Tales of First Grade

So first grade was never my ideal grade to teach but oh my, I love them.  Two reasons why that I found today...

They sometimes write whatever they want in their writing journals and I tell them if it's something they don't want me to read then they can fold the page in half.  One student folded hers in half but let me know that it was so that only I would read it and not other students.  So I read it.

 

While going through the others I found this at the bottom of a random page in one of my boy's notebooks.

"Now we need to fight.  We need reinforcements.  Oh yeah you can't bust me."

Whatever that's supposed to mean.  This is a very sweet and smart kid.  Who is a bit obsessed with Star Wars.  His notebook is affectionately titles "Star Wars The Clone Wars" so maybe that's where this is from...?  Maybe all the numbers are his form of binary.  But nice spelling eh?

Anyway, they're kind of cute.

Hurry Back....

Okay, so I don't like to write lately.  But it's about time I wrote about The Happiest Place on Earth.

This was a trip a year in the making.  When I first mentioned to my parents last April that they should probably take Dan and I to Disneyland as my younger siblings were on missions, they got mad that I hadn't suggested it before.  So we quickly planned a trip.  It was going into wedding season so we had to wait until November, but then postponed later until this February.

So off we went.  My parents go to Disneyland about 20 times a year.  And yes, they are frequently season pass holders.  I hadn't been in four years.  Dan hadn't been since he was about eight.  He was not exactly thrilled to be going.  Children just don't understand how wondrous Disneyland can be.  So we went with the intention of converting Dan and finding all the Hidden Mickeys.  

Despite the fact that our regular routine was thrown off by The Haunted House being closed the first half of the first day, convert Dan we did.  With things like Billy Hill, Blue Bayou, The Haunted Mansion (after it opened back up), World of Color, Pineapple Ice Cream, Soarin', and pretty much everything else.

California is always a good idea.  Add Disney to it, and I highly recommend it.  Also, the first day was spent around LA and Hollywood.  We were feeling very touristy and neither Dan nor I had ever been there.  Plus then we got to go to Lowry's.  Best prime rib ever.

Anyway, enjoy some pictures.

Dan was in love with the trees.

 He had some really ugly facial hair happening when we went.

 Apparently this is the only picture I have of my parents.  They look cool huh?

 

 New Year's Eve hasn't been the same since Guy Lombardo died.

 I'm holding George Clooney's hand!  Dream of mine since age ten. Seriously.

Yay.

 Dan took this one for his mom as she loves Tom Hanks.  And see?  Dan made himself a part of the picture.

My husband's a nerd.

 And like I said, he had some seriously awful facial hair on our trip.

The Hollywood sign is back there somewhere.

Picture spot! Adorable.

 Billy Hill and the Hillbillies.  A must.  We saw the show twice.

 Hidden Mickey.

 This is for Dan's dad.  According to Dan's memory, Mr. Toad was all Disneyland consists of.

 First, this kid was adorable.  Second, Dan was jealous that he didn't get to be a part of the show.

 Free Falling.

Another good reason to go.

 It really is tough.

Okay, one of the best parts of the trip. When we were on Soarin', about the last ten seconds of the video went black.  You'd hardly notice if you'd never been on the ride before.  But to make up for our "inconvenience" they let us ride it again.  We had to go to the other room though as the ride in our room was broken.  We were taken down a back hallway that was the exit for the other room.  They had everyone line the halls so the people currently on the ride could exit.  Dan decided we need to cheer for the people coming out so he had all of us that had been on the broken wall, stick out our hands for high fives and cheer the group coming out.  It was hilarious.  And my mother high-fived several strangers.  This is us after we rode again, reenacting the high-fiving for those who had participated with us.

 We love this ride.

World of Color.  An amazing new show.

Anyway, it's been a month and though I haven't heard from my dad officially, we are all ready to go back.  

And for those wondering, yes I did let go this time on Tower of Terror, for what may have been a whole half second.  

I Got A Pocket, I Got A Pocket....

So randomly last month or so there was a long weekend and the day before it began, Dan said "Let's go to Vegas".  So we grabbed some friends and went to Vegas.  I had never been to Vegas before.  Excepting once when we ate there on our way to Disneyland.  And of course the infamous time which forever made me terrified of Vegas when my dad made us lock all the doors when we drove through.  I was perhaps five.

Anyway, in my first experience I will admit that watching Easy A in our hotel room was probably the best part, followed closely by eating pretty much every meal at Cheesecake Factory.  But there were many other good things too.  Prepare yourself for some pictures.

Yep, I was stuck in this hotel room with these...cough...gentlemen.

But that's okay because we're pals.

 

 

 And they're pretty entertaining.

They channeled some of the greats in entertainment.

 Yay Seinfeld!

 And the men from Ocean's Eleven

 I didn't, I just watched.

Perhaps they're channeling Oliver and Dodger?

 

Dan got hit on by some chicks while being a lion.

 Some awesome gambling wins happened.  (I believe it was 10 cents)

 

 Jake creepily stalked

And for those of you who have ever been on Tower of Terror with me,

you will understand my face here.

Anyway, it was fun and very nice to lay out by the pool in January.  I'd probably go again if for nothing else but H&M.

Lately

So despite the lack of evidence before now, Dan and I have actually been doing things in the last three months.

My husband is a smart hottie.  For his senior project/job he is working on developing ways to transfer power wirelessly.  Specifically right now, he's working on making a light bulb light up wirelsessly.  In December they had a senior presentation night so I went with the Bronsons to look at all his cool stuff.  They were judged and asked questions and stuff all official-like and he and his partner actually won the first place prize for their project.  What a hottie.

Sheri being amazed at how cool Dan is

 Dan explaining smart things

Dan and his partner, Ryan

We're Too Legit

There were some basketball games happening.  At one game they gave us all blue latex gloves to wear as if things in The Spectrum are not loud enough.  Biggest headache ever.

 Oh and don't worry that we went to Firehouse before that game and girlfriend and I got what we always get: our own dinner specials.  Janae came and got her own two.  We enjoyed all the looks of shock and disgust as people walked by and saw us all with our own giant pizzas and loaves of focaccia bread.  Our waiter thought we were cool.

Last week I went with my younger sister to my older sister's house for a visit.  I took the ingredients to make these yummy Oreo truffles that girlfriend taught me how to make.  So I grabbed all the kids, except Tyson, who is 15 and finds poker on his Ipod cooler than us, and of course the chubby little baby, Jersi, and we made truffles.

Licking the bowl while waiting for the dipping chocolate

Oaklee helping

Kyndi wasn't so much a helper as an eater and mess-maker

Don't leave any bit of chocolate behind.  Even if it's on your elbow.

I think this is probably when I told her she couldn't have any more.

I believe Tate makes up for my weird face by his saucy one.

 

And this uglier one.

Sam and Baby Jersi