I'm Ready For My Close-Up

The cheer team went down-town last week with a professional photographer for a photo shoot. These photos were taken with someone's cell phone as they were waiting their turn. The photographer wanted an "urban" look so they were in a nasty alley, and it's probably good they are all current on their tetanus shots. As you can see, the prince has recruited his friend, Lakota, to cheer with him--a little more testosterone was apparently needed on the stunt squad. Also, the prince likes this cheer shirt much less than his blue one. He's pretty sure the white makes him look fat! :)

School Should Be Harder!

I don't remember if the princess told me this happened in Health or Social Studies on Friday, but either way, they had way too much free time on their hands. When they got done with their assignment, the teacher let them socialize. It went something like this:

Hey, Bailey, let me French braid you bangs.




Hey! Princess! That's hurting a little!

Come on, Mason. Hannah and I will show you how it's done.

Dorks!

Commas Matter

Go eat Grandma.

Go eat, Grandma.

Here's another one

This happened yesterday too. I was helping a 7th grader with some vocabulary. He was having to write a sentence with certain words in it. He came to the word "wean". He asked what it meant so I said, "You know, like a puppy has to be weaned from it's mother's milk before it can go to a new home."

He thought for a minute and then said, "Can I write, 'My dad is being weaned off Zoloft.'?"

"Sure."

Laughing on the inside and a little bit of "too much information"!

LOL

Sometimes it's the little things that make me laugh out loud.

For example, yesterday my sister sent me a test. She decided to take her 4 year old to McDonald's to play while she tried to read the last 3 days' worth of newspapers. Alas, it was not meant to be. All those screaming kids gave her a huge headache!

Sorry sisty, but that made me laugh out loud!

Today during 7th period( the end of the day!!!) an 8th grader asked me if he could finish his lunch in class.

Okay.

So I could hear him mumbling away. When I looked over at him, he was having a long conversation with his cheese stick. Upon further listen, it was clear he was impressed with the nutritional value of the cheese stick and then went on to apologize to the cheese stick for pulling him apart.

Seriously, I was laughing out loud.

But he topped it off when after he finished his soda, he got up to throw the can away, and as he walked to the garbage he said, "This is the saddest part about drinking a soda...finishing it."

I was trying NOT TO roll on the floor laughing because I don't want to encourage this late-afternoon feasting, but he was cracking me up today!!!

Finally, after school, I stopped by the office for a minute, and the secretary and I were laughing at all the kids who say that teachers "make" them do work. The princess was there and added that her English teacher is "making" her read a book she's not interested in. There was a boy standing there so I asked him, "What are they making you do?"

I fully expected him to answer, "Social Studies or Science," or something along those lines.

Nope! His answer, "Community service."

Oh my! I did have the presence of mind to laugh under my breath at that one.

So thanks for the laughs and keep 'em comin'!

Happy Birthday Marty!

Happy Birthday your royal Martiness! :)

Happy Birthday Robin!

Hey Robin! Hope you had a great day. Sorry this is late. For some reason I was thinking you were the day before Marty (who's birthday is in a couple of days) instead of the day before Kathi! My apologies. Hope it was a great day!

Autism--A Boy's View

At school we see many kids with Autism. It's diagnosis continues to grow. There is a spectrum of Autism, and some kids function quite well. I would venture to guess that one of my kids might have been (maybe still is) mildly, mildly autistic as a toddler. Or maybe that was just toddlerism at its finest. Autistic children are often very gifted and/or intelligent though breaking through their walls to discover their gifts is very often difficult.

At any rate, I just finished reading an article written by a mom whose son is autistic. He just started school. She believes that on the autism scale, he's probably moderately autistic. One night, as she was sitting in his room, he told her how his brain works. She happened to have her computer with her so typed up, verbatim, what he said. It's fascinating.

"I have a little doorknob on a little door that has 10,000 computers in it," he said. "There are even little doors that have more. I have this control panel with two levers. You pull the lever, and then I can think of something. So that's how my brain works.

