Sixty Seconds in Heaven

Aaaahhhh, Friday! Since we have NO SCHOOL for the rest of the week, today's my "Friday"!!!

Since it was our last day before a four-day weekend, I used the "possiblity-of-having-a-free-day-outside" as a carrot for my little wabbits.  Unfortunately, only two classes got the opportunity, though.  Which leads me to my little story for today!

I haven't mentioned anything about my sixth period class before, so here's a teeny-tiny, mini rundown of them: 

30 students.         

6 girls.           

22 boys. 

Did you hear me?

22.  Boys.

While you're probably saying to yourself, "Ohmygoodness, poor you!" and thinking that this is probably my off-the-wall class, surprisingly, this is a really good class...at least, now they are (we will not mention the mayhem that reigned during the first semester).  They've been a good group all semester, so they were one of the two classes that earned outside time.  In exchange for twenty glorious minutes out in the sun, the only recourse was that no one could step off of the curb that runs along the teacher parking lot entranceway.  Actually, my exact words were:  "If even one goosebump on the point of someone's elbow crosses over the curb, we're coming back inside."  Everyone understood and agreed.

Have you ever seen a really rambunctious, hyperactive, jumpy-jumpy dog that's been locked in a house all day?  And when the front door of the house opens and that dog catches sight of the world outside, it takes off full-speed, pummels past its owner, and runsrunsrunsrunsruns like there's no tomorrow?

Yeah.  That's what it was like watching my sixth period kiddos when they hit the outside world.  There was screaming.  Arms flailing.  Bodies just moving at warp speed all over the place.  The five young ladies (one was absent) remained near me with their books, ready to settle down on the sidewalk to do some reading.  A few boys veered off in another direction to hang.  And the majority of the rest of the class (guess what gender?) decided to have speed races to see who was the fastest.  When I tell you that I would have put money on what was going to happen next, well... I would have put money on what was going to happen next.

On round two of the race (which was headed back in my direction), one young man was so exuberant that when he reached the "finish line", guess what he did?  Yep.  He ran off the curb into the parking lot.  Now, the look on his face when he won was of pure jubilation and that made me smile to know that his expression was a reflection of the youthful fun that they were all having.  But I had to stick to my guns.  So, I stood up. Pointed towards the doors.  And just like that, their freedom was over.  All. Four. Minutes of it.

(Okay, so it was really funny at the time.  Come on, four minutes!!!)

Anyway, my seventh period class was the second group to earn some freedom.  Now, I don't know if it was something that was served in the cafeteria food today or what, but when this group hit the outside, it was like watching an instant replay of sixth period (just not as many boys).  Like their predecessors, they screamed and flailed, too.  They even did the speed-racing thing, too.  They were having the time of their lives, and they, too, had one person run off the curb.  (sigh)  So.  I stood up. Pointed towards the doors. And just like that, there freedom was over.  Too.

At least, this group lasted for ten minutes.

         

the pieces:

Slouchy tee - Gap

Skirt - Gap

Belt - Gap (last year)

Sandals - Ralph Lauren (Dillard's Summer '10 Clearance)

{outfit afterthoughts: i had no expectation to wear this skirt again anytime soon, but what i was trying wasn't working...i wanted to be comfy for "Friday" without wearing jeans, so at the last minute, i begrudgingly threw these pieces together and ended up liking it...almost feels beachy...and if you know anything about the closest beach to Houston, that's actually not saying a whole lot!..about the "beachy" part that is!}

I'm wondering if there's a niche for a traveling troupe of teachers who perform parodies of hip-hop/rap/pop songs to encourage students to do well on state assessment exams? 

Today, I had so much fun with my grade-level PLC (ahem, that is special lingo for "professional learning community") as we made a "pop video" to Ke$ha's Tick-Tock!  Last week, after I shared a motivational freestyle rap song that one of the local radio stations did a couple of years ago, one of my colleagues had a great idea to have a rap competition between our sixth graders.  AND, as their fabulous reading/language arts (rela) teachers,  we decided to get in on it to help motivate help give the kids a good, hard laugh before their assessments next week. 

