Happy Halloween

For the first time in years, I actually dressed up for Halloween.  I think this is my life now.  Elementary teachers are all in for Halloween it seems.

We assembled in the library before school started for pictures.  The administration and office staff dressed as Scooby Doo characters.  That guy in the center, behind Scooby, is Riley, the beloved by students head custodian.  He was Shaggy.  He normally looks EXACTLY like the man in the center in the back row.  Mr. Bawden, a clean cut 5th grade teacher, dressed as Riley and it killed us.  He seriously looked so much like Riley!

Here's my 3rd grade team.  Kate is the adorable Hermione and Janelle is Bo Peep.  They are awesome and I'm lucky to be with them.  I was Professor McGonagall and tried the stupefy curse on my class a few times but they all remained very active.

I rented this amazing and HEAVY cape from the Hale Theater. (I know a few people there....)

What a day!  I tried to keep 24 very hyped up children not only in their seats but also doing a little schoolwork.

I had a parent come and help with the party.  I also asked Natalie, who is studying elementary education at BYU, to come and help.

Look at her cute smile!  She was a complete natural.  The kids were trying to figure out my relationship to her--my daughter-in-law's sister didn't clear it up for them.  I put my arm around her and said, "She's like my daughter-in-law," and they were satisfied.  I don't know if they know what a daughter-in-law is but they seemed to understand that me laying claim to her meant she was pretty important to me.

One of my students asked me what candy I was passing out.  Ha!  I am just passing out.  No candy involved.

Octobruary

Yesterday Braeden texted that the temperature in Provo was colder than in Iceland.

It's been cold!

If the temperature is below 20 degrees we have inside recess and yesterday it was inside all day.  It's not ideal because little people need a chance to run and yell and move their bodies, but it isn't terrible. A few of them play Battleship and Jenga, some of them get on ChromeBooks and play math games and yesterday a group of girls was playing UNO and started giggling so much I thought one of them was going to hyperventilate.

It's like a big party.

This morning I may or may not have talked back to my phone when my alarm went off.

But is it a good morning?

I have a warm coat and a warm classroom and a heated steering wheel.  I know I have a lot to be grateful for in the face of this weather!

Theatrics

Last night we went to the debut of The Mystery of Edwin Drood, which is the show Mark has been a part of this year.  The actual opening night is next week but this was a preview they were recording to send to a competition in Texas.

It was a lot of fun.

They are hugely talented kids and the costumes and sets always impress.  I love being a drama mama.  I was tired (since I'm basically a toddler) and although it was freezing cold outside, the theater was way overheated.  Next week I'm wearing a t-shirt.

Still, I loved watching Mark and his friends on stage.  They were having a great time.  I know how hard they've worked and it is nice to see them getting cheers and standing ovations.

So much positivity makes the world a better place.

After the show, Braeden waved his long arm above the crowd to let Mark know where we were.  Because Mark has been working crowds since he was a toddler, we had to wait while he stopped and hugged and greeted people before I finally got my drama mama hug.

I love these three (and the missing sister--sniff):

Mark and Anna performed their "traditional pose" for the camera:

Anna is a terrific bonus sister!

(Adam was there too--he took the pictures.)

Weekend things

I worked long hours all week and it was also a hard week and I was dead tired Friday night.  Mark had had a hard week health wise and Adam had born the brunt of the diabetes problems night shift so he was dead tired Friday night.

Mark was fine and wanted to hang out with his friends.

The resilience of youth is real.

I felt rejuvenated after a good nine hours of sleep and ready to tackle the Saturday chores.  Also, I had found a screaming deal on a rug for our family room that is more in line with how we want it to look eventually. (It sort of clashes right now but I don't mind.  That's how good the deal was.)  Since I'd ordered the rug online it had been folded.  Mark and Adam and I unfolded and unrolled it and there were still some creases in it.

I lay on the floor and rolled around on the creases until I got dizzy.  Mark said, "A modern solution for a modern problem."  Then he too, rolled around on the rug.

I don't want to brag, but there are no more creases on the rug.

I posted a picture of the old rug on our neighborhood Facebook page.  Later when we were running errands, a neighbor called to see if the rug was still available.  I said it was but we weren't home.  Adam said, "Our side garage door is unlocked."  (We are trying to do better about locking our house but Adam had just mowed the lawn and it was unlocked.)

