Bartz Blog

The Bear Necessities

2009-07-29T15:08:00.000-07:00

Maryssa our niece was in her first play. She was a bee in the Jungle Book. At six years old, she is well on her way to being a great thespian.

Family Visit

2009-07-06T13:40:00.000-07:00

Well, Doug and Sue came to visit from Kenya. It was great to have them here, but it was sad to see them go. I know that they are doing the Lord's work in Kenya, but we still miss them. Please pray for their safety and ministry throughout East Africa. Here are some pictures from their trip, and some from Kenya.

Sue and Madisyn at Lake Tahoe

The Family

At the Dodger Game

Sue at a local outreach in Kenya

Doug with some local pastors

Stuff

2009-06-15T16:53:00.000-07:00

Ok, so it's been a while since I've written. Sorry...

What have we been up to????

10. walking Lucy
9. reading books
8. running/biking
7. hosting a Bible study at our condo
6. finishing off the school year
5. working on resumes - Matt was laid off 2 weeks ago
4. doing lots of stuff for church
3. teaching summer school - only 2.5 weeks
2. visiting with Matt's mom and Doug - they're here from Africa
1. going to Tahoe!

Here's more info about Matt's job. His company was fantastic, they haven't had work for a long time and they held onto Matt for as long as possible. The company is trying to survive through the economic downturn, they were originally 70 employees and are now down to 9 (6 of those people being owners). We are grateful that Matt had such a great experience there and he will receive a call back if things start picking up. So now we are both on summer break! :)

My Ride in a Cop Car

2009-04-28T16:46:00.000-07:00

I was biking to work this morning and I got a flat tire. Normally I'm very good about changing tires, but I messed up my CO2 cartridge (to inflate my tire) and I didn't have a pump. So I called a coworker to come and pick me up. During that phone call a police car pulled up and asked if everything was ok. I said yes and the cop asked me where I was headed. He worked close by Baldwin Park and offered me a ride. My bike fit nicely in his trunk and he drove me to work.

It was kind of weird riding with a cop, I didn't know and wasn't quite sure what to say. But we talked about school and his daughter is a teacher, so that helped. The kids laughed when I pulled up with a cop, and I had to retell the story about 20 times today to all my kids and the teachers...

Weekend Away

2009-04-19T18:04:00.000-07:00

This past weekend I went to Big Bear with some friends. It was great to relax, play some games and just hang out. These pictures are at Big Bear Lake.

Cousins

2009-04-04T14:31:00.000-07:00

My cousin Julie came to visit this past week. It was a short visit, but nice.

Solvang Century

2009-03-18T20:01:00.000-07:00

Last Saturday Dad and I participated in the Solvang Century. It was a bicycle ride with several thousand other riders. The day was very cool, but it was also beautiful! I believe the actual length is 103 miles.

Early morning, before the ride

We finished!

Happy Square Root Day!

2009-03-03T18:57:00.000-08:00

Apparently this only happens a few times a century. March 3, 2009. (In case you haven't figured it out, 3 is the square root of 9). I'm not exactly sure how to celebrate obscure days like this...but nevertheless nerds, enjoy a math holiday!

2009-02-10T16:55:00.000-08:00

Sometimes I complain about LA, because I don't like the traffic, high cost of living, some of the people.

But on days when I get to see the beautiful nature that surrounds us, I forget about things like traffic. I just wish more people would get out and use the amazing creation that God has given to us!

This is one of my favorite places to bike and run, Bonelli Park.

Suffragettes

2009-02-03T20:02:00.000-08:00

This week my students are learning about the women's suffrage movement. We were in the lab today and the kids were researching Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, etc. I had a boy ask me "Why do we have to learn about all these girls?" I almost choked on the tea I was drinking at the moment. Needless to say he got a mouthful from me, since I don't teach about enough men in history....

Jambo

2009-01-21T18:37:00.000-08:00

For the past two weeks Matt's mom has been visiting from Kenya. It was great to see her and spend time together. We continue to miss her, but we are adjusting to being apart. Here's us at the bowling alley.

A few pictures from our trip

2009-01-13T17:07:00.000-08:00

Gutes Zeit

2009-01-07T12:46:00.000-08:00

We are home from Germany and had a wonderful time! I haven't gotten as far as organizing our pictures, so I pulled some off the internet of places we visited. Of course, they were covered in snow for us.

The Black Forest

Our favorite medieval town, Rothenburg

Dachau Concentration Camp

Prague

After 3 weeks of traveling throughout Switzerland, Germany, and the Czech Republic, it is nice to be home.

A Christmas Story

2008-12-08T19:44:00.000-08:00

Here are some clips from the best Christmas movie of all time. Hope you enjoy.
Flag Pole
Leg Lamp
Fa ra ra ra ra

Matt and I will be leaving for Germany this weekend, so we won't be blogging for a few weeks. We'll be back after the new year. Have a wonderful Christmas!

Some great things from this past week

2008-12-01T19:11:00.000-08:00

10. Reading fantastic books
9. USC winning, again
8. Running early in the morning - when it's just cold enough that you're not sure if you should wear pants or shorts
7. Sleeping in
6. A wonderful rainstorm on Wednesday
5. Having a relaxing Thanksgiving at my parents. Potlucks are wonderful!
4. Hiking with Lucy in our local mountains
3. Watching Bolt with my niece
2. Our church has a new pastor! He starts in 2 weeks
1. Watching our Jamaican friend learn how to line dance

Happy Thanksgiving!

2008-11-17T18:47:00.000-08:00

Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
Praise Him all creatures here below,
Praise Him above ye Heavenly Host,
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost
Amen!

