Addiction

Teachers have addictions they are pretty simple but annoying to most non-teaching folks.  Let me give you a few examples.

SCHOOL SUPPLIES: We hate that they start arriving at Walmart in July because it reminds us time is running short and we need to be planning for the next school year. After a little bit of denial that summer will end we are secretly glad they are out in July because it gives us MORE Shopping days before S.S. (School Starts).  Amongst school supplies are categories and some of these categories we get more excited about than your first grader does.

We have the markers yea  yea markers always must buy extra because they dry out. Then there are MARKERS big fat Mr. Sketch and Sharpie Markers that you can make the most beautiful Anchor Charts* with.  Then their are pens and pencils. We always buy extra pencils because second graders are addicted to pencil sharpening. This is simply a fact. If you allowed them they would sharpen all their pencils down to a nub in one day.  Other than the challenge of keeping students in pencils they just arn't too exciting. Then their are PENS. Now if you're in Staples or the like and see a flash of greedy excitement come over a face of an individual as they gaze at the 247 colors in a gel pen pack they might be a teacher. They could also be a meth addict but you should be able to tell the difference by general hygene and their nerdy teacher bag.  Then you have erasers  which students love to poke holes in with their freshly sharpened pencils.

There are rulers, glue (please don't buy Elmer's School Glue it doesn't stick), colored pencils, three ring binders, plastic bags, and Kleenex. Why every year we say bring one LARGE box of Kleenex you think that means a small box that you let your kid pick out because it as cute _____ on the box. UGGH. Please do the classroom a favor save them from booger infestations and dripping noses with a proper box of Kleenex.(Thank you this public service announcement is over).

Then we have the notepads and Post-it Notes. Most teachers have a ridiculous collection of both. You know why? Because when we need them they arn't where we need them so we tuck them in every possible corner. The need to take notes can occur at anytime. We give our whole brain to our students then after school we are jammed with facts and information. To retain this we MUST take notes.

In general Staples, Office Max, WalMarts office section, and Amazon, are teachers shiny beacons in the dark. They help us to outfit a whole classroom for a year and beyond.  You can make your childs teacher a cute little thing you saw on Pinterest, give them another mug (uggh),  alcohol (welcomed by many but not permitted on school grounds), chocolate (always welcome), or give them a Gift Certificate for something they will actually use to buy what they need. We spend A LOT of money on your students to have a large book selection, be in a welcoming friendly place, to fill gaps in our curriculum, to teach them in a fun way so that it will stick. We are reimbursed 250$ from the Federal Government every year. Think about your last grocery bill. How quickly does $250  dissapear. It is the same with classroom supplies.  Some schools provide their teachers with a stipend and some do not. It is usually not enough to cover a tenth of what is needed. So it goes.

Lastly we have an addiction to what non-teachers probably have never heard discussed. It is a website called Teachers-Pay-Teachers. They create items you can purchase, download, and print. You can find things specific to your grade, your curriculum, your topic and more much much more. They are Teacher created and so they have a good idea of what you are looking for. Its absolutely addicting. It is also a wonderful resource but it is good when a teacher is too busy to be looking for something on their because chances are....they will find twenty other things. Anyhow you can give gift certificates from them too.

We have a few other addiction such as Sticky-Tabs to mark the pages of that brilliant book we just read in professional development, bookshelves, crates, file folders, plastic sheet protectors, highlighters, dry erase board markers, and card stock. In general I think I have highlighted the most troubling areas. If you need me though... I'll probably be visiting our most concerning and expensive addiction.... The Book Store.




*Anchor Chart: Noun. outlines or describes procedures, processes, and strategies on a particular theme or topic and is posted in the classroom for reference by students.

busy blogger...

I haven't blogged much since the big move up north. I got moved, moved in, and mostly set up. Still trying to find my measuring cups though! Was able to meet my new teammates also known as other 2nd grade teachers at my new school. They all seem like nice, motivated, kind people. I hope that holds true. There are seven second grade classes at our school. I was able to see my new classroom and get the keys so that I can go in and set up my room for the year. Exciting!!

Had a great time going to the coast with my Granny, Aunt Kathy, and mom. The weather was beautiful and the air refreshing. We also visited Shore Acres which I had never been too before. Very nice trip. We did run into a lot of road construction on the way home but at least the view was nice. It wasn't sagebrush and brown grass!

I spent almost a day baking bread zucchini bread, banana bread, and strawberry bread. I hadn't made the latter before and I haven't tasted it yet so I will share my review later. My dad's comment was given with undisguised disgust "zucchini bread?" I haven't discovered a better use of zucchini yet😀! Mom and I ate some but much went in the freezer for a cold January day. Yummy!

