Baby, it's cold INSIDE, too

Yes, go ahead and mock us~but snow is a thing here.  I was thrilled with a 2-hour delayed start to school today.

oh. blessed weekend

some liturgical snark

This could be any denomination guide to today.  As I spent part of my afternoon in an elevator, repeatedly pushing a button and mildly panicking as to why the thing wasn't moving~only to realize that I was pushing the button of the floor I WAS ON.  

It is TIME.  For Spring Break.

road trippin'

Took advantage of an extra day of weekend to check off another to-visit place on my list~Gruene Hall.  Heard a fun group called the Bellfuries~part of a new genre of music that has started here in Austin.  

Begun as a way to save and reclaim authentic roots music, it is now becoming a 'thing'.  If you're interested, check on this site on Ameripolitan music.

Incongruous site in the hills of Texas~foreign mini car with eyelashes!

And with the temps plummeting into the 20s, it was time to turn on the oven.

Now off to the Mardi Gras and Ash Wednesday portion of the year.

you can see the dilemma

Walking downtown, ran into this.  No worries, crossed over...

Hmmmm.  A sign to sit still for the long weekend?

those moments of aws

This week has felt like an avalanche~hanging on to those little glimmers that carry us all through.  Sweet student gifted me with a yummy strawberry at lunch.

And as I actually made it home prior to the sunset, got to go on a lovely long walk around the lake.  Happy sunning turtles!

Swinging

After the 6th grade attempted to pass their jazz listening final, they got to eat doughnuts and kolaches (big thing in Texas) and swing dance.

Another long day of musical call-backs, but at least I had a pretty sky to watch while sitting in evening traffic.

glitters and sparkles

I would say by the amount of grinning and confetti in the classroom carpet, the ending of this trimester is a smash.  

Our boss's boss said last week that good education is messy~perhaps she meant it in a philosophical bent, but we ran with it in a physical sense.

I got an email from the head of grounds/maintenance saying to not paint in my classroom as "it is expensive carpet".  Too bad it was after our project.  And may I say that my 5th grade did not spill ANY paint?  (There was an unfortunate dropping of a cup of glitter....but we're calling that fairly dust from Mozart's magical flute.)

masquerade, paper faces on parade

As we're nearing the end of the 2nd trimester (and it's dreary winter weather), decided it was time to jazz things up at school with a project!

The last time I did this was with high school students, but my current 5th grade class is delightful and eager to plunge into learning.

 We did half the class today and we'll switch pairs and finish the masques on Friday.

Soon!  These will be transformed into their designs from listening to:  die Zauberflote, Hansel & Gretel, and Carmen (my highly edited children's version).

is it Spring Break yet?

Between endless (inane) faculty meetings, writing grade narratives for 167 students (FOUR per student~two praises and two areas for growth), rehearsing for a big Grandparents' Day performance, spring musical auditions, (and for some reason, I am the 7th grade reading specialist and have to test the entire grade level three times per year), and oh yes~just teaching my normal load?????   My brain and soul are feeling a teeny bit in need of respite.  

So grateful that we are days away from a nice long weekend.

meet & greet

The new sibs~getting acquainted.