TEA PARTY

Angelee and the kids came to Oroville the other day and Josh mentioned "tea party". So like any good "bah-ree" would do, I cleared off a little table, got out cups, plates, a big cup as a pitcher and had a real, live, ghetto, Oroville style tea party. Since then, however, I am now prepared. I have a real teapot, appropriate cups and plates, a new table and chairs and NOW I AM READY.

"Oroville" tea party...

Its a good thing they had no idea what a real tea party is like. Nae had a cookie in each hand... she saw they were going fast and she is no fool. She ended up ABSOLUTELY SOAKING WET. Oh if you could have seen Angelee's face. She had no clothes to change into so all we could find were some jammies of Josh's. She loved them. And then Josh (who would stay in jammies all day long if he was allowed) wanted to change into jammies. The jams we found for him were about size 2T so they were like a second skin and barely below his knees. They were in second heaven, but those of you who know Angelee, should have seen her face. She was agast... I wish I had a picture of that scene...

KATE IS GROWING UP IN LAKE TAHOE

Kate, Cyndi and Ben are doing well in Lake Tahoe. I spent a few days with them as the dutiful grandma on summer vacation. It is hard to visit during the year because of their snow and my blasted schedule. I am a California driver. If you don't believe me, just ask Susan.

Kate and Ben at Tahoe Childrens Foundation. Guess who's the only child without a cute little lunch box for snack. Guess who takes their snack in a brown paper sack with her name on it. Guess who makes the snack...

Circle time. Guess who knows all the words (and it isn't Kate)

Isn't she beautiful?

Kate is a happy little girl who is adored by her parents.

OREGON

I have returned from my annual trip to Oregon. Every year I travel to Coquille, OR where my friends Jan and Larry Payne have retired to. They are very close to Coos Bay and Bandon (by the sea). ha ha Anyway, we always have a day trip that some times lasts two days but this year we visited the smallest harbor on the biggest ocean... Depoe Bay. (Did I spell that right?) Anyway, we went whale watching out on the Pacific Ocean. And we saw a gray whale just swimming around. We had fun. And it wasn't windy or cold.

Me on an Oregon beach.

Jan and Larry on the boat

Depoe Bay Harbor

Seminary... done!

I have taught Seminary for 4 years and I am retiring this year. Everyone is wondering if I am going to miss it. The answer is NO! All four years have been difficult because my day job is hard and adding a morning job makes it harder. I don't think anyone who has not taught Seminary understands that the hour in the morning is the fun part... that the other 23 hours are the torture. Anyway... it is like grandchildren. Glad that Seminary was in my life... but glad that it is gone.


Here is Cindy... the drama queen.

and here we all are...doesn't katie look good?

73 days of bliss...

Yes, it summer vacation. And in case you are wondering how I know it is a 73 day vacation, it is because one of my first graders wanted to know how many days we had off. In fact she kept asking until we stopped, found a calendar and counted them. And 73 it was. But now... oh no, it is now only 68 days. I definately need a vacation...and to stop counting the days.

THE BIRTHDAY WEEK

I have always had such chagrin over my children's multiple birthday parties when, in fact, there is only ONE real birth day. I admit it is my fault, of course. I always say "We don't let the day go by"... in case we ended up having the party on the weekend because of family work schedules. And it began with maybe going to Taco Bell on the actual day and having the big party on the weekend. It has evolved into going out to dinner twice in the week with everyone going. We used to have the real party at one of our houses with home cooked meal. But not any more. No one wants to cook the meal, much less eat it. We ALL seem to want to go out.

And now, much to my embarrassment, I have done nothing but celebrate my birthday this entire week. We are going camping on Thursday, which is my actual birthday. And so Sam and Angelee took me out to lunch yesterday, today I am going to dinner and a movie with Laura, Chris and Susan. And who knows what tomorrow, the real birthday, will bring. Chris managed to buy my lunch, not to mention the huge pot and azalea for my front corner on Monday. I seem to be having a birthday, this year, that keeps going on and on and on... I am happy that so many people seem to love me. I will be glad when all this "celebrating" is over. But I am glad that we have "occasion" to celebrate... in other words, I am still here to celebrate.

