Memories of Purple Dittos - ProTeacher Community

Memories of Purple Dittos

As a veteran teacher of more than 2 decades, I've seen things change tremendously in education. From chalkboards to whiteboards to Smartboards, things in our classrooms are always evolving and never stagnant. Nor should they be stagnant. How am I doing things differently this year? What changes really work? What doesn't work? I'll let you know...

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	Delights of Autumn by: Toni, 10-21-2009 As the days continue to get shorter, I have to take a moment to enjoy the elements of autumn all around us. The trees here are starting to turn glorious shades of gold, and the honeysuckle in my yard is a purplish red cascade on the fence. All of the farm stands are loaded down with pumpkins and apples. We are all trying to make decisions about Halloween costumes. The best part of autumn -- the piles of candy- pumpkin shaped Reese cups and black & orange M&Ms! 1 Comments
	Back to the routine by: Toni, 08-30-2009 After a summer of enjoying the freedom of almost no schedule, having time to sleep late, do errands when I wanted, and stay up crazy late, I now have to get back in the routine of getting up early, going to bed early and confining most of the errands to weekends. This is soooo hard. I know as we get older that our body clocks don't bounce back the way they used to (truthfully, nothing bounces back the way it used to ) I find myself lying in bed on Sunday evenings, wishing I had just 1 more Monday to sleep late, but I know that is only wishful thinking. Yeah, I know Labor Day is just around the corner, but that will be a get up & get ready for the hoopla morning. I think I need one of those cool little hour glass necklaces from "Harry Potter." I could sleep late, and then adjust the time so I could be at school on time. I'll put one on my Christmas list. 1 Comments
	Happy 4th of July! by: Toni, 07-04-2009 Today is a busy day for some, a relaxing day for others. We are starting the day with a birthday party for a friend's son, and then a pool party & barbeque later on. In between, we have to find time to give the dog her "birthday" cookie. My dog is a rescue dog/pound puppy and so we celebrate her birthday on the 4th since that is the day we brought her home from the pound. We knew she was about a year old, so we just went forward from that day. The people at the pound weren't real happy that we showed up bright & early to get her, but it was the day she could be released and we just couldn't bear the thought of her staying at the pound one more minute! It's been 9 years & she is still the best dog ever. For her birthday, she has a Big Scary Kitty Cookie with her name on it. There's a local bakery that does animal-safe cookies & treats, so DD insisted we get one for the dog, since she was turning 10! Remember, keep your pets where they won't be able to get out if they are scared of the noises from the fireworks. Keep them cool if you are having hot weather. Take care of our 4-legged friends. 0 Comments
	Search and Recovery Mission by: Toni, 06-29-2009 I hate having to do this! I usually have to do it 2-3 times a year, and always on a Tuesday. Recover what? My mini-dumpster! Tuesday morning, I put out the mini-dumpster and the recycling bin as usual, out at the curb, but on the street the way the city wants. I took DD to her tennis lesson, and as we were getting ready to head back home, the sky literally opened up! I'll bet it rained like crazy for a good 30 minutes- that hard, pounding rain that fills the streets and overwhelms the irrigation/flood control management system. When it finally let up, we drove home to find that there were no trash cans outside the house any longer. My neighbors' cans were lying in the street, turned over, but they WERE there! So, I get in the car and head down the main street, looking for my dumpsters. I found the recycle bin 2 blocks away in the parking lot of the fireworks stand. I flipped down the back seat in the station wagon and put it in the back. I drove all the way down the street, looking for the big, black dumpster used for regular trash. Past the gas station, past McDonalds, past the hair salon, and almost to the high school. No luck. I circle back around by my house and drive down again. EUREKA! There it was- some kind soul had put it on the sidewalk of the Unitarian Church. I manage to kind of stuff it in the back, and drive slowly home with the liftgate open. Of course, I am wet, slightly dirty, and so tired of doing this. It happens because my city goes from the foothills of the mountains to the river valley. Water runs downhill. I am on the downhill side of the street, as well as being at the corner, so all the water from up the street and acroos the street hits in front my house. Truthfully, where the city wants the dumpsters to sit is too close to the corner/intersection. I think I'll be moving them farther away from that spot, and they'll just have to live with it. Unless they want to replace my dumpsters every few months because they were washed away. Finding the mini-dumpster when the teenagers down the block roll it over the post office is a whole 'nother story. 2 Comments
	Trip to DC by: Toni, 06-25-2009 We just got back late Saturday from a trip to Washington, DC. It was someplace I had always wanted to visit, but had never had the opportunity until now. My hubby and I waited until our daughter would be old enough to go with us, and really get something out of the trip. We stayed in Annapolis- DH sometimes has business in the area, so we went with a place where he was familiar. On Monday, we had a chance to tour Annapolis, the harbor, see the Maryland State House, the Governor's home, and a little bit of the Naval Academy. The architecture is so charming, but very different from where I live in the southwest. The weather was different, too. I'm just not used to any humidity- although it was a nice change not using lotion 24/7! We went shopping at an outlet mall in Leesburg the next day. It was definitely the biggest outlet mall I have been to in a long time. DD loved the t-shirts, shorts & headband we got for her, as well as the tennis shoes for her summer sports. I know they say the economy is bad, but that place was busy- people carrying bulging shopping bags from lots of stores. The next day, we drove to the train station, and took the Metro into the city. DD has never ridden anything like the Metro before, so she was nervous & excited at the same time. At the Federal Triangle station, we got off and went to the Museum of American History. Seeing Dorothy's ruby slippers and the Star Spangled Banner were the highlights of the day. The exhibit on Lincoln and the toll the presidency took on him was very powerful. Our next stop was the White House. As we stood on the corner on Pennsylvania Avenue, a motorcade roared by. So many black SUVs and limos! The cop at the gate said it was the VP. We saw the WH, but it would have been nice to have gotten a little closer. I love the fact that they are keeping bees on the lawn! We went to the Washington Monument, and went to the top. The views were incredible! We had just a little time to pop in the Museum of Nat'l History before it was time to leave. The blue whale hanging from the ceiling was just too cool. The next day, we saw most of the monuments- the Lincoln Memorial, the Vietnam Veterans memorial, the WWII memorial, the Jefferson monument, the FDR memorial, and the Iwo Jima statue. Of course, that was the day it rained on and off all day long- absolutely poured for a while. Later, I sat and wrung out my socks! On our last full day, we went to the Air & Space Museum, the National Archives and the International Spy Museum. DH enjoyed the A&S Museum- he's a WWII buff, but I loved the National Archives. Getting to see the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and the Bill of Rights was inspiring. When I taught the intermediate grades, Social Studies/US History was my favorite subject to teach. The next morning, we packed & headed for the airport. We decided that Washington was worthy of a return trip sometime in the future, that the crab we ate was delicious (who can turn down a chance to eat fresh crab daily??) and that we would be better prepared to feed the squirrels at Lafayette Park next time. By the way, squirrels will NOT eat Tic-tacs. 5 Comments
