January 13, 2011

Well, today was the second to last day at the center. It was really sad, and I almost started crying a couple of times. I just love these kids so much already. And the group. I would have loved to spend the summer with my three girls, Jesa, Jessica, and Sarah. They are amazing, and I am so blessed to have had them for these past four weeks. I had my preschoolers today, there were only six, but they are the core ones that I adore. Haiden was more talkative, I swear he is usually asleep for like the first half an hour or so. Silvia was in a meeting for the first little bit, and so I just chilled with the kids and did art and then was reading stories. Mylie and Kacy were both sitting on my lap at the same time while I read them story after story. I thought it was so cute. It is the last few days and I just couldn't not let them sit on my lap when I am never going to see them again. Gosh, so sad. And then when Silvia came back we made bracelets, which was awesome. This may sound a little lame, but I am always so proud of all my art projects and I save them. I either take pictures of them, take them home, or save them to show to Dillon. I feel like a little kid wanting him to see my art and feel proud of me. A little lame, but I have been hanging around the kids quite a bit so....lol. In the kinder room today, Riley and Landyn made me a bunch of cards and cute stuff. Everytime i would walk over they were like, no you can't look until we were done. I am going to miss them so much. Landyn made me an invitation to a fake party they had set up on a table. I don't know what I'm going to do without these adorable kids. In the kinders, there were four little boys sitting on my lap at the same time. Two on my knees, and then two further up on like my thighs. I don't know how they managed it, but they all fit ok. I will miss my kinders a little more than my babies in preschool just because I have more of a connection with them. The kids that age, like my ones this summer are just starting to be able to make actual connections with people, and its just different. My babies in preschool are so amazing and I will never ever forget them though. Especially Mylie and Haiden. (I know finally a girl on my favorites list lol). I can only hope that the children I have someday are as adorable. Well, it is like midnight and I am finished packing mostly and finished watching Harry Potter, the fourth movie, with Jesa. I should very probably go to bed. We are planning on staying up all night tomorrow so we will sleep on the plane and adjust better. Goodnight, and til tomorrow. This time I will try to keep the tears to a minimum.

January 13, 2011

Well, today was the second to last day at the center. It was really sad, and I almost started crying a couple of times. I just love these kids so much already. And the group. I would have loved to spend the summer with my three girls, Jesa, Jessica, and Sarah. They are amazing, and I am so blessed to have had them for these past four weeks. I had my preschoolers today, there were only six, but they are the core ones that I adore. Haiden was more talkative, I swear he is usually asleep for like the first half an hour or so. Silvia was in a meeting for the first little bit, and so I just chilled with the kids and did art and then was reading stories. Mylie and Kacy were both sitting on my lap at the same time while I read them story after story. I thought it was so cute. It is the last few days and I just couldn't not let them sit on my lap when I am never going to see them again. Gosh, so sad. And then when Silvia came back we made bracelets, which was awesome. This may sound a little lame, but I am always so proud of all my art projects and I save them. I either take pictures of them, take them home, or save them to show to Dillon. I feel like a little kid wanting him to see my art and feel proud of me. A little lame, but I have been hanging around the kids quite a bit so....lol. In the kinder room today, Riley and Landyn made me a bunch of cards and cute stuff. Everytime i would walk over they were like, no you can't look until we were done. I am going to miss them so much. Landyn made me an invitation to a fake party they had set up on a table. I don't know what I'm going to do without these adorable kids. In the kinders, there were four little boys sitting on my lap at the same time. Two on my knees, and then two further up on like my thighs. I don't know how they managed it, but they all fit ok. I will miss my kinders a little more than my babies in preschool just because I have more of a connection with them. The kids that age, like my ones this summer are just starting to be able to make actual connections with people, and its just different. My babies in preschool are so amazing and I will never ever forget them though. Especially Mylie and Haiden. (I know finally a girl on my favorites list lol). I can only hope that the children I have someday are as adorable. Well, it is like midnight and I am finished packing mostly and finished watching Harry Potter, the fourth movie, with Jesa. I should very probably go to bed. We are planning on staying up all night tomorrow so we will sleep on the plane and adjust better. Goodnight, and til tomorrow. This time I will try to keep the tears to a minimum.

