Another Year Down...

How are we to the end of another year already? Didn't 2012 just start?!? I guess it's time for my yearly review!

This year has been an adventure, and while nothing too big and life changing has happened, it's still a year worth reporting about! :) Here are some of the highlights:

* Starting the year off with a bang by jumping into full time teaching. And jumping between two classrooms for the first two weeks of that. What a wild ride!

* Moving into a new apartment in February. Finding one was an adventure. But... when the roomie gets married, and you choose not to live with the newlyweds, 'tis something that needs to be done. :)

* Turning 28 in March. (30 is just around the corner now! Eek!)

 * Finding a human molar on the floor of my classroom. No one ever claimed it as theirs. Siiiiiick.

* Going to Phoenix for Spring Break to visit the Hall family.

* Going to the Hill Air Force Base Air Show in May--- and getting completely wet and cold from the crazy rain storm. 

* Going to Nine Mile Canyon. Super hot. But... super worth it. So many cool things to look at!

* Jamming my foot into cement curbing in June. Being told it was probably a sprain. But then being told by another doctor that it was really a stress fracture and wasting spending the next SIX weeks of my summer in a walking boot, unable to do any of the fun things I had planned on doing.

* Finding out a couple of months later from two different doctors (and a gazillion x-rays and an MRI) that my foot was never actually broken, and that the first doctor misdiagnosed me. Aaaaaawesome.

* Turning something on the lathe for the first time. My rolling pin is pretty dang awesome, if I do say so myself!
* Spending a weekend in Park City with some of my favorite ladies.
* Buying a new car. Poor Nissy was about to bite the dust, so I bit the bullet and swallowed the idea of having a car payment again. So glad I did!

* Fun Halloween shenannigans with my family.
* Having Kelsey, Riley, and Emmett move in next door to me. 
* Spending LOTS of time loving and spoiling Mia and Emmett. Being an aunt is the best thing ever!

* Going to the coldest BYU football game ever. 

* Running a 5K to support the Huntsman Cancer Institute in honor of my Uncle Dean, who was recently diagnosed with brain cancer.
* Went sledding for the first time in six years. Why do I not do that every year? It was SO much fun!
* Feeling like an adult when I bought my own TV and washer and dryer. Being an adult is expensive!
* Letting Julie take me from blonde to brown--- and loving it! 
* Finally being able to quit my second job! I had a great 10 years at the doctor's office, but it was time to move on. Mostly I did it to maintain my sanity. And to have my nights to myself again. Happy New Year to me!!
* Ending the year surrounded by family and friends, and being reminded how much I cherish the relationships I have with the people close to me. Experiencing a death in the family brings a new perspective, and reminds me again just how blessed we are to have the promise of eternal families.
* And finally... LOVING all the snow we got the last couple of weeks of the year. Driving in the snow is not my thing, but I absolutely love, love, love, to watch it fall and look at the snow-covered world.

So here's to 2013... I can't wait to see what it brings! I am looking forward to finishing my Gifted & Talented Endorsement, finishing my teaching portfolio that will allow me to move to a level 2 license, spending lots of time with my family and friends, and just enjoying life and what it brings!

Football. Frigid Temps. Family.

It had been a couple of years since I had gone to an BYU football game. I came across a coupon that made tickets only $10 each, so I figured I might as well go! I talked mom, dad, and Skyler into going with me. Had we known the benches were going to be covered in snow and that it was going to be 27 degrees, we may have thought twice about going. It was still tons of fun, though! We bundled up, got hot chocolate, and cheered our mighty Cougars on!

Skyler was rather proud of his Angry Birds hat.

Snow removal was first priority upon arrival.

This flag was so cool. And totally perfect for Veteran's Day weekend.

The fam. We got a hot chocolate seller to stop and take the picture. Took him 3 tries to get a decent shot. Third time's the charm, right?

Ready to head home. My toes were totally numb by the time we left.

The snow this weekend was absolutely gorgeous. There is something extra magical about the first snowfall of the year.

