Out like a lamb? - Slice of Life Challenge, Day #31

March 31, 2018

I don't care for goodbyes, endings, etc.  There are television shows that I watched repeatedly for years yet have never watched the series finale. I learned the hard way (weeks of weeping at the finale of Monk), that I don't have the constitution for it. I finally watched the final episodes of Parks and Recreation this year, 3 years after it ended. The only reason I watched the final season of Psych this year was because there was a new USA movie that came out this year, so I knew the characters were safe.

Now, I don't think this is a very healthy attitude, but baby steps. I am working on it. Come to think of it, I bought a video of a Jeff Buckley concert back in 2000 or so and won't ever watch it because he died in 1997 and it's the only concert footage I will see. So if I don't watch it, it's still there to be watched...there's always more. As I write this, I'm reminded of a scene in the movie What About Bob?, where Bill Murray's neurotic character, Bob, tells his psychiatrist, "If I fake it, I don't have it." In the same way, if I don't watch the end of something, it didn't happen; it's still going on to me.

To sum up, I will not be reflecting or winding down in my last post this year. I will leave this month's challenge with some lovely images of flowers blooming in my garden as March comes to a close.

Obligatory Dog Post - Slice of Life Challenge, Day #30

March 30, 2018

So I've made it this far without posting much about dogs, and I feel it would be remiss not to mention that I love dogs. The highlight of my spring break was being able to see a bunch of different dogs, believe it or not. Friend's, family's, and even the dogs of strangers. (I know, I know - next year I have to go somewhere and do something interesting if dogs are the highlight).

Here they are, in no particular order:

1. My dog, Arlo.

Arlo being nosy

Ok, this is in a particular order in the sense that my dog goes first. My dog is a sweetheart, unless you come upon him when we're on a walk, in which case he tries to bark you out of town. If you ignore him, he's a fluffy sweetheart. Unfortunately, he spent most of January and February with a very serious ear infection, and the poor thing is just getting back to normal. He still leans his head to one side much of the day, even though his behavior and balance have returned. I also have to clean his ears almost every day, which is pretty gross cause the ear gunk is still coming out (I will spare you any more details).

Arlo wanting to go outside

Arlo and I have spent a lot of the break bonding. He lays close to me when I type, so he's usually with me when blogging. Today we went on a wonderful walk. So I've enjoyed spending more time with him this break.





2. My mom's dog, Joey.

Joey

Joey is sort of a family dog, in that my parents got him and he's been at every family function. He's an adorable schnoodle. I saw him yesterday and he's had a pretty good week. Not too much else to report. I see him all the time.



3. My sister's dog, Angus.

Angus

Angus is a Wirehaired Pointing Griffon. He is pretty large, but truly has no idea of his size, which creates some issues in the house. He is sweet, but an oaf. He likes to sit up straight on a kitchen chair and stare out the window. He also likes to sit next to you and offer his paw to you, so you just sit there holding his paw and looking into his eyes for a while.

Maeby and Angus

5. My sister's other dog, Maeby.
Maeby is a miniature schauzer and my family loves them. We've had about 6 in our family in some way or another since my childhood. I love them. Maeby is very energetic and loves to give kisses when you arrive. She also is somewhat in charge.

6 and 7. The two dogs the same sister is dog-sitting this week, Allie and Sadie.

Allie

Sadie

These dogs are amazing. They are English Springer Spaniels and belong to someone in my sister's neighborhood. She is currently watching 3 kids and 4 dogs on spring break. Sadie is about 8 and very mellow and sweet and soft (Except when she sees dogs on the TV - she barks). Allie is about a year old and still in training. She jumps up at you when you arrive and comes up to you if you call any other dog's name and tries to horn in on the attention. I never knew this breed before, but they are so friendly and sweet, I love them.

Indy

8. My other sister's dog, Indy.

My older sister has this dog, Indy, that is a maltese and chinese crested mix, according to the rescue organization. He would play fetch all day long if possible. Literally. He doesn't like to be picked up, but he lets me so I feel special. :)

9. My friend's newly adopted dog, Barney.

My friend used to have big dogs with lots of fur that I am allergic to, so when she adopted this dog from someone who had health issues and couldn't take care of it, we were excited that I could once again visit at her house. Barney is teeny-tiny and adorable. He let me pick him up, gave me lots of kisses, and wanted attention from me when we met. My friend and her family are having a hard time adjusting to the different temperament of a small dog, but I think he's a great family pet.

Barney

10. My other friend's dog, Berkley.

I don't have a picture of the last dog I met over break, which was today. I met a school colleague/friend's dog, who is a mix of Corgi and Jack Russell Terrier. He was very energetic and sat right down next to me. We made friends very quickly, I'm happy to say. I should have taken a picture, I guess! Didn't realize I'd be making this post.


Ok, so those are the dogs of my spring break. Most of them. The ones I spent some time with - there was another dog my older sister was dog-sitting, named Bob, but I only saw him for a moment yesterday. So he doesn't count.

Overall, it's a good thing I came across so many dogs over break - I was starting to visit Petfinder.com again, which is always dangerous...

Dreams at Naptime - Slice of Life Challenge, Day #29

March 29, 2018

It's near the end of the month and I am definitely feeling a bit uninspired. I'm on spring break and that adds to the lack of topics. Of course, there are lots of topics to write about, especially in the news, to be honest, but I want something short. Therefore, today I will let you know what my subconscious mind just vomited out during my 3 hour afternoon nap.

In no particular order the dream included:

1. My dog and my mother's dog wandering around the neighborhood when they escaped from my yard. Each time, I freaked out but they came safely when called (this would NOT happen in real life).

2. Apparently, in my dream I had a large, sloping backyard with about a 50 ft incline. (not likely in IL).

3. Also, in the dream, I had hired a company to fill in some of the slope with mulch, to make it easier for my dog (Not sure the rationale, but that's my dream for you!).

4. Of course, the company I hired was SUPER late, to the point at which I was going to just fire them when they showed up, but I gave them a chance.

5. The reason they were late? They went to pick up dinner. It was two older gentlemen and their wives. They immediately made themselves at home with the food and drinks they brought, by sitting down at my patio table.

6. When they realized I was seething (I did have family members acting as a go-between in the dream), one of the old men got to work.

7. While they got to work, I went to look in the freezers (In a really weirdly designed freezer - again, this is a dream) for my own dinner, which was frozen spaghetti and meatballs (This is something that could happen because it is in my freezer at the moment).

8. I warmed up my food and the company said they were done.

9. Of course, the dogs had run away.

10. The guys said it was so dark that they wanted me to just check the next morning and they could come and fix anything but I insisted on checking.

11. It was not a good job because the mulch was not evenly spread. (Of course, in reality, how can you do it evenly on a sharp incline? This whole idea is not well-thought out!)

12. Now there were more workers showing up.

13. Ok, the end of the dream included me finding the spaghetti wasn't warm anymore and everyone leaving my house. Dogs had returned again.

