Maybe once a week....

So maybe I will only get around to posting once a week... LOL

It's been a stressful week here. We had the mandated state testing thanks to the good old No Child Left Behind Act. In theory, the law is great. In actuality, it is a NIGHTMARE for teachers and children alike. It is my sincere hope that it will be drastically changed with the new congress and hopefully even more drastically once Bush is out of office. (Now you know my political views... oops!)

It just isn't fair. My students have identified learning disabilities. They are not at grade level, and won't be there any time soon, no matter how much I work with them. They have a DISABILITY that makes this difficult. I spend my year working with these kids on their academic skills. However, a great deal of my time is spent building their self esteem and making them realize that they are NOT STUPID. Then comes this dreaded week... where I have to put a grade level test in front of them and force them to do it all on their own. I can't read to them. They are forced to write an extended written response to a reading selection... too bad they can't read it! By the end of the week, they just look defeated. I feel defeated. My heart breaks for them.

So now I will spend the rest of the year rebuilding their trust in me and the education system. I am glad the tests are over, so now I can teach the things that they really need to know to be good human beings. Things like thinking for yourself, enjoying a piece of literature just as entertainment, creating a budget, etc... I could go on and on about this. But I am done... the tests will soon be on their way to the state for grading. The other great side to this testing... we only got the results from LAST YEAR a few weeks ago. Too bad we had no idea what areas we needed to address. Love it when politicians get involved in education.... OK, vent really over now!
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On a scrapbooking note, I have been busy. I have so much other stuff that I need to do, but scrapbooking is my creative outlet that helps to keep my sanity. Here are some of my recent projects.

This is a centerpiece I made for a co-workers shower. She is getting married on St. Patrick's day (which is a great day, of course!)

I was also asked by another co-worker to create a shower gift for her to give. She is hosting the shower today and wanted a way for people to leave a message for the bride to be. I created two envelope albums that have cards inside for people to leave a message. I can't wait to hear how it worked at the shower today!

This is one of the books closed

These are two of my favorite pages.

My friend Megan came over last night to work on another shower gift for one of her best friends. We made a cute chipboard album. I wish I had thought to take a picture of it, but it was after midnight by the time she left. :-) While she worked on that, I finally covered the "CREATE" letters I have had forever. The new BG papers from the Phoebe line are perfect for my studio. They are covered in paper, but I think I might want to add some more detail. They are sitting here next to me staring at me! :)

Chris is at the State Meet... I miss him lots! I just got the photos from the Marathon printed at Wal-Mart. I think I might try to put together a little mini book tonight so he knows how much I missed him! :) I "borrowed" some coasters from Outback when we went to dinner and I had the pictures printed at wallet size. We'll see!

Have a great week!

December 6/Christmas Journal Day 5

So I am a little behind. It's already after 8:00 and I only have Day 5 done. Looks like I might end up being behind until the weekend. We'll see!

This prompt was about Advent Calendars and couting down to Christmas. Here is my journaling:

There are 20 days until Christmas Day. Christmas really starts on Christmas Eve, so really there are only 19 days! It seems so far away and yet so soon at the same time. There is still so much that I have to do and so much that I want to do.

I have fond memories of advent calendars growing up. When I was in elementary school, my mother worked for a German company. Her main responsibility was booking the travel arrangements for the many executives in the company, often for trips to Germany. She was very well liked and often received small tokens from the executives when they returned from a trip. Each Christmas, she was given two advent calendars filled with the most amazing German chocolate! There was one for my sister and one for me.

Each day had a little door that opened to reveal a picture and a piece of this amazing chocolate. Opening the day’s door was one of the highlights of each day in December. One year the calendar even had pieces that got larger the closer we got to Christmas! I can almost feel those wonderful bits of chocolate on my tongue as I type this entry!

It has been years since I received or bought an advent calendar. I don’t know why. Maybe it seemed a little too childish for grown adults to get excited about a piece of chocolate. Maybe it was the fact that I haven’t really looked forward to Christmas for the past few years.

This year is different. Although I may not have little doors to open that reveal savory bits of chocolate, I do have a treat each day leading up to Christmas. I can’t wait to see the day’s prompt from Shimelle each day. Opening my email is just as magical as those little doors on the chocolate calendar. In the end, this journal will be my advent calendar. Maybe next year I will invest in some chocolate, too!

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First day with the new hair color. You just have to love middle school boys. More than one of my students said to me today, "What happened to your hair?" :-) One even told me he didnt like it, but maybe he will get used to it. Another suggested that maybe next time I should color my hair pink.

I came home today to a clean house. Chris cleaned this morning before going to work. I am so lucky to have such an amazing man for a husband. That left me more time to play tonight. I wouldn't have even gotten one day done if he hadn't done the chores for me. :-)

Should think about making dinner soon. I accidently bought a jar of MUSHROOM spaghetti sauce. Chris and I HATE mushrooms. Looks like I will be making some from the plain tomato sauce I have in the cabinet!