We are the Champions!!!!

I just had to post this. Today Barcelona soccer team became the European champions by defeating Manchester united 2-0. I watched part of it in my class online and I was clapping hands a whooping it out and the kids got in the mood too . I told them if Barsa won we'd have a party tomorrow :)

In other news, Marv and I went to talk to the retirement counselor. After talking things with Marvin we decided for sure I will be working next year, with a chance of going another year if everything is well. We'll see. Because I changed careeers (so to speak) at 38, I don't have as many years of service as other teachers that become teachers in their 20's.

After seeing the counselor, we went to Acapulco's Happy Hour to celebrate my team's victory with 2 Margaritas, and chips and salsa. Ole!

Memorial Day Weekend

It was nice having 3 days off!!! Marvin and I just finished having BBQ hamburgers with potato salad, all made by him, was delicious :) It's been a lazy day. Yesterday we had Norbert over for BBQ ribs, we ate outside it was nice and cool. Marvin made appetizers (salami, cheese, dips, etc) then dinner was BBQ ribs, yum, asparagus, and beans, for dessert we had strawberries and raspberries.
Norbert brought a lot of plants from his house, geraniums, roses and amaryllis. I am not sure why he brought them, he's not one much for plants and stuff, he likes his grass green and that's about it. We had a good time eating, drinking and talking.
I hope you all had a really nice Memorial Day Holiday. Of course is not celebrated in Sweden but I am sure Mia did something fun too!

Just posting :)

I was looking at all the family blogs and there certainly seems to be a total lack of postings all around. Therefore I take it upon myself to keep the ball rolling.
I just finished watching American Idol, tomorrow they choose a winner, I say "they" because there's no way I'm going to vote for either one. I really like Adam, he was fun to watch and has a great voice and personality, Kris is cute and sings OK, but nothing extraordinary.
I also watched the final of Dancing with the Stars, the little gymnast girl won, good for her, she acted like she won another gold medal.

On a different subject, is nice to have Marvin home,he's been working on the garden, and also cooking :) I was a little tired of my cooking by now lol. He enjoyed his time in Utah of course, but it's always nice to be back home.
Only one more month before school is out! can't believe how fast the year has gone, especially the last couple of months. This year I had a great evaluation, well I always do hee hee, and my kids have really done very well. I still miss Jennifer as my partner in K, but I guess I have to get used to my new team (yawn).
OK that's about it. I hope this little bit of no news will inspire you all to write!!!!!

Earthquake

Around 8:30PM I was watching Survivor and also doing some PSP, when things started shakign up. I got up and went to stand by the door frame. The chairs in the living room were swinging a little and so was the lamp. It lasted about 8 seconds. It was a 5.0 earthquake centered close to Long Beach. Norbert called me and he felt it too. It's such a weird feeling! My principal, who is expecting a baby any minute now, told me she felt it and felt contractions right after :)
I don't think it was felt all the way in San Diego, was it Lizzie?
Luckily no damages were reported.

An observation :)

This is a PS to my haircut post.
My hair is sort of like a boomerang. No matter what Hair Salon I go, or who cuts or styles it, the very next day it reverts to its usual form.

