My New LIfe

I'm tired. That would be the one word I use to describe my feelings right now. I am not tired in necessarily a bad way. I mean, I am exhausted. Emotionally, mentally, physically, and just about any other way there is to be tired. But at the same time, I feel content. I would be a basket case if I had had to go back to work sooner, when Derek was little. Even though I was working part time from the time he was 4. 3 if you count the year I worked as PTA President. That is just as consuming as a part time job.
I am starting to just now get a handle on my new life. I am trying to find a balance, now that after almost 5 weeks I have found my footing. I am still stumbling a lot. And I often have fear rise up when something happens at school that makes me think of my time working 7 years ago at a private school that was exactly like Crunchum Hall in Matilda by Roald Dahl. But my new school is nice. So are the kids and the parents, and the other teachers. It is a nice place to work. I am hard on myself and know what I am capable of. I have a lot of big plans, but no time to make them happen. I feel I am a good teacher. I am in my element. I feel confident, and competent. And my pay-off every day is imediate from 22 of the most adorable kids I have ever had the pleasure of knowing.At first, I missed my old life horribly. Hanging out at the park with Derek and his friends, being the one in charge of schedules for my kids. Dreaming up fun things to include the entire neighborhood. Making really great memories for my kids and their friends. Following Martha Stewart recipes and craft projects to make my home a home. Going to lunch with girlfriends, and having time to watch movies at night with Jeff. Now I run from 7:00 AM to 6PM at night, come home and prepare lesson plans, find teaching ideas, do dishes and laundry, correct papers, answer emails, and try to connect with Derek and Clint about something before 8:30 PM when I get them in bed. I love my story time with Derek and it has become more sacred than ever. Clint usually listens too, or a least reads a Batman comic book in the same room. I have great boys. I miss them.I miss Derek. But remind myself that he would be at school all day anyways. I miss Clint, but he has so much going on in his own life right now I would just be watching him run in and out constantly. He is such a great kid. Early morning seminary, National Honors Society, Guitar lessons, Cross Country Team, Scouts, MESA, Chess Club, Lawn Mowing, Homework, he is pretty amazing. I am so lucky.
Jeff sent me flowers at work yesterday. I ended up hiding them because I felt a little embarrased. He is pretty wonderful too. He is in school full time and still doing tile when he can. I am not sure how much my paycheck is going to add up to. Especially since we will be paying for insurance now. But I am hoping it will be enough.
When I think of how we got to this place, where we can stand on our own feet again, and how everything has pointed me in this direction for so long, it makes me grateful. It has not been fun. And it is still to early to see how it is all going to work out. But I know my life is unfolding as it should. I am trying to focus on the things that matter most and be happy in the moment I am in. Petty things don't bother me as much. I have cut most of the drama out of my life, and am in a peaceful place where I am focusing on my family, my kids in my class, and my trip to Disneyland!!! We need to have things to live and work for...and now I have mine. Life is good, because we make it that way no matter what we have to deal with.There is joy to find in the journey, and I am going to find it with the ones I love the most. That includes my family, friends, and 22 of the sweetest faces I get to see every day.My classroom is a happy place, and I don't think my students know how happy they make me. And it's worth it all.

Pioneers

Last week while Jeff and Clint were gone to scout camp, Derek and I did some fun things too. One of the things we were able to do was to go to This Is The place Park, thanks to my friend Karla, who gave us a 2 for 1 coupon. It was hot. But fun. We saw our cute neighbors who work there, Skylar (below) and Brook who drives the train and gives tour guides.

Derek rode horses and saw baby animals. We rode the train and walked along the old-fashioned streets and talked about the Pioneers.

Derek asked about the Bingham Copper Mine and wanted me to tell the story about his great grandfather, one of the Bingham Brothers, who discovered it. I have told him the story before. How Sanford and Thomas Bingham discovered copper in the canyon.

They went back to report it to Brigham Young. They told him there could be gold there. They were very excited to mine for it. But the Prophet, Brigham Young told them to leave it...

...And they did. There was more important work for them to do. For some reason, when I told Derek this time, at this moment, in this place, I just really felt gratitude and understanding more than ever before. Just realizing how truly amazing it was to be a part of something so wonderful. Something bigger than all of us. More valuable than a fortune of gold and copper. Something so important and powerful and beautiful, and perfect that others had forsaken all worldly pursuits to make it a reality I sometimes feel a disconnect on Pioneer day because I have no real "Utah Pioneer Heritage". But I know that it doesn't really matter where my blood line came from, I have a claim to all of the blessings that any other member of the church has because of my belief, and my effort to live it and be a part of it.

