School's Out For Summer!

Well, here we are just a few days from the official kick-off of summer. As of yesterday I am officially packed up and out of both of my classrooms, and currently waiting to be assigned a new home school and classroom. After my being split between two schools during this last school year, I have no idea where I will be for the 2009-2010 school year. With budget cuts etc., I'm really hoping to just have a job next school year, being at just one school all day long would be icing on the cake.
I want to officially thank everyone that helped me during this last school year! It was very difficult at first, going to two schools, but I learned so much and was able to work with some wonderful students.

Busy Week Ahead!

There are only 14 days of teaching left...it is hard to believe this school year is almost over. So much has happended this school year, it is hard to remember it all. I started the year teaching at Brannan, and then was split to half time at Brannan and half time at Washington Elementary. Within each school day I work with K-8th grade students. I have no idea what next year holds for me, I just hope it will be at one school all day long.

This week I have :
Sunday: Sacramento Meeting, Sunday School, Relief Society and Sunday movie with my Honey
Monday: off for Memorial Day (grading papers and wrapping up lesson plans)
Tuesday: Open House at Brannan
Wednesday: Articulation Meeting at the District Office
Thursday: HOPEFULLY my final meeting to clear my Teaching Credential
Friday: Whoopppeeeeee! The weekend will be here again!
Saturday: Helping a friend pack in Mountain Ranch

I am hoping to fit in some Visiting Teaching and movie night with my children....we will see...
Oh yes, we are still trying to finish 24!

A Day of Museums

This picture was taken at the last exhibit we visited, the Chinese Friendship Garden...we had a wonderful time on our little "honeymoon" and look forward to visiting San Diego again...

This was my absolute favorite exhibit of any that we viewed in our two days at Balboa Park. I have always loved this painting, and was very excited to be close enough to touch it.

The Museum of Natural History was a disappointment to both of us. There weren't very many exhibits, and we happened to visit on Free Tuesday...so there were tons of people, but we still enjoyed the dinosaurs like T-Rex...

This is an actual "Tucker" that we were able to see at the Car Museum.

This is a replica of the Red Baron's plane. Though this is a replica, we were able to view the actual gun that was attached to his plane, along with many of his medals.

The Air and Space museum was one of my personal favorites...I had dreamed as a child of traveling to the moon, and though I didn't make it...it is so cool to be this close to an actual suit that traveled in space.

This is a rhino bank....if you know me, you know I love anything rhino...

There were many museums and exhibits that we viewed on our last day in San Diego. We both really liked the egg-men...little Japanese men made from real eggs.

The San Diego Zoo

This was my favorite animal in the whole zoo!!!...the one on the right....

We waited in line for about 20 minutes in the sun, but the panda's were worth it...they were smaller than I thought, but really sweet....

The meerkat's were really cute...they were so energetic....just darling....

Today we visited the San Diego Zoo. This is the first animal we visited, and has always been one of my personal favorites...

Two famous San Diegans & me

My man C3PO and me...

San Diego Museum of Man

Well our first full day in San Diego was wonderful. We spent the day at the Balboa Park, visiting the grounds and the Museum of Man. Jim was a real trooper, the first museum we visited had an exhibit on the Mayan people, which coincidentally I am starting to teach my history students, and I went crazy with the "take a picture of this and that"...when we were done he had taken 103 pictures...(three weren't of the exhibit).

Tomorrow we are going back to Balboa park to visit the San Diego Zoo...

Honeymoon!

Well, this day is finally here....Jim and I are leaving for San Diego this morning for our honeymoon....yes we waited a little while for the honeymoon...but we are both very excited to get away from our daily lives to visit San Diego.

We plan on visiting the San Diego Zoo, Sea World, and maybe the Wild Animal Park...along with the beach and who knows what else.

Amy has bravely consented to taking care of all of our fish...no small undertaking on her part.

The next time we meet I should be in San Diego, where I hear the high temperature will be 60 degrees...Whooppeeee!!!!! I get to wear my hoodies.....

TTFN (ta ta for now)

Happy New Year 2009!

Wow! It is hard to believe that it is 2009...
2008 was a wonderful year for our family, we celebrated birthdays...especially that of our little niece Mari, and our one year anniversary.

We went to Utah to visit Jim's daughter and family...it was absolutely beautiful in Provo, I wouldn't mind living there myself. Jeni, Alan, Emma, Landon, and Lily are a wonderful family, and we are so proud of Alan who graduated from BYU Law school and recently passed the bar. This wonderful little family has now moved to Indiana and are doing very well.

I changed jobs in Sept. 08, teaching at a middle school which I love...however in November I was made intinerant and now cover two schools, my middle school and an elementary school in downtown Sacramento. On a daily basis I am now teaching K-8th grade....

Shane has moved back to the Sacramento area, and will soon be back in college pursuing his degree in Criminal Justice, while Megan is attending Cosumnes River to obtain a degree in Business. Trisha is busy helping with her father and step-mom, while continuing her own eduction into health, being vegan, and the paranormal. Amy is preparing to graduate from high school, and will probably reach her goal by March. She also recently just secured a job at the local Circuit City!

We celebrated Christmas with the whole family at my Mom and Dad's in Jackson, and we were lucky to have all four kids here for Christmas Day, and enjoyed having the whole gang together.

Santa brought Jim and I a Wii, so we have been bowling, golfing, and playing tennis to our hearts content.

Jim, Amy and I enjoyed few games of bowling in Sacramento during the break...we hope to go bowling with my sister, Suzi, her husband and beautiful Mari soon.

Jim and I hope to be going to the Temple later this year to be sealed.....we are both very happy and excited about the new year.

The Brown Family Christmas Tree!

It is finally here...the Brown family Christmas Tree...

Ok, it isn't decorated yet, but at least it is in the house....

Now that I'm done with college classes until March, we can start having family home evenings again...

Please stop by again soon for an updated look at our wonderful tree....

Merry Christmas!

Halloween!

Well another Halloween has arrived. This year I dressed up as a "Hippie Chick" per Jim...it was his idea...and it worked out quite well. I was able to wear comfie clothes and be very relaxed...as I walked around school with a peace sign and a red heart on my face, and my flower power flower.

I went out to lunch with a baseball player and a punk rocker, there were many funny looks, until we explained we were teachers and we had dressed up for school...yah, we still got funny looks after that, but atleast they knew we didn't dress that way every day.

I was blessed with a phone call from Elder Abeyta, who called me from Salt Lake City...he wanted to say hi and check up on the family. Both he and Elder Clark were such a blessing and great gift to me...they opened up my world, gave me a home, and a foundation for the rest of my life.....

So to all you trick-or-treaters out there have fun tonight, and don't forget to share your candy with your parents!

A Blessed Life!

Well, here we are at the end of October, and though it is a little early, I just have to share some things that I am most thankful for (not in any particular order)
I am so thankful for my husband...he makes life bearable, enjoyable, challenging...lets just say it isn't boring. Jim has challenged me to be the best I can be...and I'm working very hard at it.
I'm very thankful for my new job! I am back in the classroom, teaching Language Arts, History and Math Skills. I realize that being in the classroom is where I need and should be.
I am so thankful for my faith and membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints...it is such a comfort and joy to me, words can not do it justice.
Life is good, and I know that in the end it will all be alright.

Breaking Dawn is finally here!

I now hold in my hands the final book in the Twilight series...and just started reading....I'm hoping it has a happy ending for all concerned....I hope it isn't just wishful thinking.....