Big Bad Wolf

Another perk to my long weekend was spending a day at my parent's house, shopping and catching up with the family. Julie happened to be up with the boys and we all went to Zooloween at the Menomonee Zoo in Oshkosh. It was a lot of fun to see the boys decked out in their costumes as they walked around the zoo. Logan was the "big bad wolf" and Cooper was a little pig. The fact that the zoo had 3 wolves in their exhibit was especially exciting for Logan and he loved the homemade costume from Grandma Miller. I think the ears were a bit long for a wolf, but otherwise, the costume was a smash hit!

Cooper-what a sweetie-playing "hide and seek" with me

Two of my most favorite boys

The big, bad wolf and his little piggy friend

Logan poses with a camera at the zoo

Logan and I by the pond

Windy City

Ahh, a long weekend affords me time to do a little bit of everything. I was able to relax a bit, do some creative projects, see family, head to Chicago to meet friends, and be productive as well. On Friday, I met Mike and his new bride, Beth, in Chicago for the day. We enjoyed some classic Giordano's pizza, a little shopping, and a great boat ride up and down the Chicago River and into Lake Michigan as well. It was a beautiful day (weather-wise) and it was great to see some old friends again. Chicago is such a great city because the diversity of people and things to do/see make you feel alive and energized. I wouldn't, however, say that the parking is spectacular because paying $28 to park for 7 hours makes me want to pull my hair out. Here are some pictures from the day:

Old Friends: me, Mike and Beth

Chicago skyline

Amazing Architecture

On the boat tour

In the church square on Michigan Avenue

Why Teachers Love Teaching

There are a few main reasons teachers love teaching:
1) June
2) July
3) August
4) Any other day off school!

This isn't completely factual, but pretty close some days! I have actually been pretty blessed this year. I love having my repeat students (the same group that I taught 5 years ago in 1st grade or 4 years ago when I taught 2nd grade). The connection that is already built up between student and teacher is a great foundation. I can see why looping (where a teacher teaches 3rd grade one year, 4th the next and stays with the same students) is so popular. Plus, I have never had such an enthusiastic and hard-working group of students. They give 100% for the most part and that is qute refreshing after my last year of teaching.

With all that said, I still am looking forward to Thursday and Friday off this week. I am planning on sleeping in, getting a few things done at home, heading to Chicago to meet some friends, making my Christmas cards (so they are done and out of the way), and a few other piddly tasks.

Pumpkin Patch

Last Sunday, the whole family traveled to a pumpkin farm as an annual fall tradition, though it didn't feel like fall when we were walking around in 90 weather. Anyway, the pumpkin farm was fabulous and everyone had a great time. From the corn maze (actually challenging to get out of), the truly spooky haunted barn, the goats you could feed, the hay rides, the underground slide, the pumpkin patch, and the homemade carmel apples, there was something for everyone. The Recob family: Julie, Logan, Randy, and Cooper

Logan checking out the farm implements

Dad and the boys

Cooper blends right in with the pumpkins

The boys giving kisses

Logan in the "john"

The Recob-Munster Family

Dad, Mom, and I posing-yes, we are very dorky at times

"How silly," said Logan

Which way to go in this crazy corn maze?

Mike and Bethany's Wedding

Last weekend, I traveled to Crown Point, IN for Mike and Bethany's wedding. It was nice to see some old friends from Concordia and to see Mike married happily to Beth. Besides driving there and back in one day, it was a beautiful day (90 degrees). Congratulations Mike!

Jeff Everts, Nick Gottschalk?, Me, Chris Rene, Tina Rene, and Mike Goers

Mike, Beth and me

Mike and me

Jeff, Nick, Mike, me, Chris and Tina

An illegal Butt

Here's a story to top the charts:

I had my 8th grade Spanish class in our special technology room today to see a clip on the SMART board. The windows to this room face the side of the street where all of the high school smokers and/or druggies hang out during their open campus lunch. Two of the high school girls were hugging and kissing each other and my lovely 8th graders, who lack even a grain of self-control, started saying, "Ew, gross, nasty...." out the window. One of the high school students looks up at them, turns around and moons them.

I caught a glimpse of what was happening and sat my class down and promptly started the video. I left them to go and find this girl to talk to, since the classroom next to the room we were in is full of 6 year olds in first grade and they do not need to be seeing this girl's butt, nor do my 8th graders.

She and a friend had already walked back across the street to the High School and I summoned them over, which they surprisingly came. I asked her if she indeed mooned us, which she denied 2 times, until I told her that I saw it. She then confessed and said she was sorry and that it would never happen again. I reminded her that there were little children who could potentially see out the window, blah, blah, blah.... Since she was remorseful, I assumed the situation was done.

However, sitting about 20 yards from where I talked to this girl was a police officer in an unmarked car and as I walked back into the school, he asked me to come over to his car. After telling him what had happened, he asked if I wanted to press charges and I said, "No." He insisted that I do and told me that this girl, whom he recognized and knew had quite a few offenses against her, really need to be charged. I told him to do whatever he needed to do, but I had to get back to my class. He took my name and I left it as is.

About an hour later, my secretary came up to me, telling me that the officer charged the girl with disorderly conduct and ARRESTED her. I guess she was a bit defiant towards the officer as well. Yikes! I didn't know you could be arrested for mooning someone.

Never a dull day at FIL. If I am not grading papers, doling out band-aids, fixing jammed lockers, or helping clean up vomit, I'm just getting high school kids arrested.

Alias

Thanks to Jamie for this time-wasting and amusing activity!

1. your rock star name (first pet & first car). Max Cutlass Cierra
2. your gansta name (fav ice cream flavor, favorite cookie). Elephant Tracks Chocolate Chip
3. your “fly girl"? name (first initial of first name, first three letters of your last name). CMIL
4. your detective name (fav color, fav animal). Blue Monkey
5. your soap opera name (middle name, city where you were born) Marie Omro
6. your Star Wars name (first 3 letters of your last name, first 2 letters of your first). Milca
7. superhero name ("the" + 2nd fav color, fav drink). The Green Chai
8. nascar name (the first names of your grandfathers). Clinton Paul
9. witness protection name (mother’s & father’s middle names ). Marie Paul
10. tv weather anchor name (your 5th grade teacher’s last name, a major city that starts with the same letter). Peterson Philadelphia
11. spy name (your fav season/holiday, flower). Fall Cala Lilly
12. cartoon name (fav fruit, article of clothing you’re wearing right now + “ie" or “y"). Strawberry Skirty
13. hippy name (what you ate for breakfast, your fav tree). Waffle Redwood
14. your rockstar tour name ("the" + your fav hobby/craft, fav weather element + “tour"). The Stampin' Rain Tour.