For the first time since Justin and I went to Canada with his parents in 2005, we actually took a vacation this summer. Not a trip to Redding or a short weekend in Vegas or Humboldt or anything holiday related. Nope, this was an honest-to-god, real vacation.
Yup, we went to Disneyland.
When Justin first suggested it this Spring, I thought he was crazy. (This is my typical reaction to his ideas sadly.) He used to take his students there every year, and he loved it. (20 8th graders for a week...see why I doubt his sanity?)
But we looked into it, and eventually I got on board the Disneyland-crazy train. The trip was not that expensive. I mean, we didn't go on the cheap. We stayed at the resort and got tickets for four days. But again, it has been FIVE years since we had a vacation. And this summer was going to be the best time for a vacation. Em is four. We don't have another little one. And neither Justin or I are working summer school. Plus, my mom agreed to go.
So we booked the trip and waited impatiently for the end of the school year, the end of my master's program, etc. Right before our vacation something wonderful/awful/strange happened. I got not one, but two vice principal interviews. Right.Smack.Dab.In.The.Middle.Of.Our.Vacation. Of course.
After a few tears (alright, a lot of tears) and whining about it being "not fair", Justin helped me grow a pair and get over myself. I asked if I could have a phone interview for high school, which was granted, and I arranged to fly in for middle school. Problem solved.
On Monday, we left at the butt-crack of dawn and drove from Elk Grove to Anaheim in six hours. (By we, I mean my husband drove. I sat in the back and watched Cars and Barbie Musketeers. I feel I contributed.)
We arrived at Disneyland at 2, and after some hotel-room debacles, we headed out to lunch (STARVING), and the park. I have to admit, that first day was pretty magical. I wasn't sure how Em would do on rides (we had a slightly traumatic experience on a fish ride at Funderland.) But Em loves rides, especially carousels and Dumbo. That girl could not get enough of Dumbo. Adorable. We went on It's a Small World, which brought back positive childhood memories of my first trip to Disneyland. And that night, Justin and I got to go out for drinks. Sweet!
Tuesday was my one full day, so we made the most of it. We took in the tea cups, Alice in Wonderland, Pirates of the Caribbean (well, mom and Justin did that one...Em not so much), and Winnie the Pooh. We headed back to the hotel for some pool time (Pro--poolside drinks. Awesome. Con--15 minute pool shut down cuz some kid pooped in the pool. Not awesome.) After pizza, we headed back to the park for Dumbo (told ya she loved it.) Em was pretty done at that point. So my mom and I went on Space Mountain and Pirates.
Wednesday was a weird day. It started with my phone interview for high school vice principal, which was a pretty awful experience. I felt very rambling and it was weird not knowing who the 12 people were in the room. Ugh. (I was later told that I did better than I thought I did, but that is another post.) Afterward, with my heart still thumping, we headed to California Adventure. We had made reservations for a princess lunch at Ariel's Grotto. Totally worth it. Em was enraptured. It was very adorable.
Wednesday afternoon I left for Sacramento, and Justin, my mom, and Em stayed for one more day in DL while I took care of some interview business (again, a story for another day.)
Now we are home and returning back to normal. It was a wonderful trip, but the best part of all was how much Em loved it. She had a great time, and it brings tears to my eyes to realize how grown up she is. We had a very special time with our little girl.
Showing posts with label vacation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label vacation. Show all posts
Sunday, June 27, 2010
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Vacation--Moeckli Style
Well, it is just 10:00 am and I am the only one up. Both my husband and three-year old are still sleeping.
Yes, we Moeckli's know how to relax.
This week so far has been a combo of relaxing and organizing. We got home from 29 Palms on Sunday to a mostly clean house, but then we had all the fun unpacking/laundry to do. Coming home from a trip is always onerous, but it's especially so when you have to sort and put away Christmas presents. However, we somehow managed to go to Target that evening. But we got pizza. Surprise!
Monday we slept in super late, which was nice. Justin and I attempted to go to work, which was a resounding FAIL on both accounts. Justin couldn't even get into his classroom, so he drove to Stockton for nothing. And I brought Em, who had both a poo and a pee accident. Nice. The day wasn't a total loss, as Em and I went out together for a mommy/daughter lunch.
