Halloween 2013

Halloween twenty-thirteen...

Has a nice ring to it.

This time of year is the best.

Although we were still battling 90 degrees and 98% humidity... it cooled down right in time for Halloween.

We found a lovely pumpkin patch... in the yard of a downtown church.

 Kind of lame- but we live in a huge city.

And carved them that night!

 

Of course- our pumpkins only lasted a day because it's Houston.

They molded in no time.

Nothing like picking up your front door pumpkin, only to leave the bottom half stuck to the front door!

And these bad (as in dope) costumes got us $100 off our rent at our apartment Halloween party!

And last, but not least- we trunk or treated it up to top off our Halloween.

Now excuse me while I stuff my face with candy.

A Visit from the Brames!

We had a lovely visit from the Brames back in October!

They hit up NASA (while I was at work... boo)

 On the train ride around the compound...

 Mission control as it appeared in the 60's.

 The Saturn Rocket!

 Touching a piece of the moon!

I finally got to join in on the celebrations for dinner.
We love some good Tex Mex!

And then headed over to the BYU football fireside!

At each away game, instead of watching film the night before, the BYU football team does a fireside in the city they're playing in.
We were an hour early and got FRONT row seats.
I wanted to "good game" Taysom as he walked by...
but settled for a sneaky pic of Bronco instead.

The next morning we woke up and headed to the BYU-U of H football game!
(Which is the REAL reason the Brames visited, let's be honest.)

 At the tailgate party we got to ride the bull...
I rocked it.

 

Jon did ok...

 Time for the BLUE fro!

 Ta-da!

 I love that people don't think his hair is real.

 The game!

 Which turned out to be one of the most intense games ever!

 So happy they won!

Thanks for visiting!

Another Top 10!

I really should blog more about my "other" life besides school...

I feel like Instagram has filled that void in my life.

In the meantime, enjoy these great 10 teaching moments from November!

10.

"Miss, you know that song 'It's Bananas'?"

"Yep."

"Well... that's not really how you spell bananas.... is it?"

"B-A-N-A-N-A-S... that's how you spell it."

"Nuh-uh!"
"It really is."

Yes my friends- we are in high school and still don't know to spell bananas.

9.

We had a guest artist from the Houston Ballet come all through October and into November...

before the last class- I had all the students sign a card to say "Thank you".

We presented it to the teacher and hugs were given.

After class, a student pulls me aside and says quietly...

"Miss... I thought that card was for you! I wrote a note for Ms. Brame!"

Hahaha oops- that's embarrassing.

8.

I have a student who is slightly delusional.

She tells me the craziest stories.

The other day she walked in with another girl and said "We cousins."

"Sweet- I didn't know you were cousins!"

"Yeah- her mom Kelly and mine is Beyonce."

Hmmm....

7.

While planning for a class party, we had a growing list of items being brought.

Most of it consisted of cookies and junk food.

As one student was trying to decide what to bring, she asked me for my advice.

"Well we have a lot of sweets... maybe bring carrots?"

You would have thought the world just ended.

"EWWW MISS! WHO DO YOU THINK WE IS?"

Well... I thought it was a good idea.

6.

Student is telling me a dramatic story about a run-in with a teacher she doesn't care for.

As she explains what her teacher did and said,

the students says, "And Ms. Brame- I repeat to you what she said, bar-batim!"

"Wait, wait... back that train up.... bar-batim?"

"Yeah?...."

"It's verbatim."

"For real?"

5.

"Ms. Brame!!!! You gave me a FIFTY on my notebook!!!!!"

"That's because it was out of 50 points... you got a 50 out of 50."

"So wait... is that good or bad?"

And I thought I was terrible at math....

4.

After Halloween, students were giving me lots of leftover candy and I didn't complain.

I set some on my desk during classes, and a student decided to wander near my desk.

Next thing I know- the candy is gone.

"Girl- you took this candy on my desk?"

"Oh yeah I did! Is that ok?"

.....
"You just stole something from me and you're asking if it's OK?!?!"

Can't fault her for being honest- but come on people. 

They all know how protective I am over my chocolate.

3.

One particular student was having a rough day... couldn't keep her mouth shut and was being rude.

