Sunday

Yesterday I drove down to Los Osos again to visit my sisters and my dad and grandma (Mommers).

Mommers decided that because it was my dad's birthday we needed to go out for a nice meal. She also decided that because my sister's boyfriend had never met Mommers that he needed to come too. What Mommers wants Mommers gets. There is NEVER arguing with Mommers.

Well....Ellen's boyfriend, surprisingly, didn't know this about Mommers. We went to a fancy place for dinner and boyfriend slipped the credit card to the waitress before the meal started. When it was time to pay for the bill there was a huge commotion of fighting for the bill and after an embarrasing 3 minutes of going back and forth, Mommers finally figured out boyfriend paid. This was not Mommer's plan, especially when boyfriend was invited out. Poor kid...He'll learn next time.

On a completely different subject, I was driving back up to Monterey and I saw 4 different rainbows, if you can believe it. I love rainbows because they remind me of the promises God has for us. I have a feeling God is wanting me to remember one He told me awhile back...that I just can't understand.

Anyway. So. Monday is tomorrow and I have a full 5 days in front of me. I'll be teaching the kids how to tell time to the hour, half-hour and quarter in math and the long a sound through 'ai' and 'ay' with words like rain or pay in Language Arts. Hopefully we'll get to some science. In writing we're working on great leads for our narratives and in ELD I'll be teaching the kids how to use before, after and when in sentences along with how to use er and est properly like (good, better best or bad, worse, worst). Prayerfully it won't be raining so we will actually be able to go outside for PE, otherwise Denise Richards has a kids workout DVD that I pop in, move the desks and let the kids sweat out their crazies a bit.

Gosh reading that, my job sounds so easy! I wish it would be as smooth and easy as it sounds above.

I need prayer to make it through until the end with these kids. I do love them so much. They are all so special and awesome but they are S---T---R---E---T---C---H---I---N---G me in every way, which is probably a good thing huh?

There's about 6 who aren't reading yet but NEED to be, so that's my goal to somehow break through whatever is going on in their little brains and make them remember the letter sounds and to teach them to blend words.

Well with all that said, I am going to try and get ready for bed but I am having this strong desire to move my furniture around in my room.....

Happy New Week!

Happy Birthday Martin Luther King Jr.

This morning's message at church was about being one body but having different members and parts. Just like each part of our bodies are important, each part in the body of Christ is also important. Dr. Martin Luther King was a pastor and my guess was that he probably loved this bit of scripture.

Probably because I teach first grade and I teach my kids about Martin Luther King Jr, I remember every year how important it is for people to be accepted into our society.

I tried to teach my kids how awesome it is that black, filipino, mexican, white, vietnamese, and brazilian can be in one class, and that this was not always the case.

I tried then to take a picture to show all the different shades of colors represented in the classroom.

Of course they all fought to have their hand on top, (while my principal was observing) which defeats the purpose of the entire lesson, but hopefully the lesson will stick with them?

Beautiful

I went for a walk on the beach yesterday to take advantage of the beautiful weather the central coast has been having lately.

I got to the beach, where God blessed me with a parking spot! Marina State Beach has a tiny parking lot and people were circling and circling for a spot-I pulled up and got one.

After getting the parking spot, I was reminded of a section of a book where the author was describing having some time with God and she asked God to show her that he was near. She was in a quiet spot on some water and a whale came out of no where and splashed his tail. I was thinking that would be so cool, but I didn't ask God for anything.

I started walking out on the coastline and once I was far away from people, I sat in the sand and looked out on the ocean. I saw a big group (about 20) of sea otters surfing the waves. I then looked out just past the waves and I kept on seeing the spray of water and a large black spot out on the ocean. I was convinved it was a whale, but then second guessed myself, justifying that a whale would not be visible from the shore.

About an hour later on the walk back to my car a couple approached me and asked me if I had seen the whale that was out there. They had binaculors, so I knew it had to be a whale!

It was so cool. God wants to do great things even when we don't ask. He brings us something, a gift, a word, and then brings someone along to confirm it sometimes.

