Telephone Pictionary: Halloween Edition

Kelly and I threw a Halloween Party tonight. It was a lot of fun. (I'll tell you about it later...) But at the party we played Telephone Pictionary.

Here's how it works:

You start out writing a sentence. You pass the sentence to the next person, and they attempt to draw what you have written. The drawing then gets passed, and the next person writes a sentence for the picture. You continue passing paper around, alternating picture/words until you get your original phrase back. The results are usually hilarious.

If you've ever played Telephone Pictionary, then you know how fun it is. If you haven't, BEHOLD the spoils from last night:

Beginning: Star Wars Characters wearing snuggies

Ending: Star Wars cast under a full moon

Beginning: A vampire disguised as a clown trick or treating amongst children, suspiciously.

Ending: Superman holding up an old man for candy, and the old man has a cat mat.

Beginning: A warewolf peeing on a tree

Ending: A warewolf, very surprised, started peeing on a tree in the moonlight

Beginning: A dancing skeleton

Ending: Something about a boombox and a skeleton dance party.

Beginning: Stay Puff Marshmallow man eating a Ghost Buster.

Ending: The Michilin Man throwing people on the statue of liberty.

Beginning: Warewolf making a pot of chili and a salad.

Ending: A cat boiling something.

Beginning: Frankenstein is a cross dresser.

Ending: A nurse tightens Frankenstein's neck bolts.

Halloween!

I keep getting the urge to yell, "CRAPPY HALLOWEINERS!"

But then I remember that I'm a professional. And that I'm in an 8th grade classroom....

So I hold back.

Weird Names

I just overheard a boy talking about his friend named Raiden...

I've heard a lot of unique names over the past year. Some have sounded like a mash-up of 2 names. Ex: Jaylynn...hm...I wonder what her parents' names are.

And some have sounded like Klingons. Ex: a 4 year old girl named Takara. Totally a Star Trek name.

I think Raiden wins for being the coolest name that I've heard in this unique name category.

Way to go, gamer parents.

You Like Westerns?

As a middle school teacher and a lover of young adult literature, I'm always on the hunt for deals on books that I can bring into my classroom. I often like to check out the Book Sale sections at libraries just in case. And today, folks, I hit the jackpot.

12 hardback books for 3 bucks.

I went into the Tyler library to pick up the books I had on hold. We live really close to the Tyler library, but we try not to go there too much since the last time we went a man was trying to get a library card using his concealed weapons permit and fishing license as proof of address.

There are some seedy folks that hang around the Tyler Library...

But, while I was there I decided to take a peek at the book sale.

There was a cart marked "All books on this cart 25 cents!" Of course that caught my attention, so I spent some time there. I found This Is What I Did and Deadline. You can imagine my delight (especially if you've read my previous post about my experience reading Deadline).

As I'm beaming over my new finds, an old man comes up to me and says, "You know those books are only a quarter?"

"Yes!" I tell him.

Then he leans in close, like old men do, and says, "I'll let you in on a secret. Any of those books over on the shelf over there with a red mark are also a quarter."

I tell him thank you and wander over to the shelf.

He follows me and asks, "You like westerns?"

"Oh, actually, I really like Young Adult novels."

"Well," he says, "that cart right there is chalk full of young adult." (I don't remember if he really said "chalk full" but I'm pretty sure he said it...)

The cart had the usual pricing guide:

Hardbacks: $1

Softbacks: .50

Romance Novels: FREE and must be kept in a brown paper bag if read in public

So I peruse the cart and find a few things I like, although I'm hesitant because I don't want to spend too much. Kelly and I had recently blown some money trying to win an iPad in a machine called Barber Cut (don't ask).

"I'll tell you what," the old man is back. "You buy enough of those and you can have all of them for just a quarter. Just don't let the boss know. I'm just a volunteer here, but I'm trying to get fired."

So I ended up finding all kinds of gems! The lady who checked me out said I got the "Bill Special" and the old man just kept laughing and talking to himself the whole time. It was magical.

