Surprised? No, not really...

Moving to a NEW LOCATION

2009-09-16T20:58:00.004-05:00

Image from http://andyriga.files.wordpress.com/

So I have decided to move my blog to sarajaeger.blogspot.com. Don't worry, things will look eerily similar. I created this blog account two and a half years ago with my maiden name and I want my blog to be connected to my current Google account, you know, just in case anyone wants to publish me- they can now have access to the right email account and profile.

Don't fret, I will link this site to my new blog, for nostalgia and such. I imagine many of you like to peruse past posts in your free time.

So change your google reader subscription; you don't want to miss any of my most recent adventures and musings!

Don't be afraid to add yourself as a follower of my new blog. While following a blog sounds like a commitment, it really just means you get a cool little picture on my sidebar as one of my most faithful readers!

In Honor of My Husband

2009-09-16T20:23:00.002-05:00

I baked (well, placed on an oven sheet) Grands biscuits tonight to eat with my chicken noodle soup. It made me think of my sweet husband. When we were dating, we used to make a can of eight and make a meal out of them. We've long since moved on from these biscuit dinners but having them tonight took me back to those yummy moments. We'd make them late at night, back when the earliest thing we had to get up for was a 9:00 AM class, and sit on the couch and walk back and forth to the kitchen to grab "just one more." I do wish he was here to eat a biscuit or two with me. He's in Atlanta, a.k.a. "Hot-lanta," for a medical rotation. He's been gone three weeks now. I'm missing him like crazy.

Oh, and I refrained from eating all eight biscuits tonight. In case you were wondering.

Not trying to make excuses, but...

2009-09-16T19:06:00.003-05:00

Dearest Elliptical Machine,

I know we've been distant this week. I had full intention of spending lots of quality time with you, three times this week, actually, and I have yet to make good on my promises. In the past I know I've intentionally avoided you, grumbled in your presence and been a real pill when we've been together. But now that life is totally taking over I wish we could have our thirty minutes of peace together. I'd read my latest kid novel and half watch the TV in your room. We'd both leave our time feeling accomplished and purposeful. May I please take a rain check? This time my absence is not personal, only circumstantial. I hope you understand.

Yours,

Sara

Just Call Me Miss Social

2009-09-15T17:06:00.002-05:00

Squeal! Sixth grade social was today. Socials at our school consist of lots of running around, oodles of screaming, and cookies. Yes, cookies. You would have thought these children had never had a cookie before the way they swarmed that refreshment table. I feared a riot would break out any minute once students got their hand stamped and then realized they were doomed to wait in the mile long line for their cookies and soda. I wanted to tell them, "It's not worth it, go dance, have fun. You're losing 20 minutes of social for Hydrox cookies (read: knock off Oreos)!"

Once their bellies were full of soda and cookies the real fun began. In the cafeteria we had music blaring and these students know how to rock. I think that's what I love about early sixth grade. They don't know to be self-conscious, they're 100% kid and they dance their little hearts out. Beanpole legs were flying, hips were gyrating and kids were really getting into Poker Face.

At times I wondered if it was okay that I was silently laughing at students as the behaved with reckless abandon. But I wasn't really laughing at them in the mean girl kind of way, I was appreciating what it was like to be someone who didn't worry all the time about how they appear, whether they look stupid or some one's going to get wrong idea. I wish I practiced that kind of freedom in my own life.

So while there is no getting around how funny the Thriller moves were or the pocket of students who resigned to do the robot the entire hour and a half, I love that they did. By the spring social that freedom will be gone. In it's place will be whispered comments, hurtful laughter, and groups divided. But for today, they are young, they love to laugh and dance and they don't care who's watching.

dispelling myths and changing lives

2009-09-14T19:45:00.003-05:00

and yes, I had to Google the word "dispelling" is it two "s"s or is it two "l"s???

So I'm teaching reading intervention during ac lab and I have this small group of four boys. They love to ask irrelevant questions to keep from doing their reading and are the kings of distraction. They're pretty cute though and such sweet young men so I end up enjoying their company rather than feeling exahsted my the amount of times I have to ask them sit down, focus, or get back to work.

Two of the boys are refugees, only here for a year at the most; one from Rwanda and one from Nigeria. They are so funny. There is a spirit about them. They smile real big and ask tons of questions and I am taken my their curiosity and sense of humor. That and they think I am hilarious which helps their case. So today, when we couldn't get our tape players to work for our fluency assignment, Luke asks me about King Kong. Handsen quickly jumps in and starts describing the mammoth-like gorilla. With all sincerity, Luke turns to me and says, "Mrs. Jaeger, is King Kong real?" I laugh at the thought of this and tell him no.

At this point Handsen begins to adimantly argue that indeed King Kong does exist and is real. We Goggle pictures of King Kong and I even show them in Wikipedia that King Kong is fictional. Of course the next request is that we Google all kinds of different monkeys. I figured, what the heck, my lesson was shot due to lack of working batteries, lso why not dispel a few myths.

I've also recently been introduced to the following youtube video thanks to my students. I'm not sure how my life could have went on without this one.

Llama Song - Trust me, it's worth clicking on.

Julie and Julia

2009-09-14T06:27:00.002-05:00

I love that this movie is about an ordinary person who takes a risk, starts a blog, and "finds herself" while channeling her inner writer. In some small ways I can identify. When I started this blog two years ago (my goodness, that's a long time) I had no idea that it would turn into a hobby and a powerful tool for developing as a writer. In fact, it wasn't until I joined my writing group that I actually started to consider myself a writer.

Now as a teacher of writing, I think the blog is one of the greatest tools available to developing writers. I click "publish post" and instantly my work has an audience. Perhaps an audience of five, but an audience none the less! With a blog, anyone can have a voice and share their writing with the world. More and more, writers are getting paid to write their blogs and these little web worlds are beginning to change the face of journalism (for the good or the bad, you decide).

I was reminded of myself multiple times throughout the film (which I fittingly watched with my writing group). Julie realizes that the Julie/Julia project had made her very self-absorbed, worried that her readers could not get along without her regular posts. The egocentricity of a blog is true. Every time I post on this site my writing revolves around me, my thoughts and my conviction that someone would care what I made for dinner, did throughout the day, or thought about the latest episode of Real Housewives.

The sheer joy Julie expresses the first time she receives a comment on her blog is dead on. When I finally realized people read this thing I became so much more motivated to write. Chris showed me once how to check my readers; there were people reading from all over the world! By no means am I the hottest thing in the blogosphere, but I'm realizing that people read even if they don't follow or comment. This is exciting. In fact, it feeds the ego centrism (see above paragraph).

Glad I saw the film, makes me think about where this little blog is taking me. Maybe it is purely recreational. But maybe, someday, it could lead to more. My husband says I must cut out posts like this before I could ever make it big.

Because I Care: Installment #1

2009-09-12T19:17:00.003-05:00

Dear students,

I've recently made an observation. You, as a whole, seem to have a hard time listening. Perhaps you are hearing impaired but I am guessing that it is more an issue of selective listening than anything. Because I care about your overall well-being and it's my job to ensure your future success I am going to help you overcome this unbecoming habit you have developed.

While at first my efforts might seem mean or insensitive, I am confident that you will thank me later for taking this approach with you. From here on out, I will only give directions once. I will always provide the needed information in more formats than just my verbal direction. Perhaps the information will be in the work I give you, the smart board, or at your tables. When you raise your hand, and I know you will, and ask a question about something I've already given instruction for, I will encourage you to use your resources. I'm not shutting you down, but instead, giving you an opportunity to be a problem solver, divergent thinker and an independent learner. Receive this brush off with love as I intend it. Because I care and I know you all have it in you to solve problems for yourself, I will not sell you short by doing the work for you or repeating information that you can find elsewhere.

In addition to teaching you to problem solve, I will also reinforce the principle of listening closely and attending in class. This is a skill that will serve you well in high school and beyond. Good listeners make wonderful spouses, excellent bosses and sympathetic friends.

I fully expect that many of you will someday write personal notes of thanks as you discover just how helpful it is to listen to directions the first time. As I read your notes of gratitude I will smile and remember how frustrated you felt when I responded to your repetitive questions with: "I'm sorry, I already answered that question, use your resources." While you hate it now, I'm certain you will be appreciative later.

You're welcome in advance,

Mrs. J.

When I grow up...

