Back To School

I'm into the third week of school and really enjoying 2nd grade. My student teacher, Stephanie is great! If only I had an assistant every day with these little ones. Here is a picture of me in our school garden. We started it last year and my fourth and fifth grade helped build a shed and also planted potatoes. They worked on it over the summer and it is filled with sunflowers and vegetables we sell on Thursdays outside of school. I have 24 students as of today and hope I don't get any more. It's a good number and just enough bodies fit in one room. It's been raining for what seems like an eternity, so I hope it stops soon. It is defintely fall here and the leaves are turning along with the fireweed. I hear that's the first sign of snow! agh! Hopefully it waits another month!
In other news, we just got orders to England on Friday! Darren had it number two on our list of bases, so we are both very excited to be moving out of the cold to a milder climate. We will be here until the end of the school year and report no later than June 11. We have several friends stationed there already and are anxious to call RAF Lakenheath our new home away from home.

New Ride

So, I decided I desperately needed a car before going back to school (boo!) in a week. Darren and I drove up town to see what we could find, our traditional weekend trip to the lemon lot on Wainwright and a little used car lot in Fairbanks. Didn't see anything at Ft. Wainwright, so we hit Darren's favorite hot spot, walked around for about 5 minutes, and I saw a 2001 Black PT Cruiser with a reasonable price tag. We called the number and the guy took $800 less than asking price on the spot! So here's my new ride for the next year, if Darren doesn't sell it first! I'm going to have to hide the title for sure, I like it that much. Sun roof, fully loaded, runs well and is a lot of fun to drive!

Summer Lovin'

Celebrated 8 years on the 7th!
Picture taken at the top of Angel Rocks near Fairbanks 4th of July weekend



I can't say I have been very busy this summer, but I'm relaxing and enjoying every minute of the nice weather while I can. We haven't been fishing at all, but hope to soon. We camped 4th of July weekend and took the canoe out. Then took a 3 mile hike up Angel Rocks and then got caught in a thunderstorm. We were soaked, so I guess we got that shower we so desperately needed after all!
Some of the highlights are posted in pics below, there is one missing though. Last month I did a 10K walk with a friend for the Midnight Sun in Fairbanks. We finished with a time of 1:46, which I thought was good. I was mostly sore in my lower back and not in my hips like I thought. And speaking of being sore, Darren and I started a new workout today called P90X-BRING IT! Their other motto is "Get ripped in 90 days"! So, we'll see how ripped we are and if we can even make it to 90. I'm going to stick with it as much as possible and hopefully post some pics along the way. Maybe this blog will give me some extra motivation!!
It's sad to think these could be the last pictures we take of summer in AK!

Kelcey and I before our road trip to Anchorage with the Uhaul-we made it no problemo!


Puddle of Mudd concert-Fairbanks


Get together at Julie's house with friends (former coworkers from NPE.)


Darren taking a picture of Nichol and I at Citizen Cope concert in Fairbanks


Julie's first Chicken Dance-Polka style!

Schooool's Out For Summer!!

above-Me, Shirley, Kim, Jamie, Mindy
Too bad not forever. ;) Here's a picture of my fav ladies at Hunter. We took a long lunch and then I spent the rest of the last day of school cleaning out my room and sorting my stuff so I could move it into a new room. We had a teacher accept a job at a new school so I took her position as a second grade teacher! I'm very excited to get back down to primary. I was supposed to have 5/6 next year, possibly looping up with some of my kids, but just didn't want another combo. I also will have an intern next year, so having one grade that I'm familiar with is better than having to learn a new grade. I'm taking a Kagan course this week and then helping Kelcey move down to Anchorage. WAH! Darren's leaving for Korea this week, but only for a month. Maybe I'll finally get things cleaned out and organized around here! I can't wait to enjoy summer in Alaska!

FUN in the LIMO!

Alert the press!! Darren drove me around to have some fun for a change....I don't know how many times I've picked him up and dropped him off at poker parties. Enough for a limo ride with my friends, that's for sure! This was a limo he had purchased and then sold earlier this week. The guy let us have it back for one night and it was so much fun! Kelcey (second picture far left), Nichol(second picture-far right), Darren and I started at our house then drove to Eielson for a going away party for hir former boss Rob. His wife, Bernie had to stay behind, but took a picture with us-top photo. Then we made a stop to pick up Sandy (second picture second from left) in North Pole and went to play some pool. After that we went up to Fairbanks and met my friend Julie and danced. It was a great way to celebrate the big 3-0!!
Some background info on the girls: Kelcey and I work together at AE and have become great friends since we see each other for daily walks and talks after work. We walk in the hallways at the school I teach at. Sandy and Julie worked with me while I was at North Pole Elementary. I taught with Sandy my first year there and we've been friends ever since. Mostly everyone knows Nichol, we're high school buddies and she got stationed up here a year ago. Bernie has been like a second mom to me. Her husband Rob had to switch positions. They have been so wonderful and have always been around to help us when we need it. Such great friends to have while we're up here. I'm so lucky to have them!