Backpacking in the Dark!

Last weekend Caleb and I went backpacking to Stevens Lake in Idaho. I got off of work at four and we started off on our journey. We got lost a bit but finally made it to the trail head. We didn't take into account that it is fall and we now live in Washington which means that it got dark a lot earlier than we expected! We ended up hiking half of the trail in the dark - woops! It was pretty spooky and the trail was HARD! I wasn't sure if we would make it but we did. We only stayed the night but it was beautiful and so fun to get out of the city.

Employed

So, I got a job! Sorta actually.

I accepted a position with AmeriCorps so technically I am "serving" and getting a small monthly living stipend. My placement is with St. Annes Children and Family Center which is a creative curriculum day care center. My title is Numeracy and Literacy Specialist. Sounds grown up huh?

I will eventually be holding my own classes with four to six pre-school kids and helping them become kindergarten ready. I have to write my own lessons and work with the teachers in the center to do assessments on the children to find out who might need my help. I started last Monday and am still training and getting to know the kids. The kids are so sweet. I already love them!

At the end of my service I will receive an educational award to help me pay off student loans!

I work with another AmeriCorps girl and we share an office. My first office! I am especially excited about having an office.

My job will only last until next July so I will again be jobless next summer but I think that this will be a great opportunity for me. I will learn so much about teaching and I am hopeful that I will be able to make a lot of great connections with parents, teachers and the kids of course!

I am super nervous about this job because I know it will force me to be in my uncomfortable zone. I am not an overly outgoing or friendly person but I am going to need to be more talkative and assertive at the job. Wish me luck please!

Here I am, in my office with my lil name tag!

I can't wait to post funny quotes from the kids!

Happy Tuesday World!

One reason my husband is the greatest!

We have been "fish sitting" for our neighbors the last few days. Today I saw Caleb putting several items in front of the fish tank and he says this to me.

"I don't want the fish to get bored so I give it things to read"

Ooohhhh my gosh I love Caleb! He is hilarious! I couldn't stop laughing. 

Happy Monday :) 

Our apartment, some food, cars, etc.

Things have settled down a bit since we moved in. I thought I would introduce you to my new apartment. I don't have a pic of the outside yet, but here are a few of the inside.

We have a fireplace! I am excited to use it this winter. 

Part of the living room. This is it on a clean day.

The second bedroom. We have so many toys and two bikes are missing from this picture. 

Our TINY walk in closet. Note the stupid water heater. Yeah, in the closet. So annoying. 

My happy wall. I know it isn't straight and the lines are not even. That bothered me at first but I think that I like how it is imperfect. I can't wait to add more pictures of places we have gone.

We have a stupid laundry room. Stupid because whoever built it didn't build it with enough room for both a washer and dryer. Our bathroom is stupid too. We have a sink counter but no drawers. We had to buy plastic drawers so we would have places to put our hygiene stuff. Our kitchen is minuscule. Despite it's tiny size, I have really got into cooking since we moved here.

We have eaten Hawaiian hay stacks twice since we moved in. The produce here is cheaper which is nice and I guess it has "inspired" me to cook more or some mumbo jumbo like that. Anyways, this dinner was really yummy! 

We picked peaches at Green Bluff farms and they were delicious. I guess I didn't really cook this but we ate a lot of peaches and cream while the peaches were still fresh. 

And the greatest thing I have made ... dark chocolate peanut butter cheesecake. Delicious! 

I got the recipe of Pinterest  (duh, where else do people get recipes anymore?) I also got this idea off of Pinterest and it wasn't a great idea. 

That right there is a  peanut butter/nutella/honey/raspberry jam/marshmallow cream sandwhich. I thought I was going to die when I ate it. I got to say it seems like a great idea, but it made me want to puke. Sad day :( Maybe one day my kids will be able to handle it. 

Alright, that's pretty much life. 

Rose Bud Thorn time. 

Rose: We sold my Beamer!!!! Bye bye Blue Ivy  

My Uncle bought it so hopefully I will see her again. I hope so... I love this car!!!!!! 

Bud: I start my new job in ten days! Yay :) Oh yeah, btw I got a job. I will tell ya'll about it some other post. 

Thorn: The jeep is being a B****. Of course it is. The Jeep hates running well. I'm pretty sure this is what it thinks to itself, "Well uh... It seems to me that I have been running well for the last two weeks so I guess I better break down again." Ughhhh.... cars.