Sunday, July 28, 2013

Oh so close!

Last week we got to see what should be our house!  The kids really like the video they saw.  I like it too!  I LOVE my classroom!  It's a good size and came with a lot of manipulatives, games, center activities...and a water fountain!  Woohoo!  I made sure that my books were labeled and separated before I left!  I still have to do all of the other books, but mine are done!



I'm bringing the kids down for registration.  I'm sure it will be lots of fun to spend 13 hours in the car together!  Luckily we have car DVD players!  Yesterday was a super fun day!  We got to go to the pool for a couple hours and then have a picnic, courtesy of our church.  It was awesome to see so many friends from a long (and short) time ago!  Some of them have lost a ton of weight, which reminds me I need to Zumba more!  I was doing awesome, then this week was crazy and I only did it twice this week.  Bummer!




Kira got her ears pierced, courtesy of Aunt Kim!  Thanks Kim!  Then they all played at the playground.





Anyway, after all of that fun we came home and went to our Neighbor's birthday party.  The kids had a blast.  I worked on my Spanish.  It's no bueno, so anything is an improvement.  Watching the kids hit at the Pinata was hilarious!







We came home a little later than I would have liked, so bedtime ran late, and I ended up cleaning until 2 in the morning.  That's what happens when we play all day.Now our Living Room is a cardboard jungle, and we're ready to pack boxes, sell huge things and get rid of anything that's not moving with us!  I should be posting from the new house next Sunday.  Unless we don't have internet yet...

Thursday, July 25, 2013

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Sunday, July 21, 2013

Happy Birthday to me!

I always have a hard time with my birthday.  I have had some miserable birthdays where no one showed for my birthday party and times when I have had an awesome birthday!  I worry that I'm being selfish or lazy though.  Yes, I would love a nap, especially considering the fact that Ben is still not asleep.  But, am I entitled to a nap because it's my birthday?  I don't think so.  Thursday we traded in our two vans for an older van that can fit all 8 of us.  It's super exciting to ride with Scott and be able to see all of the kids!  What's super awesome is now our car insurance is under $20 a month and we'll only have to pay gas for one vehicle!  Woohoo!  The kids and I went for a looooong walk over rocks and creeks-with a Sit n Stand stroller. I got some super cool pictures!





Friday night my parents took Scott, Josh and I out to eat at Texas Roadhouse (one of my favorite places to eat out, when someone else takes us out-although I just realized that I forgot to give them my card and get the appetizer free), while my sisters took the rest of the kiddos to Applebee's and Wal-Mart (where they bought me birthday presents).  So, I got my birthday presents that night too!  I got lots of school/teacher supplies plus the Host DVD.  My sisters are awesome!  My mom gave us a TV a while back, so that's my birthday present from her.  Pretty fantastic!  Plus they help us out all the time!  My dad has been fixing up our new van.  Poor Dad!  I bet he's looking forward to the day when we can afford a new vehicle that he never has to look at.
Saturday we cleaned and went to Chuck E Cheese for my "party."  Our kiddos had a blast, so I"m glad they were able to have fun before we move!  Then I went to the Mall to use a gift card and felt super sorry for my husband who had to watch the kids.  They kept running into the store and Scott was super irritated with me by the end.  Oh well!
I'm so excited about my upcoming class that I have been combing web pages for ideas for my Farm classroom.  If I do half of what I want, it'll still be amazing!  I've also been carefully researching houses, I'm down to the Top 4!  We've been pre-approved, so we're going to go check them out on Monday.  Plus I'll get to meet my Principal, get my keys and see my classroom!  I'm planning to bring as much of my stuff as I can, so I don't have to move it later!  I'm looking forward to seeing what I have and what I still need!  I've also started buying my kids' school supplies.  I've already bought their school clothes, considering they've all grown a ton this summer!  I have a tote full of their school clothes, so we're all ready when school starts!  I have a ton left to sell/get rid of.  We'll see how crazy fast everything goes this week!

Sunday, July 14, 2013

So much, so fast!