I find myself getting defensive of others who don't respect and appreciate what the pioneers have done for everyone who now lives in Utah, and for those who are now Latter day members of the Church.

I do celebrate Pioneer Day, July 24, in my own way. We don't go to the Parade, or the Fireworks. We have a quite day at home, with a BBQ with friends or neighbors. And we do remember, and give thanks for all of the sacrifices that were made so we can have a beautiful place to live here in the mountains.

We remember how lucky we are to live in a community where so many know us and support us. A place where we fit in. A place where my boys can learn who they are and not only understand what it means to be a Bingham, but to be a disciple of Jesus Christ.

And no one better say anything bad about those Pioneers!

Pirate Party 2011

Derek found a map floating in a pirate bottle in the kiddie pool this morning! It's a good thing there were some other pirates around!

Pirates ready for adventure!

The map got wet. But it wasn't really a map. It just had the first piece of a map with a letter telling us that the writer of a map was beginning to be turned into a zombie. He had the treasure, and would share, but needed to be saved first. We needed to not only find the place where the treasure was burried, but also find a cure for the zombie!

Pirates are ready!!!!

One by one they found the clues in the surrounding yards

Inside a swing set,

Under a Trampoline, In an apple tree, in a neighbors freezer...

And in a shed. Each piece of the map had a clue on the back that led to the next piece of map.

Finally all of the map pieces were put back together, and they could see where the treasure was. And the last clue said something about rootbeer being the cure for the zombies...we found a pack of rootbeer in the neighbors fridge!

Zombies were gaurding the treasure and had water guns! But the rootbeer worked!!!!

And then the zombies even helped us dig up the treasure!

There were gold coins, candy, rings, beads, and lots of other treasures that all the pirates shared.

But don't try to take anything away from THESE pirates!!!

**This activity was a great idea for my 13 yr. old and his friends who helped to bury the treasure, and then guard it for all the little kids in the neighborhood. They really liked participating and helping this way.

Fairy Tale Princesses

Redd Riding Hood isn't a Princess But she looks like she could be Snow White...I wish I had a redder apple. I tried Photoshop, but it just looked way to fake. I will re-shoot some with a better apple

But Laney still makes a pretty Snow White

Ching Ching makes a pretty Snow White too.

She could even pass for the evil queen here.

Snow White lost in the woods

And after the apple...

Sleeping Beauty in my old Wedding Dress

Laney had the greatest expressions

It's fun to be a Princess!

Harry's Final Stand

We had the biggest Harry Potter Block Party ever! Since we have our own charter of Hogwarts in the neighborhood we decided to show our support and stand with Harry one last time!

Each wizard received a scroll written in invisible ink (white crayon) with a note attached that read: To reveal the secret message, you must paint the scroll with wizards blood, or a few drops of food coloring in some water works too.

The note just read: Calling all wizards, stand with us! Hogwarts (address) (time and date)
Since I was in charge of Slytherin, I didn't get all the photos I wanted so I will still try to recap as best I can.We started at Diagon Alley and made wands with thin dowels and wooden beads glued on the handle part, with colored smaller beads in betweenThere was also Berti Botts candy Shop where wizards got every-flavored beans.
A few Death Eaters showed up, but they were reformed and ended up helping in potions class
There were quite a few celebrities who arrived...Luna Lovegood, and Professor Trelawney to name a few...
Wizards also made spell books, that were already bound together, they just needed to add a back and a front with card stock and decorate them. There was a page for autographs, and some pages for photos that parents could download from facebook later. There were also pages to glue directions for potions that they would get in potions class.Then we moved on to Ravenclaw to be sorted.The 4 houses were in the sorting hat on folded card stock and each student sat on the stool and I shook the hat over their heads until one of the slips of folded card stock came out with the house name on it.The the wizards colored card stock ties with elastic around the neck the same colors as their house colors. Gryffindor: Red and Gold/ Ravenclaw: Blue and Bronze/ Slytherin: Silver and Green/ Hufflepuff: Yellow and Black

Then we moved to Slytherin. I made signs like this for all 4 of the Hogwarts Houses
Potions class consisted of making Oobleck: 2 parts cornstarch, 1 part water, with a little food coloring mixed in. And Soda Potions with mentos. Any kind of soda concoction you can think of, with a little mentos thrown in.Did I mention Hermonie and Harry were there?Oobleck looks like this
Drink Potions

Then it was off to Hufflepuff House to make the giant spiderweb.After 2 hours of fun, we were finally headed off to Gryffindor for Transfiguration class with body paint and water fun.





It was the best Harry Potter Premier Part EVER!!! Cant wait to see Deathly Hallows 2.2! What a way to Celebrate!!!!!