Also... Dad and I saw a bear! My first and his third.

Moved but not settled in

The last couple of months have been crazier than usual.

Then end of the school year - fellow teacher staying with me for a few days while she was in-between homes - Aya and family visiting for a week - packing up to move - Dad here for a week helping me move - the big (pain-in-my-bum) move - and today I finally turned in my key for the old place.

My new place is a MESS. It literally looks like a localized tornado broke out or that the boxes simultaneously puked their contents all over the place.

Yes. It's THAT bad.

Ugh.

This is why I waited 3 years to move - because I realllllly hate it.

I think I'll be much happier here... at least that's the hope. And I'm hoping I'll be healthier here. It's not nearly as dusty as where I lived before. They opened a gravel pit down the road from my old place last summer and it went from being annoyingly dusty to impossibly dusty. I would start at one end and by the time I was done dusting the other end of the place the first half would need dusting again. Disgusting.

I have high hopes for this place. A yard for Kaylee. A big front window for Sheba. A living room 3 times the size of my old one for me.

Yay!

Here are a few pictures from my last trip through the park:

Aya, D and Baby are here!

They're here for a few days and we spent today walking around one of the local towns and we took a short drive to the park. I'm especially happy with the bull moose pictures! It's only taken me 3 years to get pictures of moose with decent-sized antlers!

Recent Pictures

***You can click on any of the pictures to see a larger version.

This crazy house is located just off I-70, outside Denver. It was featured in the 1973 Woody Allen Film, "Sleeper." I like it because it reminds me of something from the Jetson's.

 Momma and yearling moose.

 Male moose... just starting to get his antlers!

Snip. Snip. Snip.

At School Board meeting and they're making MAJOR cuts.


- one elementary closed
- two high school sports cut
- increased student, activity, and athletic fees
- third year in a row with no pay increases for faculty or staff

I figured it out and after taxes I would be making $200 more per month without three years of frozen pay. That would sure come in handy with cost of living constantly on the rise.

It is in our contract that we get paid for our increased experience until we top the scale.

I'm looking to move to a smaller/cheaper place this summer cuz I can't afford my cost of living.

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Captain Jack Sparrow... You are a complicated man.

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Things you overhear on the playground...

This happened a couple of weeks ago...

"Do you think guys have to shampoo and condition their beards and mustaches?"

I told them I would ask my dad.... So, Dad?

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An evening...

Thursday evening I stayed late at work to finish a project. I then went to the grocery store to pick up a couple of things. As I was leaving I ran into four of my students. They took one look at my bag and one said, "Yum pizza!" And another said, "Oooo toilet paper. Are going to to somebody's house?"

Ah the mind of a middle school boy. And I had been wondering if I should be embarrassed about them seeing me buying tp.... Silly me!

When I got home I let Kaylee outside and I filled her food bowl. When I let her in Sheba was sniffing the filled bowl, as she does. Well Kaylee was whining and running back and forth between the food bowl, trying to chase Sheba off, and her kennel. Very odd behavior, even for her.

I went over to see what was up and discovered she had a bone in her mouth... some sort of rib bone. She was trying to protect her food bowl from the vicious feline AND keep her prize bone hidden and safe.

Now our "back yard" is really a small-ish, paved pattio area with a 4.5 ft wooden fence around it.

So my question was, "Where the heck did that come from?"

I checked and there wasn't a rotting corpse back there... which left two possibilities....

1. One of my neighbors threw the bone over their fence into my yard (we're all connected townhouses).

2. The second option, and I feel the most likely one, is that our little neighborhood fox has a crush on her and was trying to impress her. This explains his frequent visits, attempts at playing with Kaylee, and the bone miraculously appearing in our fortress-like back yard.

Now, unfortunately for Kaylee, I'm one of those insanely protecive moms and since I didn't know for sure where the bone came from, if it had been cooked and might shatter, I waited until she wasn't looking and threw it away. I'm a mean momma.

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Received some bummer news today after a long wait.

