Fall Favorites

I love fall. I love the crisp weather. I love the trees changing color. I love wearing sweaters. Last night, I unpacked all my fall/winter clothes and I don't think I've been that excited about switching my wardrobe in a long time! I was near giddy and Taylor patiently listened to me talk about all the new outfits I'd have to wear!

Things I don't like about fall: the weather makes my students crazy. I always know when it's going to rain or snow because the decibel level in my room goes way up! Another thing i strongly dislike is Halloween approaching and trying to wrangle them to actually sit still and focus. There has been more tears this week than I can handle, and when one shut himself in his locker yesterday, I just about quit. Today I am teaching my own class, but watching over a 3rd grader that has in-school suspension. Got to love fall!

To celebrate Fall, Tay and I carved pumpkins, drove around aimlessly trying to find a pumpkin patch, made lots of chili and grilled cheese and tomato soup, cuddled on our couch in our freezing apartment, and tonight we might just hit up the circus (not really fall, well with all the freaks it might as well be halloween under a tent!). Tomorrow we are celebrating Halloween by going to a a college soccer double header, where Taylor is the administrator in charge. That means I get to sit in the press box and read, grade papers and hang out. I'm just thankful I made it through another week.

I am savoring fall because I know all too soon the leaves will die and fall off the trees, the ice storms will come, and I'll be hating winter. At least it will mean one more season before summer!

Quick Catch-Up

Lots has been going on around our house lately, but with no internet, I have had to wait to catch you all up. People have called just to make sure we haven't fallen off the face of the earth, and to them thank you! We haven't fallen off the face of the Earth, just been insanely busy. Seriously.

Last Sunday Taylor got called to be the First Counselor in the Elder's Quorum. He is doing a great job so far. Unfortunately, his meetings start at 9:00 a.m. and mine, for Primary, start at 10:00, so we don't really see each other until after church.

Last Tuesday was Tay's birthday. The big 2-7! We celebrated all weekend by going out to dinner, treating ourselves to a movie and popcorn, and being together. On his actual birthday, I had to work and he had school (ugh. Midterms), so when he got home (two hours early!!!) I had the house all decorated, his presents all laid out, and dinner in the oven. I even attempted to make an ice cream pie, but because he was 2 hours early, it didn't really have enough time to set. It was yummy anyways. Now that he is 27, Taylor says he's an "old-man" and has been going to bed before me! Who would have thought I'd ever see that day!

Today, after work, I am headed up to Topeka with a few other teachers to attend a conference. It will be our first night apart! It seems wierd to think that I slept by myself for so many years, and now I don't know if I'm going to be able to do it. Taylor said last night he rolled over and got an elbow to the eye. I don't think he'll mind having the bed all to himself for one night! But I do know he'll miss me.

This week is also parent teacher conferences, which I am NOT looking forward to. Though it does signal that we are already 1/4 done with the school year, I am not excited about sitting down to talk with the parents of some of my "naughties". Taylor was reading my notes for conferenes, and just laughing. Yep, some days I wonder why I chose this. I guess I'm just a glutton for pain.

On a positive note...5 1/2 weeks before we go to California to see the McFarland Clan, and 9 1/2 weeks till we go to Boise to see the Peterson Posse. I'm so excited!!!!

An Indoor Tornado

I reached a new level in my teaching experience today. I had a tornado in my classroom. A child who had been expelled from another school was placed in my class on Wednesday. Today, as we were finishing our spelling test he became frustrated. I quickly took the rest of my class to P.E. and left the student with the nurse and another teacher in my room. When I came back it looked like a tornado had been through the room. Desks were overturned, computer monitors were on the floor, and he had a chair over his head, which he proceeded to throw at the computers. We had to call the police to get him escorted from the room. Let's just say, on Monday my class will have one less first grader.

I have never had that happen in my classroom. It was interesting trying to figure out how to talk to the rest of my six year olds about how their classmate made some bad choices. They were very sad because they had tried to help him. One kid said, "I tried to help him, but he just said no." I of course cried. Anytime I get a surge of adrenaline, I cry and shake. I was shaking like never before. But now we are watching a movie. We all need a little break. Plus I called Taylor and told him tonight I just need to relax.