What's That You Say?

When I was in high school, there were only a few kids to make up a small youth group. Occasionally, we took trips to the mountains, a lake, or to youth rallies. We didn't live near water, so trips to the lake were cherished with full attendance. A few church members owned boats, and one family had something we affectionately called a "water weenie." It was red and looked like it should fit inside a giant hot dog bun. There were 6 handles on the top side, enough for 6 people to sit and hold on for dear life. The water weenie was pulled behind a boat full of screaming kids and peering adults. The goal of the driver was to sway the weenie this way and that, causing as many teenagers to jump ship as possible. It was a complete blast, and generally if one fell, all 6 were sucked under water. We left with bruises, seared skin and burning lungs, but it was always worth the trip.

On one particular outing such as this, we hit the water. The sun was blazing off the murky lake. The wind swirled through our hair, and we were ready to ride. We piled on the water weenie and held on. We gave up only using one arm for 8 seconds, and instead grasped the strap with a death grip. We swished through the water and leaned left and right. My eyes were stinging with spray and I could hear those around me yelling and laughing. A faint voice from the back hollered, "RAE'S GONE!!" We looked back, and sure enough Rae was floating at an increasingly far distance back. We started waving an arm and yelling, "RAE'S GONE!!!!" to those in the boat. They yelled back at us but didn't stop. We were confused and kept yelling to get their attention. Finally, someone bailed off and they stopped the boat. Apparently the reason they hadn't stopped earlier is because they thought we were saying, "PRAISE GOD!"... well, it was a youth group trip.

This story serves as an intro for what happened tonight. My family and I were enjoying a margarita at our favorite Mexican food restaurant while eating supper. Our Spanish-speaking waiter came by and asked if we would like any more. We told him, "No thanks!" He said something in response, but we didn't understand him. He repeated himself twice and after the third, "HUH?" from my uncle, I decided to interpret for him. I spoke loudly, "HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!" Matt said to the waiter, "Oh!" and then, "To you, too! Feliz Navidad!"

Come to find out, the poor Waiter had simply informed us that it was still "Happy Hour" and not "Happy Holidays". HA! That's what I get for trying to fix things.


Praise God and Happy "Hour" and Holidays to all of you out there! :)

My Savior Loves

I am not skilled to understand
What God has willed, what God has planned
I only know at His right hand
Stands one who is my Savior

I take Him at His word and deed
Christ died to save me; this I read
And in my heart I find a need
Of Him to be my savior

My Kind of Math Problem

The kids were asked to write their own math problem. And, this was the best one!

"Ms. Castro has 12 boyfriends and Ms. Waggoner has 3 times as many. How many do they have in all?"


Good to know I'm winning the relationship race somewhere!

Just a Thought

It's not JUST because I have a hard time believing in Global Warming that I feel this way.. But, I heard on the news this morning that Hillary Clinton is helping poor countries fight against Global Warming. Shouldn't she be helping poor countries fight poverty? Disease?

Corduroy

You know how people lose socks in the dryer? Well I don't. But, buttons fall off all my jackets. I don't own a jacket that doesn't have a missing button.

Bruise

Bruises are interesting. They form after some sort of mistake. No one actually "tries" to get a bruise. They stay for days after, reminding you of what went wrong.

Last Monday I had an Alexander type of day. You've read the book. The terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. That was me, Ms. Waggoner's version. I'll start at the beginning.

I woke up and didn't go work out. This gave me a good extra hour of sleep. I got up, and figured that getting ready would be swift and easy. However, I had to wear red for Red Ribbon Week and I couldn't get it to work with what I wanted to wear. I barely made it out the door in time. As I pulled into school, the floodgates of heaven opened on me in my topless jeep. I did my best to cover it up and hurry inside. I was irritated, but trying to remain calm as I began my day. During the morning ten minute reading time, I was drinking my coffee and enjoying the quiet. All of a sudden I heard what sounded like water spilling. Wrong. A child had thrown up across a large portion of the room. I got up and escorted him to the nurse and summoned a janitor.

Do you know those maps that roll up and hang from a chalk board? Well I have those in my classroom and I confess to not knowing how to work them. I pull them down, but cannot for the life of me get the map to roll back up. Of course I needed these particular maps for my social studies lesson. I pulled them down, taught the lesson and attempted to recoil the maps back up. In order to do it, I pulled... and pulled... and pulled.... until a red line appeared that said "STOP." ... so, I pulled some more. Frustration was building inside me, and so I gently tugged a bit more. Without warning, the entire metal rack with map in tow, wound up like a tape measure and jumped off of the hooks connected to the chalkboard. And, came crashing down, landing on my knee. 60 eyeballs stared in amazement as steam came out of my ears. A few rambunctious ones yelled, "OHHHH!!!!!!!!!!" To which I responded with, "SHH! BE QUIET AND SIT DOWN!!"

For those of you who don't know, I share a room with another teacher... and I teach 30 kids at time. I was ending the day with 4 minutes of writing. A lot can happen in 4 minutes. I had just barked orders regarding this 4 minute writing before the bell rang, when my partner came in and asked the kids to pack up because she needed the room.. Steam out the ears.

After school, it was my turn to have the computer, but she was holding a student council meeting. They also used my colored writing paper for "posters" around the school. I left that day, with not much accomplished.

Today is Sunday and I still have a black mushy spot about the size of a quarter on my knee from those darn maps. A reminder that haunts me from the previous Monday.

Today Mark preached on the feeding of the 5000. He talked about having faith. When my granddad got up to say the closing prayer, he told God (and the rest of us) that he called the little boy with the loaves and fish, "that fat boy" because he brought his lunch. "That fat boy" helped a lot of people believe that day. I think of this amazing miracle and am reminded to have faith in what God will do for me. Bruises or no bruises. Even with steam coming out my ears.

Ridiculous

Lately I have been stressing over a few things.

The first: My DVR. This, I'm sure was invented to ease the stress of TV-Watchers. But, for me, it adds to the stress. It haunts me with unwatched shows and exponentially increasing recordings. No longer can I relax and flip channels, I have a need to clear them out!

The second: Bubble Bath. Any of you that know me, know I love myself a good bubble bath. It is my way to relax at the end of the day. Bubble bath seems to be a frivolous thing to spend money on, therefore I rarely buy it for myself. I got some for Christmas last year and I will only squeeze a tiny bit out-- and not even every week! Actually using the bubble bath makes me anxious about the fact that it's going to run out.