	Ahhh- the smell of melted wax! by: Toni, 06-02-2009 Now that the school year is over, it's time for DD and me to do one of our favorite activities- make crayons! We own a Crayola "Crayon Maker", with 3 different molds. It's a great way to reuse all those old stubs that everyone has this time of year. DD brings her crayons home, and I bring the tub full of stubbies that the kids were going to throw out. A little peeling of paper, and snapping of crayons, then we get ready to make swirled, funky, tie-dye crayons. DD loves to watch the crayons melt and the colors swirl together. I always make enough to give to my new students in the fall. They love them. I also feel good about recycling & reusing something that probably would be thrown away. 0 Comments
	"Wine is proof God loves us, by: Toni, 05-25-2009 and wants us to be happy." I know this isn't a real quote, just a version of the Benjamin Franklin quote concerning beer, but I think it is TRUE! There is a wine festival here this weekend, with offerings from all the local wineries. We went to the festival, even though the field was a bit wet & gooshy from the rain earlier in the day. Because of that, it wasn't too crowded. Once you have your souvenir glass, it's off to the tasting booths. We tasted reds, roses', whites, and even some sparkling wines. Some were heavenly; some were so bad I had to control myself from spitting out the mouthful right there in front of them. DH and I wandered around slowly, having some french bread, fruit & cheese, checking out the artisan booths, One booth had all things lavender- soaps, lotions, sprays, creams. It smelled heavenly. The booth selling specialty feta cheeses was very busy. I just tried 2 samples, and then made a purchase. The girl next to me at the counter tried every single one! She usually mumbled with a mouthful of bread & cheese what flavor she wanted to try next, tapping her fingernail in front of the sample. At least the bread soaked up all the booze she had consumed. As the festival closed, we walked to the car with our purchases, hoping to make it before the sky opened up again! Later that evening, we sat with friends, having Italian food, and I realized that "wine is proof God loves us and wants us to be happy!" 2 Comments
	Another one for the books by: Toni, 06-07-2009 That's what my grandpa used to say at the end of baseball season, when the winners & losers were clearly recognized, and things were put away. I think the same thing applies to teaching. We worked like crazy packing up the room (I'm moving to another room, but staying the same grade level), cleaning and enjoying a movie with snacks. Let's think about the winners...... 1. Me!! for making it through the year with some of the kids in my class 2. The kid who came in reading at DRA level A, and is now an 18..woohoo! 3. The kids who finally found a book series to read and love, because it speaks to them. 4. Our school- for the first year in many, many years, I have no children scoring "Emergent" in reading. We are definitely doing things right. Now the losers.... 5. The little girl who is moving- AGAIN! She has been to 5 schools in 3 years. I feel for her. 6. The kids whose parents never took homework seriously and wonder why their child doesn't have great reading scores. But then, maybe not. They possibly don't care about the grades either. 7. The kids who make such bad choices with a friend that they will be placed in different classes next year. I'm only afraid that they will make even worse choices with their new "friends." 8. The local school supply store/office supply. I won't buy anything for at least a month. Do you think it will hurt their profit margin? For now, I'm happy to enjoy a few days of relaxation & bliss. I know "training camp" will start soon enough. 2 Comments
	Authors as Mentors by: Toni, 05-06-2009 I haven't posted in a long time..... didn't realize it had been such a long time. We have been really busy with our writing. We are on Unit 5/Authors as Mentors. I was frustrated at first, when I couldn't find the books listed that were recommended. I decided to find my own authors to use as mentors. I started with Mem Fox's Night Noises and Tough Boris with comeback lines & ellipses. Then we read Kevin Henkes' Kitten's First Full Moon for more on comeback lines. Last week & this week, we've read When I Was Young In The Mountains by Cynthia Rylant and Alexander & the Terrible, Horrible, No Good Very Bad Day by Judith Viorst in the lesson on many small moments. If you are working on that unit, don't give up, just because you can't find the books that Lucy C. uses. We have combined writing lessons with a love of good literature! 1 Comments
	A Horde of Locusts by: Toni, 03-07-2009 Well, now that I think about it, it wasn't really a horde- just 3. And it wasn't even locusts. It was pre-teens! Thursday, one of DDs friends came home with us after school. He's a good kid- his mom is one of my co-workers & the kids have known each other since pre-school. We went to the pet store to get gerbil food, then right home. For an after school snack, they each had 2 wedges of Laughing Cow cheese & a sleeve of Ritz crackers, and a quart of milk (shared) . Then for dinner, they each had 2 servings of beef stroganoff, bread w/ butter, and a clementine. And of course, more milk. This is all consumed from 4 pm to 6 pm. Then a friend from down the street comes over, and they eat again! Granola bars, more clementines & a few leftover Valentine candies! The kids are all rail thin. Where are they putting all this? The big (and scary) question is: will we be able to afford this as she gets bigger? And why can't I eat like that anymore? 0 Comments
	Pre-teen alert by: Toni, 01-28-2009 How do you know that a pre-teen girl is living in your home? There are a few ways to tell. You have an ENTIRE load of pink, purple and red clothing on laundry day. The house always smells like strawberry bath gel or strawberry lip gloss. The radio is always set to Radio Disney, and the Jonas Brothers CD is always in the stereo. All articles of clothing (including mom & dad's!) are covered with a light coat of glitter. Just one more reason to do the laundry separately. You find yourself singing along with Hannah Montana. You can tell the difference between Zac & Cody of the Disney Channel show. You can't believe that your once bald, toothless baby is ready to register for middle school. 2 Comments
	New Dances by: Toni, 12-31-2008 We're all doing some new dances this winter. I am dancing around the kitchen, trying to avoid stepping on the gerbil that "Santa" brought to DD (she's almost 11) That gerbil loves his little exercise ball. He's all over the place! DD is jumping around to this new game from her grandmother. It's U-DANCE, with these little infrared tags that go on your shoes. The gerbil is very cute, white & tan, with large black eyes. He is still such a baby that they weren't sure if it was male or female. DD is crazy about him, and is already worrying about who could baby-sit him during our vacation at Spring Break. DH accused me of getting the gerbil mostly for myself. I've always had pets in my classroom- hamsters, gerbils, white mice, chinchilla, a guinea pig and now a betta fish. When DD outgrows the gerbil, he can come live in my classroom. I don't see that happening though, since she takes wonderful care of our dog, who needs daily meds. The dance game is really interesting, with popular songs, and you don't even need a mat. Just put the tags on your shoes, and hook the cables to the TV! Your steps appear on the screen, and you move your feet to match the ones on the screen. I think it will keep her busy on these days when going out to play is not always feasible. We had a wonderful Christmas together, and saw many of our friends and spoke to all of our family on the phone. As the new year begins, I have much to be thankful for, and much more to look forward to in 2009. 0 Comments
