This Tourist is Ready for a Vacation!!

Yesterday was Day 2 of Homecoming Spirit Week, and the theme was Tourist Tuesday.

And guess what I didn't do?  

Yep.  Get a picture of myself.  Totally forgot until I was driving home last night.

Don't be too disappointed.  My dress-up consisted of jean capris, a t-shirt, a hat, sunglasses, and flip flops.  That's it.  Nothing that special at all, really.

Because when I think about going on vacation, that's basically all I wear.  

Ah, vacation.  Wouldn't that be nice?  And yesterday was a day I could have really used one.  

I spent most of my day, yesterday, wearing my heart on my sleeve...and almost breaking in to tears more times than I care to mention.  Which is totally NOT me.  I'm not a very emotional person, so when I'm on the verge of tears...there has to be something major causing it.

The major was lack of sleep, served with a pairing of monthly hormones, with a side of stress.

Fun.  Not.

I've been going pretty much non-stop these past few weeks, with very little down time.  This past weekend was a major strain on my relax time being that Saturday I was up and out by 6:30AM, and then the past two days I haven't been home before 9PM.  

Couple that with those pesky monthly hormones that are visiting me right now.

And then throw in the fact that I'm super stressed with some demands that have been put on me this year in my classroom, that I'm trying everything in my power to stay on top of...but feel like I'm failing.  Miserably.

It all got to be so much that I finally broke down.  Got to that place where I'd just had enough... and when that happens, my mouth starts a flappin' and I'm going to pop off stuff I don't mean or throw my frustrations in the wrong direction.

Thankfully, though, I work with a bunch of people that have come to know me well enough to realize that when my mouth starts going, and tears start springing to my eyes... it's time for an intervention.  Cause I don't just do that kinda stuff willy nilly.  It has to be pretty major or pretty pent up for it to get to that level.

And I wasn't shocked when I saw the email in my inbox yesterday afternoon from Mrs. P asking for me to go and see her.

I don't know why, but anytime I receive an email like that from my principal, I get that "oh no, I'm in trouble" feeling.  Which is very stupid...because I've never received an email like that and actually been in trouble.  If anything, I should be to the point of understanding that when I do receive an email of that nature that it's just a "time for an intervention" email, or "I just have a quick question for you" email.  Because that's what they usually are.

Yesterday's email was of the intervention kind.

After school, I went to see Mrs. P.  And it took a lot to hold back the tears that I'd wanted to let out all day...and actually did let out a couple of times away from co-workers.  And she did what she always does - made me feel better.  

I walked in ready to rip my hair out.  I left thinking "I can do this, I've got this.  I'm a person that loves a challenge...and I am ready to stand up to it".  It always helps when Mrs. P throws in a few compliments and words of encouragement.

In a way, she's my coach.  Waiting on the sidelines, watching me make my plays.  She's ready to correct me when I need correcting, provide ideas when I need ideas, and just give me a friendly pat on the backside when I just need to hear some kudos.  And regardless which one she's doing, she never fails at reminding me that I'm a strong player on the team.  A player that's needed, plays a hard game, and NEVER quits.

All day, yesterday, I made an agreement with myself that once school was out I would lock my classroom door and just let it all out.  Cry.  Sob.  Release the pent up frustration.  

But, after leaving her office, I didn't have to do that.  Instead, it was back to my class and to my mentor teacher (my other coach) for play strategies and a game plan.

Wow, can you tell I've got football on the brain this week?  HA!

Today, I feel much better...and I'm ready to put some new ideas in to effect.  I'm ready to start taking a different look at the challenges I've been dealing with and face them head on.  No more crying.  No more getting all stressed out.  I was reminded yesterday that I was the one to ask for these challenges in the first place...and sometimes you just have to be careful what you wish for.

But, they're right.  I kinda sorta did ask for these challenges, so it's only right that I stand up and do what I totally intend on doing.  I truly believe I can work miracles and change the lives of 25 kids.  Nobody gets left behind.  Nobody gets to slip through the cracks.  Nobody gets to slack off in my room and feed me excuses that they "can't".  "Can't" is a word I've banned in my room... so I darned well better apply that to myself!

It's fitting that with my newfound confidence comes Wacky Wednesday.  Dress up as Wacky as possible.

I'm less than 5 minutes away from starting that process...and I have no idea what that process is going to end up like.  But, I PROMISE to get pictures today.  I'm sure they're going to be awesome.  HA!

Alright, time to go...

Have an AWESOME Wednesday...and may it be just a little Wacky, or a lot Wacky if you're lucky enough to work where I do.  

Bringing Some Magic to School...Disney Magic, That Is

                               

All Hail The Red Queen!!! 

What do you think?  Pretty awesome little costume, right? 

The things I do for spirit days is beyond me.  But, you gotta admit, I look pretty awesome.

I know the picture is a little blurry... how about a close up?

                     

Why yes, that is lipstick drawn in to the shape of a heart on my lips.  

Yesterday was the first day of Homecoming Spirit Week for our district.  And things got underway with Magical Monday - The Magic of Disney.  We were challenged to dress up as our favorite Disney characters.

