More Pictures!!!

Hello Once Again!!!

My computer is graciously allowing me to post more pictures, so I've included several from various events this fall. The order is of no consequence, basically since I'm no good at formatting them in these posts. :)

I have been doing really well here the past week. We had a 4 day 'fall break' of sorts this past weekend, and besides the Black Hills Pow Wow on Saturday, I basically chilled at my house, reading and catching up on break time (since I really didn't get a 'do nothing' break this summer...and I seem to enjoy those quite a bit). :)

I shall begin labeling my photos for you, so you're not wondering about the randomness in which they are presented.

The day after my 1/2 marathon, relaxing at Spearfish Canyon (i.e. posing for a picture)

Little man Trey at the Olive Garden, a major love in my life. :)

The Student Council members at Groundbreaking in September

The same Stu. Co. members smiling in the crowd...

Administration breaking ground at the big event

Beautiful colors of Fall- Spearfish Canyon, Northern Black Hills

My mother and father- after being the super-fans they were during my 1/2 marathon!

The senior class of '09 (hence, the girls' '0')

and the boys' '9' (aren't they wonderfully creative!)

Party on the bus- ride back from Outlaw Ranch after Senior Retreat

Saige and Marque- cowgirls at heart... well, that day anyway.

Student Body President Ryan at ground breaking.

Senior Retreat Ice-Breaker "honey if you love me"

Senior Trust Walk- a yearly tradition

Too bad they couldn't enjoy this beautiful scenery being blindfolded! :)

The whole smiling bunch of seniors!

The Senior Class of '09'- what a marvelous group of students!

So there you have it- all the pictures you've wanted to see plus more! :) That's all I have for now, but lucky for you, the Junior retreat is coming up next week and I shall be in attendance, ready with my camera! :)

This week the Stu. Co. has been busy- (well, I've been busy so far, they soon will be)- in planning for the upcoming O.S.T. (Oglala Sioux Tribe) Presidential Debate for the Tribal Presidential candidates. Every-other year Red Cloud hosts a debate, and evidently it's been pretty successful in the past. I am looking forward to it, especially since I have the great direction and help from our public relations director! Also coming up is the Halloween Carnival, which I don't think will be as big of a deal for the High School as it once was.

Speaking of Halloween, it is a well known fact that Halloween is one of the biggest celebrations of the year around here. Back in August children begin asking what you'll be dressed like for Halloween (I'm still contemplating my response), and several places around Pine Ridge create elaborate spook houses (and some places start out ahead by already being spooky in regular life) :) For example, this year our handgames and dance teams will be decorating the basement of the little gym as a spook house, and they are aided by the many stories which exist of recurring noises and footsteps, etc. often heard throughout the years. I think one story involves a perpetually bouncing basketball as well. Yikes! :)

It has also been a full week with volleyball games- one on Tuesday (in which our JV won against Crazy Horse varsity). It was fun to give them the chance to play a varsity team, but they didn't play as well as expected. The girls sometimes get down on themselves for little things, and even though it doesn't make sense to me, those are simply the dynamics we work with as coaches. :)Today we have both JV and Varsity games against Winner. I hear they're pretty good, but our girls have been playing well together in practice, so let us all hope that translates into the game situation.

It has been an interesting experience, this whole coaching business. I mean- for the most part I enjoy it (like yesterday, when Robin had to conduct a staff meeting and left sole coaching responsibility to me for 2 hours). I get along well with the girls, but at times I get frustrated by the level of play. It's not at all that they're incapable of top quality play, but it matters more what they expect of themselves, and I as a coach can only prod them along so far- I have realized that the player must also possess intrinsic motivation. This is the single reason (as I remember from my coaching methods class) that more "excellent" athletes don't exist. It takes the combination of natural skill and pure desire. And many players have one or the other, but few have both.

Ha, i believe that's one of the first times I've actually sat back to contemplate my learning from the coaching scene thus far. Feels good to share those bits of understanding. We also have a tournament this weekend in Douglas... evidently it's hard, but I always reserve the right to hope that our team will play with excellence!

Today our Stu. Co. members will be helping development with thank-you notes for the donors and participants in last month's groundbreaking. Should be fun, since I absolutely love the Stu. Co. members, and anytime we get together is a good time! :)

That's all for now. Thanks for tuning in. Oh yes, I will also mention that I have recently utilized that "blogs I'm following" portion of my dashboard (if you don't blog, disregard this jumble of words)... but if you do blog, I would love to add your blog to my dashboard.... please let me know the URL.

I am smiling from the desk in my office- waiting for Wade to come in and request to wear again the "homecoming queen" sash he found inside the plastic pumpkin on my desk. (He just now returned it, but I think he'll miss it soon enough). :) Ha.

Much love and well wishes,

Emily