Both of these situations are pretty ridiculous. Two of the things intended to relieve stress in my life, have added to it in the end. But, in all honesty, if these are the types of things that stress me out, I'm doing pretty good. Life is much more stressful for many other people. I am thankful for my blessings, and bought a few bottles of bubble bath so that I will actually enjoy it!

"Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. his love endures forever." Psalm 136:1

Who's Your Daddy?

This was title of the sermon this morning. It's message simple: Who's your daddy? Who's your boss?

Jokingly I tell people the reason I became a teacher was because I liked being "the boss". And is it ever fun! I get to say when things happen, how they happen (well somewhat) and who they happen to. I am in complete control-- they ask ME. When I say jump, they say, "Frog hops or like we're jumping rope?" Being in control is euphoric. Like running. You move your feet one before the other and you breath air in and out. And, you move from one place to another-- you're making it happen. Perhaps that's why I like living by myself. Typically I am a neurotic neat freak and give everything a place. (Tonight, however, I decided to not wash clothes or take out the trash. My actions aren't affecting anyone except Hurley, and he likes dirty clothes.)

We wake up, we put on our faces, we go to work, we go to the grocery store, we go to the gym. We live a life in control. And, it's not until that control is taken away that we realize we're not.

This week I'm going to attempt to not be driven by my own "boss" (and see what happens).

Tuesdays

Tuesdays are long. I go to work, work late, work out and make it home around 6:45. This gives me time for a quick pick up around the house and then take Hurley on a walk. Then, a group from church comes over. They are generally mildly annoyed by Hurley. Ok, mildly is putting it mildly. Hurley just thinks that they are his best friends who came over to see him. He licks and jumps on them. I tried giving him a raw hide bone, but that did not suffice. So, even though he had been a captive for nearly 12 hours, I put him back in his kennel while they were here.

After they left, I couldn't WAIT for a hot bath. You know the kind I'm talking about. Just a hair too hot, so all your muscles relax. And even though you ration bubble bath like food in a concentration camp, there's just enough scent to be euphoric. It was PERFECT. Finally, a break.

The door opens.

Did I mention Hurley has figured out how to open doors? A new trick. He scampered in there and perched his front legs on the side of the tub while wagging his tail. His head poked up over the side. This is somewhat normal, so I talked to him and left it alone.

The next thing I know I am being splashed in the face by his slimy bone catapulting into my luxurious, stress-relieving bath!

Tuesdays.

There's a Boy in the Girls' Bathroom

Well, life has definitely sped up since August. The beginning of school is like a whirl wind in west Texas. You don't exactly know where it's going to go or if it's going to slap you in the face with dirt. This year has brought many changes, both good and bad. It is teaching me to grow as a person, employee, and teacher. I am really enjoying my kids. (yay!)

I say all that to say this. Our numbers are incredibly high this year and as a result, teaching space is limited. For half of the school day I work as a reading interventionist pulling low readers out for extra help. The only space available lies near the bathroom in a "pod" area. There is a white board, a janitor closet, a staff bathroom, and a bathroom used by the entire school. Sometimes, it's hard to get a small group focused. They are more interested in kids skipping down the hallway or janitors moaning and groaning in the closet while digging for a mop. Classes leave for P.E. or Library. A teacher they know walks to the bathroom and waves. Not unique to today, I felt pressed for time. I was working hard to keep the kids on track amidst the chaos ensuing around us. As I went to explaining plot, young girls ran from the bathroom yelling for me (even though they don't know my name, kids result to tattling to the nearest adult). I reluctantly left my hard working students and went to investigate the problem. "A boy is in the girls' bathroom!!!" they informed me. I wasn't sure what sort of mischief was occurring in this unsupervised area, but I was annoyed. I had kids to teach, here! I rounded the corner and found the stall door wide open and a small boy with pants unzipped. I backed up and let him finish. When he came out, I quite calmly and sweetly (OK, as much as I could muster) asked, "Did you know this was the girls' bathroom?" And this was his reply, "Yes. But the boys' bathroom is tooooo dirty." Oh my.

I escorted my new first grade friend back to class and tried to resume my "class".

And so it is a day in the life of me... teaching by the bathrooms.

10 Reasons Why Visiting My Dad Is Like Going to Another Country

10. You wash your face with freezing cold water.

9. The toilet doesn't work without some manual maneuvering.

8. Food is scarce.

7. When you walk outside, you can't be sure people will speak English.

6. It smells.

5. You have jet lag when you go home, waking up at 4:00 am like your body became used to.

4. Antibacterial soap.

3. You have internet, but scarce cell service.

2. Normal rules and laws do not apply.

1. Spiders, bugs and mice.. oh my!!

How Do You Wash Paper?

When I was little I got carsick often. One time while on the way to Lubbock, I sat in the back of the suburban. I was a big reader even then and was totally consumed in a story. For one reason or another, my mother had given me ibuprofen. Well, about halfway down the road, I threw up. All over the book I was reading. To tell you the truth, I couldn't ever finish it. It smelled horrible. I could swear years later it still smelled that way. How do you wash paper?

This past Sunday was a long day. I woke up early and read my book in bed while drinking coffee. My sweet puppy accompanied this moment by laying by side sleeping. I went to church and then served lunch to the homeless at Impact. Then, back at the church I met up with Marty who was singing with his accapella group later that night. We visited for a while and then I left to get a smoothie. Back to the church for hot dogs and the concert. The concert was fantastic! Afterwards, I was glad to get home. Not to mention, poor Hurley had been cooped up all day. I took him on a short walk, hoping this would give him enough exercise to soothe him for a little while. I took a bath and hopped into bed with hopes of finally finishing my book. I prop my pillows up just right and allow Hurley up because he looked so dang cute with his puppy eyes. Well, about one paragraph into my reading, I decide Hurley needs to be on the ground. He was romping every which way and driving me bananas. So, I put him down and ignore a few whimpers as I continue reading. Finally, he decides to forget about me and starts running all over the house. I don't mind, because I am really enjoying my book. After some time it's very quiet. You know what this means. He's into something.

