Friday, December 26, 2008

Monkey Bread: Kaitlyn Bakes


Kaitlyn begins her monkey bread, carefully dividing the biscut dough into bite size pieces to be rolled in cinnamon sugar. Jeff looks on anxiously, could Kaitlyn be his undoing?


Friendly on-lookers cheer for the bakers.


Kaitlyn prepares the dough...


Jeff fitfully awaits the outcome...



Who will win? Which monkey bread baker will be declared king of the monkey...bread? Stay tuned for the next installment of "Monkey Bread Bake-off!"

Saturday, December 20, 2008

Monkey Break Bake-Off In Pictures


Jeff prepares his dough, the secret ingredient, as Kaitlyn looks on and mocks (mocking is allowed during a monkey bread bake-off!).


Just before rolling the dough cinnamon-roll style, Uncle Jeff liberally sprinkles cinnamon on the dough. Kaity still mocks!


The monkey bread takes shape...


...and into the oven!!


Uncle Jeff threatens, "I'm going to kick your bunt!"

What will Kaity do? How will her apple monkey break stack up to Uncle Jeff's? Does Uncle Jeff's high school experience making cinnamon rolls at Cinnamon Sam's give his monkey break an unfair advantage? Tune in for the next installment of Monkey Break Bake-off!

Tuesday, December 16, 2008

My First Day of First Grade

I just woke up from nap time...

Today was my first day of first grade! I met the class I will be with this spring for student teaching and spent the day helping in the classroom. Sue Grim is a twelve year veteran who is an amazing teacher! She oozes patience and on several occasions actively reflected on occurrences and how she could could effect a different outcome (education theory in action!). She's calm, she's happy, and she's focused, all qualities I will do well to emulate.

The students? WOW! What a good week to see them in action. Holiday break is only three days away, it was raining so the students were on rainy day schedule, and the place was a zoo! The little kiddies couldn't focus, besides there was a new adult in the classroom trying to learn their names and their classroom procedure. Tomorrow will probably be a better day.

By the end of the day I was tired and hungry. I came home, folded some laundry and took a nap. It's 11:50 p.m. and I just woke up an hour ago. I think I'm going to have to get more sleep!

I love first grade!

Saturday, December 13, 2008

Pictures as promised


The "Worship Team," Guitar Students, Intermediate and Advanced Choirs

This church was pretty cool. It was a large metal contruction building with stucco on the outside and completely finished on the inside. The had two other buildings, a fellowship hall and a student center (probably classrooms). This congregation was forsightful enough to buy a really big piece of land so they could grow.


Kaity and Mr. Trenbeath the director (Kaity is wearing flats.)


The Advanced Choir

Friday, December 12, 2008

FINALS ARE OVER!

Except for a few small projects that have to be uploaded to the internet, FINALS ARE OVER!!! I feels like 50 pounds has been lifted from my shoulders, I'm a foot taller, and I don't know what to do with all my extra times...until I look around at the condition of my house, then I get a pretty good idea what needs to be done! Thanks to everyone for their prayers, kind words, and support. In reality, it feels like the time FLEW. Of course, it's not over. There is still sixteen weeks of student teaching, but that's going to be a GREAT experience.

I'll upload a few pictures from Kaitlyn's school concert Tuesday night when we get home from Prescott. When I figure how to embed the video, I'll but up the vidoeo of her solo...I'd put up the video of her signing to "Peace, Peace," but you can hear me singing and that is NEVER pretty!

Hugs to you all!

Saturday, December 6, 2008

Merry Christmas 2008

Hoe Down! October 31, 2008