squeaky clean

I have this autistic boy in my class this year. He's very highly functioning and quite bright. Last year, at the beginning of the year he was really acting out. Tantrums. Throwing desks. Biting his teacher. Pretty much a nightmare. I had heard he calmed down, but I was a little worried to learn he was on my list.

He does not act that way for me. He is a sweet, loving child. He works hard and shows genuine care for others in the classroom. He is, hands down, one of my favorite kids. I know we aren't supposed to have favorites, but it's impossible not to. Before the kids leave for the day, I tell them they have to give me a hug or a high five. This way I can see who is walking away at dismissal time and don't lose track of them. He insists on a hug and a high five.

This week we are doing acrostic poems with the students' names. They write their name down the left side of the paper, then think or words or phrases that start with those letters that tells about them. This boy has a T in his name. When we got to the T, he said, "Teeth. Hm. Teeth. Teeth." I was just about the encourage him to choose something more descriptive about him. Afterall, we all have teeth in this room ~ minus those who are missing their front two. Then he says, "Teeth are squeaky clean." I busted up laughing and told him to write that down. I'm sure you'll hear about this little guy again. From now on, we'll call him Squeaky Clean.

insanity pays off

So what do you think happens when only a few days before school starts I ask the kids to bring down all the jean shorts from their bathroom hamper & put them in the washer? They've done this before, so when I start the washer and pour in all the soap & Downy goodness I don't even check to see what they brought me. Jeans are jeans, right?

Sure they are.

Unless you are 6 and 8. 

Then that might mean every pair of khaki shorts as well!

Right there. In the washer with a new pair of my jean capris. 

Are you seeing what happened here? 

Can you just hear the screaming and carrying on that happened when I opened the washer door and found BLUE KHAKIS? 

Oh, yeah. I went N-U-T-S. At the top of my lungs. The neighbors were scared. I threw around phrases like: not responsible...making more work for me...jeans are not khakis...what were you thinking...where are the rest of the jean shorts. At one point I swear I had an out-of-body experience and wondered who was this wild woman yelling at me children. Not really a proud moment, I tell you. My ranting and raving brought Greg down stairs. 

He told me I was overreacting. They aren't that blue. You won't even notice. Oh no! There was no calming this beast as I threw jeans in the dryer and bluish khakis back in the washer. Maybe if I washed them quick enough I could undo the damage. 

So what is a Daddy to do when the Mommy is going absolutely, freakishly insane just days before school is about to start?

Make the kids learn new chores, of course.

Heather had already been periodically helping me unload the dishwasher. She did not really have to learn anything new.

She's really good at it, too. She puts away what she can reach and those things she knows for sure where they go.

She makes piles of other things on the counter for me to put away.

And she's always really quite cheerful about the whole deal. From now on she's supposed to unload the dishwasher while I'm making dinner.

After dinner, they are supposed to clear and clean the table.

Greg taught Stephanie how to do the dishes and load the dishwasher. She has to use a stool to reach properly, but it's time. 

Together, Greg and Stephanie worked on the endless mess of dishes. She was even rather cheerful about the whole deal herself. He was just Mr. Patient.

She probably knew she better put on a shiny, happy face if she ever wanted to see her mother calm down.

Neither one of them load a dishwasher the way I would. But I decided that doesn't really matter when it means I don't have to do the dishes. I just don't watch her too closely and completely resist the urge to reload it.

I had to laugh because I heard Stephanie telling Heather to make sure to rinse her dirty dishes after breakfast because she was just making more work for her. Hmmm, where has she heard that before?

And so it was clean...for a little bit. Even through the first week of school the kids and I kept a tight handle on it. This week? Well this week, complete bedlam has set in and there's some work to be done again. 

But overall? I am F-R-E-E from dish duty. They both know how to do their job. I just have to enforce it. Just call me The Enforcer. They got lucky a few nights last week because I felt sorry for them because they were so tired from starting a new school year and took care of the dishes for them. 

Now...about that laundry?

first day of school

Yay! We survived our first week of school. I know you have been anxiously waiting for first day pictures. I'll just have to warn you, the cuteness factor of these children is completely off the charts. If they get any cuter, I just don't know what I'll do. Lord help us in the teenage years. I'm sure Greg will be investing in his first shotgun to lay across his lap as suitors come knocking at our door. Me? I'll need some valium.

