Thank goodness October is now just a hazy memory of H1N1, fevers, pneumonia, pleurisy, ER and doctor visits, chest x-rays and heavy duty antibiotics. 

Remember that full-on sneeze I was a recipient of?  It brought H1N1 into my house.  The H1N1 gave my otherwise very healthy 11 year old daughter a nasty case of pneumonia.

Obviously I have not had much time to spend blogging.

October is best forgotten anyway, I think.

How has November begun?

One word:  CHAOS

Halloween, time change, full moon and preschool are not a good mix.

I have conferences starting next week.

I have 40 “report cards” to fill out this weekend.

I may have to brush up on my teacher code if the chaos in what was once a rather orderly classroom does not subside.

Help…

Mrs. V

… Who sneeze into their elbows.  Their teachers will love them forever.

I have definitive evidence as to why sneezes need to be covered.

Last week Wednesday I was the recipient of a full blown uncovered sneeze by a child with an obvious cold.  Gross, ewwww, blech… **shudder**

This child also sneezed on about half of the children in the classroom periodically during our class time together. 

Student: “Sneezy sneezed on me!”

Teacher: “I know, I’m sorry.”  What else could I say?

No matter how many times I asked “Sneezy” to sneeze into his/her elbow, the sneezes continued to blow through our classroom.  This child would look right at me after the sneezes and just shrug.   Of course, these weren’t little sneezes; these were full force, spit flying, snot-bearing sneezes, and not a single one was covered.  Sneezy just did not seem to get it.

Guess who now has a cold?

Me. 

Several of Sneezy’s classmates have the cold now too.

Lovely.

Please cover your sneeze.  Please.

**sniffle**

Mrs. V

P. S.  My sister is having a contest!  Stop on over and check it out.

That lately I’m more like a 4 or 5 year old than a 40 year old.

Why is that you ask?

I turn 40 next week, on October 7th.

I’m not at all depressed about it. 

In fact, I’m throwing myself a party tomorrow. 

A huge party.

And I’m so excited I haven’t really slept in days.

I’m so hyper I’m making everyone nutty.

I have a party dress. 

I will decorate with pink streamers, pink tablecloths and obscene amounts of balloons.

I’ve picked out my party music on my iPod.

My family and friends will be bringing me presents.

Have I told you how excited I am about this bash?

I’ve been jumping around asking everyone if they know what tomorrow is.

Yes, I’m obnoxious.

I’m 4 x’s 10.  Not 40.

Working with preschoolers has it’s benefits.

A youthful love of big birthdays is one of them.

Happy Birthday to me!

Mrs. V

…that preschoolers thought of this game first?

When we have our large motor play equipment out in our big room, such as our climber, balance beam or  bouncy bridge, the floor beneath the equipment becomes lava. 

Every year I watch preschoolers play this game, and  every year I am quite amused by their imagination. 

Where do they learn these things?  Did someone teach them this game?  Did they hear it and see it on a playground?  Did they figure it out for themselves?  The questions remain unanswered.

It just takes one child to mention it, and several will follow that child’s lead.

The lava is already flowing in our classroom. 

I better watch my feet.

Mrs. V

It’s a new school year, and I’m trying to get to know all the new faces and personalities.  Some students are more verbal than others, and provide more insight to who they really are.

I have an example for you.

I was reprimanding a child who wasn’t following the end of day safety rules, and this child’s response was “Stop talking to me!  I’m visual.”   This was said as a little hand came up to my face in the “talk to the hand” position.  What?!?  Did I hear this right?  Did this child just tell me “I’m visual”?

I think someone is paying very close attention to parental conversations.

My response?   ”I’ll stop talking when you follow the rules.”

Mrs. V

Maybe I need to start carrying a stop sign in my back pocket for the visual people in my life.

5 a.m. I’m up

7 a.m. I’m out the door

3 days a week

40 new names to learn

40 new faces to remember

40 personalities to understand

40 folders to keep track of

40 backpacks to correctly identify

38 families (2 sets of twins)

40 conferences times 2

2-3 prep hours each school day

2 or more prep hours at home each Sunday

1 church where our preschool rents its space

2 classrooms to set up every Monday

2 classrooms to take down every Friday

3 morning teaching hours with 20 students

3 afternoon teaching hours with 20 students

9 months of preschool

100,000,000 things to learn and do

8 hours of sleep definitely needed

Mrs. V

Can you guess what song I am singing today?

I’m sure you can.

Now it’ll be stuck in your head all day, like it will be stuck in mine.

You’re welcome.

Mrs. V
Putting on her teaching hat and heading out the door. Hi-ho.

Almost every day I drive by a billboard that is an advertisement for some fancy schmancy hotel.  It’s catch phrase is “Yes, the world really does revolve around  you.”

I really didn’t notice it until today, when this conversation took place in my CR-V.

Daughter: “See mom, the world really does revolve around me.”

Mom: “What?”

Daughter: “That sign over there, it says the world really does revolve around you, so the world really does revolve around me.”

Mom: “Oh really?”  **chuckle**

Son to Daughter: “So if the world revolves around you that must mean you’re really fat.”

Mom: Cannot say anything because she is in a fit of snot-spitting laughter.

I have no idea where my son got his sarcastic sense of humor.

No idea at all.

Mrs. V

Disclaimer:  My children really do love each other.  They just know how to burn each other really well too.

Oh, and my daughter does not think that her brother thinks she’s fat. 

A change is about to occur in my life.  Actually, I’d have to say that a big change is about to occur in my life.

Those who know me, also know that it takes time for me to adjust to change.

Next week my 2009-2010 preschool year begins. I’m very excited and cannot wait to get back in the classroom.

Next week I will also start my part time job at the local public library as a book shelver. I will be working there on my non-teaching days, and occasional weekends.

Next week I will be officially working 40 hours a week, outside the home, for the first time in almost 13 years.

Next week will bring about a really big change for myself and for my family.

Why am I doing this?

My preschool job, which I love, is only part time.  My children are now 11 and 13, and even though they no longer need child care, they do need braces, glasses, shoes, instruments, and other teenage-sized expenses.   My son will be going to college in 5 short years and my daughter will be headed that same direction in 7 years.  It is becoming a matter of economics.

This additional job I’ve chosen is a quiet job, that requires no planning or work outside of the hours I am at the library.  It holds the promise of being low on the stress scale.   These are employment qualities that appeal to me, and will leave me with the energy I need and want to devote to my preschool students.

Yes this is definitely a big change.

Will this change my life?  I’m certain it will. 

Am I ready for it? I think so.

Is my family ready for it? I think so, and I really hope so.

And I seriously hope I haven’t bitten off more than I can chew. So I plan to chew slowly.

Very slowly.

Mrs. V

Hmmm…

It seems that summer is coming to an end.

However, I’ve made a brand new friend.

His smiling face brings me joy,

Since he reminds me of little girls and boys.

May I introduce to you my Little Mouse?

This year my classroom will be his house.

My theme for this year is The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry and The Big Hungry Bear by Don and Audrey Wood. 

Isn’t he adorable?

Mrs. V