November Update EXTRAVAGANZA!!

I have no real excuse for not sitting down here at my computer and typing something before now. I really don't. I've been busy, but I could have posted something. Sorry. Speaking of being busy, the holiday festivites have launched down here, begining with the Mexican Revolution holiday that we had on Monday (no, it wasn't for Mexican Thanksgiving that I was off -- though I WISH!) We came back to school on Tuesday, but since SEP (the education board) sometimes decides very last minute to sometimes give us holidays and sometimes take them, and since the actual holiday was on Tuesday instead of Monday, We didn't take any chances and scheduled our school's flag salute for Wednesday. WHEW! Did that make any sense at all? Email me if it didn't, and I'll send you a diagram. Anyway, we had our third (I think) flag salute of the year, and my class was the featured program this time. They were all dressed up in traditional Mexican outfits, and sang and did a little skit (all in Spanish, of course -- their Spanish teacher was in charge of the whole operation), and it was totally adorable. I'll post a picture of my kids when I get one. Something different that I'm having to get used to -- you cannot applaud when the Mexican flag is present. It is very disrespectful. So, even when we finish singing the American National anthem (a perfect and normal time to clap, since all Americans think they are at the opening ceremony of a baseball game), we have to remain silent. It's harder to do than you would think.

Moving on. A few weeks ago (sorry it's been so long!), we all had a long weekend, and five of us went the the most beautiful little city in the whole of Mexico. It's a colonial town called Guanajuato, and I fell totally in love (minus all of the KICK YOUR TAIL hills and stairs that we had to climb, that is). Christen, Traci, Melissa, Tara, Chris and I took a bus from Guadalajara (4hr ride), and arrived late Thursday night. We stayed in a little hostel called Casa Bertha, and the four of us girls shared a pepto bismol pink bedroom. Chris stayed down the hall in an I don't know what color room. We spent all of Friday, just exploring and walking, walking, walking, walking. There were so many great little things to see! It was also Day of the Dead, so the town was crawling with people buying flowers and such for their loved ones graves. We decided to go to the museum of mummies, which happened to be right next to a huge cemetery, so almost everyone spent a good deal of time strolling through the thousands of stacked graves. (Of course, I was the only one that didn't go in. Don't you know me at all??) We then proceeded to the, ahem, museum. I looked at the room with the pictures of the mummies, then the first room that had real mummies, albeit very uncomfortably. When I arrived at the room with the baby mummies though, the game was off. I walked through the entire remainder of the building with my eyes glued to either the floor or the ceiling, then waited on the steps for everyone else. Apparantly, I was the only one that got physically sick from mummies (by the way, these weren't wrapped in t.p. kind of mummies -- just your every day, still wearing clothes, with their mouths hanging open folks), because TWO entire tour groups that arrived after we did came all the way through the museum before my friends finally ambled out into the staircase. Ah, well.

We got to go to Diego Rivera's childhood home, and look at some of his artwork; spent a few pesos in the most ridiculous wax useum ever, where we got to see Jesus and the Pope in the same room; walked through the 'kissing alley' without major incident, and did some fun shopping. It was the perfect little getaway. I promise to go back again. I also promise never to enter another mummy museum ever again.

Last weekend, I went to Tlaquepaque to do a little Christmas shopping. (Before you say anything Aunt Jean, I DO work!! I also just happened to have bought your Christmas present too, so be careful!) ;) Most of the girls went to a conference, so Just Marcella, Cinthia and I had the house to ourselves. It was so quiet and great. I needed a little alone time, even though I L-O-V-E my roomates. They understand, I know. Buying presents made me think of how soon I'll be at home. HOORAY for home!! I can hardly wait.

Now on to the cute comments section of this autobiography.

The other day, I was standing outside with my kids as they were lining up after lunch. Lee* said, "Ms Holly, I am going to die the last, because I have the most healthy, and am least in years." Of course he is.

Ned* came in one morning, and said, "Ms Holly, I have to go to the dentist! I'm so scared! He's going to do what Ms. Charo (their Spanish teacher) does!"
I replied, "What, teach you Spanish??"
"No!" (pointing to his mouth, and making a drilling noise)
"Ms Charo drills your mouths?!?"
"No, Ms Holly!!"
I think the sarcsasm was lost on him.

I made them pass around "compliment papers" for each other one day, because they were being a little snippity at each other. Everything was going great, dispite a little pandemoneum, but then I gathered the papers and read them on my break. Most of them were very sweet, with compliments like, "you are a good friend", and "you are so funny". Then I beheld the "compliments" of a certain child that doesn't seem to be grasping the language as I had hoped. I'll let you decide the best compliment. Ready? "Were is your father", "you has long hair" for a boy, and they're not allowed to have long hair at our school, "you are very small", and, "you has crabs" Oh, third graders!

Okay, maybe I should get out of my pajamas and get some work done. I hope this makes up for my prolonged absence. I'll post more soon.

-Holly