Man's Best Friend

Dear Stephen,

I know you have been asking for a Dog since the day we got married and I always seem to have some excuse to not get one. (Am I bad wife?) Again, the other day you asked. Here is your answer.

We do not need a dog.

Sure, you can teach a dog new tricks. But you can do that with our Baby, too.

You can take a dog for walks on the beach. But you can do that with our Baby, too.

And even let him play in the sand.

Dogs slobber all over and chew on the furniture. How convenient, our baby does that, too.

And Dogs hate baths, don't they?

Go Fetch? He's interested.

See? He's already your "best friend."

So... maybe someday when we graduate and get a HOUSE we can discuss the issue again.

Love,

Your Wife

Dinner Entertainment

(Press pause on my IPOD before watching so you can hear it all)

My Mom requested some more video. So, Here is a little taste of what dinnertime is like around here. This was taken over a couple different days.... first shots are of us entertaining him... and then the last clip is his entertainment for US! Notice his excited T-Rex screams that he's been doing since month 2. And we are so proud of his first "claps"!

Disclaimer 1:

Now keep in mind, right now it is 85+ degrees in our house (no AC) so sometimes lately we let him run around and eat in just a diaper.... (he refuses to wear a bib without a shirt on!)

Disclaimer 2:

Also- please excuse the "baby talk" or as Stephen would say- his "Sid the Sloth" voice and my embarrassing singing. Sometimes thats what it takes to entertain him at dinner time.

Did I mention I "Turned in My Key?"

Two+ years of teacher education at BYU and an ESL certification program. Practicum experience in the 2nd, 3rd, 4th grades in Wasatch, Alpine, and Nebo school districts. One year of teaching my own class in Provo then off to California- teaching in Manhattan Beach for three years (while completing the dreaded two year BTSA induction program) to finally be considered competent in the classroom and officially CERTIFIED with my clear credential.

The highs. The lows. 102 homeroom students and many a lesson plan later.....

and now I have turned in my key.

*Sigh* (with relief, exhaustion, a little sadness, and a lot of fond memories.)

Although I haven't been officially teaching the last seven months, a few weeks ago I moved out of my dear classroom once and for all. I thought for sure I could just take an hour or two packing up a few boxes of stuff and be done with it. But three 6-hours-of-work days later I was still debating what to keep and what to leave for other teachers to rummage through. Teachers collect A LOT of.... stuff!! Well, I ended up keeping just the "bare necessities" and trinkets that have memories attached to them, and then a few things I think Becca (my sis in law also going into teaching) might want for her classroom someday.

It was difficult throwing out (or recycling) 4 boxes worth of files!! Yikes! But I figured if I do go back to teaching some day, will I really be back in 4th Grade? And in California for that matter? (4th grade's main curriculum is State History.) Not to mention the incredible invention of Google and such. Hopefully a lot of the stuff I had on file has become an internal part of me anyway. :)

I know I eventually became a really effective teacher, too, that hopefully made a difference in a few kids lives. I know I will often think about all that I learned with the hundreds of students and great teachers that I worked with.

I am really proud of myself. So there. I just wanted to toot my own horn for a minute. But I guess thats what blogs are all about sometimes, right?

My Team Mates

I think I do want to go back someday when my own kids are school age or older. Try a different grade, or maybe start my own preschool like my mom did for several years. I really do love teaching so much. I am so grateful to have come from a family of teachers and life-long learners. You all have inspired me.

A few more memories...

Celebrate Utah Program

"Geology Rocks" Class Play

Field Trip to Mission San Juan Capistrano

Stephen visiting the class.

"Oh, How we've changed!" Time Capsules

Too many more to post. Thanks for the good times!

Addition and Subtraction

Over the last month we got a couple of big changes!

2 Bottom Teeth. Out and SHARP.

I just thought I would add this photo, too-

this was our first attempt at getting the teeth on camera. :)

And remember this ridiculous thing? The Rat Tail? The Mini-Mullet??

He has had this since birth, but it started getting thicker... haha.

And after months of wondering if it would go away on its own...

we decided to pull out the clippers.

Let's be honest. It was time.

As much as Stephen hated to do it.

Handsome Little Boy.

A Sizzlin' Independence Day

God Bless the USA!

This year we made a spontaneous trip up to Utah to spend The 4th with the Davis family in St. George. It was so hot... HOT!! I am not used to that and I thought I would melt.... but we enjoyed the outdoors anyway...

Jacob stayed cool lounging in the little pool in Mimi's backyard....

And then visiting the Dansie Boys who had also made the trip to St. George for the weekend.

It was so fun to see them play together.

I sure wish Amy and I lived by each other to play more often.

Jacob may be just as big, but not quite as quick as Rockwell and Ezra.

He was sure fascinated with them.

That night we watched some firecrackers in the street.

(Sorry so dark. I should've edited these.)

Later we headed up to the airport to watch fireworks.

Jacob actually enjoyed them even though it was 3 hours past his bed time!

Always such a trooper...

And Stephen learned a new magic trick. :)

Possibly my favorite part of the night was enjoying a midnight hot-dog dinner and s'mores cooked out on the new patio fire-pit. MMMM!

Hope ya'll had a wonderful Independence Day!

I am so thankful to live in this beautiful, free, country!

And yea! Finally an updated family picture!

Thanks Miriam and Kimmie for taking these. Miss you guys!

It's Official.

Hey Family, Just wanted to show you what happened today.....

Can't wait to show you in real life!

Summer Lovin'

Last month our good friends, the Christensens, came back to Torrance to visit. It was so fun meeting their cute little Cooper. Jacob sure took a liking to her, too.