Spring is here!

I haven't posted in a few weeks. I've been busy, and haven't had a lot of interesting news or pictures to share. I have been spending most of my teaching time preparing for the CRCT which will take place in April. This past weekend I spent most of my time in Newnan. Friday Julie, Kyler and I went to an art show downtown. There were some great artists' work on display and it was a nice night to walk around and get some fresh air----minus the pollen!! Julie and I then had a relaxing movie night. Today I went back to Newnan and went to the neighborhood Easter Egg Hunt. Kyler shared his candy with me----my students will be happy! I also made my first coconut cream pie for lunch!

I'm looking forward to spring break next week and going to Maine! Although I would prefer the warm weather come with me!! I can't wait to take Colton swimming and have Easter Dinner! When I arrive back in Atlanta Kristin is flying in! It'll be a busy but fun week! 

10.5 weeks

Well there are 10 1/2 weeks left of school! I must say the year has gone by fast! I never feel like I can catch up on paperwork alone. I now have 28 students in my class. That is 28 of every assignment to grade, 28 parents to contact and conference with, 28 tests to give, and 28 children to teach at once! They keep me on my toes!!! Needless to say between 28 kids and working over 50 hours a week I want to do nothing more than sleep all weekend! I have had some students say some interesting things lately including:

me "Make sure you're reading at home, I want to win the cupcake party!"
student x "Miss Goucher you can't eat cupcakes you're on a diet"
me "oh thats news to me"

student x "Miss Goucher you might be really young but you're still a great teacher"
thinking to myself----I didn't know you had to be old to be a good teacher?

student x "Miss Goucher is your hair wet?"
me "No"
student "Well it looks wet, what did you do to it?"
me "I put gel in it"
student "ohhh thats what that does"

still commenting on my hair.....

student x "What's wrong with your hair Miss Goucher"
   Thanks student x for boosting my self confidence today! haha

I still think my favorite comment to date was a student's answer on a paper. The student was writing a reaction to a black and white photo taken during the civil war. It went something like this:

Describe the photo:
  "It is really old, they didn't even have TVs"

I am looking forward to April break....a trip to Maine and Kristin is coming to visit me for Easter weekend! It should be a good week off from work.

Dad's Visit

Dad came to visit a last week. He was able to come down for 7 days! Unfortunately the weather was lousy while he was here but we still had a good time! On Thursday we went to Fernbank Museum of Natural History.

Friday the weather was decent so we went to Stone Mountain with Erik and Kyler. We took the gondola to the top. 

Dad at the top

Kyler playing at the top of the mountain

the carving on the side of the mountain

On Saturday we decided to take a trip over to Alabama. Our first stop was the Antebellum Plantation House in Birmingham. The house is now among a neighborhood, that, to put it nicely needs some work! It seems very out of place. 

We stopped in Birmingham and walked around downtown to see The 16th Street Baptist Church. They redid the bottom on the church, where the bomb went off, it is now the kitchen (it was the girls bathroom). 

After, we went to lunch at Lloyd's and then we drove to Tuscalossa (spelling?) to see the University of Alabama and the tornado damage. 

On Sunday we hung out and went to lunch with Erik, Julie, and Kyler. Monday was dad's last full day here, and we went to Piedmont park and then headed to Erik and Julie's for the evening. 

Last week seemed long (even though it was only four days). We had a lot of testing and events after school. I didn't take any babysitting jobs this weekend and caught up on sleep!! A 3.5 hour nap yesterday helped :) This week is just as busy, with conferences, fieldtrip, testing, and workshops. I need to go make cookies I promised the kids I'd bring in! 

Update

I realized it has been a few weeks since I updated my blog. I've been busy with school, work, and babysitting. Today I was able to leave work at 3:15.....which I think has happened 3 times all year!!!! I made meat loaf for dinner

It's mini!!!!!! Personal size :) 

We are going on our first field trip tomrrow (to the art museum) WISH ME LUCK!! I got two new students this week, so now I am back up to 27. Let me just say that 27 fifth graders and one teacher is challenging. It's hard to understand at 10 years old that I am only one person---they can't all have my attention at once! 

Speaking of kids......a couple of weeks ago at campus kids a girl was talking about something she was afraid of. I asked her what she was talking about and she said "you know the orange things....tangerine" I asked her a couple of times and it kept coming out Tangerine. So I asked again and she said "you know they're all furry" I said "oh you mean a tarantula?" hahahaha I must say I miss the cute things the little ones say!  

I'm very excited for my dad to be coming down next week! I am looking forward to going to some tourists places that I haven't been yet, as well as getting my to do list done (thanks dad!!). 

Winter??

Well the weather this weekend has been great! Yesterday it was in the 60s and sunny. Today, while it was 30 when I woke up, it is now in the mid 50s and sunny! I am getting used to this warmer weather. I hope it continues for dad's visit so we can have outdoor adventures around the city (he's not into the shopping thing that mom and gram and I did). haha

My two classes this semester are proving to be ALOT more work than the two last semester, and on top of it, I have to take a "workshop" for school (work) that is 4 hours every Wed. night and we have work to do for that.  I need 30 hours in each day.

Here is a poem that I wrote for part of a project for my writing class. This is just the rough draft but I thought you might like to read it. I have never been into writing poetry (still not). Therefore, I thought about the poems that Alicia and I (with her mom's help!) use to make up for the boys before football games (silly poems that had a Dr. Sues quality)  and used that to write this poem.

Last Minute New Life

I never imagined living so far away

My family a plane ride

Snuggled into bed, as I lay

I imagine how my life went to this side 

For me it was quite spontaneous

Most would consider it planned

It all is a little humerus

I knew I needed to learn, on my own to feet to stand

My intention was only the summer

No job to go home to

It all sounded like quite a bummer 

There was something I must do

I applied and applied 

With no luck in sight 

My brain felt fried

I held on with all my might

Why not apply in Georgia to teach? 

What could it hurt?

These jobs might be within reach

I was on the alert

Long story short

I was offered a job outside the city

Would my family support?

For I was a tad bit giddy 

So there it all began 

A new life 

In a foreign land

I hopped for a lack of strife 

Honest comments welcome. 

I am hoping to take some nice pictures this afternoon while the sun is shinning. Look back soon for an update! 

Relaxing Weekend

I had a nice, relaxing weekend visiting Alli in Valdosta! It was a much needed girls weekend with one of my best friends. There was lots of good food, shopping, driving, and of course laughing! We spent Saturday in Tallahassee, where we went to Wakulla Springs Park. We went with the intention of seeing manatees but we ended up observing alligators, fish, turtles, and many different types of birds as well!

12 foot alligator 

The bird to the left stands perfectly still with his wings spread out to dry them. I kept expecting an alligator to up from the water and snatch him!











Unfortunately the weekend is over and it's back to reality. My calendar is full of meetings and workshops. I keep telling myself that sleep is overrated.......yawn......but it doesn't seem to be working.

New Furniture

I spent the weekend building two shelves, a coffee table, taking care of three different babies, did four loads of laundry, and made two meals in my crock-pot. Tonight I had to remind myself that I'm 24 and single....not 34 and married with kids. I promptly made plans for next weekend! However, my apartment is finally looking like a "real house".  

  

This morning I made cheese and vegetable soup. I'm still not used to only having orange cheese here....which makes everything you add it to look orange! 

Now that I have clean cloths, and food for the week, it's time for an ice cream sundae and TV!!