Random List from this week.....

1. We got an offer on our house, but are now waiting for someone else's house to sell.
2. I ran my farthest ever distance on the treadmill on Thursday and felt great afterward.
3. Had fun on Tuesday night celebrating my sister-in-law's birthday with a decadent dinner out. I had duck for the first time in my life and it was served rare (which freaked me out). Happy Birthday Ann! :)
4. Smokey Bear came to my class on Friday. He was a rookie Smokey, actually a Dad helper who volunteered since the regular Smokey was out fighting an actual fire. He did a great job!
5. Am going to dinner tonight at my parents'.
6. Got my first paycheck since June yesterday (boy, that's a loooooong time without a paycheck!)
7. It rained yesterday, hence I had to deal with my first rainy day recess of the year.
8. Kyla and I finished Harry Potter #7 last night. We both cried. We both miss the book already.
9. I didn't get to talk to my sweet Michelle this week, and I miss her.
10. I thought I was over my Grey's Anatomy obsession, but the premiere was really good, and I think I'm re-hooked.

Happy weekend! Love, Nancy

Better Late than Never....

It seems like I am always the last one to catch on to things.... I read great books long after the time when everyone is enjoying them and talking about them. I certainly am not up to date in the fashion arena! I watch movies or shows when they are on cable. I never know what's going on in the world because I Hate to watch the news!

Yep, I am behind the times and just plodding along at my own little pace!

So, Mark and I decided to order The Sopranos, Season 1 on our Netflix. We watched the first 4 episodes this week, and I loved them! Such humor and drama and life (thankfully very different from my own life) but seemingly a good representation of REAL people who are neither all good nor all evil.... who make mistakes and try to fix them. Yes, I am hooked! Only 7 more years of episodes to go! Now we won't be able to watch a regular movie for the next 6 months!!

Hope you are all well.

Love, Nancy

My sweet pup

So today was supposed to be an easy day for training.... just 5 miles.

But yesterday my sister said, I really don't want to just go 5 miles, I could do that on the treadmill.

So I said O.K. we can go farther if you want.

And she said how about 7?

And I said sure.

So this morning as I was hurrying to get ready Pepper, my sweet pup, gets so excited. Every time he sees me with my running shoes on he starts to whine and runs over to the door wagging his tail then runs back to me and licks my leg then runs back over to the door. And he keeps repeating this until I hook his leash on him or leave with out him. (Whick breaks my heart)

So today, for some reason, I decide I will bring him along on our 7 mile walk. It may have been guilt for only walking him once this week, I don't know. But whatever else it was, it was craziness. See, my sweet little pup has legs that are only about 3 inches long. And, he is desperately weird looking on the outside (due to being inbred), so who knows what deformities he may have on the inside. And, last summer when I tried to take him 3 miles on a hot day I had to carry him 1/2 way home. Of course, lately he can go 3 miles no problem, but that's only 3 miles people, not 7!

But we went, and he took off like a madman (as usual) so my sister got a side ache from pushing her 2 girls in the jogger stroller, and my legs were aching. I expected him to get tired around mile 4, especially since the sun came out, but he was such a trooper! He walked the whole way!! And when we got to the turning point for 7 miles my sister just kept on walking, so we actually went 8 miles! As we got back to the school (about 3 blocks from my house) we put him on the little girls laps, and he rode the rest of the way home like a king.

And later when we were all alone, I gave him a whole hot dog to celebrate his great accomplishment.

My sweet pup.

Happy *belated* Birthday

Just wanted to SHOUT OUT a happy birthday to my cutie friend Cindy who keeps me up to date on movie watching (she and her husband have about a million and 2 dvd's), and who brightens up my drab days with her always peppy attitude!

Hope you had a wonderful day and keep celebrating!!! 28 is NOT old!

It's Tuesday.....

Here are some random things on my mind tonight:

My feet hurt from my 5 miles of walking.

I can't find these blasted pictures I need for my classroom schedule, and it's making me crazy.

I wish I were already in bed, but last night I went to bed at 9:15 and didn't go to sleep until 11:15, so what's the point.

I am wondering if the new TV shows are ever going to come back on. Doesn't this seem like it happens later every year? Or maybe it just seems later because there are already Halloween decorations in the stores.

