8/31/10

Just a tiny post...

I just had to type this before I forgot about it. One of my students said a sweet thing to me in class today he said: "Alice, you are like the only one of my teachers that actually is excited and happy about their job!"

That is something I like to hear! It made me feel all warm and fuzzy inside!

8/29/10

A Fun (and laughter)Filled Weekend!



The week went very well. I HATE the first week. The first day is especially my least favorite. It ranks up there with the last day because you really can't do anything or expect that the kids will be on their A game. So in other words, it means I have to be on and it is really just the get to know you crap that I really don't care about. Okay..so that was maybe a little strong. I actually do like getting to know my students, but I really don't think I need games or worksheets to do so. I kinda like to just get at it! I am liking my classes. They seem to be fun already. It is going to be a fantastic year...because I said so. See, I have been using the word fantastic a lot lately. Somebody asks me how my summer was: "Fantastic." Somebody asks me how the first day went: "Fantastic." Somebody asks me how the weekend was: "Fantastic." You get the picture right? I figure that everything is going to be fantastic because I have decided that it will be fantastic. So take that dreary world of reality...it will be fantastic.

My friend, Alisha, visited from Logan for the weekend. She is wonderfully fantastic. Basically, when we get together, it is a party of laughter all of our waking hours. She arrived on Friday night and we stayed up talking until late. Then Saturday we didn't do much except watch movies and hang in our pajamas. We did get dressed to go to the drive thru at In-N-Out, and that seemed even a little much. I think we could have pulled off the pajama look from the car! It was hard to have her leave today because having her around is really non-stop entertainment.

Tonight, I went up to my other family's house in Sandy. They are always so good to me and I really like hanging out with the nephews. As you can see by the pics, they are also a hoot. Highlights were Spencer telling everybody that he was going to whack them in the bottom, Oliver putting food on his head, Henry being picky about his food and giving me lots of hugs, trying to convince Josh(the teenager) to come eat dinner with us, swinging the boys around, catching a little chat with Morgan about homemade laundry soap and bread, getting a million kisses from little boys, Oliver dancing to music, watching Bones, the boys loving their new Packer hats that I found in the airport in Minneapolis(aren't they cute) and eating way too much yummy brownies. It is so nice to have an adoptive family here in Utah. I love it and them!

Well, I must put myself to bed. It is kinda early for me but I really am not ready for tomorrow's school day so I better get myself into work a little early to plan. Oh the joys of being a teacher.

Here is to a fantastic week. Think it and it will be it! :)

p.s. I have caught a little bit of the Wisconsin accent. The title of the blog is true. How do I make it so I don't lose it?

8/26/10

Hot, Hot, Hot!!!


It was very hot today when I went running. I am still glad I went. Good thing there were trees along the path. I love my new Pe shorts as well. I could only find one pair, so the search continues.

The days are flying. I am going to be glad for a weekend though!

8/24/10

This is how Spencer Rolls these days.


This is my buddy Spencer. We have always been friends. Well, lately we are mostly friends but sometimes he likes to use me as a punching bag. He is cute so he gets away with it! He was rather funny on Sunday night. He went from cuddle buddy to The Hulk. Hilarious!

His brother Henry also made me laugh when he said: "Alice, thanks for coming. I kind of like you!" I love four year olds.

I also love teenagers. The first day of school went very quickly and smoothly. Only 179 to go!

Off to School


Well, today is the day...the first day of the new school year. It doesn't feel any different than yesterday or the day before but I am still just sitting in my bed. The view from here is often the same as any other day.

I don't feel as prepared as I could be, but I think that is the same way I felt last year at this time and the year before that and the year before that... I am excited to meet my new students today. I hope my PowerPoint works when I get to school and that all goes well.

I am actually pretty excited to get back to my Weight Watchers meeting tonight. Funny how that can be a highlight for me as well.

I better get motivated and dressed. What a day it is going to be.

I thought the photo of my brother from another mother with his new backpack would be appropriate for the first day of school. Doesn't he look ready?

8/22/10

Utah.


Well, I made it back safely to Utah. I was just in time to celebrate Morgan's(sister from my other mother) birthday. Sarah, Morgan and I went to The Olive Garden. We then played ladderball. The kiddos did a good job of being patient while we played so we decided to be nice and let them play a few rounds!

