My Summer is Officially Over!

I am having the back to school woes!!!! It all started a couple of weeks ago with ELPS training which was pretty good. I got a lot of good ideas to use with my ESL students. The following week was Math Team Planning. It went really good as well. My new 6th grade team is awesome!!! We got the first three six weeks on the calendar and got all of the lessons, quizzes and a couple of tests done for the first six weeks. We call ourselves the "old" team. We are the oldest of the math teachers at the school. I also stayed a couple of extra hours and put my classroom together. I am so glad I did, it makes going back the next week so much more relaxing.

This last week all teachers had to go back to work! We did a ton of training and have a lot of good, new things to look forward to this year. A new dicipline design for greater consistancy with the principals sounded really great. Also a full 52 min lunch for each grade level!!! Of course that comes with some extra duties for us...lunch duty one day a week and lunch tutoring one day a week as well. I think this is going to be a great year, with all of the new changes. Orientation went well, I had 50 parents that signed in and I know even more were there. All in all I am looking forward to my new challenge as 6th grade math lead and to having my incoming 6th graders to welcome on Monday...wish me luck!!!

Birthday Party, Pokemon, Toy Story 3 and Cake = 1 Family Fun Weekend

This has been one of the best weekends!!! Saturday we took the girls to a birthday party at Kids in Action. They had a lot of fun playing with all of the kids.

The girls then got a chance to go to Toys R Us and spend some of their money they have been saving up. They bought Pokemon toys. Imagine that!!! I have girls and they love Pokemon...ask me how that one happened? Misty had a "boyfriend" at school that always brought Pokemon cards to school. Then one day she noticed it on TV and that was it...she was hooked!!! I guess there are worse things to be hooked on.

Sunday morning we all got up early and had some yummy Cinnamon Crescent Rolls. They are so easy to make and a much lighter version of a cinnamon roll. Then we all got ready and went to see Toy Story 3!!! I hate to say it, but this was the first time the girls have been to a movie theater. They loved it!!! Our friends Sean, Andrea and their little boy Luke came too. After the movie we went home and made a cake! Misty got to pick what she wanted to make. She wanted to make a Strawberry Soda Pop Cake. It came out great, other than mommy having to piece together one of the layers that stuck to the pan. For dinner we had Garlic Grilled Chicken, corn, and baked potatoes. It was really good (must have been since Bethie at it all)! Then for desert we had Misty's cake!!! It was sooooooooo yummy!!!

This was a great weekend!!!

Family Movie Night!!!

My husband and I have decided to start a new tradition with the girls. We are going to start having Friday Family Movie Night!!! The girls were very excited about it when we told them. For our first family movie night the girls and I went to the store and bought pizzas, ingredients for a snack, and rented Alvin and the Chipmunks the Squeakquel. We came home and made Smores Trail Mix, man is it yummy!!! When daddy got home we made pizza for dinner. We are about to take showers and then start the movie!!! Hopefully this will be the start of something the girls will look forward to doing as a family each week.

The girls and their Smores Trail Mix!


Smores Trail Mix

1 - box of Golden Grahams Cereal
1 - 16 oz bag of mini marshmallows
1 - 12 oz bag of milk chocolate chips
2 - cups of peanuts

Mix all ingredients in a large bowl.
Enjoy

Summer Vacation - Arkansas

We just got back from our summer vacation to Arkansas. We stayed in a 3 bedroom house on the lake in Cherokee Village. I have to say this is the nicest house we have stayed in other than the hike to get to the lake. The girls got to sleep on the blow up beds...they love them! Aunt Karen made lots of good snacks...I am going to have to try to recreate her popcorn white chocolate trail mix! It was so yummy!!! We had lots of great food at the Blue Corner Booth, Carols Restaurant, and Jenni B's Cafe. It is all such good down home food!!! The girls had a blast!!! They swam in the lake, fished, went to the beach, and went tubing. Misty caught a big catfish, with her princess pole! The fishing was much better this year. Uncle Gary even taught the girls how to drive the boat. We can't wait to go back again next summer. Wonder what else we can get into before the summer is over...I am so not looking forward to going back to work! It will be here before you know it!

The view from the house in Arkansas.


The view from the dock...


The girls fishing from the dock.


The girls on the boat!


The girls playing at the beach in Arkansas.


Misty tubing...


Misty's big catch!

Summer 2010

I found out at the end of the school year that I will be teaching 6th Grade for the 2010/2011 school year. I have mixed emotions about that. It will be a new adventure for me! I have slowly been working on calendars and curriculum planning for that over the summer.

I have been super lazy this summer. Reading, reading, and more reading (I have gone thru 7 books so far). I have finally caught up on the Anita Blake Series by Laurell K Hamiltion. If you are into books about vampires and werewolves this might be a series for you. It is a little gruesome at times, but I love it!!! The girls have been having fun at the pool and spending time with their friends.

