Wine-Down Wendesdays

August 31, 2011

Well, the thrid day of school is now under out belts, and it went great!  We decided to have a littel bit of a wind down time after school.  Leah and Steph were great hosts for Mer and me.  All we did was hang out and laugh and talk; we had a great time celebrating that we are half-way through the first week of school.  I love my co-workers and friends!

The Second Day of School

August 30, 2011

Well, the first day of school was very exciting, and fun, and full of energy.  But by the second day of school, we needed some help to get through!  Hahaha!  Thankfully I have friends who think like I do, and ended up with a nice coffee drink to get through the day.  Also, one of my students made some cupcakes to bring in, and so I got two little lifts for the day!  I think this year is going to be OK!  : )

First Day of School!

August 29, 2011

Woooo-hoooo!  The first day of school was a success!  I can't believe summer is over, but it was fun to see all the students again and to get back into the swing of things.  This year is going to be pretty packed with a crazy schedule, but I'm looking forward to all the fun that's ahead of us.

I did take some pictures of the kids, but I left my card reader at school today, so I don't have them on my computer yet, but here are some teachers after a successful first day!

Back to School Dinner

August 28, 2011

One of the traditions we  have at LACS is for all of the staff to go out to dinner the night before our first day of school.  When I first started working here we would got to Cheesecake Factory, but a few years later we switched to C & O Trattoia, a GREAT Italian restaurant right by Venice Beach.  It was another fun night with an amazing group of people I am lucky enough to work with and live life with! 

Here's our whole group, although its a little hard to see everyone at the other end!

It has also become a tradition in the last few years to go to Diddy Reece after dinner to get some dessert (even though I'm usually too full to fit anything else after out delicious dinner and all the garlic bread knots).

A smaller group went to dessert, but it was super fun, and super good! 

And now, we're ready for the first day of school!  : )

Another Treat to Keep Going

August 27, 2011

Well, I decided I needed a treat to celebrate the last Saturday before school starts again (I know, there have been lots of treats this week, but you gotta do what you gotta do).  So, for breakfast I bought some of my favorite scones from Fresh and Easy to go with my coffee.  Yummmmmm!  And because it comes in a box of 8, I'll have enough left over to have treats every morning this week, Yay!

After Pics

August 26, 2011

Well, today was the day to finally finish the classroom.  We only have the weekend left before the kids come back, so I had to be done today.  And thankfully I got everything done!  So, here are the after pictures I promised on Monday...

All done!  I think it looks pretty good, and now, bring on the students!!

Getting Ready

August 25, 2011

We worked really hard today in our classrooms, so we decided to take a break and give ourselves a treat.  Coffee Bean is always the treat I want! 

Mer and Steph are enjoying their coffees!

It's fun to take a break with good friends!

Meetings, Meetings and More Meetings

August 24, 2011

Phew...Today was an all day meeting.  I had to be in the meetings for the Elementary School and the Middle School, so I really was sitting in meetings ALL day long.  I am ready for a good night sleep after this day!

Steph is sleeping during our meeting...busted!

Thankfully, all the meetings are done now (not that I don't LOVE our school meetings), so we get the rest of the week to work in our classrooms and get ready. 

Classroom Clean Up

August 23, 2011

Oh-boy!  There is a lot to do before the kids come back next Monday!  I have to get two classrooms ready, one for art and one for health at the middle school.  The art room shouldn't take too much work, it was used all last year, and organized by Janice, with pictures and all, but the health classroom will take a little more work.  This is a before picture to show all the piles of stuff I need to go through and organize before I put it all back together.  I keep reminding myself, it gets worse before it gets better!! 

I realize it doesn't look THAT bad in this picture.  What you don't see is all the piles and boxes on the floor behind the rows of desks, and more piles behind my desk.  It's going to take some time to get this room put together, but I know I can do it!!  After picture coming soon...

Back to Work!

August 22, 2011

Today we had our first day of meetings back at school.  The kids don't come until next Monday, so we have a few days of meetings, and then a few days to get ourselves and our classrooms together.  Today we had out first official meeting at a park in LA, where we spent some time praying and answering some questions about what we want this next year to look like.  It was a great way to jump back into school and schedules without being stuck inside all day.  Here is the spot Leah and I found to do our reading/praying/answering.

Isn't it beautiful here?  There's a little creek over by the rocks, and we're sitting in a kind of amphitheater type area, and you can see the city sky-line through the trees.  It is such a great mix of city and green.  I love it!

Strange Sightings in LA

August 21, 2011

Living in LA you see lots of funny things.  Today as I was driving over to Fresh and Easy I was stopped at a red light (also not unusual in LA) and I noticed somthing hanging from the wires above the light.  Usually we will see shoes up there, or a balloon that got away from it's little owner, but this was something a little different.  Thankfullly the light stayed red long enough to get my camera out and get a picture of this little robber hanging from the lines.

Funny, huh? Well, at least interesting...

To Grandmother's House We Go...

