It occurred to me...

that I should provide you with a photo of the scarves that I am making for my students.  Sadly, I am too lazy to get the camera and snap a few.  Plus this light in my living room isn't all that great at night.  You are probably going to have to wait for the weekend.  Which will enable me to whip up a few more.

9 down, 10 to go.

Are we all ready for an SS update?

Alrighty then.

As you know, SS was not in school on Monday.  She came on Tuesday and was unprepared to work on a project that the class had known about since before the Thanksgiving holiday.  The excuse was that they were rushing to get out of the house that morning and that Mommy forgot to bring her things.

Ummmmmm.  Ok.

Except

1. It is not Mommy's responsibility to bring your things to school
2. Rushing out of the house is not an excuse for being unprepared.

So I explained that to the dear child, in a kindly way, and then proceeded to have her and the other two that weren't prepared work on an assignment from their book.

(Cue angry e-mail from Grandmama)

I am a horrible, insensitive, mean teacher who OBVIOUSLY doesn't have any children of my own because I don't know how to speak to children and I don't show CHRISTIAN LOVE and kindness and I call myself a CHRISTIAN but I don't act like one and she is just a little child and how DARE I talk to her precious grandchild like that and she want a meeting NOW.

Excuse me?

So, after stewing about it for about and hour and after talking to my BFF, I decided that I would need to reply because if I didn't I wouldn't get any sleep.

I sent a polite response clarifying what actually happened in class and letting Grandmama know that her precious wasn't quite as forthcoming as she should have been when relaying the story to her.  I openly copied the e-mail to my principal and told Grandmama that I would only meet with her AND the principal.

Of course I received no response and while SS did show up for school today, she left at 11:00 thereby making this her SIXTEENTH absence this year.

And yet, I would much rather deal with her than go back to the wretched job I had last year.

I came home this afternoon to find CRIME SCENE TAPE all around the house behind me.  There were police and state troopers EVERYWHERE.  I have zero idea what was going on but, from what I could tell, the house had been broken in to.  Of course that makes me a little uneasy.  Even with killer here:

I still think my house could be a target.  If you are the praying type, would you send one up for me that my house will be protected?  miss raven and I would appreciate it.

Ok.  Time to make another scarf.

blue and green tonight.

:)

Whoo-hoo...

Two nights in a row.

I love you, BFF.

Even though you did move far away thereby ensuring the ruin of all future Thanksgivings.

Ahem.

I digress.

Today was a rather good day at school.  No major issues, other than the young man who doesn't think before he acts and scared another kid in the bathroom.  Boy #1 really is a sweetheart and I know deep down he didn't mean anything by what happened, but Boy #2 felt like he was being bullied so I had to deal with it.  Boy #1 was practically in tears when I was done and was apologizing all over himself.  It wasn't one of those "I'm apologizing to get out of trouble" apologies, either.  I know that he really meant it.

The kids all love the Christmas tree I put up in the classroom.  I need to remember to take some pictures of it to post.

SS was there today.  She walked in (with mommy, of course) right as I was starting the day.  Mommy had to unpack her bag for her and take her things to her desk.  Then, and this truly is the best part, Mommy came over and stood RIGHT BESIDE ME expecting me to chat with her....AFTER SCHOOL HAD ALREADY STARTED.  *facepalm*  The woman just does.not.get.it.

I finished another scarf last night.  Eight down, eleven to go.

I should be working on lesson plans tonight.  I'm probably not going to.

It rained pretty much all day here.  I really, really shouldn't complain because is had been in the close-to-70 degree range the last several days.  At the end of November.  Therefore I really shouldn't complain.  I'm trying hard not to.

If I wasn't so lazy and if I wasn't such a homebody, I would put some shoes on, grab miss raven, get in the truck, and drive to Starbucks to get a Peppermint Mocha.  Alas.  I am not only lazy, I am in fact, a homebody.  I can pretty much completely identify with people who never want to leave their house.  Except I do love to shop.

Time to make another scarf.

