Hair and Stuff

I just got my hair "did" (why do people say that?).  I have been going to the same girl, Faye, for years.  Love her.  She is from Indonesia and is hilarious.  Because of her, I have become a product snob.  I admit it.  I spend way too much money on hair products.  I can't help it.  It's not my fault.  She started it.  

I was using Schwartzkopf stuff.  Yes, that's how you spell it.  Faye totally turned me onto it.  It's expensive.  But I love it.  And it's worth it.  When Kerry visits me and asks if she can "borrow" my shampoo, I say NO.  :)  And then I tell her I think the hubby has some Head and Shoulders under the sink.  

Recently, Faye started selling some very expensive shampoo and conditioner.  It's called Unite.  This wouldn't matter one bit to me.  Except that she said this:  "Right now, you're washing your hair with a BUICK and the Unite stuff is like washing your hair with a MERCEDES."  

A BUICK?  A BU---ICK?  My Schwartzkopf stuff is a BUUUU---IIIIIIICK?  

FAYE MADE ME BUY THE BUICK IN THE FIRST PLACE!

So I yelled said all that.  The last three times that I've visited her.  I will not bow to peer pressure.  I have also reminded her that I am a poor, lowly teacher and besides the Buick I'm washing my hair with, I'm driving my Nissan for the 9th year IN-A-ROW.  

But today.

Oh, today.

My tutoring money was burning a hole in my pocket.  And I did it.  I bought the Unite stuff.  The big bottles.  FOR A LOT OF MONEY. So much money that she gave me a spray to use for right before you blow dry your hair, FOR FREE.  Yes.  That's how much I spent.

I am now washing my hair with a Mercedes.  

The silver lining??  Faye said that Kim Kardashian uses this stuff.  (I promise that was said AFTER I'd made my purchase and not before.)  Well.  I'll be.  Kim Kardashian.  A reality TV celebrity.  I guess my only worry now is if using this product will make my butt even bigger . . . 

On a completely different topic, our school is currently being considered for a High Honor.  I have no idea if I can talk about it so use your imagination.

My principal has pretty much cancelled all staff meetings until we're visited by the High Honor People.  Without saying so, we are to use that extra time to get our rooms in tip top shape.  Really.  WITHOUT SAYING SO.  But we sure felt like we got the message.

The High Honor people are coming mid-March.  What to do?  What to do?  It won't officially be spring yet.  Do we keep it looking like a winter wonderland?  

No.  Too easy.

Our team decided to strip the walls and bring in the spring.  I haven't started yet and I need to get busy.  So before I change my boards, I thought I'd share them with you.

We wrote about the activities we would do if it snowed where we live.

Bear Reports

This is that small board above our cubbies that isn't big enough for 29-32 pieces of student work.  So it's just for looks.  I know.  Terrible.

I should have another picture for you, but I kept forgetting to take it.  It's my Sick Kid Art Projects with our writing.  The title of that board said "Ah . . . Ah . . . Ah-choo!" and turned out really cute.  Please use your imagination.

So I've got a big week ahead of me while I try to change all those boards.  Man.  And just for clarification, I don't have Open House until the end of May.  So I will be changing my boards AGAIN.  Do you change your boards this much?

I'd like to leave you with a freebie.  But I don't know what that would be.  I don't have one.  And it occurred to me that some of you might want a spring poem or a St. Patrick's poem so I need to get busy.  But I don't have a freebie.  :(   I just have a hair story and that's all.

I would like to know about your bulletin boards, though.  And maybe your hair products.   Because I like to be in the know.  (as well as not be alone in my dilemmas)

Talk About It Tuesday

I have the worst hiccups ever.  It is actually hurting me.  Any suggestions?  I've tried drinking upside down and holding my breath.  I really would just like to stop catapulting myself off the couch every 30 seconds or so.


For the first time EVER, I actually typed while I watched The Bachelor last night (with the occasional pause of my Tivo if my mind was going faster than my fingers could type -- this is typical behavior so please don't be alarmed).  So the "feel" of this post may seem different to you.  That's because it was LIVE.  No time for marinating.  Although I think half way through, I may have acted as if it was in the past . . . so my tenses may be all screwed up.  This should not be a problem for any of the primary teachers out there - my kids write in every tense available, as I'm sure yours do, too.  (This is a first grade phenomenon and has nothing to do with the teacher teaching writing.) 


Ben and the remaining three ladies are off to Switzerland for their overnight dates.  Here we go.  Ben has lots of life changing decisions to make and so he contemplates those decisions while looking out the window of a plane.  That is what I always do.  I am usually in Coach, though.  Was he in first class?  I couldn't tell.


I think ABC chose Switzerland very strategically.  It's colder.  It's crisp.  Zero humidity.  Even though Ben may be confused, his hair can straighten out over there.  Thank goodness.  I was at my wits end with that frizzy, floppy, parted-in-the-middle hair.  Don't look at mine while I type this.  I get my hair done on Wednesday and those nasty looking roots will be all gone.  Look away, I said.


Nikki:


NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!  


Oh, good grief.  ANOTHER HELICOPTER.  It's only Nikki's second time in a helicopter, ever.  I guess I'd be excited, too.  But if I multiply umpteen seasons by countless rides, I've had my fair share of helicopters.


But this has to be the first time I have ever thrown up.  Here's why:


Ben:  "My relationship with Nikki is gaining new heights.  But it's also grounded.  Relationships can be a wild ride.  But who better to have by my side?"


Who writes this stuff??????  There is NO WAY he is just spouting off these words.  Who talks like that???  Throw up.