Thank you Jesus that you are in charge of this world and not us!

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving!

Not in the media

2008-11-10T19:52:00.000-08:00

It has been interesting watching the protests from the gay community since the election. I personally have a difficult time listening to the concerns of those who choose to deface property in protest. If there weren't so many instances of LDS and Catholic churches being targeted, maybe I would have more compassion in my heart.

http://www.sacbee.com/101/story/1382472.html - this is one of the few articles I could find on the topic

Children of the 80s

2008-11-03T16:50:00.000-08:00

One of Matt's friends came over on Halloween just to show us his costume. I've never seen an actual Karate Kid shower until last Friday, but it was great!

Madisyn and Maryssa

A Game of Tag

2008-10-27T17:43:00.000-07:00

Our friends in Waco, Texas, blog-tagged us to share "6 very quirky, very boring details about ourselves".

The rules of the game:

1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. List the rules.
3. List your 6 quirky or boring details.
4. Tag 6 fellow bloggers.
5. Leave them a comment so they know they've been tagged.

Here comes the quirky-boredom about us:
1. Matt is the cleanest person Bekah has ever met
2. Bekah can stick both feet behind her head
3. Matt's favorite posession in the house is a core from a petrolium drill his grandpa designed
4. If Bekah had to pick a meal that she would have to eat for the rest of her life, it would be blueberries.
5. Matt shot a 95 golfing this past weekend.
6. Bekah is plotting a new complaint against our homeowner's association. We have no lights in our garage - due to the association's handiwork.

We tag the following friends:

1. Kiley and John Shelley - St. George, Utah (horse enthusiast's and home repair experts)
2. Doug and Sue Brown - Karen, Kenya (our wonderful parents)
3. Stephanie Salyer - Downey, CA (2nd grade teacher)
4. Julie Mullins - Seattle, WA (Bekah's cousin)
5. Tori Lindner - Austin, TX (travel guru)
6. Lori Reimer - somewhere in Canada (old friend from TMI)

Put some fun in between your legs... ride a bike

2008-10-27T17:16:00.000-07:00

I have been riding my bike to work for quite a long time and I am constantly annoyed by stupid cars. Not just cars that drive too close to me, (that's another topic) but big gas guzzling cars that are polluting the earth.

On my bike home from work today I was thinking about a lesson plan on Federalists and Democrat-Republicans. I have always had my students create bumper stickers for the political views of the two parties. Then I started thinking about bumper stickers on cars today, which led to me wearing a bumper sticker while I bike. (Of course, it would be too small for people to see or pay attention to, so I was thinking along the lines of grabbing an old piece of fabric and writing a bumper sticker phrase and then pinning it to my backpack. This could be quite visible). Here is my dilemma, what do I write?

Things like: "Gas sucks, ride a bike"

Or a more offensive approach: "Destroy the earth, drive a car"

It has to be short phrases, otherwise it won't be seen. But I need phrases, ideas, statements to make people think. If you have ideas, let me know. I would love to change signs on a weekly?? basis, but I need lots of ideas for that....

Fight On!

2008-10-21T17:13:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago Matt and I went to the USC Game for his birthday. Here are some shots of the game.

Unconditional Love

2008-10-13T18:52:00.000-07:00

Last Spring I was asked to start and head up a Book Club at church. It has been quite fun so far because I love reading and it is great to discuss books with others. Our last book was The Shack by William Young. I know that there can be a lot of buzz books floating around the country and in the Christian world, but if you ever read a book, read this one! Your preception of God will never be the same again.

Wall Street and Main Street

2008-10-01T17:51:00.000-07:00

As a historian, I cannot help but look at our economy and see signs recession/depression if nothing is done. As much as I believe in smaller government, there are times when intervention is needed to avoid a major catastrophe.

It was interesting because on Sunday we had a guest preacher who talked about tithing. I expected a typical sermon about the spirituality of tithing, being a cheerful giver, etc. Instead, I was quite suprised to find myself engaged with the Sermon on the Mount.... and how relevant it is in our world today!

Here are a few verses that were highlighted...and the website if you would like to read the whole chapter out of Matthew.

25"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more important than food, and the body more important than clothes? 26Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?

http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=matthew%206&version=31

Futbol

2008-09-16T13:20:00.000-07:00

We have a celebrity in the family! Matt's cousin William, plays goalie for the minor league Pachua soccer team in Mexico. They were up in our area last week and we got to see him play for the first time.

Grandma Barbara and William

Shawn, Madisyn, William and Matt

Right before the game

Matt's uncle and aunt are missionaries in Mexico and so their boys' grew up down there.

$$$

2008-09-10T12:48:00.000-07:00

I'm looking for lots of ways for my students to earn money... any ideas?? I need some creative stuff here!

Every 2 years my school does a trip to Washington DC and most of our kids cannot afford to go. With fuel prices going up, the cost of the trip has risen even more so I need ways to make money. Please send stuff that you think works, has worked, ideas, whatever. I want as many kids to go as possible.... :)

To tat or not to tat

2008-09-04T13:28:00.000-07:00

I did it! I am now officially an Ironman (woman). The race was last Sunday in Louisville, Kentucky and it took me 14 hours and 39 minutes to finish it. Most of the day was very hot and uncomfortable - around 95 degrees. Thankfully training during the California summer allowed me to adjust to this heat pretty well. After all this training, I can't believe the thing is finally over. :) But it's very satisfying to have done the race, even though it was tough!

The beautiful Ohio River - this is where I swam

Somewhere along the bike path

Running very slowly :)

I'm done!

