I fight it every night.
It's such a chore sometimes.
Especially on days like today.
When I'm just plain beat.
And it'd just be so easy to just put them in bed.
But once we have on the pjs, have our teeth brushed, and diaper changed. Once all three of us have managed to squeeze into Grant's glider and I start reading, I wonder why I fight it so.
Grant giggles at the pictures. Mason helps with a few words. It's such a sweet, simple, snuggly, what I dreamed motherhood would be moment when I read with my two boys.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
a pattern
On Friday, I cried most of the evening. I felt overwhelmed, tired, worthless, sentimental, emotional, etc. etc.
I started a post.
As I was writing it, I quickly realized it would never be published as it was just very poetic whining and stopped writing.
BUT...
I did notice something.
It was EXACTLY one month after this post.
And that post was exactly one month after this post.
Noticing a trend?
Remember when I explained a rather predictable routine of hormonal imbalance in this post?
My crying days are so very predictable.
I know when I'm crying that's why. I mean, I know.
But in that moment, the world is truly crumbling down around me. How is that possible?
It's tough being a girl.
I started a post.
As I was writing it, I quickly realized it would never be published as it was just very poetic whining and stopped writing.
BUT...
I did notice something.
It was EXACTLY one month after this post.
And that post was exactly one month after this post.
Noticing a trend?
Remember when I explained a rather predictable routine of hormonal imbalance in this post?
My crying days are so very predictable.
I know when I'm crying that's why. I mean, I know.
But in that moment, the world is truly crumbling down around me. How is that possible?
It's tough being a girl.
Friday, October 23, 2009
this could bore you.
I always start my classes with a bellringer. Some quiet, "sit at your desk and think about this on your own while I remember what I'm supposed to teach you" thing. It usually takes five minutes or so.
For them to do the work.
Not for me to remember what I'm teaching. That can actually take almost the whole class period.
anyway, in years past, I had students correct a paragraph with 10 errors. We'd discuss them. Grade them. Move on. It worked. I guess.
Well, at the beginning of this year, I tried the opposite of this. I had students copy a great sentence from the overhead. We found the subject and the verb. We talked about why it had apostrophe's here or there or commas. What made it great. Then they would kind of mimic the sentence and I'd flash some of their great sentences up on the board. This was like big time for them. They loved that. Each week, we'd work on specific skills. For example, at the first week of the year we focused on using commas to separate items on a list.
They'd copy: The monster gobbled up a boy, a hairy frog, and two toenails. Then, they'd write their great sentence, I munched on... We talked about why we needed the commas, where they needed to be, how the word munched gave you a different picture in your head than gobbled...
Are you following me?
None of you are still reading. I understand. This is magnificently boring. But I have had a crying day and I need to recognize some good in me.
Once my schedule switched, I stopped doing the great sentence thing because the other teachers kind of looked at me like horns were growing out of my head when I explained it to them. I probably didn't explain it well.
So, this week I've been working on the Revise/edit version of the TAKS test with my kids. They have to read a passage, and then answer a question like,
What change should be made to sentence 7?
a) change people to peopl.
b)insert a comma after animal
C)...
d)...
etc.
Well, half the time they don't have a clue why they need anything anywhere. Why they need commas in between a city and a state. Why they need apostrophe's in the phrase "mom's hair". Which way to spell climb.
But, I tell you what. Without a doubt, every single kid could tell me why I needed a comma in a list. Something we talked about in the first week of school. For five minutes a class period for five days.
You know how we're supposed to tell our kids, "walk" instead of "don't run."
I think we're supposed to tell them, "This is good writing. Do this. And here's why..."
instead of"look at this piece of writing full of mistakes and do your best to find 10 errors dealing with any grammar/spelling/punctuation/capitalization rule under the sun."
On Monday, the great sentences return.
I knew I should have stuck to my guns.
For them to do the work.
Not for me to remember what I'm teaching. That can actually take almost the whole class period.
anyway, in years past, I had students correct a paragraph with 10 errors. We'd discuss them. Grade them. Move on. It worked. I guess.
