the gift that was only in my imagination...it's going back

today i got this little note from a student. at first i though maybe she was trying to make one of those little squint your eyes and stare for a long time to see if you could find the hidden picture. and after i read it, i didn't feel incredibly special...in our grade level, there is only one writing teacher. doesn't take much to be the best.

apparently supplies were limited and blue was the color of choice.

anyhoo, i feel like i got a lot done today during my planning period, but i have a lot to do still-lots of paper purging. and on the way out, i took our elevator at school and let me just say, it is always risky business getting on the elevator (but my rolling box is too heavy to comfortably carry down the stairs). so, when i reached the elevator, the door was half open...that should have been a red flag. i stepped in anyway and it shifted a smidge...no worries, the buzzer went off, and the door slid closed e-v-e-r s-o s-l-o-w-l-y....i had time to jump out, but i didn't. thankfully the buzzing stopped as soon as the door was closed and it DID actually take me to the first floor. the best part is that the door did open when i arrived. (i say that because someone did get trapped in the elevator a couple of years ago).

looks normal..like it should work.

then i got home and after i dropped off the recipe cards for the biscoff fudge at the comlex office (which i might add, they were very excited about and made copies of for their boss, who i met and she may have fallen to her knees and thanked me for the awesomeness of the fudge...ok, that last part did not really happen, but she did say it was amazing). as soon as i got to my apt, i saw that fedex had visited, so i had a package at the office. ugh. i went ahead and let the boys out and put their jackets on and we went back to pick up our package.

in my head, i was thinking, "awesome! i got an early b-day present from mom and dad!" well, i got to the car and tore the tape off to see what amazing thing was in it...and there was a couple sets of greeting cards and a file box to organize them. cool! then i saw the little post card that accompanied it. (i had entered in a drawing to receive a gift) so i thought, well, maybe i won the drawing!....nothing is what it seems. i did not win, in fact. instead, they sent me the stuff and offered it as a free gift if i signed up for the card club; good thing it included a return label.

just refrain from signing up for anything free (unless it's on a blog-site....soon)

julie

busted! big fail week...happy anyway

busted! i have learned my lesson. avoid talking on the elevator...any elevator. dr. hughes, our new principal came in today and said she'd heard that i was interested in the smu leadership program. i wasn't exactly certain how. then she told me that one of her teachers from her former school had been at the same informational session that i went to. on the same elevator. i had said in the session that i wasn't certain who our new principal would be or even if the principal would be willing to have someone go through the program at the school.

anyhoo, she proceeded to reassure me that, yes, if there was any way she could help, she would be more than willing.

i am very much looking forward to some tamales this week or next...whenever...can't wait! i was thinking about taking some up to the office again as a Christmas gift, but i NEED to get a good Christmas pic of the dogs to do that because i thought that would be cute-they get animal pics from the residents, but we haven't ever given them one. it's time.

this morning on the way to school, it was dark out. i decided to get there a little early (because i always do), but this time, i was hoping to spend some time enjoying coffee and donuts. well, that fell through-major fail. hopefully we can try it again and get it right. it really did make me crave a glazed donut, though. grr. anyhoo, on the way, i got to snap a shot of this fun Christmas tree. i love going by it every morning!

since i didn't put one up this year, maybe i'll just go around and snap a bunch of tree pics and hang them up.

when we were in branson, they had these great magnets on sale at a hardware store, and i thought it would be a fun science gift for the students who get their avid agenda signed. the strange thing is that it's called a game:

there are no instructions anywhere. i guess if you're a kid you just make up your own directions. but it is definitely a misnomer to call it a 'game.'

today i helped gigi empty out one of the 5 gallon water jugs. there is one more and we will have monday and tuesday to clear that one. she has someone else helping, but i mean, you've gotta be careful-water poisoning!
 i guess it defeats the purpose of drinking the water and eating healthy if kids are going to go and have birthdays!

although, thank you, oscar, it was delicious!

this has been one of those weeks where it just seemed like there were some great ideas, but my vision was very different...i try not to be disappointed, but when you really think something is going to be awesome and it turns out to be less than amazing, that's just what happens.

keep your mouth shut in the elevator if you know what's best for you!
julie