"...You're not a cool mom!"

                               Boys at Coker Arboretum at UNC last Sunday.  This is Gus' version on climbing a tree.  The Brown Boys would put him to shame!

So to the title of this week's blog... Yesterday was a LONG day.  I have a friend and 2nd grade teacher that tutors Gus 2 to 3 days a week after school.   So yesterday she worked with him then took him to McDonalds for dinner while I stayed for a 3rd grade parent info night on 'Read to Achieve" (NC's version of IREAD)  This is the first year for this kind of testing in NC....after this parent meeting the school hosted a Wellness Night that I had to stay for too.  So by the time we headed home it was almost 8. Gus is obsessed with Sirius Radio in the van and it ALWAYS has to be on channel 2.  If you try to sneak another channel, he'll freak out.  So a fun song came on and I started to sing.  He yelled at me for singing and said I wasn't good and to stop!  So I continued to sing and began dancing, knowing this would aggravate him more.  This really got him going!  He said "mom! you need to pay attention while you drive!  If dad were here, this wouldn't be happening."  When I tried to explain that I can dance and drive safely and that if Trent were with us he'd be dancing too-he interrupted me by saying " That's not cool...You're not a cool mom!"  My heart broke!  I'm so distressed that he already thinks I'm not cool!  I'm flipping awesome! and that little booger has no clue how lucky he is to have me.  I just figured I had a few more years before he felt like I was embarrassing him...I mean we weren't even in public and he felt embarrassed by me.  Did Ros and Quinn ever do that???? I guess I still have Hank for 5 more years before he doesn't think I'm cool :(

So I have a funny story about my almost 85 year old grandma, you've met her before...So I call Grandma Dorothy every morning to check in.  She's still living in the house her and her 2nd husband built like 60 years ago that's on 6 acres in east Putnam county.  So I called her yesterday and she said 'did I tell you about the bed?'  So she proceeded to tell me that on Wednesday she tried to switch mattresses between bedrooms.  Both bedrooms have those sleep number beds.  So evidently she felt as if the mattress she was sleeping on wasn't quite right so she had decided to simply switch the beds.  OKAY so my first thought was why didn't you call the company because the bed has a warranty OR if you wanted them switched why didn't you have Andy and Jill do it.  My grandma is very independent and so she said she thought she could manage.  So I guess the bed is made of two main sections that are divided by some black foam and the foam is also around the perimeter of the rest of the bed.  So she said once she had taken the bed apart to find all of this, she tried to pick up a section and "..it double over on her."  Not really sure what that meant, but she's alive....So she starting laughing and said that she finally got to the point when she took the black foam out and managed to kind of put to bed back together.  She said she then drug the black foam down near the barn and burned it.  Okay I wanted to ask how she managed to drag it down to the barn in the snow then burned it, but I didn't.  Then I wanted to ask How much did that bed cost? and can you still use it???  OH LORD!  I worry about her but glad she managed and still found the whole thing funny.  If my sister knew about this, she'd die!  She's always so worried about grandma and doesn't give her any credit for being competent at her age.  Oh well I suppose....

Did I tell you about my mom getting engaged???  Let me know and I'll explain more about this...

On to Hank Heffernan-He's still not sleeping well. Which means I'm not sleeping well.  My neck has hurt since Monday afternoon.  This kiddo is killing my beauty sleep! So Thursday morning at 3, Trent wakes me  up and says for me to look at Hank (which is in between us also including Gus).  There he is with the ipad watching videos on youtube about cartoon planes and trucks.  Seriously?  This kid is insane and we once again win parents of the year.  He's so funny!

Trent has come home nearly everyday this week telling me a different plan as to what his next contract situation might be.  At this point I wish he'd do the 6 month thing in Maryland just to know what he's doing!  It's driving me and Hank's sitter nuts not knowing what he's going to be doing.  So I still don't know what the plan is there...

