Houston Flooding

I had a different post ready for today but after the rain, the flooding, the evacuations in Houston, Texas due to Harvey I decided to scratch the other post and do this one.

My parent's house in Houston has never flooded.  Their street has flooded but it's never gotten over sidewalk.  I never worry about them.  That neighborhood was build in the 70s and it was built well.

Until Harvey.

At 10:00 last night my mom texts Jays that they are having to evacuate to a shelter.  Thinking about my parents in their late 60s sitting in a shelter was more than I could take.  So I started texting friends.  They couldn't get to my BFF or my bestie house.

They tried to get to my dad's hunting buddy's house but they couldn't get their either.  Since they have a hunting dog they couldn't take to the shelter they ended up going back to the house and riding it out.

I text both my parents this morning.  My dad is going to need a lesson in texting etiquette!

Me: How did it go last night???
Dad: Get back to you later.

So that was comforting.  I mean a little info would of been better than that.  Like "Knee deep in water. Get back to you later." or "We're good.  Get back to you later."  Come on Dad!

About 30 minutes later my mom texts me:  We got to bed about midnight.  We are still high and dry. Been glued to the TV this morning.  A surrounding neighborhood has 4-5 feet in the houses.  It's looking like we may only get street flooding.  I can handle that.  We should know more around 2:30 or 3 today.  Will keep you posted.  Love you

Now that's an informative text!

I'm trying to think positive about my grandparents who live inside the loop and my granny who lives further north of Houston and about my parents.  Prayers would be appreciated!

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

I'm listening to Airborn by Kenneth Oppel.  It's an adventure where airships fly through the air.  I have to admit it took me awhile to understand the ships were flying (insert eyeroll here).  There are new lands to be discovered and creatures never seen before.  People die, airships crash, pirates attack, kids are kidnapped and so much more.  I'm really enjoying this book!

I'm still reading True Grit by Charles Portis as part of our town's One Book, One City program.  I've seen parts of the movie and have never read the book before.  I'm not really into westerns but this book is more than just a western.  I'm about a 1/3 of the way through the book.

I started The Little Book of Hygge by Meik Wiking. I'm trying to apply the Danish word hygge to my life. What better way than reading a book about it!

Teaching Training

Today was the 1st day back for teachers. My 1st day was Monday. 

I'm pretty sure my face looked just like the face of the 15 and up in the meme. I know the 1st year teacher looked like the one in the meme.  Bless her heart. She wanted to follow all the instructions to the T when the rest of us just want get "it" over with. Ha! 

I thought of the meme a lot today. 

Today we sat through safety training and T-Tess training. And maybe some other stuff but after awhile my brain went numb. Ha!

I passed out 6 Advils to teachers with headaches. 

I sat in a cafeteria with no AC for hours. Being hot makes me angry. Another teacher brought in a fan that I sat directly in front of with my hair in a ponytail. 

My hands were shaking. I'm blaming it on the pain meds I'm taking but I looked up the side effects and shaking isn't a side effect. 

Tomorrow is a work day. Work days are so much better than training days. 

I think if you have 10 or more years experience you should be able to be exempt from the routine trainings like the safety training and T-TESS training. I mean we get it. Rock Star teachers are only proficient. 

Wordless Wednesday

We celebrated Reagan's 14th birthday Saturday.

A Letter To Myself

Dear Self,

As you start year 15 in the world of education I want you to remember a few things.  This may be your 15th year but none of your students have been in school for 15 years.  They are not as jaded as you. Although some of these babies might be close to as jaded as you.  So ask yourself, "How can I be the difference for them?  How can I help chip away at the jadedness we both have?"  Remember you can't reach them all but you can sure try.

You've been at this current school for 3 years and have had 5 principals.  That's a lot to deal with.  It's a lot of inconsistency.  It's hard of the students.  It's hard on the parents.  It's hard on the faculty and staff.  No one is denying it's hard.  It.  Is. Hard.  So what are you going to do with that? Fake it till you make it?  Although, I know you're tired of faking it.  Maybe you should try the saying you found of Pinterest, "Faith it till make it." 'Faith it' seems much easier than 'Faking it'.

So pray more.
Leave work at work.

If this is hard on you at 40, you know this is hard for 4-11 year olds.  So be there for them.  Be the consistency in their lives that they might not have at home or even at school as a whole.  Set expectations for the library.  Model those expectations.  Be consistent with your rules and procedures. Teach the love of reading.

No matter what kind of day you're having don't let the students see anything but that you are happy to see them, you love them and want the best for them.  Be that adult in their lives.

Remember who you are and what you've done for the library, the school, and the students.  Don't let anyone take from you.  You know what you've done.  You know what you've done.  You know what you've done.

