Adventure #32: A Week By Myself

I have been home alone this past week. Ashley and Steve went to Minnesota and Michigan for a couple weeks so I have the apartment to myself. It was really great the first day- I got some scrapbooking done and could spread my stuff all over the living room without bothering anyone. But then I got all my scrapbooking done and by about 5pm on Sunday was bored out of my mind. It was big change to go from a million miles an hour during the school year-and especially at the end with the musical- to absolutely nothing going on! You would think it would be exciting to be able to relax and have nothing to do- and it was for about 2 hours, then I was ready to be doing something again- and I had a whole week to fill up!!
It looked like a daunting task, but I managed just fine. I helped out our secretaries at school by doing some filing for them and that took up a good chunk of time. I rearranged/orgainized my desk and the closet in our guest room- it was bad! I went through my closet and donated a bunch of stuff to Salvation Army. And I did some fun things too- like laying by the pool reading and swimming with these crazy girls!
And I drove down to Tucson to visit Becca- she's been home alone too since her husband is in training in Wyoming and Nebraska for his new job as a pilot! It was great to chat with her and we went to In-N-Out Burger which is one of my favorite resturants down here!
And today I'm off on my big trip of the summer! I'm going to Philadelphia with Travis to visit his sister Tami for a few days and see the sights and then I fly back to Minnesota to spend a couple weeks with my family and catching up with friends! And when I get back my summer will be almost over-crazy! I hope you are all having a wonderful start to your summer :)

Adventure #31: How to Open 4 Cans Without a Can-opener!

Ashley and I drove down to Tucson today to visit Becca and see her apartment! We hung out by the pool and then got ready to cook dinner! Becca wanted to make Eggplant Parmesan. So we got all the stuff out for it and Ashley started cutting up onions and Becca went to start putting the sauce together and realized that the weekend before she had taken her can opener to her husband who is in Colorado training for his new job as a pilot! So we had 4 cans to open and no can-opener.

But never fear we are very resourceful women! There are plenty of other tools that can be used to open a can! We gathered up a corkscres, a knife sharpener and a meat fork and went to work!



Those cans were open in no time and we had a lovely dinner! It was great to hang out with Becca for an afternoon and a wonderful adventure to start the summer :)

Adventure #30: Summer!!!

I can hardly believe I am writing this, but I am! I finished my first year of teaching! It was a wonderful year, full of challenges, new experiences, and wonderful memories. I'm so thankful for all the opportunities I've been given this year. I never would have thought last year at this time that I would be sitting on a couch in my own apartment reflecting on my first year of teaching in Arizona. But God works in amazing ways and he brought me a job and a wonderful roommate and amazing coworkers and a great group of kids to spend a year with. I've learned so much about teaching and about myself.
Packing up my classroom was a little sad; I'm going to miss going to school everyday! I really enjoy my job; I love waking up everyday to go to school and help my students learn about their world. There are mornings when I would rather be sleeping, but seeing the joy on a student's face when they finally understand something, or when they can answer multiplcation facts makes up for all late nights and early mornings :) I'm excited to have some time off for the summer though- it will be nice to relax for a bit and go back to Minnesota to visit everyone and get out of this heat :) I'm also looking forward to having some time to relax and do something like scrapbooking and reading books, just for fun :) Plus, with how hot it is here, the pool is always a good option! Hope all of your summers are starting off well :)

Adventure #29: Ahhhh...Its All Done...Well Almost :)

Oh what a week! Last night was the long awaited musical, Aladdin Jr. The kids did an AMAZING job!!!! We put so much work into the sets and the costumes and the programs and the tickets and the kids worked so hard on their lines and dancing and singing. And it all came together and turned out wonderfully! I am so proud of all the kids... they did such an amazing job! Everyone was blown away by how well they did and how well everything turned out! I realized as I was driving home last night that I completely forgot to take any pictures! Hopefully I can find some from someone :)

And I just finished posting my last grades for the year! Its so crazy to think that the year is almost over! We have to go back for a day and a half next week and I still have to pack up my classroom, but its definitely winding down. It feels good to be almost done, but its so crazy at the same time. I can't believe I've almost made it through my first year of teaching. Its one of those things you know will happen eventually, but when it comes you can hardly believe its here! I feel like this year has flown by...so many things have happened and I've learned so much and grown so much! Its been an amazing year and I'm so thankful for all the people I've met and gotten to know and all the experiences I've had!

I'm sad for the school year to be over and for my kids to leave my classroom for the last time! They've become a part of my life and it will be strange not to see them everyday and hear their stories and see their smiling little faces. But I'm excited for the summer too and excited to see what God has in store for me next year! There are many more adventures to come and I can't wait to see what they will be :)

Adventure #28: School Spirit Week

This week is School Spirit Week- the kids get to dress up everyday in different themes. I loved these days when I was little- and I still do!!