Very disappointed.

But life goes on.

On the way home yesterday

1 Element... aha ha... 2 Elements aha ha... 3 Elements aha ha.......

Hanging out in Albuquerque

I'm still here....

The school year is winding down, even though we still have four and a half weeks left.

This is the time of the year when we have field trips and assemblies, our last school dance and last band and choir concerts.... there's a lot going on.

In between all of that I've was bit by the "Spring Cleaning Bug." That's keeping me pretty busy on the evenings and weekends.

I donated a full trailer-load worth of old furniture and assorted items to a local church. They have a big fund-raising garage sale every year and they even sent someone to pick it up! I'm happy to be getting rid of stuff and that it's going to a good cause. They're happy because they got a bunch of free stuff to sell at their fundraiser.

I'm participating in another fund raising event this evening. This one is a Brain Bowl Competition amongst community members - we put together a teacher team - in order to raise money for our 8th grade boys to go to the National Brain Bowl Competition in Chicago this summer! Each team chipped in $50 and the money goes towards their trip.

Tomorrow night we have Portfolio night where the parents come in and check out their kids' portfolios.

And well... you get the point!

Busy days.

I'm taking a break this weekend - going back down to the Alpaca Ranch to visit with them and with my parents who will be there for a couple of days.

I like my fortune cookie from last Friday: "Over prepare, then go with the flow."

That's how I live my life.

That Time of The Year

There are only 6 weeks of school left.

and

The weather is wonky - rain, snow, rain, snow, rain, sun, wind, snow, rain, snow....

You get the idea...

They're bouncing off the walls... It's the hardest time of the year for the teachers and for the students. I'm always so glad when it's over.

Just 6 more weeks.

First video from set of The Hobbit!

I REALLLLLLY can't wait!

http://www.comingsoon.net/news/movienews.php?id=76430

Spring Break 2011

I spent a week at Victory Ranch visiting friends, spinning, crocheting, watching critters, a trip to the hot springs, and even some yoga.

EXACTLY what I needed.

*AchEEW!*... *SPLAT*

That's quite the wake up call... especially at 4 in the morning.

Now I realize that when you gotta sneeze - you gotta sneeze... but is it too much to ask for a kitty to turn her head to keep from sneezing all over my face in the middle of the night/morning? I mean really... that was a rude/gross awakening. I think Sheba is extremely lucky that my spidey-like senses kicked in BEFORE I reflexively smacked her in the face... I'm just saying...

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One day of school left until Spring Break and I'm ***almost*** done with the yearbook. I'm looking forward to relaxing with the alpacas.

Also, I found out this morning I still have a job next year - as of right now. I expected to feel relieved by that, but considering:
- they're talking about adding furlough days
- we're still under a pay freeze
- my opportunities to make extra money will most likely disappear
- I'm barely making ends meet as it is and
- it doesn't look like any of this will change for the next 2-3 years...

Yeah. I wonder why I'm not more relieved?

I'm thankful.... really I am. It could be so much worse... So I'm trying to stay positive,  but all the stress and worry is kind of getting in the way.

Dagnabbit.

Finished up two weeks of state testing and the play last week and tonight was the last night of bowling.

I'm feeling slightly more relaxed...

Looking forward to finishing up the yearbook this week and we should be finding out who's cut from work and who's staying on this week...

So.... a couple more big things coming up this week. Just three more days... that's what I keep telling myself. Then I'll be at the alpaca ranch, chilling with friends and critters galore.

I made it through the week, the day and thew play.

Thank goodness!

Time for sleep.

Two more days....

Two more days until the school play....

And as of this afternoon I am extremely nervous.

I'm just hoping they pull through for us in the end - like they did last year.

My co-director and I thought we had a good idea of what we were getting ourselves into this year - since we'd done it last year - but we now see that we were a bit ambitious. We chose an unknown play, not like the familiar Wizard of Oz. We also have a larger cast and a longer play... plus a few other challenges.

I'm just hoping for the best and looking forward to having 2 evenings a week back to myself!

