Saturday, September 18, 2010
I'm baaaackkk ;)
Back to my blog, back to work...I'm back. While I wish I wasn't back to work, because there's nothing I enjoy more than hanging out with Ava full time, I am really enjoying teaching high school. So much so, in fact, that if LMSVSD called me back next year, and RUSD asked me back next year, I believe I would relinquish my tenure at LMSV (along with my 12 minute commute) and stay at RHS (with my 45 minute commute). That thought might change as the school year rolls on, but I really love the 11th grade curriculum and am having a blast. :) Ava had a bit of a rough start at her new daycare, but seems to be recovering quickly. I feel sad for her because she was forced to leave the only friends that she's ever had, go somewhere where she knows nobody, get up at 5:30 every morning, ride in the car for an hour and a half every day, and stay at her new place longer than the old one. But, she seems to be adjusting. Cheers to a new school year. ;)
Thursday, March 18, 2010
funniest Grap story...
This is one of my favorite Grap stories...I love you.
I was 14, he was 70. We went to Busch Gardens in Florida and we all (my 2 sisters and my grandma) decided to go on the log flume ride. I told my Grap that he probably wouldn't be able to go on, because he was really old and old people don't do that kind of stuff. So, we decided to read the sign. Heart problems...no, pregnant...no, bad back...no. Okay then, let's go!
Even though he was only five feet tall, he claimed he was 5' 6", which would have made him taller than me (according to his calculations), so he had to sit behind me in the log. He was fine until we got to the top of the hill and we were about to go down. Then, as the log began to race down the hill, I heard a sound come out of his mouth that I had never heard come from a man. He screamed so loud and it sounded like a cross between a 6-year-old girl and some kind of weird bird. I literally had to turn around to make sure that it was still him sitting behind me! The entire ride down he squeezed my then bony hips with his knees SO hard that a few hours later the insides of his knees were black and blue!! He looked like he was beaten...but only on the inside of his knees!
Hahahahah! We laughed about that for years.
I love you, Grap. You will be sadly missed. Thanks for being the best Grap EVER! :)
I was 14, he was 70. We went to Busch Gardens in Florida and we all (my 2 sisters and my grandma) decided to go on the log flume ride. I told my Grap that he probably wouldn't be able to go on, because he was really old and old people don't do that kind of stuff. So, we decided to read the sign. Heart problems...no, pregnant...no, bad back...no. Okay then, let's go!
Even though he was only five feet tall, he claimed he was 5' 6", which would have made him taller than me (according to his calculations), so he had to sit behind me in the log. He was fine until we got to the top of the hill and we were about to go down. Then, as the log began to race down the hill, I heard a sound come out of his mouth that I had never heard come from a man. He screamed so loud and it sounded like a cross between a 6-year-old girl and some kind of weird bird. I literally had to turn around to make sure that it was still him sitting behind me! The entire ride down he squeezed my then bony hips with his knees SO hard that a few hours later the insides of his knees were black and blue!! He looked like he was beaten...but only on the inside of his knees!
Hahahahah! We laughed about that for years.
I love you, Grap. You will be sadly missed. Thanks for being the best Grap EVER! :)
Thursday, March 11, 2010
things I will be less stressed about after next week...
1. Grap's funeral--which is Monday for those of you that were wondering
2. comprehensive exams--gnarly and extremely time-consuming
3. packing up my house and moving--within a 4 day time-frame
4. taking care of expired license before I get on plane on Sunday
5. finally getting rid of the flu that keeps rearing its ugly head
2. comprehensive exams--gnarly and extremely time-consuming
3. packing up my house and moving--within a 4 day time-frame
4. taking care of expired license before I get on plane on Sunday
5. finally getting rid of the flu that keeps rearing its ugly head
Friday, February 26, 2010
True Story...
2/16/10...
This might be the funniest teaching story for me to date. Other than the heroin/heroine story. But that will have to be saved for another time. I will try to capture the humor in writing, but it is much better if you hear me tell it live...
Setting:
5th period. A class of 10 boys with behavior "issues," and most are currently failing most or all of their classes. They come to me for one-on-one tutoring in all subject areas, but spend a lot of time trying to keep focused and stay out of the dean's office. I call this class, "the boys club" and think they are VERY funny.
Student: (with a squinty, "let me start some trouble" kind of look in his eyes) Hey, Mrs. S.
Me: Yes
Student: So, ah, what'd your husband give you for Valentine's Day.
Me: (thinking, is this the start of an inappropriate conversation?) He got me a little gift certificate for a spa thing.
Student: Oh, like where you get your nails done?
Me: Exactly. He got me a gift certificate to get my nails done.
Student: By the lady in the liquor store?
Me: Bwahahahahah! (then, noticing that I was the only one laughing) What? What are you talking about.