Monday: Crazy Color Day!!

Tuesday: Red, White, and Blue Day! My partner in crime was home sick today :( So no picture with her, but here are the super cool new wrist bands from Legacy Traditional School!!

Wednesday: Career Day! I already get to dress up for the career of my dreams everyday, so Ashley and I did a little brainstorming and decided that when we were 6 like our students, we always thought it would be really cool to be Mary Kate and Ashley Olsen! So that's exactly what we did :)

Thursday: Western Day! My favorite cowgirl- and the winner of the dress-up contest for the day :)

Friday: 80's day/Field day/Half-day!! It was a busy day- field day in the morning which meant chasing 24 1st graders from one side of the school to the other in the hot Arizona sun then wrapping it all up with a trip down the waterslide- no black eye this time thankfully! Then we had a little extra time since it was a half day so Ashley and I painted the townspeople booths for the musical :)

Adventure #27: Aladdin Sets and Easter Pizza!

Number of meetings about the musical/set this week: 4
Number of 2 x 4's bought at Lowe's: 58
Number of screws, nuts and bolts bought: probably 100s
Number of cardboard tubes painted: 4
Number of backdrop frames constructed: 6
Number of staples put into canvas: probably 100s
Number of hours spent in a parent's garage and driveway builing a set: 8
Number of trips to Lowe's this weekend alone: 8
Having the backdrops ready to paint and lined up in the gym: priceless


It was a long weekend of set building! Ashley and I were a little concerned about how we were going to get the set together as we really had no idea how to do it. We do not have any power tools, or any idea how to use them and we had an idea of what we wanted to construct but no idea how to actually build it. But thankfully there are a few wonderful parents at our school who took their Friday night/Saturday to guide us. We built 6 beautiful frames that will be used as backdrops for our play. We are so proud of them and so happy with how they turned out! I'll have to take a picture of them now that we have canvas on them and they stand up nicely- they look awesome! It was a long weekend, but it was so worth it to have that weight lifted off our shoulders. One thing crossed off the checklist, only a couple 100 more to go :)


Happy Easter, by the way! It was a little bittersweet to celebrate it today. This is the first real holiday I have spent away from my family since moving down here and it was a little sad. I missed hanging out with my family eating and enjoying their company and of course watching (okay participating in) the Easter egg hunt and the hunt for Easter baskets on Sunday morning. But we made the best of it! Ashley made a wonderful homemade pizza and we decided to start our own traditions. This is the part of being a grown up that is a little scary and weird, but its good to! All a part of growing up! I hope you all had a wonderful day enjoying Easter with your family and remembering the wonderful gift Jesus gave us so many years ago when He died on the cross and then defeated death and the grave so we could be forgiven of our sins and spend eternity with Him in heaven!

Adventure #26: The Things That Make Me Smile :)

This week was a good week. It went by quickly- they all do it seems like. The weather was goregous at the beginning of the week and has gotten a little chiller towards the end of the week, but its kind of nice to have a change. My kids were awesome, especially the second half of this week. They got their work done and did it quietly and the first time they were asked :) And as I thought about all this, I thought about all the things that have made me smile this week- some of them are big, some are little, but everyone has brought joy to my life. So I thought I'd share a glimpse with you!


Beautiful flowers delivered to school- causing some fascinating conversations with my kids :) Thanks Travis!

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My crazy, amazing roommate- who got ENGAGED on Tuesday! I'm so happy for her and Steve and a little sad that we don't get to be roommates any more, but trying not to think about that part and focus on the exciting parts- like helping plan her wedding :)

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Random conversations about life with my kids. Sometimes they come up and ask me the most random questions or just want to chat- I treasure these moments!

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Watching all my students sprawled out on the grass reading books with their fourth grade buddies. Listening to them laugh and enjoy the sun and a chance to do something a little bit different is something that never fails to bring a smile to my face!


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Having a sleepover with a friend. I'm 21 and have a job and an apartment and bills to pay, but there's nothing like a sleepover-hanging out with friends, eating good food, staying up late talking in bed about this that and the other thing! Becca- you're welcome anytime! :)

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Ice cream with two cuties. Joey is the son of one of our secretaries and we took his sister and Lexi and one of the other staff kid girls out for ice cream last week. Today was his turn and he and Reese kind of secretly like each other- it was adorable to watch them interact. And how can you not smile at an ice cream covered face :)

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Life isn't always wonderful. There are days where I am exhausted and have a million and a half things to do and a half hour to do them in. But when I stop and look around me, I am so blessed. I have a family and friends that love me. I have a job that I love going to everyday. I have a car and clothes and food. I see the sun shine almost everyday. So many things, big and small, that make me smile :)