Merry Christmas

This is Bailee's good friend Aleks. Her face seems to epitomize the season!

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas holiday. We certainly did. On Christmas Eve we went out to eat at The Olive Garden, then attending the 5:30 p.m. church services at St. Paul's. Bailee was a shepherd in the Christmas Program. It was really nicely done and very sweet.

On Christmas Day we spent the morning opening gifts and laughing at Caribou. He finds Christmas terribly exciting, and loves to rip up wrapping paper. Needless to say, it was an active and messy affair.

In the afternoon, we went over to good friends, Rick and Dalene Owen's home for supper. Dalene and I prepared different parts of the meal, and it went off really well. We had a wonderful time with them, visiting and playing games. I am thankful for such good friends.

Of course, we missed all of you who did not have the opportunity to be with us. I hope you all had a wonderful day filled with joy and the true spirit of the season. God Bless you all!

Post Nutcracker

Our beautiful little "Clara" did a wonderful job. We were so proud of her! The past week has been crazy and exhausting. But by Saturday night it was all worth it.

We all wondered if the theater gods had turned on us during the matinee performance! The studio owner, Becky Gili, took a bad tumble down the stairs at the Civic Auditorium and was hurt quite badly. She soldiered on though, as Becky always seems to do. Some of the pyrotechnics shot out instead of up and the tree (the one that magically grows during the first act) caught on fire. It was quickly extinguished by on the ball stage hands, but it still was quite the scare! During the scene where Clara and Fritz fight over the nutcracker, the little guy completely fell apart (only his head is supposed to come off)! Herr Drosselmeyer had to perform a massive quick fix while on stage! We had some slips and some wardrobe malfunctions, but otherwise all was well.

The kids knocked the evening performance out of the park. It was incredible! I was so proud of all of them. They really brought it! Bailee received a lot of support from her friends, the people from her church (St. Paul's), our home teacher, her fifth grade teacher, and wonderful godparents. It was an amazing night for her. For all of us, really. We will never forget it.

Now we are focusing on recovering and finishing preparations for Christmas. Haste! It comes a pace! God Bless you all!

Christmas is Coming!

Christmas is on its way, and it is approaching at a speed that has me reeling. Time just seems to be evaporating! Luckily, we have a good helper in Bailee. She is becoming quite the little chef. I taught her how to make squash rolls this year, and they turned out better than ever. Will she have her own show on Food Network someday? I wouldn't be at all surprised to find myself tuning in to "The Ballerina Baker."

Not a day goes by that isn't consumed in one way or another by THE NUTCRACKER. It is hard to believe that we are only nine days from the big performance. Bailee brought home her dress and had a good time hamming it up for the camera. This dress weighs a ton, and is proving to be a big challenge for her to dance in. When she spins, the dress creates its own momentum and Bailee finds it difficult to STOP spinning!

Of course, there are moments when we realize just how much she has grown up. In this photo I can see much more of the young lady than the little girl. She just got her second set of braces - pink, to match the dress of course. I'm glad that she is not one of those kids who give up smiling because of their braces. Of course, I don't think that there is much that could wipe that smile off her face these days. She is living her big dream, after all.

Not exactly "cheesecake," but she had to show off her beautiful pantalettes. We've been working hard on costumes, so we appreciate the effort that went into the creation of this beautiful dress all the more. Funny, we all decided that the smell of hot glue and burned fingers are becoming a part of the aura of Christmas for us. We are looking forward to the big performance on the 19th at the Civic Auditorium. Grandma is nearly giddy over the prospect of seeing her little granddaughter dance the lead. What a wonderful experience this has been for all of us!

A Snowy December Night

I'm looking out the window on a blanket of white, and (with the exception of the wind) I am okay with this weather. It seems right for winter to arrive. Sick, according to Diana, but it seems seasonal to me.


I downloaded some pictures and discovered a photo of Bailee and our Halloween display.







She had a great time carving her pumpkins, but I want to draw attention to her feet. Eleven years old and we STILL cannot keep shoes on this kid!








One of the best things about this month has been watching Bailee turn into a voracious reader. She has really gotten turned on to books, and has chosen them over her usual television shows. WHAT A TRIUMPH! Needless to say, the teachers in the family are thrilled. Since I continue to feel under the weather, I have also been devoting a great deal of time to reading. I just finished H.G. Well's "War of the Worlds." Very, very creepy! It reminded me more of the Tom Cruise version (which I have only seen clips of) than the old version we used to watch with my dad. I SHOULD have read this at Halloween time.



