Time to Laugh

It has been one heck of a day, and week for that matter.  But, instead of dwelling on that, I'm going to look past it and share the funny things that have been going on this week.

-One of my students raised his hand and said "He said something bad about you."  I of course asked what it was.  The whole time to other little boy is denying it.  I finally got the tattler to answer.  "He said your butt is big."  I just love how kids will say anything.  But the even funnier part is that I have absolutely NO butt.  None.  Most of the kids in my class have bigger butts than me.

-Today we got 2 1/2 inches for rain before 2 this afternoon.  We were stuck inside all day but tried to make the best of it and just have fun.  During our indoor recess one of my students comes out of the bathroom and reports that while he is sitting on the toilet he got wet.  I got a little concerned about this.  I wasn't sure what happened.  So I started asking question.  Come to find out, I have a leak right above the toilet in our room.  So, if my kids need to go to the bathroom, they have to put up with getting dripped on.

-While having indoor recess, I let my kids play with the random things I have in my room.  One of those things is a box of animals like elephants, zebras and alligators.  I refer to them as zoo animals for some reason.  So, today, I hear my kids get in a big fight that ends with "I'm telling."  I go to investigate.  They were fighting because one said they were zoo animals and the other said they were wild animals.  So, we had to have a lesson on animals.

-We learned about Uncle Sam.  My kids called him Uncle Frank.

-When I asked my kids what country we lived in (after days of talking about it) they still answer "Texas."

This is what makes crazy days like today all better!

Weekly Kindergarten Wrap Up

Well, what a week.  It's a good thing I've been going to church AND working out and building happy feelings, otherwise I can't imagine how mean I would have been. 

I have one little boy who is very sweet and smart.  His mom works until 11 and so he's at a babysitters until then.  Well, some nights he doesn't sleep until he gets home.  I can tell when that happens.  He cries about EVERYTHING.  He cried because I asked him to stop being silly and read.  He cried because the librarian corrected him.  He sat on the playground and cried (I don't know why).  I know what it's like to be so tired you cry, but I can only take so much.  He's probably cried 8 times this week.  Thankfully sometimes it just last a couple minutes.

I have another boy who was moved back from first grade to kindergarten and is bigger than the rest of the class.  All my kids look up to him.  That wouldn't be so bad, except he's a bully.  I've had tons of problems with him bullying one of my little girls.  On Wednesday, I hear the little girl crying.  I go to see what happened.  He had dug his finger nail into her finger and had actually brought blood.  When I asked why, he said because she was supposed to be using glue and she wasn't.  Hmm...can I claw him everytime he's not doing what he's supposed to? 

Then there's a little boy with lice.  He's had them for weeks.  The nurse combs his hair several times a week to get the nits out.  It doesn't get better.  But he has no problem walking into my class and announcing "I've got bugs!" very proudly.  This same little boy cried twice for 15 minutes today because he got in trouble.  Not just little tears.  But loud, screaming tears.  I was ready to cry.

Then, the little girl that's always bullied....well, she cut her hair yesterday.  Not a little cut either.  She had a huge chunk of hair in her hand.  Okay, I know, it happens.  But, she had just done it this weekend at home and mom had to give her a new haircut.  Then, she did it again.  I don't get it.  Don't they get it...you cut your hair, you get a bad haircut.  Why do it again?

I could probably keep going, but it's making my blood pressure just rise thinking about it.

While it has been a very stressful and tiring week, I'm trying to look at the possitives.  I have totally changed how I teach writing and my kids are actually writing things that I can read.  I'm so proud!  I have two students who are already reading at the end of year level.  I can't wait to see what they can do over the next four months! 

God's Goodness

I love that feeling when you go to church and you feel like the sermon was meant just for you.  That's how it was today.  The sermon was based upon chapter 3 in Daniel.  The king had asked three Christians (I attemted to spell their names but I knew it wasn't right) to bow down to his gold structure or they would be thrown into a pit of fire.  They chose not to and were thrown into the pit.  But when the king looked down, instead of 3 men being in the pit, there were 4.  The main point of the sermon was how God doesn't promise easy times, but even when you're in the fire, he is there with you.  He will bring you through it and you will benefit from the experience.  And just because we believe, our life isn't going to be easy.  Sometimes we just need to face the fire and not run from it.