And so, the RELA Rappers and "Tick-Tock for TAKS" was born. 

It was so fun to record this (I was the director/videographer...which I'm thinking could be my new profession)!  The six "Ke$ha's" in the video donned jerseys from our football team, bling, sunglasses, and, as one other teacher put it, other "fabulous accoutrements"!  They rapped about test preparation, test-taking strategies, and key terms. There was even a cameo appearance by Justin Bieber!!!

Okay, it was only a poster. 

And just to clarify that we don't have Bieber fever, the re-mixed lyrics that accompanied the shot of his poster were "...eliminate distractors...".  Trust me, it's funnier when you actually see it. 

Anyway, this was such a great idea, I can see us doing this for years to come (although our state assessment exam will be going through some changes next year).  If you're reading this, thanks, Sandra, for the idea and for re-mixing the lyrics!

Tick-tock...Don't stop...

         

the pieces:

Cardigan - Express (c. 2005)

Tee - Gap

Pinstriped Trousers - Gap Outlet

Shoes - Vince Camuto "Neven"

Cute Kid w/Singing Green Frog Puppet - M & Me!

{outfit afterthoughts: i actually wore this on monday...M really liked it, he kept saying that i looked cute...i do like the colors...think i may need a necklace that makes more of a statement...i wanted to throw in a hot pink belt, but decided against it (this time!)...come to think of it, I have a pair of pink shoes with other colors in it that could work with this, hmm..i dunno}

It IS Thursday!

Since I'm no longer living a day ahead and it really is Thursday, the Special on today's menu is another "MOMent".  I posted a couple of MOMents a week or so ago, and I'm feelin' like this could be the start of a regular posting "topic" for me..... 

Anyway, this MOMent occured last night.  I was in a peaceful repose and having wonderful dreams of Thursday (which is really only exciting because it's the closest weekday to Friday), when I felt a small four-year old body crawling over me and moaning.  As with most moms (sleepy or not), I went into full multi-task mode:

• try to hold onto a few more moment of sleep by keeping eyes closed (check),
• straddle the line between reality and dream-ality (check, check),
• ask toddler what is wrong (check), 
• then help hoist toddler up on the bed along with his pillow and two blankets and curl into a fetal position because toddler has laid himself horizontally across your side of the bed (check, check, check, and ...check).

It was his finger.  He had hurt it at the sitter earlier that day (very small scrape) and had a band-aid on it.  For some reason, it was still the cause of his discomfort.  He moaned.  He groaned.  He tossed.  And turned.  And constantly whimpered, "Moooom, my finger!" while shoving it into my hand. Still in mommy-multi-task-mode, I rubbed.  I held.  I massaged.  I even squeezed his little index finger.  Each thing seemed to work (even the squeezing), but it would only be a few moments before he would be moaning again.   After fifteen minutes of this, I gave up and crossed "enjoy peaceful sleep and dreams" off of my To-Do list.  I sat up, and by the light of my Blackberry (a multi-taskers go-to, no doubt!), I inspected his finger.  Nothing seemed out of the ordinary, so I decided to just take the doggone Band-aid off. 

In less than a minute, the heavens parted, angels sang...and P began snoring.  He was knocked out! And all it took was the removal of the stupid Band-aid...and me being fully awake at that point (I believe I failed to mention that "at that point" was after 2 a.m.).  I desperately tried to get back to my peaceful sleep, but now I was the one tossing and turning (try doing that while remaining in a fetal position...lol!).  

After another fifteen minutes elapsed, I decided that it was high time for Mr. P to go back to his own bed.  He was snoozing and snoring soundly, so I scooped him up, cradled him in my arms, and laid him gently down on his bed.  I tucked him in surrounded by all of his favorite blankets (Cars, a Christmas Penguin, and two homemade ones from my mom) and began to walk away, glad to be over with this episode. 

And then came the MOMent:

As I was walking away, I heard him say,

"Thanks, mom." 

