Zoo Fun

I went with my friend Jamie, her daughter, and two nieces to Hogle Zoo today. Parking was an absolute nightmare!! But after we found a parking spot, the rest of the day went rather smoothly.

My favorite memory of the zoo from when I was younger was this drinking fountain.
Hannah had to show her cousins it was ok to put your head in the lion's mouth. LOL

Once they saw it, they were all over it!


Then it was Jamie's turn...

Last but not least :)

There were lots of different animals out and about. Not all my pictures turned out, but here are some of the better ones!



There were quite a few animals who looked at me with a look of "yes?" on their faces. Haha

The little girls really likes this elephant and the noises it made!

New baby elephant. I wish I could remember it's name...



"I wanna move it, move it" or just lay around all day ;)

This was another common theme of the animals today.



This guy was active, swinging around the bars. It was fun to watch him.





The giraffes were so young... it was odd not seeing the older ones.

"Yes?"

Snow leopard is close enough to a white tiger to be one of my favorites :)

tiger still my favorite though :)

Breaking for ice cream... love this lady!

Cute girls



Silliness... Jamie was showing off her blue tongue

Hannah had fun listening to the recordings on her camera











"Yes?"

These monkeys are so cute! I have always wanted a monkey!!

He reminds me of an old man

This is the alligator. It's hard to see him because there was a window, then the other protective thing you can see in the pic... so there was quite a lot of reflection going on.



I gotta figure out what this bird is



These bats were very cute and funny to watch

This flower was very pretty and very big!
I love the zoo! I was sad that there were no lions, zebras, polar bears, hippos... but I'm glad there were so many monkeys ;) I love monkeys... and tigers... and dragons. LOL. Can't wait to go back and see more!

Good Friends, Good Times

As the 2009-2010 school years reigns to a close, I think back to the beginning of the school year and have many fond memories that I will cherish for the rest of my life. This year has been great fun, and sometimes very challenging. I feel that I have grown from every experience over the last 9 months.

With summer officially beginning today, it starts on a slight sad note. I have 9 friends that are leaving (in one way or another) and I will miss them dearly.

Allison Lefler:
Friend since August 2006

Many, many fond memories were made and will not be forgotten.

I have loved laughing with you to the point we were crying!

"Honey, I'm home!!"

I Love You!

Hilary Bair:
Friend since August 2009
Hilary has been a 2nd grade teacher this year. I'm gonna miss seeing her! She is going to be teaching 1st grade at Traverse Mountain! Good Luck, Hilary!!

At our faculty luau:
This just makes me smile :)

I love candid moments!

Lifeguard Lady and Carpet Lady
Friends since Summer 2004
(Luckily, she's not one who's leaving!)

Mr. Russ Hoover - husband to Lisa, our head secretary. He's such a great guy and a huge help to everyone here! Thank you for everything Russ!!

Our two new 5th grade teachers this year: Matt Goff and BreAnn Wayman.
How fun to get to know them!

Me and Miss Wayman
I look kinda young in this picture :)

Mrs. Anderson used to be a teacher, then retired. She is so nice that she comes back to sub for us! The lady just behind her (in the green shirt)...
Robyn Rhoton:
Friend since Girls Camp 2004
Robyn has been teaching Kindergarten this year. Luckily, we go to church at the same building, so I'll see her around :)

Matt being silly (again)

I love this lady!

"Hi Mom!" (in the back wearing the white shirt)

Everyone enjoying the yummy food

Me and the best lunch manager I know! She is so kind to me and I really appreciate her and everything she does for our school!

Loretta Stevens:
Friend since... when have we NOT been friends? ;)
Loretta is retiring this year. She has taught many grades, but is ending with 4th.
See you around!

David Stephenson:
Friend since August 2003
David has been our principal for the last 8 years. It is sad to see him leave, but he is needed at Traverse Mountain Elementary... they are lucky to get him.
Good luck, David!

Colleen Philipp:
Friend since August 2009
Colleen has been our Intern Coach this year. She has been doing double duty between our school and Westfield. She is such a great lady and I'm going to miss her!

I love these ladies!

Brook Hyde:
Friend since she moved back into my ward!
Brook has been our music teacher for the last number of years. We have worked on two school plays together and I have often accompanied her singing.
She and her family have moved to Salt Lake to be closer to her family and her husband's family. She will be greatly missed by many many parents, students, teachers, and staff!
Love you, Brook!

Lisa Hoover:
Friend since August 2003
She's not leaving either ;) She's our head secretary. What a great lady!!

Paula Ruesch:
Friend since summer 1996.
I can remember that because that's when they moved my family into her ward and that's where we've been ever since. I think Paula was Young Women's President and we went to Girls Camp in Zion's National Park.
Paula is not leaving our school either... she is the greatest media center specialist EVER! :D

The other friends who are leaving:

Cheryl Dominguez:
Friend since August 2003
She is going to Traverse Mountain. She's been teaching 6th grade and is a great friend and a wonderful person. I'll miss her next year!

Debbie Amundson:
Friend since... ?
Debbie has been our speech teacher. She is also going to Traverse. I went to high school with one of her sons - He and I were in Marching Band and Wind Symphony together.

Sonda Smith:
Friend since... ?
Sonda has been teaching 2nd grade and is joining the brigade at Traverse.

Jenn Payne:
Friend since I met her :)
Jenn has been a wonderful help to our school in so many different ways over the last I don't know how many years. She is a great lady and I am going to miss her.
Luckily, she is in the neighborhood, so we'll have a chance of running into each other :)

I love my job, and even with so many of my friends leaving this year, I know that we will always be friends and that we'll meet again! I am excited to start my summer adventures, and meet new people during the summer, and when school starts again in the fall.

I will try to update my blog as often as I can, but as with last summer, I will be gone a lot - so watch for updates!