Whew! Made it through another week as a kindergarten teacher!
I was able to have a little mini dance party with the kids. We danced to this song by Liz Mitchell and Lisa Lobe called "Dance Stop"
They love it. We actually dance to it once a day right after journal time...the kids need to wiggle!
Trey and August came home from 3rd grade camp in the middle of the day. They've been running around town like crazy trying to find my birthday present (I've no idea what they're getting me!) Hazel went to our local flower shop (she calls it a fairy store) and bought me some beautiful flowers.
Last night Hazel went to see High School Musical Live on Stage with Kathleen Boden. She's had a permanent grin on her face all day.
I'm ready to get out of Seattle for the long weekend. Thanks Kat and Justin for taking care of the kids and Tank while I drink wine and relax at Cave B!
A Many Family Blog
5/23/08
5/19/08
It's OK to laugh!
Check out Scott and Amy's blog.
It's ok to laugh...it's funny!
Matt starts yelling, "in dad's shop!" over and over. so funny!
Listen for the sigh.
It's ok to laugh...it's funny!
Matt starts yelling, "in dad's shop!" over and over. so funny!
Listen for the sigh.
5/18/08
In a Nut Shell
Big news at the school: that's Ichiro in the green cap! Not sure how we ended up having some Mariners come to do an assembly, but we did...and it was amazing to see how the students reacted...I think a few of them needed to change their pants when it was all over.
On Tuesday we took Tank to the dog park after a long day of kennel time...Hazel found a heart in the pavement.
On Wednesday after school the kids and I returned to teach Hazel how to ride a two wheeler.
I think she's got the coasting pretty good...it's the stopping that gets her all worked up.
and brings a few tears.
August got his eyes checked for the first time. He's got better than 20/20 vision...phew!
And well, the weather has been HOT and August is a little heater as it is and you see...I felt bad because he was just sitting out back and his hair was wet with sweat...so I cut it. And he hates it. But it should be noted that he agreed to the cut, I think he just hasn't seen his hair this short in a long while.
We had a little visitor today. Tanks mom, Irving came by to hang out in the sun. How huge is my dog? That's his MOM people! He came out of her!
Trey has been out of town on a work retreat. He comes home tonight and then leaves again on Wednesday morning to take August to 3rd grade camp, they come home on Friday and then Trey and I leave on Saturday to go to Sasquatch. I can not wait.
On Tuesday we took Tank to the dog park after a long day of kennel time...Hazel found a heart in the pavement.
On Wednesday after school the kids and I returned to teach Hazel how to ride a two wheeler.
I think she's got the coasting pretty good...it's the stopping that gets her all worked up.
and brings a few tears.
August got his eyes checked for the first time. He's got better than 20/20 vision...phew!
And well, the weather has been HOT and August is a little heater as it is and you see...I felt bad because he was just sitting out back and his hair was wet with sweat...so I cut it. And he hates it. But it should be noted that he agreed to the cut, I think he just hasn't seen his hair this short in a long while.
We had a little visitor today. Tanks mom, Irving came by to hang out in the sun. How huge is my dog? That's his MOM people! He came out of her!
Trey has been out of town on a work retreat. He comes home tonight and then leaves again on Wednesday morning to take August to 3rd grade camp, they come home on Friday and then Trey and I leave on Saturday to go to Sasquatch. I can not wait.
5/12/08
Update
Well, it's been quite an adjustment this last week.
I'd like to say that the kids are just fine with all the changes in our schedule and if you'd have asked me last week I would have told you just that...but we're on week two of me working full time and I'm beginning to see some changes in their behavior.
I like to be at work by 8 so that I can get the room organized and make copies and do whatever other small task that must be completed by 9, which means that the kids are having to wake up around 7:15. It was difficult to wake them at 8...7:15 is almost torture! I try to get everything ready for them before I enter their rooms, I try to have breakfast packed so that they can eat in my class while I buzz around the school, I try to be positive while I poke and prod them from their beds. I try. And I sometimes fail.
The behaviors I'm seeing are definitely due to them being tired. Hazel has been very full of tears. Tears at the drop of the hat. I checked in on her today and watched her laugh and play with some friends but then she saw me and literally began crying in one second. Big tears. I walked over to a confused group of friends and hugged her and reassured her that when school was over she could come and hang out in my room until we leave. In the end I had to leave her crying to get back to my room.
