Kindergarten Interview

I've seen a few other people do this, and so I'm copying because I liked it!  Basically you interview your child before each new year of school to be able to look back on who he or she was at a particular stage of life.  (Let's hope I can keep up with this tradition and I don't forget about it, or else I guess it won't become a tradition!)

I interviewed my son yesterday and his answers are verbatim.  I think he would have talked a lot more if I kept asking questions!

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Kindergarten Interview

How old are you?
Five.  Easy.

What's your favorite color?
Um, white.  Silver.  And red.  Because those are the three Ninjagos I like and they're awesome.

What's your favorite food?
Bananas.  Chicken.  Pasta.  Pizza.  Meat.  I like apples.  Mandarin oranges.  Peaches.  I really like ham.

What's your favorite TV show?
I have a lot of favorite TV shows.  Ninjago, even though I don't watch it on TV.  I watch it on the iPad.  I like Ninja Turtles.  I love it.  Do I like Jake and the Neverland Pirates?  Yeah, Jake.  Mom, are you going to vacuum the floor then?  I just want to know.  I guess I like Scooby Doo.  Yes.  And I guess that's it.

What is your favorite movie?
I have a lot of favorite movies.  I have a Ninjago favorite movie; that's kind of like a movie for me.  I like my Lion King DVD.  I have a Tom and Jerry DVD.  I love that one.  It's really cool.  It has cool details in it.  We saw Inside Out -- that was really good.

What is your favorite stuffed animal?
I have a lot of favorites.  My two puppies.  Frank.  I like all of mine.

What is your favorite thing to wear?
My Ninjago shirt!  I like my pajamas -- the Star Wars ones I wore on pajama day at kindergarten camp.

What is your favorite holiday?
Is Halloween a holiday?  Halloween!!  Guess why I like Halloween.  Because I'm going to dress up as a Ninjago this year.

What is your favorite thing to do with Mom?
I like to play Ninjago with her with my guys.  I like to play Ninjago when Mommy pretends she's Nya and I'm Zane.  I like to play with my Ninjagos and Fireman Sam with her when I set up a whole city.

What is your favorite thing to do with Dad?
Make him flip me in the pool.  I like Daddy throwing me in the pool, but not all the time.  I love to play Ninjago with him and I'm usually Zane.  My Dad usually is Cole or Lloyd.  I like playing baseball with him, too.

What is your favorite thing to do with Pop-Pop?
I like to play Ninjago with him.  He usually is Cole and I'm usually Zane again.  I like to work with him a lot because he's fun to work with and he lets me dig outside.

What is your favorite thing to do with Nana L.?
Play Ninjago with her.  She usually is Nya.  I usually play that with her a lot.  So I guess I like picking weeds with her.  And I have fun times picking tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers and stuff.  And that's it.

What is your favorite thing to do with Nana N.?
I like to play with her in the pool and splash her and scare her.

What is your favorite thing to do with Chance?
Play fetch with him but I wipe the slobber from the ball on Daddy.

What are you most excited about this year in kindergarten?
I bet I'm going to have lots of toys in my classroom.  I bet I'll be able to paint a lot.  I hope Mrs. Adams and Mrs. Moyer are in my classroom because they're my camp teachers and they're really nice.  I hope Brady and Manny are in my class.  I'm just so excited to meet friends.

What are you most nervous about this year in kindergarten?
Um, nothing.

What do you want to be when you grow up?
I guess a police officer because I just like it and I hope I get a police officer car or a motorcycle or a horse.  I really hope I get a horse because they run really fast.

Who are you going to marry when you grow up?
Uh... um... Mommy.  Can I marry you, Mommy?  I don't know who yet.