	Will the frosting ever come out of the carpet by: Toni, 12-21-2008 On Thursday, in place of a big party, we made gingerbread houses. Or more specifically, graham cracker/milk carton houses. Things started off pretty well. We went over the rules of using the frosting wisely, not licking the knives or our fingers, how to be patient & not push too hard on the crackers, since they break, etc. No more than 5 minutes into the activity, one child (the one who never listens!) was reported to be licking her fingers. Next she was reported to be putting her finger into the frosting can! She took constant time-outs, with a lot of hand-washing through the morning. The kids covered their little houses with mini candy canes, mini marshmallows, Teddy Grahams, gummi bears, red hots, smartees, M&Ms, pretzel sticks and sprinkles. I think they all made it home with the houses in 1 piece. I'll post a picture once I get them downloaded from the camera. But the question remains- will the frosting ever come out of the carpet? PS: My DH thinks I'm a glutton for punishment. 5 Comments
	Totally Lost Track of The Calendar by: Toni, 11-11-2008 I can't believe that my last post was 6 weeks ago! I can't believe that the days flew by without posting! So many things have happened. My new principal is really doing well in hew new position. I still miss my old principal (I worked w/ her for a decade) at times, but not so much now. My student teacher is doing very well, planning lessons, working w/ reading groups. This week & next week are her "solo" weeks. I only have 1 child at "Emergent" in Math. Most are at Near-Proficient or Proficient. Reading is a different story, with 1/2 the class below grade level. On a personal level, we found out that my poor dog has hypothyroidism. She is now on Thyro-tabs, 2x daily. I'm hoping her energy level goes up & her weight goes down. 0 Comments*
	Celebration of the Written Word by: Toni, 09-21-2008 Our Writer's Celebration was last week. It was beyond wonderful. I was very pleased at the number of parents that came to hear their child & classmates share the stories they had written. The celebration was the end of the "Launching" unit of Lucy Calkins Primary Units Of Study. It was a little bit more "fancy" than what she did in the book, but getting some of the kids to finish anything was such an amazing feat! For some, the story was just 3 little sentences about recess. For one little guy, I had to scribe it for him due to OT issues. Other children had 2-page stories about important events in their lives. The shared experience of the never-ending fire drill was also a topic for laughter! I made 2 copies of the "story collection" to put in our classroom library. They are now favorites during reading workshop. Our principal was able to come join us. She has had so many meetings this school year that we don't see her as much as we'd like. The best moment came at the end. I announced that we would have a toast with our juice. One teeny girl piped up, "With BUTTER?!" She was visibly disappointed when I said it wasn't that kind of toast. I know the first unit in writing simply sets the baseline as a way to assess growth from that point forward, but it felt waaaayyy more special than that! 1 Comments
	Writer's Celebration by: Toni, 09-06-2008 We have our first "publishing" and writer's celebration this coming Friday. The kids are so excited, as the teachers in the grade below don't use Lucy Calkins/Units of Study. The children have never experienced anything like this. We have a few parents coming and even the principal! We have been working on revising & adding to our writing, as well as basic editing. The "genuineness" of their writing needs to come through, but with some conventions in place. Some children had a hard time picking a piece to publish. I have a few who are prolific writers, with many awesome, detailed stories being written each week. I also have 4 students who have just 1 piece that they have completed in 3 1/2 weeks. I guess for them that is still a hurdle. Maybe, someday, they will have 2 or 3 pieces to choose from at publishing time. 1 Comments
	Saddest Holiday of the Year by: Toni, 09-01-2008 That was DDs comment about Labor Day. The pool at the golf course is now closed. The weather the last couple of days has been a bit cooler- (meaning it is less than 90 degrees!) Even though we've had almost 3 weeks of school, it was still "summer." Chile ristras are starting to pop up everywhere, with the smell of roasting green chile filling the air. Soon the State Fair will begin, followed by Balloon Fiesta & the crisp mornings of fall. When did the days start flying by, like the calendar pages in the old b&w movies? 0 Comments
	A New World Speed Record by: Toni, 08-31-2008 I realized that I have just set a new world speed record for...... (trumpet fanfare here) running off the "naughty children." We have had 14 days of school, and 2 of my students with the biggest behavior issues have already moved! DH asked me what I was doing to them during the day. A co-worker teased me & said to stop picking on the poor kids. Truthfully, I'm not sure why they even started the year with me. The child who moved on Day 9 moved to a school with a program to better handle his Fragile X/autism/behavioral/emotional/social issues. Mom knew he was going there the first week of school- why was he with me almost 2 weeks then? The child who moved on Day 10 had to return to his mother in another state per the court order as school was soon to start there. (This is the child who liked to remove his clothing whenever possible and questioned everything we did, accompanied by a great deal of whining.) Why was he even enrolled, since the father knew the child had to start school in another state very soon? I always thought the purpose of school was education. DH said he thinks for some parents, it's free babysitting. I think he might be right. The rest of the class has not even noticed their departure. We have been writing every day, with that being the favorite part of the day for some children. I'm using Lucy Calkins Units Of Study. I'll write more about that at a later date. 0 Comments
	A New Student Teacher by: Toni, 08-23-2008 My new student teacher started on Aug. 6th. Some of my co-workers are amazed that I took on the challenge of a student teacher, since I had one last semester. (I wondered if I had an invisible tattoo that said "Sucker" on my forehead- ) Even though they were both finishing their training, they are very different. My new student teacher has 2 kids of her own. One of her DSs is the age of my DD. She was an ed. assistant in her previous life. She's not scared of the kids or timid at all. She has lots of classroom experiences that she brings with her. 0 Comments
	3 Reasons To Be A Teacher.... by: Toni, 08-03-2008 June, July, & August. That's the saying on a teacher mug that was in the back of my cabinet. Times sure have changed. We no longer get that 3 months off. Most of us are lucky to get 2 months off. Once you figure in workshops & grad classes, we have even less time. Thinking back, we obviously had fewer days in the calendar & fewer vacations/inservice days where the teachers had meetings and the children stayed home. Even with fewer days, I seemed to be able to cover the curriculum, and even finished most textbooks. We still had some testing to do, but it wasn't constant. I know curriculum has expanded in 20+ years to include technology, but that alone can't account for 1 more month of school. The legislature continues to add days to the school year to justify the tiny increases we get. I am working more days for what is comparatively the same amount of money (adjusted for inflation) I don't work harder now than I did then. I don't care about the children more now than I did back then. Some things don't change. 0 Comments
