quick update...

This Thursday is Scott's last regular season football game, so far we are 6-3.   We are hoping for a big win...then we will begin the playoff rounds.  The first playoff game will be next Wednesday, Nov. 2.  Missouri high school football is GREAT!

First grade is going really well.  It is so nice to be settled in our classroom and moving right along.  My students are doing great and working hard!

Last weekend Mack stayed with my parents while Scott and I went to watch the Hawkeyes beat the Northwestern Wildcats.  The game was amazing!  Kinnick stadium is the best!  There is something exciting about being surrounded by 70,000 Iowa Hawkeye fans!!  

card trick:

   

What a GREAT day!! 

**Our community has decided to start a neighborhood watch program.  As you can see we will all have the highest protection...

As you can see, Mack has decided to be Captain America for Halloween.  Earlier this week he picked out his costume at WalMart.  Then we got it home and he refused to wear it.  Finally, yesterday afternoon he put it on and we could hardly convince him to take it off to change into his pajamas for bed.   He put it on as soon as he got up this morning.  He was really getting into character ...pointing and yelling "Captain America!"  He wore it to the football field with Scott for awhile.  Needless to say, the costume went in the washer as soon as they got home.  He has been asking about it since he woke up from his nap.  It is drying and will be ready for action tomorrow when we get home from school. YAY!

Pumpkin Patch

We visited our local pumpkin patch yesterday evening.  It was AMAZING!  We had a great time...Mack enjoyed all of the activities for children and Scott & I enjoyed watching and playing with him.  I also really enjoyed exploring with my new camera (as you can tell by all the pics).  

 

Scott's team had a big victory Friday night - GO INDIANS!

My school has been cleaned and passed inspection on Wednesday - YAY!!!  I have been moving and organizing my classroom.  I am so HAPPY to get moved in and look forward to welcoming students on Monday.  It will be like the first day all over again... except better! 

Here is the view from my classroom door...

From the back of the room...

The leaves are all changing colors and absolutely beautiful here.  We are loving this great fall season.  We have been enjoying 80 degree weather and lots of fresh air.  Mack and I went for a walk this morning to play and take pictures.
 

Yes, I know... he is about too big for the stroller (look @ his long legs)!  He still LOVES to go...as do I.

Fall

Fall is here - and it is absolutely beautiful!  We have been enjoying some time outside...

And having fun inside...

We have also been enjoying local festivals and fun.  Last weekend was the 26th annual Mule Festival.  We went to the fairgrounds with Grandma & Grandpa Graves.  We enjoyed good food, browsing around, and some entertainment.   This weekend was the Old Settler's Reunion.  Grandma Laura & Loren are here visiting and we enjoyed wandering around the square for this community activity.  There were booths, more yummy food, and a parade!  We really do love our new small town life! :)  There is supposed to be an amazing pumpkin patch that is on our to-visit list...hopefully we will get there in the next week or two.  


This was our homecoming week.  The game last night was tough.  However, it will be remembered as a great night for me because Mack got to enjoy the company of ALL of his grandparents.  What a great thing to see...he was the happiest little boy around and jumped from holding one hand to another.  SO GREAT!  Grandparents are the BEST!  I found the following quotes and thought they were appropriate and reminded me of our time together last night:

"Nobody can do for little children what grandparents do.  Grandparents sort of sprinkle stardust over the lives of little children."

"Grandparents are similar to a piece of string...handy to have around and easily wrapped around the fingers of their grandchildren." 

"The simplest toy, one which even the youngest child 

can operate, is called a grandparent." 

"Grandparents make the world...a little softer, 

a little kinder, a little warmer. "

 Pictures from Old Settlers:

This last picture cracks me up.  Not only do they look just alike but they act alike, too!! They are doing the exact same thing here! :)


Bugs (continued):
Here is a picture of an imperial moth larvae that we found at the park one day at recess.  It is HUGE...just like all of the other 'bugs' I have been admiring.  :)


 The 1st is compared to an adult hand, the 2nd is compared to a 1st grade child.

 

Have a GREAT week!

