Ten Hundrededy Five

Jimmy Kimmel gets it. He gets how pure and naturally funny kids are. Pure. Funny without trying.

Proof That Sugar Is Addictive

A Much Needed Laugh...

I would be lying if I told you that the transition from the last job to the current one has been nothing but smooth.  There are so many things I love about my new job.  But it has been a big change for all of us involved. 

The ladies that worked at the store that Magpies bought out, have had to adapt to new management and new employees, new rules, same place but different store.  I'm sure they feel invaded.


The new owner has a 2 hour commute...1 hour there and 1 hour home stealing from her family time.  As well, she left another location where all her closest friends still remain.


The manager has had major life adjustments these past few months including getting married and getting pregnant and moving out to Cypress.  She also left her good friends in the big city.



The other new employee besides me is a longtime employee of Magpies but transferred out to Cypress...so she, too, left long-time friends behind.  

So while I had a peace about leaving a job that I loved and I thank God for this new job falling in my lap, it hasn't been all that easy. My changes aren't all bad...quite the contrary.  I'm making new friends, but I miss my old ones.  I'm working different hours but I'm adapting. I am loving my Mondays off.  But I did work for the last 7 years with 5 year olds.  And those kids were my chaos and my daily hugs.  And they made me laugh.

I miss laughing.  I know I sound like a broken record.  But it's so true.  I have got to have laughter...it's like oxygen to me.

I had a long talk the other night with one of my "teacher" friends.  She told me some funny kid stories and I expressed to her how much I am missing all of that.  She showed me some love the next day by sending me some pictures. 

Ahh....a much needed laugh.  Thanks my friend! 

I get by with a little help from my friends.

Happy Halloween!

Get Me Outta Here!

Not the real kid

Today was the first day of school and my day off at Magpies so I promised my teacher/friends that I would come help out with kindergarten lunch.  By the time I got there at noon, the teachers and kids seemed to be handling the first day pretty well.

Except one little boy...who could be heard crying from 2 rooms away.  Apparently he had been crying all morning...off and on...louder and softer....but never stopping completely.  I promised him I would find a sticker if he would quit crying and that worked for a few minutes.  But then he cranked back up.

Twenty minutes later in the cafeteria....I am helping him through the line...he's crying the whole time.  Ignoring, ignoring, ignoring....just going through the motions of getting his lunch and walking to his table....showing him where to sit.  Then I move on to help others.  Happy others.

While still crying at the lunch table, I went up to him again and tried to console him.  Everyone else who had handled him was pretty frazzled by now....including me and I had only been there 30 minutes.

Me:  You need to eat or you're going to be so hungry.

Him:  waaaaaa......I'm not hungry..........waaaaahhhhhhhhhhhh.

Me:  You really need to eat....so stop crying.  The day will be over soon.

Him:  waaaaaa......Call my mom.....tell her I'm bad......             I don't care.....            tell her anything........       waaaaa.........                                just get me outta here!            waaaaaaaa

Okay...I'm not laughing about his crying ....but you have to admit that's pretty funny.  Tell her I'm bad...I don't care....


And just so you know, back in the classroom after lunch I actually saw him not crying.  Of course, I got to leave so not sure how long he stayed that way.


Yes, I miss that stuff. 

But walking out to my car in the most dreadful heat permeating off the cement...sweat rolling down my face and neck...I smiled to think I didn't have to do car duty ever again. 

A squeeerul.....whee!

Jordan sent this video to us....saying it reminded her of Cameron.  And yes, it did.  Cameron picked up lots and lots of wounded and dead animals when she was little.  I was positive she would either grow up to be a veterinarian or die of some sort of bird disease.  But as we all know now....neither of those came true.  I cannot get enough of this video.

Remove all small children from the room.....at one point the mom drops the F bomb.  (my favorite part...ha)

Foreign Roses

I received a few gifts from some of the kids in kindergarten on those last couple of days.  The look on their faces is "gift" in itself...as they bring their gift to me with the biggest smile on their face.  I like to let them open it for me....because really that's what they want to do. 


