I think that kids
only have about two hours of “well-behaved and civilized” in them for
each day. Normally, it’s spread out throughout the day, since in
a regular day we have outlets for the antsiness. During testing,
however, we use up all two hours at once, meaning that for the rest of
the day they are WILD! If we didn’t have Open House two
days after testing ends, I would just let them have movies, art, and
P.E. for the whole afternoon. Unfortunately, I have to continue
to crack the whip through much of the afternoon or we’ll never be ready
in time. Somehow everything will get done, and even if it
doesn’t, life will go on. But, in the meantime, they are driving
me nuts!
Ever since coming back from spring break, I have felt the impending
departure of my kids weighing on my heart. Half of my class has
been with me for two years because I had a combo class last year and
got to keep my second graders when they became third graders this
year. That makes it especially hard to let them go. Not
every year is like this. There have been years when I’ve felt
like doing cartwheels on the last day of school, but this isn’t one of
those years. So, even though they are being naughty, I can’t bear
the thought of them leaving in just a few short weeks.
On the homefront, we literally spent last weekend at Home Depot.
We went there at least three times for laminate flooring and to order a
kitchen counter, and we went to three different Lowe’s to get enough of
the tile I wanted for the kitchen. Then we had to use two cars to
get the stuff home. Once home, it had to be hauled
upstairs. We now have a house full of flooring, underlayment, and
grout. I would say everything but the kitchen sink, but we got
one of those too! 
Over the next few weeks we will be putting new flooring in the kitchen,
living room, and dining room. We will also be getting a new
counter and sink. Before any of that can happen, though, we have
to remove all the old stuff. What a total pain in the butt!
Toshi started chipping away at the ceramic tile today. It’s going
to take forever and turn our place into a total disaster area. I
wish I could just go to sleep and wake up in a month when it’s all
done. 
At some point I’ll try to take some before pictures to post.
Quote of the Day: (in honor of Teacher Appreciation Day)
If a doctor, lawyer, or dentist had 40 people in his office at one
time, all of whom had different needs, and some of whom didn’t want to
be there and were causing trouble, and the doctor, lawyer, or dentist,
without assistance, had to treat them all with professional excellence
for nine months, then he might have some conception of the classroom
teacher’s job.
~Donald D. Quinn
Poisoned by Fairy Tales 
kids never fail to say the darndest things…ahhhh i love it…
off to new york again …seems i am back up and walking ahead…i am giving simon a chance..no i am not a glutton for punishment but a believer that there are at least 3 good 4 good guys in the world….
1) toshi
2)andy lau
3)mr. nice not yet sighted
4) mr. nice hopefully seeing tomorrow..
hahahaha
let you know
I don’t have any idea if this will matter at all but I’m laying it out there anyway.I remember my third grade teacher clear as a bell. I haven’t been in school for over 25 years and third grade was even longer. Her name was/is Mrs. Chidester and I loved her fiercely. She made a huge impact on my life. I have no idea what she thought of me but I sure do remember her well. In my mind I can still picture her in her 60s glasses and dresses and everything, like a perfect memory caught in amber forever.
Wow…you’re a mess!
Hey…I’m really short…but I’m not that wild, well…not in school anyway.
Have a good weekend hun!
Ohhh, I like that quote. Double points that his name is “Quinn.” Hang in there. I even miss kids from student teaching, yet I’m not eager to visit. Something to do with what happened, I suppose. But the teacher has invited me to come in on the last day of school… I was there with them on their first day, hmmm… we’ll see.