Pumpkin Walk

In North Logan there is a pumpkin walk open to the public (for free) each year. It has been going on for over twenty years now. My first grade class created their own display this year. The theme was The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle. 

Each student took turns being recorded so their voices told the story (cutest thing I've ever heard). They painted pumpkins and the whole backdrop with help from the art teacher. My first half of my last day we went on a field trip to the pumpkin walk to see the finished product.

pumpkins and hair were equally painted, luckily the paint in their hair washed out

working on one section of the backdrop

my lovely class and their silly faces
(Don't look too closely..I hesitated to include a picture where you could see their faces, but maybe the silly faces will mask their true identity :) )

I went with Ammon tonight for the final night to show him our class display. It was a really fun date night. Seeing the displays in a snow blizzard made the lines short and we got some rock star parking. There were some impressive scenes...everything from Dr. Seuss stories and the Polar Express to Spongebob Squarepants and Up--all made from painted pumpkins and gourds. We have some seriously talented people in the area.

Farewell to Fall

I walked out of school this afternoon only to find myself in a blizzard of snowflakes, the first of the season. I'm still not sure how I feel about that. Sometimes I wish that snowflakes were warm. That way I could feel like I was in a hot tub rather than a freezer. :)

As a tribute to the beautiful, short fall we enjoyed, here are some pictures we took driving up to the top of Mt. Logan. This drive has turned into a yearly tradition for us. I usually use the opportunity to collect leaves, but I was too distracted by taking pictures to gather any this year. I am so grateful for the beautiful world that we live in!

On the way up

First picture of the day, I was disappointed that no matter how many pictures I took, I couldn't capture how beautiful it was in real life. This world was created by a master artist.

View of the valley below. We could see  Old Main and the Logan Temple in the distance.

Ammon's pride and joy at the top of the mountain

Looking back at the road we came up on

Our experiment: creating a panoramic view at the top

Lessons I have learned in First Grade ;)

1)    1) Don’t throw rocks at balls…they could bounce back and hit you in the eye (in case this warning isn't heeded, see #5)

2)   2) Join a teacher’s union!! Then if you are told that staying at school until nine at night each night and twelve hours minimum on the weekend is just part of the job you can have something to say about it.

3)   3)Avoid European/Australian? lunch programs that bribe students to eat fruit and vegetables with daily plastic prizes and cause heartbreak and drama for teachers, parents, and first graders who refuse to eat tomatoes and red peppers.

4)   4)Don’t be surprised by spontaneous dance parties 

        some of the kids' favorite songs are Fruit Salad by The Wiggles, Caterpillar Caterpillar by Kira Willey, and The Water Cycle Song by ??? (You should see the moves these first graders have!)

D   5)  Ice fixes EVERY injury no matter how serious it is

6)   6) Trololololo…  (my cooperating teacher's ring tone)  just threw it in because it makes my day every time I hear it.

       Thanks to my cooperating teacher and wonderful 1st graders!!! Tomorrow is my last day. I will miss you!!

Need a Book?

Jenson Books in Providence, Utah is definitely my new addiction. It is a huge warehouse full of piles and piles of used books. I spent two and a half glorious hours digging through those piles. Most aren't organized with any rhyme or reason, but it is so worth it. Any single book is for sale for one or two dollars or you can fill a plastic grocery bag with any amount of books you can stuff in it for $7.40. I went the the second option and fit 58 books in my little bag. This means each book cost about thirteen cents.

Am I proud?
VERY :)
Did I even look at the adult section?
Yes, as I walked past it to find more kids books.

Total children's books I own: 119 and counting