arizona vs. U of O. I know...I know...I lack the refinement to appreciate a game of football. I have a football game quota. I maxed it out this year so you'll have to wait till 2011 to get me to watch a football game. Well I have only 2 days left of vacation, and then the Christmas Program Planning Extravaganza of Stress begins. Whoo Hoo. People keep asking me questions about Christmas Break. I won't be putting my brain to that task until I've completed the Christmas Program so don't bother asking me.

We were able to get a few winter coats for our needy children. Their unfettered delight over their new coat made me smile. They didn't want to remove them. Only the possible threat of getting paint on them in Art class made it possible to take them off !! Uh Oh.... As I sat typing this I heard a plaintive meowing on my front porch. I opened the door and a wee little kitten was meowing at me. Ahh man how can one turn away a cute little kitty when it is 25°F outside and dropping. It is cute enough I am sure she will get adopted at the pound. Well I guess I will find where that is tomorrow.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Well I have a new favorite recipe for Roast. Salt and Pepper your roast. Fork it a couple of times. Put in crockpot in about 1 1/2 cups of red wine vinegar. Cook in crock-pot on low until done. My Cooking For Dummies Cookbook says that 135° is the perfect temperature to let you know your roast is done. So get out that meat thermometer and check it out! Easy right? The flavor is really good. So there ya go my new favorite recipe.

So the family made it down safely last night and depending on who you ask the roads weren't that bad or they were horrible. One describes it as if they were battling there way through the wild west delivering the mail with the Pony Express with gunfire coming from all sides. The other says well it wasn't that bad. So there is the driving tale. You decide which story you believe. HA.

I have had this song going through my head for days after helping kindergartners practice it again and again for their 7 continents program. Here is the song sung to the tune of 99 bottles of beer on the wall:

To learn the seven continents
Think of the letter A,
And when you're down to only one
An E will save the day.

There's Africa, Antarctica,
Australia, Asia, too;
The oceans run between them
With their waters deep and blue.

There are also two Americas--
North and South, you see.

Now we're coming to the end.
Europe starts with E!

They also learned some of the signs (ASL) for the continents. Anyhow the kinder's will be moving on to Christmas music now for our program. Well I am off to Nag my Dad about some projects I had in mind for him! HA HA!! Hope you're all having a good Thanksgiving!

P.S. I think my Dad has been getting a little too spoiled. In a bit I will post a picture of the Specialized Pizza J.M. made for him. Dad claimed it was the best Pizza he's ever eaten. (sigh) There is no hope for some people. Look for the picture on your left.

Fireplaces, Snow, and Veterans!!

Thank you all Veteran's for your service to our country whatever, wherever, whenever, and however it was done... Thank You!! A small or great sacrifice matters not... just that the sacrifice was made matters. So Thank You.

So every fireplace I've started a fire in has a "personality" of it's own. As far as I know there is no perfect method for starting a fire. It takes lots of "fuel" and oxygen and patience. Sigh I must have been lacking in the latter. I tried, and tried, and tried to get a fire going the other night. With a little help from a fuel source found in everyone's kitchen I managed to get it going. I refuse to share my fuel of choice because I know friends and foes alike would be laughing their keisters off at me. It was very time consuming. I almost gave up on fire-starting. Alas, it was cold again and snowing again and I couldn't go without this house-warming device. Sooo once again I "started" a fire. So I am learning what works with my fireplace and tonight I managed to start it without any help from my kitchen. Very exciting. It feels wonderful. The snow is falling outside with enthusiasm and my toes are warm. Can't ask for much more than that.

I may have mentioned that I love snow. This has not changed no matter how many muscles I've pulled shoveling snow. It appears I am in the right place. This evening when I was walking home facing the setting sun... snow was just beginning to fall. The sky was fresh, blue, and pink. It's that color that you can't ever quite seem to capture with your camera. So our little town is hushed with a fresh blanket of snow tonight. Yippee. Since there is no school tomorrow I get to stay in my pajamas a little longer before facing the chill.