So now I need your opinion, please reply becuase I'm taking a poll. Some people think I should get a tatoo of the ironman symbol on my ankle. Let me know your thoughts....

Training Tales

2008-08-19T13:34:00.000-07:00

Saturday was a fun day. I was doing a practice ride for the Ironman and got a flat tire in the middle of Huntington Beach. So, I pulled off to the side of the road and started to change it, but then realized that I had the wrong size tube. There really wasn't much that I could do at that point, except call for a ride. Thank God for cell phones! I can just imagine trying to walk to a phone in my biking shoes, lol, it would have taken me twice as long. So Martha rescued me, and I had to redo the whole thing again on Sunday. :)

Administration

2008-08-12T12:12:00.000-07:00

So something has been consuming a lot of my time and thoughts, so I thought I would share (although some of you already know about this).

Last week I received a phone call to apply for the position of Activities Director at Baldwin Park High School. In my district this is an administrative position and since I have my admin credential, I am very well qualified for this job. So, the question is, do I take it? ahhhh....

so many things like: leaving my school, more work, late nights - lots of them, more pay, new staff, being in charge - scary, stuff like that.

I need to pray and think more....

Haley's New Home

2008-07-30T15:42:00.000-07:00

Haley has been Doug and Sue's dog for the past 5 years, and with them leaving they needed to find a new home for her....

So I am happy to report that my parents adopted her! Here are some pictures of Haley's first day at my parents house :)

Within 5 minutes of being outside, Haley discovered the avocado tree

I think Dad is going to like this arrangement

We are very excited to keep her in the family, now we have to work on Lucy and her getting along :)

Saying "See you later"

2008-07-15T13:33:00.000-07:00

I have avoided writing about this topic for a long time because I've been in denial about it happening. As many of you already know, my in-laws will be moving to Kenya in less than 2 weeks. Doug will be the Senior Pastor at a Vineyard Church in Karen, Kenya. (It is very close to Nairobi)

When they told us about this possibility in January, it was quite a shock then, and I'm still not sure that I'm used to the idea. I have tried in the past several months to mentally get ready for them leaving, and I just end up crying a lot. This past weekend was particularly difficult because their house is becoming more and more empty. The more that I think and write about this, the harder it gets; so, I'll just end with something concrete. Please keep them in your prayers as they adjust to their new lives.

Here are some other prayer needs:

*Pray for all of the family here. We have some big adjustments as well.
*Pray for Madisyn. That she can continue a great relationship with her grandparents, and one day, come into the kingdom.
*Pray that Sue will be able to get a work permit/visa? and find clients in the area.
*Pray for safety in travel and in the country
*Pray for continued spiritual guidance and protection
*Pray for both churches. The Pomona Vineyard and the Karen Vineyard
*Pray that they will have all their financial needs met
*Pray that Doug and Sue will have peace during this transition

I couldn't find a picture with the whole family in it. But here's part :)

What did the 4th really mean?

2008-07-08T12:56:00.000-07:00

Happy Independence Day! I am constantly amazed on how little people know about the history of our country. So here are a few things that happened to some of the signers of the Declaration. There were 56 total....many of them shared similar fates.

Five signers were captured by the British and brutally tortured as traitors.

Nine fought in the War for Independence and died from wounds or from hardships they suffered.

Two lost their sons in the Continental Army.

Another two had sons captured.

At least a dozen of the fifty-six had their homes pillaged and burned.

Carter Braxton of Virginia, a wealthy planter and trader, saw his ships swept from the seas by the British navy. He sold his home and properties to pay his debts, and died in rags.

Thomas McKeam was so hounded by the British that he was forced to move his family almost constantly. He served in the Congress without pay, and his family was kept in hiding. His possessions were taken from him, and poverty was his reward.

Francis Lewis had his home and properties destroyed. The enemy jailed his wife, and she died within a few months.

John Hart was driven from his wife's bedside as she was dying. Their 13 children fled for their lives. His fields and his grist mill were laid waste. For more than a year he lived in forests and caves, returning home after the war to find his wife dead, his children vanished. A few weeks later he died from exhaustion and a broken heart.

In the grand sceme of things, 232 years is not that long. May we remember the sacrifice of others, and continue to grow this country on its founding ideals.

Fun with Family

2008-06-30T15:05:00.000-07:00

My cousin Julie came to town this past week. She lives in Seattle and we make an effort to see each other as often as we can. (Which generally ends up being once a year). We had great conversation, lots of fun, and we practiced our very rusty German.

At Disneyland

The Mad Hatter's Shop

I also sprained my arm on Saturday. We were at the beach and the waves were very powerful. I got tossed around and hit the sand pretty hard.

Little Einsteins

2008-06-23T12:26:00.000-07:00

Maryssa completed Kindergarten! These days it's a lot tougher to pass this grade, than in the days of just learning how to share and play together.

Here are some of the things a Kindergartner needs to know by the end of the year!

