Santa's Workshop

Here is what we have been up to (or haven't because our project is not finished yet). Growing up, we had a tradition to paint nutcrackers. I have three of my own that are very unique. I decided to start that tradition in our family. We opened these last Christmas and have started to paint.

Another tradition we have is on the first Monday in December, we go to dinner and then buy an ornament for the year. Jason and I have all of our ornaments from growing up. It's nice because it fills our tree. Whenever we decorate our tree it's fun to remember what year we got it and why. This year I got a conch shell in the Bahammas. Last year I got a Santa in a beach chair (because we went to Mexico over Christmas).

What are some of your traditions?

I did it!

Here it is....my new hair do! It was definitely time for a chop. My hairdresser took off 8 inches (almost enough to donate to Locks of Love). I LOVE it! Everyone at school liked it. Well, not everyone. Some of my students (now and former) liked the long hair better. Kids can be brutally honest sometimes. But then others said, "It looks MUCH better." (It made me ask myself, "Did I really look that bad?") I don't care what they say. I feel prettier, just as if I stepped out of a Salon Selectives commercial.

A Teacher's Dream!

So, this is my Gustavo (JB, Gus Gus, etc). He is a very bright, yet goofy, student. He has such a giving heart yet loves to get into trouble. One would never realize how smart he was by looking at his report card or his behavior record. He got some failing grades last term for the sole purpose of not turning in work. You might think, "How could a kid that goes to ACES (school suspension) and get failing grades be likable?" Let me tell you why. You never see his incessantly smiling face (even when you are yelling at him for goofing off in the bathroom) or his willingness to help others. The look in his eye when you praise something that he has done is priceless. Also, the way he lags behind in line so he can tell you something or stays after school just to chat.

Yesterday, Gustavo was a dream come true. He came up to me during recess and told me every teacher's wish. Here is the conversation:
Gustavo: Mrs. Winsor, I did my homework.
Me: Great job! I knew you could do it. What made you do it?
Gustavo: Yeah, I realized after you told me how many marks that I had, that I have been bad for a few months. I told myself that I needed to change. I want to start doing my homework and behaving myself.
Me: WOW Gus! I'm so glad that you decided to make that change. I've noticed you have done so much better lately. You have just told me my dream....to hear a student say that THEY decided to do better. It just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside. Thanks, Gustavo.
Gustavo: (Big Grin)

Pinch yourself because it isn't a dream. This conversation really happened. All missing work was due yesterday and guess what? Gustavo turned in every single item he was missing. What a dream come true! Finally, all of those "talks" out in the hallway are starting to sink in. This is why I teach...for moments like this!

Welcome Baby Titus!

My brother and his wife welcomed a new little one into their family this past week. His name is Titus Rothey Church (they will call him Ti). He is so cute and little. All of there other 3 kids have blonde hair and this one has dark hair. My brother is the one with the dark hair. So, it's so fitting that they have at least one really dark one. I can't get over it! He was born on Wednesday, November 28. This makes 16 nieces and nephews. I can't get enough of any of them.

Their family is going through some major changes. Not only having a new baby but Danny, their 2 year old, broke his tibia last Saturday. He has a cast and is not supposed to put weight on it but we will see how long that can last. The doctor did say that kids will be kids and they know their limitations. So, he will be in a cast for 5 or so more weeks. I know it will be difficult but Whit and Laura can handle it. I've been able to help out a little with either watching Danny or helping out with the other kids. Here are some good times that we've had together.

What I've Been Up To!

So... I need to find a way to still have cute things on my blog but that don't erase my friends. Anyway, so much has happened lately but I've had little time to post so I have some time right now I'm warning you, there might be more than a few posts today.

