My whirlwind of chaotic craziness!

I cannot even express how nutty life has been, yet all in a surprisingly good way!

Sunday night we had the wedding open house.  Not too many people came, but it turned out nice.  We are now drowning in ice  cream and toppings.  We also got some fun family pictures done!

On Monday, I had to work a full day but was able to leave for lunch to celebrate the birthdays at Osaka (Brandon had never been).  We had a birthday party that night with ice cream cake and Marisa also shared gifts that she brought for us from Mexico.

Happy 14th Birthday to Alayna and Happy 23rd to Brandon!

Also made a homemade Zookie one night

Alayna had her 1st day of high school!

Mia maids welcomed her to their class!

Because we have issues we just couldnt let Larry, Curly, and Mo Oreo, Peanut, and Coco go.  So, poor Tyler, Bob, and Alayna spent all yesterday building cage #3.  We now refer to it as the guinea farm.  All 3 babies are boys and have to be separated from all females, even their moms, by 2 weeks 5 days or they get them pregnant.  They are mad about being separated from their mamas so they have been squeaking up a storm and its like watching an episode of prison break!

The new bachelor pad!

Good luck to Marisa and she heads into fall classes tomorrow and Brandon and Kayla as they start in a couple weeks.  Can’t wait to see you guys at Christmas!  Maybe Ill be a little less stressed by then??

More babies and back to work

Penelope had her 2 beautiful babies Sunday evening.  They are so dang cute!  We just found out today all the babies are boys.

Baby #1

Baby #2

all 3

I had a very busy week back to school.  I had 2 full days of new teacher meetings.  Then all day Excelsior staff (where I had to present which was nerve racking but very successful) Thursday was more meetings ad work day.  Friday was the longest most boringest PD ever.   Everyone has been so positive and sweet.  I hardly know what to think!

Here is me with the new LinnMar mascot named King

We had to go through ALICE training with the Marion police on one of the days.  It is training us what to do during an active shooter incident.  It is absolutely terrifying but empowering.  They hit us with pellets and it hurts.  The bad guy is scary and when he is coming after you with that gun- such utter terror.  Thank goodness I had Sister Brough to go through it with me (shes an ed assistant at the same school.)  We made it through the 1st 2 scenarios but running out the door as soon as we heard the shots.  We didnt get hit but my heart almost went through my chest.  Each time they explain the scenario so we know what will happen.  In the 3rd scenario, they used one of us to be a volunteer to be a teacher who has a gun to see if that changes anything.  We were really listening when 2 shots rang out.  It honestly didnt register at all that the shooter was IN the room- the cop standing behind me!!!  Someone finally yelled that the shooter was there and I told Meredith to go! I was shot right after the teacher.  I ran into a chair and then tripped over the one Meredith kocked over.  Only to look up and see everyone was out of the room. I looked back to the shooter in time to see the science teacher take the shooter down.  The teacher took one point blank in the chest.  I realized I most likely would not have survived.  Its a major reality check but empowering.  Also, as I mentioned it hurt.  I have 2 huge bruises on my knee and leg but not in my ribs where I got shot. 

Brandon and Kayla arrived safely from Idaho this week. They came with Tyler and Alayna to help me set up the library.

Today the whole family is at adventureland for the day and picking up Marisa from the airport in Des Moines late tonight.  The wedding open house is tomorrow and we will be celebrating Brandon and Alayna’s birthday on Monday.  Its been a very busy week!!!

By morning my family will all be together again!

In other news…

So when our rescue guineas were rescued, they had been in a cage with males.  The lady hoped they weren't pregnant.  We hoped too.  However, we kept seeing Penelope (the one with the hurt leg)  get bigger and bigger and can now feel 2-3 babies in her tummy.  Alayna kept saying Misty was pregnant too, but she didn't look as fat.  I came home from work on Thursday and Alayna raced up and said that Misty had literally just had her baby. What?! Thank heavens she is ok, the baby is ok, and it was only 1 baby.  Apparently most of the time the guineas die.  The baby is so dang adorable I can hardly stand it! But if its a boy, we cant keep him.  Poor Bob is seeing this turn into a petting zoo.  Now we wait for Penelope.  They are born with eyes open and full fur.

What a week!

First, Tyler and Alayna finally got their orientation for the animal shelter.  There was a miscommunication on the training so we ended up just checking out all the sweet animals at the shelter. Hopefully they can get trained and start soon.  My heart aches for those animals and I wish I could take them all.

To mourn celebrate the end of summer, Alayna and I went to see Captain America: Civil War.  It was so dang awesome!!!

I had 3 days of 6th grade orientation (where I also had to present to parents which was terribly nerve-racking) But I have had such amazingly positive feedback from kids, staff, parents, and admin. Its been wonderful!!

I start back full time on Monday.  Im nervous but excited and praying this will be a good year for me.  Brandon and Kayla arrive Tuesday and Marisa on Saturday.  Crazy how time flies- I cant wait to have them all home again!!!

Updates on Marisa- home in 1 week!

Where did summer go?

I may have missed a few weeks of blogs.  Summer seems to be flying by!

Kayla and Brandon will be here on the 16th and we have the wedding open house on August 21.  Marisa flies back from Mexico on August 20.  It will be a crazy week but excited to have us all together again!!!

Alayna had her sports physical this week and found out she gets her braces off on Oct 5!  Whoohoo!  She also participated in a super fun YW activity called the color walk.

Tyler passed all the assessments for BATC and is on a waiting list.  In the meantime, he is working as a night stalker stocker at Hyvee.

I finally got some things up at home.  They were a lot smaller than I thought.  Oh well, its the thought that counts, right?

We have been making brushetta with our gorgeous tomatoes and fried potatoes and potato pancakes with our garden potatoes! The watermelon should be ready soon

Sister Thorn’s family came to visit.  I have become best friends with her mom, and I knew her dad in high school. She served here in our ward for about 6 months last year.  Such a small world!

I was domestic a little:

We got Kayla her car= 2005 Honda Accord

I have been super busy with the library.  I was hoping not to do anything til right before school started.  However, I was asked to be part of the 6th grade orientations and there was a TON to do.  I have been working there a couple of hours a week trying to get it to where I can function.  It was very cluttery and I cant function in that.  I am trying not to overdue, but…