So this was a little insight. I don't have any company contracted with me to do anything about mulch, though I have had about 2 yards sitting in my driveway since last May (it started as 5 yards). Maybe I'm feeling nervous since soon I will run out of excuses to not move it...

In other words, I am having an exciting Spring Break! (Lol)

A petty indulgence - Slice of Life Challenge, Day #28

March 28, 2018

One of the nice things about having to blog here everyday is that I can make it an excuse for complaining about something that is driving me crazy.

It is unimportant, petty, and pointless to complain, but I am going to receive personal satisfaction by sharing my story with the world.

And here it is:

A few weeks ago, I had a doctor's appointment. I knew it was coming, and I confirmed via the online link about a week beforehand. Then I received another reminder the day before and, all of a sudden, I realized: the time listed on their confirmation updates was 3:30 PM. That is the time I get out of school. I would never make an appointment for that time, especially on a Wednesday, since that was when I had an after school club.

I checked my phone, where I schedule all my appts. It said 4:30 PM. I knew I made the appointment for 4:30 PM. I called the office to double-check, explaining I realized I had confirmed but I knew the time listed was wrong.

Their response?

"The time is for 3:30PM. It was always for 3:30 PM in our system."

Ok, well I had to reschedule, and that worked out - no extra fee, nothing. So it's not a big deal, right? Only I KNOW I wouldn't make an appointment for that time. I know it. I. Know. It.

This office had scheduled me incorrectly before, and I resolved it - they had actually given me two appointments two days apart. I called and corrected it, no big deal.

So this time, I'm so unbelievably certain I was right. But it doesn't matter. Everything worked out. I like the office overall. I don't have to wait and they have a lot of times available to schedule (though obviously I need to be more proactive with my confirmation time checking).  I tried to let it go, but it keeps nagging me.

Until now. Look what I found as I went through some papers over break:

VINDICATED!

I know it's petty, but I'm so relieved I had the correct information and they didn't! The victory shall remain here for all eternity! 

Calming Strategies - Slice of Life Challenge, Day #27

March 27, 2018

When I found out I would be teaching 2nd grade this year, instead of enrichment classes, I was really excited to have my own homeroom. I had been teaching smaller, advanced classes for about 9 years, but lately the smaller class size had become bigger, and I felt I needed a change. I wanted to be the one that had the kids most of the day and not the one who was constantly pulling kids and creating inconveniences (that's not really true, but it sometimes felt like it over the years). I was excited to work with younger students all day, even though I knew it would be a really challenging.

One thing I new I wanted was an relaxed, comfortable class atmosphere. I liked the flexible seating idea, and I wanted my students to feel more at home and less overwhelmed by anchor charts all over the place. I chose a rug that was mostly green, blue sky bulletin board paper, and lots of animal pillows to bring some relaxation into the room. A lot of primary rooms are so full of letters and bright colors, which seems overstimulating to me.

The students that were going to be in my class had a reputation for being a handful. They still do. We are working on it, but they seem to have so much energy and no desire to sit and focus. They are so talkative and really distracted by each other - it's sort of a vicious cycle. Plus, there are 26 of them, which is pretty large for a second grade room.

Knowing this, I wanted to create a relaxing environment. I bought an essential oil diffuser. I made glitter bottles for them to use to calm down. I brought lots of Mozart, Bach, and Enya from home. We have MindYeti for mindfulness. I bought a Hoberman sphere for the students to practice breathing. I had all these high hopes for being able to reach them, calm them down, and turn them into focused thinking machines.

It hasn't been so successful. We are getting better, for sure. But the glitter bottles created a bit of an issue - there weren't enough for everyone, and then they would argue about them. I finally have about 28 of them made. We practice breathing with the Hoberman sphere and a student leader, but there are still kids (the ones that need it the most) that don't even try, keep eyes open, or over act when they breathe. They do love hearing Enya. MindYeti is another issue - they are very vocal when I start one they don't want to do - and with 26 students, there's always at least 5 that don't want to do the one I chose, so they protest. Which riles everyone up again. We're still working on it.

Today, a friend of mine posted a meme with a picture of this old toy on Facebook and I immediately thought of the fun and focus it would illicit from my students:

My great aunt and uncle had several of these. Is it possible it could help my students to focus and stop talking??? 

Is it sad that this was my thought when I saw this meme while on my spring break?

Do you have any suggestions for getting students (especially younger) to calm down and focus?

Spring Break Begins with a Flush - Slice of Life Challenge, Day #26

March 26, 2018

I've been without a working toilet for the last 5 days. It all started when I flushed the toilet and it didn't stop running. So I flushed it again. Less flush, more running. One last time. No flush.

Still running.

I frantically called my brothers-in-law to see if they had any suggestions. Not too long ago, the handle for the flushing (What is that called, technically???) broke off in my hand, but a friend was over and she helped me to buy a new one and replace it that night. I was hoping for something as easily resolved.

'Twas not to be.

I called a plumber and left a message. My brother-in-law said I could turn off the water to the toilet, then pour a bucket of clean water in and the gravity would act as a sort of "flush," so I tried that. It takes like 3 buckets of water to be honest. Toilet paper floats. Too much?

The plumber didn't call back until I had arranged for another plumber to come last Friday. I had to work, so my mother acted as my proxy. The verdict: you need a new toilet.

So I called to arrange for a new toilet, but I didn't want the plumber to kill himself trying to fit me in on Saturday (The truth is, I didn't want to get up and have to worry about a plumber). He said they'd call me on Saturday or Monday to schedule the installation. So I've been working with that "fill up the bucket, pour it in to flush" method ever since. It's annoying, but it works.

I didn't receive a call from the plumber to schedule, so I expected to be called this morning, my first real day of break, and I got up before 7 just in case. Not early enough, though.

I only had time to let the dog out before the doorbell rang. I was in my pajamas, hadn't used the toilet, hadn't poured water down since last night, and my dog was apoplectic at the doorbell ringing unexpectedly.

I hurried to get on my robe, mumbled, "I didn't know you were coming so soon." I picked up my dog so he would leave the three plumbers that showed up to install the new toilet.

For the next 45 minutes, I sat, holding my dog (and my bladder!) and waited for them to let me know when the toilet was installed. I had no idea how long it would take and I was mentally preparing for having to make a quick visit to my mother's or my sister's since they live about 5 minutes away. Luckily, they finished before it became urgent. I'm pretty sure being a teacher helped me in this situation - used to holding it!

In any case, by 8 AM, I had a new toilet, the plumbers were gone, and my spring break is ready to begin! I think I might actually go back to bed...

Shuffling Along - Slice of Life Challenge, Day #25

March 25, 2018

I did it! I ran 8k today. I started and finished within the constraints of the race, which was a concern as the date approached.

I'd like to thank Hal Higdon for his training program.

I'd like to thank my friend Johanna for encouraging me to run and running along with me.

I'd like to thank...

