Those Meddling Kids

Today was a wonderful day.

And it had nothing to do with the President.

I'm sorry Mr. President I could not attend your inauguration because I had a very important previous appointment.

It started with lots of research for solving mysteries.

I got ready for a night on the town.  I put on my high heel shoes and pink lipstick for better detective work!

This evening required very special socks!

We hit the road in our very own mystery van (ours has a stroller in the back).

I selfishly enjoyed having this fellow to myself.

My date looked sharp- Am I right?

We soon joined Scooby Doo and the gang to solve the Case of the Haunted Coliseum!

Darren told me not to go crazy.....

But everyone needs cotton candy and

Scooby Doo in an Airplane for the same price you could purchase a small car for, right?

After all I'm no cheap date and look at that smile.

The musical was really fun and funny!

I loved it when Scooby and Scrappy rapped about Scooby snacks.

Every time we saw a ghost, we had to scream "Ghost! Ghost!"

(that was Connor's favorite part)

The girl who played Daphne did such a great job.  She was so prissy, just like the cartoon.

I always wanted to look like Daphne, 

but of course I will always have a special place in my heart for Velma because....

I WAS Velma.  I AM Velma.

In this picture I'm trying to solve the case of the missing fashion clue (as in really, get a clue).

My middle school graduation picture.

Afterwards we hit Krispy Kreme.

While we waited, I ran over a curve and we got stuck.  We sat at very un-level heights for ten minutes until the other cars moved on....

It was worth it.

We couldn't forget Daddy and Carlee.

To make our calorie count really high, 

we ate a very high class dinner.

Of course, it was Senior Citizen Blue Grass Night.

Live Music.

Lucky Us.

Do you want to know what Senior Citizens in the South think of our President?

They will tell you even if you say...ummm I'm just here for the fries.

I sure did have a wonderful day solving mysteries with my handsome fellow and

 those meddling kids.

Lost

Connor and I went to the mall on a hunt for discount Scooby Doo movies.  We didn’t find what we were looking for, but I picked up a few things and got in line.  Apparently Connor thought we were walking out the door because he kept walking.  I was so involved in finding my debit card and moving through the line that I didn’t notice he wasn’t beside me.  It wasn’t until I went through the line that I noticed he wasn’t with me.  I panicked and started to call out his name.  It was about that same time that I heard a little boy crying and frantically screaming Mommmm! I looked through the glass of the store and noticed him by the entrance to the mall.  Two things stood out.  First the look on his little face.  He looked completely terrified.  He was crying and looking around for me.  He also wasn’t shy about screaming to the top of his lungs…he was scared!  That look still makes me want to cry thinking about it right now.

The second thing that stood out for me was that the mall was full of onlookers who did nothing to question why a small boy would be screaming and crying.  People stared but didn’t stop or even try to get him to step away from the entrance.  Two women laughed as they passed him.  As soon I spotted him I mowed down two people to get to him, and I immediately scooped him up and held him on my lap for a full ten minutes.  I don’t know if people think the way I think, but visions of him really being carried off or getting lost for a long time went through my mind.  I was in near tears also.  Connor just grasped my shoulders like I was the best thing in the world and he cried… not saying a word.  I told him he did the right thing and if he is ever lost again to scream his head off.  He seemed embarrassed, but I told him he was brave.  We went to get a little chocolate ice cream, but he didn’t even eat much.  I think the fact he was so quiet and not eating showed how traumatized he was for that few minutes.  He later talked about it a lot… ‘Malls are scary placed to get lost, not like at your house where you know where everything is!’  True.  I’m sure the situation was so terrifying to me because I tend to be emotional, but that glance of a lost and helpless child doesn’t leave your mind easily.  I have hugged him at least a half dozen times today just thinking about the situation and how many children are abducted in this country.  I know many people don’t want to get ‘involved’, but I hope if you see a child upset or screaming (whether they are alone or not) you should watch the situation to see if you need to call for help or at least talk to the child and see if there is something wrong.  It only takes a minute and it could really be helpful.

Project Mania on a Budget

If you ask any teacher or state employee they will say that January is the hardest time of year to budget your money.  You have to make that check last for 6 weeks.  

School shopping isn't in the cards.  

This year I have some brand new challenges.  I actually have my first hearing impaired child.  My teaching has me delving even further into the world of language.   There is an intensive plan but no handbook to accomplishing it.  It has required me to do a lot of independent research.   

This vacation I have been trying to create a therapy bag that contains some hands on projects and concrete items to use in my units, and I've tried to do it on a budget.  It has been school project mania. 

***

This free Bitsboard app for the ipad is great for introducing new words and language, I've even been using it some with Carlee.  You can create a set of visuals and it allows you to play games, reads words, and gives an assessment.

The Mitten-

I found a spinner online, student can say or match the animal, and place in the mitten (probability for older students).

Mouse Count:  

I'm not sure if my mice look more like rabbits, teddy bears, or kittens, but it was the best I could do.

Thankfully Connor has about 25 fake snakes in his room.

Cut Sponges= Shape Paints

At the end of the month, I do a penguin unit.  One of the new words I introduce is 'slide'.  The only slide I could find in Connor's closet is part of a shark escape.  See the fins?

These happen to be Arctic penguins.  I covered up the fins with (cotton ball) snow.

I really could use a doll house to teach basic words, but all I have is the Gothic City Jail.  I found it in Connor's Goodwill pile. 

I covered up Batman's villains with some flowery stickers, and turned Gotham City Jail sign into a Welcome Sign.

before

after

I have NO idea what this is at the Gotham City Jail.  Electric Chair?

