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.

bow-ties are cool

Hi.

It seems I don't know how to blog anymore. And leaving comments? Dudes, I'm so bad at it. Between student teaching and heading to Moscow to visit that one boy, it's like I don't even know what to say anymore. 

So I'll try and give you the skinny about everything. It could be long, so take a deep breath. In through the nose, out through the mouth. You know the drill. 

But first! My seester! She is the best, right? I mean, really. 

And now, the stuff. And things. 

Navigating the rough waters of student teaching is proving to not be as difficult as I had originally thought. At first I was like "all my students want to be here! yes! best semester ever!" And then I started teaching lessons. And then I started pushing students to work harder, to give it their best shot. Use the wooden pencil instead of the mechanical. Add value because this is not just a line drawing! 

And I encountered some resistance. Which at first I was like *blink*blink* lol, whut? What is this madness? I kind of wanted to cry a little bit because I felt kind of like I'd failed, and then I mentally kicked myself. I went back over to his table and tried to explain it a little differently to see if maybe I could change his mind? But then when my mentor teacher told him the same thing today that I had told him on Friday and he gave her the same attitude, I didn't feel so bad. 

I knew I was going to be blessed with these sweet moments. However, they still catch you a little off guard at first. Maybe he will like the next project? We'll see. 

Moving right along, you'll notice the walls of my room have changed color. That is because I spent a week painting. It was a long and involved process consisting of multiple trips to the paint department at Home Depot and developing a great relationship with a certain employee who was more than helpful and deserves a plethora of gold stars and awards. Phew, that was a long sentence. I'm glad you made it through. But seriously? I feel like painting took forever and I'm glad it's over. 

I might enjoy oils and watercolors, but friends, interior paint and I do not really get along all that well. I mean, let's be honest here. There's just too much to think about and it all has to be even. Although, as long as we're being honest, I did enjoy strategically placing hand prints on my sister's shirt and the fact that I still find flecks of teal paint in my hair. It's what all the cool kids are wearing, right? 

And then there's the boy. He's good. I'm good. We're good. Long distance sucks. We had to keep posing for this picture until we got it just right. It took like four or five tries. Not that I'm complaining...duhh :)

The upside to getting up early in the morning is that I get to see skies like this. I actually really enjoy being a morning person, I have so many hours in the day to do things! It's exciting! Even though it's not always easy to drag myself out of bed, I'm always glad when I do. 

Ultimately I'd like to wake up early enough to work out before I shower and get ready, but I'm not quite there yet. It would take an extra hour, so my plan is to build up to that. Well, that's the plan anyway. I mean, I have my own room now, remember? So I can totally work out in the mornings if I just find the time...which is really the only problem. Excuses, excuses. Right. 

This week is spirit week for homecoming on Saturday! What up! So I played dress up tonight with my mom's closet. I feel obligated to inform you that sadly she no longer wears this awesome 80s outfit, but she almost convinced me to wear it on Wednesday for decade day. I have opted to go with something a little more subtle than this rad red outfit with the complimentary bow-tie. Although, I make it look good. You have to admit it. 

Okay, not really. But seriously. 

Bow-ties? 

They rock my socks. 

home life

The Keeper brought home two of his friends from school and we initiated them into the family in true Idaho style. I didn't get home until Sunday though, so I was at the house by myself for a bit until they all came home from church and when the newbs saw me for the first time, one of them said "She's a lot shorter in person."

Well, it's nice to meet you too.

And then it became overwhelmingly apparent that I am most definitely The Keeper's sister. But well that happens when you are able to carry on a conversation consisting solely of movie quotes. Boom. Shortly thereafter we left to have amazing mountain adventures while strapped to a pair of skis. We explored freshly fallen snow, black diamonds and I skied through the deepest powder of my life like a champ.

I rode the lift with my dad, which is probably one of my favorite things to do. It gives us the opportunity to talk, just the two of us, uninterrupted. There are plenty of things we talk about, one of them being how awesome my siblings are turning out to be.

Take The Mechanic, for instance. He is so much like my dad it's insane. The way he forms sentences and conveys ideas, right down to how he dresses and the way he talks. But my sister is really the one who seems to be growing into her own little person.

I mean, she has opinions! About things! And stuff! I used to picture her as perpetually seven years old and then eventually she was eleven, but now she's going to be 15 this year and I just have a little trouble wrapping my brain around that. Wasn't she just in elementary school yesterday?

Right? No? Dang. But I thought for sure?

Except that she went through this phase of her life where she was really moody and we all kind of wanted to murder her, but then we didn't and eventually she got over herself and now we all like her again. Plus, she is super nerdy - which I find to be completely awesome and totally my favorite.

On top of all that, isn't she gorgeous?

Right? I just love her. Like, really.

Sun Flare

This weeks theme is sun flare. 

This is my sister.

Isn't she pretty? 

The Amazing DP

Do you know that TheKeeper turns 18 this month? And TheMechanic turns...fifteen? And my sister, The lovely DP, she's 13 now? I would just like to throw this out there...when did this happen?

I mean, it's less of a shock to me that TheKeeper will be old enough to vote because he really is so close to my own age and it's been like that since I can remember...since we're only two years apart. TheMechanic, well in my mind he will always be thirteen-ish. I'm not sure why that age sticks with me, but that's how I always picture him even though currently he is about six feet tall and has a driving permit.

But the one that just amazes me the most has got to be my sister. Seven years my junior, she is turning into a beautiful lady. I mean, when I think about my sister I always picture this:

(The DP with her daddy and great uncle)

And now, just look at how pretty is! I mean, she is her own person. She goes to friends' houses, she goes to school, she has her own thoughts and opinions about things... She wears make-up, for crying out loud!

I still see her as a seven year old girl though. She's not allowed to grow up.

(march 2010)

Seriously? When did this happen?

And it makes me wonder...if I feel this way about my sister, what will I be like when I have my own kids?