Ummmmmm...

A light bulb just went on. My blog is starting to look like an unofficial Obama fan site...OMG and LOL!

Too Freakin Funny! First Pic is from Sherrie, Second Pic is from Facebook

Mood: Happy Yet Sad

Last week was a week I'm very glad is gone. Not a fun week at all. It's amazing how exhasting and emotional it has been since school started back. I was hoping for a calm second trimester. Not so much. I have to keep my focus on the focus. And I must stay positive. I know the hard work will pay off in the end. I'm hoping tomorrow is a good day. I've been waiting for tomorrow for almost two years. Deep down I knew it would come, but there was some doubt along the way. I hope I don't lose it during the swearing in, but I think I will. I've been pretty emotional lately...ever since I realized that I'm officially middle aged. I'm so excited about the possibilities that the next four years will bring.

Great Kid!

During last week's Wizard TV! I read a shout out for a student, Hector, who found $20 on the playground and did the right thing by taking the money to the YMCA office. Yesterday, he wanted to share his writer's notebook with me. I was late to an IEP so I asked him if he could share his notebook with me the next day. Of course he agreed, but as I'm walking to the IEP I felt like a total a-hole. I mean, here's a kid who wants to share his learning with me and I tell him, "Sorry Hector, but I have an IEP to go to. Your writer's notebook isn't as important to me as this IEP." It ate at me all night. It's the next day, after school, I had just wrapped up a great conversation with Bishop when I remembered I had to go to another IEP, so I head out. Who do I see sitting in the office patiently waiting for me? Yup, Hector. He wanted to show me his notebook. Screw the IEP, I'm going to check out Hector's notebook. The entry he wanted to read to me, and he did read it to me, was titled "My Special Day." The entry was all about his shout out on Wizard TV! He wrote about how special and proud he felt. My heart melted, not only because the shout out made him feel so great, but because he is such a great kid who knew turning in the money was the right thing to do. I live for moments like this. I know you do too! I just LOVE our kids (most of them).

Happy New Year?

I hope everyone is having a great new year so far. Our five weeks of vacation flew by. The first week back was exhausting. Oddly, not too many naughty kids, just a bunch of angry parents. Go figure. Not a great way to start the year. Today, I noticed a picture of Kellie Pickler on the milk cartons. Weird, what's Kellie Pickler doing on the milk? It turns out if you visit a website you can win a visit with her. I asked the kids if they knew who she was. Of course they didn't. I'm going to play some of her songs tomorrow at lunch. I'm sure the kids will enjoy it very much. I've noticed the kids are very chatty during lunch. Many kids are asking me how my day is going, how I'm doing, what did I do on vacation, how my stock portfolio is doing (just kidding, I made that one up). Reading Workshop is creating miracles! AND...we've had the highest attendance for two months in a row. It's got to be Reading Workshop! I love talking to the kids at lunch. It's the highlight of my day!

Where did the last five weeks go?

So sad. We're down to our last three days of vacation. Where did the last five weeks go? I read in today's L.A. Times that the "governor's" budget proposal slashes billions from education funding and includes a five day reduction in the school year. I'm wondering if we could take those five days next week? It doesn't hurt to ask.