Friday, September 9, 2011
Lessons from the Lunchlady: oh my
This week was overwhelming.
I don't think I have completely recovered from it.
As you know we had Monday off for Labor Day and the week started with a bang on Tuesday.
Here's what I learned.
Lock down freaks me out. Tuesday brought a lock down to our elementary, as well as all the neighboring schools, due to a bank robbery in the area. The armed robber got away on foot and as of today I believe he is still on the loose. Only idiots rob banks, especially armed.
Even computers need holidays. Tuesday started out with all computers taking an extra day off. It is difficult to ring up lunch when the computers are down. Thankful we only had to wing it at breakfast.
Row, row, row your boat. Wednesday brought on an early dismissal for flooding. The rain was overwhelming roads, bridges and homes. It was frightening. Lunch was move up to 10:30 and we needed to hustle. I have never seen this kind of flooding and we are still waiting for the river to crest.
When things are crazy...expect the unexpected. As we were rushing to prepare lunch for early release, the state inspector showed up. Seriously? I am proud to say that we received our third straight perfect inspection.
Short weeks can get shorter. It turns out that school can be cancelled after only 1 1/2 short days this week. Due to all the flooding, we did not have school Thursday or Friday. Here's hoping the snow takes it easy on us. We only have one more weather related emergency day and we've only been in school 10 days. Not a good sign.
In conclusion, I learned that bank robbers are not the smartest members of society, that just when you thought you couldn't serve lunch any sooner you can, that the state inspector loves to come during chaos, and that I'd rather be in school than trapped at home with my children for extended periods of time.
Stay safe out there. Life can change rather quickly.
I don't think I have completely recovered from it.
As you know we had Monday off for Labor Day and the week started with a bang on Tuesday.
Here's what I learned.
Lock down freaks me out. Tuesday brought a lock down to our elementary, as well as all the neighboring schools, due to a bank robbery in the area. The armed robber got away on foot and as of today I believe he is still on the loose. Only idiots rob banks, especially armed.
Even computers need holidays. Tuesday started out with all computers taking an extra day off. It is difficult to ring up lunch when the computers are down. Thankful we only had to wing it at breakfast.
Row, row, row your boat. Wednesday brought on an early dismissal for flooding. The rain was overwhelming roads, bridges and homes. It was frightening. Lunch was move up to 10:30 and we needed to hustle. I have never seen this kind of flooding and we are still waiting for the river to crest.
When things are crazy...expect the unexpected. As we were rushing to prepare lunch for early release, the state inspector showed up. Seriously? I am proud to say that we received our third straight perfect inspection.
Short weeks can get shorter. It turns out that school can be cancelled after only 1 1/2 short days this week. Due to all the flooding, we did not have school Thursday or Friday. Here's hoping the snow takes it easy on us. We only have one more weather related emergency day and we've only been in school 10 days. Not a good sign.
In conclusion, I learned that bank robbers are not the smartest members of society, that just when you thought you couldn't serve lunch any sooner you can, that the state inspector loves to come during chaos, and that I'd rather be in school than trapped at home with my children for extended periods of time.
Stay safe out there. Life can change rather quickly.
Creek at the bottom of my development about to spill trash everywhere! Yuck.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
An Open Letter to my son at the start of second grade
At the start of second grade, I wanted to write down some of my hopes and expectations for you.
Your age sneaks up on me. I think it is because you are the youngest. In my head you're my baby, but in reality you aren't a baby at all.
You are almost 8.
You are one of the oldest (and smallest) kids in your class.
I hope that second grade provides you with a better reading foundation. You still hate to read, which as a writer, breaks my heart.
You struggle with it and because of that you really don't like it.
I hope that second grade builds up your confidence and that you aren't so worried about what other people think. It's important to remember that it doesn't matter who finishes first or who has more written in their journal.
I hope that second grade shows you that it is okay to ask for help when you are struggling. I hope that you learn to ask more questions and to seek more answers.
I hope that second grade brings you more friends, more laughs and more adventures.
I hope that second grade is even better than 1st.
Love,
Mommy
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
Wordless Wednesday: flooding
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
Tuesday Tribute: 911-Where were you?
As part of the series, the paper is asking citizens to recall where they were when they heard of the events. What they remembered feeling...what they remember thinking.
911 doesn't feel like ten years ago to me but I know it to be true because my daughter is ten years old and she was 2 months old when the towers fell. In fact, she was exactly two months old.
Middle G. was born June 11th. Before that September date. Before that time.