January 12, 2011

Today was a great day! The kids were just adorable. There were only four of them in the Preschool, which was really weird, since it is not break or anything anymore. But w/e. Silvia had to leave early anyways so i was left alone with the four adorable kids. We took some really cute pictures, and it was Awesome! We also played more with the crayola model magic stuff, which the kids call magic playdough. It is super cute because they ask all the time to see it. Mylie's dad is gone to the states for a week and it made her really sad. I guess this is the first time she has really been away from him ever, which for military kids is pretty good. Well at least the first time that she can remember or something like that. I'm not exactly sure what her mom said. But she is so cute and just very clingy to me and I love it. I am going to miss her so much. And the kinders rocked. No Tyree, but Josephine was nuts and like whiney, but w/e. Loves night

January 11, 2011

It is 1/11/11!!!!!! That is so cool. The only thing that will be cooler is in November when it is 11/11/11!!!!! I know. I am pretty excited by some really dumb stuff. But w/e. Today was a great day. My preschoolers were so cute. I took some recordings of Haiden talking because it is so cute, and I need to get some of Miley. I am going to miss these kids so much. Miley is just the cuttest little cuddly girl ever. It is nice working with the CDC instead of SAC (Child development center instead of school age children, who are the older ones) because we are allowed to pick them up and sit them on our laps. I think it was dumb this summer that I was not allowed to. Even though they were going into first grade, they were still so young and wanted to all the time. Stupid liability crap. Anyways, I loved being with them all today. Except Kayla pisses me off sometimes. She whines about the dumbest stuff and makes me really angry. The other kids whine, but not every single stinking time something doesn't go their way. She must be coddled at home. The kinders was good to. Ms. Angela and I are working on making this big poster of the trip they took a few weeks ago to the aquarium. We are cutting out little fishes and stuff to put on it. It is funny because everything I drew for it, they were all like, "please make me one too, can I have that, etc....." It was so cute. and they would keep coming up and trying to get my attention and show me stuff since I was busy. Kids are so needy. I love it. So cute. Josephine though is just so awful. Today she said the F word, which is like....Idk. I had never even heard of that word until I was like at least 12 (yes very sheltered) and this little girl is saying it?! And the worst thing we can do to her is put her in a five minute time out, which is the highest allowed. I really hope Ms. Angela told her dad after I had to leave and she got picked up, because that is just not something that should be coming out of a little girl's mouth. Well. I am almost done packing. Just trying to fit everything into one bag is kind of a struggle. Wish me luck!!!!

Night

January 10, 2011

So today was a pretty good day. My kids were super adorable. It was a little weird starting the last day of the week since this is like the very last week and all. The preschoolers were pretty uneventful. There was a new kid I've never met before named Josiah, and he is super adorable. The best was in Kinders though that day. Tyree was there again. I love that kid, and I wish he was there more consistently. As soon as I got there he came right up next to me on the carpet and sat next to me and laid his head on my leg. Riley was sitting on my lap and little Kyle was next to me. It was really cute because while Tyree was cuddling with me he told me that he wished I was his mom. At first I was just like, oh kids ya know. They say stuff like that lots. But the teacher in that room, Angie, told me that she thought it was because his mom doesn't give him affection like that. His mom is really nice, but she is young and she is the army person in the family and she is more stern and cold and doesn't show affection really. Angie said he isn't lovey with anyone else like he is with me. It just makes me want a little boy even more. Just like this summer. Wish I could take these kids home with me.

