Pardon the dust...

So, I have most definitely fallen off the blogging bandwagon. Sorry, folks. Life just sort of has a way of taking control. So in true, Kelly fashion, we're going with a list today. I do love my lists...just ask my husband.

1. We're so, ridiculously close to the end of the school year, without it actually being the end of the school year. We're all getting a little trunky - and the deceptively, gorgeous spring-like weather we've been having as of late, is most definitely not helping with that.

2. Scott and I have been married for four months - that seems a little crazy for several reasons. It feels like we've been married for much longer than that, but then occasionally something will come up that reminds us that we're still figuring this whole being married thing out. There have been some bumps and bruises along the way, and we definitely don't have all the answers, but being married is awesome!

3. I am officially teaching 11th grade IB/Honors English next year. The IB Program is somewhat similar to AP classes in that it is an accelerated, rigorous program, but that's about where the similarities end. I did AP when I was in high school, so I'm excited to learn about the program and take on a new challenge. It also doesn't hurt that I get to go to Seattle for a weekend in March for training. I also "get" to go to Texas next October for the second training series. I'll still be teaching regular 11th grade English and I'm pretty happy about it all. The transition to the high school hasn't been smooth sailing...far from it, in fact...but next year is definitely looking up.

4. Scott's mom is coming to help take care of the children of some friends while the parents are out of town. She'll be here for about a week and we'll get to spend some time with her. It seems a little odd that we haven't met yet, but unfortunately circumstances just haven't aligned for us. It'll be a crazy week for me with school responsibilities and such, but I'm very excited to finally met her!

5.  Also not helping with the feeling trunky is the trips we've started planning this summer. I am most definitely ready for summer to be here and to go have fun! Scott's family lives in Washington State near Portland and we're going to visit for the 4th of July. He proposed to me on the 4th of July at a lake near his parent's house, and our first date of sorts was to Cannon Beach. I'm beyond excited to go back and visit where this all started for us. He'll also get to show me around a bit more than he did last time we were there. We're also going to do a long weekend to Denver and possibly go to Cedar City for the Shakespeare Festival. That last one is a bit of a long shot, but it would still be loads of fun.

6. In our effort to keep a to a better budget, I've been doing quite a bit more cooking than I have done in the past. It was definitely hit and miss at first. Turns out I didn't really eat meals before I was married. I'd have a big lunch at school and then just sort of snack my way through the evening. We're starting to round out our meal rotation. I just need to give a shout out to whoever the genius is/was that invented the crockpot. We have two and they are in constant use. I've also started to freeze meals. It sort of makes me feel all grown up - funny considering I'll be 31 in a few months and I've been on my own for about a decade, but there you have it. I may start sharing some of the recipes we've done that we love...because dang...they're yummy and super easy. Most have 3-4 ingredients that you probably already have in your cupboard.

7. One of my most favorite things about Scott (and there are many) is that he enjoys reading. We've read books together. That was actually one of the things that first made me fall in love with him. The last one we finished was Unbroken. This weekend we started the first book in The Codex Alera series by Jim Butcher. It's definitely not something that I would have picked up on my own. It's sort of ancient-Romanesque fantasy adventure...? I don't know how to describe it, but it pulled me in within a few chapters. It's been fun to share different books with him and I can definitely see this continuing when we have children.

8. Valentine's Day was this weekend and it was low key. We went to Ihop and a movie. That may sound strange, but Ihop was our first date - of sorts. It was that or Buffalo Wild Wings and we decided to go for Ihop. I hope that becomes a tradition of sorts. We talked about the day we finally met face to face and what was going through our heads and just how far we've come. Like I said before, being married is pretty awesome.

Should be working...

The end of the quarter is this Friday, so I have a mountain of grading to do, plus "filler" lesson plans to make until our new books arrive next week. I have all of this work to do, so of course, I'm blogging.

The past two weeks of work free relaxation and family was much appreciated and needed. It was definitely hard to get my bum out of bed this morning. Two weeks off is just enough to lull you into a false sense of freedom. By the end of week one you've finally let go of the stress of work, but by Monday of the second week you start to feel that creeping, sinking feeling. You're never quite ready to go back.

