Love, love, love this.

I love to hike, and now I love it even more. I can have cold water (3 liters, my friend!) the entire time because I bought one of these guys--the Camelback hydration pack. Yes, it cost as much as an awesome pair of shoes, but I feel in the long run this will make me happier than Steve Madden or Jessica Simpson.

Open House

So, I've never been on the receiving end of Open House...having to follow my kid's schedule, sit in a little kid desk (btw, still little in middle school), hearing the expectations of 6 different teachers, AND listening to the principal's speech for 25 minutes in a room that is, KID YOU NOT, 8000 degrees.

God love you, parents, for attending Open House.

You know, the funny thing is that we teachers, parents, all of us, really have the same expectations for our kids...your kids. We want them to be respectful, responsible, caring people. Learning the reading, writing, math stuff is good, too, you know, but that's WAY easier to teach than the other, as I see it, more important things.

In the end, we just want to grow good people. The kind of people we can be proud to say, "yup, that's a good one."

So, thanks for supporting your kids, for sitting through Open House, concerts, plays, art shows, games. You guys are the good ones.

Just a few things...

1. Sophia has started Fall Ball (that would be softball). I am glad to assist in cultivating this interest, yet the time commitment is rather daunting: two (probably 3!) practices per week and double header games every Saturday...and sometimes Fridays. I'm sorry; I didn't realize we had "hit the majors."

2. Sonja is enrolling in dance classes. This girl is gonna require a close watch! She very much enjoys the "hootchie" look (how do you even spell that?!), though she doesn't REALLY know that's what she's sporting. The outifts that strut, and I do mean S-T-R-U-T, out of that bedroom are a sight to behold.

3. I finally broke the 150 lb. plateau AND I purchased a size 10 pair of pants. Yes, they do fit. Those numbers have not been in my life for quite some time. I even weigh less now than the number on my driver's license.

4. Yoga might be making a difference. I don't FEEL as knotted up/tense/anxious/andlet'sjustfaceitpissedoff as I used to.

5. Scott's newest book is out and is apparently selling well. If you want to read about standardization in fisheries, this is the book for you.

First Day

Yesterday was the first day of school, and, OMG, it kicked my butt!! How do...ahem...more experienced (read older) teachers do this?

I only saw 1/2 of my kids yesterday, and if today is similar, I will be certain that I have the Stepford Students enrolled in my sections! I know. I know. The first few days are the honeymoon period, but after 16 years of this, I can tell when someone's behavior will manifest in turdy ways.

Don't see that...yet. :)