My summer is over :(

I headed back to work on Wednesday. While I really do love my job, I am so sad to see summer end. My classroom is coming together, but there are still a few things that have to be done. Since I co-teach, everything has to be mutually agreed upon, which takes longer than when I taught on my own. It's like having two cooks in the kitchen. Not only do you have to decide on the recipe, but also on how well-done to cook it, whether to add nuts, etc. Definitely a unique challenge.

The boys do not have to go back until next Wednesday, so they are enjoying a last few days of fun. In fact, they are at an overnight back to school party. I will pick them up around 3, so I have a little time to myself. I plan to clean the house a little, and maybe get into my classroom too. Later tonight, the boys and I are heading to the Urbana Sweetcorn Festival (if the weather holds out) to see a Mark Harris concert.

I saw the orthopedic surgeon yesterday. I actually have two cysts in my knee, one on the front and one in the meniscus. In addition, there is damage (strain?) to my hamstring, which appears to be causing most of the pain. I start physical therapy soon to work on the hamstring. Once some healing happens there, then we can further evaluate if anything needs to be done with the cysts.

MRI results

I have a cyst in my knee. I will see the orthopedic specialist next week.

Poor thing...

Great-great-great Aunt Mary fell at the nursing home today and broke her hip. Surgery is scheduled for tomorrow.

Time to wake up!

Jake received a long coveted alarm clock from Grandma and Grandpa G. for his birthday (an early present, since we were visiting last weekend). He set it for 7:00 a.m.

He was so upset this morning...he woke up before his alarm, LOL!

Soccer has started

We have begun the delicate dance of soccer practice/mommy going to class/daddy has to work. Please let me make it through this season....

They're back

the students. You can tell that U of I will be starting soon. You can't get anywhere without fighting the traffic. Yuck! Good-bye quiet.

Without further ado....

pictures of our remodeled bathroom! First, a couple of reminders of where we started...

And now for the "new" bathroom:

Finally!

Just a quick update...

to proudly announce the arrival of 2 more A's on my transcript!!! So far I have received all A's for my graduate coursework :)

Another Knee Update

OK, so the Xrays were negative....no arthritis. So, now the theory is possibly a Baker's cyst or ligament damage, or both. An MRI is scheduled for next week.

A few pics from the Dells....

Inside Ripley's Believe-It-Or-Not Museum...(note the snake right next to DH's hand)

What has the waitress done???? Giving the boys their own pitcher of root beer????

The boys loved having their own table at Pizza Villa...

This is where Jon and I wanted to go, but thought it might not be appropriate for the minions. Wonder if they have a gift shop????

Wizard Quest--tons of fun! Here are our little "minions" with the dragon and the wizard.

We had such a great time. Big thanks to Jon and Dawn, our hosts, and to Dale, for driving.

Happy Anniversary!

Today is our 15th wedding anniversary :)

Knee update

or, not really. I got in to see the physician's assistant since my doctor is at the hospital all week seeing patients there. She had xrays done and gave two theories- arthritis or ligament injury. She prescribed strong anti-inflammatory meds and will follow up when the xrays are back.

Graduation

I have completed the Auditory/Oral Graduate Specialist certificate program at Illinois State University. While I still have two more years until my masters is finsihed, I am glad to have met this milestone. They had a little graduation ceremony and reception on Tuesday, following our last class. Here is a picture of our graduating class:

Lobsters

No, it's not what we ate, it's what we look like. Apparently 30 SPF wasn't enough for our trip to the water park yesterday. I am especially tender on my upper thighs (where my skin would normally be covered by shorts). The boys are still asleep, so I'll have to wait and see how bad they're skin is when they wake up.

We are at our dear friends, the Jensens, for a long weekend. They live near the Wicsonsin Dells, so we spent a long day at Noah's Ark water park yesterday.

http://www.noahsarkwaterpark.com/

We had a great time!!! I kept up pretty well (remember the knee?) but decided to sit out the final activity--mini golf. The hills and stairs were really hard, but the rides and the company were so wonderful that it was worth it.

Today we will be heading back to the Dells for more fun.