heehee

Michael Phelp's first picture :)

RESPECT

Here is my Matt's tricep...it says "Discipline. Integrity. Respect." Oh such important virtues.

I encountered a hiccup to put it nicely at school when we reported back this year. In short, my principal pulled a fast one on me and it was not cool. One of the main reasons I wanted to stay in 8th grade again this year is because I loved my team. We have interdisciplinary teams, and you work verrrrry closely with these people all year long, share students, reward systems, meet weekly as a team, home visits, etc! Did I say I loved my team?

I get a phone call as I am driving to work (7:30 on the day we report back) and it is my principal telling me she has switched me and the other ATL teacher, and now I am on the other team. Followed by an annoying, "so, that's a good thing right? I thought you would be happy!" NO. The answer to that was no, and at least I let her know I was not happy. I am getting better and better as I age at standing up for myself or for what's right, even if it means a little conflict. She didn't bother to tell me the reason, or ask me if I was okay with the switch, she called to tell me it was a done deal and gave me no notice to prepare (aside from the remaining 3 minutes of my drive to school.)

The thing is, I knew exactly the reason why she did this...2 teachers on the other team have personal issues with each other and can't get along and work professionally. This is not my problem!! There is more to the story, but the bottom line is I did not feel respected at all, and I lost trust in 2 people...my principal and the other ATL teacher who requested the switch and apparently didn't think it would be a good idea to ask me if I thought that would be okay. However, after 12 hours of being really mad, I now choose to be happy. It is what it is, and I will have a great year regardless. I can get along with pretty much anyone, it too bad others can't. Respect goes SUCH a long way in my book.

date day

matt planned a date day for me a couple weeks ago. it pretty much rocked. it was all a surprise, and the day went like this: wake up and go to starbucks for a coffee and to sit in the sunshine, then we went to the mission-a delicious breakfast place by our house, then home to chill for a couple hours. next, came the best surprise of all...hour massages! this was fabulous. man, how i love getting massages. we came home and got ready for dinner, and had reservations at PF Changs! (i love that place.) i have photos from the first and last event of the day only :)

take one: up close and personal, and kinda ugly

take two: i set it up on a newspaper box across the sidewalk, and right as it was about to take the picture, a skateboarder was coming by, saw us smiling for the camera, and put on his brakes and stopped right before he entered our picture! that's why i have squinty eyes, i was laughing at skateboard man :)

dinner

one more day

we have one day left until summer vacation is over. it really has been a great summer. matt is ready to go back to work and get on a schedule and blah blah blah...i am so NOT ready to go back. it makes me a little nervous, i'm not sure why i really am not looking forward to going back-it is almost a sense of dread. i'm sure as soon as the year gets rolling, it will be good. i am glad matt is feeling ready, and i will have no other choice than to get myself ready with the rest of this week! because ready or not, here they come! we work in our classrooms wed-friday, and the first day of school is next tuesday after labor day. without fail, i get so nervous and jittery before the first day of school--6 years later and i still have the same feelings as I did my 1st year! (okay, probably not quite that bad...i am more confident now, thankfully) i also have had a nightmare every single year about something chaotic happening at school. last year, everything was crazy in my room and i was yelling at the top of my lungs to get the kids under control and no one could hear me. i wonder if my nightmare will be better this year. it is due any time now :)

family fun!

Aunt Melva, the Wegis' and Robin and Jordan came to San Diego for Mike's graduation (Matt's aunt, cousins and their kids) and we had so much fun hanging out! Here are some fun photos from the weekend...

aunt melva, megan (our flower girl!) and her little sis, olivia on the carousel at seaport village

megan checking out the bay

feeding the birds

sooooo funny, those birds :)

mackenzie and megan

olivia loving those kites, she just couldn't quite get close enough to them!

matt and his cousin robin hangin' in seaport village

olivia and her minnie mouse (the balloon guy was amazing, he could create anything!)

megan and rudolph (so what it's august, who doesn't love rudolph?!)

mike's graduation party...megan wanted to dance, and this was a slow song...so kirstin was on it!

olivia enjoying some party snacks :)

super-daaaaaad!

matt and ryan playing "chicken" with the girls!

we had such a fun time hanging out, we wish we lived closer!!! love you guys and miss you already!

Sea World

Last week, we went to Sea World with Em and Abigail. We thought it was a Monday, everyone else thought it was vacation in San Diego. It was packed!!! Nonetheless, we had a great time hanging with our Goddaughter and our dear friend, Em! Here are some photos from the day.







someone was tired :)

finalists!

My team made it to the finals of our tournament this past weekend, and lost a tough game in the final. Once again, we played so so well, and medaled with silver!! Back to back weekends winning medals is so exciting!! These girls have come so far, it is incredible! I am looking forward to a fun season in league! Before I took over this team 2 years ago, they finished dead last in league. I knew I couldn't do any worse that that ;) Last year, we finished 6th out of 12 teams. Batting 500. This year, I am hoping to finish in the top third. We shall see.

