Memorable Moments.....at school

Last Week of School

Memorable Moments

(Or, how I talked my class out of a FIELD TRIP)

This has been one crazy week at school!

On Tuesday we walked a mile to a swimming pool for a morning swim.

Did I mention it was raining?

And cold?

Despite my ruined hair-do and soggy feet, the kids had a great time.

The pool water was warmer than the surrounding air, plus all their moving and jumping around in the water gave them some additional warmth.  Our school district has a new swimming pool policy that mandates one adult for every five students.  Have you ever tried to keep track of five moving targets that seldom come near each other, or who can't stay in one place more than five seconds?  We were all required to stand at the edge of the pool (not sit) and supervise.  There were also at least four life guards on duty.  

Our grade did fine (only seven kids had to be pulled out of the water-but with all those adults watching, some were rescued before they knew they needed help), but today a fifth grader had to be fished out and needed to be revived.  I guess some boys were doing dead man floating and everyone thought he was still playing.  Pretty scary!  Fortunately, he will be fine.

Anyway...back to Tuesday.....

With freezing bodies and chlorine induced red eyes, we walked back to school.

That afternoon I felt like I was like teaching zombies.  They were pretty tired.

Wednesday was a field trip. 

With budget cuts and so much pressure on testing,we save all our field trips for the end of the year.

We always look forward to going to This is the Place State Park (click to learn more) and stepping back in time.

It was a fun day learning about life as a pioneer and about all the different local animals, including learning about tanning their hides, recognizing their fur, and identifying their tracks. We also got to go inside a  Native American tepee and a hogan. Our very cute Native American guide surprised me by asking me if my name was Mrs. Clegg.   
HE WAS ONE OF MY STUDENTS IN MY VERY FIRST YEAR OF TEACHING!  What a fun surprise for me!  Yes, it is a small world.

(Another great guide)

Today (Thursday)  we were scheduled for another field trip, a day at a park.

We were given free UTA (public transportation) bus tickets and had planned on going to a fun park.

This morning I gave my students a pretty good sales pitch for spending the day at school instead of going to the park.

I've never been a debater, but I managed to convince them that we could have more fun staying put.

(O.K., offering to order pizza, erupt my volcano, work on boondoggle key chains, water color, and have extra recess was a little heavy handed, but it worked!)

When the other classes came back sunburned and tired we were happily eating our pizza.

It was a pretty fun day.

Tomorrow (Friday) will be the last day of school. 

We will have our awards assembly, spend a little time signing autograph books, and then depart our separate ways.  My time as their care giver will be over.  

Yes, I will miss them!

I wonder if our lives will reconnect again some day.

You never know!

♥

JoAnn

Country roots.....

"I'm a little bit country....."

I grew up on a farm in Southern Idaho and you just can't take the country roots out of me.  

(However, I eagerly gave up the one root I had that involved smelly cows.)

Every Memorial Day holiday we like to go back "home", and that includes a little drive up to the hills north of Preston.  Cache Valley, which includes Logan on the Utah side and Preston on the Idaho side is a beautiful place.  It has a lot of rolling hills, lakes, small rivers, and beautiful farms.

Yes, it is the center of the universe!

(Sorry, to those of you who might have thought you lived in the center.)

If I ever come across a hefty inheritance, I would like to buy this white barn (and the hillside it is sitting on).

I think I could create a cozy place to live there, don't you think so, too?

Or, I could move in the cabin in the picture above it.  So charming!

It's even a beautiful place to rest in peace!
♥
JoAnn

Memorial Day 2010

Memorial Day is a time to remember and appreciate.

It's a day to gather together with family members to honor our loved ones who have gone before us;

a day to remember and give thanks to so many who have given their lives protecting our freedoms;

and yes, even a day for picnics and family gatherings!

 We fondly remember our wonderful parents and the love they shared with everyone, 

how their home was the real gathering place where we all loved to be.

We can't forget our memories of loving grandparents who enjoyed spoiling us,
and aunts, uncles, cousins, and friends whom we miss so much.

This year we gathered together once again to remember.

(click to enlarge)

The weather was chilly and wet, but that didn't matter.
We love our family.
 We miss you.

To all those men and women who have given  their lives in service for our freedom we say
THANK YOU!
(And to their families for letting them go.)

Here are some other related links if you want to check them out.

Our family heroes

Memorial Day, a day to remember

Looking ahead, but really behind to Memorial Day

Lee Greenwood said it best:

"And I'm proud to be an American
Where at least I know I'm free,
And I won't forget the men who died,
Who gave that right to me."