Yesterday we took Em to see Princess and the Frog. I'm not entirely sure if she is ready for movies. She seemed to like most of it, and she definitely liked the popcorn, but she got really upset when a character got hurt. Yeah, it might be awhile til we see the next one. Plus, it's dang expensive. We had a gift card, but still, ouch. I saw huge families at the movie, and I don't know how they could afford it.
We finished off yesterday by organizing Em's toys. We bought her a new shelf with buckets and we categorized her stuff. This is part of my new effort to teach her how to clean up after herself. Talk about the blind leading the blind. :)
Today we are going to hang out with some friends. As soon as I'm done with this, I will hop in the shower and then head to the store. I am in the mood to bake. Uh-oh.
Yes, we Moeckli's know how to relax.
This week so far has been a combo of relaxing and organizing. We got home from 29 Palms on Sunday to a mostly clean house, but then we had all the fun unpacking/laundry to do. Coming home from a trip is always onerous, but it's especially so when you have to sort and put away Christmas presents. However, we somehow managed to go to Target that evening. But we got pizza. Surprise!
Monday we slept in super late, which was nice. Justin and I attempted to go to work, which was a resounding FAIL on both accounts. Justin couldn't even get into his classroom, so he drove to Stockton for nothing. And I brought Em, who had both a poo and a pee accident. Nice. The day wasn't a total loss, as Em and I went out together for a mommy/daughter lunch.
Yesterday we took Em to see Princess and the Frog. I'm not entirely sure if she is ready for movies. She seemed to like most of it, and she definitely liked the popcorn, but she got really upset when a character got hurt. Yeah, it might be awhile til we see the next one. Plus, it's dang expensive. We had a gift card, but still, ouch. I saw huge families at the movie, and I don't know how they could afford it.
We finished off yesterday by organizing Em's toys. We bought her a new shelf with buckets and we categorized her stuff. This is part of my new effort to teach her how to clean up after herself. Talk about the blind leading the blind. :)
Today we are going to hang out with some friends. As soon as I'm done with this, I will hop in the shower and then head to the store. I am in the mood to bake. Uh-oh.
Monday, April 13, 2009
At Long Last--My Spring Vacation
It felt like a long time coming, but I finally had my spring vacation last week. While I was not super excited to get back to work today, I did feel more relaxed and less snappish. (Truth be told, it is motivating to know I have three minimum days next week because of STAR testing.)
Last week included some highly diverse activities. Some slightly unnerving. Some tiring. All highly enjoyable.
Vacation, Part I
After a SUPER relaxing start to my weekend, which included a long nap and dinner out with my family, Em and I headed to Redding for our "just girls" portion of the week. My sister-in-law just had my nephew, so we headed up to lend a hand and give my 2 year old niece a much needed companion.
At first it felt a little odd to be in Redding without my husband. My niece had a bad cold and really only had eyes for her mom. I felt that I wasn't going to be a ton of help.
Monday rolled around and I gained a little confidence. I took both girls to the park, and they did great. I ran them ragged by chasing them through the park in a large loop. (By the way, running around a park for 45 minutes with two toddlers is fantastic exercise.)
We got back to the house, and I shocked the heck out of myself. While my sister-in-law went to a doctor's appointment, I watched all three kids. Now, yes it was naptime, but this is an accomplishment for me. The only toddler I've ever really been responsible for is my own daughter. I handle teenagers great, but little ones give me pause. (Turns out they are more similiar than one would like to know.)
Tuesday included a new first. All three kids and Summer and I piled into the car for story time at the library. Things went smoothly, but both us moms were pretty excited when nap time rolled around.
The rest of the visit went smoothly, but everyone seemed a bit frayed (girls included) by the end of the week. My in-laws all caught Elizabeth's cold, and everyone was dragging by Thursday. It was a great time, but Em was thrilled to be heading back home to see Daddy.
Vacation, Part 2
Unfortunately, Em only got a couple hours with Justin before he had to head to class. She and I tried to find an Easter dress that she wouldn't totally reject (we were only somewhat successful.)
