Trying to think...

You know when you have one of those days where you've done, seen, and heard so much it barely processes?? Well When I think about today and where I started and ended my day I can't believe it. I was a little sad to be leaving my last town. I made some good friends there. I learned so much from the town, students, etc. It was a little bittersweet. Knowing I have a job for next year helped overcome that. I would really really love to not have a U-haul in my future for a couple of years at least. I want to be settled in for a bit.

I was able to visit my new job site and see my future classroom. It was bigger than I expected the school has a gym, locker rooms, weight room, computer labs, home economics room, library, a mini-cafeteria, and office. I was surprised by the size. I met 2 of my future colleagues, the school janitor, a school board member, the volley ball coach, and many others. I was able to start to see some of the challenges associated with this new job. If I can maintain the students as my priority I will do great. I realized I desperately need a classroom library. I will be doing some shopping while back home and some garage sales as well.

Loading and unloading a U-haul uggh. It is not fun. Despite getting rid of sooo much I still have sooo much. I told mom I can't get anything new unless I get rid of 10 other things :). It is downsized from my last move so there was progress but it isn't easy. Now I just have to hope they find me a wonderful mice free, smoke free, safe, and warm place to rest my head.

Moving ...Again..... Yippeee

Don't get me wrong, I am excited about the change and the new job part of moving. It is the actual moving process that is uggghhhhh! Every time I move I think I will do better this time, pack better, get rid of more, etc etc. I did get rid of a lot my garbage-can will attest to that and I gave some stuff to put in a friends yard sale and I have a lot more to donate. The fact is though... by the time you are near the "end" of packing you just don't care anymore. You throw it in a box and say I will go through that after I move (sometime in the next millennium)So it goes. I do know that I have gotten rid of a lot even though as we pack the dreaded (U-haul) It doesn't feel like much. If I were better about throwing one thing out as I brought one thing in :) that might help. I have some wonderful friends I made here that came and helped move the PIANO and move the heavy stuff onto the u-haul. Too bad I can't throw them in the back with my stuff to help us unload on the other end. They also made us dinner tonight so we didn't have to. That was fantastic. Saved us. Dad got to watch their 3-D TV for a bit which he found very exciting. They were watching an undersea exploration. Probably the only way he can experience the ocean without getting sea sick. So that was fun.

Dad and Mom scored this mothers and fathers day with brand new KINDLE's. So that helped ease the pain of moving maybe a tad bit. I helped Dad download free Zane Grey books So he is happily reading that while mom reads some mystery thriller. I don't know why I am so surprised how much they love their Kindle's but they really really do. I didn't think they would adapt to the technology, but they have. I know I love mine.. but it is fun to watch them enjoy theirs. You can even upload the BIBLE King James Version. I haven't tried that yet but I will have to see how it works. Anyhow I really need to go shower and hit the sack. One more day of packing... woot woot. Followed by a day of errands... followed by a day of traveling and unpacking....followed by traveling.... followed by quality time with a pillow. Sleep is good.

Today was supposed to get up to 87 I don't know if it did the morning started out miserably hot. Then a breeze came through and even if it was 87 it did not feel like it. Very pleasant. Tomorrow is supposed to get up to 84 with some breezes. So this will be good. So new opportunities ahead, more learning, it is good!

Stilll..... going through stuff

Well going through stuff and packing, with breaks for unscheduled procrastination. I am good at it. I do have a couple of stacks of stacked and labeled boxes in the corner of my kitchen. So there is progress. I also have a donation box and two trash bags full of trash. Yay! So there is progress however if you looked at my house right now it wouldn't look anything like said progress. Looks more like a mini-tornado went through the house. sighhhh....

I found some pictures I took in January of my new home town. Although back then I didn't know it was my future home! So it will give you a teeny taste of where I am living next. This coming week I am taking a class during the day and packing in the evening. So I need to have the worse of it done. Uggh. UGGGH! UGGGGGHHHHH! The parents are driving down on Friday and the moving process will begin. It isn't as rushed as my last move thank goodness! That's all for now...