2009-09-10T19:55:00.002-05:00

I really want to be:

- a wedding photographer
- a house flipper
- a stationary designer/calligrapher
- an event planner
- a graphic designer

Inspired

2009-09-10T19:27:00.003-05:00

Just give me a paint brush and some painter's tape. Photos taken from younghouselove.com, my new favorite website.

a dose of reality

2009-09-09T21:20:00.004-05:00

Image: http://nomnomworld.wordpress.com/When I wear high heels I feel young. I get this sense that I'm just this little kid playing dress up in her mother's clothes. I can feel the awkward movement of my body as I attempt to maintain balance and instead of feeling confident and mature, I end up feeling like a fraud.

I wore my new high heels to our Back to School Night. I even had a skirt on- pulling out all the stops for the new set of parents. When I stood in front of a room full of smiling parents and shared my vision for the year I couldn't help but feel terribly small. Not in a bad way. But it was a reminder that I, in a lot of ways, have no idea what I am doing.

I go to work each day and hundreds of people look to me as the authority. Parents come to me in moments of frustration and want advice on parenting. Students seek me out as their personal reference on all things. My words are like gold to my naive and trusting students. Shouldn't your teacher have all the answers? After all, she is the teacher.

But I'm 25. I've been doing this for two years. While I'm apt to think I do, I don't have all the answers. Every day I am baffled. Every day I have moments where I am overwhelmed. I make decisions all day, hoping that my conclusions will lead to student success, positive results, or at the very least, nothing too destructive.

It's when I wear my heels that I am humbled. Reminded that everyday I play dress up and pretend but really it's not pretend; I am the adult, I am in charge.

Terrifying, right?

Without Further Adieu

2009-09-08T06:34:00.006-05:00

meet Mr. and Mrs. Webel...

This weekend was immensely fun. On top of Megan's wedding, my best friend, Kristen, was in from Uganda (which is in Africa, which is a continent, thank you very much) and we spent oodles of time together eating and visiting. It was one of the best Labor day weekends a girl could ask for. I love my friends. I felt like I was back in college mode this weekend where you hang out late and sit around all day talking about whatever comes to mind. I miss that. A lot.

despair

2009-09-04T23:20:00.000-05:00

...over typos that I miss until it's too late.

Lovin' the Long Weekend

2009-09-04T06:16:00.005-05:00

My plans include:

rehearsal dinner tonight

best friend's wedding tomorrow

lunch with friends Sunday

crafting (I've got a vision brewing) Sunday

taking an afternoon walk with my bestie, Carly

sleeping in on Monday

Pictures to come. Love the above paper pack from Three Potato Four- think of what you could make with those!

What are you doing for the long weekend?

ramblings

2009-09-03T22:40:00.002-05:00

Wrote a post earlier but had to delete it because I sounded like a whiny old hag.

This is take two, minus the whiny old hag.

Just met with my writing group. I love them. I love that time together. They are fellow teachers of mine and they really push me to pursue what I love, writing. I shared a pretty sappy piece of writing tonight and they were really kind about it. I don't normally do sappy. I'm the girl who writes the sarcastic, dry pieces. Needless to say, I felt more exposed with the poem I shared than usual.

Makes me wonder why it's easy for me to be funny but really hard for me to get serious-at least when it comes to my writing. I think I need to go there more rather than hiding behind my cynical sense of humor.

Don't worry, I'll maintain business as usual for my blog readers but I do think I need to explore a new dimension of my writing.

In less important news: I am all caught up on Real Housewives of Atlanta. I fell behind but then got my priorities straighten out and I'm back on track. Rest easy.

a day in the life

2009-09-01T20:00:00.003-05:00

5:15 hit the snooze button
5:17 get up because I can't hold it anymore
5:25 get up for real on second alarm
5:30 shower
5:35 kill cricket, curse crickets living in my utility closet
6:15 enjoy a cup of coffee, read for a few minutes, sporadically adding to my day's to do list
6:50 leave the house, balance coffee in one hand, trash bag in another and massive bag of school books on shoulder
7:03 arrive at classroom, turn on music, let it wash over me while I prepare for the day
7:15 realize I forgot copies for the lesson that day
7:17 make copies and rush back to prepare
8:00 teach, teach, teach
9:30 walk students to encore, intend to work but really check google reader
10:15 meet with teaching team, spend more time than necessary discussing things we cannot change, establish that we need to add a bathroom break after 4th hour
11:00 teach, teach, teach
11:55 eat tasty, preservative packed lunch
12:25 teach, teach, teach
3:15 meeting after school, talk to some of my favorite people at school, add about 5 new things to my to do list
5:15 change into workout clothes
5:30 secretly curse the one elliptical machine that is ALWAYS taken when I get to the work out facility, jump on treadmill instead
6:00 debate over leftovers to reheat
6:15 eat, while checking gmail
7:00 work, work, work
8:45 watch a Dexter, fall asleep on the couch
9:45 read until my eyes close

Whew!

give 'em the ole razzle dazzle

2009-08-24T17:09:00.006-05:00

Today was my first day of school. All in all, it was a super successful day- quite hectic at moments and there were a few student tears, but overall, we survived and everyone made it to the bus in time; an accomplishment in and of itself.

It's tradition to take a first day of school picture, one I hope we carry on with our children.

happy as a clam

2009-08-22T19:35:00.003-05:00

... just talked to bonnie, who is in korea (seriously, be impressed with modern technology connecting us across continents) and my heart feels good

watching dexter while i send email and breaking in my new crocodile pumps (thanks, target $24.99)

reading mechanically inclined, a book about the teaching of grammar and learning a ton (this post is not representative of my new knowledge due to the absence of punctuation and capitalization)

listening to the peaceful hum of the washing machine, loving the fact that in two short hours my laundry will be clean and put away for the week

thinking happy thoughts, not sad ones, about the thought of starting a new school year monday morning- if you would have taken my emotional temperature a week ago, i would not have had such a positive outlook

dreaming up what i can paint white to make it look like a million bucks (see earlier post and be amazed)

Completely Inspired to Buy Some Junk

2009-08-22T17:46:00.009-05:00

And do this. Check out more on White Berry Reinvented.

Needed this...

2009-08-21T08:28:00.002-05:00

School begins Monday. I am excited. I am nervous. At times, I am overwhelmed. Loved these encouraging postcards from BOOOOOOOM! I needed this pick me up. Can't wait to share more about all the ideas swimming through my mind regarding my students and our fresh beginning.

Signs that Blogging is Taking Over Your Life

2009-08-17T18:10:00.002-05:00

Is it bad that this morning I thought this might be an interesting blog topic?

We live in a two bedroom, one bath apartment. Usually one bathroom is more than enough for the two of us. This morning though one bathroom just didn't cut it. It made for a funny morning moment and a blogging topic... errr, maybe I'm thinking I should reconsider publishing the details of this.

But in two years of marriage, we've never had a moment of dire emergency like I experienced today.

Drink a Lemon Berry Slush and Furnish My Classroom

2009-08-13T21:02:00.004-05:00

Sonic is offering this sweet opportunity for teachers to get resources for their classrooms. I am asking for three bean bag chairs. You can give to my classroom each time you buy a Sonic beverage.

Cozy Book Corners

"My students can't get enough time to read and write! I teach Reading and Language Arts to a wonderful group of sixth graders who are vibrant, young readers and writers. Whether they're reading a book or writing their next novel, my students love the opportunity to get away from their desks and get cozy. I teach students from all different backgrounds including English as a Second Language students and two sections of struggling readers each day.

With our commitment to independent reading and writing time each day, my students look forward to having a chance to find a comfy corner in which to get lost in their book or write in their notebooks. My classroom is an old trailer with a real need for color and comfort. The floors are not that cozy to sit on and students are eager to earn time on the couch that was left by the teacher before me. We could really use more soft spots to work.

There are three bare corners just begging for a bean bag chair to make them the perfect reading and writing spot for my students. These bean bag chairs would get daily use and lots of love and wear from my eager students and would help transform my trailer classroom into the ideal workshop space! This is certainly something that would increase the quality of our work environment and be enjoyed by all!

With your help, we can make sure my students have the perfect place to develop their literacy skills and create meaningful writing to share with the world. All it takes is a little bean bag love! HIDE

My students need 3 cozy bean bag chairs to snuggle up in and get lost in a book. The cost of this proposal is $242, which includes shipping for any materials requested and fulfillment."