Diana was finally able to get her Swine Flu shot at the last clinic held this week. Mom and I are still unprotected, but at least the two people most at risk in our household have gotten the vaccine. I hope that mom can qualify for the next clinic. I was vaccinated at BYU back in the day (the 70s) when we last had a Swine Flu outbreak, so am hoping I still have some immunity to protect me.



After months of preparation, Bailee's gifted and talented group put on their big program - NIGHT OF THE NOTABLES. Bailee did her presentation and report on ballerina Maria Tallchief. Not only was she one of the first Native American prima ballerinas, she also taught Bailee's ballet teacher (Becky Gili) after her retirement. We made a costume for her to represent Ms. Tallchief's signature role in the ballet FIREBIRD. It was a great night, and we were really proud of her.







This past weekend, Bailee spent a good deal of time hanging up posters for THE NUTCRACKER. Most businesses were very sweet about doing so. Several managers glanced at the poster and then looked at her and exclaimed, "Hey! That's you!" Being Clara has definitely open more doors for getting those posters displayed I think. She has a week off of dance (well, she has to practice at home of course) and she can certainly use it. She is SO tired! This role has been a real challenge for her. She's loving it of course, being the dance addict she is. However, it is very strange to see her face plastered all over. She gets embarrassed, especially when people notice that she's the girl on the poster. She's having to deal with a little celebrity The younger dancers always get excited when they see her out and about. She's learning to be gracious and kind to them (though she insists that "This is embarrassing!"). Poor kid. My heart just bleeds for her. NOT!

We only have two days of school this week. It doesn't seem possible that it is already Thanksgiving time! We're planning our usual intimate Thanksgiving here at home with just the immediate family. With our very public and people oriented jobs, the peace and quiet is a nice change. We'll catch a few movies, avoid Black Friday, and do some holiday decorating. I'm sure that a great many naps will be the chief order of business. I hope everyone has a wonderful holiday and that you are all healthy and happy!

It's ALL About Dance

Well, there she is. Clara, in almost all her glory. Right now (and for the next several weeks), our life will be consumed by ballet. Everything and every waking moment revolves around Nutcracker. It's a grind, for sure, but when you look at that little imp - well, you really don't care. She's doing well, and we are really proud of her.

Practices are six days a week now, and usually run around 2 to 3 hours. I am thankful that Bailee is staying healthy and still enjoys it all. Most kids complain about practicing, but she actually seems thrilled to go every day. She has never lost her passion for dance. In fact, it merely seems to grow.

Meanwhile, I am sick with what the PA at Community Care referred to as "almost a sinus and ear infection." Good heavens! If that was an "almost" then I am glad I missed out on the real deal. I have been miserable. Headache, body aches, sore throat, stomach ache, and an earache that had me sure my ear drum was about to burst. I feel somewhat better today, but still did not go in to school. It was a workday, and I figured I could do that at home just as well (and not have to be civil to anyone while I did it).

Diana has finished her Parent-Teacher Conferences, so her life is seeming MUCH better today. They are so stressful, as you always have to tell some parents things they absolutely do not want to hear. I am glad that we are both done with them until the new year. Now all we have to do is get our kiddoes through the holidays.

The weather is dreary and cold, but it's November, after all. I wouldn't mind seeing some snow, but Mom is adament about NO SNOW UNTIL DECEMBER! I personally like winter. I think it is nature's way of telling us to slow down already! I am more than willing to hibernate for the next few months. A season of good books read in front of a fireplace sounds like a slice of heaven to me. I certainly wish we HAD a fireplace. Oh well, maybe someday. Until then I'll satisfy myself with a warm house, a cozy throw, and that good book. (Which right now is H.G. Well's "War of the Worlds.")

The First Week of November

I am a Halloween Scrooge. I admit it freely and without shame. I hate Halloween. I mean, I REALLY hate it. I just can't stand the focus on gore and horror that has become the twisted soul of the modern version of Halloween. Ick. The evening door pounding gives me a headache (mostly due to the frenzy the dogs go into). The surly teenagers who show up with a pillowcase and an attitude make me want to reach for the nearest taser. I almost prefer those teens dressed up in no more than their greed to those who put on a display of garb that nearly sends you retching into your candy bowl. Extremely icky.


