The mountains behind me are the Olympics. You can only see them about half the time because they are clouded over. A common phrase in Washington is "the mountain is out". As if it is not there when we can't see it! 

The other day in class we were talking about symbols that we use, like a heart, a plus or minus sign, an arrow...someone mentioned the cross. I siezed the oppurtunity to talk about what it means and where we find them.

Where do you see a cross?

they said:
in churches
on people's necks
in dead peoples yards (cemetaries)

Also, another little piece of God humor from my day:

"Teacher, I don't think that God could know everything because he lived a long time ago and they didn't have homework back then."

Student 1: Look! I wrote my name in cursive.

Student 2: I don't speak cursive.

I am sorry for my embarasing lack of postings. I love blogging but sometimes things eat up my time (we can all identify). I think there is a pattern. I lose about two weeks of blogging every time report cards are due. ha, that's one thing I wouldn't mind giving up.

Big News: I am probably going on a missions trip with my church to Unalakleet, Alaska this summer. What's the first thing any Gen-Xer would do? Google it of course. It's actually ZERO degrees there right now. I don't think I really even have any comprehension of that kind of temperature. More on this later.

We saw elk in our playground today. Yep, we's country folk.

I know that my husband studies way too much. This weekend he had gotten some blueprints for a class he is taking. Usually blueprints are huge pieces of paper but these were smaller with tiny print.

"They're called a halfset. Aren't they cute?" he said.

My husband and his cute blueprints...

Is it bad to wish that Walmart gets flooded? Maybe then I wouldn't have to shop there because they are so cheap. No more crowds!

The part with the trees is a golf course, and then you can see the airport behind it, and behind the airport is the mini-city that having a Walmart in our town has created. The stores there are convenient and affordable, but has created more of a big-city feel. Photo from the Chronicle.

ARG, the dreaded story problem...

I know I have been lax about retelling cute classroom stories, but it's not because I haven't been laughing a lot lately.

I was reading story problems to my first graders. After a confusing one, one girl scrunched up her face in confusion. "Thoooo....what'th the thituathion here?" (so, what's the situation here? with a lisp)

It was noisy in my room and I was standing a little boy, I was frustrated and he gave me a look of understanding. He said, "Don't you wish your ears were turn-off-able?"

Yes, yes I do.

Have a great three day weekend.

I got this picture from a Seattle news station. I think this is Lake Samamish. This is what it feels like there though. I have to get out and take some pictures! We had a few dryish (and I mean that in the loosest sense) days but we are in for more rain. I just took my kids to lunch (we have to go outside to get to the cafeteria) and it was that blowing sideways type of rain. You know how they say Alaskan people have 100 different words for snow? How come Washingtonians don't have 100 different words for rain? We must either be less verbal or more distracted.

Thank goodness this isn't our playground! If it keeps raining much longer it might be.

My Kara has a blog now!!! See the link on the side? Click on it and leave her a comment. Or else.

Things I am proud of:

I know what to do with 30 pounds of fresh tomatoes.

Seeing a gutted deer hanging from a tree in someones lawn doesn't bother me anymore.

I can't remember the last time nylons and high heels were even an option.

A date with my husband is a long walk on a country road.

When I ask what I can bring over for dinner, they always say pie.

I think about my garden in January.

