I don't like confrontations!

Woody: Now, guys, it was an accident. You gotta believe me. 
Slinky Dog: We believe you, Woody. Right, Rex? 
Rex: Uh... yeah... uh, I mean no... uh... I don't like confrontations! 

I... am REX.

Ran into my principal in the hall yesterday, and after the 20 second conversation we had in passing, I returned to my room trying to figure out if his comment meant that I was in the dog-house or not.

THE DOG HOUSE??  I don't enjoy my stays there AT ALL.  Since I do not like there to be any ripples in my "happy pond", I had to go in and make sure things were cool.

They were.

Not only COOL... but SWEET COOL. 

After a 30 minute conversation I left his office with a new "job" for next year (I am the new computer TECH person for the '09-'10 school year... & a nice little stipend to go along with it).  

I also have been asked to attend a conference in Park City for a week (all expense paid... plus a nice little stipend).  AND... he doled out several compliments that had me feeling like THE best, COOLEST, and most effective teacher on the planet.  Ok... I know that is far from the truth, but I FELT that way... if even for a moment.

Not too bad for being smack dab in the middle of a recession :)

{pace}

400m pace runs this morning.

It WAS a suicide pace (for me) but it was a 6 minute mile pace.

Yeah.

SWEET!

I'm sure I'll find out later if my joints have any protestations.

king of her JUNGLE

Aspen's home away from home is the Zoo.  Not sure exactly where her animal fascination has stemmed from.  Could be some of the people she has to live with on a day to day basis.   We made it to the zoo over Easter weekend and it was a bit chilly, but ended up being nice.

She has a snake thing.  She loves to say SSSSSSSSSSSSS for snake, and cuddle right up to the windows where the nice rattlesnake lives (behind the glass, of course).  Not sure "snake safety" would be on her list of things she even cares about right now.  

{reunion}

I’m so glad when daddy comes home,
Glad as I can be;
Clap my hands and shout for joy,
Then climb upon his knee,
Put my arms around his neck,
Hug him tight like this,
Pat his cheeks, then give him what?
A great big kiss.

{quirky}

I have things that I am driven to do.  Things that probably make NO sense to the average person.  My husband tells me these habits (aka: compulsions) are going to put me in the nut house when I'm 70.  Can't say I can argue with him.  Why?  When I STOP in the middle of a good paced run, in order to remove a lid from a Coke product (Coke rewards points add up... and I have much running gear because of this obsession), or to bend off a colored pop top off of an energy drink (they are very useful for scrapbooking) there must be something wrong... something a bit off-kilter.  

SHEETS and towels are on my little list of OCD quirks.  The big soft fluffy towels just don't get all the moisture off of me after a shower.  Hang one on a clothesline for a couple hours on a warm spring day, and not only do you get a good absorbent towel, but it smells awesome too!  My husband's nose is broken, so the smell benefit is lost on him... and the absorbent part he just calls "scratchy towels".  

To each his own.   

My "MINI me" has her own set of fixations.  There should be NOTHING on her hands (even while eating with her hands), nothing on her clothes or bib (yes... even while eating messy things), and no spills in her bed or on her high chair.  All of these are met with a demanding "MESS MESS" which is the signal for me to promptly fix said irritation.  

Good thing she is more on the clean side than the alternative.  Poor Hayden.  The guy has to live with two neurotic chicks in the house.

desperate times = drastic measures

When the going gets tough... the tough go running.  Today that meant throwing Aspen in the jogger at 5:45am for a long overdue run.  I have had no run since Monday morning because H has been out of town, and Aspen is sleeping in the morning.  Lucky for me, when I was trying to console a cranky Aspen at 5:30am, the only thing that she didn't give a resounding NO! to, was going with me for a "walk".

I'm training her early :)

her fathers' daughter

After looking back on my posts for the past couple weeks I realize that I pretty much have over posted on Aspen and her activities.  It must be a factor of having basically only one kid at home, or maybe I am boring and have not much else to talk about other than those close to me.  Either way... here is another ANOTHER Aspen info post.

Hayden loves to take long showers.  I'm talking the "Lay in the water until all the water is gone" version of a long shower.  Aspen, as of yesterday, has shown she shares the same love.  I finally had to turn the water off in order to get her out.  I remember when I was young and hated to get out of the tub at my Grandma Toni's house... she (or Sheela... I forget whom) told me that if I didn't get out before all the water went down the drain it would take me with it.  Hmmm... maybe I'll have to try that one.

bucket list '09

Wade and I had fun this past weekend hanging out and talking.   He compiled his first draft of "things to try to do this summer" list on our drive back to Tremonton.  I'm sure we will add more as they come to us, but for now, this is what is on our BUCKET LIST:

• camping
  
• zoo
  
• Gateway water fountains
  
• 7 peaks
  
• Dog trail/park
  
• Flat water kayaking
  
• miniature golf
  
• put a puzzle together
  
• work on scrapbooks (his and mine)
  
• make ice cream
  
• Ephraim
  
• Croquet (gotta get a croquet set first)
  
• library - weekly
  
• movie marathon 
  
• pop popcorn without the top on the machine
  
• launch rockets
  
• alpine slide
  
• scavenger hunt
  
• frisbee golf
  
• drive-in movie
  
• air force aeronautic museum
  
• classic skating
  
• picnic at park
  
• marshmallow blow gun fight
  
• swim at legacy center
  
• visit a national park
  
• observatory/star gazing
  
• cabin/atv's
  
• tubing on a canal
  
• hiking some trails
  
• roast marshmallows/hot dogs
  
• St. George
  

I have a few that apparently didn't make his LIST... I'm sure I'll sneak them on while he isn't looking and add to the fun.

for the love of the game

Tuesday was full of adventure.  School went quickly (thanks to going outside to "do homework" with the last 2 class periods).

