These Words Aren’t Going To Read Themselves!

A couple of weeks ago, I noticed that Opal, our charolaise heifer, had a new-to-her largish udder.

Me:  We need to watch Opal.  I think she is going to calve soon.

David:  Nah.  She probably already had the calf, was a terrible mother, and left it to die.

Me:  !

So, I check the cows morning and evening, and Opal has no change.  I report my findings to David and he is still pessimistic and sure Opal was an unfit mother.

Last Tuesday night, her udder had completely ballooned, so I was sure hopeful she was close and there was an actual baby in there.  I looked Wednesday before school and could not find her anywhere.  I came home Wednesday afternoon and looked and looked and spotted her just before dark-

With a tiny black calf.

So.  I win.

David is still unsure if Opal will be a good mother because he’s more of a “glass is half empty” kind of guy.  So the next morning at daybreak, I trudged on out there to show him proof of life.

And if that doesn’t prompt David to buy me that #1 Wife T Shirt, I don’t know what will.

And why, may I ask, is this calf black?  Total rip off.

I was hoping it would look like my old friend, Dutch Bro.  Dutch Bro had a Charloaise dad and a black dairy cow mama and he turned out a creamy brown.

Remember Dutch Bro?

Anyways.  Opal and calf are fine and dandy.  We have five new, untagged calves at this time and they make my world go round.

Opal and baby.

Here are three little guys hanging out in their mamas’ food.

And this dude with his mama.

We are just finishing up a four day weekend.  The weekend started off with no plans, and then quickly turned into a weekend full of many plans.

On Thursday night, I went and saw three of my firsties play in a basketball game, and it was the cutest thing ever.  These boys took the game very seriously, but when they took a break on the bench they would smile and wave at me with all the joy.  Then I went to watch LD star on his new junior high basketball team. He appreciates me watching his game, but he does not smile and wave at me.

Sad.

He has had two games so far and scored 17 and 11 points in each.  I think he likes playing on his own team apart from HD.

On Friday, I cleaned.

On Saturday, Hadley and I went to watch another student basketball game and then hopped on the road to join my parents who were spending the night at a cabin on a river, but not the same river we are always at.

Please, try to keep up.

My parents were getting their house painted and their friend offered their cabin so they could get away while the painting was to be done.  So Hadley and I zipped over to join them for a night.

Gorgeous, no?

And then we had to meet up with David and HD to spend ALL of our monies and more on items needed for the apartment.  David and the boys have been rocking it in the apartment.  They have the electrical trim work done, kitchen cabinets installed and counterops glued in.

HD did all the can lights after David showed him the ropes.

Cabinets and countertops (not finished, but as they are now)

And the bathroom vanity.  Hadley installed the knobs and such.

We also found a used appliance set-so that was a huge blessing.

***

Me yesterday:  Looks like we are headed into spring weather!  Hooray.

Today:

***

I was working with a small group of our most struggling readers in first grade.

And if I had a nickel for every time I had to remind a child to actually READ the word and not GUESS the word, well, I would have probably been able to afford brand new appliances for the apartment.

The sentence was “Come and look . . . ”

Student:  Come and see

Me:  Try again

Student:  Come and play

Me:  Please look at the word

Student:  Come and see

Me:  What is the first sound of this word?

Student actually looks at the word thoughtfully for more than 5 seconds.

Student:  Oh!  Come and look

*sigh*

Over and over and over and over.

They have the skills, but they need to apply them.

Me the entire group:  No guessie-guessie!  These words aren’t going to read themselves!

Students:  *giggle* chuckle* giggle*

And . . . I love them.

Right after this intense reading group I had a student tattle happen.

Student (in high alert stress mode):  Mrs. M!  Mrs. M!  Johnny said A BAD WORD!  THE “S” WORD!

Me:  Ok, what was the word.

Stand down, Reader.  I know it is probably dicey to ask kids to repeat the word, but they think lots of different words are bad words.  And there is a bit of a difference between a kid saying something is stupid and saying something is the other s word.

If you know what I mean

And I think you do.

Student:  It was a bad word!  The S-R word!

Me:  The S-R word?  You are going to need to whisper the word to me.

Student (eyes all scandalous like):  CRAP!

Me:  Dude.  Stop.  What is the FIRST sound you hear in “crap?”  Is it an “s”?  No.

So I worked in a phonics lesson and spoke to Johnny about school appropriate words.

Happy Monday!