But then Nikki did it with the cliff!!!  She made the cliff a metaphor.  Please stop.  Life is not a metaphor.  Life is grocery shopping, dust, zits, coke-bottle glasses, mouth guards, snoring, bills . . . wait.  Is that just my life?  Is this because I chose a man with normal hair?


Fantasy Suite - pervert.


Just kidding.  Maybe.  But I choose not to write about it.  Because people tell me that I am naive to think that they are only talking and sleeping (as in slumbering). 


Lindzi: 


Come on!  Grrrrr.


Heights.  Again.


I guess I should be happy they're wearing clothes and not bikinis.  


Here come the metaphors again.  Seriously?  SERIOUSLY?  Bonding and all that.  Ugh.  Listen up, Ben.  Want a quicker way to bond?  TALK TO THE GIRL.  ASK A QUESTION.  LISTEN.  REPEAT.  You do not have to defy death in order to bond with someone.  (Although let me proudly say that I have repelled down a mountain before.  That's right.  Uh huh.  Well, we'll call it a rocky hill.  It was in Oklahoma at church camp.  Yes, I know Oklahoma doesn't have mountains.  But whatever.  I did repel down the side of a rock of some type and it was SCARY.  I don't recall bonding with anything except the ropes, now that I think about it.)


Dinner.  Date Card.


Fantasy Suite - Pervert.


And I don't think I'm kidding this time.  GROSS.  Lindzi!  Lindzi!!!  He was with Nikki last night!!!!  STOP!  


CUT!  STOP ROLLING!


In my mind, they just talked and slumbered.  THAT. IS. ALL.


Courtney:


Hmmmm.  I just wonder why ABC keeps putting Courtney last in the lineup.  I am suspicious.  What is that about?  


They take a train.  I'm okay with that.  But why hasn't Courtney had to jump off something?  Or pee her pants because she is so frightened?  Has she had a scary date?  Or just picnics?  Shoulder shrug.  Mouth twitch.  I just don't get it.


Ben confronts her on her treatment of the girls.  Because . . . this is the clincher . . . it made it harder on HIM.  And, people, if you haven't heard . . . BEN IS THE BACHELOR.  It's all about him.  And he is not one to let others off the hook.  


Does it sound like I'm defending Courtney?  Uh oh.  That's not my intention.  But if we were making T-shirts that said Team Courtney or Team Ben, I'd have to go with Team Courtney.  She has better hair.  And she's admitting her mistakes which could mean one of two things.  Number one:  she's sorry.  Number two:  she's fake.  Let's vote and see what teachers everywhere think! :)


Fantasy Suite - pervert


Please, somebody, please tell me that they are just talking and slumbering without the cameras around.  PUH-LEASE.  Surely, they are not . . . they're not.  Right?  Just thinking about it makes my shoulders shrug of their own free will.


We interrupt these messages for an "Emily as the Bachelorette" preview.  ROUND OF APPLAUSE!


(I could have done without the Titanic metaphors from Ashley.  Not working for me.  Also, I have never gone to the movies dressed like that.  Ever.  It was a little frumpy for my taste.  I think those dresses were clearly missing feather boas and tiaras.)


And we're back.


Along with Kasie B.  


Does ABC have this stunt in their contract?  It must be!  Paragraph 17.  Must return to the scene of the crime Bachelor to grovel.  Sign here.  And here.  Initial here.  And there.  You must cry and look disheveled, or we reserve the right to edit all filming in such a way that you look like you are crazy.  Off you go.  



Kasie warns Ben about Courtney.  The music is dark.  Dun Dun Dun.


Ben doesn't know what to say.  What else is new?  Once again, I thought he was mean.  Rude.


And Kasie?  On the floor?  Was that in Paragraph 18?  It must be, right?  I think I've seen that move before.  I think it was Ali with Jake, the airline pilot (gag).  Ali just melted into the floor of the hallway.  Remember?  It must be in the contract.  I'm sure of it.  "You must become one with the carpet of the hotel hallway."


Now poor, tired Ben is even more confused.  And apparently grouchy.


Rose Ceremony.  Here we go.


Lots of pauses.  But he finally gives the first rose to Lindzi.  


And then . . . after loud exhales . . . and more pausing . . . (this is as bad as Ryan Seacrest on American Idol - get on with it already!) . . . Courtney.


Oh, Nikki.  I know you're sad, but you dodged a bullet.  


Looking at Courtney and Lindzi -- who would have thought it?  Not me.


Nikki is upset in the limo.  I really like her so I wish I could have been there with her . . . No limo language for her.  Her parents will be relieved.


Next week, we take a break from the action for Girls Tell All.  I can't wait!!!  How about you???

Holy Cuteness

Well, the verdict is in and I'm not guilty of failure to comment and/or read blogs in the first degree.  This is a huge relief, considering I have charges pending on an un-approved Art Lesson that I taught.  My lawyer says I'm not allowed to talk about it.


So, onto the cuteness!!


Our standards state that first graders need to know what life was like a long time ago.  It says one hundred years ago, (to be exact) but the longer I teach, that one hundred years ago keeps creeping up in the 1900s and stuff is just not as cute.  For example, I'd rather teach about covered wagons than a car.  And one-room houses rather than apartment buildings.  So my team and I have kind of "tweaked" this standard to mean first graders should know what life was like during the Pioneer Days.  It's way more fun.


Shockingly enough, DJ Inkers only has a little bit of this kind of clipart.  You can check out what I already purchased {HERE}.  It's cute.  However, it's not everything I'm looking for.  And lo and behold, they did not jump on it like I thought they would when I emailed them and suggested it.  Besides the clipart, I strongly recommended that they make a bulletin board set and matching borders.  I'm still waiting.  Ahem.  Do they not know who I am?  I mean, really.  


