We wear short shorts...

Dear Nair,

A couple weeks back I saw you sitting on the shelf at my local Target. Oh how I love that shopping goodness that Target provides me. I had never bought you before...this time I thought why not?!?!? You could save me some valuable shower time! I didn't use you right away as you took a little planning. I had to rub on the said hair area (don't worry it's just my legs!) wait for approx. 3 minutes, longer if the hair is thicker. Test a small area to see if hair was infact removed and then wipe legs with warm wet wash cloth. Hmm...seems reasonable. I mean you do guarantee days of no shaving! What more could a busy girl ask for?!?!?!

Two nights ago, I may have been bored (cabin fever anyone?!?!?) so decided then was as best as any to try it. I would go for 5 minutes. The bottle warned to not go over 10 so I thought I was set to go. YOU my ex-friend were wrong!!!! 5 minutes were up and I followed directions. As soon as the cloth touched my leg....FIRE!!! I jumped in the shower as fast as I could and scrubbed away every piece of skin that came into contact with that poison!

I now I two burns on my legs and the burning sensation didn't stop for 24 hours.

YOU are not a lovely product. I will not be recommending you to my friends. I threw you AWAY!!! I don't understand. I thought we would workout! I thought we would have a long lasting friendship! You could go places with me! You could be my BFF!!!

Never ever again will you be welcome here...you are the devil.

Mailman Mailman where are you?!?!?!

With all this "inclement" weather we have been having...our mail has not been delivered since last Saturday. That would be a week from tomorrow. 7 days. 1/4 of a month. 1/52nd of a year. You get the point?!?!?! I have also not recieved an awaited package that should have arrived approx. ( do you notice I always do that for that word? it's because I don't know the proper way to spell it and I don't care really either!) 1 week ago. That's neither here nor there. Anyway, back to the mail...
I walked down to the mailbox...risking my life really, yesterday and today. NOTHING!

Then I was driving down the street a little later...I found my mail...

While wrapping at mom's house...

Weird how I get stuck wrapping everyone's presents!!!!

While at mother's house I was helping (read: doing it all) wrap presents.

She, just like roommate, put them in piles of what goes to who...

At the bottom of the pile...this is what I found... no need for explanation of the rest of the months as I am sure you can figure it out.

OH THE JOY OF CHRISTMAS!!!

Did you get your 2009 calendar yet?!?!?

Of course they are scissors!!!

I have nothing fun to post about as I have been stuck either in my casa or madre's casa for days now...I found this old email though from my friend's mother in law...enjoy!



Of course they're scissors!!

Quote from the mom: This is my kindergartener's artistic rendering of a pair of scissors. I wonder what his teacher thought. I allowed myself just a small smirk when I saw it. I waited until he was out of the room before I started crying from laughing so hard.

Drag...

I was helping (read: I was doing it) my roommate wrap Christmas Presents.
He was making piles of who things went to...I came upon this and needed to take a pic of it. Unfortunately, my camera couldn't pic it up as well as I would have liked...this gift was for his cousin who apparently likes to hunt...this actual gift is a rope...the picture will show you what it is for...

Ladies and Gentlemen...I give you...the "Deer Drag"




I wonder if they make a kid drag...hmm...

Cooped up craftyness...

Well, as you know I have been cooped up in the house for a LONG time!!! (I have been out two days since last Sunday...special I know.)

I have made two of these framey things because I didn't like the way the first one turned out. It is a crazy little craft to keep track of...you must keep checking and fixing, checking and fixing, etc.

I have promised my cousin this since her wedding in July. With the snow...I was able to conquer! The pictures don't do it justice as I don't have a "fancy" camera. It has resin over the top for long lasting goodness. I didn't take pics of the process...sorry!!!

Stay turned tomorrow for some more cooped up craftyness!

Pretty sure...

... we have entered an Ice Age...







With the snow not letting up. I am getting all sorts of crazy texts and emails...
I woke up to this...

"OH MY GOD I AM PRETTY SURE WE ARE SNOWED IN!!!" from a colleague

Then from another friend that is stuck with relatives at her house...

"The feeling of wanting to cry...yeah it's back. I am afraid someone might die here today..."

This was a fun time in Seattle...

Christmas Surprise...

I got a wonderful Christmas Surprise tonight! Rose took me to Papa Hayden's (so good!) and then to see Michael Allen Harrison's Christmas Show (amazing!). We had a blast! He is one talented guy and has a very talented family as well. I didn't get pictures as I chickened out...I will go another time and promise to get pics. Here is a clip of a benefit he does. I realized that he doesn't do concerts without other people in them so that was hard to find. Here is a benefit he does called "Ten Grands" and there are ten grand pianos on stage playing. I might need to look into going this year! Hope you enjoy him as much as I do!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W94iCuOU_Dg

PS The embeded one isn't working so you have to click to YouTube to see it. Sorry!

5th and final...

Today was the fifth and final day of no school. As of now...I am officially on Winter Break.

Yesterday was questionable as to whether we could drive or not... I ended up driving all over town. Last night it got icy and the head honcho at the district wouldn't call it till this morning. We were SURE we would have it today...all those children couldn't wait to get to school to deliver their wonderful Christmas Presents to their teachers...and teachers had all sorts of fun times planned!

Here is what it looks like outside...

I mean folks...we are SNOWED IN!!! There's no going anywhere!!!! =)

Day 4...no school...approx. 1 day of my summer vacation has been SHOT!

So...since today was another snow day...I crafted! Once again feeling like a bird that has escaped from it's cage...today I felt kind of naughty. Like I was playing hooky or something!

I crafted this today...SUPER EASY!!!

It's for one of my secretaries. Her last name starts with a D. I made one for my other secretary too. Her last name starts with a Y. Just incase you were wondering. They are both VERY similar. Now...if only there is school tomorrow so I could actually give them these!!!

I feel like a bird that escaped from it's cage...

Today I went here....




and here...



and bought this...




and went here...




Hopefully Friday...

I will go here...

One time I saw Dave Matthews this close...

The story behind this...

a bunch of us "crazy" college kids went to the Gorge to see DMB. We camped, we had a blast. We had show tickets for Saturday but could hear him play Friday night. Rumor was getting around camp that the show was going to start earlier on Saturday. My bf and I went to the gates to see what time exactly it would start. Please keep in mind this is a LONG walk from the campsite. We get there and see about 20 people crowded in a tight little circle. We looked at each other and ran as fast as we could. LUCKILY I take my camera everywhere and I had it. No one would have believed us otherwise. It was AMAZING!

What would you do in a situation like this???

100 things for my 100th post!

