Catching Up

It's been a long while since I have posted and decided since it is my vacation time, it was time to get going on the updating!! It has been a fairly eventful year, and I am looking forward to it becoming even more eventful as my travels continue. On the plus side, I managed to get through my second year of teaching 4th grade and I will be teaching 4th grade again next year at the same school. Very excited about this :) So, here is a short summary of how my year went!

 I have been into getting pedicures lately, and I have discovered the nail art. These were my Halloween nails. They do an amazing job decorating for any occasion :)

 I spend Thanksgiving in Utah with Amber and Angela. We went to Temple Square to see the Christmas lights. Here is Amber and Logan all bundled.

 I can't remember who took this picture of us. I seem to think it was the handiwork of Travis...

 For Christmas, I went to Oregon and mom and I decided to check out the display inside Macy's downtown. They had all of the reindeer in their stalls and Christmas trees. Mom got a little obsessive about pictures, as usual !!

 I was back in Vegas for New Years and Theresa, Andrea, and I decided to try out a black light party that was being held for the YSA in the valley. We had fun getting dressed up and decorating our shirts with glo sticks. The dance was pretty fun as well :)

 This picture is from our fourth grade field trip. We went to see the Las Vegas Philharmonic. I am with one of my favorite students on the bus :)

 I little trip the M&M Factory!

 This is from our Valentines party at school.

 For our testing this year, our theme was "Rock the test" so a few teachers dressed as rockers to join the rock band and sing a song about rocking our state tests. I think my outfit was pretty amazing!!

And a final picture of my 4th grade class this year. It was a difficult year. I had students that I absolutely loved and students who drove me absolutely crazy. It was definitely easier than my first year, but still quite a challenge. I am hoping next year will be a bit better, but who knows what the future will bring??

Happy 24!!

Happy Birthday to me!!!!! Last week I had my first official birthday while in school, since I was in Elementary School that is......A birthday as a teacher is fun....but not as much fun when my students all ask me why we can't just have a birthday party that day ;) That being said, I had a GREAT day!!! One of my students told me "I know what I can get you for your birthday! I will be really good all day." What a great present, especially from a student who usually drives me a bit crazy.  The funny story of the day happened when my class first found out it was my birthday. One of my GATE kids (gifted and talented) asked for the date. When I told him, he looked up at the board and said "Oh my gosh, it's your birthday....it says on the birthday board that your birthday is on the 19th and today is the 19th, happy birthday!" What followed was a whole lot of happy birthday wishes which then one of my students said, "Wait, does that mean you are now a Mrs. instead of a Ms.?". I laughed so hard.....oh children......The rest of the excitement came from almost every child I passed in the hallways telling me happy birthday....I have no idea how they knew who I was, or how they knew it was my birthday, but it made me happy anyways.

Anyways.....The Saturday before my birthday I went out with a bunch of friends to Lucille's BBQ, which is one of our favorite places :) we had a lot of fun laughing and talking, and just hanging out! Then we headed back to our apartment to watch Thor, which is always a plus :) On Monday, we just invited our old roommates Nikki and Laura over for some ice cream cake.


I am now officially 24, which honestly doesn't feel a whole lot different than 23. I guess another year older but not too much wiser ;) I do have to count my blessings this birthday. I have started my second year of teaching at a most wonderful school and even though I have had a lot of struggles, I am grateful for the opportunity to work with such wonderful people. I have an amazing roommate who listens to me complain about school, helps me figure my problems out, and always pays attention when I need help. I have the most amazing set of parents who are willing to drop everything and help me when I need it. My mom is most amazing and will talk to me for hours at a time when I need a listening ear or some good advice. I also have the most amazing family. Although at times completely crazy, I know that I am loved by all of them!!  I have so many blessings in my life and I am grateful for times like these that remind me of all of the blessings that I have.

Madame Tussauds

 Back in August before school started, Madame Tussauds Wax Museum was having a special day where teachers could get in for free. I had never been to a wax museum before, and it was quite exciting. I went with some of my friends, and we had fun posing and "meeting" with our favorite celebrities. It was a great to relax and do something exciting before school started out again and we became so busy we could not take a break :) Stephanie, Jennifer, Laura, Nikki, Jenavive, and I really had too much fun, as you can tell from the pictures!!!

 

4th Grade

What's that you say?? You're excited?? Well, you should be :) I found out about a month after school was out that I was not only getting hired again for next school year, but I was hired back at the same school in the same grade!!!!! Oh my, I am so excited :) I think that it really hit home when my office manager at the school called me yesterday to ask me to send them a supply list to go home for my students. I know it may sound cheesy, but I was SO ecstatic! I get to start the school year at the very beginning! I have been reading and preparing and buying and I can NOT wait for the school year to start :) I'm pretty sure it will be a most wondrous school year!!

4th of July

Who doesn't enjoy some 4th of July fun?? This 4th was quite amazing. I was way excited to go home because I wasn't able to go home last year and I missed out :) BUT, this year was most definitely a memorable occasion!! With eight kids and eight adults, the house was full of commotion....Alan and Mary came with their kids, Adrienne and Jason came with their kids. It was just a bit crazy, but at the same time not quite crazy enough. We spent some time at some places I hadn't been in a long while and then a fireworks show to finish everything off. I love spending time with the family, even if all of the kids wear me out (one of the advantages of being single is that I don't have to deal with kids all the time-except for during the school year). When I got there we went to the zoo and this is my newest niece Amanda, first time I had seen her!
She is so adorable, and a very happy baby.
We went to the beach and then decided to stop by Camp 18, which is a restaurant. Outside of the restaurant is a stream (I guess it could be a river...) Anyways, here is a picture of me and the grandkids present on the 4th.
We also took a trip downtown and walked along the waterfront. We saw some ships, watched the bridges go up several times, and enjoyed the view. I love the colors of Portland, and often miss them while living in the desert of Vegas :)
Me with Alan's kids at the waterfront.
My most wonderful parents and I
Yet again, did I mention how much I absolutely LOVE the scenes of Oregon??

At the beach :) Brian (my brother in law) claims that I don't enjoy the beach because I didn't grow up around the "real" beach. (such as California where he grew up) I agree that it is probably true. The middle of the summer and we were FREEZING hanging out on the beach for just a hour or so...but you have to admit it is quite beautiful!



Me with Amanda again, she is so cute!!
And then my other niece Abby, she is going into fourth grade this year and it is hard to imagine that I could be her teacher (since I am teaching 4th this year) Wow, how my nieces and nephews are growing up, I remember when I held them as little babies....memories :)


A trip to the Tillamook Cheese Factory is a favorite. I refuse to eat any other cheese than Tillamook, even though it is a bit more expensive ;)
And then we get to the main event. Here we are loading shells into the mortars for the big show! Coming from Vegas my family was making fun of me because I actually was getting cold on the 4th while they were all sweating and hot...

And the crew. You have me, my dad, Alan (brother) Noland (friend of Alan's), David (brother), and George (friend of David's) It is true, I am the only girl in the picture....We didn't realize I was the only girl shooting until the pictures were being taken...I guess that is another benefit of being single, I don't have any kids to look after so I can be free to do as I would like!!





Overall, a wonderful trip. I have to say that I am grateful to my parents because it sure is a lot of work to not only have so many people in town at their house, but to also prepare for the fireworks show. We had a LOT of fun, I am so glad I went, and I feel blessed to be a part of such a wonderful family....even if we are on occasion slightly dysfunctional (which family isn't?? I take it as a sign of love :)