I told the woman our door was unlocked and to go on in and get it.

When I hung up the phone I tried to remember the cleanliness of the house.  I have my vanity and pride to think of after all.

But the rug has gone to a new home so I'm happy.  It's going to a couple who is getting married in 3 weeks.

I FaceTimed with Emma which was lovely.  I asked her how she made her eyebrows look so good and she retrieved her makeup and showed me.  I know I couldn't duplicate it but I was impressed.  I was glad to see her face and hear her laugh.  I miss my girl.  She is happy and looking forward to her next semester at BYU which she is orchestrating from afar.  Yesterday her friend Fiona was texting her pictures of a possible apartment for them in Provo and Emma was texting them to me.  Fiona lives just down the hill from us so the pictures didn't have to go to Paris before coming here but maybe they enjoyed the journey.

Adam and I talked to Braeden on speaker phone in the Trader Joe's parking lot.  We watched people break into their favorite Trader Joe's snacks for the drive home after leaving the store.  It was relatable.  (Although we didn't get treats this time, we did get ginger scented hand cream which is maybe my everything right now.)

Braeden is happy too and having happy children is a blessing.  We talked about all sorts of things and then the conversation started heading down a politics/supreme court path and I said, "We've got to go do our shopping."

Because 1) we did and 2) those conversations are hard to follow and 3) they have a way of going on and on.

A Saturday wouldn't be complete without a stop at the school to do a few things.  When Adam and I were walking into the school, I saw some 4th grade boys outside who had come to the playground.  One of them said, "Hi Mrs. Davis!" and I chided the other one for being barefoot and he gave me his best mischievous grin and said, "I never wear shoes."

Just the brief interaction with them lifted my soul a little.  I get tired through a week of teaching but I dearly love it.  I love schools and school children and all of it.

I had grand plans Sunday for a walk in the mountains to see the lovely fall foliage.

Sunday morning we woke up to snow.  I chatted with Emma (who updated her blog) and sent her a picture of the snow and the new rug, messy pillows and blankets and all.

We have a style of decorating and it's called lived in.

We want to get the chairs reupholstered in a different fabric.  They are worn.  The ottoman is so worn I leave that rug on it that matches exactly nothing.

Much like everything and everyone around here, it is a work in progress.

Our college kids came for dinner last night.  We had taco soup and warm gingerbread with lemon curd.

I feel ready for a new week.

Alliteration

Isn't it delightful?  I love me some alliteration.  My favorite alliteration memory (don't we all have one?) is when I was driving along with my young children and we were listening to the They Might Be Giants Alphabets of Nations album.  The song "Pictures of Pandas Painting" was on and I said to Braeden, "This is alliteration."

There was a long pause and he said, "Do you mean all the trash on the side of the road?"

Sometimes I miss driving around with young children because they are a delight (except when they need a nap or are tired of the car).

Braeden was always curious and always trying to make sense of the world.  We were at Ikea the other day and I saw a dad and his young son and the little boy was asking lots of questions and I told Adam, "That's Braeden at that age."

Just feeling sentimental about my now huge and grown son who used to pepper me with questions on the daily.

I digress from alliteration though....

Last night Marie Louise and I were working on family history for "our" family which is really just her family but I'm patiently waiting for us to find a shared ancestor.

One of her ancestors married William Wellman from Wallingford.  Perhaps we'd been sitting at the computer for too long but it cracked us up.  Picture Marie Louise with her British/Australian accent saying, "I can just imagine at the wedding, the minister saying, 'Well, well, well, William Wellman from Wallingford who wants to wed.'"

Then we found his son.  "Guess what his name is?" I asked.

"William?"

"Yes."

"Born in Wallingford?"

"Of course."

"Well, well, well, another William Wellman from Wallingford."

In a world full of sorrow and strife, there's alliteration.   It feels like a sort of compensation.

Living in Utah

We've lived here over five years. In some ways, the time has flown.  In some ways, it feels like a lifetime.  Adam and I were talking about our time in our beloved little house in Everett.  "Those were formative years," he said.

And they were.  Our family became US in a lot of ways.

