the Line leader

Today, an epiphany occurred in this brain of mine.

I was dealing with adult stupidity, for which i've lost all patience. 

My patience is almost endless when it comes to the kids.. . almost.

So when it comes time to deal with adults, i expect somewhat mature 
- wait, not mature [that'd be boring] - cross that .. .

responsible behavior. 

but someone who decides they are going to give me a hard time about the safety in my home. 

nope. 

wrath delivered. 

.back to this grand epiphany. 

my second graders and i we were on our way to gym. 

i sent them to the corner in the hallway, where they wait for us all to line up. 

The stragglers finally joined the line. stumbling out of the classroom with the aide at their side.  

and i started off down the hall, my mind racing.

here's what i'm going to do. 

here's what i'm going to say. 

the kids followed along dutifully, several falling out of place as if blown by the wind. 
  

But the first young lady in line.. . I could feel her presence beside me. 

I could see she had her shoulders back, her head held high. 
She was proud to be first.
In that moment, she was untouchable. 

Now remember - I'm still enraged about the above situation. 

The ridiculous adult with whom i've been overly patient.
Who i've asked to help keep my home safe and he has waved me aside like a bystander in my own life. 

What would I want this young girl to do?
What message would I want to be sending her? 

What would my advice be -  if she was in my place?

What role model will i choose to be in this situation? 

So when i dropped them off, I immediately came back to my room and sent off several texts relating my expectations. 

Shoulders rolled back, head held high. 

Don't mess with me. .. 

My second graders got my back. 

today's repeat. 

.my camera roll lately.

i'm embracing the holidays like i've been told by this lovely amazing woman.

pomegranate in piles. back at the grocery story. 

i've missed you. 

at target - found this cheesy, fake tree on sale. 

only $20. how can you resist? 

once it's covered in ornaments. 

i'm golden. 

my next project. found on instagram. 

who's going to help? 

https://twitter.com/2GsClass

white lights in the .young oceans

i'm in bed next to a snoring dog.

i'll admit i kinda don't mind it. 

i kind of like it.

.her breath is warming my arm

she keeps me cozy 

this girl o' mine. 

but.. . i am stuck awake. 

stupid headache. 

stupid 11:30. 

stupid excedrin. 

______________________

so here's what's happening 

______________________

with each passing day 

it's nearing Christmas. 

I'm not such a fan. 

all the stores seem to forget that Thanksgiving is next
.. . not the December holiday. 

so this [pictured to the left] 

is how i'm adjusting 

.tossing up some white lights in my bedroom. 

total ghetto style.

when December does finally roll around, I won't be so shell shocked. 

we'll see how well this works. 

colored lights in a week or so, if needed. 
but i'm thinking that's just crazy talk. 

________________________________________________________________________________

Two reasons this hit my heart. 

1.  Love the way he describes the class. 

     .the discussion. 

     .the thoughtful back and forth. 

     .the questioning 

     .it is a snapshot into my daily life. 

2. the first This ______________ .. .watch it. 

______________________________________________________________________________

Young Oceans
give them a .Listen

The .Power of Red

i've fallen in love with this lipstick. 
it's the real deal, no normal everyday nude. 

wore it to work this morning.. . reapplied it when my kids were in computers.. 

When I picked them up a student asked, "Do you have lipstick on, Miss Anastasio?"

. . followed by an echo of little girls complimenting me.

who would have thought kids would recognize the power of a little red lipstick? 

towels in the background = super classy

i was scrolling though my playlists and discovered this song.

if you see some crazy thirty-something wearing bright red lipstick, going mad crazy 
singing on the top of her lungs
 .. that .Would. Be .Me. 

these lyrics. the chorus.

but you're not gonna break my soul.
this is the part of me, that your never gonna ever take away from me. 

that was then and this is .Now. 

yes. yes and Yes.

RECENT .PINS

via: GPS

i'm thinking this should just say - A Person's Behavior is an Iceberg. 

Does it really only apply to kids? 

via: Socially Speaking

Just Dancin', that's all.

i could have watched them do this all morning.
but it was only a five minute brain break

absolutely. ..Precious. 

they've got my heart, indeed.

nope - not you, One Direction.

Nico and Randolph

i'm in love with this man

 

.all of his words

1.2.. Wait for it.. .3

my chalkboard Calendar at school makes me one happy teacher. 

can't say i used my own chalk. 

i have a special teacher friend who lends me such cool supplies. 

but how pretty, huh? 

can't wait to change it up each month. 

UPDATE
LOOK CAREFULLY AT THIS PHOTO 
*my aide ever so sweetly informed me on the second day of school 
that the first day wasn't JULY 4th* 
Back to School teacher brain is BaAad! 

this made me laugh so hard today.

it's the "i'll be back" chuckle, 

arm on the table.. . part that really makes me cackle.  

these homemades were inspired by this beaut, my sister. 

