Teaching Moments in January

I can't believe that there is only one more full week of January.

Wow.

Time just flies when you're having fun... or something :)

I've compiled a list of my favorite moments from this month...

they just keep coming!

10.

I am proud to announce that our Hip Hop unit WAS a success and that by the end, my students actually thought that I was a legit hip-hopper...

That didn't stop them from making fun of my "whiteness". 

But whatever.

I'm proud of my skin.

9. 

When we got back from Christmas Break I talked to the students about what they did. 

I was speaking with one girl in particular

(who is extremely lazy and never dresses out for my class) 

and asked her what she got from Santa.

She gave me the biggest look of disgust, and in her best snotty voice said, 

"Mrs. Brame- Santa does NOT exist." 

Rolled her eyes, and walked away.

Well good-NESS someone had their panties in a twist.

8.

My students just know how to make me feel so good about myself.

The other day they asked how old I was.

When I replied with "26" they seemed dumbfounded and told me in their MOST serious tone,

"Mrs. B- you HAVE to start having babies before you're TOO OLD AND UGLY!"

Wow, really?

Thanks.

7.

On that same note of how sweet my students are...

Whenever I wear my hair down they FREAK out because it's always up in a bun or ponytail.

Last Thursday I wore it down and two girls were commenting to me about it and how I look SOOOOOO different.

She then turned to me and said, "Now if you'd just wear make-up you'd be even prettier!"

For the record, I WAS wearing make-up that day.

Ouch.

6. 

I have this ridiculous student in third period who refers to herself in third person.

*Name has been changed to protect the crazy... innocent*

"Sharqueitra is sad."

"Sharqueitra is hungry."

"Mrs. Brame- Ashley is being mean to Sharqueitra and that makes Sharqueitra mad."

"Sharqueitra is having a bad hair day."

...And it goes on, and on, and on, and on...

5.

I am still baffled that these kids have made it to 12th grade and can't open their PE/Dance locker...

For real?

Isn't that taught in "Surviving Highschool 101"?

4.

After students change into their dance clothes, they are supposed to come into the room and sit down in "their" spot so I can take roll.

I have fought and fought and fought with 7th period to complete this task.

The other week, I walked into the room... and 7th period was quiet AND all in their spots.

My heart felt so warm and fuzzy inside.

I almost shed a tear.

3.

*Disclaimer- bathroom talk ahead*

So the closest bathroom to my classroom is in the locker room... which is ALWAYS full of girls running amock.

It's insane.

BUT I don't want to walk ALL the way down to the other side of the school just to go tinkle, yanno?

So I use the student locker room.

Which wouldn't be so bad....

but you know those times when you just have a loud bowel movement?

You can't help it!

It just comes out!

Imagine it with 60 teenage girls all listening...

the locker room goes silent- and then everyone bursts into fits of laughter.

Oh yeah.

THEN imagine walking out of the only bathroom stall and having everyone KNOW it was you.

Embarrassing. Humiliating.

2.

Some of my students don't like their routine messed up.

They MAY be a little OCD... but that's up for debate.

I usually stand outside my door and welcome kids into class.

BUT I had to go to the bathroom- so I left my post and ran to the locker room to take care of business.

When I came back into the classroom I was met with...

"AUUUGGGHHHH! Mrs. Brame where WERE you? OH MY GOSH YOU WEREN'T AT THE DOOR, I DIDN'T KNOW IF WE WERE HAVING CLASS, I DIDN'T KNOW IF WE WERE SUPPOSED TO DRESS OUT, WHY WEREN'T YOU THERE?!??!?!?!?!"

Whoa kiddo- take a chill pill.

I didn't know the world would end if I went to the bathroom.

1.

My personal favorite.

When students sit out and don't participate for the day 

(whether they're feeling sick, or just downright lazy, or whatever)

they're supposed to fill out an observation sheet and hand it in.

