Rockin' n Rollin'

i will be running my first full marathon this sunday, and matt will be completing his sixth! matt will finish about 3 hours before me, but that's okay!! thankfully, i will have my buddies kirstin and mack with me to provide lots of encouragement for each other. kirstin has been encouraging me this whole time of training, when i was thinking i probably couldn't actually end up doing the marathon. now, i am so thankful for her encouragement and sooooo excited for the challenge (okay, and a bit nervous also, but mostly excited!!!)

i am fairly certain this event will be the single most challenging thing, both mentally and physically, that i have ever done in my life!

i told my students that if for some reason i didn't show back up to school for the next two weeks...then i probably died.

i couldn't be more excited to experience it with my most fabulous sister-in-law and brother-in-law!!! oh, and don't worry...kirstin and i have matching outfits and we will look cute, no matter how tired and haggard we are by the end :) i will post pictures for sure!

until then, here is one of my lovely hubby in marathon number three (his fave photo).

he's a rockstar

photo fun

hhhmmm...am I am Oregon girl or a Cali girl at heart? Can I be both? This WWII Memorial was amazing.


Here are some of my best shots of the week on the East Coast. I have had fun learning my camera and look forward to having more time to practice this summer!

Washington Monument


State Capitol Building


The Metro


A banner I liked in the Library of Congress


I found my next anniversary present. The Hope Diamond


Sunset on the Potomac River (and a couple of kayakers)


A White House and a Brown Bird. ok, the White House and a regular bird.


Arlington. Changing of the Guard at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldiers


Intense.


Yes. I concur.


Mt. Vernon. George's ol' stomping grounds.


Lightpost in Central Park


Resident New Yorker


I could spend some time here.


A peek at the City


Little in the Big City


Curb Your Dog? Was that necessary?


what's your favorite picture? I'd love to know!!

visitors!

my sister and derek (her fabulous fiance) fly into town tonight to hang out with us for the long weekend!!! matt and i have been thinking/planning all kinds of fun things to do with them while they are here! we are SO excited!!!! derek has never been to san diego (hard to believe!) so it will be extra fun to be able to show him around our city. i will take lots of photos to document our fun!

the home stretch

i am back from the east coast trip, slept half the weekend and played half the weekend (nice combo) and not quite ready to go back to work tomorrow. i believe people who talk about jet-lag now. man, it jacks you up! well, plus a crazy-packed week seeing every sight to see in DC and a mini new york visit...getting 4 hours of sleep per night and going non-stop all day! that might have had something to do with it also.

i honestly can't believe we only have 4 weeks of school left. testing is done, it really is the home stretch. i am excited for summer but really going to miss this group of students...i love them! we will see if i love them when i get to school tomorrow and assess the damage done after an entire week of subs.

East Coast '09

Three days in Washington DC down, headed to New York tomorrow. Having a fabulous time, kids are great, aaaand I'm exhausted.




midnight thirty...so overdue for bed.

ode to my mom

i love my mom. a mother and a daughter could not have been matched more perfectly.

she is fabulous and wonderful and silly and caring. she is hilarious at times but often thinks she is hilarious when she's not. she cracks up at her own jokes. she is forgiving and gracious. and feisty and sassy. she is a big dork. sometimes she's a brat (but who's perfect?) she loves her family like crazy. she is genuinely fun to be around. she's not so fashionable and loves goodwill. she's resourceful. and good to have around if the power goes out :) she keeps it real and tells it like it is. she gets excited about the red starbucks christmas cups. she has always believed in me and made sacrifices for me. she was the best fan and at every game of every season. she has major ADD when it comes to task completion. she cries when she laughs hard. and sometimes pees her pants. she'd give you the shirt off her back. she is friendly with everyone she meets. she loves camping and adventure and dogs. she is the world's slowest driver and it's so annoying. she has never not been there for me when i needed her. she loves matthew like her own son. she is my friend. one of my very best friends who i can share anything with.

i am so very grateful for my mom.


















i consider myself lucky to have not one, but four moms that all mean the world to me! thank you to each of you for the special part you play in my life.

Happy Mother's Day!

...?

I saw this little 'complete the sentence' activity on my friend kel's blog. hers made me crack up, but she's a funny person in general! i am going to write the first thing that comes to mind-regardless.

My ex...got smart and married me.

Maybe I should...go to the gym more than one day in a row.

I love...matthew, my family, and my awesome friends!

People would say that I'm...upbeat and happy.

I don't understand...bad drivers. they suck. it's not that hard!

When I wake up in the morning...i hit snooze and go back to sleep. 7 more minutes.

I lost...my patience today with an annoying kid.

Life is full of...ups and downs, but many more ups than downs!

My past is...my past. i have no regrets and it has shaped who i am today.

I get annoyed when...kids tap their pencils on desks.

Parties are...eh, whatever. i like birthday parties!

I wish...we could rent out our condo and rent a cute house with a yard.

Dogs...make life joyful. couldn't even imagine life without 'em.

Cats...I could do without. except for Rico, I love him!!!

Tomorrow...is thursday.

I have a low tolerance...for ignorance. and ill-mannered people.

If I had a million dollars...I would buy a house and lots of jeans and shoes, and pay for my sister's wedding, and save a bunch! sorry that the jeans and shoes thought came before your wedding kels:)

I'm totally terrified...of change. it freaks me out.

The End.

...vino...

last weekend, we went wine tasting for our friend Scott's 32nd birthday. Meghan (his wifey) rented a party bus so we could all go together! It was the first time I have ever been wine tasting, and we had so much fun!!

fun on the bus :)

matt and kirstin being weirdos :)

meghan's mom dori, me, kirstin, meghan...at callaway winery

me, kirst, meg

sisters...on the bus :)

afterward, we all went to Fidel's...delicious mexican food...in Carlsbad. the birthday boy had a little too much to drink. this picture is so funny!

i had another fab weekend this past one (well as fabulous as it can be with your husband out of town) so it was pretty dang fabulous! haha just kidding Matthew. like he reads this blog anyway! kirstin and shelby (dog cousin) came down to spend the night with bud, zoe, and i. highlights including but not limited to: dinner at baja betty's, mini 2 person dance party in the living room, long walk to get coffee and around the neighborhood on a beautiful san diego morning, bagels at einsteins and a little shopping in hillcrest! we had so much fun and need to do it more often!! :)