I Won the Wicked Lottery

Last night we went to Hollywood to the Pantages theater and entered the Wicked Lottery. The wicked lottery is an opportunity to win tickets to that nights show. Two hours before the performance the theater raffles off 25 seats, winners pay only $25 for these $250 front row seats. We had entered the Lottery two other times with no luck, so to be honest I really wasn't expecting to win, about half the names had already been called, and then I heard MY NAME. Oh my goodness! I got an huge shot of adrenaline, I was shaking! jumping out and down "That's ME" I won two tickets and two green buttons that say "I won the wicked lottery"

Our seats were amazing! We were on the front row, in the middle two seats. As my husband said the saying "front and center" was coined off of our seats. The orchestra was right in front / below us. The conductor of the musical was right in front of us.

I had never been to the Pantages theater. I was really old and beautiful inside. Retro-Art Deco, sweeping stair cases, and gilded ceilings. The performance was really, really good. I smiled through most of the first half. Glinda, was hilarious, the costumes were really beautiful, the music and voices impressive. We enjoyed the performance it was so fun to be so close that the bubbles and smoke from the stage were floating on to us.

I won the Wicked lottery

Christmas 2008

Little Will wants to go home with us. We would gladly take him!

Me and the Willster posing in a tree. He climbed the treee with just a little help from me.

Mom's birthday tea the day after Christmas. I think this should be a yearly tradition

Beautiful and delicous

Its Turned In

flowers from my grandmothers garden. She is the yellow rose of Texas with all her family around her

It is done, and I am happy. Saturday around 8pm I turned in my Masters thesis. I wrote my thesis on character education. Specifically the benefits of character eduction (which there are many) and why schools should include character education as part of their curriculum. I like what I wrote about and there is actually a lot of compelling research that shows kids who receive moral training do better academically, and exhibit more pro-social behavior (read lie and cheat less). Anyway, its been a good but busy month.

To celebrate turning in my paper my husband took me out for nachos at Baja Fresh (nacho's one of my favorite things) and then we drove around the neighborhood looking at Christmas lights. I was really fun, we drove ten miles and saw a few neighborhoods I have never seen though I've lived here all my life.

Since October, the last time I blogged there have been many good and bad things that have taken place. Good - I finished the first semester with my students. I have such great students this year. It isn't me, though I am a better teacher this year. They are just amazing. I thank God for the good attitudes and behavior of the 7th grade class. They have been so sweet and encouraging. They gave me an overwhelming amount of chocolate for Christmas and cards and a scarf..sweet kids.Grandma Clark with flower arrangement I made for her

Bad - my grandma Clark passed away in October. I went up north for the funeral. It was sad, sad to see her house look different and no grandma there. I loved my grandma, she had an overwhelmingly positive effect on my life. From her I learned everything from gardening to how to clean a toilet. Most important she was creative and loved life. She was simple, and she did a lot of good for other people. I love you Grandma!

A positive of the funeral was my sister also was at the funeral. I hadn't seen her in two years, so it was nice to catch up with her-you know share a double futon in the old blue/truck room that is now yellow and purple. It was a quick trip and hard to take a day off work. I have a complex-no one can teach my students like I can. Plus it is just hard to write a sub plan. I can teach it faster then I can explain what a sub has to do. Also on the trip my sister bought me a cute hat at Apple Farm.

my sister and my second cousin Gianna

Good - ACSI convention, that was a blast. I drove down with Pam and I had a really fun room of Lauren, Beth, and Charlotte. These ladies are the best and we had so much fun talking, playing Cranium, and attending the conference. I laughed so hard playing Cranium until it hurt. I hadn't laughed that hard in a while and it was nice. Good.

Bad - Pam's shepherd Lulu died-sad, but charlie the turtle is still kicking.

Good - Grades turned in, work Christmas brunch which is one of my favorite days of the year. School does a really good job with the omelet bar brunch singing Christmas carols, and the school board always has a fun game or entertainment. This year was family feud.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year. I hope Christ is in your heart this Christmas. He is the hope of the world.

Fire Season

image from Nasa.gov

A video that shows what the fire is like in Granada Hills

It happens every year, the winds kick up, a spark ignites it and we have a fire storm in the hills. I have lived in Southern California all my life and I am used to the fire season-the smoke the evacuations. In California we are used to these events like people in other parts of the country are used to hurricanes or blizzards. I am home from work today, school is closed due to the fires. Yesterday, we could see the fire from the school back parking lot. It was burning up what I think is mission peak (though I don't know my Granada Hills peaks all that well). The smoke was really bad, they gave the teachers masks and we had the rainy day evacuation car line. My church Shepherd of the Hills is an official evacuation site. It was fun to see my church and people I recognized on the news, though I would prefer it to be in less tragic circumstances.

A few minutes ago I received a call notifying me that school will also be closed tomorrow. I am sure the kids are happy, it is the west coasts version of the "snow day". Our school does have many families affected by the fire. A couple of our friends live very close to the fires. I called a couple of them to see how they are doing. Yesterday, Chris and Amanda's roof was visible from the news helicopter and broadcast on channel 2.

