The Meek Moose is an Unmotivated Blob

I do actually have plans to blog more than once a week.  Seriously, I do.  I'm just crap at it.  At least the Sunday Scoop keeps me current.  Although- I could probably easily rewrite the same things every week.  Because I'm also crap at getting anything I put on a list done.  I have the efficiency of a sloth dead in a tree. But even that might be too efficient.  It is, after all, decomposing at a steady rate.  I wouldn't say that I'm doing anything even near that level of efficiency.  Unless you count gaining weight.

BUT- I did start four different drafts of blog posts- so hopefully that will help me get it done. For now though, let's scoop it.

Things I HAVE to do:

1) If I don't take my daughter shopping today, I do truly believe she will stab me with her fork at dinner.  She has decided that she needs something.  Something I'm not allowed to say because Dear God, if a person from North Dakota read it and somehow told someone else and it would certainly get all the way back to here to where we are Eighteen Kabillion states away. So I won't say exactly what it is.  But I will say she does not need it.  And I doubt that she will need it any time soon.  She is not following in the footsteps of her mother in this, seeing as she's a waif.  But whatever.  I'll go buy her one.  She can learn early how annoying they are.

2) I'm taking a grad class in Teaching Numeracy in K - 2.  It's actually a great class, but I am a sloth, remember- and I don't really do my homework like I should.  So I'm actually going to try to do it tonight instead of tomorrow on the way to class.  Like I normally do. 

3) If I don't do laundry, I'll be wearing a bathing suit as underwear tomorrow.  And I sincerely doubt I'd fit in it anyway.  So here we go high efficiency Tide - let's knock this out.  Or, at least, do one load.  I don't want to be an over achiever or anything.  I miss my sister.  She was really, really excellent at keeping the laundry going.  One day if I can afford a housekeeper, I can only hope she can keep up with the laundry as well as Traci did.

Thing I HOPE to do:

1) I went all slacky-mcslack-slack on my 100 Days Project of water coloring birds.  And I would actually like to make an attempt to finish it.  i think I might have one week left.  So we'll see.

2) This morning I found the skiddish Ruby outside of the chicken coop.  After ten minutes of chasing her in circles, I finally caught her - sort of - and put her back inside the run.  It was actually more like I got my hands underneath her just enough to give her the right amount of panicked LIFT to achieve flight over the fencing.  Anyway- I'm hoping to have a sit down with Captain America today and show him this pallet plan I found on-line.

Something I'm HAPPY to do:

1) I was listening to my regular radio morning show during my commute and they were talking about coffee creamer.  So I decided to try some out.  Over at "The -Mart" I discovered a bottle of Southern Butter Pecan.  It told me right on the label that it would taste like Pecan Pie.  SOLD!!!  And yes.  Yes it does.  So, my coffee is now even more ridiculous than it was with milk and finely ground sugar, annnnnnnnd I ended up using it in my oatmeal instead of regular milk and I will NEVER go back.  Until I'm 400 pounds, and maybe I'll stop to think, "Ya know, maybe that coffee creamer in the oatmeal was not the best idea..."  But I doubt it.  if I get myself to 400 pounds, I think it will be obvious that I don't actually give a shit about that sort of thing.  Bring me the truckload of pancakes please.

And now, to fill out this little tidbit from my friend Haley at Owls&Lessons, etc:   It actaully makes me feel like I sort of wrote lesson plans.  Even though I didn't.  Never do. Seriously, I suck.

Pinterest Finds for the Week to help with above:

Reading:  Hoping this really helps make the sequencing concrete.

Science: I bought this last week from Teaching with Style and it's wonderful!  Mucho Awesome, folks! Click to go TpT and get one.

Football Sunday, ya'll!  I'm sure I'll manage to do nothing I planned.

The Meek Moose is Feeling Scaly.... Sunday Scoop

You're not supposed to touch your face if you can help it.  Did you know that?  It's like, super germy and makes you sick and what not.  Average person does it four times an hour though.  And we all know, kittens, that I am never average.  Noticed during the football I was watching today that my face is feeling ROUGH.  Time to exfoliate for realz.

