stinking toads

well world...it didn't take long.  the toads are gone.  i went in this morning and they were not in the tank.  i had a student come up and check to make sure they weren't under any rocks and they weren't.  so we cleaned out the tank and i pretty much figured the kids whose mom brought them in stole them and took them back home.  or maybe they climbed out, but it is quite a big tank and they would have to be very very motivated have magically have to turn into tree frogs overnight, which i doubted  happened.  if they did get out, i figured they'd be laying dead around the tank, but there was nothing. and if they did get out maybe one would have gotten out...not all three.  the toads were not by the tank...they didn't come crawling out during the day... they weren't in the bag with the crickets.... they weren't hiding in the christmas tree or in my desk drawers...or any of the kid's desks.  they are just gone.  period.  i really think the one kid took them and is totally lying to me about it...or there is a slight chance someone from church could have been up there and taken the toads.  i have no idea where they are.  i sent the crickets home with the kid today.  i figured if he did take the toads back at least they would have some food.  i was really surprised that my students were as upset about it as they were. we didn't even get to name them.  we voted on names...but they were not revealed today...since there were no toads.  they were really bummed out and are already asking for a new pet in january.  they are asking for fish.  it is kinda hard to steal a fish...so we may do that.   i am hoping there is not a chapter 3 to this story...and they don't show up tomorrow...in any form or fashion.  the mom of the kid who brought them in originally asked me today if i wanted her to replace them.  i graciously said "no thank you.  i think we'll try some fish out in january..."

r.i.p.

unnamed toads

december10, 2009 -- december 14, 2009

may your tank always be clean and full of live crickets

a little less jose feliciano, please...

i have heard 'feliz navidad' at least 4 times today at different times while driving.  i don't dislike that song, but i have had enough of  'feliz navidad'.   lets build some variety into our playlists christmas stations.  i have yet to hear 'i want a hippopotomus for christmas"...  that is a despicable.  and the muppets version of the 12 days of christmas... nowhere to be heard.  not even the grinch one time! what is happening to us world?? 

paper, cricket, toad....

i am SO ready for a BREAK!  only 5 1/2 more school days until christmas vacation.  i am averaging some math grades and i am just not thrilled...not thrilled at their current averages and all the lessons they have not turned in and i am not thrilled at the fact i am sitting here having to average a bunch of grades.  i really feel like i have reverted (that is a word, right?) back to being a 7th grader.  i will do anything not to have to do any actual work.  well...  not always, but like this close to a holiday... i don't want to do much of anything.  and due to me not wanting to do any work... i have a MOUNTAIN of papers to grade.  i have been having some 8th graders help me get some of it graded.  they reluctantly comply...so i have been letting them listen to their ipods while they grade.  that is only while the rest of the class is at drama practice.  so there are only 2 kids in the room... 

on another note...  a parent dropped off some fire-bellied toads yesterday.  oh imagine my joy.  :/  they are really cool and the kids like them...but really world, do you think i need toads?!!!  i do not, thankyouverymuch.  one more thing for me to have to mess with at school.  they eat crickets and go figure, they are picky eaters and only eat the living crickets.  the students are pretty eager to help out with feeding (you know i am NOT touching anything related to any of that....) and with the cleaning of the tank.  i am hoping that it won't wear off and that they will maintain the toads.  today the kids submitted names for two of the toads (i am being selfish and i am naming one myself).  some of the name submissions included: frog 1, frog 2 (not bad, but they are toads...not frogs!), apples, bonquiqui, devonte, mark, dave, stan, sammy, ozzy, axle, navidad, and starburst.  there are a lot more, but you get what i am working with here.   i shake my head at these toads and at my turkey students.

13 days until las vegas! <3

christmas cattitude caroling

this morning a couple of students were talking about christmas music and i remembered when i was younger the cats that meowed christmas carols were really a big deal. so of course i look it up on youtube to see if i can find it.  they are called "jingle cats" (jingles has a band, aem!!!) and a few kids watched the video with me and we all laughed so much.  they are wanting to do a jingle cats performance next wednesday when i speak chapel...  :/ 

so here to help ring in the season is jingle cat's rendition of "silent night".  ;)

309

on my way home from work this afternoon i was thinking/praying about a lot of things...related to my whole not being married thing.  some days i am fine with being single.  today was not one of those days.  at all.  i have been listening a lot to the jesus culture cds and on one there is "how he loves".  i had a bit of a revelation.  the same way that i desire to be married and have a love is the same desire god has to be with me.  the same way my heart yearns to be joined with anothers...god's yearns to be joined with mine.  the way i want to pursue relationships, god pursues me.  i want to be committed...god wants me to be committed to him.  i want a husband to be my covering...my protection...my confidant...god is offering all of that... and i have been not even paying attention.  i know how i feel...how frustrated....how angry...how discouraged i can be...  how much more does god feel that when it comes to me?  i am so sick of waiting.  i am pretty sure god is too...

where are you christmas?

it took me 7 tries and 5 of those crazy letter things you have to type in to make sure you aren't a robot to sign into my blogger account tonight.  on my computer it automatically puts in my password for me, but i am typing on amy's computer which is less compliant with filling in my passwords automatically.  lo, i have accessed my account and now i am able to type freely.

so this year for some reason i am just NOT into christmas.  i am usually obsessed with all things christmas related, but this year, i am having a difficult time getting into the christmas spirit.  i don't know what the deal is, but i kind of feel guilty about it....

we have smudges on our freezer door that look like jesus.  i do not lie. if you want to see it, you can for a special holiday special price.  we can't sell our freezer (it houses the tater tots) on ebay, like how people sell the dorito that has the image of the virgin mary on it....  i told beck about stainless steel jesus fridge and she did not believe me at first. but then beck saw it... proving that i am not completely crazy.  she thinks it looks like jesus is frowning at us and her expert opinion is that he is upset that we haven't been at church recently....  i am going tomorrow...so hopefully when i go home, the smudges will have a happier face since i attended church.  ;)

a brief distraction...

i have officially been loving wii fit....  that is until today...when i set up my profile.  i am fairly realistic and i knew what the results would say, but my wii fit age is 51 and it changes to make you "plumper" than your original mii.  way to motivate wii fit.  :/

i am really trying to get all my paperwork done for my classes tomorrow, but i am SO not wanting to do it and i am trying to keep from getting distracted.  i am doing laundry, so that provides a break every 20 minutes or so, but my attention span is really the pits. 

only three school weeks left and in 24 days i will be going to see my beloved sister!  i am so excited!!  :)