SUNSHINE!

Thanks goodness for sunshine! October was so dreary and wet, and dark and yucky! I am thankful for the sun. I need my Vitamin D and I am loving the sun rays!!!

Ever notice how happier you are when the sun shine? Or how people seem friendlier? And, I think the sunshine even makes food taste better! ha!! Hopefully we will have more sunny days in the month of November so all will be brighter!

Fall is my favorite season. The air is chilly, cool evenings, sunny mornings, early evenings and football! All of this and SUN! What a great way to begin the month!

The Thankful Season

Last year several of us blogged each day about what we were thankful for. Kelli reminded me of this today when I read her blog, so I decided to do this again.

November 1, 2009 and I am thankful for my husband, Juan. We will celebrate our 28th wedding anniversary in December. Those years have been eventful to say the least. Two kids, five moves, job changes and challenges, family drama, chili cookoffs, graduations...too many events to list!

Has it always been fun? No. Have we fought? Yes. Did I ever wonder if maybe we wouldn't make it? Of course. Did I want to give up? Yes.

However, through all the good times and bad times, I can honestly say that I am glad we made it! 28 years is a long time. I have been married more that half my life! OMG! How scary does that sound?? Juan makes me laugh with his silly little dances, songs, and words that he makes up. He loves me and he loves the kids. He is a caring man, he is a good provider, he is a man of faith and he is faithful. He supports me in all that I undertake and encourages me to be strong and to stand tall. I am lucky he loves me! I am thankful for Juan!

Try Again!

So much for my first three wishes. We still have H1N1, I haven't magically lost 20 pounds, and it RAINED all day!!!

OK. Let's try again...
Magic Genie! Where are you???

Wish #1 for today is more Glee and Nip/Tuck on Wednesday nights!

Wish #2 would be for my house remodeling issues to be all done!

And, the final Wish #3 for today...to not feel guilty for eating the frozen pizza that I fixed for dinner!

May all your wishes come true.

Three Wishes

Ever wish you had a genie in a lamp? A little genie to grant you three wishes? Yeah, we have all had that fantasy.

I don't have a magic lamp, but for the next few days I am going to pick three things each day and make a wish. We'll see what happens.

1. No more H1N1 flu! We have had enough! Too many sick kids and adults with no real end in site. Genie! Where are you??

2. A magic pill that would melt away 20 pounds and motivate me to exercise and eat right! Yoo! Hoo! Genie!

3. No rain for the next 10 days! We NEED recess for a while! Genie is definitely not an elementary teacher!

Now, I am off to search for a little genie in a bottle. He has got to be here somewhere!

Frog Alley!

College football has begun and so has Frog Alley!

There is something electric about college football. I never experienced that while attending college, so I get to relive my youth at the TCU home games. Some friends and I do face painting during the two hours before the home games. Frog Alley is so much fun--or so I hear! We have a magician, face painting, bounce houses, bands, food, balloon art...lots of fun things to do. Not that I have ever actually seen any of that! For two hours I sit and paint faces--one right after the other! No breaks, no getting up...just constant painting! And, it is so much fun!

The coolest thing is the most of the kids come back year after year. This is my 3rd year to do this and I am beginning to see the same kids and families coming back. They are so cute! All dressed in their TCU attire, cheerleader uniforms, jerseys...school spirit abounds!

I will get Juan to take pictures so I can post them--maybe--if I don't get too frustrated putting the pics online! ha!

Oh, by the way, no, I did not attend TCU. But, when it comes to football season I really love my Frogs!

A New School Year Has Begun!

Well, bet you thought I had quit! No, just being lazy. Actually, I kept trying to post my vacation pictures and got frustrated so I decided to take a break.

The best time of the year is here--the beginning of a new school year! As a child I loved going to school. I did not like summer vacation. I missed my friends and the routine of being in class. As I got older I loved being a college student. At one time I thought being a professional student would be the best career ever!

As a teacher I looked forward to buying things for my classroom, planned out the furniture arrangement, and relished in the smell of the ditto machine (yes, I am old school!). I never slept the night before school started.

Now, as a principal, I have the same feelings. I spend my summer thinking of my back to school theme, working on pre-service agendas, finding door prizes and goodies for the staff and thinking of ways to make each year better. I still do not sleep the night before school starts.

Being an educator is one of the greatest gifts of God. Being able to touch the lives of children in a positive manner, mentoring and nurturing those in need, what more could you ask for? There are two kinds of teachers--those of the head (knowledge) and those of the heart (commitment). You can have all the content knowledge in the world, but unless you have the heart and soul to reach kids, unless you have passion for what you do, and a passion for student success, then you will struggle to be a real teacher.

There is truly no greater experience in the world than to have a first grader run up to you the first day of school, throw their arms around you and say, "Mrs. Nunez, I missed you!" What a way to start the new school year!!!

Here's to all my teacher friends, to everyone in education who makes a difference for kids--have a great year!!!

Vacation

We are in Navarre Beach, Florida on vacation! There are 10 of us who came to spend the week with Crazy Ray, who by the way, retired and lives on the beach! Tough life, huh?

Anyway, I am taking lots of pictures and will post when I get back....if I ever come back! OMG! This is the life!