"I count the ABC's and then I try to get the letters. So that's how I know the ABC's. And now I don't forget them anymore. I go ABC, DEFG, HIJK, LMNOP, QRS, TUV, WXY and Z. Now I know my ABC's, next time won't you germ with me."

He paused. I did not want him to stop. I wanted to know everything, because I think that knowing him will let me protect him. I am wrong, of course.

"Is that how you do math?" I asked, quietly. I was afraid to move his train of thought. "Do you do math with the levers?"

He shook his head no.

"This door called the Multiplication Center is almost as close as the library in my brain. It has one computer, and then I have four, and tomorrow I will have 16. And then I have these little flaps that you flip and you color them and see if you make some multiplication, the math, the worksheets."

He continued down the hallway of his mind.

"Down in my lab I think about germs. I think about Pull-Ups and I think about 'Star Wars,' Indiana Jones, Batman. Legos are in my lab.

"And guess what else? Next over there I got the attic. That attic is full of junk. There are beach balls and stuff everywhere, a lot of things in there. And I think people have played with them.

"I have a school place. This one is kind of like my classrooms, but mine is mixed up. It is upside down, kind of. I have the school Legos, they go right there, because I have this little shelf that we can put things, but we don't put things at the bottom."

Happy Birthday Kathi!

Enjoy your day!

10-10-10

Now that's a cool date!

Rainy Saturday

It's rained most of the day. It'll be good sleeping tonight. The kids have cleaned their rooms. One has gotten rid of more than the other. It's hard when you've inherited the pack-rat gene from your forefathers. I'm thinking it might be a RedBox night. Gotta love RedBox.

Weeds!

The king has informed me that for the first time that he can ever remember, he's had to spray weeds in our yard/rocks in October. Our weather has been that good that we have weeds again. Wow! Not that either of us is complaining. Some rain in September and GREAT temperatures for the last 2-3 weeks (70's and 80's during the day) have made conditions great for them to grow. Those conditions have also made for some of the nicest fall days I can ever remember. It cools off at night too. so we have the windows open instead of running the air conditioner. The leaves are changing and falling so the colors are beautiful. It won't last, but we are sure enjoying it while we can!

Don't Forget Me!

With all the news about the prince lately, I thought I should let you know that the princess is alive and well. This photo is from a couple of years ago--pre-braces. She doesn't have that gap in her teeth anymore, and even the shape of her jaw is different now! There will be princess updates soon. She and I head down the road with some of our BFFs in a couple of weeks for a long weekend of dance, dance, dance workshops! ROAD TRIP!

TWIRP? TWIPR?

TWIRP is the formal dance in high school that the girl invites the boy to. Yesterday I got a call from "the girl's" mom asking if the prince would be home at a certain time and warning that we would be "ding-dong-ditched" (knock and run). The prince went to this dance last year and had a lot of fun. At around 5:00, this is what happened:

Ding Dong

"Prince, the door is for you." (Get my camera ready--I'm so glad I got a heads-up phone call!)

Hmmm...something on the door step.

A fish bowl? With a Beta in it?

"Cool!"

The girl's name is Megan. She's a freshman at his school, but they met this summer at the fair. They've been texting ever since. As "small world" would have it, I know her mom through other friends, so I knew she was going to ask him to this dance a few weeks ago. They were having a conversation the other day, and she asked him if he had pets. He said, "No, but if I had a fish, I'd name it Cat." Thus the sign. The back of the bowl says, "TWIRP? TWIRP? TWIRP? With Megan?" He promptly called her to say he'd go! Fun!

You Know You're Having A Bad Day When...

I've got 2 cracked ribs, but I can still play Saturday.

A student just walked into my room. Eighth grade. When they don't bring their PE clothes, the PE teacher sends them to my room to read. I figured that was what was going on when he showed up with a book.

I said "No gym clothes?"

No. I have two cracked ribs so I can't do PE.

How did you do that?

I got hit playing football on Saturday.

Oh, so you're out of football for awhile?