♥
JoAnn

I'm joining Mosaic Monday at The Little Red House!  Stop on by.

Almost.....

We have almost made it to the end of the school year!

(Despite my doubts, I'm still ALIVE!)

 

There is only one more week left, but we have a lot of fun things planned.

We will be going swimming, to a park, and off to experience life first hand in a Pioneer Village.

We've finished up our testing.

Turned in the text books.

Cleaned out desks (somewhat).

Headphones and splitters are put away.

Grades are entered in the computer (mostly).

Walls are looking bare (sort of).

Nothing to do but enjoy the spring weather and our last week together.

Time to play!

And yes,

IT WILL BE THE LONGEST WEEK OF THE YEAR!

I hope everyone has a nice Memorial Day weekend.  Travel safely!

♥

JoAnn

Guess what's been ordered for our home?

There's a project in the air.

It's coming to our home-soon!

It's coming from this place.

(I know this logo has copywrite  privileges, but I'm only using it as advertisement.  Please don't turn me in!)

Things might be messy- for awhile.

BUT

I'm excited!

Can you guess what it might be?

(Hint:  It will be coming in boxes and it isn't a water heater!)

♥

JoAnn

What a shower it was! (And I'm not talking about the rain!)

What a shower we had!

(Yes, it did rain, but that's not the kind of shower I'm talking about!)

On Saturday, we celebrated the very-soon-to-be-here-arrival-date of Andrew and Irene's little baby boy.

Carolyn and Connie out-did themselves with a great luncheon and their beautiful home made quilts!  Mom Clegg shared her lovely home.  Isn't it nice to have great family support?

The cute quilt on the top was made by Great Aunt Carolyn (speaking from the baby's point of view).  It is so soft and colorful.  I love the fabric with all the cute animals.  Won't it be fun to snuggle a little baby in?

The quilt on the bottom was made by Great Aunt Connie (same connection) and actually had the exact same material on the back that Irene used to make a crib skirt. 

How perfect to match the bed!  Did you notice the cute pictures she embroidered on the front?

What a lucky little boy!

We can't wait to meet our new grandson!
This baby is going to be one of the best dressed kids around.
Thanks, everyone, for the gifts and the support.
♥
JoAnn

I'm linking to Mosaic Monday at The Little Red House!  Go check out all the other mosaics.

Warning......serious ponderings.......

It's really late.  My body is achy and tired, but my mind is wide awake. (I will hate myself tomorrow, because I should be working on a project for school and here I am -procrastinating.)  Don't ask me why, I guess I just need a little personal time.  I have been in quite a dither lately.  I am finding myself with more to do than I have time (and energy)!  I am starting to feel like those people you read about who can't dig themselves out from under and so they just quit trying and end up living in total chaos.  (O.K. family, I'm just kidding!)  I have struggled with my blog posts lately, too.  I never thought I'd run out of things to say, but I have been as blank as a sterile white wall.  (Even my metaphors are pathetic!)  So, what is the purpose of this post?  Am I here for sympathy?

I'm not sure.  I think I'm trying to sort things out in my mind and convince myself that the void comes from finding my well a bit empty.  I know we women tend to want to take care of everyone, to create an inviting home, to serve in the church, to be the best at our many jobs, and I love doing those things.  I really do.

School is winding down and yes, it is a busy time.  I have been ill and have no energy.  Projects at home have put me behind. The yard is full of so much potential- but far from the way I enjoy seeing it.   My computer class homework has caused me added stress.  I am tired.

BUT.....

I know there is a purpose to everything and that life is meant to bring joy and happiness.  I know I need to step back and pamper myself a bit.  I need to let go of some of the pressure I put on myself.  I have a wonderful family, good friends, and many material blessings.

Well, I feel a lot better (and no therapist fees to pay)!  I will be fine and if I can hold on a little longer I will have time to catch my breath.  I thought I'd end with this old, grainy photo of Heidi and Michelle enjoying some simple pleasures-playing in the mud!  Yes, I probably thought those days were hard and frustrating at the time, but what great memories I have of raising our children.   (And the yard has come a LONG way!)

 Thanks for letting me vent!  I won't promise exciting, well written blog posts.  I can't guarantee my newsletters will be interesting or on time.  Projects might remain unfinished.  But, I will keep trying!

I LOVE this advice from President Hinckley:

"Stop looking for the storms and enjoy more fully the sunlight."

"Life is to be enjoyed, not endured."

"If life gets to hard to stand- kneel."

-Gordon B. Hinckley

♥

JoAnn