moving on and growing up

I was just looking at some pictures online some of my friends from high school posted. I understand that some people live in the same city for their entire life. It doesn't make much sense to me, as I've never really lived in one place for very long, but I get that some do. That is a different story than the pictures I was looking at. These people, now in their mid twenties, are still hanging out and partying in the basement of one of their parents' houses. I don't talk to them anymore, so I can't judge why they are there. All I know is that I am glad that I have moved on from the life of high school.

WW update - I'm down 11.6 lbs since Jan 7. I weigh in agin tomorrow, so we'll see what happened this week. I've eaten more of my flex points than before during the week, but still totally within my points, so I'm optimistic.

Aaron and I bought CamelBaks yesterday. They're the water backpacks that you see cyclists wearing sometimes. We ran with them yesterday and loved them! I need water when working out outside, but it is such a pain to carry a water bottle. I was a little concerned that it would bounce around, but it stayed in place very well. YAY!!

I've cinched in my belt two notches on my jeans since starting! Now it's to the point where the belt is smaller than the jeans and the fabric slides down below and the is on my skin. They fit everywhere else, so I don't want to buy a new ones, so I guess I just have to deal with it for now.

Work is as crazy as ever! The state reading test is next Wednesday so everyone's stress levels are through the roof. The math one is in 8 weeks. I don't understand why they are so spread out. It is just a never ending climate of stress and drill and kill in the way to take a test. I just don't understand and probably never will. I just have to deal without understanding. The students are stressed as well, causing some crazy and out of control behaviors.

hmmm.....

From What Privileges Do You Have?, based on an exercise about class and privilege developed by Will Barratt, Meagan Cahill, Angie Carlen, Minnette Huck, Drew Lurker, Stacy Ploskonka at Illinois State University. If you participate in this blog game, they ask that you PLEASE acknowledge their copyright.

BOLD the statements that are true about you. Unbold or leave alone the ones that are not.

1. Father went to college
2. Father finished college
3. Mother went to college
4. Mother finished college (nursing school, but is so close to getting her BSN!)
5. Have any relative who is an attorney, physician, or professor
6. Were the same or higher class than your high school teachers.
7. Had more than 50 books in your childhood home.
8. Had more than 500 books in your childhood home.
9. Were read children’s books by a parent.
10. Had lessons of any kind before you turned 18.
11. Had more than two kinds of lessons before you turned 18.
12. The people in the media who dress and talk like me are portrayed.
13. Had a credit card with your name on it before you turned 18.
14. Your parents (or a trust) paid for the majority of your college costs.
15. Your parents (or a trust) paid for all of your college costs.
16. Went to a private high school
17. Went to summer camp.
18. Had a private tutor before you turned 18.
19. Family vacations involved staying at hotels.
20. Your clothing was all bought new before you turned 18.
21. Your parents bought you a car that was not a hand-me-down from them. (It wasn't new, but it was new to the family and only 3 years old.)
22. There was original art in your house when you were a child.
27. Participated in a SAT/ACT prep course
28. Had your own TV in your room in high school.
29. Owned a mutual fund or IRA in high school or college.
30. Flew anywhere on a commercial airline before you turned 16.
31. Went on a cruise with your family
32. Went on more than one cruise with your family
33. Your parents took you to museums and art galleries as you grew up.
34. You were unaware of how much heating bills were for your family.
Makes you think, huh?

good things happening

So it's been two weeks on Weight Watchers, and I've lost 6.4 pounds! Aaron is doing it with me, so it's nice to be in it together. You can see a difference in what we are eating, which is great. There hasn't been much change in the exercise portion of our lives, but right now I currently feel really crap, so there won't be any of that today. We decided that our long term goal is to do a marathon. I think next year's Cow Town Marathon. That training will start on Monday.. 5K, 10K, half-marathon, then full marathon. I just hope all of our joints can withstand it all. I'm excited!