Trent just walked in and told me to turn the channel.  I've been watching 45 minutes of dateline.  I NEED to know how it ends!  So I gave him a choice between Pulp Fiction and Say Yes To The Dress.  He says Pulp Fiction and then says "Oh I forgot I hate Pulp Fiction on TV because it's censored."  He then takes the remote and proceeds to flip through the guide menu page, then begins rambling about how National Geographic use to have "...good shows about water and stuff."  I look at him like he's nuts and start laughing.  He's NUTS!  Now he's trying to interrupt my blogging by sharing some new webpage software that he's using to create a page for Gus.  He's exhausting!

Now onto me :)  This week at work has been exhausting.  Paper work is kicking my butt!!  I have 2 IEPs to write by Wednesday and a mess with a few new kiddos.  It's been a lot but the gal that's half time and been on maternity leave is coming back next week so at least I won't have to do her meetings and paperwork anymore!  This week has been district CAs and my schedule has been off due to testing.  When I've seen my kiddos around this week, they say "are you getting me for reading today? will I see you for math?"  These poor babies miss me which makes me happy that they actually enjoy spending time with me!  I'm also reworking my schedule which is proving a lot more difficult than I expected, but I think I'll get there as long as classroom teachers don't mind : /  

My mom texted me a few days ago and said that my aunt Kathy had wrote her dissertation relating to what's going on a FV.  I just tried to look it up and I can only find the title the following  but not the actual piece- How would I find this???
 2007, Kathleen Luckett, Ed.D., Dissertation title: An examination of student retention patterns
and change in AEIS campus accountability ratings for Texas elementary schools with first
to fifth grade. Texas A&M University-Commerce

Speaking of drama in the Education world- Did you see this article?  Seriously?http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/01/17/special-education-testing_n_4613727.html

So Gus and Hank are now climbing all over me while I'm trying to type...I'll check in with you later... I'm serious about this Skype business! We need to set it up!

Student of the Month

Here's your boy this morning getting recognized for being helpful and kind to his peers.  He fist bumped the principal!  He was super excited that Trent came.  He said 'dad did you get me Hardees or McDonalds?'  I said we eat the breakfast that they have for us, dad didn't bring you breakfast.  After this revelation, I don't think he was AS excited about Trent being there :/  Overall, it was a nice event and some of my kiddos were excited for Gus when they saw him so that was sweet...  When we got home tonight I told him he could play video games(first time he's been allowed to do this all week),  I went into his room to aggravate him intentionally. He said 'mom you're getting on my nerves.'  SERIOUSLY?  I gave him a look and he said he meant business.  He's getting too big for his britches!

Hank is still nutty!  He's not on a good sleep schedule.  We had 3 weeks of him going to bed at 2 or 3 in the morning.  This week we've had 3 nights of him going to bed between 9 and 10.  One of those nights he got up at 11:30 and was ready to play.  He's killing me!  Lord knows I need my beauty rest.  So tonight he fell asleep at 6:30ish and woke up a little after 9.  He's going to be up for a while, but Gus is presently wrestling and aggravating him so maybe that will help get him back to sleep.  Please cross your fingers--we should Skype when he's up because isn't it like day there when it's night here????  Just a thought.

SO let's move on to Trent....As of last night he told me that at the end of this month he's going to Miami for like 4 days then going to Maryland for a month then he'll be back in NC.  I've been totally stressed and moody with all this unknown business.  I suppose I need to get use to it.  If this current plan changes, I'll keep you in the loop.

So this week for me has been ROUGH!  I know I'm dramatic, but we've had a slew of new sped kiddos enroll and they are super intense and with backgrounds I wouldn't wish on anyone.  AND had 8 official meetings concerning my kiddos...paperwork is the worst!  I LOVE sped, but man the paperwork and unknown is really pushing my limits these days.  I have an amazing team and a lot of wonderful and fun teachers that are super supportive and bosses that like me(thus far)!  We haven't even finished the 1st semester-Kids go to school until June 9th!  I mean I'm not even half way through the school year and am questioning how in the world I'm going to make it through....I know every teacher does this several times throughout the school year, but the politics and being in a "right to work" state is making it even harder.
SIGH**