One thing I received was a small hanging basket with a pink rose bush in it.  A tee tiny rose bush.  Would that be a bush?  Or a plant? 


The boy that gave it to me was so proud of it, and kept explaining it to me.

Him:  It's roses.

Me:  I see that!  They're so pretty.

Him:  They're pink.

Me:  I love them!

Him:  They're foreign.

Me:  Foreign?

Him:  Uh....I mean fornen.

Me:  Fornen?

Him:  Forny.

Me:  Forny?

Him:  Yeah....see?  (As he points to the thorns.)

Me:  Yes, they are!  I better be careful.

It was all I could do not to squeeze him tight.  So proud of that little plant.  That foreign little plant.  So fornen.  Yet so forny.


And speaking of pretty plants....I received a basket of flowers from one of the moms at our school on the last day.

This mom gives a lot of her time to our school and there seems to be no end to her energy or generosity.  This mom takes all of our lost and found jackets and coats home and washes and dries them and brings them back to school on hangers to hang on a special hanging cart that her carpenter husband made. 

Do you know why she does this?

Because she knows the kids won't look through a pile of jackets but maybe they will find their lost items if they're hanging.  How thoughtful is that?  I don't even begin to think like that.  But she does.


She is a blessing to that school and one little regret I have about leaving is that her second son is coming to kindergarten next year.  I know he will do great, but I sure would have liked to get to know him...as I have watched him grow the last 4 years as he tagged along up to the school with his mama.

She will never fully know how much that gesture of finding me in the hall on that last day to give me a basket of fresh flowers made me feel.  Thanks Tori!

Goodbye School, Hello Summer

School's out for summer.

I'm out for good.

Or for sad.

Or for a new chapter. 

I am always very melancholy the last few days of the school year so this sadness is right on schedule.  We spend a lot of time with the kids...bonding and teaching and loving them.  And then they're gone.  Like little puppies that are ready to be weaned from their mama....those kindergartners are ready for first grade.  

And my co-workers...like combat soldiers in the trenches together...we have a connection.  This kindergarten team is my team.  They are my people.  My tribe. My troop.

And so the sadness I am feeling is just "end of school" sadness.  Topped with some "I'm not part of that team anymore because I resigned" sadness.


Just so you know, I'm really okay.  I am.  I know good things are in store for me...because while I may be a daily pessimist (or realist, as I refer to myself), I'm a lifetime optimist. Things always work out.



I am one to claim "happy" and name it when it happens...so I must claim "sad" and name it when it happens.  I am not a cryer.  And right about now I could use a really good, ugly crying spell.  I need the release.

I took a few pictures the last couple of days of the things I love about kindergarten that I will miss the most.  I wish I could capture the noise that comes with these photographs. Because it's the noise I love.

Goodbye snaggle toothed grins.

(I had to fight the impulse to pull many of those.)

Goodbye creative messes and coloring outside of the lines.

Goodbye little eyeglasses and Sponge Bob glasses cases. 

Goodbye sassy sandals and polished toes.

Goodbye little boys who write on furniture with crayons....and sign their name.

Goodbye perpetually untied shoes.

Goodbye sweet little girl who minds so well.

Goodbye little flip-flops that have been played in so hard...

and that last little bit of toenail polish hanging on for dear life.

Goodbye sparkly shoes.

Goodbye checkered shoes.

Goodbye fashion statements.

Goodbye princess accessories.

It's been a great ride.

*****

My team treated me to a fajita dinner at one of their homes. I received lots of "beach themed" gifts and cards full of kind words.  We had fun...as we always do. I appreciate it so much because I know how hard it was to coordinate that gathering and purchase the gifts and food at this hectic time of year.  Just that they gave up their evening to be there is appreciated. 

Love in action.

And I will have the cutest beach towels, beach hats, beach bags, plastic wine glasses

 and magazines in Destin this summer.

