waka waka waka

Happy Birthday to me
I live in a tree
I like to eat cheese
But I ain't no sleeeeeeeze
And many moooooooooore.
The end.

Yes yes, I had a wonderful birthday celebration yesterday, and frankly, so did Mike. Seeing as we're only 4 days apart, we do joint bday celebration, so we went to our favorite restaurant, Cantone's. I got the Lobster Ravioli, and Mike got the Linguini with white clam sauce. It never disappoints. Mike got me the apple corer/peeler/slicer thingy that I have been wanting FOREVER, and it's so cool that I am feeling the need to go buy an apple right this second just to try it out. For his birthday, Mike got his first very own set of scriptures (the extra extra large size - he's a big guy). I also picked him up a new PSU hat and t-shirt. I had also gotten a gift card from my secret sister at work, so I picked up a nifty Puma backpack. I love bags.

Anyway, today the festivities continue! We're heading out with the in-laws to either Lancaster or Lebanon (Mike can never remember which) to go cedar-chest hunting! Woooo! So that will be their present to us, if we can find one we like. I gotta admit, I'm rather looking forward to it! I think it would look very cute in our guest room, that will eventually (fingers crossed) be a baby room! Then, after shopping we're doing lunch. Then later tonight, we're having dinner with Mike's parents and Ma and Pa K (as they signed our birthday cards) at Houlihans, the new restaurant in Hershey. Sooooo it should be a delightful day of fun and adventure!

Then tomorrow, I do believe Jean will be spending the morning with us at church and coming over for lunch time celebrations. So it'll be a good weekend! I think we've also decided to skip mutual on Tuesday night, and just spend the evening at home for Mike's birthday. Then, next weekend we are going up for the PSU vs. Iowa football game, followed by the PSU vs. Minnesota volleyball game. I mean seriously, could it get any better?? This is why I love the fall:) However, the following weekend won't be AS great, seeing as how Mike will be attending the PSU vs. Wisconsin football game with his dad, which means that, *gulp*, I didn't have any excuses to get out of chaperoning the Homecoming Dance. I'm afraid. Very afraid. Especially after my prom chaperoning experience. Egads.

Soooo many thanks to all those who sent cards (and yes K, I AM the rhyming queen, aren't I?? Hahaha that made me laugh!!) and other well wishes. We love you and miss you all!!

I was tagged, I'm procrastinating, and therefore I'm doing this.

A- Attached or single: attached
B- Best Friend: Mike, Jean
C- Cake or Pie: Cake. Unless it's the amazing apple/pear pie I just learned how to make.
D- Day of choice: Friday. The beginning of my glorious weekend!
E- Essential Item: Flip flops. I hate shoes.
F- Favorite Color: blue or perhaps green.
G- Gummi Bears or Worms: Neither. I hate all gummy creations.
H- Hometown: Lebtown and BrockVegas
I- Indulgence(s): Wild Cherry Pepsi. 3B's Ice Cream. Cinnamon Toast Crunch.
J- January or July: July. No school. Duh.
K- Kids: Am dying to have them.
L: Life is Incomplete Without: Oxygen? Ohhhh yeah Mike.
M- Marriage Date: Dec. 17 2005
N- Number of Siblings: 7 siblings and 7 sibs-in-law
O- Oranges or Apples: I hate peeling oranges, so I'm gonna go with Apples.
P- Phobias or Fears: Heights that are high enough that I could fall, but survive in some horribly disfigured or incapacitated form. And also being eaten by a shark.
Q- Quote(s):"Any day above ground is a good day". -Salvatore "Sammy the Bull" Gravano, mob boss who ratted out his "colleagues".
R- Reason To Smile: When Mike does his little booty shake dance. It's HILARIOUS!
S- Season: Summer. For obvious reasons dealing with work, and not actually having to do any.
T- Tag Three +: Larry Curly Moe
U- Unknown Fact About Me: Due to injuries sustained whilst throwing a javelin, I spend a lot of time not being able to feel my right arm from the elbow down. It's wierd, I must admit.
V- Vegetarian or Oppressor of Animal: Wow. THe person who wrote this survey seems completely unbiased in any way. I'm not an animal oppressor. I just eat meat.
W- Worst Habit: having to flip through the channels and find something good to watch before I can fall asleep. If it doesn't interest me, my mind gets going about a million miles an hour and I worry myself all through the night and can't sleep. So I have to find something good that will occupy me, but not so much that I won't be able to let myself fall asleep. I'd NEVER sleep if it weren't for TV and it drives me crazy!
X- X-Rays or Ultrasounds: Well I've only ever had an X-Ray.
Y- Your Favorite Food: Lobster Ravioli from Cantone's.
Z- Zodiac: Libra