Waiting,Packing.Waiting.

So I am ever-so-patiently waiting to find out if they have found me a place to live! I want it too be soon. I don't think it is going to work out that way though! If I am not packed when the parents arrive there is going to be some MAJOR WHINING!! Anyhow it would be a lot easier if I knew that. I am glad they are finding me a place... I just wish I was part of the process. Anyhow we shall see what happens. It may be hard for some of you to imagine living in a town without a grocery store. Unless you think the mini-mart at the gas station counts :)! The closest grocery store is 90 miles the 2nd closest it 111 miles away. So grocery shopping is going to be a planned event. I may be heading north quite often to our district office... so in that case I will have to stop at the store.

The plan tomorrow is to compile all paper work and start filing it, burning it, or tossing it. So that is going to be dull. A few of us went out this evening to our favorite local restaurant. It will be missed. So will are snarky favorite waitress. Next week I am taking a class so packing will be an evening activity. I can't believe how quickly time has flown...

Got a Job! WHOO HOOO

I am thrilled to pieces! Yay! A job is a very good thing :)! I am in a district with an economy that is much more stable! So that is awesome! This is a long term position. Even more exciting at this teeny K-12 school...there is a Grand Total of 35 students. 35 students and 4 teachers. It will have its challenges with teaching multi-grades but the student to teacher ratio is Fantastic. At my interview I thought the principals and staff where very upbeat and positive. I feel like this is a place I can grow in skills and learn.

My biggest concern in this location is Housing. The population as of 2004 was 340 people! Yikes :) They are working on finding me a place to live so please think positive thoughts about that! It makes me a wee bit nervous!

The pollen is out and on attack right now. Since we had a very wet "spring" The pollinators are pollinating with a vengeance! If you think I am exaggerating.. you don't have allergies :)! It still isn't as bad as other places but I don't go outside without sunglasses to keep it out of my eyes, and my allergy pills. It is that time of year. soooo

I have a job, a job, a job, a job, a job!!! HURRAY

YAYYY!!!

So yesterday I was speaking to one of our kindergarten teachers. She mentioned how much her class loved science day. Some of her students were saying that they wanted to be scientists when they grew up!! YAY!!!!!!! This is the stuff the ooey gooey stuff that makes being a teacher fantastic!! It was the response I wanted, and hoped for. I helped broaden their horizons a little bit. I am thrilled. That made all the drama completely worth it. :)

In other good news I have an interview on Thursday. I don't know what position they will put me in I think they will just choose for me and then I will make it work :)! This position would definitely place me in an even smaller town. Then depending on what position they would choose for me I could be further in the "boonies". I am just thrilled. This whole thing is the result of my superintendent calling over there. I sent my resume and a letter of recommendation. I hadn't even filled out an application. I need all your positive thoughts on Thursday because this is the one I am hoping for. Dad is hoping for some really fine chukar hunting. If I remember Patrick F. McManus's description of chukar hunting correctly... there is no such thing as "really fine" chukar hunting.

So if this journey leads me further into the "boonies". I am buying a freezer and an elliptical. Interesting combo you might be thinking. Groceries are soooooo expensive in the "boonies" that a freezer of good size is simply a must! The elliptical is for working off those groceries. Unless you find swimming against the wind currents a form of exercise... well chukar hunting isn't year round and I'm not likely to participate. I told Dad I'd make sure I got a place with a nice lawn for him to put his tent on :)
hee hee

Night at the Movies...

