The Garrett:Take Two

So I realized tonight that all the pictures I posted from Garrett a few days ago didn't load. Sorry about that. They should work now.

I'm tired and can't really think of anything else blog worthy tonight. Sorry.

Hope you're enjoying your weekend!

Too Cool For School

It's that time of year again.

I'm finishing up Report Cards.

Taking projects off the wall.

Emptying folders.

Digging through piles and piles of paperwork.

Conducting end of the year SST Meetings.

Saying goodbye to kids.

Taking a few pictures.

Staying out an extra long time at recess.

Watching movies.

Wondering where in the world the year went.

Yes, somehow tomorrow is the last day of school. It doesn't even really seem like that can be.

This year has been challenging and rewarding and wonderful and draining all at the same time. I feel like my kids have come a long way. I have really become attached to the little wild animals... even the ones that run. 

Tomorrow, I will count down the hours. 

I will wipe off my tables.

I'll hug my kids and take some more pictures.

I'll tell them how proud I am of them.

I'll tell them that they are all capable of great things.

I'll do a happy dance at 3:00 when the bell rings...

and secretly, I'll be a little bit sad. 

Boys Will Be Boys

On Sunday, I was poking around the house being all domestic-like.

I realized that I hadn't seen my good man in a while. I looked in the office. No Seth. I looked in the kitchen. No Seth. I walked down the hall and saw him outside. He was looking all hot and sweaty like he had been working hard. I thought he might be helping the landlord put in new windows but he had a shovel. I sweetly asked what he was doing. He said all casual-like, "Just digging in the dirt." 

Ya'll know I teach first grade and I see my boys dig in the dirt every single day.

I am married to a man who likes to dig in the dirt for no apparent reason.

I have a Dadio who has done his fair share of dirt digging.

So. I came to this conclusion.

It doesn't matter if they are 6, 26, or 56...

boys like to dig in the dirt. That makes me laugh a little bit.

Here is my good man's dirt pile. 

 

He doesn't just dig though... he grows things.

Like peppers.

 

And he helps me pot plants that my kiddos give me during Teacher Appreciation Week.

And he buys huge bags of potting soil for his vegetable growing, dirt digging ways.

And he does look pretty dang cute when he's all hot and sweaty.

I guess boys will be boys. And thats okay with me.

The Garrett

Most of ya'll know that I have a sister (Kelsey) and a brother (Garrett) back in Arkansas and I miss them pretty much like crazy. Garrett is in school at UCA and works at a drugstore that is not CVS on the side.

A few weeks ago we planned to do a video chat but kept missing each other. Take a look at the email he sent me explaining his shadiness.

Kaci, we never got together for the video chat. Maybe Wednesday. This what I've been up to though. 

Okay, so this week wasn't fun. This is a synopses of the process. 
 

I got my new coffee maker in the mail: this was a big help.

Work continued as usual, with the expected time consuming mishaps; this was on Thursday night.

 

          My bed remained made from Sunday until Thursday night, as I only slept on my living room floor in a pile  of opened notebooks, with energy drink cans as my pillows.

          NOTE FROM KACI: the cloud sheets and palm tree comforter are hand me downs from me and Kelsey and  in NO WAY reflect Garrett's preferences for bedding or lifestyle choices. Thanks.

I had two different strengths of coffee. I was drinking room temperature coffee as a normal beverage with dinner by Tuesday night. 

Wednesday night rolled around--by this point I had already turned in my 10 page Research Methods paper on Festenger's (1957) cognitive dissonance theory and finished my animation show for Writing for New Technologies.

All I had left was a 10 page Evolutionary Psychology research paper and 10 minute presentation, and my Creative Nonfiction portfolio. I wrote roughly 35 pages between Sunday and Wednesday night (featured above) for the latter class.

This is what I looked like just before I went to bed at 4:00 on Wednesday night.

The final portfolio for Nonfiction was about 150 pages.

With my neck beard in full swing, I decided to give myself a Lemmy.

                                      
But I ended up going with the always fashionable fu man chu.

                                                         

Thank goodness the week is over.

Not really a point to this email, I just wanted to explain my recent cranky/illusiveness.

My week is over, and now I don't have a concern in the world.

Chapters 8 and 9

Yesterday, I told ya'll about the book that could make me famous. 

Today, I stumbled upon Chapter 8 and Chapter 9.

"What this say?"

"I been have that." 

In other news, today is my good friend Kara's birthday.

 

She and I go back to 10th grade and we've had some good laughs over the years.

 

She has given me a lot of advice and done a lot of listening.
Kara, Happy Birthday and I'm thankful to have you in my life!

I came across this picture today and it made me smile. 

I am blessed with a wonderful sister and friends. I love ya'll!
Now come visit me in Hotlanta.