Later, after a much-needed break watching Cars, my dad came over with his girlfriend to pick up Em for the weekend. I knew everything would be great, but it was sad to send her off. However, Justin and I had plenty to do to get ready for Vegas.
The next morning, I actually woke up and did my make up and blow dried my hair. This is huge for me. I typically spend no more than 10 minutes getting ready, shower included.
Justin and I headed to Vegas, enjoyed an uneventful flight together, and actually engaged in adult conversation (keep it clean, people; it was about teaching!) We met my mom and my sister's mother-in-law at the airport. My sister and brother-in-law joined us later at the Trump.
We had a great room. The Trump is right off the strip, within reasonable walking distance, and the rooms are nicely appointed. My favorite was the HUGE bath with jets. Took two baths. Yes, I did. It was awesome.
The highlight of the trip was going dancing with the entire group. My mom doesn't drink, but she boogied with us until 3 in the morning as the rest of us acted a fool. It was a really fun night, which we paid for a bit in the morning. (Hey, that's what "hair of the dog is for!")
The next day, my sister arranged for a 30-year-old-themed scavenger hunt and decorated my room with 80's/90's memorabilia. It was totally sweet! And the hunt gave us things to do as we waited for food and walked around Vegas.
Saturday night was a little more subdued, but we still had a great time. We went out for a nice dinner at Diego's in the MGM Grand (I highly recommend, by the way.) And Sunday, Justin and I said our good byes and made our way back to Sac.
I really missed Em by the end of the weekend, but it was great to have so much time with my husband. It'll be awhile, I imagine, before our next trip, so I'm glad I had such a great time.
Whoo-hoo! I'm 30! :)
Last week included some highly diverse activities. Some slightly unnerving. Some tiring. All highly enjoyable.
Vacation, Part I
After a SUPER relaxing start to my weekend, which included a long nap and dinner out with my family, Em and I headed to Redding for our "just girls" portion of the week. My sister-in-law just had my nephew, so we headed up to lend a hand and give my 2 year old niece a much needed companion.
At first it felt a little odd to be in Redding without my husband. My niece had a bad cold and really only had eyes for her mom. I felt that I wasn't going to be a ton of help.
Monday rolled around and I gained a little confidence. I took both girls to the park, and they did great. I ran them ragged by chasing them through the park in a large loop. (By the way, running around a park for 45 minutes with two toddlers is fantastic exercise.)
We got back to the house, and I shocked the heck out of myself. While my sister-in-law went to a doctor's appointment, I watched all three kids. Now, yes it was naptime, but this is an accomplishment for me. The only toddler I've ever really been responsible for is my own daughter. I handle teenagers great, but little ones give me pause. (Turns out they are more similiar than one would like to know.)
Tuesday included a new first. All three kids and Summer and I piled into the car for story time at the library. Things went smoothly, but both us moms were pretty excited when nap time rolled around.
The rest of the visit went smoothly, but everyone seemed a bit frayed (girls included) by the end of the week. My in-laws all caught Elizabeth's cold, and everyone was dragging by Thursday. It was a great time, but Em was thrilled to be heading back home to see Daddy.
Vacation, Part 2
Unfortunately, Em only got a couple hours with Justin before he had to head to class. She and I tried to find an Easter dress that she wouldn't totally reject (we were only somewhat successful.)
Later, after a much-needed break watching Cars, my dad came over with his girlfriend to pick up Em for the weekend. I knew everything would be great, but it was sad to send her off. However, Justin and I had plenty to do to get ready for Vegas.
The next morning, I actually woke up and did my make up and blow dried my hair. This is huge for me. I typically spend no more than 10 minutes getting ready, shower included.
Justin and I headed to Vegas, enjoyed an uneventful flight together, and actually engaged in adult conversation (keep it clean, people; it was about teaching!) We met my mom and my sister's mother-in-law at the airport. My sister and brother-in-law joined us later at the Trump.
We had a great room. The Trump is right off the strip, within reasonable walking distance, and the rooms are nicely appointed. My favorite was the HUGE bath with jets. Took two baths. Yes, I did. It was awesome.
The highlight of the trip was going dancing with the entire group. My mom doesn't drink, but she boogied with us until 3 in the morning as the rest of us acted a fool. It was a really fun night, which we paid for a bit in the morning. (Hey, that's what "hair of the dog is for!")
