Mommy's girl...

This picture is from late March, right before we moved into the new house; it's probably one of my favorite snapshots of The Pud.

We had a fabulous Mother's Day weekend. The highlight was going on a shopping expedition at Green Hills Mall in West Nashville. We did a bit of damage at Janie & Jack, Restoration Hardware (where I was able to get my gift, new bedding), Davis Kidd and the Cheesecake Factory... it was WONDERFUL!!! It was our first trip to all of the above store, but most definitely not our last!

Only 5 1/2 days and one hour left and all will be FANTASTIC!!!!

HAH is working on crawling in a forward motion. She's go scooting, rolling and crawling backwards down pat... and this just in ~ tooth #3. Poor baby, they're coming in at the rate of one per week. I know she's got to be a bit on the miserable side ~ but she's a trooper, only a little grumpy at bedtime.

Speaking of bedtime... we're off for a night-night bah, songs and sweet dreams kisses.

Crazy ol' Loon

I've reached that point... the one that my father warned me about... the point where I am dangerously close to BEING HIM. Really, it's almost too funny for words. The past couple of weeks have been more than stressful around here. I decided that instead of being passive, I'd turn into a more aggressive type. In other words, I'm being a McCullough through and through. Read on for a few examples.

1. Have I told you that my students call me Mrs. Mayhem? (A side note from our friends at dictionary.com "The offense of willfully maiming or crippling a person. Infliction of violent injury on a person or thing; wanton destruction: A state of violent disorder or riotous confusion; havoc.") (I have a t-shirt and everything. If I can remember, I'll take a picture of it and post it for you.) You have to say it in a very gruff, wrestler announcer voice ~ that's how they do it. Sometimes I perform on demand for them and strike a pose. It's just a quirky little thing b/t my misfits and me... word has gotten out that I'm a crazy woman who'll pounce unexpectdly on a weakling. The kids are looking at me in a different light... and I kind of like it.

2. I've joined the Dark Side at work... it's a group of teacher's who've been wronged by the same man (see last post, btw... he lied). Tomorrow I'll be wearing black.

3. My neighbor is scary... she has barbed wire tatoos on BOTH arms and isn't a southerner (This is "Barb", not Hezekiah and Jedediah's mom, the rabid possum family). Monday as B, HAH and I were taking our usual evening stroll, two of the four neighbor children were playing in the road as we walked by. One of the girls (who I'd guess to be around 3) picked a flowering weed, took a wiff, looked at me and said, "Aren't the flowers just lovely?" I agreed and asked how she was doing when her older sister said, "Jayden, we aren't supposed to talk to the mean lady." [Enter high pitched sound of shock here!] WHAT??? MEAN LADY, HUH??? As we get up the drive way (and while I'm still recovering from the "mean lady" comment) B asks me if I'd heard what Barb said as we walked by. Um, no her kids just referred to me as Mean Lady, what did she say? Apparently in a booming, sarcastic tone to her mother she said, "Boy I sure wish I'd read the restrictions on this neighborhood before we moved in. Gotta have a 6 foot privacy fence around an above ground pool!" (Did I tell you that I not only have the road named after me, but that I also wrote the restrictions? I'm looking out for my property value and my daughter's life ~ call me a snob if you want to but don't bring in your PWT junk...) The great thing about this is... I don't have to worry about her four children coming over to play! Maybe they'll move soon.

4. When I talked to the CPA woman last week (her name is actually Melba, like the toast, no fitting nick name needed for this story) I was very proud of the fact that I 1. Did not threaten to kill anyone working for the company or close family members. 2. Didn't utter even the first curse word under my breath. I DID contemplate pulling the Expedition sideways in the road to block in all of the subcontractors who were at Barb's house, getting B's 357, pointing it in their general direction and asking them nicely to just finish up the work at my house before heading on home. However, due to the niceness with which I have handled the no-work-on-the-house-conflict my back steps are getting bricked. Now... if only I can figure out a way to get them to pay for HAH's diapers for the next year and a half...

5.I was talking to my co-teacher, mentor, man translator, Kenny last week and commented on the fact that I had made a metamorphosis of sorts lately. He just smiled and agreed with me... and then added, "It's great. This look of death comes on your face and people react. It makes life kind of exciting around here. I like it."

