It's been a while

so let me fill you in on what's been going on in my life the last few weeks.

RESEARCH PAPERS - I have been mental - absolutely crazy grading massive amounts of research papers. some of them were really good. and it makes me feel like a much better teacher when i read those ones. And then there are the those that make me want to rip out my eyes because they have not paid one once of attention to what i have taught them for 10 weeks. Let alone all of the work we did last semester. But one good thing is that i only found one paper that plagiarised. I know that doesn't sound like a 'good thing' but in years previous i have found 4 or 5. So i think i'm getting through to them.

I have been busy with being the senior class advisor. In the next three weeks i have the following events.

28th - presidents farewell - ASB banquet
29th - 5 year wedding anniversary
6th - Casey gets into town - she stays overnight
7th - Senior reflections from 5pm to 7 - then at 7 I need to get over to the Crystal Apple awards that i have been nominated for. (Third year in a row !!)
8th - Senior Luau - from 5 to 8
9th - Senior Scholarship night
10th - Gradnight Disneyland
12th - Graduation - ball my eyes out when i watch those wonderful kids that i've known the last for years walk across the stage and enter that new phase of their lives.

It's hard to believe that i'm so looking forward to the 12th but at the same time it could stay so far away. I am unable to believe that it's been 4 years. I have been pulling my hair out thinking about what i am going to say at the senior reflections night. Nicole and I have to get up and speak to them from the advisers perspective. How do i tell them that i have loved watching them grow and learn and change into the joyful and intelligent people they are today. After all i have known some of these students now since they were 13 - now their 17 and 18 year old young adults. i know that I'm going to sit down and write multiple multiple copies and revisions of what i will say. but that's because i want to get it right. i want them to know how much they have changed my life.

I must search for the words... always in search for the words.

May Day.... May Day!!

The flowers are growing in my garden and I'm excited! Back in January I went over to my gramma's house and got some bulbs from her garden. I have been trying very hard to become a green thumb. And so far I think it might be working. Take a look at what I have been up to.

This is the front walk of the house. I've been ripping out all the boring looking daisy flowers and adding in all sorts of fun bulbs and things of that nature. Right now I'm on the hunt to find a good plant food for my hungry gardenias. Yey for having fun in the dirt. As soon as my bulbs start poping out of the ground I will be sure to add pictures of the pretty spring colors.

But for now the ground will have to do.

Some random pictures and thoughts.

Nicole and Sunny are two of my dearest friends. This is a picture of us at CADA - a leadership camp for teachers. On the last night there is always a big dance party. So we get dressed up and play the night away. The whole idea is for schools to book the DJ for dances and events. So they give all the teachers a big party. Lots of good food and wonderful music. Let me tell you - we danced the night away. Sunny is one of the best dancers I know. It was a wonderful night with friends!!

Taco cat! Brendon likes to pretend that Meg is a taco and he is going to have a nice little snack. She pretends to be mad, but we know the truth.

This is Meg the cat trying to hunt a mouse - it did not end well for her, as the mouse got away.

I do not like it when people show off their lack of brain cells - see above. Blurg ...

A great day with friends

Today I went to hang out with my friends Sunny and Nicole. We had a lovely lunch which Nicole prepared for us. A nice cold pasta salad with peppers, onions, basil, salami, and a little Italian dressing. Ice tea and some peta chips and hummus.

We sat and laughed and talked and enjoyed the company.

Nicole and her husband Dave live out in the hills. She lives about 40 minutes from town. In the hills of wine country. It was very cold today in the hills of temecula so she invited us to enjoy a little time in the spa. More laughs ensued and wrinkled fingers soon arived.

Our dear friend Sunny will be getting married this summer so we were trying to help her find flowers that she liked. These were some of the things we looked at and loved!

We liked this option to put up photos of friends and family with a simple bit of twine and cloths pins.

Or this lovely one. Sunny really loves daisies and would like to have mason jars on the tables. We also thought that it would be cool to add cut limes into the jars.

On Monday we will be going with her to the wedding site to help get ideas about flowers and how to make the place very 'Sunny and Dan'. After having been together for 10 years we can't wait to help them celebrate!!!

The art of...

Karaoke!

One of the exciting things about being on spring break (or any break from school for that matter) is going out with my friends to the karaoke bar at pchang. I don't like the fact that smoking is allowed but it's a small price to pay. It's a few great hours with friends, laughter, and there is always one great crazy person.

Last night was no exception. There was a woman who decided that she was going to dance and dance .... and then dance some more. This was not nice calm dancing, no this was an out of control dancing queen. Two girls got up to sing some 80's rap song (i don't even remember what song) and this strange dancing queen - we'll call her DQ for fun - got out on the floor and got her groove on. There was an older man who decided he wanted to dance with her and so DQ started rubbing and loving all over this guy. We were peeing our pants we were laughing so hard. It was as if the music was just making her crazy.

At one point DQ decided to take her top shirt off. We couldn't help by laugh more because the undershirt she had on barely covered her bra. So there we were sitting trying very hard not to point and laugh. But we did a little bit. How could we not. Here we were looking at DQ in all her glory and so we sat and smiled and laughed.

What a wonderful evening.

Schools out for spring break!

For the next two weeks I will be enjoying - sleeping in, going to the gym, reading books, lesson planning, grading papers (well maybe not enjoying), gardening, getting some new clothes, shopping with friends, going out to lunch, seeing the fam, watching movies, hanging out with the hubby, staying up late, and just loving my two weeks off.

I love that the school district made spring break so late this year. I know that it was a long long time in between breaks. and now there will be a solid two weeks where I have very little expected of me. And I'm so okay with that.

What I'm really looking forward to is working on this project for the Holocaust remembrance day on April 21st. I have been working on a grant for school and was able to obtain some very cool tools. There is a program called Captivate (Adobe) and it has a lot of cool capabilities that I am looking forward to playing with. I want to be able to present to my students the voices of history that have been silenced and the voices of today that continue not to be heard.

It's giong to be a great adventure.

Spring time

This beautiful creation is from Martha Stewart.com - I have loved everything she does from the time I was a little girl. I would sit and look through copies of Martha Stewart Living for hours trying to figure out how I could make those different items.

I love spring-time. It means the start of the new year and flowers begin to make themselves known. It's also in part because my birthday is in April and I love my birthday. It's not because I like the prezzies (although that never hurts) but i like to be noticed. Shocking i know but i'm kinda an extrovert. My students are always making fun of me for it. I'm the person who would beg to be the host - put me in front of 3000 people and I'm good to go.

But back to spring time. I love the weather as well. i like the crisp mornings with dew on the grass, and the warm sun that begins to take the chill out of the air at around 9 or 10am. I like that living in temecula means that i get to see all of the hot air balloons on my drive to work.

As a teacher i love spring because it means i have two weeks off that begins April 3rd (i'm not counting the days hehehe). I also get to see the progress in my students because this is the time of year when juniors become focused and more mature. they can see the light at the end of the tunnel that is 'high school' and so they get focused and begin to care about the words that i'm saying.

This is also the time of the year when i get to celebrate my wedding anniversary. this will be 5 years!!! and I'm looking forward to so many more.

so spring time i'm ready for you - bring on the birds chirping - the bunnies jumping - and the warm days. I'm ready!