Last Week of School

On Monday I was talking to my dad on the phone.  He said, "Rach, only one week of school left, that's exciting."  I grouchily replied, "I hate the last week of school." 

Why you ask?
It's a week full of so many emotions, it's completely exhausting and so so so so busy.  The kids are completely wild and I am struggling to come up with enough things for them to do.  I have a checklist about a million miles long and of course they want me to turn in my computer tomorrow morning.  How am I supposed to do everything without a computer?  My room is in complete disarray and somehow has to be clean by Friday.  I have to pack up 3 years of stuff and figure out where to keep it (that's if Bryan lets me keep it at all, he thinks we should have a big bonfire, which is very tempting.)  I'm scared that I didn't teach my kids enough, nervous for how they did on end-of-year testing.  I'm sad to see them go and hopeful that they will have good lives.  I'm sad to leave the wonderful friends I've made.

But it will all be over in 40 hours.  And then I will be able to focus on how happy I am to be done, and how excited I am for a fun, relaxing summer and then many years of being mommy.  My life is too great to complain.

The Great Decision

Thank you so much for all of your help with our computer decision.  I really was hoping to be convinced that getting a PC was okay.  Janssen, my advisor on frugality, almost had me convinced, but the rest of you were just too darn persuasive.  And you sounded too much like the voices in my head that were telling me I would regret it if we got a PC.  So, last night we bought a new computer- a MacBook Pro.  I'm pretty sure that Bryan loves it, despite the look of sheer terror on his face as we handed over our credit card.  And I'm positive that I love it as evidenced in this picture of me using it for the first time:

And, as an extra bonus you get to see my baby bump/fat roll.  I hope it grows a little bigger soon so I look like there's a baby there and not like I just ate half a container of ice cream (which, consequently, I did.)

Superman

Lately Bryan has become an exercise fanatic.  All Winter Semester he woke up at 6am every day to either play basketball with our ward or go to the gym.  This Spring he kept up with the basketball and going to the gym, and also joined an ultimate frisbee and a soccer team.  Plus, he goes mountain biking as much as possible.  Basically, I haven't been able to keep up with him. 

But, unfortunately my superman has been slowed down for a bit.  He separated his shoulder playing basketball the other day and all athletics have come to a standstill for a couple weeks.  I feel bad for him because he loved it all so much, but I will be grateful to not have that dumb alarm go off at 5:47 every morning.


PS-  Unfortunately Bryan just informed me that the alarm will still go off at 5:47 tomorrow, he plans on going running.  I guess it was too much to ask for...

The Great Debate

I'm a Macintosh girl.  Have been ever since the 8th grade.  My school district bought iBooks for every student and that's what I used for 5 years.  When I looked at laptops for college getting anything but a Mac wasn't even an option for me.  I got a PowerBook and depended on it greatly for many school assignments and for facebook (you decide which was more important.)  When I started teaching dear old Provo School District provided me with a MacBook which I've had for 3 years. 

And now I'm facing a major turning point in my life.  My school laptop has to be turned in May 27th as I will no longer be an employee of PSD.  Bryan and I have known this day was coming for a while and we've discussed it at length.  Now it's decision time and I'm so torn.  Bryan is pushing for a PC.  His biggest argument (and the one thing that might tip me over to the dark side) is cost.  They're so much cheaper!  But, he hasn't been dedicated to Macintosh for the past 11 years like I have.  I just can't give up on my company like that!  I have LOVED all my computers, and I love that I feel comfortable with so many of the programs.

So, whose side are you on?  Can you convince me to turn against my roots?  Are you a dedicated Mac fan like me?  Please give me advice.

Ouch

I basically haven't exercised for the past 3 months.  I considered it a remarkable feat just to make it out of bed, to work, and then back to bed again.  I occasionally went to a yoga class, and I was forced to do plenty of moving around while at school (we're in the midst of Dance Festival practice) but that was about it.  I just didn't have the energy.

