Won't you wear a sweater day?

In honor of Mr. Rogers', who would be eighty tomorrow, please join me and participate in

WON'T YOU WEAR A SWEATER DAY?

Tales from third grade...

Some days when I sub it is truly comic relief! That was today :) I love subbing in third grade specifically one class - they are always 'with it', ready to go, actively participate and are truly a class that visually represents why I love being a teacher. I do mean that!

While part of me felt bad for this kid, but I had to get that in check - he brought it on himself for thinking he was smarter than me. Bad plan: I take it personal!

So here is the scene: we have read a really great non-fiction article comparing and contrasting East Coast and West Coast spartina! Have I lost you yet? Truly, that is unimportant, I just thought I would throw it in there :) After the article, there is a practice book page that needed to be completed. It was a grammar worksheet practicing placing quotations in the correct spots of a sentence. There was probably six or seven of them - not trying or time consuming by any means. I assigned the class the page 111 in the practice book, and said I would give them some time then we would go over it as a class.

Next, I see a hand fly up in the air - the boy says, "That page is ripped out of my practice book". Now, I remember the last time I was there hearing this same sob story from this same kid. Last time, I had him look on with a neighbor and work together on it.

Fool me once, shame on me - Fool me twice, uh.... yea, that's not gonna happen! Shame on you!

This time, I asked him how that happened and probed further as to where the page could have possibly gone since they are not allowed to take these books home. He gave me a bunch of random answers about being suspending and taking the book home and it was probably his brother. I reminded him of the last time I was there, and how it was a strange coincidence that BOTH those pages seem to be missing. I asked him point blank, "Did you tear it out and put it in your desk?" - he looked me square in the face and told me no.

I assumed, incorrectly as I later found out, that he wouldn't pull this on his regular teacher whom I was subbing for.

So, I checked the book - sure enough, it was ripped out. I handed him a blank sheet of writing paper and an extra copy of the book, and told him to copy his answers on the paper. He was livid. So, I all this time the students were working on this page, and I am going back and forth with this kid. I gave him his final instructions to get to work, and walked away to prepare for the next part of the lesson while they were finishing up.

He didn't want to work so he spent the next few minutes scratching his arm until it appeared as though he had a rash. He raised his hand and said with a smirk, "I have a rash.", so I told him to go to the nurse.

The second he was out the door, I checked his desk and sure enough, I found it! It was crumbled in the back of the desk, behind all the books, in the very far corner - the practice book page. So, I took it out, uncrumbled it and placed neatly on his desk.

When he came back, I told him that it was too late for him to do it now. It seems as though he would have to come back during recess to complete it. How sad for him!

Lunch time came and I informed the teacher on duty that I wanted him in my class as soon as he was done eating, but he somehow ended up outside for recess anyway. So, you know I took my butt out there and hauled his little butt back into my room and made him do that work.

I also gave him the ol' " I am very disappointed, not because you tore the page out, but because you lied to me" line - he did apologize for lying.

Maybe other teachers would have been annoyed by this entire escapade, but I thought it was somewhat humorous! It's a fact that the kids who are challenging (notice I didn't say bad) - are my favorites! I do like kids when they have a distinct personality - even if its a challenge for me!

Kindergarten tomorrow - can't wait :) You all know how I love Kindergarten!!!

Quickie post

Things here are super busy for a few days. I just wanted to jump on to say the purse party was KICK A$$! I got three purses (Chanel, D&G and a Coach) and didn't spend a dime ! Loved it! Meanwhile, I find out the purse lady lives like a half mile from my house. She said that she gets her shipments on Fridays, and I can stop by whenever! AWESOME! So there, freaking purse ladies from November trying to be the BE ALL END ALL of South Hills purse ladies! Screw you guys, I got my own purse lady, yo!

It was crazy at my sister in laws. There had to be at least fifty people coming through there, no kidding! Just about everyone who was invited came, and brought a friend! Exactly what I wanted, and why I didn't have to spend any money! I think we had a $2000 show! I am glad - worked out for me :)

So today, I busted my butt to get everything ready for my CCAC courses which start tonite and tomorrow night. I am ready for them to start, because I really this ! Tonite's class was great, and hopefully tomorrows will be just as good.

