The ups and downs of teaching

My 6th grade class are great kids but seem to have trouble reading the directions. I just don't get it. What part of "Use two bowls, one for the dry ingredients and one for creaming the butter and sugar" do they not understand? It is right up there with the 8th graders who were mashing their potatoes in a a colander with the potatoes squishing through the holes all over the counter.

Yesterday for parent conferences I had a mother (big woman) come in with a tank top on and big tattoos on both arms. One was a naked woman--very anatomically correct--with wings. Now, why would she think that would be appropriate to show with a bunch of kids around. And we wonder why her son is a little squirrely. Actually, someone told me she just got out of prison.
Now, on a happier note. Yesterday my middle schoolers made Steamed broccoli and cheese sauce. They ate every bit. One mother told me her son wouldn't eat hers. She uses Campbells cheese soup.
Today, at the Alternative school, we ate the split pea soup that we made from leftover Easter Ham bones. We fixed it in the $4 crock pots I bought at Walmart. They made homemade biscuits and I brought some homemade jam, we set the table with placemats, etc. They loved the soup, took the leftovers home and ate all the biscuits. All our cost was about $1.00 worth of peas and an onion. A great meal for our "Dining on a Dime" class. They ate, we visited and it was great.
It's nice to have those great days to make up for the "What am I doing wrong days?"
Love you all, MOM

Where Are You?

This is simply a reminder to those siblings whose names start with "K," that we haven't heard from you in quite a while. A short post would suffice. Pictures would be a bonus. Can't wait to hear what you've been up to.