Student: You know, the lady in the corner of the liquor store that does your nails.
Me: There is not a lady in the liquor store that does nails. Okay, so in the shopping plaza, there is a liquor store and then in the corner of the PLAZA there is a nail salon.
Student: (clearly annoyed) Um, nooooo. I mean IN the liquor store, IN the corner, there is a lady that does your nails. (at this point, all the other boys begin to corroborate his story)
Me: (immediately dropping the grin from my face, so as not to offend) Yeah, no. Not that one.
Other Student (potential gang member): Awwwwwww, man! SHE CLASSY!!
Bwahahahahahah! Oh, how I WISHED there was another adult in the room with me.
This might be the funniest teaching story for me to date. Other than the heroin/heroine story. But that will have to be saved for another time. I will try to capture the humor in writing, but it is much better if you hear me tell it live...
Setting:
5th period. A class of 10 boys with behavior "issues," and most are currently failing most or all of their classes. They come to me for one-on-one tutoring in all subject areas, but spend a lot of time trying to keep focused and stay out of the dean's office. I call this class, "the boys club" and think they are VERY funny.
Student: (with a squinty, "let me start some trouble" kind of look in his eyes) Hey, Mrs. S.
Me: Yes
Student: So, ah, what'd your husband give you for Valentine's Day.
Me: (thinking, is this the start of an inappropriate conversation?) He got me a little gift certificate for a spa thing.
Student: Oh, like where you get your nails done?
Me: Exactly. He got me a gift certificate to get my nails done.
Student: By the lady in the liquor store?
Me: Bwahahahahah! (then, noticing that I was the only one laughing) What? What are you talking about.
Student: You know, the lady in the corner of the liquor store that does your nails.
Me: There is not a lady in the liquor store that does nails. Okay, so in the shopping plaza, there is a liquor store and then in the corner of the PLAZA there is a nail salon.
Student: (clearly annoyed) Um, nooooo. I mean IN the liquor store, IN the corner, there is a lady that does your nails. (at this point, all the other boys begin to corroborate his story)
Me: (immediately dropping the grin from my face, so as not to offend) Yeah, no. Not that one.
Other Student (potential gang member): Awwwwwww, man! SHE CLASSY!!
Bwahahahahahah! Oh, how I WISHED there was another adult in the room with me.
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Milestones...
Was I supposed to keep track?
I am the absolute WORST at writing down important dates, so when it comes to Ava's milestones, why should it be any different? I don't have a baby book for her and maybe if I had, I would have been better at keeping track of things. But I don't. So I didn't.
I have a general idea of when she rolled over, but only because it took her SO long! I have a general idea of when she started talking, but only because it was so early! (I wonder why!) :) But, other than that, I really don't remember when she started doing things. I know, terrible.
HOWEVER, Ava hit a "milestone" (according to Jake) this past week and Jake wanted me to make sure that I included it in our blog. This week, Ava learned how to catch!! That's right, friends, this is a big one! If you throw her a ball she will catch it, on average, 3 out of 5 times!! Pretty exciting! And she can throw equally well with both hands. So, we still don't know if she will be a "lefty" or a "righty." She throws pretty hard and is fairly accurate. I would say that we have a future athlete on our hands!!
So, kudos to me for finally recording a "milestone!"
I am the absolute WORST at writing down important dates, so when it comes to Ava's milestones, why should it be any different? I don't have a baby book for her and maybe if I had, I would have been better at keeping track of things. But I don't. So I didn't.
I have a general idea of when she rolled over, but only because it took her SO long! I have a general idea of when she started talking, but only because it was so early! (I wonder why!) :) But, other than that, I really don't remember when she started doing things. I know, terrible.
HOWEVER, Ava hit a "milestone" (according to Jake) this past week and Jake wanted me to make sure that I included it in our blog. This week, Ava learned how to catch!! That's right, friends, this is a big one! If you throw her a ball she will catch it, on average, 3 out of 5 times!! Pretty exciting! And she can throw equally well with both hands. So, we still don't know if she will be a "lefty" or a "righty." She throws pretty hard and is fairly accurate. I would say that we have a future athlete on our hands!!
So, kudos to me for finally recording a "milestone!"
Sunday, January 31, 2010
Here We Go Again...
Spring semester 2010...
I should be excited that this is my LAST semester of my Master's program. But instead, I will say BOOOOOOO to school being back in session. I am sooooooo over it. Thesis = too much time studying and not enough time playing with Ava.
To my professors this semester (and every other semester)--your classes are not the ONLY thing your students have going on in their lives. We work, we have families, and we like to just hang out sometimes. So telling us on the first day of class EVREY semester that we should plan on spending a minimum of 6 hours on homework each week PER CLASS in addition to the three hours we have to actually sit in class is just stupid. Eighteen hours of school or school related work each week is ridiculous. And I'm not going to do that. So, you can grade me accordingly.
