Epiphany!!!

I have been so busy that I have neglected you, my blog. I am sorry, but now I am back. On my run yesterday (4 miler) I had a vision. The reason I have been struggling trying to find a writing intervention to use with my students is because I haven't written one yet!! I have decided to plan and create my very own writing intervention for students that score below basic on the PAWS writing assessment. The idea is to teach students the skills they need to show growth during progress monitoring. In order to do this, the fidelity of the intervention has to be consistent. I haven't been able to find an actual writing intervention that I can record data for accurate results. Until now! I have decided to create an intervention aligned with my school and district's curriculum and create a binder showing the step by step the process I used. I am so inspired and feel like this is my role in the district. A pseudo-curriculum writer!! Hooray!

We only have 16 days of school left until summertime!!! I am so excited for the break. My principal caught me this morning walking in and told me her gut feeling is that they are opening up the position for next year! She also said they have to interview all applicants, which means I would still have to interview. But, the good side to that is I have already been doing the job all school year this year--so I am the only person this time who has experience. I have home court advantage. I feel in my heart of hearts it is now my time to shine. This will be my year to get that contract. I just know it.

Well, for now...

until next time.

I am back!!

So I haven't posted since Nick and I went to Spring Creek Ranch for our weekend get-a-way. That Saturday morning I ran 8 miles with my friend Katie. Woke up that Sunday and had pulled my hip-flexer, to the point that I was limping a little up until this past Wednesday! So, with little guilt I took the week off from all exercise trying to get that hip-flexer back into shape. I think it was pulled from over-use. Last time I had issues with my hip was when I hiked up Table Mountain-12 miles round trip! So needless to say, this weekend I was extremely antsy! I

wanted to get out and run so bad, but did not want to further injure myself. On Saturday I went into the gym and did a great workout, and my girlfriend Kari and I hiked up Mud Lake. This felt fantastic!

Mud lake is super steep in spots. It is a great hike because of how steep it is. The hike really stretched out that hip-flexer and I woke up Sunday feeling pretty darn good. I am back!! Running and weight training look-out! Sunday afternoon I went for an experimental 3 mile run and felt great. The hip is a little sore today, but today I do not run. Instead, I go back to the gym for an hour or so weight training. Tomorrow I will try and run 3-4 miles. I kind of had to take a step back to recoup. Hopefully if I take it easy I can try for 8 again this Saturday.

This is a snapshot of my very first homemade heart healthy pizza! I made from scratch the whole wheat dough, topped it off with spicy turkey sausage, and made a wonderful tomato sauce with tons of garlic and red pepper, then topped it off with bocolini and low-fat sharp cheddar cheese. It was a hit, Nick ate FIVE pieces!! I guess the heart healthy wears off if you eat five pieces, but it had been so long since we ate pizza!! And it was so good, If I do say so myself. I was joking around and said I needed to open up my own restaurant and Nick's reply was, "Naw, then you wouldn't like to cook at home." I thought that was funny. Nick would rather me be home cooking for him and that way he doesn't have to share. Flattering in a way. Love that husband of mine!

Until next time..

Our Spring Creek Ranch get-a-way.

Nicky and I decided we both needed to take a weekend and spend some together time rekindling. We found a great deal at Spring Creek Ranch. When we arrived and checked into the room I was fully impressed. The rooms had the most amazing views of The Tetons I had ever seen. The back deck looked out over a huge valley. The room also had a huge stone fireplace. Super relaxing. We had dinner reservations at The Granary and I had the elk tenderloin. The entire meal was so relaxing. We stopped in the bar before dinner to have a couple of cocktails. They were serving strawberry and jalapeno infused tequila to make the most amazing margaritas! Yum! We were the only ones in the entire place so it was very mellow. I could actually feel stress melting away. I could see Nick was also starting to relax. The views outside the restaurant were stunning, and the entire wall of the building was made of glass so we could look out. There wasn't a bad seat in the house. Truly an amazing experience. After dinner we took a soak in the hot tub and looked out over the Spring Creek pond, with the sounds of a babbling creek nearby. Nick is such a great person to spend time with, my best friend. We love and enjoy the same things. I love being married to him and feel really blessed, especially this weekend. (Awe..heart-warming.)

