The Blog of Jen

um... 2011

2011-04-06T12:42:00.004-04:00

I did not post... for over a year...

It's not like I didn't want to post. It is more like I didn't think about it because so much happened in my life. Like...

We bought a house. It is a lovely little brick cottage built in 1945. It has a sun porch, a fire place, arched doorways, and wood floors. In short it is perfect.

We started our Masters Programs. I am at K-State full time in the summers, and taking the school year off to work. Chris is part time at Friends through their long distance program. We will graduate the summer of 2012. It is hard, but I keep telling myself that it is worth it.

We got a worship pastor at church. I finally have someone to give direction to the choir and worship ministries. It is wonderful. I have enjoyed this season of choir more than any other season at First. I even started a Men's Ensemble.

We started leading a small group at church. Six wonderful couples who bless me with their pursuit of God. The only thing is that they keep poppin' out kids! Two this year, and one already scheduled for next year. They must have read the "Be fruitful and multiply verse."

We made lots of new friends. It only took three years, but we finally have strong groups of friends here. Some we met at church, and some we met through work.

We moved our youngest sibling to college. Both of our parents are officially empty nester's.

I have taken up ethnic cooking for experimental purposes. So far I have limited myself to Thai and Italian, but I am looking to branch out. Those first married years of rice and beans are hopefully over.

My Grand Parents bought a house in Hillsboro. They are eventually going to move to the burro. How lovely!

I don't have any other BIG things. At least I don't think right now. I still teach. I still hang out with friends, old and new as hard as I try.

The Ellusive African Fibra

2009-11-06T12:27:00.002-05:00

So,
I am in fifth grade, and I am talking with the class about drums. Someone asked me what the drum head was made out of. I said that traditionally they are made out of animal skin like goat skin or raw hide, but our drums are made out of fiberskyn. (pronounced Fibra-skin) I said it is a synthetic skin that is made to sound like animal skin.

I had a student raise his hand and ask, "what's a fibra?" I said it means fibrous that means made of fibers. He said, "Oh I thought it was an animal, kind of like a zebra."

I thanked him for brightening my morning.

October 15th will I ever be well?

2009-10-15T09:36:00.002-04:00

Hi,
I am writing a brief note. A short update if you will.

I am over my strep, and now I have a cold. I am wondering if my immune system took a vacation and decided to never come back. I am jealouse of husband's immune system. He is never sick, no thanks to me. Oh how I wish for that kind of stamina.

Stores are full of Halloween decorations, costumes, and pumpkins. Yet, Lowes has their huge Christmas Tree display up already. It makes me want to decorate my classroom and home for Christmas. I love strings of lights. I would live with them all year if it was socially acceptable. I should figure out a way to make it socially acceptable.

I haven't done anything to support my creative outlet lately, and I am beginning to notice. It gets harder to concentrate when I haven't done something with the left half of my brain for a while.

That's all for now. Told you it would be a short note. It isn't very well written either, but I post with no appologies. I'm off to sing about the water cycle.

My blogging hiatus. Holy Crap, (sorry mom) I can’t believe I spelled Hiatus right on the first try!

2009-10-05T19:23:00.000-04:00

First of all, I would like to make no excuses for this long of a blogging hiatus. My only reason for not posting was, “I don’t feel like it.” Isn’t it amazing how that statement can interfere with a person’s internet recording time and activities… isn’t it amazing how that statement can interfere with a person’s…
entire life.

You see, for the past four days I have been rendered completely useless by one of the worst cases of strep throat in my recorded history. I believe there is only one other recording of strep in this log. You can find it somewhere circa an insecure sophomore year of college when this work of whatever it is began. Sophomore year was not the best for self confidence… it wasn’t the worst either. It was in fact a year.
Back to where I began the prior paragraph. I have been sick and have been in bed for the past four days with the exception of today. Today I graduated from sleeping all day, to sleeping only till noon and then moved my sorry carcass to the couch. I ponder, why the last three letters in carcass are _ _ _? Fitting isn’t it? Fitting, because that is a term that I may use to describe a sampling of my disposition since the smashing of the pointer finger on my left hand. Carcassful to coin the new adjective. Yes I know that was not a complete sentence. No I will not edit it.

You see, that Smash happened after a critical trip to Chicago, which led to the pondering of my existence in a town that I could reasonably compare to social exile until the recent past of the end of last school year, but not significantly so until this summer. What could cause the end of the social existence? In truth, I made two friends, two girls my own age, or close to my own age, with whom I can relate. In addition, each of these girls have significant others who do not socially clash with my significant other. After two complete years of traveling 1 to 3 hours for comfortable social interaction, I finally have something to quench my thirst. Stunning.

So, the pondering of my existence, gave way to a muddling of possibilities, that gave way to jumping to a myriad of conclusions, which gave way to driving my husband nuts with the left half of my brain, which gave way to a month of glum/depression/mood, which has broken into a FIT of searching for a creative outlet, which again gives way to driving my husband nuts with the left half of my brain.

I have taken up painting, I have begun a study of the advantages of the architecture of the compact modern home, I have continued my quest for an original jewelry attitude, I have began studying the art of mobile making in search of a design that will inspire something UNIQUE, I have began work on two clay vases with the art teacher at school, I have shaped my eyebrows, and am sitting on the couch with a mud mask on my face while my husband asks, “Are you writing a book?” My brain responds with… maybe I should.

I am again going through a growth period in my life. I am learning to trust God more for my future. (A lesson that will never end.) I am learning what I want from my life. I am learning I am more than just a good musician, and a great teacher.
Am I normally this personal? I feel like my usual anecdote/boring recount/filler stuff might be interrupted by this LENGTHY post.

But I have no excuses, so I will not apologize. I need to learn to not apologize as much as I do now anyway.

the typo tale of one swollen index finger

2009-07-09T14:30:00.002-04:00

I sit here typing with all of the fingers of all of my hands except for my left index finger. I will now stop correcting my typos while I tell you the story of the finger:

it all staeted at 3 am on a monday morningf in chicafo illinios. We fot up to get ready foe a 12 hour deive back ro KS. we fot into the car and started off. Husbvand missed rhe firsr exirt and rhen we were vack in routr. I did gfet to sleep gor a little bit nad rhen aeround 6am we stopped foe fass and ro switvh dribers. I got out of thpassenger seet where I had veen for the past three hours. I shut my door and then realized trhat my finger was stuck in it. I didn't know whar to do vecause I was so tied. So when I came ro my senses, I opened my door and ran to the bathroom in the gass station and just about passed out from ther throbbing in my finger.

To makr a long (12 hour) story short I spent the nexrt hours with my finger in a fglass of ivce wTER. not a greatr day foe me.

So this is rhe un edited eddition of the story with my bad left index finger.

The end.

Indiana

2009-06-16T14:31:00.003-04:00

So...
Today instead of my regular posting site I am posting from a little town near Lake Michigan in Indiana. I am visiting family with my family. This is also the longest that I have been away from Husband since we got married. Our one year anniversary is coming up in a couple of weeks. It does not seem like we have been married for a year. Sometimes it feels like it has always been this way. (in the good way, not in the depressing way)

So far on the trip I have spent a lot of time outside. The weather up here has taken a turn for the worse as far as raining on us but yesterday I spent a few hours on my grand parents back patio just sitting, visiting, and reading. No bugs and about 70 degrees is my kind of relaxation.

Not many bazaar things have happened yet, but after a short interaction with "the fam" I am sure there will be more to come. Every time I visit I am reminded of how much growing up in Kansas away from my extended family has made me the person I am today. Husband and I decided that if we had grown up where our families grew up that I would probably ....

be working at some sort of sales job where I could work with a lot of people. Probably at a restaurant or clothing store. I would not have gone to college. I would probably be heaver than I am right now. I would possibly have children with more than one man. I might just smoke like a chimney, and I know I would drink like a fish.

Husband would most likely be in the same job that he is right now at a bank or the sort. He would have been a jock in High School hanging out with some of the coolest of the cool in his small town high school. He would have been a beer drinking soccer star and most likely some sort of out fielder of a base ball team. He would probably be married to some girl from the state school that he attended. She would probably look like me.

It is interesting how the choices of our parents shape us in ways that don't really have to do with us at all for that time being.

two and a half weeks in

2009-06-09T21:19:00.002-04:00

Hi,

So I haven't posted in a long time. Summer has begun and I am not on the Internet as much as I am during the school year. This summer has not been very eventful. Nothing really life changing has happened so far.

I have been working out a lot. I enjoy working out but don't have time during the school year. I do have a couple of exercise buddies that make things a lot more fun and a little easier. It is great to get to know people when they are talking just to distract themselves from their screaming leg cramps.

Other than that I have made a lot of jewelry this summer and hung out with my sister a little. This hanging out led to a late night run for Starbucks. Good stuff. My new favorite is an iced coffee with milk and a shot of caramel. Ahhhh...

This next weekend I will see friends and then on Sunday I will leave with my family to see grandparents. Long times in a van with a lot of people and a neurotic dog. Good times. I will have to try to jot down the rediculous things that are said so that I can include a post of quotes and the such.

Well that's what's going on in my life. How about you?

Morning of Day Three

2009-05-06T08:20:00.002-04:00

Ok,
So this is the morning of Day 3 for me. Yesterday was day one for the other teachers. After the shred we went out to the track to power walk. I kept telling them... "The best thing to do is to keep moving so that your blood can carry away all of the lactic acid that you just built up." There were only two of us that did more than one lap.

Four laps is a mile.

Now I know that some of them had commitments, and I am going to have other commitments on other days. I just hope that they didn't come yesterday, get really sore today, and then quit on me today.

Upside so far: I don't know if it is my imagination or if it is real but I can see a muscle in my arms. Even when I am not flexing. Then when I flex, I can see my bicep. That's a good sign, right?

Downside so far: It HURTS to get up and down. Espeically off of the tiolet. I am afraid I am going to get stuck half way down and miss teaching my classes. That's a bad sign, right? Maybe I can get my College Track legs back. Man, those were the best of legs. Maybe they won't be so muscly that they won't be huge.

Gotta go, a shreder is here to complain about how sore she is.

Shred Head (yah I know... real creative)

2009-05-05T08:23:00.002-04:00

So,
As most of you know, I love to read this blog. Well, as I was perusing it last week Big Mama wrote about a work out video that she had just bought to try. It is Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred.

Now I know what you are thinking... "I know Billy Blanks. I know Denise Austin, but who is this Jillian Michaels chick? Well... She happens to be the girl trainer on the show The Biggest Looser. Yah, the annoying one with brown hair.

Normally this personality would not motivate me.

At all.

But the girl has the most amazing abs, that I can't ignore. I do not have abs. Well I know that they are there, but they are hiding behind all of the pregnancy fat.

Oh wait...

I do have abs, but they are hiding behind all of the Dove Chocolate and ice cream fat. Yah... that's more accurate.

Anyway, I have decided that I can give up twenty minutes to an hour each day to bettering my non abs and floppy arms body. I will do it all in the name of, "Because It's Good For Me."

I did the first day yesterday. I think that it had to be the most intense 20 minutes of my life, or at least right up there. Right along with volleyball two-a-days and my wedding day.

I'll try to keep you updated on my progress... somewhat for my own accountability, and somewhat because it might be enough to inspire you to at least check out the video.

Even if you watch it sitting on the couch eating Dove Chocolate and Ice Cream.

Wednesday marathon

2009-04-29T08:24:00.004-04:00

5:45 - Husband gets up to go to the Y
6:10 - Wake up and get ready for work
6:55 - Leave for work
7:00 - Arrive at work
4:15 - Leave work
4:20 - Arrive at church to prepare for evening
5:00 - Leave church to eat
6:20 - Arrive at church for evening
10:30 - Leave church after choir and praise band practice
10:45 - Fall into bed after yet another marathon Wednesday

Kaiani made today special

2009-04-28T12:16:00.003-04:00

It is such a joyous special thing when a baby is born. It is even more special when that baby is going to have wonderful loving parents who will support it and train it up in the way it should go.

Kaiani was born this morning at 6:59 this morning. Her parents, friends and family have anxiously been awaiting her birth. Now she is finally here and we can see her, hold her, and love her in a more real way than we could before.

Today is special.

Forget it Friday

2009-04-24T09:05:00.002-04:00

That is what the teachers call Friday in the spring. Forget it Friday. It's pretty bad when the students and the teachers are both counting down the days to summer. The good news is that the summer weather is giving me a wonderful peace about life right now. It is sad that I am so influenced by the seasons, but summer is just where I thrive. Bring on the heat!!!

On a darker note, I have been sort of sick all week and now my body has taken to wanting to hack up both of my lungs. So, here's to hoping that Mucus will not be my demise today.

Have a FABULOUS FORGET IT FRIDAY!

waiting

2009-04-14T08:18:00.002-04:00

I am waiting for someone to call me. I don't know when or if they will call. It is kind of like waiting for someone to call and let you know if you got the job or not. It may be a good thing for me to call. It may be pointless for me to call. Calling back may make me seem over interested.

Perhaps I should send an e-mail. Those are short and can be businesslike and formal. I don't know how to write a formal e-mail. Should I google it?

Waiting...

What do you do?

2009-04-09T11:36:00.002-04:00

What do you do when you are a fifth grade boy whose second grade sister died last year of cancer, and a well meaning girl in your class asks if you know if your sister is in heaven or "down there?"

What do you do if the girl was well meaning, but said that your sister wasn't in heaven because she wasn't a Christian?

What do you tell your daughter if she was trying to talk with a classmate about God, but instead she said something that may have turned him off from Jesus for a long time?

Why do seven year old girls die of cancer?

Why do mothers of seven year old girls rely on fifth grade boys to cairry them through their grief?

