Hippies and Happy

This year's creation - probably won't look any better on.

It's a tradition to tie dye t-shirts for the 6th grade EFT trip.  Last Thursday was the big event.  It took a day of of soaking shirts in the soda ash (in the school washing machine), eight or nine parents, four hours of work on the tarps outside, and in the end 140 shirts were completed.  I don't know what it is about tie dye, I don't like the look of it, but it's always exciting and fun. 

Before we have the student rubber band their shirts, we have them all watch a cheesy video on how-to tie dye, with a aging (long gray hair) hippie, who after each demonstration repeats "leave in the plastic bag for 12, preferably 24 hours, before you rinse".  Every time she said that, one of my teaching partners would tell the kids, "I have a note with all the instructions for you".  After about the 4th time, everyone in the room would repeat the lines.

The best part of the video is after the shirts are rinsed and the rubber bands are removed, they hold up the masterpiece and everyone in the room would Oooo and Ahhh.  It sounded like a crowd watching a fireworks show.  I was just sorry that we sent all the shirts home for the final steps.  We would have had quite the event if we had revealed all 140 of them at school.  Oooooo, Ahhhhh!

Yummy Teaching

The way to a teacher's heart is through her/his stomach apparently.  Last week was Teacher Appreciation Week and we received (and consumed) the following:

• a heap of fresh strawberries
• fresh popped popcorn
• pulled-pork sandwich lunch with salads, chips, soda, cookies, and mini-cupcakes
• 100,000 $ candy bars
• more popcorn
• Cafe Rio lunch with chicken and pork burritos, beans, rice, salad, dressing, chips, salsa, and margaritas
• key lime pie flavored cupcakes and cinnamon chocolate ones
• muffins, fresh fruit, and orange juice

I think that's about it.  Grand total = 1,347,520 calories

Stuck in a Bad Situation

I was stuck in my black pencil skirt yesterday.  As I was getting ready for church, I tried to unzip, so that I could better tuck in my shirt, and the tab broke off.  Then I couldn't get the zipper down.  I hiked up my skirt to pull the shirt tails down and that made the lining of the skirt bunch up and get twisted.  Terry tried to help with his needle nose pliers, but I didn't think he put much effort into it.  We didn't have a lot of time either because we didn't want to be late.  I was finally able to get the lining under control, so we just went to church.  When we came home, Terry put some muscle into attacking the zipper with the pliers and was able to break the zipper, so I didn't have to cut my way out of the skirt.  I was thinking later that if this happened when I was late to work, and I was in pants, it would have been a bad situation. 

Best Burger Ever

Mmmmm!  Mmmmm! 

A sixth grade student brought these birthday treats in last week.  AMAZING!!  Actually, his mom, grandma, and great-grandma brought them in after a morning of assembling them.  They were so cute.  I'd never seen anything like it.  What a marvel.  His classmates just dug in and polished off their burger and fries.  Talk about a Happy Meal!  I really didn't know what to do with mine.  Just a picture didn't seem to be enough, even if I blogged about it.  The thought of a coat of shellac went through my mind, but where do you keep something like this, and why?  In the end I just ate it.  Shortcake fries dipped in red frosting, a soft chocolate cookie, green frosting, marshmallow fondant for cheese, and a sesame topped cake bun.  I savored it.  Truly, the best burger ever.

Gotta Lotta Lasagna

I made the tofu lasagna today.  It also had wheat pasta, low fat cheeses, and a cup of cauliflower and zucchini puree.  We liked it a lot (of course we like everything more on Fast Sunday), but we gotta lotta lasagna.  It makes 9 -12 servings.  We needed a family of kids to help us eat it.  When we have a household with kids at the end of the month, we'll probably still have some left over.

May Day

This is a holiday with a lot of potential, but maybe it just didn't translate into our modern times.  I don't remember ever finding flowers left on our doorstep, but once at school a class made paper baskets of flowers that they hung over the doorknobs of each classroom.  There was a cheery note, a bright bouquet, and a pleasant surprise.  It changed the mood that day.

Another time at school a group of second graders performed a May pole dance.  They had fastened wide ribbons to the top of the tether ball poles.  There was happy music, girls in full skirts, boys in button-up shirts, and as they wound in and out, the pole was braided with the ribbon.  I was very impressed. 

So today there were no bouquets delivered, and I'll probably never see another May pole dance performed, but after a very cold April, the sun came out and the sky was blue.  I celebrated by painting my toenails and wearing sandals for the first time this season.  Happy May Day!

Every Day is Mother's Day

Testimony meeting today was perfect for the Sunday before Mother's Day.  It helped that there were two babies blessed.  Both moms and dads bore testimony, and one grandpa.  One of the moms spoke about being away from family.  Her husband's family was there in force, but she only had a brother and a cousin.  She was counting on a good turn-out from the ward which she counted as her family.  I also love those in our ward family.  We share, and support, and strengthen each other. 

Another new mom, who gave birth to a 1 pound 2 ounce baby in January shared her testimony also.  A week ago was the first time they were able to hold their little girl wrapped in a blanket.  They have been on such a difficult path and they have a long way to go.  I read the blog that they keep updating for their daughter, and they've met this trial with such faith and strength.  They continually speak of gratitude.  With prayer, fasting, priesthood blessings, and support from family and friends, they are doing a remarkable job.  They'll be spiritual giants when they come out of this.

A grandmother spoke of holding a grandson in the hospital, waiting for a kidney transplant.  With just a week to go, another family in grief donated a kidney.  The grandson is now 16, driving, and very much alive.  Now another grandson is awaiting surgery for a very rare congenital heart problem.  Only a few are capable of performing the surgery.  This grandmother is so full of faith.  She testified that whatever happens, this is God's plan, and it will be the right thing.

Testimony meeting this week was full of wisdom and love.  The Spirit was strong and sweet.