Alaska

It's official!  John will be spending at least 6 weeks in Alaska this summer commercial fishing with my aunt, cousins, and cousins' kids. From what I understand its a 24/7 job for 6 weeks... someone on the crew is always fishing. I'm so excited for him to have this opportunity.  It is something he's wanted to do ever since he met me and knew that my relatives do this each summer.  Also, this news means I haven't actually lied to anyone!  I've been telling everyone that he'll be in Alaska all summer for the past several months.  So thankful I didn't end up lying.  However, it does mean that I won't hear from John for 6 weeks straight.  I'm not quite sure how to handle that.  My friends better be up for visitors!

Busy Saturday

Well I checked many things off my TO DO list today.   Not as many as I would have liked, but they all needed to get done sooner rather than later because each had a deadline.

• Taxes... State and Federal.  We're getting a nice return from federal, but owe for state due to a mix up by our payroll person/computer. Thankfully we don't owe nearly as much as most of the other people at school
• Walk of Hope- I've been volunteering from afar for the 2012 Scottsdale RESOLVE Walk of Hope
• I finally compiled my list of items being donated for the giveaways.
• I e-mailed all the newspaper people to see if any of them would be willing to do a write up about the walk.  
• I finally registered for the Walk of Hope myself (I have a deadline in my head that if I'm not done with National Board I can't go since its the weekend before it's due.  GOOD Motivation!) 
• National Board... I wrote for 4 hours straight today.  I'm still not anywhere near to being done... but at least I have a decent amount written and sent off to be read by my coaches.  So thankful for the AZ K12 Center and their support through this process.  It is a process!  

Nope, the house still didn't get cleaned!  And the laundry is never all the way done, even though John tries really hard to stay on top of it.  Here's to a refreshing, relaxing, and uplifting Sunday.  We'll be watching the Daytona 500!  (yes we plugged the borrowed satellite box in for the big race!) 

National Board Update

National Board is a swear word at our school these days...

It's kicking my trash!  Literally!  I keep forgetting other things I've said I'd do or that I've already done.

However, progress is being made.  I finally have started watching my videos.  I had 20 minutes of tape for my science entry.  It's amazing!  The kids did phenomenal and I checked off everything they were looking for.  YAY!  Now to go write that up.

On the other hand, I've watched 20 minutes of the FOREVER (over an hour) I spent taping for my social studies lesson and I don't think it's going to work.  Even though there are some GLORIOUS moments where my kids really shine.  All the other kids not on film are SO loud you can hardly hear the ones you're supposed to be able to hear.  Maybe it will be better once I'm not watching it on my actual video camera.  Ugh... I cannot come up with a whole new lesson/unit to video tape this weekend and still have enough written for my self imposed deadline of next Friday, March 2nd!

There's so much more involved in all of this... but probably shouldn't be said in writing for fear someone will take it to my boss.  The DRAMA at school is completely out of control!

Third Grade Fashion

This conversation actually happened in my third grade class yesterday.

Here's the scene: students are supposed to be finishing up their biographies... 2 paragraphs about a president. We had already done most of the hard work. Students were also anxious for lunch and our early out day.

Boy 1 is in his seat turned around staring at boy 2.

Boy 1:Dude, why are you wearing those jeans with those shoes? Your skinny jeans look so much better with those shoes!

Boy 2: Man, why you checkin me out?

Ensue Hysterical laughter from the teacher.

Valentine's Day in 3rd Grade

So for my kiddos at school I ALWAYS make individualized Valentine cards.  They are ALWAYS home made and I always write a special note to each one of them.  Not this year.  It just didn't happen.  I've been too busy and something had to give.  Unfortunately it was that.  However... Pinterest to the rescue!  I've been pinning Valentine ideas for a good month at least.  I used these two pins for my gifts to my kiddos.  The owl bookmarks are adorable, and my kids and I are always needing bookmarks.   The other was a starburst printable.  I can't find the pin at the moment, but I knew I had starbursts at school and could dress them up with this quick and easy printable.  Thank goodness for Pinterest and "grandma" (my mom).  She spoiled them with pencils, cookies to decorate, and more!!  She more than made up for me not being all thoughtful and prepared.

Happy Valentine's Day!

My Valentine brought me a dozen perfectly pink roses yesterday.  He's the best!

I hope you were as blessed as I have been!

Happy Birthday Arizona and LUSD#9

Here's an article about where I work and live. John's even interviewed. It's pretty neat to have the big city paper come all the way to our little town... even if it is from a newspaper in a whole different state.

To residents, Arizona Strip feels like different world - News - ReviewJournal.com

Happy Birthday John!

Yup, that's right.  John celebrated his 35th birthday on Thursday.

We had an extremely busy day.  I was at school for more than 12 hours.  It was our big 101 year celebration of being a school district.  (Yes that does mean we were a school district before AZ was a state!)

So needless to say, birthday cards from a bunch a 3rd graders (and their teacher) and a meal he didn't have to cook for dinner was about all the festivities he enjoyed on his actual birthday.

Oh, but of course the big news of the day is that we're going to have a new nephew.  That leaves my niece the only girl with soon to be 4 brothers.  (Why yes that did mean that Aunt Erika needed to step in and take her shopping.  One's never to young to learn the value of retail therapy!)

Yesterday we met up with his family and went to dinner at Outback.  I had the focaccia bread french dip or something like that.  It was delicious! I also tried out their new waffle brownie sundae.  Ate some yesterday and today and will have more tomorrow!  It's huge, and also very tasty!