And then he was snoring again.

Ahh, my heart melted.

Happy Thursday-Cuz-It's-One-Day-Closer-to-Friday everyone!

           

the pieces:

Tee - Gap (Winter, 2010)

Cargos - Gap (Winter, 2010)

Sandals - Steve Madden

{outfit afterthoughts:  didn't really care what my outfit looked like today...just wanted to be comfortable in some kind of flat shoe...i like purple and green together...i actually tucked these sleeves under b/c the "flower petal" look of it is kind of droopy and overexaggerated...i attempted to do one of those side plaits...it was a little messy, but i went with it anyway}

Was it just me, or did today feel like Thursday?  I mean, I looked at my calendar several times throughout today, and I was looking at the word "Wednesday"...but for some reason it wasn't registering.   My thoughts for today's post were totally Thursday-centric (Don't really know what that means, though.  I just made it up.).  So, imagine the disappointment when it finally dawned on me about a half-hour ago that today is not what I thought it was?!  Ack!

Disappointing? 

Yes!

Therefore...

I need to digest this bit of reality.

Catch you guys on Thursday! 

(But if by chance I don't catch ya, hope you have a "real good" real Thursday!  And just to be honest, I'm really not that disappointed about my disillusionment.  I just don't have anything else interesting to talk about!)  =)

        

the pieces:

Dress - New York & Co via Ross (purchased on Clearance about a month ago....for $8.49!)

Scarf - Kohl's (sometime within the past year for less than $4!)

Shoes - Ralph Lauren (Dillard's, Summer '10)

Belt - Old Navy (4-5 years ago?)

How to Mend a (6th Grader's) Broken Heart

Do you remember your first love and your first heartbreak?

Now, do you remember my fourth period class that I mentioned a couple of posts back?  (If not, please feel free to read about them here!)  True to form, they're coming in from lunch today, and since I was standing in the middle of the room (instead of my customary seated-at-my-desk-while-scarfing-down-the-last-of-my-lunch position), they began to swarm instead of line up at my desk.  Through the crowd that was beginning to form, I felt a pair of arms reaching around my waist.  I turned my head and saw that her eyes were red.  She's the kind of girl who has a permanent smile on her face.  She smiles when she talks.  And sure enough, as she looked up at me and asked, "Can I have a hug?", she was smiling.  And crying.  She squeezed me around my waist and tucked her head into my chest.  I rushed her outside into the hallway and asked what happened. 

"Simon* broke up with me for an eighth-grader!"  She was sobbing now.

(A little bit of background info on these two kiddos:  I am not at all an advocate of kids "dating" in the sixth grade, but with these two, you could see that whatever it was that they had, it was a little different.  And what I mean by different is honest and innocent.  She is a sweet, shy, and sensitive girl who has a serious talent for writing.  Simon, whom I also teach in my first period class, is a respectful, witty, very likeable, and smart kid.  Everyday before she goes to lunch, she comes to give me a hug.  And everyday, Simon waits outside of my door to walk with her to lunch.  Most sixth grade "relationships" last for a couple of weeks, but these two had been "dating" for about six months.)

So, anyway, this was not what I was expecting to be the problem.  I tried to console her as much as I could as she cried on me.  Even though she's always with a smile, I knew that I had to make her laugh.  I told her that I knew she was hurting...she should let herself cry to get it all out...tomorrow will be a new day...and by the time she gets to high school, there'll be so many more options that she'll be like, "Simon, who?"  (she giggled at that one).  It didn't take long for the tears to dry up, but I wanted her to have a good laugh to lift her spirits.  It wasn't until after class, though, that I pulled her to the side and said:

"You know, tomorrow morning when I see Simon, I'm gonna give him the stink eye."

That worked.

Not only did she smile and laugh, but she made me promise.  Twice! (sigh) 

*name has been changed to protect the stink-eyed

 ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Soo....about this maxi!

First off: This is NOT what I wore to school today.

Secondly, I l-o-v-e this dress. I feel like the island-born girl that I am but never got to be.   I got it online from The Limited for about $22!  Sadly, though, in the three years that I've had it, I've only worn it once.

