Monday, October 29... thankful

Today I am thankful that people know me.

Tonight my 5th grade teacher inboxed me on facebook and said, "You are SO the grown up I knew you would be..."  

:)

For Sunday, October 28

I am thankful that at age 31 I know myself... I know when I can be around people and be "up" and I know when I need down time, too.

I am thankful for hurricane Sandy for "forcing" some down time with my family.

For Saturday, October 27

Thankful...

I am thankful that I have three brothers that appreciate all the wackiness of me... because I love all the wackiness of them.

Triumphant Return!

It's been about ten months since my last post.   Sorry!

I don't have any excuses :)  

But I did decide that I need to focus on the amazing in my life and, inspired by mom's new dinnertime ritual, I will blog one thing a day for which I am grateful.


Friday, October 26, 2012...

Today I am grateful that I changed schools and feel like I'm in a teaching environment where I can work with others to be the teacher I've always wanted to be.

Weight change

Not me!

Phebe.

I just took her to the vet and saw her weight record since I've had her.   Let's start with now:

Feb, 2012:  18.5 pounds

January 2012: 18.2 pounds

late October 2010: 16.8 pounds

early October 2010: 16 pounds

December 2009: 8.6 pounds

November 2009: 7.28 pounds

October 2009: 5.5 pounds

I don't even care, my dog is SO cute it hurts.  Look at her 5 pound self.  

Phebe's new name

A more light-hearted post:

The other day I was in the math room at my school with some amazing people.  My friend said that her roommate was going to be getting a new puppy that weekend: a Goldendoodle.

I asked out loud, "Where do they get the 'doodle' from?  Shouldn't it be a Goldenpoodle?"  A co-worker said, "You have a cocker-poodle, right?"

I said, "yes, a Cockapoo.  Both names represented."  

My friend said, "Why don't you call her a 'cockadoodle'?"

Done.

Phebe: dog
Breed: cockadoodle

To my Soul,

Hey blogger-ville, it's your old friend Cait.

I'm just going to pick up with some new posts.  I've had a lot of ideas in the past 3 months, but finding or making time to do them has been tricky.  So have the last three months.  For awhile, I'm just going to start back up; no explanation.  Maybe you'll get explanations.  Maybe there aren't any explanations... until then:

In the end, the love you take... is equal to the love you make.

I watched the Grammys tonight and I was reminded of two very big Cait-ish things:
1. Music gets in my Soul and affects me
2. The Beatles are amazing and should dominate shows all the time

Let me start with #2.  Paul McCartney just tore it up on the stage-- age was not a factor in that performance.  [Age has been bothering me for a little bit.  My body is not acting as I would like it to, and I hope I will find some answers this week.]
The Beatles are the most comforting band to me.  I have always, Always said that you can find a Beatles song to fit any mood.  It's true.
Sad?  Let it Be.
Melancholy?  Imagine.
Rebellious?  Revolution.
Romantic?  Love.
Miss singing songs with your Dad on his guitar?  Blackbird.
I was lucky to have parents who really appreciated the Beatles and we grew up listening to them.  I was singing, "Love, love me do... you know I love you" before second grade.  My dad sang, "A, B, C, D, can I bring my friend to tea? E, F, G, H, I, J I love you" to me as a toddler. My answering message on my freshman dorm phone was, "You say goodbye and I say hello..."  I have in the past called my classes to the carpet with the call, "Come together..." to which my class responded, "Right now.  Over me."
The Beatles have been in my soul as long as I've been alive.  And I really need to rely on them right now.  Beatles mix will be prepared this week.

Nothin's gonna change my world, nothin's gonna change my world...

That segues perfectly into #1.  Just as the Beatles are in my soul, music in general is... and I so often forget.  I don't know all the brand new, amazing singers.  I'm certainly not hip and cool in my music taste, but I know what my soul likes.

Sometimes I want to dance: Vampire Weekend, A Punk
Sometimes I want to cry: Adele, Someone Like You
Sometimes I am so happy about something that I cry anyway: Fun., We Are Young
Sometimes I just want to be happy: George Strait, Here For a Good Time
Sometimes I want to be mad: Ben Folds Five, Song For the Dumped
Sometimes I want to fall in love: The Avett Brothers, January Wedding/Beyonce, Flaws and All
Sometimes I want to chill: 311, Amber
Sometimes I want to smile: Bruno Mars, Just the Way You Are
Sometimes I want to kick stuff: Kanye West, Stronger
Sometimes I want to laugh and sing: Andy Gibb, Shadowdancing
Sometimes I want to be content with what I have:  Joe Purdy, Wash Away


And yes, I can think of a Beatles song for each of those moods, too.


Sometimes I want to dance: Beatles, Can't Buy Me Love
Sometimes I want to cry: Beatles, Love
Sometimes I am so happy about something that I cry anyway: Beatles, Across the Universe
Sometimes I just want to be happy: Beatles, It Won't Be Long
Sometimes I want to be mad: Beatles, Helter Skelter/I'm Looking Through You
Sometimes I want to fall in love: Beatles, Here, There and Everywhere/ Something/ I Will 
Sometimes I want to chill:  Beatles, Two of Us
Sometimes I want to smile: Beatles, I've Just Seen a Face
Sometimes I want to kick stuff: Beatles, Revolution
Sometimes I want to laugh and sing: Beatles, When I'm Sixty-Four/Yellow Submarine
Sometimes I want to be content with what I have:  Beatles, In My Life


I need to remember that songs can accept, release and change my emotions.  I need to let music in more when things are tricky.

And when the night is cloudy... there is still a light that shines on me... Shine until tomorrow... let it be.


That light leads my soul's boat home...

