Roughin' It

This week, I, along with 5 other teachers, 30 parent volunteers and 1 principal are taking 122 5th graders camping. I, am not an outdoorsy (not sure if that is a word) person. I have no problem admitting that. I love soaking up the sun during the summer months and working in the garden in the spring time, but the cold and I do not mix. At all. I would rather have my legs waxed than be outside when it's cold. Anything below 73* and I have a light jacket on. Right now, it is in the 40*s and I am going to be miserable, but, I am packing accordingly and going to make sure all the little kiddies have a blast because this is the one thing these kids look forward to.

This is their 'right of passage'. They look forward to this trip for years. They will talk about this trip for years and I know I will remember it for years also. I'm sure I will come back with a ton of good stories. The 5th grade team is a hoot and I can't wait to see what happens.

So, I'm leaving behind the 'girly' items and I promised the girls in my class I would be roughing it (they aren't allowed to bring a straitener, blow dryer, etc.) and I told them I will be looking like a mountain woman too. Here's to hoping I have as much fun as they say I will, because I'm not going to lie, I'm pretty nervous.

Today, they broke me..

Today.. my fifth graders broke me. I cried, not like give me an academy award for the waterworks but my eyes filled up with tears and I just couldn't hold them in and they just spewed out. I had my head turned and thankfully wasn't in from of the whole class but still, they broke me.

If I have learned anything from this whole experience, it is how that much more important manners are to me and instilling them in my unborn child. Sometimes the students think it's strange that I say 'yes ma'am/no ma'am' to the teacher who's classroom I'm in. One, she is the same age as my mom, two, I was taught it's respectful to respect your elders. These kids are so disrespectful to not only me but they are so rude to each other. I honestly can't get over it.

I cried out of frustration.. I was frustrated with the sass they gave me, the fact that they were telling me I was wrong and then arguing with me. I am all for debating your point when you think you're right, but one can do so in a polite way. I guess it is something that comes with age.

I love that I am student teaching in two grades ( I move back to 1st grade in March and stay until the last week of April). I student taught in 1st grade from Aug-Oct then moved to 5th grade and I will stay with them until the last week of Feb. It has really opened my eyes to what I really want. And let me tell you, what I thought I wanted, has completely changed!

And the hunt begins..

This weekend we shall embark on our house hunting journey. Thinking about it makes me ill. It seems like an uphill battle. I dont know why the thought of buying a home seems so difficult to me. I just have this notion that wherever you go, everyone is out to get you. Ever feel that way? Like you are going to get screwed no matter what? I believe in karma so I always go out of my way to do nice things for other people, you just never know! I am hoping that not only does our house buying go well, but Mr. G and I can agree on a house. He sometimes can be a tad bit on the unreasonable side and I have to be the voice of reason, even if it isn't the most popular.

On another note, I stole something for the first time today. I have never stolen anything before and this was totally by accident. It has been pouring down rain here all day and COLD. This is important because I had to buy camping supplies because we are taking all of our five 5th grade classes camping next week (Lord help me) and I needed some supplies. I ventured to the store to buy some travel size toiletries and didn't see the little $0.52 toothpaste left in my basket until I got to my car. I parked in the middle of nowhere and it was cold and pouring down rain otherwise I would have gone back in and paid for it. I felt really bad.

I went to IHOP afterwards with another teacher friend, to make up for my naughtiness, I donated $1 to St.Jude when I paid. I know, if I felt this bad, I could have gone in and paid, but my shoes were all wet and It was 40* and pouring down rain! I know, I know, excuses are like asses, everyone has one, but still... the sky was literally falling.

Do you ever have days..

Where you don't get full? No matter how much you eat, you just can't get that feeling of getting full? Not that you're not satisfied or that you are bored but that you are genuinely famished. ALL day today, I was just so hungry! I even drove through McDonalds (first time in forever) and was still hungry afterwards! At 2:00, you would have thought I hadn't had a drop of food all day. I don't know what my deal was!

Anyone out there have food they eat that suppress hunger? Maybe I'm eating the wrong foods. I'm not going to lie, ever since I started my residency, I have been so overwhelmed and stressed and I haven't been the healthiest eater and my workout habits have gone down the drain. I am working on that as it is my new goal for the year. I think this is effecting my sleep too.

Any advice? Please. :)

Here goes nothing!

I have followed other peoples blogs for awhile now.. wanted to start my own, but I was scared for lack of a better word. How can an adult be scared of cyber world is beyond me but none the less, I was. Now, I'm starting a 'journey', but some days it seems more like a roller coaster ride, a ride that I am glad to be on, but need reminding some days.

An introduction does seem appropriate now.

My name is Taylor, I'll refer to myself as T. I'm married to K, who is a soldier in the Army. We have a dog named Hero who is spoiled rotten. I am a student teacher right now, about to embark on a job hunt for employment in the Fall. If not, hopefully I can start my Master's. I'm not the type of person to fly by the seat of my pants AT ALL, but with the military, I don't really have an option at this point and time.

I look forward to blogging and looking back months from now to see where I was and how far I've come, I'm sure I'll cringe a little too.