Fully Rely On God

more new school

2009-11-25T22:06:00.000-08:00

2009-11-11T15:20:00.000-08:00

Monday our staff had the privilege to walk through our new school and see the progress. Here are some pictures of what we saw.

The stage in the cafeteria was a big surprise to everyone.
We thought we would have to do a lot of fund raising not
only for our new playground equipment.

This was our other surprise. We knew we were going to
have places to plant but no clue they would be so big.
It was like early Christmas for one of our kindergarten teachers.

My new classroom! The desks look a little funky;
but it's beautiful!

Our Library. Well this is just the front desk. There
were too many people wandering around so this was
the only shot I could get.

Conference room. The chairs look comfy

Principal's office but I doubt he will spend much
time there he is always visible.

Front desk in office

Our staff lounge, yay!

Anniversary

2009-10-23T19:12:00.000-07:00

This weekend is my 1 year anniversary of becoming pet parent to Mocha. Even through the struggles of house training, she has brought so much joy into my life. I can hardly wait to get home from school each day because I know she will be waiting at the back door for me.

Saturday, October 24
Today I got this wild idea to trim Mocha's hair myself. I think it actually turned out nice. Of course the rest of the evening she wouldn't come near me unless I had food or treats.
She tolerated me messing with her hair pretty well but was not very cooperative for photography.
It's a good thing I blew off the bath for the evening, because then she really would have been running from me.

New School Progress

2009-10-23T18:35:00.000-07:00

We are still on schedule to move to our new school the week of Thanksgiving (we will begin classes there November 30). Here are a few pics of the progress. Despite some of the negativity and pessimistic attitudes I am excited.

Long Time!

2009-10-23T17:36:00.000-07:00

Wow! It has been so long since my last post. It was a busy summer and definitely did not slow down when the school year started. In my eight years of teaching this year's first week was the roughest I have had. I think my class finally began settling down about the 6th week of school, but it was short lived (still have some behavior issues to work with).
While all that was going on I also had some medical issues to take care of, but I think I have all that under control. God has definitely given me situations where I have had to learn to fully rely on him.
Praise Him!

2009-07-17T17:32:00.000-07:00

Today Mocha and I took another bike ride but she didn't cooperate for the camera. She did like the ride however.

Before take-off, but of course she didn't want to look at the camera (or she was trying to comfortable).

This picture was sooooooo funny. I couldn't get her to look at the camera so I had to turn it around as if I was taking a picture of both of us but I really only got her (thank goodness because I looked awful from being sweaty...ick!)

New Ride!

2009-07-16T11:17:00.000-07:00

While I was in Phoenix I got a basket for my bicycle (as suggested by one of the residents in Showlow at the RV park). Mocha was not too sure about it at first but she seemed to enjoy her maiden voyage today (forgot to take pictures sorry). We didn't go far (just down the street to get laundry change at the car wash). I had to put a cover on the basket because her little toenails were getting caught in the holes of the mesh.

Summer Fun

2009-07-16T11:01:00.000-07:00

Recently Mocha and I went out of town to Phoenix and Showlow, Arizona. Mocha especially enjoyed the new scents in Showlow. I don't know that she was too thrilled about meeting other critters or people.

Enjoying the cool climate of Showlow

2009-07-16T10:18:00.000-07:00

In this picture she discovered princesses bone; it's bigger than her head

Exploring other interesting scents

Yum!

check out this link

2009-07-02T15:56:00.000-07:00

I hope this works, because I have never tried submitting a post with a link. Anyway the article about teacher of the month will be in tomorrow's paper.
paloverdevalleytimes.com

Progress and Delays

2009-06-25T10:42:00.000-07:00

Yesterday several Appleby staff members were called into meet with our superintendent about the progress about our new school. The good news is the carpet will be installed in a couple weeks and at this time they are in the process of installing the cabinets. The bad news is the school will not be ready for us to begin the new school year in August. They have proposed that we do the complete move Thanksgiving week. In the meantime they will begin moving our portable classrooms so some of us will teach the first trimester in cubby hole classrooms (oh boy). We have been told however that we may have access to our new classrooms at some time during the first trimester and there is a possibilty that we will have new furniture when we do begin using our new school (fingers crossed).

This is the ceiling near the Kindergarten classrooms; with skylight windows

this is what my classroom will look like minus all the construction material etc.

Each classroom facing the playground has a door leading out to the playground; very convenient (I was able to make my request and requested one of the classrooms in this picture and the picture above)

The following pictures are of our cafeteria, very spacious with future promise of a stage. We have local businesses working to raise$$$$.

This is the food service line. Our kitchen was built very large with the future in mind (our district kitchen).

School's Out!

