Wordless Wednesday

Jack-O-Lanterns

The boys carved their Halloween pumpkins today. They did everything by themselves. I didn't have to set up, draw faces, help carve, or clean up! They did it all. The only thing I did was show up to "oooh and aaah" and take pictures. I just love having big kids!!

This is Kenny's big pumpkin. His name is Kenny.

This is Chase's big pumpkin. His name is Chomp. Oh, and the little guy's name is Squash.

This is one of the four faces of Chase's little pumpkin. His name is Puker.

Here's Dr. Jekyll.

This is Mr. Hyde.

And this is Boo.

This is Pac-Man chasing Squash.

And this is Kenny's little creation. He carved "MOM" into it.

Happiness is ...

This was the longest week ever. I had two midterms, two tests, two lessons to prepare and teach, tons of homework, etc, etc. I had to go into the elementary schools three times. I had a kid throw up in the car on the way to school. Brian worked approximately 72 hours. The phone rang about 10 times during the night. I endured two migraines. Yesterday I was up at 4:00 am and didn't stop working until 10:30 pm. Today I got up at 4:30 am. I took an online test, went to classes, went to observation in the elementary school, worked at the fall fest at the boys' school (haunted alley and then tattoos). Then I followed them around while they played. It's 8:45 and we just got home. But ... yes, there is a silver lining ... it is the weekend and I won a cake in the cake walk that is the best freakin' coffee cake I have had in a loooooong time. The week is done and this cake is so good I have already forgotten how long it was.

Kenny's birthday

Kenny got a birthday package from his Aunt Lisa today (thanks Aunt Lisa!) It reminded me that I haven't posted any pictures from his big day. We invited Austin and Mathew Ludwigsen over to celebrate with us and the boys had a fun afternoon. Kenny loved all of his gifts and has already mentally spent his birthday money that Grammy is sending. I am going to try to upload a video of his toy that he bought with the money Austin & Mathew gave him. I have to admit -- the whole family has been having fun playing with it!

Some more pictures ...

Thanks Aunt Lisa!

Here's a great big THANK-YOU to Aunt Lisa for the really fun halloween gifts! The boys just loved everything in their package. I think I can see a bit of a family resemblence between Chase & Kenny and their cousin Austin. Check out his picture to see if you can see it too.

South of the Mason Dixon

Chase was born in NY. I was born and raised in NY. Most of his upbringing has been "northern" because I am bossy and because his southern father likes to get deployed a lot. Apparently Brian's been home too long. Or peer influence is getting to Chase. Today he used "fixin' to" in a sentence. He said he was "fixin' to get worried" when he couldn't find his sunglasses. He didn't even realize he said it! And he wasn't making fun of southerners either. That is usually the only time we use that phrase around here. Then about 30 minutes later he was trying to do a juggling trick with a plastic bottle of Sprite and he called it a Coke. A coke! If you are from the north and were smart enough to stay in the north, you might not know why this is so monumental. I found this on the internet to help you understand:

It seems if you are from the South or even visiting the South, no matter what type of carbonated beverage you are drinking, son, you are drinking a Coke. I am sure the Pepsi people are not too thrilled with that.

Lots of Brian's relatives use "Coke" for every type of soda that they drink. Well, Chase is one of Brian's relatives. So I guess that makes it ok, right? Or maybe we've been in the south too damn long!

Kenny's Birthday

I am going to follow my friend Julie's lead again and put a link on the side of my blog with a list of things Kenny is wanting for his birthday. However, she's a little better organized than I am and her son's list was online over a month before his birthday. Ken's big day is this Sunday!!! I am in no way asking any of you to buy/send gifts. But I know that it's been a long time since we've visited so if you were planning to buy/send a gift anyway and didn't have a clue what he wanted ... well, here's a little list for you.

We've Been Boo'd!!

The air is cool, the season fall,
Soon Halloween will come to all.
Ghosts and goblins, spooks galore,
Tricky witches at your door.
The spooks are after things to do,
In fact a spook brought this "Boo" to you!
The excitement comes when friends like you,
Copy this note and make it two.
We'll all have smiles upon our faces,
No one will know who "BOO"ed who's places!
Just two short days to work your spell,
Keep it secret, hide it well.
Please join the fun, the seasons here.
Just spread these "BOO's" and Halloween cheer.

Today when we got home from school we found a package on the front porch. There were lots of great surprises inside for everyone:

When Kenny saw the Crawling Hand he said, "I've always wanted one of these!" And the skulls ... what can I even say? They are disgusting ... revolting ... gag-inducing. But the boys think they are the very best thing in the world!

