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Oh yeah, oh yeah! I was finally named Teacher of the Week! And with that honor my name was announced on the morning announcements over the loudspeaker and I was given a $5 gift card to Sonic! "In yo face!" That's exactly what I screamed after I called everyone in my hall losers and took my leave...LOL

I know, I know. But then I realized that they misspelled my name and I didn't get a priority parking space! How rude!

It was a good week and a great honor though - my kids however could care less and went on as usual putting everything in my path to prevent my sanity; from my usual tantrums and power struggles to MIA homework assignments and hour long lessons that were taught and simply forgotten a mere 15 minutes later...

AND I wouldn't give it up for anything,

I love being an EDUCATOR!

Denim Blu: BEAUTIFUL YOU Collection Campaign Launch

Hello All,
Its been a while since I've blogged (been waiting on blog worthy events) and of course I have to inform you of Patricia's, Darryl's eldest sister's clothing launch campaign! She has been working on her line for some time now and has an official launch date of February 15, 2013! I am so excited and and I hope you are too - and if not you will be once you check out her collection Denim Blu: BEAUTIFUL YOU Collection Campaign Launch 



I have my eyes on four pieces and hope that there is some kinda "pre-launch" party and I get to purchase a piece (you see I'm trying to put in my sissy-n-law bid on a national format) LOL. It's bad enough that I'm not tall enough bid or beg (whichever suits) to walk in the runway show at the coveted NYC Fashion Week (one of the the targeted goals), so maybe Patricia will be nice and give me a ticket, backstage pass, or something - I'll stuff bags, snap shoes, zip dressed, sheesh! I wanna go, have a heart!

And on that note a portion of the profit is going to benefit various charities to include UCAP (United Communities Against Poverty), children with disabilities, breast/cervical cancer, and heart disease - issues that are close to Patricia as she has had her own medical battles which in turn inspired the creation of the line itself as she battled with fluctuations in weight as a result! Did I mention that she is also an educator, I just don't know show she finds the time.

So what do I need from you? I need you to to forward this page! Visit the link to her fundraising page and share it via FB, Twitter, and/or g-mail. Embed it into your other hosted sites and send out mass e-mails (get the word out). Help me to help her reach her goal and continue to aspire towards greatness - that ultimate moment when her dreams come to pass. Surely together at any donation level we can accomplish it by the end of the calendar year and look fashionable along the way!

And for you  all you philanthropists, you can donate anonymously, if you so desire. The host site is secure and user friendly. I explored it personally last night (pre-blogging) and it even has donation levels available for those of us who are "recession affected". Just at the lower levels you can donate a few times from now until December if you say, cut out eating one fast food meal! You"ll  have then not only made an impact in the live of a future entrepreneur and those who benefit from the clothing but also in the lives affected by the many charitable organizations that will receive donations as a result. So your giving actually multiplies, go ahead and write it off on your taxes! LOL And have I mentioned the perks? There are also "perks" or "thank yous" at each donation level too - so the more you give, the bigger your perk - for those of us who like to get "goodies" - and the instrinsic reward of giving is simply not enough., HA HA HA.

All in all donate and spread the word... http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/242383?c=home

Here is the gallery of individual pieces. The designer was motivated by "the 1920's-30's ERA (The Great Gatspy/Roaring 20's) and added a "modern chic flair, of course!". Check out the full gallery:
http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/242383?c=gallery


Here are my fav's (in no particular order, I love them all)...lol


 I have the shoes for this dress already - still in the box, not worn...just waiting!

Can you say "Grown and Sexy"?

I'm simply in love with this shirt! The shoulders, the bell sleeves, the high/low hemline coverage. I want it bad. Dang, now I need some "liquid leggins" - lol

I told Darryl I'd actually need somewhere to go for this piece - not likely needed in DeRidder! But it's gorgeous!

DeRidder Dragons ROAR!!!

I finally made it out to Garrett's game and was quite impressed to see my 8th grade corner back all stuntin' on the field! But first I had to wait fir the 6th graders to play, then the 7th graders - so note to self, come late because his games isn't gonna be until the very end. And it was HOT and muggy, well normal swamp weather.

He was in the opening kick off and everything but after that it seemed like it took about two-qtrs for him to get back in the game and in the process Rah was irritating me because he was over it after the first 5-minutes, I was sweating in the stands, the "love bugs" were swarming everywhere (its a local bug that doesn't bite but are simply a nuisance - the fly attached together hence the name), and my hair is straightened and still down so I resembled Simba's cousin by the time I got home...which was around 9:30pm on a Thursday night!!! Can you say tired as heck! We were all cranky the following morning, but we did enjoy supporting Garrett.

