Vacation...

I love this word.  Our first family vacation this year was going to visit my family in Kansas.  It was awesome!  I love it there, it is where my family is from.  I have so much family history there.  The house my grandma was born in, the first place my grandpa worked @ 14, the house where we visited my great grandma every year growing up.  I love it, as a matter of fact, I would probably consider moving there someday.  

The best part of this vacation, it was totally spontaneous!   Monday, June 21st.  We told the kids to pack their clothes for 7 days.  We packed our clothes and loaded the car in 3 hours!  We left our house @ 9 PM, and we were off.  The kids slept most of the way, and woke up at 1 AM to be told we were in New Mexico. 

They were so confused (we told them that we were going to San Diego).  We told them that we were actually headed to see Toto and Dorthy, Marley responded, "Are we going to Kansas?"  Yep!  They were totally surprised!  Ha ha, so was my family!  We had a fun trip even though it wasn't planned!

Here are some of our pics from the great state of Kansas

I'm a loser baby... so why don't cha

I feel so bad that I have allowed to get myself off the blogging track.  Mostly for myself that I haven't kept track of the important events of the last few months.  Here is a break down...

February - Found out Phx was laying off cops... oh dear, not good.  Very stressed.  However, exercising at least 3 times a week.  Bub made the JV Baseball team at school and Kennedy made it in the play... very proud of both of them.

He looks so much like his father.

March - Marley's birthday.  Turned 8.  Disappointed at the fact that she will be the only Holt child not baptized on her birthday, new rules.  Towards the end of the month, found out Ofc. Holt's job had been saved.  2% sales tax and some other cuts, there were not police or fire layoffs.  I got braces... they sucked, but helped me loose more weight.  I officially lost 25 pounds at this point.  Family reunion was great!  No pics, unfortunately!  Forgot camera.  Lost a dear friend, Jacob Whetten in Afghanistan.  RIP Jacob.  I am now reminded daily of a soldiers sacrifice for my freedom.  I placed a collage of Jacob's photos next to the American Flag that hangs in my classroom.  It reminds me to take a second and remember those who "gave all".

April - Got our family photos done!  Finally!  We haven't had a family photo professionally done in 8 years!  Scary!  Here's a few: all photos were taken by Rejli Woodeki

Marley's baptism.  I have never seen a kid more excited to be baptized.  She is great! 

Ofc. Holt and I celebrated our 13th wedding anniversary.  I took the day off and we hung out in downtown Glendale.  Awesome.

May - Last month of school.  A great and exciting time for me.  I love that last stretch with my students and seeing the light at the end of the tunnel :)  The twins celebrated their 11th birthday... totally amazing.

 Here is a collage I was working on... these two are best buddies.
 It was a great month.  We finished up school and went on a short vacation without Ofc. Holt.  We went to Texas and visited with my family.  I will post pics later.

June - So far we have spent at least two days a week at wet n wild.  It is a blast!  We love it.  I have been enjoying hanging out with my cousin Jenel and catching up.  Also went to girls camp.  It was fun. I loved being incharge of crafts! 

The month isn't over. Ofc. Holt is taking a week off and we are going somewhere... not sure where we are going, but we are going on a vacation!  I will post pics!  I have been working on some math curriculum this month, which has been an honor to work with 3 other amazing women, and just for the record, women are amazing!  I am going to try my best to update my regularly... I don't know if I can do it daily, but at least once a week.

My New Life

Budget Meetings for Phoenix

I would just like to extend an invite to those of you who would like to attend the Phoenix Budget meetings to support fire and police in Phoenix.  Phoenix Police Department is already 450 cops short, and the city manager proposed to layoff 350 more officers.  This will devastate Phoenix.  http://www.azplea.com/images/stories/PDF_files/2010_budget_calendar.pdf
There are several meetings taken place in the Laveen and So. Mountain area.  The first meeting will be held at Carl Hayden High School. 

update

Quick update on my new years resolutions:
Education: My students have commented on how much technology I have been using!  All of my bellwork each morning is done on the SmartBoard and created by me? (Or my partner in crime Tiff:)
Physical Appearance:  Well the first week of course I did well, but last week was a challenge because Marley and myself were really sick, didn't happen. But on the brighter side I have lost 15.6 lbs in 16 days! Woo Hoo!
Spiritural:  Still struggling with this, but I have made a big effort into trying to make up my minutes on Sundays, does that count?
Home:  I haven't done the dishes everyday, but I have been doing them more often.  Laundry, I so set myself up for failure on that one:)

New Year's REVOLUTION!

Okay, I know it is resolution, but I thought it was hilarious when Marley called it a revolution.  I guess in some ways it can be.  My New Year's Resolution isn't just one thing.  I have many:
Physical Appearance:  I want to become more active.  I want to run at least 4 days a week for the whole year.
Education:  I want to become more techy. I want to use technology in my classroom more so that kids are engaged.
Home: I want to keep my house clean and tidy.  I will do a load of laundry and fold it the moment it comes out the dryer.  I won't let the dishes pile up longer than a day.
Spiritual:  I want to read my scriptures everyday for at least 10 minutes ( I would say 15, but I know that will be hard, 10 feels manageable.)

Here they are... let 's see if I can do it!!!

Christmas Eve Tradition

Traditions
Now that I am in charge, I have made some traditions with my kids. One of the traditions has been baking all day on Christmas Eve with Katherine and Jes.Kennedy isn't into this at all.

Katherine and I are going to give Martha a run for her money.

Ofc. Holt doing what he does, being a Rockstar

We love this tradition. Thanks kids!
Another tradition we have is opening one present on Christmas Eve, which just happens to be PJs. This year Colby and I exchanged our gifts too! Dont laugh too hard at my face, okay?
Sweet Tay

Kennedy getting excited about opening some PJs.
Martie loving her Pjs, she is so much like her mother, as you can see below.My incredibly adorable son.
Ofc. Holt getting ready to open his present, now seriously don't laugh!

He went to Jared's! Seriously, you said you wouldn't laugh! Yikes, next year I am totally doing my hair and makeup after I finish baking!
Here is the story. My mother lost my wedding set, and after 2 years of looking for it she found it. She called Colby and he got it fixed. It was a huge surprise... I thought I would never see it again.