While You Were Waiting

Well, when I said I wouldn't update my blog on a regular basis, I guess that meant I would consider actually blogging about once a month. How do monthly updates sound? No, but seriously, any of you who know me on a daily and personal level likely know that I am not generally a happy-go-lucky kind of gal in April and much of May. The profession I have chosen requires an insane and mind numbing amount of craziness during these times. The level to which this effects my life can best be put by telling you that G-man's birthday was quite a while ago and he has yet to effectively cash in his promised birthday party (on that same note, presents he has received thus far are not adequatley "thanked" for...if you are an "unthanked" soul, it's coming, probably after summer break starts...as is the birthday party). I'm sure some of you are wondering what a special education preschool teacher could possibly need to do that would send her to the dark side for six weeks. Well, allow me to enlighten you. TRANSITIONS and ESY. Got it? No? Okay, allow me to explain since you are all feeling deprived of my negligent blogging behavior. (If you really don't care, skip down to the photo section).

TRANSITIONS...any of the students in my classroom who are of kindergarten age in the fall are required to have a transition meeting. This starts with organizing a time for every receiving special education teacher (and sometimes counselors, psychologists, principals, coordinators, or general ed teachers) to come observe their incoming students. Next comes planning a time to meet. This involves coordinating a meeting with the incoming school, the parents, and sometimes additional schools (the reason for additional schools is really not worth explaining). Then comes preparing information and paperwork about the child to share at the meeting. Then I actually have to go to the meeting. I only mention this small detail because since many of these meetings are at unusual times in order to fit them all in, I actually almost forgot to go to one last year. Now, when I say "almost forgot" I don't mean that I remembered at the last minute and got there. Nooooo, this meeting was scheduled from 8-8:30 in the morning on a day that I teach but the meeting was not at my school. So off I went to work and started about my day when one of my paraeducators arrived and said, "Aren't you supposed to be at a meeting?" (My paras truly keep me in line on a daily basis! I would not survive without them!) So off I went, 15 minutes late for a 30 minute meeting that they could not have without me. Luckily this has not occurred this year but my last meeting is a similarly scheduled meeting so I'll keep you posted, unless I forget.

ESY...also known in the special ed world as Extended School Year and to the general public as summer school (but this is more specialized). The kids we teach often show a loss of skills after a break and if we can document and prove that summer break will cause a loss of certain skills that they will take a significant amount of time to recoup, then we nominate them for ESY. (Don't we all regress over summer break?) Guess what nomination involves...lots of documentation, photocopying, and filling out paperwork. Oh yeah, and trying to track down parents to see if they actually want it. It's all great fun and after leaving work at 6:15 on Thursday, since it was all due on Friday, I actually made it in time to see half of G-man's baseball game. And on that note, I'll fill you in on our happenings on the range.

BASEBALL SEASON

G-man has been waiting so anxiously for baseball to start and is loving every minute. He is doing great and getting a chance to try different positions as well as making some great plays. We love watching his enthusiasm but EJ (it's been a while but remember that's Endorphin Junkie) is pinning for the fast pace, one-hour games of soccer.

RUN ON THE RIVERBANK

We all ran in a great community race a few weeks ago. I raced the 5k in preparation for my marathon and the EJ ran with Roo in the jogger to support G-man running the 5k as well. Then the EJ and G-man ran with Roo to support him in the one mile (first photo). I decided to skip the one mile for any of you who wanted to wise crack that they all ran more then me. Besides, someone had to get a picture (at lest of Roo, G-man came by too fast and I missed him...one mile in under 10 minutes after running a 5k...you rock G-man!) We had a great time, all did better than we thought and enjoyed one of the first awesome days of spring!

TOO OLD?

Wilco "I'm Always in Love"

EJ and I went out last week. This wasn't just a regular night out, oh no...we went out with the havurah without any of our children (now, I should mention that 2 members of the havurah...the very ones who gave us this label, couldn't be there due to being in Seattle or something not nearly as fun as the havurah). Nonetheless, it was a great time that involved dinner and a concert. I managed to keep this little date night a secret (until another friend spilled it) almost to the end. The funny part about this being a secret was that this concert was not one either of us had a clue about. Neither of us knew the band or their music. So in preparation, I put a few songs on my iPod, borrowed a CD and strategically played it while EJ was in the car. I came to like these guys but EJ didn't catch on. So as we jammed, tried to avoid the smell of pot occasionally floating around and enjoyed a night with no babysitter curfew, I think EJ wondered if we are just old.

WILD

Today, yes we are finally updated, we went wild! Roo was dressed to the hilt as a ferocious cheetah and we marched our way through downtown with a lot of other fun and furry characters for an annual parade. He had a great time but for once, turned off his showmanship and walked along without his mask while his friends roared, growled, and purred. Maybe he isn't such a clown after all.

So that's where we're at folks. Sorry for the delay and hopefully this will satisfy your appetite for a while.