I don't know how to classify the five most recent years.  Less formative and more destructive?  As in lots and lots of changes.  Destructive isn't right though.  Because it hasn't all been negative.  It's been hard.  Trials before felt like they were elementary school and high school trials with a safety net around.  This has felt more grown up and like the ground beneath us is reshaping.

Much like grown up life though, it's made us stronger.  It's made Adam and me more united.  It has made us appreciate some things more and let go of things that didn't matter that much after all.  All the changes and seismic shifts have led us to some wonderful things, like Anna.  We love her and she only adds value around here.  Also, my job, which has rocked my little world is also one of the happiest things in my life.  Watching our kids grow and leave home is at once heartbreaking and joyful and breathtaking in good ways.

None of this stage of life has to do with moving to Utah, but it feels that way.

That's what happens when you move days before your oldest child's senior year of high school.

There are lots of things, unrelated to our dizzying time of life, that I love about Utah.  Here's a list (because who doesn't love lists!):

1- the mountains

2- seasons

Utah doesn't mess around with seasons.  They are varied and beautiful.  It is HOT and it is COLD and it isn't humid which I love (besides my dry skin).

3- fry sauce

4- blue skies and sunshine

Reliable.

5- super close church buildings and temples

6- close to BYU and my college kids

7- At my professional development meeting today, a group of teachers were sitting around during our lunch break.  We talked about a conference talk that meant a lot, answered prayers and personal revelation.

Utah isn't like other places.

And I am glad I'm here.

Maybe between the two of us we'll fill the imaginary blog quota

Miss Emma posted on her blog.  She is everything even though she low key lectures me about not loving Versailles (the horrible excess!).

Here's the link if you are one of her grandmothers or aunts and want to check in.

Also, if anyone can explain to me how enough time has passed that this little Disney loving girl is living on her own in Paris, I would love the help.

yes, that's Mark in the background and yes, this picture kills me a little

All the things

1- It's that time of year when the air is dry and my hands get drier.  I have three bandaids on my fingers currently because my thin dry skin starts bleeding if I look at it cross-eyed.  I think a great invention would be gloves made of bandaids.  I would start wearing them in October and wear them until spring.

2- Yesterday when Adam and I were walking into the school, a kindergarten teacher was there working during fall break too.  She said, "I'm sorry you are here too and we are workaholics.

I asked Adam later, "Am I a workaholic?"

Because that seems like a negative thing to be.

Adam gently pointed out an earlier conversation we had where I was trying to figure out how to fit everything in.  Adam had said, "That could sum up your life, 'I'm trying to figure out how to fit everything in.'"

He said that for me, the amount of time is irrelevant.  What matters is "fitting everything in."  The list is king.

So does that make me a workaholic or a totally rational person?

Don't answer.

3- Mark and I got flu shots and I feel like a responsible grown up.

4- We talked to Emma earlier and she had spent the day at Disneyland Paris and our day was more of a clean the church, do yard work, get new tires, emissions testing on the van, laundry, ironing and other errands sort of day.

I could be wrong, but it feels like Emma is having more fun than we are.

5- My mom told me that I need to have a minimum number of blog posts every week.  I don't know what that minimum is, but I'm guessing they should at least be interesting blog posts.

Unlike this one.

Fall Break

It's Fall Break, so...

My students busted out of school yesterday like it was a jail break but a few of them hugged me or gave backwards glances and yelled "Good-bye Teacher!" over their shoulders.

A student who has only been learning English for a year and is super smart pinned me down to have me repeat exactly which days were fall break.  Then she wanted to know what fall break was.  "What does this mean, break?"  (When you think about it, fall break sounds a little dangerous.  We're all going to fall and break things?)

Adam and I went to the Hale Theater last night.  Me past my bedtime in the middle of the week like some kind of rebel.  We enjoyed the show (Thoroughly Modern Millie) but I was super tired by the end.

Mark has set building parties so that means he'll be at his school for 8 hours today.  I am going to my school for the same duration.  I am sort of excited to tackle some deeper organizational projects.  There are things I would have done last summer, if I'd, you know, known I was going to be teaching 3rd grade.

Tomorrow Adam is going to take the day off work and I'm looking forward to spending the day with him.  And we'll go to my school a little too.  He bought me an Apple TV and is going to hook it up in my classroom.  I have a white piece of paper taped to the wall to project things on but a white board has apparently been ordered.  I think it is coming by Pony Express.

