Are They Allowed To Do That?!?!

This morning, I was so excited to see my little kindergartners.  I only have one more class left with them and then I will never get to see them again!  So I had the most beautiful and fun songs and games to play with them.  I even planned to take them outside and have music in the sun! 

So I walk down to their room to pick them up and take them outside with music and instruments.  They are all dressed up and all of their parents are in their classroom taking pictures.  They are apparently having an Author's Tea.  Whatever that is...

I walked in with a surprised face to see all of the parents and the kids dressed up on a little stage.  Their teacher says these exact words to me in front of all of the kids' parents, "OH!  No music today!  You have a free period!"  

So, in front of the parents, I yelled back across the room, "OH!  I was unaware that there would be an Author's Tea this morning.  I planned for a music class."  She says, "Well, you can stay and sing the songs with us..."  Me: "No thanks."

Argh. Are they allowed to do that?  I would NEVER take a WHOLE class out of their classroom without any notice.  Why do they think that their class is more important than mine?  This is almost the last time that I will ever see them.  In addition,  I have a degree to be their teacher... just like she does. 

I am sure that their Author's Tea is going to be adorable and wonderful for the kids and parents, but she could have asked me and not told me.  And she could have done it a month ago. 

It honestly hurts my feelings that some teachers believe that we (specials teachers) are there to just babysit their kids when it is convenient for them.  Again, I became a teacher to teach children about music.  Not to just go wherever they need me for whomever need a plan period.

Sorry, if you know me well enough, you will know that I am a complainer by nature.  You can ignore me if you wish. 

I feel like I need to say something happy.  I heard on K-LOVE this morning about what some people say to themselves when they wake up.  Please watch this little girl give herself a morning pep talk.  Click on Jessica's Daily Affirmation.

Pictures from the Bridal Shower! ...more later.

I wake up every morning in a bed that's too small. Drive my daughter to a school that's too expensive and then I go to work to a job for which I get paid too little. But on pretzel day....Well, I like pretzel day.

Today was pretzel day!  My mom mentioned that she would like to have chocolate dipped pretzel rods at the bridal shower.  It was the perfect opportunity for me to jump into a project!  My friend, Annie, also had these at her shower and they turned out great!  I knew it would be tons of fun.

Lauren came over this morning to get started.  Our supplies:

We decided on white chocolate, dark chocolate, pink (white) chocolate, and milk chocolate.  We heated up the chocolates in the microwave and on the stove and poured out all of the sprinkles onto plates:

We dipped the pretzels in the melted chocolate, rolled them in the sprinkles, and laid them out on cookie sheets.  We tried to mix up the chocolate and sprinkle combinations as much as possible.  We made 90 total:

Then we wrapped them all up into cute little baggies and we will stick them in the favor bags tomorrow!  I will be sure to take photos at the bridal shower to share!

41 days!

Time is going by so quickly!


Today I went to Elder-Beerman where Josh works and met some of the makeup ladies that work there.  Josh asked them if I could come in to get some makeup tips and pointers.  They were all so excited!!!

I told them I wanted something a little along these lines:

HAHA!!!  Just kidding.  I told her I wanted something subtle, but classy.  And something that would last and look good in pictures.

Brenda used all Clinique makeup and wrote everything down that she did... and I will say... it looked amazing!  She added tons of stuff that I have never even heard of.  It was subtle, but beautiful and I basically just looked enhanced.  I think I am going to take the list of the products and colors she used and take it to another Clinique representative in Cumberland and have her do it on my wedding day!  I don't normally wear much makeup, so I was getting kind of nervous of applying myself.  Basically because I don't really know what to do!

I really wanted to take a picture of the final "product", but I kept trying and I couldn't really see the details in the lighting and my (only) decent camera.

My Second Confession

I am spending WAY too much time and effort in the place cards.

I just kept getting more and more ideas and I couldn't stop myself.  I honestly think my DIY place cards are going to be the biggest project of the wedding!!!

I will post pictures and updates later... then you will see how crazy I am!

The End

While my life may seem like a beginning at this point, I also feel like it is an end!

I have lived in Morgantown for 5 years now and it looks like I will be moving in the next few months to a completely new place.

I got really used to my job at Cheat Lake Elementary and now I have to leave these kids.  I really like them and I know it's going to break the kindergartner's hearts to hear that I am leaving.  I am waiting to tell them until closer to the last day of school.  I just hope that my next school is as nice as this one.

Last night, my home group met and we discussed a quote from our book.  "Don't live everyday like it's the first day of your life.  Live every day like it's the last day of your life!"

My First Confession

I have a long list of wedding confessions.  Today I will confess just one.

I WANT CORNY WEDDING PHOTOS!

