All Sorts of Cuteness

How much do I miss this little kiddo? Too much for words. I still have a pic of him on my file cabinet at work. He's helped me make it through a tough year. When the kids ask who he is I just say 'My favorite little boy.' I think I've hurt some feelings, but I must tell the truth.

Just a Taste

I know we all have them, so here is your invitation to post your list of things to do before you die.
Here are a few of mine.
1) Hike the Appalachian Trail (not just stand on it, like I did back in August)
2) Swim with the manatees in FL (who was with me when I first saw manatees? Rachel?)
3) Publish a book of family history
4) Learn how to tie balloon art
5) Play the pan flute at any outdoor festival (I'm just kidding. I hate the pan flute)
6)Become really organized
7)Become Nicola
8)Read all the books that I own
9)Learn how to watch just one CSI episode and not 5 in a row. (Curse you, cable)
10)Have beautiful penmanship
11)Learn to play the piano, but have no one at church know about it
12)Become personal best friends with Harry Connick Jr.
13)oh, and Paula Deen
14)Get rich and have a personal chef
15)Get rich and have a live in hair dresser. Man do I hate doing my hair. The ponytail is such a blessing from heaven.
16)Own a farm. Become FarmGirl.
17)Win a lifetime supply of Dove chocolate
18)Become a professional genealogist and get paid to travel to exotic places to do said genealogy
19)Have a really great idea that I didn't steal from someone else
20)Continue to find the best friends wherever I go! (just a little cheese for the list0

Um...what to say?

Well, I've been reprimanded by Bronwyn for not posting since the 11th. I know, I know. I am a horrible blogger. I feel like Rachel when she said that all her funny stories are gone.
Remember how my kids were funny for 2 days? Well, as an update, that hasn't lasted.
I don't have anything amusing or entertaining, so I'll just post a basic update.
1) I purchased most of my garden plants and now I am letting them wilt and die on the back porch instead of planting them. Maybe I'll get motivated tonight.
2) My bitterness of Wisconsin continues. We still are not consistently in the 70's. This morning on the radio they said 'High of 68. Does it get any better than that?' Um...yeah. It's called 78!
3) This morning I convinced myself that there were only two weeks left of school. I was happy until I mentioned it to someone at work and then I almost had to cry.
4) I am glad that Yoshi is a barker and gives it right back at the yappy dogs next door. I think in dog speak he is saying 'I can take ya.' He's got moxy! Then again he weighs 65lbs and they each are about the size of a toaster oven.
5) My principal has only done one formal observation and that was a couple weeks ago. She is supposed to do a second one before the year is over. Since I am retiring from teaching, I am just trying to see how long I can avoid her. Maybe she'll think it is a little crazy to do one on the last day of school. If not, I think we'll be making fruit loop necklaces. Objective: Have a snack. State Objective: Keep end of the school year kids from going crazy and running underpants up the flag pole. With this year's bunch that might not we a realistic goal, but we'll see.
6) I'm trying to get to 10, so....I keep typing. We are going to see Indiana Jones tonight.
7) I currently have no motivation at all to a) hem pants b)read any one of the 5 borrow books that I currently have c) pull dandelions from my yard before they go to seed d) eat anything healthy
8) Insert really juicy secret of your choice (this is meant to spice things up).
9) One of my students today told another student's mom that her dress was too small. Luckily she has a sense of humor. She asked me if it was. I called her a hussy. Really, it was down to her knees and she had a little sweater on over it. I'm not sure if he was really trying to give a compliment. You know how 6 year olds are.
10) Two of my children have decided that next Friday is in fact, the last day of school. Really? Don't parents check the district created calendar when deciding when summer vacation starts? I didn't know it was that flexible. I would have choosen September 10th of last year. If only I had gotten the memo that it was a pick your own date sort of thing.

Dear Sweet Lady

Dear Sweet Lady Sitting Behind Me in Church,

I want you to know that I think you are a wonderful and lovely woman. You are always so cheerful and kind to others. You are incredibly helpful to all the mothers in the ward as you take care of little babies, so their moms can have a break. You will have your arms full in Aug/Sept, when we will have 6 new babies. So, maybe you are trying to efficiently use your time, knowing that soon your hands will be occupied.
But, for the love of all that is holy, can you NOT clip your fingernails in church?????????