Now, I realize that my 4 months of my husband being deployed is nowhere near what it is like to be in a pit of fire, but for me, it is something that is going to be both painful and challenging.  The message today reminded me that while it may be hard, I will have God right there with me the whole way.  God will join me in my "pit of fire."  He will also be with Anthony in his "pit of fire" in the desert.  And God will bring us both through it and in the end, we will be stronger as Christians, as people, and as a couple.

Isn't God great? 

Fun in Kindergarten

It's been a while since things in my kindergarten classroom had been rather normal (for a kindergraten class).  But this weekend was full of chaos fun.  Here's a little bit of what went on...

-A student from another class threw woodchips at me and told me hated me.  I picked him up and carried him to the office.  The child now loves me.  Everytime he sees me he has to say hi.
-A little boy who is diabetic started acting wierd.  We were at science lab with a science teacher, so I left and took him to the nurse.  Only to find out the nurse wasn't there.  We called mom.  Mom didn't answer her phone.  Finally the principal came back into the office.  She took care of him and I went back to get my class.
-When I arrive at the science lab (a portable behind the school) I find out one of my students is MISSING.  She went to the bathroom and never came back.  This is a student who can't make it to the gym when it's only 20 feet away.  The idea of her going from the portable, in the building, to the bathroom and back is quite scary to me.  Thankfully they found her.  She was at the other end of the building.  The end we NEVER go to because it's upper grade levels.
-One of my boys turned one of my girls around and planted a big kiss on her lips.
-My kids referred to the new tag readers as "walkie talkies."  But they LOVE them!
-The above mentioned diabetic decided to eat our class snack.  He has his own special snack that his mom brings so he doesn't have to have his blood sugar tested and get insulin.  He comes to my table and goes "all finished with my popcorn!"  I freak out.  We didn't test his blood sugar before he ate.  I have no idea how many carbs are in the popcorn.  And I don't know enough about diabetes!  I rush him to the nurse only to find out he's completely fine.  Blood sugar is even on the low side.
-My kids had a poking war with pencils.  Which cause the scab of a boy's fever blister to come of.  Which resulting in lots of blood and tears. 

It's been interesting, to say the least.  A little on the stressful side.  But I wouldn't trade it for a million dollars.  Although a million dollars would make it more fun!

Excitement in my Classroom

Back in November, my mom sent me a link to a page taht read:

"LeapFrog, the maker of learning toys like the Tag Reading System, is offering Kindergarten teachers the opportunity to get the Tag Reading System and books for free. LeapFrog is looking to partner with Kindergarten teachers through the Tag Kindergarten Program. The LeapFrog Tag Kindergarten Program will provide teachers with nearly $3200 worth of equipment and books for their classrooms. In exchange, Kindergarten teachers offer LeapFrog feedback about how they are using the Tag Reading System in their classrooms and how it affected student learning. The deadline to apply for the program is November 11."

That sounded cool to me.  I've always thought the Leap Frog products were neat, but the only way I could get them in  my classroom was to buy them myselfs, and unfortunately my teacher paycheck just doesn't have much cushion.  I check into it and got the go ahead from my principal and applied.  I really didn't think I'd actually get them, but figured it couldn't hurt to apply.

Well, a week or so into December I got an email saying I got accepted into the program and I'd recieve my Tag Readers in January.  I was so excited, but was still scared it wasn't really going to happen.  I never win anything like that.

Well, guess what I got today...3 boxes from Leap Frog!  I have 6 tag readers and 28 different books in sets of six along with all the accessories (including rechargable batteries and a charger!  It was like Christmas all over again.  I couldn't wait for the day to be over to unpack and play.  I took one home tonight and have had a blast palying with it.

For those of you not familiar with the Tag Reader, it's a pen the children can use to touch a book and have the book read to them.  They can go page by page or word by word.  They can touch the picutres for sound effects and even hear the characters talk.  It even has little games the kids can play.  It's really super neat.  I can see a child spending 30 minutes on each book if they really explore it.  You can check it out here http://www.leapfrog.com/tag/.  I think this would make a great gift for a 4 or 5 or 6 year old child. 

Not only is it a cool product, but I think it's really great of Leap Frog to offer these to classrooms for free and to want teachers imput like they do.  I'm so excited to be a part of this!

I'm So Proud of ME!!!

Note:  Okay, so I get that these may be small things for you.  And I hope that someday they will be for me too.  But right now, they are a big deal, so, if you don't have anything nice to say, please don't say anything at all! 

That being said, I am very proud that I have started on all of my 2010 goals this weekend!

