typical tuesday: Rachel Ashmore

Welcome to another Typical Tuesday! Today my friend Rachel Ashmore is sharing a tuesday with us. I have known Rachel for a few years now, and honestly really bummed we never got to hang out much when we both lived in Rexburg together. She is tiny, adorable, clever, a very talented photographer, a elementary school teacher and just by reading her blog you can tell her and her husband have a very endearing and sweet relationship. Take it away Rach!

Hello, I'm Rachel.
Welcome to my typical Tuesday. Happy to have you along! 

Just in case you haven't guessed, I'm totally not a morning person. And I should have been up half an hour ago. SO tired!

 Good morning, Andrew! (Are you awake yet?)

It takes my love approximately five minutes flat to pull on jeans and work boots for his home buildin' job. Me? Not so much. A girl's gotta look her best, you know. This means, he usually ends up with kitchen duty. This typically consists of handing me toast for breakfast and leftovers for lunch, as I race out the door. 



Here I am stumbling around the bathroom in an attempt to get hair curled, makeup applied, and teeth brushed in my sleepy stupor. 

On my way to work and starting to feel more awake.

I always pay special attention to the temperature on my way past this dealership's sign. It can have a huge impact on my free time and sanity for the rest of the day.

Ah, and as usual, our hawk friend is there to greet me as I pull into the parking lot.

But let me back up just a sec and show you one reason why I LOVE my drive to and from work.
Located outside of town and in the midst of the winding Snake River, I frequently get to see all sorts of wildlife...deer, moose, and bald eagles included.

Welcome to my currently quiet, place of employment. I have about thirty frantic minutes left to prep before the kids arrive.

In the teacher's workroom, I laminate a giant word search, enjoy the view out the window of the Grand Tetons, and prepare to face my nemesis...the copy machine. Can't live without the dang thing, but it has the potential to drive me batty. 

How does it always know to jam with paper when I'm in the biggest hurry?

My third graders have arrived! First item on the agenda is to check in the math homework. Completed and signed by a parent? Here's your highly sought after class dollar...
Yes, I bribe them to do their homework.

I have an interesting bunch of boys this year. Love 'em to pieces mind you...but very interesting nonetheless. Let me introduce you:
1. This little man has an unnatural fetish for silk. Yes, you  heard me correctly. Probably three times now, I have overheard conversations like {while petting classmate's article of clothing}...: "You're wearing SILK? I LOVE Silk!!!! My mom won't let me wear it, but it's my FAVORITE!"
I have no explanation.
2. This guy takes to meditation during math tests when he doesn't think I'm watching.
3. This dude does not have the ability to ever stop talking. Or moving. Or YELLING. He's a total sweetheart...but his BIG personality leaks out at all the wrong times.
4. And this is my lizard boy. He is OBSESSED. He finds a way to incorporate lizards into every journal entry, every test answer, every writing assignment, and every art project. He was even a lizard for Halloween.

Next up is math: A lesson at the front board, a multiplication dice game, and timed test drills. 

Remember that sign I pay special attention on the drive to work? Here's where it comes into play. Anything above 10 degrees, and the kids go outside for recess. Oh, how we all need outside recess! Without it, students and teachers go a little bit mucho stir-crazy . 

And it's the only time teachers get their potty breaks.

Time for some word work: spelling, vocabulary, grammar, and silent reading.

Here's an analogy for you:

nap-time is to mother as silent-reading-time is to teacher.

Then lunch and recess, again. Anything above freezing and these Idaho kids start peeling off coats and running around in their T-shirts.

Centers: This is a group busily engaged in writing their research reports. 

Moments before, I overheard the following:

"Whoa. I'm the only boy in this group! You guys should tell me the secrets of girls...but just some of them...I don't want to hear all of them."

After careful consideration, his group members contributed bits of wisdom such as:

"Girls like things to match."

"Girl missionaries are called Sisters and boy missionaries are called Elders."

"Girls act more mature at our age than boys do."

and

 "Girls like to try new things. Every time I get a haircut, I try a new style."

Bells ring, students turn into human vacuum cleaners, desks are cleaned off, and everyone lines up at the door with their backpacks. We're heading out to the buses!

Like my stylish, bus duty vest? 

Ahhhh, time...to...slow...down {a little bit, anyway}...straighten up the classroom, sort through the papers on my desk, answer e-mails, and eat the sandwich I was too busy to eat during my lunch break. 

I also check the class mailbox. And, look! A student wrote me back a letter! {A favorite way to get the kids motivated to write}

I also grade papers.

Loving the creativity of the first poem. But here's an example of one of the many interesting decisions I have to make daily as a teacher:

Carefully written doggy poem...met all the required criteria...but to display or not to display on the wall with the others? 

*sigh*

Now, for the drive home! And I have a bit more time to share the pretty drive with ya'all. Hay bales...snow...country lanes...and can you kind of see the LDS temple through the trees on the hill?

And spud sheds and farmers' fields...

This city girl has fallen in love with the small-town Idaho life.

Once back in town, I fill up the car {dern gas prices!} and pass by this sight on my way home. These deer heads mounted to the trees make me smile every time.

Home, sweet home! Here, I study scriptures, work on homework for my Master's program, fold some laundry, and {hopefully} have time leftover to blog!

Tuesdays are typically, the busiest nights of the week for us. So, I throw together a meal that literally takes ten minutes from start to finish.

Tuna Melts

1. Garlic sourdough round cut into thick slices

2. Chop red and green peppers

3. Stir into tuna and salad dressing

4. Drop in a handful of grapes sliced in half 

{I'm a fan of a touch of sweetness...but the recipe calls for olives instead}

5. Slice pepper-jack cheese

6. Broil for a few minutes 

and voila!

 

Now, we both freshen up for our church meetings that generally take up the rest of the evening.
And I never really noticed before, but Andrew is in some serious need of new shoelaces! Ha!

But back at home, we finally get to snuggle, talk about our days, and read a chapter out of our Percy Jackson book. Definitely the best part of any day.

Well, goodnight! Thanks for hanging around!

It has been an honor to take part in one of my all-time favorite blogs.

Thanks Rachel, you proved once again how awesome you are.

Check out Rachel's blog HERE, she's so fun.