Our new and improved lives. . .

Wow. During the summer it seemed like we were posting everyday, now we'll be lucky for a once-a-monther. We try to catch up on Sundays, so that's when I'd check in if I were you.

As for me and ours. . .
we LOVE Safford. It's so different then we thought it would be. We thought it would feel just like visiting mom and dad in Thatcher, but it's nothing like that. In fact, we very rarely make it out past the Walmart/Safeway intersection. I never realized how everything is pretty much in Safford. We save a TON on gas, which is a huge difference as to what we've been doing the past couple of months. It takes me only 5 minutes to get to school. I don't have to be there till 7:15 so I can sleep a little later then I used to. And then I'm done every day at 2:35. Voice and piano students have been coming like crazy and my schedule is filling up super fast.

Our ward is great. We feel like we've really hit the jack pot with the amazing people we get to call our ward family. (Plus I can't believe how many old Thatcher-ites I grew up with have moved over here.) It's also fun because a lot of my students are in the ward with me so I'm able to see them as their "church-self" which is really cool.

Ari and Jax seem to be loving the house too. The only thing we are a little not into is the tile throughout the whole house. If you're on your feet all day you can really feel it in your bones. (Wasn't fun for my sore ankles:)

As for school, I'm teaching 5 different classes. At the middle school I teach a choir with about 10 students in it (9 girls and 1 boy), he's a trooper though. And then I teach a drama class with almost 30 students in it. All I can say is that these students are AMAZINGLY well behaved compared to Higley last year. I can't even imagine having anywhere near the behavior problems I had last year. (And maybe my teaching skillz are increasing just that much more. . .)

At the highschool I teach an advanced show choir group called "Taste of Sound." They are so much fun to work with and I can throw all kinds of advanced stuff at them and they just eat it up. Next I teach a women's chorus called, "Bell Canto." Once again these students are somewhat advanced and can handle an intense rehearsal schedule. We're doing fun things like, "I Enjoy Being A Girl" from Flowerdrum Song, and a true blue Wilson Phillips Medley that they are LOVING! And finally I have my "SHS Singers" which is the "come one come all" group of the highschool. In the past this has been a major social thing, and they might be in for just a little wake up call. Tough love will get them where their potential is. I can see the HUGE amount of potential they have to be an awesome choir.

We're on a block schedule so every day is different, which is fun, and kind of confusing. But you know me, I love changing things up, so everyday doesn't feel like Ground Hog Day.

Oh, I also "babysit" a homeroom class on Tuesdays-Thursdays. That's a new and endearing experience. It's fun to meet kids that I wouldn't normally have the chance to associate with.

All in all, Safford is GREAT! Here's some pics of our new life. . .

Ariana and a night at the spa (courtesy of Hubby Jordan)



A rare moment in this CUH-RAZY little boy's life!

Welcome to our house! We love it, it might be just a little too much growth for our taste though, but we have a nice canopy of shade over the driveway!

We also have a fun tree/bench/swing in our front yard!!

Not exactly the greatest color of yellow, but we'll deal with it for now!

Less than two months to go for little Kodee!! Ari's doing great!