Gone

Just wanted to let you know that I am not ignoring my blogging duties. We are merely leaving home for a bit. Wisconsin and Minnesota, here we come!

Nap Time Reading Hour

Let me tell you about one of my new favorite pastimes. It is called "nap time". During the regular school year, the students do not rest. Ah, but in summer school, they do! At first, I was not sure what to think of this block of time every afternoon. I mean, would they really sleep? Would it make me sleepy? Would it be a battle to just get them to lay still? But, I have come to adore the napping hour. Most of these little people actually do fall asleep. I only have about four who are awake the whole time. They are so cute when they are sleeping...all nestled up with their beach towel, listening to our lullaby CD...which for the record I'd like to try out for myself sometime. I have this really comfy blue-flowered chair in my classroom and it is perfect for reading. So, that's what I do. I've been able to get through four books during nap time this summer. It's awesome! I love having a piece of time carved out just for a specific act such as reading...or writing, or playing music. Now, would I be willing to have summer school go any longer so that I could keep having nap time reading hour? No and nope. But, it is certainly a nice part of my day for now.

Those are my thoughts. By the way, summer school ends this week. Woo Hoo! Summertime Katrina will soon be here.

what happened in June

What happened in June...what happened to June? I seriously can't believe it has come and gone so quickly. Part of that is because we've been busy...mostly back and forth on our beloved Interstate 70. I also have been swallowed up by the Summer School Monster. He really eats away the summertime spirit.

Alas, many good things did happen in the sixth month of the year. Here are a few:

1. Our first niece was born...little Larkin. She is precious and she is going to be well loved and well protected (by her three older brothers). After meeting her in the hospital, we got to watch the newest big brother Syl. He is such a ham...I loved so many of these photos.

2. Sarah and Abbie came to visit..along with their respective significant people Adam and Sam. I am hoping that Abbie will send me some photos soon so that I can post a few. We had a very fun time. We ate at Murray's and then played Apples to Apples as well as Pass the Buck (a new game for the Tomlins involving a heavy coin). Then, we stayed up late making Abbie and Sam play songs for us...they are both incredible. I love those people. It was one of my favorite nights in a long time.

3. We went to Richmond and saw Adrianne and Hunter!! What fun to see their world. T.J. gave a paper at a big history conference...way to go, husband! Caitlyn and Joseph also swung through Virginia on their way back from the beach. I love those people as well. And, ah yes, the South...you know I love that...

4. One of my summer school students informed me that he hated walking, he hated water fountains, he hated kindergarten, he hated snacks with corn syrup (he's allergic), he hated sitting criss cross, he hated being anything but first, he hated using a quiet voice, he hated staying in the confines of school and thus yelled "I'm outta here" more than once, he hated not being the boss, he hated me (the boss), he hated blue crayons, he hated glue, he hated the letter R, he hated the itsy bitsy spider song and he would not sing it and didn't want any of the rest of us to sing it either, and he also hated summer school. Well, me too, bud.

5. We visited family Eddy one afternoon...oh, how we miss them. More people we love. I also got to see my sisters a bunch. That is always nice (I love them too, you know)...they told me to blog more...so, I am. trying to anyway.

An Eight Weekend

I had the pleasure of a visit from one of my absolute alltime favorite people last weekend. Caitlyn (also known as my eight) came for a little midmissourian fun. I so love her presence and we had a swell time, as we always do. Below are just some of the highlights:


*walking on the katy trail. We saw quite a few beautiful butterflies. We also saw the crazy effects of the flooding that took place all over missouri a few weeks ago.

*making freezer paper stencil shirts. We made 8 ones.

*cooking enchiladas and guacomole and totally stuffing ourselves...mmm, avocados.

*taking walks and talking.

*being very very very silly.

*seeing the film, The Waitress, which I think is awesome. It has Felicity in it. Who doesn't like Felicity?

*staying up late and looking through old pictures...

*having a little everydayness with someone I love so fully and yet lives so far away. you know, we talk all the time, but nothing's quite the same as having her here with me.

Church Signs

A favorite pastime of mine is to find funny messages on outdoor church signs. There are some very cheesy ones (which make me laugh) or just some very very poorly poorly worded ones (which make me shake my head). So, here are some of my favorites.

"This church is prayer-conditioned."

"God will turn your EFIL around."

But, today, a new favorite due to a misprint:

"Find God and find your elf inside".

Keep your eyes open for more good ones and let me know!

exercise

I have been trying to exercise more. But, I think I would like the experience much more if it could be like this.

I love this video. Thank you, Sarah, for showing it to me.

playing

On Sunday, I drove up to St. Louis for a long overdue trip to visit my friend Sarah. She is definitely one of my favorite people and I am so proud to be her friend because I respect her so much. I love being able to reference stories and people the exact same way we did when we were in seventh grade.

We went to the City Museum and, man, was it awesome. I already want to go back. Basically it's this interactive art sculpture/playground. It's been a very long time since I've climbed through plastic tubes or slid down long and twisty slides. I've certainly watched many little people do this, but I have not partaken in way too long. And, I must say, it was great! It's like I'd forgotten my body could do such things! I got scrapes and bruises! I got very dirty and smelled bad! I sat at the top of really steep slides and thought to myself "whoa, this is kind of scary and I'm pretty sure the guy right before had a pretty sweaty back...I don't know if I should do this..." and then I'd lay back, push off, and as I went down, I was truly happy just to be playing. I didn't care what I looked like (or smelled like) as I contorted my body through all the exhibits.

I kind of feel foolish. Here, I've thought I am more childlike than most people simply because I spend a load of time with young people. And yet, apparently, I still have a lot to learn from kids.

Of course, when I got home, I took a massive shower. I'm not that childlike. And, that's okay.