I started my Zumba Exhilarate DVD workout this week.  I've worked out every day this week!  I started working with Mad Science this week.  So fun!  I got to assist another Mad Scientist with an Advanced Robotics class on Monday and Tuesday and Wednesday I got to teach six different groups of kids about Oil Spills.  I'm pretty sure their favorite parts were the "lava lamp" and the cleaning up the "oil spill."  I had lots of pictures taken of me and the kids (as I'm sure all of the Mad Scientists did).  I had my phone interview with Liberal on Tuesday!  I was very nervous, but thought it went well!  They let me know that they would call me by the end of the week after they talked to my references.  Right after I went to get trained for Mad Science.  Very busy!  On Thursday I felt like I should carry my phone around with me (which I never do).  During Quiet time I was watching a movie and got a phone call.  My heart started pounding as I paused Netflix.  And I GOT THE JOB!!!  As a Kindergarten teacher!   Woohoo!  I am so very excited!  After she asked me questions and I asked questions, we hung up and I ran up the stairs and (very excitedly) squealed, "I got the job!  We're moving!"  I answered their questions and called poor Scott to let him know and as I was talking to him, his mom came to drop off the kids' car seats, so I told her too!  We're so very excited!  I was really hoping for a Kindergarten position and Ben, Kira and I fasted last Sunday that I would get a job (we fasted last month too).  And I did!  I know that it's only because a loving Heavenly Father put things in order for us!  There's no way I would have applied to Liberal if I hadn't received an email from the HR director on one of the teacher websites and felt like I should look into it.  I was led to join the teacher websites, and led to look into Liberal.  I told Scott about it and he researched with me as well.  Till 2 in the morning.  Then he quit school, because we got a yes to moving forward and his school was nowhere close.  Within two weeks I got a phone call setting up an interview.  And another week and I had the interview and got the job!  It's going to be amazing!  Now to get down there!  That's the super hard part!  We have no money, and a lot of kids.  All of the places Scott called wouldn't take us.  They only allow one child per room.  So, we'd need 7 rooms.  Craziness!  Or we have to buy, which is at least $3000 down (if we can get a mortgage) plus closing costs and it would be at least a month before we could move in.  Then there's our vans with the almost bald tires that we have to use both in order to go anywhere (since we all can't fit in one).  We're so close to doing well!  It's so hard to remember we have nothing!  Because everything else went so easy, I thought that finding a place to rent would be easy.  I was very mistaken.  I'm not writing this to complain!  I'm very happy!  I just have to remember to take the good with the bad and right now it might be a little more bad, but we'll be fine!  The light at the end of the tunnel is so close!  We'll be selling lots of extra stuff that we don't need and hopefully something will work out!  My kids desperately want our own house, since I promised them a puppy/dog when we have our own house.  We'll see!  We also celebrated Josh's first birthday!  We went to Science City with my sister-in-law and her kiddos and then had a party that night!  Poor lil' guy was so tired!  It was great though!
 I got him a ball with letters on it!
And a book and blocks

 Look Mom!  No question that Ben is mine!  I made that same goofy face in a family picture!
 They're all "Argh"ing!
 Josh wasn't looking a me.  I must not look like a pirate.  Phew!
 I have some cute mini Firefighters!
 I think Emma looks fantastic in this uniform!
 You'd think they have seen Iron Man.
 Oh!  The poses that crack me up!
 Jenn took this one for me!  I'm documented!
 Doesn't he look so big?

 Ben was looking at the chameleon up close!  We were all fascinated with its mitten hands!
 Kira's so pretty!  And the elderly lady that came and played with Josh through the window was pretty fun too!
 They were roaring like Tigers!
And water play before leaving for a LATE lunch!
 His makeshift candle-He was trying to put it out with his fingers!
 With his cake.  Oh!  His face!
 The cake everyone else shared.
 I love this kid!

 Taste the rainbow!
 He got mad after he put icing in his eye!
 After his bath and wardrobe change, he got his presents.  He loves his truck!

 He loves all of his presents, but kept going back to his truck!

 He helped pick this out, so he was thrilled to see it again!

 With his balloons!
Gotta take the good with the bad!  And the good SO outweighs the bad!  Our family (immediate and extended) are amazing!