Ride Your Bike To Work Month

  ICCU offered an incentive to its employees to ride their bikes to work in the month of May, for National Ride Your Bike To Work Month.  Zach decided to participate, I was not a huge fan in light of the recent fatal bike accidents that have all occurred by our house! Zach did it and arrived to work and home safely every day he participated, he might have rode an insanely longer route to avoid "the scary street" but i was grateful he was willing to for his wife's peace of mind.

The End Of The Road

 After 45 (maybe 47, they can't find the start date lol) years of driving the school bus my Mom is retiring.  From 0-18 the school bus has been a huge part of my life.  To and from school, every field trip and school outing my Mom was there.  I took for granted as a kid how lucky I was my Mom experienced every one of my school adventures with me!  Our week long trip to Yellowstone, countless trips to American Falls for school pictures, Pocatello to the museum, Downetta, Haydens pond, too many to name.  I grew up feeling (and truly believing) my Mom was the safest driver around!  I'm so excited for her to retire and to start her next big adventure!  I love you Mom and I have always been proud to tell people you are The Best Driver there is!  Here is to lots more time for poems, photography, painting and adventures to come!

 The view of our childhoods

Letter of Resignation

Dear Arbon School Board

After many, many,many... years, driving the school bus, the time has come to:

( cue music: ACDC; Highway to... oops wrong song. 

George Strait; This Is Where the Cowboy Rides Away. )

actually retire. I have frequently said, retire just means new tires on the bus. Now after putting over 100,000 miles on 5 different busses, driving braille through blizzards, stopping so kids could watch cranes dance, bald eagles, coyotes, deer, elk, badgers, weasels, hawks, millions of mice, owls...

enjoying beautiful sunrises, sunsets, rainbows and the beautiful valley, it’s time to let someone else enjoy the ride. 

   I have driven field trips to Yellowstone National Park, American Falls dam, the old town, Massacre Rocks, the museum, the zoo, a bakery, pictures. I have learned to ski, sort of. I have cried over dogs, a pet snake, gone through cases of tissues, said, “have a good day,” a million times, and meant it. Watched snotty nosed babies grow into the finest men and women!  

   This job is not for the faint hearted. Keeping a bus on the road, usually, with zero visibility, dodging opening day of deer season road hogs, keeping calm at the sound of a kid loosing lunch, bees dive bombing the kids, refereeing squabbles and watching the road, mirrors and idiots who endanger MY kids. Yes they are all mine when they are on the bus and heaven help anyone who endangers MY kids. 

    Vance and I can’t agree what year we actually started driving the bus. I thought 1972, he says 1969 or 1970.  So at least 45 years. 

   I may not have the most formal education, but I know more than anyone else in the valley, little kids love to talk. Oh, the stories they can tell, their own version of the way it happened. 

   Take time to enjoy the scenery and especially the ones who ride along with you. 

   It’s been a long ride that went by too fast. 

A Girl and Her Dog

  Some days I have a really hard time having a dog, scooping poop, having her in my house but then other days I'm reminded of what a sweetheart she is and how much her and Kiki love each other!  We sure love our Cleo and how patient she is with Keagan.  They played Vet/patient for a hour before Cleo rolled over the other way lol.

Keagan's Kindergarten Graduation

  We cannot believe Keagan is graduating Kindergarten!  She loved her teachers Mrs. Rowe and Mrs. Boyer, her friends, eating in the lunch room....everything!  We were so lucky that so many people were able to come support her.  Grandpa Gary, Grandma Sally, Grandma JoAnn, Grandma Cindi and Aunt Heather!  Keagan was a performer as always, she sang and jigged her little heart out the entire program!  So proud of this little girl, we love you Kiki!

 

 Mrs. Boyer

 This little boy Shamus LOVES Keagan,

he is moving and all he wanted was a good bye hug and picture with her :)

Keagan & Harper

 Mrs. Rowe

 We sure love our Aunt Sissy

 Keagan, Drey (the boy Keagan says she is going to marry someday ;) & Harper

Kabree's Field Trips

  Kabree got to have lots of field trips this year!  One to the Opera at ISU, a Kindness assembly, Peter Rabit at the Reel Theatre, a trip to the Water Department, 3rd grade field day and one to bowling and Brooklynns playground.  When ever possible Kabree wanted one of us to go with her.  She loved everyone and I'm so glad Zach and I were able to go to so many of them with her.

Mother's Day

  We had a great Mother's Day!  Keagan woke me up at 6:45 because she wanted to make sure I woke up to her present lol.  The girls spoiled me with their gifts.  Keagan made me a card and a keychain.  Kabree made me a picture frame with her picture and a coupon book.  Both girls helped Zach make breakfast of eggs and toast.  We enjoyed a nice quite Sunday at home and even spent 1 hour reading...it was heaven!  My heart was so full of gratitude the entire day.  I love my little family so much and they bring me so much joy!
  I'm so grateful for all the wonderful women in my life and my girls lives.  I took a minute yesterday to think about each woman I was thankful for individually and I was so humbled at how many women God has blessed us with in our lives.  My girls have more Grandmas and Aunts then most and they love each of them very much and feel loved by them.

Steam Punk

  Soccer got rained out so we decided to take a run to Idaho Falls to see if we could find some clothes for family pictures.  Heather, Hanna and Justice came too.  Finding clothes for pictures turned out to be a little harder than we thought so our short trip ended up being an all day thing but we did enjoy some Chick Fi La and a visit to the Museum of Idaho.  The exhibit was Steam Punk.  It was pretty much all hands on so the kids loved it!  Hanna said it was her favorite thing ever!  I'm so grateful we had a day off from sports to enjoy some family time and I got to enjoy some Sissy time too!