So I finally went to our local movie theater! It plays one movie at a time and they are usually whatever "G" rated animated movie is out. However, THOR was playing. I was invited to the "guys" night out. Since I usually like movies made from comic books. So I went to the movie theater. From the outside other than the Marquee showing the lasted movie. It looks like it is an abandoned building with a dirt/gravel parking lot. The ticket booth was old school and your ticket was literally pulled off the roll and torn in half. The same type of tickets that we used at our school carnival or that you might buy for raffle tickets.
RAFFLE TICKETS

It was pretty funny. Bottled water was one dollar, the movie was seven dollars. Anyhow the inside had not been updated in... decades would be my guess. Although the seating had been updated (sort of). They bought old seating from a university auditorium. The type that had the little table that you can pull up from the side of your seat and lay across your lap. Since this quality used seating did not have cup-holders... they just drilled a hole in the little table. :) It made me smile.
Leaving the theater with many of the towns teenagers who then began to hang out in the parking lot. I was kind of observing for a bit and watched a guy come out of the theater. He went to the corner of the street the theater sits on and was "Thumbing" or trying to "Hitch" a ride home. I had to wonder how he arrived at the Theater. There is no doubt in my mind that someone gave him a ride home. So a small town evening at the Theater.

Last Day!

This year flew by! I am finishing cleaning up my classroom since I have no students today. The mood is generally cheerful here. The pouters are still pouting the whiners still whining and the rest of us are just making it a good day! We had a school wide meeting with the superintindent yesterday to discuss the budget again. What we heard (AGAIN) was we don't know, and until we know, we don't know!!! Same story another day. I am glad I wasn't expecting a job next year here. One amazing thing happened though. The superintindent is calling another school district that is hiring and telling them to consider my application. I had no idea they were hiring. So I am hoping I will get my wish to stay in this state. We shall see!! Well I am off to clean up all of those last day details.

Oops I forgot to tell you what a student said on his last day of art.
Patrick- Grade 1
"Bye bye art room" "Bye Bye my dignity"
I started laughing.. and asked
" What does dignity mean?"
He said "My life"
I asked " So you're leaving your life behind in the art room?"
He answered "pretty much"
I laughed and laughed. So If you are missing your dignity... check no further than the art room.

Last fun quote overheard by me-
Third grade boy to a third grade girl-
" YOU DON'T HAVE TO WEAR A CUP IN SOFTBALL?"
His classmates quickly explained to him that boys and girls don't have the same "parts". SO funny

TTYL

May 29th and Snow

I just peeked out my window again. It looks like Christmas morning. Frozen snow and ice. It is beautiful. Then I think of the actual date and can't believe I've had a fire going all day. I like snow luckily :). It is also doing me a grand favor. Those blooming lilacs that send my allergies into a tailspin are freezing. Fabulous frozen lilacs. That's the way I like them.

I had an interview the other day. I am fairly certain I don't want the job. The crazy thing about that is now I am nervous because I don't want it I will be offered the job. It just doesn't feel like the right fit for me. So we shall see. I wish I knew what the next step was but for now... I do not have a clue. When we go back to school our Superintendent is meeting with us I assume to discuss the budget AGAIN! We shall see. I am just over these budget meetings. The bottom line is we don't know till we know... and we don't know. :)

Well I'm throwing another log on the fire and hitting the sack.
Goodnight

Not Sure...

Job interviews are not exactly fun. Acck. I just completed one and I was like wouldn't that be my luck to get offered a job I am really unsure about. It is in part the location, in part the job, just a lot of in parts :). I don't know what to think. Sigh. Anyhow.. I have awhile to ponder it before making any decisions.

I had to laugh today my neighbors called me from another town about 3 1/2 hours away to measure their sink in their bathroom. They are doing some remodeling and didn't think they measured accurately. So I ran over to make the measurements for them. I love having neighbors you can call on and they feel like they can call on you. It did make me chuckle though.

I was completely fried yesterday after my LONG (short) week :)! I was more than a little out of it. Then I had my interview this morning. So the rest of the weekend I will continue to work on job applications. I would like to stay in this state.. but we shall see what happens.

Science Survivor!

Well, only one major Hitch in the plan and a few hiccups. I really can't ask for more than that. One of our teachers refused to participate in our Science Day and refused to let her kids attend when all the other teachers in that grade level were attending. Then she tried to intimidate them into not attending. I walked away from the drama a couple of times. I simply did not have time to deal with that. It is too bad she decided to be cranky. One of our presenters had a serious inter-muscular issue and could not attend but his co-worker found me a replacement. They didn't want to disappoint the kids. I thought that was awesome! Most of the teachers thanked me and discussed how well it went and how excited the kids were. One told me none of her kids asked when recess would be. Which is always a good indication of engagement!