No, I'm still going to play on Saturday.

WHAT?? You can't do PE, but you'll play on Saturday?

He just shrugged.

Toothbrush Diplomacy

Sometimes, when I'm tired, preoccupied, or otherwise distracted, I accidentally use the king's toothbrush. I know. EWWW. Gross. You don't have to tell me. And you certainly don't have to tell him. He really freaks out. Now, in thinking this through I think he overacts a bit. I think the stuff he puts in his mouth is far yuckier than what I do. And we do breath in each others' faces all night so if germs are being transferred it's as likely it will happen that way as with the toothbrush. Still, I get his point. I even make sure the dentist gives me a purple toothbrush each time I go in so that I always have purple and don't have to get confused every 6 months with a toothbrush color change. This weekend he bought himself a new toothbrush. It's about as different from mine as you can possibly get. Maybe that'll work. Maybe not. The next step will be putting out toothbrushes in our own separate drawers instead of in the shared cup. I'm sure that would work, but I know his would never make it into his drawer and would sit on the counter all the time. That's not going to work for me. Wait! I know...separate bathrooms!

More Spirit Week Photos

The Falconator

The prince, doing what he does best, during the school song. The sound isn't great, but you get the idea. He's got mad white-boy moves in the middle!

Homecoming WIN!

Going AMA, we let the prince mascot at homecoming yesterday. The team won 28-0, which I am sure was due, in part, to the awesome mascot! ;)

A last minute, good luck knuckle from his aunt.

A bit of last minute advice from Lakota.

And we're off!

Spirit Week

The Homecoming Game is today. This was spirit week. On Monday the prince wore this year's t-shirt (I'm wearing mine today!). Tuesday was cinema day--he wore his banana costume and said he spent the day explaining that he wasn't the Chaquita Banana...yeah, I still don't get it either. Not sure what was going on Wednesday, but it must not have appealed to him as he didn't dress up. Yesterday was Nerd day--Nerds of the world, UNITE! He sort of pulled it off with the hair slicked over and all. But the red tie and red Converse make him too hip. He came home after school and showered to get the gel out of his hair! Today he'll dress out in Skyview Blue! Go Falcons!

Yes, I know. He didn't really pull off the nerd pose either!

BFFs

To those whom I may have offended referring to my BFF in the previous post, rest assured, I have several BFFs. I'm a lucky, lucky girl!

I did NOT say that!

I think it's probably clear that OTC (Opportunity to Complete--YOUR HOMEWORK) is the bain of my existence at work. The other day is a perfect example of why.

I had several naughties in the room. Much to my glee, my BFF came in to visit for a minute, but that's of course the time when the naughtiest of them had to act up. She saw why I don't get paid nearly enough...or maybe she saw how those moments balance out the many moments when I'm very overpaid to sit around waiting for some kid to need my help.

At any rate, here's what went down:

As I'm trying to converse with my BFF, "Bill" keeps talking, interrupting, and bothering those around him. About that time, I notice another disturbance in the back. "Ted" needs to borrow paper from someone, but apparently you must bother everyone in a 10 foot radius for that to happen.

I finally tell Ted to come get paper from me, but first I grill him on where his own paper is. I think he was too lazy to go to his locker and get some so he told me it was "at home." I said, "Okay, call home and ask your parent to remind you to bring it to school tomorrow."

While he's on the phone, I try to converse with my BFF, but Bill, sitting too close for comfort, is still being a pill. Suddenly I catch part of the conversation Ted's having with his dad. "She said she'll slap me if I don't bring paper to school."

"I DID NOT SAY THAT!!!!" I bellow, loudly enough for Dad to hear me on the other end of the phone line.

The class is now in fits of laughter. I have lost total control of the situation. The BFF quickly high-tails it out of there, not wanting to watch my demise, I'm sure.

