Boo!

(don't be scared...it's just me :)  

I just had to try out some spooky Halloween effects! Actually looking at this picture is totally creeping me out....I don't watch anything scary and object to t.v. networks showing scary movie previews when I'm minding my own business watching my non-scary t.v. choices.  I'm that person who always has their eyes and ears closed with their head down if I sense any inkling of something being scary.  

Martin knows that part of being my husband is to tell me when the horribly terrifying scenes are over so I can open my eyes...
The only thing I look forward to most about Halloween is that I can officially start listening to Christmas music tomorrow and no one can object.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN! 

Newport

Our next stop was the city of Eugene.

(nothing cures a headache and achy body from driving all day like pizza...and we were pretty psyched about watching cable t.v.)

Instead of spending the day in Eugene, we decided to take a day trip to Newport so we could see the Pacific ocean. It didn't really look like the same Pacific ocean we saw in Hawaii, 

but apparently it is. 

It was cold, rainy, and windy until we came to the beach. 

Then, as if on cue, the sun came out and the clouds cleared for a brief moment. 

*magical*

Portland

We started our trip in Portland.

Portland is beautiful...it had such a small town feel to it.  

We walked around the city...got soaked to the bone by the rain.  Next time we visit we're bringing rain boots and an umbrella.

(Willamette River, Portland)

My favorite part of Portland was the Rose Garden. 

Martin and I couldn't get over how something so beautiful was free to the public and smack dab in the middle of the city. I think I would spend all of my free time there.  Think lush, perfectly manicured, English gardens. 

Oregonians For a Week

(Portland)

Can you picture us living here someday?

I can. 

We loved it.

It reminded me so much of Colorado.

I felt at home and safe there.  

But Oregon also has so many unique things about it that we don't have here that I loved...mostly the rain :) 

I've never seen so much rain in my life. And the trees are amazing! They are literally dripping with moss.  It is so beautiful there. 

It's like a fairytale forest.

And the leaves...wow some of those leaves are like Jurassic Park leaves...as demonstrated by my husband's head (this is what happens when you spend over 144 hours straight together) 

Can't wait to share more of our adventures with you!

Now I'm off to catch up on all of your blogs....a week without a computer makes me feel so disconnected to the world! 

Things you get to do if you're a Kindergarten teacher

Play fun Halloween songs on the piano

Watch Barney's Halloween special

Wear dorky Halloween socks 

(one of my students asked me why I had pancakes on my socks...umm you mean pumpkins?)

Today was the last day of school before we go on Fall Vacation...
Now a week of rest. 
Just me and Martin. 
Enjoying beautiful Oregon.
I can't wait to share our trip with you when we get back!
See you in a week!  

Family Photo Shoot!

Another beautiful day for pictures

and another beautiful family to photograph!

We headed up to Red Rocks for this photo shoot. 

(this one is secretly my favorite...it might be a little artsy for a frame in the living room, but I like it :)

A Calendar Song For You

In Kindergarten we are practicing everyday how to read a calendar.

We know that a calendar teaches us the month, the day of the week, the date, and the year.

We're working on knowing what day it is...because in Kindergarten they think everyday is Friday...which is sort of depressing when it's only Monday :)

Enjoy our singing! (don't mind my new student in the front row...he's still trying to understand what it means to be in school, i.e. we don't roll around on the floor during our song :) 

Every Girl Needs a Good Hat

Today was hat day at school...

  

I would have liked living way back in yesteryear when people wore hats everyday. I like the idea that people took care in how they looked, never going outside in their pajamas or sweat pants.  Women dressed to impress....especially to impress their husbands.  Maybe I'm just old fashioned...but I like that idea. I like looking nice for Martin, I wish I took more time and care into what I wore or how I did my hair.  But the mornings are getting so dark and cold that I usually throw on the most comfortable looking outfit and push aside the fact that I desperately need a haircut.  

Okay...starting tomorrow legs will be shaven, hair done, clothes ironed. 

On another note, did I tell you Martin and I are escaping to the Northwest corner of our country for my fall break?  I can't wait! For now I'm just trying to get through the week before a vacation, which any teacher knows is exhausting. 

Morning Sun

Don't you just love it?

I wish the sun stayed like this all day...

Suicide of a Crawdad

Remember my fish tank in my classroom?

Remember how I can't seem to keep any fish alive?

It's currently empty, except for a big green fuzzy Japanese algae ball. 

It was completely full Tuesday evening. 

I had three new fish and a thriving crawdad who was appropriately named Captain Hook due to his one claw. 

Wednesday morning I checked on my tank and two of my fish had perished.  I didn't see my crawdad, but didn't think twice about it because he liked to hide under the plastic bonsai tree. 

