Why I teach

Today was an exhausting day, but it was eventful. I am teaching summer school this year. It is a bit different from my regular teaching assignment. It is preschool program for children with disablities. I have three students in my class. All are completely nonverbal. Only one student babbles when he is enjoying something.
Yesterday, the little girl mimicked the chorus of a song and said "roll over." I was so excited just for that little bit of language. Today she was doing even more. She was babbling all morning and repeating words from different songs that we had playing. She had speech therapy this morning and the therapist reported more interaction than she had ever seen before.
These little victories are why I teach. I did a little something to help someone communicate a little bit with the world they live in.

In a cast again

Tim compressed his growth plates in his hand and is now in a cast for the month of July. He didn't break anything, they are using the cast as a protective measure to make sure his growth plates heal.
I have another week off from summer school. Next week we go back. I will have a student from UTSA next week. She also has had mainly high school experience, so it will be a case of the blind leading the blind.
I hope everyone is having a good summer.

First Day of Summer

Well, the longest day of the year is here and I have nothing planned. It is also Father's Day.
We got Gerry a great Fred Flintstone card and a photo viewer keychain. He likes it and already has me putting photos on and charging it.
I am also feeling a little puny. I am going to relax and hopefully feel better.

Grandparents are Visiting

We are having a blast with Gerry's parents visiting. Tonight, Gerry, his dad and Pat Gardner are going fishing for crappie. Tomorrow we are going to have crappie for dinner. Not my favorite meal, but I will find something to eat.
They brought their dog, Annie. Annie and Daisy are having a blast together. Daisy is excited to see a dog that she is bigger than. Well, sort of. Daisy is about an inch taller and 2 inches longer but Annie out weighs her by 5 pounds.

Inservice Days are a total waste of time

I just spent 8 hours of toture today. I don't see why they have to do stupid meetings and listen to the talking heads. I really hated being squashed into a computer lab with 140 other teachers in a room for about 60. I thought I was going to have a panic attack. And then nothing worked the way it was suposed too. Naturally!

Gerry's New Laptop

I ordered Gerry a new laptop from Best Buy. We had $160 in gift cards from our Virginhealthmiles and I used that to bring the $399 price down. He got a good Valentine's day! It is an HP with 15.4 screen, so it is bigger than mine. I have the 14. Both have 250 gig hard drive & 3 gig virtual memory. I have a built in webcam but I don't think Gerry's does.

Valentine's Dinner

Holly and I cooked a Valentine's dinner for the family. We had steak, baked potatoes, ceasar salad, and sour dough bread. We are a simple family, meat and potatoes is our mainstay.



Holly is going to babysit for my friend Wendy tonight and Kelsey is working at the bowling alley. Tim, Gerry & I are going to be hanging out with the pupsters.



Amazing Race starts on Sunday. I think that would be a great reality show for me & Gerry to go on. We might bore people though, we get along to well.

My husband

Here's a chance to see how well you really know your husband. Cut, paste and fill in the answers, then forward . . . shoot, you know what to do. The real challenge is to send it to your husband to see how right you really are.

1. He's sitting in front of the TV, what is on the screen?
If it is Wednesday, it is Ghosthunter. Any other night, NCAA Football or Madden Football games

2. You're out to eat; what kind of dressing does he get on his salad? Ceasar

3. What's one food he doesn't like? Onions!!! It is almost phobic!!

4. You go out to eat and have a drink. What drink does he order? Diet Coke if we are not drinking, and Shiner Bock if we are.

5. Where did he go to high school? Elk Grove High School

6. What size shoe does he wear? 12

7. If he was to collect anything, what would it be? He collects fishing equipment

8. What is his favorite type of sandwich? reuben

9. What would this person eat every day if he could? Chinese Food

10. What is his favorite cereal? He really doesn't have a favorite cereal... doesn't eat it enough

11. What would he never wear? something pink

12. What is his favorite sports team? Raiders (football) & Kings (basketball)

13. Who did he vote for? McCain

14. Who are his best friends? Dan & myself

15. What is something you do that he wishes you wouldn't do? picking my cuticles, he swears if I was a bird, I would be bald. And bringing home stray pets (we have a small zoo!).

16. How many states has he lived in ? Two, California & Texas

17. What is his heritage? German

18. You bake him a cake for his birthday; what kind of cake? I usually make chocolate or strawberry cause they are my favorite & he doesn't like sweets much

19. Did he play sports in high school? football

20. What could he spend hours doing? fishing or playing football on the game cube

21. What is something cool about him? he really cares about his students and his job

Getting Rid of the Old Lady Wings

I have been participating in the health miles for 2 years now, and this is the first time I have used my personal training sessions. I am hoping to strengthen my back and get rid of the beginning of the old lady wings. Yesterday was the day. Boy do I hurt today! My shoulders and biceps are killing me. I am sore!!
I guess round is not being in shape, it is just a shape.

Gerry's Bday is Monday

Gerry will be 46. Today is Lola puppy's birthday, she is one year old. She weighs about 70 pounds and is a very well behaved dog. She knows how to shake hands and that is the only trick she wants to do. I think it may be because Daisy does more. I am not sure. Daisy is over the mange, but we continue medication for another month. She went to the vet yesterday and weighs 19 pounds. None of the animals want us to sleep late on the weekends. They become very upset when we aren't up by 6:30. I need a dog with a snooze button....