Bowling

My Friday Night League had their end-of-the-year party tonight. I received a "Triplicate" patch for the night I bowled three games in a row with the same score. That's pretty rare and a total fluke!

I also received a "Doubles Champion" patch for winning the doubles tournament a few weekends ago. That was reallllllly awesome! I bowled with a lady from work and we both bowled over our averages and we won the tournament! We also got our names on the "bowling board" - you know the board all bowling alleys have? It's the one I always look at in awe and think "If only..." and MY name is on a "bowling board." EEEeeeeeee!

I should also have a 2-7 split pin coming my way for my first ever split!

This is added to what I won over three years in MN leagues:
- High Series patch
- 75 pins over average game patch
- 180 game patch
- 140 game patch
- 140 pins over series patch
- 500 series pin

I'm not a very good bowler, but I enjoy it and it's awesome to get prizes for something you enjoy!

Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter

 hehehe... Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter...

Busy, busy.... that describes the last couple of weeks.

I've been working long hours and weekends for various reasons, including play practices and yearbook creation.

Looking forward to Spring Break!

Tuesday night I was in the kitchen making dinner when I heard a loud hack sound in the living room.

I went in there to see what it as and Kaylee was looking at me really strangely. When I spoke to her she just sat there.... no tail wagging or head tilting.... so I knew something was wrong.

I got down on the floor and felt her chest and she wasn't breathing. I had just fed her dinner so I figured she was choking on a piece of food (she tends to inhale her food).

I had a moment of panic and then I did the only thing I knew to try - the heimlich maneuver. It didn't work at first.... it took several tries, but finally she spit out one piece of food. I swept her airway with my finger (eww) and then she was breathing.

The entire event lasted about 2 minutes, but it really did feel like forever. After I just hugged her and she shivered a bit and looked totally pathetic.

Stupid mutt.

She was up and around playing with Sheba half an hour later.

Enough with the flash already!

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Kaylee and I spent this past 4-day weekend at the Alpaca Ranch. It was a much needed break after a few rough weeks.

Kaylee wore herself out running around and sniffing the entire time. She actually snored for almost the entire 7 hour trip home and all Monday night.

I helped out a little bit with halter training the "Kindergartners," bottle fed Iggy once, and I even did a bit of mucking. I've been there quite a bit, but that's the first time I scooped the poop. It's not really so bad. Alpacas and Horses are comforting smells to me... as odd as that may sound. Cows, chickens and pigs reek. You wouldn't catch me scooping their poop!

I missed my first day of school yesterday thanks to the migraine that wouldn't end. It started Monday night and didn't go away until around 3pm yesterday. I felt better so I went ahead and worked at the high school basketball games, but had to leave early because I was feeling worse again. And today, during school, I had my ups and downs. I feel better now and I'm just hoping it is gone for GOOD this time. Not fun.

I'm trying so hard not to stress about all of the budget cuts, but our district is already needing to cut another million for next year and the community is all up in arms about the possibility of closing two elementary schools.... Then today the headlines all over Colorado are proclaiming the governor's new proposal to cut $375 million to public schools, $497 less per kid.

Ugh.

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Just received allergy shot... first tine they've repeated a dose. I had a good-sized lump on my arm for two days after the last one... and it was quite tender.

Choosing an optimistic outlook - that means it must be working.

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A week later....

A week of grief and stress and more talks of budget cuts and trying to get back to "normal."

Thursday night I went to a budget work session in which the board of education (school board) and administrators discussed all of the possibilities they have to chose from.

I almost don't have a tongue left - I spent half the time biting it so that I wouldn't burst out with what I really thought when the "audience" spoke up.

How about some positives....

I've swapped my 8th graders for 7th graders this week and when I see the 8th graders in the hallway they all tell me they miss me :)

Also, I just saw my first interview with (Sir) Anthony Hopkins and I have to say he seems like a very intelligent man (no surprise), but he also has an excellent sense of humor (a bit of a surprise). Loved it.