August 20, 2011
Today we went out to visit my grandparents and aunts in Lake Los Angeles.  We all went, except for my dad.  Sadly we don't go over a river or through the woods, but instead straight to the desert (although today was a very mild day in the desert, thankfully!!)

Our first stop was Coffee Bean to wake us up on the long ride out there (Taylar did not believe me that there was a drive-through Coffee Bean in Valencia, so we had to go to that one!  But she saw that I was telling the truth, and was very excited about it, even though we didn't go through the drive-through).

We had a lot of fun visiting and even hung out outside for a while, since it was such a nice day and not too hot. 

It was great seeing everyone, but we eventually had to leave so we could make the long drive home.

Corinna's car getting ready to head out. 

We had all the girls in our car, and had fun singing along to Wicked and other songs all the way home!

Friday--Pie Day

August 19, 2011
My dad decided that today was Friday--Pie Day, so he stopped on his way home to pick up some pies from Marie Calenders.  Everyone came over to my parent's house for dinner and we first had pizza-pie for dinner and then pie for dessert, so it truly was Friday-Pie Day for us! 

He picked Strawberry Pie

And Banana Cream Pie

We decided that every Friday can't be Friday--Pie Day, but think it should happen on a few Friday's throughout the year.  : )

Summer BBQs

August 18, 2011
One of my favorite parts of summer is the BBQs!  I love that in Southern California you are able to grill pretty much year round, but there is something extra special about BBQing in the summer.  It just seems right!  Tonight we all went over to my brother's house for a BBQ.  We always have lots of fun together, laughing and talking, and tonight we no exception!  It was also national cupcake day, so Hannah and I made some cupcakes and then she and Georgia decorated them for our dessert.  It was a fun day with the family!!

Last Days of Vacation

August 17, 2011
This is my last week of Vacation, before we head back to school for teacher meetings.  So, today I came up to Ventura to spend some time with my family for a last "longer" visit of the summer.  I love the drive up the coast, it's so beautiful!  I didn't want to risk lives by taking pictures while driving, so I just have this map to show the route!  But, it you haven't seen it, take my word for it, it's breath-taking!

Marilyn and Mijares

August 16, 2011
Two of my favorite things: Marilyn and Mijares!!  Tonight Marilyn got off work a little early, so we got to go have dinner together at Mijares!  Yay!!  We don't get to hang out as much anymore, so it is always a great time when we get to laugh and catch up!  Of course we were so busy laughing and catching up, that I forgot to take a picture, so this is an old one from a different trip to Mijares, but tonight was just as good as this night, if not better!! (And we sure were NOT wearing sweatshirts tonight!) 

Elementary School Art Teacher

August 15, 2011

It looks like I will be teaching art this coming school year for the elementary school classes at LACS (K-5th).  Today I spent some time looking over the state standards, and our curriculum to start planning for the year to come.  I'm looking forward to spending some fun art time with all of the kids at the elementary school.  : )

Time With Stephie-Pooh

August 14, 2011

Tonight I got to hang out and catch up with my good friend Stephanie.  We have had a lot of fun in our past together, and it is always fun to see her and catch up whenever we get a chance.  We went to China together on summer, to England another summer and have had many adventures around LA throughout the 11 years I have known her.  I didn't get a picture of us together tonight, so I have to put some old ones up... hehehehe!

Up at the OAKS at one of our staff retreats.

In London, playing around at a sunglasses stand.  We got in trouble after taking these pictures and not buying any glasses...

In China at one of the MANY photo booths we took pictures in.  : )

Reading Day

August 13, 2011

Today I found an amazing thing, the LA Public Library has an on-line e library!! I was looking for a new book to read, and came across this amazing discovery as I was looking up books that had good reviews.    One of my favorite things to do is to relax and read for a big chunk of time and today I spent most of the day reading in my house...it was great!

The Help

August 12, 2011
It's finally here!!  The day we went to see The Help!  I have been waiting for months, since I finished the book and heard a movie was coming out, to see this movie.  It was pretty hard to get a time when all of us could go see it together, but we finally found a time that would work: 9:50am at The Grove.  Haha!  Who knew they even showed movies that early?  But we were there, and surprisingly so where quite a few others.  The movie was amazing.  It really was the best book adaptation movie I have seen, I loved it!  And I loved going to share the movie with Mer, Leah and Steph!  Thanks for a great morning ladies!!  : )

Sleep Over

August 11, 2011
Today I had an "end of the summer sleep over" with some of the 5th grade (soon to be 6th grade) girls.  Only 4 of them could make it, and by the end of the night only three could sleep over, but we still had a great time!  We started out at the pool, swimming the day away.  Then we all came back to my place and spent the evening eating pizza, playing Wii, doing nails, watching movies and laughing...lots and lots of laughing!

I Love L.A.

