Monday, August 23, 2010

Back 2 School and a little more...

School started today...it didn't really feel like a first day! I think it's because I've already been back to work for a few weeks...the kiddos just fell into the routines so quickly which was fantastic and I feel that it's going to be a good year! I'm sure that I'll have a few stern moments, but what teacher doesn't! I am also the second grade team leader, which also means that I am going to be a lot busier this year! I decided to start off the year making some fun crafts (yeah, I said crafts) for the gals on my team! No, I don't do crafts all of the time and it was fun to do these for the girls!


I decided to make those fun clip boards that everyone has. I also made some flower pens with matching pots, and a board that we put outside our classrooms telling people where our class is at if we're not in the room.


A closer look at the pots and pens...


One of the clip boards...


These were so much fun to make! I just kind of winged it and this was the end result!


Oh yeah...I made the girls lanyards too...we always have to carry around our ID badges, keys, whistles etc. so I thought these would work! They're thin and can fit everything on them! I also only had to sew a straight line which was a bonus! (I'm definitely NOT a world class seamstress...a straight line was a stretch!)


When we were in Stanley, I found these fun postcards that would give advice from things in nature! I really liked the Advice from a Mountain card and felt that it applied to our team this year, so I bought all of the girls one and told them to put them in their classrooms!


A closer shot if you want to read it!


I has been SO HOT here in Houston! The humidity makes it feel so much worse so when we get home from wherever we are we all end up sitting around in as little as possible! For Caleb it's just been a diaper and a t-shirt. I put him down for a nap and went in to see if he was up and found a naked bum!
Caleb doesn't normally strip, but must've felt the need this day! He also loves to put his books on his bed to look at them...just his size!


Don't you just want to pinch that bum??


Adam and I also celebrated 7 years of marital bliss on the 15 of this month! We decided since we went on our big vacation, that that would be our big gift! We also bought each other some fun DVD's to add to our ever growing collection, the 1/2 doz assortment of cupcakes we LOVE, and Adam bought me flowers! I stole this pic from my brother's blog from Nikki's wedding! Adam and I can't believe it's been 7 years! It's only going to get better in all the years to come and we are truly best friends! Caleb has started to pick up on our term of endearment for each other and now calls Ad and I "Babe" when he wants to talk to us! We are so grateful for our little family and for one another! Here's to 7 years babe! Love ya!

Tuesday, August 10, 2010

Our Summer Vacation 2010!

I know I haven't posted for about a month, but we've been on vacation! We have spent the last 3 weeks in Utah and Idaho visiting our families and having the BEST TIME! I will start from the beginning and take you through! We took so many pictures I had to sift through and find the ones that I thought chronicled our vacation the best so here it goes!

Caleb and I flew down first and went to Bear Lake with my family for our annual reunion. We had so much fun!!


Caleb and his cousins Baby Maddox (what Caleb always called him) and Kooper...we put on an Elmo why we were getting things unpacked! I love how Koop is loving on Caleb!


Caleb had so much fun playing with Koop a Doop! They got along really well...Caleb would follow him everywhere!


Caleb also LOVED Maddox! I think Maddox was always wondering who the big kid wanting to play was, but he had fun too!


Before we left for Utah, Caleb was in the grass in Texas for like 5 seconds before he got bit 7 times by some fire ants...I loved that he was able to really run and play in the grass at Bear Lake...is it sad to miss grass?


Caleb was able to run and run and run...which he did any chance he got...we spent most of our time out playing in the grass!


Stealing a quick kiss from GMA before going back out to play!


Out playing with Maddox and GPA...LOVE IT!!!!


Down at the lake...Caleb was hesitant the first day to get out and play...he didn't love the feeling of sand on his hands (can you say sheltered?) but was out playing in the end!


Caleb also got to on a jet ski ride with his GPA! I think he was more interested in holding onto the handlebars than actually taking a ride!


My dad said that he really didn't act scared going out in the water...could I get him out again though? NOPE!


Maybe we'll have better luck next year!

