Stressful morning

This morning was stressful.

Overwhelmingly stressful.

It was totally and completely my fault too.


First--Last night I stayed up way too late. After school yesterday I went and received my "salt glow" as part of my spa treatment (more on that later), then went to Target and Walmart, and ended up at home about 7 pm. Desiree came over and we worked on our two assignments for tonight's class. While we were working, Melissa called and then came over with two of her friends to celebrate finishing all her undergrad work (woo hoo, Melissa!!). She came over while Des and I finished our papers. Dave got home at 9:15 and started working away on the bathroom. Everyone left about 10:30 pm and I cleaned the bathroom (tupperware party is Wednesday).

Second--today is the first day of CST testing and I volunteered to coordinate and execute the purchasing snacks for multiple teachers. This morning I got to school at 7 am, hauled cereal for 200 kids for 6 days into my classroom and set it all up for the teachers to come pick it up from the hallway.

Third--I scheduled my parent yearbook camp meeting for this morning at 7:45. I guess when I scheduled it I didn't think about testing, tupperware, Mel's graduation, or anything else, because man, it couldn't be worse timing on my behalf. I have seven parents, my yearbook students, and a few siblings for the 30 minute talk about camp, rules, fundraising and money. The tupperware rep that is running our fundraiser was here and discussed how great of a fundraiser it really is (they get 40% of the sales) and how much money they have the potential for raising. The parents were eager, willing, and wonderful. They left shortly before 8:30.

Fourth--8:30 brought nervous students into my room for the first CST test of the year. We start with Math, so students were extra nervous. I went over some of the basic rules (all of which they already know), passed out cereal snacks and water cups. It is stressful to make sure you're following all the rules because breaking them means tests are invalid.

Overall my students handled the tests well and I had two hours to relax a little from the morning of stress. I'm writing this as they finish 36 basic algebra questions and stress about their little futures. Can I just say that I HATE these tests and the pressure that is put on the kids to do well!! Although that is an entire issue all together.

The week will continue to be busy.

• Tuesday night: Class
• Wednesday night: Tupperware party (you're still invited)
• Thursday night: prepare for all of my entire family to be here
• Friday day: 1/2 sub for Melissa's pinning, entire family gets here
• Saturday: Melissa graduates and her party follows

Then to Now

When we moved in... when Dave demolished the tub... and when we put the first TILES up!!

Our hall bathroom has been a major project--four months into the process, it is finally starting to look like a bathroom. The tiling has been a major undertaking. We tiled all weekend long and it still isn't done. We're still shooting to have the bathroom usable when my entire family comes for Melissa's graduation on Friday and Saturday.

Apple

I just had to show you this--this is the biggest apple I've ever seen. Dave picked a few of these beauties up for me at Vons. I weighed it this morning--4 points of apple right there (normal, small apples are one point, average size Galas are two).

Reality

Let me start this off very clearly. I am blessed to have a job next year. Clearly there are a lot of other teachers and people across the world (including Dave and my dad!) who don't have the opportunity complain about their jobs.

I've know deep down that I wasn't going to be working at Central next year for awhile. I've been trying to prepare myself by thinking about all the positives about leaving, including the main joy of going to the high school level, the possibility of teaching a larger yearbook program, etc... I've even tried telling everyone that it isn't a big deal, but truthfully, it scares me. I like control and the sense of being "in control." This situation doesn't feel like I have any sense of control.

This morning I happened to stop in to see one of our office staff, looked up on his wall and saw the master schedule for next year (who is teaching what, which periods) which he has been working on with the principal. The master schedule fascinates me, so I took a second to look it over and noticed something that made my heart sink into my stomach.

My name was on the schedule, but there were no classes attached to my name. They aren't even planning for me. I then quickly looked for the little square that said yearbook. It was attached to Susannah--she'd do great, but she doesn't want the time committment.

Bummed out, I walked slowly back to my classroom. On the way, I stopped by Susannah's room to tell her that she was listed for Publications, she then told me that Tom (my department chair) had said that maybe Maria (AVID/Spanish) would teach yearbook...

At that point, reality set in. Everyone knows that I'm not going to be at Central, I better get on the bandwagon and figure it out myself.