I bought a new Shark steamer. It cleaned my kitchen floor, stove, toothbrush holder, and bathroom sink very well. My house is still not up to my liking in cleanliness(who knew I had a standard, but lots of things about me seem to be different these days.) but in time it will get there. By the way, I LOVE the new little steamer. It rocks!

This weekend Megan came to visit me from down South. I just realized I did not take any pics from our adventures.(except of the walls in the hotel, cool eh? We shopped, ate, met Morgan and Derek and the kids in Provo Canyon for a bit(isn't Oliver adorable?), went to Salt Lake and stayed in a nice hotel, ate, and soon will eat again, then it will be off to Provo again and my Relief Society lesson at church. Nice little weekend.

Oh and I learned which sidewalk users should walk down in Provo Canyon. In case you were wondering! Silly signs make me chuckle!

Better go get ready to face reality. Cheers!

8/19/10

Last few days in WI


I am back in Utah but thought I would put the last few pictures of Wisconsin in here. Monday, Elijah and I helped my dad resurface the driveway. Tuesday, my softball team won both games which helped put us into second place(we were third all season and beat the number one team our first game on Tuesday). Now I am back in Utah and in denial. I have work in the morning and am trying not to think about it! It is hard!

Elijah was pretty funny both at our lunch break on Monday and he was the official filmer if the softball game. He did a good job. I will miss his silliness!

Back to denying reality!

8/17/10

The Packer Game.

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I went to Green Bay on Saturday with Marla. We went to lunch with two of my awesome Aunts. Then we went to watch the Packer game. It was do cool to be there. I had a blast being in Lambeau Field. So much history! It was a blast even if the Pack lost!

I was also able to have breakfast withy Grandma and other family members. Wish I had taken some pictures there. Oh well!

Good times. It is sad to think that I actually leave tomorrow. Sigh!

8/13/10

The Bestest Seester!


*This picture was taken yesterday after I had made Andi a sandwich. I didn't know if she wanted cucumbers or not so I just put carrots on her plate(she was on the phone making it hard to ask if she wanted some!). When she was off the phone, she said to me: "How come I don't get cucumbers with my sandwich?" This is why she got a cucumber tower.

Ten Reasons Why I Love My Sister:
1. She is my seester...hello!
2. She is kind and patient
3. She is just as wacky as I am.
4. She laughs at my jokes.
5. She picks on my just enough!
6. She has a cool car. (It is a lime green VW Bug)
7. She is generous. So generous, in fact, that she has let me drive her truck all summer long. She also bought me some prayer flags, stickers and a henna tatoo.
8. She is creative. She should be in the scrapbooking business. She is amazing. I wish I have the creative brain she does to work with paper!
9. She is an excellent mother who listens to her kids and wants the best for them!
10. She loved me enough to let mom and dad keep me.

Today is Andi's birthday and I was able to spend the morning with her. We celebrated with cake at breakfast...how cool is that? I haven't seen Andi on her birthday in about eight years because I usually have to be back to work by now. I guess there are some good things that come from losing a few of our professional days!

Love you Seester. Here is to this year being the best yet!

8/12/10

The Mine Company


I met some friends in Wausau at The Mine Company for dinner. Italian French fries are amazing. I should have taken a picture of them. Bummer. It is like eating in a real mine. Good experience with great friends. I posted two other posts below...don't miss them!

Boulder Junction Girl Play Day


My Seester, Mom, Niece and I went to Boulder Junction today for some fun. It is the Musky Capital of the World...I didn't see any! We shopped some of the cute shops. The first one was caled, People Lures. It is a play on Fish Lures. The jewelry was pretty but expensive. Their sign at their door made me smile! We also stopped at Mad Dog Jake's and had some wonderful ice cream. I had Bluemoon, which tastes like Fruit Loops with milk! It was fun!

8/11/10

Bike Ride


I rode my bike to Buck Lake yesterday. It was so pretty there. I also found a letterbox and hiked a mile through the woods. Great adventure!

Letterboxing Adventure.


I have found a few letterboxes this week. The one at the Rhinelander courthouse was very cool. It looks just like the dome. It was nice to find the box just before dusk and see the dome lit. I also love the carved Hodag with the eagle on top. Sorry for the bad lighting.

8/9/10

A Hunt



I again went hunting for letterboxes tonight. I found two and part of another. It was fun times. The courthouse is so pretty and the stamp the person carved for that box was very impressive. It was a good end to a good day. Elijah finished his stuff for Biology and only has his final test to be done with the class. Thank heavens!