Snow! 12.22.08

Brrr...

It is cold. It is icy. It is a NO SCHOOL day!

This morning I got another phone call from our school librarian at 5:20AM. He indicated that we would have yet another late start. This has become routine this week and Richard is quite fed up with the process, but what's a teacher to do? Phone rings, light comes on, a few words are exchanged, hang up, dial the next person, exchange the information, hang up, alarm off, light off and back to bed. That's how it should happen but this morning I missed the final step. I couldn't get back to sleep. After watching the news for a few hours, school all around were closing down for the day. I decided to wait until the last minute to leave for school...after all is was Pajama Day! At 8:50, I got another phone call. (See above for the process) School has been cancelled for the day. I am all about the late start, but a day off does not satisfy me nearly as much. Somehow I will make it through the day...bundled up, indoors, by the fire.

Deep Freeze

Call it a deep freeze or arctic blast...either way, it's cold and icy. Today is day three of "late start" at school. This means I have to be to school at 10:40 and students arrive at 11:10. Lunch is at 11:20 then recess. You do the math. Not too much teaching time the last few days! I did go out to "short" recess yesterday. It wasn't snowing, just down right cold and icy. I opted to be the pitcher for kickball. I figured I couldn't hurt myself too much in that position. By the time recess was over I was ready to go inside. The kids of course aren't nearly as phased by freezing temperatures and could have stayed out longer. Since we don't get much snow in Washington, it is always exctiting for them and they soak it all in...literally. Today's forcast calls for more snow. Many schools are already cancelled. This crazy schedule is even more crazy since Friday is our last day before Winter Break. We are scrambling to practice our 1st grade program (which is tomorrow night if weather permits), finishing family holiday gifts, making gingerbread houses, and all the other holiday fluff. Not too mention academics sprinkled in here and there! Brrr......

99 Things: I've done the ones that are bold. WOW!

1. Started your own blog 2. Slept under the stars 3. Played in a band 4. Visited Hawaii 5. Watched a meteor shower 6. Given more than you can afford to charity 7. Been to Disneyland 8. Climbed a mountain 9. Held a praying mantis 10. Sang a solo 11. Bungee jumped 12. Visited Paris 13. Watched a lightning storm at sea 14. Taught yourself an art from scratch 15. Adopted a child 16. Had food poisoning 17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty 18. Grown your own vegetables 19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France 20. Slept on an overnight train 21. Had a pillow fight 22. Hitch hiked 23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill 24. Built a snow fort 25. Held a lamb 26. Gone skinny dipping 27. Run a Marathon 28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice 29. Seen a total eclipse 30. Watched a sunrise or sunset 31. Hit a home run 32. Been on a cruise 33. Seen Niagara Falls in person 34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors 35. Seen an Amish community 36. Taught yourself a new language 37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied 38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person 39. Gone rock climbing 40. Seen Michelangelo’s David 41. Sung karaoke 42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt 43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant 44. Visited Africa 45. Walked on a beach by moonlight 46. Been transported in an ambulance 47. Had your portrait painted 48. Gone deep sea fishing- 49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person 50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris 51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling 52. Kissed in the rain 53. Played in the mud 54. Gone to a drive-in theater 55. Been in a movie- 56. Visited the Great Wall of China 57. Started a business 58. Taken a martial arts class 59. Visited Russia 60. Served at a soup kitchen 61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies 62. Gone whale watching 63. Got flowers for no reason 64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma 65. Gone sky diving 66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp 67. Bounced a check 68. Flown in a helicopter 69. Saved a favorite childhood toy 70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial 71. Eaten Caviar 72. Pieced a quilt 73. Stood in Times Square 74. Toured the Everglades 75. Been fired from a job 76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London 77. Broken a bone 78. Been on a speeding motorcycle 79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person 80. Published a book 81. Visited the Vatican 82. Bought a brand new car 83. Walked in Jerusalem 84. Had your picture in the newspaper 85. Read the entire Bible 86. Visited the White House 87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating 88. Had chickenpox 89. Saved someone’s life 90. Sat on a jury 91. Met someone famous 92. Joined a book club 93. Lost a loved one 94. Had a baby 95. Seen the Alamo in person 96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake 97. Been involved in a law suit 98. Owned a cell phone 99. Been stung by a bee

December Catch Up

It is been quite some time since I have posted. This has been on purpose. I know there are other things that are more important and I am attempting to stay focused on those items. Blogging got the best of me this morning and I thought equally important is sharing those "things" I have been busy doing and working on.

For Halloween (I know BIG priority!) our first floor staff at school dressed up as Super Mario Brother characters. I made hats for Mario, Luigi (that was me!) and Wario. They turned out great and the day was very fun.

In November, I started teaching again. I had a student teacher and she taught full time in October. I was anxious to be back in my classroom and ADORE my class more than ever. Our school also held conferences in November. This meant 3-half days of school and meeting with families in the afternoon and evening. It is always hectic getting ready, but well worth the time you have to visit with families.

I also met a few times with my cohort for National Boards in November. There is not a day that goes by that I don't think about National Boards and what I should be accomplishing. This process has taken much of my time and is my highest priority right now. I am reading A LOT, taking notes (something I didn't really do in college or my master's program), writing, and brainstorming constantly. When should I do this? how about this lesson? will this fit here? what do they want to see? is this right? The weekends are filled with more questions and filling my head with hopefully the right knowledge to move ahead. This process will hopefully be completed by the end of June. That's not too far away....is it?!

Jason, a good friend of ours, called the first part of November to ask if we were coming to eat turkey with his family. So, went to Indianola for Thanksgiving. Our "adopted" mom and dad live there. They were anxious to have us over again this year. We stayed for the day and then drove home late that evening. As usual, we had a great time and had an excellent dinner (and lunch and dessert).

On the 29th, we went to a Brandi Carlile concert in Seattle. We had dinner with friends prior to the concert and then went to Benaroya Hall. The Seattle Symphony was a part of this concert which was a great combination! On the 30th, Richard turned 34. It was a pretty low key celebration. He worked in Tacoma that day and I worked on National Boards. That night I made dinner and we enjoyed a quiet evening together.

The beginning of December is here and before I know it, it will be Christmas! On Tuesday night, I hosted our Bunco Holiday Party! There were 12 ladies from our neighborhood in attendance. We had a potluck dinner and then had an ornament exchange. It was fun. Today and tomorrow will be spent reading a few books I just received for National Boards. Richard has work to do in Tacoma.

I have two weeks left of teaching before Winter Break! I can't believe it. My mom and dad are coming to Washington from South Dakota for Christmas. We are anxious to show them around again. This time they will get to see our new house, my classroom! (I had just graduated with my teaching degree the last time they were here), some fun little towns here and there, and of course we will make it to Seattle for some sightseeing. I can't wait!