Why do seven year old boys who need Jesus Love encounter well meaning fifth grade girls who say things that they don't understand.

What do you do? And Why

Hai YA!

2009-04-08T14:24:00.005-04:00

Today was the first annual RECORDER KARATI CLOSING CERIMONIES! I had all of the fourth grades in my classroom and I red off their names and their last belts recieved. Then we took pictures of the groupings of belts. Black had it's own picture.

Then the brown and red belts:

Finally the blue and purple belts:

It was a good time for the students to see who had done as well as they had, and also a good time to praise those students who went the extra mile to get their black belts. Students who recieved their black belts can play:
Hot Crossed Buns, Gently Sleep, Merrily We Roll Along, It's Raining, Old McDonald, O' when the Saints, Twinkle Twinkle, Amazing Grace, and Ode to Joy

Oh fourth graders, you have done me proud.

Let up

2009-03-31T12:17:00.002-04:00

I haven't posted in FOREVER sorry about that. The final countdown ended with an amazing trip to CA to visit friends. I got to spend lots of time with J and E and lots of time with the belly that is little baby H to come.

If I could sum up the trip in two words they would be Comfort and Yum. We had lots of comfortable fun just hanging out, walking, playing games, and watching movies with comfortable friends. We also ate A LOT of good food. I think I consumed my entire food ration for March in that one week. We ate everything from Japanese stake house, to the best sushi that I have ever had, to brazillian bar-b-cue, to Mexican market food. WOW... and we topped it off with a seven pound chocolate cake. Yah... the cake actually weighed seven pounds.

Then spring break was over and last week came and went with a whoosh. No kidding it was a wierd week both with the weather and with life. We started the week on Monday with a disasterous wind storm resulting in the loss of power for two and a half hours. Had a couple nice days and then ended the week with a 10 inch snow storm with 3-4 foot drifts. Two days after the snow storm it was 60 degrees and the snow has all melted.

The children responded to mother natures tricks with all of the following:
Dispondancy
Gregariousness
Disrespect
Slugishness
Hyper social tendencies

Some of those traits all happened at the same time in the same classes. It was not a bad week, it was a wierd week with lots of energy spent.

So I am hoping that this week will go a little steadier. Although Mother Nature is already sending us spinning on a hot/cold dance in which I would rather not partake.

The Final Countdown

2009-03-13T11:28:00.002-04:00

Disclaimer: You should not read this if you have something better to do. Um... you don't even have to read this one if you have something worse to do. It isn't that good.

WOW,
So I have been in this "final countdown" for officially 25 days. That is the number that I actually started with when I wrote down the dates on the calendar. That is the day when I felt it appropriate to actually number the days. The actual time span has been more like 60 days... but I didn't want to put myself under that kind of suspense.

This is the final countdown to spring break 2009. Most people associate spring break with relaxation, cleaning, partying, road trips, and many other things. For me this year means spring break with J. and E. out in California. E. will be 8 months pregnant when we see them, so I expect I will be spending a significant time watching "the belly" move by itself.

Anyway I wanted to say that I haven't counted down to anything since the wedding, but that would be a lie. I tend to count down to a lot of things in my life. I counted down to KMEA when I got to go to W and spend time refreshing my personal and social life.

I counted down to the work day that I had last Friday so that I could actually get my fifth grade program choreographed and finished.

After spring break I will be counting down to May 22, which is the work day at the end of the year. Lord knows that will be a difficult countdown. I may just have to number that one on the good old planner so that I don't have to re-count it every week.

Sometimes I try to get myself to stop counting down. I don't think it is good for me to be looking ahead all of the time. I have goals that I am going to live in the present. I actually have done a pretty good job of living in the present at school this year. I lived in the present so much that the first 9 weeks of second semester flew by. I just need to figure out how to do that again.

Well... this post is pretty much boring for anyone who read it... there were no anecdotes or interesting stories... just little things about my thought processing for life.

I think I will go back to the beginning and put a disclaimer.

Oh the storm before the calm

2009-03-10T12:21:00.004-04:00

Wow,
I really am feeling the need to post right now. So I will even though I have a ton of other stuff to do.

First of all... updates on the week. Last night I had a meeting at church. These meetings are only supposed to last 2 hours, but we are lucky if we get by with 3. Last night was no exception. Husband started texting me at 8:30 and continued to demand that I come home till I walked in the door at 9:30. I ate and went to bed. Not so much an exciting evening.

Tonight are my first and second grade programs. As usual the children are pulling out all of the stops at the last moment. I really hope that I didn't overshoot the peak of their performance by one practice. That would be a REAL SHAME since this is kind of like my state assessment.

Speaking of state assessments... we started them today. The quiet signs will be up in the hall ways for the next month or so. My schedule will be overturned. The children will be rambunctious. Time for all of the movement lessons I can come up with.

So tonight is full. Tomorrow I have Choir which should go alright....

(time laps of two days)

So... I don't normally start posts and finish them two days later, but today I did... or rather two days I did. Anyway...

Choir did not go as alright as I had hoped. Some of the songs are just about ready, and some are, well, in need of some shock therapy. I need to say some shocking things to get these people moving. There was something else that happened after Choir that dampened my spirits. Just some "advice" about choosing music that I don't really know how to take. It seems that the music that I have been choosing is too difficult and artful. It makes them sound "classical."

Well, excuse me for raising the bar on musicianship.

Ahem... That's all.

Today is my first night off from everything. I think I am going to try to get my hair did. It is in need of a trim and some root attention.

Two more days and then we fly. The calm can finally come. This week is almost through. WAHOO!

KMEA and the madness that is life

2009-03-05T08:51:00.002-05:00

So.... I was at KMEA last weekend. It made my week short, but short weeks are always so fast, and I never get to write when I want to.

Then KMEA happened, and it was a wonderful time to gather new materials and re-charge my batteries. I danced. I sang. I watched teachers use smart boards like professionals. I even talked with a first year teacher who looked like she was about to pass out right there on scene. I remember that feeling. The feeling that if you are pushed one more inch that you will crumble like a dried up Gumby. I assured her that it will get better. SO much better.

Then this week came, and it is the last week of third quarter so I am grading like a mad fiend.

So much for posting more often.

My Dreams

2009-02-25T08:23:00.002-05:00

Well...

For the past few nights I have been having very vivid dreams... Dreams that are somewhat disturbing in different ways. Don't be alarmed by the darkness or the brightness of these dreams... I think it is just my mind reacting to the hustle and bustle that is my life as of now.

Last week, I had the dream that I was in one of my childhood friend's homes for a reunion of some sort. I had to use the bathroom... So I was directed down to the basement. That wasn't a big surprise since I spent most of my time with this friend in her room in the basement. But then I was told, "not that basement, the second basement." Yes I did climb down stars that led me to a basement under the basement which was a HUGE workshop of some sort. There were car jacks and wood working tools and the such. I looked and looked for the toilet... Couldn't find one. Finally I spotted a Urinal under the work bench. Are you serious??? You ask. Oh yes. I am going to end the dream there because it did not end well. Lets just say that the getting under the bench to actually try to use the urinal didn't go so well and that coupled with my friend's dad walking in on me getting ready to use the urinal...

I am so glad that it was a dream.

Ok ready for the next one?

So I am back in the burrow at schfirn's and I am studying or something on the futon in my living room. Suddenly I hear this creepy noise. I went back into my bedroom, and there on the windowsill that didn't exist in real life was a spider the size of ... well the body of the spider was about the size of a tennis ball and then add the legs. So I ran to the kitchen to get "the spray." now this spray actually exists in real life because I can't stand smashing spiders, but I will not live with them around so I have attack spider can o' spray. (aka bug be gone or something of that sort) So I go back and completely attack the huge creature. He then crawled behind the couch which was under the window. I heard him inching across the floor and when he emerged from underneath the couch, he had grown to the size of a human skull. He even had skull like markings. There was no choice for me. I stepped on him and he popped like a balloon full of goo. It must have been traumatic because the popping of grossness woke me up.

I am so glad it was a dream.

Ok... Last one....

I am in my old church in childhood town and I am aware that I have indeed been teaching for a year. Something has happened with my college requirements and I have to do another recital. This one is called a "Life Recital." My faithful piano player is there to help me. I am getting ready thinking... "Well, how hard can it be. I have already done it once. If they are going to make me do another recital, I will just use all of the music from the first one." I am getting ready to go into the sanctuary to perform and I see CA friends J and E there with new baby. (who isn't born yet in real life) I also see many other people from my lifetime. They are beckoning for me to come in. I don't even know what the program says is my first song. I found a program and the titles are something as follows.

"The old black pig."
"There's a hole in the bucket."
"Rooster Rooster Where Are You?"

These are not songs that I know (with the exception of hole in the bucket) but they are expecting me to teach the audience like I teach my little kids. Then in the next section there are all language songs by famous composers, but I don't know the words to the songs. The last section is English songs, but again they are songs the I may have heard once but have never done.
I peak into the sanctuary and the Guitar player accompanist sees me and starts to play the intro music. (Yah I had intro music from a beachy bumming looking guitar player accompanist) I freaked out and took off. The only thing that I could keep thinking was, "Now I won't be able to see my friends because I could never face them after that."

I am so glad it was a dream.

Dill

2009-02-24T11:34:00.001-05:00

Isn’t it wonderful what a morning that feels like spring can do for you? This morning truly felt like spring. It was fresh… there was dew… there were birds singing… the sun was shooting beautiful rays over the horizon behind the school building. Ahhhh….
It may also feel like spring because I have all of the fans in my classroom on full blast. I have clean linen air freshener swirling around, and my door is propped open. This may seem like a freshness blast, but let me assure you that it is necessary. You see I am getting ready to do a stomp/blue man group HUGE ordeal with my fifth graders, and I have had the lunch ladies at all of the schools collecting buckets for me. Well… the good news is that the buckets are great big pretty green buckets, and I am getting them for free. Bad news is that they are the buckets that the pickles come in. So… my classroom smells like pickles. A LOT. Thirteen five-gallon buckets of pickles a lot.
I keep telling myself that it is worth it. I don’t mind the smell… The kids aren’t so hot on it though. They keep asking me, “Mrs. Music, why does your room smell like salad?”

more up beat

2009-02-20T09:02:00.002-05:00

So...

My last post was a little depressing. But that is just how life was at that time. Things are a little better now. I actually had a good day yesterday, and I am hoping for the same today. I don't think that the students were any less crazy, I just think that God was giving me extra peace and patience.

Yesterday I got back after working out at the YMCA. I made an easy to throw together supper. We read magazines and watched Greys anatomy. Then we skyped with Justin and Elise. Yesterday was good.

We went to sleep last night and WHOOT today is Friday. What more could I ask for?

Well... I think that I am going to go be productive.

See Ya Later

Sap

2009-02-18T08:27:00.003-05:00

I love the analogy of "having one's strength sapped out of her." It is one of those phrases that I used to read in books and picture how it could happen. This year I am experiencing this first hand. I don't really want to talk about it, but all that I know is that I am going to need some prayer to make it through Tuesday, Thursday and every other Friday without having a nervous breakdown.

Yesterday after school I just sat... and stared... at the desert scene on my computer screen. And sat. And sat. A student came in to practice piano... All I did was sit. I didn't really talk to him or his brother and sister... They did their homework, and I sat.

So it is a Wednesday. I am swimming after school. I have choir practice after that. Long day, little strength. I am hoping that because this is a Wednesday I will have a little more peace of mind.

Here's a question for you. Can you approximate the age that you learned how to use a glue stick? When did you learn to put the glue on the smaller piece of paper that you were sticking to the bigger piece of paper, rather than all over the big piece of paper and then approximating the placement of the smaller piece?

I have third graders who don't know how to glue. I have flip books that don't flip because all of the pages are glued together. I have third graders after an entire unit on the brass instruments who can't tell the difference between the trumpet and the trombone. Slide kids... Slide.

Well... That's enough of my sad song. Sorry that this was not quite up beat. I just knew I needed to post so that the records of my life would not go by the way side.

Saturday

2009-02-16T08:41:00.002-05:00

So, This Saturday was Valentine's day. It was a nice day. We got up and worked out then came home and finally caught up on American Idol. After that we ate lunch and played some card games and finally wound up at the mall to watch a movie. This must have been the popular idea for V-day because I have never seen that place so crowded.

Last year we didn't get to spend V-day together because of conferences so it was nice to have the day. I got Husband our traditional DQ cake... delicious.

We are beginning to settle into a new tradition on Saturday that can be summarized in two words, "Car Talk."

No seriously... I am a fan. Those guys are so smart an so funny. I would highly recommend it.

That's it for Monday.

From Elvis to Williams

2009-02-04T12:29:00.002-05:00

Well,
I can tell it is spring semester. There is always so much more to do. I post less, and I pray for spring more.

January's musician of the month was Elvis, and February's is John Williams. The kids keep asking me which actor he was because I have a board of info up about him. I keep saying, he was not an actor he wrote the music for these movies.

I just spent 10 minutes doing research to convince a student that he never appeared in any of the jurassic park movies.

If I am wrong PLEASE let me know before I enter into this conversation with fifth grade boy who is so sure that he was in the first film...

That's all.

Not much to say

2009-01-21T17:02:00.002-05:00

Hi,
Don't have much to say...

It's January 21st... just about time for spring fever to set in. I am the kind of person who gets spring fever just after new years and am a crab about the weather until May.

I should move to a warmer climate. Somewhere with a beach... sand, water, 90 degrees, and a light breeze. Ahhhhh Perfect

Yes... 90, not 75 or 80 but 85-90. Some like it hot. I like it hot.

Not January. Not the middle of the middle of the US in January.

At least I don't live in Fairbanks Alaska.

The end.