OMG!  SO I'm in the mix on what's been happening at the view and expected a call from my sis...After school my sister texted for me to call her because she was waiting to talk to FV's interim principal.  So I told her what I knew, she got the same story from her insider sources and said she'd call me afterwards.  She calls me and said she was told by TM that she had a moral obligation to address the fact that 70% of FV students were not reading on grade level.  My sister said she called TM out and told her this sudden and unannounced change was a slap in the face to her and other parents and that if it were any other school in the district this would have never happened because the parents would be outraged.  So my sis plans on addressing each school member individually, attending and speaking at the next school board meeting and contacting the paper.  We'll see how this all goes....so needless to say, she's livid per usual.  What a mess and I'm beyond happy that I'm not there!  And glad you aren't either!  You need to come and work with me!  You'd love it and the literacy coach!  She reminds me of you because she's so passionate about getting kiddos to learn!

Hope you're enjoying your weather!  My plan is to head to the beach, BY MYSELF,  as soon as the weather gets a little warmer.  I haven't been to the gym all week!  I had been so proud for going consistently and certainly enjoyed a bit of time to myself!  With Trent wrapping up his current contract, he's not been home until 8ish and I'm just done at that point!  I certainly can't bring myself to get up any earlier than I have to in the mornings so I'm not so sure how my rockin' beach ready body is going to look by the time the weather is warm....LOL!!!  I found a cute cover-up at World Market (That's plan B).

My mom called this evening and the first thing she asked was if I had got Hank a GiGi cupcake yet.  She's relentless!!!! and I'm going to stop answering her calls until I can say that I have got him one.

I'll message you per FB to gossip a bit more....
As always, I love and miss you!!!

Back on the Blog!

So I've been a crummy friend and not kept you in the loop at all.  Please forgive me!  My new plan is to post every Friday evening to recap the week's events.  I'll TRY much harder to keep to this because I think about you all the time which reminds me that I've not kept up with this :(

So here's what's been going on....

Hank Heffernan from High Street is a wild and crazy man these days (more than usual).  Above he's working on a cupcake from Sugarland NOT GiGi's Cupcakes.  So when my mom and grandma came down in October we discovered GiGi Cupcakes downtown Chapel Hill.  These are the BEST cupcakes in the world!  My favorite is their 'wedding cake' flavor.  So my mom is obsessed with these cupcakes and refers to them EVERY TIME we talk on the phone.  She wants to hear Hank say 'GiGi Cupcake,' which he does.  So on my birthday we went to my fav lunch place then headed to get cupcakes for my birthday.  They were closed!  Upset doesn't even begin to describe how I felt.  I told Trent that it was his fault and pouted...we headed towards our usual play spot for the boys to run around and throw the football, when we walked past Sugarland.  Now this place is cute but I didn't care for what I got at all.  You can see from the picture Hank didn't care as long as he got a cupcake.  As soon as we walked in he started saying 'GiGi cupcake' over and over.  I was embarrassed, but still thought it was cute.  Gus enjoyed and bottle of root beer and Trent said that he like it better than GiGi's.  I vowed NEVER to go back.

The last 3 days Hank has been going around on all fours and meowing.  When we ask him if he's a cat, he just meows.  I'm growing concerned about this and am worried he's got some personality/ identity issues- THOUGHTS?????
He really is super fun!  He's so inquisitive!  He now gets into the 'junk' drawer in the kitchen, fishes out a coin, goes to the candy machine we have that was Trent's grandpas, puts the coin in and turns it to get the candy out!  He's always learning or figuring out new things.  It's just a really fun time with him right now!

