My classroom- day 1

As requested here are the pictures of my first classroom. Remember .... this is day one.

When I walked in...the front...

the back right (if you are facing forward)the left side towards the front

the back half of the left side (facing front)


As you can see the room is quite big... being a corner room. I have like NO boards to hang stuff but it looks like I won't be using the chalk boards but making them into boards to hang work. All the yellow paint is SO horrible. If I had my way I would buy some and paint over crap because it is so disgusting. I just hope that once there are kids in there and stuff on the walls that it won't look TOO bad.

After seeing what Corinne... the teacher that moved to this school with me was doing I started to move furniture and figure out what I actually have. So after an hour this is what it looked like....



the left front

the left back

the right front (the rug area I think...)


the back left. I think this will be the teachers corner/computer area

As you can see I have LOT of furniture that is very miss matched. It should be interesting. Watch for updates!

Ahh

My last week of freedom for the next ten months. Ok.. So I don't work straight for ten months but would you REALLY want to teach five days a week for 10 months!? I would go insane! Most teachers would. As much as we love our students... there is just too much to be able to do day in and day out for ten months. Though I really think that year round schooling is the way to go. My friend teaches for two or three weeks then gets a couple of weeks off. It is freaking sweet.

If you think about it. Year round schooling would eliminate a lot of things and better our children. (on my soap box for a couple of minutes.) I believe that year round schooling would hep our studetns to be able to retain information between school years. With the lack of a huge summer break I believe that our students would retain more information. I also believe that having solid, consistant breaks would better our students because they will not shut down weeks before breaks such as summer and winter. Every teachers knows that most students (especally those who are part of school systems that it is traditional) feel the need to hit summer break just after May comes around. Also the same happens when it comes to winter break but not as bad. Year around schooling helps to combat these problems because of the regular breaks.

Off my soap box.

So back to this year. I am suepr excited to see my classroom tomorrow. I will take pictures and post them so everyone can see them!

Swing a Ring

Swing a Ring. What is it you may ask?

Swing a Ring is a physical fitness apparatus is which is located in only NYC and California. It is a ring contraption that has about 8 rings on very long metal chains.
You are supposed to swing from ring to ting and back and fourth to work your upper arms.

I went to visit this contraption ... it is in Riverside Park on the west side of Manhattan. It is so awesome. There was a very nice man there that was willing to show me how to do the rings AND share his chalk for my poor hands. Ok... so I wasn't THAT bad but the fact that I couldn't get my poor feet over my head. It just takes a little effort to flip your feet over your head through your arms and apparently I couldn't get them over my head. OMG! Dang. I feel dumb. O well...

And now it is down pouring. Flash flood warnings are fun.

MOMA

The Museum of Modern Art. It is a great place. I have been there once before but I decided to go again because of the free Friday nights. When I arrived... OMG. The line was around the block and still had a half hour till it opened. After getting (even though it went really quickly) I made the quick observation that I will NEVER DO THIS AGAIN! I love the museum but I would like to actually be able to sEE the poor thing.

It was so freaking crowded that they were still letting people in at like 530. An hour and a half straight of letting people in. It was crazy. I go to a museum to see the art not the back of peoples heads. So if you are ever thinking of going to the free night .. as long as you are willing to hang out and wade through all the people... go for it. Otherwise... pay the 18 dollars to get in and enjoy at your own pace.

Family Bbq

It went really well. It was so nice to see everyone. Sadly Sarah and the kids were not able to come because of army stuff but it was so awesome to spend time with Aunt T and Uncle D with Karen Jake and Lili and dad even showed up. Most of Kathie's family was here.

I got some great pictures of the kids and the fam. Even a picture of Kathie which are very rare and far inbetween. Ill put some up when I get back to NYC on Tuesday.

Laters

OMG!

North Bend is really freaking far from Welches. Aka. about 5 hours and 15 minutes or so. Long freaking drive. But I had a great time with Debbie!

