Thanksgiving

I set the table. : )

Kayleb made his first pies. Mmmmmm.

We sat and ate and talked and laughed.

I beat both my parents at Shanghei!!!!!

The next morning, Mom and Kathy and I went for pedi's and mani's.

Stacey and I got ready for a date, went to dinner with the family and then Stacey, Dan, and I went out to a movie.

Saturday, we all headed up to Leslie's to play in the snow.

I borrowed a lot of snow gear and looked like a big, blue snowman.

Stacey protects her camera with a sky mask.

The kids ride the hood/sled and get snow in the face.

For some reason, I really thought that I could sit backward and take some pictures of the kids. I ended up holding on for dear life...and eventually asked him to stop so I could just turn around and hold on.

Stacey's action shots:

I stayed at Leslie and Gary's that night and was driven to the airport the next morning.

Happy Thanksgiving!
Thank you for all of the fun and all of the love!
Kiss!

AFTERMATH of BLIZZARD

This is the aftermath:

Blizzard my eye!!! WEAK! NO school closures for me.

All the hype for NOTHING!

At least the snow looks pretty.

Hair

PS I got my hair colored again. :)
He went more blond on me this time. I like the color of it.
Sorry, no front pics today...I don't have makeup on today and I did my bangs yesterday, but I'll post something from Thanksgiving if you're really needing to see it. ha ha.

YIKES!

I received this e-mail a few moments ago:

Given the dire weather forecasts predicting massive storms throughout Utah, campus is closed immediately.

Refer for to SUU home page for more information.

Public Safety

Southern Utah University

ST 172

Cedar City, UT 84720

(435) 586-7793

http://suu.edu/ad/publicsafety/

Some schools in the area have already canceled school for tomorrow. The forecast says that the storm should hit this afternoon and then again this evening. The temperature is continuously dropping as the day goes on. We have been advised to stay completely off the roads after 5 pm tonight. Oh yeah, and did you know that the air can swirl around in the valley because the mountains are pushing it back in and it can pick up moisture from the lake and dump even more snow? I didn't know that! This is said to be a historical storm, something that hasn't been seen in the last hundred years.

A friend on my team at the school thinks that it is being talked up too much, but I tried to reassure her that it is most likely going to be a bad storm after hearing how it has hit in Washington state.

So it sounds like I will be having a nice evening inside my apartment where I will pack for a flight that may be canceled and try to sleep through 40 mile an hour winds and cold air seeping through my windows.

Hot chocolate anyone? Redbox?

(This is what it looks like outside my school right now. It looks pretty harmless, right?)

I don't have internet at home, but I'll try to take pictures or video of the storm this evening to demonstrate what it looks like when I have internet access again.

My friend from school helped me get my car into the shop to get the snow tires on. I dropped it off at noon and will be heading back at 3:30. They estimated that will be around the same time they'll be finished.

I just want to be able to get to the air port. That's all I really care about. I want to be able to get there and not feel like my car will be buried...and have my flight not get canceled.

Wish me luck.

Jars of Light

I saw this idea on another blog and just wanted to show it to everyone. Just think, during the holidays you will have a lot of get-togethers. Why not have each couple or family bring several, clean, glass jars. These could range from DI jars or they could be brought from home (pickle jars, jam jars). Then, neatly place a candle in each and PING! you have a beautiful table runner. I love candles. Enjoy!

Winter Wonderland/Snowy and Freezing

After a long day at Barnes and Noble, writing a paper, I drove home in hail. As I approached my apartment, it started to really storm. The wind picked up, the hail turned to snow and I ran from my car to the covered stairs.

Later that night I glanced out my window to find this:

Has anyone else heard about the HUGE storm that is supposed to hit Tuesday night? 90% chance of snow, 13 degrees, 40 mile and hour winds...school just might be canceled on Wednesday. I'm fine with that...as long as my flight isn't canceled along with it.