My little sister is 24.

My little sister isn't really little anymore. She turned 24 on Friday so last weekend I drove down to have a pre-birthday celebration. Happy 24th Ellen!

We went to visit the Elephant Seals where they had just given birth. The baby seals were so cute. Poor things though, the dumb seagulls were attacking the babies and their mommies because they wanted to eat the after-birth. (gross.)

On the way home I drove up the coast and the day was beautiful for a scenic drive. I saw a CA condor, which I guess, are endangered and there are only 25 left!

Portland

I realized I never even let you know about my recent trip to Portland. I had gotten home from our Christmas celebration in St. Helena and Sacramento and was sitting restless for just two days. Over my breaks I feel like I really need to get on an airplane. Some people are addicted to alcohol or drugs, but for me-its travel.

My friend, Tai, called me on Monday afternoon and we caught up and she casually asked me what I was doing for New Years. I was on the phone and quickly looked up some flights to Portland while chatting. I said something about coming up there, and she said YES! So...I booked the flight. I had had this desire to go back to the Pacific Northwest for sometime, hoping it would be Walla Walla, but Portland filled the desire for awhile.

Tai is a dear friend from high school. The last time I saw her was five years ago while in London. She had spent 2 years in the peace corps and relocated to Portland where she teaches Kindergarten in Vancouver.

Portland was really cute with tons of little shops and places to go out for drinks or to eat. Tai took me to a Lebanese restaraunt and an African restaurant to name a few. We spent a lot of time in Powell's Book Shop, where I barely explored just a few sections. I could spend weeks in that place. We walked around the city and just enjoyed catching up.

The best part of all was that it snowed! It had been cold and we went to bed, and woke up with white ground! It was awesome.

I also was to see Klickitat Street in Portland. If anyone ever read any of the Ramona Books by Beverly Cleary you'll recognize it too. :-)

CheatSheets

I am teaching my kids about pennies, nickels, dimes and quarters. It is always difficult for them to get that a nickel is 5 cents or the same as 5 pennies, but the nickel is bigger in size than the dime that is worth more.

So last year I made cheat sheets for the kids. I did this cool thing with money on the board, took a picture of it, and made 20 copies of that picture at Costco, then laminated them for the kids to use this year.

So I sit my kids down and say, "Boys and girls....I've made a cheatsheet for you this year to help you remember how much a nickel is worth." Before I am even finished talking the entire class lets out a big "EEEWWWW." I get a confused look on my face.

My Mary Kate (Miss Thang who knows everything about everything) leans over, puts one hand next to her mouth, squeezes her chest with her other hand and says, "Miss Dobie-they think you mean these, Chi-Chi's."

I was shocked beyond belief and didn't know what to say other than to thank Mary Kate for helping translate for me.

much aka so much

Miss Dobie I spelled a really hard word all by myself: I spelled much!

s-o-m-u-c-h.

cute.

Guess What?

I was telling my students this morning about all the snow I saw in Portland. My CA kids dream of snow but rarely any of my students actually have ever seen it.

I set the stage, telling the students how cold it was and how it snows sometimes. I talked about my heavy jacket I had to wear and how I had to wear tennis shoes and not Birkenstocks. I then asked my students, "Guess what I got to see in Portland? It was very special.."

Mary Kate shouted out--a Leprechaun! The funny part was that she was serious!

I do enjoy having time off, but these moments make teaching fun too.

Portland Snow

I'm in Portland and it snowed last night! I haven't seen snow in ages. I think the last time I saw snow was when I lived in London. It's beautiful! I can't post pictures now but I will when I return!

Portland is awesome. Very diverse--lots to do and see.  Last night I went to Powell's book shop. It takes up an entire city block with both new and used books in different rooms. There are about 10 different rooms. I made out with 5 books last night and I only went to the Christian section. I got some great books about missionaries in Lebanon, Jim Elliot's entire set of journals among some others.

I better leave my credit card at home when I check out the travel section... =)