Just call me Mary Poppins...

I don't mean to imply that I am "practically perfect in every way", or that I can magically make children want to clean up their toys. For that matter, I don't have the ability to jump into a chalk picture. However, I have the bag. (Most days I actually have two bags, which get carried pretty much everywhere. Sometimes the items are condensed into only a purse.)

It seems that I have gotten a bit of a reputation in my small community. I am the one who has everything. Occupy 10 or so small children during a funeral? Go to Miss Gerber. Need a band aid while at a hockey game? Go to Miss Gerber. Need a pen/pencil/sharpie/eraser/notebook? Go to...well, you get the point.

For the sake of my own amusement, I am now going to present you with a current inventory of my purse/school bag. This list is in no particular order, except that it's the order of items as they were pulled out of the bag!

*Bigger Bag (contents on school days would also include lunch, and would likely not include my Bible)

-water bottle
-3 granola bars
-half package of M&Ms
-small notebook with lined paper
-copy of "The Very Hungry Caterpillar"
-box of Crayola Twistable Mini crayons
-Bible (The bag went to church today!)
-10 colouring pages (current theme: Noah's Ark)
-3 packages of stickers (trucks, misc. animals, and stars)
-small stuffed dog
-2 Hot Wheels cars (this number widely varies, with up to 5 or 6 cars, depending on the event)
-6 colourful plastic bugs
-1 stretchy lizard
-1 container of Silly Putty (started out as 3, but two were given away)
-Hockey Jersey shaped sticky notes
-2 small pads of sticky notes
-hand sanitizer
-hand lotion
-6 small barrettes
-1 package of Benylin
-1 pair of black socks
-1 pair of black gloves
-pencil sharpener
-cell phone charger
-flashlight
-roll of masking tape
-gum
-black Sharpie

*Purse contents

-wallet
-cell phone
-Bluetooth device
-car keys
-school keys with flash drive
-additional school keys (dumpster, filing cabinet, etc)
-additional USB flash drive
-MP3 player with headphones
-First Aid Kit (Band aids in assorted sizes, polysporin, gauze pads)
-Kleenex Spash 'n Go wipes
-regular Kleenex tissues
-cough drops
-big bottle of Advil Liqui-Gels
-Vicks inhaler thing
-comb
-mascara
-eye shadow
-pressed powder makeup
-2 chapsticks
-nail clippers
-gum
-mini Coffee Crisp
-half of a Kit Kat bar
-small felt raccoon (should have left that at church today!)
-long plaid ribbon
-wrist support brace
-2 granola bars
-1 Lindt chocolate
-2 candy canes ( 1 big, 1 little)
-small sticky notes
-empty ziploc bag (handy for when students, or brothers, have garbage to get rid of!)
-glue stick
-bag of change (for children's offerings at church and/or impromptu math lessons)
-spoon
-4 mini Sharpies (assorted colours)
-1 silver Sharpie
-1 red Sharpie pen
-1 Stainless Steel Refillable Sharpie (love it!)
-mechanical pencil
-blue pen
-7 hair bands
-7 hair pins
-4 hair clips
-list of Bible texts
-1 eraser
-3 safety pins
-1 paper clip
-school phone list



Suffice to say that it is rare that I need something which I don't have or can't replace with something else!


Upon reflection, I'm almost scared of those content lists! At the same time, I realize that I have a slight scissor deficiency, and might need to remedy that situation.

So, what's in YOUR bag?

Highlights and Lowlights...

This week has been a very up and down sort of week! If you read my post from yesterday, you saw most of the lows. Having to start school again after the holiday was also a low! Sending two of my students to the principal in the first 5 minutes of the day today? Low.

There have been highs too. Today the entire class sat still and quietly for almost 10 minutes while we read a story at the end of the day. Trust me, this is a miracle! (Mom, it was the new book that you sent them. They were THRILLED to get a present from you!) The fact that no one has been late, no one has gotten sick, and no one has gotten hurt is also a high! The kindergartener's lucky day was also a definite high.

There are also the high/low moments. They manage to be both a downer and an upper at the same time. Being told by a sixth grade girl that my hair was "ummm...slightly frizzier than normal" was hilarious! It also sent me to a mirror. Having one of my darling kindergarten students drop her jaw upon finding out how old I am turning this month, and then exclaim in shock "TEACHER! You are YOUNGER than my GRANDPA!" was almost devastating, but also incredibly funny! Dear child, I will be turning 25. That's an "ouch".

Very few things, or people, make me laugh like my kindergarten students. While I love the first and second graders dearly, there is just something about a kindergartener! Today we had this conversation while working on our seat work.

Student 1: Teacher, just WHY aren't you married yet?

Teacher: Umm..I guess I'm just not ready. (What? It seemed like a safe answer at the time. No need to share my point of view on the eligibility of the options here in PH!)

Student 2: What, your mom won't allow it? (Direct quote, by the way.)

Teacher: ... (Really, I had no words)

Student 3: Oh come on, stop being mean to teacher!


Then, just minutes later, we had this gem of a conversation.

Student 3: Teacher! This is a "you" angel!

Teacher: Well, thank you A, that's very sweet of you!

Student 2: There are no teacher angels. That's just very unusual. (Again, a direct quote.)


*sigh*

Even on a rainy, whiny, hectic Thursday, they make me smile!

A Lucky Day...

I would be very hesitant to say that it was my lucky day. After all, there were many factors against it from the beginning!
a) I watched the Canadian World Junior hockey team lose in overtime last night, putting me in a sad mood (not my fault!).
b) I stayed up way too late (totally my fault).
c) I had to get up early (the alarm clock's fault).
d) I ran out of hot water (ok, that's my fault).
e) I got to school later than I would have liked (mostly my fault).
f) I only had the chance to drink half of my coffee before the other half got cold (not my fault...ish).
g) I had to go pick two kids up at the bus stop two kilometers away from school (not my fault).
h) My students arrived grumpy and hyper (not my fault).
i) We had three temper tantrums in our classroom before morning recess (I hope that they were not my fault!).
j) I forgot my lunch (you figure out where the blame lies).
k) My first kindergarten student arrived 15 minutes early, meaning that I only had a 10 minute break, rather than 25 minutes (not my fault).
l) More tantrums.
m) Staff meeting happens after school.


Wow, that was a rant and a half!


The luck comes in for one of my dear kindergarteners. This converstaion can't be retold any better than in direct quotes.

Student: TEACHER! It's my lucky day!
Me: Oh? Why is it your lucky day?
Student: I learned that I could do something I never thought that I would be able to do!
Me: Tell me about it!
Student: When I went to the bathroom I learned that I could go POO at SCHOOL!!! I didn't think that would EVER happen!



Life must be good, right? :)

Resolutions

In the spirit of New Years Resolutions, I am going to share mine with you all. Please note that some of them may be more sarcastic than serious (not a surprise if you know me!).

1. I resolve to only make resolutions that I might be able to keep.
2. I resolve to blog more frequently.
3. I resolve to think fewer unkind thoughts about people (please note that I didn't suggest that I might stop completely).
4. I resolve to spend less time watching mindless television in the evenings.
5. I resolve to get out of Port Hardy for retail therapy more frequently.
6. I resolve to eat more vegetables.
7. I resolve to be more patient with stupid jokes made by small boys.
8. I resolve to procrastinate less often.
9. I resolve to actively search for a Masters program.
10. I resolve to begin with the first three resolutions, and then add one more each month so that by July I'll be working on all of them.

Keep me on track! Don't let me give up! Comment on my blog so that I know that someone is reading!