1. Count, recognize, represent, name, and order a number of objects (up to 30).
2. Know that the larger numbers describe sets with more objects in them than the smaller numbers have.
3. Use concrete objects to determine the answers to addition and subtraction problems (for two numbers that are each less than 10).
4. Recognize when an estimate is reasonable.
5. Compare familiar plane and solid objects by common attributes (e.g., position, shape, size, roundness, number of corners).
6. Identify the time (to the nearest hour) of everyday events (e.g., lunch time is 12 o’clock; bedtime is 8 o’clock at night).
7. Compare the length, weight, and capacity of objects by making direct comparisons with reference objects (e.g., note which object is shorter, longer, taller, lighter, heavier, or holds more).
8. Pose information questions; collect data; and record the results using objects, pictures, and picture graphs.
9. Use tools and strategies, such as manipulatives or sketches, to model problems.
10. Recognize and name all uppercase and lowercase letters of the alphabet.
11. Identify and produce rhyming words in response to an oral prompt.
12. Distinguish fantasy from realistic text.
13. Identify characters, settings, and important events.
14. Use letters and phonetically spelled words to write about experiences, stories, people,objects, or events.
15. Recite short poems, rhymes, and songs.
16. Relate an experience or creative story in a logical sequence.
17. Learn examples of honesty, courage, determination, individual responsibility, and patriotism in American and world history from stories and folklore.
18. Distinguish between land and water on maps and globes and locate general areas referenced in historical legends and stories.
19. Know the triumphs in American legends and historical accounts through the stories of such people as Pocahontas, George Washington, Booker T. Washington, Daniel Boone, and Benjamin Franklin.
20. Understand how people lived in earlier times and how their lives would be different today (e.g., getting water from a well, growing food, making clothing, having fun, forming organizations, living by rules and laws).
21. Students know water can be a liquid or a solid and can be made to change back and forth from one form to the other.
22. Students know water left in an open container evaporates (goes into the air) but water in a closed container does not.
23. Students know how to observe and describe similarities and differences in the appearance and behavior of plants and animals (e.g., seed-bearing plants, birds, fish, insects).
24. Students know how to identify major structures of common plants and animals (e.g., stems, leaves, roots, arms, wings, legs).
25. Students know changes in weather occur from day to day and across seasons, affecting Earth and its inhabitants.

Reminder that this is a tiny sample of the required content standards.

If you are truly interested in taking a look at what is expected of our students today, here's the website for the California Department of Education and the content standards that each child is expected to master by the time they leave that grade level.
http://www.cde.ca.gov/be/st/ss/

Good Job Maryssa!

Maryssa in her classroom with her friends

Maryssa got Student of the Month! Here she is with Grandma Newell

Wonderful things

2008-06-10T18:24:00.000-07:00

3 things that are going to make my summer.

1. I finished my MA in Education yesterday.
2. School is out in 2 days
3. I'm stepping away from ASB next year, to better focus on my students and their needs.

WHOOO HOOOO!!!!! Time to refresh :)

26.2

2008-06-03T19:32:00.001-07:00

Congratulations Mom! She ran her first marathon in San Diego on Sunday and did very well. Mom raised money for Train to End Stroke to continue medical research in this area. Great job Mom!

Never a dull moment

2008-05-27T19:31:00.000-07:00

Our dog is either fearless or stupid, not sure which. When we have taken her out before, she has always been afraid of horses. But yesterday we took her for a walk around Bonelli Park, and she decided that she wanted to attack 2 horses that came across our path. Fortunately Matt had her on the leash.... Lucy the wonder dog...

Keeping Other Doors Open

2008-05-20T18:34:00.000-07:00

Matt's company has gone through some major restructuring in this past week. With the economy in a slump, his company has been staying afloat and we are very thankful for that. His immediate boss is now a voting member of the board, and this gives Matt even more security....

Closing Doors

2008-05-13T18:40:00.000-07:00

Sunday was a day of mourning for me. Not because it was Mother's Day, that was nice to celebrate. But the day before, I found out that my Oma's (grandmother's church) is closing it's doors next Sunday. (Most of the congregation is very old, and they cannot find a replacement for their pastor, who is retiring at age 81) I have so many fond memories of that place, it was difficult for me even to process this. I'm not able to attend their last service, but I was able to go this past Sunday to see the church for one last time and visit with my Oma's friends.

Ever since she died (5 years ago) I've been telling myself that I needed to go back to her church and visit. Thankfully I had this last opportunity. It was all in German, and I acutally understood more than I thought I would (about 50%). But more than that, this visit helped me in my grieving process for her and the dear memories I have of her. Every time I think about the church closing, I start to cry, because that's another chapter of her life that's closing for me. I know that I will never forget the profound impact that Oma had on my life. My family continues to keep these memories alive, but this process is still painful.

Front of the church in LA

I remember sitting in here with Oma, Julie (my cousin) and Tante Edith (my aunt) during the services because Julie and I didn't understand German well enough. - so many memories

Every time I drive down the 110 freeway, I look for this sign on the side of the church. It won't be there for much longer...

More Blessings...

2008-05-06T19:41:00.001-07:00

A few weeks ago, I had some students ask me if they could hold a Bible Study in my classroom at lunch time on Wednesdays. I was very excited to be approached about this and since then, they have been meeting regularly. At the time I said yes, I didn't realize what a great blessing this would be for me.

Normally from the moment I step foot on campus until the moment that I leave, I am in robot mode....Do as much as possible, as efficiently as possible and don't ever stop for a second to breathe, eat, etc. This has become a wonderful reminder for me to slow down, pray, reflect, spend time with God. Listening to my students pray and study the Bible together has been incredibly uplifting for me. I look forward to these meetings all week and relish these opportunities to be a light for others on campus.

Please pray for these students as they strive to grow closer to God, and as many of them move onto high school next year.

Guys Weekend

2008-04-29T18:31:00.000-07:00

Fishing by the lake

Geoff hanging out

Matt took his annual fishing trip this past weekend. For the past several years he has gone with my dad, brothers, and a few others from church. It's nice to get away sometimes and just spend some quality time in the great outdoors.

Happy Earth Day!