I have a stack of books I've been intending to read this summer. I realized time is slipping away. These books are all teaching related but I realized I have seven of them. So yesterday I prioritized them. I hope I gain some quality teaching strategies from them.

It is so strange to live somewhere with options. Four grocery stores, two movie theatres, lots of shopping. It's weird to think "I need a ______" and not have to wait two or more days for it to be shipped. That's exciting!

Soo my eyes are wanting to close G'nite!

Moved

Moving. Every move gets to a point in time where whatever is left is thrown in a box. So after unloading I was missing my box of spices and charger cords for various electronic devices. I find these items are very important to my daily life. Today I finally discovered both boxes. Whew. I was able to unpack and put a lot away today. I took a lot out to the trash. Some wrapping of fragile items and some "why in the heck to I have this?." I also have a growing donation pile. I thought I'd gotten rid of a lot before. There is always something else that needs to go. I went to yard sales with a friend this a.m. I just rode a long as I need to have my own sale not purchase others junk. There has been a "motorcycle jamboree." This week and it finishes on Sunday. It has meant a lot of extra people in down and a closed main road. Also lots of officers on patrol. Every time I went out for an errand I saw at least one car pulled over and at least 3 patrol cars. Interesting. I apologize for errors I am typing on my iPad and it isn't easy to fix a missed capital. I like my new apartment a lot. It is very quiet and comfortable.

pour me a cuppa!

Okay more caffeine is needed! I keep plugging away. I must get a bed made for my parents who are on their way. I assume these picky people will want a place to rest their head after traveling all day. I was going to play the classic rock station again but it was a disappointment. I am going to try "Malt Shop Oldies." That might work. Ohhh kaaaayyyy I must get back to it!

Ringing

If there is anything I dislike it is being put on hold for extended periods of time. I am attempting to set up power and gas service for my new place. It's a Monday. They probably have a lot of calls. They gave me their website and said that I could set up service there. It didn't recognize my address. So that didn't work. I think my phone is going to run out of battery before they answer.  So yeah.... sitting on hold. Listening to  a repeating message and not a fun song I could sing along to. Boring...

I am trying to finish up my packing today. I got a lot done yesterday. Oooh its ringing

Update: After entering in a ton of information to the automated service and about 5 "I don't understand can you repeat that please." I was connected to a real live person. Then it only took a few minutes. Why must they make us suffer with the first part. UGGH

So I have my Gas and Power connected. I have a few other things like this to change addresses for and get set up and then I am ready to go!

"Thank you for your patience a representative will be with you shortly!" Yea right!  I am going to need a nap after all of this!

Keep on Trucking!

Okay...what have I accomplished? My laundry pile is about half of the mountain it once was. I have two rooms almost cleared. The kitchen is almost boxed up. Have some to run through the dishwasher. Took a lot of boxes out to the garage. I have a growing pile to run to the donation center. I've sold a few large things I have no place for anymore. I found some help to move the piano.  My only problem right now is to keep on trucking! I have classic rock on...only classic rock now extended into  un-classic Rock now in my humble opinion.  Okay back to it..l

It continues...

Yes Packing Continues! You know I am getting down to the nitty gritty of it when I am getting rid of (GASP!!!!)... books. Most of them are teaching related materials I have not used or they have served their purpose. I have a large donation pile of odds and ends.  I've filled a few trash bags. Then a box to go to the used book store. I am accomplishing things and getting rid of things which is good. Since I am going through "stuff" packing takes a little longer than it should.

I have been staying up late and working while it is cool because the days have been quite warm. It is much easier to work on this in the cooler weather. I left the T.V. on for background noise and came out to get a snack. My timing was poor because I ended up listening/watching a program about eating "exotic" foods from around the world. I quickly turned it off before I messed up my snack. Yuck.

It was very nice two of my new team members contacted me and would like to meet up this summer. I had another friend who moved away who offered to help me move or unpack or whatever I needed. It thought this was great. I am really looking forward to working at my new school. There is always a learning curve but they seem to be well organized.

I am also excited about my new apartment. Especially since the weather has turned hot. It has a heating AND cooling system. This just brings me joy!  I have the U-haul scheduled. I am mostly packed. I have A LOT of laundry still to put away and the cleaning to do.  I somehow, someway always manage to get it done!

I have been hearing there are a lot of snakes out and about in our state this year. Most of them people are seeing are bull snakes which is good because they eat rattlers. Still need to watch your little critters because they do kill their prey with strangulation and they get quite large. They look so similar to rattle snakes you have to pay attention. Quite exciting.


