A Glimpse Into the Mind of a 7-year-old Part II

Miss Weathers (handing her a coat): Here's your coat.
Rylee (pointing to the sweatshirt she has tied around her waist): I have a coat.
Miss Weathers: That is NOT a coat! Here.
Rylee: But I don't like this coat.
Miss Weathers: Why not? It's cute.
Rylee: It makes me look too fat.
Miss Weathers: We all look fat in our coats. Look at Sebastian. (points to the boy who is wearing a fluffy down coat) He looks like a marshmallow. Everyone is fluffy in their coats...and warm.

*She did take the coat with her to recess. I don't know if she wore it, but at least I can tell her mother I made her take her coat.

P.S. We have had record low temperatures here in the Seattle area this past week. It was 9 degrees at my house overnight. Nine! And another interesting tidbit--this morning it was 20 degrees in Seattle, while it was 30 degrees in Juneau. So, to enjoy warmer weather we just need to head up to Alaska!

A Glimpse Into the Mind of a 7-year-old

Overheard as my class was lining up for lunch today:

Hunter (to a classmate): No, the Tooth Fairy isn't real, but Santa is. I'm not sure about the Easter Bunny.



Such important things to contemplate! I'm just sad I didn't hear the response from whoever he was talking to. I was too busy trying to get all these crazy, Christmas-hyped-up kids to lunch without anyone dying.

Annabelle

My new roommate is a little Chihuahua-Dachshund. You might say she is a Chi-weenie! She kind of looks like a miniature Golden Retriever, but much, much smaller. She's only 7 1/2 pounds--a pocket Golden, if you will. It was a rough go at first--getting used to having a dog around. But we have gotten in to a nice little routine.

Annabelle is a crazy girl. She is perfectly content to sit on the couch and nap while I grade papers or watch TV. (Like she is doing now.) But when she gets outside, watch out. Especially if you are a bird or a squirrel. She really wishes she wasn't on a leash so she could go after all those dang squirrels in the park. She even chases birds while they are flying overhead. I don't know how exactly she expects to catch birds in midair, but she sure does try.

Here are some pictures especially for my niece and nephew. It will be so fun at Christmas when you can play with Annabelle!

All Creatures Great and Small

*I know I should be blogging about my amazingly fun trip to New York/Europe, but it's just so overwhelming that I'm putting it off. Instead you are going to get this random story:

I love all of God's creatures. Sure there are some that I would rather not occupy space near me, but I generally can tolerate, if not adore, most critters. I honestly didn't mean to harm that poor innocent animal.

This morning when I went out the my car that was parked on the street in front of my building, I almost had a heart attack. There under my car there was something...something that should be alive but no way was it alive based on its position under the back wheel of my car. At first I thought it was a little dog, and I almost fainted. Its head looked like that of a little terrier or chihuahua. Then I came to my senses and realized it was actually an opossum. I see them around here all the time. (I had a picture of one, not of this opossum, but of one that was cutely scampering along the fence. Alas, I can not find it anywhere. Don't worry I won't subject you to the horror of what this one looked like.)

So, back to this traumatic event in my life. Before I vomited all over the sidewalk, I raced around to the driver's door and got safely inside. As I'm starting it up, buckling in, etc..., I started thinking clearly again. Yesterday--morning as a matter of fact--(a little detail that will come in handy later on in this story, as will the fact that it's been about 90 degrees here the past couple of days. Just file those little tidbits away for future reference) as I was parallel parking my car, I recall that I went up on to the curb. At least I felt that little bump that means I've gone up on to the low curb where I usually park. I guess it wasn't the curb after all. We are all going to agree (for my poor heart's sake) that the animal was already dead before I pinned it under the wheel of my car, okay? Okay!

Well, now remember how I told you I parked my car in the morning, it was actually around noon so I guess it technically wasn't morning, and how it's been so freakin' hot here lately? Well, just imagine the smell. I'll give you a moment to really picture it. It was odorific as I started the car and turned on the air conditioning. The first place I went was the car wash. I'm hoping that "The Works" car wash is worth the eight bucks and works at getting rid of roadkill fumes. I'm not going to be sniffing around the back end of my car anytime soon, though. But I am going to be extra careful about where I park my car from now on!

The Finish Line!