I cried (OK, sobbed) tonight when I read Kyla the chapter in Harry Potter when Dobby dies. Sorry if that was a spoiler for you. :-(

I have been getting these daily emails from "The generous wife" and I really want to be more generous, but mostly I just think it's making me feel like a failure for being a grouch. But I deleted all the backed up emails in my inbox, and I am starting fresh with a fullness of generosity tomorrow.

Remember my word for the year, fullness? Well, if so, you might be the only one. I have also abandoned my word of the year.

Wow, this is turning into a really dull and pity filled post, so I am going to go do the dishes and maybe tomorrow I'll be more lively.... l

Let's all hope so anyway.

:-) Nancy

Busy as Bears......

Things have been busy in the world of Kindergarten. Today we baked mini blueberry muffins (after reading Blueberries for Sal... love that... kerplink, kerplank, kerplunk!). Tonight we had Back to School night (where I have to get up in front of all the parents and talk about what we do in room 3.... I sorely wanted a glass of wine but didn't). And tomorrow is our Teddy Bear picnic. The K's are VERY excited about this, and we are going to have a blast!

On a different note, last night Mark and I watched Everything Is Illuminated.... it was so weird and funny and thought provoking....

here's a link: http://wip.warnerbros.com/everythingisilluminated/

If you haven't seen it, you should check it out!

Love, Nancy

September 11

I used to remember September 11 by having my class plant red, white and blue flowers and make small paper pieced flags to go in the cups. But now that it has been 6 years since that fateful day, my Kindergarteners were not even alive when it happened. So I feel it is too difficult a subject to bring up.

Today as I was surfing around, I found this video.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLEZgFf_xNY

It's a beautiful tribute which brought tears to my eyes. As always, when I see photos of people going away to war, I feel overwhelmed trying to imagine how difficult it would be to be the one trying to tell my beloved Mark, or my dear Mason, or even my darling Kyla how much I loved them with one final, tearful hug. But on September 11, 2001 we were reminded that the goodbye we say to our loved ones before we go off for work or school could be our last. So today, and everyday, remember to say what you feel.

And for all the soldiers around the world. Thank you from the bottom of my heart for the service you give to each of us.

Alivia Grace.....

Had her real birthday on August 15th, but we just celebrated it this weekend.....



Her grandparents were there, and some other family and friends, but she wasn't the least bit interested in the adults....



She was into her friends, the running around, the giggling, the singing to the High School Musical 2 soundtrack, the presents,

and especially the pinata!!!


We love you Livi!!

My Girl...

She has been having a hard time at school lately with those "girl problems" that get sooooooo serious in the teen years. I have been praying for her to find a group of friends that have similar interests and like her for the wonderful spirited girl she is.

On a more positive note, we have been reading Harry Potter #7 together, and I love spending that time with just the two of us together.... I love how she giggles at the lovey-dovey parts and gasps when a mystery is solved! I am happy we are spending more time together.

Happy Sunday!

Love, Nancy

Today at Target....

After dinner I went over to Target to get my cutie pie niece, Livi, a birthday present, and while I was there I also needed some feminine hygiene products...... and for some unknown reason I could not pass by the chocolate aisle without buying a whole bag of candy......

They should do some kind of study to see how often women buy those two items in conjunction with each other!

I'm off to eat some MORE Rolo's and Reese's and Kisses..... Weigh in tomorrow is not looking good!

Happy Friday!

Love, Nancy

Where I am....

I don't feel the frantic "Back to School" energy/pressure this year. Could it be that I have finally made it to that special time in teaching (after 10 years) where I don't need to stress out?

I am certainly, exponentially, more busy than I was 2 weeks ago, but still, I am OK.

Will be going to run/walk soon. And then later dinner, and clean up, and reading to Kyla (we are on chapter 9 of Harry Potter #7) and then sit down to prep some work and plan next week.

I should be in bed by 10:30. That is my goal.... and if I don't have another minutes to sit quietly by myself and think about nothing while watching TV, that is OK.... I have certainly wasted too many minutes in my life doing that.

Peace to you, Nancy

Bad blogger....

So so sorry I have been an absent blogger.... have been oh so busy with getting ready for school to start then got a BAD stomach thing (food poisoning, I think) which messed up my whole lovely labor day weekend, but things are on the upswing, I think, and I will try to be here more to update.

Am ditching the last Vegas days....