So, I had to try something different.  For example, when Nikki at Melonzhead Illustrating asked for some suggestions, I said, "PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE MAKE ME SOME PIONEER CLIPART!"  "Have you considered a possible Pioneers bundle?" 


Well, guess what, peeps?  Ask and ye shall receive!


LOOK AT MY BUNDLE!!!!  (And I can say my bundle because she named it after me.  That's right!  Uh huh.  DJ Inkers, listen up!!!  You could learn a little something.)

(click the pic to go visit my bundle)

Ohhhhhh, I just love it.  Squeal.  I can't wait to start creating with it.  I don't know quite what I'm going to do with it just yet.  But the juices are flowing.  My team and I are changing what we usually do for Open House (Habitats) to Pioneers.  It's going to be really good, whatever it is.  Open House at my school is like the Oscars.  Over the top.  Red carpet.  Gowns.  The curriculum cops become our  body guards because parents try to shove their way in to hand-pick the teacher that they want for the following year.  And upper grade kids try to sneak in to eat my food.  Yes, that's right.  I serve food.  

I don't have a freebie with the clipart yet.  I've been hanging out with the hubby.  Or, rather, sleeping.  I didn't quite hit the 14 hours, but I was close.  Hunger won out.  

But I'll share whatever I come up with so don't worry your pretty little heads.

And thanks again for the not guilty verdict.  I must say, I'm enjoying my freedom.  

Guilty

Hooray for the weekend!  I'm really worried about a big case of the Sunday night blues . . . seeing as how I've escaped them for the last two weekends.    


Also, I can now officially tell you that the hubby was out of town all week (remember he does not like cyber space to know that he is gone so I am not allowed to advertise in case a cyber stalker figures out where I live, and comes to do terrible things to me like what you might see on a Lifetime movie or a Horror Movie.  I think if a cyber stalker found out where I lived, I'd invite her in and we would talk about school and kids and stay up late in our PJs) and so I'm super excited for him to return today.  I am looking forward to 12-14 hours of sleep tonight.  I don't care if he is in the bed with me or not . . . just having him home AT NIGHT, IN THE DARK, DARK, DARK QUIET will be bliss.  One night, Sydney barked and barked.  This is a problem for two reasons.  One:  she can't hear anything so why is she barking?  Two:  she doesn't even know she is a dog and that her purpose is to protect me.  People, I was skerd.  Skerd!!!!! (I know how to spell scared.  Just go with it.)  But then I remembered that I am memorizing verses during our 40 Days in the Word Campaign so I started reciting my verses, and the next thing I knew, it was morning. (Or more like 3:00am for my nightly ritual of getting up to go to the bathroom because my bladder also happens to be teeny tiny.  Microscopic, if you will.  You can't take me anywhere without me scouting for the nearest restroom.)  God is good.


I caught up on this week's episode of Parenthood.  And I basically cried through the whole thing.  I cried for poor Julia and Joel, and even Zoe.  I cried when Amber came home to her mom and said she just needed to be with her. (And then I cried because I wish I could still do that and not look pitiful that I am a grown woman doing that.  I have been known to do it over the phone.  Which is quite difficult because I've got Mom on the other end trying to get me to talk and I'm just crying away.)  I cried for Crosby and Jasmine -- before, during and after.  I was so happy for Jabar so I cried again.


I am not a huge emotional person.  I'm wondering if it's because the hubby was away or if TOM (time of month) is about to join us.  Hmmm.


Yesterday, after last recess, we were in our two lines by the classroom jumping, twirling, shoving, talking  listening to directions before coming into the classroom when the kids in the front of the lines saw a baby lizard (the kids in the back of the lines had no clue because my lines are sooooo long, what with all of the millions of children).  The lizard was hanging out on the "stoop" (It is an outside school and my classroom is right by some stairs) and it was basically motionless.  Actually, Mr. Lizard was doing a really good job of listening to my directions, now that I think about it.  The kids were fascinated.  As I let one line head up the stairs, he didn't move.  Frozen.  About six kids passed him with nothing happening.  One girl asked if he would jump on her.  Would he?  Would he jump on me?  I have no idea.  If he did, it's every man for himself -- I'd be the first person running in the opposite direction.  Anyways, when new boy walked past, Mr. Lizard's head turned and watched him go.  No joke.  Everyone noticed and cracked up.  It's nice to know I've got someone else watching out for new boy, too.  Thanks, Mr. Lizard.


Here's the reason for the title of my post.  In case you were wondering if I was just going to go on and on all day.


Guilty.  That's me.  I feel guilty.  I was very busy on Thursday and Friday night so I didn't get to post.  That's okay.  I've gone two days without posting before.  You all went on without me.  Camille may have contacted me once to make sure I was okay, but most of you didn't even notice my absence.  So I don't feel guilty about that.  Plus, I didn't even have anything to say (see above as an example of me not having anything to say).


I feel guilty because I haven't had too much of a chance to blog stalk and leave comments.  And now I'm two days behind.  When this happens, I do everything I can to go back and catch up.  But it is time consuming.  And other things pull me away (things like The Bachelor, The Challenge, eating, sleeping, and work).  When I get behind on blogs, I feel guilty.  I also don't want to miss anything.  Ever.  I've talked about this before.  I've told my friends not to say ONE WORD while I run to the restroom because what if I miss something?  I also like to comment on everything.  Yesterday, during lunch, we all got a little sidetracked with our conversation, and I said, "Hold on.  I'm going to say something to her and then I'm coming right back to you because I have a question about that."  Recalculating and all that.  Everyone laughed.  But I don't know why.


