Three words that make me happy:

I am blessed in that I am currently working in a long-term substitute position with a great fourth-grade team and wonderful administration! I am teaching and learning from students with various needs in the 4th grade. Walking into the hallways of an elementary school feels like coming home.

Here's another three words that make me happy:

Happy Thanksgiving, Friends!

And:

Merry Christmas, soon! (Speaking of which, have you seen this? I think it's amazing)

This is not my driveway

But this Trina quote is about my driveway.

"Celeste, my favorite thing about our driveway is that it doesn't have a speed limit."


(Said as Mom left to pick up Joel. Followed by:)

"You can put that on your blog."

To quote Abi, "done and done."

The Lost Generation

This afternoon I came downstairs to a rather interesting scene. It took me a while to understand what was going on, but this is what it came to:

Mom: Well, I am just surprised by that grade. It seems like you need to study.
Joel: What exactly does that email say again?
Mom: Look, right here: "Your child will be receiving an interim report. Please look over the grade and review missing materials or the assigned work and discuss how you can do better. There's always room for improvement : D." (read, "colon, D!")
Celeste: Joel has a D? In what class?
Mom: Spanish. I told Dad, and we both agree that he really should be studying more.
Heather: wait a second. Isn't that just a smiley face?
Joel: Yeah! Mom, that's just a smiley face. Marie uses those like, all the time!
Celeste: She does? Really?
Joel: Oh, well, sometimes.
Mom: What do you mean it's a smiley face?
Celeste: An emoticon
Heather: Look: :P :D ;) :-)
Mom: No way. So if you do a ... : l it's a straight line face? Like...I'm mad?
Celeste: or like I'm mad at your grade.
Mom: If you do it with a c, does it.... :C a frowny face! Oh, I get it!
Heather: Yeah, look at this one! >:/
Mom: That looks really scary. OH! All this time I was thinking it said, "Colon, D.... that's his grade." I'd better call Dad.


The thing I love most about this entire ordeal is that my Mom was totally right, and Heather and Joel are technically correct as well. So to speak. I'll leave you to figure out which of these generations is lost.

But, to paraphrase Gertrude Stein again, "A colon is no longer a colon, is no longer a colon, is no longer a colon."