What a Week!!

Isn't that my theme every week? But this was/continues to be the week from hell. Just a few more hours, however, and it will mercifully end.

No blog entries from me this week and I actually thought that Angie had written this post about me. Thank goodness, she was writing about herself.

Let me just list what happened this week in addition to teaching my 85 darlings:

• Class on Monday night (you remember - I'm learning to mentor poor little new school teachers. God help us all.
• Open House on Tuesday night for our school (let's make nice with all the 5th grade parents)
• Wednesday night I stayed home so LawyerBoy could make a late night of it (I made dinner; doesn't that count, too?)
• Thursday night I had to go to BrownBear's Back to School Night: it was more of a Chinese fire drill than anything I've been to in a long time. Next year, people, consider serving cocktails.
• Today, I had to go to BrownBear's first conference of the year, first thing this morning, meaning I had to figure out something to do with my homeroom first thing this morning. Thank goodness for my teaching partner because she took them and got them to their specials while LB and I spoke in glowing terms about the baby of the family. Of course, when I got back to school, I was running in circles. You know what happens when your day doesn't start smoothly and you just run? My day. Left my car keys with LB. Had locked my phone and purse in my own car at school. You get the picture.
• Tonight. Tonight is the first homegame for Prep. OMG. Picnic. Pep Rally. First football game. After game dinner. I can't wait to see Prep cheer but I am weary. That nap I caught between picking up BrownBear and now had better last a good, long time.

And people, the best thing I heard today is that John McCain is now courting the Eskimo vote.

The Forgotten Blog (or Why I Didn't Post Last Week)

Last week was the week of LawyerBoy and the trial from hell as he put it. So, we put him out. Of the house. He is no fun when he has that kind of stress and it is better for all if he is no where to be found. Seriously.

As we put it, it was the first week of school for the girls, cheerleading and volleyball practice, team meetings, the Backstreet Boys concert, lots of homework, (are you kidding me?), tall grass, and various and sundry little aggravations. But I am woman, hear me roar.

Cupcake is living through her own trials, and heaven help her.

With LB gone, life takes on a different pace. The first week of school always sets its own pace. The only difference is the responsible rising and leaving the girls have taken. They have gotten up and dressed and met me downstairs for breakfast. They have been in the door of school early. Early, people. Last year, they would still be abed as I left for school.

I am a different kind of mother - apparently. Second night of school and PrepGirl was on her way to the BackStreet Boys concert to celebrate a birthday. Fourth row - it pays to have friends, that's all I can say. She and her friends spent the night at the birthday girl's house.

While Prep was singing and swinging, I was becoming another sports mom at the volleyball parent meeting. All is well, however, as I' ve just got to learn how to be a line judge. (New glasses may be in order.) And when I got home, I assessed the state of the front lawn and the threat of the hurricane and decided that our neighbors would be in the ultimate state of pissed if we let the grass any taller and it rained like I thought it might. So, I fired up the lawnmower and mowed.

The weekend was a welcome respite. Next week looks worse on my part. If I can get to next Saturday, I am gravy.

And He Isn't the Nominee Because?

Because, right now, Barack just introduced him as the next President of the United States.

Back to School, Differently

Amalah posted yesterday about preschool; well, I've got news, sister. Wait until Noah pulls out of the driveway with his new little sibling in the front seat, headed for his Junior year of high school. Because that's what happened at my house today. Prep and BrownBear piled into their own wheels and pealed out of the driveway, Junior Year and 7th grade, straight ahead.

Dear Me. Where.Did.The.Time.Go? I know. Cliche. But never have truer words been written. I swear, I just brought the two of them home from the hospital. I remember that it was just yesterday Mrs. Lacher from the fourth grade had us painting a ship for the Boston Tea Party out in our driveway. Prep just won the election for president of Student Council in 5th grade. Junior Year? WTF? Literally, it means in approximately 104 weekends, she leaves for college. Let that sink in. I can't. Because it means that while she is chomping at the bit for her new found freedom, I will have to let her go.

