Friday, September 22, 2023

Happy Friday! This week was a doozy! I am linking up with Andrea and Erika for Friday Favorites….

Monday I was just happy that my sweet Mason made it to England safely for his study abroad experience. We were able to text that morning and that made me happy. He is 5 hours of ahead of us with the time difference. I was pretty tired from staying up to track his flight, though!

This book has been a fun way to treat myself this week. I have been getting out on my patio either before or after dinner or both in this beautiful weather we are having. It hasn’t rained in quite awhile and it has been in the 70s and low 80s.

In school news, I treated my kids to a taste of my Spanish breakfast. When I lived in Spain, we would have these cookies with some strawberry jam spread on top with our coffee. You can find these cookies in most grocery stores and they taste like a graham cracker and would actually be great with s’mores!

The kids seem to like when I bring them something to taste. I spend my own money, but I feel like it’s worth it because it gets them excited about the culture. I also had a bonus opportunity where they could make an easy recipe at home last week and send me a pic. I buy candy to give out and for prizes sometimes. I buy special Spanish stickers, too. I can’t buy any of this with my Amazon allowance – it’s not allowed. I still have to spend my Amazon money, but I have been waiting to use it wisely. I just don’t think teachers can get around using their own money for some things. If you’ve found a way, let me know!

It was also spirit week:

You can see most of my outfits in Fashion Files here.

This is my AP doing Mesa Redonda, but I did my first Mesa Redonda in Spanish 3 this week and it was amazing! We have a topic and questions and sit in a circle with no English allowed. It really pushes their speaking abilities, and we have jokes and laugh sometimes, too. We talked about food, favorite restaurants, cooking abilities, etc. in Spanish 3. I don’t correct anyone on the spot but keep a list of praises and things to improve. AP is used to this activity but this year they have to come up with the topic, the questions, and take turns leading it.

Mesa Redonda means “round table” – like a round table discussion.

This meal was so simple, but so good. Erica made us corn and BLTs for one of our school lunches. These slimwich buns are really good!

Tuesday after school we had an hour-long meeting and I didn’t get home until 4:30, Wednesday I had Spanish Club until 4:10 and then had to hurry home to jump on a Zoom professional development from 4:30-5:45 – it went 15 minutes late. I did make it more enjoyable with a homemade skinny margarita:

It’s been a week! I know this time is typical for many people, but I used to get home at 2:45!

I decided to start decorating my upper and lower patios.

I continued to get outside every morning this week!

In Mason news, some cute texts:

We are mostly using What’s app now, but he bought a sim card from a grocery store because that was what we decided would be the smartest. He has an unlocked phone that this will work on.

And, finally , in Tom news…

He came home for lunch and wanted to make a sandwich, but this was all we had. Tom has strong feelings about mayo and prefers light Miracle Whip. He sent me this photo to share his dismay:

I told him to put it on a piece of paper so I would remember to get what he wanted.

I came home to this:

Did you read my Mental Health post on Wednesday? Mine hasn’t been the best this week, to be honest.

What were your favorites this week?

Amy

27 thoughts on “Friday Favorites”

  1. Sorry to hear this week was such a doozy! It sounds like Mason is settling in well– he’ll be a true Englishman by the time this is over if he’s already drinking the tea. LOL. I was always spending my own money for “my kids” in class even when I was just a long-term sub. It was worth it though to see the joy on their faces. You definitely sound like an amazing teacher always going that extra mile to make your students happy.

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    1. It was just busy, but it was totally fine. I sound like a whiner! I know – the tea and crumpets he already fell in love with here before he left, too! I do think spending a little to motivate kids has a huge impact. I wish we had a little money and freedom to do with it what we wanted.

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  2. I’m glad to hear that Mason made it to England safely. Sorry to hear that you’ve had a tough week. I did enjoy your mental health post on Wednesday and I found it really helpful. Thanks so much for sharing. Thank you also for sharing about Tom and the mayo because you just made me burst out laughing. I hope you have a well-deserved relaxing weekend.

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    1. Thank you! It’s ok – still figuring things out with my later start and end time! I know I sound like a whiny baby! Oh gosh – I will not tell Tom you laughed. I don’t need him to think he is funnier than he thinks he is! Ha! Happy Friday!

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  5. That is quite the adjustment of time for you, my friend. No wonder your mental health hasn’t been great…you may not be getting enough rest. I hope you’re able to do that this weekend, also with the letdown of Mason being over in England now, maybe you can start to live again and look forward to other things without that hanging over your head. I say that, because I am like that sometimes…once something is done with, I can move on. I’m not wording this right, but you get my point.

    I like your porch decor! How fun to do that to make it more festive! I hope your weekend brings you lots of outside reading time, some restorative times of sleeping, and a few fun things as well. XOXO

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    1. Thank you for the empathy! This is the first day I have had off since he left and it’s hitting me. I really got used to having him here since beginning of May! But, he has been texting with me a lot more than I expected. I start my day with texts from him. He gives me food descriptions and today he might take the free bus into the little town for their farmer’s market.
      Thank you! I enjoy shopping my own house for decor. It’s really feeling like fall and there are some leaves on the ground!

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  6. TOM! Hahahahah! My heart swells for you thinking of Mason being gone. I can’t handle Bug being 1.5 hours away. I’ve been sending you supportive vibes!

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  7. Those pillows on the porch are really cute! I make those skinny margaritas using your recipe almost every week. After a busy week of spirit week and after having company and Mason leaving, I hope you can rest and enjoy the weekend. We had not had rain here in a few weeks so I watered the lawn one morning. It rained that night, ha! Happy Friday!

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    1. Thank you! I love shopping my house and not having to buy new things because they feel “new” again!
      Isn’t that always the case – same when I go to the car wash.

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  8. Growing up my best friend’s parents were Canadian and we drank pots and pots of tea in our teens discussing important topics like boys and hair! She and I ( husbands included) are going on a river cruise starting in Prague next week, so grateful for best friends. You are not whining, It sounds like an exhausting week and it’s okay to vent here, we are your friends! Have a relaxing weekend with that funny guy of yours.

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  9. My son is 14 and came home from school with Tastykake cinnamon rolls. He was so proud of them. Apparently the teacher brings in (her own money) treats for the kids but they have earn a ticket to buy them from her “store” From the pride on his face I think it is awesome you do it for your students

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      1. When you get a change – please search soap pad on the Dollar Tree website. It will say on the box …..soap pad, tampon and something else. Why does it say tampon

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  10. Glad to hear Mason arrived safely and is settling in. Aren’t flight trackers the best invention for Moms with traveling kids? I love the idea of the Mesa Redonda. I had to chuckle at Tom’s list!

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  11. You did have a busy week. I love those sandwich thins – that’s a great idea for lunch! I meant to tell you – on Wednesday, I picked up chicken Patties at Aldi. Can’t wait to try. I’m glad Mason is settling in. Tom – 😆

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  12. If teachers’ salaries included what they pay out of their own pockets, can you imagine how high they’d be? I used to have bags of Jolly Ranchers to throw out randomly when a student was right or on the right track. And, one year, I baked every Sunday. Those kids would come in on Mondays wondering what treat they were going to get. I don’t think that’s allowed in my old school anymore.

    I always hated meetings of any kind, but having one after school would be the worst. And, I especially hated the ones that were just meetings for meetings sake! I’m sure you’ve had plenty of those over the years.

    Here’s to a better week ahead!

    https://marshainthemiddle.com/

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    1. Right? We are still allowed to bake for our students and have no rules about home baked things in class, thankfully. Food days are a big part of teaching a World Language!

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