I Might Not Be Cut Out for This...

Hi Internet,

So, I was talking to a friend last week and came to the realization... I probably picked the worst career for myself. Allow me to explain:

- Occupational hazards such as lice and whooping cough. (True life, they have those across the hall, I've threatened my kids with their lived if they share hats or don't wash their hands with soap.)

- Working 70 hours a week.

- Crying every day about the difficult challenges my 5 and 6 year old students are facing.

-Wanting to take my kids home at the end of the day because I know their lives are rough.

My conversation with my friend went a bit like this:

Me: I'm going to need to get married sooner rather than later, cause I am so not cut out for working full-time and I kinda want to take all my kids home everyday.

Friend: laughs

Me: No. Serious.

Friend: Yeah, but that's what makes you so great at it, because you care.

Blah, blah. That' doesn't change that I can't look at one of my kids without tearing up. And this whole waking up early is totes cramping my style.

But, there are a few perks to my job.

-Getting a billion school pictures of myself as a grown lady... (weird)

-Being surrounded by kids who think knock knock jokes are HILARIOUS.

-Introducing my kids to 90's treasures such as "Reading Rainbow" and Cassette Tapes

-My kids will dance on command.

-I get called Mom daily and then get to reassure their horrified looks that it's ok.

-The girls who tell me they love me every morning when I call attendance.

-Hearing my kids (upon realizing I'm losing my patience with the class) say "Don't make her turn into Viola Swamp!"

 -The things my Russian kids say, like when I ask if any of them have seen anyone get hurt on the playground:

Russian Student (With THICK Russian Accent):  Yes. Thees one time I'm playing soccer and he keek thee Bol, he's keeking, he keek me in the bols!" (Points at his crotch) 

Russian Student's Cousin: Yes. Keek him in the bols! (Points at his crotch) 

Me: Uh, I'm sorry. I bet that hurt.

Russian Student: KEEK ME IN THE BOLS! (Still pointing)

-Trying not to laugh when every class discussion makes me feel like I'm in one of these commercials: 

Seriously, in math we had to talk about quantities  that are more and less. And the class discussion was almost like this verbatim.

I love my kids. Maybe too  much. I do love my job. But it's a lot more emotionally involved than I had imagined.

Might As Well Post as I Procrastinate Packing

Hi Internet,

I didn't forget about you. Summer happened. Life happened. So, here's what's up.

May: Finished school. Got my Bad A job and left for my graduation tour.
Spent a week in DC with my cousin Danielle and her adorable family:

Highlights: loving on 2 week old Lainey, playing "LADY" with Elsie, reading Magic Tree House with Liam, making yummy foods, a first trip to Trader Joe's, Searching for a cadet in Annapolis, visiting all the cool shops in Georgetown, DC Cupcakes- NO LINE to wait in! Staying up late catching up with my frousin (Friend+Cousin)

June:
2 weeks in Utah with NO agenda!

Highlights: Planning with Amy about how we're both going to spend our money now that we both have real teacher jobs, Music and the Spoken Word, Watching TV with Julia Janice Marlin, kisses from baby Jesse, Getting blacklisted at Aqua Aerobics, NOT working up a sweat at Aqua Zumba, Day Road trips, Olive Garden Lunches, Visiting BYU-I*, Craigo's and impressing the hostess that we came back after 7 years for a mini reunion to Rexburg- she was so touched she gave us a free jumbo "Cookie Monster- YUM!", staying up late with Julia and Spencie trying to solve all of the worlds problems.

MORE Highlights: Impromptu Roommate reunion with Bre, Merika and Pam (Amy and Lester were missed terribly), Bre's awesome salads, Alton's great idea, Pam's boy problems, Merika's Vegas stories, IKEA, Farr's Ice Cream with Merika, Brazilian grills, Cheesecake Factory, buying things for my classroom, session in the SLC temple with Hoppes, staying up late reminiscing about 11 years ago when we were young and funny in college.

Then... I had to come home.

Highlights: Watching Levi's soccer games, water fights with Ju-Ju, finding bargains at yard sales for my new crib and classroom, play date with Hannah at the Library, lounging by the pool with Ju-Ju, Organizing my classroom library, avoiding packing, watching DVD's about the Daily 5, family dinners, taking a BBQ class, walking the Midnight Sun Run, stressing/getting excited to move and start my real job!