Happy day of darkness from the crazy loon in room 8.

harASSment

This is an e-mail I received today from a parent... and I must let you know that it's one of the nicest ones he's sent. I've never met this person face to face, but I can tell you that I'd rather share dinner w/ Charles Manson than him. He makes me want to hurt something and say not nice things...


I see very little improvement on his grade report. I saw it this morning5/3. Science, still an F. History no change. Math, too low. Language,I don't remember it. I am starting to think that this flight school was only to maintain state payments to the school system for the boys attendance.

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My principal called me today and said the Director of Schools hadn't received a letter of resignation from me and asked that I turn one in. I thought it was kind of odd, but I did as I was asked. I gave Mr. C the letter. He said, "Thanks, I'm going over to see him in a few mintues and I'll deliver this." Not five minutes later he's hollering (literally) for me down the hallway. (I must tell you that he has a way of talking to me like my dad does when he thinks I should do things "his" way... and I hate when they do that. Like I'm a four year old who's incapable of making decisions... but I digress...) He tells me that "In the business world" when you say something it's not set in stone, but when you put that something to paper it becomes irreversible. By turning in my letter I was saying that I would no longer be an employee at the end of the school year (Yep, we're all on the same page here.) He goes into his spill (have I told you that he's a former Navy man who always has an agenda and you MUST see things his way?) and I smile and nod as I learned to do years ago (Believe me, I've had lots of practice.) He preaches his sermon and I say, "I'd rather work at Starbucks than be in that room." (Still w/ me?) So he pulls out his ace... "Didn't I tell you that it was going to be different next year? No more zero tolerance, only behavior problems like [stundent]." No, you didn't tell me that Mr. C, Mrs. B (the SPED director) told me she was going to try to do that, but Dr. P (Director of Schools) said no, as of earlier this week. Did I tell you I'd rather work at Starbucks?

I'll spare you the rest of the conversation, basically what he said was hold on to the letter until you are absolutely sure that you will not take the job. You only have to give 30 days resignation and don't burn any bridges (meaning, if you quit we won't let you back in as a regular ed teacher).

So, WHY DID YOU ASK ME TO WRITE THE FRIGGIN' LETTER IN THE FIRST PLACE?????????!?!?!?!?!!

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Have I told you that I hate my job?

Bad Blogger

I'm just not motivated right now. It seems as if decades ago many of you out there (and myself included) changed urls... I'm going to other blogs in order to read the handful of posts that I do. Sad... I know.

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Still waiting on our house to get finished. It's really beginning to piss me off. And I don't mean that jokingly. I told the CPA of the company that from our end it seems that they are only out to get our $$$ and not finish the job as they should. As of Friday what is unfinished becomes warfare and I'm a general... I'll let the world know that this company doesn't finish what they begin. Six weeks is WAAAYYY to long to go w/out the house being finished.

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HAH officially has a tooth (bottom right) and is beginning to crawl. She's just too cute! We had to take her to the doctor yesterday. She's on Zyrtec for allergies ~ isn't that just sad???

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I told my bosses last week that I wouldn't return next year in my current teaching postition. Apparently both of them were shocked... but no one else in the entire world. Seriously, when I tell you that my job is HELL and I HATE IT, should you be surprised that I'm not returning???

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B has begun his travelling stint. For the next month he'll be on the road at least one night each week. This summer we'll get to join in on some mini vacations but until then it's just HAH and me.

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I've got some work to get done so I'll end. Just wanted to let my 3 faithful readers know the little tidbits. Ciao baby.

Here

(HAH in her car seat on the lllooonnnggggggg drive back home... after poop #2, but before poop #3,496.)









Here.
Tired.
Glad Friday is just a night's sleep away.
New Orleasn was Fab-u-lous!
Still hunting for things in and around the house.
Ready to plant.
Yard not complete.
HAH is so funny.
She laughs at almost anything.
It makes me smile.
TCAP and End of course tests this week and the following two.
Then I can actually have fun w/ my lessons.
Pictures are on camera... wires are... uh, somewhere.
Will post pics when wires are retrieved (the pic above is from phone ~ ohh at my technological genius).
Til then ~ Tah tah.