Goals: To Do List

2009-01-13T09:20:00.002-05:00

I don't know why in January I have so much to do. I feel like I am working so hard at both of my jobs... and I get nothing on my to do list done. Well, I guess that I get things done, but I really want to completely get everything on the list done.

One thing on my to do list is to get back in shape, and I know that this will take a little while since I have been a slacker for about 3 cold outside months now. Husband and I started working out again last week, and we are going strong on our second week. My old ankle injury is flaring, so that is the pits but other than that I am doing alright. I had some extra inspiration yesterday. I got to see one of the ladies who started working out the same time I did at the Y in the fall of 2007 when Room Mate and I got memberships. Since then I promise you it looks like she is half of the person that she was. In a good way... not in a "her soul is melting away" way. I envy her ability to slim... I can not slim. My body won't do it. I can tone, but not slim. Sadness.

Anyway... she inspired me to tone again. Perhaps I can tone, choose next season's choral music, program and choriograph three school programs, finally get the Christmas laundry done, write another grant, finish my lesson plans, and not stress, perhaps the list is achievable.

Heaven only knows.

Crookshanks

2009-01-09T08:56:00.002-05:00

So...
This happened to me a long time ago, but I just remembered it so I thought I would tell the story.

The night of the 22nd of December I was in W. to see friends. We ate a lovely pre-Christmas dinner of Cornish Hens, which I helped skin and get ready to cook. It was quite the job, but it was fun. Anyway... I stayed in W till late and then drove back to my home town to sleep for an hour before driving back half way to W to get my Grandparents from the train.

Dad and I set down for a short winter's nap before we left... during which I kept listening to him stop breathing while sleeping. He needs to get that checked. Anyway... then we woke up and set off for the train station. We got there early and got doughnuts and tried to play the spoons game that LT taught me in college. Sadly enough the doughnut shop changed their caliber of spoon, so it did not work.

We got to the train station at about 3:00 AM. (yes, am) and waited. There was a great assortment of people waiting for the west bound train. One person in particular intrigued me. He was tall with a big build. He wore business clothes that looked some what old fashioned and a cap like Professor Doug and all old man golfers wear.

The train pulled in to load and the private cars boarded first. "Crookshanks... Mr. Crookshanks" the train man called out. And forward stepped the gentleman I had been observing. He silently smiled at the man who took his one bag and boarded the train.

If Hermione's cat came to life I wouldn't have expected him to look like this guy. But now, every time I hear or read about Crookshanks the cat, I will remember that man who got on the train station the night we picked up my grand parents.

BONUS!!! Holy this is funny... Just You Tube anything on Hermoine and you get all of these little teen made videos about her being in love with the actor who plays Harry Potter... SO FUNNY!!!

Posting for the sake of posting

2009-01-07T12:32:00.002-05:00

I hate to post for the sake of posting, and I didn't post at all over the holidays. I fully intended to post over the holidays, but instead I took the time to do the hobbies that I like to do that take a little extra time like, Crochet, Jewelery making, and Wrapping many gifts. I do have some stellar earrings and necklace on right now as proof of my vacation achievements.

My computer's connection is being wonky, so I won't write much... but I did do something cool on Sunday.

Husband and I went to W to a starving artist art show. It was an artist guild that was having a huge get rid of all of our practice paintings and the such sale. We needed art for our apartment and for Husband's new office so we bought art like God intended. (in bulk)

We got four paintings. Three for home and one for work. I like them a lot. I almost got taken out by a women with fake blond hair and a short temper when I looked at the painting that she had just set down. I thought... she set it down... she must not want it. Oh contrare mon frair (or however you spell that). She wanted her painting and she was willing to glare daggers at me to get it back.

I oopsed and then politely bowed out. I wanted to tell her to back off and go back to Kindergarten where kids learn that it's not ok to be rude.

All of the other people were pretty nice. I even saw a news paper man interviewing an eight year old boy about his art interests. He was super cute while talking about the perspective in paintings and his love for impressionists. (in not so many words)

All in all it was a successful venture into the world of art.

check this out

2008-12-18T13:54:00.001-05:00

http://thebigmamablog.com/index.php/2008/12/18/were-thinking-about-calling-in-the-csi-team/

Wonderful.

Snow

2008-12-16T11:37:00.002-05:00

It snowed last night. It snowed so much that I woke up at 4am this morning and thought that I had slept in because it was so bright outside. It was bright because the sky was a peachy pink color full of flakes ready to descend upon us. Then this morning I had to clean 4 inches of snow off my car with a broom. I was nervous because the car is new, and I didn't want the broom to scratch the car. I think I succeeded in keeping it scratch free.

The day is going... Not so well, but it is going. I am officially wanting today to be Friday. Yesterday it was ok that it was Monday, but this morning was as long as an entire week. Or Kindergarten was as long as an entire year. Holly cow those kids are NUTS. There is nothing worse than a defiant five year old that you can't touch to move them or even ask them to follow directions without having to use the mean teacher voice and count to five and glare. (I HATE IT)

I changed my colors of the blog for Christmas. I did it in like a minute and a half, so it isn't that great, but some people have such lovely blogs. I was jealous because I want to be able to write in code for pretty pictures and crud. Nope... Templates are the land that I live in.

I should take a web page class somewhere so that I can rock the blogesphere.

Anyway... I hope that your morning was better than mine has been.

HERE'S TO VACATION!

Secret Santa

2008-12-15T14:11:00.001-05:00

Secret Santa began at work today. There are 3 and 1/2 more work days till winter break. My students are learning a dance to the Russian dance of the Nutcracker. So far I have had 0 boys refuse to participate. I got my secret santa gift delivered without getting discovered. My santa gave me a 6 pack of jones cream soda!!! Ahhh I love that stuff. Way to go secret santa.

All of the rooms are freezing in our school. I am wearing my scarf all day long. I had to get gass this morning... It was 3 degrees outside and I was standing in the cold at 7:15 am then on my way to work I got cut off 3 times. Yah... Three times in about 2 miles. I hate going to work when high school kids are going to school. I want to go to work at 8:00 with the rest of the world.

The only up side to the gass getting ordeal this morning is that my magic dillon's card again delivered me 15 cents off. It does that at random no matter how much we have spent at dillons or not. It was pretty awesome. Way to go magic dillons card for your five times of giving me a non govermental bail out!

By the way... what do you think about the Christmas shopping industry. Do you think it will be down this year? I think that it will be better than "they say" it will be.

I forgot my glasses at home today so I am practically blind. I should probably refraine from staring at a computer screen. Yah... probably so.

Post

2008-12-12T12:23:00.002-05:00

A full week almost over... but wait. A full weekend yet to come.
Husband gets back from Vegas tonight. This is the longest we have been apart since... the summer of the Great Depression. (Aka... the summer that Chris couldn't find a job, we weren't married or engaged, and he didn't know if he would find anything near me. Not a fun summer)

I found it hard to fall asleep on Tuesday night, his first night gone, but since then I have been too tired at night to really care who is in my bed. (not a true statement... exaggeration.)

I have been wrapping like a fiend. I love it, and I will say it again. Wrapping brings me joy. I need to take a picture of the wraps under my tree. Then you would see my weird little tree at home.

Husband and I bought a temporary tree from Target for this stage in our lives. It is completely collapsible to about 18"x18"x2" Yes Flat and easy to pack at a moment's notice. Never mind that our ornaments take up the space of a LARGE Rubbermaid tub. This is our fate after the winter of the 90% discount rampage of Husband last year at hobby lobby. I award him... He spent $6 for who knows how much in ornaments. Whatever $6 is ten percent of, that is how much it would have been.

Anyway. The tree is made of a frame of lights with green sparkly garland wrapped around the lights to make the traditional Christmas tree cone. There are no individual branches, so the hooks for our ornaments are securely placed on the light chords. It is 6' tall, but it is only about 2' wide at the bottom. Skinny little thing bless it's heart. The only thing that is really comical about it is that the whole thing balances on a base that is similar to the $10 torch lamps that you can get at target or wal-mart. It hangs crooked. About 25 degrees crooked to be more precise. Our tree looks like it floats because the pole that supports it is almost touching the back wall of our hollow little tree.

Ah... only pictures could do it justice. I will try to acquire those. I am just so bad at remembering stuff like that. I need to super glue my camera to my hand this season so that I actually use it.

abruptly yours
Bye!

so much to write about

2008-12-10T14:28:00.002-05:00

I have so much to write about, but little to no motivation to write.

Husband is away on business so I have been by myself this week. I wanted to have lots of nights to myself to work on Christmas wrapping and relaxation. So far this has not been the case. So far I have had 0 nights to myself. Not all by choice...

Monday I was with Husband and then with mother and father. They were shopping. It was good to talk with them.

Tuesday I was at a painful meeting at church. So painful that I may or may not have sent some inappropriate text messages to husband far far away. Not that they were illicit text messages, just messages of the not so squeaky clean language kind.

Tonight I am going home to crash on the couch, then I will work with the choir to get their Christmas music spic and span. Then I will crash again. Just as I should have last night but instead I was at frustrating meeting.

Tomorrow is my only free evening. Thursdays are the best evenings to have nothing to do. I get to watch lovely shows such as The Office to my hearts content. I will also sip eggnog and wrap more Christmas presents. (I love wrapping. I might go buy more stuff just so that I can wrap it.

Friday I will go to the choir's Christmas Party (my 3rd Christmas party so far with many more to come.)

Saturday at 8:00 stinking early I will again practice for the choir concert.

Sunday we will give the concert.

Then the last week of school comes.

Sorry that this was more of an update, but right now all of the creativity is being sucked out the window with the wrapping of presents.

O Thou That Tellest

2008-12-08T14:25:00.003-05:00

Yesterday I sang the Messiah for the 7th time in my life. It was awesome. I was grateful to take one of the solos that I used to sing in college, and it felt so good to get to do it again.

I love singing that song. It is so fun to greet it like a friend I haven't seen in a while. As much as I like singing by myself, I love singing with a group of people so talented that they know how to make vowels all by themselves with no conductor telling them what to say every other word.

The best note in the entire Messiah is the soprano high A at the end of the Amens in Worthy is the Lamb. Once I sing that note, I know that Christmas time is here. It only lasts for one quarter note, but singing the entire thing is worth it for that one entrance!

I am getting all excited just thinking about it.

I also got to wear something that wasn't the choir black that I normally have to wear. Not that the choir dress is bad looking, but the individuality was nice. My skirt was black, my top was gold, and my jacket was black velvet. My hair was hot! I did it myself, and I can say... It was hot.

Here's me!

Ahhhh Random thoughts...

2008-12-05T11:40:00.004-05:00

It is Friday, and it is my good Friday group. I have all of my lessons done through Christmas, and now all I need to do is enter grades and start planning next semester. All of my school programs for 2008 are done, and life here at school is good.

It is really cold outside. I had to scrape my windows and it was the industrial frost that flakes in pretty designs but never truly comes off or melts till you get to work. My hands were frozen by the time I was done chipping away at the condensation. I am still cold.

I am beginning to grow amazed at my ability to remain calm in stressful and annoying situations, but this is only when Children are involved. I am great at keeping my cool with little kids who are just plane naughty. However when I have to deal with difficult adult situations, I freak out, stress out, worry, and become a not very pleasant person. Things at school are great...

Things at church... are weird. I just keep praying that God would soften people's hearts and that He would work to bring healing to broken relationships. I also pray that when things bottom out (which they may soon) that there will be Godly people willing to help build up what has been broken.

And now for something completely different. Somebody sent me this link and it is fun if you have kids, or know kids who like to create and such. Or if you want to send a cheesy e-card it works for that to. http://www.northpole.com/Village.html

The end.

I don wanna work

2008-12-03T13:13:00.002-05:00

I passed Mrs P. in the hallway today. She was saying...to her class...

"I am choosing to ignore your behavior in the hallway so that when we get back to the classroom I will be happy to see you."

Sometimes you just have to tell it to them straight.

I chewed out a fifth grade class this morning. It took all of the acting that I had in me. I wasn't mad, but I needed them to think I was. I just don't want to loose control like I did last year. I figure I had better scare them every once in a while just to be safe. They were angelic for the rest of class.

It takes a lot of practice but being a mean school marm can be beneficial.

It is too close to Christmas... Too close to the end of the year... Too close to the end of the beginning to work.

At the beginning of the end I will feel more like working, but for now I solder on brow furrowed shoulders set.

Survival of the fitist, so fit up for Christmas Shopping

2008-12-02T12:17:00.003-05:00

In this good holiday season, I find that I need to be more fit in my survival skills.
I have been practicing for multiple concerts, in which I will be both conducting and singing. I am also working on getting Christmas Shopping out of the way. I love Christmas shopping though. I like getting gifts for people in anticipation of them opening them. It is just fun...

Though dealing with the stores is a bit of a challenge. What is it about Christmas that makes shoppers more tense and pressured? I like making Christmas decisions about what to get. But as I pass other people with husband or child hanging on them, their brow furrowed, their lips tight, and their child whining, I know that they are not enjoying their Christmas shopping.

Anyway... Here are some survival skills that I have picked up.

Shop when others are not shopping. The only good time to go to Walmart is in the middle of the night. The crowd may be a little more sketchy then, but at least you can walk through the isles without bumping 17 old ladies and smashing the toes of at least 2 four year olds.

Shop the smaller towns and stores. From experience all that stuff that was door buster sale on Friday morning was still in stock on Sunday afternoon when we Christmas shopped in little town USA. Got the deals, got to sleep, did not get trampled or shot.

Keep all of the receipts together. Fortunately I shopped at a little swanky dress shop first and got this nifty little receipt envelop for what I bought. I have just been dumping receipts from all purchases back into that envelop. That way... When Father calls to tell us that he just purchased for sister what we had purchased for sister yesterday... We can take it back without much trouble.

