Holy Potatoes!

So apparently I am a 2nd grade teacher because I throw around phrases like "holy potatoes" as naturally as   I breathe these days (although I almost swore in class completely accidentally today -- good thing I caught myself since I have trained my class to think saying "shut up" is akin to saying "f--- you" and they would have been scarred for life if their favorite person cursed).

I can't believe it's been so long since I last wrote. Time flies and all of that good stuff. I took a big break this weekend and it was soooo needed! I'm glad I [finally] forced myself to chill out and step back. This week's plan is to a) survive and b) get a bit ahead by Friday so I am out that door by 4 with not a care in the world! I am going to spend a majority of my winter break working on National Board. I also want to get back into the habit of daily writing as I did in November for NaNoWriMo. Not to say my writing was anything stellar but it was therapeutic and I miss it!

Tomorrow we have a big whole school field trip. I'm excited about it. Today we made notes for inside of our reindeer that we made Friday. They are cute. I have to take a picture so I can post them. I am SO not crafty but Mrs. E is teaching me well *wink*

This morning I set this up in my room:

One of my favorite things about teaching 2nd grade this year is that they still believe in Santa and whatnot. I've never really done a tree in my room before (lights yes, tree no). But one of my colleagues had a small tree up so I figured what the heck. The kids were SO excited about it. I had to threaten to take the presents back if they didn't stay away from our little tree! :)

I found out last week that both of my teammates are getting student teachers for winter semester and thus far, I am still on my own. I am trying not to be too bitter but they think because they do "so much" for the school that they deserve the help. Um, I am not chopped liver over here. I sent an email to Mrs. CT who coordinates all of the interns and asked her if she could check back with the college and that I would take a student teacher if one is free. I wanted a TA (half day) but would take a student teacher over nothing. TAs are harder to come by because a lot of people like the half-time help. We'll see. I am consoling myself that my data is amazing WITHOUT help. So there.

Something good did happen last week though. I got an email from someone in the Michigan Department of Education saying that according to their records I was pursuing National Board certification and there are still federal grant monies available for Michigan teachers who are pursuing the certificate. Monies have to be allocated by 12/31 so to apply ASAP. So during my mental health day last Thursday, I did all of the paperwork for that and faxed it in. Today I got an email saying my application was received and a request sent to NBPTS to ask them to allocate funds to my account! So that sounds like of like a definite to me. If so, it will be a super Merry Christmas and Happy Anniversary in my house!

Gotta hit the hay for a loooong field trip tomorrow. Only 4 more wakeups! If this week goes anywhere near as fast as today did, I will blink and it'll be Friday!