Yesterday another teacher told me she was going to Denver for the break.  I said, "I'll be here."

I like here though.

Things making me happy (a list)

1-Mark and I both had a hard day and we decided if Adam had a good day.  He needed to cheer us up.  Adam said, "I had a pretty good day."  So he was on the hook and he delivered.

2- I talked to Marianne while I tidied the house and put away the laundry I didn't finish Saturday.  I always feel lifted when I talk to my sisters.  Everything is RELATABLE.

3- I love having Braeden and Anna and Desi over on Sunday even when Braeden and Desi tease me because they know me too well/Desi says I'm so much like her mom that she can insert a tone in my texts.

(The tone was absolutely there but those two weren't supposed to recognize it.  Marianne said we should feel complimented when people think we're alike.)

4- I love hearing from Emma in the little bits and snatches that I hear from her.  She seems happy.  She's doing amazing things.  She sent me a picture and told me I could pick which print I wanted from her trip to the Musee d'Orsay.

I picked the Renoir landscape in the top left corner because I've never seen it before.  Also, she told me I can have the Degas magnet on the right.

Having a daughter who buys you art + goes to all the museums is not a bad gig.

5- Almost every night Mark climbs into bed between us and we snuggle and watch Corner Gas.  Then we have to persuade Mark to leave and Mark insists he's going to sleep there all night.  I know because kids insist on growing up and leaving that these are the days with Mark I'll remember and cherish. If he weren't so big I may even break down and let him stay all night.  I'm not going to let myself get too sentimental though.  He's big.

No such thing as a simple discussion

Since my students have been learning about cultures and monuments and landmarks, I decided to read them some stories about American historical figures they may not have heard of and have them decide why that person deserves a monument.

We read about Father Junipero Serra, a priest who helped settle the first mission in San Diego. I (naturally) slaughtered the pronunciation of his name.  I asked my Spanish speaking students to help me.  Apparently if you're from Peru or Guatemala or Mexico, you pronounce that name a tiny bit differently.

We agreed to disagree and moved on.

Yesterday we read about Abigail Adams.  I gave them some background on the Revolutionary War.  One student raised his hand to add his knowledge. "They wanted us to drink tea all the time and we just wanted to drink soda."

Another student wondered, "Why do we have to pay taxes when some other countries, like Wendover, don't?"

Sometimes I don't know how to respond.

I really don't.

I chose one path.  "We pay taxes for important things.  Your parents pay taxes for our school.  They pay taxes for the library and the roads and to clear the snow off the roads."

That finally seemed worth it.

When I was reading the story, it mentioned Patriots.  "Hey, wait a minute," a student said. "There's a football team named that.  Are they named after the football team?"

So we talked about that (no, I didn't delve into deflate-gate).  We talked about how they are in Boston and that is where the war started and where a lot of the Patriots were.   The football team is named after them.

At last we finished the story about Abigail's courage in the face of impending war.  She took care of her farm and son and wrote encouraging words to John Adams who was away in Philadelphia for the Continental Congress.  In the story, she climbed a hill and saw the smoke and heard the cannons from the Battle of Bunker Hill.

One of my students came up to me after the story, when I had instructed them to return to their desks and write about why Abigail deserved a monument.  Her eyes were filled with tears and then she started sobbing.

"What's wrong?!?" I asked.

Through her tears, she asked, "Was that town destroyed?"

It took me a minute to even figure out what she meant.

"You mean Boston?  Oh no, it's a big city now.  They had a war but then it ended and now it's a big city."

I pulled out my iPad and started showing her pictures of modern day Boston.  "See?  It's fine.  Isn't that pretty?"

She nodded and dried her tears.

Don't think you can just read a brief story about Abigail Adams to third graders without some serious analysis.

Being a mother

Well, here's a newsflash no one really needs:  being a mother changes who you are.

Last night we had parent teacher conferences at my school.  We'll have more tomorrow night.  The school was sort of abuzz all day with teachers preparing in any gaps of time they had.  I felt the same push to make my classroom look tidy (which isn't easy because I have 24 kids in there all day) and have all the information readily available and organized.