The next morning we ate the most delicious breakfast, soaked in the hot tub watching the morning wake up, and then went 'drivin round' looking for wildlife. Nick was my tour guide. He claimed he would show me wildlife and boy did he get lucky. We saw several herds of elk super close to the road, as well as, a bison crossing the road as we drove by! It was great, it reminded me of when I was younger and my granddad would take Jeff and I to the wildlife refuge to "grind up smoke". I came home with a grin from ear to ear. Great weekend. Hope to go back every year.

Until Next time..

8 Miler this Saturday-sheesh!

The weather has turned sour! Yesterday was full on blizzard mode here in Teton valley, so needless to say I took the day off from my run. Today looks a little less scary outside so I shall run 5 miles when I get home from work. I am planning an 8 mile run this Saturday! I am excited and nervous about it at the same time. Due to the mileage increasing drastically I am planning a water station with a protein bar break on mile four. I keep reading everywhere how important it is to refuel during long runs. I already have my route planned, now I am just trying to see if I can get anyone to join me.

Nick and I signed up for our romantic getaway this Saturday at Spring Creek Ranch. The local special is such a great deal. I am so looking forward to spending some quality time with my favorite husband, and best friend. We are going to be celebrating our 2 year anniversary soon! I can't believe we have already been married two years! Time is flying by so fast I wish there was a pause button. Turning 33 this year is surreal to me. I still feel like I am 25.

My horoscope tells me I will get good news at work around May 5th, I am hoping it is referring to the middle school opening up the RtI position. Then my dream would finally come true and I can start getting paid a decent salary! My boss tells me he/she should know something by the middle of May, so I only have to hurry up and wait two more weeks! Fingers crossed. If you are reading this, please go ahead and say a little prayer for me!!

Last night I called Gramma and we talked on the phone for well over an hour. She is such an amazing woman. She is my hero. Granddad seems to be doing well with his health, Gramma says his appetite is starting to come back. What an amazing couple, those two. Married for 64 years! and going strong. If Nick and I could be so lucky.

Well the bell is about to ring and my classroom will be flooded with the little kiddos, so I must go. I'll write more later...

Until next time...

Free Period..

My lovely seventh graders get a free period today because we spent the last month studying for their final science test and they just took the final. I have an ELL science vocabulary class. It started out pretty rough because I am not a science major, but over the months it has become one of my favorite classes I teach. The kiddos have such personality and I just adore all of them. They are watching Amazing Panda Adventure which is pretty darn entertaining if you ask me. So, what a better time to blog then free period. Nick told me last night I need to blog more often. So here I go. He and I are talking about taking advantage of the Jackson Hole local special and go spend the night up at Spring Creek Ranch. The special includes dinner for two and breakfast for plus a deluxe room. The way this year has started out, my dad, his dad, and all of the drama I really believe it is past due. A get together for a little rekindling is in need. Plus, a night out on the town is always nice, it has been a while. Spring Creek has a secluded hot tub surrounded by trees, and considering it is supposed to snow all week it would be perfect to relax with a glass of wine, my favorite perfect, love of my life and a soak in the hot water during a snow fall. Ahh. Heaven. Hopefully we go.

Today I am do after school for homework help, then I spend an hour hanging out with my mentee, Meraldi. She is a sweetheart. We hang out every week. I wish I could find a way to open her up a little more. She is extremely shy. I am working on it. So I wont be getting home until 6:00. Then, I have to go run five miles, cook dinner, and go to bed. Ugh. Exhausted already.

Until next time.

Eat Clean Diet!

My friend from high school, Caitlin, introduced me to Tosca Reno's book, The Eat Clean Diet. I really like the principals. Eat 6 smaller sized meals a day, cut out animals fats, processed foods, and refined sugars. Simple simple stuff, but the goal is to lean out someone who is very active as well as give them tons of energy. The concept is that in each small meal there is a lean protein and a complex carbohydrate. An example from the recipe section is broiled salmon topped with mango salsa, served with roasted brussel sprouts and sautéed mushrooms, plus black bean and tomato rice pilaf. See picture. I only ate 5 small meals this day so my portion were increased at dinner because I combined two smaller meals to make one. Delicious! Plus, this morning I got on the scale and weigh 156 lbs!! I finally broke that plateau of 160! I think running the longer distances really helps, plus now with eating clean I am really watching what I take in versus what I expend with exercise. I am a size 8 and it is shrinking to a 6 as I type this!!

