Blog Neglect

I've been totally neglecting my blog lately, and for several different reasons:

1. School is in full swing, so my free time has been greatly reduced.
2. Our life is pretty boring lately and I haven't been inspired to post any updates.
3. We're sharing a computer now because Curtis' laptop is having issues again and we just haven't taken it in to get it fixed (or purchased a new one).

So, here are a few updates for the faithful readers out there. School is going great this year! We have a wonderful group of 5th graders to work with, and some really fun and talented new staff members at Cowden. I am really enjoying my job right now and couldn't ask for a better start to the year!

Curtis and I have been doing a less than stellar job of keeping up with our 5K training since school started. And when I say less than stellar, what I really mean is that no actual running has occurred in about a month. The problem for me is that I prefer to run in the morning...but not at 5:30 when it's still pitch black outside. Then, by the time I'm home at the end of the day I'm either completely famished and need to eat or it's already getting dark AGAIN! I need a treadmill. The problem for Curtis is his knee. The last run we went on did not go well for either of us, but especially for him. We both ended up limping home. It was like a comedy act. We looked hilarious and I'm sure the old man who witnessed it all from the end of his driveway is still chuckling about it. It's okay to WALK a 5K, right???

My baby brother moved far, far away to the land of black bears, ski bunnies, and Lance Armstrong. A place where the beer flows like wine. Where beautiful women instinctively flock like the salmon of Capistrano. I'm talking about a little place called Aspen. He is absolutely loving his new life. But, then again, who wouldn't? He's rubbing elbows with the elite, has a wonderful job, is chasing black bears out of the hotel swimming pool, is making some new friends, and hopes to capture the attention of a few of those ski bunnies on the slopes this winter. I can't wait to go visit him, and I miss him so much!!!

I hope these updates will tide everyone over for a little while as I'm unsure about how frequent (or infrequent) these postings will be for now. I hope everyone is doing well! Thanks for stopping by :)

Room 110

I've been hard at work in my classroom the past couple of weeks, and I must say, it's looking pretty good! I thought I might share a few pictures of the finished product with those of you who have never seen my room.
The view from the doorway. Students share computers in pairs. Notice the mailboxes along the windows...my awesome grandpa made those!

This is what I spent a big chunk of my time on this summer. I organized all the books in my class library by genre, and put them into tubs. Each book also has a pocket with a card in the front (labeled according to which tub it belongs in) to make for an easier check-out...and (hopefully) result in fewer MIA books at the end of the year. We'll see if it looks this good next month...

I just LOVE things that are so organized!!!! This makes me smile :)

Front of the classroom = SMART Board, carpet area, my desk, etc.

Conferencing table and math shelves. The conferencing table is where I meet with students one-on-one, or in small groups to work on specific skills they may need additional practice with.

Weekend Deals

Last weekend, my mom and I went on a quest for good deals for my classroom...and good deals we found! I had to take the above picture because just talking about it won't give you the full effect of how much stuff I got! I spent right at $50, and my mom helped me out with $11.50 for the five pairs of scissors, Pictionary game, and craft sticks you see there. We went to Staples for Teacher Appreciation Day, so along with the great deals on many of the supplies you see here, I also got some freebies! After that, we went to lots of garage sales. My main goal was to find a lamp and some small chairs for a reading nook I'm wanting to create in my classroom this year. The chairs were a no-go, but some good friends were kind enough to donate a lamp (not pictured) that was on it's way to Goodwill. Thanks, Ryan and Tricia! Below is a list of all the stuff I snagged for $50:

~6 pkgs. of colored pencils
~2 pkgs. of Sharpies
~2 pkgs. of cap erasers
~1 pkg. of colored craft sticks
~2 pkgs. of markers
~3M plastic hooks
~star-shaped name plates (for desks)
~24 composition notebooks
~grab-bag of construction paper (garage sale find)
~4 paperback books (Bunnicula trilogy, and a fantasy book)
~4 hardback books (A Light in the Attic, Oh The Places You'll Go, New Kid on the Block, and a Harry Potter book)
~a whole stack (20-25) educational magazines (Highlights, Contact Kids, etc.)

Freebies:
~1 pkg. of #2 pencils
~post-its
~notepad
~school box
~paper clips
~2 pkgs. of blue pens
~push pins
~grab-bag of miscellaneous office supplies (magnets, clips, etc.)

What a great day!!!!

Continuing My Education

Another bit of exciting news around here is that I've officially decided that I'm ready to continue my education and work on my Masters Degree. At this point, I've sent in my application and I'm working on getting recommendations filled out and my transcripts sent over. So, I haven't been officially accepted into the program, but I'm very hopeful! I'm applying to William Woods University because I really like the way their program is set up. If I'm accepted, I will be a part of a cohort of teachers that will meet once a week for about two years. Each of the courses will last 5-6 weeks, and we'll move through the classes in a particular sequence. This could not be better for me because I was very concerned about working on my Masters while I'm teaching. I didn't want to become overwhelmed with all the work, but I'm thinking that one class at a time will be very manageable for me. Plus, I really like the idea of having the same classes with the same people at the same time throughout the program. What a great opportunity for collaboration! I'll definitely be letting you all know if/when I'm accepted into the program!

