It's beginning to Look a lot like Christmas....

...returned from Thanksgiving so to a whirl-wind of activities....so today I am off work for a Dr. appointment and to make my house look as though Christmas is actually coming! The tree stands naked...the mantel empty and only my classroom decorated. It is about time a little cheer arrived....and will happen right after my Dr. appointment and errands are run!

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*A LITTLE CHRISTMAS CHEER*

It's beginning to look a lot like Thanksgiving....

25 conferences down....1 apple pie baked...one pumpkin pie baked....36 corn muffins baked....the kids were awesome with following recipes. Now one more day...and one 504 meeting AFTER school tomorrow and then I can begin my Thanksgiving holiday....but seriously...WHO schedules a meeting after school on the Wednesday before Thanksgiving break????

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*CRY OVER A MEETING I HAVE TO ATTEND WHILE ALL THE OTHER 

TEACHERS LEAVE SCHOOL*

three words...

Parent Teacher Conferences...

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*ONLY 22 CONFERENCES TO GO*

Sweet Dreams

So my alarm apparently went off this morning at 5:30...and I lay there for a few minutes then put on my swimsuit and sweats. My backpack was packed with my work clothing so I grabbed it and went up to the kitchen...where I glanced at the clock and it looked odd...battery  must be dead...then I looked at the clock on the stove and indeed it was 4:28 a.m!

I went back downstairs and there was my phone...set for 5:30 a.m....still connected to the charger. I guess I dreamed it went off...now I was too awake to go back to sleep so I went online to see when the club opened...5:30...so I got a few things done, packed my breakfast and headed out the door. I swam my mile and made it to work with time to get some things buttoned up before Running Club began.

I will be sure to check the time before climbing out of bed tomorrow morning.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*DOUBLE CHECK THE CLOCK*

Lazy Saturday

I am thoroughly enjoying a much needed Saturday. I woke up and then sat in bed with my laptop. Then I lounged around a bit and then ran. The weather is not hot so I was able to run whenever I wanted...which ended up being around 11. I ran my 5 mile loop- I thought I was sucking under but actually to my surprise I hit my last record time. On my way up the hill I passed a woman running down...when I got back to the house she was coming back...turns out she is my new neighbor and runs slow like me...we will make a date to run together...it is always nicer to have someone to run with. I am approaching 300 miles for the first time in ages...I have 42.07 miles to go for 2013!

Tonight I have a PTA event...it will be fun but I am so enjoying doing nothing. I have my sewing computer warming up and I hope to make some gifts for Thanksgiving and Hanukkah. The dog is waiting for a walk and I would love to just sit on the couch.

Tomorrow is a loooong day. I cannot eat, only drink clear liquids for a procedure on Monday....there goes my 3 day weekend but it is better than taking a day off work. Conference are coming up and I have a zillion report cards to do...and papers to score and lessons to plan and books to read. I am looking forward to a fun Thanksgiving break even though we will be traveling.

 

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*ENJOY A LAZY DAY

Time Change

Is there anyone out there who really enjoys the time changes?

I admit I enjoyed my extra hour to run in my extremely busy day...but I hate that it was dark so early...I hate that I will wake up extra early, and that my students will be cranky and ask for lunch at snack time and want to go home when it isn't time yet, but the sun is in the sky where it was when they got to go home on Friday. 

My body takes so long to adjust. I just wish we would pick a time and keep it...or split the difference by a half hour and not be tortured twice a year.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*S*@%# THE TIME CHANGE*

Happy (Birthday) Halloween! Or When Oscar and FelixSwitch Places

She wears heels and dresses and jewelry...Prada sunglasses and has manicured and pedicured nails....I wear shorts or skorts, Converse or Vans, Nike golf shirts with my keys and whistle on a lanyard and ID around my neck....

until Halloween when she was me and I was her.....

and the kids thought it was hilarious...and the principal said it we the best costumes in the history of the school.....now to soak my aching feet!

My Halloween birthday was a hit...one little girl said, "When we were in first grade you told us your birthday was in February."

My answer, "Yes, and this year my birthday is in October."

(It might be more mind boggling if she remembered that in kindergarten my birthday was my real birthday in April....pre-birthday change.)

She just looked at me trying to figure it all out and no one else even gave it another thought....and that was the end of that.

*HAPPY HALLOWEEN*HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ME*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*EAT SOME CANDY*

Mileage Update

So I was complaining about the gadgets not working...I have used them every day that I exercise for the past 4 years....putting my totals in the sidebar to motivate myself...and this month, the gadgets suddenly stopped working. I finally found a way to send a concern to blogger...no reply of course but when I tried the gadgets today...WHA-LA! they work!!

