Being Apart

Anyone that has to experience lengths of time without their significant other....I feel for you. I have been trying to figure out a way to explain how much I miss my wife...so here is my best shot. It is like (pardon the analogy) having to go to the bathroom on a long road trip. At first, you think that you can hold it in. So, for a couple of hours you stay strong and distract yourself with meaningless things all the while feeling the discomfort but crowding your mind enough that it doesn't take affect. Then, you see other people drinking water, you pass a river, a lake...the ocean, and it starts to build...and you start to think about it even more. Then it gets to the point, and you all know what I am saying, where it consumes your every thought and all you want to do is open the flood gates and let it all out, but you can't because then you will wet your pants. So, you bare with the pain and agony and you scream at the driver to pull over asap or you will tear their head off and then you can relieve yourself of the discomfort.

That is how it is....we have been pretty much apart for 2 months. For the first couple of weeks, I thought I could take this. I thought about her frequently but I was too busy learning the new job to really think about how much I missed her. Then we saw each other that weekend, and it was like she filled the void. That's how I knew that when she left again, it started to build. I couldn't get her out of my mind and I just hated that we had to be in this situation. I would stare at her picture every night before I went to bed and would yearn for her presence, but still, I fought through the discomfort. Now I am at the point where I can't take it anymore. Everything around me reminds me of her! I find myself talking to her during my pool routes, smelling the pillow she slept on for any trace of her scent, and keeping myself from calling her every other second, just to hear her voice. I am ready to visit whoever the genius was who decided that school should last until the end of May so I can threaten to tear their head off. Then I can be relieved of this discomfort because she would be here with me.

In other words my love, I miss you. I miss everything about you. I hate not having you with me. I hope that I can bear another two weeks. Come home soon.

Me

Yearbook #2

When I was first hired as the Yearbook Advisor, I had no idea what I was getting myself into. I had ZERO experience in yearbook and didn't have the first clue how to run a class. I. Love. It! This is my second and probably my last book. I am so very proud of it. Of course I have a bias opinion, but I think it is so much better then last year's book. We titled it "You had to Be there". (You may remember when we had the vote a year ago). I can't lie, I am not totally in love with the cover. I requested something different a few times but I guess they just couldn't see my vision.

This year I did a few things different that worked so well.

• I had all the photobars with the kids name over their picture. Turned out really good.
• I assigned all photobar and featurette people to diversify the book
• I got 3200 students in the book at least 2 times
• Our entire book is uniform
• The opener pages look amazing with spots on campus without students on the first page and then the same picture with the same angle full of students. It looks really rad. Following the theme "You had to Be there!" It is one of my favorite parts.
  
  

I also changed the format of the Senior pages and I am super proud of them. I can't tell you how many hours went into these pages. Each Senior had the chance to take a personality photo that I cropped out and put next to their studio picture. They turned out so well, i am just loving them! They also got to put a quote with their name. I think they turned out just perfect. I also made a special effort to notify and invite the Seniors that had missed with passes and personalized flyers. (good thing that didn't take forever). I am so proud of them!

I want to claim the book as something that I did but really the credit goes to my students. The photos were so much better then last year. The book overall just looks so good. And my heart jumps with a bit of joy to see the student body crowded around as they look at those pages. 'sigh'. A job seriously well done!

I am sad to leave. I love the product and all the work that goes into it. I suppose that I will now have to just make yearbooks out of my life.

Uncensored

Remember when Mark fell into the pool? Well, this was no ordinary dump. And he has the bruise to prove it.

Please excuse the graphic nature of this picture but you have to see it to believe it. This was on day 2 after said incident. If only we took a picture of day 3 and 4. It is a mighty bruise.

So tread lightly when you choose to scoff at him in his blunder. Like I said, this wasn't your ordinary dump. Ouch.

Your Pool Man

We are learning fast. In the past month Mark has:

-- Learned the roads of the Bay Area
-- Learned the backyards of 127 customers
-- Cleaned 120 pools each week
-- Been bitten by a dog
-- Made friends with 2 bulldogs
-- Got a ticket for talking on the phone while driving.
-- Slipped into the pool...twice. (that division between the pool and spa is slippery when wet.)
-- Dumped cell phone into the pool. (not all bad since it resulted in a much desired new phone)
-- Added 4 customers
-- Done 4 start ups
-- Scooped countless rats out of skimmers
-- Hired on part time help.

An Unexpected Date

Mark and I are now down to only 3 weekends until my school year is over. When we were first thinking of this time, we hoped that we would see each other ever other weekend. It has turned out a little different which has been a huge bonus.
It was an off weekend for us and I was driving home from school on Friday afternoon talking to Mark. *not at the same time cuz that's illegal...don't worry about it* Mark wasn't able to come down due to the long drive and expense on gas so I was having quite the pitty party.

