It's Here!

My fiber from Susan's Spinning Bunny has arrived! It is so beautiful! I have to take off my mix of fibers from the one bobbin so I can start spinning this! However, I have some homework that I have to do. I have to read two chapters in a Debbie Miller book. I'm in a teacher book club at school and we are looking at how to teach reading better. After I read my chapters, I can remove the yarn and start to spin my new stuff!
I had an amazing day toady. I got my feedback from my observation. It was really positive and I am feeling great about it. I'm always trying to think about how to make my lessons better and full of language for my students.

My NEW addiction!

Oh No! I found a new addiction! When we stopped today at the store to get a few things to make dinner I found chocolate covered Altoids! OH MY GOD!!! They are the best!!! I got the chocolate cinnamon ones. YUMMY!!! I could eat a whole box without thinking about it.... chocolate and cinnamon in one breath mint candy? How much better does it get? ^_^

Weekend Knitting

I know I said I was just going to sleep all weekend, but after watching my movie last night, I picked up my needles and started this cute hat. I wonder if there is a 12 step program for knitting... I admit I'm totally addicted! Then I had a dream about knitting, and I woke up with this cool pattern for a felted bag. I have never created my own pattern EVER! Maybe after the hat, I'll try it. I did write it down so I don't forget it. Maybe it'll be cute. Maybe I should stick to reading patterns. We'll see about that!

Cheer Up!

At belly dance tonight my friend Monica was feeling a little sad because her boyfriend is being dumb. I was bounding around because it was a long week and it's finally over! I wasn't doing a good job of cheering her up, so if you read this Monica, CHEER UP! I know things will work out in the end. My Nana always says "it's darkest before the dawn." I know it's hard to see that sunny happy times will come again, but they will!
I totally thought it was a snow day today. I woke up at 1:30 and dreamt that I had gotten a phone call saying that school was cancelled. However, it was not cancelled. The roads were so bad on the drive in to work today. Some schools were cancelled due to the weather. Lucky. My alarm went off, and I had to get up. Oh well. I'm happy the week is over. I have my report cards due Monday and my post observation is on Monday. I think I'm just going to sleep all weekend. I'm starting to relax tonight by watching Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines. How cheesy! Love it!

Let it Snow, Let it Snow, Let it Snow

Lake effect snow warning are in effect for tonight! YEAH! Maybe, I'll get a snow day... I'm just as bad as the kids! Here's what it looks like out my window. The roads are clear right now, but that can change overnight. However, today was a good day and all my lessons went well. I will do a snow dance before I go to bed to see if we can get our snow day! YEAH! I have high hopes! ^_^

Yummy Fibers

It was a good day today. The kids were all pretty good and things went well. All my lessons seemed to fly by today! It's always nice when a Monday seems to go fast. I hope that sets the tone for this week. I have my first observation on Thursday.
Yesterday I was so into my spinning that I used up all the green color fibers that I had. I then burned though a white fiber that I had gotten with a drop spindle kit I got at a festival this past fall. I only have a little bit of fibers left since all I have left was small scraps that the other spinners that the guild meetings gave me. It's enough to learn with, but not enough to do much else with. So, I found this great little company called Susan's Spinning Bunny. They had a ton of hand dyed fibers. I fell in love with the Enchanted Water Merino wool. It is so pretty, but it was not listed to buy. I called the number and a very nice lady told me that it was under the sapphire title. She told me that she was going to change it as soon as we got off the phone. True to her word it has been changed. Here's what I ordered. I can't wait to get it! ^_^

Spinning, Out of Control

Yesterday the guild meeting was great. The auction was so much fun, however I didn't win a single thing. T_T Carolyn that I met my first time there (she taught me drop spindle) said she was thinking about me and gave me a whole bunch of fibers to try and spin with. I took the wheel that I have on loan with me to the meeting. I admit that I hadn't used it since I was loaned it because I needed some help to get it going. Carolyn helped to get the wheel going and to get a bit of yarn spun up. It's cool to think that hundreds of years ago women spun because they had to, now we do it for fun. It makes me feel connected to the past somehow. I am slowly getting my yarn to look more even but it's really thin. I love thick chunky yarns. I guess it will take me more practice. I was told yesterday that it's all up to me what the end product looks like because my hands are the ones controlling the how much yarn is spun at once. Here's a pict of the yarn that I made yesterday on the loaner wheel. Looks pretty good for my first real attempt all by self.