So, this summer has been pretty full, and really great, I hate to see it end, but I really can't WAIT to meet my kindies! I've been planning and prepping and I'm going in a week to visit Sterling and hopefully see my classroom and begin decorating! Ahhh!

Well, I'm off to bed. If you feel inclined to come pack a box or two for me, by all means come on over! :)

EMPLOYED!!

Internet!

I have fabulous news! I got a job! Not just A job, but a GREAT job!

So, yesterday morning I had 3 interviews:

10:00am- Barrow phone interview

10:45am- Sterling Elementary

11:30am- Bethel

All the interviews went really well! I was told I would hear back after the weekend, probably on Wednesday.

Well, around 2pm my phone started to ring.... I had job offers!!!

I decided to take a kindergarten position on the Kenai Peninsula. I'm so EXCITED!

I'll have about 17 students in a full-day kindergarten class!

In the words of my friend I "landed my dream job!"

I can't wait!

When I Grow Up....

Hi Internet,

My most sincere apologies for my blogging absence. I am NOT still trapped in the library. Today that is. University ended on May 11th and I've been enjoying the last days with my Kindies.

We went on the Riverboat, watched a Tae-Kwon-Do demonstration which was cool.... but try explaining to 5 year olds that it's OK for THOSE boys and girls to hit and kick but not them. Haha!

And then we had our Kindergarten Graduation Celebration, because apparently saying Graduation about Kindergarten is a dirty word. I don't get it.

But the kids did some songs and a dance for their parents and then each child went up to the microphone and told the audience of 100+ parents and friends what they want to be when they grow up. 

Some of the answers were precious:

When I grow up I want to be a Star! (Haha, all the moms LOVED this one!)

When I grow up I want to be a Hockey Coach.

When I grow up I want to be a Chef.

When I grow up I want to be Dental Floss (She meant to say Dentist, haha!)

When I grow up I want to be a Florist. (Kind of ironic coming from the class Tomboy)

When I grow up I want to be a Nurse. (Said my Albanian student in near perfect English!)

When I grow up I want to be a Cheerleader.

When I grow up I want to be a Police Man (ALL the boys wanted to be Policemen.)

When I grow up I want to be a Cowgirl. (Said the girl who thinks she is a HORSE everyday- Perfect! Haha!)

When I grow up I want to be a Mime.

The mime was a funny story.

The most chatty girl in the class turned to me during rehearsal (trying to think of something original to say because all the girls wanted to be florists after the first girl went and said florist and they all started copying her) and asked "What are those things at the circus that don't talk?" I told her they were called mimes and she was like "Yeah! I'll be a mime!" Haha. Certainly creative, although with how much this little lady likes to talk, probably not realistic. I don't know how much they get paid either. haha

And then it was the last day of Kindergarten.

I cried.

I'm such a baby.

But I've watched those little buggers grow up over the past year. They're READING now! I can't believe how fast the time went.

I was holding strong, partially because I was sick from food poisoning the night before (Yeah, that was LOVELY- NOT!!) until my little Albanian student left. She was getting ready to leave and her mom told her to say goodbye to her teachers and she came and gave me a big hug, and said "Thank you for teaching me English!" I lost it. I was a mess. It has been amazing to watch her progress and learn and become more vocal and interacting with the other students, and they praise her for speaking English, it's pretty adorable.

I made a difference.

I love my job.

But now I have to go to bed cause I have summer school so that in 2 years I can teach my own class of kiddos.

Happy Summer! I'll be in the library all day every day! :)

Kindergarten Gems

Hi Internet,

Probably should be writing an essay right now... but I'm putting it off. Early morning for me! 

So, I went to work today. Have I told you this week how much I love those kiddos? Here are some gems from lately that I don't want to forget.

Today we went to the star lab (an inflatable planetarium) to watch a presentation about the solar system. 

The kids LOVED it! 

It was so cute cause one little guy wore a glow-in-the-dark shirt just so that he wouldn't be too scared in the dark. (Awww)

But the best was when the guy dimmed the lights and "turned on the stars" and the girl next to me put her head on my shoulder and said "This is the BEST day of my life!"

Melt. My. Heart.