But hey- let's make sure I blog at least once a week, yah?

First up- my friend Haley from Owls & Lessons Etc has been doing this quick What We're Learning photo for the past couple of weeks- so I filled one out too!

It's amazingly quick, and makes me feel sorta like I wrote lesson plans.  Even though I didn't.  Again. For the second week in a row.  #ijustcanteven

And then there's the Sunday Scoop from Teaching Trio

 Three -

Pals testing.  Not my favorite.  But I'm half way done.  This also means that half of my eighteen are on the Primer level.  But hey! No where to go but up!

Ben&Jerry's - Yep. Still an emotional eater.  It would be good if I didn't balloon back to where I was last year.  It would be best to keep the weight off.  But dang if Ben and Jerry's don't know how to make ice cream!

Exfoliate - as I mentioned earlier- yeah.  This is pretty bad. I will polish until my chin shines across the ocean.

Two -

Going to bed at a decent hour.  Hmmm. 940pm now.  Small chance of being in bed by ten.  That wouldn't be too bad for a five am wake up call, I suppose.  I'm sure I'll push snooze eight times.

Mice.  It's about time to start them in the classroom.  We've had great observations with the betta fish and the toad we found this past week, so mice are the natural transition. I am loving the interaction with the animals this year.




One -

I listen to a local radio station for my morning commute of an hour and ten minutes. The Morning Show is a nice balance of funny banter and music I can sing along to.  And they do a lot of charity work that I find refreshing.  Every year they have an auction for home decor pieces, and the morning news guy, Robert Allen makes a hand print turkey.  Robert is my local celebrity crush, so this year I decided I must have that turkey!  And I got it!  As well as being recorded saying that I wanted it since I wasn't bold enough to go for a frame-able restraining order.

It will be my happy duty to go pay the station for the print and pick it up and make some sort of outlandish shrine to it on my bedroom wall. Usually people have apparently given it back for him to auction off the next year.  But not me. Nope. Keeping it.

Yep - Hand Turkey. It's got a pasta bow tie.

Have a great week if I don't manage to post again. Blerg.  Time is kicking my butt. Math class tomorrow...but at least I have my homework done this week!

The Meek Moose Sings the Song of Procrastination - Sunday Scoopin'

First off - I have never ever pretended to not be a procrastinator.  I'm not *proud* of the trait, but I recognize the flaw.

I'm claiming all but The Delegator.  And The Paincker - to a small degree.  I do it sometimes.  Delgate, never.  Because I'm also a bit of a control freak.  #Imokwiththat

In an attempt to organize my rambles, I'm linking up with The Teaching Trio's Sunday Scoop again this week:

Have to do:
1) Lesson Plans.  Just like last week.  Which I told myself, and my daughter for that matter, that I would do yesterday.  But I didn't.  Yesterday I was : The Napper, The Social Sharer, The Internet Researcher, The Snacker, The Gamer, and The Perpetuator.  The Perpertuation was brought about through The Social Sharer when Kelly commented on an FB post that she waits until 8pm Sunday.  So I figured, why not join her? Kelly, thou art my muse.

The Gamer was caught up in this app called Rules:

Nothing makes you angrier or more determined to play for another 8+ hours than not being able to remember that whales come after phones but before green monsters with odd numbers.  I highly recommend it to everyone. Please come join me in this seventh ring....

As far as lesson plans go though- let me be The List Maker - because that's my favorite.

This week I must teach: 

Addition facts to ten with missing addends + subtraction

Story Problems with the 4 box plan

(My kids are also ready to move up to time to the half hour)

The scientific process with magnets

Reading Salad, 

Reading Stamina to 12 minutes

Three ways to read a book, 

accountable student discussion

word work activities

Oral storytelling with basic sketch drawings

Beginning, middle, and end

PALS testing

Reading Level Assessments

And I'm not even sure if that's all.  Let's hope though.

2) The dang playdough.  This was on my list last week- and I didn't do it.  I really WANT to do it this week though.  It will help me accomplish that Word Work Activities bit in the lesson plans.  I got a lot of questions about the playdough last week, so I thought I'd elaborate a bit today.