Mrs. J.'s Classroom

Region:

Missouri

Project ID:

299825

Live Updates

Be the first to donate to this project!

Secret Ambition:

2009-08-10T20:17:00.002-05:00

to be a wedding photographer. I can't get enough of Todd Pellowe's photographs. He does remarkable work. Even though my wedding ship has sailed, I still love to look at wedding photos and drool a little. If you also share my obsession, check out Style Me Pretty for more wedding related eye candy.

experimenting with basil

2009-08-10T16:26:00.005-05:00

Chris and I successfully made our own pesto the other day. It's in an effort to be more healthy. It tasted better than it looked. I paired it with some leftover pork tenderloin from Thursday's cooking adventure. Feel free to be impressed.

Something My Dad Has Always Known:

2009-08-10T16:02:00.003-05:00

But, I am a winner! Last week I was so happy (with a twinge of jealousy) for my friend, Krista, who won a fabulous print from Rockstar Diaries and this week I am the proud winner of this Aimee Sicuro print from Rachel at Black Eiffel!

another one bites the dust

2009-08-09T15:52:00.006-05:00

Went to one of the most unique weddings ever last night. Our friends, Andy and Lindsey, were married here in Columbia. The couple is about to head to Korea to teach for a year--that's the second couple friend to make the move to Korea!

Andy and Lindsey love art and their friends so they decided to have an art auction during their reception. In a small separate room they had their friend's artwork on display and people could make bids on each piece. All money was put in a "giving" fund for Andy and Lindsey to use to give away over the next year. What a cool, generous concept! They were stunning and the dance party was kickin'. There were plenty of Lady Gaga beats to keep us moving.

Poster explaining the art auction and the intentions for the proceeds. Beautiful typography.
Chris and I looking sultry!

Lindsey and Andy

no contest

2009-08-09T15:45:00.001-05:00

Hop on over to My Little Reviews and enter to win a $50 GAP card. Love the GAP and could definitely use a $50 gift card in no time flat.

Get a Load of This:

2009-08-07T11:39:00.002-05:00

What's a girl to do with all the fabulous jewelry from your ex-boyfriend/fiance/husband? Keep it and you're holding on to all the memories attached. Outof yourlife.com attempts to alleviate this all too common dilemma. Send them your jewelry in this "break-up box" (shown below) which has "you're better off" inscribed inside, and they'll pay you for your goods. Now, if that's not the most depressing service, I don't know what is.

Living Like a Writer

2009-08-07T08:34:00.002-05:00

The last year of my life, the inner writer in me has been stirred. I love blogging and I get a total thrill out of all the people who tell me they read my blog. Seriously, nothing makes me more jazzed than finding another reader! Having an audience is so important for a writer.

This school year I will be teaching a double block reading and writing class. This means I will only have half the students on the team but I will get them for two linked class periods. Ninety minutes together to read, write and create!

I'm in prep mode for the school year and I am thinking about teaching writing, since it is a new subject for me. I recently joined a writing group myself and since Spring Break, I've upped my entries on this blog quite a bit. I am trying to live like a writer, see the story behind the daily run ins and little moments. Being in the writing group has 1.) forced me to write and share my writing outside the protection of this blog and 2.) grown my confidence in my writing ability. Never once has the group thrown my writing back and me and said, "Sara, this is total crap. Never show your inarticulate face here again!" So while I know I have far to go in my writing skills, I also feel myself growing and noticing more. I'm always thinking ooh, this would be a great blog entry. I actually now carry my camera with me in my purse in case a blog opportunity arises. I read other bloggers' writing and I aspire to write like that. I try out techniques I see in the writing of my peers and I am taking more risks.

All this to say, I hope the same for my students. I hope this year they discover the inner writer inside. I hope they find their voice and get a thrill out of sharing their writing like I do. Writing is a pretty difficult thing at fist glance. I mean, you're being asked to produce something and we're so used to being evaluated on our writing. But what if we just started by writing for the sake of writing; because it's therapeutic, it's empowering, it's a way to connect with the world? What could happen if we allowed the words to fall out on the page and went from there.

Feeling excited and hopeful. Sitting at It's a Grind coffeehouse (that might be part of euphoric feeling...)

Oh, thanks for stopping by to see my classroom.

2009-08-06T16:03:00.011-05:00

my wonderful word tree (look familiar, Krista?)

portfolios' homes
stuff holder

writer's notebook info

the nasty, old couch the kids can't wait to sit on

my desk area

where I hope display all our hard work

class library

class rules, found these somewhere and I love what they communicate

self-deprecating bulletin board

Summer Dessert = yum yum

2009-08-06T15:57:00.003-05:00

As an avid believer that if there is not chocolate in it- it ain't dessert, Chris and I have stumbled upon a tasty, healthy, non-chocolate treat. Berries and Reddi-Whip. Nothing too revolutionary but I'm loving it every night after dinner.

Dreaming up a New Fall Wardrobe

2009-08-05T07:13:00.013-05:00

Not that you care, or anything, but I played my game where I online shop and then never buy anything. Of course, I went to J.Crew because they have stolen my heart and continue to stomp on it with their crazy expensive prices but I thought I'd let you know what I would get if I won a three minute shopping spree from this lovely store. A Wool-Ruffle Trimmed coat.
A Ribbon-trimmed tee. You could dress this one up or down.

Classy for parent teacher conferences????

Oh my goodness, these boots are fantastic but they are more money than I've ever paid for one item of clothing in my life. I would have to wear these the rest of my days and then pass them on to my children to justify a purchase like this.

The Anton Cardigan, love that collar.

The forever cardi with a great mini skirt. I dig the hot pink skinny belt.

Ah, my staple, the turtleneck, and a sleek denim pencil skirt

I liked the whole outfit here. The model looks confused, maybe she was in the middle of saying, "wait, how much does this all cost?"

Sneaky sneakers

I really like the shape of this cardi. You could dress it up or leave it on the back of your chair for when you get cold at work.

Um, yes please. Love the high waist and the bling around her neck!

On another blog I read, the author was recently asked to be a Gap enthusiast. I am secretly hoping you, J.Crew, will ask the same of me. I would wear your clothes with pride and I would silence my constant complaining about your prices. Think about it, we could have something special here.

Love, an aspiring J.Crew Enthusiast

All images from J.Crew.

New BFF?

2009-08-04T13:41:00.002-05:00

If you haven't noticed, I have a highly addictive personality and I really love reality television. I'm not proud of it but I have learned to embrace this embarrassing fact about myself. So anyway, I had the best of intentions today when I went up to school to work on getting my room ready for my new students this fall, but they were waxing the floors and there was little I could do without access to the workroom so I came home to work from here.

After about an hour of silent working I decided to turn on the TV while I ate my lunch. Oxygen was running a marathon of the show Tori & Dean: Home Sweet Hollywood. So I started watching and now, two hours later, I am totally sucked in. I've never been a big of a fan of Tori Spelling but I gotta say, after watching her show, I think we could be best friends, you know, if we ever actually met. I appreciate her honesty. I suppose work can always be put off for one more day. Off to the important task of completing my self-indulgent marathon.

Major Debate

2009-08-04T13:31:00.003-05:00

Bangs or no bangs? Would I hate having them in my eyes? Would they get gross and sweaty when I worked out? What if I look like my childhood self where my bangs were so heavy they started halfway back on my head (not a good look for anyone over the age of 8)? I've been debating this for a while and I go back and forth over the issue. Hmmmm. I would have to get more frequent haircuts with bangs which would be more moolah on hair care. I don't think Chris would like that. Oh, what's a girl to do?

Attention all insects:

2009-08-04T07:38:00.002-05:00

Dear insects, rodents and pests,

My home is not your playground. I don't know if you've noticed but all your little friends who've made it into my apartment disappear. I may look like a nice, understanding lady but when it comes to the cleanliness of my home I am ruthless. Give me a shoe and your fate is sealed. I just flushed two of you this morning. That makes the current count in this battle bugs:0, Sara:4. That's right, the odds are not in your favor. So while I seem like a hospitable host, I am not. Take your exoskeleton and your hippity hop elsewhere. If you think I'm kidding, see this post and think about that.

With greatest sincerity,
Sara AKA The Exterminator

DONE!