School started and someone of course needed a bandaid for a microscopic cut.  As I wandered over to get a bandaid, I noticed something odd on the floor.  Is that a leaf?  A wood chip? What is that?

I leaned closer...

 ummm yeah, that would be my crawdad.

I have no idea how he crawled out of the tank, jumped off a table, and crawled 50 feet across the classroom.  I felt so sad for him.  He thought he was crossing over to greener pastures and instead ended up dying on ugly multi-colored carpet.  


Martin told me I should have brought him home so we could have eaten him.  I think I'll pass.  
"Hey kids! Sorry about the crawdad! But don't worry Mr. Wolfe and I enjoyed him for dinner last night."


Maybe the fish were teasing him because of his one arm and he wanted to get out of the tank. Who knows. 
I'm just sorry I didn't find him sooner...

Can I Be Honest?

(I honestly don't like the taste of chicken...even if my amazingly wonderful husband roasted it with love to a golden crispiness...I wish I could say that I did)

I started blogging as a way to document my life.

I've kept a journal since 4th grade and I love writing about 'me' and everything my life holds.  Sometimes though I don't write everything I want to say...I'm afraid my family will think I'm sharing too much with strangers.  But I think that that's almost the point of blogging.  To share our thoughts...no matter how personal they may be   

So here goes nothing...let the honesty begin. 

For the past 37 days I have thought that I could possibly be pregnant...or that I had some incurable disease.  I was sort of hoping it was the first. I have felt extreme fatigue, been really nauseous, dizzy. 

Just not myself.  

After a visit to my doctor, filling 4 tubes of blood, and all my test results coming back normal, I thought I would feel a sense of relief. I feel like I've told those I'm closest to what I thought were the right things to say, "Thank goodness everything worked out!" "It's probably a good thing that I'm not pregnant right now!"  

But if I can be truly honest, I was actually really disappointed that it didn't turn out to be a sweet baby.  I know I know, I can hear my family now telling me that it's not a good time.  And they're probably right...I hate that they're right. 

So I'll just pray that someday it will be the right time and when it is that we can welcome a sweet baby into the world. 

I like being honest.  

I feel so much better getting this all off my mind.

Now I'm ready to get back into blogging full swing...because life in kinderland has been super entertaining lately 

Thoughts

I'm pretty sure I spent almost 60 hours at school last week.

With conferences and meetings coming out the wazoo I haven't had a moment to catch my breath.  And I've been so inconstant about blogging. 

Plus life has thrown a few curve balls our way the past few weeks that we are trying to gracefully deal with. 

We had our first round of conferences last Wednesday and I have to say they were much better than last years...remember this?

I had a father tear up at the thought that his daughter would someday have the opportunity to graduate high school and then go onto college!  We definitely have our share of disgruntled parents...unappreciative and demanding. But we can't forget our families who value education and thank us for the things we do for their child.  

On a different note...what do you think about my new shoes? 

My mom splurged and got them for me last weekend and I have to say they are a HUGE hit in kindergarten :) Anything with sparkles or bows are a sure thing for five year olds. I think almost every student raised their hand to tell me that they liked my shoes...even the boys :) Little kids are funny.  One student will compliment me and then the ENTIRE class will begin their endless, sweet, and competitive compliments.

"YEAH? Well I like her shirt!"

"Mrs. Wolfe, I like your pants!"

"Mrs. Wolfe, I like your toes!"

"Mrs. Wolfe, I like your shoes, shirt, pants, toes, AND hair!"

haha

There's nothing like a dose of five year old to make you feel better.

Uncle Gary

Today we found out that my uncle-in-law, Gary, lost his battle with cancer.  He had made a decision last week that there would be no more hospitals, no more transfusions. 

I don't have anything profound to say or have the right words to make any of us feel better...but I wanted to share with you how much he meant to us. 

Gary was such an incredible mentor to Martin...sharing his passions with him, guiding him through life.  He meant the world to Martin. 

He had a contagious smile, gave great big hugs, and always showed you how much he cared for you.  He accepted me into the Wolfe family with all his heart, treating me like his niece even before Martin and I were married. 

 Out hearts are aching and it's so difficult to understand why he had to leave us now. The only comforting thought is that he truly is in a better place.

***
My uncle-in-law, Roger, made this beautiful video in honor of Gary.

Field Day

We played and ran ALL day!

We learned how to work as a team, use encouraging words, and be good sports.

And we had plenty of rest time.

I think the best part of the day for my students was having Mr. Wolfe join us. 

"Is Mr. Fox coming back this afternoon to play?"

"Mr. Fox??"

"Yeah! Your husband!"

"...you mean Mr. Wolfe?"

Oh and the popsicles were pretty delicious... 

Martin was exhausted by the end of the day and now he can officially understand how I feel every day after work :)