And they're so dang funny!

I was working with a little boy on his homework and I told him to write his name and this conversation occured:

Little Boy:I know how to write Korean!

Me: Oh you do?

LB: Yep, see? *Scribbles a wavy line

Me: Oh, great.

We finish the assignment and I sign my name in cursive to say that he had completed the page

LB: Hey! You can write in Korean too!!

Hahahaha! 

But my FAVORITE from this week was a convo I had with a little girl while we waited for her to be picked up.

There's a huge snow berm outside of the school that has turned into ice with our recent weather and the kids like to climb on it and then they fall and it's just a mess. So, I told the girl to get off the iceberg.

Girl with Speech impediment: I taw Titanic, it dot hit by a iceberd  

(I saw Titanic, it got hit by an iceberg)

Me: Oh you did? 

So, I'm thinking what parent shows TITANIC to their 5 year old?! So, I was wondering if she had REALLY seen it, so I asked her more....

Me: So, what was your favorite part?

 GwSI: I wike the pard where Rose frows the bwoo neck-ace in the water. Jack he died at the end in the coad wader. And jack he drawed a pitcher.

(I like the part where Rose throws the blue necklace in the water. Jack, he died at the end in the cold water. And Jack, he drawed a picture)

 Me: What was the picture of????

GwSI: Rose

Me: Really? 

GwSI: She was naked.

Me: Oh my goodness! Then what happened?

GwSI: Dey had to rud away from Rose Boyfrien' and the wend in a car. 

(The had to run away from Rose's Boyfriend and went in a car)

Me: What did they do in the car.

GwSI: Them maked ROMANCE.

BUWAHAHAHAHAHA!

I love her play-by-play! And I love my job!

It's Birth-WEEK Time!

Happy Birth-Week Internet!

So, guess how I celebrated the upcoming celebration of my birth? Well, I will tell you!

*I woke up and ate breakfast.

*I went to Kindergarten.

I guess the kids have been SOOOO excited about my birthday. They all have been telling the secretaries every time they walk past the office "It's Teacher Krystal's birthday on Saturday! But we're going to sing to her on Thursday, but it's her Birthday, and we're going to have a party, and eat cupcakes, but her Birthday's not REALLY until Saturday, but this is when we're celebrating it." Haha! The secretaries teased me about it all day.

*I got Beautiful flowers from my Co-Teachers

*I got this fantastic card from my kiddos. Awwww!

Front of Card. Pretty good considering that her mom AKA "Super Mom" is out of town and she probably did this on her own with help from dad or an older sibling.

Inside: "I Love you Krystal You are the best! (Picture of a heart, Picture of Abby and Picture of me.) Then she let the other kids in our class sign the card. :)

Back: More class signatures, "I Love, Abigail" Hahahaha! I LOVE it!

*We sang Happy Birthday, had cupcakes and played Head's up 7-up.

Funny story about the cupcakes.... When Teacher Em brought the flowers and the cupcakes in the kids were at library, so they didn't know who brought the cupcakes, I just assumed they knew it was one of the teachers. Well, my mom works at the same school I do, so when we were going to lunch all the kids in the class kept telling her "Thanks for the cupcakes!" My mom was confused, like what cupcakes? I busted up laughing, because when it is their birthday their moms bring in a treat, so they assumed because it was MY birthday my mom must have sent the cupcakes. Haha!

*I worked on the Progress Reports.

And Then........

*I went to the movies. ALL BY MYSELF to see Gnomeo and Juliet! 

It was great! There weren't many people there and no one judged me. I think I could do it again. 

(But I will pass on the slushie that I got cause: A. it cost a billion dollars and B. It tasted Gross.)

*Then I came home, played with my cousin Hannah.

*Talked to some good friends on the phone

*Spent some quality time on the treadmill.

The End.

Tomorrow's Green Eggs and Ham Day in Kindergarten... Should be good!

Recipe for a PERFECT Valentine's Day

Hi Internet,

I had an amazing Valentine's Day! I decided I will fill you in on how I did it, so next year you may try to replicate it... Good luck though! ;)

1. Wake up early and go to the elementary school. Take the kids the awesome cookie pops you made and have them oooh and aaaah about how pretty you look in your pink dress today.

