I cannot...

...bring myself to grade spelling tests on this lovely Saturday!

Thankful

It's cold enough for me to start wishing for enough snow in Missouri to visit that probably-tiny hill for some skiing. The great thing about not being pregnant yet is that I have another winter with my skiis :)

On a completely different note, I have a family member in surgery next week for cancer. Cancer is horrible at any stage of life, and I feel really thankful that it has passed my immediate family by so far. We have had some scares, but I feel like it just as easily COULD have been us. It's an incredible blessing but it's also hard to imagine what those who do have it go through emotionally and physically. It's difficult to see someone close to you struggle.

We live in a world where bad things happen to really good people. I am blessed with faith to know that Heavenly Father loves us even as he gives us trials. I hope that someday I can understand the "Whys" of this earth.

I am thankful as we come upon Thanksgiving for prayers that I know are heard by Heavenly Father. Sometimes all we can do is remember that He is there, and rely on him to strengthen our faith when the questions and the trials get tough.

Still Alive

(at the KC Wizards game a few weeks ago with the delish and not too overpriced cotton candy!)

Nothing new here. In fact, it's same old work-finals-eat-sleep-etc. Life is good, we are good, the Christmas shopping is bueno :) I am feeling really content with life right now, and that feels good too. Honestly, we are happier than many people who have babies and couches and new cars and mortgages :) Not that those things aren't fabulous, but it's not our season and I'm cool with it. Like, really cool with it. Now, I just need to get over my online shopping addiction and I might be able to say I'm 100% content with what I have :)

Here's to days off for Thanksgiving and pumpkin cookies and Christmas music and chilly weather!

Snow Patrol

I've told Todd several times if they ever come to a city nearby, he is to buy tickets immediately! They are probably the only band I would say that about...ever.

I really love music and I like a lot of different music, but Snow Patrol is my staple. Currently, my favorite song from them is the version of "The Planets Bend Between Us" (what woman could resist a song named that?) from their "Up to Now" CD. My favorite CD of theirs is probably the Eyes Open CD, so if you want to give them a try, start there. They've become popular with "Just Say Yes" and "Chasing Cars" but they have a million other fabulous songs, and yep, I liked them before they were as well-known as they are today :)

What are your favorite songs or CD's? What are you currently listening to? I always love to know what people like!

Get ready for cuteness. No, seriously!

I love Skype. If there is one thing that has been invented that has been the best ever, Skype is it! I got to talk to Ari and Jess the other night, and he can perfectly pronounce my name. It was so adorable. I'm sure he felt like he could connect a name with a face finally!

Anyway, he is a giraffe for Halloween. I apologize for the blurry cell phone picture, but it's still cute, right?

Here's a few pictures that the Petersons sent us of McKenzie. Oh my goodness, so cute, right? I can't wait to dress my own kids up in ridiculously cute costumes, but these two definitely are working their stuff now!

Three Day Weekend!

My friend Adriane, at her wedding! The terrible photo quality is on my end!

I also work with Tricia!

"Art"

Waiting for the Washburn Homecoming Parade to begin!

Nothing like a three day weekend to make you NEVER EVER want to go back to work! This weekend was pretty awesome because Todd and I spent most of it together. I was really spoiled!

P/T Conference Highlights (but mostly lowlights)

P/T conferences are always an incredibly stressful time of year. They fall right after grade cards are due, and we have to teach the entire day and then come back from dropping the kids off and be ready for 4 hours of meeting with parents. The next day, conferences run from 8 to 8. It's pretty exhausting, and considering I decided to rearrange my classroom in between conferences, I wore myself clean out.

It's always interesting to meet with parents. Some of them assume I'm a therapist, which I assure them, I'm not. I had several parents say, "I don't know what to do with my child, do you know anyway to fix this?" If I had a magic wand...totally! But sometimes it's nice to know they share my frustrations as well.

I had one parent start crying because her kid started crying during the conferences. Totally awkward.

Another parent informed me that he let his child know often that he was "special needs." Uh, yeah, nice. This kid did NOT qualify for an IEP last year. He is NOT special needs, but he does struggle in reading, which he is getting help for. Geez.

I had a divorced set of parents come in. The dad, who came first, politely let me know what I could expect from the mom. Thankfully, mom wasn't as bad as dad portrayed. AWKWARD!

So yeah, nothing too crazy. I had a mother who decided to take her kid off ADHD medicine for the summer inform us she hadn't been giving him his medicine this entire school year as well. Well, that explains a lot! I don't think we should overmedicate, but I also think if it helped him ALL LAST SCHOOL YEAR then maybe we could get somewhere this year with it!

But, as busy as conference time is, we get this Friday off, which means I need to get off Blogger and actually do something with my day!

Pimple in my mouth

Gross image right?

At the end of the day, one of my students said, "Mrs. Thomason, I think I have a pimple in my mouth!"

I informed him that it was probably a canker sore, and a few minutes later, he proudly called to his brother, "Hey, I've got a CANKER SORE in my mouth!"

Yeah, I don't just teach math and reading over here, people!

LOST

6 episodes down.

Only 105 more to go!!!!!

I was so grateful for President Monson's reminder to us last weekend that we be grateful for what we have. I have so much but I tend to dwell on the "have nots." Today I even did that, when I came home and ached for the time when the only kids I have to worry about are my own. I saw a picture on a blog of one woman's entryway, full of backpacks and lunchbags, and kids shoes, and I longed for the days when my entryway is filled with little shoes and happy voices (my students aren't always happy to see me. My group last year was, but this year...so different!). But I'm grateful for my job and I hope that I can look back at this season as one of growth.

And let me just say, I am grateful for being able to come home and put on comfy clothes. LOVE IT!