Marching, Cali, and Apples, oh my!

Marching Band Festival

Tyler’s marching band competed in 2 competitions yesterday. He says his legs feel like Jell-O!

(2nd from the left)

(Center- a little to the left)

Reassignment to Los Angeles California!

For those who don’t know, Marisa’s Visa still hasn’t arrived, so she has been reassigned to Los Angeles, California and Torrance (where we lived for 5 years) is in the mission! She is very excited about it all and we are excited for her. (We are especially glad we don’t have to send warm clothes!)

She also had the privilege of singing in the LDS Women’s broadcast from the tabernacle in Salt Lake City. Special thanks to Nina for getting a picture!

Guess who got asked to Homecoming?

Kayla got asked to Homecoming by Barak (a boy in our stake). I got a picture of the card but not the cute brownie cake that went along with it. Thank goodness she found a dress the 1^st night of shopping! She has been working almost 30 hours a week so we never see her and she doesn’t have much time for dress shopping. Hopefully it will be a very fun night for her!

Dogs and Viola

After much debate, Alayna quit viola. I guess she felt the need to concentrate on homework, sports, and choir. She also spent the weekend watching the neighbor’s dogs again. They just put up their house for sale. I guess they are buying a new one about an hour away.

Apples

We picked the apples off the golden delicious trees and literally filled 16 boxes! Crazy! We hope to get a press and make apple juice and some other assorted fun things next weekend.

Library Stuff

The 1^st exciting news is that my awesome brother got an autographed picture of Snake Eyes for me at Comic-Con! I almost passed out! It’s sad though how many people don’t know who he is. He is awesomeness, that’s who he is!

Some incredible things have been going on in the libraries again this week! I hope some of you are following the blog as that gives you almost daily updates on what I am up to.

1. I am creating a murder mystery for the high school students to come do using the resources in the library. (Made a scavenger hunt for middle school).

2. Had a teacher come say she had tons and tons and tons of boxes of books in her basement and do I want them? Yes I do!!

3. Last year in September, only 57 books got checked out, this year we have already crossed over 300!!! That is 6x the checkouts from last year.

4. On Friday, a lady came in looking for the Media Specialist and I told her that was me. She runs the public library in Anamosa and said, “I just HAD To come meet you!! Everyone is talking about you and what an incredible difference you are making in both schools! They said you have gotten all these new books and have so much enthusiasm and you inspire them to check out!” I was so excited!!

5. A student came in and said they had 1 cookie left from their FCS class and he wanted to give it to me (he is the same one from weeks ago who hadn’t read a book since 4^th grade til I got him hooked on Ashfall.) I was touched.

6. My blog has had almost 1,500 page views!

So, all is well and better than I could have hoped for.

An apple a day…

It is crazy to think that last spring we experienced a frost and had NO apples and this year we have what I would call an overabundance of apples.  We are feeling truly blessed in so many ways.  Yesterday, with all honey crisp apples we made: 2 apple pies, 12 mini apple pies, 7 jars of canned apple filling and we have been using a dehydrator to dehydrate about 6 apples a day and you wouldn’t believe how flavorful they are!

Yesterday Tyler and Kayla took the ACT and then had a stake activity the rest of the day up in Cedar Falls.

Picture of the bird Alayna saw on our fence…

Things continue to be amazing at work!  Although I am pretty sure I am running myself into the ground so I need to slow down.  One teacher asked me to stay a little later on Thursdays to do my presentations for them because she said she cant do it like I do and somehow I ignite students.  I love that.  Another teacher was shocked when one of her students came right up to me to check out Legend.  She said, “I could have stood on my head naked and recommended the book and would have gotten no results”.  I got an autographed copy of Ashfall.  Long story.  I got new graphic novels for the high school too.  I wish I could keep the high school coming in and motivated.  The middle school has been going like crazy!  Again, exhausted, but I sure do love it!

Where did all these apples come from?