Halloween and such...

Halloween is so much fun. I love working in a school and having the excuse to dress up. And... it's so fun to see the different costumes the students come up with. Always entertaining. There's always lots going on with our family, too. This year was no different. Take a look! :)

Mia suggested that I be a "happy witch" like she was going to be. My skirt overtook just about everything I did that day... that's what 26 yards of tulle will do! :)

Two very happy witches

Skyler's impression of an old man was uncanny.

Bambam and the witch

Me and Wilma. Sadly, Nicole (who was a bat), had to leave before we could get a sister picture.

It was another fabulous Halloween. I love the traditions we have in our family. Holidays aren't the same without our traditions, and I love watching the little ones in the family get into them now.

On a non-Halloween related note, I ran a race this morning! I was quickly reminded how terribly out of shape I am. But... it was for a good cause, and it was soooo worth it! My uncle Dean was diagnosed with brain cancer back in July. His kids put together a 5K to raise money to go to Huntsman Cancer Institute for research. It was a huge success, and they had over 400 people come out to run.
It was quite inspiring to see how many people came to support my uncle. He is an incredible man, and an amazing example to me. As I was running along the path this morning, I was convinced that I wasn't going to make it. My injured foot was screaming at me to stop, my legs were Jell-O, and I wanted so badly to be done. Just as I had that thought, I looked up, and coming toward me, was my uncle and my aunt. And then I thought to myself, "Come on, Loges. Dean has brain cancer. He's not complaining. Suck it up and finish this race." And so I did. I'm so glad I didn't turn around, and that I pushed myself and finished. Naturally, I was the last to finish from my family, but they were all there to greet me and cheer me on as I crossed the finish line! Sure do love them!

Kelsey-Me-Nicole.... post race... please excuse my somewhat disheveled appearance and red face. Not the best picture, but it's all I had!

Now begins my favorite time of year! TONS of family time, lots of school breaks, and lots of traditions, memories, and food.

*Also, new date post here. Get ready. It's a doozy.

Remember that dating blog I have?

Well, I posted a new post here. Go check it out. And please send in your bad date stories!!! I have a few more doozies, but I'd love to hear from YOU! So start sending! :) And tell your friends to send their stories in, too!

People these days...

So I was watching 20/20 this evening. (I know, a lovely Friday night activity. Give me a break. It's what you do when you're alone and don't have any plans, available/single friends, or anywhere to go.) The theme of the episode was the extremes people go to in order to improve their appearance. I. Was. Shocked. at the things people will do these days. One guy has undergone 90 surgeries in an attempt to make himself look like a real-life Ken doll. 90! Several people have had a feeding tube inserted in their nose to lose weight quickly. Girls are wearing corsets again to "train" their bones to be smaller.

It all sounds so smart and so healthy, right?!? I was flabbergasted. But the thing that caused the biggest question in my head was this: Companies are apparently desperate for advertising, so people are having company logos tattooed on their FACES. They do get paid for such a service (one Utah woman was paid $10,000), but I mean, honestly. Really?!? That is the dumbest thing I have ever heard. She has now spent over $800 to have it removed, and she's not done yet.

Speaking of extremes, I just saw Miley Cyrus on the Tonight Show. What the?

Source

Wheelin' & Dealin'

It's about time I post a student story... I don't think I have yet this year.

My classes begin each period in my room by reading silently for 20 or so minutes. Most of them are really good about it, and love the time they get to read. Today during 4th period, however, within the first five minutes of reading time, I discovered a few sneaky students occupying their time by, oh, ya know, just playing a game of cards... like it's no big deal and that I wouldn't see them (I mean, three of them had a handful of cards, all spread out, ready to play. They had put the deck in the middle of them and were set.). They forgot I have eyes like a hawk...and that their table sits in my direct line of sight. Haha. One of them made eye contact with me and he knew it was over. I confiscated the cards and told him he could come get them after school. Our conversation went as follows:

Me: Your cards are lovely, but reading time isn't exactly the most appropriate time to play them.
Student: I know, but it's the only time I can play them.
(As if this is a regular occurrence in my room for him---it's not.)
Me: Well, it's still not the time to play cards. Silent reading time is for reading. Silently. Not playing cards. You can come pick them up after school today.
Student: Sigh. Okay.

