Happiness Cake

With the turkey burgers still frozen and no ready-made meals in the fridge, Ang decided to make Grandma's homeade waffles tonight. We both aren't feeling great (me = full-blown cold, her = sore throat) and she thought we needed this. So she went through her recipe box and handed me a card for Happiness Cake my mom had snuck in there sometime when she made the box for her.
It includes things like a heafty dose of prayer, 4 cups of self doubt, and spread it on with a smile. This was a good reminder today, especially after a very long Thursday. Not only did I start the day with a power struggle between myself and a rotten eighth grader but then I had a room full of detentions after school. And to top it all off I had to make 2 parent phones calls today and the second one resulted in finding out a kid had forged a parent signature, and he had already gotten detention while in detention today (chewing gum while in detention - brilliant!). And I had to deal with this online class stuff tonight so we missed yoga but anyway, the Happiness Cake recipe reminded me that I do have a lot to be happy about:
- As I was leaving school one of my students who'd recently been suspended was getting picked up after a football game and his mom flagged me down to thank me, I'd been the only teacher who'd supplied him with homework assignments during his suspension like she'd requested. I was happy to tell her she had a good kid and he'd already pulled his grade up to a B. Something to be really happy about.
- I work with some people who watch out for me and have my back when I need it most (like when I forget about bus duty because of all the detentions and then there's a fight out there, on my watch - luckily my team leader knew I had detentions so she was out there, yay!).
- I have an awesome sister who makes me homemade waffles while I get to rest on the couch!
- I have a new baby cousin - Olivia, who I get to visit in July!!!!
- My online class is going pretty well so far even though it's a lot of busy work. My virtual group seems ready to work and my teacher has complimented several of my discussion question answers already!
- My kids are making poetry books and are enjoying it, thus I don't have any discipline problems in class really this week. That makes a huge difference in my day.
- Tomorrow the social studies department at school is throwing a salad bar lunch for the whole staff! Yay for free, healthy lunch!
- I am employed, I am (relatively) healthy, I am loved by many, and I am blessed beyond belief. I guess I have a whole lot to be happy about:-)

What a day!

Something exciting happened this morning, I mailed off my last car payment! Woohoo! Yes, that's right - I now officially own my car after 5 years of payments. It was very exciting! Now I get to apply that whole car payment to all my other debt - even more exciting.
In other news - I took a sick day today. I think my allergies are bad or else I have a cold, I cannot decide. Either way I sound like a 3-pack a day, 80 year old smoker and my throat hurts up into my glands. Lovely.
Also, tonight Ang helped me sort through the first day of my online class. It's three credits in three weeks and it's going to be a lot. But I did the readings and posted my first assignments tonight so we'll see how it goes. I am so glad to have a study buddy!
And I wrote 6500 words of my novel today - very exciting for me!
So here's my top 10 things from my day "off" (I use the term loosely):
10. Working in my pjs for a while and no shoes!
9. Eating lunch when I was hungry, not when X period was over.
8. Listening to music, not the cries of annoying students, hehe.
7. Talking to Jamee and my mom during the day.
6. Lying on my bed and reading for a few minutes of lovely quiet.
5. Fresh strawberries.
4. A comfy desk chair.
3. Making dinner without feeling exhausted.
2. Iced tea and sugar free honey lemon drops.
1. Knowing that of my 62 student, only 3 will be served with referral forms tomorrow for acting up in class when I was gone today. Not a bad percentage.