Am sorry I haven't yet wished my wonderful Mark a "Happy Anniversary" It was 19 years on the 27th.....

But, I did walk today, although it was only 3 miles instead of the 5 recommended by my handy dandy internet training schedule. I am still recovering from my illness, you know.

Am leaving now to cut 30 Papa Bear sized chair pieces and 30 Mama Bear sized chairpieces and 30 Baby bear sized chair pieces for a cute 3 Bears Book I like to do with my class this time of year.

Back soon! Love, Nancy

Day 3 (This is sure taking me a while to complete)

Again, a picture less day, but here is the synopsis....

Mark and M went golfing at a course way out in a suburb called Summerlin (something like that) Kyla and I went shopping. We started out by dropping off the boys then going to several stores near the golf course and then ahuge outlet mall. We had unsuccessfully tried to get an Abercrombie & Fitch sweatshirt once already, but her heart was set on one, so we asked a nice salesboy at Aeropostale if there was another A&F in town. He directed us to a mall in another suburb on the opposite side of town from where the golf course was.

We spent at least 45 minutes trying to find it (the maps in those brochures are impossibly inaccurate) and just as we were sitting in the left turn lane to enter the parking lot, my phone rang and Mark was ready to be picked up. He agreed we should get the sweatshirt then pick them up as they were hungry and would have lunch at the course. So we park, run into the mall, find a map, locate A&F, run back out to the car, drive to the other end of the mall, run in, find the store, find the sweatshirt she wants, but it's not in her size.

Here's where things get interesting..... We ask the unhelpful salesboy (I'll call him Spike due to his hairstyle) where to find more, he says in the back room. We go to the back room. We find some other sweatshirts, but not the one she wants, then I spot a low mannequin wearing the sweatshirt she wants, and I check the size. It's the right size, so I remove it from the mannequin and find it has no tag. We go back to the front room where I take the sweatshirt to Spike and say, "This is the sweatshirt she wants, but it has no tag."

Here's where things get really interesting....
Spike: Where did you get this (flicker of nervousness on his face)
Me: In the back room... I took it off a mannequin.
Spike: You took it off a mannequin? (Now look of shock is beginning to spread across his face)
Me: Yes, it's the size she wants.
Spike: YOU TOOK IT OFF A MANNEQUIN?!? (Completely aghast)
Me: Yes, she wants this sweatshirt can you get a tag?
Spike: You are not allowed to touch the mannequins. (now wringing the sweatshirt with anguish)
Me: Well, can we buy the sweatshirt?
Spike: You can go to the register and ask if they have another size small in the back. I would help you if I could, but I'm not allowed to leave this room.

So, we go ask, and of course they do not (even though I have spotted 5 other mannequins wearing the sweatshirt K wants), so she picks out a different sweatshirt, and we buy it (for about $74) and we leave. We leave the store who has 6 navy blue zip up sweatshirts in size small on mannequins, which you are not allowed to touch, and which are not for sale. I sure hope Abercrombie & Fitch goes out of style soon as their store policies are totally screwed up!

Unfortunately for the boys we then got stuck in traffic, so it took us another hour and a half to get to the golf course. They were happy as clams when we got there until Mark heard about the Abercrombie fiasco. Then we went to WalMart. Where everything you see is actually available for purchase. This is a store I can understand.

Will try to finish up later today and move on to my current life!!
Happy shopping, Nancy

I need a time out!

I am up to my eyebrows in stress this week, and next week will probably be worse, but I know what I need.......

some great products from http://www.rosepetalbetty.com/

Go over and take a look, her products are amazing!!!

Wish I was taking a soak in a bath right now!

Love, Nancy

Day 2

We hung around the condo most of the day until around dinner time, then we caught the shuttle down to the strip. Even though it was early evening it was still about 95 to 100 degrees. My plan (if you've ever been on vacation with me, you know I have to have a plan and a list of things to do) was to start off at Monte Carlo (where we were dropped off) and walk all the way down to the Northern end of the strip to Circus Circus to see the free circus and then to Stratosphere to ride one (or all) of the roller coasters, while taking in the sights along the way.