I would love to get into his head and see what exactly made him think that playing cards with his table mates would be an acceptable activity during reading time.... or at any point during a class. Thank you, teenagers, for making my job so entertaining.

Out with the old

And in with the new. I bought a new car!!! My old car, bless her heart, was showing signs of old age. The clunking and grinding sounds she was making just weren't making me happy, nor were they fun to hear as I drove down the road. They didn't make my passengers feel too safe, either. As Marianne put it, "Um, can you feel that? It's a bit disconcerting." Needless to say, as nice as it was not having a car payment, it was time.
I talked my dad and Skyler into coming with me last week, and a mere five hours later, I was the proud owner of a new car! :) And now I find myself looking for places to go just so I can drive in it. Oh... and can I just say that new car smell is one of my favorite smells on this planet? LOVE it.

Farewell, Nissy

Isn't she a beaut? *Currently taking suggestions for a name...*

*Sidenote-- new bad date post here.

Please explain to me

why anyone would want to purchase one of these.

And thank you, Facebook, for suggesting that I might perhaps wish to own one.

9/11

I'm sitting here thinking about what happened eleven years ago. Our country was changed forever. My life was changed forever. I was a senior in high school, and I remember hearing the news while I was getting ready that morning. My grandma came in and told me to come watch the news for a minute. At first, it seemed like a crazy crash. And then the second plane hit. And the reality set in. How could someone do that to us? How could someone knowingly take so many lives and change so many families? How could someone be so selfish that they didn't care about another living soul? My seventeen year old brain couldn't grasp it. I knew there was evil in the world, but I just couldn't understand how someone could be that evil. When I got to school that morning, all of my teachers had the news playing on their tvs. That's all we did all day. The events kept replaying in my mind. And now, as a teacher, I understand why they did that. History was taking place, and we needed to be aware of what was going on. I remember sitting in seminary, where my teacher canceled his lesson so we could sing hymns and have a mini-testimony meeting. I cried. My dad was a pilot, and I was just thankful he was safe. I didn't know at that point how the events of that September morning would change my family's life forever.

As a teacher, I feel that it is important that my students understand the devastation that came that day. I think they need to know how much it changed our country-- for better and for worse. They need to be aware that their lives are different because of what happened. My seventh graders this year were one when it happened. One. I don't know if they will ever fully understand just how powerful that day was. But I sure hope they do.

And I hope that we never forget the sacrifices that were made on that day to save lives, to save families, and to bring a nation together. I know I never will. I can't, because how can you forget something so powerful?

A teacher I work with shared this video with our faculty. I had never heard this story before, but it was a beautiful reminder of the amazing people that stepped forward when it was needed most. There really are good people in the world.

I really lucked out.

Having these ladies as my sisters makes my life a gazillion-bazillion times better. I sure do love them.

Nicole-Kelsey-Me

A New Blog...

A few months ago, I was telling my sister about a recent date I had been on and how completely crazy the guy was. She looked at me and said, "You've got to start a blog. You have so many bad dates you could write about." I sat on the idea for a while, and finally got things up and going. Join me as I write about my terrible, yet humorous dating experiences. And please, if you have your own bad date experiences, share them! My email address is in the sidebar, so feel free to send me a story or two... or three (or more if you are as lucky as I have been) and I'll post them! :) Spread the word-- The more stories, the better!

Mishaps on the Way to Marriage

Some random ramblings as my summer ends.

Get ready for a blog post completely lacking in cohesiveness. 