Paul and I used our new snowshoes today at White Pass 

Highlights of our "Portland" Christmas

-Braving the after-Christmas crowds for some cheap sheets with Rebecca.
-Going to the Laurelhurst with Dan (Robinson). Dan is the great movie connoisseur and Portland has more than it's fair share in the theater pub category. We watched "The Constant Gardener". A bit graphic but pretty worth it. I would like to watch it again to understand it better.
-The REI Buyback Sale. One of my great loves in life is the love of the GOOD DEAL. I will garage sale as much as my husband will let me. There is not much that I wouldn't do to get something that I need or want for really cheap including standing in the rain and wind for two and a half hours. This time we were joined my my brother Dan (Tupper)(who scored us some great spots in line by arriving at the sale at 5am, that's right, he stood in line for four hours(it's in the Tupper blood, but that's another story)), Alicia (his girlfriend), and Rebecca (Paul's sister). Our spoils include: two pairs of tennis shoes, two pairs of snow shoes, a bivy sack and snow boots.
-Catching up with "the Paul's" - a family that we love but had lost track of for a while.
-Watching Dr. Phil with Kara
-Lunching with the Tupper's at Kennedy School for my Mom's 52nd birthday
-Walking at Mt. Tabor with Barbara and Paul
-Coming home - as much as I love Portland, it was so nice to come home to our little barn. I stayed in my pajamas all day and just enjoyed that "home" feeling.

Christmas Dinner at the Robinsons: Barbara, Mark and Dan 

Rebecca, Olivette, Imanuel 

Christmas 2005 

Merry Christmas Eve to you!!! 

Frosty fence 

This picture is from a few weeks ago when we had a cold snap. 

The finished product! 

And I though MY husband was crazy about Christmas. (this is a video)

http://media.putfile.com/WizardsofWinter-SM

"Teacher, I sang that song at Temptation Bible School last summer."

-Kindergartener

Dad and Annie sell Christmas trees at church for an Alaska missions trip we are planning for.

Paul cuts down our tree. This is ALMOST Paul's favorite part of Christmas, searching for the perfect tree and cutting it down. Even if there were a perfect tree already cut for the same price, he would still prefer to cut one down. Once we get it in the house he is very protective of it, asking me to please not brush up against it lest it lose it's needles. This is very funny to me. He also likes to sleep by the tree at least one night before Christmas, something that his family did. I love that he loves traditions and holidays so much.

This weekend we went to the Santa parade. You can see the nativity scene in the background in front of the library. I'm glad our town still has one.

I have gone to this parade since I was a little girl and Santa is always the same man. I wonder if he's always looked like Santa?

In the parade in our town, there are many tractors. I actually didn't know there were so many different kinds of tractors. We were behind this man driving home from the parade.

SNOW! 

Our kitchen window 

Our driveway 

I actually have a chalkboard in my room (this is really a thing of the past) but I don't use it that much. Today I went to write an addition problem on the chalkboard and from behind me I hear, "Well, I guess she's a REAL teacher now! REAL teachers always write on the chalkboard."

It's a gift to be simple, it's a gift to be free
It's a gift to come down where we are to be
And when we find ourselves in a place just right
'Twill be in the valley of love and delight

When true simplicity is gained
To bow and to bend we will not be ashamed
To turn and to turn will be our delight
For by turning and turning we'll come round right

Traditional Shaker Hymn

Just finished reading:

This guy talks about Portland a lot in this book because he lives there. His church is about 10 blocks away from where Paul and I used to live. It's fun to hear him talk about places I love like Palio and Powells. His book is very refreshing. Much food for thought. Know that if I post about a book here I WOULD recommend it, because I never finish books I don't like. On the other hand, Paul is reading "Blue Like Jazz" right now (by the same author), he argues out loud with the book but keeps reading it. I guess it must make him just angry enough to keep reading. I love that guy!

Click here for a great pumpkin muffin recipe:

http://foodiefarmgirl.blogspot.com/2005/11/spicy-pumpkin-pecan-raisin-muffins.html

November 27, 2005 4:00-4:30pm

I carried my camera around for half an hour today and snapped pictures. This is the wreath on our barn door.

The sun goes down. 

My husband takes a nap. 

A cinderella pumpkin outside on our porch. 

I made pumpkin spice muffins. 

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!!

I found this picture on the Mother Earth News website. About two years ago I had to give up cow's milk because of sinus problems. Goat's milk has been my new best friend. I love the cheese and the ice cream. It will probably taste funny to you if you drink cow's milk all the time, but if you don't, you can't really tell the difference. I was recently thinking about getting a goat, but quickly realized that I would have to milk it everyday. Touching the netherparts of a goat everyday is not worth the money I would save by having one. I may feel differently someday though.