Here they are ~ all ready for the first day. Finding just the right first day outfit turned out to be a quest! We had one after our first shopping trip. But, frankly, I wasn't in love with them so on our next shopping trip I up-talked these outfits that they already liked. Check out Stephanie's shoes. Aren't those the coolest? You will notice their backpacks totally match their first day outfits. I'd like to say I planned that. I didn't. Total accident.

Greg usually does the first day photo shoot. Unfortunately, he was not able to get off work to continue our tradition. So it was just me. The kids were very cooperative all morning. I get kinda stressed the first day of school during the getting ready phase. The kids were warned to be on their best behavior. They were angels. 

Kinda looks like they were going to walk to school. Nope. Just a cute pose. They usually walk with Greg because he doesn't want to deal with the school traffic on the first day. They tried to talk me into walking. I said a firm, "Hell, no!" to that suggestion.

I am in complete denial that Stephanie is in 4th grade this year. There is no way that child is old enough. She has been so excited ever since she found out her teacher will be Mrs. L. I don't blame her. If I were in 4th grade, I'd want her for my teacher too.

Side note: Mrs. L's mom is a retired principal. When I was pregnant with Stephanie & for two years, she was my principal. Small world.

The class theme this year is "Around the World in 180 Days." Coincidentally, we have 180 days of school in our school-year. Each of the kids have passports for their journey.

Heather has been giddy about her teacher as well. Mrs. C is a wonderful teacher. We laughed that we have come full circle. When I was teaching 4th grade, her youngest daughter was in my class. Again, this child is not old enough! Wasn't she just in diapers?

Heather's class is on a "camping trip." Heather found her fish. Purple. Her favorite color.

Here we are ~ the three gals on the first day of school. I absolutely love having the kids at school with me! Mommy even got a new first day outfit too. Along with new school supplies, it's pretty much a requirement in our house. I bet you are wondering what's with those faces, aren't you? The day was overcast (love that) and the sun was just starting to come out. Suzanne told the kids to close their eyes and open them on the count of three. Maybe that didn't work this time. See those windows in the background? That's actually my class.

i have not

• been lost forever under mounds of dirty laundry,
  
• been kidnapped by lustful pirates ready to have their way with me,
  
• run away to join the circus (yet ~ I might be awesome on the high trapeze),
  
• surrendered to insanity (don't tell the voices in my head), or
  
• been tortured to death by small people (there's still time for that).
  

Instead ~

• I've been so exhausted at the end of the day that I barely remember my name when I get home.
  
• I've been trying to get dinner on the table at a reasonable hour so our little first grader doesn't fall asleep in her gravy.
• I've been trying to convince a new group of small people that it's my way or the highway (they are a good group, really).
  
• I've been trying to stay awake in class. 
  

I promise there will be more riveting posts in the near future. 

a few things i gotta do

As much as I would love to spend more time with you, chatting and all, I've got to get moving on some home projects. It seems that going back to work after my extended (I wish) vacation has left the house feeling a little ignored. I need to go pay a little attention to the washing machine. She needs to know she's still loved and has a special place in my heart. My dishwasher and drying are feeling similarly dejected as well. I'll even make a dinner for the peeps here in the house. No cereal for dinner tonight ~ not that that ever happened twice in the last week. Maybe after I've boosted the egos of the appliances I'll be able to come spend more time with you. Until then, just chat amongst yourselves. 

the neighbor's party

The neighbors behind us must be having a party. I hear the distorted music here in the craft room. You know, where you can hear the beat and maybe one other instrument. You might be able to tell words are present, but for the love of all that is melodic can't make any of them out. Yeah, mostly just the beat, though. At first I thought they were having some sort of pow wow. Really. Lots of drums and grunting. Now it appears to have changed Hawaiian music. Luau? Maybe they are having an Around the World Party. Now how much fun would that be? I'll be sure to let you know when we throw ours. Costumes will be required.

ready or not, monday they are coming

I just spent all day at work, still getting ready for the first day of school. It's about as ready as it's going to be. 

It's all nice and neat, but it is still missing something. 

A classroom really isn't a classroom until there are little bodies in there ~ learning, laughing, being a kid. Not until there is kid work all over the bulletin boards. 

Not until the mailboxes are full of graded work to be taken home.

So, until Monday, the room sits here, still,  with open arms. Waiting with wonder about who will be sitting at these desks.

Who will walk through that door ready to learn?

And children, when you leave the room, don't forget your pass.

