Bye Bye 2010 and HELLO 2011!!

As 2010 comes to a close, a lot has happened within a short 365 days.

Lets see... I have moved across the country over 2,000 miles away from family and friends.

I was pink slipped with 20,000 other teachers in Illinois

I enrolled as a Masters student at St. Martin's University in Washington

Brian finished his 1st year of Residency

Brian took and passed his step Threes

Brian visited California for the first time

Brian & I adopted a puppy, Delilah

Brian & I bought all new furntiure

Brian & I got married and just celebrated our 6 month anniversary

So much has happened I am sure this isn't even the half of the day to day experiences! I am so thankful for all of the wonderful things that happened in my life this year and only slightly bitter about all of the bad things that have happened. :)

Here is to hoping that 2011 is a much better year! Full of love, understanding, partnership, and peace. As for big to-dos in 2011 this includes:

Brian & I having our Wedding Reception

Myself hopefully finishing my Masters Degree

Brian's 10 year HS reunion

Brian finishing 2nd year and having a great 1st half of 3rd year.

2011 may also be our last full year in Washington State. We will have to wait and see what 2012 has in store for us for that part.

School's Out FOR WINTER!!

Well, as of Thursday I was OFFICIALLY done with my first semester of grad school! So far only two out of the three classes grades are in and it looks like all Aces!! HOLLA!! Feeling good and looking forward to the next semester, but lucky for me it is about a month away. Between now and then I need to buy books, take my WEST-B test, and RELAX!! The next semester will consist of 5 classes which maybe a few more hours and a lot more work. This is what I have to look forward to next semester:

Mondays:

1. 4:00 - 5:50 Practicum in Special Education = 90 Observation/ In Field Hours (in addition to class time)

2. 6:20 - 9:30 Legal Issues and Individual Education Plans (IEPs)

Tuesdays:

1. 3:30 - 6:10 Reading Diagnosis of Special Education Students = Includes Weekly Tutoring

2. 6:20 - 9:30 Transitions to Adulthood for Special Population

Wednesdays:

1. 6:00 - 8:50 Language Acquisition Methods

Sounds like fun right??? I sure hope so! First day is January 10th and my last day is May 4th! Lots of other events happening between those times, but school will be my #1 focus! I am pumped, but until then I will not be thinking about school! :D

Tis the Season

Well, I have been home from Thanksgiving Break for about 3 days now and I am all in the swing of things. I am decorating the house for Christmas, I finished one of my classes with a 100% on my final, I have only one class left for my Saturday class, and I have a lot of my stuff done for my Thursday class!! 

I am so glad that both Brian and I are over the flu and that we are starting to be healthy people again!! It's nice not to feel like crap every day!! 

Well, today we cut down our Christmas tree and I must say that it is BEAUTIFUL!! I cannot wait until we get to decorate it tomorrow!!! After that, all we will have left is decorating the outside, which I am hoping to do before Tuesday, since that is when it starts raining again. Unfortunate for my plans... Brian is working the next three days... hmm... maybe I will just hop on the roof myself!! :D

Heading Home

Well, it is official. I am heading back to Illinois for the first time since I have moved to Washington. It has been 5 months since I have been in Illinois and I must say I miss it a lot!

So, for my first time back it will be very interesting... I am going home as a wife, I am going to my in-laws house (not my boyfriend's parents), I get to see my nieces and nephew, my sisters and brothers. WOW!! On top of all that I get to meet my new baby cousin which I cannot wait to do!

I cannot wait to see everyone and already feel like I will not have nearly enough time to see everyone in the 10 days I am spending in the Midwest.

Luckily, my mom will be visiting us this Christmas to spend a week, which I am so excited about! I will be bringing lots of pictures of our puppy and house when I get home, so get excited!! :D

Signed up for Term 02

Well, I am finally officially signed up for Term 02. That will bring my class load to only three, but it is a step in the right direction. I also purchased my books and I am hoping they will be here for the first day of class (October 22nd)! Also today I signed up for my 3 WEST-B tests (All the Basic Skills tests I need for full Washington Certification) and that test will be January 8th. Then I will have to sign up for 3 WEST-E tests (Two Elementary Education and One Visual Arts). Do you hear that Illinois! I have to take DOUBLE the tests I need for Illinois Certification and that is only to transfer a certificate!! HOLY COW!! Hopefully they will not be too bad. 

Let's see I also ordered a bunch of Christmas Presents, in the process of ordering photos, and then thinking about working on homework. This morning I also took the puppy to the Vet, went Grocery Shopping, put my Sauerbraten in it's marinade, and straightened up the house a little. I am rocking out!! I am so glad to be feeling better and able to do things!! WOO HOO!! The only part that sucks about all this is that most of it costs money... I HATE spending money! YUCK!

Midterm

Well, I just finished typing up my Midterm and e-mailed it off! (Super simple!! YEAH!!) No midterm for the other class which is so great! I cannot wait to get home and have a break from school and all the mounds and mounds of reading! I add another class in October which I am hoping it will be easy and not have mounds of reading like my class now!!

Well, here is hoping!! As for now... I am going to tape off and paint the bathroom as a surprise for my hubby!! YEAH!!

Slacker Poster...

Sorry everyone that I have been slacking on my posts. School is in full swing and going pretty well. One of my classes is really tough especially with their required 6 textbooks... 4 of which I was to completely read in two weeks time. Needless to say they were skimmed through, deeply read in parts, but definitely not fully read. My second class requires me to travel to Tumwater (approximately 30-45 min. away) to test two students every week. So... so far, not so bad. I will be registering for a third class tomorrow and that will be a Saturday class from 8AM - 1PM which will stink since it is so long, but at least it is only 8 weeks of it! 

I am super excited to be going home for Thanksgiving and will be buying my tickets soon!! It looks like I will get a lot of time at home with having class on Thursday and Saturday only! Plus... no class the Saturday after Turkey Day!! YEAH!! Now, I am just hoping that my dear husband will be able to meet me in Chicago!! Fingers & Toes Crossed!!