2009-06-13T07:22:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was the last day of school. Because summer school is not a go, I will have 2 months to relax and rest. The news of no summer school was bittersweet. I was disappointed that I will not have that extra check but relieved that I have more sanity time. Of course I am beginning my break being sick. I had a sore throat Thursday afternoon but it seemed to be better yesterday. It seems I relapsed last night and now I barely have a voice. It's a good thing I don't need to have a voice for worship at church. I am involved with sound and projection. As long as I don't have a fever I am good to go.
I will probably do a little traveling this summer and try to do a little cleaning around my apartment. I want to get rid of some things in my guest bedroom so I can actually get to the bed. I hope to also develop a workout routine. I have a gym membership but have not been consistently using it (only once since January to be honest). Perhaps the exercise will help the heel pain I have been experiencing.
In the meantime I need to finish packing my classroom. Though there is no guarantee that we will be in our new school in August we still have to box up everything before checking out. I am hoping to be finished by Wednesday. I have some things I will bring home and some I will store at a friend's. What a job!

Teacher of the Month

2009-06-13T07:09:00.000-07:00

At a recent Wednesday assembly I was named teacher of the month. I was given flowers from the previous teacher of the month, will have my picture in the local paper with my students and the principal, and get to use a special parking spot through the end of the year and into the next until the next teacher of the month is acknowledged.

A picture like this will be in the local paper sometime next week. I will post a link when it comes up. I also made prints of this picture for each one of my students.

our field trip

2009-06-13T06:33:00.000-07:00

This was three weeks ago but now that school is out I have more time to update my blog which is still out of date. Anyway in May we had our annual third grade trip to the Living Desert in Palm Desert, CA. Anyway this student took to this little critter, I was more inclined to look at it and take the picture. I am not a big fan of reptiles (tortoises and turtles are ok), in fact I sent my group into the reptile room with the other chaperone. The kids had a great time, and behaved pretty well but wore me out keeping up with them.

This fox is about a year old

Group photo. Wish I had taken one of the other group from my class.

Another view of the fox cub

This is Linus, I remember seeing Linus last year at their show.

I don't remember the name of this serval. They do a great job training and caring for their animals.

This little guy is pretty cute, but not a good friend for Mocha:)

New School

2009-05-21T20:56:00.000-07:00

Here is the latest on the progress of our new school. This time we saw some interior. They say soon all the doors will be up and the building will be secured.

new school continued

2009-05-21T20:44:00.000-07:00

outside view

Cafeteria

2009-05-21T20:19:00.000-07:00

Our new library will be nice (kinda a crescent layout). Can't wait to see the finished product.

Classrooms; doesn't look like much right now but there's potential. Despite other skeptics I am excited to see the progress.

Recent Project

2009-04-26T21:26:00.000-07:00

I have been trying various ways to keep Mocha in the patio area (she has only run off once but didn't get too far; don't want to take that chance again). I also got tired of hurdling my makeshift fence and nearly falling on my face. So I created a fence and gate with already used lattice. It definitely is an amature job but after working on it for two weekends, an accomplishment. It needs a little more work but that will have to wait. I have other projects that have been put on hold.

After Bath Wrap

2009-04-26T21:19:00.000-07:00

Last Sunday I gave Mocha a bath. Rather than drying her with the hair dryer I wrapped her in a towel and she was dry in a about ten minutes. Because I had not washed her bedding I used the towel for her bed.

bye bye birdie

2009-04-10T07:48:00.000-07:00

I am sad to anounce that my other bird has died. I had come home briefly during my hair coloring (goop still in my hair) to let Mocha to take care of business, only to discover that my bird was laying at the bottom of the cage. I had to get back to the salon so I didn't have time to be too sad about it. All I had time to do was remove her from the cage, put her in the dumpster (i know not quite a proper burial), put the cage outside.
As I cleaned the cage (when I returned from the salon), I was thinking that I hadn't heard her chirp for a while and wondered how long she had been "gone." She had food and some water, though a little dirty. Though quiet, I'm pretty sure she was fine the night before. Anyway no more birds for a while.

Appleby Progress

2009-02-26T18:34:00.000-08:00

This evening after my hair appointment I went to the "new" Appleby campus (I missed the tour).
As you can see there is definitely progress.

Freedom Outside

2009-02-21T18:44:00.000-08:00

Today I created a bigger area for Mocha to play out on the patio by moving the lattice so it is running across the walk way. I also added a piece of lattice in front of the gate at the other end. She played outside leash free for quite a while.

Mocha Has "Bling"!

2009-02-21T18:36:00.000-08:00

Mocha got her stitches out this week and more shots. So now she has her tags. I don't know how well you can see them in the pics. She wasn't be very cooperative.

Aw, so sweet!