BUT!

Thanks to Everybody, Everywear's April feature of the maxi, I have a reason to pull it out from the back of the closet!

        

 

By the way, if you're interested in going from wild and exotic to mundane and dull, please keep scrolling down to view my real OOTD.

        

Uh-huh, told ya.  Dull and mundane.  Don't say I didn't warn you.  ;)

Mani(a)c Monday

What do you get when you...

Recieve a 7:15 am phone call from your husband stating that he's sitting in the SUV on the other side of town and he has bad news.  The keys to the car that you use to drive to work are in said SUV...

+

...Locate the (broken) spare car key that used to work, but now won't go all the way into the ignition...

+

...Make a last minute phone call to friend to catch a ride to school just as she's leaving out of her driveway to take her kids to school (Thanks, Tina!)...

+

...Realize that along with no car keys, you also have no key to lock the front door (and can't go through the garage)...

+

...While en route to school, realize that you left your school bag with today's plans at home.  Oh, and your wallet, too...

+

...Arrive late to school...

+

...Run to front office and back (in a hot building) to borrow keys (that were left in school bag, which was left at home, along with today's plans) to unlock classroom...

+

...Try to put together last minute plans for today...

+

...Then realize that you had a PTC, so run around (in a hot building) trying to find the location of it. Oh yeah, it's actually scheduled for Thurs...

+

...Have ten minutes before the first bell and still need last minute plans for today...

+

...Pull a lesson together.  Get your groove back.  Then during sixth period, you finally realize that you hadn't pee'd (sp?) all day...???

You Get a Manic Monday.

Or a Maniac Monday.

Whichever.

         

the pieces:

Blouse - BCBG (purchased by my sister from TJ Maxx; taken by me from my sister)

Pants - Express Editor (2008)

Shoes - Vince Camuto Neven



Laughs and "The Line": A Classroom Story

So.  After a 3 day saga of being ridiculously tired, I'm glad to say that the spell (whatever it was) has been broken!  I actually made it through today without needing an ASN (after-school nap).  YEA!!!

I had a good time with my classes today.  We had some good laughs, especialy with my fourth period class...they're never short on those.  (I've mentioned them before in a post or two.)  This is one of my favorite classes...they are a hilariously nutty bunch of creative thinkers who never cease to amaze me and always keep me on my toes.  But.  They are also very needy of my attention.  Case in point:

When they come back to class from lunch everyday, I'm usually still sitting at my desk trying to scarf down the last of my own.  As soon as I turn around, there is, without fail, "The Line".  "The Line" consists of at least four kids standing literally inches behind of me, each one eagerly awaiting to give me a hug or tell/ask/show/entertain me with something.  (Actually, they are very endearing.)  I attempted once to "lay down the law" and require that when they come into class, they go straight to their seats rather than straight to my seat, but that lasted for about a week.  I even came up with a strategy once, which was to eat faster than I already do so that by the time they come back from lunch, I would meet them outside of my classroom door rather than at my desk, and thus avoid "The Line".  On the first day of doing this, it was working well as I stood outside in the hallway in "my own space".  But when the bell rang for class to begin, and I turned around to enter the classroom, "The Line" was ready and waiting for me just inside of the door!  (I was slightly taken aback, but I had to laugh.  I also gave up on that plan shortly thereafter.) 

The thing about "The Line" is that it sometimes appears in such a whirlwind that I never see it actually assemble.  It just...exists.  It does not always consist of the same students, and it does not fall into the traditional definition of a 'line'.  Rather than being straight from the first person to the last; this "Line" usually becomes more of a glob because, while one student is not paying attention to his/her place in "The Line", another one is inching in front of him/her in an attempt to get closer to me and my desk.  Or, when I'm at my podium, "The Line" forms around me, totally enveloping and trapping me from any means of escape! 