I guess I should start by saying that Hurley is doing very well with potty training. However, for the past several days, I have smelled something near the door that makes me think he's gone to the bathroom. I sniff around and investigate, but never find anything. As I crawl out of bed to search for my little darling, an aroma wafts towards me. THAT'S IT! He's really gone this time. So, once again, I attempt to find the "mess". It's no where to be found. Where could he have gone? I decide to get down on his level and sniff around. I stop when I get to my school bag, placed on the floor. HE WOULDN'T. Yep. That's where the smell is coming from. I am fuming as I pull back pieces of paper, waiting to find this mystery turd. My suspicions are not confirmed when I find an old bottle with the cap off. Hurley had not gone to the bathroom.

Oh, about a month ago, I had gone to a training and taken a homemade protein shake with strawberries for breakfast. I put it in one of those reusable water bottles from Target. It was about a fourth full and lay forgotten in my bag. Apparently, this is the smell I had been smelling all this time. Hurley had dug and somehow opened the cap, spilling the rotten contents into my bag. I am holding my breath at this discover and start to pull things out and lay them on the table. I can't simply throw these papers away, I need them for school in August! I start wipe them off and douse them in fabreeze. Then, I pour the bottle's contents down the drain. This opens a whole new can of worms, as now my sink is contributing to the smell. I pour bleach into the bottle and fill it with water to soak. Then I pour bleach down the drain. Not that it helps much. I am frantic to get this dreadful smell as far as possible from my house. I throw the nasty paper towels in the trash and empty the bag completely. I throw it in the washer and am fabreezing EVERYTHING. I have now spread the smell from it's contained bottle, to the entire house. What was I thinking?? I am very frustrated at such an interruption in my plans. I shut the doors to my room in hopes that the smell with not follow me there. As I get into bed I see a small wet spot on my comforter. Well, I know I didn't do it. With as much control as I can muster at this point, I take Hurley and put him in his crate. Then, remembering I still have to feed him, I get a scoop of food and all but throw it at him.

It is morning now. The smell is still there, even after more rounds of fabreeze and bleach AND emptying the trash. And, I'm stuck with these papers until I can make copies and throw the soiled ones away. The smell haunts me.

How do you wash paper?

10 Honest Truths

Michelle did this and I thought I would do the same!

Ok, let's face it. I'm a teacher who should be cleaning her house right now... but instead, playing on the internet! Ok, here goes:

The Rules:

- Tell your readers 10 honest things about you that they may not know.

- Tag 10 bloggers to do the same.

1. I am terrified of spiders.

2. I love natural disasters and am a little disappointed if the destruction is minimal.

3. If I get desperate enough, I will pour chocolate chips into a peanut butter jar and eat with a spoon.

4. I have photo albums in chronological order from birth. I update them every six months with every single picture I have taken. You are probably in some of them.

5. I almost never wash my car. And my hair is rarely clean either.

6. I spanked my one pound puppy.

7. They had to give me Valium when I got my wisdom teeth pulled. I hate the dentist.

8. I get a sense of satisfaction in crumbling egg shells before throwing them away.

9. I am addicted to coffee, chocolate, reorganizing and checking my email.

10. I don't believe in ghosts, love at first sight or global warming.

So there you have it. And, I'm not sure any of my few readers will actually do this, so I'm not tagging anyone. :)

The Emerald Isle...

My iPhone didn't know how to post pictures... so here goes it on the computer!

I am standing in front of a castle-- those were close to the best part about this place.

Ireland is very green!

This is the Irish National Stud... he is a very expensive racehorse bred all over the world.

And these are the cliffs of Moher. They were beautiful!

---

Ireland was a wonderful place to visit. You've gotta love a country that believes in magic and loves to have a good time. Our plane ride home was just about as interesting as the one over! An Irish woman with 4 children (yes, four) got on the plane. Before take off, the kids were running amok and concerning passengers left and right. For the duration of the 7 hour flight, the mother would yell, "Miley! Sit down, Miley!! Miley!!!" (Please reread that with a hoarse Irish accent) Then she would yell, "Geri! Geri! Shut up, Geri!" HA! Just what I had been thinking! It didn't do any good. Each child visited the bathrooms at least 37 times each. They jumped around and bumped into passengers, all the while the mother screamed their names. At one point she leaned over and tried to spank them with her ear phones. They snuck into first class and rattled everyone's cage. One of them hid from his mother for about 10 minutes. She wasn't too concerned. Before landing in New York, this ill equipped mother changed each of the children into rather cute matching outfits for their arrival. Then, she proceeded to go to the bathroom to change herself. Who was watching the children? Good question.

After a 7 hour lay over in New York we finally made it back to Houston. I'm pretty sure I could hear, "Geri!!! Shut up, Geri! GERI!!!!!!!!!" in my sleep. Irish talking, of course.

It's good to be back, I love the USA.

The Emerald Isle

Rollin, Rollin, Rollin

In beautiful Ireland, there are about 42 different shades of green. It is magnificently pretty. On our tour through the countryside, we bounced along little rural roads through fields and hills. On occasion, a spot would spring up that constitutes a photo. On our last stop, we parked near a farmer's gate to look out over the bay. We landed the massive charter bus on a steep incline, and used every bit of break power possible to keep from sliding down the hill.

Before exiting, we were warned to stay off the farmer's land. He is apparently known for spreading manure on the gate to ward off curious tourists. With that noted, we climbed out, snapped a quick picture and boarded the bus again. It was about 11:30 and hunger was setting in. The women I am traveling with packed fantastic snacks, AND they share. :)

After all had found their seat, it was fairly quiet (our chatty tour guide had yet to appear) except for the sound of Lori's voice offering peanut m&ms. We couldn't resist. She passed them to the seat behind her, and finally to us. After Lisa and I each had a handful, I attempted to pass the large bag of candy back up to Lori. My endeavor proved faulty as the sugary loot slipped out of my fingers and landed on the floor of the bus. Ordinarily this would not have been quite the tragic situation; however, as we were on a steep incline, the sound of marbles barreling down the bus echoed in the weary silence. Embarrassed, I ducked as all eyes turned to set accusations.

And THAT, perhaps, is why you aren't supposed to have food on the bus. I owe Lori some m&ms.

Blankity Blank Cussword, Four Letter Word

Miles above the earth, in the dark of night, when all should be sleeping, a passenger aboard a 777 became disgruntled.

The evening coffees had just been served, and I was busy fashioning a drug cocktail to help me sleep on the long, cramped flight. It consisted of Advil pm and sudafed. That should do the trick! My thinking was focused on making the flight seem as quick as possible, while setting my body to European time. I had planned masterfully. Comfy eye mask- check! Neck pillow- check! iPod equipped with John Mayer sleepy time playlist- check check!! What could ruin my full proof plan??

