Things I'm Looking Forward To

So I've had some serious senior-itis lately. I'm very ready for school to be out. I love my job, but I'm tired and I just want to hang out with my little guy. Last year I had my first work-free teacher summer; the first few weeks I was very pregnant, and the remaining weeks I had a newborn. So there was very little summer funning. But this year is different. This year I don't have to work AND I have a buddy to play with. AND I have a few super fun things planned. So to get me through the next eight weeks, I'm going to think about all of the things I'm excited about.

1. Knott's Berry Farm (May 8). Every year the top service point earners at my school go on a field trip to Knott's, and there is a lottery for who gets to chaperone. I won! Now, before you laugh and wonder why on Earth I would want to chaperone thirty twelve-year-olds at an amusement park, you should know that I don't actually have to hang out with them--they just have to check in with me a couple of times throughout the day. Score. And last year I went on the seventh grade class trip to Knotts, but I was seven months pregnant and couldn't actually do anything (and was hot and achy and miserable most of the time). So this time I actually get to enjoy the trip.

2. Memorial Day Weekend (May 22-25). Okay, I don't actually have any plans besides getting my eye hives checked. But because I had to schedule an appointment that Friday, I ended up with a four-day weekend. THAT's something to look forward to.

3. Matt's family visits (May 27-31). Matt's mom and step-dad are coming down from Nor Cal for the weekend, and since I just found out I get two personal days a year, we get to spend the whole weekend with them in San Diego and Carlsbad. We'll also be taking Ben to the zoo for the first time. Very exciting.

4. Ben's Dedication (May 30). I've been looking forward to this one since he was born. We missed the last couple, and we just barely got squeezed into this one. We also got the service we wanted, which we weren't going to be able to do. So I'm crazy excited. So save the date: Saturday, May 30 at 6:00pm at Rock Harbor. Be there or be the armpit hair of that lady on Wife Swap a couple of weeks ago.

5. Knott's Berry Farm (June 12). Yep. I get to go AGAIN with all the seventh graders.

6. Fourth of July (July 4). Don't know what we're going to do yet, but it's one of my favorite holidays. I think I want to go up to Arrowhead this year. I haven't been since I went off to college, and I miss it. Or maybe we'll do the beach. I don't know...we'll see.

7. Lake Tahoe (July 6-11). This will be our first major trip with Ben, and we get to be with Matt's family, whom we don't get to see very often. Also, I LOVE playing in the forest and lakes. It's where I grew up, and I miss it loads. So I'm really excited to finally have a vacation where we get to stay in a cabin and be amongst nature. And I'm super excited that Ben will be able to play with his cousins.

8. Ben's first birthday (July 17). That's a whole other blog...maybe even several. Can't believe it's already almost here. :/

9. The OC Fair (July). I LOVE the fair. And this time we'll be doing it with Ben.

10. Matt's and my two year anniversary (August 17). Not sure what we'll be doing...but whatever it is, I love you baby, and I can't wait to celebrate. :)

Other Stuff

11. Going to the Beach. I've lived in the OC for 11 years now, and every year I say "I'm going to go to the beach more," but I never do. This time...look out, Newport, here I come.
12. Swimming lessons with Ben
13. Going to the pool
14. Repainting Ben's bookcase and re-staining our cedar chest.
15. Going to the park
16. Taking walks
17. Reading
18. Spending oodles of time with my boys
19. Hanging out with my girlfriends
20. Not grading papers

So there it is. And I'm sure we'll be adding to this list as we go.

Eight more weeks...