Labor Day Weekend, Flagstaff AZ

At Labor Day, we headed to Arizona to enjoy Flagstaff and its cooler weather. We went to Mormon Lake on Friday for Nate to rope there. It was so beautiful and relaxing to go.

He was a few seconds short of making it to the short go, but it was fun nonetheless. Charlize just loves riding with her daddy. SO cute!

While there we were able to catch up with an old friend of mine, Aisling, whom I went to Fort Lewis with. It was so great to see her and her husband. We had fun walking around downtown (which was a huge party going on) and catching up. :)

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I apologize that I really have not been good at keeping this blog more up to date. Since school has started I have been running like crazy, trying to balance Mommy, Kindergarten, Reading Recovery, Photography, and turns out I have to take another class this semester. I'm just keeping in mind that this is all getting me to have more time with my baby in the future. :) Just know that instead of blogging I am playing with my almost 1 year old!!! Crazy! A year has gone by so fast!

An Update

*Update on Charlize's 9 (or rather 10) month appointment)*:
She is 28.64 inches long (72 precentile) and weighs 22 lbs (90 precentile). Yep, she definilty runs above the average! Nate and I were both chunky babies, and I was breastfed - so it's not solely because of the formula. (Urgh, sorry I really have been meaning to get some baby pictures scanned to compare her to us - she definilty still looks more like Nate, but sometime I'll show my rolls too). Anyhow, as most of you know, at a year they suggest putting the babies on Whole cow's milk. Well, our pediatritian said that we could go straight to 2% (as I have a bewildered look and Nate's totally chuckling calling the Dr. out on his polite comment). We aren't putting her on cow's milk yet - too many allergies early on has me leary, so we'll work into it slowly.

Please don't judge the horrible flash shadow - I desperately wanted to show her adorable little flip of hair in the back (which I can only get to do right after a bath). Charlize was not having anything to do with my camera, so I didn't have much time to work with. Can't believe our adorable little chunker will be 1 years old in October!!

Ok, I know this isn't as important, but a little about me...

I've felt so scrambled and yet calm all in one. I did get my classroom put together in time, I handled a disgruntled parent with ease and grace (didn't know I had that in me) and constantly feel like I'm forgetting to get something done (Kindergarted definitly has ALOT of copies and books to make). Although it is all new, I am loving the change. I definintly needed to do something different to get me in a better position to go part time in the future. I was offered a position to do Reading Recovery part time at the end of last year, but I'm not quite able to go part-time just yet. I was bummed about passing up an opportunity, but had everything ready for 2nd grade by the end of the school year. There is a new charter school in the area that pulled alot of students, so with class numbers down and my principal needing a Kindergarten teacher, I was able to fill the opening and still be able to do Reading Recovery. In Reading Recovery, I work with 4 first grade students who could use additional support in their reading to get them on-grade level. First grade is when the gap is the lowest, so the support is focused there. Basically it is individualized reading instruction, specific to the students needs.

I have set up a class blog again for this year (I had high hopes of putting together a class website, but this will have to do for now). I also work on the Kindergarten Team blog. Please don't judge I know its nothing fancy (as my own is so plain right now). Just trying to keep all afloat!

Frusterated!!

Hello? Who is checking out our site from Goshen, Indiana?? This blog is set to private and I only invited certain people that I know - I must know you or you know how to get in without permission. PLEASE LEAVE ME A COMMENT! I made my blog private on purpose so that I knew who was looking.

I've set the comments so annonomous users can leave a comment and actually, if you're logging on to view this blog, you have an account and can leave a comment also.

I know when you look - because this sort of thing bugs me. Let me know - I'll ask nicer, but I've asked in the past and got no response.

10 Months Old

O bebe! You're 10 months old already?!?! It's amazing how time used to pass with out much notice (until I was pregnant and at times seemed to crawl) but now it passes so quickly without much notice it's another month passed and you've changed so much! We try to capture every little experience with you because we know tomorrow will bring something new.

