Another Long Overdue Update

I have to laugh when I read my last blog post dated September 2010. I wrote that I hoped I did not go to update my blog only to find that I last posted in September 2010. Its not quite September 2011, but it's pretty darn close.

To keep me motivated to update my blog I created an "update your blog" swap on one of my favorite sites Swap-Bot
I am happy to say that the swap was a success and I met one of my biggest goals in life.... to have a swap of mine reach the top 10. Okay so maybe its not one of the biggest goals, but I was proud.
So, the questions remains, what have I been up to since September 2010? For starters, I had been substitute teaching, with an Emergency Sub certificate for a few years and had the opprotunity to accept a permanent, part time position at Kaitlyns middle school as a special education Para-Ed. I have been doing this since around October. I really am enjoying this position and being in the school on a daily basis. I work 4.5 hours, which is a nice way to ease back into the work force. I am learning so much about myself and about middle schoolers, teachers, etc... This experience reaffirmed my life long desire to become a teacher. So, I met with an advisor at Central Washington University (Pierce College Campus) to discuss what my next steps were to be considered for the teaching program, which would begin in the fall. I had one more pre-req to meet, however was able to get that waived. Yay! It was math, enough said. Anyhow- besides the application, the big thing was to pass the entrance exam called the West-B. I spent several months studying- ALOT. And.... I passed! The next step was to await a decision from the program. Although I had been accepted into the college I had not yet been accepted into the teaching program. Its a COHORT program and they only allow a certain number of students in each fall. That group of students take all classes together for the full 7 quarters of the prgoram. Its also a Fall start only. So if I did not get in Fall 2011 I would have to wait another full year. I found out that YES I have been accepted. I don't have all the details yet, but coming Fall 2011 I will once again be a college student. This will be my first time at a University. If all goes well I will graduate in 2013 with a BA in Elementary Education with a minor in Literacy and then will obtain my K-8 Teaching Certificate. I know that right now a teaching career is not the most logical thing to pursue- being that there are really no jobs out there, however It is the desire of my heart and I am just going to take it one step at a time and leave the rest up to GOD. As far as my Para job- it's a one year at a time thing. I hope I get hired on again next fall. My schooling will be at night, four nights a week and it will be a hugh adjustment around here and I don't even want to think about the logistics of everything right now.

So, that is the update on myself. As for the kids, the school year is almost at an end. Kaitlyn is doing great. She turned 13 in November. She has received star awards for all quarters for her good grades. She played on the girls Volley ball team. She also was in another play with Stage Door Productions. They performed "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat." She will once again be attending Stage Doors Summer Camp and they will be performing "HONK." She also got her braces put on this year.
Dalton just turned 11. He played soccer this Spring and is looking forward to entering middle school next year.
Ava is almost 6. She is finishing up her first year at Foothills elementary school as a Pre-K student. On the 8th of June we get to go on our first Field Trip. I am taking the day off to go with her. She received a scholarship so she can attend full day kindergarten next year.

It's crazy the more I write the more I realize how much stuff really happens between September and the end of May. It's almost a whole year. There are so many things that have happened that I have not even written about. Here are a few hi-lites.
1. My brother in law got married. Ava was the flower girl.
2.I took a quick trip to California to visit parents, siblings and friends.
3.My brother Scott moved in with us for four months and he cooked and cleaned and I miss him. LOL
4.Casey finally got a job and then lost it 5 weeks later and is still on unemployment
.5.We took our family trip to The Great Wolf Lodge.
6. I think Washington has had the worst winter since I moved here.

I think that will have to be enough of an update for now. I will try,try,try to get back on here and do some more updating, or at least keeping current. Here are some photos.