2009-08-02T08:21:00.004-05:00

I am a sewing convert. First project was a success! Check out my friend, Krista's successful project too. We took the crafting plunge together on Friday!

sneak peek

2009-08-01T20:11:00.002-05:00

finished product coming soon....

Read ME!

2009-08-01T20:01:00.002-05:00

Dear Blog Readers, if you like to laugh and you think ridiculous people are entertaining, please read Wade Rouse's, Confessions of a Prep School Mommy Handler. I promise it's a book you'll enjoy. Except maybe if you're a male. But then again, maybe not.

Shut Up!

2009-07-30T20:45:00.005-05:00

I know I talked some big game on the Slice but the thing couldn't handle the amount of crafting I was putting it through and it broke. After a series of frustrating emails with Slice headquarters my parents found the Cricut at half price and purchased it to replace the Slice. I WAS SO EXCITED about my upgrade. I've already put the machine to work and can't wait to begin making paper crafts again! Thanks mom and dad!

Weekend of Gluttony

2009-07-30T20:26:00.005-05:00

There are somethings I can always count on when visiting Kansas City; that I will be able to lounge in my parents basement and get caught up on the latest Criminal Minds, Desperate Housewives, (enter your favorite prime time show that you're normally to busy to enjoy here), that I will eat well every single meal, and that I will have BBQ at least once for one of those delicious meals. This visit was no different. Chris and I came home Wednesday night and enjoyed some Smokehouse BBQ (BBQ of the Northland) with his mom and dad. Then today we had BBQ again at Oklahoma Joe's which has been named the best BBQ in all the land by all who've dined there. We went with Krista and Teddy and I've got to hand it to Joe, his BBQ is better than any I've ever had. Which says a lot given I make it my business to have BBQ every time I return to KC. Then this evening my parents took us to Margaritas which is my favorite place to enter a food coma. So far, no meal has let me down. I'm feeling the discomfort of gluttony but I can't stop myself with all this delicious food. When we return to Columbia I will go back to eating nice balanced meals, but until then, let the eating continue.

Not to toot my own horn...

2009-07-27T18:42:00.007-05:00

Bonnie made this fabulous Newly Wed game where Austin answered questions via video. Polly and Austin's answers were crazy similar. We decided they were compatible.

Tiny cupcake issue, they melted but Bonnie did major damage control.

I made these cute place mats with various pictures of Polly and Austin!

Our lovely table settings in Polly's wedding colors.

We used empty tin cans for the floral arrangements, they were cute and cost effective!

Leslie, Polly (the bride), Hattie, Mary Kate, Me, Carly, and Bonnie

...but I know how to throw a damn good party. We're getting pretty good at this in our old age. See for yourself. The final shower of the summer....

A word about camping

2009-07-27T18:40:00.002-05:00

I survived. I even might consider camping again. This time I would not be the only paddler in the boat and I would get a cushy pad to put under my sleeping bag so my body didn't get rocked. Just thought you'd like to know that I sort of, kind of, in a subtle way, enjoyed the camping experience. Are you happy, Mary Kate?

Holy Taco Meat!

2009-07-22T12:03:00.007-05:00

I'm going camping. I know, you can pick your jaw up off the floor now. I am leaving tomorrow to take thirty middle school students camping and floating on the Niangua River. Today I am preparing 15 pounds of ground beef for tacos on Friday night. I have never seen this much meat in my life. My whole house smells like a taco and I spent three hours today cooking. Who would have know this would be such an undertaking!

Cleaning out and feeling good

2009-07-22T10:49:00.002-05:00

Why is it everytime I do a deep clean of my apartment, I find more stuff to give away to Goodwill? Chris and I are not excessive spenders but we can always clean out a few items. This time I cleared out our bookshelves. I just made a three bag drop this morning and I feel so good. I love cleaning out and getting rid of stuff that is clogging up our home. I hate the clutter and refuse to hold onto things simply for sentimental value. I know, I'm ruthless. I have a closet full of wonderful wedding presents and stuff we can't keep out because we don't have any room left in our apartment. What good is this stuff doing in our closet? I know, when we live in a home someday, there will be a place for it all but some people live this way their whole lives. With stuff in storage, never to be used but held onto in case a use might arise.

My friend, Bonnie, and I were discussing this phenomenon. She's teaching in Korea so a lot of their furniture is in storage along with other household items they did not take with them. They have a super cute apartment in Korea but she's has to really think twice about anything she buys because most likely, they will only have it for their time there. She made a comment that most Koreans live in these three bedroom apartments with multi generations present. There is no room for extra decorative pillows, plant stands, and other lovely but purely decorative accents.

Is all this stuff necessary if it's just going to end up at the back of a closet someday?

I survived, in case you were wondering

2009-07-20T11:58:00.005-05:00

So I beat my bug, I'm feeling better but sadly was not able to travel to KC like I'd planned. I ended up missing a friend's wedding and having to reschedule my dad's birthday dinner. I was feeling better by the end of the weekend and did get to attend Megan's shower. Below are some highlights.

Megan (the bride) enjoying a spicy tortilla roll-up

the lovely spread (below)

Chicken Salad sandwiches from Cafe Via Roma

We had a great time, ate some good food and now are one step closer to Matt and Megan's wedding!

One more shower to go, three weddings left to attend, and three weeks of summer to bask in.

Heading to the pool as soon as I hit "publish post."

always a gamble

2009-07-17T19:17:00.004-05:00

I'm sick. Still. I know. I'm done with this bug.

Being sick is a reminder that I am still pretty darn helpless in life. I'm twenty-five, an adult by all standards. I even make a living by being the person in charge of many young people. But when it comes to some things in life, I am still a young, naive, child.

Issues with my car, insurance, and health always humble me. Today I was feeling really awful at school and broke down and decided to go to the doctor. Problem is, I don't have a family physician- student health had always been my major care provider. So I called offices on my provider list and NO one was taking new patients today. Apparently, unbeknownst to me, if you're a first time patient you can't just get a same day appointment. So after about three phone calls with kind rejections from receptionists I broke down. I felt like crap, I was picking people at random and no one would help me. Some teachers encouraged me to go to an urgent care center and while my students were watching a movie I snuck out to try and see a doctor. (Don't worry there was someone else there watching the children.)

After about thirty minutes of waiting I overheard another patient in the waiting room tell her husband over the phone that she'd been waiting for two hours because there was only one physician. Since I had a time I needed to be back I left and told the front desk I'd come back after school. Well, later today, another teacher informed me she'd gone to the same clinic and after insurance she'd been charged $130 for a simple cold. Is this legal? I feel like these urgent care centers are a total rip off. I did not go back and I'm going to try and schedule an appointment Monday if I'm still sick.

But isn't that why I pay for insurance? To cover these kinds of expenses? I was shocked when my dermatologist visit cost me $90 after insurance. Everyone tells me it's because I haven't met my deductable but I don't go to the doctor that often (thank goodness) so I wonder if I will ever "meet my deductible" I just hate this awful guessing game that always ends in a bill I'm not expecting. Is there some kind of manual that I can read or some questions I can be armed with so that I know up front exactly how much this thing's gonna cost me? I just hate playing the game. Does anyone else feel this way?

In honor of one of the best men I know...

2009-07-15T15:53:00.004-05:00

...happy birthday, Dad. My Dad is the best Dad ever. He taught me life's important lessons and never let me get away with anything less than my best. He's a good, hardworking man that has always put his family first. Strangers love him, crying babies want to sit next to him, and dental hygienists ask about him by name. I'm thankful to have had such a wonderful support in my life. Dad, thanks for everything. I love you! Happy Birthday!

being a baby

2009-07-15T14:03:00.002-05:00

Image from http://liebchen11.wordpress.com

I am feeling under the weather. I even had the school nurse take my temp. I'm afraid my sore throat and bouts of chills made me a bit of a monster in my first Journey class. There's something about being sick that makes me feel like I have a free pass to be a grouch. At one point, I'm ashamed to say the following came out of my mouth," Did you really make the sick lady walk all the way over here to tell you to sit down again?" Add a mean face, irritated tone and a huffy walk and that was me. Probably should apologize tomorrow.

somehow I have become a plural

2009-07-10T14:08:00.002-05:00

I am no longer Mrs. Jaeger, I am known as Mrs. Jaegers. Apparently there are many of me. I believe the confusion began when I posted a sign that read: "Mrs. Jaeger's Classroom."

In case you question the validity of Lego's class...

2009-07-09T12:48:00.000-05:00

What Gives?

