Tuesday, December 21, 2010

Charming

Lil' Man: "How old is your sister?"
 
Mrs. Amazing (my assistant): "Um.. she's 2 years older than me."
 
Lil' Man: "So, what? She's like 28 and you're 26?"
 
Lil' Man totally tried to charm the pants off Mrs. Amazing. He, of course, said it with a devilish smile.
 
For the record, Mrs. Amazing is older than 26.

Monday, December 20, 2010

If you give a girl a scarf..

My name is Lori and I am a shopaholic.

Retail therapy is the best therapy. You see, when you're angry, shopping makes you smile. When you're nervous, shopping can calm you. The best retail therapy happens when you're sad, too. It not only gives you instant gratification, but it makes you feel just as good the next day because you're wearing something new. And not only can I shop, I can rationalize just about anything.

Well... Mommy dearest gave me a scarf. She bought it because scarves are the "in" thing. But she didn't like it, so she gave it to me. However, it's not really in my color scheme (I wear black, grey, white, and more black) and I just needed something to wear with it. I had the perfect outfit picked out-- crisp white button down and striking khaki's. Sounds good, right? Except the khaki's I was thinking about don't exist anymore. They were a casualty of the life of a teacher. They were washed with colored paper that bled all over the load.

What's a girl to do when she doesn't have what she wants to wear the next day? Shop. Duh.

So, if you give a girl a scarf, chances are, she's going to have to shop for new khaki's. When the store doesn't have her khaki's, she'll need a second choice. When the second choice involves a different cami, chances are she'll have to find a new one. When she finds the top she's looking for, she'll look for a new scarf to go with it. The new scarf will be in the coat section. If she heads to the coat section, she'll probably find a new coat that she just has to have because her old coat is black and her beloved Zoey is white. And of course, the coat will just make her want a new scarf.

I still need those khaki's. Damn.

Sunday, December 19, 2010

The Sun'll Come Out Tomorrow...

I'm back in Maryland and ready to get back to "normal", whatever that may be. I suppose it will be my new normal. Again, whatever that may be. It's just a little strange to wake up and think, "Wow. My Dad is dead. I'll never get the chance to hug him. Tell him I love him. Or hear his crazy laugh." But, it's a reality and I will get through this.

Please, please, please. Go hug your dad. Tell him you love him. You just never know what tomorrow may bring.

When I arrived home today, I found my apartment completely spotless. Even the couch was vacuumed. Seriously. My friends not only cleaned my house, they did my laundry, and went grocery shopping for me. These are the same friends who also did my planning for this week so I wouldn't have to do anything when I get into school tomorrow. I have the greatest friends. Especially since I left both my house and classroom a complete disaster. I ran out the door. There were dishes in the sink. I NEVER do that. And my friends didn't even care. They didn't judge me. I am SO lucky.

In addition to a clean house, my students made me cards and they were waiting for me when I got home. My personal faves?

"Dear Ms. L, I'm not sure how your dad died but I love you."

"Ms. L, I hope you don't cry a whole lot because if you cry, I'll be sad. I don't want to be sad because I love you!"

*Disclaimer: I am going through a bit of an emotional roller coaster, so I can't guarantee the quality of my posts for the next couple of weeks. Especially through the holidays. Even though they've been cancelled at my house.*

Monday, December 13, 2010

Update

My father passed away today at 1:35 pm, surrounded by loved ones.
 
My Dad was a special man. A man who touched many lives with his smile, jokes, and passion for sports. He will truly be missed by all those who knew him.
 
Please pray for my family as we begin this healing process.

Sunday, December 12, 2010

Update

I'm still in Michigan.
 
My dad is still in the ICU. He has limited brain activity. His body appears to be shutting down. Is probably a matter of time. Your thoughts and prayers would be greatly appreciated.

Saturday, December 11, 2010

positive vibes

At the hospital in Michigan. Dad had a coronary embolism, went into cardiac arresst. They did cpr for 40 minutes and got a pulse. He's on life support.

Please send positive vibes for my family. We have some tough decisions to make in the next few days.

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Potty Mouth

I just said SHART in front of my kids.
 
I was trying to say start/shut down and it came out shart.
 
Thankfully none of my kids know what it means. However, my wonderful teaching assistant does. She laughed out loud. So did I. I have a horrible time with bathroom humor. 
 
 mom-- if you don't know what it means, google it. I'm not explainin' it on here!

Crazy Cat People..

This morning on my way to work I saw a man driving with his cat sitting on his shoulder. Literally, the cat was wrapped around his neck. While he was driving.
 
Driving. With a cat. Sitting on his neck.
 
Does this strike anyone else as weird? It reminds me of the people who had a cat in their back window. Seriously. Who drives around with their cat in their car? That's just asking for trouble. Wait until someone honks and scares the bejeeezus out of the cat and the cat jumps, digs its claws in your neck, and scratches the crap-o-la out of him. It's almost as dangerous at texting while driving.

Crazy cat people.

Tuesday, December 7, 2010

Christmas Trees

Not that I have to worry about that this year. You know, Punta Cana and all.

The Boy, Maryland BFF, and Maryland BFF's husband and I were all discussing Christmas decorations. We had the great Christmas Tree Debate. You know, what kind of lights, bulbs, decorations, etc.

The Boy prefers colored lights (preferably the big ones, you know.. circa 1983) with many different colored ornaments and tinsel. Lots of tinsel. There can never be enough tinsel, lights, or color.

I don't.

Give me a tree with white lights, red, green, and silver bulbs (with glitter, natch). A star on top, maybe.

The Boy just couldn't believe I would sacrifice the 1980's lights AND the 1980's bulbs for white lights and tri-color bulbs. Um.. hello? Has he met me? I like things just so. I do not. I repeat. Do NOT like clutter. He thinks only a grinch would give up the color. I believe his exact words were, "You're a scrooge."

He also made mention of a silver tree. I about fainted. My poor heart can't deal with that insanity.

Monday, December 6, 2010

Why meetings are the bane of my existence...

I was in a meeting all morning and it was a pretty tough one. It was about school improvement, which is a really interesting topic for me, but it took me away from my little ones. Apparently I missed some awesome comments and a temper tantrum of epic proportions. I'm sad they didn't save it for me. Don't they know I love their comments?

Which is why meetings are the bane of my existence. It means I'm lacking blog fodder. No kids = no funny stories.

Buuuuuuut... on a brighter note, two weeks from now I'll be relaxing on the beach in Punta Cana, enjoying some adult beverages, sans kids. No blog material, but plenty of sunshine, relaxation, and margaritas. Yes, folks, I'll be spending Christmas in the DR (that's Dominican Republic, but apparently the cool kids call it DR and you KNOW I'm a cool kid).

Sunday, December 5, 2010

Phew.

Today I ran a 5k. Without any training. Seriously, zero training. Unless you count tossing back a few beers last night or chasing the dog in the yard.

I ran it in 37 minutes with a 9 year old girl by my side.

It was 34 degrees. I was cold.

Now I"m inspired. I just need to get some cold weather running pants. Any runners out there who may have some suggestions? I wore Under Armor leggings with cotton pants over them and I was cold. I don't know if it was because it was really windy or what. But it was COLD.

Thoughts?

Friday, December 3, 2010

Titanic

I have a little guy who is more than a little obsessed with the Titanic. I have to answer questions all day long about the Titanic. How did it sink? Why did it sink? Why would you go on a boat that is going to sink? How come they didn't see the iceberg? What is this? What happened to all the people who were on the boat? Did they swim home?
 
