Busy busy weekend!

Well, a lot has happened since my last post! On Monday Last week we found out that our car was having some major problems...We took it in to have them look at why the heat wasn't working. It didn't take long for a very seemingly small issue to become a HUGE problem. It was the head gasket. Apparently, our car was 1 gallon low on antifreeze and we didn't even know it. Then there was the other issue it was in for, it sounded like the wheels would fall off when we turned. A friend later told me that he knew what it was and they would eventually fall off...CRAP! That meant it was time to make a decision. Do we wait and see if the wheels fall off or the engine block cracks or we could cut our losses and try and trade it in...BIG decision!

We thought about it all week and looked online like crazy! We found a car that we both agreed we liked! It was a 2007 Toyota Yaris Sedan. It had only 63,000 miles on it. They wanted 10,495 and we were able to get it for 7400! It was such a blessing to find something so quickly. We were driving Ty's dad's car and if we couldn't have found a new one quickly, we would have been driving it until we could. Apparently we were driving a car that we didn't know wasn't safe! Now it is going to be cheaper to drive home with this puppy getting 39 mpg on the highway!

Not the actual car, but you get the idea!

With that taken care of at the beginning of the weekend, we were able to go to see Carter and Jack's last soccer games, go to the Bent and Dent and have dinner with Hannah and Matt Riley on Saturday! We had a blast just chatting the night away at the Olive Garden. Its always fun to hangout with friends.

Sunday was a quieter day, hanging out with family and watching the Packers losing in overtime. Ty was overjoyed to see the Vikings squeeze out a win while the Bears and the Packers lost. While he and Brooke watched football, Hannah and I took Annie to Aldi's and Walmart. Yay for our fun shopping Sunday! Annie was an angel at the store. After I dropped her off with Brooke I headed off for a little quality mom time. It was fun to see everyone! 

Alright, after a long winded post, I am going to get back to work! Hope everyone else had as great a weekend as we did! Now its back to work! 

Spanish Phrase of the Day

Manos a la obra

Translation: Get to work

Literal translation: Hands to the work

Where has the week gone!?

WOW! Its Wednesday already and I can't believe it. What happened? Yesterday I spent about three hours in Special Education classrooms helping students with homework. The first thing I did was work with a student with Aspergers. I helped him with his algebra homework. I realized just how much math I have really forgotten. Then I went to a different classroom and read a test to a Hispanic student. That was cool, I was able to speak with him a little in Spanish. At the end of the school day I read the Cask of Amontillado to a group of 10th graders. After all of that, I was ready to be home and relax. Yesterday we finally got our passports in the mail so we can officially go to Mexico!

Speaking of Mexico...we have begun classes every other Tuesday night where we are learning History, Culture, and about the many places we will visit. In my next few posts I will let you in on where we will be going and give you some idea about what we will be seeing when we are there! Our first stop....Mexico City, Mexico for 4-5 days!

When we are in Mexico City this is where we will be staying

When we are there we will see all sorts of fun cultural things here are a few pictures of where we will go.

This is the Pyramid of the Sun, an Aztec Pyramid that we will climb to the top of

This is called La Plaza de Tres Culturas ancient Aztec ruins in the middle of the city

Basilica de Guadalupe

We will also Visit the Anthropology Museum in Mexico City

There is SO much more that we will see, so I will let some of that be posted when we have been there and we can tell you how we liked it! 

Spanish Phrase of the Day

Cuando menos se piensa, salta la liebre

Translation:Good things happen when you least expect them

Literal translation:when it is least expected, the hare jumps out

A Weekend in River Falls

This was one of our first weekends where we did not come home at all. It was a time we needed to just relax. We were still able to see family and friends, but we were also able to be home and get things done. I haven't posted for awhile, so here is what we were up to since Friday....

On Friday after class we made our way to Woodbury and bought Leslie's (Tyler's mom for those who don't know) early birthday present. Then we headed back to Hudson for a good meal at a friend's house. Jared and  Alyse were friends of mine from when I had come to River Falls as a freshman and were just married this summer. They invited us to their home for some GREAT homemade chile and delicious elk turds (for those who do not know what they are, its like monkey bread...not really turds ;). It was a great evening to chat and reminisce of all the times we had been together at River Falls and talk about all the things we loved (or what our spouses did that drove us crazy) about being married. 

In the morning it was time to get up and get moving. We were off the Pleasant Valley Pumpkin  Patch where we met Regan, Carter, Jack, Treyton, Brooke, Annie, Leslie and for a brief time Jeff while he dropped off his car for us to use while ours was getting fixed (thanks Jeff!). We quickly realized how expensive this place had become so Ty went to play with Carter and Jack while the rest of us looked in the shop and at the Pumpkins.