An UNKNOWN country band, on their way to Paris from Austin, happened to sit next to and behind us. At some point during dinner, a mysterious event occurred. At which, the hardly gentleman behind me became deeply offended. Consequently, for the next SEVEN hours he proceeded in using every form of profanity imaginable, and occasionally rammed into the seat in front of him. Ahem. It was "blankity blank this and blankity blank that. Four letter word, YOU!!"

I do think he had a very limited vocabulary, or the one that starts with F is just his favorite. Thank you, sir, for keeping me awake in a sort of drugged annoyance.

We made it to Paris safely, and went on to Ireland. At around 8 o'clock I had been awake for roughly 36 hours and traveled halfway around the world. Needless to say, I was ready for bed! Although it was still light outside at nine, I took another Advil pm ( to ensure sleep) and crawled into bed. Whew. So tired. I had no problem falling into a very deep slumber.

The next thing I know I am out of bed in a panic. "Lisa!!! Wake up!! We've missed the bus!" (Lisa is my aunt and roommate) She stumbled to her feet, grabbed her watch and said, "Its ten after ten. Why are we awake?"

Apparently I had no answer.

I am very confused at this point, when she returns from the bathroom and says, "Lauren, it's night time."

To which I reply, "Oh. I wondered why you weren't upset." And without another word, I got into bed and went to sleep.

Did you know it doesn't get dark this time of year in Ireland until 11?? I believe this, along with extreme exhaustion can be blamed for my delirious behavior that caused my poor aunt to wake up and get out of bed a mere HOUR after we'd been to sleep.

But if I'm honest, I'd like to blame the very rude dude sitting behind us on the plane. Blankity blank, YOU!!!!

The Big Bad Dog

I was going outside again. I go pretty often lately.  I get really excited when the the locks start to get unlocked. I move out of the way and hop outside.  I LOVE the way grass smells! I romp around and sniff the tree. Now it's time to do what I came to do... if only I can find the right spot....Mom isn't paying attention.. maybe I'll chase that bug... YIKES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  Right across the big white rock, I see a GIANT!!! He's enormous. HELP!!!!! He'll turn me into a taco! I'll just run back inside before he smells me. The wind was in my hair, my ears flapping by my side... I'm gonna make it.. I'm gonna make it.... almost home free.... SMACK.  Ah man, she shut the screen door! I hate glass!!  No one saw that right? 

- Hurley 

Boom De Clap De Clap

On the last night of Uplift there is a camp slide show consisting of shots from the entire week.  The lights are off and every time someone is on the screen, their respective youth group yells to show support.  Bammel's youth group had glow sticks and each time a member of their youth group was on stage, they stood and swung their various glowing colors, screaming madly the entire time.  (We were all quite a bit jealous of this. Where were our glowing sticks??)   

Sitting between Josh and John, I had many laughs.  After about the 6th light show from Bammel, John yells, "Blessed are the meek!" 

Josh is concerned at this and says, "Those can be used as projectile." 

John's rebuttal, "I now declare war on Bammel!" 

Some time passes and all sponsors are called on stage for thank yous. Bammel rises, wave their cheering light sabers and call wildly.  

As we walk up, John says, "It's about time I got some glow stick action."  

While on stage we endured screams at bright lights.  The entire week we have heard and used the slogan, "My name is ___________ and God loves me."     

I'll end with John's version,   "My name is John, and God loves Bammel."  

As a disclaimer to those who are offended by this post: We love Bammel... so much in fact, we want to be just like them.  So, Payton... Taylor... Courtney... and any others... no harm intended.  Loves only.  

Ohhhh Kathryn.

During Rec time at Uplift, a group of the teens, along with Kandy, John and myself, play phase ten.  Kathryn is one of the girls we play with. She is quite hilarious and had us rolling all weekend. We love her very much and thought these were some priceless moments: 

- "Hey, she doesn't have a man?" (This was to Kandy in secret regarding yours truly.) 

- "Wait, is the puppet talking, or him?"  (A ventriloquist was on stage) 

- "In God Time today, I learned that when a guy and a guy get together it's called a Bromance!" 

- "I had three hamsters and their names were Brian the First, Brian the Second, and Brian the Third. "   When asked why they were named Brian, she responded with:  "There was this guy that liked me that looked like a hamster. His name was Brian." 

- "Hey, I got 96, how bout you?" (This was regarding phase 10 scores, which are counted in fives.) 

- "You know, long distance relationships don't work." 

- "I think I'm ready to go home."   

 Why? 

" My Laptop." 

- "I have to listen to Ring of Fire every night because of my dad. You know, because the walls are so thin."  

- "And now you know what boys do in the dorm."  (In response to all the youth group boys hyped up on coke) 

Top 10 Reasons I love Camp Blue Haven

This week I am in Arkansas for Uplift. There's something about church camp that makes me think of my very own....   

My Top 10 Reasons for loving Blue Haven: 

10.  The Spring (if it ever rains enough) 

9.  Basketball during rec (minus getting hurt and the gay boot). 

8. The hour of rest -- Amen? 

7.  Mail Call (no one sends snail mail anymore!) 

6. Honey if you love me, smile.  (And the boys wooing the girls) 

5.  Hobo dinners (minus poison ivy)

4. Praying all day long... holding hands during each prayer.. and the ability to strategically place yourself next to someone cute. 

3. Hermit's Peak  (honey and peanut butter sandwiches and a nap under a tree) 

2. Marty Baker (My complete friend and Scraper King) 

.... DRUM ROLL  

1. T L C.    :)  (and everything that came with it... ) 

Sooo Not the Plan

Well, many of you that know me realize that this weekend was a bit full.  Perhaps that's the understatement of the year? 

My weekend is starting on Thursday, simply because I'm a teacher and I can do that in the summertime. 

