Friday, October 31, 2008

Happy "Howl" a ween!

Zoe and Zorro wanted to wish all of you a Happy Howl-a-ween! We are getting ready to chase goblins in our pink princess and vampire finery! 

We'll let you know how it goes tomorrow! Be safe tonight and enjoy the best day of the year!! 

Sunday, October 26, 2008

HiHiHiHiHiHiHiHiHiHi!

Hey Y'all!

Wow, I can't believe that I let a whole week go by without posting. But, I did warn y'all. October is not fun for teachers in my school district. I was at school until almost seven every night last week for parent teacher conferences. I came home, took a bath, loved on the Z-man and Z-girl and then went to bed. At 8:30. I was a tired chica. I've spent most of the weekend catching up on my DVR'ed shows... instead of doing meaningful stuff like cleaning out closets. Yup. Hmm.

Last week was pretty uneventful... EXCEPT... on Thursday I was named "Teacher of the Year" at my school! That was a very nice surprise and big shock! My children went nuts. It is a very nice compliment and sure made my day. I knew that I had been nominated, but to actually win. Wow. I was "Teacher of the Year" eight years ago at another school I taught at, so to receive this honor twice totally tells me I am in the right profession, even if I doubt myself sometimes! It was nice to see my children get so excited and be so proud. Everyone needs a pat on the back in their career every now and then!

In other news, I totally did not get anything done this weekend that was on my list. You know me. I make lists. I derive great pleasure in checking things off of the list when I get them done. Obsessive compulsive much? Anyway... I think after my busy week last week I just wanted to veg and take some time to chill. I have a busy couple of weeks coming up (Yard Sale on Nov. 1, a big birthday (uhmmm.. let's just say I officially am in my mid thirties now!), a big presentation to give on Nov. 15, oh yeah, and I have to move my ENTIRE classroom on Nov. 20 and 21st. So good busy times are ahead. I meant to change out my closet this weekend, since cooler weather has hit the south. Where's global warming when you need it? I didn't get it done. Oh well. I did go shopping and got some great new pants. They just need to be hemmed and I am good to go and can put off changing my closet for another week. Yes, I know that is completely stupid. But, one of the reasons I am putting off changing my closet is because everything is so BIG. I just dread going through everything and making piles. So I am just being LAZY. I am hoping that I get inspired tomorrow. I am looking for a roomate right now, so the closet will have to be dealt with in the next week. I guess I am using the old adage... "I work better under pressure..." We'll see.

Well, let me run. The Z-man is demanding his supper. Right. This. Minute. I don't want him to go all vampire on me (that is what he is going to be for Halloween) so let me go feed him.

:)
JKP

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Tales of the Girl Who Tried to Electrocute Herself....

Hey Y'all...

Well, um, by that title I guess you can use your inferencing skills and deduct that the whole sparks shooting, electrical shock thing in my classroom on Wednesday.. was well, totally my fault. And according to all sources, I should not be here right now folks. I am one lucky chica.

The electrician for the school district came out and looked everything over and surmised this scenario. Apparently, my projector cord was not plugged in all the way into my laptop cart. I was teaching a lesson on my laptop and my right arm with the bracelet somehow got to close to the plug. The medallion on my bracelet slipped in between the cart and the plug and made a connection. Sparks flew, fuses got blown, there was a shock and then smoke. The electrician did not understand how I was not hurt and/or killed. Yup. I tried to electrocute myself and I didn't even know it. Needless to say, it freaked out my principal and I am now a "technology don't." People have been walking up to me in the hallway and have been amazed. This is my year for being a freak, I think. First the Sweet's Syndrome, and now this. My only hope is that this electrical shock I sustained has done something magical to my brainwaves and chakra's and I am on the mend. So far, all I have been is a little scrambled. But, I guess that is what happens when you almost electrocute yourself in front of 19 8 and 9 year olds!