All day I've been thinking about all the reprocussions of moving sites, changing grade levels, breaking my heart. Stupid things come to mind like, "What will I do with all my Central clothes?" to intensely emotional things that make me cry like, "How should I tell my yearbook kids and will they be okay?"

Worse part? I won't know "for sure" until after May 15th and they really have until end of August to make it final.

Inductee

Yesterday, Des and I went to CSUSB to be inducted into the Golden Key International Honour Society. We were selected because we were in the top 2% of the student population. The ceremony was put together by undergrads who are the chapter officers. As I watched them run around doing the behind the scenes work it reminded me of my undergrad days. At the same time, it made be OVERJOYED not to be in my undergrad days :) It is really hard to believe that it in two weeks, I will have been graduated from college for FIVE years.

The officers looked so little and I felt so old... but after the ceremony was over, I got this beautiful certificate to hand on the wall in my classroom!

Des and I graduate from CSUSB on June 21st with a Masters of Arts in Education, Curriculum and Instruction. Woo-hooo! Too bad out graduate days aren't over after that :)

Tupperwear Party!

Who: You!

What: Tupperwear Cooking Party (fundraiser for CMS Yearbook)

When: Wednesday, April 29th, 6 pm

Where: My House'

Why: Have fun, eat dinner, raise money to send my kiddos to camp

Let me know if you want to come and I'll send the invite. Also, if you can't come, but you want to order something, I can mail a catalog. My kids get 20% of everything that is purchased for their camp fees (they are also selling through catalogs).

April Resolutions

I know I'm eight days late, but I've been trying to think of good resolutions that I have a high likelyhood of accomplishing. My track record hasn't been that great...

April Resolutions

• Walk up Mt. Rubidoux four times during the month of April
• Track my food honestly five days a week with the goal of seven days--post points
• Do my Master's assignments at least two days before they are due
• Feel and show "excitement" for students' progress for CSTs
• Try to create a third speed for one-on-one time with Dave (see cartoon)
• Continue recreational activites, drinking water, will/want power, and earring wearing.

Review of March Resolutions

• Every weekend do some type of recreational activity (walking to the plaza, riding my bike around, etc.): 100% success--several trips to the plaza, pet store, bank, good will, FlameBroiler on my bike and feet
• Record and POST my daily Weight Watchers journals every day: 8/31 days, FAILURE... I did lose weight those eight days, so this is still something I need to do.
• Drink two mugs of water per day while at school and more at home: 90% success--made is almost every day of the month, missed a few days because of busyiness!
• Expect high performance from my yearbook students and stop doing the work for them (no more late, late nights): FAILURE, who am I kidding, I am going to be there late even if I do expect high performance!
• Tell Dave how wonderful he is everyday: FAILURE, I'm a crummy wife

Review of February Resolutions:

• Create willpower over food. NEED HELP HERE STILL--as we learned today in the WW meeting, weight loss isn't about will power, but "will want"
• Attend CardioTennis for the 4-week session: sessions finally done and I actually made improvement as I went

Review of January On-going Resolutions:

• Wear earring to work most days. Complete success for three months! Why is this one so easy??!!??

Bunny and Dog Bonding

Both dog and buns know that I'm in charge during our bonding sessions. Reese has fully understood that she isn't allowed to bark or whine loudly at the bunnies. The buns know that they're really in charge.

We've had multiple bonding sessions over the past few days. Reese has done exceptionally well and I do believe that I might have three bunnies very soon :) Darcy and Reese have accepted each other; it is clear by his behavior that Darcy believes he is the Alpha Bun and Reese should do what he says. They sniff and circle each other until Darcy gets bored and he jumps off. Reese isn't allowed control over the situation, so she can't follow. The only agression we've seen is from Darcy and it takes the form of a lunge towards Reese.

Charlotte is a completely different issue. She moves fast and has no desire to get close to the doggie. Of course, because of her quick movements, Reese wants to play with her even more. Needless to say, they've had no interactions in our bonding sessions.

Right now the buns are napping under the blue chair and Reese is laying down looking at the chair, begging them to come out and play. It's pretty darn cute!

Wooohhhh

Why is it that some days seems to drag forever and others seem to go so fast? It always seems like the days that you want to go fast, go slow and the ones you want to go slow, go too fast! I made it to Spring Break, but SB is going soo fast!