I Don't Understand Some People

Yesterday was a great day. All of my kids have transitioned pretty well to me being their new teacher. I have one who was mad yesterday, but she was not happy when she came to class. After that, it was yoga time! Since we have the classes right at school it's cool because I can get to know my co-workers better. The school mascot is an Eagle, so yesterday our yogi had us doing eagle pose. Last week she skipped it feeling that the group wasn't ready for it. Last time during the relaxation part someone fell asleep. If it had been for light snores I would never have know. This week no one fell asleep, or rather, no one snored! I had a good time.
After that it was off to the bank to put my first paycheck in. I was very excited to deposit that! As I was leaving the bank it seemed that people were getting really crazy. The weather was not too bad yesterday, we were getting some lake-effect snow which means white outs and crappy driving, but it wasn't so bad yet. So, as the snow started to fall, people drove more and more like maniacs then ever! I don't get it! On the other end of the spectrum, you have people who drive slower that dirt, so when they met up with a maniac, it cause the whole road to be shut down due to tragic accidents. Drive with caution, yet don't be an idiot is what I think. Like I said, I don't understand some people.
After narrowly escaping stupid drivers I made it to belly dance class. Things started off great, but then... how can you not come to a dance class where you know you will SWEAT and not have on deodorant????? FOUL is what it was! I think I know who the culprit is, because it seems to be like this when ever this one person is there. I was doing several checks to make sure it wasn't me as I had just come from yoga. The WHOLE class thought it was someone by them (class is about 25 of us). It was that potent that we could all smell it. GROSS!!!
Today, on a happy note, it is the 3rd Saturday of the month which means as soon as I post this, I'm off to the spinning guild meeting. Today there is an auction. I hope I can get some good stuff!

National Public Humiliation

Last night the 6th season of American Idol started. I made Hubby watch it with me only because the first few shows are HILARIOUS! As I sit here watching it tonight I wonder what some of these people are thinking. Do they know they suck or are they truly upset when they are told they suck? The ones who are good, are nice to watch get put though to the next round. However, I secretly love to watch the ones who are bad. I know that I often embarrass myself by doing stupid things, but going on national television to do so is not my thing. Oh wait, I also wouldn't try out for Idol because I know I SUCK!! So, I'll sit at home and enjoy watching all the others who don't yet know that they suck. ^_^

Ice Storm

We were hit pretty hard by ice yesterday. All the trees and shrubs are coated in ice. All the teachers were hoping for a snow day, and I think all the kids were hoping for one too. It looks like snow again in our forecast. The driving was ok, but my new brakes are great! ^_^ Maybe it will snow enough tonight for a snow day tomorrow! HA HA!

Cleaning Up and Lesson Plans

Today we are working on things around the house. This morning we took my car in to get the brakes done. We stopped for breakfast and then we went to Target to pick up a few things. My hubby is allergic to laundry detergent that has sents. Therefore, we have to buy Tide Free laundry detergent and Bounce Free dryer sheets. I don't mind so much, but when they came out with the Downy Simple Pleasures yummy smells I couldn't resist. The only thing that bugs me about using all the Free of sent stuff is that my laundry doesn't smell like it's been washed. So today at Target, I got my smelly good laundry stuff, or at least I thought I did. I got fabric softener. It's ok, I used it anyway and yes, it smells GREAT!
Right now, Hubby is playing Playstation 2. My bother got us the game Def Jam Fight for NY. I played one go-around with him, but it's not something I would sit and spend hours playing. I was using my wonderful vacuum to clean up all the rabbit hair in the living room. Now that the rabbits are all upstairs it make cleaning up easy! Now the last thing I need to do today before I can relax and enjoy my extra day off is to work on my lesson plans for tomorrow! I have most of it done, but the last two classes I need to think about how to put together a solid lesson for the kids.

P-A-R-T-Y

Last night my former high school students threw a party for their ESOL teachers. It was great. There were four teachers and two different houses that we went to. We started at one family's house where we eat Cambodian food and desert. It was so great! Then we headed off to the other family. I had no idea we were going to eat at both houses, so I totally ate a HUGE bowl of soup at the first house. When we walked in the door of the second house we were greeted to a HUGE spread of finger cakes, nuts, and cookies. After hanging out for a while, we were then told that dinner was served. I couldn't believe it!!!! The sheer amount of food was overwhelming. I tried a little of everything. All the food was made by one high school girl. She is an amazing cook! I wanted to eat more, but my stomach was so full! At the first house we got a chance to see Cambodian music videos. It was pretty cool. At the second house, we saw Russian music videos. The second family is not Russian, but they lived there for many years before they came to the States. The girls danced for us and a few of us danced with them. It was a great time. I laughed and ate my self silly. It was a very special night. ^_^