I guess I'm getting carried away here. I have run this race several times before, to be honest. The first time I ran, probably around 2005 or 2006, I think, I was in really good shape to start. I did a Hal Higdon training program, but I didn't realize some basics about shoes (how they wear out) or cross training days (I did step aerobics and other activities that repetitive movement like running). I successfully completed the race but was in such hip and knee pain, I can't even explain. I took public transit there because I lived in the city, and I remember how badly it hurt to go up or down stairs. It was miserable.

After that, I started getting a running magazine and bought good shoes from the running store. And I trained for a half marathon. I ran it, and it went well. The next half-marathon, which I didn't train for, was a nightmare. A boring route and slanted, which was really hard on my hip.

I've done some 5k races since then, but I also switched careers and became a teacher, so my energy level after work was really plummeted. I've really lost the aerobic and physical fitness I had previously, and I've been wanting to improve it for health and aesthetic reasons. So when my friend suggested I sign up for this race to run with her, I thought maybe I would finally get a boost back into shape.

For the past 8 weeks, I've been following trusty old Hal Higdon's Novice Running program - pretty faithfully, though I've had a few extra days off whenever I felt my knees/hips needed it. It's been hard. I am really quick to give up when I'm tired or breathing heavily.

I was a bit nervous about running today because I haven't run the full 5 miles yet. I've run 4.5 with a short walking break for a bit. I was anxious that I would run so slowly that the race would be finished before I made it across the finish line.

Somehow, I managed to run slowly and steadily for all but one little hill at the end. My body was FREEZING, which made it a bit hard to move my legs, and it was crowded, but I'm proud that I was able to keep running for almost all of the race. I'm not fast, but I wasn't last, either!

Woohoo! Now I just have to stay in shape for the Shake It Off 5k on April 7th (A race started by a high school classmate to raise money for Parkinson's research)! Should be a piece of cake!

Hopefully - Slice of Life Challenge, Day #24

March 24, 2018

First day of spring break is cold, cloudy, and gloomy. Hopefully tomorrow will be better because I have to run the Shamrock Shuffle, an 8k race in downtown Chicago.

I've been thinking of ways to try to eat well for the race today, but I was at a loss, so i had a huge hamburger and fries from Labriola Cafe. It was delicious, but I ate too much. And now I'm feeling too full. Hopefully this will pass by tomorrow.

Hopefully it won't be freezing.

Hopefully it will be sunny.

Hopefully I won't be nervous!

Full of hope but sort of low on energy at the moment!

Made It - Slice of Life Challenge, Day #23

March 23, 2018

We made it! Spring break is finally here!

Made it through the STEM activity, the girl "nudging" one of my students with her head (he described it as a "head butt"), another student supposedly "tapped" a boy on his leg (described as a "kick" from the victim), and, finally, I survived many, many germs.

I don't have big plans for break. I'm running an 8k on Sunday. I'm getting a new toilet on Monday (jealous???). I know I will have to go in to school to organize many papers that are driving me out of my mind. I have two rooms that need to be organized. Oh, and a garage that is basically a storage unit for thousands of Target bags. I could clean that out, too.

So, while I'm going to complete a variety of mundane, boring tasks over break, I'm so excited to step back into a week of no more than two voices speaking. I'm relieved to not worry about parents wanting either more or less teacher intervention for their child's behavior problems. I'm hoping to read at least one book for adults. And maybe it's the right time to start binge-watching the second season of The Crown. I've been saving it.

It may not be particularly spring-like, but it's the break that I need. How about you?

One Day More - Slice of Life Challenge, Day #22

March 22, 2018

"ONE DAY MORE!
ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER DESTINY!
THIS NEVER-ENDING ROAD TO CALVARY..."

I can't help but hear this tune from Les Miserables today, as I'm thinking about what to write today.

The countdown ends tomorrow.

One more day until Spring Break!

I can't think of a year when I needed a break more than this year... or this week, in fact! It's been a constant barrage of tattling, students misbehaving, students breaking their materials (new glasses, new headphones), picture day scheduling issues, unbelievably ridiculous math tests (thanks 2nd grade Eureka Math!), and constant contact with some parents. And honestly, the week wasn't even that bad!

Mostly my need for a break is partly because I switched to a new position so everything I am doing is new this year. This was my choice, and I feel happy enough about it. It's hard to feel ecstatic when there is so much more stress, but I am glad I made the change - sometimes you just need to shake things up.  In any case, while I will feel like and probably go in to school at least once over break, I have big plans to organize my life - meaning my house, my yard, and my taxes.

I plan to not worry about making sure Student A doesn't talk to Student B and Student C keeps his hands to himself. I plan to not worry if Student D is in the bathroom too long or has a meltdown because she doesn't want to do math. I plan to decompress and focus on adulting.

Tomorrow I know will be a bit of a crazy day - kids will be excited, some will be gone already, our schedule will be adjusted for our 5th grade buddies, and something I hadn't foreseen will go wrong. But in my head (and maybe under my breath), I will be cheering myself on, singing:

A case of the Wednesdays - Slice of Life Challenge, Day #21

March 21, 2018

I had three meetings today. I almost had four, but one was canceled, thank goodness.

By the third meeting, I was very frustrated and, to be honest, I feel at a loss.

I have so many students that have special needs and behavior issues, but aren't necessarily identified with anything, so I don't really have support. I keep receiving suggestions or more requirements of data. Everything adds another layer of responsibility to me plate, and I'm tired. I think a lot of teachers feel like this.

At my last meeting, there was another layer of responsibility basically announced, for the next school year.

Sometime soon (maybe tomorrow?) SCOTUS is going to announce the ruling in the Janus case, which will probably gut unions. Unions are the only thing keeping us afloat right now, at least in Illinois.

So my slice today is about being frustrated, overworked, and under-appreciated. It's a bit of a pity party, to be honest. I'd love to hear how others are doing/feeling and how you cope with these days of being overwhelmed.

The First Day of Spring (and I missed it) - Slice of Life Challenge, Day #20

March 20, 2018

Facebook just told me that today is the first day of spring. I didn't realize it at all. I knew it was coming soon, but it still feels early for some reason. Perhaps it's because we've been having temperatures in the 30s or so lately. Perhaps it's because we haven't had Spring Break yet. Perhaps it's because I just haven't considered spring being here because I'm so behind in the school year!

If you ask me, I will always say my favorite season is Autumn. I love the cooling weather, the breezes, the colors of the leaves as they change, and apple cider donuts being readily available.

Spring is a close second, though. I guess I am just happy with semi-temperate weather! I like the 50s-60s, to be honest. But of course, spring also has the blooming flowers, the greening of shrubs, trees, and the grass, and return of pollinators.

As I walked in the door this evening, I noticed the daffodils that had poked up through the mulch have now started to display some yellow tinge of the petals, still closed, still waiting to open up. Many of my purple and white crocuses are in bloom. My magnolia tree is just waiting for a string of warm days to break out in bloom, filling the air with its heavenly scent. I thought about the year we had a warm day, my magnolia bloomed, and then the weather turned, and snow fell, causing all the petals to fall the next day.