January 9, 2011 aka Verona

Well today was our last day of travel before this trip is over. It is so weird. It was so much shorter than my summer adventure, that it feels like I am just getting used to things and now I have to leave. I do want to go home, (traveling around is not quite as much fun in the bitter cold lol) but I am definitely not ready for school to start. That is like the least favorite thing on my list. Except the musical should be really awesome. Anyways, today we traveled to Verona! There were five of us today since Kayanne came, but it was still super awesome. We didn't end up being able to leave til like noon since for some weird reason there were absolutely no regional trains leaving for Verona until noon! I mean seriously. Leaving for everywhere else except where I wanted to go of course. At least there were no tickets today since we more than made sure to validate our tickets. The house of Juliet was amazing. There was writing from everyone like around the world and the walls were covered. I guess every year or so they paint back over it so it is clear for people to write on again. Right now it is completely covered in all of the signatures and hearts people have drawn on it. We borrowed chalk from the center, so it was way easier to write and actually see what we wrote. It didn't matter that the chalk would come off because everyone's stuff gets covered anyways. It is mainly just the symbol of it. So I put DR+CG with a cute heart around it, and the other girls did the same for them and their significant others. We then took pictures of the balcony and stuff. I thought it was so neat to basically like be apart of theShakespeare legend for just that little bit. There is this statue of Juliet there, and it is considered good luck to go up to it and touch her chest. Which is weird, but I don't question the Italians, so we did it. lol. We also got to see the Arena, which is like the colesseum, except a little different. It looked very cool. Verona in general was just a gorgeous city. I loved it so much! We got back around like six or so because we called it a day. Such a great end to an amazing trip, even though it started out a little crappy. Calling it a night! Going to watch letters to Juliet, even though the movie is quite different from reality

January 8, 2011 aka Venice! aka -40.50 euro

So today at the very beginning when we were going to Venice everything was going really well. We all got to the breakfast room relatively ontime, grabbed some breakfast and then we walked off base and were heading to the bus stop. We have been using the same bus tickets and not stamping them because it is 2 euro every single time and the ticket checkers rarely get on. And we sat next to the ticket stamper just in case so that we could do it quick if we saw them at a stop. Unfortunately, we got to comfortable in our ways and weren't really looking. Of course the fricken ticket checkers got on our bus and were like pissed we hadn't stamped our tickets. Anyone else who has gotten a fine it has been like 15 euro, and that's what we were warned at the very beginning too. We even tried playing dumb tourist and one of them was nice and was going to let us off it seemed, but the other guy was just like the meanest person ever and was being really really rude to us. Told us we had to pay 42.50 Euro. Really!? Thats almost as much as you have to pay if you are on the expensive Eurostar trains and do your reservation or tickets wrong. So for a bus, that's like unheard of. Of course. Just my luck. But really I was in the wrong. Thanks a ton mom for praying that I always get caught. You now owe me 42.50 Euro (Jk, but seriously). Not not not not fun. They like took our passports and typed everything into little pom piolets, except for Sarah who didn't bring hers, and then were all mean and rude. Except one of them gave Jesa back her passport without making her pay. We are wondering if it is going to be a fine she has to pay before she leaves the country or something. Who knows. But the rest of us were then out 42.50. And I had only 100 Euro left anyways, because that's all I was planning on spending that weekend. Now it is 20 dollars less a day I have. Still pissed when I think about it. So we continue on our way to Venice, and finally get there an hour later and by then we have cooled off some. Venice is absolutely gorgeous! The streets are literally water and then there are bridges over the water streets and stuff. We saw tons of gondalas too. It would have been so much fun to ride one, but we definitely couldn't afford it after we got our crazy lame ticket. So, we devised ways we could get free gondala rides as jokes. It was really cool even just walking around all the streets and stuff. There are really street names, and everything is so twisty. There are alleyways that are so small, so can sit on the wall and put your feet on the other one. But people walk through them a lot there. I could be afraid I like wouldn't fit through or something they look so small. We saw St. Mark's Cathedral and Square. It was beautiful. The clock tower was under construction, but it still looked gorgeous. The church had gold everywhere. We weren't allowed to take pictures inside but I ended up sneaking some. I am afraid I am like going to get kicked out of this country or something. Ten bucks the government doesn't even see half the money these ticket takers steal from people and they just go out and buy booze with it. Not that I am bitter and ranting or anything. Sigh. Anyways back to Venice. Then we saw the Bridge of Sighs, but it was covered in some huge advertisement. The other bridge, B something, was gorgeous, and all the sights from the water were amazing. I wish it was sunny, but I could literally wander the streets all day long there. We went shopping a lot (of course I had less to spend) and I got some souveniers for people and I got myself this really cool masquerade mask. I guess every February in Venice there is a HUGE masquerade ball where everyone ever comes and it is like this intensely massive celebration, so that is why they have these amazing masks all over Italy. I also got a couple more beads for my charm bracelet that are made of glass. Glass is another huge thing Venice is known for. Some of the islands that are just off Venice are basically just for glass blowing and then Venice has glass shops where there is jewelry, dishware, decorations, chandeliers, knick nacks, basically anything you could think of, made of glass. The glass necklaces are just beautiful. I wanted to get a glass ring, but I know I would somehow break it, even though I've heard thats hard to do. Rather have a necklace I am less likely to smash into something. With my luck I would smash a glass ring and the shards would get like jammed way down into my finger. Wow, that would be nasty. We came back pretty earlyish, Like five, which was still a very full day in Venice, and are going to relax, watch a movie, and perhaps make a music video to the angry rap we made about the ticket men. Perfect way to end an amazing and yet oddly eventful day. Til tomorrow!