Lessons Learned: 

1. Do laundry every week, instead of a bunch of laundry all at once. 

2. Don't procrastinate when you make necklaces. 

3. Toddlers need sleep.  

4. Adults need sleep. 

5. You know the french fries are good when grease spots seep through the paper bag... 

6. Midnight movies interfere with sleep. 

7. Brothers like crude humor. 

8. It's funny to you too... 

9. Family breakfast at the compound is worth it no matter how tired you are or how much you have to do. 

10. Pack a few days before leaving for a trip... 

11. Starbucks coffee is like a drug and will make life happier. 

12. The EZ tag is one of the best inventions ever. 

13. If you have a concert in your car while you're driving, the trip goes much faster. 

14.  Old friends make life worth living. 

15. You can't be in two places at once. 

16. You can't be best friends with married boys. 

17. Driving round trip in a day makes for a long day. 

18. Your puppy will still love you even after being alone for 13 hours. (don't turn me in, he had water and food) 

19. A mag lite and shoes will give the you bravery needed to go outside and flip the breaker at 2:00 am. 

20. You don't need a man, you can fix the air conditioner yourself! 

21. Learn to turn your phone off when you go to sleep. 

22. A wad of paper towels will grab puppy poop without it really feeling like it. 

23. You need stamps to mail a letter. 

24. 12:00-3:00 is an unnecessarily hot time to have a bbq in Houston. 

25. 50 years of marriage is quite an accomplishment. 

26. Cousins are most special. 

27. Sweat will ruin make up, hair and any good smells. 

28. Be sure to empty coolers before picking them up. 

29. Southwest will call you if your plane is delayed.

30.  12 year olds are a rare breed. 

31. People should not sing opera on planes. 

32. 7 minutes is enough time to change planes. 

33.  Sending a charter bus to retrieve 3 people is a little extreme. 

34. There should be clear exit signs for charter buses and their drivers. (Maybe neon flashing ones that leave nothing to question or speculation)

35. Parking levers can be manually moved up without the purchasing of a ticket. 

36. They come right back down before a charter bus can drive through. 

 I'm in the land of bare feet, kissin cousins and Bill Clinton. GET ME OUT OF HERE!

Tree Roaches.. what?

Summer is the best time of year. I can stay up late playing and not care about the consequences of seeing 4:00 am. Unless, that is, I am required to be at a training at 8. Sitting in a class sleepily is quite indicative of what college appeared for me. As a professional, I suck it up and appear alert, coherent and interested. This mindset is persuaded by the promise of an afternoon nap and time to kill. On this day, my pantry was quite bare; however, I had the ingredients for a Lipton rice packet. I made the rice and was quite excited about it. In the middle of the day TV choices are slim. I could watch soap operas or crap. I ended up finding a documentary on a volcano that was about to explode. This intensely intrigued me and my carpet picnic was turning out to be a fantastic event. All until I saw the shadow of a moving object. Hurley had been banished to his cage, therefore I knew it wasn't him. I leaned over on the couch to investigate. Crawling up my curtains was a biblically sized bug. I watched it's grotesque wings and spiny feelers move up the curtains. WAS THIS A ROACH? It looked like one.. but I sure hadn't heard of one quite this big. And crawling UP my curtains? The idea of squishing this creature was not appealing to me. Something of this magnitude would have quite the carnage to display and that would require a bit of cleanup. No thank you. I put on some shoes and grabbed my broom. (There's something about going on a bug hunt with no shoes that creeps me out). I snuck up to the curtains, opened the door and started to whack the curtains, causing the mystery bug to crash to the floor. I overdid it on my first sweep, causing the massive bug to slide across the floor like a hockey puck. It was lost under my chair. I took a deep breath, moved the chair and thankfully found it on it's back... it couldn't run at me! Calmer this time, I swept it out the door. I then closed the door and locked all 4 locks. See if it gets back in. I am the boss of my house.



Someone later told me those things are called tree roaches... excuse me!? I didn't know they a) could get that big, b) crawl up curtains and c) get in MY house!!!!!

Class Writings

Here are some stories we "published" in class...    

waggonersweekendwords.blogspot.com     

Critical Literacy

We are working on critical literacy in class right now. We are comparing various super heroes and practicing with perspective.  

I asked, "How would Superman be different if he grew up in Mexico?" 

The responses: 

- "He would speak Spanish!" 

-"He would wear a poncho!" 

-"He would have the swine flu!!!" 

The terrible, horrible, no good, very bad morning.

I kind of think mornings are reflective of the night.

Last night I told my best friend I couldn't come to his wedding. I knew this would be upsetting to him, but I had no other choice. It hurt my heart to do it. My stomach was in knots all night and I'm sure this contributed to my morning events. I woke with a start at 5:10. I am supposed to be at the gym at 5 to meet Kandy. (Sorry!) I was frustrated that I had overslept. My morning workout helps me start the day off with energy and freshness. I set my alarm for 6 and went back to sleep, angry with myself. I woke up and took a shower, dried my hair and was about to put my face on when my aunt called. She wanted to talk about pictures before 7 am. What?! I quickly got ready, running a little late by now and feeling a bit out of sorts.

Today is Cinco De Mayo... so I chose a bright blue ruffly sun dress as my attire for the day and matched it with some fancy jewelry. I went into the kitchen, made my lunch, and went to blend my protein shake. Lastly, it was time to make my morning latte. Normally it makes the morning happy when I have a coffee cup in my hand. Being spoiled, I use an espresso machine to make my drinks. I put the coffee in and started her up. She was chugging along and I felt like the handle was turned funny, so I started tugging at it to make sure it was secure. (I'm not sure why I did this.) It gave way and before I knew it, scalding, boiling coffee grinds flew with the little pot all over my hand. In my alert I started shaking my hand wildly to free it from the volcanic searing. In doing so, the dark brown mess flung all over my pretty blue dress. Happy Cinco de Mayo to me. I stuck my hand under cold water and surveyed the immense mess of a kitchen I had produced. I cleaned it up, made my coffee and scowling all the way out the door, spilled coffee on the floor before locking the place up tight. I was on my way to the jeep feeling a bit defeated and eyeing my charred hand, when a woman wearing bright green and yellow said, "Morning!" with a smile. Through my teeth I said "good morning" back.

I made it to school just in time for the bell, throbbing thumb, speckled dress and wind blown hair.

To quote one of my favorite books: "It was a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day. I think I'll move to Australia."

Confessions of a NOT-So-Tough Farm Girl

I guess you could say it all started over Christmas break. Everyone was reading the Twilight series, so I thought I needed to also.  After reading those four books in about a week, I was thirsty for something else to devour. Lindsay suggested that we read the Left Behind series together and talk about it. Well, there are a good 12 books in that series. We started sometime in January and she had me read ahead of her. That way, when I finished a book, I could just pass it on to her. The problem is when she's done before I am. Because then she's without the next book-- waiting on me. Well here we are a few months later and I just finished book 10.  She was supposed to bring me book 11 but forgot it at home. So, this is why I had to drive all the way out to her house to get the next book. And, because I drove out there, I had to kiss and squeeze and play with the baby. (my favorite)... I left and came home to eat. Admittedly, this caused me to be running short on time and instead of rushing to church, I just stayed home. This leads up to the point where I am relaxing on my bed watching Lost on my computer.  I decided to catch up on some past episodes in order to be ready for tonight's new one.  I was eating some truffle Hershey kisses and dipping them into honey roasted peanut butter, when all of a sudden something caught my eye. 

