1. My pre-k class got to go to the pumpkin patch on Monday. We were scheduled to go two weeks ago, but a near monsoon canceled that and this was our make-up date. It was simply gorgeous at Fredrickson Farms, and just cool enough for a light jacket. Farmer Tami didn't disappoint with her entertaining lesson on pumpkins and pumpkin farming (she begins to get a little slap-happy towards the end of the season, having given the spiel so many times for so many school groups).
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| That pumpkin weighs considerably more than Farmer Tami does. |
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| Look how nicely they are sitting! |
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| Teacher selfie. |
2. I was helping my class climb up onto the wagon for the hayride and readying them for a picture of both pre-k classes when one of my boys called out from the front of the wagon, "Miss Dyanne, I need to blow my nose." As I asked him if it could wait just a minute, he walked toward me, leaning slightly forward, (strong stomach warning here) a river of snot hanging down from his nose. One of the other teachers handed me tissues, but as I started to wipe his nose, he sneezed again. And again. And again. And again. Poor guy, the hay was really getting to him, but after about 8 sneezes, he was all sneezed out. I got his face and jacket cleaned up (sorry, but I SAID "strong stomach warning"), and we were able to continue with the hayride and pumpkin picking. I'll bet you're wondering about the thankful here, aren't you? Here it is: IT WASN'T BARF!
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| My class (and assistant, Miss Melissa) in the back row. |
3. Emma got to suit up and sit the bench for the varsity volleyball team at District play. As expected, neither she nor the other three sophomores got to play a lick, but they got their names called when the teams were introduced, which was good enough for them. Emma was called first each night, because (a) they announce the non-starters first and (b) she has the lowest number, being the smallest one on the team (the jerseys are numbered and go in order of smallest jersey to largest jersey).
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| Woo hoo, #4! |
4. While in the audience at the volleyball game, I was reminded of the importance of looking at the back of your head in the mirror, especially when trying out a new 'do. I'm thankful I learned that from my mother, who always checks her hair before leaving the house.
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| Check the mirror, ladies. |
7. Our football team got to play in the District tournament, and we went to Springfield to watch them. Kickapoo High School has the worst visitor section I've ever seen (and with our years and years of youth cheerleading, I've been in a LOT of high school football stadiums). No speakers. The bleachers sat behind and BELOW the edge of the track, so the team, standing on the sidelines, was taller than we were in the bleachers. Extra bleachers brought in completely blocked what little view was left when they filled up with people. We lost, 35-21. But as I knew Emma would ditch me to sit with her friends, I am thankful that I was able to talk the College Boy into coming to the game with us (the least he could do after I fed him dinner). I had an enjoyable three hours with him, listening to him talk about his classes.
8. No school on Friday. No school this Monday, either. Can you say "four day weekend"?
9. My husband and I walked today on the Frisco Greenway trail, part of the Rails to Trails program. We had never walked there before, and it was hotter than we realized it was going to be today, but when we got to the trail, we saw it was beautifully shady. See?
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| Oooo! Shade! |
As we kept walking, however, we quickly ran out of shade. We soldiered on, though, sure we would run into shade again. Wrong. It was sun, sun, sunny all the way, but it was still very pretty. We walked all the way to the trail head and turned around and walked back, for a total of about 3 and a half miles. Maybe 4.
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| When I took this picture, my husband said, Try one and see if they're poisonous." He really is trying to kill me, isn't he?! |
10. Emma is at a Halloween party tonight, so I will be waiting up until she comes home. I'm thankful she has friends I can trust that will drive her to events like this, so I don't have to go traipsing across town late at night to get her.
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| Pig in a blanket. Get it? |
How's your week been? How are your thankfuls adding up? Husband tried to kill you but failed? Find yourself thankful for snot, because it's better than barf? Link up below and share all.
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In my defense, it's past my bedtime here, and my sense of humor gets a little weird when I'm tired, but "Kickapoo?" Are you serious? :-)
ReplyDeleteDead serious. Indian tribe. The school colors are (for real) brown and yellow.
DeleteOh, and that's where Brad Pitt went to high school.
DeleteThank you for sharing your lovely photos. The trees with red leaves are especially beautiful.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Romi. Do you get fall colors where you live?
DeleteThats something when you can be thankful its not barf...Isnt the fall the best? Snot and all....
ReplyDeleteRUBY! I am lying here typing and thinking boy Im glad I dont live in monsoon town... of course forgetting that I am up because a tree just went down in the wind and thunderstorm outside... didnt hit the house... always thankful for that...
Every day without barf is a day to give thanks.
DeleteFall is fab! Sweaters and boots. Pretty leaves. Ladybugs (not really - I hate those little stinkers)
We've certainly been known for our weather extremes.
Holy cow, was it a big tree?!
ummm....yeah....but it didnt hit anything...hey, that teacher selfie... you could be sisters.
DeleteThanks for the barf warning! I was sipping early morning coffee when...ew! We never had field trips to pumpkin farms where I grew up. If I had to do it over I wouldn't have dropped. Elem. Ed as a major. Think of the field trips I would have gone on!