So tomorrow will be busy. Because in addition to a CCAC course starting, I am teaching third grade during the day! Should be fun! Luckily, nothing going on Wednesday and Thursday and I can get the housework caught up. I am hella -behind there!

I am also behind on my scrapping - in case you haven't noticed - its been a few days since I posted! Talk about an addiction! I think I am in a little withdrawl, and if I weren't so tired right now, I would totally stay up to do a layout!

Instead, I am hitting the hay! Above is Lauren blowing raspberries at you :)

Purse Party day!

So, the purse party is today and I couldn't be more excited. The only issue is that Mike is working a quick shift, so I have no help. Luckily, my father in law offered to keep Madelyn and my nephew James while Dawn (my sister in law) and I host the party. My other nephews are in New York with my brother in law skiing. James is still a bit too young to go on this trip, and in light of his being sick this week with the same stomach bug we had, she decided it was best for him to hang here in the 'Burgh.

So MJ and James will be next door for the afternoon, and I will have the little bug with me :)

I will post later and let you know how it went. In case you don't know, I love to entertain, but my house is simply too small to have a number of people over so we are having the shin-dig at my sister in laws (who lives about three blocks from me).

So, if you are keeping track... my in laws live NEXT DOOR and my sister in law lives THREE BLOCKS away. The truth is that it really isn't that bad living next door to my mother in law. In fact, it is kind of alot of help. They aren't nosey or pushy - but I do occassionally have a random irritation. That's for another post though.

So when the party has commenced, and I am home, I will blog and let you all know how it was. I remember one of my first blogs was about having a purse party, so I am sure you are on the edge of your seats ((sarcasm)) waiting to find out how it goes!!

I didn't get any scrapping done this weekend because I was cooking for the party, and getting ready for my CCAC courses to begin.

Both are going to roll, I have ten students in one class so far, and nine in the other. So, my Monday and Tuesday evenings are booked for awhile beginning this week. I am exciting to get back into that role! I really love teaching computers, and specifically to adults. It is challenging, yet rewarding ! I do think I am good at it, and have alot to offer my students. In that way, it's not like a job, because I enjoy it. But it does pay well.

Will post more later, gotta go get ready :)

Just terrible......

Again here is the warning about TMI: If you can't deal with stories about Poo - stop reading now.

So we are all traumatized here, and I don't even know how to explain this without just saying it. Maddie can't go. She has a bad hemerhoid, and some very hard stools so she has been holding it. This, of course, makes it worse and worse... and I have promised this little girl everything but a live pony to just go poo! So, I talked with the doctor about a week or so ago, and he said to give her two tbsps. of mineral oil a day. He said for me to put it in anything that will get her to drink it. Hello, she is two... she ain't gonna drink it! So, I put it in some juice. Well, it just coats the freakin cup, she probably is getting an eighth of what she should get.

Anyway, fast forward to last night. She just would go hide, and cry and squeeze her little cheeks together until the feeling of having to 'go' went away.. but it would come back. Finally, I got some little kid suppositories from Giant Eagle. It was just as traumatic for me as it was for her, but it worked within SECONDS. I felt horrible. Her little legs shook for ten minutes afterward, and she just cried and cried. I hated it, but I held it together until I was alone.. then I cried too :(

Tonite, here we go again. She is holding it, and I can tell she just won't go on her own, she is squeezing and crying because it hurts so bad. So I told her I was going to give her 'medicine in her bum' and she said with her saddest face 'why mama?' What is my answer supposed to be there? I felt like a villian in a Disney movie! But, again, I did it. And, again... it worked within SECONDS! It was awful, but she felt better afterwards. She asked if she could go to naptime :(

What a nightmare! So, it sucks to be us right now! I can't wait for her doctors appointment. I may call Monday if it continues this way.

So, I worked on a few layouts after the kids went down.

Here are two using Beckie Wallace's Flutterbye kit. Really cute kit... who doesn't love butterflies?

I used the Pooh quote so that I could use this layout for the January Quote Challenge at GDS. It worked out because they kids had on their Pooh outfits on the day we went to Kennywood for the Alcoa summer picnic!