We were at the zoo.
The girls and I were meeting some friends at the zoo. We planned to spend the day there. To have lunch there.
I was listening to kid music in the car. We were singing along. We were, like so many others, just going about our day.
My husband was not traveling, but my friend's husband was.
When I got to the zoo, I remember wondering why so many people were still sitting in their cars. I soon came to realize that they were listening to the news. Listening live to the gasps of the reporters as the second plane flew into the towers.
We didn't know how serious it was. We thought it was an accident. We didn't know it was intentional. We didn't know that much hatred existed. We didn't know it could touch us.
The zoo announced it was closing at 10:30 "to honor our friends and family in New York." I still didn't understand.
Even as I was leaving the parking lot and heading home, I didn't understand. When I pulled safely into the driveway with my toddler and my infant and found my husband home from work, I didn't understand.
As I watched live the events unfolding in a field not far from where I grew up, I didn't understand.
Ten years later and I still don't understand.
Where were you when the towers fell and so much changed forever?
Monday, September 5, 2011
Made by me Monday: some scrapbook pages
These pictures are all from 2008. I think little G ate more blueberries than he picked.
These lemons were cut using the simple sweet cricut cartridge. I think the boys made about $3.00 that day and they thought they were rich.
Joe Cool. Love these pics of little G.
These last ones are from the first swim in our backyard pool before we joined a much larger one. I may have posted some of these already but I felt like putting a handful of them together for Made By Me Monday.
Thanks for stopping by to visit. For more awesome crafts click on the link below.
Friday, September 2, 2011
Lessons from the Lunchlady: do we pee on the floor?
This was the first full week of school and it really felt like it. I am beginning to feel the effects of cholorine withdrawl and I am longing for a pool day.
Here's what I learned.
Do we pee on the floor? No that's just gross. This was the title of the speech given over a megaphone by our principal to the 2nd and 3rd graders. I guess you can't be reminded often enough that peeing on the floor is frowned upon.
Would you like hashbrowns or baby carrots with your pancakes? Really? Is this even a choice? Of course, my son got the carrots and another 2nd grader learned what baby carrots are.
Please don't tramp on the syrup. The bad thing about having pancakes for lunch is all the sticky mess you gotta clean up. Kids love syrup. They will lick it off the table, off each other and even off the bottom of their shoe. That one is still grossing me out.
Yeah! Good job eating your peas. Much to our surprise when given the choice as to whether or not to have peas many kindergartners were up to the challenge. One proclaimed her love of all vegetables and ate all of her peas before taking a bite of her pizza. We cheered for her and not wanting to disappoint, another kindergartner scooped up a spoonful and while putting it in his mouth promptly scooped up the rest into his other hand and dropped them onto the floor. Tray clean with one bite.
You are the best _________ I know! Whether you fill in the blank with lunchlady, principal, teacher or aide, when it's said by a 1st grader who hasn't really much life experience it loses something in translation. However it's still better than being the worst.
In conclusion, we learned not to pee on the floor and to keep our peas off the floor. We learned what baby carrots are and that some kids will lick syrup off of just about anything.
What did you learn this week?
Here's what I learned.
Do we pee on the floor? No that's just gross. This was the title of the speech given over a megaphone by our principal to the 2nd and 3rd graders. I guess you can't be reminded often enough that peeing on the floor is frowned upon.
Would you like hashbrowns or baby carrots with your pancakes? Really? Is this even a choice? Of course, my son got the carrots and another 2nd grader learned what baby carrots are.
Please don't tramp on the syrup. The bad thing about having pancakes for lunch is all the sticky mess you gotta clean up. Kids love syrup. They will lick it off the table, off each other and even off the bottom of their shoe. That one is still grossing me out.
Yeah! Good job eating your peas. Much to our surprise when given the choice as to whether or not to have peas many kindergartners were up to the challenge. One proclaimed her love of all vegetables and ate all of her peas before taking a bite of her pizza. We cheered for her and not wanting to disappoint, another kindergartner scooped up a spoonful and while putting it in his mouth promptly scooped up the rest into his other hand and dropped them onto the floor. Tray clean with one bite.
You are the best _________ I know! Whether you fill in the blank with lunchlady, principal, teacher or aide, when it's said by a 1st grader who hasn't really much life experience it loses something in translation. However it's still better than being the worst.
In conclusion, we learned not to pee on the floor and to keep our peas off the floor. We learned what baby carrots are and that some kids will lick syrup off of just about anything.
