We Got Blue 'Cause We Moved...

Last Sunday, the Finch family embarked on a new adventure and new chapter in our lives. We moved up to the Four Corners area to a little town called Kayenta. It is on the Navajo Reservation about an 1.25 hours from Page, 2.5 from Flagstaff, 3.75 from Eagar, and 6.75 hours from Thatcher......All of the cool things to do here if you get bored...

1. Go see Denver at work and get an ice cream cone

2. Go to Basha's
3. Play outside with our new puppy!

4. Go for a drive

5. Blog

6. Learn to coupon shop!

We are loving it here so far! We can see the tops of Monument Valley from here and the red rock is beautiful! The really exciting thing about living here is we are only an hour and a half away from Powell...so we can go over and play on the beach for the day if we wanted to. Here are some picks of our home!

We still have a little bit of moving in to do but the mess is looking better and better as the days go by. We are so lucky to have a yard with grass! My cousin Chani and her husband Jory planted some grass when they lived here and it really makes the place feel like home! All Denver and I have to do is water it! We are getting excited for the lawn to green up!

As addition to our new place...we got a puppy! He is a border collie and blue healer mix and his name is "Blue"

Daley absolutely loves him! Denver and I do too....he is pretty chill and when he play bites...it's extremely gentle. When you walk through the gate he jumps and twists in mid-air. Everytime he sees Daley he gets excited and vice-versa. Daley squeels and claps when she sees him.

A little update on Daley.....

1. She's 10 months today
2. She says Mama and Daddy

3. She crawls on all fours

4. She is starting to stick her tongue out....(we think because she plays with Blue so much...they are about the same size...haha)

5. She loves cookies, Cheerios, and any snack you give her...you couldn't tell could you? Haha!

6. She has 8 TEETH!

7. She loves to be read to...and she helps turn the pages.

8. She doesn't like her hair touched....I really wish she would let me! I could probably put it in a tiny pony tail..... :(

Watch this cute video of Daley crawling on all fours. I think we let her play with Blue a little too much.....

Stay tuned for more adventures...I'm sure there will be more to come.

I'm Graduating!

Puppies, Armoires, & Sunburns

Denver and I have been quite the travelers! We came down the beginning of April to my cousin's wedding reception. It was beautiful and we are way excited for her and her new husband whose name is also Denver. They got the priviledge of moving into the trailor that Denver and I use to live in before we moved to Eagar. Here is a pic of Pop and the grandkids, Porter, Jackson, and Daley sitting on the wall at Grandma B's. My parents' dog had 6 puppies and Daley was having a ball playing with them. We actually get to bring one home one of these days when we get all moved up to Kayenta. Yes, we are moving to Kayenta here at the beginning of May to start a new job! We are so excited for the crazy adventures we have coming up! Here is a family picture of us at Jessica & Denver Householder's reception. Denver and I leaving after getting everything packed up out of the trailor. Here is the armoire that my parents let us use. We decided to redo it and paint it black! It's still not finished yet but it's looking pretty good so far! All of us, including Daley got sunburns and they don't feel the greatest! Denver and Daley were lucky because they were wearing long sleeves all day so only their faces got the burn. I was wearing a t-shirt and basketball shorts and I have an awesome farmer's tan! It starts at my elbows so for the next week or two I'll have to plan my wardrobe around my tan line so the 7th graders don't make fun of me....Haha

Daley got to hang out with Pecos while we were working on painting the armoire. It was fun listening to her trying to get Pecos' attention. She would squeal and clap her hands trying to get Pecos to come over to see her. He eventually came and boy did she play with him! There is a video of it down below.

A little update on our little miss Daley.....She is now about 19 lbs and doing better than ever! She has her two top and bottom teeth and she is in the process of cutting 4 more! She loves to stand and get into things she's not suppose to. Aunt Jennie brought over a fun walking toy that Daley loves to walk around with. Denver and I can't believe how fast she is growing !

Spring! We Can Almost Feel It!

Well...it's true! Daley has turned 8 months! It's crazy how time flies.....
We haven't had any stats since she was 4 months old...and the reasons
1. We moved
2. We changed insurances
3. Daley got sick
4. They couldn't get us in until March 8th.
So that means we'll have to wait...until then here are some cute photos of her!

Well this past week....we got to go down to Thatcher and get some of our stuff packed up for the big move next Saturday, we got to go to a dinner and dance that the middle school put on for a fund raiser....Daley even got to go and she loved it! Maddie was there and Daley got to hang out with the girlies....Then today we got to spend the day with Dad and go to the park! Daley especially loved the swing. Denver and I got some new toys and got to shoot them off while Daley slept in the car...then we did a little grocery shopping! What a perfect spring saturday!

Paddy Cake!

I was looking through our cameras this morning and I found some I forgot to post about a while ago.....

Our little Miss Daley is playing paddy cake now! Here is a cute video...

Updates on Life and Student Teaching!

Here is a little update of my experience student teaching...I have had a blast! I knew I liked teaching but I'm beginning to love it. I am now teaching all the 7th grade math classes! I am having a blast getting to know the students and helping them find a love for math. The more I teach math the more I love it! Weird huh? I have gotten a couple of little notes and some food from my students....haha I don't know why they give me food, do I look skinny starving? Haha in my dreams! My students are so sweet and nice. I especially love the notes....I had just gotten done teaching my 1st hour a lesson for the first time and I was telling the class to clean up....well I look on my overhead a piece of paper folded up....I feel bad but I yelled "Who put trash on my overhead?" (You wouldn't believe all of the places the 7th graders can find to put trash in....) then one of my favorite students quietly says, "it's a note for you!" With a sweet smile...my heart broke....I apoligized to her and told her how sorry I was.... Here is what it said...

