Tails

Korra with her "tails" (as she calls them). 

So Sleepy

Korra got scared by the storm last night and I spent from 1:00 to 2:30 AM trying to rock her back to sleep.  I enjoyed holding her (since she's usually not one to cuddle), but I'm really starting to feel the lack of sleep now and a nap is not in my future.

Last Day of Testing

Just one more test.  Just 3 more hours of pacing and reading and being bored out of my mind.

Effing Dishwasher

Took over an hour but we got the dishwasher all hooked up... and it still leaked. Had to call an appliance repairman who can't come until Thursday. The excitement over this new dishwasher is already wearing off and I haven't even run it yet. 

Impatience

I've been guilty of impatience today.  

I was impatient with the student who took 45 seconds to painstakingly bubble in each answer on her scantron (that's not including the time to answer).  

I was impatient with the parent who told me to, "Hold on while I write this down" after I temporarily changed his password to 123456789.

Looking back, these are far more funny than they felt at the time (when they were just irritating).  

How to Remove an Old Dishwasher

1. Try to unhook dishwasher
2. Complain about how hard it is to unhook said dishwasher on your blog
3. Google "How to Remove an Old Dishwasher"
4. Return to the dishwasher and unhook it easily using directions found online

Unhooking the Dishwasher

Our new dishwasher arrives tomorrow but first we have to figure out how to unhook the old one. The power cord disappears directly into the wall. How are we supposed to unplug it?  Or plug the new one in for that matter?

Downward Dog Burns My Throat

Yoga was less enjoyable than usual tonight thanks to a bout of heartburn. Inversions were not my friend. 

Busy Awesome Sunday

In addition to the usual chores of cleaning the kitchen, doing laundry, and going grocery shopping, I baked muffins, made buttermilk pancakes, and brought lunch to friends who just had a baby. In the afternoon, Korra and I went to Starbucks to meet a friend, to the neighborhood Earth Day festival, and then went to get ice cream. Next on our agenda, a bath followed by popcorn and a movie (probably Frozen).

Oh and the photo is of Korra with her now TWO skinned knees (covered in what she calls "owie stickers").

Letters, Shapes, and Owies

Korra can identify 4 letters (K for Korra, D for Daddy, M for Mommy, and T for Todd). She knows 3 shapes (circle, star, and heart). She's fallen 3 times in the last 2 days (bit her lip, scraped her knee, and bumped her head). 

New Nephew

We went to Prattville today for Nate's sister and brother-in-law's baby gender reveal party where we enjoyed time with family and found out we're getting another nephew in September!
(Sorry Korra looks all crazy, but she was REALLY tired by this point- and this was the photo everyone else looked the best in!)

Poem In Your Pocket Day

Today is Poem in Your Pocket Day!  I've had kids reciting poems to me all morning (either to waive library fines or for candy).  I love knowing that poetry is in their heads and I helped put it there.

Good Mood

Nothing can ruin my good mood except if they ask me to proctor the CRCT today (because not testing today is why I'm in such a good mood).

New Dishwasher!!!

After weeks of researching and YEARS of hating our current dishwasher, I ordered a new one tonight!  It'll be delivered on Tuesday!

Toenails

Painted my toenails while Korra was in the bath and she asked me to paint hers so now we have matching pink polish. Having a daughter is awesome. 

ELA Test

Reading the English/Language Arts section aloud today was really tough.  You have to read all of these purposeful grammatical mistakes which trip me up because it feels so unnatural and because I have to make sure it doesn't sound like I'm giving the answer away.  The math section tomorrow won't  be any easier since I have to make sure I say all of the mathematical terms correctly (according to the preapproved a "Symbol Guide").  I hate this test and I can't wait until it's over.

Waiting...

One of my best friends is in labor.  Anxiously awaiting news...

Korra Makes Everything Better

Funk

Super long testing (until 12:35), an interruption during the very end, and a terrible has put me in both a physical and mental funk.  I need this school day to be over.

Coward

Every year that I give this test, I feel like a coward.  I don't agree with it.  I think high stakes testing is wrong.  But every year, I do what they ask, I don't take a stand.

CRCT

Testing start today.  I am doing an extended-time read-aloud with 14 sixth graders.  How I loathe the CRCT.