This next layout was done with Beckie's At the Ballet Kit, which is my favorite kit right now! ((covered in a previous post)).

Now tomorrow, we are supposed to get KILLER weather: freezing rain and some sleet. Just in time for me to drive into work. I am the librarian tomorrow - hmmm, maybe I will wear my glasses low on my nose and put my hair in a bun. I do have crazy 'nun' like shoes that librarians often wear!

Feeling.... B L A H!

Kindergarten was great, it was so nice to see my old class and catch up with some of my fellow teachers from my school. I miss it there alot. I love teaching Kindergarten, and it was alot of fun until after lunch.......... a had a girl 'get sick' not once, not twice but THREE TIMES in THREE DIFFERENT PLACES. I just couldn't get this poor little one to the bathroom quick enough. Fortunately, the classroom is large and so the 'ripple effect' I was dreading didn't happen, thank goodness. The janitor came and cleaned it quickly - with the weird but intriguing saw dust stuff. What the heck is that stuff anyway? But the kids were great ! Loved it :) I actually chuckled as I was walking to my car because I had such a good day. I guess the 'upchuck' would ruin someone else's day, but the fact that it really didn't effect me at all to mean that I still had 'it'... whatever 'it' is.

Other than that, it has been a long, few days... nothing major, just feeling .......... B L A H! Under the weather, tired, grumpy... you know.... B L A H!

So, here is a layout for tonite! I used Amy Leigh's new Love, Tenderly kit... and I can honestly say - this is one I would have spent money on :) I love the colors, girly, but could be for adults too! I just love all the elements, and have like fifty ideas in my head right now.

Here is the first one:

Next one, I did last night with Beckie's Dreaming under water kit. I was experimenting with a new curled edge action and I love it (as you can tell - I used it in both layouts today !).

Teaching kindergarten

So, tomorrow morning I get to teach Kindergarten! Yay! I am so excited! I got a call today from the school where I taught last year and the K teacher will be out tomorrow. She asked for me :) I love that!

Oh, happy day!

I will report how it was tomorrow night- I will be very tired I am sure... but so worth it!

I am taking KnuffleBunny with me :) I can't wait to see all the teachers I was with last year, and show them the pictures of Lauren and Maddie. They are going to kill me for not taking her up there in September, but I hate interrupting classtime.

Anywho, I found out today that ALOT of teachers will be retiring in July. Hmmm, might be good for me ;)

Accepting a challenge...

Ok, after yesterday's rut, I woke up this morning with a new attitude. I have to lift myself out the silly self-doubt, pity, depressed state that I am in. No one can do that for me; I have to do it for myself.

So, the first order of business, The 11 day diet (a/k/a fatloss4idiots). I found some information online last night about changing the way your body metabolises fat, and I am going for it. After the nightmare weigh in I had... I need to bust a move and get on it.

Second order of business, is to shift some of my focus inward. I have to do a little soul searching to find where I am going. I can't have my cake and eat it to, although I try. I can't focus on family and career wholeheartedly without one of them getting the short end of the stick. I won't allow my family or home get the short end, at least not now when my children are so small and dependent. So, I have to find the balance, but remain stimulated in education and career enough to get through. I hope that can happen once my college courses start up.

Related to above, I got a few calls last night from sub services automated system looking for subs until the end of the year. I think the contract talks and negotiations have stipulated that in order for retirees to keep their benefits they have to retire by July. This basically means all the teachers who plan to retire have just been given a big 'better do it now' by the superintendent and in turn are going to use the remainder of their sick days to finish out the year, and retire in
July. So that may bring about a great placement until the end of the year, which would be nice.

Anywho, I was looking at today's freebies on my yahoo group and I came across a blog called Being Mrs. Wresh. She has a great challenge up right now inspired by Brad Paisley's song which says, "If I could write a letter to me".... she wrote a letter to herself at 17 from the present. Wow, it is a great challenge. I am hoping to do this today. It just looks really neat. Her's was very inspiring, uplifting and just put a little jump in my step today. It definitely put me a more retrospective mood, which is what I needed after yesterdays 'down in the dumps' day.
So, check out her challenge ..... don't forget to post it at DST and link it in the comments on her blog!

