Howdy.

Well, last time I posted, I was hoping for Friday to come. Well, we have made it past that silly friday. We only have three crazy days left at school. They are actually activity days, so we are going to survive. Tuesday is graduation and I am very excited for it. Really, it is the day I wait all year to come. It is the day that is the cherry on top of my Sundae because, in reality, this is why I get up everyday. I get up to inspire kids to succeed and get their acts together in order to meet the expectations of my classes so they can get the credit to one day walk across that stage. It really is a great day.

Three of my Seniors from my Connections class are speaking at graduation. I just know that my name will be mentioned in at least one of these speeches(a fellow teacher proof read said talk). I will be balling during that speech and I am so proud of this young lady and the things she has endured and conquered to get to where she is today. I cannoot wait for Tuesday evening.

This wonderful three day weekend has been relaxing. Yesterday, I didn't do a whole lot. I did get a walk in with the dog and Reuben and I had dinner out and went fishing on the Provo River.

Reuben says I am just lucky for catching this Brown Trout:



I say it was pure skill. He caught a Rainbow Trout last week, so I was due!

It was really nice to be out on the river and listening to the birds and enjoying the pre-dusk light.






I am not as sentimental about the end of the year as I usually am. I think being pregnant makes me be much more self-involved and really just more done with the whole deal. The kids have been pretty rambunctious and I have no patience. The last week of class was good though and I probably, at one point, will miss some of those buggers.

Tomorrow we will head up to Ogden to bask in the Cajun fun of the Ficklin Family gathering(Jambalaya included). Happy Memorial Day to you all. Remember the purpose isn't just the BBQ. There are so many who have sacrificed so much for our freedoms in this country. It is their day. Remember those who have paved the way before!

Cheers.

Goodness...is it next Friday yet?

Hi all. Not only am I squirrelly, but my students are crazy squirrelly! The end of classwork isn't until next Friday, so the next week will be an adventure. Then we have three days after Memorial Day. Why they want to torture us with those days(we haven't gone past Memorial Day in the 11 years I have been teaching), is beyond me.

Oh well. I am sure it will all be over in a blink of an eye anyway!




We bought a new grill this week. And Reuben even made me steak last night. Delicious!



I planted some plants this week. It is a part of the Patio Renovation Project that I have in my head. We will have a rockin' patio in the next few weeks. Stay tuned for more!



Reuben gave me the one on the left for Mother's Day. He is a sweet, sweet man. I am one lucky girl. I am falling more and more in love with him as we go to our birthing classes. We have some of the same ideas about all that.



He's going to be an excellent dad. We cooked for my friend's kids this week and they had a blast with him playing tennis and joking around.



The waffles were a true favorite!



There was an afterschool party for our after hours program today. These moments I love with these kiddos.



Just decide that every day will be great, and guess what? It is. I am keeping that attitude as we get though the next week, and onto my favorite day, Graduation!!!!

Well, I am off to plant the lonely two impatients that didn't get planted the other night. My wonderful husband brought home a pot for me to put them in. He is great, isn't he?



Cheers!

Quick Morning Blog!

Hi all. Greetings from my bed. I sure do love to sleep these days. I can't even count all of the movies that I have fallen asleep in lately. The most recent is Les Miserables. Don't tell Reuben, but I even missed the end of Oblivion. Classic pregnant Alice move.

It seems as if all I do is work, come home and eat, fall asleep on the couch, and then rinse and repeat. It makes life go by pretty dang quickly.

We started our Hypnobirthing class last Wednesday night. I was happy to hear Reuben say: "it wasn't as weird as I thought it would be," as we were walking out! Google it, if you don't know what it is, I think it is magical!!!

Well, I better get up and get ready for work. Sorry that posting on here is one of the things that had been replaced by sleeping. The sacrifice has to come somewhere.

Cheers, and enjoy some random pics:



New church clothes. It's nice to have some that fit right.



A muskrat on a walk with a friend.



The canal near Utah lake on our walk. I like to walk lately and it really is the only exercise that is appealing.



Don't even get me started on this rascal and his expensive life saving surgery to retrieve the following from his intestines:






Fishing on Utah lake last Saturday.






Drowned some worms. Caught no fish, but still a good time.



My other dad and his pet ducks.



Silly dog.

Where Does The Time Go?

Time has flown since I was on that beach in California. We have been back at work for over a week. This time of year at work always seems to fly. I keep telling those seniors that the 43 days until graduation is going to fly. And it will.

Life is good. This past weekend was all about celebrating with the second family. All of the Bills kids were in town for going to the temple as Josh went through for his first time. We celebrated his birthday on Friday night then Saturday we went to the temple, had lunch at Red Robin and then went to Sarah's youngest kid's(Dani) baptism. It was a very filled weekend and we are still recovering.




Josh's cake. Morgan striking the match on her zipper. Silly.



Dani and my sunglasses. That girl is so fun.



Blurry Red Robin.



All the Bills.




Miri and Grandma Bills. They are kindred spirits.



Grandpa Bills and Zach playing frisbee.



Reuben and I hit the driving range and mini golf last week.



And here is the baseball game I wrote about in the last post. It rocked. So did 47, the movie about Jackie Robinson. Go see it. We loved it last night.



And here is a bonus baby bump picture. That little guy is having fun sleeping on my bladder like a waterbed and kicking away every few hours. I like him already. Hopefully, one day, we will find a name for him besides Frank the Fetus.

Cheers.

Spring Break Part One

So? What do you do while you stay at a house that is about 50 yards from the beach?



You go for a walk along the beach.









And then you find a place to sit and read a book.



But you actually never take the book out to read.


And you eat a ton of food. Both inside the house and out by your bonfire.






Or at your favorite bakery.



Then you take a day trip an hour away to San Francisco.



And harass sea lions.



Then eat a big burger.



Then ride cable cars and go to the cable car museum.












Then you go to Chinatown to buy fortune cookies, sesame cookies and t-shirts(because none of yours fit currently).












Then you go to see the world's most crooked street, Lombard Street.









Then you drive over the Golden Gate Bridge and take your picture on the other side.






Then you go to Muir Woods to feel small among the giant redwoods.








Then you sleep and take the next day to recoup because even just walking to the bathroom is much too far!!!

Then you will go to a baseball game this afternoon.

Cheers.