2009-07-08T18:55:00.002-05:00

image from http://www.organizingla.com/

Went to Michael's Craft Store today (it's becoming a more regular thing in my life since Chris is away) and I was baffled by a few crafters' behaviors...

First, when pulling into my parking spot, a woman unbuckles her seat belt and opens her door halfway to wave me on to another space. I think that this is weird but being a people pleaser, I do what she says and move, only to see that she wanted me to move so she could pull her car all the way through both spaces (aka thread the needle). Really, could you not have backed out of that space?

I shrugged it off and figured there was probably a good reason for her behavior. Then when in line, waiting to pay, a woman and her little girl were ogling the dollar bins by the register which are still a safe distance from the check out counter. They seemed to still be shopping so I stepped past them crouched over the bin, rifling for goodies. The woman loudly says, "I guess we'll let her go ahead of us." As I walk past. I am not a line cutter, I always take care not to butt. I was irritated that she made a big deal of it and passive aggressively announced to all in line that I had passed her up.

What gives? Usually this is the happiest place on Earth next to Disney World, today it was filled with passive aggressive, uptight shoppers. Can't we all just get our craft supplies together under one roof?

Also, what gives with Michaels $0.69 per piece of card stock. Really? That's more than a soda from the vending machine!

some drama for your mama

2009-07-06T21:43:00.004-05:00

I wrote earlier that I am a closet fan of Lady Gaga, I also am a little ashamed to say I watch, and enjoy, the Bachelorette. I know, I just lost credibility in many people's eyes. But I loved Jillian on the Bachelor and wanted to follow her journey as this season's bachelorette. There is one man who was still in the running for Jillian's heart that was a total slime ball. He looked like a used car salesman and as the weeks rolled on we saw the sleaze was really there to promote his terrible music and get some publicity.

Last week, Jake, an ousted bachelor, told Jillian that Wes was the man with a girlfriend. And as proof that love is blind, Jillian decided to trust Wes at his word that he was not in a relationship. All the while, Wes was revealing to America that he was the scum of the earth and did not care at all about Jillian during the individual interviews.

This week tensions were high and Wes had already done all the promotions he needed and after all, he did have a girlfriend waiting for him at home, so he gave up the fight. The stinker got a free trip to Spain where he denied, denied, denied all the previous accusations but was incredibly distant and awkward when Jillian called him on the rumors.

Rose ceremony rolls around and turd bucket knows he's going home. He proceeds to tell the men that he'll be the one going home (to have a lot of sex) and that they needn't worry about getting a rose. After getting in the limo to slither away he lets the truth flow. Below are some of my favorite Wes quotes of the night. Most of them make me cringe. Poor Jill, someday she will have to watch this footage and feel like a fool. Wes, shame, shame on you!

Some of my favorite Wes quotes:

"My girlfriend, I mean my ex-girlfriend..."

"I'm in Spain, everyone will know my name." (sung smugly in the limo after being eliminated)

"Gentlemen, I'll be having a lot of sex when I get home."

"Are we going in circles, lets get out of here."(as he spouts off about his dishonesty in the limo)

"I'm the only bachelor on the Bachelorette to get to number four with a girlfriend."

"That bird has one leg!" (this was his response when Jillian asks about the GF rumors)

"I'm in Spain, I'm cutting the chains and gettin' it on tonight."

"Whew, I'm done acting"

Congratulations Wes, you officially stink as a human. The world hates you, but maybe they'll buy your album.

shame

2009-07-06T18:15:00.003-05:00

I'm ashamed to admit this, but I am a closet Lady Gaga fan (if you couldn't tell from the last post title). Her lyrics are inexcusable, she seems to be the antithesis of classy, but man, her music is catchy. Heard one of my students singing Disco Stick today while she casually built her Lego creation and I had to cringe.

Lets have some fun, this beat is sick...

2009-07-05T20:15:00.005-05:00

Guess what! Chris came home for the 4th of July. It was a pleasant and unexpected trip home since he's currently away for the month working hard. I was one happy lady to see him and be able to cozy up to him as I fell asleep this weekend. I miss him so much while he is away!

We went to Polly's lake house and had ourselves a good ole' time, complete with a viewing of the annual hot dog eating contest. I'm glad I witnessed this phenomenon and saw a hot dog world record shattered. These competitors were like machines.

The ladies of the Council: Polly, Carly, Bonnie, Me, Mary Kate. These are some of my dearest friends. We only get to see each other every once in a while since Bonnie lives in South Korea, MK in Chicago and Carly in St. Louis. It is SUCH a treat to be together.

Bonnie brought the Council back Sherpa hats from Nepal. I can't wait for it to be cold enough to wear mine out. I mean, I guess I can wait, but I'm going to be pretty excited to wear mine in the winter months.

Happy Birthday Carlyn!

2009-07-03T09:46:00.002-05:00

Happy Birthday Carly! You are one of the most life giving people I know. Keep on, keepin' on, girlfriend.

"I would like to bring back the hope that my people lost."

2009-07-02T16:28:00.002-05:00

This was so touching. My dear friend, Kristen, is in Africa working for a non-profit that assists orphans. She posted this on her blog today. Kristen, I hope you don't mind me posting Mugisha's essay here as well. Powerful words.

from kristenuganda

Name: Mugisha Geofrey

School: New Kabale Busega High School

Mentor: Kyesubire Agnes

MY LIFE.

My names are Mugisha Geofrey and I was born on the 5th July, nineteen years ago. I started going to school in 1993 and I haven’t stopped since then. The question of who I am has come across as an early one so I won’t hesitate telling you who I am. I am a humble individual so I do not have the word proud in my vocabulary. I am so down to earth that I make Mother Teresa look mean. I treasure more than anything material in this world, my education and therefore am addicted to my studies. I like making friends since am an extrovert and therefore am not the least bit an anti-social person. I believe in God so I am a diehard Christian, I am so tidy that my friends and family call me a neat freak but I do not mind. I love sharing with others my dreams and ambitions since am an open minded person and one thing I believe I would really love everyone to have is Education.

I believe am God’s gift to humanity so that why I exist. I am an emotional person so it hurts me very much to see people in trying situations like poverty and illiteracy so I have dedicated my life to help people out of such situations towards an adorable specific destination. I can see my community with income generating projects, holistic education providers, profit earning community with numerous business ideas put to proactive with me in the community driving seat.

It is not the years in our life that count but the life in our years. So with my life, I would like to serve my community like no one has ever done. I come from a place where a family of many people survives on a dollar per day. I come from a place where hundreds of people are massacred by heartless people. I come from a place where pupils sit under mango trees to attain education. I come from a place where people get infected with HIV every single minute. I come from a place where one to attain a job has to be a son, a brother, a friend or a relative of some prominent person. I come from a place where the police disrupts peace that it is supposed to give. I come from a place where my people have lost hope.

I would like to bring back that hope that my people lost. I would like to simplify my people’s lives, I would like to have an HIV-free community, I would like to preach brotherhood to do away with the terror my people live. I would like job competition to be free and fair and I would like my community to be a better place to live in. That’s what I want to do with my life. The things that we do for ourselves die with us but those we do for others remain and are immortal.

Dear Megan and Polly,

2009-07-02T13:54:00.003-05:00

Photo courtesy of Taxidermy Church

Thank you for picking something better than these for your bridesmaids.

totally vain, I know

2009-07-02T13:50:00.003-05:00

does anyone know how to create a stylin' blog header? this blogspot one is just not working for me....

feeling my creative juices flowing, need to create something soon. planning on visiting le' craft store today after summer school. for inspiration only, of course.... open to any crafting suggestions from readers.

life is good

2009-07-01T20:38:00.002-05:00

Image from mostlikely2.wordpress.com

Just had a great dinner with friends at Bangkok Gardens (tasty Thai). Catching the second half of Criminal Minds while I blog. I cleaned my apartment this afternoon and I can still see the vacuum marks on the carpet and smell the cleaning product on the counters. What could be better? Summer is good. Real good.

so cool

2009-07-01T12:58:00.002-05:00

Aren't these wall decals great?
I'd totally put this somewhere in my house someday.

This would go nicely above my hypothetical reading area.

Who doesn't love a chandelier against a neon yellow backdrop?