Spanish Class:
I took a weekend Spanish class so I could finally be finished with my ESL endorsement. I do not recommend taking a weekend class. It was a lot to handle in just three short (I mean long) days. But at least it's all over now. I didn't even want to say "Hola" or hear anyone speak Spanish. I was so sick of it. Now if you know me, you know that for me to say I wouldn't want to speak another language, it's weird. I quickly got over it. On the last day we got to go on a field trip to Guadalupe. We just ate lunch and walked around the square, but it beats being in the classroom,right? Here is a picture of my class.



Next, the Turkey Trot! For the life of me I cannot beat my time. I got the exact same time as last year. I thought it was pretty good because I was expecting a few minutes difference. Last year I was training for a half marathon so to have the exact time it means I haven't gotten worse. (But I haven't gotten any better either) I stole this picture off of a friend's blog.


I've been busy this past week preparing a lesson because I had to give a lesson in Relief Society today. After biting my nails, losing sleep, and stressing over it for the past month, it is finally over. I felt like it went pretty well but I'm not looking forward to doing it again. You may think that since I teach for a living that it would come naturally. Think again! I could teach kids until I am blue in the face, but my own peers is a different story.

Help!

So, I love being able to change the template of my blog but in doing so I somehow lost all of my contacts (I am horrible at computer stuff). That's why we have a computer teacher at school. If you normally have a link on my blog I'm sorry if you don't. I tried to recover some but know I didn't get all. Please leave a comment telling me your blog site name so I can add you. How do I keep my contacts yet change the template? I hate how this looks but am afraid to change it again. Heck, it might be Christmas all year long on my blog!

Happy Thanksgiving!

I know this is early but I probably won't post tomorrow. I am running the Turkey Trot, making mashed potatoes, jello, as well as two pies, and rolls (that Costco made), then heading over for a great feast so blogging will be the least of my worries. Plus I have to walk off those extra pounds I gain tomorrow. hehe Anyway, I thought you might get a kick out of this picture.

Attitude of Gratitude

I had the neatest experience at school today. For our Thanksgiving party, I had some girls who made up a game (all on their own) for the class to play. Then for my activity we had to stand up and thank one person in the class for something that they have done for you. The kids got so embarrassed but you know they loved every second of it. I told them that is important to give compliments because if you like hearing good things about yourself, imagine how it makes others feel as well. The compliments that were given were very sincere and heartfelt. It was so sweet to hear them thank their classmates (and some even threw in a second one about me).:)

So, I wanted to say a few things I am thankful for (in no particular order):

• smiles and hugs from students
• family
• Jason
• friends
• vacations
• gospel

So thank you (for those who read my blog) for being such a great friend to me!

Happy Veteran's Day!

(Yes, I realize that this is a day late but better late than never)

I'm so thankful for all of the people who have served in any wars or who are currently serving. They have done so much for our country so I salute you. Besides getting a whole day to honor the veterans, I got a whole day off from work. It was so nice to sleep in, go running with a neighbor, go out to lunch with a friend, get a pedicure, sew, practice the guitar, and tonight, Jason and I get to spend FHE with some friends. Could the day be any better? Once again...a BIG thank you to all the Veterans!

Funny Story

Thought some of you might get a laugh............

Yesterday in class, I was teaching an economics lesson. We were talking about imports and exports. They had an assignment last night to pick several items in their house to see what country the items were made in. Today, after we reviewed the vocab and went over the article again we had people share their findings. We pointed to the map of each country certain people named. As we were turning in the assignment, I heard a kid say to his neighbor, "I was made in Germany!" I busted up laughing but no one had a clue why. Oh, the joys that happen in Room 104. I could sit and laugh all day at the silly comments that are made when only I am listening. This one is definitely going down in the quote book.

Halloween

I love Halloween! I always start thinking about my costume during the summer. Call me crazy but I love dressing up (thanks mom!). Well, this year I was Princess Leia. Here are a few pictures...

No, this is not Jason. Just some random people I had to get a picture with. Jason was a party pooper this year and didn't dress up (even to pass out candy). This will be the last year I let him decide his costume. :)

My brother was Nacho Libre. He was sooooooooo excited for his costume!