Well, at the beginning of this year, I tried the opposite of this. I had students copy a great sentence from the overhead. We found the subject and the verb. We talked about why it had apostrophe's here or there or commas. What made it great. Then they would kind of mimic the sentence and I'd flash some of their great sentences up on the board. This was like big time for them. They loved that. Each week, we'd work on specific skills. For example, at the first week of the year we focused on using commas to separate items on a list.
They'd copy: The monster gobbled up a boy, a hairy frog, and two toenails. Then, they'd write their great sentence, I munched on... We talked about why we needed the commas, where they needed to be, how the word munched gave you a different picture in your head than gobbled...
Are you following me?
None of you are still reading. I understand. This is magnificently boring. But I have had a crying day and I need to recognize some good in me.
Once my schedule switched, I stopped doing the great sentence thing because the other teachers kind of looked at me like horns were growing out of my head when I explained it to them. I probably didn't explain it well.
So, this week I've been working on the Revise/edit version of the TAKS test with my kids. They have to read a passage, and then answer a question like,
What change should be made to sentence 7?
a) change people to peopl.
b)insert a comma after animal
C)...
d)...
etc.
Well, half the time they don't have a clue why they need anything anywhere. Why they need commas in between a city and a state. Why they need apostrophe's in the phrase "mom's hair". Which way to spell climb.
But, I tell you what. Without a doubt, every single kid could tell me why I needed a comma in a list. Something we talked about in the first week of school. For five minutes a class period for five days.
You know how we're supposed to tell our kids, "walk" instead of "don't run."
I think we're supposed to tell them, "This is good writing. Do this. And here's why..."
instead of"look at this piece of writing full of mistakes and do your best to find 10 errors dealing with any grammar/spelling/punctuation/capitalization rule under the sun."
On Monday, the great sentences return.
I knew I should have stuck to my guns.
Monday, October 19, 2009
"caw"
Grant loves "caws." I mean, loves them. He sleeps with them. He eats with them. He drives them all over the house. He tells me " 'ook mama!" as he he drives one over my arm. He lines them up in little rows. He pushes them down boy-made ramps.
He loves cars.
The other night, he painstakingly removed every particle of food from his Cars plate and giggled with uncontrolled delight at the "caw!" hiding underneath all that food.
So you can imagine his unrestrained joy at his new Cars sippy cups. It was priceless seeing him sputter out "caw!" after every slurp of milk.
a lesson in hyperbole.
I haven't done dishes in so long that my six year old has offered up his services.
I haven't done dishes in so long that the entire silverware drawer was devoid of all cutlery.
I haven't done dishes in so long that drinking straight from the carton was a must.
I haven't done dishes in so long, the national guard has been called up to aid the afflicted.You know what's crazy? It really has only been 2 days of refusing to do dirty dishes. I don't know what happened...how they multiplied. Especially the silverware. It's a phenomenon really.
I have since bought the 600 count package of paper plates. I think the environment can take the hit on this one.
And just so you know, my kitchen is clean now. please, still be my friend.
I have since bought the 600 count package of paper plates. I think the environment can take the hit on this one.
And just so you know, my kitchen is clean now. please, still be my friend.
Friday, October 16, 2009
Apparently...
I turned 28 and fell off the face of the planet.
I have actually written a few posts, or attempted posts, but they were just Buh-buh-buh-boring! So they stayed in the draft status. And I haven't gotten anything else new to say, but I am sick of...whatever my last title was. So here are some random thoughts/comments/developments/whines/joys/observations etc.
have you ever wondered why blogger chose "scooters" as one of the example words for labeling a post? I mean who out there is blogging so much about scooters that they would need that label? Scooters? really?
I cut open a pumpkin in my class to illustrate a point. Man, I had those kids captivated! We write about seeds! Not the whole pumpkin!
I ran 18 miles last week. And five monday. Two on wednesday. Way to go me!
Grant is learning how to jump. Cutest thing I've ever dern seen. :)
I bought our outfits(or part of our outfits) for our family pictures this year. I love it so far! Think lovely jewel tones with lots of brown.