It seems like just yesterday that I wrote this. The school year has past so quickly, although while in the trenches it does seem to drag by in slow motion. I got everything done that I needed to get done to close out the year. I HATE the end of the school year! Not because I don't like summer vacation or because the kids are bounce-off-the-walls crazy the first day the June calendar goes up. It's just I have sooo much to do and the kids have nothing to do.

I mean, I have to finish up grading, do report cards, do Scope and Sequence reports for my English Language Learners, add comments to both, clean out piles of paper work, pack away EVERYTHING in the room, sign certificates for the awards assembly, oh yeah still gotta finish those report cards, more papers to file, make a slide show of all the pictures I took this year to show on the last day of school (I bring that one on my self, but the kids just love it), and finish cleaning up the room--it is amazing how much random stuff gets collected in that room over 9 months, including giant dust bunnies. All the while, I have to keep 23 very excited 7- and 8-year olds occupied so they don't kill each other and are doing something somewhat productive.

Can you see why I hate the end-of-the-year? I'm lobbying for a new approach to the last day of school. We tell the kids that, yay, the last day of school is June 17th. But then, they come to school on June 12th and we say, "Surprise! Today is the last day of school! It's been fun, have a nice life." Then the teachers get the last three days to do that they need to do with no kids to worry about. I just don't know how to handle the parent factor. Any ideas?

So, back on topic--I survived. Here's what my room looked like when I finally left for good for the summer. (I had to go back in for one day after the last day, but that's pretty good for me.)

The view from the door. And looking at this picture just now I realize I forgot to take down the flag and put it in the cupboard. Oops!

My former teaching station almost bare--I left some stuff up, cuz, hey, I'm going to use it next year!

The whole room (almost) stacked up in the corner. It looks like so much less stuff like this.

The back of the room totally bare.

The cupboards stuffed to the brim with all my random crap. It's not quite this bad during the year!

Only a fraction of the amount of garbage and recycling that cleaning up produced. I lost track of how many recycling bins I filled.

All-in-all it was a good year. I was actually sad to see my kids go, unlike last year when I couldn't get rid of the fighting, arguing stinkers fast enough. And we actually had a really nice last few hours. We watched our slide show, listened to a story, went out for recess, signed yearbook/memory books, played some games, and watched a story on DVD. Then it was time to go. There were some tears from some of the girls who knew they were moving, but overall very low key.

And now--time for my big trip to NYC and Europe. I'll try to update this blog along the way. We'll see how much blogging internet access and time allows. Otherwise, there'll be a lot of posts after the end of July!

And the Oscar Goes To...

I'm just saying--I should have won an Academy Award for my performance at work today. I was pushed to my physical and emotional limit and all I wanted to do was curl up in a ball and cry myself to sleep. But I couldn't because 23 8-year-olds were waiting for me to pull myself together. So, instead I splashed some cold water on my face, put on my lipstick and tried to earn that Oscar. I'm happy. This is fun. Smile! Happy! Fun!

Okay, Here I Am

One of my friends commented (after I commented on her blog) that she couldn't figure out who I was based on my blog. I don't have too many pictures of myself, but I was looking through my pictures and I found these.

It was one night at my friend Clint's house. He had a recipe from his mom for "Chocolate Mug Cake" you make in the microwave. It was very exciting to watch it almost explode as it cooked. As for how it tasted--it was very dense and needed some salt. Other than that it was yummy. Next time, though, we decided to split them, cuz you can really only eat half of it.

Yum! "Mug Cake with Ice Cream"

Clint, very excited about his microwave mug cake.

Zeke already chowin' down.

I love Josh!

aka Paul Rudd and I love How I Met Your Mother's Jason Segel and I love Les Miz. So when I watched this video I almost had a massive coronary I was laughing so hard.


Bonus Video: I love Doogie Howser and I love Megan Mullally, too!

An Interesting Find

I love the look of this blog. Wish I could be as creative.

Random Facts About Me volume 1

• I sometimes write things on my "To Do" list after I do them just so I can cross them off. What does that say about me, I wonder?
• I always have to sleep with the closet door closed--ALL the way!

Just some random things I was noticing about myself today.

I Wish...

That I could sing like this--even just a tiny bit.

Reason #127 Why I like hanging out with my gay friends:

One word:

Musicals

The scene:

Saturday night Game Night, one girl kicking a lot of trash in the game "Ticket to Ride."

Me: (pointing to the game board) Oh, there's New York. I think I'm going there this summer.

Gay #1: You're going to New York, again?