Heartbreaking.

So, today, on the first day of spring, I'm feeling somewhat hopeful. I don't always feel this hopeful; it's hard in our current political and social climate. But today, the thought of spring fills me with anticipation of the colors, scents, energy, and new visitors that will be traveling in and out of my neighborhood very soon.

Garbage Day - Slice of Life Challenge, Day #19

March 19, 2018

Tomorrow is garbage day. And recycling day.

For some reason, garbage day is always the windiest day of the week. I can't figure it out. Mother Nature has something against my neighborhood, I guess.

In many neighborhoods, this wouldn't be a problem, because they have sensible garbage and recycling receptacles. Ones with lids, tops, covers...

But in my town, we have to cart out old garbage bags and plastic tubs for recycling each week. This is a poorly though system, for two reasons:

1. SKUNKS. RACCOONS. BUNNIES. COYOTE. CATS. We have lots of wildlife. So garbage bags don't survive well overnight. People (and their neighbors) that do bring them out at night wake up to a huge garbage mess on the ground in the morning. Lovely.
2. WIND. The wind blows the lightweight plastic and cardboard all over the neighborhood. I even lost one of my recycling containers on a particularly windy day. After it was emptied, it was blown down the street, never to be seen again. I received a neighbor's the same way, but they had the forethought to write their address on it, so I returned it in secret a few days later.

Next week the town is going to have a meeting to discuss the problems with the current system. I really am hopeful we switch to a more contained method (though our mayor seems to have something against it). 

Until then, I'll just place the garbage bag on the recycling bin, to try to prevent my recycling from blowing down the street before the trucks come by to pick it up.

One More Week - Slice of Life Challenge, Day #18

March 18, 2018 

One more week to go before Spring Break. I'm filled with excitement to have a moment to stop, redirect, focus on my own house and yard (Hopefully the weather will behave), and mentally detach from worrying about student behavior, data, and curriculum. (of course I know I will still be working on school stuff to some extent).

I'm also excited about sleeping in :)

On the other hand, I'm just about to go through my weekend morning routine - sometimes Saturdays, sometimes Sundays - of completing lesson plans. Time to see what I didn't accomplish last week and figure out how to squeeze it all in this week. (2nd grade Eureka Math is killing me!)

I'll have a cup of coffee with cream, no sugar, and my dog will lay next to me on the couch. I'll watch CBS Sunday Morning and probably some of the Sunday morning political shows, and I'll work on my plans. It makes the working from home less of a bummer, to be honest, to be comfy and cozy while I do it (which is probably why I don't stay late at school to plan on Friday nights!).

This week, though, as I think about my plans, I'm trying to problem solve: How do I keep the students learning this week? How do I keep their ever-increasing energy in check to focus on lessons? Students had Friday off, so they're coming from a three day weekend. They already have lots of trouble listening and controlling impulses. I'm thinking this week will be exceptionally challenging, behavior-wise, so I'm trying to think of what could happen, and how to curb it before it does.

Brain breaks of Simon Says? Pulling out the Listening activities from Tin Man Press? Whatever works at this point. Maybe afternoon naps - we tried that once - just a five minute nap with a CDs of lullabies. They loved it. Promising a Pajama Party on Friday if they get a certain amount of positive behavior cards (using an idea from a fellow slicer)?

I'm open to suggestions!
Anything to get through the week! 😉

Weekends off - Slice of Life Challenge, Day #17

March 17, 2018

Saturday! It's the weekend! We've had a long two weeks at school - conferences, Open House, report cards, amongst the craziness of teaching anyway - and I'm happy to have a weekend.

I'm not happy to blog. I don't really feel like sharing anything today. Sorry. It's St. Patrick's Day and people are going downtown to party, see the Chicago River turned green, and watch the parade. I've got one distance Irish relative, so I just put on a shirt with a shamrock on it and stayed at home most of the day.

I did some retail therapy this afternoon, due to a sort of "relationship" situation that is frustrating to me, but I'm definitely not going to blog about that. 

I also went to Trader Joe's, which is not a place to go when you are sort of wallowing about life (including a good cry in the car). When the cashier asks "How's your day?" I say, "Good. You?" but really I feel guilty for lying. It's none of their business, but they are so friendly and nosy I feel like I have to come up with something that will fit their cheery day. Once I made up that I was having a party because the items I bought were for my own pity party, to be honest, and didn't want to have to tell them. It's a lot of pressure for me, which is silly.

So this post is just about my blasé Saturday and how I want to keep my story to myself today. It's part of my life, right? Not sharing it, as well as sharing? Maybe I'm stretching the concept.

Hope you found your pot o'gold today.

Ready to Go - Slice of Life Challenge, Day #16

March 26, 2018

I titled today's post "Ready to Go" ironically.

I'm not ready to go anywhere.

Today is Day #2 of parent-teacher conferences and we don't have to be there until 11 AM, which is heavenly, so I'm taking my time. I was able to get up AFTER the sun! I hand fed my dog (he has a weird thing where he randomly decides the only way he wants to eat on certain days is by hand). I made a pot of coffee.

I forgot to turn it on.

No biggie - weird - but I have time. So I turned it on - thankful I at least didn't ruin the coffee somehow like I did last week. Still don't know what happened there.

Pretty soon I'll need to start getting ready, because I'm acutely aware that I tend to run late on days when I have the most time.

But I'm not ready to go yet, and I'm enjoying every minute of it.

Conference Night - Slice of Life Challenge, Day #15

March 15, 2018

Tonight was conferences, and the end of a long day. So long, in fact, that when parents come in at 7:30 and tell me how nice it was outside, I can't remember when I was last outside (12 hours ago). It was, by all accounts, a lovely day.

I always dread conferences, because the day is so long - this round we had a half day until 11:40, then lunch, then worked until 3, at which point conferences began until 8 - and I worry about what I will say and what parents will do.

At the end of the night, however, I'm always pleasantly surprised by the parents that show up, discuss their children honestly (I love when they recognize the behaviors I'm seeing in class), and share their concerns with me. I think I've been lucky in my career, and perhaps since I was in a different role in the past it affects my perspective, but I usually leave conferences feeling that my students are pretty lucky. I definitely have had parents that need a lot of attention and have concerns or complaints, and not all my students come from perfect homes, by any means. Some have it really hard. But I'm really thankful for those that show up every fall and again in spring.

Let's see if I'm feeling the same way after day 2 tomorrow! Hopefully, I will!

Dogs and Neighbors - Slice of Life Challenge, March 14, 2018

March 14, 2018

I am generally not a great neighbor. I live alone with my dog, and, while I try to be friendly, I'm not super outgoing. I've chatted with the grown daughter of the neighbor to the right of me, had a little conversation with a neighbor across the street, and occasionally smile if I pass others. But I don't know them, and they don't know me.