One teacher apologized for not going with the beach theme...but instead gave me a cross for my wall. She typed a long letter to me about why she gave me the cross...

Part of her letter quoted...

The girls may be upset with me because my gift does not really fit the theme they were working toward.  When I thought of a gift for you I could not help but think of the words you said so often because they hold so much meaning to me.

"This is our ministry, you would say."

"They are only five.  They have only been on this earth for five years."

(my words quoted by her)

*****

Let that be what I left behind.

Don't ever forget...they are only five.

And you have been given this ministry because He knew you could do it well.

Cute Apartment and Monkey

I asked Cameron to send me a few pictures of her apartment and along with those pictures were a few more of Sasha, the monkey.

Cameron was almost all unpacked when we left there yesterday evening.  Just her closet (5 large boxes!) and a few accessories and various other stuff to store away.  The good news is it's all at her new place ~ and not here.  ha.

As you can see, her loft apartment is rather open but yet separated. She bought a dark wicker screen to use as a door when necessary. 

The kitchen is all unpacked and set up.  The only thing missing is food. 

Okay....I'm going to admit this on here.  I miss her already...and I haven't gone in to her room to take an AFTER picture.  I'll do that this weekend.  It might hit me that she's really all grown up and moved out when I see that empty room.

So for a "baby" fix, here's some more sweet monkey Sasha.

This is my makeup bag that she reached in my purse and grabbed.  It was zipped closed, she opened it immediately and started digging around in it.

I tried to distract her with my cell phone.  She messed with it a little then went back to my purse.

Eating the apple....and posing for a picture.

*****

There's only 4 more days of school.  I haven't been thinking about the number of days because I am leaving the parking lot that day for the last time....as a full time employee.  I honestly just want to sneak out on my own that afternoon....and act as if nothing is changing.

Today, at 3:00 pm when the kindergarteners are packed up and ready to pick a Free Center (Developmental Learning....blocks, art, kitchen, doll babies) one little boy asked his teacher if I was available for him to choose for Free Centers.

And she sent him to me and he asked, "Are you available today for me to come in here for Free Centers?"

And I responded, "Absolutely......what shall we do?"

He said, "You pick."

As I said, I am not giving the last day a lot of thought.

I am going to miss this part terribly.

I may have to go buy something at Gallery Furniture on a weekly basis so I can play with Sasha.

 

Good Friday, almost

Sometimes I walk in to a classroom and take over.  Yesterday, as one of the teachers was handling a problem, I took over the "calendar time" because the other natives were getting restless on the floor.

Me:  Today is..........        (and they all say with me) WEDNESDAY.......APRIL.....the 20th......TWO THOUSAND ELEVEN. 

They sing the April song to me.  We look back at the calendar and talk about how many school days we have had so far in April. 

We talk about what will TOMORROW be? 

And then I point out that Friday will be a holiday.

Me:  It's called Good Friday.  Of course, any Friday that we don't have school is GOOD! 

Him:  Mrs. H, my mama said it's a holiday because that's the day Jesus was crucified.  And Easter Sunday is the day he was resurrected.  And that gives us all the hope for new life.

Me:  That's right.  It's a big day for Christianity......for those of us who love and believe.





And we moved on. 

But, I thought you should know God still exists in public schools.  He's too big to keep out. 

What I'm Going to Miss

I've never really been able to keep my mouth shut.  If you tell me something, you better tell me it's a secret and then and only then will I lock it away.  Flush it, actually.  Really.... I mentally "flush" it. 

But unless you've talked to me in the last week, there's something I haven't told you.

I resigned from my job, effective June 2. 

Why? 

Budget cuts, don't work for the insurance, seemed like the right time, others would get cut, bleeding heart for others, Chuck's support, time for change, control of change, moving on seemed right, feeling restless.  Pick one. 

I just felt a nudge.  There are a lot of changes taking place in public school.....being driven by budget cuts and billion dollar deficits.  My job was safe but the position wasn't.  What I had was coming to an end and it felt like time to exit.