Pink and purple.

Goodnight.

A little of this, some of that, a gripe, and other such stuff...

How's that for a blog post title?

:)

So.  My Thanksgiving was pretty much what I expected that it would be.  Me and miss raven.  Football.  And, um, yeah.  That's it.

I did cook some turkey tenderloin and I selflessly allowed the grocery store to prepare my stuffing and vegetable side dish.  I bought a single roll and a pumpkin donut for dessert.

Oh how it sucks to be single sometimes.

miss raven wasn't complaining though, as she made out pretty well with some turkey and major mommy-snuggle time.

I did not go shopping on Black Friday unless you count the "shopping" that I did online.  I love you Bath and Body bag and Old Navy.  I was too "blah" to feel like braving the crowds.  Well.  That is one reason.  The other reason is that, as I age, I get less and less tolerant of stupidity.  You know what I mean.

I'm turning in to a grouchy old woman.  Crazy cat lady.  Minus the cats.

It was nice to have some time off of school but I did (honestly) miss my students.  It was nice to see them today.  Most of them.  And I think we all know who was absent today.  For the FIFTEENTH time.

The Cowboys beat the redskins again.  Oh wait.  I think I blogged about that last Tuesday.  Sorry.  Hehehe.  I did enjoy typing it again, though.  ;o)

(miss raven is currently VERY determined to get under the heated throw covering my legs.  she succeeded.  Now my legs are clawed up.  Someone needs their toenails clipped and it isn't me.  she is now licking my legs to make up for the clawing she just inflicted.)

The Cowboys also won on Thanksgiving Day.  Which of course made me thankful.  They beat the Dolphins (barely).  Tonight the giants play the Saints.  Go Saints.

It seems as if every time I turn around someone else I know is pregnant.  Do you know how tired I am of that?  My uterus wastes an egg (or more) every month and everyone else I know is getting pregnant.  How is this fair considering that, whenever I was asked what I wanted to be when I grew up I always said "A Mommy" first and then "A teacher" second?  How is it that those awful Bridezillas can find someone to marry them and I can't even get a freaking date?  I need a moratorium from pregnant women.  Seriously.  I don't want to hear about one more pregnant woman at work or on Facebook or anywhere else.  It isn't that I'm not happy for them; I'm just tired of it ALWAYS being everyone else but me.

Ugh.  Sorry for the rant.  I just can't stand it sometimes.

Anyway.  I need to get going because I decided (and please refrain from telling me how idiotic I was for doing this) to make every one of my students a scarf this year for Christmas.  I figured (somewhere in my tiny little brain) that it would be better than buying them something cheap that would break (or get lost) before they even got home for Christmas break.  I completed seven over the weekend and am trying to get one done every night this week.  Wish me luck!

Well...

So much for blogging every night last week.

Blogger fail.

In my defense:

1. We had Grandparent's Day at school on Friday.
2. This left me with a tremendous headache.
3. My kids weren't bad (weeeellllll....we did have a Speshul Snowflake incident, but....) but they were excited and even though quite a few of them left, the ones that stayed were hyped up for vacation.
4. I can't blame them.

So anyway.  I was supposed to blog over the weekend but I did not.  So now I will attempt to tell you about my weekend.  Although, there isn't much to tell.

Sunday was the highlight of my weekend for the following reasons:

1. The COWBOYS beat the redskins.  That would make TWICE this year.  In case you were wondering.  Which I know you were.  Even if you are my BFF.
2. The eagles beat the giants.  Now, under normal circumstances I would never, ever root for the eagles.  The mere idea of it makes me want to...well, never mind.  In this case, however, it meant that my COWBOYS would be tied for FIRST PLACE with the giants.  So...fly, eagles, fly.  And, they did.
3. Tony Stewart (my favorite NASCAR driver and, quite frankly, one hot man) won the Sprint Cup Championship.  Is it too much to hope that he will stumble across my blog, find out what a catch I am, and drive himself up here to declare himself my Prince Charming?  Yeah, I kind of thought it might be.  Stupid fairy tales.

