October Craziness

October is flying by and without a moment to rest, I've been unable to compose a thought let alone an entire entry.

I started my internship with one of the most amazing administrators in the country! I want to lock her in a box and study her for at least a dozen years. Luckily for both of us (is kidnapping a felony?) she lets me follow her and pick her brain all day on Mondays and Fridays. I really miss teaching middle school. 7th graders are so... SPECIAL! I mean it! Once you work with them, your heart is theirs forever!

Back to Principal Jung... She is able to lead respectfully and in a collaborative manner. I have so much respect for her! When I grow up, I want to be JUST like her!

Joseph has been working hard in Kindergarten. We enjoy doing his homework every evening and I especially like hearing about all of the neat things that he's learning at school. Mrs. Meadows is a skilled teacher. She is able to differentiate her curriculum to address the needs of each of her 19 students. Joe and I attended our first PTSA meeting this past Thursday. That won't be a regular occurrence. The families are very cliquish and I didn't feel very welcomed at all. I figure, I paid the family membership fee and bake breakfast goodies for the Bear Den volunteers; I'm good.

This past weekend, Joe, Joseph and I went to Marris Farms to select the right pumpkin. There was a hay ride, corn maze, magic show, ono food, under-ground slides, monster trucks, and tons more! I couldn't believe how many things there were to do! The next day we met Mary, Jack, and Claire over at Islandwood in Bainbridge Island where they had carving, decorating, and painting stations. There was hot cider, hot chocolate, tea, coffee, and freshly baked cookies (yummy snickerdoodles). After decorating our pumpkins (it was BYOP) we drove on over to Mary's house and Jack and Joseph played together for hours while Mary and I caught up. Claire came downstairs to show us the dance that she choreographed to the Kidsbob CD that Joseph bought her for her birthday. It was hilarious! Each child got to choose a song that they danced to while everyone sat and watched. Joseph invented this dance move called the Golfer's Swing. It's ingenious! It's right up there with the sprinkler and pepper grinder dance moves that I've perfected!

Work is great. We're finishing the accreditation process that Mary and I initiated when we started at CYP last August. I've never worked on something like this before and I'm grateful that I've had this experience. When I get back into the public school system, I'm sure extensive knowledge of the accreditation process will be a helpful accomplishment especially for an administrator.

Thanksgiving is approaching soon and we've got a lot for which to be grateful. We're spending the weekend in Oregon with Nana and Poppy. We're excited because Uncle Paul's brother and wife will be there from the Netherlands and I hear they're quite entertaining! There's nothing like family, for sure!