He even made a great play in the 3rd qtr which made me get outta my seat, yelling and screaming as the commentator called his name and number (he ran to tackle an opposing player just before he entered the end zone). I was soooo happy that instead of pressing stop on the video that I was recording I mistakenly powered off the dang camera and erased the video entirely! Agggghhhhhh! I did manage to get one video but he was on the other side of the field and the quality isn't as good at all! Its a bummer. They ended up losing the game, but hopefully they will do better in the rematch against Leesville they are our rivals.



Check out Garrett in action - the bit I managed to get without erasing, LOL, he's #8. Go DeRidder Dragons!

Garrett watching the 7th grade game

8th grade team warming up

Getting ready for the game

Completing warm-ups (Garrett is #8)

Discussing final game plans with coach

DeRidder Dragin Cheerleaders

Garrett coming off the field

Garrett Brown, #8, DeRidder Dragons

Camp Swann

Its been an eventful summer to say the least and the final few weeks have been so boisterous I haven't even found the time to sit and blog. My nephew, Davaughn came down after his summer internship at the Smithsonian to spend a couple weeks here and I've had a house full of PS3's set up each room resembled a Modern Warfare Command Center. So add to that the real soldier's laundry and the acting soldiers food intake - Camp Swann was definitely at capacity! With only 2-bedrooms and 1 bathroom, it was a mess - and my constant need to clean and organize (let me just say a house with 4 males plus the occasional adopted teenage son here and there) is much more than I could handle without an ETS date in sight! LOL

We did have a great time though, before Davaughn went home. We saw several movies, went skating, attended church services, ate at local diners, went to the gun range, and just let the boys have the freedom that comes along with country living - to include walking down the street to the corner store, or hanging out at the park (all without worry). I can honestly say I like that aspect of my small 3-stop light town! And if you step outta line I'll get a knock on the door or a ring on the phone - because everyone knows everyone; that's how it was growing up. Community oriented.

We did not get the opportunity to do some of the things that I would have liked such as taking Davaughn to the alligator farm because of the timing of his arrival (coincided directly with the time that teachers returned to work) but he had a ball nonetheless and asked to come back next summer - and we welcome him with open arms! Maybe my other nieces and nephews will hop a flight and come visit in the future, too!

At a local restaurant called FatBoys & Skinny's they have a food challenge so we tried to see if the boys could do it and get their pic on the wall of the elite, well we figured we'd have a prep meal before and come back in a day or two to complete the challenge. It consisted of like 2-combo specials (burgers & fries) and a 32oz shake. Well the boys simply got 1 combo meal and a regular size soft drink, here's what followed...

Dae & Garr starting the challenge

Everyone has the meals - so they are digging in. They have burgers & fries (an entire bag of fries).

Garr thinks he can do it!

So does Dae...

But look, they are both wiped out and haven't even started on the fries

Garr called it quits

So did Dae

And Daddy Swann knew all along that they wouldn't make it!

So they took their concessions and we went to the movies to see the Expendables II, It was pretty good! LOL

No Brass, No Ammo

We managed to get a week of fun in with my nephew before he headed home and decided to make it both exciting and educational; I am an educator after all. And since they have been having such fun with these realistic looking pellet guns, that I didn't purchase but they got "from a friend", dang teenagers - my goodness! Anyway, we figured we'd take them (Davaughn and Garrett) to the gun range for a real lesson on gun safety and usage. Hopefully being exposed to actual firearms by us initially will take some of the curiosity out of it while educating them to the dangers as well as the safe operation of weapons. It's my belief that if I fail to educate properly, someone else will improperly.

Darryl was a wonderful instructor and the boys really enjoyed both the verbal and physical aspects of the gun safety class he put them through, it was quite rigorious. I must admit I needed a refresher myself and its been only a few years since I'd been to the range. They were attentive and yet apprehensive but asked lots of questions and paid was so engaged that I was shocked when he didn't have to speak to either of them twice! I guess they either recognized the seriousness or really just wanted to shoot a gun!

