I Got Punk'd!!!

Usually, I am the one pulling jokes on other people. Today, I was the one getting joked with.

As part of my lunch (I ate lunch from the school today - sloppy joe. YUM!) I received a large cookie. I left the cookie in the office and went to eat my lunch in the faculty room. I was in there with the principal, Carpet Lady, and a boy that used to work here before his mission. When I was done eating I talked with Carpet Lady and eventually made my way back to the office. I didn't notice anything different until somebody said something about it being sticker day for lunch. I remembered that I had a sticker on my tray - but also had a cookie waiting for me in the office.... which was no longer sitting on my desk.
I started asking what happened to my cookie. The head secretary said she didn't know and I hinted a touch of a joke... but I was distracted by other people coming into the office. I was sad my cookie was gone, but not really upset or mad that it was gone (who needs all that sugar anyway?). The principal came in and the secretary asked if he'd seen my cookie. "Oh! That was YOUR cookie? I saw it sitting in the middle of the desk and asked whose it was. No one knew, so I ate it. I'm sorry..." he put on his 'shocked' look on his face and kept apologizing for eating my cookie. I shrugged my shoulders and said "oh well, I guess", feeling sad I didn't get to eat my cookie and that the secretaries would let him eat it.
He asked about if I'd seen a boy come in and bring his Reflections entry in. I told him no and disregarded the glint I saw in his eyes... eventually I looked for this boy's paper in the box for the Reflections entries and there sat my cookie, uneaten. I laughed and the rest of the office had a good laugh too.

Fate of the cookie: I have really enjoyed eating it ;)

Pumpkin Carving and Haunted Forest

Last night I was supposed to go to my friend's house to carve pumpkins (my first time ever), but due to sickness, I didn't go over. Instead, my friend text messaged me the instructions to carve the pumpkin :) Thanks Kenzie!!!

Step one: wash the pumpkin (a washcloth works the best)

Step two: cut an opening big enough to fit your hand into.
Step three: clean out the inside of the pumpkin. Scrape and scrape, also making a flat bottom for a candle to sit on.

Here are my pumpkin innards.

I was later convinced to separate out the seeds to roast them with a 'yummy' recipe :)

Step four: CAREFULLY cut the pumpkin.
I drew this face from a picture - and it turned out really well, considering I can't draw.

This is the picture I used to draw my pumpkin face. Pretty good, If I say so myself ;)

A quick trip to the Haunted Forest with Allison proved to be a great break from pumpkin carving ;) $20 for the Psycho Manor and Haunted Forest... a little expensive, but since this is really the only place I've been - it was fun :)

Back to the pumpkin...
I used a paring knife to score the pumpkin with the face I wanted to cut. I used my pocketknife to cut the eyes out, then used the paring knife to cut the nose holes and the mouth/stitches.
Can't tell what it is?

I used my pocket knife and 'skinned' the pumpkin. I think it looks pretty good (all things considered...)!!

I finally figured out how to get the candle lit and inside the pumpkin without burning myself. I set it outside my front door.
Hooray for pumpkin carving!!! I actually had a good enough time doing it that I may end up carving a pumpkin every year!!

Two Other Events From Last Week

As part of Red Ribbon Week last week, the kids were able to do chalk drawings on the playground. I've posted some of the ones I thought were funniest/cutest.

Here's me on Wed. (sweats day) notice the socks... they were my 'pockets' while I was outside. LOL

This was done by a first grader. Very cute I thought.

" 'No smoking aloud', but you may smoke quietly" haha.

'Never drink drugs' LOL. OK!

This was drawn by a sixth grade boy. Quite creative and very well drawn. There were multiple colors in the fire on the building, but I couldn't get a good picture of it :(

I'm not sure who wrote this, but they make a good point ;)

On Friday, along with wearing red, we had an assembly outside with Pastor Fred from our sister school in Africa. He has come to visit our school a couple of times before.
Our choir sang Day O (the Banana Boat Song) for the school and Pastor Fred.

Pastor Fred spoke to us and taught us some words in Swahili. It was fun! The two guys in the background were here playing the drums (African drums) while we were waiting.

Here's the kids learning words and listening to Pastor Fred.

After everyone was done talking, we got to watch the Bank of American Fork's piggy hot air balloon get blown up. Thanks to my brother for taking the pictures!!!

"Watch out!! He's gonna step on you!!"

Up and Away

I think this is the third? or fourth? year we've had the pig come to the school as part of our red ribbon week. It is so fun to watch it get filled with air and fly into the sky!

Wear Red Day

This is the only red shirt I have, and I don't think that red looks very good on me... so in addition to the red shirt, I also wore my red M&M's socks :) Very stylish, don't you think?


While I was out at morning recess, I found this spider on the grass and decided to wear it as a necklace until I could return it to the rightful owner ;) My hair looks like it's cut, but it's only pulled back funny.

Crazy Hair Day

For some reason, I did not get any pictures of my 'crazy hair' LOL. It wasn't all that crazy this year either, I just pulled it up and it fell however it wanted to.

Here are a few pics of crazy hair I saw and who let me take pictures:

Madam Spider Nest

Grandpa Polka Dot

These two can never get enough... the one with the green swim cap was "bald" and the other was a lamp complete with a pull chain and a light (she attached a flashlight and could turn it on inside the lamp shade!) Very creative!!

Sweats Day

So comfy wearing sweats to work... only downside - no pockets for to carry my things on the playground ;)
Oh well, I guess sometimes 'comfortable' comes with a cost.

