Just When You Thought Halloween Was Over...

Mafia swag

Best Halloween Treat Ever - Donut Hole Eyeballs - YUM

"Uh, did you take the picture?"

Snow White and Pirates of the Caribbean

Laura & Maria

Mafia v. Nerd

Me & Brianna

I may have been drinking...

Best Costume Ever - A 6 ft. tall Oompa-Loompa

Duck Fan, Duckie, and Cow?  He just likes the utters...

Auntie Jude and little Duck Man Logan

How do you say that word??

Givin' Glory and Thanks

I owe Gina a blog.  So here, I write.  :o)  Of course, naturally, it's been busy and doesn't show signs of stopping.  Last weekend, my mom, dad, and sis came to town to spend the weekend.  Seems like just yesterday I was writing about when they were here last, but their visits never get old.  I always appreciate seeing them!

One of the highlights for me, certainly for my mom, was getting my mom roped in to coming to my class for 90 minutes.  She will never get up as early as she did that fateful Friday, again.  Last Friday, I knew that my classroom was going to be slightly short-staffed being that one staff member was enjoying a vacay in Seattle.  So, I guiltily swayed my mom into coming into help because it would be soooo unmanageable without her.  She was pretty floored when only four students showed up.  As dad put it, "Do you think you can handle it?"  Well, I guess...but mom got to finish the book Call it Courage with one of my students and she even got to administer a spelling test.  Lucky her!  She was quite impressed with his spelling ability and enjoyed finishing the book and discussing it with him.  She later told me, "Yes, he's a very good reader.  He mispronounced some of the words but I didn't correct him on all of them, though I probably should have."  Out of curiosity, I couldn't help but ask, "What words?"  She responds to my question with her own question, and says, "Well, how do you pronounce 'a-l-b-e-i-t'?"  I said, "All. be. it."  To which, she laughed and said, "Oh!  Is that how you say it?  That's how he said it too!"  I then had to ask how she liked to pronounce that word and she said, 'All. Bite.'  Uh no...I don't think so.  She also got to meet my new little gem and she got a real talking to about Pokemon, or was it Stars Wars?  No one remembers because they don't really know about anything he is talking about.  Overall, I think she enjoyed the experience.

Saturday brought about interesting plans, as the hotel we were staying in didn't seem to get the channel that carried the Oregon game.  First of all, why is the number one team in the nation playing on Versus and second of all why is the number one team in the nation playing on Versus?  We were left with no choice but to take mom and dad to Hop Valley (a local sports bar and grill) for dinner and game watching.  My dad was hilarious watching this spectacle.  There were of course tables upon tables of Duck fans, and my sister and I being old hats at this game of watching at a bar, were quite comfortable.  My dad on the other hand could not stop cracking up every time the Ducks did something good and everyone would cheer and clap loudly.  He has spent way too much time watching football by himself, is all I know.  My mom even gave it a good effort and stayed for the whole game, despite multiple threats to leave.  "Ah, I think I'll go now..."  Sit down.  Watch the game.  And have a damn good time.  She did a good job.  Turns out, she's quite knowledgeable about sports trivia, as she was spouting off little tidbits throughout and on the way home.  Who knew?

Well, we're coming up on Thanksgiving break.  I'm very excited for a break.  I feel so burned out.  Albeit, family vacations never seem to feel THAT restful.  This year, I actually get my own room, so I'm very much looking forward to getting some sleep!  But, I know we have lots of fun things to do, too, so I won't be able to sleep THAT much.  I have a lot of packing coming my way this weekend.  Fun, fun.  But, I will be beyond ready to get out of this town Monday night!

Turns out, last night, I get a text from my cousin Jason asking what I'm doing Sunday night.  This is a very peculiar question...what does anyone do on a Sunday night?  I questioned him with "What!?" But, that message was sent at 2:30 a.m. so I didn't get much of a response.  When I finally awoke, I texted him to inform him that I usually roll around in my 'jamas, make some din din, and watch 60 minutes...just like you'd expect of any self-respecting 26 year old.  He texted me back and invited me to tag along with his crew to see Daniel Tosh.  YES YES YES!  Don't read too much into my excitement I don't even know who the guy is.  But I have heard quite a bit about him and am very anxious to see what his comedy is all about.  He is a comedian right?  I think he might have a t.v. show...