We had our family art night and messy art fun was done by all. I spent all free moments today not getting ready for art projects in my class but cleaning up after last night. We did a fantastic job spreading paint, glitter, etc all over the place. It is the art room so luckily none of this excites the Janitors too much. I just try to make sure the chairs are stacked and the trash is at the front of the room. Since some of my other obligations are finished more and more of my focus is going towards our Christmas Program. The students are getting excited and looking forward to making props to use with our song. Yay! The upper grades are re-writing a popular Christmas song and we've been working on it for quite a while. I don't know if I didn't explain it well enough or if they just didn't have the foresight to see where we were going with this. THis week though it seemed the gears clicked into place and they realized oh that boring stuff we did is leading up to some FUN STUFF! So that really made a difference in their attitude. Anyhow the next few weeks will be mad crazy preparing for all aspects of that. :) Well wherever you may be I hope your toes are warm... Goodnight

Saturday Grocery Shopping....

I must remember to shop on a full stomach. Seriously... maybe I will use that box of cornbread stuffing..but I'm not even sure why I was looking at stuffing?? I am one of those who generally skips the stuffing. Hmmmm like I said don't shop hungry... they make those labels enticing for a reason. It has been another busy week. I fought off some nasty virus I think. It wasn't much fun the last couple of school days. I made it through and was glad for all of my previously frozen homemade chicken noodle soup. It was soo delicious. MMMM mmmmm good!!! Chicken noodle soup is a must when you're feeling poorly. At least in my opinion.

I stocked up on Hot Chocolate. It's my favorite and only go-to hot drink. Why bother with anything else if you have a drink with CHOCOLATE in it's name. Seriously. SO this week we continue with our Polar Express inspired art work. In the upper grades we are doing daily 5 minute drawing lessons.. from Mark Kistler. Thank you Ken for suggesting that one. Even small children are able to see immediate results, and some of the Teacher's have asked to stay for the first five minutes. So that is very exciting. No matter what we are doing the rest of the year I think I will continue with these 5 minute lessons. The students also really seem to enjoy them. So they are learning concepts of drawing that relate to all aspects of art and they are having fun. What more can I ask really?

We also have a mom I really admire. I don't know if she comes to school with her severely disabled daughter every day but I see her a lot. She has such a positive attitude and really integrates her daughter into our art class. It is fun to watch her enthusiasm especially when she gets to paint :)! I know she can't see much other than contrast...and does not hear well either. This mom goes the extra mile to see her make progress and I really admire her. I think it is her attitude as well. Whenever they are in class I feel uplifted. It is really cool! Anyhow have a fabulous rest of your weekend and I am going to eat my delayed lunch... I really hope I didn't burn it... :P

Beware of Ladies Wearing Hats.

Red hatted ladies can be hysterically funny as I found out today. We joined a meeting because they are helping us meet the needs of some of our families. Picture in your mind the Elderly, the hard-of-hearing, the opinionated, the dribbling down food, and whoever comes to mind add 15 to that. Half of the table could hear, then the other half could hear, then none could hear. They were all talking at the same time and were all offering their valued opinion to empty ears. We felt like we'd done a work-out when we left. All that we know for sure is they really wanted to help us and time will tell what form the help comes in.

It has been a busy but productive weekend. I handed out pencils at the town Convention Center to trick-or-treaters, met a lot of parents and saw many co-workers. Tomorrow will be spent preparing for the week but that is okay. I shhh don't tell K or S but I made Special K Bars tonight to take to a teachers for Hors D'oeuvres. I hope I spelled that one correctly :P! We have our first Citizenship Assembly this week and the Specialist Teachers were able to get together and choose a class that was very good in specials and reward them. So that is really cool. Well I just realized I should've left the house already. Luckily there isn't much more than 5 minutes away locally.
TTFN

Spread thinner than... a layer of phyllo for baklava

Every single time I THINK that I might get ahead the bell tolls and the day is done. Well thank goodness that I have to sleep. Doing projects while sleeping doesn't help one to wake up feeling rested. It is getting close to the Holiday's so in a small town that means a lot of events. It also means the need for A LOT of volunteers. So where do they come to ask for them but places where people gather... like a school... and then you ask the NEW person because well they are NEW and shouldn't say NO to our wonderful activity. AAAACKKKKKKK! Yep so I will add another one to my list and I'm hoping that the Students can infuse me with enthusiasm.

