Team Dan & Sarah

September 18th was a beautiful day for Team Sarah.  Our Sarah got married!!  So happy I was able to make it.  Team Sarah has been cheering for Team Dan & Sarah for a looooong time.  Congrats Dan & Sarah!  And as Candy Apples would say, "Welcome to the Wolf Pack Dan."

Getting ready for the big day!  

This made me laugh, Candy looks like she is palming a basketball.

The Mr. & Mrs.

Circa 2006                             Circa Now 

Team Sarah 2010 - Look at how we've grown *sniff*

Newest addition to the wolf pack - Mr. Shurtz.

I'm so excited I can't keep my eyes open.

Congrats, love you guys!

                                              

birthday #22

I've made the decision to start over with my twenties.  I feel good about it.  To welcome birthday #22 (again) I took a trip to Utah.  Lucky for me my birthday landed on a holiday so I was able to take a long weekend.  It all started with an upgrade to First Class on my flight out there.  Hard to top First Class but things only got better from there...

Friday:  Meals on wheels at Sarah's - Friday night is the best!

Saturday:  Boating, after boating enchiladas at Loco Lizard, Birthday dinner with Sandy & Sarah at Donovan's (which included one of the funniest comments ever made).

Sunday:  Baby Andrew's blessing & family gathering.

Monday:  Breakfast crepes by Dad, brunch with Danielle at Ruth's, pedi's with Sandy & Sarah

....thanks everyone for making it a great birthday weekend!  Love to all.

Maria towel - kept me extra safe

Me & KK - our boatess (boat hostess)

Nice shot.

The Hoff on his way to rescue Sandy.

I have mad skills...or maybe I can just get up...

Hipstamatic

Birthday dinner with 2 of my favorite lizzadies.

catch up 2

As of August 15th, this is where I spend most of my waking hours...

...North Broadway Elementary School.  Woot woot!  I keep forgetting to take a picture so instead I snatched* this one of the Principal and some random students off the school website.  Long story short, I was set to do student teaching, applied for a few jobs just for kicks, got the first one I interviewed for and life has since turned into a game of constant catch up.

Oh how special education has changed.  I could go on for a while, instead I'll just share with you what my title is and you'll get the picture.  I am not a teacher, I am a Specialized Academic Instructor - Self Contained or SAI-SC for short.  I have 7 students (all boys!) and 3 assistants and NEVER have a dull moment.  Love those 7 little nuggets, behaviors and all.  

I have still managed to get in a little fun.  Stay tuned for update 3...

*This picture does have special significance for my class.  One of my students ripped it off the wall in the school library....as the librarian was screaming in horror...which of course made two other kids start screaming.  Such fun!!! (really!)

catch up 1

Last time I wrote about setting off the school alarm.  Life kicked into turbo mode just after that and I'm just now coming up for air.  I'll try to catch up.

Mid-August brought my momma to town for a visit.  I picked her up from the airport bright and early and we headed for some breakfast at Richard Walkers.  After that the schedule included these activities: naps, pedicures, Disneyland (where we met up with Brent & family), fish tacos, ice cream, Coronado, Seaport Village, and the beach.  It was so fun having her in town and showing her around my favorite spots.  So impressed with her bravery at trying fish tacos for the first time!  xoxox, miss you!

San Diego skyline

Pedicured toes & Coronado golden sand

Hotel Del

Rockets at Dland

First Disneyland family photo

More catching up to come...

first impression

Did I mention I got a job?  And that I have all boys in my class?  And that I am a little freaked out but mostly super excited?  Well I am...

I managed to make a grrrreat first impression with my principal on Saturday.  I went to my new classroom on Saturday to rearrange some furniture since I won't be able to do much this week.  What I forgot* to do was get the security code for the school.  Ooops.  I set off the silent alarm and had security show up.

Way to go Miss Katie!!!

Poor security guard was scared to death and shook like a leaf as he examined my id.  After he got his wits back about him he shared his dream of one day becoming a security guard instructor.  You know, to help make the profession more respectable.  I didn't have the heart to tell him being a fraidy cat didn't help things.

Oh, and I can't wait to explain myself to my principal next week.

*When I say forgot, I mean it didn't occur to me there would be a code

a mormon, a jew and a jelly fish

Much to my chagrin, one of my favorite people in San Diego moved to Northern Ireland last week.  She moved to marry the love of her life so I can't really blame her for moving, right?  A few days before she left we met for Pho and then went to check out the jelly fish infested bay. 

Crazy huh??

   Jamey eating some jelly fish...

Me trying some jelly fish (looking less convincing)

They were EVERYWHERE!

Good luck in Ireland Miss Jamey!!  Anyone want to go visit in 2011?  

Until then I'll have to find myself another Jewish sidekick...  

my little elvis

One of the first kiddos I worked with when I moved to San Diego was this cute little nugget I'll call Elvis.  It is after all, his middle name.  

He and his family packed up and moved to Atlanta this week.  It was kinda sad saying goodbye to some of my San Diego family but I am excited for the adventures and opportunities that await them in Atlanta.  While his parents packed and cleaned this week, I was able to hang out with him and his little sister.  Here are a few of my favorite conversations with him:

Me:  Elvis, do you like my toes?

Elvis:  Oh yes.  I never before have seen such beautiful toes as your toes with sparkle.

Elvis: Katie, you are important to me.

Katie:  Elvis, you are important to me too!  

Go ahead...awwwww!

As I am helping him wipe after pooping

Elvis:  You are just doing a great job! 

Me:  Thanks Elvis.

Me:  What should I draw? 

Elvis: A cute little mouse, a rat and a skunk.

Me:  Okay but I don't like rats and skunks.

Me drawing requested pictures

Me:  Here you go.  Skunks stink.

Elvis:  But this skunk has candy in his butt if you'd like to try some.

Me laughing

Elvis:  I love your art!  It is pretty and its gorgeous!

All of my hair flipped so it hides my face

Me:  Elvis, look!

Elvis:  Hee hee hee!  You look like a wookie!

Me:  Hahahahaha!  

Elvis:  Do it again!  PLEEEEEAAASE!!!

I will miss the train noises you make (disguised vocal stims), sweet comments, funny comments, crazy conversations with your mom and all of those big hugs.  Good luck little man!!