My fellow fifth grade teacher topped everything however, when she shared an experience that her son had at a local grocery on Halloween. It left me shaking my head and confirmed my dislike for the day. He was in search of more treats for the legions of ghouls who would come knocking on the door that evening when in walked a young man decked out as Jesus - complete with a crown of thorns and blood streaming down his face. He said that the whole store went dead silent. Inappropriate? Absolutely. Yep. I hate Halloween.


I did, however enjoy our friend Marsha's take on Halloween in her blog. If you're looking for a giggle about how our imaginations can take us for a ride - check out her Early Halloween entry at
http://www.beetleeyes.com/.


Bailee had a miserable week with her braces. It was so hard for her to eat that she lost three pounds. That's a lot of weight on a very tiny girl! It hurt to see her in so much pain. Thankfully, this week she is doing better and is eating once more.


I actually had a wonderful day at school today - due to the fact that my biggest pain in the butt was home sick. What a difference it made! You hate to admit to this, but his absence changed the entire climate of the room. Without his constant disruptions and distractions the other students did much better. Without his negative and bullying attitude we had a peaceful and happy day. How do you tactfully suggest home school to a parent?

Swine Flu

Diana and Bailee went to the Swine Flu Shot-a-thon on Friday. They spent two hours sitting out in the cold and wind (poor planning on the Health Department's watch), waiting. Diana still does not qualify for a shot, but Bailee got hers. She ran a low grade fever on Friday and Saturday and did not feel well. Last night the fever disappeared and she perked right up. We heard that this is a normal reaction to the flu shot for kids, so don't freak out if your kidlets don't feel well post shot. Normal, normal, normal. It seems like half the population is freaking out about the H1N1 shots, but Dr. Oz (from Oprah) and every other doctor I have heard speaking on it say that it is not a risk. Given Bailee's asthma and the fact that she becomes extremely ill whenever she has a respiratory illness, we felt that it was important to protect her. As a teacher, I see how fast sickness can spread in a classroom, even when you are harping on hygiene and disinfection everything. Kids, by natural, are prone to passing on bugs. When it comes down to it, you have to decide for yourself (weighing out the risks etc.), but I am really glad Bee will have an immunity edge.

Yesterday we had to take Miss Ballet Star down to the Pointe Shop in Pocatello for new pointe shoes. Yes. Plural. The shank on her last pair of Grishkos (which I had hoped we could dye for the party scene) went soft in the center, so they have to be replaced. Ouch and dang! That meant we had to buy two new pairs for NUTCRACKER. She got another pair of Grishkos to dye, then begged for a pair of Gaynor Mindens. They are more expensive, but are designed to last far longer than other pointe shoes. Bailee's feet are stable right now, so we decided to go for it. I don't want to have to make another ballet run to Pocatello until spring.

Bailee gets her braces (last week we got spacers) this Tuesday morning. I think she's going for black and orange. I recall when silver train tracks were the only option. Times sure do change. She'll have to have clear for NUTCRACKER, but Dr. Mooso said she can play around this time, as they will replace them in late November/early October. We are certainly learning a lot this year!

Murphy's Law Day

What a day. I came home from a rough day at school to the news that Grandma and Bailee had a visit from the fire department an hour or so before. Our stove caught fire! No damage to the rest of the house, but the stove is a loss and will have to be replaced. Great.


Since we had no way to cook dinner (and we were feeling sorry for ourselves) we decided to go out to dinner. We stopped in at Red Robin, which is one of Bailee's favorites (she loves their onion rings). Two bites into our meal, Diana produced a piece of wire from her food and proceeded to cough and choke. We had to rush her over to the E.R., where they did x-rays to see if she had swallowed a piece of the wire. Given the deluge of swine flu fearful, it took well over three hours. No wire was found, but her throat was scratched and the incident provoked an asthma attack. They gave Diana a breathing treatment and told her to stay on a liquid diet for a while.


Red Robin and their staff were great about the whole thing. They didn't charge any of us for our meal and the corporate office is going to cover the cost of the hospital visit. The manager called several times this evening to check on Diana. I thought that was pretty decent. Mistakes happen to all of us, and I thought that Red Robin handled the incident in an honorable and caring way. Will we go back to eat there again? Yes. Accidents happen, despite our best efforts and precautions.