First of all, The Internet Researcher in me loves Pinterest.  It makes me feel like I am actually working even though it's just electronic hoarding.  Personal goal to actually do something with my pins this year, so let's see if I can do it.

I have a playdough recipe board where I collect all sorts of playdough related pins. I am very interested in incorporating sensory activities into my second grade classroom. 

It started with seeing this recipe for Eucalyptus cloud dough and eucalyptus playdough - my kids get stuffed up a lot.  And so do I.  

 

But I wanted to start the year with chamomile and lavender playdough for it's calming qualities. 

  

I am hoping to convert the recipes to this softest dough recipe.

  

I will do my best to make it today and take pictures/video of the ensuing experience.

3) Math Class Homework  I'm taking a class being offered by my school system for teaching Number Sense to students on the K-2 level.  It's going to be awesome.  Except for the not getting home until 9pm and having to go to bed right away.  And the homework that I will put off reading until the last minute.  Other than that- fab!  I love our instructors.  So it will be good.  It's just, they said the words "fifteen more meeting days" on the first class, and that made it sound like a loooonnnnng time.  I'll adjust.

Hope to Do:

1) Clean my room.  Home and at school.  I left a mess when I ran for my life Friday afternoon.  And well, here, my organizational abilities at school do not translate to the house.  So, I've got some work to do.  PLUS- it means I get to utilize The Cleaner procrastination style.  Yay, me.  But I could probably put this off.

2) Get paid on Monday.  As in tomorrow.  Seeing as I haven't got a paycheck since June 15, tomorrow would be really exciting.  Except I got an email Friday afternoon that they messed up something about my check and I won't be getting the full amount until September 30th.  The Meek Moose is feeling a bit irate.  And bankrupt.  And nervous.  And in need of that rich organic strawberry farmer with big hands and nice teeth.

Happy to Do:

Pinning my friend Lucy's pins.  She must be super excited to see my name 1,000 times from going through every single one of her boards last night. (and I'm not done, Babe)  

Do you guys know Lucy?  You should check out her blog : Here's an Idea, her Facebook page, annnnnnnd her Pinterest Boards. It's where I got the Procrastinator graphic.  And one of my favorite snortables from her boards yesterday:

Happy Sunday, one and all!

Is That a Chin Waddle? The Meek Moose Gets a Facelift

Huh? Huh? Huh???? Whatcha think?  Am I not beautiful now?

The new look is thanks to the extremely talented Barbara of Barbara Leyne Designs.  Barbara was one of my first regular commenters when I first started blogging in 2012.   She was infact, the host of the second ever linky party I ever participated in - Drama Queen. Ahhh, memories. 

Why did I chose Barbara in the first place? 
One- I like how in her portfolio every page is different and unique to the blogger.  I like unique. 
Two - she has lots of watercolory nature stuff going on.  I like watercolory nature.
Three - because she was already a regular friend of the blog- I felt like she knew my style

Having never had my blog designed by anyone before- I did not know what to expect, and I have nothing to compare it to- but I will say this - I got to converse back and forth about the design as much as I wanted.  If I suggested something- the change was available for me to see on a test blog within a day. (Usually sooner, and I was the one not checking in quickly enough - I'm not allowed to peek at school.  Completely unfair! But yet, I can see where the district is coming from, because I'd totally be looking at it when I shouldn't have been.  The Meek Moose is #naughty!)

Now that it is done- I feel thrilled.  I liked playing around with the DIY element of creating my own design- but in the end, I do not have the time to dedicate to really learning it to the level of perfection that my flawed womanish mind desires.  Seriously, I could not get my header the right size and the white line was driving me nuts. #ocdmuch? #heyneverbeendiagnosed #justquirky #andadorable! Barbara had this done within a week.  maybe two- but I think a week, actually- and a whole two weeks beofre she originally said she'd have time when I made this decision back in July when I got all blog design insecure after a blogger meet up.  Mrs. O Knows- I'm blaming you! ;)

Thank you so much Barbara for the beautiful work, and always commenting on my ridiculous posts.  When I get around to stalking Tahmoh in the BC area, armed with my stick of butter, I shall be sure to find both you and Sandy before I am escorted back over the border and forbidden to ever re-enter the county. Or incarcerated.  I suppose he might not take well to the butter....

