I'm A Ninja...

on the side. Sometimes, I like to walk through the house on my very tip toes so that I don't make any noise. When I reach my destination, usually Andrew's room, I very quietly put one of my hands on his door handle and then the other hand on the light switch and bam all at the same time turn on the hall light and open his door and catch him in the act! He is almost always playing with something in the bed, on occasion, I have busted him trying to sleep in the closet or reading in the closet. I tell you what, my ninja skills have been sharpened the last few months and his have increased as well, because he can escape out of his room and into my room without a sound scaring me to death! I only blog about this because lately I find myself snickering as I very quietly try to walk across the house so I can launch my surprise attack.

Bubble Busted

I am a teacher. I like to think that on a good day I make a lasting impression. Not like I am the best teacher, but maybe with a saying or a good joke or an action or better yet an impactful lesson. Today, I finally had the chance to go through a former student's line at the grocery store. Yes, he is old enough to work now. :( He was very friendly joking around and I said, "Do you not recognize me?" Because really how much have I changed? He said, "Should I?" I said, "I was your third grade teacher." He said, "Wow! I am all big now. Third grade was a long time ago." I said, "It took me back when I first saw you working here. I said to myself, he is old enough to work!" He laughed. "He said, you are Ms." Nothing. Nothing other than Ms. this is where I felt the bubble bust. He doesn't even remember my name. I said, "Mrs. E...." He said, "Oh yeah! Mrs. E...." I then said, "See you next time." I then rushed my children out of the store. For about thirty seconds I thought, well, so much for touching them all. Then I thought I was being pretty selfish, I might not be the teacher that spoke to him, I just hope there was one along the way. I am surprised I even remember his name it was my first year of teaching and what a whirlwind that was! So, hopefully next time I see Mr. Iamoldenoughtoworknow he will remember that Mrs. E... was his third grade teacher.

On a not so bubble popping moment. I just completed creating over 150 cupcakes, it only took eleven hours including clean up time. The first 78 have designs on them, I am not 100% thrilled with them. But the rest, oh I am in love! They are pretty. If the camera weren't charging getting ready for PK musical and PK4 graduation I would post some pictures!

It Was Deep..

Today, I was scrubbing some cupcake pans that I borrowed and I was having some really profound thoughts. Where did those thoughts go? I have no idea. All I know is this, I was thinking deeply and thought it was worth blogging about...and now nothing.

So, I will blog about these pans. I was so excited about these pans until I got them home and started looking at them. They were NASTY! Like beyond nasty-nasty. So, I tried to clean them with some soap and water, nothing. I sprayed them with oven cleaner and let them sit overnight. Then I used a Brillo-type thing to scrub like crazy and the thoughts started. What happened to those pans? They look great! I put them in the oven for a test run and well, they don't smell so great...so we'll stick to the pans I have here at the house or pan I should say. Someone did let me borrow their pan so that will help. The last thing I want is funky tasting cupcakes because those pans were smokin'.

No deep thoughts here, not tonight. I am sure whatever it was I was thinking about was really good stuff.

I did want to post on fb tonight that I'd like to retain my whole class this year, but I didn't think that would fly well on fb and well honestly, I don't think that would fly well with parents. Onward! That is what I keep telling myself: ONWARD!

Aunt Jemima

Andrew: Who is that lady on the bottle of syrup? Me: Aunt Jemima Andrew: Why is she so happy? Why is she laughing? Me: Because she is happy we bought her syrup. Andrew: Is she dead? Me: No, she isn't real. She is a cartoon character. Andrew: She's happy we bought her syrup? Because she's dead. Me: Sure. Love these conversations! :) I love his three year old mind.

Oh, the Pressure!

It is March, almost April; two more months of school. That isn't a long time. I love, love, love the class I have, LOVE them. (Don't Bring Me Down just came on...wonderful-it will make sense in a minute). So it pains me, literally, I feel a stomach pain when I think about next year. I go to lunch and develop this gut wrenching pain because of the behavior of that class and because of the stories. Oh, the stories! The stories that have followed them for a long, long time. I feel the pressure. I am expected to fix this class and I literally stood in the boss's doorway and said, "I feel as though I am expected to fix these kids and that is a crazy expectation." Each passing day people tell me, "I can't wait until you get them next year. I am coming in your room for some comedy relief." Good gravy navy! I can't handle that kind of pressure. So, I have started praying-seriously-give me the guidance, give me the strength, give me the confidence. I feel a bit better just actually saying it out loud (or writing it). This week I have been heard saying, I am not coming to lunch anymore, I am not listening, you people are killing me, no way! I am going to start singing "Don't Bring Me Down!" Thanks for reading!

Ready and KICK

Nothing is more disheartening than a swift kick in the balls. Pretty harsh, right? Well, that is how I am feeling, pretty harshly treated...disconnected...I feel like yelling meany! Isn't that mature? I don't get angry often, actually it is pretty hard to anger me quickly, but when I am there, I am there. I am now on hour two of trying to get over it and just seconds away from sending a text that could be very mean...or maybe I will send a very nice text. OR just maybe I will kiss the last thirteen years off because for the last eight I have been busting my butt with no return. So, what is the loss anyway? How long do you try? How long do you attend other people's functions with no return? How long do you put yourself out there for no return? BLAH! All of the sudden I feel like I am thirteen and my friend just hit on my boyfriend or said something tragic like my new shirt was crap when I was proudly wearing it as gold. Hate-this-feeling. Thirteen years is a long time. Here is a lesson, just because someone sends you a text and says call them when you can and then twenty-five minutes later they don't answer don't send them the following text: "Liar...:-(" because that is some hurtful stuff. Instead if you feel the need to send a text it should read like: "Hey, call me I am able to talk" because that is much much nicer.

And now, I actually feel better.

Bumper Sticker Fun

If you had to have a bumper sticker on your car that described you, what would yours say? I am not so sure what mine would say, I have to keep thinking on this one.

I did see a car a few weeks ago, it had four bumper stickers on it. One was just red eyes staring back at me, the others read like this:

"I found Jesus, he was behind the sofa the whole time."
"Born OK the first time"
"Tolerance"

See the irony? I do hope you do. If I didn't have two kids in the car I think I might have followed her and asked her about each one. How can you have a tolerance bumper sticker with two Christian slams to the left of it? Why would you settle for "ok" when you could have the promise of something far better than "ok"-I'll take the free gift and welcome the promise.