Keep all of the gifts together. This saves on the... "Where did I put that one thing that I got last season that I wanted to give to so and so next Christmas?" situation. It also makes wrapping easier as you can judge your modes of wrap while looking at all of your gifts.

Buy wrapping paper that is GENERIC!!! I got some after Christmas last year that I have used for ... two weddings... a birthday... fathers day... and will use again for this Christmas. And always buy it after Christmas... And do not leave it in your trunk that leaks, because wet wrapping paper has no where to go but into the trash.

Dedicate one room in your house to the storage of gifts and wrap so that it does not take over the rest of your house.

Put wrapped presents under the Tree. It makes the room look like you took the time to decorate more... I just love killing two decorating birds with one stone.

And that is all that I can think of right now... I will let you know if I come up with any more great ideas. Or... You could post them as comments so that the 10 people who actually read this blog can get ideas as well.

Much love to you during your shopping days... Or your hide from the world days... whatever runs your motor.

No Baby Jesus

2008-11-25T11:28:00.001-05:00

Mr. W. just came to pick up his class. He said...
"Happy Holidays, Or Happy Thanksgiving... Can we say thanksgiving?"
"Yes," I replied. "Pilgrims, Indians, no Baby Jesus. We can say thanksgiving."
"Baby Jesus? Isn't he at Christmas?" - A student asked
"Yes." I replied as they all walked out the door.
"Is he true?" asked another student.
"I think so." I replied.

If that is the only time I talk with that student about Jesus, I will be sad. I can't speak my beliefs unless the student's ask. Well... He asked so I answered.

Thankful

2008-11-25T08:33:00.002-05:00

Each year I find I have more and more reasons to be thankful. This year is no exception.

I am thankful for my family.
I am thankful for my friends.
I am thankful for the new life in J and E's family.
I am thankful to see S. this week.
I am thankful for the health of my family and I.
I am thankful for my Husband and the first holiday season we are married.
I am thankful for my in law family and how they have accepted me as one of their own.
I am thankful that I don't have to plan a wedding in 2009.
I am thankful for the way Technology has been able to keep me connected with the people I care about.
I am thankful that gas is $1.66 so I can afford to go visit friends.
I am thankful for this new school year. It has been so much better than last year. I thought I liked my job last year, but I didn't like it half as much as I have liked it this year.
I am thankful for the chance to conduct a church choir and stretch my abilities.
I am thankful for Husband's job and for his boss and her understanding and desire to see him succeed.
I am thankful for friendships rekindled.
I am thankful for God's gift of Jesus which gives me the ability to truly be thankful.

There are so many reasons to be thankful.

Decorating

2008-11-24T14:37:00.004-05:00

I decorated my classroom for Christmas today. I was going to wait until tomorrow after school, but I am such an anxious kid I had to put it up over my lunch. I have a tree with actual ornaments this year instead of paper chains that I made myself. Instead I have the free ornaments that Dillon's sent over to the school after they couldn't get rid of anything else last year.

I am in the mood for holidays. I am so glad that thanksgiving is at the end of this week. I will have to post a thankful post soon.

Lets do it, If you have a blog then take time this week to write a blog about the things in life you are thankful for.

What do you call it

2008-11-21T13:54:00.002-05:00

Ok.
This morning I had a crazy dream of something I want to do someday. Someday I want to have a women's ensemble of 20 voices or so. No more than that no less than 12. I want them to be college aged women from all different departments. During our concerts we would sing a huge variety of music from many eras. Our focus would be that all of these women from different walks of life who have different aspirations and dreams can come together and make beautiful music with great abandonment. They would be a group who would seek refuge within each other, our music, and most importantly our faith.

Our main message our first year of performing would be to treat every person as a people person.

Last Sunday the new associate pastor at our church spoke about how a Polish social scientist came to America and did a study of how Americans treat people. She said that there are three types of people.

The people people are the people who we deal with every day who we have meaningful conversations with. These are the people who are our friends and family and those we work with who we care about.

The Machine People are the people who are laborers. They are the McDonald's workers, the Bank Tellers, and the Dillon's cashiers. These are the people with whom we have non meaningful interactions. We talk about the weather. We talk around them while looking right at them.

The scenery people are the people who we pass and pretend that they are not people at all. This is what happens when two people walk past each other on the sidewalk and neither party acknowledges the other's existence.

Jesus wanted us to treat each person as a people person. He wants us to see everyone we come in contact with as a real person with feelings, life, spirit, and depth. He does not want us to have machine people or landscape people in our lives.

This morning I was dreaming about how my singing group would have the mission of singing songs with themes that would demand Christians to see people as REAL PEOPLE.

Then I packed my bag and went out to scrape my car. There was a woman outside scraping her car with her kindergarten aged son. They scraped their car right along side me scraping. Neither of us acted like the other one was there. It was only while both of us were pulling out of the parking lot that I realized that I had just made her into scenery... as she had done the same to me.

I did it without thinking. I did it as a habit. I de-humanized this woman and her adorable son all the while dreaming of the days when I would lead groups against this very attitude.

Teaching tips

2008-11-20T09:41:00.002-05:00

Question: How do you get permanent marker off of your white board?
Answer: Write over it with dry erase marker and then wipe it off.

Question: How do you stop kids from tattling?
Answer: Stop everything and suggest to the class that we take a vote on who is the naughtiest child in the class. (They will immediately look at you with shock and horror and then you can move on quickly to your next point.)

Question: What do you say when a child shows you a 2 week old boo boo and tells you it hurts.
Answer A (to be used when the child is a whiner): Ask the child, "Are you going to live?" and move on.
Answer B (to be used when the child is a hypochondriac): Tell the child, "I don't know what it is, and I don't know what to tell you. I am sorry that it hurts. Don't touch it and it will stop hurting." (in their mind it usually stops)

Yesterday I was in second grade and we were in a time of sharing. The students were raising their hands and I was calling on them accordingly. One student had both of her hands in the air one a bit higher than the other. Her posture was slouched and she looked a bit like a stringed pupped whose body strings were looser than her arm strings. I asked her, "Is your hand raised?" "No," she replied, "I just feel like sitting this way."

Sometimes they just have to sit like a tree.

90's music in my head

2008-11-19T09:28:00.003-05:00

This morning I woke up with a random play list of 90's music in my head. It is pretty awesome since most music from the 90's reminds me of my little crushes, my rage against the machine, or an important event that took place in my life.

I may be a child of the 80's but I didn't start listening to the radio until the
90's and man it was good when I found it. I found it the same time that my sister found the radio. Her tastes were a bit different though. She started in with the little boy bands and then... rap music. My parents detested it. But that didn't matter because she had more rage against the machine than I did.

I awoke each morning to the same rap song bumping through the walls for years at a time. She would pick a track on her favorite cd, and would repeat that track all morning. Her morning ritual started around 6:00 or so and lasted till 7:35. She even ate in her room because it was her sanctuary away from the machine that was her youth.

Now we joke about how I can do the worst impression of JaRule in the world because of all that I heard while she was in Junior High and High School. We also joke about our different rages against the machine and how mine manifested in the Emo genera and how hers was vested in rap and hip hop. I learned how to nod my head in Emo affirmation and she learned how to bump and dance like Beyonce.

How different we became two sisters living right next door.

And so this morning as my head winds around savage garden, the goo goo dolls, and eventually spins to dash board confesional. I am reminded of...

Put it on me - JaRule
Where would I be without my baby
The thought Alone Might break me
And I dont wanna go crazy
But every thug needs a lady
Girl In this life, you and I been more than together,
Inseperable you chose pain over pleasure
For that you will ever be a part of me,
mind body and soul theres no I in we baby
When you cry who wipes your tears,
when you scared who's tellin you theres nothin to fear
girl I'll always be there, when you need a shoulder to lean on
never hesitate, knowin you can your soul mate
and vice versa and thats why I'll be the first to see J up and frost your wrists up
now ya owe me, I know you tired of bein lonely, so baby girl put it on me
Where would I be without you, I only think about you
I know your tired of bein lonely, so baby girl put it on me..
Where would I be without you, I only think about you,
I know your tired of bein lonely, so baby girl put it on me
ANd I appreciate the rocks and gifts that you copped me baby,
and the house on the hill when you dropped like 80
on the down payment thinkin damn aint life crazy
and ever since for my hunny I've been twice the lady
What would I do without the nights that you kept me warm
When this cold world had a girl caught in the storm
And I accept when u riff, when you caught in the wrong
And respect when you flip cuz our love is strong
ANd when you hit the block, I watch for 10 fold
and when my pops asleep you snuck in the back door
baby beau we been down since junior high
so when life get hot as july its the world against you and I
We ballin tied forever and ever
Heart from the heart knew that it would last forever
When you told me, you would never leave me lonely,
so baby boy put it on me
Where would I be without you,
I only think about you
I know your tired of bein lonely,
so baby girl put it on me
Repeat: where would I be without you
Since we met its been you and I,
a tear for a tear baby eye for an eye
and you know that my heart gonna cry
when you leave me, lonely
cuz you not just my love you my homie
who's gonna console me, My love
I'm out a control hold me, My love
cuz I'm yours, and I dont wanna do nothin to hurt my baby girl
if this was our world, it'd be all yours baby,
the thought alone might break me,
and i dont wanna go crazy,
cuz every thug needs a lady
feelin you baby cuz them eyes aint right, wash away the tears
baby no more cryin baby,
and you complete me, and I would die if you aint with me,
so baby girl put it on me
Where would I be without you
I only think about you
I know your tired of bein lonely,
so baby girl put it on me

Should I stay or should I go

2008-11-18T08:40:00.002-05:00

Should I stay or should I go...
Isn't that in a song somewhere? I think it is, but I can't place it and I don't have the energy right now to google it.

I probably shouldn't be posting, but hey... I am not on the clock yet so whatever!?!

What do you do when you want something, but you think that God wants something else for you? I know that I am supposed to do what God wants. I have known that for as long as I can remember. I just want to be able to do it with joy and with excitement. I could probably do it with peace... but joy, gladness and excitement??? I am not so sure I can get that far.

If you have been following... You may have surmised that husband and I are not always happy in this town. You may also know that we have friends in other places who are more than willing to help us get to them in a more permanent way than a visit. I honestly am at a place in my life when I would rather "get the heck out of Dodge," but you know... I think that God wants us here in Dodge. Stinking no culture no friends Dodge.

There are still things for us to do here, things that we need to learn and people who need us here. Yet, I want with all that's within me to move somewhere where I have a support system of friends to hang out with and to laugh with.

I was thinking the other day. Have you laughed as much as you did in college ever since then? In college I laughed my guts out at least once every other day. That is a lot of laughter if you think of it. I still laugh, but it is a ha here and a hee hee there and perhaps a he hum at a meeting where laughter is frowned upon. But I can't remember the last time I laughed my guts out.

For me... that is a huge deficit in my life.

So Lord, if you want me here in Dodge, stinking, no culture, no friends, dodge... then I need a good laugh now and again. I need a good laugh and a friend. A friend who is not husband because husband is a good husband and I don't need in that area. I need in the friend area.

I am not writing this to complain, but I am writing this because I think that there are lots of people all over who need to hear that they are not alone in their desire to be somewhere else. If we were all honest about it, then I believe that our lives away from our friends would feel a little closer. We wouldn't constantly be thinking... "If I could only make it a little longer then I can go somewhere else and be happy." We might have half a shot at being at peace with our situations.

Honestly, I can't move right now. I want to but I can't. God wants me here, and I am learning to be obedient and joyful right where I am.

Good weekend

2008-11-17T12:16:00.002-05:00

This weekend was wonderful... Probably because last week was so hard. I was so tired that by the time I got to the weekend, I didn't have much to say or much energy to do anything. Husband and I went to W. to hang out with friends. We ate out with friends from College on Friday night. The highlight of the conversation was probably when one friend from college offered to shellac my pants to my legs.

Yah...

The next day we slept in and then took the parents to Sam's club. Has anyone noticed how Sam's pulls out all of the bells and whistles around Christmas. There are always so many new appliances and gadgets available. There are also Christmas ornaments sold in bulk... BULK... So much bulk that you would need 30 Gallon bucket to hold the bulk of Christmas balls that Sam's has to offer.

It is a Sam's load.

In the evening we went to Brother's church fund raiser. We heard a family sing as our entertainment. They sang a song called "One Voice" that made me ball my eyes out because I miss my singing friend who is thousands of miles away from me right now. It was a tender moment... It was a difficult moment.

You can hear it here. It is Beautiful...
http://www.thewailinjennys.com/merchandise.aspx

Then we drove home... all the way home... we still can't find the warp button in our car. It really needs one.

Sunday went like Sundays do. My mom came up in the evening and we went shopping. we each got a turtle neck and a sweater. It was a good time.

It was a wonderful weekend to just relax and rest.

This is the sound of one voice
One spirit, one voice
The sound of one who makes a choice
This is the sound of one voice
This is the sound of one voice

This is the sound of voices two
The sound of me singin' with you
Helpin' each other to make it through
This is the sound of voices two
This is the sound of voices two

This is the sound of voices three
Singin' together in harmony
Surrendering to the mystery
This is the sound of voices three
This is the sound of voices three

This is the sound of all of us
Singin' with love and the will to trust
Leave the rest behind, it will turn to dust
This is the sound of all of us
This is the sound of all of us

This is the sound of one voice
One people, one voice
A song for every one of us
This is the sound of one voice
This is the sound of one voice

Exhaustion

2008-11-12T09:33:00.002-05:00

This morning I am exhausted. Yo Tengo Exhaustion.