Wash. Rinse. Repeat. All in the matter of an hour.
 
The awesome teacher in me tried to do a big lesson about the Titanic. I thought I answered all the questions he had. And, really, I did. Until he asked them over and over again. For 5 days straight.
 
I asked him why he keeps asking me when he knows the answer.
 
He said, "I just like hearing you talk about the Titanic. It's like you were there."
 
He's still asking. My awesome social worker is doing a social skills lesson right now and he's still talking about the Titanic. All of his examples include the Titanic.

Miscellaneous

Grad School is kicking my behind. For some reason, I just can't seem to get into the hang of getting work accomplished. I used to go to the library to get everything done, but I don't care for the library near me and I stress out about leaving Zoey at home all day and all through the evening.
 
I was tooted on again yesterday. This one happened to smell like rotten eggs. Apparently when kids look at me, they think, "I should really pass gas on this lady." His excuse? He didn't know it was going to smell. Um.. hello? We still don't squeeze out a warm one on anyone. Duh. Maybe I can convince the social worker to do a social skills lesson on farting etiquette.
 
 

Wednesday, December 1, 2010

Ten on Tuesday.. er... Wednesday

Ten on Tuesday! (even though it's Wednesday
via Ashley's Antics

1. Where are you from? Have you lived there your whole life?
Currently, I live in Maryland. But I'm originally from Michigan. I lived between two streets that were a mile apart for the first 18 years of my life. Then I attended Western Michigan University (GO BRONCOS!) in Kalamazoo, MI. While in college I spent a semester in Heidelberg, Germany completing my internship and then moved back to Kalamazoo for a semester and then headed off to good old Maryland. I've been here for almost 5 years.

2. How would you classify your clothing style?
I'd say I'm more preppy than anything. Not too much prep, but enough to get it right. I love cardigans, skirts, and bows. Give me ruffles and I'll think I've died and gone to heaven.

3. What kind of car do you drive?
Ford Escape and I love it. I used to hate SUV's, mainly because they are gas guzzlers. But, I was in a minor fender bender last year and my Escape really held its own. Not a scratch. I like being up a bit higher and feeling secure.

4. What would your dream home look like if you could have it (or already do!)?
My dream home would be anything with a crafstman style. I love the look of straight lines and simple features. It would have plenty of warm tones inside and some great architectural elements. Structure makes me swoon.

5. Do you have kids, and if so, how many and how old were you when you had them?
No kids. Maybe someday, but we'll see.

6. What is your favorite hobby?
Reading and being crafty. I also enjoy shopping.

7. Are you going to have any New Year's resolutions for 2011?
I'm going to try to show my appreciation more and try not to take things for granted. I'm going to be thankful for the little things and laugh a bit more.

8. What is something, if anything, that you'd want to change about yourself?
My waistline. It's just not the same anymore.

9. What is something that you love about yourself?
I love my sense of humor-- I'm sarcastic and witty.

10. Pick one of the following: Someone to cook for you, someone to do your laundry, or someone to do your dishes.
Definitely someone to do the laundry. My dryer is nothing but a nuisance and often takes more than an hour to dry a small load of laundry. Having someone to do my laundry would make my life that much easier. It would also eliminate the piles of laundry all over my floor. Yuck.

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Strange...it's all relative...

You know you work with kids when you over hear someone say, 'let's only speak in Russian or German to eachother and pretend we know what we're saying!'

Then you hear yourself remind them to only speak in English when talking to you.

Their response? 'Ms. L..we thought you knew everything. Why can't you understand Russian?'

Maybe because you're not actually speaking Russian? There's a thought...

Overheard...

Now that I'm down to 4 kids, it's a little easier to hear the conversations that go on when the kids think you're not listening. Or when they don't care if you're listening. Whichever the case may be.
 
During our addition lesson..
"6 + 6 = 12"
 
"5 +5 = 10 and 100 + 100 = 200"
 
"Kid + Kid = Mommy"
 
"Man + Man = Woman!"
 
"Wait. Man + Man = Woman? I guess that makes sense. Every man needs a girlfriend or a wife. They need wives to take care of them when they are sick and cook for them, too. Seriously. I am gonna need a wife someday because she'll know how to cook breakfast just right and she won't burn my toast."
 
"All the girls at daycare want me, though. It's weird. It's like they think I'm.. I'm.. well, they just want me. Gross."
 
Tough life there, kiddo. Get used to it. Girls love bad boys and you're baaaaaad to the bone.
 
 

Monday, November 29, 2010

Eeks.

First day back after a week off for conferences/Thanksgiving break and I have an observation today. I know I'll do fine, but I'm just a wee bit nervous.
 
Oh, and add to that? The changes in my classroom-- I lost my third graders. They moved up to the other third grade classroom for instructional reasons (I'm teaching a 2/3 split and that's not the best way to teach.. especially when rumors are swirlin' that there are some first graders and Kindergarteners who may possibly require our services, meaning they would move into my classroom and that would then put me with k, 1, 2, and 3. Not cool.) so I'm down to 4 kids. And it's our first day as just the 6 of us- 4 kids, two adults. Plus I'm being observed. Plus, they all traveled for Thanksiving. Oh, and they've had a week off, so we're having a bit of difficulty adjusting to the new classroom, new routines, new schedule, and trying to get back in the swing of things.
 
Oh and I'm being observed. What was I thinkin'?
 
Wish me luck!

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

Updates

I've been nagged to update. So here I am.

I'm going home TOMORROW!

My family is a little rowdy, so I expect I'll come away from this weekend a little bit tired. Combine the ruckus my family always creates with a baby shower on Saturday and I'm sure this will likely be an exciting weekend. Let's hope there's more than enough blog fodder to go around.

Next time you hear from me, I'll be in the state that's shaped like a mitten.

PS-- Any suggestions on books to read? Keep in mind, I enjoy chick lit and some suspense. My previous reading pleasures include The Bride Quartet by Nora Roberts and The Twilight Series.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

We Love Body Functions

Today I'm feeling a bit under the weather. We're talking green snot, sneezing every twenty seconds, puffy eyes, and limited use of my vocal cords. It's super pleasant. Nothing is worse than being sick and teaching. You have to pretend like all is well and be all like "ooh! I love how you're reading so nicely!" and "Wow! What a great word detective you are!" or "No thank you, friend. We use scissors safely." Basically I have to be phony AND sick. Not cool.
 
That was just background. Sorry for the rambling. And the mental picture of my green snotty nose. I digress...
 
I happened to sneeze right in the middle of reading with a friend. Said friend really likes to tell it like it is. He's never going to sugar coat things. Like when we read a story about a whale that was weak and went under water but never came up again. He shouted, "That's because he's dead. D-E-A-D. Dead."
 
Back to the sneeze...
 
When I sneezed, a little bit of snot came out my nose. I was trying to hide the sneeze but it didn't work. So snot came pouring out and he proudly shouted, "Ms. L just shot snot out of her nose! eeeeeeew! Snot rocket!"
 
Thanks Little Man. Thanks. I can't even be sick with dignity today.

Wednesday, November 17, 2010

Farts Are Funny...

Yes, it's true. I know I've said it before, but I have the humor of a 7 year old. And probably a boy, at that.
 
But every.single.time someone farts in my class, I can't help but laugh. I know I'm totally irresponsible and sending the wrong message, but it's hilarious.
 
The only time it's not hilarious? When said student happens to be sitting on my foot and a green gas appears behind him because it smells THAT bad.
 
Seriously, a kid farted on my foot.
 
On my foot. And it stunk. And I laughed.
 
Teacher of the Year? Yes, please.

