Just like old times...

So here I am, taking a break from writing another paper... ok not really, but it sure feels like it! Tomorrow is my first conference with the principal which will include a pre-observation meeting (before my first formal observation, thus the "pre-observation terminology - get it?) as well as establishing a goal for the school year, and other student stuff. So I am writing up all the formalized steps, lesson plans, evaluation questions, etc.

I'm not nervous because I actually feel like (and have been told) that I am doing a good job.... but so far the hardest part about being a teacher is the fact that I KNOW what I could do better, I just am not there yet. Sometimes perspective is a hard thing to have, even though I know it is good. I wouldn't want to fastforward through the next couple years because I know there will be many moments to treasure... i just wish I had a time-vacuum and could suck all the experience from then to now :)

In other news... the stupid elk are very annoying (not just because stupid tourists stop in the middle of the road to stare at them) because they are so freaking loud with their squeaky snorty buglely noises at all hours of the night. It is cool to listen to during the day and the evening, but NOT at 3am. I might have to send Sherlock out on noise ordinance patrol!!

Thanks for the break... back to work!

My dog peed on a tree.

Well we did NOT get the foot of snow that the stupid weatherman predicted. We did get a frickin' cold cloudy day with icy rain. Booo.

Also boo was my yoga teacher's substitute not showing up for class. Boo!

The best part of my day however, was making my kids laugh while we were working on subject and predicate. My example sentece: My dog peed on a tree. (Followed by lots of laughter) Who did it? "My dog!" What did he do? "Peed on a tree!" (lots more laughter). It's a good thing I get to be around kids all day :)

SNOW?!

That's right! Snow! This morning I got to school a little after 7:00 and it was very cold and rainy. About 5 minutes later it was hailing so hard I couldn't see the playground outside my room. There was HUGE lightening and thunder, and then the hail turned into snow. It was crazy!! All day it's been snowing on and off, and while there is only little piles of white here and there... the mountains are frosty!! I love it... but I need some fall before we hit winter!!

Ahhhhhhhh :)

So tonight I put all the work aside and went to my first yoga class up here. It was soooooooo good to completely take my mind off of everything and focus on my body. I feel more relaxed and happy. I also was able to appreciate walking back to my car along the river and breathing the fresh air. Then on the way home I passed a big herd of elk and enjoyed watching the little ones play and the males sparring. And of course waiting for me was a pooperdog and a fat kitty :)
Even though I knew that this year was going to be hard... it's been wearing me down fast. Hopefully this is a way that I can keep balanced and optimistic!

TGFM (Thank God for Marci)

So this week hasn't been great... and I don't feel like reliving it via blog... but I just HAD to share this email from my bestest friend Marci, because it was the best part of my entire week :)


"Take THAT crappy day! Love, Bug"


I bet it made you smile too :)
I love my Bug!! And My Marci!!!
And it's Friday :)

How about a 4 day weekend??

So I have had a perfectly lovely three day weekend... I am just not ready for it to be over!

Saturday morning I woke up at 5:00 and really enjoyed the 3 seconds I was awake before rolling over and falling asleep again. Fat Kitty finally got me out of bed to feed him around 7:00, so I let the pooperdog out and fed him too. After being awake for about 30 minutes, I decided I was still tired and went back to bed until 11:00 :) Then I pooped around the house, putting up some more pictures, laying in the hammock, and reading Calvin and Hobbes. Around 5:00 I headed over to my friend's house to hang out with their kiddos and do some laundry while they had a date night. We (me and the kids) had a lot of fun coloring, playing video games, blocks, and dinosaurs!

Sunday I went downtown and played tourist at the local arts and crafts fair. It was nice to just wander and enjoy :) I bought a pair of earrings and a beautiful silk painting by the middle-school art teacher. Then I came home and took a 3 hour nap :)

Today I was at school for most of the day except for a few hours over lunch when Sherlock and I went to the lake for a while. I got quite a bit done and feel ready for the coming week... especially since its only 4 days!

It's the small stuff.

So this has been a long week already. I thought it was Thursday all day today... which also meant I thought tomorrow was Friday. *sigh* My main frustration is the fact that I am really bamboozled about the kids being pulled out of my room. I don't know enough about where they are going and who is teaching them what. I don't want to assume they are getting "something" somewhere else and for the teacher taking them to assume I am teaching "something" and the kid actually never gets taught that thing!! Unfortunately there is not enough time, schedules don't mesh, and there are other things that need to be taken care of first... so it probably won't get worked out for a while. It's not an emergency situation I guess, but...

I also continue to be confronted with the questions I didn't know I was suppose to ask. I love that there are so many supportive people around me... but many of them have been doing this for a long time. Thus, so many things are second nature that they forget that I don't know, and I don't know to ask! This usually ends up in a frantic change of plans on my part - which again is not the end of the world, but is frustrating and wearing.

Luckily... it's the small stuff that makes me know I'm still in the right place. Wilted wildflowers picked from recess, hugs, extra snacks, etc. Today I had the kids do a "chain of events" from the story we were reading by making a paper chain of sentences to summarize the story. It was funny to hear them say "that was fun!" in such a surprised way :) I heard them quizzing each other on the states in the northeast region over lunch, and even one of my "challenging" kids hugged me today and thanked me for making science so cool. I might not love all the mumbo-jumbo and paper-work stuff.... but I love getting kids excited about learning.

Unfortunately, tomorrow is not Friday. But when it gets here, it will be a 3-day weekend!! :) And until then... I'll keep treasuring the small stuff.