I am proud of my running miles this year...I haven't run this many miles since I was in college (way more per month,)...and weighed a lot less and ran 7 and 8 minute miles....but I am twice as old now and feel pretty good at coming in 299/1520 in my age group in the S.F. Nike half marathon.

Halloween is Thursday...I have a very cool costume planned...and it is always a favorite day for me with the kids....I will be sure to post- besides, it's my "birthday!"

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*RUN LIKE A GIRL*

We Rocked The City!

We were up at 4:30 a.m. and The Captain was driving us to The City by 4:50. This year's race was set up so much better than the past...each corral, with your specific time per mile was entered at a different street...and once in the corral there were port-o-potties. This made for less of a wait for the potties. Then about a minute was added between letting the corrals start the run...we still had to dodge walkers (who think rules don't apply to them,) and much slower runners. 30,000 participants with 306 Legacy Runners...those are participants who have RUN all 10 year's events!

That's not an orange mustache but the straw :)

We bought some funny hair spirals that light up at CVS and wore them in the run...Ali's was purple for TNT and mine was green and purple...and the back of my tank top said, "MOM OF A CHILDHOOD leukemia SURVIVOR." (Terry, Julianna Banana's dad taught me that you never give cancer the power of capital letters.) 

We rocked the run- well, The Teacher dragged my butt the entire way and could have beaten me handsomely but she chose to run with her mom...which made me go faster- oh those hills! But at the end, a tuxedoed fireman awaits with a silver tray full of Tiffany boxes...holding the coveted necklace.....

 Pretty cool!
And all the proceeds go to the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society...so one day soon

all children with leukemia can stand by this sign!

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*RUN LIKE A GIRL*

HAPPY BIRTHDAY!

Happy almost Birthday to me...this year my school birthday falls on Halloween! Last year it was Valentine's Day!

I grew tired of my birthday at the end of April when Open House, report cards and teacher Appreciation Day all run together with Mother's Day....so I decided, there's no law about changing my work birthday...should have done it years ago! So last year, my birthday conveniently coincided with Valentine's Day and one party day! This year Halloween is the day of choice and my party is part of another. Technically I did have 2 birthdays this year....but the great thing is, I take my real birthday off work and the students don't get cheated out of not celebrating with me...which is a big deal when you are 7 or 8.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*CELEBRATE YOUR 

BIRTHDAY...REAL OR NOT*

Gadgets

Anyone else having trouble with blogspot's gadgets? I cannot update my mileage...I put int eh new info and then it won't save. I have tried on several computers so I know it isn't my computer...hmmm...and of course there is no way to contact a real human at blogspot. Thankfully I have it on XL.

The good news is I have suprpassed 200 miles running this year...I know some people who do that in a month...but for me it is abig deal.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*HAPPY HUMP DAY*

We Did It!

SAN JOSE ROCK N ROLL HALF MARATHON SURVIVORS!!

Finishers get a "heavy" medal and beer...in this crappy cell phone photo it is hard to tell that we are sporting our medals and beer.

We survived the run...Teacher (Daughter #1) kicked my butt...she and her boyfriend, Nuclear Physicist, who has asthma beat me by 4+ minutes...but they didn't beat my time from the last San Jose Rock N Roll I ran.

2:15:27 was my time today...but 2:07 was what I needed to beat...but there's always the S.F. Nike Women's coming up in two weeks! GO GIRLS! Just me and the teacher then.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*RUN LIKE A GIRL*

By this time tomorrow...

I will have finished the San Jose Rock N Roll Half Marathon!!

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*RUN WITH YOUR KIDS*

Happy Birthday Johnny

He was born 239 years ago that John Chapman....right when the apples were ripe for pickin'. And that means celebrating with applesauce makin' in kindergarten- along with graphing and counting and eating applesauce of course. In first grade you can get away with it too...but by second, well that's when I had to get a little sophisticated.

 I went shopping...and we did a taste test...

 And we did a little recording and adjective work....

And we tasted and tasted until the apples were all gone.And then we used the apple-corer thingy to core and peel more Fuji apples.
Then we topped off the day with "The Legend of Johnny Appleseed" film circa 1948!

Then the kids wrote the best bios on Johnny Appleseed I have ever read.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*AN APPLE A DAY KEEPS 

THE TEACHER FULL*

Friday Funny in Room 9

I got up at 5:30 a.m. to swim...and I forgot my make up bag and arrived at work with wet hair only to find out I had morning traffic duty. Uh! I did not have time to re-copy permission slips that needed to go home today...they are now front and back forms and I had only copied the front side.

As I was taking roll, I noticed the moms talking out front of my classroom. I asked a little girl to go outside and ask her mom if she would make me some copies.