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Peeping Tom?

Just had a nice convo with one of the ladies who lives in my complex. I was commenting on the cold weather and taking her dog for a walk when she said, "Your dog is so cute and so well behaved! I watch you with her all the time."

Um... hello stalker. I've never ran into her while walking Zoey. It's only ever been when she was with her dog. So I kind of figured she had no idea I had a dog. Until she fessed up that she's a peeping Tom (or.. whatever you would call a peeping woman) and she watches me from her window.

Weird.

Grumblings...

You know how you try to be the best at everything you do? And I mean try really hard. You give 110% and more no matter what the circumstances?
 
What about the days when you give it your all and it's just not enough? Those are the kind of days that really make you want to stay in bed and ignore it all. Unfortunately, you can't. Because you have responsibilities. A job. People who are counting on you.
 
I feel like a horrible teacher... my kids aren't making the progress I had hoped for. The progress I expected. The progress they need to make in order to pass those darn standardized tests. You know, those ones that my job might depend on. It doesn't matter that I had a kid improve his reading fluency by 25 words per minute in just 8 weeks. No, that doesn't matter because he's still reading below grade level. Or the child who can identify coins, but can't count the total. Nevermind that she didn't know ANY values when I got her 9 weeks ago.
 
I'm a horrible blogger... I read a lot of blogs during my lunch break, at school, on google reader. Meaning I can't comment. Oh and I have been really slacking on the updates. Mainly because I get home from school, do more work, and then zonk out. (Or I go to watch the Monday Night Football game and don't get home until midnight. On a school night. Oops.)
 
I'm a horrible friend... I have a million cards to send out, people to check in on, and people to actually see. But, I haven't.
 
I'm a horrible daughter... I didn't call my dad last night to check in on him. He had surgery on Tuesday and I should've called, but I was busy doing schoolwork then fell asleep at 8:30, while sitting at the computer.
 
I'm really trying to keep a positive attitude. I promise I am. But sometimes when it comes at you from every angle, it's hard to see which way is up.
 
Today is a new day. Hopefully a better day.

Thursday, November 4, 2010

I'm Lovin'...

Things I'm loving right now....


Hello amazingness, my name is Lori. Pleased to meet you.

These little lovelies? Perfection. In a bottle. #1, it's wine. #2, it's mini. #3, it's cheap. # 4, no more wasting a bottle of wine because I only want one glass.
(courtesy of the beverage store)

I can thank Mrs. Steck for this amazingness, as she gifted me a set for being a part of her special day. She's the best for feeding my wine indulgences. (Love, Love, Love you, Jessica!)


Look at that face!

Currently, she's curled up on the couch with her head on my lap. Earlier? She wouldn't come in the house because the dryer was on. I had to carry her inside. She has a little PTSD from a dryer incident this summer involving Grandma Sue, Grandma Deb, and Great Grandma Joyce. Oi vey.

Kindle, I heart you.

My awesome parents gifted this to me for my birthday. Now I don't have to carry two books in my purse for fear of being without a book at all times. Not only does it feed my desire for reading, it's super cute too. I look like a tech-saavy nerd when I'm reading. Dorky glasses not required.


What's in a Name?

Lunch choices for today included hamburgers. Pretty normal, right? Totally.

Until..

Mr. Wiggles: "That's my nickname!"

Me: "Huh? What is?"

Mr. Wiggles: "Hamburger! Hamburger! My mom calls me hamburger. Or little hamburger."

Me: "Hmm. Really? That's a unique (read: weird) nickname....how did she come up with that? Were you always eating hamburgers?"

Mr. Wiggles: "Nope! It's because I look like a hamburger."

Me: "You do?"

Mr. Wiggles: "Yeah, I'm the color of a burger! No cheese, though. That would be yellow."

Another little guy: "Ms. L! We're like the mayo on his hamburger. You know, white and creamy."


Oi vey.

Monday, November 1, 2010

One Year, Many Lessons..

One year ago today, I thought my life was over.

Now I realize, it was only the beginning of a journey towards self-discovery. If someone would have told me I would be 27, divorced, and living 500+ miles away from my family and friends, I would have called them a liar. I may have crawled under a rock and wailed like a baby. Or, I may have realized a few things in life don't turn out as planned and that's okay. It's more than okay. A blessing in disguise, perhaps.

While it's been a long, tear-filled journey, it's been a true lesson in life. Here's a sampling of things I've learned through this journey...

  • life has a funny way of working out.
  • it's okay to cry in public.
  • it's okay to rely on others.
  • I am stronger than I think.
  • there's nothing wrong with taking time for yourself.
  • cereal is an acceptable dinner.
  • sometimes God's greatest gifts really are unanswered prayers.
  • in times of trouble, leaning on friends is the only way to get through it.
  • friends are a gift.
  • you'll make unlikely friends and those unlikely friends will become family.
  • you need different perspectives in order to make life decisions.
  • sometimes you need a shoulder to cry on, a punching bag, or a laugh all at the same time.
  • being single is better than being married and miserable.
  • coming home to a dog really can make you smile.
  • kids will help you put things in perspective.
  • often you will find others who have it far worse.
  • nobody understands what you're going through exactly, but they can listen.
  • it's good to have a friend who can call you out when you're being ridiculous.
  • sometimes you'll be mad at the world, but you're really mad at yourself.
  • therapy is amazing.
  • it's okay to have to go to therapy.
  • life isn't about what you have, it's about what you make it.
  • it's okay to ask for help.
  • even when you feel like you can't get out of bed, it's important to make the effort.
  • life isn't just about you.
  • it's okay to cry over what feels like nothing.
  • you can't love someone else until you love yourself.
  • forgiveness isn't easy, but it's important.
  • accepting my faults is important.
  • I have learned from my mistakes.
  • I know how to say I'm sorry and really mean it.
  • it's easy to hate someone, but harder to forgive them.
And the biggest thing I've learned? I am a strong, independent, beautiful woman who knows who she is because she's been through a lot. I know how to laugh. I know how to cry. I know how to ask for help and when to run away.  Letting go is not giving up. I may have times of sadness every now and then, but I know I'm better off in the end.

I love myself for who I am, where I've been, what I've done, and for who I am to become. I am me. That's all I'll ever be. But I'm pretty damn proud of me.

This is what is wrong with the world...

Brooke Mueller, Charlie Sheen's soon-to-be ex-wife, will be receiving $55,000 a month for child support. $55,000 a MONTH? And, they will have joint custody. What in the world costs that much money?

Let's do the math here. Divided by two children, that's $27,500 a month per child. Annually? That's $660,000 a year. That woman is making more money a month for her children than I make in a year, working. You know, actually doing something. Like, educating our youth. (And all you mom's out there, don't go crazy on me. I know you do things when you're a mother-- it's totally a full time job. But it's a volunteer position, ya know?)

Mom's out there, please explain to me what could cost that much per month. I know diapers are expensive, but that's just ridiculous.

Don't believe me? Check it out here.

Wednesday, October 27, 2010

Silly Kids...

Overheard today...

"No, no. The quarter is the one with the guy with a pony tail on it." "Yo! Ms. L.. why does that man on the quarter have a pony tail? Who ever heard of a white guy with a pony tail?"

"My boo boo smells funny. It...smells...like... (whispers) boogers! Stinky green booooooooooooogers!"

"You know what? I think I'm going to be a bird. I want to migrate to Africa, too! But I'll come back in the spring because I don't want to go to fourth grade in Africa."

