My Favorite 2-year Old

I finally saw my favorite 2-year-old, 3-year-old and 6-year-old (Gus, David and Betsy) last Sunday after my family went to the Seahawks game. I live across the street from the Kessler/Stonich household and was their nanny all of last year. It is so fun to think back at all of the many, many memories I had with their family. Some of my favorites are definitely: 

1. Daily double stroller rides up the hill to school with the 2 boys and Betsy in it, 1 dog on a leash and a cup of coffee.
2. Singing made up songs to Gus so he would fall asleep
3. Watching the kids check the advent calendar every morning during Christmas time
4. Halloween; angel, and kitten-firefighter, so wonderful.
5. Curious George with "eggies" for breakfast.
6. Taking David and Gus to the pumpkin patch with his preschool class, picking out a pumpkin for Sheepy
7. Gus playing soccer, bouncy house, ruling the open gym for tots, library read alouds, lots and lots of treats at Zoka's
8. Seeing the kiddos ski at Alpental, while Gus slept on my back
9. Betsy losing her teeth, and creating fake teeth to fool the tooth fairy
10. Lots of play dough, potions, cookies, and messes in the kitchenMany trips to the museum of flight-- I think one of them will be involved with aviation
11. Gus and Betsy's day at Owijimaya
12. Swim lessons, making popsicles, watching baseball during dinner (usually not that interesting for kids unless we were talking about Gigi and the Phillies) 
13. Snow days, windy rainy days running home from school, sunny hot water balloon days

So much fun. When I think about family I will always treasure what I experienced with them as a cohesive and solid unit. I sure do miss them!! <3 <3 <3 

Stained the Deck, Figuring Out Save the Dates

Great weekend in Tacoma/Seattle. Kelly and I worked hard to repaint the deck, it looks awesome now! (pictures to come). Watched the hawks with the family and friends in Seattle, sad loss.

Tater Tot went swimming today with his life jacket, we had to enjoy the hottest day out of our summer! It is still 80 degrees out, nice!

Kelly and I are close to having our save the dates printed, hopefully get those out soon! Got a few more engagement cards; we feel so loved and blessed to have such amazing and supportive families and friends!

Looking forward to a busy and fun week!!

4 Day Weekend

What a great week! I have 22 almost 7 year old's in my class, and they are all wonderful. I'm working with an excellent team in my favorite school district. I am so lucky! Day 2 we did have balloons and cupcakes brought in for a student's birthday. I was proud that my class not only left with blue frosting on their faces and balloons tied to their backpacks but everyone also made it on the right school bus. Yay!!

Kelly and I had a great week of picking out colors, talking about wedding invitation/save the date ideas, and looking through magazines.
Here is one color combo idea:

Grey
Poppy
Aqua
Yellow


June in Montana! So excited!

This weekend we get to go see DMB and Dispatch at the Gorge on the Columbia River. Very few bands have so much meaning  to me; Dispatch and Dave Matthews Band have been musical staples in my life for the past 10 years. I used a Dispatch song  in Jocelyn's slideshow at her memorial, and the DMB concert with her and our girlfriends is such a great memory. This year Becca, Alex, Christa, Liz and Mike & co. will all be out there too, should be a great time!

*And my ankle is feeling better :)

Back in Tacoma, Teaching 2nd Grade

I love good news!

I'll officially be teaching 2nd grade in Tacoma! Today was my first day, and my students' first day is next Tuesday. So that leaves me less than a week to do a lot of preparing. :)

It is going to be a wonderful year! I can't wait! 

Family Engagement Party

Kelly and I had a beautiful dinner with the folks, Becca, Alex and Lauralee! 

Making Plans

This weekend Kelly and I were spoiled by the Totten Clan and Lauralee since they threw us a completely gorgeous and wonderful engagement party for my family and his. Pictures to come!

What a fun weekend being able to hang out with my awesomely fabulous family. I treasure the time I get to have with special people; being entirely present and open, asking questions, listening to peoples' stories, sharing moments of silliness and fun.

Becca and Alex went to look at Alderbrook Resort on Hood Canal Saturday before they came out to the Tacoma house for the engagement party. It is an absolutely beautiful location and would be a stunning place to be married.

Thank you to everyone that has sent words of support and encouragement via email and in cards. They are so meaningful and very fun to read!

Tonight Kelly and I have been super busy because we have been finalizing some details for reserving a wedding date at Chico Hot Springs; Saturday June 9th 2012! My requests included; filling in gopher holes and Kelly's is a keg of Moose Drool beer. So far we're keepin' it simple :)

Funny Story

Kelly and I were up on the "Field of Dreams" at Chico just running around with Tater (the corgi) and taking some pictures. It was the last morning of the trip, the car was packed, we just wanted a good picture of this potential wedding site to take home with us.

On the last photo I clicked the button to set the 10 second timer... ran over to be in the picture with Kelly.... and fell into a gopher hole. It was pretty crazy, but luckily the timer on the camera caught Kelly and Tater coming to my rescue!!

After I rolled my ankle. 

Field of Dreams 

Tater in the field

Elevating and icing! 

A little more ice before our 12 hour car  ride home!

This is a day 3 picture. Look at the sweet  bruise!

Kelly luckily had his cell phone on him so he called Chico's front desk so I wouldn't have to hike down. One of their grounds guys came up and took us three down in a golf cart. He was so nice and went straight to the gift shop for something to drink and some advil. When he saw how huge my foot had already swollen up he thought I needed to see a doctor right away.

This was definitely not my first sprain so I knew what to expect so I left my first aid needs in the hands of my future husband. Kelly was pre-med for a year and apparently had a couple years of athletic training in high school. His first reaction after I stopped crying and he looked at my ankle was "Well there isn't anything sticking out." Thanks Kel. :) He also joked that the camera may have caught a picture of him passing out if he saw the actual sprain, but fortunately it was deep in a gopher hole and I just looked like I was tripping.

But really, Kelly did a great job wrapping my ankle up and keeping ice on it for the day or two following the gopher-hole injury.

I thought this was pretty funny, and luckily it was just a sprain, and the fact the camera caught a picture of it is pretty great. I love the moments I get to spend with people doing challenging things; at work, at home, backpacking, learning new skills etc. Sometimes they are freak accidents that become opportunities to deal with a challenge that you aren't always prepared for but will put you into that survival mode where your character of compassion, patience and strength will really come through.

And the people that help with the after math thank you! Thanks Mom for helping with laundry and driving, Becca for dinner help, Christa for the vino and fun company, Austin's medical expertise, and lots of concerned texts :)!