Why I have not been blogging for a week...

Thursday
- I gave the history exam and proceeded to sit down with 53 writing intensive exams without correcting a single one... I did, however, look over the extra credit Haikus I had the students write on each exam. I told them the Haiku had to be about how much they enjoyed my class... they were very cute to read!

Friday
- I laid outside with the said exams and corrected! I also was slightly sunburned by this experience. I always think lacrosse game=sunblock, beach= sunblock, I need to start thinking correcting exams outside= sunblock! The other dorm parent and I took the seniors that help us run the dorm out to dinner. We went to a great pizza place in town and truly pigged out! I had a salad and a slice of pizza, but also picked at the buffalo chicken strips and jalepeno poppers (something new I tried). I rushed off to the Middle School Graduation. The girls looked beautiful in their white dresses. I was the only teacher to have taught every 8th grader. I went back to change quickly for the party and a 7th grader came to my apartment with a little blue box in hand with...

this was such a pleasant surprise and is quite the reward for working very hard with this student. I continued to dance the night away with the 8th graders!

Saturday
- I slept in for the first time in forever and then went running. I helped the girls clean out the dorm and we had our parent-senior award dinner. I think the school gives too many awards and that the awards would be more meaningful if there were fewer of them. Oh well!

Sunday
- It was HOT! I was not so thrilled to be dressed in black academic regalia under the blazing, hot sun; however, the ceremony was short and we had an interesting speaker (a Congressman). After the ceremony, I said good-bye to all the girls I helped raise over the year (another post about this). There were a lot of tears because many of them have become very attached to the dorm and to our lives together. It is always strange not to hear the little pitter patter of feet upstairs or the knocks on the door to bake banana bread. I made an artichoke dip:

1 can of artichokes
1 cup mayonnaise
2/3 cup freshly grated parmasean cheese
2/3 cup powdered parmasean cheese
2 cloves of garlic
Bake at 350 for 20 minutes (or until brown and bubbly)

Whenever I bring this dip to a party it is gone within 15 minutes. I was off to an end of the year party at the librarian's house. People were enjoying "letting off steam" and it was very fun.

Monday
- Our headmaster started off our end of the year meeting asking "Did you all get baked on Sunday?". He meant by the sun...ha! He is retiring and basically used the meeting to tell all his favorite stories from 23 years at the school. We ended early and I was off to the gym. I went to a double baby shower for two teachers' wives who no one really knows. It was a bit awkward because of that, but it was fun watching them open up the gifts. Of course, I am excited for more babies on campus. On Monday night, some young faculty members have started a tradition of a "College Party" complete with a keg, pizza, and drinking games. An older faculty member came, but his girlfriend was actually in college (40 year old dating a 19 year old- different!). We had a great time!

Tuesday
- I had to finish correcting exams, doing grades, and writing comments for all my dear students. I went to the gym and then to the headmaster's end of the year party. I wore my reversible Lilly skirt on the side with margaritas! The meal was great- garlic mashed potatoes, steak, salad, cheesecake...

Wednesday
- I had a Middle School Meeting and then submitted my grades. After a workout, I passed out of exhaustion. I had a girls night to watch Sex and the City. We had dinner and cosmos here. As for the movie, I LOVED it! I will write a full review later once all of America has seen it.

Thursday
- I woke up to a lovely package from Megan in Maine. She did an impeccable job shopping at LL Bean. I will share pictures on Saturday. I drove to CT to see my sister who is going to be home for a wedding this weekend. It will be a short trip because I have to drive back to PA for the headmaster's retirement party on Saturday night. I am realizing the $4 gas in PA is a bargain compared to CT!

So, there are some snippets of my life... back to daily blogging... promise!