The programs went well last night. The parents and grand parents were quite impressed. I only wanted to pinch a couple of kids heads off. They just can't stand still between songs. They must talk and tell each other to SHHHHH loudly shhhhh-ing is not a little thing.

Anyway....

Words of wisdom are going on, so I should probably get going.

bye

Programs

2008-11-11T12:26:00.007-05:00

The third and fourth grade programs are tonight. I dressed up for today to inspire the students to look nice.

I walked through the gym this morning and my fourth grade girls started gushing.

"Oh, you look so pretty."
"I love your high heels."
"Can I hug you? I want to hug a pretty girl."
"You are so pretty Mrs. Music."

So on and so forth. I told them that when you look good, you perform better. It is true. I know from experience.

The only problem is that when you look good... sometimes your feet hurt. I am switching between these shoes:

and

I am going to lunch in the crocs, we'll see what Principal says...

Talk to you after the judgement of parents and scrutiny of grandparents.

Eeeeeewwwwwwww

2008-11-07T13:30:00.003-05:00

I am not one to air my dirty laundry in public. I much prefer writing about happy happenings, goings on, and other such trifles. Today however, I am going to air my laundry in the hypothetical sense of course. (or maybe not, you be the judge)

Yesterday was a day fulled with wonder and excitement as well as terror and indignation.

I worked a normal school day which was preceded by a staff meeting. After work I went to Target because I was out of my favorite hair product. I also walked around target for a while and then smelled the Christmas display. Have you ever noticed that every store has a distinct smell to their Christmas display. Target is no exception. I found the Christmas tree that I want (Slim Cashmere Pine) to buy after Christmas when I can get it for cheep as free, and then I went to meet Husband at work.

We had a meeting after his work, to which we were late, which made us late for our next meeting. The evening was all summed up with a late drive home much past 9:00 (when Grandma music over here goes to sleep) to eat dinner. Yes, dinner. At past 9:00

I walked into the kitchen, flipped on the light and screamed at the top of my lungs. Husband who was in the bedroom had the thought, "that was not a spider scream," and came out to see what had happened. I beat him to the hall way.

"There is a dead mouse in the middle of the kitchen floor. I am calling Lenkie RIGHT NOW."

So as Husband went to dispose of the varmint. I called Land Lord L.L. (Literally, but Lenkie for short.)(He does not know that I call him Lenkie so don't tell him.) and informed him of the intruder. He was quick to explain the supposed problem,

"They are coming through the front door when people leave it open." he stated.
"Are you sure they are not living in the walls? Yesterday I heard something that I thought was the wind but it could have been scratching in the walls." I questioned.
"No, that couldn't happen."

Couldn't happen my butt!!! I found a hole in the wall between our kitchen cabinet and the wall that was a brilliant idea in the whole "lets cut the hole for the cabinets larger than it has to be so that we know they will fit" construction of our building. I would rate it right up there with the..."Lets put out some cute little street lights on the walk way that will not work that people will flatten, bash, and use as Frisbee goals on the weekends." line of thinking.

Anyway... after talking with Lenkie, Husband and I went and got 17,000 sticky traps at WM and set them out. We finally ate dinner, and then we tried to go to sleep. It was difficult to sleep when every other 5 minutes one of us would violently shudder to think that we are sharing our little abode with who knows how many little friends.

Whoever told that mouse to keel over dead in the middle of the kitchen floor so that we knew there were mice about was a genius.

We are not dirty people. Our food has not been tampered with. We have found no evidences of mice anywhere until the kitchen corps. Why the hecks do I have to deal with this right now?

I'll tell you why... because when it isn't a sprained ankle or the flue, something has to happen to make things exciting.

Halloween Parade

2008-10-31T12:26:00.002-04:00

This morning was our annual Halloween parade. Thank the Lord that it is a beautiful day this year. Last year it was unbearably cold. It was just the right temperature for a festive morning.

I paraded with Mr. W's class this year. I went to their room in the morning and the kids were running around excitedly checking out each other's costumes. A student named Gonzalo came up to me and he was wearing a black suit, black cape, and carried a black top hat and cane. He said, "Mrs. Music, You have something behind your ear." He reached a hand behind my ear and pulled out a mini snickers bar. "Here you go," he said handing me the candy. "That is awesome Gonzalo!" I said. "Of course it is... I am the great Gonzalo." he answered.

Of Course.... Why didn't I think of that.

Cold Season

2008-10-28T09:19:00.001-04:00

I had a cold two weeks ago. I stayed home from work one day and I felt much better. I got over the whole thing in just a couple of days. SUCCESS.

I have a cold again this week. I feel a bit worse than last time. I keep telling myself that I am much better off than last year, but I still feel like my immune system has been defeated.

Two down. (Last year it was four colds, the flue, and strep.) We will see how many to go.

Out West

2008-10-27T14:25:00.003-04:00

This weekend Husband and I went out west to see our friend in a midnight murder mystery. We left home at about 4:30 and got to our destination at around 8:00. We stopped at Starbucks and got some cafination before running around town a little bit. The show that Em was in was called And Then There Were None. It is based on the Agatha Christie novel Ten little Indians or also called And Then There Were None. I read it in high school just for fun, and I remembered the book being a lot different.

Em did an excellent job. She played the character Stella which lead to many reenactments of Street Car Named Desire during her rehearsals. The only beef that I had with the show was that the theatre was in the middle of being renovated so there was no heat. I didn't take off my coat and I shivered through the entire show. Not the best climate for theatre, but it was fun.

I have a reoccurring nightmare that I am back in college and it is opening night for one of Judy's shows. I am actor in an ensemble cast that is pretty equally important. The problem is that I have never seen the script before. I don't know any lines at all. So I fake it through the entire show.

It is terrible. I always wake up sweating and panicking. Here's the deal though... There was a character in the show who was living my nightmare. He played Douglas. He didn't know his lines and pretty much um-ed them through the whole show. I was impressed with the promptness and know how of the other players as they coaxed him through the performance. So here's to Doug, and I hope you take time to learn your lines for next weekend's performances! It will make your cast happier!

Here's to Em!!! What a wonderful performance.

Change the Channel

2008-10-24T08:51:00.002-04:00

When Jill and I moved to this town, we found out that it is nearly impossible to get any channels on the television without getting cable. So... we lived for a while without TV and it was alright, and then Jill got Cable because she needed it for football season. The Cable left when Jill left, and Husband and I have been without it for a while.

We got a digital antenna because that was supposed to fix the entire thing. Our converter box and antenna were going to be the monthly fee free solution to the problem. We found out that not even digital channels are broad casted at a high enough power level to reach this little middle of everywhere place.

We had Fox, NBC, and Occasionally (about once a week, after 6 P.M., when the atmospheric conditions were just right) we had channel 12... barely.

So I got used to changing the channel. That's it... one channel to change... then back to the first one... option a, option b, a, b, a, b... so on and so fourth.

Then the reception on Fox and NBC got dodgy... Chris got frustrated and made an antenna hammock out of my crochet yarn to hang in our large window in our living room in hopes that it would help... It didn't.

Long story short, we got cable. It is the most basic of basic packages. We get the first 6 months free and then after that we only pay $12.95 a month. It was hard to convince the cable guy that we didn't want to upgrade for 14.95 a month... we just wanted basic cable.

Last night I changed the Channels! It was pretty awesome... lots of political stuff, some home shopping network, and The Office of course.

Now I will be privileged to watch every Jerry Bruckheimer episode that CBS has to offer.

God cares about Wyan

2008-10-23T11:37:00.003-04:00

This week is going faster than last week did. That is surprising because last week I only worked two real days. That just goes to show how 2 days of really hard classes can make up for 4 days of good classes.

I had one of a few successful kindergarten classes today. The am kindergarten is having a difficult time getting settled because of a new little guy in their class.

He is from a split home. He just moved in with dad. Mom wants him back. Dad is not a good parent, but he wants to be with dad. Little brother is much more of a nightmare than this little guy. He is getting along well with his teacher as long as she is doing what he wants to do. There is not much structure in his life. Today he was forced to come to my class, and he stood gripping the handle to the door for most of class. He had moved 3 feet into the room throughout the 20 minutes he was with me inches each minute. He is a good little kid... his life is hard.

God cares about wyan (little guy can't say his R's).

His eye is on the sparrow and I know he watches me.

This Town Hates Us

2008-10-22T14:31:00.002-04:00

So...
This weekend we were invited to the young marrieds group pumpkin patch outing at our church. The young marrieds group is pretty active, and husband and I have been wanting to attend. We have not made it to anything on Sunday mornings because of Choir and other church commitments.

Anyway,
We were supposed to all meat at church at 6:45 to carpool to the pumpkin patch. Husband and I pulled in at 6:46. No one was there... Well I shouldn't say no one. Pastor M. was there. He sheepishly explained to us that we were the only ones who had showed up. He also told us that he couldn't understand why they didn't have a bigger crowd. Last time they all got together there were 36 people who attended.

I assured him it was because We had decided to come. All of our efforts for socialization have now been flushed. We are externally inflicted hermits.

Not My Style!

From weekend to weekend

2008-10-17T09:14:00.002-04:00

This week was bazaar. On Monday and Tuesday I had in-service. We learned more about Ruby Payne and her theories on Poverty. It is helpful information, but after a while it seems to repeat itself.

On Wednesday, I stayed home from work with aches and serious congestion. I felt like some one was pounding on my nasal passages with a large bass drum mallet. (the fuzzy kind that is hard as a rock inside)

Then I was back to work yesterday and had a pretty good day. For the most part the children were well behaved and enthusiastic. I still have some students who come to class testing me. One month I need to completely not allow anything at all to happen. After their warning I just need to clamp down and make them miserable for the rest of music. I think that is the only way to get through to a couple of these kids. They must have no structure at home. Either that or they are just that ornery.

I am looking into Friday thinking... I just want to pass out and not get back up. That is not a practical option because when I do that on the weekends I wind up board and grumpy. So... we may go to the rival high school game tonight. That's what happens when you live in a town with two high schools. They become serious rivals. Our school is dressed out for south spirit because someday our kids will feed into the southern most high school here. We are having the cheerleaders come for a pep assembly and everything. SUCH an exciting day. And I get to skip out on my Crazy last class of the day. (first graders at the end of the day... not my idea)

Well, the bell has called me into action. Off I go to conquer the world. Or at least the morning...

In celebration of the lower gas prices...

2008-10-10T14:25:00.002-04:00

Thump thump thump thump
Thump thump thump thump
Dun da dun dun dun dunnnnn dunnnnn
Dun da dun dun dun dun da da dunnnnn
Chick chick chick chick
chick chick chick chick
chick chick chick chick
chick chick chick chick Waaaaahhhh
I'm goin to Wichita...
Far from this opera forever more!
I'm gonna work the straw
Let the sweat drip out of every pore...

but seriously I am going to Wichita. So if you read this some time today, Friday, the 10th, and you are in Wichita, I might just see you.

Got Coffee? Saturday night. Be there or be square.

it's where all the attractive people go.

P.S. did you watch The Office last night? Did you or did you not think to yourself....

"I steal from my job all the time, (like right now)"
or perhaps.... "How can Angela do that? She has such double standards." ...
and finally..."I never want a steak ever again."

Family Reunion

2008-10-07T12:20:00.002-04:00

Going to family reunions has never been a part of my life before. I think in my entire life I may have been to two on my mom's side and two on my dad's side. Once every ten years or so, and that's about it.

Sunday I got to go to my first In-law family reunion. It all started with Great Aunt Ruth's 90'th birthday party. It was held at the activity center at the old folks home in her home town. It was quite the display of fresh flowers, four different kinds of cake (white, lemon, chocolate and strawberry), mints, nuts and the other kind on nuts.

Since I happen to be from the small town that Aunt Ruth is from, I knew more of my husband's family than he did. However I did not acknowledge the fact that I did know them.

It was interesting at the party that all of the people looked like the cake, there were four distinct different kinds of people. People directly in Ruth's family, the outer circle of Ruth's family (which was the largest group), the I married into Ruth's family (there's me!!!), and the friends of Ruth and her family.

After the Birthday bash we ran around town and then made our way over to "the church" for the big reunion. (Which was pretty much the same people who were at the birthday party minus the friends of Ruth's family flavor)

Again, I knew more people than my husband. Husband, brother in law, and I were trying to think of clever things to write on our name tags instead of the traditional... "son of so and so." "Married to what's her face." statements that we were seeing.

Here are some of our best

Hello my name is Clinton "I am here for the food."
Hello my name Jen "I married in."
Hello my name is Husband "Antisocial"
Hello my name is Clinton "Mute"
Hello my name is Husband "No questions please."
Hello my name is Jen "I may say I remember you, but that is a lie."

Husband and I got to leave after about an hour and go hang out at my family's. Chris crashed, my sister and I talked. We ate wonderful food and that's about it.

My Sunday and my first in law family reunion.

Ahhh the memories.

check this out

2008-09-24T13:38:00.000-04:00

http://antiquemommy.com/2008/09/23/horns/

Bread Machine

2008-09-24T13:23:00.002-04:00

We got a bread machine for our wedding. We didn't do anything with it until last Sunday late afternoon. We were sitting around and decided that we wanted pizza. Problem: We ran out of food money for the month so we were out of luck. Suddenly we realized we had all of the ingredients to make pizza if we used the bread machine.

About 4 hours later after figuring it out, getting it ready, and combining ingredients we had pizza. It was GOOD.

Then we baked bread. Whole Wheat bread that takes a while to chew because it is so nutritious, but it tastes so good.

Last night we wanted burgers but we didn't have buns and remember no more food money so I used a french bread recipe, only set the machine on Dough then pulled it when it was ready and made my own buns. (Run on sentence that I am too lazy to edit) They were WAY better than store bought buns.