10 DAYS OF BLISSSSSSSSSSS

Here I am at the end of Spring Break... Easter vacation. How can 10 days go so fast is what I want to know. But I have accomplished everything on my list EXCEPT I never made it to Lake Tahoe but I am going as soon as this weather clears up. I feel bad that I am not a braver driver but I am California Valley driver... not a winter mountain driver. And so... is everyone so surprised at the weather. I thought that we were into spring... but remember, the groundhog did see his shadow...

We had a very nice Easter dinner today. Everyone who could come, came. The food turned out good... SURPRISE! It was nice to have a house full of family and friends.

Hey... another earthquake. You all know what this means... and it is getting closer to home... 9000 tweets a minute.

FYI...47 days of school (and Seminary) left, but who is counting?

A LADIES LUNCH

I was invited to a "ladies lunch" which turned out to be a 70th birthday party for a lady who worked in my classroom last year as a volunteer. I met her through Laura and since she was also invited we went together. We both had a very good time. The lunch was catered by "Lots--java and so the food was excellent. Wine was offered to Laura and she declined (probably because I was there). They told her it would be okay for her to have wine "since no men were there". Laura still declined the gracious, thoughtful offer.

This is my new friend but I don't remember her name. The music was provided by a "live" (barely) band called "Just Us".

Laura and I took flowers and of course they were lovely. This is Fran... the birthday girl. She is really a lot of fun... the rest of the attendees were not as lively as Fran. Maybe they got a late start on the wine.

Anyway... Laura and I are available to attend any birthday lunch (catered) if needed. Just call us and we will check our schedules.

Angelee.. I blame you for this stupid blog. Why are the pictures like this?

Sick Day

I am home sick today. My head is pounding and I am so tired. Thanks to Angelee who is taking her life in her hands by subbing my first graders. Most people think... "oh, first grade, how fun!" But those people have not taken THEIR life in THEIR hands by visiting room 1 at Bird Street School. But those people are mostly correct. Generally speaking, first grade is very fun... but sometimes the sun and the planets line up to create a most unnatural force in the atmosphere that causes some phenonomens here on earth and my class is one of them. I have several groups... the Baby Boys, the Bossy Girls, the Yakkity Yakkers, the Blessed Ones and the Psychos. I spend my days trying to motivate these various groups to bring their behaviors closer to what is expected in public education these days. With 25 children in the classroom the various groups need to bend to the direction of the teacher so that learning can take place. I don't merely want to survive... I want to see that every child in my classroom is ready for second grade. And herein lies the problem. Most of the children that I have don't want to listen... oh I shouldn't say that. They DO want to listen, if they have time after doing what they are consumed with, at that moment. The bossy girls are telling everyone what to do, the Baby boys are rolling on the floor or playing "I'll poke you and then you poke me", the Yakkers are having conversations with everyone around them, the Blessed are sitting there ready to learn (thank Goodness for them... all 6 of them) and you don't even want to know what the Psychos are doing... (who knows what they are thinking)

Anyway... why am I discussing this on my sick day!!!!? All I wanted to really say was, "Thank you Angelee... and Becky" (who babysat)

And since I have a blog that noone reads... except for Angelee... and maybe Sam... and maybe Ben... but surely noone else... I would like to say that I love my Seminary class. I love teaching the Book of Mormon... but in the midst of all this gooey love and tenderness... I am feeling a tad of nonsupport from some of the parents of the students in my class. At least 3 weeks ago I mailed a letter to each of them (which I am very proud of doing because I am notorious for having good ideas but doing nothing with that good idea) but I actually wrote the letters, made copies, addressed them, stamped them, put in a self-addressed stamped envelope, went home to get them when I forgot them, turned around at school when i forgot to mail them and actually MAILED them. WOW! Yay for me. I asked in this letter for a letter from them to their son or daughter... kinda like what Alma said to his sons... Helaman, Shiblom and Corianton. And yes, I have most of the letters at this point... but guess whose letters I don't have... my FRIENDS letters. Yes, that would be Jagodas, Robertson's and Hancocks. Oh well... maybe they have been on a cruise or maybe they ran out of paper or maybe they are more busy than any of the other parents who have dutifully returned their letters to me. It is not up to me to judge... Each time I have talked to Annette she says, (hopefully), "Am I too late?" Oh no, you are not too late. (I wish I had a letter from my mother.)

Hey... I found my camera!!! I had lost my red camera, my new red glasses and my new grandchildren necklace from Christmas. Angelee found the glasses and the necklace and I found the camera this morning. I am not publishing where I found it.