We've moved!!!

Finally... blog access, internet at home, and television... all the comforts of home! We've been in the house since 4/1. Just got internet today (via our friends the satelite people from Mars) and are getting into a nice routine again. I have pictures of things in their "furniture is arranged but I can't put holes in those oh-so-pretty-walls yet, so nothing is hanging up" state. We love it, it feels like home, and has a good bit of room for our family to grow.

We now live on the road named May Anne. I love living in a small town and knowing so many people! We're on "the old May farm" and originally it was going to be called May Lane ~ which I thought was really cute. Then someone at 911 was having a crotchety day and decided it couldn't be that b/c some road in town had a similar name. So it was going to be Earl May Road. (Can you hear the disgust in my typing???) I told my realtor that was horrid ~ I'm proud to be a Tennessean, but seriously, EARL MAY??? Hello, it sounds like we don't have shoes, teeth, or houses with permenant foundations!!! She asked what it should be, but that the word "May" had to be included, so my step mother said, "Why not May Anne?" Thus I live on my own lane. :)

More cattle live near and around us then humans. Our nearest neighbors have 7 children who are all home schooled. Last week they shot a rabid possum and brought us cookies. Interesting to say the least!

Summer is just around the corner. Only 31 1/2 days and 1 hour of school left. During that time I'll be busy trying to find another position. I WILL NOT do behavior mod again!!!! Give me a regular ed classroom where I can plan a regular day and be involved in regular activities ~ I'll be a very happy woman! {During Spring Break only 4 of my 11 students were in lock up ~ I'm so proud.}

Thrusday we leave for the Big Easy. Can't wait for the time away ~ our first trip since HAH was born... I'm sure it'll be fantastic. Happy Easter all!

My heart is breaking... as I am sorting, organizing and packing for the big move (ONLY 2 MORE DAYS!!!) and looking over HAH's clothes as I pack them to go in the attic. It's killing me. She'll never wear these items again. It feels like just yesterday that I was going from shower to shower opening these precious items, getting excited about washing and putting them away, wondering what this little girl would look like, what her personality traits would be... And now here I sit w/ tears on my face putting them in a box that will collect dust until another little soul is ready to wear them. It hurts... Just thought I'd let you know.

Found me, huh?

I'm glad you're here... as long as you are NOT one of my students!!! One of my little jr. high guys googled me today and asked if I had a webiste. I did what every self-respecting teacher would do... I lied and made him get off of the computer ~ and then headed home to change what I could to get my name off of google. I hope this works!

Must get ready for the last day before my busiest spring break ever! We're closing on the house next Firday morning and the movers are coming Friday afternoon. Lord willing everything will work well and the timing will be perfect. If not, then I guess I'll be doing more lifting than originally planned.

Toodles.

Still Kickin'

Just a note to say hi and that I'm still here. We're supposed to close on the house on the 31st. Thankfully Spring Break is from the 27th until April 9 so I'll have some extra time to pack, unpack and decorate a bit before heading back for the last six weeks before summer break.

Things are so hectic and busy right now. I'm tutoring in the afternoons for some extra decorating $$$ and not getting home until after 5:00. By the time we sit down to eat, talk a bit and bathe HAH it's 9:00 and time to hit the sack. No wonder moms are so tired!

We'll be spending Easter weekend in New Orleans with my college family for Kaleb's third birthday ~ I think we've spent all but 2 Easter's in N.O. since B and I have been married. It's a great tradition! We're going to have a crawfish boil, train party and eat at some mega cool place for Easter dinner. What a great way to spend q time w/ some of my dearest friends!!

When we get back from LA it TCAP testing for two weeks. So much pressure is put on us to teach to this stinkin' test... I'm ready for it to be over and done with! Then it's end of course testing for my freshmen... tests that must be passed in order to go on to the 10th grade ~ even more pressure.. and sometime in there I'm supposed to take my kids on a field trip to see a brain disection (and probably to the Spaghetti Factory just to be cruel and super gross!), laser tag and to Joe's Crab Shack. Yeah, summer couldn't come quickly enough.

