Post-school updates...

Okay, it's post-school for me,and Andy just started back for summer school. He's taking stats & an ed class, plus his content Praxis tests. I've signed up for 4 tech classes to finish my endorsement, and there are a couple of conferences I'm going to...so typically busy!

We did join the Summit Athletic Club, so we are trying new classes -spin yesterday! My bum is killing me! We are planning to ride the canyon Friday...

Andy's guiding tours for Mild2Wild again this summer on Mondays, but we're hoping to get a few camping weekends in...

Spring Break 2014

Made it! A week of puppy time, breathing, reflecting, reading, biking,and getting ready for the final push... So excited...and tired.

I'm a wreck...

The clinic called Andy to say that Sarah did great overnight. I've been a wreck all morning...just as the doctor predicted. I just got a call from him, and Sarah did fine thru her surgery. My poor baby had wrecked both her knees. Pretty sure that visits from her favorite friends will be restricted for a long time....not so much jukīng and jiving in her future.

I know....I know, but check out Sarah's Blog!

Hello! I know that I've been so bad at updating lately. We've been busy! There's been a lot happening, both at work and at home. Pretty much right now, everything's focused on Sarah. If you want more details, read her blog here. I just updated 5 1/2 years in the last 24 hours.

I know that people think I'm a little nuts about her, but she is our baby. My principal (an animal lover herself), told me the other day that not many people would take their 3 days of personal leave for their dog...probably true, but I don't think the district would let me take FMLA...ha! (have you ever done that paperwork - nightmare!)

Anyway, we are plugging along. Andy's doing great in school...we are almost in a 12 month countdown. This time next year, he'll be student teaching and then WATCH OUT world!

I'm still going a little nuts with 3 2-period classes each day, and really trying to make my HAL class worth my students' time. I may be teaching a class for the GT (gifted & talented) endorsement next year - EEEK!

We do miss you...I have joined the social media world (mostly as a teacher) so I have a Facebook and Twitter account. If you are a reader, I highly suggest that you open a goodreads account, and we can be book friends!

A new season...

It's been 2 1/2 months since we spoke last...things have been clicking along fairly well. We are just pretty busy. We tried to make a concerted effort at balance - which means fitting in exercise, fun time, cleaning, and relaxing around our work. We did a pretty good job for a few weeks, then things got crazy...so we'll try to re-establish a routine after my fall break.

Exciting events of the past few months:

• I got a road bike...and I try to ride with some faculty members on Thursday afternoons.

This is kind of what it looks like...flat bars instead of the traditional rounded ones.
Mine does have a rack on the back so that I could carry a basket or pack...

• Andy's supposedly "easier" schedule - NOT so much.
• Car repairs/maintenance - although we are putting a new stereo in the Xterra so that I don't have to wear my headphones to listen to my ipod while driving.
• LOTS of rain for about 3 weeks...our humidity was between 40% and 50%  - this was like 10 times the normal amount of humidity. We all felt it...the people, the mosquitoes, the wooden doors and such.
• super-cleaned the house for Mom & Dad's visit, then the washing machine broke and flooded right before they got here.
• NEW washing machine...took our hiking time/movie time/visit to Springdale time, but very pretty.
• Mom and Dad got to hear me sing for the first time since high school - they made a Lieto concert last night. I was very proud, and my Lieto family was very welcoming!
• No prep - we had over 100 additional students register at our school this August, so I volunteered to "sell" my prep...essentially, it means I teach all day with no break (except my 25 minute lunch). In some ways it's harder, but it means I don't have to share a class with another teacher, so in some ways it's easier.

Here's the back wall of my classroom...love the bookshelves...still need more!

• Sarah will be 6 next week. 

I can't believe that my baby is that old...and that she may be my last baby for a while. Everyone keeps talking to me about how we can't go abroad (eventually) if we have an animal. It just makes me sad to think of not having a puppy again. We'll see....

Good Day!

Andy and I celebrated his day off by biking in Zion so that we could have crepes at Meme's Cafe. So...up early, out of the house before 6:30. We rode from the Pizza Noodle up to the Nature Center (pit stop) and were "officially" on our trip by 7:45. Andy led me up the hill to the tunnel (out to the East end) first, and we celebrated at the top with some water and energy chews. Then we FLEW down the hill and up to the Temple of Sinawava by 9:40. I bested my time down canyon, by only having to deal with one shuttle. Andy actually drafted a bus from Big Bend to Weeping Rock! That's crazy talk...
It was awesome, but we were a little jelly-legged. Crepes were good, but not as good as cinnamon rolls at River Rock. Feeling good now...let's see how well I can sit in hard seats tomorrow at Common Core.

What a difference a year makes! (maybe not entirely in a good way)

I was inspired to post due to a sudden summer monsoon storm (is that redundant?). There is thunder, lightning (some pretty close), HAIL, and lots of water. As I was sweeping up from the 3-dog-week, I looked around to see how the girls were reacting. Sarah was pouting from Sienna leaving,

and a little afraid of the big houseshakers (she is currently sitting on my foot after attempting to climb into my lap on the couch). This is nothing compared to Sadie's previous behavior during storms.

She tried to claw her way into the garage.     

Can you read the terror in those claw marks?

Right now, she is curled up on the bean bag...oblivious.That's what deafness will do for ya!

News of the past 3 weeks?
White Family Camping trip - up to Navajo Lake. Bad news for some of us...it was deerfly? week. I still look like someone burned me with cigarette butts from the knees down. Andy swelled - 1 hand, opposite foot. Andy, Justin, and the girls went spelunking in the lava tubes...

Whites & Brights at Zion - we did a Ride with a Ranger (thanks Ranger Eleanor), Junior Ranger books, the Temple of Sinawava, and a jaunt to the Springdale dog park.

Cooling off in the river after our hike!

Whites & Kloppings in Zion - another round of hiking fun - Angel's Landing! The kids did great, and Megan raced Andy out to the edge - daredevil!

Proud and victorious!

We just finished the July birthday week...Megan and Justin. Lots of good food and fun! Flash flood danger cancelled our 3rd (Andy & I) Narrows trip, but we can always reschedule.

I just finished 2 Tech Endorsement classes - Schoology and Grant Writing. Now, I don't mind writing (I do blog, obviously), but I dread having to write grants every year to keep my public ed 6th grade job. Oh well!

Flood waters from the storm!