Got Hot Cheetos?

My students do! We had our first party of the year. Normally I don't allow Hot Cheetos anywhere near my classroom because they get all over the floor (plus I don't like them). I gave in and said that we could test it out, but there was one rule. The rule was that I didn't want everyone to bring them. I assigned certain people to bring plates, cups, drinks, etc. Everyone else was supposed to bring something like chips or dessert if they were planning on eating. You decide if they followed the rule.

I also told my students that if they were interested in being on the Party Committee to get together at recess and plan some games. I had three people who got together. Their games were adorable. Two girls made a pumpkin and played Pin the Stem on the Pumpkin. Another kid asked me if he could play this certain game a week before Halloween. He described it to me and I was really interested in finding out how it would turn out. It was the cutest game ever! It was similar to a cakewalk. He had paper plates with Halloween pictures on it that he had drawn and colored with numbers. He used my Halloween party music and would start and stop it while the other students walked around. He drew a number. That person even got a prize (that he brought). It was so cute that he was so into it. It's amazing how creative kids can be! I forgot to take pictures until the end of the day, so only a few students stayed for a picture.

P.S. The girl on the left told me that she was "kind of" me for Halloween. She said, "I'm Queen Elizabeth I." I tease my students that I am Elizabeth Winsor the Third (my middle name is Elizabeth). Also the girl in the yellow dress is not Belle. She did have a blonde wig. Can you guess whom she is? Drumroll........ Princess Di.

Dangerously Close

This weekend was the Grand Opening of the new mall that is way too close to our house. My sister in law and I went on Friday night to see some of the festivities. It was so fun! First, was a walk around to see the shops. This mall is supposed to be like a Kierland Commons type mall. It is outdoors and lots of flashy shops (with things that cost more than $25...guess I won't be shopping there). :) But they do have one of my favorite stores...FOREVER 21! This might be dangerous having it so close (1 mile) from where I reside. So, if I'm not blogging, I might be shopping.

Next, they had a group similar to the musical "Stomp." They were amazing dancers!

Finally, there were plenty of things for the kids: a big play area, water area, and a pet store. This weekend there have been clowns walking around, the bear from Build A Bear, and the cow from Chick-fil-a.

Sophia's Bday!

A week ago I went to my niece's birthday party. She turned one. It was actually the same day my sister had her baby. So now there are two birthdays on the same day. October is starting to become the new September in our family. If you didn't know already, all of my siblings had birthdays in September except for me. I've figured out that is why I STILL make a big deal of my bday because it was so big when I was a kid (or it can just be an excuse).:) Happy Birthday, Sophia!

He's Finally Here!

On Friday night my sister finally had her baby. He is sooo cute(only have seen pictures)! He weighed in at 6 lbs. 12 oz. His name is Hugh Devin. My sister, Becca, is amazing! She wanted to do it "au natural" and succeeded. What a gal! Beccca, you are a hero in my eyes. I talked to her yesterday and she described it as intense. She also told me about the delivery, "I just needed that baby to come out!" Here are a few pictures...

My Brain!

I saw this on a friend's blog. It looked fun. I'm surprised to see that my brain was less female as I thought. I thought I was all girl. I've been brainwashed with all of those "best friends" that were guys my whole life.

My Brain is 67% Female, 33% Male.

Your Brain is 67% Female, 33% Male

Your brain leans female You think with your heart, not your head Sweet and considerate, you are a giver But you're tough enough not to let anyone take advantage of you!

What Gender Is Your Brain?

Nice Weather!

Now that it is starting to cool off a bit we decided to have a family picnic at the new park by our house. Last Monday, my brother's family joined us at Discovery Park for food, folks, and fun. Here are some pics... BTW, aren't we ALL glad that it's getting to be cooler? I know I am. Last night I had my sunroof open and windows down. I love this time of year!

