Summer Things

This past week was great. The kids went swimming, went to parks, went to art camp, all the things. Corbin is going into high school and is not into any of those things anymore. I make him go walk at the park for 30 minutes if he isn't going to join us on our outings. I completed my first professional development class from NNU and they are very doable. I want to try to finish all 30 credits before school starts. If I'm able to finish I will make 14,0000 more dollars this year compared to last year. I can do it! I'm doing the same job either way...I might as well get paid more. 

We started Ryan's Therapee. I ordered a system online that was kind of expensive but it helps motivate me to work with Ryan and the system will help Ryan as well I think. We will see what happens. I figure we will give this a go this summer and if it works AWESOME, if not we will put it away and try again next summer. You put a sensor pad under the mattress and an alarm goes off if he starts to pee. This is supposed to eventually make his subconscious more aware and he will hopefully wake himself up rather than wetting the bed. I found a free crib mattress online that is easy to wipe. I bought some cheap sheets at a thrift store. Ryan woke up dry the first two mornings somehow miraculously. He was SO happy! He has had to get up to the alarm once in the night the last two nights. We already have a spare set of clothes and bed sheet read to go. He gets up and finishing peeing and changes his clothes. I quickly wipe up of the pad and mattress, back to bed. It's not bad. I hope it works! 

My big family reunion is this week. We are camping. I have tent camped in 10 years...10 years. I am dreading that part a lot. I think the kids will have fun and I am looking forward to the day at Bear Lake and Lava Hot Springs. Wish us luck! 

Ryan's therapee set up. After two days I realized he stays put on the crib mattress so we got rid of the tarp. (I didn't want him to fall of his mattress and pee on my carpet). 

 

Ryan going through the program info for his therapee.

Gabby's tie dye.

Ryan's tie dye.

Piper's tie dye.

They played at Discovery park forever! I needed my laptop or book. Next time. 

Art camp painting.

Art camp.

Helping husk the corn.

Corbin cooked the meat for freezing and for tacos for dinner. Gabby cut the tomatoes.

Enjoying the new swing.

Ryan loves to climb trees!

Denver Work Trip and Father's Day

 The weather was cold (for summer) last week and continues to be so with today having a high of 68 degrees. That is not swimming outdoor weather! Luckily we have gone swimming at the Y several times. Lucky also that I've gotten to go on two trips to resort hotels with hot weather and a lazy river! At least I have gotten to experience some sweet summer times. 

I had to go to Denver for an AVID training last week. I will be teaching one class of AVID next year. AVID is a class that tries to teach students critical thinking, note taking skills, stuff like that. Helping students to be better students for future success. 

I was lucky/unlucky to be part of the group that got to Denver at 8:30 in the morning on Wednesday for a convention that did not start until Thursday morning. Lucky for us they let us check in and we had a day at the pool all to ourselves. The rest of the North team arrived around 6:30 that night. I was very worried about who my roommate would be since I am a crazy, can't sleep person. Long story short I met someone who would be new to North next year who I chatted with about my needs for a cold room with white noise to which she responded that she too liked to sleep like that. We decided to go rogue and switch roommates. It made more sense for me to stay with someone from North who I will work with rather than a stranger from a school I may never see again. My stay with Kellie worked out well! I think I made a new friend at North which will be nice. There were 7 of us from North that came to the training and it was fun to spend time getting to know them more. We had separate trainings but when trainings were done we would eat and hang. A lot of people went to the Rockies Baseball game Friday night and I bailed. I had already bought a ticket but I was tired and I knew it would be a long night. I think I missed out on some party times but that's okay. I got to rest, workout, have dinner with Jenny and go to bed early. Now that's the life! On Saturday I ended up spending a lot of the day with an assistant Principal from Frank Church. We were on the same flight so after training we went to the pool and later to the airport together. It was nice having a buddy and not being alone. The hotel was HUGE and nice but it was kind of a long and tiring trip. I am happy to be home! 

Today is Father's Day! I show love through food so I made some Scott favorites for dinner and dessert today. Other than that Scott has spent the day with his plants! He also put up a tree swing. I am SOOO excited about it.