What are you going to name your kids when you grow up?
Is Jesus Christ a bad word?  Jesus Christ I'm going to use for a boy, and Emma Toe I'm going to use for a girl.  I also like the name Timothy.  This one kid in my camp is named Timothy but he likes to be called TJ.  I guess I like TJ.  I like Toe.  I like that name.  I like Madelynn because that's a good name for a girl.  I like Cade for a boy, and Cove, and Dylan, and all kinds of names like that.  If I had a girl, I'd name her Elizabeth or something.  And I guess that's it.

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That is it.  But, in the spirit of kindergarten, I leave you with this:

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Name that movie.  Oh, and have a good Tuesday!

Countdown to Teacher Inservice

The panic has begun.

Teacher inservice starts in one week.  How is that possible?!  NO!!!!!!!!!!!

Here's how most teachers feel about inservice week:

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If you're a teacher, you completely understand that the last week of summer is full of juxtapositions. (I love the word juxtaposition, by the way.  One of my faves.)  These last few days are both wonderful and stressful.  You enjoy them, but not as much as the rest of the summer because you're anxious.  It's the time when you can still stay up late, not pack lunches, and pee when you want, but you're insides are also turning over themselves with nervousness about starting another school year.

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If you're not a teacher, you're probably thinking that teachers everywhere should stop whining, complaining, and talking about going back to school. I get it.  I do.

I don't mean to sound like a jerk, but people who aren't teachers have said so many things to me over the years about the "perks" of teaching that I've sort of become immune to their comments.

Yes, there are perks.  BIG ones.  I get my summers off, snow days, and holidays.  It really is the perfect job for someone who wants a family because I get to be home when my son is home, and that's the biggest perk of all.

But I also work my you-know-what off during the school year.  Teaching high school English for ten years was extremely hard.  I loved it, but it required a TON of prep work and hours of grading at home.  During the school year, all I did was work.

I had to be in my classroom by 6:50am (which, quite frankly, sucked), but I'd be home by 3:15pm.  At home, I'd do the mom thing for several hours (playtime with my son, dinner, housework, etc.), put my son to bed between 8 and 8:30pm, and then stay up until almost midnight most nights doing school work.  And then do it all again the next day until I crashed between 9:00 and 9:30pm on a Friday night before seeing "who dun it" on the Dateline we were watching.

I'm not telling you this because I want pity.  After all, I chose this profession.  I'm telling you because I just want you to understand that life during the school year, at least for me, is super stressful, busy, and exhausting.

Hence why I'm not looking forward to starting another year.

(PS and by the way -- I know there are a lot of jobs that are also just as, if not much more, stressful.  Please don't think I am trying to downgrade those in any way.  I'm just giving you a snapshot of what my life as a teacher is like during the school year.)

This year, though, will be a little different as I'm returning in a new capacity -- as an elementary librarian.  The district I'll be working in is the same as before, but the school I'm in this year is one of our lowest achieving ones.  It's extremely diverse in terms of its student population, and most students are from very low-income families (if they are from families at all... some are from a children's home).  The school itself isn't in the best neighborhood, either.  Most of these students need all the help they can get.  It will definitely be a challenge.

I've already been having back-to-school nightmares about going into school and forgetting to get dressed, having no lesson plans, not finding the library, etc.  Do any of you teachers have dreams like these before the school year begins?

My stress level is super high right now because I still have so much to do and prepare.  My library still isn't ready to go, my office is a hot mess, and my lesson plans for the start of school have yet to be made.  I'm normally a high-stress person (I HATE that about myself), so the stress of starting another year isn't helping.  My body knows it, too.  Without being too TMI-ish, my bathroom habits have already shifted, and my diet is off kilter.

Stress level, anxiety, nervousness = me in a nutshell.

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So I'm going to do my best to try and enjoy this last week while, at the same time, get some items checked off my "to do" list.

I hope you have a great week, whether you're preparing to go back to school or not.  Here's my advice to myself and to all of you who need it, too:

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Funny Friday - About Having Another Baby

Normally, when asked, my 5-year-old son D. always, always says he doesn't want a brother or sister. He insists that he would hate it because he'd have to share his toys.

