Zoo Visit

Our visit to the zoo, began uphill! It was rather cold that day, but loads of fun!

We enjoyed many different kinds of birds.

Little guy made new friends.

He was able to see many of the animals he's read about in books.

We took him on the train. What an exciting time!

Callaway Gardens

This was the last weekend of free admission to Callaway Gardens.


Little guy was very excited to see the butterflies inside the butterfly center.


I get smooches all of the time now! They're preceded by "Mama NEED!"


He loved that the butterflies were eating bananas and oranges.


He enjoyed an encounter with a ladybug and surprisingly it lived!


Daddy and little guy had fun looking around at all of the different varieties!


These faces were seen many times as he looked around!




Don't ask; don't tell should always remain no matter the species!


We enjoyed walking the trails and talking about everything and nothing at all!


We had so much fun!

Precious life

Life is so very precious and can be gone in an instant. When you get that phone call. You know the one telling you there's been an accident. At first, nothing, then disbelief and finally a flood of emotion.

That's the phone call I received at school today. I HAD to take the phone call our office secretary told me over the intercom system. I walked down the hall and my husband is on the other line. Two seconds, me saying hello, and he says something has happened. My thoughts go to my kids immediately! No, he tells me my sister has had a terrible accident.

I walk back and gather my things, trying to figure out who's getting the kids and the tears are flowing. Take my evening class assignments to my friend to turn in and end up in prayer with her. Thank you God for great friends! Then go wait in the office for the big E to get me. End up in prayer with another wonderful person and tears flow again!

I leave for the trip to Atlanta where she's been life-flighted and arrive to find my vibrant sis on a hospital bed helpless. She tells me, while I stroke her like I would little guy to soothe him, how a heartless person weaved into her lane hitting her and then drove away. HIT and RUN! She swerves and rolls the suv into a tree. She lands into the passenger side ceiling covered in dirt, glass, and debris. The tree pushes the driver door into the driver seat in a tangled mess of metal. Not wearing her seatbelt has literally saved her life today!

All doors lock on impact and the EMTs and others struggle to get her out. Finally the smash the windows and work on getting her to the helicopter. They wash the glass out of her eye and put her into the mummy bag. She tells them to get her Coach bag (just think of me rolling my eyes right now). She arrives at the hospital and is washed up and broken arm is set, CAT scan done, and x-rays taken. She's swelling and freezing. They finally move her to a room only to cath her-owwwww! I had to explain that the cath doesn't hurt nearly as bad as she will after the swelling goes down. I am with her until the morphine kicks in.

WHAT A DAY! She is going to be okay with some swelling and dental work to be done. Shame, Shame, SHAME on hit and runs!!!!

I didn't call her last night because of fatigue and I feel very bad!!!! Just give your loved ones a hug/call and let them know how much they mean to you!

Valentine's Day

Here is a cute idea that I've been doing for my kinders for about 4 years. They always get so excited to see their finished Valentine box! I even have one!

It's too bad that we had a snow day instead of a Valentine's Day party!

My letter to the chairman of the committee...

I feel that BIG GOVERNMENT needs to listen to it's people!!!! That's what our founding fathers believed and tried to structure.

I wrote an email to one of our Senators designing and introducing a teacher merit pay bill. I did leave my name and contact info at the end (which I deleted here). I didn't receive a response until I over-loaded emails to other reps and their assistants! Here is my OPINION:

Dear Mr. Chairman,

I am sending this email concerning SB 386. I am very curious why it is being introduced when there are unanswered questions about implementation. I am an educator of nine years and currently hold a Master's Degree of Education. I love learning and immerse myself in learning every chance I can. Just this week, I started my first class for a Reading Endorsement and last year finished my Gifted Endorsement. The endorsements do not increase my salary, but do assist me in learning new methods in which to facilitate learning.

I do not feel that SB 386 is the answer to improving education. I have only taught for nine years, but have experienced very different students with very different developmental rates. As an educator, I give my all in and out of the classroom. Even during our January furloughed days, a colleague and I traveled through three states, at our expense, to attend a Whole Brain Teaching conference. Teachers work very hard to make a difference! Sometimes the standards are developmentally out of the reach of some students. That doesn't mean they did not show growth, it just means that they didn't reach the standard. Just yesterday, we had a celebration in our class of one student's great achievement. That student is not meeting the standard, but did work hard to master something that was very developmentally difficult for the student.