Mrs. Finch,

I thought you did a great job on your 1st lesson! Good luck on the rest of the day!

Love,

(Student's Name) with a heart next to it.

PS. I like your shirt.

Here is another one that was given to me the day before....This one is from a student that I taught swim lessons to a while back when I was a sophomore in high school....she was a brave little swimmer,

Mrs. Finch!

Thank you so much for helping me with my math! You and Ms. Ping are both GREAT teachers! Because of you and her, I enjoy math...HA! It's weird, I know. So thanks again for everything and I like to swim also!!! Ha Ha.

Love ya Mrs. Finch ;)

Love,

(Student's Name)

Teaching has its great days and its tiring days....Last Friday I thought to myself...can I make it for another 11 weeks? The students were so ready for the weekend that I could hardly do anything to keep there attention...I kinda gave up the last two hours (which made matters worse) but I talked to Denver and my Auntie Carol and they pumped me back up with some great suggestions! Thank you so much, and your suggestions have worked beautifully! The main point they both gave me was don't ever give up or let your guard down! You can do it! Teaching is so demanding....You honestly have to be everything....a teacher, a scientist, a comedian, someone creative, a mom, a counselor, a psyciatrist, a pep speaker, etc. etc. etc..... I constantly find myself telling students different tips on how to be happy everyday, random interesting facts to ease their fear of math, that everyone can go to college, you can learn anything if you have the desire and will to do it, and what respect really means. I could go on and on and on. I'm so glad I get to go through this challenging experience it has really helped me realize how important education really is. I love teaching. The more I do it the more I feel this is what I'm suppose to do. I think the hardest part about it is that I slack on my mommy and wife duties....and I miss Daley and Denver soooooooo much! But it's worth it...only 10 or 11 more weeks left!

Denver and I bought a truck this week! Denver and I really like it....it is a green '96 GMC with dual exhaust....it is two door with a bench seat.....I'm loving going on drives with him and sitting in the middle again! It reminds me of the good ol days! Denver will be starting a new part time job here next week! We are excited! Denver has been such a support to me these past few weeks and he is the best Mr. Mom!!!!!!!! There are honestly no words to describe what an awesome Dad and Husband he is other than....PERFECT. I wish I could put it in words......Let's just say that I feel like I can do ANYTHING if I am with him.....

Denver and I have been working to lose some weight this year! I know I can't do it without him and he is such a good support! We have been trying to cut our proportions down and we are gearing up to start actually dieting....these past few weeks I haven't lost anything so we decided that cutting back isn't enough....we also got an eliptical for Christmas which is a great help so we don't have to go running in the cold weather....and we recently got some awesome workout videos to make exercising more fun! (I found the eliptical kinda boring....) So hopefully with a little more harder work, we can slim down! If you guys have any suggestions we would love it! Let us know!

Now a little update on Daley! She has been sick for about a week and a half with a bad cough! It is full of mucus and it sometimes makes her throw up! We have taken her to the doctor and she says she is okay..... :( But she is still her little cute self....when Denver and I took her to the doctor the nurse came in and was talking to her telling her how cute she is...and Daley gives the nurse the cutest smile and tilts her head like "coy" kinda like saying..."I'm so cute huh?" Haha then again when the doctor came in and doing the same thing...telling her how cute she is and she tilted her head again! Denver and I were laughing our heads off! She is such a little show off...

Lately sometimes, when we try to stick the bottle in her mouth she won't take it...SHE has to be the one to put it in her mouth!

She loves to go to high school and middle school basketball games.....she can sit and watch a few basketball games for 2 1/2 hours no problem....but she can barely make it through the sacrament in church....hummmmm Haha....she's a cutie though!

She loves to have spitting contests with Uncle Tanner! Let's just say she doesn't hold anything back.....She'll get you as wet as you will let her.

She is sitting up so good! She is starting to move around a little bit....not crawling yet just kicking her legs, rolling, and reaching for toys she sees.

She has been showing off in the saucer that Brook and Dallas let us borrow....sometimes when you talk to her she'll squeel, jump, and rock for you.

Christmas...

Wow.....where to start? Our little family had a blast for Christmas! We got tons of adorable pictures of Daley as you can see below..........Denver and I couldn't put the camera down. It started on Christmas Eve, My mom, Hayley, and I got together and made homemade cinnamon rolls for the extended family to bake Christmas morning like we do every year. Then we just hang out for the rest of the day. Pop was working on his saddle for a big trip down to Power's Garden and Daley came to help out a little bit. Well she sure made some cute pictures to help Pop out.

Denver and I love the pictures of Daley with Papa and Pop! We had to throw this one in there too to keep them together!

Pop teaching Daley the in's and out's of riding.....she even got to try on his cowboy hat!

Like mother like daughter.....

Daley surprisingly did great when she told Santa what she wanted for Christmas. We were so proud of her! After Santa came to Grandma and Grandpa Alder's house all of the kids got ready to perform the Christmas Nativity as we have been doing for over 40 years for the 1st Street neighborhood in Thatcher. We all had to bundle up!

Daley was sure spoiled by Santa and all of her grandparents this year! She is sitting in her new rocking chair cuddling her new dolly....haha well I guess she is checking out her new dolly!

This is Daley's new Sunday dress she got for Christmas. We just thought she looked like a dolly in it!

Here is a little update on our little fireball....she hasn't had her 6 month appointment yet but Denver and I have weighed her on a scale and we think she is at least 17 pounds now and has 2 bottom teeth! She is sitting up and laughing more and more! She loves, loves, loves it when the cousins come to visit Nana and Papa. She won't take her eyes off of them and she enjoys every second with them!