Happy Halloween

The weather was very mild this year! I should have realized our trick-or-treat visitation ratio is directly related to the weather. I filled the punch bowl with candy and most of it is gone. Just a whole lot of that Double Bubble stuff left.

Helena went to a party tonight. She says there were about 30 kids there. Can you imagine inviting 30 high school kids to your house for 4 hours? There isn't room in our house for such a gathering! I am rather grateful, at the moment.

Will stayed home from a camp out yesterday because of a sore throat. My idea, not his. The camp out was up in the mountains. I felt that he would do better going to bed early and nipping whatever it was in the bud. It seems to have worked because he was up for some adventure with friends tonight, too. Earlier in the day, his cousin, David, came over so that I could apply prosthetic scars and makeup so he would look like the Heath Leger version of the Joker. He stuck around playing video games with Will before taking off to get to his party. After Will's friend, Dallin, showed up at our doorstep trick or treating with his younger siblings, Will grabbed his ghost costume and took off after them. He ended up bringing Dallin back here to watch Transformers 2.

Now both kids are home and headed to bed.

Bill left early yesterday morning for a 24 hour mountain bike relay race in Southern Utah. He and his team members are camping out. He sends updates periodically to let us know how he is doing. He should be home sometime tomorrow night.

As for me, I stayed home most of the day, other than doing the Saturday shopping. It is good to be home.

Day at the Spa

Just a few photos I took of Helena during our Spa date! I really had a perfect day! Fun, laughter, and friendship with my sweet girl! I hope we can do it again, soon!

Further work to the back yard!

Here are some photos of more work done to the back yard. There is a second set of stairs that will eventually lead to the patio under the cherry tree. The black plastic stuff to the right is a liner for the dry creek we are creating (to prevent weeds from growing in it) in the flower bed. There will be a little Japanese arch bridge over the 'creek' between the stairs and the patio, with plantings of ornamental grass and a lace leaf maple. Someday, that is.

The ground level around the house is slowly being raised to improve drainage for the foundation. There will be rocks lining the edge of the doorstep patio, separating that area from the planting that will be behind the rocks. I can see it in my mind better than you can in this photo. Someday when I win the lottery, we will install a hot tub over there next to the fence, with trees and shrubs partially screening it from view. I guess I ought to actually buy a lottery ticket one of these days or I'll never win!

The Ward Halloween Party

Our Ward Halloween Party and Annual Chili Cook-off was last Saturday. It was fun. No. Really. The kids had a blast (though I did have to tell Will to STOP scaring all the little kids with his ghost costume). Helena and her friend, Caitlin, spent their time running the face painting booth. Helena is the president of her class and did a great job organizing and running it. Bill and I had fun visiting with old friends. Oh, and we ran the pinata for the older children. Afterwards, Will strapped a vacuum onto his back and pretended to be a ghostbuster as he vacuumed up the flotsam and jetsam while Bill and I did kitchen duty and Helena and Caitlin walked home to get ready to go to a youth dance.

The photo above is of a ward member and friend. She really does look like Bette Middler from 'Hocus Pocus', doesn't she?

First Snow in the Valley!

AURGH!!! I really don't like winter, much! Too many inside recesses make the kids crazy! Here are the photos of the first snowfall in the valley for this season. Nothing in half measures, I guess. It was a blizzard! Fortunately, it only laid down a couple of inches that then melted off fairly quickly. The cold has set in, though. I already miss the relative warmth of Fall!

The wind plastered the snow to my classroom window.

