Hello again...

You may have noticed I've been missing for a while. Alas, I had to go back to work on the 13th. Summer just doesn't seem long enough, but, then again, I'm ready to get back into the structure and schedule.

My new teaching partner (Candace) and I have been busy readying our room (it's a portable which means we get A/C...yay!!!) and trying to figure out the newly adopted reading program, plus planning out the first couple of weeks. I'm teaching 5th grade this year. I'll be working every Thurs. and Fri. as well as every-other Wed. It should be a sweet deal. I taught 6th grade part time last year, but worked every single morning (with alternating full-day Wednesdays). It'll be nice to have 2 to 3 full days off per week this year.

Candace and I met our new class on back to school night a couple of days ago. Looks like a cute bunch of kids. We've got a lot more girls in our class than boys. We'll have to see how that goes. I happen to have my own 5th grade girl at home, and let me tell you, it can be a dramatic experience some days! :)

I haven't taught 5th grade since my student teaching days years and years ago! It has a fun curriculum. American history, electricity, physical matter, magnetism, US geography, and novels, etc. I really enjoyed teaching 6th. I hope to like 5th just as much. My mom has taught 5th for years and really likes it (well...most days.)

I switched schools because this new one happens to be 2.2 miles from my house. (It's not the closest school, or even the 2nd closest school to my house...can you believe that?) My old school was a 20-25 min. commute each way. So, I'm definitely excited for that part. The faculty at this new school has been very welcoming and the 5th grade team is very helpful! I will miss my last school for sure. But, this new one seems to be a great place to work. I'll keep you posted.

Sadie's Blessing Day

Gary blessed Sadie on Sunday, August 3rd. It was a beautiful blessing. It was so special to have all 4 of Gary's brothers and both of my brothers, along with both of our fathers take part in the blessing as well. I am truly grateful for the gospel in my life. I am grateful to have a wonderful husband who has the power to bless my family. On a lighter note, I'm happy Gary didn't sneak in Sadie Sue as her given name. That's a nickname he calls her and for some reason it really bugs me!I took this second photo the night before Sadie's blessing. I put her dress on her just to be sure it fit and everything. She looks like a mad little bird trying to get away from me! She wore the cute headband for the blessing and then we took it off because she has a teeny head and it was drooping into her eyes.

How can something so small...

.....cause a man so much grief???

What you see in my hand here is a kidney stone. This little bugger sent Gary to the ER last week in such agonizing pain. He held out, thinking he could just be tough (and not have to pay the $75 ER copay.) But, the pain was unbearable. We finally went in so they could hook him up with the "good stuff" that he got with his appendicitis a few months back. (Incidentally, Gary commented that he would take another round of appendix pain over this any day.) Once the IV drugs kicked in, he told me that it was the best $75 we could have ever spent. Poor kid!

We've heard plenty of people telling us passing a kidney stone is worse than labor. Well, he's never been in labor, and I've never had a kidney stone, so we'll just take their word for it. I really don't want to experience one myself in order to tell you whether they're right or not. But, sadly, Gary will likely be passing more stones. The CT scan revealed several more hanging out in his right kidney. Oh boy...can't wait!

By the way, here's a big thank you to Brenda and to Dani who were willing to come watch my kids late at night in a pinch! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

888

Today is 8-8-08!!! Isn't that the coolest date ever!!! Anyone who knows me knows I'm a numbers freak, especially when it comes to dates. Today should be a holiday in my opinion! :)

The birthday boy!

Well, we just celebrated the last of our kids' birthdays until next year. I, unfortunately, don't have all too many pics of Calder's special day. If you read in an earlier post, both Addie's and my digital cameras are no more. So, we're currently relying on cell phone photos. (Please note Calder's handsome post-bath wet head!) Gary has some more pics on his phone, but he's out of town for a couple of days. So, here's what you get for now. Poor middle child always gets the shaft!

Addie decorated the top of Calder's cake this year. It's an omnitrix. If you don't know what an omnitrix is, you must not have a 7-year old boy in your house. It's a Ben 10 thing. Calder's sooooo into Ben 10. He owns nearly every one of the aliens, and got his 2nd omnitrix for his birthday (the first one got worn out), plus a Ben 10 DVD game, a Ben 10 sticker book, etc, etc.

He's also into Star Wars right now. Funny thing is that he's never seen any of the movies. Yet, he's familiar with most of the characters. That's his new light saber in his hand in the photos. Crazy thing, when Calder talks about Star Wars, he's referring to Episodes 1-3 and The Clone Wars cartoon coming out this summer. I still think of Star Wars as the 70's movie with awesome special effects that I actually saw in the theater three times as a youngster. Generation gap, anyone?

MONSTER BABY!!!

Here's a picture of Sadie with her new little cousin, Aidan. We met him for the first time today, and ohhhh he's a cutie! I just can't believe how monsterously huge Sadie looks next to Aidan being only 9 weeks apart in age. (Aidan even started out a pound and a half heavier than Sadie was.) My baby is already growing so big. Sigh. It happens sooo fast, and right before my very eyes. Savor the moments, eh?

P.S...Sorry about the poor quality of the picture. A)Babies wiggle a lot, and B)The picture was taken with my cell phone because both of the family digital cameras had "accidents" involving 2 separate water incidents last week. They bit the dust! When it rains.......

Introducing...

My newest nephew! So sweet!!!

Aidan David Robison

Born July 31, 2008 at 9:55 PM

7 lbs, 10 oz.

20 inches