Ryan checking out the trees. It's cold outside.

Tree Swing!

Cute!

Piper smelling? Checking out the plants.

Mulberries. 

Scott working with his beloved plants.

Jenny lives in Colordo Springs so she came and picked me up for dinner. We had THE BEST Mexican food! It was fun to see her again so soon.

Check out that resort! Crazy!

So flipping cold! Trying to endure some park time with my kids.

An old Facebook Father's Day reminder. Cute!

Piper Sews!

I am loving the summer break. It's so nice! We've busted out the bikes and gone to the park. The weather has been hit and miss so it's been nice to be able to go swimming at the Y. Ryan is getting a lot better at swimming which is fun to see. Piper wanted to learn how to sew and she's been practicing. She sewed a fabric book mark. She is a perfectionist and can get freaked out about making mistakes. She did good though. I was able to talk her through and got her to finish her project. I love hanging out on the porch. It's my favorite spot. With my extra time this summer I want to spend it with my kids and getting more fit. It's been fun to take a bunch of different exercise classes at the Y. Exercising hard feels good and terrible. It's a little addicting but I have time to be addicted. I'm teaching AVID next year so I have to go to an AVID training this week. I think 6 teachers from my school are going. It's in Denver. I'm worried about who I will be sharing a room with because I AM A CRAZY PERSON when it comes to sleep. I'm kind of dreading the trip a bit but I'm sure it will have fun parts. 

Little sewer.

Piper got a cherry from the cherry tree.

Scott's love affair with his plants.

Scott is obsessed with philosophers. Schopenhauer is his favorite. 

Loquat tree...whatever that is.

Scott's foxglove.

Watching Stranger Things.

 

Phoenix & End of School Year Celebrations

I left for Phoenix to meet up with Jenny on Tuesday. We stayed at the Arizona Grand Resort. It was nice! The hotel was not very crowded and we ended up having the pool by our room to ourselves a lot of the time. We also spent some time at the hotel's water park. It was GREAT! Other than that we watched TLC, HGTV, and BRAVO, TV with commercials, just like our college days. I am spoiled with streaming and I am not used to dealing with commercials. We ate out and hiked Camelback Mountain. We really enjoyed the Arizona sun with the cold springs we have both been having. It was fun. We are thinking our early summer meet up might become an annual thing. Where to go next year?

The kids finished up the school year. Corbin finished 8th grade with a 4.0 all year. Gabby also finished 6th grade with a 4.0 all year. Piper finished the 4th grade and tested above grade level in math and reading on her ISATs. Ryan finished the 2nd grade and continues to make progress with his speech, he also does well in school. Gabby and Corbin got out on Thursday and had sleepovers (Corbin had friends over, Gabby went over to a friend's house). Scott took Friday off and joined Piper and Ryan for their end of the year school picnic. He picked me up from the airport later that day.

I cleaned out the freezer to start out my first summer project. I came up with  very achievable goal lists for the kids this summer. I figure setting the standard low makes it better for all of us. Ha. I took Ryan swimming yesterday and today. He will become an expert swimmer if he continues to want to go all of the time. I'm trying my first fitness class tomorrow at the Y. I'm curious how I will like it. Piper wants to learn how to machine sew and I want to make my own VERY easy apron pattern. I figure if I can teach Piper how to make an apron, maybe I can teach my 8th graders next year. 

As of now I'm not planning on another Master's through WGU. I talked to my mentor and the program I was thinking doesn't make any sense for me. I might just bit by bit gain credits from NNU and chill the heck out. 

Gabby is teaching herself how to crochet.

Piper's class had a pioneer day.

That is one cute pioneer!

It's hard to read but basically Piper wants to be a baker or an artist. Her family, friends, and teachers are important to her. She wants to work on her flexibility and take dance next year. 

(First summer project...check). Freezer before.

Freezer after.

Ryan got the creative kid award.

Piper made cookies all by herself...blue ribbon as my mom used to say.

Cooling down with some delicious ice cream.

Old Town Scottsdale.

Hiking Camelback Mountain.

Steep part of the hike.

Pretty desert flowers.

Enjoying our poolside time!