The next day, my sister arranged for a 30-year-old-themed scavenger hunt and decorated my room with 80's/90's memorabilia. It was totally sweet! And the hunt gave us things to do as we waited for food and walked around Vegas.
Saturday night was a little more subdued, but we still had a great time. We went out for a nice dinner at Diego's in the MGM Grand (I highly recommend, by the way.) And Sunday, Justin and I said our good byes and made our way back to Sac.
I really missed Em by the end of the weekend, but it was great to have so much time with my husband. It'll be awhile, I imagine, before our next trip, so I'm glad I had such a great time.
Whoo-hoo! I'm 30! :)
Friday, January 2, 2009
The Gift I've Waited All Year For
Well, not all year. But I have waited since August to give myself this particular Christmas gift--TIME. That was my gift to myself this holiday vacation, and it's been wonderful.
As a teacher, I get two weeks off right around Christmas. I am very grateful for this time, as I know many people do not enjoy such a luxurious holiday vacation. (Seriously, vacation time was a big consideration of mine when I became a teacher. May sound silly, but my other option was to be a technical writer--hello, no vacation until I worked my way out of the trenches. No thanks.)
This year it was my husband's family's turn for Christmas, so we headed to Redding last week. After a nice, long visit, we came home this past Sunday. And there we have stayed. There were no day trips, visits to the Bay Area, or anything else of that nature. And it was lovely.
Here were some of the highlights, things I was able to "accomplish", things I never would have been able to do if I was running all over Kingdom Come:
* Wore my pajamas at least until 10 am every day (yesterday I wore them until 3 pm)
* Drank beer and scrap booked with a friend in the afternoon, on a Tuesday
* Played with every toy my daughter got for Christmas (with her, of course)
* Stayed up late reading, playing video games, and watching action movies
* Exercised three hours this week (on target to reach my goal of five hours this week)
* Had actual conversations with my husband (What?! It is a Christmas miracle)
This weekend my vacation comes to a close. I have papers to grade, and a whirl-wind of a work week to look forward to. So far, I have a dentist appointment for Em and one for myself, class on Wednesday night and all day Saturday, and a 130 essays to grade next week.
But I had a wonderful vacation. And I will hold the memories of it close to my heart, no matter how distant they may feel in the next couple months. :)
As a teacher, I get two weeks off right around Christmas. I am very grateful for this time, as I know many people do not enjoy such a luxurious holiday vacation. (Seriously, vacation time was a big consideration of mine when I became a teacher. May sound silly, but my other option was to be a technical writer--hello, no vacation until I worked my way out of the trenches. No thanks.)
This year it was my husband's family's turn for Christmas, so we headed to Redding last week. After a nice, long visit, we came home this past Sunday. And there we have stayed. There were no day trips, visits to the Bay Area, or anything else of that nature. And it was lovely.
Here were some of the highlights, things I was able to "accomplish", things I never would have been able to do if I was running all over Kingdom Come:
* Wore my pajamas at least until 10 am every day (yesterday I wore them until 3 pm)
* Drank beer and scrap booked with a friend in the afternoon, on a Tuesday
* Played with every toy my daughter got for Christmas (with her, of course)
* Stayed up late reading, playing video games, and watching action movies
* Exercised three hours this week (on target to reach my goal of five hours this week)
* Had actual conversations with my husband (What?! It is a Christmas miracle)
This weekend my vacation comes to a close. I have papers to grade, and a whirl-wind of a work week to look forward to. So far, I have a dentist appointment for Em and one for myself, class on Wednesday night and all day Saturday, and a 130 essays to grade next week.
But I had a wonderful vacation. And I will hold the memories of it close to my heart, no matter how distant they may feel in the next couple months. :)
Monday, December 29, 2008
It's my HOUSE, Stella and Ripley!
Stella and Ripley are not the names of my children (thank goodness right? that'd be a little movie obsessive.)
No, they are my cats.
Stella, who's about 8 years old, is a beautiful Russian Blue mixed with Siamese. She is beautiful, but psychotic. Absolutely. She will cuddle with you one moment and turn into viper kitty the next. She's actually mellowed with age, but lately she has been driving me crazy.
