hearing things

Though there are some who might argue the point...

to me it just may be that the very best thing ever

is to hear your fourteen-year-old son singing Newsies in the basement.

Next favorite moment is probably

 the joy of walking down to the basement

and finding aforementioned fourteen-year-old son

listening to the scriptures 

while doing a P90X ab workout.

except-ing

We just passed mid-terms.  Grades are coming due. 

Favorite moment of the day?

When a little sweetie of mine came up, sporting the greatest look of pride and joy, and told me, "I just turned in ALL of my assignments!  Except some of them."

antonym-ical

My students have been working on antonyms.

Favorite moment of the day?  

Reading this response:
antonym of cheerful:   grumpy-pants Vance


That child gets an A!

not pretty

Today I had a little girl come up to me and ask:

"Mrs. Vance...I'm just wondering...but did you brush your hair today?"

"No," I replied, "I don't even own a brush."

Then it got really good.

"Well, you should brush your hair.  You don't look very good today."

That, I thought, was worth recording in the blogosphere.  You're welcome.

(take 9)

 The last of my SEP conferences (aka Parent/Teacher Conferences). A rather arduous task as a teacher, but one I'm appreciative of as a mother.
 

 The stack of homework still not graded because of conferences.

 Papers on the floor.  The step just prior to putting them in the tra..er...

circular filing cabinet.  This is the way we clear our stacks,clear our stacks, clear our stacks...

 A lovely late night visit from cute Colin and absolutely adorable Amy. We love it when we get to see them!

My sweet little nephew, Brennan (sorry, I don't know how to rotate my pictures), fast asleep on the way to a soccer game.  Three things: 1) I do not know how his neck did not break. sitting like that! 2) I love that he still has a hold on his toy. 3) Brennan stayed asleep through the entire game, despite his Uncle Michael doing 

such awful things to Brennan, as tapping on his forehead and plugging his nose!

I saw this little gem (someone please tell me how to rotate my pictures!) on the check out counter of a Middle School library.  I hereby commission someone to make me such a delightful reader statue, too!

 

This little darling is Nina.  After 3 and a half years, she has just about decided that she might like me.   It's okay.  Her two oldersisters are going on 5 and 7, respectively, and they still aren't sure they like me, either.  At least their parents do!

(take 7)

The time I woke, and couldn't get back to sleep. 

Joshua went shopping for his Valentine tonight, giving me a lesson or two in love and romance.

Michael surprised me with a box of heart shaped bubble blowers for my school class (enjoy the extra picture this week of the kids blowing their bubbles at our Valentine's Day party).  He teaches me about love and romance all the time.

Happy Valentine's Day!

The prize I found in my car on Thursday morning.  Yum!

The view from a cave called Rick's Spring.  We stopped there on our way to Bear Lake where we got to stay for the weekend (at Bear Lake, not in the cave).

This was taken while standing ON Bear Lake.  It was pretty neat.  So were the ice bowling and chili contests we attended later on in the afternoon in little Montpelier, ID.  Happy Birthday, Michael!

Modeling my oh, so attractive skirt made out of a scarf, since I forgot to bring a dress for church.  

(take 6)

Our Winder Dairy bags, representing what is otherwise known at our house as "Keri's Folly."

No, not a Christmas tree.  A winter wonderland tree.  (See the snowflakes?!)  And winter lasts a long time around our house...

  

Meetings at the Stake building.  Hard to go, but always enjoyable being there.

My little darlings at Wednesday morning dance class.

A date night with Evan (eating the best Pho ever!).

A date night with the Daniels and the hubster (he was parking the car) to the Capitol Theater.

A wonderful evening spent enjoying "Young Women in Excellence," which these young ladies truly define.

(take 5)

 Dinner.  Monday.

 Dinner.  Tuesday.

 Band/Orchestra concert.  Wednesday.  No dinner.

Me, sans the facial hair and purple sweater 

(mine was orange), taking the Praxis exam.

Thursday.  No dinner.

 A date with Linessa.  It wasn't dinner, but we did enjoy
a most delicious Saturday lunch at Blue Lemon.








Superbowl Sunday.  It was all about the dinner!

(take 4)

Family Home Evening.  Look how it's gone techno...for the kids, at least.

(Still paper and pen for me!)

"I have a dream..." papers by my 3rd grade class.

What else do I do besides school?  (Oh, yeah.  I go to soccer.)

These are some of the totem poles the class has made.

Proof that Michael beats our children!

You can't tell this, but our driveway was an ice sheet.  

Michael and Joshua were sliding up and down...

hilarious!

Michael took this.  It's pretty typical of our nights at home:

Joshua in soccer clothes finding something to eat, 

me, grading papers.  Pure excitement, as you can tell.

Not my picture, but it was where Michael and I went for our date.

We happened to run into some very dear friends there

and spent the rest of the evening catching up over appetizers

at Applebees.  We love you, Anderls!

Michael and his true love...Sadie.

We got another snow storm and Michael just HAD to

get the snow plow out; service is his middle name 

(actually, that part really is true about him, and he really does love Sadie).

(take 3)

 After getting stuck in the snow two or three or four 

or maybe more than five times,

it was time for a visit to Discount Tires...

Art based on the works of Karl Momen. He's mostly known around here for his "Tree of Life" (otherwise known as the big tennis balls thingy), but at Morningside Elementary, he's soon to be known as the real live artist who came to our school.

 Pretend the picture is rotated, 

and then see how cute Mr. Snowman is.  At least,

I though it was pretty cute when this is where I found the 

snow shovel (which I needed, after getting stuck in

our cul-de-sac...again)!

 Time for voice lessons.

Everyone should be so lucky.

 Everyone should be so brave.  They were shopping, 

with crowns on, just...because.  That's pretty awesome.

 

Sunday morning selection: it's all about the tights.

(P.S.  I chose the light tan ones with flowers that look like tattoos.)

Penny Pinching (take 2)

January's glyph now decorates our school hallway.

How many ways are there to follow one set of directions, I wonder.
30 or more, it seems, and I'm glad.  

Where's Waldo?

Mmmm...must be morning.
Pancakes? Must be Wednesday.

A super snowstorm...30+ hours of falling fluff!

Will power: zero.

(But it was dark chocolate, so it was a healthy choice, right?!)

The dreaded task.  Ironing eight
 UPS uniforms = true devotion (delusion?) to my husband.

 Whose fanny is that hanging out?  Sheesh.
What kind of example am I setting for these lovely young women, anyway?
I hope they got something out of the lesson today besides my booty.  I know I did.


Fourteen cents, and counting!

Penny Pinching

Colin loves his wife.
He's going to give Amy $5 for each picture she takes this year, helping her earn money for a fancy schmancy new camera (she's really good at taking pictures) (and painting shoes) (and writing papers) (and making Colin happy).

Colin loves me, too.
He's going to pay me a penny.  Per picture.

I'm going to earn me some money!

Happy New Year!

What a wonderful night at Temple Square.

The Morning After. 

Completely Wiped.Out.

I'm back... (yes, that was written with creepy inflection).

Just look at those braniacs, on task and everything!

This practice test does not bode well for my Jan. 31 final.

Nothing says Friday Night Fun more than teenagers on their way to Denny's.

Nothing says Saturday Night Fun like a visit to the library.

An evening of rest.

And Downton Abbey.

That'll be seven cents, please, brother.