To the Cashier's office at SDSU--I have already spent $20,000 on this program. The fact that you told me that in order to "officially" graduate and receive my diploma I have to pay you $55 dollars, is also stupid. I realize that in the grand scheme of things, $55 is really not a lot of money, especially because I have already spent $20,000. However, I feel that because I have already spent a substantial amount of time and money on this program, and helped raise your school's GPA with my GPA being so high, you should just GIVE ME THE DAMN DIPLOMA AND NOT MAKE ME PAY FOR IT!
Thank you.
I should be excited that this is my LAST semester of my Master's program. But instead, I will say BOOOOOOO to school being back in session. I am sooooooo over it. Thesis = too much time studying and not enough time playing with Ava.
To my professors this semester (and every other semester)--your classes are not the ONLY thing your students have going on in their lives. We work, we have families, and we like to just hang out sometimes. So telling us on the first day of class EVREY semester that we should plan on spending a minimum of 6 hours on homework each week PER CLASS in addition to the three hours we have to actually sit in class is just stupid. Eighteen hours of school or school related work each week is ridiculous. And I'm not going to do that. So, you can grade me accordingly.
To the Cashier's office at SDSU--I have already spent $20,000 on this program. The fact that you told me that in order to "officially" graduate and receive my diploma I have to pay you $55 dollars, is also stupid. I realize that in the grand scheme of things, $55 is really not a lot of money, especially because I have already spent $20,000. However, I feel that because I have already spent a substantial amount of time and money on this program, and helped raise your school's GPA with my GPA being so high, you should just GIVE ME THE DAMN DIPLOMA AND NOT MAKE ME PAY FOR IT!
Thank you.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
Saturday Night Fever
January 16th...
Picture day--success.
Ava's birthday party--success.
Midnight the same night--the cradle was rocked--violently.
I have always known that I don't "do" puke. It's gross. I thought that when I became a mom that things would change. At least, that's what everyone told me. "It's different when it's your own child." Sorry people, but that is a bunch of BS. Puke is puke, no matter if it is your kid's or the kid of someone else, it is still gross. Seriously gross. And to all of the people that told me that I would be able to handle it when it was "my own kid, " I would like to say, you were wrong. It still smells like bile, it still makes a huge mess, and it still DID NOT prevent me from gagging each and every time until it happened to me too.
So to all the moms that like to tell people stories about how gross things aren't really gross if it is your own kid, please stop. You are not helping anyone with your little white lies. Thank you.
God help me if there is ever a broken bone or mass quantities of blood. We will all be in trouble.
Picture day--success.
Ava's birthday party--success.
Midnight the same night--the cradle was rocked--violently.
I have always known that I don't "do" puke. It's gross. I thought that when I became a mom that things would change. At least, that's what everyone told me. "It's different when it's your own child." Sorry people, but that is a bunch of BS. Puke is puke, no matter if it is your kid's or the kid of someone else, it is still gross. Seriously gross. And to all of the people that told me that I would be able to handle it when it was "my own kid, " I would like to say, you were wrong. It still smells like bile, it still makes a huge mess, and it still DID NOT prevent me from gagging each and every time until it happened to me too.
So to all the moms that like to tell people stories about how gross things aren't really gross if it is your own kid, please stop. You are not helping anyone with your little white lies. Thank you.
God help me if there is ever a broken bone or mass quantities of blood. We will all be in trouble.
Saturday, January 9, 2010
What?
Good News...
--Ava went to the dentist and there was no underlying tooth or gum damage.
Bad news...
--The hockey Jersey I ordered her for the obvious photo opportunity is on backorder.
On another note...
I was at SDSU this morning to take my FINAL section of the CSET so I can finally clear my California credential. It was early. Really early. And I didn't want to be there. At all. As I was wallowing in my misery waiting for the test to begin (because you have get there 45 MINUTES EARLY--for what, I don't know) in the row closest to the door, I heard something that picked up my spirits immediately and made me laugh right out loud. So loud, in fact, that I apologized to those sitting around me. This is what I heard from the squirrely girl in the row closest to the window (that's right, like 10 rows away from me--it was a big room):
Squirrely Girl: Can I go to the bathroom?
Proctor: No, you have already checked in so you have to wait until the test begins and then I can let you go. Probably in about 15 minutes.
Squirrely Girl: But I will be able to go whenever I need to, right?
Proctor: Yes, you will be able to go as many times as you need.
At this point, Squirrely Girl should have accepted the answer and saved herself some embarrassment. Instead, this is what followed:
Squirrely Girl: Okay, good. Because I have a condition. Whenever I get really excited, I have to pee. A lot. And sometimes I can't control it. So I need a bathroom close by.