"Why do they call fall autumn? Why not just call it fall? That's it's name. Fall. Because the leaves fall. Not autumn because leaves can't autumn. Autumn is not an action word."

"Sometimes I get so sick of Lil' Man. He's just so annon..anno.. annoying. Annoying? Is that right? Ugh. Never mind. I get sick of him because he bugs me."

**I know you're jealous that I get to talk about boogers, migrating, and action words. All in the same day.**

Thursday, October 21, 2010

Poop..

Poop, poop, and more poop.

I had a poopy (I want to say a stronger word but this is a friendly place..) day at a meeting, then back to school for complete chaos due to my absence in the morning, and home to poop and lots of it.

Little Miss Zoey decided she would get into a homemade fudge kit I received as a gift. In that fudge kit was a bag of chocolate chips. Chocolate and dogs don't mix. Someone had a bit of a tummy ache. She threw up in the middle of the night, so I assumed (wrongfully) she was in the clear. Apparently not. Came home to a poopy mess in the living room. So after cleaning up the "poop" in my classroom, I came home to clean up more poop.

All of this on the heels of the anniversary of my separation from my ex. It was around this time last year that all of that poopiness went down. I'm a bit emotional and that just put me over the edge. I shed a few tears, ate a lot of pizza with the Maryland BFF (who is pregnant, so she was totally cool with devouring an entire pizza between the two of us and joined me in the tears) before taking my anger out on the kickball field.

Zoey's better. I'm better. And tomorrow is a new day. Oh and my birthday is Saturday. Booyah.

for those of you counting, I said poop 10 times in this post. bet you can't beat that.

Wednesday, October 20, 2010

Cartwheels

I may or may not have done cartwheels all the way down the hallway today.

Apparently way back at the beginning of the school year (when I was desperate, I'm sure) I made the bold statement that I would do cartwheels all the way down the hallway if all of my kids had a level 1 day. (Levels are part of our behavior program and level 1 is the best) And yes, I'm fully aware that rewards for an entire group of students is really a bad idea, but our kids get lots of positive rewards for individual behavior and I was really hopeful that something so off the wall would really encourage them to encourage others to make good choices. Either that, or, I was losing my mind and I was really desperate.

Either way.. today, we all earned level 1's and I did cartwheels all.the.way.down.the.hallway. We're talking about 50 yards. That's a lot of cartwheels.

My kids watched. My principals watched. Everyone cheered. It was awesome.

Except when I thought I was going to puke when it was all done because I was dizzy as a .. well.. whatever is something that is super dizzy.

But, I'd do it all over again to see their faces. I really am proud of those little kiddos. We've come a long way together and I'm glad we were able to celebrate. Wonder how many parents are rolling their eyes thinking, "No way your teacher did cartwheels down the hallway."! Ha!

Monday, October 18, 2010

One of these things is not like the other...

Why is it when one part of your life becomes organized, another one slips through the cracks?

Because Maryland is having so much fun debating between fall and summer weather, my house looks like a tornado blew through. Seriously. I have fall clothes and summer clothes battling it out over which season is going to stay in style. I live in approximately 600 square feet, so you can imagine that space is at a premium. It just isn't enough room for two seasons of clothes to be out and about.

I'm drowning in a sea of clothes! I know it's not the worst thing that could happen, but for someone who is a wee bit neurotic, it's a little difficult to manage.

So I have to know, ladies, how do you organize your clothes for in between seasons with limited space? What am I doing wrong here?

Saturday, October 16, 2010

White House

Proof that I was, in fact, just inches away from the White House.

WITWAI?

Where in the world am I? Notice those white columns...that bright green lawn. Ah, yes. The White House! I was fortunate enough to take a tour of the gardens today.

Not only was it a beautiful place to be, but the weather was AMAZING! It truly was a once in a lifetime thing to do. And I followed up the tour with drinks and lunch at The Old Ebbit, which is rich in DC history.

All in all? A fabulous way to spend the afternoon!

Thursday, October 14, 2010

Nerd.

If you know me in real life, you know I'm pretty much a closet nerd. I read for (gasp!) fun. And not just your typical run of the mill chick lit. I also enjoy educational books, books on behavior interventions, and books on how to improve teaching. Everyone I work with knows this. In fact, I often get volunteered to read books that my principal is thinking about for book studies because she knows I will a) read them and b) devour it quickly and probably talk about it for hours. I also get volunteered for many other things because people know I will do them and do them well.

I've now added to my nerd credentials because I was super excited that my school district was paying for me to attend the NCTM conference in Baltimore. NCTM is the National Council for Teachers of Mathematics, in case you were wondering. When asked what I was doing for the professional development day this week, I happily replied, "I get to go to the national math conference!" I was met with some eye rolls because they knew I was going to come back with lots of staff development for them. I can't help it, teaching math just really excites me.

As I was digging through my purse today, I realized how big of a nerd I really am. Not only did my purse contain a pencil, pen, highlighter, and post-it notes (seriously, those have come in handy SO many times.. I often thank God for that invention) but it also contained my math conference stuff, a book on Higher Order Thinking, a book on assessment in the primary grades, and it also contained "Breaking Dawn", which is the last book in the Twilight series. Because I often freak out about emergencies (you know, like making sure I have on clean underwear in case I get in a car accident and have to be rushed to the hospital in just my undies...) I began to wonder what the emergency personnel would think if they rummaged through my purse to find identification. I assumed the conversation would be something like this...

"Dude, look at what she has in her purse!" "What's that?" "Three books and a math conference badge." "What a nerd. I beat up kids like her in high school"

I may be a nerd, but I'm an educated nerd. Oh, and I'm prepared. Post it notes and all.

Monday, October 11, 2010

Fall.Is.Fun

Seriously, there is nothing better than Michigan in the fall. The colors were in full bloom this weekend and I was able to enjoy the leaves while I was home. The car rides with my family included lots of "oooohs!" and "aaaaahs" over the colorful leaves and we even took the golf cart out (yes, I'm from a rural area) to stake out the property and get some close ups with the beautiful changing leaves.

It's always quite funny when I go home, because home is such a stark contrast to my new home in Maryland. For one, I would never wake to the sound of gun shots in the woods. The only gun shots I would hear in this area would be from a homicide. In Michigan? Just the hunters. I probably wouldn't be wandering through a dress shop and hear the woman comment that she just ordered a wedding gown in camouflage. Ah, the joys of living in an area where hunting is truly a religion. I often comment that I feel like Reese Witherspoon in "Sweet Home Alabama" when I travel home. I leave the hustle and bustle of a big city to live a quieter, slower paced lifestyle.

And that's why I love my life. I get to enjoy city living most of the time and can also appreciate rural America when I travel back to see my parents. There's just something special about looking in the backyard and seeing sand hill cranes and deer, with the colorful leaves poking through and a combine or two with the irrigation system in the field.

Have I told you lately that I love fall? The only thing that would have made this trip would have been apple picking and pumpkins. Because that? That's fall in Michigan.

Wednesday, October 6, 2010

what i wore wednesday...

Very few pictures this week.. I either didn't remember to take a picture or I was running behind when I left for work. So... you get only two this week. But one of them was from Date Night and I totally need your opinion, so make it count.

 I don't have a case of the Mondays....

Ivory cardigan with black bow-- The Limited
Black flare leg trousers-- The Limited
Black patent leather ballet flats with rhinestones--Tarjay (this season!)

Monday Date Night...
or the "I'm-not-sure-i-can-pull-this-off-but-i'm-going-to-try" Look.

