The Devil's Chocolate

 

This morning I discovered that someone put Oreo balls in the teacher's lounge.

I have gone back three times now.

Why oh why don't I have any self-restraint???

24.75 hours until Christmas break!!!!!!!

(My posts are sooooo lazy lately. I know. I will do better after I get my Christmas break... promise.)

A Christmas Wish

Dear Santa:

 

I would like one of these for Christmas...

 

{bhg}

I deserve it. I promise.

Love,

Jenna

Warning: Soap Box Post

I'm absolutely terrible at saying no when it comes to my job. I hate that about myself. Absolutely hate it. It causes me to get taken advantage of constantly, and is the reason that I will no longer be getting a lunch break today.

Lunch breaks are VERY important for your sanity around here! Lunch time is the only time that I get 30 consecutive minutes of silence and time to myself all day.

Oh how I want to go on, but cannot.

Cross your fingers that I can keep a smile on my face throughout this veryyyy long day.

Countdown to Christmas break: 8 days!!

Delightfulness

I love cinnamon rolls. Always and forever. I would eat 15 a day if they wouldn't turn me into a cow. I'm lucky that eating several a week hasn't done so yet. I have 1.5 cinnamon rolls sitting on top of the microwave in my classroom waiting to be re-heated as we speak. They're around 48 hours old now but I don't care.

I'm really behind on blogging and it's stressing me out a little bit.

So I'll just try not to think about it.

The Eve of Once Upon a Christmas Eve

Well... this weekend is the big Christmas show. I feel it in my fingers. I feel it in my toes. (Needle pricks. Blisters.) We've done a lot of sewing and rehearsing, so this is sure to be a great show! Last night at dress rehearsal was actually the first time that I've ever seen the entire show. I LOVED it and daresay it is right up there with The Nutcracker in my book. 

We were rehearsing laaate into the night last night. I was standing on the stage as my bedtime ticked right on by and then some. The cats are always up waiting for me when I get up to start getting ready every morning. However, on this particular morning they were not in their usual spot by the door. I know this story is really random but it really was a first. I actually had to pick them up off of their respective places on the couches and carry them into the bathroom with me. 'Hey lady, don't you realize that we were up until a ridiculous hour waiting on you to come home so we could go to bed last night??' 

Brats.

....40 minutes later and still too tired to stand.

Maybe... just maybe... rehearsal tonight will be over earlier. 

I'm sure that at around 7:00 tomorrow night, all of this exhaustion will be 100% worth it. 

T.G.I.F. am I right?

Little Blessings

There's something about older substitutes at this school. They always seem to want to come in my classroom and start asking all sorts of personal questions before I even get their names. It has happened three different times now. I can understand their curiosity I suppose... it does seem a little strange to be spending so much of our daily math time on computers. Still, I'm not really one to ask awkward questions, ESPECIALLY to strangers.

Today a new sub marched into my classroom and immediately said "You have a hair on the back of your pants" and proceeded to remove it promptly before I could even respond. Uhh... thanks lady. I learned quickly that she was a little strange. She hung around to see what RM was all about but kept mostly to herself until I was getting the class lined up to leave. She walked up to me and said, “So, is this what you thought it would be?” I found myself stumbling around in my mind, trying to figure out how to answer that question. And honestly I am not even sure exactly what she meant by that question. I rambled on about something that I'm not even sure about now, but after she left it really made me start thinking. IS this what I thought it would be? In a word, no, “this” is not what I thought it would be. I mean, nothing ever is… right?

The most difficult thing that I've learned this year is that teaching isn't what it used to be. I feel like I have NO room for creativity whatsoever. I am simply there to make sure that things are run like they are "supposed" to be. Completely by the books. It seems like teachers are constantly walking on eggshells these days, which makes me really sad. I decided to become a teacher because of all of the wonderful memories that I have from elementary school. Sadly, most of my fondest memories of school would never be a possibility in today's public schools. I could go on and on about this subject but, alas, I should probably walk on a few more eggshells since this is a public blog. :) I do wonder sometimes if I want to do this again next year. I think that's a normal thought for first year teachers. Some weeks I'm filled with excitement when I think about my second year, and some weeks I spend all of my free time dreaming about what my next career will be. This is a personality flaw that has always caused annoyance during my job endeavors.

Regardless, many of the things that I've learned during these first few months of teaching are great things. When I first discovered that I would be working at the most "challenging" elementary school in Abilene, I really didn't know what to expect. It's always a little scary when you tell someone what school you're teaching at and they say, "Ohhhh... wow. That's... neat. You will be a great influence." Well, you know what? The kids at this school are so much more than I originally gave them credit for. They are a joy to be around and influence me daily to become a better person. They don't take anything for granted and are so grateful for the opportunity to learn. Sure, they occasionally say and do things that I never knew children under 10 years old were capable of, but it's hard to hold anything against them considering the home lives that many of them come from. Over the past few months they have become a huge part of my life. I dream about them every.single.night (which can be exhausting in some ways because I feel like I am at work all day AND all night). But when I really think about it, it's a blessing that even my subconscious is completely involved in what I am doing. These kids have absolutely no idea how much they have influenced me. No matter how I am feeling or how stressed out I am, they always find a way to brighten my day or make me feel better about myself.

How precious are they? I am so thankful that I get to spend my weekdays surrounded by 170 children who find a way to keep me smiling and make my day brighter every single day. 

Busy Elf

 

Between dance rehearsals, wrapping presents, making Christmas tags, Christmas cards, and shopping.. shopping.. and MORE shopping... I feel like I never rest anymore! (Which is why I have fallen out of the blogosphere.) Typical December, but I love all of the excitement. I TIVO'd all of my favorite Christmas movies so I can watch them nonstop during all of my crazy projects. Elf, Home Alone, The Santa Clause, The Holiday, The Family Stone, The Grinch, and Love Actually make insanity bearable. 19 days and counting!

How Lovely Are Your Branches

Isn't this just the most beautiful Christmas tree that you have ever seen? I had this one in my living room before I put the real one up. It just doesn't quite have the same effect.

My Christmas tree suit and I have definitely had a love/hate relationship so far. It has cost me several painful hours, has turned my hands green, has caused me to bleed, and is overall very unflattering no matter which way you turn it. However, we survived our first outing together and it was actually kind of fun. Besides being miserably cold (and breaking several of my beautiful ornaments), I had forgotten how fun it is to be part of a parade.

I was glad Kasey and Toni were there to represent the rest of the evergreen family with me though, because I certainly wouldn't have wanted to do it alone. I'm looking forward to many long nights at the dance studio over the next 8 days!