So what do you do when you get behind on blogs?  Do you try to catch up?  Do you just let it go?  Do you just go to certain ones?  I need help.  I do not want to feel guilty about blogs.  I am okay feeling guilty about that dust on the lamp shade which is two inches thick, or even The Jersey Shore, but I just don't want it to carry over to blogs.


Let me know.  Please.

Killing Time (EDITED - PLEASE READ THE (almost) LAST PARAGRAPH)

Hey there, peeps!  


I'm tired.


For no good reason.  Other than the fact that I had some very strange dreams last night.  One was about going on a field trip with an upper grade teacher at my school.  Who happens to be male.  And loud.  And tall.  While we were on this field trip, the kids kept jumping into the pool and we kept trying to stop them.  But it wasn't working.  I was also mixing up all of my medication and the kids kept interfering with me trying to figure it all out.  


Anyone out there interpret dreams?  I don't get the pool.  I don't actually have your typical variety of what you call a pool.  Mine is generally filled with bubbles and I read whilst in it.   No rafts allowed.  And I'm really the only one allowed in it.  Seeing as how there is no lifeguard on duty.  It's a safety issue.  


I don't get the pool in my dream.  Obviously.


When I am not teaching Language Arts or tying shoes or running in the opposite direction of a snotty nose, I teach Math.  I bet you didn't know that.  I think I've talked about it . . . once or so.


We are currently learning how to tell time.  Our standards state that first graders need to be able to tell time by the hour and the half hour.  That's all.  I wonder what the Common Core standards state . . . did you know the Common Core standards have not even been mentioned at my school?  Nope.  


So our enVision math curriculum goes into a lot of depth about telling time.  It's FIVE WHOLE LESSONS.  Two of them are about telling time to the hour.  One is about telling time to the half hour.  Pretty sure that's overkill, but whatever.  I did it.  (The other two cover how long things take -- minute, hour, day, AND reading a schedule)  My kids were getting really tired of ALL THE LESSONS in this topic, but I gave them more.  Call me an overachiever.  I know.


We played a matching game a few times today for review.  I passed out the cards and the kids had to find their partners.  Can you believe that someone tried to switch cards so that they could be with their BFF?  The nerve.

Telling Time Matching Game - Color


I lied.  We only played the game twice.  My kids got a little out of control.  I had to be a DREAM SQUASHER.


I squashed their dreams of playing for the third time and made them do a worksheet.  I told you, I'm tired.


Topic 10 Clock Review

If you want to save your color ink,  you can get black and white matching cards {HERE}.


That's all.  I had a meeting with the principal and the Leadership team during PTT today.  Today was supposed to be PTT with my team, but we had a big brouhaha  brewhaha  discussion regarding things AT SCHOOL that I shouldn't talk about on here.  Gosh darn it.  I really want to.  Bad.  Really bad.  But I won't.  Waaa.  (I didn't get in trouble and it has nothing to do with my blog.  It's just stupid school stuff.  Ooops.  I did not have that worded very well.  Sorry for any confusion.  My blog is still a secret.  So everybody --- mums the word!!!!  And shhhhhh!!!  :))


Basketball Wives has been on in the background while I've been typing this.  YIKES!!!!!  My ears hurt.


Leave me some bloggy love if you grab these! :)

Talk About It Tuesday

Hometown Dates!  Hometown Dates!  Hometown Dates!


(and Real Housewives of Orange County a little bit later. Plus Teen Mom with Dr. Drew.  I'm excited for my evening!)


So . . . were you a little bit bored with this episode?


I thought it was interesting that they made us wait for Courtney's date.  Come on, already.  Just get to it.


First up:  Lindzi


Can I just say that I had no idea there were parts of Florida like that?  I have never been there, but Florida didn't look like that at all on the Real Housewives of Miami.  Or the Jersey Shore.  That's all I have to go by.  Lindzi's parent's FARM with ROLLING HILLS and LOTS OF GREEN and a POOL and a FIREPIT and HORSES and STUFF has made me really want to go there now.  Blog meet-up, anyone?  Jen?  


I have decided that Lindzi reminds me of Marcia Brady.  Just in looks.  What do you think?


Lindzi opens up to Ben and he is "pleased".  Because let's have the girls do all the talking while you just sit there like a horses's butt.  Grrrr.  He's just so boring.  DO SOMETHING.


Lindzi's parents are very cool.  I liked them.  No problem there.


Ben thinks Lindzi is "humble and grounded" and he likes that.  What?  How can he like Courtney then?????  What?


Number 2:  Kacie


Uh oh.  Oh no.  Kacie has very conservative parents.  Like mine.  Let's just put that out there.  My parents are also very conservative.  My parents rarely drink (and it's actually quite funny when they do.  Ha!).  My twin doesn't drink, either (I know!  I've tried.  She does not bend to peer pressure.)  If my older sister and I have a glass of wine and then maybe go for a tad bit more (just a tad), WHOA.  We have now become full blown alcoholics and we need rehab.  Lots of head shaking and sighing on the part of the parentals.  


So I identified with Kacie A LOT.  Poor Kacie.  Ben didn't seem too keen on the whole "not living together in San Francisco" situation.  I wasn't "allowed" to move in, either.  Oops.  Did it again.  Seeing as how this is not my story, I'll get back to Kacie.


As soon as Kacie said her dad was a federal-probation-officer-such-and-such, I was ready for him to light Ben up!  LIGHT HIM UP, Mr. Kacie!!!!  Let me grab my popcorn!


But he didn't.  What a let down.  Ben survived.  It wasn't that good of a date.  Ben had nothing to say.   I was bored.  Except for the parts where I was imagining this happening with my parents.  And instead of the bachelor being Ben, it was Channing Tatum.  Or Ryan Reynolds.  And he was FULL of PERSONALITY.