Happy Columbus Day

Only in America would the federal government take the day off to honor a man who didn't know where he was. Okay, I respect what Columbus did - it did take guts to embark on his journey, etc. However, the fact remains that he had not a clue as to the fact that he had just landed on a new continent. Amerigo Vespucci figured that out, and while he had the two new continents named after him, the man did not rate his own federal holiday. Go figure.

I have decided that I am allergic to my new school. I have been nursing a respiratory malady since school started, and it just is not getting better. No fever, but I sure feel terrible. At the moment I fear that I am moving into a case of bronchitis brought on by having my tissues so irritated. Very NOT fun.

Bailee is definitely the tween supreme. She had a major trauma drama meltdown this weekend. We were searching for a pattern for a new dress for Clara (her part in THE NUTCRACKER), but were unable to find anything appropriate. That led to tears and frustration over being so little. Honestly, she is not THAT little. Truth be told, she is growing like a weed. Unfortunately, she compares herself to all the American Amazons that surround her. Plenty of her friends are petite, like she is, but she only acknowledges those who are already over 5 feet tall. Poor girl. Life is SO hard when you are 11 and everything is the end of the world.

We attended the annual Harvest Fest held at Snake River Landing this past weekend. It was cold, but the sun was shining and we had a good time. Bailee had her favorite junk food - a Winder Funnel Cake. She also petted about 30 different dogs who had participated in the canine costume contest. Pretty cute. They ranged in size from minuscule to massive. There was a baby miniature Schnauzer and a full grown Bull Mastiff. Whoa! He was as big as (if not bigger than) the ponies that were giving pony cart rides to the kids.

We're prepping for Bailee's braces. Tomorrow she goes in to her regular dentist for a thorough cleaning and checkup. Next week they start installing the braces. Installing. Man, it even sounds horrible. I have these visions of construction workers that work on skyscrapers that I am NOT sharing with Bailee.

October At Last

I FINALLY had the time to download the 125 (!) photos on our digital camera, so I'm adding a few to this blog (even though they are out of date). This is a photo of Bailee's dance studio float filled with hot dancers at the end of the Spud Days parade.

Only Bailee would get a caramel apple with a smile on the bottom!

The brave Bailee on one of the "big kid" rides at the state fair. She apparently was looking forward to it!

Idaho's weather has turned, so it is goodbye to temperatures in the 80s and
hello to nightly freezes and highs in the 50s (if we are lucky). Fall has
arrived in earnest, which is actually a goo thing. It will
settle the kids at school down a little, and it is certainly nice to be finished
with marathon yard and garden work.

We cleared out the garden this past week and have picked most of our plums. Now we just have do the freezing and canning. It's a lot of work, but I actually enjoy it. This is a very cozy time of year. I have some fond memories of family sessions at the kitchen table cutting up vegetables as a kid. Those were good times. I hope Bailee enjoys those activities as much as we did.

Believe it or not, we have had our fist Parent-Teacher conferences. It seems disgustingly early, but I am certainly glad that they are behind me. Now we can settle down to the business of school. We are officially finished with open houses, dedications, and all that other garbage that has been added to our workload. I am hoping that we can all get into a nice routine now.

Stay tuned for the continuing drama of "THE CLARA DRESS." We found out that
the dress for Clara in THE NUTCRACKER weighs 30 to 40 pounds. It's always been
an issue for the girl playing the part, but it has become a major issue with Bailee. She weighs 60
pounds soaking wet and after a big meal ... less when she is dancing hard. I
have visions of her lurching across the stage like the Hunchback of Notre Dame! We're trying to
convince the studio owner that a new, lighter dress is in order. Otherwise we
may have to stuff helium balloons under the skirt!

I feel sorry for Miss Bailee this week. She is sure that we are trying to turn her into a pincushion! Thus far she has had a flu shot, her DPT booster, and the Menactra shot. She still has to get a pneumonia shot (her pediatrician advised this to protect her lungs if she gets the Swine Flu - she has asthma that really flares up when she is ill). Poor kid. Every one of those shots have really hurt. She has let us know that she is tired of sore arms and feeling puny afterward. Oh my. It's hard for her to see that this is supposedly for her own good.