Parts of work are really starting to get on my nerves. A lot of things have been thrown at me in the last week at the last minute and without explanation. I'm very frustrated and stressed, probably what is making me not feel so good. I know that it will only get worse from now until the end of the year with state testing and all that. Third grade is the first year of testing and they must pass to go on to fourth. I have never been anywhere where there is so much focus on a test. There is so much teaching to the test, released test practices and kill and drill on these kids. They get tired and frustrated and just want to give up, and I can't really blame them in some respects. Now we are doing Saturday School. The students who are struggling are required to come, as well as their parents. I just don't understand. Maybe someday I will and it will bet less stressful due to the unknown.

Loving life and trying to make it better

So the past month or so has been pretty good. we went to St. Petersburg for about 10 days for Christmas and New Year's. One of Aaron's friends got married down there, so it was a great excuse to spend the holidays on the beach! The weather was just amazing and the Gulf was gorgeous! Check out the pics on picassa.

I managed to make it to the break from work. It was a good time for a break, but I was ready to come back. Now comes crunch time for the state test that starts in March and who knows when it will end. I'm just hoping that my kids do well. School is just so hard for them that I hope that we have all worked hard enough for them to pass it.

So I live in Texas, and I'm loving the current weather! It is January and we have all of the windows open. I was almost 80 today! I just can't believe it. I could really get used to this. I know that it's unusual, and that summers will probably be horribly brutal, but for now, I'm just loving it. It's supposed to cool down somewhat, into the 60s, later this week, but I'll take that over 19 and snowing any day.

On to making life better.....
I started Weight Watchers tonight. I am very excited to be doing this and I know that it works when you stick to it. Two women from work say they are going to do it with me, but one had a sick kid today and then the other bailed, so we'll see what happens next week.

Make and stick to a budget. I've never been too good at this one, but the more parts of my life I can get in order the better.

That's all I have for now, but if I can stick to both of those, I'm very hopeful for the year ahead.

So I know it's been forever, but just a quick update for today. I promise a full one soon!
* Work is going pretty well. My students are learning and improving, so that makes me happy. I'm still learning so much, but I think I'm doing alright.
*It's December 8 and all the windows are open and I'm wearing capris. I love this weather!
* Only 3 weeks until Florida! It will be nice to see people and go to a wedding.
* We bought a Wii!! We just need more games for it, but so far we're really enjoying it.
* I entered a cookie contest at work. It's me and 3 administrators from my campus. I'm a little afraid that it will look like I'm trying to kiss up, but I was the first one to sign up and I just love baking cookies.
* Mom and I are going to make cookies next weekend. I know it won't be the same as it always is, but I am excited to have the cookies go give away.

More to come soon!

bad news, good news

So Wednesday night a couple of teachers and I went out to dinner. Aaron met us there and we had a good time. We walked back to the car, and lo and behold, someone STOLE my license plate! It was my Indiana one. I had been talking to an insurance agent trying to get it all figured out, but I hadn't been able to get insurance yet. This is a slight problem in getting plates and everything like that. Well, miraculously, after a phone call from me and two from my dad, I managed to get insurance. Why did it only take a couple phone calls after more than 6 weeks of going back and forth with these people! At least I have insurance now and can get the title, registration, plates and my license this week. Finally I can be an official resident of Texas!

here's Lyla!

so little!

look at the size difference!

cuteness!

We adopted a kitten today! She is a 14 week old Siamese mix. We don't get to bring her home until Tuesday cuz she has to be fixed and declawed on Monday. We are so excited! We just hope that Liam won't care too much. He's not too good with big cats, but my aunt assures me that most cats will just ignore kittens and don't feel as threatened by them as they do by big cats, so we hope it goes well. Aaron has Wednesday and Thursday off to spend with them and get them used to each other before we leave them alone. I can't wait!!!! I will post pictures here and on picassa when we get her home.