Number Three:  Nicki


As soon as I saw the Boot Shop (or the Cowboy Store or the Redneck Store or whatever you want to call it), I started screaming at Ben.  But he didn't hear me.  Because, GOODIE!  He's so excited!  He gets to wear another costume.  Let's all wait while he jumps up and down and claps his hands.  Goodie!  (I am not making fun of Texans.  I love Texas.  Twin lives there.  I used to live there.  But I am making fun of Ben trying to be a cowboy.  Which is why I went with Redneck.)


Hat.  Boots.  Shirt.  


Hair sticking out from hat.


That was a big hat.  BIG.  How in the world could we still see his hair?  How?


I thought Nicki looked great.  She's cute.  Ben . . . notsomuch.  But, for the record, Ben thought Ben looked hot.  


I just don't think there was a mirror.  Anywhere.  Or a reflection in a car window.  Because he kept wearing the hat.


I absolutely fell in love with Nicki's dad.  What a sweetheart.  Seriously.  In love.


I want Nicki to go find a different man.  Not Ben.  


This particular hometown date was a piece of cake for him.  Piece of cake!  I was annoyed.  


Number Four:  Courtney


FINALLY.  Geesh.


I thought it was interesting that she all of a sudden feels badly for the way she treated some of the girls.  Where'd that come from?


Also, no date.  Straight to the parent's house.  Smart.  People, this girl is good.  She's bad.  But she's good.


I liked Courtney's family.  I know.  I'm sorry.  I liked them.


So . . . smart Courtney has her date last.  That's genius.  Get the parentals out of the way and then go be alone.  Has anyone EVER done it like that?  I bet we'll see more of that in the future.


They had a FAKE WEDDING.  Ohmyword.  No.


But they did.  And Courtney was actually . . . should I say it?  I'm kind of scared.  Hmmmm.


Courtney was actually . . . sort of . . . a little bit . . . sweet.  Oh no.  I said it.  And I didn't cross it out.  Don't hate me.  I thought she was. I'm not happy about it.  At all.  I get no satisfaction from it.


And what do you know?  Take a look at Ben.  BAM!  Tell him to write a vow and he has TONS to say.  Where'd this come from?  Did someone write it for him?  He's never said that much this entire time on the show.   Ever.  I was floored.  (or bedded.  Because I was in my bed.)


If Courtney had been just a smidge more psycho, this fake wedding would have sent a normal man into a tailspin.  A normal guy might have left her on the iceberg (think crazy-voice Casey with his tattoo that will guard your heart).  But Ben was into it.  Is he going to pick her?  Is he???  I can't take it.


Lastly, we get to see Chris Harrison.  Hi, Chris!!!  We need more Chris.  And then we have the Rose Ceremony.


Ben gives a rose to Courtney.  People, I shook my head.  I mean, what are we going to do?  I think we're stuck with her.  


Then he gives a rose to Lindzi.  Wait.  Huh?  Hmmmm.


The last rose goes to . . . Nicki.


Poor Kacie.  Waaaaaaa!  She was my number one pick.  Waaaaaa!  (Although I do feel she needs a good ole boy from Tennessee.  And needs to live closer to her family.  And her future husband should not make wine.  Maybe bibles.) 


The limo language Kacie used was a bit shocking.  I don't think her parents are going to want to hear that limo language coming out of her mouth.  I'm speaking from personal experience.  She may get grounded.


Next week, we're off to Switzerland.  Did you see in the previews that someone comes back?  Who?  WHO??  Not Kacie.  No.  I don't want her to grovel.  Who could it be???  Crazy mortician girl?  Who?

Teddy Bear Poem - Last Time

This is the last Teddy Bear thing that I'll throw at you.  I don't want you to roll your eyes and/or think "Enough already!" (which is sort of how I'm feeling with the whole Seuss thing, but that's only because I'm not ready for it yet.  And you'll be glad to know we have an ENTIRE day dedicated to Read Across America with an assembly and everything. Really!!  So I've been downloading all the freebies like crazy but then I hide them.  Because I'm not ready.)


I am very sorry if you are at school.  Insert sad face here.  My sad face is really masking the happy face that I am wearing because I am off today.  And once again, I'm not going anywhere.  The farthest I will travel today is to the refrigerator, pantry, and the bathroom.  I'm eating my way through two bags (2 for $7) of the Cadbury mini eggs.  People, these are my favorites.  I have no words for how happy I am when they return.   I also have some Reality TV on in the background that I don't normally watch.  Like Khloe and Lamar, Big Rich Texas, Basketball Wives, and some kind of Cupcake show.  It's been . . . interesting.


Speaking of Reality TV, did anyone catch the season premiere of The Amazing Race?  This is actually one of the shows that the hub is hooked on, too.  We were dying over the fact that Brendan and Rachel (Big Brother) were on it.  Oh no!!!!  NO!!!  NO!!!  Go away, already!!!!!  Now hubby is threatening not to watch it with me this season.  NO!!!  


All right.  I'll stop.


Here's the Teddy Bear Poem and Word Cards in color.
My Teddy Bear Color




And here it is in the black and white version:
My Teddy Bear b&w




And last, but not least, the Fill in the Blank one:
My Teddy Bear Fill in the Blank


I hope you can use these poems, even if you don't have a Teddy Bear day.


