Helping Hands...er...Paws

I've been working since about 6:30 this morning.....after staying up to work until 1:00.

And back to school brain has started since I didn't fall asleep until after 2:00 thinking about the gazillion things I need to do and the few things I want to do before school starts!

Ah, but today I have a helper so life is good!

I like do da mouse, Mom!

Or maybe I'm helping him......

Beginning vs. Ending of the Year

I saw this while eating my Wheaties this morning and nearly snorted milk out my nose!  This sums it up doesn't it?  Not only is that poor end of the year owl disheveled and a hot mess...but also plumper from all the snacking in the lounge.  I thought the timer (?) by the right leg was a crushed beer can but that could just be my wishful thinking!

Happy end of the year & rejuvenating all!

Asked a Funny Question

A few weeks ago our school held it's annual Grandparent's Day celebration.

Yes, I know Grandparent's Day is officially in the fall, but our school has it in the spring.
Don't ask me why, I don't really know.
And if you ask anyone of importance why, you'll probably get the go-to answer...
"That's how it's always been done."

I bet you've never heard that one before.  We hear it a lot!

Although next year we'll have a new principal so maybe we won't hear it anymore unless of course they hire someone who has been around long enough to know that's how it's always been done.

Anyway, I'm getting off topic.

So after the big hoopla we do as a whole school, everyone goes back to their respective classrooms. The kids give the nanas and pop-pops a tour of their room, read them a book, have a cookie and introduce them to their teachers.

It's a time for chit chat, small talk, lots of smiling and the like.  Generally, a time to pretend you are a politician.  Shake hands.  Kiss a few babies.

And hope you don't have a kid who stands up on a chair and acts like a goober while the grandparents laugh, clap, and videotape the whole thing.

Anyway, I'm chatting with this one grandfather who looks me in the eye and says, "You've got a really nice classroom.  Did you decorate it yourself?"

I know my jaw dropped slightly...and my eyes blinked a number of times before I responded in true politician form, "Why yes, yes, I did as a matter of fact."

"Really?" he replies, "You did a nice job.  I really like it.  Do you do it every year?"

"Yep, I sure do, although every year I change a few things, rearrange a few things."  I smile and say.

Then I walk away to shake someone else's baby hand and kiss someone else's hand baby because I'm quite frankly dumbfounded.

Are there schools out there where they have decorators on staff and/or don't have to tear the whole room down at the end of the year and resurrect it again a couple of months later?  Do parents/grandparents think we teachers show up on the first day of school to a perfect ready room?

I don't know about you but I spend at least two three weeks decorating, preparing things, etc. before school starts.

Does anyone else out there think this was a bizarre question?  Have you been asked an equally odd question by a parent/grandparent?

Summer Time = Fun Time

Head over to Honey Bunch Blog Design and grab yourself one of two cute summertime freebies.  Or if you like grab them both.
Speaking of bare feet, I am in serious need of a pedicure.  But I am so, SO ticklish I think the pedi-girls want to hide when they see me come in.
It is so, SO embarrassing!
Like I've almost wet my pants embarrassing.
Tickling someone's foot (even if you don't mean to) while they have the other foot submerged in warm water is just evil, let me tell you.
Then they always suggest I invest in one of those scrapers that looks like a cheese grater.
Now is that because my feet are so bad I need one.
Or is it so they don't have to do it.
Hmmmm....
Anyone else so ticklish?

Love Some Labels

I love to be organized.  (Doesn't always mean I am . . . but people often say I am.)

Looks can be deceiving, huh?

I love labels too.

Last year I finally bought one of those portable label things

But it doesn't have the fun AND function I like my labels to have.  So I use it for a lot of things but not for everything.

I whipped up some new labels for my "in" baskets.  Which actually aren't baskets at all but drawers.  (Well a couple go on baskets but that's neither here nor there.)

Have I mentioned I love drawers?

I am actually going to buy a few more of these as soon as I see a sale and do a Pinterest inspired make over on them.  But that's a future post.



Okay, I seriously need to focus.  Summer brain runs rampant and on a tangent could have been the title of this post!

Anyway, I made some labels for my drawers.  (Funny how that makes me think of panties . . . and speaking of panties this comic strip from a few days ago just tickled me!)



But I digress yet again.

I made a set with bees (for those wacko like me) and a set without for those of you who are more sane.  Take your pick . . . of labels not mental states! :)  Just click on the picture to download.