 Well I am going to get back to it. G'nite

🔥

Moving during a heat wave. Not one of my better ideas. We have had these beautiful thunderclouds every day and they just blow right over the top of us. Such a bummer. I am waiting now for the house to cool down to get back to work. Sold my old couch today! One less heavy thing to move! I was able to conquer a little of my laundry pile today.  I've got to get this done so I can pack up everything I won't need for awhile.  It's hot...😅

packing cont.

If you find yourself up late packing boxes you may find yourself watching the 10 o'clock new twice. You will will eventually find yourself listening to some infomercial selling some kitchen product you have no intention of buying, but the longer you listen the better it sounds. I have many boxes in my garage and a huge pile for the garbage man in the a.m. I have actually been looking for things to throw away so that I don't have to wait to take it to the dump or for the next moving day. I have made a lot of progress today. What I haven't made progress on is my humongous clean laundry pile. It is growing and growing. Hopefully, I can get to that soon. It's pretty impressive.  I have a teenager coming to mow my lawn  tomorrow and a chiropracter appointment. I decided with all this box moving I had better get an adjustment.  Well I am going to look for a few more things for the trash pile and hit the hay!  Gnite

Boxes

You might be moving if you find yourself looking up how to fold a wardrobe box or how to replace tape in a packing tape gun. It's been pretty warm weather and a lot to get done. I go down to our district office tomorrow to sign some paperwork. Other than packing and cleaning I don't think mum is new!

Packing

The good news is the more packing I do the more ruthless I become in getting rid of stuff! The bad news is I am tired. So I must keep on keeping on. I am riding up north tomorrow with a friend with a pickup truck. This means I can make a bigger load. This also means I have more packing to do to fill the truck.  So I have been trying to stay motivated today despite really wanting to just stop. I have gotten a little laundry done as well. I am soo excited to move. I just hate the packing part. The weather has turned to summer weather so it is hot. Not the greatest moving boxes type of weather. My landlord finally turned on the outside water so I can water the grass before it is crispy. I hired a teenager to come mow my lawn since I am busy with packing and moving. Well I am off to continue even though I want to stop 😀.

Packing... and things

Well, things are moving quickly! I finished my classroom and turned in my keys today. There was a bit of a kerfluffle because my administration didn't have the paperwork required to sign me out. This was interesting because I know there have been others that have signed out. It was a bit nit-picky. I was very calm, nice, and understanding. I knew there was an attempt to "yank my chain" so to speak. I talked with a colleague and they told me don't worry administration is just upset you are leaving and doesn't know how to handle it.  For me it was more confirmation I have made the right decision. I hope that they get the paperwork soon or I will be on my way.

In other news I found an apartment up north. I am super excited to make this move and call a new place home. It is close to my friends and about a 15 minute commute to work. That is an unacceptable commute to many locals. It always cracks me up that they complain about driving 15 minutes to another little town but will drive 4 hours to grocery shop. Yea, we're strange like that down here. So I should be moving into the new place in a couple of weeks.  It all seems to be falling into place.

I just have to keep focusing on packing those boxes!

Books, bits, bobbles, and things

Well I didn't get my classroom completed today but I made a lot of progress! I also got my first bit of paperwork completed and sent to my new employer. I have a carload of classroom books, bits, bobbles, and things. I decided since I will have to move it from storage to my new classroom, I would save one moving step. Instead of bringing it to the house then having to load it again I may as well drive it all up north. So I am heading up there tomorrow. I don't know if I will have time to get much other than that done.

Moving isn't super fun. I've had enough practice though I am pretty good at it. what is good about moving is you shed many things you don't really need anymore. I just washed away the dust of the day so to sleep I shall go! G'nite

Yay!

Just signed and submitted my acceptance letter for a job up north in the big city (ahem). Well it is big compared to where I currently live. They have multiple grocery stores and some are even open BEFORE 7 a.m.   I  will share more later. I have a classroom to finish cleaning and pack up. Every year here we are required to pack up our entire classroom even emptying our desk. Which isn't too bad this year since I am moving but it does take time and a lot of boxes. I am pretty close, I think,  I hope I can get it done today.

ttfn

So Close...

Waiting is not my forte, as I think I've mentioned before. Especially when it is something important. I still think there are lessons to be learned during the wait. We  are often in a hurry and waiting forces reflection and acceptance. Waiting is good...even when it is hard.

