University of Colorado Boulder

The End of Summer Camp!

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Summer camp has officially ended and I am thrilled! It was a long push with no break between the end of last school year and summer camp. My school every summer does a summer camp for six weeks. This summer it was a little more complex as we extended the school year by two weeks. For the most part it just extended into the summer except for the students who have graduated. My school has students from age 2-6 and I teach the oldest class that is preparing for primary school. I thought I would share some of the themes and projects we did the summer for fellow teachers and just everyone else who wants to see all the fun we had!

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Bailee M

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I think back to how I met this amazing human and it comes down to that we were both adopted from China and our paths happened to merge here at CU Boulder. Bailee is an amazing, exuberant lady who has endless passion and is the human version of the energizer bunny. She casually drops that she ran nine miles in the morning before class frequently. Don’t we all. Born in China and raised in Boulder, Bailee is a self proclaimed “boulderite” who is currently training to be a yoga instructor, making her own kombucha and planning a running road trip around the USA this summer. I honestly don’t know how she does it all! One thing I love about Bailee is her spirit of adventure that even comes down to her hair which is currently dyed a vibrant pink. After our physical anthropology class one day, we sat down on a beautiful day outside a talked life, cute running boys and plans for the future. (Ps. She is single).

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Change of Seasons: Snow is Here!

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“Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.”

-John Ruskin

Snow has arrived in Boulder, Colorado! Well, technically it did as it is all gone now. The magic of this state and the changing seasons that go from week to week and day to day. On Wednesday we were all informed that it was going to snow on Thursday which was hard to believe given that it was in the upper sixties and there was nothing but clouds and sunshine.

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Life Lately

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“You change your life by changing your heart.”

-Max Lucado

I haven’t done a type of this post as often as I would like to; however there is no better time to start than the present! Life lately has been fairly wonderful. I know I have said this before…but there is something about this time of the year that is so magical, but with that magic also comes a lot of change.

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Fall Feels: Pumpkin Baking

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(Photo is of some chocolate chip oatmeal pumpkin cookies that I made…will post the recipe soon)

“I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself, than be crowded on a velvet cushion” 
-Henry David Thoreau

Hey ya’ll!

I just got back from a trip to New York City (will share later) and had a great time soaking in the East Coast and hanging out with some of the absolute best friends in the world. It was a wonderful few days of break and I am happy to be back in Boulder and in my cozy apartment. Being in New York made me miss my kitchen (as NYC kitchens are basically like a mini cubicle) and reminded me of all the delicious pumpkin baking I have been doing and can’t wait to keep doing! Baking is so much more simple than people make it and as long as you have the basics down, some intuition and put lots of joy (and sugar and butter) into whatever you make…it usually turns out. And if doesn’t, you still give it to your friends and they still smile. Or don’t have tastebuds.

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Turning Over a New Leaf

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“I am so glad that I live in a world with Octobers”

-Anne of Green Gables 

I will keep repeating this for a long time…but October is my absolute favorite month and fall is my favorite time of the year. It is filled with pumpkin spice and everything nice and has some of the most gorgeous scenery. It is a very nurturing time of the year that I like to especially spend with friends and family, soaking in the fall leaves and new cycle as everything turns over. There is also something that seems to be in the air; a magical and whimsical wind that brings a smile to my face. This summer has been magical in its own right; starting off with such a personal transformation that was the best possible thing to happen to me. It transitioned to a fun month of new people, places and experiences that gave me lots of perspective on not only my life, but the infinite world we all live in. And as August crept up on me, I returned to school. This year had a very special energy like no other and set the tone for what I hope to be the best year yet. And as the weeks have gone and time has passed, I feel at peace more than I have in a while. Despite the ups and downs, the doubts and revelations we all have, I feel settled and am relishing in the ability to stay somewhere.

It turns out that staying is quite the adventure…

Happy October!

-Kaila

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Duncan

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They say that college students are getting younger and younger these days. Apparently they really are, to the point where humans who have only been on planet earth for three years are now attending astronomy lectures. I met Duncan, age three, when I went into my astronomy professors office hours to discuss an exam when he dropped by with his mom and proceeded to give me two cookies and a kiss before he left. Already such a lady-killer! The next day to my surprise, little Duncan and his massive personality showed up in my classroom where he proceeded to sit next to me the whole lecture. To be fair, I had fresh-baked cookies with me; turns out that friendship can indeed be bought. He was the epitome of a good student during class. He raised his and asked his papa (the professor) for more goldfish, told everyone his favorite planet was mars and shared with the whole class that he thought we got the answer wrong. This kid is going places. Before class, I asked Duncan if I could interview him and he said yes, if I gave him another cookie.

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