When We Have Company Over

...we always go crazy cleaning. i LOVE it. i love when we both just clean for like an hour and get everything spotless. we usually turn on music and just work. we straighten things up, hang up clothes, do the dishes, wash the counters, do the laundry, make the bed, dust, vacuum, sweep, mop, and clean the bathrooms. it's greatness. i love it because when we're done, we just get to sit in this super clean condo and relax. usually it stays really clean for several days, sometimes even a week or two. eventually it gets dirty again, but we invite people over, and away we go cleaning again!

Here is a picture to show the cleanliness!

Mean Teacher

I was a mean teacher today.

The second class drove me nuts.

Please don't tell my principal.


I thought I would give them a "fun" project. I have been teaching them about the plot, conflict, climax, and resolution of a story. I showed them a cartoon and told them that they could write and draw their own cartoon using all of the elements. I had special instructions that I repeated about 5 times.


Seriously.

5 times.

I am not exaggerating.


But still, after 5 times, I had about 10 students come up to me asking the same questions over and over. I almost lost it on them. Instead, I calmly told them to sit down. I asked them if they would like it if a 52 people came up to them and asked the SAME question.


52 times.


Of course they all said "no." I told them that I had 52 students and it gets old having the same questions asked 52 times, especially when I have already told the entire class 5 times.


I asked them if they thought it was fair for me to get "chewed out" by their parents when they received zeroes on progress reports for simply not turning in their assignments.


Not turning in their assignments because they, for whatever reason, didn't follow instructions.


Didn't do it.

Or my favorite, did it, but didn't turn it in.

Of course they all said "no" to that as well.

So, I gave them an ultimatum.


I told them that recess is an "extra" in the 6th grade, and from now, if people ask me to repeat simple instructions (not related to content), they would sit out in recess and write the instructions I had given. That way they could remember them.


See, I told you I was a mean teacher.

_________________________________________

Now something on a lighter note!

Here is a picture of Casey & I from the Cowboy game we went to a few weeks ago. It was a lot of fun, and of course the Cowboys won! Don't they always?

Random Updates

Today I let my students vote on the name for our new class pet, the gerbil. I know her name was Ginny, but I wanted to give them some "ownership" over her, so I let them nominate names, and then they voted on them. Well, the verdict is in. Her new name is Skittles. Sounds like 6th graders named her, doesn't it? I think so. I am okay with it though. It was better than some of the other nominations though. Ms. Sunshine was a hoot. I really hoped they didn't vote on that so I didn't have to refer to the gerbil as Ms. Sunshine, lol.

This gerbil is very active. I think I may have to remove the "running wheel" during class because that thing is constantly on it! I think she thinks she is getting away. Isn't that sad? I suppose we can be like that sometimes, too. Running from God, but not getting anywhere.

On to other news, Casey is away on a mini-trip. He is playing golf in the "Tin Cup." Roger Clark (my former CFA boss) puts it on every year, and he invites about 25 guys to come and play in East Texas. They stay at his lake house (except Casey and a few others are staying at a hotel due to lack of room for everyone). He left the house at 5:25am this morning in order to get to Chickfila by 5:45. They headed out to East Texas and teed off at 8am. They'll get back tomorrow evening. I think they play 45 holes in all. I think Casey would do this monthly if he could. If it weren't $175, I might let him! :)

I think someone with some resources needs to plan a girls' mini-trip. I know people do this, but it is normally geared for older women, I think. I want a weekend of massages, manicures, pedicures, and shopping :) Too bad that costs more than $175. Maybe I'll get to spend that much on clothes or something since he's getting to do that on GOLF--I cannot think of something I would like to spend money on any less. Ha ha. The difference in guys and girls (I know a lot of girls play golf, but not many of them would rather pay to play than shop)!

Speaking of money....I GET PAID IN TWO DAYS!! WOO HOO! For those of you who don't know...this will be my first real pay check ever. EVER. I think my last pay check over $100 was at Chickfila, which would be like 4 years ago. AND I've basically been working for two months with no pay. Can't wait, can't wait, can't wait! woo hoo!

Gerbil Alert!