It looks like Washington is getting about the same treatment. :)

Today, I did recess duty for a friend only to find the entire playground and field was covered in ice. Although it isn't allowed, I joined in as we shuffled onto the ice sheets and laughed as kids ran and slide, skated around, and fell (sometimes on purpose). I then hurried them back inside before our noses fell off and then went from class to class reminding students that we are not allowed to play on the ice during recess because the 1st graders might break something and cry. The students laughed and were happy that we had a chance to do something fun outside during the winter season for a change.

(The frozen field)

It's a Girl Thing

What Teachers Make

The dinner guests were sitting around the table discussing life. One man, a CEO, decided to explain the problem with education. He argued, "What's a kid going to learn from someone who decided his best option in life was to become a teacher?"

He reminded the other dinner guests what they say about teachers: "Those who can, do. Those who can't, teach."

To stress his point he said to another guest, "You're a teacher, Bonnie. Be honest. What do you make?"


Bonnie, who had a reputation for honesty and frankness replied, "You want to know what I make? (She paused for a second, then began...) Well, I make kids work harder than they ever thought they could.

I make a C+ feel like the Congressional Medal of Honor.

I make kids sit through 40 minutes of class time when their parents can't make them sit for 5 without and iPod, game cube or redbox.

You want to know what I make? (She paused again and looked at each and every person at the table.)

I make kids wonder.

I make them criticize.

I make them apologize and mean it.

I make them have respect and take responsibility for their actions.

I teach them to write and then I make them write.

I make them read, read, read.

I make them show all their work in math.

I make my students from other countries learn everything they need to know in English while preserving their unique cultural identity.

I make my classroom a place where all my students feel safe.

Finally, I make them understand that if they use the gifts they were given, work hard, and follow their hearts, they can succeed in life.

(Bonnie paused one last time and then continued.) Then, when people try to judge me by what I make, I can hold my head up high and pay no attention because they are ignorant.

You want to know what I make?

I MAKE A DIFFERENCE.

What do you make?"



I enjoy the message in this story. I've been noticing some parents who want to blame a lot of problems on me because I'm the "teacher". I am "pushing" too hard. I "expect" too much. The students don't feel like they can come give me "excuses" as to why their work is not finished.

Where is the push from the parent? Are expectations at home not as high as they are at school? Do excuses get everyone in life out of everything that is a responsibility?

If I hurt a child's feelings by my tactics, I would feel sorry. I would apologize. If a parent came in to talk to ME first, I would conference to come up with a solution. If the child came to me asking for help, I would find a way to help.

If there is one thing that I've learned from this year so far it's that you have the freedom to make choices, you do not have the freedom to escape the consequences.

I also heard a funny saying that a teacher posts on her door during parent teacher conference week: "If you promise to not believe half of what your child says happens in class, I promise not to believe half of what your child says happens at home."


Can anyone tell that I have parent teacher conferences this week? Can anyone tell that I'm getting a little burnt out? Thanksgiving couldn't come faster!

Wish me luck this week. Wish my students good luck this week. Wish my parents good luck this week.

LOST

I can't believe it's over
I watched the whole thing fall
And I never saw the writing that was on the wall
If I'd only knew
The days were slipping past
That the good things never last
That you were crying

Summer turned to winter
And the snow it turned to rain
And the rain turned into tears upon your face
I hardly recognize the girl you are today
And God I hope it's not too late
It's not too late

'Cause you are not alone
I'm always there with you
And we'll get lost together
Until the light comes pouring through
It's when you feel like you're done
And the darkness has won
Babe, you're not lost
When your world's crashing down
And you can't bear the cross
I said, babe, you're not lost

Life can show no mercy
It can tear your soul apart
It can make you feel like you've gone crazy but you're not
Things have seemed to change
There's one thing that's still the same
In my heart you have remained
And we can fly fly fly away

'Cause you are not alone
And I am there with you
And we'll get lost together
Until the light comes pouring through
It's when you feel like you're done
And the darkness has won
Babe, you're not lost
And the world's crashing down
And you can not bear the cross
I said, baby, you're not lost