	Simple joys of friendship by: Toni, 07-21-2008 We took DD and 2 of her friends to the local amusement park on Saturday, as a belated birthday party/gift. All 3 of the girls are 10. They held hands and ran ahead of us to each ride, and figured out who was brave enough to ride alone each time. They squealed & screamed all afternoon on the rides, and giggled almost constantly while in line. Even a little rain didn't dampen their spirits. They needed nothing more than to be together. This makes me think about how complex friendship can be as an adult. At times the demands of family pull us away from others; sometimes our friends make choices that give us no option but to sever the friendship. Some friendships just die a natural death as we grow apart. I was fortunate enough last week to run into a friend that I had lost track of a few years ago. I am so glad for e-mail & cell phones that make it easier to stay in touch with those we care about. We won't lose touch this time! 0 Comments
	Stacks of Books by: Toni, 12-31-2008 I've done a lot of reading this summer. This is one of the few times that I really can get into a book for more than a page or two. Let me see... so far I have read: 2 copies of Southwest Spirit airline mag 2 copies of SkyMall 3 copies of MORE magazine (May, June & July/Aug issues) 3 copies of Texas Monthly (May, June & July. I had to pry them out of DHs hot little hands first) Bitter is the New Black by Jen Lancaster (I've got her next 2 books on hold at the library- can't wait) Devil in the Junior League by Linda Francis Lee Time Traveler's Wife by Audrey Niffenegger The Lovely Bones by Alice Sebold The Tenth Circle by Jodi Picoult Girl with a Pearl Earring by Tracy Chevalier The Lady & the Unicorn by Tracy Chevalier Key Lime Pie Murder by Joanne Fluke Murder of a Very Bad Boy by Denise Swanson Monday Mourning by Kathy Reichs 2 books by Janet Evanovich (#12 & #13- I can't remember the names. I'm on the wait list for Fearless Fourteen at the library) On the professional side, I read The Daily 5 Reading With Meaning I'm waiting for Debbie Diller's new book, too. Read anything good? Post it! 2 Comments
	Daily 5 by: Toni, 07-02-2008 I just finished The Daily 5, which I will implement this next year. What wonderful ideas! I know that getting some of my struggling readers to actually read is a challenge. They tend to get a book, look through it for a minute, then get up & get a kleenex, retie their shoes, get a drink of water, etc. It's total reading avoidance! I hope by implementing Daily 5 that it will help improve their skills. It seems like most of my struggling readers don't have the support they need at home, so any additional reading we can squeeze in at school has to be the way to go for them. If you use Daily 5, please post any thoughts or helpful tips. Thanks! 1 Comments
	Yard Sale Time by: Toni, 06-30-2008 We had a yard sale this weekend. I didn't make a ton of money but it was good just getting things cleaned out- kind of a belated spring cleaning. I have a friend who is originally from Poland. She is still amazed that you can take items that you no longer want, put them on your front lawn, then people will come take them and give you money! In the past, I had some good kids toys, trikes, lots of kids clothes in different sizes, etc. We did the big clean-out of the house & garage last year and have kept up with the amount of stuff coming in and donated that same amount to the Goodwill, so I didn't have the entire driveway covered. The old golf clubs that DH was finally willing to let go went fast. I was amazed that Turbo Tax has a section of their website called "It's Deductible" that gave me the value of the leftover items that were donated to a local charity. According to Turbo Tax, with that donation we saved ourselves $80 on taxes! 2 Comments
	What happened to my castle? by: Toni, 06-25-2008 After a week in Monterey/Carmel, CA, I have come to a realization: I am secretly royalty or even a princess! Why do I believe that? Because-- I like having turn-down service w/ chocolates on my pillow. I like having someone offer to unpack my suitcase. I like having someone else clean up after me. I like having a doorman greet me & hold the door for me. I like having someone offer to deliver my packages to my room after a hard day of retail therapy. I like not having to clear the table myself after dinner. I have a weakness for Creme' Brulee & champagne. I spoke to my mom. She assures me that no blue-bloods were in the hospital when I was born, so I wasn't "switched at birth" nor was I kidnapped/hidden away for my own safety, only to be able to reclaim my rightful place on the throne at a later date. Mom made a comment about "champagne tastes on a beer budget." I guess I'll have to make my own bed from now on; if I want chocolate at bedtime, I guess I'll go find that opened bag of chocolate chips in the pantry. 0 Comments
	Asleep at the Zoo by: Toni, 06-11-2008 Saturday night was the Girl Scout Roar & Snore at the local zoo. What an experience! Not something I want to do too often, but definitely an experience. We got to the zoo and waited for check-in time. Of course, it was relentlessly hot with a blazing sun. Well, as we got our group together, one of the moms admitted she forgot the big tent. She didn't want to drive all the way back home, so we figured that we would make do. I am shocked by the sheer amount of stuff some people have brought; coolers, camping chairs, umbrellas. After getting through the gate, we start to set up camp. As we are doing this, the zoo is playing Disney music. When the music from "Electric Light Parade" came on, one little girl (age 10) was looking around for the floats! Next on the tape was the little intro bit about "looking skyward, high above the park- it's Tinkerbell!" Well, this little girl went nuts looking for Tinkerbell! "Where where where- I don't see her- where is she?" It took me & her mom to explain to this child that it was a tape and there was no reason for Tinkerbell to be at our zoo while it was still daylight. While setting up our 3-man tent (which I brought just in case), one of the elastic cords inside the accordioned tent poles breaks! That means we just have 1 tent. We put the rain cover from the big tent on the ground for the girls to put their sleeping bags on, and the moms will sleep in the tent. Well, one of the moms brings an AeroBed (one of those inflatable beds with a portable compressor) Well, by the time she gets that inflated, the tent is almost completely full! One mom decided to sleep in the tent, smushed in between the AreoBed & the wall of the tent. I just put my sleeping bag out next to the girls- I'll sleep under the stars. Thank goodness I brought some insect repellent since we have mosquitoes at the zoo, since it's by the river. The zoo activities were really fun- we had a booklet to research endangered animals & habitat loss. Some of the animals were starting to get active at dusk. After that, the girls did arts & crafts for an hour, then we had snacks & watched "Charlotte's Web" on a gigantic inflatable movie screen. They finally turned out the lights at midnight. Beautiful as they may be, peacocks never go to sleep & they never shut up! All night long, every few minutes, their cries rang out. The sea lions started a ruckus about 12:30, the wolves were howling at 1:30 (that was cool- how often can you hear wolves howl nearby & know you are safe?) and the lions started roaring at about 5 am, just before dawn. We are all up at 6 am for a continental breakfast; we break down the camp & then we can go see a few more animals. I go & wash my face, brush my teeth, put on a baseball cap over my hair, which does not look so great in the morning. I notice one of the moms (areobed mom) has brought her entire makeup bag- foundation, blush, eyeliner, the whole 9 yards. WT..........? We are camping out. I know I won't expect her to ever "rough it!" DD & i were glad to be home, where we could get some quality sleep and share the photos & newly earned patches/badges with DH. Being a Girl Scout was one of the best things I did growing up. I think DD will continue to love it as well. 5 Comments