The next art project we are working on is based on the Polar Express. I decided that most grade levels will be participating. Hurrah! So at varying degrees of ability we shall see what we create. Interestingly enough we have a local Polar Express so hopefully our kid's can share their work with the community. Anyhow I want to post more art work but some of my favorites were not loading correctly. bummer. Some Apple Fanatics say that if I ONLY HAD A MAC... I would not suffer such computer or software related glitches. It seems all Apple heads and computer genius's are running macs or some other geek friendly thing-a-majigger. So I am sorry Apple Fans for not joining your team. It is my loss from what you've told me repeatedly.

Okay what else is in the news. I'm cold! Oh you don't think that is news. Well a definite chill has hit the air and snow has fallen the last couple of days. The mountains peaks are getting white. Ice is forming on the puddles and slips and falls are in season. I like snow... I really do. I also like not heating my car up for 1/2 hour in the morning. That really makes me love my commute to school. It is also nice when you run out of stamps and is 10 minutes before five. It only takes a couple of minutes to drive to the post office and they are ready to help. Whew! WeatherBug is the only online weather service that actually gives our local weather. Some do a town 2 hours away. Right now it is 31.4°F with a High of 44°F and a low of 27°F. It could be worse and apparently will get worse. Well that's okay Mom sent my duck-hunting jacket today. I should be fine!

If I sound grumpy today well that could have something to do with a very brief weekend and well feeling a tad overwhelmed. January should be slow right??? I will have to head south in January. South being the opposite end of the state or my neighboring state. Unfortunately not like South of the Border in Tropical Waters. My toes are in front of the heater and I am just calling the woodsman to refresh his memory about firewood. hmmm he says he be up here next week (probably). He did add a few words to his vocabulary since I last spoke to him. For example (probably, up,there,next,week) AAAACKK next week. sigh... BRING ON THE FIREWOOD DUDE!!! I think of the cold then think of some of these kids who don't have warm clothes. I can't stand it! Well...I am glad I didn't dispose of my scarf collection. Hmmmm I should make some scarves! That's a good plan okay ttfn
ME

Art and the like

It is very satisfying for me and the kids when we like what we've created. The last couple of weeks we've been working on an art project inspired by C.M. Russell. That came from an Art book recommended by a teacher who went through my program with me. We'd visit her co-operating teachers class and were in awe of the projects the students did. Well this great project came from this book.

You know you have a good project when the students exceed your expectations. So I am pretty excited. I hope to get some photos to post on here. The book I mentioned above has many other great projects and I can't wait to do more of them. This weekend I have the school yard sale to put on with my colleagues. I am on a committee and that is something we are putting on. It is isolated here to the point that if you want to purchase affordable clothing for your kids there just isn't a place to shop. THey've found that families are very willing to offer up clothes their kids have outgrown for the yard sale. The proceeds go to help struggling families have a Christmas. Anyhow it is more like a swap meet than a fundraiser. Kids outgrow their clothing so quickly that this really works. I am excited to be a part of this. Also the other new teacher and I have been put in charge of training responsible 5th graders to be crossing guards. People are pretty casual in their driving around here, and kids are a bit casual in crossing streets. It can be quite scary after school. I am also starting the kids on their singing for the Christmas program. When I look at the Calendar and see how much time is left I start getting very nervous. :P!! They are mostly excited and I am mostly worried we will be prepared. Yikeseroni!

Had to make a rule that kids could not attend class with toys, hats, snacks,gum, etc. I couldn't believe I had to put that request out there. I personally believe wearing hats in class is disrespectful.Beyond being disrespectful and a distraction they drop them in paint. So much fun. They are discussing having a school wide policy about these things and I hope they do. Those items should be privileges to have or wear to school. Anyhow that is a soap box of mine. There are a lot of kids who haven't been given boundaries. If we can teach them a few, and give them a few at school, they will benefit.