Yes, I know.

A few weekends ago, I was called out.  It's true.  It's been MONTHS since my last post.   Ok, fair enough.

Truthfully, I have been busy as can BE this fall.  Among many things, I've been:

1. In a new grade level and hard at work with my teammates building a new curriculum for our students.  From scratch.  It's a lot of work but I've seen some amazing learning going on.
2. I've been teaching a wonderful group of teachers the Responsive Classroom approach to classroom community on Tuesday nights from 4:30-7:30.  Since it's the first time I've ever taught this ten-week course, there has been an extraordinary amount of prep work.  But for the next time I teach this course, the prep is 70% done so it should be a lot easier.
3. I joined CrossFit. Web definition:  CrossFit is a strength and conditioning brand that combines weightlifting, sprinting, gymnastics, powerlifting, kettlebell training,plyometrics, rowing, and medicine ball training. CrossFit contends that a healthy, fit person requires proficiency in each of ten general physical skills: cardiovascular/respiratory endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, power, speed, agility, balance,coordination, and accuracy.  We'll see.   I really like it so far!  I am trying to go 3x/week.  
4. I've gone back to the chiropractor.  I had a groupon for some free x-rays and a massage.  When they checked my x-rays, I learned that one of my hips is 12mm higher than the other.  Everyone is a little off, but 12mm is a LOT!  It's a centimeter and then some!  So, we are working to realign me with some pretty cool techniques.  For 3 weeks in October, I was at the Essential Health Center THREE DAYS A WEEK.  
5. Going to Chiro 3 days/week AND CrossFit 3 days/week plus teaching until 7:30 one night... see? Busy Bee...

But I've certainly had a lot of fun along the way... 

Here's a phone photo dump of all things I've been doing since the last time I posted.  Then I'll do subsequent posts with different updates.

Found this awesome ring at a Vintage store in Old Town.  Didn't buy it.  Kind of regret it.

Said goodbye-for-now to one of my favorite laughing-buddies.  We made Kristin a scrapbook of memories to take with her to San Diego.  :)

Dogs love wearing Halloween costumes.  And living in sewers following the advice of rats.

Watching the best show on tv every Wednesday night.

Finding presents in my shoes from a black fluff.

Love this picture because I am loving taking pictures of funny Owen.

Wouldn't you laugh if you were looking at this funny sweet face?

 Everyone loved the slide!  Phebe did not like being ignored but she didn't do as well on the slide.

Spending time with my Joy, the man.

My favorite picture that I've taken.  Ever.

You have no idea how much this baby loves his Mom.  And vice versa. It is AMAZING to be around. 

It snowed Halloween weekend.

I was a black-eyed P.   Also, that black eye was REALLY fun to make!!

Been enjoying the fireworks of fall.  More on this in another post.

I let my students give me input on their Work Habits grade.  I love this honesty about her courteous behavior.  She gave herself a "G" for Good instead of an "O" for Outstanding for the best reason ever.

I introduced them to the magical world of Where's Waldo?

My friend Laura, the art teacher at my school, has the BEST sense of humor.  And it showed in her Halloween shirt.  (Complementary colors)

I found surprise notes (with greeting options depending on when I found the note).

I got to see two wonderful friends show what wonderful parents they are...

As their sweet baby boy turned 1. 

 Creativity ran RAMPANT by the loving mama of a 1-year-old...  (these acorns were delicious!)

His Aunt Cait loves him so much.

Early November brought a PTA bake sale on Election Day that would help support our 4th grade trip to Jamestown.  The kids had high hopes for the amount we would raise...

I got to see a fourth grade boy expand his creative mind by making crafts with duct tape.  He made this white rose (and a purse for me) with duct tape!!

: )

Chased a gorgeous mountain sunset in a car behind my gorgeous friend Joy.

Attempted a front braid.  EPIC fail. 

 Had a day of culture at the Hirschhorn Museum in DC.  Found some beautiful gardens behind it.  This garden was haunted... how do I know?

 Because I caught the ghost...

Then I rode a carousel!

I wish this picture was staged, but it wasn't.  She nestled. 

Made some leaf fun memories with my 4th graders...

 And had a little fun myself...

More to come.

Back To School

Back to School!

So, having survived the first (partial) week of school, I am so glad to be back.  Looping with the same class to the next grade level is going to be AMAZING!  It felt like we were sophomores in college, coming back knowing each other and what it's all about, happy to see each other with a short warm-up phase.

On the second day of school, I asked them to write me letters.  They could tell me what happened to them over the summer, or something they want to work on for the school year or just anything they thought I needed to know to start our year.

Here are some classics...

"I don't like bananas anymore. I only like strawberr[ies]."  Fair enough.

"Can't wait [for] what's waiting to be learn[ed]"

I'm glad you have areas for improvements, little man, and clearly I need to change my focus from butterfingers :)

 Oh, so many things... 

My personal favorite.  This letter is from a student who Always keeps things interesting. 

 Here is what it's intended to say:

"I had a good/bad 

summer.  My grandma died 

but other than that I had a 

good summer.  Is this math going

 to be fun?  If it is, then I want in 

because math is good for everyone."

It's going to be a Very interesting year...

2 Hours

I'm two hours away from a new decade.  I understand that technically 31 starts a new decade, except that it DOESN'T.

Why does 30 bother me so much?   Everyone can say "It's no big deal" or "It's just a number" or any number of other positive things, but it still bothers me a little.

I know I'm cool.  I know I'm still young and silly. But I'll be damned if turning 30 doesn't freak me out a little.

I just said to my friend Anna, "On the one hand, I know it's just a number.  On the other, I know it's 30."



I still love birthdays though :)