So we are those people who only buy a ticket when the jackpot is obscene, and usually it is the Hubby who actually makes an effort. Today we dropped 5 bucks on tickets. He picked the first row of numbers and quick picked the rest. Well, on the set that he picked, we got 2 numbers plus the ball so we won a grand total of $10. You heard me right folks. Big winners!
That ALMOST paid for one of our tickets into the movie theater tonight, almost.
Which brings me to a funny thought today. We took Hubby's cousin to see The Hunger Games. We have not been to the movies in a while, and we usually go to the discount theater. Well, when our total for 3 adults was about $35, I thought the Hubby was going to crap a golden egg. He started bitching to the poor girl behind the glass, grumbled when he handed over his debit card, and then complained when we got inside. I just looked at him and told him "Ok, old man, that is enough." Then I asked his cousin if he was reminded of his Uncle (Hubby's father,) he smiled and said he was already thinking that. That only netted us ugly looks from the Hubbs. His grumblings were subsided by the free small popcorn we got with our movies rewards card (kind of like a Kroger card for the movies.) Only then did he realize that if he got his FREE popcorn, he would have to buy drinks because it would make him thirsty, thus reigniting the old man mojo. I was really glad when the movie was over, and proved itself worthy of the $40-something we had forked over, otherwise I would never hear the end of it- Even if we did end the day by winning $10.
Friday, March 30, 2012
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
An open letter to Mother Nature
An open letter to Mother Nature-
Dear Mother Nature,
Please allow me to open with blatant admiration of your beauty and power. Your vastly varied flora and fauna have provided me with comfort in times of depression, beautiful pictures, shade in the heat, and so much more. My complaint is more with the process. When these trees, plants, and flowers open and begin the process that will allow them to procreate for another year, they release pollen. I see the purpose of pollen- but this much? My car will NOT be producing any pine trees and does not need an inch layer of yellow dust. My lungs and sinuses will not be blooming next spring and do not need to be coated in the various pollens that I breathe in. Normally, I can deal. But this year I am pregnant and can not battle the onslaught with my normal nasonex and allegra. ON TOP of that, the pollen count was 9,000. That is 9,000 particles per cubic meter. If that were to settle to the bottom, over an inch would be there. Shame. BTW the national asthma and allergy center say that 150 is dangerous- just so you know.
So, in closing, I ask that you take it easy. Relax, and give the south a break.
Sincerely,
Queen Elizabeth
Dear Mother Nature,
Please allow me to open with blatant admiration of your beauty and power. Your vastly varied flora and fauna have provided me with comfort in times of depression, beautiful pictures, shade in the heat, and so much more. My complaint is more with the process. When these trees, plants, and flowers open and begin the process that will allow them to procreate for another year, they release pollen. I see the purpose of pollen- but this much? My car will NOT be producing any pine trees and does not need an inch layer of yellow dust. My lungs and sinuses will not be blooming next spring and do not need to be coated in the various pollens that I breathe in. Normally, I can deal. But this year I am pregnant and can not battle the onslaught with my normal nasonex and allegra. ON TOP of that, the pollen count was 9,000. That is 9,000 particles per cubic meter. If that were to settle to the bottom, over an inch would be there. Shame. BTW the national asthma and allergy center say that 150 is dangerous- just so you know.
So, in closing, I ask that you take it easy. Relax, and give the south a break.
Sincerely,
Queen Elizabeth
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
I just peed myself
Truly- honestly- I just did.
I knew this day would come.
I was just in denial.
But there I was tutoring 8 students and I coughed.
I had been coughing all day- but this was a special cough.
A special cough that taught me what so many mothers already know.
What did I learn? Kegels are no joke- do them.
More often- with meaning!
Insult to injury- after I walked my kids halfway to Egypt to be picked up.
I had a meeting with my last conference-
We smiled, we laughed, we talked about how great their kid is,
I thought about the cough.
I did not intend for this to end up in prose- but I think it works.
I knew this day would come.
I was just in denial.
But there I was tutoring 8 students and I coughed.
I had been coughing all day- but this was a special cough.
A special cough that taught me what so many mothers already know.
What did I learn? Kegels are no joke- do them.
More often- with meaning!
Insult to injury- after I walked my kids halfway to Egypt to be picked up.
I had a meeting with my last conference-
We smiled, we laughed, we talked about how great their kid is,
I thought about the cough.
I did not intend for this to end up in prose- but I think it works.