Boo.Yah.

the classroom

Back in the Flow

Well, school started and I'm back in the flow already. It's wierd, but I really do feel back in the swing of things already. For some reason I was thinking it would take me a lot longer to get back in the groove, but today went off without a hitch. Well... for the most part, but I'll talk more about that later. What's REALLY great is that from the first impressions of today, I think I have a really good group of kids, which is a relief. I was really worried about having problems, especially now that I'm in my new, itsy bitsy classroom. I have a full 30 in my first period class, so I was just feeling more and more nervous as the clock got closer and closer to 7:45. But, like I said, the kids were good, they were nice, and easy to amuse. So I have high hopes for my semester!!

On the down side, I still don't have a KEY to my classroom, which means that I have to leave my room unlocked all the time! This is an obvious negative side effect of the construction project, that I don't really have any control over. With the new system, all classrooms have the same key, but they didn't order enough of them. Go figure. So, I just have to keep all confidential files and my laptop shoved into my desk drawer, which I DO have a key for.

So today went pretty well, except for my bathroom breaks. I guess I got used to being able to go to the bathroom whenever I needed to, so my bladder had quite the shock when I had a three hour block in which I COULDN'T go. That was tough. I thought I might start doing the potty dance at any moment, but luckily I was able to keep it at bay until my classes were over. I promptly ran to the nearest rest room, which was FULL of chatty girls. Soooo I ran over to the other bathroom, which was ALSO full of chatty girls. By the time I ran back over to the first bathroom it had emptied out a little and there was (thankfully) an open stall. I'm pretty sure I looked pretty absurd running back and forth down the hall. I just hope the administration doesn't have a need to check the security cameras in that hall!

Unfortunately I am notorious for class-room slip ups and bloopers. Who can forget my first year when I hinted to my class during a review that Neanderthals had a body part that was REALLY BIG (I was referring to the brow ridge, but that was of course lost on the kids...) , or when I had to call home and explain to a parent why their son had recieved detention (it was, of course, because I caught him "pretend making out" with a paper bag puppet he'd made and drawn boobs on... yeah... try explaining that one) or when I tripped on a students book bag, went flying into the middle of the room, lost a shoe and gave myself a bloody lip... Ah yes, the joys of teaching. Well today was no different. By 6th period my voice was dry and cracking from talking all day, which I'm just not used to. I was going through the syllabus and explaining procedures for signing out, when I meant to say

"You'll notice the sign out sheet in the back of the classroom..."

but what came out was

"You'll notice the sign out sheet in the back of the (cough/gulp) assroom"

Somehow the "CL" just didn't come out and I had about 25 bewildered students staring at me wondering if they should laugh or not. The timing couldn't have been worse because I'd just gotten finished with a really long lecture about how inappropriate language is called "inappropriate language" for a reason, and that I wouldn't tolerate it in class. So I made some lame joke about keeping myself after school for detention and we had a good laugh.

Soooo it was a good first day, overall!! Hopefully the rest of the semester is this easy!! I'll post some pics of my new classroom soon, once I get some pictures!!