10 hours

I never sleep for ten hours but last night I did. I woke up this morning with intentions of going to church and then promptly fell right back asleep. I figure I must have needed it as this has been a particularly stressful week:
We finished the AIMS tests on Wednesday, had one semi-normal day of classes, and then had a 2 hour assembly Friday during which I had to play volleyball against my students.
We had our first city-wide golf clinic with real pros and I had to continually tell my students (not the whole team, most are great!) to be quiet and please don't try to hit each other in the head with a 9-iron.
I finally got registered for 2 three-week online courses so that I can keep my emergency certification for next year so I can have a job. This week I get to start with "Introduction to Middle School" which sounds oh-so exciting.
I went to yoga class 3 times and apparently my body has started sending out the toxins and working out all the kinks because by Thursday I was having sharp pains in my shoulder and by Saturday my left hip had given out. Luckily, a not-so-relaxing massage yesterday made me feel better (well Arcy promises I'll feel better soon).
Thirteen of my students were suspended this week. Yes, 13! So my job has become difficult, it's hard to teach them when they're not in the room. Six were for setting off stink bombs, three for concealing a knife, and four were involved in a one fight or another. The sink bombers were all boys, the weapons "experts" were girls and one boy, and then four fighters were all girls. Keeping homework and attendance straight has been a full-time job this week.
Because of the suspensions we're kicking two kids off the golf team, which may help with the behavior problems. If it doesn't, several others will follow suit this week.
Yesterday we went to work about 11am and left after 5pm. There's an attendance audit coming up we had to get ready for and lesson plans and cleaning and it goes on and on.
I am so thankful that we have 8 weeks until our next intercession, 6 weeks off! Woohoo!
So I guess that's why I needed my 10 hours this morning. I finally had to drag my but up to shower so we'd make it to Julie's house at noon for lunch. But I firmly believe that your body lets you know what it needs and today that's exactly what I needed.

It stinks!

Yes, today my job literally stunk. Like rotten eggs and bad farts and nastiness. It's because some of my dear little seventh graders have figured out the age old practice of creating and letting off stink bombs. We've had more than four go off in the past week. But thankfully, none in my room. Today it got close though, the room next door was bombed and we smelled it immediately, it was horrible. After a while I gave in and we marched down to Angela's room and bunked with them for the remainder of the class. What I don't understand is 1.)why and 2.)how? Why let off something that smells so terrible when you know the chances of you getting out of class are extremely low and the chances of you getting caught are extremely high? (We've already had several snitch on today's bomber, and one's a golfer of mine, guess who's benched Wednesday!) The how fascinates me. What goes into a stink bomb? Is it in a canister with a pin? What are the ingredients? I need to do some research or find the vice principal tomorrow - surely he'll know, right?
Beyond that five of my kids are suspended for six days, all good kids. Suspended for concealing a weapon (a nasty looking knife) in school for another kid, who's not so good. I don't understand that either. They all had to go to court today, they'll be lucky if they aren't expelled, they're in a mess of legal and educational trouble. So yeah, that's exciting. Oh and there were two fights at lunch today, all girls, several of whom were also mine. This is why we could manage to bunk with Ang's class in seventh hour, my class of 21 was widdled down to 12 by this afternoon. Amazing. These kids have little concept of right and wrong and consequences and it's so sad. Maybe the girl with the claw marks dug into her face will realize this when she examines the scars. Or maybe not.

Patience

Ah, my old friend patience. I've not had much this week and I am not happy about that. It's been a stressful week. We've come back to school full force after a sixteen-day break and while I know that doesn't sound rough, it is. Physically, mentally, emotionally. Especially because we started taking the AIMS on Wednesday, the big Arizona state-mandated test. We tested Wednesday and Thursday and will continue on next week Tuesday and Wednesday. It's stressful: the waiting, the nervousness. Did I teach them enough, do they remember that a five-paragraph essay needs five paragraphs. Are they using the right pencil? Are they on the right page? So yeah, by the end of the test each day our collective patience was used up.
And yet I still had to teach, and the go to golf practice (in a sandstorm) and then go home and maintain a routine life.
All that got me through yesterday was looking forward to yoga class and "finding my center" and those last fifteen minutes where we get to lie in the dark and put our body to sleep then wake it up. It's blissful! And then we got to the gym and couldn't get in because there were too many people from the apartment complex already there - talk about no patience! I was angry.
But I am working on it. Today God's been testing me during our movie. The movie I've watched three times so far today, Tuck Everlasting - a very good flick, an even better novel. We're watching it in class as a reward for finishing the book so quickly and for surviving two days of the test. But watching what is essentially a dramatic love story with 12 year old boys is really trying my patience. But I keep trying.
We're going to try going to yoga this weekend at a studio in town, it's more expensive but I think it'll be worth it. We also got good news about jury duty so it looks like we can make summer travel plans. And I found out if I complete six weeks of online coursework, I can keep my job for another year so I'll begin that in a few days.
Patience - quiet, steady perseverance. I like this definition I found online. That's what I'm going to strive toward: quiet, steady perseverance. I'll let you know how it goes!