	New principal by: Toni, 06-17-2008 We had a "meet & greet" luncheon yesterday for the new principal. It was sad as I walked by the principal's office and the wonderful principal we had for a decade has just about cleaned out all her shelves & cabinets. The office was so empty. I am going to miss her so much! I had the chance to meet the new principal. She seems really nice. My co-workers on the interview committee said that she was really smart, professional & "wow-ed" them during the interview. She has 2 children, so she knows what kids are like. But....she is really young. Late 30s. I've never worked for anyone younger than I am. This will be something totally new. With a new principal this fall as well as another student teacher beginning in August, it will be a busy year. 5 Comments
	Continuous Classroom Improvement by: Toni, 06-25-2008 I went to a 2-day workshop last week. It was on CCI, setting goals, Plan-Do-Study-Act and the Baldridge model. We went on a field trip to one of our year-round schools; we visited the classrooms and had the opportunity to speak w/ the children. I was just so shocked that 1st graders could verbalize where their dot was on the graph, what it meant, where they started and how they worked to meet their goals. I had no idea that 7-year olds could understand data that well. We are moving into CCI slowly, since we need to get the scores up to make AYP. If you are doing this at your school, I'd love to hear from you! PS. I was one of those geeky people who loved Ed. Statistics. 3 Comments
	I must be crazy! by: Toni, 05-26-2008 That is the only explanation. My principal asked me last Monday if it was too soon to ask me about taking on another student teacher. I told her I was just catching my breath, & I would think about it. Well, she asked again on Tuesday and I had an opportunity to meet the potential student teacher. Of course, I said "Yes." The student teacher will start in August when the rest of us do. I was so lucky & had a great student teacher this last semester. I know that sooner or later I will get a "dud." Let's hope it's not this one. My gut instinct tells me she will be ok. I tend to have pretty good "people-reading" skills. Wish me luck. It's okay if you think I need to get my head examined. I'm surprised that I haven't had to vacation in the "looney bin" after 25+ years of teaching! 2 Comments
	It's inevitable by: Toni, 05-15-2008 We had a retirement reception for 4 of our staff members who are retiring. I just kept hoping that they would change their minds. I guess not. One gal is our our resource teacher. She's also the one responsible for getting many of our 5th graders into playing chess. Another is a wonderful teacher in the grade before mine. I loved getting her former students in my room. They had wonderful work habits and made a great transition to my grade. The 3rd gal is one of our grade level team. The district is not replacing her because of declining enrollment. That's a good thing, since no one could ever fill her shoes. She is creative, crazy and such a smarty-pants. She made inservices so much fun. The last is our wonderful principal. She is such a kind, hard-working person. She has a true love of teaching reading to children. We are all understandably worried about who will be our new principal. I don't think I can handle a micro-managing control freak or anyone like that being the principal. We're used to being trusted & considered professionals. Keep your fingers crossed for us. 2 Comments
	I hate Gatorade by: Toni, 05-14-2008 No, I don't hate the taste of it- I simply hate its very existence. This afternoon, as we were getting backpacks out of the plastic tubs we use for storage, a few of the children said their backpacks were wet. One child's light-colored backpack was now pinkish. I asked around to see what had happened. No one claimed responsibility (of course not!- duh! what was I thinking??) Finally, one child pulled an open and empty bottle of Gatorade out of his backpack. I told him that you were not allowed to have open bottles of stuff like that in your backpack. He said his mom got it for after school. Now keep in mind that Precious has never moved faster than a snail's pace all year, even during fire drills and our evacuation drill. Watching this child walk is like watching grass grow. So he is suddenly going to run a marathon after school today? WTH was mom thinking? The worst part is, Precious didn't even feel bad about all the things he ruined. I wish Gatorade was banned from schools. Along with Hot Cheetos! 2 Comments
	I have "download finger" by: Toni, 05-15-2008 My right hand & wrist is just a little bit sore. I am so glad that today is the last Open House for Learning A-Z. I have spent so many hours this last week, downloading their free stuff. Click, save as, click, save as...... Free stuff.... I am such a bargain hound. I love to go to the district salvage yard & see what cool stuff someone else did not want-- stuff that would look great with a coat of fresh paint! I only look now because my room is full. I don't have room for anything else without getting rid of some beloved items. 6 Comments
	Number Nine by: Toni, 05-10-2008 There are only 9 days of school left. I always feel a rush of impending craziness this time of year, both from the kids and from myself! Did I cover measurement in-depth enough? I never reach that unit in the book. Was the mini-unit on force really enough? I always feel that there was never enough time to teach everything that was required. When I consider the curriculum now compared with that of 20+ years ago, there is so much more to cover. I don't think we can do everything in-depth. Now it tends to be "an inch deep and a mile wide." 0 Comments
	Student Teacher is finished by: Toni, 08-24-2008 Yesterday was my student teacher's last official day with us. It was all very bittersweet. The children had been bringing in items for her to use in her new classroom (no job yet, but she has interviews lined up.) They had been sneaking these things into the room - and quite well I might add! Different teachers in the school were hiding things for us since we didn't want them to be found on accident. When ST went to go make a few copies I buzzed the office. "Hey, keep my student teacher over there! Stall her! Please!" The nurse spoke to her about our medically fragile student, the secretary asked how she liked our grade level, etc. The crowning glory was when our clerk gave her a lit of items I needed. 17 sheets pink paper, 5 large binder clips, 10 book rings, 22 sheets green paper, etc. We went into action! The kids zipped to the other classrooms and got the hidden items, and I pulled out the 2 binders of teaching materials & ideas that I had copied, as well as a few from my coworkers. The wicker basket was full and overflowing! Well, the kids insisted we turn off the lights, hunker down & yell "Surprise" when she came in. When she open the door, they all leaped up & yelled. She immediately started crying. The children started crying too & ran over to hug her. It ended up being a group hug! After the tears were dried (including a few of mine) we had ST did into the basket. She received lots of cool paperclips, pushpins, magnets, markers, hilighters, inkpens, name-brand Post-it notes, whiteout, a calculator, germ gel, stickers, big scissors, a memo holder, a school year calendar and a little sign that said "Follow your dream.." I made her some pointers that you use for read around the room, and DD made her molded crayons. ST was really overwhelmed at their love & generosity. Then we had chocolate chip cookies! I know she'll do well as a teacher. She has that same passion that I have for educating & working with children. She has been willing to learn about everything and tackle any task. I just wish she could get a position at our school. The district is not replacing the retiring teachers. If we need more staff, they'll wait until after school starts & rearrange & hire then. Some of the children sniffled the rest of the day. They don't know that she'll come back to visit us & go on a picnic. 2 Comments