First Days of School

Well, goodness...where to start??! (This post may be a little long and windy!) We have settled into our house and are loving our new little town. Once we got moved in I had to store all of my school stuff in our laundry room at the back of the house.  Fellow teachers can only imagine how excited I was to get that stuff out of the house and moved into my new classroom.  First, I wanted to free up that room in the house... AND second, I was ready to get my new classroom set up.  So as soon as I had permission Scott helped me haul all of my tubs to school.  The following day I received a phone call from my principal - there was mold in the two elementary buildings in the district and teachers could NOT work in their classrooms until further notice. To make a long story short:  The building was tested by environmentalists and microbiologists and it was determined that common mold (not harmful) was found in high percentages.  We were supposed to start school on Thurs, Aug 18 - we were delayed two days as an alternative plan was developed and ended up starting the following Monday.  The elementary classrooms were divided between the middle and high school buildings.  I began teaching 1st grade in the high school ag building... sound crazy?... a little! :)  Surprisingly, everything went smoothly as materials were provided and teacher manuals were cleaned for use.  We are still in the ag building now and are hoping to return to our elementary building at the end of September.  Causes of mold?... Mold is everywhere, it became a problem in the elementary buildings after a VERY wet and rainy spring. Also, all windows were removed during the summer to install air conditioning in the buildings...if you are familiar with humidity in the midwest then you know the amount of moisture that was allowed in the buildings at that time.  No complaints here...just some minor adjustments in routines.  I have 17 students and am enjoying getting to know all of them.  I really like teaching 1st grade so far!! 

Mack is amazing as always!  It has been a little tough for him as he got adjusted...nothing major - just lots of new faces and places for a little guy.  He is fully potty trained and does not wear pull-ups at all now.  YAY! :) His new sitter is great (She is the mother of the quarter back on Scott's football team - bonus!)  However, Nana is still #1 in our hearts and always on our mind!!  We love you Nana!!!  


Scott is currently eating, breathing, and living football.  24/7 is an understatement! He loves it and lives for it.  They have won their first two non-league games.  This week is the first conference game - it is a BIG deal.  We will be traveling about 2 1/2 hours to get there...road trip!

Fun things that I love about Kahoka, MO:

• *BUGS*...there are the best bugs here...big ones!
• the PIZZA wagon...Pizza Hut in Memphis, MO (25 min away) has a portable trailer that comes to town on Wednesdays ;)
• cowboy/cowgirl boots...they go with EVERYTHING
• small town FOOTBALL...the stands are jam packed! Home crowd rocks!
• I am surrounded by Mizzou fans and still wear my Hawkeye gear with pride...GO HAWKS!
• Fresh air and lots of it!  Our windows have been open for the past week and the forecast is looking good.
• THUNDERSTORMS...I love them!
• O-MAK-O-HAK park...our city park - Kahoka, Mo spelled backwards! :)
• I promise there is more...I will build my list for next time.

*BUGS - I don't know what the first one is but it was bout 3 inches long (hybrid moth??).  The 2nd is a praying mantis (that's what my students told me anyway) and it's body was at least 4 1/2 inches long! It was on our ag building...COOL!

 
 **We miss our Vegas friends & 'family' and hope all is well!  Skype and Face Time are great!  Let us know if you want to chat!  I know, I know...you are all telling me to get a facebook page...sorry, still not happening.  ;) 


P.S...Mack & I walked by a Halloween store last weekend so we had a chat about costumes.  He says he wants to be a dragon...that breathes fire out its mouth. Wish me luck w/ that one! LOL!  I love it!  I will keep you posted as this plan changes (because we know it will!)

 

Relaxing...

We spent a few days at the lake house and enjoyed relaxing & laying by the pool.  Scott worked in the back yard down by the lake and groomed the front.  Mack played and took l-o-n-g naps after swimming in the morning.  Soxy & Moon chased squirrels and explored.  I read a book while we were there and really enjoyed our trip.  We went out for dinner in the evenings and watched the boats.  It is nice... there is no TV down there so we are forced to unwind a little. ;)

Fun @ the pool

 Mack enjoyed handi snacks on the way home...

         DIP                                       ENJOY

         

 

This morning we woke up and Mack got "dressed" - tank top, boxer briefs, snow boots, and his new backpack.  He was racing around the house...Scott commented that he has really gotten fast lately! haha :)  So stinking cute!

... and then he topped off the 

  look with his bike helmet!

 

Grandma & Grandpa are coming to visit us later today.  We are going to the Clark County fair and look forward to a good time.  We are really starting to enjoy the small county fairs!