I'll start with what I feel is my biggest goal:  Church.  I found a church this morning that I love.  I am so happy.  I can't wait to take Anthony next week (although we can't go at 11:20 like I did due to the Cowboys playing).  While it was a large church, it didn't have that feeling where you couldn't get to know anyone.  I loved the praise music.  It was very contemporary, yet still very moving.  And while the message this morning was given by the youth minister, it was still a very good message.  They have lots of different life groups and I can't wait to be a part of one.  Now, I do have to say, just like every Sunday, Satan tried to stop me.  My stomach didn't feel too well and my bed was warm.  But God was stronger  I'm so glad I went.  I can't wait for next Sunday.

Another goal was to become a little greener.  As I told Mom, I'm not going completely green,  more of a pale green, but it's a start.  And I plan to add on as I go.  My Envirosax came in this week and we took them with us yesterday when we went to the commisary.  Now, even though I got a couple bags for Christmas and ordered a pack of 5, we didn't have enough and still had to use a few plastic sacks.  It was a start though.  Next week I'm going to encourage the bagger to do a few things a little different (like not use 1 bag for the giant stack of paper plates and not bag the milk) and see how we do.  I also think I may have to stick to paper or plastic for my meat.  If this doesn't work, then I will order a few more bags.  But I loved them!  They held so much and made carrying in the groceries so easy!  After grocery shopping, I headed to Bed Bath and Beyond and returned a gift and picked up a couple reusable water bottles.  So far, they are spill proof.  I took one to them gym today and I really like it.  It has a straw and everything!

 And my last goal, was to become a little healthier.  It started with my selections at the grocery store.  I picked up some fresh fruit and some yogurt.  Much healthier snacks than the pan of brownies I've been munching on.  Then, I started my gym routine.  The best part is, I have a workout buddy now!  One of the wives of the firemen also wanted to start working out.  So, we've decided to go together.  Which I must say, is exactly what I needed.

So, I'm off to a good start.  I sure hope, and pray, that I can stick with it all.  They are all things that I need to do and will feel better for doing.  I'll keep you posted monthly on how I'm doing.  Please encourage me and hold me accountable!

We Didn't Have to Dream This Year

We had a white Christmas (2 weeks ago, I know, I'm a little behind).  As you know, I was a little sad about how we would be celebrating Christmas, but it turned out WONDERFUL!

I woke up Christmas Eve morning to Anthony insisting that I got out of bed and got dress so we could go out in the snow.  It was not even 8:00.  (He was just getting home from work).  So, I got up and put on every article of clothing I owned and he dressed the dogs so they wouldn't be cold.  Then, we headed outside.

Then, it was on to opening presents.  First the dogs, then us.  Every toy the dogs got had a hole in it by 8 that evening.  Sam managed to eat half of one of the toys (in pieces) and then vomitted it up later.  Not so fun!

After opening the gifts, we headed to Walmart to pick up a few things for our lunch and the Christmas party at the fire station the next day.  Then, it was time to start the cooking.  Anthony stood outside in the snow and smoked the most wonderful ham I've ever had.  I was so impressed.  In the warmth of my kitchen, with a beautiful view of the snow falling, I prepared the rest of the meal.  In addition to the ham we had my mom's brocolli rice casserole, greens, twiced baked potatoes and rolls.  It was amazing!

 

It was such a wonderful day.  I couldn't have asked for anything better.

My Goals

I realize most people make resolutions for the new year, but quite honestly, I don't like that word.  I like "goals."  I normaly really don't even think about this as teh new year rolls around, but this year, it's been on my mind.  So, here are a few goals that I have...

1.  Find a church home here and go on a regular basis.  We've lived here 8 months.  I've gone to one church and wasn't really fond of it.  I'm disappointed in myself and us as a couple.  While Anthony was at basic training, he wrote in one  (of the 3) letters that he wanted to find a church home and go together.  So, we are going to do this.  I have a church picked out and can't wait to go Sunday.
2.  Get in somewhat better shape.  I don't mean I want to lose weight.  I just want to be able to run and not get out of breath and lift heavy things and such.  We are going to order body bands for strengthening and I'm going to start running either at our apartments or at the gym. 
3.  Do my part to produce a little less waste.  I'm not going major green, but I'm going to begin heading in the right direction.  I recieved some Envirosax for Christmas and found a great deal on some more.  Next, I hope to find some good water bottles to take to work. 

These are all very reachable goals that I know I can succeed at doing.  I'll keep you posted on the progress.