I Need Some Flowers

I haven't been in the best of moods today.  I think others have noticed they just don't do much about it other than asking me if I'm tired or if I'm ok...I'll give you a hint, you're asking the wrong questions.  I'll answer your questions quite truthfully and unless I'm about to die or have any broken bones, I always know that I'm ok so that's what I'll tell you.  But really, overall, I'm ok, just in a not so good mood.

I was just reading my cousin's blog about her staying inside because of the weather.  I agree with her, I'm done with all of the ice, snow and COLD.  Once I get home from work, I generally stay home so all errands must be done before I reach my house because I'm not going back outside.  My cousin also mentioned finding her own sunshine with bouquets of flowers and baking.  I've got the baking down, now I just need some flowers and someone to feed because baking produces a lot of food.

The good news is that I will be with a group of friends the next couple of days at a teacher workshop/retreat/thingy.  I've left my student teacher to fend for herself (she can do it, she's pretty good) and I'm shirking all/most responsibilities for a little bit.  I'll have some good conversations, both education-based and not so education-based.  I've found that I've enjoyed my getaways lately, it's like a little reset button.

Super Teacher

A friend of mine recently subjected herself to countless hours of boredom sitting at home with not much to do. She has requested that I add to my blog more regularly so that she can find some entertainment. So the next slough of posts may not be about the most exciting events but I will wow and amaze you at my rendition of my life which I wouldn't call the most exciting right now as my student teacher is taking over and I really don't do much right now.

Today I have quite the list of accomplishments. I started the day teaching watching "watching" 6th grade. That got boring so I started pulling kids from class to hang out with them in the hallway chatting about all sorts of cool things like mathematical equations, inequalities, solving for x, etc. (ok, so I was helping them get ready for the math test they were taking that day). When recess started, I was greeted by a phone call from my kindergarten teacher friend asking me to come help.  I got to teach kindergarteners all about the life cycle of a butterfly using pasta, glue, and some pipe cleaners. I was eventually relieved of my kindergarten duties as I had to go back to 6th grade to start the math test. I helped there for a bit but then my presence was requested in 5th grade. I needed to babysit one of the classes as my 5th grade teacher friend had a meeting to attend. I conversed with the students about math and taught them many secrets about improper fractions. They are some pretty cool kids, I guess I'll let them come to 6th grade next year. After lunch, I was back in 6th grade cramming three days worth of science lessons into one as the supplies I needed finally arrived, we had to review for a test, and take a quiz. It was all sorts of fun. After school, I found myself shoveling snow and ice, then baking a couple of strawberry pies, and finished off the evening solving a few problems.

Overall, it was a pretty good day. I'm a bit tired though. I should have days like this more often.

When I Was Your Age...

Now that I am home and relaxing from the day, I realized that I used that phrase just a little too much today.  I use the phrase jokingly as I really don't feel that much older than the people I am using it with. Today's examples included talking to my science class about chicken pox and how when I was their age, we didn't have a vaccination for chicken pox, in fact, our parents wanted us to get it before we got too old.  They thought that was interesting.  I was also talking to my math class today about when you might use the topic of the day (writing equations) later in life as my math teacher tried to answer that for me and my class as well.  I think the most hilarious moment of today for this phrase didn't actually involve me saying the words, "When I was your age...," but I was talking to the student teachers who are really not as young as my students.  We were talking about their teacher work samples (the big project they would have to do to finish their student teaching experiences) and I had to tell them that I never had to do one of them because I graduated before they were ever required.  They were so shocked that the TWS was so new, I had to inform them that I graduated a while ago, they didn't realize that.  I drug out my old portfolio to show them what teachers had to do "back in the day"...I guess you could call it old school.  It was pretty ridiculous thinking that that portfolio would really show all of my efforts and accomplishments as a teacher, no one ever looked at them, and they were more like a scrap book than a portfolio (but don't you let my professors know I called it that).

So, really, I find it hilarious that I can use that phrase and I really do use it jokingly.  I just feel like I should be a grey-haired, old lady before I can really say stuff like that.

More Projects

I finally took pictures, uploaded them, and events have passed so I can share some of the other projects I've been working on...

I made baby blanket for my cousin and her baby a little while back (I actually forgot that I had taken pictures so I'm just now sharing them).

This one is a quilt I made for my friends, Nicholas and Annette, for their wedding.  I was working on this one for quite awhile, it was tough keeping it a secret because I was so excited about it.  I shared it with anyone that happened to come over, I just made them promise not to say anything to anyone about it.  Nicholas and Annette were married last Friday so I can share it with you now.

Time

Time is an interesting thing.  Sometimes it barely creeps by and other times it zooms past us, sometimes it does both at the same time (I know, I don't understand it either).

I was watching a video tonight where a guy was comparing data from 1991 to 2011.  I didn't think much of it until he mentioned that there was a twenty year difference...WHAT!?!  1991 was just a few years ago in my mind, not twenty.  As my world came tumbling down around me with this crazy passage of time, I realized that it's no longer 2011 so really 1991 was more than twenty years ago.  (I know, it's kind of late, I should be allowed a brief moment of being brain dead in my math skills...really, I shouldn't be posting this at all as it breaks one of my blogging rules.)

After all the math and realizations, I started to think about where I was in 1991 and what I've done since then.  The good news is that I've come a long way and have learned quite a bit which is very good seeing as I was still in elementary school in 1991.  What saddens me is that some of my friends that will read this won't be able to remember 1991 as they were too young, hopefully they were at least around for the year, but I'll still talk to you if you weren't.