A difference I felt between me and the young and single teachers is that I didn't feel nervous.  Walking by some of the dressed up/ bright lipsticked/ high heeled for the occasion teachers, I felt their anxiety emanating off them.

I felt fine.  For one thing, I'm either a lot older or somewhat older than all the parents.  For another thing, I'm a mother.

I know what it feels like to sit on the other side of parent teacher conferences.

Also, my three prepared me for this.  Your child has a hard time sitting still?  (I had a child like that.)  Your child is a perfectionist? (I had a child like that.)  Your child is a good artist but has atrocious handwriting? (I was that child.)  Your child is chatty and busy trying to make everyone laugh?  (I had a child like that.)  Your child can't spell or write well but has great ideas? (I had a child like that.)

What motherhood didn't prepare me for, was the astonishing experience of having one of my best and brightest who speaks perfect English come in with his mother who needed a translator.  I was blown away by how amazing this child is to straddle both languages so seamlessly.  He translated for his mother until a translator arrived.  Also, it was clear to me why he does so well in school.  His mom quizzed me hard (via the translator) about where he needs to improve and what she can do at home to work with him.

It was eye opening to meet a lot of the parents and painted a little better picture of each child's experience.

After it all I felt slightly intimidated by the daunting task of helping these little ones.  Their parents entrust me with them.  I have so much to learn and so many ways to improve.  I will keep trying.

My favorite part was telling the parents my honest praise about their children and seeing their faces light up.

I wanted them to know I see their kids.  They are more than their reading level and math scores.  I'm a mother; I know that matters.

Miracles

My heart is full (to the point of praying through my tears when Adam asked me to say our family prayer this evening) after two days of General Conference.

I loved it!

It felt like a weekend of miracles.  For one thing, it was the first time since school started that I didn't go to my classroom on Saturday.

And I think we'll all survive.

(Also I stayed pretty late Friday so that helped.)

Saturday are a marathon laundry day and I finished in record time--Adam and I folded the last load during the opening talks Saturday afternoon.

Anna came and watched the Women's Broadcast with me which was wonderful.  We kept looking over at each other in excitement.  When the new temples were announced, we looked at each other and said, "Liberty!" because that girl is in Bentonville, Arkansas.

Adam and Braeden made us dinner.  They brought it down to us in the basement on a tray with a vase of fresh flowers.

We sat at the table, facing the TV and Anna said, "I have never had a date with my mother-in-law."

The biggest miracles of General Conference came in the big and little ways I felt like my questions and concerns and needs were addressed.  Men and women who haven't met me spoke to my heart and soul and told me what I needed to hear.

Amazingly, they told other people what they needed to hear too.

I feel uplifted and buoyed and like I want to try harder to be better.  I feel loved and encouraged and hopeful and excited about the future.

(And I'm going to take my vitamins because there is a lot to keep up with following these leaders!)

Grateful Friday

After wearing jeans my entire life, I'm grateful for Fridays when I get to wear them to school.  It feels more like me.

I am making a little progress in dressing like a grown up girl.  Last year when I would get home, changing into jeans was my first step.  Now I pretty much wear my work clothes until bedtime.  Maybe because changing would take too much energy....

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I am grateful it is General Conference this weekend.  How I love it!  I am looking forward to hearing from our dear leaders and being uplifted.

I was feeling a little anxious about the weekend because I am looking forward to watching 6 hours of meetings on Saturday and usually my Saturdays are packed full.  How would that work?

I'm grateful Adam suggested we make a list (he knows what soothes my soul--lists!) and decide when we'll do what.

I think it will work.

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I'm grateful Geri and Megan and Whitney are visiting Paris (kinda wish I were too!).  I love living vicariously through their pictures.

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I love that my students are concerned about me.

I sometimes wear glasses and sometimes wear contacts (depending on if my eye is flaring up).  Yesterday, late in the day, one of them, in a worried tone asked, "Are you wearing contacts?"

I said yes.

He said, "Oh good.  So you can see."

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I am grateful for the random skill I have of writing backwards.  It is apparently easier for lefties like me.  Yesterday was backwards day at school for Red Ribbon Week.  (Mostly it was "Teacher, my tag is itching my neck" and kids trying to wear their hoods over their faces day.)  I wrote backwards on the dry erase board and it delighted them.  It's nice to have an easy crowd to please.