Volleyball ended up being the HIGHLIGHT of the day.  The last couple times we have had games, I haven't had enough time to warm up enough to play like I would like.  I was THAT person that people would try to serve to, because I was off of my game. And once that happens, then I start mentally kicking myself, which makes me play worse that I already was.  I never want to be the weakest link.  I always have told myself that if the day came that I was, then I was done playing.  Tonight (with Aspen in tow) I made it to volleyball early enough to have a good warmup.  Had a good game... had fun.  Aspen had fun playing outside and climbing hills.  H gets home tomorrow!  Yay!

flying solo... monday

Aspen and I have lived through fending for ourselves for a 24 hour period while Hayden is out of town on a job.  It was my late day at school so we didn't get home until 5.  The day was SO beautiful that we couldn't resist spending the rest of it outside.  Aspen found a new use for her  bucket (rocks, balls, dirt, and dandelions all fit in nicely) and I mowed and worked.  Without H to prepare dinner for or to hang out with, we stayed in the yard longer than we would have (or should have).  

Dinner was a delicious bowl of mini-wheats (at 5 o'clock).  Lots of prep and lots of clean up.  With everything completed by 7pm: a bath, tantrum, & rocking Aspen to sleep... I wandered around the house lost for a bit.  

I don't sleep so well without H.  Even with being in  bed by 10:30, I was still awake at midnight.   It is going to be a long week.  I have volleyball tonight and have to scramble to either find me a sub, take Aspen, or have someone play mom.  

This is going to be a long week!  Hurry home Hayd! 

2 going on 13

Spring break was eventful, to say the least (I'll post more pictures of our accomplishments a bit later).  

Aspen was on a ROLL.  I have not seen so many full out, THROW down tantrums in such a short period... in my life!   I think she finally figured out that Wade leaves at the end of the weekend, and she misses him.  Hayden is out of town this week on a job, and I swear she can sense his impending absence.    

We had fun spending time together.

47 pieces of CRAP

Hayden and I have places that we have a "solo" love for.  He does not like eating at Subway (sandwiches are NOT dinner food) or NOODLES & Co., I love both places.  He is not a soup guy... and I could eat it for dinner all winter long.

His least favorite place, BY FAR (for me or for him) is the dollar store.  There are a lot of really cool things at the dollar store that even Walmart can't beat the price of... and for crafting, it's a gold mine!  And 5 items for $5!!!  It's a bargain!

  

About a year ago I hear Hayden calling from the other room, so I go to see what the matter is.  He is balancing the finances and says "WHY in the world did we need to buy 47 PIECES OF CRAP?".  We obviously don't share the same opinion of the entertainment value  ALL A DOLLAR has.  

Hayden and his dad were to a Jazz game several nights ago, so the girls decided to take a trip to the dollar store just so we can send Hayden some antagonistic photos while we are there.  Aspen has this thing figured OUT!  Grab a basket, walk through the aisles and just load up your basket with whatever looks good.  When your basket gets full, just carry whatever doesn't fit in it.  When she is loaded up she says "BUY IT" and heads to the front of the store.  

Hayden is outnumbered on this one.  

pageant wave

There is no need for a park, or a jungle gym... we have a car!  I spend 10 minutes (at least) of every day trying to chase down Aspen in the car to bring her inside.  She loves the sun roof and has PERFECTED the pageant wave, which she shares with anyone passing by.  When 16 years old rolls around, I can only IMAGINE the issues we are going to have, if she is already in love with cars before she is even 2.

Denver... day 3 (home again home again)

There is a reason for delaying the post of day 3 from Denver... it was a LONG day, and not a great way to end a good little vacation.  Our plane was scheduled to leave at 7am... which means we were up at 4:30.  It had started snowing, and by the time we got on the plane, it had turned into a bit more than just snow (aka: blizzard).   After getting on the plane and sitting waiting to depart for hours, our flight was delayed, and delayed, and finally they informed us that we needed to get off the plane because our plane was heading to Detroit.  DETROIT???  What?  The weather allows a plane to leave to Detroit but not to Salt Lake??

Two hours of standing in line to find us another flight home, one (or ten) calls back to Utah to make arrangements for someone to cover us for the work day, and we finally ended up making it back around 4pm to Salt Lake.  

I think I am jinxed.  This is the 3rd time something like this has happened to us on our travels.  Sleeping in the New Jersey airport overnight was my favorite :)  Or maybe it is just that vacations have to end like this in order to REALLY REALLY want to "just be home".

i love my job

Every year that I teach, I love my job more than I did the year before.

Maybe it is because I get some good classes that make it worthwhile... maybe it is because I feel like I make a difference.  

At the end of every year I have students who I hate to pass on to the next grade, because that means I don't get to partake of their hilarious personalities and comments.  Two of these students showed up to class yesterday with I {heart} FRASER shirts they had made over the weekend and wore to school.  Now THAT is brown-nosing at it's finest!

motivation

I haven't been much for posting lately.  Recouping from a good getaway last weekend (I know it sounds ridiculous).  

Part of me is just tired of the computer this week and maintaining my STUFF:  blog, emails, running log, food intake, reading/commenting on blogs, pictures... blah blah blah.

So I am finally coming out of my funk and returning to the techno land... here's my week update in one sentence or less:

I ran good this week, ate bad, didn't reply to alot of emails, didn't comment on blogs, and just barely played with pictures for the first time.

more to come