Wow..

it has been way too long since I have updated this thing...and judging by the many people that have been requesting updates I believe a few of you feel the same way. A lot has happened since last time... but I'll just start with last Friday.

I was ( and still am) acting as receptionist... which I LOVE. Anyways-- right before school started the sixth grade teacher, Devon went home sick. So since Lauren was gone that left me as substitute. Also, the men Leon and John that usually do recess duty were gone so I had to fill in for them. Well sixth grade was easy enough in the morning... i only had 3 boys and we basically talked about movies and they stared at my burn scar and asked a billion question about what came out of the blister when it burst. So... at about 10 am the real wildness began. I was the only adult on the playground with 46 children. IT WAS NUTS. The kindergartners were pulling each other around like "ponies" with jump ropes, i was pushing every chubby boy at the school on the swing set, and trying to monitor the monkey bars. Well just as I was giving Lyle a lesson on how to pump his legs so i didn't have to keep grunting and pushing him and looking like a weak weirdo- i heard a thud and a scream.
Alexandra has fallen off of the top of the jungle gym and scraped her face up and (as we later found out) broken her wrist. Someone ran and got another teacher to take Alex inside. As she was walking up to the school she was spitting dirt and blood... and Tracey (the second grade girl in white from the picture of "picture day" posted earlier) thought she was throwing up which caused her to gag and beg me to clean up Alex's spit. After that whole situation was taken care of- the rest of the day was pretty normal. UNTIL- i had to drive the bus home. Yes, you read right. It was more of a big giant van than it was a bus... but these roads are insane... like if their weren't guard rails you would tumble down canyons. I drove the Bacavi route. Bacavi is a really small, really traditional little village up the mesa. Most of the house are stone and look as if you just stepped out of a time machine to the 1800's old west. A lot of the kids that live out there don't have running water or electricity so it was definitely a very cultural experience. Ms. Roy the kindergarten teacher (who is Hopi) lives out that way so i got to take her home too. I love her... she was in a car accident a few years back that left her with a very bad limp, but she doesnt let that slow her down at all- she is awesome with the kids and a big inspiration for me. More on her later.

Saturday... i did laundry and unsuccessfully attempted to master high altitude baking.

Sunday: Wowzers. A very full day. I left the house at about 7:30 am for a staff outing day with Betty and her Husband, John and Judy Warner (another couple working here at the school), and three other teachers. We first went to Oak Creek canyon. BEAUTIFUL. Its near Flagstaff so it was very woodsy and the fall colors were absolutley amazing. After that we headed to Sedona for lunch and shopping. I am proud to say I spent no money. ( Be proud Mom and Dad) It took way too much will power not to buy every piece of turquois jewlery that I came across... but I'm saving up for Christmas presents... and groceries which we have recently found out cost a whole lot more than we had planned for. Let's call it becoming an adult. Anyways... we stopped at coldstone on the way home and got back to the school around 9:30. I was beat.

Monday and Tuesday involved more office work. Tuesday we had student council officer elections which i somehow got roped into being in charge of.. so i had to explain student council to many young children and the tell two people they lost in the race for vice-president...sad. But other than that it was kinda fun because the kids got really into it. Speeches and all. Lauren and I are really excited about being Student council sponsors and are appreciating our experience in StuCo. I left at about 1:30 to pick Lauren up in Flag. I have never been so excited in my whole life. While sitting alone in my house for ten days had been a blast ( not) I was ok with having Lo around again. Lauren's phone died during her plane ride which caused her not to answer my or her mom's calls all day and sent us into a minor panic... but she arrived eventually and we had a little reunion at the bus station... then moved on to Sam's Club. We had to shop for some student council supplies and bought $80 worth of snacks for the school ( curtousy of some new monetary donations HMS recieved from someone in Kansas). Then after Maureen sending us in circles for a good 15 minutes... we found a McDonald's and ate like savage beasts. Next was some desperately needed grocery shopping at our new favorite store: Safeway. CARI- this place has deals that would put your dad's price comparisons to shame. Plus if you get the free membership you get 3 cents off of every gallon of gas at their station. Almost too good to be true. We got home at about 9:30... unloaded groceries... and went straight to sleep.

Yesterday: We cleaned the office hardcore. I'm talking vacuuming, dusting, organizing... the works. I just couldn't take the clutter anymore... and it looks like new now. Then in the evening we made chili and corn bread and took it to stan and beth's for dinner for some good old fashion family time.

Sorry this one isn't crazy eventful... Lauren already updated you on today... which should be eventful enough to last you at least.. the 10 minutes it takes you to read it.

LOVE,
court