Every teacher dreads the day when one of their students (current or former) passes away. For me... today was that day.

A student I had last year and the year before committed suicide last night. She was a perfect case of "the last person you'd ever expect."

I was greatly shocked and saddened by this news, but the worst was the student reaction. We are a very small community and something of this magnitude affects everyone. I spent first hour comforting crying/balling kids and at one point I was afraid I wouldn't be able to get the sound of their crying out of my head. My classes were eerily quiet throughout the day, but it did seem to get better as the day wore on. 

Uncertainty...

In a room somewhere (10 blocks away), a group of important people (the school board) is making some very important decisions that will affect an entire school district of people (and me).

Tonight's the night.... maybe.... The school board may come to a consensus tonight on how to cut $1 million out of next year's budget OR they may drag it out another 2 weeks.

Uncertainty.... gotta love it.

Can u guess what I'm doing?

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3rd shot down. Trying to juggle work with the clinic's hours. Don't want them to start docking my pay - in addition to what I'm paying for allergy shots. Think I've figured something out. Let's hope it works.

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My Girls

Sheba shows affection by reaching out and touching those she loves... purring loudly... and smacking them with her tail.

Kaylee was getting the paw pat and I was being smacked by the tail.

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1st and 2nd allergy shot down.... so far so good. I haven't had a reaction yet, though they/doctors/nurses keep telling me I will.... thanks for the encouragement people.

Yay! and Yikes!

I had my very first Etsy customer purchase something on January 5th. She was the first Etsy-only customer. My other Etsy customers had all bought something at the Taos Wool Festival last October. ANNNNND she just bought another skein of yarn! Another repeat customer! Thus the "Yay!"

As for the "Yikes!" I found a bump on Kaylee's chest while we were in Texas and I took her to my vet there who said it was probably nothing, but I should keep an eye on it.

So I did.... I kept both eyes on it.... and it started bleeding and then it turned black.... and my eyes didn't like what they were seeing.

I took her to our local vet last Saturday for her vaccinations and to have the bump looked at. He said it *could* be cancerous, but the only way to find out would be to remove it and send it to a lab. After a bit of consideration and a talk with my mom I decided to have it removed and sent to the lab.... that way I'll know one way or the other. The vet removed the lump today and I just picked her up. She's a bit groggy, but doing well. She's actually sleeping with one of her favorite toys right now. I'm trying to think positive thoughts. I'll have the results in 7-10 days.

Sunrise in the Rockies

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Happy Birthday Dad! =0)

You would not believe the student reaction to my hair. I didn't think it was that big a deal, just fun, but it was so distracting it almost disrupted class at times. They were full of questions.
Hilarious the things they stick on to.

In other news... we've already had two students drop out of the production. Not a good start : /

And picture time :)

This is Iggy, the lil guy I bottle fed at Thanksgiving:


A couple of pictures from the end of fall/beginning of winter:




And while I was moose watching Kaylee was Aspen watching.... How adorable is she?


Yesterday I learned a couple of new crochet stitches and applied them in a pattern for fingerless mitts. It simulates cable knitting... I'm pretty happy with them :)

lol

Cut. Straightened. Feathered.

Woot!

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Kitty Patty Cake

Pre-Holiday Madness

DUM DUM DUM

Ugh. 32 years old and almost 3 years of teaching and I still get knots in my stomach when the principal calls me to his office. I wonder if that feeling ever goes away?

I'm pretty sure my fear of getting in trouble won't just suddenly disappear... so I may be stuck with the knots.

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Alpacas & Friends

I had a great Christmas and I enjoyed seeing all of my family. I was able to see all of my cousins and all but one aunt.

Kaylee enjoyed playing with Kodi and Robi. She strained a muscle the other night and scared me half to death. She could barely stand up and I thought something was seriously wrong with her. The vet said it's most likely a pulled muscle and I should keep an eye on her she also gave me some anti- inflammatory medication.

