The San Diego Zoo

While I was home for a few days on my track break, we decided to go to the zoo.  It’s been quite a while since I’ve been to the zoo.  They have completely changed the monkey and flamingo exhibit!  It is now much more open and less cage-like.  

Of course we had to get a picture of the coordinating girls :)

The boys in my class are absolutely fascinated by dinosaurs, and dragons, and lizards, and snakes and… So I couldn’t resist:)

 

 

 

 

 

Andrea and the Komodo Dragon               Jocelyn and the Boa Constrictor

This is the turtle that couldn’t figure out how to eat it’s food.  Jocelyn and I were getting a kick out of it – then we tried to tell the turtle how he could be successful at eating his lettuce.

A Sharp Pencil

I was helping a student at my desk to edit a piece of writing when I overhear another student:

"A sharpened pencil is a happy pencil."

Go, Jocelyn!!!

"Go Jocelyn! Whoohooo!", Dad and I cheered as Jocelyn biked uphill toward the transition area.

Dad and Jocelyn drove up Friday and picked me up after work to drive to St. George to watch Jocelyn compete in the St. George Tri. The swim was cancelled due to high winds, so they did run, bike, run. This was my first time watching a triathalon and it was a lot of fun! It almost made me want to start training...almost.

One semester down...

I finished my first semester of grad school!!! It was a great semester and I learned a ton, although it was a very busy time for me. One of the classes I took was Contemporary Literature for Children and Young Adults. Some of my favorite reads included:

Fancy Nancy
I'm the Best Artist in the Ocean
Not a Box
Do Not Open This Book
Would I Ever Lie to You?

and much more....

One semester down, 6 more to go!

Peckish

St. Patrick's Day fell during my track break this year, so my class and I discussed it when school resumed. I had a Scholastic News about St. Patrick's Day that we read together. At the end it had a chart about sayings in Ireland and what they mean. In Ireland, instead of saying "I'm hungry" they say "I'm feeling peckish".

The next day:
S: What's that word for hungry that the leprechauns say?
Miss R: peckish
S: Oh. I'm feeling peckish.
Miss R: Yeah, me too!

So now everyday at various times and from different places in the room I hear "I'm feeling peckish!"

The Adventures of Okapi

Okapi decided that he wanted to spend a few weeks visiting me becuase he knew Jocelyn would come back to get him. Okapi and I had so much fun together! He really has been a great help:)

Here are some of the fun times we had together:



Okapi helping me fill out licensure paperwork.





Okapi helping me read my textbook. It was a little boring, so he started to fall asleep.



There's nothing like pocorn, a movie, and hot chocolate on a Friday night! (Okapi actually preferred the water.)




Okapi is helping me pick out which books I should use for my homework and which books I should bring in to read to my students. We especially enjoyed "I Ain't Gonna Paint No More" and "I'm the Best Artist in the Ocean".

Okapi is helping me scan Grandma's pictures!

Look at all the fun we had together. Sadly Okapi is going home after this weekend, but the good news is that means Jocelyn is coming to visit!

Come Come Ye Saints

As I was driving to work this morning, my CD player still had in the Mormon Tabernacle Choir. I was listening and singing along and then Come, Come Ye Saints started playing. I've always enjoyed this song, but today it especially struck me.

http://www.lds.org/churchmusic/detailmusicPlayer/index.html?searchlanguage=1&searchcollection=1&searchseqstart=30&searchsubseqstart=%20&searchseqend=30&searchsubseqend=ZZZ