Cast of Characters

Mrs. Lipstick- me, the writer. No, my name is not actually Mrs. Lipstick, although I've had enough children call me that over the years. I do not even wear lipstick, or much make up at all for that matter, but trying to explain my married name to children somehow prompted them to actually call me Mrs. Lipstick. I've got songs, dances, and chants to help them get it right, but it seems appropriate to blog under this ridiculous mispronunciation of my name.

Mr. Lipstick- my wonderful husband, who supports this blog because basically it means he doesn't have to listen to me recap every moment of my day with my special friends. And he can check the blog to see what sort of day I had and whether or not he should pick up a bottle of wine on the way home...

My Partner-in-Crime- my amazing co-teacher. My last year as a classroom teacher she was a student teacher in my room. Thank goodness we hired her, and we have been working together ever since. She is a kindergarten classroom teacher and I keep my desk in her room, supporting the students in the room with special needs.

Magical- when we first met Magical he was having a conversation with his magical stroller- a stroller that could be anything he wanted it to be- a robot, a vacuum, a car. Unfortunately Magical became sick this year and had to leave school but we were still able to visit him almost daily.

Rock Star- There is no other way to describe my friend the Rock Star. This will be my third year working with her and I've seen amazing progress throughout those three years. She came to us working on the intellectual level of a much younger child, yet we've been able to watch her completely blossom. She's the type of kid that makes you remember why you teach.


The Frog- Yes, years ago I was stupid enough to get a class pet. It wasn't even for a class- it was for two students I was working with who had emotional disabilities. I thought taking care of the frog would be a great opening discussion into meeting other people's needs, having empathy for someone else, etc, etc. Sure, it worked, but now I'm stuck with a large, disgusting, see-through frog that doesn't seem to stop growing. I don't think it will ever die.

Characters from 10-11


My Smart-Cookie- An incredible little one who entered my first grade classroom years ago, but continues to entertain me with her fabulous views on life whenever I see her in the hallway. She was a joy and a challenge to teach, and I love every minute I am with her- I know it will never be boring.


My Jumpers- The third- fifth graders on the jump rope team I coach. They are an incredible group of hard working students who have more energy and dedication than I ever had at their age. We travel around the greater DC area giving jump rope demonstrations for other schools.

Pixie- an adorable, spunky kindergarten girl who brightens our day whenever she enters a room. (This name was originally owned by another friend who left our school 2 years ago for Kenya. I never thought we'd find someone to take on her name, but we did)

PJ- My friend, named after PJ Funny Bunny. PJ is an incredibly bright, gifted student who is figuring out what he wants from kindergarten.


Characters from 09-10

Fabulous Friend- what more can I say?  She is 5, she is fabulous, and she knows it.


The Story-Teller- A boy I taught for three years- his first two years in kindergarten, followed by his year in first grade. He is a sweet, sincere boy who manages to state the absolute obvious in ways that make it sound as though he is telling the most intriguing story.

Amazing- A student I was lucky enough to teach this year. Confined to a wheel chair she managed to teach me more about strength, courage and determination than I knew was possible.

Characters from 08-09
My BFF- A student I taught in both kindergarten and first grade who was diagnosed with autism. At times he and I were attached at the hip, while at other times he was happy to tell me exactly where I should go- far away from him. Occasionally he even tried to fire me.


Pixie- An adorable girl I worked with for two years. She had no problem telling us how it was, and was always 100% honest, even if she was just explaining that she'd stayed on the playground longer because "she wanted to have more fun".