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Heigh ho, heigh ho … it’s off to work we go …

I’m the second in line up there … in case you didn’t recognize me.  

Yes, it’s that time.  I am so looking forward to seeing my kids, but I’m not looking forward to the return of stress.  I can feel it already weighing down on me … the pressure, the guilt, the exhaustion.  I had a goal to read the five books my mom gave me about teaching writing and try to cobble together a more effective writing program over the break.  Well, I’m halfway through the first book … yay, me.  I have, however, managed to make it almost all the way through  The Coalminer’s Daughter, and we all know how important that is.  

What I did accomplish over the past two weeks was a relatively relaxing holiday … and that truly is an accomplishment.  The trip was a great escape; I’ll have details about that in the next couple days.  The return home and back to reality (at least the home half of my reality) was rough, but being able to sleep in made everything better.  And, my grocery store declared the return of double coupons for the month, so that helped too.  Nothing like double coupons to make a happy Kelly.  

Well, bedtime is fast approaching.  Fingers crossed that nobody decided to move away over the vacation … I’m hoping to see all nineteen bright and shiny faces.

Quote of the Day:


Education should be exercise; it has become massage.  ~Martin H. Fischer

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Happy holidays to my Xanga buddies!

I just got home from breakfast and gift opening at my parents’ house.  I have enough time for a quick nap and packing (yes, packing) before I have to return to help with dinner.  Tomorrow I leave for San Francisco and Grass Valley to visit my father and my stepmom’s side of the family.  It’s so nice to think that after my return, I’ll still have more than a week of vacation left. Woohoo! I’ll update then … hopefully with pictures taken with my new digital camera.    Until then, I wish all of you a merry and bright (and safe) holiday! 


And to Liz ... I’ve been thinking of you lots … and you have a big fat email coming soon.


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There is a new protected post … you know the drill.

And now that I have hopefully gotten the whining out of my system, I promise shining, happy posts in the days ahead. 



Things I am grateful for today:

1.  modified school days on Thursdays and Fridays
2.  a 5.92% pay raise!
3.  my cozy down comforter
4.  I’m almost done with my Christmas shopping … woohoo!
5.  McDonald’s strawberry sundaes
6.  good friends … both old and new

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Happy Thanksgiving!

I have come here many times in the past few weeks wanting to write, but I have found that everything that comes out on the page sounds whiny.  I am facing challenges right now and struggling to keep a positive outlook.  As tempting as it is to dump everything out here, I think it would be counterproductive … hence my long hiatus.  When I figure out how to share what’s been going on in my life without the whining, I’ll definitely post.    But, in the meantime, I am here reading and commenting when I can.

As for what I am thankful for this year, that would have to be my students.  Remarkably, they are what’s keeping me sane right now, and I am so blessed to be able to spend my days with them … and get paid for it, no less. I am grateful for their laughter, their enthusiasm for life and learning, and their love. 

My mom is making Rachel Ray’s Thanksgiving recipes this year instead of our own traditional dishes.  We’re all a little bummed about that, but if she’s doing the cooking, we have no right to complain, eh?    I’ll let you know how it goes.  I’m contributing my famous salad, so I got off easy this year. 

I hope all of you, my dear Xanga friends, have a scrumptious Thanksgiving holiday! 

Quotes of the Day:

We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.  ~Thornton Wilder


Thanksgiving dinners take eighteen hours to prepare.  They are consumed
in twelve minutes.  Half-times take twelve minutes.  This is not
coincidence.  ~Erma Bombeck

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Tired, tired, so very, very tired …

Between work, my Saturday gig (teaching GATE kids), Toshi’s impending move, and boy juggling, I am one exhausted, stressed out girl.  I miss being more than a passive participant here.  Don’t give up on me yet! 

Quote of the Day:

That the birds of worry and care fly about your head, this you cannot help, but that they build nests in your hair, this you can prevent.

                                                                                                                ~Chinese proverb

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Thank you for your kind comments about my pictures below and for wishing Yang a happy birthday.  He is not on Xanga but came by for a visit.  I’m sure he appreciated your birthday wishes.   

In other news, I had a fantastic week with my students last week.  I wanted to teach them about the seven continents, so we were reading a brief book as way of introduction.  Well, it took us about 40 minutes to get through a 15-page book with only about one sentence per page.  They had so many questions!

When Pangaea split, how did the continents get to their new places?
How do volcanoes begin? 
When lava explodes through the ocean floor, doesn’t the water cool is too fast for it to continue flowing?
Where did the first people come from?
How did the dinosaurs disappear?
I heard that there were creatures before the dinosaurs … do you know anything about them?
Did you know that when you say “Sahara Desert”, you are really saying “Desert Desert” because Sahara means desert?

I simply have to make time to do more science and social studies this year.  These kids are so hungry for knowledge.  It really is so exciting to see this kind of enthusiasm.  For now, we are going to make a list of all of their questions, and I will be offering bonus classroom dollars for students who are able to find answers in the library.  I feel so blessed to have such a wonderful group of students this year, and I can’t wait to see all that we can accomplish in our time together. 

Quote of the day:


I think, at a child’s birth, if a mother could ask a fairy godmother to
endow it with the most useful gift, that gift should be curiosity. 
~Eleanor Roosevelt

And … for an update on other matters, please check the new protected post. 

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As I promised, here a few photos of my summer for you, my dear friend from Taiwan. 

And to the rest of you, where have you all been hiding?  Say hi to Yang and enjoy the quick retrospective! 



Long Beach




Being a firefighter like dad, also in Long Beach



My newest nephew, Nicholas, and me sitting on a very, very small chair



Do you remember this place?  A visit to UCSD



Me losing to Toshi on a ride at Disneyland; last year I won. 



A trip to the Mission museum with two of my girls



Ice cream with Mark Twain (your Elmira friend) and more girls



A trip to Huntington Library and Gardens with more kids

Yang, thank you so much for calling.  Happy late birthday!  I hope our tradition continues for many years to come.  All my best wishes to you and Hsini, and I am looking forward to new pictures of Pinche!