	Junior Achievement by: Toni, 04-20-2008 Does anybody else have Junior Achievement at their school? It is just wonderful! We have had 2 lessons so far and the kids have loved every minute of it. The 2nd lesson was the best. They kids were "making" donuts, checking to see if they got all the ingredient stickers on each donut, and get in the flavoring before they handed them into Quality Control. They counted the number of donuts, and then set up an assembly line for their team. They made donuts again. They were so shocked when they made 2 to 3x as many donuts with the assembly line. It was a bit funny. Our JA volunteer looked a bit frazzled - he was trying to pass out stickers, give directions, get paper donuts, get the markers, etc. He laughed and commented that he just left work where he was building an $8,000,000 jet aircraft engine but couldn't pass out stickers. If you ever have a chance to do Jr. Achievement, jump on it. It's a great experience. 5 Comments
	There's a fungus among us! by: Toni, 04-16-2008 Well, actually more than just "a" fungus. I'm talking hundreds!! We are raising Pearl Oyster mushrooms from Puget Sound. The kids and I are alternately fascinated & repulsed. In all these years, I have never raised mushrooms. A little more than a week ago, the bag of straw & mushroom spores arrived. We've been misting it daily and keeping it in the humidity tent. By last Friday a few little bumps were showing inside the perforated plastic bag. By Monday, a few teeny mushrooms were peeking out. This morning when we came in, it was unbelievable! Some of the mushrooms were as big as my palm. The room smells kind of funky now. A fellow teacher drools when he walks by our room. He is planning on harvesting mushrooms any day now! 0 Comments
	End of Year ABC Countdown by: Toni, 04-14-2008 On one of my previous posts, I had a couple of people wanting to know about the ABC end of the year countdown that we do in class. I will post it in the thread here. I wish I could take total credit for it, but I got the idea from this website! I just changed some of the items to better fit my students. It gives us something to look forward to each day as we get closer & closer to the end. It also gives me something to hang over their heads! Enjoy! 5 Comments
	Metaphors Be With You! by: Toni, 04-08-2008 Today, Poetry Alive came & did presentations at my school. It was awesome! They performed everything from Longfellow to Jack Prelutsky. The kids were all entranced for 50 minutes. You would have thought they were watching a video. Here is one of my favorite poems about school. My Dog Does My Homework My dog does my homework at home every night. He answers each question and gets them all right. There's only one problem with homework by Rover. I can't turn in work that's been slobbered all over. Kenn Nesbitt 0 Comments
	It's a beetle!! by: Toni, 04-05-2008 Our class has been raising mealworms for 3 weeks now. We finally had 1 come out of pupa. We now have 1 darkling beetle. The commotion and excitement was crazy. They all wanted to see! We have a lot more still in pupa stage, with oodles still larval and getting bigger every day! The only hard part is when one of the kids tells me their mealworm is almost a beetle, because it's dark. Yep- it's as dead as can be! I dig it out & replace it with a new mealworm, but the sensitive ones who named their mealworms are always a little upset about it. We will be setting up a new habitat for the adults. We're hoping to raise a second generation of darkling beetles. 1 Comments
	Just one more day left! by: Toni, 04-11-2008 At this point, I really have just 1 more day of Spring Break left. The days have flown by- it's been wonderful to have some time off. I just hope I can make it 9 weeks to the end of the year. I know it's "all downhill from here" but 9 weeks straight will be a challenge. We still have our annual school Jogathon to do, as well as 2 field trips. We always do an ABC Countdown to the end of the year. That gives us something fun to look forward to each day as we get closer to the end of May. 3 Comments
	I could get a job doing that? by: Toni, 03-17-2008 That was the question asked by a few of my students the other day after a math lesson that went really well. We finished surveying some of the other classes about the number of teeth each had person had lost, then representing the information with a line plot & one other way. The kids had such an awesome time doing this activity. They have proclaimed that they "love math!" I told the children that some people collect data for a living, and find ways of showing this information to others. "Do you mean I could get a job doing that as a grownup?" one little guy asked. I told him yes, and that it paid well, too. "SWEET" was the reply. I had to laugh a bit. It's hard to think of these little kids being statisticians or life actuaries someday. 1 Comments
	Fluta-phone He!! by: Toni, 03-08-2008 The teacher next door to me is a different grade level. One of the special things his kids do is learn to play the flutaphone (like a recorder.) Our building was cheaply built, and we share the same ventilation ducts. Every time we're working quietly (finally!) on a task, here it comes -- Hot Cross Buns! It's played haltingly, and very out of tune! Next comes the piece de resistance! Love Me Tender played by 23 students on flutaphones. I am seriously starting the hate The King. Hope they don't learn anything by Fleetwood Mac. It would ruin all my favorite music. A few days ago, one of my most serious students looked at me and commented, "They aren't very good, are they?" I told him that they were still learning, and would be better by late May. Can I survive that long? If I wore earplugs, would the kids notice? Would the kids demand their own set of earplugs? 2 Comments
	Just like Gumby & Pokey by: Toni, 03-04-2008 How flexible can you be? Due to the standardized testing, the schedule for the primary levels has also changed a bit. They don't want us running around the playground yelling while the big kids are testing. My students are divided into groups for specials. We have more classes than time slots for specials, so one class in each grade level is divvied up each year. Due to the number of new kids in one classroom, they are overloaded when you add in my students. Well, we had to switch around some kids to make the number more even. My poor kids may never know where to go at what time for the special classes. 0 Comments
	Cookies are here!!! by: Toni, 03-01-2008 Yesterday after school, DD & I went to Scouts to get her cookies. Her troop is a new troop, just 3 girls, so the cases of cookies only filled up the back of a truck completely. Still, 400 boxes for 3 little girls is really good. The back of my little HHR is full to the top with cases of cookies. We'll sort out the orders later today & start deliveries. So far, DH hasn't been in the back digging around looking for HIS Thin Mints. We only ordered 5 boxes ourselves, but when we do cookie booths, we'll get more then. Some people ordered 10 or more boxes, but they are such cookie fanatics, they'll need more! 2 Comments