It all started out according to plan.... we ate a good dinner (I had an excellent pear martini) at the ESPN Zone in New York New York. Then we tromped back out into the night. Now, let me just tell you that the maps all make it look like the casinos are right next to each other and a breeze to walk to. That is simply NOT the case. It is MILES from one to the other! We were walking for about an hour, and we were not even one third of the way up the strip! We watched the "Dancing Fountains" at the Bellagio then went into the Forum (a fancy mall) at Caesar's Palace to see the moving statues. Unfortunately it was late, and the statues weren't moving, but Kyla spotted Abercrombie & Fitch on the map, so we were off on a new hike (at least this one was air conditioned) to the OTHER end of the mall. When we got there, the store was sold out of the sweatshirt she wanted, and we couldn't get any of the snotty sales people to wait on us. So, we hiked back out and were almost back to the Monte Carlo when we were overcome by exhaustion and thirst. We stopped in a McDonald's to get drinks and Mark waited in line for about 20 minutes, witnessing a near fight with several drunks. After we were refreshed we hiked, I mean strolled, back to our stop to take the shuttle back to our condo.

After 4 hours on the strip we had dinner, saw a 5 minute light/water show, walked through a mall and had a soda at McDonald's. Not anything to write home about. I had better come up with a new plan for the next day.....

Oh, and I didn't bring my camera because I didn't want to lug it around all night and I sorely regretted it.

Back with more soon! Nancy

Day One in Vegas....

After a fun stop in Tuolumne County to visit friends, we were off on our road trip to Las Vegas. We arrived pretty late on Monday night and settled into our condo. It was roomy and well equipped.

On Tuesday morning we puttered around in our car trying to find a place for breakfast. I was, of course, short tempered and irritable due to lack of food.... one of my defining characteristics, unfortunately! But we finally stopped at a place called "The Bootlegger". It was all done in red velvet and old mahogany looking wood with a piano and old photographs of the family who owned it. Kyla, for some odd reason, thought they were vampires. After breakfast, we were off to shop for groceries.

Once that was all taken care of, we headed off to Hoover Dam. We stopped at a "vista point" overlooking Lake Mead where I took this photo of Kyla. When we came around the corner that overlooks the dam, I was amazed. It was so incredibly huge. We did the tour thing and laughed at our "dam guide" and his "dam jokes" We didn't really get many good pictures, but I like this one of the statues.

If you are at all interested in construction or history or engineering, I would highly recommend a visit. It still amazes me that it was built in the 1930's. Wow!

I'll be back later with more....

Toodles! Nancy

Off and running.....

Well, sort of!

We arrived home from our family trip to Vegas last night around 8:30... we had left at 5:30 am, and made pretty decent time with 6 stops.....

This morning when I weighed and measured, I found that one week of indulgence had cancelled out 4 weeks of work and I was back to my July 19th state....

Such a bummer since I had planned on being tan and thin when I give my presentation on Tuesday.... (a work thing) and it looks like that is now out of the question.... Oh well, today I am back on schedule, so I'm headed to the treadmill for 4 miles of fun!!

Be back later with photos from the trip (hopefully!)

Love, Nancy

Almost over

Summer is coming to a close very quickly, and I will be back at work, hectic and frantic to finish my day to day chores..... but before that, WE ARE ALL GOING TO VEGAS!

Mark and I and the kids are leaving tomorrow for Las Vegas. We'll be stopping off in Sonora for a visit with friends first. I am really looking forward to it. I can't wait to feel the hot sun and see the sights.

Happy Birthday to Me!!

Here is my very well worn birth picture from the hospital. I scrapped it about 4 years ago....

And this is a picture of me and my sweet mom on my first birthday.

I am spending the day picking blackberries out at my parent's house. And then a nice dinner with Mark.

Now, while I was typing away, Mark came home for lunch and brought my present...... he's such a wonderful guy... he got me diamond earrings!! 1/2 carat studs.... something I've been wanting forever!! Thanks honey! You're the best!

Love and birthday hugs for all! Nancy

7 miles!!

Today on my little training schedule it says I have to go 7 miles!! Yikes! I am going to do the miles outside because walking/running 7 miles on the treadmill sounds like the most boring thing in the world! I can't take my crazy dog as he can't go that far without being carried.... and I'm wondering if I even can!! Will take Mark's Ipod and my cell phone. Am wondering about water. If I take that I will drink it all and then I'll have to find a "rest stop" if you get my drift....

7 miles!!!

Wish me luck! Nancy