All of this to say... Getting married has not only benefited me in the usually expected ways but others as well Like...

The budget
The bread machine
The knowledge of baking
The creativity to put it all together.

Kindergarten Smile

2008-09-18T09:14:00.002-04:00

I can not tell a lie. I was not excited to get another group of kindergartners through first semester this year. They are much easier to work with once they are used to me, used to the rules, and used to school.

Yesterday, I rescued a kindergartner before afternoon kindergarten started. She was walking through the hall way and looked quite lost.

"Mahala, are you lost?"
"Um... Yes I think I am lost."
"Well you just follow me."

I took her to her class, to which she was about 10 minutes early and luckily her teacher was free. Later I passed Mahala and her teacher walking from the front door to the kindergarten room so that "next time you won't get lost."

Two days ago I was in class with kindergartners and we were talking about Gustav Holst and how he wrote The Planets. This spurred a conversation about astronauts and who wanted to be an astronaut someday. This spurred a conversation about what do you want to be when you grow up.

"I wanna be a cowboy."
"I wanna be a fire man."
"I wanna be a chef! So does my brother!"

Then from the front of the crowd a little red headed girl with the HUGEST eyes you have ever seen raised her puppy paw sized hand and said.

"Mrs. Music... I want to be... I want... I... I want to be a... a... a Snow Cone when I grow up."

Well Addi, That is a high aspiration." I said with a smile and vote of confidence.

She smiled back and said, "Yes it is."

What do I want to be when I grow up?

2008-09-15T14:40:00.003-04:00

I still don't know what I want to be when I grow up, but here are a list of possibilities:

1 Family Counselor
2 School Counselor
3 Teach Orff full time
4 Mom
5 Choir director (high school or college)
6 School Principal or vice principal
7 College president's wife

All of these things are true possibilities. None of them borderline on "not gonna happen." I have that list and it is longer than I am tall.

I don't know when the things on that list hit a "Not gonna happen" category. It is kind of interesting that I have that category as a optimistic dreamer. I guess that reality sets in as a person gets older.

Curse reality.

Don't mind me

2008-09-10T20:16:00.002-04:00

Don't mind me as I sit here and sigh whilst I suck on my zinc throat lozenge.

Don't mind me as I sit here through hours and hours of parent teacher conferences and dream of getting this huge to do list done.

Don't mind me as my brain gets fat and lazy from a four day weekend without students and will be shocked into reality when Monday hits with a five day work week.

Don't mind me as my allergies cause my entire brain to drain down my nasal passage into my throat.

Don't mind me grumpy because of chocolate deprivation due to a valiant effort to "not be a fat butt."

Don't mind me while I watch the time that I should be directing choir tick by as I sit at my desk and think of ways to yet again be unassuming.

Self Help Town

2008-09-09T20:40:00.003-04:00

So,
Husband and I have lately felt as if the town that we live in holds nothing for us but three wonderful jobs which we enjoy emmensely. The problem is that we don't know anyone and therefore have nothing to do after work but put around the house.

This puttering has inspired us to examine our lives and how we are spending our free time. We have come up with some self improvement ideas.

First of all we are embarking on team "do not become a fat butt." This team consists of Husband and I eating right and trying to exercise 5 times a week. So far we are three of three nights a week. Pretty good eh? We are also giving up pop. Yes no more soda for me. This will be a challenge since the beginning of the school year is causing me to suck down Pepsi and DrPepper like it is the lifeblood of my soul.

Our second self improvement step is to learn Spanish. I took three years of spanish in High School and loved it. Senoria Gassie was una bien profesora. What we really want to get is the Rosetta Stone, but it costs a little less than rent for one month. So... We are not sure when or if we are going to get it. Right now we are using a program from the public library. The first conversation the Husband learned in spanish was this.
"Perdon Senorita, intiende engles?"
"No Senor, no intiende. habla espanol?"
"Hablo espanol un poco."
"Es usted norte americano?"
"Si"

It was enthralling. Simply enthralling.

In other news... What else do I want to do with my life? It is the constent debate.

Rambo Shop

2008-08-29T13:48:00.004-04:00

I admit it. I used to Rambo Shop.

Do not confuse this with Commando shop. Trying on clothes with no underpants is just NASTY!

Ewww.

But I did Rambo shop. Especially when I was with my mother and sister. We would set off at some AM time and travel a half hour to an hour away because everybody knows that it is hard to find clothes in Mac town. Anyway... we would set off on a LIS/SIS operation. (long inseam/short inseam) Pants were the goal and we were going to do anything that it took to get them.

Upon arrival we would relieve ourselves of the soda that we had consumed in transit. That my friends is the last time we would see a bathroom for the next 8-10 hours.

The next 3 hours would be spent following my little sister around trying on sizes that I couldn't get my left calf into.

All by itself.

Alone.

Then she would find sweet success in a store for tiny people with short legs, and the search for the 36" inseam pants would begin. After several strike outs I would wind up with something akin to capri's and resign myself to what would would become the 6 1/2 year search for khaki pants. (Seriously... from my junior year of high school to my first year of teaching I searched for khaki pants. Gap On Line $19.99 my saving grace.)

After the Three to Four hour search for long pants my mother would walk into Christopher and Banks, and at this point my sister and I would set up a fox whole in the dressing room next door to hers and would randomly comment on the nasty leftover fast food we found under the bench in the dressing room. Food that could only be seen when laying on the bench with legs up in the air resting on the wall.

I will have you know that my legs were up in the air in order to drain the blood that had collected in my swollen feet back to my head.

27 tops and 15 pants try ons later one of us declares mission accomplished, and we all decide that our throbbing heads must mean that our blood sugar levels have hit rock bottom along with our spirits. We would then head to a restaurant where we would go straight to the bathroom and then to our booth. Food would then be consumed in glorious quantities and we would travel home exhausted and victorious.

Victorious we would show dad our purchases in all of their glory and he would say his usual "Well, that's neat." and "I like that's" or my sister's personal favorite, "That's interesting... are you going to wear something over/under that?"

Rambo women we certainly were. Refusing to support our physical well being all in the Blessed name of Shopping.

Oooooo I'm mad

2008-08-27T16:31:00.002-04:00

So,
Last year I wrote a grant for $2,500 and I actually got it. I have been anxiously awaiting my instruments arrival. I have also been calling and e-mailing the company to see why I don't have them yet.

They haven't contacted me to let me know why I don't have them.

I found out today it is because they lost the purchase order, and now I have to wrangle the SEF to send another purchase order.

I swear never to order from this company again. Grrrrrr. If I buy from them it will be in person. IN PERSON!!!

THE END

No words

2008-08-25T16:37:00.002-04:00

Ok,
You know when you meet a kid and at first you think, Hm... cute kid but a little dense. Then after a while you think, Hm.... this kid is still cute but a few fries short of a happy meal. Then after an entire year of interaction something happens that seals the deal. This kid is cute... but seriously... Nothing capital N is happening upstairs. Nada.

Zip.

Ok, Mrs. Music is teaching first grade. We are watching a clip of Louis Armstrong because he is our composer of August. Anyway this little guy leans over and whispers,

"Teacher, (because he can't remember my name, not even my unmarried name)Why do you like music?"

"I Don't know, (I reply) But I love it. I really do love music."

"Oh," (he says his eyes lighting as if he has grasped a new level of knowledge)
"That is why they call you the music teacher~!"

Wow.

After a year and a month of me teaching him music he figures out that they call me the music teacher because I like music.

Wow.

Don't you hate it

2008-08-20T13:42:00.001-04:00

Don't you hate it when you get a good idea for a blog, and then your life gets so busy that you can't remember your good idea a all?

Me Too.

Not only is it a good idea, but it also has an awesome catchy title which is sure to make all Internets who are not regular readers stop and glance after hitting the random "next blog" button.

Really stinks.

Just like my classroom.

"Like School Corn."

As in "Mrs. Music, Why does your classroom smell like school corn?"

Indeed, I do not know.

School Daze

2008-08-13T13:46:00.004-04:00

You know that old song "School Days?"

Well, I don't either.

But I do know that I wouldn't have named it "School Days" I would have named it "School Daze." Because it does seem like the beginning of school is a daze.

I am using my shorter than short lunch break to type this (10 minutes to scarf down food, and 10 minutes to communicate with the 10 Internets out there who read this blog.)

So far I have had an excellent fifth grade beginning.
A par for the course second grade start.
A troubling third grade kick off.
And in kindergarten town little Susie Sunshine announced that,

"This is boring"

I wanted to say, "Duh, of course it is boring. We are learning how to make a circle because average child IQ has dropped an approximately 50 percent and you my dear are the only student in class whose parents both played with her which put you in the top 90 percent in class and did not teach her common manners."

Instead I said, "Why little Susie Sunshine, that is not a very kind thing to say, and we will move on to more fun things in just a moment." (in the happiest fake voice you ever did hear."

All in all not a bad day, especially since this year the kindergartners actually made a circle on their second try!

Astounding

My second post of firsts

2008-07-22T16:23:00.002-04:00

So, Disregarding my last post this is my first post as a married woman. I probably should have written this one first, but it was easier to write the last one because it was light and required little thought to organize and publish. I am not so much into thought and organization right now. This is reflected in the bedroom across the hall from me right now. Disgusting.

There are some things about marriage that have surprised me

For instance. When I set the alarm at night, it is not for me, since I am not working right now. Nope it is for Husband who is working and doing a wonderful job of it. So when I panic about weather the alarm will go off or not, it is not for me but for him. But here's the deal. I thought, before the wedding,"Whew... we will both set an alarm so therefore if one of us messes up the setting at least the other's will go off and therefore save me the worrying of the malfunction of an alarm clock.

I was wrong.

Also, planning meals is a little different as well. When he says... "I think I want _____ ______ with _____ for supper." I jump on it because seriously, I don't like deciding what we are going to eat. I am less picky than he is and therefore I agree with pretty much any eating choice. He however is more likely to say, "let's not have ____ tonight lets have _____ instead." Which is how I found out that if one marinades fish one day thinking that one will eat it that evening, and the eating of the fish is put off for two more days, the fish will definitely be OVER MARINADED.

Lemon Pepper.... That is all I have to say.

But, for the most part Marriage so far has been delightful free of the past stresses of our relationship.

Such as,

"Should I bring the food to your house?"

"Should you bring food?"

"Shouldn't we go out cause it is easier than lugging around groceries?"

"Should we kiss that long?"

"Was that too long."

"Is there a too long?"

"Am I a Loose Woman?" (no kidding)

The ever popular high school question that should never be subjected onto adults of "How far is too far?" "What about farther?" "NO FARTHER THAN....!!!" "BAH"

"Did you remember to bring the game/movie/invitation/miscellaneous stuff that we need over here tonight or do we have to go back to your house to get it?"

"It is stupid for us to make two rental payments, and two utilities payments, and two everything else payments. At least we can combine our phone plan and sill live a blameless life before God and Man."

So you see, there are definitely wonderful reasons to get married. Some of the more positive ones are:

Saying goodnight in bed instead of outside in the dark standing barefoot on the unforgiving ground.

Talking about forever without worrying about making boyfriend nervous.

Getting to go to the Young Married's Sunday School Class rather than the No Man's Land Sunday school class that every church from here to Galilee tries to pass off as a "Single's Group."

And that list doesn't even mention the unmentionable. That's good too

I am going to postlude to any of you who stumble across this entry and are discouraged by wanting a marriage but not having one. Do not despair, God's timing is wonderful and he has amazing plans for your life just as he has for mine. Who can fathom the wisdom that God has, or the reasons for the incidents in our lives. No one can. So therefore be encouraged because the unfathomable is yours to live out day by day.

first post of firsts

2008-07-15T14:24:00.002-04:00

This is my first post on my new school laptop. It is a wonderful thing to graduate from a PC from the early 2000's to a lap top that I can take with me where ever I wish it to go. I went to pick it up this morning, and I had to go through this excellent training.

It began with : How to dock a lap top at a docking station.

NO do not open the lap top. The monitor now works as your computer monitor just like normal.
A monitor is the screen thingy in front of you.

Now turn on the lap top. Ahem... This is the power button. No not that power button, the one on the docking station. Yes there is a power button on the actual lap top, but for the purposes of today we will not be using it. YES you can use the other power button at home.

This is the new Improved (gay) version of microsoft office. Have fun finding spell check. Then after a week of practicing finding spell check you can begin the terrible journey of finding PRINT!!!

Anyway... It was kind of like the blind leading the blinder and some sighted persons like myself through the valley of the shadow of death.

I will admitt that when I tried to open the package that had my power chord in it, I launched the chord across the room with the force of Dwight's potatoe gun. I didn't feel quite so bad though because the woman who was leading the training launched the laptop, that she was carying around the room as a visual aid, onto the floor with a terrible crash.

You didn't see that, She said.

Oh yes... We did Miss curriculum tech from so and so elementary.

I just felt bad for the guy next to me who was a computer programing teacher. I can imagine that he felt that the introduction to the start menue was quite benieth him.

Although the "do not undock your lap top untill the light turns green" statement probably became his sustinance for life in that dry and barren technical desert.

Play day... wow. Jump Jump Jump!

2008-05-20T10:00:00.003-04:00

It is the last day of school. I have to go teach my morning classes. I am excited and in a weird mood all at the same time. It doesn't feel like it should be the end, but then again it is just the beginning of another end. So anyway.

I wish that I could have had more time to write over the past couple of days. We had play day yesterday. I was the leader of team six. The kids did amazingly well. My group had little to no problems and my fifth grade leaders were AWESOME. We decided that team six jumps. When people asked us why we jump, we just said, "we don't know, we just jump." Kids love a gimmick. We did jumping celebrations throughout the day.

