New Years Day 01-01-10 (in binary code)

Happy New Year's!!!!

Today is the first day of the new decade... yea! 10 years down... 90 to go... It is a start to my second year or marriage...(one down... forever to go...) and it is the last weekend of my vacation (tear...) as I will have to go back to work in two days (sucky...) On our last day of 2009, we decided to go snowshoeing at Crystal.... See pic above... I was not digging the climbing up to the top without the ski lift... but here is a good pic of us at the top.

Next time, we go ski lift and slide down... not walk up and down...

As we start the new year... we are going to set some goals... we will not call them New Years Resolutions because those are made to be broken... we shall call them AYP's- adequate yearly progress- and they will be attainable...

1) Survive the school year... (not too difficult...)

2) Have that "baby" discussion... not that we haven't had it... just needs more clarification... i.e. timeframe that isn't "cloudy with a chance of meat balls"

3) Go on a vacation... I want to travel... I was thinking at least a road trip... Route 66???

4) Get debt paid off (now I have planned this to be accomplished by summer... however we will make it an AYP for the sake of not making it by summer... we will blame a sudden vacation or something)

All seem reasonable... not too crazy... not unrealistic... I refuse to make the "lose 10 pounds" goals because we all know that once it is gone.. it finds its way back... though I should utilize the gym more since I pay for it... so...

5) Go to gym more.... ( we will leave it as is... no specifics... just go)

Go 2010! May you be easier than 2009.

Three Weeks Left...

Three weeks left of summer before I have to be back full time... With a meeting here and there, I am quickly approaching the "oh S*@$! I have to teach now!" But some fun things did happen this summer... Like going to Denver and meeting my new nephew Peter.

We took him to his FIRST brewery tour...

Then I completed a Pre-Calculus content class- got an 95%... then Jeremy and I went to San Diego to visit my other nieces and nephew...

We went to the beach, Balboa Park, the science center (as seen with Giovanni checking out the "phone")

AND to the San Diego Zoo... where we found lots of things to look at...

Checking out the Pandas!

and just having fun!

NOW- finished a geometry class in one day! (go payraise) and need to teach a First Aid CPR class in a few days... the countdown will continue!!!

Oh Summer, I wish I didn't neglect you so... I didn't mean it when I was complaining of the raging heat... I swear!

First week of summer vacation!

My first week... what did I do?
1) I taught a class for two days to teachers who wanted to start their summer already but needed training days... did you know that teachers are THE WORST STUDENTS???
2) I went to the Fremont Solstice Day Festival... Missed the parade of painted naked bicyclists, but there were still remenents of them walking around... All Stella, Marlene, and I can say is "tiger-print chaps and a matching hat... no underpants included..."
3) Drove to Spokane, painted our rental house, decided that I am a princess and not meant for manual labor, drove home.
4) Haircut, Hair Dyed, met with friends from church, chiropractor visit, volleyball practice, massage, shopping with parents(I hate shopping with them), hopefully yoga tonight if I can build up the motivation...
5) Cooked two new dinners... don't think hubby liked the asparagus two days in a row though...
6) will be packing to fly to Denver tomorrow...

I'd say pretty much pooped, not that I got anything completely done...

the saga of pet-sitting...

just to catch anyone up... let us rewind to a few years ago... my sister went on a roadtrip with our cousin and came home with a dog. not just any dog... the now 45lb rat terrier, Harley. she, like me, found companionship during a down time with a furry friend (rewind to my first cat Tuesday, and fast-forward to my new cat, Violet)... but then came the day to return to college and then my parents ownership of the psycho dog...

fast-forward to present day. both my parents are now in CO awaiting the birth of their new grandson by said sister. I, and my (to blame) cousin, am left with dog sitting Harley until the parental units come home, in a week and a half!

I now have a new found appreciation for kennels. when the time comes for jeremy and I to travel to some distant exotic sun-filled land, we shall utilize such establishment to care for our now feuding cats. you see violet, our newest edition, is curious about daisy, our resident bitch. however daisy, in fine form, will hiss and run... violet, now tired of this stuck-up treatment, has now resulted in guarding the top of the stairs and chasing Daisy away (thus warranting her being grounded to the bedroom for a timeout) violet gets in trouble and gets seclusion... daisy gets jeremy to protect her and her bitchy ways. not fair...

so back to the Harley saga... I dropped off the dog at 11PM (school night mind you) and then proceeded to have to return to my parents house for jeremy's keys and wallet, which he left on the kitchen table. so...

now I am at home, still dealing with a headache and little sleep over weekend (remember I was watching the dog and he likes to bark and barely audible noises at 2:30AM...)

please students, be nice to the substitute teacher. it is embarrassing when they request not to come back to your room...

Flowers at the Tacoma Conservatory

Aren't these flowers pretty?I took these at the Conservatory in Wright Park, Tacoma. Now if only the tulip fields would start blooming...

Three month Hiatus... or however you spell it

so the wedding is over, the honeymoon over, half of WASL over, gymnastics for both high school and middle school is over, and now it is a "nice" rainy sping break... there should be rejoicing!!! one week of no work! two weeks until EASTER!!!, 10 more weeks of school once we actually go back, one more season of coaching left, 12 weeks until i should be able to go on a vacation... Life is good! just need to rejuvinate and get ready for the final push.

here is Mandy, Jeremy, and I waiting in line for fresh donuts at Pike Place Market... yes there was a long line... but it went fast...










what i need to focus on for next few weeks...

• start regularly going to gym (not talking my way out of it)


• start taking more pictures (love new photoshop program, now just need to use it)


• purging boxes of stuff that have been in storage for YEARS


• READ... for fun... for work... anything...

sisters at Alki Beach...

Christmas Eve

Merry Christmas!