As Halloween Approaches...

The days are getting shorter, the weather is turning colder (although we have been blessed with another weekend of sunny, 60 degree weather), and we're already racing towards the end of 2007! At school things have calmed down, and I'm enjoying getting up to go to work each and every day. The kids have a little extra excitement on top of their usual exuberance as Halloween approaches...after which there are only a few weeks of teaching before Thanksgiving break and then only a few more short weeks until Christmas!

I'm not sure whether I'm crazy or not, but I have decided to attempt National Board Certification this year. I'm excited about having a challenge again, and especially about analyzing what is going on in my classroom. Am I really doing, saying, and teaching the things I think I am? Are my kids getting what I want them to (problem solving, communication, and critical thinking skills on top of the mandated curriculum) out of being in my class? Collecting students work, videotaping, and delving into the specifics with two colleagues will either boost my confidence about my teaching and/or be a heart wrenching blow to my ego. I guess either one will still improve my teaching. While I have the advantage of knowing my kids EXTREMELY well, the downside is having never taught the curriculum before. The process is expensive and extremely time consuming, but in the end, I'm hoping to be a better teacher (not to mention much more marketable in the teaching field).

I'm missing my friends a lot at this point in the year, even though I just saw most of you at the beginning of September. I just carved a pumpkin by myself today (I had never done this by myself until I moved here... there was always Jen or Jamie to join in the messy fun). While Telluridians will take any excuse to party, they're not always keen on the more traditional aspects of holidays. The kids have chosen my costume again...Pippy Longstocking since that's what we're currently reading. I'm sure the day with be great with the parade and party. Then I get to send them home to their parents! The next day is not usually the best, however. Sugar crashes can make kids REALLY hard to handle.

Thanksgiving will be spent with Jeremy but no family once again. We've decided to stay in Telluride for the occasion. This means lots of relaxation, but it will also be devoid of the general Thanksgiving chaos.

Hope everyone is having a wonderful fall!

Sunday Walk

After snow last week, it got warm enough to melt most of it. Jeremy and I even went on a long walk yesterday in 60 degree weather. We knew it was extremely windy last night, but we had no idea what we would wake up to this morning... blizzard like conditions with 4-6 inches of snow already on the ground...and it's stil snowing at 4pm! We've had atleast 8 inches today!

Jeremy and I also went on a walk today with Rex and Eva...a little chilly, but still a lot of fun (and much more of a work out considering all the snow we had to tromp through).

Winter has Arrived

These pictures were taken by Jeremy as we headed out on our long journey to buy groceries at a decent price.

With Halloween approaching, the weather has turned colder and the leaves various shades of yellow and orange. We still have some beautiful weather to hike in, but it's just about time to turn the heat on at night, as the temperature has been dropping down below freezing on a regular basis.

Things are moving along at a quick pace at school, and it'll be no time before Thanksgiving and then winter break hit, both of which I'm looking forward to. Jeremy and I are planning on spending Thanksgiving here in Telluride, hoping to relax and maybe take a short trip to one of the many amazing national parks that surround us (I would certainly love to see Zion or Bryce in Utah). For Christmas we're hoping to see family, and then hit a sunny beach for a week.