Saturday Shorts

• I am washing pool towels and school uniforms right now. How incongruous is this?
• Prep thought she had lost her retainer: I just realized I had put it in the empty fruit bowl because I found it in the kitchen and I didn't want to take it upstairs when she wasn't here. (I know.)
• LawyerBoy is going to try his first federal jury trial starting Monday. I have encouraged him to stay downtown near the federal courthouse. If he stays in a lovely hotel, maybe I'll sneak downtown and stay in a lovely hotel, too.
• The girls and I went to dinner Friday night at a lovely little pasta place - and a bello Italiano took care of us all evening.
• I finished The Thirteenth Tale this evening. I highly recommend it. I got to one of the parts and went "Oh!" outloud and scared BrownBear.
• We get to do it all over again on Monday. After the Riverbank Picnic Sunday night. And the girls will finally, FINALLY, go to school on Tuesday. And Prep will be behind the wheel, with a space in the parking deck. I think the Varsity cheerleaders got first choice in the parking lottery. I do.

News To Me

I have always been able to check my blog and others on my school computer. Yes, I know that I am not being paid to read my blog and comments and other insightful bloggers when I am supposed to be educating the youth of America. However, if I ever get the opportunity to sit down at my desk and find the internet, I will check my e-mail and my blogging buddies.

Today, all that changed. I found that the firewall would not allow me to check my own blog because somewhere in it, the word screw was found. Screw? Screw what? Screw the firewall. I could just as easily have been writing about the screw in my toolbox.

I couldn't get Cupcake or anyone else at school today. Damned, damned firewall.

Cue the Olympic Theme Music

Today was the first day we rotated classes. I felt like I was running an Olympic marathon. Each of the English classes I teach is 45 minutes long, except for Math which lasts an entire hour. (You know why. They failed the test in droves last year. The county demands the time. They wanted 75 minutes, so we have to incorporate the extra15 minutes during the rest of the day. Can you imagine? We can't keep teachers engaged for 75 minutes.)

The first period is the one with the Sped kids. Their class also has 24 students. And guess what? No para-pro. No co-teacher. Just little ole teachergirl. Luckily, there were no issues, but I can see them looming on the perimeter.

My math class is a dream - with the exception of the people who could not read the schedule and figure out where their names were. As I pointed out, if you couldn't find your name, you shouldn't be in my class. (OK, sarcasm isn't an effective means of discipline with a student, but damn, kids, this is the accelerated math class. If you can't read the schedule, you don't belong with me.)

When my homeroom got back to me, they were beat. (They weren't the only ones.) They did my little writing assignment, packed up and went home. Me, too. All in all, I saw 85 of them today. Eighty-five.

I really have to get my stuff together, though. My lesson plans are shoddy. At best.

Worn.Out.

One down. One hundred seventy-nine to go. You know the drill.

When it was FINALLY time for them to go home, they couldn't find one of the kindergarteners. So, they couldn't send the busses. So, they couldn't release carpool. And the traffic got worse and worse...

I don't know where that kindergartener was, but they finally found her and all those kids finally went home. I finally went home around 5:00.

I can't believe we have to go back tomorrow and do it all again.

Punch Me in the Head

BrownBear became a woman today. Full-fledged.

You have no idea. None.

Meet and Greet 2008

Could this be the year? Let these be my examples. You make the call.

First, I am teaching one of my former preschoolers. I know. It's hard to believe that teachergirl was ever in a position to teach pre-school, but one of my education professors told me to always try to stay in teaching, no matter what. It keeps you sharp. So while I was home with the girls, I tried various teaching jobs; I was able to teach English and Math at the local Institute of Technology (NO, not that one) and also at the pre-school that Prep and BrownBear attended. One year, I taught the most adorable class of three year olds I have ever seen. Taught might not be the most appropriate word, but I was with them for a year. I even taught Lewis Grizzard's wife's child that year. (Not Lewis Grizzard's child because my boy Lewis didn't have any children and for the life of me, I can't figure out why, because he was as wild as any one man ever was. But I digress.) One of those adorable three year olds is now one of my adorable fifth graders. Prep babysits for his family. He and his mama and daddy wanted me. Life is good. She is a PTA mom. (Not one of those PTA moms. One of those.) One year, she organized Christmas carolling in the neighborhood and brought the school children to teachergirl's house. Adorable. (I'll bet you didn't know I had this side to me.)