Me: Yeah, my sister...blah, blah, blah. And--I'm sooooo excited about seeing 9 to 5 the Musical.

Gay #1 (excited): What?! Are you serious?! I love that movie!! I'm totally going to go see that!

Everyone: (continues to talk about the awesomeness of said movie, Dolly Parton, and Broadway in general)

[later in the evening]

Me: Oh, look, I just went to Santa Fe. (bursting into song) Santa Fe, are you there?

Gay #2 (bursting into song): Do you swear you won't forget me.

Both: (continue singing that awesome song from the musical movie "Newsies".)

To summarize: Bursting into song is awesome, especially Broadway musicals, and gay guys tend to be more accepting of and willing to participate in this. I'm just saying...

My First Fan Letter!

So, I wrote my first fan letter the other day. (Technically it wasn't a letter in the sense that I didn't write it on paper, put it in an envelope, put a stamp on it and send it in the mail. I did compose an e-mail and push send.)

Where to begin? Well, last spring I went to New York City for my Spring Break. Of course, I went to see some Broadway shows. One of them being "Wicked". The actress who played the Wicked Witch of the West, Stephanie J. Block, was amazing! You should check out her web site. I love the song that plays when you first log on--"Never Neverland."

No seriously--I love it! When I searched for it on itunes, the only version available did not sound like the one on Stephanie's web site. I was bummed, because, did I mention, I love that song? So I was on her web site and I saw the link that said "contact". I thought--why not just send her a little note telling her I think she's awesome and I love that song and is there a way I could get the version of the song that's on her web site? So that's what I did.

I was a little nervous, but I sent it off. Only two typos--darn! I immediately got this response:

Hi,

Thank you for your email! I make sure to take the time to read every message but responding to each one has become an impossibility due to my crazy schedule. Please know how much I appreciate you reaching out to me.
The support of my fans means so much to me, so thanks again for your message.
Much joy,

Stephanie J.

So, that was that...except the very next morning guess what was in my inbox. A message from Stephanie J. Block! I was nervous when I opened the message. Was is going to be another automatically generated one? Or had she actually, personally responded to my e-mail? It was the latter:

Wendy-
Thank you so much for your support and kind words. You can find one version of me singing the song on Scott Alan's album "Dreaming Wide Awake"... or you can wait just a few months and listen to it on my solo cd coming out in Spring.:)
Again, thank you!
Much joy,

Stephanie

I felt like a little "tweener" after reading that. Totally star struck and immediately wanting to respond now that we were BFF's. Don't worry--that was just a temporary delusion. But if you think I'm ever going to delete those e-mails you would be mistaken. And you better believe I'm going to do everything in my power to go see Stephanie in "9 to 5 the Musical" sometime after it opens April 7th. Anyone up for a trip to New York?

The awesome cast of "9t05 the Musical"

Sometimes I Like to Take Quizzes...I'm a Nerd Like That

Your Home Says That You Feel Settled and Calm

You come across as very intellectual. People take your wisdom seriously. Your hygiene is passable, but you may be hiding some dirty secrets. You are a very domestic person. You enjoy decorating, cooking, and making things homey. You are a very nurturing person. You find meaning in taking care of others. You feel settled in your life. You have enough time to focus on little details. You are a very self sufficient person. You can get along well without much help. Your friends see you as honest, humble, and responsible.

What Does Your Home Say About You?

Let It Snow, Let It Snow...Make It Stop!!

So, as many of you have heard, Spokane got a freakin' a lot of snow this December! It seemed like every day I was there I would walk upstairs and look out the window and the words, "It's snowing!" would come out of my mouth. The first few days in a tone of joy, then surprise, until finally exasperation. It just kept snowing. Good thing I was on vacation, so it didn't matter to me that we couldn't go anywhere. Here are some shots of all the crazy snow. The videos are especially for my sister Kim.

I love the icicles on this house.

Just checking the mail.

My car--I parked it the first day I got there and didn't drive it again for about 10 days.

Allie riding the tube down the sledding hill. Notice how far into the neighbor's yard she goes. Eventually that would be the second farthest distance. Kim and I hold the record, although I don't think anyone recorded. We could have reached out and touched the corner of the house.

Kim and Tyler attempt to beat Allie's distance record. Alas, they did not succeed. They had to steer around a stupid little kid who did not know how to get out of the way. (Notice at about :12 Tyler's little, "Oh, dear." I love it!)