That one time when I was the music teacher

 Today when I dropped my students off at music, the music teacher met me at the door.  She said, I have to go make a report.  I was a little irritated.  I needed to go to the bathroom and make a few copies, but alrighty. 

She told my class to go sit in a circle and she would be right back. So in I went, to music class. I asked my students what songs they knew and one shouted out, Grandma Got Ran Over By A Reindeer!  Another kid said All Star.  I sad, oh, let’s go with that one.  I pulled up the Kids Bop version because every song seems to have a curse word in it these days.  We were singing along and the music teacher came back.  I got up to leave and all my students screamed Noooooo. I’m a terrible singer and I was struggling to remember the words to the All Star song, but my 5 minutes of being the music teacher was kinda fun.  

At recess, the boys were talking about alligator weiners. The girls tattled.  I told the boys that I might have to tell the principal.  One kid was literally about to have a panic attack.  I told him to not talk about that stuff at school and he said ok. Alligator weiners.  That was a new one.  

It's September

 I'm teaching 4th grade this year.  Yep, I looped.  This class is fun and funny and the one kid that I was worried about all summer, he moved.  I may have thrown a little party when I heard the news.  Each year, I have my students cut out and tape rectangular prisms together to show which pod they are in.  I guess we don't have to call them pods anymore.  So the blue group is a group of crazy boys that I LOVE to pieces.  One of them was smacking the neatly hanging blue rectangular prisms and I said, hey!  knock it off.  He said, it's a cat toy and he just smiled ear to ear.  

Hardly anyone gets in trouble in my room anymore.  I just laugh it off.  Man, I'm getting old. Last week, we learned about upcycling.  The 4th graders have a challenge.  There is a birthday party coming up and your friend loves the Earth!  He or she only wants upcycled gifts.  I can't wait to see these!  I need to make one for my teaching partner, so they have an example.   She loves the Yankees.  Maybe I can make her a baseball gift.  Her birthday is in October.  

  I have triplets in my class this year.  They are pictured in the middle here.  I had the girls last year and now I have all of them!  super cute kids.  Named A,B, and C.  Ava, Bella, and super Cooper.   

I love 3 day weekends. I have everything done and I can write in my neglected blog.  

Long time

 I'm leaving for Oregon tomorrow.  My friend Stephanie and I are doing a two week camping tour of Oregon and Seattle. We have everything planned down to the minute. It's going to be epic.  I'll be kayaking and staying at a place called Frog Lake on my birthday.  Sounds perfect. 

I've spent the summer lounging by the pool, sleeping, going to baseball games, hiking, cleaning, and landscaping.  Well, I tried to go to a concert, but that didn't work out.  The Chicks' lead singer was having trouble with her allergies, so she had to stop singing after 3 songs.  They rescheduled it for September 30th.  Thank goodness!  I love their music.  Mom and I went to French Lick for a few days. She loves that place. They had advertisements everywhere for the So Cold the River book.  I started reading it while I was down there. It's written by a local author.  He went to Bloomington North and IU.  I bought the book for mom and she liked it.  They made a movie about the book and we watched it tonight.  It was very different from the book.  I like the book a lot better, but I think that is a typical response.  

Hayden and Kate are taking over the condo in August. We met up today and went over everything.  They are so excited.  Kate has talked Hayden into going back to school.  I'm so happy about this.  He's having a great time at the Dairy Queen, but I think he is ready to do something else. 

Henry is home for the summer. He's running, playing frisbee golf, and hanging out with friends.  He's also painting again, to make money.  Henry knows how to stay busy.  He was going to go to Amsterdam in the winter with Depauw, but he changed his mind. I wish he would go.  He made the Dean's list again.  Man that kid is smart.  So proud of him. 

Harrison asked me about my birthday in a text message today.  He never asks!   I put the date in his phone to remind him of it every year, because he never remembers.  EVER.  I think Alex, his girlfriend, has been good for him.  He's starting to think about other people more and their feelings.  He just got a new job at the Owlery.  I have to go eat there soon.   It's an all vegan menu.  Henry's a vegan, so when he is home, I eat a little differently.  He made Chipotle sofritas the other day and it was so good! 

I have to loop with my third graders this year.   It's looming in the back of my mind daily.  I try to ignore it, but it's hard.  I've done this twice before.  The first time was ok, the 2nd time, I resigned.  Crossing my fingers that I will make it through.  I have an amazing teaching partner, so that will help.  I have decided to do this 8 more times.  8 more years of getting a room ready, getting a class ready for their next big year, and then I'm done.  I will still have to work, but not be a full time teacher. This is hard work!  

My left thumb stopped working properly about 2 weeks ago.  It was getting progressively worse and I finally went to the doc yesterday.  I got a steroid shot in my thumb.  There's no fat in my thumb.  I'm pretty sure she stabbed my bone.  I was in tears. I can move my thumb a little today, but man, is it sore.  She said that I will have to have surgery on it in August. I hope I don't have another year of being sick and going to non stop doctor appointments, because last year was awful.