Appreciatively yours,

Me

Anyone Got Gas?

Sorry, I forgot this funny from the other day.
Friday morning, my kids were working on their morning work. I was walking around the classroom keeping chaos from breaking out, when my little Jake looks at me and says with great pride "I started my morning with gas."
Without laughing, I said "really?"
Then he held up his water bottle and said "This is my gas."
Well, then all the other kids with water bottles started yelling "I've got gas, too"
Hilarious! After I composed myself, we enjoyed a teaching moment. The kids were both embarassed and entertained at what they had been saying.

What on Earth????

I'm pretty sure that I heard good things about The Notebook. I know that it has been on my list of movies to watch, for a very long time, but somehow I never rented it. Hmmmm...might that be because I would cry through more than half of the movie? Maybe. Well, tonight was that night. I vaguely remember people saying it was sad, but I don't think that is an appropriate description. Devestating and Heartbreaking and Inspirational all at the same time.
Okay, come with me for a moment to the scene when the children come to visit and after she goes to her room, the kids are trying to convince the dad to come home. Then he says that his home will always be with his sweetheart! Okay, Rachel, take a moment and get a hankie. I was sobbing and down came John. He was trying to convince me to turn it off and watch Jumper with him. It was too late, my heart was breaking and I had to finish it. He was kind and let me sob through the rest of the movie.
I do have to say, I was so happy with the ending. It just was perfect. Even though this was so sad, it really was a good movie, unlike Away From Her. Don't ever watch that movie. Bad news bears is all I can say! I'm sure you have all watched this already. If not, pick a day when you need an hour long cry and give it a go! Best to have chocolate nearby.
P.S. Happy News: Dove chocolate ice cream bars were on sale at the grocery store tonight. Buy one/get one free!!!! Yummy!

Who are they kidding?

Tonight, John and I went to see Iron Man. Like/Don't Like rating: Loved it. I probably would have just said Liked it, but since I had such low expectations, I left really happy.
So, my advice, go see it.
But that is not the point of this post. One of the previews was for The Incredible Hulk. So, who do you think they cast as the man himself? Yes, Edward Norton. That's right! Does anyone actually think that that was an appropriate casting choice? Just checking in. The whole time I just kept saying (out loud) 'are you kidding?'

Funnies

Well, it has been a very long hiatus, but my funny kindergarteners are back. I don't know where they have been, but luckily they returned for an encore performance today.
Somehow my kids got curious about mummies today, thanks to Scooby Doo. So, we went to the library and took out a few books. They were asking questions and I was doing my best to enlighten the little kiddos.
Funny #1
We were talking about mummies and some of the kids were concerned that they would be buried like that. I explained that that is not how we do things now/here. One kid raised his hand and asked about how long ago it was. I answered 5,000 years. Without missing a beat, he responded that that was when his grandmother was born.
Funny #2
There was a picture of some of the goodies that were added to some of the mummies. They asked why they had so much stuff and I responded that when they died, they believed they would need those things in heaven. The most adorable little boy in my class, got all excited and said 'I know all about heaven. It is a really special place where you get to choose to have wings or a tail.' Then this little girl in front of him practically fell over she was rolling her eyes so hard. She said 'no way.' I let her know that lots of people have different beliefs about heaven and we needed to be respectful. She turned back around and looked at me and kind of did this little 'just between us, he's a little crazy' look. It was priceless.

Not-so-funny#1 and only
I have a lovely little boy that has had a difficult time this year with private part incidents. It has been a long time since we have had one of these, but today was apparently too much.
During our 'mummies are wrapped in linen' conversation, he piped in 'Yeah and when you unwrap them, you can see their private bone.' Um, hello? So, I just said 'office.' As he was walking out, he says under his breath 'well, at least I didn't say the real word.' Somehow he was convinced that that really made a huge difference. What to do?