A Very Thankful Thanksgiving

Bear Lake

We spent this Thanksgiving at the Bear Lake Family Cabin- with food, fun, friends and family. Here's a list of a few of the things I am thankful for this Holiday:

1. A Very nice husband who drove both ways in the "Snow Apocolyps Storm of the Year." He is a great driver, and a great husband to hang out with all the family and cousins all weekends.

2. Very good food! So what if the turkey wasn't cooking all day when we thought the roaster was plugged in? Good thing we had a back-up cooked (Jenny!), and we could let this giant beast take it's sweet time. When that golden bird emerged from the oven at 9pm- we were hungry and ready for round two. Way to dig in Dylan!

3. Being 20 below at the cabin gave us the opportunity to stay indoors. Thus number three I am thankful for "good old fashioned fun." You know... things we used to do when we were kids.

Like build a house of cards,

Nap in the middle of the day (notice I chose to show Rick-

pictures of me sleeping aren't pretty),

Eat even when we don't feel hungry,

Bench press the skinny teenagers so we feel like we worked off some of the day's calories.

And a well-planned gingerbread house making contest. Only at the cabin can you turn this into an entire morning affair, including: announcing team captains, drafting team members, drawing plans, strategizing, hiding, whispering, planning, stealing items, and creating. My team won "most cabin like" (pictured above).

Ricks team turned theirs into a "Swedish Hunting Chalet" with Sven out front in the fur hat. Quite funny that a team of all boys would choose pink frosting for their Hunting Chalet. Rick is pointing too, and most proud of the pretzel wood pile he thought to add for his hunters.

We chose a judge that we knew would stand by his decision with gusto- Grandpa! This could become a new tradition. All that participated enjoyed the festivities.

4. I am thankful for a Grandpa that made the Bear Lake Cabin possible and continues to be a great joy in our home.

Why I love teaching Kindergarten

Kindergartners Self Portraits are hilarious! Some are still in the phase where they seem themselves as a head with legs directly under (see top right). Others have arms the size of Goliath (top left). Others think they have the height of Yao Ming (second poster- bottom center). All that matters is that they all draw themselves smiling!

Because it's a brand new school- everything is new and fancy. I ask for 4 computers for my class for kids to use in a center. Sure! Let us bring you 4 brand new flat screen computers in the wrapping. My last schools would laugh at me, promise to look around in the storage closet, and bring me some ancient microwave size beast that booted up in 30 minutes- on a good day. Now that I am a Davis County Tax Payer- I do not grumble when I see the Public School portion on our property tax- it's worth it!

Everything is colorful and bright. You can tell the kindergartners to make their work "colorful, fancy and beautiful," and they all jut giggle. They work so hard that you walk by little boys sticking their tongue out to the side while they work ever so hard on that picture. You can decorate the room bright and colorful and the parents are just as excited about it as their kids.

The furniture barely hits my knees- it makes me feel tall! This picture doesn't do it justice- but these counters and sink are actually about 2 1/2 feet tall.We still get to plan "Dramatic Play Centers" where we incorporate the house. Sometimes they just play house (and yes the little boys play too!), and sometimes we trick-or-treat for glass ABC tiles. Anything to make play educational.

And last, I have really enjoyed the half day schedule. Any child can be cute for 2 1/2 hours. Finally- a job I love and am excited to go to everyday!