Plane Crash Hike.

Hello.  On Saturday I went on another hike round the mountains.  Essentially the hike is known for a crash of a plane in the 90s and there are still a lot of remains of it.  It was a fun hike, but very up hill (or up-mountain if you will.)  So yes.  Pictures speak louder than words.  Enjoy them. 

Labor Day Weekend: San Diego Trip! ((And Forgotten Pictures From Last Weekend))

San Diego Zoo:

So we traveled to San Diego this Labor Day Weekend.  It was a blast.  Super happy to get an opportunity to go to San Diego and enjoy some of the sights to see there.  We stop at many coffee shops and stores, but the big event on Saturday was the San Diego Zoo.  I have some photos of it, but my phone was unfortunately very low based on the car trip to San Diego (where there's a stretch of no service / my phone was looking for it) and the fact that I personally got up at 3:30am (not a personal choice more of a bodily choice!)  

It was a zoo.  There were animals.  It was a lot bigger than Como and I'd say bigger than MN zoo, MN had a lot more inside parts though...Probably for the cold Winter weather...I could be wrong though!  

Here's a few pictures of animals (and us!)

Yeah...You can probably tell what type of animal I really like, huh? 

Pacific Beach (San Diego):

We also went to a beach to get a tan.  It was pretty great.  We basically did nothing at the beach.  That's the best thing that you can possibly do.  So we hung out, went into the ocean, and took naps all day (with the occasional trip to a store for coffee, ice cream, or other consumables).  

It was a very fun and relaxing day.  Monday is nice too, but Monday now feels like Sunday, which is "the day before Monday" so it feels like the week is about to start up.  In that, I am still enjoying the break, I will get some work done today, but in general, I am ready to do...Nothing today :)

Sidenotes:

So I use a Fitbit, and my last replacement Fitbit just broke...They actually replaced the replacement one, however, so I took a picture of my "Fitbit Family." 

Last weekend we actually (attempted) Telegraph Pass.  Our group went at a bad time (about 110 outside) and we were not quite ready for it either, so we just got close to the bottom of the path, and went back.  There were some cool photos, however, of the sun setting.  Enjoy these week old goodies!

...Speaking about sunsets from last week...On Sunday (last week) I went for a bike ride, and caught the sun looking awesome as well.  Enjoy.

Conference Week!

Risking Crazy:

The Church I've been going to has had a series called "Risking Crazy" and so I have a story from doing things that are considered..."crazy."  One thing that I've found that I have been thinking a lot more about here living on my own is money.  Money has never really been something I've needed to deal with on a daily basis.  Sure, I would buy stuff and think and consider how I should spend my money, but with trying to live on my own, everything has a price tag on it.  In that, I have not been able to give as much money to the Lord's work.  What I mean by that is tithing.  Now, I find that tithing isn't something that just goes to church, but to places of need.  In this thought, I've had this pressing on my heart to use $300 to help homeless individuals around the Yuma area.  I pass many homeless people around Walmart and stores close to me, so it was something that would be easy for me to do.  In that, I felt I should get gift cards to places with food (compared to straight up cash).  So the place I felt I should go was a Subway...Now, Subway I'm sure gets some interesting orders, but I would bet they don't get many customers asking for $300 of gift cards!  Let's be real, no one likes subway that much.  I purchased 6 $50 gift cards to give out.  This was something that was hard to do simply because it was a very odd request, and a decent sum of money for me.  The same day that I sheepishly purchased those cards I decided to go on a bike ride.  I started going out and I realized I didn't have one of those cards.  I felt that I should take one of those cards just in case I saw a homeless person.  Less than two blocks later, I ran into a homeless man.  He was very surprised at the amount, and very grateful for the food.  It was something that I am glad I was able to be used to do in order to bless someone else.  I am going to continue to look and give out those other 5 cards when there are others I see in need.  

Conference Week:

So this week I had what we called "Goal setting conferences."  They were meeting up with parents in order to set goals for their students that year.  So first conferences of my career DONE!  Not as bad as our mock conferences we had in one of our classes at Crown (but in college roleplaying, who wouldn't want to be that more over the top mom or dad?)  Anyways, I am very blessed to have so many kind and understanding families working within my classroom.  I look forward to seeing them and working with their students!

Future Plans (#LABORDAYWEEKEND): 

Labor Day Weekend is here!  It has been a very exciting thing to look forward to!  My friend group from Crown is planning on going to San Diego for Saturday and Sunday!  It should be a very fun time!  I know I am looking forward to it, and you should be too for the exciting blog posts!  :)

Finishing Off Week 3: New Car, The Next Week of Conferences, & Insights on Yuma.

The New Car:

So I am now an owner of my first car...In that, I have had a bittersweet moment giving up the van.  The van of many-a names.  Mabel from the parents, Manvan by some, Partyvan, Swag-wagon (Swag-wag for short), and many other names too that I don't quite remember.  In the moments of remembering my van, it's not so much the van I remember and feel emotions about, but the countless adventures that this vehicle has been the carrier to...

-Whether the time camping and the lights were left on and the battery died, 

-or the time we drove all night blasting music while burning incense in the back (nothing was smoked while we did this, we just liked the incense smell), 

-or the times it has taken me up north, to the lake with a canoe on top for fishing.  

-The adventures to Duluth for camping, 

-The time at Minnehaha Falls, and the window was broken into,

-The first time I've driven at 100mph (yes, my van did it!), 

-the time it was used for my cabin while I got hit on the head with a giant log (thanks Thomas) and then the battery died in the hospital parking lot, 

-Countless late night Tacobell runs,

-even the family road trips to the west coast, Indiana, or the cabin...This van has brought me to many places.