Poetry

In Ms. Knapp's 7th grade language arts class we're studying poetry. We're learning about different types of poems, the language of poetry, reading some very cool poems (our favorites so far - Langston Hughes and Shel Silverstein), and writing our own. Today we did limericks and hate poems, the latter of which confused then excited my students the most. So here's my very own hate poem to share with you all! Try writing your own if the mood strikes!
I hate it when...
the back of my neck hurts after a day of standing/walking (i.e., not lying by the pool but at work).
I stub my toe and it brings tears to my eyes.
Hotmail won't let me see my email.
I trip on the overhead cord in front of my classroom.
I have a plan for my day and then it goes horribly arry.
the lettuce freezes in the fridge.
you go to a meeting and hear someone tell you what you already know.
there are too many people from your apartment complex at the gym where you get a reduced membership and you aren't let into yoga class and it's what you've been looking forward to all day.
I get angry when I know I shouldn't.
I burn the green beans.
my hair looks really good, just in time to go to bed.
we run out of ketchup.
the vcr doesn't record my favorite show.
I can't balance my checkbook.
sand gets in my eyes.
my paycheck doesn't quite cover the bills.
the networks cut a really good drama or comedy in favor of a cheaper reality show.
I buy the wrong thing on itunes by mistake (happens more than you think).
I smudge the polish on my pedicure moments after I've had it done.
--So what would go in your own hate poem???

The many sides of Easter

As I sat in church this morning looking around at the kids in spiffy clothes, the ladies with their hats on, the family members who seemed a little uncomfortable, I got to thinking about all the Easters I've had in my life and how I'm fortunate I grew up with both sides of Easter meshed into one.
First there was the side that required me to get the big pink foamy curlers put into my hair on Saturday night and sleep, uncomfortably, in them all night long and wake up early for the tearing out session that was usually started by mom and ended by dad when mom had to go get dressed or something. Then there was the new dress or new shoes (sandals some years but it was usually too cold to wear them) or occasionally a new hat. This was very important as Easter is about newness. And it was fun to dress up extra special on this day.
Then there was the dying of eggs, which got even more fun the older we got. I especially remember times with cousin Doris who's about 10 years older than me, and the incident which resulted in her having to put her hands on her head and leave them there.
Then there was the Easter baskets that my mom had made us, filled with treats from the Easter bunny. But nothing ever beat the Easter I got a real little brown, lop-eared rabbit in my basket: Charlie! The best Easter present ever. And the story's almost as good: how mom announced to dad that she was getting him for us, how her dad kept him alive over the cold night in the barn, and then the years that he was a part of our family (even being carried, cage and all, downstairs into the basement during tornadoes).
Then there's the other side of Easter - the part that stays with me just as much. The part that rushed back this morning as we sung He Lives and chanted "He is risen indeed!" I am so thankful that my parents gave me both of those Easters growing up. Because while I know the one is full of memories and great family love, the other is Jesus and his gift of eternal love. I could never and can never ask for anything more.

