New Gadgets!!! I LOVE my camera!

Ever since I was about 14 years old I've been interested in photography and I always enjoyed going on weddings with my Dad or Uncle Clint as their assistant. In college I started to study photography, but soon put that aside because I felt like I didn't need to pay my way to learn how to take pictures and I wanted to put my college education to use so I decided on education-at the time I felt like I needed a career that I could support a family on (well hardly as a teacher) if I ever needed to (i.e husband passing away etc.). I also wanted to keep my hobby as my hobby, my escape from life I guess. In short I love taking pictures and over the years I've thought a lot about making it a side business etc., but for now it's going to be my hobby until I get good enough to make it a small side business-something that I can do with kids running around my house and a husband to take care of. So here are some of my "Around the House" photos. I've developed them in Lightroom 2, however, I've just been playing around, so some of the exposure and colors are off, but I'm still so geeked about what I can do!!

Family Christmas Photo 2008/Blizzard of Seattle

This is the view from our Kitchen window! Normally we can see across Lake Washington and Mercer Island!! Shem and I have both been out of work since Wednesday because of school cancelations.

Us in front of our first Christmas tree!! We're so excited to have a relaxing Christmas at home, and I'm so excited to see snow!! Normally it only rains in Seattle in the winter. :)

One word sentences up-date...

Work. House. Buy. Maybe. Work. New. Couches. :) Enrichment. Christmas. Bags. Stressful. Grading. Projects. CASL. Ichy (that's how Shem feels). Anyway, we're busy, but still hanging in there until the much needed break!! My birthday came and went and I was blessed with cool new gadgets to play with, so I'm excited to spend more time figuring them out. We just bought our first Christmas tree on Saturday and I just love having my own tree to decorate. I'm going with a country theme which will include putting in some bunches of fake cranberries and my colors will be mostly red and gold. I'm excited! My christmas shopping for my family (except for Shem) is almost done, but we really need to focus on his family now. We might buy a house...we don't know yet and we're trying to talk to the auctionier from the auction that I went to on Monday when I was "sick", now I am really sick, but I can't take work off...unless I hack up a lung tonight I'll be going in still. Well, life is good, we'll post some pics later, oh, and I cut my hair!! It's super cute!

My Wet Hike up Little Si

Shem working so dilligently before getting distracted by the computer. :)


Rock Climbers

The Jungle!

My favorite pic!

Me at the top of Little Si

View from the first look out. I just love the fall colors mixed with the green!

The Yellow Leaf Road! The whole trail was covered in golden leaves, it was very cool!

Work has kept both Shem and I busy lately. It seems like once school gets into full swing our lives go on hold and work becomes all we ever think or talk about. It is quite entertaining to talk about our students and the silling things they do, but sometimes you just need a break. This weekend I didn't bring home any work in hopes of forcing myself not to think about all that I should be doing, and so far it has been great! Shem had to get some stuff done so I hiked Little Si by myself, and I must say that it was a refreshing hike! It wasn't too strenuous, but just the right amount to make you feel like the hike was worth it. It was windy and rainy at the top so I didn't take very many photos, but on the trail it was just gorgeous! Most of he leaves have fallen, but it was still so beautiful!

Nothing else has really been going on, although we just bought a new computer! We love it and we're having fun figuring out all the new features on Vista and Media Center.

Back in School

Well, we're finally both back in school. Bellevue was on strike for many reasons: benefits, pay, and the freedom to use our professional abilities to teach to each student and modify lessons as we see fit. Basically teachers were being forced to teach the same lesson in each classroom for that subject on the same day in all the schools in the district. It wasn't good. Shem went back today and he's still working hard in the living room getting this situated and organized (he's such a hard worker!)

I just started my 3rd week and I'm loving teaching 1st level Spanish classes to freshmen. I'm using a lot of TPRS in my lessons so therefore speaking a lot of Spanish to them already and it's amazing how quickly they catch on!

We both had a great summer and we look forward to the fun we'll have next summer, but we're also glad to being working again.

Labor Day weekend/Ellensburg Rodeo

You don't want to know what makes a horse really mad...mad enough to buck it's rider.


They have to tie the cow up and pin him down as fast as they can.




Shem just being cute while I walk circles around him taking pictures.

My little digital point-and-shoot did a pretty good job at the Rodeo considering that I didn't have rapid shoot 20 frames/sec on my camera or a respectful telephoto lens. I'm pretty proud of these picstures.

My Hobbies/ New Talents and fun stuff with Shem!

My sister-in-law Wendy is just so amazing!! She has all of these cool/crafty card making tools and she is so willing to teach and let others use her gadgets. I made these cards back in August when we got together for a card making night. It was a lot of fun!

Wendy and Shem's Mom have taught me how to cut Shem's hair! I love being able to cut his hair because I know it's saving us at least $20/month and all the $$ we save from his haircuts can go towards mine. :) This is me cutting his hair the day before school started for him after his 2 week strike in the Bellevue School District. I just love being self-suficient!

One of our many food experiements: Banoffe. It really didn't turn outlike we had hoped, but we did get to brulee the bananas on top with a torch!