I don't know if summer went as quickly for you as it did for me, but holy moley, it flew by. School starts next week. Next week, people! Sometimes when I think that, I get a knot in my belly that tells me that I don't know if I am ready to tackle the task of teaching/managing 250 junior highers. But, ready or not, school is coming. Gulp. I am anxious, though, to see my students again and hear their great comments and stories.

Thankfully, my days with the boot are nearing their end. Supposedly, my foot is on the mend and I don't have to wear the boot full time anymore. If you do ever see someone you don't personally know who is in a boot, may I advise you to not say to them, "Oh man. That doesn't look fun at all."? I lost count of the number of strangers who would stop me and tell me that.

What am I supposed to do now that the Olympics are over?

Speaking of the Olympics--- in my next life, I would like to be an Olympic athlete. The sport is still yet to be determined, but I think it'd be pretty cool. Mostly I'd love to stand on the podium and hear the national anthem played.

This commercial makes me laugh. Every. Single. Time.

Lately, I have discovered that TLC has many classy shows on. And they are very creative with what they name said shows. For example, I have recently seen "America's Worst Tattoos", "My Teen is Pregnant, and so am I", "High School Moms", and "Extreme Cheapskates" just to name a few. America is full of some neat people, I tell ya. (*I promise I am productive and that I don't watch TV all the time... when I have watched TV, these shows have just happened to be on*)

I have a recent obsession with rainbow sherbet. Oh. That stuff is like heaven. I cannot get enough of it. 

Well, that's all folks!

In which I learned how to be a woodworker. Kind of.

*Background: Power tools scare the living daylights out of me. I don't even like to use a power drill. And you can forget about me coming near a saw as its blade goes whizzing around and around, threatening to quickly amputate anything that might get in its way. No thank you. I prefer to remain a safe distance from such things. 

*Fast forward. I was recently having a conversation with a friend, who, when learning that I was terrified of tools, dared me to do one thing a day that scared me, starting with doing something with my dad's woodworking tools. I sat on that for a day or two and finally came to the conclusion that I might as well! What did I have to lose (besides a limb)? 

So today was the day that I sucked up my fear and went for it. My dad taught me how to turn a rolling pin on his lathe. Unlike when using a saw, I was the one in control of the blade. Still, sticking a blade into a chunk of wood that is revolving at a blurring speed is a bit intimidating. But, oh my goodness, SO FUN! Sawdust was a flyin', the lathe was whirring, and I was carving. What. A. Blast. 

Alas, here are some photos of the blessed event. 

Safety goggles are super attractive.

The chunk of wood before I got to it.

See? I'm that good that I can carve without even looking.
haha jk lol. So not true.

See these eyes? That's focus. Well, and [safety goggles] too. (10 points if you can name that movie)
My eyes were glued to that speedily spinning chunk-o-wood.

My whole self was pretty much covered like this in sawdust... I may or may not have resembled Sasquatch.

Just about done!

Voila! The final product. A fabulously functional rolling pin.

Not too shabby, eh? I conquered a fear and came out unscathed. I even walked away with something I will actually use. Now if you'll excuse me, I suppose I will go help my mum make some sugar cookies with my newly turned treasure. :)

The day we celebrated freedom.

The 4th of July is kind of a big holiday in our family. I'm talking an all day, all night extravaganza. It's serious business, folks. And by the end of it all, I am a zombie. Oh but it's worth it. This year's festivities included:

- A late night party the night before down at the family parade spot... fireworks, laughter, food, good times. Thank goodness my sleeping-on-the-parade-route days are over and have been lovingly bequeathed to the next generation of youngsters.
- Freedom Run with the Addis family (well... I was the photographer thank you to my incapacitated foot)
- The parade
- BBQ and swimming party at the Stone's house. We have always spent the afternoon of July 4th there. I can't imagine a Fourth of July without it.
- Stadium of Fire. The Beach Boys were entertaining and the fireworks this year were spectacular. Probably the best year yet. The best part is having most of my mom's side of the family there. We took up three rows this year and had a blast together.

