kicking friday's butt

Yesterday was my first Friday as a teacher. I've never been more excited for a weekend in my lifetime. As hard as Wednesday and Thursday were, can I just say that my kinders and I kicked Friday in the butt! We had SUCH a good day. I know that Monday will have its own challenges, as I can already hear their little voices asking "Why are we here again?", but I am thrilled to officially say that we had a successful day. Go Room 3!

Although many of you may just think my job is a piece of cake, teaching cute 5 year olds their colors, numbers, and ABC's, here's a few things you may forget I have to teach......

-How to hold your bladder

-How to hold a lunch tray

-How to open the milk carton that goes on the lunch tray

-How to sit in a chair for more than .347373 seconds

-How to walk in a line

-How to wipe your nose with a tissue

-How to listen (yeah.....about that....we're still working on this one)

-How to use scissors, pencils, glue, etc. appropriately

-How to turn on the classroom sink to wash your hands without coming back to your desk looking like you took a shower (yes...this has already happened. At least, he'd given himself a cute little mohawk)

-The list could go on for pages, but I'll refrain

I already love my kiddos to pieces and it's crazy to think they're my very first class..awwwww.

As much as my kiddos crack me up, I can proudly say that I make them giggle a little too. They're favorite part of the day is when I impersonate what a baby would do in our classroom (in order to teach them how kindergarteners are supposed to act). For example, when teaching them how to use glue bottles appropriately, I first pretended to pour the glue all over my page while making funny noises. They burst out in laughter crying "Do it again! Do it again!". I've done the same this with scissors, math manipulatives, etc. Every time, I have them wrapped around my little finger rolling around on the carpet in laughter. Precious moments like these make my well-paid job worth it :)

we survived....barely

Whew. After two days of teaching kindergarten I feel like I am finally taking my first breath since 6 am yesterday (the first day of school).

Nothing, seriously nothing, can prepare you for the first day of your teaching career. Especially when you class consists of 21 kindergarteners (90% of whom have never been to a preschool or daycare setting and have been mama's little baby for the last 5 years).

Yesterday, my first day, was absolutely chaotic. I survived....barely. My poor kiddos on the other hand barely made it through lunch time. I wish I could've counted the times I heard the following phrases: "I'm tired", "I'm hungry", "I want my mommy", "When's lunchtime?", "When are we going home?". Let me tell you, a 7 hour school day is hard thing for a 5 year old. But the bottom line....WE SURVIVED. Praise God, we survived!

Amidst the craziness, the tears, and the giggles were plenty of HILARIOUS moments. Here are just a few....

1. When the kids first came in, I had them sit at the carpet and read a book while I dealt with parents. They were angelic for the first 3.2 minutes. Sitting quietly. Looking at books. Being the cute 5 year olds they are capable of being. All of the sudden, one leader of the bunch stood up and spoke for everyone proclaiming loudly, "Ummmm...teacher. We can't read!!!!" It was as if they were a little gang. They all started shouting, "Yeah!", "Yeah!", "Yeah!". Within the first five minutes they had me laughing.

2. While standing in the lunch line, I had to repeatedly remind of a larger student to keep his body to himself. After asking him for the 3rd time if he understood the rules, he quickly said, "Yes, but you're beautiful!"

3. One child repeatedly kept asking me if my school ID badge was my driver's license or police badge. I swear, the kid just continued asking hoping that my answer would be yes.

Today, our second day, was leaps and bounds better. You know you teach kindergarten when you're thrilled that you manage to have their attention for 2+ minutes or that they've managed to create a somewhat functional and quiet line.

I can already say, I am so proud of my little ones (even if they drive me a little crazy approximately every 15 minutes). Watch out 2011-2012 school year. Room 3 is going to kick some seriously booty!

happy anniversary wesley!

Dear H-band/El Hueso/Weslito,

Can you believe it? It has been 1 year since our wedding day. And here we are, in different states....again. Boy are we talented at being separated on anniversaries. It feels like it was just yesterday that I was writing a similar blog post from Costa Rica wishing you a happy "dating" anniversary. Well, at least we are in the same country for this anniversary.

I can honestly say that this has been the BEST year of my life. I have definitely had my "moments". Remember the drama of our first Christmas card? Yeah, the one where I made a typo, printed them out for 97 bucks, and thought my life was officially over. Wow. Thanks for sticking by my side and loving me despite "not so pretty" moments. Even when I have my down days, you somehow manage to find a way to make me laugh at myself and realize the more important things in life.

I love you more than you even know. Marriage has been the greatest adventure. Looking forward to the many years to come.

