February 6, 2008

February 6, 2008

Ok, seriously, I think this is one of the absolute worst winters we have ever experienced. I am beginning to doubt the existence of the sun! We had a giant snow storm slam yesterday and its still going!! We have a foot of snow already and its supposed to keep snowing until tonight. This is insane. 40 mile an hour winds have made it a disgusting blizzard! We are, of course, thrilled school was cancelled 2 days this week so far. However, that means school has now been pushed into June...not so good. Bob even came home early from work because they enacted the snow policy, which is rarely ever done. Guess we will spend some quality time here curled up by the fire. Or maybe I can attack the storage room??
Marisa had her Metro Orchestra concert on Saturday at the Paramount Theater. It was a wonderful concert!! We got to sit up in the balcony section and it was so cool. At one point, the high school students came out and started warming up for their performance. Alayna stopped coloring, looked up, and said, “Mom, that group is HORRIBLE”. I just died laughing. I guess when they all warm up (and tune) individually it doesn’t quite sound like a beautiful song.
Hooray for me!! I finished up my adolescent Psychology class and completed my online application (which took several hours). I got special permission to take the grammar class from UNI. My books arrive on Friday and I will push full time to complete the class ASAP. Then I don’t ever want to take another class again!
I would love to report about the New Beginnings, the Activity Days recognition night, scouts, and Tyler’s choir concert, but they have all been cancelled the past two weeks. Hopefully, I will have more to report when they are rescheduled (several of them have already been rescheduled several times!!)
Adventures in subbing a 4th grade class: So, I got to sub Tyler’s class last Friday. It was an interesting experience, if I can call it that. I see now why I am busting my tail to teach middle school! Anyway, at one point, some boys were arguing over how many kids can be at centers. When I asked what was going on, one of the boys started to cry. Really?? Is that worth crying over when there is another basket of tiles on the other side of the room?? The cherry on top was when I found a group of kids being extra quiet (for those of you who don’t know, that is never a good sign) I came over to their desks and found them making a “Kleenex apartment”. They had made their erasers into tiny little people, had cut out beds and lounge chairs for them, and had them all set around the pool (i.e. the hole in the kleenex box) I gave them points for creativity and promptly confiscated it!!
The most devastating thing that has happened to me was that my laptop died!!!! It is awful. I feel so lost without it since my ENTIRE life is on it!! They can’t even look at it until the end of this week. It figures it would break down now...our warranty just expired. Anyway, if you hear less from me, its because I have to fight the kids for time on the computer (no easy task)
Hope everyone is having a happy and WARM week. Think of us as you bask in the sun!

Tyler's Pinewood Derby Car "The Black Falcon"

Alayna bundled up for the cold

A quick day update

Apparently, it CAN get colder here. When I took Tyler and Alayna to school this morning, the van registered -16!! And that was NOT including the wind-chill factor. It was brutal! I dropped off the kids at school and then headed to Kohl’s (long story). On the way, some guy was tired of me going slow (Helloooo! It was -16 and the roads were solid ice!) He moved to the next lane to pass me but went too fast. I had to speed up to avoid getting hit. I watched him swerving and sliding over the road and crashed into the embankment. He was fine, but it scared me to death.
After Kohl’s, I went out to get into my car. I was FREEZING! I was shivering and trying to get my keys out. I clicked the key to open the doors and they wouldn’t open. I tried again, several times. I started to panic. I had to be to work in an hour and at this point I was in my red jogging suit, with my purple coat, no makeup on, and my face was about to freeze off. I tried with all my might to open the doors, but no luck. I pushed the button to open the back and then went back there and lifted the door handle so I hard that I swear I may have even lifted the car off the ground. I was about in tears (a bad idea as my face really would freeze off) and then I noticed that the license plate didn’t look familiar. I turned around and saw my car behind me, with all the doors open. What an idiot! I just pray that their surveillance cameras don’t work or I may find it on Funniest Home Videos some day.
Anyway, after a crazy morning, I went to work half day in the computer lab. Now that is an awesome sub job! I will do that any day. Unlike the connections class I had Wednesday, where I wondered if chucking kids out the window into sub-arctic temperatures would cost me my job.
Noteworthy news: Marisa didn’t win the Geography Bee which really disappointed her, but even I will admit the questions were very hard this year. I think she was fine since Henry didn’t win either. Kayla started basketball today. It is just intramural games with no practices, so this first game was a bit tough. However, Bob is taking her to the church on Saturday for some practice. Tyler had his pinewood derby tonight. He did such a great job! He changed the name of his car from “The jousting machine” to the “Black Falcon” (probably since it was decorated with lots of black duct tape). He came in 5th place and we were very proud. I will try to get pictures up this weekend. And I am happy to announce that the Iowa board of educationers approved my Social Studies endorsement (insert hallelujah chorus right here!) and are sending me a copy of my new license as we speak!! I am half way through this next college course and have gotten great feedback on my papers.
Anyway, just had to sum up the day while I could remember what happened (my memory seems to be selective these days). I should get to sleep. I wish they would have a delay for school tomorrow. Temperatures are to drop to -30 tonight. Way to cold. I shall wrap myself in my cashmina cocoon until the alarm shall sound to announce another new day. Have a great evening!

Kris

It couldn't possibly be colder...

January 20, 2008

I wouldn’t use the word “cold” to describe the temperature here this week. I wouldn’t use the word “frigid” either. Let’s see…what describes something so bitterly cold that your car doors freeze shut, your roads turn to ice, and when you breathe through your nose it turns into icicles?? The weatherman says that in these conditions it only takes 20 minutes for frostbite to set in. Oh, fun. Ok, so I can’t find a good word, but I will tell you that with the wind-chill factor it has been (-25) degrees. It’s brutal…yep that’s it…”brutal”.
Oh the busyness of it all. When does life stop speeding up and start slowing down to that really nice, slow, relaxing pace? Next week is even crazier.
Alayna hasn’t been up to anything new. She is doing some fun things at school and loves to be home playing on the computer. I should probably not encourage the whole computer thing, but hey, that keeps her from cutting her hair, dumping shampoo, sneaking all the cookies or any of the other assorted activities in which she likes to spend her time. I may not win mother of the year, but I shall keep my sanity!
Tyler had his last basketball game on Saturday and his team won. This weekend he and Bob spent making his pinewood derby car for the big showdown on Thursday. He spent a lot of time sanding it and painting it black. Then they found out it was way to light. Next thing I know, they are taping a screwdriver to the top to add on some weight. Tyler thinks its so cool and he calls it “The Jousting Machine”. So silly!
Kayla has started with a new math club after school. She starts intramural basketball at school this week. Marisa’s geography bee got pushed to this Tuesday instead. I will let you know how she does. She has also been very busy trying to practice before the Metro auditions. We register her for her high school courses next Monday. Crazy!
I have been studying like crazy. I am trying to complete these classes as fast as possible. I actually enjoy the class (early adolescent development). Found out LinnMar has a new application process with 30 pages all online. That should be fun. I read an article this week about the teacher shortage in Utah…its enough to make me cry.
Tomorrow we finally have a day off of school. We have dentist appointments in the morning, but then we are playing all afternoon. We will meet Bob for lunch at Pancheros, go shopping, and probably go see “Alvin and the Chipmunks”. Notice all activities are indoors... we wouldn’t want that frostbite to set in now would we?

Have a great week-
Kris, bob and kids

PS- A special thanks to everyone who read our website this week. We sent out New Years Cards and finally got people to look. We had a record 27 people peek in. Thanks for checking it out and feel free to say hi anytime.

Alayna with Ragedy Ann and Andy

Alayna's "Project"