Junior Block and Christmas Decorating Fun

There is so much going on in my life right now. I never know just what to talk about. I have a huge list of things (not real list- just in my head) I want to blog about, but I never have the time to do so. Then when I do, I don't know what to tackle next. So I'll just dive in and see what I think about ...

I believe I've mentioned that I'm in Junior Block teaching right now. I'm in a resource room. The teacher I am with just has K-3rd grade kids. It's a bit insane because the teacher I'm with, the 4th-5th grade resource teacher, AND the Title I teacher are all in one room together. Plus, then there are the two paras, plus Sydnie and I, who are doing our junior block experience. It's crazy! We try to do as many groups in the pods as possible, so the room doesn't get so overly crowded, but it's still insane. We are always trying to scoot around each other. But I love it. The ladies are all so great and fun in there. We have a great time together.

The teacher I'm with, Holly, graduated from HU several years ago. She just found out recently that she is pregnant. :) Tomorrow she will be out all day for her first doctor's appointment, and then Friday she will be out all day for training. Guess who is in charge while she's gone? ME! Well, I'm in charge for the mornings while I'm there. There will be a sub there, but I'm in charge of all the morning groups. It's rather intimidating, but it should be fine. I'm just hoping all the kids behave! We have some real doozies in our class. We pulled out all the materials I'll need to teach for the next two days. And she showed me all the documenting of everything that she does. But it's all so much! There are so many different kids that I get at different times from different teachers. I just hope I can remember who is who, when to get them, and where to get them from! Plus, I'll be dealing with one boy and leading him through his morning routine when he arrives at school. He is something else. He can't handle doing anything alone without blowing up and causing major problems, so I have to try to get him to cooperate for me as I help him get his breakfast and meds. He is bad enough that he has to have his own school bus. Isn't that ridiculous?! Yeah, it should be interesting.

Then Monday I teach my first actual lesson. It's a math lesson with social studies integrated in on calendars. I'm teaching it to the group of first grade boys. Oh goodness. They are something else, too. Then Tuesday I teach my first "official" guided reading lesson, and I'll be getting observed by one of my profs for that one! Yikes.

Today one of the boys read the word "prostitute" instead of "provided". Then in two different reading groups, the kids got talking about pregnancies, births, and babies. It was a weird day. Then Holly had a case conference at 11:00, so I went down to the conference room with her to help her set the projector and laptop up and get it running. We spent awhile trying to figure out how to get the projector going, but it wasn't working. So Holly went to the bathroom before we were going to go get the principal to help us. While she was in there, I managed to get it working on my own. Success!



Last night was SO much fun. Christa and I met up at my house around 8:15. We pulled down all of Mom's blue glass from on top of the kitchen cupboards while we waited for the rest of the fam to get back from Ft. Wayne. I already had the Christmas music going. When they got home, Dad went up to the attic and started pulling out more Christmas decorations. I climbed up on the ladder and got the boxes from him as he lowered them out of the ceiling. Then I passed them off to Christa and Jen, who either took them to the other side of the garage or took them inside if they were kitchen decorations. We did that on commercial breaks from Dancing with the Stars Results Show. While the show was on, we decorated the kitchen, hutch, and washed and dried all of the sets of Christmas dishes. It was quite a job!

DWTS Note: I'm sad Brandy left, but at the same time, I was happy that Bristol is still in it. She has worked so hard and come so far this season! I did NOT want Kyle to make it to the finals, so he HAS to go first next week! Jennifer better win it! She is the one I've wanted to win it all along.

After the show was over, we switched over to the Hallmark channel to watch Mrs. Miracle. While that was on, Jen made caramel apples for us with Granny Smith apples while Mom worked on arranging the Christmas dishes in the hutch, and Christa and I created our Christmas ornaments in bowls masterpieces. I love the way they turned out! But Christa, the kitchen floor, and I were all COVERED in glitter by the time we were done. Once the caramel was melted, the 4 of us made our caramel apples, and then sat on the chairs that were randomly arranged in the kitchen from decorating and ate our apples while we watched the movie. So what that it was almost 11:00 on a school night? We had a blast! After our apples were finished, we talked awhile longer before Christa headed home to Jayson. Jen headed to bed, and Mom and I cleaned the kitchen. It was a wreck between all the decorations, boxes, wrapping, caramel, dishes, and glitter. I got to finish watching the movie while we cleaned. After it ended at midnight, I headed back to school and got my shower before bed.

I've started getting my showers at night since I have to be at the school so early. As it is, with getting my shower at night, I still have to get up between 5:30 and 5:45, so I'd rather not shower in the morning and have to get up even earlier.