B, HAH and I are planning a summer vacation to Santa Rosa, FL ~ one of our favorite spots to relax, and possibly a fall trip to Arizona to visit one of my best friends and her husband before they head off to China for a year... and THEN an Alaskan cruise for just the two of us in the summer of '07.

Plans, plans, plans... where would we be without them?

This may be my last post for a while. Busy packing, closing and moving... our new house is WAAAYY out in the c ountry where no cable, nor dsl lines exist so dial up it will be for a good while. Maybe I'll see you around. Til next time...

The pictures are in...

Hadlee Anne ~ 6 months old

Sorry that the pictures are so grainy. {For some unknow reason, the photographer puts them on a paper to make it difficult to get high quality reprints.} :)

Couldn't you just suck her little face off???

Ya heard???

I heard that the local school board members' perception of my class is that I have parties all the time and take my students on weekly field trips for pizza. In actuality, we've had one party (Christmas) and taken 4 field trips (which I don't consider to be many since we have a classroom van for such purposes!), two of which have been to our local retirement home (and Manchester's tallest building, coming in at a whopping 5 stories tall). I asked the person who told me this information why the board members just didn't call and ask ~ his reply was, "Mae Anne, that's not how things are done." (I could hear him adding "Rookie." to the end of that sentence in his head.) I just don't understand. I'm a very detail oriented person. I enjoy having the facts of a specific situation. While I love the small town atmosphere ~ I DETEST the small town politics!!!

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We should have HAH's six month pictures by early next week. I'll post them for you to oohh and ahhh over.

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One of my students got upset today. We went on a walk to help calm down. (And also had to go over the fact that all 7th graders are temporary idiots who learn by example, not by being told.) On our way back into the classroom I told him he had to make his classmates think that I'd just paddled him and that it hurt like the dickens... he pulled it off. They weren't too happy with me. Yep, just like it should be! I think he deserves at least a few points of extra credit on his third quarter science final, how 'bout you?

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13 days 'til our TWO WEEK spring break...

Attempted, but failed...

I have tried on more than one occasion to turn off word recognition. It didn't work. If you know how to do so let me know and sometime in the next 10 years when I have a spare moment I'll do my best to turn it off.

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Lights are up, walls are painted, cabinets are installed.... but things are in all the wrong places. Crap.

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This week and next week I'll be getting more students. At most 8 more... made up of eighth and ninth graders. I'll be teaching every subject in the entire school, including Spanish. Among the legal things I know is how to say, "Where is the bathroom?" Again, crap.

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B's heading out of town for a few days. HAH and I will be living it up while he's gone. We may do more than one load of laundry, even put it away and pack a box or two for the upcoming move. Yeah, I know ~ you wish you were here.

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Buffett's summer tour is coming as close as Hotlanta. The concert will take place on my 5th wedding anniversary. I'll have to take 1/2 day off of work in order to get tickets. You better believe I'll do it!

Can you read what my pj's say? Just for you Ms. Terri!!!


Throwing what is known as a "McCullough Fit." {I'm just not quite sure where in the world her lil' temper comes from.}


In my bouncey chair w/ my favorite doll ~ we call her "Squeaky Baby".



Spending time at home on Mommy's day off.

FYI

Subject: Harvard University

Harvard University announced over the weekend that from now onundergraduate students from low-income families will pay no tuition. In making the announcement, Harvard's president Lawrence H. Summers said,"When only 10 percent of the students in Elite higher education comefrom families in lower half of the income distribution, we are not doing enough. We are not doing enough in bringing elite higher education tothe lower half of the income distribution." If you know of a family earning less than $40,000 a year with an honorstudent graduating from high school soon, Harvard University wants topay the tuition. The prestigious university recently announced that from now on undergraduate students from low-income families can go to Harvard for free...no tuition and no student loans! To find out more about Harvard offering free tuition for families making less than $40,000 ayear visit Harvard's financial aid website at:http://adm-is.fas.harvard.edu/FAO/index.htm or call the school's financial aid office at (617) 495-1581.

Dream crushing...