New Car for Kim

I have a new car. This isn't a picture of the exact car I have, but it looks just like this. It is going to be detail tomorrow, so I am taking its picture then.

I am very excited to have a new car. My Nissan Versa is very cute. All the kids have said it is the hero's car. It was featured in the first season of my children's favorite TV show. So, I think it may now be known as the hero car.

Hitting 40

Well, I have been 40 for two days now. It doesn't feel too terribly different. I took Daisy for a walk and I think she was tired! Poor little Daisy!

Daisy

Daisy is such a sweet puppy. I am a little too attached to her, but she is so sweet. Everyone thinks she is an ugly dog, but I just adore her. Right now, she has my afghan and is making a nest for herself. She is such a momma's girl. :)

Plans

I am trying to get my kids ready for our finals next week. Tuesday we have a full day, Wednesday, Thursday & Friday are half days. On Wednesday I have 3rd period exam, Thursday is 2nd & 5th and Friday is 7th.
Daisy has puppy class tonight. We have missed the last two. We are way behind. Last week Lola was very sick with her ear infection and the time before was Holly's Christmas concert.
Gerry, Johnny, Holly and Tim are going to the Monster Truck Jam on Sunday.

Back to school

There are 99 days left of the school year. Yes, we are all counting.
It seems that I will not be getting a new portable. The old portable will stay on campus until it is bought by someone. Unfortunately, I don't have a classroom. I currently float into 3 different classrooms. In 1st period I am in Portable 16, 2nd period I am in portable 9 and 3rd period in portable 30. I am getting 13,000+ steps a day on my pedometer. It was very miserable today with drizzle and a high of 42. I am so thrilled with my schedule.

Last Day of my Vacation

Today is the last day of our holiday. We go back to work tomorrow. I don't know where my classrooms will be. I was told that they were going to try and move in a new portable for me over the break. I haven't gone up to see if they even moved the old one out. I would really like to have my own room again. It is going to be really cold and rainy tomorrow.
Lola is starting to feel a little better. She has a very bad outer ear infection. We have been on meds since Friday. I have to cleanse her ear a couple of times a day. She is still swollen.
Daisy is being a sweetie. She likes to sit on my feet when I sit in my recliner. She loves my afghan and thinks it is hers.

Virgin Health Miles

We have this program through our health insurance that we get membership to Spectrum Health Club and participate in Virgin Health Miles. We have a pedometer that we wear and earn points for steps and health challenges and stuff. There are 5 levels, and you get health cash that you reedem for gift cards. This year I made it to level 5. I almost didn't make it! I was 730 points short, then there were opportunities to earn points for agreeing to be smoke free and creating your own challenge. Each was worth 500 points. So, I got to level 5 and earned $100!! Last year, I bought my new range with gift cards. I am giving this gift card to Gerry for him to buy his own laptop. We got a really good deal on Kelsey & my computers and will be able to get him one shortly.
Gerry and I both want to get to level 5 this year. :)

New Year's Resolutions

1. To weigh 140 pounds by January 1, 2010.
2. To change my oil in my car regularly forever!
3. To actually participate and complete NANOWRIMO 2009
4. Curb my potty mouth at home

Ding Dong My Car is Dead

Ok, everyone can laugh. I killed my car with lack of oil. Yeah, the brain trust called. They want me to work for them.
I can't believe I did that. I am usually so good at getting that stuff done. Gerry is threatening me with a caravan. I may go insane if I get a minivan.
In this economy we are lucky to have stable jobs that aren't going away, so we can afford new car payments. But we have gone so long without a car payment, it is going to change my budget.

Monday Fishing Fun

Gerry took Holly and Tim fishing this evening. Tim was a bit disappointed that he couldn't use his new pole for crappie fishing. (He got a bait caster rod.) They are using live bait, so the poor boy had to leave his new tackle box at home too. :) Holly is such an outdoor girl. I am so proud of her. She doesn't mind getting dirty.
<--This is a picture of Daisy meeting Annie (Gerry's parents' dog). Annie never warmed up to Daisy. Daisy tried so very hard to get Annie to like her and play with her. :) My Daisy is sick today. She has runny green poop. I think it is from her medicine. She has Demodectic Mange and is on Ivermectin. We are on day 10 of her treatment. She is not feeling well. Right now she is sacked out in my lap. She is such an ugly dog that she is cute. She is part dachshund and part Chihuahua. She is about 16 pounds right now. When we got her, she was only 5 pounds. She is such a trip. We also have Lola, our black lab. Lola is not a hyper lab, which is so very strange for me. All of our labs have been hyper. Lola is so laid back. My husband's dad just couldn't get over her. He wanted to take her home with him. She has the basic commands down and is house trained. She is outdoor/indoor, while Daisy spends most of her time inside. My fence wouldn't hold Daisy. She could get out really easy of that fence.
Holly and Tim got new cell phones for Christmas. Both of their old phones were dying -- the keys were actually breaking. Gerry broke his blackberry screen on Saturday. He was so upset with himself. I have a razor which I love. I doubt I will move on to a different phone for a while. It is actually my second razor.
I am keeping a food diary to watch my intake. I would like to get down to 135. I am at 156 now. It is less than what I started at 2 years ago, I was 170 in December 06. Studies say that people are more successful at losing weight if they keep a food journal. I tried weight watchers but I haven't really done it faithfully. We will see what happens.