I have been so blessed with student gifts over the years. Some of them have been too expensive, super thoughtful, or very odd.

Once I received a surprise party from my School-to-Career Academy kids, and one White Elephant day brought me a child-size tiger hat as Josh Brown-Culp and Caleb Lidstrom decided SciFi/Fantasy needed gifts. And there have been tons, tons, of drawings, paintings, sketches, and likenesses of myself and others.

As we near the end of school 2011, please note the following gifts I have received in the last few days. My gratitude is unshakable, despite the randomness. I do so much love all of my students!

Paige S's book from Mixed Media

Ethan Z.'s Man of Clay

Balloon Weights leftover from the AVID Banquet

I said this proclamation in class one morning, so Holly C. made this sign.

Holly C. brought these jewelry pieces to me after an afternoon of post-funeral, vintage shopping with her mom. Definitely one of the more thoughtful gifts in a while...

Jonny L. made me tear up with this ceramic vase. I cannot believe he is graduating (Jonny, not the frog).

After my lesson on "Color Archetypes, Alchemy, and the Smurfs," Megan S. thought I could use this glass. Gargamel now completes my collection.