I had a couple of questions about Teddy Bear Day that I thought I should answer.  I have no idea why we teach bears in January/February.  But we do.  Maybe because bears hibernate in the winter?  Really.  No idea.  I think you could do this at any time of the year.  The kids love learning about the different types of bears and go crazy for the non-fiction books that I check out of the library.  Don't forget to sing "Circle of Life" if your kids get upset about the fact that bears are carnivores.  Which means that they eat other animals.  When I read aloud about polar bears eating seals, I tell my first graders it's perfectly natural.  We understand this completely.  After the kiddos pat my back, get me kleenex, and wait for me to blow my nose, we move on.   


Also, be prepared for the whole mammal thing and how babies drink their mother's milk.  It can get a little uncomfortable.  What is it with these kids and all of their questions????  I just inform my kiddos that animals have access to baby bottles, too.  They register and everything.   I hear the playtex ones are the best kind.  Is this true?


Leave me some love if you grab the poem!  And/or if you saw Brendan and Rachel last night, too!  Grrrrr.

Teddy Bear Day and Pasta (?)

Well.  Today was busy.  I am so happy and relieved that I have tomorrow off to recover.  I've been catching up on some blogs and I've noticed that not everyone has tomorrow off.  Isn't it President's Day?  Isn't everyone supposed to?  I've also heard that some of you have the entire week off . . . and I will not go into detail about how that makes me feel.


We had brunch at a friend's house today (which included making your own egg souffle type of thing and so I thought I was going to starve, but then they revealed the waffles, pancakes, toast, English muffins, and other assorted carbs so all was okay).  One of the girls there (never met her before) enjoyed her mimosas.  A lot.  You'll be glad to know that I enjoyed water.  Because last night I had vodka pasta and wine.  And my cardiologist says I should limit my alcohol intake.  I do believe that is just a suggestion on his part, and not exactly a medical prescription of any kind.  Back to the vodka pasta.  I had a couple of people ask about it.


First, it's delicious.  


Second, it's pure yumminess.


Third, you need to have someone make it for you as soon as possible if you love Italian food the way that I love Italian food.  As in, I love Italian food so much that I think I'm secretly Italian.  And when we went to Italy, I felt like I was home.  Especially when cab drivers and waiters and people on trains kept inviting us to stay at their house.  They knew I was one of them.  I think they may have thought I was their lost cousin or something.


We saw the recipe on the Barefoot Contessa.  That's all it took.  I think the hubby may have run out during the episode to pick up the ingredients.   


We (I mean, HE) has since played with the recipe and now we add . . . wait . . . for . . .  it . . . now we add . . . BACON!  


You can check out the recipe {HERE}.  It has another name, too, but I just like Vodka Pasta and that's all!  (Junie B. reference in case you didn't know.  Although she is not referring to alcohol.)


Okay, onto some Teddy Bear stuff.  I have to apologize in advance because I made these documents about five years ago.  Before I knew that anyone would want them for their own.  And before I knew that blogs even existed and that I would someday have my own.  So you will have to do some clicking.  Because, try as I might, I couldn't get the whole folder uploaded to Google Docs or Scribd.  So I gave up.  I have Cadbury mini eggs to eat things to do and I ran out of time.  So just scroll through the following documents and click the ones you'd like. 

Teddy Bear Day Files


(The download above actually has 3 documents.  FYI.  See?  It says 1 of 3.  I have never caught onto that before.)



Fact Families


Teddy Bear Day Graphing Questions

Teddy Bear Day Reminder

Teddy Bear Crown


Just so you know, you'll get a wide variety of teddy bears if you tell your kids that they get to bring one to school.  So I just made four categories for graphing our bears:  black, brown, white, and OTHER.  OTHER could also stand for a gigantic stuffed pink pig that a kid in your partner's class brought.  You never know.  I say potato, you say pahtahto.  I say teddy bear, you say pig.  


Here's an example of the Teddy Bear crown, just in case you need a visual.

On the fact family page, I gave each kid a ziplock bag of gummi bears (two different colors) and they wrote the corresponding fact family.  Once I'd checked it (well, as you could probably guess, some of the kids didn't wait for me to check it, and then I had no idea if they were correct or not), they got to eat the gummi bears.

It was a fun day!  Or to be clear, it was a fun afternoon.  Because I did not, under any circumstances, sneak in the Teddy Bear Crowns during my Language Arts Block.  Nope.  Not me.   My sixth grade helpers came in and stopped dead in their tracks when they saw the t-shirts and the crowns and all the bear stuff.  In perfect sync, they both raised their hands to their cheeks and said, "AWWWW!"  And they told me that they still have their T-shirts and said lots of other nice things.  I love those girls.  Except, mostly, I am afraid of 6th graders.  They're all bigger than me now.  I used to hug these girls when they were in fifth grade, but now that they're even bigger, it's just awkward.  I mean, do they bend down to hug me?  Do I stand on a chair to hug them?  

I hope you can use some of these activities!

And I hope you get to stay home with PJ tomorrow! :)

T-shirts and Talk

Happy Saturday!  Today, the hubs and I are pretending it's Valentine's Day.  He is making me a yummy dinner of vodka pasta and bruschetta later on tonight!  DEE-LISH.  Last night, he took me to see The Vow.  We loved it.  Now we're comparing our love to theirs.  And we've decided that I totally look like Rachel McAdams and he is practically Channing Tatum's twin!  The resemblance is uncanny!  Minus the amnesia, that is totally our story!  And people, if I woke up and didn't know that Channing Tatum was my husband and then he told me that, in fact, he was my husband, I wouldn't argue with him.  Let's go home, honey!


We have been learning about all kinds of bears in Science and we just had Teddy Bear Day to wrap it all up.  I mean, why not?  We had the 100th Day and then Valentine's Day and then nothing.  So let's do SOMETHING.  I can't just have a normal week.  What would I do with myself?


Thanks to my friend, Christina,  for this wonderful idea:  we paint T-shirts for the kids to wear on Teddy Bear day.  