However, this week, we may have turned a corner.

Here's how the conversation went:

D:  Mom, I was thinking about it, and I think I do want a brother or sister.

Me:  You do?!?!

D:  Yeah, but I don't want you to have one until I'm 21.

      (Long pause)

      When you're 21, you're an adult, and then you don't really play with toys, so then the baby can
      have all of my toys.

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And there you have it, folks.

TGIF.

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Thankful Thursday - For My Husband

Although I may have alluded to how thankful I am for my husband in previous blog posts, I haven't dedicated a post just to him.  But I should have.  So I am now.  (Better late than never, right?)

There are so many reasons I'm thankful to have him as my partner.  We are polar opposites, but - as Paula Abdul said once - opposites attract.

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I mean, he completes me.

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He's my lobster.

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He's my biggest cheerleader, supporter, therapist, but -- most importantly -- best friend.  As much as he drives me insane when he does things like leaving his stinky socks around the house, I love him more than anything in the world.  I'd do anything for him and I know he'd do anything for me.

Case in point -- he never goes anywhere NEAR school over summer vacation, and he's come in every day with me over the past week and a half to help me get my library set up.  There is NO WAY I could have made as much progress as I did without his help.  And he's offered to come in again this week to do more.  And he hasn't complained about it one bit.

I know that may not seem like much to some of you, but it's a big deal to me.  See, there are certain things that each of us just won't do.  Like, I won't put the portable baby monitor (that we still use when our son sleeps) on his nightstand.  It HAS to be on mine.  He refuses to get my clump of hair out of our shower drain if I forget.  There are a lot of those unwritten type things that we just know about each other.

And my husband + school over summer vacation = NO WAY, NO HOW.  So, trust me -- it's true love, my friends.

I really am so happy that he and I are spending our lives with one another.  I wouldn't want to do it with anyone else.

Quick Post Today Re: Pinterest

I jumped on the Pinterest wagon.  Oh, yes I did.  I still don't really know what I'm doing, but feel free to check out my boards!  I'm getting addicted... fast.

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You can find me here: https://www.pinterest.com/the_busy_b/

Have a great Wednesday!

My Library - The Before Pics (so you know what I'm working with here!)

Oh, goodness.  My library is a hot mess.

Or perhaps I should say it was left a hot mess.

The former librarian retired in June of last year, and then there were two subs in for me while I was on leave.  I don't blame the subs for not cleaning anything up; after all, they knew their jobs were not permanent. However, I think the former librarian may have been a hoarder.

I'm serious.  It's bad.

Take a look for yourself... (and sorry for some of the fuzzy pics!)

I have been working hours and hours each day to get things cleaned up and straightened out.  I like that saying about "a place for everything and everything in its place."  I hate clutter and stuff that serves no purpose.

So basically what's happening is I'm throwing a lot away and finding places for the things I have to keep (or things at least I think I need to keep).

It's been exhausting.  It feels like when we first moved into our house.  (We moved in in June of 2008 -- the same month we were married -- and, being teachers and having the summer off, we worked our butts off to paint and redo pretty much everything.  It was like Groundhog Day.  Wake up, paint, work, eat, paint some more, work some more, eat, paint more, go to sleep, and do it all again the next day.  It felt never-ending.)

That's how these library preparations are making me feel.  But I can't start the school year with a disheveled workspace.  I just can't.

So I'll be cleaning up most of this week in there as well and probably some of next week, too.  I hate wasting the end of my summer doing this, but it desperately needs it.

I'll have after pictures to share with you, of course, though it could be a while.  Stay tuned!

Oh, and happy Tuesday.  I'll be celebrating later tonight with a margarita and tacos.
Because, after all...

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Life Lately - August

August has been kicking my butt.  I thought July went fast, but August has been insane!  And we've been so busy!  But we've been having fun.

I'm still so tired.