To be fair, none of them have made an effort, either. I would help them out if I could.

In any case, a few weeks ago, I was about to go for a run and the woman who lives to my left was coming back from a walk with her dog. The dog started barking and yipping at me and wouldn't move along with her. Since I was waiting for them to pass, the dog wanted to see me, and I knew it wasn't really a scary dog, I asked if it was a nice dog.

My neighbor said "Yes, but we're trying to get her to stop jumping up on people." We exchanged a few more pleasantries about dogs and then she went along and I went on my run.

Now, these neighbors have lived to my left for maybe 2 years now. It's a young couple, but they've really kept to themselves and so have I. I noticed when they got their dog, some sort of Staffordshire terrier or pit bull mix, because I have a clear view to their backyard from my TV room. My dog also noticed it. Recently, they've also had a doberman around, so I asked her if they got another dog. They didn't; they were watching it for a friend.

This was a few weeks ago. Today, I let my dog out and heard a deep-throated bark. My dog couldn't really figure out where it came from, as he's recovering from a middle ear infection and he's a bit off. All of a sudden I heard a voice.

It was the husband of the woman I had talked to a few weeks ago.

"She knows he's here, but he doesn't seem to notice her." (He was referring to his dog and my dog).

Then he double-checked the gender of my dog, to be sure. I told him Arlo was a boy but that he had been sick recently, so his bark was quiet and he was a bit off, still. He mentioned his dog had been sick, too. They took her to a doggie daycare for the weekend, and she was having stomach issues since then. She's on medicine now. We talked a little about the different reasons dogs get stomach issues and then I went inside, wishing him a good night.

This isn't a bit story, a life-changing story, or really that notable, in general. The reason I'm writing is to just take a moment to recognize the role my dog (and a lot of our pets) play in our lives - helping start a relationship, break the ice, maybe introduce some neighbors to each other. I've never talked to my neighbors before, but I love dogs, and so do they. It's a good start to being a better neighbor.

A confession (that includes Doritos) - Slice of Life Challenge, Day #13

March 13, 2018

In my post yesterday, I wrote about having a "case of the Mondays." Well, today, I'm going to write about the ramifications of my mood.

I AM one of those people that eat when I get stressed or feel down. I think it goes back to my very strict healthy upbringing until I was about 13 (otherwise known as "when mom went back to work"). When I was growing up, my lunch was always some sort of grainy Adele Davis bread and natural peanut butter sandwich (maybe with cream cheese), homemade cookies (usually chocolate chip - and very, very hard and thick - probably made with whole wheat), an apple, and a juice drink, like Capri Sun. Every day, unless it was something special for hot lunch.

We weren't allowed dessert any time except after Sunday Dinner at my Grandma's. My Grandma was the BEST cook and baker, so it was divine. Even just her mashed potatoes were famous in our family. The other time we got sweets (on non-holidays) was every Saturday when we had to drive an hour both ways to go to violin group lessons. We studied Suzuki method and had to go to Wheaton College to take Saturday lessons, so we had to get up early, and never got to watch Saturday cartoons. To appease me, my parents would let me get one candy bar from the college store.

So I associated sweets with a reward for dealing with something I hated (violin lessons) and also my grandma (who I miss every day).

Cut to yesterday - I had a trying day at work. I went out and bought myself McDonald's for lunch, even though I had a salad to eat in the lounge refrigerator. (But I didn't have soda, so I feel good about that).

Then I went to visit a friend, who lives near a Dairy Queen, and...

One chocolate dipped cone, please!

Then I got home and didn't feel like cooking or having something big, so....

Many bowlfuls of Doritos sound good!

But then I needed some protein, so....

Let's add some pretzels filled with peanut butter!

And tomorrow is recycling, so...

I'd better have the one glass of red left,  so I can recycle that bottle!

Oh, also, I have some black and white cookies from the store! Gotta end on a sweet note!

About midnight, I woke up.

Heartburn. Stomachache.

Chiding myself for my poor food choices, I drank some water and ate about 4 Tums.

In the morning, I felt slightly nauseous until I drank a lot of water and had some yogurt. Ate that salad for lunch. Had more yogurt. (Did have some chocolate during my plan, though). Ran 3 miles just barely.

Hopefully, this confession will serve as a record of my poor choices, so I don't make the mistake of eating Doritos for dinner EVER AGAIN!

A case of the Mondays - Slice of Life Challenge, Day #12

March 12, 2018

I have a case of the Mondays today. I'm just going to accept it. It started when I allowed my students some extra time on Chromebooks this morning and they still complained (one near melted down) when they had to put them away. 

A coworker of mine comes in to work with specific students during my reading time. From the beginning of the year, she has mentioned the lack of urgency of my students when moving from the rug to their desks, or getting out a journal. And she noted it again today.

I set a timer for them. I give points for the first students who follow directions. I remind them verbally of what they need and expectations. Still, we're in March, and they have no sense of urgency when given directions. It is frustrating, to say the least.

In fact, what they do is start conversations, walk over to their friends, break pencils, and tell me they've brought something to share with the class.

Each one of them seems to think they are the only student in the class, as evidenced by papers stuck in my face when I'm in the middle of a conversation. Or that they're the teacher in the class, as evidenced by the students who created their own version of my "Behavior Think Sheets," which they renamed "How I Acted."

It's humorous to an extent. It was recommended to me that I read books that have the theme of empathy for read aloud, since they seem to be lacking in that area. It breaks my heart when they laugh at the part that is supposed to develop empathy.

So I have a case of the Mondays. It wasn't even that bad. I just wish I spent more time teaching today than I did trying to make sure no one hurt each other, offended or hurt feelings, melted down, refused to work, or just stay in their seat during work time (and when I say "stay in their seat," I just mean in their working area and not coming up to tell me every they can't work because the person across from them was breathing too loud).

Let's just hope it doesn't become a case of the Tuesdays tomorrow. 

Of skunks, squirrels, and cardinals - Slice of Life Challenge, Day 11

March 11, 2018

I have a bird feeder in my backyard. It's hanging from one of those double-hooked iron stakes, about 4 feet above the ground. This winter, I didn't keep up with it so much, because I was COLD. I've secretly felt guilty about not supporting birds through the cold months, so finally, about a week ago, I filled it up with some of the sunflower seed I have in the garage.

Needless to say, I've welcomed more than birds into my yard.

The past few years, we've had somewhat of a skunk boom in my area. The last few winters were rather warm (for Chicago) and fools like me seem to be supplying them food, so the population has expanded. This is a fact. My village has put out announcements about the problem and what they can do about it (basically, just rehome skunks and wait for more to move in to the old homes, I guess).

Also in the last few years, specifically two years, to be exact, I adopted a dog, Arlo Guthrie (I gave him the name, and it works). He is a mix of many types of terrier, beagle, Pomeranian and poodle, though he looks mostly like a schnoodle. The result is a sweet, fluffy dog who hates all sort of rodent and loves to bark. He is particularly good at finding skunks in my yard. He's been skunked 3-4 times since I've had him. NEVER AGAIN, I SAY!