Officer Harvey

Some of you faithful readers might remember a post with this same title, but 6 months ago! I blogged about Mike getting his job with Costa Mesa PD and that he would be starting the Academy. Well...6 months later...

It's official! Mike graduated from the Orange County Police Academy on Thursday night and it was the coolest ceremony ever!! Mike was voted President of his class, and he kept it a surprise! He addressed the crowd with an awesome speech and represented his class of 35 officers and deputies so well! There are 7 special awards that are given out, and those are kept a surprise from all the recruits until graduation night. Basically, they are graded in many categories throughout the 6 months and get a percentage at the end. Mike received TWO of the seven awards. He was highest in his class in communication (radio codes, test questions, etc) and firearms proficiency. We are SO proud of him!! He finished 2nd in his class, less than one percent behind the top recruit. Amazing. Here are some pictures my father-in-law took of the ceremony:

Mike receiving one of his awards

Mike in the video they showed

Kirstin pinning on his badge

The four of us after the ceremony, so proud!

**ps. I need to ask if I can get out of a ticket if I get pulled over ;)

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my mother-in-law, sis, sent this to us this morning... hilarious! thanks for the laughs sis :) xoxo

obsessed!

we are obsessed with the olympics. i have watched more TV in the past 5 days, than i watched in all of 2007. we have been DVR'ing everything all day long, and going about our days like normal...and then watching it all until after midnight each night! ridiculous! it is so much fun :) GO TEAM USA!

victory!

this is my second year coaching this club soccer team. these girls are awesome! they are so much fun, and have made tremendous progress over the past year and a half. i am so proud of them. prior to this past weekend, we had never even made it to a semi-final game in any tournament. we played so hard all weekend, a couple of nail-biting games that were sooooo exciting! we found ourselves playing in the final for the tournament win! we won the final 2-1, with two beautiful goals and an AMAZING goalkeeper save in the last minute to hold on to our win! the girls were THRILLED to get their gold medals and champion t-shirts, it was so cute! there was an award ceremony and all, where i got to call each girl up and put on their medal! one of my girls had the quote of the weekend, saying "this is fun! let's do this again!!!" haha :)

we were quick to pose for pictures...this is pre-award ceremony, and making sure everyone knows that we are number ONE :)

here we our with our t-shirls and medals! (in case you are wondering who the coach is...top row, far left)


periodically, we have a team bbq/swim party for the girls after tournaments. they always want to push me in the pool, and for 2 years i have always evaded it by saying "you win a tournament and you can push me in the pool." (knowing full-well what a long-shot that was, and i was completely safe from ending up in the pool.) you better believe my butt was in the pool on sunday-gladly!!

august 1st-3rd

crystal came to SD, stayed with us (so fun!) and we went to her baby shower up in laguna. it is always great to see her, and considering we lived together for so long, we jump right back into roommate mode... do you like these shoes? should i wear this outfit? are you going to wear these earrings or should i? :) it just isn't the same asking your husband these things! the only difference from college is that she didn't have baby camden in her stomach back then! plus, there were like 8 more roommates then too :) so we would sit on the couch at night and i would just permanently have my hand(s) on her tummy, feeling him movin' and groovin' all over the place. i can't wait to meet cam the man!

cp and i


girls night out! karly, me, kim, deed, and cp


lyndsy...our old roommate... and her brand new babe, landon. he is adorable and lyns looks fabulous!


the girls, and landon's debut to his aunts at crystal's baby shower! he is 3 weeks here and so precious! crystal's shower was great and she got hooked up with lots of fun stuff! (i know, i am a baby magnet...don't worry, i shared him!)


baby bentley's cake :)


we got to see our friend and roommate from college, anita!


landon's daddy chris is a silly one...good thing landon's mom is normal!

YAAAY!

Yesterday evening, I walked out of my last Point Loma class forever! Ladies and gentlemen...I completed my Master of Arts in Teaching and Learning, and a Reading Specialist Certificate. (The reading certificate was done mostly within my MA, with one additional class after my MA to finish.) I'm just going to come right out and say it, I am proud of myself dang it!! As many of you know, going to school at night in addition to a full time job is pretty much zero fun. I can't believe I'm done-it is surreal! That baby is going in a frame!

Thanks for listening to me toot away on my own horn. I'm done tooting now :)

abigail's birthday party

I'm one today!

I think I'll chill out here and wait for my birthday cake...

Here's comes my mom with my cake! Some of my birthday party guests are much more interesting over here to my right.

I don't know if I am feelin' birthday cake right now, I think I'll chill a little while longer...

my grandpa is helping me taste my cake, I just don't want to dig in quite yet!

I think I am going to go take a nap, I'm sleepy. You guys can hang out here and I'll be back to check out my birthday presents!!