2008-04-23T19:16:00.000-07:00

I know I'm a day late, but every day should be earth day. :) I hope that as we continue to face global crises of food shortages, resource depletion, and climate change, that you continue to do your part.

Here's some fantastic websites to check out:
www.CosmeticsDatabase.com - type in skin/hair etc. products and see how hazardous it is for you
www.greenerchoices.org - green ratings on consumer products (Consumer Reports) - and other cool stuff
www.thegreenguide.com - national geographic - info and tips
http://www.bp.com/extendedsectiongenericarticle.do?categoryId=9015627&contentId=7029058 - calculate your carbon footprint and look at ways to reduce your impact.

Reduce
Reuse
Recycle

Beautiful Boulder

2008-04-15T18:04:00.000-07:00

Once again, Matt and I took a week off for our anniversary. This year we traveled to Boudler, Colorado. We had a wonderful time.

Skiing - It snowed that day!

Denver Capitol Building - 3 different mile high markers - Student surveyors marked it differently each time

Staying warm at the Rockies Game

Hiking the Flatirons

What a beautiful place!!

Race Report

2008-04-02T19:39:00.000-07:00

The 1/2 Ironman last Saturday was great! Matt did very well, finishing in 5 hours and 40 minutes. I finished exactly an hour later than him, at 6 hours and 40 minutes. The weather was great and we couldn't have asked for a more beautiful course. Most of the biking was through Camp Pendleton, with a fair amount of hills, and the run was right along the beach. It was a very fun race and now we have the full Ironman to look forward to in August!

Right before I jump in the water - a chilly 61 degrees!

Matt starting on the bike course

Matt finishing his run!

All finished :)

He is Risen

2008-03-26T09:26:00.000-07:00

This Saturday is our 1/2 Ironman, say a prayer for us!! I'll post next week with pictures and a race report. : )

We hope you had a blessed Easter and time to celebrate the Resurrection of our Lord! What a joyous occasion! Even after all these years of being a believer, I'm still amazed that Jesus died for a person like me.

On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
The emblem of suffering and shame;
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain.

So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross,
Till my trophies at last I lay down;
I will cling to the old rugged cross,
And exchange it some day for a crown.

O that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.

It's Spring

2008-03-19T18:36:00.000-07:00

At least in our neck of the woods. :) My crepe myrtle tree finally has green! Matt noticed it a few days ago. Hopefully one day it will look like this, but for now I'm happy with the few buds that are developing.

Grade Hero

2008-03-12T17:45:00.000-07:00

Last Friday was an incredible day. Olive Middle School's ASB put on a fantastic Rock and Roll (Grade Hero, instead of Guitar Hero) Renaissance Rally. The kids love these rallies, but I still don't think I've recovered. We had skits, dances, recognition, games, a teacher band, tons of stuff. I wish I had pictures to show you, but the few that Matt took, didn't turn out. So here's my description of what they would have looked like:

Teacher band - Myself and the orchestra teacher in a striped zebra t-shirt, black wig and hat, with tight jeans and boots singing "I love Rock and Roll." Accompanied by our principal on the drums, science teacher on the guitar, another history teacher on the bass, and our band teacher on the sax. Let me just say that the kids went nuts, and all of us lost our dignity in front of the staff. But it was fun!

Grade level games - Cheetos being pelted at our principal and custodian (they were on the side of the curtain) The girls were actually supposed to throw the Cheetos on the whip creamed faces of the boys, but most of the Cheetos missed. :)

ASB kids - running the show. Introducing guests, teachers, other students... I'm so proud of them!

Teacher Skit - pretending to try out for the cheerleading squad. I danced to "Hey Mickey you're so fine!" In the process I almost knocked over a mike stand, picked my nose and ate my boogers, and snorted about 50 times. The things we do for kids!

CADA Convention

2008-03-03T19:29:00.000-08:00

This past week I went to another teacher's convention. This time it was for activities directors' across the state. So the California state convention was in Reno, Nevada, go figure. It was actually a lot of fun, but I hate being away, especially since I've been traveling so much lately. But these are pictures of the last night; there was a dance put on by Jostens. (Each night different yearbook companies do a really cool event, in hopes of getting your school's business.)

Darlene and I at dinner. Darlene is the 6th grade leadership teacher, her kids feed into my ASB class.

Richard, my principal, dancing with his buddies.

Moments in Time

2008-02-26T16:51:00.000-08:00

How the years have gone by! I was just looking through old pictures and I found this one when Matt and I took Maryssa to Disneyland.

Now she's in Kindergarten and reading!

What a blessing Maryssa has been :)

Playing Hookie

2008-02-18T08:47:00.000-08:00

I forgot to post this earlier, but here are some pictures from skiing a few weeks ago. A few teachers and I took the day off for a much needed break. It was beautiful! I wish we had more snow, so there would be more days like this. :)

February Frenzy

2008-02-13T17:03:00.000-08:00

Well, it's that time of year again. Field trips, conferences, races, birthdays, assemblies...

This Friday I'm in charge of the Knott's Berry Farm field trip.....250 kids running around. I'm sure I'll end up in the yearbook screaming on one of the roller coasters. (every year those pictures seem to circulate). And today I met with some teachers on staff to devise our new teacher skit for this year. These get more and more embarassing as time passes. I'll have to post the video after we do it. Oh the joys of being a middle school teacher. :) I wouldn't trade it for anything else though, in no other profession do you get to act like a goof ball on a regular basis, while still ending up with a fan club of about 180 thirteen year-olds.

Singing again...

