Thursday, February 24, 2011

Choir Fee Fun

There are multiple ways to pay your choir fee at Flagstone:
  1. cash
  2. check
  3. or the lesser known, MacLean 5 Dollar People.


Run, Forrest, RUN!

It's the matching trousers that amuses me.

Skipping guy (or a pirate)

Let's see, this would be, um, oh yes...TIE man.

And my personal fave, ZOMBIE man.

This is one funny (and fold-able) family!

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Under the Table

The first 5 minutes of First Grade today:
"Let's move our bodies to the music!"
(10 different, fast tunes to get
the kids to react and respond)


Kid: I really like the gambling music.
Me: Hmm...which music was that?
Kid: The music my family plays when we gamble.

(we figured out it was Ragtime music...but I was still curious)

Me: So, how did you learn to gamble?
Kid: My grandpa taught me when my grandma wasn't looking.
Me: Has she caught on yet?
Kid: No, I'm pretty slick. I keep it all under the table!

Tuesday, February 22, 2011

A Giraffe in My Bedroom


Somewhere between an early morning choir with 90+ singing children,

Somewhere between eight, exuberant classes and tweeting recorders,

Somewhere between deadlines and e-mails and details and meetings,

THIS is what I returned home to late tonight:

pieces of a Nutri-Grain bar under the side table

a discarded lei among the poinsettia leaves

bunnies on the bathroom rug

tiles scattered near the toys

a giraffe in my bedroom

and an unfinished cheese stick on the coffee table

Signs that a little one had visited my home.

Signs that between 4 and 6 pm,
I paused long enough to roll a ball on the floor with a child.

Signs that no amount of paperwork could replace the joy
that a little person and some downtime brought me tonight.


Signs that tell me I am blessed.

Monday, February 14, 2011

Critters and Crossbones

Remind me never to try to 'teach' again on Valentine's Day.

Little people filled with love means...
...a never-closing classroom door,
...constant interruptions,
...tons of hugs, and
...more candy than even I can handle.

Good morning, colorful sky.
It's going to be a whopper of a day, isn't it?!

Little concerned about the Valentine's the kids dropped off...

What message are they trying to send me?

So much for our "Safe and Friendly" mission.

Ok, this is just demented.

Only little people would noticed the
small leaves are in the shape of a heart. :)

My Favorite Teacher....DUM DUM? Ouch.

Was I just compared to a forest critter?!

At least we're evening the score.

Yes. A torn-off piece of paper.
And chocolate. It's the thought, right? :)

Nothing says I love you like
a skull and crossbones.

That's more like it!

My desk? Couldn't find it by 4pm.

How about it.

Sunday, February 13, 2011

Legless Frogs and a Cupcake Truck

Enough color, light, and fun this week to
keep those mid-February blues far, far away!

Ran to the grocery store the other morning,
pulled into Safeway, parked the car and saw THIS!
Good Morning, Pike's Peak! AMEN!

Dang. Lost my grip when carrying the wire basket that holds the scraper instruments in my classroom. The basket exploded into pieces, much to the horror of the children. It was an easy fix, but I'm pretty sure I traumatized them. :)

Ah, my stash has arrived.
Eek. A make-it-yourself carrot cake package.
Good grief. Think I'll be sticking to the fresh stuff.

The Denver Cupcake Truck came to Bethany this past weekend. Picture an ice cream truck - except WITH cupcakes and WITHOUT the evil ice cream truck music. They graciously donated 25% of all proceeds to Metro CareRing. A lot of money raised for an amazing food bank!

Whatcha HOLDEN there, Mr. GRACE?
Cupcake boxes from The Denver Cupcake Truck?
Yum! Hooray for Metro CareRing!

Choices, Choices! Sue Ann ponders...
Vanilla Party or Denver Snowball?!
The best choice?
Buying a cupcake to support Metro CareRing!

Pre-orders were picked up inside while BLC members
lined up outside to purchase their yummy treat!

The Truck has arrived, the cupcakes are here!
It’s time to collect some sweet treats for your dear!

What?! No more cupcakes?!?
Even the geese wanted in on the cupcake action
this past Sunday! Sorry, guys….SOLD OUT!

(Yes, I'm in the middle of the snowbank in my heels. What can I say, they were funny little geese, lining up for their picture! In the next 5 seconds, they turned and flew directly AT ME. Not funny anymore!)

Oh, happy day. Frogs, cupcakes AND cheese
that Sarah brought back from WisCONsin. BOOYA!

Laughed out loud when I downloaded this week's photos.

Only in Colorado could both 14 BELOW ZERO and...

...65 DEGREES ABOVE ZERO occur in the same week!

Adult Learning in February: Faith Formation Classes with Pr Ruth Ann, using the text "Frogs Without Legs Can't Hear" by David Anderson and Paul Hill. Great stuff for ALL ages!

Do you have any idea how much fun
you can have when your theme is FROGS!?

A pastor.
A scissors.
A legless frog.

My life is absolutely amusing.

Today was a day of beauty everywhere.
Love.

Light.

Wonder.

Color.
(is that a face?)

(seriously, it's looking at me...)

Ah.

Sunday, February 6, 2011

Dropping the Music

Let's begin with the obligatory student quote, shall we:
"Ms. G, what have you done now!?"

So I have this really fun Cheesehead drink holder.
I thought it might make an awesome bracelet.
It does NOT make an awesome bracelet.
It makes children laugh when you get it stuck on your wrist, however.

I'm playing the piano during 2nd grade, and all I hear behind me is
"Put it back! Put it back!" followed by "I can't! You do it!"
I whip around to find them struggling over (and trying to hide) the fallen letters "I" and "C" of MUSIC ROOM.
"Ms. G, we dropped the music. We're so sorry."

This mini-cheesehead makes for a MUCH better bracelet.

Check out the light in this photo! Tons of snow overnight, which always makes the 24 mile drive between home and church oh so exciting. Oy. My Santa Fe is a lovely little vehicle, thankfully. One, big long prayer up the highway!

The little ones singing their hearts out - such cherubs!

Spronk! Don't mess with his SOUP.

Andrea (Mrs. Spronk) and Beatrice Brenda.
Yes, her middle name is Brenda.
No, my middle name is not Beatrice.

SOUPer Bowl of Caring at church today!

BOOYA! The detail woman, herself, Sarah.

Miller Fam reminding us that all proceeds go to
ELCA World Hunger and Metro CareRing.

Little Faith Formers. With soup hats.
Note the Packers Jersey. Good boy.

Soup pots for cash.
I kept moving the Packers one forward. It worked.
Steelers Pot: $370. Bummer.
Packers Pot: $878. BOOYA!

Just had to end with this photo one more time - lovely!