Thank you, creepiest library in the SLC library system!

Cooking with Natalie Strikes Again. Kind of.

Not every dish I make is a disaster. Just ask Eric and Liz:

See how happy they look? That's because I just fed them.

They were our Sunday night victims this week. Victims of delicious food and a game of Clue. (Kelly insists on playing with anyone possible until he wins...) Kelly didn't win. We actually played expert clue on accident. There was no murderer. The dumbbell was the murderer; he killed the knife with himself in the spa! (or something...) Ask Liz, I think she won...

Okay, so I didn't get a picture of what I cooked for Eric and Liz, but it was delicious! I can assure you that. We didn't even have to fling it off the back porch! (I think our guests were actually pretty bummed about that...)

I made Chicken Pot Pie. I believe I've posted a picture of it on my blog before...Search through my archives. I know you've been dying to read all my old posts anyway.

And for dessert, Liz brought us strawberry short cake. I guess she knew my weakness. I snuck into the kitchen while the game was being cleaned up to eat the angel food cake out of the pan. CAN'T STOP ME!

At least I didn't go to the extreme that Eric did...He turned his into breakfast. The angel food and strawberries were the cereal and the 4 heaping spoonfuls of whipped cream were the milk...

All in all, a good night. So good, I ate 14 points over my Weight Watchers limit for the day. Totally worth it.

Lunch Bag Campaign

I've had this amazing idea lately that I should wear my roller skates to school.

Halloween is just around the corner.

Whadda ya say, Principal? Ol' buddy ol' pal...

8th Grade Wisdom

Overheard in my 8th grade class today:

"Know what's weird? When people go out with someone and then they have crushes on other people. What's up with that? What's the point?"

Well said, kid. Well said.

SANDWICH ATTACK!

Check out that fine detail. The sandwich is actually eating the contents of Kelly's lunch: raspberries, carrots, wheat thin sticks.

Sometimes when lunch time rolls around, I am this sandwich.

Anniversary Dinner

For our anniversary dinner, we chose Buca Di Beppo. Which turned out to be Buca Di Crappo.

Now, we like Buca. We've been there before. We went 2 years ago on Valentines Day before the Monster Truck Rally. That night was perfect and delicious.

Last night was still pretty delicious, but it tasted less so because of a few crappy details...

We called ahead so that we wouldn't have to wait for a table. So, we arrived and instantly it was our turn to follow the hostess. She seated us at this table:

Apparently it was a spare table they threw together last minute and hoped some suckers take it and not complain. Luckily we are not suckers.

Let's talk about what's wrong with this table:

1. It's a high traffic area. See all those waitresses? They're running back and forth, setting down dirty dishes (2 feet from us) and settling customers' bills. We could literally feel a breeze every few minutes from the proximity and the swiftness.

2. Filth

We were surrounded by filth. Right next to my head was an abandoned half-empty glass (I'm being pessimistic here: half empty). No one cared to bus this glass the whole time we were there (even after we switched tables). There was also a curious splatter on the wall next to us...

3. Garbage

There was a garbage can directly behind Kelly's seat. Gross. I think they seated us in prison.

There is also a stack of checks behind Kelly. See that?

Unacceptable

So, we told the nearest hostess we were unhappy. She said, "Sorry, this is all we have," and rushed off.

We planned on leaving, but before we could make our way to the door our server arrived.

We told our server, who looked like Ashton Kutcher, that we were unhappy. He said, "I'll ask the host what I can do." We thought: good luck.

Ashton's Solution: We'll move you to the booth just behind you as soon as that couple leaves. Can I start you off with some appetizers?

Our Response: We'll see...

So, we waited for the corsage-wearing couple to leave while wondering, are we being punked? We were pretty sure we were being punked.

We eventually moved to the booth where we ordered our food and had crappy service.

