HUGE Updates about the Lonie...

Well, I did it! I am a proud homeowner! I bought a townhouse in Littleton, CO on the west side of town right at the base of the foothills! I close on May 25th - and am getting super excited about this! It is 2 bedroom 3 bathroom - about 1000 square feet! Its two stories and perfect for Piedra and I! I also have made a career move for the following year. I am staying at Hopkins, however I am making a HUGE jump backwards and going from 3rd grade to Kindergarten and taking over for my former 3rd grade teacher who is the current Kindergarten teacher! I am REALLY excited about this! I am going to be working with an awesome team and the kids are so much fun at that age! In about 3 weeks on June 5th Mom, Dad and I are hitting the open road with the new truck and trailer on a 3 week adventure across the west! Here are some highlights of our trip; Yosemite, San Francisco, Redwoods NP, Acrhes, Canyonlands, and I am hoping to make a brief stop at Lake Tahoe! As my year is winding down I am saddened this year to say goodbye to this group of kids, they have truly been amazing this year and I just know that they are going to turn into amazing little people in the next few years, I have learned so much from them this year! With all that being said, I hope that my next blog post is from the new house! I hope this finds everyone well! ~Matt~ :)

The answer is blowin' in the wind...

Okay - It has been about a year and a half but there have been many changes to my life. 2009 was by far a year full of challenges and obsticles that I needed to overcome to refind myself. I will be short but I do want people to know that haps with me. Kelli and I decided to part ways about a year ago now, it was a really hard decision and I will always love her and miss her. I had to move out my place as well during this year due to a horrific bed bug issue, lost much of my belongings but did not want to risk infesting Mom and Dads. Yup, moved back in with the parentals, but I am saving some money and hoping to buy a house here soon! I also became a Dad this year as well! I am the proud owner of a kitty named Piedra who I love and adore dearly, except when she is getting into trouble! She was a stray that I took in from a friend of Kelli's just before we decided to part ways. I was able to spend a portion of my summer last year back in Hawaii, I loved it, it was so nice to reconnect with Jen, James and Koa. I loved spending time with them and enjoying the island lifestyle. I also did a lot of camping and hiking and recently reconnected with my passion for photography. I just purchased a wide angle lens which I am loving and using all the time! As far as work goes, I am still teaching 3rd grade at Hopkins, I have an amazing class this year, who are working really hard at all they do. There are some changes with my career as with the seasons, so the answers my friends are blowin' in the wind.

I will blog more, I have really been trying to reconnect with myself, and blogging today has really helped me with that. I hope this note finds everyone well. I miss you and love you, and check back soon, the changes are a brewin'...

School Has Begun...

Well, again I know its been a while! School started for both Kelli and I and there has really been little time to actually sit down and post on the blog here! I am still teaching 3rd grade in Littleton and she is still teaching 1st grade in Pagosa Springs! It has been a hard start this year, there have been many new changes at my school so there has been a lot to learn! On the upside of that, I have a GREAT class this year and I am looking foreword to learning and growing with them! Kelli and I are still doing very well and are continuing to journey together! Her sister and my friend just had their first child a boy who was born on Sept. 12th this year! He is a very cute kid and I cannot wait to watch him grow! With that Kelli has been here a lot, he thought it was time to come out, then decided not to, so there were many trips to and from and then finally on the 12th out he came! So things have been really good, as a matter of fact some of my friends are expecing their 2nd anytime now so that is exciting as well! I am still adventuring every chance I get, I am still taking photos like crazy when I can, and with that I have two photos that won awards at the Archuleta County Fair this year! I received a 2nd place and a 4th place! Please visit my photo blog to view the award winning photos: http://myjournies2.blogspot.com/ I was very excited to be honored this year! Got my spunk back into pictures! On a sad note, I had to put down my dog of 16 years this past week! Abu will be missed greatly and it was a hard decision but the right one for him, so he is in a better place now! My picture this week is of Abu on his last camping trip a couple years ago up to Steamboat Lake! This was on our drive home! Last but not least I have left myspace and joined http://www.facebook.com so you can also find me there, I love catching up with people!

What Happened?

Okay, I know what you are thinking...Matt gave up on blogging. No! I have been so busy that I have not really had any time to myself! Lets talk school for a minute, I finished my first year of teaching 3rd grade and it was a HUGE success! 100% of my class was either proficient or advanced in writing at the end of the year and we showed HUGE growth on CSAP as well as on NWEA standardized tests. I had a great group of kids this year who worked really hard, and it was very hard to let them go! I look foreword to seeing them again in the fall and see how they have grown over this summer! Now to life, I think last time I posted that I mentioned I finally left Mom and Dad and got a place of my own near downtown Littleton, which I love! Kelli and I are doing amazing, we have now been together for over a year and I cannot imagine life without her! She is looking for work hopefully in the Denver area, so if you know of an open teaching spot, let us know! I was renewed at Hopkins for another year but now we need to find her somewhere to teach! We are looking foreword to the future together! I also had a great opportunity to travel to Napa Valley, California a few weeks ago to meet some of her extended family and her great grandma who lives just feet from a winery! It was a great time, and something I will never forget! My family is doing well, my brother finished his first year at college and had a lot of stories to share! I hope that everyone who reads this is doing well, please leave a comment and let me know how you are doing! I will be in Denver for a few days starting this Saturday June 28, 2008! Talk to you all soon!

HUGE Updates!

