The Circus We Call College

For all of you who have ever had to register for classes, you will understand this post. The systems they use for trying to sign up for classes have become more complicated. Classes are not offered when you need them, but they are offered when the University THINKS you need them. Some are offered Summer, Fall, and Winter, while others only Spring or only Fall. Yet there are still others offered only every other year...those are my favorites.With all of this in mind, you are asked to understand the schedule, memorize the schedule, and then create your own class schedule based on that information which sometimes you know and sometimes you don't. Eventually, there comes a time when you can no longer take any classes without getting into the college of education. There are some hoops to jump through there as well...get recommendations, fill out applications, complete certain courses, and my FAVORITE the Praxis I. All of these things stand in the way of your graduation and all of these must be done before you can finish your course work.  

Every semester you have to go through the whole ordeal and see what is offered only in that semester so you don't miss out and have to wait yet ANOTHER semester or even a YEAR to graduate or student teach. You would think they would want this to be simple so that people would give their advisers a break...but the system is a complicated one, and its time to do the same old song and dance and cross your fingers that you have it right.I feel like I have joined the circus and I didn't even know it. Oh, well...así es la vida (thats life).

On a positive note: the weekend was great! We were able to see Annie (a cheerleader), Treyton (the coach), Carter (football player), and Jackson (football player) go trick-or-treating on Sunday and handout candy. We are also coming back to Eau Claire tonight so that Ty can play indoor soccer. It will be good to get away for the night. 

The kids with Owen (Luke Skywalker) and Ava (Princess Leia) on Friday

Spanish Phrase of the Day

Voy a hacer changuitos

Translation:I am crossing my fingers 

 Literal Translation: I am going to make little monkeys

Día de los Muertos

Today is going to be a lesson on culture. As a future Spanish teacher, I find the cultures of Hispanic countries very interesting. After we have celebrated Halloween, it is time for a Hispanic tradition that is commonly found in South and Central America. This is a day when the deceased 

are remembered and recognized. Families build alters or ofrendas in their home with their favorite foods and activities to remember them. They make sugar skulls and place marigolds on their graves. The marigolds or cempasúchitl, represent death and were originally used to cover the smell of the dead or dying. Many families buy or make pan de muerto which is shaped like a skull and place it on the graves. At midnight the families celebrate the lives of the dead and have a picnic in honor of them, eating all their favorite foods. Although this seems like a pagan holiday, it has been mixed with Catholicism when the Spanish came and conquered the native people living in these central and South American countries.

Calaveras azúcares or Candy skulls

Thankful ItsThursday

Well, after a long LONG week, we are finally on the home stretch! I turned in my lesson plans and took a quiz this morning, and now I am going to take a deep breath and relax. The stress is subsiding and I can finally think about the weekend as though it is actually coming. Today was a big day. About two weeks ago we were assigned a group project with five members in our group, each of us specializing in teaching different things. We were told to create a unit for students incorporating all five of our specialties...WOW was that a chore. We had Spanish, English, P.E., Math, and Ag Ed. Could you get any more different!? Finally, we decided to do a unit on Don Quijote de la Mancha and a camping trip with the same theme....wow was that complicated. Last night as we were supposed to start putting it together, when we realized one of our group members was out of town. That left us to pick up the slack....I worked until 12:30 this morning to finish lesson plans, and this morning we put it together. It all came together in the end and I am so thankful that its over and the weekend is coming. After I make it through my night class I will be able to relax. What lesson did I learn from all this? I don't know...I am too tired to reflect on it any more. What I should have learned is not to procrastinate (Dad that was for you), old habits die hard though.

This is Ty's contribution to the blog for the day. For everyone who likes Geico commercials this Spanish Phrase of the day is for you!  

Spanish Phrase of the Day

Más vale pájaro en mano que cien volando.
Literally means: A bird in the hand is worth more than 100 flying.
The English equivalent is: A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush.

Icky, Icky Day

It rained and rained today...the wind was so overwhelming and I just wanted to go home and curl up with a cup of coffee and watch T.V. But reality is slowly sinking in, its not the weekend, and its time to buckle down. There are lesson plans to be written and sentences to transcribe for Spanish Phonetics. There are chapters to be read for Methods of TESOL and after all that, there is class in the morning and group meetings to boot. College is so fun! Its been a long long day...To add to the fun, we received our financial aid award and it looks like we CAN'T have BOTH of us go to Mexico. Now, I must go it ALONE. Ty will stay behind and try to take a J-term class to help him get done a little faster.  He is a little disappointed, but I think I am more disappointed. Its been a dreary day literally and figuratively. Oh well, tomorrow maybe the sun will come out (figuratively, the weather is only supposed to get worse). Tomorrow is Wednesday which means soon, it will be over halfway through the week and one of my many group projects will be finished and we can come home and see many of the people we love. Looking forward to the weekend, and hoping it will come soon. 

