A White Christmas...

So we have been hoping and praying for a white christmas. This morning we woke up to 3 inches of fresh powder in Colorado Springs. We were so excited! So, how do the Coles celebrate? We go out and play in the snow, take a hike, and enjoy some good steaks.

A Rejuvenated Perspective...

Lately, I've found myself a bit overwhelmed by life, school, friends, and pretty much everything else. However, yesterday I found myself taking some time to be with good friends, relaxing by being outside, and enjoying nature. I walk away with a renewed perspective on life, and am realizing the importance of taking time to just "BE." I often forget how important that truly is!

#20: Play bocce-ball

So, my original list mentioned glow in the dark bocce-ball. I have yet to be able to track down a set of glow in the dark bocce. Due to this, my completion of this item on the list is playing regular bocce. I have to admit, I am not very good...actually, I am quite awful. I lost terribly, but it's still fun!

#13: Spend a day in the mountains!

Last weekend, the Cole family, minus Bryan made our way up to Copper Mountain for a great weekend of relaxing, hiking, sleeping, and fishing. We were up there for 3 days. Here are a couple fotitos from the weekend:

Once we got up hiking, there was a lot of snow. There was a whole ski run covered in a about 6 feet of snow. Here we are surprised at how much there was at the end of June.
We went on these beautiful walking paths. It was a bit chilly this day, but still a beautiful Rocky mountain afternoon. Check out those lovely mountains! :) AHHH...so often I love living in Colorado.

#9: Picnic in the Park

Sadly, I don't have a picture of this one. Yesterday, July 3rd I arrived to the Springs about 11:30 am. The moment I walked in my folks house, we decided to go out and enjoy a nice picnic at the park. We went up to this place called Fox Run, and had a enjoyable afternoon as a family. It was great!

#14: Go hiking

It's Father's Day. After lunch, my dad proposed a hike. It was crystal clear blues skies, about 85 degrees, and it was a perfect day for hiking. We all jumped at the opportunity of heading outside to get some good exercise and have some great fun as a family! It was wonderful. Here are some pics of our adventures...

Brandon and I...He looks like a flamingo. I think I said something along the lines of, "Welcome to the gun show!" Ha...funny. We have so much fun together.

The gang....minus Bryan. We missed you!

Mamacita and I...we are women, hear us ROAR!

The crew reading something interesting about beetles or trees...not really sure.

So I am making slow progress on my list. I am down 3, only 27 more to go. It has been fun so far!

Item #10: Paddle Boating at City Park

Here goes nothing. My friend, Jason has had paddle boating on the mind for a while, and we finally decided to brave it yesterday in honor of my birthday celebration. We met at City Park at 2:30 to some cloudy skies. I surely thought we were going to get rained out. We ended up having an hour of pure fun, with only one person walking away soaking wet...ME! Interestingly enough, Jason was attempting to bother the other boat (which included Allie, Nic, and Brandon). However, in an effort to soak Jason, they ended up getting my entire right side wet along with flooding my seat, which I then sat down in. My butt was soaking wet by the time we were done. I have to admit that I have never laughed so hard in my life. It was quite entertaining...most definitely worth the $8.46 each person spent.

Jason and I...before getting wet! Brandon, Nic, and Allie...the culprits!

Item #1: Mini golf with the familia

So, I replaced my #1 on my things to do list (Frontier Days) because I am going to be out of town. I have replaced it with mini golf. I admit, I lost, but it was still fun! Here are some pictures of our family adventures on the mini golf course. We are a bit ridiculous :)

I am trying to ride the one-eared donkey. It was slightly awkward.













Brandon and I calculating totals at hole 9. Mom and Brandon were tied at 27. Dad was at 29. And sadly, I was at 30...about 7 over par :(



Brandon and I were imitating the scary ET creature at the end of the golf course. It was part of the "Around the World" themed course. Not sure how it relates, but entertaining enough!












Overall, an exciting game of mini golf. I have come to the conclusion that I am not very good at it! Mom was the winner surprisingly, and Brandon came in second. However, second in his opinion is "not good enough." Better than last, which is what I came in. That's the way the cookie crumbles sometimes! :)

Hit the Jackpot!

Today I hit the jackpot. One of my co-teachers called me and told me that Denver Public Library was having their big used book sale. So, we ventured over there about noon today. It was amazing. I have never seen so many books to wade through, but I managed to walk away with 65 content related books for $40.00. The best part was that they are almost all hard-cover, which hold up so much better in the classroom. It was a great use of time and energy!

Summers off...what shall I do?