Gus was majorly bummed to have to go back to school today.  Trent said that he heard him in his sleep say something about school.  Last night when I tried to get him to go down at a decent time, he said I told him that tomorrow was Sunday.  I tried explaining that today was Sunday.  He buried himself in blankets and pillows on his bed and refused to talk to me.  So this morning I thought I would be in for a fight, but he actually seemed happy to go back.  He got student of the month for his class, so we're very proud of him!  We've been discussing other sports and social activities with him to get him out and about more.  Trent leans towards the sports and I'm trying to find something more...Chapel Hill park and rec offers STEM and lego camps/workshops, but Trent doesn't seem too enthused about that.  He still has the neighborhood boys that come over and play.  Since the weather has been a little cooler, they've tended to stay here.  I don't mind really until they get rowdy when I'm trying to get Hank or myself down for a nap :)

Trent's current gig ends in 2 weeks.  He's had a few options for his next.  They are 1) 2 1/2 hr drive from here and another pharmaceutical company which entails him staying there for the week then drive home on weekends 2) a pharmaceutical co in Maryland that begins and he end of this month and lasts until the end of August but the $$$$$$ is stellar and he could fly home on weekends or 3) Lincoln Nebraska and fly home on weekends.   These choices SUCK as far as I'm concerned.  So I am hoping a 4th option comes up ASAP!!!

I'm doing well...I didn't check school email all of break!  It was nice, but I feel I'm going to really pay for it the next few weeks :/  I love my kiddos and was glad to see them today!  NC is beginning their version of IREAD-3 this year so there is a LOT of pressure on kiddos and retention.  Our principal got a grant for a 3 hr Saturday school beginning in Feb for kiddos to have additional practice reading.  I'm not sure how all this is going to pan out.....this all makes me anxious for Gus and making sure he's prepared.  It's too much pressure for kiddos.

I've been working out regularly for 6 weeks now (mostly to get time to myself at night.) Not really seeing results but I'm also not sure what I'm doing really so oh well I guess.

I'm sure you've heard about the weather---we have a 2 hr delay in the morning because it's suppose to be 9 degrees with a high of 28!  We moved to get away from this weather!  The rest of the week is high 40s-mid 50s...I'll gladly take the delay although DPS policy is for teachers to be at work on time.  Fortunately my principal said we could take the 2 hrs :) My plan is to get up as usual then work on paperwork while the boys are sleeping.  We'll see if I really follow this brilliant plan.

Again, my goal is to blog at least every Friday, so you'll hear from me again then!  Miss and love you!

Post Disclosure: Do NOT view if you don't want to see gross pictures of my foot

So Thursday morning wasn't a typical morning-I won't go into details-so I was walking down a few steps to the van carrying Hank, when I missed a step and fell.  Hank was fine.  I said 'trent I think I broke my foot!' he said 'you just need to walk on it'  I got to work and about 30 minutes later it looked like this-pay close attention to the ankle region.

 

So the school psych drove me to Duke Urgent Care clinic.  After X-rays I was told there was NOT a break, but a severe sprain :) SUPER I said

She gave me 2 choices.  A splint with crutches or a boot.  I went for the ....

It's a good look I've decided.  Gus' teacher said that it looks like it should make a robotic noise when I take a step.

Did I mention that I went back to work when I was told not to ?  I should have listened...

So Day 2 looked like this:

Again I went back to work because I had an observation

Day 3:

Today:

MUCH better today!  Never in nearly 32 years of being alive and playing all kinds of sports have I ever experienced anything like this.

Best Weekend Ever!

 (This pic was taken Saturday in the Tobacco Warehouse District.  Hank was working on ice cream from the Cuban restaurant)

So I took Friday off because mom and grandma drove down Thursday to see us!!!!  I haven't seen them in nearly 4 months!  I was more worried about them leaving than them actually visiting!  It was nice though.  We had gone to Surf City the weekend before and Gus loved it because there were jellyfish!  Trent was told that it's their season...so we went back there with mom and gma on Friday.  There are a few pics on Facebook...my mom is HOOKED on Facebook! So she insisted that I send her pics for her to post right away.  So the beach was perfect-for sitting on the beach.  Gus however wanted in the water and it was cold!  Mom got her feet in a bit, but I thought they were nuts!  I like seeing how you've found a favorite beach.  Is it still really warm there???

