The First Day of Summer Vacation

I think someone forgot to tell the dogs that my summer vacation began today! After this very busy week it would have been nice to sleep a little past 5:45 a.m.! After the initial run around the yard, I put the dogs in the basement with chew bones and went back upstairs. I don't think I went back to sleep. Today it was nice to run around the house in shorts, tshirt, and flip flops...the weather even cooperated.

I am leaving for a minivacation/long weekend with Amy and the kids. The "boys" are staying home. We are heading to Florida but shhhh the kids do not know about the Disney suprise waiting for them~we are staying at the Carribean Beach Resort in a pirate room~eating lunch on Sunday in the T-rex restaurant at Disney Village~and watching fireworks from the beach on Monday night. We may or may not visit the Magic Kingdom. The forecast is for 94 degrees and with a 3 yr old along, I highly doubt it. His sister,8, will be fine because she already knows we are going to Florida in February for a Disney experience. Interestingly, Amy and I searched for a place to go with the kids. Disney is offering reduced prices on rooms this summer and we don't need a car...to give you an idea, we are spending LESS on this trip than the trip to WDC or Philly that we had originally planned. We had free tickets on Southwest Airlines so it is just the room (less than $100 a night) and food...Not bad, huh?

Maybe not!

Okay....today was not a good day. Day 356 it seems of rain and inside recess. The kids are at each other's throats...literally...They did enjoy the tangrams during Math time though. I think tomorrow we will "forgo" Math and call it good. We have TK practice at 9:15, then back for snack and morning meeting...then I think we will clean out our reading folders and take it 1 step at a time. We will have whole room cleanup, get set up for the research exhibit and PLEASE PLEASE let the parents take their kids home with them after the TK assembly.

3 days but who's counting!

Okay...I can do this. Today was the school-wide learning fair. It was an opportunity for each and every child to showcase some of their "new learning" for parents and peers from other classes. Each class had a "presenting" time and a "visiting" time. We began our day by visiting. First we discussed as a class how to pay a compliment and how to be a good guest. Then, we visited 2 First Grade classes and 3 Kindergarten classes. My kids were so wonderful! They listened, asked questions, and paid compliments. When we got back to the classrooms they were so amazed at the work they had seen and eager for their turn this afternoon. Finally, at 2:00 the door opened and we were the hosts. It was amazing....kids that have a hard time reading, stepped up to the plate and shared their ocean animal research. One of my boys proudly announced that he had memorized his entire report! Another little guy that has a really hard time reading had an ear to ear grin when he "read" his report about starfish to a Kindergarten friend.

It is times like today that when you can step back and see how far the kids have come, that you realize anew why you are there. Why you make the effort even when it is hard and why you keep trying even when it seems impossible. Can I do this for 3 more days? YES.

5 more days!

My class has worked hard all year to manage their behavior. It is only a few but some days...Anyway, we have been using tally marks to keep track of times that we do the right thing...get compliments from other staff in the building about how we walk in the hallway, get feedback from specialists about behavior, and maintain appropriate noise level in the classroom. We set goals for ourselves and reward ourselves with earned choice time, a video, extra recess, etc. We have exceeded our goal but needed a "compliment" from the Music Teacher. Normally, I wouldn't bother but our Music teacher is a long term sub who has done some amazing things with the kids and classroom control is still a work in progress. We did not earn a compliment from Mr. Robbins, SO no reward...bummer. Well, you know the old saying, "If life gives you lemons, make lemonade", we did that today.

After playing a game of "dots" to finish up our math grid work, we settled down to learn more about ocean birds. I had already done a little work with puffins and decided to talk about penguins. First we brainstormed all the things we could think of that are black and white...that was my "hook", then we took a blank sheet of paper and wrote penguins on the top and divided it into 2 columns and 4 sections for each column...Physical characteristics, Habitat, Food, and Family. The class is familiar with this after doing ocean research. Then as I read through the fact book they took notes under each section to help them remember. WOW it was so awesome to sit where I sat and see them so focused with a clipboard and pencils listening and writing. I was so impressed with their work...everyone had at least 1 fact in the right place.

So, the lemons--did not get our class reward--the lemonade--awesome lesson and 2 column notes ...5 more days

TGIF

I am very glad this week is over! Only 8 more school days! This week was so very busy at school...we have begun to share our research with each other, worked on our backgrounds for our ocean creature display, made our model magic ocean animals (they are still drying), had an "in house" field trip due to rain, and much more. I finished up report card comments and the only thing that I really need to finish is the ordering for next year. It is quick and easy to spend $200 so I should finish that right up.

On a personal note, the pool is still green. It is actually a shade of turquoise cloudy green. Did I give you a mental image? Anyway, we backwash, vac, filter, backwash, vac, filter, etc..we are almost there and it rains. So we begin again. I will do another water test and run to the pool store tomorrow to get some clarifier and ask about the shock. We have always done weekly maintenance of dry shock, clarifier, and algaeicide (sP). This year I have sent Amy and Greg both to the pool guy. Both have spent significant money and both have come home with entirely different chemicals. I think it is time for MOM to go!

More later...

