Amazing moments in time...

I have to admit...I feel not quite right with my students lately.  I haven't yet connected so well this year.  I don't know what's different, but it's not right.  Last year was my first year in first grade, but my second year with the same kids.  That could be the difference.  I knew those kids like they were my own and vice versa.

Today was a moment that made me realize why I do the job I do...

Mr. Z came up and exclaimed..."Miss MegPie!  I LOVE this CD player!  It taught me to READ!  I can read this book now!"  He was excited beyond words that he could now read.  That is the empowerment kids need to make it all "click".  My guess is that his reading will take off shortly. He had a perma smile ALL DAY!

Hey...even if it wasn't me that taught him to read...it made me happy!

Those CD players must have so much joy everyday!

It's soft and feminine...

My mom's beauty salon made the December issue of Portland Monthly!

Needless to say...ALL the ladies were thrilled...

Check out mom's salon's article here!

Christmas Shopping...

I have been Christmas shopping on one of my favorite sites that I thought I would share with you guys incase you don't know about it! It's called Etsy.com and it has purely homemade things! It's wonderful for that unique gift you have been looking for. I love to purchase items for friends and family.

I recently purchased one of their amazing Scrabble Tile necklaces. I would post a pic, but one of my readers may or may not be the recipient! Wouldn't you like to know?!?!?!

But I wanted to share the site I used for this great gift!

Head over to HomeStudio.etsy.com to check it out yourself!

After Christmas I may post what I bought! I will surely purchase more from them too, as they are very punctual and great quality items!

Marysville...will rise again...

After Tuesday's horrible fire at Marysville Elementary, I counted my blessings more than once.  As a teacher, I realize how much I would lose if there was a fire in our building.  But Portland has come through!  A good friend is a teacher there.  I emailed asking what they needed.  Their request, very simple...nametags for desks and borders for walls.  I knew I could do that.  I sent out an email to my staff and within minutes a table was full of items to be shared with our "friends" at Marysville.  Teachers stick together.

My friend offered to come get items yesterday, but I declined as I was waiting for more.  I am glad I did.  I got to experience Portland coming together to help this awesome school.  For those of you who don't know, Marysville has taken over the Elementary School formerly known as Rose City Park.

Here is what happened when I went there today...

-security greeted me at the parking lot

-my friend brought out some of her friends to help and they were sporting their new shirts thanks to Nike, the shirts brought tears to my eyes.  "Marysville" (on the front)  "We will rise again"  on the back

-once we walked into the building there were people EVERYWHERE...these people included: news crews, Nike employees, Portland Public School employees, donors, and many more!

-people were dropping things off like crazy...former teachers were bringing their old stuff by...there is a reason people keep that stuff...and this is it.

- as I unloaded my car, a Nike Van was behind me with a backpack full of supplies and a coat for EVERY student at the school...simply amazing.

-Nike has also provided food for the staff as well as a sport bag for each one

-Office Max is requesting wish lists from each teacher, and will be fulfilled 

-Powell's Books said they would donate 800 books, and 1,500 showed up

I am overwhelmed with the support they have gotten...and don't even teach there!

All this great stuff...but still a lot of tears and a ton of emotion will be there over the weekend and especially Monday when the kids roll up to their new school on their buses that will bus them from the neighborhood near Marysville.

My thoughts, prayers, and strength will be with the staff and students as they endure a very hard next couple of weeks...Marysville, please know you have support from ALL over this place!  You will rise again!

What the world needs...(snatched from CJane)

What the world needs is less...


Sample people...



and more monkeys...



and bumble bees...

The ER= one word....CLASSY!

The Boy and I were enjoying a nice combination of football and baseball on tv last night in my room. I mean what more could this girl ask for really???? Thank goodness for the "recall" button on the remote...it really saves a lot of quality watching time. At the precise moment when one of those people hit one of those ball things...we heard kind of a crash. I figured it was the neighbors getting excited about the game. The Boy insisted it was my roommate in the living room. Whatever. I didn't check. A few seconds later another crash. Being the responsible apartment renter that I am...I still didn't check. A few minutes later our stomachs were calling to us so I retreated to the kitchen for some snacks when I was approached by my roomie who was interested in my opinion on the gash in his forehead. What in the world??? He quickly explained he had a small problem. In my opinion and from my colleague that talks about "Tattle Tongue" and when not to seek help and when to take care of it yourself...in this case it was necessary to get an adult.
"Well MegPie, I was going pee and the next thing I knew I was lying on the floor!" Just then he turns and runs into the bathroom to puke his brains up...he proceeds on about 3 more times. After much pacing trying to figure out what to do with him I make the executive apartment decision that we are going to the ER. The Boy drives. The Boy pulls over. The roomie pukes. We get there. The roomie pukes again. I can hear oinking from the parking lot. We hold our breath for the next 2 hours.

And so it begins.

Family #1: Dante is being seen. Dante's momma is there. His daddy. His brother. His daddy's "girl". Dante is about 9ish. Dante does not read a lick. (just the teacher in me) Dante is throwing paper around like a football with his dad...Why is he here again? I can tell in his voice he has some kind of croupy something. He shares his drink with his little brother about 2 and the little brother climbs up in the chair next to me and proceeds to put his mouth all over my sweathshirt. Note to self: time to bath in Purell.

Family #2: My two dads. One boy. One dad being seen. Wearing mask, but removing for easy access to licorice that is being stuffed in mouth. Why is he here again? They retreat to the car after giving 7 year old a Pop Tart at 11:00pm.

It's always a good sign when there are wall dividers separating the "flu people" from the "non-flu people"...what's even better is when they don't sit in there.

I get a call from the nurse telling me to go ahead and leave without the roommate. We ran.

The roommate is fine. Perhaps he got up to fast, fainted while peeing, and hit his head on something. Shower door not so fine. Towel rack not so fine. He is a very tall drink of water in a very small apartment bathroom. The puking was from a concussion.

I can't wait to get back to that hospital!

Another my end...

My third and final sponsor that I am allowed to write about are the Parkers!
Who doesn't love the Parkers? I just love that they are the Parkers together and not Della and Jason anymore...meaning they finally got married!

i know della from middle school and high school.
i know jason because my sister and him are BFF's.
della and i became friends in high school and made up silly things to write on our arms for our games.
jason used to pin me down until mother yelled at him to stop because she might have to take me to the hospital. fun times.

i love them both. della and i rewrite songs together. someday we will sing it for you.
i love della. she is going to be a doctor.
i love jason. he is like my brother and he loves my della very much.
i was in there wedding this summer. talk about a blast!
the end!
I love you both and thank you for your sponsorship!
hopefully a baby parker will be in my future!