Wow!

I can't believe how long it has been since I have updated this blog! Amazing how quickly, and busily, time flies by! I am now into my 2nd year of teaching. I taught the 2nd grade last year and had a wonderful class. It was a ton of fun. I am currently teaching the 4th grade (still at Falls Valley). I am really enjoying working with the 4th grade team - I am working with the teacher I student taught with (who is amazing!) and another fabulous teacher who I really enjoy! The kids are all in school - Jaden is in the 4th grade, Austin is in the 2nd grade, and Kaylee is in kindergarten. I can't believe how old they are getting. :) Kaylee is LOVING her first year at school - her teacher is wonderful and Kaylee thinks she is pretty cool!

This summer, right before school started, my dad passed away... We all knew it was coming, but that didn't really make it any easier. He had been bed ridden for a while and had had to move out of the house to an adult care center. My mom had taken family medical leave, but it had run out and he needed 24 hour care. He was only there for 1 1/2 weeks before he passed. He wasn't happy there. I'm just glad I was able to take the family to go visit him in Seattle a few weeks before so that he could see the grandkids - who he loved! They sure loved him as well. Kaylee now says that she is her grandpa's sugar and always clarifies it by saying her grandpa that is in heaven. I love my dad and we all miss him!

Hmmmm.... what else????? Austin has been playing football (he just had his last game yesterday). He made a fabulous touchdown a couple of weeks ago and yesterday he made an amazing interception. Unfortunately, I wasn't there to see it! I was so disappointed! But, I'm glad he did so well. He has also had some awesome catches, passes, and runs! So proud of him!

The kids had their primary program in church today. They all did very well and had their parts memorized.

Well, I'll just keep this short.... We are all doing well and are keeping busy! I'm going to try to keep this updated much better! ;)

I need to be better...

at keeping this blog updated and current! I have been terrible about it lately! Oh, well, at least I'm trying right? We've been pretty busy this past month or so - I signed my first teaching contract - I am so excited to be teaching the second grade at where I did my student teaching! I already feel like I have support there and feel comfortable at the school. The boys will attend Falls Valley with me - so only Kaylee will have to go to daycare (or stay with grandma - we still haven't figured out all the details!). It will work out nice to have the kids just come to my room after school is over. That way they can finish their homework while I get finished up with my stuff! I just feel so fortunate and blessed to have a job - especially one that I wanted so bad. There are quite a few wonderful teachers who I did my student teaching with that have not been able to find a job - due to the cutbacks in education. There just aren't many schools hiring right now. Anyway, I was able to see my classroom last week - I am so excited to get it all decorated! (It's one of th only square classrooms in the school, but it also has a window that looks out into the hall - so it's a little diffferent...)

After I was finsihed up with school, Guy and I went to Las Vegas to celebrate our 10th anniversary and my graduation, and his acceptance into the pharmacy program at ISU. It was so much fun! We were able to go see The Phantom of the Opera, and it was fantastic - the Phantom was just amazing. We also did a LOT of walking - I got the blisters to prove it! :) It felt nice to be able to do things together without having to worry about the kids. We were also able to see a variety show and a comedy show - both really good. We were only there for three days, but that was long enough - we were ready to go home and see the kids!

This summer the boys have kept us all busy with the T-Ball and machine pitch baseball. Their games are a lot of fun to watch. Especially Jaden's - they are getting more competitive now and he is working so hard at it - he does pretty good, too! They have games every Tuesday, Thursday, and some Saturdays, with practice on Monday - so it takes up most of the week. They end at the end of June, though. (On a side note - at Jaden's game today, Austin threw a ball at me when I had my back turned and it hit me right in the tail bone - didn't hurt much at the time, but now it aches whenever I move!!!) Kaylee loves going to the ball games so she can hang out with some other kids from church. She also really likes to go up to all the moms that are there and talk with them. She is so funny, she'll just go up to another mom and sit down next to her and start talking and telling her stories. They all think she is adorable - I just hope she doesn't bug them too much!

Guy has started a new job at the pharmacy in WalMart. So far, he is really liking it! He's not used to being on his feet so much though - that will take a little getting used to! He also has had to work a couple of Sundays :( but that's okay. Last Sunday, I thought I would give all three kids a haircut before church - the boys needed one desperately! It took forever, but luckily the kids were all very good about it. I'm not sure how smart I was about trying to get all that done before church, but we managed to still make it on time. In fact, we were actually there about 10 minutes early - that NEVER happens! I cut Kaylee's hair to her shoulders - it looks cute and doesn't look quite as stringy as it did long. The boys just got their hair buzzed! Here is a pic of Kaylee - the boys didn't want theirs taken!

I guess that's all we've been up to (we've also had Guy's brother Daryl and his beautiful family up for a visit from Washington - that was so nice, Kaylee actually had girl cousins to play with. She sure misses them!). We are looking forward to my mom and dad coming to visit next week. We will be going camping with them and can't wait for that!!!

Here is a pic of Kaylee with her "girl cousins", Soma and Fela

An Update... Finally!

I can't believe how long it has been since I posted anything on this here blog! I guess I've just been busy! I have finally finished my student teaching (it has been a lot of fun!). I had a fabulous cooperating teacher, principal, and school. During the last couple of weeks of my student teaching, I sent out application after application, hoping to find an available teaching position. I was offered a first grade position at Aberdeen Elementary - but was never sure if I really wanted to work there in such a small little town. That same day the principal at the school where I have been student teaching "unofficially" offered me a job as a second grade teacher there. I was so excited about it - I just love this school and all the staff there are so friendly and helpful. So, I decided to take this second grade job (it was funny how excited my principal was about it!). Later that night, the education department at ISU had a Celebration for all those who would be graduating. We received a certificate of completion and a marble apple (to place on our desks when we begin teaching). It was a very nice night!