Here is 100 random facts about me in honor of my 100th post:

1. I was born March 19
2. I am a fairly picky eater
3. I don't eat onions except for onion rings or fajitas
4. I love pumpkin flavored anything
5. I have an addictive personality
6. I prefer miracle whip over of mayonnaise
7. I am addicted to quadruplets
8. I have nine cousins
9. I am half orphan
10. Some people call me Sassy
11. I keep in touch with my best friend from Kindergarten
12. My name came from the "Thornbirds"
13. I wear Danskos
14. I don't buy peanut butter because I like it too much...
15. I don't buy pop tarts for the same reason...
16. I want to be a counselor when I grow up
17. I wear glasses...(Read: I am supposed to wear glasses)
18. I would like to own a Poptart shop
19. I can be shy around people I don't know
20. I can be very outgoing
21. If I can make you laugh...I like you
22. I remember licence plate letters easily

23. I once was addicted to Diet Coke...I am not kidding...I have been clean for 24 months.
24. I have never cheated on someone
25. I will never cheat on someone
26. I love reading Nicholas Sparks
27. I can't cook
28. I like tuna fish
29. I love Napoleon Dynamite
30. I was in the movie by the creators of ND...The Sasquatch Gang
31. I was on 20/20
32. I have lost 30 lbs on Weight Watchers to date
33. I am a first grade teacher34. My favorite meal is breakfast35. My favorite food is pizza
36. I love to cuddle
37. I can be so shy I might come off rude
38. I have had the "falling" dream
39. I am in love with Joey Harrington
40. I am a Duck fan
41. I have one thing I order off each menu at restaurants...not branching out
42. When I was little my mom promised me a pair of LA Gear if I wore my Frankel for a full month...no LA Gear
43. I saw High School Musical 3 on opening night...DUH!

44. I can dance with the best of them
45. I HATE restrooms with no toilet seat covers
46. I won't eat at sketchy restaurants
47. I won't eat at sketchy houses
48. I have seen Tim McGraw in concert at least 5 times (Faith Hill twice)
49. I am a grief counselor at a summer camp
50. I have post traumatic growth
51. I have an itchy scalp
52. My ankles itch when I have to stand to0 long
53. My socks don't usually match each other
54. My underwear and sock drawer is a disaster...hence the above
55. I eat Ramen noodles dry
56. I don't have my tonsils
57. I broke my fifth metatarsal in Georgia one time
58. I played the flute in 5th grade
59. I tap dance
60. I call my grandma "nannie"
61. I have only beaten Super Mario Brothers 3 times.
62. I know all the words to the movie, Cinderella
63. My sister once made me sing "Poppa Don't Preach" by Madonna in front of her friends
64. I have been to Georgia 8 times
65. I have been hit in the head with an ice sculpture
66. I posed in a picture with Freddy Jones outside Bar 71
67. I have never had Lice
68. I am a Pisces
69. I watch The Hills
70. I have my own room at The Williams'
71. I was on a a baton team called “The Kelly Kadets”
72. I have been in more parades than I can count
73. I have Eczema
74. I was Rainbow Brite for Halloween once
75. I used to wear puff paint Daisy Kingdom sweatshirts
76. I used to have my ears pierced but I let them grow back
77. In 7th grade I flew from Hong Kong to Portland alone
78. I was bullied on a Tri-Met bus once
79. I have a scar on my left arm from the neighbor's dog biting me
80. I can only play Guitar Hero on "easy"
81. I ran down all the stairs at the Washington Monument in under 15 minutes
82. I am an inactive member of Kappa Alpha Theta
83. I wear socks to bed
84. I use an electric toothbrush
85. I don't wash my hair everyday
86. I despise cats
87. I once got ring worm from this gross cat that lived in one of my college apts.

88. I have unlimited text messages (thank goodness!)
89. I once racked up a $450.00 phone bill (yes, the decimal is in the right spot)
90. I have seen every episode of all 6 seasons of Dawson's Creek
91. I have been in 6 weddings and will have 8 by September 1, 2009
92. I still have my appendix
93. I have never ridden in an ambulance
94. I shop at etsy.com
95. My love language is "gift giving"
96. I love words
97. I eat Uncrustables frequently
98. I never eat hot lunch at school
99. I worked in the cafeteria in elementary school
100. I spell my name with an "H"
P.S. I have no idea what is going on with the spacing on this thing and it is driving me NUTS!

What two teachers living under one roof do for hours on end...

While watching...it sounds similar to a casino in our abode...

"Come on baby! Big money big money!" waiting for our districts to be announced...

Apparently my cheering helped...Roommate's cheering did not. Poor roomie must attend tomorrow.

I knew the inside out jammies would work!!!!

Snow day! Snow day! We want a snow day!

Tonight was 2nd Saturday Wraptacular, hosted by a good friend/former co-worker/boss...

She has people over to wrap presents to their little hearts content! I took my camera so I could specifically get a shot of everyone...totally forgot to snap pics! What would have been great for you is seeing the food. She always has GREAT food!

Anyway, while I was there I visited with my Two Bundles of Summer Joy. Seen in the pic. B and E were my summer buddies. I took care of them this summer and we had a blast! We did EVERYTHING and went EVERYWHERE! There wasn't a kid's place that wasn't touched by us. Sometimes we got bored...sometimes we got VERY creative. The pics is them trying to figure out how to get the sled to go down the grassy hill. It was approx. 90 degrees this day. They gave up and ate popsicles instead.

E came cruising down in "the wrapping zone" in her jammies. They were inside out. Her reasoning? It will snow if she does that! Her neighbors told her that. She she did it! Why not? I am doing it tonight and for the rest of this week. Snowdays are not something to mess around with people! Another helpful hint was a spoon under the pillow. Again...don't mess.

Snow on! Snow on!

A long time ago...(okay maybe just three years ago)

My first year of teaching was kind of a blur...very fast, crazy, out of control, are a few words that would describe it. I slowly am reminded of stories (by other staff members that I obviously vented to) that happened that beloved year...
I always greet the children at the door. Every morning. Some genius wrote in a book one time that kids know you care if you stand at the door...so I do...whateve! One morning I was standing, greeting, and hugging when I overheard a conversation. The BEST material from my kids is when they don't know I am listening. Once they see me...it's all over.

Here's how the story went that day...(I taught Kindergarten at the time)


D-man: "Dude! I got drunk last night and I think I have a hangover today!"

V-Train: "Oh really? What does that mean?"

D-man: "It means I ate too much and got CRAAAAAAAAZZZZYYYYY!!!!"

V-Train: "oh!"

It was a lovely conversation...it makes you wonder...what do mom and dad talk about at home? =)

This story reminds me of a favorite scene from School of Rock that my friend at "I Use Sarcasm as a Weapon" and I enjoy...
My intention was to have it on a video, but I can't find just this part...GOSH!!!
If anyone knows of where I could get that...I would give you a shout out on my next post...Until then...below is the scene. Dewey Finn is Jack Black and he is the substitute teacher and Frankie is a student.



Dewey Finn: Ok, here's the deal. I have a hangover. Who knows what that means?

Frankie: Doesn't that mean you're drunk?

Dewey Finn: No. It means I was drunk yesterday.

Freddy: It means you're an alcoholic.

Dewey Finn: Wrong.

Freddy: You wouldn't come to work with a hangover unless you were an alcoholic. Dude, you got a disease!

Dewey Finn: Hmmm... hmmm... What's your name?

Freddy: Freddy Jones.

Dewey Finn: Ok, Freddy Jones, shut up!

Rats, and Mice, and Bugs...OH MY!