2008-01-30T16:42:00.000-08:00

I am now officially part of the worship team at church. :) Last night I had my interview and I guess I passed. It really wasn't an interview, just getting to know the band members better. It's been years since I've sung on a worship team, but I am really excited. And I've also been recruited to lead worship at the Women's retreat this year. I think it was the moment in my "interview" when I said "I can play a pretty mean egg." - if you don't know what an egg it, it's just a percussion device to help keep the beat. :)

Branching Out

2008-01-23T17:31:00.000-08:00

Matt and I are trying to branch out. Our young adults group at church has been active for a while, and we have managed to not go to many activities. I think mainly because they tend to be too late at night and I can't stay up past 9. But, we are now making an effort.

Henceforth, here are some pictures of us rock climbing with some young people from church. It was at an indoor place in Upland and we were both amazed when we walked in. First we found out that we would be climbing without any harnesses, which turned out not to be that bad. And I couldn't believe how popular this sport is, there were lots of hard core people there. But we had a great time...

This climb was particularly hard, going from the underside of the rock to the front was tough!
Maybe next time you'll see us bungee jumping or something...

The Flu and Running

2008-01-15T17:49:00.000-08:00

Nothing too exciting happened this week. Matt had the flu, thankfully he is better now, and I ran the longest run of my life on Sunday. 13 miles :) Now we have to run that length with a swim and a bike before it. Our 1/2 Ironman is on March 28th, as long as we don't get sick anymore, we'll be fine...

I thought this picture would be cute to put on. This is what Lucy does, when she wants me to stop what I'm doing to pet her. (can you tell, we're kind of dog people?)

Rain, please come again!

2008-01-08T18:29:00.000-08:00

This is what we do in Southern California during the rain!

It actually was pouring outside, not for very long, but we were getting a little tired of always having to dry off the dog. Thanks to Matt's trash bag creation, she stayed somewhat dry. :)

O Crepe Myrtle Tree

2008-01-02T09:17:00.000-08:00

Well, Matt came up with a new version of O Christmas Tree. It is attributed to our new Crepe Myrtle Tree, which I got for Christmas from my parents. I have been complaining about our association since we moved in, but one of my major griefs was when they planted new trees around the property, they skipped our house. Since my nasty grams to the association have done no good, my folks bought one instead. It will grow into a beautiful tree and when we move, we'll transplant it to our new home. :)

Ice Skating

2007-12-24T09:15:00.000-08:00

Last Friday, we went ice skaing with some of our friends. I don't think anyone had been since high school. We realized that we still could skate and after a few falls, most of us picked it up rather quickly.

We also took Maryssa. She did well, by the end of the night she was very close to skating on her own.

Too much time on our hands

2007-12-22T15:52:00.000-08:00

We have only been off of work for one day and we already have too much time on our hands. This is what happens when you give Matt all day to do nothing. Enjoy

Don't send a lame Holiday eCard. Try JibJab Sendables!

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-17T20:06:00.000-08:00

We hope you have a wonderful, restful Christmas. Many blessings!!

Oma and Opa

2007-12-12T05:53:00.001-08:00

2 things. First, Matt ran a 1/2 marathon on Saturday! His time was 1:49:22, basically 8:22/mile. And on Sunday, we ran in the Tinsel Triathlon with Mom and Dad again. It was a lot of fun but we could tell that we have improved a great amount since last year. I actually got third place in my age category, which would have been unthinkable a year ago. It's a fun race because there aren't any triathlons in the winter, but it really was cold out there!

Second, I had my favorite day of teaching this past Friday. It was so much fun because I did something unheard of in the teaching profession. I went outside of the California State Standards and the school's curriculum.

If you didn't remember Friday was Pearl Harbor Day, and I decided instead of teaching about the wonderful War of 1812, I would address Pearl Harbor and WW2. So I gave the kids the background of Pearl Harbor, which was fine and they were interested. But the moment came when I started telling them the story of my grandparents during the war. I've never told these stories to my students before, but Richard and Ida's war stories are amazing and I have NEVER seen any class so attentive. At the end of the period, I told my kids that Richard and Ida were my grandparents and they didn't believe me. They wanted to see pictures of these amazing people, proof that something like that could actually happen. They now have a job of researching their family's history and finding out stories from their parents and grandparents. The history of my family is something that I take for granted, maybe because we talk about it, or maybe because I've heard it so many times, but to these kids Oma and Opa are now their heroes.

It is finished!

2007-12-08T11:42:00.000-08:00

My thesis is done and submitted. Hallejuah! After spending a majority of the summer working on it, all of the revisions have been made, signatures given, etc. :)

Here's the title: The cost of retention versus the cost of early intervention.

Star Moment

2007-12-03T19:16:00.000-08:00

I think this weekend was one of the most exciting of my life. Living in LA, we don't ever really see any stars. They live in secluded upscale areas, and even if I did see Tom Cruise or Brad Pitt it wouldn't be that big of a deal.

But I went to a history teacher's convention in San Diego this past weekend and I stood within 10 feet of Sandra Day OConner!! I almost peed my pants. She spoke to the convention on Sunday morning and it was fantastic. I think my favorite part of the whole thing was when she was answering a question from the audience, and pulled out her pocketsized Constitution to reference a section in Article 1. It was a wonderful ending to an already great weekend.

Simple pleasures

2007-11-26T18:35:00.000-08:00

We rediscovered puzzles this weekend. What a fantastic source of fun! With days and days off it was just great to relax, listen to Christmas music and do puzzles. We hope you had a restful break.

Goodbye Tacoma, Hello Fit!