Find her at The Last Bite.

just salt, pepper, olive oil.. . a quick trip in the oven and you have  -- - 

.THIS. 

[the .Crunch will keep looping and looping til you stop it:]

Joyful about 2014.2015

My year is just about to start.. . and I am excited ... happy for so many reasons. 

September marks the beginning of 2014-2015. 
A brand new year that I have placed in God's hands. 
This year's class is going to keep me on my toes and I am looking forward to it.

Some more daily blessings. 

1. Falling leaves. 
Some on my lawn actually CHANGING COLOR already. 
The true mark of the season soon arriving.

2. More Bethel Music - This is what You Do. 

and 3. Rend Collective - Joy

today's happy

one. 

Shadow art on the the road. 

There are times I find it so beautifully distracting. 

I would be lying if I said none of these were taken while i was SLOWLY driving.

Now, you will never NOT be able to see it there below you on the street - like endless museum walls all over backroads and throughout town. Click through these photos to see what art the sun tossed down today.

two.
I continue to discover Bethel Music songs that I'm replaying over and over. .. and over again. 






three. 
stepped BACK in my classroom today for the first time this summer.
stacks of boxes were waiting for me  
.. Room 11 is ready to be full of little voices and feets. 
i'm a little giddy inside. 

her wings

today was one of those days when i thought .. . and honestly would have started walking toward the phone _

i want to call my mom. 

i had to tell her something. 

it actually lingered in my mind and heart as real, for at least five full seconds. 

Made my heart feel full again.

My mom used to talk about life and death to my niece, Samantha.. .and compare it to the life stages of butterfly.
The insect appears dead with its chrysalis and then comes to life as an incomparable winged beauty.
our grey earthly bodies radiantly transform _ shaking death forever and living eternally with Him.

Looking back, she knew what was going to happen, and she probably knew it was going to happen sooner than any of us wanted to consciously admit. So she was preparing one of the youngest, who in so many ways was a reflection of her. even sharing a birthday.

This year, my class had the opportunity to watch this process unfold in our classroom everyday. 

On the day that the first butterflies emerged.. . 

On the day when I needed her love, a message from her.. .

As usual, my mom who can't remain quiet for long.

did this.

the framed picture of my dad, her and i from my college graduation 
on the floor

right behind my teacher's desk
just sitting there waiting to be found.
she always did have to have the last word.

.i'm glad about that now

 

keep focused on chocolate

two things have been in focus in my life recently

:the creation of several behavior modification charts 

:and justin's hazelnut butter.

if i could use a spoonful of justin's as a reward [yes _ i said REWARD], 

i'm pretty sure, i could eliminate ANY SORT of behavior chart. 

wouldn't life just be simpler?

one spoonful for the kid, one for me.. . 

done. and doner.

Precious Italian Cargo

One of the other second grade teachers is away this week skiing in Italy.

Yup. That's right.. .

I said it.

Skiing. 

Italy.

She sucks. 

I'm moving on. 

Here's the story of the day. 

One of my boys came to me this afternoon and said that there was another student in the bathroom playing around. 

Apparently something about mountains of soap ending up on the floor. 

 .. .Another gentleman from Italian skier's class was the culprit. 

This young man is infamous for his behavior. 

So I needed to step in and help the sub a bit. 

I asked my student to call him out of the bathroom and let him know I needed to talk to him. 

So out he walks slowly, head down. eyes following his footsteps. 

He stopped. but several feet away. 

That wasn't close enough for me.

I like 'em good and close so they can smell the cafeteria lunch on my breath.  

"Come closer."

He took a few more steps. 

"Nope.. .closer..." 

"Nope. closer yet." 

Eyes still at the floor.

"Look at me."

I didn't even mention anything about the hilltops of foam soap that apparently had been formed on the tile floor. 

All I said was "I wanted to make sure that you have been on your best behavior while Mrs. -- --- is gone. How is it going?" 

"Good, so far." 

"So far? Why do you say it like that?" to which I couldn't help but giggle a little. 

"I don't know. .." he shrugged.

He quickly started sputtering.. . "All I was doing in the bathroom was putting toilet paper on the seat before I went to the bathroom. .." Then continued to trail on and on. 

I was listening but I couldn't help but smile so very big.. . [this is when I start to kinda tear up and wanna just pick them up and 
love on em - what's wrong with me? ]  I asked if he washed his hands real good. 
He answered and then went right back to his classroom.
All while his teacher is up in the mountains of Italy. 

How is it possible that the silliest moments are sometimes the best at giving you a dose of reality?

These soap mongers .. . the ones that call your name a hundred times a day and interrupt incessantly -  seeming sometimes like the loudest possible things on the planet ARE still little babies who are learning to cover toilet seats and tie their shoe laces. 

I can't forget that. 

