If it was socially acceptable, I would go to bed at 8:00.

Kids are walking germ factories. I think I have been sick in some way or another since the school year began and today is no exception. I finally went to the doctor this afternoon and got some medicine so I should be on the mend soon and I can't wait. It will be awesome not to carry kleenex around in pocket at all times.

So, in case you didn't know, holidays with kindergartners are fun. We celebrated our first one, Halloween, with a class party complete with costumes, cupcakes, and head injuries. Yes, one of our kids got a minor concussion on Halloween because, darn it, those princess shoes are slippery on that gym floor. But no worries, she is good as new and back at school learning important things, like Indians come from India and Native Americans did in fact wear clothes. My, the things we talk about. So now that Halloween is over, we're moving on to the next big event: Thanksgiving. And we've already started with the arts and crafts. We sure do make a lot of stuff in Kindergarten. For example, for Halloween, we made bats, bat hats, ghosts, witches, pumpkins, two kinds of jack-0-lanterns, two kinds of skeletons and who knows what else. So I can't wait to see what we'll do this month. Today we made scarecrows and we're starting our turkey invitations for the little Thanksgiving program we're going to have. I feel sorry for the parents who have to decide what to do with all the arts and crafts we send the kids home with. What goes on the fridge and what do you put away for a bit so that they'll forget about it and then you can sneak it into the trash? A parent's dilemma.

In other news, I had a good weekend. My friend Lindsey took me out Sunday and we went to the modern art museum and took the tour in Spanish. Oh, it made my heart happy to hear Spanish. Te echo de menos Espana! And then we found the closest replicas of cafe con leche and a napolitano this side of the Atlantic which made our day. I've really been missing Spain lately. I think it's with all the cold weather and I've been wearing some of the stuff I wore when in Madrid, that it's really made me miss it. I miss walking down the streets and seeing other people out and about too. I miss getting warm in a cafe. I miss speaking Spanish everyday and hearing it spoken. I miss having only 7 shirts and not really caring about it. I miss wearing scarves.

Well, in honor of election day, I'll leave you with this comment overheard today in class:
Teacher: Does anyone know who Uncle Sam is?
Kid: Yes. He's that old man that wants your money.

I'm gonna shake, shake, shake my sillies out.

I made a kid cry today. Well he deserved it. He was being crazy all day AND had an attitude about it so I had to write a little note in his folder. He didn't get his smiley face for the day so he cried. But the great thing about 5-year-olds is that you can get on to them in one minute and then tell them to give you a hug the next minute. And they actually do it! They will give you a hug no matter what. Unconditional love. It's the greatest. Those are the things that make my job bearable.

It's fun because now I'm starting to learn all of their personalities and believe me, no two 5-year-olds are alike. I had always just grouped them in the "small-ish children" category but they're pretty cool. They're growing on me at least. Well, everyone except the bad ones.

One little girl came up to me today and said this:
"Excuse me. I have a booger."
I said, "All righty."



I went to Lubbock this weekend and had a great time. It made me miss college life. Although I felt deeply relieved when my friends still in school had to actually crack a book and study while I found something else to do. Being out of school for over a year, it is getting harder to imagine actually having to go to class or write a paper. If I ever go back for grad school, it will definitely be an adjustment. Oh, but let's not think about that today.

Attack of the Spider Monkeys

So, things are going ok. The kids are great and we're all starting to get the hang of things. I even had the kids all by myself one day and we all survived unharmed, so I count that as success. We even had our first fire drill and only no one screamed and only 2 kids cried. So also a success. We're going on our first field trip next week so that should be pretty interesting. I think we'll have about 15 parents chaperoning as well which makes me more nervous instead of less nervous. This one mom told me that it was just too far to send her baby by herself so she has to go too. Lady, we are going to Dallas. But whatever.

Here's something that happened the other day...

Kingergarten Boy: Ms. Beck, do you know that the world is going to end tomorrow?
Me: I think tomorrow it will just be Wednesday.
KB: No, there will be an attack of spider monkeys tomorrow.
Me: Well, are you prepared?
KB: Oh yes. I always have God's sword. (Begins to make slashing sword motions with his hands.)
Me: Oh, that's nice.


Maybe I shouldn't encourage them, but it's just so funny.

Please Sit On Your Bottom

Today was picture day. Even though our kids wear uniforms, it was still fun to see them with their hair fixed and clothes clean anticipating picture day. I loved watching them sit on the little stool and smile their little smiles. If only they were this cute all the time. And I had my picture made too. It's weird to think that I will be immortalized in some kid's yearbook for all of time now. I know I have looked back at my old yearbooks and it's crazy to think that I'll be in someone's yearbook. And I'll be one of the big pictures too. Maybe even under the heading "Faculty". Weird.

