Many of you know that I recently relocated schools and am now teaching 1st grade at a newly built school. I have uploaded some pictures of my classroom for everyone to enjoy. It is not all the way finished, but you can get the idea.
I know it has been awhile since I have updated my blog, but I have good reason. I never had the abilities to update with pictures. Who wants to read a website with no pictures. I now have a brand new computer and the ability to have all my pictures in one place.
Last weekend, Josh and I, for our birthday presents from Kim went to the Jack Johnson concert. We were so excited when we headed out and couldn’t wait for a fun filled night. When we got to Ellensburg to check into our hotel room we were a little early to leave for the Gorge so we just kinda hung out and explored the pool area. Then we decided it would be a good idea to start thinking about dinner options. Luckily we did because at 4:00 in the afternoon there were lines at every possible location for food. We ended up at Subway where there was a line of at least 20 people waiting for their sandwiches to be made. We were patient enough and then we continued on our way.
As we were getting close to the Gorge of course traffic was getting heavy and I had to slow down. Well, apparently a lady behind me didn’t want to slow down too so she decided to flip me off. Luckily her Karma was with her that day because I followed her all the way to the concert.
When we got there we hadn’t realized we could bring food in and were kind of mad that we didn’t know that since we had eaten early and everything. We started off just enjoying ourselves because we had an hour until the concert started. We had a wonderful spot on the lawn and people around us that were very entertaining. There was a family in front of us that we thought were just relaxing. Goes to show you should not assume. The wife was not feeling well and about 20 minutes after we sat down she started barfing on the lawn just below us and then covered it up with her blanket. She proceeded to do this like 4 times before she was done and it was DISGUSTING. Josh got pretty mad about it because the last thing you want to look at all night at a concert is vomit. He kept asking for them to cover it up and they tried to deny she had vomited. Luckily we ended up moving our spots and didn’t have to look at the vomit anymore.
We did end up having a great time at the concert and I even took a quick video of Jack singing “Banana Pancakes” for Kim since she was not able to go to the concert with us.
We have wanted to replace our bedroom furniture for awhile now. About 3 months ago we bought a brand new queen bed and so far it has just been sitting on the floor. Well not anymore, we have now purchased a whole new bedroom set and MORE. (thanks to the tax-free sale at Ikea) We joked around yesterday that it is kind of like doing trading spaces because our room looks nothing like it used to. Here are some spiffy looking photos of our new and improved bedroom!
Ever since we moved into our house in October I have wanted to destroy my front garden and do my own thing. For a couple of weeks we spent numerous hours tearing out and refilling the garden in the front yard. I put in a new stone wall to keep the dirt off the pavement. Josh hauled 2 1/2 yards of fresh smelly dirt. We planted a new weeping crab-apple tree and many different grasses. We still want to add some more plants but we will call it a work in progress.
We also added a raised vegetable garden on the side of our house. Thanks to Josh and Scott, the put the HUGE bed together and so far we have tomatoes, cucumbers and strawberries planted. I look forward to eating the wonderful food it produces.
Josh and I feel like this is the hardest decision we have had to make recently. I believe we have looked all over Washington already and still have not found the “right” place for our wedding. We have had a couple potential sights we have been excited about, but then there is always something that drags us down about them.
Right now we are at a point were we are not sure what we want to do. It makes it seem easier if we were to elope, than to plan a wedding at a location we aren’t satisfied about. We are now considering looking at Chambers Bay Golf and Country Club, as well as, Pier 57. There is also a location close to us in Normandy Park that we might consider. Hopefully in the coming weeks we will find the place that is PERFECT!
Towards the end of Spring Break the girls (my mom and sisters) decided it was time to make the “annual” trip up to the Tulip Festival. As little girls we used to always go the tulips and hide in the fields for pictures. The forecast for the Tulip Festival was not promising. It had snowed the week before, there hadn’t been much sunshine for the tulips to begin to open.
When we left in the morning we were having a great time in the car. When we were about halfway up to Burlington I realized that my mother’s speedometer was not working. She said that it had been broken for awhile. I could not get over the fact that we were driving up to Burlington without a speedometer. Luckily we got there safely. We had a great lunch and headed off to see some tulips.
As we were driving to the fields there didn’t seem to be any tulips in sight. As we drove closer to the Roozengaard fields we realized that we might not have been there for the Tulip Festival, but rather to see a million Daffodils. We quickly pulled on our galoshes and we were out in the fields. Finley loved the tulips (I know he is not part of the girls, but he comes with a girl). He enjoyed smelling them, laying in the grass, and playing with the tents at the fields.
After we had enough at looking at daffodils and some tulips we decided it was time to go shopping at the GAP outlet in Burlington. Of course we found some stuff we just had to have, and then moved onto Costco (who can resist when it is right next door). We had a soda and walked around. When we got back to the car we discovered a flat tire. Not necessarily part of our plan, but definitely made it more of an adventure. We had planned on getting home at 7:00, but by the time we pulled into my driveway it was 10:30.