"I Been Know That"

My good friend/co-worker and I have a running joke about the millions of dollars we can make lives we can touch with a book describing our teaching experiences this year.

Each chapter title would be one of the many wild phrases we hear on a daily basis. A few examples...

"I can use it?"

"I don't got none."

"What that is?"

"What it be?"

"I don't posta..."

"Thats mines!"

You know, things along that line.

I heard a new one today that just about tops them all: "I been know that." 

What does that even mean, really? 

I don't know but I think we have Chapter 7.

A Quick Question...

Dear Friends,

Did you ever have one of those days where all you can think about is pouring this

 

in this?

Buddy, that was my day today. 

Only 9 days left and things have gotten crazy with a capital C. 

Thanks and have a great day. 

Baby V.

Some sweet friends of ours from church had their little baby (Luke) on Thursday. Last night, some of us from Small Group went to the hospital to meet the new little guy.

 

Luke (a.k.a "Baby V") and Desiree.

 

 He is the cutest little thing and our group is seriously excited to have a baby to snuggle!

I must get back to painting the ole bathroom but thought you-yes YOU Katelin-might want to see him. :)

It's Raining, It's Pouring

Yesterday we had a baby shower for one of my new sweet friends at work. She is pregnant with her first baby and I am so excited for her! She'll be a great momma and I wanted to do something special for her.

All of a sudden I'm all about planning and hosting showers. 

Here are some fun pictures from her work shower. 

I forgot to get a picture after all the presents arrived-just like the last shower.

Check out my first diaper cake. My good man doesn't understand the concept but I like it!
If you are wondering, Tywon is a teacher whose wife is having baby too-his presents went on the left and Kate's went on the right. :)

The cute little momma to be.

I think this picture is just so precious with the little elephant and her belly.

There you have it. My second official shower. Congratulations, Kate and Jeff!

In other news, I got a haircut. Dadio, you will pretty much hate it.

Please excuse the haggard appearance of a person who teaches first graders all day.

I think you are all caught up now. Happy almost Friday!

Apples, Oranges, and Almonds... Oh My!

Happy Saturday! Hope you are enjoying yours.

Mine has been pretty uneventful so far. Drinking coffee, washing towels, and cleaning up around here-

you know... the usual. 

Somehow we managed to sleep until 9:30 which is unheard of! It felt great but I'm not gonna lie- I felt a little bit lazy. Especially when I feel like I have so much to do. Somewhere on that list is painting the bathroom.

I'm ready to have it all put back together.

Yesterday was "baked goodies day" for Teacher Appreciation Week and I was sweating it a little bit since I can't eat gluten filled things like muffins, cupcakes and cakes... the usual things that you bring your teacher.

Do I expect my kids to bring me things? Absolutely not. Would I feel bad (for them) if they took the time to actually make and bring me something that I can't enjoy? Yeah.

I almost cried when I was showered with oranges, pineapples, fruit cups and almonds-things that I can actually eat! :) Take a look at some of my goodies.

I did feel loved and appreciated and it was the perfect end to the terrible no good very bad week.

And the Award Goes To...

Because I'm a little bit crazy, I stripped all of the wallpaper out of my bathroom on a whim on Sunday night.

Because I'm a little bit exhausted from this terrible no good very bad week at school, it has taken me 2 days to get the primer on.

Because I'm a little bit lazy, I don't feel like going to the other room to get my camera to show you pictures.

That pretty much wins the Most Boring Blog Post in America award, don't you think?

Thank you. 

Thank you very much for this special award.

 I'd like to begin by thanking my kids at school for making Teacher Appreciation Week so unforgettable.

I would like to thank the kid who pushed everything off my desk and bookshelf.

I would like to thank the kid that threw a rock and landed a little girl in the nurses office with a gash in her head and blood everywhere.

I would like to thank the upcoming Summer Vacation for making my class so stinkin' hyper. 

I would like to thank the upcoming SAT 10 Test which forces me to provide another week of instruction.

I would like to thank the beautiful weather for tempting me to stay outside a little longer.

I would like to thank the Cinco de Mayo for giving me an excuse to eat cheese dip and drink DDP.

I would like to thank my good man for convincing me to take a nap. 

Yes, you have all contributed to my extreme laziness and lack of motivation/desire to think of something somewhat entertaining to blog about. 

Thank you and goodnight.

The Red Strokes

The kitchen is finally red. The red is actually sticking to the wall. The microwave is off the floor. My fridge and oven are back against the wall. The new light fixture is up.Yes, friends. Life is good. 

 How about more before pictures, just for fun.

Eww.Yuck. Sick Gross.

Now for the after pictures.

Much better!

New light fixture.

Let's not forget the blue, pink, and beige wallpaper (circa 1986.) 

Lets pause for a minute and reflect on the past two weeks, shall we?

Ahh. We've come a long way, baby. 

Welcome back, kitchen!