Sad day

Monday was a sad day at our house. Rick's mother passed away very unexpectedly. She had been in reasonably good health. When Mike went to take her out to lunch he found her. She was on the floor but it didn't look like she struggled or anything. Rick's whole life was spent in that house and now he won't have any family living in Fillmore. You might want to add him to your prayers this week.

Sarah's pattern

I made a scripture bag from Sarah's pattern. It is amazing how quick and easy it was. Well, actually, I am not completely finished. I thought I had a napkin ring, but I didn't, so I need to purchase that tomorrow and sew it on. Sarah, I think putting the zipper in the pocket may almost be easier than leaving it off because you are sewing in a flat piece of material with no extra seams. I have been wanting to sew lately so this was really fun.
Our big news here is that Susanne is having laser surgery on her eyes on Monday. A lot of people she knows have had it done and loved it. She can't wait to be able to wake up and see the clock without having to put on her glasses. I have to admit to being a bit nervous but she did check out the doctor and his sucess rate. Wish her luck.
The girls of our family went to my school's Halloween parade today. Allie loves to watch all the kids in their costumes. She looked beautiful as Cinderella. I was a good teacher and made a costume for me because the kids love it when you do. I was "Super Teacher" with a red cape and a superman logo. Mark has had several times to wear his vampire costume. He looks pretty cool. I will ask Susanne to take pictures on Tuesday so we can share.
We are counting the days before we get to see Ya-ping and Preston. We can't wait! Only 4 1/2 days left!

Mark has put me to shame

Mark has really been putting me to shame, so I thought I had better add a little to this blog. This school year has been really interesting for me. It will be my last year job sharing because my partner is retiring and I don't want to break in a new one...besides I don't think I would ever find one that I worked with as well. Our class is small (23) and much milder than last year. But you really only trade one set of problems for another. This class is TERRIBLE at doing their homework. I was getting 10 to 15 kids a day coming unprepared. Now I check work at the beginning of each day and they have to miss a recess to finish work. They are finally starting to come around. Midterms also went out last week so I expect that to bring some improvement as well. Fourth grade is a real shock to lots of families because we don't baby them anymore and let them fail if that is what they choose. Lots of kids choose failing until their parents see their grades. Our biggest problem child is moving this week, so our class should be calmer and quieter from now on.

My class didn't fare so well on end of level tests last year so I am really beefing up my teaching this year. I have spent hours at home working on grades, curriculum and making improvements. That has been hard on me, since I am so used to leaving most of my work at school. It is, however, good for me. I figure it will get a lot of things in place so that next year won't be such a difficult transition. I really have been lucky to just teach part time.

Our class this year is much kinder than last year. That always makes my job easier because I hate mean kids. We have a couple of girls that are having problems this year, but nothing like the boys of last year. Last years class really was the hardest I had ever had. Because of how the class numbers sit we will probably have a huge class next year (32-ish) so I am really enjoying such a small class. It is so much easier to get grading done with such a small class. I am also checking into getting a math endorsement so that if I don't like full time elementary school I can try Jr. High math. I don't think I will change but it would be nice to know I have the option. I have taken all the classes except for a two week teaching unit, so they may just give me my endorsement and count my years in the classroom in liu of student teaching.

Rick's work has been crazy for the last little while. They had one electrician quit and another is leaving next week. Human resources has had several turnovers as well so they haven't done any replacing. Rick works between 50 and 70 hour weeks. He is hoping that during all the upheaval he will be able to change shifts. His favorite would be to go on days just so he can see his family (we would love that!) If he can't have a day shift he still really likes working the 3- 11 shift. He just hates his graveyard shift and would love to change that anyway he can. You might want to add that to your prayers and see if we can get him on some shift where he can sleep.

Well I have posted enough for one setting, but I will try harder to keep up with Mark.

Roald Dahl's long lost book

When I was in elementary school, I loved the Roald Dahl books, and I read every one of his children's books--except for one. I'd seen it listed in books that he'd written it, but it was impossible to find. When I was in third grade, David did a little investigating for me, and found out that there were few copies of the book in the world.

Well, a few weeks ago, I was searching on an unrelated topic, and I came across his long lost book: The Gremlins. I believe the movie of the same name made a brief reference to it, but it is completely different. This site has found a copy of the rare book and scanned the pages. The pages are also typed, so that you don't have to squint to read it. There are several typos, but if you're confused, you can look at the original page. You just wouldn't want to read all of it on those pages.

I'm not sure what I think of it, especially the ending. It's 51 (I think) pages, including full-color pictures. It was originally written to be a Disney movie, but I don't think it would have gone over well. Still, I think it ought to be brought out of the shadows of obscurity and placed among the other Roald Dahl books on the shelves.

Allieween

Last year Allie was somewhat scared of Halloween. When I brought out a ghost, she was terrified and would panic whenever I would go near it. By the end of the season, she had overcome most of her fears, saying things like "Pumpkins aren't scary" and "I'm not scary [scared]." She loved being a witch for Halloween and months later, when she would see a witch, it was she.

This year, she LOVES Halloween. She constantly looked through a costume catalog and knew every costume. She said she was going to be Snow White and told me to be Sleeping Beauty. Two weeks ago, they went out to buy a costume for her. She got a Cinderella costume (it's really just a generic princess, but she doesn't know) and, unexpectedly, they bought a vampire cape for me. They were planning on giving it to me for my birthday, but she came home and said "We bought a costume for you!" Now she says she's going to take her Cinderella costume back so she can be Ariel. I was a ghost last year, and now she says I'm going to be a ghost and a vampire. A week or so ago, she was saying that Buddy and Grams would both be vampires like me. Then a minute later, my mom asked her if she (my mom) would be Cinderella. (She is, after all, or at least used to be, Cinderella, just like Allie is Belle and I am Prince Philip.) I then reminded her that she was supposed to be a vampire. Allie said, "No, she's going to be Cinderella, just like me and Anna!" (When the Finches were here, they all dressed as princesses, and Anna was Cinderella.)

When I am getting out Halloween decorations, she wants to help me. She asks me to get out her Cinderella ball. She has an amazing memory. Her "Cinderella ball" is a Christmas ornament we bought last year, and put away the last week in December. Of course, I tell her it's for Christmas. She tells me later in the day to get more Halloween stuff out.

She used to say that the Easter Bunny or the Easter Beagle was going to come on Halloween. She also said that I will be a vampire for Halloween and she will be Cinderella for Easter. Apparently she said the Great Pumpkin is going to bring her presents.

There are various Halloween displays in our neighborhood, and Allie loves to see them. Whenever we are driving, she tells us to go see the purple or black spiders or the pumpkins or the Frankenstein (which she initially called "Stankenfrein"). The inflatable Frankenstein was on the ground, and whenever she talks about the decorations, she makes it a point that the Frankenstein was on the ground. We take detours so that she can look at the decorations.

I wonder if she'll like Thanksgiving and Christmas as much.