Housework and scrapping are how I will be spending my day... oh yea, and I little exercise too :)

Sunday blogfest

Well, it has been a very busy week for me recovering from the holidays, recovering from Mike's wicked holiday schedule, getting the toys unattached from those damn wires they use to put them in boxes and trying to prepare for my job corps courses.

I taught my first two job corps classes on Friday, and they were awesome. These students are the reason I went to school to be a teacher. I wish I could keep them for the entire semester, but alas, I am only an orientation to the real college (ROFL!). Those of you who know me, and went to school with me will understand that statement.

On to a different subject, I was able to complete some digi-scrapping stuff this weekend. I am happy to say so. I have a ton of stuff I should be doing for this weeks job corps courses, but I put it off and truly, I have enough. I just tend to over-do it. So here is the latest.

I like to call it 'My sleepy angel'. I took this picture on Christmas morning, just before Maddie got to nap. Can't you tell that she is just about to keel over? She is absolutely exhausted, and I was lucky enough to grab the camera just as she slid down the wall with her usual drama-filed sigh.

Credits: Karla's Kaleidoscope Designs 'Midnight Snow' Kit.
Font: CK Joannie

I will find out on Tuesday night (MY BIRTHDAY in case you didn't know) if I move on to the next round in the Supreme Team Contest at godigitalscrapbooking.com. I can't wait to find out!

I also applied to be a member of a creative team for one of my favorite designers at GDS! Yikes! So exciting!

Recap - catch up - fly by post

I gave up ya'll. I just submitted my layout for the contest. I didn't even wait for any feedback. I couldn't take it any longer. I was up all night (as anticipated), thinking about what I could do. But it is almost like a test, if you haggle over a question and change it. I was probably the one you originally thought.

So, it is official submitted, and now I am wishing that I wouldn't have done that. But, alas, it is done.

EEEK!

Oh well, what is done, is done :)

I am teaching for the Job Corps for the next week or so. That should be fun.. I can not wait (no sarcasm... I mean it.) I will be on my ol' stompin ground down at the Allegheny Campus. Oh, the irony!

Anywho, talk soon. I am off to be with an old friend who lost her dad this week. It makes me think about how fragile life really is, and that I, too, will someday be in her shoes. This friend and I grew up together, and we lost touch for a long time. I am glad to say, we met up again while I was subbing at her son's school! It is just strange how people come in and out of our lives, and then reappear at certain times.

Ok, enough sad stuff! I am off. To lighten the mood, here is a funny video of Mike playing with Lauren the other night. Her giggle is so adorable and contagious.

Computer class cheat sheet

For a few of my computer classes, people often ask me for a cheat sheet for keyboard short cuts and codes.

Did you ever wonder how to make these symbols show up on your screen?

☼ ≈ ☻ ◄ © ♫ ° →

These are called alt codes, and you can get a complete list of them here.

Enjoy!

New job

Well, I am now the proud owner of yet another jobby job to add to my collection. Seriously, I do have a lot of things going on, but never at the same time. I like to spread my shit out so that all can get a piece of this........

Ok, enough of that talk....

Seriously though, this is going to be great (I hope)... I told them I would think about it for a day or so before committing, but I am pretty sure I am going to do it.

I will be an online teacher for students who need tutoring or help after school. It is a great program free to any student in America who goes to a school who hasn't reached AYP (annual yearly progress) under the NCLB (No Child Left Behind) Act. Of course, they have to have access to a computer, and be willing to commit to a time to be online connected with a teacher, with both a interactive notebook/pen, headset and mic. Hmmmm, well, I guess that leaves out the majority of my 'urban' kids.

But, I can't NOT take a job just because of that, so I think I am going to do it. No lesson planning, just being available for answering questions and helping them out ! Its only going to be about 10-15 hours a week, and I am online anyway! I may as well be earning money and a new blurb on my already-too-many-pages long resume. But resumes are a topic for another entire post (maybe tomorrow).

I am still awaiting CCAC's schedule for next semester, and I can't commit to any times for tutoring until I know when they have placed my courses. I am hoping to have a few classes really roll this time because its easy money, and I love teaching computers at the college level.

We shall see I suppose, I will keep you posted.