Teachers are crazy for a good deal...

My friend Melinda and I went shopping today since we were both off-track - and what do we do??? Go searching the Dollar Stores in town for theme books we use in our classrooms! Really, on our day off. But these aren't just regular books, these are books we normally buy at the teacher store for about 20 dollars a piece and the Dollar Store had them for ONE DOLLAR!!! Can you believe it!!! (Even on my trip back east, all the "souvenirs" I brought back were books about famous Americans to read to the kids.) But, I am amazed at how, being a teacher - I can memorize who has the most pipe cleaners/pony beads/sequins/google eyes for the cheapest price, that I need to stock up on 29 cent glue at Wal-Mart at the beginning of the school year because kids use A LOT of glue and after the school year begins the same glue bottle is over a dollar, that Winco has the cheapest price for Gummie Bears per pound, that stores mark down their Holiday theme items at least 50% the day following the holiday and I have to weigh the desire to have the items (stocking up for the next year of course) at 50% off, or try and wait it out until they go 75% off, but risk the items being scooped up by other teachers doing the same thing. It is what we do - I am not alone...when one of us finds a good deal, the phone tree, well Internet tree begins. It is a sickness - so my husband tells me. But, there is just that satisfaction of getting the best deal. Take the example of my Christmas stockings - I got the good ones (the fuzzy ones) for 75% off - or 50 cents a piece. I was excited as I counted them into my cart - I felt exhilarated to know I waited and I got the best price...and then, even though our district changed our school calendar and we will be off in December - part of me is still proud to raise my head because I waited it out and and got them cheap. I guess it is a sickness... because now I do not know what I am going to do with 40 (I bought extra for my teaching partner) good fuzzy stockings and 20 Santa hats because they were 10 cents each- but I will continue to hold my head up because I have the satisfaction of knowing I saved money - instead of being out 22 dollars - I could have paid full price for it all and be out over 90 bucks! That is how we teachers roll....

MUSIC OF THE HEART MOVIE

I watched the movie - Music of the Heart earlier today. I just brings home the point about how important music is to children. With the budget cuts going on in education - it truly saddens my heart to see music and art as one of the first thing(s) to go! Music and art (also the arts) are not just important academically speaking - it gives children/people something to turn to in times of sadness, anger, happiness, loneliness, joy. I wish all school boards could watch this movie and Mr. Holland's Opus before considering cutting music. And, maybe check out an art museum, watch Monster's INC, and Sesame Street to see how vital art or the arts are in education. Because, as an adult - most of my hobbies revolve around doing math for fun, writing an on-topic personal narrative to add to my daily journal of writings, and studying facts about history to do better on the next Jeopardy show - yeah right!!!!! My favorite hobbies are scrapbooking - hmmm art, listening to music...hmmmm music and watching tv shows, movies, and going to plays.....hmmmmm the arts, taking pictures.....hmmmmm art????!!!!! This may just be my soap box, but in my daily life, I rarely have a day that goes by (if any) that do not include my appreciating some form of music or art. I guess I will leave it at that!

M and J

J and I met almost 12 years ago this May! We had our first date at Togo's and the rest they say...is history! I think he is the best husband in the whole world - I know many of you may think your husband is the best, but for me, he fits me perfectly! I am so blessed to be married to him! We both are lucky enough to have jobs we love, attend a fantastic Church, have wonderful family and friends and live in a house in a small town! We would love one day to move back east - maybe PA or VA but for now, we make our happy home here!

And, if you don't get the Mews part - I love kitties! Well, I love anything with fur or feathers - our family is includes rats, fish, dogs and cats! I would love to have a ferret, a rabbit, ducks, chickens, cows, donkeys, etc...but Jeff says that has to wait until we own a farm! I guess I understand that! ;-)