My fantastic husband...

I mentioned in my last post that it has been a crazy week....it truly has! A combination of a large school load, coursework for UNK, and trying to be a good wife and housekeeper has left me frazzled this week. I've recently come down with a killer cold (I always get stress-induced colds!), so last night when I got home from school I took a long, hot shower. When I got out of the shower, I noticed that Nate had left me a little message on the mirror :) If you can't read it, it says "I love you" on both sides. He has been so supportive and understanding this semester. Unfortunately, I have to admit that I was not that supportive when Nate was in his first year of teaching. I didn't understand the load that teachers (especially first year teachers) bear. Nate has been so gracious with me! He doesn't complain if I'm at school from 6:30-6 or if last night's dishes are still in the sink. He doesn't complain if I only make eggs and toast for a meal and he's willing to go to school with me on a Saturday to help me organize my classroom. On top of all of this, he goes out of his way to leave me a nice note on the mirror when he knows I've had a terrible day. I am so blessed to have a wonderful husband. Nate, thanks for being so understanding! I love you!

OHS Choir Concert

This post is a bit delayed...but it's been a crazy week! The choir concert went so well...all of the choirs sang their best and sounded great. There are a ton of photos here for your viewing pleasure :) The jazz choir started the night off, the mixed choir followed, then the women's choir, and the chamber chorale finished the night off. They sang beautifully and it was fun to watch the kids perform! I know I said this in another post, but I truly am proud of my husband...he is a great teacher!

Workshops

Donuts, coffee, and loads of new teaching materials...I love teaching workshops! I've been to quite a few so far this year. For the next two days, I will be at the 6 Traits Writing workshop in North Platte.

Today we looked at all the traits of 6 trait writing and then did a few activities that we could use in our own classrooms. I know this probably sounds like a bore to most of you :) But it really was quite fun. One activity we did was to think of our favorite space and then to complete the following sentences:
In this space I see....hear...smell...taste...feel

Then we had time to elaborate on our sentences. I kind of liked what I wrote, so I thought I would share it. Well, hope all is well...Nate has his high school concert tonight, so I will post more photos later!

Until then,
Danielle

Our House

I see hardwood floors scuffed from years of movement. I see the crack at the top of our blinds from when the dog, standing on the back of the couch, saw a person walking past the house and began scratching frantically at the window and blinds. I hear the dog barking (probably because someone is again walking by....how dare them!) and my husband singing the bass line to "Sleep" by Eric Whitacre, the piece his Chamber Chorale is most struggling with at the present moment. It sounds spotty and out of place because if you have heard any Eric Whitacre, you know there are usually at least eight different voice parts at any given time. I taste dark roast coffee and Kit-Kat bars...my comfort food for the past few weeks. I smell the apple cinnamon candles we bought to drown out the weird smell that came from one of our closets in our first apartment. I smell this mornings coffee; the leftovers will sit in the pot for another day--not because I'm lazy, but because I like the smell. I feel cold because we haven't kicked on the heater yet, but cozy...knowing that it (our home) is ours.

Lazy dog

Here are a few photos of Sampson that were on my camera. I took them on my snow day :) We have been leaving him out of his kennel while we are at school b/c we are both gone for so long. He has done really well so far. I did find a candle on the floor today. It looked like he had started to chew on it but then realized it did not taste as good as it smelled!

OMS Fall Concert

Nate has his first concert here in Ogallala under his belt! The middle school choirs did a fantastic job tonight...those kids are VERY talented! He had a small group of 6th graders, a 7th grade group, an 8th grade group, and a show choir. The show choir is the group with the orange, yellow, and red t-shirts. The large group photo is of all of the choirs, and the small group is the 6th grade. I don't know if you can tell, but Nate was actually on his phone for this photo :) He had a student call him (thanks, Zach :) at the start of the concert so he could do a a little spoor on concert ettiquete. Always the funny guy ;) Anyway...I was very proud of him and his choirs. It is always so fun to watch him conduct...he really gets into it!
We have the high school concert tomorrow evening, I'll be sure to take photos and report back!
Cheers,
Danielle

Pandora...

It's a chilly Sunday afternoon here in Og. We are doing our usual Sunday activities...planning for the next week of school! We don't mind lesson planning because we both love teaching and we both enjoy our content area...but sometimes we do wish that we could just nap all day :)

One thing that makes planning easier is Pandora.com. Most of you have probably heard of this wonderful website before, but for those of you who haven't...I suggest you check it out. It is great...you can create custom made on-line radio stations. You can type in artists or songs you enjoy and the website will play that artist and all related artists. You can also "thumbs-up" a song or "thumbs-down" a song.

