With the start of school just around the corner, I decided to take the time to write a letter to one of my high school teachers. As I have grown, I have begun to realize that the lessons he taught were above and beyond what he was contracted to do.

Dr. Mr L.

I gave you a real run for your money, but no matter what I did you didn't blink.

Your teaching style was considered unusual. I still remember having my name randomly called during the middle of your lecture. The expectation being that I would repeat the last word you said...that I would prove I was paying attention.

When I shouted out my name as the last word you uttered, you didn't find my response funny. You didn't give me an in. You were the only teacher to notice some of the pain I hid with my humor. You offered to talk to me if I ever wanted to share. You noticed all the things I was trying so hard to hide.

You stressed the gift I had for the written word and encouraged me to apply myself more. You urged me to take typing, something I am truly grateful for. You encourage me to write down what I was feeling. To blog before blogging was even thought of.

You made me repeat things daily like, "I had the blues because I had no shoes until upon the street I met a man who had no feet." When I was a teenager, I thought you were crazy. Now I get it. Now I understand.

How hard it must have been for you to hope that one day some of us would "get" it.

Thank you for being a royal pain in my ass. I realize now that it is only because you cared.

You encouraged all of us to take our good, to make it better but not to settle until it was our best.

I am honored to have called you my teacher.

~kisa~

Take time today to thank all the teachers in your life.

Sadly, summer is coming to a close. Last week, I posted some pictures of a first grade bulletin board I was working on.

This week I am sharing pictures of a third grade bulletin board I am working on. The current third graders are the Class of 2021 and our district vision statement stresses the importance of graduation. With that in mind, here are the little graduates I created with the cricut Everyday Paperdoll cartridge.

The diplomas will feature each students name.

Thanks for visiting.

Thanks for taking time to visit!

Dear M,

I know it is not your fault that your head is the size of the average Thanksgiving turkey. I realize that if my mom and step dad didn't crate you regularly that perhaps I may be able to tolorate you. That being said, I still find you difficult to like.

You eat everything and by everything I mean stuffed animals, prescription glasses and candles. You never tire. Is there Red Bull in your water dish? Speaking of your water dish, it is not for swimming in. You can drink without immersing your entire head and spilling the water dish. In fact, with a tongue as large as yours, you could probably drink without bending your head.

Drool grosses me out and I am pretty sure someone told you. Is that why you like to coat my dog in your drool? Is that why you decorated my glass door in it? A word of advise, shaking your spit on people = bad manners. Stop it.

Knocking over my children will not win you any accolades. They don't like it and neither do I. Apparently banning you from my house has little effect since you can't drive and those who can ignore the ban.

Let me bark it out for you. While I find you to be a significant improvement from my mother's previous dog, which I was convinced was plotting my death, I still find you unacceptable. I was hoping my mom would get a purse sized dog. Instead she got you.

You are impossible to control. You don't walk well on a leash. You outweigh most of my family members. I don't want you at or in my house and I likely will not visit you at your house. We are at an impass.

Stay. You at your house and me at mine.

Annoyed in PA,

~kisa~

Saturday was my 39th birthday. My sister (left) and her family came to visit for a few days and we spent the day at a local lake. The guys took the canoe out, some of the kids went for a ride, we swam at the lake and enjoyed a not-as-hot-as-the-surface-of-the-sun kind of day.

Here are the 39 things we learned.

1. Some families have additional children so the older siblings can care for the younger ones. It isn't uncommon to see a 2 year old chasing after her 1 year old sister.

2. If you want to look like a freakin' ghost apply 110 SPF sunscreen for 20 minutes. Holy white! Ever hear about the benefits of vitamin D?

3. Bathing suits are not required at the lake. You can just go swimming in your underwear. Ugh.

4. Middle G has a butt knuckle and my sister knows how to crack it.

5. My son has no stranger danger. He asked a stranger to look after his raft and if he'd seen his cousin.

6. Wasp stings, especially on the bottom of you foot, hurt and thinking of puppies and sunshine doesn't really help.

7. Even though the park was overflowing with hammocks, they were not provided by the lake. In fact they are from El Salvador and no one there will speak enough English to understand you want to buy one.

8. The items people will cook on the park provided grills are seriously questionable.

9. It can be difficult to ascertain the gender of certain people.

10. Paddling the canoe is a lot of work, especially when you have two talkative tweens with you.

11. The park ranger may be more talkative than the tweens.

12. Always carry toliet paper in the van. You never know when you may need it.

13. When rushing to the aide of your son, make sure your swim suit is securely fastened or you will flash the canoes as they rush by.

14. If you have an exceptionally overweight child, make sure they have food in both of their hands at all times.

15. Spending time at the lake improves your singing.

16. People will assume you stole their raft before looking for the one they brought.

17. Strangers will try to get you to pull them on the raft.

18. Rocks will entertain kids for hours.

19. Speaking another language would be beneficial.

20. It's your birthday and you can do whatever you want is not a legal defense.

21. No matter how hard you try, sometimes you just can't work your crazy eye.

22. Fish do not like chocolate covered pretzels.

23. All purchases, from getting a soda to buying a hammock, should be discussed at great length.

24. It is impossible to take a decent picture of all five of our children.

25. My sister doesn't know how to count to 39.

26. An entire bag of doritos can disappear in less than 15 minutes.

27. Odd numbers of kids don't play even.

28. Love is in the air! Is what I was singing after every fight.

29. If people can't tell if you are with your son or your lover, you have a HUGE problem!

30. How can it be humanly possible for your brain to process information that slowly.

31. Nothing will ever happen the first time you say it.

32. My almost 8 year old son can still wear a 3T swimsuit and thinks "show me your muscles" means show me your rib cage. This picture should be on a feed the children commercial. Please note: there is food in his hand and he is fed regularly.

33. If you are dehydrated you will likely cry and not know why.

34. Xanax is highly recommended.

35. Some people are not spontaneous.

36. All kids think they know everything.

37. Throwing dead fish at your cousins or sisters is really funny, but mostly only to you.

38. Popping up out of the lake, pretending to be a lake monster, will make your Aunt scream.

39. One day at the lake is very educational.