I have come to the conclusion lately that one of the best things about being a teacher is having summers off. I have to admit that all my life I have had summers off and never really taken advantage of it. This summer, I have decided that I am going to be productive in the midst of my time off. I've got 7 weeks of summer, so here is my list of 30 things to do:

1. Visit Frontier Days in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
2. Attend a Rockies Game.
3. See a movie at Red Rocks...maybe Ghostbusters or Princess Bride?
4. Get a nice tan and spend lots of time at the pool.
5. Do a puzzle...a hard one.
6. Go to the Museum of Nature and Science.
7. Go the Art Museum.
8. Go to the zoo.
9. Have a picnic in the park.
10. Go paddle-boating at City Park.
11. Have margaritas at the pool.
12. Fly a kite.
13. Enjoy a day in the mountains.
14. Go hiking.
15. Go camping...(yes, Sarah...I will go camping).
16. Climb a tree.
17. Play sand volleyball.
18. See fireworks.
19. Go white water rafting.
20. Play glow in the dark bocce-ball.
21. Make a root-beer float.
22. Play a board game.
23. Cook-out/Barbeque.
24. Play football in the park.
25. Clean out my closets and donate my clothes I don't wear anymore.
26. Go bowling.
27. Go to an amusement park (Elitches or Water World).
28. Go ice-skating.
29. Try a new food...maybe rattlesnake?
30. Run through the sprinklers like I just don't care.

(As I hold my glass up to toast)...Here's to a summer of 4 weddings, 2 roadtrips, sunshine, and hopefully a lot of fun! :) Happy Summer Everyone.

Random thoughts....

It rained for five days straight, and today I saw the sun for the first time. Pure bliss...the thunderstorms were cool...but five days, seriously?

I really like the word, seriously? I use it a lot....and I use the word scandalous.

I spent 4 hours at the pool, and burned the back of my legs...ouch. Maybe I should put some sunscreen on tomorrow before I brave the sun again.

I almost got rid of my tan lines today.

I had a wonderful coffee date with Suse this morning. Yeah for friends and free time!

I had an enjoyable "wedding" planning afternoon with Allie. We cooked dinner together, drank wine, and chatted about the upcoming marriage.

I think I might go to Beloit for 5 days next week.

I am blessed by friends who truly care about me.

I may have found a tutoring job that pays $50.00/hr. The students is from Norway, how cool is that?

I had 6 friends call on Monday to check in about how my date went. I am encouraged by those who invest in me.

I love sleeping in and staying up late, both of which I have done a lot of lately.

I had a glass of wine tonight, and am feeling a bit sleepy.

I went to a dips and dorks party last weekend, and dressed up like a dork. It was fun.

I got to play old school Nintendo, and dance around like a crazy person on Saturday night.

I have the itch to travel to a foreign country, but have nowhere to go, no one to go with, and no money to spend.

I bought some kids books today at Barnes and Noble...can't seem to go in there without purchasing something. I love kids books!

I am excited about teaching second grade next year.

I am reading a book about poverty...it is very interesting and enlightening. Tells me a lot about my past students and the places they are at.

I found out I DON'T have to take any summer classes to get my Linguistically Diverse Endorsement in Colorado. I do have to take a stupid test though, and pay another $60 bucks to the department of education....ay-ai-ay.

Why can't they call it one thing? TESOL? ESL? ELD? LD? Caramba...

I really like the word, Caramba, Que pasa?

My apartment people painted our speed bumps today, and I saw 6 car get towed. Bummer for them.

I tried on my bridesmaid dress for Brittany's wedding, and its a little low and a bit short. Yikes! Allie told me I don't look like a hootchie...whew, good thing.

I ate blueberries and raspberries for breakfast today. It made me happy.

I cleaned the kitchen, but have yet to attack the bedroom. The mess is just glaring at me everyday and I keep avoiding it.

I think I should stop, before this list gets ridiculously long!

I am done typing, and need to go make some phone calls. Sionara, Adios, TTFN:)

A bit more direction...

So, I know...writing on here twice in one week. It's a miracle! Who knows how long that will last, but I figured I'd do some updating on here about life in general. I had a bit of a shock the other day when my principal and director called me in for a meeting about next year. I kept going back and forth between whether I wanted to stay in third grade or move back to second grade. It's been a decent year, but surely things could be better in regards to my teaching position. Well, as I walked into the office, I was told that I am officially moving to second grade. Crazy! It hit me and I immediately was a bit overwhelmed with everything. Now, as I think, pray, and meditate more on it, I am realizing it is going to be a great move for me. I am going to be working with 2 amazing teachers on a cohort team, and teaching with a "newbie." The newbie makes me a bit apprehensive, but I trust Todd and Rob when they say we will work well together. We shall see. That is some updated news on the anxieties of not-knowing the future. Also, I think I am going to live with Sarah and another girl named Sarah also. I am excited to have a roommate who is actually home! Life seems to be progressing along quite well, and I am excited to see what this summer holds for me. There are still a lot of questions, but I know the Lord will open the doors and lead me in the way that I should go. Have a great night all! 

My Happy Place...

