Newport Beach 08

We had a great time at Newport Beach this year! It is the time when the Turleys and Whiteheads (My mother-in-law's new husband's family) get together for some time at the beach. We had a packed week and here are some pictures to show it. I have a ton, so if anyone involved wants more, I can send them in a file to you. We went to an Angel's Game, the LA zoo, and spend the rest of our days at the beach. We even started a new tradition...the Turley/Whitehead Basketball game (Won by the Turley's this year). I have a pic of it below...Ike's showing some skills with the ball. It was a great vacation before I had to get back to work, which I started this week. I am really excited about my new job and Dane is finally starting to get used to his new montessori school and is really enjoying it now (which always makes a working mom feel more at ease). Hope you enjoy the pics of our vacation! THey are smaller pictures because there are so many, but if you click on them, I think they will enlarge.

Back to my roots.....

So, I got to go home for a week to visit with family and friends and it was such a treat to have my whole family there (except for Ike...he stayed behind and worked so he could take our family vacation with us to California in August). It was an awesome trip and full of adventure. I don't think I had a day to relax the whole time until the last day (I'm not complaining, though...it was so much fun). We went to the Virginia living museum (oh, and before that I got sprayed by a cat at the Humane Society...yuck!), Virginia Beach, Busch Gardens, the Outer Banks, NC, the Virginia Zoo, took family pictures and more! Whoa...it was jam packed! Here are a few pictures from the trip and I am still waiting to see what my sisters and mom have...so hurry up you guys and send them! These are in reverse order from how they happened during the week because I didn't want to change it after I started posting!
THis first pic is of Dane on the last leg of the plane ride home...he was such a trooper! We were supposed to leave at 6:30 pm, but had major delays and didn't end up leaving until 12:30 am, got to Dallas at about 3 am, and didn't leave Dallas until 7am. Trying to sleep in the airport is not fun...at least the airline ordered us Pizza and gave us blankets! I would have taken hotel vouchers in Dallas if my layover was longer, but it was only a few hours, so I decided to tough it out. Dane looks pretty chipper for the night we had!

Dane with "Pop Pop" at the Virginia Zoo in Norfolk before we left to come home. THis giraffe in the background worked so hard reaching over the fence to get some leaves off of that tree. We sat and watched him for about 5 minutes and he finally got it....yeah for him!

Dane with Jaelyn and Brooklyn (my friend, Simone's girls) climbing to Jockey's Ridge. Thanks for letting me stay with you Simone! Why didn't I get a pic of us? Dumb! I think you purposely took the pictures at Jockey's Ridge so you didn't have to be in any of them....sly one you are!

This is one of my favorite pictures from the trip...Dane at the top of Jockey's Ridge in the Outer Banks, NC.

My best friend from high school, Holly. She is 6 months pregnant and so cute. You can't even tell she's pregnant in this picture because she only shows in her belly. How lucky is she??

Finally....back to one of my favorite vacations spots from my youth...the Outer Banks, NC

Crash! Dane and Dylan on the bumper cars

Dane and cousin Dylan riding the boats at Busch Gardens

Dane and cousin, Lahna, playing at Virgina Beach

This one's a keeper...me and Pop

Dane's older cousins...Heather, Hayley, Rebecca and Julian (and little Dylan)

One of my favorites of Dane and his cousins

New Hair

I went to the salon today to "trim" up my style so it could grow out evenly, and when i got there I saw a really cute style on the wall and decided to try it. I also made the decision based on that fact the Vegas is so freakin' hot and I wanted my hair off my neck to help with self cooling abilities! Since I'm going to be teaching outside all year starting in August (in the hottest month), I decided it wasn't a bad choice. Plus it is pretty fun to have bangs again...we will see how long I like them!

Dane's Birthday

Dane turned three on the 12th and we went to Chuck E. Cheese's with Ike's family to celebrate. Dane's cousins, Emma and Duke, were there to celebrate and Ike's cousin, Clint, brought his wife and baby girl. We had a lot of fun playing games and eating cake! Thanks to everyone who was there and thanks to everyone who sent their love and gifts from afar! I can't believe he is already 3!

Thomas the Train Adventure

My sister in law and I took our boys to the Thomas the Train day at the Heber Valley railroad in Heber, Utah. The boys loved it. They got to ride the train, pet horses, climb on old trains, and play with yes....lots of trains. The only bad part of the experience is that Dane threw the biggest fit of his life when it was time to go. It was so embarrassing, but I just continued with him to the car and finally he calmed down. He fell right asleep on the way home, so I'm sure being a little tired had something to do with it. Thank goodness for only children....I don't know what I would have done if I had more than one tantrum to deal with! It is a good reminder to wait a little longer to have any more.

All in all it was a fun experience and I'm glad Dane and Pierce had a little adventure together before we move next weekend....they will be so sad!

Just and Update on Us..

It has been a while since I posted, but things are pretty crazy right now. Here's a short update until I can get back on the regular blogging bandwagon..

Our house is under contract but won't close until June 12th (maybe sooner, we hope). In the mean time, I am finishing my last two weeks of school and Ike is still working in Vegas. He is coming up Memorial weekend to move a load down to Vegas, and the day after my school gets out we are moving the rest of the stuff and our family. We have an apartment ready for us down there for the summer. We thought it would be best so we didn't have to rush to find permanent housing. We were lucky to find a really nice apartment complex in a great area that actually accepts large dogs, so Bo can stay a part of our family! Yeah!

On another note, I got a job already at another charter school. It is very small (300 students next year), but is growing steadily. I will be teaching PE/Health for 6-9th grade, as I understand it. I think it will be a good place for me, although not without challenges. Luckily I already went through the challenges of starting in a brand new school, so I am prepared for whatever comes my way. The biggest challenge will be weather and facilities. I will be getting back those dreaded PE teacher tan lines, since my job will be outside most of the year (like it was in California). At least I have an unobstructed view of the Strip from the back field...that is kinda cool.

Well, now you know what's going on with us....Oh, and to all my friends and family back east...get ready for us (me and Dane at least). I will probably be coming to visit in the beginning of July! Nags Head and Busch Gardens, here I come (Simone, Brooke and Holly...get ready). And, of course, I can't wait to see my family....we will have so much fun!

Keep in touch and I will update again in a few weeks once we get settled down there in the desert!

Triathlon!!

I thought I'd share a few pics of my very first triathlon. It was a week ago at the Lake Las Vegas Resort. The water was a very COLD 63 degrees or so, but the outside temps were nice...just a bit windy. I finished the half mile swim, 12.5 mile bike, and 5k triathlon in 1:39, which is a middle ranking in my age group and overall. It was a blast (after I got over the cold water) and I would love to do it again. I was so tired afterward and I had a good afternoon nap. I have been on two short 1 1/2 mile runs this week and I can definitely feel the effects. I wasn't really too sore afterward, but my legs have been weaker this week for sure!

Oh, and since it was the first triathlon sponsored by AFLAC and IRON GIRL at the resort, it was taped and will air (on NBC or one of its affiliates) on July 26th.

So, here are a few pics that the race photographers took and emailed me. In one I am getting out a tissue because I got a cold the week before the event and had to race with nasal issues! THank heaven for pockets!