I am thankful.......

.....that I am a Nurse....

and NOT a 2nd grade Math Teacher!

Hallie brought this "collage" home in her folder.

"What IS THIS?" I asked.

She whisked by me headed to play and replied, "my math work."

Wow! Whoa! Good Job!???

Happy......

Now go get your GREEN on!

In Loving Memory...

Our hearts are heavy and aching tonight.

We love you sweet, beautiful girl!

Sally Sue Cruson

November 1996-April 2009

"Gladys Kravitz" Has Been Shut Down!

I have a few names that I go by around here....."Trudy" the hairdresser, "Florence" the Nurse, "Mel" short for Melissa, "Hey you!", "Mama", "Big Mama", but mostly I just go by "Mom".

One of my other "alter egos" that the neighborhood knows me by is "Gladys Kravitz" the nosy neighbor. I started this name for myself, once the school district decided to place the new Elementary school in my front yard (well, ok not IN it, but close enough!) We are so close that I know when they have a fire drill, I can hear the morning announcements, and I always know when it's 10am after that 10am school bell rings. I do pride myself on my "Gladys" status though, and I love all of the windows in our home that allow me to see just about anyone at anytime.......

For example, (I mentioned the school).....out this window.....

I see this......

Out my kitchen window.......

I have a great view of this.........

But "Gladys" has been shut down on the North side, out her daughter's bedroom window......
Ahhhhh POOP! The neighbors have installed this.................

But don't think that'll stop this gal from lookin!!

Bringing Sexy Pirate Back!

Is it just me or are we learning more than we ever wanted to know about PIRATES? The Pirates in my dreams always looked like this...... not this!...

Recent world events have really put a damper on my view of "The Sexy Pirate"! I wish they would REname them something different other than "PIRATES", ummmm......the name "TERRORIST" seems to fit better. That way I can keep this yummy image in my brain......prrrrrrrrr........

and the long lived tradition of the 2nd Grade's PIRATE DAY, (which by the way, is scheduled for next Friday), wouldn't seem so creepy this year and then also maybe I wouldn't feel the need to go dressed as a NAVY SEAL!

Sharing a Little More Than Just Reading!?

Wednesdays in 2nd grade is "Share Reader Day". On this day, a parent comes into the classroom and reads to the kiddos for 30 minutes right after lunch. "Lucky" for us parents it's PIZZA DAY on Wednesdays! (Do you happen to know what kind of gas build up is in a 7 or 8yr old after a super-sized Pizza Wednesday)........Alot! Last Wednesday, after the Pizza Extravaganza in the lunchroom, we went to class to do some share reading.......I have found that if they are listening to a funny book with lots of pictures......we have less and less of this.... and more and more of this........

Which is a GOOD thing.

BUT if we are deep into a NO PICTURES, LOTSA WORDS, NANCY DREW MYSTERY novel....forgetaboutit! It's the longest 30 full minutes of your life that is filled with alot of poke this, pick at that, flick her, pinch him.....

Not to mention those sweet 2nd graders CANNOT get close enough to the "Share Reader", so I'm in a chair and they are at my feet each grabbing onto a toe or a piece of my pant leg. It does appear that the closer in that they gravitate to the reader, the harsher the gas pains get for these mighty little Pizza Monsters?! On this reading day, they were pulled in so close I felt as if I was a large sheet of metal and they all had magnets in their pockets. The smells they were expelling were so rough, they made my eyes water and practically made my mascara melt right off the lash!

I think on my next "Share Reader Wednesday" I'll be bringing something more like this to keep these nose-pickin little "stinkers" attention!

4/15

It is April 15th ...Happy TAX DAY!

Did you know that....the TITANIC sank on April 15th, 1912.

What a coincidence!?