girlfriends aren't the only ones who dislike xbox

It's been a big few weeks in my apartment. We got Popeye, school ended for the summer, Popeye had his first visit to the vet, and the boys decided they just had to have an xbox. So this weekend, the boys went on a big excursion to find the best deal on an xbox, and when they came home you would've thought it was Christmas morning. They were so excited they ripped everything out of the boxes and started playing, and playing, and playing.... I swear, when guys play video games it's as if they get sucked into this parallel universe. While they were playing I cooked dinner, and Popeye was just hanging out. Over the noise of the video game (because, of course, if you're really going to play a video game, you have to play it nice and loud) I heard Popeye chewing on something that didn't sound like any of his toys, so I walked around the counter to check and found him chewing on a battery pack for one of the controllers! To the boys this was obviously not funny, but I'm not ashamed to admit that I laughed a little bit on the inside. Apparently girlfriends aren't the only ones who think xbox is silly!

We've had Popeye for a week now, which is hard to believe. He's a pretty cool dog, and now that he's starting to feel better (he had all kinds of yucky stuff he picked up from wherever he was before I adopted him) his personality is showing a little bit more. The clean freak in me is having to really hold back, because he sheds EVERYWHERE, and as much as I try to clean it up, he inevitably goes back to the same spot as soon as I'm done and rubs his furry little body all over it! I guess it's better than cleaning up potty accidents, which he's getting much better about thank goodness. Everyone was right though, it's great practice for having a kid.

Summer school officially starts today, and I'm excited to go meet a new group of little friends. I think it will be a good change of pace - working with new kids, actually having other PPCD teachers in the same building as me, being at a different campus - and it's only 4 weeks and half-days. Fabulous! I'm off to get ready and take the dog for a walk :)

i feel doggone good

I did it. I adopted Popeye! I get to pick him up tomorrow after 4pm, and I'm so excited! The whole time we were at the SPCA I was trying to talk myself out of getting a dog, rationalizing why now isn't the right time, but as soon as they let me play with him in the "get acquainted room", it was over. I love that dog! Look how sweet he is...

I think the missing eye gives him character :)

I feel like a kid on Christmas (apparently Popeye did too, because this picture had to be censored!)

Sean, the cat lover who didn't even want a dog, is excited about Popeye!

Brian pretty much convinced me I had to get Popeye. Apparently he's going to teach Popeye tricks... (we'll see about that).

My mom thinks I'm crazy for getting a dog, and mean for making him live in an apartment, but I'm still so excited! I think summer will be a great time to have him, since I'll be home a lot more and able to spend lots of time with him! (And yes, this is the third post in one day which seems excessive, but I just had to show off pictures..)

art project gone wrong

I love Jon & Kate Plus 8, and this week, there was a marathon on leading up to the season 5 premier, so of course I set the DVR to record it! On one of the episodes, the kids went to an art studio and made some really cool paintings by layering. It looked like they were making a giant mess (a lot like we do every day in my classroom), but in the end the paintings came out way neat. My roommate and I had just been talking about needing something for the walls in our living room, and when I showed him the show, we decided that we were going to make some ourselves. All I can say is thank goodness we tried on small canvases first. Because our "art" came out looking like this...


Apparently we're less talented than 5-year-olds! They came out abstract looking alright, just not anywhere near "cool". Looks like we need a new decorating plan...

to dog or not to dog

I might be getting a dog today. Which for me would be a very, very impulsive move. I've been wanting a dog for a while, but I keep telling myself that I want to wait until I live in a house with a yard, until I have more time, until I live somewhere that doesn't require a giant pet deposit and charge pet rent. And in all honesty, I've always liked playing with other people's pets, but I've never been one of those super pet-lovers. Until yesterday, when I met Popeye. Brian and I convinced Sean that going to the SPCA would be fun, just to look. And I was totally convinced that all I was going to do was look, I definitely wasn't going to bring anything home. But how can you resist a doggie as cute as this?

I mean really, just look at him! (The picture doesn't even show his true cuteness). Popeye is a terrier mix, he's 8 months old, is white with brown spots, and he only has one eye. Now most people probably wouldn't want a dog with one eye, but I think it makes Popeye even cuter and more special. (It's probably the special education teacher in me, because my other favorite dog at the shelters was the one who only has three legs.) He looked so sad and lonely in the cage, and he was sticking his little nose out to smell my hands... I think I'm in love!