What a day!
Over spring break Josh, Jen, Tyler, Fin and I went on a short trip to Leavenworth. Josh and I were forced to sleep in twin beds (that is the type of condo they reserved) and there was only a hot tub like 1/4 mile away. The one close to us was closed. We were forced to drive the car to the hot tub, but it was still very relaxing.
While we were in Leavenworth we did a lot of wine tasting, shopping, and eating. We took a short day trip to Wenatchee and visited the Washington Apple Commission (totally worth the free apple juice and apple slices). We also stopped in Cashmere for some samples of Applets and Cotlets.
It was a wonderful start to a Spring Break, if only we could take more mini-vacations!
I decided I should start updating my blog more because I have a lot of free time while I am waiting for Josh to get home from work every night.
I haven’t been up to much lately working, working, and more working. I have been trying to get better at introducing some new concepts into my classroom, but it is always hard.
Josh and I have been working hard trying to figure out where the heck we want to have our wedding, in a couple of weekends are going to take a drive up to Bellingham to look at Inn at Ship Bay on Orcas Island http://www.innatshipbay.com/ and Semiahmoo http://www.semiahmoo.com/ in Blaine. Hopefully one of these places will stand out for us, or else this search will never end.
We also made the decision recently that my car needed to go away, permanetly, therefore last weekend we bought a 2008 Corolla. I am glad that Josh takes the bus, so I get to drive it most of the time. It is so nice driving a car that won’t break down or overheat.
So…Josh finally told me what my password was so that I could log on here and update everyone on my life.
Life has changed significantly. I am working constantly on preparing for teaching everyday, fulfilling all of the requirements my university supervisor sets for me, and to get the most of my teaching experience at Marvista. So far it has been amazing in many ways. I learn new things about teaching every day. I learn things from my students on a regular basis and I am learning about myself as a teacher. Those this experience is going great for me, I have had my ups and downs. I am not enjoying the fact that I have to write up every single thing I teach in the classroom, or the fact that some of the things I have to do are very unrealistic for the real world of teaching.
I have also had the experience to see what it feels like to be yelled at by a parent of one of my students. I never thought it would happen, but at a school such as the one I am at, this is sometimes a regular occurrence. This parent decided it would be a good idea to yell at me for the tone of voice I was using with her daughter, though the tone I use when I teach is no different than the tone I use when I am speaking to anybody. I wanted to cry the whole time it was happening, but now I can say after a week or two that it was a learning experience for me, but and I guess I had to be broken in at some point.
Life down south is very different from what I was expecting it to be. I love being close to my family, but I am missing Bellingham and my friends, and KIM, like crazy. I am excited to be up there again in 4 weeks to graduate. Groceries are more expensive down here (which if you know me is a crime because I LOVE to grocery shop.)
It has also been great to be down South to see my nephew, though not as much as I would prefer to, and to watch my niece play in some softball games this spring.
I have been building my children’s literature collection everyday, with books I would love to own and books I have been able to purchase at wonderful book sales, which my beautiful friends from Bellingham came down to enjoy with me.
I will keep everyone posted with my life through these next couple of weeks of being a college student.
I have been so busy the last couple of days, but I thought this would be a good time to inform everyone on how my life is going.
I finished ALL my classes on Monday, March 19th. I no longer am enrolled in “college” classes. I only have Student Teaching left, but I am totally excited about that. One would think that I have an easy week ahead of be, since I don’t start Student Teaching until March 26th, but no. Josh and I decided it would be a great idea to move.
I have spent the last 3 days, and the next who knows how many days, packing the apartment. One wouldn’t know how much stuff you can accumulate when you live somewhere for 3 1/2 years. I know I have moved before, and I have only lived here for 1 1/2 years, but somehow we have so much more stuff this move. I am to the point in packing where I don’t know what I should pack next. I have already packed most of the kitchen, which Josh wasn’t very excited about, but it had to be done. Even though we don’t move until Sunday, I know I am going to be super busy until then.
Slowly I am having to say “goodbye” to all of my friends, which is totally weird. Josh and I were talking last night, and we don’t think it has really hit us that we are going to be leaving Bellingham. It has been our home for so long and I think it is going to be kind of weird to live in Des Moines again.
Other than that, Josh finished his very LAST final yesterday. He never has to take another one. He is very excited and is ready for the next chapter in his life. He has had many phone interviews and will have in-person ones next week when we are down in the Seattle area. He is really excited about a couple of companies he has found, but we will all have to wait and see where he ends up.
For me, I am super excited to become an aunt again in the next couple of weeks, my sister is excited too, I am for sure about that. The nursery is almost done, and though I only got to see pictures, it looks extremely cute.
I will update everyone again when we are moved and I have started my Student Teaching.