Hmmm...No

I've been wanting to write this post for a few days now and finally have some time since it's a 3-day-weekend! (shouts of hooray go here)

Being an elementary school teacher has got to be one of THE most entertaining jobs out there. Even though I don't teach kindergarten and I don't get as many random comments...There are a few I'll always remember.

For example, I found myself either thinking, or saying this phrase out loud multiple times this week: Hmmm....No.

• "Miss Fisher! I can't get a drink in the hall. The drinking fountain has run out of water." (Hmmm....No. Drinking fountains don't actually contain just a certain amount of water that eventually runs out.)

• Me, during a science lesson: "Give me some examples of different power sources." 10-year-old girl: "A battery, a generator, a solar...solar...solar system. (Hmmm....No. The solar system contains different planets and does not provide any circuit or flow of electricity. However, a solar CELL does.)

• I require each student in my class to memorize and recite the Preamble to the Constitution of the United States. Here is how one particular boy tried to pass off this requirement this week: "We the People of the United States: in order to form a more perfect Union, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general WARFARE, and secure the blessings of liberty to ourselves and our posterity do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America." (Hmmm....No. So close, but no. The general warfare is pretty much the complete opposite of the general WELFARE. Needless to say, because I found it humorous...he passed.)

And my favorite one of all...

• We're also learning about the Founding Fathers in school and this was classic! At the end of this particular lesson, to wrap things up, I asked my class to name 3 of the Founding Fathers. One boy, whom usually doesn't participate had his hand raised along with several others...so...naturally, I called on him. (we're suppose to encourage participation as a teacher.) His response: "Washington...Hitler...and....and...Franklin." This boy spoke so softly that no one caught the middle name; it sounded a little like Hamilton (which would be a normal response). I then asked him to repeat the middle name to clarify (drawing attention to it) and he restated, "Hitler." (Hmmm....No. We just spent an hour discussing these men and their importance. Adolf Hitler was not one of them. He didn't actually help establish the United States of America. In fact, Hitler couldn't be further away from these "founding" ideas.) Needless to say, conversations of swastikas and nazis probably occurred during lunch.

Good times.

See? Is there a more entertaining profession? I'm gonna go with.... Hmmm....No!

Favorite Gift

On Friday, I had a student ask me what my favorite Christmas gift this year (2009) was.

When I told him, he just looked at me and asked, "Really?"

(looking confused)

Really.

This is it. My favorite Christmas gift.

The story:

A long time ago, I decided I wanted to make a quilt. Not a "tie-me-together" "cut-the-fleece" kind of a quilt. A real quilt. After finding a pattern, looking through many quilt stores, and trying to find the right colors--I was ready. With the much needed help from Wendy, I cut each piece and sewed them together into squares. I even ironed them.

And that was about it. The squares had been waiting to be put together for quite some time. About 2 years!

So how do I have such a great "put-together" quilt?

My favorite Christmas gift.

Wendy finished it for me and had a friend machine quilt it. The colors are great. The quilting design is awesome, and I love the binding and the fabric on the back.

Getting a quilt for a Christmas gift might sound dull and boring to a 10 year old boy... but it was by far, my favorite!

To see some better photos of it, click here.

Thanks again Wendy :)

Hope

What a great message...

Old & New

It's official...

I'm out with the old

and

in with the new!

____________________________________

After three years and three months I'm saying goodbye to my old phone

and with open arms, I'm welcoming in the new one.

Here's to:

• phone calls (that won't be interrupted due to any glitches)
• texts (that will be received when they are actually sent)
• power (that will remain on unless purposefully turned off)

and

• battery life (that will actually allow charging to happen)

Goodbye old, it's been good (except for all the bad).

My new phone and I are ready for the new year!

Hope you are too!

A quote

After a long few days, a few words from Dr. Seuss:

Today you are you!

That is truer than true!

There is no one alive that is you-er than you!

Shout aloud, "I am glad to be what I am!

Thank goodness I'm not a clam or a ham,

or a dusty old jar of gooseberry jam."

I am what I am! What a great thing to be!

If I say so myself: HAPPY EVERYDAY TO ME!

Thanks Dr.

I'm Yours

This little boy is darling. Sometimes I sound and look like this while trying to play my guitar & sing (except he's quite a bit better on his instrument)...

Who wouldn't want to be HIS after that?

Off-Track

December of 2008:

After being hired to teach 5th grade, I began what is now a huge part of my life.

Last year at this time I was frantically trying to clean-up a classroom. Trying to get rid of age-old things and do my best to organize manipulatives, books, baskets, the classroom library, tables, desks....you name it. Planning reading groups, math instruction, science centers, etc.

But this year...I'm enjoying my time off.

My classroom still has not been "de-junked" of everything..there are still a few drawers I haven't had time to go through yet. But overall, I'd say I've made some progress.

Being on B-Track, I have 4 weeks off in December. What a great month to get some time off!

I spent most of last week subbing for another 5th grade class--which would have been so much more enjoyable had there actually been lesson plans! I can wing it for awhile, but by the 3rd day I was done.

I'm down to 3 weeks left. Which means I can think of it as my break is

1/4 of the way gone...

or...

I still have 3/4 of my break left (this one sounds much better!)

Anyway...here's part of my to-do-list while I'm off-track:

• get oil changed
• get tires rotated or possibly purchase new "snow" tires for the winter (i'm hoping mine will hold up though)
• Write Christmas letters to students and actually mail them
• Watch Harry Potter #6 (again) & The Proposal
• Go running more at the gym
• Work on a cute Christmas Craft w/ Wendy
• Plan a Persuasive Writing Unit (anyone have some good ideas here???)
• Do some fun things with people in my ward~

Of all those things (although they're not complicated)... I can cross one off and hopefully add more things like this:

On Saturday night a group of us from my ward went to Temple Square to see the lights. Although the actual "light seeing" didn't last long--it was still a good time.

*F.Y.I. the "good time" does not include the terrible winter storm we followed

from Salt Lake all the way to Provo. *

Well--I'm off to bed in hopes of better weather and crossing something off my list tomorrow.