All in all, it was a wonderful sports weekend.  Did I mention that the COWBOYS beat the redskins?  TWICE?

Hail to the who??

We had meetings at work all day yesterday and half of the day today.  I managed to get my Christmas tree put up (and mostly decorated) in my classroom.  It looks good, if I do say so myself.  I have a few more things to do in my room but didn't feel like staying late today.  So I didn't.  :)

miss raven and I will be by ourselves for Thanksgiving this year and I am really depressed about that.  I thought I would be ok with it but the closer it gets the sadder I become.  I am hoping that putting up my tree on Thursday will help.  I've been missing my mom alot the last few weeks and wish that I could talk to her.  She always made the holidays special.  And I really miss her Thanksgiving stuffing (or filling.  Whatever you prefer.)

I don't have to get up early tomorrow so I am getting to watch the NFL Network replay of the COWBOYS/redskins game tonight.  You know, the one in which the COWBOYS BEAT THE redskins.  AGAIN.

Goodnight.

:)

p.s.  How do you like the new look of the blog?  I couldn't resist the paw prints.  It is my homage to miss raven.  She approves.  :)

Day Four...

So I have made it a personal goal to blog every night this week.

(I almost failed tonight.)

I didn't want to leave you hanging about my meetings, though, so here I am.

You're welcome, BFF.


Meeting #1 went a little like this:

Talk, talk, talk, talk, talk...by everyone else.

Silence...by melicity.

I literally said NOTHING during this meeting and more than once wondered AGAIN why I was there and not in my classroom with my students taking pictures while they painted.

Grrrrr.

Meeting #2 went something like this...

Um.  Can't tell you.  I was too busy trying to figure out why I was there to pay much attention as to what was going on in that meeting, either.

I did catch one thing that I know you will appreciate, though.

SS and her mother were there.  Mommy felt it necessary to stand up and ask three questions (I won't bore you with those.)  What I found to be super-douper interesting, though, was the fact that she OPENLY ADMITTED that she had already asked (and had answered) those SAME questions of the Head of School and the Principal.  She just wanted to "ask them again in a public forum."

Can anyone say...POT-STIRRER????????

As some of you (BFF) know, meetings super-stress me out.  Needless to say, my right thumb is a raw, nasty, painful, bloody mess.

Sigh.

This one is going to take weeks to heal.  Band-aids and Neosporin, anyone?

I hear three things calling me:

Coffee

miss raven

and my bed.

In that order.  So....

Goodnight!

:)

Holy Three Days In A Row....

Batman!

;)

I have two prayer requests for tomorrow:

1. I have to attend a meeting that I really don't want to attend.  I am kind of being made the scapegoat for something that happened over the summer and my former supervisor is throwing me under the bus for a decision we made together.  Meanwhile, my new principal thinks the decision that was made was stupid and now we have to meet with the parents.  I am not sure what to expect AT ALL and that scares me.
2. We are painting in art tomorrow.  Enough said.

On another, happy, front:  SS's g-ma actually came in today to have a meeting with my principal.  According to what I was told, the meeting started off badly but ended wonderfully.  She is now on our side and thinks we are wonderful.  (Personally, I think aliens are somehow involved.)

It was a nasty, dreary day here.  An Eeyore kind of day.  :o/  I shouldn't complain, though, because we have had some absolutely gorgeous weather for the middle/end of November.

I just realized something.  This time next week I will be putting (or getting ready to put) up  my Christmas tree!  Oh how I love me some Christmas decorations!!! :)

And on that happy note...

Goodnight.

:)

Do you ever feel...

like telling everyone you're closed for a while?  Stop telling me your issues and problems.  I'm closed.  I'm not here.  Don't leave a message because the mailbox is full?

Why is it that people think you want to hear all about their "issues" when they happen to be the same type of issues that cause your own heart to break?

