Door stops

Since I am the new teacher this year and because there was no room in the 5th grade hall, I've spent my whole year down in the 6th grade hall. It has had its pluses and minuses. When I came to my classroom the first time, I noticed the door stop, or the splinter that went by the title of door stop. Well, over the year, it has been a running joke about my door stop and the kids always promise to get me a new one and I always reply that I don't believe them anymore because they've promised all year.

All this to say that my kid Matthew actually MADE me a door stop!! I was so excited...especially cause he shined it up and buffed it so nicely that it barely holds up the door, it just makes it slide.

Here's a picture of my collection of door stops...the splinter and the gift.

(Belated) Symphonic Adventures

Last weekend, I decided to be the brave teacher and take some of my kids on an outing! I thought, since I enjoy the Springfield Symphony, that I would take some of my students to expose them to the wonderful music of John Williams. I could only take four due to my jeep not being a bus and I chose the students through an essay contest. Part of the adventure was dressing up and getting to go to CiCi's Pizza! Here are some fun photos of me and my kids.

Here we are before the big adventure! I absolutely loved how dressed up the kids were, especially my Aaron. He's been one of my hardest kids this year, and I was tickled pink to see that his dad the tattoo artist took him shopping to get a whole new outfit!

...fun car shots...

Part of the excitement of the evening was going to CiCi's Pizza. Here's a timer shot...the sun was pretty bright!!


The actual concert took place at Juanita K. Hammon's Hall in Springfield. Here's what it looks like on the outside.

Here's a fountain shot...

One of the highlights for the kids (and myself) was that there were about 20 different people with authentic costumes from the movie. Of course we stayed after to take fun picures. I love the one with Aaron looking up at Darth Vader and the one of me and my white boyfriend.

This one's my boyfriend...or so I like to think...

Cinco de Mayo Extravaganza!!

I have been given the great responsiblity of creating a blog documenting the adventures of three girls enjoying Art Fest in Springfield and celebrating Cinco de Mayo. I'm feeling a lot of pressure, considering that Kate is letting ME do the blogging instead of her...well, here we go!

Kate, Emily, and I started out our adventure driving straight up 65 to the happy land of adventure. Here's some fun car shots:

Emily was into her cool "rock star" look and Kate was showing her excited face at discovering that I remembered to bring my camera.

Our first stop was Los Portales, a Mexican restaurant in Springfield. We enjoyed the celebratory balloons and the authentic Mariachi singer singing to a track. He was a lot of fun.
After we finished eating, we thought we would take advantage of some fun murals on the side of the restaurant. Nothing like some good timer shots!

For this cool shot, we actually had the camera on the ground. Just so you know, the car on the left belongs to the mariachi singer.

Taking advantage of cool sun placement...

Kate breathing in the freshness of the traditional Mexican wall plant.

Once again, the view from the Mariachi singer's car...

Another fun shot from the view of another car. Notice how my finger is in the Mexican's ear...nice. It was funny...everytime we finished using a car as a camera prop, the owner of the vehicle always came out. In fact, when we were using the mariachi singer's car, he was actually in it! Cool illusion, huh?

After our fun picture taking at the Mexican restaurant, we headed in a spiral direction towards downtown. We arrived at Jordan Valley Park a bit early, so we took advantage of some good cement seats in the front row. While waiting for the show to start we enjoyed watching the little kids run around in the fountain and play with bubbles...and of course took more pictures of ourselves. Now our attempts to look like a rock star...Kate totally pulls this off...

My friend Caleb, who sang with the symphony, got in on the rock star action, too. Emily always looks like a rock star...even when not trying.

Now I'm a different story. I just can't seem to pull off the looking thoughtful/rock star look. After about 20 awkward attempts, I settled with this one.

Another cute one...look at my cute dimple!

Aren't we just darling?!

No, our night was not just filled with pictures...we got to enjoy a FABULOUS free concert given by the Springfield Symphony. They played lots of fun marches and great movie music.

I would have to say, it was so far my most favorite and memorable Cinco de Mayo!