I have to head back to school again soon for our Family Night. We have a visiting astronomer doing a presentation and some stargazing (with and without telescopes). There are a few clouds in the sky that I am attempting to will away with my mind! :) I am tired and I am really glad for our 4 day school week. It really helps to know that when I awaken I can lay there knowing... I don't have to get up yet.
THere are only 2 and 1/2 days of school left. Whooo Hoooo. So I just remembered I left tables outside... so before they get stolen I'd better run back to school... accck

LAUGH!

Colleagues who make you laugh are a national treasure for sure. I recieved an e-mail from one today. She knew the questions that would be coming my way and this was her imitation of that:

"WHAT?! There is a science day? I was going to have celebrations with myself all day! Can I only go in the morning?
Where do I need to be? What time? How long is each session?"

Even though I gave each teacher, administrator, etc a map and a schedule via e-mail and in their boxes.... these will be the questions asked again and again. Then we wonder why our students can't retain anything LOL!! When I got that e-mail at first I was thinking she was serious.. :)! Luckily she was just giving me a preview!

Heartsick...

Something had to be reported today. It just makes me sad what students go through at home. The few times I see something and know... always makes me wonder what I miss. Those that I don't see. I know that statistics say I am not going to see it with some. That is the hardest part. If you want to know how teacher don't see... it is because in a busy day with many many students... who are very good at hiding it... you don't see. It's terribly, horribly, easy to miss. UGGH. I hate that... I truly Hate that.

I made my favorte Kalua Pulled Pork yesterday. MMMM MMMM good. I have probably mentioned it before. You can find the recipe HERE. I don't use as much salt as they recommend or you need to drink water for 3 days afterwards. It is really yummy and quite easy to make. I put it over some rice and serve a green salad.

The Highschool decided a few weeks ago to put on an Arts Festival. They invited all the schools to perform. I tried to explain to the teacher that not only do I only see my students once a week, but sometimes that time is interrupted by a H.S. Band teacher who wants to share her love of band. Who is also putting on an arts festival. Everytime we have an assembly there are groups that miss art class. When you only have those students 1 time a week. It is very difficult to work on a performance etc. This teacher did not get it. Simply did not understand how I couldn't throw something together. Well I probably could've "thrown" something together but it would've been painful for all :). I had kids finish up projects in a hurry to display there. So I have contributed. Sigh... I can't do it all people!!! When I try I twitch :P This is the last FULL week of school. Next week is a half..

Well... you know that little thing-a-ma-jigger that you pull up on your bathtub faucet to make the shower work? It died. I pulled up and pieces fell out in all directions. My landlord is supposed to come and fix it today. Here's hoping he could find all the parts he needed at the hardware store. The art teacher is a little blue, yellow, green.... generally messy. By the way CHANGE THE TOILET PAPER WHEN IT RUNS OUT PEOPLE.... Especially if you don't want your blue handed Art Teacher to do it for you. In the Adult Bathroom... is putting a new roll on that hard?? REALLY???? If so let me see your degree!!
Well lunch is over... gotta boogie

SNOW again... or should I say Still??

I like the snow. I like how the air feels when it snows crisp and cool. I like how it brightens the land the sky... it simply makes a grey morning cheerful. This morning it was stunning. I stopped a moment when I walked out the door. After all it is 1/4 past spring or something like that. So the grass has turned green, trees are giving us a glimpse of green, tulips are blooming, the veil of green has traveled across the mountains and valleys. Add an inch of pure white freshly fallen snow over that veil of green and sunshine peaking through the clouds. The hills glowed golden. It was just beautiful. I like living high enough to be able to see the mountains in many directions. Anyhow it was a bright way to start the day.