My heart stopped. 

And then it moved again.  In my haven of a bed, on my perfectly matching pillow, a spider was scurrying about.  I leaped with full force ejecting myself out of the vicinity.  What to do next? Save the computer! Save the chocolate! Save the peanut butter! Leave the trash.... put on some shoes... run around aimlessly.  And then, I remembered a poisonous spray I keep under the sink for wasps.  I grew up in the panhandle and we didn't deal with those much, so I like the poison spray that zaps them dead instead of trusting my aim with a big shoe. I quickly grabbed the can, a rag and ran back to my room. I inched closer and spotted the eight legged creature again.  I held my breath. My heart was pounding so hard I could hear it echoing in my head.  I sprayed the projectile wasp poison on my perfectly matching 14.99 TJMAX down throw pillow and backed away to safety. (What was the spider going to do, fly up and get me?) The arachnid was furious with me. It scattered in circles and hopped up and down hiding under the pillow. (I'm sure it was hissing obscenities at me and spitting venom)  Well now what? I took a deep breath, counted to three and turned over the soiled pillow. And we were off to the races again! The spider took off running amok before curling on my bedspread.  I sprayed it again. This time I watched it writhing in pain, but it wasn't enough, it was STILL moving!!!! This was war. This house isn't big enough for the both of us.  I chased it onto the floor where I stomped it to its death. DIE!!!!!!!!!!!   

I won.  Sweaty, near heart failure, but victorious.  I grabbed shout and attempted to clean my poor, poor pillow. As far as casualties go, better it than me, though.  

I suppose my rough and tough upbringing masquerades me as being bullet proof. But, the truth is this: I would rather castrate a cow than deal with a spider.  

The end.  

Modern Day Mary Poppins

If anyone is wondering, I have tried whole wheat crackers with the turkey meatloaf, and it's not near as bad! I actually think I'll make it through the week. 

I was not aware Houston had a monsoon season, yet sure enough, it does! Yesterday I went to a workout class at the gym not far from my house. The clouds were low and it was misty, but I had looked at the radar and felt I had time to workout before the storm came. My tarp was protecting my jeep, and I was good to go! After the class I walked outside and it was sprinkling. I made it!! So I thought. I got in my jeep and pulled out to the road just as it started raining harder... oh no! I turned around and went towards a route with less stops. If I kept driving, I wouldn't get wet.  Well, as it happened, I hit a red light. The rain intensified as if laughing in my face. I had trash bags covering the seat, but was getting drenched. It was hard to see. Under my seat was a purple umbrella... hmm... it might work. I popped it open and put it over me while I sat at the red light. Victory!! I was not getting wet for a bit, but looked rather ridiculous in the rain.. in a yellow jeep... with a purple umbrella poking out.  It worked until I gained speed and the umbrella almost blew away. I yanked it back in, closed it up and just tried to get home as fast as I could.  I made it home dripping wet just in time for the monstrous storm that caused all the schools to be cancelled! You do what you've gotta do to survive, even if you get laughed at.. and I'm SURE I did. 

Turkey Meatloaf

Yeah... it's been a while. What can I say, I'd rather be outside in the sun! Or, in today's case- the storm! :)

After going to Port O'Connor with some cousins, I decided it was necessary for me to STOP eating: a. so much food. b. the fatty foods.. and c. whenever I wanted. So, in an attempt at this new and healthy life style, I decided to research the words of Eating for Life. It's a life long plan for eating healthy and a cookbook. I love it so far... (all of two weeks) and actually use the cookbook for healthy recipes. I've had my share of baked chicken and chicken Parmesan, so I wanted to do something different. I'm not entirely sure that I even LIKE meatloaf. I think what attracted me to this recipe were these key words " Serves 6, good left over"... JACKPOT!!!, I thought. I loved the idea of cooking once and having a meal for the rest of the week. Those of you out there may turn your nose up at eating the same thing every night... but I feel like I'm always on the run. It's easier to just warm something up most of the time. So, I found a recipe for Turkey Meatloaf. You used ground turkey and hot sauce among a few other ingredients. I was gagging just stirring it all together. Ground turkey doesn't seem natural to me. I would never admit to my dad that I substituted it for beef... so keep quiet. Anyway, I made the turkey-loaf and it stunk up my house with an oniony-ketchup smell. I tried to eat some and I am not going to lie... it was difficult. I'm hoping that it's an acquired taste.. like coffee, wine and cottage cheese.. we'll see how it goes!

Losing weight and being healthy isn't my favorite thing. I miss fried squash. :(

New Obsessions

I enjoyed spring break for all of its glory. I was pretty lazy, actually. And, here I am back in the crazy routine of real life. (Until Summer, that is. )

Now that things are back to normal, the stress has also returned. I decided to try something new in my classroom to calm the kids down. I've started playing a variety of music during class and while they are working. I change it periodically to match my ever changing mood. The sound sprinkles down from the projector speaker and sometimes I imagine they are little geniuses working on their masterpieces. I go from classical symphonies to classical piano.. and beyond. This leads me to tell you about my new favorite website: www.pandora.com. It's pretty phenomenal. You create your own radio stations! No buffering.. (I hate that).. and no commercials or DJs! All you have to do is type the artist in and it does the magic. (Maybe I'm behind the times and everyone actually already knows about this, but whatever.) I am currently enjoying a few stations I created. I love George Winston. He plays piano and the site added other artists that are similar to him. A new one I am loving is Doug Burr. That station left me feeling calm and happy inside. :)

Along with my varying music, I have changed the background on my desktop to match. It projects on the wall for the kids to see. I pretend I am Ellen, I guess. Today is a pond with lots of green grass and bright flowers. Yay Spring!

It's funny how little things in life can make your day better! I wish everything could be as instantly gratifying as a website that creates a radio station for your exact liking!