And there you have it. Another great 4th of July down in the books.

(*Thank you to the Californians for sneaking their pretty lil faces into some of our pictures. So glad they were there with us!)

The first month of summer fun...

Oh how I love summer time. So many fun things to do. Here's a picture recap of the first month of the break...

Seven Peaks- Picnic in the park- Super cool petroglyphs- Shaved ice-

Broken foot- Movie night & sleep over with Skyler- Nine Mile Canyon adventures

There's just something about the long days of summer that make me so happy. Maybe it's the warm weather. Maybe it's the break from teaching. It might even be that I don't have to set my alarm most days. It is possible that it has something to do with all the time I get to spend with my family. Or maybe, just maybe, it is a combination of all of it. Yeah, I think that's it. 

Happy Summer! :)

Oh to be 13 again...

As I am sitting here watching my kids sign their yearbooks, I started thinking about the past school year. I can’t believe I have made it through three years of teaching! I’ve found that it does get easier. This year has been quite the year for me. I went from part time to full time mid way through the year. I then had to re-interview for my full time position so I could be put into an ongoing contract. I went from 65 students to 265 overnight. To say it was overwhelming would be an understatement. But I have loved it. They have pushed my buttons. They have made me laugh. Sometimes, they have made me cry. But most of all, they have helped me learn that my heart really does have room for all of them. Even the naughty ones.

Enough sappiness. Onto the highlights of the year…

* Teaching Creative Writing. What. A. Blast!

* Having a boy write every single one of his creative writing assignments about zombies. And another boy tie bacon into everything he wrote.

* Finding a tooth (a real, human molar) on the floor of my classroom.  Siiiiick.

* Having a student offer to set me up on a date. With her father.

* Finding a note on my desk from a student that said, “Call me maybe” followed by his phone number. Um. No. That is creepy.
* Getting plowed over by a student as he was running to lunch. We're talking a full on collision. Both feet off the ground. Me, flying through the air, landing on my side and sliding a good three feet before coming to a stop. It was epic. And incredibly painful. I'm sure I looked quite comical as I flew. The good news of all of this? While I was not able to save myself from injury, I did save my computer! My Mac is my baby. I wasn't about to let it get hurt.

* Having B8 try to bribe me every day to have class outside.

* Having three boys do their research paper on Justin Bieber.

* Having one student suspended for bringing (and using) a weapon to school, having to take one to the office for bullying, and having another run away on the way to the computer lab. All in one period. Thank you, A4 for being my “challenge” of the year.

* Reading things like, “Sometimes we don’t accept people different than us because we have heard rumors about them. Like that they are cannibals or something.”

* Or hearing a boy explain to a girl why Team Edward was way better than Team Jacob.

* Or  the one time when I heard a boy tell a girl, “You’re a wendigo.” To which she replied, “No, I’m not. But I am something similar.” (I still have no clue what a wendigo is… any ideas?)

* Aaaand, lastly, finding out  this week that there are rumors spreading through the students that I am engaged. Not sure where that one started.  :)

And that, my friends, is why I love my job. Never a dull moment.

Childhood Flashback

As I was growing up, I was surrounded by all things aviation. By the time I was ten, I could tell you how a plane worked, what its parts were, and why they were important. From a very young age, I fell in love with the complete exhilaration that comes from taking off and landing. My dad's enthusiasm for airplanes rubbed off on me. I remember my parents taking me and my sisters to airshows all throughout my childhood. Since airplanes have always been a part of me, I was excited to head up to Hill Air Force Base this weekend for their air show.
I headed up to the base with my parents and Skyler, where we met the Stone family for an adventure filled day. I knew it would be chilly and possibly rainy, but did not know it would be freeeeezing and pouring rain! And when I say pouring, I mean I haven't seen anything quite like that in a while. It was a torrential downpour. We spent over two hours huddled in a hangar with hundreds and hundreds of other people as we waited for the storm to pass. What a day!

