My Little Pony Tea Party

Mom said yes when I asked if I could take K to the My Little Pony on tour - and I'm either getting braver, or realize that I only have this job for a couple more months, so you get pictures. Granted, they are of the back of her head, but that's more than I've done before.
She was so into it. And the concentration level was pretty impressive out of her.

That one was when the kids were instructed to sip their tea, with their pinkies up. I don't know why it's so bright - but if I find a better one, I'll share later. I only took you know like 200 pictures this morning, I'm sure there are others!

More randomness, it seems to be a recurring theme lately

So apparently new computers no longer have any kind of photo editing software. I was going to post this picture of the mountains (or lack thereof) as they appeared while driving to pick up K today. The snow hasn’t stopped in days, and B’s skiing was cancelled today (which in my opinion was a good thing, since he’s an absolute monster after skiing). However, down here we have nothing more than traces here and there. I just hope it stays that way and I can get to school without a hassle tomorrow morning.

I drove to college town last night in a blizzard, rather than driving this morning when it was absolutely terrible. And yet, I’ve still decided not to attend my first class of the day. Because, why go when you have permission to miss if it snows. I have pictures. Lots of pictures, but I can’t share until I make it home at some point in the next twenty-four hours. Because I want to edit!

If your child was enrolled in a preschool, mostly because they offered speech therapy, would you allow her to take a morning off for the My Little Pony on tour tea party? I’m thinking about asking K’s mom, because my friend has an extra pair of tickets. I think K would like it, and she doesn’t have speech the morning of the show. What do you think?

Why...

• ... is Law and Order:SVU so fascinating? I've seriously been watching for hours, and it never gets old. Usually shows like this bore me...
  
• ... does it only snow when I need to get to college town? Like Thursday and today and supposedly Tuesday...
  
• ... does a three-month-old who refuses to take a bottle, also refuse to be put down, no matter how long she's been asleep? Sometimes I deserve a break, you know?
  

A bit of this, A bit of that

For starters, I went shopping today, even though I really need to control my spending. However, who can resist a pair of jeans that fit you two sizes smaller than you normally wear? Not I. And they were on sale, which makes it okay, right?

I have a rant in draft mode, that I may or may not feel the need to post. It might be healing, or it may have been just as valuable to have written it, even if I don't share. Let's see how I feel next week.

I'll leave you with this - location: K's room at bedtime.
K: I would like some covers please!
*I start covering her up, it's cold so the fact that she has three blankets doesn't phase me*
K: But not the big one
A: I'm going to put this one on anyways, it's cold in here.
K: When you go downstairs, I'm gonna take it off.
*At which point I crack up, because the tone she says it in, it's just that great!*

I should go upstairs and see if she does or does not have the comforter on top of her!

Long, boring, only somewhat successful day

I decided that if I want to work in Canada this summer, I should probably claim my Canadian citizenship (or at the very least figure out what it would take to acquire a S.I.N. number, since every application requests one). So, I pulled up the application that I am fairly certain I filled out before, just without ever having sent it in. And the regulations seem to have changed. I am not sure what I have to do to get proof of my citizenship, although it may require taking a skills test and living in Canada for at least year. Which means it probably will not happen. However, from what I was reading, I think that I can just fill out a separate application and I do not actually have to request to retain citizenship. Ahh! I think it is probably so complicated because I would be a Canadian born abroad to a Canadian born abroad, and it is hard to tell what the exact specifications are. I think I will just call the embassy/consulate/whoever wants to answer my question!

I spent yesterday running from one end of campus to the other, in part because of the new computer. I could not get the wireless to connect (well, really the second step), and the help desk guy could not tell me how to do it over the phone. So after I had just come from the general area of the library, I had to go all the way back in order to get the network set up, when I really should have been doing homework. But I could not do the homework without an internet connection, so it was kind of a lose-lose situation. I managed to get the assignment emailed by approximately 440pm, when the absolute latest it can be sent it 5pm. Close, but at least I got it emailed on time.

Today has been spent doing homework (well, at least I got a little bit accomplished!), and filling out camp applications. Since they are all essentially the same, it’s not to hard to fill out a bunch at a time, and I probably should warn K and B’s mom that she is the first one on my reference list, in case she begins to get a lot of phone calls. Now, I am off to write about constructivism, and how I feel about it in a science classroom. Since my professor wrote one of the articles, I probably should just agree, even if I do not really!

(Does anyone out there have the new word? Do you notice that it doesn’t auto correct like the old word did? Am I missing something?)