Have you ever just wanted to just yell "Shut up!  Quit complaining about your problems to me because every time you do it is like pouring salt into my wounds that are just beginning to heal?"

Yeah.  Me, either.

My students are still pretty much wonderful.  They finished their 550 piece backyard bird puzzle today and were SO excited!  I have pictures of the finished puzzle but am currently too lazy to lean over and get my camera and load them on the computer.  You'll just have to take my word for it for now.

So there.

SS came to school today!  And couldn't understand why I wouldn't give her the answers to a test we were taking because, after all, she wasn't there when we went over the material.  Um.  Yeah.  Come to school and we won't have that problem, will we?

Speaking of mean teachers (and I do not put myself into that category)...did anyone else happen to see the piece on the news about the Special Ed teacher and her assistant in Ohio?  O.M.G.  Apparently, this kid kept going home and complaining to her parents that her teacher (and the assistant) were picking on her.  The parents went to the principal but the principal didn't believe them and said the kid was lying.  The parents then sent the kid into school with a hidden tape recorder and have FOUR days worth of tape that proves their point.  It was really sad to listen to and I felt bad for the kid.  Why on earth do people become teachers if they don't like dealing with children?

That being said...

THREE MORE DAYS.

THREE MORE DAYS.

THREE MORE DAYS.

Good night.

:)

And so it begins...

When you work with elementary students, as I do, you will never, ever not know when a holiday is approaching.  They won't let you forget.  You won't let yourself forget.  I promise.

FOUR MORE DAYS.

FOUR MORE DAYS.

FOUR MORE DAYS.

But who's counting, right?

Yes, it is only four more days until Thanksgiving break.  (The kiddos get the whole week; the teachers have professional development all day Monday and [hopefully] half day on Tuesday.  Between you and me (and all of bloggy world) I would prefer to be with the kiddos on Monday and half day Tuesday...

After the Thanksgiving break it is only a hop, skip, and a jump until Christmas Break (unless you are Speshul Snowflake and then your break has apparently already begun.  Yes, she was out again today.  For the THIRD Monday in a row.  We have been in school for a total of seven days in November.  She has attended THREE of those days.)

I digress.

We have Grandparents Day this Friday and I am all kerfluffeled trying to figure out what I am going to do.  It doesn't help that no letters were sent out to let people know about this Friday and I have no idea how many grandparents to expect.  You can be sure that SS's grandmother will be there, though.  She will need to let me  (and everyone else) know exactly what it is that I am doing wrong in my room.

I digress.

I have the program pretty much figured out.  I am in need of some kind of simple (and cheap) art project for the kiddos to do with their grandparents.  Any suggestions?

We had beautiful weather today.  Why can't every day be like today?  Minus the wind.

Yesterday was a AMAZINGLY LOVELY sports day for me:

Cowboys  44   Bills  7
eagles = LOSS
redskins = LOSS
giants = LOSS

SCORE ONE FOR MY BOYS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  pleaseohpleaseohplease win again next week.  And the week after that.  And every week thereafter.

Thank you.

:)

It's beginning to look alot like....

(We will start today's post with a Speshul Snowflake update:

• She was out on Monday.
• She was also out on Tuesday.
• If you are keeping count, that is now a grand total of 13 days.
• She came back today.
• My principal had a letter all ready to send home on Monday.
• He had to change it on Tuesday.
• I knew she would be back today because we have a field trip tomorrow.
• She and her mother drive me crazy!)

Now, on to regular bloggy news....

Remember the swap that I blogged about before and had participated in?  Well, as it turns out, the moderator decided to "tweak" some things and now I can't participate anymore.  I'm actually sad about this since I had just signed up for the Christmas swap.  I had it all planned out...I did August, then October, and had just signed up for December.  I was really excited about it and then the rules changed and I had to leave the group.

