I almost slipped

Geez. It is only the seventh of January and I almost forgot to post a day. I am trying this posting everyday thing. I look at it as therapeutic in some degree. Now I can write and write and write, instead of chewing Matt's ear off about the things my students do to drive me crazy.

The trees are gone. We have a whole new backyard. It looks huge. I met the kids next door today. They are so nice. They were in shock that we took down all the trees. Then they asked me if I would get a job at the school behind us so I could be their teacher next year. I chuckled under my breath.

I will post some pictures later in the week of the before and after of our backyard.

Hip Hip Hooray

Today Matt and I bought some furniture for our new living room. So we spent a good long time on three different showrooms sitting on many different couches and loveseats. We finally agree on a sofa-chair set, we pick out end tables and a coffee table to match and low and behold, they only have the couch in the color we want. They might get in a chair or loveseat in that color sometime but they changed distributors and weren't sure when or if they would have it again. Aaww crap! So we go back to look at the same set in a different color. The salesman said he would give us a nice little discount and the loveseat instead of the chair if we bought it in the lighter color. I had my heart set on the "mocha" color. But, we ended up going with "honey." And now that I think about it, I am sure it will look quite nice. I am excited. Now we just have to find an area rug to fit in with all the new furniture.

While shopping for furniture, the tree guy called and said they would start work tomorrow. Yipee! I can't wait for that. It will be so nice to be able to do our own thing in the backyard. We have five trees and three bushes coming out. We are also having the maple tree pruned.

And to round out the house stuff, we are having our chimney cleaned tomorrow. It will be so much fun to be able to use the fireplace.

Man...being a homeowner is fun and very expensive!

Answer Sandwich party

In school, we teach our students to write paragraphs using an "answer sandwich." Basically the kids form their "top bun" which is when they restate the questions and give a gist. Then they must have at least three supporting details(the spicier the better). This is the meat, tomato, cheese, lettuce, etc. Then of course you must have a bottom bun to complete your sandwich. This is when the students say about the same thing as the top bun. So...we have been working on this since September. Next week is the big state test. The students have lots of reading and writing to do, so their "answer sandwiches" must be perfect. Today I went to one of my colleagues house to make some sandwiches for the kids to get once they have written a perfect paragraph. They have four opportunities to write. Each paragraph comes with its own treat. They get mini white castle burgers for one, crabby patties for another and then...check it out for yourself.

mini answer sandwich cookies


and a piece of the answer sandwich cake

So think of me Monday afternoon when our students will be feverishly writing in order to get their treats. And then think of their parents as we send them home all sugared up.

Way to go Layla!

So, today was my day to come home at lunch and let the little girl out. I was nervous the whole ride home. I was super nervous opening the door. Matt and I's new ritual upon entering the house is to smell the air. We continue to stick our sniffers in the air all the way to the crate. So with my big honker in the air, sniffing my way to the crate, I was surprised to find that...(is the suspense killing you yet) NO ACCIDENTS!!! Awesome! We went outside and took care of business. Layla would have loved to play with her mommy but unfortunately, mommy had to go back to work. So it was back in the crate she went. I was telling myself the whole way back to work that she was going to have a big mess when I came home because I didn't play with her. So home I come after work and put my sniffer to the air, but once again NO ACCIDENTS!! I am so proud of her. Call me crazy. But she crossed over a big obstacle today. This was the first time our little puppy made it more than three hours without having an accident. She has made it overnights every night, but for some reason when we both leave the house she just can't make it. So everyone raise your glass and toast Layla.

Things that make you go hmmmmmm

What does it mean when you come back to work and in your mailbox you have a half used bottle of hand sanitizer? Hmmmmmm...is someone trying to tell me I have dirty hands? Does the fact that it is lemon-lime scented have any significance?

Today is the big test! Will the little girl make it to lunchtime with no accidents in her crate???? Hmmmmmm...I hope so. All you blog readers keep your fingers crossed. We played for an hour this morning and then went for a walk so I hope she is tuckered out and does nothing but sleeps. I'll let you know the verdict when I get home.

Oh yeah another hmmmmmmm moment. At our school on Tuesdays and Thursdays we have something called extended day. The students stay for an extra hour and a half to get extra help with reading, writing, and math skills. I am not sure if it is as beneficial as it sounds considering a lot of the times, the kids that need it most get sent home on the regular bus because they couldn't behave during the regular school day. So why in the world would you make kids(and teachers) who have been on vacation for almost two weeks now, stay an extra hour and a half on their first day back? Hmmmmmmm. I need to retire!

First playdate

So Layla had her first puppy playdate today. She had a blast and is totally exhausted from playing with a big dog. She was doing really well till she puked the water she drank on my friend and then started to poop in their kitchen. Luckily we got her outside in time to finish her business. Not a great way to make a first impression. I am very thankful I have an understanding friend who remembers the puppy days and the lack of bladder or stomach control, especially after playing.

On another note, we had lots of quotes on some tree work and have decided to take out all the trees in the backyard. We want a fresh start for spring to make the yard our own. The spruce trees that are there now, along with some bushes have taken over and grass does not even grow. I'll attach some pictures later on so that you can get a better picture of the monstrosities(did I spell that right?) the trees are. The tree guy said he will probably be over next week. Man, I am excited.

What I am not excited about is school starting back up tomorrow. I was not blessed with a wonderful class. I think my teaching partner and I were given a class to force us to up and move. They are crazy little boogers. Don't get me wrong they can say some pretty darn funny things, but they can also drive you to pull all your hair out. State tests start next week and that is not the most fun time in my life. Since I am the special ed teacher, I get to deliver(give) lots of test mods to students. That takes me out of the classroom for no less than two weeks. I feel horrible leaving my teaching partner alone to manage the class but you do what you have to to get these kids to do their best. Let's just hope they do. And since puppy training is still well underway I have to come home three days a week at lunch to let the little girl out, which means my partner in crime has to take the kids to and from lunch by herself. Don't get me wrong, she can handle it just fine, but sometimes it is nice when one delivers them to lunch and the other picks them up so that you get a small break from the whining, bickering, and tattling. God,I hope I was not a big tattler when I was their age.

So far 2008 has been great. I can't wait to see what else it brings.

And the new year has begun...oh yeah!

So I may have only been awake for the ten seconds before the ball dropped to about five minutes, after but I am happy that 2008 has arrived. And the fact that I was almost asleep when the ball dropped does not mean that I was sad to see 2007 go. The year 2007 was a really good year. If you didn't read in my previous posts, a lot of exciting events happened in 2007. I got engaged and married to a wonderful man. I bought and sold a house. And we just recently adopted a little puppy that was abandoned outside a shelter.

I joined the Blog365 group. I am not quite sure what I have gotten myself into. I am hoping to learn a lot about myself and also meet a lot of new blogging friends. I am sure that with being a teacher, having a new house, and a new puppy that there will be plenty to write about.

I have a feeling that 2008 is going to be just as exciting if not more exciting. I look forward to telling you all about the exciting adventures of house-training a puppy, remodeling a house, and teaching. So with that being sad, I am off to wake up my husband and make him take me to breakfast to celebrate the new year(and for the fact that I have been getting up at the crack of dawn to let Layla(puppy) out to do her business in the backyard and not in her crate).