I spent some time today adding names to these center magnets, name tags, folders, etc. As I added each name I thought of what I already know about these kids from what I've learned from their first grade teachers. I thought about how I will best be able to help them learn. 

Ready or not, here they come.

can't you see i'm trying to save the earth here?

Dear Grumpy Target Check Out Lady,

I realize it was almost time for your break. How could I not when you growled that fact to another cashier as you started ringing my stuff? I handed you my Earth friendly reusable bags as you started. I was just a little dumbfounded when you asked me, "You want to use these?" No, really, I just wanted you to see how pretty those are. Give them on back now. OF COURSE I want to use those. I spent money on those! I'm trying to be a responsible Earth citizen! I merely replied, "Yes, please." 

As if that exchange wasn't enough, you just set them on the counter and began loading up the plastic bags. Apparently your auto-pilot cannot be turned off, even if it does mean saving the Earth. Now at this point I will admit I gave you part of the "look" and set things on the counter just a little louder. At this point your memory came back to you because you looked at me and said, "I don't think it's all going to fit in those bags." Ok, I only brought three bags into the store. I bought more than I planned on (surprised?). But still, most of it should have fit. Because of my poor planning, I was ok with using a plastic bag or two at the end of the transaction. I'm pretty sure my jaw dropped to the ground when you grabbed one of the plastic bags with only a few items in it, shoved it in my reusable bag then pushed it aside indicating you were done with that one. Then you put a few things in another one and called that one good.

Holy heck, woman, I'm on fire now. I move over to the bagged items and began rearranging the fuller one. Look at how much room was left! I took items out of their plastic bags and put them in mine. I filled it pretty well then moved on to the next one. Apparently  you viewed this a challenge to your clerkship, because you began to bag the one you had appropriately. And I walked out of the store with only two plastic bags. HA!

What you may not realize, grumpy gal, is that not only am I single-handedly saving the Earth, but this also makes my life so much easier. These bags are truly miraculous! They hold tons but don't seem to be very heavy. They have long handles so I can sling some on my shoulders and hold some while unloading the car. Maybe it's left over from my apartment days, but I try to make as few trips in the house as possible while unloading the car.

So next time you see my bright and shiny face coming and cheerfully hand you my reusable bags thank your lucky stars someone is making an effort and give a girl a break. Um, that goes for other people with reusable bags too. 

Sincerely,

A Girl Just Trying to Help

mistreating the class room

The Nester is at it again. This time she's having a Mistreatment Party. For those of you who are unaware, a window mistreatment is a covering that is a little unconventional. Something that would make a professional decorator shudder with horror. Maybe you used a glue gun, didn't hem the fabric, or even used a stapler to put up those mistreatments. Here is The Nester's definition of a mistreatment:

Mistreatment: (n). covering for a window that is quick, cheap and pretty. may or may not need hardware. does not require sewing. a real designer's worst nightmare.

Mistreating: (v): the act of treating a window with dignity and respect without having to use the  following: hundreds of dollars, sewing, time, crying, divorce, child neglect...

I hope she doesn't mind that I copied her definition here for your understanding.

Can you believe this? Not one window in my house has any type of treatment other than blinds! Wait, let me go check. Nope. Not one spec of fabric near a window. What kind of decorator am I? How could I cheat my family this way? Being indecisive about what I want is probably the answer here. I may have commitment issues where window treatments are concerned. I really need to get over that.

But I did mistreat my class room windows last year. Since I'm having the same western theme in my class this year, I can still show them to you. There are a few windows, high up, on one wall of my class. I folded a bandana diagonally and stapled it up there. In a class room, the stapler is the tool of choice. No shame there. 

This window was longer than the others and required two bandanas to do the job. 

The colors alternate across the wall of windows.

See? All nice and westerny. Cheap and easy. Tracking down the ladder from the custodian and lugging it to my class room was more difficult than mistreating these windows!

I think this bandana idea would look so cute in a little boy's western themed bedroom. You could drape them over a simple curtain rod or staple them to a cornice board. Heck! Just staple them right into the wall. You could dress it up with leather cording, conchos, and such.

Now hop on over to the Mistreatment Party to see how others are mistreating their windows. 

now you tell me

When I met Greg, I had shorter hair. In our early days he told me he liked my hair shorter. Over the years my hair has been short, medium, and long. In recent years, he told me that he likes it all the ways and to just cut it the way I want. Ok, Mr. Diplomat.

