Grades

I can't believe i actually finished checking all the test papers and computed the final grades in two days, it is a record for me. I challenged myself if i could actually submit all my grades in time for our deliberation in two days from taking the test. I actually did it!

The moment i came home that morning i had to sacrifice and resisted all temptation to open my facebook and emaila accounts and really start checking papers. Our final exams are 100 items each and i mad ten kinds of exams since i handle 10 grade levels.

It was a feat.

I was able to finish at exactly 4:00 in the morning, it was really like burning the midnight oil, but it was all worth it because i am now free.

Its a Friday, so i can truly say i will be enjoying the week without thinking of having to meet a deadline. Looking forward to a cool weekend!

Toned

My sister is into fitness, she has been attending gym classes for the longest time and this is her way of relaxing especially after a long and hectic office week. She has a great toned body and her friends are all muscled (hehehe!) and i wonder if they get some help from syntheroid to get the muscled look? They are all health buffs and whenever they come around and hang out at my mom's house its mostly carrot and celery sticks that is passed around instead of oil laden chips. I dream to live that day .... someday.

I have a strong urge to eat a cheeseburger as i am writing this, lol!

The day will come when i will finally eat healthy and drop my soda drinking ... but until that day i have to grab an ice cold coke to refresh me, hahaha!

Farewell

We have been carefully moving out our school things to the our new address, and believe me when i say it is so much easier said than done. We have a lot of things to move plus the fact that we have to place them neatly again in our new classrooms. Installing all the chalkboards, bulletin boards and bookshelves can really be tedious. I was telling our principal that we need some gadgets that can help us and i mentioned that we needed a hydraulic scissor lift to aid in our moving. There is so much to be done and we only have two days to move out and short week to get ourselves settled in the new location before our summer school starts.

We had our farewell party this morning and the kids had a lot of fun ... it just turned sad when it was time to go when all together they said in their most loud voice, "Goodbye and thank you Teacher Melissa, thank you for teaching us!"

Moving Up

Our school is moving!

This is great news! We found a better and more spacious place for the next school year, and it is far better than what we have now.

Everything really happens for a reason ... and we are moving up!

Excited!

Stumming

I was so excited thinking of the plan of adding another instrument for next school years music class that i chanced upon another thing to consider in adding to make the guitar playing more enriching. I saw how adding Fender Amps can make a whole lot of difference. Brings guitar playing to another level. I really am bent on making all my students acquire new musical skills, because this is something they can still use even when they are out of school and are all grown up.

Going a step (okay maybe a hundred more steps) further, they can actually use this skill in wooing their "future" significant other when the time comes. Tee hee!

Recital

My students had their very first recital yesterday at our family day in school. The kids were quite nervous being faced with other people and their parents. I was so proud of them, they did well and it was well applauded.

My other students have found their gift in music and are now trying different tunes on their own, i am glad that i have made a small spark of interest in them to love music.

I was thinking of going into guitar next school year, it would really be nice to have another instrument with our recorder. I might ask our school principal to get us a line 6 m9 to make their guitar playing go professional.

But of course, reality check dawns on me ... i have to learn playing a guitar first, because the only thing i know to play is "happy birthday" and "my bonnie lies over the ocean" , lol!

Love Day

Happy Valentine's Day! Wit so much hype over this day, we sometimes forget that we can actually show our loved ones that we love then 365 days of the year. :)

These are the flowers and heart shaped wand i received from my students when i entered the classroom .. they are the sweetest.

Flowers can really brighten your day .. wish i had a garden filled with pretty flowers that i can look and touch everyday ... okay, reality check ... i live in the city, lol!

Again, happy hearts day to everyone and may we show our special people that we love and care for them all throughout the year! Love! Love!

Small But Terrible

Have you heard of the mighty flea yoyo?

It actually was the first time for me to know about it last weekend, and boy, was i impressed!

I could not imagine just how powerful this small yoyo can pack. I watched in amazement as the kids and not so kids showed their tricks with this new toy.

I was a yoyo player back when i was younger, but i was just settling to the usual up and down movements and did not even venture or advance to any trick, hahaha!

I wonder, seeing the kids handle this one i actually might be able to do something here without much effort. I will definitely get one and try it out ... if it does not match with my dexterity (lol!) there are always my kids to whom i can pass it on!