Today's goal was to conference with and assist students individually on revising their essays. Let me tell you that this is not an easy task.  Usually, my name is being called from all over the room and, while my attention is on the one student that I'm working with, slowly but surely, "The Line" begins to form.  So, after "The Line" began to form at my desk today, I enforced my "stay-in-your-seat-unless-you-are-the-person-with-whom-I-am-conferencing-but-if-you-have-a-question-just-raise-your-hand-and-wait-for-me-to-get-to-you" rule.  With that, four kids sat down and six to eight hands went up into the air.  (I laughed.) 

After getting through a couple of rounds of questions and a few more revisions, I walked across the room to a corner where I have a large storage cabinet.  My back was turned to the class while I was searching in it for printer paper.  It took less than a minute for me to turn around, and when I did, I kid you not, there was "The Line"!!!!! 

I couldn't believe it!  I mean, I guess you had to have been there because when I say that this "line" mobilized so quickly and quietly that they actually scared the crap out of me when I turned around...I mean it!  I was backed into a corner, surrounded by a "line" of four or five, with nowhere to go.  I immediately began to feel claustrophobic, but again,  I had to laugh out loud.  I realized, then and there, that regardless of whether I'm at my desk, my podium, my door, at another student's desk (yes, it happens then, too), or bent over scouring through a storage cabinet...I cannot and will not escape the mobilization and encroachment of "The Line".

So, having been backed into a corner and with nowhere to go, I climbed into the cabinet and shut the door.

Really.  I did.

 My kids aren't the only ones who can be a little nutty sometimes!  ;)

        

the pieces:

Dress - TJ Maxx (Summer '10, $17)

Cardigan - Loft (recent clearance, $17)

Ruffle Neck White Tee - Loft (recent clearance, $12)

Hot Pink Tank - The Limited Seamless Tank

Belt - Express (very old)

Shoes - Two Lips (so, so old)

p.s. I didn't actually wear the belt to school today.  The dress has an empire waist and is very full and puffy from the waist on down.  With the puffiness underneath several layers (you can tell from the first pic) and the bulkiness of the pockets on the cardigan (which you can see in the second pic), I knew that after doing a lot of moving around, the clothes would start bunching up in the middle, so...no thanks.

Dead Bull

Day 3 of "Early Onset ASN" (after-school nap).
So, at around 11:45 this morning, a Red Bull appeared on my desk (thanks, Alondra!).
I don't have them often, but I actually do like the taste.
So, yeah.
I drank it.
I grew wings.
I soared.


Then.


I crashed.
And burned.


I'm still in flames.
I. Need. My. ASN.

(p.s. Now that I've seen the pics, I'm not liking the way this outfit turned out.  Next time, I'd like to try a striped tee underneath or mix in some yellow or pink...hm...maybe even orange...)

  

                                                                        ( Pseudo "flight-before-crash")

the pieces:

Dress - INC, Macy's (Winter '10 Clearance - $11)

Long Sleeved Tee - Gap (Winter '10 Clearance - $6)

Scarf - Express (recent clearance purchase - $11)

Sandals - Steve Madden, Macy's (Summer '10 Clearance - $11)

All I Wanna Do

During my first year teaching, just about everyday after school, I would drive home and go straight to sleep.  I wouldn't sleep throughout the night, but if I didn't have that nap right away, I wasn't going to make it.   Eventually, those daily after-school naps (ASN's) subsided.  As a matter fact, I haven't had any of  "those days" at all this year.

Oopsie.  Wait a minute.

What I should have said was that I haven't had any of "those days" at all this year with the exception of the past two days where my body has been taken over by the dire need to have an ASN. Both yesterday and today, during the last five to ten minutes of seventh period (the last class of the day), my gas tank literally ran out.  And I'm not kidding.  My entire body just slumped over and I think I even heard a few wheezes and a "kaput!".  What's even worse is that, for the first time ever, on both Monday and Tuesday mornings, I woke up needing an ASN!  I mean, really!  How sad is that? 

Does anyone remember that song from the 90's that goes:
"All I wanna do is zoom-zoom-zoom-zoom-and-a-boom-boom..."???