Part of my outfit for said pictures is a coat. From the little girls section at Target. Am I frugal, Ridiculous, or refusing to be 28 with that purchase?
Our heater was broken this weekend. Bracing for the worst, we called the heater guys. "just needed a good cleaning, ma'am." What?! You're kidding? Praise Jesus for small repairs!
I miss my mom. She's been in New York for about a month now because one of Don's sisters is very sick. I wanna go home and eat Nona's sausage soup while a fire crackles in the woodstove. And drink coffee that I didn't make. And play chinese checkers. And just chat.
You won't believe this next statement. You won't. As of right now, I am caught up on editing.
Pause for effect.
Caught up, I say.
Now, I do have two shoots and a wedding to edit, but they're not supposed to be done for a week. And I need to burn about a million cds. And meet with some customers. And do loads of accounting things. And...sheesh! The point is that I'm caught up on editing. Like I could watch a movie with Troy this weekend instead of editing.
Well, I could do that but I haven't turned in my lesson plans for the week. Or prepared my tutorial materials. Or made my circle map worksheets. And it might be good to teach at least one social studies thing soon...
Wanna know why I don't write posts sometimes? Because I wonder if some of you are thinking, "If she didn't write on her blog, she could be getting some of those things done." Now, I know none of you have ever thought that. I have never thought that of any of you. In fact, I worry when you haven't updated. That thinking is just me feeling guilty for writing when I could be a-dozen-other-things.
Grant and Mason played with two laundry baskets for a good hour last night. Is it silly that watching them play like that made me straight-from-the-gut happy? Like I have done something right in this world because my kids play with laundry baskets? I thought it would...
What in a students mind makes them write a word incorrectly a dozen times, but then immediately see what's wrong the SECOND i circle it in their journal?"Oh, went! I spelled it with an i!" *chuckle*. Mrs. Wilde bangs her head against a wall. Then proceeds to throw pumpkin seeds at her students.
You will never believe this next statement. Two amazing statements in one post. How lucky are you!
I am...
wait for it.
...at this moment...
get ready.
...caught up on laundry.
I know. Me. Jenny. Caught up on laundry.
Miracles - you gotta believe people! Believe!
Do you want to know what my husband got me for my birthday? He really couldn't have gotten me anything better. He got me THE ENTIRE SET OF WEST WING DVDS!!! The WHOLE SERIES! I am so excited!!! I am addicted to the show. And I like to watch it when I edit pictures. I didn't even think to ask for it - he just got it! All on his own! It was the best surprise ever. :) Thanks, baby!
Almost as exciting to me, he reattached a pully string to my closet light so I can turn it on without having to stand on grant's stool. It's the small things that mean the most.
Wednesday was picture day at school and I forgot. I chose that day to not wash my hair. And I chose to just put new make up over old make up. Well, when "Teachers don't forget that today is picture day" came over the announcements, I immediately let out a loud, "OH NO! Look at me! Guys! What am I going to do?! I look terrible!" I continued to panic (in a very dramatic, overdone way because 4th graders get a big kick out of teachers upset over something silly like their hair) until I took my picture. At the end of the day, when I ask my students to tell me one thing they learned that day, Ryan said, "That girls really freak out when their hair isn't perfect." Hey, that's a valuable life lesson that I'm glad I helped him learn at an early age.
"Mama 'ook! MaaaaMaaaa 'OOOOk!!!!" That is grant's favorite phrase right now. It's cute. It is however getting a little less cute... he says it a lot.
I should go do something...
The laundry is caught up, but the kitchen is a very scary place....
I have actually written a few posts, or attempted posts, but they were just Buh-buh-buh-boring! So they stayed in the draft status. And I haven't gotten anything else new to say, but I am sick of...whatever my last title was. So here are some random thoughts/comments/developments/whines/joys/observations etc.
have you ever wondered why blogger chose "scooters" as one of the example words for labeling a post? I mean who out there is blogging so much about scooters that they would need that label? Scooters? really?