Time to admit some things I am not so proud of. My students eat snack everyday at 10am after AM recess. They have about 15 minutes to eat and listen to my wonderfully read-aloud skills. This is often interrupted by the infamous bathroom breaks, drinking fountain fights, and just chatting in general. Needless to say we don't always get our snacks finished on time. When it is time to transition (big elementary school word) to writing time, they have 1 minute to get cleaned up and to the carpet. Now keep in mind this is MORE than plenty of time people. MUCH MUCH MORE! Some, in a last ditch effort to make it ontime will stash wrappers in their desks instead of walking 4 ft. to the trash can.



I recently looked in a favorite friend's desk to find every snack wrapper that we had eaten last week, the week prior, and perhaps everyone since the last desk clean out. GROSSNESS!



I might have made a special announcement today. It might have gone something like this...



"Boys and girls...I was in here this weekend and guess what I saw?!?!? I saw bugs in your desks eating off the wrappers!!! Please don't forget to throw your wrappers in the garbage instead of hiding them in your desks. Thanks!"



Here is what I found today at the end of the day...

P.S. This was NOT today's snack...YUMMY!



















No more bugs...

Baby Dance Continued...

I am pumped!

I must start my girly shopping!

Her name will be Rylee Braden(mrs. jensen's middle name, as well as our grandfather's middle name) Jensen...don't ask what happened to her being named after her favorite auntie...we are still in discussion.

Congrats Mr. and Mrs. Jensen!!!!

Taking Care...

Not all of my posts are funny. I am just not that funny to make them ALL funny.

Yesterday was another Camp Erin Saturday Gathering. It is yet another reminder how fortunate I am. Yes, I have been through a lot. "Through" being the keyword. I made it out. I am ready for more challenges. Grief work with kids reminds me of what I have been through and what they are facing. Yes, they are strong and can make it, but I wish I could take it all away.

During opening circle, we check in and answer a question prompted by the Clinical Leads. Saturdays question was... "Is this your first Holiday Season without your person that died? And how will things be different?"

T was sitting next to me. T is about 11 years old, I would guess. Very logical thinker and "mature" for her age. Her father passed away. That made her grow up too fast. When it got to her this was her answer...
"This year will be different because I am trying to buy my mom as many gifts as possible. My dad ALWAYS got her really nice things so now it is my job to make up for that. So far I have gotten her about 5 things and I want to get her a few more things." She was very proud.

My heart sank. I had the same feeling when I was in her shoes. It was my sister and I that "had" to fill that void. My heart goes out to T. This will make her a stronger person, but she shouldn't have to be growing up so fast.

I hope T has a really good Christmas.

Just because I like nail ladies...

I think I want to go get my nails done this weekend...

Apparently...

when you start a new post and need to come back to it, and then you post others before you post that one (are you confused yet?) then it posts it the date you started it.

For example: I just 'published' something that I started last week. I had posted something since then, so it posted it before that one. Kind of lameo for all you avid readers out there. I kind of feel like a rock star. I mean jeez...who doesn't read this thing? Those of you who don't? BLESS YOUR HEART!

Anyway, wanted to let you know there is a new post before the OSU craziness that occured on Monday.

But just so this one isn't too lame...I will leave you with something I think is hysterical! If you don't think it is funny...we probably aren't friends...I'm just sayin!!!! And seriously, don't leave me a comment saying something about how funny it was just so I will like you...RUDE!

65-38...WHAT NOW?!?

So, my Ducks won the Civil War. I am being SOOO nice about this I am making myself sick! I have left a message on my Facebook status. Not to anyone's face or directly pointed to a certain person. I am trying my hardest at being a good winner!

Anyway, last week the children at the school were having a canned food drive. The deal was this...if they brought in 1,000 items, the teachers who are Duck fans would wear Beaver attire and vice versa...today was the day. It was MUCH easier wearing these colors today after the amazing game Saturday!

Thanks Sass for your attire! Since this picture has been taken, my children have burned it...sorry! Mark my words...this will be the LAST time you see me in this attire...

My thankfulness comes a few days late...

could also be called...did everyone else get the memo that said, "please post what you are thankful for this week!" ~ thanks! the management...

Anyway, I missed it...

So here is my list of things that I am thankful for...

1. family (some...KIDDING!)

2. friends

3. a home (it may be ghetto but they are about to name it after me!! I can't leave now!)

4. a job (Do something you love and you will never work a day in your life....RIIIGGGHHHTTT!)

5. technology (what the heck would I do without all this stuff?!?!)

6. all my teachers (crap, I apologize for EVERYTHING!)

7. food (although it is a neverending battle!)

8. good people in this world...(thanks Mr. Target!)

Good People...

could also be called..."Teachers are the best!"

So remember how I lost my wallet, bag, iPod last night? SOMEONE FOUND IT!!!!

Small world...a guy that must have found the bag 3 minutes after I left came to my house last night to return it. I was a little freaked because it was 10:30pm and I was home alone. I didn't answer the door, not thinking he had my bag! He left a note and then Target called to tell me he had called them too.

I was kind of freaked out about why he wouldn't have turned it in to them.

I called him this morning and got my belongings back!

He was a really really nice man with cute little children running around the house.

He had found my work email which was fishy, but I soon realized he did EVERYTHING he could to find me and my health insurance card has my employer on it so he knew how to find me. Guess what? He is a teacher in my district. =)

There are great people in this world!!!

Enragement...a short essay

I am enraged right now...I should only be mad at myself, but unfortunately I am mad at a stranger too!

Today I decided to NOT go out and brave the crowds shopping. I mean I so desperately wanted to hit up Target, but I held back. My eyes were intrigued by the $5.98 movies that were on sale today but once again, I held back. Tonight after going to the gym...I couldn't hold back any longer. I actually had gotten over the cheap movies. I was looking for a copy of The Polar Express starring Tom Hanks as the voice of the conductor. All day I contemplated how I would get my hands on one of these. I had approx. three weeks to do so as I am showing it on the 19th to my munchkins in class. They get to wear their jammies, drink hot cocoa, and eat popcorn. At the end, they get a bell to wear around their necks...

Back to my story...I literally thought I would NEVER find it. I walked into Target and got that "warm fuzzy" feeling inside as I usually do when I wonder in. I had a few things I needed to pick up but nothing fancy. I happened to notice some large red cardboard stands with $5.98 MOVIES! Yes! They still had them...okay okay so I wasn't totally over them. Guess what movie was right in front???!?!?!? THE POLAR EXPRESS!!! Hot diggity dog! It was my lucky day! I grabbed that thing and kept looking at it making sure it was the real deal. Sure was! I was happy so I grabbed "The Holiday" too...you know the one with Kate Winslet and Cameron Diaz? That was cheap too!

After a few more items were tossed in the cart I was headed out. I grabbed an ICEE which was not needed. Bad GIRL!

I headed out to the parking lot. I should have grabbed my ONLY bag and left the cart inside, but nooooooooooooooooo I was too busy drinking my ICEE and I wasn't sure if I could carry the overloaded bag, plus my drawstring Nike backpack, as well as the ICEE. So the cart went all the way to the car. I unloaded it and shoved it in the convenient cart coral.