This week there have been good days and bad days. It seems like when one kid is acting crazy, all of them decide to act crazy. Like stand on the toilet seat and sing or all start repeating the same words over and over and over. These two kids today were just sitting at their table practicing writing their names and saying "he's weird, he's weird, he's weird" again and again. Why? Because they have to drive you crazy. It's their job.

But today was a good day. Not only were the kids pretty alright, but I had lunch with the
Spanish teachers today and got to practice a little bit of the español. Yay! And one of the Turkish teachers invited me to have dinner at her house this weekend. I'm looking forward to that. She's so sweet and you know I love the multicultural foods. So I'll let you know how that goes.

That's about all. Our dog is leaving us this weekend to go back to Kuwait. Tigger, it was nice knowing you. I will miss you but I will not miss cleaning up your vomit.

Life with 5-year-olds.

So school has started and I'm getting used to being around these crazy kids all day. As you may know, I'm working with the kindergarten class and we have 26 wee ones. I have some favorites and some that make me want to pull my hair out. Woo hoo. But I do like it for the most part and I get to relive my own 5-year-old days. My favorite part of the day is story time. And nap time. Because that's when I get to eat my lunch and they're somewhat all quiet. I have never appreciated the "quiet" more.

So I don't think my calling in life is to teach kindergarten or anything, but I think I might try teaching. What? I have no idea. What grade? Not a clue. Just a thought.

We all know that kids say the darndest things, so I'll try and include some funny kid stories.

Too bad I can't think of one now.

Nice Work If You Can Get It

So I'm officially on vacation.

Last week at work, The Principal offered me a new job. The position is for a teacher's aide in the kindergarten class. It's not really what I had in mind for my life, but I think I'm going to take the job. I was hoping to get something working with ESL but they don't really need anyone at this particular school, just for kindergarten. So I guess we'll see how that goes. I feel like I should be doing something more exciting, like that it's kind of embarrassing to say that I'm working as a teacher's aide when I have a college degree. I'm a catch. But it's just for a year and I will at least be in the school environment. Maybe I can figure out if teaching is something I want to pursue at the end of this year or I can just walk away and try something else. That's one thing about this stage of life I'm in: I can pretty much do anything. I'm not tied down to any one area of work or even city to live in. I could move to Mexico or Vermont next year.

I guess that's both good and bad. Because I'm a planner and I like to know what's ahead of me and there are just too many options. But I'm trying to enjoy the positives of this and really broaden my ideas for the future. Because, really, who knows? No one.

So...in taking the aide position, they no longer need me to work in the office for the summer and I don't have to report back to work until August 15th. Vacation!! Woo!! Although it's only 3 days into this vacation, and I'm worried about being bored. But I do have a rather exciting trip planned in the very near future. San Diego here I come! I'm going to visit my friend Anne that lives out there and I'm very excited! I've never been to California before and I'm looking forward to seeing the Pacific Ocean for the first time. I am ready for the beach.

So if anyone has any ideas on how to spend these weeks of vacation I've got left, let me know. And preferably not anything that costs too much money (as I will not be making any in this period).

Oh, we are all moved into the new apartment and it's looking good. I think we picked a winner. And our new roommate/dog, Tigger, is doing splendidly and is enjoying all of the attention he's been getting from his three lovely roommates. I'll include a foto.

I'm the only one here at work....it's creepy.

Here are some random things that I feel like sharing. Of course, in your favorite and mine, a bulleted list...

• I'm reading Anna Karenina right now and it's a beast. I'm on page 587 of 817, so I realize it's all downhill from here, but still. Maybe I'm not connecting with the characters of something because I can't stay focused.


• The other day I went to the library and as I walking in there was an old man sitting on a bench outside. I guess I looked sad or something because he told me to smile. When I did, he said "now you feel better, don't ya?" And I did.


• I've been listening to many, many episodes of This American Life at work because I have nothing to do. If you don't know it, it's a show on NPR where they do stories on real people and it will make you laugh and cry. http://www.thislife.org/. I listened to one yesterday where these two brothers were fighting over what to name their new dog. They couldn't agree, so mom came up with a compromise. The dog's name? Pasta Batman. I laughed a lot at that one.


• I rented this movie: Mistress of Spices. Don't rent it; it's not good.


• I want to see the new Harry Potter movie but I don't have anyone to go with. Help!!


• I talked to some of my Spanish friends online yesterday and it made me really really miss Spain. And speaking Spanish. Ay! Como os echo de menos!


• http://www.pandora.com = my lifesaver at work.

That's all for today! I have way too much time on my hands at work; I apologize. : )