Here's what my son thinks about that:

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Our month started with a visit to the Crayola Factory with some friends from out-of-town.  If you've never been there, I highly recommend it.  My son loves it there, and I do, too!  But I will warn you... get a good night's sleep before you go and be ready to collapse when you leave.

The kids were busy, busy, busy!  Of course we had to try everything.  I think we were there from 10:30am until 4:30pm.  It was a long day of playing, and the moms were EX. HAUS. TED.  The kids, however, were not.  Go figure.

There's also been a lot of this lately:

My son wants me to play with him all the time.  I do play with him a lot, but - after a while - it's mind-numbing.  I love my son to pieces, but after playing Ninja Turtles for an hour, I'm spent.  I just can't.  It's too much.  I try so hard to get into it, but I can only take so much... and then I feel guilty for not wanting to play anymore.  Is this what mom guilt is?

I've also been really focused on getting ready for the school year.  After going into my space this past week, I realized how much work needs to get done.  It is a hot mess.

I'll be starting with lots of this:

Getting lesson plan binders prepared -- one for each grade level.

Putting together a prize box to use for classroom management, specifically positive reinforcement.  I'm working on figuring out a weekly ticket system to earn prizes.

This year, as a librarian, I'll have an office.  It's not big by any means, but it's all mine! (I've always wanted an office, by the way.  It makes me feel special anytime I say "my office."  Is that weird?  I don't care.)

When I opened the door to it, it was overwhelming because of how messy it was.  I knew it would take me a while to get through everything because I am a freak when it comes to organization.  There were papers strewn everywhere, old files piled up on bookshelves, and lots of other random stuff.

Here are some before pictures...

One corner:

Next up - my desk.  Notice the Dunkin' Donuts coffee cup.  A definite necessity for tackling all this!

I cleared off the big bookshelf and moved it to a different corner in an effort to make the office seem a little larger.  Have not yet begun organizing the smaller bookshelf.

 More piles.  This is seriously how it looked when I entered.

Look what I found!  An old Rikki-Tikki-Tavi movie.  My husband used to watch this over and over when he was a kid.  I don't remember it at all... clearly because I'm so much younger (wink wink!).

Hopefully I'll have some after pictures to share with you soon.

In other news, I'm working on our family calendar.  I got a big ol' one from Walmart and am putting everything on it for all of us.  It's quite a task, but I'm hoping it'll help keep us all organized as we begin the new school year.

I keep trying out calendar apps on my iPhone, but I have always been a paper planner person.  I really want to find an app that works for me and is super user-friendly, so if any of you have any suggestions, please share!

I'm working on getting organized around the house, too, though that is a never-ending battle, mostly because I live with men.  Here is the current state of my husband's closet (I have a few things in there, too...ha!):

Notice our dog Chance sleeping in the back corner.  He loves that spot.  Also notice my hubby's large collection of hats.  On the floor.  Instead of on the shelf we have in there.

By the way, I should never feel guilty for buying shoes if he needs that many hats.  Girls, don't you agree?

Oh, and have I mentioned that we're completely re-doing our family room?  All we did when we moved in seven years ago was paint the walls and put in new carpet, but it was in definite need of an update.  We had this awful, shiny oak wainscoting around the entire bottom half of the room, and the trim around the doors and window were also just as shiny (and ugly).  I suppose it was in style at one point in time, but I've hated it for, well, ever.  So we're doing a makeover of the whole room right as we all get ready to go back to school because, you know, we don't have enough stress in our lives right now.  Pictures to come soon.

Lastly, we've been at Walmart and Target so much in the past few weeks to get back-to-school stuff, birthday gifts, etc.  My son insists on taking pictures on my phone of things he wants for his upcoming birthday.  You know, in case I forget.

Here are two of his latest interests:

This week will be another busy one.  I'll be working in my library, my son has another few days of kindergarten camp, and we have a few other commitments with friends and family.  I see a lot of coffee in my future.

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Hope you have a great Monday and an even better week!