Happy Merry Everything It’s Christmas Break And I Am Thrilled.
We get THREE weeks off.
I know.
I don’t really know why at all, except that our calendar is called “Modified Traditional” so Modified must mean an extra week of Christmas break which translates into a modified traditional school year is the best thing ever and I highly recommend it.
As soon as we return from Thanksgiving break, I start playing all my Christmas songs whenever I can. The Charlie Brown playlist is all instrumental so I usually play that in the morning when students first arrive. It just puts me in the best sort of mood.
I love the Chipmunks playlist because I’m a kid at heart, and it makes me happy so I play that all throughout the day.
Whenever we were doing any type of seat work (writing, math, art, Social Studies – anything), my kids would ask me to play Christmas music.
As happy as I am to be on break, I feel a little sad that I won’t get to hear these songs when we return.
WHAT IN THE WORLD IS WRONG WITH ME THAT I AM ALREADY FEELING NOSTALGIC FOR CHRISTMAS WHEN IT HASN’T EVEN HAPPENED YET.
Try living with me. I dare you.
I wanted to know why my forehead has wrinkles
when Laurie’s doesn’t (and she’s older than me – shhh).
She said she didn’t notice that at all.
She wanted to know why her head appeared to be larger than mine.
I said I didn’t notice that at all.
This is why we are such good friends.
This week was our school’s annual fundraiser and family night at Barnes and Noble. Every year, my partner, Laurie, and I read books to a loud crowd of children and their parents while they half heartedly listen and talk at the same time.
We read Gerald and Piggie books WITH PUPPETS this time.
I was Piggie and Laurie was Gerald and we.were.hilarious.
Hilarious, I said.
A bunch of other teachers (okay . . . one. One other teacher.) said we were a hard act to follow.
😉
Our principal and assistant principal gave each of us a nice warm blanket for Christmas! How cute is that tag?
Blankets were stuffed into each of our boxes and I saw that a couple of teachers received blankets with paw prints on them . . . and believe you me, it took everything in me not to do some Tag Switcheroo Business.
I mean.
I’m talking everything in me.
This was after I’d given all of my kids their Junie B. books (presents from me) and after I’d made a whole big speech about if you already have the book I gave you, consider giving away the other one you own since I wrote a nice message to you on the inside of this one, and it can be a keepsake for when you are old and gray so you don’t forget about me since most kids only remember their high school teachers and lowly primary teachers can barely be recalled to the surface of your brain.
So I did not switch the tags of the blankets to get the one I really wanted in an effort to be a good example.
One night this week, I went to my mom’s for chili and cookie decorating with my sister and brother. We missed you, Kerry!
We always start off super strong on our decorating and make sure to make some fabulous snowmen with buttons and eyes and scarves, and trees with ornaments and ribbons, and stars with who-knows-what, and by the time we reach the end of the five million cookies, we are slapping frosting on them and saying someone might just want a plain cookie, someone might not want any sprinkles, it can happen, is this pile of cookies ever going to end, I can’t take it, why did I say I would do this, why was I looking forward to this all day, didn’t I remember that last year it was never ending, why do I never learn?!
But we finished. We always do.
My brother’s dog, Knuckles, and I were fighting to sit by the fire, so we finally compromised with me on the hearth, and him on my legs. He’s a cuddle bug and enjoys fires. It’s the cutest thing.
Last, my parent’s house is always decorated the same on the outside. ALWAYS. Red lights on the roof, green lights around the windows, and white lights in the trees and bushes. No matter which house, which street, which state.
So even though I’ve never lived in this house – they bought it after I was married – it still feels like home and is really the only place I want to celebrate Christmas. Every year, my mom says one of us girls will have to take over and have it at our house, but I just don’t want that.
Shoulder shrug.
What can I say?
My mom always buys my class a Christmas present. It is usually something for Fun Friday. And this year did not disappoint.
My kids freaked out.
They were screaming.
And then they said they would be fighting over it.
Which, really, when you think about it, is the highest compliment you can give someone.
So we called my mom to thank her and tell her that we would be fighting over it.
😉
And that wraps up this week.
And so begins . . . CHRISTMAS VACATION!
That's so sweet of your mom! Hope you have a great Christmas, Kristin!!
Holly 🙂
Sounds wonderful! I hope you enjoy your Vacation! Three weeks sounds awesome. I still teach this week…til 3:30 Dec 23rd. I will deep breathe then, if I make it!! merry Christmas!
I would love to receive a blanket as a gift…what a great idea!
I loved reading this. It gave me a giggle ? Have a great Christmas break!
What a great post! Glad you had a good last week. Enjoy your time off! Merry Christmas!
I love that your mom buys your class a gift for Christmas! I'm going to keep this in mind if my little ones ever become teachers!! Thanks!