Tuesday, October 21, 2008

1 year and counting...

Well folks, we made it! Sgt D and I just passed the one year mark in marriage. Yesterday was the official day, but my new quarter of school started last night, so we slipped away last Friday for a romantic weekend in Bellevue, WA (home of Microsoft). We stayed at the Hyatt in downtown Bellevue and we were truly in the heart of the city. Here is a picture of view from our room (we were on the 17th floor).



We got in late on Friday, and had a late dinner at PF Changs. On Saturday, we got up early and walked about a mile to Gilbert's for breakfast. For those of you from San Francisco, it really reminded me of Squat and Gobble, and was absolutely worth the walk. On our way back we stopped at the mall and can I just say it is probably the biggest mall I have ever been to in my life. I mean the Nordstroms had three restaurants in it!!!



Saturday night we went to Daniel's Broiler for dinner and it was probably the best dinner I have ever had in my life. Here is the view from our table on the 21st floor of the Bank of America building.

While we were eating dinner another couple got engaged. We thought that was a good omen, celebrating our one year anniversary and seeing another couple begin their adventure together. At the end of the night another diner was kind enough to take a picture of us, and since we don't have many pictures of us together I was really excited about that!

Here's to many more wonderful and memorable anniversaries to come!

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Victoria, BC

I just got home yesterday from Victoria, British Columbia with my parents. We had a wonderful time. We stayed at an amazing B&B that my mom found name Abbeymoore Manor. It was so beautiful. We stayed in the Primrose and Rose rooms. I sadly was without SGT D this trip, he had to stay home for some Army stuff, but he is definitely going to do his best to make it on the next trip up there.

We went to the Butterfly Gardens, Butchart Gardens, The Royal British Columbia Museum, Government House and the White Heather Tea Room for afternoon tea.


Here are Dad & Mom at Butchart Gardens


Here are mom & I at Butchart...


We had an amazing time, our only regret was that Sgt D couldn't join us. Hopefully next time though!

Wednesday, October 08, 2008

Vacation!!!

This week and next week I am on a two week vacation from school. Although I am substitute teaching for science tomorrow. I still need to make some money...

I have been super busy knitting away. So far I have made a super cute purse for my 7 year old
niece for Christmas and I have finished a pair of socks that I started two years ago.

I also found out my grades today for my first two master's classes and I am proud to say that I have a 4.0 GPA. Heck Yeah!!!

My next blog post will hopefully have pictures of Victoria, Canada, as that is where my parents and I are going next week. So exciting! Sgt. D can't come because of work, but his job is an important one, so he is forgiven.

Other than all that, nothing else new going on here. Same old stuff just a different day.

Friday, October 03, 2008

Math

So a lot of people in my life think I am completely incapable of doing math. I would like all of those people to know that is fundamentally not true. For the record I received all A's and B's in high school, it wasn't until I got to college that math, specifically Calculus, became a struggle and I started to dislike math.

The way math was taught in high school we were essentially trained to be dependent on our fancy Texas Instrument graphing calculators to do all the work, and we never really learned how to solve most math problems by hand. No one told us that when you get to college they take those fancy calculators away and expect you to be able to solve math problems by hand. I have always felt that aspect of my education is where I was truly short changed. I was never prepared for that part of college, and in a way set up for failure. If you have not been given sufficient training on something, no matter how hard you try, you are less likely to be successful at it. (Something I have learned from my Master's in Education classes.)

Well yesterday was a fantastic shot in the arm for my mathematics self-confidence. I substituted for two Algebra classes and one Geometry class and I was able to not only remember how to do the math, but I was able to teach it. That whole if you can't do, teach saying, did NOT apply, because I was able to do as well. It made me feel really proud of myself, and made me feel much better about substituting all subjects rather than sticking with specific ones.