Tuesday!

TRACIE-BIRTHDAY-GIRL-TOMORROW-TUESDAY

I'm posting this now because it's Tuesday and I'm trying to be on top of things, but really, tomorrow is Tracie's birthday. She's going to be 19, you know. And I realize that I don't typically do birthday shout outs and dedications but I figure that since I have a whole post series dedicated to her ravishing beauty, it's ok.
Once upon a time, I was almost 12. I still remember the night that I was laying in bed falling asleep and heard my parents talking and my mom said that she was either sick or pregnant and I had to bite my tongue to keep from shouting my excitement. Sorry I eavesdropped. I'm a rude person. I think they announced the news to us at dinner one night and I had to really try and not let on that I already knew. But I did know something everyone else didn't: I knew it was a girl. I even bet and won a brown topper from Arctic Circle (I think) on it. And when the phone rang at 5:30 in the morning and I found out I had a new sister, I couldn't contain myself and called several people with the news. I couldn't sleep, why should they?
Well. I loved my new baby. My baby, mind you. I loved to dress her up in different outfits and take pictures of her, which was a lucky day because film was expensive. I loved to hold and snuggle with her. One of my favorite things was when she would wake up (or I would shake her crib and wake her up) with me while I was getting ready for school and I would rock-rock with her while we watched a Disney movie then she would fall asleep and I would finish getting ready. Sometimes we would sit out on the porch when it was good weather, Tracie wrapped in her Mickey Mouse quilt, and wait for my ride to come.
Then, somehow, she grew up. She came to Oakcrest with me, visited me at college, and wrote me the funniest, most random letters on my mission. There were always many exclamation points used in her letters. I have always felt super protective of her and probably always will, which we have found is both good and bad. I have a really cool house to hang out in, but I can't handle driving with her. Remember, because she is only 12. She shouldn't be allowed to drive. Sorry, but you shouldn't. I'll try and work on that because I know it is annoying. I nag too much because I think I have this infinite wisdom that must be shared at all times. I try to keep her from making any of the same mistakes I did and have already told her that I will sell a kidney on the black market before she even thinks about taking out student loans.
Really, I think what I'm trying to say is that I truly lucked out in the family department. We didn't know it then and we certainly didn't believe our mom when she told us, but I am honestly best friends with my siblings. I have the best sisters in the world and I probably don't tell any of them that enough. I like that I'm the crazy one in the family because then I don't have to deal with one. I love that we can spend hours talking and laughing and just being. In some sick way, I think it's great that I get jealous of my sisters friends and how often they hang out with them and not me. :) [editor's note: I think it's really funny when my students write the sideways smiley faces on their papers and my board and basically everywhere. . .like that is all they know.] I've said it before, but I'm super-duper-up-to-heaven glad that my brothers married such amazing girls; they (my brothers) aren't the only ones that lucked out.
And with allll those words, I just hope that Tracie Louise Paul has a really stellar birthday.
I love you fart face!
Oh, and happy groundhog day. Please bless that winter will be over next week.

The Return of. . . . . .

You're welcome.

No need for a Title.

I really like the ocean. And Tracie. And I'm pretty sure that soon after this picture she lost those cute sunglasses in the great abyss.

SNOW Tracie!

Happy snow day! Or, as some might think, the end of the world! Cheer up, we still get a pic. Or two.

105, 109, 90. And Tracie.

Tracie gets real gassy when she's excited. And she was SUPER excited that I beat my average in ALL THREE GAMES last night at bowling.

T-t-t-TUESDAY!

Why I stay up past my bedtime and other random thoughts.

1. I believe Brayden or Audrey took this treasure. Sorry it's a day late two weeks in a row. Not a habit.

2. Had my first encounter with plagiarism on a book report. Called the student over.
Me: What does "ubiquitous" mean?
Him: Oh, um, uh, oh, well, I can't really describe it. . . .
Me: Maybe because you didn't write it? (He had cut and paste-d the info TWICE. Couldn't have been more obvious.)

3. I was informed today that there is at least one but possibly three teachers in my hallway who hate my singing and loud talking and feel it need to be addressed. So I will address it tomorrow in the hallway, loudly, during each class change. Sorry that I actually enjoy my job.

4. I was so happy to see Uncle Jesse showing off his pipes and dance moves on "Glee" last night. Only thing that could have made it better? The mullet. (ps I haven't finished the episode so if it sucked don't tell me.)

5. Just got my flirt on with my friend and wing-girl, Natalie at the Tute. It was a good talk by a seasoned CES teacher full of great info on the Book of Mormon. Nice. But to top it off? We had some really classic moments with the boys in the gym afterwords. Priceless. I'm pretty sure that Nat and I should have a reality show in BYU-tv. It would be a must-see. Classic comments:
a. So how often do you come here?
b. You were a snowboard instructor?
c. My name is Carlos. (From a blond haired blue eyed german-decent-ed fellow.)
d. Maybe you could show me some moves on the slopes.
e. Snowboarding is better. Skiing is better. reminded me of. . . . shampoo is bettah. . .no, conditionah is bettah! Name that movie for five extra credit points.
f. We don't like church.

Tracie Tuesday. . .er. . .Wednesday

Sorry!

T-FORCE!!

I said BRRRR!!!

It's COLD in here. There must be some TRACIE in the atmosphere!!!

Happy first Tracie Tuesday in October! Yay for fall!!

T-Pain Tuesday

Hey Anne, how do you spell freckles?

Tracie Tuesday + Ode to the 9 volt.

So Tuesday's are generally a good day. Not only do I get to see gems like the one above, but I get to go to bowling. It's a good time. I am still improving, last week my best game was a 94, this week it was a 95. Every pin counts.
But the best part about this week was that one time when I almost won $107 in "Strike it Rich". You can buy raffle tickets for $.25/ticket and they draw a ticket to bowl. If that person gets a strike, they win the pot. If nobody gets a strike after three tickets are drawn, it rolls over to the next week. This was the third week so not only was the pot higher, but they draw until someone rolls a strike. It was nobody's night. It was unfathomable (vocab word) to everyone who'd been there for years because this had never happened before. Finally, one of my tickets was called. I shrieked like I'd automatically won. And then I proceeded to roll a gutter ball. I blame it on the adrenaline. It was crazy high. Oh well, maybe next time.
Go, Hot Tamales (not Tomales)!!

Tracie Tuesday!!

Happy Tuesday!

Laura thinks this is too mean. But I reminded her that Tracie does this to herself. She takes these all on her own. I believe this is on her way home from her first trek. And no, she's not crying. She sometimes just makes these special faces. Awesome.

Introducing. . .TRACIE TUESDAY!!!

It's true. I miss her. So welcome to the new weekly addition.