I am a believer of Abnormal J's

During silent reading time, a student (male) walks up to me with a thoughtful look on his face.

"Miss Shumway I just noticed something.  All the J's in the room are not normal.  They are all cursive or written in a weird way or something like that.  I just was looking around at all the J's and that is what I noticed."

The thought going through my mind was: "I can relate.  I would do the same thing with the letter H... But why J?  Your name doesn't even start with J, why do you care about J?"

Oh, I know.  You sit next to Josie.  Remember your elementary school crushes?

High Heels according to a fifth grade boy

"High heels look really fun.  They have this thing that comes down from the bottom of the shoe with this pad on the bottom and they could be used for like...stilts."

Kina Grannis

Naps

I don't usually share my soul through poetry, so consider this a treat...or a trick

naps are good
naps are great
specially during
my fall break

Ok now I'm wondering why humans don't hibernate?  

Swiss Dias

I saw this painted tin art at Swiss Days in Midway over Labor Day weekend.  I haven't stopped thinking about it since.  I got some great frames, earrings, stickers for nails (tat-toes.) All these things didn't cost very much and so I felt justified in indulging myself.  But not the painted tin. 

Go to this website and check out their stuff.  Let me know if you are breaking the commandment of coveting like me.  So I can have your company with my misery.  Or give me thousands of dollars.

(Um...seriously click on those links up at the top, I LOVE MY EARRINGS and FRAMES and those stickers stayed on for FIVE WEEKS on my toe nails.)

Pinterest

I refuse to join.  It seems like a bad idea.  Maybe when school is out next summer.

I admit I went on the site just barely to get this link.

Another couple reasons why my job is the best

When I walk by a line of second graders and hear one of them whisper excitedly: "She's the BEST!"

And then coming in from lunch and finding this note on my desk (typed just as she wrote it):

Dear Mis. Shumway
You are a great teacher the best the kids that get you next year will be really lucky.
You understand every thing, likes, dislikes, reading, Math, and thinking.
You can help any Student in the hole world.
You rock have a good school year.
Love your very happy Student
P.S. I loved eating lunch with you
(I let my kids eat lunch with me when their table wins most points)

Isn't that adorable? I literally felt like warm soft cotton fill my heart.

My nephew, after meeting a date

8 years old, wise beyond his years.
He met a guy I went on a couple dates with, and I asked him what he thought and if he had any advice. Just to see what he would say. Here's some snippets of a beautiful conversation:

• "He probably really likes you because he asked you out."
• "You should maybe ask him on a date next so he knows you like him."
• "You guys will probably get married next summer."
• "If you want it to work out, don't fight while you are dating. If you fight while you are dating, it probably won't last."
• "If you want to stay married, don't fight for at least the first year. After the first year it's ok."

The FLUSHER!!!!!!

Once the principal announced my name, dozens of kids ran to line up. They wanted to throw the ball that hit the target that got me soaking. I wore a swim cap and goggles...so glad that I did.

The best part of it all was that I loved it. I liked acting scared, egging the kids on, teasing them, and letting them push it if they missed. (only if they had been or were my students though :)

OK that's not me in this picture, it's my principal that borrowed my swim cap. Same dif.

This morning

I added two halloween oreos to my protein shake.

Blue Planet

So I uploaded a bunch of Blue Planet vids to my laptop...and I decided tonight that whenever I can't sleep I'll watch them.

Well I just watched the "Amazon Abyss." Like I feel like going to sleep now. Heck NO! Sweet little nightmarluby. (like lullaby but nightmarelaby?)

The last clip was of a bunch of Paranas devouring a large dead fish they put down in the water. So awesomely disturbing. Maybe that one was the worst of all the Blue Planets.

Sundance Harvest

Today my mommy, aunt, and cousins Al & Court went to the Sundance Harvest Market. The Market was o.k. and the only reason why I didn't hate it was because they had owls, mini owls, and hawks there! So beautiful to observe. Last but not least, the lift was AMAZING!

mmmm cozy wozy

so fresh and free

I am suffering

from a mild concussion.

The worst part of it is how it happened. My co-workers joke that it sounds just like a story a fifth grader would tell.



I was playing in my friend's back yard. We were playing a spinning game we like to call "teacups"
She dared me to go over her footbridge playing teacups. So I did and she followed, spinning across the river. I was spinning slowly but decided to go a bit faster, seeing I was about over. Well I flew toward the river, hit my head on a rock, my heel on another, and splash. My bottom half was soaked and my head had hot liquid coming out. I didn't black out or anything, but driving the next day and the random tears show that I probably should just take it easy. I'm glad I didn't bite off my tongue or die or anything.

New York tastes good.

We did a bunch of other fun stuff that I look back on and really enjoy. But my favorite things were pretty basic. Like just walking around Central Park and the city. Oh and eating. I took a picture of everything I ate. Here are my favorites. Now you just have to go to New York and try them!

Breakfast

raspberry crumble muffin from Magnolia Bakery


Eggs Flourentine from Norma's. Those are widdle potatoes. Aren't they adorable?

Chocolate Decadence French Toast from Norma's
Alex Guarnaschelli is in chocoholic heaven at Norma's at Le Parker Meridien in New York, NY, with the Chocolate Decadence French Toast, on the best thing I ever ate.



Pizza

Margarita from Grimaldi's. The best pizza in the world in my humble opinion.


White Pizza from Grimaldi's, the best pizza I've ever had...tied with the above.


Margarita from Lombardi's, the father of pizza in NYC


Boba


Sammiches

Pastrami "Reuben" at Katz's Deli...meat was a bit dry but the experience of going after seeing it on tv was fantastic. The "pastrami reverand" that was on emeril loved me.