I also discovered something that seriously surprised me. For as long as I can remember I didn't really want to be a stay at home mom. I wanted to work. I wanted to accomplish something tangible and great. That being said, I know many, many moms (working and stay at home) and the work they do with their children and in their homes is tangible and great. I, selfishly and naively, wanted "more". I didn't think I would enjoy being a stay at home mom...probably because I didn't think that I'd be any good at it. But being home the past two weeks and taking care of my family and my home, even if it is only two of us at the moment, brought me a lot of satisfaction and happiness. When I told Scott of my earth-shattering revelation - I think I may actually enjoy being a stay at home mom, if and when it is possible - he just said that doesn't surprise him. He had very insightful reasons as to why. I'm grateful for a husband that knows me so well and supports me so much.

 

Check, Check...1,2....

It's really hard for me to grasp that Thanksgiving has come and gone...December is just around the corner...2014 is quickly coming to a close and I've definitely dropped off with this blogging thing.

November has been a super busy month. We've been working on rearranging the tiny apartment to fit two people comfortably. So that translates to us tearing apart the apartment weekend...all in the name of organization. We're getting closer to being finished, I think...I hope. But I imagine when we finally get it to a place we both like, we'll move. We're not actively looking for a new place at the moment, but I know we won't stay here for forever. 500 square feet is perfectly acceptable for a single gal, it doesn't really work as well for two. But we're making it work and it's starting to feel more like home for both of us.

Scott's getting settled into work. I think he likes it...for the most part. I know he doesn't particularly care for the drive, but I think he's getting used to it. He's timed his schedule so he misses the the really heavy commuter traffic and he gets home about the same time I do, which is nice.

Work has been...difficult for me the last month or so. We've been hitting argument writing pretty hard and I think I may have pushed my students a little too much because student behavior has been off the charts nuts. But, that can also be explained by a number of things...the holidays are upon us, shift in the weather, they're teenagers. I've also been bored. I teach the same thing every single class period. That means I teach the same lesson for two days straight with the A/B block schedule. Last year I taught two classes, was on productivity (no planning period every other day), department chair, leadership team, Academic Bowl coach...I was busy. I'm not busy in the same way. And I'm not saying that I want to be that busy again, but I wouldn't mind a little more variety to my day. Hopefully next year I'll be able to add a new class to my schedule.

We've been married for less than two months. It's kind of funny because two months seems like too short, but there will be times when I look at him and think "is he really my husband?" "Am I really married?" It's a bit surreal at times. I imagine that goes away with time, but I hope the little flip I get when I see him never goes away.

Thanksgiving was low key for us this year. We went to Idaho Falls and spent some time with friends and family up there. I made out like a bandit at Book City used bookstore...12 books for $20! Pretty great. He knows how to make this girl happy!

Thanksgiving in Idaho Falls - so grateful for this sweet man!

He experienced Hobby Lobby and was super excited about the Star Wars box...we did not go home with it.

All in the name of "organization"

It turned out pretty well. The books still need to be organized, but that can wait.

Best kind of Black Friday shopping...50% off all books. Umm, yes please!

My loot...(The Moonstone, Gone With the Wind, David Copperfield, Little House on the Prairie, By the Shores of Silver Lake, Trumpet of the Swan, Pamela, Island of the Blue Dolphins, Anne of Ingleside)

Full circle...

Today was the first date Scott and I chose as our wedding day. We then skipped around to a couple of different wedding dates before deciding on January. I love that we decided to get married around the time of our original wedding date. This past week has been a roller coaster of emotions, but I love being Scott's wife. Perhaps it was naive of me, but I was surprised by how much a piece of paper and saying some words in front of family and friends changed things. I've married a funny, patient, handsome, smart and hardworking man. Life is pretty good, my friends.

Sadie, Sadie, Married lady!

At 3:00 in Memory Grove on October 10, 2014, I made the best decision of my life and married the love of my life, Scott. As many of you know, we had originally planned a January wedding, then thought about the 25th of October and then on Sunday decided to just get it done and get married on Friday.

When people hear our story, they either laugh or shake their head in disbelief. It is a rather fantastic story. The really wonderful thing is, other than being married to Scott that is, this is exactly the wedding I wanted. We both wanted something casual and outside and that is exactly what we got. It was an absolutely perfect day. Lisa made it down from Idaho Falls; Scott's best friend, Seth, was able to make it. There were some family members absent in person, but they were able to listen in. A friend of my parent's also surprised us by filming the entire ceremony! So, we'll be able to send it out to family and friends that weren't able to make it.

All in all, it is a day that I will treasure. It's only been two days, but being Scott's wife has made me so much happier than I even thought possible. I thought I loved him before we got married, but being married to him has been so much more than I thought possible. It sort of takes my breath away...