So the my mom's highlight was walking downtown Chapel Hill and passing a Gigi's Cupcake store.  We didn't get any right away.  Instead I forgot that mom wanted to go there and after dinner she asked if they were still open.  Trent drove her back downtown where she ended up buying a dozen cupcakes for like $40 bucks!  She was nuts about them (they are rather tasty) .  So I looked up Gigi and she has this sappy story on her website--and she happens to have 4 locations in Indiana.  So mom was pumped that Keystone had one and she planned on going once she returned!  They did end up leaving early this morning and made it back in record time.  I think we're going back for Thanksgiving but we've been back and forth about it.

So Hank Heffernan is getting so big!  He is loving building and stacking and sorting. He's so inquisitive about how things work.  We got a membership to a hands-on children's science museum in Durham and he can't get enough!  it's really interesting how different those two kids are!

Gus has been a mess...Since switching schools he's growing leaps and bounds! His teacher is phenomenal!  He was reading a Rigby level M tonight for his nightly reading.  Where his teacher at the other school said he was at a level C.  So that's super positive!!!  Here they do the written comprehension so that I believe hinders his overall instructional level on mClass.  Oh well, we're getting there and I'm super impressed!!!!  The "mess" part of him is that he's failed 2 hearing tests in his left ear; One at school and one at the dr's office for his 8 yr check-up.  That's right, he'll be 8 on the first!  So we were referred to an ENT and went last week.  Because there was clear fluid behind his ear drum, they could assess his hearing so he goes back next Wednesday and hopefully they'll figure this all out.

I am still liking my gig pretty well-  I miss Goodman and how we would work together to tackle situations and paperwork :)  but I have a good team that I like.  I have my first "announced" observation on Friday.  I'm a little stressed about it but I received 2 complements from teachers today on the work that i've done their kiddos--Can you guess how I teach my small groups???  Fluency, Voracious Reading and independent conferences :)  My kiddos are loving the songs and poems.  We are now beginning to track and make goals.  I'm feeling pretty good about how that's going-THANKS TO YOU!!!!

Did I tell you that Trent has agreed to travel????  This means that he could be sent anywhere for a period of time.  I told him that if he leaves the state, I'm moving in Hank's sitter!  It's really been a transition for me to put my job as secondary.  I can't go back to school at night and work or even go in regularly on the weekends because teachers don't have access to the building.  It's just been hard to figure out a balance, but I'm maintaining for now :)

I keep telling Trent I need a vacation and I really would LOVE to come see you...I'll look into it, if you're up for a visitor!

How are your kiddos??? Is your house still in one piece?

Oh I miss you!

Oh let me tell you!

It has been a while since I've written and checked my email for that matter.  Why you ask?  Well let me tell you....

