Can I Borrow Your Big Girl Pants?

There is so much I want to say but because this is the internet and anyone could read it, I think I'll refrain.  I've spilled my guts to enough people this week to last me awhile.

Here's the short of it: I wish I could stop being such a pansy, put on my big girl pants, and do something about it but I'm terrified.  

That being said, my posts may become a bit more superficial than usual. 





P.S.

L. told me to "get some this weekend".  I don't know if I should be weirded out by the fact that he and the rest of my class are so obsessed with my personal life or worried about what he thinks "get some" means.  6th graders are interesting.

edit: My friend Ryan gave me the line "Big girl pants."  I (he) thought I should give him credit.

Ground Control

On Monday, my friends and I went to support our friend Bryce and his band Ground Control at Muse Music in Provo.  We had a super time dancing and rocking out to killer music.

 Ground Control

 Jaynee and me

 Ryan and Jenny

 Ryan, Jenny and me

 Me and Rich

Bryce

Gabriel, Jenny, me, Rich, Jaynee, Ryan

Let me explain my super amazing pose.  See the mirror in the back?  The flash kept reflecting back and making a horrible shot so being the smarty I am, I did that.  Totally blocked the flash.  Mission complete. 

One Word...Amazing

Holy cow.  This boy is amazing.




















He'll be on Ellen tomorrow.

Being Stupid is Tough Work

I've been super dumb the last couple of days. 

I already told you of the no sleeping thing.  This trend has continued and now I've gotten even stupider.

I'm blaming the lack of sleep for my horrible decision making.  I may be making it sound like I did something horrible.  I don't think I did.  But I do think it's just going to come back and bite me, and only me, in the bum. 

Here's how it all went down:

During reading groups, my student L. (you know L. from proper English lady, "Girls just want to date me", "Valentine's Day is a day of love", "Hey laaaaaaady!", Jedi boots, and Tampico.) asks me why I'm not married (then he told me how pretty I am and that I should have a boyfriend...but that's beside the point).  Somehow, we got to talking about my boyfriends or lack thereof.  And somehow, I began talking about the boy that I like.  I told them almost everything. 

My girls are even more obsessed now with finding me a husband than they were here.  We'll see how this all plays out.

Who's That Crazy Fun, Joyous, Awesome, Friendly, Forgiving, Cute, Fun, Generous, Spazzy, Great, Trustful and Cool Teacher?

It's Teacher Appreciation Week at my school.  On Friday, the PTA had a luncheon for the teachers.  They also gave us pictures with words and phrases written on them that our students had described us as.  Here's mine:

Spazzy and crazy fun were the highlight of my Friday afternoon.  One of my friends at work who teaches resource got "she is married." and "wears glasses."  We laughed for an hour about how funny the kids are.  

Teacher appreciation is amazing.  Thanks, PTA!

¿Cuántos Días?

Treinta.  Fabuloso!

You didn't know I was bilingual, did you?

Cinco de Mayo Festivities

How'd you celebrate Cinco de Mayo?

I wore a sombrero and a fake mustache.  It was epic.

Overheard During the Past 2 Weeks

I've changed how I my students do journals.  Instead of having them write in them for half the year then I look at them, I have them write everyday and I read them everyday.  Today I read this from my cute little J.  (The same J. that said she would cry and cry when she left my class and that I am too good for all men out there but I will wop you women's butts and take your men):

"My teacher [Miss J.] is better than my other one...She liked the smart kids better then the other ones.  She made everything hard for me.  She did not even help me and anything...Miss J. you are better then her you don't have a favorite one like her you make it easier for me.  She made me raise my hand when I didn't know the answer.  She made me embarrassed because I did not know the answer.  You teach in fun ways and you teach me easier ways to do math.  you are like my mom, sister, aunt.  Thank you Miss J. a lot."

She doesn't want to leave my class and I don't want her to leave so I think I'll keep her.

 L. :"I like your Jedi boots, Miss J."

Me: "Thanks?"

JGP made this bracelet made from cardboard and tissue paper.  He made it during class when he should have been doing a math assignment. 

Having a Life is Tough Work

Having a life is great but it's coming at the price of giving up precious hours of sleep and becoming a lazy teacher.

Like I said here, I've been going to church activities ALL.THE.TIME.  I've met some amazing people...some amazing people that like to say out way too late.  No one realizes that my sleeping habits resemble that of a grandma and they keep me awake until all hours of the morning...the MORNING, people!  (Other proof that I'm a grandma sleeper, read here and here.)