I cut open a pumpkin in my class to illustrate a point. Man, I had those kids captivated! We write about seeds! Not the whole pumpkin!
I ran 18 miles last week. And five monday. Two on wednesday. Way to go me!
Grant is learning how to jump. Cutest thing I've ever dern seen. :)
I bought our outfits(or part of our outfits) for our family pictures this year. I love it so far! Think lovely jewel tones with lots of brown.
Part of my outfit for said pictures is a coat. From the little girls section at Target. Am I frugal, Ridiculous, or refusing to be 28 with that purchase?
Our heater was broken this weekend. Bracing for the worst, we called the heater guys. "just needed a good cleaning, ma'am." What?! You're kidding? Praise Jesus for small repairs!
I miss my mom. She's been in New York for about a month now because one of Don's sisters is very sick. I wanna go home and eat Nona's sausage soup while a fire crackles in the woodstove. And drink coffee that I didn't make. And play chinese checkers. And just chat.
You won't believe this next statement. You won't. As of right now, I am caught up on editing.
Pause for effect.
Caught up, I say.
Now, I do have two shoots and a wedding to edit, but they're not supposed to be done for a week. And I need to burn about a million cds. And meet with some customers. And do loads of accounting things. And...sheesh! The point is that I'm caught up on editing. Like I could watch a movie with Troy this weekend instead of editing.
Well, I could do that but I haven't turned in my lesson plans for the week. Or prepared my tutorial materials. Or made my circle map worksheets. And it might be good to teach at least one social studies thing soon...
Wanna know why I don't write posts sometimes? Because I wonder if some of you are thinking, "If she didn't write on her blog, she could be getting some of those things done." Now, I know none of you have ever thought that. I have never thought that of any of you. In fact, I worry when you haven't updated. That thinking is just me feeling guilty for writing when I could be a-dozen-other-things.
Grant and Mason played with two laundry baskets for a good hour last night. Is it silly that watching them play like that made me straight-from-the-gut happy? Like I have done something right in this world because my kids play with laundry baskets? I thought it would...
What in a students mind makes them write a word incorrectly a dozen times, but then immediately see what's wrong the SECOND i circle it in their journal?"Oh, went! I spelled it with an i!" *chuckle*. Mrs. Wilde bangs her head against a wall. Then proceeds to throw pumpkin seeds at her students.
You will never believe this next statement. Two amazing statements in one post. How lucky are you!
I am...
wait for it.
...at this moment...
get ready.
...caught up on laundry.
I know. Me. Jenny. Caught up on laundry.
Miracles - you gotta believe people! Believe!
Do you want to know what my husband got me for my birthday? He really couldn't have gotten me anything better. He got me THE ENTIRE SET OF WEST WING DVDS!!! The WHOLE SERIES! I am so excited!!! I am addicted to the show. And I like to watch it when I edit pictures. I didn't even think to ask for it - he just got it! All on his own! It was the best surprise ever. :) Thanks, baby!
Almost as exciting to me, he reattached a pully string to my closet light so I can turn it on without having to stand on grant's stool. It's the small things that mean the most.
Wednesday was picture day at school and I forgot. I chose that day to not wash my hair. And I chose to just put new make up over old make up. Well, when "Teachers don't forget that today is picture day" came over the announcements, I immediately let out a loud, "OH NO! Look at me! Guys! What am I going to do?! I look terrible!" I continued to panic (in a very dramatic, overdone way because 4th graders get a big kick out of teachers upset over something silly like their hair) until I took my picture. At the end of the day, when I ask my students to tell me one thing they learned that day, Ryan said, "That girls really freak out when their hair isn't perfect." Hey, that's a valuable life lesson that I'm glad I helped him learn at an early age.
"Mama 'ook! MaaaaMaaaa 'OOOOk!!!!" That is grant's favorite phrase right now. It's cute. It is however getting a little less cute... he says it a lot.
I should go do something...
The laundry is caught up, but the kitchen is a very scary place....
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