Adventures in cleaning & teaching resolutions

So I am exhausted.

Ive been cleaning the stuff in my grandmas basement for almost 16 hours now (over two days, Im not that awesome...) Im fighting the water that keeps coming in the basement as well as the dust/dirt/mold/mouse presents that I am finding in the boxes/bags.

Again, these are all of the things that were in my old house (that before it was foreclosed, no one really lived in for a few months) that got moved to my mom's old-new house in 2004 and sat in the basement, and now in the basement of my grams, as of June.

(*before I began today, I had to wrangle my grandmas fat cat - that we never see, so my husband doesnt think she is real - into a carrier to go to the groomers. This cat is huge. She is mean to anyone who is not my gram... it was real fun ;) )

So, I believe I was destined to be a teacher. First, there are TONS of books. TONS. All kinds, many brought back happy memories from being a kid. Some made me mad because they're in pretty bad shape. THIS is due to my older sister moving the boxes of books to our carport at the house we grew up in, when she moved into the basement. This was when I was in college... yeah, the carport, not safe from elements or animals.

Next, I have TONS of stuffed animals. All need washed, some need surgery. Some got the mouse treatment... ugh. There are a TON of teddy bears, my sorority's local mascot is the teddy bear (our national is the sphinx, there arent many cute sphinx things out there!). I got millions in college. I may donate some of them back to the house.

I went through a lot of clothes (oh the 90s and early 2000s...) most are being donated, however, sorority shirts, musical shirts etc... keeping - as well as the AMAZING PLAID PANTS I found... I hope they fit!

I also have knick-nacks, TONS of pictures, journals, awards (yeah, cheerleading & debate trophies!)

I found stuff from MIDDLE SCHOOL, as well as HS and college. I found a TON of neat things for my class (MAGNETS! WOOHOO) and some teaching books I forgot I had. I found things from my first "real" (non-prek) teaching job at an inner city charter school... woah. (like a gazillion referrals!)

However, today was not all fun and games. Yesterday I had my mom with me, it was nice to talk to her and have her there to help me. Today, I was all alone. Well, I found a lot of things that brought back memories. For those of you who dont know, I lost my dad suddenly in 2007. That was my second year in Virginia. My dad had trouble with drugs/alcohol most of his life. I am not embarrassed to say this, I let people know because if I share my story, I may help someone. When my dad died, he was trying to get himself back on track. He lived with a bad room mate who didnt notice my dad was really sick. He had pneumonia, he went into a coma and never came out. I still deal with this each day, and of course, today I was finding a lot of things from when I was little, as well as things of my dads. I also found my sister's old journal (haha, had to read!) and she had an entry from when my dad's mom passed away in 1993 and she went into detail if how hard I took it... a lot of emotions. I really needed my husband!

Well, I needed to get that out. I was so tired that I was bad step-mom and took the kids to McDonalds. We never do that, so it was okay! We did go night swimming in my sister's pool, after chasing the dog and the cat who got out!

Oh yes, and the dog update... she has not peed (as far as I know, but who knows really?) however, she has thoroughly chewed up one of my youngest's new flip flops and was starting on the second. Good thing they were cheap...  She also is very very jumpy. Otherwise, she has been good, a nice cuddle buddy in the bed at night, however, a bit of a bed hog!

NOW, for my teaching resolutions:

2012-13 Resolutions:

• Be more organized, get books organized so kids can use them easier.
• Read more stories and sing more songs!
• Put in time at work when I am there in the morning, so I dont have to do anything at home. I am lucky to get out on time, only because I pick up my kid!
• Collaborate more! We all kinda did our own thing this past year, since we were all in the same boat in a new school... 
• Start simple reading groups early!
• Create more "centers" for the kids to do during word work
• STICK TO MY SCHEDULE! :) Im so bad at this!
• BREATHE!

Im sure there are more things I want to do... but they're not coming to my brain right now. Brain is tired. 

Love to you all,

Alison :)