SNOW!!!!

Yakima has not seen any shortage of snow!! No matter how hard I prayed we got snow snow and more snow. Even though the dogs love it, I do not!!!!!!!! It could have been made a little better with a few late starts or snow days for school, but one can only wish!

Faith like that of a child

As I was driving to work this morning. Yes, I am back to work. Anyway, as I was driving to work this morning thinking about greeting my students and listening to positive life radio two things came to me all at once. The first was that Jesus reminded us many times that we should have faith like that of a child. This started my brain working as I was also preparing my rule reminding speech for my third graders. What if the whole world followed my three simple classroom rules? Wouldn't the world be a better place? Think about it: BE SAFE, BE RESPECTFUL and SOLVE THAT PROBLEM (with out my assistance). Could you imagine if everyone, world leaders and all followed these? Phew what a world that would be!
This also reminded me of the very old show "Kids say the darnedest things!" and the many stories I could contribute to that show after 7 years of teaching. So here is a story that might start your weight loss New Year's resolution off. Many of you know that I broke my foot this summer and started the school year off in a cast. My student's loved this, not because I was disabled and they could get away with breaking the rules but because it gave them tremendous opportunities to be the "teacher's helper" (see if only the world worked this way). Anyhow, I eat lunch with all of my homework heroes on Fridays. On this particular Friday due to the pain killers heat and cast I did not eat very much of my lunch. I asked a near by student if he would please throw my tray away (very difficult on crutches). He was more than willing, but after he took a couple of steps with my tray he turned around and said: "Ms. Hammerstad you didn't eat your lunch?!" I replied " I know I am not that hungry." He thought for a minute and very seriously said "you have to eat otherwise with out your vegetables your foot will not get better!" Morale of the story EAT YOUR VEGETABLES! Happy New Year!

family pics

Time to go home and the pressure is on.

Well... my stay in Utah with my family has been great! Spending time with Isaiah is priceless. Now, that it is time to go home my good byes are bittersweet....I can't wait to go home, but I will miss EVERYONE here. The family feel that the Fieldings (my brother's in-laws) have given is very welcoming.

Why am I writing about this? Well it seems that Nick is not the only one that thinks that Utah should be my home. During my very short visit a minimum of 6 people commented on my moving here more than once. Emily (my sister-in-law) said to me on multiple occasions "You could live with us." "Your mom could move too" every house we drive by Emily says "that one is for sale" Today she enticed me with: "You could go yard saleing and boutiquing with us all of the time!" "When you come this summer we are going house hunting" She even promised tickets to Oprah and a trip to Disneyland!! I think that Emily might know my weaknesses. Emily's final promise: "I will find you a husband (not that she hasn't tried the entire time I have been here)." Emily caught me in the promise that if Erin would teach me to sew I would move. BIG MISTAKE! She is still reminding me that I promised. Cami (Emily's sister) told me "You should totally move here" and "Your going to teach here?" Alicia (Emily's other sister) stated "If you lived down here you could see Isaiah ever day." Erin made many suggestions of school districts to teach in, salary, even the benefits I would receive. Her final comment "Ohhhh we could find you a husband" as if it was the best challenge she had ever heard of. Mark (Erin's husband) said "We have an extra room." Even when I told him that I had three labs he said "Bring them!" they have one of their own (that would be 4 labs). I am sorry if you ever read this Clint, but everyone around here has our entire wedding planned (or at least that it should happen), including your parents the only one who doesn't.... Nick (well Emily did say that she didn't like that because she wanted to remain the favorite in-law). The final attempt to have the last Hammerstad in Yakima move to Utah was... Nick job searching for me. Even looking up what it would take to get a Utah teaching certificate.
Does anyone but me feel the PRESSURE?????? AHHHHHH!!!!!