There's no denying it now!

What strange weather this month.  I guess that means Halloween is coming. 

It seems that every year, when someone mentions Halloween, I think of the great snowstorm on Halloween eve in 1991.  I was working as a busser at the Monte Club that night...the snow was falling...and falling....and falling.  We got let go a bit early on account of the weather, but it was really too late by that point.  Now those of you from Monti know, the Monte Club used to reside on the top of the HUGE hill.  That night (after struggling to get up the small hill that led out of the back parking lot of the restaurant), I descended the hill....about a quarter of the way down, my car turned sideways and slid the rest of the way down...snow going up over the roof the entire time.  I had zero control and this was before cell phones...I panicked.  Somehow, I made it to the main drag and began to drive through town...eventually I made it to a friends house and spent the night there (my Dad was NOT happy because that friend was a boy), but what a horrible night of weather that was.

So earlier this month...we're wearing shorts, playing at the park and riding bikes, etc.  This morning, I wake up to no electricity (thanks to the wind) and it was actually SNOWING at my house.  There's no denying it now...winter IS coming.  Hang on!

Overwhelmed.

Whenever I get a moment to myself, I find myself thinking about Mikaylah.  I just cannot believe how much she is changing...Kindergarten is nothing short of amazing.  She's learning so many things....things about words, writing, rules, library books, fire saftety, and practical things like that.  But - I'm so impressed by the relationships she's forming with her classmates and how she expresses herself with people. 

Take Lucy, for example.  Mikaylah and Lucy did not start out on the right foot.  Lucy said some mean things when they first met and they made Mikaylah really sad.  Then, out on the playground one day, Lucy was crying and couldn't find an adult that wasn't busy at that moment.  Mikaylah asked her what was wrong and Lucy said that her shoes came untied and she couldn't tie them.  Mikaylah offered too and then did tie them.  BEST BUDS ever since?  What a change of events.  After the mean things Lucy said, Mik could have left her to cry, but not MY girl!!!  Awesome job Mik!

Take Adam, for example.  This boy is mean to Mikaylah on a daily basis (incidentally, he doesn't target just her, but rather is mean to everyone).  Anyway...Mikaylah talked about it EVERYDAY for awhile and was seemingly quite bothered by him.  But, now when he's mean, she just says "Go away! I don't listen to mean things!" and he moves on.  I love that she's standing up for herself and that he doesn't get her down.  Way to go Mik!!

I love that Mik has grown up knowing the value of friends and being helpful and that she understand what negative words/actions can do to another.  I firmly believe that she learned this from being surrounded by great family and friends and a daycare that have all taught her to be such a caring and loving little girl.

Do you ever get that completely overwhelming feeling of pride and adoration for your child?  I do, and on more than one occasion since Kindergarten started, I am the one sneaking into HER room and stealing some snuggles during the night!  :-)  How backwards is that?!?!?

Teachers You'll Never Forget

My husband and I got to talking about teachers today at lunch...I asked him if there were any teachers that he had as a kid that he'd always remember...he recalled his kindergarten teacher (also his first crush) and another teacher that made learning about gravity really fun.  So I got to thinking about teachers...which ones would I always remember and why....???

1. Mr. Stupar for the punishment of copying dictionary page 101.
2. Mrs. Grott for being just plain cool! And teaching me to quilt.
3. Mr. Ukara...mostly because he was funny and I started a fire in that class.
4. Mr. Nelson...I mean his name was Willie Nelson so he had that going for him, but when he'd get mad, he'd write on the board really hard and specks of chalk would fly everywhere.
5. Mr. Stoick for tying flies to people's hair.
6. Mr. Drayna for being Military Mike and making me run all hour for belching.
7. Mr. Keating for obvious reasons.
8. Ms. Kimmes for that big long speech she would give right before tests...what was that speech? Something about not cheating in any way, shape or form.  Also...didn't we build the atom's in here??
9. Mr. Houselog because I was TERRIFIED of him and then I lost the Heidi book he borrowed us to read and I was so scared he'd be so mad...and then he wasn't.
10. Mr. Lanners because he reminded me of Sam Malone from Cheers.
11. Mr. Novak and Mrs. Stadnik because she poured Elmer's glue on his head.
12. Mrs. Jorgenson for just clapping random patterns to get people to pay attention.
13. Mr. Oleson because he was so cool and who remembers when Shmoo fell through the ceiling?
14. Mrs. Illstrup for...the plaid prints.
15. Mr. Lavelle because I thought he looked like Steven Tyler of Aerosmith.
16. Mr. Schneider because he loved the Eagles and he busted Ferg sleeping in class and that was funny.
17. Mr. Stewart because I got an A on the Hobbit even though I never read it - he was afraid of my father.
18. Mrs. Jepson...cool projects and I got to build a Ford's Theater model and write a report on Amelia Earhart and I actually enjoyed it.
19. Mr. Renner because ACK!!!  Did NOT like him.
20. Mr. Kanthak for taking us on that awesome trip to Rapid City which is a whole 'nother post in itself...

I could really go on and on...but for those of you that are teachers, just remember that sometimes its the little things that makes you memorable!!

Back on Track

Okay...I had a brief hiatus from blogging on account of my kiddo being a bit under the weather.  I'm back now - life is back on track!!!

Today was a great day.  We went to Sever's Corn Maze with our good friends - the Gordon Family.  Its so great to go places with kids, isn't it?  Kids make everything so much more fun!  Sever's Corn Maze is in fact mostly about the maze itself, but we went there for the other stuff.  Giant slide!  Hayride!  Petting zoo!  Hay Bale Maze! Kettle Corn! Jumparoo!  And, my personal favorite, the Corn Pool!!

If you haven't been there, its worth checking out.  And a day with friends is a day well spent!  Happy Fall!!