2. Go to institute class. Read President Monson's talk about gratitude, then all day you'll be thinking about the good things in your life and not be distracted by the fact that you don't a boyfriend, cause life is good right now with or without one.

3. Go to school. Feel good about yourself because you didn't skip class like all the other kids in your classes and get your homework turned in.

4. Go back to the elementary school for the Kindergarten Valentine's day program. See all the little kiddies come in the concert attire and THEN dress them up like cupids, and make them wear a diaper fashioned out of tissue paper like this. BUWAHAHAHAHA! (Since they're only 5 these cupid's are part of the cupid protection program to preserve their identity.)

 5. Clean up the classroom, collect your bag FULL of goodies including super cute Valentines like these:

 6. Come home to a DELICIOUS Valentine's Day Dinner that your mom made of London Broil, baked potatoes, asparagus and chocolate cups filled with chocolate mousse.

7. Have Family Home Evening and receive a letter that your grandma had written to you before she passed away in May. Cry a lot. Reminisce with your family about what an amazing woman she was and how much she loved her family and how to live on her legacy.

8. Watch this adorable girl do some ab workouts.

9. Finish Homework and get ready for Kindergarten tomorrow.

I'm so blessed.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Happy Valentine's Day!

Internet.

Today has been an incredible day! Short church. Great meeting. Choir sounded AMAZING. Other great things in my life. Dinner with the fam. Decorated Cookies for Kindergarten.

It's ok to admit you wish you were in my class.

Cookies Pops for the Kindies!

Love, Teacher Krystal

I made about 100 Cookies this weekend

Getting a little artsy...

Love

 

Happy Valentine's Day! It's ok to be happy today, especially if you're single. ;)

Ugh. Bring on the Theraflu

Dear Kindergartners,

Thank you for sharing. Especially your germs. I love my new cold.

Love,
Teacher Krystal

I've passed on the legacy

Happy Groundhog Day Internet!

Guess what! Phil didn't see his shadow, so bring on the Early Spring! I have had so much fun this week teaching the kindergartners about this unsung holiday. Today I was asked why I loved Groundhog day so much and I thought I would share the reason with you!

My Uncle Val is a funny guy. I love how he thinks, completely out of the box and absolutely creative, he just so happens to be married to my Aunt Jessie, who only has creative bones in her body and loves to go above and beyond. Perfect match? Methinks so.

Well, when these two got married Val was trying to convince Jessie that it would save them so much money if they celebrated Christmas late, cause then they could buy things at the after Christmas sales. And if they celebrated on Groundhog Day it would be completely unique, because no one else celebrates that holiday.... My aunt wasn't convinced to give up her December Christmas, but did like the idea of celebrating the little known holiday.

All growing up I remember February 2nd being an important day at their house. I remember making banners and decorating the house, playing games and there was ALWAYS a German chocolate cake with a hand drawn groundhog in the middle. I actually thought that Feb 2 was Uncle Val's birthday because of the celebration! (It's not his birthday. haha)

So, now 27 years later my aunt and uncle have celebrated Groundhogs in a major way and I am thankful that they passed on their traditions to me and I hope to be able to pass on my traditions to my family and even my students.

This week in Kindergarten we have been busy celebrating ol' Punxsutawney Phil.

We read books about Groundhogs

We played Shadow Tag at recess

We did our groundhog Weekly Reader

We made Groundhog headbands

We ate deliciously cute groundhog cupcakes!

Here's to keeping the tradition alive! How did you celebrate Groundhog Day???

ps. I have more pictures that I'll try to load later

I am SOOOO making these for my class!

Hi Internet,

Remember how I'm a little obsessed with Groundhog's Day? And last year I a little bit had a party? WELL! I've decided I'm going to try to spread my love of Groundhog's day with the future generation. Aka, my kindergartners! 

I found some cute little games, books and activities we can do on Tuesday, before the big event. I think I might even make them some groundhog headbands to be festive! Oh, and you had better believe I'll be making and bringing in these adorable little guys for the day of!

Isn't he cute???

I'm so excited!

Must be Santa!

Hi Internet! Happy 3 more classes 'til semester is OVER!

So, have I told you lately I LOVE my job?

Cause I do.

