Current song on repeat on my itunes:
Thanks to the Zuus Americana hour (one of the five TV channels I can pick up), I am finding all kinds of new artists not usually on the radio. Humming House also has some free music up on Noise Trade right now.
This song is so sweet, and the video reminds me a lot of my parents and their marriage. They are flirtier after 30 years of marriage than most newlyweds. My siblings and I act like we hate it, but really we just know what a treasure their love for each other is and how it has shaped our family. (However, mom and dad, next time you decide to get all gooey and lovey dovey in our presence, we will all still groan and moan and say "gross!" repeatedly. It is our job as your grown children.)
You would think that all of that free time and relaxing over Christmas break would have prepared me for being back at work. I got plenty of rest and relaxation. I should be ready to be back and excited to work and full of energy for all the things coming up. However, I think that the quiet break made me shrink into even more of an introvert. I just want to stay home. In my pajamas. All day. And only communicate through gestures. And make things. And read a whole book. And not have to talk...at all. Unfortunately, I cannot telecommute to my classroom of 5th graders. Too bad. Maybe another Arctic Blast will come our way and we will be frozen in at home for a day or two...
Any one else still have their Christmas cards up? I hang all of my up on my vertical window blinds using clothes pins as they come and enjoy them during Advent and Christmas. I would like to say that they are still up, nearly a week after Ordinary Time began, because of some great conviction I have. Really though, I just haven't taken them down. I kind if like them- all those happy smiling faces of people I love and the pretty Christmas artwork on the front of cards. What do you do with your Christmas cards and pictures at the end of the season?
Is it odd how much I enjoy watching School House Rock videos still? Good thing teaching 5th grade gives me an excuse, right? This one is my favorite.
My students' favorite moment of the week? When the bell rings at 12:30 today, signaling the start of a 3 1/2 day weekend. Their second favorite moment? When during a math lesson I was calling them to the smart board to model a math problem for the class by randomly pulling names out of a cup. After choosing the next participant, I would hand them the pen and say, "May the odds be ever in your favor." If the student failed to finish the problem, we mimicked canon fire. If they were successful, they were safe from being called again. But then, ever the instigator, I called a quarter quell and put them all back in the cup. Gotta keep math interesting you know.
Happy Friday!
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ReplyDeleteSorry, actually this is Bonnie, not Mr. E. Here's what I said:
ReplyDeleteI love your parents.
And I too really enjoy School House Rock. I have a cd of 90's bands covering SHR songs. I still listen to it.
LOVE your math class activity. They're so lucky you're their teacher
I was a bit confused about a "Mr. E" knowing my parents. Mystery (pun intended) solved.
DeleteNathan and I are laughing hysterically right now about your Hunger Games in the classroom! Good call on the quarter quell!
ReplyDeleteIt had been a long week, and for some reason, just calling up volunteers had to become more interesting. The kids sure enjoyed it!
DeleteThat women's conference sounds amazing, too bad I live in ND! Also, I really enjoyed that song you posted, so cute! :)
ReplyDeleteToo bad you are so far away, Joan! It is such a wonderful conference. If you know anyone in Illinois, please let them know about it: www.beholdconference.com
DeleteBehold sounds like such a treasure! It would be great to make it there one day!
ReplyDeleteGood luck with the gift bags...I think that logo looks pretty!
Our Christmas cards are still up too! Love the Hunger Games references. Have most of your 5th graders seen it? We were unsure if we should take Steve's 10 year old cousin with us to see it, but his parents said he saw the first one so... I'm going to be that mom that says PG-13 MEANS 13!
ReplyDeleteMarie, most of them have seen the Hunger Games- and a lot of them have read the books. To be honest, if you have a vivid imagination, the books can be more violent than the movies. It is one of those things that I think parents would have to decide on a kid by kid basis, but I have had some good conversations with kids about the good that they see that comes through in the movie- sacrifice, compassion, truth, etc. Some of my kids even made a comparison between Katniss volunteering in place of her sister in the Hunger Games to St. Maximilian Kolbe taking the place of the man in the concentration camp. Fiction, yes, but still a lesson that they can see. While I would never use it as a read aloud in class, I still think it has its merits :) And it did make for an entertaining math lesson!
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