Just to keep life from getting too boring, I'm having more car trouble. While
taking Bailee to eat
between dance classes, I noticed the sound of something dragging under the car.
Sure enough, there was a piece of metal hanging down from the engine.
NO!!!!!!!!!!!! I limped the car to Sunnyside Auto and am now waiting for word on what
is wrong. Huge dollar signs keep appearing before my eyes! This also left me
with no way to get to a class I was supposed to be taking at my district office
this morning. I hope that car trouble is a good enough excuse. This reminds me
of a picture from my Mary Engelbreit calendar - Life is just so DAILY! Isn't
that the truth?!

Busy, Busy September

I swear that August was just a heartbeat or two ago! Now, here I find myself looking at the first day of autumn and the end of September just eight days away. How did that happen?

We began the month with a Labor Day weekend rock hunt (for a school project for Bailee) which took us up to Kelly Canyon, over to Blacktail Reservoir, down to Bone, and back along the Snake River. We found some interesting rocks along the way. Bailee was happy with her finds and did well on the project. Needless to say, Idaho is possessed of a great many varieties of igneous and metamorphic rocks. Imagine that!

We then HAD to take in the Eastern Idaho State Fair of course! This year we made two trips. The first was an eight hour marathon of looking at everything, going on rides, shopping, and snacking at the food vendors. Bailee then had to take Grandma the following weekend to make sure hat she had her own funnel cake (this is Bailee's MUST EAT fair food). We had a good time, and saw SO many people that we knew! It was crazy! It seemed like the entire population of Southeastern Idaho had found their way there. Bailee branched out to some new and more challenging rides - which left Diana feeling a little melancholy. She rode the merry-go-round, but turned her nose up at the other kiddie rides she used to love. Poor mommy! Her girl is growing up.

School has been nonstop crazy, of course. It is just one constant round of training and training and training some more. Whenever I start the new year I think about the movie "Men in Black." Do you remember how they "flashed" people to erase their memory? It makes me wonder sometimes when I look out on those fresh faced fifth graders ... yep, I really do wonder.

Last weekend Bailee's dance studio was in the Spud Day parade down in Shelley. I was shocked by how big it all was. The parade was long, and the park looked like a minature version of the state fair. Thousands of people were there. Very impressive. Tubers - who knew?

In the evening we hauled Bailee over to her dance studio for auditions for THE NUTCRACKER. We were stunned when she was chosen to play the lead part of Clara. Whoa! That was a massive shock to us all. Bailee still keeps asking if it was a dream. I hope she does well. How she will dance in a dress that weighs 30 pounds (she weighs in at 60 pounds when soaking wet), I have no idea! Right now she vascillates between excitement, terror, and guilt (she wanted her dance buddy to get the part). The coming months are going to be interesting.

Bailee is currently up at Pine Basin Camp with the girls from the fifth grade. They will spend the next 48 hours learning about life in the woods, fossils, and the environment. I expect that she will be tired and filthy when she returns. I hope that she is having a good time. We sure miss her! The house seems so empty (and boring)! Her dog, Caribou, is highly distressed. He has been looking for her all evening and keeps coming up to us with this expression that seems to say, "I can't believe you people are so careless! Where did you put my girl?" We are, in a word, in the doghouse with the dog. Or, I should say, instead of the dog. Oh dear.

Can We Agree to Disagree?

When I arrived home from school the other day there was a photo and article about the man who shot the first wolf during the sanctioned "Wolf Hunt" here in Idaho. It was hard to miss, as it was crossed out in angry x's made by a black marker. The marker was weilded by Bailee - who loves wolves. This has been a long standing issue in our house, first started by our governor "Butch" Otter's vocal support of this hunt months and months ago. Bailee's ire was raised then, and it has not diminished. She is passionate about these creatures ... a feeling that started when we took her to the Grizzly/Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone many years ago. It was strange to watch, but there was a connection between our tiny little one and the wolf pack there. They followed her as she walked along the exhibit. Okay, did she look like lunch? Diana and I joked about it until she parked herself on one of the benches and all the wolves sat down too, like they were attending an audience with the queen. It was, in a word, a little odd, and it just became odder. The wolves were fascinated with her. They watched her intently, with cocked heads, and large wolfish smiles. Some of the younger wolves got down into that "play pose" we've seen with our dogs. What was really odd was the fact that the wolves totally ignored the other children that were running about the exhibit. I've never been able to explain it. Was it the fact that she was quiet amid all the usual crowd and chaos? Was it the fact that she looked different from all the other bland Caucasian faces? Who knows?