As far as real facelifts go- I think I'd only have something done about my undereye circles and maybe a permanent brow shaping.  If such a thing exists.  I'm ridiculously over pleased with my nose, and have no wishes to change it.

And alsooooo - apparently, I am supposed to do fancy things when I have blogiversaries, and a certain number of followers and whatnot- but I have no clue- nor any idea as to what anyone would want me to give away (autographed chicken photos?). So if this is a big deal to you, and you're feeling seriously slighted for me not having some sort of parade (and you REALLY need an autographed chicken picture)- you're going to have to tell me.  Otherwise, I might not ever.  I'm sort of lazy that way.  I do have a birthday in the next couple of months- but it's not a big deal birthday.  Next year I can have the whole - "we finally got out of the desert and made it to the promised land" birthday.  Sheesh- does this even matter?  I told you- lazy.

I hope you love the new look as much as I, kittens!

The Meek Moose Gives the Sunday Scoop

Amazingly- made it through that first week.  And I must admit- it was exhausting, but yet so much less tiring than last year.  And I did love my babies last year.  I did.  Bless their hearts though- they had trouble following directions.  My new flock this year has it more together.  Maybe I say something a third time.  Maybe.  And I only noticed that on Friday afternoon.  And I think I was fried by Friday afternoon, myself- so no big deal.

The Teaching Trio is having a new Sunday Linky party called The Sunday Scoop- and I thought it was cute!  So here is my contribution today:

So Things I HAVE to do: 

The lesson planning.  Which I should have been doing all day, but I got all into making a schedule chart for our ESOL teacher.  Trying to figure out how to fit in mandated ESOL hours for four teachers who also have set lunch/recess times and core extension has been no joke.  And I still don't think I managed it after eleven hundred charts.  I do love making a chart though.  Just not when I can't get one to work.

Here's some magic: blah

Last year I really slacked at lesson planning and I cannot do that this year.  So I've got to get on it and quick!

The playdough is probably not going to happen though.  It's just not.  I can get my word work charted though.  No problem.

HOPE to do:

I want to bring in my fish tomorrow.  Time to get some animals in the room and it will fit in nicely with the scientific method lessons I have to do this week.

HAPPY to do:

Spending time with the kids.  Except when they are all screaming and fighting with each other.  And then I'm going to go hide. When they aren't screaming each other- they are up to no good.

My friend Andrea at Reading Toward the Stars is having a super blow-out birthday giveaway- The Meek Moose is contributing winner's choice- stroll on over there and play your luck!

Off to finish lesson planning then, kittens!

County Fair Math - The Meek Moose Rides a Mechanical Bull and Other Adventures

You know that one part of the Katy Perry "Dark Horse" song where Juicy J is rapping his heart out about how she rode him like a roller coaster and turned her bedroom into a "fur".  Yes- it sounds like FUR.  But, apparently, he means fair.  Which makes more sense than fur.  But still.  Forcing the rhyme, methinks.

I also think Aloe Blacc sounds like he's saying "lift your spirits, and toasted cheese".  Enunciate people. ENUNCIATE.

Love both songs and artists though. No need to throw tomatoes.

So anyway- I went to the "fur" before school started.  It was awesome!  Rode the zipper three times and even the mechanical bull!  On the first ride, however, I had to come face to face with math in real life.  So let's begin.

Click picture to visit the linky at Miss Math Dork!

Now- this County Fair is by no means large.  So when I say the roller coaster broke down- I was not a million feet up in the air. I might have been twenty.  I don't think I would have died falling off.  Just maybe, broken an ankle or something.  Still though.  Breaking down at the tippy top point just before the "plunge" is not the greatest feeling in the world.