Over the winter, I've not had to worry about the skunks because they aren't so active. I've been wondering when my brief reprieve would end.

Last night, I went out with a friend and came home about midnight. I was feeling pretty tired and since DST starts today, I wanted to get to bed right away, so I just left the dog leash on Arlo (I had picked him up from my mom's, who watches him if I'm away for a long time). It was the best decision I've made in a while.

When I opened the back door, he sort of rushed out, definitely tracking something. I had the light on, but didn't see any rabbits, which have been visiting every night the past week. He barked a weak bark at something. I stood still by the door, hoping he'd just wet quickly so we could go in, when I saw movement in the corner of the yard.

Movement taller than a bunny.

A fluffy tail.

With two colors.

Black and white.

A skunk!

By the bird feeder.

I bolted back inside, almost dragging my poor dog with me. You see, the skunk's tail was lifted, which means it has detected a possible danger. Danger = spraying.

Relieved that I had caught the skunk before it caught us, I tried to shine a flashlight on it through the window, to encourage it to leave. Nope. It likes the sunflower seeds. Great.

Back to my bird feeder this morning - as I just opened the blinds, I noticed I'm attracting way more than the lovely red cardinals I had planned on attracting. They're there, all right. But they're having to hover, while a posse of at least three squirrels just canvases the area, sits on top of the iron hooks, picks up the seeds that fall, and generally steals the bird seed. Oh, wait - now there are 4. It's sort of amusing watching the one on the iron hook slowly slide down as he stretches to reach the bird feeder with his front paws and hold on to the iron with his feet.

Not that amusing. Maybe the bird feeder needs to be relocated...

A night - er, morning - at the theatre Pt. 2 - Slice of Life Challenge, Day #10

March 10, 2018

One of the fabulous things about being me (that's a joke, folks!) is that I have connections. Well, one connection. To local theatre. Mostly musicals. Anyway...

My best friend has been a working actor (pretty much nonstop) for almost the past 20 years. She performs in musicals in the area, has been on a couple TV shows, and is about to direct her first show. I'm super excited about that. In any case,  one of the perks of knowing a working actor who has been around for so long is that you get offers for free tickets to shows. I've seen so many musicals and plays for free over the years, I can't even count. Tonight, I'm going to see a show with her because her friend is in it. So I get to benefit even when she's not in a show. It's awesome.

Last week, she texted me to find out if I wanted tickets to the new children's show she is in, "The Emperor's New Clothes." She knows I am clothes with my nieces and nephews and offered us some tickets. When I called my sister, she asked my nephew, and he was up for it.

My nephew is five years old. He is very energetic (to say the least), smart, and hilarious. He's the kind of kid that says "Hello!" to everyone he sees (More like, "Hello, Worker Man!" to be honest). That is rare, especially in my family, because we are pretty stranger averse folks. This kid is not that way. He is rambunctious, silly, and sometimes a handful. And this was his first show.

I was excited to take him, but a little worried that he would be bored. We left plenty early (8:45 AM!) and I got a treat of munchkins from Dunkin' Donuts, because that's what I do - bring treats! He had some toys and books in the car to look through, but apparently, was hoping for more.

"Do you have any Dr. Seuss books?" he asked, when he saw I had put some Golden Books in the backseat. (It's a pretty long ride to the theatre from his house).

"Nope, did you want some? Sorry!" I said.

"Becki, do you know WHY I asked for Dr. Seuss books?" They all call me Becki, because that's what my family calls me - not many folks do these days.

Now, being a teacher, I had inside information. I knew that the day before was Dr. Seuss's birthday.

"Ummm, yes, because yesterday was Dr. Seuss's birthday?"

"Yeah! How did you know?" He was stunned.

As we continued to drive, we had bits of conversation here and there. He asked a lot of "What if" questions about random things. He was working in a Solar System sticker book, and then he asks:

"What planet is next to Neptune?"

I thought. "I think it's Uranus."

I kid you not, his response was, "Becki, why is there a black line around Uranus?"

I cracked up. He had no idea. I even asked if he was being serious, cause he likes to push buttons. He was. I said I'd have to look at the picture when we stopped.

We got to the theatre early, walked around a bit, got our tickets, and sat down. It's sometimes so nice to be at a kids' show or movie when you realize the whole audience will be talking the whole time and the child you brought (most likely) won't be standing out if they get antsy.

The show began and he did a great job watching it. He moved a bit, sitting on my lap halfway

through the show (because the seats kept closing on his legs). A bit of talking, but nothing crazy. And no wanting to get up and leave, even when the actors answered questions after the show.

We waited for my friend by the stage door to say "Thank you" and I texted my sister while we were waiting. She asked for a picture of my nephew and me or my nephew and my friend. I tried to get a picture with him but he was done - kept moving out of the camera. So I said "Your mom wants a picture of you and me or you and Johanna." He chose my friend.

Sure enough, when she came out, he posed for a lovely picture with her. Then he wanted to show her a pond we found on our walk outside. So we did that, then got in the car to drive home.

As we pulled up into his driveway, he said to me, "Becki, I had a lot of fun!"

Another win for the crazy aunt!

A night at the theatre, part 1 - Slice of Life Challenge, Day #9

March 9, 2018

Recently I've had the pleasure of taking both my oldest niece and my youngest nephew to see a professional musical. They are brother and sister, but I actually took them each on their own to see a different show, when tickets kind of just showed up in my lap.

I took my niece to see Hamilton in downtown Chicago. I had already seen the musical a year prior, as I'd taken my mother for her birthday present. I absolutely loved the show, and have been trying to get the $10 lottery tickets since then. One day, just like any other, I got an text message saying, "Congratulations! You've won the chance to purchase Hamilton lottery tickets" (or something to that extent.

I was shocked. I was giddy. I'm sure my mouth dropped open and I started furiously typing to order the tickets online through my phone. Luckily, this was for a Friday night show, so it wasn't even as if I'd be out on a school night (you know I need my sleep!). I thought of the possible friends I could invite - I have a lot of friends that love the show, but a lot of them had seen it, and I wanted to take someone who hadn't.

I texted my friend Robyn. My nephew Caleb. My friend Johanna. I called my sister and randomly suggested I take her 10 year old daughter. (She was pretty annoyed that I didn't invite her, but she's seen it twice!) No one really got back to me before my sister had asked her daughter, who said she wanted to go.

I wasn't convinced.

Sometimes my niece can be particular about things. You know if she is not happy. She's got the sulkiness gene that runs in our family (I probably have it, too). I was worried she would be bored and ruin my big night out. My mom mentioned that the show was really long (which I never thought, but I guess it went pretty late). I realized I had already invited her, so I just asked to speak to her on the phone.

"Do you want to go see Hamilton with me tomorrow night?"

