Spring is coming!

Which means that we are getting into harder work...and some are ready and some are not.  I am reminded every year that some students need more time for certain skills to develop.  Some days they can't and the next day they can!

So...in our class...Covid is now a thing of the past!  We are back to licking our hands like paws, licking our desks, rubbing our face...tongue...nose...hands all over the hall walls, picking and eating stuff from our nose or hand or floor, and parents drugging up their students and sending them to school so they can puke or have diarrhea all over and teachers get to clean it up!  The coughing and sneezing and blowing has been at epic proportions and we are not even in allergy season yet!  Little children are gross...always have been and always will be!  Covid did not change that!  Covid only made people crazy with fear and now our parents have moved beyond that and are back to sending sick children to school.  It is basic common sense...always has been and always will be...and the government thinking they had the answer is the stupidest thing I have ever had to listen to!

Making every day fun in K5...inspite of all the germs and nastiness!  A re-stash of desk pets for our reading groups.  And spoon puppets for learning how to re-tell a story!

A sight that made me sigh loudly as I went to bed...a full moon two days before spring break.  Uff da!  The night sky was so pretty though as I let the dogs out before bed.

Walking into my room to find a huge mess after our Wednesday night kids' program did not bring out my happy spirit!  It is so frustrating and disheartening to me that others cannot and will not take good care of our classroom.   I had to take up prep time to move all desks and vacuum mud up...so I went with it and had a leprechaun visit and leave us parts and pieces for our lessons today.  The kinders walked in dressed in their green for St. Patrick's day and stopped short to just stand and stare.  What happened?!  "Well, I came in to a big mess this morning!"  I didn't lie!  I used the lemons to make lemonade!

"Messes are fun!" said Little Miss I.  Uhhh...perspective!  We used the leprechaun's mischievous ways to explain it...and we had fun the rest of the day imagining and telling stories and creating traps!  Happy McTricky escaped all the traps and left treats!

Sweet treats for teachers...YUM!

A sweet and sour homemade treat!

Oh so pretty...a warm spring night!

Celebrating the first day of spring early...because we will be on spring break!!!  My van is packed and I am headed south as soon as I clean up Friday!  So many germs to leave behind!!!!  I will hit 75 south as soon as I change clothes!

 

An old hobby re-visited

 

Going back to the practice of sending encouragement notes...takes a deliberate action to make time for it!

Adjusting is constant!

Our newest problem...we don't eat things fast enough!  Even bread isn't lasting very long...and I wasn't about to throw it away...so I cut off the crust and used it.  The only problem with that...my friend told me that by the time you see the mold...it is already through the whole thing! So...I injested homegrown penicillin and with all the nasty in my room at school (coughing, sneezing, and nose blowing that is mind boggling) I figured I would be just fine!  Uff da!

Two teacher friends went out for lunch...and this made us laugh out loud!  "Ain't that the truth!"

Friday night supper...popcorn in a pan with coconut oil!  YUM!  The problem...I have to share!

So I finally did it...took away winter as spring knocked on our door last weekend...and then this weekend...winter popped in again!  The cheery part...the birds are singing "spring is coming, spring is coming!" and the sun is shining brightly.

So...I have admitted to some friends and family that Sundays are not my favorite day anymore!  I cherished the day to spend with my family in worship at church...and now...it is the loneliest place I go.  I know...there are people there.  But people don't know what to do with someone who shows up all alone!  You can argue and defend people...that is fine!  But I am telling you what I...we...are living and feeling...and it has been a reminder to not do that to people!  God doesn't give everyone the same path and abilities.  God has enabled me...us to deal with this situation...but what has hit me hard is that there are many who cannot deal with being alone in a crowd.  While I can handle sitting alone...not liking it at all...there are some who will not ever come back to hear about this God who loves them...because people aren't showing that love!  They have their family row or their friend or spouse to sit with and while they notice the party of one...they do nothing with that information.  It is easy to look down our nose at those who won't come to church...but what are we doing about it?  Don't tell me...show me!

Sunday dinner looks a lot different these days for a party of one...

well...three...if you count the dogs!

Money problems in K5!  Mr. R was thinking about how to make 25 cents not using a quarter!

First robin of the season!!!!

Mississippi pot roast in the crockpot....MMMMM!

School work invades my mind and house...especially when we get to the end of the quarter!  Spring break starts next week!

There is nothing like Friday tired!

 

What are you doing?

When I am not planning fun activities for our learning pleasure in K5...I'm often thinking about what I could do or should do to help students "get it".  How could we use......to make learning this concept fun and memorable?  A simple favorite cereal for a snack helped in counting and adding!  Since I wasn't clear about sending in the actual box...we couldn't use it for phonics class like I had planned.  Last year, everyone sent in boxes.  This year, everyone portioned out baggies of cereal.  Oh well!

When I'm home, I think about what to make for supper...and now that Dairy Twist is open for the season...that just changed too!  At least Alisa can find options in the fridge for later!  BBQ chicken mini pizzas.  And...cherry cobbler...since I am trying to use what we have in the house!

Art class...with K5 students each week gives me hives!  So I am trying to find easy yet fun things to do with a variety of mediums...because...multi-step directions seem to be very difficult at this juncture of a 5 or 6 year old's life...hence my propensity toward hives.  Today...we painted...and we all survived. 

Accepting evening deliveries of Dairy Twist ice cream from a cute little boy and his sweet mom!

I am being reminded to delight in all the little things that make up each hour of each day.  I am thankful for God's consistent care of each family member and friend.

 

A dog's best friend

This is how my sister butters me up to take care of Lollie for a few days.  Yummy bars and a big bag of popcorn!  She didn't have to do this for a yes...but it was a good treat!  Problem is...I cannot eat the popcorn because all THREE dogs go after me to share.

I laughed when I picked up the key to go pick up Lollie.  Mari gave me a key with a sheep on it...so Kari took a lamb to school today on her lanyard so she would not forget to pick up Lollie up on her way home from school today!  It has a little bell on it too...so I jingled all day.  Without even trying...this kindergarten teacher has a song ready for every part of her day.  Ha ha ha

Kari had a little lamb...its fleece is cream and black. Kari took the lamb to school today...she wore it around her neck. It wasn't against the rules...she just needed to make sure she didn't forget and it made her laugh while the children played...and then children asked...why are you wearing a lamb at school today?

I didn't forget Lollie!  We all piled in the chair for our afternoon nap...till Velle got mad and moved...and cashed out!

Our puppies are not sure they like sharing me!  And barking times three...uff da!

And don't get us started on sharing toys and treats!

 

Sunshine blessings!

I brought this little plant up to our bedroom and it is thriving in the sunlight!

 

How does he love me...let me count the ways!

He lets me sit next to him all cuddled up on the couch.

He buys me a flight to come visit.

He buys me half and half for my coffee.

He indulges the Pepsi craving.

He buys yummy chocolate for Valentines.

He bought yogurt and granola for breakfast.  His Bible was easily accessible on the table.

He shared his airbnb that had a lovely view with me for a few days.

Again...the chocolate he chose was divine!

He shared his hard earned money for a fancy dinner that he still teases me about and will for a long time.

He shares his time and good ideas with me. 

He shares looks across the room...and a wink and a smile.

He uses the keyring I bought him.  And I hope he knows how much I love him too!