We took our crossing guards and student leaders on a field trip today. It went beautifully. 25 students being kind to each other, working together, respecting each other. Lovely. Colleagues that I enjoy being with and driving toward the snowy mountains in the morning. Beautiful. IT snowed,hailed, and rained the whole drive. We were going to an indoor pool it was toasty inside but through the windows you could see the snow coming down. It was cool. (other than the bus-sick part but I'm used to that)

I think that it was easier to leave and harder to come back. Coming back to school was hard because right after school we had a meeting. The complainers came ready to complain.. and they did. They couldn't offer solutions. NO SOLUTIONS!!!! Acck That is what drives me absolutely bonkers here. It is ALL IMPOSSIBLE and All we can see are problems and NO POSSIBLE Solutions! Its darn silly.

I have my fire going again tonight. I love having an excuse to build a fire cold weather or not. I did build one last week... then regretted it about 3 a.m. when I woke up melting. I am positive I won't be melting tonight. Well I am signing off.... by the way.... the Twitch is almost gone :)

Winding down HA!

The school year isn't winding down until the last day when you are waving goodbye to the buses!! We had a school clean up last night. Mostly we worked on trash pick up, weeding, and rock removal. The way that they plow our playground and driveways leads to lots of rocks and sand being dispersed. It hadn't been swept up in several years. So we got a lot of that done. I'd say it needs more help but.. it does look a lot better. We had a movie night awhile back that my colleague and I raised enough to buy a couple gallons of paint. We are using that to paint 4 square, Hopscotch, and a handball court. We just need a free day without snow. Yep snow again today.

Sometimes the lack of communication in this building is amazing. I think it is one of their biggest failings. I sent in for a substitute about a month ago so I could chaperone a field trip for our crossing guards that I helped manage. They took my substitute and put her in another classroom. I found out from that Sub that she wouldn't be subbing for me and why. The person she is subbing for really needs a sub they had a death in the family and had to leave. Perfectly understandable. What isn't understandable is why administration didn't let me know what was going on and I found out from the substitute. GRRRRRR There are very few available subs because many refuse to come to our school anymore. We have a few teachers that are NOT nice to subs. Sigh....

Better Weather Please

Acck woke up to snow was sort of expecting it. I could feel a chill in the air. It can snow from now till the 25th as long as the 26th is nice weather PLEASE!!!! I've worked to hard on giving our students a Science Day! Some of it is supposed to be outdoors. We shall see... hopefully all of my back up plans work.

5th Graders are headache inducing boogers! It is partially my fault because I had not prepared enough for this class to be painting. I mistakenly thought that the other classed handled it so they could to. I was wrong. I am painted, the carpet is painted ( carpet in the art room WHY???) the sink is painted etc. What a mess. Some of them are on a "no paint" policy for the rest of the year. Anyhow that's all I know... for now
Clear weather on the 26th please!!!

Twitch

I was listening to a Kindergartner sing "head, shoulders, knees, and toes". I started paying closer attention when I realized when he got to the "eyes and ears, mouth and nose" part. He was singing "Eyes and Ears, Mouth and TOADS". I said I've heard of "eyes and ears, mouth and nose" (while pointing to those parts) but I've never heard "and toads" while his classmates chuckled he said "That's how you sing it" He enjoyed the attention and so... check your toad for boogers....

3rd grade is studying the Romans. One class decided to participate in the School Talent show as the "Roman Gods" So I spent about 2 days making props while they made messes painting them. The talent show is next week so we shall see how they do. They have requested more props.... we'll see how Miss C recovers by Monday.

I am still working on the Science Day. An Astronomer called and is planning to bring telescopes and do a presentation in the evening. I think this will be a really cool opportunity for our students and their families. So that is good. It is just the nuts and bolts of planning something like this that make your eye twitch. It's been twitching for about 3 days now. So I need to rest. Tonight we went to a local performance of "Seussical the Musical" They did a really, really, good job. What I love about this community is they really support things like this. All the shows have been sold out. Also the students are used to making do and making things work. Since it is far from anywhere they find ways to make props that are really clever. These are some great life lessons. Welll I am off to sllllllllllllleeeepppp. I realized just how tired I was when I fell asleep on my phone and didn't know that I'd missed 3 calls until I woke up. Not a good sign. Anyhow goodnight