Nick and I went to the Eco-fair in Jackson over the weekend. It was a beautiful sunny day, with a little chill in the wind. They gave out free samples of fresh baked bread from the brand new local bakery, local micro-brews, and free samples of locally raised beef, pork, and other game. We walked around and saw the sights then took off for lunch at a cute little cafe with great wraps.

I ran a new record for myself. Saturday morning I ran SEVEN miles!! I went from five to seven, but that morning I was feeling extremely ambitious so I went for it. The weather was amazing and I loved every minute of it! This Saturday I am going for EIGHT mile. Shew! The miles are really starting to get up there! Yikes! Last week I ran 20 miles and this week I will have to run 22!! Crazy how far I have come. I remember January running 3 minutes and walking 2 for 15 minutes and thinking I was the woman! Persistence! I owe it all to the fact I kept running a little bit every other day. Now I run almost every day. 5-8 miles! I am still in shock!!

Until next time...

Update...

As of 4-19-2010 I have officially completed the first year of my Master's program at the Western Governors University. Hooray! It is such a great milestone because I feel like I can start to see the light at the end of the tunnel. My professor claims I will have my ELL endorsement by December if I continue with the pace I have been working. I will not have the Degree, but I will be able to teach if need be. So I continue to truck along. I have signed up to teach summer school at the high school this summer, not sure if I will get it though. I am hoping so, because Nick and I are planning a road trip with the dogs to the north panhandle of Idaho. We will bring our camping gear, and do a 10 -14 day natural hot spring tour around Idaho. He has never been up north near McCall Idaho, and Coir' de lane (spelling?) so, I am really looking forward to it. This year has been so trying with all of the dramatic things that happen in the first three months-Dad, Nick's Dad, Mom's Eye, Tucker's eye, that I know Nick and I both need a getaway. Hopefully summer school will pay for it.

As of today, 4-23-2010, I haven't heard any word yet if the superintendent of the school district has found the funding to open up a second RtI position. I am trying to remain positive and hopeful. It is hard though.

The running has been going great. Tomorrow I will run the c

omplete distance of my race=

6.2 miles! I am excited. Part of me wants to push it to seven miles but I will just see how I feel. I took yesterday and today off from running so I will be strong for tomorrow. With all of the races approaching this summer, I am getting more and more excited everyday and constantly want to continue to challenge myself with the distances. On Wednesday I went running with my girlfriend Karee. She is a strong runner, she clocks herself at 10 minute miles where I am around 13 and a half. She was cracking me up on our run because first of all she wanted to talk the entire way. This was bittersweet because I enjoyed catching up with her and hearing her awesome stories, I was so out of breath trying to converse with her. The other thing that cracked me up was the fact that she kept turning around and running backwards! I wanted to kill her! She made it look so easy, but then again she was in the military for several years! She definitely has the discipline! It was great for me because I really had to push myself the entire five miles! The run was great. I was so soar at night I could barley sleep with muscle aches.

As far as the dogs are concerned, they went on a run with me on Tuesday. It was 70 degrees so pretty warm. We ran 3 miles while they kept running along the ditches on the gravel road in search of water. There was no water so instead as we pass the old farmers house they decide to duck the fence (again) and run to chase the horses (again!). Tuaca was suddenly side tracked when he spotted a puddle of muck and horse do-do, so instantly before I could do anything about it, he and Summit were wallowing in the mud puddle. It was about chest deep on them and stunk to high heaven! I yelled for them to stop but it was too late. When Summit stood up, he looked completely black. All of his white hair was soaked in the horse poop. Then of course now that they were cooled off they ran back to me to try and shake it all off on me! I was so mad, it stunk so awful. Tucker was an angel and never left my side during the run. He was rewarded after and allowed into the house for the night. The other two trouble makers were not! And Nick says Summit will not be allowed in until we get him groomed! Ha! Our dogs-like our children.

Until next time...