My drive was 5 minutes. The second I hopped out of the car I realize there is no drawstring Nike backpack in the car. SH*T! I sped back as fast as I could...the bag had my iPod (from being at the gym) my gym card, and my WALLET!!!! CRAPOLLA!!! I was praying those carts hadn't been taken in yet. They weren't...I jumped out really fast looking like an absolute idiot and low and behold....NO BAG!!!!

I ran inside to find that nice person with that holiday spirit had turned it in. NO SUCH LUCK!!!!

So..Mr. or Mrs. Scrooge...if you are out there...(probably not reading this!) but if you are out there... You need to get into the Christmas spirit and turn my bag in!!! It isn't all my fault that my bag blended in with the red cart! WORST DAY OF MY LIFE!

On a good note, the bank and credit card companies were super duper helpful and quick. American Express is even sending out a temp. card and it will be UPS'd to my house at "no charge to me"!!!! Now, no shopping or gym until then...worst day EVER!!! Okay maybe I am not crying so much about the gym thing...=)

An interesting thing happened on the way to the deli...

this could also be called, "Why the heck do you let your kids put stickers on your car windows?"

So I was sitting at a light today. I was en route to delivering a sandwich to my friend Don...aka Donavin Viallobos. He will be my music star in my video that I am creating soon called "Funk on a Whole New Level". Starring ME of course! (that is a high school joke...maybe a dream...)

Don's wife had the ever so dreadful...wait for it...TONSILECTOMY!!! Ugh!!! I know that story WAY too well! So she had her surgery and he is on his own with the baby. I think he is a great daddy and takes just as much care of little Tony as she does. I mean granted he is the bread winner and all but he knows his baby stuff. She can't pick the baby up right now so he is on daddy duty 24/7. I took him a beloved SUB from Foster's on Fremont. This joint is a great little place...very similar to Sandwich Depot Deli if you are familiar with that hole in the wall of PURE goodness.

Anyway, back to the light...across the intersection I see this car...pretty nice one if I do remember correctly. It had these white things all over the back window. Hmm...what in the world is that? The car gets it's green light before me so I get a closer look as she comes around the corner. It was STICKERS!!! Who in their right mind lets their kids put stickers on the windows of the car!!! Let's all say it together...GHETTO!!! Now don't get me wrong...I am fully aware that stickers probably will come off with a little exacto knife and Goo Gone...(i think Goo Gone and Gorilla Glue should be married and maybe even come in a package together) I can picture it now..."Sure kids! Mommy doesn't care about her $40,000 car!! Stick away!!! What are people thinking? This proves my theory... as a teacher, I have come to realize there are A LOT of parental units that have NO skills at parenting therefore that is what they let their kids do to keep them "out of their hair". God forbid you have a nice conversation with your ankle biter while in the car on the way to your tanning appointment!

The Hills is on...gotta run!

Pass the yams?

could also be called..."Rutty rut rut....GO AWAY!!!"

When I start writing about yams...you know I am in a rut...sorry! But this might be knowledgable for you people like me. Those of you that are smarty pants...move along! move along!

Last night at a faux Thanksgiving dinner...I commented to my friend how yummy the sweet potatoes were. With the same friend, I had had a lovely scruptious sweet potato goodness at a restaurant that we enjoyed just Tuesday night...Can I just tell you how good that thing was?!?!?! It was like a freakin dessert! There I was...potato, pool of butter, and a little brown sugar to top that baby off! Good thing I had just weighed in! I actually saved it till last so I could pretend it was my dessert. I am a genius really!

So back to last night...we were at the table. Jason and I were sitting on the automon (weird weird word!) at the table, so basically my chin on was on the table. Whateva, it's cool. So after I complimented the chef on the sweet potatoes, he insisted on correcting me telling me they were yams. We conversated...my argument being this tasted very similarly to the sweet potato goodness I had "downunder" that previous Tuesday evening. There was no way that was a yam because it was clearly advertised in the menu as a sweet potato and NO ONE false advertises!!!! How would we resolve this?

Mac Guy to the rescue! He literally pulls out his iPhone to research. This is what he found...

Sweet Potatoes: Popular in the American South, these yellow or orange tubers are elongated with ends that taper to a point and are of two dominant types. The paler-skinned sweet potato has a thin, light yellow skin with pale yellow flesh which is not sweet and has a dry, crumbly texture similar to a white baking potato. The darker-skinned variety (which is most often called "yam" in error) has a thicker, dark orange to reddish skin with a vivid orange, sweet flesh and a moist texture.

Yam:The true yam is the tuber of a tropical vine (Dioscorea batatas) and is not even distantly related to the sweet potato.
Slowly becoming more common in US markets, the yam is a popular vegetable in Latin American and Caribbean markets, with over 150 varieties available worldwide. Generally sweeter than than the sweet potato, this tuber can grow over seven feet in length. The word yam comes from African words njam, nyami, or djambi, meaning "to eat," and was first recorded in America in 1676. The yam tuber has a brown or black skin which resembles the bark of a tree and off-white, purple or red flesh, depending on the variety. They are at home growing in tropical climates, primarily in South America, Africa, and the Caribbean.

I was RIGHT!!! I am not usually right!!!! I was this time! YESSS!!!


I would post a picture, but that feature isn't working at this moment...

So remember this...Sweet Potatoes are orange inside, and Yams aren't.

P.S. I hope something funny happens at school Monday!!!!

Only children...

So...I have just a couple of "only children" in my class. Those are my "special friends". Who has one kid these days anyway? SMART PEEPS THAT IS WHO!!! =( Kidding!

Anyway, I have a new job. This entitles teaching the whole first grade technology. As you all know...I am a technology genius!!! I was thrilled when Stewie asked me to take this on...all I could imagine was Facebook pages galore! Perhaps even a blog...or 75! It would be glorious!!! Okay Okay...that didn't really happen. So in my technology lessons we use laptops that our wonderfully generous PTA purchased for us. Dude..the kids sold enough wrapping paper to wrap our school a few times for those things...don't even think they were being nice!
When purchasing a "laptop cart" you have a 34 laptop option or a 20 laptop option.
(i learned this in my training a.k.a. the manual) Considering that we have NO classes with less than 20 kids...34 would have been the best. Bet you can't guess what happens next?...we got the 20...YEAH! So we have to share...it's not easy sharing laptops. Don't they know you can't have two Facebook pages up at the same time? I'm just sayin!

So I have 24 ruggety rats in my class which means some have to share. I promised that if they shared this time they wouldn't have to again...we only use them once a week...I haven't figured out that math equation but I am sure it's not right. They won't remember.

So DQ ends up sharing...I turn around to see her in tears (surprise!)...I ask what the matter is only to get the cold shoulder. She can be mean. Ladybug, who she is sharing with quickly pipes up with the answer.

"DQ is upset because she has to share. Miss MegPie...she doesn't have brothers or sisters you know...so she doesn't know HOW to share!"

Oh snap!

My thoughts would best be expressed in a monologue...

This video here is something special...
enjoy...I think it will stay up but it could go away...in which case...PLEASE LET ME KNOW I don't want to look like a inexperienced blogger!

