Long time, no blog

Some of our lovely friends just recently hosted a Chili Round-Up. It was a chance to get together, eat some good chili, play some games, & just have fun. Here are some pics from our fun event.

 Jaimie & Ryan celebrating their awesome barrel racing time

 Lacey & Larisa barrel racing it up

 Happy Holly

 2 of our hosts at the Pink Palace: Kim & Kristi

 Jonny & Chiara barrel racing... a few points deducted for the wrong weaving pattern though. ;)

 Good times, good friends, good laughs

 Mike & Karly's turn

So fast it's blurry!

Our winners... Steve & Kam (who thought he was going to drop her 

along the way, hence the covered eyes...)

On-lookers

Katie & Carolyn

Bo & Holly

Good times, good conversations, good food

Thumbs up for good chili... or not...

Grant & George Jorge

Bo & Kam

Lovely cowgirls

Our Pink Palace hosts: Kim, Kristi & K-DUB

Just tellin' it like it is...

Our best dressed contestants

Chili cook off winner. Prize= apron & a ladle that says, 

"2010 Pink Palace Round-Up Chili Cook-off Ultimate Survivor."

I made a white chicken chili... and it was good... reeaaaaal good.

Catherine & me.

What's a chili round-up without some line-dancing?

Shakin' it up ouside

Layla showin' off her cowgirl boots

Sheila, Kam & Noey

Good stories, good times

K-DUB, Carolyn & Lissa

Tawnya, Katie & Kylie

Will (who was a little sad at the time) and his sweet Mama, Sara

Bernd & The Kim-ster

Riding horsies

Kristi, Kylie & Layla

Full bellies, hearty food, hearty laughs

Holly & Carolyn

Sweet Layla

Wild, wild west

Brian & Bernd

Height comparison

Kylie telling Bernd how old she is: 4

Bernd needing a little help telling Kylie how old he is: 30

Kylie: "Can you do this?"

Bernd: "Uhm, I think so. I'm a big German though"

Lissa & Katie

Too funny

Stacy & me

Hollister & me

Larissa, Krista & Jes

 Accountability oreo-cookie photo: Holly, Catherine & me

First impressions

I make assumptions about people, do you? It’s impossible NOT to make assumptions about people in one way or another (in my opinion), based on clothing, actions, grades, religion, ideas, gender, race or ethnicity, hobbies, etc. Sometimes I think that assuming things about people is our human way of trying to “fit” that person into a box to help us understand them better. You wear Tommy Hilfiger jeans? Oh, you must have money. You get straight A’s? Oh, you must be smart. You’re a proclaiming Christian? Oh, you must be either some crazy Jesus freak (to some people) or maybe you’re kind and forgiving. You act out in class? Oh, you must have problems at home. You didn’t understand this concept? Oh, you must have a learning disability of some sort. You’re a girl. Oh, you must be emotional. You’re funny and like to tell jokes? Oh, you must be the class clown that likes attention and the one I’m going to have to keep my eye on…

My first impression of one particular student was the latter. Class clown, joke-teller, crazy dancer= up to no good. Only senior among my mixed freshman/sophomore class=slacker. Needless to say, I was not exactly looking forward to teaching this student. As I have gotten to know him, I have appreciated his crazy sense of humor, his fun and light-hearted personality, and his laugh. Additionally, he is one of my top students and I often find him helping the other students around him when I am unavailable. Needless to say, I was humbled.

So when are these assumptions bad? Perhaps…
• when they are so solidified in your mind that you can’t/won’t change them, no matter what other “evidence” may be thrown at you
• when you act upon these assumptions
• when your assumptions negatively affect others
• ??

What are your thoughts?