Farewell, Summer

Well, summer is about to be over. This is my LAST DAY of laziness. I have inservice the rest of this week, and then the kids come back to school the day after Labor Day. I've already got some fun and exciting things planned for my classes, so hopefully I won't end up with a bunch of jerkwadfaces like I did last year. Teaching is so much better when you can actually TEACH, instead of babysit. And hopefully, by the end of this year, I'll have tenure, which is nice. I also start my grad class this week. I already bought all 17 of my books for this ONE class that I'm taking. Gag me, right? Sooooo it's really over. It's gone. It's done. *Sob*

slide show to go with Ode

Ode To Winterpark

Once upon a time in a land far away
A group of Kilgores gathered to play
Off to Winterpark, Colorado the group did venture
And Grandma Chambers came with her dentures
The view was scenic, without any blemish
The grocery store workers were foreign, maybe Flemish
But it's no worry, the week was super
Full of standard Kilgore-family bloopers
Monday was chill, we mostly just ate
The tacos presented were fantastically great
Cannon was funny because he didn't like us at all
The poor little lad, we're all so goofy and droll
Tuesday was intended for hiking and fun
But the rain beat out the afternoon sun
So it was off to the pool for some random splash time
Until the pool Nazi expounded on pool crimes
No diving, no running, no jumping, OH MY
But that's ok, because Gaby, Cameron and Hudson did FLY
We tossed them and chucked them, oh dear it was funny
But the hot tub was the best, why yes it was "Money!"
Then off to the pavilion for a fantastic grill fest
Mike did the grilling because he's the best!
White water rafting was Wednesday's Event
And I think dad will agree it was money well spent
Karl went crazy with the paddle and bucket
Splashing and thrashing until we all said... nevermind.
After a cold, yet beautiful ride down the river
We were thankful to come home to a wonderful dinner
Sloppy joe's and lots of other goodies to share
Gave us energy for games and flare
That was also when Grandma Marilyn said, "Oh Dear"
"Alyssa has suddenly developed a rear!"
It's true, it's true, but it's no matter
I'll just keep on eating my brownie batter
Thursday was golfing, for me and the menfolk
I think dad beat us by hundreds of strokes
Later we headed back home to our rooms
To clean up for dinner, and pictures with zooms
Then after pictures me, Taylor, Ryan and Bird
Headed for the pool to swim like nerds
Taylor and I made the best synchronized swimming routine
If you ever saw it, you'd buy us some bling
But it was a sad thought when the night was done
Because Friday was our last full glorious day of fun
Three men headed up the mountain so high
Unfortunately for them, they couldn't fly
Sam broke his bike and Jerry nearly broke his head
We're just glad nobody ended up dead
Ryan made it down the mountain without a scratch
Apparently for mountain biking, he has a knack
Then four others headed up the mountain to glide
So nicely and easily down the Alpine Slide
Taylor, Mike and Bird made it down just fine
But I sure did have a heck of a time
I was going too fast, and tried to find my brake
I felt as though my life were at stake
Sadly I only made my self go faster
It turned out to be a nasty disaster
I left half my skin on that Alpine Slide
But I'm just glad I'm not Jerry who tore up his hide
The ladies spent the afternoon out at the shops
While the men stayed home and "watched" the tots
Friday night Me, Mike, Sam and K did cook
It was pancakes, eggs and bacon that were off the hook
And you wouldn't believe it unless you saw right
But it was 7.5 pounds of bacon we ate that night
Mmmmmm
Iron Chef dessert night, could it get any better?
Follow your recipes, to the letter!
Sadly Sara had an "Altitude-y" issue
And someone had to hand Anna and Chrysta a tissue
That's right, because Christy and I won the competition
When our minty chocolate balls came to fruition
But no matter, we all ate our share
And I think the judges were perfectly fair
Later that night it was sushi for all
Nothings better than a fish and rice ball
We played game after game until midnight was nigh
And we couldn't stop laughing at Chase's Scottish Guy
Then it was off to bed, or to pack or whatever
Regardless it seemed like the night took forever
Saturday morning was a sad time indeed
I was a sister, and aunt in serious need
Of some goodbye hugs and goodbye kisses
From all the people I so dearly misses
Chrysta, Karl, Hudson and Cannon
Anna and Chase and Miles and Cameron
Jerry and Sara and Taylor and Lydie
Owen and Gaby and Kathryn and Sammie
Scott and Christy and Zach and Ty
Mom and Dad, and the Grandma's, Oh my
Then it was off for me, Bird and Mike
Hoping to make our 1 o'clock flight.
The End.