UNTIL

I arrived at the home where I am staying and guess who is sitting in the front door? My wonderful husband surprising me again. He is such a romantic; I am the luckiest woman in the world. We stayed that night in a Chino hotel that was less then par-but we're cool like that-and then spent Saturday at the Nixon Library & Museum.

Pres. Richard Nixon was born in Yorba Linda (the city where we use to live) and we have mentioned going here for a year but never actually made it over. So I was happy when we did.

The timing was just perfect being that my History students were learning about the Cold War; specifically the Vietnam War. Richard Nixon was the president who brought all our American boys home! So what did I do when I got back to class on Monday? Made it extra credit to go and see the exhibits they had there.

This is the actual farmhouse where Richard Nixon was born. Most of the things inside the home are original to the home (1912) which was of course a highlight for the history woman!

Another fun bit was Marine One that is there. This helicopter was used by President Kennedy, Johnson, Nixon, and Ford. In fact it is the very helicopter that President Nixon said goodbye to the country in after his resignation. Neat stuff. And our tour guide was quite knowledgeable which was a total bonus.
I couldn't be more in love. I have found my perfect companion to travel with me through this life. He is always surprising me and making a special effort to show me how much I means to him. He is as romantic as a scene from a movie. He likes history stuff too and loves to take me to them on our vacations and adventures together. He is just perfect for me! Now if only we could live closer together!

We Be Sewers

Check out what we did in one night! Sara and I busted out some snazzy PJ's as a starter project for Sara's first round of her new sewing skill. With the exception of one tricky part, she did the whole thing! First Sara whipped out her pair:

Then I did mine!

I must admit I thought the stripes would be super tricky but they turned out SO cute. And comfy! Amazing.


I even learned a few new things myself. I had never actaully sewn a buttonhole before, nor had I made a tie waist so...cheers to us and taking on a new skill. Next project? Prom dresses for the girls. :)

Mum's Birthday

Mom's birthday was just a few days ago and Mark and I were able to be there to celebrate. It was beautiful weather so we went to the store and got a bunch of fixin's for a delicious BBQ in Mom's perfectly manicured backyard. We had Pork, corn on the cob, peppers and onions grilled, some delicious sourdough french bread and a fresh fruit salad. I themed it all with lemons just because it was that kind of weather. Delightful

Mom is the best at gift opening. She gets so excited it makes you feel like you've chosen the perfect gift regardless of the expense. This year we replaced her 30 year old wooden spoons and peeler. Although it was bitter sweet to dispose of the set that Franklin Covey gave her for her wedding; we figured 30 years was a pretty good tribute to a wedding gift from a famous calender guy.
I am really wishing I could take really glamorous pictures like some of the blogs I see with their perfect shots every time. But this is as artistic as I can muster. I was loving our tablescape!

So happiest of Birthday wishes to my mamma dear. We are so excited to live closer and spend so many years and milestones together. What a blessing family is!

Speaking of moving: here is a picture of what our backyard view could be--if we ever close on the house!

Pretty great eh?

I could eat the whole bag!

I am currently in the Chex-Mix-Bold-flavor-phase. These things are so good. If I didn't give myself a little bag worth for lunch, I'd eat the entire bag. I'm just saying: when I'm in need of a good snack fix, these hit the spot 100%!

**For the record, my bag reports 60% less fat then potato chips. Which actually doesn't really matter since I don't like potato chips. I'd like to know the comparision to fruit roll ups or ice cream. That would be a valuable measurement for me.**

STAR testing

I struggle with state standardized testing.

Downside:

--most students don't care enough. When the first question is "will this hurt my grade?", its a sure sign that they'll be off task soon.

--anytime 33 Language Arts questions are done in 5 minutes...that's not so good.

--I think they make students feel more stupid. The directions say you will be tested to see how much you learned, then they ask a series of questions that can sound foreign; making kids feel like they have learned nothing. I just don't like that.

Goodside:

--I have 3 hours to catch up on grading.

--I have 3 hours to post grades and clean off my desk

--I have 30 minute class. 30 minutes of 4th period is totally do-able.

**Sidenote**

I've conducted a study.

I have working on being more "available" in my classroom to my students. Rather then giving them the assignment and checking every 10 or 15 minutes on them, I am now continally "roaming" during the entire class time. I have noticed a difference immideatly. I feel a closer connection to my students who are off task. I also feel like more kids get at least through the first question where before the wouldn't. I can look at what they are writing as they are writing it and catch corrections right off the bat. I also find that the kids ask questions more frequently.

Intresting. So although now I have more after school work to do (bummer), my 4th period class doens't drive me crazy (of course problem child has been absent both days) and the other classes seem to be cheating less. **I realize this is a confession of what could be seen as a purge of my lazy teaching style, but it sounds worse then it really is. I promise I interact with the kids and really do teach**

Being Healthy

We've taken a turn for the better. After a year of eating whatever we felt like, it was high time we put our sugar desires aside and be a little more healthy.