How the engineering of roller coasters actually work- I have no idea. Wouldn't be a bad idea to get the kids to find out for me though- wouldn't it?  After I stopped filming- the guy ended up climbing up and pulling the front of the car forward, and momentum took us back to the landing zone.  I decided not to try the roller coaster again.  I did see them working on it later though.  They'd loaded up the cart with four of the largest men I have ever seen.

That led me to believe weight has something to do with it. And therefore, it is a complete validation of all the weight I lost.  #skinnybitch

Weight played a big part in the zipper ride as well.  You know the zipper, right?  Cages of death that spin?  Yessssss.

I rode it the first time with my oldest son.  He has moderately severe autism.  But he loves a good ride.  Try as I might, I could not get that cage to spin around.  And he would have loved it, had I managed it.  All the same, we both cackled the entire ride.

I then forced my ten year old daughter.  I said- "Let's have a mother-daughter memory."  She screamed that she was going to die, and cried deep scarred childhood trauma tears. It will come up in future therapy sessions when she becomes an adult, I am sure.  One of the sentences she kept screaming was how this was not a memory she wanted.  And how she was going to die.  And how it was all my fault.  We spun a bit.  Turned out the lighter the load the easier it goes around.  I hadn't thought that through...  Anyhow, I am always in the running for Mother of the Year.  Vote early and often, folks.

Third time through grabbed my sister.  I decided that we wouldn't spin much.  However, the ride operator was very impressed that I was going through a third time in a row.  He also apparently noticed that there weren't any nervous children on the ride this time.  Turns out- when the ride goes three times faster than normal, this compensates for the weight issue and you spin EVEN MORE!!!  I am thankful to have not given in to the lure of a fair corndog, and my stomach remained intact.  I screamed with delight the whole ride.

Weight is also a big deal over in the livestock barns.  All of these animals are on show and are judged in a number of different stats.  I saw so many families who had seating arrangements with their animals.  It really made me think about how much time is put into this.  Not only the time to raise the animals, but the schedules of feeding and caring for, and watching over them at the fair.  All in the hopes of getting a ribbon and also making some money during the animal auction phase of the fair.

I'm not sure I could ever do the whole process myself.  I'd hate to have spent all that time with an animal and then have to sell it off.  I'd cry for sure.

Money, of course, huge issue at the fair.  Between paying for armbands for five people, and feeding five people - $140 was laid out.  And we didn't even have to pay for parking, because we got there early.  Had we been ten minutes later though- the total would have gone UP.  Even though I went on an overcast day with intermittent sprinkling showers- plenty of people still turned out for the fair.  It wasn't crowded- but that place still made bank.

Notice that most things are priced at $5.  This was noticeable all over the fair.  And I know the reason.  Everyone only takes cash- and a five is easy to hand over, skip count by, and not have to give change for.  Financial robbers geniuses, they are.  It was dang good food though...

Games at the fair are all based on force, motion, kinetic and potential energy.  It's a smorgus of science going on down at the midway.  And also probability and chance.  The rest of the kiddie rides - lots of simple machines and magnetic force.  It gave me lots to think about. The kids enjoyed it all- and Boyzilla especially, as it was his first time.  The only ride he didn't enjoy was the Tilt-a-whirlish one called Dizzy Dragons.  Here, you can see the excitement change to "What the holy hell?".  My sister knows how to catch a memory on camera.

For those of you that have been following the blog, but not the FB page.  Court turned out well.  Justice prevailed and will not be changing her mind.  Thank you everyone, for your prayers and well wishes. All is well in the world.

I leave you with the much anticipated mechanical bull ride.  If I win the lottery ever, I think I will buy one so I can practice. Yeehaw!

Sweaty September - The Meek Moose "Currently" Needs To Buy Stock in Deodorant

Today was the first day back with the kids.  The air conditioning busted around noon.  Summer decided to appear in Virginia, seeing as it's been 75 to 85 for three months, I was not prepared for a 90+ degree day with humidity.  Not that I would have been prepared for that any other day during the last three months.  The Meek Moose is strictly a 75 degrees with a whispering breeze sort of gal.  I am a lover of a light cardigan, I must say...