I've always been the "jump into the deep end and hope I can swim" type.  I know things will work out......somehow. 

I quit one job without having another one waiting so that is jumping into the deep end.  Hoping I can swim.  I will find something.  But I know it will never be as sweet and as great as what I had.  These past 7 years have been wonderful.   And I'm going to miss a lot of things.

What I'm going to miss:

• The kids
• The teachers
• The hours
• The Holiday and Spring breaks...and summers off
• The frenzy
• The laughter
• The hugs
• The commute ....5 minutes

And this........

Walking through a kindergarten classroom late this afternoon, I heard this....

One boy telling his teacher while pointing to another boy....

Him:  He just said the A word with hole after it.

I kept moving.  That's the beauty of my job....I get to laugh and keep moving


I will miss that kind of stuff the most.

Are you hiring?

Precious Baby

My cousin Suzanne's granddaughter is a precious little girl named Ocean.   The first time I met Ocean she was about 3 1/2 years old.  She had the vocabulary and the wisdom of a child much older.  I was mesmerized by her.  Most children have a vivid imagination and if you listen closely to their "play" it will take you back to your childhood and those days of innocence.  Listening to Ocean was that way, only better because she was so uber imaginative. 

Ocean's mom and dad have posted some videos of her on youtube but the one below is my absolute favorite.  With her mama's permission I give you baby Ocean. 





Even little porcelain doll babies throw up.


I love the way the daddy is laughing.......'cause if that had been the daddy at our house, he would have been throwing up.  In fact, Chuck had to leave the room when I showed him the video. 

Bugs

Learning about insects in kindergarten.

  Antenna, head, thorax, abdomen, wings, 6 legs.

Color them, catch them, cut them out of paper. 

I thought I knew all I needed to know about bugs.



Until today.


Him:  You know how to tell an insect from a bug?

Me:  How?

Him:  An INsect is a bug that's INside.  But if it's not INside, it's a bug.

I get it now. 

March Madness

As of yesterday at 4:00 pm, Spring Break began!  There's a lot of nothing going on around here but I have 2 college kids in the house this morning and a week of relaxation in front of me making me a little giddy. 

A couple of  other things that are making me giddy.....

First thing...

Yesterday I was working with one little boy....one on one.....because this particular boy cannot finish his work in the classroom.  Ever.  As in "no finished product thus far this year" unless he is assisted by someone.  This boy is sweet, cute and smart.  But his focus is always on anything but the paper in front of him.  He can spend 20 minutes staring into his crayon box with a wondering look on his face like, "what did I come in here for?"  Boy, do I relate to that.

This boy also has a lot of spit in his mouth.  Like the kind of spit that makes bubbles and hangs at the edges of his tongue and the corners of his mouth.  We might too, if we didn't have the involuntary mechanism to swallow now and then. 

So as I'm working with him, he looks up to say something to me and a huge spit ball flies out of his mouth and on to my sleeve....right below my shoulder.  I see it flying out with my peripheral vision, but I continue to look at his eyes. 

He looks at my eyes, at my sleeve, at my eyes, at my sleeve, at my eyes, at my sleeve.

Me:  (with a smile and a very nice voice)  You just spit on me didn't you?
 (not fussing, just asking)

Him:  (looks me in the eye, looks at my sleeve, looks me in the eye, looks at my sleeve)

He never said a word.....just all that eye movement for like 30 seconds.

We just moved on.........but I'm still laughing about that. About his eyes darting back and forth...at me, at the spit, at me, at the spit.  And the good news is he finished his work in record time with me sitting on him (figuratively speaking).


Second thing.......

Lady Antebellum last night!  70,000 of us were in an intimate setting to watch the concert.  I wish I would have brought my good camera with the zoom lens and my binoculars...but all I had was the camera on the cell phone.  