Today's list - Things I'm thankful for continued...
1.  Faith
2.  Family
3.  Friends
4.  Health
5.  Home
6.  Food
7.  Clothing
8.  Education
9.  Warmth
10.  My Own Transportation - Car
11.  A laptop for which to write this blog ;o)
12.  Employment/Career
13.  Clean, drinkable, running water
14.  Enough dollars to pay my bills
15.  A comfortable bed
16.  Thick hair
17.  Supportive coworkers
18.  Electricity
19. Warm coat
20.  Books

See that you do not despise one of these little ones.

Oh. My. Gosh.  My new student is awesome.  He has really brought me some joy these past two days.  Typically, when students are new they are off-the-wall nuts.  This little guy is something different.  He is truly innocent, peculiar, and generally all around hilarious.  I love his affect.  As he entered the classroom this morning, he approached the area I was working and said pleasantly, "Hello, again!"  Oh, well hello!

Yesterday, he referred to me as "Mrs. Lady" throughout the day.  I mean, how polite is that!  I'd waaaaaayyyyy rather hear "Ms. Lady" than "Teeeeaaaacccher."  This particular student is very low academically, and even as a ten year old, struggles with reading.  He is quite intimidated by two-syllable words.  Little does he know, he IS going to learn how to read those words!  He also has a difficult time in math, although he does know his single-digit subtraction and addition.  He likes to rely on using blocks to help him with the subtraction piece.  Today, I was playing "Math Detective" with him and one of his peers during math time.  I would say, "Start with 6." They would write 6 on their white boards.  Then I would say, "Add 2."  He would ask, "Plus 2?"  I would say, yes.  Then, he would go, "Hey...what is 6 plus 2 anyway?"  Ahhhhh, the ol' switcheroo!  Not so fast, my friend.  That's what I asked YOU!  Then he would laugh and laugh.

Another student has been having a rough go of it, since yesterday afternoon.  He is having difficulty accepting being at this placement and at the same time argues that "everything here is too easy," and seconds later saying, "I'm never going to graduate because it's too hard."  Figure that one out!  Yesterday, after professing that no one on staff has EVER helped him...not once...and that we do nothing for him, he was asked to come up with two things everyone on staff has done for him, including what he has done for himself.  He handled all of this pretty well and once it was all said and done he was in a much better frame of mind.  Where am I going with this?  Oh yeah, in music, the kids are learning some song with Spanish lyrics, so, naturally when they returned to my class this particular student was trying to speak in Spanish and then declared, in English, "Oh yeah, I've been taking Spanish classes for so long.  I basically know more Spanish than I do English."  Who is this kid?  I couldn't handle it.  I said, "I'm going to have to say that is definitely not true."  He laughed at this, which caught me off guard because this is usually a very defensive kid when he gets called out on his big bag of b.s.  Anyway, that was also pretty funny.

All in all, today was generally funny, because there was nothing really left to do but laugh.  All three female staff were so irritable and ready to jump on these poor kids for one little infraction.  Poor things.  But, we all made it through.  Thank heavens tomorrow is a short day and then no school on Thursday.  Woohoo!

I look forward to my family coming in this weekend.  Thank heavens, I need a reprieve.

You will notice my list growing progressively longer and longer, as I will be adding to it each day for the month of November calling to mind all of my blessings and things to be thankful for. All right, all right, I got this idea off of facebook.  What of it!?  I am having my kids do this, as well.  Can you believe it's actually hard for them?  Another staff member and I were reminiscing about a former student who just gave us fits at this time of year.  I remember a time when discussing needs and wants with the kids and he insisted on the fact that his electronic handheld was a need.  A need!  Are you kidding me?!  Unbelievable.  Same kid that protested when we asked him to write a letter to the fabulous donors that purchase gifts for our students.  He yelled, "Yeah!  I feel like giving them a piece of my mind!" because he didn't get what he wanted.  That just set my blood boiling.  Oh no you didn't kid!

Do you know that I have so many followers now that I have to click "more..." just to see them all?  WOW!

Today's list:  Blessings:  Things I am Thankful For...

1.  Faith
2.  Family
3.  Friends
4.  Health
5.  Home
6.  Food
7.  Clothing
8.  Education
9.  Warmth
10.  My Own Transportation - Car
11.  A laptop for which to write this blog ;o)
12.  Employment/Career
13.  Clean, drinkable, running water
14.  Enough dollars to pay my bills
15.  A comfortable bed

'Til next time...peace...