Just Another Day

I can safely say that this has been my best year of teaching yet. I had such a wonderful group of kids this year – the kind of class you wish you could hold on to forever. They are bright, funny, kind, silly, caring… I really am sad that they won’t be my group again next year.

I had such a great year, in fact, that I allowed our librarian to talk me into being subjected to a few (6!) cool whip “pies” in the face on our field day. It was all part of a reading challenge that the kids participated in during the month of May – and I honestly figured that I’d get off the hook somehow. Instead, my former, current, and incoming students chose me as their target.

Yesterday we had our annual banquet. Everyone was dressed in their best for the awards presentation and eager for the dance that followed. (Well not EVERYONE was eager for the dance – as the teching staff was once again called out to do “thriller” ??? Please, someone teach me the moves so I’m prepared for the next time!)

It was a great school year.

I just can’t believe this little beauty is already a year old! We celebrated on Saturday at a wonderful party!

I got to make the cake. I decided on a HUGE cupcake for Katsie and regular sized cupcakes for everyone else. She didn’t manage to put a dent in the cake – no real smooshing, even. She was sure cute, though.

What a happy surprise that Grandpa Poderzay came over for the party. Afterwords we headed to visit Grandpa Aune, too. I think Kate looks like both of these handsome guys – must be those gorgeous blue eyes.

What a sweet, sweet girl.

The shed is sure coming along. The guys have been putting in a lot of work on these hot days. We’re so thankful to have such great help!

Life has been full around here. We’ve got lots of projects in progress, and we’re remembering to throw in an equal amount of fun. That’s one of the accomplishments we pride ourselves on around here – life must be enjoyed. Here’s a little look:

First up – the shed.

Our shed needed a little face lift, not to mention a few structural updates. Bill and I spent a couple of weekends emptying out its contents – it’s amazing how many things can be stuck into a small space! The second phase called for Jesse’s construction knowledge and the handiwork of Bill, my dad, and Uncle Glenn. The building is once again very sturdy and looking good! The guys will start working on the inside soon – another fun project.

Secondly, a long-overdue visit with my old roomie.

I took a personal day so I could meet up with Heidi in our old stomping grounds. It was such a fun day, despite the slushy snow falling outside. We bummed around a bunch of stores, giggled over lunch, sat in our old house’s parking lot and tried to remember our landlord’s name, drove through campus, and, of course, talked about how quickly time goes. It’s already been two years since we’ve seen each other, and it’s likely that the next time we’ll visit I’ll get to hold her sweet baby. One thing that never seems to change is our ability to pick right up where we left off. I love that. It made me think about how lucky I am that my long distance friends all seem to share that quality.

Next on the list – celebrating the moms in my life.

Okay, so I LOVE Sawyer screaming in this picture and how Kate seems to be thinking that guy is nuts. He had been so smiley, then we made him stop walking for a picture, and that made him sad. Anyway, it was nice to be able to celebrate together with my mom and my sisters this morning. We had a nice breakfast at the Tower Cafe. Unfortunately, Valdez is a good 3000 miles away, so I didn’t get to celebrate with another important mother in my life. I hope the day was good up there as well.

Finally.

Bill has finished up with his first semester of master’s classes. I am so proud of his hard work. Now he’s got a few weeks break before summer session starts up again. We’re going to take advantage of that extra time, as we did this evening. I love getting out on the lake with Bill. Soon we’ll have even more time to enjoy!

It’s been another great, fast week. April and I got to visit with Kelly and baby Ben Bakk last Sunday – he’s gotten so big! I had lots of time with my sweet niece and nephew. MCA tests wrapped up with the completion of our 5th grade science test on Tuesday. (Whew!) Bill turned 30 – he’s not much for making a big deal of his birthday, so we celebrated quietly at the lake with some chicken tacos and carrot cake. (Yum!) I got to see my mom in the middle of the week – a rare occasion since it seems time is always moving too quickly. Dad had a birthday yesterday – we’ll celebrate with some sweet treats this weekend. I presented my first technology training to my staff – part of the new role I will be taking on next year (half-time reading & math teacher / half-time technology integration lead teacher – super exciting). I met up with my friend Amanda and her darling baby, Kate, for a coffee and a much needed visit. (Okay, the coffee was much needed too, by Friday afternoon!) Bill and I had dinner at Grandma’s in Virginia then came home to watch The Proposal last night.

Now the guys are busy at work sprucing up the old shed. Today they’re working to fix up the frame, replace the roof, and hang new siding. We’re lucky to have Jesse here to coordinate the project – he’s got a knack for building. (And, by the way, he’s a pretty talented photographer… I’ve just added a link to his site: check it out.)

I’m not sure what today will bring for me…

Happy birthday, William. I love you!