This morning he asked me what I like and don't like about long and short hair. So I listed the pros and cons of each for him. I will not bore you with those details. Then he told me that he was reading my blog and noticed the two pictures of me on the right so close together. One with long and one with short hair. He said that although both look nice, he misses the longer style. He said he really likes that picture (me too) and misses that hair do. Me too!

Now you tell me! Cuz funny thing ~ I was a little on the fence about what to do with my hair for my back-to-school haircut. I had just about decided to grow it out again, but kept seeing a picture of a cute haircut on someone else's blog. I took the plunge and chopped it all off and now I wish I hadn't because I was really missing that haircut too. Here's the kicker: even though Kristin did a fabulous job and cut my hair like the picture, my hair just doesn't style like the picture. I have to really work at getting my hair straight, really straight. So, on me it looks different ~ not quite as cool. 

I'll be working on growing out my hair now.

it's a surprise

Sometimes we keep the kids in the dark about things. We plan on doing something, but don't tell them in case it doesn't work out. I don't like to see them disappointed when a fun event doesn't materialize. This way there is also no nonstop questioning about the upcoming event. Really, it's better for everyone this way. Much more sane. Anytime I can introduce sanity into my life is a good time.

During this longest break ever (ha ha ha) I planned on taking the kids to see a movie, but kept that information away from smallish ears.  Friday, as we were getting ready to go out of the house, the kids asked where we were going. "It's a surprise," I told them and refused to say any more. They were making tons of speculation about where our destination would be, including but not limited to: Chuck E. Cheese, painting pottery, Peter Piper Pizza (no, mommy hates that place), and bowling. 

As we got in the car, Heather didn't know where we were headed.

Neither did Stephanie. Ooops, honey. Apparently you got green watercolor paint on your arm this morning. 

The movie was playing at only one theater ~ one we don't normally go to ~ which was way across town. They really could not figure out where the heck we were going until we were right in the parking lot. It was really kinda funny.

We saw Kit Kittrege: An American Girl. I very highly recommend this movie. The kids really liked and even said so at the end. It was pretty funny and even a little sad at spots. I may or may not have almost cried. It was set in the Great Depression era. It allowed a good discussion with Stephanie about the Depression and what is going on with the economy today. I tried to keep that conversation as upbeat as possible, though. If you are interested in seeing it, you better hurry. Apparently it came out in early July (where was I?) so it's just about out of the theater.

speaking of school supplies

I made my own journal cover for my meeting notebook for this year. I'll be the one taking notes in style during my meetings. 

chop, chop

It's time for back-to-school hair cuts! This is always an exciting time. I don't know if it's the new hair cut or the back-to-school part. I'm such a geek, I love the back-to-school feeling. I love taking the cart s-l-o-w-l-y down the school supply aisles to see what's there. And since I'm a teacher, well, I need new school supplies too! 

Oh, yeah, we were talking about hair, not pens, notebooks, and pencils!

Here's the before. They were both taken the last week of school. Don't mind the tired in my face, they were taken in the evenings, after some long days.

Kinda boring with no real shape going on.

And now for the new cut! Back to all one color and shorter.

What do you think?

We tried a new girl yesterday. I know, could I be crazier to trust my back-to-school hair cut to someone new??  Well, it wasn't all that daring, she does Suzanne's hair (plus some other people at school) and I've seen that she does a good job. I like her. The kids got their hair cut too, but no real changes there. We cut about 3 inches off Stephanie's and cleaned up her few layers. Heather got just a trim. The kids are still growing their bangs out. Such a long process!

coloring

Remember the other night the girls were coloring while I was on the computer? 

And as you can see, Stephanie did employ her finding glasses to find the crayon she was searching for. 

It doesn't matter where they are, they will stop, drop, and color. This time they were about 2 feet behind my chair & on the floor.

did you know that sunglasses have names and a specific purpose

This week they are all about sunglasses. These kids have several pair each because they are always losing and finding them. Plus they have an indulgent mother. On Tuesday, Heather was wearing a pair of sunglasses that have a band to hold them on. The nice guy who helped me pick out my new glasses and sunglasses gave them each a pair. Heather said they were her cleaning glasses. Well, ok. If that makes you get the job done!

Last night they were sporting these stylish frames. At some point while they were on the craftroom floor coloring, Stephanie said she couldn't find a certain color. Heather told her she better put her finding glasses on. There you go, problem solved!