A little video for your Monday!

I figured out how to show a video of her dancing... this is not her solo, but you'll get the idea!

Yes, she is a brave little five year old, in a world of grown-ups.

Bellies!

My Kindy Belly Dancer...

And her mom and Grandma... Isn't this world and interesting place?!!

This Christmas...

We have purchased our plane tickets for Christmas time... we are flying to Houston!

Matt's parents live out there, ... and recently, his sister Kelly and her two boys moved into the big city as well! It should be an awesome trip!

LAST TIME we visited the Grimes' we were amazed to see how they decorated the place! Apparently, they LOVE TEXAS! They plastered "Texan by Choice" decals on the guest bathroom mirror. They had little cactus plants decorated with xmas lights for their night light. They even had a soap tray in the shape of a cowboy hat! "Hank" was ready to take your notes down on a chalkboard - in a moment's notice!
It was a little bazaar to see how acclimated they had become to the Texan way of life... and so soon!

Alright..., so Matt and I purchased the hick-wear for their home, and we cut the "texan by choice" sign out of the in-flight magazine on the way there. BUT, I have this sneaky suspicion, they will decorate with it again this year (now that we are headed that way!).

School Dayz

So... I started teaching again. I have the strangest, most challenging bunch of Kindy Kids to date. I have 13 boys. I have 6 girls. Those poor girls. I have 5 four year olds, and 5 kids that turned 5 the month that school began. I have one child that ONLY speaks Spanish. I have 3 more that are classified as English Language Learners. I have 3 children that were retained in Kindergarten last year due to behavior problems. I have one child with Cerebral Palsy, seizers, frontal lobe damage, and is clinically blind.

I am struggling.

The days are getting better... I think that there may be a light somewhere, in some tunnel that I could find.

I have drank a lot.

I have second guessed my career choice on more than one occasion.

But they are just so darn cute. Today, I played a new CD for them. They LOVED "Alphabet Rock." Sitting back, watching them dance is awesome... I don't know anyone who wouldn't enjoy watching 19 children trying to find a beat! I almost peed my pants - laughing so hard!

Tomorrow, I'm going to the fair to watch one of them preform her belly dancing routine with her grandma on stage! I can't wait! I wish I owned a video camera!

A Week Spent Differently

Matt and I went to Monterey for a week, in the beginning of August. Matt went to work. I went to play. Matt had a conference there, and spent every single morning and afternoon in class. I however had my days filled with fun events for spouses! I went to a culinary school and learned to make ravioli, pesto sauce, tomato basil soup, tiramisu, .... (and haven't made it since) - BUT IT WAS SOOOO Yummy!

I went to a state park and walked the beach with Christie and her daughter Malana... she is REALLY cute.

I went wine tasting... saw how all of it is made. Got to keep one of my glasses.

I went jogging on the beach down to the aquarium... which incidentally, was rented out to the conference people the night before and we got to eat dinner there... by candlelight... and the glow of the tanks! IT WAS SO COOL.

I went on a historical walk one day... learned all about Monterey. Filmed mainly the plant-life.

We ate dinner and breakfast together each day... but the rest of the time was completely different.

One night we got to go to a luau! It was interesting. The conference people "built the beach scene" on the beach! They brought in fake palm trees, lit bonfires, ... SO NEAT! They hired fire dancers too! Dangerous job. Freaks doing it. But entertaining nonetheless!

A good way to spend a week... And even though Matt was in class most the time - If you've gotta go to a conference,... Monterey's not a bad way to go!

Stagnant

Yes, I know... It's been a while.

It's not that we've been up to nothing - but rather - that we've been up to SO MUCH that we haven't had time to sit at the computer and relish in our thoughts and memories.

I'll try to catch you all up - a little at a time.

An expensive shave job

When we adopted our new cat, the lady from the SPCA told us that we needed to leave a $50 deposit (on top of adoption fees) that we'd get back once we got her spayed. The woman told us that she hadn't had the operation, and it was even possible (since she was a stray) that she might be pregnant - and to keep an eye out for her gaining weight. GREAAAT we thought. Just what we needed. A whole dang litter!

We responsibly, shopped around, found the cheapest spay job in town and made the appointment. We dropped her off at 7:30 in the am - got a call at 2:30pm saying that she had previously been spayed - and that we could come pick her up in about an hour when the medication they put her under with, had worn off. We panicked. Had they operated on her again?