I got a gerbil. Yep, that's right, a gerbil. You see, there's this woman at our church who is on staff with Casey. Her 2 kids had a gerbil named Ginny, but recently they got two little puppies. Sooo, she asked Casey if I might like it for my classroom. I said "sure!" I think it would be fun to have a class pet :) The first time she tried to give me the gerbil her little girl just started crying and so she let her keep it. Today she asked her if she thought it was about time to give Ginny to "Mrs. Lauren." Her little girl said yes, so today Casey brought little Ginny the Gerbil home. Ha ha. I have been watching it all night-it is so interesting. I guess I am pet deprived because normally a little rat-like animal would not intrigue me so. However, Casey has deprived me from any cat or dog since we have been married. I have actually never had a hampster of gerbil or anything like that so it is kind of fun watching it. I think I will wait to bring the gerbil to my class 'til Monday though. It will be a nice surprise for my students :) I think I might let my kids name her...maybe I will let them vote since it is an election year ;) ha ha--always trying to think of a teachable moment. Lol.

Anyway, tonight Casey and I were watching The Office when Ginny started going crazy in her wheel-she was running so fast and eventually went too fast! She turned upside down and went all the way around until she fell right out of the wheel. It was so funny. She did it twice, and Casey and I laughed our heads off. So far she is pretty fun, but her wheel-running is kind of loud. I might disable it tonight so it doesn't wake me up. I might even have to do that when I am teaching so the kids are majorly distracted.

Anyway, that is my life right now. New gerbil in the house.

i promise i really do like it.

teacher update. kids are funny. they do funny things. they are sweet. they are kind. they are loving. but they are also annoying.

i really like teaching. i swear i do. but i am tired. i get tired of telling kids to stop talking. stop tapping on the desk. stop humming. stop making "spinners" & "flyers" (as they like to call them) out of your papers. stop touching the glass when you walk in the hall. stop running. stop yelling. stop forgetting your homework. stop daydreaming. blah blah blah blah blah.

but other than that i love teaching :)

All of "The Laurens" are Now Off the Market

This past weekend was Lauren Smith's Wedding Weekend! Thursday night-Bachelorette Party, Friday night-Rehearsal Dinner, & Saturday-Wedding! I unfortunately had to miss her bridal brunch on Friday morning because of work. I just could not ask off on my 7th day of school.

with my gorgeous friend, the bride!

casey and i after the ceremony!

with my dear besty laura k. we love this pic. we're cute, that's why ;)

me with my momma--we're cute too :)

An Apple for the Teacher

Teacher Update!

I know, I know. People have been asking about school. I am sorry it has taken this long to get to my blog. I have been so overwhelmed/busy. I think I am getting better at it all though.

Today was my 5th day of school. We started last Wednesday, and then we had Monday off, so I still haven't had a full week of school. I've been okay with that though :) I had a relaxing 3-day weekend.

My first day of school was a lot of fun! I REALLY like my homeroom class. My team teacher's class, however, is a handfull! I get them about 2 hours a day. Some of them are crazy ;) It is okay though. I'll get a handle on it :)

I'll put pictures up later, but for now, here is a fun, little survey about myself!


I AM … a believer. a wife. a daughter. a friend. a teacher.
I WANT… an animal running around our condo.
I HAVE … the love of an amazing man.
I KEEP … all of the notes and cards that mean something to me in a metal basket on my desk.
I WISH I COULD … get over my fear of heights! I almost couldn't get all the way up the Eiffel Tower.
I HATE … running late. All the time. I am slowly getting better at this. I promise.
I FEAR … speaking in public-crazy, that I picked a job talking in front of adolescents, I know.
I HEAR … the harshness of the wind blowing across the lake and shaking our windows.
I DON’T THINK … that the Olympics should only be a couple weeks long. Casey and I definitely had withdraws.
I REGRET … quitting piano lessons in middle school (after several years of practice)!
I LOVE … my adorably cute husband.
I AM NOT … easy to convince. I guess you could call me hard-headed.
I DANCE … really silly when I'm hyper.
I SING … along with any song that I know the words to, and some that I don't (this makes Casey laugh).
I NEVER … want to miss out on any opportunity that God is giving me because I am scared of the unknown.
I RARELY … go a day without checking Facebook-that's probably because I am a Facebook addict. However, I have been skipping a few days every now and then since I started school.
I CRY WHEN I WATCH … Oprah. It gets to me almost every time. I also admit that I cried during one episode of The Office. Sad, right?
I AM NOT ALWAYS … in a good mood, but when I teach, I try to fake it.
I HATE THAT … there are students in my class that feel like misfits.
I’M CONFUSED ABOUT … children whose parents are okay with them being disrespectful to other adults, or even themselves.
I NEED … to cook more. Please help me save my famished husband!
I SHOULD … be reading or cleaning. But rather I digress by this fun little survey.