School's (almost) Out!

Today was "Move Up Day."

You may be asking...

What is Move Up Day?

Well...it's the day at the very end of the school year when all of the students go to the classroom of their new teacher for the next year and spend the last hour of the day with them.

This day is always bittersweet.

I get so excited to meet my new class and they always turn out to be so cute and so sweet, but they are still new.

Of course, my current students are totally excited to meet their new teacher, but they try not to talk about it too much because they know it makes me sad. They are so sweet.

So...after hugging each one of my students and telling them "You are still mine for FOUR MORE DAYS!!!"  I send them to grow up and move up to being introduced to sixth grade life*.

*(Please be aware that sixth grade life is in NO way as awesome as fifth grade life.) Just saying.

I never want to give away my students. 

 I spend more time with them in a week than their parents do

and I truly know each of them.

We laugh together, we cry together, I scold them, I mold them.

I cried on the last day of school of my first year. (Like a baby!)

Last year, I was so sad, but no tears.

I don't know about this year...

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It could be a waterfall.

The silver lining...SUMMER!!!!!

P.S. Thank you to anyone who voted YES on Prop 100!

Birthdays, Scrabble and Cars!

Whoa.

Things have been busy!

I turned 25.

I guess it wasn't so bad...well...

It wasn't quite easy to turn 25, but i'm totally over it now!

Bowling was terrific.

Josh got me a really awesome Onyx Edition of Scrabble!

The most amazing part is that Josh and I played a game where we used EVERY SINGLE TILE!!!!

That's right!

No letters we couldn't use and everything made a legit word!!

What are the odds of being able to do that?

Usually there is an X or a Q or something that you can't use at the end...but not for that game!

Unbelievable!

(I was wicked excited!)

Alright...moving on...

Remember how I have not had A/C in my car for the last three years? That's right. I had no A/C and my drive is 40 minutes ONE WAY every day. 

I was very patient and it paid off...

WOO HOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I got a 2010 Nissan Altima with ten miles on it!

I love it.

You may also remember how I said I would cry and it would kill me to have to get rid of my car?

Well, I did cry. Just a little bit.

I'm a little sentimental.

But look how much bigger my new car (right)

is than my old car (left)!

Nope, it's not just the angle. It's really that much bigger!

So...things have been pretty much great.

We will be very poor now that I have such an amazing car,

but, oh well!

Totally worth it!

I guess 25 isn't so bad...

Sometimes...

Sometimes your students pretty much all behave and it's a really great day at work.

Sometimes you drive to work and it doesn't matter how late you are, the traffic doesn't bother you.

Sometimes you tell a great story about, text and get to hang out with all your best friends in the same day.

Sometimes you notice the mountains. Really notice. So clear and majestic and you think "Wow.  Most people never see something so magnificent."

Sometimes your awesome friends end up buying a house that happens to be FIVE houses away from yours!

Sometimes you get to see the first "pinkest" sunset of the summer.

Sometimes you go back and forth between "It's ok, 25 is a good age." and "Holy crap! 25! I might as well just wear a shirt that says 'Call me Ma'am'"  (Deep breaths.)

Sometimes you get to have a day that goes good.

Today was that day.

Things seem to fall into place and you feel yourself smiling more.

It's a good feeling.

I know it can't be like this everyday, so I'm happy with sometimes.

It's better than never right?

And plus...I don't believe in never.

Everything is a possibility.

Check!

Isn't it so amazingly terrific and wonderful when you can check things off of your lists of things to do!

As the school year begins to wind down, there are SO many things to wrap up. We are down to just over a month to get all the loose ends tied up into cute little metaphorical bows.

It's time to kick it up and keep getting things checked off!

Even if it's only one small thing a day...

it's still progress...

and i'll take it!

Live Life in the Fast Lane

Saturday, Josh and I went four wheeling with my sister-in-law, her fiance, my nephew, and soon to be niece. We went to an off road place right next to Lake Pleasant and it was tons of fun! Very hot and VERY DUSTY, but fun.

Caden and Taylor

The desert was in full bloom. There were gorgeous flowers everywhere.

I now know I am grateful for the following things:

1. goggles (to keep the dust out of your eyes)

2. scarves and bandanas (to keep the dust out of your hair and mouth)

3. water (cuz it just plain rocks)

4. cell phones (when you get lost from your party, they really help)

5. sun screen (even though I didn't wear any and got really burnt, I still like that I can wear it!)

Go out today and do something exciting.

Really. Do it.

Go!

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(And don't forget to wear sunscreen!)

Brushed with Love

We kinda like each other.

Even our toothbrushes can't stay away from each other...

But that's ok, because they don't have to...

and neither do we!

Never Too Old!

Happy  Easter!

Easter was wonderful.

I still get an Easter basket.

That's ok if you're a little jealous.

I LOVE it!

You are never too old to get an easter basket.

This year, my Easter basket consisted of...

1. Yummy candy including some Reese's Peanut Butter Eggs!

2. Two giftcards...for food!

3. A paddleball

4. Jelly Beans

5. Silly String  :)

6. Silly putty!

7. A mini bowling game

8. Mini Robin Eggs

9. Warm and fuzzy feelings.

ALL very good things!

Easter was also filled with family time which always makes me very happy and reminds me how lucky I really am.

I really like never being too old for things.

It keeps us young.

The big 25 is comin up soon...

hmmm...older?...yes.

Better?...Oh YA!

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In other news...

I went to a friend's funeral yesterday

and that is a bummer. Too young.

Like I said...tell people you care about them.

Do what you can to make the lives of others better.

It makes a difference.

Also, on an entirely unrelated note...

I love my Crock-pot, which I have used twice this week alone (and it's only Wednesday), which happens to be almost as many times as I have used it in the past few years.

But it makes my life so easy

and it makes for a very happy and non-stressed Lauren!