You know what you are good at and you know what you need to improve one.  Pick 3 improvements and work on them this school year.  How can you encourage the love of reading?  How can you reach those who hate reading?  What new clubs can you add to the library program?  How can you help improve testing scores?  Cuz it all comes down to testing scores doesn't it?

Focus:

*Faith it till you make it
*Hygge
*Don't let idiots ruin your day

The last one... your not trying to be flippant just... real and truthful.  Just trying to make it through the day.

Love,

Your-15-year-in-educator-self

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

I finished listening to One Safe Place by Tania Unsworth.  After Devin's grandfather dies he is invited to a home where children are fed and cared for after some one witnessed him do an act of kindness.  Only the home turns out to use the children for their youth.  Devin makes some friends and together they find a way out of the craziness.

I started listening to Shadows on the Moon by Zoe Marriot.  Suzume watches her father get killed. She barely escapes and does so by discovering a hidden power.  Through turns of events she could never of guessed at she finds her mother married to her father's best friend and she's now disguised as a drudge.

The town I live in is participating in the One Book, One City program.  Of course I'm participating! Ha!  So I'm reading True Grit by Charles Portis.  I'm looking forward to all the activities the public library has planned for this program.

For School:

All the librarians in my district vote on a professional development book each year.  This year we picked Your School Rocks So Tell People by Ryan McLane and Eric Lowe.  I'm so inspired by this book!  I do all my school's social media and our webpage.  I'm looking forward to trying out some of their suggestions.

What are you reading that I need to add to my To Be Read list?

Wordless Wednesday

On our way back to our house after visiting the in-laws

Maggie stuck her head up on Reagan's

shoulder.  My sweet girls!

Five for Friday

1.  This is my last Friday before heading back to work.

2.  We are celebrating Reagan's 14th birthday tonight.

3.  There will be boys there!

4.  We are making s'mores in our firepit.

5.  14.  How did we get to 14?

Breakfasts

Every August I take one day to make as many breakfasts as I can.  I'm not a morning person and being able to reach into the freezer and grab a health pre-made breakfast makes my mornings go just a little bit better.

I started at 9:45 Tuesday morning and ended at 2:15 (I did take a 30 minute lunch break).  I went through: 4 dozen eggs.  24 white corn tortillas. A pound of turkey sausage crumbs.  10 turkey sausage links.  A large block of cheese.  Lots of foil. Lots of sandwich size baggies.  5 gallon baggies.

56 individual breakfasts, 8 smoothie packets, 2 sore feet, 1 aching back later my freezer is stuffed full of yummy, healthy breakfasts to grab and eat quickly or to eat on the go.

Through all that I forgot to take pictures to post here.  Oh well!

Here are the links to what I made:

French Toast Overnight Oats packets (minus the liquid)

Smoothie Packets (minus the liquid)

Breakfast Taquitos

Breakfast Burritos

Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies

English Muffin Breakfast Pizza

It Burns!

Reagan and I picked up a rotisserie chicken and some rice from the local grocery store after I got out of a training yesterday afternoon.

It was raining and all I could think to do after putting away the other groceries was to take a shower, put on some comfy jammies, and snuggle up on the couch.

So before eating dinner I jumped in the shower.  Got comfy, heated up dinner then Reagan and I sat down to dinner. 

I ate a couple of bites of yummy chicken then shoveled in some rice.  It was scorching hot!  It burned the very back of my throat.  Why I didn't spit it out is beyond me.  I mean it was just Reagan and me. It's not like I was in a restaurant trying to act like I had manners.

Instead I let it burn the back of my throat.  Genius.

Next thing I know I drip ketchup in the middle of my collar bone.  

Apparently I'm new to eating.  Never a dull moment! 

It's Monday! What Are You Reading?

I'm almost done listening to Gone by Michael Grant.  It's the first book in a series.  I've enjoyed this book so much that I plan to read the other books in the series.  As soon as a person turns 15 years old they disappear.  Poof right into thin air.  All these babies to 14 year olds are left alone.  The other children are trying to figure out what happened to everyone.  To make matters even weirder some of the children have powers.  Some are more powerful than others.

Wordless Wednesday

We've been having district librarian professional developments this week.

We did an Instagram challenge.  I hope you enjoy

this picture as much as I enjoyed

taking it!

Lead Librarian

It's finally official!  As of yesterday I am the lead librarian for the elementary librarians in my district. This is definitely a new roll for me.

I'm excited to:

*test my leadership skills
*learn how to be a good leader
*to help support the other librarians in my district
*demonstrate to the school district what librarians can do
*share my knowledge
*learn from the seasoned secondary lead librarian

This is an exciting step in my career.  I think I'm ready for it!