January 7, 2011

So today was a pretty good day! The kids were just absolutely adorable! it was a little hard though working for another 9 hour day when the last two weeks we only had four work days. In that sense it was long, but it was still great. I had charge of my preschool room again with the help of Natalie, so that was really fun. I love the kids so much. Yarelix had an episode right when she got there though and ended up throwing such a bad fit that her mom didn't even leave her there with us. She looked pissed. I would have just made my kid stay no matter what kind of fit they were throwing, I mean the parents are shelling out a ton of money for this care. Whatever though. So we ended up only having six kids again, which was fine, because they play a lot better that way and things don't get crazy. Eli though, who is a super sweet kid, was like not that nice today. Bella tried to help him put away some toys and he wacked her across the arm with this huge magnet because he said he wanted to clean himself. What kid doesn't want someone else to clean up their mess?! But at least Haiden ate better than he usually does. Although he wouldn't eat the veggies. But i snuck some of them (I'm actually not sure if they were veggies or potatoes or a mix. I mean like sweet potatoes. They smelled nasty whatever they were) onto his ham and he didn't know. Then when he was chewing I was like see you can't even taste them. Why were you freaking out? And he flipped out and made the nasties face and started like going "mehhhhh" in a squealy voice and spit it out. The face he made was just priceless and it wasn't nice to trick him, so I gave him a bunch of fruit, which he liked. I don't know why none of my kids will eat. And then later in kinders, Josephine, asked for two animal cookies. Really? They are the size of my thumb or less. They are so small. What kid only wants two cookies? She is so tiny too and never eats. I heard its because of her medicine she is on, but still. There is something wrong with her (not like in her head but for reals) and she looks sickly on top of the fact that she is weird. The rest of the kinders were pretty good today though. It sucks only being with them for two hours and getting off at five, because then I have to wait half an hour for the bus to come anyways. So I just went into Jesa's infant room and played with a baby and talked with her for half an hour. I did that on my lunch break too, otherwise I fall asleep. I wish I worked with Jesa, Jessica, or Sarah. My days would be even more fun and go by way faster. I also took a couple of pieces of chalk today so we could write on Juliet's Wall in Verona. That will be Sunday. Hope tomorrow is fun! Ok, i'm like dying, so i'm going to go to bed even though it is only like not even nine

January 6, 2011

Today was a really good day! I was in charge of the Part Time Preschoolers and it went really well. There were only six kids, I think in part because they knew Silvia was gone and because it is an Italian holiday, but they were really sweet and for once actually basically ate everything. Natalie worked with me and the room, and that was nice, but I really liked being in charge. It almost makes me wish I was an elementary major, but I don't know if for reals I could do it all the time. The holiday is something, and I don't remember the name I will try to get back with it, but it is about a witch that finds all of the lost presents that santa and the parents leave behind and then bring them to the children. This is also the day that they hang up their stockings over the fireplaces. It signifies the end of the holiday season and was actually originally the story of the three wise men bringing Jesus gifts. I let them play with the model magic again, and it was awesome. We made little people with it. Then I found blue moon sand! They got it everywhere, but it kept them entertained for like ever. So cute. Lunch today was nasty though. It was like tuna and noodles. Bleh. Hopefully it is better tomorrow. The kinders were good. Riley sat in my lap and read me a bunch of books. he didn't actually read them, he kind of had them memorized and didn't want to sound out words he didn't know. I'm pretty sure everyone I knew read in preschool, I don't know why these kids are just learning in kindergarden. Mine will definitely learn before that when i have them. But it was cute. He was much better today. Forgot to say that yesterday he threw this nasty fit where he was screaming and like flailing all crazy like. Ms. Angela had to like restrain him. But he was cute today. I think he acts better when he doesn't play with Tyree. Little Kyle was super sweet today too, and like fell asleep in my lap while other kids were playing card games. I love these kids. Til tomorrow!