Halfway through our meal, Ashton rushed by and said, "Let me grab you guys some big plates." We had been eating off the bread plates.

Our drinks were only refilled 2 minutes before we asked for the check.

And to top it all off, while Ashton was attempting to cart off our leftovers, he spilled oil all over Kelly's seat which splattered on his arm and jeans.

We left a meager tip.

While we ate, they also tried seating 2 other couples at that Garbage Prison Table. It didn't go so well. Why were you trying to seat people in prison, Buca? WHY?

It made for a very memorable first anniversary dinner.

Happy Anniversary, Kelly!

Year 2 starts tomorrow!

Anniversary

It's our on year anniversary on Sunday. Kelly got me crackle nail polish because he loves me.

Last year's gift next to this year's...

I am so clever.

Or gross.

McDonald's Monopoly is BACK!

If you know me, you know I love when McDonald's plays Monopoly. I love peeking into trashcans and taking the pieces fools left on their cups. I love winning a tiny ice cream cone. I love having Park Place and wondering, WHO WILL GET BOARDWALK!?!?

A few weeks ago Kelly and I went to a new, closer McDonald's. We figured there were 2 possible pros: it was closer to our house and better (safer) than the one strategically placed just across the street from the DI that we used to go to.

When we got there and ordered, this was the view from our table:

Apparently they were doing some construction. But it was fine, and there was a pretty funny moment we got to witness that made up for it.

Two young kids (age 6?) came in with 20 cents made up of various coins, asking for an ice cream cone with M&Ms or 2 apple pies. Their approach was this:

"Hey, you like us, right? Well, we only have 20 cents, but can we get 2 apple pies?...Okay, how about an ice cream?" When the guy was nice enough to give them a child's cone for free (because he couldn't stop laughing), the fearless kid said, "Hey, you forgot the M&Ms!" We heard him saying to his friend as they left, "They're really starting to like us here!"

I think it was Dennis the Menace.

It was an oddd, but good trip to Micky D's.

So, we went back tonight. It's Monopoly time, people! Gotta get my game on!

This time, we walked onto a full-blown construction sight:

There are a few golden things to notice in this picture. This is a Highlights magazine...

Can you find the sleeping construction worker at the only table in the restaurant?

How about the broom barricading the door?

The bits falling out of the ceiling?

We still ordered, laughing. The guy asked, "For here or to go?"

I looked around and back at the sleeping construction worker, laughed, and said, "Is there a here?" We ate in our car.

WE WON A QUARTER POUNDER WITH CHEESE!

Gotta love McDonald's Monopoly.

Subs

Going to a professional development workshop with Jeff Wilhelm tomorrow and Tuesday (pretty big deal. NBD).

Leaving students with a substitute teacher is, what I'd imagine, leaving your kids with a babysitter is like. You feel a little bad leaving them with a stranger; you wonder if the kids will get everything they need okay; you worry a little about what's happening when you're not there... But at the same time you're SUPER excited for a short break.

Am I close on this one, mothers?

Sometimes you just need a little break. I'm betting the students like a short little break every once in a while, too.

I'll go back to school on Wednesday refreshed and ready. And the students will have such exciting sub stories to tell me!

Just Watched Conference

Just finished watching the Saturday sessions of the LDS General Conference. Man, did they talk about the internet a lot.

So, fine. I'll post something churchy on my blog.

I've been meaning to share this with someone anyway:

Last week at church, I was randomly looking through my scriptures and I stumbled upon this one in Isaiah that totally relates to conference weekend. It talks about God's words coming to us:

Isaiah 53: 10-12

"For as the rain cometh down and the snow from heaven, and it returneth not thither, but it watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

So shall my word be that goeth froth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

For ye shall go out with joy, and be led forth with peace: the mountains and the hills shall break forth before you into singing, and all the trees of the field shall clap their hands."

All the trees of the fields shall clap their hands! Isaiah has a way with words.

So, hope we all go out with joy and are led forth with peace after listening to our prophet.