Black long-sleeved t-shirt with detail at the collar--Tarjay (forever ago!)
Dark wash skinny jeans--Ann Taylor Loft
Black patent leather with rhinestones ballet flats-- Tarjay
Black and pearl necklace-- pretty sure it's The Limited, but from forever ago.

And that's the outfit I'm needing some input on. I know it's blurry, but you get the idea. For some reason I feel like my @$$ is too big to pull them off. You know, at second look, it's not my boo-tay, it's my hips/waist. I feel like it just goes out too much. And really, it's not the jeans I'm worried about. I'm not sure how I feel about skinny jeans and flats on me. I pink puffy heart how it looks with boots, but these size 10 feet are a wee bit awkward in tapered leg jeans and flats.

Which reminds me. They are essentially our mother's tapered leg jeans and we go around calling them skinny jeans. Weird.

Thoughts on the skinny jeans with flats look OR why we insist on calling them skinny jeans when they are really tapered jeans?

Discuss. Go.

Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Out of the Ordinary..

The Boy is a police officer who works alternating shifts and has a completely different schedule every week. It really cramps my style because I work Monday through Friday and have every weekend off. Plus some random holidays thrown in there, too. What it really means, though, is we have to make the most of the time we do get to spend together because it can sometimes be a struggle to get our schedules to mesh.

As a result, this neurotic teacher has had to step out of her comfort zone and embrace the spontaneity in life. It's tough because I have a hard time going away from the "schedule" of life. Which sounds really depressing if you think about it. My life is scheduled. Yuck.

Anyway.. the whole point of this story was to tell you all that I actually went out ON A SCHOOL NIGHT. This is huge. And not just any school night. A Monday night. Where did I go? Dave and Busters, ya'll! They aren't joking when they say it's Chuck-E-Cheese for adults. We had a blast! We played some skee-ball, challenged each other in some racing games, played some hoops, and more.

I'm no longer going to turn down invites for things to do on weekdays because I truly believe it was good for my soul to break out of the routine and have some unexpected fun.

Monday, October 4, 2010

Hand Check...

Me: "No! We do not put our hands in other people's pants! Keep your hands to yourself, please."

Little Mister: "But, but, he told me to feel how long his pocket is. It's really long! Try it!"

Me: "Um.. No. We do not put our hands on anyone else for ANY reason. Even if they have long pockets. We only touch ourselves."

Oi vey.

Sunday, October 3, 2010

The Life of a Teacher

In bed by 10:00 pm on Friday night.
Lesson planning/chores Saturday. Coffee date with my Instructional Assistant at 7:00pm. All we talked about was our classroom. In bed by 10:30pm.

Sunday? Lesson planning, baseball game, probably in bed by 8:00pm.

Saturday, October 2, 2010

Hypocrite.

Yes, I just realized I'm a hypocrite. Not in an extremely bad way. But a hypocrite nonetheless.

One of my signature lines in my classroom is, "Ignore them. The only person you can control is yourself. You can't control what others do." In fact, it's such a signature that I've actually had kids repeat it while I was saying it. We've dissected what it actually means and what we can do to help a situation, even if we can't change what others do.

That being said? Why on Earth do I think I can control what others do? Maryland drivers drive me crazy. But I can't change them. I can only control my reaction to them. My kids drive me crazy. I can't control what they do. I can only control my reaction to them. (I can encourage them to make better choices-- but I can't change the choices they make).

This is particularly frustrating to me because I'm such a rule-bound person, except in the case of the speed limit because I'll be darned if I can actually drive it. I follow rules because they are rules. Not because they even make sense. Simply because someone has said it's a rule.

And that's why I yelled at some driver who was talking with their cell phone to their ear. The law changed October 1st in Maryland: you must use a hands-free device. I paid $60 to get a bluetooth so I could follow the rules. For some reason, it just didn't seem fair that if I couldn't drive with a phone to my ear, he shouldn't be able to either. I may have yelled at him and pointed to my hands free device while "encouraging" him to get one, too.

Wednesday, September 29, 2010

Wow.

I have a friend who is having one of those days. You know, an Alexander (and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day) kind of day.
 
In fact, I know it's a lot like an Alexander day because he just told me, "This is the MOSTEST HORRIBLEST WORST TERRIBLE-IST SCHOOL EVERRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR!" And yes, the r lasted that long. Not even joking.
 
Everything he says lasts that long. "Ms. LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL, I neeeeeeeeeeeeed helpppppppppppppppppp!" or "You are sooooooooooooooooo unfairrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!"
Can you imagine how my head feels? Part of me wants to do the same thing. Model his behavior, hope the novelty wears off and a little humor puts his behind in gear. But, I have a feeling that's not going to work.
 
Instead? I'll just whine because his Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day makes me have a similar kind of day.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

What I Wore Wednesday

After Ashley questioned my whereabouts, I'm back. Just for her. Hopefully she played along, too.

And here's what I wore this week...

gray ruffled top~ The Limited
black trousers~ The Limited
gray peep toe flats~ Tarjay

This shirt is one of my favorites on those days when I'm feeling a little chubby and/or lazy. It's so comfortable and it hides the muffin top. Always important.

teal cardigan~ Limited
black bow~off of another cardigan
gray trousers~ Limited
black pointed toe kitten heels~ Tarjay (and never again will I wear those to work!)



gray flower cardigan~ Old Navy
black trousers~ Ann Taylor (I promise these were each a different pair)
gray peep toe flats~ Tarjay

black ruffled top~ Limited
black/white vest~ Limited
black trousers~ Marshall's
red peep toe bow flats~ Tarjay (these are one of my favs!)

pink argyle cardigan~ Tarjay
gray trousers~ Ann Taylor (I think I need a smaller size in these.. yay!)
black pointy toe flats~ Tarjay

Do you see little miss Zoey peeking into the picture? Love.

Moral of the story again? Apparently all I wear is Tarjay and Limited. And, a lot of black or gray.That doesn't surprise me, my dad often comments on how all I wear is black. Yes, a man who notices clothing. Not sure how that happened. I'm also noticing my addiction to cardigans.

What did YOU wear this week?


Monday, September 20, 2010

Misc.

Just a few random thoughts this evening.

Little Old Man: You know what? If you looked up w w w . your school sucks . com, your picture would show up!
Me: Huh?
Little Old Man: Yeah! Your picture would show up because you make this school suck. 
Me: I can tell you're pretty angry, buddy. What is this all about?
Little Old Man: You let HIM sit by you!

Apparently I suck because I let another kid sit by me. Wow.

And.. I can't even believe I'm admitting this to you all. I've been sucked in. Bitten by a certain series. (Do you get the pun?!) Yes, Stephanie Meyer has made me a convert. I swore I'd never fall for these books. Vampires? Psh. Yeah right. And then, I made a promise to the cuz. I promised her I'd read just one. She promised if I hated it, I had every right to make fun of her, but I couldn't make fun of anyone if I hadn't read them myself. Then it happened. I began reading and now I can't stop.

I read the first one in a week (it only took that long because I actually had things to do, like work). I'm now really angry that I have to wait until tomorrow to get "New Moon".

Sigh. Life is tough.

Funny Words

As most of you already know, I have the sense of humor of an 8 year old. Probably because I hang out with 8 year olds daily. Bathroom humor is probably the worst for me. Someone lets one rip? I laugh.
 
You can imagine my difficulty when one of our vocabulary words today is none other than tutor. Which makes me think of toot. Like fart. We said it and read it no less than 937 times today and giggled (inside, of course) every.single.time.
 
I wonder when I'm going to grow up...

Saturday, September 18, 2010

Tag!

