Another day in Paradise .... right?

What I week it has been ... I have been busy at work - always trying to get new ideas for teaching my students and trying the them to engage.  You would think I was a three headed monster sometimes trying to get them to write in a foreign language, when all I want them to do it answer a few questions related to Mythbusters ... but everyday I learn something new and I think I finally have a routine that my students understand and respect. 

We started a career unit in my Independent Living class and I am really excited to teach them all about job applications, resumes', cover letters, etc ... we are starting the unit by watching Mr Hollands Opus, and let me tell you my kids are not so excited about it, I was surprised but we should be finished with it by Wednesday, we cook tomorrow, and get to move on ... and I bet they are going to be sad when it is over!

The season premiere of LOST was on Tuesday!!!!  We were very excited, and looking forward to the final season ... Dexter and Milton had school and then we came home, with Nikki and watch, it didn't answer many questions YET .. but I sure hope it does soon!!!

We had a pug meet on Saturday, it was the 1st one that Milton got to go to and play.  He had so much fun playing with other pugs that are more athletic like him.  He made many new friends!!!

When we got home I was sure to take some pictures of my little men!!  Here is my DEXTER being as cute as ever!

And Mr Milton showing off his favorite toy and his cute teeth!!

and my cute boys together showing me how they will do just anything to get a treat!

and Abby watches them thinking they are CRAZY

I never applied for the job I was so excited about, I decided I didn't want to work 80 hours a week, I have done that already and I am not ready to do it again!  Maybe in a month or two I will see if it avaliable for the summer, but right now I enjoy getting to be home with my family at night

Dexter started limping on Sunday afternoon, this time it is his other hind leg ... GREAT!  We are hoping it is just a little strain and he will get over it in a few day!!  Please keep him in your prayers!!

Enjoy the rest of your week, we have LOST and Puppy School TOMORROW ... and I have a 4 day work week, but have a learning improvement on Friday and then get to spend the evening with Miss T !! :-)  Then I hope a weekend with my babies, and I HOPE DEXTER isn't limping anymore!!

Until Next Time

What a busy weekend

With Shawn working on Saturday's it gives me time to clean up the house and get things all nice for the following week ... my plan this weekend was to clean out couch and then move it to my parents house where in turn we inherited one of their leather couches ... Shawn and I have been waiting for this for about 5 years and I am SO SO excited that it finally happened ... after some much needed cleaning the pugs and I went to my parents to spend the afternoon while the couch dried ... then we loaded up the leather couch (it fit in the van NO PROBLEM) and met Shawn at our house to do the swap ... I LOVE THE LOOK IT GIVES OUT LIVING ROOM!!!

we are set to get the other couch from them in March ... then our old couch and chair go to Seattle for my parents "vacation house!"  As long as they find a new couch for their living room before then!!

Shawn and I had a relaxing Sunday morning, with Shawn getting his schoolwork done and the pugs and I relaxing on the NEW COUCH!!  Then we went to walmart and did our weekly shopping, and since Milton was 6 months old yesterday he got a new toy ... just thing they needed RIGHT?!?  And since I am SO tired of picking toys up all around my house because they don't all fit in their toy chest I decided it was time to get a new one ... DEXTER and MILTON think it is pretty cool, if only they knew how lucky they were.  I couldn't get Milton to hold still for a picture but Dexter was more than happy to show off his toy collection

Look at that FACE :-)

Missi and Grant came over with Gunner tonight for about an hour and since Gunner was sleeping Missi and I played New Super Mario for Wii ... it is an addiction, and I really should seek help but it is SO MUCH FUN!!  Grant needed to take pictures of his BB Gun, and since he wanted them in a bigger file I decided to post them here for him...HERE YOU GO GRANT :-)

While I was looking for any new pictures to post I came across this older picture of Milton and thought is was cute

well off I go to watch our TV shows, eat dinner, and get ready for another busy week .... hope everyone has a great week, and I hope to have  more pictures sometime within the next couple of days, I don't like how much I have been slacking :-)

January Catch Up

January has FLOWN by and I finally have a chance to relax and reflect on a busy 2009 and an amazingly fast January 2010.

First off Milton got neutered December 28, he recovered almost the same day.  He came home and was ready to play, I tried to keep him calm but that wasn't going to happen.  After 3 days of keeping him on a leash I gave up and let him be crazy.  He is all healed now and happy as can be, the only downside is it didn't stop his dominance and he still likes to mount Dexter ever so often which gets REALLY old REALLY fast, but we are working on it.