Luckily, the vet was savvy enough to recognize the scar. BUT she was drugged and buzzed. We went to pick her up and Matt was expecting a refund for the spay (since they didn't have to do ANY surgical procedures)... they wouldn't refund us ANYTHING. So sad. It is the most expensive - bad hair cut. But, at least we didn't have to deal with stitches and the "kitty cone" they strap around their heads for a week! Could have been worse.

My Leprechaun

Matt mowes barefoot... which makes the yard not the only thing with makeover. Aren't they nice?!

Burn Baby, BURN!

Ideal location for the wood pile?? Hmmmm......

Don't JUMP!!!

It's fun to dream. Lately, Matt and I have been dreaming about owning a 5th Wheel -- nothing big. Just instead of tent camping for winters/fall/spring. I'm not so great with cold weather.

We go and look at them often. (Free Date - like Model Homes or Test Driving Cars, it's equally fun!) This one, they let Matt walk around on!

Thank God For Geeks!

What would we do for entertainment without the geeks? Everytime a new Harry Potter book comes out, Barnes and Nobles AND Borders throw these "after hours" parties for people who want to purchase a copy of the new book at midnight and can't wait for the store to open in the morning. They've just gotta read the book TONIGHT!

Don't get me wrong... I love the books as much as the next guy - I even own all the movies... But you won't find me dressing up in character and walking the streets of Bakersfield.

It has been our tradition, to go down to the parties and people watch the night away! I have to sadly say, the award for best costume representation goes to Fresno. Bakersfield tries, but not enough people are getting into it. I think the book stores need to offer a costume contest ... you know, to make it really worth my time.

This year, we intriuged my mother enough with our stories that she too wanted to come and watch the events unfold. It is hard not to point and laugh. Wrong to do... but REALLY hard not to. The Freaks and Geeks of the world are uniting on one night - every three years or so and most people are MISSING IT!

We happened on this finding sort of mistakenly the first time. -- Up in Fresno, visiting my cousin Brad (who worked for Borders). He told us to come by since they were giving out free cookies and punch. We don't miss out on free stuff! Once there, however... the cookies and punch weren't the highlight.

Here are some alright costumes from this year in Bakersfield. They made me smile.

Famous but Nameless!

Okay, so I know that with that past entry about finding myself on the Internet SEVERAL of you decided to follow my lead and Google your name. It's okay. It's nothing to feel embarrassed or ashamed about. EVERYBODY'S DOING IT!

My husband took things a step further however, and located us on two sights (by accident). Our names are no-where to be found, HOWEVER it is us, clear as day!

Check out: http://www.wolflakespark.com/ Click on "photo gallery" from their menu, go to page [3] of their photos and we (and our entire wedding party) are the 9th picture - walking beneath a HUGE eucalyptus tree.

Also, type in: http://www.vansphotography.com/
and we are the 1st picture on their home page!

Very exciting. Enjoy!

Four Score and Seven Years Ago

Alright, not 4 score. But 7 years ago, TODAY, we met!

Look at how youthful we both were! I was so nervous that night - I was pacing the house. Just think - what if you didn't stay that week with me and my family. Where would we be now?

Loved you the very first day. Love you more today.

What a 'spectacle' I'll make

... in my new frames!

You're All Invited!

So this year, when the Broncos win the Superbowl... We'll be hosting. You're invited (If you'll root for Denver!)

Second Guessing...

Seriously, WHAT WERE WE THINKING??!!

Alright, so we went to Newport Beach last weekend - and hadn't mowed the grass since the weekend before that... It'd been like 16 days. OH MY GOSH - CRAZY GRASS! I think that we may have been a little ambitious when we decided to plant grass through the majority of the backyard. We don't have horses - we have dogs!

Matt (mainly) and I were working on mowing for 3 days... in the 104-106 heat. We filled BOTH our 'green' trash cans (which is funny, cause we had to persuade the city to allot us with two!) which hold like 2 black trash bags each, and then I filled up 18 more bags!

Please note: this is JUST the backyard.
UGhhh! We need gardeners - or just to never go on vacation again.

A Little 'Moe' Time

Lately, I've been spending a lot of time with my sister Moe. I think that we've both hit the 'lull' of summer break and attempted to fix the stagnant days by seeking out one another. We've ran errands, browsed Open Houses, and played with our animals. It was nice yesterday, just to have someone to eat lunch and watch HGTV with. Sad, I know. Poor, pitty me, the girl who has too much free time on her hands, and doesn't have to go to work. I think I'm more of a "year-round school" supporter. These summers are long.

p.s. the little black dog belongs to my brother, Wayne.