January 5, 2011

So today is a Wednesday. The kids were all kind of nuts today, but still super cute. I was back to my regular schedule so I started at 8:30, which was nice. Although I was in the kinder room by 2:30 after my lunch, and they don't get in there until almost three. So....I was bored and tried to find something cool to fill the time. I ended up finding Moon sand, which is my new favorite thing in the world. It is kind of like a mix between playdough and sand. It molds, but it crumbles all up. I played with it for like thirty minutes before the kids got there and then for another two hours with them. In the preschool room, we played with Crayola model magic, which is like marshmellow playdough that dries. It was just such a good art day. Tomorrow I am in the preschool room with out the lead Ms. Silvia and I am in charge, so I hope it goes well. Have a good night!

January 4, 2011

Today was a pretty good day. I can't really think of anything of consequence that happened. Just kind of blah. Sorry its not more interesting. Except that I worked at 9:15, which was super lame because I didn't get off until 6:15. Usually I get off at 5:30. It really sucked being there that late, but I walked there and back with Jesa rather than waiting for the bus since she has that same shift. I hope I never have towork that late shift again. I think I had to work it becuase they moved the kinder lead into a preschool room and needed me to close the room. i'm really glad Josephine left early though or I don't know if I could have made it through lol. Night!

January 3, 2011

Today was so good. I loved being back with the kids. In both the kinders and the part time preschool there were some new kids I had not met before. They were so adorable. We don’t’ have Maria anymore because the other cdc center is open again cuz the holidays are over. So thank goodness there. I couldn’t stand that girl. And I got Tyree back in the kinders. He is such a handful, but I love him. I about kicked Josephine today in the face. She was whining so much and I couldn’t even believe it. Whining about the mats, whining about the swings, whining about the toys, the paper towels, the snack. And she’s not even one of the cute ones who can like get away with it. It is just super annoying. Sigh. I am the lead in the classroom tomorrow and Friday, and I’m so whipping that girl into shape. Worst whiner I’ve ever seen, which after last summer is saying something.

