CLASSROOM TALK

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I so enjoy overhearing kids talk all day. Usually, what makes what they say so darn funny is the fact that it is said with such serious sincerity...as if they were little adults. I especially love it when they don't know I'm listening in. At these times, they aren't trying to be silly or just "putting on a show"...their cute personalities are simply coming out in their purest, sweetest forms. A few recent examples:

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1. Two boys were busily working on a craft together. As I casually walked by, I heard one ask the other:
"Do you believe in Santa Claus?"

"Yes," was the confident reply.
"You do?"

(sounding surprised and even hopeful)

"Do you?" the other boy asked sheepishly.

"Yes... (hesitating) but I

don't believe in the Easter Bunny."

"Me either (very decidedly)."

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2. It is yet another inside recess before school, for below zero temperatures. Two boys are hanging up their coats and backpacks while I work at my desk.
"Do you know what frostbite is?"

(this kid is our constant stream of random trivia)

When his friend didn't answer, he proclaimed:

"It's when your skin is dead and it won't ever grow back. If that happens to your fingers you'd have to chop them off!"

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This last statement hooked the other boy's attention. He looked thoughtful for a moment before saying,

"Not if we drink hot chocolate. It will go through your nerves and to your fingers and make everything alright. It will warm them all up!"
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3. I walked by a boy, full of personality, who was deeply absorbed in his assignment. Sitting at his desk, he talked to himself as he worked. He suddenly stopped, stared at his paper, and exclaimed in a whisper, yet full of exasperation:

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"Dang flabbit!"

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I smiled as I walked by, his page ferociously being attacked by an eraser.

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*The silly things students say will have to become a regular installment of this blog. I have so many of them..

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LOOK WHAT I WON!

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A $60 dress from Shabby Apple!

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I had never heard of Shabby Apple, before I saw it on the blog, Love Actually. They were hosting a giveaway of one of the dresses, so I explored Shabby Apple's website to see if I was interested.

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It was love at first sight.

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An entire collection of super-classy, feminine, and {for the majority of them} modest dresses. When I saw the 500+ comments after this give away post, I had no real expectation of actually winning.

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You can imagine my surprise when I saw THIS. Thanks, Love, Actually! I never would have been able to justify this much money on a new dress.

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Here are a couple of my other favorites from the website. I know I sound like a commercial or something. But, just think of it as one friend, passing on something she loves, to another friend.

Andrew and I are supposed to go on a hot date when the dress arrives in the mail.

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I think that can be arranged. ;)

*Oh, how I pray that that dress is long enough on me!
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BUMMER.

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WACKY WEDNESDAY

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Probably my favorite day of the entire school year

I may or may not have spent an entire hour putting this outfit together.
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A student asked me if I was supposed to be Tocahanna.

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What do you mean? I asked him.

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Well, you're part Chinese, part Vampire, part Hawaiian was his response.

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I laughed heartily...

but I'm still not exactly sure what he meant.

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SNOWMOBILE

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We had never been on one before this weekend. It's an experience all Idahoans need to have to truly experience the extent of an Idaho winter. Quite honestly, it felt exactly like riding four-wheelers or wave runners (sports we Arizonians, are a bit more familiar with)--just a whole heck of a lot colder. And from the other side of my goggles, our red, sporty snow machine, and my new red coat, were spoiled by a horrible orange tint from my perspective for the extent of the afternoon.

{What? I really hate orange, okay?}

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Also, we were on a double date with my little sister. Weird is the only word to describe it. Last I looked, she was 12-years old. How did she get to be twenty-two?And why do we feel the inexplicable urge to set everyone up on blind dates? From past dating experience, I am very much aware of how horrible they tend to be.

Luckily, it wasn't nearly as awkward as I expected. And our friend Jesse, showed us all a good time.

{That's Becca and him below}

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And that's Andrew and me looking like we

just escaped from a science fiction film.

{...Luke, I am your father!...}

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But I have to say, the setting was sure incredible. As we climbed higher in elevation, it began to snow softly. It was simply magical...

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Some of the magic must have rubbed off on Andrew,

because he was flying over all sorts of crazy jumps.

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{Jesse, Becca, and I}

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Check out those beautiful mountains behind me!

{and the windburn on my cheeks! brrr...}

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Hooray for outdoor adventures!

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IN LOVING MEMORY

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Chloe Hazel Blevins

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Our hearts ache for our dear friends, Ethan and Katrina, whose little angel passed away yesterday, unexpectedly. We know her sweet spirit is very much alive with her Father in Heaven.

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*Even if you don't know them, would you mind
sending a little prayer of comfort their way?

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Another zero-degree thermometer reading brought us inside for morning recess. Later, I overheard, between two boys, the following conversation in class:

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"If you could go anywhere in the entire world,

where would you go?"

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"Hawaii."

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"Me too, my friend. Me too..."

(shaking his head with a sigh)

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I love these cute kids talking like little adults...so serious like. But I have to say, I wanted to respond with an, "Amen, little brother." Just a few days ago, I drove to the grocery store with the window down. It was my way of celebrating an incredible 47 degrees outside.

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