Bailee came away from that visit loving wolves, so this week and the resulting news coverage has been upsetting to her. She doesn't understand hunting for sport. She might be able to grasp ranchers and farmers hunting wolves that are a problem on their land ... maybe. She does not accept men buying a tag to go out to kill a wolf for the thrill of the hunt. I have to admit that I am pretty proud that she doesn't. I don't believe God placed animals on this planet to be killed for thrills or the sport of it all. I know Bailee doesn't believe that either.

I have to admit that I admire wolves as well. Their social structure is interesting. Their communication is complex. Their family units beat some human families - no contest (I've taught children who would have been better off raised by wolves as opposed to their parents). They're beautiful, and I'm glad that God included them in his creations. As for man ... I think we have a lot to learn about what it really means to have stewardship over this planet.

All in all, this is not one of the weeks that I have been proud to live in Idaho. Quite frankly, I am ashamed. From candidate Rex Rammell's jokes about selling "Obama Tags" (then refused to issue any kind of apology) to school districts caving to right-wing pressure to ban President Obama's speech to school children - I want to deny any connection to this state.

I think we need to take a serious look at ourselves and the message we are sending to the world. It is not a pretty one. I hear too many voices filled with hatred - and they are so loud that no one can hear anything else. Perhaps, that's the idea.

Back to School

August 24th was the first day of school for the children in our subdivision. It was a pretty big day. Everyone was excited to get back to school and thrilled with their teachers. I'm glad that our kids have such a good attitude. I certainly wish that more kids shared it. For some, school is nothing more than a way to interupt their Wii/Nintendo/Playstation time. Such a pity.

Bailee loves everything about fifth grade. She has come home bubbling every night. She is such a good kid! We have certainly been blessed to have her in our lives. She turned 11 on the 26th. That is so hard to bleieve! It seems that she was just a little six-month-old fresh from Vietnam just a few seconds ago. People have always told us that childhood goes by so fast. I am determined to continue to savour every moment we spend with Bailee. She is such a treasure!

One of the great things about this stage is the way her mind works. She thinks up the most interesting things! Our little "partners in crime" - Bailee and the Jenkins' girls, are creating a scrapbook about their WebKinz stuffed animals. The little stuffies are having all sorts of adventures during the girls' photo shoots. Put it down as another great memory!

On Beyond TIred

This has been a full and busy week. Diana and I worked like crazy (and far beyond crazy) on getting our classrooms ready. I managed to get most of my tasks completed by the date of our Open House (August 19th). We were not able to have an opening meeting with the parents because our gym is not finished yet. That will have to come later. That is just one of the many ways in which this school year has lacked cohesiveness. My students came for their first day on the 20th. It was a very interesting day. The fifth graders did pretty well, but we had many younger students who got lost in this HUGE school. It is a big change (in many ways) for the little ones who came from Harwood Elementary. I know it is cheaper to build large elementary schools - but I prefer the smaller schools we have in Ammon.

Diana (and Bailee) had their Open Houses on August 20th. I don't think I have ever seen Bailee more excited (or nervous). She spent a lot of time getting dressed and making sure she looked "just right." I think that she will have a good school year. The first day for Diana and Bailee is August 24th. I'm glad my first day is over with my kids!

Because of my Open House, I had to miss registration night for Studio One. I was really disappointed by that, as it is always fun to touch base with all the other dance families after the summer. I love our studio, and I really enjoy doing the website for it. Check it out at www.studioone-dance.com. We are doing open auditions for THE NUTCRACKER on September 12th, so anyone can come and try out. Many of the parts do not require a great deal of dance experience and include parts for itty bitties and adults. It's a great Christmas experience.

The Last Days of Summer

This is the last weekend of summer for us. School will be starting on Monday for the teachers in the family. We finally got to go into our new school on Friday (albeit with lots of restrictions - such as no helpers under the age of 18). This is what I saw when I walked into my room. I fought the desire to turn heel and run though. Somehow during the move I lost my matched set of desks (which were replaced by crap from the district warehouse for some unfathomable reason), my podium, several portable white boards, an easel, and a 6 foot table (all belonging to me). We were told "We only brought over what we thought you needed." Nice (and typical).