Oreo & Reeses

We have had a tragedy in the Horton House! Thumper, Misty's 1st grade mascot has passed on. Misty ended up keeping him last summer and her teacher ended up letting us keep him for good. He was about 9 years old when we got him so she didn't expect him to live much longer. Thumper was such a sweet bunny and Misty took very good care of him. She was devestated when he died. So, we decided to let her have a new bunny and of course her sister had to have one too. It was fate that we found Oreo and Reeses. I was looking at adds online and found someone that wanted to find a home for two female bunnies for free! I was so happy when I emailed and she still had them. They are very sweet and Misty and Beth are being very good parents to them. Hopefully things will work out and we will have them for a very long time.

RIP Thumper


Oreo & Reeses on their first night in their new home!


The bun buns new cage!


Oreo & Reeses

Picking Blueberries

Out of the blue I decided to take the girls to Moorhead's Blueberry Farm to pick some blueberries. Paul was off of work because of jury duty so he was able to go too. Boy did we pick the wrong time of day to go though, it was steaming outside. Guess going to pick blueberries at noon is not a good idea. Anyhow, the girls had a good time. Misty was eating more than she was keeping! We managed to pick about 3 pounds in about 30 to 45 minutes, before the meltdown began and we had to go. I ended up with 9 cups of blueberries when we got home. That night I made a yummy blueberry cobbler, who knew it was so easy!!! This may just become a new summer tradition!!! To check out Moorhead's Farm go to www.sayblueberry.com

Beth picking blueberries!


Misty picking blueberries!


Paul picking the ones up high!


Daddy and Beth in the middle of all of the bushes!


3 pounds of yummy fresh picked blueberries!


My homemade blueberry cobbler with vanilla ice cream...YUMMO!!!!

Girl Scout Brownies Kemah Trip

Misty's Girl Scout troop decided to go on an end of the year trip to Kemah this year. Misty was so excited. They got to ride all of the rides, eat at the Aqarium, feed the stingrays, and play in the water fountains. Misty loved the wipeout ride the best. The stingrays were so cool to feed. They almost jumped out of the water. I think this will be a trip the girls will always remember.

Misty and Emma on the Wipeout!


The girls...


Dinner at the Aquarium




Feeding the Stingrays


Misty and Emma

Mother's Day - Walk to Empower

This is the third year I have participated in the Walk to Empower for Breast Cancer. I lost my mother in 2001 after a long battle with cancer. This is my way to continue to support her and everyone that has to deal with this horrible disease. One of my good friends, Lisa Jones, from High School got me started. She is the leader of Team Ya Ya and is so supportive of us all!!! It was a nice walk this year. Shorter than last year, but still so moving.

Team Ya Ya

Paul and I





Jennifer, Lisa and I


The finish line...


In memory of my mom!

Beth lost her first tooth!!!

Beth has finally lost her first tooth!!!! She has been wanting to loose a tooth for so long now. She wanted to be able to fill it in on the tooth chart at school. She didn't like it too much while daddy was trying to pull it out, but once she found out it was out, all was ok!!! The first thing she said was "I have got to tell Ms. Roux!!!" Ms Roux is her kindergarten teacher. What a big girl...

Girl Scout Pinewood Derby

This year Misty and Beth participated in the Girl Scout Pinewood Derby! I don't know who was more excited, the girls or their dad. The girls both picked out the colors for their cars. They also helped dad with the design. Beth didn't place at all, but Misty placed 1st in the Brownie Division and 2nd overall!!! She was so proud and so was Daddy!!!! We have big plans for next year...so watch out!!!

The girls and Daddy


The Brownie Division - Misty


The Daisy Division - Beth


The girls are ready for the races to begin!


Misty and her 2nd place trophy!

Paul's 40th Birthday!!!!

Paul turned 40 this year!!!! I like to call him my old man. I had a small get together for him at Bill's Cafe in Kingwood. His buddies showed up along with a couple of friends. I didn't want to do anything too mean...you know payback is hell. I think all in all he had a great time hanging out with his family and friends, while learning that 40 isn't all that bad after all!!!!

Paul and his WOW buddies!


Me and my old man!


Paul and his parents!


Heather and Jason


Paul and his yummy cake.


Andrea and Sean

Girl Scout Mother/Daughter Camp

This year I ventured out with the Girl Scouts to Mother Daughter Camp at Camp Cullen. The girls and I had a great time. We were a little worried when it was raining the first morning. But we still went horseback riding, shot rifles, did canoeing, archery, and the screamer. Horseback riding was a challenge for me since they gave me a finicky horse, Cowboy! The girls loved it though, especially Beth who is in love with horses. Beth loved shooting the rifles. She must take after her mom on that one! Beth was the only one that would brave the canoeing. I did pretty good at archery, got a shot in the center. We all loved the screamer!!! Nothing like putting on a harness and being hoisted in the air and let go...too much fun!!! Jennifer was the mom of the group, helping with everything and making sure we were all sanitized...gotta love her! It was a great bonding weekend for the girls and I.

The girls and their best friends: Beth, Emma, Madison, and Misty


Misty on her horse.


Beth on her horse.


Me on Cowboy!


Beth shooting the rifle.


My best shot!!!!


The girls....


Misty on the Screamer!


Beth on the Screamer!


The mom's of Cabin 3.