My Trip to the Desert

Well I am back from my trip and it was AMAZING! I was planning on a big post with lots of pictures, but I've found that it's very hard to put my experience into words. I have posted a few pictures, but most of the stories are being kept for me. If anyone has ever visited a place with a culture that is so drastically different from our own, you will understand my difficulty in explaining.
A few things we did on the trip:
-Given the honor of visiting a petroglyph site and attending a Kachina dance ceremony on the Hopi Reservation.
-Lessons on basket weaving and pottery making from a beautiful Hopi woman in her home.
-Home made fry bread!!! I can never eat it at the fair again...
-Spent a day at the Hopi Day School and worked with the kids there- I want to move there the people are so gracious and the kids are incredible.
-Hiked Canyon De Shelly on the Navajo Reservation and saw the White House Ruins that date back to 1100 AD.
-River trip down the San Juan with a Navajo guide who showed us more ruins and explained the geological features that have formed over millions of years.

It was a long 9 days, especially with 8 other girls... but it was such a great experience. If anyone has the chance to visit, I would definitely recommend taking the opportunity.

Celebrations!

This is a post of celebrations. First, yesterday was baby Chavez's birthday! He is two years old. We aren't sure when he was really born, just that it is around this time, so decided to give our Mexican a Cinco de Mayo birthday.

Second, today is my sister-in-law Natalie's birthday. Happy Birthday Nat! I heard that she got to do a lot of everyday mom stuff instead of something exciting, but I hope she had a good day anyway.

Last, congrats to me! I got a 4.0 this semester, and even though it is tacky to toot my own horn, I am really excited that I managed to pull off those A's. Also, I am leaving on Saturday on a school trip to the Navajo/Hopi Reservations for 9 days. A couple of my good friends from school are going as well, it's going to be awesome. Hopefully I will get some good pictures, and remember to post them.

The Ugly Truth About Marriage

My sister warned me that when I got married, I would get fat. I laughed her off and claimed it wouldn't happen to me. HA!!! Go ahead Devin, give me an "I told you so." Not that I was particularly skinny before I got married, but for the most part my curves were in the right places. Now it might be strecthing it to even call them curves..maybe more along the lines of rolls... Many of you who may read this post have no idea what I am talking about, because you are one of those blessed people who are naturally thin and don't have to worry about it. Even some of you with kids... But for anyone who may know where I am coming from, it sucks! I have decided that a little friendly competition will be great for me, so I joined a team at work that is competing in a workplace Biggest Loser competition. They did this last year and several people from my office lost a lot of weight. Leave it to the State, right? Anyway, the contest goes from April 1 to May 28, and the winning team gets a prize. I hope that knowing that 7 other people are depending on me will give me that little extra push... We'll see how it goes. Everyone send me positive skinny thoughts! If only I had Jillian...

My Wish

If I could have one wish, it would be to be able to talk to my dog for one hour. We could resolve so many problems and misunderstandings, and everyone would be happier. Here is a list of things we would talk about.

Sonia:

-Chavez, it's not okay to go to the bathroom in the house, even if you are right by the door.

-It's pretty gross when you sniff other dog's piles of poop.

-Don't be upset when I don't let you lick my face when I've just watched you lick your privates.

-Barking is annoying unless it affects someone's safety.

-I'm never going to let go of the leash and let you get that bird, so don't pull on the leash and cry like someone's killing you everytime you see one, it's embarrassing.

-I'm being serious when I tell you not to eat our socks. It's not secretly a game.

-I don't appreciate it when you want to sleep with your butt in my face, and neither does your dad.

-It's weird when you follow us into the bathroom and stare at us while we pee. Really weird.

-It's ok to be friends with other dogs. They're not all out to get you. You don't have to be a tough guy. After all, you are a chihuahua... I'm not sure tough is in your job description.

Chavez:

-You kiss me too much. I get it, you love me. Geez...

-You go to the bathroom in the house. What's the big deal?

-You know I lick my privates all the time when you're not looking, you should either never let me lick your face or get over it already.

-It's really annoying when you talk to me in a squeaky, baby voice. Mom.

-If you didn't want me to eat the socks, you shouldn't have laughed at me the first time I did it.