So we're sitting here eating breakfast, and afterward we're going to head over to the SPCA to go visit Popeye and play with him for a little bit. And if he's as fun out of the cage as he is in the cage, I think I'm officially going to become a dog-owner. Sean's laughing, saying he totally called it that I was going to fall in love and take one home, even though I claimed to be "just looking". Brian's totally on board and want's Popeye just as much as I do, so much so he's even willing to pay half of the expenses. It's a huge, crazy decision... but everbody's got to act out of character once and a while. Right?

trash to treasure

Since I started teaching in August, I've started collecting things that, to anyone else, would either be trash or recyclables. I've got boxes and bags of bottles, boxes, paper towel and toilet paper rolls, milk jugs, meat trays, you get the idea. Why? Because these things are great for art projects and other fun adventures we have in the classroom! If you're a teacher, you understand. If not, you're probably thinking I'm weird right about now, but it only gets weirder..

Tonight I went to take my trash down the hall to the trash chute like any other night, expecting to hold my breath, dump, and run. But, instead I hit the jackpot! Someone had just moved in, and in the trash room were two large, very clean, wardrobe boxes. (You know... the big tall kind). My kiddos at school LOVE to play in boxes (as evidenced by the beat up one we painted and turned into a house on fire), so I dumped my trash and then scoped out the boxes. They looked clean and just had a few random shirts thrown in the bottom, so I decided to take them.

I dragged them down the hall as fast as I could because let's be honest... a person taking boxes out of the trash looks pretty darn weird! Anyway, I got them into my apartment and started taking the stuff out of the bottom. There were a few random papers, but also quite a few nice items of clothing, and since I was always taught that you should donate your clothes to goodwill/the women's shelter, I packed them into a bag. BUT, in addition to all of the clothes, there was a gently worn Coach purse. I couldn't believe it! So your purse is a little loved, you're just going to throw it away? A little antimicrobial febreeze and it's all clean.

What started out as salvaging some boxes for my friends at school ended up with me getting a new purse as well! Looks like my habit of saving junk paid off today... :)

happy week

I'm almost scared to say it because I might jinx it, but this has really been a great week so far! I love surprises almost as much as I love surprising people, and since there has been some of both already, I'm a happy girl!

Since it's teacher appreciation week and we've been doing some fun things at school, and I got some super cute presents from PPCD in my box! It's also nurse's appreciation week, and since my class is so close with the nurse, and this is her last year at our school, I decided to do something fun. So every morning, on my way to the cafeteria, I drop off a present on the bench outside of her office with a note from her "secret pals". Hearing her talk about how happy the surprises make her and how it's the first time anybody has recognized nurse's appreciation in the 5 years she's been at GVE makes me SO glad I decided to do something. I can't wait for the next surprises to come, they're pretty fun. :) (Thanks Kristi, for reminding me that doing something for my general ed teachers would be awesome as well!)

On the topic of teachers, I was chatting with one of the kindergarten teachers this afternoon and asking her when kindergarten graduation was, because I wanted to get the information out early to the parents of my two friends who are graduating too. She looked at me a little crazy... and then said "oh... we've never had PPCD kids graduate with us before.. but um... I guess it'd be ok." Good thing friend, otherwise we would've been having a not so nice chat. So yay, my friends are going to be part of the kindergarten graduation! It's so hard to believe this year is almost over... wow.

On a completely unrelated note, we made homemade salsa last night (a little early for cinco de mayo, I know) , and mmm it was good! I know this post was way random but hey, it's what was on my mind.

rude awakenings of post-college life

Lots of things change after you graduate college, and apparently one of those is that you can't party like you're in college anymore. Sean and I went out with some college friends last night and had a great time, but boy oh boy I'm paying for it today. Lucky me, I have the sweetest boyfriend who's taken care of me all day, and hasn't even laughed at my expense!

My roommate on the other hand, has been giving me an extra hard time and trying to convince me that rather than having a hangover, I have the swine flu. He just wants the district to cancel school! Sorry friend, Emily already tried to convince her dad. No luck.

So yeah, it's an extra lazy Sunday. Just what the doctor (er...margaritas) ordered.