In my head, I still feel like the young girl I was....but it's times like this that I realize I have aged and am over some of this kind of stuff.  It took longer to get to the rodeo and get home from the rodeo than the whole thing lasted.  Lots and lots of being herded into lines.......lines of cars in traffic on the freeways to waiting to get on the Metro Rail to walking in lines to get in to Reliant Park........blah, blah, blah..........then within a couple of hours reverse it and do it all again.  Getting 70,000 people in to this place and out of this place takes a lot of lines.  Moooooooooo.  Moooooooo.  I know how cattle feel.

We were treated to some great food and cold beer and leather seats....so I am thankful for that.  Just wish I would have brought my binoculars.  If you're going to see something like this...I like to see the detail. 

It's amazing to watch the transformation of the place from being a rodeo arena one moment then a concert arena next.  Modern technology.  High tech rodeo. 

One last thing....my eyes.

I got glasses in 3rd grade, contacts in 7th grade and Lasik eye surgery at the age of 41.  I was legally blind without correction and the Lasik surgery was the best thing I ever spent money on.  I have loved being contacts or glasses free for the last 12 years.  But recently I have been squinting to see detail and my night vision is worse.  I have an appointment with an opthamologist on Monday (whoo hoo!  Spring Break outing!). My eyes are dry and my vision clears up as soon as I put drops in.........but the second the drops are dissolved....which only takes seconds.......my vision is about 20/40.  Not so bad....but not so clear either.  If I'm going somewhere at night and I need to see the name of a street in a neighborhood, I'm crawling up to the intersection like the little old lady who only takes her Cadillac out on Sunday mornings.

So last night I dream that I go to the eyeglasses place and spend hours picking out some frames.  As I go up and down the walls of frames, there is a little dog hanging around me.  I ask about him and they say I can have him because he just showed up there.

I leave without the dog because I know Chuck will be so mad if I come home with a dog.......then the place calls to tell me my glasses are ready and I'm so excited to pick them up! 

I get there and they are clear glass in the frames.  Yep.  I picked out the frames BEFORE I went to the eye doctor.  ha. 

That was one scary dream....because the dream continues and I had to tell Chuck that I got the frames before the prescription.  I just knew he wasn't going to understand.....so I spent a good part of the dream scheming how I was going to tell him about this mix-up.  Oh, and how I was going to tell him about the lost dog that I ended up bringing home with the new frames.  How could I not...it was still there....and was so happy to see me when I returned.

Whew........it is said that our dreams are made while filing away all of our conscious and subconscious thoughts.  True here.  I've been thinking alot about this eye doctor appointment and mourning the thought that I will be going back to glasses or contacts...and one of my co-workers lost her dog for 24 hours this week and we were all in pain for her.  An honest person found it and the dog was returned. 

My dream was a huge mix of all of this.  Sorry to bore you with it here...but I wanted to write this one down. 

It's also funny that I worried about Chuck getting mad.  That guy doesn't get mad.  But if there is anything that gets him a little grumpy....it would be spending money wastefully (my full time hobby ...wink) and too many animals in this house (hello?  Have you met our family pets?).

To all my good friends and co-workers in the area.......I hope you have a wonderful week off! Here's hoping the days are long...in a good way. 

Giddy Up Cowboy!

All things Texas this week in kindergarten.  Wednesday was Texas Independence Day and the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo is in town.  It might surprise most of you outside of Texas to know that not all Texans ride horses and rope cattle.  But we can put on our boots and bandannas and head to the rodeo and act like cowboys and cowgirls for at least a week or two out of the year.

Chuck and I have been invited to attend the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in an executive suite in Reliant Stadium next week to see the rodeo and Lady Antebellum in concert.  That's how we do the rodeo in Houston, Texas.  Airconditioned suites, giant screen t.v.'s and all you can eat buffet.  And the shopping!  Miles of shopping in the Reliant Center.  It's tougher to be a cowgirl than you think.