So what did I do with my "fire day?" I was productive, I wrote my Unit 5, reflective essay two paper which is due this Sunday. It is great to have that done as we are going to Disneyland all day Sunday with my cousin Jenn, her husband and their baby Caiden. I can't wait! I love Jenn and JK and I have never been to Disneyland together.

Today, I also wrote about 80% of my final paper due on the 25th of this month. It feels great to get a jump start on that! Since I am off tomorrow, I will probably finish that up, do my discussion questions go to Trader Joe's. I am so boring, but I want to get ahead of the work so I can enjoy my weekends. Fellow teacher Pam called me today and invited me to the mall, but studios girl that I am I told her I had to write my paper. Four months. In four months I get my life back.
This months class has been one of the easiest I've taken. I have two more. I hope November is a good class, but not overwhelming.

Tomorrow, in celebration of her birthday I am taking Pam and myself to get Chinese foot massages. I made the appointment for after school, but now that we are not working I will probably call and try to make the appointment earlier. Should be fun - who wouldn't like Chinese foot massages? I will post all about it tomorrow.

OH! OH! I can't believe I didn't mention this first: I PASSED. That is right! I passed section one of the science CSET. I recieved an email informing me that I passed about an hour ago. I am so happy that I won't have to take that again. I still have section 2 and 3 to knock out, but it is just a relief that I have completed section 1. Section two is microbiology, ecology, evolution. Section three is in depth life science. I better start studying. : )

What's Up With Us

Hello, it has been a fun and busy month since I last posted. I started school again, both teaching and being a student. I have a GREAT group of 7th grade students. What a blessing they are to me. So far we have just been having a great time learning Science and Bible. I love teaching both of these subjects. I think my enthusiasm spills out. I love what I do. I have 81 students this year, I see each of them twice one time for bible and one time for Science. Highlights for me have been learning the ten commandments with hand motions, and doing the popcorn lab. This week we made the incredible, edible cell out of jello and candy. The jello represented cytoplasm and the candy was organelles such as mitochondria-red hot tamales, and ribosomes-cake sprinkles, nuclues-gum ball...etc.September 13th I took part one of Science CSET (subject exam for teachers) at El Camino Real High School. I finished the five hour test in three hours. It was hard but not impossible. I know I missed some questions, but I also knew something about every question. I find out on October 14 whether I passed or not. I really, really hoped I passed. I don't want to take it again because it is expensive, plus it takes time to study and take it. Additionally, I have two other sections I have to pass. I would rather move on and start studying for those.I am moving forward on my Masters / Credential. I have five classes left, plus student teaching. This month October and November I have Masters classes and December is my thesis class. Then I take two prerequisites January and February. I want it to pass by more quickly then it is. I would like my Saturdays and evenings back, though part of me realizes that I am happy busy. I am not happy when I am not busy. I do love school, I am a school person and I like learning and teaching new things. I would like to write my thesis on character education. Hopefully, my thesis adviser will allow we to write on that topic.
We have had some fun in September and October. We went to the high school football game on September 13th, hung out with Pam. The 20th we had a birthday party for Brian in Santa Monica, September 26 Chris and Lynne invited us over for a fall dinner party. I love Chris and Lynne, I laugh so hard when we are with them. The 27th we had dinner with Twyla, Dan and Tyler. It was so great to catch up with them.Last Saturday night was fun. We went to the UCLA vs. Washington State football game at the Rose Bowl. We thought it might rain on us, but it didn't. It turned out to be a perfect night. We had good seats in the Alumni section. UCLA won! Go Bruins! After the game about 11pm we went to King Taco in Pasadena. We consumed street taco's and fruit punch. It was a fun evening out. I wish I had brought my Camera!Sunday night the 5th we had life group. I love our life group. Christin and Guy are the best. It is a good group of people. Guy was recently in some book about an OWL. His ex-girlfriend had an owl and wrote a book about it. How hilarious is that! Only Guy!This Wednesday the 8th I stayed home sick from work. It nearly killed me to stay home, but my sweet husband took care of me and MADE me stay home. Some how my generally lazy self has turned into a workaholic of late. It is seriously hard these days for me to NOT work, or stay home. I don't know how to relax anymore! I couldn't talk above a whisper, but I wanted to go to work. I hate not being with my kids, I hate missing a lesson and feeling like I am behind teaching them.
I still didn't rest when I stayed home. I graded papers half the day, recycled our bottles and cans, went to the grocery store, made pumpkin pie, made roasted acorn squash, potato, carrot and chicken for dinner, made 4 boxes of jello up in little cups for the incredible, edible cell lab. I know, this girl really knows how to party on a day off!

Today, I need to write a paper, we have church tonight, there is a football game at GHHS. Then the normal stuff, go to Walmart, laundry etc... That is all with us. Be blessed and be a blessing.

Ansel Adams

When hiking in Ansel Adams National Forest, do as Ansel Adams did, take pictures. This is my black and white tribute to his amazing nature photography

He hiked and photographed the Sierras and California

I have long been a fan of his work. These are my Ansel Adams like photos of Ansel Adams Wilderness

Its a big beautiful world. This is a picture of the lake with a snake. I am so glad I didn't see that snake swimming while I was in the water!