Moving into a better house

MOVING AGAIN?!?!?!?! Don't worry family and friends, it's a virtual move...

This is a "save the date" notice that I'm moving my blog over to Wordpress!! It seems to be less buggy and cumbersome, and so I can't wait to have even MORE time to tell stories and laugh at kids and wander up to FS's office. Also, I have my very own domain!

MinorEmergencies.net

See? Isn't that so much cooler? I've moved the posts over but it's not very pretty at the moment. Gimme a few days and I'll post another official notice.

Love to you all, and thanks so much for the encouragement. It means so, so much that people get a kick out of this thing. 

Party Time!

F4 was feeling pretty chipper this morning. He was telling me a story and gesturing like a drunken Italian, splashing his water cup all over the floor. I, of course, was laughing and egging him on (sorry F4's teacher!).

I should have been watching for him at lunch. Then I might have been prepared for his visit. I was minding my own business, making eleventy-billion little ice packs for boo-boos, when I hear a small commotion at my office door. I look up in time to see F4 jump through the doorway, arms splayed, food crumbs from lunch scattered across his face, yelling (I mean, he turned that volume up to 11):

"IT'S NOT A PARTY WITHOUT STREAMERS!!!!"

I was standing there, just enjoying the show. He didn't really have anywhere to go from there, so he said it again a few more times, you know, for emphasis.

I have to say that he's on to something. I LOVE streamers.

Gardening: Fun and Yummy or Useless Waste of Time?

It's about 1 month into my gardening project, and while I can say it's been more successful than my previous attempts, it hasn't gone *well*.

Step 1: spend hours and hours shoveling dirt out of a section of the horse corral, as this is OBVIOUSLY the best place for a garden.

Step 2: drag 7 railroad ties over and make a 3-section box.

Step 3: repeat step 1...

Step 4: go to the seed store and scoff when they tell you that you will need approximately 42 more bags of dirt. Buy 10.

Step 5: come home to a delivery from the seed catalogue. Try to plant the strawberry plant into a bucket til you can get the dirt into the garden plot. Realize that "the strawberry plant" is actually 25 strawberry plants rubberbanded together. Scratch head and ponder.

During this time I've sprouted herbs, lettuce, spinach, and garlic (more to come on the garlic). The strawberries are pretty much all alive, and the corn is planted in the rows. The compost tumbler is eating the household waste, smells like dirt (not rotten food) and does not house a 3 pound rat/possum. These are all good things.

The setbacks are keeping me busy and outside, which I could appreciate were it not for the 60mph gusts today while I was glooping around in garden mud and wearing a sundress (sorry neighbors!).

I'm learning.

Gagsy Needs a New Title

So Gagsy has been rockin and rollin with his medicine. I've had no chocolate milk on my floor or shoes or sink, and no gelatinous, half-mauled capsules upchucked into my trash can.

On top of that, if he swallows it when he thinks I'm not looking (I'm ALWAYS looking), he'll clear his throat and say,

"Annnnd guess what? I just swallowed my pill again."

With a casual "what's up" nod and a finger pointed in my direction, he heads out the door, slapping high fives on his way down the hall.

This is the only kid I know with a touchdown dance for his first success of each school day.

Shake First, Ask Questions Later?

I'm in my office, minding my own business, when a woman walks in. I've seen her before around the school.
TM: Hello, are you the Nurse?
Me: Sure am! My name is Sara. It's nice to meet you.
We shake hands and smile and it's all very nice... Until:
Typhoid Mary: DOES *THIS* LOOK LIKE PINK EYE?
Holy crap, thanks for the freaking heads up.

New Use for Latex?

How disturbing is this? I was outside hunting down a first grader when I caught a little girl chasing her friend with a.... Balloon? (please tell me it's not a...) Turd? (well, that would be better than a...) Whew. It was a glove. Still eww, but not the worst kind of eww. Have I mentioned that kids are yuck?

Dino-Mite!

A gift from FS. His new name is Alfie.

PLAQUE ATTACK!

I spent most of Thursday moving from one kindergarten class to the next, demonstrating proper oral hygiene with the help of Mr Monster and the Plaque Attack. The kids at the end of the day got a totally different message than my first group:

ME: "Does everyone have a toothbrush? If so, does it look kind of like this [I hold up Big Blue]?"

Approx 1/3 of the class- "YESSSSSS!!"
The other 2/3: "Nooooo, mine is not like that. Mine is (blue! Purple! Superman! RAAAIIINNNBOOOWWW!!)!!

ME: "Yes Dudley, if we don't brush our teeth, it IS possible for our teeth to fall out [there is a brief but distinct sucking sound as all 20 kids open their mouths at the exact same time]

Approx 1/3 of the children- "TEACHER! (or DOCTOR! or SARA!!) ILOSTTHISTOOTHRIGHTHERE!! SEE? SEE IT?"

Approx 2/3 of the class- "TEACHER! (or DOCTOR! or SARA!!) THISTOOTHISLOOSE! RIGHT HERE! I'MLOSINGITSOON!! RIGHT HERE! SEE IT? NURSE! SEE MY LOOSE TOOTH?"

It took a nanosecond to realize these errors and several hours  to extract myself from them. Okay, maybe it just felt like hours. Anyway, the kids all took turns brushing the monster's teeth and it was very cute and civilized.

Until one of the disgruntled students who had already had her turn stated loudly (and repeatedly), "I think his teeth look pretty clean. Yep! They sure look clean to me!" She had apparently moved on to the next big thing. Whatevs. NBD. I can deal with the rejection, but I think Mr. Monster's smile looks a little forced. Poor guy.