Are you a soccer mom?

Tonight at grief group I was kicking the soccer ball with one of the kiddos.
I could tell he enjoyed kicking with me although...I am NO GOOD!
He was getting really sweating...maybe showing off for me. I was hoping that he would want to stop and play the game that EVERY OTHER kid was playing...but he didn't. (He later gave me a pat on the back and said, "good game!")

All the sudden he asked..."Are you a soccer mom?"

Hmm..."nope!"

Then I asked, "what is a soccer mom?"

He then replies that it is a mom that has all the kids over to her house and bakes them brownies.

Today, the way I am feeling...thank goodness I am not a soccer mom. Soccer moms can't spend an hour checking emails and then curl up in bed and watch The Hills with no regret. They can't...I promise.

Let me tell you about a girl I know...

She like hip hop and rock and roll!

I had to get that out...it's a great song, Corona and Lime By Shwayze

The weirdest thing happened the other day. I forgot to write about it until this song came on today...

I was walking past a certain student's desk and noticed she had her Zac Efron pencil box open. I happen to like that guy so I took a little longer look. I mean hello!!! Did you see him with no shirt on in HSM 3?!?!?!? Stellar!

sorry...personal agenda!

Anywho...I noticed she had her share of pencils as well as crayons...but there was something odd in there...hmm...it was roundish...greyish with some writing...didn't look familiar until I cleared some crayons out of the way...then it was VERY FAMILIAR!











Happy Hour in MegPie's class!

My birthday...

No, it's not my birthday. Don't worry...you didn't miss it...and it's not coming anytime soon.

Since I LOOOOOOVE my special day...I will tell you...it's March 19th. I love that day a lot. I mean, when else will everyone that you love call you in one day? Let me rephrase that...when else will everyone that LOVES you call you in one day? I had to account for some of those stalker friends...you know the ones. Anyway, I got an extra special-totally worth the 8 month wait-homemade-Della original...

YES...she painted this...no paint by numbers shiz either...on her own! She is one talented little doctor...(she is studying to be a Naturopathic Doc, no she doesn't have dreads!)

In her defense, she "apparently" had this done around birthday timeish...when we see each other, I usually don't go to her and brother's house. I just meet them somewhere. But Tuesday...oh Tuesday...She remembered to brang (i like that word better with an "a" ) it to lunch. I can't stop staring at it. it is so cute! zFor those of you that need ideas for Christmas, Hanukkah, Yom Kippur, Birthday, etc. I LOOOVE homemade things...

Near the bottom you can see her initials...do you know what they are? DR...no coincidence that she will be Dr. Parker soon...I'm just sayin!

So I leave you to ponder my painting that I will have FOREVER! That is until her kidlets paint me something that says "Auntie Meggie is the best!"...I love you Dr. Parker!

Yesterday...

November 9th, 2000 was the worst day of my life. My best friend in the whole wide world left us. I can't wait to see her again. To live the life we hadn't gotten to yet.

8 years later...I relieve that day. Actually, there is not a day that goes by that I don't relieve that week.

Some people say there is a silver lining to every bad thing...

Here is my list of Silver Linings:

Christie

JayLowe

Jason M.

Kristy

Organ Donation

My love to live

Live everyday like it's your last

Learn to Say "I love you" often

Don't live with regrets

Athens, Georgia

Jess and Greg

Memories

Camp Erin (i.e. EVERYONE THERE!)

Portland Brothers and Sisters

Death's Clean Up Crew

I found my friend Jamie on Facebook a few months ago. I know this darling gift of a person through Camp Erin.

Jamie is our clinical coordinator. The one who coordinates all the clinical stuff...really. She is good at it too. Her job title as she calls it is, "Death's Clean Up Crew". I tend to agree.

Tonight was grief group. One of my little people is facinated with the fact that "you don't have to clean up" at grief group. (it wastes time that we don't want to waste while the kids are there) It still bothers her. I catch her trying to clean up...even just a little. Her momma raised her right!

After watching her tonight...I started thinking...she has been through enough...she shouldn't have to clean up...we are "death's clean up crew". We are trying to help her...and clean up after her...toys and all.

We will be tested...

“Give all of us gathered here tonight the strength to remember that life is so very fragile.We are all vulnerable and we will all, at some point in our lives, fall.
We will all fall.
We must carry this in our hearts that what we have is special. That it can be taken from us. And that when it is taken from us, we will be tested. We will be tested to our very souls.
We will now all be tested.
It is these times. It is this pain, that allows us to look inside ourselves.”
-Coach Eric Taylor

I grabbed this off of a friend of mine's blog,DoubleDown . He is a huge fan of "Friday Night Lights" and I for one have never watched it. I really like this quote though. It goes with my week.

XOXO
MegPie

mom's house

No time to blog...
dogsitting for mom. Not going well...UGH!!!!

Mom has NO computer! She still uses a chisels and stone...whateva!


More soon!

Nothing like this...

I was so happy today with my visit to the Bucks...




When my barista was pouring the milk...I looked over and this is what my blue eyes saw...

They got their holiday cups...there's nothing else like it.
I will be sad after the holidays when the cups go back to plain old white.
But until then...ENJOY!!!


Oh yes! And happy voting day too!!!

Get out there and vote people!!! It's our right!

31st Etiquette

As I was making the Portland to Beaverton trek on Friday night...I was chatting with Sassy. I was headed to Sassy's house, but couldn't wait to talk to her so we talked on the way to her house. ... that's how we roll.

While on the phone a few things happened...Trick or Treaters came to the door a couple of times leaving her to put the phone down a couple of times. I could hear the turkeys coming to her door.

After talking with her about Trick or Treaters these days and how times have changed...I came up with a few tips of advice for your 2009 Trick or Treaters.

In no particular order...

1. Parents, what are you teaching your children if you drive them around in the minivan from house to house? It's kind of a given they will already eat about 5 lbs. of candy that night anyway, unless you had them at the gym already that day...I am pretty sure a good mile or so of exercise would do little Johnny some good not to mention yourself!

2. Middle Schoolers, if you plan to go partake in this blessed event of Trick or Treating...at least throw a costume on okay??? This is ludicrous these pre-teens that come to the door with no costume!!! Who do you think I am? Do you think we did that back in our day??? NO WAY! If all else fails...your sister's dance team costumes work wonders.

3. Kids, YOU NEVER ASK THE HOMEOWNER FOR MORE! Read my lips you fat kids!! See #1! You don't need anymore than you are already getting!

4. Homeowners, why must you give out apples? Halloween is for candy...some give out popcorn...I can handle that (MOM!) but apples? PUUUUHHHHLLLLEEEEEEEEEAAAAAAASSEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!! I know what you are thinking...what about #1 and #3? It's all about the candy!

5. Kids, when you come to the door...someone made up the crazy tradition...so use it!

It goes like this: I open the door, you say "trick or treat". Easy...I don't like you kids that just stand there with your pillowcases held open looking all dumb and confused! Show me your cuteness first!

6. Kids, last but not least...what are the magic words? Everyone one together "THANK YOU!"

Have fun kids!