	The Patchwork Path by: Toni, 02-22-2008 My student teacher taught a great lesson yesterday, using the book The Patchwork Path. She had the children decorate a quilt square, and them we glued all the squares onto butcher paper to make our own quilt. We found the activity on mathwire.com. We also read Follow The Drinking Gourd, and listened to the song on the computer. All the children really loved the activity, but it really went to the heart of my African-American children. They are just now starting to realize that things were very different not too long ago. We had a discussion about how some treat people differently because of the way they look. I told them doing that is like getting excited over a beautiful gift, but opening it to find it contains underwear & socks, or even nothing. We talked about how what is really important is having a "good heart." 1 Comments
	ST taught her first lesson today! by: Toni, 02-07-2008 Well, my student teacher taught her first official lesson today. She was a little nervous at first, but not too much. She had a good subject for "getting her feet wet." I had several students absent today, as well as several kids being at Title I at the same time, so it wasn't too large a group to corral. ST taught a Spelling lesson with some activities from the Sitton Spelling text that we use. She made letter cards to use in spelling some words and starting a "word work chain." Ex: spell hose, change it to home, change it to hope, etc. They finished with the word "pal" and then did an extension activity of writing about someone who is a pal, what makes a good pal, and then drawing an illustration to accompany the writing. I think she did a good job; she'll most make a fine teacher someday. The children were engaged in a worthwhile activity and only my little "Copycat" whined about writing. Lots of learning+just a little whining = success! 3 Comments
	Thin Mint Mania by: Toni, 01-30-2008 Well, cookie time is here for DD and the Scouts. Sales are going well so far. We had a neighbor from across the street show up at the door at suppertime, with a handful of money wanting to order Girl Scout Cookies. Another friend was disappointed that we didn't actually have the boxes of cookie yet. He doesn't think he can wait a month for Thin Mints. I'm inclined to agree. I looovvveee Thin Mints. What is your favorite cookie? 8 Comments
	Teaching the Student Teacher... by: Toni, 01-26-2008 is really a lot of work. A pp commented that all the prep time was taken up by training the ST, which meant mountains of paperwork to go home and a trip to school on Sunday afternoon. That is so true. My ST is starting to really get into the routines of our day now. She gave her first reading assessment on Wed. It was just a site-developed word recognition test (kind of like the San Diego Quick), but she was a little nervous. She did a great job of keeping up marking and writing miscues, and we're working on hopefully teaching her how to administer the DRA at the end of the year. I know she feels a bit overwhelmed & surprised at some of the behaviors, lack of motivation, etc. that we see from some children. We are a Title I school, so I loaned her my copy of Ruby Payne's book on poverty. It is really insightful. She said the statistics were surprising, but sad. That's how we all feel about the children of poverty. I also am having her check out some great websites, like Cherry Carl's, or Hicks Chicks. I told ST that there is no reason to totally re-invent the wheel. If someone already has a unit out there with some literature & activities to use, just add to it, flesh it out and make it truly "yours." After all, some of my best ideas are borrowed or stolen! 2 Comments
	Lockdown! by: Toni, 01-25-2008 What a long afternoon. About 10 minutes before dismissal, we got an announcement that we were on a lockdown- that it was NOT a drill. Well, the kids got really worried about missing their buses, vans to daycare, etc. We had a crazed road-rage driver who crashed into a police car, and ran through the neighborhood brandishing a gun. We were already packed up to go home, so we sat & watched PBS on the tv in our room. Some of the kids got a little antsy, and read instead. Finally, after almost an hour, we were told the lockdown was over. I was a little scared when the nurse came banging on the door, needing to take my diabetic child with her to the health room. (If he ever had low sugar during a lockdown in the classroom, he could fall into a diabetic coma. We've had enough health scares this year.) Most of the children did really well- except for a couple that wanted to go use the bathroom the minute the lockdown began. When I got home from school, I heard that they had caught the crazed driver. He really messed up all our afternoons & after-school activities. 0 Comments
	Don't ruin the student teacher by: Toni, 01-26-2008 That thought now goes through my head each and every morning as I head to school. I've never had a student teacher before, so this is uncharted territory for me. All I know is what I remember from MY student teaching back in the dark ages . She seems really eager to learn, and to help in the classroom. We've covered how to give a quick reading assessment, as well as the classroom procedures. It's only been 2 weeks, so we have a lot of days ahead of us. 3 Comments
	Reflection at mid-year by: Toni, 01-12-2008 Our school year is half-way over now. It seems like it was just August. I guess that idea of the pages on the calendar flying off faster as you age isn't just a cliche'. I've been reassessing the kids' reading levels and I am pleased by the growth that some of them are showing. I still have 7 of my class that are being referred for testing for Sp.Ed. because they aren't making expected growth, and the previous interventions just aren't enough (Title I, Title VII, retention, etc) It's hard to do the activities that I'd like to do when so many students (1/3 of the class) are below grade level in reading. Math Investigations is going really well. Most of the kids are finding what tools and strategies are working for them! That is so awesome! Some still don't want to practice their facts at home, but that has always been an issue as long as I've been teaching. I don't think I'll get through the entire book as I just can't keep up with the pacing calendar. I have so many students that are gone throughout the day for services that I don't really have enough time to do all of the Choice Time activities. We're studying soil & rocks in Science (still!). I want to get this unit finished soon, so we can go on to other things. All of the hands-on activities take way longer than I have time for and it takes some of the joy out of learning when it takes forever to get through a single activity! Good choices are still an issue for some kids. I did have one of my Drama Queens move but I still have to deal with 1 more DQ and Cheaterpants. Ch. will still not work independently and just wants to copy off her neighbors, or for someone to hold her hand and tell her every step, every answer. She still has not made any real friends even after 2 1/2 months at our school. I think her "learned helplessness" is really holding her back. There were some days in Aug & Sept. that I thought would never end! Now I know I can make it, as it's all downhill from here! 0 Comments