Our invitation was to either attend on a Tuesday evening or a Friday evening.  I immediately said Friday because this cowgirl doesn't do late nights on Tuesdays....no matter how good those cowboys look in their tight Wranglers.  I found out after choosing Friday that the band would be Lady Antebellum.  I bought their c.d. this week so I could listen to their songs....other than their hit song "I Need You Now."
Last night while on our way out to eat, I plugged in the c.d.  Chuck asked who it was....I told him Lady Antebellum...the band that's playing next Friday when we're there.  He said he recognized the song. 

And then he said with a sigh of relief, "Oh, good.  I thought it was Lady GAGA we were going to see."

Pop culture and Chuck don't really mix.

So back to the kids....
 

Thursday's Listening Lesson: A Cowboy

This was one of the most complicated lessons yet.  Lots and lots of pieces of construction paper involved....meaning there were a lot of scraps left behind from cutting the previous pieces.  The finished work is always so telling.  Some hang in there for the whole activity.  Some just start doing their own thing.  Some excel in cutting and gluing.  Some would rather be doing anything but cutting and gluing. 

A cowboy has 8 seconds to hang on to the raging bull let out of the pen.  See which cowboy you think made it and which ones got thrown.....

Thrown....lost one arm and a boot. Remaining arm dislocated. 

 Looks a little scrambled but still smiling. 

Probably that heart flower on his hat that makes him happy. 

 Thrown...Lost his vest, his leg, his gun holster and his bandanna....but still smiling.

This is one tough cowboy.

Thrown...Despite his very tiny head and elephant legs, this cowboy survived.

Who knew Jason with the Hockey Mask from the Friday the 13th series was a cowboy?

I bet the bull was scared of this cowboy.

If you can't find a crayon for the eyes and nose, just dig a hole with your pencil.  

Thrown....but survived with only a scattered bandanna

....and some floppy bunny ears.

And we have a winner!  8 seconds on the bull and still on...

half a bandanna...but the rest intact.

*****

I was feeling real good and real manly. 

 Until a real cowboy walked by and

told me I had my hat on backwards. 

 So much for my career as a cowboy.

~ Michael Biehn ~

American Actor

George

George Washington's birthday is February 22.  And it is this

 that we celebrate all these years later.......

now just called President's Day. 

In honor of George, the kids learned some facts about him today. 

Then they wrote 3 of those facts on a hat fashioned

 like the Liberty caps worn in George's day. 

 

Fact 1:  He is the fodr (of our country).

Fact 2:  Gorg Woshingtn marreed Mrdu. (Martha)

It was probably at this point, that Martha took over. 

 Because we all know behind every great man is a wife telling him what to do.

Listening to the lessons this morning, I also learned that George was a farmer and liked to fish.  Probably out of necessity rather than hobby.  They didn't have Taco Bell or Kentucky Fried Chicken back then.  If you wanted it, you grew it or fished for it.

We really do owe our ancestors so much.  We are the spoiled rotten off-spring for sure.

Next up....Western Day.  For those not familiar with

 this time of year in Houston.....it's Rodeo time. 

 And whether you own a ranch, herd cattle or ride horses,

 this is the time of year that you dress like you do. 

On a little side note:  Chuck had the flu so this weekend was spent dodging him and spraying Lysol in his path.  I had the shot so I am hoping that protects me.  He will get the shot from now on, I assure you.  He was sick and not happy about it.  

I smell Play-Doh... it must be Friday

On Friday mornings, the kindergartners get to play with Play-Doh after they come in and finish their very important morning jobs....unpack, sign in and move their lunch clip. 

 So the smell of Play-Doh is in the air and it means the weekend is just hours away.  Ahhhhh.

Shortly after the morning announcements and the pledges to the flags of the United States and Texas, one of the teachers came to show me what one of the students had made with Play-Doh this morning.  The teacher was grinning and the student was beaming with pride. 

 This blog post fell in my lap. 

Me:  What is it?

Girl:  It's Baby Jesus on his birthday cake.

 Me:  What is that?  (And you know what I'm referring to....)