Job hunting is NO fun!

I spent a good chunk of my time last night looking for a summer job. I'm thinking that a position at a summer camp would be a good experience, and I downloaded applications for camps located in Ontario (Canada, not California as a classmate asked today!), North Carolina, Washington, Georgia, Northern California and British Columbia.

I'm not sure if any of them are perfect, but I'm definitely going to fill out the application and return as many as I can. Maybe something just right will pop up. I'm also going to watch for summer day camps in the Toronto area, as I have cousins would be more than willing to let me stay with them!

Hopefully this process goes much better than last years summer job hunt!

Let's not talk about the financial implications of this purchase, okay?

Yesterday, I bought a new computer. My old one sucked and didn't even recognize me anymore, which made startup a quite painful process. And then the cover of the Best Buy ad had a beautiful (oh, so pretty!) laptop. It's white - and cost $300 less than my previous computer, while having more than twice the space. And a built in webcam (that I don't know how to use, but that's besides the point), and Windows Vista (which I'm still getting the hang of, but it's pretty nice).

I spent much of yesterday uploading pictures (approximately 12 CDs FULL of pictures, I take too many!) and today has been devoted to replenishing my iTunes supply of music. So far, I have 16 CDs, with a stack of about 15 sitting next me and countless more waiting. My goal is to be done with the uploading by Wednesday.

While uploading, I can work on homework, such as reading The Raven and Anabel Lee by Edgar Allan Poe and something I'm sure will be very boring by Nathaniel Hawthorne (did he write anything that is actually readable?). Oh, and the quiz for class that I must take online each week.

Feeling very uncreative - therefore no catchy (or relevent) title!

So I talked to the boy yesterday. The one who I was really hurt by last semester. And I told him everything, which I'm fairly certainly completely overwhelmed him. But it had to be done and I feel so much better about thing, even that feeling of dread that I usually have when I know that I have to see him is gone (or at least greatly lessened). He didn't know what he had done to me, how much it hurt or any of it, but I think that was the point. How are we supposed to grow if I keep all the pain inside?

I have to see him in about 15 minutes, now that he's had a night to process I wonder what he'll say?

I think it might be a sign that...

You might be spending too much time with a family if their 17 month old has taken to calling you "mommy."

And here's a Valentine's Day video! *REMOVED*

Further evidence that I am a dork...

Okay, so we established a long time ago that I was a dork. But, seriously, even I'm surprised by this one. You wanna know what I'm excited about this week? MS Word 2007. Yep... my mom bought it and I can't wait until I have class to try out OneNote, you know since I'm online taking notes all the time during class. This should be fun!

I have to write a 1-2 page reflection on assessment in the science classroom - and ask two more question about the Declaration of Independence for English class. But seriously, how many questions can I have left? How 'bout if I recite it instead? (When in the course of human events it becomes self evident, blah, blah, blah...) Of all the things Jefferson wrote, I'm kind of disappointed that we had to read the Declaration, that's old news! Other than that, I surprisingly caught up well today - considering I haven't been home for a weekend in well over a month, meaning no homework gets done.

Ooh, and finally a note to myself - DROP LAW CLASS tomorrow! I hate the fact that the online service is only available between 8-8, what happens when I remember something important later on?

What a week!

I have had a fever (very low grade, like 100-101, but my normal temperature is usually about 97, so it's kind of a big deal)basically since late Sunday/ early Monday. Every time it breaks, it comes back again within a few hours. This had made for a long week. Because although I don't feel terrible, I am sick with a head cold (oh, the runny nose!). And to make matters worse, I am NOT ALLOWED to miss a single meeting of one of my classes. So, Tuesday, which was probably the worst day of them all, I skipped my first two classes and attended the last two. I really should have just stayed home!

On top of that - I quit my daycare job (so at least I got to rest when I needed it), taught a science lesson (which was terrible, partly because I may not have planned enough, and partly because I couldn't hear myself even with the microphone!), babysat Wednesday, Thursday and Friday night, and got to deal with a three and a half year old at 230am this morning. Never have I been so frustrated in my ENTIRE life!

Oh and I redid Granny's blogroll, because of the switch to new Blogger that was forced upon her Wednesday morning. Not that I minded, it was good procrastination tool - however, may I just say that Blogger really should have figured out how to switch blogrolls to their new templates, without making you individual add every single link? Because some people have a lot of links! And if there is a way - don't tell me! Because it took hours! And I'd be depressed to know that it could have been much shorter! I also set up a wordpress blog for her, and one for me (did you know that you can now import even if you've switched over to the new blogger? I don't think most people are aware of that. Google doesn't like it, but they allow it to happen!).