Check out these decals and more at the Singlestone's Etsy shop.

the honeymoon is officially over

2009-06-30T12:59:00.002-05:00

In teaching, there is the blissful period where children behave as angels: they are polite, considerate and appreciative... that is until the get to know you. Today, the "honeymoon" is officially over. This is a sobering reality for any educator. This means things get much tougher, you have to use your stern voice in order to get the same results you were getting those first joyful, easy-going days.

If I had a dollar for every eye roll, under the breath grunt, and thrown Lego we'd be able to pay off Chris' medical school debt. Seriously, who teaches the eye roll, is it innate or something? You'd think I was asking these kids to perform brain surgery the way they whine and complain. I'm sorry if my Venn diagram really puts you out too much, this is summer school, after all.

Found myself losing my patience many times today. At one point I wanted to throw up my hands in frustration and walk out of the room. These days happen in this occupation. Tomorrow will be better, I hope. If not, I may have to resort to desperate measures. By desperate measures I mean, silent ball all hour.

Vay Cay Please!

2009-06-28T20:08:00.003-05:00

Photos courtesy of Something Old Something New

Thinking of taking a vacation here and wearing one of these. A girl can dream, can't she?

Been hard at work...

2009-06-27T16:21:00.004-05:00

... on the shower invites for Polly's bridal shower. Each circle was cut using the slice machine I talked about in an earlier post. Forty-three invitations later, I am pleased with how they turned out!

more on the Michael Jackson tribute

2009-06-27T16:18:00.003-05:00

Yeah, so they were pretty torn up about it all on Friday. One girl even sported a neon green fingerless glove in honor of MJ.

Good Bye King of Pop, Good Bye Jump Drive

2009-06-26T13:37:00.002-05:00

As would be imagined, the death of the King of Pop was a BIG deal today at summer school. We watched Jackson music videos as a reward at the end of core classes and in the sheer excitement of the music and memory of Michael, my jump drive got kicked. Picture it, 20 kids gathered around the computer, arguing about what video would be next. Jump drive hanging dangerously off the computer, a leg moving to the rhythm of "Just Beat It." You know the rest. The drive is not working, even after I snapped it back together. This was bound to happen, but I wish it could have happened on another day when I was not already mourning the loss of a music legend.

So now, I begin the process of recreating two years worth of work that is on that jump drive. Sadness all around.

Superhero Sunday.... because we can.

2009-06-21T15:50:00.003-05:00

Super Woman and Super Prego

The Crossing Middle School team (minus the Poppas): Clint as the Jedi, Belinda as Bat Woman, Me as Super/Wonder Woman, Drew as the Cyclops, Devin as Zorro?, Liz as Super Pregnant, and John as the lesser known, Vytor.

Gerber Daisies are Delightful!

2009-06-21T15:35:00.008-05:00

Chris and I had a great time. That blue dress was my new GAP steal of a deal ($39). Oh, and the best thing was that it had pockets!!!
Molly, faithful blog reader and great table mate, double fistin' it at dinner.

This wedding was very tied to the orange and pink theme down to the napkins and menu for the evening. Notice the adorable favor boxes filled with kisses that were used to tell guests their assigned table.

What an adorable cake!

The table settings were quite breathtaking.

I loved the bridesmaid dresses and bouquets. Ben and Amy made a lovely bride and groom!

Cute Story

2009-06-19T13:00:00.003-05:00

So we decided to build in some team fun time during summer school and on Fridays we have 40 minutes of "team games." We also draw names from coupons our students earned in our classes throughout the week. Today's prize: a Taco Bell coupon for a free bean burrito or taco (hot item). Well one little young man who sleeps every morning on the bleachers before classes begin, won one of the prizes and you would of thought he'd just been named the next American Idol. He put his hands over his mouth and was in such appreciation and shock that he stood there for a moment unable to respond. There were tears in the little guy's eyes when I handed him the coupon. I know kids today can be stinky and entitled, but this moment reminded me of all the kids out there that would be so happy with a coupon for a free taco.

P.S. I am getting hugs at an alarming rate, I have many "Mrs. Jaeger" pictures hanging in my summer school room and I feel like a celebrity walking down the hall on the way to the buses. While these sixth graders might be more immature, they are lovers. I never got that kind of attention once my kids became seventh graders.

just sayin

2009-06-18T19:48:00.001-05:00

Have you ever had the misfortune of watching something where the tracking is off an the voices do not match the moving mouths of the characters on screen? This should not be allowed to happen.

Summer School

2009-06-17T06:25:00.002-05:00

Started summer school this week. I did not enjoy last year's experience but was optimistic about this year and teaching within my content area. I have incoming 6th graders so only weeks ago, these kids were 5th graders. They are very different than the group I just left that are headed to 8th grade. I took so many things for granted, but with these young ones I have to teach just about everything. Yesterday we had a 10 minute circular discussion about where to indent in a friendly letter. They couldn't believe that they had to think of three people to write to and then write different letters to each person. They complained of hand cramps and that they didn't know what to write. I thought I was a pretty nurturing person, but maybe not after the last couple of days. I really want to say, "tough it out, kid, this is sixth grade." But instead, I kneel down beside them and in my best elementary voice, try to coax them into trying one more time.

Their letters resembled something like this:

Deer Mom,

How are you? I am good. I am writing becaze my summa school teacher says I have too. Right back to me and tell me your faverite memmory about me.

Love,
Summer School Sixth Grader

Deep, I know.

Love it.

2009-06-14T08:40:00.003-05:00

Click to enlarge this wonderfully adorable wedding invitation from the site I do it yourself.

Look at what I made, Mom!

2009-06-13T20:40:00.004-05:00

Well, and anyone else who is interested. I used the slice to make some cute calendars for our apartment. We are about to enter a "busy" season in our lives with interviews, meetings, and trips. This way we can keep track of where we need to be and where each other will be from day to day. The random brown and blue thing is my mock up shower invite for my friend Polly's bridal shower. I have been waiting for the perfect time to use the slice!

A Quick Update from my professional development conference...

2009-06-13T20:22:00.007-05:00

We weren't all work and no play. We explored downtown St. Charles in great depth.

Us with the "famous" Rick DuFour. Robin had a baby crush and from the way Rick was tightly hugging her, it was questionable whether the feelings were mutual; good thing Rick's wife was also speaking at the conference.

Leslye was tried after sleepless nights considering PLCs at Smithton. Craig looks real excited. Perhaps he knows he has an evening of shopping downtown in St. Charles ahead of him with the six women he brought to the conference....

Angie and Holly- enthusiastic about lunch!

Robin and Lynn at lunch. They fed us quite well at conference.

Robin read to us in the morning from the steamy romance novels provided by the Quality Inn library.

I have been away for the last three days at a professional conference. The subject matter: PLCs (professional learning communities). We learned about creating a collaborative and interdependent working environment where we can ensuring that ALL students learn. I have more to say about the conference but I wanted to show you just how much fun we had while in St. Charles, MO.

J.Crew, who do you think you are?

2009-06-10T12:16:00.008-05:00

Dear J. Crew,

I'm not sure who you think you are. You charge absurd prices for your fanciful and fun clothes. You make any woman swoon over your great designs. But who can afford you? And even if I could afford you, would I ever feel justified spending over $200 for a t-shirt? I mean, really, some people are starving out there. So, if you could please take this into consideration, I would greatly appreciate it. Until then, I will continue to fake shop on your website, adding items to my shopping cart and then closing the site before time to purchase.

With love and admiration,

Sara

Camille's Wedding

2009-06-09T08:33:00.011-05:00

Ceremony site: Me, Sara, Diana, Sarah, Molly, Coley, Sara, Megan, Katherine

Happily married and on their way to Capri!

the programs

A picture of the venue.

The cake, which was the most tasty piece of wedding cake I've ever had!

Diana graciously let us stay with her this weekend. We promised the return favor on the off chance she ever wanted to come to Missouri.

I thought this caputred the beauty of the scene at the wedding site.

Camille, the glowing bride

So my lovely friend, Camille, is an event planner in Austin, TX. Check her out at Camille Style's Events. She was married this weekend in Austin. Krista and I made the trip up there in the car and had a wonderful whirlwind of a three day excursion (2 of which were spent in the car- thank you Krista, I owe you big). Anyway, these are some picture from the beautiful wedding.