2009-02-13T20:14:00.000-08:00

Mocha has a new friend

2009-02-13T19:23:00.000-08:00

No I didn't get another dog! My neighbor did, and she asked me if I would mind looking after her while she and her husband went to a dinner party this evening. The first thing I thought was a play-date for Mocha. They played well for a while until I almost crushed the little one under my recliner. I don't think I hurt her but she did cry and whimper a bit. I held her for a while but Mocha was getting jealous of that so I got her to settle down and sleep on the futon and Mocha settled down on my recliner, and I am on the office chair at my computer so we are all in our separate corners:) Any way above are some pics of "our" exciting evening with "TAZ."

Pitiful Pup

2009-02-04T17:16:00.000-08:00

I guess you can say she looks pitiful in these pics.

Mocha is home

2009-02-04T16:57:00.000-08:00

Mocha came home today. Her incision looks good but I am still nervous about keeping it clean and keeping her still and quiet. She wants to jump on the recliner (already succeeded once). Though not thrilled about it at first she seems ok resting in her crate. I just have to keep an eye that she doesn't lick (she doesn't have to wear a cone so no pitiful pics to take, sorry). She goes back on the 17th to have her stitches removed and receive her next series of shots.

Mocha is having surgery

2009-02-02T16:33:00.000-08:00

I dropped Mocha off at the vet hospital this afternoon. She will be having her (spay) surgery tomorrow. She is also getting her first adult shots. Though I'm not as traumatized over leaving her as I expected, it is different to not have her scratching at my leg as I sit at my computer, or sitting on my recliner. It may not hit me until I am ready to go to bed or get up in the morning to take her out, or maybe not at all.

2009-01-05T18:40:00.000-08:00

Every year my sister-in-law Kim blesses us with an obnoxious jigsaw puzzle to work as a family. Though it wasn't as bad as the M&M puzzle at Bella Beach it was a doozey. Thank goodness there was plenty of chocolate to eat:)

No Fear!

2009-01-05T18:31:00.000-08:00

For a premie nearly nine years ago Carly tries just about any adventure. While we were at the Zoo the other night She wanted to ride a camel and climb a wall. In fact she won both times against her (nearly 12 yr old) brother but they both had fun.

2009-01-05T18:28:00.000-08:00

Zoe enjoyed dancing to the holiday music at Zoo Lights (Phoenix Zoo). New Years night

2009-01-05T18:26:00.000-08:00

Mocha and Butter played together nicely

2009-01-05T17:55:00.000-08:00

Carly and Mocha were pals just about from the moment they met.

Happy New Year

2009-01-05T16:57:00.000-08:00

I pray everyone who reads this had a blessed Christmas and 2009 is beginning well for them. I spent most of my break in Phoenix with my parents. Though I only spent an hour in my classroom at the end of break, I took some work with me. This helped pass time when my parents worked in their home-office. Mocha did better with Princess this visit. She basically ignores her now. She also did very well learning to do her business outside, and really enjoyed just wandering and sniffing the backyard especially in the sun. This spoiled me too because after a few days there I just let her out the back door and let her back in a while later. School is back in session and the day was fairly easy but Mocha and I have to re-adjust to the routine of going out on the leash (only reason to look forward to the wamer weather:/
I went to Christmas Eve service with my parents at the Episcopal church. The service was nice but what caught my ear the most is the minister mentioning the importance of having a relationship with Christ. I don't know if my parents "heard this message," but I was impressed and encouraged.
I carried on a tradition of making a donation to an organization in lieu of giving gifts to my parents and brothers and their spouses (as we get older and become gainfully employed it is harder to shop for one another, then there is the old line don't shop for me). I also began a tradition of giving my niece and nephew a small gift and a coupon for a movie or some outing with their aunt. This year we went to see Bedtime Stories. Cute!
Better tend to my puppy. She seems clingy/needy this evening.

Happy Holidays!

2008-12-05T20:37:00.000-08:00

This took many shots to get. Very much worth it.

All Dressed Up!

2008-11-15T08:04:00.000-08:00

So she's a bit late for Halloween but she's cute.

New Puppy

2008-11-06T19:56:00.000-08:00

Her name is Mocha, she is 7.5 months

I am not biased when I say she is the cutest:)

Mission Accomplished

2008-01-26T21:40:00.000-08:00

I have been trying to create a dvd from my New York pictures and I finally completed the mission. Now I am starting on another dvd project but it is top secret to some reading this blog. Hopefully I complete the project before my 21 day free trial on the multimedia program I have. I am really getting into this multimedia thing.

It's a start

2008-01-20T22:55:00.000-08:00

This is something new for me inspired by my friend Heather. The picture is outdated but I'm sure I will be changing it frequently now that I know how easy this is:)

FROG

2008-01-20T22:31:00.000-08:00

When I saw this acronym (FROG) on a license plate I commited to make it my daily prayer and to love him even more.