Speaking of Christmas (and weren't we?)...It's beginning to look a lot like it!  Especially in the stores!  I get to put up my Christmas tree in LESS THAN TWO WEEKS!!!!!  I am so excited!  I love Christmas so much and I love to decorate for Christmas!  I can't wait to put up my tree!  This year I am putting it up on Thanksgiving Day because I need something to keep my mind off being by myself.  It will just be me and miss raven on Thanksgiving Day and I am a little down about that.  I figure that, if I spend the afternoon decorating and putting up my tree, it will take my mind off not being with anyone.  Well, decorating and football.  ;)

I have Friday off.  SO.EXCITED.  I am hoping beyond all hope to not have to wake up early.  (note to miss raven:  please don't wake mommy up at oh-dark-thirty.  mommy will not be pleased and, as we all know, a cranky mommy is not a treat-giving mommy.)

So.  I had kind of an interesting weekend.

We had Parent/Teacher conferences on Friday, as I mentioned when last I blogged (last Thursday.  Notice, it hasn't been a week yet and I am blogging again.  You're welcome.)

My conferences were easy-peasy as I only had four real ones.  All of them were with great parents so I wasn't worried about anything.  I got to leave at 3:30 on Friday so I was able to get home almost an hour earlier than usual.  Fortunately, miss raven wasn't throwing any crazy dog parties, so no worries there.  ;)

Saturday morning I left the house early so that I could hit up Old Navy and their awesome coat sale.  I got a dress coat and a semi-puffy every day coat for less than the cost of the dress coat.  Can't beat that.  After Old Navy I went to the Yankee Candle store pretty much only because it was right next to Old Navy and it smelled SO good.  They were having an open house and, as I walked in, they gave me a raffle ticket.  They were holding a drawing every 15 minutes for free stuff.  I hung around for 14 and a half minutes, purchasing 6 wax tarts while I was waiting (all Christmas scents.  I am currently burning the heck out of my pumpkin scents so I can start the Christmas ones early.  I get to put up the Christmas tree in less than TWO WEEKS!)  Finally, they called the number for the raffle ticket and.....I won!!!!  Whoo-hoo!!!  My prize wasn't all that awesome but that isn't the point.  The point is, I GOT SOMETHING FOR FREE!!!!!  Cha-ching!

After shopping I went to a gymnastics performance for that one of my students was in.  It wasn't quite what I thought it was going to be and, to be truthful, I wasted about an hour to see a five minute show, but here are the good points:

• the girl was beyond thrilled that I showed up and told EVERYONE that her teacher was there.  Not her parents, not her grandmother and auntie, HER TEACHER.  hehehehe!
• the girl's parents were WAY beyond thrilled that I showed up.  I scored major points.  That is a good thing.

I stopped by Target after the gymnastics thing and picked up some stuff I needed (and some stuff I didn't...pumpkin spice Hershey's kisses, anyone?) and then made a quick stop at Dunkin Donuts for my iced pumpkin spice coffee before heading home to my girlie.

We (and by we I really mean me) did laundry and cleaned the house before relaxing for the rest of the evening.  Well, until I got the phone call from my dad.  The phone rang and, as soon as I heard his voice, I knew something was wrong.  Turns out my four year old niece was jumping on the bed, fell off, and (long story short) broke her little bird-like arm.  She had to stay overnight in the hospital and had surgery yesterday morning.  She is at home and doing well now, but we were all a little nervous and scared there for a while.

Yesterday was a pretty good sports day for me.  Tony Stewart won (again!) and is only three points behind in the Chase with two races to go, the Cowboys beat the Seahawks, and THE redskins LOST!!!  The only downside was that the giants beat the Patriots.  The eagles play the Bears tonight and I am rooting for the Bears.

My knees hurt today and that makes me feel old.  I have a sneaking suspicion that part of the reason that they hurt is because they are carrying around extra weight.  MUST.LOSE.WEIGHT.  I keep saying that forgetting that actions speak louder than words.

Sigh.

Goodnight.

OH!  How could I forget??  Guess who was absent again today?  Day 12 and counting..... (insert sarcastic eye roll here)

Be still your bloggy heart...

Yes.  It is me.  TWO DAYS IN A ROW!