1. What kind of hair(color/cut) have you always wanted but never had the nerve to do it?

I've always wanted brunette hair. I love brunette's with light eyes and fair skin (which I possess, duh!). Every time I go to the salon to get it done, the stylists talk me out of it. They say my skin is perfect for blonde. I would LOVE to go brunette with a cute bob or long curls.


2. If you haven't been/or could do it over, where would/did you go on your honeymoon?
Well.. the ex and I didn't have a honeymoon, as we were married in Aruba. So it served as our wedding/honeymoon that happened to include our closest family and friends. I'm still pro-marriage (as long as it's the right person, duh!) so I'm hoping to get a do over. I would LOVE to go to Greece or any Caribbean island.
3. What is your dream car?
If we're being realistic, I'd love a Jetta. If we're talking true dream car, I'd love nothing more than to rock a 1964 1/2 Red Mustang Convertible.


4. If you would move anywhere in the world where would you go?
Germany. I LOVED living there before and would do it all over again in a heartbeat. Except this time I'd live off post and within walking distance to a quaint little downtown.


5. What famous lady would you love to be or be bff with?


I'd have to go with Jennifer Aniston. She seems so chill and down to earth. Plus, she's super adorable.

6. What colors did you do or do you want to do for your wedding?
Black/hot pink. The ladies wore black dresses with pink flowers and the men wore black tuxes with hot pink vests/ties.


7. What trashy reality show are you embarrassingly addicted to?
Which one? All of them. I love me some reality shows. Bring on The Bachelor/ette, Bachelor Pad, Real World, any of the Real World Challenges, Keeping up with the Kardashians, and many more.


8. Do you you remember your first kiss? How old were you and how awkward was it?
I honestly cannot remember. It obviously was pretty lame.


9. What is your guilty pleasure?
Sea Salt & Cracked Pepper chips. Mmmmmmmm!
10. What is your favorite chick flick?


I despise watching movies more than once, but I do love me some Sweet Home Alabama and Pretty Woman.

11. What is your favorite beverage?

Alcoholic? A nice glass of white wine, preferably a Riesling or pinot grigio.
Non Alcoholic? Diet Pepsi or water with lemon.
12. What is your theme song?


Definitely something by Britney Spears. Probably "Oops! I Did it Again!" but not like the lyrics go. Mainly because I'm constantly doing something I shouldn't.

13. Who is your style icon?


Jennifer Aniston. I love how she rocks classic with a twist.

14. When was the last time you cried and why?
Yesterday. I have a lot going on and I was just super-stressed. Maryland BFF is pregnant and hormonal, so she was crying too. I'm a fan of crying to release your feelings. It's amazing how a good cry can actually make you feel better.


15. What playlist/cd is on your CD player/iPod right now?


I'm totally rocking out to Jack Johnson. Ironically, I knew nothing about him until someone posted a video a few weeks ago. Basically, I heart him now.

16. What is your favorite dessert?
Turtle Cheesecake, dripping in caramel. Mmmm.


YOUR TURN!
I tag...
Lizzie
Lil Woman
Little Daisy May
and anyone else who wants to play!

Thursday, September 16, 2010

True Love, in a Box.

(image courtesy of Eat Your Best)

I'm not normally a fan of any meal in a box. Mainly because I enjoy cooking and I usually like to add my own seasonings to things. I find most things in a box to be rather bland. Or taste like cardboard. But, I have a really busy semester ahead of me and there are some nights I don't get home until late, which means I probably won't pack my lunch before I go to bed. (Yes, I'm crazy and pack my lunch the night before... and pick out my clothes.. but you already knew I was a little crazy)

While I was out grocery shopping this week, these loverlies were on sale and I thought it might be a nice solution to those days when I don't have a thing to pack for lunch, or don't feel like making anything. You know, because I get home at like 10:00 and that's past my bedtime.

Thank you Smart Ones for creating this piece of heaven in a box. Seriously, I could eat another one right now. Sadly, I don't have one. Instead? I'm going to run off to kickball and have a beer.

Remind me to tell you about my awesome coaching job! You're going to be sooooo jealous!

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Fatal Flaw...

I think we all have one trait/quality that is a little less endearing than the other wonderful qualities we possess.
My fatal flaw?

Keeping my mouth shut.

I just sometimes lack the inability to filter my comments and actually keep my mouth closed. Especially when it involves other people. I tend to speak before thinking. I like to think it's because I spend 8 hours a day using my filter in hypersensitive mode. You know, not actually commenting when a child is hurling expletives in your face or when they tell you something that is completely ridiculous you can't help but snicker. However, I'm leaning towards it not having anything to do with hypersensitive filter mode being on Monday-Friday 8-5. I think this because I can recall numerous occasions when my mother had to quietly remind me to think before I speak.

My fatal flaw was in full effect last night at my CPR training. I went to use the bathroom and posted on the wall of the stall was a urine chart. Said chart had different shades of yellow describing urine and which levels showed hydration and at what point you might be dehydrated, ending in a color that simply said, "contact your physician". I was laughing with another trainee as we gave number values for our pee.

We walked back to training and I was chatting it up with the trainer and mentioned the absurdity of the urine chart and how I couldn't refrain from laughing. She looked at me and simply said, "That was my PhD project." Enough said. Apparently it's not funny to the author. As a result, I did a little back-tracking and had to quietly retreat to my seat before making an even bigger @$$ of myself.

Oi vey. Open mouth, insert foot.

What's your  fatal flaw? 

Tuesday, September 14, 2010

Ten on Tuesday

1. Favorite way to travel (plane, train, automobile, etc.)

I enjoy traveling by plane. There's just something about being up in the clouds and the excitement of reaching your destination.

2. Where’s your favorite place to travel to that you’ve been to?
I really enjoyed Germany. The food, beer, and sights were amazing.
3. Where’s the place that you want to go but have never been?
I would LOVE to go to Australia, Iceland, and Greece. I'm hoping I can cross those off my list before I leave this world.
4. Do you deal with traffic well?
I live in the metro DC/Baltimore area. I don't much have a choice. However, when people are driving slowly in Michigan, I tend to "talk" to them. And by talk.. I mean scream and shout.
5. Ever had an emergency while traveling?
Can't say that I have. Let's hope I never do. You know how I freak out with emergencies.

6. Do you have a passport? What countries have you been to?
I do! In fact, I just sent out for a new one for my trip to Punta Cana. I've visited Aruba, Mexico, Germany, Czech Republic, France, Italy, and Egypt. Thank goodness for studying abroad. I'm so jealous of people who have more stamps in their passport book.
7. Are you’ve light packer or do you pack everything but the kitchen sink?
I'm somewhere in between. Having had to carry around a backpack while in Europe, I learned to pack lightly. However, I do love me some clothes and I never know what I'll want to wear on vacation, so I pack more than I need.
8. Do you take the fastest route or the road less traveled?
Depends. In life, generally the fastest route.
9. Do any activities on the road? (like road games, reading, sleeping, etc. )
If I'm on the plane, read. In a car I get car sick if I read, so I tend to sleep or chit chat. I also enjoy jamming out in the car on a long road trip. Or listen to a book on tape. Yes, I'm a nerd.

10. Use a paper map or GPS?
GPS. There is no way I'd a) understand a paper map under pressure or b) be able to drive and navigate at the same time. Thank goodness for GPS that tells you when to turn!

Have a Nice Trip..

It's almost always funny when someone trips. It's even funnier when it's your dog. And she barks at the step, as if to say, "Dude.. what the? Get out of my way!"

Monday, September 13, 2010

Tears.