Thanksgiving List

My class just finished the wonderful book, Out of the Dust. This is a novel written in poetic verse. One of the chapters near the end of the book is just a list of things the girl in the book was thankful for. So today I made my kids do one of these lists for themselves. I wrote one too:

Thanksgiving List

Warm sunshine on my face, the symbolism
of trees,
babies laughter, friends who ask me hard questions,
Jesus,
driving in the car with my hand out the window
singing my heart out,
ice cream, foam soap, laughing till it hurts.
Brokenness.
My students for showing me how to
love selflessly and showing me what kind of
teacher I want to be.
Air conditioning, holding hands, sweet tea,
my bed, journaling, the smell of grass,
music,
laughing till it hurts, fresh dew on summer grass,
Isabella’s joyfulness,
Jesus clouds with rays of light stretching from their fingers,
letters from kindred spirits, friend dates,
rolling green hills in these Ozark Mountains,
amazing conversations when you should be in bed,
companionable silence, rich harmonies of choral music,
Mom singing,
friends who really want to know my heart,
reminiscing with sisters and Grant,
teacher friends,
lingering hugs, the crunch of fallen leaves,
knowing glances,
waking up to the sunrise, not being able to put a book down
spectacular green of spring, starry nights and sunsets,
long conversations with Mom while drinking iced tea,
being able to pee after holding it forever,
money to bless people with, teasing friends, sleepovers,
family bluegrass jam sessions, people who accept me with
scrunchies and all,
and the promise of a new beginning.

Pink Eye and Apologies

Just like a little child, I have recently come down with a nasty case of pink and had to be out of school for the past two days. I was scared to death to leave my kids with a sub because...well, behaving well is just not their forte. However, the first day I was shocked to discover that my kids did awesome and that they were extremely well-behaved. Well, I was excited and wrote a note to my kids that if they were good on the second day, I'd do something really special for them. Sadly, I came yesterday and it turns out that my kids were AWFUL!! I'm not very happy with them, and I told them so. I made them each write me a letter explaining why they weren't good on the second day and what they could do better the next time. I will share with you a few responses that made me laugh. I will keep the spelling like theirs so you can see the originality in the letters.

We weren't the best class, but she wasn't a cherry either. And that's what I truley think.

Almost everyone was acting up and when Mrs. Kennedy would stay to watch the bathrooms I would watch though the window for like 2 seconds before I came in the class and everybody was jumping around, screaming, throughing things, and somebody droped there binder on purpose and Mrs. Kennedy came rushing in the classroom.

Maybe some of the things that caused it is because Mrs. Kennedy is way more strit. When she talked it sounded like she was yelling. Next time, we'll all stop talking, and read a book.

2 boys from our class were being really loud int eh hallway and stacking binders on one boys hands so hard he could not hold the weight.

I think I now wye we had a bad day. It's because we wher mad that you wernt her. We realy wanted you to be back bu you wernt. next tim I think that we should zip are lips when the sud tels us to. I hope you feel better.

Mrs. Kenedy was pretty strickt. Maybe the strickter the worse we get. Also maybe we just missed you so we got bad the second day. I hope you forgive us. I don't like to be hated. Your hopefully Forgiven student, K----

I really think it was the sub's fault because she was too strict and too harsh. Grrrrrr.....

and my advanced writer....

I really don't know why everything collapsed and went haywire yesterday. I'm not going to say that I didn't do anything yesterday, because I was mad that morning, and I told Giovanni to shut up. (again!!) I'm not going to say that it was all the boys who normally cause trouble, some of it was them, but we all play an IMPORTANT part here. All of us did something. Some people might not have the heart enough to tell you the truth. I'm not afraid to admit that. It got on my nerves, too. I won't blame anyone. some people might write down the names of kids who caused the problem. But I won't. It's mean and hurtful. It's basically gossiping. And I don't do that. I'm sorry.

an attempt to be an advanced writer...

She was strickd like a seagull and a fish playing hard to get and the seagull does not win. it's like we all belong in the sea but we feel welcome or not a priciated. Sometimes you will feel lik a jewel off a breclet on the alone floor. 1 piece of cany who's going to eat it you is the kid you like or dislike?!......With all due respect, H--------

Thank goodness it's Friday!!!

Awww...the luxury of Spring Break!

I must say...I think I'm beginning to love Spring Break more than any other break as a teacher, except for summer, of course. This past week has been wonderful. I feel like I have really spent some good time with old friends which reminds me of how thankful I should be right now on my journey with the Lord. I almost feel like I've been on a spiritual retreat. Let me just tell you what I've been up to since I left the wild side of Nashville.

