Too cool for school

Yes, after a two month long hiatus, I have returned. You know it's bad when you get a valentine card that says "thinking of you and waiting for some blogs." Yeah, you know who you are. Anyway, I vow to not let it go for two months again, mostly because I can't stand the nagging :)

Anyway, yes, it did in fact get cold in Mississippi. In fact, for some people it was too cool for school, literally. Some kids did not come to school because it was too cold out. How do I know? Well, they are 5, they don't know what they should tell you and what they shouldn't.

These last two weeks have been crazy ones. The end of January I was visited by Jeannie, Delbert and Darlene. A few highlights from their trip:

* Visited school I was told, "you all look alike." I said, "really? why?" "Cause you all white."

* "Muh Ward, I like your mama's hair. I like your grandmama's hair." Then they started petting my mom.

* Ice/sleet/closures throughout Memphis. Drove to Tunica instead (16 miles south) for a visit to the casino and Paula Deen's restaurant. We drove over the bridge to Arkansas, although looking back on it, that bridge is the place people stay away from in bad weather.

* We putzed around the house, listened to the dog bark under the house, catfish museum, got ice cream from Sonic, the usual.

Then after a hectic three days of catching up and trying to get ahead on work and grad school, Sara came to visit. And back to the Jackson airport I went! She came to school on Friday and didn't put up with ANY crap from the kids (who got to dress out for the second time EVER and were wild as a pack of monkeys). She spent the morning reading with small groups and trying to keep them from crawling in her lap. During my planning period we frantically finished and submitted a paper/powerpoint by noon when it wasn't due until Midnight--masters professors need to learn am & pm. Friday night was a lazy night...Sara said kindergarten tuckered her out (the reason I have gray hair). That weekend we toured Cleveland and Indianola. We went out for crawdad's with a big crew and then to a place called the Pickled Okra for a night out with locals. Sunday, after a slow moving Kami got kicked in gear-Memphis! We had BBQ and catfish at a place we LOVED the last time we were on Beale and then went to the Peabody to see the ducks march. Home for more Sonic, papers to grade and the superbowl. Who dat? It was a great weekend and an AWESOME two weeks. I L.O.V.E. visitors!! hint, hint :)

In kindergarten we are 1/3 of the way through...holy cow! Some of my kids are progressing really well. We have grown .6 years in reading mainly this semester. However, we still have a long way to go and a lot of LOW kids to get moving. I'm starting to get antsy for summer or warm weather at least. It's currently snowing outside, where did I move to?? My summer plans are to either work in the delta for TFA during their summer institute or be back in Minnesota sitting on a lake. Either one sounds amazing right now.

A few shoutouts:

* Happy birthdays to Rachel, Dani and Craig...

* Thanks to the MPI crew for keeping me informed of your antics over the weekend despite being 900+ miles away, much appreciated!

* Congrats to Joe (or as Sugarland says JOEY!!!) for getting into pharmacy school! Woop, woop, DULUTH!

PS...for those of you that do not have to work tomorrow. Don't even think about calling me. Bitter Betty over here has to make up a snow-day when half of the schools in our district do not. I don't EVEN want to talk about it. Ilovemykids.Ilovemykids.Ilovemykids.Ilovemykids.