Monday, March 26, 2012
Teacher woes
So as a teacher I LOATHE being out. When I miss a day, I feel like the kids miss a day also. I know that we have fabulous substitutes, and they very rarely disappoint. I just don't expect a sub to have to teach the math we do (some can and some cant, it is stinking hard.) I teach 6 segments (all subjects, same kids) in a day, and it is "wam-bam-thank you mamm" all day. Last week, I was relegated to the couch for 2 days because when I go, I go big. I make sure EVERYTHING is infected at the same time. Being preggers does not help, if I could take my allergy meds a lot of this could have been avoided. I digress.
I will fully admit- I am control freak when it comes to my students and classroom. Most teachers are, and the current political environment forces it upon us. Potential pay for performance (funny enough, it is my student's performance that dictates that, not mine,) has us all stressed out. Now, I play very well with others. I love planning with my 5 team members, and sharing ideas. But when I step in my room, it is on. If I had another teacher in my room, for whatever reason, I could deal with that, because I know they want the same thing too- successful kids.
Today I felt like we were on a speeding train. We spent over and hour finding out who did what, who was missing something, what they actually got finished with in the lesson plan. It was a total differentiation tornado in the room. 29 kids doing 20 different tasks. But we got it done! Now to grade everything, and that is where the "I have so many other things to do" comes in. I pulled an extra tutoring session with 2 kids today (not paid, but when an 11 year old asks to stay and get some extra help and some extra time to get work done- ABSOLUTELY!)
The moral of the story is today (when I left the house at 6:20 am) I imagined a messy classroom, my own messy desk, incomplete assignments, a long list of names for talking, a pile of assignments to be graded, and a pile of parent conferences to finish. All of that was there- don't get me wrong. But my desk - it was clean. Thank heavens- I left it a huge mess. BUT I also feel VERY accomplished as I sit at home in my hubby's recliner. I had almost everything graded by the time I left, the talkers sufficiently punished, most conferences handled.
The monster under your bed is always scarier until you grab it by the neck only to discover it is an old pair of panties your dog chewed up and stowed away under there. I will still stress out every time I have to be out- but I will hopefully always be just as surprised when I return the next day.
I will fully admit- I am control freak when it comes to my students and classroom. Most teachers are, and the current political environment forces it upon us. Potential pay for performance (funny enough, it is my student's performance that dictates that, not mine,) has us all stressed out. Now, I play very well with others. I love planning with my 5 team members, and sharing ideas. But when I step in my room, it is on. If I had another teacher in my room, for whatever reason, I could deal with that, because I know they want the same thing too- successful kids.
Today I felt like we were on a speeding train. We spent over and hour finding out who did what, who was missing something, what they actually got finished with in the lesson plan. It was a total differentiation tornado in the room. 29 kids doing 20 different tasks. But we got it done! Now to grade everything, and that is where the "I have so many other things to do" comes in. I pulled an extra tutoring session with 2 kids today (not paid, but when an 11 year old asks to stay and get some extra help and some extra time to get work done- ABSOLUTELY!)
The moral of the story is today (when I left the house at 6:20 am) I imagined a messy classroom, my own messy desk, incomplete assignments, a long list of names for talking, a pile of assignments to be graded, and a pile of parent conferences to finish. All of that was there- don't get me wrong. But my desk - it was clean. Thank heavens- I left it a huge mess. BUT I also feel VERY accomplished as I sit at home in my hubby's recliner. I had almost everything graded by the time I left, the talkers sufficiently punished, most conferences handled.
The monster under your bed is always scarier until you grab it by the neck only to discover it is an old pair of panties your dog chewed up and stowed away under there. I will still stress out every time I have to be out- but I will hopefully always be just as surprised when I return the next day.
Sunday, March 25, 2012
Where it comes from..
The Idea: So a few weeks ago I was talking to one of my besties, and she said something that I have not been able to shake. She said "You should write a blog, I would read it." and that simple sentence has hung in the air.
The Name: My mother always said that if she had another girl she would have named her Victoria, we would not have one queen in the house and not another. Although I was not name for her highness's namesake, I sure have felt most of my life like I was something special. But a daddy does that to his only girl.
The Nutshell:
* 13 month old: We will call him Little Man. Admit it our children are amazing but can stress us out. They are the only beings that can simultaneously make us feel fulfilled, and frustrate us to no end. He can FINALLY use the sign for food, and then refuse every food I put in front of him- except Cheerios. He is adorable and cuddly, and I love him with all my soul. I would do anything and everything for him. I want him to be independent and intelligent, but I also want him to stop whining. Oh- there will be a second boy to destroy the house in August. More LOVE!!!
