YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I got it!! :)

It is still unofficial as they will be checking my references and there is all the paperwork and such. I'm suppose to hear back from the principal for the official word by next weekend. So if you're a reference for me... say nice things!! :)

I cannot put into words how I feel right now.... but some that come to mind are extactic and exhausted! It feels like the sun is definately shining on me today.

Thank you to everyone who has cheered me on, let me cry on their shoulder, and loved me through all of this! I hope you all come visit me in Estes Park!!!!!!!

Ring phone.... ring!

Ok... so the interview went well. Thinking back I wish I had told them more specific details and MORE stuff that I didn't think of on the spot, but I still think I did well. There were 7 people interviewing me at the same time (just a tiny bit intimidating) but I think my overall confidence and postive attitude were strong.

Anyway!! I am suppose to hear something (yes, no, or 2nd interview) by the end of the weekend.... so continue to keep everything crossed and send the good vibes my way please :)

Wish Me Luck!! :)

I got a call today for an interview up in Estes Park!! It is this Friday... so please send me lots of good thoughts, luck, prayers, whatever... and keep your fingers and toes crossed too :)

Chapter 4.... CHECK!

So I have just finished the fourth and final chapter of my masters paper. WOOOO HOOOO! It is just the rough draft, but I don't foresee any major changes needed. I had an extension because I was in Durango, so it feels really good to be stick-a-fork-in-it-DONE!

Speaking of Durango, Wednesday I made it back just fine... it was sunny all the way home so it was a beautiful drive. I was really bummed to have to leave :(

Thursday was a very...long...day. Apparently the kids were not very well behaved for their field trip on Wednesday, so there was a lot of things to deal with. Then on Friday it was snowing like crazy and all the school districts were closed EXCEPT ours. Frickin Morons. Almost half of my class was absent so it was pointless to try to do anything. I guess it made the day relatively easy from a teaching perspective... but I would have rather stayed in bed!!

Saturday I slept late, and then spent most of the day working on the paper. It was rainy/snowy/yucky outside... so I got quite a bit accomplished. Today was a beautiful day, so Sherlock and I took a long walk. We went up to the reservoir which was finally open after the winter and he swam and swam and swam! Then I came home and cleaned the house in between working on the paper and taking a nap :)

I'm low on energy, so I am glad that tomorrow is a teacher-work-day. Then we have district testing most of the week after that. I feel sorry for the kids who are burnt out on testing, but it makes it an easy week for me. 25 work days until school is out!

The better countdown however is that I officially have tickets to go see my nephews in Vermont after school is out!!!!!!!!!!!! yay :)

I don't wanna go back...

So last night I met up with Cass (my other older non-related-brother) and his family for dinner and some hang-out time which was wonderful. His 4 year old daughter is a hoot!!

Then this morning I got up and went back to Ft. Lewis for interviews. They all went really really well... but these school systems are in the same boat as many others with not knowing how their budget will fall for next year and/or what positions they will be hiring for. Soooo.... not a waste of time for sure, but still frustrating.

Then I had lunch with my (non-related) Aunt Jane and Uncle Jim and got caught up with them. It is just so nice to be around people that have known and loved me forever... and to be in a place that I know and love... this really is so much "home" for me. I don't have my heart set on landing back here for a job, but it would be wonderful to be closer.

After lunch I walked around town a little, and then came back out to camp for another long rambling hike with the dogs. We went up the valley to a waterfall that has drastically changed from what I remember as a kid... but there was a large forest fire here several years ago which could have affected it also. Anyway, it was still another delightful, quiet, long dog-walk.

I'm headed back to the Springs tomorrow, and other than missing my Fat Kitty... I really don't want to go back. :(

Perfect Day for a Walk!

It was a perfect day for a walk today. Mojo and Sherlock and I went rambling through camp in the mud and had a wonderful time :)


Sherlock was delighted to be a camp dog for a day!! Mojo showed him how it was done :)


Mojo, who does not swim and does not fetch, thinks Sherlock is a little crazy...



But they both had a fun time getting muddy!


It was a perfect day :)

home....

Sorry for the lack of blogging... I got a ride from Marci to the rental car place on Monday morning, had my masters presentation on Tuesday (which went well... the best part is that it is over!) got Cujo back on Wednesday (not as painful as the original estimate, but still quite painful) and then spent Thursday getting plans ready for the upcoming week as I have a job fair in Durango... which is where I am now! Home :) Or still what feels like home to me (for those of you who might be reading this and not know... I grew up here)

The drive over was quite poopy. The weather was snowy and blowing and yucky for a big chunk of the way. Good thing Cujo was in tiptop shape! I left around 11 and got here around 5... so I still made good time. Then I took Mojo (the Colvig dog) and Sherlock for a walk around part of camp. Sherlock was soooo happy to a) be out of the car b) be on a walk c) have mud and snow to play in and d) have a dog-friend to play with. After dinner I helped Conner (my friends' son) with his homework. He's one smart 7 year old!

Tomorrow I have some job-fair stuff in the late afternoon, so I am going to spend a good chunk of the day rambling down memory lane with the dogs. I brought my camera, so if I remember... I'll post some pictures :)

Busy busy busy!

It was quite a long week! It wasn't bad considering it was the first week after spring break, but it was super-busy. We are starting a science unit on animals (yay!) and this past week we got African pygmy frogs to study. The kiddos were almost as excited as I was to get them! They are very cute. Part of teaching the kids how to observe animal behavior includes getting them to start looking at actions instead of physical characteristics. So to help them, I had them observe me pretending to be an animal. I walked around the classroom doing different behaviors in different areas of the room. When I went by the plants I sneezed, I read a book, I pretended to eat the frogs, I slept on my desk, and I was afraid of our tree sculpture. They did a great job making observations, and I think it will help them make better inferences about frog behavior. In another week or so we also get fiddler crabs and snails. Science is so cool :)

Also I found out that there is an elementary position open in Estes Park. I think this has moved to the top of my job-wish-list!! I turned all my stuff in so I am just waiting to hear from them. Fingers and toes crossed!!!!

On the downside... Cujo (my car) is in the shop. It had been a while since he'd had a checkup and he was making some funny noises. So I took him in and he needs some (expensive) surgery. Since I am driving down to Durango for a job fair next weekend, I figured I might as well just do it all and make sure he is in ship-shape!

So tomorrow is Monday... then Tuesday I have to make my Masters Paper presentation. This is of the last things to clear off the plate of the things to do for the paper and I am going to be so glad to get it over with.

And...(not that I am counting)... there are only 35 work days until the end of school!! Then I have two whole weeks off before summer classes start. Woo hoo!!