Well, they met his requirements and were able to fire multiple times at multiple targets using a (XD 40) which was so powerful that Darryl had to stand behind them to ensure they didn't loose balance...lol! He had to do it for me also! That gun is pretty powerful, i'll stick with my .38. None of us could hit the targets that made a ringing sound besides Darryl because of lack of control, I was able to hit the mannequin but the boys were unable to do that either.

I joked with them that a real gun is a lot different from a PSP controller with a scope and they both agreed. We wanted to take them back to record their range "expertise" but coordinating both our schedules, time didn't permit. We can only hope that this experience made the lore of guns less mysterious and appealing for them both and more practical and realistic...later in life, much later...if they choose to become firearm owners...LEGALLY.



Garr couldn't believe how loud it was

Rah was too young to shoot but he showed what he could do anyway!

Dae taking his first shots!

He was much more confident afterwards

Darryl steadying me to shoot

I got that green man! Yes!

Describing how I couldn't hit that little target! LOL

Darryl supporting Garrett while he  shoots

There are metal targets on that wooden road block left of the man - simply impossible for a novice shot!



My date with the green man



Told you I got 'em - great pic Garr!

Extended Stay

 

 

Well Garr started school down here in Louisiana and had a rude awakening! He has to shave his beard...HA HA HA. As part of the dress code no beards are allowed, only strictly manicured mustaches and the occasional sideburns. Darryl took the lead and showed my first born how to shave and I of course recorded it (don't know why he required so much shaving cream for just a furry chin - but oh well). 

 

I also walked him out to the bus stop and took pictures simply to embarrassed him, and to seal the deal took a few more from my car as I exited the community on my way to work.

He reluctantly posed for this one, thinking I'd leave

Garr trying to ignore me snapping photos like the paparazzi

Dae walked him to the bus stop each morning to check out the girls

he was super embarrassed - but this smile is priceless!

Driving around the block taking pics

There was some good news to compensate for for the sacrifice of the beard, Garrett's old football coach from 6th grade remembered him instantly and insisted that he join the team! So I of course took him for his sports physical and had the waiver notarized and he joined immediately. He was even waived the mandatory "3-practices before playing in a game" rule and allowed to start in the first game as a corner back this past Friday.

With all this I must say, he's adapting to country living pretty well this go 'round but his stay here is only temporary; we're just trying to get all of our ducks in a row with his health before sending him back up the road to complete the remainder of the school year in MD. Fall football season lasts until October so he may just be able to complete the entire season after all and that will surely make him happy as there is no football program at the middle school he attends in MD so he'd have to wait another full year until high school. I told him that the likelihood of walking onto the field without trying out and starting were not in his favor in MD - so I hope he understands that this is a unique situation down here.

DeRidder Dragons - he picked his number though!

They are nameless in junior high - you've gotta earn your name!

You know there's a culture of sports in the south at ever level - its literally like that show Friday Night Lights but it includes whoever plays (from little league straight up to college) - small town livin' at its best! I'll have to record some highlights from the field next time...

OCD in Full Effect

I was asked back to work with the same group of children this year as the permanent teacher took a sabbatical and while last year I merely worked within her classroom, this year I actually went through all of her things, had Darryl pull many of mine out of storage (with the exception of my library) and cleaned and organized everything to my liking!

Bulletin Board #1

Bulletin Board #2



Closer look @ Bulletin Board #2

Closer look @ Bulletin Board #2

I must say, although it took well over a week - I'm most comfortable in the new room, I just hope she's able to locate her desk when she returned because this isn't "Kansas anymore"! I have a total of three rooms for starters: my room, my paraprofessional's room, and a multi-functional room that is used for centers and to deescalate students. I worked all three into the theme of one to create my Swann's Epicenter of Academics (even though I have no Smart Board because if teachers don't go to such trainings or demand the use of such technology, it won't be wasted in rooms not being utilized). Well, then. I'll have to change that! But for now, I've at least gotten the overhead screen remounted after locating it in the corner hidden behind a bookshelf.

Checkout my room thus far - week three of school starts tomorrow for us! But hey, we get out before Memorial Day.

muti-functional/deescalation room (view 1)

muti-functional/deescalation room (view 2)

muti-functional/deescalation room (view 3)

Paraprofessional's room (view 1)

Paraprofessional's room (view 2)

Main room (view 1)

Main room (view 2)

Main room (view 3)

Main room (view 4)

Excuse my messy desk! LOL - I didn't notice that until the pics were uploaded! But I bet you did notice my signature Swan's all over the room.

Main room (view 5)