*My students:5th graders- 10 and 11 year olds. Most people cringe when I say this, but I really love it. They get my sarcasm, the laugh at my jokes (even the bad ones,) they use my sarcasm against me (Good Job, Mrs.N.) They are soooo intelligent- and that is the problem. They push and frustrate me,as I am sure I do to them. They are so very capable, and yet have become lazy. It is not all their faults. I have 1 kid who for 3 weeks was playing 3 different sports at the same time. They just overlapped. It is just an example, but typical. I hate grading writing papers. I love teaching writing, and I love reading their writing- I just hate judging it with a grade.
*My Husband: Wonderful, wonderful man. He is extremely intelligent, he doesn't know it. He is in Grad school, and will be wildly successful. He over stresses about the littlest assignment- I amend my previous statement- He will be wildly successful- if he doesn't have a heart attack first. He is strong and so very good looking. He has the personality that makes you feel like he genuinely cares- because he does.
* My beliefs- I am a solid moderate christian. The problem with that statement is everyone will read it and assume something different. I generally vote republican, but it is not locked in. I believe in gun owners rights. I try desperately to be non-judgmental, at least with those I do not know. I tend to open my mouth too much with those I love. But don't we all. I feel like I am not good at adult interactions all the time. I am thin (when not pregnant, or post pregnant,) and am frustrated by those who assume I achieve my ideal body weight by negative means. I take care of myself by eating well (mostly,) tend to move around a bit, that coupled with a good genetic body structure and metabolism, get me where I have spent most of my life. Every year I have to work a little harder for it, and I am sure that trend will not end. I believe in doing EVERYTHING possible to help a friend. I WILL answer my phone any time of night and talk to you for hours if that is what you need.
I like my FB account which has presently been given up for Lent.
The Name: My mother always said that if she had another girl she would have named her Victoria, we would not have one queen in the house and not another. Although I was not name for her highness's namesake, I sure have felt most of my life like I was something special. But a daddy does that to his only girl.
The Nutshell:
* 13 month old: We will call him Little Man. Admit it our children are amazing but can stress us out. They are the only beings that can simultaneously make us feel fulfilled, and frustrate us to no end. He can FINALLY use the sign for food, and then refuse every food I put in front of him- except Cheerios. He is adorable and cuddly, and I love him with all my soul. I would do anything and everything for him. I want him to be independent and intelligent, but I also want him to stop whining. Oh- there will be a second boy to destroy the house in August. More LOVE!!!
*My students:5th graders- 10 and 11 year olds. Most people cringe when I say this, but I really love it. They get my sarcasm, the laugh at my jokes (even the bad ones,) they use my sarcasm against me (Good Job, Mrs.N.) They are soooo intelligent- and that is the problem. They push and frustrate me,as I am sure I do to them. They are so very capable, and yet have become lazy. It is not all their faults. I have 1 kid who for 3 weeks was playing 3 different sports at the same time. They just overlapped. It is just an example, but typical. I hate grading writing papers. I love teaching writing, and I love reading their writing- I just hate judging it with a grade.
*My Husband: Wonderful, wonderful man. He is extremely intelligent, he doesn't know it. He is in Grad school, and will be wildly successful. He over stresses about the littlest assignment- I amend my previous statement- He will be wildly successful- if he doesn't have a heart attack first. He is strong and so very good looking. He has the personality that makes you feel like he genuinely cares- because he does.
* My beliefs- I am a solid moderate christian. The problem with that statement is everyone will read it and assume something different. I generally vote republican, but it is not locked in. I believe in gun owners rights. I try desperately to be non-judgmental, at least with those I do not know. I tend to open my mouth too much with those I love. But don't we all. I feel like I am not good at adult interactions all the time. I am thin (when not pregnant, or post pregnant,) and am frustrated by those who assume I achieve my ideal body weight by negative means. I take care of myself by eating well (mostly,) tend to move around a bit, that coupled with a good genetic body structure and metabolism, get me where I have spent most of my life. Every year I have to work a little harder for it, and I am sure that trend will not end. I believe in doing EVERYTHING possible to help a friend. I WILL answer my phone any time of night and talk to you for hours if that is what you need.
I like my FB account which has presently been given up for Lent.
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