Here's the tricky part.  I need parent volunteers to help me with this and I prefer that they come in during the morning with the hopes of finishing up by lunch time.  My partner and I were in a bit of a disagreement.  I was all for just DOING IT and asking for forgiveness later.  She was of the mind that we should ask permission.


Yes, to paint T-shirts.


What a dilemma.  I'm sure you know what I'm talking about.


What with our HOLIER THAN THOU TWO AND A HALF LANGUAGE ARTS BLOCK THAT SHALT NOT BE INTERRUPTED, we were worried about parent volunteers pulling our little cherubs to paint a gosh darn t-shirt, especially with the threat of the Curriculum Cops on the scene.  Because I don't know about you, but we simply have nothing else to worry about.


So I gave in to my partner and sent a kiss-butt ridiculous nice email, asking if we could do this.


The response?


We're the best first grade teachers ever.  OF COURSE we can do this.  They TRUST us.


I'm shaking my head as I write this.  But anywho -- here's how it went down.


I supply all of the fabric paint and ask the students to bring in their own shirts.  Every year, I have one or two generous families who contribute extras so that I always have t-shirts for those who may forget or don't have the resources.  


I had three volunteers come in on Day 1 to pull my kids and guide them through the first part.

The kiddos get to choose the stencil that they want.  I slide cardboard into the shirt so that the surface is hard and smooth (and the paint won't also stick to the back of the shirt).  They also get to do a little freehand painting as well.  If you think about doing this with your kids, I caution you on painting the sky.  Don't.  It gets really messy and continues on and on and on and on.  There's no way to really stop the sky, and the next thing you know, it's all over the sleeves, the collar, bleeding into the grass, and the sun, etc.  NO SKY.  NO SKY.  NO SKY. 

We only had one mishap.  And it could be because the parent volunteer has four daughters and no experience with boys (so she says).  Or it could be because new boy wanted to introduce himself to you guys.  In an illustration.  Just so you could see.  Because I had 28 T-shirts with bright, yellow, happy suns.  And then new boy painted this:

I rest my case.  THIS is new boy.  In all his glory.   

We let them dry overnight.  Then I bagged up the t-shirts, various colors of paint, and some samples from previous years for my three volunteers.  Each parent took home a bag of about 10 t-shirts and added all of the fun details (years ago, I let the kids do their own details.  Bad idea.  Bad.  BAD.  Use your imagination.)

Take a look:

We had a great day and did lots of different activities with our teddy bears.  I had high hopes of uploading my documents to Scribd but instead, the Lost Footage of the Beverly Hills Housewives kind of got in my way.  Along with Grey's Anatomy.  I'm catching up on my Tivo if you can't tell.  So I'll come back tomorrow with those.

Before I go, is anyone else bothered by the new code you have to put in to leave comments on people's blogs?  It's TWO WORDS.  One of the words is easy to read, and the other is some sort of special Spy protection that apparently requires fancy eyewear that I do not have in my collection of accessories.  I never get it right.  Then I have to try again, and it appears as if they are making it easier for me, but I don't get it that time, either.  I ALWAYS get it on the third try, but I think that's because the protection people have decided I'm just too dumb to do any hacking or hurting of one's blog, and they just let me in (and, in any case, I am too dumb to do any hacking or hurting of one's blog).  I think you should consider getting rid of that.  You just might get more comments that way.  Kristen over at Ladybug's Teacher Files has an easy tutorial to follow.  Check it out {HERE}.  Please think about this.  For my sanity.  I appreciate it.

So I'll be back tomorrow with those fun teddy bear documents, but probably not until after church and a brunch for a friend's birthday.  See you then!

How I Met My Hunny

Happy Wednesday!   It's raining here.  So I left school as soon as possible (I meant to leave at 3:00 right after PTT but, instead, I left at 4:00.  Which is not right after, but it's pretty darn good for me!), made some hot coffee, reunited with PJ, and sat down on the couch with a warm blanket.  HAPPY SIGH.

In honor of Valentine's Day (yes, I know that was yesterday and that some of you would like to forget about it, but just hold on), Chrissy at Buzzing with Ms. B. is having a linky party about How You Met Your Hunny.  I LOVE this.  I wanted to post it yesterday but that post was taken for Talk About It Tuesday.  And I didn't want anyone to get upset with me for delaying it.  So here I go.  I'm a little late to the party but I'm going!!!!  And by the way, if you don't follow Chrissy, get over there now and follow her.  She cracks me up!!!!  

SO!!!  Clear throat.  Cough.  Is this thing on?

How I Met My Hunny:

I was 18 and a freshman at a community college.  I worked at a telemarketing company because, back then, people were allowed to call you if they wanted to.  It didn't matter if you didn't want them to.  We called you anyway.  And cell phones didn't really exist for "regular people".  Maybe rich people, but not regular people so we called you at your home.  Usually during dinner.  I talked to some really nice people during the dinner hour.  No one was ever rude to me or anything.  

So, out of the blue one day, I saw this cute boy in a black truck drive into the parking lot.  He was blasting the song "Unchained Melody" by the Righteous Brothers from his car stereo.  (I actually just had to look that up.  I don't know who sings it.  I just know it's from the movie Ghost.  Which was very popular back then.)

This cute guy had "Unchained Melody" playing.  Not rap.  Not heavy metal.  Not even pop.  He had a romantic tune playing.  "Who is this guy?"  I would ask myself from the driver's seat of my Volkswagen Rabbit convertible (just like the girl's car in Can't Buy Me Love).  I'm pretty sure that Skid Row was playing from my car stereo.  Or Bon Jovi.  Or Poison.  

