Environmental Center

Thursday and Friday were very interesting. A great experience and just all around fun. But, there is a story around it. So, here goes nothing:
On Wednesday I asked Ginny if she would drive me to school in the morning, so I didn't have to leave my car in the parking lot. She of course was more than willing to help me out.
We got up and got ready on Thursday and got into her car, ready to go. Keep in mind that all my overnight stuff was in her car. Ginny was parked on the side of the road. When it was plowed there was still a big pile of snow right by her car. She tried to pull forward and high centered the car. No, problem we'll just dig it out. So, we got out of the car, and a few moments later Ginny thought of something in her car and went to get in, the doors were locked. Ginny doesn't have a spare key. Ok, that is an easy fix, it is automatic locks, and I know enough of police coming to get cars unlocked to know they don't do automatic locks. So, we'll just call a locksmith and get going. My cell phone is packed away with my overnight stuff (which is in the locked car) and Ginny's well, it wasn't in the house like we thought, or in her pocket. It ended up in her car too! So, we went to one of the houses just up from ours and asked the girls for a phone. I called school and told them what was happening, and I wasn't sure I was going to make the bus. If I needed to I would just drive up to the Environmental Center. I am thinking at this point, "I hope it doesn't snow tonight. I won't be able to get down from the center and get home tomorrow." Then the girls whose phone we borrow. Tells us it is easy to break in and it will only take about 30 minutes. We should try it. Well, not so easy as it sounds. We had two guys, one of the girls, and the two of us. We were out there for about 20 minutes and nothing was happening. I kept feeling key in my pocket, for my car, just wishing my stuff was out of Ginny's car and I could go to school and make the bus. About this time is when Ginny remembers her dad and mom have a key. It is up in Morgan, but maybe they can come and rescue us. They could. And We waited for another 30 minutes for her mom to make it. By this time it is now 9 o'clock. I have missed the bus. And I have to drive to the Environmental Center. I was also thinking that I didn't want to deal with it. And I just wanted to go home. I didn't care anymore. I didn't think I wanted to spend the rest of my already long day with 40 sixth graders. I still drove up there and I thought to myself I just needed to get rid of my attitude before the I got to the lodge. I made the half a mile hike to the lodge and I walked in and the faces lit up. It was great! I then decided I was going to have a great time. It took enough to get up there, now I just needed to enjoy it all.

So, while we were up there this is what we did: we watched a movie (I seriously think it was made in Canada and about 20 years ago) about Hypothermia. We ate a delicious lunch, and after we went out cross country skiing. I ended up being the last teacher out of the lodge and I was the "sweeper" there were two kids who were taking their time, both of them were very timid on the hills. They also kept falling. Finally we all made it to the goal (after about 1 and 1/2 hours.) We hung around there. I got to be the first teacher to head back. I just was the leader to make sure the kids made it back and take care of them. I got there in a half an hour. It just proved to everyone else I didn't choose my first amount of time it took me to make it. I honestly fell in love with cross country skiing last year. I forgot how much fun it is and I can't wait to go again.
After we got back we had a great dinner and taught the kids how to make boondoggle. Played games and watched a movie. It was so much fun.

The next day we went out skiing again. On this trip one of the kids ended up getting hurt. I am not sure how serious the injury is, but she did a front flip while she was trying to go down a hill. In the air something happened and her foot/ankle got hurt. She got to ride back on the snowmobile. And since I was waiting with her, I did too. I missed going down some of the hills and all that. But, the look on the kids' faces while they saw me was the best reaction. After that we came home.

Overall the experience was a lot of fun, even with the all difficulties that happened while we were trying to get to school. I can't wait until I can go again, next year.