She wouldn't stop pushing the wagon...My shins may be a little bruised today

Happy Pretty Girl!

Happy Cousins Sitting in the Wagon!

I love Wagons!

Here they are playing so nicely...

It didn't last long!

Jack is loving the bouncy toys!

Cousins playing so nicely! Too much sugar today I think!

 After a trip to Culver's, it was time for homework, supper and then bedtime. Sunday was cleaning morning and watching the Packers lose in overtime. The we were off the the Cities and the Cheesecake Factory to see Tay and Jason.

We had a great meal and even better dessert. Tiramisu cheesecake is AMAZING! We sold some of Ty's books at Half price books and received about half of what they were worth. After that we went our separate ways and headed to bed early! WOW! Long post! Hope it wasn't too boring. I guess that's what happens when I don't get around to posting.

Spanish Phrase of the Day 

Te extrañamos

Translation: We miss you

Busy Busy Week

This week has flown by. Its already Thursday and I feel like I have done a horrible job updating the blog. We have been busy with class and are looking forward to the weekend here in River Falls. We decided its going to be a crazy month of October and we will be in Chippewa almost every weekend for one thing or another and decided that this weekend we were going to rest up and do some homework. Its sad that we won't see some of the familiar faces on Sunday, but we are excited for the time to get caught up on homework. I will try to update more often. Well...its off to Night class! Yippy! (not really)

Spanish Phrase of the day

Gau, Gau

Translation: woof woof

Even dogs speak Spanish

Miercoles!!! Feliz Cumpleaños!

Today is miercoles! In Spanish that's Wednesday. It has been and will be a long day. Today, I was up and moving at 6 am, to some that's not too early, but to me that is ridiculous. I had to observe in a Special Education classroom for 4 hours. It was a good time, but I was ready to leave when it was time. I have to go back for 6 more hours and then I will be all done. Then I have class at 2pm and again from 5-7:30pm. I am exhausted just thinking about it. 

In other news, Ty is THRILLED to see that the Vikings have once again signed Randy Moss. He couldn't bare the excitement, it was almost the first thing he said to me when I called him after observing. He is hoping with Brett Farve throwing to Moss, his fantasy football may be looking up. 

Today is also very special because it is Taylor's Birthday! HAPPY 21st Birthday sister! You are so loved! Hope its a great day!!

Spanish Phrase of the day:

Feliz Cumpleaños!

Translation: Happy birthday  

Back to work

What a great weekend. Apple orchards, family movie night at McDaniel's, and a great dinner with Hannah and Matt (thanks for opening your house) and Heather and Spencer (thanks for the great conversations). We couldn't help but enjoy the weekend, but it's Monday and time for class, homework, group projects, and tests. All we can do is look forward to seeing friends and family again soon. This week will be interesting, tonight we are going to pick up Leslie's birthday present and sell all the books that are cluttering my trunk. After that I will be coming home to work on a project while Ty watches the Monday Night Football game and anticipates the outcome of Fantasy Football. Tuesday will be a full day of class and after we have a little break, we are off to another wonderful meeting about our trip to Mexico! What a great time, learning about the history of the Independence of Mexico. I will likely enjoy it more than Ty, but I hope he can get excited about it too. Well, that's all for today. I am sorry its so boring, but not much is going on right now. Hope everyone is having a good Monday!

Spanish Phrase of the Day:

Cuesta un ojo de la cara

Literal translation: It costs the eye on my face

Similar to: It costs an arm and a leg

Here is a visual for you!

If there are any phrases you want to know, please comment. I would love to make this feature useful. So far, i am just finding ones that I am learning in classes. I would be happy to translate things you want to know!

Finally, Friday!

This week has been a long week filled with late night classes, homework and studying for tests and quizzes. Friday could not come soon enough! This week I received my  placement for classrooms to observe in, and by the end of the semester I will have completed 35 hours. This week was also the start of a project for my education class called Gear Up Get Ready. 

This is a program that brings seventh grade students to the University who come from a very diverse area. We create a lesson plan and use the whole campus to teach the students. There are 9 people in a group and each person must include their content area. This is a project that is bigger than anything I have ever taken on and I am the group leader. This means that I am responsible for the planning and success of our lesson. No pressure, none at all...(sense the sarcasm).

All in all, I have set up one meeting to observe in Baldwin at the high school in a Special Education classroom on Wednesday, planned the preliminary components of our lesson plan, and am trying to work on getting ready for a trip to Mexico! We are looking forward to coming home and relaxing a little before things get too crazy next week. Can't wait to see you all in Chippewa. 

Spanish phrase of the day: Gracias hoy es viernes! 

Translated: Thank goodness its Friday!