I have always thought that the following wedding pictures were just corny!  Who wants a picture of people jumping?  It's just silly and unnatural.  See below:

But aren't they SOOO cool?!?!  I have put together a few of my favorite corny wedding photos that I found online.  Would I be a total dork if I wanted to recreate some of these...?   Probably.  Oh, well.

**Sorry for the blurriness of some of these!

These make me want to go out and buy a million huge frames to get ready! :-)

A Wolf At The Table

Have you ever read a book and just felt totally refreshed?  That's what happens when I read an Augusten Burroughs book.  Have you heard of Running With Scissors?  It's written by him.

A Wolf At The Table is another of his books:

Almost all of his stories are memoirs or stories of his really wacked childhood and even adult life.  He grew up in an almost unimaginable way and it really makes for a great story.  Most of the situations are pretty depressing and usually hard to believe, but boy does he have a way of making them hilarious.

But more importantly, the reason why he is the best writer I have ever read:


When I read his books, my senses are in an uproar.  I can smell exactly what he is smelling.  I can taste it, feel it, see it, etc.  He has a way of explaining these feelings that no one else on earth would think of.  I get a child-like refreshing feeling and I completely trust in him, so much that I wish it was me in his place.

 A Wolf at the Table is a memoir of Burroughs' childhood and his relationship with his father.  As a small boy, all he ever wanted was to feel loved by his dad.  This book is about the trials and tribulations of a little boy who would do anything to get a hug from the man who he looked up to.

 I will list a few of my favorite quotes without giving away too much (because secretly, this is an advertisement: GO BUY HIS BOOKS!):

We checked into a Holiday Inn just off Interstate 91 in Northampton.  The first thing I did was stand on the bed and touch the rough, sparkly ceiling.  I could just reach it.  As I drew my finger across the coarse, prickly surface I enjoyed a sense of relief and fulfillment--it felt exactly as I know it would (p.78).

When I spoke to my father my voice came out low and soft, almost a whisper.  "I don't really believe in a God that gives you new ice skates and stuff."  I kept to myself that when I ate vanilla frosting straight from the can, I could feel God standing right beside me like a real best friend, watching and smiling and wishing he had a mouth (p. 162).

Visit Augusten Burrough's Website to learn more about his books and his life!

My Crippled Body, Heart, and Brain

Maria N. Thomas:

Josh and I have been so busy.  It is so exhausting. Our schedule for a few days:

Yesterday (Tuesday):  Went to work all day.  Came home and packed.  Left for Cumberland.  Spent the evening at my mom's.

Today (Wednesday):  Drove to Hagerstown, MD.  Had interviews for jobs that are not even posted.  Drove back to Cumberland.  Visited my (too young) grandfather who has lung cancer.  Drive back to Morgantown.  Had a meeting with my Home Group from church.  Came home.  Got a scary phone call about my family.  Booked a hotel for tomorrow.

Tomorrow (Thursday): Go to school and work all day.  Then drive to Salisbury, MD after school.  6-hour trip.  We will get there a little after 10pm.  Stay in a gross, cheap hotel.

Friday:  We both have interviews early in the morning.  Then we will drive the 6 hours back to Morgantown.

Saturday: Wake up and drive to Fairmont to babysit a 6-month-old and 20-month-old all day.  Drive home that night.

Sunday:  Sunday school teaching in the morning.  Then go to church.  Then drive to Pittsburgh to watch the PSO.  I HAVE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS CONCERT SINCE I WAS BORN.  **More about this below...  Drive home from Pittsburgh Sunday night.

Monday:  Go to work.  I have a phone interview Monday morning during my plan time for another job.  Then teach all day.

Tuesday:  Election Day.  No School.  PTFO. (Pass the eff out)

**Note about the PSO concert:  When I was a junior in college I took what was probably the most demanding class of my life.  But here's the thing:  after being in the class for about 10 weeks, I stopped caring.  So during my lecture time 3 days per week, I would sit at my desk and make lists.  I decided to make a Bucket List.  Nothing too ridiculous... I didn't want to climb the tallest mountain or jump out of an airplane or anything.  My list, after careful reflection over a period of a few weeks, only totaled about 25 things.  Two of these things were:  See the Sibelius Violin Concerto performed live.  See Shostakovich Five performed live.  A stipulation:  These will only count if they are performed by reputable orchestras with great conductors and horn sections.  This weekend, the Pittsburgh Symphony is playing a concert.  Here is the program:

Heinz Hall

Sunday, May 09, 2010 at 2:30 PM

Manfred Honeck, conductor

Hilary Hahn, violin

                                                                           

Sibelius: Violin Concerto

Shostakovich: Symphony No. 5

I'm going to kill two birds with one stone!

--A side note:  my grandparents and my mom could use your prayers right now.  Send them our way, please!