"Yes, yes, yes!" She said.

Ok, that convinced me.

The next night, I hurried home after school, got changed, and went out to pick up my niece. I wanted to pick her up in time to go out to eat beforehand - have a real "girls' night." She was all ready when I got there, dressed in a cute dress and with her Magnus Chase book in hand for the boring ride downtown. My sister took a picture of us inside and then on the doorstep (kind of reminded me of prom!). We were on our way.

Traffic was bad. It took over an hour to get downtown and then we had to find parking. She was getting antsy and hungry. I was, as well. Finally, we parked in a random building and ran to our food destination: Berghoff's.

I love Berghoff's. When I was in high school, our choir field trips downtown would include a stop at Berghoff's restaurant. I love how it's like an old restaurant from the late 1800s. Nothing flashy. No furniture or signs on the walls. We were running short on time, but we could do it!

My niece seemed to enjoy it. She had a burger and fries, and a huge glass of milk in a big glass mug. I had lovely Sauerbraten. And then we asked for the dessert menu. We would splurge on dessert.
I let my niece pick out the flourless chocolate cake and it was divine. I could tell she agreed with me, by the way she asked about the mint leaves, and the raspberry coulis, and ate every last bite. We were in a hurry now, but we had time!

We got to the theater at the perfect time - about 10 minutes before the show began. Our seats ($10/each!!!) were in the SECOND ROW. Immediately, my niece said, "I won't be able to see anything!" When we sat in our seats, so close to the raised stage.

But I had a trick up my sleeve!

A coworker told me you could get booster seats from the coat check at the theater, so we hurried downstairs and got two booster cushions; one for each of us. I sat on mind and she sat on hers, but she still wasn't tall enough. So I gave her mine. She was happy. Then the show started.

We were SO close to the actors! We could make eye contact. We could see their spit come out with their explosive consonants. We could see their sweat from the stage lights. I saw my niece's eyes light up and she smiled broadly. This was going to be fun!

I won't go into the details of the performance - it was amazing, of course. My niece loved every minute. Her favorite character was King George, and she requested listening to his songs on the way home, which is a big win. She liked it so much that now my five year old nephew and three year old niece dress up as a king and princess and sing his "Ba-da-da-da-da..."

After the show, we hurried back the garage, which was deserted. We talked about the show, listened to King George, and, of course, she fell asleep right as I turned onto her block. When we got inside, she talked about it with her family and went to sleep, and I left on my own way home.

I was so pleasantly surprised by the fun we'd had. You never know how kids will react to the city, or a show, or food at a restaurant, even. We made the best of the whole night and I was so glad I took her to see the show, because I think she will definitely be looking forward to the next. And so will I.

Later in the month, I'll contrast this with taking her brother, who is five, to a show.


(note: I think this is a boring slice, but I had no idea of what to write about! But I did it!)

DST - Slice of Life Challenge Day #8

March 8, 2018

Lately, I've been waking with the sunrise and feeling good about the day. It's been nice. Usually I have trouble getting out of bed and I'm tired and crabby, especially when it's dark outside.

In addition to waking up with the sun and feeling happy about the day, I've been really tired when I get home. Extremely tired. Go to bed at 8PM tired.

I was puzzled. Most of the year (or last few years), I've been up until l1 PM (or later) and rushing to get ready in the morning. So why is it the opposite now?

Well, yesterday I heard the weather person say the dreaded phrase, "Spring Back this weekend!" UGH. Spring back. Daylight Savings Time begins. And my current schedule will be upended.

Now, I love Daylight Savings Time. I can't wait for it to be light until 8 or 9 PM. But I just hate the springing back and falling forward. Every time my natural wake time coincides with my work wake time, we do one of these and then it's dark in the morning and I can't wake up all over again.

I was chatting with a friend about it yesterday, and he said he thinks we should go the way of Arizona and just get rid of Daylight Savings Time completely. My response was that I agreed, as long as we keep the Daylight Savings Time and get rid of the falling back. Let's keep it light as late as we can!

So this weekend, remember to change your clocks and lose some sleep and be ready for the kids to be crazy on Monday! It's Daylight Savings Time yet again!

I gave in - Slice of Life Challenge, Day #7

March 7, 2018

Yesterday at school, we had a visit from a local business owner, who came to talk about running a business in the community. My teaching partner organized this visit, as she teaches Social Studies for our grade, and I teach Science. It was interesting to hear the story of a famous company that is still family-run. Students really enjoyed it, and wrote Thank You letters today.

Oh, one thing I forgot - this company makes PIZZA. So, ever since the visit yesterday, I've been thinking about taking a chewy, cheesy, crusty, spicy, delicious bite of pepperoni pizza. I almost ordered it yesterday, but didn't want to wait and had something quicker. BUT TODAY....

Today was a day where I was just stressed and thinking hard about how to solve problems. I was (apparently) short with some people at work, due to stress and concern for my students. I had after school math club (which is noisy). I was up half the night, due to my dog's ongoing respiratory and ear infection (coughing). So I gave in.

Presently, I'm waiting for a pizza delivery person to knock on my door with a gooey, warm, tasty, delectable pizza with double dough crust. I keep checking the website to see the updates on my pizza's progress. I am beyond excited. I just checked the update and IT'S ON THE WAY!!!

I know it's not logical, but right now I just feel that pizza will solve half the problems I am dealing with today. At the very least, it will help me forget about them for a while.

And I'll have lunch for tomorrow!!!

(Update: Literally the minute I finished typing this, guess what arrived!)

Namaste - Slice of Life Challenge, Day #6

March 6, 2018

Today I am grateful that one of the teachers at our school is also a yoga instructor.

Let's just say the student behavior today was not optimal (and to top it off, the issues were at lunch - so I'm not there, but have to deal with the aftermath). By the end of the day, I was exhausted.

About a year or so ago (this is my recollection, at least), our music teacher decided to become a yoga instructor. She offered some yoga classes for us for free, while she received her certification, and it was awesome. This year, she was able to lead a class in yoga for teachers that happens at our school, one day a week, about an hour after the kids leave. It has been such a godsend for me.

There was a time when I was a dedicated yogi. I lived in California for a while, and began taking yoga classes at my local gym (in California, the yoga teachers at gyms are awesome). I ended up going practically every day for 90 minute classes. This was after a particularly rough time for me, emotionally, and it really helped me refocus my energy. I lost a lot of weight, I was in great shape, I could do all these crazy poses...and then I moved back to Illinois.

I tried to keep it up, but it was hard. I didn't enjoy the classes at the gyms I went to, and couldn't afford yoga studios. I actually signed up for and completed a yoga teacher training program, myself, though the style of yoga wasn't my favorite (my favorite is Ashtanga and they don't do that as much here) and the program was a bit "new-age" for me. I did teach a slow Hatha Yoga class for a summer at a park district, but then I became a teacher and my focus really drifted.