Kaylee and I are at the alpaca ranch, I wanted to get out of town before New Years and it's a great excuse to visit my friends at the ranch. I even remembered my camera this time so I will post some pictures.

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Merry Christmas!

Trying out my new Blogger app :) Enjoying my Christmas presents this year.

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Figured out how to send text messages on my new phone but now I need to figure out how to send picture messages

Woot!

Made it through bowling last night, but we were the last ones done. Didn't get home until almost 10:30. Yikes.

In other news.... IMDB has just posted the first trailer for the new Pirates of the Caribbean Movie:


Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides

at bowling. just started and one of our lanes broke down... they're trying 2 fix it, but it may be a loooong night

if only i were still a child

LOL @ wrestling tourney and a Jesse Ventura looking guy just came over, scrithched Kaylee and spoke baby-talk 2 her. Yes, she's THAT cute!

walked around downtown with dad... then i stumbled into/upon a survivalist store... unsuspecting me... their sign was so inocuous.

At an alpaca ranch in New Mexico. I'm with my parents and some friends. We had a tasty dinner, followed by birthday cobbler.

I lost at Scrabble, but just bottle-fed a baby alpaca... talk about adorable! I think that more than makes up for my defeat!

I'll try to get some pictures of the critters while I'm here. I forgot my camera :(

/bangs head on desk....

But Mom and Dad both brought cameras and they're willing to share.

What a day...

I'm officially 32 years old.

We had a massive staff potluck/lunch. And if that didn't do it then it must have been the 4 cakes that filled me up.

Vanilla cake with home-made chocolate icing and fondant computer mice:


Chocolate cake with home-made vanilla icing and a computer screen with the apple logo:


Another chocolate cake with vanilla icing (the kids got to it before I could get a pic of the entire cake):


There was a pumpkin cake made by another student (and his mom), but it was gone before the camera came out too....

And my first class of the day started off right....


There were also 3 balloons (one signed by staff and students), assorted candy and cards.... And the one that really made me want to cry... A student that gave me chips and sesame seeds - part of his lunch. He wouldn't take no for an answer.... he wanted to give me something and I know that's all he had.

Days like today make me think I could never do anything else...

Threw a party tonight.... 10 people (including me) and 2 dogs (including Kaylee). Sheba was relegated to the upstairs bedroom... we were very cozy.

Was a good party. They even brought me a cake and flowers :)

/feels loved

Number 32 is around the corner... this coming Thursday.

Well the voters of Colorado defeated the three measures which could have been detrimental to Education, Transportation and pretty much ALL public services. I'm very grateful to them.

Of course the governor just released his budget which reflects a GIANT rescission to Colorado Education. Potential cuts this year of another $500,000 and next year another $900,000.

/sigh

One more reason to love Glee...

Like I needed one...

New guest star (rumored to be a 'series regular' soon-ish), Darren Criss, and his "Warblers" singing.... /sigh

Just Dance

Most fun I've had in a long time.... Wii's Just Dance.

Note to self:

When the smell of cooked or raw fish/seafood makes you feel nauseous do NOT - under any circumstances - go down to the 7th grade science classroom when they are dissecting sharks. No matter how "cool" your students say it is.

I can still smell it...

/shudder

working vb tourney. 12 to ? looking more like 6... was hoping 2b home by 4 so i could do some grading... ah well... i guess that could wait til 2morrow morn...

Glee's Rocky Horror was both awesome and msg-packed. And as for never say never... i actually agree with something Sue Sylvester said 2nite.

Congrats to the Texas Rangers! For the 1st time EVER they've made it to the WORLD SERIES. Woah! Good job fellas :)

/sigh

12.5 hr day = long day

And I learned something unpleasant - something work-related. Can't say anymore than that, but.... You know that saying: "What comes around goes around"?

I sure hope it does.

On the plus side... I've got my kiddos using Google SketchUp, a 3D drawing program (think beginning CAD).

When I first looked at SketchUp I felt really intimidated. I'd never used anything like it before and I wasn't sure I could learn it, much less teach it to my students.