school

So the first week is over. I didn't have any kids this week, as it took literally until Friday at 3 to get the schedule figured out. I will start pulling kids on Wednesday, to give the teachers a chance to know that I will be pulling their kids. I am just excited to get started. I am a little concerned about ho some of the people I work with and for are taking the needs of some students. With this whole Response to Intervention mandate by the government, students must show that they are not responding to whatever interventions, modifications and accommodations are being made in the regular classroom. This means that if a student is succeeding in the room while having all of his tests read to him, he won't be referred for special ed. But this student can't read. i don't understand how we can just read everything to him and have him succeed in passing his tests and stuff, but not teach him to read while using this accommodation to test his knowledge in other areas. I know that I am a new teacher, but I don't feel like I am being idealistic in trying to get all students to at least read on a functional level. This is not the reading on grade level that NCLB is mandating, but these children won't always have someone there to read everything in the world to them. I know that it will all get worked out and that the students that need my help will get it, I'm just a little frustrated now.

I was very glad for a 3-day weekend, and a short week next week!

work update

So my room is as ready as it can be. I still don't know quite what I am doing and how it's getting done, but we'll figure that out next week. I got it all decorated and ready for kids this week. Here's a few pics.......

The door

the front of the room

the reading corner

There's more posted at my picassa website: http://picasaweb.google.com/snicolehamilton
Let me know what you think!

I have about 15 kids right now. We'll see how that pans out and how scheduling works to see and serve them all. I'm just excited to get started. I've had about a month of training, so I'm just ready to actually do something for and with the kids. We'll see how I feel at the end of next week, but for now I'm really excited. Keep me posted on how you're doing!

it's the small things

So, we went on a bike ride, like we have taken to doing lately. We live on this huge hill and I have yet to be able to make it up the hill after the ride, no matter how long or short the ride in between is. Today on the way back, I actually made it up the hill! That makes me so happy and proves that I really am making progress. We have started working out together multiple times a week and I think I am starting to see progress in doing more. I haven't seen it in my clothes or anything like that, but that will come I am sure. Just to say it again..... I MADE IT UP THE HILL!!!!!

getting closer

So my classroom is coming along. Aaron helped me this afternoon and we're going in tomorrow to get some more done. I've got baskets for all my books and am getting it organized by level. That is such a process. I am glad that it really is only something that needs to be done once and after that only new books need to be added. This is defiantly not a task I want to repeat. I still don't know exactly who my kids are, but I was told I will know early next week. That will help me schedule my time. I found out I don't have an aide, which is not cool. I thought I did, so that defiantly changes some of the things I am going to be able to do with my kids. We'll figure it out next week when I finally get to meet with my teachers and figure out my kids. We did a lot of staff orientation this week. A lot of it could have been condensed, but oh well. Next week is all staff stuff, so we will finally get to meet all of the people we will be working with. That will be very beneficial.

On another note, I really like where we live. They are really good to the residents. We had a pool party with hot dogs and a raffle (where we won a gift card to a restaurant). Once a month they give us breakfast on a Saturday morning. Tomorrow it's pancakes and french toast. I'm pretty excited for it. I found out that a teacher lives in the building next door, so we are going to carpool as much as possible to save on gas. That's pretty exciting to me.

the zoo

So we went to the zoo today. Overall it was a pretty good day. It was reeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaly hot. I got a bunch of sun, and that makes me happy. We actually rode our bikes there. Going out was not really too bad. It was early, so it wasn't too hot and it took about 45-50 minutes to get there. The way home was a totally different story. It took about an hour and a half with multiple breaks and walking my bike about 2 of the 8ish miles. I thought I was going to die. I'm kinda disappointed in myself for thinking I could do it when I know I am out of shape and that we didn't plan better or wait to do it until later in the fall. I do fell good about making it as far as I did, especially considering the amazing heat we are having.
Here is us
We saw a crazy animal that we have no idea what it was. It was breathing and moving, so I know it's alive, but if anyone has any idea what this is, let me know!

I have a classroom!

