TAKS test hiatus

hey guys. it's that time again...state testing. things at school started getting way hectic last week and it is not letting up (tutoring groups during the school day, after school, planning extra practice lessons, etc.). left school at 9pm tonight. the night before it was 7pm. {long exhale}

we've got some challenging situations this year: some low kids, some kids who are just coming out of special ed and having to take the test, some kids operating on "just above mental retardation" IQ to name a few. yup. sooooo, i will be m*i*a for a while...

as ryan seacrest on american idol says...

domaleski, out.

me

more pages from my "me album". i've included a video of one of my favorite songs, for those who might not know who corinne bailey rae is. first heard her on grey's anatomy. it was during season 2, at the end of an episode...when mcsteamy was waiting for addison at the bar during his 1st visit. meredith was there too, just having seen her dad. it was a cool scene. and then it segwayed into the awful, awful scene...you know which one i'm talking about....bluhhhuhhh!!! {shudders} the one george goes to meredith's room and they do it. i *still* cannot watch that! anyways...back to the song...i just think she has such a cool voice. love it...listen to it on my ipod so much...perfect just to chill...

just in case you didn't know...

GISD closed

the GISD godfathers (aka the transportation dept) have decided that the roads are too dangerous to run the buses = district's closed!!! wanna hear something shocking? after practically all the surrounding school districts reported their closing to the news, DISD (dallas independent school district) recanted their closure and *is* having school today. it was hysterical; the news anchor had a disd liaison on the phone and was giving her a hard time about the safety issue & the fact that ALL the other districts have closed. oh well, just one of those times i'm *so* glad i don't teach in dallas! :)

happily, i ripped off my school clothes to pull on my pjs! (i was fully dressed and had my make-up on) gonna snuggle down today with my favorite 3-year-old!!!!

sweet

so i thought i'd share a sweet thing my daughter did last night, mostly because i want this memory archived for myself so that i can be reminded of it as the years roll by.

long after tay had supposedly gone to sleep in her room last night, jonathan went to return the dvds to hollywood video while i was surfin' the net. when jonathan came home & up the stairs and went into our room, he found taylor in our bed. it was a surprise to both of us because we didn't even know she was in there. but there she lay, sound asleep on her daddy's pillow. so sweet.

after a while we went to bed. jonathan decided to sleep on tay's bed since he had work the next morning and had to get up early, so i climbed in with tay. sometime in the night, i felt this squeeze around my neck, then a kiss on my cheek followed by a very innocent, "i love you". it was tay. in my half-asleep state i told her i loved her too and we both fell back asleep. although not entirely conscious, i felt my daughter's love and it made me smile. just the best ever.

guess where i'm goin?

i'm like the guy on the pier at the end...click the play button to watch:



yup!!! we're goin' with stac & jenny for spring break!!! woo hoo!!!

creating

stretching the creative side of my brain today by doing one of my hobbies: scrapbooking. here's a page from an "all about me" album i'm working on. i bought this kit in october. it was cool because the manufacturer donated part of the cost to the susan b. komen foundation (breast cancer research)...just doin' my part! :)


*currently rockin' out to: it's like this and that-snoop dogg and dr. dre

old school

working on a personal scrapbooking project today. while rummaging through my box of old photos, i came across this one. made me laugh and smile. although i don't remember the moment, just seeing these faces makes me think back to how we loved to be together. love ya' cuzins!!!


*currently rockin' out to: never forget where i'm from-justin (how appropriate!)

i love pie

one of my favorite shots ever. when it comes to desserts, taylor gets this gleam in her eye. she is my dessert fiend. she savors every bite by eating it soooo slowly. she even pulls the fork out of her mouth gradually...blueberry cream cheese pie, nonna's yummy cherry pie, brownies, cake or just ice cream...tay's got a soft spot for her desserts!

*currently rockin' out to: guava jelly-ka'au crater boys

happy new year!!!

wishing you health and prosperity in 2007!!!