I hope that before SB 386 is introduced, it is completed with no unanswered questions! I will remain on my salary schedule because I work hard. I could not work any harder even if merit pay was offered to me. I love and enjoy going to work and facilitating learning each day! The students' success is such a joy and is celebrated in our room by all, not because of merit pay!

I would welcome a discussion with you and/or your committee. I am extremely interested in this bill and need to understand all of it. Thank you for your precious time and have a wonderful weekend.

Sincerely,

Sandra

Kindergarten Teacher

Snow in GA

We had a few inches of snow that closed our schools. So, while I was recovering from pink eye, strep, and a sinus infection, we enjoyed the COLD temps and beautiful snow.

Little guy was not feeling well, but was fascinated.





This was his expression when we came inside. He loves being outside!!

Tea Party Express and other thoughts

I am appalled by the term "tea baggers" and wish that people who have no other argument would stop the name calling. I'm actually looking forward to what happens through peaceful protest in a country where that freedom is still guaranteed!

I'm also concerned that many people are no longer supporting the war on terrorism now, though they supported it September 11, 2001 and will cry for it if anything like 9/11 ever happens again! I remember exactly what I was doing the moment I heard about it. I was a first year teacher involved in a phonics lesson. What support our brave men and women had! I love my country, the constitution, and the troops who willingly give their everything for us!

I can see the change rippling through our wonderful country. I hope that Brown and other politicians remember that they are elected by the people in a country where their choices directly affect the people who elect them!

A Good Week!

It's been a good week-not just good days! It was the first full week of school and we made the most of it! Everyday showed progress at school and we are now in WBT mode! The Smart board is working properly and my student-teacher seems WONDERFUL! I've been giving everything to God in prayer which has been difficult for me! I don't know why it's so hard to do that, but I'm a big, fat worrywart!!! It's almost like a Scarlett O'Hara kind of attitude.

I think 2010 has had a wonderful start for me! I know that it will continue! Inside, I'm humming a little old time Baptist hymn. I'd be singing it, except I don't know all the words:)

Whole Brain Teaching

Before getting into what it is, I must write that I forgot that I even owned a camera. I was focused on portion control and exercise! A colleague and I ventured 3 states away to attend this conference. What great fun we had!!!

WBT is a method of teaching to increase student engagement and decrease student disruptions! It also takes learning to the next level for students!

I took my 2 teacher furlough days and turned them into professional learning! Yes, I am someone who loves to improve and find great methods to keep students learning!!! So instead of a mini vacay after the Christmas break, I went to school and it was AWESOME--oh yeah!!

I was using a small component of it before, but now I'm incorporating it into my classroom and teaching!!! I am very excited by it and it seems to have started a fire of engagement in my room!

****Oh, I got a very splendid gift from one of my families...a smart board! It's dual user and 2 students can use it at the same time--a mighty "Oh Yeah!" I am over-whelmed by the generosity!!!! I think (wink, wink) it's because they have 2 more little ones coming up! It's going up this week and I cannot wait until the students can get their hands on that thing!!!!****

New Years Eve

A friend of mine invited us to a NYE party, but we had sitter issues and I decided to go for a couple hours. Here we are momentarily pausing giggles and laughter to pose!


I spent a couple of hours with great friends before venturing home to be with my favorite people!

After Christmas!

After the boys came back from the Bass Pro Shop, the younger boys stayed in their fort! We're traveling to see it!
Can you find Waldo? They spent so much time here that we rarely saw them!!!


Little guy enjoyed his time outside! He loves the outdoors!


Here's little guy and grampa. I think one day they'll be best buds!

Holidays

Our Christmas was very special this year! Both of our extended families came to celebrate with us! Great-grandparents, grandparents, parents, brothers and sisters came to our home. I feel bad because I have no pictures of much of my family and only video of Christmas morning.

However here are a few pics that I did snap!

This was Christmas Eve night after the kiddos went to bed!


This was my official spot for the holidays! I rarely made it out of the kitchen and it was wonderful!

We're watching The Polar Express while enjoying eggnog and hot cocoa.




Erik's uncle and grandfather joined us Christmas Eve for dinner. Erik's dad, mom, and younger brother joined us for the week:)

Little guy loves his great uncle!

Hopefully, this will begin a new tradition! Where we get together around the holidays to spend time together!
We visited a local park to walk through the lighted displays.