Now I am in this blessed time called The Second Trimester and my energy is slowly creeping back to me.  But after this weekend, I might go back to just lying on the couch all the time!  On Friday we had a school 5k called the Fun Run.  It's been a school tradition for 30 years and everyone gets really excited about it.  Despite the fact that the last time I ran was a 5k in October I decided to run it with my kids.  I felt great while running and had a lot of fun yelling at my kids that they better beat their teacher (which only 2 of them did- lazy bums.)  But as soon as the run was over I realized that I still had to teach the rest of the day- yikes.  It was a long day and all I wanted to do was curl up and take a nap.  I think I did take a little nap during an assembly we had- one student said he saw my eyes closed for a minute, oops!  I was incredibly sore the next morning so it was definitely impossible for us to go on a hike like we had been planning.  But somehow Bryan convinced me that it would be fun to go on a bike ride.  So, we rode to Bridal Veil Falls on the Provo River Trail, which was beautiful and we had a lot of fun. 

Unfortunately, all of my fun this weekend has made me unable to move this morning.  From my waist down everything aches.  I think I'll let myself slowly ease back into exercise from now on.

My class all ready to start the race. 

Rachel Time

Tuesday nights Bryan has a meeting at church.  The first week he went to this meeting (that starts at 7) I worried myself sick thinking that he had gotten in an accident on his way home since he didn't get home until almost 10:00.  I quickly learned that this is routine.  But, don't feel sorry for him.  It turns out they spend about half the time just talking and making fun of each other.  At first I was kind of sad about my Tuesday nights alone, but then I realized the beauty of Tuesday night tv.  While Bryan is gone I watch American Idol, Glee, and Parenthood.  All of these are shows Bryan is not completely crazy about so I love that I get to enjoy them all by myself without his obnoxious commentary.  I look forward to my Tuesday nights every week. 

So, please don't bother me for the next few hours while I fold my laundry and enjoy my tv.  :)

Mothers

“God could not be everywhere, and so He gave us mothers.”  President Monson

Happy Mother's Day to all the amazing women in my life, especially to my wonderful mother

I could get used to this

Today I came home to not just one but two packages in my mailbox! 

My mom sent me a ring with my initials on it.  I have one with my old initials (RLA) on it and I wear it occasionally, but it's so much more exciting to have one with my real name on it! 

My in-laws sent me a Happy Mother-to-be Day card (didn't even know those existed!) and  Pres. Uchtdorf's book and a baby rattle.  I get so excited every time we get something for the baby because it makes it seem so real.

For those kind people who were wondering how I'm feeling, I'm doing great.  I'm so lucky that I really haven't been too sick.  For the first month of my pregnancy I had a student teacher so I sat at the back of the room observing and eating crackers.  When she left I survived mostly due to collapsing on the couch every afternoon when I got home.  And then it became Popcorn Fundraiser Time.  For the past 2 weeks I've had to pop popcorn and put it in little bags for my students to sell at lunch.  You know that smell that overwhelms you every time you walk into a movie theater?  Well that's my classroom.  Every day.  And, you may think that would be fabulous, but when every smell is magnified a hundredfold it's not fabulous at all.  In fact, it's miserable.  But, I am happy to announce that today was my last day of popcorn.  I scrubbed the popcorn machine, vacuumed, swept, and wiped every counter and I'm crossing my fingers that the smell is completely gone tomorrow.

I hope your Thursday was as good as mine! 

HELP!

No, this is not another post about our baby, although I do need lots of help with that!

I am faced with a daunting task.  I have a 5-10 page reflection paper for my technology class due on Thursday.  Just four years ago this would not be a problem at all.  But apparently in my three years of being teacher instead of teachee, I have lost my ability to write on and on with almost no purpose at all.  I can't focus, I can't think of what to write, I can't even write using correct grammar (and I am the grammar queen!)  This is a complete disaster and I am so annoyed that I am even in this position at all.

Anyone want to write a paper for me?

The Best Part

A few weeks ago I wrote about my fabulous Spring Break.  But, I neglected to mention the very best part of my break.

The best part of that week was finally getting to see this little one:

(It's a good thing they labeled it 'baby' because at 9 weeks it would be difficult to identify the little blob otherwise)

Our baby is due November 12th and we are so excited for him/her!