Good day/Bad day

Saturday morning is usually pretty busy around here! Yesterday was no different...I was up very early with Dixie and Hanna. They do not know or care that Saturdays are mornings that I don't have to be up early. They were up at their usual 6 AM to go outside, come in to eat breakfast, go outside, come in to get a chew bone, go out...etc. I was half awake measuring food into their bowls while they were on their morning patrol of the perimeter of the yard...taking care of business and making sure we had no "invasions" during the night, when I heard the upstairs gate open and close. Sure enough...down the stairs came Jordan saying "good morning" and giving hugs and smiles. How can you not enjoy that? Shortly afterwards, came his sister, and the three of us went into "Grammy's Living Room" and watched Tom & Jerry cartoons. I quietly sipped my morning coffee, tried to wake up, and thought that I am so LUCKY to be able to spend this time with them.

The morning rush began as everyone began to wake up, hop in the shower, get ready for Karate, and get an update from Greg on when he would be home after driving all night. Jordan, his mom, Amy, and I were heading for JC Penney to take part in the big sale. Haliey and her dad, Johnny, were headed to Karate, and Greg was back in Scarborough, fueling his tractor, breaking his set apart, doing his logbook, and heading home for a nap. We made plans for a date for dinner at Longhorn SteakHouse. Things were still good....Amy, Jordan, and I got into the Vibe and found a cell phone in Jordan's car seat. Her car had been at the garage and apparently someone had left their cellphone in her car when it was at the garage. I called Greg and he offered to meet us at JC Penney and return it to the garage before coming home. We passed over the cellphone and went into the store. It was a fabulous opportunity to get lots of shorts and tshirts for summer. Amy, Jordan, and I met Haliey and her dad for lunch at the mall and that is when the day went down hill.....

Right in the middle of my very yummy slice of pizza, Amy's cellphone rang, and I heard...."yes, she is still with me..do you want to talk to her?" I NEVER hear my phone (especially when it is still turned off) so I said, "hello...I thought you were going to bed". It was then that I heard the deep breath and the words....some lady just hit my jeep".

So, we are now in the process of the police reports, insurance adjustors, and body shop visits. The damage does not look too bad but I think it may be pretty expensive. There was only a scuff mark on the pickup truck bumper that backed into the jeep but the passenger rear door of the jeep will need to be repaired or replaced, and painted. The door still works and we are glad about that but the impact created damage on the outside and inside of the door.

So.....here are some tips for anyone in this predicament...
1. Always call the police immediately when you are in an accident
2. If you forget #1, make sure that you take your license with you to the police station when you go the next morning to fill out the police report
3. Always make sure that you put the NEW INSURANCE CARD in your car when you receive it, not when you are at the police station making out an accident report.

If you forget any of the above tips, you will be making multiple trips to the police station and receive a verbal warning for driving without a license and having an expired insurance card in your car.

Hanna and Dixie

"The Girls" Hanna and Dixie--They are both Brittany Spaniels. Hanna was adopted from a family here in Scarborough. The family had 3 dogs and Hanna was not getting enough attention. Dixie was part of the Brittany Rescue and came up from Tennessee to join our family. Hanna is a year older than Dixie. Dixie is a "skinny minnie" and runs like the wind! I think she passes herself when she is running...Both dogs love to chase the tennis ball. We have the Invisible Fence surrounding our property and the dogs just love to run. While they are full of energy in the daytime, but at night, Hanna is asleep on the ottoman, and Dixie is asleep as close to you as she can get!

The final project!

Haliey worked very hard on this "visual" to accompany her classroom research project on the Octopus. We converted a shoebox, added paint, glitter, foamy fish and seaweed, some sand, and a model magic octopus--Here it is....An Octopus's Garden in the Sea...

80 years young!

Tuesday was my dad's 80th birthday. Sunday, as I previously mentioned, we had a suprise birthday party for him. It was a small gathering...not a lot of fuss...but pleasant. Dad had requested a carrot cake. One of his friends, has a daughter-in-law who makes the BEST carrot cake I have ever eaten. Dad is diabetic and is not supposed to eat the cake, but he treated himself to a tiny sliver. My 3 yr old grandson tried a piece because...he loves carrots...and he was so disappointed when he did not see big carrot sticks in the cake. Anyway, it was a nice time and Dad was very touched. I think I saw a few tears...

Tuesday night.....

It is about 8:45 pm. Dixie is sound asleep on the floor and the house is silent! Today is finally slowing down...I came home from school, delivered Haliey to Karate, went through the drive thru at Tim Horton's for a Cafe' Mocha. After a few quiet minutes, I began the other part of my life...master gardener, pool girl, cook, bottle washer, and artistic advisor. We are opening up our very green pool so after a backwash, two buckets of chemicals and the chlorine pack have been added. Then, I watered all of the deck plants, front porch plants, and myriad of bushes and pots of outside flowers. My cooking consisted of "Hamburger Helper"...Cheesey Hash Browns and to make it healthy...a salad. I loaded up the dishwasher and then sat with an 8 year old to help her with her ocean diaorama (sp). We are just waiting for the model magic octopus to dry, get painted, and then we are done!

More later on.....