Jason starting the grill. It became a landmark to see where we were.:)


Feeding the ducks


Playing croquet

What's in a Name?

HowManyOfMe.com

There are 6 people with my name in the U.S.A. How many have your name?

Six people have my same name! I guess there are only 6 people who are "Pure" and "English!":)

Presidential Candidates!

Who is the candidate you most agree with. I saw this on a friends blog and apparently Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee tied for my vote! Take this quiz to see which one matches up with your opinions on the current issues.
Go to the website (still trying to figure out links..it didn't work for me) http://www.wqad.com/Global/link.asp?L=259460

Cruisin' the Caribbean

Jason and I spent the past week in the Caribbean. We decided we could do it again this week because we had so much fun. This was our first cruise together and boy was it splendid! We went on Carnival Cruise Lines to the Eastern Caribbean. First of all, packing for the cruise was difficult. If you have ever been on a cruise you know what I'm talking about. You have to pack for every type of clothing...formal wear to elegant casual to beach attire.










Here are some pictures of a couple of nights while cruising.

Our Ports of Call were the Bahammas, St. Thomas, and St. Martin. It is hard to say what my favorite islands were. We did some fun things on each of them. In Nassau, we were our own tour guides. We took a water taxi to see the hotel Atlantis. It was huge and gorgeous. One of the highlights was the big aquarium right inside of the hotel. On the way back to the pier, we did a walking tour of the city. With maps in hand we found the major highlights...even a statue of Queen Victoria Regina (a personal favorite since Jason served part of his mission in Regina, Canada). One of my favorites was the straw market. It is amazing how fast these women can weave a hat, purse, or even a doll. Too bad they didn't do magnets (what I collect). But I will have to say my favorite part of the Bahammas was sitting on the pier talking to these two little boys, 5th grader and 7th grader. We were watching the fishermen bring the conch shells they just caught up to the pier to sell. The boys sang us a song and then all of a sudden took off running. Let's just say that apparently it is illegal to sell conch shells the way they were doing. The police came walking over to where the fishermen were and forced them to leave. I wanted to stay for all of the excitement but we had to return to the boat so we wouldn't be left there.






The next port was St. Thomas. We took an excursion called Snuba. Basically it was a beginner's course to SCUBA diving. We both want to get certified so we decided to check it out to make sure we wanted to do it. Okay, it was hard to get us out of the water. Some extremely funny things happened to us that I will not post. For a good laugh ask either one of us about this excursion. We took an underwater camera with us but unfortunately it is not digital so you only get pictures of us on the beach.




The last port was St. Maartin. This was a FUN island. We spent the morning being a crew on an America's Cup sailboat. I was chosen to be the captian of my team and one of the "Winches"(pronounced Wench by the captian), Stars and Stripes. Jason's job was one of the primary grinders. Captian Kate had to give a tear jerking, motivating speech to my team. We were behind in the race but with a lot of effort (and my speech) we were able to pull ahead and WIN! Go Stars and Stripes!




We spent the rest of the afternoon walking along the beach and pier while shopping on the way back to the ship. What a great day!



It was difficult to leave this vacation. We had so much fun we didn't want to come back to real life. And as they say in the Caribbean...Come on, Mon! Relax and Enjoy life!

Final Week!

I'm definitely getting ready for my October break! This is the last week before I get TWO weeks, yes, dos semanas, off! I know you are all jealous. Who wouldn't be? But for now it has been super busy so I apologize for the stupid, lame, no picture post. I promise I'll post more after I spend some quality time on the beach reading a book. See you later! BTW...if anyone wants to get together during my break, give me a call. I'll be needing some company.

Master Jason!

It's official! Jason finally graduated after a year of dedication and hard work with his MBA. We had a family party to celebrate the joyous occasion. Next time you see him, you need to call him "Master Jason." This is one more thing he is a master of! Here are some pictures of the party. Way to go Grad!