Here is a pic of my favorite Trick or Treaters from the night...

C Jane, Jane and Claire

My favorite blog in the world is this...http://blog.cjanerun.com/

I have been watchingTHIS this for two days...about 7 times now.

I love it and can't get enough!

Sweet words...

Awhile ago I posted about a little turkey that wasn't one that rubbed me the right way...

he has definitely grown on me since that day. He is darling actually.

Yesterday, I was testing him on his sight words and he didn't really know them but had the biggest brightest smile on his face the whole time! It almost made me want to give him a star or something!

Today was his last day in my class. =( He is moving and I will miss him dearly. Sometimes I am so sad when kids move and sometimes it is no big deal.

His mom brought in a special treat for the class...those sugar cookies with the massive frosting to be exact...SUGAR GOODNESS right there!!! Before the snack was passed out to the class, I had the kids offer bits of farewell and goodness to him. I had tears in my eyes! It was the most darling thing in the world!!! Some told him he was a great friend. Some told him they would miss him. Some wished him luck at his new school. Again...he had the biggest brightest smile in the world on his face!

Later while cleaning up his brought me a Capri Sun and asked me if he could put it in my refrigerator. I have a mini fridge under my desk and the kids are fascinated with it. I dunno why... I asked him why he wanted to keep it there. He told me it was for Abbie because she missed school today and he wanted to leave her a goodbye gift...I cried or as Teacha would say..."There was a little moisture coming out of my eye!"

OBAMA or MCCAIN?

Today...I was sitting at my kidney table with some kids and their math.

For whatever the heck reason...the presidential election came up in conversation...kind of weird of many reasons of which I will share below:


1) We were working on subtraction.

2) We were working on subtraction.

3) We were working on subraction.

4) What the are 7 year olds doing talking about the election?!?!?!

Girl student says..."I know who I am voting for?"

Boy 1 says..."Who?"

Boy2 says..."We all need to vote for McCain!"

Boy 1 says..." Is that the white guy or the black guy?"

Girl says laughing..."The white guy"

Boy 1 says..."I am not voting for that white guy!"

Boy 2 says..." Everyone HAS to vote for McCain...he is the best and you know what is the best about him? HE IS GOING TO LOWER THE PRICES!!!"

Girl says disgusted..."No way I am NOT voting for him!"

There you have it...incase you were confused about who to vote for...take some voting advice from my class.

Halloweenier!

I am too tired to blog today...so I thought I would give you guys a replay of Halloween last year...please don't be concerned with my costume choice...me being a teacher and all. =)

Erin the Flight Attendant!

The Troll...

Kid Sister mixing up a few!

Mary Kay Letourneau and Swiss Miss

Yep...Swiss Miss and the Sign Twirler (sweetest costume ever!)

Angelina (kids in tow) with Mary Kay

My Buddy with Swiss Miss

There are many costumes that were not shown here due to some graphic natured photography...

Flying to AZ?

Over a week ago I learned of a concert by Mindy Gledhill that I wanted to attend. One hiccup was that it was in Mesa, Arizona. The concert was a benefit for NieNie and her husband Christian who were in a plane crash in August. Since Rose had found this wonderful family on another blog, we have been addicted to CJane's blog. CJane keeps her blog up with updates of Stephanie and Christian. CJane is Stephanie's sister and since C and S have been in the hospital for 2 months, CJane has taken in the children along with her sister Lucy. Anyway, wonderful family...every blog brings tears to my eyes. It definitely puts a "bad day" into perspective.

For about 10 minutes after learning of the concert...I was determined to go. One MORE problem...Rose, my fellow blog reader, would be out of town in Disneyland. I couldn't go by myself for obvious reasons. I know it seems kind of weird that we would fly to AZ for a concert for a benefit of someone we didn't even know. After reading this blog EVERDAY for over a month...you feel more like family than a blog reader. They are unbelievable. I could only imagine being in the presence of this family there in AZ.

So I dropped the idea of flying to AZ.

I did have a FANTASTIC weekend though. My baby's mama and daddy were in town from Idaho for the football game. I haven't seen her since the summer wedding of Kristin, our cousin. It was so good to see her and her pudgy little belly. I got to see the babies mama and daddy, Mr. and Mrs. Gay too! There were pudgy bellies all over the place, including mine! =)
After attending Mr. Jensen's football game, we met his family and our family at a great Italian Restaurant downtown.

I don't have pictures as my camera is in Disneyland with my princess' and Rose! GOSH! Worst Day of My LIFE!

I have been DYING to see an update from Cjane about the concert...oh yeah..another reason I wanted to go was that NieNie's daughters, Claire (5) and Jane (6) were going to sing with Mindy!!!! I KNOW that was amazing! My heart and prayers were still with them this weekend!


40/365

Spending time with my family makes me happy!

HSM...3!!!!

So as you can imagine...after my High School Musical Sing-Along with J the other night...I am pretty estatic over the 3rd one coming out tonight! I didn't have any plans to see it...most likely would pick it up on the Disney Channel in a few months, or if I was lucky enough a friend would want me to go with their family...until this morning...

J calls at 6:50am! Wants to know if the kids are busy doing their "busy work". I am not sure where he went to school but last time I checked 1st graders weren't even up at that time of the morning! He was calling to make my Friday dreams come true...
HE INVITED ME TO PARTAKE IN THE HSM 3 MADNESS TONIGHT!!!! WAHOO!!!

During morning meeting I couldn't keep this kind of news in...I told the whole class. They were excited. They wanted to tell me they were going to. I didn't care. Half were lying anyway...the only thing important is that I WAS GOING!

DQ's turn comes up in the circle...

"Tonight I am going to see High School Musical 3 in theaters soon! I also know Miss MagPie is going and I also know Miss MagPie has the same middle name as me! Want to hear me sing?"

Kind of an odd little duck...

Are you married Miss MagPie?

Finally these turkeys are piping up again!

For writing we use an ever so popular writing adoption. Yes, 6 and 7 year olds can write! They are actually pretty stinkin good at it too! Maybe they have a good teacher...hmm....dunno!
Anyway, I always demonstrate a story during my lesson on my own writing then send them off to do their writing. They LOVVVVVVVEEEEEEEEE writing time. I don't particularly care for it as it is very HIGH maintenance for the children that aren't so good at sounding out words! GRR!!!

Today I was writing my story on my board. It was about what I did last night. Last night I went to G and J's house to pick up a chair they let me have. I am going to repaint it and cover the seat to make a cutie cute teachers chair! I will post when and if that gets done =) Anyhow, we were sitting on the couch messing around with the dogs. J was flipping channels of the enormous tv they have. He happened to stop on The Disney Channel...IT WAS HIGH SCHOOL MUSICAL!!! One of the freakin best movies ever made...especially if you like to sing along! And I DO!!!
So I start singing...low and behold on the freakin screen are the words!!! Not only is it HSM but it is HSM Sing- Along!!!! WHOOP WHOOP!!! HOLLA!
Next thing you know J and I are singing to it. I made him do the boy parts and me do the girl parts. As you can imagine...we were AMAZING!

