(Ok, I can see this post is going to take a while, a customer just walked in, so I'll be right back.)
We've had family in from Italy for the past two weeks, which has added to my already long list of responsibilities these past couple of weeks. I feel really bad that I wasn't able to spend more time with them, but there just wasn't time. My father was able to take some days off work to show them around and do some things, but I couldn't do the same. They will be coming up here to the bar tonight, though, so at least I'll get to see them before they leave on Monday.
I actually wrote some things down the other day at school to share with you. Let's hope I can find the damn scrap of paper I wrote it on in my purse! I had to DIBEL the other kindergarten class (maybe I'll bitch about that in a minute...) so I had a couple of funnies from those babies, as well as my own precious sweethearts. Let me go look in the bottomless pit I call a purse....
The unit we are doing right now for literacy is about neighborhoods. So, the other day, we were talking about maps, and we were looking at a map of the United States. I was surprised that one of the babies actually knew we lived in Illinois. Usually, the babies just know we live in Chicago, but they have no idea what state we live in. We were talking about the states, which are the biggest, which are the smallest, etc. I asked the babies if any of them have ever been to another state, mostly because I knew I would get a few giggles out of their answers. (See how I'm always thinking of you guys?) I was telling them all the states I've been to, and showing them on the map. Then the babies started doing that frantic "my-hand-is-up-and-I'm-waving-it-around-like-crazy-and-I-can't-sit-still-just-call-on-me-already!" dance. I called on Miss T.P., who proceeded to tell me that she went to "White Castle Dells." At first I wasn't sure what the heck she was saying. Then I understood the White Castle part. It wasn't until the third time I asked her to say it that I realized what she was saying and that she was trying to say "Wisconsin Dells." I just burst out laughing, which thankfully didn't upset her, as she just laughed along with me.
As we continued this discussion, I asked the babies again to tell me places their parents have taken them. Mr. D.U. waved his hand around and blurted out"My momma took me to the Aid Office!" Good Lord! The babies are always good for a laugh!
***(1:00PM Sunday afternoon)
Speaking of laughs, one of the babies from the other kindergarten gave me this one while I was testing her. There is a component of the DIBELS test that tests the children's knowledge of letter sounds, and asks them to put these sounds together to form nonsense words. (The component is actually called "nonsense word fluency.") There are a couple of practice items, and I was going over one with a little girl. Actually, I was "cheating" a bit, because I was asking her what sound each letter made, as opposed to just letting her look at them and tell me, which is what they're supposed to do. Anyway, the practice item we were looking at was "lut." I asked, "What sound does l make?" She said, "eeellll." I then fight back a giggle and say, "What about u?" She says, "Me?" Bwah hahaha!!
One more little funny from Mr. D.U. This was the baby who, you may recall, told another student a while back, "Don't eehhhh at my lovely teacher!" Well, I was complaining (really to myself, but out loud) about a movie I had lent another teacher being returned without being rewound. Truthfully, the babies hear me complain about this quite a bit, as it's a HUGE pet peeve of mine! [I have quite an extensive collection of educational videos in my classroom, (Magic School Bus, Between the Lions, the Scholastic DVDs I mentioned recently, Sesame Street, etc.) which other teachers often borrow. All but the Between the Lions were videos I had for my son, then I later purchased the BTL, because it's absolutely one of my favorite shows on PBS. I started bringing the videos, and building this collection, because until pretty recently, we only had 3 prep periods per week at the Hell-Hole, so Fridays afternoons were often "Fun Friday." They would watch a 30 minute educational video while I worked on lesson plans/homework packets/recording grades/project preparations etc. Yeah, I suck, I'll admit it. But, there just wasn't enough time to get everything done during the week, and there was even less time outside of school, between working a 2nd job, raising a son, and going to grad school. So sue me!]
ANYWAY, I was bitching about a video not being rewound, again, and we started talking, again, about how when you borrow something, you should take good care of it, and return it in the same condition it was when you borrow it, blah, blah, blah. My kids know the sermon by now, and often have the discussion all by themselves. It's actually pretty funny. Well, getting back to D.U., he shared with us that "I always grrrr when people touch me stuff." Maybe you had to be there, and see the expression on his face when he "grrrrr"ed. Priceless! Good Lord! That was a looonnnggg way to go for a two-second story, huh? Sorry. But, hey, if you're still reading, that's your own damn fault! ;-)
Well, for a post that took me two days, this is boring as hell, isn't it? Too late to delete in now, since I put so much time into it. haha.