2007-11-19T17:05:00.000-08:00

Well, we did it. We sold Matt's truck and downsized to a much more economical car. This has been in the making for months, small conversations about gas prices, limited space, etc. So we are both very happy to report that we bought a Honda Fit, which meets our needs much better. We can fit a bike rack on the top, and there is actually more space inside this car than in the truck. Saving the atmosphere, one step at a time...

Thank you Jesus...

2007-11-12T13:55:00.000-08:00

Can you believe that Thanksgiving is next week?? Amazing how the time flies...

Thank you Jesus for my amazing husband
Thank you Jesus for a wonderful family
Thank you Jesus for great health
Thank you Jesus for time off work
Thank you Jesus for beautiful clear days
Thank you Jesus for colder weather
Thank you Jesus for trees
Thank you Jesus for the opportunity to help my students grow
Thank you Jesus for time to read
Thank you Jesus for bicycles
Thank you Jesus for Lucy
Thank you Jesus for people everyday who make me smile
Thank you Jesus for great neighbors
Thank you Jesus for quality time in the kitchen

I can go on forever. May your Thanksgiving be a time of relaxation and fun. Many, many blessings!!

Witch or Goblin?

2007-11-03T14:28:00.000-07:00

Halloween. I think I have taken on a particular disgust for this holiday. Now, I love dressing up, watching kids trick-or-treat, etc. But I think my disgust is a result of the over-the-top, repugnant consumerism associated with Halloween. More and more houses are turning into haunted houses with an incredible amount of decorations. The almost of stuff is almost rivaling Christmas. Maybe I wouldn't be so upset about it if I didn't pass these houses in the dark, during my morning workouts. It can be truly frightening at 4AM when you are completely alone, and you run past a fake man with a noose around his neck.

But here's the fun part of Halloween. We had our Halloween Dance at school and I dressed up in a costume that I made for Matt last year. The kids loved it, but I had a really hard time giving change to students who were buying snacks. Paws are cute, but there's nothing compared to real fingers.

What time is it?

2007-10-28T19:13:00.001-07:00

Ok, I just have to say that whoever is reponsible for letting the public know information, does a really bad job of it....

I woke up this morning at 6AM to do my run before church and I looked at Matt's alarm clock, it said 5AM. I then realized that last night could have been the time change. Thinking to myself that it always happens the last weekend in October I was sure my cell phone was wrong. I then turned on the TV and the time hadn't changed, proceeding to start panicking I checked the wall calendar which said it was this weekend, but my personal calendar said it's next weekend. The newspaper hadn't been delivered yet, so I was confounded...And of course it was too early in the morning to call anyone and find out the real time.

Eventually, about an hour later I called my dad and figured out that the time hadn't changed. He thought it was hilarious becuase this tends to be a problem in my family when the time switches. I'm sure I wasn't the only one wondering what time it was, even outside of my family...

Fun Filled Day

2007-10-27T14:19:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was a fun day overall. I took the day off and Matt, our niece Madysin, and Matt's mom Sue, went to Disneyland. It was nice to just walk around and enjoy the park. No agendas, no rushing, just hanging out time. We all need days like this...

At Sleeping Beauty's castle

Madysin's first ride on the Matterhorn. She was just tall enough to be able to go.

After Disneyland we went to Maryssa's first school carnival. She is in Kindergarten this year and it was amazing to see what a big operation a school carnival can be. Kids running everywhere, parents working the different booths, bands playing, complete chaos. But it was fun, a good end to an already great day.

Before Maryssa and I climb

Climbing the Rock Wall with Maryssa

The Season of Sickness

2007-10-20T19:20:00.000-07:00

Everybody is sick. I'm sitting at home because this is the second time this school year I've caught some type of something from the kids. And in turn, Matt catches it from me. What is it about this time of year? Maybe it's the weather going from hot to cold and back to hot like it always does...I hate being sick...

The Long Awaited Pictures....

2007-10-15T19:27:00.001-07:00

Ok, so I've finally posted pictures from the Washington DC/NY trip this past August...

The first morning I went running and discovered this lovely sign... (we were staying on the Virginia side).

Bekah and the Lincoln Memorial

The kids at Mt. Vernon.

The sideways picture of the capitol...I still need to figure out how to make these straight.

We tried to get a tour... something about terrorism...

The new WW2 Memorial. I couldn't get a full shot of it...but it was amazing.

Slight mishap on the way to NY. One of the windows blew off the side of the bus. No one was hurt...

Everyone says it looks smaller than they imagined...they were right.

Ground Zero. I think this was the first time I cried in front of my kids...

Les Miserables. At least the girls liked it :)

Central Park

The trip was amazing. Another teacher and myself took 15 students for 5 days to tour everything. I am amazed at how much we saw in that amount of time. I'm not taking kids this year becuase it was a ton of work, but next year I'm looking to go again. :)

USC #10?

2007-10-08T17:09:00.000-07:00

Every Saturday night during Football season, Matt and I go to the in-laws to watch the USC football game together. This has become quite an interesting set of rituals for us all. Throughout the duration of the game, I sit there with my book and generally block everything out. Everyone else cheers, watches intently, and generally enjoys the game. Every once in a while the dog gets a little excited too. Until Saturday.... poor Trojans. Even I felt bad for them, and this is me who really doesn't care about football at all and honestly thinks people have better things to do with their time...

This has also been a part of our USC celebrations, making a variety of Trojan treats each week.

Matt's Carrot Cake

Pizookie Football

Coco Trojan Cookies

Maybe next week our desserts will help the team have a little more confidence, and we'll see them beating a team a little more demanding than Stanford.

Dancing Queen

2007-09-30T20:26:00.000-07:00

Sorry it's been a while since I've written, the internet has been down on our computer...

