Reading

I am teaching reading. I love to read and I am trying to get that across to my students. Here in lies the deep question. Why do I feel like I am talking all day? I need to get these kids to read, but in order to meet all the standards, I am having to show them all the stategies, methods, and ways to read. I am considering having one day a week for just reading. I know this sounds like a cop out of teaching for the day, but bear with me for a minute.
If Brett Farve was to just run plays, do drills and learn his teams calls, would he be as good of a player if he never got to actually play the game? We all need to practice the skills daily and I am thinking that if I could watch how some of the children read, maybe this would give me more insight into what the stumbling blocks are for the children. Weigh in on this big questions please.

The Need for Rest

I rest more than my family. I think that some people need more rest than others in order to be nice. I really am not very nice if I am tired or run down. All I have wanted the past two weeks is some much needed rest. All I have gotten is: a freak storm, that woke me from my sleep and I have learned since is not that freaky in Mississippi and I can expect more and greater. Great!
A dog that for some reason goes through spirts when she can not rest and continues to get into everything and anything. Barking at the moon, chewing a hole in my down comforter again, and now there are feathers or fluff and I call it all over my bedroom. Really!!!!
The sound of mowers in the neighborhood at 6 am on a Sat. cause it is too damn hot any other time to mow here in the south.
All I really wanted was to sleep and feel rested. This is not the case. I have a head cold, stuffed up to the very top of my head, the house needs cleaning and my throat is sore from breathing in fluff all night. Oh, yeah, also I must have had a great night of snoring with all this cause Jeff hit me twice with his elbow . Some days it may just pay to get in the car with the family and drive, I do not care how far or how long cause in about five minutes I will be asleep and it will be the best sleep I have gotten in a week. Jeff, do you want to listen to your xm? Lets go for a drive.

New Friends

It seems funny that at age 46 I am making new friends. This move has been very difficult. I believe mainly due to the fact that I no longer have school age children to help me make friends. I know, silly miss use of my children. It is difficult to work and have a career and come home to keep house and have time to make friends.
It has been the case that most of my friends have been from work. The last year, this was not the case. I felt left out, different and very shy for the first time in my life. I did not really want to make friends, and I do not know why. I needed to be able to come home and figure out what I was doing in Mississippi.
A girl from Montana that really dislikes all the strange veggies they eat down here, does not eat to the bone on her chicken and would really like it if there was a Mountain with in a few miles was having a very difficult time being a friend as well as finding a friend.
I made friends with my neighbor, she is sweet loving and just turned 75. I made friends with a girl that is still a young girl at 30 and not married and no kids, but something was missing.
I needed someone to talk to about my girls, to understand what it is to be married going on 26 years and to know that when I have to go to the bathroom, move out of my way.
I needed someone to laugh with, cry, and to just scream with to relieve all this pent up emotion of finding a house, new jobs, new life and the nasty veggies that they have down here. Really, why eat the greens if you have the good part, the carrot at the end. Really!!!!!!!

I found some. Really I have found three. They are real, normal women. They laugh, sing, dance and talk about the stupid shows that the husbands make us watch. Hillbilly Fishing, give me a break.
They are wonderful. I am blessed and they will never know how much they have made me feel apart of my new school.
Thank you so much........R       K  The singing and dancing twins and C you make me laugh and that is so welcome.

Table

We went and bought a new table yesterday. I know not a big deal for most people. For us, yes, it takes us years to make decisions on large items. This was a decision made in about 15 minutes.
There is an outlet store in Slidell, LA that we went to due to a nice 20% discount in addition to the already 50% off. In other words, our kind of place.
So we got up early, drove the 60 miles and went in looking for a king size bed frame and a couch. Came home with a chair and a table and 4 chairs.
I am as shocked at you all are.
We had decided that the formal dining area really had no need in our home of three. We were going to use it for a sitting area, to bask in the morning sun and read and relax.
Reality finally hit at the store. We will never have a sitting room. We are a family that likes the TV whether we are watching it or not. It offers comfort if I am the only one home and it is just background noise. Jeff loves to watch sports and history etc.
Robyn is loving the back to the 90's shows on Nick at the moment. We do all sit, it is just in front of the tv.
So as we walked around this huge warehouse, Jeff finally realized that what we needed was another table in the kitchen and we needed to move Grandma's table to the dining room. We also found a lonely hidden gem in the corner, a brown leather chair that lost its ottoman. No problem as about three years ago, Jeff bought three ottomans for 20 dollars each as they had lots their chairs. Have to say they have been a great purchase, dog bed, extra seating etc.
So we drove home, only to eat and have Jeff and our friend Scott drive back to get the items. They returned and I thanked the Lord for our French Doors in this new house and we grilled and ate at the new table.
The old table now has its rightful place of honor. The Official Dining Room. This is my grandmother's grandmother's table. It came to us by way of a long forgotten mini van, has seen many a double sol match, artistic endeavors by myself and my children. It has 7 leaves that are a variety of colors due to use or lack there of, it is loved and loved again.
I love this table, it is special to me and my family. Jeff has learned how to put it back together after each move, not quite as well as mom does though, speaking of which next visit will need some adjustments mom.
This table means "home". I hope that the new triangular table finds the same feelings as the tried and true one, but if it does not, that is okay cause we got it for 70% off and that means we are all super cheap and happy.
Off to my table to do work for my class and start the week of with a plan.
Sit at a table today and think, boy am I grateful to have one, but more than that boy am I grateful for what is on my table daily, food, art, papers, love.
Happy Week to All

Technology Training

So today, my first day on my new job and the afternoon was devoted to technology training. This is a sore spot for me in that Jeff has told me for years to get some training. Well, I haven't and I really am stuck in my old ways and it is completely frustrating to me.
I really do not want to down load a video from You Tube to show to my class. At least that is what I say today.
I am learning lots and trying not to fight the urge to just get out my pencil and paper and jot down notes.
The teacher is wonderful and has given everyone cheat sheets to refer to cause she can tell we are all like deer in the headlights.
I am sure even the three girls right out of college could be heard, saying, really my brain is so full.
I get to go back tomorrow and learn again. That is what counts and by this time next week, I will be having nightmares about over sleeping on the first day of school. Happy Monday everyone.