Thanksgiving Break

Ahhhh..one whole week off!!!! What makes it even better....one whole week with my parents here!!! What makes it even better? One whole week off with my parents here and we didn't have to drive to Alabama :).

We got a whole lot done today...Oatmeal shaped pancakes and bacon for breakfast, Christmas tree up, decorated, house decorated, shave Goobers hair into a mohawk. Stop...eat lunch, head to Goob's first football game--where they won by 20 points and HE GOT THE FIRST TOUCHDOWN OF THE GAME AND SEASON. Wait til I upload the videos, I'm even embarrassed at how loud and how long I screamed for that little man :). Then we got lots of things done, Ribbit and I finished two projects for her room (painting shelves and making three bow holders). Daddy and Goob got some basketball practice in. Daddy got lots of football in. We picked up the entire house, I made a small dent in the never ending laundry pile that stinks up our room :) and Adam hung all of the pictures, shelves and diplomas up in the kids room and guest bedroom....whew.

Adam and I joke that we get more done before 9 in the morning then most people get done all Saturday long...its true. When Ribbits up, everyone is up and going. She accomplished two new big girl goals to day. She A) got up out of her bed herself ( she acted as if she was still in her crib and would only let us pick her up out of bed) but yes she got up, walked into our room and told Daddy up ...ALL WITHOUT WHINING!!! We always tell her to come tell us good morning instead of lying in her bed screaming " mommy ALL DONE, daddy ALL DONE" all morning :). Then, she went to the bathroom, moved the stool over to the potty and climbed up on it and did #2 all without tons of help....MY OH MY we got a big'un on our hands :).

Here are some pictures of the cookies that Goob and I made for his Thanksgiving Feast at school..I'll post touchdown videos later (I gonna see if there is way I can edit the volume first.....your eardrums will thank me).
      Putting the feathers on the turkeys.

 He decided that a pattern looked better than all in one direction like normal feathers :)

 Tails complete (please pretend that my cookie sheet is spotless)

 Mini chocolate chips for eyes (all held on by drops of cream cheese icing YUMMY!

 He was so careful with every little eye.

 Beaks drawn on with colored food gel.

 Feet drawn with colored food gel too....oh that cookie sheet is just gross!

 He was really proud of himself..do you see that one cookie up front? It looks like it had been shot.....the red gel got out of control for a minute. Don't worry, he didn't suffer long....we ate him and put him out of his misery.

 Ribbit was super proud too....I think for only eating 3 spoonfuls of cream cheese icing and not 5.

 This is a picture of the looonngg # Goober wrote on my board to show me how much he loved me....I mentioned it in a previous post.

Oh, if you can pray for our home in TN (yes we still have it :(. Our renter gave us her 30 day move out notice so soon we will be paying a rent and mortgage once again...only difference is that this time we have two kiddos to raise as well. We know its all part of God's perfect timing. 

Art Heaven

One of my students laughed when I told her that I would be gone for 4 days to an art conference...little does she know how truly awesome they are!
We spent every day from 8-midnight in classes,seminars and art museums.....pure art heaven. The best part is that we are all artsy fartsy and therefore when one of us gets lost finding our hotel room (that we have been to 3 times already) or when another misses a meal while working on an art project or yet when another runs through the museum to see that one awesome piece with only 5 minutes left until closing...no one judges you...we all get it...we are all severely right brained people.
Each class is taught by a veterened art teacher and they not only give you the lesson plan, but they let you make an example!!!! I mean after spending all day teaching art, I rarely come home and work on my own art. It was so therapeutic and I got sooo many good ideas! Most of the classes have raffle prizes as well.
The second best thing is that the vendors come out in droves. They know that we are looking for the newest, brightest, strongest, kid-proof, goof-proof, project at a good deal. Therefore, they give out tons of samples and let you make examples using their own products. I also really appreciate the fact that even though I have been to their booth at least 5 times, that most of the vendors pretend they don't know me and give me yet another free sample :). I bought a ton of stuff for my students and a great deals. I also Goober a really neat flip book and some art supplies for Christmas.
Third, we had free reign of the Houston Museum of Art on Thursday night..complete with fruit trays, cheese trays, veggie trays, finger sandwiches and all the Pepsi a girl could drink :). They kept it open late for the night and I tore through that thing determined to see every last bit of exhibit " A sultan's gift, islamic art-including ceramics, textiles, paintings and prints...it was beautiful!!!!! I was one of the younger teachers there and like I said I waited til the last possible minute, soaking it all up and then tore off so that the bus wouldn't leave me....I was applauded when I got on the bus :).
Finally, save the best for last....I found another outlet for my oh so detailed pencil drawings of faces. For as long as I can remember I normally draw the speakers face...whether thats at church, teacher inservice, etc. At our old church in TN, I drew Pastor Reggie almost every Sunday ( while paying attention of course) ...he just had the most amazing profile. Anyways, the top forensic artist in the world came and led a workshop. She spoke about how she takes people who have just seen the worst thing ever or been a part of the worst thing ever ( rape, killing spree, traffic accident) and asks them to try to remember everything about the bad guy. Then she puts together a portrait to hand over to the cops. She has helped to solve over 2,000 cases and she is one of only 19 forensic artists in the US!!!! I was sooo intrigued. She got her start after being strangled in her own apartment when she was in her 20s. There is going to be a TV show about her soon....kinda like a CSI special. I was sooo inspired I drew portraits the rest of the weekend. Watch out nasty white boys, I am a pretty good at drawing Caucasian males!!!!!