So, back to school...I was telling the kids about it. They are fans of HSM so I knew they would enjoy it. What they enjoyed most was that G and J are boys! I could hear brains turning as I went back to writing my story. Please remember boys and girls have cooties in first grade... Then someone pipes up...

"Hey! Are you married Miss MagPie?" says one turkey.
"Nope she isn't", said Miss Ladybug. (she was in my class last year...they ask about 50 times a year on average about me being married)
"I thought you were," said another turkey.
"Nope...she's just a teacher! She can't be married!", replies Ladybug again.

Damn! There you have it! THE ANSWER!

Why didn't anyone tell me this before???

39/365
Funny children make me happy!

God...and my kidney table

Children in general are obsessed with God. What does that tell us? That tells us they are listening...they have faith...they know everything will be okay.

Today I had set the children off to work on an individual project...please notice I said "individual". Please keep in mind...NOTHING in my class is individual. These kids are the chattiest kids in the WORLD! As my sophomore year english teacher would say, you guys would talk to the wall if you had to! Or something to that effect. She was a little nutso if you ask me!

So I like to just meander around the room and listen to their conversations.
Today this is what I hear coming from the trapezoid table...

Student A: "You know God is watching you right now!"

(this sparks my attention because God is always a great subject of funniness from my kids)

Student B: "Oh! I know!"

Student C: "I don't know about that!"

Student D: (very loud student) "NO NO HE IS!!! My mom told me!"

Student B: "yeah when you play hide and seek, God is the only one that knows where you are hiding!"

Student A: "What about Jesus? Does he know where you are hiding?"

Student B: "Hmm...maybe we should try it sometime!"

Of course! Just try is sometime!

Later in the day I am working with some of the students that have yet to finish a supposed one day project. (Why? Why do I do this to myself? I think it will be a great thing and BAM! It is the worst lesson EVER! What can I do? Throw their work away? They would totally remember! Or would they? =) I have been known to ditch a few things in the BIG blue file...aka the recycling. Mostly due to it being a total bomb lesson. I blame it on the custodian if they ever bring it up. In all my days of "ditching" one thing has gotten brought up. I have a winning record.) So I am at my most favorite spot in the room..the kidney table! I heart my kidney table! God so help me if someone steals it from me! For those of you not familiar with my favorite piece of classroom furniture goodness...picture this in all it's glory...a table shaped like a kidney bean! Pure genius people! I hope the inventor is living the dream right now...those bad boys are NOT cheap either! Anywho...I sit in the part that goes in a little and the turkeys sit around me. I am in arms reach of all of them. Little Nicky approaches me while at "my table". He wants to know when we can try and see if Jesus is watching us to. "Maybe tomorrow!" I said. "Okay, that sounds good!" he replied. Very content with my answer.

38/365

My kidney table makes me happy!

How to Dance in the Rain...

This is a wonderful story that I read every once in awhile...

It was a busy morning, about 8:30, when an elderly gentleman in his 80's, arrived at the clinic where I work as a RN. He to have stitches removed from his thumb. He said he was in a hurry as he had an appointment at 9:00 am.

I took his vital signs and had him take a seat, knowing it would be over an hour before someone would to able to see him.

I saw him looking at his watch and decided, since I was not busy with another patient, I would evaluate his wound.

On exam, it was well healed, so I talked to one of the doctors, got the needed supplies to remove his sutures and redress his wound.

While taking care of his wound, I asked him if he had another doctor's appointment this morning, as he was in such a hurry. The gentleman told me no, that he needed to go to the nursing home to eat breakfast with his wife.

I asked about her health. He told me that she had been there for a while and that she was a victim of Alzheimer's Disease. As we talked, I asked if she would be upset if he was a bit late. He replied that she no longer knew who he was, that she had not recognized him for five years now.

I was surprised, and asked him, 'And you still go every morning, even though she doesn't know who you are?'

He smiled as he patted my hand and said, 'She doesn't know me, but I still know who she is.'

I had to hold back tears as he left, I had goose bumps on my arm, and thought, 'That is the kind of love I want in my life.'

True love is neither physical, nor romantic. True love is an acceptance of all that is, has been, will be, and will not be.

The happiest people don't necessarily have the best of everything; they just make the best of everything they have.We all want to receive this kind of love, but somehow, I think, the better part is to be in a position to give this kind of love.

Bloggin Rut...

I am in a rut folks...those little turkeys aren't being very funny!!!

Overpaid teachers...

AREN'T YOU ALL SICK OF THOSE HIGHLY PAID TEACHERS??
Their hefty salaries are driving up taxes, and they only work nine or ten months a year!

It's time we put things in perspective and pay them for what they do... baby-sit!
We can get that for less than minimum wage. That is right. I would give them $3.00 dollars an hour and only the hours they worked, not any of that silly planning time.
That would be $19.50 a day (7:45 AM to 4:00 PM with 45 min. off for lunch).
Each parent should pay $19.50 a day for these teachers to baby-sit their children.
Now, how many do they teach in a day... maybe 30? So that's 19.5 X 30 = $585.00 a day. However, remember they only work 180 days a year! I am not going to pay them for any vacations.
Let's see . . .. that's $585 x 180 = $105,300 per year.(Hold on! My calculator must need batteries!)
What about those special teachers and the ones with master's degrees?
Well, we could pay them minimum wage just to be fair, round it off to $7.00 an hour.

That would be $7 times 6-1/2 hours times 30 children times 180 days =$245,700.00 per year.
Wait a minute, there is something wrong here!

(Average teacher salary $50,000/180 days = $277 per day/30 students =$9.23/6.5 hours = $1.42 per hour per student.) Very inexpensive babysitter, and they even educate your kids! Crazy!

Pictures of my three little bebés!

This is one baby...

Baby Jensen

This one will definitely look like me...I can tell.

The Gay babies...

Lost...Saturday Gatherings

I am at a loss for bloggin lately. I mean I have things, but I guess I am really too concerned with my readers. I mean I have 3 whole readers! I read blogs that are WONDERFULLY written. My favorite wonderfully written blog is Courtney K's from Utah. She is an absolutely amazing writer. She definitely writes for her audience. In my writing lessons at school, we dicuss writing for your audience. I will bet you 10 pop tarts if you asked one of my kids what that means they would have no clue...yes, I am THAT good. =)

So my "cure" for my problem is to read A LOT of blogs that are well written and then some that aren't so I can compare and then learn from those...seems like a good idea to me! You agree? If you don't, keep those comments to yourself!

Anyway, sometimes I have these things I want to write about, but I know they won't come out right...but I will keep trying until they do. Sometimes I even go back and reread them after a long time and change them. Today is a day that I can picture a TOTALLY inspiring blog entry, but it probably won't happen. Just pretend it is great okay? You could even comment on it too =)


So today was my first Saturday Gathering after Camp Erin 2008. SG's are a follow up to camp. All the campers from this year are invited every other month for a few hours on a Saturday. We do an opening circle (i will explain that later) and a memory/grief activity and then closing circle.
It is awkward because we haven't seen them in a few months. It is awkward because there are only 7 of us counselors there and the kids are used to 40 of us. So they have a small chance that their own counselor is even there. 20 kids were signed up today, but not everyone made it.

