5th Snow Day.

I woke up this morning at 5:00 and immediately got online to see if school had been cancelled.  It is, I found out at 5:54.  I am wired, unfortunately, and cannot go back to sleep.

Last night the 2nd grade performed at the PTA meeting.  I may be a bit biased, but my kids were quite possibly the cutest things in the world.  I felt like a proud parent watching them sing the songs, play the instruments, and act out their parts.  I filmed the entire program and probably took about 25 pictures of their short performance.  It's all about capturing memories, right?  These kids bring me a lot of joy.

Speaking of joy, yesterday afternoon I noticed that a couple of my kids were pouting.  So, what did I do?  In the middle of our daily UPSL (Understand, Plan, Solve, Look Back: our problem solving strategy) I played the song "My Favorite Things" and sang it.  Not quietly, I may add.  A large part of me wishes I were Julie Andrews - I adore her.  And though I cannot say that I did her justice in singing the song, it certainly worked for my kids.  My pouters started laughing!  Probably at my expense, seeing as I was dancing around the room and truly convincing all of my students that "raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens" are absolutely my favorite things.  Sometimes it takes that little something extra to motivate some kids, and I'm not above singing, changing accents, or becoming a different character (fairy godmother, Mrs. Spork, etc.); just ask my students :)

A list of some of my actual favorite things (raindrops and whiskers aside):

- my family

- my friends

- Christmas

- the Fall
- owls

- Louisiana

- Diet Coke

- music

- my faith in Christ

- my job

- my church

- and obviously, it goes without saying, my kids :)

Now, on to attempt to go back to sleep.  I love these surprise days off; they make me miss my kids, and my job, and my routine.  We wouldn't know the feeling of "missing" something if it were never taken away.  And I think if we say we "miss" something, it just shows how much we love and care about it.  So, I'll be ready to go back come Thursday or Friday.  Plus, the stories of how people, especially 2nd graders, kept themselves entertained are priceless :)

Teaching at the feet of the Father,

Amanda/Ms. B