So I went to my school today and was pleasantly surprised. When i interviewed, they showed me the current resource classroom and said for this coming school year it would be turned into a bilingual second grade room and I would get a room in the portable out back. Well, when I went today to take in my stuff, I have the room in the building! That made me so happy. The previous teacher left me so much random stuff... books, materials, resources. It is literally an entire wall of stuff that she left. I'm going to go in tomorrow and spend all day getting the furniture moved around and set up. I am so excited! I know I'm a big dork, but whatever. Yay for getting stuff accomplished!

i'm a big girl now

It has been a crazy week! As of a week ago, I was in Bloomington packing things up and getting ready to move. Wednesday we got about 4 hours of sleep due to lack of packing. Thursday we went to southern Indiana and Holiday World with his family. Friday was a very long day of driving all the way to Fort Worth. We made it without any hitches (unlike my dad who had 2 flat tires before he got out of Illinois!). Saturday was a big mess. We were supposed to have movers between 10 and 12. They showed up at 3 after me calling the office multiple times. Then there was an issue with the payment, so they almost left without moving anything. (We are on the 3rd floor with a washer and dryer.. no fun.) We got them to work for an hour, then they tried to charge us for 2 and we all just got fed up and their supervisor just told them to come back. In the end I think we got a free move of some of our stuff, but the underlying message here is DO NOT USE STARVING STUDENTS MOVERS!!!!! So we moved the rest of the boxes up and spent Sunday unpacking and getting some stuff arranged. We still have a bunch of boxes everywhere and it's kinda driving me nuts. I started work today, so we'll see how all of this development stuff goes this week and next. I have so many little things to do: license, title for my car, license plates, car inspection, change my cell number, unpack, get my classroom together.... the list goes on. I just hope I can get it all done in a relatively timely manner so I don't go crazy. Wish me luck on being a grown up!

here it comes!

I got an e-mail today from one of my principals. It was about dual language training. I am in a dual language school (Spanish and English) and they want me to see how the classrooms are run so I can help my students better. When I called and got the dates, she also told me to call the Special Ed director to see if I need to go to any of the other trainings in early August. I need to e-mail my principal back to tell her I got the information as well as find out when I can get into my classroom and start setting things up and looking at the curriculum and what I will really be doing this year. As of right now, I don't really know what I am doing. I know where my room is, but I don't know the number. The more I think about it, the less I actually know about my job. I know that I am working and getting paid, but I'm not quite sure what that work is going to entail. There's not much time to figure it all out, so I'm sure that it will all come together soon.

My house is pretty much a mess right now. We started packing a couple of weeks ago when I thought I would be moving at the end of the month. Now we're not moving until the end of July, so there are boxes and piles of stuff to give away sitting everywhere. It's really getting on my nerves. I can't walk or go anywhere without seeing a pile. It will be over soon and we have figured out how to get everything down there, so that is not as stressful anymore. There are only a couple more logistical things to figure out, but they will come around.

Well, lots to do tomorrow, so I should probably go to bed.

the ups and downs

So the pool opened, but then it closed yesterday.... who knows. I give up figuring it out.

We had a great time in Texas. We found a great apartment and I am totally excited. It was the first one we went to, so we could have saved ourselves a lot of time and trouble if we had just stopped there, but oh well, we had to explore. We'll be moving at the end of July, so time is running out. I have a job and a place to live, so I guess I really am growing up. Life is good right now.

pool

So I called again today and complained. Evidently they haven't passed their water tests yet, thus they can't open. The pool has been filled for 3-4 weeks and they haven't passed yet?!?!?! I've worked at pools for 5 years and only had to close a pool once and that was 2 weeks ago. It does not take this long to get a pool filled and balanced. It really kinda scares me to get in it if they can't get it together to even open it.

So I just went outside to go lay by the pool for the afternoon, and it's not open. It's Memorial Day, 80 and sunny. Why isn't it open???? I called and complained, but the chances of someone actually opening it are slim as there's no one in the office on holidays. GRRRR!!!!

We're starting to pack to move. I can't wait until next week when I will have a date to move in. We're going down and spending a few days to look at places and sign a lease. That will give us a time frame so we can start planning everything and getting it all done. That will be such a relief, even if it means that we don't have much time.

I got a digital camera for graduation, so now I have been taking a bunch of pictures and posted them. Check them out!!! http://picasaweb.google.com/snicolehamilton Let me know what you think!