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I am grateful that I know my principal.  My default is to not want to make waves (Adam said I should approach the district tech guy like I would if I were advocating for one of my children--you can't just summon Mama Bear though).

There are things that frustrate me.  For example, I haven't had a microphone since school started.  I've told everyone, including but not limited to the guy from the district who came to make sure it was working.  I've received emails encouraging me to use my microphone and outlining all the benefits.  I've replied that I. Don't. Have. One.

(When there wasn't going to be a third grade in the classroom, the room was pilfered.)

The other day, my principal walked by while I was having a prep.  He poked his head in and asked how I was.

Because I know him, he's my neighbor and used to be my bishop and I've cried in his office on more than one occasion (bishop's office--YW president related--I don't want to talk about it),  I felt comfortable outlining all my little frustrations.

He said, "Write that all down."

I did.

Within minutes, the tech guy was in my room to talk to me about a student's computer issues, I had new coatracks installed by the custodian and my principal returned with a microphone for me.  I said, "I've told anyone who would listen that I needed a microphone."

He said, "Just come and talk to me."

And you know what?  I will.

Making me smile

On Monday I got home from work and Adam and Mark were loading bikes onto the bike rack.  Adam recently bought me a pretty new bike.

We went for a little bike ride in the sunny cool evening and it was sublime.

We haven't had time to go again all week, but hope springs eternal.

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Mark stayed after school the other day to help clear out the stage and auditorium because there was going to be a school assembly.

Me:  They have those in the auditorium?

Mark:  Yep

Me:  But the students don't all fit in there.

Mark:  Not even half of the students fit in there.

Me:  Well who goes to them?

Mark:  People who don't have cars.

Me:  What are the assemblies like?

Mark:  I don't know.  I have a car.

Me:  During Homecoming week, they had a pep rally and they had it in Valhalla because they thought more students would go to that.  (Valhalla is the big gym.)

I don't know.  It kind of cracked me up.  Our tax dollars at work.  They have assemblies and they know full well that most of the students will leave.  They have a facility that will hold all the students (the gym) but they don't use it.

Maybe if your assemblies are so pathetic that you know everyone is going to leave, don't have assemblies?  Keep them in class?

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Yesterday my students were researching monuments and landmarks for a social studies project.  They are all in and super excited!  One girl, from Peru, wanted to research Maccu Picchu because she's been there.  One girl, whose mother is Guatemalan, wanted to research a Mayan temple in Guatemala because she's been there.  Pretty awesome.  And they correct my pronunciation in very gentle ways which I appreciate.

Two girls wanted to research the Eiffel Tower.  They excitedly told me and one said, "I want to go to Paris someday.  It is my dream."

I told them about another little girl who had the same dream at the same age.  She worked two jobs and saved all her money and she is there right now.

The girl said, "Your daughter earned all the money?"

Yes, she did.

Coincidentally, the same little girl who is in France sent me a photo of her ID this morning because she was so happy to finally get it. It will give her steep discounts in the cafeteria.  (It took a lot of talking to different people to get it accomplished because her supervisor seems kind of checked out.)

All kinds of proud of this girl.

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I got to do family history with Marie Louise last night.  It feels like an oasis in my life.

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My students were making comics in writing (practicing beginning, middle and end).  One student turned this in and it delighted me.

I vaguely remember her asking me one day what my first name was.  I love how she captured the banners in our room and I think she made my hair look better than it usually does.

And now to rest.

Tis the season

Yesterday when I walked into the kitchen for our daily breakfast and CNN 10, Mark asked, "Are you ready for Spooktober?"

Then he grinned because he knows that I like October just fine, but I don't like Halloween.

I changed the leaves on the tree on my classroom door to fall.  The next morning, they had literally fallen.

What can you do?  They're living up to their expected potential.

I didn't become an elementary teacher to not decorate for the seasons, so I gave a little nod to Halloween:

Mary Engelbreit helped soften the blow of the ugliest holiday.

My students were thrilled that it was a real pumpkin and amazed by how tiny it is and think it would be perfect for a baby to carve.

Which is why you don't usually put third graders in charge of babies.  "Here's a knife; have fun!"