Smocks

I am actually wearing an art smock today. Not sure why I finally decided it was easier to do that than wash paint out of my clothes. Hmmm Slow learner .... : )

My weekend was amazing. First I went to our Make Up Snow Day and did my presentation. It was interesting to find out how little people know about behavior managment plans. I think they need a serious training in this district. Quite scary. Anyhow to motivate all of us who showed up they had 2 drawings for a Kindle One for the presenters, and one for the spectators. I WON!!! I can't say I've never won anything :). SOOOO AWESOME!
Then I drove out of town for a conference on George Washington put on by the folks who run Mount Vernon It was really, really, good. They had so much information and a lot of free resources. I was really impressed. So that was fun. I drove back in the rain rain rain (Willamette Valley Style). We are not so used to rain here. Anyhow, I found out I need new windshield wipers. I came home and started a nice toasty fire and relaxed. Thank goodness I warmed up my house because when I poked my face out my curtains this morning it was SNOWING! So I came to school and it snowed most of the morning before turning to Rain again.

I am also working on our Science Day. I have 6 confirmed visiting scientists and there are more that may come. I am actually running out of places and spaces to put them. I am really excited that our students are going to have this opportunity. Our teachers will whine and complain. That's the way it is here. Not all of them.... just enough to make it annoying. I can see how it interrupts their school day... but is this not enrichment? Don't we want to broaden our students horizons??? Well some of us do anyway.
The superintendent has been invited to visit our school that day as well. Sometimes I wonder why I put so much effort into a school that I will not be working at next year. Then I remember it isn't about me... it is about my students.

When I came back to my room this a.m. construction was pretty much finished. Just waiting for electrical.

Continuing Tales from the Toilet

If you read my last post you know just how creative (ahem) students can be in the bathroom. Well Tales from the Toilet continued with a student balling up paper towels into small enough pieces that they would go in the drain. Then did it enough times that the draining water slowed more and more every day. Our school plumber is going to love that one.

I have been working really hard on getting a "Science Day" for our school. I have invited local and state scientists to come and give interactive science demonstrations to our students. What has been very interesting to me is to see who really loves their work. The people who are coming really are passionate about their field of science. Because they are very passionate about their field of science they really want to share their knowledge. I am getting excited about what my students are going to be able to see, do, and learn. I just hope the rest of my staff appreciates it. I called the PTO tonight and they are going to bring the visiting scientists some snacks, lunch, or something. So that is really cool. If they are going to make the effort to come and make it fun, educational, and special for our students we need to show our appreciation. It isn't like where we live is a convenient location to visit.

This Friday I have a presentation to give to my colleagues, school board, and administration for a class I have been taking. I am part of a larger group but I am still very nervous. UGGH. Mine is on behaviorism. My b-mod teacher would be so proud if she knew. After the presentation I am driving 3 1/2 hours to be able to attend a conference on George Washington that begins Saturday morning. I decided to stay till Sunday so I can make that ever so lovely Wally-fart visit. I am excited about the conference because it being taught by people from Mount Vernon (GW's former home). I have visited Mount Vernon several times and I LOVED IT! It will be really great to learn more about it and George.

I think by the time school is out you're going to be able to identify me by my fried brain. There is a lot going between now and then. Oh yes and we raised money to paint 4-square courts, hopscotch, and handball courts, on the playground. That may happen on the night of the 16th. OVERWHELMED MUCH! Ummmmm YEP!

Only a Boy

You never know what you will find out before school starts. What confession will come to light. You wonder if the "witness" agonized about it all night. Probably not. So not only is this something only a boy would do.. they are probably the only ones physically capable of doing it. Peeing in the Bathroom Soap Dispensor. I am glad I don't share a bathroom with the boys. I guess they need to place that a little higher and have a lock on it. That is something that would only occur to a boy as well. I was laughing yet completely grossed out. I am sure the consequences will be minimal because that is how they do it here. Unfortunatly. Anyhow thats the latest and greatest from school. I am also glad I have my own sink in my classroom.
You just never know....