The Witching Hour

Well the weather contradicts the break and reflects my mood. Ironically this serves as one of my favorite types of weather. I love dreary dark clouds full of rain. I love wearing ugg boots and jeans, marching around in chilliness. Minutes away from spring break- yes SPRING- my skin is crawling. Because of the brooding TAKS test, teachers and children alike have been a bit ... unruly. Because of the rain we had inside recess. Because of inside recess the kids can't sit still. The witching hour. I got the term from my dear friend, Michelle. And does it ever hold true. The past hour as we all anticipate the arrival of freedom, teachers are snapping and kids are loosing all control. Will the bell EVER ring? I've eaten a blue cupcake and my fingers are stained from the icing. Who wants to listen to me anyway? I say, "sit down. Sit Down. SIT DOWN. SIT DOWN!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

And alas, I am saved. The bell sounded and I am sending these darlings into the damp cold to be dealt with by their parents. And I am off the hook for days. DAYS OF FREEDOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :)

A Real Woman of Genius

Melodye came into town bringing with her fun and excitement that bubbled into hours of laughter (lasting way into the night).  Because of this, I was up quite late and slept soundly.  I woke up at 8 or so and had a bowl of cereal. I marveled at the splendor of a morning that starts AFTER the sun comes up. :) I was in such a good mood that I decided to take my morning slowly and enjoy every minute of it. I got into the shower and didn't feel the need to rush. I had TLC playing in the background and occasionally I would peek around the corner to see what new home improvement tip they were offering. I piddled in my closet choosing a springy dress that hasn't been out since last summer. I laid it carefully on my bed and picked out the appropriate black pumps, silver bangles and thick black belt (to hide all the squishiness).  Then I got to work on my hair. Living in Houston doesn't necessarily agree with my hair; therefore, it is a daily battle to beat the frizzy waves of humidity warfare. But, I take on the challenge.  After getting dressed and feeling quite proud of my little outfit, I made sure my bed was neatly made and went into the kitchen to make myself a latte. Yes, I am spoiled. I enjoy a latte with chocolate flavoring and froth topped with caramel. :) It's worth the time to make it and the excessive cleanup. Purse over the shoulder, bible in hand and mug full of my very best, I was off to church on this gorgeous Sunday morning. Birds were chirping, a slight breeze whipped my dress and I was excited to be wearing sunglasses. I was looking forward to church and  would be 15 minutes early for longer than normal chatting. :)

I walked into the building and saw Mark preaching on the TV... this confused me a bit, but I was still prepared to walk in. For some reason I thought maybe it was still class time. Then, Matt offered to get me communion. And then I stared at him. What was going on? That's when he informed me of the time change. Come on people! This kind of thing doesn't happen to me. I am Ms. Responsible.  It was on my calender. My phone SHOULD have switched over. How could I forget? 

I caught the last bit of Mark's sermon and hugged my family. And, after wearing my little outfit for a total of 30 minutes, I came back home to change and make some lunch.  The day is still beautiful and I guess it's better than being late for work on Monday. Surely God forgives the occasional forgetful moment. Principals, however, do not. 

Colors, Coffee and Cheese

I've come to notice a problem I have with making simple decisions. Someone can ask me a seemingly easy question, such as what's my favorite color, and I honestly can't tell them the answer. On any given day my favorite color might be different. Does that mean I am having an identity crisis? I'm not sure. Some days I love red. Other days I love blue. And yes I even love brown. Today, I'm crazy for green. I'm noticing it everywhere and find myself wishing I was a character in Harry Potter or living in a tropical rain forest. Maybe my color changes have to do with my mood of the day.

I also have a problem with Cheese. I LOVE cheese. I dream about queso and eat cheese on crackers- but I have some issues as well. I like a grilled cheese sandwich, but don't put cheese on my hamburger. I like cheese on a taco, but if it's on a breakfast burrito it makes me gag. I like it on pizza, chili, and salad-- but don't put it on an omelet. I have to have it on my baked potato, but don't want it in my potato soup. So there you have it. Issues.

And lastly, here's where this causes problems. This morning I decided to treat myself to Starbucks. This week has been long and exhausting, I'm out of milk, and if you have a gift card, why not? The drive through line was outrageous at 7:00 am, so I got out and went inside. The atmosphere in that place was so carefree, it lifted my spirits and sent me into a good mood. The music was chipper and the workers were smiling and quick to serve. I saw people everywhere drinking coffee, reading the paper and talking. What a great way to start the day! Sometimes I wish I owned a cute little coffee shop with a variety of coffees and teas. I would include homemade pumpkin bread and muffins (but only the tops, because that's the best part). The shop could be decorated with cool artwork of all kinds and comfortable chairs and couches. And of course, I would need a place for live rising bands to visit on their quest for stardom. I think about these things and sometimes wish I could explore them instead of teach. But without fail I know that I would end up missing the kids, the teachers and the love I have for my job.

I would like to have clear cut decision-making skills, but maybe it's better this way. My options are out there and whatever happens- wearing an orange shirt, cheese or no cheese-I will be happy. :) And maybe when I retire I will have a knick-knacky little coffee place resembling Hogwarts and a rain forest.

The Funky Pearl

Michelle and I have gotten our creative juices flowing and decided on our future. Eventually we will both live in the same town, drink coffee all morning and have a booth at Canton filled with a variety of goodies. You know the usual: big baby bows, old wooden signs, jewelry, and anything we can get aunts and mothers to embroider. :)  We would like to be known as: THE FUNKY PEARL. Here are a few necklaces I have made recently.  

                                                     I made this one to match a dress I had. 

                                 This should be right side up, but technology didn't cooperate. 
                                                         The Lindsay - big red. 
                                                         For Melissa 
                                                      Sassy and Fun 
                                                                   Best Friends 
                                                                     Twisted 
                                                 This one was a big hit- made for my Mama. 
                                                    Love. Love. Love. Red. 
                                                         Funky 

                                                    Fancy 

I love and miss my sweet friend who got me into such a fun hobby! 

The Big Bad Wolf

"Dear Ms. Waggoner,
Good Luck. I hope everybody in yur klas pasis Taks so you do not git fired!" Love, Kindergarten

Today, during and after the test I saw:

* A little girl finding a sticky note and turning it into an origami basket of some kind. Perfectly content.

* A little boy with 15 Kleenexes covering his watery eye.

* A little cheerleader inspecting split ends.

* An OCD boy checking and rechecking and rechecking his work. Not a mark out of place for that one.

* A very cute boy sneezing loudly and drawn out, "A-HUH-HA-HUH-HA-HUM!!!!!!!!!"