Glass from the break in,

Almost lost the Canoe!

The Woods

There are many fond memories that I've had within this vehicle.  It's even been to San Diego here, or to the mountains of Yuma and California...It's had it's final adventure here to AZ.  Nottosay I don't like my new car, I've just been having many nostalgic thoughts about all the things done.  The van was a chapter of my life that was full of freedom and adventures...It was what I used at college.  Even though those feelings and memories are found, and I am reminded of many friends in fun trips, the "spirit" of this vehicle...A spirit of adventure, that will carry on through the next vehicles I have...These adventures will just be limited to 5 people instead of 7...(Sorry extra 2 people who don't make the cut!)

Anyways, this blog entry just got deep.

 As it was (in theory) hard to give up this van forever...The lack of AC, consistent dinging as a warning of the overheated engine, and lack of steering wheel fluid made it easy to turn it in for the new car!

The new ride...

2013 Ford Fiesta.

For you Minne-soOta (stressin' the O) Teachers:

Appreciate that your year is probably about to begin...I am getting ready for the first round of parent teacher conferences.  So yes.  A lot of work is ahead for me!  But it will end with a nice long weekend after for Labor Day!  

The Insights on Yuma:

This is another thought on Yuma and what I have seen so far...Yuma is a place that many people go to for new opportunities and occupations.  Teaching positions specifically bring many young 20-somethings here.  I say this because I run into many people fresh out of college here without any connections other than their job.  It's an interesting balance of teachers, military, or locals who've always lived here known as Yumens.  Anyways, just something I've noticed and find interesting.  THere's also apparently a lot of older folk who come here in the winter months for cheap, warm places to live.  These folk are known as Snowbirds...They haven't made it yet, but it will change the area I reckon!  

Sunday Sunset + Start of the Week

So this Sunday me and my crew (well not my crew, but the Crown buddies that all came to Yuma) went out to see the sunset.  We wanted to get some photos of it to show off to all the Minnesotans how pretty it is here.  So we did.  Or should I say, my friends did.  They haven't posted them so I can't steal them from Facebook....so yes. Anticlimactic.  Sunday my van finally died as well.  This means I need to get a new car.  Not sure if a used car will be an upgrade for my van, but I will no longer hold soccer mom status.  That van and I have done a lot though.  Been to a lot of places.  Electronic moment of silence for my van...

...

...

Thank you.  

This start if the week has been good as well.  Oh, weather update; it rained today!  It was crazy.  Both in the area of wether as well as how hopped up the kiddos got!  It is like the same energy Minnesota kids have with the first snow!  Not only did I experience the hyper kids, we also had the wet clothing / adolescence smell too.  Yeah.  Interesting day...luckily it was our specials day so they used their energy on PE.  

Well that's all for now, have a good day, and until next time!  

This Week! (Sorry about the length of time between posts)

SORRY

Sorry it took so long to post again!  This week was pretty busy.  Last weekend was really fun, which meant not much planning was done so I was really taking it a day at a time.  Upon that, I was also needing to contact each parent with positives regarding their students.  So with both of these factored in, it was a very busy week! But here's some of the highlights, struggles, and other things I mention about this week! 

Found a Gecko! 

So Tuesday morning I was leaving the house, and the moment I opened the door, a creature scurried inside.  Now, knowing the set up of my apartment (and the lack therefore of light) I couldn't really see besides a darker mass moving into my house.  I enjoy animals (you know, science!) so I'm one to know basic movements of animals and this one had a unique like shuffle to its step.  Once when I finally got my iPhone light on to see, I saw it was a little Gecko that you (or should I say, I) always wanted at the pet stores.  So I caught it and threw it out.  After all this, I said to myself "self...You should blog about this!" Then I realized I didn't take a picture of it *facepalm* so here's a picture that looks semi like it....

Just kidding... Like this:

Bonus hat to show classiness of this lizard.

The Candle Fail (and then some!)

So there has been an ongoing battle to make my house smell like not smoke.  I've used Glade but that only masked it.  So I tried a candle.  It smells good when I'm there, but doesn't kill the smell.  But I used candles whenever I am at the apartment, so in the morning on Wednesday I was using a candle (flavor was rustic woods I believe) and I left quickly after my breakfast.  I came home and saw my candle was still going....It went all the way down from a one time use.  Whoops.  I thought that things could have been worse if it started a fire and the whole building burned down....Not sure if I am a optimist or pessimist with that kind of thinking...Worst of all, the house still smelled like smoke.  It smelled like I was camping in a rustic woods with someone smoking...

Fail candle.

After I blew out the candle and facepalmed myself, I then went into the kitchen and saw I left one of the burners on my stove on all day!  Double facepalm!!!  Wednesday seemed like the day I subliminally wanted to burn things...Anyways, not looking forward to my next electric bill.  

House Vapors

SO the battle of smells still continues.  If you are keeping up with this blog, I went to an essential oil party and purchased some oils that were intended to kill smells.  I have it all going and it seems to actually be working!  Even if it doesn't it solves some of my light issues and this random desire to go to a light party all at the same time. (That's what I call a triple kill...So many birds with one stone! [Sorry Erik if this idiom offends you...switch "birds" with "hawks" and that makes it okay!! :P  ]) 

Light show, smelling thing, & oils. 

This.

Last thing.  I was given this by a student.

The individual gave it to me and was so excited...He was saying "look Mr. Klemme it's an origami snake I made for you!"  He seemed so excited so I praised him and thanked him, not knowing if he actually put some time and effort into this...In reality, he didn't.  He even said afterwards that he just mashed up some paper then saw it looked semi like a snake and wanted to give it to me.  So funny.  3rd graders are hilarious. 

Almost nailed it...