Lots to share. Not too sure where to begin! Lets talk shop for a moment, school has been going GREAT! I have a great class who is making great progress into 3rd grade! Well, I finally did it! I moved into my own place! Its not much but I love my 1 bedroom apartment. It is near downtown Littleton and not too far from work, its a great location! Kelli and I are still amazing! I was just down there this past weekend and we did some snowshoeing and took an adventure which is what we usually end up doing whenever we are together! How are you doing? Click on comments below this post and tell me how you are doing! I love that so many of you actually read my blog and keep up with me that way! I am sorry that it has been so long since I last posted, I will try and be better, I really will try. Our picture this week was taken at Treasure Falls which in on Wolf Creek Pass while we were taking a journey!

School Had Begun!

Well, school has now been in session for about a month, and I must say that it so far has been an AMAZING year! I have a really neat group of kids! They are all unique and special and their own different ways! I felt a little lost the first few days, but now that things are in full swing I am feeling really good about this year, and where we are going in 3rd grade! Its going to be a year full of fun, I just know it! Things with Kelli and I are still going really well, I went down there a few weekends ago for the Four Corners Folk Fest which was a TON of fun! My parents even came down with their trailer to enjoy the festivities! It was really fun to have all the families there! This last weekend was way fun, I got to go to Navajo Lake state park and go boating with Salsa guys! Talk about chance happenings! Now, on the way home while I was on Wolf Creek pass there was a huge brown bear on the side of the road, so yes, I stopped and took a picture! What a sight it was! I was in awe really! Well, now that we are in full swing I have a lot to do! Remember that life is all about the journey and not the destination! Click on the picture to the right and it should get bigger so you can see my bear!

Its Over!

Well, here I sit at 4am realizing that my summer is officially over! I had my first meeting about school yesterday and that was when my mind went into overdrive! So much so that I could not sleep last night, thinking about all that I had to do today! Oh well! My first official day is this Thursday! Yikes, time flys when you are having fun! Well over the past few weeks I have been down in Pagosa with Kelli and I went to my first county fair! It was so much fun to see all that goes on and how important the fair is to the community! It was a great way to meet people and learn about all that they can do and I had a lot of fun volunteering and helping out! We also took a camping trip to Telluride where on our first night in Telluride we had 3" of rain! The thunder was so loud that the ground shook! We felt trapped in the tent as we watched the lightening and listened to the thunder! It was unreal, I had never seen a storm like that! From there we got back to Pagosa and just got to spend some time together there and in Durango before I had to head home! We had an amazing time and I cannot wait to go to the four corners folk fest here in a couple of weeks! Its going to be a lot of fun, I just know it! Well since it is so early, I am going to try and accomplish more! Oh, the picture was taken while we were hiking in the rain to Bridal Veil falls in Telluride!

There was this one time...

Again, it has been a while since I posted! Summer is truly flying by! I cannot beleive that August is just around the corner! I have been working a lot, traveling a lot and spending a lot of great time with Kelli! Spent a while down in Pagosa, Durango and Farmington! A couple weeks ago I got to go rafting on the Animas through Durango and then Sailing in Pagosa with a friend of Kelli's! This summer has been amazing! I have been preparing to teach third grade in the fall, I have spent almost every spare moment while working doing something to help prepare myself! Its been a lot of fun though! I cannot wait for the fall, its going to be a great year, I just know it! I have also been trying to help Adam get ready to attend Mesa State in the fall as well as Mom and Dad with what they need! The picture this week was taken in Marble, Colorado at a friend of mines wedding, it was gorgeous! However, never drive to and from Marble in the same day! I was exhausted when I finally got home! Hope this finds everyone well!

Better Together

Where do I begin this week? Between graduation, school ending, getting a new job, my friends wedding it has been CRAZY! I have also been doing a lot of house sitting since school got out which has kept me more than busy! Well yesterday it finally happened, my friends got married. The ceremony was at Hudson Gardens here in Littleton, Colorado. It was the most perfect day, the weather was incredible, the family was amazing and I cannot wait to hear from them upon their return from the honeymoon! I am so happy for them and wish them the best as they start a new life together! Kelli and I have really enjoyed helping with the wedding and helping them to prepare and also being there for them when they needed us! It has been great to be there and help them through this important milestone in their lives! I had an amazing time yesterday and I know that Kelli did too, however I am glad to know that it is over and we can relax a little, it has been a crazy few weeks! Until next time know that we are always better together!

Lots of News...

So I have a lot of news to share between the last post and today! Lets start off with some personal news! Kelli and I are still doing amazing, she is a great gal and I really enjoy the moments we share, the calls we share and everything about us! I have been to Pagosa Springs now a few times and she has been here which has been a lot of fun and I look foreword to this upcoming weekend when she is here! Her sister and my friend are due to get married here on the 18th of June, so we have been helping them a lot with that which has been fun! I cannot wait! Well I finally did it! I graduate from Metro State! Cap, Gown and the whole nine yards man! It has been 9 years since I begun school but I am finally done and I can really say that yes I do hold 3 degrees! I have my AA in General Studies, I hold my BA in English and then my Education Degree with my Colorado K-6 teaching license! Had a HUGE party where a TON of friends and family came which was amazing! Ended the school year with a BANG! It was weird going back to technology after student teaching but it was enjoyable to be back with ALL of the kids, I really had missed that! With all that said and done, I also accepted my first licensed teaching job! I am going to be teaching 3rd grade in the fall at Mark Hopkins Elementary in Littleton where I have been teaching technology for the past few years! I was glad to be able to stay at the school where this all began! I am looking foreword to it! I also started work in our summer program this week which has been a lot of fun! I really enjoy the kids and the trips that we take come rain or shine! I hope that you all have enjoyed all my updates this month! Please feel free to click on the 'comments' link below this message to leave me a message! Also the picture is of Kelli and I at Treasure Falls near Pagosa this last weekend!