Well, I need to go work on pre-preparation of my art lesson for tomorrow. TTFN

Homemade Chicken Noodle Night

Yep.. I made it again. Since I moved and had to give away all my hard work I haven't had time to make soup again. I decided to make Granny's Homemade Chicken noodle tonight. Once again I forgot to add cornstarch...what is up with the cornstarch. I went and bought rotisserie chickens at the store again. This time I put them in the fridge and let the fat congeal before cutting up the meat. Last time I just threw them in the pot. I think this time I will end up with less bones and skin that snuck away from me. I also think it is probably a leaner version.It wasn't fun though. If I do that again I might peel the skin away before I refrigerate it. The skin was a bit harder to peel but the chicken I could cut up into reasonable pieces without burning myself. If smell alone tells the tale... it will be yummy! I am freezing it again for some after school dinners. Delicious!

One thing though... I cannot cut up an onion! I am so bad at it I would make poor Gordon Ramsey curse vilely at me. Part of the problem is the tears. They start as I peel off the brown skin of the onion. Then I end up blinded from my tears, scared that I will cut off a finger, and then the nose starts to run. I am such a glamorous cook! On cooking shows they have a trusty assistant.. I need one of those who likes to clean up messes. Running an onion under water only works till you cut into it again. I just try to tell myself I'm cleaning those tear ducts. Although, anyone who knows me...knows that a good laugh will do the same thing to me. With one funny event tears are streaking down my cheeks and I'm alarming strangers. Good times!

So Perhaps tomorrow I will continue my cooking weekend and make some stew. OH WAIT!!! I don't have a choice! THat was stew meat I bought at the store! Hmmm well at least I don't have to cut up an.... oh yes I do! Sigh! I am just as terrible at cutting up a tomato... please don't ask me to if you care about the results. I will cut it up but with absolutely no grace what-so-ever. I made egg noodles again and they are fantastic. I still love the less eggy noodle recipe best. They were purtier noodles than last time as well. I let them dry longer which apparently makes all the difference. If you live in a humid climate it will take them longer to dry out. mmmmmm if only I were hungry right now.

Well... My pillow is calling for my head. Unfortunatly I have flour all over the place and you wouldn't believe how far I can fling a piece of onion when I chop it. So I will go back to cleaning the kitchen. Hint Hint SANTA CLAUS... I REALLY NEED ONE OF THESE!!

Overwhelmed Much?? WHO ME??

Every week... I learn more... I dive in more....and I know less. Does that make sense?? Just when I think I really can't take on one more thing... I take on one more thing. The problem isn't my ability to do it all, or my ability to say no, it's my ability to be excited about it all, that is getting me into trouble. I am excited about all the projects I am working on with equal enthusiasm. Time management was drilled into our brains in our program. It doesn't matter how well you manage your time eventually you run out of it!

I am having fun and I work with some great people who are willing to identify their own areas of weakness and improve on them. They are swallowing their pride and seeing what they can do. I really admire that. So I must do the same. This is going to be a continuing project that I will share more about later.

So I ordered a cord of wood this week and it should arrive in the next couple of weeks. The conversation with the "woodsman" was a brief one. It wasn't an exchange of information as much as squeezing it out like the last bit of toothpaste in a tube (when you haven't a new one on hand). It was arduous, and entertaining. I can hardly wait to meet him. I think his time spent in communication with others has been limited for quite some time. So you want to be a Woodsman?


I am still learning students and the faculties names. Just when I think I know them someone calls Mrs. So-and-so by her first name and I have NO idea who they are addressing. Our names are posted next to our doors with our first and last names. I think I prefer students learning the formal, polite, way to address their teachers. Not that any of them call me by my first name. I don't know maybe that is silly... That sign is probably more for parents than students because they just walk to the door they are supposed to go to. In my case it is Number 5. I just figured that out the other day. It is handy to know when your computer dies and you are supposed to be able to put in a work order with your room number on it. I like Room number 5 so far. It's cold, It's small, and is unattractive. It is my room though and none of my neighbors can hear really awful singing coming out of it. So my students can really rock out once in awhile. Whenever they insulated the building they did a good job :)!