Over the past couple days, it has been absolutely lovely. Ah, I have come to the conclusion that I am a much happier person when it is warm, sunshiney, and summer. I am so excited for summertime and find myself literally counting the days until school is out! I am so ready to jump on the summer band-wagon of tanning, traveling, weddings, relaxing, and being outside. This weekend I have been down in the springs with the family. It has been such a blessing...I have such a wonderful family. We have enjoyed just being together, laughing, and playing games...our favorite, Settlers. I won today, and I am not cocky at all:) ha. I have lost so many times lately to my family and finally I won. I think sometimes I am too competitive, but today it played out in my favor. We sat outside for lunch and just talked...I got a bit of a sunburn, and it is great. I love having the pink cheeks and red shoulders...it makes me happy. So...all this to say, I love summer and I can't wait for this one to start. Thank you Lord for beautiful weather than delights my soul and changes my attitude! :)

Isn't it ironic?

So, I seem the have a pretty strong immune system and body. I have yet to miss a school day this year, and really have not felt too bad at all on any days. I woke up this morning with an awful stomach ache feeling like I need throw up, yet I can't. The irony of it all is that today is our only field trip of the year. We are going to Denver Museum of Nature and Science, which we are all really excited about! I am not at home and am still going to try to make it today, but just pray with me that I can survive walking around a museum all day, that I can handle riding on a bus without losing it, and that I would have the utmost patience. AHHH...so frustrating.

Moments of Anxiety...

Yes, I know it has been a very long time since I have posted. It seems that the days just pass so quickly and now that my computer is dead, I have to find other ways to get internet. Lately, I have felt very unsure about the future and what it holds. Just last week I found out that I do for sure have a job, however, within in that comes a lot of questions. I have no idea what grade I will be teaching or who I will be co-teaching with. Those of you that know me well, know that I am very detailed oriented and like having this under control. Right now, I don't and that is why life is so hard for me at this point in time. I am trying to trust in the Lord that he knows what is best and will reveal it within his own perfect timing. Please pray as I try to believe that in these two situations, along with who and where I will be living in the fall. 

A Tribute...

I have been thinking a lot over the past couple weeks about the fighting over civil rights. It all started about two weeks ago when we were talking about courage in our classroom and emphasized the great things that Martin Luther King Jr. did during his life. Since then, I have found myself repeatedly thinking about what a different world we live in because of what civil rights activists fought for. I feel like it is on my mind more because of the classroom that I have. In my room, we have about 6 caucasians, 3 african americans, and about 18 latins. Looking at these dynamics make our room so interesting, and these kids have so much to learn from each other. I feel like the exposure to different demographics, characteristics, backgrounds, and races make these kids more accepting of people and cultures. We had a discussion the other day about what our classroom would have been like even sixty years ago. The kids came to the conclusion that they would never have been allowed to be in the same classroom. Many of them expressed concern because they have friends who are of a different race. They expressed frustration about fairness and equality. It was amazing to see them thinking about the reality of these situations. I just wanted to send out a tribute, since it is Martin Luther King Jr. day, to all the people who fought for integration, desegregation, and love. Thank you for your strength to change our world. We can change things if our hearts and minds are unmoveable.

A bit melancholy...

So I just returned last night from a wonderful 10 day vacation in Ecuador. We arrived on December 22, and spent the first three days in Quito. We enjoyed a wonderful Ecuadorian lunch at our maid's house, a great Christmas dinner with the Stucks, and a fantastic traditional fondue dinner for Christmas Eve. It was a bit different than our normal Christmases, but better that I could have ever asked for. On the 26th, we began our trek to the wonderful beach of Same with some old family friends...Stucks, Clines, Millers, and Paynes...an absolutely wonderful group of people. It is crazy to think that some of us having been vacationing together for 10 years now, and we are all grown up now. It was just like old times. We spent many a hours playing football, basketball, and mafia. We enjoyed the wonderful food of Bernabe's. We laid on the beach, and did our round robin dinners. We even braved an evening in the lively city of Atacames...it was just like old times. We returned to Quito the night of the 31st, with a brief stop at the ghetto fireworks stand, where we purchased a ton of illegal...but awesome fireworks.
What is Ecuador without a rocking New Year's Eve. The Clines hosted a wonderful party at their place, with games and snacks. At 11:00 we headed down to the park for a fireworks display, put on primarily by Riley and Austin...wow! It was awesome. A few close calls, some screams, and an hour later....we had surely set off the best fireworks in Quito. We rang in the new year with smoke, fire, and great friends. My last day was spent packing, enjoying time with my family, and a great evening with friends.
I boarded my plane early yesterday, the 2nd to return "home." It feels weird writing "home" because I still don't know what is home. I thought I was okay calling Denver home, but being back in Ecuador reaffirmed the reality that Ecuador really is my home. I have been in a melancholy mood all day today, almost on the verge of tears. I am not wanting to be in America right now....in all honesty, I miss Quito. I miss my sense of community there, and I miss my dear friends that I have spent so many years investing in.
I think the hardest thing about leaving Ecuador this time is not knowing when we will be going back. This was the last big sha-bang to Ecuador as a whole family. It was a great end, but it is definitely getting to my emotions not knowing when or IF I will return. I know this is really long, but it's been a processing in the making. I been thinking and going through a lot in my mind, so here it is....all written out!