Why I need yoga

Yesterday I sucked it up, paid for another month's gym membership (five whole dollars, I know, quite the splurge!) and went to my first yoga class. And it wasn't bad. In fact, I really enjoyed it. I was able to do a lot more than I thought I might be able to do. Including standing on my head with my feet up on the wall. And almost sitting on my hands. Well, I tried at least. And my favorite part was at the end we got to lie there on our mats in the quiet, dim room listening to the quiet music and our breathing and relax for quite some time. It was heavenly.
And tonight I'm going back because I really do need to relax and breathe and exercise. Mostly because I have no other way to care for myself and I must do it. This morning I tried to go to the doctor. I'd gone for my annual exam in February and had blood tests to get baselines and then it was recommended that I establish care with a primary doc here in town. So I made an appointment (which they called and changed once and which took me 2 months to get) and went this morning. I filled out all the ridiculous forms and sat there and waited. And waited and waited. And after an hour and 40 minutes I told them I had to leave. It was ridiculous. I was so angry. Everyone in the waiting room (and it was quite a large room, the practice has a lot of docs) had come and gone but me. And when I inquired at the hour mark I was told there was still someone ahead of me. And I lost it so I left. I was near tears. And the nurse who I saw briefly when I inquired asked me what I was being seen for and I told her to go over lab test results (which ultimately are for the arthritis I am trying to catch early on in my life) she seemed annoyed and asked if I didn't get a letter about them in the mail because that's how they usually handle those things. So obviously I wasn't a priority and was treated as such. Even though I was about to pay good money to see this doctor. I was furious.
So that's the story of why I need yoga. To calm me down and to take care of myself. At least until I move away from this ridiculous city that pretends to have medical care (don't believe me? See the recent news that Yuma is now considered in a state of medical care emergency by the feds. Lucky us.)
I hope you all have a stress free few moments today and try out a yoga class. I love it!

10 things I love about my parents

I am feeling homesick. Not so much for home but for the people there. The people I have memorized yet sometimes have a hard time remembering. And my parents are the center of that hub called 'home'.

1. They taught me to be responsible, to take care of myself and to dream, to believe I can and should do everything!

2. They have given me more than I've ever needed.

3. They send me packages full of things like my favorite tea, jelly beans, and candles.

4. They encourage me, and are genuinely happy when I am happy. Everyone needs someone like that in their lives and I am thankful I have two of those someones!

5. They love people, they have made our family much bigger than just the bloodlines.

6. They are hard workers. Stuffing envelopes at 10pm on a Sunday night to raise money for charity, working overtime just because it needs to be done, never shying away when something needs to be done.

7. They are not perfect. And that lets me know that's okay. And trust me, I need all the reassuring I can get in this area.

8. They make me laugh.

9. They love to play board games and love to read and love to golf. Three things I've carried with me into adulthood.

10. They taught me the importance of money and budgeting. And as hard as it is, I'm trying to remember what they've taught me.

So thanks for the idea Jamee, and everyone else - what do you love about the person/people you love?

I am so that person...

who checks people's blogs and gets mildly upset when there aren't any updates for days at a time.
And yet here I am, not having updated mine in quite some time. But I was on vacation so that's a reason, no excuse really, but a reason all the same.
So a quick update to be followed by more lengthy blogs soon. Because I am trying to enjoy my last week of spring break and do tons of things all at once.
Palm Springs was wonderful. I felt at peace there, unhurried, relaxed, and slightly fabulous what with the big white robes to wear at the Calla Lily, the cognac served nightly (I didn't like it but I liked the cute little glasses it came in), the dinner at the Chop House where I kept expecting Food Network crews to pop out and steal a close up of my salad, the gorgeous palm trees framed by the snowcapped mountains. It was serene.
Alas, I am back in my real world but it is vacation world. Today I am having my fitting for my crown, I am tres excited. I'd prefer the kind with diamonds on a tiara but I am glad to be rid of tooth pain!
We also have golf practice and I am going to start taking pictures for our yearbook of the team. Should be fun!
Anything new with you?

10 on Tuesday

10 things I learned yesterday
1. Seventh grade boys can listen to directions and not kill each other with golf clubs and non-wiffle balls. Golf practice went so well at the course yesterday, we were excited. We had 11 boys come out!
2. You have 90 days to return things to Target, even if you have no original packaging (returned the iPod car adaptor I bought in December because it's on the fritz and the good news was I got 92 bucks back, bought a new, better one for 50 and had money left over to get a 30 dollar itunes gift card for myself! Yay!)
3. Corn tastes different when it's made by a grandma (we had dinner last night at the Clums' house, they winter here and spend the rest of their time in Howell and they've become our favorite mode of package transportation. And last night she made corn that tasted just like Grandma Cows' corn!)
4. Root canal's hurt less than filings, in my opinion - and take less time. Done in under 30 minutes and pain free! So far....
5. I really like the show What about Brian and last night was most likely the series finale...figures!
6. I can't stand reality shows, namely Dancing with the Stars. We watched for 5 minutes while waiting for Brian to come on and it was incredibly painful.
7. Having your taxes done is well worth the money especially when they find deductions you knew nothing about (i.e., moving expenses!) - my return is over $1100! Yay!
8. I still love Aerosmith songs!
9. Sometimes laundry doesn't need to be done right now and you can manage with what's left in the closet and the underwear drawer.
10. I need to have someone help me reach the back of my neck when applying sunscreen, yep - a little red there after golf practice!
Ok, I am off to Palm Springs. I'll write more if I come back:-) Love you all!

