I'm grumpy. I'm ready for break.

I'm grading a huge pile of papers. Not because I'm a procrastinator... because my students are procrastinators. I didn't make an effort to check on writing assignments. A lot of students did them as they went... some did not. So I'm knee deep in grading like 9 different curriculums. Crazy.

I'm grumpy. I'm ready for break.

Bright sides: I'm in a cleanish house. Candles are burning. Grading's done. I'm eating a cookie.

I think I love where I work. I've felt anxious a lot, which affects how I feel in the classroom, but I know I often do well there. I like the communication and adaptation and quickness required. I feel exhausted, though.

Family Night went well today. We did fried chicken and played games. Anne and Matt came.

Here's one of my students on a hanger at Walmart.

Color Me Rad

For the Special Olympics. Also, for fun.

Pokagon

"What beats that? Baby... monkeys... in diapers? ... Yeah. They do."

Matt is a planner. He planned that we'd spend Labor Day together and he planned not to tell me what we were doing. Just for the fun of it, I think.

We did donuts and coffee... and reading and driving... and State-Park-walking and picniking... and people-watching and photo-taking... and Texas-Roadhousing... and Parks-and-Rec-ing... a lot of things.

I discovered that I love woodpeckers. They're awesome. They have red heads and speckled gray bodies. They also smash their faces into wood to eat. How crazy is that?

I've also discovered that Matt used to be the white version of Russell from UP. Which is... a relief. Because who else would I rather explore the woods with??