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful place to walk! The Frisco Greenway trail looks beautiful. Great pic:)
Public school kids hardly get any field trips anymore, between budget cuts and teaching for the tests that is forced on them. Next year, you can come on our pumpkin patch field trips, okay? Bring kleenex....
DeleteThe trail was much nicer than I thought it would be. Still doesn't compare to the Stone's River Greenway Trail in Nashville. If I lived there (again - used to), I'd be on that thing every day.
Fall is awfully pretty, I'll give those Autumn-lovers that much. There is another blogger that I sometimes read who lives in Florida. Her cousin in Michigan sends her a big box of leaves every fall so her kids can enjoy playing in them. I can't imagine life without a pretty Autumn. I can certainly picture living somewhere without a winter, though.
ReplyDeleteGo Emma! Dressing for varsity is a huge deal!
I'm thinking Brad Pitt needs to pay up and fix that football stadium for Pete's sake. (Just kidding, Brad, in case you ever read this. Perhaps there was a horrible incident involving you and a football player. I don't know your story. However, if there is no story, pay up!)
Sounds like you're having better weather than we are. We haven't reached hot temperatures in a looooong time.
Enjoy the rest of your 4-day weekend!
How cool to send fall leaves to the underprivileged in Florida! Do they stay nice for the trip, or does she do something to preserve them?
DeleteI think she was secretly glad she didn't play, because she didn't want to go in and then mess up at District play!
Maybe Brad Pitt should quit spending so much money on New Orleans and give a little to his actual hometown, hmmmm?
80s yesterday and today. Maybe tomorrow. Could be a little cooler, but it's still okay.
I WILLLLLL!!!
Love the pig in a blanket ... LOL! How much did you pay the little ones to sit so nicely? Beautiful fall pictures!
ReplyDeleteIt was the easiest costume ever. Only had to find a pig hat and Disney came through with Piglet.
DeleteI didn't have to give them a thing! I have high expectations and they live up to them :)
Thanks! Love fall!
I'm glad its snot barf; love the colorful maples... hey can that really happen husbands and all - mine is in the doghouse so i should watch my back LOL love the costume - very clever! have a great week.
ReplyDeleteSnot barf. Very funny, Marisa!
DeleteMaples are simply gorgeous.
Last week, it was leaving the hood of the car unlocked. This week, poison berries. Sleep with one eye open, like me!
She found it on the internet when she googled "punny halloween costumes". The girl loves a good pun.
Yes I totally get the thankful it is not barf!
ReplyDeleteWe do have some maple trees here and a few others that change color but not to the scale other states get. YOu really do have to be paying attention to see the seasons change in Florida.
Oh my yes I love the pig in a blanket. Such a cute idea!
Neither is good; snot is better.
DeleteI lived in southern California for a few years, and the changing of the seasons was one thing I disliked about being there.
She's a cute little piggie!
Aww...those fall pics are for me too. I never get to experience it here in Singapore. The color changes are lovely!
ReplyDeleteGreen and lush all year is nice, too!
DeleteEmma is so cute In her costume! I hope you are enjoying your long weekend.
ReplyDeleteAww, thanks, and I am!
DeleteHahah Thankful that it wasn't barf! haha so funny but I can totally agree with that. The trees in your neighborhood are really pretty. And your Emma is a knock-out, even in a costume. I hope that your coming week is full of wonderful things.
ReplyDeleteHow can you NOT be thankful when it isn't barf?
DeleteI live in a gorgeous neighborhood! It looks like a movie set right now.
Thanks! Emma makes a pretty pig, doesn't she? :)
ok…(remember, I am from Y Chromia)…but I stared at the photo in Item #4 and I see hair piled up and hair laying down… there is something else (like those puzzles in the back of the old National Scholastic magazine…'Find the Pilgrims')
ReplyDeletebut… I got nothin
That girl could not possibly have looked at the back of her head in a mirror and thought that looked good.
DeleteYeah barf is way worse than snot. But high school is much better for either case because with them, all you have to do when they need a tissue is toss them the box and with barf, you just point to the door and tell them to run. But teenagers are much less cute than those preschoolers. I'll give you that.
ReplyDeleteThe Hub has been parent volunteer on two consecutive pumpkin patch trips and one Crayola Factory so far. I have the dubious honor of being volunteer on the aquarium trip this year. Not a big deal, but it's a pretty far ride. On busses. On a highway. With a thousand first graders. OK, more like 80, but it's the same noise level, I think. Can't say I'm looking forward to that particular one...
Pig in a blanket - clever and so cute! Zilla has gone through three different costume ideas so far and still hasn't settled on one for sure. Driving. Me. Nuts.
Your trees are beautiful - I just can't get enough of them, being the fall lover that I am. I don't think I could ever live anywhere that didn't have a distinct fall season to enjoy.
Have a great week!
You know you're a preschool teacher when you put bodily fluids in order of grossness.
DeletePumpkin Patch is fun, but I only have 16 kids at the most (pre-k day) and an assistant. I've been to that Crayola Factory (in Easton?) and can't imagine supervising a group of kids in there. Kudos to Fab Hub! Looking forward to hearing the story about the aquarium. Our school district doesn't allow parents to ride the buses, so if you chaperone, you have to drive yourself, which is a positive as far as I'm concerned.