Our administration forgot to mention that the software we use for grading expires the week before school is out. So I have been madly finishing grades and trying to get them done. Hence my late night tonight.  I think (knock on wood) I am at the point I can print them at school in the morning. I also had a few unexpected interruptions such as an I.E.P. I was informed of the day before the I.E.P. It takes a significant amount of time to get through these and finding out the day before was a little annoying.  The secretary asked me if I was counting down the days and I said "I am just going hour by hour right now." It is true. There have been so many unexpected additions to our days and week that I've had to just take it a little at a time and go on.

My allergies are pretty awful right now. The good news is I do feel better every day. I can tell my lungs have cleared. Now I just need to get through allergy season. Lilacs...in part it's the lilacs. They are pretty and hardy. They are awful for allergies. I was actually talking with a parent about it. She said when they moved here they were looking up what to plant would survive. She said under lilacs it recommended asking your neighbors before planting them because such a high number of people are allergic to them. They are intense. I usually clip the buds off before they have a chance to bloom. I didn't get that done this year. I am not sure that would've mattered though as they've been planted in just about every single yard here. In my mystery story if I were to be murdered... it would be "Death by Lilacs" :)    Yeah...

Well ONE MORE DAY THIS WEEK and 2 and 1/2 days of kids next week! I can do this!!!  Well coca-cola, vitamins, and I can do this! :)

Breathe...

I am pretty sure the new 2nd grade team, the great outdoors, and the janitors were trying to kill me today. Through the wind, the grass cutting, and the scentsy candle burning.  I had to use my inhaler A LOT. So that wasn't great.

It was a long day and I had to just chill and go with the flow even when I thought they were jumping on a crazy train! It is done.

Now I can focus on packing, getting well, and finishing my year!

A lovely lady brought my mom some tulips today. It meant so much to my mom. Happy Mother's Day Weekend!!

cough, wheeze,

Trip to the dentist round 2. I wasn't as sore or numb when I got home this time. I have one more visit in a couple of weeks and I am good to go. Woot.

I am waiting for my cough medicine to get busy. Every time I lay down I start hacking. So in a few minutes I shall try again. The wind blew today and I am sure it was irritating my already irritated system.

We have our make up snow day tomorrow. The first hour and a half I have to sit through a training that has nothing to do with me. I wonder if I can read an education book discreetly. Hmm

It has been such a mixed up week I keep forgetting what day it is. One more day and I hope to have a little down time.

Should be...

I should be packing boxes, grading papers, doing laundry. I should be doing something, but I'm not. I'm just focusing on getting well. The next two days I have to work. So today I am resting and ignoring my huge to do list.  It isn't easy to lay my head down and ignore it.  My neighbor is bringing me turkey, mashed potatoes, and green beans for dinner. If that doesn't make me feel great nothing will work :)! It's my all time favorite dinner. I could have Thanksgiving Dinner once a month and love it.  The neighbor is emptying her freezer before their big move this weekend.

I was contacted by a principal again and told a job I was interviewing for changed to a different grade level. Even better it is the grade level that I want to teach. I have a phone interview Monday evening. So I am hopeful.

My antibiotics are doing their job. I won't say more. I did get some great sleep this morning and I am going to attempt an early bed time.   I am breathing easier and coughing less. I am glad about that.

Sometimes accomplishments are little unacknowledged happenings. I am patting myself on the back for remembering to take the trash out to the curb this a.m. It's a little thing that makes a lot of difference :)!   I will have new neighbors after this weekend so that is a bummer. I will miss having my little buddy right next door. Change is in the air!  So I am going to go and rest some more.
Have a good night!

Middle of the Night Revelation

yep..it's 1:30 a.m. and I am working on lesson plans. I realized every time I lay down I cough and cough. I thought I could tough it out and work tomorrow. Yeah....that's not happening. I don't even know if a sub is available. I tried.... I want to sleep. I hope once I get a little more medicine in me I will be ready to go again. Sigh

Glasses...

I forgot to share my funny of the week.
I have a cute brown eyed little girl that wears glasses. She forgets them often but needs to wear them daily. A couple mornings a week I have to send her down to call her mom for her glasses. Her mom must  be VERY patient because she always brings them. Her mom messaged me and said I looked and I can't find them anywhere. I can't figure out where she left them. So I call the little girl to me and she thinks about it and says "I left them in a tree."  "A tree?"  I answer, "A tree where?"  " A tree in my yard." she says matter of fact.  "Is there more than one tree in your yard?" I ask. "Yes, I left it in the tree kind of on the side near the bush."   You can imagine the picture I created in my mind of this scenario. So I message her mom and share the information. About thirty minutes later her mom shows up with her glasses. She and I shared a laugh over the glasses in the tree.  Thank goodness for Mom's!