Shawn went back to school January 4 for computers, he seems to really be liking everything, except his English 101 class, good thing I am pretty good at English so I help out.  It is going to be a LONG 2 years but when he is finished he will be happier and I hope find a great job!!!

Dexter is doing well, seems to be 100% from surgery, no problems and he is a happy camper!! 

We didn't get any snow this winter, and the few light dustings that we got were gone within a day, it was kinda nice to not have to worry about driving in snow, hope it doens't mean next year is going to be horrible!

I am still working hard, my students keep me busy but I fall more in love with my job everyday.  My job prospects don't seem to high for next year as they are doing some restructuring within our program but I hold out hope that things will start looking up for me and my quest for a full time job.  I just applied for a part time behavior technician with SL START which would have me working with kids 8-21, it will be challenging but worth the experience if I get to position.

Shawn and I have no plans for February, but I am hoping to get our 2 bedrooms refinished in the next 6-8 weeks so that we can enjoy a king size bed!!!

here is a recent picture of little Milton, he is getting SO SO big!!!

I hope to keep up with this next month, as things seems to be slowing down.  I have not been taking many pictures lately so without those blogs just seems so lame. 

Night!

Visiting the North Pole

Last night my parents, my brothers, and Shawn and I went on a cruise to the North Pole .... it is basically just a light display on Lake Cour D Alene but it was fun ...

It was really cold, and we were happy when we could get to the nice warm car!!  A Fun Night!!

Christmas 2009

So we went, we drank, we gambled, we had a great time!!  Vegas was a blast, Mathew had a great 21st birthday and Shawn and I had a nice time away from home with my family.  Dexter and Milton had a nice vacation wtih my friend Jeff, I don't think they even missed us for a minute.  Although Cyndi came down with food poisening on Friday we still managed to get a lot done, and she was able to come out with us on Sunday before we left that evening.  She even did the roller coaster with me, that is pretty crazy considering she had been sick for 2 days.  We went to the new hotel Aria, it was pretty amazing, my camera was acting up so I didn't get many pictures this trip but we did make it to the sign, see above!  We stayed pretty close to our hotel, as we didn't want to spend a lot of money on cabs, but I think we did pretty well seeing everything we all wanted to.  We made it to Freemont Street, Shawn and I saw it last time we were there, but it was a first for my parents since they installed the music experience.  We were also joined by Lindsey, Andy and Chuck (Andy's dad)  we all had fun and enjoyed the nice weather.  On Saturday night Shawn, my parents, and I went to Paris hotel and had dinner in the Eiffel Tower, it was great food and an amazing view.  Although it was spendy we enjoyed a fancy night out!! 

All the above pictures were taken at the Bellagio Christmas display, it was amazing, and the slots were playing pretty good for us!!  Shawn and I were excited to get home and see out boys, but really enjoyed a mini vacation in Decemeber, it was something we have never done, but I think we could make a tradition out of it, although there wasn't any snow in Spokane when we got home, it was a HUGE temperature change.

Shawn and I had a great Christmas Eve with my family, there were about 30 people there and I was extra excited because my brother and his girlfriend from Seattle were able to make it over this year.  I always love it when he can make it because it isn't very often. 

We went over around 6pm and were opening presents by 7pm because there are lots and lots of little girls.

I think that they all had a really fun nights!!

Once all the kids had opened their present and had things to play with the adult sat around and talked, we were waiting for Mathew to get off work, boo for him. Even though the presents were unwrapped it still takes awhile to open them...

I took this time to snap a few pictures of my parents

and my brothers

this was also an exciting Christmas because it was Gunner's 1st!

We always celebrate Christmas Eve at my grandparents house and I know they loves seeing all the little kids so excited

Once all the presents were open we headed back to my parents house to open the rest of our gifts, Shawn got a snuggie

and I got a fish eye lense for my camera

Overall we had a GREAT Christmas!!

We have recently started drawing names for Christmas and this year my Aunt Mary has Shawn and I and she made me my very favorite gift of Christmas, she made us a Santa Claus that she made them several years ago (when we used to make homemade gifts) but since I never recieved one she made one for us...I was SO SO excited I just think he is the coolest ever!!  He is safely tucked away downstairs until next Christmas, because then I will have 2 house trained dogs and won't have to worry about him getting peed on!

Me and My Baby Boys

Dexter is the very sweetest boy ever!! He just loves to snuggle me whenever he can get away from his brother!

Which as you can see isn't very often, but Dexter still loves me the mostest!

Dexter and Milton with Santa 2009

We have no idea why Santa's nose it blue ... it really wasn't!  They let us redo but we liked the boys in the picture with the blue nose (OF COURSE) 

Merry Christmas!!