By the Numbers

Stealing this numbers post idea from some of my blog buds...

105,005: Total number of miles turned on my car speedometer when I arrived at work this morning.

$700: Amount we'll owe out of pocket for Emma's recommended dental work. (Including a cap for her chipped tooth and additional cavity fillings. Sighs. I feel like Mother of the Year. Not.)

100: Number of 8th graders I'm helping chaperone on the field trip to Universal Studios Islands of Adventures. (Crossing fingers that we have tickets to the park with the new Harry Potter stuff....but I think HP is in the other park.)

95: Degrees Fahrenheit when we were at Magic Kingdom last week. It was by far the hottest and most crowded time we've ever been to Disney before. I'm grateful we live close enough we can visit on off-season times, as it was super-duper hot. In the late afternoon, Em said, "Can we go back to the hotel and watch TV?" because she was super tired and overheated. We did end up leaving early and swimming at our hotel by 9 p.m. It was still a nice weekend getaway.

76: Number of times I've thought about blogging in the past few weeks. Sometimes I'm super busy. Other times I feel I have nothing worthy of blogging about....thus I consider posting and don't.

13: Number of school days left for students.

12: Number of classes I am now responsible for grades and attendance for. This tally is 6 higher than my number the rest of the year, due to one of my colleagues resigning from the county last week. A long-term sub has covered his position for the remainder of the school year, but Yours Truly is stuck with keying in grades and attendance.

6th: The grade I'll be teaching next year. (I'm switching to 6th from 8th...and am eager for the change!)

4: Total days left until the end of the year celebration at Em's pre-school.

2: Number of mini classroom libraries I won at an end of the year reading celebration yesterday. Sweet!

0: The amount of energy I have left after this week of end of the year reviews in preparation for next week's final exams for my students. Sighs.

Nearly Halfway Through May

Whew! May has arrived with a whirlwind of events...

Kindergarten: Em is officially enrolled in Kindergarten classes at the school across the street from mine for next school year. Gulp.

Parents' Visit: My parents' visit was wonderful! They were able to have LOTS of grandparent time with Emma, and she continues to frequently mention things they did during their visit.

I'm not sure what happened last year, but classes at Em's school were not permitted to have any off-campus field trips requiring a bus this year. However, they have found amazing things to bring TO the school for "field trips" in the building or parking lot. (Not the same, but better than nothing.) My parents first day in Florida, they were able to chaperone Em and her classmates as they attended a petting zoo field day. Pics below were taken by my Dad...


Goats


Tired sheep


Pony ride

DH and I didn't take time off of work...which I felt badly about at first. However, it turns out my parents and Em were able to have some amazing times together. They went to the beach and the storytime and art classes at the library. On Saturday we all went to the zoo. We were able to meet up with DH's parents for dinner that night. It was nice to have time with both sets of "grands" together.


Grandpa, Emma, and Grandma at the Jacksonville Zoo

We loved having them here for a visit, and can't wait to see them again this summer!

Mother's Day: Last Friday, Emma's class hosted a wonderful Mother's Day luncheon. When I entered the hallway, Em's teacher was standing there. I saw her gesture to Emma who greeted me with a photograph and adorable book she had made. The book includes her handprints, a poem, a beautiful hand drawn picture of me, and the following survey (Em's responses are in purple):

My mother has blue eyes and blonde hair. (True.)
My mom is 45 years old. (Ack! She aged me by 10 years!)
My mom likes to go places with me. (Yup!)
My mom is prettiest when she goes to a fancy party. (I must not be at my "prettiest" that often, as I can't remember the last time I went to a fancy party. Lol.)
My mom is funniest when she tickles me. (What? My jokes aren't the funniest??)
I like when she cooks mac & cheese. (Sighs. We have it at least once a week, since it's Em's favorite.)
I don't like her to cook hashbrowns. (Noted.)
She likes me to help her clean the counter. (Sure, but how about your room?)
When I'm nice, she buys me presents. (Interesting perspective.)
When I'm naughty, she gives me a time out. (How old do you have to be before you can get grounded? Kidding...)

After reviewing the handmade book, Em escorted me to her classroom where I was seated at a lovely table complete with centerpiece and tablecloth. Em then brought me a rose, and we had time to mingle and talk with other students and their mothers.

Next, Ms. Tyson (Em's amazing teacher) led a prayer. Then the children performed a lovely song for us. They sung "The World" by Brad Paisley. However, they replaced "baby" with "mommy," so it went something like this...

To the waiter at the restaurant
You're just another tip;
To the guy at the ice cream shop
You're just another dip;
When you can't get reservations
'Cause you don't have the clout,
Or you didn't get an invitation
'Cause somebody left you out,
That's alright, that's OK.
When you don't feel important, Honey,
All I've got to say is
To the world
You may be just another girl
But to me
Mommy, you are the world!

Awww! What a lovely tribute! We then ate a nice lunch---completely served by Em and her classmates.


Em and I at the luncheon


Sandwich centerpieces


Close-up of my rose

Recital/Concert: That evening, was the end-of-year celebration for the Em's preschool. It included her first dance performance. SOOOOOO cute! (I'm not posting many pics because they have classmates faces in them....don't want to post without parental permission.)

Em is the ponytail blonde on the far left


Em's first roses...DH surprised her with them.


Ballet pose


Ice cream after the concert


A-Blizzard-eating-ballerina

Disney: This weekend we are Disney bound to use the 4th day of our Florida-4-Day passes before it expires at the end of the month.

Chip off the ole block: Em and I are home from school today because Em collided with a see-saw handle at school and chipped her tooth on Tuesday afternoon. We're headed to the dentist this afternoon to make sure she didn't suffer any major damage.


Note the chip in the middle of her upper teeth? (Chipped tooth is her left central incisor.)

Hopefully I can catch up on blog commenting this afternoon. Hope everyone else's May is off to a good start. I am in the final weeks of school...last day for students in June 11th and I am ready!