Those Days

Sometimes I just need one of those days where I sleep in, linger in my jammies, and watch some mindless TV. Today was one of those days. It was nice, while it lasted. I went to pour myself a bowl of cereal, and there was no milk. This shouldn't be surprising to me, seeing as how I'm the only one here, but it must have slipped my mind. So, now my lazy day is over. I should go shopping for groceries. Back to reality.

Sit! Stay! Bad Phone!

Geez! I have to have my phone replaced, again. Yep, that's twice in 2 months. Bad hardware or something. My phone screen just died. Not gonna lie, it kinda makes me want to just get a go phone or something cheap-o and be done with all this smartphone business. Blah!

Maybe I should just get a landline?

Hahaha. Funny.

Still waiting for a replacement after going to the Apple store. Sad. I can see only a portion of my screen.

But, wait! There's good news. After talking to my nephew, Axton, on the phone, I think I'll be okay. I said, "Axton, my phone is broken!" He replied with, "Oh, well I can help you fix it." Sweet! Don't even know why I bothered with Apple. I'll just give it to the three-year old and let him bang it around for awhile. Should do the trick.

My Other

Check out my other blog. It's about the funny things kids say. I've decided to start taking notes.

Funny

My principal asked if I wanted to learn Chinese. I laughed. A lot.
The answer was yes, but the idea of doing so overwhelms me!

Need a Little Fun?

I created this word cloud of one of my favorite songs from a fun website I've been using with my students. They love to type in their spelling words, poems, or anything. It sure makes typing practice fun. But, let's face it. It's just plain fun. Try it out.

Yarn, people! Yarn!

Oh, teaching has its moments.

In third grade this week, I've been helping the students understand multiplication, and today I was teaching the kids more about problem solving. We had practiced a few together, and I was explaining their next task. I was holding up a picture card from which they would use the details to write a multiplication sentence. For example, one had bouquets of flowers. They were to write something similar to this: Sally has 5 vases of flowers at her shop. Each vase has 6 flowers in it. How many flowers does Sally have in all the vases?

So, there I was, teaching. The lesson had been fantastic. I was holding up a picture card that had cats on it that were playing with yarn.

"So, if you were using this picture to write your multiplication sentence, you could look at all the things that come in groups. You could write about their ears, their eyes, their legs, their balls . . ." to which about half the class (mostly boys) BUST UP laughing(falling out of chairs laughing), and I promptly yelled out, "Yarn! The cats are playing with balls of yarn! Look at the picture!" There was a lot of clarifying, pointing, laughing, and me shaking my head.

We all pretty much lost it for about five minutes. What's a teacher to do?

And yes, at the end of it all, some kids were still oblivious as to what all the laughter was about.

The Cat is Out of the Bag

That's right. The secret is out.

I know right now you may be thinking, "WHAT did Michelle commit to NOW?"

Chinese-English Immersion is what. That's right. I just couldn't pass it up! My current school is a dual immersion school with English/Chinese. This year there are classes of kinder and first grades that are learning Chinese. Next year, second grade will be added (that's me!), and the next year third grade will begin and so on.

What this looks like:

* SECOND GRADERS. Scary! I hope they don't cry.

* 2 classes, 28 students in each class

* 1/2 day teaching English Language Arts Core with each class

* Students are in Chinese Immersion class the other 1/2 day

* Me gaining a smorgasbord of organizational and time management skills

* More meetings than I'm already involved in

* Me getting to focus more on implementing Language Arts

* Occasionally getting to hear students sing/speak in Chinese--Cute!

What it DOES NOT look like:

* A class full of students from China (These are our regular kiddos.)

* Me speaking Chinese

* Me teaching Chinese (I don't know Chinese!)

* Me getting to extensively teach math concepts

I know that this kind of goes against me taking all these new math classes, but I was given this opportunity, and I can't say no to a challenge! Hopefully it will be a fun and challenging year. This doesn't begin until this school year ends, so the transition will be at the beginning of July. Until then, I'll try to work through my feelings of overwhelming panic and just be happy for this exciting new opportunity!

Lucky Me

I have a new niece. Lucky me! I feel like I've been waiting to meet her forever, even since before she was born. And I'm still waiting! I hope to be able to visit soon.

She was 5lbs. 1 oz and 17" long. Born 1/15/11. Look how beautiful she is! Tiny, hairy, beautiful!

Arizona

I've been trekking to Phoenix every now and then to visit family. Mom's down there, and I also have a few step-siblings down that-a-way. Megan and I really get along. Personally, I think it's because we're both so crazy. Or funny. Or both. Anyway, it's fun to visit, especially when I get to see these stinking cute kids. They are the best babies ever!

First up is Megan with her new baby, McEwan. December 27 new. So cute!

Here is one twinner, Ruby. She's the momma's girl. Very detail oriented.

Next up is twin number 2, Lucy. Lulu. She's so silly and has the cutest laugh ever!

Here's the newbie again sporting his custom onesie made by, ehhem, me. :)

The twins playing in the rocks and with chalk. I have no idea why. :)

I can't seem to find my pictures of her oldest, Braxton, who is four. He's also cute! I'll have to look for those. Anyway, Meg and I have a good time just hanging out and taking the kids around. When I go, it's a fun vacation, although not much of a break. :)

Not the Cat Lady

My single friends and I joke all the time about cats. People assume that just because we're single girls that we like or have anywhere from one to dozens of cats. That we sit around all night, knitting, watching movies, eating chocolate, and petting our kitties. We've all heard of those older, single cat lady types. Good thing I'm allergic.