So I have to lecture Ted about lying, slander, libel, etc. Then I write him up. I quickly write Bill up for the multiple disturbances he has caused, and alas, there is once again, harmony--and more importantly, QUIET--in OTC. But I'm quite sure the BFF would never believe it, given what she saw, and I know she'll never come back to visit me at school again! As for Ted and Bill, they'll have other opportunities to cause me grief as they are, what we like to call it in the school world, "frequent fliers" to OTC.

SWEET!

This is our nephew, Tyson. He's a high school junior in CO. This photo isn't really what it looks like. He is not falling on his head, but rather is doing a FLIP into the end zone! Touch down! He's a very gifted athlete, and we're quiet proud of him!

50 MT Facts

This is kind of long, but very interesting. Numbers 2 and 4 are missing so it's really only 48. I'm not sure what happened to them. They were gone before this came to me! Quiz the kids today!

1. Montana has the largest migratory elk herd in the nation.

3. At the Rocky Mountain Front Eagle Migration Area west of Great Falls more golden eagles have been seen in a single day than anywhere else in the country.

5. The average square mile of land contains 1.4 elk, 1.4 pronghorn antelope, and 3.3 deer.

6. The Freezeout Lake Wildlife Management Area contains as many as 300,000 snow geese and 10,000 tundra swans during migration.

7. At Bowdoin National Wildlife Refuge it is possible to see up to 1,700 nesting pelicans.

8. The Montana Yogo Sapphire is the only North American gem to be included in the Crown Jewels of England.

9. In 1888 Helena had more millionaires per capita than any other city in the world.

10. 46 out of Montana's 56 counties are considered "frontier counties" with an average population of 6 or fewer people per square mile.

11. At Egg Mountain near Choteau dinosaur eggs have been discovered supporting the theory some dinosaurs were more like mammals and birds than like reptiles.

12. Montana is the only state with a triple divide allowing water to flow into the Pacific, Atlantic, and Hudson Bay. This phenomenon occurs at Triple Divide Peak in Glacier National Park.

13. The notorious outlaw, Henry Plummer, built the first jail constructed in the state.

14. No state has as many different species of mammals as Montana.

15. The moose, now numbering over 8,000 in Montana, was thought to be extinct in the Rockies south of Canada in the 1900s.

16. Flathead Lake in northwest Montana contains over 200 square miles of water and 185 miles of shoreline. It is considered the largest natural freshwater lake in the west.

17. Miles City is known as the Cowboy Capitol.

18. Yellowstone National Park in southern Montana and northern Wyoming was the first national park in the nation.

19. The town of Ekalaka was named for the daughter of the famous Sioux chief, Sitting Bull.

20. Fife is named after the type of wheat grown in the area or, as some locals contend, by Tommy Simpson for his home in Scotland.

21. Fishtail is named for either a Mr. Fishtail who lived in the area or as the area Indians prefer for some of the peaks in the nearby Beartooth Mountain Range which look like the tail of a fish.

22. The Yaak community is the most northwestern settlement in the state.

23. Montana has the largest grizzly bear population in the lower 48 states.

24. Near the Pines Recreation Area as many as 100 sage grouse perform their extraordinary spring mating rituals.

25. The first luge run in North America was built at Lolo Hot Springs on Lolo Pass in 1965.

26. Combination, Comet, Keystone, Black Pine, and Pony are names of Montana ghost towns.
27. Virginia City was founded in 1863 and is considered to be the most complete original town of its kind in the United States.

28. Montana is nicknamed the Treasure State.

29. The bitterroot is the official state flower.

30. The density of the state is six people per square mile.

31. The highest point in the state is Granite Peak at 12,799 feet.

32. The most visited place in Montana is Glacier National Park, known as the crown jewel of the continent. It lies along Montana's northern border and adjoins Waterton Lakes National Park in Canada, forming the world's first International Peace Park.

33. Buffalo in the wild can still be viewed at the National Bison Range in Moiese, south of Flathead Lake and west of the Mission Mountains.

34. Montana's first territorial capital, Bannack, has been preserved as a ghost town state park along once gold-laden Grasshopper Creek.

