Them's fightin' words

We had a really nice week of weather last week. It was in the 60's and 70's and the kids needed no jackets/hats/gloves/boots etc. Then, we get hit with the arctic blast. And as we're all bundled up and headed out to the playground, one of my quietest girls sticks behind and walks with me. Here's our conversation:

B: "It's cold today"
Me: "It sure is"
B: "I have to wear my coat and hat"
Me: "Yeah, me too."
B: "Last week, it was really nice outside."
Me: "Yeah, it sure was"

Quiet for 10 seconds (10 steps or so)

B: "Winter Sucks"

I had to laugh :) I have to pry any sort of communication from this child in the classroom, and in an endearing moment she opened up her little soul to me :)

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I'm very angry with grocery stores at the moment, for apparently grocery stores feel they can charge an inordinate amount of money for food, put an enormous price sticker on a sign that says "sale" with the "reduced" price (which is still outrageous) beside the product and you think you are getting a bargain, and you have to carry around a plastic credit card that has no monetary value so that you don't pay $ 6.75 for a box of cereal.

With gas prices being so low, Scott and I have driven the extra distance to visit SuperTarget in Ft. Collins once a week to get our groceries/home supplies. We love SuperTarget on many different levels, but one of the things we love is how their groceries and living supplies are very affordable. We went last week and bought enough food to last us more than a week, so this week we thought we would just suck it up and swing by the grocery store and pick up the few things we needed for the rest of the week.

So we get the items on our list, enough for a cake, a casserole, spaghetti, bread and milk, and when we cash out using our "supersaver" card, our bill is 68 dollars. When I compared our recipts, we payed DOUBLE for cheese, cake mix, eggs, and butter. DOUBLE. What would have probably cost us 40 dollars, MAX at Target was almost twice that, and that makes me grumpy.

What I love the most, is some poor shmuck is going to walk into Safeway, without the savers card on hand, and actually have to pay $ 6. 75 for a box of Lucky Charms.

Hope you still feel they're "Magically Delicious"

Nutrition

I got a "nutrition monthy" magazine in the mail today (Scott's mom prescribes for us...) and on the back, they always have one healthy food, and a food that they call "food porn" and usually, the two foods are related so for instance:

GOOD: Eddy's slow churned ice cream FOOD PORN: Cold Stone Creamery (their public enemy number one...)

But this month:

FOOD PORN: Ice cream delight from Chilis. The healthier choice? A can of black beans...

YUMMMMMMM!!!

Update...

PHEW! Time flies when you're on vacation, then you have to go back to work. Last week I couldn't believe it was already time to go back, now I can't believe it's almost been two weeks! We had a pretty relaxing weekend, and I like to GO GO GO so I was happy to be busy again.

And speaking of busy! College basketball season is in full swing, and runs my life! I like to go and help Scott, so I can see him in the evenings, so I went last night, will celebrate my birthday tonight, go again tomorrow night, have some fun with friends Friday night, see my family Saturday/Sat. night, then basketball again on Sunday...but that is how I like it. It's good to be busy. It keeps my mind off the face that I can't find a WII anywhere. Doesn't Nintendo know it's my BIRTHDAY for heaven sakes?

We have a lot of quick and exciting things to look forward to coming up!

First off, I've decided to go back to school to get my masters. I've put it off for almost 5 years now, and literally decided overnight, with the encouragement of a friend, to bite the bullet and dive right in (that is if they accept me) During the day I'm excited, but my college nightmares keep resurfacing in my dreams. So perhaps I'm more anxious that I think. It will be nice to go back with friends, and to go virtually for free (thanks Scott's job!)

We also decided to pool all our vacation savings (minus 2 plane tickets to Kansas City) and go to Hawaii! We are going with mom, Bob and Luke, for a week in June. I'm SO excited. Scott has never been, and we are jumping at the bit to go on a nice vacation! We are SO lucky to have families that take nice vacations, and want us along. We have gotten to go to some awesome places, and have lots of great pictures and memories from each one.

Today, as you all know by now, is my birthday :) I have a reputation for making my birthday known, and have not let Tozer Primary staff escape this enjoyment :) I think everyone is relieved by the time my birthday passes, they no longer have to hear the countdown. I told my students that today was my birthday a couple days ago, and opened my door this morning to 21 2nd graders scream-singing happy birthday. They never really quited down after that. The first thing they asked was "when do we eat your treats?"

CRAP! I didn't bring treats. Shouldn't they bring ME treats? I emailed Scott in a tizzy to see if he could bring some in, but alas, he has a job too darnit, and can't drop his responsabilities for cupcakes, so I was up a creek without a paddle. But THEN...it was one of my students half-birthdays today, and his mom emailed at 10 oclock, and wanted to bring in treats for HIM, so I was SAVED!

Did I also mention that the PTA brought chili in for the staff for lunch, and the Windsor marching band held a parade? ( I'm sure in my honor...see what happens when you let the entire world know your birthday is coming up???)

We are studying birds in 2nd grade right now, a topic I was almost dreading, because come on...BIRDS? But the first activity we did, was set up 4 egs, and stack dictionaries on top of them until they shattered, and you would have thought I handed each kid 100 bucks. The left that day SO excited we had cracked eggs, and I let them feel the yolk (in a very sanitary, wash-your-hands-with-warm-water-and-soap-or-forfeit-your-recess-for-life kind of way). I even learned a little about the inside of eggs, something I avoid like the plague, since I do not like to vomit if I can help it. And today, we used clay to mold different birds feet. Because I am JUST that cool :)

I love my new job. I get to do SO many hands on activities, and do things I learned in college, and the activities are enjoyable, and the kids learn and everything is organized at the end of the day...it's fantastic. With the economy the way it is, I'm very worried about teacher cutbacks, so cross your fingers it's not my one year of glory.

