almost Camelot and dorm life at BYU Ed Week

You know the Camelot song about how it never rains till after sundown...

Monday it rained...during class only.

Wednesday it rained. After lunch I headed out 5 minutes early to my next class...it was raining but the bad part was the wind was really blowing. It even bent my umbrella. But, by the time everyone else was out of their previous class (5 minutes), the wind had stopped and it was gently raining.

Thursday, once again, it rained. As I sat in a class (taught by Lynn Scoresby) I watched through the huge windows as the wind tore at the trees and the rain fell heavily for most of the class. By the time class was over, it was still raining, but once again the wind was gone. And, since I had 2 umbrellas in my trunk, I had exchanged my bent umbrella for a good one, so I was set (it's amazing how many people don't carry umbrellas...then again there was a bit of lightening and I kept picturing myself getting fried...).

As for dorm life, I got up to use the community bathroom at 2 am. There is a light directly across from our dorm door (one of the few that is left on all night), so I had covered my eyes with my hand to avoid that painful first contact of when eyes adjusted to dark see the light. I stepped on something in the hall.

There was an index card with 2 mini-$100,000 candy bars attached to it. Above the candy it read, "Hope your week was worth..." Cute. I go to the restroom and see a sign on the door that says "Merrill Hall Potty Party." It gives me a chuckle.

I go into the bathroom this morning and I head to the stalls which are on the right, and for some reason my head looks to the left. On the wall above the urinals (Merrill Hall is a guys' dorm during the school year) is a sign saying something about welcome to the party. Then underneath are 3 signs: cookies--plunge in--lemonade. It's then that I notice what is in the urinals. The first one has a plunger in the middle and is surrounded my those cheap, fake vanilla/chocolate oreo cookies. In the urinal next to it is a yellow liquid (which I believe was just yellow-colored water and not lemonade...or anything else...). Too much fun.

I would have loved to take a picture of it, but I left my camera at home so Glen could take a photo of the kids on their first day of school...I forgot to remind him, so don't know if that happened. But it does sound like the new year is off to a good start for the kids and for Glen (well, Eric doesn't start at the community college, yet).

Having a great time. I would say this is heaven, but my family's not here with me, so Camelot will do. Been to 33 classes so far and will probably go to 8 today (taking time off to maybe buy a pressure cooker and find some peaches).

Tomorrow will be a long day in the car, but it'll all be so worth it.

changes for Alex

Last Wednesday night I asked Glen if he thought we should switch Alex from Numa to EC Best and he said yes. Thursday I filled out the change-of-school request form. Saturday morning we got the call that said Alex is now at EC Best.

However, Friday night, I realized we hadn't mentioned this to Alex...well, it had come about so suddenly. He can stress a bit in new situations so I was a bit fearful. Sunday night we told him that there were a lot of changes going on in the school district right now and we thought it was a good time to change him. He was a little sad, but I have to say he took it better than I thought he would.

So, Monday I called EC Best to find out who's teaching 4th grade...there's been a lot of rearranging this summer. I was told Lisa Kent, Roxanne White, and Teresa Moon were the teachers...so I called around and heard Lisa Kent was wonderful and spent a lot of her own money on things for the classroom...like Neo keyboard computer thingys and the like. My nephews Michael and Adam had her and Michael said he really hope Alex would get Miss Kent. Michael said he knew the kids really liked Roxanne White, but didn't know what the adults thought. I was also told that Teresa Moon was excellent. So, I wasn't too worried, but I did hope we'd get Lisa Kent.

We were told the class lists would be posting on Wednesday (today). When I went to the school, Teresa Moon isn't a 4th grade teacher and Alex's name wasn't on any of the lists, so I went into the office. The secretary took my to see Patty Daum, the school counselor. She asked me to tell her about Alex. I said he was a GATE student and did very well at school and which point she jumped in and said Lisa Kent. I was thrilled.

I was taken down to Lisa Kent's classroom. She was supposed to be meeting with another parent right then, but the parent hadn't shown up (she always tries to meet with all the parents and students before school starts). Perfect. So she gave me her schpeel (sp?) and I think he will have a great year. I'm hoping some of his friends from Numa might wind up at EC Best...but I kind of doubt it. I do know a few of the parents of the kids in his class and am pleased with those I know. :)

Alex pointed out to us that he's the last Perazzo in elementary school (because his 2 other elementary school-aged cousins have a different last name). Glen pointed out we have a grand-niece who will be attending school in a few years...so when Alex is in 6th grade, Brinley should be starting kindergarten and the next round of Perazzos will hit the school. Smaller batch than this one, of course.

Looking forward to a good year.