Song: "Guaranteed"-- Into the Wild Soundtrack (Eddie Vedder)
Mood: Excited to be home!!


Well I'm finally home!!! Talk about a long trip! It was awesome to see my parents and spend time with them, but it made me wish I had a longer amount of time to spend with them. Steve and I talked about inviting them to come and visit again in January when I'm tracked out.

Speaking of track out, I cannot wait!!! I go back to work on Wednesday and thankfully, I only have 14 school days and I track out again! Three long weeks to do absoltuely NOTHING! I can't wait! I have to go into school and work on my profile cards and update things, but I don't have to leave my room this time, so I can just work in my own room. I am planning on going in tomorrow and work because we left in such a hurry on the 21st, I didn't have any plans for the day we come back and I didn't take anything home with me.

My principal is leaving. In one way I am kinda sad. I really liked her and was excited about coming to OG to work with her, but then she turned out to be kinda mean. She always "picked" on me I guess you could say, and I never had the feeling that she liked me much. Which is what it is... not everyone is going to like you, but I never did anything to make her not like me. Oh well... I am glad that someone new will be coming in and changing things. I am most nervous about Katie leaving and going to teach at the school that my principal will be opening. She said she's not going, but I wouldn't be surprised if she went. I will be very sad if she goes, because she is a wonderful friend and brightens my day!!! I don't think Lisa is going, but she did offer to go. It would totally suck if they both left.

The new teacher at my school, she took Michael's place, she is brand new. She's like 25ish and kinda loud. No idea what she doesn't know, but she won't take anyone's advice. It's kinda annoying. Anyway... turns out she's an AGD. She saw my bag in my room and then asked me if I was an Alpha Gam. Small world right?

Anyway-- I am sick of blogging so I am going to stop for now. For more info about the last week see the Walker Blog.

For those of you interested in what Santa (Steve and family) brought me this year... here's the break down:

1) A new GPS that's amazing. I named her frauline Nuvi (she's German)
2) Lucky perfume
3) HP and the Order of the Phoenix DVD
4) Kenny Cheney's newest CD (Pirates and Poets)
5) Shrek the Third DVD
6) A homemade apron
7) The Simpson's movie on DVD
8) Show Don't Tell Secrets of Writing book
9) 90210 Season 2 DVD
10) Sears gift card
11) Macy's gift card
12) A warm-glow candle
13) iPod transmitter thingy
14) Pens

That's all that I can think of for now...

Until next time...
>^..^<

Thanksgiving...

This was the first Thanksgiving without my parents EVER in my life. It was very odd... it just felt like another day. I definitely miss my parents and I miss not having them over for holidays. It'll be nice to go home for Christmas. Steve's dad is getting married on the 28th and we're going down on the 21st. We will be gone that whole week and then come home on the 30th. Just in time to have two days off without anything to do and it's back to work.

The good thing about this time of year is that time flies. I go back to work on Monday and we've got 4 weeks until Christmas Break (20 days of school). When we come back in January, we only have 15 days and we track out!! Whoo hoo!!

That's about all I have to say for now... I'm sure there will be more to write soon.

Until next time...
>^..^<

So I went home to Michigan... it's funny how SO many things change when you're away. I went and visited Dreama (my old nail girl) and like half the people that used to work there have either quit or been fired. Then there's the actual changes that have taken place in the city... there's a Borders that was not there before... I never knew a Borders could be built and supplied and open within four months.

I got my fill of eating out. We went to Big Boy for lunch on Thursday and I finally got to enjoy a Slim Jim... soooo good. Then my dad and I went to the coney island for dinner. They don't have 'em down here and I definitely missed a good coney dog and Greek salad. We also went to Max-n-Erma's (don't have 'em in NC) and of course Montana's (a local restaurant).

My mom and I went to the cider mill and had cider and donuts. Yummm... but all though I was "home" I really missed Steve. When I was in the air landing in Detroit, I got a little teary-eyed and it really hit me that I don't live there anymore.

It was chilly and the fall colors in Michigan are unlike the colors anywhere else. It was perfect in every way, but it wasn't "home." Steve and I decided that the next time we travel, we're going together.

We're going to Ohio, Indiana and Michigan for Christmas. Steve's dad is getting married, so we're flying out on the 21st (my last day) and then we're gone all through the 29th or 30th. We won't be here for Christmas... which makes me sad. But... we will be in Michigan for Christmas Eve, so I can go shopping with my dad, and then we'll be at my parent's for Christmas and the day after.

I got to see Shauna and Gen and Aimee while I was home. It was great to see them and catch up, though I didn't get as much time as I'd have liked.

Anywho-- enough from me for now. I'll write again soon!
Until next time...
>^..^<

I made it to track out!

Where do I begin? Let's see... Michael at work officially resigned on Monday. Talk about shocking! He said he just couldn't do the year round school anymore and he was feeling tired all the time and sick of giving 100% and having nothing to show for it. He said that he had just gotten caught up and then with tracking out, he knew he'd get behind again and feel bad coming back. I'm not sure why he felt that way, but that's what he told me. He doesn't have another job lined up and said he wasn't sure if teaching is what he wants to do. It's a hard job... very little praise for a job well-done, lots of criticism when you don't do a perfect job and there are 24 little people that you must be always aware of and doing your all to help succeed. It's definitely not a profession for everyone.

