New Movie - Evil Balloons

Over MLK weekend I was able to visit Steve, Steph and the kids and while I was there we decided to film our own superhero movie.  I hope you enjoy it!

Happy New Year

I am optimistic about the new year and what will be in store.  I have given up the idea of resolutions and will be making tiny changes this year.  You can read about it here on my wannabe blog.

Here is a few things I am looking forward to for 2012:

• Started my new blog: The Wannabe
• Visit to Tucson for MLK weekend
• February - WPPI convention--full registration this time!
• April - Trip to Seattle
• July - Trip to China with my nephew Scott

I hope your year is awesome!

Super Adventures

All of my nephews, who I have been visiting in Texas this holiday, received superhero masks for Christmas.  Yesterday, while I was babysitting we decided to make a little movie.

Enjoy our movie magic.

My new project!

For the past two years I have wanted to start a new blog, one that deals with my eternal quest to figure out my life.  I have finally stopped talking about it and decided to take action.

My new site is www.beawannabe.com

Here is the link to my blog post where I look back on 2011.

http://thewannabe.squarespace.com/blog/2011/12/28/looking-back.html

I would love feedback on the site, suggestions for improvement or if you would just make comments.  My goal is to have 1000 readers by the end of 2012 so feel free to share with anyone you like as I build my readership.

Meet my new niece!

I know that it has been forever since I last wrote on my blog.  The past few months have been full of teaching, grading, baking cake pops and more grading.  Other than an eventful hike in Zion's National Park in October and a quick weekend trip to Arizona, I haven't done anything very adventuresome.

This past Christmas break I have spent with Garret and Heidi and I have enjoyed getting to know my new baby niece Aria.  As you can tell by the pictures below, she is gorgeous!

Interesting Find

Periodically, I do a quick google search on myself to see what pops up.  I was pleasantly surprised on the following link:

http://scrappystickyinkymess.wordpress.com/2011/06/13/10-things-that-changed-the-face-of-scrapbooking/

I sometimes forget about my scrapbooking past, but I guess I was an innovator.  If only I had capitalized on  that niche.   My cancer diagnosis came just two months after I found out I won the 2002 Scrapbook Hall of Fame award from Creating Keepsakes. I am just glad that I survived that year.

Now lets see if I can find another way to be an innovator again!

Quick Update

After my return from India I had a busy summer crossing items off my to-do list. I returned home to a family reunion in Idaho and then I decided to stay an additional four weeks to visit my parents. This summer I was able to complete a number of long-standing projects and finish some new ones.

Here are some of the projects I completed:

• Finished picture books of Germany and India
• Designed Paris & Turkey book (2007) - still need to add text
• Finished painting my house (pictures will be forthcoming)
• Finally unpacked and officially "moved in" (I know 8 months later)
• Cooked 2 months worth of lunches for school (various soups)
• Made 12 jars of peach jam
• Reorganized all my electronic files
• Sold a number of items online

The new school year seems to be shaping up well.  My AP students have been very receptive to class discussions and I am excited to see them grow.  In my honors and regular world history class, I am experimenting this year by teaching history backwards. So far the students have liked this system, although they don't like how much work I am making them do.  It has been fun to see all of my old students this year, they keep stopping by to talk and tell me how much they miss my class.

I am the VP of Communications for the Southern Nevada Council for the Social Studies this year.  My job is to maintain the website and write the newsletter.  I have enjoyed being a part of the council.

This fall I am busy studying for the GMAT exam.  My friend Grace (a math teacher at SWCTA) has been helping me study.  It is humbling to discover how much information I have lost since high school. I am also still working on my photography and spending more time painting. I am keeping busy as always.

I will post this weekend, photos of my new place.  I am excited to show off all the hard work.