The Pie 2009

Every year, my dear friend Steven returns from Chicago to Salt Lake and a group of us go to The Pie for pizza and lots of laughs. I always laugh when I am with Steven. We used to work together at ARTEC, and our boss once commented to me, "I can always tell when you are working with Steven, because I can hear you laughing all the way down the hall." Then if you throw in Becca, Misty, and VaRonica, you have a laugh-a-palooza. We shared tons of memories of the good old days on the locked units of ARTEC, and got caught up on the lives of one another.

Here is our annual picture:

While there is no doubt we are a good looking bunch....doesn't Becca just look gorgeous and perfectly pregnant! I cannot wait until little Buckley Shumpert makes his appearance at the end of March.

Speaking of babies, my oldest and best friend Aubrey is due anyday now with a little boy of her own. I am so excited for her and her husband, Sam! I feel like I am becoming an aunt. I think knowing someone for over 25 years entitles you to some sort of status in their child's life, right?

My Wednesday did not totally suck

Wednesdays generally suck for me for the following reasons:

1. I do not get see or squish Dalan.
2. I have class right after work.
3. I have the kids all day, with no computer lab, library, PE, etc to break up the day.
4. I have to get up early for two more days in a row.

However, today sucked much less than expected for the following reasons:

1. I did not get see or squish Dalan. If I had seen him today I would have considered the day as a non-sucking day, but alas, our ships did not pass.
2. I had class, but I kind of like it. We are treated like adults, and get to leave when the material is covered. I was home a whole hour early!
3. I took my class to the computer lab to type their animal reports and historical fiction stories. I got a break from my classroom.
4. It is a short week! I only have to work a half a day tomorrow with the kids, and then can sleep in on Friday!

Well, kick ass!

My baby turned 6ish today!

Four year ago today, I became a mother of sort, but I did not give birth-I chose adoption. After months of searching the Internet for a small, young female. I found a match. Three matches to be exact at the Tooele Animal Shelter. Now, I knew from my months of dog searching that small dogs go fast from the shelter, so the following day I took a long lunch and my mom and headed out west to see about getting a dog. We missed the exit, and then had a hard time finding the shelter. It was a good thing we were not on the Amazing Race, because we would have totally come in last place.

When we finally got there, one of the dogs I had in mind had been adopted and one had been picked up by its owners, but "Baby Girl" was still there. I put her on a leash and took her for a mini-walk. She was cute and friendly, so Patti and I were sold! We paid our ten dollars, and then Patti noticed I was covered in white hair! The lady at the shelter assured me it was the dog's nerves and that she would not be a shedding problem. (A BIG FAT LIAR-that lady was-I have been covered with white hair every day since. She also told me that the dog was fixed-not true.)

Patti drove home, so I would have a chance to bond with my dog before going back to work. I named her Piper and we were in love. She snuggled up against me the whole ride home and I held her like a baby.

Piper has been some dog. She collects spare change and hordes it in her bed. She poops on the floor when we leave and she feels spiteful. She has to take medicine daily in order to not have horrible seizures. She still pees on the floor when certain people come over. She likes to dress up. She hates all living creatures, except for humans. She loves to be held like a baby. She loves little kids, and loves to smell car seats. She destroys all furry toys in a matter of seconds. She has three beds and hides bones, change, and treats in them. She knows how to sit, shake, and speak, but will rarely preform tricks. She will speak for treats more than any other trick. She sheds like no other animal. She sleeps under the covers. She loves to sleep with my dad while at my parent's house, but can hear our car blocks away. She whines like she is being tortured every time she is left alone. She likes to go one walks, but refuses to swim. She eats any food we happen to leave out, and will even climb up on the table to get it. She eats Q-tips out of the garbage. She eats holes in underwear if she can get a hold of them.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY PIPER!

Piper, 2005

Piper and me, 2006

Piper drinking out of a cup, 2007

Piper in her X-mas jammies, 2008

Honeymoon!

It is time for Dalan and me to start planning our "real" honeymoon. We want to go somewhere new and exciting this summer, possibly in late June or early August. We have been throwing around ideas, but are having a hard time settling on one place and making arrangements.

I want to go to Europe, but it expensive to fly there, and the dollar is still not holding its own against the Euro. However, I would love to travel to London, Paris, Prague, Madrid, Rome, Venice, etc, etc

We have also been throwing around the idea of going somewhere in Canada....like Montreal, but would be up for going to a number places.

I want to go to Cuba, but the powers that be prevent me from fulfilling my life long dream. So, I would settle for Miami, but Dalan is not interested in tropical or hot, however, he has consented to looking into Hawaii.

So, basically I am asking for suggestions. Where have you been that was fun and romantic? Where did you stay? How expensive was it? What can we do while we are there?

It can be anywhere in the world, and needs to be a place that goes well with summer traveling. We probably could go for no more than 16 days. I want to hear from you Internet friends!

Babies!

Here are pictures of baby Jessi and baby Dalan.....we were adorable!

(Edit to post: Patti found a picture of me posed with the same reindeer as Dalan...different backgrounds though, so I am changing from the original picture I posted to my same reindeer picture. Dalan is probably about 22 months in his picture, and I am 18 months.)

Bastard-coated bastards with bastard filling

My ESL (English as a Second Language) endorsement program has been a thorn in my side since day one. And while, I have learned some very valuable information in the class, I have been very disappointed with the organization of the program.

I have had professors be over an hour late for class. I have had professors who say things like if you ever email me, you will always get an email back from me, and then not email me back, only to ensure me they have my paper, only to tell me at the end of the class that I never turned it in. I have had an online class with totally vague instructions on each assignment, and then have the professor write very detailed comments in response and ask me to resubmit it. I have been told we are not meeting ever in person for the online class, but then received an email at 1:00 in the afternoon informing me to attend class that evening. And then today, I received an email today that told me I needed to register for a class that starts Wednesday and goes until the end of March.

It is enough to make me want to pull my hair out, or punch the computer screen. I hate all the disorganization. I have a life, people! Sometimes that life involves watching a four-hour Law and Order marathon, but sometimes it involves a friend's birthday party, or something cool like that. I need notice! And once I have said notice, I need professors who show up on time, and follow through with their own expectations. I have no problem working hard to learn and earn decent grades, but these are classes for working professionals with families and other obligations, so they least they can do is get their effing acts together!

If you will excuse me now, I need to go submit my final project for my online class...hopefully, I followed the one line of vague-ass instructions correctly! GRRRRRRR!!!!!

The good, the bad, and the ugly....2008

The Good:
Engaged!
New car!
New house!
Wedding!
Honeymoon!
Season tickets to watch the Utes!
Vacation to Jackson Hole!
Friends and family!
Birthdays!
Holidays!
Teaching!
Dalan's beard!
Internet Spying!

The Bad:
Dalan's grandmother passed away.
TWO car accidents.
Kidney stones.
Piper's seizures.
Internet Spying

The Ugly:
Cold sores
Unorganized spare bedroom