Once inside the building, I'd lose him.  "Where did he go?" I would ask myself as I called people to tell them that they had been selected to receive a free trip to Las Vegas or Big Bear.  I did all this while wearing Bongo jeans and a scrunchie in my hair.  I looked great.

That went on for about a week.  He would pull up in the parking lot, Unchained Melody playing, and then I'd never see him inside.  It was really strange.  A career in detective work was out of the question for me.  Obviously.

Until one day. 

ONE DAY.  

(You really ought to play Unchained Melody while you read this next part.  It would make it very dramatic.)

One day, I was between angry people phone calls, and I heard the most wonderful sound behind me.

A southern accent.  

To back up just a bit, I moved from Oklahoma to California in the middle of my junior year.  It was T.E.R.R.I.B.L.E.  The only thing that really saved me was my twin.  We ate lunch together.  Otherwise, I would have been by myself.  We were so homesick.  As a matter of fact, Kerry moved back to Oklahoma when we were 20 and has never lived here since (please pause while I grab a kleenex and sob into it).  I made a few friends in highschool here but not really (as in, I don't talk to anyone from my California high school anymore).  The boys were really friendly and the girls . . . notsomuch.

When I heard that southern accent behind me, I was momentarily transported back to Oklahoma and all of the really nice people there.  It felt like home.

I wish you could HEAR this next part because I'm going to talk in my accent for a minute.  Please just try to imagine.

I heard, "Hah.  Ahm callin' to let yooou know that yooou have bin select-ED to reCEive a trip . . . "

I waited until he was hung up on  finished with his call and then I turned around.

Lo and behold, it was Unchained Melody boy.  

CUTE CUTE CUTE Unchained Melody boy.

I said, "Ohmygosh, where are you from?!"

He replied, "TenneSSeeee."

I swooned.

I said, "Really??!!  Ohmygosh!  I'm from Oklahoma!!!"

He replied, "You know wot?  When we drove out here, we stopped in Oklahoma City and we stayed at a Holiday Een.  And you know wot?  It had a putt-putt golf course on the een-side!"

That was it.  Hook, line, and sinker.  He had me at TenneSSeeee.

I wish I could say we fell in love immediately and we've been together ever since, but that's not the case.  It took a little bit of timing.  I sort of touched on this topic before.  Let me be rot quick (sorry - still in accent mode) and tell you all about it.

1.  I had a long distance boyfriend in Oklahoma (the one with the last name of Little).

2.  He had a long distance girlfriend in Tennessee (and SHE was named after a toothpaste.  Really.  Try to guess which one).

3.  We became good friends.  We flirted.  A LOT.  We spent a lot of time together.  He paid for everything.  But we were just friends.

4.  I broke up with my long distance boyfriend (well, I didn't do it.  He didn't do it, either.  We just decided to break up since we weren't living in the same state and we were 19.)

5.  He broke up with his long distance girlfriend.

6.  He dated my one and only friend from my California high school.  Even though she knew I liked him.  She KNEW it.  

7.  About 8 months later, they broke up.

8.  We stayed friends (much to her dismay).

9.  About a year and a half after our initial meeting, we were watching Against All Odds (at my house.  On VHS) and there's this part in the movie where the main actress won't let the main actor kiss her.  And I said, "Oh, come on.  She's going to let him.  She's just fighting it for now, but she'll give in."

AND WHAM!  Hubby just pounced on me!  Seriously!  He came from out of nowhere.  It's possible I was sitting up and he just picked me up and threw me down, and planted a big one on me.  All I know is that I pushed and shoved him away.  I knew my one and only high school friend would hate me if I dated him AFTER her.  (Girl code and all that.  But we won't mention that she dated him even though she knew I liked him.  My lips are sealed.  No mention.)  So I fought him off (and he let me.  He's much bigger than me so I imagine he could have had his way with me, but he was a gentleman).

About a minute later, he pounced on me AGAIN!!!!

At that point, it was kind of late.  And I was kind of tired.  And I didn't have a lot of energy.  And I liked him.  I'd never not liked him.

So I let him.

And the chords of Unchained Melody swoop in and rise to a crescendo!!!!!!

And we lived happily ever after!  :) :) :)

The End

Epilogue:  High school friend was quite upset with me.  I didn't tell her for a whole month.  I kept it a secret.  And then I told her.  

She wrote me a 13 page letter (FRONT AND BACK!) and delivered it to my house.  When I opened the front door, she threw the letter at me (it hit my face!!!  really!!!!) and walked away.  Never seen her since.  I wish I had kept that letter!  I would put a couple of snippets in here for your reading pleasure.  But I didn't.  I read it and then I threw it away.  Let's just say, she was very very very very mad at me.  And she put it in writing.  And she repeated it for 13 pages (FRONT AND BACK!).

It's been a long time now.  

Are you thinking of me differently?  Do you think I broke Girl Code?  Do you think I'm a boyfriend stealer?  I sure hope not.  Because let's all remember that she went out with him when she knew I liked him.  Did I already tell you that?

And I won't go into the whole story of why my hubby asked her out in the first place.  

Okay, I will. 

I didn't want him to know I liked him so I acted like I didn't.  Meanwhile, my "friend" acted like she liked him ALL THE DANG TIME.  So . . . being the 17 year old that he was, he went for the sure thing.  He claims he never really liked her.  I tend to believe him.  Unless we're fighting.  And then I yell, "You asked so-and-so on a date before you asked me!!!!"  Sob, sob, sob and then he apologizes and I win whatever it is we were arguing about. :)

 How'd you meet your hunny???  Link up with Chrissy and tell me all about it.  And don't leave out any details!  I love details!  :)