So in honor of me still being here and being thankful and all that (I actually went to church today. Stop the gasps.) I decided to post a list that I worked on during my writing retreat last weekend. This list is in random order, so don't think just because something is #25 there is meaning to it. This is just random stuff.
50 Things Julia Loves
  1. Zorro (um, of course, #1!)
  2. My Family
  3. Cheesecake ice cream w/ blueberries
  4. Popcorn (can't eat it right now, still LOVE it!)
  5. Painted toenails
  6. Zoe (again, this is in NO order!)
  7. Walking on the beach
  8. A good book
  9. Flip flops
  10. Writing
  11. A good cup of coffee
  12. Rainy days
  13. An email from a faraway friend
  14. Blogging :)
  15. A card in the mailbox
  16. Funny jokes
  17. Sweet Tea
  18. Chick Fil A
  19. Summer time
  20. Halloween
  21. A clean house (which I so don't have right now!)
  22. Eating dinner out
  23. Knitting
  24. Finding clothes that fit (umm.. I'm 4'11 people!)
  25. People who have nice manners
  26. Taking Zorro for a walk and watching him smell the flowers... So Cute!
  27. Southern fried anything
  28. Spaghetti
  29. Libraries
  30. Little kids
  31. My writer's notebook
  32. A new journal
  33. Bookstores with comfy chairs
  34. Cute bookmarks
  35. Hand written thank you notes
  36. A great writing pen
  37. Technology
  38. Surprise parties
  39. Candlelight
  40. Sunsets
  41. Bubble Baths
  42. Trees in the Fall
  43. Digital cameras
  44. Children's books
  45. Sunflowers
  46. Getting flowers
  47. Chocolate cake with a big glass of cold milk
  48. Dogs
  49. Fluffy down pillows
  50. Wrapped presents

So those are the "top" 50 things I love...... I thought I should celebrate that! I'm off to put on my jammies and to get ready for Army Wives... only 2 shows left! I don't know what I'm going to do when it goes off.....Hmm... suspiciously Army Wives didn't make the list!

:) JKP

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

I'VE GOT THE POWER

Hey Y'all,

I just discovered that I can blog from school! For some reason I thought blogger was blocked, but it's not, and I really need to update!

I had a very scary situation this morning! One of my outlets blew in my classroom! Plugged into this outlet is my laptop cart. I plug in m projector and laptop into the back of this cart. The back of the cart with plugs faces me! Well, the plug blew, the spark traveled through my cart and shot out with the left over plugs on the back! The spark was so powerful that it melted my metal bracelet. I am fine, just really shaken up. We had lots of smoke and the kids were scared, but we are OK. I am really sad about my bracelet. It is my favorite piece of jewelry. It was silver with a medallion hanging from it with my initials. The medallion is completely burnt to a crisp. However, I think it saved my life because it took the spark and it didn't catch my clothes on fire.

So, no more technology for me today. However, I am going to buy a lotto ticket after school! I've got the power today!!!

I'll post more about my writing retreat later. I need to go have a sweet tea!
:) JKP

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Weekend Full of Writing

Hi Y'all!

Well, I am really looking forward to this weekend. The writing class that I took this summer through the Coastal Area Writing Project is hosting a weekend retreat at the Cypress Inn in Conway for us to get together and flex our writing muscles. We meet tomorrow at 5 and the retreat lasts until 5 on Saturday. I am so excited about this! I have missed my writing buddies and the encouragement I got from my group. I am looking forward to seeing my buddies again and getting the writing bug/juices going again. My bag is packed with my Writer's Notebook, watercolors and pastels. I can't wait to see what fun we get in to!

Zorro is spending the weekend with his granny. Zoe is staying with us tonight, and then Mom is taking both of them back with her tomorrow. Zorro is feeling a lot better, he is chasing Zoe around the house. That's how I know!

Check back on Sunday to see if I have any new writing posted!
:) JKP

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

I Have Discovered a New Guilty Pleasure...

Hey Y'all!!

Sorry it has been a week since my last post, but October is just an insane month for teachers. We have these personalized learning plans that we have to do for each student and we only have a short amount of time to get them done. Luckily they are computerized, but it does take A LOT of time to work on them. We have conferences coming up Oct. 21-23, so I have tried to be all organized and get mine done early. Well, then add in all the papers I have to grade, the notes home, the lessons to plan, and not to mention a field trip coming up... and I have had alot on my plate. Once October calms down, things seem to get back to normal!