I attended the Elementary School Band and Orchestra concert. Ah, the memories. I'll have to be honest, it was a bit painful. Apologies to anyone who I made come listen to my Christmas Concerts for 9 years. :) I love how they play the same songs each year. I love the little saxophone player who puffs his cheeks on every note and the little flutes on the front row counting their rest measures out loud. I love how the band kids whisper to each other about how they sounded SOOOO much better than the orchestra and vice versa. I love how those little guys think they sounded SO AWESOME on Jolly Old St. Nicholas. Good Times!

This wasn't from today, I found it on the internet. I'll try to find some pics of my band days... CLASSY!

Speaking of classy...

Tonight our classroom looked a little like this. Oh, and we have a tree and about a bazillion more lights. Pretty sure that if the Fire Marshall came in he'd shut us down... Scrooge! But isn't it beautiful??

Well, I just realized this picture really doesn't do it justice. I'll post a better one. I can't wait to see their little faces! Oh, but the best part, look who did all the decorations!!

Man, The Big S and I have verrry similar handwriting. Weird!

What we do at Recess

Hi Internet,

Have I told you lately I love my job??



Miley's got NOTHING on these ladies! :)

I probably shouldn't do this....

Hey Internet,

SO, as you know I work in Kindergarten. And I love my class. All of them. And I probably shouldn't, Buuuuut, I a little bit have a favorite student. You remember, the LEGO girl? Yeah, her.

So, we had this convo last week on the playground when I was showing her my glove had a hole in it.

Me: My glove has a hole in it!
Favorite Student: Well, Teacher Krystal, you need to fix that! I bet if you brought it to one of our houses our mom's could sew it for you. We don't live very far from here. My house is the white one with numbers on it.




Buwahahahaha! That really narrows it down, huh? I love that kid!

Why I go to work...

Hey Internet,

So, this happened today at school, made me choke up a bit and was kinda precious, hence why I'm sharing it with you.

I was sitting in Kindergarten today, helping a student with an art project when all of a sudden, another girl (you maybe remember her playing blocks with the Albanian student) runs up to me throws her arms around my neck and says:

"Teacher Krystal, you're my favorite teacher!"

Awwww!

I heart my job!

And THIS is why I'm spending a billion dollars on college

Hey Internet,

Guess what? I'm going back to school. At the University in town. My first class is tomorrow. It's going to take me a billion years and cost a trillion dollars, but I'm determined to be a teacher! And you want to know why? It's conversations like this....

Me: Hey, look at you! You're wearing all pink today!
Girl with Speech impediment: Yup! *Starts rolling up her pant leg* And I'd war-wing my He-woah Titty Socks!


BUWAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!


Have I mentioned I LOVE my job?
Happy Friday!!

Chinese, Albanian... TOTALLY the same!

Hi Internet,

Have I mentioned I LOVE my job? The kids started coming on Wednesday and it's been a BLAST! I love those little guys!

So, here's a picture of the classroom. Pretty cute eh? If you couldn't tell we're going for the Barn theme. And the kiddos made the chickens yesterday and today. ADORABLE!




So, here's the funny for the day...

So, there is a student in the class who only speaks Albanian (that's going to be a bit of a challenge) and she was playing LEGOS during centers with another little girl, and the English speaking girl was making conversation with the Albanian speaking girl, and the Albanian speaking girl would speak and she couldn't understand, and I heard the following and BUSTED UP LAUGHING!

English speaking student to Albanian Student (like you would a toddler): Can you say LEGO in Chinese??????

Hahahahaha! I love how her little brain automatically decided since she couldn't understand her she must be speaking Chinese!

Precious.

It's Hard Not to Laugh Sometimes....

Hey Internet,

Sorry I haven't been posting as often as I should, I've been working again this week at my sweet new job as a Kindergarten Aid! SO FUN! We've been testing the kiddos one at a time, so it's been fun to meet all the parents and kids. Kinda precious. But one funny thing that happened....

So, in the testing we're trying to see where the students are at and we do some picture-word recognition, well first little girl comes in and sees a picture like this:



Teacher: Can you tell me what this is a picture of?

Girl: Yes, that is a picture of a lamp, but in MY house, WE have Chandeliers.


BUWAHAHAHAHA!
Where do kids think of this stuff? I can't wait to hear more this year!