* A sleeping boy with a near waking snort. I poked him in the arm for a few minutes without success in waking him.

* A drama queen playing with the tie on her shirt. A bow. A bandit. A bird. A ribbon. ADD.

* An innocent sitting perfectly still and quiet.

* A wild one silently twisting in a little blanket and then flopping out of his chair and onto the floor bringing both the chair and desk with him. Then standing, giving me a look of regret and shock.

* Giggles from those around him, including me.

* A significantly quirky one taking his shoes on and off. On and off. On and off.

* A sweet one smiling through glasses and missing teeth.

* An annoyed one sighing impatiently. *Sigh*

* A bored child half hidden by her sweatshirt hood, batman style.

* A clever boy making eyes at the others. I make them back.

My precious children. Nerds, every last one of them. I'm glad that test is over. :)

Spilling Coffee and other Jitters

It's interesting the effects sleep deprivation can have on a person. There's the occasional head bob and heavy eyelids. Or, as my granddad used to tell me whenever he got sleepy on the road he would put his hand on the roof of the car. That way, if he ever fell asleep his hand would smack him on the head and he would wake up before finding himself upside down in a ditch. Whatever works. Some people reach a state of delirium when they are tired. I remember a time working at a restaurant New Year's Day, when a friend of mine made coffee in the tea urns and I gave myself a hundred dollar tip. Oops. I'm amazed when I think of how little sleep fueled my adolescent rampage through academics and attempted money making. Only a few years later it seems I am more and more tired and running amok less.
However, as of recent, my life has spiraled into twirling cone of fury and to do lists. Eating while driving proves both hazardous and frustrating when a quickly prepared breakfast crumbles, leaving picked out clothes sprinkled. Beginning the day frazzled is not ideal. Running from one activity to another regardless of the event will eventually work down one's defenses. Such is the story of me this weekend. After being up late with annoying teenagers (where do they get their energy, again?), I sought after the sweetest nectar life has to offer me at this point in my mostly boring existence: Coffee. I entered an intricately decorated hospitality room with one cart in my line of vision. It possessed a variety of Styrofoam coffee cups and a magnificent cappuccino machine. Taking a deep breath as I anticipated the first sip, I filled my cup to the brim. French vanilla wafted from the cup in a swirl of sweet steam. I pulled the cup away, excited I was finally able to soothe my noncommittal addiction, when all of a sudden my hands were not following my directions. The precious cup tilted and then fell to the table. My morning luxury flowed over the cart saturating everything in sight with the aroma of coffee beans and french vanilla. Embarrassed by my clumsiness, I quickly apologized and went for the saving grace of paper towels. As others helped correct my blunder, I worked frantically to remove myself from such a wrongly gone expedition. When the sticky brown liquid was cleaned, I once again filled my cup with coffee. Very carefully this time, I took the cup with me in yet another attempt to quench my morning thirst. I walked and joined my group to hear a speaker. While standing and relieved to be with a cup in my hand- my happy place, I enjoyed life. Although I relish the taste and abilities of coffee, unfortunately my tongue cannot handle sudden bursts of hotness. I wait until it is cooled before venturing in. This proved detrimental in my tries of the morning. Without warning, my hands failed me once again. That darling of a cup filled so full with my favorite enjoyment, plummeted to the ground in one slow motion event. My only reaction was to drop my jaw and sigh. This time I was angry. 2 cups of the magic brew wasted! And still, an hour later I had not even tasted any! Too embarrassed to retreat to the hospitality room, I sent someone in my place. And when they returned with another hot cup of coffee, I sat down to drink it.

And this, ladies and gentlemen, is why we need more sleep.

Hot Tea to the Rescue

As I rounded the corner of my very dark and puddily parking lot, I noticed a car sitting in front of the mail boxes. The street lamp reflected off of the inside displaying a quite silver topped woman. And, although I could not hear her, she appeared to sneeze so hard she thrust forward and could have doubled as a rear ended car wreck victim. Sigh. How tired she must be getting home this time of night. Not to mention, a sneeze like that would wear you out. I parked the jeep and carried my very tired self to the door where I proceeded to prove my tiredness by turning the key the other way, thus locking my door. For about thirty seconds I couldn't understand why in the world my door wouldn't open! Such as my day.  Now as I sit with my favorite coffee cup full of chamomile tea, my inhaler and other things that keep me alive in my high pollen infected state(yeah I'm a total nerd), I realize how much I wish the day were longer.  Cold eggs in the morning in an attempt at protein for breakfast, a meeting gone long and popcorn for lunch, and finally - crackers in bed for a supper suffice. Sitting in bed proves to be the only personal time of my day, where ironically it should be filled with sleep. The morning haunts  me just hours away; however, I choose to hug my coffee cup and read stories filled with fantasies to please my imagination and pull me away from any sense of normalcy. Then I'm off to sleep after a page and half when my eyes are too heavy to lift open. Ready to start the day over again tomorrow, living the dream. 

Top 5 Marty and Lauren

5. "I always knew ACU would turn you into a slut. Call me!" 

4. "I was going to say how much I have missed you, but regretfully I have changed my position." 

3. "Would a christmas card from David Hasslehoff smooth things out between us?" 

2. "So, I called you today... and decided that your message was false advertising." 

1. "You deserve it if you're going to show off your feminine berries to boys." 

"Joke Whore!"   "Traitorous Jerk!" "Insecure Freak!" "Happy Birthday, Scraper Loser." 

You are my complete friend. 

20 questions

A few things I've been asked in recent: 

Ms. Waggoner, can I go to the bathroom? 

Ms. Waggoner, my arm hurts when I move it like this. 

Ms. Waggoner, do you have a pencil?

Ms. Waggoner, can I go to the bathroom? 

Ms. Waggoner, can I go wash the marker off my face? Tressa did it. 

Ms. Waggoner, my tooth is coming out. 

Ms. Waggoner, did they have sonic 100 years ago?

Ms. Waggoner, do I have to write in sentences?

Ms. Waggoner, my head is bleeding a little bit. 

Ms. Waggoner, can I put that they flew with wings? 

Ms. Waggoner, why did you change the desks? 

Ms. Waggoner, is this for a grade?

Ms. Waggoner, what time is lunch?

Ms. Waggoner, do we need our jackets?

Ms. Waggoner? Ms. Waggoner? Ms. Waggoner!!! 

Sometimes, I hate my name... And love it all the same.