I know what you're all probably thinking or screaming at your computer screen.  But I can't just leave my friends or tell them to lock up my house when they leave because I'm going to bed, that would just be terrible hostess duties.

Here's my week since Sunday...


Sunday afternoon/evening...dinner at my house with a bunch of lovelies.

Sunday night...movie at Ryan's (awake until 1am).

Monday evening...FHE.

Monday night...get-together at my house (again, awake until 1am).

Tuesday night...Jazz game...Hung out with Chick-Fil-A cow and Jordan, left early but still didn't get into bed until midnight.

Wednesday morning...Holy cow!  I was can't-keep-my-eyes-open, can't-form-words, walking-like-a-zombie sleepy today.  My poor students!  Yep, they're being little turds lately but they still deserve more than I could give them today. 

I really should go to bed early tonight but it's Cinco de Mayo and I want to celebrate better than I did last year.  What to do?

4 Posts in 1 Day

Quick story.

After school on Friday, the staff threw a baby shower and a wedding shower (not for the same person).  Because we rarely all have to opportunity to be in the same room at the same time, we always go around and say what's new in each grade.  "Mrs. D won't be back next year, her husband got a job in France." or "Miss C. bought a new car." or "Mr. W is going on a cruise."  You know.  Same boring stuff we hear every time.

Being 6th grade and last to go, my teammates and I always try to concoct some sort of elaborate story because we are all so boring in real life.

(A little background on my team before I go any further.  75% of us are married...any guesses on the only single gal?  How'd you guess?  Yes, it's me.  Right now I'm on track with 2 lovely ladies who are trying to get pregnant.)

Having just had the "Are you pregnant yet?" conversation with many friends (I know, awkward) I immediately thought pregnancy...

We finally get to 6th grade and the 3 of us look at each other then our team leader shouts, "We're ALL pregnant!"

There is a 2.5 second pause of shock for 3 ladies on the same team being pregnant then I get open-mouth stares from every.single.person.  It was great.  Then embarrassing.  And I had to quickly retract the entire statement because I don't want anyone thinking I'm easy.  Also, no one on the team is pregnant.

But that's not the best part.

My teammate who began this juicy gossip on Friday came into class today to tell me something secret.  She whispered it to me in front of my class.  As she was saying it, my class starts to murmur.  "Hey!  No secrets in this class!" 

My teammate and I look at each other.  She smiles slyly.  I begin to speak without thinking (6th graders rub off).  I blurt, "I'm pregnant and getting married!"

Looks of wonder and woots of joy followed by "Miss J.  I'm still trying to find a man for you!"

I again had to immediately take this back.  I just shouted "April Fools!" and hoped everything would be okay.

Fast forward about 5 hours...

It's the end of the day.  We're cleaning up and getting homework passed out.  One boy comes up to me and asks, "So, you're not really pregnant, right?"  "No, H.D.  I'm not."  "And you're not getting married?"  "Nope.  I'm not getting married."  "Okay.  I just wanted to make sure."

But this is all leading up to an epic April Fool's Day* joke.  I'm so excited!  You'll hear about it on Thursday!

*I know April Fool's Day is over.  It was a weekend and I didn't get to do anything so I'm doing something with my team on Thursday. 

6 Week Summer? Yes, Please!

I contemplated changing tracks next year, here.

I decided I would go through with it on Saturday night and emailed my principal because I was so excited that I couldn't wait. 

6 week summer...here I come!

Pemba's Song

Book #45: Pemba's Song:A Ghost Story by Marilyn Nelson and Tonya C. Hegamin

Pemba and her mother move from Brooklyn to Connecticut. As soon as Pemba arrives at the new house, she knows something isn't right. She begins having blackouts and sees an 18th century African-American girl. Something terrible happened to Phyllys, a slave that lived in the house hundred of years earlier, and she needs Pemba's help. Working with Abraham, an eccentric old man who lives nearby, Pemba must uncover the girl's story to finally put her to rest.

This book was a quick read. I enjoyed it but would have liked a bit more meat.  My students liked this book a lot and were very excited to read it.  They breezed through it quickly and easily.  I would recommend it for about 4th to 12th grade (although the older kids may get bored with it and want more to they story just like I did.)

How Much Longer?

34 more days. 

It's getting scary.  Pray for me to have patience...and keep my sanity.

Thanks in advance.

May Videos

My sister, Courtney, had this on her blog. I almost peed at the end.