nyc

Yesterday I had every intention of sharing some pictures from our trip to New York City. But I got a little carried away with school stuff. yep. I have officially started working on school stuff. Yesterday I started writing myself a little script. There is just so much that I want to say, and I'm afraid that I would forget it if I didn't write it down. Or, I would tell one class but not the other five. This way, I have papers in front of me, that I wrote, telling me what I want to tell the kids. I don't really care if I end up reading most of it to them anyway. I mean, it is in my voice after all. But don't worry, I will look up a lot and stare dark black holes into the souls of my new kiddos as I go over the classroom procedures. I finished it today, the classroom procedures that is, that I want to go over with the kids. Things that I really didn't even think about last year. I mean, I tried to think about them. Everyone told me to think about them and tell the kids where I stand on this or that: when they can throw trash away, sharpen their pencil, get a tissue... and the like. I thought I did. But boy, I did not do a very good job with those expectations that first day last year. I am really hoping and praying with my whole heart that this 12 page list with thought out explanations for each and every one of my classroom procedures helps, and that it's not entirely overwhelming. Though, I'm sure it will be. But hey, better to be overly prepared and know what I want and how I want my classroom to run than to not have a clue (as was last year). Also, I'm kind of figuring that by the time I read over this whole list (and possibly have them take notes over the procedures??) and actually practice some of the things on there, that it will take up the whole class period. At least, that is my hope. I have one class that is significantly longer than the others (90 minutes long, ugh) and nothing ever seems to take very long in that class, sad but true.

Anyhow. That's what I've been working on. I have a lot of other teacher things I need to get working on but I thought I'd share a few pictures from our trip to New York City.

Times Square. 

and again. 

proof that we were really there :)

We supposed this is where the ball drops on New Year's Eve :)

I don't remember the name of this building, Madison Square Garden maybe. 

But I do remember, that basketball by UK has been played here 

(or at least some of the team has played there)

need I explain? 

The guy that was trying to sell us tickets said the line would be super long 

and that we would probably have to wait at least an hour to get to the top.

He was wrong. Or a liar. Or both. 

We were able to walk straight in and go right to the top. 

a view from the top. 

We got lots of pictures from up here, but this gives you the general idea.

right? 

me at the top. for some reason we didn't get our picture together up here.

I think it's neat that lots of movies (or parts of them) have been filmed up here :)

another look see. 

We went to a cupcake shop, Molly's Cupcakes. 

They were yummy. I kind of got involved with my cupcake and forgot to take a picture.

woops. 

So I took one of the cupcake in the display case. 

That's the one I tried. It was really delicious. 

Especially the topping. 

the full display case. I think the ones under the peach looked really good too. 

But, we couldn't be pigs now, could we?

Oh, and on the door to this cupcake shop there was a sign that said

"Cupcake Wars Season Finale Champions"

I thought that was kind of cool. 

But then I didn't see them on Cupcake Wars website. 

Were they lying about that? I'm not really sure. I could have just not seen them.

But, their cakes were positively delightful!  

The 35 pound cat we saw at a music shop. boy, was he a fat cat. 

the Freedom Tower, 

still under construction. 

We went into the church that helped a lot of people and volunteers in the 

aftermath of the 9/11 attacks and saw this really neat picture. 

(and also got to sit down, which was really nice :) 

poor little pidgin. see his foot? 

We went to Central Park. 

As did a lot of other people. 

The nice and pretty green lake at Central Park. 

Last look at the park. 

And the end of most of the New York pictures. 

I will say this: we probably visited on the hottest day of the year. Oh my goodness gracious. It was ridiculously hot. I do not like hot weather. Hot weather and I do not get along very well. Let me put that in simple equation terms for you: 

hot weather + Hannah = cranky Hannah 

I also do not like big cities. Big cities and I do not get along very well at all. 

big city + Hannah = cranky Hannah 

therefore: 

hot weather + big city + Hannah = super cranky, not nice, not pleasant Hannah

it's true. I'm not even pretending like it's not. When I get cranky on a hot day in a big city (and yes, this has happened on many occasions) I stop talking (I'm not much of a talker to begin with so you can only imagine how chatty I would be) except for every now and then when I mumble, "it's soooo hot."

Also when I get cranky, I don't tend to smile much. I do smile quite a lot (or at least I think I do. I feel like I'm a pretty pleasant person most of the time), so for me to not smile is not good. If you look at me when I'm cranky or ask me a question, the outcome will not be so pleasant. 

There is no question, I much prefer the cooler weather over hot weather.

To my poor friends and hubs that spent the day with me in NYC: I'm sorry. Really. I am. I tried to be nice, so you can only imagine how much effort I was putting forth to be as "pleasant" as I was. I'm much nicer and happier in cooler weather and outside of big cities. Though, I would hope you would know that by now. 

Anyhow. That was the day trip. I'll try and fill you in on the night trip (which I have tried to block from my brain) tomorrow... as long as I don't get carried away with doing all kinds of fun teacher stuff like planning and what not :) 

Have a Happy Tuesday!