The Latest

We just got back this afternoon from a great 1 day camping trip and trip to Las Vegas. We drove to Flagstaff and spent the night in a teepee at the KOA. It was a really fun experience; however, I don't think that I will be taking Niyah camping again anytime soon. There was nowhere to put her down! The teepee had two round "beds" over a dirt/rug floor. The beds were extremely uncomfortable, but it still was really fun. We looked like the the biggest city slickers trying to cook our turkey dogs for dinner. We brought a brand new camp stove that was still in the box and figured it would be ready straight out of the box, well it wasn't! It was getting dark and we were putting our little camp stove together. We finally got just the bottom part together and cooked our little turkey dogs. We had a great time, but realized we are "urbanites" as Harold put it! We will have to do it more often because it was quite fun.

Our teepee


Our dinner....finally


Next we made it to Vegas to spend time with Harold's mom. We had a really nice visit with her and then we went to my good friend, Angie's wedding. Angie and I were neighbors growing up and I just love that girl! She has been through a lot over the years and I am so happy that she found such a great guy. Her and Kareem tied the knot Vegas style in a little chapel. Here are some pictures outside the chapel and with her 3 kids and his 2! I am so happy for them! They were high school sweethearts and drifted apart and now found each other again!





I havea little girl calling my name so this post is to be continued......

I love Summer!!!

My summer break is now half over! Boohoo!! We have had a wonderful first half. My sister, Carrie, came to visit with my niece, Hadley. We drove to California and had a great visit. We went to Sea World and the San Diego Zoo and hung out with friends and family. We had a great time and I am sure missing San DIego as Phoenix is sporting 109 degree heat!! YUCK! Keiya performed in her dance recital and did a great job. She loved being in the spotlight and can still be found performing her recital song often around the house. We are looking forward to going camping for 1 night (we gotta see how it goes) and then visiting Harold's mom in Las Vegas! All you Las Vegas friends, I am hoping I will get a chance to see you while we are there!!! I sure love summer, but I don't love the heat!! :)

Keiya and her friend, Kayla at an evening concert. I think they think they are already teenagers!


A family picture at the train park


My brother and sisters posin for the camera


Keiya and Carrie feeding the stingray


Keiya the superstar!

Sweet and Sassy!!

Keiya turned five on April 28th! I seriously cannot believe that my baby is 5! How time flies! I remember her being her cute little baby self like it was yesterday! My parents came to town over the weekend to celebrate. Keiya chose two of her friends to go to Sweet and Sassy and get "pampered". It is pretty much the opposite of something I would have chosen as a child, but she had a great time. It was cute to see them get all dressed up and get their little mini-manis and pedis. I must admit that place was over the top and i don't know if we will ever go back, but it was a fun little celebration! Here are some pictures!

Better

Well things are going a little bit better since the last post. I still feel the same way, but just got more drive to get through it all. There's only a little over 3 weeks of school left so that's gives me a light at the end of the tunnel. I appreciate all the sweet thoughts everyone left. I just keep trying to remind myself of the blessings, not the things that are lacking. Here's some pictures I have taken lately! I am LOVING playing with my new camera!! It is so fun!

TORN.....

I was just reading my dear friend, Nicole's blog and it gave me the courage to be a bit more personal....I love that girl to pieces. We have been friends since I was 11 and my heart and prayers go out to her and her family. She is such an inspiration! I am never too personal on the blog...not sure why, but I am just not, but today I am going to be. I feel so torn in my life. I HAVE to work. Student loans don't magically pay themselves. I wish with all my heart that I could stay home with my little ones. I feel torn between my God-given role as a woman and the role society places on the woman....or should I say the multiple roles that society places on women. It just isn't fair! I just want to raise my kids and be there for all the important things. I know I shouldn't complain too much because I am able to take Niyah to work with me and I took Keiya to work with me until she was in preschool, but I just want to be a stay at home mom. I have been blessed to have so many breaks being a teacher and have a boss that is also one of my dearest friends. She allows me to leave early to be able to pick Keiya up from school so she doesn't have to go in after school care. There are a lot of blessings if I do HAVE to work, but still it isn't what I want. I feel torn because next year I am going to be Vice Principal of a new school that our school owner is building. It is exciting to be able to advance in my career, but unfortunately I would rather advance in my mom career. Our school owner frustrates me to no end. He doesn't value the people who work and sacrifice for his organization. He lets con artists come in and take advantage of him all because they promise him more money. Seriously, he is an example of letting greed get the best of you. The bottom line of the schools is numbers because numbers equal money. Sometimes I get frustrated being a part of an organization that will spend thousands of dollars on marketing and no money on books for the classrooms. There are times when I think that I have made a difference in some students' lives, but at the same time, I think, "At what cost?". With a new school being built, I feel like there are so many empty promises being made and that the new building is nothing but a facade for exploiting kids for the sake of money. At times, I get so angry to be a part of it, but I need a job and I have such flexibility. I am also gaining so much experience and learning so many valuable life lessons, but it is so frustrating. I wish I had money to start my own charter school. I have learned so many things to do and not to do from my experiences. I would love to do that! Who wouldn't want to be their own boss? Life is never what we expect! I just keep trying to see the positive in my situation and truck forward, but it doesn't change that I feel TORN!!!

I'm back!

Well I have been back at work for full 3 weeks now! I was dreading it but it actually hasn't been so bad. Niyah comes to work with me and I can't ask for a better situation when it comes to that! Niyah is growing fast and already weighs 12 1/2 pounds at 2 months! (95th percentile!!) Keiya is such a great big sister and such a helper! I was worried how she would handle all the changes in the past year, but she has done great! Niyah was blessed about 3 weeks ago. My parents came and my dad gave a beautiful blessing. Here are some recent pictures!

Updates!

Time to get back into blogging! Christmas came and went so quickly...it makes me sad how quickly it went by. I thouroughly enjoyed it all! It was extra special to have a new little one around Christmas. What a little angel! We took a trip down to San Diego for Christmas. It was so great to be around family and share Christmas with them. On the 23rd we got together with Harold's dad and stepmom, seriously, other angels! They spoiled our girls!! Keiya knows she is spoiled by Granny and Grandaddy and Niyah will learn with time that they spoil her as well! I feel so completely blessed to have married into such an amazing family. When families blend, there isn't always such bliss, but Keiya has not only is adopted by Harold, but his family as well. It just goes to show that the Lord has really watched over us....Harold is a wonderful father to Keiya and now has more incredible grandparents. We are so blessed! In San Diego, we visited with family and friends. It was great to see Carrie and her husband Chris along with my little neice, Hadley. What a cutie!!!

I am certainly enjoying my time off from work, but it is going too quickly!! Three weeks left before I have to go back!! Boo hoo....why do women have SOOOO many more roles to fulfill than men??? Oh well, I am grateful to have a job though at this point!

2010 should be another great year....I hope to....
-learn Photoshop
-do more crafts
-be more organized
-live in the present
-get a promotion at work
-write books that I have been dreaming about writing
-do more photo books
-learn to balance everything
-lose the baby pounds
-grow closer to Christ
-be more grateful
-become a Yoga instructor
-work on my dreams becoming reality

I wish all of you a wonderful New Year and am excited to follow and see where this year takes you all!! I am very grateful that each of you are a part of my life!!!

Here's some pictures from the holidays!