You and Addison are seemingly closer now that you're bigger. You two are so cute together!

Thank you for letting me take your pictures. You used to turn away or simply stare at me, but now you smile and look for me to pop out from behind.

You appreciate the small things. Details, small items, new textures are all of intrest and you can't wait to find more. You still do your light patting and have a very light touch when being 'soft'.

You are so very happy! Content and peaceful. It is such a delight to be around you, to love you, to hold you, and watch you grow. I know Dad told you that when you have 8 teeth you could have steak, but I don't think he realized you'd have 6 so soon (and more on the way). Thanks for saying "mama" for me! We love to hear you say: da-da, be-be, na-na, your cute little squeals, attempts to say 'jump' and sounds for 'this much' when we ask you how much you love someone (with arms in the air).

You started crawling at the end of June and are now standing up to balance on your own. We don't think you'll keep from walking for too much longer.

The doctor's office got a little off on appointments and you're scheduled for one on Monday. We will see how much you weigh and how tall you've gotten. :)

We love you so much!

Were has August gone??

O my! Here it is the end of August and I have so much to catch up on! I went to repay a favor and take pictures at an wedding open house and of course I couldn't help getting some of my own sweetie - whose going to be 10 months on Friday!

I just wanted to share this picture and hope it makes your day a little brighter - I get a chuckle out of it everytime I see it, or even think about it for that matter. She is so fun and has quite the personality! O how we love you Boo! Thanks for giving us an extra reason to smile everyday!

O, and by the way I am LOVING Kindergarten! more to come about that too. . . .

I made it...sort of

The first 2 days of Kindergarten that is. And they don't really count because there were parents all around and half-hour time slots to come to the classroom. It felt totally disjointed for me. I know the thought behind it was to get the kids comforitable with the classroom before school started, but isn't that was the open house was for??

Speaking of the open house, I had one very curt woman ask me how long I'd been teaching and that she didn't want me as the teacher, she wanted Mrs. B-----. (in front of other parents and students that is) and I simply said that Mrs. B---- was right here, since her daughter's in our class and that I was looking forward to have P---- in our classroom. Wow! She really was trying to put me through the ringer and I think I won her over by the end of the treasure hunt the following day :)

Did anyone else's Kindergarteners have a "treasure hunt" day to come check out the classroom and do some simple assessments? Just wondering. DOn't think I'll do it next year, but not sure.
(that is.... if I'm teaching Kindergarten next year).

So, check back after next week and we'll see how I'm REALLY doing. :)

Why the Private Blog?

I know, Cheryl had a great tutorial on how to have a private blog of all the past stuff and keep one open to the public, but... It just bugged me that I didn't always know who was looking. I don't mean random high school friends or others who'd just stop by occasionally, I mean the crazy people out there who can access too much information. I know I'm not THAT important that someone would harm my family, but who knows right?

I was tired of not being able to use Charlize's name. I love her nickname (Boo) but I LOVE her name. Strong, feminie, unique - that's why we gave it to her. I like to use it.

I also worked hard to not put any identifying information up on where we lived, last names, where we worked... (I know its up there in the phonebook & we both have public jobs) but I just don't like the worry. However, with my photos it was obvious where we lived and I have a classroom blog too, and I just didn't like it all out there.

I know it has its drawbacks to have friends rondomly find us (like I've found some of you) but, that's why the demo is there - to leave a chance to see.

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School starts a week from tomorrow and a week from today is the open house which means all the students and parents will be coming by to meet the teachers. Guess what??? My room is a pile of stuff everywhere and half of it is covered with Musical instruments I can't touch. Can we say - "I think I'm loosing it!!!" I have to take deep breaths and try to not care because I can't control it.

ARGH!! you may have to check back in a bit to see if I'm still around - or rather don't plan on me updating for a while because I'll be at my classroom 24/6 (yep six days left).