What did you learn this week?
Thursday, September 1, 2011
Pardon me but there is a chipmunk attached to your hand
Just like every other summer day, I decided to skip one house up the street to see what my cousins were up to.
The answer. Picking blackberries.
Yum.
We spent the next half hour gathering up the supplies we would need. We borrowed some Tupperware without asking, we packed some water in case we got thirsty and we threw in a compass just in case we got lost.
The four of us, my sister and two cousins, headed into the woods just behind our houses. The shade from the mature trees was cooling. We knew our short cool walk would be rewarded with delicious, juicy blackberries.
Sure enough the bushes were overflowing. We started picking and eating and picking some more. Much to our delight a chipmunk ran across the path. It stole a berry we had dropped and scurried up a tree.
Out of nowhere a crow swooped down and peck at the chipmunk, knocking it off the tree and causing it to land in an awkward lump on the path in front of us.
We all just stared. Did that really just happen? What should we do?
Like any quick thinking 10 year old, I decided to pick up the chipmunk.
Not a good idea.
It latched on to the skin between my thumb and pointer finger and would not let go. i screamed. My sister screamed. My cousins screamed. i shook my hand. I pulled at that stupid rodent.
Nothing. It was stuck.
We had no choice but to seek help.
Mom.
She'll know what to do.
We ran the entire way home, leaving our prize berries and our backpack of supplies behind. When we reached the yard, mom was outside hanging laundry on the line.
My sister said, "Don't be mad" which usually just made my mom mad. I was still crying when I lifted my hand to reveal the now near death chipmunk attached to it. It is the first memory I have of my mother swearing.
My dad had to come home from work. My mom wouldn't touch it. My dad discussed options with my mom in a hushed voice that involved words like drowning, pliers, hammers and rabies.
I was terrified but I was also starting to like the little guy whose teeth were buried into my flesh.
My dad put on gardening gloves and pried his mouth open enough to released my bruised and a little bloody hand. I wouldn't let him kill the chipmunk, which in hindsight only prolonged his suffering.
He lived, paralysed, for a week in a tiny shoebox.
The only thing he would eat were blackberries.
The answer. Picking blackberries.
Yum.
We spent the next half hour gathering up the supplies we would need. We borrowed some Tupperware without asking, we packed some water in case we got thirsty and we threw in a compass just in case we got lost.
The four of us, my sister and two cousins, headed into the woods just behind our houses. The shade from the mature trees was cooling. We knew our short cool walk would be rewarded with delicious, juicy blackberries.
Sure enough the bushes were overflowing. We started picking and eating and picking some more. Much to our delight a chipmunk ran across the path. It stole a berry we had dropped and scurried up a tree.
Out of nowhere a crow swooped down and peck at the chipmunk, knocking it off the tree and causing it to land in an awkward lump on the path in front of us.
We all just stared. Did that really just happen? What should we do?
Like any quick thinking 10 year old, I decided to pick up the chipmunk.
Not a good idea.
It latched on to the skin between my thumb and pointer finger and would not let go. i screamed. My sister screamed. My cousins screamed. i shook my hand. I pulled at that stupid rodent.
Nothing. It was stuck.
We had no choice but to seek help.
Mom.
She'll know what to do.
We ran the entire way home, leaving our prize berries and our backpack of supplies behind. When we reached the yard, mom was outside hanging laundry on the line.
My sister said, "Don't be mad" which usually just made my mom mad. I was still crying when I lifted my hand to reveal the now near death chipmunk attached to it. It is the first memory I have of my mother swearing.
My dad had to come home from work. My mom wouldn't touch it. My dad discussed options with my mom in a hushed voice that involved words like drowning, pliers, hammers and rabies.
I was terrified but I was also starting to like the little guy whose teeth were buried into my flesh.
My dad put on gardening gloves and pried his mouth open enough to released my bruised and a little bloody hand. I wouldn't let him kill the chipmunk, which in hindsight only prolonged his suffering.
He lived, paralysed, for a week in a tiny shoebox.
The only thing he would eat were blackberries.
Inspired by Mama Kat's genius
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About Me
- kisatrtle
- I'm a 41 year old (gasp) freelance writer, school cafeteria manager, wife and mother. I have three children and one anxious and overweight beagle. I use my blog to make others laugh, to share some cool crafts, to document my lunchlady adventures and to lament about the challenges faced by us all on the journey called life. Thanks for visiting. Please leave some crack...um...I meant some comments.