How, you say, is this cat so maddening? Well, she demonstrates her anger via urination. Litter box dirty--let's pee on the bed. Daddy not being attentive--let's pee in his drawer. Family gone for five days--let's pee on the bed, in the kid's crib, and pretty much anywhere else we can.
I hate her.
Then, there's Ripley. Typically, I feel sorry for Ripley. She's quite large, 20 pounds approximately. I've taken her to the vet, but they couldn't find anything wrong except...get this....she's FAT. (That was a good 500 dollars wasted.) She doesn't eat much during the day, but she just cannot seem to lose weight. Therefore, she can't clean herself.
Eww.
We leave a mat for Ripley by her litter box, and she takes care of her...um, business. But not this week. No, she jumped on the angry train with Stella and wiped herself all over our carpet. All over our house.
I hate both of them.
For those who do not have pets, this all seems very gross, I'm sure. Good. Don't get pets. They're icky.
Stella and Rip are enjoying the lovely weather outside. Once the weather turns, they will enjoy our lovely, spacious garage. I'm sure I'll let them in soon. But not unsupervised.
I do not enjoy.
No, they are my cats.
Stella, who's about 8 years old, is a beautiful Russian Blue mixed with Siamese. She is beautiful, but psychotic. Absolutely. She will cuddle with you one moment and turn into viper kitty the next. She's actually mellowed with age, but lately she has been driving me crazy.
How, you say, is this cat so maddening? Well, she demonstrates her anger via urination. Litter box dirty--let's pee on the bed. Daddy not being attentive--let's pee in his drawer. Family gone for five days--let's pee on the bed, in the kid's crib, and pretty much anywhere else we can.
I hate her.
Then, there's Ripley. Typically, I feel sorry for Ripley. She's quite large, 20 pounds approximately. I've taken her to the vet, but they couldn't find anything wrong except...get this....she's FAT. (That was a good 500 dollars wasted.) She doesn't eat much during the day, but she just cannot seem to lose weight. Therefore, she can't clean herself.
Eww.
We leave a mat for Ripley by her litter box, and she takes care of her...um, business. But not this week. No, she jumped on the angry train with Stella and wiped herself all over our carpet. All over our house.
I hate both of them.
For those who do not have pets, this all seems very gross, I'm sure. Good. Don't get pets. They're icky.
Stella and Rip are enjoying the lovely weather outside. Once the weather turns, they will enjoy our lovely, spacious garage. I'm sure I'll let them in soon. But not unsupervised.
I do not enjoy.
Friday, July 25, 2008
How Sweet It Is...
Today is a lovely day. There are many reasons for this.
Firstly, today was my last, blessed, day of summer school. For the past six weeks, I have dragged my sorry butt out of bed and taught the same 30 kids for six hours each day. It has actually been very pleasant. The kids were mostly (there were a couple sugar boogers out there) good. And I met some kids I will remember for a long time.
Also, today I got some special mommy/daughter time with my girl. Justin and Jerome, his friend from France, left to go camping for a couple days. I have some fun things planned for just the two of us. We're meeting some friends tomorrow for coffee in the morning. Later in the day, I'd like to do some crafts with Em, but I'm open to whatever the day offers us. The freedom is intoxicating.
Luckily, I have two weeks off before I need to really think about the upcoming (yikes) school year and starting grad school (double yikes.) I really don't want to do much. I'd like to just run, hang out in my new home, and take some day trips with my family. And heck, maybe a nap or two!
The end of August will be here sooner than I'd like, but I'm really excited to have some time at home. I could use some quiet and some time away from "Ms Harrell! Ms Harrell!"
Firstly, today was my last, blessed, day of summer school. For the past six weeks, I have dragged my sorry butt out of bed and taught the same 30 kids for six hours each day. It has actually been very pleasant. The kids were mostly (there were a couple sugar boogers out there) good. And I met some kids I will remember for a long time.
Also, today I got some special mommy/daughter time with my girl. Justin and Jerome, his friend from France, left to go camping for a couple days. I have some fun things planned for just the two of us. We're meeting some friends tomorrow for coffee in the morning. Later in the day, I'd like to do some crafts with Em, but I'm open to whatever the day offers us. The freedom is intoxicating.