August has been quiet. It could be because he's tired, it could also be that he's just working so hard at getting his homework done so that he can retire to his room to read the latest Percy Jackson book. Or it could be that he wants to rush home to play the guitar Trey bought him last week. Either way, the boy is changing from a little kid into a big kid before my very eyes.
When they have to be in my room in the morning and afternoon they are amazing. I couldn't ask for better behaved children. They are patient and willing to help get things done so we can leave.
I'm adjusting alright as well. No more idle time for me...every minute is used planning time slots throughout the day. I've got a great bunch of kids in this class. It should be a great 5 weeks. I can tell you that I am very much looking forward to Sasquatch. And I am very, very much looking forward to my week long trip with Trey in June. The count down has begun.
I'd like to say that the kids are just fine with all the changes in our schedule and if you'd have asked me last week I would have told you just that...but we're on week two of me working full time and I'm beginning to see some changes in their behavior.
I like to be at work by 8 so that I can get the room organized and make copies and do whatever other small task that must be completed by 9, which means that the kids are having to wake up around 7:15. It was difficult to wake them at 8...7:15 is almost torture! I try to get everything ready for them before I enter their rooms, I try to have breakfast packed so that they can eat in my class while I buzz around the school, I try to be positive while I poke and prod them from their beds. I try. And I sometimes fail.
The behaviors I'm seeing are definitely due to them being tired. Hazel has been very full of tears. Tears at the drop of the hat. I checked in on her today and watched her laugh and play with some friends but then she saw me and literally began crying in one second. Big tears. I walked over to a confused group of friends and hugged her and reassured her that when school was over she could come and hang out in my room until we leave. In the end I had to leave her crying to get back to my room.
August has been quiet. It could be because he's tired, it could also be that he's just working so hard at getting his homework done so that he can retire to his room to read the latest Percy Jackson book. Or it could be that he wants to rush home to play the guitar Trey bought him last week. Either way, the boy is changing from a little kid into a big kid before my very eyes.
When they have to be in my room in the morning and afternoon they are amazing. I couldn't ask for better behaved children. They are patient and willing to help get things done so we can leave.
I'm adjusting alright as well. No more idle time for me...every minute is used planning time slots throughout the day. I've got a great bunch of kids in this class. It should be a great 5 weeks. I can tell you that I am very much looking forward to Sasquatch. And I am very, very much looking forward to my week long trip with Trey in June. The count down has begun.
5/10/08
10 on 10 May
This month I focused on Hazel.
My girl loves to "organize" little things around the house, here are her shoes:
and her kitty- placed just right on the corner of the mantle.
Hazel also enjoys showing off her little cuts and scrapes.
She also loves holding my hand still...I love this too.
We went to a friends birthday party where Hazel showed her mad putt putt skills.
She did not enjoy the noisy lunch.
She LOVED being on the boat with Dave and El.
She always gets excited when we go to the dog park.
Because we almost always run into a puppy.
My girl Hazel has a style of her own.
My girl loves to "organize" little things around the house, here are her shoes:
and her kitty- placed just right on the corner of the mantle.
Hazel also enjoys showing off her little cuts and scrapes.
She also loves holding my hand still...I love this too.
We went to a friends birthday party where Hazel showed her mad putt putt skills.
She did not enjoy the noisy lunch.
She LOVED being on the boat with Dave and El.
She always gets excited when we go to the dog park.
Because we almost always run into a puppy.
My girl Hazel has a style of her own.
5/3/08
Turn and Face the Change
So I have been in a funk. It's been hanging around me for way too long and I just haven't been able to shake it. I've been exercising, I've been pampering myself, I've been trying to fill my days with activities...still, the funk lingers. It's really just been a bunch of me feeling sorry for myself, that an me being jealous and envious and...feeling sorry for myself. It didn't help that Trey has been traveling to super fun places these last few weekends, leaving me here to wallow in my own self pitty.