I'm pretty sure I'm overly exhausted, but I just cried hysterically on the phone with my mother because my camera is broken. In my defense, though, it was a gift from my grandmother and she has since passed. It was a wedding gift, so on top of being sad that my camera broke and that it was going to cost me at least $150, I was also reminded that I have a failed marriage under my belt.

While I'm normally able to handle the flood of emotions that often come when you are grieving the loss of a marriage, it's almost crippling when you attempt to handle the grieving that comes along with a grandmother who has passed away. And to be completely honest with you, I'm not sure I've actually handled that grief. Unfortunately, she passed while the emotions were still very raw with the divorce. While I was okay handling one loss, two was not possible. It's only been recently that I've actually been able to come to terms with my grandmother's passing, which was difficult because she was the last grandparent and she passed while in the care of hospice. If you've ever gone through that, you understand the trauma that comes with it.

Combining the two at 9:30 at night? Not so good.

I'm going to run to bed. Thankfully, I have the day off tomorrow. Somehow I think those ice cream snickers I bought tonight, for no apparent reason, might come in handy. And, I had to buy a new duvet cover because Zoey ate M&M's on it and stained it. So at least I'll have ice cream snickers and a new duvet cover to cuddle with. Oh and Zoey. If I take her off my sh!t list.

Kids...

Kids...really do say the darndest things! I had 4 kids absent today, leaving me with only 3 friends to hang out with. When you're not constantly battling behaviors and correcting students on a regular basis, you actually have time to talk to kids or listen to conversations they are having with classmates themselves.

Convo with little miss diva, or little miss drama queen...

Lil Miss Diva: I have a lot of motto's.
Me: Motto's or models?
Lil Miss Diva: Motto's. Words to live by.
Me: Really? Like what?
Lil Miss Diva: Never, ever trust a talking cat.

Overheard.. and it should be noted that this little guy wasn't talking to anyone in particular. Just himself.

Wow! This glue stick is purple, but when it melts it disappears. I can't even see it! It's like an imaginary friend. You know it's there, but you just...can't...see... it. We'll call it Imaginary Glue Friend. We'll be best friends forever. Forever. You and me, Mr. Imaginary Glue Friend.

That's how I spend my days. Talking about talking cats and imaginary glue friends. Oi vey.

Sunday, September 12, 2010

I'm sure it's a sign of intelligence...

If you know me in real life, you know I'm a little crazy. Not I'm-going-to-kill-someone crazy, but a wee bit neurotic. As in, I like to have things a certain way. And if it isn't that way? Watch out.

Ashley over at Ashley's Antics (who is a real life friend, btw) may have called me out for numero uno on the list of neurotic things that I do. Of course, it was all in fun. So, I thought it might be good for me to come out of the closet with some of my neurotic things just to see if others do them. You know, to see if I have some friends out there who might just actually join me on the crazy train.

So, without further adieu.. here's the crazy baggage I carry.

  • I make my bed every day. Every day. I can't leave the house without it being made. I have been known to come back in the house after realizing I didn't make the bed. Knowing full well I wouldn't be able to function at work with my bed unmade.
  • I pick out my clothes (and jewelry and shoes) the night before. I often try on the outfit before going to bed just to make sure it fits, matches, and is appropriate for the occasion. I don't do this on the weekends, though.
  • I change my sheets once a week. It usually occurs on Sunday. I have also been known to freak out a little bit if I have to change the sheets in the middle of the week. Or even on Saturday. Even if that happens, I still change them on Sunday.
  • I cannot stand clean clothes touching the ground. I don't care how clean the carpets/floors are. The laundry item that touches the floor will go straight into the laundry basket to be re-washed.
  • I have irrational fears about emergencies happening. Whenever I'm in public, I have to know where the closest emergency exit is located. I have had full on panic attacks when I realize there are too many people in the public place and we may not all make it out alive if an emergency happens. In my defense, I was once in an emergency when the only exit was an elevator that was being used by too many people and the medics were unable to reach us in a timely fashion and we were unable to get to the ambulance in a timely fashion.
  • I freak out when I cannot reach members of my family. I often call through the chain of family/friends until I reach someone who can confirm that my family members are safe. Thankfully my family knows this and they humor me every time I do it. Which is at least once a week. I think this might have something to do with the irrational fears about emergencies.
That's all the crazy I can think of right now. I know there are more.

But, I'm pretty sure crazy is a sign of intelligence. Seriously. I'm a really smart woman, I just have some tendency towards the crazy.

What?

Does your dog sit like this on the couch? Hmm... no? Weird.

She's not spoiled or anything. Not at all.

Friday, September 10, 2010

It's all about the whine..

Notice the spelling.
 
I'm a wee bit grumpy this morning. And by wee bit I mean I might just bite someone's head off for looking at me the wrong way. I think this is going to need to change before those wonderful little 7 and 8 year olds come in the room at 9:05. Some days I wish I had a regular 8-5 kind of job. You know, the one that you can sit behind your computer and not interact with others unless absolutely necessary. Unfortunately, that's not the job I have. My job is to be kind and understanding. My job requires me to interact with kids who lack appropriate social skills and have extremely low frustration tolerance. Kids kind of like how I'm feeling right now.
 
Plus? I forgot my cell phone at home. Not a big deal, as I don't require it for work, but I feel really naked without it. Oh, and I think I have bronchitis. So on top of the foul mood, I'm coughing up a lung every 2 minutes. Sweet.
 
Here's to hoping my day turns around in the next hour and fifteen minutes.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Goats?

Little dude: Hey, kids! Be quiet.

Little Old Lady: Kid? Who you calling kid?

Little dude: You.

Little Old Lady: I'm not a goat! I'm not a goat!

Little dude: Huh?

Little Old Lady: A baby goat is a kid. You kids don't know anything. I want outta this place.

Touche, my friend. Touche.

Tuesday, September 7, 2010

Corporal Punishment

Flying with a head cold is by far one of the worst things ever. I think it should be used as corporal punishment, it's that bad. There was not a single moment on the 2 hour flight that I was comfortable.

On a positive note, I had an awesome weekend celebrating the wedding of a great friend and her super-awesome husband! I suppose the 2 hours of torture was worth it.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

What I Wore Wednesday

It's my first time playing "What I Wore Wednesday"... Thanks to Abby over at Babbling Abby, via the Pleated Poppy.

I only started taking pictures on Monday, so I don't have an entire week. And.. taking pictures of yourself is mighty hard to do.

ruffled cardigan--J. Crew Outlet
haki pants-- Limited from years ago
shoes-- brown moccasins from Tar-jay years ago

ruffled black top-- Limited last season
grey trousers-- Limited, via Marshall's last year
black kitten heels-- Tar-Jay last week

grey cardigan-- Tar-Jay (this summer)
black ribbed tank-- The Limited (years ago)
black pointy flats-- Tar-Jay (last year)

I'm noticing a bit of a trend.. it's either Target or The Limited. Hmm.. I'll let you guess which clothes I purchased myself and which ones were gifts from my generous mother. Seriously, that woman knows how to shop and knows how to dress her daughter. The black ruffled top? I didn't even pick it out myself. Most of the tops I have from The Limited or Ann Taylor Loft were picked out by my mother and gifted to me. Isn't she the best?

Monday, August 30, 2010

One of these things is not like the other...

This... this is Zoey's bed.


This... is my bed.



What's wrong with this picture?

And yes, this is what I come home to every.single.day. An empty puppy bed and a full human bed. It's no wonder I wake up with dog hair stuck to my chapstick.