Saturday, Desiree and I started our Masters of Educational Administration offically. We're in a cohort group that will be meeting every Tuesday (4:30-8:50) and Saturday (8:30-3:30) for the next five quarters. We are the youngest members of the cohort and appear to be the only ones who've been in school recently. Saturday's class was great, we only have to be there from 8:30 to 10:30 because we took the companion class last quarter. Dr. Jindra is teaching the class and she is my favorite professor I've had at CSUSB. Tonight we had our second class; it will be a lot of work (so much so that I already did my first assignment because I feel a bit stressed by it).

Other than Masters' stuff, I've had a great time hanging out with Tawni and Des. On Monday, I had lunch with Tawni, drove to CSUSB with Des then ate dinner at California Pizza Kitchen and saw "I love you, Man." This morning Tawni, Des, and I walked up Mt. Rubidoux with Sammy and Reese. It took a bit longer than normal, but it was fun.

Tomorrow, Melissa and I will be driving down to San Diego to get ready to go BEACH CAMPING!!

Introduction

I've begun the bonding process between the bunnies and doggie. This cool website seems to have a lot of ideas (dogmeetsbunny.blogspot.com) and after carefully reading everything I could find, I'm willing to make the effort. Right now, the bunnies are allowed in the living room and the doggie is allowed everywhere BUT the living room. Reese doesn't like it and it makes it difficult to spend time with the bunnies because the dog doesn't understand why we are in there without her.

Anyway--they've been looking at each other through the babygate for the past two weeks. Tonight, I look Reese into the living room with a very tight leash. She wasn't really allowed to move as the bunnies jumped around her. Darcy wasn't shy--he came directly us to her and smelled her nose several times. Reese was excellent, she didn't whine, jump, or scare the bunnies.

We'll continue this for awhile--not that you care, but I'll keep you posted :)

Here's the goal (minus the fact that my bunny is BIGGER than my dog)

Dog gone Bunny

We have a new family member. Her name is Reese and she wishes that she was a bunny so she could play with Darcy and Charlotte.

Dave was helping out a friend when they found Reese. She was lonely, lost, and super scared. They knocked on every door for three blocks to find her owners, but no one knew her and where she belonged. She didn't have a name tag on her collar. They called all the shelters to see if anyone had reported her; no one had. Dave brought her home (without permission!) and I was deadset on her staying at our house. The first night she slept with him in the extra bedroom and their mutal attachement was obvious. Over the next few days, she showed how well she had already been trained (house broken, sit, stay, etc).

We went to San Diego for Devin's second birthday the next weekend and she came. Reese did great with all of the kids, adults, and other dogs while there... several people fell in love with her (including my dad)!

Needless to say, after the trip I gave in and decided that she could stay. Oh, was Dave excited! She is his pal; the moment he walks in the door, she gets so excited, but still waits paticently for him to come to her. She LOVES people and really wants to play with the bunnies (but she isn't allowed to yet). She doesn't bark and only whins/crys a little bit when she wants attention.

We took her to the vet this week. According to the vet, she is probably between 1.5-2 years old and is a mix of mini-pinscher and chihuahuas. She weights less than Darcy! The vet gave her several shots and checked her overall health.

Melissa named her Reese because she looks like a Reese's Peanut Butter Cup and we thought that the name went well with Mr. Darcy and Charlotte.

Easter Suprise

The door alerted them that something was up...

Then they starting seeing eggs all around, questions are swirling around, curious minds are working...

"Man, they are everwhere Mrs. Pfeffer!" "I see one, I see one!!"

Darcy made a visit or two, visiting with students who eagerly pet him.

When they were finally allowed to "hunt" an egg, they found this... my version of scrambled eggs. Each team was only allowed to find one color and inside wasn't sugary goodness, just hard vocabulary words.

"Aww, come on, Mrs. Pfeffer... that's not cool," whin a few inconsiderate kiddos.

"Unscramble the egg," I say in return. They quickly decide that they do, indeed know the meaning and definitions and call me over to see this...

"Yes! Go find another one!" I say with glee... and off they go to find another egg, unscramble it, and get another yes. After egg one, you'd never guess we were doing work... this can't be school, we're having way too much fun!

Of course, because I'm a nice teacher this also followed the Easter Bunnies visit :)