Random Ramblings and Updates

So we had two birthdays this last week. Marina loved her new green scriptures, and Xeneea loved going to go see Twilight with her dad on Friday afternoon. Now we get Thanksgiving and man, are we all looking forward to the break! All the schools here have Wednesday through Friday off, and even Steve took off the extra Wednesday and Friday. So the Tribe Five will go with their mom and extended relatives to Heber, Marina and Jessica will be with their dad, and Steve and I . . . well, we've been thinking about just taking off for one last time when we're guaranteed time just us two. Maybe take a drive to various locations we've thought about moving to in order to view them as something other than a rest stop. (Price, Cedar City, something like that if we leave the valley. And if we don't, the SOUTH end of the valley. Need to move away from certain of the kids' friends, not to mention North Cache. There are tons of bad teachers up there. Don't know how, but man! Okay, I'll close this completely random thought!)

After this week, I have five days of student teaching left. There's a job opening up in Richmond (seven minutes or so from here to the north) that starts in January and would be at an elementary school!!! It's only part-time, but maybe that means it'd work. Hmmm. Just when we've decided for me not to work, this comes along. Maybe part time one semester would be worth it . . . IF it pays off my commitment to my T.H. Bell loan. =) I'm definitely getting a workout in learning how to think through decisions here, lol.

Lacrisha's in choir this year, and she's loving it. She's already had several mini-performances for elementary schools and such and she does very well with it. Jenero's thinking about plans for a catapult now after he build his "monster bike." Love the plans and industry, but where and what will be shot . . . Xeneea like I said just turned 13 and she's been reading this Twilight series each time her mom brings her a new book. I can't believe how much she's grown just in how much I've known her, especially how gorgeous she's getting. Adria also. Adria loves to do well at school and play with her friends and help her dad make her cat a nice house, but get her to sit down so Lacrisha can do her hair? Well, she does it, and she looks lovely when it's done, but her complaints remind me of two other little girls around here. =) Marina is still my little book worm, hooked on Magic Tree House and such, and Jessie is starting to try her own hand at Magic Tree House (a 3rd grade level in 1st grade). She's not near as fast as Marina, but she's improving every day. When she's not jump-roping all over the house. And Simeon? He's still our favorite Mexican jumping bean. He never walks if he can skip or gallop or hop. And we've been having adventures in the most amazing things ending up in his hands (and on sinks and beds and walls), but hey! If he hasn't stopped by the time he's six, I'll worry more.

Steve just came home, so it looks like we're off to Mom and Dad's now. We tried out this new pumpkin chocolate chip cheesecake recipe we're going to share today. Mmmmm. Love the Hershey's cookbook! Happy Thanksgiving!

Hodgepodge

Well, I feel awful today, but I thought I'd share a little . . . catch-up work, lol. But since I am here at home instead of driving to Provo and back to get the little ones (just to let you know how awful "awful" is), I'll let pictures be most of my catching up.

Most of these pics are from our family photo shoot at a park up here. We were GOING to go to the Wal-Mart studio, etc., etc. . . . don't get me started. So we had fun just doing individuals on our own, and I love these of the kids! In order, going down the slide in age order, Lacrisha, Jenero, Xeneea, Adria, Marina, Jessica, and Simeon.

The others are from a camping trip we did in late September. I had to include my little Totoros (everyone familiar with Totoro will recognize the umbrellas!), as as well as the family's fascination with snakes. Well, at least a couple! Jenero caught the little water snake and you can see on Marina's face how fascinated she was with it. She's always loved snakes. (And if anyone knows of a cheap, small domesticated snake for sale, we'd love to hear.)

In other news, I have two full school weeks of student teaching and two days the week of Thanksgiving left. Twelve days in the classroom!! But who's counting? And yes, for anyone wondering, I officially graduate with my B.S. on December 13, though I won't be walking. Woo hoo! Now I'll have a B.A. and a B.S. I've loved the SPED program and am sorry not to be in classes every day with my friends now. Weird, huh?