Also, COME AND VISIT US! We have clean sheets, and friendly dog to greet you upon arrival :)

Loves :)

Instead of packing, a little funny story :)

Mrs. Ward: Why W! This is such a neat gift bag! Did you draw on it yourself?

W: Yeah, My mom made me.

W's mom: "W! That does not make the bag so special. I asked if you would decorate it and you said you would."

W: Yeah, so I could have desert.

:) It was a cute bag with a snowman sitting next to Tober :) The important things in a 2nd graders life.

Adult Supervision

I got sick this week on Tuesday, after I had already gone to school. I wasn't able to get a substitute until 9:00, so I had to teach for 45 min. While I was teaching I was getting plans ready for the rest of the day. Before the substitute got there, I was walking my kids through the rest of their day.

Me: Okay, so for reading you're going to be working on a word sort. The glue is in the cupboard, the papers are on the stool. For writing I would like you to work on your "how to" illustrations. Your papers are in this divider right here. After writing you will go to Art, then lunch, then you'll play a math game with dice. The dice are on the back table and the papers are beside the dice. And to finish the day you are going to work on your Windsor time lines.

At this point, a timid hand is raised by one of my little children and he asks...

"Mrs. Ward, will there be an adult here to supervise us?"

:) In his mind the kids were on their own :)

"That's right kids, I'm out. See you tomorrow. PEACE!"

:) Silly kids.

Also, never trust men to do the packing. I left Scott in charge of packing while my mom and I went on a run over Thanksgiving. On the way home, Scott stopped suddenly and said "shoot (but in a naughtier way)" and I thought we were being pulled over (he has a tendency to speed) but no, he had just forgotten his overnight bag with our toothpaste etc. That's nothing, I said, trying to be kind, we have others at home. A few miles later, another "shoot. I forgot my glasses." This pattern continues all the way back to Greeley where we realized *we (Scott) forgot the following:

His glasses
His extra contacts
His contact solution
Our toothbrushes/toothpaste
Face wash
Shampoo etc.
The dog's bowls (food and water)
The dog's collar
The dog's leash

And his response: "I packed all the clothes."

Yes. He managed to pack the clothes that were already either in or right beside the suitcase :) Nice work dear :)

A feel good moment

The days right before break are always the toughest. Everyone's schedule is off, you can't start anything new because the kids will forget after 5 days away from the classroom, and everyone is excited to see their family/NOT have to work. Yesterday, I had to be gone, so really, I only had to teach ONE day this week :) The kids did not know I was going to miss school, so I opened the door to a LOT of hugs, a lot of "where WERE you's, and a lot of I'm GLAD your back. I also came back to a sweet pile of papers. I thought I would share them with you as a way to start the holiday being thankful you're friends with such an amazing teacher :)

So to begin: I will translate first and then break the photos down :) This picture says "You are the most bestest teacher in the world" And as you can see I am SO great that I get my favorite candy attached to the bottom. And the picture is addressed to "Mrs. Sarah and Ward"

Next we have a stencil stating "Best Teacher Ever. Mrs. Ward Rocks" This picture obviously explains itself :) I know...you're jealous...

This picture is a holiday scene depicting a very happy turkey and some other kind of bird, perhaps a goose? This one really says nothing about my AWESOME teaching, but it's a pretty good drawing!.

And last but not least, my favorite. A letter from one of my QUIETEST little girls. It states " Dear Mrs. Ward, I really miss you. I love it when you let us have extra recess (which was like...once) And when you help me and ___. So please come back soon. Love, ___.

Now, don't you wish you got letters like That every day???

I'm From Africa

Hello all :)

Today, we discussed ancestry and immigration in second grade :) The kids' homework last night was to find out which countries their ancestors came from and bring the information back so we could graph the info today in class.

So of course not every student brings their paper back, but of those who did we have enough to list 19 different countries on our chart.

Now, I wish I could post a picture on the internet without risking being sued so you could see the complexions of all my children. They are all white. WHITE with blond hair and blue eyes... it's rare that anyone has hair a shade darker than brown. I have one little Hispanic girl, and one girl with the same complexion as my brother David (for those who know him) so a little darker than pale, almost like a sun tan. She is constantly trying to convince us that she is black. I've met her parents. She is not black. Perhaps generations ago :) but for now, she is not black. I also have one boy whose mom is white and his dad is black, my only actual child who has any hint of actual color to his skin.

So we're going through the list of surprising countries like Russia, England, Scotland, Ireland, Czechoslovakia, etc. Very European :) And someone says Africa, so we list it.

After we have our master list I let the kids raise their hand if I mention a country that one of their ancestors is from. So it should come as no surprise when half the class raises their hand for England and Germany.

My little sped friend did not bring his paper back, so as we're going through the different countries, he is raising his hand for every one. Russia, Germany, Czechoslovakia, etc and his vote is being counted because I'm a nice teacher. So because of his vote every country we list has at least two votes. So we get down to Africa, and I'm expecting him to raise his hand and vote again, and low and behold the only person raising HER hand is my tan skinned little girl. My half black child does not raise his hand...the ONLY time he does not.

I love teaching kids because they always keep you guessing.


(On a side note. I do realize that you do not have to have dark skin to have ancestors from Africa, and you do not have to have pale skin to have ancestors from Europe. But this story would not be very funny if I was politically correct don't you agree?)