Happy Autumn from Fuz!

Fuzzy LUUUUUUUVS corn!

This is the best and prettiest time of the year- the temperatures are dropping, leaves are changing color and so many happy holidays to look forward to and dress up the house for!

Happy Harvest!

It's A Frickin Elephant

It's A Frickin Elephant


From the diary of a Pre-School Teacher.



My five-year old students are learning to read.


Yesterday one of them pointed at a picture in a zoo book and said,


"Look at this! It's a frickin' elephant!"

I took a deep breath, then asked "What did you call it?"

"It's a frickin' elephant! It says so on the picture!"


And so it does...


" A f r i c a n Elephant "

Hooked on phonics! Isn't it wonderful?

The Philosophy of Chicken Little

As all Mondays usually go, last Monday was no exception. Trouble was already brewing between students over the weekend so Monday was spent putting out fires and preparing for a new week. On top of that, the PE teacher was sick which left me with no prep time and an afternoon of non-stop action from kids with pent-up energy.

My second job is working with students in the afterschool daycare program. Some days, coming here is not like a second job but rather a vacation away from my first job, and without the commute! When we finally got outside so the kids could run and play free, I sat down with a snack and relaxed for the first time that day.

This was when a kindergartner came up to me briefly, and before turning around to go back to playing, he said "Mrs. H., did you know today is a new day?" I said "No I did not know that." I had a chance to think after he was onto his next activity, and I thought surely this was somehow a message from God, as I believe the best little messengers of God's are children. But then I thought 'no, he probably just heard it from his teacher.'

Next time he came running by I asked him if he heard that from his kinder teacher and he looked at me like 'You have GOT to be kidding' and simply replied, "No. Its from Chicken LIIIIITTTTTTLLLLLLLE."

Of course. My 'philosophical message' from God turned out to be no more than a famous line of a cartoon chicken.

Sad Day for Fuzzy

One of his BFFs passed away today...well, she maybe wasn't his *best* friend, as they never got along the greatest, but she will be missed nonetheless. She left behind two other siblings who probably DON'T miss her that much. Lilah (the cat) was a stray that was taken in by our friends and former neighbors. She was our inspiration in getting a cat (Fuz). Within the past month, she developed a tumor that was the result of an immunization she had as a kitten and it grew to the size of a baseball which was seen on her underside. She was only 4 years old. Today they put her down. I consoled Fuz by hanging out on the bed with him and I tried to give him toys. He wasn't very interested. :-(

Yay! New Clothes!

My sister sent me a huge Costco-size diaper box filled with stylin' career clothes this week! It was such a nice and welcome surprise! Im sure the kids at school will appreciate the change as well! Ha ha...

However, I am convinced that this Ann Taylor is not a real woman...or at least has no curves because my real size is not the same fit in her styles! My thunderous thighs had a spell of trouble fitting into some slacks but other than that I have a whole new wardrobe!

As for the few "tighter" fitting clothing, I am revived and energized to get back on my fitness plan! I have been stagnant in the weightloss department once again in the past month due to unexpected company and the start-up of school, leaving me eating larger quantities of food and not exercising as much or at all. I guess I should be happy I did not gain anything back!

I also quit WW as of Thursday night to save $ so that is why I need to be especially diligent about working out and not eating as much, and now with these new clothes I am determined to lose more so I can look and feel great! Thanks Naomi!

Swine Flu Paranoia Getting Out of Hand

This is funny. As a teacher in a school, I can attest to all the people going crazy about this! Now apparently stuffed animals are running scared too...

Special Guest!

In school so far this year, we have been talking about ministry. My brother-in-law Mark just got back from a missions trip to China and he offered to come to our class and share about his trip. The kids were riveted and involved- I had never seen them that attentive! And they had plenty of questions and comments! Mark did a great job humoring them and teaching them about more than just missions. We discussed language, history, food, culture, etc. It makes me feel a little bad for not yet having the time to teach social studies :-) Thanks Mark for filling in as history teacher! We appreciated and enjoyed your company!

All the Single Babies

I don't endorse this website for its other unwholesome links, but this video of a baby dancing is hilarious:

http://www.collegehumor.com/video:1921700

New Grade, New Year...Looking Good!

I am really excited about this year. I didn't realize how badly I needed a change- I look at the first graders this year and how small they are and wonder how I did it for two years? I really think 3rd grade is going to be easier to plan for and manage. Also, since the kids are older now we are debating the merits of having a classroom pet. I think we decided to start off small with a hermit crab and see how it goes. However, on Friday, we had a duck visit us and she made quite a splash. Personally, I was not sorry to see her go as cute as she was! As for planning, with less work comes more time for resting! I cannot wait!