And now, I'm going to go watch Gray's Anatomy and probably fall asleep!

Wow, there are no words.

I just read this ad on Craigslist (link removed for anonymity reasons). It took like three tries to get through it. And I don't even know why I tried so hard - I have class much of the time that this family needs help. And seriously? Why would I stay in a hotel room with a dad and his son? Where will mom be? Am I interpreting this all wrong? Ah, so many questions. I almost think it would be fun to email the dad and get more information - as I am completely baffled. He repeats himself about things that don't even really matter like a million times, without ever really saying what he requires in a sitter - sure flexibility, but what else? He mentions that she can only use his car if over the age of 25, however, much of the driving is picking up his wife at work and/or driving him places. I really want to know what his occupation is. Like seriously. I'm intrigued.

And now, I'm done rambling about what is probably of no interest to any one reading this, I just had to make a couple observations. I'll probably take that link out in a couple of days - it kind of gives away my general location, although not exactly.

I'm going to be the bigger person...

I considered posting the email that I got in response to the one I sent about quitting at the daycare, and to retaliate all of the points she made. But, I'm not going to do that, because it's petty and dumb. I'm over it, she was immature and lied about things in her response to me, but she has a paper trail so even if I reported it, it wouldn't matter. One thing I would like to say however, is that if you are running a daycare/preschool, if might be a good thing to spell things correctly, parents are not going to take you seriously if every other word you write is misspelled.

I need to get back to homework, but I'll be around all afternoon (particularly while sitting in class from 4-6pm tonight). Let's just say that a big weight has been lifted from my shoulder - and I'm glad that I finally quit.

Why do I put up with so much?

Today, I drove 30 minutes (which if you count the stop for coffee on the way in was really like 40 minutes) to work. I was there 15 minutes early - but last week I learned that it's not okay to clock in early, even if I think that I'm there when I'm supposed to, my boss actually docked my time, which is dumb because I was immediately left in charge of all the kids - so I was working, but whatever, back to today. At 9, we had like 10 kids, which isn't very many but still enough that there probably should be two teachers. At 10, we had 16 kids AND she sent me home. That's not even legal. She told me "we're overstaffed." I looked at her holding her four month old son, the six toddlers (under twos, when she's only licensed for four anyhow) at the table and the other 9 kids, thinking this is overstaffed? Because it certainly seemed like I should stay there. It also means that I earned less today than it cost in gas to get to work and back home. I'm calling on Monday and telling her I won't be in anymore.

And you know what the worst part of the whole thing is? I could have had K all day, but I didn't because of work, so I didn't get to have her at all. I called her mom when I was off at 10 to offer time if she needed it (both kids have been sick all week, she's been home with them while dad's been out of town, etc) but she had already given up on getting in any hours this week. However, I met her at K's gymnastics class and we talked for a while, then she offered to take me out to lunch, so K, mom and I all went out to lunch. K told her mom that she missed me (which makes sense, I've only spent like 8 hours with her in the last month, and for about half of that she's been asleep). Then mom offered up supplies for a lesson that I'm teaching next week - so I stopped by on my way to my friend's house (where I am now, watching her little girl and her cousin's two boys) and she offered pizza for dinner. Meaning I didn't even work for them today but they fed me two meals. It's days like this that make me appreciate good families all the more - despite frustrations that I may have felt in the past - this is the kind of thing that makes me stay on through everything.

I'm tired - but I don't know where I'm supposed to sleep tonight - the boys are on the couch, my normal sleeping spot at this house - and there aren't a lot of other options. I may go crash in the living room anyhow.

So - what do you think of the colours? Too bright? Is it hard to read? Let me know - I'm having fun with the new features of blogger - but I'm not too sure about my readability right now...

Scene: Rug time before snack, as the babies diapers are being changed in the next room. We're singing, beginning with The Wheels on the Bus, continuing through about seven others. C, a three year old, is highly distractable so even though he likes the song we're singing (in fact may have chosen it himself), other things are on his mind.

C: Miss Ann-ja, you has a owie?
Me (baffled, what is he talking about?): What?
C: You has a boo-boo!
Me: No buddy
C: You has a band-aid!!
Me: Oh, you're right, I do have a little owie.

The best part? I had just (we're talking 10 minutes max) sliced my finger on the baby swing, while trying to get it to start, and had already completely forgotten about it, even though my finger was still numb!