Anyone that knows me in real life will know that I don't exactly put off any form of "Disney Princess" vibes.  There's not really a Princess like bone in my body.  It has nothing to do with looks, it has everything to do with personality.  There's just no way I could be lady-like enough to dress up like a Princess.

But, if there was a Disney character that showed off my true personality...then you know it would be The Queen of Hearts.

For one day, yelling "OFF with their Heads!" was something I could say out loud, and actually get away with.  HA!! Just kidding.  Or am I?

This little number came to me while Peanut and I were driving home from her volleyball tournament on Saturday.  We were brainstorming ideas, and both Peanut and I knew I needed some kind of villain costume.  It's always fun to get my kiddos nice and comfortable...thinking I'm not a mean teacher at all...and then BLAM!! Throw 'em off by dressing up as an evil queen.

I bounced around the various evil characters from all of the princess movies...but I didn't feel like dressing up as any of those.  And then, it hit me.  The Queen of Hearts.  Such an easy costume to put together...even if it doesn't really look like the Queen from the Disney movie.  People would get my intent, at least.  

I went to Walmart on Sunday and picked up a white apron, some red card stock, a red foam crown, and a pack of cheap playing cards.  

With the card stock, I cut out one big heart, three medium hearts, and two small hearts.  I then pinned the big heart to the top of the apron, the medium hearts down the front, and stapled the small hearts to a pair of black canvas shoes.  

I paired my creations with a black summer dress underneath, with a red t-shirt underneath that.  The red robe I already owned, and it actually belongs to a very nice nightgown set I own but never wear.  I created the necklace by threading red ribbon through two holes in each Heart playing card, except for the Queen.  I saved that to staple to the front of the crown.  I finished up with some red lipstick in the shape of a heart on my lips.  And voila!  Queen of Hearts.  

Martha Stewart or the Family Circle magazine will undoubtably be calling me anytime to ask permission to share my awesome ideas.

I honestly thought that a day like Magical Monday would be quite the challenge for both staff and students.  It's harder than you think putting together a Disney like costume.  Thankfully, Halloween is right around the corner, so people were able to pick up stuff they needed a lot easier...and we actually had a great turnout of Disney characters at school yesterday.

Here's a group shot of almost everyone that dressed up...

    

We had Princesses, fairies, Mickie and Minnie Mouse, Pooh Bear, Snow White and Dwarfs, A Pirate of the Caribbean, a dalmatian, Boo from Monsters Inc., Pinocchio, and the Fairy Godmother.  

Milificant, the evil queen from Sleeping Beauty was also present..but didn't make it for the picture.  Thankfully, we got a shot together before school started...

                                

Also in attendance, but not photoed, was the hunter that killed Bambi's mom.  Morbid, yes... but freakin' hilarious!  Nobody said anything about characters that weren't actually shown in the movies.  That costume should definitely receive an A+ for comedic value and creativity.  And the costume suited the person perfectly.  HA!

Such a fun day!!

And, I actually won a free jeans pass along with three other teachers for the Best Disney Costumes.  Awesome, right?

I forgot to mention that my day also got to start out with me doing car duty yesterday morning.  You can just imagine the looks and laughs I got from kids and parents as they dropped their kids off at school.  I had one mother tell me she was mad at herself for leaving her cell phone at home, because she would have really liked to have gotten a photo of me with her child.  That would have really put the whole  "I could work at Disney World" mood in to affect.

I managed to keep the whole garb on up until 1:30PM.  By then, I was hot and ready to just call it a day.  I knew I didn't have any more traveling around the hallways to do after that point, so I could just get down to the dress I was wearing underneath and cool off.

Today, it's Tourist Tuesday.  

We get to dress up as tourists from our favorite vacation destination.

And honestly?  This one is harder than Disney Day.  Simply because it's hard to really go all out and crazy...which is my style.

When I go anywhere on vacation, I have a very simple attire.  Capris or shorts, a t-shirt, a hat, and sunglasses.  That's it.  My ideal vacation spot is the beach or the lake.  There's no way I'm sporting a bathing suit to work, so the clothes I would wear to go fishing or shopping are my only choices.    

But, having a simple dress up day won't be too bad, I suppose.  It just means I can save up the crazy for the other spirit days.

Wednesday is Wacky Wednesday.  Dress as wacky as possible.  There we go.  That's what I'm talking about.  

Thursday is Throw Back Thursday.  Dress from a past decade.  I'm thinking there's some 70's attire in my future.

Friday is Spirit Day.  Dress as spirited as possible for our football team.  I may or may not have purchased some red and black hair color (our school colors).  

Each day this week, I'll share pictures and the shenanigans from my day.  It's going to be a blast, I know it.  

Thursday night, Peanut has a volleyball game and then we'll be attending the Homecoming Bonfire.  It will be my first EVER bonfire.  Even though it's a school night, I plan on having a good time with the kids.  And then on Friday night, Peanut, Butter and I are going to go to the Homecoming game.  It should be a blast.

Alright...now it's time for me to go get my Tourist garb together.

Have a great day!