Speaking of rest, this weekend has been an A+ for that. With the boys cleared out of the house and a bed to myself, I have slept better the last two nights since I don't know when. I have had many adventures in my dreams, which I think has happened due to not being disturbed by flailing limbs of my husband or the sounds of video games in the living room, and I have been able to enjoy really deep sleep and wake in the morning feeling refreshed! (Im wondering if a king size bed should be added to the list???) Yesterday I also read nearly an entire book and watched "Slumdog Millionaire" which was a cute movie. Now I am waiting for Bryan to come back from the beach with Bobby (our old neighbor who lived out there for the summer) and their moving truck, and I will have to go help them unload somewhere in Portland.

The Voyeur in the Bushes

The best time of day for walking for me is at night. I especially enjoy not just the sound of the crickets and general quietness, but I also enjoy looking into other people's homes when their lights are on. It gives me a comforting feeling. I know it sounds creepy. But I promise I don't stare! Tonight I also had the priviledge of walking by the band and colorguard practicing at Century and it brought back so many good memories of high school- a far, far simpler time that I would go back to in a heartbeat (if I could keep my house, my husband, and my car....oh, oops, I still have my car...scratch that). Anyways I stopped and watched from behind a bush for a good, long time until I realized it might look kindof wierd so I kept moving.

When I came home Brandon and his friend were still here playing video games. They have been doing this for literally the last 48 hours (with a few sporadic naps in between- I still woke up to intermittant shouts and laughs throughout the night). Im not complaining- I enjoy having Brandon home. I just can't understand what the draw to video games is. And it has definately been different living with a bunch of boys- coming from a home of all girls. Its kindof nice but I don't appreciate the smell that is beginning to develop. At least Brandon hasn't taken off the air freshener I plugged into his room before he came home!

Snakes

A little family of 3 spotted. Right outside our backdoor. Never again will I set foot on that grass. Thanking God that summer is over and I don't need to water all those plants.

Labor Day Weekend

We spent Labor Day weekend at a wedding, at drunk/cosmic bowling, and mostly just waiting for Brandon to arrive home on leave from Iraq. Bryan and I had originally planned to go to Crater Lake/Diamond Lake and Wildlife Safari, but it all just worked out perfectly. I had not heard from Brandon for a few days so we were anxiously waiting for his e.t.a. This was a secret we had to keep for a couple of weeks from his family. He finally was on Facebook in Germany on Sunday (waiting for his flight) and told me he would be to Portland around 3 p.m. on Monday. We kinda sorta invited his parents over for dinner so they would not make other plans, but we still had to wait and see if Brandon would really arrive.

He did! So we quickly hid him in his bedroom once we saw his parents arrive around 6, and I cleverly used the old "So you want to see how I cleaned Brandon's room?" trick (though we all know it was posted here on this blog), so in she walked to find Brandon moments after saying "I miss my baby boy." It was a heart wrenching moment. So Brandon posted it on YouTube :-)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wxElF9aXmU

Since this familial gettogether, we have hardly seen the guy though he is living here. He keeps odd hours and has been out and about, catching up with other friends and eating all his favorite food and playing all his video games.

Bryan and I are both so exhausted from going back to work that it is making a long week for us! We are looking forward to the weekend when we can hopefully have more fun (and be more fun!).

1st Day of School

I stole this picture off of Facebook...sightings of myself with various kids have been popping up all morning after parents dropped thier kiddos off at school. I am way too tired to talk about it but I think its going to be a GREAT year. I am thrilled beyond words to have my old first graders again in 3rd, and word on the street is everybody is pretty happy to have me too, which makes my job easier :-).

Thank you, Dad, for teaching me how to take off on a hill with a manual transmission...by using the e-brake. This skill came in handy in Portland on Friday, while I was trying to juggle a coffee while squeezed between two other cars. The road was also slippery! But I did it! So thanks again! :-)

It Is Finished!

This is the official unveiling of Brandon's "New" Room:









When Brandon left for Iraq, he left a disaster in his wake. So I shut the door to his room until the day school ended and I needed a place to store my stuff for the summer. It was then I decided I had had enough with stepping over crap and pushing papers/clothes/random objects aside to get the door shut again.

I had asked him before he left if he would mind if I went through his stuff and organized a bit. Being a tad anal retentive, it bugs me to live in a house that is not 100% organized throughout, even if the disarray is not mine. So this summer I slowly began shopping, browsing garage sales, looking for things or ideas for organizing his room. I just can't imagine coming home from active duty to a room looking like it did. I thought it would take me all year to finish (he comes home next spring) but I got it done in just a few short nights, with a little bit of Bryan's help and only only one setback which involved Fuz and a beanbag.

I truly didn't get my butt in gear until it came time to move my teacher stuff out and back to school. Once I realized I only had two weeks left of summer, God instilled in me supernatural motivation to get stuff done once and for all. And truthfully I had a little fun with this project. Closet organization and storage materials secretly excite me (its my favorite aisle at Target). I also had a little fun with the label maker when it came time to sort Brandon's "undies" and "wife beater" tank tops.

While my list is long, I have been running ever since and I am tired! But now I can officially cross Brandon's room (and his car, thanks to Bryan) off my list! Even greater than my own satisfaction in my accomplishment is what I hope will one day be Brandon's joy and comfort in coming home to a clean room!