Girl:  That's his birthday candle.

Me:  (nodding my head to the girl while pulling my mind back out of the gutter...)

Then pointing to the things up by Baby Jesus' head, I asked......

Me:  And what are these?

Girl:  Tacos.

(duh)

Who knew Baby Jesus ate tacos?

More like slept on a bed of tacos.

Honestly, I am still studying this picture and trying to see a birthday candle when I look at it.

************

And while I have you here, may I be the first to wish you a

Happy Presidents' Day!

February 21, 2011

The 2011 Edition.

Sugar Happened

Yesterday was the big Valentine's Day Party.  Other school districts had it earlier on Friday...but ours was on the actual day. 

A Monday.

A party on a Monday.

A party with lots of sugar on a Monday.

I don't think you need to be told how Tuesday went. 

Sugar happened.

A chocolate cupcake topped with lard and sugar. 

A side of goldfish to cut the sugar.

Washed down with juice....sugar water if you will.

 Candy Conversation Hearts.  "Text me."  Really.  It says that.

A Valentine craft.

Valentine Mailboxes.




Today was about coming off of sugar.

Headaches anyone?

If you ask most people what was one of their favorite days in their elementary years...
they most likely will say Valentine's Day. 

If you ask a teacher, she will most likely forget how fun it was as a child
 because she's suffered through a few of them as a teacher.

 

It's always fun to get the kids hanging from the ceiling. 

But bringing them down can be hard.


Next up. 
Western Day.


By the way, I asked Chuck how Valentine's Day was at his work. 
He said noone even mentioned the word.

That sums up the different worlds we work in.

Sore Throat

The kindergartners bundled up and endured a short recess out in the 32' weather.  Coming in, they were red-cheeked little whiners.  All of them were complaining about how cold it was!

I was handing out the sympathy comments left and right until one walked by me crying.

Me:  What's wrong?
 
Nate:  (can't talk...crying too hard)

Me:  Try to stop crying and tell me what happened.

Nate:  Jake hurt my feelings.

Me:  Well, tell him he hurt your feelings.  Let's go find him.

After finding Jake.....

Me:  Jake you hurt Nate's feelings...can you tell him you're sorry?

Jake:  Well........(he starts crying, too) he hurt my feelings.

Third Boy pipes in:  Jake hurt my feelings, too...

AND he made my throat sore because I had to yell at him so loud.

Me:  (Made eye contact with the teacher to let her know it was all hers.....and left the room)



We don't handle the cold very well.  Apparently our feelings are extra sensitive at 32'.

Recipe for Chaos

*Take 180 kindergarten kids and place their hand-made hats on their heads...

the  hats that have 10 strips of contruction paper with 10 things on each strip.

Because it's the 100th DAY OF KINDERGARTEN!

*Plan a Round Robin Day...where each class rotates to a different classroom every 25 minutes to do a different activity pertaining to the number 100. 

The teachers stay in their own class and the kids move around. 

This drives them extremely crazy because.....

wow.....they've never been in this classroom before!

By now they should be hopping around.

*Add to the mix, Western Square Dance Day!  The P.E. classes have been hard at work learning square dances and line dances and today was the day for the parents to attend the show.  Mix 100 Day hats and western attire thoroughly.  Add in parents coming to school.  The chaos is almost at an all time high.

 *To the 100 Day hats and Western attire/Square Dancing in front of parents, add in the possibility of a "snow day" coming.  This is especially exciting to the teachers who are becoming more and more frazzled by the minute.  Now the teachers are giddy at the thought of a day at home in their pjs. 

 Giddy teachers and excited kindergarteners make for perfect chaos.

*Just one more item needed.......

....a 100 Day snack mix.....hand-made by each child. 

You will know that chaos has been reached

when you hand them their own bag of snack mix.

The squeals are ear piercing. 

You would think it was a meal fit for a king. 

Chaos has been accomplished.

Oh......and it was also Groundhog's Day.

  But who had time to care?