Nate and I both use Pandora regularly. I frequently use it in my classroom. I try to have music playing everyday when my kids walk into my class. They do a "bell-ringer" activity for the first 5-10 minutes (vocab, correcting sentences, etc) so I can take attendance and pull out the necessary handouts. I think the music helps them ease into the class...I also play music when they are completing seat work. Of course, sometimes I forget, but the kids will often request music :) Music really is a common ground for me and them.

Well, back to planning. I have my last observation for student teaching tomorrow and only 6 more weeks until I can start getting paid to teach! Nate and I had a fun trip to North Platte yesterday, I will try to post pictures from that trip later tonight :)
Until then,
Danielle

First Snow Fall

Well, the pictures say it all...we had snow out here in Southwestern Nebraska! Enough snow in fact, that I had a snow day! Actually, the snow wasn't too bad here in Og, but I guess it was a bit worse in Perkins County. We have students who come from as far as 30 miles away, and some of them have to drive country roads. It was very windy today as the snow fell...it turned into a beautiful site. Here are a few photos I took this morning before the sun came out....

So I took advantage of my time at home and planned for my classes, got caught up on housework, baked a batch of whole wheat butterscotch brownies, got a new drivers license (which by the way...is probably the worst photo I've ever taken!), ate lunch with Nate, registered to vote, and watched some day time TV :) We are now watching the SNL president skits...oh so funny....

Hope everyone is doing well....have a relaxing weekend!

Until next time,
Danielle

Mishmash...

So this post is exactly as the title implies...a mish-mash of photos and comments :)

As you can see, Sampson's hair is slowly growing back! However, we think that while waiting for his hair to grow back, he has morphed into a cat. His new favorite spot is on the back of our couch...just like a cat.
We have been busy...as the picture of us working implies :) but have been enjoying the cool fall weather. I've made several pots of soup already....I tend to go a little overboard with soup very early in the fall. Here is a photo of me with a bowl of tomato soup...it matches my shirt..I know, I'm nerdy...but, hey...we live in a small town, we have to find some form of entertainment!
Anyway...things are going well. We're both trying to stay sane during these very busy times...we are looking forward to Thanksgiving! Hope everyone is doing well...have a fabulous week!
Until next time,
Danielle

So, I am sitting at a round table in a gym full of teachers...can you guess where I am??? If you guessed Parent-Teacher's Conferences, then see me for a prize! Haha....actually, there will be no prize given today...sorry.

Anyway, yes, I am at my first PTC until 8 tonight and tomorrow from 8-11. I am a little anxious, but I am excited to meet all of the parents. My kids are all great, so I am not worried. However, I do tend to st-st-stutter when I am nervous....so we'll see how that goes :) Well, wish me luck...I'll report back when they are over!

Sunrise

On my way to Grant this morning I saw the most beautiful sunrise. The sky was very cloudy and I did not think I would be able to see the sunrise like I usually do. I was proved wrong :) The clouds could not hold back the sun and as it rose, shades of pink and orange seeped through. It really was a beautiful sight.

This time of year is by far my favorite. Those of you who know me well, know that I prefer cold and cloudy to hot and sunny. Everything is just so gorgeous in the fall. The vines outside my classroom window have transformed into a vibrant red, the sunflowers in the fields along highway 61 have lost their petals but the deep rust colored center remains. They have begun to bow their heads towards the ground...it sounds morbid, but it really is pretty. The grasses along the road have also changed into deep browns and reds and stretch on for miles. Our neck of the woods really has so much natural beauty...you'll have to see it to believe it....translation: come visit us! :)

All of the beauty I saw this morning reminds me of God's splendor and mysteriousness. I don't understand how and why God gives us these beautiful sights. We certainly don't deserve all the blessings we receive (I consider the beauty of nature one of His blessings)...yet He sends us these Kodak moments everyday...it really is mind boggling. But, I don't think I could hold as firm to Him and to the idea of Christianity if I completely understood Him.

Anyway, there's a bit of philosophy for your Thursday afternoon :) The kids are beginning to filter into the room now.....hope everyone is doing well....
Cheers!

So, this is a late blog....but Nate celebrated his 26th birthday this week! He had parent-teacher conferences until 7 that night, but we did have a nice relaxing and peaceful (other than the drive-by happy birthday screams from a few of Nate's students!) meal at home...chicken enchiladas, Spanish rice, and peanut-butter cup frozen yogurt :) It was nice to take time and eat a nice meal at our kitchen table. Things have been very busy for us, and we often forget to take time for ourselves. I hope Nate had a very happy birthday, he is a very special man and I am blessed to have him in my life.

On another note, we are headed to Aurora/Grand Island tonight to spend time with family. We finally are able to watch my little brother play football against Aurora...GO DISCOVERERS! It is his senior year...I can't believe how fast the time flies!