Surprise for Elder Hales

We are counting down the days until my brother Dan comes home from his mission in London, England. It doesn't quite seem like it has been 2 years, but I do feel like I haven't seen him in a while, and I can't wait to see him in just a couple weeks. He will be home in less than 3 weeks. As a family we have been discussing what we will do when he gets home. Where and what we will eat, when we can get the boat on the lake, how he will have changed, and other random things. Our time around the Sunday dinner table is centered around Dan.

My Dad is probably the most excited, to finally have his handy son home to help with the yard work and to even out the boy to girl ratio at home. My Dad bought some golf passes at an auction for different courses in the county. It will be fun for Dad, Dan, Brent, and Bob to all golf together this summer. Although Andrea and Brent got married while Dan was gone, Brent met Dan before he left, so he isn't too much of a surprise. My Mom actually is the most excited I bet, and it's not just because she got a brand new car this week so Dan can have her old car. In preparation for his arrival at the airport, I have been making a few posters for Bob and I to hold. I can't wait to see his reaction.

I think Bob will hold this poster:

And I will be holding this poster:

Do you think he will like them?

Spring Break 2012

I had such a wonderful/relaxing/lazy spring break, I slacked on the pictures. We left Friday after school, drove to Kanab. The next morning we drove to Mesa for Easter weekend and spent Monday-Friday in Rocky Point, Mexico. Here are some of the highlights. 

(Everyone laughs or doesn't believe me when I say that we drive to Mexico!!!)

- While driving to Kanab we talked the whole time. (Usually, I read.)

- Touring Uncle Ed and Aunt Carrie's new house, aka the Mansion.

- Seeing my Grandma and Grandpa Hales for the first time in 4 months. Sitting on the deck talking and enjoying the sun together. 

- Going to the Easter Pageant at the Mesa Temple, and hearing it in English. (Last year it was in Spanish) 

- Dying Easter Eggs with family even though the youngest in the crowd was 17.

- Eating a wonderful Easter meal with a Bunny Cake and playing games.

- Having a large shrimp cocktail when we arrived in Mexico.

- Sitting by the pool in the late afternoon feeling the sun on my face.

- Tacos, Tacos, and more Tacos (A girl in my class warned me not to eat any Tacos from the street. I told her I was sorry, but that is all we eat when we go.)

- Picking out breakfast pastries at the grocery store. 

- Reading by the pool all morning, every morning (I finished The Book Thief and loved it.)

- Watching both of my parents go down the slide (Our balcony was the one right above the slide)

- Spending time on the beach

- Searching for hot, fresh churros 

- Looking for a few trinkets to buy and take home, even though over the past 20 years we have already bought 1 of everything... haha

- Going to the fish market

- Eating a foot long burro (burrito that might have been my best meal)

- Searching for my Dad's missing tennis shoes

- Snacking on fresh coconut

- Drinking 2%, because it was 2% or whole

- Daily visits to the main lounge for wifi to email Bob

- Watching Nacho Libre while in Mexico

- Driving from Mexico to Orem in one day, just 14 hours

Teacher Appreciation

The week before Spring Break, my room mom emailed me about having some parents come in before Teacher Appreciation week. We figured out the best time was the Friday before the break, since the she needed things right after Spring Break. On that Friday one of the moms came in and said she would just need a few minutes to take pictures of the kids. I was going to work with some kids at the back table while she took them and I was surprised to find out she wanted me in the pictures too.

*Rewind to the night before. I hosted a girls night and was up late packing for my upcoming Mexico trip. I woke up late Friday morning, threw my hair in a messy bun, skipped the make up, and ran off to school. I was so happy that Spring Break was about to begin, to care what I looked like. (Also worth mentioning is the mountain of a zit growing on the side of my chin.)

I sat in a chair in front of my smartboard (a nice white backdrop) and one by one my students came and stood by me. Let's be honest I am not the best picture taker. I usually ruin the best family pictures with my squinty eyes. 30 pictures later, I was done. I could only imagine the horror of what the pictures would look like when they were developed. My kids on the other hand were having a ball teasing me during our pictures.

Here is one of my favorites. I feel like we are twins, although I am not missing a tooth.

Here is my cute door decorated. Even though I don't look great, it is so much fun to look at. My kids are darling and I have had a lot of laughs and good times this year. I also have to say that I have the best room mom and parents. They have spoiled me this year.