I Can't Smile With My Mouth Closed

Friends, I can't smile with my mouth closed. A little while ago, my husband, Dan, and I updated our driver's licenses to the Star Card, and I came to the realization that I probably should stop smiling in my license photos. 

 

That's difficult for me. I have been conditioned to flash a toothy smile (and strike a pose) every time I'm near a camera.

In other words, "Smiling's my favorite," to quote one of my favorite Christmas movies. 

(It's Elf, by the way. If you didn't know that, WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN DOING WITH YOUR LIFE?)

 

I knew the DMV only allows closed-mouth smiles, so I practiced in the mirror that morning. I thought I looked pretty good. Then I got my picture taken and ended up looking like a crazed soccer mom. And I don't have any children.

 

 

I knew what my picture looked like immediately because the DMV gave us temporary copies to take home until our real IDs arrived. 

 

"I look like a crazed soccer mom," I said. 

 

"Here's mine," Dan said.

 

I glanced at his and said without thinking, "You look like a serial killer." 

 

"You don't look like a crazed soccer mom, and I don't look like a serial killer."

"Wait, what? Did I say that out loud?" I said, realizing Dan was actually kind of proud of his photo, and he didn't want to look like a serial killer on a government issued form of identification.

 

 

"Also, should I have changed my height to five-three?" I asked, changing the subject. "I'm not really five-two." 

"Aren't you five-two and a quarter?"

 

"Five-two and a half."

"I think it's close enough." 

 

 

I know you were all dying to see my new crazed soccer mom look instead of this Bitmoji. Nice try. I'm not publishing my driver's license because you might be an identity thief lunatic. How do I know? 

 

You'll just have to take my word for it. The photo above is a much more flattering reproduction because . . . I can't smile with my mouth closed. Why would I want to? My teeth are nice and white, albeit slightly crooked in a quirky way. I might as well enjoy them while I still have them.

 

 

For the latest blog updates, visit and "like" Rebecca Turner-Duggan.

The Basketball Hoop in My House

 

My husband, Dan, is still working from home. 

One afternoon, I received this text from him: "If I'm not home when you get home, I'm probably packing up my cube at HP. We are moving cubes. I didn't get fired."

 

"That's a relief," I thought. "Thanks for clarifying." 

I was already home when Dan returned, his cubicle all packed up. He walked through the door, carrying a portable basketball hoop.

"What is happening?!"

"I've always had this at work," was his response."I won it for my March Madness bracket a few years ago."

After hearing stories about afternoons spent playing games with fellow employees or having team lunches at local breweries or attending company barbecues over the years, I'm not convinced they actually "work" at his job.

 

I left him alone while I fixed dinner.

 

A few minutes later, I heard something banging around in the office.

 

This is what I found.

 

"I'm good at this!" he announced. 

 

I turned and started to head back into the kitchen but was stopped by something hitting the back of my head.

"Aggh!"

 

"Sorry. I was going for the basket," he said, grabbing the Nerf ball, not sounding that sorry.

"Not very well, apparently," I said.

Now our house is filled with the sound of intermittent pounding coming from the office. And the door doesn't close all the way anymore, so that's awesome too. 

 

I ask you, does he really need one more distraction while working from home?

 

 

For the latest blog updates, visit and "like" Rebecca Turner-Duggan.

Back to School: Fun Times

As promised last week, I still have a few more fun back-to-school stories. You're welcome.

 

Let's TikTok!

I don't actually have a TikTok account, but I told my upper grades that we were learning a "TikTok Dance" in order to get them to move. 

 

These preteens act so embarrassed about everything. But once you say, "It's going to be in a TikTok video," they are willing to do ANYTHING.

 

After we finished my awesome dance, one girl, new to our school, said, "My other music teacher never did this sort of thing at all." 

 

"Not every music teacher is as cool as me," I responded.

 

 

Spongebob Squarepants

I played a game with the 6th graders that involved tossing around a Spongebob ball. I'm not super familiar with Spongebob, but the Spongebob ball gives me some credibility with the kids. 

When the ball was tossed to one of my students, he sang out, "Krusty Krab Pizza!" and the rest of the class joined him in the jingle, "Is the pizza for you and me!" Then they all added, "Ka-Chow!” which is supposedly from the movie Cars. 

 

I guess they were mixing their media in that moment of spontaneity?

 

Copy Cat Does Yoga

When the second graders entered my room the other day, Copy Cat was sitting like this on my desk.

 

 

 

"Copy Cat is doing Downward Dog," one kid said.

 

The PreK Cart

I travel from class to class on a cart when I teach at the preschool on Thursdays. I turn on music as I walk down the hall and enter the classrooms, kind of like an ice cream truck. 

 

One of the teachers called it "Miss Becky's Traveling Show." I liked that!

 

 

Round of Applause

I was getting ready to transition to another activity after I sang (and rocked out on my guitar) the school song for one of my first grade classes. 

 

The kids were waiting patiently, and during the quick pause, one student said, “Wait, aren’t we forgetting something?!” and he started to applaud. 

 

The other kids started clapping with him, and I received a round of applause (for my mad guitar skills, obviously).

 

Music Class is Fun 

"Music is actually fun!" one of my fourth graders blurted out in the middle of class, with no prompting whatsoever. 

 

I don't think we were even doing anything particularly fun at that moment. 

"It’s my favorite special," another boy chimed in. 

Full disclosure: These two little boys can be naughty sometimes, but they must like music . . .

 

 

Will Justin Bieber See This?

I wanted to record a video of a cool rhythm thing my classes were learning last week. I mentioned I might post it on Instagram. One of the girls freaked out.

 

"She is worried Justin Bieber will see her," one of the boys said.

 

"Umm, Justin Bieber doesn't follow me on the Gram," I reassured the class.

 

"What if does see it, and he comments? That would be awesome!" another kid said.

 

"Don't get your hopes up. I only have like 130 followers," I said.

I asked the freaked out girl to record it for me, just in case Justin Bieber does, in fact, show up on my IG.

 

For the latest blog updates, visit and "like" Rebecca Turner-Duggan.