Ice burgs, bears and rollercoasters..

Hey bloggy friends!!

This summer has been flying by with barely any posting from me. It's really only a few weeks till I go back to school, which, if we are being perfectly honest, gives me instant diaherria. I will be starting in a new school and a new grade and while I am excited and ready for a change I am nervous too. There is so much to learn about the culture of a new school, teaching a brand new grade (a TESTING grade at that) with two brand new coteachers that I get no common planning time with, working under a new principal, etc, etc. I know it will be okay, but I am still feeling a lot of anxiety about it too.

Anyways, before I start worrying myself sick over school starting in a few weeks, let me give you the low down on what I have been up to here.  Summer school has wrapped up and the insane flux of summer Ieps I volunteered impulsively to author has slowed.

I was able to jet set off for a quick jaunt to Alaska to visit my sister.  It was a quick visit but lots of fun to catch up with her and see a little bit of the beautiful state of Alaska.  She took me to do all kinds of fun things.  I was exhausted by the end of each day.  My facebook album of pictures is here (should be open for all to see) but here are a few highlights:

The house Jenny is renting has all kinds of weird animal bones and bodies in it.  Here is a king crab near her entryway.

On our wildlife boat tour.  In case you can't tell, it was very windy and cold!

I was a little freaked out about some of the bear warnings we encountered, but thankfully the only bears we saw were behind the fences of the nature preserve.

We have been keeping busy aside from traveling also.  Isaac has done several different soccer camps and has regular practices for the travel team.  Ryan, Isaac and I met up with my mom and did the Turkey Hill Experience Ice Cream Tour another day.  They had unlimited free samples!!!





We have also been trying to make the most of our Dorney Park Season passes.  Isaac and I went up and did Wild Water Kingdom last Thursday.  Ryan joined us after he was done work.  We were able to spend a few hours together and then I left to go to night class.  I expected that Isaac and Ryan would stay a little longer and then head home.  Imagine my surprise when I beat them home.  They decided to stay till the park closed at 10:00!

Hope things are well with all of you!!!



July already...

Isaac

Has been playing some soccer.  I have been watching a lot of Psych on Netlifx and he has been watching with me.  It always takes me by surprise that he is acually following the plot.  He is such a good, patient, clever little guy and I am so proud of him.

Ryan

Is still in North Carolina on business.  For those keeping track, we are over the two month mark, far longer than any business trip should ever be.  Isaac asks me almost everyday when Ryan will be back.  I was able to squeeze in a weekend trip to Charlotte to visit during the middle of a heat wave.  There was a bit of a snafu with a cancelled connecting flight that had me in a hotel room in Atlanta Thursday night, but other than that it was a nice trip and so good to see him and all of the stores he has been running. Saturday we spent the day at a science museum.  Here is Ryan in their rainforest:

Wedding Planning

Is coming along slowly.  We have a tenative date (December 1st holla!), but we still really haven't nailed down a reception site which is sort of making me twitchy (see previous post).  We have made some progress in other areas though.  A Craiglist ad helped find a talented photographer in our price range (actually we got over 100 responses, with a wide range of abilities-- some truly look like entries from this website.  A DSLR camera and a photoshop program does not a photographer make...).  We have a date set up with her to get some engagement photos taken at boathouse row.   I bought a dress and I decided to borrow my sister's veil.  So we have made some progress. 

Work/School/Misc

I have been teaching the summer program for special ed students and it is a lot of fun.  I really enjoy the teacher I work with.  She will be one of the special ed teachers I will work alongside in my new building, so at least there will be one familiar face there.  I have also been writing IEP's for the summer and have been swamped!  It has been keeping busy for sure but it is nice to have the extra cash. I have spent a lot of time shuttling Isaac from sitter to sitter, but I think I should still end up ahead in the end.

 I wrapped up my teaching science class and in two weeks I have my second summer class which is the same class and professor but the topic is social studies. 

Thursday I am off to Alaska for the long awaited trip to see my sister.  Very excited!!!