But last week was quite an interesting experience for the both of us. I volunteered Matt and myself to be on the dance commitee at church. Most of you know about my love for swing dancing and dancing in general, so I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to help out.

After the first swing dance, we decided to hold a country line dance. Somehow in the midst of planning, I mentioned that I knew how to line dance. So, here's me teaching the tush push. Everyone said that I did fine, but let's just say it's much easier to do the dance, than teach people the step by step basics.

At least for the next dance I know too little salsa to keep me out of the teaching category. :) But there is bound to be pictures of Matt's future hip displacement coming soon...

Cast Aside

2007-09-15T08:53:00.000-07:00

Ground Zero being rebuilt - taken this summer with my students on the DC/NY Trip

Each year when September 11th rolls around, I try and think of new ways to discuss this event with my students. But as time has passed, I have realized that I don't really need to come up with anything new. Last year was amazing, Matt and I went to see World Trade Center in the theatre and a group of junior highers sat in front of us. They laughed through most of the movie, and texted each other through the rest. This year was most astounding to me. I had several students in my classes who had no memory of the actual event. Now 6 years ago they were in the 2nd grade, but I thought there would be some type of memory they would be able to recollect. As well, my school has traditionally had a 911 assembly to remember those who died, etc. After an interesting conversation with my principal, he decided to cancel it - because the kids are now too young to remember anything...and we'll do something when the 10 year anniversary comes around. -

Now my lesson of remembrance has turned into almost a traditional history lesson, of an event that happened some time, a while ago. This turn of events saddens me, not just because eventually everyone will cast aside September 11th as another day like Memorial Day, President's Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day...but how quickly people forget. As a lover of history, I think every event should be remembered and revered. D-Day used to be THE day, now there are few people alive who remember that terrible day.

I guess I have no conclusion to my thoughts, other than I continue to teach because people should not be forgotten. Regardless of whether an event happened 6 years ago, 100 years ago, or 5,000 years ago.

Ferris Wheels, Pet Hospitals and Triathlons

2007-09-10T12:47:00.000-07:00

This was quite an eventful weekend. It started off relatively calm, going to the LA County Fair on Friday. It was great to shop for things we don't really need, hang out with family, and eat funnel cake. I (Bekah) also got to take my niece, Madisyn, for her first ferris wheel ride. She loved being able to see everything from the top of the wheel and thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

Madisyn and Bekah on the Ferris Wheel

Madisyn got to play in the snow and be a cat.

Then Saturday came....

Matt and I had brought our dog Lucy to my parents house, while we went into LA. When we returned, Lucy was not her normal self. She seemed to yelp when we touched her and she was shaking. So off we went to the emergency pet clinic to see what happened. Thankfully she did not damage herself too badly, she had some muscle inflammation, probably from falling on her back. (we seem to think that she chased a cat part way up a tree, and fell back on the ground). Now she is pretty drugged up on pain medication, and seems to be loving life.

Lucy on Morphine

The LA Triathlon was on Sunday. We both competed in this race and did fairly well. The weather was cool and the terrain wasn't too bad. (except for one monster hill during the run portion). We might do one more race this season, but if not, then our next major race will be a half Ironman in March. Even though race season is winding down, the training continues...

When bad dogs go good...

2007-09-04T17:52:00.000-07:00

After watching a Dog Whisperer Marathon this weekend, we were inspired to try and train Lucy not to attack other dogs. (She has had a bad habit of doing this since we got her).

So far, so good. Our new training techniques include: laying her down on the ground when seeing another dog, making a funny "chhhch" sound, and much longer walks. (Somehow I thought that running with me would be enough, but apparently not). After several dog sightings, she has been interested, but has not been aggressive. Yeah! We're hoping one day soon she can make friends with Haley, Zowie, and Rico.

After our tv escapades (mainly to avoid the heat), we have realized that Lucy really is very good compared to many other canines out there. :)

Back to the Workplace

2007-08-28T17:10:00.001-07:00

The routine has started. Pretty soon I'll have the whole thing down again.

The beginning of the school year is interesting: everything starts new. New students, new teachers, new supplies, new policies, new ideas. Every year we get a chance to be better and start over again. I like that. Every mistake made last year can be changed, lessons can be improved, and different students walk through your door. I hope this year will be a breath of fresh air and renewal....

Memories of Swimming

2007-08-22T10:01:00.000-07:00

Today I went swimming at our local community college pool. As I walked out to the deck there was a group of older adults slowly meandering through the water. Some were struggling to swim, others were slightly more mobile. I wonder how my workouts will look when I join that age category....

So I began to swim. About 1/2 way through my work out, the community college boys swim team joined me in the pool. Before I knew it, I was being passed every which way by younger swimmers and pretty soon I moved to the other side of the pool. I started to contemplate my dilemma of being forced to swim with the older generation...

I remember when I used to be that fast in the water. How quickly time goes. I remember swimming endless hours in the pool as a kid and never wanting to get out of the water. It seemed like the summers were endless; now I'm gripping on to my last precious days before returning to work.

Age is a funny thing. When you're a kid, you always want to be older. When you get older, you want to be young again. Thanks God for the age that I'm at. And help me to say that in 20, 30 and 40 years from now. :)

We Have a Blog

2007-08-13T16:02:00.000-07:00

After seeing a blog of one of our friends, we decided that it would be a good idea to start one of our own. We thought it would be neat to have a place to post our random thoughts and a good way to let everyone know what we are up to. I hope it works as well in reality as it does in concept. Stay tuned for more info.

Matt & Bekah