So thats my weekend in a nutshell!!

Today after school Goober wrote this loooonnnnngggg number on my white board. He asked me if I knew what that number was. I said "maybe a badillion?" and he said " no, that's how much I love you".....heart failure...how did I get such a sweet youngun?

I'll have some more up to date pictures soon ( gotta find that darn camera...oh the joys of unpacking).
Here are some pictures of my students carving pumpkins on Halloween.

Ryan (my fellow Auburn fan), his girlfriend Adrianna and Trey ( another kid who has no idea how stinkin talented he is)

 Some of my older guys planning out how to make a Spartan helmet out of the pumpkin, Lauren (redhead) brought. She looks thrilled huh?

They did it, two spartan helmets out of one pumpkin...I can't believe they put that on their head!

 Check out these two prissy girls....they had to wear gloves or else they would get pumpkin goop on them...haha. They are both super sweet though!

 They the boys decided they were also to delicate to touch pumpkin insides :). These four boys pictured are also responsible for those OU signs hanging by my Auburn banner in the background.

 7th grade boys had fun :)

Back Home

First, I just realize that I called Ribbit, "Goober" in the last post....oh well, you all know who I mean!!!
Second, I am home....4 days away and I longed to be home so bad that we got up this morning super early, threw on clothes and drove like crazy to be home by lunch! The kids and Adam were out playing basketball when we pulled up and Goober almost got hit by oncoming cars trying to get to me and Ribbit was carrying two paintings around (I didn't ask) and started saying " mommy, paintings, mommy painting!".
Four days is a loooonnnggg time for a momma to be away from her kiddos but they told me all about their fun adventures with dad this weekend. Goober got 5 stickers in a row last week for behavior and a 100 on his spelling test ( he better-we studied those thing morning and night!!!) so dad took them to the grocery store and they got pizza, french fries and ice cream for dinner :). Saturday they played, watched football, went to Goober's basketball try outs and then Dad set the tent up in the playroom and he and Goober camped that night! Both kids had made me presents (art pieces-which are the best).
I gave Goober his dinosaur flip book that I had bought him( its super neat) and I gave Ribbit two clay flip flop keychains....she has carried those things ever since..into the bath, during dinner and now to bed :). Before they ate Ribbit and PawPaw (Gramps to Goober) sang to each other for a while on the phone. She kept singing and singing and when he would try to interrupt she would say "my turn" and keep going. She sang him "Happy DirthDay", "Twinkle Little Star" and his favorite " Brush your teeth in the morning"...Adam said she has been singing like a madwomen all weekend.

Sometimes mommas have to get pictures of the their kids at school...right? Please tell me every mom sneaks in and takes picture?

Peeling apples for apple pies.

Reformation Day-kids either dress as one of God's creatures or a bible character. This is "Rapper Noah" ....his friend Emma the bee and his BESTEST friend, Armani as David !

 Goober's finished pumpkin....a Texas Ranger "T". This was during the World Series. Still sad about that one!

So what did I do for 4 days? I went to Galveston to the 50th annual Texas Art Educators Association Conference. We stayed at Moody Gardens Hotel and Convention center. Its on an island and is more like resort, with rainforests built into pyramids, pools, its own Slitterbaun Water Park, spas, convention center, Imax theater and so much more. It was beautiful and we were treated like superstars for 4 days.

( I just wrote a whole page about my weekend and the internet flickered and I lost it...not in the mood to repost but since my weekend was so awesome I will later)