And they pulled it off...whew!

Tonight was the Kindergarten PTA program. Exciting, yes. Nerve racking, YES!! We have been practicing (the whole kindergarten...all 135 kids) since last week. After 7 practices, it wasn't any better than the first, sigh. Kids would say their speaking parts, then sing a song, then ALL the kids would start talking to each other, kids would say their parts (you couldn't hear them due to the talking), they would sing, talking would resume...this goes on for 7 songs. I think Dr. Rigby (music teacher) was going to pop a vein in his head from yelling "WHAT DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND ABOUT SHUT YOUR MOUTH!!!" "QUIT TALKING!!" 'BOYS AND GIRLS...SHUT UP!!!!!!!!!!" (Yes I know you shouldn't say shut up, but being polite and using kind words doesn't work with these street smart kids)

Tonight we were all holding our breaths. The kids arrived in our classrooms at 5:30 and they were WILD. You would have thought they haven't seen each other in 50 years when it had only been 3 hours since school got out. But they were all dressed up and looked so good. Here is most of my class. I had 22 out of 27 show up ( the most out of all 5 classes! Yes!). I took a picture and my camera died so these are from my phone. A few more showed up after I took this.

Yes, Camren is in a zoot suit and completely in a striking a GQ pose.

Now getting all the kids on stage and quietly was a challenge. I swear they are the most talkative group of kids EVER...maybe it is because they don't get much social interaction outside of school/daycare or maybe they have no self control or who knows but the silence of my apartment everyday is welcoming! We finally got them quiet and the curtains opened...I think they were a bit shocked with all the people. Oh can I brag that this was the biggest turn out to a PTA program this year?!?!?! There were only a few problems with a few kids wanting to play while on stage but overall the program was GREAT!! I went out and stood in the audience for awhile to watch. I was proud!

It's blurry but it was the best I could get with the kids moving and people walking in front of me.

After we went back to the room and gave out diplomas. Now I am on the count down... 7 more school days left!!!

Natural Science Museum Field Trip

At the end of April, the Kindergarten classes embarked on another field trip...now we had 4 planned but only went on 2. Sketchy. We were supposed to go to the zoo at the end of this month but we were told by our principal that we couldn't because of dates and buses, blah, blah, blah. Excuses. Whatever, I'm over it. After the Science Museum, I really don't think I would have wanted to go to the zoo anyways...27 wild kids with 2 adults and no parent volunteers. I would probably end up leaving a few there. I feel like I work in a zoo on some days - it just smells better, sometimes!

The science museum was really cool. I want to go back when there aren't 3 other elementary schools, a couple of middle schools and some high school kids there. It was like a zoo that day and those stinkin middle school and high school kids kept getting in front of my little guys and they couldn't see the exhibits. RUDE. I'll be honest, I was ready to go and have a nap less than 30 minutes after we got there! It was so exhausting trying to keep up with all of them with all those other people there. But I had a great idea...we made a train. I made everyone put there hands on the shoulders of the person in front of them and told them they couldn't break the train ... it worked! Also it made it easy to mow people down with a train of 25 kids!

They have a cool aquarium area with all the wildlife that is native to Mississippi. They also had a 2 headed snake! Gross but cool. They didn't have other living wild life, but they had fossils and stuffed animals and an awesome nature trail. I don't think some of the kids had ever been in "nature" like that before. We also had a class photo taken with Smokey the Bear - sweet! After we spent about 2 1/2 hours in the museum we had lunch under the pavilion and then played a rousing game of duck, duck, goose. Good times, good times. After lunch we hopped on the bus and went downtown to the art museum to the free exhibit and had a look around. All the schools in Jackson Public Schools had to do an exhibit for the Ask for More Arts program. It was really cool to see all the different things that were done. Then we headed back to school just in time to miss the horrid weather that was passing through. The power even went off at school! Luckily it was only off for 10 minutes and came on just in time for dismissal! Here are some pictures of our field trip... ENJOY!!!
We are so excited...Aidan and Jayda LOVE field trips!!!
Brandon doesn't look as excited as Richard and Camden but he really is.
Zyria, Kira and Lewis are ready to go!
Lanyia, Braylan and I waiting for the bus to head out.
Dead giant sea turtle from the dinosaur days
Creepy... two headed snake found in Mississippi ... and it's still alive!
Choo! Choo!
The Pearl River fish tank was a BIG hit!
Oh! Look at that one, up close and personal.
Posing with the frog
Ribbit! Ribbit!
Could it be the frog prince?
Lazy Gator, hanging out in the afternoon sun
Smokey the Bear says "Only YOU can prevent forest fires"
Staring contest...I won, the bear had no chance.
Duck, Duck (Richard in the stinky pot - that is what they call the middle when you get caught)
GOOSE!!
Run, Nadeia, Run!
Heading home... 3 minutes later they were all zonked out
Three little boys up to no good.

Twisted Turtles

I was blog surfing awhile back and I found this site and they had made turtles. Now I love turtles...the caramel, the chocolate, the pecans...mmmmmmm
Well this person made them with pretzels. Interesting. Well I decided to try them and give them the name of Twisted Turtles. I decided to only make 24, just in case there didn't come out as good as they looked on that blog I found....ummm, I should have made more! Is it bad that I only have 9 left and I am the only one home?
Getting ready for the oven

Up close and personal
TaDa! The finished product
Salty and Sweet...it has to be good!
Ooey, Gooey! Look at that hot caramel!
Taste Testing
Finger Lickin Good!

Success! I think I am going to make these for Christmas! Easy and Delicious and I am going to drizzle melted white chocolate on top so they look fancy!

Extra! Extra! Class Photo is finally in!

My first class photo...now noone can deny that I was their teacher now that it has been recorded on film.

So, here are all my little munchkins...minus two - Faith and Lewis were absent on picture day!

Front row: Jayda, Aidan, Abbie, Jaqualun, Jalynn, Camren, Brandon, Richard
Middle row: Alexis, Destiny, Kira, Camden, Laniya, Xavien, Avarius, Tomiyia
Back row: Troyce, Chaquarian, India, Zyria, Nadeia, Braylan, Damorious, Antonio
and Ms. Pate and I!

If you can't pronounce some of the names, don't worry, it took me a couple of weeks to get them all right!

I have a really big class, 27 in all. I personally feel this is too many, especially when Ms. Pate is out. But somehow they have all learned something this year. Maybe I am an ok teacher. I am anxiously counting down the days until they are off for summer break - 16 more school days to go! We get out on Memorial Day, thanks to the stinkin snow day we had back in February. Oh well.