Survival

Sorry for the absence to the blogosphere.... I've been focusing on surviving the first (and usually the worst) two weeks of school. I began in early August with optional trainings and conferences, which was a nice way of getting back to work. Seeing my coworkers and friends was a nice welcome back to a full-time job. Plus, getting paid extra to earn CEU's was nice, too.

Then week one of professional development began. Since I'm at two new schools (one elementary and one middle school), it was the third year in a row of meeting new people and moving a crap-load of stuff into my room(s). Ahh... I'm a pro at it now and know better than to throw any moving boxes out! Despite the hassle of moving, meeting new faces, and learning new systems, I was relatively pleased how everything was going. Both schools are very friendly, and I can't beat the 15-minute commute (with only 5-minute commute between schools). So, week one seemed pretty harmless.... except for the daunting task of coming into someone else's system and cleaning up whatever mess she may have left.

Week two, however, has been the beginning of stress. By that time, the kids have arrived at school, and the nightmare of scheduling begins. My elementary school was pretty much a breeze, as kids don't move around too much during the day. But holy geez louise, middle school is a whole other story. There's got to be a better way to organize a middle school schedule. I'm talking 4 different lunches that change depending on 4th period teachers' schedules, seven periods that go from funny, nonsensical times like 8:13 until 9:27, and teachers that feel like little Johnny missing one class period two times every grading period will just put him so far behind with no hopes of graduating the 8th grade. *Whew* Exhausting. And of course, speech must be accommodating.... even though state law mandates the prescribed speech services must be provided fully. Somehow some teachers don't understand that. Alas, my mantra this year is (in Tim Gunn-style) "Make it work."

That brings us to this week. The first full week of seeing kids officially. It feels good to get back to working with them again... kinda like what I went to school for 6 years to do. Not paperwork. Not sitting in meetings. Working hands-on with the kiddos hoping to make a dent in whatever they need help with. And I must say, the kids (both elementary and middle school) are really great. For the most part, they're respectful, funny, and good kids. Kinda refreshing.

Let's see if I can hold on to this good feeling before too many evaluations are needed and reports are due. Ahh... did I mention that I'm *this* close to booking a cruise for this coming summer? It's a-gonna happen :)

goodbye, hair!

It's that time! Chop, chop! Hello, pixie cut. It's nice to see you again!

A shower

This Sunday, I'm going to a baby shower. Now, it's been common knowledge that baby showers really aren't my favorite places to be with all the silly baby games and the ooing and ahhing over baby items of which I know nothing about. But, for good friends I make an exception. DeAnne, a former co-worker, is having a baby boy soon, and while I already helped throw a baby shower at school for her (I know, I know... I threw a baby shower. Amazing!), I wanted to be there for her "friend" shower. Instead of getting her another gift off her registry (which I did for her school shower), I wanted to make this one a little more special. So, I made something for her and baby Blake. Behold....

"Pee-pee Teepees"

So.... I never really thought about it, but when changing baby boy's diapers, I guess the lucky individual changing the diaper can get a sort of unexpected "shower" at times. Therefore, these pee-pee teepees come in handy (or so I've read). I originally got the idea from my friend over at Homemade by Jen, and I followed the pattern according to Little Birdie Secrets. I must say, these little guys were so much fun making! They were the perfect project for me, as they maybe took 30 minutes in total to make, but they turned out really well. So easy and hopefully useful! (A quick side note to anyone wanting to make them: I followed the pattern given by Little Birdie Secrets; however, instead of fleece, I used pre-washed and dried cotton fabric. I wasn't sure if cotton would be sturdy enough; however, in the end, I had no doubt they would work well.)

And for DeAnne, I made....

shea butter & organic green tea soap

These soaps smell soooo good! Made with a base of shea butter, I added some organic green tea grounds to the mix to help with gentle exfoliation. A few drops of plumeria fragrance was added to finish the job. After all, a brand new mama needs a little pampering too! 

Hopefully she'll love her handmade gifts as much as I loved making them.