Anyway, I've had some sub jobs lined up for Friday and Monday but on this past Wednesday night I received a call from a kindergarten teacher. She needed a last minute sub for the next day because she's pregnant and her Doctor wanted her to be on bed rest. I love her class and welcomed the distraction so I took the job. What started as a one day position ended as a full time (till the end of the year) position. So, now I'm a kindergarten teacher.
When the principal asked me to take over I thought that it was a great idea. I've been the sub for this particular class all year and the kids would have a smoother transition if they had someone they knew take over. I also thought that it would snap me out of my darkness. And it's worked. All I can think about now is how I'm going to fill the days for the 26 children. How I can get them ready for 1st grade in just 6.5 weeks. And that's the other good thing about this position, I work really well with end dates. If this had happened in January I'm not sure I could take the job, but because it's so close to the end of the year I feel that it's totally manageable.
The other day I was walking the dog while listening to Erwin McManus (the pastor of my brother's church in LA). I listen to the podcast whenever I get the chance. He has this weird way of speaking about things that I'm dealing with all too often. So this particular sermon dealt with a number of things, but the thing I walked away with was that really in everything we do we should do our best. Nothing new really, I've heard it before, but with the mood I've been in I ended the podcast on a bitter note. I didn't have a "JOB", I continued to feel sorry for myself. Then all this happened. And as I was talking to my sister-in-law I realized that this was my chance to really make a difference in a group of kids lives. Let me pause here by saying that I know that working a "JOB" is not the only way I can make a difference...that I have two beautiful children to raise and I should strive to do my best for them...and I do. But like I said, I've been in a funk and I've been loosing sight of how to do that.
Now I go to work in the morning and miss my kids and am not only counting down the days till the end of this position, I'm counting down the days until I can play with August and Hazel for the summer.
And you know what else? I could are less that it's cold outside and it's MAY!!!! I don't have the time to lament the fact that the sun has barely shown it's glorious face as of late cause I'm too busy trying to find lesson plans!
So, that's that. Like so many of my friends out there in blogging land, I'm working now, full time, and trying to keep things together on the home front...but it's all good. And I feel the fog lifting.
Anyway, I've had some sub jobs lined up for Friday and Monday but on this past Wednesday night I received a call from a kindergarten teacher. She needed a last minute sub for the next day because she's pregnant and her Doctor wanted her to be on bed rest. I love her class and welcomed the distraction so I took the job. What started as a one day position ended as a full time (till the end of the year) position. So, now I'm a kindergarten teacher.
When the principal asked me to take over I thought that it was a great idea. I've been the sub for this particular class all year and the kids would have a smoother transition if they had someone they knew take over. I also thought that it would snap me out of my darkness. And it's worked. All I can think about now is how I'm going to fill the days for the 26 children. How I can get them ready for 1st grade in just 6.5 weeks. And that's the other good thing about this position, I work really well with end dates. If this had happened in January I'm not sure I could take the job, but because it's so close to the end of the year I feel that it's totally manageable.
The other day I was walking the dog while listening to Erwin McManus (the pastor of my brother's church in LA). I listen to the podcast whenever I get the chance. He has this weird way of speaking about things that I'm dealing with all too often. So this particular sermon dealt with a number of things, but the thing I walked away with was that really in everything we do we should do our best. Nothing new really, I've heard it before, but with the mood I've been in I ended the podcast on a bitter note. I didn't have a "JOB", I continued to feel sorry for myself. Then all this happened. And as I was talking to my sister-in-law I realized that this was my chance to really make a difference in a group of kids lives. Let me pause here by saying that I know that working a "JOB" is not the only way I can make a difference...that I have two beautiful children to raise and I should strive to do my best for them...and I do. But like I said, I've been in a funk and I've been loosing sight of how to do that.
Now I go to work in the morning and miss my kids and am not only counting down the days till the end of this position, I'm counting down the days until I can play with August and Hazel for the summer.
And you know what else? I could are less that it's cold outside and it's MAY!!!! I don't have the time to lament the fact that the sun has barely shown it's glorious face as of late cause I'm too busy trying to find lesson plans!
So, that's that. Like so many of my friends out there in blogging land, I'm working now, full time, and trying to keep things together on the home front...but it's all good. And I feel the fog lifting.
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