the one where i don't write a lot

I honestly don't know how the heck time travels so fast around these parts. October has been a whirlwind of events and pumpkin flavored things and let me just tell you, I am exhausted. I'm the kind of exhausted where I stand up from a chair and my legs want to go out from underneath me because my muscles just sort of...ache. What's up with that?

Plus, plans keep changing and falling through and you'd think I'd have learned not to get my hopes up about anything anymore, but, well, you know. Life goes on. That's really all I have to say about that. (That's not true, there's lots I could say but then this post would turn into an emo pity party and let's be honest, none of us want that.)

And because I'm not in the mood for a Debbie Downer post, here are some pictures of life lately:

it's time for pumpkin and things

It is starting to get cold here in Idaho. There is ice that begs to be scraped off the windows in the chilly mornings where you can see your breath. No longer are the halls filled with shorts and t-shirts, but instead pants and long sleeves. There are even some winter jackets making their way into everyday attire.

On the plus side, I pull articles of clothing out of my closet and think "oh! I forgot I had this!" And today! Today I wore a scarf. It's officially fall. Scarves, pumpkin, candles, blustery weather and colored tree leaves. Autumn is in the air.

I fought it for as long as I could, folks. I did not want to say good bye to that gloriously warm weather and my awesome summer tanned skin. But unfortunately, it had to be done. So now that fall is here, I am embracing the long sleeves. I need to buy some good boots. Yes.

TheSister turned 15 yesterday. She is OLD. And by 'she' I mean 'me.' How did my baby sister get to be a pretty young woman? I mean, even with the funny faces we are making she is flat gorgeous, right? Right. Hot dang.

I had to call the mom of one of my students. Not because he is doing an outstandingly amazing job in school and I wanted to brag about him, but because he's not. I get a lot of resistance from him when I try to push him to do the assignments. He seems to think that all drawing is is line work and he never wants to put any value in anything. Actually he just doesn't want to put any effort into anything all. Which makes me sad because he has a lot of artistic ability and if he'd just apply himself he could create some of the best artwork in the class.

Kids these days.

On a semi-related note, October is the busiest month ever. I have to apply for teacher certification, complete my three lesson plans for the TPA, film myself teaching, write a reflection on my lesson and the student work produced from that lesson and turn everything in. And deal with this problem student. And apply and interview for a part time position in our school's library that I can start doing at the end of my student teaching if they hire me.

It would be a perfect fit if I end up teaching art there part time next year too. Half my time spent in the library and half of it teaching art. Bliss.

We Got Spirit Yes We Do

Can someone please explain to me how it's already October? And where the heck did the year go? But dudes, seriously. I got back from a weekend trip to Seattle to see TheKeeper and his lovely girly-friend and it was October first. I kind of scratched my head and looked around the room and thought wow, how did I get here?

Not necessarily how did I get to my room, per se. I mean, I remember the long drive home and the crawling into bed exhausted. Just how did I get here? To this time? To October of my last semester of college? To age 22? I blinked and everything changed. One minute I'm living in a dorm in Moscow at the ripe old age of 18 and now I'm back home about to graduate. It really blows my mind sometimes if I sit and think about it.

Anyway, enjoy some pictures from spirit week at the high school I'm student teaching at. There are some pretty rad outfits.

redneck day (nothing really out of the ordinary for Idaho, but still fun)

twin day (my mentor teacher and I were crazy art teachers!)

decade day (subtle 80s)

zombie apocalypse 

We followed up spirit week with everybody's favorite pep assembly! Pep assemblies are honestly my absolute favorite part of high school. I remember my senior year being over dramatically sad that I had just attended my last pep assembly.

The atmosphere! The stupid games! The class pride and school pride. The shouting. The noise. I'm not usually one for incredibly noisy and loud things crammed with people, but there's just something about wearing your school colors and standing next to your best friends in a crowded gym screaming "SENIOR POWER!" at the top of your lungs. I just, I mean, I have no words.

And this pep assembly lived up to my highest expectations. Even though I am now a faculty member and I didn't get to cup my hands around my mouth and yell sen-ior pow-er over and over again until my vocal chords failed me, I still had an unbelievably good time. I think I beamed like an idiot through the entire thing. It was probably one of the best days of school so far. I mean, honestly.