5K Training Updates

Since Curtis has been sick, he hasn't really started his training for the 5K, but hopefully he'll be able to get started now that he's beginning to feel better. I, on the other hand, have kept up with the schedule every single day! I still have 4 more weeks of training until I'm "race ready", but I'm feeling really good about the progress I've made so far.

If you'll recall, the first day was 1 minute run/1 minute walk (10 times), and I thought there was no way I'd be able to run for more than one minute at a time. I'm happy to say that I've proven myself wrong! After that, the next two days were 2 minutes/4 minutes (5 times). Then I did two days of 3 minutes/3 minutes (4 times). And yesterday, I did what I previously thought would be impossible: 5 minutes/2 minutes (3 times). That's right...I ran 5 minutes IN A ROW...3 TIMES!!! I couldn't believe I did it!

From here, the training schedule just gets harder. Tomorrow, I'm supposed to do 7 minutes/2 minutes (3 times). 5 minutes was hard enough! I don't know how I'll make it 7, but I'm going to give it a try! Curtis has definitely kept me motivated throughout this process because, even though he's not running with me right now, he encourages me not to give up before I go for a run, then praises me when I return for my accomplishments. Without the motivation from him, I don't know if I'd be doing quite so well :)

Busy as a Bee and Sick as a Dog

It's been a while since I've updated everyone on the happenings around here, so I'm going to post several shorter snippets today to let you know some of the things the Butricks have been up to lately. First of all, I've been "busy as a bee" working on my classroom the past couple of weeks. The kids don't officially come back until the 25th, so I still have a little over a week, but the classroom is ready! I'll post pictures in a separate posting later. While I've been busy with that, Curtis has been "sick as a dog" for over a week. He's actually on the mend now, which is good...but it's been a rough time! Three doctors and two rounds of antibiotics later, we finally got a diagnosis of "severe tonsilitis" from the Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist. What we don't understand is why the first two doctors couldn't come up with that diagnosis considering the huge, white spot on the back of his throat! I'm thinking we need to start searching for a new PCP for Curtis...

Training Days 1 & 2 (With a Little Added Bonus)

I know you've all been on the edge of your seats just waiting to hear how the first two days of 5K training has gone. I'm happy to report that Day 1 was a great success for the Butricks. As it turns out, we are REALLY good at resting! What a relief to be able to cross that day off our 6 week plan.

All jokes aside, today was the first day of actual training, so I decided that it would work out best for me if I got mine out of the way first thing this morning. That was a good choice since the forecast for today is 95 degrees...ick. I hopped out of bed, put on my brand new shoes (which I bought just for this occasion), and headed out the door.

Today's schedule called for 1 minute of running, followed by 1 minute of walking (repeated 10 times). The following is a run-down of the thoughts running through my head at each of those intervals.

Run #1 - This isn't so bad! I could do this!
Run #2 - Okay, I'm a little winded, but I still feel good. I wonder if those landscapers over there think I'm a REAL runner? I think I'm pulling it off.
Run #3 - I hate running uphill...I hate running uphill...I hate running uphill...Am I done yet?
Run #4 - I could really use my ChapStick right now...My lips hurt real bad (as Napoleon Dynamite would say).
Run #5 - Okay, this is kind of sucking now. My legs feel like Jell-O.
Run #6 - Oh no, that elderly couple and their dog are walking very slowly, and I'm going to have to pass them! Will they hear my heavy breathing? What if they don't move out of the way? What if I trip and fall right in front of them?
Run #7 - "Don't Stop Belie-e-vin'! Hold on to that fee-e-e-e-e-lin'!"
Run #8 - I could stop now, and no one would have to know...
Run #9 - I sure do love these new shoes! Feels like I'm running on clouds.
Run #10 - Well, this is it! I'm almost there. I might pass out, and I'm starting to see spots, but I'm gonna keep going until that timer hits 20!

I couldn't believe it! I, Alysia Butrick, had just completed Training Day #2! I almost did a happy dance in the middle of Pythian on my way back to the house. But, I was still seeing a few spots, and I could feel the beginnings of a small headache coming on, so the sight of our house couldn't come soon enough. I turned down our street...and walked...and walked...and got about halfway down the street fully expecting to see my house soon, when suddenly it hit me - This is NOT my street!!!! In my delerium, I apparently failed to notice that I turned about one street too soon. I immediately started to panic and wonder how I would make it out of this situation without looking like an idiot. Finally, reality set in and I realized that this was pretty much like every other residential area in Springfield and I could just continue walking around the block until I got back to my house. You'll be happy to know that I did eventually make it back to my house. I just had to take a little "extended detour" to get there! Luckily, Training Day #3 calls for more resting. THAT I can handle! Stay tuned for future updates about our 5K adventures.