Back 2 School

One week down and all is well.

Jared loves his new teacher and had a great first week. He said he has made a lot of new friends in his class which is good because he was afraid no one would like him. Mrs. Stoddard is great and I think exactly what Jared needs.

Kaylee was so excited to be in Mrs. Ply's class. Ren had her for two years and just loved her. Kaylee is a little sad that her best friend is moving to another school but oddly enough, the move will mean Kaycee will actually live closer so Kaylee will be able to ride her bike to Kaycee's house.

Ren is doing well in Jr. High. It is so crazy to have a kid in Jr. High. He says he likes about half of his teachers but I know he will work hard in all of his classes. Getting to and from his locker and back to class is proving to be a bit of a challenge but I think he is getting it down. At least he's not paranoid like me, I just carried my whole locker around with me in my backpack so I would never be late. I'm surprised my back survived it. :)

As for my new class, they are wonderful. How did I get so lucky? Two amazing classes in two years. They sure do make my job easy.

100 Things to Do!

I saw this on a blog with amazing card ideas and decided to post it rather than make a card of my own. The idea is to copy & paste it into your blog, then highlight the things you have done. The items in bold are things I’ve done in my life.
1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band(if playing the xylophone in 5th grade counts)
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland/world
8. Climbed a mountain(not a very big one)
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped (I wish)
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty (no-but I've been to the island)
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked — no way!
23. Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping(this is just between you and me right?)
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied(just not at the moment)
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant(missionaries at Wendy's I know, I am so generous)
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted(I'm counting the cartoonist at Trolley Square)
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris(It was closed, can you believe that?)
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie(but Rod has, check him out in Three O-clock High)
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies(I sure have bought a lot)
62. Gone whale watching
63. Gotten flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check – why’d they have to put an embarrassing one on here?
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt(badly)
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades – just drove over them
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper(thank you Drake Hogestyn of Days of Our Lives)
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life(I told Ren to stop before he rode his bike in front of a car)
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous(never as great as you think it would be)
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake(Eeew Gross!)
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
Please feel free to play along and let me know. I’d love to see your list.

A Very Special 4th.

Today was not only Independence Day, it was also my Dad's 70th birthday! He is the greatest dad and we all love him so much. Happy Birthday Dad.

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Our Trip to NYC

Rod and I had a great time in New York. We didn't really have a plan so we just went where we felt like when we felt like it. Here are just a few pictures of the trip.

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Wishing a very Happy Birthday to the one who started my adventure as a mom.

I love you Ren!

Make a Smilebox scrapbook

Great Deal!

I got a great deal on this Kraft Salad Dressing. Wal Mart is selling it for $1.58 and after using a coupon for $1.50 off each one, I ended up getting 5 bottles for $.08 each. That was pretty cool, especially since that was all I bought at Wal Mart. My one dollar bill bought 80 ounces of salad dressing and I got change!

Rod was even impressed by this one.

OK, I really enjoy making my own, custom background and headers but seriously, 2 hours? What is worng with me?
A million people better look at this new background and love it or I think I will tear my hair out!