August 10, 2011
Back to LA today, after a quick trip to Ventura to deliver Hannah back to her parents.  It is nice to be home and have a little time to rest before my last day of summer school tomorrow and a 5th grade girls sleep over.  I am thankful that I have my last week of vacation next week so that I can rest up before the school year starts in just two weeks!!  It feels great to be home in this beautiful city that I love more and more each day!

Isn't it beautiful?!?!  I know it's not like this everywhere, but sometimes I have look at this and remember the beauty of the city, not just the traffic, the hurting people and all the work that still needs to be done here.  I love LA!! 

Science Center and Back to Ventura

August 9, 2011
Hannah came with Britney and I to the Science Center today for a summer school field trip.  It was fun looking at all the ecosystem exhibits and of course the aquarium was the high light of our trip (well, at least it was for me!).

Here they are at the touch tank, where they got to touch star fish, sea anemones, sea cucumbers and slugs, and lots of other things.

And in front of the big aquarium tank, at the top.

They also got to do the news in the LA Zone.

After we dropped Britney off at school to meet her mom, Hannah and I hit the road to get her back to Ventura.  Before we left LA we stopped at Chick-Fil-A for lunch and one more stop at Yogurtland!  Then we made the long drive back Ventura.

Hooray for Yogurtland and a fun few days with Hannah!

Meeting Taylar For Lunch

August 8, 2011
Hannah and I got to meet Taylar today for lunch in Westwood, where she is going to cosmetology school.  Steph came with us, which was an extra treat!  We met Taylar at her school, and went to Corner Bakery for lunch.  Thenn of course we had to get some Diddy Riese for dessert!! 

It was so much fun spending the afternoon with Taylar and Hannah, and eating great food!! : )

Scrap Booking Day

August 7, 2011
Today was a scrap booking day with Hannah and Georgia.  It was so much fun to see Hannah working so hard to make each of her pages perfect, and then help Georgia do 10 pages in an hour!  She whipped through those pages like a mad woman!  They are both such great girls with unique personalities and quirks.  I love them both!

After we scrap booked for a while we went to Yogurtland for lunch!  The girls really wanted to go, and they were meeting their cousins and family at Medieval Times at 3:00, which is a weird time to eat dinner, so we decided it would be fine to have a sweet lunch!  They were SUPER excited to see that they got Hello Kitty spoons and bowls, and they loved their treat lunch!

After Medieval Times, Georgia decided to go home with her mom and dad, so it looks like it's just Hannah and I until Tuesday!

Yard Sale!

August 6, 2011
Today my sister had a yard sale at her house.  So, we all took stuff over and joined in!  It was fun to spend the day with my family, but it is a lot of work too.  But even with all of the hard work, I love that we can always manage to have a great time together! 

This is right at the beginning of the day, we hadn't even put everything out yet, but people came and started buying stuff, so we had to wait to get everything out, so that's why there are still boxes everywhere in the picture!!  : )

After the yard sale, Hannah, Georgia and I left for LA, they are coming to stay with me for a few days!  We were all tired but excited to come to LA.  Our first stop was Coffee Bean to get a little energy for the drive home. 

I love this picture of the girls, but not so much of myself, oh-well!

After our LONG drive home, through LOTS of traffic and a quick stop at In-N-Out for dinner, we had a fun night in, playing Wii and getting our stuff together to do some scrap booking tomorrow.  

Here they are singing to the "Sing It" game, they were so cute and did a great job singing!  I'm looking forward to more fun with Hannah and Georgia tomorrow!

I Heart Ventura

August 5, 2011
Today my mom and I started cleaning out their storage unit, to try to get everything out.  What a job!!  It was tough work, and very tiring!  After we were done hauling stuff over to my sisters for the yard sale tomorrow, my dad took up to dinner at Andreas!  I had been wanting it for so long, and I was so happy to finally just go to the Ventura harbor and eat some yummy fish and chips!

Who wouldn't want to sit here and look at this beautiful view while eating a delicious dinner?  I <3 this place.

Fixing Up the House

August 4, 2011
The house fixing-up continues...  Last week we went to Ikea and I got a new spice holder for my kitchen.  I didn't know it would be a spice holder, but that is what it has turned out to be.  I actually saw this when I went to Ikea in San Francisco with Jenn and loved it, but didn't want to carry it back with us on BART, along with all the other stuff Jenn had to get for her house.  So, when we went to Ikea in Burbank, I almost cried when I couldn't find it!  But they had just hidden them upstairs in the display area, which we skipped.  I finally got to hang it up, and I love it just as much as I did in San Francisco! 

It's the basket thing that I loved and just hung up.  Isn't it cute?!?!

Reminders of China

August 3, 2011
While helping my parents move I found a souvenir from one of my China trips.  I had gotten it for them, but they don't have room to hang it up now, so I "borrowed" it back from them to have in my house, and promised to give it back if they ever want it... I hope they don't! 

We had these made in China, it is supposed to be Psalm 23 written in Chinese, but I have never asked anyone who can read it if that is really what they wrote!!  I decided to hang it up today, and I love it.  It will be really hard to give it back if they ask for it!! : )