After we got back from Bear Lake, Adam flew in...of course I had been doing a little shopping/getting my hair done from my fab sister and just enjoying spending time with my parents. Adam, my dad and myself went to see Inception (AWESOME!) and took Caleb to the Aquarium...

Because of our friend Elmo, Caleb sometimes calls fish Dorthy (which is the name of Elmo's goldfish!) He liked to look at the Dorthies!


The Salt Lake Aquarium was so cute! They had a lot of neat fish there along with a rescued gulf sea turtle (which was HUGE) and a fun penguin exhibit!
Caleb also got to ride on a frog!


More Dorthies!


After we went through we took Caleb bakc to play a bit...he stopped long enough to get a quick pic with Dad and GMA!

My dad and Adam also decided that they were going to hike Mt. Timpanogos...they originally thought it was going to be about 12 miles and not too hard, but when they didn't show up at 5:00 in the evening when they were supposed to, we found out that the hike turned out to be 18 miles and at one point, both of them were suffering from the altitude change! but they persevered and made it to the top of the mountain! Adam took a ton of pics, but I narrowed it down to these few...

Adam amidst the beautiful foliage as they walked up the mountain...


Finding a mountain goat!


A view from the summit...THEY MADE IT!!! Then they ran back down the mountain!


Adam and Dad at the top of the mountain...did I mention that they just climbed a mountain?


Gotta love playing the air guitar when you've made it to the top!! I would too!!!


Now onto Stanley...we drove up to Stanley to stay with Ad's parents. We stopped in Poky on our way up to see Ad's old boss, Josh, at ISU and stopped again on the way back to see my really good friend Jennifer, who I taught with when we lived in Poky! It really made us miss the area more and we were so glad that we got to see our old friends! I MISS YOU JENNIFER!!!! We played hard, and also relaxed while we were in Stanley. Adam and I FINALLY got to take our Kayak out after not being able to use it for 3 years!

We took an afternoon and played around on Stanley lake while Caleb was home with his Nana and Poppa...I am just warning you now, that I did wear the same outfit everyday...i washed it a few times though!!!


A pic of the Sawtooths off of Stanley Lake...we had to put the boat in to prove that we actually used it!!


Ad showing us where the mountains are from the boat!


Our attempt at a hike...Ad and I left Caleb with his parents about halfway through...the little monkey was getting a little tired from walking!


My favorite picture from the hike...


Two words...Fish Slaying...Ad got a 3 day fishing license and ended up catching about 15 fish from the 3 days! I borrowed Ad's license and caught a few, but sent them back into the creek!


Red Fish lake...Caleb spent pretty much the entire time in the lake...he loved it!!!


This was Caleb's doing...he took Ad's hand and led him out in the lake...I was shocked at how deep he was going!


The "non close up view"...far right?!?


Our brave boy loving the water!


Caleb out playing with Nana...


We also got to use the kiddo seat in our kayak and took Caleb for a spin...he LOVED it and we loved that he loved it!!! We've always wondered what he would do in the kayak...


He would just sit and put his hands in the water!


Just relaxing before getting out!


Helping to bring the kayak into shore!


On another day we went for a drive...on the way back we stopped to take a break...and to let Caleb throw rocks into the water! I couldn't resist him asking "Rocks Please!"


A pretty meadow on the way!


On our way home from Idaho, we stopped and got a Maverick Frozen Yogurt cone (my favorite!) Caleb took it from me...


The end result!

This trip also included my little sister getting married...we actually didn't get any pics from this, but my sis in law got a few...hopefully she will send us some so that I can post! We had a great vacation and loved spending so much time with our families! It was really hard to come home (especially to the humidity) and we're keeping our fingers crossed that we'll be able to someday move back! Yes I know that this post is FOREVER LONG, but it was a long vacation! Caleb was great the entire time and we were so glad that we were able to give him experiences that he has never had before! Thanks to our parents for helping us with Caleb too!! We LOVE YOU!! Have a GREAT WEEK!!!