I am so tired.  I couldn't sleep last night.  I'm not sure why but I didn't end up falling asleep until close to two am.  Ugh.  Needless to say, it was a long day.

I was a little testy with the kids although I did recognize it and worked really hard all day to be just a little more patient with them than I felt.  It wasn't easy.  They were still hopped up on Halloween candy AND beyond excited to not have school tomorrow.

We have parent conferences tomorrow.  I only have 4 parents that signed up and one of them signed up for the last conference time of the day on purpose.  After she told me to put her down for that one she informed me that she wasn't coming to the conference, just didn't want me to have a conference at the end of the day.  She is currently my favorite parent.  ;)

I knew going in to today that I was going to have a conference this afternoon with two parents who can't make it tomorrow.  I wasn't worried a bit because their son is brilliant and made our "A" Honor Roll easily.  The conference went very well.  About an hour ago I received this e-mail:

Dear Ms. Olsen,
Thank you so much for taking care of our son.  I have always asked God to let him have teachers who can inspire him to do well since he is a very unusual child.  Today's report card just confirmed that my husband and I made a good decision to bring him to this school.  I know that some people may think otherwise but, for whatever it is worth, I am happy because my son is happy.  And, thank you for that.  It is not every year that my son finds a teacher that he can relate to and who can help him become successful. Thank you again!
By the way, I forgot to mention to you today that if you are in need of anything from BJ's, please do not hesitate to let me know.  Just shoot me an email either here in the school email or even my yahoo email. I check my emails at least twice a day.
Thank you so much! 

I was so touched by this e-mail and it brought me to tears.  I always, always appreciate a parent who will take the time to write out a letter like this and I always save them.  I will print this out and put it in that file and, when Speshul Snowflake's mother, or some other parent gives me a hard time about something, I will pull that file out and read it.

That is all for tonight as my lack of sleep last night is beginning to catch up with me.  I get to sleep in a little tomorrow and plan on taking full advantage of that.  If miss raven will let me, that is.  ;)

I  

Hola, Amigos!

Hey!  It's been less than a week.

Not by much, I know, but still...less than a week.

:)

OK.  Here's an update, bullet-ed for your convenience (and mine):

• Speshul Snowflake, for those of you that care, has now been absent ELEVEN days.  In ten weeks.  Altogether, she has missed all or part of SEVENTEEN days of school.  She was absent Monday and Tuesday this week.  Yep.  You guessed it.  She had to get ready for Trick or Treating.  Nice, right?
• My left foot hurts so bad.  I thought I had plantar fasciitis, but now I am not sure.  It is mostly my heel that hurts, but by the end of the day the pain is all the way up my leg and into the back part of my hip.  Right now my left knee also hurts and I am debating on taking some ibuprofen.  I can hear my BFF now telling me to go the doctor but, in all truthfulness, I am terrified to go.  Some people are afraid of clowns, some people are afraid of snakes, I am afraid of doctors.  Terrified, even.  So...ibuprofen it is, tonight anyway.
• Have you ever had to deal with something really hard and you do your best to deal with it but then someone comes along and kind of kicks sand in your face?  Me neither.
• I joined twitter.  My brother hates it.  The best thing is that my (old) blackberry doesn't have the capability for downloading the twitter app.  Guess what that means?  #newphone  :)
• We had snow last Saturday.  Did you hear me?  SNOW in OCTOBER.  Can I tell you that there are about five hundred ZILLION things wrong with that?!?
• I miss my BFF.
• Alot.
• I broke out the heated throw and the electric blanket.  And turned on the heater.  My goal is always to try to make it until at least November 1 before turning on the heater.  It was in the high 20's Friday night.  I made it until October 28 this year.  There's always next year.
• I absolutely MUST get a hold on my out of control eating.  I think I have gained almost all the weight I lost three years ago.  That really, really depresses me.  I am afraid to get on the scale to see how bad it is.
• It is now time for me to go to bed.
• Goodnight!
• :)