The top pictures are from our weekends at Trinity. Today I picked up the kids from Vickie's and came home and planted a tree along with another plant which I have spaced the name along the side of our dog kennel. I also transplanted some lilacs that I had in pots into the planters next to our dog kennel. I am planning on doing my cast iron gate trellis's either this weekend or next week. I have to go to Costco and Winco tomorrow after work and after the kids naps so I won't be in the mood after I get home. I may begin them while the kids are napping. I need to probably design the tests that I have to give on Friday but oh well. School went okay today but my class dynamic this session is completely different than my last session. It is hard not to take what the students say personally. I am a confident person but my ultimate goal is to reach and teach each one of them and when that doesn't always work I can't beat myself up. Teaching is a multi-faceted posistion. Well I am going to Willow Creek Thursday night and can't wait for some warmth and the smell of fresh air. Have a great week.

Update

Well, Summer is sailing by and I am enjoying myself. To take everyone back a couple of weeks from my last time I blogged I will begin with our fourth of July. I had the 4th of July off from school but Travis chose to work. Me and Kateri O'Rourke took our kids to the Arcata festival which was on the plaza. It was fogging but the kids had their face painted and we spent a lot of time together. When Travis got home from work he took the kids to a friends house for fireworks while I worked on my lesson plans. We packed up our camp at the lake and last weekend Cole and I were in Monicas wedding. The wedding was beautiful and we had a lot of fun with our friends and family.

Travis is working out of town and needless to say I had a new alarm installed on our house on Thursday. I love knowing that if something were to happen that I would have a back-up. It gives me extra security. Honestly, I am so tired at night I usually hit the pillow and I am out. I took another CSET test this Saturday and then we had a bbq at our house. We had a bonfire and visited with our family. Cole and Carly are getting big and last week I was able to pick Cole up from school and from their grandma's by 12:30 each day. That is a record for me. This week will be busier as I have a load of errands for work and home. I am again in the mood to do some new landscaping projects and I feel a couple changes in the next couple weeks. I have two more weeks of summer school and Vickie and I are taking the kids to the waterslides for two days before I enter my final year at HSU. It begins August 8th!!! Well I will try and blog more frequently. Miss you all.

Summer

The top picture is my kids playing with noodles while I try to get something accomplished. I read somewhere in a baby magazine that kids have fun sticking spaghettie noodles in a strainer well it isn't worth it! It took so long to clean up even with my chefs helping. The other pictures are from our weekend trips to the lake. This past weekend we had a blast and Clay my sister Rachelle's friend came up and it was good visiting with him. Carly is in love with him and for once she would just sit around the fire and stare at the bronzed beauty! Whatever gets her to sit down. It was nice to sleepin and not work on lesson plans. I am trying different ways to make my life easier and I will let you all know how it goes at the end of the week. Cole had fun at the lake and loves fishing. We took the boat out on Saturday and hung out on a beach which the kids love. I took a nap on the tube and actually started a pleasure book. Sunday reality set in. I took Carly to the pool while Travis and Cole went on the boat and just relaxed as she played. We left at 1:00 because Travis had to go to work. It was a quick drive home..... We are going next weekend for our final camping weekends. We have a couple weddings this summer and will spend the rest of our free time in Willow Creek. I hope everyone is having a great week.

Crazyness!

Okay so I am so exhausted I am not even sure I spelled crazyness right!ha. Summer school started on Monday and frankly I have been working my arse off. Literally. I started weight watchers on Monday as well and frankly dieting and creating lesson plans at 4:00am is not the best on your sleep life. Okay enough whining. Thank God for Grandparents because my mom had Carly this week at the lake and Vickie shuttled Cole between her house and preschool. It has made my first week teaching a little more bearable.

So about summer school....The kids are wonderful the subjects are my favorite, world history, world geography and the best U.S. history!!! The prep time I spend preparing for each day is out of this world. I have 16 students from 8-12:30 and must cover one semester in three weeks. They seem to like my teaching style and of course they would say something if they didn't. Overall, college was smooth sailing compared to the real world. I long for my days working at the bank at a desk dealing with crazy customers. I wouldn't go back but hell it was easy.

Next post won't be so tiring............

Much Needed Update

Okay, so I need to give everyone an update... This past Saturday I threw a bridal shower along with the other bridesmaids for my longtime friend Monica Johnson. Monica is marrying Jeff Brock on Saturday July 14th. Cole and I are both in the wedding. The show was a smashing success and was easier than most others because we had it catered. I love the caterer she does a coffee bar along with lemonade and makes wonderful salads. We had other things but these are my favorite.

