Book Review..

Anyone who knows me knows that I love to read. A lot. I recently finished The Virgin of Small Plains by Nancy Pickard. I was at the library and it just caught my eye so I grabbed it. I absolutely LOVED it. It was captivating, thought provoking, romantic, and kept me guessing throughout. The story was woven magnificently and was full of surprises. Like I said, I read a lot. I drive my husband crazy at times because he says I pay more attention to my books than him. So we are driving home one night, I'm reading (of course) and he says, "So what's your book about?". I don't think he expects an in depth summary but that's exactly what I gave him! :) He was so interested in the story that for the next few days he kept asking, "What's happening now?" or "Did you find out about ____?" I highly recommend it. I am now excited to read more of Pickard's novels.

Currently I am reading The Help by Kathryn Stockett. I have heard many good things about it and so far (just on page 5) it's good. It's based in 1962 Mississippi and is about three different women and is told from each of their viewpoints; one white woman and two black women. This book appeals to me for several reasons. Number one, I love history. Number two, I am very interested in the Civil Rights Movement era. I think that this time period appeals to me the most because I just do not understand the white supremacist attitude that so many Americans held at that time. It baffles me. It saddens me that people suffered in the ways that they did and that such behavior went on for such a long time. I will let everyone know how I like this book when I finish! I have a feeling I am really going to like it.

They Make My Job Awesome..

I thought it would be funny to share some of the hilarious things that kids have said this year. They are precious! Several of my students see me because of lower level language skills and it is evident in their daily speech sometimes.

Little girl: Ms. Blankenship, Ms. Blankenship! My two T's dried off!!!
Me: What, honey?
Little girl: My two T's dried off!!!
Me: Huh? Say it one more time please.
Little girl: MY. TWO. T'S. DRIED. OFF!
Me: Oh okay sweetie, that's neat.
*(I still have no idea what she was talking about! Her teacher and I tried to figure it out but we have no clue. Soooo funny!)

Kindergarten boy: Do ladybugs give you skin cancer??

Kiddo: Ahh! Ms. Blankenship!
Me: Yes?
Kiddo: I HAVE TOES!!!
Me: Yes, I know. I do too. (dying laughing inside)
Kiddo: AND TOENAILS!!!
Me: Mmmhmmm. (containing my laughter and grabbing a pencil to write this down)

Me: (Pointing to a skeleton) What is this?
Little girl: Ummm...x-ray man.

*Some younger kids have had trouble saying/remembering my maiden name. This little girl had an especially hard time. This happened one day while playing Go Fish.
Me: It's your turn Brooksie.
Girl: Ok..umm, what's your name?
Me: Ms. Blankenship.
Girl: Okay, Ms. Blaffenshiff, do you have a nine?
Me: Nope, go fish.
(Go around the table, her turn again.)
Me: Your turn honey.
Girl: Ok..umm, what's your name again?
Me: Ms. Blankenship.
Girl: Oh yeah...okay...Ms. Goldenfish, do you have a three?
(Hahahahahahaha)

*At a park on a field trip, this little girl is talking to her teacher.
Little girl: Mrs. Weda, Mrs. Weda! Look over there!
Teacher: Yes, lots of trees!
Little girl: (Walks over to the tree and touches a cluster of berries)
Teacher: Do you know what we call these?
Little girl: (Still holding the berries in her hand) Yep! Mashed potatoes!!!
(Oh boy! We have lots of work to do! LOL)

Me: (Going through my desk, I pull out an oversized paper clip)
Girl: Oh! A tic-tac!
(LOL)

These kids keep me laughing and make my job so much fun and worth it! I will miss them so much over the summer!

Nearing the end..

School is officially winding down. I cannot believe that my first year of teaching is almost done! I feel so accomplished. There is so much that I want to do this summer; work and home related. On top of waiting tables also I hope that I get it all done. I can just see me sleeping until noon every day and being a bum until I go wait tables, then wake up on August 1st and have nothing on my list done. I need to get motivated and stay that way!

Seriously though I feel like we have gotten a lot done around the house since we moved in in June. There is still so much to do. It's kinda crazy that you put so much work into a rent house, only to leave it and start all over again when you leave. But I think it's worth it to make your home your own. We'll probably stay in our house for a couple more years, so I want it to be a comfortable place that we really do love.

Seven days of school left. The kids are so antsy and unruly. Little do they know that the teachers are more ready for summer break than they are! I took three boys to the principals office yesterday for laughing in my face. Literally, 9 year old boys laughed in my face when I told them to stop talking. Ugh. Our future. First time I've ever taken kids to the office. I don't care if we only have two weeks of school left, they aren't going to disrespect adults for the next two weeks. And then as if they didn't learn anything from the experience (shocking), two of the boys had to go back later for a paddling for bad behavior again! One day they might learn but I won't hold my breath until that time comes.

We'll See...

I've never done this before and I'm not even sure that I'll like it. But I'm going to give it a shot.

As a kid I loved to write stories. The first story I ever wrote was about Barney (the purple dinosaur; yes, I was a Barney child, that explains a lot, huh?) and my birthday party at McDonald's. I remember it being five pages front and back and that I was SO proud of that story. I bet my mom still has it. So since I used to love to write maybe I'll get into this blogging phenomenon.

Writing can be very therapeutic and everyone can use a little therapy, right? The only difference here is that everyone gets to see it. But I'm sure my family will get a kick out of having a way to keep up with my life. So...here goes nothing.