Sunday, December 20, 2009

Elvis- he has the voice and at times, too much of the moves... he even has a glancing look of a young Elvis, but, somehow, he's not quite ELVIS.
The Blues Brothers. Does anyone else see this as ironic? Here are two singers impersonating two actors who were impersonating singers and the funny thing is, these guys can really sing.

Camille as Patsy Cline. She did a great job.. I think... I never really knew Patsy Cline.


Steve's manager at the Branson Landing is singing in the Legends Christmas show as Patsy Cline, so she got us tickets today so we could see her perform. We saw Buddy Holly, Patsy Cline, The Blues Brothers, Stevie Wonder and Elvis. It was a fun afternoon with Steve and Delaney and a nice break from Christmas shopping. Maura and Tyler were working. (poor things!)


Wednesday, December 09, 2009

Thanksgiving and aftermath-
I did start on a quilt over the break, but I've yet to have a chance to get back to it. I spent last weekend putting together the "secret santa" stuff for the upcoming exchange. It's kinda impossible to have gifts of $1 leading up to a good one ($20) the last day. I found myself putting chocolates in paper boxes I printed out on my computer. Not sure what I'll do for the big gift yet.
I am somewhat of a homebody, so between working every day and the after school activities, I am dearly missing my "me time". Delaney has practice after school every day until 5:30, unless she has a game, then those begin at 5:30. I've gone to every home game, even though I grit my teeth sitting there and I don't understand half of what is going on. Her team is pretty bad. Delaney made the first basket of any of them, which was great. Since then, others have, but nearly enough to actually win yet. I have another game tomorrow night to attend.
Maura's HS band concert was tonight and it was good. The choir performed as well, then they did a couple songs together. It's fun to watch the kids shift from jazz band, to concert band, from band to choir positions then back again. A small school where kids are involved in more than one thing. Speaking of... Maura decided to join Quizbowl. it makes more sense that she's in it than it did that Tyler was, but i wonder if she's overloading herself with band, speech and debate and now quizbowl on top of working. Maybe the kids think I should just live at the schools! Maura was asked to be part of a wedding this weekend. She'll be spending the night (I guess a weird bachelorette party) and then the wedding is at the school's auditorium.
Tonight, we were waiting for Maura to put away the instruments and Delaney noticed a picture on the wall and said it looked like Maura. Steve said, "no, couldn't be" but we walked over for a closer look. Turns out it was! The school seems to be celebrating different qualities and using photos of the kids that best exemplify that quality. Her poster was about being unique, and it shows her dressed in one of her creations. LOL I gotta tell you, I was so proud!
There are so many times I walk the walk as a teacher and am constantly harping about good choices and good behaviours, it can make a person a bit rigid about good values. What a great reminder for me to see uniqueness being celebrated and certainly a quality I prize myself.
I had my first parent conference this week. Parents who wanted to question the grade their son got on a book report. I thought it went well and the Principal also said he thought so too. It was a first for me, since the schools I taught at long ago weren't the sort where parents actually cared much. I'm guessing I might be grading harder than the regular teacher does, but I'm also following her guidelines, so I'm not sure what else I can do. Hopefully, he'll do a better job on his projects.
I have begun to settle into grading and posting the grades. The gifted kids are very very concerned about grades and freak out when theirs looks bad for even a moment. I had to learn not to enter an assignment in the grading system too early, it drops their grades until theirs actually gets put into the system. I have some kids who are very quick workers and some that draggggg it all out. There was a large assignment due last week and I still have a few who haven't finished it and I doubt they actually will. I have some students who are working well above grade level and others that I think they write like elementary students. Shockingly bad! I keep saying to myself, "and these are the smart kids!".
Steve was to fly out Tuesday, but, since Wisconsin was getting a storm, he pushed it back until Thursday. He was able to hear the Christmas concert for the first time in 3 years, so that was very cool. It is frigid cold here with temps near zero and my car didn't want to start this afternoon and evening. Steve is going to replace the battery for me before he heads to the airport. I don't want to be stranded here, with the kids needing to go places, with a car that doesn't work! I do wish Tyler would step up and get his DL !!!!!!
So, one more night of activities this week (a game tomorrow) and then I get to coast until the weekend. Whoo Hoo!