{This and That Jun-Aug}

A little of this and that from the past three months...

Emmrey brought home some end of the year awards!

We had another porch nesting. This time SIX babies hatched. So much fun to watch.

Garden business

Some outdoor movies while Mark had the projector from the office. 

A little fishing at a pond nearby

A day date to Estes with Marko

Celebrated National Donut Day!

A little more bird watching

A date with Emm to see the Clydesdales

Father's Day shenanigans

A smoothie date at Owl Canyon

Classroom help

Headstand competitions

Hangin' with these turkeys on Sundays

Tennis classes

Rockies game with Logan

Lunch date with my buggy

Visit from Grampa and Gramma while we were in Alaska

Trip to Windsor Lake for the girls

City Park pool with Tania

 More help in the classroom

 Dinners on the deck. Took advantage of evenings with these two home.

 Another float down the Poudre with Bay this time.

Bubble fun

 Locker Choice Day. This is excitement over getting a slightly better locker than last year.

Bay spent nearly every waking minute at Mountain Kids teaching lessons and guarding

 This girl got her own Violin for her second year of Orchestra

 Hosted an Open House for my 4th grade families

Started a new adventure along side this group of ladies

Emarie Neal, Lauren Camenzind, Kelly Matsuda, Me

Camping in the Snowies

There was some salvaging the birthday this year. Prior to the series of unfortunate events, I had already requested that we go camping to celebrate. It was a much needed weekend away in the mountains. 

We opted for the Snowy Range so Bailee could join us. 

We stayed at Libby Creek Aspen Campground. Where we were close enough to walk to the creek.

 We spent most of the time relaxing around camp. 

 The second day we took a short hike to  Lake Marie.

It was windy but so beautiful.

It was just what I needed. Some time in the mountains with my favorites.

Birthday Bust

Bust might be extreme, but I have had better birthdays. This year was definitely one to remember ... that's for sure. Mark had left this thoughtful goody for the girls to set out for me. 

 I received this sweetness from one of my adorable students (I can already tell I have a great group of kids).

 My mind was on overdrive with this new world I had just entered a day ago ... and. then. this. That call no parent wants to receive. "Hello Mrs. Smith, this is Officer .....". I honestly don't remember much after that. My heart started racing, the tears started flowing, and my brain couldn't think straight. Once I calmed enough to learn she was okay, and nobody else was hurt (thank goodness), I went into logistics mode. I couldn't leave school, I had a room full of 9 year olds. Mark was out of town. Her friend Taeson was there with her and would give her a ride to Poudre. She would take the bus to FRCC for her class in the afternoon. The officer said the car could stay until I could get there later. Perfect. This was all okay for now. Except that it wasn't. About midday I had a moment during lunch when I just broke down. The realization of my mistake hit me so hard. Kars was scared. This was a terrifying experience for her. She just needed her momma. In retrospect, I should have (and could have) dropped everything and went to her. I couldn't see that in the moment because my panicked brain had gone into "fix it mode". It's like I couldn't see beyond just what needed to be handled in that moment. I will always wish I had handled it different.  The guilt will eat me up. I left the minute the bell rang and picked her up from school to go to the crash site. Unfortunately, we had to total Wanda. We were all pretty upset about that, but I just kept thinking how the outcome of this could have been so much worse. It made me hold her a little tighter. 

 I was drained and really not in the celebrating mood. Emmrey had a birthday surprise for me. She knew I wanted a lock for the gym. Since it wasn't in her budget to buy a new one, she enlisted Mark to help her "find" one that needed an owner. She is the sweetest. ❤

 She also insisted they put a candle in a donut leftover from my treat I shared with my students. 

Let's just hope car wrecks don't become a regular thing on my birthday {2017} . I am over it!

1st day for three of us

August 20th was the first day of 7th grade for this chica

First day of Senior year for this chica

and ... first day of 4th grade for this momma

Don't worry they are crazy about each other! Mark was there for the send off and then he left for a trip to Jackson.

 The girls and I celebrated the beginning of what we knew was going to be a busy year with donuts in Old Town.

 Hold on to your hats people!!