***(1:00PM Sunday afternoon)
Speaking of laughs, one of the babies from the other kindergarten gave me this one while I was testing her. There is a component of the DIBELS test that tests the children's knowledge of letter sounds, and asks them to put these sounds together to form nonsense words. (The component is actually called "nonsense word fluency.") There are a couple of practice items, and I was going over one with a little girl. Actually, I was "cheating" a bit, because I was asking her what sound each letter made, as opposed to just letting her look at them and tell me, which is what they're supposed to do. Anyway, the practice item we were looking at was "lut." I asked, "What sound does l make?" She said, "eeellll." I then fight back a giggle and say, "What about u?" She says, "Me?" Bwah hahaha!!
One more little funny from Mr. D.U. This was the baby who, you may recall, told another student a while back, "Don't eehhhh at my lovely teacher!" Well, I was complaining (really to myself, but out loud) about a movie I had lent another teacher being returned without being rewound. Truthfully, the babies hear me complain about this quite a bit, as it's a HUGE pet peeve of mine! [I have quite an extensive collection of educational videos in my classroom, (Magic School Bus, Between the Lions, the Scholastic DVDs I mentioned recently, Sesame Street, etc.) which other teachers often borrow. All but the Between the Lions were videos I had for my son, then I later purchased the BTL, because it's absolutely one of my favorite shows on PBS. I started bringing the videos, and building this collection, because until pretty recently, we only had 3 prep periods per week at the Hell-Hole, so Fridays afternoons were often "Fun Friday." They would watch a 30 minute educational video while I worked on lesson plans/homework packets/recording grades/project preparations etc. Yeah, I suck, I'll admit it. But, there just wasn't enough time to get everything done during the week, and there was even less time outside of school, between working a 2nd job, raising a son, and going to grad school. So sue me!]
ANYWAY, I was bitching about a video not being rewound, again, and we started talking, again, about how when you borrow something, you should take good care of it, and return it in the same condition it was when you borrow it, blah, blah, blah. My kids know the sermon by now, and often have the discussion all by themselves. It's actually pretty funny. Well, getting back to D.U., he shared with us that "I always grrrr when people touch me stuff." Maybe you had to be there, and see the expression on his face when he "grrrrr"ed. Priceless! Good Lord! That was a looonnnggg way to go for a two-second story, huh? Sorry. But, hey, if you're still reading, that's your own damn fault! ;-)
Well, for a post that took me two days, this is boring as hell, isn't it? Too late to delete in now, since I put so much time into it. haha.
And this is what she sent Stud Muffin:
It made me laugh out loud. It's such a sweet thing that she did, but she has NO idea what a little Stud Muffin he really is. She still thinks of him as the sweet little boy she used to hug and kiss, and take to work with her every year. (Ok, admittedly, I have the same problem. CSJ and I had a delightful fight this morning about exactly the same thing. But that's another post...) I hope Stud Muffin appreciates the gesture, nonetheless.
My buddy, 
How adorable are these?! Monday morning, there are going to be two boys and two girls that are very happy. My dilemma now is deciding which babies to give these to. I have a pretty good idea already, and now I have a three-day weekend to make my final decision. A million thanks to you, 
(Now, keep in mind that we had already been dancing, so I look like crap, but my baby looks handsome as ever!!)
FYI, I did get out my coat this morning, but STILL got yelled at when I got here to school (by all my "mamas") 
How cute is this kid!? He always wears the cutest 'school clothes.' He usually wears a navy blue sweater vest over his white uniform shirt, and he always looks so cute. Apparently, on this last day before break, his mom decided he didn't need to wear his uniform. She opted, instead, for the Cliff 
For those of you who are not Chicagoans, I thought you might get a kick out of this picture. This is what people do here after they spend an hour digging out a parking spot for themselves. You use your lawn furniture (or milk crates, or dining room chairs!!) to "hold" your spot. It's just unwritten law around here that you respect your neighbor's spot once the furniture goes out.
OK, so on to more boring things. I had a bunch of video clips, taking up room in my camera, that I had taken over the past couple of weeks to share with you guys. Especially those of you that enjoy seeing a little snow. The only problem is, I don't exactly remember when these were taken. I think this one is from, maybe, the week before Christmas? Notice that the screen is still on the door! I do like to get my fresh air... ;-) 