In family news my mom is going to be the next Superintendent of McKinleyville Union School District. For the past 8 years she has been Supt/Principal of two schools in Fortuna and has commuted daily. Her new posistion will be five minutes from her house and just a Superintendent posisition. I am excited, thrilled, and ecstatic to have her closer. I subbed at her school numerous times last month and her workload is overwhelming. She is a model to women all over the county!!! She will be responsible for Dows Prairie, Morris, and McKinleyville Middle. YEAH!!!

Connor is doing well, and I know I need to post some pics of my own children but just haven't lately. Connor is nursing excellent and is on his babywise schedule. My sister is an awesome mother and is very relaxed especially for her first child. This weekend we are going to the lake and it should be interesting. My parents are going to have their trailer but it is the first time I am going without my fifth-wheel and I have to tent camp. I will be roughing it. Oh well, I am getting ready to teach summer school on Monday and I am fine tuning my lesson plans. I am teaching world history, world geography, u.s. history, govt/econ. Wish Me Luck!!! I will update you all later once I've started. Bye

Projects

Okay, so Travis and I have been working around the yard this spring and we have done little things that are finally starting grow. I love my yard and I love to work in it. I get all giddy when I come up with a new idea and I get even more excited about ripping something out that didn't turn out how I wanted it to, to put something better in it's place. I don't think landscaping has to be perfect, but I think you absolutely have to love it or your're miserable. We have a big yard and when I am having a hard time falling asleep I just think of what I would like to do differently in my yard. A couple of weeks ago I had subbed all day and I was worn out. It was a sunny afternoon and I just weeded the strawberry patches. I felt so much better and I was thrilled that I had been outside. I had put together a garden cart from costco and the kids made a house out of it. I ordered pizza and we had dinner in the driveway. Gardening just makes me relax!!! One of the pictures is of our dog kennel(castle)!ha. It needs a roof, but it can wait. I have been slowing adding plants to the outside of it, and it is really turning out nice. I think my projects will be put on hold for the summer besides one or two spur of the moment projects. I am really into brick right now and would love to make a new spot for our bbq possibly and outdoor kitchen...later. Anyways, I just wanted to post some pics of my roses, strawberries, playground, and oh yeah the dog kennel.

Connor, Connor, and more Connor

These are some more recent pics of Connor to illustrate how beautiful he is!!!!

Busy as Ever....

Okay, I know I need to take more pictures of my new nephew but he is always eating and sleeping. He is beautiful and those top pictures are of him taking a bath in the sink. Janelle and Mikey went to a movie tonight and my mom and I were and are on Connor duty. It is so nice to finally beable to repair my sister and brother-in-law for all those times and there will be more that they watch Cole and Carly. He is currently sleeping and content.

I thought that once school was done I would have sometime to clean my office and have a yard sale but oh no. Ever since HSU has been out I have been subbing and working in my parents' office. I am trying to get my graduation thank you cards out, and stay on top of bills and etc. People have always told me that life after school is the busiest but I didn't believe them..

More good news to keep me busy...Tonight when I got home there was a message from the summer school principal for Northern Humboldt School District that said he wanted to hire me to teach his history classes! I applied for the job in April but I hadn't heard anything so I figured they hired someone else. I really want a break but teaching these courses is the experience I need and will be incredible hands on application. I will take the job but I need to clean my office!!!!! Okay well the last pictures are of Cole playing outside with Carly but none of the ones with Carly were hot so Cole stole the show. Carly was looking for bugs with her head stuck in the ground. Have a wonderful weekend.

Connor Mack Jones, May 25, 2007

Words can not begin to describe the depths of emotion and love that I felt from the moment Tasha pointed out Conner's head coming through the birth canal. I had never expierenced a vaginal delivery and for me this was completely extraordinary. Janelle wasn't due till June 10-15th but her blood pressure rose, and her blood work showed that she her liver was not producing enough enzymes. Her condition is similar to preclampsia but is known as H.E.L.P. It is all complicating and the point is that my nephew was born on Friday May 25th at 11:52 am and he weighed 6 lbs 5 oz and was 20 inches long. He had to have oxygen after delivery due to his cord being wrapped around his neck twice. He was also a little sluggish due to the magnesium that Janelle had to have in order to get her blood palettes back up and her liver enzymes normal. It makes the mother and the baby very very very drowsy. Needless to say he is in rare newborn shape and nursing. I spent the night with them at the hospital last night to help Connor nurse and to support my sister. I am tired but the two hours he slept on my chest were irreplacablable. I love this aunt thing, and finally know what it is to love another besides your own. These pictures aren't the best but he has black hair and is very cute!!!! Look for updates from the rest of his huge family.

