Toby's Day after Turkey Bath

It's a good thing my mom installed a bigger sink.

What a cute little monster.

Today in class, I helped a student with a problem he wasn't understanding. He called me back,
"Oh, and Ms. Bateman? I have another question. Have they figured out cloning yet? Cause I REALLY don't want to go to my Aunt's tomorrow."

It was a serious question.

Jay's birthday is Saturday, and I just hung up from a long-winded conversation that started on the topic of what I should get him. In his defense, I did ask him to tell me what to buy for him. So he called and told me to get ... drum roll ... Gremlins! I laughed and refused, but he reminded me that it's his birthday, not mine.

"But what if I get scared when I buy it?"

"Oh, yeah right."

My pants fell down at the gym.

I was doing up-downs, I felt my pants slide a little, but I am stubborn and wanted to finish my set. It wasn't til I stopped that I realized my pants were practically under my green-striped butt cheeks.

Just trying to keep my life classy.

I finally hemmed my own jeans!

Usually, I'll take my jeans to my mom, chat it up, and eventually she just takes over.

I did ask a lot of questions (thank you mom and Dra). On my second pair of jeans, I had to get out a piece of paper to write out the math.

Ugh! I totally didn't match up to my starting point. Looks a little ridiculous, and it's conveniently in the front, but I'm still proud of myself.

Big Ball of Embarrassment

Spirit week has insisted that I come dressed up:

Mon = Nerd Day

I borrowed Jay's wolf shirt, and fanny pack, and I borrowed my dad's suspenders. I put horrible clips in my hair, tucked my shirt into my underwear, had super messy pony tails, glasses, wore long white socks, and topped it all off with my tevas. The fanny pack was a huge huge hit. (Turns out they're incredibly useful.) I felt so ugly yet so funny.

Tue = Ugly Sweater Day

No details really needed. I was practically sweating all day. Again, I felt so ugly yet so funny.

Wed = Today = Western Day = Cowboys and Indians!

I should take a poll, but I would like to give myself the best-dressed/favorite award. I wore my cute new moccasins, tight jeans, black shirt, brown top over top of black shirt that has gorgeous beading, feather earrings, a cute brown long tie around my right arm, and ... a huge feather headdress that Em made! My kids were so in love with me, but I have to admit that I was a little nervous to dress up as an Indian. I felt like I needed to clarify that I wasn't making fun of anyone. I hadn't seen Skipper and Maggie (teacher buds) before school started, so while Daniel (student teacher) was teaching, I ran to Skipper and Maggie's doors, stayed in the hallway so their students couldn't see me, waited til they caught sight of me, did a little jig, and snuck away as they laughed and laughed. I heard one of Maggie's students shout, "What are you laughing at?!" I am so funny and cute.

Tomorrow = Neon Day

I borrowed Em's bright blue pants, I'm still debating whether I want to put those tight suckers on and live through a whole day.

Friday = Decade Day

Shrug, no idea what I'm doing yet. Any suggestions and/or outfits I could borrow?

My overhead projector has a baby dragon living in it!

Last Thursday, my student teacher, Daniel, was teaching; I was across the hall, hiding out in the math office, cutting and pasting and humming, and he came busting in to ask me a question. He scared me, I laughed, then he laughed. He explained that my overhead projector wouldn't turn off, there was a message on the board saying it was overheating. Meh, it's done that before, so I stomped over in my boots to help out. (I was looking mighty great at work today, Dean complimented me, Nic complimented me, and later that afternoon, I got a lot of nods and doors held open as I walked to the back of the gym to change into non-flattering clothes ... I digress). So I grab the compressed air bottle, move kids out from underneath the projector (dust flies out and it's gross, but I didn't tell them that), and coach Daniel through where to send that air. He did a great job, I tried to turn the projector off, but it still said it was overheating. I shrugged and suggested Daniel spray a little bit more. He touched the projector and made a side comment about it being really hot and how he hoped he didn't burn his face off ... and then ... he sprayed through the back, and flames shot out the side right by his face! I kid you not! Flames!

I gasped. Some students also witnessed the flames.

I didn't know what to do! And I couldn't get over trying to figure out how the heck flames came out. Then it started to smell like smoke, then I envisioned my projector melting in on itself. I stomp/ran over to Carrie, blurted out in front of her class, "I need help! My projector just shot out flames; I'm not exaggerating!" She suggested I push my emergency button and get the custodians in there quick. I ran/stomped back (I was so loud in the halls with those cute little boots) and excitedly said, "I've never been able to use this!" and pushed the emergency button. Sweet secretary voice came over the intercom, "Did you need help?"

"Yes! I need Dale in my room quick, my projector just shot out flames!" then the kids started laughing, and I didn't hear the beginning of what she said, but I did hear that they would be there quickly. They came in, I acted out what happened while the kids sat silently as I entertained them, then they brought in a huge ladder to get a better look. That ladder was literally about two inches from the ceiling. It looked so silly and tall. They said they would put in a work order, "Do you use it much?"

Of course.

They laughed and suggested I leave it alone as much as possible today, which wasn't hard. The students were all sorts of riled up, and Daniel was in the background of the noise saying frantic things like, "We're still correcting at the end of class!"

What an adventure.

Gaggle of Trick-or-Treaters