Summer Plans

Just bought Groupon tickets to the Georgia Aquarium.  Last week I bought a Brave's ticket pack.  Spent some time researching things to do in Asheville.  Making plans to purchase a membership to the college's pool.  I am so ready for summer- it's going to be awesome.

Outdoor Yoga

Yoga tonight was held in our open-air community space (an old brick building with the doors, windows, and ceiling missing and trees growing inside).  Hearing the birds, feeling the wind on my face, seeing the blue sky above me all while practicing yoga with my neighbors... it was wonderful.

Dinner Disaster

Nate grilled salmon, zucchini, and bread for dinner tonight.  And then I dropped one of the plates, which hit Nate's leg (scraping it) and the table leg (breaking the plate) and spilling the food all over our carpeted dining room.

Librarian's Dilemma

I've been ordering lots of manga lately because the kids love them.  My problem is it's not something I've ever read myself (or really have a desire to read) and the online reviews are not as straight-forward as what I usually use to evaluate new materials (meaning they're mostly by fans saying how "awesome" the book is- not really helpful to judge age-appropriateness).  I've been going on the recommendation of trustworthy students and it's worked out well until... InuYasha.  In one book (of the 5 or so I bought) there are exactly 4 pages with a topless girl (her shirt gets torn off in a fight, obviously).  Of course, an Ex Ed student checks it out.  And now I have to decide, do I discard the book?  The whole series?  Do I modify/censor the pages in order to save the book?  I can't keep it on the shelf as-is.  There's no justification for the book besides "the kids love it" which will not fly in a school board hearings.  Besides my strong feelings on "Freedom of Information," (and the fact that they see worse on TV), I can't honestly say that I think nudity just for nudity's sake is appropriate for most middle school students.  Still.  What's a librarian to do?

Korra's Easter Dress

Happy Easter!

We went to the sunrise service at the Explorations in Antiquity Center then came home and ate blueberry muffins and opened our Easter basket.  Now everyone's napping (Korra, Nate, and Todd) and the ham's in the oven.  Great start to our Easter!  He is risen, indeed!

Wide Awake

Why is this girl still awake?

Easter Egg Hunt

Korra went to her first Easter Egg hunt today.

Coco Wheats

Sharing my love for chocolate flavored cream of wheats with Korra. Our favorite Saturday breakfast!

Bedtime

Maybe it's the rainy weather.  Maybe it's that the cat woke me up at 5 AM the last 4 days in a row.  Maybe I tried to stay up too late almost every night this week.  No matter the reason, I'm going to bed at 8:30 tonight.

This Is The Day

Every morning before I leave for school, I sing Korra "This is the Day."  Usually she interrupts me and asks for me to sing, "EIEIO."  Today when I finished singing it, she said, "Dis Dis Da Day?" and we sang it again together.  My heart is melted.

Call the Midwife

Nate's at trivia so I'm catching up on season 3 of Call the Midwife.

OtterBox!

It turns out (and I have no idea how) but my OtterBox case was keeping my external speakers from working.  Apple Support was super helpful.  It was the first thing he suggested I try (after hearing I'd already tried everything on the message boards) and it fixed the problem!  Put it back on and it's still working!  Yay for things that are fixed easily!

iPhone Speakers

I was listening to music on my phone while shelving books and suddenly it stops.  I check all the settings, turn it off and back on, but the external speakers don't work at all- not for music, not to ring for incoming calls, nothing.  I didn't get the warranty from Verizon so I have to go through Apple.  Hopefully they'll fix it since I didn't drop it or anything!

Oatmeal

Korra says "oatmeal" instead of "amen" when we finish praying. 

CRCT Training

Know what I hate almost as much as standardized testing?  The long, boring, repetitive training for administering standardized tests.  Especially when they end with the proclaimation that giving the test is "the most important thing we do all year."  I couldn't disagree more. 

Shoulder

I pulled something in my left shoulder/collarbone area when carrying Korra on Sunday.  There were several poses I couldn't do at yoga last night and I'm having trouble lifting books and chairs today.  Ouch.  

Good Things

Unpacked and imported records for the LAST books from my old school. Over 7,000 books added in the last 5 months. 

Could touch my toes at the beginning of yoga class (usually takes me until the end).  

Made my first stuffed braided bread (filled with broccoli, cheese, and ham) and it turned out both pretty and yummy. 