Love,

Wifey/Stubs/Cachechi

P.S. I have spent the last 3+ hours trying to upload a video for you, but it just doesn't want to work. You'll have to watch it when you get here.

fridays at 4

It's official, I'm a teacher. Last night, I participated in my first "Friday at 4". I think this event must occur in every teacher's life in order to be initiated into the official "I'm a Teacher" club. After a long work week full of trainings, planning, and prepping the classroom, some teachers and I decided to get together after school for some pizza and beer. Technically, it wasn't 4 o'clock and technically we didn't "go out" either. We're all "teacher poor" and are all desperately waiting for that first August 19th paycheck. Instead, we decided to lounge by the pool at a co-workers apartment complex, share about our wild teen years, and of course, eat pizza and drink beer*

*Note: Technically, I had water instead of beer (since I'm not a huge beer fan). I left this detail out of the story above, because it sounded much cooler to say "pizza and beer".

Welcome to Room 3, Home of the Black Widows

So, there have been tons of dead bugs under my cubbies ever since I moved into my room last week. Today, I finally made the fatal mistake of doing a further investigation as to why these dead bugs have such a presence in my room. I got down on my knees, ducked my head down under the cubbies and found.......drumroll please......

20+ Black Widow egg sacs

I quickly went and found Juan Carlos, whom according the veteran teachers is the person you go to for all black widow, cockroach, gecko, and other misc. bug problems. He should be back tomorrow to spray down my classroom. Welcome to the desert my friends!

funny things, as of late

Recently life in Yuma has been rather humorous. Or perhaps everything is just funny to me because I'm living alone and going psychotic. Regardless, here are the top 10 things about my life in Yuma that might make you (or at least Wes) smile.

1. This morning I got dressed in my typical teacher clothes. Pants. Dress Shirt. Sweater. It was 7:30 and 99 degrees. I arrived at school drenched in sweat. I probably could've done without the sweater. Silly Oregonian.

2. The State Farm commercials on the radio station play a mariachi jingle rather than the typical "Like a Good Neighbor, State Farm is There" jingle. I can't even explain how hysterical this is.

3. I occasionally find myself speaking like I'm from the Midwest, simply because I'm surrounded by so many Michigan-ites at my school. I swear. Every teacher and their mother somehow traces back to Michigan.

4. The other night I was dripping sweat in the car for no reason...or so I thought. It took me 10+ minutes to realize I had somehow been blasting the heat instead of the AC.

5. I went to Blimpie's with my co-workers and accidently ordered in Spanish.

6. I still have yet to go grocery shopping and/or cook a meal since Wes left. I've been surviving on cereal and turkey sandwiches.

7. The weatherman recently used the phrase "panties in a bundle" to describe the weather.

8. I was making a sign for my art bulletin board that said "Room 3 Masterpieces". One of the volunteer's at the school now thinks my name is Mrs. Masterpieces.

9. This evening a realtor was showing me a few houses. In between houses, she just told me to follow her and that she'd drive slow since I'm new to the area. Yeah right. She drove like a maniac. It was like I was a police on a high speed chase. People were honking at me like crazy. Thank God for the Oregon plates.

10. I had a nightmare that my fly was down the entire first day of school.

Oh life in Yuma, you make me laugh

wesley

Well..it's official, my Wesley is gone. As of 5:40, he boarded a plane and left me here in Yuma, ALONE! What a meanie! I'm kidding. This was all part of our moving plan. He will be finishing up at his job in Eugene, packing the rest of our things, and coming back down on August 19th.

When I got in the car to drive around looking for rentals this evening, the driver's seat was still positioned for his much-longer-than-McKenzie legs, the radio stationed still tuned in to his preferred station, and the mirrors still adjusted for his much-higher-up-than-McKenzie eyes. As ridiculous as this sounds, I literally almost began to cry. I am such a girl.

I held back the tears and pulled out of the driveway and down our street. Wait, how the heck do I get around this city? Wes has been driving all week and I've been paying no attention.

Although we spent several months apart and in different countries during our dating days, this is the first time we have spent a significant amount of time apart since we've been married. I've already tried convincing my co-workers to take me out on a date on August 7th, as Wes and I will be apart on our 1 year wedding anniversary. Any lovely Eugenians wanna take Wes out on a date for me? I'd recommend Papa Soul Food, a place he loves but I'm rarely in the mood for.

I'm sure these weeks without him will zoom by, as I will be engulfed in school-related activities, but I will definitely miss his ridiculously cheesy humor, his uncanny ability to find his way around a new town, and his little-boy-run-out-in-your-undies excitedness he gets everytime a plane flies by Glen's house. Oh Wesley. You make me laugh everyday. I miss you already and it's only been 10 hrs. 18 more days? Oh crap. I'm doomed....

Wesley sitting outside of Glen's watching planes

P.S. I apologize if there are any spelling mistakes in this post. Wes is my editor-in-chief. He is currently "out of office"