First Day of 5th grade

So, here she is.

The day finally came and went. I still have a hard time wrapping my brain around the fact that she's in fifth grade... All these years I've taught fifth grade and now she's one of my students. That's odd too. But good. We'll see how I feel about it in a month - but for now, it's good. I'm so tired right now (gotta get used to that work schedule again...) that I only have time to post a few pics. Below is a fun and unexpected surprise from the Popcorn Factory that was delived to the school on Monday from the sweetest hubby in the world. I'll try not to eat it all the first week... kidding... maybe...Yummy popcorn, peanuts, chocolate coated pretzels, Jelly Bellys, chocolate chip cookies, and fudge cups. And to think I was going to start my diet soon... hmm... maybe next week! :) Thanks, hon.

Time to Face the Music

So, yes, I am going back to work.

And, no, I don't want to talk about it.

Okay, I'll talk about it...

It's all about the benjamins. We've tried to make it work as a one income family but we're just squeaking by. If we didn't have so much debt maybe I could continue to stay home for at least one more year but we'll never get out of debt if I'm not working. It's a nightmare of a Catch-22.


This is River Trails Elementary School. It's in the same school district I was in before I took a year off. I'll be teaching 5th grade language arts and social studies there. It's a fairly newer school (2002) and is at the complete opposite end of the spectrum from Oakwood Terrace where I spent my first eight years teaching both economically and academically.

I tried to get back on at Oakwood mostly because I knew them, they knew me, I know the drill, etc... but they rezoned and actually lost a teacher unit. The cool part is when the principal at River Trails heard I was looking to come back she actually called and recruited me on the phone. All before I even submitted an application. That's a very nice feeling.

Cara will be going to River Trails with me and Jordyn is on the waiting list to get into the district's full-day Core Knowledge (tuition-based) Pre-K program but will be with Suzy for now. I've been doing "new" teacher meetings and inservices and am quite sad to see my freedom running down the street but I am excited about change and new challenges.

So there it is. I've gotta remember to use the crayons I have in my box to make the most beautiful drawing I can...

Happy 10th #2

I thought I would add to the CARA Worship today on your Birthday. I have added a few of my favorite pictures from the supply I have here at work. You are truly a blessing to our family. Yes we do consider you a miricle.

I love your Cotton Candy Mustache! Thanks for the picture Uncle Trent.

This is right before you got a bloody nose (from your knee). We still had fun though...

This was really cool you look just Hermione awesome costume.

I love you CARA!

DAD

Double Digits Already?

Happy 10th Birthday Cara!

You've been walking around for two weeks now giving us a countdown until your birthday...

"Four more days, Mom! Then I'll be 10, Mom. Don't you feel old, Mom?"

No, honey. I still feel like I did on that day ten years ago when you came from heaven to join our family. It really does feel like yesterday. Your birth brought so much joy into our lives. Daddy and I weren't sure we would even be blessed with children so imagine our delight when we found out we were going to have a baby. You were our first miracle.

I'll spare you the newborn pictures. Those first few months are blurry in my memory... Feedings, diaper changes, gallons of spit-up and crying stand out though. By six months old you were much happier and so, so adorable.


By age two you were very talkative and already had many books memorized. "There's a Wocket in my Pocket" was a favorite. Your love for music and singing also started early on.



When you had your tonsils out Grandma Davis flew down to help me because I was sure it would be traumatic for you... I was wrong! By the next day you were eating potato chips and we had this "pink" picture taken of you two days after your surgery...



Your fourth birthday party at Chelsea's Tea Room was so much fun! Even though you're not smiling in this photo it's one of my favorites of you. You have always been a child who doesn't ask for much. You're happy (most of the time) with whatever you are given and I appreciate that!

Our special announcement for Grandma & Grandpa was super fun. It's doubtful that anyone could have been more excited to be a big sister than you were! You told everyone and anyone who would listen what was coming up for you.



I love that you love science! I'd like to think I had a little to do with that... It's really something that you are very gifted with. You love to ask "Why?" and that little question is the reason you are so smart. Don't ever stop wondering why...