Thank goodness for the sillies waiting at home. The "Jenkies" (our neighbors) came for dinner and provided a spoony good floor show. Little Bree couldn't manage the spoon, but her smile lit up the room.

Bailee took a photo of another of our favorite sillies - young Caribou. He was napping in his playpen when she took the shot - waking him up in the process. I'll add the caption "What do you want?" for him.

Now, it is back to the rock pile! Hope you all had a good summer!

Good News at Last!

I had to start this post with this funny picture of Bailee. She's chomping down on her favorite #4 Slim (just meat and cheese) from Jimmy Johns www.jimmyjohns.com/ (our favorite place for sandwiches). Can you imagine her trying to eat a sub with anything else on it? Good grief, she seems to be dislocating her jaw as it is.

Today we finally got some good news. We get to close on our refinancing of the house in about 6 days. The appraisal is tomorrow (and getting ready for it has been killing me - yesterday I fell down the basement stairs thanks to misjudging the steps with my bifocals). My knee hurts like crazy, but I am still mobile.

We finally can get into our school AND I found a way to access my e-mail. The head tech is changing everyone's passwords (wouldn't it have been nice if he'd told someone), so we have to use a special generic password for now. Our access to the building is limited and there are lots of restrictions to follow. The hardest is the fact that no one under 18 is allowed in the building. That took out the bulk of my helpers! Very frustrating! Hopefully, when the district takes final possession, that restriction will be dropped. Of course, that restriction will HAVE to be dropped by the 20th! It's hard to start school if ALL your students are under 18!

Good friend, Christa, and her husband are picking up their seven month old baby boy this weekend. They have waited so long to adopt! I hope all goes smoothly for them. They will be fantastic parents!

Rimrock Registration

Today I had the opportunity to help the PTO with registration at Bailee's school. Once again, I was impressed by how the school is run, the fantastic PTO, and the terrific custodial staff that has spent countless hours preparing the building for our students. I was also impressed by the majority of the parents and their children. There will always be a few bad apples in the barrels, the complainers, and the impossible to please ... but as a group - you could not ask for better. Bailee is excited about fifth grade in Mrs. Cook's class. In fact, I noticed that most of the students were excited and looking forward to the new school year. That's pretty high praise.

Diana is starting to work on putting her room together. She has a lot to do this year, as she had to pack up everything last spring so they could replace carpeting and paint. I can see that we will be busy at Hillview for the remainder of the week. She is looking forward to the new school year.

As for me ... I have decided that they must be renaming my school Area 51 Elementary. No information, no admittance, and now - teachers' e-mail has been done away with. We are no longer authorized to use it. I am beginning to think that most of the above caution applies, and I'm starting to feel a bit stressed (okay - I am making plans for a full out nervous breakdown). Being a teacher is a real kick. I love teaching, but the other stuff - not so much. Here's hoping that things will get better.

Today, I am Homesick

Today I heard that they were selling the old KPRK Radio building in my hometown of Livingston, Montana. The station itself is now broadcasting from Bozeman. That just seems so WRONG! At any rate, this strange little piece of architecture was such a huge part of my past! It was the first building you saw coming into town from the east and the last you saw going west. Every summer, as we traveled on the train to visit my grandparents in St. Paul, Minnesota - this was the touchstone for hellos and goodbyes. It was our towns only radio station, and I remember it being on at our house throughout the day - the soundtrack of our lives. When I was in high school, some of my friends worked there as D.J.s (yes, it was a small town). I still remember listening to it on my round transistor radio (do you remember those?). The songs, the football and basketball games, it is all there - tucked away in my thoughts. I know that change is usually inevitable, but I hate to see this icon pass away into memory.

Thinking about the radio station got me thinking about home - and I found myself feeling a wave of homesickness. I was fortunate to grow up there. It was a beautiful place and I had a wonderful childhood. I am so grateful for that! This photo of Livingston at night was taken from the hill where we lived. I saw this scene every day of my life. Dang, I was lucky.

What follows are some snippets from my memories. Special places that hold a place in my heart.

This is a photo of The Sleeping Giant that presided over Livingston. Locals said that the Giant resembled Christ. I can't think of anyone better to watch over us. Watching the snow melt at his heart was one of our summer traditions. We always wagered on whether or not the snow would still be there on the 4th of July.

This was taken at the 63 Ranch. It just doesn't get more breathtaking than this.

