First Day

Lots of first days for us here.

Sam started his first day of nursing school and he thinks he's going to be pretty stressed. He got offered a job as a shift manager at Starbucks, but he doesn't think he's going to take it because school might ge the better of him these next couple of years.

Samantha started daycare on Monday. She's really, really excited. She tells us all about her day when we pick her up. I'm really impressed by all that she is learning. She tries her hardedst to speak im full sentences, but it sounds a little like caveman speak still.

Now on to my first day...from hell. The school is a huge mess. A parent had to go to Costco and get us a huge case of toilet paper and she installed it herself. The receptionist was a little late, so I was asked by the principal to answer to phones. I got yelled at and chewed out by outraged parents who demanded a refund fro the uniforms becuase they were going to pull their kids out. We did lose about a dozen students in the last two days, but maybe it's for the better. Our classes are CROWDED! I have a huge classroom, so that's nice, but I have 30 kids per class and not enough desks for them all. I have a nice chair, but no desk. I am teaching out of a cardboard box. My 6th graders are awesome, 7th are okay, and the 8th graders lok at me liek I'm from another planet. They have no books yet. I'm going crazy. Oh and I only have 10 minutes to woof down lunch and one conference period. So far this job is terribly ridiculous, but I'm going to try my best to stick it out and do what I can with what little I have.

I know I haven't posted pictures in a while, but I will try to soon. I'm just trying to find time to get everything done. I wish I was still in college.

New Job!

I got a new job at a charter school here in El Paso. I'll be teaching 6th, 7th, and 8th grade Social Studies. I think it's going to be very overwhelming for me as a first year teacher, but I guess it'll be good experience. I'm also the department head for Social Studies (I guess I kind of have to be due the fact that I'm the only middle school social studies teacher).

I've already started with inservice and I'll have actual students on the 24th. It has been hard this past week because (1) I haven't worked in a looong time, (2) I haven't been without Sammy for more than a few hours and I have to leave her for eight hours a day (Sam has a lot of fun with her though).

We are also trying to buy a house right now to take advantage of the first time home buyers tax credit, but I don't want to rush into anything. We did find a really cute house, new construction, but our bubble kinda burst today when we saw a HUGE crack in the garage and it could be a foundation problem, so we are being cautios.

We are having a swim party for Sammy with his mom and aunt and the kids at a pool. Then tomorrow we are going to eat with my mom, dad, and grandparents. I feel bad that I didn't plan anything spectacular for her birthday. We've just been so busy and time got the best of us.

I think that's all for now. I have a bunch of cute pictures, but I'm extrememly tired and lazy at the moment so I'll get them up later.

Lots of pictures

This was taken at a rest stop shop thing on the way out to Tucson.

Sam buried her feet at the Album park playground.

Car ride with Spiderman. I asked her where they were going and she said, "Albuquerque Zoo."

These are just a bunch of random pictures that I have been meaning to post, but haven't had the time. This one above was taken today at our hotel. My camera takes crappy, pixelated photos apparently.

This was outside of our hotel room. We had seen a lizard earlier in the day and she was on a mission to find him again.

I love this little face.

This is her up-to-no-good face.

This one was taken a few weeks ago at her cousin's swim meet.

She is so cute....

Sammy and I have been veerrryyyy bored here in Tucson. In the video I ask her to sing her theme song..."Super Girl, here to save the world!" Sam taught it to her and she loves to say it whenever she gets the chance.

Tucson

We got to Tucson yesterday night. It was super stressful because we got here kinda late, ran to the grocery store for juice and diapers and Sammy snacks, then we checked into the hotel and apparently kids aren't allowed at that particular hotel on base and there were no family units left, so they put us up in a hotel off base. It turned out good because we're staying at a nice place and the pool is right outside of our door. So guess what we did as soon as Sam got off of work?

For the most part she liked to hang out on the steps.

I had a lot of fun swimming with her. She learned how to float on her back...with our help and she can hold her nose and breath and get dunked for a second.

playing in the curtains

She wanted Sam to take a picture of Rafael...her doll...named after her cousin,