On a break

I've been busy and preoccupied with other things, and have let this little journal here take a backseat. Monday we leave for Oklahoma for a much-anticipated, relaxing stay at my sister's. A week later Bailey leaves for church camp, and a week after that is our trip to California (Cali, as Bailey calls it). Somewhere in the middle I plan to move my classroom, paint the living room, and cook, cook, cook. Cooking is one of the many things that I let take a back seat during the school year. And reading. And socializing. So I hope to do more of all three this summer.

I also used to blog more. Maybe some of the above will provide something to blog about.

Hide and seek

If you have a cat and a suitcase, then I'd bet money the two have met. Cats love suitcases and dresser drawers.



When we get home from a trip, we leave the suitcase out for a couple of days so that Junior can play in it.

10 days!

Just stuff. That's my reason for not blogging. Nothing exciting or life-changing, just stuff. School is simply crazy right now, partly due to activities and deadlines, and partly due to the OVERWHELMING discipline issues. They fight, hit, kick, argue, bicker, tease, cry, tattle, cuss. I'm gonna hurt someone soon. Here's a sample of what my kids did this week to a teacher:

Student to teacher: "They're talking about you."

Teacher: "I don't care if you call me names."

Another student: "Okay, then you're stupid and ugly."

After a full day everyday of playing mediator, police, counselor, and maybe teacher, I'm tired. The summer break is a time to get away, refresh, forget. Otherwise we'd never come back!

Earth Day

A couple of weeks ago on Earth Day, I passed out large newsprint paper and told the third graders to write "Why I Love the Earth" at the top. They were to artistically demonstrate that statement, and this was a time when I did NOT give them a choice on whether or not the statement applied to them. I'm no tree-hugger, but I was determined to force a love for Planet Earth on these kids whether they liked it or not! The wall outside my classroom is now decorated with all of their posters, but here are a few samples:

Did I mention it was an interpretative assignment?