one day on earth

so cool.

hot chocolate...

...is one of my favorite things. i drink it year round. it's also one of my favorite restaurants. this lady is due for a new addition any day...always a great reason for celebrating with the girls.

hot chocolate over ice...

and good conversation

denver

i subscribe to too many travel deal finders/emails/newsletters/blogs...but i think i've gotten four emails alone this week about slashed fares from denver. what is so great {or bad} about denver? why is every flight outta there less than $100? clue me in. why aren't the amazing deals from chicago? i thought living in a major american city helps my chances of screaming airfare deals. why aren't we living in denver right now?

the children in my life

were you missing my south side preschool stories? probably not.

but i got my lip busted by a three-year-old last week. it was the biggest tantrum of the century and in the midst of flailing his arms, karate kicking his legs, and screaming bloody murder, this little boy head butted me in the face. then blood dripped down my lip and i was furious. time OUT! i know he didn't mean to hurt me, but i assure you we had a LONG talk about managing feelings after that episode.

booty is off limits in my class. here's what i hear this morning:
N: booty booty booty booty booty i shake my bah bah bah booty (shakin it for her giggling admirers)
me: excuse me, N? what was that?
N: uhh boots? in the sea? i love you ms. lawler. sorry. hee hee (her solution to anything is sorry and i love you. not bad, actually)

and then i turn my back and crack up to myself so they can't see me. gotta keep the stern appearance up right? classroom management was really hard for me at first. i came in too soft. i wanted them to love me. then i ruled with an iron fist. and now, finally, it's just the way i want it. they listen, and we have fun. i want every child to like coming to school because hey, if you don't even like preschool, there is no chance for middle school, or even elementary school for these kids. you've got to gear up for the hard stuff.

this generation of children is so different. when i was little and bored (if ever...i had too many imaginary friends to be bored), my mom would say "go outside and find a stick" and you make up your own game and entertain yourself for hours. this new generation is so used to being entertained that i have to teach my students how to just play with something and pretend and make believe. we practice this at school. it makes me sad and it makes me {for a split second} want to take my future brood of kids and raise them in the woods with no tv, no video games, and no pop tarts for every meal. but, i would miss the city the too much. and maaayyybeee i love a s'mores pop tart every once in awhile.

The Art of Moving Down

I have been to three Bulls games in the past two weeks. Twice, I had tickets in the nose bleeds and was able to move down to the lower level. There is definitely an art to moving down to better seats during a game. One of they keys is identifying several options in the first half and moving during halftime when it is easiest to get by the ushers.

Tonight, a friend and I realized there is a great backup plan for getting better seats. It involves hanging out by the exit areas in the lower bowl, talking to the usher and asking people leaving for their tickets. Tonight, we spent the third quarter trying to convince two ushers to allow us to sit in the lower section--we were unsuccessful. However, while we were trying to negotiate our way down, two gentlemen left their seats and I asked them for their tickets. They obliged and we were in! We were about 15-20 rows up in the lower bowl and I then spotted two guys leaving in the second row. So, we proceeded to the second row and were thoroughly entertained by a great finish to the Bulls v Cavs game. All of this was inspired because King James decided to "rest" for the playoffs. Thanks LeBron for inspiring innovative strategies for getting better seats.

in the here and now

nate's been to a couple of these games:

"but, honey, aren't you glad i'm obsessed with basketball with 80 games in a season and not baseball with 100-something games in a season?"
wait, don't we follow every dodger game too? :)

and is currently at a company dinner (no wives allowed this time).

and i've been reading this every second i can:

and wishing i had this excuse
since i have oh so conveniently procrastinated my end of term project:

happy hump day!

good friday picnic

the school i teach at is closed only seven days a year. good friday is one of those seven days. i love a good day off. nate and i met for a picnic lunch in millennium park, which turned into a soak-up-as-much-sun-as-we-can session. thanks for this great weather, april.