We did have another super busy week.  We have apples coming like crazy now.  Bob made some dried apples and next week we will make apple pies, apple butter, and can apple pie filling.  This is the result of only 1 tree.  We are feeling very blessed!

(Kayla on the right, Tyler on a ladder grabbing the tall ones)

Army crawling through the mud with joy

Army crawling through the mud with joy

This week I was reminded of the mud run that I did this summer. I vividly remember one particular obstacle where we had to army crawl under a very low net in a mud pit. It was a tight fit and my bobby pins kept getting stuck in the net above. It took all the energy I had to propel my body through that really thick mud, but I was so happy. I was with great friends, enjoying a beautiful day, and I was able to track my success through each obstacle.

(I am 3rd from the right)

In my new job, I feel very much this same way. I guess in some ways I hoped that my fibro would say, “Yeah! You got a job you love and flourish in. Now I won’t hurt you anymore.” But, it doesn’t work that way. I have still be overwhelmed, beyond exhausted, and the fibro pain has intensified. BUT I am so happy and just love what I am doing! For the first time in many years people are complimenting me, noticing me, and I can actually, physically see the difference I am making and that means the world to me.

I wanted to share some of the really cool things that have happened this week:

1. A comment left on my blog by a middle school teacher: “This is so exciting! I'm having more kids wanting to check out books than I've had in 12 years teaching here.”

2. I have over 1200 page views on my school blog!

3. There’s a boy at the high school. I had recommended Ashfall to him about a week ago. He read it in a couple of days and raced in for Ashen Winter. He came in on Friday all excited because he loved it and we were talking about how we can’t stand the wait before the next book comes out. He asked me for help in finding another one. He told me he hasn’t read a book since 4th grade and he has hated reading. When I so excited about Ashfall he gave it a chance. He read those 2 books in just a week and is so excited to keep going. He said, “I knew I had to come in and ask you for the next best book!” That touched my heart!

4. From an author in Utah: “Ah, yes! I did visit with the folks at the Rattle Can Heroes booth at Comic-Con.  I loved the artwork I saw. In fact, at the end of the Con, the one thing I bought for myself was a print of the Superman poster. And yes, I would be happy to send you a set of my Hourglass Door trilogy in paperback and a copy of After Hello in hardback. I love to help out librarians and get books into the hands of kids. Let me know the address to send the books to and they’ll be on their way. (If it’s okay, I’d be happy to send along some bookmarks as well.) Thank you for all you do as a school librarian.”

5. From a high school teacher: “In case you haven't heard people around the building are talking about what a great job you are doing. The library looks great, new books are coming in all the time, and this newsletter is definitely a great idea. Congratz to you on such a strong start. We are lucky to have you here.”

What a difference this makes for me. After all these years, finally seeing that I can make a difference. I can’t wait to see what the rest of the year will bring. I will add here as well, that I am only talking about career difference. I have never once regretted staying at home with my children while they were young. I think that made a huge difference for me as well as for them.

Game against Waterloo West

We got to go see Tyler at the football game Friday night.  We had been experiencing a massive heat wave the past few weeks.  Friday was lovely but then, once the sun went down, the temps plummeted.  We were FREEZING through the whole game.  I am sure Tyler was grateful for that massive polyester outfit!  We were SO impressed!  He looked awesome out there!!!

(Tyler is in the center)

(making the “LM” for Linn-Mar)

Quick summary of the week:

So, I just posted the pictures from Tyler’s 1st game and the parade.  He has had a bus week!!  We have lived here 9 years and this is the 1st time we have ever been to the Swamp Fox parade.  It rained hard for about 10 minutes before the parade started and then the sky cleared and it was hot.  Crazy Iowa weather!  It was fun to see Tyler marching and Alayna got lots of candy that was throw throughout the parade.  Lots of tractors and farm stuff.  Iowa is funny that way.

Kayla gave a beautiful talk in church today about how to set a good example.  It is hard to believe it is her last year here.  Where does the time go?

Our apple trees are crazy!  What are we going to do with all these apples?

