spirit week

Going back to school on Monday may be a little boring. Kids will be wearing jeans and t-shirts, toms and sansuks. There may be a little sparkle here and there, maybe a new pair of shoes or a cute hoodie; but our students will look like normal kids. There won't be hordes of nerds in the hallways. No morph suits sliding around corners. The cast of Toy Story 3 won't visit the nurses station. And trash bags won't be high fashion.

I spent several hours of the past week working on Laynie Kate's wardrobe. Monday was nerd day and didn't need much help from me. My first task was to create Tuesday's costume using only trashbags and duct tape.  And LKN decided it should be a softball uniform.  I wish we had taken step-by-step pics, but you know I forget to take pictures, even when I think about it ahead of time.

From two trash bags and a few rolls of tape, we were able to pull together a cute uniform.

I have to admit that when I heard Tuesday's theme, I didn't know what to expect. But the outfits were amazing. My cousins Luke and Callie had great costumes. The gladiator costume was awesome! And Callie could wear that trashbag dress anywhere. There were several cute dresses; many of them looked like regular clothes.

Wednesday was Disney character/super hero day. Most kids stuck with the theme, but a few just wore a costume of their choosing - all were cute. LKN chose Jessie. I made chaps and added a sequined yoke and cuffs to one of Jared's white shirts. At school, she joined more of the Toy Story gang; we had Woody, Jessie, Buzz, Mr. Potato Head, and Squeaky the Penguin. I saw Wendy, several Tinkerbells, and I think Peter Pan made an appearance. Morph suits showed up as PowerRangers, and I continued to see them at various points in Homecoming activities, even at the dance.

On Thursday everyone wore homecoming t-shirts for the afternoon's activities. This is a tradition at WHS. I remember having games each day of the week, but now we only play on Thursday afternoons. For many years now, the obstacle course and tug-of-war have been very competitive - classes take much pride in winning and plan their game day strategies early. Chandler feels that his class was robbed in the obstacle course last year and has been plotting his revenge for the entire year.

I am sad to report that even with his great lead, the freshman class didn't win again. And last night I heard his play-by-play analysis of where their strategy failed. He takes this stuff seriously.

LKN and Megan chose to compete in this year's new activity, the tire challenge. Each team lines up behind a bale of hay, competitors race to a pile of tires, grab a tire or two, and carry it to safety behind the home hay bale. Until the tire is behind the hay bale, it is fair game for other teams.

I know LKN didn't get a single tire behind the hay, and I don't think Megan did either, but they proved their tenacity. Megan wrestled Brittany for one tire for almost the entire game. While LKN held on to her tire and kept a few more tires from crossing behind the enemy lines. Those girls just don't give up.

There was also egg tossing and a hulahoop race.

And the guys in their morph suits continued to pop up everywhere.

Homecoming week at WHS always reminds me of just how lucky I have been to grow up in and continue to live/teach in such a great community.