You take your role as big sister very seriously. Thank you for being a friend and example for Jordyn. She thinks you're fabulous, you know. So do I.

The sheer number of books you've read amazes me. I love that we share many of the same favorite books. You finished the Harry Potter series before you turned 9... I love that you'll bring a book into my room and just want to be near me while you read. That we have that connection is awesome, Cara.

You are growing into a beautiful person but don't grow up too fast... You make me want to try harder to be a better mother and I love you for that.

Thank you for being willing to try new things. You can do anything you want to do if you just work hard and continue to practice. Believe in yourself. Trust in the Lord.

Happy Birthday, Munchie. We love you all the way around the universe and back!

Just in case you missed my Olympic highlights...

Thought I'd share...

Oh, What Do You Do In The Summertime??

Well if your last name begins with a B and ends with an OYER then you are at the pool!!

A bunch of our playgroup friends from our former ward all bought pool passes to the city pools this summer. It has been a sound investment! My original reasoning for spending the money on pool passes was that if we weren't at the house it wouldn't get messy - and to a certain extent that's been true. But even better than a clean house is water-loving kids who look much healthier with a little sunshine and always come home from the pool tired and ready for an early bedtime. ☺ It's nice that I get to socialize with my friends too.

I have one week left of my summer before I'm going to be going back to work. We're going to enjoy it!

The 2008 swimming crew: Beans, Boyers, Jeffords, Koenigs, Petersons, Wurtz' (and Allens not pictured...)

The Never-Ending Weekend...

It all started Friday with a 5 AM wake-up call to leave the house by 5:30 to get to my doctor's office in Dallas by 6 for a 7 AM appointment. Yes, you really do need to arrive that early... Normally when I have a 7 AM appointment I'm home by 10 but things went swimmingly and I made it home around 8:15. Sweet!

Hung out at Suzy's house for awhile since I had to pick up my children - Bryan dropped them off on his way to work... Went home to try to get some cleaning done because I knew I'd be otherwise engaged on Saturday. Then watched Suzy's kids while she ran some errands. The kids always play well together and get along great, so that's nice.

Then it was off to Jennie Jo's surprise party that was disguised as a "Game Night". It was a lot of fun and we ended up staying so long that afterward I just went to buy my copy of Breaking Dawn. Let's face it, it was the most important thing to do on my list that day, right?

For such a big fan of the series, I had no game plan for getting my copy... My friend, Sandee, went to Borders and got a wristband. She asked how many people had reserved copies of Breaking Dawn and the clerk told her over 300! People with wristbands would be served after the reserved list was taken care of. My Twilight friends around here bailed out of going at midnight so I took myself to Wal-Mart. I'm not a huge fan of Wal-Mart. I can usually get better deals elsewhere... But I knew they would have it.

When I arrived at 11:30 PM I expected to see a long line like there was for the Harry Potter release. I found nothing. No sign. No line. Nothing. I asked the clerk running the self-checking area if they would be releasing it at midnight. He didn't know what I was talking about so he radioed the manager who confirmed that they would have it up front by the registers. I stood there by myself for about 10 minutes and then was joined by another Twilight fan named Stephanie (who asked my age and felt better about herself since she was only 23 and I was obviously a much older fan...) and then Sandee came close to 11:55. I called to let her know there was no waiting behind 300+ others and I was home by 12:15! It was fabulous.

I stayed up until 3 AM reading and then woke at 7:30 to press forward. Minimal distractions and forced feedings by Bryan were the only interruptions and I finished around 3:15 PM on Saturday. There were a couple times during the book when I thought to myself, "Okay, this is where Stephenie Meyer will jump the shark..." but overall, I closed the book feeling pretty satisfied with the story and how it ended. We'll talk later about that, I don't want to spoil it for anyone...

Housework, dinner and preparing Sharing Time for the next day (yes, I waited to put the last parts of Sharing Time together until after I was finished with the book... Are my priorities out of whack? Nah...) then kept me up until 11 PM and we were up for church by 7 this morning...

Phew! I'm tired. I need to rest up before I start reading it again... ☺