Beatboxing flute inspector gadget remix

Someone showed this today in our class. I thought it was amazing.

closet

I worked on cleaning out my closet at school yesterday. I found a box with 3 washcloths and a single sock in it. Really, who boxes up 3 washcloths and a sock? I gave the washcloths to the sped program, they need to wash things. I was going to throw the sock away, but the sped teacher gave it to his para as a gift. she in turn is going to turn it into a bald headed sped teacher sock voodoo doll and return it as a gift. fair trade. I also found random goodwill quality sweatshirts and leggings, I gave them to the health clerk for kids who need changes of clothes. And 20 year old stuffing that had half melted. I am being fairly merciless in the closet... which means I will have room in there to move and get to stuff (maybe?) Jens should see the organization that is going on. He would be proud.

I am also coming up with all of these projects for kids to do, and making a list on the board and letting them earn the privilege of working for me during their recess. It makes me laugh to see kids fighting over each other to do my grunt work... and I tell them that if I hear them or the class I am teaching notices them, they will be forced to go to recess, so they all work quietly... it is wonderful :)

circus a success

It went well, there were a couple of little glitches and unexpected or planned rounds, but in all--great. they were adorable and that's all that matters... right?

My favorite moments:

The clown noses popping off randomly when they sang their song, and seeing them chase around the stage to put their nose back on, couldn't have planned something more perfectly clown-y.

One of my dogs (who were ALL remarkably dog-like) actually sitting like a dog and reaching her foot up and scratching her ear.

today might just be crazy

so yesterday was crazy, I can just assume today will be too...

For the slide show I have been working on all week for the awards assemblies, The computer wouldn't work. Well, would work, wouldn't communicate with the network or the projector. and didn't have cables long enough to make it do that from where we needed it to be to project... so, watching a slide show on my little computer is now part of music this week.

I taught in a room with curtains hung and risers up in a little corner all day, today will be worse. I have two rehearsals, as well, before the concert tonight.

Yesterday moms showed up and spent two hours after school with crazy children running around my room decorating. I was delegated to color these blown up, traced with the help of an overhead by one of the moms clip art circus scenes with about 8 little helpers. We did a fairly good job. Then I cut around them to hang them up. Keaton (one of my little kinder friends) told me I am "a real good cutter" that is a high compliment from a kindergartner.

I don't know what to expect today, but I am sticking 80 kindergarteners on the stage in cute little ears and tails. WHatever happens, the end result will be cute.

And as I just noticed, looking at the little clip art thing I added, I colored the pig brown because I thought it was a bear... I thought it was a bear with a shirt and leggings and a tutu, and then the hooves were the paws sticking out. I was wondering why they were square-ish. hmm... maybe I need to do some more practicing coloring with my kinder buddies. though they didn't correct me, maybe I need some 1st grade coloring buddies to help me out.

NO MORE CIRCUS!!!

So, I just finished my circus costumes. Today I set up the risers, taught around them, labeled each little kindergarten spot with their name where they stand, and finished the last of the costumes. I made a lot. 86. 86 costumes, ok, most of them were just ears and tails, but still... thats A LOT of ears and tails and manes and hats... So now Alissa and I are going to go on a no more circus sweat shop victory dinner. Now if we just get the stage set and decorated tomorrow, and somehow the kiddos remember what they are doing on thursday night, and at least smile :) so they are cute :) but I only have 5 1/2 days, 2 awards assemblies, 1 program, 3 major slide shows, 90 dvds to make for the 6th graders (what was I thinking?) and about 45 (depending on who actually shows up) classes left to teach, and 5 days of boring classes to sit in before I get to start my summer break.

morning thoughts

I'm lazy. And a procrastinator. I am no closer to having my circus costumes done today than I was yesterday. But a mom told me she knew where to buy clown noses and was going there after school to buy 15 of them. That's nice--yeah for moms.

I also had 15 voice mails on my phone when I checked it before I left. I didn't listen to any of them, because I was already late in leaving and didn't even want to know cause I wasn't going to deal with them anyway... Oh, to know that's what I have waiting for me when I get to work...

And it is sad to say, but I have not ridden my bike since the 30 miles almost two weeks ago. I did learn how to change a tube and it is pumped up and in the garage. I really need to ride it or I will die on August 4th. If you can die from trying to ride up a mountain while being totally unprepared? I also created a (rather lame) page for the courage. I need a good biking picture to put on there, but until then, it will have to do. If you want to check it out: http://www.firstgiving.com/katieolson

I am reading this really good book right now (when do I have time to read, you ask, I don't, except when I am awake from 1-4 in the middle of the night and can't sleep, or avoiding finishing circus costumes) It's called "Blue Like Jazz" The title doesn't make any sense to me. But it is a good book. The guy is very irreverent and hilarious in how he says stuff, but very honest and non-christian about his faith and christianity. I read this other book last year called "Girl Meets God" that was very much the same way, only the girl grew up vaguely jewish-baptist and confused, converted to full-on orthodox judiasm, and then from there became a christian and is now a christian author and part of an episcopal church. (she says some very interesting things about liturgy and jewish customs) My problem is the entire time I am reading the blue jazz book, I am thinking, this boy needs to get together with the girl from the other book. They are perfect for each other :) Ok, maybe not, but it is what I think.

sweat shop update

Update on the circus costume sweatshop:

Today Alissa and I finished 19 Monkey tails, 7 elephant trunks, 15 pony tails, and 15 clown hats. all that is left is the pony manes and hopefully the one mom brings back the elephant ears.