Gus has really struggled at his new school.  He said that he liked his teacher but was getting grief from the class aide concerning what I packed for his lunch.  You and I both know what is in his lunch.  It got to the point where he'd come home to tell me that he had tried to hide his lunch so that she'd leave him alone.  This caused him to have a lot of unnecessary anxiety.  Then he was having issues on the bus.  I told him Nicole, Hank's sitter, would take him and pick him up from school, but he insisted on riding the bus.  So evidently there were 2 fifth grade girls that were being mouthy with him.  And being Gus, he wasn't going to take it.  So I guess one of the girls kicked him and he decided to take a rubber band and flick a broken crayon in retaliation.  The the other girl punched him.  So being me, I decided to email the principal and stated to her that I had reviewed the school system's harassment and bullying policy and was beginning to sense a pattern with the bus.  Who wants to deal with a parent like me--I'm turning into my sister!!!!  Anyway the situation was resolved on the bus however, Gus refused to go to school.  It got to the point where I was late 1 day and got a "warning" letter about being 15 minutes late (mind you I 'have' to be at school at 8:15 but kids don't come until 8:40)  and you may be wondering how would anyone know the exact minutes I was late? Well I have to clock in :) Super, I know!  So after this drama last Thursday night we decided he would go to school with me.  He began this last Monday.  He has a stellar teacher!!!! and I didn't choose the teacher, he was simply assigned based on numbers.  His teacher requires about 50-60 minutes worth of homework/night.  He has had no problem wanting to do it and he's actually surprising me at what he knows.  When it comes to the writing portion of it, he wants to just sit and write his stories.  He is SO happy!!!  Now he has already told me that he wants a blue teacher t-shirt so that he can be a teacher too.  And he yells at the kids that run down the hallway at dismissal, so some things haven't changed.  This has been a HUGE relief!!! 
Also Gus has found a nice group of neighborhood boys.  Every night they play and run around together.  Last night I had to go get him so that he could make jujitsu practice on time.  He refused to go and told me he wanted a new mom.  I'm still not happy about that, but I struggle because I know he just wants little buddies to play with and Trent's been getting home later than I'd prefer, so I don't want to fight with him...oh well.  Trent and him actually are out right now shopping for a new bike! 
Hank is happy as always.  Nothing to new and exciting with him.  He still loves his sitter.  Every time she leaves he says 'Bye Cole.'  He's talking so much more and she's been teaching him all kinds of fun things.
Trent still loves his job.  He's had a lot of positive recognition for what he's been working on so that's good.
I still like my school.  They really have great things in place-common lesson plans, everything posted in their rooms, 2 PLC meetings/week and they are required to plan together the other 3 days...I mean there is a LOT of expectations and additional work.  But there aren't teacher's unions here and I'm finding that really difficult.    I'm constantly being told that DPS is in litigation for this and that and it simply makes me nervous! And, there is a lot of things I'd like to change concerning my role in sped--I mean I am considered a 'resource teacher.'  That is just so 1979.  I don't like to pull kids out of whole group instruction.  But it's only been 4 weeks with kids, so I guess I'm just putting the horse before the cart right now.  Trent keeps reminding me that I need to keep my mouth shut, but you know me.  I'm not going to take someone not treating me like a competent professional.  OH WELL!!!  I do really like it and my principals and the kiddos are fun and sweet!

Ok so I'm wrapping this up so I can go check out what you've been up to these last few weeks.
Before we left school today, Gus found that little bee you gave me a few years ago.  I had it on my desk and he was asking about it.  I told him not to lose it because you gave it to me and it makes me think of you daily!
Love you so much!!!!

Fabulous First Day

Look at these lovely ladies!!!!  I sent my formal resignation letter to MCCSC last night and decided that I had better run through my email for anything that I might want.  This photo from Sandy was a keeper!

So a brief run down of the day's funness

I get home and ask Gus how was school? his reply good.  I mean come on kid!  I need details.  He said that there was 1 naughty kid that got on yellow (whatever that means).  He also shared that he made a friend.  This friend told Gus that he had a girlfriend.  Gus said he told him to go tell his girlfriend that he loved her and to show her his muscles.  My kid is SO smooth-gets it from his dad.  So Gus proceeds to tell me that this kid's girlfriend had a friend that Gus likes.  I asked him what she looked like and he says she's tall like him and blonde.  I mean REALLY????  We'll see how this all pans out.  He said his teacher is really nice and that they share the same birthday.  He wasn't too happy about not riding the bus.  I tried calling transportation 3 times today and got nothing.  So he's once again upset about not getting to ride the bus tomorrow.  He told me he would get on yellow tomorrow so that he could be sent to the principal and then talk to her about this bus situation.  I told him he had better be excellent and that I'd write a note instead :)

Hank=Happiness!  Had a super terrific day with the new gal!  You can tell she's a natural with kiddos.  This makes me feel happy too!

I have hall duty in the 4th/5th grade hallway before and after school.  I tried my best to interact with all kids that would indulge me.  It was weird not to know any of them.  I sat ALL day in an office with the other "EC" teachers trying to finalize our schedules.  I finally had to get some interaction with kids so I wandered down to the cafeteria and talked to some 4th graders about their day.  They seemed cheerful.  I  tried calling HR several times and only left messages.  I'm really wanting to wrap all this paperwork business up!

ok so it's 1030 and Gus has yet to take a bath...Hank is clean and now playing with toys :)  I'm exhausted and I didn't even have kids today!  Hopefully we'll all quickly get into a better routine!