Ahh..home

It is always nice to return home. I love Oregon and I don't remember how much I miss it till I come home. I can't say that it's been the ideal trip but it's been pretty freaking cool.

I mean cool literally. Its freezing here. Ok..so it's not that cold but in comparison it is freaking cold here compared to NYC the last couple of weeks. It hasn't really been below 70 in nyc in about a month. Here its 50 at night. And then driving the topless Jeep up the mt at 10 pm... COLD! I was not prepared for this weather. I have ONE sweatshirt with me and more tank tops than I will ever need here aparently.

BUT! I have seen a large majority of my friends and have been enjoying them so much. If that is becuase I get to talk alot I do not know but its been great. I heart my David and I always will. I think I miss him the most. Then MEghan and Colleen of course because they are amazing. Wendy will always be a part of my life and I heart her mucho.

The one thing I have to say about this trip is realizing how much older we all are. Very few of my freinds have had the money or the want to walk into a brewery and just have a drink with dinner or by itself. Its so amazing to just sit and talk around a drink and not have it be a big deal. I love it! Then spending hours apon hours with friends and just enjoying the company of the other person and not realizing how much time has actually passed between walking talking and drinking!

Its been a great trip and I cant wait for Thursday in Eugene!!!

Updating the last week

Boston. I had a great time in Boston. It was so nice to get out of the city. It was nice to walk around and see all the different sites and sounds of a different city. It was also nice to remember the parts that I had been to with my mom and my fellow camp members back in the day.

Here are some pictures from Boston.

This is Feneuil Hall. This is a very nice market place. You can buy anything from a piggy bank to Abercrombie jeans. You can also see some great street performers.
This is the spot where Ben Franklin read the US Constitution to the city of Boston. It was the first time it was read publicly. That's pretty cool for a girl who's from a place with very little history.
And well. This is y favorite pla ce in Boston. It is a Dunkin' Donuts (DUH!) and it has a Sushi place in the Dunkin'. This was something I saw when I was in Boston with my mom in 2003 and I couldn't get over it. Its one of my best memories from Boston.
So this is my trip to Boston. I had a lot of fun and it was great. Let me know if you want more pictures.

boston and the zoo

Boston was fun. It was nice to get out of nyc but i definitely missed the city. I was in Camberage... where Harvard is... and I walked into an intersection just like I would in NYC and the damn cop yelled at me because I was standing there waiting. He was stupid. I wanted to yell but at the same time .. It was a cop.

Then today I went to the Bronx Zoo with my alumni association. WELL!!! At the Bronx Zoo they have.. that's right.. CAMEL RIDES!!! They have freaking camel rides. Well..of course. I had to ride a camel. It was the whole.. I have ridden a gator the least I could do is ride a camel. So here is a picture to prove it!
or a better picture..

So. By the way... those were pants that annie hemed up herself. and also took an inch off each side. It was interesting.

Statues

Here in the city it is coming close to the baseball All-Star Game. It is getting pretty hyped because of the whole last one in the Yankee Stadium that will be gone after this season. Because of this hy[e they have put statues of liberty all over the city. These statutes are different teams and different stadiums.

Well. In hearing about these statues I had to find them for myself. Well. Of course I cant live with only finding one ... I had to find them all.

After looking two different times online I finally found a map. 42 different statues from The Bronx (Yankee Stadium) to the Statute of Liberty's Island and Ellis Island. I would LOVE to get them all but I don't want to pay the 12 dollars to get the two out on the ferry.

Just another NYC adventure. I will put pictures at some point.

And tomorrow Im off to Boston for two days so I will update when I get back.

spur of the moment

So I have always been a plan type of girl but tonight was a different story.



I now have red hair. I went to the new CVS by my house... and hey there was the hair dye. After an interesting experience doing it on my own (I hope the back isnt too bad...) I now have red hair.

a present for end of school

So.. today...being payday... I finally got up the courage. I bought my WII!!!

