Friday

It's Friday, happy happy joy joy.

I just got back from taking the kids to the bus stop. There I had a lovely discussion with a neighbor about canning. It makes me want to do that or something like that with my day off from school.
The day is mine, all mine. Jay's at work, kids in school, no class today for me= PARTY! Nah, the kids would get home just when it would get fun and it's no fun without Jay. Geez, how did I go from the wholesome, productive canning to a party? Stream of consciousness is scary thing.

Jay and I cleaned the shed yesterday. A neighbor boy threw crab apples at the shed's window until it shattered. Nice, huh? But it was the catalyst for a clean up. What a good feeling that was to clean up old smelly boxes and leaves that blew in and glass and all the other junk in there that we'd been putting off cleaning. It was all carted away this morning.

I could clean. x
I could study. XX
I could sit around, eating bon bons and watching cable! CHECK!

class = panic and stomach aches

I have a new class each night this week. On Tuesday, I had two. Tonight it was yet another new class. I don't like first days because I hate introductions. Noone listens really. Everyone is concentrating on what they'll say when it's their turn. We don't remember each other's name. It's a time killer. I don't like it and I never will. I would rather run 6 laps around a track than introduce myself, my major, my favorite color and my reason for taking the class. I HAVE TO. THAT'S WHY I'M TAKING YOUR CLASS. I NEED IT TO GRADUATE.

Tonight my professor walked in the room and waved. She began to use sign language but spoke not a word to us. I thought she would begin speaking soon. When she continued to sign, I began to wonder if I needed to know sign language to be in this class. It was surreal. I understood about as much as every third sign. We all continued in this uncomfortable way for at least 20 minutes. Then she finally spoke. She told us about her hearing impairment and her family life, but did not explain why she began class this way. I guess it's so we would get a brief glimpse of her struggle to understand us. There was also the added stress of trying to sign our intros. Yep, she had us sign them, too.
"There are no tests", she finally explains. Just participation and presentations. "If you don't talk at least twice per class, you won't get an A", she says. (There are papers, too. Papers I can do.) The presentations and forced participation is not good news for an INFP. Not good at all.
My desire to teach is stronger than my fear of public speaking. This I will repeat over and over and over.

The first day of school

The first day came and went. The girls like their teachers. Tara practically worships her teacher because she gave them a popsicle and an extra recess yesterday. I guess it doesn't take much to buy the love of a class of first graders! There were the obligatory packets and packets of forms to be filled out for each kid. And assignment books needed to be signed for two kids now. I was almost late to my own classes because I wanted to see them after school.

Excited for the first day of first grade.

Emily looking a bit sleepy.

All summer Emily had been telling Tara that she may or may not be her seat partner on the bus. The bus driver's rule is that you can sit wherever you want on the first day, but that's then your assigned seat for the year. Well, Em got on the bus yesterday and sat right down with her sister. All that drama for nothing.

Walking To The Bus

Tara came home with a huge name tag in the shape of a bus pinned to her shirt. Subtle it was not. :) But again, first graders don't always know when they look silly. I guess the school didn't want to lose track of any of them on the first day. Parents tend to frown on that. :)

Happy Birthday Mom

It was great getting together for my mom's birthday. She is now 16. Every year she gets younger. She is not even playing. :)

Poor exhausted Tara.

The Flu Strikes T

Tara is as sick as a dog, poor thing. We were up all night. Today I took her in to the doctor and she has the stomach flu. The good news is that it's the 24 hour kind. But oh how you suffer in those 24 hours!
Em is terrified of getting it and is keeping her distance, which is probably a good idea. The doctor gave her some nausea medicine to be administered- well use your imagination.
Tomorrow is my mom's birthday party. I hope everyone is better by then.
Calgon take me away....

Summer stuff

Last night Jay and I played Magic. He and I finally called a truce since his deck was too strong to conquer and I had too many points to kill off. Emily took our pictures. I like this one of Jay, even if his head is partially out of the frame. He looks like he's flipping me the bird, though. :)

Today was very fun. We went to some garage sales. At one we got a Laura Ashley dress for Tara for 3 bucks. We got a halogen lamp for our living room for 5 bucks as well as a few other odds and ends. It was a nice escape. Tonight I had better do some housework, though. All this fun is taking its toll on the house.

We stopped by and saw the girls' teachers, posted on the school building. Em is once again NOT with her best friend. She's bummed. It's the playground again this year where she'll see her friends.