Anyone have any idea where one could purchase clown noses?

7 1/2 days left... plus 5 if you count the days I have to be in class...

Megan, Lindsay, and I went to dinner and Ocean's 13 tonight after work. We went to the Olive Garden. Megan made the mistake of turning around and asking the guy behind her what he had ordered (it looked/smelled good) this opened up the door to him hitting on us for the next hour or so. As his son who was at dinner with him (and spent the hour rolling his eyes at his dad) was older than any of us... none of us picked up the bait. Interesting character. Then we saw Ocean's 13. It was good. Surprising, a sequel to a sequel is actually good. And funny. And not dirty/gross/tasteless humor. Funny/clean/smart/witty humor. I enjoyed it. Then we went to Lindsay's house for some dessert, (who can turn down chocolate) and I drove Megan home--after a 3 days at 6th grade camp, she was not in a position to drive... and now I am going to crash! Hopefully I can sleep in, I've slept through my alarm the last 3 mornings...

circus sweat shop

Last night in the sweatshop here at my house, alissa finished all of the bear ears for the kindergarten sweatshop. I cut out 15 clown hats. Sewed one. Alissa, it looks like kept sewing through the night (or at least into, she is switching to night shift today, so must have been trying to stay up) It also looks like she may have been stuffing some monkey tails. finish the hats, finishing stuffing the tails, make some little elephant trunks, and then it is just putting the outfits together... exciting news, I know, I know...

Also cleaned the house last night, and bought a rug for by the garage door so hopefully we don't have to scrub the carpet there so much.

And Alissa made rhubarb crisp last night. Still not done with the rhubarb mom brought us, a pan of rhubarb delight and rhubarb crisp later, and i did 1 1/2 times the rhubarb in the delight, couldn't convince alissa to add to the crisp recipe. Crisps evidently are an exact science, I didn't know this, I never measure OR bother with a recipe when I make them, and I have never gotten a complaint...

I took my bike on a ferry boat ride

The bike enjoyed it's first ferry ride. Alissa and I decided to ride around Vashon Island yesterday. Thought it would be a great afternoon. We stopped at the bike store, at rei, at top foods and then missed the boat by 2 minutes, so we waited and ate our lunch. We got on the ferry, met a man who told us which direction to take and such. The little bike enjoyed it's ride. we got off the ferry, tried to pump tires a bit. mine wouldn't hold any air, in fact it all went out. I was frustrated. A man came by, he wanted to help. We didn't have any tools. Neither did he. We realized that the valve stem got half torn off my tube. No wonder it won't hold air. We didn't have a tube. So we walked back down to the dock and waited for the next ferry. on the way home we talked to the attempted helper, John and another biker. Most things, according to them were "kick a--" including the hills on the island which they didn't think we could make, and the courage, which they didn't think we would finish. John actually has a bike he rigged as a 7th grader with a motor to help that he rides when on the island, I think that may be a wee bit crazy, but I think Vashon, if we get farther than the ferry dock would be good for training. It at least has some hills. Technically, in the summer if we got adventurous, we could make a whole day trip and do vashon to southworth and come to Olalla, or something crazy like that... We got back to the car, stopped at gart sports and freddies to get tubes and tools so now I can attempt to change a tube... fun, fun... we'll see if I can do it, or if I am taking it to the bike boys for help... but not today, today I have 650 (x2) grades to do before tomorrow. Oops, shoulda started that before today... oh, well, it'll be fun...

movie not to see...

unless you want to be offended (and believe me, it will get you somehow...) don't go see "Knocked Up" Alissa and I thought it looked funny. No. It wasn't. I don't know if it was the language, or nudity, or almost-porn quality, or the raunchy humor, or the drugs, or the jewish jokes, or the ever so close up shots of a baby's head crowning on a big screen, or any of the number of other reasons to avoid it. On top of it all, it wasn't THAT funny. Don't put yourself through it.

REI

Last night I went to rei between work and the district band festival. I started looking at bike shorts. I found ones that have an outer, non-skin-tight short, in addition to the butt padding. while I was looking at them, I saw a camel back thing (regular $55) reduced to $19.98-worth getting the rei one, not the costco one for the same price... then trying on the shorts, I saw the cutest pink chacos... I went down, paid for it all and it seemed like way to much on the total, I let it go because there was a line and then stepped off to the side to look at the receipt. Turns out the camel back wasn't on sale. But being that it was rei and i found it on that rack, and there was another one on it too, they honored the price and I got a deal. $19.98 for a $55 backpack thing. too bad the chacos weren't on sale. but they work for work (I think) and work out--a good deal.