The Second Time Around

As I type this, I am lying on my bed. Russ is asleep with his head propped up on my legs. It's 6:00 on a Saturday night, and we should probably be doing something productive, but I think we deserve a break. Plus, he is adorable when he's sleeping.

All week, I have been getting ready for the new school year, which starts on Monday. I cleaned out my desk, revamped my units and lessons from last year, made new rule posters, wrote disclosure documents, and ordered prints of more Paris posters to put up. Russ and my sister Katie have put in so much time, slaving away in my hot sweaty classroom. I could not have done this without them. Two nights in a row, we stayed at the school until 10 pm.  I also spent two hours at Utah Idaho Supply Map World, which is far too long to spend at a store with such a stupid name.

All our efforts were worth it. Everything is perfect (except that I ran out of rainbow border and so did that idiot store - in all of its Utah locations. How can that be?). My classroom looks amazing, so much better than it did last year, and I feel absolutely great about going back to school on Monday. My walls are bright and fun, my desk is organized, and I have some cool ideas for my students. I am so much more prepared than I was this time last year. I know what to expect. I know what to do differently. That's the best thing about teaching - every year I get to start fresh with a completely clean slate.

The best part about this poster (which I can't look at without busting up) is that it was free. So perfect.

My most memorable and happiest experiences of summer 2011:

*Grandpa Frayne's beautiful funeral service and my extended family being all together

*Bear Lake with Gabe and Ellen, Jackson and Celeste

*Island Park with the Allenbachs

*Santa Fe with the Lees
*Doing a dive for the first time in my life

*Actually getting a pretty decent tan

*Getting Russ to watch "Never Say Never" all the way through

*Lots of meals at Costa Vida
*Reconnecting with lots of old friends

*All the free time I had to read and re-watch six seasons of "The Office"

*Sleeping in until 11:00 or even noon...It will be a rude awakening when I'm up at 6:00 on Monday morning.

The City Different

That's what they call Santa Fe.

It is a cool town, spilling over with unique architecture, turquoise jewelry, Southwestern art, and unrelenting heat.

The highlight for me was seeing MJ perform in "The Last Savage" at the Santa Fe Opera. The theater was amazing and the whole cast was phenomenal.

We had fun being together as a family. Sam was missed.

Island Park

My family took a vacation to Island Park in Idaho. My mom's best friend has a cabin there. 

I swam and played with my mom and sisters while Russ rode motorcycles and did lots of flips.

It was awesome. And so beautiful.

Thank you Mom and Dad.

Up next: Santa Fe! I'm excited to add New Mexico to my list of states, and to see Brian and Mary-Jane, and to spend lots of hours in the car with my fabulous in-laws.