All Packed Up.

Today during Community Circle time (a time we use to get to know one another better which should some days be called "Therapy Circle," I think) one of my little girls, T, shared what she did yesterday:

"Well, my uncle was teasing me and calling me silly names. I got tired of it, so I packed up my stuff and I'm moving in with my grandpa because I can do anything I want there."

I said, "Running away? So how's that working for you?"

T: "I might have to run away today, actually. But my stuff is already all packed up."


Okay, darling...see you in the morning.

Dental Health Month

For Dental Health Month someone donated a supercool kid-friendly box o' stuff. It had individual packs of toothbrushes, toothpaste, and other things one might need to be rockin' at brushing teeth and make one's parents a little nutty.

I handed them out to the kids today, talked about what was in them, and this little stinker goes, "Man, do I need this! I haven't brushed my teeth in WEEKS!"

Me: "Seriously? Or are you kidding?"

T: "I am TOTALLY serious."


Eww...good thing the front two are missing.

KFC=Kentucky Fried Chicken

Today at lunch I was having a conversation with a little guy about eating out with his family. "We went to this restaurant somewhere and had chicken and mashed potatoes," he says.

Me: "Yum! What was the restaurant's name?"

N: "I just can't pronounce it even though I tried really hard."

(This kid is a fantastic reader, mind you.)

Me: "What do you mean? Why couldn't you pronounce it?"

N: "It had a big head of some guy on it and the sign said 'K and F and C.'"

Me: "Oh, Kentucky Fried Chicken."

N: "No. K and F and C."


Okay.


Rolls right off the tongue, doesn't it?

My First Real Days Away.

I have only had a substitute teacher for a half day this year when I was DEATHLY ill. And I spoke with her IN FRONT of my little darlings so they would know who was boss.

This week I was blessed to go to a supercool conference with some colleagues I adore. Had a great time, did some studying, etc. My kiddos had a sub, of course.

So we all met at school to ride together and when we got back after the first day, a couple of us went in the building...I, just to be sure my room hadn't entirely exploded. Not that subs don't do a good job...but I digress.

Anyway, I was already fretting about leaving my kids, and apparently it was for a good reason.

I was intercepted at the door by none other than our school nurse.

Bless her heart, she had seen 15 of my 19 kids that day.

And, as any good teacher can, I can right now tell you the four who DIDN'T see her.

Apparently my little sweeties were handing off the nurse pass like a free ticket to DisneyWorld.

Missing the Movie

Today my Little J told me a story he wrote to share for Writing Workshop. I've gotten wiser about allowing kids to share their stories since the time one of my kids wrote and shared about her cat dying in the dryer and how "his ears were melted in there." No longer do we share unsolicited stories that slip under the teacher's radar.

Back to Little J.

I said,

"Okay, J, tell me your story you'd like to share please."

J: "We went to the movie but my dad and brother missed the part where Sandman fell apart because my brother was puking in the popcorn tub."

I was, to J's disgust, cracking up.

J: "Hey! THAT IS NOT FUNNY! He was choking on a popcorn!"


I was laughing hysterically, J was mortally offended...then I had to explain how I wasn't laughing at his poor choking brother, not to worry, your teacher still cares very much about your family....Tomorrow I'll probably check on him and make sure he's not totally traumatized...right before I run a copy of that story for my refrigerator.

Gum

Today one of my kids asked, "Mrs. Overman, when were you born?"

Me: "1981."

G: "Did they have gum back then? Like all the kinds we have today?"



Geez, how old do I look?!



Me: "Yeah, and they had color TVs too!"

He didn't get that one.

The Worst Show-and-Tell Ever.

Last year during a show-and-tell time (which I don't do often, I must say...perhaps this is the reason), one of my little girls brought a single bird feather. I said, "Okay, A, please tell us about your feather."

"Well," she said, "This feather is from my pet bird."

"Very cool! Tell us a little about your pet bird, then."

"My dog ate it and this feather is all we have left."


Of course, my little darlings were MORTIFIED...all the while their teacher was trying her very best to not end up crying from laughing so hard.

Velcro

Little J...my little darling...never a dull moment with this kiddo.

This kid is nothing short of OBSESSED with velcro. He doesn't care where it is, what it looks like--he LOVES the stuff.

He spends lots of time strapping and unstrapping his velcro shoes and even sometimes chewing on the straps--because he LOVES velcro.

Let me tell you, in my room, I use velcro for lots of stuff. I have a couple of charts and a calendar that have velcro on them that the kids use every day.

The other day I was kinda irritated that my sweet Little J wouldn't stop strapping and unstrapping his velcro shoes--until I caught him LICKING the velcro on the calendar and the charts.

Sick.

So I thought, okay, I don't want to make him feel badly...I got in my supply closet, cut a couple of strips for him, and stuck them on his nametag on his own desk.

You would've thought I gave this kid a brand new stuffed toy: the velcro went EVERYWHERE with Little J. One of the paraprofessionals that work in my room said she had to make him put it down because he wouldn't work on his math!

Within the next day or so, Little J's personal velcro went missing.

The world stopped and held its breath--then--the velcro reappeared under his shirt.

Thank goodness.

Then I heard him say, "Boy, Mrs. Overman, I think I'm in love with velcro."


I wish you all could meet this kid.

I love it.