At the top they write their name and the reason why they are sitting out.

Crapping?!

I think she meant "cramping"... but I just could NOT stop laughing.

Gotta love these kids.

We're Wacko for Waco

Some of our friends from folk dance just moved down to WACO so we nicely invited ourselves over for the long weekend to play :)

We had fun becoming friends with their sweet two year old,

 Justin gave us a tour around Baylor University,

We saw the biting "Baylor Bears",

  

Had some DEE-LISH-US Texas BBQ at Rudy's,

 

 Visited the birthplace of Dr. Pepper,

And made fun of some local signage :)

Hooray for having folk dance friends in Waco!

Jimmer Mania Lives On!

Unfortunately it doesn't live on in ALL it's glory...

but it does live on.

We went downtown to see the Houston Rockets take on the Sacramento Kings...

Translation: we went to see Jimmer.

It wasn't his best game.

Poor guy.

His team doesn't pass to him :(
But here he is...

 Shooting free throws...

 The Kings lost- but who cares.
We were just cheering for Jimmer :)

At Long Last- I've Found the Swimsuit

*Warning- This post is dripping with sarcasm*

So- I'm all into modest swimwear... especially after a few encounters from our creepy neighbor downstairs who admitted to me he watches the bikini clad girls at the pool...

Gross.

So I've found the CUTEST modest swimsuit of my dreams.

Goes to the elbows, to the knees, and looks like a parachute.

Perfect.

So stylish.

This can be YOURS too for the low price of $50...

...You know you want one ;)

Now you see it, now you don't!

I know I blog all the time about Houston weather- but it really baffles me!

(In a good way!)

You think that Utah weather is fickle?

I think Houston has got Utah beat.

Monday we had tornadoes and a severe thunderstorm that put Houston underwater....

1.6 inches of rain in 10 minutes? 

Yikes!

Tuesday was cold.

I say cold... but let me translate.

I'm a wimp.

I looked at the temp and it was 42 degrees when I left for work.

I needed a jacket.

There wasn't even frost on my car.

KINDA pathetic.

Just when I think Houston is getting cold- I look at the temperature for Provo.

17 degrees.

Ahhh, I feel good again.

And today- I blog from my porch.

In shorts and a t-shirt.

It's 75 degrees outside and it feels heavenly.

If that's not bi-polar weather... I dunno what is!

Who knows- maybe tomorrow we'll have a tsunami or volcanic eruption ;)

Insane Water Works

We had quite the day today! Rain, hail, severe thunderstorms, and tornado warnings. KIND of hoped they'd cancel school but no dice. The weather was insane. I've never seen so much water. Example... This was Houston today.
(Somebody else posted this as a pic from today... but it may actually be from Hurricane Allison... not completely sure)

There is a bayou that runs through Houston... Which usually has a small amount of water running through it. 

Here it was today. Almost up to the road!

All in all- we got 5 inches of rain all over Houston. That's almost as much precipitation as St. George gets in one year- and we got it in two hours.

Second Christmas

Christmas didn't end when we left Phoenix, oh no.

There was one more gift to be had.

Santa brought Jon tickets to the BYU Bowl Game in Dallas.

I know, I know... we're suckers for BYU football.

Can't help it when the games are so close!

We knew we had pretty good seats, and thought that this MAY be our only chance to be on ESPN! 

So we made a sign (thanks to our friend we stayed with who had supplies!)

And yes, we DID make it on to ESPN.

Don't believe me?

Re-watch the game on watchespn.com... and you'll see us just before halftime.

 Beautiful day for a football game.

 Although it wasn't pretty-

BYU ended up winning.

And it's a good thing! 

(I may or may not have threatened to never buy a football ticket again if they lost. I'm kind of a fair weather fan.)

 Wanting to go home with the team...

And compared to 15 hours, the drive from Dallas to Houston after the game was a breeze.

And the sun set- on a perfect day.

Go Cougars.