We've been busy gearing up for the holidays at school. All my winter and Christmas books are out and being snatched up by the staff and students. I've got pics to snap and a K-2 and 3-4 video to put together on Animoto for our upcoming Christmas sing-alongs. We've got a Christmas program to finish putting together...
My just day-to-day activities have been overwhelming. Guided Reading, Acceleration, Character Education, Mentoring, the school website... Plus lessons, stories, check-outs, material gatherings... About half the staff at my school followed suit and ordered the free glofish. As soon as they arrive they want me to go set up their tanks. Hello? I'm the only person in the whole school whose fish died?? You sure you want ME to do it?
On a side note, I must say I'm actually a little irritated that my fish died. You get the tank and are supposed to set it up and get it ready for the fish which come about a week and a half later. We had a teacher who got her tank and set it aside and forgot about it. When her fish came, she set them aside too because her tank wasn't ready. TWO WEEKS LATER the fish (which had been over-nighted and are clearly labeled as being "live animals" which you need to "open immediately") were still sealed in the bag, enclosed in the box. Clearly they're dead, right? Nope. When I mentioned mine had gone on to that great big goldfish bowl in the sky it dawned on her that she'd forgotten all about hers. We opened them. They were fine. We filled her tank with ice water out of her Culligan bubbler (mind you, they're supposed to be in water that's about 70 degrees), floated the fish, eased them in, and the suckers lived happily ever after. Blah. Color me bright green with the worst kinda glofish-envy. She says her fish are a "Christmas Miracle." Bah Humbug!
At any rate... I've also had to rearrange the library's computer lab so I could do away with a mini-drop which we were about to lose support of. I've created 7 of the 10 cybersafety prezis I want to use to go along with the commonsensemedia lessons our county requires we teach. I've worked on some of my NC Falcon modules...
Oh, and I wrecked my car so I spent quite a few afternoons taking care of that... meeting with the body shop, the insurance adjuster, getting a rental car... Another great, big BLAH!!!
On the upside... The kids are so much fun!! We've been reading Christmas stories online at We Give Books which is currently donating a book to a school library recovering from Hurricane Sandy for every story read. I got my free Elf on the Shelf out at the library keeping an eye on the kids. We named him Dewey.
At home, I had my dog and cat both fixed. My cat is back to being her evil self, so we know she's feeling better. My dog had to wear one of those Elizabethan collars which he was BEYOND thrilled to get off after a week. Now all our bruises will heal where the big lug would run into us at full speed with that thing and knock us over.
Unfortunately he's apparently not a fan of Christmas. He began by first destroying every Santa in the house and clearing all the ornaments from the bottom half of the tree. Now he's moved on to snowmen, angels, and candycanes. Every day I come home to a new pile of what used to be merry Christmas paraphernalia in the middle of my living room floor with Dexter laying in the middle of it. Here he is laying on his blanket (he drags it around like a toddler) playing with an ornament he removed from the tree.
My evil cat also likes Christmas -- though she prefers hiding in the tree.
Thanksgiving was a wonderful time -- I was especially thankful for Wednesday and Thursday since I didn't have to work. I'm anxious for Christmas to come so I can enjoy a couple more days off. And that, I suppose, has been my crazy life in a nutshell... See, ya haven't missed much, huh? :)