I was also glad that I took the time and the money to make bandanna ties for each of the kids in team six. The group was split into teams of four and these teams were categorized by color. I had 24 little Rambo head bandanna head clad youths following me around all day. It was truly something to jump about.

I am not having a jumping celebration for the farmers tan that I got yesterday. No body told me that it was going to be 91 degrees and all sunny. Not that I didn't enjoy my favorite kind of weather, I just wish that I would have sun screened my face and arms. Hey, it could be worse; I could be burnt.

school year's end.

2008-05-14T11:57:00.002-04:00

What do I do at the school year's end?

I need to clean up, clean out, and take down. I need to clear out, and make room. I need to...

I need the people from Mission Organization to come to my classroom and make it PRETTY!!!

I need help.

I need to get to work.

NOW

Summer 2008 to do list: This list is in process, even though summer is not

2008-05-13T08:32:00.002-04:00

I am not working this Summer for the first summer in about 9 years. Instead I am going to:

1. Clean out my apartment room by room, inch by inch
2. Clean out my room at my parents house
3. Learn how to make cinnamon rolls

4. Finish wedding details:
4a. Figure out wedding gifts
4b. Reception food
4c. Reception paper goods
4d. Reception decorations/wedding decorations
4e. Find a huge GINORMOUS fern
4f. Choose Scripture/music/readings
4g. Prepare a centerpiece to see if it works
4h. Finalize Photos/Dress/Flowers
4i. Get shoes
4j. Get musicians their music
4k. Move Room mates stuff out
4l. Move Christopher's stuff in
4m. After wedding move Christopher in

5. Get Married
6. Honeymoon
7. Print/Send 6 hundred million thank you cards
8. Buy back my soul from the united states postal service

9. Learn how to be a wife
10. Learn how to cook more German food
11. Make a quilt from the wedding fabrics

12. Plan/choreograph programs for the 2008/2009 school year
13. Go to balavisicx work shop
14. Go to Orff work shop
15. Go to tech work shop
16. Get my room ready for 2008/2009 school year

Indicatory

2008-05-12T08:53:00.002-04:00

If the way that I feel this morning is an indication of how the children are feeling, I am done for.

I had a most wonderful weekend. Christopher's birthday was Friday and we went to the River fest and then saw Colby Collette at an outdoor concert. She is good by the way. I have only heard a couple of her songs on the radio and such, but she has a good repertoire, and she is not bad live which is a problem for some performers. Not bad means good in this case.

Then we watched brother of Christopher play tennis at state on Saturday. He metaled, and we are Very proud of him. I never knew how fun and intense Tennis could be. I truly enjoyed myself.

Saturday the rest of the day we spent with the fam, as well as Sunday. All of the extended family came over on Sunday for a salad lunch. I had some good coleslaw that I will have to post the recipe for. I also made a hot water cake that was GOOD.

Then Sunday night we went to the burro to watch my dad play bass in the oratorio. He did wonderful... Applause for Dad!!! And we celebrated birthday of Crustin and Justifer and Mothers day afterward. All of the families in one place... now there's a loud room of people.

Then home again home again to a wonderful bed at a little later than I wanted it to be.

Amy is right... Traveling every weekend is not easy, but it is almost always fun.

Live for the week as well as the weekend! (that is my new mantra)

divine revelation of a kindergartner

2008-05-08T14:43:00.002-04:00

"The only things that should go in your mouth is food and your tooth brush." ~ Brock

"And also drink, you need drink." ~ Mi'chael

How true that is, how true that is.

TOOOOSDAY!

2008-05-06T13:32:00.002-04:00

Yah,
That's it.

TOOOSDAY

Don't want to be at work.

Really want to go for a walk right now.

Specials teachers need recess just like the kids do.

~THE END~

Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures

2008-05-01T12:16:00.003-04:00

Well ladies and germs, There are officially fifteen days left in our school year. These are desperate times my friends.

Desperate times due to the fact that both our principal and our assistant principal are out of the building today. Do you understand what that means???

The inability to send children to the office.

Gasp!

It is true, we are not allowed to give office referals because our principals are gone, and the secretary just doesn't think it is in her job description to RIP kids. Even though both you and I know that she could rip anybody's kid any day of the week.

The biggest part of this deal is that, Shhhhh we don't want the kids to know that they are gone.

So in a desperate effort to fool the students, our secretaries have set up a Tina dummy.

Behold the Tina Dummy

It is a suit of clothing stuffed in proportion to our fearless leader. It is topped with a proportional balloon with a wig on top of it. The face of the balloon has been artistically improoved to look pretty much JUST LIKE TINA. Tina dummy sat at her desk for half of the day yesterday.

I thought that our office staff had stuff to do... I guess not.

Slip of the tongue past the tip of the teeth

2008-04-29T14:43:00.002-04:00

What a to do

What a to do to die today
At a minute or two til two.
A thing distinctly hard to say,
But harder still to do.
For there'l beat a tat, too,
At a quarter til two,
A rat-a-tat, tat-a-tat. tat-a-tat, too.
And the dragon will come
When he hears the drum,
At a minute or two til two today,
At a minute or two til two.

A fifth grade reader's theatre warm up exercise.

Don't you feel like sometimes your life is a tongue twister. Today I have encountered two slips of the tongue past the tip of the teeth.

I have a poster on my wall with the Peanuts characters walking on the top of the globe and the poster says "Everyone smiles in the same language!" A kindergartener walked past it and said,

"Everyone Smells in their own Language."

How true that is.

I was teaching third grade today and I was talking about the song Harlem Airshaft of Duke Ellington's. The song is about an Airshaft in New York City. I said...

"Harlem Airshaft is about the noise that you can hear in an Air shaft in New York Sh**y"

Oh yes, I accidental swore at a class of third graders. They totally heard me do it too. They said,

"Did she just say S***y?"
"What did she say??"
"Giggle giggle giggle (unintelligible third grade girl speech) giggle giggle"

I explained my slip of the tongue with the city and shaft getting combined...

And yah, I think that they might forget it before they go home and swear to their parents. At least I hope they do.

Wii nerd?

2008-04-28T08:59:00.002-04:00

Well,
Yesterday Mario Cart for Wii came out. We bought it. Oh yes, Wii did.

We made ourselves do all of our wedding homework, and then, we partied by playing Mario Cart. Let me tell you, it is so much easier with a steering wheel than it is to steer with a joystick. I am much better at it than at the original wii. I am not good with my thumbs, and this solves the problem. No joystick, no thumbs. TA DA!!!

I am doing Jazz lessons with all of my students this week. I was going to do Jazz lessons last week, but I was deathly ill and wanted to die. I still want to cough up a lung, but all in all, this is better than having my throat swollen shut. Trying to look on the bright side here.

Speaking of bright side, I may not be counting down to my wedding, but I just decided to count down to the end of school. There are.... (pause for me to look at calendar) 18 days left total. WOW!!!!

Have I really been teaching for a year. Did I really fake it so that people thought I knew what I was doing for an entire year?

'Guess so.

Friday?????????

2008-04-25T09:32:00.003-04:00

Will I ever be ready at the beginning of a school day. I don't know what else to do to fool proof this day, but I still feel like it could flop at any minute. I guess that there is only so much prep work that a teacher can do in order to feel ready. I think that it is an energy thing. I didn't sleep well last night and it is throwing me off. Especially since I have to work with a tough fifth grade today and they TOTALLY drained me yesterday.

Last night I was retching to Christopher about the fact that I have to work with a couple of kindergartners who do things just to see how much they get away with. The fact that they are the smartest two little boys in their class worries me. At home, they can do no wrong. Can their parents see their behavior? Do they realize that something is not connecting? Chris said, "Don't you know already what to expect from these boys?" I said, "Yes I do know what to expect from them, but it also helps me to blow off steam just to talk about how they make me crazy."

For instance: I asked the kindergartners "What do you do in the mornings when you get up" I called on many little girls and boys who couldn't wait to tell me that "I take a bath." "I brush my teeth" "I don't ever want to get up, and my mom turns the lights on and stomps on my floor"

And then little Red headed David pipes up. "I go to the store to buy dynamite to explode the dryer" (With a "what are you going to do about it lady?" look in his eyes.)

Well little red headed David... Time out of the group for you!

Chris said, "Aren't you supposed to let kids think outside the box."

Yah, Try being a teacher for a year and then tell me that.

Thank the Lord for Vicks

2008-04-24T09:37:00.003-04:00

I have been sick for the past three-ish days.
Last night I tried a "Mom's home remedy" and rubbed Vicks Vapor rub on my feet before I went to bed. I put socks on my feet after the rub so that it would stay on my feet and not vicks my sheets.

Anyway... I woke up this morning, and I feel a lot better. Was it the Vicks? or the 1000 other drugs that I have been taking trying to beat this thing?

Eye, there's the rub.

Post

2008-04-21T13:48:00.002-04:00

Weekend:
Friday night: practice for church
Friday night: eat entirely too much
Saturday 6:00: wake up and make breakfast for NE fan football friends
Saturday 9:40: get out of bed for real
Saturday 12:00: Leave for T-Stock!
Saturday day: hang out with friends, eat good food, loose wallet, find wallet.
Sunday am: Burn right eye with foreign contact solution cry and eye water for 4 hours
Sunday noon: eat Good food with mennonite friends
Sunday afternoon: Honest hours
Sunday night: 7:00 come home
Sunday night 8:15 fall into bed
Sunday night 9:15 fall asleep.

Ah.... The weekends go by in a flash, but this one felt as long as a week that had gone by in a flash.

Pfffffff

THE STORM IN THE NIGHT!

2008-04-17T13:54:00.002-04:00

So, two nights ago it was the storm window banging, and last night it was just a storm.

I woke up at 3:08a.m.-ish to probably the loudest roaring of storm I have ever heard in my life. Which is shocking because living in tornado alley for all of my life has caused me to be involved with some interesting storms.

I was writhing in bed, very annoyed with the roar, when suddenly I thought,

"If I am writhing here annoyed that I am awake because of this loud roar, and that loud roar turns out to be a tornado coming right up my street, I am not going to be pleased with my decision to stay in bed."

So, I got out of bed to make sure that I wasn't going to have a Dorothy/Come to Jesus experience right then and there.

The roaring turned out to be a combination of the fact that the gutter outside my window is plugged so the water cascades against the side of the building in waterfall loudness and hale.

Fun.

It is long, but hang in there... cause it is bizarre enough to be interesting.

2008-04-16T13:31:00.003-04:00

Last night was an interesting night. The wind was pounding on the south side of the building where my bedroom is. I was frustrated because the storm window in my bedroom is loose so it banged against the window casing almost all night long.

I fell asleep around 10:00 and somewhere around 1:30 started to dream this dream:

I was in my parents’ house with a bunch of vagabond looking children. One of them was one of my fourth grade students and in my dream he was my brother.

(He is Asian, which I thought was appropriate since my sister in real life is Asian. Anyway… in real life he has been having nose bleeds, and I must have been concerned about it because...)

I dreamed that he had had a bad nose bleed and had bled all over his shirt and on my clothing as well. I fixed up his nose and took his cloths upstairs to wash out the blood. I rinsed my shirt as well. I distinctly remember the blood mixing with the water and trickling down the drain. Suddenly I felt the need to hurry and get dressed again because I had to take my little brother with me to fight for Batman against the Joker…

(“WHAT~!” You are thinking… but just roll with me… it gets better.)

So, I get brother all ready to go and we go outside. The entire time I am fearing for my life. Suddenly we are met by three girls who are part of the Joker’s team. We fight them for a long time. Dodging futuristic weapons and using no weapons of our own because we haven’t met up with Batman yet to get our weapons. Finally I knocked a force blasting gun out of one girls hand and instead of shooting it, I hit her under the chin with it so hard that she flew up into the air and out into the atmosphere. I can still picture what she looked like floating aimlessly in the universe.

(cause I could see that with my naked eyes right where I was standing with my fake little brother in my parents front lawn.)

The other two henchgirls ran away after I knocked their teammate to the moon. Which gave me just enough time to figure out how to work my force blaster.

I say force blaster because there is no other word for it. It didn’t shoot bullets. It was very similar to the stunning guns that the alliance uses in the TV show Firefly. It shoots out force fields which knock out and disarm my opponents. I finally figured out how to work my force blaster. I was forgetting to cock the gun before I pulled the trigger.

(Go figure, a wii can shoot without begin cocked, but a force blaster… not a chance.)

After I solved the problem with the force blaster, I took my little brother and we set out for a taxi. We got into a taxi, but the inside was HUGE and filled with the henchpeople of super villains/heroes. I was plotting with my batman team, when I saw my “childhood friend” Christopher sitting plotting with Joker’s henchyouth.

Our eyes met in an “I will defeat you” moment and then our gaze softened as we remembered all of the good childhood times we had together.

(Now if any of you are following… Christopher is my fiancé and we were not childhood friends, but I guess for the purposes of my dream, my mind created him into a childhood friend. WEIRD!!!)

So at the same time we realized that we were in love. “So” he said, (and then he said something that I can’t remember) and then we kissed. We kissed passionately.

It was very wet.

(I might as well get some good kissin in my dreams… Right?)

Ahem…

We decided (after the kissing) that we would be on the same team, and that Christopher would come over to Batman’s side, but only after we had a chance for him to work as a double agent.

Our taxi pulled up in front of a large old building with multiple stories. We got there just in time to see Batman and Joker fighting. We climbed up inside of the building and I saw Pirate Man (I don’t know where he came from. He isn't even a superhero) and Penguin who were just about to come to Batman’s aid. (which is also strange since Penguin is an enemy of Batman in real life.)

Christopher, my fake little brother, and I jumped out into the open ready to fight and suddentlyyy………….