	Stupid Murphy and that law of his! by: Toni, 12-30-2007 I'm sure you are all familiar with that credo- "Whatever can go wrong- will!" Some wisea$$ named Murphy evidently thought that up years ago. It was definitely true the day after Christmas. "Santa" brought DD a little digital camera and a small mp3 player for gifts for DD. On the 26th, I loaded the software for the digital camera. Our geriatric Dell laptop handled it like a champ! I hit the button for Restart, and then I was faced with the dreaded black screen, and the Windows icon screen. It NEVER changed. I tried on and off for 3 unsuccessful days to get the Dell to work. Nothing good ever happened. When we bought her in 1999, she was state of the art- had a floppy & CD drive, it would play DVDs, and it was blue! (not grey or black like the boring ones) I remember the early days of AOL, and dial up. (sniff- I need a tissue) I was little panicky since the back-up for my Palm Pilot is on the Dell. Losing all that info would not be good. Well, we went shopping today. The laptop will mostly be used by DD for her music, pictures, reports, research, etc. We found a Toshiba that should be a good computer & see her through until she is in HS or nearing college. I will talk to my PC guru at school to see if we can salvage any of my info that is still on it. The last few years, I've kind of been a Mac gal, since that's what my school provides for the staff. Here's to the valiant & hardworking but ancient computers everywhere. May you fry in peace. 1 Comments
	Demeaning the children? by: Toni, 12-21-2007 Today was our holiday program. We had asked the children to wear Santa hats, but I knew some didn't have them, & couldn't get them. I went to the dollar store on Wed. afternoon. There were no Santa hats or elf hats left. Nada, zip, zilch. So I improvised. Would you consider this demeaning? Pet antlers! Very cute headband antlers, covered with red, green & brown fake fur. I cut off the strap that would hold it under the pet's chin (let me tell ya- only a St. Bernard or a Great Pyrenees could wear these things. Maybe that was why they were at the dollar store.) The kids never knew. They were eager to wear them. The parents thought they looked adorable. I know this will now be a running joke in our grade level. If everyone only knew the things we had to do to make events run smoothly. 2 Comments
	Nothing like the smell of fried dough! by: Toni, 12-15-2007 Yesterday was La Posada Day for us. We made bunuelos (little fried cakes covered with sugar & cinnamon) The kids loved them! In fact, one little guy asked me to write down the recipe for his mom. However, we just used canned biscuit dough and fried it in the electric skillet! Everyone that came by the room kept asking what smelled so good! La Posada starts here tonight. I wonder if any of the children & their families will go. 0 Comments
	49 Contract Hours! by: Toni, 12-17-2007 That's how long until Christmas vacation begins. I don't know if I can make it that long. Right now, I'm self-medicating with a box of chocolate-covered cherries. Today, the kids had to color the cover of the gift book for the parents. I've run off the text, and will bind the books tomorrow, so the kids will have an entire week to do the illustrations. One girl (I'll call her Yakky the Stubborn) wasted her time. In 35 minutes, she only colored in 1/2 of one word on the cover. I had to go ahead and laminate since we're on a deadline; plus I didn't want to end up not being able to laminate at all due to a lack of film. Tomorrow, the children will read the text into Sound Studio on the computer, I'll transfer it into iTunes and burn a CD of it. It makes an awesome gift! 3 Comments
	Evacuation Drill Day by: Toni, 12-01-2007 We had to practice an all-school evacuation this morning. We were worried- how long would it take to get almost 600 preK-5th grade students out of the building, and across the street to a parking lot? How long to get everyone back in the building? It didn't help that it was unusually cold & overcast today. Things went so smoothly! We got out in record time and lined up easily on the yellow stripes in the parking lot. The kids were well behaved (was there Valium in the juice at breakfast? ) The only problem was that the school police did not come to monitor traffic. There were a few impatient drivers who didn't want to wait for us to cross the street. I was pleased and so was the admin. I just hope we never need to evacuate for real! 2 Comments
	I feel like I'm teaching Spec. Ed. by: Toni, 11-28-2007 I have 21 students. Of those 21, 14 receive services of some sort- Title I Reading, Title I Math, LEP for ESL, Speech, Title VII (Indian Ed.) and health/wellness. Some children receive 2 or more of these services. The constant paperwork is really getting to me, as well as documenting the differentiated instructional techniques for each child. This is not counting the paperwork for those that need referrals for testing to see if they are eleigible for Sp. Ed. This is undoubtedly one of the most needy classes that I have had in many years. Don't even get me started on the behavior issues. 1 Comments
	I missed almost the whole month of November! by: Toni, 11-26-2007 I can't believe that happened. I've been so busy, and the days have flown by. Conferences went really well. Our school is finally adopting the report cards that are standards-based. Some of the schools in the district started using it a few years ago. We're just implementing it. The parents liked the idea that we were looking for growth and moving towards proficiency in the standards. Some of the teachers still hate it and gripe about it, but I think they will have to get used to it, and make the best of it. Change is not all bad- we sometimes need a push to do something new and better. Complacency is easy. Thanksgiving was great. DH was home all week- he travels for business, and his boss said to just stay home, due to all the people trying to travel. It was wonderful having so much time together. He'll be home at Christmas too. YAY! 0 Comments
	What is scarier? ...... by: Toni, 10-28-2007 things that are there that go "bump" or things that you THINK are there? We were watching Scariest Places On Earth yesterday on ABC Family channel. There were some sites that were really creepy and a few that were just old. Some people screamed at nothing and others never screamed. There were a few places that will NEVER be on my vacation list! Were they seeing/hearing things because the buildings were haunted or simply because that was what they had expected? The human mind is such a mystery still. Happy Halloween! Here's hoping you don't hear things that go "bump" in the night. 0 Comments
	Pumpkin Mania by: Toni, 10-26-2007 A few weeks ago our Title I teachers decided to have a liitle pumpkin carving party on the 23rd. They expected it to be a fairly small gathering of about 40 families. They were concerned since so many of the Title I students had never carved a jack-o-lantern. Well, we had over 110 families respond! Let the nervous breakdown begin! They worked like crazy getting pumpkins, carving tools, books for prizes (they called it Carve Out Time For A Good Book!) etc. These ladies did an awesome job. The only thing that was less than perfect was the orange bowling ball that was masquerading as a pumpkin. We had help from our PE coach to cut into the skin. Even with the saw on a Leatherman tool, we could hardly break the skin. I swear it was made of wood or concrete! We finally got the top off and cleaned it out. DD and I thinned out the side, but it was still sooooo hard to cut through the skin. Thankfully DD had selected a simple bat pattern. Some of the staff was joking that maybe the pumpkin is so tough it'll last forever-- you know, put feathers on it in Nov., have it wear a Santa hat in Dec., dress it in a diaper for Baby New Year in Jan. We had a good friend come over & bring a super sharp filet knife, but that barely worked. We didn't get our jack-o-lantern finished in time for the judging, but it was almost finished at the end of the evening. We dragged the bowling ball home, where it has a place of honor in the garage for now! 0 Comments

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