This little souvenir shop was a favorite when we were kids. They had the strangest stuff - from jack-o-lopes to rubber tomahawks!

My dad loved to fish, and Dan Bailey's was THE place to go if you were a fisherman. My high school shop teacher did the fish for the sign.

Mark's In-And-Out with its famous BEEFBURGERS sign was one of THE Livingston icons. My dad would walk over (when it was Mart's In-And-Out) and get my mom milkshakes from there when she was pregnant with me. After we graduated, my friend Mark purchased the business.

One of the big treats of our summer was when we got to go up to Chico to swim. It was great! Imagine swimming in a pool surrounded by mountains.

I spent a lot of time at Sacajawea Park with my friends. We'd walk along the river and the Lagoon (which is shown in the picture), play frisbee, and do all manner of teenagery things (like playing in the kiddie wading pool). This is also where I was first exposed to Shakespeare, thanks to the Shakespeare in the Park program.

This is the Depot, from which yearly vacations to Minnesota were launched. It is also where my Dad worked. He was a communications specialist for the Northern Pacific Railroad. We loved riding on the trains, because all the porters and conductors knew him and took great care of us. I was always so proud of my dad, the railroad man!

Downtown Livingston. Today they call it historic, but we called it Hicksville and Hooterville when we were in high school. We loved it though, despite its small size. Who else gets to shop in such surroundings?

This is just outside of Livingston, on the way to Yellowstone Park. The valley is called Paradise Valley. How appropriate. It was a favorite place for a Sunday drive.

Snake River Roaring Youth Jam

Bailee has spent the past three days dancing at the Snake River Roaring Youth Jam. It's a yearly festival held down by the river with all types of activities for young people. Bailee's dance group, Studio One, performed there. The first two days the weather was pretty good, but today was miserable. It was SO cold! It also didn't help that there was a light mist of rain falling. That made the stage rather treacherous. I'm surprised none of the dancers ended up on their bums. If you're interested in dance, check out the studio website at www.studioone-dance.com

While our neighbors were on vacation,Bailee got to play mini-farmer. She fed their chickens, gathered eggs, and fed their dog. Most of her time was spent in hot pursuit of the tiniest chicken "Sweetheart," who proved to be a master of escape and espionage. Bailee tracked her all over the yard. Sometimes she was in the corn, sometimes the honeysuckle bush, and sometimes in the wheelbarrow. That little chick did get around, but Bailee loved their games of Hide and Seek.

Oh Crap

Sometimes there is just no other way to describe something. I'm a firm believer in yelling tripe when tripe is served. I just got a big load of tripe dumped on my plate, compliments of my schools district.

As of today, I will have two days to get my classroom unpacked and ready for school to start on the 20th. We received our welcome letters from the district today, and our problem wasn't even acknowledged. I am basically running around the house in a serious rage. The painting is not going well, and there is frankly too much to be done and no time to do it in. Crap seems a pretty mild expletive compared to what I could say, believe me. Right now I would dearly love to sock someone, and I don't particularly care who. It is probably a good idea for me to keep my distance from everyone and everything. Somehow, a rubber room seems like a bloody good idea.

I'm going to drive up to my new school today (they're having registration there). I figure I can at least take a picture of it to use on my classroom blog. Hope I'm not escorted off the premises.

In the midst of all this, thank goodness and Heavenly Father for next door neighbor Jennie. She came over yesterday to help me clean the plant shelves (I think that is what they are called) separating our kitchen and living room. Those living in Eagle Pointe will think "Ah yes. The mega dust catchers." They'll probably also swear. Who thought these would be a good idea? Right now I curse them AND our vaulted ceilings. Why did I ever think these were cool? Didn't I ever foresee the day I would have to paint the ridiculous things? All this makes me especially thankful for Jennie, who crawled up a ladder and crawled onto the top of the plant shelf to scrub it down. What a good neighbor! She doesn't realize how her act of charity probably avoided a murder-suicide (or at least a protracted period of banging one's head against the nearest available hard surface). Good neighbors are priceless!

Later - I did go up to my new school and managed to take a photo. It wasn't possible to look at a room though. The building is much lighter inside than Jefferson Elementary ... but seems quite similar. The PTO parents doing registration asked me if I was working in my room. They were shocked when I told them that we aren't going to be allowed in until the 17th.