walked around downtown with dad... then i stumbled into/upon a survivalist store... unsuspecting me... their sign was so inocuous.

At an alpaca ranch in New Mexico. I'm with my parents and some friends. We had a tasty dinner, followed by birthday cobbler.

I lost at Scrabble, but just bottle-fed a baby alpaca... talk about adorable! I think that more than makes up for my defeat!

I'll try to get some pictures of the critters while I'm here. I forgot my camera :(

/bangs head on desk....

But Mom and Dad both brought cameras and they're willing to share.

What a day...

I'm officially 32 years old.

We had a massive staff potluck/lunch. And if that didn't do it then it must have been the 4 cakes that filled me up.

Vanilla cake with home-made chocolate icing and fondant computer mice:


Chocolate cake with home-made vanilla icing and a computer screen with the apple logo:


Another chocolate cake with vanilla icing (the kids got to it before I could get a pic of the entire cake):


There was a pumpkin cake made by another student (and his mom), but it was gone before the camera came out too....

And my first class of the day started off right....


There were also 3 balloons (one signed by staff and students), assorted candy and cards.... And the one that really made me want to cry... A student that gave me chips and sesame seeds - part of his lunch. He wouldn't take no for an answer.... he wanted to give me something and I know that's all he had.

Days like today make me think I could never do anything else...

Threw a party tonight.... 10 people (including me) and 2 dogs (including Kaylee). Sheba was relegated to the upstairs bedroom... we were very cozy.

Was a good party. They even brought me a cake and flowers :)

/feels loved

Number 32 is around the corner... this coming Thursday.

Well the voters of Colorado defeated the three measures which could have been detrimental to Education, Transportation and pretty much ALL public services. I'm very grateful to them.

Of course the governor just released his budget which reflects a GIANT rescission to Colorado Education. Potential cuts this year of another $500,000 and next year another $900,000.

/sigh

One more reason to love Glee...

Like I needed one...

New guest star (rumored to be a 'series regular' soon-ish), Darren Criss, and his "Warblers" singing.... /sigh

Just Dance

Most fun I've had in a long time.... Wii's Just Dance.

Note to self:

When the smell of cooked or raw fish/seafood makes you feel nauseous do NOT - under any circumstances - go down to the 7th grade science classroom when they are dissecting sharks. No matter how "cool" your students say it is.

I can still smell it...

/shudder

working vb tourney. 12 to ? looking more like 6... was hoping 2b home by 4 so i could do some grading... ah well... i guess that could wait til 2morrow morn...

Glee's Rocky Horror was both awesome and msg-packed. And as for never say never... i actually agree with something Sue Sylvester said 2nite.

Congrats to the Texas Rangers! For the 1st time EVER they've made it to the WORLD SERIES. Woah! Good job fellas :)

/sigh

12.5 hr day = long day

And I learned something unpleasant - something work-related. Can't say anymore than that, but.... You know that saying: "What comes around goes around"?

I sure hope it does.

On the plus side... I've got my kiddos using Google SketchUp, a 3D drawing program (think beginning CAD).

When I first looked at SketchUp I felt really intimidated. I'd never used anything like it before and I wasn't sure I could learn it, much less teach it to my students.

However, I found some awesome tutorials (some of the best video tutorials I've ever seen) and I learned the basics very quickly.

When I presented it to the kids I told them of the real-world applications of programs similar to this, which they were excited about. I was also very upfront about my lack of knowledge. We watched a couple of the beginning tutorials together and I walked them through creating a very simple chair. I told them that I was still learning this program and that we could learn together. I encouraged them to teach me new things they found (and they have been).

They LOVE it and the things they're coming up with are AMAZING! The project they're working on now is a challenge: create something in 3D that really showcases the 3D aspect of this program. I've got kids working on everything from skate parks to mansions, high-rises to basketball courts, and even a spaceship.

They're so into this project... I love seeing them excited about learning and excited about technology.

Thank you Borders!

Last weekend I entered a contest for "Educator Appreciation" and I received a phone call on Monday saying I had won!

I went and picked up my prize yesterday and it included all of the following:

- a clippy magnet
- an address book
- a journal
- a set of four magnetic page clips
- Crossing by Andrew Xia Fukuda
- The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver
- The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
- Fabelhaven by Brandon Mull
- How to Read Novels Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster
- a handsome carrying tote holding all of the above items

Lucky me! I definitely feel "appreciated"

And it gets better.... They were having a $1 book sale... I grabbed 7 books for $7.58!

YAY!

I'm currently reading a $1 find - The Manual of Detection by Jedidiah Berry.... and I'm liking it!

RED = awesome!

"Dog!"

I was in the front office for a while during 1st hour (my planning period) and when I walked back into my locked classroom I heard a man saying something about ".... give me the dog."

And it happened again...

"No seriously, we want the dog."

And again....

Basically the head tech guy and gal can take over any computer in the district and apparently can make them say whatever they want.

I exchanged some humorous emails with the techies first hour.... It was the main guy doing it.

He did it a few times during 2nd hour and Homeroom, freaking my kids out totally. Imagine sitting there and all of a sudden your computer starts talking to you.

The techie guy came in after school and was teasing me - asking me if I was feeling alright... did I need to "Talk with someone" because I was "hearing voices."

Best part....

While he's standing there giving me a hard time every computer in my room, all 30 of them, says "Dog!" and he jumped out of his skin.

He says "That scared the crap out of me!"

Karma.

The Halloween Phantom

I heard a knock on my door this evening and when I went to check it out there was a sheet of paper and a cookie on my porch.

The letter said:

Dear Neighbor,

You have been "Hit" by the Halloween Phantom!! You must now strike TWO neighbors, or the Phantom will haunt you for the rest of October! OH NO!

PS you must place a note stating you have been hit outside your door so the phantom doesn't strike again!

Love always XOXO
Your Neighborhood Phantom

Now this alone was funny.... but since I was outside I decided to let Kaylee go potty. She headed around the side yard and we both heard a sound....

Kaylee went on point and said "Woof!"

I heard hysterical giggles and Kaylee ran around behind me.... yes behind me. She is apparently an "alert dog" after all.

Around the corner of the house were two kids (one of my students and her little brother).

We were all laughing and trying to figure out who had left the original note on their door... which had prompted them to "hit" me and one other neighbor.

hehehe.... "Woof!"

at theater wtg 4 social networking 2 start. i'm the youngest one here.... interesting.

First Snow

Kaylee and I encountered the first snow of the season on our way to (and for a good part of) book club.

I just learned their doing a Rocky Horror themed Glee with some of the original cast...

And The Taos News posted a 4.5 min video of the Taos Wool Festival.

Dad shows up at the very beginning in a quick clip and Kaylee and I made it in around the 3 minute mark (lightning quick clip).

Check it out and see what you're missing every year!



Don't you want to attend next year?

Repeat customer... already!

I just received an email from a lady who bought some handspun yarn from me at Taos and is asking for more!

My first repeat customer!

/happy

Wool Festival was fun, as always.

And it was good to see the parents.

I sold some of my handspun yarn and a purse I knit. That was a first!

I also entered two skeins into the handspun yarn contest.

The first skein was the alpaca/wool blend I also entered at the Southwest Regional Spinners Retreat. It won a 1st place ribbon at SW Regional and 2nd place in the handspun yarn at Taos.


The second skein was my very first attempt at spinning mohair locks into an art yarn. It also won 2nd place in the creative yarns contest.


Pretty happy with two 2nd place ribbons. Working my way towards 1st and/or Best in Show next year!