Gel What?

Apparently, I have been living under a rock.

Way before Buddy Roller was born, I use to always do my own nails. I would do my own French manicures and polish my own nails. And I would find that every few days, I would be re-doing my nails because the polish would either chip, peel or crack.  Eventually after motherhood and not enough time for myself, I just abandoned the notion of doing my nails...my own finger nails, that is. I still to this day, always make time for pedicures.

Over the summer while visiting my BFSF, we were talking about random stuff and she casually mentioned that she gets a gel polish when she gets a manicure. She said it lasted a lot longer, and she loves it! What!!! I didn't even know these things existed!!! I knew right then and there that I wanted to give this "gel" nail polish thing a try.

Chalk Talk Thursdays: Still Ten!

We had curriculum night at my school, so it was a very long day for me and all the other teachers.  I woke up at 6 a.m., and I didn't get home until after 8 p.m. I'm exhausted.  So I'll keep this short.

You know what I noticed today while teaching? There are still 10 sharpened pencils on a table in the front of my classroom.  The same 10 pencils I put there since the first week of school.  That's almost a month ago! What's the big deal you ask?

Pencils are a hot commodity. Or at least they used to be. You see when kids don't bring a pencil, they use mine. And when they use mine, they forget to return mine. And before I know it, all the pencils I bought...are gone.  I've even resorted to using colorful duct tape to flag the pencils, as a way to remind the kids to return them. It didn't work last year.  I was losing pencils like hot cakes.

But my pencils aren't being used this school year.  So far, everyone has brought their own supplies.  Every day. I wonder how long this will last.

I guess the honeymoon isn't over. Yet.

Cover to Cover

Are you a book worm? Do you love reading books? Paperbacks or hardcovers? Do you have to read a "real" book, feeling and turning pages? Or...have you converted to those electronic readers and can't go back? How do you decide which book to read? Do you look at the best seller's list? Or get recommendations from friends?  Are you a member of Goodreads? Do you have a routine for figuring out which book to read?

Here's mine.

My Week in Review

There goes my attempt to post every few days.  Now I've resorted to a "week in review" post!  That really means I'm back at work.  But a week in review is just as good, right?  You don't mind, do you?

Seriously Mrs. Woodard?

I've attended and led many curriculum nights as a teacher in my own classroom, but tonight I attended my first one as a parent.

I didn't go so much to learn about the curriculum or school procedures.

Most of that I know from being a teacher.

That information can also be easily obtained from a brochure or the school's website.

I went to Buddy Roller's curriculum night with one goal in mind.

The Family That Paints Together...

Before

It's been a while since I posted anything, and I really have missed writing.

I can't believe two weeks have flown by since the kids have been in school.

That's the thing I love about teaching....time sure does fly!

But while time flies, it seems I have less time to do some of the things I love which includes writing.

This weekend, though, I did something that I enjoyed.

And it surprised me.

When It's Rainy Outside

It all started with this bag of marshmallows.

Buddy Roller saw this picture, and then he wanted to make some marshmallow "dudes" of his own.

So we did.

We looked around the house for all the necessary materials, and we found them.

Toothpicks, glue, markers, pipe cleaners and a little imagination.

This Is Why

This is why.

This is the reason I quit journalism and the corporate world several years ago and decided to make a difference.

This is the reason I teach.

I received the sweetest note today from one of my students.

I didn't expect it.

But I was happy to receive it.

This is a tough job.

And it doesn't pay nearly as much as it should.

But it's reasons like this that make me happy and PROUD to be a teacher.

It's only the second day of school and this student wrote me a note and handed it to me as she was walking out of my classroom.

It made me smile.

It reads,

Dear Ms. Cooke,

You are so nice and pretty.

I like the way you talk in front of the class with lots of energy.

You make my day.  Thank you for being a great teacher.

You know what?

She made my day.

Happy hump day!

First Day Blues

If you live or teach in Gwinnett County, today was the first day back to school.

So for me it was a double whammy because not only was I expecting my new kids today, but I was also sending my own off to kindergarten.

As a parent, where do you stand on this marked occasion?

Do you gladly send your kid off to school, excited for this joyous and coming of age experience?

Or do you cry like a baby worrying if your child will be okay, wondering how the heck time flew so fast!

For me, it was totally the latter.

I tried to hold it together really well when I dropped him off today.

I hugged Buddy Roller a little too long, and got out of there before the water works started.

And then I cried.

When I got in the car.

All the way to my school!

Yes sir.

I did.

Why these emotions?

Can anyone else out there relate to this?

I would sure like to hear from you.

Because later that day when I told The Hubs I had cried, he just looked at me.

He didn't get it.

Anyways I was so happy for the distraction that work brought me today.

I was so busy with the first day of school, I didn't have time to dwell on my emotions with Buddy Roller starting school.

And as fate would have it, he enjoyed his first day in kindergarten.

He says he can't wait to go back!

We ended the long day as a family getting dinner and then finishing that off with a frozen treat.

One of Buddy Roller's all time simple yet ultimate endings.

A scoop of good old vanilla ice-cream with a dollop of whip cream.

Would You Do It Again?

Would you renew your marriage vows?

And if so, after how many years would you do it?

Five? Ten? Twenty? How about after fifty years?

I'm asking the question today because last night I attended a lovely ceremony for a couple who got married again after 20 years of marriage.

Meet Your Teacher

What an exciting day!

We attended Buddy Roller's orientation for kindergarten, and we had the chance to meet his teacher today.

Mrs. Woodard is a veteran teacher with over 20 years of experience.

With the short time we spent with her today, filling out paperwork, and asking questions, I could tell she has a wonderful personality.

You cannot imagine how happy I was to meet her.

Watching her interact with parents and their children, and seeing the genuine passion she has for young students, I can already tell this is going to be an awesome school year.

Knowing Buddy Roller will be in capable hands every day puts me at ease while I will be at my school attending to my own teaching duties and responsibilities.

So...what are you up to this weekend?

Do you have any special plans?

Tomorrow we are attending a special ceremony for a dear friend of mine.

She has been married to her husband for twenty years, and they are renewing their marriage vows.

Now that is a milestone!

Whatever your plans are, I hope you have a lovely weekend.