Paul and I are considering getting ourselves snowshoes for Christmas. We already have an annual pass to Mt. Ranier. It's something that we enjoy doing together.

Now reading:

Light from Heaven, Jan Karon

My mom just got this book and she's LETTING ME READ IT FIRST (what a selfless lady), but I have been instructed to finish it before thanksgiving break. This is Jan Karon's final book in the series. Never fear, in 2007 she will start a "father tim" series. I have read the Mitford series about four times and it gets better every time. I'm really not one for Christian books because many of them are done soooooo badly, but Jan Karon has a real depth. I see new things in her work each time I read the series.

Two funny quotes from my classroom:

"Teacher, you know what I love about America?"
"What do you love about America?"
"I love that there's no quicksand."

and-

"Teacher, I'm in love with _______, it's kind of like he dug a hole in my heart and burried himself in it."

Paradise Lodge, Mt. Ranier

I thought this was really cute. This parent wanted to make sure I got her note!

I have a question, when you look at my blog does my profile show up at the bottom of the page? Leave a comment or email me, please.

When I cut and pasted this from our local newspaper, The Chronicle, it didn't come out quite right, but you can get the point. My brother, Kyle, is in the newspaper!

Tuesday, November 15, 2005
Youth program raises money, starving themselves so that others may eat
By Aaron VanTuyl
avantuyl@chronline.com

Leaders from three local youth groups got together Monday morning at the headquarters of Love In the Name of Christ in Chehalis, to hand over hard-earned donation checks.The money was raised through World Vision’s 30 Hour Famine program, and on the receiving end were the Lewis County Food Bank, the Mineral fire department and the Salvation Army. The youths involved took pledges from friends and family members, sponsoring them in a 30-hour fast. Most of the money raised goes to World Vision, a Christian relief and development organization dedicated to helping impoverished children and communities worldwide. Love INC works with World Vision, taking 25 percent of the total donations raised in its service area and distributing it to organizations in the community. Youth leaders Kyle Tupper (Jackson Prairie Assembly of God), Jim Scott (Oakview Church) and Jennifer Rush (Centralia Bible Evangelical Free Church) were on hand to present a check to Ron Wehnau, pastor-administrator for the Centralia corps of the Salvation Army.Tupper and Scott’s groups held their famine back in April, working with the Shoestring Valley Community Church and staying at the Jackson Prairie building. During the 30-hour period, the youths performed service projects in the community to keep their mind off the hunger.“We thought it was important to do stuff right here in the community,” said Tupper. Tupper and Scott’s group also held a scavenger hunt during its fast, gathering certain types of canned food according to a list. This activity brought in about $646 worth of food for the Lewis County Food Bank. Bush said her group held a car wash during its fast, and raised another $700 on top of its donations.“Our kids worked hard,” she said. Among the three groups, $3,695 was sent to World Vision.“Anyone can make a big difference,” said Scott. “We spend thousands of dollars on stupid stuff. If we were to spend $30 a month, we can save a kid’s life.”World Vision raised $1.3 million, nationwide, last year with the 30 Hour Famine program.The Centralia Corps of the Salvation Army received $452.64 from Love INC and the youth groups. Wehnau said the Centralia branch had about $10,000 in applications for help during the month of November, but only around $600 to spend on helping those people.“The poor in Lewis County are very easily our next-door neighbors, who we don’t even realize,” he said. “Gas prices and food prices going up really put a pinch on people with fixed incomes,” said Carol Druckman, Love INC’s program director.Druckman is working to recruit more local churches to the 30 Hour Famine program.“This year, we hope all 97 churches (in Lewis County) do this,” she said.

These guys are saying, "We saved our wives from lives of boredom."

Paul and I went to Paradise on Mt. Ranier yesterday. We brought along some hot apple cider.