So here's a great big THANK-YOU to Aunt Kathy, Abby Grace and Emily in Florida!! It was a great surprise!! We love you guys!!!

My Turn to Brag

My friend Julie bragged about her smart little boys so I figured I might as well do the same thing! We got our first report cards today. FYI for everyone not in Texas: we have six 6-week grading periods here.

Chase:

• English -- 95
• Reading -- 100
• Spelling -- 100
• Math -- 95
• Science -- 98
• Social Studies -- 97
• Conduct -- E
• P.E. -- E
• Art -- E
• Music -- E
• Technology -- E

Kenny:

• English -- 97
• Reading -- 96
• Spelling -- 100
• Math -- 95
• Science -- E
• Social Studies -- E
• Conduct -- E
• P.E. -- E
• Art -- E
• Music -- E
• Technology -- S

Kenny's teacher has recommended having him tested for the gifted program. Chase was already "labeled" as gifted in North Carolina so he doesn't have to test again here. We are going to go ahead with Kenny's testing, but even if he is labeled as gifted we are not going to enroll him in the gifted program. All of the gifted kids in town go to one school and are in one class. That would be ok with me except for the fact that each grade level is in a different school. So not only would my kids be going to different schools, they would also change schools every school year. This is already Chase's 3rd school and Kenny's 2nd so we are not going to put them through the stress of changing again when it is unneccessary. Kenny's teacher knows that is our plan but we are still going to test him. I wouldn't mind the label. And she is willing to give him enrichment activities during class. She's been great about working with us on this.

Ok, I think that's enough bragging for one day!

Everything's Not Bigger in Texas!

Apparently, not everything in Texas is bigger. A parade came right through our neighborhood today. The parade consisted of the police chief, two fire trucks, an ambulance, two motorcycles, and a police car. The kids were very excited because it went down our street one way, turned around and came back past our house again. So they got to run out in the street barefoot for candy twice in one day. What a treat!

Chase's friends

The Cumberland County School District in Fayetteville, NC is participating in an energy conservation program. There's an informational commercial available on the internet that is going to air in Fayetteville during this month that has four of Chase's friends from his school in Fayetteville. If you want to watch it and see his friends and his old school click here and then scroll down to the "Conservation Corner" link.

Great job Andrew!!!

Who Put Me in Charge?!?

Today when I showed up at the elementary school for my observation time there was a different teacher in my room. Even though it is only 2nd grade, they team teach. I wasn't sure if I should go looking for my assigned teacher or stay with my assigned class. I decided to stay with my class so that I could observe a different teaching style. This teacher was sitting on the floor with all of the kids going through a workbook that is designed to prepare the students for the TAKS test. She didn't seem very happy and neither did the students. That was not fun for any of us. I could go on and on about it, but I won't.

After about 15 minutes the teachers swapped classes again. A man came in and talked about the food pyramid and he guided the students through analyzing a sample menu. He was really energetic and seemed to enjoy the lesson. When he was done he left. Me. Alone. With. The. Entire. Class. (more about him later)

I was alone with them for almost 10 minutes. I just walked around the room and helped them with their food pyramid worksheet. If they were done I told them to get a book out of their desks and read. I also spent the entire time silently praying they wouldn't get so loud that the other teachers in the classes near ours would be able to hear us!

Then my teacher came back. She got them going on a language arts lesson. It was a pretty easy one (nouns and verbs) and she let me lead the part of the lesson that involved checking their answers. It was easy except that I can't remember half of their names yet and I called on some of the same kids twice. They all raise their hands eagerly for every single question. After a while this one kid said, "You already called on her! Call on someone who hasn't answered yet!" Really, if I can't get through checking one worksheet ... how am I supposed to teach a whole classroom full of kids for an entire school year?!?

By this time it was almost time for the kids to go home. They all line up in various sections of the hallway to go to their destinations (car-riders, bus riders, walkers, day-care, etc) My teacher asked me to stand at the door (out in the hallway ... the door to the outside world) and make sure they weren't too loud. I was assigned the car-riders. Mr. Food Pyramid was standing with the bus-riders. After a few minutes he looked at me and asked me when he was supposed to let them go. He asked me! Uhhhh .... I don't know? Is that the right answer?

He led his group out the door and mine tried to leave. Well, obviously I can't be the person who takes the car-riders out to their parents. The parents who know who their kids' teachers are!! So I just stood in between the kids and the door. Kinda like a sheep dog. That worked until a REAL teacher showed up and took over. A teacher who told me that Mr. Food Pyramid was a sub then promptly asked me who (the hell) I was. (I could see it in her eyes) That badge they gave me at the school disctrict building didn't mean anything to her.