"THE" haircut

Most of you that read my blog know I have a little phobia about hair salons, I just simply cannot find anybody that gives me a haircut I like. I realize the problem lays with me, not the stylist. I wonder if it has something to do with the fact that Nuri was a hair stylist. Truth is, basically since I got to the US I have not been fond of going to the beauty shop, or hair salon, or whatever you want to call it.
I had very nice hair, brown, wavy and thick, now, because of getting older and medications I'm taking, my hair is thinner and has not much body, or wave to it. So I decided a haircut was in order.
Enter Artika, the Salon, http://www.artikahairspa.net/ in uptown Whittier, great reviews, it sounded good so I decided to give it a try. Made an appointment today at 5:00PM
When I went in, all the stations were busy, which is a good sign, but I had a 30m wait before my stylist finished with her previous client. While waiting, I was offered tea, coffee, bottled water or a glass of wine, it was nice to relax after a rather hectic day in Kindergarten (Moms and Muffins).
Finally my stilyst Lauren came by and apologized for the delay and sat with me in front of a full lenght mirror (yikes) and asked me what I was looking for, I explained about my thinning hair etc. I said I wanted a modern cut, but easy to take care since I usually just shampoo and blow dry. Then we went to the room where she washed my hair and gave me a full 30m scalp and head massage. That was very nice, felt great! then we went back to the chair by the big mirror and proceeded to cut my hair, she took her time since I was her last client. She said she would give me an easy to care for short hairdo, with a clean, modern style, low maintenance, with multiple layers for body and to best cover my thinning spots, blah blah. She used scissors and razor and cut on the bias, she said she'd give me wisps of hair around my face that would look very feminine and cute (I cringed). Then she explained how to style it, I could just shampoo and blow dry, just to be sure to use some volumizer shampoo, and then how to style it using a round brush.
End result: Good haircut I like the way it shows in the back, although the thin spots are still there. And I still have "wings".
I will let you know how it feels/look after a few shampoos :)

Day of the Teacher

Just a day like any other day basically. No big fireworks as far as the school is concerned. Now some of my kids brought me gifts, see picture, I got a nice purse, a pair of dress gray pants!, hand and body lotion from Victoria's Secret, spray cologne, 2 big bouquet of flowers, 2 gift cards (to Subway and the Cheesecake Factory), a very cute magnet, and a framed picture of a kid with his 2 little sisters. Oh and a promise from the other kids to bring something tomorrow lol. They also made me a journal page titled "My teacher" they had to write about me and draw a picture of me. One wrote...My teacher is beautiful and she is cool and I like her cuz she is cool :) they were all very cute.
After school, the District had a party at the Clark State, I couldn't find a place to park, so I went home. I made tortilla soup for dinner.

5 de mayo

Some years ago, our school celebrated 5 de mayo in many ways, there were kids dancing and singing, lots of food, and generally a fiesta mood.

With all the emphasis in No Child Left Behind, testing and no more bilingualism in the school, all kinds of extra curricular activities are slowly being phased out.

This year I thought I would do a mini celebration in my classroom: Taco Fiesta. I had each child bring something for the tacos, we brainstormed first to make sure every child had things they liked. I also invited the parents over.

It was a great success! the children made a nice 5 de mayo picture, we put festive tablecloths on the tables, and about 12 parents showed up. We had the party at 1:30PM, so they could go home after they ate. We had chicken and ground beef, corn and flour tortillas, lettuce, tomatoes, onions, olives, sour cream, 3 kinds fo cheese, and about 4 different salsas, all homemade. We also has fruit salad.

I told the kids their parents would be the waiters/waitresses and so they went to the kids and took their orders. All children ate A LOT, it was fun.

When I came home, I made enchiladas suizas for dinner, and had a Coronita. Tomorrow is Day of the Teacher :)

Old Friends

One of my oldest friends and her husband, came by to visit me today. We have known each other for over 50 years, we went to elementary school together and lived in the same neighborhood. Through the years, we have kept in touch, thru her 3 marriages, her endless dramas and conflicts about herself and her very dysfunctional family, her depressions, and her health problems.
After her parents died, she has been much more needy, calling me often, coming to visit, and constantly telling me I am her best (and only) friend.
I appreciate the fact we've known each other for so long, and is nice to keep in touch once in a while. But I am tired of her constant drama and self centeredness -is this a word?-. I feel sorry for her husband, although he is the enabler to her moods.
They were here all afternoon, she told me all her latest tales of woe, including day to day details of her parents' passing (over 10 years ago but she keeps them very fresh on her mind and is still in mourning), her breaking up ties with her sister, again, etc. etc. etc.
After they left, with big hugs and kisses and promises she will come back soon to visit, I let a big sigh of relief.
Sorry for this post, I didn't meant to sound so unsympathetic, but I just had to vent :)