The electric chair is now a set of drapes.

2 for $1 Ice Trays=  Ten Frames

DIY- Snow Play Set

The grass (fake moss) and blue streamers (water) were getting everywhere, so I bagged them up before laying them in the tub.

Now a snowy town.  

I should probably put snow on the homes and in the sky? 

perhaps glitter?

I don't actually have a family play set, but I did find Scooby Doo and the gang in Connor's closet (and this naked baby I used for Moses one time).

"Hey Scoobs, this sure is a creepy phantom ghost town!  

Let's get the heck out of this classroom!"

-Shaggy

Velma making a snow angel.

Winter Writing Project:  If I were trapped in a snow globe....

materials- students draw a small winter background,

 concrete glue, a cut up box, a picture of a student, clear plastic cup, and epson salts.

Connor was my guinea pig.

I am not sure which way works better.

This is a great clip to inspire a snow globe story-

Pixar Knick Knack

Candy Land- Language Edition

review prior words (and you could use it as a sight word game).

It's pretty easy, read the card before you can move spaces.

I figure I will 1.  do some good teaching  or 2. confuse the heck out of the children.

Either way, I have a cool playhouse now.

Week in Review- The Broke Version

Currently my status is pretty depressing.  
Darren's car broke down with Connor yesterday (BIG thanks to a church family who was behind them, because they both got home safely with Taco Bell bags in tow), and this isn't even the vehicle making dinosaur noises! 
As if that wasn't fun enough, today my oven bit the proverbial pizza dust!
THEN,  Connor's retainer came out (thanks to scooby doo snacks). 

 Now we are trying to figure out how to get to the dentist, and how Darren is going to travel to work, and how to meet the repairman/ carman in the morning (with one car).
(Actually, I am just eating cookies nervously while Darren figures it out.)
Further, I am praying like Moses that Carlee is acting like a diva for FUN and not because she has an ear infection. 


 She did calm down after a few rounds of this:

and a few tunes from this:

So I think she is going to be ok after all.
I am not even going to think about the bills for these things (la la la, I'm not thinking about it).
I went to the grocery store for the family tonight.  Darren sent me with the calculator and a budget, except I kept forgetting to add what I put in the cart.  No problem- I 'guess'timated everything, and of course went 20 over budget.  I didn't think that was too bad, but I guess that defeats the purpose of a budget. 

Darren said he wished we were born rich instead of so good lookin'.  :)


To pick up my spirits tonight I created a video of my sweet Carlee.
That booger will not talk no matter how hard I try (books, ipad, games), she just prefers to hum/sing tunes all day.
(Maybe music will be her God given gift?)

This video did a few things for me-
1.  made me smile 
2.   realized I can put this girl to work
3.  thought- maybe we can be on Toddler's and Tiaras (move over Honey Boo Boo)!

Three Words-
What in the World?
(wait, that is four words, see how bad I am with 'guess'timating?)

I have it figured out - we can perform as a family like The Partridge Family!!!
I think it could work!

AWESOME!

I will keep working on some BRILLIANT money making ideas that doesn't involve an illegal lab and gas masks.

Until then, here is my week in review-

My talented neighbor sent us down some beautiful vegetables from her garden.

R. will you feed us all week?  

ha.ha.

Speaking of budget-

Connor and I can't resist the quarter machines. 

I know. I know. It's junk!

But we did score....

 

A Spongebob ball (that we have already lost), a beautiful blue teddy (plastic) bear ring, and a gold cross that would make Elvis proud, that has only broke twice since we got it.
All for 1.25! (DEAL).

Catching Fire Flies 

 

A big, huge GUMMIE snake!

I said NO, 

but it was fun to imagine the possibilities.

Mini Slide for the

Mini Girl

Sand-nado:

Lake Trip Gone Bad

Connor LOVED it.  

He made friends with some boys and had a blast.

Carlee......

not so much.

Have you ever met a child that HATED, HATED SAND??

Going back to sensory issues, 

my daughter is terrified of the sand.

This was the lake trip for her in one picture-

Just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water- you can't get to it....

 The people beside us couldn't believe how bad she hated the sand.  
Look at her draw up her feet in this picture.
She refused to touch it.

She wouldn't touch it, she wouldn't look at it, and lucky for us sand has a bad habit of getting on everything...and she wasn't having it.

The trip was her crying NONSTOP.

The only thing that could make this trip better....

Yep.

I had to say it...Sharknados.

New DORA  shoes later in the week helped Carlee forgive the world.

 

 Brother and Sister

Muffin Cakes

 

Workshop Training

EC DATA using MClass

(sounds fun doesn't it?)

The positive.  I had a peaceful lunch.

I found a really good book.

 I looked out the window at all the college students.

Before I knew it, it was time to go.

I was rushed, but I bought a coffee to go.

 I didn't pay attention to the straw I grabbed.  I went all the way across campus with this HUGE straw. 

I sent Darren this picture, and he sent a text back-

"I would sip that out of the cup unless I was alone."

(I giggled every time I took a drink.)

Who gave her a whole BAG of animal crackers!?!?

I just vacuumed!!!

Boyscout Camp with Mrs. E.

C. had the best time with you Mrs. E.

(thanks for the pictures, they were all so good!)

Dancing with the Scouts

(Work It!)

This may be next week's picture if we keep having bad luck:

I'm kidding, but jeez whiz, I'm afraid to go outside tomorrow.

When it rains, it pours, for sure.