A little update...

Goodness, it's been a long time since I've posted anything...not that I've had a lot to report that anyone really wants to read about! The last 6 months have been filled with school...can't believe I can already say I'll be done this year! The homework is all consuming at times...as stressful financially (and on my routine) as it has been not to be teaching full time, I am often thankful that I have the time to devote to doing well in school! Proud to say I still have a 4.0! Anyway, school, homework, 11 tutoring students, teaching middle school drama elective, Soba, and managing to have a life every once in awhile seems to fill most of my time! The drama class has been...drama...I have learned a great deal of humility with that group...jr high is not my age group! I'm VERY much looking forward to having a new group next month! Hmmm what else? Just typical day to day stuff I guess. I had a wonderful time over the holidays with friends and family and can't believe that the first month of 2011 is almost over! As application season begins in the education world...hopefully I'll have something more to report!

A smattering of pictures...
Jameson and I in the car...love how he has to pull me closer :)

1 Angel, 1 sheep, and me @ the Christmas program

Excuse the sweater...all my grad school friends and I had presentations to do at the CA reading association this year....yikes!
Literacy Gala
Soba is so helpful while doing homework

I'm 30!

What better way to celebrate the big 3-0 then in the backyard with all my favorite people?? And I seriously had almost everybody all together at one time...I am a very blessed girl! Adrienne worked SO hard with some help from Cheryl to make my day extra specials and I'm so thankful for some of the best friends a girl could ask for!

Soba of course got to attend...I got to keep him for approximately 5 minutes of the party...here his is with Tyler and Ian...I heard later that there was an ear incident and squealing...poor Soba, he's a good sport :)
Jen and Jason drove down from Porterville...can't wait to see more of them now that they're living in CA!
Ruth and Ian
Cheryl and I...celebrating 20 years of friendship, I personally think we deserve an anniversary party!
ice cream cake...2 kinds :)
Mom finished my Japan quilt - love it!
Big Sis, Lil Sis, and Middle Sis....miss working with these lovely ladies!
Ok Seriously...the Braunds happened to be on vacation in CA for my party...how lucky am I to have Okinawa friends come??? :)
Kevin put himself firmly on the "favorite husband" list by driving 12 hours out of the way JUST so they could come to my party - soooooo good to see them, but never long enough :(
A picture I was convinced I might never get...or at least not until I get married...all my babies, all in one place!! It was nice to see them all running around playing - love being an Auntie!
And then there's my Japanmate...there aren't words - love you!
Adrienne's dad and my dad and Gil at the man table
Lisa, Edith, Kim...and the 5 minutes I got Soba
Lindy, the Wolfs, the Archers, the Browns, and the Farinos
Jameson and Ellie on their first date...they have an arranged marriage (by me!)

My parents came down and part of the Andrews family made an appearance...it was wonderful to see everyone, good to be 30 and hopefully a good time had by all! Thanks to everyone for making my birthday special - love you!

Disneyland with the girlies

Cheryl and I took the girls to Disneyland for Bella's birthday and had a great time! No mishaps until we left and we had one royal meltdown...but still a good day!

Ellie is my kind of girl...won't get NEAR any characters so we took our own picture while we waited for Bella and Cheryl
This was as close as she would get...and I didn't even tell her Goofy was in the pic with her ;)


Good timing...Minnie was walking out when we walked by so Bella got to hold her hand the whole way to the picture spot!
Ready for the Toy Story ride


Ellie was so excited to be tall...it takes 2 short girls to make a tall one I guess :)
The cutest picture ever! Love them!

Fancy Nancy birthday party

So I was getting another post ready and realized I had several posts ready with pictures....so why not post? So this was Bella's 6th birthday party - Fancy Nancy! Oh they were all so cute, Cheryl and I had a ball putting it all together!

Ellie and Auntie :)


The girls in their cute dresses!Birthday girl!
Adrienne was the resident photgrapher
GIANT cupcakes...so fancy!

Soba

I haven't had a dog since living at home and I've been wanting a pet for who knows how long...and now that I'm home more it makes sense to have a dog :) A former student/family offered me a teacup poodle from their recent litter and I couldn't resist (after asking Adrienne of course!) Anyway, I've had Soba for about a month and he's been a lot of fun....usually a good boy....we're working on the potty training still though!

I was getting ready to do laundry and came back out to find him on my sheets...he might be a little spoiled!
Bella and Ellie like when he comes over (Bella is getting over her fear of him and Ellie calls him Hoba)
Ellie and "Hoba" she seems to think he's hers and cries when anyone else holds him
He wouldn't stay still for pictures...

New Year's Eve

Apparently it is important to sleep out on the Rose Parade route once in your life...it wasn't quite what I had envisioned based on the Christy Miller series, but fun all the same! We started off our adventure by bringing pizza to some of Adrienne's family who had staked out our spot that morning and we all took turns keeping it "safe". Cheryl had brought the girls for a trial run and we had dinner together at Islands and then she checked out the spot so she would be able to get back in the morning. We had company until about 9pm when it was officially Adrienne, Kristen, Kelly, and I's watch for the night. It never got too cold which was nice, but I have to say I'm past the age of staying up all night (although I slept more than I thought I would!) and it wasn't SUPER crazy...church groups on either side helped! Although, I did witness my first arrest...not sure for what, but part of the adventure :) We survived until morning...only had to brave the scary port-a-potty a couple times (there was a line by us ALL night) and we'll just say it involved some people picking the locks/breaking and entering going on. The parade was fun and I've
never been so excited to go home and shower!

Early on in the evening

Our slightly homeless look around midnight

Camping out
Bella and Ellie enjoying their breakfast


LOVE her!

She was waving back to the floats...how cute is she??

It had been a LONG night...Ellie is looking fresh and cute though!


Bella is quite handy with the camera
Seriously, can she be cuter? She was saying look Auntie, hat, hat Auntie...melts my heart when she repeats Auntie over and over whenever she sees me!
Sierra Madre's float - they had it on display in the middle of town after, it was cute :)
I LOVED the origami dragon!
Cal Poly always does a good job

Bella wanted her picture with the skater and the helper...who knows about that man, it made us all laugh though!

Jackie Chan was on one of the floats...apparently it was a big deal that he got stuck in front of us, they offered to let him off, but he stuck it out - such hard work ;)
Japan!! made me happy!