Windy Spring Day

I feel great today. I rode my bike to school for the first time this spring. It felt good. I live so close to school, that I honestly feel guilty driving my car every day. Before you start applauding too loudly, you should understand that I'm definitely not a fanatic about it. I refuse to bike on rainy days, cold days, or days when my backpack is too heavy (too many papers to grade). But, I feel like any day that I can bike is an improvement. Since I go home for lunch every day, I get 4 quick little rides in throughout the course of the day. It was so darned windy today though. It made things a little challenging. I was pedaling like a crazy woman on the way home for lunch, and then on the way back, I was going so fast... I felt like I was flying! It's sunny and beautiful today though, despite the wind. Tomorrow is supposed to be even nicer, and it might hit 80 degrees on Friday! I plan to bike the rest of the week, for sure... no rain in sight!

Spring Has Sprung

It seemed to happen overnight. Blooms and green everywhere. I love spring. I don't even mind the rain today. Hopefully, it will bring on the morels!

Last night, Andrew and I went to dinner with Roberta and Darien. We went to the Bonaparte Retreat. I love it there, and my filet mignon was to die for. Andrew's steak was less than fantastic (to say the least), but he got the ribeye. That's supposed to be their specialty, but I always get the filet there. It's so good!

Yesterday was our 3 month anniversary. What a happy 3 months, and what a change 3 months can make in a life... or 2 lives, I guess. :)

Tonight is Kevin & Alicia's birthday party, so I'm looking forward to that. They always throw a fun party.

This was a tiring week... a good, busy week... but a tiring week. I'm glad it's the weekend!

Weekly Update

This was a short week for the kids.  They had Good Friday off.  We had an inservice day.  In the morning, we worked to incorporate Formative Assessments into our Backwards Design units... sorry for the jargon.  I got a good start with what I wanted to do, but my head was definitely swimming by the end of the morning.  Sometimes my area of Talented and Gifted education doesn't fit nicely into the parameters of the box given.  Productive morning, but a little frustrating.  I'll get it though... more attention required.  In the afternoon, we learned how to Podcast.  This is something I REALLY wanted to learn because a few teachers had done it in their classes, and the outcome is way cool.  I can see a ton of uses for it, so I'm anxious to try it with my students.  I think we were all hoping to get out a little early, but we ended up staying past 3:30 to try to get everything done.  I was into it though, so I didn't mind.

This morning I woke up with a whopper of a headache, so I haven't been accomplishing much.  It's a beautiful day though, so I'm determined to get off my rear and get outside to pick up sticks.  I need to get that done before spring cleanup.  Andrew and I might be going to a concert tonight, but his son is home sick, and my head is really giving me fits, so the concert might be out of the picture.  We'll see.

Tomorrow will be a big day at church.  Easter Sunday.  I have to be there at 7:00 am.  UGH.  The kids' program is at 8:00, then there's a breakfast, and then choir sings at 10:30.  I'll definitely be napping tomorrow afternoon!  :)

Last night Andrew and I watched A Fish Called Wanda.  That movie is so funny.  I hadn't seen it in ages.  I'll never forget the first time I saw it.  It was the summer after my sophomore year, and I went with my friend Nathan.  We laughed so hard that I had tears, and I thought I was going to fall out of the chair.  A couple of weeks later, I went with another friend, and she was offended by the humor.  You could have heard a pin drop.  I was scared to even chuckle.  It's weird how things can be funnier (or not), depending on who's sharing them with you.

I'm working to get the GOAL end-of-the-year trips all scheduled.  I love going on them, but I hate having to miss so much school.  I don't know if there's any way to remedy that.  I also have to miss days for the 8th grade trip to Adventureland and to grade 8th grade alternate reading assessments.  I hate being out of the classroom so much.  I better not get sick between now and the end of the year.  That's the last thing I need!

Well, that's enough randomness for now.  Have a Happy Easter, everyone!

And I Was Never the Same Again...

Me. 8 years old. It was all over.

I have this theory about how Han Solo affected girls around my age. Let's just say I've never been really interested in the Luke Skywalker type. I know Star Wars was very influential to all kids of my generation. Remember that Friends episode with Ross' mom in the gold bikini? Ewwww. But I digress. For me, it was all about Han.  For those like me, enjoy.  Feel free to pause and repeat.

Not to Dwell, But...

I know not all of the people who read my blog share my feelings about the Iowa State Supreme Court's decision last week, so I really don't mean to dwell, BUT... there was a great article in the Op-Ed section of the New York Times today that I just couldn't keep to myself.  

I'm so very proud.  :)

Love That Jon Stewart

I don't know how long the lift of the ban on gay marriage will last, or if it will last at all. But I was very proud of my state last week. Since then, both my e-mail inbox and my answering machine have been bombarded with pleas to contact my congressmen. One side wants an amendment banning gay marriage again. The other side wants the State Supreme Court's ruling upheld. I haven't been so politically attacked since the caucuses. Blerg.

I know the issue is controversial. Maybe that makes me even prouder. I don't get Comedy Central (I have cheap cable), but when I saw this clip posted on Facebook, I had to share it. Take that, California (no offense, California Cousins)!

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart	M - Th 11p / 10c
Queer Eye for the Hawkeye
thedailyshow.com
Daily Show Full Episodes Economic Crisis Political Humor

Blasts from my Past

I was on YouTube and started searching for some blasts from my past. When I watched this "Lower Case N" song from Sesame Street, I remembered how it always made me sad when I was little. It has a happy ending, but it's pretty depressing. And weird. I mean, the new lower case n comes on a rocket ship. Trippy.



And how about this one from Electric Company? I was always fairly hypnotized by these clips. You go, Morgan Freeman! :)



And finally, it's time for Bozo's GRAND PRIZE GAME! I would practice this in our lane on the farm by throwing pieces of gravel into puddles. I only wish I was kidding about that too.