Anyway... I made it to tack out and I am excited! I stayed late on Wednesday and had a few parents come and help me take things off the walls. Then on Thursday, there were a few parents that came and helped me clean the room. On Friday, I had the kids empty their desks and clean them and the room was so empty! It's amazing to see just how much of my own personality is in the room. The kids all commented on how boring it looked and how they can't wait to come back to a room that's decorated again.

Katie moved into my old room, so she was there getting it set up. When I track in, I'll be in Laura's room and she's probably not going to let me in to decorate until after she's out. Whatever...

Yesterday after school, Lisa followed me home and then she and Steve and I met Katie and Judson at Chili's for dinner. We then went to the haunted forest (http://www.silentforest.org/). It was okay... they didn't take anything but cash and Steve and I NEVER carry cash. Luckily Lisa had some cash that we were able to borrow.

The haunted forest was fun, but definitely weird being in NC. There's something about going to a haunted house/forest in the fall and the air is crisp and chilly. Not down here... it was hot and humid. It didn't quite feel right. It was $15 per person to go in and it wasn't worth the money. Not enough scare for me. Though, at the end there was a guy in one of the port-o-potties and he jumped out and scared the crap out of us (lol).

Tonight we're going to Lisa's for a party. Not many people from work are going to be there, but it should be fun. I need to call Katie and find out if she wants to ride together. I am dragging Steve with me (lucky him)... but she's not making Judson go (lucky him).

I'll let you know how it goes!!
:)

Five more days and I go home to Michigan!!!!!
>^..^<

Song: "Irreplacable" by Jennifer Nettles of Sugarland
Mood: Content

I'm not sure why it ends up that it's about every two weeks that I'm able to write, but that appears to be the case. It's not like only things worth blogging about happen in two-week intervals, because there's always something to blog about...

The most recent thing was my birthday on the 2nd. I am now 31 and it wasn't as easy as I expected. I guess I always thought that by 31 I would be a mom and have started a family. It's not like it's too late for all that, but I am definitely feeling the need/desire to start a family ASAP.

I got up and in the bathroom were two cards for me (one from Steve and one from the cats and Ned). It was really cute and thoughful of Steve. He went to work and then I showered and went to work.

My 4th graders are so cute! I got a ton of handmade cards from them (the cards were super cute with frogs on them) and then I also got a tree frog Lil' Kinz and some pumpkin earrings with a matching pumpkin necklace.

We started our morning with our morning work and then when our announcements came on three parents from my class came into my room with balloons and bags of treats! I was absolutely shocked! They brought donuts for the class to celebrate my birthday and then there were five balloons!!! They put some on the outside of my classroom door and I put three on my chair. Then, there were more gifts! I was given a pair of frog earrings (super cute) and then two of my girls had gone and made me a necklace at a place called Beadazzled that is green and white and yellow beaded with a cute frog at the end.

I was in complete shock. I have never had a birthday (besides when I was a kid) like this one!! It was wonderful!!

When I came home, Steve gave me my present and I was excited to see the green EMU hoodie that I wanted!

It was an excellent birthday!!

Now for the not-so-great stuff... on Wednesday, at around 3:15 my principal comes to my classroom and asks if she can speak to me in private. So I go out into the hall and she told me that she had to ask me something. She asked me if I was doing the "Moving On in the Morning" activities (we watch exercise videos every morning and the kids do a mini-work out each day). What's funny about this question, is that I do it religiously. EVERY day and I do it for the ENTIRE length. I had just had a discussion with the other 4th grade teachers about this and they admitted that they only do it for 5 minutes... while I am doing it for 20-25 minutes.

So my principal asks me this and I was kinda shocked. Of course I do it, I told her I do it for the ENTIRE duration... not just 5-10 minutes... the WHOLE time. She could tell I was defensive and she said not to worry about it, but the office had just received an anonymous phone call from a concerned parent that said that she knew for a fact that I wasn't doing it. That I had apparently told my kids that , "I had more important things to do with my time than to have them doing exercise for the morning." Which is a load of crap... yes, I've thought that, but never said it to my class.

AND... my kids moan and groan and complain about doing the exercises and I MAKE them do it anyway! They know all the words by heart and sing while they're doing it... so if I wasn't doing it, how would they know the words?

What got me, is that I could see if I really wasn't doing it and I was caught. But I do it every day for the entire time. ALL of my kids do it. I can't picture any of my kids going home and having their parent ask if we're doing the moving in the morning and them saying, "No. Mrs. Walker said she has more important things to do than to have us exercise." It just doesn't add up. The other part is that there's a Mrs. Waller in my building... so it was suggested that maybe the call was intended for her, not Walker, but she's kindergarten and I can't picture a kindergartner going home and saying that. Who knows...

Anyway, it was enough to seriously piss me off.

Enough bitching for now... I need to find my happy place.

Until next time...
>^..^<