Your Career Type: Social

You are helpful, friendly, and trustworthy.Your talents lie in teaching, nursing, giving information, and solving social problems. You would make an excellent: Counselor - Dental Hygienist - LibrarianNurse - Parole Officer - Personal TrainerPhysical Therapist - Social Worker - Teacher The worst career options for your are realistic careers, like truck driver or farmer.

What's" Your Ideal Career?

{Dang it... I always secretly wanted to be a truck driver.}

You're a true Tennessean if...

1. You can properly pronounce Ooltewah, La Vergne, Etowah and Maryville.
2. You think people who complain about the heat in their states are sissies.
3. A tornado warning siren is your signal to go out in the yard and look for a funnel.
4. You know that the true value of a parking space is not determined by the distance to the door, but by the availability of shade.
5. Stores don't have bags or shopping carts, they have sacks and buggys.
6. You've seen people wear bib overalls at weddings and funerals.
7. You think everyone from a bigger city has an accent.
8. You measure distance in minutes.
9. You go to the lake because you think it is like going to the ocean.
10. You listen to the weather forecast before picking out an outfit.
11. You know cowpies are not made of beef.
12. Someone you know has used a football schedule to plan their wedding date.
13. You know someone who has a belt buckle bigger than your fist.
14. You aren't surprised to find movie rental, ammunition, beer, and bait all in the same store.
15. A Mercedes Benz isn't a status symbol. A Chevy Silverado Extended Bed Crew Cab is.
16. You know everything goes better with Ranch.
17. You learned how to shoot a gun before you learned how to multiply.
18. You actually get these jokes and are "fixin'" to send them to your friends.
And finally: 19. You are 100% Tennessean if you have ever had this conversation: "You wanna coke?" "Yeah." "What kind?" "Dr Pepper."

Need to lose a few minutes of your life that you'll never regain?

Then take this quiz...

You are a Social Liberal (60% permissive) and an... Economic Liberal (21% permissive) You are best described as a: Democrat Link: The Politics Test on Ok Cupid Also: The OkCupid Dating Persona Test

Living at work.
Stressed out.
Missing time w/ HAH and B.
Stressed out.
Ready for spring break.
Stressed out.
Papers due for school.
Stressed out.
Slow progress on the house.
Stressed out.
Constant tension headaches.
Stressed out.
Glad that the teaching calendar is only 180 days.
Stressed out.
Needing to head to the beach.
Stressed out.
Wish I had a drink w/ salt on the rim...
Stressed out.
... And a cute pink umbrella.

How well do you know these lyrics???

Where's the church, who took the steeple
Religion's in the hands of some crazy a$$ people
Television preachers with bad hair and dimples
The God's honest truth is it's not that simple

It's the Buddhist in you, it's the pagan in me
It's the Muslim in him, she's Catholic ain't she?
It's that born again look, it's the wasp and the Jew
Tell me what's goin on, I ain't got a clue


...Tell me who wrote 'em, the title and album and I'll promise not to send you the funk that sent me home from work at 8:30 this morning.

Tidbits...

HAH is officially sitting up and rolling from her tummy to her back.

I am now "highly qualified" to teach LANGUAGE ARTS grades 7 - 12... isn't it ironic, don't ya think?

Question from one of my students (who may have violated a zero tolerance policy), "Mrs. Mae Anne, do you do drugs?" I'm not sure that he was worried about my health...

After he completed my summative report for my evaluations, my principal gave me a hug and said, "Welcome to the family." ~ He likes me! He really, really likes me!

My Christmas tree is still up... and decorated.

I have yet to begin a research paper which is due by 11:55 p.m. tonight.

I'm still buried under a mountain of paperwork... being in the SPED dept. will do that to a gal. After Feb. 17 a majority of it will be over and done with and (hopefully) I'll be able to relax a bit.

I'm going to be an "Aunt Mave" again!!! Congrats to my New Orleans sister and family for baby #2 ~ she'll be with us in September!!!!

There is nothing like talking out life's problems with a dear friend over the comfort of Cracker Barrel food... & looking around at the fullets (female mullets) and thanking God that our problems really aren't as bad as they seem.

It's bed time... Nighty nite.