So much to blog about...

So little gumption. Yes, I am feeling lazy like a sloth. And I don't care:-) I am officially on spring break! And lovin' it.
Here's what I've done so far to begin my 2 weeks away from my children:
1. Played the Mexican Train Game (fun fun dominoe game) for over 4 hours Friday night, and I won!
2. Got a massage. (This sounds extravagant but wasn't really because I don't like thinking I pamper myself with pain. And this massage was painful. I have bad hip flexors and my neck isn't properly untensed so I was in huge pain last night).
3. Got a pedicure - this is where the pampering comes in. I even got the sea salts and a flower painted on my toes!
4. Got fitted (by a professional) for new bras and bought myself a new nightgown.
5. Bought myself 2 books, which I rarely do. And I won the raffle at school from the book fair this week and got to buy 2 books there so I have 4 new reads for the vacation - YAY!
6. Reread some of my novel, beginning the never-ending editing process. And I know this sounds weird and self-indulgent and self-congratulatory but I was choked up when I read Patricia's story. Seriously. It's weird. She's real to me.
7. Took a 4 hour nap yesterday.
8. Cleaned out my closet today and got 2 bags ready for good will.
9. Helped Ang mop the floors (under diress).
10. Ate pizza and talked with friends.
So yep, all and all a good start. Now tomorrow is dicey - I have my root canal at 8am. And I get my taxes done at 10am. So we'll see how the day goes.
Also - can you all please say a prayer for my Grandpa Cows, he's having some tests this week.
Later gators - I have a lot to write about but it'll come later.

One more day...

I promise to blog more soon. And return emails. And call you on the phone. And do the dishes (and take the empty cake pan out of the laundry room - I was storing it there so if maintenance came in they wouldn't think we're total pigs). And dust my bedroom. And work on my budget. And paint my chipped fingernails. And clean out my purse. And reorganize the floor of my closet so I can get near the closet and hang up the clothes. And deal with the tiny annoying ants in the kitchen and the upstairs bathroom.
All after we finish parent-teacher conferences tomorrow at 3 pm.
Until then I am going to bed.

Just another root canal

Yep, that's what's been causing the tooth pain all these months. I'd gone to my dentist. I'd had the crown from August shaved and refitted. I'd complained and moaned and taken Advil. And I complained some more last week until I got a consult at the specialist. And at 7:45 this morning they told me that an infection is eating away at the bone above my tooth. Fan-freakin'-tastic. So Monday morning at 8am, the first day of spring break, I get to have a root canal and it will only cost me $881. Then the following Monday I get to have a crown put on. Gotta love teeth. I'm looking into a wooden set.
Can someone explain to me when dentistry and oral hygenine became so expensive? Seriously. The last root canal took less than half an hour. It didn't even hurt. But almost a thousand bucks? It's no wonder a lot of people never go or that our nation's kids have horrible teeth (trust me, I see them every day). Dental care is expensive. And I've used up all my insurance benefits for the year already with the last root canal and 2 cleanings.
And get this - the payment plan offered is a dental credit card. Great. Just what I need. At least if I put it on my Chase card I can earn points and get a gift card in the mail.
So yeah, gotta love teeth. And the 2 days of my spring break I'll devote to caring for them.
This really bites!

