Can I get a John Denver song, please!!

I do just have to start off by saying that the last three months have been a lot of fun out here. I tend to bring people together for good times. Someone made the comment that next year the gang might not make the effort. I hope they do, it gets really mundane without laughing so hard you puke. True story.

I have made it through my first year of teaching!!!! The next eight days are just for looks. My team of teachers have already finished half the paperwork we need to finished before the last day :) I am an hour away from having my grades completed for the year. I have to say that finishing strong is kind of hard. The kids are getting on my last nerve!!! Next week the schedule starts to get screwy, some classes are going on field trips and a half a day on Wednesday for the graduation. My classroom will be emptied of my things this weekend, and I will have it cleaned by the following weekend. When the last day comes I just want to walk out.

I figured out the plan on the way home, and I will try and relax. My mother was very thoughtful in her offer of road tripping back together. I am thinking I will hit Teddy Roosevelt National Park for camping, some hiking and horse back riding. It looks like beautiful country and it touches the Painted Mountains(?). I will pull into town during the first couple days of June. Should be interesting.

So, I have said one or two things about my roommate Rob. We have a blast together, but are SO different. Last night we went to grab a couple things from Walmart - he thought I was kidding when I told him I had been inside that store only once. I told him that I came from the amazing state that brought the world Target!!!! After going through every isle looking for food our cart was full of.....frozen fruit, pre-made hamburgers, cake mix and the Heineken Party Keg. We could not stop laughing, it just looked funny. Tonight I am going to bust out a double batch of cookies for the coworkers. Last time they were all gone in 20 minutes. Something about being a teacher and free food.

Tomorrow the school is having a dodge ball tournament after school. There are 19 teams, crazy right? I put a team of male teachers together - we play at the end. The kids want to pound us :) If only they still played with the red playground balls, remember those?? Now they use these smaller, lighter balls which could throw my shoulder out if I bring the heat. Rob and I are working plays out this evening - like throwing the grenade and when the kid looks up another guy hits him. Good times. We will probably let them win, still not clear on that yet.

Well, this is it from Idaho. I hope you all got a couple laughs over the last couple months. Might think about taking the summer off, and starting up again in August - where ever I end up. I still feel really good about the choice to not come back to Idaho. I will miss the friends that I have made. If I do not get a job in the fall I might just have to come back and sub for a couple days - now that would be funny.

This summer is going to be a LOT of fun. I would write more about the events happening leading up to the summer BUT I am not sure I can do that....let us just agree that after being away from Minnesota for nine months that this guy is ready/due for a LEGENDARY summer.

:)
Peace