10 Reasons Why I LOVE my Job!

1. I love being part time. I get to be home in the mornings to take the kids to school, and I get to come home in time to pick them up from school (at least in the case of Will. Helena gets out of school too early now, but I still am home within 1/2 an hour of her).
2. I don't have to bring home papers to grade.
3. As an Art teacher, there is no pressure to make sure I am teaching the same thing as the other teachers on my team, because I AM the team!
4. There is no end of the year test for Art, so there is no stress or pressure to make sure the kids can regurgitate what they've learned onto a bubble sheet.
5. I know my subject matter so well that I can 'wing it'. That means that any given Monday morning at 7:30 a.m. I have no idea what I am going to teach that week, but by the time I walk into my classroom at 8:30 a.m. I know exactly what I want to do and am ready to do it!
6. No matter how abused and unappreciated I get at home (living with 2 teenagers sometimes takes its toll), there are over 1,000 children at school who love me! That is sometimes overwhelming, actually... I don't like going into the cafeteria during lunch if I can help it. I get instantly mauled by dozens of grubby, sticky hugs and cries of "Mrs. Watson!" I end up doing the celebrity duck and wave, then get out of there ASAP!
7. I can literally teach whatever I want to the kids. No one checks up on me because the kids, teachers, parents, et al. are so very happy with what comes home with the kids! I guess that is because they trust me not to teach anything inappropriate or lame.
8. I truly get to spend my day playing with art supplies.
9. It is a massive ego boost to be thought of as extremely talented. I try not to let it go to my head that a room full of 6 year olds think I am the best artist in the WHOLE WORLD!
10. I get paid to do something that I find very easy and pretty darn fun!
    

The Tyra Show - Teens and Virginity

Pressure to Be Promiscuous The Tyra Show

Helena likes to watch the Tyra Show as a de-stresser right after school. I don't always approve of the topics discussed as appropriate for my teen daughter to watch, but this episode was a good starting point for discussion.

The girl who is the guest at the beginning of the show is a 14 year old who lost her virginity at the age of 13. Since then, she has been sexually active with 4 different boys! You can tell when listening to her how fragile she is and how destroyed her self-image! She thinks sex will give her value, but each boy dumped her immediately following intimacy, leaving her feeling more worthless than before. Any adult in her life could have (and probably did) warn her that would happen! My heart wept for this girl!

Then, they brought out her MOTHER! The mom had NO IDEA her daughter was being promiscuous! I wonder how a mom of a 13 year old girl could be so disconnected from her daughter to not suspect something! I really felt sorry for that mom; here she was, hearing all this horrible stuff about her daughter on national television! It seemed like they wanted her to be able to love and accept and heal within moments of hearing such horrendous news! I don't think I would have come across very well in such a situation.

The rest of the segment was about teenaged girls who had decided to remain virgins and the complications associated with that. These girls were so wonderful and upbeat! I am so glad there was a national forum for these girls to explain why it is important for them to remain pure! One girl explained that she wanted her white wedding dress to mean something and to be able to tell her mother on her wedding day that she was still a virgin. Another girl said it was the ultimate gift she can give to her husband. Another girl was given a 'purity ring' from her grandmother that she wears with pride. Some of the girls sounded religious (the white wedding dress girl sounded suspiciously Catholic), but not all of them had religious reasons.

I loved the stark contrast between the first girl's circumstances and the girls in the second segment! You couldn't find a better argument for your teen girls to abstain! So, thanks, Tyra.

Autumn

Photo by Katharina

Walking home in the chilly Autumn air

Trees aflame with dancing, glowing color.

Neighbors raking leaves,

collecting a harvest of nuts strewn across the lawn.

A nip in the air

Sweaters pulled out of storage and gratefully put on.

Hot cocoa and pumpkin scents fill the house.

The smell of coal fires bring back childhood memories

of Grandpa's mountain cabin.

Standing on the patio watching leaves twirl and dance

Listening to the wind rustle through the trees.

Suddenly rooted to the spot as v formations pass overhead.

Feeling connected to it all and glad to be alive in this time

to witness the dying of another year.

A Happy Birthday to my Lover and Best Friend!

Today is Bill's birthday. He is not the sort to make a big fuss about it and chose to spend the entire day working, first at his job, then on the back yard.

Helena had an orchestra concert tonight and we stopped at Bajio afterward to pick up dinner for Bill. We didn't get home until 9:00 p.m. and that is when Bill was just barely putting away the heavy equipment for the night!

I tried to get him to spend a more leisurely birthday, but he is feeling the pressure to finish the yard before the weather turns for winter. He doesn't like being fussed over for his birthday, anyways. I have never known him to want a party or even presents. He reminds me of my Dad in that respect.