I got 3 more boxes donated from half price books.  I cant believe all the kind emails I have been getting from staff on what a difference I am making.  I did booktalks this week and the teacher who teaches reading support shared several success stories due my efforts.  One kid came racing up to me after my presentation and asked for “Legend” to check out.  He had watched Revolution this summer and was so excited. The teacher told me she could have stood on her head, naked, and declared the awesomeness of this book and he wouldn’t have gone for it, but a few minutes with me and out of the blue he starts reading.  Stories like this just warm my heart!

Our stake  is doing a supply drive for Zimbabwe and the LDS church has agreed to pay the shipping.  I am STOKED!  So, I contacted the principals this morning to see if I can get both my schools involved.  I love that I am finally in my element and making the difference I have been wanting to make for so long.  It’s true, Having faith in God is having faith in his timing.

Tylers 1st game and parade!

(Tyler is the farthest left)

(Middle Right)

(middle)

Yes, it rained on our parade!!

Oh the craziness of it all…

Ok so life has me floored, so this shall be a quick update of anything I can remember (which isn't much).

Academic Assembly

Both Tyler and Kayla were honored at the high school academic assembly (thanks to Patty for the pics!)  Kayla received Honors with Distinction with her GPA being 4.7!  Way to go, Kayla!!!

Saturday is a flippin crazy day!

Alayna’s friend Clarissa came over and we made calzones and a giant cookie. (You should know I am a nominee for Mother of the Year award for being too exhausted to make them on Alaynas actual birthday- good thing we celebrated when Marisa was here!)

Tomatoes Fromatoes!

For the love of pete, how did we get this many tomatoes?  We did 18 more jars and they are still coming!  I feel blessed, yet smell like tomatoes…We have so many apples that 3 limbs literally broke off this week…

Marisa is Alive

We finally heard from Marisa.  She is doing awesome.  You can get to her blog from ours or I can send you the address.  She loves letters from Dear Elder.  Thank you for keeping her in your prayers.  Another missionary in Malaysia died this week so sometimes my heart hurts.

School and Work

We don’t see much of Tyler due to marching band and showchoir .  He is playing in a parade next week so I cant wait to go see him in full uniform.

Alayna loves middle school and has been practicing for OPUS auditions and decided to join junior soda.

Kayla is starting to apply to colleges, prepare for the ACT this month and working long hours so I have barely seen her this week.  I don’t like that

As for me, and I will write more later, I am more exhausted and overwhelmed than ever before BUT I ABSOLUTELY love my job.  In a nutshell, I have received TONS of compliments about what a difference I am making in both schools, etc.  It has been amazing and I am finally feeling like I am making a difference somewhere and people are noticing!

I offered to do booktalks at the MS and teachers were signing up like crazy.  Last year in August 114 books were checked out.  This year? 550!  I made a Star Wars display and we are having an Art and Photography display all month and the kids have been bringing in Amazing stuff.  teachers say the library has NEVER been like this.  My blog has almosy had 1,000 views!

A high school student did this portrait of me:

The high school is an amazing story as well.  Apparently for about 30 years it has been used as a hangout.  No one checks out books and I don’t blame them because the collections sucked.  I ordered $600 of new books, made new cool displays, and the word spread like wildfire.  I was literally booked all week with HS teachers bringing their classes in to check out everything (ALL subjects).  I LITERALLY and I mean that in the literal sense of the word, could NOT keep the new shelves stocked.  As soon as I got a book cataloged and my para got in on the shelf, it got checked out.  I have hundreds of requests for new books and series and I just ordered $400 worth of comics and graphic novels that should be here next week.

Teachers said they have been waiting for this for so long!  They have signed up for booktalks, participating in surveys and displays, I was so touched by it all this week I was almost in tears. THIS is why I do what I do.  To see the excitement, the energy, etc.  The Spanish teacher came with her class on Friday.  She said, “I HAD To bring my kids.   It has spread around the school how amazing and energetic you are and how you are getting through to kids like never before.  I had to come see it for myself.”  After so many years…well,  this has been amazing.