I am feeling better, but I still have my cough. So I am still going to bed early, because I am just exhausted after a day at school. Zorro has a cough too, and the vet put him on an antibiotic for a sinus infection. He seems to be acting a little better, but like me, is still coughing. We are such a pair! I cough, he coughs. He coughs, I cough. My soul mate.

I was such a bad girl last night, I didn't even watch the debate. I got into my jammies and got all comfy in bed and I just couldn't watch. I think I am over-saturated with the state of America right now. So I flipped through the channels to find some brain numbing TV. Well folks, I have found a new guilty pleasure! I do like reality TV, but most of the time I get really bored with the shows. So I stop watching. Well let me tell you, I tuned in to The Real Housewives of Atlanta last night on Bravo and it was like a train wreck. I couldn't stop watching! I am so fascinated by people who have all of this money, but don't do any good with it. Last night a woman on the show wrote a $68,000 CHECK for a brand new Cadillac Escalade. Y'all. And with gas prices the way they are! Do you know how much money that is? I don't make that in a year. And I tutor after school and do technology training on the side! I am sure that it is nice to be able to walk off the car lot with a brand new car... but all I can hear is Dave Ramsey yelling... YOU'RE AN IDIOT!!
I think even if I had money, I could never spend that on a car. The same with clothes. I love me some cute clothes, but I want a sale price or a bargain. I am not cheap, I am just careful with my money. These days you have to be. The other women on this show just amaze me. There are at least two who work, but the rest really just, don't do alot of anything except focus on themselves. I am telling you, this show is a guilty pleasure. But I'm not sure if having lots of money and living like they do can make you happy. At the end of the day, at least I can say I have touched the life of a child and maybe, just maybe taught them something. All of the money in the world can't replace that. Although, it would be really nice to have their budget. I wouldn't have to worry about how I was going to buy Christmas presents for my students!

Last, but not least, I can't leave this post without commenting on the state of affairs in this country. I know a lot of folks are scared. I am one of them, but I am trying not to buy into this hysteria. I watch Dave every night on the Fox News Business channel and take his advice to heart. I have made major changes in how I am living. If you notice, my Netflix sidebar is gone. I have cancelled my subscription. I am having a yard sale next weekend. I am even fixing up my spare room so I can get a roomate. I've turned one of my digital boxes back into the cable company. (I didn't loose my mind, I still have my DVR!) But, these are uncertain times and I am trying to prepare and not waste extra cash. I figure the best way I can help this country is to get myself out of debt. So I have stopped watching CNN and the nightly news. I am grateful for everything that I have. I am grateful for my job. I am trying to focus on the positives and keep my head up. Times are going to get tough, but if you are prepared and doing everything you can, then you will be alright. I think that tough times are a good thing for our country. We have forgotten what we are all about. Maybe this will make folks closer to their families and not stuck on autopilot. Maybe folks will actually begin to live again, and not be zombies just buying stuff.

Anyway, those are just my thoughts.

Nighty, night!
:) JKP

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Happy Hump Day!


I thought this was the cutest picture of Zorro. He has literally thrown himself over the pillow. Notice, the remote to the TV is not far behind!! Heee! He has also absconded with the fleece blanket from my bed. That boy is resourceful! 

Sorry I have been AWOL from the blog, but I have been really sick with an upper respiratory infection. I stayed in all weekend, except to go to my class on Saturday. I slept all day Sunday and somehow made it through school Monday, Tuesday and today. I am feeling a little better, but my voice is still coming and going. Now, all of the other third grade teachers have the crud! My coughing fits have finally stopped as long as I use an inhaler. I didn't think y'all would want to read a blog post on the merits of mucus. 

Things at school have been really yucky this week and if you count what is going on with the economy right now, I think most folks are pretty nervous. I think the overall feeling in the nation is one of panic. Which, with an election around the corner, we don't need. 

Well, I am off to take it easy and do some reading... Happy October! 
:) JKP