Trivia Night = Success

2009-06-09T08:17:00.004-05:00

Matt, Carly, Megan, Matt, Polly, and Austin (My wonderful friends came to support the cause)

So the trivia night was a hit. Fun was had by all and everything ran smoothly. Thanks, Lord!

only for a season

2009-06-05T08:10:00.000-05:00

Something I’ve been thinking about lately is that teachers have a very unique role. They have a small window of time to leave their mark. As soon as they enter or tidy rooms in August the clock starts running and the seconds tick away. Before we know it, June is here and with it a set of joys and disappointments.

Yesterday was the last day of school and while I’m just as ready as anyone else to hit the pool, do some summer reading and relax; I couldn’t help but feel the moment was a little bittersweet.

These students have been “mine” for two years now. They extra special to me since they were my first students ever and they are all I have to compare to when I reflect upon my teaching experiences. For some I felt as if things were just starting to get good and then summer was upon us, others were the kinds of kids you never want to lose, and then there were the small few that I released a sigh of relief when they walked out my door. I know that some of my students might keep good on their promise “to stay in touch” but the majority have officially moved on and are ready for the next stage of life. Aside from a coincidental sighting at the grocery store, they are gone. I think the finality of it all is settling in.

But isn’t that my job, to love them, care for them, fight for them and in some cases fight with them for only a short season? That’s all we get and then, if we’ve done our job well, they’re ready for the next step.

I can’t help but wonder what will become of this group of students. Will Cameron continue to grow in maturity? Will he still bring book recommendations to his teacher faithfully everyday, or will that be squelched by the demands of honors classes and extracurriculars? Will Kiona continue to love school in spite of her circumstances and extreme difficulty with comprehension? Will anyone know that she doesn’t get to sleep in the same place each night- that in spite of her smile and positive outlook on life, she’s raising herself and her younger brother? What will become of her tenacious and resilient spirit over time?

Will my students remember what we accomplished these last two years? Ten years from now will they think back to their work on the Tap Project and find their own cause for which to fight? Will they value literacy in their own lives and in the lives of their children, thinking back to all our conversations about literacy and power; remembering that books are the first thing to go when a group is oppressed? Will Esther’s mantra, “Be the change you wish to see in the world,” ring in their ears and press on their hearts?

I will miss this group of students that is for sure. But I am already thinking about who will be the next group to walk through my classroom door. How will I begin my year, what will I be about? I thank my first class of students for graciously allowing me the freedom to figure out who I am as a teacher and begin the process of finding my teaching stride. They were so forgiving, willing, and able. I am thankful we had this season together. It’s an unending cycle, one in which leaves you always, in the end, letting go.

Ambitions

2009-06-03T16:46:00.001-05:00

Here's a peek at some of the books I'm hoping to read this summer!

Skeleton Creek: a Multi-Media Experience

2009-06-03T16:01:00.002-05:00

So one of my summer goals is to read a lot. I just finished Skeleton Creek and I can easily see it being a home run with many of my students. This book by Patrick Carman is genius. Carman writes in a diary format but incorporates videos that the reader receives codes to unlock as they read. Its title alone, suggests this book is of the horror genre but Carmen does a nice job of building suspense and unlike most juvenile horror books, (think Goosebumps) this book does not reach resolution. Have no fear, this is only book one in a series!

So follow Ryan and Sara as they unlock the mystery behind the Dredge and Old Joe Bush who seems to be haunting the place. You'll be asking yourself where these kids got so much courage!

The Book Whisperer, "Two Thumbs Up"

2009-06-01T11:35:00.004-05:00

Started my summer reading last weekend. I'm almost finished with Skeleton Creek, more on that later but I finished reading Donalyn Miller's book, The Book Whisperer, at the pool on Sunday. I wish I could be a sixth grader in Mrs. Miller's class. She loves reading and sees it as life changing. In her book she discusses the literary classroom she's created. Her philosophy is that kids should be reading and often. In fact, a significant amount of classroom time should be spent in independent books. Donalyn writes that research shows that the average adult only reads 4 books a year and she wonders if we've been killing reading for our students by giving them worksheets and asking them to write post it notes to death. I assume that her ideas would be in line with another book I'm itching to read, Readicide. It gets me excited for a fresh start with new students and a chance to open the world of reading to an aliterate society!

a fantastic wedding and newly married friends

2009-05-31T14:26:00.007-05:00

Chris and I kicked off this year's wedding season with a bang. We have 8 weddings to go to this summer and we are so eager to see all our wonderful friends marry off. In fact, I'll be in Austin next weekend seeing my dear friend Camille get married and my besties, Megan and Polly will be marrying this fall! So anyway, we headed to Chandler Vineyards for Ben and Liz's wedding. The ceremony took place on the beautiful deck over looking the vineyards and while it was anything but cool out, the wedding was beautiful. I've include a picture of the bride and groom and their bridal party lined up on the deck. One fun surprise of the night was pizza brought in just as the dance party was getting started. The happy couple also had a cute photo booth set up for guests to document their presence. Liz is one of the most creative individuals I know and her wedding was a reflection of all her imagination and creative genius!

Buy a Pair, Give a Pair

2009-05-29T16:58:00.002-05:00

My sweet pair of Tom's just arrived literally minutes ago. I put them on and did a happy dance. If you're not familiar with Tom's they're a company that matches any pair of shoes you buy, providing shoes for kids in Argentina. These "flamingo orange" shoes were a gift from my thoughtful brother-in-law for my birthday. Thanks David!

Sending them off

2009-05-28T16:36:00.002-05:00

I'm sending my students of two years off in a few days. I have a lot to say and no words to use. More on this later. Still in process.

Insect vs. Human Part I

2009-05-26T06:47:00.002-05:00

Yesterday I watched a little beetle casually crawl in and out of this small space between our bathroom baseboard and tile. This is also the entry for the mass exodus of ants that I wrote about earlier this year. This little space is the gateway into our apartment and I was sick and tired of seeing their free and easy passage.

To plug up the hole temporarily, I pushed toilet paper down into the crack so there was nowhere for the bugs to crawl out. I thought this was a pretty resourceful idea and vowed to later buy some caulk to fill in the hole for good.

So imagine my surprise this morning when I come in for my shower and there is a small beetle sized hold in the middle of my toilet paper levy. Damn those hard exoskeletons! Well, I quickly plugged the hole back up with fresh toilet paper and issued a verbal warning to all insects in the vicinity. I told them, "This is my house. I will make it my mission to single-handedly hunt you down and exterminate you." Insects you may have won the battle, but you sure as hell, have not won the war!

Chris turned 26!

2009-05-25T16:44:00.005-05:00

We had a great birthday weekend. Chris's parents and David came in town. We had some tasty dinner at Sycamore, ate some cold stone creamery (thanks Bonnie and Tom) and had a great weekend with friends. These pictures are some highlights.

Hey soap scum, eat this!

2009-05-21T17:52:00.002-05:00

Free trip of the day. Bounce dryer sheets will take the soap scum off your tub. Just wet it a little and scrub away. It works!

Yet another classroom lesson learned the hard way...

2009-05-21T17:43:00.002-05:00

Doing an advertising assignment. Needed magazines so I brought some from home. Seventh graders are like magnets to inappropriate pictures. One student would find an ad for something with a woman in a bikini and then flash it for the whole class to see, careful to be as loud and obvious about the fact that it's a "bad" picture in a magazine at school. I quickly realized after first core that I needed to go through each magazine and rip out all the Victoria Secret ads, scandalous pictures, and casual sex references. We're talking about hours of ripping out pages last night. It kind of shocked me how much sex is everywhere. I've become desensitized. My students, however, are hyper in tune with anything inappropriate in the classroom and very eager to share their discovery with their classmates.

LOST! No He Didn't!

2009-05-14T06:47:00.002-05:00

Fell asleep watching the two hour LOST last night. Not because LOST is not a captivating program but because I fall asleep most nights before 9:00. Anyway, just got caught up on Lostpedia and I am SHOCKED!

Who saw that one coming?

Burned

2009-05-11T07:53:00.002-05:00

So I just finished this young adult book. It was a page turner and it certainly helped that the entire book is written in poetry format. While I enjoyed this book, there is NO way I would ever recommend it for a young adult in my classroom.

The book is about a Mormon girl who is breaking away from her faith and I learned a lot about the Mormon belief system as well as some shocking information about "down winders" in Nevada in the 50's. Apparently the US government did research on people who lived in the Nevada area, encouraging them to come and watch their test bombs and then followed them to see what affect the radiation exposure had on them over a lifetime. Pretty twisted.