Cheese sandwich from E.A.T. Cafe. Best "cheesy" thing Barefoot Contessa has ever ate.


Dessert

Crack Pie from Momofuku milk bar. Addicting? Yes. I get weekly shipments. jk but I should.


Pastries


Red Velvet Cake from Cake Man Raven. Best red velvet in the world...other than my mom's.


More pastries. Ferrara Bakery.
Ferrara Bakery in New York, NY is a favorite of Alex Guarnaschelli on Food Network's The Best Thing I Ever Ate.


I am proud to say I gained 10 pounds within that 5 day period. And I've lost 7 since. I'll keep the existing 3 as a souvenir.

I am going to New York

In 9 DAYS!!! For the first time in my whole life!

for a period of 4.5 days.

Any recommendations for (listed in order of importance) restaurants, tourist sights, art museums, and shopping? Please comment or email! Thank ya.

Science Teachers + Me = Disaster Series

Humans that I've encountered that are my teachers in any science usually don't like me. I have always really enjoyed science. Yet I am always confused at my grades...they don't match up. I think I know why. Let's take a walk through memory lane, shall we?:

5th Grade Science. Mr. Jacobs. We had an actual science teacher. It's not like today where a cute, nice teacher like myself teaches my children nearly all subjects. This man had hair growing out his ears. I remember a look he had, saved especially for me. A look that said, in essence, "Who the H are you? Why do you think that way? You are an alien."

7th and 8th Grade Science. Mr Barker. I pity the man after I was finished with him. I argued with him, even when I reached the point that I knew he was right. I did my own experiments, not necessarily assigned. Some of which got me detention. Like sliming glue all over my left hand, letting it dry, and peeling it off ever so carefully. What a cool sensation. And an excellent mold of the crevices of my hand. He didn't think so.

10th Grade. Mr. Belnap. The girl next to me kept making comments about "chemistry" that had nothing to do with science. She was kind of ditsy and hoey. So obviously my male teacher teased her and I lived under her shadow all year. Thank you, ditsy hoe.

11th Grade. Oh yes. Chemistry with Mr. Shelton. He was definitely my favorite. This was a special year, because I wasn't the one the teacher hated. He acted like he hated everyone. Which was so entertaining and I hope to aspire to such a reputation. If you sneezed or coughed, he would say "Shhhhh" and "Shut up." If you asked a question, he would leave a long pause after, so you felt the humiliation of your dumbness. Other kids would laugh to ease the tension. He would move on with his lecture and a straight face without any verbal reinforcement.

But he was special because we knew he loved us and that was his humor. And that made him one of my favorite teachers of all time. It didn't help my grade, but the C- is definitely one of my fondest grades.

College teachers don't count because they don't have time to care about any single student. And elementary education science...well that was impossible to not love.

But right now. This week. I am at a science training up north all week. And of course, of all the teachers training with me, the teacher/professor picks on ME most of all.

He calls me different names to spite me

He will not tell me if I am right or wrong

He makes fun of anywhere south of Salt Lake (he's an idiot)

I actually made a list of things I don't want to do in my own class because he makes me feel like an evil, misbehaved kid. I don't get this from any other teacher! OK I can think of TWO others. But always in science.

So I just read books during his lectures. Luckily we meet in a school library, so I started the Fablehaven series. I love love love it. Already on the 2nd book.

Harry Potter Countdown

I decided to do something drastic. And I am so glad I decided to make that decision.

I am having/have had a Harry Potter marathon, one move a night, for seven nights, until the final film comes out!

I may or may not have taken the projector I had in my classroom and used it to watch HP in my back yard on a nice big screen. It is so much cooler to watch HP outside.

Let's share the recipes I used!

Butter Beer

The first night I had cream-soda floats (vanilla ice-cream and cream soda) then you mix in butterscotch topping. Then I made something from scratch which peeps seemed to enjoy as well:

What you need:

1 cup light or dark brown sugar

2 tablespoons water

6 tablespoons butter

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon cider vinegar

¾ cup heavy cream, divided

Four 12-ounce bottles cream soda

Make it: In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the brown sugar and water. Bring to a gentle boil and cook, stirring often, until the mixture reads 240 F on a candy thermometer. Stir in the butter, salt, vinegar and ¼ heavy cream. Set aside to cool to room temperature. In a medium bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of the brown sugar mixture and the remaining ½ cup of heavy cream. Use an electric mixer to beat until just thickened, but not completely whipped, about 2 to 3 minutes.

To serve, divide the brown sugar mixture between 4 tall glasses (about ¼ cup for each glass). Add ¼ cup of cream soda to each glass, then stir to combine. Fill each glass nearly to the top with additional cream soda, then spoon the whipped topping over each. — By Heather Witherspoon, McClatchy Newspapers

After a few nights of Butterbeer, I thought I'd try making Pumpkin Juice! In Harry Potter world, it is served in a bottle with the ingredients listed. I thought it was repulsive to be honest with you. Too strong! The spices were overpowering my pumpkin pumpkin! But I remember the first ingredient was apple juice, so I bought a gallon of that, mixed in a half can of pumpkin pie filling, added a heaping teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice, and mixed it all together with a beater. I am off sugar so I never tasted it, but the guests said it was good! I'll take their word for it.

I also had:

• Licorice Wands (strawberry twizzlers)
• Chocolate frog kisses (hershey kisses)
• Every-flavor beans (jelly beans...the real ones are costly)

My mom showed me this blog and it blew me away. And I thought I was being creative!

I get to see HP7 part 2 at 6pm tomorrow! Before even you eastern time peeps! I am so excited. But sad that it's the last.

Happy 400th Post!!!

If you have read all 400 posts, I have a gift for you!!!