She was up late googling punny halloween costumes when she found that one. I made my kids pick by the first of October, as I always made their costumes and needed time. I have a friend with two little girls who WERE going to be the girls from Frozen, then their much older brother convinced them to be a snail and a slug. Mom is pulling her hair out trying to figure out how to make them into a snail and a slug!
You've gotta live where there are maple trees to really enjoy fall colors! I missed it a lot when we lived in LA, but during January and February, I was willing to trade the fall colors for the mild temperatures of southern California!
You gave me Fall! I am in awe of those colors. We get so little of that here and I promise you that one of these days I will get to see trees like that live and in person. But for now, I will treasure these. Thank you!
ReplyDeleteI am also very thankful that you didn't have to clean up any barf. Snot isn't much better but still...
I am so glad volleyball season is over because it wasn't a very good one for us. I'll be anxious to hear what choice Emma ends up making. She makes an adorable pig in a blanket!
Kickapoo....don't hear that word every day, now do ya?
Enjoy the rest of your four day weekend!
I'm glad you like it! I had fun with PicMonkey (thanks to you).
DeleteSnot does not have an odor. Worth a million bucks right there!
I'm sorry Nikki's school vb experience wasn't very good. Tell her to hang in there!
It's fun to say Kickapoo. The boys swim team had the word "POO" on the back of their competition swim suits. Brown swim suits.
Thank goodness it wasn't barf (we're dealing with the snot slime storms here too but so so much better than barf) and OMG EEP at how adorably the little were sitting and part of me is sad for but also can't wait for the day that I can trust my boy to be out and about with Halloween fun when I don't have to drive him there. I love the photos. The tree colors almost make it worth the nights ending too quickly...
ReplyDeleteSnot is gross, and I'm not usually a wiper (their job), but when there's a blow out like this poor guy had, well, wipe I will.
DeleteAren't they darling, sitting there like that? We work on our sitting skills every day. Nice to see it pays off!
I won't say it was EASY to let her be out with friends like that (really, for the first time), but I knew who she was with and felt fairly sure they were all trustworthy. FAIRLY sure.
I'm good with it getting dark early until Christmas, then I'm done. Which, coincidentally, is when the days start getting longer anyway. Hmmm.
I live in a climate similar to Sandy's since we live in the desert so I definitely loved those pictures. Recently, hubby asked me if I missed NJ. I told him absolutely not. I miss nothing about it. I just love to see photos of places that have the four seasons to be able to see the nice pictures of the fall colors and the winter snow. But I would never want to go back to experience that cold weather. I think it gets cold enough here to the point where I can enjoy a nice soup, stew or hot beverage and feel like I'm getting warm from it. :)
ReplyDeleteI love reading your stories about your kids in your class. So cute. I, too, would have been thankful he didn't barf!
Hahahaha! I was cracking up laughing at the picture of the back of the girl's head. I also appreciate having a mirror so that I can see the back of my head wraps or hair styles for sure!
I think I would be a very good snow bird, spending summers up north and winters in the south.
DeleteIt's a big thankful!
My fear is that she DID look in the mirror and thought it looked good!
Your posts always make me smile. Snot, buggers, poop, puke, it's all part of the job. LOL Looks like a great week and your' daughter's costume is very original. That back of the hair thing. Have you ever seen the aging ladies (myself NOT included) with the fried egg thing going on in the back of their heads? Like they were sleeping or reclining right before they went out and the hairs all separated and swirly. That's my pet peeve. My bathroom mirror swings out so I can see the back. lol
ReplyDeleteIt surprises me how many women I work with are grossed out by the bodily fluid thing. I don't LOVE it, but it goes with the territory. Gloves and Mentholatum under the nose help, too :)
DeleteShe found the idea on the internet, but it was a good one!
I've seen those women! They get a weekly 'do and then smush it when they sleep. Always check the back of your head, ladies (and gentlemen, too).
I have ebola.
ReplyDeleteKidding.
Too soon for that joke?
My son's class is swarming with germs and brought them home. Gross kids.
Those fall colours are beautiful. I think we've had our last few "open window" days this week too. It has been an unseasonably warm few days but we woke up to frost! Burrrrr!
Cat has the right idea!
Maybe I should start wearing a hazmat suit at preschool?
DeleteI seldom catch what the kids bring to school, except for the occasional cold (knocking on wood as I write this). After 14 years, you develop a few immunities!
Our Indian summer days are going to be over after today, I fear.
As soon as it turns dark, she spends the evening jumping into a large window in our bathroom and trying to catch insects attracted by the bathroom lights.
If you're after Kristi, you really are late to the party :) I didn't realize you were sick! Hope you're feeling better.
ReplyDeleteDo you have maple trees in England? I guess I don't even know what kind of trees you have. We have a lot of oak, especially in the forests, that don't do anything but turn brown.
Farmer Tami is always awesome. And of course you know the river of snot! Bleh!
Are pigs in a blanket a thing in the UK?