So anyway- I KNEW that yesterday was the first.  And I KNEW that it was time for the currently.  It's just that I had lesson plans to write and a sub binder to create because I have to be out the second day of school.  Which I have been telling everyone who will listen because I feel like I need the sympathy.  The Meek Moose is feeling needy. Which explains why the package of cookie dough Oreos is nearly gone. For those of you new to this magical mystery ride, I am totally an emotional eater.  And also a lover of food. So the two really work together quite nicely.

Listening to - yeah baby!  I am all about that bass, about that bass, no treble!  It's like the fifties, sixties, bouffant hair, Sally Field as Gigi, I Like Big Butts and I Cannot Lie sort of smorgasboard. Plus, it's not a break up song, or I'm falling in love song so I don't have to start weeping halfway through listening.  It's a GEM I tell you.

Loving - saw these strategically located near the checkout at the local Walmart.  Clearly, they knew I was coming and planned ahead.  In general, not a huge Oreo fan. Sorry, Nabisco.  I'm not sure what it is about the flavor of the dark chocolate cookie part of your normal deal that I have trouble with.  I am willing to eat my weight in the creamy inside filling though.  However- you have stolen my "all about that bass" heart with this new coupling of cookie dough and cookie.  Of course, the package says limited edition.  So, just as I do every year when the pumpkin cheesecake Ben and Jerry's goes out of season- for this too, I shall weep.

Thinking - about too much, which is the norm for me.  Truly, I do hate sub plans.  I think it's because I get aggravated at people who think I have a cake job, just because supposedly I have summers off (which is a joke - I work all summer people).  I have to write a dissertation to take a day off from work.  Seriously, those two ideas don't equate.  But then I have to recognize that I am a straight up whiner and I need to pull up my big girl panties and move on.  But then I think that I miss my sister.  She's moved to Australia by way of a month long tour of Europe.  Which sort of makes me hate/miss her at the same time. I love you, you effing cow.  It's like that.  It should be a t-shirt marketed for sisters.  Somebody get on that.

This is my- I have ten minutes out of thirty for lunch, I'm so tired I'm not even really awake right now,  and I'm sweating face

Wanting AND Needing the best outcome in court tomorrow for my son.  I suppose I most likely won't sleep tonight.  I guess it's good that I have more sub plans to write. Although- I must say- I got the bulk of the work done yesterday and now it's just a couple of fill ins.  I am proud of my sub binder- yes indeedy.

Also needing though- my eyebrows done.  I need a touch up.  they are starting to grow downward.  we need to put that curve back in there.  And of course, if I'm going to go do that, I really should go ahead and get the head highlights touched up and maybe a nice trim. And a pedicure.  Maybe some french tips.  A massage would be good too.

Three trips:

First- my dad owes me a trip to Disney World.  I will wait patiently for him to make good on his promise to me when I was fifteen. Patiently does not mean that I won't be mentioning it to him at every opportunity.  As I have been mentioning it for the past nineteen years.  Eventually, he will break down.  I just know it.  I want my damn submarine ride.

After finding this picture, I have discovered that they closed this ride in 2004 and paved over the lagoon. And I'm out of cookie dough oreos.  I bet my sister, the hussy, knew all along.  Didn't you? ^&$%#%$#%$&%&*

Second - Melbourne, Australia  because my sweet sister, the effing cow touring Europe, will be living there.  She spent four hours in The Louvre the other day. And bought a black dress in Paris. @#$#%$%^$$%@$

They better have a submarine at this stupid park...

Third - Fiji.  Because of The Poseidon Undersea Resort, Yo!

I'm going alone and leaving all you submarine lagoon paver overers to rot in a below zero winter...

Otherwise, today was my first day with my kids.  I currently have *18* (holy cow, yay!) and they are pleasant and follow directions surprisingly within the first or second request.  I just hope the air conditioning is working when I return on Thursday...

If you haven't taken a moment to learn your vacation dreams of nearly twenty years have been crushed, make sure you fill out September's Currently and link up with Farley! ( Farley not responsible for crushing of vacation dreams)