Day Backwards

?cold mention I did and, cold, windy, cold, sunny ...along playing even is weather the think I (!all it says name my awesome so I'm, Yep) 'Ossim' is "Miss O" name my ...backwards written names their with tags name wearing are year this kids the of lot a. (uncomfortable quite was year last remember I but) backwards are clothes my of none so, forgot I. day backwards is today.

Fall Break

Fall break this year was all kinds of messed up... LOL. I felt like I had two Saturdays and no Friday, then today doesn't feel like Monday. Haha.

Thursday I took a lot of the day and cleaned my house - meaning: I went through boxes from my storage unit still... almost done. That night around 5 Stacey picked me up and we got her boys, then went to her house. We played Wii games until almost 2 o'clock Saturday morning (oops).

Friday, we (me, Stacey, and the boys) went to Pirate Island. It was so fun! I love the whole pirate theme and the food was yummy. First impression: 8 out of 10! The hat I'm wearing is actually the kids menu (it unfolds and the menu is on the back... how smart is that?!).

From Pirate Island, we went over to Cornbellys. I'd never been there, and was pretty impressed. I ran into some kids from the school and sword fought with one of them. Stacey and I were both wearing our Pirate Island hats... we were walking advertisements for them (they should give us money for it). It took us right about an hour to get through the maze. Fun stuff!

I've always wondered what Stacey would look like as a pumpkin...

I took this tractor out for a drive...

Stacey dropped me off at home and I got an invite from Allison to go with her and her mom up to Witches Night Out at Gardner Village. The last time we went was two years ago and my mom came with us. We had a fun time walking around and dancing!

Allison

Karen (Allison's mom - Happy Birthday!!)

Me. I couldn't find my hat with the green hair, so Allison borrowed me her hat from last year. Ai-Ai-Ai! Sombrero party!!

Saturday I slept in as long as possible, hung out with my parents for the "morning" (early afternoon), then cleaned more of my stuff up at my apartment.

Sunday was Sunday, and here we are today. LOL. Fall break was much needed and loved, but I don't like my days getting all mixed up and confused. Next vacation: Thanksgiving. Yee-haw!!

Lesson #9

Yesterday was hectic... so I will post today about my lesson from Sunday.
I taught about the Wentworth Letter. I asked who in the group (all 17 of them) had ever heard of the Wentworth Letter. Nobody raised their hand... which is fine, because before this lesson, I'd never heard of the Wentworth Letter either. I explained why the letter was written and what it contained. I tried to focus most of the time on the last part of the letter, which is where we got the Articles of Faith.
I don't know how my lesson went. I was having a 'down' day as it was, so I didn't feel anything... I wasn't nervous, I wasn't happy or sad, I could have just as easily sat down half way thru my lesson and not cared or been embarrassed. Luckily, I didn't sit down, I just kept plugging along - monotone as it was.
I think it was probably an o.k. lesson, but I know it wasn't one of my better ones. I know the next one will be better than this one was ;)

In Memory

As many of you have heard, there was a tragic bus accident involving the American Fork High School Marching Band. Heather Christensen died in that accident. She graduated the year before I went into high school. She came back during my sophomore (and maybe junior) year to help with the marching band. I got to know her then, and throughout the years I would occasionally run into her in different places. She was so fun and treated everybody like they were somebody. She had a lot to give for those willing to take it.
About a month ago she came to our office to hand out fliers for something she was doing in the area. We chatted for the few moments she was here, then she left on her way again. Heather will be greatly missed, for she was loved by many. My prayers go out to her family and friends, and those members of the AF Marching Band this year, and any past members of the Marching Band who had the privilege of knowing her.

Happy Birthday Casey!!

I know I used this picture on a previous post... I cannot find any of my other pictures :(
Anyway, Casey's birthday was yesterday. He was born when I was 21, so there is something between us even more than between Ed and I. Casey has always been "my baby" when we've been out; everyone thinks he's my son. It's funny because when Mom is with us, people really get confused. Ha.
Casey, thanks for giving me hugs every day at school. You are fun to be around and have such a cute personality. You are such a sweet boy - I love you!!!

Happy Birthday Ed!! (very late..)

I am such a horrible sister!!!! I forgot to post on your birthday... I'm so sorry.
Ed's birthday was last week (and it took me until today to remember that I didn't post anything about it... bleh). So, a week late...

Ed was born on October 2 (my half birthday). He was my youngest brother for 4 years, so we have a connection I don't have with my other brothers and sisters. We were born around the same time, length, and weight... so he was "my" son. It was fun. Ed always makes me smile and he has such a great sense of humor. Brother, I am proud to be your sister. You can do anything you set your mind to. Thanks for being so nice to me and for goofing around with me, it's so fun!
Love you Ed!

Too Funny

Every year, I challenge the Kindergarten kids to find out what my 'real' last name is... everyone calls me "Miss O"... so every year, I get lots of interesting names. Octopus is the most popular. Ostrich, Ox, Miss O, and Orange are others. Today, I heard a name I've never been called before and it made me laugh so hard my sides ache. "Miss Orange Vest". I guess this comes from the fact that at recess I wear an orange vest. The things kids come up with - it just makes me laugh :)

I love my job!

Ummm... Snow??

When kids start walking around looking like this:

And this:

Then you know cold weather is coming...

Does not always make for a happy day!

When the hail came that night, this flower stood out.

Looks like Christmas

I do like snow, don't get me wrong... but not before Halloween. I'm glad the weather today is better than yesterday :)