Skyler and me on the way up

This kid sure is awesome. He's the best little brother I could ask for.

Me, mom, dad, and Skyler... this was about an hour and a half into our time in the hangar.

Aunt Melinda, me, and mom just hanging out.

Waiting for the Thunderbirds to start! :)

 

In front of a ginormous plane. Seriously, this thing was huge.

This sums up how I felt about the storm. Shortly after I took this, the wind destroyed my umbrella. It completely turned it inside out. Turns out, that makes for a very ineffective umbrella.

Last, but not least... the THUNDERBIRDS!!! These were so awesome. There's nothing that compares to the sound or feeling of these planes flying overhead. The rumble that you can feel from your head to your toes is indescribable. It's got to be one of my favorite things of all time. And the tricks they do are pretty amazing, too.

Spring Break

One of the perks of being a teacher is getting all the scheduled school breaks. They come in handy, and are usually very needed, let me tell ya. This spring break was no exception.

Remember last year's spring break adventures? Well, in an attempt to make up for the troubles they caused, the airline gave us $400 in travel vouchers which meant that I could fly just about anywhere they flew... for free! Who was I to deny such a generous offer? Luckily, my cousin Valerie and her family live in Phoenix, so I decided to head there. Warmer weather? Yes, please. Sunshine and the pool? Yes, please.  

Thankfully, this year's flying experience wasn't nearly as eventful as last year's. The only set back was the hour and a half delay on my initial flight out of Provo. Not too shabby.

So, I spent a few days basking in the sun and enjoying a little break from work.

Val's boys wanted to go on a walk one morning, so we ventured over to a bike bridge. In my mind, I had envisioned a little bridge going over a small stream or road or something. Not so. See the cars behind us? Yeah. Turns out, the bridge spanned the 6 or so lanes of the freeway. I don't do well with heights. Mix in cars rushing by under foot, it's just not good. We ran. Rather quickly, I might add. :)

The pool was so relaxing. There was a little sandy beach area for the kids, so we pulled up some lawn chairs and settled in. Glorious, I tell you. (Sweet tan line, eh? Forgetting to put sunscreen on when helping for 4 hours at a track meet will do that to you. Oops.)

Valerie and Me. The pool was not heated and was a bit too chilly to get all the way in, but my feet enjoyed a nice little dip. :)

After I got back into town, my family and I headed up to the Living Planet Aquarium for a bit. All of us were able to be there (except for Chaz, who had to work), and a grand time was had by all. I think the penguins were my favorite. Too cute! 

Nicole, me, and Kelsey by the penguins

After the aquarium, we all headed to JCW's for lunch. Chaz was able to meet us there, so we had the entire family there for lunch. It was a fabulous way to finish off my spring break! :)

As always, the break flew by incredibly quickly, but I am excited to hear about the adventures my students had while on break. Six more weeks of school, and I am done for a while! 

Easter

I don't typically do many posts completely devoted to Gospel oriented things, but this video was too powerful not to share. My ward had a special Relief Society temple night tonight, and the temple president showed this to us. It was a good reminder for me of why we celebrate Easter, and it made me even more thankful for the incredible sacrifice of the Atonement.

Any time I hear Elder Holland speak, I am amazed at the power behind his words. He just has a way of saying things that need to be said.

Happy Easter!

A Birthday and Other Fun Things

In my mind for several weeks now, I have had this grand blog post all planned out. Unfortunately for you, it is late and my plan is fuzzy and I can't seem to make the words come out right. "Just do it tomorrow," you say? Well, I have finally loaded pictures and started a post. Therefore, if I don't do it now, it may be another umpteen weeks until I actually post something on this lil' blog of mine. So, sit back and enjoy some pictoral evidence of the recent happenings in my life.

Apparently Emmett saw something more interesting than the camera. But at least Mia's looking!

Skyler pretty much dominated his Pinewood Derby again. What a stud!

 Enjoying some sister time after my birthday dinner. Sure do love these two ladies.

