It was so packed in the gym, when the game was over the kids were dismissed and it was literally the scene from the lion king. I was standing to the side and I saw Louise in a crush of humanity. She was fine. One kid did fall and was curled up on the ground, he had to be saved. It was ridiculous. Also ridiculous before we went to the gym Destiny pushed Jakyveon to the ground and punched him and pulled his hair. I sent her to the 6th grade office with a referral. 10 minutes later she came waltzing back and said she still gets to go to this reward since she earned it. She doesn’t get to go to the next. I was livid. What kind of craziness is that? If a teacher sends a student for punishment but there is not punishment what do we do the next time?
We also have a school rule that the kids can’t have cell phones out during class. At our last staff meeting we were told that we weren’t supportive of the administration’s policy of no cell phone and weren’t enforcing it. We are supposed to call if the kids have a phone and the principal or AP will come get it and keep it until the end of the day. I took two phones away, called, and was told since it was a crazy day (with the scheduled reward) we couldn’t keep it until the end of the day and to give them back after class. 🤷♀️
This is following the previous staff meeting where we were told we were short on custodians and needed to clean our rooms at the end of the day…or have the kids do it.
It’s weird that we don’t have enough teachers. 🤦🏽♀️
School was busy. We are learning about the Berlin Wall in our ELA curriculum, which is so relevant today with what’s happening in the Ukraine. Not all the kids know about that but a good number do and we’ve had some good conversations.
For mutual tonight we had a spaghetti dinner with crazy utensils. The kids had a great time and there was a lot of loud chatting and laughing.
On the drive home I opened the sunroof to watch the fireworks. One of the perks of living by Disney, the nightly show.
This
I got to talk to Ethan a couple times yesterday. So fun! He has a new companion and they are zone leaders.
School was good today. We are reading about the Berlin Wall this week, sometimes we have interesting topics. The kids didn’t know anything about it, which is not surprising, but they were very interested…and they did know about the wall that’s been talked about for Mexico so they weren't completely without a point of reference.
I talked to Ez, who was grumpy. And yesterday I talked to Darcy while she did tummy time.
It’s been in the mid to high 80’s again so I guess winter is over.
Marg and I have talked on the phone a few times discussing the wedding. It’s fun that Spencer and Maddie are getting married in May, Val and I have been comparing wedding notes.
And this is just good advice:
It was a long day, teaching, staff meeting, preparing for the night, then the night. My bed felt very nice when I hoped in a few minutes ago.
Today we did lots of valentines activites in class, all ELA related. It was fun and one of the activities led to the kids really wanting to read books that I had displayed. I had a PowerPoint with 7 slides, 14 books. They had to read the summary and then choose which they would rather read and say why on a cute form I gave them. Although there were a lot a groans at the beginning even the boys found books they thought were okay sounding:)
Rob and I went out to dinner after work to celebrate the big day.
Grace and I cleaned her room. Also fun.
Yesterday we went to the Thacker’s for the Super Bowl.
Also yesterday our two hour block of meetings took me 5 hours to get through. It was busy busy. Not said with a complaint, just a comment.
Kim Dawson and her family spoke yesterday. She shared this verse:
For whatsoever things were awritten aforetime were bwritten for our clearning, that we through dpatience and comfort of the escriptures might have fhope.
Romans 15:4
I loved how it promises comfort, which everyone I know can use in their hectic lives, if we make the scriptures part of our lives.
I had a good flight home. I watched movies both there and back, RESPECT on the way there and Queen Bees on the way back. I liked both. In Utah we watched The Big Year which was also good. That’s a good movie week for me! Rob picked me up from the airport and then came home and smoked meat, we went to the Walkenhorst’s for dinner and had a nice time. Jon’s mom, Barbara lives with them now and she’s super cute, and I always like spending time with Jen.