-I know that one day you will let go of that leash, especially if I catch you off guard and charge really hard when I see one. I don't know what it means when you say I'm going to pull your arm out of the socket.

-You can't trust anyone!!! I will continue to bark at every dog I see. Except for Harley, I've investigated and he's ok. And Jib, sorry I bit you at Christmas, I'm a better dog now and I hope you'll give me another chance...

-I am a tough guy. Just because I bark like a girl and love my mom a little too much doesn't mean I can't kick some butt. Have you seen my face wrinkles?

-Stop dressing me up. I'm not a doll or a baby. I don't believe you when you say it's to keep me warm.

-I really just love you a lot and don't want you to be mad at me all the time...

So I realize that this will never happen, and I don't actually know what Chavez is thinking(obviously). And for anyone who actually read this post, sorry. Maybe if you have a dog you will understand.

Of all the days...

I know I just posted, but this I wanted to share. Chavez and I were just evacuated from our apartment by a very nice fireman who informed us that there was smoke upstairs that they were investigating, and to please put on a coat and leave the building. Now normally, I would not mind having to talk to a cute fireman and then go outside to look at 10 more while they carry around heavy hoses and look important. However, the neighbor upstairs decided to start a fire in her garbage can on the morning that I have no place to be, am in my sweaty gym clothes still, and have NO makeup on. None. And I have a yappy dog trying to attack said fireman. Don't get me wrong, I know I am a happily married woman with a cute guy of my own, but still it would have been nice if I had at least not smelled like a sweaty gym sock. And looked like one too.

P.S. The firemen were not in fact shirtless, but there were some cute ones.

P.P.S. If for some reason my husband reads this post, I love you and you look better than all of these guys:)

Unexpected Lessons

Beware anyone who may read this lame blog, this post is a tad sentimental. Ok a lot sentimental, but bear with me. I am currently placed in a first grade classroom for two of my methods classes. I never thought that I would want to teach first grade, because I thought it would be like advanced kindergarten, which I'm told it kind of is at the beginning of the year, but the kids now are so amazing. They are so smart and fun and it is great to work with them. My mentor teacher is also incredible, he has a masters in Literacy from the U and it definitely shows with his kids. Anyway, to the sentimental stuff. It is so great to watch these kids interact with each other and with the teacher. They are so full of compassion for each other, I'm suprised everyday with something that one of them will say or do. While there is the standard pulling of hair and throwing balls at each other's faces at recess:), they are so caring! When someone gets an answer right, little voices chirp, "Good job Cecilia! That was a great answer!" etc etc. If someone is hurt, they hug them or rub their back and make sure they are ok. And most impressive, when they say they are sorry, which inevitably happens often when there are 18 six year olds together for 8 hours, I believe they really mean it! I think the thing that I admire most, though, is their ability to say something if they get the urge. They are always telling me that they love my jewelry or that someone's hair looks great. This is true for negative things too, which doesn't always go over well, but all the same I envy the ability to say what they mean! So to wrap this crap up, I went into this thinking that I was going to practice teaching these kids, and they have been teaching me. So if anyone did bother to read this whole dumb post, I guess the point I am trying to make is that we all could learn from the honesty and caring that these kids show to each other. They take their word seriously, and always speak up for what they believe in, even if it is only that someone butted them in the lunch line. I wonder where in the process of growing up this gets lost. If you see someone with great hair, tell them! If you see someone doing something you know is wrong, and it is safe to do so, speak up! Enough from me, next time I'll try to post something interesting to more than just me.

Warning!!!!

Attention everyone, there is a new threat on our streets and in our homes. I'm not sure what exactly they are called, but be on the lookout! They are everywhere! Every night when I go on my walk with my people, I see them everywhere, watching me, waiting for the moment when I let my guard down and they can attack! I am here to give you tips on how to stay safe from these things. First, they only come on at night, when it's dark. They are always high up in the air, so I have to stop, growl, act scared, and then bark frantically at them until my embarrassed parents pull me away. Don't be fooled, they are not only outside. I see one in the bedroom too! The other night I looked up and there was another one, staring down at me. I made sure to bark at that one too. Be aware everyone, these are real threats and it doesn't look like they are going anywhere soon. Don't get caught off guard!