 Mom, Nicole, Mia, and Kelsey surprised me at work with lunch on my birthday. Zupas? Yes, please.

 Confetti cake with confetti frosting. The only way to do a birthday cake. 

Sadly, my lung capacity was too small for such a large amount of candles. 28 is a big number.

Sometimes you just need movie popcorn. And sometimes you just want to stay home in your comfies and watch a movie. So the only sensible thing to do is to run to the concession stand, buy your popcorn, and take it home. And that, my friends, is what we did. And it was the perfect ending to a perfect birthday! 

Other birthday celebrations included my students singing to me, Sensuous Sandwich for dinner, and a fabulous get together with my closest friends. If turning 28 starts out this great, it can only keep getting better, right? :)

What Every Teacher Wants to Hear...

"I love Hunger Games. But I love Miss Koster more."

This is a big deal. I think I have arrived. (This was written by a girl who eats, drinks, and breathes Hunger Games at the moment.)

But really, the best part of this? She loves a book. My job is done.

Why I Love Teaching Seventh Grade

Many  Most 7th graders don't have a filter, and some of them just quite haven't figured out some social norms. This makes every day entertaining and I can never predict what they will say or do. With the change I recently made to full time, I have acquired several more students. Having over 200 students greatly increases the chances that one or more of them will do something a little quirky, totally out of the blue, or just plain funny. Just this week, I have witnessed or heard the following:

- Lime green velvet pants. Oh, and they were zebra striped.

- A sweet boy dancing around the hall ballerina style while waiting for me to unlock my door. As far as he was concerned, he was the only person in that hallway.

- One girl brought her old school type writer with her to class today. Not because we were going to be writing any thing. Not because she was using it as a prop for something. Just because she wanted to bring it. I think it weighs as much as she does. It was quite the sight to see her lugging it around. And then she stored it in my room. And forgot to come back for it.

- A boy came running into class and said, "Miss Koster! I had the worst dream ever last night!" When asked what it was about, he responded, "I had a dream that Mrs. J really did retire and that you really are my new teacher." Me: Pause. "Um, I'm sorry, but your dream is true. She did retire and I am your new teacher." Him: "Oh. Really? Like you mean she's never coming back?" Me: "Yeah. She's not coming back. I'm sorry." (Thank you, good sir. It's a good thing I have enough confidence in myself and don't need the approval of a 12 year old.)

- Two girls were done with their essays and were playing an online horse trading game. They "purchase" and create pet horses for their collection. Apparently it's quite a big deal to those involved. I heard lines like, "Unicorns are very rare.", "Oh! Pax is a uni-reject!" (NO clue what that means), and "So how is Striking Beauty doing?" I still have no idea what this horse thing is about, but they were rather excited about it.

- Three very easily distracted boys, as they were supposed to be working on their essays, stopped me and said, "Hey, Miss Koster, do you have a boyfriend?" Me: "Maybe." Boys: "Come on! Just tell us!" Me: "Why does it matter if I do?" Boys: "Oh! That means you do!" Me: "What are you going to do about it if I tell you I do have one?" Boys: "We're going to go find him!" Me: "Haha, good luck with that. We're not even in the same country right now." Boys: "Oooooooh!" followed by giggles.

- One of my classes entered a writing contest which required them to make multiple copies of their essays. I asked the class who needed to make the additional copies. Five or six raised their hands. Feeling like I couldn't send them down to the lab by themselves (and the rest of the class needing to get some energy out), the entire class took a field trip to the lab. As I was walking around, I noticed that two of the boys who had initially raised their hands were playing games. I asked them if they finished printing. Their response, "Oh. Well, we never even had to print anything. We just raised our hands so we would have a better chance of coming down here." Really, boys? Really? Sneaky 7th graders: 1, Miss Koster: 0.


Don't you wish you had a job as entertaining as mine?

*Note: These stories are not posted to mock or in any way make fun of my students. I just thought they were funny and wanted to document them! :)