Busy Week

I made it though my first week at my new job. The kids are great, the staff is nice and I HAVE MY OWN ROOMS!!!! Yes, two rooms for two different buildings! YEAH!!!It was a great time! My one building is doing a fitness challenge were all the teachers have to wear pedometers. They also offer yoga on Fridays after school. I went this week before belly dance. It was great! I love yoga and then racing off to belly dance.
This go-around in belly dance we are studying astro-belly dance. It's really sweet. Each dance pattern is based on a zodiac sign. So far we have learned Aries, torus, and this week we learned Gemini. Not only is it based on your zodiac sign, it also uses the sign's element. So, I'm a Sag, which is a fire sign. My planet is Jupiter. Cool, huh? I like it!
Yesterday I got my hubby to watch the B cult film Napoleon Dynamite. I LOVE that movie! There are only two kinds of people for that movie, those whom love it and those whom hate it. I'm in the love category. I think hubby was in the other one. I love it because in my elementary school there was a boy who WAS Napoleon Dynamite. He acted like him, wore the same moon boots that he did, and was just the character come to life! It hits so close to home for me, I can help but laugh out loud watching it. Hubby was at best slightly amused with it.
We moved Chanel and Versace upstairs last night. Now all the bunnies are on the second floor of our house. No more bunnies in the living room. No more angry face when I play DDR right next to their cage. Chanel seems to love her new home. Versace is not too sure about it. The floor is a bit slippery, and he HATES slippery floors. >_< Oh well, he learn to love it in time. When I went to feed them this a.m. he was stuck on the top level of the cage. He couldn't figure out how to get down. I think it's going to take some time for him to get use to it.
Traditonaly this weekend my mom and I go skiing together. I don't know that we'll be able to, so our backup plan is to go shopping at the outlet! ^_^

New Job

I started my new job today. On Thursday and Friday I had shadowed the former teacher so today I was on my own. It was pretty good. I know that the kids and I need some time to get use to each other. After that I think my year will go pretty well. ^_^

Sad Goodbye

I had to say goodbye yesterday to my high school kids. I swore I wasn't going to cry but, then they surprised me with the sweetest gesture ever. I was called to the office minutes after I walked in to find they had sent me flowers. It was so sweet and it meant so much to me that I cried before I even taught them. When they came to class most of them were pretty upset already. My wonderful aide had arranged for the flowers to be sent from them. She was wonderful yesterday! Each time a girl needed a quite minute she took them to the hall to calm them down. The new teacher came to observe the class and meet the kids. She even brought cookie cake to say goodbye to me and say hello to the girls. I thought that was very sweet! The girls are set against anyone new right now, but I know this teacher and I know that she will win them over in no time! Our styles of teaching are very different, but she's got some great ideas and it will be good for the girls. I also have some adjusting to do. I have met all my new students now I just have to teach them starting Monday!
Yesterday my husband got up early to do a few things before work. On of the things he did was to go and pick up a package for me from my very good Japanese friend. It was my Christmas gift! She sent me comics and food!!! YUMMY! The comics are ones that I have read in English. In fact, I started watching it on TV first, fell in love with the main character Yuki's voice, got the books from the book store, and then got my friend hooked on them too! So great! I tried to find them when I was in Japan this past summer, but I couldn't. However, my friend found them and she got them for me for Christmas! YEAH! She also sent me food that I can just add to my rice cooker for rice with veggies and stuff! YUMMY! I am happy about that. However, she thinks that it is really funny that I wanted that. I can't get it here, so yeah, I wanted something strange for Christmas. She wanted my toothpaste when I was there, so she got toothpaste for Christmas! Oh well, that's what she wanted! ^_^
Today I have to take Tira and Nesquick to the vet for their yearly check up. They are not going to be happy about that! Tira and Nesquick are pretty good in the car, so I'm not too worried about taking them. I HATE driving Chanel and Versace to the vet! They are HORRID in the car! I think they hate the car ride as much as I do when we have to go!

Only A Few Days Left

I only have two days left before I start my new teaching job. I am really excited about it. I had to go today to sign all the paperwork. Tomorrow morning I go to meet the kids before I go to my current job. I'm nervous to meet them, but so excited! ^_^

Happy New Year!

Well, we made it to 2007. 2006 was a good year for me, hubby and the rabbits. New Year's eve found me sound asleep on the couch. Hubby kindly woke me up so I could watch the ball drop only to go back to bed after that. I wasn't feeling so hot and unfortunately, I had to miss my friend's 21st birthday. What a lousy friend I am to miss her party! It sucked being home, but I'm feeling better and I'll take her out for a drink soon!
Today I had to tell my kiddos that Friday will be my last day with them. Monday I start my new job. I am so excited about that! It was hard to tell them that I won't be their teacher anymore. They are really sweet kids and I'm really sad to say goodbye to them. I am still really excited about my new job however!
I hope that 2007 is a wonderful year for you and your families. ^_^