Oh Squirrely Girl, WHAT???? You have a condition? Really? And it happens whenever you get really excited? Are you a dog? Because I have plenty of friends who have dogs that do the same thing. Remind me to NEVER invite you over for a party! Maybe you could make some extra cash dog sitting for my friends while they come over! And why are you EXCITED about taking a test. You might want to look deeper into that one. I'm really not trying to be mean, but COME ON! And she said it loud enough for the ENTIRE ROOM to hear it. I wasn't eavesdropping (because we all know that is one of my favorite things to do), that one just fell into my lap. I literally laughed so hard when she said that that a little bit of snot might have come out of my nose. It would have been a better story if I had peed a little.
So, Squirrely Girl, I would like to thank you for bringing me out of my test-taking funk with perfect timing. Kudos, girl. :)
--Ava went to the dentist and there was no underlying tooth or gum damage.
Bad news...
--The hockey Jersey I ordered her for the obvious photo opportunity is on backorder.
On another note...
I was at SDSU this morning to take my FINAL section of the CSET so I can finally clear my California credential. It was early. Really early. And I didn't want to be there. At all. As I was wallowing in my misery waiting for the test to begin (because you have get there 45 MINUTES EARLY--for what, I don't know) in the row closest to the door, I heard something that picked up my spirits immediately and made me laugh right out loud. So loud, in fact, that I apologized to those sitting around me. This is what I heard from the squirrely girl in the row closest to the window (that's right, like 10 rows away from me--it was a big room):
Squirrely Girl: Can I go to the bathroom?
Proctor: No, you have already checked in so you have to wait until the test begins and then I can let you go. Probably in about 15 minutes.
Squirrely Girl: But I will be able to go whenever I need to, right?
Proctor: Yes, you will be able to go as many times as you need.
At this point, Squirrely Girl should have accepted the answer and saved herself some embarrassment. Instead, this is what followed:
Squirrely Girl: Okay, good. Because I have a condition. Whenever I get really excited, I have to pee. A lot. And sometimes I can't control it. So I need a bathroom close by.
Oh Squirrely Girl, WHAT???? You have a condition? Really? And it happens whenever you get really excited? Are you a dog? Because I have plenty of friends who have dogs that do the same thing. Remind me to NEVER invite you over for a party! Maybe you could make some extra cash dog sitting for my friends while they come over! And why are you EXCITED about taking a test. You might want to look deeper into that one. I'm really not trying to be mean, but COME ON! And she said it loud enough for the ENTIRE ROOM to hear it. I wasn't eavesdropping (because we all know that is one of my favorite things to do), that one just fell into my lap. I literally laughed so hard when she said that that a little bit of snot might have come out of my nose. It would have been a better story if I had peed a little.
So, Squirrely Girl, I would like to thank you for bringing me out of my test-taking funk with perfect timing. Kudos, girl. :)
Sunday, January 3, 2010
Tough Nugget
Toothless...
Poor Ava...she is a little disaster. At the age of two, she still hasn't figured out that if you are going to fall on your face, especially from the third step of metal stairs, you really should put your hands out so your face doesn't break your fall. Another factor leading to the face-first-fall was that she was holding a Thomas the Train toy in her hand. She doesn't give up Thomas for anything--not even for pavement and metal zooming toward her face. Now she has a missing tooth--including the entire root--to put under her pillow for the Tooth Fairy.
Suck Factor #1:
P.S. Her dental coverage started January 1st!!
Poor Ava...she is a little disaster. At the age of two, she still hasn't figured out that if you are going to fall on your face, especially from the third step of metal stairs, you really should put your hands out so your face doesn't break your fall. Another factor leading to the face-first-fall was that she was holding a Thomas the Train toy in her hand. She doesn't give up Thomas for anything--not even for pavement and metal zooming toward her face. Now she has a missing tooth--including the entire root--to put under her pillow for the Tooth Fairy.
Suck Factor #1:
- It was the tooth next to the very front one, on the right, on the bottom. The reason that this is suck factor #1 is because when she smiles, only her bottom teeth show. This could call for tricky photography skills by Jake & me for the next few years.
- We have had to reschedule her pictures for this year several times due to work conflicts. It looks as though we waited one week too long.
- It probably hurts. (This maybe should have been suck factor #1)
- She will look perfectly normal in about 5 years.
- This could have been a much bigger disaster if she had also split her face open. But she didn't. As a matter of fact, she doesn't even have a scratch on her face or her mouth...inside or out. So, there will be no scars to remind her of the accident.
P.S. Her dental coverage started January 1st!!
Friday, January 1, 2010
New Digs
what, wHAt??
New Religion jeans, Coach wristlet, Gap khaki spring jacket, yoga pants...I love you outlet mall. I love you very much. :)
New Religion jeans, Coach wristlet, Gap khaki spring jacket, yoga pants...I love you outlet mall. I love you very much. :)
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