She took over and I got the heck outta there. As fast as I could!

I was there an hour and it only seemed like 10. I need a nap. Or a margarita. Or both!

Challenge Update

Ok, the challenge ... so far it's me, my mom, Lisa, Rebekah, Cindy, D.J., Jennifer, and my Aunt Kathy. Anyone else?

And does anyone know how to make a progress bar/chart for the side of my blog?

Only in the South

Only in the south can you order a "Photo Can Cooler" with your kid's school picture on it. Yep, through the school. A can cooler. For your soda (beer). And it's only $16. What a bargain.

Contest

Thanks Lisa! I entered this contest too :)

The Challenge

Last night while I was in my bed wide awake after taking the puppy outside (for the second time) I came up with a brilliant plan. I am going to walk 100 miles before the end of the year. Lately it seems that I don't make the time for any kind of exercise at all. My weight has fluctuated a little over the years and I don't want it to fluctuate back up into the numbers that I don't like seeing on the scale. So I am going to challenge myself to walk 100 miles between now and December 31. My Aunt Kathy (in Florida) is going to walk too. Anybody else want to join us? 100 miles, in 92 days. Any takers?

Observation

I started my Observation assignment today. This semester I will spend 20 hours in a 2nd grade classroom in a local elementary school. The classroom teacher is supposed to be my mentor. I met her yesterday (she seems great!) and started today. I wanted to share a couple of the conversations I had or overheard while they were painting. I definitely made some interesting "observations" today!

Child A: I can't have Halloween.
Child B: Why not?
Child A: Because it isn't about Jesus.
Child B: I get to have Halloween.
Child C: You get to cebrebrate it.
Child A: I don't get to cebrebrate it. I want to, but my mom and dad won't let me.
Child B: What if you dress up as Jesus? Then can you have it?
Child C: I don't know anything about this Jesus person, but I am going to be a pirate. You should just tell your parents that you want to go. Then they'll let you.

It went on and on like that for a while until I just left their table! I mean, what do you even say to that?!?

Then I went to a different table and talked to a boy about his painting. He showed me his 4-yr old sister and said, "That's my sister. She's four. And she knows all of the cuss words already." His parents should be so proud!

Next table ... a little girl reading her book (because she's done with her painting already). She looks up at me with very intense eyes and says, "If I focus enough on one word I feel like I am psychic. Do you want me to tell you something?"

Uh.... no, I'm good! Or better yet, tell me how I am supposed to participate in these kinds of conversations!!

Permission Slips

I got a call from the guidance counselor at the boys' school yesterday. She wanted to let me know that she would be sending home permission slips for me to sign. Permission slips that give her permission to test the boys. Do you remember? The testing we did the first week of May? 4 1/2 months ago!?! She mumbled something about covering her barn door or back door or something like that! What?!?

So by that logic I should expect a permission slip in January for the field trip Chase took last week!

Burning the Midnight Oil

Or at least the 8:30 oil! I had a lot of homework to do over the weekend. A lot! Usually I don't procrastinate, but somehow I ended up starting a project at 7:00 last night. A project that is due today, by the way. At 8:30 Kenny decided to help me, and let me tell you ... thank goodness he did! I was creating a phonemic awareness mini-lesson with kindergartners as my target grade. My lesson is focused on rhyming words using the book Sheep in a Jeep by Nancy Shaw.

I will read the book to the "kids" (the other students at my table), then lead them in a shared reading using the poster. After the shared reading we'll cover some of the rhyming words with the picture cards. There's a lot more prep to the lesson that I am not showing here. Enough prep that it makes me wonder ... how much prep really goes into each and every seven-hour school day if it takes me almost two hours to prepare a ten-minute lesson for kindergartners?!?

Well, getting your sheep and jeep picture cards to be just the right size isn't easy if you are working on a project too late and wanting to watch the season premier of Desperate Housewives. Apparently it is easy if you are 7 and in 2nd grade. Kenny made this project seem like a breeze and I can't even tell you how much he helped me! I am thinking his favorite cookies might have to get baked this afternoon after we all get home :)

Update on Birthday Gift

If you read my posting on August 28 about my birthday gift you have probably been sitting on the edge of your seat in suspense every day since then ... right?!? Well, Lisa got her gift in the mail this week so now I can tell the whole world that my mom gave us each diamond tennis bracelets for our birthdays this year. I think she must have had a really good summer in the grooming business. Or it could have been a bad day that called for some SERIOUS retail therapy! Maybe she doesn't plan to give us anything for the next 10 years to make up for this gift. Or maybe she just really loves us! Thanks again Mom!!!