I Put the "PRO" in Procrastination ~ A Meek Moose Adventure in Put-er-Off-ery

This is what I'm supposed to be doing right now:

I don't wanna.

And I should have made my bed too.  But I'll be going to bed soon, so now I'm all "meh".

My first week back to work I spent in the Library.  Doing This:

54 times.  

I only have 24 students.  

I wasn't going "up" a level all those other times either.

I finally got back into the room Friday afternoon.  Do you know what Friday afternoon was?  Full moon.  Friday the 13th. Rolling Thunderstorms that make eight year old barometers stand up and say, "Boy, Howdy! How can we be louder?"

Know what I had to do?

Make them silently write out an Opinion piece for 45 minutes.  During the Storm.  Yes.  that is a chicken in a bird nest on the floor.  I'll get to that in a minute.

And can you guess what I became yesterday?  YES INDEEDY! A Disciple of GoNoodle.

It's fuzzy because he's dancing.  My Man here NEVER dances.  He loved GoNoodle.

Get down!

Shake It, Sister!

Saved my life, it did. Even I, yes, I, who can't stand to jiggle or sweat- Ran Like a Kitty.  Don't get it?  Sign Up for GoNoode RIGHT.NOW. and watch Run Like A Kitty.  Why are you still reading this?  I said go sign up NOW!!!  But come back!  I have more nonsense to share.

I got lots and lots of cards and drawings from my kids when I returned though.

Yes.  I "fell" better. Obviously, word work is going to be more of a focus next year. Professional reflection is good.  But look at those Moose! They know me so well!  And I'm the best techere! (except when it comes to spelling) And they do call me Mommy.  All the time.  At first it was a bit weird.  But now it's fine.  It's funny.  They know I love them like they are my own.

The first two days back I brought Peep with me, and let the kids hold her before they did their reading test.  Except my lovely here:

She asked to hold Peep for the entire test, said it made her "think better".  And considering she was THE ONLY ONE that I did "go up a level" when testing, I think Peep did her magic.   I'm going to miss this sweetie.  When she came to me in September she was full-on Susan Lucci Soap Opera Queen tears at everything. This had apparently been the status quo in first grade as well.  By October I had her using calm down strategies.  She now "composes" herself when she's upset and needs to talk to me.  "Give me a minute!" She'll say,throwing her arms out, and then do breathing exercises and wipe her face. Then she looks at me, like Marilyn Monroe ready for a close-up and says, "I AM calm, now."  It's still Susan Lucci.  But at least it's not blubbery.  I do not do tears.  I just don't. Peep became unbearably cold the second day however.  And hid in my hair most of the day. Yes.  My hair. Now that it's permed (not the best idea I ever had) it is the perfect consistency of "nest". I left her at home for the rest of the week.  Under her heat lamp. Diva. This morning I bought her a friend.

This is Ruby.  A Russian Orloff. Or something like that.  She's Russian something.  Hey!  I just joined the Pet Chickens of Virginia.  It's not like I'm a expert yet. Yes, that's right. Pet Chickens of Virginia.   Virginia is for chicken lovers. Shit just got serious, kittens.

Anyway- this was Peep's reaction:

Not exactly a good sign. #introvertchick
How DO you get two chicks to bond? Throw 'em in a box, take 'em for a drive! #Thelma&Louise

To be fair, Peep has never seen another chicken.  She was a lone hatcher. There's a picture book in there somewhere.

They are doing better now.

 Peep is less peepy- I've noticed.  She did follow me about the classroom today though- petrified of Ruby.  I tried to let her perch on my shoulder- but I was doing so much lifting and packing she kept sliding off. 

I went to school today so my Dad and my oldest son could take some furniture that I'm not allowed to store over the summer (and I don't want to bring it back in September anyway) home for me. And then Karen (FlamingoFabulous) and my sister came to help me do some sorting and packing and taking down of wall stuff so I would be in a much better placce to pack up the room on Thursday.  At two o'clock.  When the kids leave.  And then I have to be checked out by four. Yep.  A two hour pack up time. As if.  I'll be there Friday I'm sure.

They helped loads.  I'm actually in really good shape.  It's possible that I might be able to check out Thursday- but I'm not going to stress over it.  

A good thing about having two people who know how to purge help you pack up, is that they help you feel confident in getting rid of things.

Do not pack up with a hoarder.  Or all by yourself if you are a hoarder.  Have people who throw things out with you.

Karen helped me feel good about throwing out posters.  I took pictures of them so I could reference them if I needed to make them again next year.  I will remake Stop and Jot.  I loooove Stop and Jot.  Also, she and I were able to discuss certain items I had that I really hadn't used, or wasn't using in a way I felt good about.  So four large bulky items left my room today, never to return.  Three of them were paper sort of holders for Writer's Workshop.  

I still have not found a way that pleases me to dispense writing materials.  I'm going to have to really meditate on that.

And my daughter came with me too.  She tested out an entire box of markers.  I told her to throw out anything that I wouldn't think were perfect.  She knows me.  She trashed a lot of them. She is loving Ruby.  Here they are looking at Pinterest together- except that Ruby is so chill, she falls asleep constantly.

We had good mommy/daughter time today.  Except, my heart is heavy.  She told me today she thinks she's ugly because she is skinny. Apparently all of the kids at school constantly comment about how small framed she is.  She cried a lot in the car.  I can tell her she's beautiful and a healthy weight until the cows come home.  But will she listen?  Will what I told her be more important to her than what her friends are saying? my poor baby girl.

But then I came home, she went to spend the night at her Dad's, and I played with my little man here.

I learned about how Monsters roar before they eat broccoli.  And how I should not buy a snake because he would not be able to concentrate on his project if I did.  I'm not sure which is more ridiculous- that he thinks I would buy a snake or that he thinks he has a project he needs to concentrate on. Kid, I want to see this project.  Mommy is frightened. And that's my week.  In a picture-ific nutshell.  How about you, Kitten?