On a completely unrelated note, anyone else out there with the cutest dog in person who does not photograph well? Zoey is the cutest dog in person (I have many people who would agree with this and some of them are unbiased) but she does not photograph well. She either looks mean or drugged. Anyone else have this problem?

Overheard...

Conversation between two seven year olds...
 
Little Dude: This might take a thousand years!
 
Little Man: You'll be an old man by then.
 
Little Dude: Good, then we could do man-things.
 
Little Man: Man things?
 
Little Dude: Yeah! Like drink beer or look at girls.
 
 

Sunday, August 29, 2010

Things..

Things that make me smile...

Flowers from my parents, just to tell me they love me.


A man walking his lawn mower.   Zoey-- 'nuff said.

Things that don't make me smile.....

An empty plan book for next week.

                       The piles of books I have yet to go through.

Thursday, August 26, 2010

8 Year Olds..

8 year olds are quite a unique breed of little ones.

Me: Hey, Little Miss Diva, quit chewing on your hair.

Little Miss Diva (LMD): I like it. It makes my tummy feel better.

Me: How does it make your tummy feel better to eat your hair?

LMD: It's like a dog eating grass, but I eat my hair.

Me: Wait, you're like a dog?

LMD: Woof. Grrrr. Woof.

Me: I guess you are like a dog. Nice dog impression.

LMD: I've been practicing.

Wednesday, August 25, 2010

True Love?

This beauty was waiting for me on my desk this morning. Seems one of my little guys has taken quite a liking to me. I assure you, I do not look that frightening in real life and I certainly do not wear a hula skirt. I also have feet and normal hands. They are kind of large, but the drawing is not to scale.

If only I could find boys over the age of 8 to fall desperately in love with me... I kid, I kid.

Monday, August 23, 2010

First Day

Wow! The first day not only flew by, it was FABULOUS! My kids were great, my new Teaching Assistant is seriously like my right arm. It helps that we've worked together in the past and we're friends. Seriously, I think she completed my sentences every time I talked to her.

Funny of the day:

"Ms. L.. we doing science today?" said Little Man.

I replied, "Nope, social studies this week. Science next week."

"Ugh. I didn't come to school to learn social studies!" he shouted.

Um, welcome to the real world my friend. You have a lifetime full of disappointments ahead of you, get used to it.

My only complaint from today is that my feet are killing me. I forgot what it was like to stand for 8 hours straight. Oh, and I'm really tired of hearing myself talk.

Friday, August 20, 2010

Crabby.

I'm crabby. REALLY crabby. We're talking I-could-bite-your-head-off-if-you-look-at-me-wrong crabby. On a scale of 1-10, I'm about a 9.5.

The really sad part? I'm not 100% sure why I'm crabby. It might be because plans fell through. It could be because it's Friday night and I've spent all evening holed up with limited interaction with actual human beings. But, I kind of think it's because school is starting and I'm a nervous wreck. I'm a nervous wreck because I'm the only returning teacher in my program so all eyes are on me, and I've taken on some more leadership within my school so even more eyes are on me. Plus, I'm teaching 3rd graders this year.. and we all know third grade is a tested grade.

It's no fun being crabby.

Wednesday, August 18, 2010

Annoying.

You know what's annoying about wearing glasses? Other than the fact that when you take them off, you can't see a darn thing. Yes, I'm practically blind. Seriously. Your eyelashes. That's what's annoying.

I can't stand when your eyelashes rub on the lens and your mascara makes smudges all over. Seriously? Why do my glasses make me hate my long eyelashes? Some people pay lots of money to have long, thick eyelashes. Instead, I'm left hating them. I cleaned my glasses no fewer than 96 times today. In fact, in one meeting (a 2 hour meeting), I cleaned them 5 times. I know this because I counted instead of listening to someone tell me about how to be a better teacher. I know, I know.. I should have listened.

Sidenote: Zoey just fell asleep sitting up. Her head nodded and fell on my arm. Weird.

I Remembered...

I'm barely surviving, ya'll!

School started this week and I was super excited until I remembered everything I have to do. Then I remembered I'm the only returning teacher in our program. Then I remembered this is the first year I haven't been able to have my room set up at least a week prior.

But.. then I remembered, it will all get done if I take a deep breath and stop worrying so darn much.

Why is it when you type a word over and over, it begins to look wrong? I had to go back and check every remembered I typed!

Saturday, August 14, 2010

I'd Make Fun of Me

I went car shopping with a gal pal and we parked on a really steep hill. As I was freaking out about how to park on the black diamond hill, she was all "Just use your emergency brake, that's what it's there for! Times like these, when you're on a big hill and you don't want your car to roll."
Okay. Easy enough. She pulled the brake and we were on our merry way.

Until we went to leave. I have a little lot of anxiety about a few lot of things in life, so started to panic about the emergency brake. I had to stage whisper to Em across the parking lot, "Hey! Em! How do you turn off the parking brake?"

Dude who sold us the car (and had to listen to us cackle like a bunch of school girls while driving down the road) looked at me and gave me the dumb blonde look. Em also gave me the dumb blonde look as if to say, "Seriously? How do you not know that?!" Car salesman guy then walked over to make sure I was able to get the brake off and move the car.

I shrugged and said, "What?! I've never used it before! It's not like I park on steep hills everyday.."

I realized how stupid I sounded, called my mother and told her that if that car salesman had a blog, he'd for sure blog about me because I totally would have done the same thing. If I were him, I'd make fun of me. 

Nerd Alert..

Mom: "Hey (insert nickname here).. I haven't talked to you in a few days. What's up with that?"

Me: Um.. Well... I've been busy.

Mom: "Oh yeah?"

Me: Well.. actually.. I was almost done with my book on tape and I really wanted to finish it. So, every time I was in the car, I couldn't call you because I was listening to the book.

(It should also be known that every.single.time I drove somewhere, I took the long way AND I would listen for an extra couple of minutes after I turned my car off.)

Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Hodge Podge

Well, apparently Jessica thinks I'm neglecting my blog. So.. here's a look at some pictures I took on my phone recently.
The pie I made for The Boy's roommate. His initials are MJ. You should probably know that I'm a domestic goddess and this entire pie is homemade. Well... maybe not entirely homemade. Semi-homemade. Okay, not homemade at all. It was pre-made pie crust and pre-made pie filling. But the cut outs were all me.
This? This is how Zoey chose to ride on part of the 10 hour road trip to Michigan. You can tell I'm pretty happy in the picture. She was shaking approximately 99% of the trip. The only time she didn't shake and pant heavily? When I let her out of the car or when she was on my lap. We will NEVER make this trip together again, unless someone else is in the car for her to ride on their lap. It's annoying driving with a 30 lb. dog on your lap. Not to mention the dog hair.
Oh Oberon, how I've missed you! If you're not from Michigan, you probably don't know about this lovely micro-brew. It's brewed in my college town and it's simply amazing. Don't think I didn't buy two 6-packs to bring back to Maryland. Oberon is the official sign of summer in Michigan.
Remember those two six-packs I mentioned? Here they are in the fridge. It's a shame that I've had them in there for two days and haven't opened a single one. I blame it on the fact that I don't have anyone to drink with. Maryland BFF is pregnant so she's out of the running. The Boy is working midnights, so he's out. And.. beyond that? I don't really have any friends.
This is my fridge. The only things in there are beer, sweet tea, hot dogs, butter, eggs, cheese and bagels. Yes, you read that correctly. No milk. No bread. No pop. No water. I'll be changing that in about 20 minutes. There's also tomato soup. Why do I have tomato soup but no fruit? Blame it on being out of town... yeah..