I've always been meaning to get back into it, but have been procrastinating. Finally, since the teacher offers it at school, right after school, I am able to get back in the swing of it. I'm really out of shape, compared to how I used to be, which is discouraging. But today, I felt a bit of the old me coming back. I was able to hold some balance poses longer. I was able to do some strength poses again. I was able to really hold a low plank again.

Most of all, I was able to really focus on just breathing and holding the poses, and, for about an hour, was able to focus on myself and not the lunchroom seating assignments I am going to be making for my class (as soon as I finish this post).

Morning Surprise - Slice of Life Challenge Day 5

March 5, 2018

It's usually hard to wake up on Mondays, and I had a productive weekend, so it was a nice surprise to wake up this morning without having to convince myself to get going. I noticed it was brighter (for the time of morning) than I expected - I even double and triple checked some clocks in my house to make sure I didn't misread the time.

In my morning routine, the first thing I do is let my dog out. Today, when I did, I was greeted by a beautiful sunrise, which was a great way to start the week. I even had the presence of mind to grab my phone and take a few shots. Here they are:

Have a great week!

In training...

March 4, 2018

Good morning! I'm about to run 4 miles.

First, I'm having coffee and blogging here. I cleaned the dog's ear (he has a stubborn ear infection that won't go away) and started some laundry.

And then I'm going to run 4 miles.

4 miles isn't really that big of a deal. It's just that I've been out of shape since I started teaching (just being honest - there is a direct correlation). So that's about ten years.

Every year I say I will get in shape, eat better, etc, etc. And I don't.

Because I LOVE sugar. I love it so much. And I love sitting on the couch with my dog. And napping.

Each year, I do run a 5K race to raise money against Parkinson's Disease. My grandma had it and a friend from high school who has early onset Parkinson's started it (more on that later). I say I'm going to train, and I don't. I just go for it. And come in very late compared to family and friends that are in shape. I don't care that I'm slow. I know I'm out of shape.

I do care that I'm not healthy, though, so when a friend asked me to sign up for the 8k Shamrock Shuffle in Chicago, I decided to do it. And for whatever reason, I'm really doing it. I mean, I printed out the Hal Higdon Novice 8K training schedule, and I'm basically following it as best I can (and by that I mean, no I'm not working out after a 12 hour day because of Open House).

Sunday is the big run day and so today I should run 4 miles. It's a beautiful day outside, and I have been running at least 3.5 miles the last two Sundays, but still I am a bit hesitant. I have an old ache in my hip that is telling me I may need new shoes. I still need to make lesson plans and clean the house.
I have to spend like 15 minutes trying to shove an antibiotic in my dog's mouth (the pleasure of being a stubborn dog's owner!).

I'm going to do it, though. I'm going to run out and enjoy the sunshine and being healthy and hope that's enough to keep me going.

How are you spending your Sunday?

I want to do so much... Slice of Life Day #3

March 3, 2018

My classroom this year is pretty big for the suburbs - 26 second graders is a lot. Individually, each student is so interesting and funny, but as a group sometimes they can get into the "red zone" very quickly. It's been a challenge, because so much time is spent on behavior management, getting them to follow directions, and listen to each other or instructions. They had a reputation from last year, but I was so hopeful and positive about being able to "whip them into shape," but honestly, I feel quite defeated at this point in the year.

I've started a new behavior system last week and am going to try to adjust reading to be what I had hoped it could be this week. I've been putting off small group work because they can't really be trusted to behave when I'm not just standing and monitoring them. (When I say behave, I don't mean just stay on task - I mean not hurting each other or themselves on accident). I'm switching my math time to the morning, as well. So I'm just going for it this last trimester. 

At the beginning of the year, we received pacing guides, our daily schedule was mandated, we received new reading resources (which absolutely don't align with our assessments), and we started a new math program that we were told to follow, since it was designed to build on itself. Since then, we've been told the pacing guides were maybe too ambitious, we can adjust our schedule to meet our needs (Except for 2 areas - specials and interventions), the reading resource we've been pushed to use has fallen by as everyone is encouraged to use one strategy book, and last week it was suggested to me to start bringing in some material from the end of the year math units, just so kids are exposed to material they will need to progress on their benchmark tests.

Between the fuzziness of district mandates and the student behavior that I am trying to improve, I feel like I have been forced to be no fun. If I give an inch, the kids seem to take a mile. They move around the classroom slowly during transitions but run in the hallway when they should be walking in line. They draw pictures of underpants on post-its they are supposed to use to jot thoughts in their reading books (and pass them around, I might add). I made calming glitter bottles that they love, but I can't really trust them to use them safely, so I've not been able to implement it as best I'd hoped.

They also make me lovely notes and cards, tell me about their weekend, and give me hugs. I don't mean they're bad kids or they don't have redeeming values. There's just too many of them to be in one classroom and give each of them the attention they desire. I feel defeated.

I wanted to do so much at the beginning of the year...

Small Victories - Slice of Life Challenge, Day 2

March 2, 2018

I am addicted to the website Zulily.com. Zulily is a website that you subscribe to and then receive an email every day with new sales from vendors, like Dansko, Sanita, various clothing, Lancome, pet supplies, and anything else you can imagine. You can buy classroom materials (and I do!). You can buy an exercise bike (and I did!) and you can buy garden supplies and plants, and just about anything else.

Sales only last a few days, so a lot of times, I just put items in my online cart and then let the sale end and never buy what I didn't actually need anyway. But sometimes (okay, more than I'd like to admit), I do purchase items from Zulily and then forget.

You see, the thing about this website is that the shipping takes a long time. It's not fast. So you have to plan ahead OR just order things you don't need at the moment. Since I put lots of possible purchases in my shopping cart, I often forget which ones I ordered and which I didn't. So I never know what to expect. It's kind of fun, but I also feel pretty guilty about it.

But this post is about one of the nice surprises.

Last year, I ordered a patio lemon tree from a gardening company. I did it very spontaneously - I wasn't looking for one at all - but it was about $20 so I decided to order it. I have no idea how to take care of a lemon tree, not to mention a lemon tree that has to be brought inside for winter.

When it arrived, it came in a nice rectangular box, just like you might get something from 1-800-flowers. Opening it up, I found a small plant with several small, white flowers on it. I was pretty impressed that it survived shipping with flowers still intact.

I set it up outside and hoped for the best. Gradually, over the summer, it started growing fruit. First very green, then turning to a bright yellow around September. In the end I had about 5 lemons on this small $20 tree! But that's not the best part.

The best part is that I had to take it in for the cold months, and I was able to keep it alive! I'm not sure how much light or water it really needs, so I'm playing it by ear, but the plant is still kicking, and I'm happy to report that in the last few weeks, it has started blooming! I'm so excited! I get so much pleasure out of knowing I kept this plant alive in my house all winter, with enough sun and water to continue to bloom. I look forward to getting more lemons this year, too!

So, I guess the moral of the story is...impulse buys from Zulily aren't that bad, right? I think I'll just go check on today's sales right now...