Spanish Phrase of the Day

El sol se levantará mañana y quién sabe lo que traerá la marea?

Translation: The sun will rise tomorrow and who knows what  the tide will bring. 

Sunday: Game Day

Well today is Sunday and has been a very fun-filled day! We celebrated my Mom's b-day this weekend and today is her actual birthday! Happy birthday momma! I love you. 

This has definitely been a busy weekend, but a fun weekend. I woke up Saturday morning and headed to the Community Closet to work with Hannah, because Ty had to work this weekend. Then after that since all my sisters were home, we went to the Bent and Dent in Augusta and afterward went to the Woodshed. My mom got to do whatever she wanted all day. Hannah and Matt Riley tagged along with us and we were able to get some great deals at the bent and dent on cereal and other fun non-perishable food items. If you haven't been, you should get directions from Ty to get there and go! Its a great way to save money and see a very different culture living among us. After we drove back to Eau Claire and went to Pier One while my dad went to "run errands" as he called going to buy my mom's birthday present he had forgotten about. 

The next stop was Sammy's Pizza! My mom LOVES Sammy's Pizza. She thinks its the very best ever made. we filled up on Pizza and then it was time to go home for presents and cake. It was such fun to have everyone home for a weekend. As my mom would say, "I love it when the house is full again." After playing a game of Scene It, it was time to open presents. YAY! Mom, never gets new clothes so we got her a gift card to her favorite store, Coldwater Creek. After accidentally dropping the ice cream cake in the freezer, we sang Happy birthday and gorged ourselves on the best cake for birthdays.

Per mom's request, it was game night the rest of the night playing Taboo and Scattergories, and a game we like to call Smart Butt. Mostly I just watched, but Ty had a blast playing games, it was hard to get him back to Perrenoud's to sleep that night. Then Sunday My mom's parents made the trek from Rochester, MN to see everyone on one of the few times a year when they are in one place at a time. Now that things have settled, it is time to hit the books. I am writing lesson plans for a unit on Don Quixote de la Mancha. What a fun night...NOT! Oh well, at least I will be in good company with Hannah Riley! (thanks for letting my use your computer~)

 

As I am sitting here writing this Ty is getting pretty pumped. The Packer/Viking game is going to be starting soon, and he is there. What a day, what a day! He was so excited that he could hardly wait to leave and drive over to Green Bay. Now, I wait. Hope the games is fun and we will be driving home afterward. Pray for safe Travels....its going to be a late night!

Spanish Phrase of the Day

No tiene dos dedos de frente.

Translation:He's not the sharpest tool in the shed

Literal Translation:He doesn't have two fingers of forehead.

Happy Happy Friday!

This has been a Crazy week! From taking tests and working on group projects to Observation Hours and birthday shopping, we have done it all! Now the time has come for the weekend and we are PUMPED! This weekend my whole family will be home for Taylor and my Mom's Birthday extravaganza and on Sunday we are driving to Green Bay so Ty can watch the Packers play the Vikings at Lambeau. All in all, this weekend will be a GREAT time. While he goes to the game I will just be getting some much needed lesson plans done...I need like 5 or more. Its going to be a long weekend. Anyone know anything about Don Quixote de la Mancha? Thats what my lessons are about. Its going to be good. Well...that's all for now. Ready to head home and see some of your lovely faces.

So Excited to see Miss Mia too!

Spanish Phrase of the Day

Esperamos que tengas buen fin de semana

Translation: We hope you have a good weekend

HELP!!!!!!!

Alright all you creative people out there reading my blog, its time to get your thinking caps on and HELP me out! I am working on a lesson plan where we have a group of 7th grade students coming from an inner-city school. We are spending the whole day showing them the campus and helping them see how cool it is to go to college. One of the things that my group is doing is to find companies that might donate free things that we can give away in their gift bags. Here is where you come in...I need you guys to help me come up with places to check for all sorts of free things. It can be something as small as a pen or a piece of candy. Any ideas are much appreciated.  This will be happening in November, but the sooner your ideas come through the better. I know this is a boring post but all that is on my mind right now is this project and another one that is due very soon. I wish there was more to say. Thank you for your help. PLEASE leave a comment with any ideas!

Spanish Phrase of the Day

Me estás tomando el pelo.

Translation: you are kidding me 

Literally Translated:You are taking me by the hair