Another Adventure!

I came home last Friday and told CJ I want to go some where, any where. Well we got to thinking and we decided Pheonix, and I told we had to do something we have not ever done or not done for a while. So I said the Phoenix Zoo. HE HAS NEVER BEEN BEFORE! Can you believe that. You can't live in AZ without going to the zoo at least once. Well we went with his sister and husband, and we had a BLAST!
This was a funny picture, but I didn't capture the right moment. We think the monkey on the right is pregnant. And she was actually stroking the other ones chin, like "look at these people, make a pretty face!" It was really cute. The 3year old was running around too.
Meghan and Colton on the gallant steeds (that don't go anywhere, you might want to rethink that!) This baboon was not howling, I just took the picture before he yawned.

A NEW YEAR

A new year and new challenges. I believe that with each year that goes by I have challenges that make me stronger and this year to start off I received a new student who I am lost with. He is a sweet and quiet boy. But to his disadvantage has been moved around and is lacking in first grade skills. He was attending my school for kindergarten and then moved in April to Mexico and then returned to a Phoenix school in October and now back to us. Poor guy doesn't know English which in turn makes my job a little harder. Also his reading skills well he knows the sounds the letters make but that is it. Math he can count and that is about it, by now our class is adding two digit numbers and will soon be adding money too. I feel horrible that I can not help him more. I have teamed up with some teacher and will have him attend kinder reading and math for now and hopefully if I retain him, he will be up to a first grade level (this is if his parents stay here long enough).
A challenge yes but a great one to strengthen my teaching abilities! I will admit I took on to much doing ELD this first year of teaching, but I have learned a lot and well am ready for it next year. I guess we will see what the state has in mind for programs next year and go from there.
CJ is starting his second semester here in Prescott which is fantastic (saves on gas). He is thrilled to be in school and is looking for the light at the end of the tunnel. Hey who can blame him. He is doing good at work, having some colleague problems but hopefully that will work itself out and he will be happier in life.
This year our ward for church is doing a theme of the Ten Virgins. We have a lamp that we fill with oil for everything we do related to the gospel. It has been fun, we started reading the Book of Mormon again and hope to finish it by Easter Sunday. We are finding many blessings from the reading and praying and attending the Temple. We love our ward and are making great friends.

We wish you all a Happy New Year and hope that you will be blessed in all further endevours.

Christmas break

Well Christmas went great! Christmas Eve we had family and the missionaries over for a traditional polish dinner, and it went over great everyone left full! Then Christmas day we went to my parents house for some traditional American food, left there stuffed too!
All in all a great couple of days, but if you ask my husband the best day was Saturday the 27th when we went out with the family to go shooting.
We all were able to shoot three guns, a .38 revolver, a Saiga Riffle, and a 9mm semi-automatic pistol.
CJ has the holding of the riffle down but me on the other hand needs to work on it! I look very uncomfortable. I wish I had a picture though of me being Rambo with the gun on my hip and just blowing the heck out of the target!
Then we shot the pistol, I have a little more practice holding the smaller guns, because I have shot the .38 a couple times. But we had so much fun, and I love shooting, this might just mean I am going to let CJ get a gun!
This last picture is introducing Urban Safari Barbie!

Here Comes Santa Claus, Here Comes Santa Claus

First grade is an amazing time in a young kids mind and everything and anything you give or show to them they are simply amazed. Well now it is Christmas and we have been doing a ton of stuff to do with it, like connect the dots and coloring pages, oh and putting together decorations to give to mommies. All a ton of fun, but the most fun is when you bring good ole Saint Nick to a first grade pod and let him read a story to them.
Now this was an exciting event one that included all the first grade classes and a great elf/ Mrs. Claus. Santa of course read Twas The Night Before Christmas. He was bombarded by questions such as "Where is Rudolf? Where are the Reindeer? Where are the Elves?" Santa did an awesome job of answering the question and the kids ate it like the best Cheesecake in the world.
Then at the end the students lined up one by one and received a candy cane and a great hug!

To you and your Kin

So it has been a month and really not to much has happened. Father-in-law got into an accident and not mobile yet, but he has determination and will be moving soon! Hubby is done with first semester of nursing school and is well still loving it. I am almost done with my second semester teaching and well it has been an incredible journey.
I think I need to take the time to thank our Heavenly Father for all the wonderful blessings that have brought CJ and I closer. Thankful for the stability we have in our jobs that has given us the ability to be stable in other areas of our lives. What an amazing part of the year! Merry Christmas to you and your family from CJ and I!

Halloween Teacher Style

Halloween is teacher style for right now until the "children" bless our lives. But I have some cute pictures from our school party. It was so much fun. The following pictures were from the Fall Festival, I was in charge of face painting, beards, pumpkins, and pretty much what ever was easier to paint.
The next pictures were from my class party the day of. The last picture are the winners of our class costume contest. The kids were so cute in their costumes. We had so much fun. We watched the Magic School Bus goes inside a Haunted Mansion, and the Magic School Bus goes Batty.

Sedona

FALL BREAK! This week I have a week off for fall break! I am so excited. So to start it off my mom, Summer, Jeremiah, and I went to Sedona Red Rock to go Hiking. It was so Beautiful. The tree's were in full change of season, with Lucius Beautiful RED, GREEN, YELLOW, and Orange leaves. We went through Jerome, which would have been great, but the newly licensed Sister was driving, a little scary. Then we stopped for great ice cream. Then off to the Red Rocks, which during the fall is something everyone should do.
We went to Crescent Moon Recreation Area and Red Rock Crossing. They have a lovely picnic area and hiking trail, which you can take across Oak Creek and up to Chapel Hill Rock. The hike was long but Beautiful in all, the trees tall and full of color.

This trail is very cool, about half way down is a rope swing and all of the kids took turns swinging
on it but not mom.
Even me!



















Then when we were finished hiking we went for a swim (not really), but we did go for a walk in the very cold water. It was very slippery, but I did really good, I walked across RAGGING WATER, and FIERCE WINDS, well it was windy and the water was flowing. It was alot of fun.