Tricky Tires

I decided on Thursday I did not want to be a grownup any longer. Because when you're a grownup you have to deal with stuff like bills and jobs and flat tires. And a flat tire is exactly what I had Thursday morning. So I let it sit until Saturday morning when Angela and I tackled it and guess what?!? We were able to get it off, put on the spare, and get my tire patched - all by ourselves and all for free! I was pretty impressed with us.
That out of the way the weekend seemed very accomplished and overall, good. We did some shopping (groceries, snacks for our trip to Palm Springs in 9 days, and some very cute tank tops for this ridiculously warm spring weather), had brunch today with friends, laid by the pool and read, cleaned up the house, finally got all the laundry put away, and got things situated for our first golf meeting tomorrow.
Ang and I are going to be co-coaches and we're doing all the preliminary stuff like reserving course time, looking into getting shirts made, and figuring out how to teach 7th and 8th graders who've never held a golf club how to golf. Should be fun - I'll keep you posted!
So yeah - I know that complaining about our weather seems ridiculous to those of you up in the northeast but it's pretty intense here as well. It topped 100 degrees yesterday which is a record high for this time of year. And what's more - it's not cooling down at night, which meant last night neither of us slept well, despite our fans. I hate to turn on the air already and pay the cost of cooling both stories so we contemplated sleeping downstairs tonight but we'll suck it up and hope it goes better. Also, we went on this savings plan with the electric company today where you pay the same amount every month so we don't end up paying 300 dollars in August while we only pay 25 in January. So hopefully that will help (right now our payment is 115 dollars a month). And if it stays this warm I think we'll be turning on the air. Although that seems insane to me in March but then again, this is the desert.

This is our last week of school before spring break so that means parent-teacher conferences and 3 golf practices, should keep me busy!

Oh yeah, and today I spent 3 hours and 10 minutes watching Blood In, Blood Out - a movie about gangs in L.A. and prision. It's a movie one of Ang's kids insisted she watch and he let her borrow so we had to watch it. Here's my review: Don't rent it. Just don't. It's a lot of what I've seen on The Shield, The Sopranos, and other miscellanous TV shows and movies and the actings pretty bad. This week I think we'll be having a long talk with this student. I really want to know why he idolizes these gang members and prision inmates. I'm interested to hear his rationale. Because I doubt he wants a shank to the gut or a steel rod through the jugular or to see his little brother find his heroin needle and kill himself (all scenes from this epic movie). I'm very curious.

The Trees are Singing No More

Yesterday we got to school and they were cutting a big limb off one of the beautiful trees out front of the school. Okay we thought, it must have been dead. Then we noticed the chipper and the caution tape all around the school. And they kept cutting, not just that one limb but the whole tree. It was sad but we figured the tree must have had it coming. So we went on.
Then we got an email from the principal telling us the sad news: Every single tree around our school (and there are tons, they give us much needed shade in when it's 97 degrees outside like it will be today) was to be cut down. Every single tree!
By lunchtime it looked like a tornado had gone through and by the time we left at 4pm it looked like a bad horror movie. The trees are all gone. All gone.
Apparently they stopped watering them several years ago and because we live in the desert, the trees' roots went looking for water. Guess where they found it, yep, under the foundation of the school. So the story is that the roots were starting to hurt the foundation. They tried rewatering this fall to no avail.
We had just read a novella in class, Song of the Trees, in which a family fights to save their woods from clear cutters because the little girl says the trees are singing to her. It's a great story and my class really liked it, even did well on the test. And yesterday it was really sad to have one of my girls come up to me and with all sincerity say, "Miss Knapp, the trees aren't singing any more."
One of my boys asked me what would happen in 50 years when we can't breathe and I said I didn't know because I really don't. But I do know it was sad to see those trees gone. It will be sad to drive up to school today and see the sand and only sand. And to look out my window all day and not see trees and shade but sun and highway.
There's talk of replanting and we were admonished to look forward not complain but I really think it's sad. I grew up with a pretty hefty respect for trees and nature and I wish there was something else they could have done.