The storm window banged against the casing of my bedroom wall and I awoke from my dream poised sideways in bed as if I was going to shoot the Joker right in the back with my force blaster.

Well,

What did you dream about last night?

Whoop new template

2008-04-15T13:53:00.002-04:00

Well, My attention span is shortening just like my tolerance for the same template for my blog. I wish that I was savvy enough to create my own template... but alas I will have to rely on those computer smart guys to think of things for me.

Anyway. Last night I ran to Chris' then Chris and I walked/ran for a LONG time. I found out that I don't use my hip flexor muscles in Zoomba, and they were in need of a work out. We ate dinner and started planning our church service for next week. It is looking promising. His job in planning is to be a liturgical genius and transition savvy, and my job it to make sure that the chords are in the right Key/Place and to sing random Christmas songs out of the Mennonite Hymnal because I couldn't find any other songs announcing Jesus birth.

It was beauteous, or at least I thought so till the hymnal was snatched from me like a lizard snatches a bug.

I did however find the sending song all by myself. Even though I thought that it was "Sweet victory in Jesus", before I realized that it was "I love to tell the story of unseen things above." They have similar beginnings. Mennonites are complicated.

After church-ing we played some Wii, and Chris killed me at tanks and I killed him at pool.

The real fun began when our score was tied 5-5 and we decided that it was best to end on an even note because both of us are too competitive. I decided that I wanted to create some new wii's.

I made my sister first. I couldn't get her face exactly right, but I am pretty sure I got the right size. She is twice as thin as I am and a whole head shorter. That makes her the tiniest Wii possible. It is so fun to watch her bop around the screen with husband Le, who I made next.

The most fun to make was Bob Ross. That's right, If you play baseball on my Wii you might just wind up at bat with Bob Ross.

Chris said that he wants to create the cast of American Idol next. His goal is to make Ryan Seecrest as little as my sister...

Fast and Slow

2008-04-14T09:27:00.002-04:00

I have been engaged for three months and a two weeks.

Some of the time has gone fast. Correction the first two months went fast. Suddenly there is a lull in the time space continuum. It is as if time has ceased at three months and the next three will never happen.

Hmmm

I refuse to count down. Count downs are for new years and other frivolous holidays not weddings. I refuse to spend my days waiting for better/other/newer days. I don't want to wake up one morning and find that I have wished for each weekend or event so badly that I didn't take time to live during the "every day."

How am I going to accomplish living during the "every day"?

Well working world, How do you live during the "every day"?

Wii will Wii will rock you!

2008-04-11T09:20:00.002-04:00

Guess what happened yesterday........

I called Target yesterday and asked them my usual question, "Hi, can I speak to someone in electronics?" "Do you have the nintendo Wii in stock?" They normally say, no we don't.

Four months people!

But yesterday they said YES!

So, I called Chris and told him that there was a wii at Target, and that he should go right then and get it. He told me, "I can't go now, it is a really bad time, I can maybe go later." So I resigned myself to teaching the rest of my afternoon classes with the knowledge that we probably just lost out at our once in four moths chance at a wii. Anyway... I didn't hear back from Christopher, so I called Target after school and they told me that THEY STILL HAD ONE!!!

I jumped in my car and went as fast as I could. I got there, and there was one left. It wasn't even out on the shelf. It was still in the back room. I texted Chris and said, "Tell me if you found one cause I am going to buy one in 5 minutes." I bought it and another controller, and then texted Chris telling him of the conquer of my spoils. I had been hunting for so long it felt good to finally get to purchase my sought after wii.

Christopher called me after school and I told him again of my purchase.
"No you didn't." he said.
"YES" I almost yelled.
"Well good cause I got one two." He told me with exasperation in his voice. "You mean that I busted my butt to get out of work to buy you a Wii, and you went and got one yourself?" He stated.
"Yes. You should check your phone." I quipped.

That's right, After waiting through 4 months of calling Wal-mart and Target about three times a week and finding nothing we suddenly had TOO many WII's.

So, we called our video gaming friends to see if they were in search of one, and when they weren't we took our EXTRA WII BACK TO THE STORE.

Oh yes... we did. So if there are any of you who are looking for, and can not find, there is a Wii at target in the northern town of the middle of the middle of Kansas.

How young they learn

2008-04-10T09:40:00.001-04:00

I have been working on building a relationship with three girls from the fifth grade. They are girls who give teachers headaches with their constant chatter and fifth grade girl pettiness. They stayed after school last week to help me get my room ready for carnival and we had an interesting conversation about girls, boys, girls and boys, parents, phones, and listening to other people's ideas. It was quality time, and honestly it has helped me in my classes this week.

Anyway, This morning I took a little extra time with my hair (which is as long as it has been in a WHILE) and curled it with my new three barrel roller. It is not a curling iron per say, but more like a ginormous crimper that doesn't make crimps it makes waves. I like it a lot, and it is somewhat satisfying my life long desire for naturally curly hair.

A fifth grade boy walked in with his class this morning and said, "Miss. Music, what did you do to your hair? It looks weird." I told him, "I got a different iron."

One of my fifth grade girls walked up to me, put her hands on my shoulders in a somewhat comforting way and with an encouraging tone of voice said, "He might of said that it was weird, but at least he noticed and that's good."

frost

2008-04-09T09:20:00.002-04:00

This morning I woke up and wanted to demand spring. One way to demand spring is to dress for spring right? Now some times people can wear skirts in the winter, so I decided that a skirt just would not do to truly demand spring.

I settled on a lovely light-weight short-sleeved blue sweater, white linen pants, and silver sandals with a little kitten heal.

I had to scrape FROST off of my car windows today. IN APRIL. FROST.

Grrrrr

At least I look good.

Monday

2008-04-07T17:06:00.002-04:00

I am tired.
The weather changed today.
The kids were loud today, but they were controllable.
(I didn't have to outsource my classroom management to a Ninja.)

I had a good weekend.
Any weekend that includes more than one game of Hand and Foot is a good weekend.

Two observations from this weekend:
1 Captain Crunch Berries do taste good, but they do not make good beard ornaments.
2 Pranks cereal is not a good substitute for Trix Cereal.

Television

2008-04-02T08:32:00.003-04:00

I don't have much to say really, but I want to post so that I have a little record of some of the things that I was doing at this point in my life.

We have about seven weeks of school left, and that is with no breaks added. (Yuck, no breaks is no fun) How did we get a day off each month for the rest of the year, and none in the last two months... the hardest of all?

I am completely interested in this season of American Idol. I have a feeling that it will be:
Brooke, David, David, and Carly/Michael in the top four. I can't decide who will beat out who between Carly and Michael since I think that the same kind of people are voting for both of them. The other one who may not get there is Brooke, just because her voice is not as powerful as the guys and Carly's. She is, in my opinion, one of the better musicians though and deserves to make final four.

I watched the first show of this season of Hell's Kitchen last night. It was completely painful to watch. You would think with all of the cooks in America they would be able to get more competent looking people on those shows. The opening show had 28 beeped out F's in it and the scenes from next week had two more for a grand total of 30 F's for the evening. Where I was raised, people could cook without F's. How bout you?

On a brighter note, This month is Jazz Appreciation Month! So go to your local library and get some Jazz music to jam to.

Vision

2008-03-31T08:55:00.002-04:00

I had an interesting weekend. If you have been reading or have any touch with my life, you will know that last year I moved to a new place to start a new job. I have a new room mate and at Christmas a new Fiance. All of these new things had changed my way of thinking without me knowing it.

I have always been a person with a large imagination and a will to make those things which I imagine come into being. This past year I have lost my imagination and without knowing it I have also lost my vision. This weekend I got some of that back. Christopher and I had an interesting night on Saturday, and we broke through a large communication wall. He helped me see some things that I had been too distracted to see. In being distracted, I had lost the ability to look ahead to the future and see the possibilities there. I was just seeing bleak options and failure in our current location.

Then on Sunday the pastor talked about how Vision is just hope with a Blue Plan. How true that is. I can hope for things, and with a Blue Plan I can make those things happen. With a vision I don't have to get stuck looking at the ground where I am standing. I can look from this place to a place I want to be. That is a wonderful thing.

I Pray,

Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art.
Thou my best Thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, Thy presence my light.

Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, I Thy true son;
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.

Be Thou my battle Shield, Sword for the fight;
Be Thou my Dignity, Thou my Delight;
Thou my soul’s Shelter, Thou my high Tower:
Raise Thou me heavenward, O Power of my power.

Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine Inheritance, now and always:
Thou and Thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my Treasure Thou art.

High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

READ THIS!

2008-03-27T11:41:00.002-04:00

So,
I have many times said that you should read what bigmama writes, but this time I have a specific audience. It is directed to the female sex, those of us who take the extra time to worry about lots of stuff, those of us who are pondering the future, and those of us who just want some answers.

Read it please and know her heart, and know my heart, and know your own heart.

http://thebigmamablog.com/index.php/2008/03/27/pressing-on/

Misty Morning

2008-03-27T09:39:00.002-04:00

This morning we had a staff meeting, which means that there was precipitation today. During the winter, there was always snow on Staff Meeting Mornings. Now that it is FINALLY spring, it is a misty morning. I love the misty mornings though. They are some of my favorites. I love that feeling of the air being cool and fresh. The air is moist enough to drink, but it is not hot enough to feel like a sauna.

Ahhhhh....

I hope that the misty morning is a prediction of a good day.

Off to Kindergarten and the Very Hungry Caterpillar. "He ate through one apple...two..."

Can't find a church

2008-03-26T14:11:00.002-04:00

Hi,
Sometime I worry, which is a sin, and it is funny because I worry about stuff like why "We can't find a church."

We have looked high (on the hill) we have looked low (way out on state street) we have looked in the middle (mid central part o town). We have tracked, trodded, tripped, tried, and become tired.

Does this mean that we shouldn't be here?

GRRRR I can't put into words how much I hate that question.

Poop!

The Thoughts in Chuck's Lounge

2008-03-24T14:02:00.003-04:00

Tere is refusing to cook all of next week. She says that she has enough left overs to feed an army.

Kathy said that her kindergartners are confused as to why she died her hair.

Megan does not want to eat her lunch, or any other food for that matter. She is already big enough (Megan is having a baby and is looking quite round)

Amanda's personal trainer is writing her up on an exercise plan... She wants to loose 15 lbs and tone the leftovers from pregnancy.

Deanna just wants to make sure that everyone signs the sheet proving that they were at the in service so that they can get paid.

Becca wants the jerk she met a couple of weeks ago to stop texting her.

Gina is sick, and wants to go home.

and:

Shawn is counting down the days left of school. There are 47 including our end of the year work day.

I am wondering if I can send an entire third grade class to Green Land And 2 fifth grade classes to Siberia?

Today I was almost pantsed

2008-03-14T15:10:00.002-04:00

Do you remember the fear of getting pants-ed in Gym class. You made sure you tied the drawstring cord very tight in your little uniform PE shorts. Luckily I was never pants-ed in Gym. I was pants-ed in Volleyball, but that was somehow OK because Volleyball is just girls.

Anyway... I was in the hall at school and the Inter Related students (students with severe and multiple disorders) got back from bowling. One fifth grade student stopped me to tell me that he did a good job bowling today. It was hard to understand him because of his mental condition, but I gave him a Hi Five and congratulated him on his personal best. Then he gave me a hug. The hug didn't end there. He went from a hugging position standing to a hugging position around my ankles without letting go. It was something akin to sliding down a wide fire pole. Luckily I had a long undershirt on, and I grabbed my pants as he was on the way down. I saved my butt (literally) by just a few inches.

While he was down around my feet he made some inappropriate motions with his pelvis. (Oh yes... he did... ahem)

I sternly told him that "No, You may NOT do that!" and he got up and went to his classroom.

Little did I know that someone would try to pull down my pants and well... ahem.

Is it Thursday, Because that was certainly inappropriate, but it makes for a good story.

Eye of the Tiger

2008-03-14T09:29:00.003-04:00

Here is the deal,
My town had a teacher induction program much like other districts. Basically it consists of a mentoring program which is good, and a bunch of other mindless paperwork which is not good. Our last meeting is coming up WAHOO, and for this meeting each of the new teachers has to give a positive presentation of what they learned/what happened during their first year of teaching.

There are four new teachers at my school this year, and the beauty of it is that three of us graduated from the same little college and lived together my sophomore year. We know a lot about each other and we decided to work on the project together. We are making a music video for our program, because there is no other cool way to deal with this presentation. We have chosen the song Eye of the Tiger. Filming normal situations in school started about 2 weeks ago, and next Monday we are all going to get our 80's on and do some shots of us "working out" and "teaching our kids." There will be no students involved in this process. We are going to clip in our 80's footage into the regular footage that we already have.

I am wondering... What should I wear? I have an afro, and I know that it's 70's, but seriously... I have an afro.

What else should I wear?

How much does it matter

2008-03-13T08:46:00.002-04:00

I am an American Idol fan. As I watched the show last night, I wondered. How much do the judges comments matter in the outcome of the show. Last night's turn out was in complete agreement of the judges thoughts, but in other seasons... that has not been the case.
This has been the hardest season to predict. Normally I can pick out the top 4 or 5 contestents out of the top 20 or so, but this season it is anybody's ball game. I think that the rest of America may feel the same way I do. All of the contestents are differenc and for the most part all of them are extremely gifted.
So, Congradulations Simon Paula and Randy, this is the time when your comments matter the most. Because no one can REALLY judge past those obvious week links who will be "The Next American Idol."

P.S. The new stage is cool, but the intro.... Really? And it cost HOW MUCH?

That's all.

P.P.S. I am totally loving Brook. Not the best singer, but definately one of the better artists.