Today I’m was back to work. I missed the kids and had a good day. Before I left I made a bargain with the kids, if they were good and worked for the sub they would get popcorn and a movie. If they were good three days they’d get just popcorn. Two or less and they’d be in trouble. I made popcorn buckets (on paper) that had four stripes on them. Each day the sub could have them color in a section if they were good (we had block schedules Monday and Tuesday so they only had four class periods last week). Anyway, one class got a movie (to be enjoyed on Friday), one got a popcorn party and the rest trouble especially one class of geniuses who took their paper down the second day and colored in all the sections 🤦🏽♀️. Cheating so poorly is punishable by a long lecture and extra work for no extra credit.
I enjoyed my week helping out. I was thinking about some of the highlights on the way home. Of course meeting Darcy and getting to hold her was amazing. My favorite moments with Coco and Rubes were in the early morning, several times they hopped in bed with me, one on each side, and we talked and laughed together. It was warm and cozy and they were sweet & cuddly. Marshall was “sick” and came to the aquarium with us, he was chatty and funny and clever and helpful, that was my favorite Marshall moment. It was super fun to have Penny and Tatum with us at dinner. Ezra remembered me and sat on my lap so sweetly after his nap when I was watching him. When Sierra picks me up she was in a good mood, we talked and enjoyed each other’s company and I appreciated her coming to get me and was delighted to spend a little time together. Jenna and I sat looking at Darcy a lot, in the way only a new mom and a new grandma can so thoroughly enjoy. Dani and I sat on the couch watching the Olympics and talking about nothing special.
I never got to see Val, Jo has Covid for the 3rd time:(, but I did get to see Mom & Dad, Tori and 3 bonus sons so that was great!
Tonight we get to talk to Ethan. Always my fav. This week he got to baptize someone, his first. I was happy for him. I imagine every missionary hopes to teach people who get baptized, and I am sure every elder also hopes to be the baptizer so that was exciting news.
Today Dani told me her good friend Autumn was in a car accident yesterday. She was driving with a couple of her kids, she actually was caravaning with her sister and Autumn’s daughter Summer was riding with her aunt. They were talking on the phone when her car was t-boned by a drunk driver. They are alive, were taken to the hospital, and have been in the trauma unit all this time. They are in critical condition and each have been having surgery and in and out of consciousness. Car accidents are so terrible. I'm praying for them. I also feel so bad for her daughter who heard the whole thing on the phone and saw it moments later. What a nightmare.
While I was gone Hannah came over with Tatum. She came all the way from CA to take photos for Jenna and for Sierra. She is a generous person and has always loved her sisters. She will do anything for family and it shows in the way she loves and what she does. I saw some of the pictures while they were still on the camera and they are wonderful. Tate watched Ez, which is also a loving act of service.
We all hung out for a while and then went to Dani’s so I could spend some time with Ez while Han went to take photos for Sierra and Chris. I took the girls with me. We stopped at Walmart on the way and ran into Penny and Marshall and Dani. So funny! I’ve never randomly bumped into one of my kids somewhere!
Tatum and Hannah went to take engagement photos and they are awesome! And the rest of us watched the Olympics. Hannah really captured Sierra and Chris. I saw a couple sneak peeks and loved all the pictures. Tatum was a huge help to Hannah today, and Hannah did a really nice thing for her sisters, and I got to see little Ezra. That all worked out fabulously!
❤️ My girls! (Missed Grace though)
This morning the girls played for a long time with silly putty, playdoh, and little dinosaurs. They made fossils and eggs and all kinds of things. They had preschool today also. While they were there I went out to lunch with Tori. It was great to see her.
Sierra and Chris came over for dinner and after dinner Dani and the girls & Hannah and Ezra (who drove to Utah today) came over and we went over some wedding stuff. Chris and Sierra already had some things done and we filled in some of the other details. It was super fun! The girls were very cute and excited to be part of the planning. I think everything is going to be really nice and I’m excited for them. Also Sierra is going to be a beautiful bride!
We braved our way to dance class where I got to watch the cutest little ballerinas dance!