Second, this was the first year I have posted a wish list. I have seen the other teachers do it in the past; you know, you put things you wish you had for your class but you don't have the whatever to get: I've seen people put all kinds of things on their wish lists. So, I wished for extra notebook paper, extra Kleenex, someone to fix my barstool, a heavy duty pencil sharpener and some umbrellas. I put sticky notes out for people to take if they wished. (It's a wish list and it works both ways - I wish and they get to grant wishes if they wish to do so.)

People: in the first wave of parents and students to come through, all my wishes were taken. So, I did what any self respecting teacher would do in case more parents came. I made more. And they got taken, too.

Third, I had 16 of my 18 students come to Meet and Greet. Can you fathom that? It was amazing. And I had a boatload of old students come back for a hug. I could feel the love.

Now, you tell me. Is this the year or not?

A Weekend In the Life of a Cheer Mom (Or Why the Church Frowns on Suicide)

I could really have used a stiff drink yesterday during my mandatory cheer mom meeting. Already being strung as tight as a prostitute in church (or some other such simile), I was ready to come undone. Why weren't they serving drinks?

I was extremely happy to find out that Friday morning breakfasts with the football moms were not mandatory. Imagine my relief. Were they going to fine us like they used to do in sorority when we missed a function? I truly did not know. LawyerBoy wanted to know if Cheer Dads could attend. I told him that I would pay for his meal if he would just do it. Please. Go.

I had to sign up to help with an after home game dinner for the football players and cheerleaders and co-host a pre-game dinner for the cheerleaders. The football backers also goosestepped in and told us that everyone had to sign up to work the concession stand for one quarter during a home game.

Uh, hell to the no. If you need someone to man that station, talk to the man of my house. I don't work in the food service industry. Never have, never will.

There was lots of gushing - stuff I don't do well. I wasn't a good sorority girl. I don't hold hands and sing Kum Ba Yah. (Or whatever the hell it was we used to sing.) So all this cheerleader love is about to push me past my limit.

And people. With school getting ready to start, I am already one step past my limit.

Tonight is Meet and Greet. I get to spread some cheer among my little homeroom darlings. (And after looking at my list, I am thrilled. I don't know if there are some more Bobs, but you know there will be at least one or two doosies.) I still have a few more logistical things to do with my room and then it is go time. I can't believe it.

I'm So Freakin' Tired, I Don't Know My Own Name

Kids don't come until Monday and I am not ready, yet. I appreciate the panic attack, Angie.

I'm having my own.

BrownBear helped me get ready this weekend - I had been ready and things got undone. She put up my bulletin boards on Saturday. Her little OCD self got my borders exactly right.

Monday consisted of all day meetings and team building activities. Today, I got three hours in my room and then had professional development - I had to go to a Science workshop and I'm not even teaching science. Tomorrow, we have staff meeting until lunch and then, I think, we get to go to our rooms. I'd stay late, but, you know, I've got that mandatory cheerleading meeting.


Color me thrilled.

Sixteen Hours and Counting...

That's it, sports fans. The summer of '08 is dribbling down as we speak. I can't believe how quickly the time passed. I looked back over the posts I wrote, starting with the day I came home for summer vacation and it seems just like yesterday.

The mammogram was blemish-free. The beach days were perfect (with the exception of the wicked "step"mother). Volleyball camp was great for BrownBear. And PrepGirl's driving test - went off without a hitch.

Now, I am back to getting ready for school - can you believe it is a school night for me? Sad, but true. (Only 95 school days until Christmas vacation, right?) And yet, in just a few days, we get a whole new set of employees for this glorious 180 school days, complete with their own dysfunctions, dysfunctional parents (or not), and their own quirks; quirks we get to blog and bitch about freely - on a daily basis if we choose. (So, sad. Bob Marley won't be joining us again this year. And there are skeptics who don't believe in God.) And just this morning, I had cold, cold air-conditioning blasting through my own personal realm.

So, Happy New Year. I know some of you are still beaching it, so enjoy. But I do love the smell of sharpened pencils in the morning.