Then he went to see Star Wars in 3D with his mom, nephew, and brother-in-law.  I saw pictures and heard all about the movie and all the people dressed up. It sounded like they had a good time!

Of course, his birthday festivities aren't over yet.  We still need to celebrate with my mom and Bob.  Then next weekend we'll head to Salt Lake for the 10 year anniversary of the Olympics events.  It will be a ton of fun!

Surgery

Well it finally happened today.  Only a day later.  I don't know exactly how they worked it all out, but I'm sure divine intervention was necessary!

So the cyst was gone.  There was NO cyst at all today.  However, she was FULL of endo.  It was everywhere.  The silly nurse that had done her ultrasound or talked to her about the results had said "everything looks normal, no endo here".  So of course Dana was really surprised.  But like I told her and my mom, you can't diagnose endo except through surgery.

So this is what I said to Dana.
 I'm happy you were able to have the surgery.  I'm happy it went well and there wasn't a cyst.  I'm happy their was endo that they could take care of.  I'm happy you had a cyst so that they could get you in for surgery (and you'd actually go see a doctor, for heaven sakes!).  I'm happy you're my sister and I love you.

I'm so thrilled there wasn't a cyst and that there's no cancer!  Such a huge relief for us all.  I'm also so thrilled there was no cyst so she could keep her tube and ovary.

Now, for a swift recovery!

Sister Update

So my mom drove to CA yesterday to be with my sister tomorrow when she has her surgery.

My sister has been on her mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for almost a year.  In that year I've talked to her twice on the phone, and by letter or e-mail every week.  So imagine my surprise when my phone rang and I said "Hello" into the phone only to hear her say hello back to me.

She held it together just long enough to get out that the insurance is being dumb and she might have to come home to have surgery.  Poor girl.   Stupid insurance.  They're throwing a fit because she's not having surgery in Utah (where my mom lives and insurance is based).

I feel awful.  I wish I could make it all better.  I'm praying the insurance will get their compassionate bone in line and just let her have the dang surgery tomorrow.  She feels like crap or worse already.  And she feels like she's letting everyone down because she's not able to live up to her "how I should be on my mission" standards she's set for herself.

Here's hoping she has surgery tomorrow, everything goes well, and her recovery is swift!

My new favorite time waster

Well, with no tv, John and I have found lots of new time wasters.

Our favorite by far is a program/app called Spotify.

We're in LOVE.  We love music and dancing around having a good old time.  So of course anything song at any time is hard to pass up! Honestly, we don't even really know a whole lot about how to use it or how it works.  We do know it has just about any and every song we would ever want to listen to on it.  We spent Friday night on the 90s station rocking out.  It was awesome.

Do you use Spotify?  Do you know how it works better than I do? Give me some pointers of how it works for realz.  Or, go try it out, let me know what you think.

My Food Co-op or how I try and eat healthier

How do you get your fresh produce?  Are you a grow it yourself family?  Maybe you can afford to just buy it at the supermarket.  Or how about buying it at a local farmers market?  We don't have any of that available to us at a reasonable price within a reasonable distance.  

Enter Bountiful Baskets.  

About 3 years ago I first heard of Bountiful Baskets on some blogs.  6 months later I heard of people in my huge surrounding area participating.  Almost 2 years ago a friend of mine became our volunteer site coordinator.  Myself and another friend are back-ups site coordinators.  

Bountiful baskets is completely run by volunteers.  No one is making any money.  Each week you choose to participate you log on and contribute your $15 (you only do organic?  no problem... they offer organic baskets every week for $25).  All the money goes into a pot and Sally and Tanya work to get us the freshest, best quality produce available.  

The best part is you NEVER know what you're going to get until you actually get your basket.  This has allowed us to try a whole slew of things we never would have bought at the store.  We usually get 6 different types of fruit and an additional 6 different types of vegetables.  It is WAY more than John and I can eat so we split it with another couple in our ward.  It works out perfect that way.  

They also have additional things you can order each week for an additional charge.  Their sourdough, rye, and honey whole wheat breads are our must haves!  We have also ordered cases of fruits or vegetables to can.  

So you want to know if there is a location near you?  Click here  to go check our locations.  Is your state not listed?  There isn't a site near you?  Grab a couple friends and request that a location near you be opened!  You'll be amazed by the value and help spread delicious food throughout your community. 

In full disclosure, I'm not being compensated at all for this post. I don't make any money for participating in or promoting the co-op.  I just love Bountiful Baskets and want every family to be able to enjoy fresh fruits and veggies at an affordable price.  

A new day

Well sorry about that last freak out post.  I seriously started at least 8 separate posts that same day.  All about very inconsequential things, but, couldn't finish more than one or two sentences about the topic when moments before I had loads of things to say.

While all the same things are still on my plate, I'm digging out slowly and taking one thing at a time.  I've also thrown myself into serving others in small but meaningful ways.  It helps me feel better.  Like I can do some good in the world, while still not having to tell myself what to do.

Today's job... get my desk at school cleaned.  And while it's not perfect, and there is a huge stack of papers on the floor next to my desk now... I feel like I was successful.  Amazing how such a small thing can make such a big difference.

Another huge weight lifted...Our plants are growing for my national board video taping lessons!  YAY!  We've been able to start practicing some parts of what I'm going to want my kids to do on the video.  Slowly introducing the various components.  Like using the computer to enter their measurements, their journals to draw and write in and rulers to measure with without ruining their plants.  Kids!