Well, I didn't plan him a party, but he'll just have to have his presents whether he wants them or not!

A girls' weekend

Today is the last day of Fall Break. We had Thursday and Friday off, making for a 3 day week followed by a 4 day weekend. Gotta love that!

For this vacation, Bill and Forrest went to Vegas with Paul and Erik to watch football, play golf, and see how much damage they could do to the all-you-can-eat lobster buffet. While they were gone, we planned a girls' stay-cation weekend.

Thursday was spent making sure all homework and chores were done before the boys set out, so that everyone could relax and enjoy themselves. The boys left Thursday afternoon and Helena went to a party, leaving me home alone to watch The Devil Wears Prada and The Last of the Mohicans.

On Friday, Kirsten joined Helena and I on a shopping trip to the outlet stores in Park City. We had lunch at Ruby Tuesday, then walked up and down many of the stores. It was a gorgeous day, and turned out to be loads of fun even though I usually don't like shopping. We each got some needed clothes (Helena some jeans and a sweater, and a skirt and sweater for me) and it was wonderful to know that there was no rush and no schedule to keep. Friday night Helena went to another party and I stayed home and watched Lord of the Rings; The Two Towers.

On Saturday, after a quick trip out to my school to load and fire a kiln (my third graders are doing a clay project), Helena and I headed to the spa. Bill had given me a 'day at the spa' gift card for my birthday back in August and I hadn't used it yet. I scheduled Helena to get a mani/pedi at the same time as mine because it is just more fun to do that sort of thing together! My day at the spa started with an European facial that took an hour! Helena waited in the lobby reading a magazine for this part. Oh! The facial was so-o-o-o relaxing and wonderful!

After that, Helena joined me for pedicures and lunch (a steak salad from Rib City brought to me by the spa staff), then finally the manicures. My fingers and toes are now sporting a classy muted red that will look good with anything! It is weird to have color on my fingers. I usually only paint my toes because paint never lasts on my fingers due to work and chores. They look very elegant.

After the spa, Kirsten joined us again for grocery shopping, then dinner at our house. After Kirsten went home, Helena and I watched Singles Ward and Forever Strong back to back. By then it was 2 a.m. and we should have gone to bed. Did we? Of course not! We went onto a website called hulu.com to look up and watch the first 4 episodes of a new TV series called FlashForward. It was awesome! We didn't make it to bed until 5 a.m.!

This evening we went out to Kirsten's house and watched 27 Dresses with her.

Now the boys are home and it is time for everyone to go to bed so we can all return to our normal routines!

Willow Manor Ball

Hello everyone.

Before you wonder if I have stepped off the deep end of a drained pool, let me just introduce the 2nd annual Willow Manor Ball. I have been following Willow's blog, Willow Manor, for quite some time. She is literary, whimsical, and poetic. She is also hosting an online gala ball today! Helena and have both decided to virtually attend.

In order to attend the ball, there are many preparations to take care of. What to wear? Whom shall be my escort? When to arrive?

The escort is surprisingly simple. With an entire virtual pool of gorgeous men to chose from, I choose....

My husband!

I hope none of you are surprised or let down. I really cannot imagine anyone sexier or more devoted. And then, of course, there is no scandal when he comes home with me!

Now, for my ensemble;

I really couldn't resist this gorgeous red confection of a dress. I was considering a delectable white chiffon number, but I felt the deep red was more appropriate for the season. I am just hopeful that I can breathe all night long in the tight corset required to keep the silhouette stunning throughout.

I will drape a soft white silk shawl over my shoulders to keep the cool autumn air from ruining the evening.

I will use the long skirt of my dress to hide my low and comfortable heels so that I can dance all night with my husband, who will be so enchanted by the evening that he will actually enjoy the dancing and not even notice that he is wearing a "monkey suit".

I thought about putting my hair in an elegant twist similar to the model in the picture, but I am going to leave my long blonde tresses waving seductively down my back with just a glittering ruby pin to keep it out of my face. Bill does love my hair au natural.

A romantic evening all the way around!