I love black and white too.
(I think I need another twelve step program or pill or something. lol)

300 Followers - Oh My!

Never in a gazillion years did I think I'd reach 300 followers!

Well, technically, I haven't yet . . . but I am soooo close!

Especially amazing when I feel like I haven't put anything really creative on here in a long time.

Erika you are not worthy!!

I have this story I've alluded to many times in other posts and everyone I know and love says this is their favorite story from my "past".

I've anguished over posting this story.
I can tell it with great effect and suspense in person.

But I've worried about how it will come across in written form.

I'm know Teeny Tiny Teacher, let me tell you!

But today, in honor or nearing 300 followers, I have decided to give it a go.
Much like I tell my kiddos.
Just do your best.
It's okay if you don't know, but not okay if you don't try.

So I'm giving it a try.

A long time ago, when I was a new teacher, before cell phones and internet were commonplace, I taught second grade in a reservation school.

Yes, that long ago!

In fact some of you younguns wouldn't believe it but the first cell phones were like the size of a backpack!  Not convenient at all let me tell you.  Of course no one could afford one but Don Johnson.  And if you don't get that you can't fathom the phones either.

So back to the story.

I had a rough class.
About half in special ed or title services.
Most qualified for free lunches.
Many just wanted to sit on my lap and get loved.
Little ones would ask what a wedding ring was while looking at mine.
Kids asked if we slept in the car when we went on a trip.

Yeah, it was rough.

It was also rough because of all the behavior issues.
I had a kid bring a loaded gun to school.
Some of my students regularly hid in the park bushes after school and beat up older kids.

But in spite of all that I had some darlings that will always hold special places in my heart.

One day I was sitting at my desk working one-on-one with a little darling named Julian.
Julian was an angel faced little American Indian boy who the bad boys always tried to woo to their side.  Fortunately at that time they didn't stand a chance because Julian didn't have a mean or naughty bone in his body.

My desk was by one of only two windows so that I could enjoy the sun and fresh breeze when possible.

On this particular day in the middle of our work, Julian stopped and gazed at me with his big, beautiful, brown eyes in wonder.

Lost in a dream it seemed.

Then he said, "Ya know Mrs. Schaff,"
pause

"When the light hits you just right,"
longer pause

As this cherub stares at me I am thinking to myself . . .
he is going to tell me how beautiful I am . . .

(Remember people I was a new teacher,
young,
thin,
fresh,
thin,
niave.

Julian blinks and smiles before going on.

"When the light hits you just right,

it

looks

like

you

have

a

mustache."

Smile, dimples glimmer, blink, bat the eyelashes.

OMG!  I have a mustache?!

What?!

Is this kid ill, insane?

No, this is one of my angels.

Picture me on my first break running to the teacher's bathroom to inspect.  Shooting past the principal who wants to ask me an important question.
No sorry, it's an emergency.  Gotta go!

Sure there is some fuzz.
Okay.
But a 'stache.
I think not.

Duck out of the bathroom and hightail it to the teacher's lounge and ask everyone I trust to check it out.
Honest opinions please.
We all know kids don't lie.

Next time I'm at the salon I have a serious discussion with the stylist about waxing.
She'll do whatever I want (of course and charge me) although my fuzz is blonde colored so it's up to me.

Long story short.
I've been waxing ever since.

The therapy for the emotional trauma is way more expensive than waxing, let me tell you people.

I'd like to see this little big boy man today and see if he still thinks I've got a 'stache!
Ah, heck, he'd probably just notice that my eyebrows are growing in places they shouldn't be now.

It stinks getting old is all I could say.

(Now you all know why I didn't care to win Farley's adorable mustache stamp . . . too many bad memories . . . don't go there!  And the hair phobia . . . don't get me started!)

BTW, when I reach 300 I'll be having a giveaway for a $25 Starbucks gift card!

Herding Kats (or Cats)

I got a really nice email from Jennifer over at Herding Kats in Kindergarten letting me know that my blog link in my comments wasn't working. Thank you Jennifer! Naturally I don't often use my own link to find my blog so I had no idea...I suppose I should have tested it, but obviously I didn't. So now, thanks to Jennifer's kindness, it is fixed and any new comments I leave will hopefully lead some people over to my little part of the blog world. Jennifer had noticed my comments everywhere and thought they were interesting. HA! Why should my blog life be any different than real life where I have a comment for everything! Anyway, thanks again, Jennifer! Good or bad, now people will be able to track me down. This hilarious cat herding video is for for all of you who, like Jennifer, herd cats in K. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pk7yqlTMvp8