Silence

A much underrated thing.

A very rare thing at my home.

It has arrived.

Ahhhhhh.

Love both my child and my husband more than I can even express in words BUT.....

Ahhhhh.

See you Sunday my loves.

The Name Game

This one's kind of fun!  

1.YOUR REAL NAME
Alana Akers Parsons

2.WITNESS PROTECTION NAME (mother's middle name; father's middle name)
Maxine Ray

3.NASCAR NAME:(first name of your mother's dad, father's dad)
Charles Armond

4.STAR WARS NAME:(the first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first name)
Paral

5.DETECTIVE NAME:(favorite color, favorite animal)
Green Tiger

6.SOAP OPERA NAME:(middle name, town where you were born)
Rachele Indianapolis (had to use former middle name!)

7.SUPERHERO NAME: (2nd fav color, fav drink, add "THE" to the beginning)
The Pink Mojito

8.FLY NAME:(first 2 letters of 1st name, last 2 letters of your last name)
Alpa

9.STREET NAME:(fav ice cream flavor, fav cookie)
Peppermint Snickerdoodle

10.ROCK STAR NAME:(current pets name, current street name)
Peanut Ascot Glen (HUH?)

11. PORN NAME: (1st pet, street you grew up on)
Mesha Elizaville

12.YOUR GANGSTA NAME:(first 3 letters of real name plus izzle)
Alaizzle

13.YOUR IRAQI.. NAME:(2nd letter of your first name, 3rd letter of your last name, first two letters of your middle name, last two letters of your first name then last three letters of your last name)
Lraknaons

14.YOUR GOTH NAME:(black, and the name of one of your pets)
Black Marmalade

15. STRIPPER NAME: (name of your fav perfume/cologne, fav candy)

Happy Carmello (HA!)

Come on, play along!  It's fun!

It's that time again.....

Parent - Teacher Conferences.

I've been batting about 50% with prescheduled and then I can usually hit another 30-40% with a reminder note sent home.  This is one time of the year (well, two) when the parents get me all to themselves for an entire 20 minutes to discuss only one thing - their child.

Why would you not take advantage of this?  I've got data, people.  I can show you where your child started, where they need to be, the progress towards goals and what the next steps are.  

The kiddos I have this year are almost ALL where they need to be!  All children deserve to make at least a year's worth of growth while they are in my care and we work our BUTTS off!  Come celebrate your child with me!

Even if your child isn't where they "should" be at this time of the year, there has been GROWTH!  And I have a plan if you'll just step out on faith with me and do some leg-work at home.  

I have a child who, when writing a letter to President Obama on inauguration day said "Maybe I'll be the president."  He could be.  

Let's show your children that we are a team and they have done some hard work and while there's more hard work to do, we're going to do it together!

See you Tuesday night.  Or Thursday.

Phases

Tell me this one too shall pass.  

I've discovered in my almost 16 years as a teacher, almost 9 years as a step-mother and almost 3 years as a momma that children go through phases.  

Please reassure me that this new behavior is just another phase and it too shall pass.

Z's newest thing is to get out of bed (Great!  She's my independent girl!  Wait a minute.... she's only supposed to be independent when I say it's okay), come into our bedroom and stand by my side of the bed, binkie a-goin' a la' Maggie Simpson.  

That would be fine, well, better at least, if it were a normal wake up time.  Oh, no.  Last night was 12:39 a.m.  Sometimes it's 2, sometimes it's 3 or 4.  During the week - UGH!  I get up at 4:30!!!  So my new wake up time is now sometimes 2, sometimes 3 or sometimes 4.  

Doesn't help either that I just had eye surgery so I won't look cross-eyed at people and am still not 100% back to normal.  

Just tell me that this too shall pass.  

New Car!

We've done our part to stimulate the economy.  This weekend (why is it we always seem to buy new vehicles on President's Day Weekend?) Chris finally, after many many years of waiting got his new Element.  If you know him, you know how hard it is for him to wait for things.  I'm very impressed and proud of his patience!

Play Date!

I am so lucky to have two of the very best friends in the world.  We also happen to have children within about 1 year of each other who get along beautifully!

Since we didn't have to use today as a make-up day for a snow-day, we had a play date!  I have worked with many a toddler in my day and I must say we have 3 of the most beautiful and well-behaved children!  Even as they squeezed on Zoe's tiny little Elmo couch to settle in for an episode of the Backyardigans before lunch, there wasn't a grumble or a fuss.  

Alright, enough is enough

Seriously.  I've now been off school for 4 days.  One day - whoohoo!  Nice to sleep in.  Z and I played outside in the snow.  Fun!

Day 2 - Can't leave the house, too slick.  Chris even got two exits up the road and headed back home.  That's something because he usually will slog through.  Roads were really bad.  

Day 3 - Huh?  Really?  What's going on?  Good thing I had a disc of House episodes to watch!  I did help the neighbor get his car out of the driveway.  Yup, me and an elderly gentleman.  We are strong, what can I say?

Day 4 - Thought we just had a two hour delay.  I was up, showered and drying my hair when the phone buzzes.  Closed.  Ugh.

Four days with no structure is no good for my students either!  There are a couple I know who's parents are working with them, reading their 6-Min

ute Solution passages, practicing math facts, reading stories.  Then there are some who, unfortunately, are not.  Time is always something we are short on at school and now 4 days are gone.  There's work to be done Mother Nature!  Lighten up and let us get back to it!