Warm Springs

Our friends Beth and Kelley visited this afternoon. We grilled pizza and are out on the picnic table and then we went to Warm Springs to see FDR's Little White House.  It was interesting and the weather was lovely. A funny side note, Korra ran into walls twice. Once into a glass wall and once when she was wearing Nate's hat and it fell over her eyes. 

Recent Reads

Recently finished these two books.  They were good.

One Came Home is set in a Wisconsin town not long after the Civil War.  It's a story about a girl's search for her sister after she goes missing.  It's also about wild pigeons.  It won several young adult literature awards this year.  

Rapture Practice is a memoir about a guy growing up in a very conservative Christian home and his struggle to find what he believes for himself.

Yard Sale Recap

Sold a little more than half of what we brought, made about $120, and spend a beautiful morning hanging out with my neighbors. Not exactly enough to buy a dishwasher but not terrible either. 

Yard Sale

Doing a yard sale this morning with a few other families in the neighborhood.  Hoping to get rid of some stuff we don't need, enjoy some time with my neighbors, and maybe even make enough money to help us get a new dishwasher!

Purple Day

We got an email saying to wear purple for some awareness day or another so I'm wearing my new Frozen tshirt. Then I reread the email and saw that purple day is NEXT Friday.  Guess I'll be wearing it again next week!

Super Reader

A very quiet 7th grader drew me a comic about a super hero who recommends comic books to sad friends.  It was so sweet, I teared up.

Sneezing

We opened the back door to let out paint fumes (yes, they are painting the trim in the hallways DURING the school day) and it let lots of pollen in.  Even after taking Benadryl, I can't stop sneezing.

Termites

There are termites coming up out of the electrical outlet in the floor of the library.  Not good.

Show-Off

Today is my last Web 2.0 class and we're supposed to share some of our favorite tools and how we used them.  I'm going to show off my new website and I'm kind-of excited about it.

Outside Girl

Korra loves playing outside.

Parrot

2 things I have come to realize I say too often because Korra says it all the time: 1) Sorry and 2) Hey, Nate. 

Garden!

Korra and I planted our container garden after dinner tonight. One bell pepper plant, snap pea seeds, and 2 pots of flower seeds. Hoping to get one or two of those upside down tomato planters but I haven't found them yet. It seems like they were on every front porch the last few years but I checked Home Depot and Walmart with no luck. 

Reference Books

Beginning the very slow and long process of cleaning up my reference book records.  I'm going to be doing this clear into next school year...

Missing Nate and Korra

After a full 9 days with Nate and Korra, you'd think I'd be ready to go back to work.  Nope.  I miss them like crazy right now.

Alarm Clock

It made me very sad to turn my alarm clock back on after this wonderful alarm clock free week. This was one of the most enjoyable spring breaks I've ever had. 

Gardening Postponed

I guess I should have checked the weather forecast before I set my heart on doing some gardening with Korra today.  At least all the pollen is washing away.

Montgomery Zoo

Korra and her GG at the zoo.

Uncle Josh

Korra enjoying 2 of her favorite things with Uncle Josh- pizza and iPad.

Montgomery

Heading to Montgomery to spend the next 2 days with Nate's family!

Happy Birthday!

Happy birthday to my wonderful husband Nate AND my nephew Jude!

Teardrop Campers

It's 6 AM.  I'm wide awake.  So what am I doing?  Looking at teardrop campers online.  I think I want this one...

Korra in the Bath

Trying to find the best way to get videos from my phone to my blog.  So far, upload to Dropbox, then get on the desktop, upload to YouTube, THEN link to my blog.  Not exactly as easy as I'd hoped... but all the same, enjoy watching Korra!

Camping Photos

Turtles

Rode about 7 miles, saw the sea turtles, missed a tour by 30 min, ate camp-fire roasted Brie and bread, and enjoyed dinner out. 

Elsa

When I want Korra to do something she doesn't want to do (put on her jacket, let me brush her hair, etc) I tell her that Elsa (from Frozen) would do it. It worked quite a few times until yesterday during lunch I told her Elsa eats her carrots. As we were listening to the Frozen soundtrack at the time, she held out her carrot to the speakers (to give her carrot to Elsa). Nothing gets by this girl!

Family Sing-Along

All 3 of us singing along to the Frozen soundtrack on the drive home. Makes me so happy!