It's off to work I go

For the past two weeks, I've worked everyday substituting at this private school. It is so much fun and I really love my job! It is nice to be busy and to have a purpose. The teachers and kids at the school have been so nice to me and I am starting to feel a part of the school. Well, maybe not quite yet, I think they're still putting me through some tests. The nice lady who works at the front desk can never get my name right for my name tag. She had to scan my driver's license the first time to get my information and picture and for some reason, she put my maiden name as my last name. Apparently, once she's entered my last name in the computer, it can't be changed....ever. It doesn't really bother me that much, even after 15 kids have asked me why my name tag says Wagstaff when I introduced myself as Mrs. Peterson. One day I got lucky and the lady actually put Peterson on the name tag so I thought my test was over. The next day, I didn't bother to check it before I put it on so I was surprised when a parent volunteer asked me, "So how do you say your last name?" I was about to say "Oh it's Peterson....with an ON at the end, I know sometimes the en/on ending is tricky," when I realized no one would be asking me how to say Peterson. I looked down and saw that my name for that day was Elsie Gstaf. I guess I'm having an identity crisis or someone at the computer is.

I love being with kids and when you're with kids all day, you know you're going to have some funny stories by the end of the day. One day, a boy forgot his homework and after the rest of the class heard him telling me about how he left if at home but he really had done it, they all reminded him that there were absolutely no excuses at all. One boy said, "Yeah it's only if your dog really did eat it that works." The boy who had forgotten looked really thoughtful like he was trying to remember what really had happened to his homework. "Wait a second, did my dog eat my homework....I can't remember now..."

I feel so lucky to have work! It makes the days and weeks go so fast. Mitch is already taking his second block test next Tuesday! Mitch and I are loving living in Houston, especially now that the heat and humidity are bearable. It just keeps getting better and better out here in Texas.

Witchy Witchy.. Screamy Screamy..Happy Happy Halloweenie!

Things are getting a little spooky around here...We're keeping our eyes open for anything.

This tree is actually a spiderweb tree with real spiderwebs in the branches and on the cloth but because of our ceiling fan, it looks more like we got toilet papered. Those dang kids!

Lisa sent us the dress up your monster stickers and the Halloween card. Thanks!

We made some sugar cookies during an afternoon off. I got some cute cookie cutters shaped like Frankenstein, a black cat, a witch hat, a ghost, a pumpkin, and a bat and put them to work.

I love Halloween! It reminds me of my Grandma Evy. She loved Halloween too. She would dress up like Bony Legs and scare all of us half to death. I had nightmares of her for years..maybe still do. Once in a while, after the family Halloween party, Bony Legs would choose a lucky winner and would hide in that person's closet for a little extra scare when they got home. Sometimes when I'm looking through a dark closet, I imagine I'm seeing a black cloak with fur around the hood and my heart starts pumping fast. I can still hear her famous Bony Legs cackle and see her scary eyes and her hands rubbing her little pet skull as she told one of her very scary tales. I miss her and her fun traditions so much. She and my Grandpa made our family what we are and I am so grateful to them for that. She made Halloween one of our family's favorite holidays (or least favorite, depending on how scared you were of Bony Legs).

There's No Place Like Home...

Oh how I wish home was only a click of my heels away. I was lucky enough to go back to Utah last week for my cousin Devin's wedding. It was so fun to see my family and friends and the beautiful fall leaves and the cool nights and everything that I had been missing. Mitch couldn't come with me because of school again so I made it a short trip. (Note from Mitch: It wasn't short to me!!!!)

I had told my little sister Natalie that I was coming in on the day after her birthday but had secretly changed my flight so I could be there for her big 15th birthday! When she got home from school, I was hiding in her room and surprised her. She was so confused and asked me, "Are you...wait were you...was this always the plan?"

We had so much fun together and I was so glad I made it for her birthday. She is growing up so fast and is such a good girl. She even drove me around while I was there! We went out to dinner to California Pizza Kitchen and kept the night interesting for everyone else around our table with Rex and Rich yelling for more pepperonis all night. Our waiter was glad to see us leave I think. 

I woke up early with Nats to do her hair and makeup for her game later. I was so excited to see Nats in action cheering at a volleyball game. She was such a good cheerleader and it looked like a fun group of girls. 

We got to help the Meiers get ready for Devin and Mia's reception which was at Tuscany and was so beautiful. Mia made a lot of her decorations which was fun to see.

The wedding dinner was pretty much a stand up comedy show with all of the Meier boys up on stage. It was at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building. I sat next to my cousins Jake, John, and Judd who are all living together down in Provo. I tried to talk them into getting married soon so I could come home for another wedding!

My cousin Brooke and her husband Cj are applying to medical school next year and we are trying to get them to come to Baylor with us.

Devin and Mia lucked out with warm beautiful fall weather and such a fun night. They had jump rope, dancing, gelato, a great band, and everything worked out perfectly.

 

One thing that I just had to do before I left Utah was go up the canyon. Minds, Brady and I went mountain biking up Millcreek canyon and it was just what I needed. The leaves were changing and it made me wish that Houston had some mountains of their own.

I also got to go to Mitch's little brother's football game on Friday night. Of all the things that I did in Utah, I think this one made Mitch most jealous. He hates missing his brother's senior season. Greg played amazing and scored two touchdowns! One of them was off a 49 jet play. I don't know exactly what that means but I memorized it so I could tell Mitch later cause I knew he would squeeze every detail he could out of me. I sat with my mother-in-law Lisa and her mom Helen and it was so fun to get to chat with them and catch up on all the family stuff. I love them!

As hard as it was to leave Utah and my family, it was good to get back to my other home in Houston and see Mitch and all of our friends here. I guess there really is no place like the home where I'm supposed to be, Houston.

Relief Society Broadcast

A group of girls got together from our ward before the Relief Society Broadcast and went to Chili's. It was so much fun and the  broadcast was wonderful. We're so lucky to have such a great ward with so many young couples our age.