The Update! Break, Sea World, Scorpions, & 100th day of school!

Wow.  It's been awhile again!  Life gets busy and the blogging gets less and less!  I have a bunch of pictures to show what's been happening here (and MN for Christmas.)  Enjoy the pictures!

Minnesota Break (a white, cold Christmas!)

Back to the heat!  AZ

70degree weather (MN was -1 :P  )

My record for the 5mi with a 150 story mountain climb!

SeaWorld!  (Free tickets just for me the AZ teacher! Woot!)

The story of the Lizard and Scorpion.

Have you ever heard the story about the lizard and the scorpion?  Probably not because it is one I just made.  One of my students brought in a scorpion as a class pet, and when he did, there was another animal in the cage:  A cute little lizard.  I believe it was a gecko but this was essentially scorpion food.  Many of my 3rd graders thought it was a cage with 2 pets...In that a lot of my teacher friends liked the lizard more and felt so bad for it.  So after a lot of 3rd graders feeling sad for it, and a team of 3rd grade teachers wanting the lizard to be freed, I eventually freed it.

Scorpion and the gecko in the same house...looks scared. 

FREEDOM!!!!

The sad scorpion lost it's meal...Crickets instead. 

The 100th day: (dress like you're 100 years old!)

The Team (#3rd Grade #NoFilter)

The Team:

One thing that I am very blessed to have is an amazing team here at DVA!  The move to Arizona would be much more gloomy and dull without these rad peeps.  I know they all truly care for each other and their students, though we have tough times with 8 and 9 year olds excited about Halloween, Christmas, or the end of the day, I know that through the help and teamwork we can all do it while having fun!  I'm also thankful everyone is cool with my "interesting" quirks and such.  I like cats, I am a not-woman, I like creepy-crawlies as pets, I research new technology, Christmas Unicorns, upscale coffee (group in burr-grinders and brewed in a variety of machines), yet they will all (mostly) listen to what I have to say and see my point...Though it isn't what they may enjoy or will naturally discuss.  

They have truly shown me a kindness of no one else here in Yuma.  Showing me what to do (Downtown Yuma, Mexico, Cali, etc.), not to do (go up Telegraph pass in the summertime), doing what they say not to do anyways (go up Telegraph pass in the summertime alone at night...) Anyways.  I wanted to give a shout out to them here.  We are a team like no other, and once when school starts up again, seeing the team will be one thing I will look forward to.  

Ornament of the Team! (It DOES snow in Yuma!)

Also SmallGrp

I wanted to post on the small group because it had my new favorite Christmas Shirt...Also the peeps are rad! 

Also the Crown Friends (Also Beth known as "zee gurlfreind" *insert Romantic-isk French Accent*) 

I've realized its December...(the choices I have to make are different!).

Today I was making the choice of what to wear (sweatpants or shorts today) and I just realized it was December 12....Yikes.  It has been a crazy week (I feel that I say that every week....but still, it was!). We had our Christmas programs and it went great...that just meant I had two 12 hour days this week (and another one on Friday for grading.). So it was a long week.  I feel the energy of the students ready for the break.  Teaching is getting more difficult from anxious 8 and 9 year olds excited for Santa, cookies, Santa cookies, and presents.  It's also a huge moment realizing I'm a .5 year teacher already! I still feel like I am student teaching and all that, yet I'm starting to get the hang of it all!   Anyways, 3.5 days away from break!  I'll be back in MN in search of friends, family, and snow!  

The looong weekend!

So this marks the last day of school for a bit.  We have the whole week off of school.  Super thankful for that!  I am packing up things and getting ready for the voyage back home!  It should be a pretty great time, so if your in MN and wish to hang, please let me know!  Looking forward to sharing stories, seeing family, and another thing too!  

Test day:

Today was a bunch of tests. Math, reading, and an intervention test.  We worked a lot on tests.  One of my students had no motivation and was being really...uncooperative for the reading test.  He took forever, and I had warned him that recess time would be used if he did not finish it up.  He still took his time and wondered around the room, and just wasted his time.  Behold, he had to skip recess to finish up the test.  He then proceeded to rush through half of the test he didn't finish in our whole hour and half reading block, but he finally finished.  The end of the day came, and I readied my grading pen.  I truly think highly of my kids and usually hope all will do well....That said, I thought he was going to do bad, and I was ready for giving him a speech about why we don't rush, why we use our time wisely, how we have to be mature and serious about our tests, otherwise we will get poor grades....95% for the kid who was at first distracted then rushed through. Well played sir, I guess no teachable moment here. 

 I need the weekend.

Barista @ The Vertical Church

I've been on a couple of teams at The Vertical Church here.  I play guitar or I volunteer at the coffee shop.  This week was the coffee shop.  When I work there, I am reminded of my job at Caribou or my role as the "education barista" at Crown.  Good times.  My inner barista cringes at the coffee at TVC, however.  The Folgers we make for the free coffee devastates me.  Then the financial question comes in:  Can churches justify brewing high quality coffee for higher cost or should they stick with the ground "ground" known as Folgers?

Can churches justify brewing high quality coffee for higher cost or should they stick with the ground "ground" known as Folgers?

Please feel free to get interactive with this question and comment below (unless your comment is "yes get Starbucks coffee!" because my inner Caribou will metaphorically "kick" you with strong facts and opinions that I've gathered as a barista at the Bou.

Also, until this question is answer, Mr. Klemme will be bringing in his own coffee to enjoy as he serves the Folgers.

The Cloverton Concert.

Cloverton:

So I was able to work at and go to the band Cloverton's at the Vertical Church.  Awesome band with a bunch of cool musicians.  It was great to be able to do that (unfortunately on a school night, but worth the shortened sleep).  I have a few pictures to share of the outside of the Church and the band.  Enjoy and I'm sure the weekend will be enjoyed by all!  

The Movies!

Today was Veterans Day off around Yuma so I ended up watching the Peanuts movie. Great cartoon style to a classic! Reminded me of some of the comics my mom use to read with me.