That's all for now...

Another WEEK?? REALLY???

I can't believe another week has passed. I have felt like I am a lost flounder so much of the time. Then I start to learn more and then realize... I have more to learn. Which such long school days by Thursday afternoon my brain has gone on hiatus. This Thursday was parent teacher conferences and I was in the computer lab most of the day helping parents sign their students up for a new software publishing program we will be using.

It is software that has been created by teachers so they understand the concepts that Teachers are required to teach their students. It isn't completely done for the student in the way that most childrens' software programs are. It allows them to put in text, format, pictures, drawings, photos, etc. So it provides the structure to enter in the information but the rest is up to the students. I was debating this a little bit with myself wondering if this was the best idea. Sure it is fun, but I do think kids need to create a book on their own with paper and construction paper etc so they understand how a book is put together. I still think this is great though because it gives them a more finished looking product. They still have to figure out what pages is first, do all the typing, place the photos on the correct page and more. I also think for students who don't have a computer at home it provides them with educational exposure to technology. Technology other than their PlayStation or Xbox.

Today we also had a school meeting about AYP, and how the school has been falling behind more every year. The principal took the blame saying he probably hadn't pushed enough. The school board is pushing the superintendent asking why? What I see from both of them is a proactive approach. The principal visits the classes and sees what the teachers are doing and so does the Superintendent. They are doing this not to find fault. ( Although, I'm sure they could find issues). They are doing it to find out what more they could do. This no child left behind is ultimately silly. A child is GOING to get left behind. Ideally they shouldn't but they will. You want to know why? Because you can't improve upon IQ.. it pretty much stays the same throughout your life. It can have minor fluctuations more having to do with taking the test than actual change in IQ. Does this sound harsh, perhaps. I'm not saying it is a waste of time and effort to help them. Absolutely not! We should help them achieve to the best of their abilities and find ways in which they can be successful. But a blanket score for them saying this is where you should be on this year. Just doesn't work. I don't know If I am expressing myself as well as I would like. But here is what teachers SHOULD DO, and here is what our Principal said.

We are not following our own prescription to get well. We have researched based programs that if used as designed... students WILL progress. But we aren't using them as designed. Why not? If a Doctor gives us pills we are not supposed to take them according to what we decide would be best. If the Doctor says one a day we don't take half of one.. or we don't skip a day. We could but we probably won't get well. We can't self medicate. We have the programs in place that are researched based and your students MUST be using them. The reasons the teachers gave for not using them was Time. There is simply NOT enough time. SO he broke down the daily schedule. So I know as a teacher a daily schedule even when you have a 90 minute reading block. It is broken up by I have to go to the bathroom, so and so's mom is picking them up early, announcements, I need a band-aide, transitions from one activity to the next, someone spilled a box of 450 crayons, etc. It's NEVER as simple as we have 90 minutes to teach reading. However, I'm sure that they could improve on their time spent on reading, math, and writing.

Part of me winces. Is only Reading, Math, and Writing, Important?? Well no..but that is what we are emphasizing more and more. I wonder okay what if we are giving up something important by focusing on that. Then I come back to the thought that if you can't read, do math, or write. How can you be successful in Science, or Social Studies? I just hope teachers can find ways to challenge the students who are excelling so that they aren't left in the shuffle of we have to get these kids on level.

The principal also mentioned that we can't blame parents. WHY NOT?? Well he said that we can't change the issues kids have at home. Obviously. So we must figure out how we can support them here so they will progress. Easier said than done isn't it. Teachers blame parents, parents blame teachers. It's never as simple as that. Parents if they want their kids to have a good education MUST BE INVOLVED in the process. They must be advocates for their kids just as teachers must be advocates for their students. In a dream world all parents would see the value of education, but they don't, won't, or simply don't have the skills to do so. What bothers me a lot is that EVERY singly school I've ever been to, parents don't feel welcome. Not all parents but the low S.E.S. parents definitely. Many teachers have a manner about them that is unwelcoming with these parents. Which in a way who can blame them. They probably read their names on the sheriff's report in the newspaper the day before. That can't matter though. If we want their kids to do well we absolutely must humble ourselves. HUMBLE OURSELVES, this may mean hugging the mom who is discouraged and reeks of cigarette smoke and filth. It isn't always easy but I think we must humble ourselves so that their kids will have more opportunities.