I moved her to a different spot to keep from talking with her friends and she was M-A-D!

Among the other expletives she said to me... this was my favorite...

"I hope yo husband don't fix you NO dinner tonight!"

2.

After having a conversation with a student about how she's a different person at school and at home- I jokingly suggested she be checked for schizophrenia.

To which she responded...

"I've already been checked. I'm not schizo. Just a psychopath."

Good, good.

1.

We did a small drill team unit to prepare students for auditions taking place this week.

They had a hard time understanding the "military" style and how to make their arms sharp.

I decided to find them a video...

This is Bountiful HS and they are the bomb.

After watching, students said...

"Miss! You're lying to us! They are professionals!"

"They aren't... I promise they're in high school."

"Well after watching that I decided.... I shouldn't be in Dance 3... I should be in Dance 0.... so I give up."
Nothing like GOOD dancers to un-motivate MY students!

Third Year is Easy Breezy...

People always say that the second year of teaching is so much easier than the first.

Which is true.

But puh-leez people, the third year is a piece of cake!

I dunno why they call it work- because this year has been a joy.

(So far...)

So here we go- sharing some of my third year teaching joys from Mrs. Brame's dance students.

10.

So call it what you will (manipulation, brainwashing, etc) but I make it well known at the beginning of the year, that I love chocolate. 

And sure enough, I get chocolate brought to me all the time...

which may or may not, turn them into my favorite student.

9.

We started a "Dance Club" this semester for students who want extra dancing...

and it has been so fun!

I don't know why I didn't do this sooner.

We took a modern dance class from Dance Xchange, based out of DC.

One of my former students came and taught a lyrical class for us.

And we marched in the Homecoming parade last week!

Our shirts didn't come in on time...

we improvised by pinning things on us.

"Live, love" on the front

"Dance club" on the back.

8.

Walking through the locker, I overheard this conversation.

Girl 1: You drive, yet?

Girl 2: Yeah I can drive.

Girl 1: Yeah I can drive, too. But I don't have my license and insurance and stuff.

Girl 2: Oh neither do I. Ain't nobody got time for that.

Girl 1: Yeah, what's the point of Drivers Ed anyway?

At this point, I had to intervene....

Brame: The point of drivers ed? How about to learn how to drive and obey the law?!

Girl 1: Well yeah... but still there's no point.

7.

It's really easy to tell when people are having birthdays.

I don't know if this is a cultural tradition, but you pin money on the person having a birthday.

So when you see a student walk into the locker room with a wad of cash pinned on her- chances are it's her birthday.

One particular birthday girl walked by and I wished her a happy birthday.

Brame: "How old are you today?"

Girl: "19 miss! I'm going to a strip club tonight!"

TMI my friend, TMI.

6.

"Ms. Brame I need to go to the bathroom."

"No."

"Yes, I do have to go!"

"No."

"No, really I need to go!"

"Ok I understand you need to go- but no you may not go."

"Oooohhhh.... I thought you were telling me "no I didn't need to pee!"

5.

"Miss, my legs are so sore!"

"From class?"

"No, from jumping on the trampoline.... I jumped on it for 3 hours!"

"Wow!"

"I had to..."

"What do you mean, you had to?"

"Well- I am wearing high heels today so I had to jump on the trampoline before."

Can anyone explain these relationship to me?

Because I sure didn't understand her logic.

Maybe there is an unwritten law of "heel wearing" that I don't know about.

4.

"Ms. Brame- when you ever going to wear make-up?"

"I wear make-up everyday."

"No way!"

"Yes way..."

"So you're not naturally this pretty?"

Ouch.

3.

"Ms. Brame I need a job! I interviewed yesterday at Menchies and they didn't want me... man- I wore my Toms and e'rthing! Them people from California love Toms! Why didn't I get the job?"

I had no idea Toms were a prerequisite to be liked by Californians...

2.

I walk into the locker room, minding my own business...

and sit down on the toilet to do my own business...

when I hear from around the corner,

"Mees Brame! I can hear you pee!"

1.

Student is using the mirror in my classroom to reapply mascara and has her head tilted up with a nice shot of the inside of her nose.

"Ugh! I need to NAIR the inside of my nose! 

You think I can do that Ms. Brame?"