The girl came back inside and about 30 seconds later her mother came in. I walked over and asked if she had a few minutes and if she wouldn't mind making 25 copies. Then she smiled and said, "Susie asked if I would go get you coffee!"

We both had a good laugh. First of all I don't know this mom well enough to boss her around like a servant- and secondly, I don't like coffee!

TGIF!

 

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*GET ME COFFEE*

TGIF!

Tomorrow is FRIDAY! It will be the 8th day of school...with 172 to follow. So far I really like my students...while the other 2nd grade teachers are finding the students a bit immature...mine seem so mature- coming from first grade and previously kinder.

On Tuesday we had a 49er/Gatorade Camp come to our school for a 90 minute session. It was a sunny day but the wind was howling! It was well organized- all I had to do was supply ice, a table and 5 helpers. Our 4 second grades, two 4th grades and one fifth grade participated...we could have 150 kids max. It was a fun, amazing time. The kids got to run over hurdles, hit a dummy, throw the football into a target and run a few drills and catch a spiral.

When it ended I helped clean up and the students were to return to their classrooms- coming from kinder and first, I was worried that I was taking too long and who knows what my students would be up to...but when I looked over at my classroom, there they were in line, waiting for me. Now that doesn't happen in kinder...and not likely in first...but next fall....well I think I will be saying my class is immature.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*READ HENRY AND MUDGE BOOKS*

First Day of 2nd Grade

I wish I had a first day of school photo from when I was a student in 2nd grade...but for the record, today was fun!

And like I said when I went to first grade from kinder...IT IS MUCH EASIER!! I took all the 2nd grader's photos today...100 of them...and I did that in less time that it took me to photograph 25 kinders on the first day!

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*REFLECT ON 9/11*

Let 2nd Grade Begin!!

I taught 2nd grade way back in 1986...and will start again tomorrow :)

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH

HARDER*GO TO SCHOOL*

I went from here

...our own private beach...on Wednesday ...

to here tomorrow:

 

Yes...I have been gone for a month...and tomorrow I have to be back at work. The students arrive on the 11th...all the construction kept us from returning before Labor Day. So if you are reading my blog for the first time...TCRWP friends, return for school stuff in a week...until then, enjoy knowing that I may have had more summer than you, but when I don't get out of school until June 25 you can laugh! (Leave a comment so I know you were here!)

But I am woman- hear me ROAR!! If I can carry a 45 pound pack over the pass of Santa Cruz Island last Sunday, I can conquer my classroom piles...but the view from that mountain cannot be matched.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*CLIMB A MOUNTAIN*MOVE A CLASSROOM* 

Plllll-ease Can We Drive the bus?

If you don't know who Mo Willems is then you will have no idea what the heck I am doing in this page of a book....

When I was in Boston I sweet talked The Captain into going to the Eric Carle Museum in Amherst. (Eric Carle wrote the Very Hungry Caterpillar and illustrated Brown Bear, Brown Bear.) I have always wanted to go to the museum and finally go the chance. The bonus was, a Mo Willems' exhibit. I was in teacher heaven....more photos to follow and details of my trip but I have to pack because we are leaving tomorrow for...BACKPACKING in the Channel Islands!!

And I will return to this:

 There are 38 boxes...10 more arriving from the heat sensitive area AND everything from my classroom that was carried over on the last day. I had to be out of my old room by 1 p.m. on the last day of school...anything left was thrown in the dumpster.

I am moving into a portable classroom..so the principal told me that the rest of my items didn't have to be packed for storage...I could just move them into the portable. Great plan...BUT, the speech teacher used the portable last school year and she wouldn't pack her boxes. Then she wouldn't let my volunteer parents in the room to put my teaching items in the cupboards...she was very uncooperative to say the least. On the last day, 20 minutes before saying good bye to my students, each child and parent carried a item over to the portable and set it on the floor, or on a table or counter top...and that was how my room was left. The other teacher's items were in boxes but she did not have them sent to storage...she said the janitor told her to leave them in the classroom- which he did not. There was a party for teachers afterwards...where the janitor told me my new classroom would not be cleaned this summer because there was too much stuff in the room! We are not allowed in the classrooms due to construction, but last night after the workers were gone I went to drop off supplies I purchased for the school year. I wanted to cry...my room is so full of boxes and my students desks and chairs are not in the classroom yet! There is a giant rust stain on the new vinyl where the teacher had her file cabinet and she must have spilled tea....this portable is only one school year old! She has locked the giant teacher cabinets because her files are inside...and I cannot move anything into those cabinets. I have next Friday after teacher meetings to prepare my classroom. So for now, I am heading to the island and erasing this mess from my mind until I have to be back to work.

*LIVESTRONG*LOVESTRONGER*LAUGH HARDER*HIKE AN ISLAND*DON'T

 THINK ABOUT WORK*