So from now to December I have a lot on my plate. I am on a committee that is doing a school-wide yard sale. We are taking donations of winter clothing items to sell at the yard sale. If you can't afford to leave town there isn't much opportunity to buy inexpensive items for your kids. They did a something similar in the spring and apparently it was very successful. I will also be planning and working on the Christmas program for all grade levels. The fifth grade class will be doing a re-write of the 12 days of Christmas and illustrating that for a book, as well as performing it at the Christmas program. I will be helping other grade levels with their book illustrations.. and integrating that into my own lesson plans. I know there are more items on my list but those are the big ones. I am also teaching science in 40 minutes with high level Second and Third Graders with one of my intervention times. I am figuring out what they are capable of. We studied rainbows this week and even made a large rainbow for our classroom.

You know what is neat here. Kids here mostly know the value of what they have and very few I've seen are spoiled rotten. I rarely see lunchboxes, coats, and other items left on the playground. Kids have time to play here. After school, I see many riding their bikes, playing outside, and spending time with their families. For the most part the students are very respectful of the teachers, the staff, administration. I think that has a lot to do with the fact that most families here have a faith they belong to. So the kids if nothing else are taught to respect a higher authority. Since there are enough of them that fit into that category... the rest must conform to their conformity. Conforming can be a good thing people :)! Kids want to fit in. Sometimes that is a really, really, good thing. The ability to adapt keeps us alive.
Back to the conformity thought... it always cracks me up when I hear of a non-conformist. Rarely I think can people truly be described as that. Supposed self proclaimed non-conformists have conformed to fit in to the self-proclaimed non-conformist groups. Well.. I have a lot of work left to do and only a couple more days of the weekend to do it.

It's Not a One Horse Town

No it isn't a one horse town, or even a one stoplight town. It is a one Radio Station Town, a one Newspaper Town, a one Post Office Town. Horses though... there's no shortage!

Well you'd think I'd be whining about the hot weather, but I'm not. 91 degrees doesn't feel unbearable when it is this dry. Low 40's at night and high 80's or above during the day. I haven't even noticed. My classroom has an Air Conditioner I've never turned on. I was told that this town has two seasons. Summer and Winter. Since I'm allergic to spring and fall that works for me! I can't believe it is the end of September and how warm it is. The snow shovels are stocked at the grocery store. As well as all the other cool weather devices you think you don't need till the ground is white. I brought my snow shovel with me so I should be good!

I am really enjoying my work. I do have moments when students are so sarcastic that it makes one go GRRRRR. I like my co-workers as near as I can tell so far. I like my job. I'm learning more everyday. I find out more and more what they do have to offer at this school. There are Professional Development opportunities that I am excited about. It is work.. I come home exhausted with tired feet and collapse. I come home with a sore back after using the die cutter. I am not super tall... but come on why do they always put those items on short tables so you're bending over like Quasimodo to do your work. Then you go to stand up straight and you're feel like you need to be snapped back into alignment! Sometimes I feel the world is arranged for Shorter people. I guess no matter your height some things are inconvenient! Back to work... finally I am doing what I love to do. Every day I feel that my skills are improving and that I am learning new things! If I am not learning every day I don't think I am doing my best for the students.

This week the school has been preparing for Parent Teacher conferences. That is one thing I do not have to Participate in. Other than I will be working in the computer lab helping parents sign their students up for a new publishing program we are using. It is pretty cool because the students can create their own book. The parents can pay to have it printed in color if they like. However, they can also print for free in black and white as well as the teachers. So the kids who do not get much exposure to technology will through this program and it allows them creativity with that technology. I do not know too much about it yet but I can't wait to start playing around with it. There is no cost to the parents or school unless they choose to pay for something done in color.

I know I have more exciting and wonderful things to share.... I need to write notes so when I sit down to the computer I'm not wondering what is new with me! :)