Anyway, so every once in awhile, the jokes come out. One of my friends got a webkins kitten for her birthday. I know, mean of her brother. The other day while browsing on Etsy, I came across this gem of a picture frame, promising that I'd get it for whoever loved it most:

Seriously? That would have to be one cat lover!

Today, I decided that if I never get married, and by some weird twist of who-knows-what my cat allergy disappears, I will get a cat. A tom cat. Maybe he will look something like one of these gems of nature:

And his name will be Husband.

"Here Husband. Come here Husband. Has anyone seen my Husband?"

Dare you not to laugh. :)

It was either that or Tuna Breath.

Brrr!

So, it's pretty chilly outside. Some days, we have inside recess. Today, we didn't. But boy, oh boy, was it still super chilly! Usually I let kids stay in if they want to. We had quite the interesting conversation today. Picture me trying to explain to 26 kids how we get a cold from the cold virus, not from being too cold. Simple, yes? No. Not when they still think they can catch a cold from being cold. It was a no-win situation. They still had to go out. :) Fresh air for 10-15 minutes isn't going to kill them.

I Must be Crazy

I said I was done. Finished. Complete. No more school for me. After two degrees and two endorsements, I'd had enough.

But, here I find myself studying again. I'll be busy doing math for the next little bit. I'll let you know how it goes.

I don't know why I do this to myself.

Someday, I'll figure it out.

Oh, and stay tuned. I just may have a small career move coming in the near future.

TV and Reality=More Real than You Think

So, tonight while I was making dinner, I just turned on the TV for some noise. Hey, I live alone. Anyway, there was a family comedy on, and this is what I heard.

Mom: Not everything you read on the Internet is true.

Kid: What?! You mean there aren't beautiful singles in my area waiting to meet me? I have to update my blog.

I laughed for a few minutes. So true.

2010 Year in Review

Well, I figured I should write a quick list of things that have gone on this year. I'll start at the beginning because it seems a very good place to start. :)

I lost two roomies to marriage. Good for them, hard for me. That's life.

I moved home. See above.

I commuted 63 miles one way every day for nearly four months, or I commuted through eight construction zones each day, or I spent three hours each day in the car, or I memorized two CD's, or I drove roughly more than 300 miles a week, OR I spent about $180 in gas each week. Yeah, it's a little crazy. I truly had time to think about this during all those long drives.

I traveled to Phoenix. Yeah . . . I don't know what it is with me and long drives.

After searching near and far, I finally bought a place of my own (the near one).

Spent the better part of a month laying by the pool, reading and soaking up the sun.

Bought my first couch and real bed and dresser. Oh, I love them. Makes me feel grown up.

I finished my first five years of teaching and continued on to a 6th. Yay! I'm not a statistic!

Completed my English as a Second Language endorsement to add to my degrees.

I took a trip to Wales, was mugged of all my money, and lost my passport, without ever leaving the country. Yeah, I was hacked. Don't worry. Hacker: 0, Me: 1.

Lost my sweet, loving Grandma Wood. Saddest day ever.

I drove through California wine country and up the Pacific coast, visited the Redwood Forests and hugged a big tree (lifelong dream!) and saw the beauty of Oregon, and I was able to spend time in Seattle with my brother, Kevin.

I became a bit of a budding photographer.

Bought Miss Molly Mac, one of my better investments. Hello, Mac. Thanks for not crashing! :)

Successfully avoided another Halloween party.

Survived another year of directing the school play. My LAST year. Please remind me of that come oh, August. Please!

I participated in my first craft boutique and did well.

I gained a new nephew. Cutest baby ever.

Lost all my family. Okay, the just moved to California and Arizona. Not lost, just far far away.

I made my first trip to Simi Valley, Hollywood, and the greater Los Angeles area. Not my last.

Spent the holidays in Phoenix visiting family, painting my first set of kitchen cabinets, playing with babies, shopping, and staying warm. Gained another nephew. Lucky me.

I've met some great new people, made some new friends, and had my share of ups and downs.

Nothing too terribly exciting.

Overall, I guess life is good, but I hope that the best is yet to come.

Scaring Myself

So, there I was. It was between two and three in the morning, and I needed to get a little gas, just to be safe. As I came over the next hill, I saw a Chevron gas station with the pumps lit up. (Aren't 24hr pumps a great thing?!) I pulled in and proceeded to swipe my card, put the nozzle it, etc. I stood there quietly looking around. The place was as still and quiet as an empty building. Now, I compare it to an empty building, but that is only because there was no sound except for the soft elevator music playing at the gas station. I glanced back at the gas pump and became horrified! .53 gallons?! I'd been pumping gas for a few minutes now and .53 gallons was all I had? This was the slowest gas pump in the history of gas pumps. Seriously, it wasn't like there was a rush on gas at the moment or anything. Did I mention it was freezing outside? 20 degrees to be exact. I stood there, pumping gas, and began to look around. There was an older motel, lights off except for the vacancy sign flashing. There was a lone semi with the running lights on, pulled over for the night. Not a soul in sight. A slight fog was also creeping in. I looked back at the gas tank. I now had a total of $4.00 or about a gallon and then some. I looked again at my surroundings and thought to myself, "This is how people get murdered!"

I quickly hung up the gas pump, took my $4.00 receipt, jumped back in my

car, and drove off into the night. It's a good thing I didn't really need that much gas.

I've watched too many scary movies. I scare myself.

On a more humorous note, here's a billboard from that town. No, I didn't take it, just saw it. Someone else took this. Thought we could all use some comic relief.