So for 3 weeks now we have been living off of protein shakes, fiber bars, eggs, beans, rice, fruit/vegs, and lots of water. We've also increased our physical activity by 100%; going from nothing to 3-5 days a week.

It amazes me how much better your body works when it has the right stuff in it and is physically active. So-cheers to us, we've done our bodies good. Maybe we will shed these few extra pounds we've been carrying. That would be a delightful extra bouns.

A few catch up posts

CAN'T IT JUST BE A MYSTERY: Mark is really into surprises. He just loves to plan them and keep me in the dark. Our anniversary was no different. Mark successfully kept me guessing until we were halfway to the Winchester Mystery House! I have wanted to revisit this place and to take Mark for a while now so it was wonderful to get the chance to go.

The best part of the trip was when I ripped a whole in the seat of my pants mid-tour. That wasn't awkward. At least I got a new pair of jeans out of it.

SAC-TOWN: While taking a week off before our jobs started again, we took the chance to run up and visit family. Joe made the perfect breakfast feast of crapes and strawberries and chocolate sauce which can not be refused. Clearly. We then ventured to old town Sacramento where we ate chocolate covered crickets, visited the train station, and toured the old school house. (and got my hair done which I've already posted.)

A NEW LIFE: Mark has officially started working in the pool business. And on his first day: chlorine stain. We are so excited to be starting this venture in owning our own business and the freedom we will feel from the corporate monster. It is such a blessing. We are so blessed. (and I have no idea why blogger posted this picture the wrong direction, but whatever)

HANDY MAN: We were in desperate need of a computer overhaul. Since my roommate from days ago freely used my computer for her Internet chatting and such, it had contracted something fierce that I couldn't clean. So we decided to start from scratch and rebuilt our own computer. So-with the help of my brother, Mark has built our desktop computer. And from the way it is explained to me, it is capable of everything just shy of doing my laundry. So we're set.

Happy Tax Day.

For Fun

- Yesterday at the gym I laughed my guts out. We were watching the news on the TV in front of the machines. They don't have captions so you sort of have to guess. The story was on some lady who won the national soccer league and now we think she helps sick and neglected horses. Sara says "sad with all those emancipated horses." I respond, even worse when they are emaciated. Followed by laughing and almost falling off the treadmill.

--Why is it when I watch "The Biggest Loser" I am drawn to eat junk food. I eat more junk food during that show then any other TV program. weird.

--I'm that friend! The one that makes plans with you then bails for being too busy, tired, sick, or dead. Its all true. I really am busy and do get tired super fast, and have really been eating too many strawberries. I apologize! Don't hate me.

--A kid fell asleep during 1st period notes this morning. How do I know? Because he woke up yelling "no no, I don't want to"...I kinda felt bad in joining the class in laughter, but it was really funny. Never had a sleep talker in class before.

--I am realizing that nobody really needs multiple pairs of shoes. Boys sort of have the right idea. Living away from my closet, I now only have 3 pair. Running shoes, slip-ons, and flip-flops. Four if you count the black Sunday shoes. This could be a new revolution for my closet.

--I've had a few good days of 4th period. Very unusual. I think I've found the culprits who ruin it for the entire class. Although there are still a handful of hard kids, there are 2 that I am thinking may stir up the whole class. They've been ditching these past few days and class has been managable. That and I have been super mean. My angry voice has worked pretty well too. 30 more days.

--We paid off my little Edna. The car I purchased when I graduated college. She's now fully paid for. That's sort of a fun accomplishment. Cheers to us.

--We're having a home inspection today. The house buying process continues with no real answers just yet. It is a very long waiting game and a frustrating cycle of documents, signatures, proofs, agendas, property laws, taxes, and more legal jargon. Tough stuff. Hopefully the outcome is positive and worth it.

Weekend One - Check

Mark and I have to spend 7 weekends without each other. Seven! That's almost 2 months. Wow. I realize that people have husbands that are in the military and go months and even years without their loves; but for me these SEVEN weeks may never end.

Mark

• Fixed his first sweep and is troubleshooting his second.
• Cleaned and serviced 120 pools (during the week).
• Brainstormed a new idea for sweep repairs and customer satisfaction.
• Saw the movie Clash of the Titans with moderate reviews.

Kaylinn

• Scrapbooked 4 new pages
• Visited Grandma and lost terribly in 5 rounds of Rummikub
• Baked a delicious rendition of spinach stuffed chicken
• Ate herself sick with strawberries.
• Secured a job interview for next school year.
• Picked up running again. First time since the Half Marathon.
• Plans to post the anniversary trip as soon as I get internet access on the laptop.

So cheers to completing our first weekend. Only 6 more to go!

Strawberry Season

I simply LOVE this season. When strawberries are less then a dollar a pound. And I can eat them until I overdose on my fiber intake. They are simply the best. You can Guarantee that I will be planting strawberry patches in my future garden.

Perhaps I should have a strawberry party one year. Yes, done and done!