After Nashville, I drove up to Louisville, Kentucky to stay with my dear friends Laura Wishall and Kathleen Hanley. This portion of my break was very laid back and very relaxing. I spent all morning on Tuesday with the Lord and I feel like I was able to really present a lot of crap that has been going on in my life for the past bit. It was freeing. I feel a little bit more confident in these hard areas than I did before my journey to Louisville.

I spent a lot of time with Laura and Kathleen, which was so encouraging to my heart. I think sometimes I get in these friendship ruts where I feel like I have to work hard at being accepted and loved. It was just SO good to be near friends who I know love me and who love me for just who I am. I wasn't trying to impress or prove myself worthy...I just was. And that was beautiful.

One of my favorite parts of my journey to Louisville was playing with Reas, Kathleen and Ryan's 11month old baby boy. He was so fun and so adorable. I really miss having babies in my life.

Spending time with Kathleen and Laura reminded me of who I really am inside. I've forgotten how much I treasure heart friends, quality time, and making memories. I'm so thankful for fun new memories such as: driving through humongous puddles with Laura, watching Steel Magnollias and bawling like babies, grading papers with great friends, and playing the coupon game with Laura.

On Thursday, I drove all the way home so that I could go to worship practice. Today I spent the day with my mom. I took her to lunch at a tea room, went shopping, and then went with her to the salon to get her nails done. Somehow on the journey from TJ Maxx to Gary's salon, mom talked me into getting not only a pedicure, but waxing my eyebrows as well! It was too fun and so worth it. I definitely have an appointment for next month...Wahoo for being a woman.
Well, that basically wraps up my Spring Break! Tomorrow I plan on spending my Saturday in my classroom, preparing and organizing for my little angels. All after sleeping in, of course!

Right now I am enjoying the thrills of Spring Break and getting away from my 23 hellions. I am sitting here in Nashville with my friend Casey and I just want to take a moment and share with you what I did last night after driving for 8 hours.

• 
  First I met Casey at the Opryland hotel and mall. I spent too much money on some new Shox and a cool hat for my brother from the Gibson store. I also took some amazing pictures of flowers and a fish that looked like it had tumors all over it.


• After Opryland, Casey and I ventured to the downtown area. We walked down by all the bars and I felt like a cool city girl. We wanted to go to the hockey game but tickets were $55 and I couldn't justify going after buying Shox.


• We ate dinner at the Wildhorse Saloon and then went line dancing. I felt so cool and for the first time regretted not owning cowboy boots. I had tennis shoes on and felt like a FREAK!


• After the saloon, Casey and I kept walking around the craziness of downtown Nashville. I enjoyed culture shock when I went into the Coyote Ugly bar. WOH!! I pretty much felt dirty as I watched the girls dancing on the bar. We were only in the bar for about ten minutes, but while we were there, a very drunk man came close to me and tried to grab me. Thank goodness, a huge bouncer was right behind me and saved me from the drunken old man. My favorite part of Coyote Ugly was when the girls on the bar asked for girls in the crowd to come on the bar. It just so happens that there was two lesbian couples in the crowd. I had actually seen them at the Saloon earlier. I remembered seeing them because they were one of those couples that one of them has to LOOK like a man. The girl in the man role had a close shaved mullet and a West Coast Choppers shirt...along with a can of Skoal in the back pocket. Well, when the lady bartenders asked for girls to come up, this Man-Woman got up on the bar. It was so funny seeing her up there because at first glance, you think she's a man. The men all looked very confused...and then disturbed. It was quite the ten minute experience.


• After Coyote Ugly, we walked around some more. I saw many homeless people, musicians playing for tips, and a man offering to take a picture with his monkey for $10. What a bargain. I then went into a souvenir shop and saw a Branson scrap book...random.


• After downtown, we drove by the Parthenon and Casey showed me Music Row, the area where all the major producing studios are located.

Well, that sums up my Saturday night in Nashville. Today we might go thrift store shopping, tour the Jack Daniels distillery, go watch a bluegrass jam session, and eat mighty fine Mexican food. Wahoo! Yeah for Spring Break!!