February

It is the first day of the love month ... February <3

This is the latest picture of me and my long time valentine, we are going on fifteen years by May. A little trivia .... since the day we married till now, Christian has not missed a day without saying "i love you" to me, and this is done in multiples all throughout the day.

I have really found my permanent valentine ... forever and a day.

Aching back

I wake everyday with an aching back that reaches all the way up to my neck. It really bothers me and sometimes i have to take the full day off from teaching because of it. I am currently taking pain reliever pills to help me get by, but i really don't want to get my system used to taking medicines every time the pain becomes unbearable.

Last night, i slept in my daughter's bed because Christian was not coming home so i decided to sleep in their room. I was a bit surprised that i did not have that pain i regularly get when i wake up in the morning. I was thinking maybe it was because i was lying down on a different mattress that conformed to my body. I think if i get myself a comfortable mattress like a memory foam mattress it would surely solve my aching body's dilemna that has long been hounding me.

The greeting "sweet dreams" can soon be felt as soon as i get myself a good nights sleep and a refreshing wake up.

Different Crowd

Bea is excited with her school, now that she is in high school she is now mingling with different kinds of people and i understand her excitement with the new faces she sees everyday. Back in her old school, they only had a few classmates which i think is a god way to start because the teachers really get to know the strengths and weaknesses of every student and not be drowned in a sea of faces. This is really quite a big change for her.

I was there last Christmas farewell party in their school and i too was surprised by the fashion the high school kids have nowadays, not that i am saying it is unbecoming of their age but that it is different from when i was a teenager (so many, many, many years ago .. lol!) some of the girls were wearing tights and paired with equestrian boots and long polo as their tops. They have their hair all curly and all in one side and sashayed through the corridors as if they were on a ramp. The boys on the other hand were quite laid back, they had oversized shirts, with oversized (lol!) trousers that is covering only half of their back side. They had their hair up in gel and walked the corridors in a weird way. I guess i have really been outdated so much, so i might as well brace myself for the coming fashion, especially that i have a teenager in the house.

Achievement

Celebrated the birthday of my grandmother, Daisy Hontiveros Avellana who is also our National Artist for Theater ... and she is now ninety five years old!

When we sang her a birthday song she said, "How old am i?", we said "La, you are now 95."
She said "Boy, i am old." and smiled proudly.

Yes, there is really so much to be proud about ... she has been living a rich life, filled with achievement, accolades, fulfilled dreams and success. She is very loved by her children, in-laws and especially her grand and great grandchildren.

We love you, Lola Daisy, Happy 95th birthday! :)

Me and my Lola :)

My Time

I always go to the mall to buy the kids clothes and what-have-yous and come to think of it i don't do much shopping for myself, specifically for clothes. I have been stuck in the rut with my wardrobe that i actually did not even think of updating my look. But, yesterday while walking along the Womens Clothing section, i found some interesting pieces that i actually want to own. Finally, something for myself, so i hurriedly tried a few things and before i knew it i had a handful with me and was at the cashier.

I guess i am giving in this time, my turn.

I know it will be a long time again before i go and buy myself some things again, so i guess this is worth the giving in.

2012

2012 was greeted with fireworks and the love and warmth of family. This is what is important and what counts above all. My family has always and will always be my constant unhappiness and when i am with them everything feels alright.

This is one of our first moments as we welcome the new year :)

Back Ache

I have a tremendous back pain, and must as i hate to admit it, it really bothering me. I am trying so hard to stand up straight to maybe straighten it as a form of exercise, but the pain is unbearable. Christian last night massaged it with liniment, and it relieved me for some time, enough for me to get some sleep, but like i said it was temporary.

I don't know if it caused by my posture or i woke up on the wrong side of the bed.

Wish the pain will go away really soon.

Great Finds

I just love what i find on the internet whenever i search and browse through different sites. The things you can see are actually endless. I have been able to join a lot of online blog contests and i sometimes am lucky enough to win. My usual winnings are girly stuff, like make up, lotion and knick knacks, i yearn for the day when i get some more cool stuff like some barnes & noble coupons, that would really be a great find!

There is actually a site where they give away a lot of things when you answer a short survey, i haven't actually participated in any, but maybe i will as soon as i get the time to do it.

I heart the internet, there are a lot of cool FREE stuff just waiting for the picking!