I am always excited to go because during the year I miss my camp friends a TON! I LOVE and adore everyone I work with there! They are wonderful, kind, gentle, HEART of GOLD people. Every stinkin one. We all make a great team together, because we bring a ton of different qualities and mix them all up.

At camp I took special interest from afar (I know that sounds stalkerish) in a girl in the teen girls cabin. I will call her Lucy, because she has a name that isn't very common and I would in no way want anyone to know who she is. The first day we meet the kids is a week before camp. It is a pizza party for everyone to meet each other before camp. Similar to a dog and pony show...if you will. The parents are checking us out the WHOLE TIME. Which in this case I understand. Their already very vulnerable children are going to go to a very intense camp for a weekend. I get it.

Lucy arrived at the pizza party with a hat on and a "I am too cool for this" look on her face. Not a lot of words. I noticed her this night, but thought NOTHING of her.

One week later at camp, I noticed her again. This time I notice she has a hat on again. It is like a guys' hat and it is a little crooked. Totally ghetto, but whatever. I notice her more this time because I realize she looks very similar to a good friend of mine.
The next day, the hat it still on. Very gangsta ( I am still young so I can use the no "r" in that word) like. I thought about her and her hat all day. I analyzed her and her hat all day. I noticed she wore the hat EVERYWHERE. She had the hat on for EVERYTHING.

I noticed that the teen girls are very standoffish with each other and everyone at camp for about the first day and a half. Some stay that way the whole time, but for the most party by Saturday afternoon they open up.

I mentioned something about the hat to my dear from Candice. Candice is a middle school counselor (read: candice is a god-send!) You couldn't pay me enough to work with that age group...they scare me. Their hormones scare me. Candice agreed that there was something strange with the hat.

Sunday morning at breakfast...4 hours prior to departure of Camp Erin 2008...

Lucy's hat is off!

Lucy has a smile on her face.

Lucy is chatting with her cabin mates.

MegPie is smiling.

Candice is smiling.

Candice and I looked at each other and knew what the other was thinking without saying a word.

At closing circle after the campers leave, the staff sits around and bawls together about the weekend. There wouldn't be nearly the bawling if we weren't so freakin tired. But it works for us. We share about the weekend. We share what we got out of it. Some of us cry that NEVER cry. I, on the other hand am not one of those people that don't cry. I CRY ALL THE FREAKIN TIME!

So in closing circle I like to be inspiring, appreciative, and gentle. Kind of like these blogs...
I mentioned how in the movie Big Daddy, starring Adam Sandler, that the little boy wears his "invisible" glasses so that no one can see him. He is suffering the loss of his parents I believe.
I compare Lucy's hat with the glasses. The hat was a comfort to her. She didn't have to open up or "show" anyone who she was. Sunday morning was like a new beginning for her. She didn't need the hat anymore. She felt free and ready to be herself. She really touched me that weekend and I didn't speak to her once.

After my turn in closing circle, Lucy's counselor told us that she said to her that morning, "man if camp was longer I actually would have done the activities." Sunday was the only day she participated for the most part.

Today Lucy showed up. We were very surprised. Today, Lucy had no hat.

I made a point to sit with Lucy at her table of collage making. We got to talking and sharing a few things. She is an AMAZINGLY strong girl.

Lucy's mother passed away and Lucy and her older sister had to be adopted by a friend. What a tough thing when you are in middle school. Lucy is now a Sophomore and seems to be doing well. It was totally her choice to come today. She amazes me. I hope she will come back.

37/365
Seeing my old camp friends makes me happy!

My date...

Tonight I have a date!
I am so excited. I love going on dates.
His name is Jim Halpert. I heart Jim!


36/365
The Office makes me happy!

Sweet Niblets!!!

So I don't have such an exciting post today.
I am still doing my baby baby baby dance so I don't have a lot of time to blog anyway!

I did forget to share a kiddo story from yesterday. All that baby talk made me forget about my sweet kiddos...blah!

I have a child in my class...we shall call her...DQ as in DRAMA QUEEN!!! On a regular basis, I think to myself in my head "save the drama for your mama" but she doesn't really have a good mom. Her Grammy raises her and her mom is a deadbeat down in Cali...probably stays at home and reads blogs all day but that's neither here nor there.

So DQ is just full of herself. She is spoiled rotten to the core. I mean you name the toy and she has it. Every morning meeting she is telling about something new she has gotten. I can only imagine what her room looks like. I know for a fact they live in a HUGE house and it is just her and her grandparents. She probably has her own apartment in the basement...anyway...again that's neither here nor there. She thinks she is a Cheetah Girl. She always calls herself royalty. She walks at a snails pace and when I try to hurry her up her reply is as follows, "Princess' can't walk too fast!" BARF!

DQ sobs usually 3 times a week. That's a good week. It's about this or that or this or that. One time I got a note from Grammy stating that DQ didn't sleep because she was upset that she wasn't sitting near any of her "friends" on the carpet after I assigned there seats...THAT WAS THE POINT! They can't keep their mouths shut so my answer is to move them! (You are thinking...wow, brilliant teacher! Don't forget I have my master's degree people!)

I find DQ curled up in a fetal position yesterday. Something horrific must have happened that I missed somehow (hate it when that happens). After ten minutes of probing I finally get out of her the problem.

"DQ, what is wrong?" I askfor the 100th time...at this point super annoyed!

"Well, Mr. Clean called Hannah Montana DUMB!" sob sob sob.

"Oh honey I am sure he didn't mean it!" (read: you have got to be freakin kidding me that I wasted more than 2 seconds on Hannah Montana!)

BTW, I heart Hannah Montana in a BIG way! My little babysitting charges got me hooked this summer! Again, here nor there.

So we have a small intervention in the hall with Mr. Clean...he apologized with a smirk on his face. DW hugged him. I love when my kids hug. That's what makes everything better!

Until Miley Cyrus gets called ugly!!! I'm still trying to figure out how she can be so tricky!
Face it...she's got the BEST OF BOTH WORLDS!

I am the favorite aunt =)

I have another cousin.

Her name is Mrs. Jensen.

She is Mrs. Gay's sister.

Mrs. Jensen is... PREGGERS TOO!!!

Now I have a baby baby baby dance!!!

Our family will welcome 3 little cupcakes into the family sometime in the springish! Mayish we are thinking!!! Yeah for babies to love on!!!

Picture above: Me and Mrs. Jensen...we aren't naked...just strapless dresses!!!!

Baby Baby Dance!!!!

Remember how my cousin Mrs. Gay is preggers? Well...then, I was doing my BABY dance...now I am doing my BABY BABY dance!!!!! She is having TWINIES!!!! Baby dance baby dance!
Hopefully she will use a couple of my name ideas now!

I am loving these babies...and it isn't even me who has to labor them!!! wahoo!!!
I can love on them and then give them back!!!!

I did some photoshopping and found some "could be" pictures of them...









Love you Mr. and Mrs. Gay!!!

And all your little ones too!!!!