Thursday, August 23, 2007

First Couple of Days



Last Friday was the first day of school for Miss Priss. They don't have to wear uniforms on Fridays, so she got to pick out what she wore:



She was excited to be there, and just wanted me to hurry up and quit taking pictures.



They were ready for her:



She didn't care when I left - she was busy with the Play-Doh.



On Monday she had to wear her uniform:



She was upset when she had to leave school on Friday. She was very happy to be going back:



She is getting used to wearing her backpack.



In less exciting (and photogenic) news, I have started grad school - night classes. We'll see how it goes. I think my classes will be pretty easy, but time consuming (one has eleven papers due by the end of the semester).

With a certain someone gone to school everyday, I should have some time before work to get homework done.

Thursday, August 16, 2007

Please...

I have a favor to ask. But first:

Here is the sweater I thought I'd make big, baggy, and way oversize for Miss Priss. It was way oversize, but at least the proportions were right. I thought in a year or two it could be for around-the-house and she could grow into it. It was so big on her, I let the 13-year-old try it on:


So I sent it home with her. It was pretty hideous, anyhow. I used EZ's EPS with bulky yarn so the pattern at the yoke is humongous and I had to decrease during it. And bad patterning with two different size yarns. Oh well, I'm learning. It's only my second sweater, anyhow. Ernie has directions to bring it back when Miss Priss is big enough.

My request - anyone who reads this, if you would, please say a prayer for my mom. She had breast cancer about 10 years ago that had spread to her lymph nodes, and it seems to have returned. She has a bone tumor in her leg, and there is very little bone left there. It is fragile, and if it breaks she will be in even worse shape. They are going to remove what they can of the tumor hopefully later this month and reinforce her bone with some metal. Then she'll go through radiation and everything just like she had to last time. We all need your prayers right now.

Now, to make me feel a little better, here is some Miss Priss. She likes to play dress-up:


She is such a character! She has on her favorite shoes (light up cowboy boots that her aunt got her), a disco-type dress-up top, and a pink pearlescent belt. And her father's camouflage hat.


She starts school (4 year old Kindergarten) tomorrow. I can't believe she's so big. I was a little concerned when I looked at the list showing what she should be able to do at the end of the year (recognize her name? She can already write it!), but I will ask about that tomorrow when I drop her off. If you look in the sweater picture at the top of the post, you can see behind Ernie some of the words that she can already read. I hope she's not bored.

A parting shot:

Saturday, August 11, 2007

Well, It's Official

...I'm a teacher. After over a week of training and working on my room, I had students Thursday and Friday. I was a little nervous, but I had a great time both days. And I'll be more comfortable once I learn all the students' names.

I'm going to like this so much better than my year at the laboratory school, where I was thrown in to teaching K-6 with no curriculum, no mentor, no training, no anything.

Everyone at the school where I work is really nice. We had Monday to work on our rooms, and I had everyone from janitors to assistant principals coming by to introduce themselves and welcome me.

I am only part time, which is good because I'm working on my Masters. I have two classes of Art Awareness (that's art appreciation) and one Art I.

And all the new teachers got $100 at the local teacher supply store to get stuff for their rooms. I'm going today to get a stapler, tape, dry erase markers... all kinds of stuff.

Not much knitting done lately, but I am working on a pair of Magic Stripes Socks. The mystery shawl has fallen by the wayside. Maybe once I get my lesson plans ready I can work on it for a little while every day before I have kids.