A Tribute to Ms. Christensen and the AF Marching Band

The following was written on a KSL news message board about the accident. I was so moved by it that I decided to post it here. The writer is responding to a post on the message board from a man who took offense to the students at the accident site singing hymns to comfort one another when they discovered their teacher had died to save them. The complaint was, 'what difference does it make?'

Even people who profess no faith at all know that music can calm the mind and just as easily stir up emotions. Attend any musical venue and you have to know that it's true. The premise of your comment is like a sieve with water poured to it. Empty. Of all people these musicians should be afforded the respect to deal with loss in the manner they deem best for them.

When it comes to being let down, I prefer to believe that it is mankind that has most let down the One.

Music is a powerful force. This weekend's performances were no exception. I know because I was there. I am a Band Dad with the Meridian, ID High School Marching Band, and was in Pocatello at Holt Arena Saturday. It was a pleasure and an honor to participate in a wonderful day of musical excellence. Our Band director, Mr. Greg Felton works hard to bring out the best in our students. One way to help a student learn is by example and that is why earlier in the day Mr. Felton told everyone, "Ladies and Gentlemen, I know we're finished with what we've set out to do here and I'm proud of the performance that we gave today, but we're not going to leave until after we've seen American Fork in the Open Division competition. We have a lot that we can learn from those people." I'm glad we did.

As the AF Band, Pit, and support crews filed onto the field I could already tell we were in for a treat. Their competence and dedication were already well evident. When the banner train came onto the field I knew this was one show I just had to record. The old WWII posters and photos setting the stage and the girls in the "Rosie the Riveter" outfits were amazing! My daughter, a French Horn/Mellophone player, was sitting by my side and when the music started playing we just turned and looked at each other. Finally she said, "Dad they're..., and with tears already in my eyes all I could say was, Yeah, I know". We were listening to the theme music from the HBO WWII movie series "Band of Brothers". For the first time, just one week ago, my daughter and I watched in a three night marathon all five discs of the awe inspiring efforts of the Men and Buddies that helped win for us the freedoms we now enjoy. (The morning after we finished watching it I made it a point to buy a dear WWII veteran friend of mine breakfast and thank him too.) Through the entire program I watched through eyes filled, and cheeks stained, with tears. The finale was the 'capstone' of an absolutely incredible performance. The awards they received Saturday night are WELL DESERVED.

We left Pocatello for home shortly after that memorable show. We stopped in Burley for dinner and continued on our way at 6:30pm. We were traveling west in our two-bus caravan. The sun had just set in the distance. The earth below the horizon had gone black and the long narrow sliver of sky between it and the low clouds had turned blood red. What happened next makes me shiver as I reflect now on that moment. I was sitting three seats behind the driver and was watching the bus just ahead of us as the thought occurred to me; 'If this bus for some reason was to lose control and drive off the road, what would I do?, how would I react? I pondered that for a minute, didn't like what I was thinking about, and put it out of my mind.

Approximately 30 minutes before our arrival in Meridian our Dance Team coach received a cell phone call from her mother with the news of the accident; that an adult had died and that many students were taken to the hospital. When we pulled up to the curb at the high school and just before we disembarked we broke the news to the kids. We were a humbled group as we set to the task of unloading and putting away our instruments and props. It was about 9:45pm as I made my way to the front of the school to head home when I saw a large group of students standing near and around the flag pole next to our Meridian Warriors monument stone near the main entrance to the school. On their own they were joining hands, forming an impromptu prayer circle, to pray for the students and families of American Fork High School and of the tragedy that had befallen them. With a lump in my throat I joined in.

As I now think about that prayer circle I recall the hymn 'Amazing Grace' was playing itself over and over in my mind. How appropriate. The fact is even 10,000 years can't change the impact of the sacrifices that Heather Christensen made for her students and the ultimate sacrifice she gave by taking the wheel to protect her kids. She did the Right Thing. She had the Right Stuff. We can only hope to be like her.
To my dying day, when I see the black and red of a Western Sunset, I will remember the events of that special day in Heather's life and in those moments remind myself to strive to make the rest of the days left in mine a little better for it.

Go Black and Red
Take it to the top!
Dale Stucker
Meridian, Idaho