That's right folks. I am now the proud owner of a WII!!! I have been saving a little here and there. Between tax refunds and surplus and paychecks I saved enough that I got one! I heart it mucho. I was BAD and got mario kart for it as well but what can I say? I love racing games.

The next purchace when I get the money will be the WII fit. Which is easily accessible at the WII store in Manhattan. So if you need one let me know...

O! and I had a job interview today and a call back for another one next Tuesday!

Im done... Im done.. Im done

I am SO done with school. It is great. I am done with school for 8 whole weeks. This will be the first summer in 8 years that I have not worked at all. Crazy hu?

i have no idea what I am going to do with myself for the next eight weeks besides go home for a couple.. it should be interesting.

O and...

O and I had a great interview on Wednesday. I am really hoping I get it. It is great school from what I hear and it should be a great year if I get a job there teaching second or third grade!!!

AHH...monday mornings...

SUCK!!! Then again... getting to bed before midnight would have made it not suck SO much. That's right. Midnight. O why you ask?

Because that's when I finally got home from Denver. I spent all week in Denver making sure my best friend didn't run away from her wedding weekend. That's right..wedding weekend! Being Jewish they had a whole weekend of events.

Thursday- wedding! There were a bunch of Jewish customs that I didn't know but I went with the flow.

Friday- Dinner at the parents house. This is a weekly thing but celebrated even bigger when there is a special occasion, such as a wedding.

Saturday- Services in Hebrew. That's two hours of Hebrew with a brief 20 minutes in English. It was intersting to say the least, would have been better without a hangover but it was good.. I made it through. Then lunch... between services and lunch it was about 5 hours. Then a brief rest and back to festivities at 8pm for ice cream. More family fun (or craziness) however you want to say it. Then to bed..finally gettting a good nights sleep.

Sunday-brunch. The brunch went from 10 until 1230 when I had to take myself and the grooms mom to the airport. After being delayed and hour my flight was finally off the ground and I wasnt home till 1130. And then up for school at 615. Amazing hu!~?

Ok..time to actually go and pretent to sleep.... I mean teach!

i dont know about yours...but...

I dont know about your mommy but my mommy is pretty freaking AWESOME!!!

Besides the awesome digital camera I got... my mommy sent me my favorite meal. Well..it didnt really make it all THAT well, seeing how it spent the weekend in the post office, BUT it was totally the thought that counted and shes freaking amazing. How many mommies do you know that would cook a childs favorite meal and pay a butt-load of money to ship it over night across the country just for a birthday present!?! Mine did and shes AMAZING!

Happy Birthday

Happy Birthday to me

Lightening without Thunder

Last night was CRAZY! We had an amazing lightening storm here in they city. I was so impressed by the lightening. It was everywhere and lighting up the sky all over the place. There were moments where it looked like day light because of the amount and power of the lightening. At first, it was super windy with the lightening, then it started to RAIN! And I do mean RAIN!!!

The rain was everywhere. It was awesome. As some of you may know it has be H O T around here for the last four days. 90+ every day. Last night it was probably 90 outside and then the storm hit. An hour later it was donw to 72 degrees. It made it SO nice in my bedroom. It was great!

O..and Im excited because I get my first bday present to night. Thanx mom!

So craziness

So one day I was walking though Union Square and there was this HUGE pillow fight. I wanted to check it out so I walked around the square. On the north end of the square there was this van. It was a campaign stop for Harvey Dent.

Harvey Dent was running for District Attorney for Gothem City. Aka the new Batman Movie stunt. After figuring out what it was and figuring it couldnt hurt I decided to join in.

Well.. after months of waiting they finally put up a site on the rally. Well..aparrently being a girl in this rally of mostly guys a girl is rare. So, out of all the rallies around the county (about 30 fo them) I was put on the promotional video!!!

Check out Annie on the video!

Just a Reminder

For those of you who don't remember... two week from tomorrow (Monday) is my birthday. It would be better for you to get your presents in the mail early!!!

Just a friendly reminder!