Anyway, this book will not be recommended in my classroom because it borders on the line of erotic. There is quite the romance between the protagonist and her love. I could just hear the moms now. What kind of emails would that elicit?

But, if you make it a habit to read young adult fiction, check this book it out. It's incredibly raw at moments and you empathize with the hopelessness of the main character. Just when things are looking up, Ellen Hopkins takes things for a turn.

Our moms ROCK!

2009-05-10T20:12:00.001-05:00

Happy Mother's Day Barb and Geri!

Chi-town

2009-05-10T19:59:00.006-05:00

Chris and I went to Chicago with friends this weekend. Had a great time, visited a wonderful coffee shop, had some delicious soup at the Soupbox, and then had a tasty Italian dinner at this restaurant where you all order something different and then share. This was a stretch for an only child but you know what, I loved the variety. Our friends, Adam and Mary Kate, were so hospitable and Mary Kate even made cupcakes to celebrate my birthday (which is tomorrow).

One random city thought: The bus. The great equalizer. While we rode to Michigan Avenue a man in a three piece suit sat next to a woman who threw popcorn at patrons as they passed and giggled to herself, all while adjusting the sweatpants draped across her head. To each his own.

P90X- One down eighty-nine to go...

2009-05-05T06:21:00.002-05:00

Did my first P90X workout last night. Still alive, hanging on by a thread. We did plyometrix which is just like crazy jumping and squats. Tony Horton is quite the entertainer so when you think you can't possibly do another rep and you're cursing yourself for agreeing to do something like this, you can laugh and keep pushing through. The whole sixty minute workout felt like an infomercial for the "recovery drink," but in the end, plain old water did the trick.

My legs feel strong but my spirit feels even stronger. Thank goodness I could follow the modified moves Pam (but Tony calls her Blam) did in the back corner. More on my workout status to come...

Late night project

2009-05-01T06:43:00.002-05:00

Chris and I were up late last night perfecting a invitation for our Young Life Trivia night. I must say I am proud of our work and it is always good to work on something together. Chris is a perfectionist and Sara likes to cut corners at 11:45 PM.

Put our trivia night on your calendar and come!

June 5, 2009
Doors open at 6:30, Trivia starts at 7:00
Reservations can be made through comoyounglife@gmail.com
It's $160 for a table of 8 ($20/person)
(I know $20 may sound like a lot for an evening, but you get snacks and beverages and you're supporting Columbia Young Life!)

All this for $1????

2009-04-29T20:16:00.002-05:00

On my way home from running an errand after school today, I decided to stop by Michael's craft store to look at "all the pretties." This is something I like to do to unwind. Our Michael's has redone their store and there is a scrapbook Mecca that beckons the inner crafter in me. I also love the Martha Stewart craft line, the woman's got style. But anyway, I was there just to look but I discovered their aisles of $1 items. They had all kinds of great things and each was only a measly dollar. After great debate and about forty-five minutes of inspection, I came home with a few wonderful things. Keep in mind each find was $1.

My goodies:

- A weekly meal planning list notepad with magnet for the fridge (I make one every week so we cut down our grocery bill and there's not food wasted each week)

- A recipe box with a cute little bird on it (not granny like at all)

- Wonderful recipe cards which I plan to fill as soon as I get a chance

- Some scrapbook paper packs

- These great kitchen gadget magnets

Earth Shattering News in the Computer Lab

2009-04-23T16:59:00.002-05:00

So I dropped a big bomb on my students today. We're in the middle of an extensive writing project and I started noticing a trend that I wanted to clear up before they got too far into their writing.

I told them that there is a double space between sentences when you type.

You should have heard the belly aching, whining, and disbelief. Some refused to believe that this could be true. They demanded to know why a double space was necessary. (A good question that I did not have an answer to.) I told them I would have said something sooner but I assumed they all knew. That's when one of my favorite spunky students piped up, "Mrs. Jaeger, you know what happens when we assume..."

So, there you go. Double space after your end punctuation. Lives have been forever changed.

Feeling Like I Love Them

2009-04-22T19:11:00.002-05:00

Went to a track meet today after school. Aside from the gorgeous warm weather, I loved watching my students compete in the different events. I forget the fact that they are these people that do things outside of school. I saw determination and pride in students that in class hide and hope that no one notices their missing work, failing grades, or lack of reading skills.

Cheering them on in something other academics was powerful. I was reminded of how far these kids have come in the last two years. Even though many of them acted nonchalant when I yelled their name in a race on or offered a "good luck," in passing, I think it was important for them to know I care about all aspects of their lives. I want to see them succeed not only in class, but in life.

With Regret

2009-04-21T06:47:00.003-05:00

I never aspire to be an enabler.

But I think I might be. I just want everyone to feel comfortable and accepted.

But sometimes, love is a kick in the seat of the pants.

Years down the road, I hope my students understand my tough love and boundaries. They certainly are not capable of understanding it in the moment.

Jesus wasn't afraid to ruffle a few feathers.

Textacular!

2009-04-19T20:40:00.002-05:00

Chris and I got texting on our phones this weekend. I'm mixed about my feelings toward this "convenience." Any thoughts out there? Feel free to comment or text me about it. My thoughts right now: just another way to communicate without contact... but it is hecka convenient at times.

Do you remember...

2009-04-18T15:42:00.002-05:00

...when all you ever wore was cotton and spandex? I was driving home Friday, at 3:50 PM. Which meant that I sat in Mill Creek Elementary traffic. As I silently wished I'd left work a few minutes earlier, I couldn't help but notice that all the children pouring out of the school and into the cross walk were happily wearing sweats and stretch pants. Not a single pair of jeans walked by. It made me wish that I could still wear yoga like pants day in and day out. Jeans and dress pants are so restricting, aren't they? Oh to be in fifth grade again and indulge in the comfort of stirrup pants . Sigh.

I'm Gushing

2009-04-17T06:32:00.007-05:00

Let me preface this post with a few things.

1. My husband is in no way in support of the following post.

2. My husband hates any kind of special attention, hence the hating of this post.

3. If it were up to my husband, he'd make sure no one knew he had ever done a good thing in his life.

Read: This is coming from a gushing wife and is in no way endorsed by the celebrated party.

With that said, my husband is really smart. He just got inducted into the AOA medical honor society. Below is a picture of the four M3 students who were inducted last night. From what I understand, this award follows him for life. Once in AOA, always in AOA; sort of like that movie, The Skulls but without all the drama and action scenes.

We went to Jack's Gourmet and had dinner and awkward conversation to celebrate. Being one of the few non-medical people in the room I did a lot of supportive, adoring wife head nods and polite laughs. I am so proud of my little Doogie Howser .

Milennials and Newton's Third Law of Motion

2009-04-13T17:28:00.003-05:00

After reading my friend, Emily's, blog about being a "Milennial" I wanted to know more. I found a great article on CBS News discussing the nature of this particular generation, of which I happen to belong. Many of the descriptors are dead on and remind me of my students. I'm not sure to which generation they would belong.

Milennnials are people born between 1980 and 1995. They're characterized by their coddling parents who refuse to allow them to make mistakes or fall hard, making them a somewhat narcissitic and difficult to work with group of individuals. Milennials seem to struggle with the work force. If something is not fun or does not come easily, they feel the need to give up, switch careers, or throw in the towel.

Parents of Milennials don't want their child brudened by the stresses of life. You have homework? Do it when you get around to it. Don't stress yourself out when it's your time to be a kid. I see this attitude regularly from parents today. While I don't think it's completely wrong thinking, I do see kids who grow up without ever really understanding that choices have consequences.

For example, today we collected and graded an assignment from Friday. Several students had not completed it for homework and we're floored when I told them it was game time, some credit was better than none. They wanted a chance to redo, turn it in late, or make up the missed points with extra credit. Have our students learned that there's always a bail out? Why work hard the first time around when you know that the teacher will let you redo. While I wholeheartedly believe students need multiple opportunities to succeed and I never want to become the sinister teacher who gives the pop quiz in class for the "told you so" effect when she knows the students have not made an effort to finish the reading, I do want my students to be effectiver workers, curious learners, and understand that every choice comes with a consequence. They're learning Newton's laws in science right now, and I keep coming back to the law that states, for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction.

If only they could grasp this concept. I wouldn't get the blank stares and near tears when I hold them accountable.