New years in Florence and Pisa! 12/31/10-1/2/11

So this weekend was awesome!!!! It started out a little rough, which was basically because of our lame travel planning. We didn’t really understand how to work the regional trains versus the fast trains, so we kind of screwed ourselves over. We went to the train station at eight so we could catch a train to Florence. There were four of us who had eurorails, and two people who did not. So unfortunately we kind of had to cater to them so that we could all try to get on the same train. We didn’t understand though that the tickets the two who didn’t have them were buying were for the fast train, which we would need a reservation for. We were intending to take the regional slower trains so we wouldn’t have to pay for a reservation. So they were buying what we thought was tickets for the regional train, and the earliest one open was two thirty, which I guess we should have seen as weird since regional trains like don’t have reservations, you just buy tickets. But regardless. The four of us with eurorails were a little pissed they were all sold out for that long. So we come back to the train station at that time to leave, and as we go to the gate where our train is supposed to be, we realize that it is a Eurostar, which is the fast ones that need reservations. Sigh. It was such a hastle. Because Kayanne and Michael had already bought the fast train ticket, they had to get on it. We ended up having to figure out the regional trains and getting on those instead. There were more transfers and there were some delays between stops and stuff. Kayanne and Michael had to wait at the Florence station for us for like four or five hours while we took the slow trains. We finally got there around like eight or so. Such a long day. After we all met up in Florence, we had to then take a train to Pisa so that we could stay at our hostel. We couldn’t get there until like eleven o clock, and by the time we walked to our bed and breakfast, it was almost time for midnight. I think it was like thirty after at that point. The lady who we had to call to let us into the bed and breakfast, which was called Welcome Bed and Breakfast, was really nice. She left the party or whatever she was at to check us in (we were supposed to have been checked in at like 2pm originally). She then gave us a bottle of wine and told us we should go to the bridge to watch the fireworks. It was only like a ten minute walk to the bridge from our hotel. People were nuts. I’m glad actually that we didn’t end up staying the whole time in Florence because we saw on the tv at a restaurant the next day that there were like zillions of people there and they were nuts and people ended up like in the hospital. Pisa was scary enough on its own. These punks were like throwing fireworks at people’s feets and like popping firecrackers in their own mouths. Nasty. It was super fun though and the fireworks were really cool. We were all uneasy at first, but we were glad we stayed and grew more comfortable as the night went on. The next day we got up and went to Florence for the whole day. It was such a beautiful city. We saw the Duomo, the church of St. Maria Novella right outside the train station, the square thing with all the statues, and lots of other stuff. I don’t really remember all of the names. But it was amazing. Our group got separated for a little bit, which made everyone aggravated and kind of pissy. But food always makes things better right??? We ate lunch in this little pizza restaurant. It wasn’t the best lunch I’ve had in Italy, but still amazing. This place was so cool. In the basement of it where we went to eat, there was writing on the walls everywhere. Everybody and their mom had signed this wall and put like their names or so and so plus so and so and then the dates it was signed. Every inch of this place was completely covered. It was absolutely amazing! After we ate, we kept looking around at stuff and we went to the old bridge, which is a bridge that has like little houses and shops built into it. It looks so cool. On this bridge, there were tons of people selling stuff. A lot of the shops weren’t open because it was the first, but there were tons of people selling illegally, like knock off purses and wallets, watches, souveniers, necklaces, paintings. Basically everything. I would have loved to get some of the paintings, but I would have absolutely no idea how to transport it. I actually might get one, because I have been regretting not getting it. We went back to Pisa around seven or so and ate dinner. The place we went for dinner was AMAZING!!!!! I got pizza again, and it was the bomb. For 5 euro, I got this like huge huge pizza that was probably the size of like a large from pizza hut. The crust here is a lot thinner though and feels like lighter and less greasy. So so good. I finished the whole thing so quickly and they were making fun of the, the rest of the group that is, not the people at the restaurant. Lol. I wish I could get pizza like that for that cheap in America. That night, Michael Jesa and I walked to the leaning tower of Pisa. Not all of the group wanted to walk there in the dark, but it was completely worth it. We took amazing pictures of it. The tower itself wasn’t as big as I had expected it to be, but it was still of course really big. We took lots of pictures, and it was so much fun! The walk was only like twenty minutes from our hotel thing. The next day, we got up to explore Pisa a little. The learning tower was gorgeous too in the daylight. I almost preferred it at night though. There were lots more people there during the day and it was harder to take cool pictures. Also, the way the light was hitting the tower of Pisa was way more gorgeous at night. We took crazy pictures of holding up the tower and stuff. I loved it. The shopping next to there was also awesome. It was the cheapest souveniers I have seen the entire time I have been in Italy. Thank goodness, because I was able to get a lot more. After we were done with Pisa, which took a lot longer than we thought it would, we went to Florence to go to the Galleria Accademia, the museum the David is in. The first floor of the museum was closed, so the fare was way cheaper, which was nice since the main stuff there is basically the David. We only had to wait like half an hour to get in. We weren’t allowed to take pictures of the david, which was super lame, but of course that was only technically. I got pretty awesome pictures throughout the entire museum because I’m just cool like that. We ten had to take the trains home, which again took forever but since we made all of our trains it didn’t take quite as long. We left after four and still got back around eight. Which is two hours less than the first time. Thank goodness. I was so exhausted by the time I got back to my hotel, I about died. Such a good weekend though!