10 on Tuesday

Ten ways to make what started as a bad day (finding out a kid you spent 45 minutes of your time off the clock helping yesterday skipped 7th hour! among other things) much better:
1. Getting all my grades figured and into the computer 2 days before they're due!
2. My friend Angel getting into nursing school! Congrats lady!!!!
3. Planning 3 golf clinics for next week for my team and working out the perfect spring break schedule for golf so it doesn't mess up any big relaxin' plans.
4. Getting new shoes in the mail that I didn't have to go to a store to buy - and they fit perfectly!
5. Sitting down for 25 minutes with my kids and reading the awesome Tuck Everlasting, it's a really well written book - and not just for kids! It makes me laugh constantly, and the descriptions are amazing. This is one of the best parts of my job, just reading with my kids and hearing their spontaneous chuckles or seeing them figure something out.
6. Finding some great war propaganda posters online that printed out in color really well for our big lesson on propaganda techniques tomorrow, I think it will be fun!
7. Calling the Calla Lilly Inn in Palm Springs to inquire about their package deals to find the woman extremely charming and very accomodating. I can't wait to go over spring break!
8. Hearing from my mom that her doctor's appointment went well today and that her heart tests all came out okay!
9. Getting a new DVD in the mail from Netflix: House, M.D. (which is so far a good show!).
10. Getting an email from a friend telling me that something I helped start a long time ago (the tutoring program at MLK in Kalamazoo) is still going strong. That's awesome.
Now it's off to watch some House and then do some reading. Hope you had a good end to your day as well!

Hallelujah

We had our school-wide T4S (Teach for Success) sweeps today which means every teacher was observed and evaluated. We stressed and agonized over lessons, over whether or not we understand verbal scaffolding and whether or not we have all students engaged. We have to have all the little boxes checked by these strangers and then we get the golden egg: instructional time maximized. And guess what we did it! Angela, Shannon and I and a bunch of other friends all made it! Whew. It was nerve wracking but we did it and we're pretty excited so we went to Lute's and celebrated with cheeseburgers and fries and friends. Good times!
It was pretty funny too the way we found out. After school we were all standing around outside of the principal's office and we saw her in there with the vice principal and we knew they were going over our sheets so we peered in and smiled and they told us to come on it. She announced that we were her group of "over-achievers", it was great! Success.
So we can breathe - but only for a moment. 12 school days left until the AIMS test, the big standardized state test that tells us whether or not our school makes AYP (Annual Yearly Progress) and gets to get off the school improvement plan. If we don't, that means trouble, trouble in river city since we are on year four of our school improvement plan already. If we don't make AYP the powers behind No Child Left Behind will swoop down. Eeek!
But I am going to enjoy tonight and go to sleep happy since I aced yet another evaluation this year! Hooray! That and I am getting a massage tomorrow so maybe my back will stop hurting!

$87,000

$87,000 - the reported amount per week that several stars of Lost get paid. And they are complaining that they don't get to work enough and spend most of their time sitting on the Hawaiian beaches, waiting.
Seriously.
Oh, and then there's Zach Braff (whom I adore!) who's reportedly going to get $350,000 PER EPISODE for the 7th season of Scrubs. Now I love Scrubs but 7.7 million dollars for just the one actor! Come on. It's of absolutely no surprise that this is all my kids want to grow up to be - famous. Not even actors, just rich and famous. I want to be paid that kind of money for what I do. Don't we all? I mean really, I bring home about $11.25 an hour if I only work 40 hours a week. And that rarely happens. I need to write a script and fast.
Speaking of what I do, today was another 10 and 1/2 hour day. So we had pizza tonight, at Round Table, which was really good. And a big salad. And I was feeling guilty. But it was so good. And I didn't have to cook it or clean up (they serve on paper plates there - gotta love it!).
Tomorrow will be even longer, afterschool program then prepping for the big Yuma Plan Day observations on Friday. We're all on pins and needles. Can't wait 'till Saturday.

10 on Tuesday

(Stealing from Jamee's fabulous idea)
I am thankful for:
1. God's little reminders that I do have it very good, and I should remember to be thankful
2. Cool mornings and snuggling under the covers
3. Friends who send Bible verses and inspire me to get back to what matters
4. Laptop computers so I can balance my checkbook in bed
5. Salad in a bag
6. Kids who make me smile at the end of the day
7. Long emails reminding me of good conversations
8. Stretchy pants (and no, not the Nacho Libre kind but the dress up kind!)
9. Angel food cake and strawberries
10. Co-workers who listen to you bellyache and sympathize
So what are you thankful for today?