35. The Old West comes to life through the brush and sculpture of famed western artist Charlie Russell at the Charles M. Russell Museum Complex in Great Falls. The museum contains the world's largest collection of Russell's work, his original log-cabin studio and his Great Falls home.

36. The Museum of the Rockies in Bozeman gained fame through the work of its chief paleontologist, Jack Horner. Horner was the prototype for the character Dr. Alan Grant in the best selling novel/movie, "Jurassic Park."

37. Montana's rivers and streams provide water for three oceans and three of the North American continent's major river basins.

38. Just south of Billings, Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer and his troops made their last stand. Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument features the Plains Indians and United States military involved in the historic battle.

39. The western meadowlark is the official state bird.

40. The first inhabitants of Montana were the Plains Indians.

41. Montana is home to seven Indian reservations and thirteen tribal groups: The Blackfeet Tribe, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribe consisting of Salish, Kootena,i and Pen d' Oreille tribal groups; Rocky Boy consisting of the Chippewa and Cree tribal groups; Fort Belknap consisting fo the Gros Ventre and the Assiniboine tribal groups; Fort Peck consisting of the Sioux and Assiniboine tribal groups; Northern Cheyenne Tribe; Crow Tribe. The Little Shell Chippewa Tribe are non landed Indians trying to be recognized by the US Government. They have been recognized by the State of Montana. Many of them live on other reservations. About 35% of Montana's Indian population does not live on reservations.

42. Every spring nearly 10,000 white pelicans with a wingspan of nine feet migrate from the Gulf of Mexico to Medicine Lake in northeastern Montana.

43. The Going to the Sun Road in Glacier Park is considered one of the most scenic drives in America.

44. The state's official animal is the grizzly bear.

45. The state's motto Oro y Plata means gold and silver.

46. Montana's name comes from the Spanish word mountain.

47. In Montana the elk, deer and antelope populations outnumber the humans.

48. Glacier National Park has 250 lakes within its boundaries.

49. Hill County has the largest county park in the United States. Beaver Creek Park measures 10 miles long and 1 mile wide.

50. Competing with the D River in Lincoln City, Oregon for the title of the world's shortest river, the Roe River flows near Great Falls. Both rivers lengths vary from 58 feet to 200 feet. The source for this small river is Giant Springs, the largest freshwater spring in the United States.

Stinky Ca-Ca

What is worse than the smell of scorched broccoli?
Hard boiled eggs being made into egg salad.

What is worse than the smell of hard boiled eggs being made into egg salad?
Both smells in your house at once!

Trust me. I am the voice of experience here.

#4

Yes, it's true. For the fourth time in 18 months, we have had a bolt/nail/screw removed from a tire in the Taurus. Seriously? Seriously. I swear that car is doomed! Or we are. I'm pretty sure the Walmart tire guy knows us by name now. Seriously!

Summer Again!

It's 90* right now! It's like summer's making one more run. We're supposed to have temps in the 80's most of the week! I had to turn the air conditioner back on. I thought I was done with that bill, but comfort wins again!

The Prince at Dance Camp?

The princess went to dance camp this summer. On the last day, one of the instructors took this photo of the girls. I don't remember what the triangle with the hands was all about! Anyway, the dance instructor posted this photo on Facebook, and when the princess "friended" the dance instructor, she was able to access this photo. Since I can access the princess' account, I too could access this photo!

I know, you think I'm ranting about social networks and keeping our kids safe and whatnot. I'm not. The princess' face is completely covered in this photo though I can recognize the faces of other girls quite nicely.

No, in this photo I direct your attention to the back...where the prince is standing, waiting for the princess to get done. He's in the picture too! :) It almost looks like he went to dance camp! Hee, hee!

Can't see either kid? Click on the photo to make it larger. He's in the back with green shirt and tan shorts. Finding the princess is slightly more difficult. She's on the left edge, about 3 kids back, in a kelly green shirt.

Happy Sunday.

Shucks!

Football's a lot more fun to watch when we're winning. We lost last night. Hopefully Homecoming will go better next week! Go Falcons!