Bachelor of Arts, Degree in History

Saturday was my graduation from HSU. Friday before graduation my family and I attended an All Nations Graduation where all Native American students who are active on campus received their sashes. The sashes are to be worn at graduation and they symbolize Native American leadership and role models. The ceremony was extremely emotional but deeply personal. My grandmother awarded me my sash and wrote a wonderful speech.

Saturday morning I graduated at 8:30am and I couldn't sleep the night before and I was ready to go at 5:00am. I got ready for the graduation and Grandma took a picture of Travis and I before he took me to school. I wore a traditional cap instead of the other black whatever its called. After graduation my family and I immediately went to the history reception and I received an award for my senior seminar paper. In all the hustle and bustle we didn't get very many pictures after the reception. Oh well.... I wanted one with Travis and the kids for a Thank You card.

After graduation we all headed back to my house where we had a Party. It was so so so much fun. They were eighty people here and we all laughed and cried and celebrated education. I really hope that I can inspire one person, old or young to continue their education. I felt that I could give up so many times and that it would be fine to work in an office from 8-5 but I didn't accept average. Everyone has a passion and a purpose that will make them happy but they have to work hard to nurture their talents, it isn't going to be an easier pathway. That was a rant...

I am having an okay week. I am glad to be done with school but I have to make some changes to a paper and then it will be ready for the President of HSU and the Barnum trustees. Work is getting busier, and Travis is getting ready to go back to work. Saturday night my mom and me head to Napa for a couple of days and I can't wait. Have a great summer.

Birthday Bash!!!!!

Today was Cole and Carly's birthday party. I am exhausted and right now there are people over watching the Mayweather vs. De la hoya fight. It was a very much birthday. I made the kids a birthday cake that was similar to a cow. My aunt had made a horse cake for my cousin and she made it pound cake. It was delicous and inspired me. I made the cake on Friday and frosted in before the party. It was cute and thank God my sister Janelle helped me with the finishing touches.

We had hamburgers, hotdogs, beans, and macaroni salad. It was all very good, and I am bias. The weather was terrific, a little windy but very nice. Travis said that at one point he counted 27 adults and there was at least 15-20 kids. Our new playground got it use. Vickie saddled up Speck, Heidi's horse because Stumpey Cole and Carly's pony was being uncooperative. All the kids got to ride the horse and after cake and ice cream they even roped the billy goat. Yes, we have all these animals and no we don't have to rent animals. Next weekend is my graduation party and I thank God that it is going to be catered. Cole and Carly are exhausted and they are truly very loved....Thank you to all of our family and friends that bought them wonderful gifts and spent the afternoon with us.

Carly is 2 !!!!

Two years ago today my little girl was born at 1:45pm. I remember the Monday night before my scheduled C-section so clearly, we had dinner at Grandma Lois and Grandpa John's and then I went home to try and sleep. I was nervous but I knew very clearly what a c-section was like.

To make a long story short, Carly was my easy nurser, sleeper, and mellow child until about 6 months when she got mobile. She has had a difficult time realizing that I am the boss...but these past two weeks she has listened wonderfully. I love her hair in pigtails and the way she tells me she wants to kiss my cheeks? I would have another 100 of her anyday (Okay, just one) Happy Birthday Carly Ann Carmesin

Weekend Yardwork

-These pics are of Cole feeding our calves that we have at our house right now.....

Well, this weekend was nice. I had been telling Travis all week that we needed to finish our projects around the yard. We have Cole and Carly's birthday party this weekend and then we have my graduation party the following weekend. I am going to take some pictures of our landscaping to post. This afternoon I finished my senior seminar paper!!!! I am glad to be finished with it. I am also submitting it to a local history contest. It is just for fun since I worked very hard on it. I have one more paper to write and another to finish and then I will be done with my work for the semester. My last day of classes are on Thursday and I can't wait. Cole and Carly have both been really awesome lately.

Friday night, Travis and I took the kids to the Sea Grill for dinner. I wanted to spend some quiet time with Travis but I miss my kids because I have been doing so much school work. They were both good and we had some quality family time. It is nice to have time with just the four of us. It is hard some times because we want to see our extended families..

Janelle had her shower last weekend and of course I forgot my camera. I got sick from abalone the night before her shower and was a little out of sorts. I think she has six more weeks to go. I am jazzed to be an aunt and to see his little face. Cole and Carly are really in to babies and it is going to be interesting to see how they interact with him.

Oh yeah, I got accepted into the credential program at HSU for the fall!!!!! I should be hearing from Sunnybrae Middle School any day. I am excited to graduate but have two very busy weeks. Well, I will keep everyone posted.