I mustn't forget that. 

repeat after me

He laughed for at least five full minutes.
had to leave the classroom to try to catch his breath
.. . and then started up again when he got back.

all because i had him repeat after me "big to small or small to big?"
.we were converting measurements.
afterschool practice work.
whatever it was that led to the perpetual giggles.
belly elementary school laughing.
the kind that you can't stop no matter what.

i was transported elsewhere.
away from anything else.
and for a glimmer. a mere glimmer.
i felt not a single weight or real worry.
and remembered what that was like.

a fresh breath.
and then it was gone.



.the favorite part of my day

Back to School Geese

this morning i woke up to my mom's beautiful face.
she was smiling So brightly.
so clearly.
so healthy.. .
like i haven't seen in almost two years.

today was also the first day of school.
the first day with the kids.
and not my fourth graders.
my little itty bitty second grade love bugs.
remember this post
well, that is what it was about.

and i've been going into this school year wishing and wanting to sit on the den couch with the tv on in the background and just gabber and chatter with my mom about this.

but i've had to push that all down though, cause if i think too long on it.. then i just get way too sad.
honestly, i still can't deal with it.

so i'd rather focus on her beautiful face that woke me up this morning
or think about the giant flock of geese that flew super low and directly overhead as i walked up my stoop with Tess at 6:45 am.  

[source]

or this song that just so happens to come on as on typing away.

happy ... then really, really sad tears.

i know it's You, God.
but i can't help but think that my mom is behind it somehow.

never enough pocky

For the last few weeks, I have been receiving gifts of Pocky from two students in my class. 

They know I beyond love it. .. 

they know it makes me beyond happy.  

and who wouldn't want to make their teacher happy at the end of the school year? 

I am hoping to get another special delivery this week.

i won't lie. 

if you've never had ... you can get it @ amazon. 

I will be ordering a large shipment come June 22: the end of the school year. 

i can't wait until september.

when i get older

All i have to say is Repeat, Repeat, Repeat. 

I can think of so many awesome things to do with this song and my students. 

it's .inspirational. 

i will be STRONGER.

in the round.tower of my heart

My class has just begun our Poetry unit. .. while also preparing for state testing.
It just so happens that one of the writing prompts was this beautiful poem by Longfellow.
: each line.
: takes my breath away.







While I read it to the class in preparation for them to respond, I noticed one boy smiling and chuckling sincerely at certain lines. 


It was one of the most precious things I have seen all year long.
here is the poem in its entirety to read at your own pace. 
THE CHILDREN'S HOUR 

everyone Must play a role

tomorrow .night at 8pm

find the six degrees of separation

i am constantly amazed at how quickly i am able to access information: from my phone or the computer.
it makes my mind stir.


and in many ways it changes how i teach.. . this is for yet another post*
tonight, though i spent almost 45 minutes searching for this commercial _ because i Loved the song.
it was UNUSUALLY hard to find.





Artist - Antfood
Emirates

Challenge of the day - go back up to the title and write a comment for extra credit points. .. .

i heart teaching: reason #8 : versions of reality

In my mind, Ireland always looks like this scene from P.S. I Love You.

{source}

the backdrop, all green rolling hills, bright purple flowers

{source}

Today one of my students told me 

[during a lesson on writing definitions]

that Ireland was a country where people wore a lot of hats. 

yup.. . 

not a joke. 

.straight face and all. 

i don't know if this is what he was picturing

or this

{source}

 i've got to be honest. 

i did giggle a little. too loudly. when i was standing there in front of him. 

[i think because i imagined the first picture]

luckily, he's the type of kid who can realize i wasn't laughing at him.

.more at the situation. 

he laughed with me. and we then revised his definition: deleting the hat part. 

i later suggested, kindly, that during library he check out a book on Ireland. 

_when he returned he couldn't seem to put it down.

i guess his images of ireland are no sillier than mine. 

a country full of gerard butlers - gentle, mild mannered romantics.

.i guess it's all about our own versions of reality.

i heart teaching: reason #7

they were all lined up
by the door.
backpacks on, stuffed to the brim.
one of them turned around and asked, "Can we give you a hug?" 

of course??! 
and with that
one piled on,
arms reached around as big as can be, 
stretching
then another.
and another.. 
forming a giant unbreakable ring around me.
i couldn't get out if i wanted to,
nearly toppling over with affection. 
moments into that enormous hug one of my boys,
called out..  .
"I love you."
and then just smiled at me. 

no one responded with a laugh, or even the slightest comment.
it was as if, it was the most normal thing he could have said to his teacher. .. . 

today was, for so many reasons, an extremely hard day.
i opened my eyes,
and dreaded lifting my legs to stand up out of bed.
cried on my way to work.. .
sweat like a beast throughout the day
and, i think, unfortunately, for those around me,
it was not the best day to wear my natural deodorant.

that "I love you " though, was my normal day's special.