Well, I have a new version:
"All I wanna do is z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z-z......"

That's all for me. Now that I've had a 20-minute ASN, I can be concious... until it's really time for bed!


       

the pieces:

Plaid Tunic - Esprit Outlet (Winter '10 Clearance, $14)

Navy Leggings - Gap (Winter '09 Clearance, $9)

Shoes - Volatile, DSW (Summer '10 Clearance, $11...

and I almost bought them full-price a year previously for full price of nearly fifty dollars!)

Belt - Forever21 (very old and very worn)

More Moments

There are two words that most mothers like to hear:  Si. Lence.  And that's what I was going home to this afternoon.  I was excited to leave school today before five o'clock, but as I was driving into one end of our neighborhood, M was driving out of the other end with P in tow to a basketball game.  I was kind of sad that I missed them by moments, but excited to be going home to a silent house all to myself.  However, when I pulled into the driveway, I didn't want to be home alone.  (Weird moment #1)  So I reversed out of the driveway and decided to go grab a bite to eat.  But I didn't want to eat yet.  (Weird Moment #2)  So I went to Ross and a couple of other stores.  But I didn't want to shop.  (This wasn't just Weird Moment #3, it was a series of Shocking Moments.)  I decided to get my eyebrows threaded and learned that the lady that I had been going to was no longer there.  (Disappointing Moment)  I almost didn't want to get them done, but I decided to give the new lady a chance.  (Moment of Relief.) 

After running out of ways to stall, I finally went home.  Home was still empty.  And I was still sad.  After a while, I realized that as much as I appreciate the few moments of silence that I am rarely able to get, home is not the same without M. flirting with me and P. terrorizing the cat. (Moment of Truth) While waiting for them to come home, I laid across the bed pitifully watching t.v. and dozed off until I heard the alarm chimes of the front door being opened.  I sprang right up. (Moment of Anticipation)  It only took a couple of seconds for the splendidly sad bliss of unenjoyed silence to be broken by the sound of P's voice. 

Finally. 

It was simply The Moment that I had been waiting for.

          

And this was the face that I waited all day to see:

    

Silence is overrated anyway.  =)

the pieces:

Cardigan - Gap (also worn earlier this week)

Dress - Ross (Summer 2010)
Orange Tank - The Limited Seamless Tank

Sandals - Steve Madden, Macy's (Summer Clearance, 2010) 

Just Having a Moment

Have you ever had "that moment" when you realized that you were becoming just like...your mother?!  Not that it's a bad thing, but maybe when you were younger you used to laugh at something that she did and say to yourself something along the lines of, "That would never be me"...and now fast forward ten to twenty years later and you catch yourself doing/saying that exact same thing (and even in the exact same way!).  It's already happened to me before, but it's been awhile since I've had one of those MOMents.  Until today.

Third period.  I'm rifling through papers looking for the work of one student, while I'm laughing at a comment made by a student who is sitting two rows in front of my desk, while two other students are forming a line at my desk asking me different questions at the same time.  Now, my mom has six kids.  While I was growing up and there were five of us still at home, when she would call for one of us, she could not always grasp our individual names right off the top of her head.  What she would end up saying is something like: "Si-Sa-Ra-Ki-Ka!" (even funnier was when not all of the time did the syllables even match up to our names!!!)  So, my MOMent today occured when, while the circus was going on at my desk, I attempted to call out one student's name, and what came out was a mumbled-jumbled mess of, "Muh-mah-...uh, meh-mah-...uh, mm-urgh!" (That last one was actually a grunt of frustration.)  And then, as I shook my head, I laughed to myself because my immediate thought was that I was having a MOMent just like my mom used to have.

Yay.

       

the pieces:

Denim Jacket - oh, so old (c.2000) from Gap

Rose Top - (it's hard to see, but it has a cool textured middle) Loft Woven Accent Tuxedo Tee (still here)

Pants - Gap (2010)

Wedges - Steve Madden "Fern" - DSW (2010) (still here, although I paid about $25 for them in-store)