Ventriloquist

     I recently brought my dummy, Barkley, to school to entertain my students. One boy said, "Ms. Wise, is it OK if I video this with my phone?" I told him that was fine, and instantly I had 21 cell phones video taping Barkley and I. I told them it better not end up on You Tube.... they assured me it wouldn't (yeah right).

Getting Little Ones Ready and Out the Door

     I kept my two grandsons last weekend (a one year old and a four year old).  Saturday morning I decided to take them to their cousin’s football game. 

1) Got them fed…Check
2) Got them dressed (let me just add, dressing the 
    little one was like trying to dress an octopus)...Check
3) Got their hair spiked…Check
4) Got them loaded in the car and seat belts on (once again
    trying to strap an octopus into a car seat)...Check

5) Smelled baby poop…Check
6) Unloaded them and started over…Check

Footnote:  I actually felt like one of the football players as I tried to keep up with them during the game.  It was like chasing goats on the sideline!

Mother Daughter Bonding

     My two daughters, Jenny and Jodi, and I recently went to Starbucks.  I don’t usually go there because I do not have a clue how to order anything (I am a Dunkin Donut kind of girl)!  

     Well, Jodi orders for me, and she said, “I would like a Venti iced Americano, with a triple shot, 2%, organic, caramel, lightly sweetened, with white chocolate, with a dash of cinnamon, and just a tiny swirl of whipped cream.”  I loved it!

     Now I rehearsed and rehearsed this so that I would finally be able to go to Starbucks by myself….both girls coached me.  I felt like I was studying for a college final.  Well, last week I headed to Starbucks by myself.  I even called Jodi and rehearsed one more time.  Unfortunately, I left one word out..”iced".   My drink, that I had been so excited about, tasted like bark. Long live Dunkin Donuts.

Conversation with a Student

     “Ms. Wise, guess what I learned today?”  Now  the teacher in me got all excited because I just knew it was going to be something I taught that day.......like how to write a thesis statement or how to set up a works cited page.
     So, in my cheery teacher voice, I said, “What?”  To which he replied, “Watch!”  He then quickly ran his fingers all through his hair (while upside down)…..and said, “No matter how much I mess my hair up, it falls right back into place.”
     I told him if I did that to my hair, it would go in fifty directions and would not calm down again until I washed it and styled it again.  Of course the kids all wanted me to demonstrate this!     

From a Crib to a Big Boy Bed!

     My grandson, Ryder,  is now flying high!  My daughter was awakened this morning by his little blinking blue eyes  The rails have now come down.     The next step....from diapers to big boy britches……..MAYBE!

A Texas Roach in the Classroom

     A roach was casually crawling across my classroom floor today.  It was not an ordinary roach either.  It was a TEXAS roach!  If it had taken off, it would have looked like a 747. 
     My students were sharing their PowerPoint presentations so the light was dim.  What to do.....what to do......I pondered..... doing nothing hoping he would disappear into a corner before he was spotted. Of course, that did not work as one student suddenly blurted out, "A roach!"  
     Squeals and screams filled the air (and I was one of them)!  Thank God for boys…..one of them gladly stomped on him (more squeals erupted)!  Little antennas and legs were everywhere!  It was not a pretty scene....I felt like I needed to put crime scene tape completely around the classroom. Another brave boy gathered him up in about 50 Kleenex tissues.  I gave both boys a piece of candy for saving the day. 
     Now I am trying not to think about the fact that the dead roach might have relatives lurking around in my classroom.

                       

Good Friends and Coffee

      Today as I was standing outside my classroom in between classes,  I spotted a teacher sauntering down the hall towards me.  What really caught my eye was that she was carrying an iced coffee from Dunkin’ Donuts.  I felt a twinge of jealously over the drink as she approached.  Suddenly, she thrust the iced coffee toward me and said, “Hey, I bought one for you too.” 

     Now that is a good friend!  As my kids were entering the classroom, obviously, they thought I was smiling and saying good morning to them because I was excited to see them.  However, I am really thinking about that iced coffee with hazelnut flavoring, sugar, and cream from Dunkin' Donuts. I can hear it beckoning me.  Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm. Thank you Beverly.  Happy Coffee Day!