Today I went to the school where the principal formally introduced me to some of the staff (I already knew most of them, so that was nice) and the other second grade teachers. They all seem very nice - I can't wait to get started getting my room organized! I also went back to the fourth grade class that I worked with this past semester and said hi to them and see how their shirts were coming (they bead shirts for the Rendezvous every year). I swear I got attacked by at least a dozen 4th graders. It was fun to see them. I plan on attending the Rendezvous tomorrow for a short time - I got talked into it by a couple of the students (one even wrote me a persuasive letter, and another tried bribing me!).

Well, the kids are all doing great. Austin and Jaden had a music concert the other day. They did a fantastic job!!! Their music teacher is great - he is so energetic and excited about what he is doing that the kids can't help be energetic and excited about it as well. Jaden even got to sit by him once in the cafeteria during lunch - boy, did that make his day!

Kaylee is doing great as well - I've sure enjoyed being home with her this week. We made some pudding Monday and she said "we are having fun together, huh mom." We were, and have been since. She is a fun little girl who is just constantly making me laugh by the things she says! (Except when she decided to give herself a hair cut the other day - luckily, Guy got to her before it got too bad - it's hardly noticable!) I don't think she'll ever try that again!!! Yesterday, I helped Kaylee and Austin make some mother's day cards for their Grandmas. They decided to paint them with some watercolors. They actually turned out quite good (Austin is a proud little artist!) So, if you're reading this mom, you know what to expect in the mail - just act surprised I guess! (I'm still waiting on Jaden to get his done - imagine that! The computer and Wii always take priority!).

Anyway, I'll try to keep this updated a bit better over the summer. Guy and I are going to be going to Las Vegas on the 15th for the weekend to celebrate our anniversary, my graduation, my job, Mother's Day, and my birthday. That's five gifts in one!!! I'll be sure to post pics of that!

Boise trip...

Over the weekend, we went to Boise for my sister-in-laws wedding. We had a good time - the kids loved to go swimming in the hotel pool with their cousins! At the wedding reception, Kaylee and her cousing Bode had a great time dancing together (they are only 3 weeks apart in age). It was adorable!

Here is a picture of the kids with their cousins, Jett and Bode.

Here is Kaylee showing off some of her dance moves...

Kaylee and Bode dancing...

And dancing some more...

I have a cute video of the kids dancing, but can't seem to get it uploaded - check back later for it!

Kaylee's First Manicure!

I was reminded by my friend that I have been a blog slacker lately (thanks Kristy!) So I thought I would make a quick post about our day today.

We had a "girls day out" today with Tyra and Lexi (and Lexi's friend, Nicole). We decided that we would all go and get a manicure at the Beauty College in Rexburg (only $3.50 per person for the manicure!). It was a lot of fun! Kaylee just loved it - she was so serious about it and was just talking to EVERYBODY and was showing off her nails to anyone who would look at them. It was just so much fun, we are going to have to go back and do it again sometime!

She was so proud!

And so serious!

I Made A Girl Cry...

It's true... I made a 4th grade girl cry today. I felt kind of bad, but I didn't know what else to do. I was passing out the daily math facts practice - it was a new one that they hadn't done before. It was only 64 multiplication facts instead of the normal 100. You would think that this would make them happy, but we are in the advanced math class. I guess that this girl felt that she was too good for that one. As I was passing them out she asked why we were doing that fact practice. (It wasn't asked very nicely...) I told that this was the one that we were supposed to be doing, it's in the text book. Then, she threw the whole "But Mrs. Lines doesn't do it by the book...." in her whiny voice. I let her know that I was teaching the lesson and this was the fact practice we were going to do. She continued to try and argue with me so I finally just told her that I didn't have time to argue right now, but if she wanted to come in at recess and argue with me then that would be just fine. This stopped her, but as I got back to the front of the class to start the lesson, I noticed her crying. She cried for a good 15 minutes. At one point I went over to her and let her know that I wasn't upset with her, but she needed to know that she is not to argue with the teacher and that her behavior wasn't acceptable. I also asked her if she wanted to be excused to go to the bathroom to gain control of herself. She declined this and continued to cry for another five minutes or so.

I spoke with my cooperating teacher, Mrs. Lines, about the situation after math. (Oh, and by the end of the math lesson, the girl was just fine and talking with me like she normally does.) Mrs. Lines let me know that she believed I handled the situation great and that what I had told her was the best way to get her stop arguing and to know that it wasn't appropriate. I felt better after that.... But, I did make a girl cry today.

Scrapbook Pages...

I've gotten all the pictures from Jaden and Austin's birthday party at the IF Gym done!!! Woohoo!!! It feels so good to accomplish something. Anyway, this was a great party - so much fun! The gym took care of everything: the cake, decorations, activities, invites, goody bags, thank-you cards, EVERYTHING! It was nice to just sit back and watch the kids have fun without having to worry about anything. The kids had a wonderful time playing in the foam pit and on the trampolines. I think we might have to do this every couple of years or so...

I couldn't get a couple of the pages to upload, so I'll try to get them up tomorrow (hopefully! - I'm not so good at that!)