Luckily, I have two weeks off before I need to really think about the upcoming (yikes) school year and starting grad school (double yikes.) I really don't want to do much. I'd like to just run, hang out in my new home, and take some day trips with my family. And heck, maybe a nap or two!
The end of August will be here sooner than I'd like, but I'm really excited to have some time at home. I could use some quiet and some time away from "Ms Harrell! Ms Harrell!"
Thursday, March 20, 2008
Winding down
My spring break is coming to a close, but rather than feel badly about it, I will revel in all the personal things I accomplished.
On Monday, I took care of much-needed applications. Tuesday, we tried to go to the library, but it was closed. Instead my daughter and I dyed Easter Eggs. (Well, I dyed and she tried to lick them, but whatever.)
Yesterday, I made a TON of sugar cookies and frosted them fun spring colors. The house completely smells of strawberry frosting and it's wonderful. Em keeps swiping cookies off the table, so that's an issue (the girl's got wicked long arms.)
Today I'm going back to my old school to visit. I haven't seen a lot of my friends since last June, so it'll be great to stop by. I'm taking Em so she can see where mommy used to work.
Tomorrow we'll head to Redding for a big Easter egg hunt at my mother-in-laws. I'm so excited to dress Em in her little Easter dress. It's yellow with polka dots and it's adorable.
Amazingly, I feel well rested and almost ready to go back to work. Well, not really. But if I keep telling myself that, I'll feel it eventually, right?
On Monday, I took care of much-needed applications. Tuesday, we tried to go to the library, but it was closed. Instead my daughter and I dyed Easter Eggs. (Well, I dyed and she tried to lick them, but whatever.)
Yesterday, I made a TON of sugar cookies and frosted them fun spring colors. The house completely smells of strawberry frosting and it's wonderful. Em keeps swiping cookies off the table, so that's an issue (the girl's got wicked long arms.)
Today I'm going back to my old school to visit. I haven't seen a lot of my friends since last June, so it'll be great to stop by. I'm taking Em so she can see where mommy used to work.
Tomorrow we'll head to Redding for a big Easter egg hunt at my mother-in-laws. I'm so excited to dress Em in her little Easter dress. It's yellow with polka dots and it's adorable.
Amazingly, I feel well rested and almost ready to go back to work. Well, not really. But if I keep telling myself that, I'll feel it eventually, right?
Tuesday, January 1, 2008
I heart vacation
It's ten o'clock on a Tuesday night and I'm watching a new episode of Law & Order. I'm not feeling guilty about staying up or dreading going to work. Cause I don't have to go tomorrow. I'm not trying to gloat (too much), but it's such a good feeling to be on vacation.
Don't get me wrong; I genuinely like my students and my job. Just a couple days before winter break, a particularly difficult student of mine met my daughter at our school's basketball game. This girl is ROUGH: fifteen, big 'ol cross tatoo on her arm, lives with her great-grandma cause neither her mother or her grandmother is suitable. My daughter walks straight up to her and within minutes, they are as thick as thieves. My student shared her chips with my daughter and they hung out during the whole game. It's times like this that I know working in education is the right path for me.
That all said, it is sweet to have two weeks off for the holidays. I'm really looking forward to spending time with my husband and daughter. Today we sat at home and did nothing but laundry and unpacking. I stayed in my pajamas until it was time for me to go running. Not a bad way to spend a day.
Don't get me wrong; I genuinely like my students and my job. Just a couple days before winter break, a particularly difficult student of mine met my daughter at our school's basketball game. This girl is ROUGH: fifteen, big 'ol cross tatoo on her arm, lives with her great-grandma cause neither her mother or her grandmother is suitable. My daughter walks straight up to her and within minutes, they are as thick as thieves. My student shared her chips with my daughter and they hung out during the whole game. It's times like this that I know working in education is the right path for me.
That all said, it is sweet to have two weeks off for the holidays. I'm really looking forward to spending time with my husband and daughter. Today we sat at home and did nothing but laundry and unpacking. I stayed in my pajamas until it was time for me to go running. Not a bad way to spend a day.
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