However, I found some awesome tutorials (some of the best video tutorials I've ever seen) and I learned the basics very quickly.

When I presented it to the kids I told them of the real-world applications of programs similar to this, which they were excited about. I was also very upfront about my lack of knowledge. We watched a couple of the beginning tutorials together and I walked them through creating a very simple chair. I told them that I was still learning this program and that we could learn together. I encouraged them to teach me new things they found (and they have been).

They LOVE it and the things they're coming up with are AMAZING! The project they're working on now is a challenge: create something in 3D that really showcases the 3D aspect of this program. I've got kids working on everything from skate parks to mansions, high-rises to basketball courts, and even a spaceship.

They're so into this project... I love seeing them excited about learning and excited about technology.

Thank you Borders!

Last weekend I entered a contest for "Educator Appreciation" and I received a phone call on Monday saying I had won!

I went and picked up my prize yesterday and it included all of the following:

- a clippy magnet
- an address book
- a journal
- a set of four magnetic page clips
- Crossing by Andrew Xia Fukuda
- The Bean Trees by Barbara Kingsolver
- The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho
- Fabelhaven by Brandon Mull
- How to Read Novels Like a Professor by Thomas C. Foster
- a handsome carrying tote holding all of the above items

Lucky me! I definitely feel "appreciated"

And it gets better.... They were having a $1 book sale... I grabbed 7 books for $7.58!

YAY!

I'm currently reading a $1 find - The Manual of Detection by Jedidiah Berry.... and I'm liking it!

RED = awesome!

"Dog!"

I was in the front office for a while during 1st hour (my planning period) and when I walked back into my locked classroom I heard a man saying something about ".... give me the dog."

And it happened again...

"No seriously, we want the dog."

And again....

Basically the head tech guy and gal can take over any computer in the district and apparently can make them say whatever they want.

I exchanged some humorous emails with the techies first hour.... It was the main guy doing it.

He did it a few times during 2nd hour and Homeroom, freaking my kids out totally. Imagine sitting there and all of a sudden your computer starts talking to you.

The techie guy came in after school and was teasing me - asking me if I was feeling alright... did I need to "Talk with someone" because I was "hearing voices."

Best part....

While he's standing there giving me a hard time every computer in my room, all 30 of them, says "Dog!" and he jumped out of his skin.

He says "That scared the crap out of me!"

Karma.

The Halloween Phantom

I heard a knock on my door this evening and when I went to check it out there was a sheet of paper and a cookie on my porch.

The letter said:

Dear Neighbor,

You have been "Hit" by the Halloween Phantom!! You must now strike TWO neighbors, or the Phantom will haunt you for the rest of October! OH NO!

PS you must place a note stating you have been hit outside your door so the phantom doesn't strike again!

Love always XOXO
Your Neighborhood Phantom

Now this alone was funny.... but since I was outside I decided to let Kaylee go potty. She headed around the side yard and we both heard a sound....

Kaylee went on point and said "Woof!"

I heard hysterical giggles and Kaylee ran around behind me.... yes behind me. She is apparently an "alert dog" after all.

Around the corner of the house were two kids (one of my students and her little brother).

We were all laughing and trying to figure out who had left the original note on their door... which had prompted them to "hit" me and one other neighbor.

hehehe.... "Woof!"

at theater wtg 4 social networking 2 start. i'm the youngest one here.... interesting.

First Snow

Kaylee and I encountered the first snow of the season on our way to (and for a good part of) book club.

I just learned their doing a Rocky Horror themed Glee with some of the original cast...

And The Taos News posted a 4.5 min video of the Taos Wool Festival.

Dad shows up at the very beginning in a quick clip and Kaylee and I made it in around the 3 minute mark (lightning quick clip).

Check it out and see what you're missing every year!



Don't you want to attend next year?

Repeat customer... already!

I just received an email from a lady who bought some handspun yarn from me at Taos and is asking for more!

My first repeat customer!

/happy