You say hello and I say goodbye!

Goodbye 2011, Hello 2012

January~The beginning of the year brought continual cold weather (nasty below freezing and below zero temps!) with snow, snow and more snow. I was beginning to wonder if spring would ever come.

Okay, so I didn't take this photo, but I liked the contrast of the snow and the sunset. So, I copied it from my friend. Thanks Shep!

February~I was still subbing, and in mid February, I started a long-term teaching assignment. It was originally for 6 weeks or so, but ended up going until the end of school. I was teaching music for K-5 at Knolls Vista. I enjoyed it.  A starboard installed and I loved teaching music with the help of technology. I met some great teachers and enjoyed my time there.

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Knolls Vista Elementary
(ironically, this is where I went to elementary school!)

I also accompanied the Missoula’s Children Theater. I think I am going on 17^th year, but I believe it was my 20th (or maybe even my 21st show) because there were a few years when we did one in the fall and another in the spring. I had played for this production before, so it wasn’t as hard as some of the previous ones were. I enjoy playing for MCT because I believe in what they are doing and it is amazing to see an ensemble of children come together in less than a week. They audition Monday afternoon, I join them Wednesday evening and Saturday is show day. I remember doing Snow White when I was in middle school. Sadly, I was not a feature actor. In fact I was a tree, but had a great time doing it. For more information of MCT check out their website at www.mtcinc.org

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Sisters 3 and the madre
Julie, Lynette, Larua and Mom

      I continued teaching, doing scouts and other every day stuff. In April, my sister, Laura flew out for 10 days or so. Several years ago, my mom, my other sister, Lynette and I started doing an annual girls trip. It usually coincided with spring break. We have been to Leavenworth, Seattle, Lake Chelan, Victoria, B.C. and every year, Laura was in school and her spring break did not match up with ours. So, this year, since she has graduated, she flew up and the four of us drove down to Seaside, Oregon. We had a great time, even if the weather didn’t cooperate with us (rain, rain and more rain!) We spent the time doing the tourist things, had fun, went shopping, went and dipped our toes into the Pacific Ocean, came back to town did some crafty things and overall had a great time. We are trying to figure where to go for 2012. Lynette and I are thinking that we definitely need to go somewhere warmer. Maybe to the eastern coast and dip our toes into the Atlantic Ocean. Who knows? We will see.
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Eleven Year Old Scout Camp May 2011

May was a bit slow, but we got through it fine. We survived May and another successful new scout (11 year old scout) campout. I think we have it down to a science and it ran smoothly. Thanks in part to Kim L. and the Roylance's letting us camp out on their lawn (again!)
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Can we say "Wicked"?  Aubrey, Lynette, Jana, Julie, Marsha

Also, Lynette and I went to see the musical Wicket in Spokane.  We met up with Jana (our sister-in-law), Aubrey (Jana's sister-in-law) and Marsha (Jana's mom).  We had a great time.  net and I had seen it before in Seattle (she took me for my birthday) and so we decided taht we should go and see it again.  It was a bit pricey, but I still loved it.  Love the music, dance and special effects. 

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Ritzville Class of 199120th Class Reunion
May 2011




Sammy Eubanks
Entertainment

Wade and I have become "homebodies" and really don't do much or go many places. There are several reasons, but we thought about doing something for Memorial Day weekend. But, as luck would have it, Wade got an invitation in the mail and so we went to Wade’s 20^th high school class reunion. Coming from a small town, their reunions have something going on all weekend long. After looking at our schedules and such, we decided to go Saturday night. It was a social get together with food and live music. We got to listen to Sammy Eubanks. For those who do not know who he is (we had no clue before we went-you can find out more at www.sammyeubankslive.com ), he is a blues singer and I honestly did not think I was going to like his music. I did and enjoyed my time. Most of Wade’s class came and I think he had a good time reconnecting with friends from high school.

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This is one of Sammy's songs. It us actually quite funny and he has t-shirts with this saying.

June was a crazy month. I was still teaching full time for the first part of it and then went to half time the last week. There were graduations and grad parties. My nephew, Garrett graduated. Go Garrett!

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Garrett G.
MLHS Graduate
June 2011

However, Wade and I had to divide and conquer. Wade stayed and went to Garrett's graduation with his family and I went to Cheney, WA with my family for my sister, Lynette's graduation. She completed her Masters in Education (MEd). Yeah Net! You rock chica!!!

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Julie & Lynette
EWU Graduation CeremonyJune 2011

Summer time came…and it went. It was Cub Scout Day Camp time, again. The theme was Cub Scout Heroes. I was the registrar and helped getting packs registered and signed in. The last two years, I have helped find people to run the stations, but this year I had too much going on, so this was a compromise. As it turned out, I was only able to be there for opening day, as I left the next day to spend the rest of the summer at….summer camp.

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Camp Bonaparte
June 2011

Oh yes, I got to spend almost eight weeks with boy scouts. Now, for those of you who think I am crazy, let me just beat you to the punch and say, YES! I am crazy! I needed a summer job and this one came my way. I spent the first couple of weeks up north (about 25 miles from the Canadian border), just outside of Tonasket at Camp Bonaparte. I ran the Trading Post (the little store) there. I enjoyed my time there. It is beautiful with the lake and mountains. Can’t say I enjoyed the food or mosquitos, but I met a lot of new people and had a great time. I came home weekend of July 4^th.
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Camp Fife
July 2011

However, I was not home very long. I think by the time I got home, and then had to leave on the 4th, I was home for maybe 36 hours. I went and picked up my nephew, Wyatt and left on the 4^th to go to Camp Fife. It is just outside of Naches, WA. I spent five weeks there, doing the same thing, but it was a lot more busy!!! I will do another blog post all about summer camp.

Meanwhile, while my dad and I were finishing up our five weeks at Camp Fife, my sister Lynette and my mom were busy planning a birthday party for my dad. He turned 70! To look at him, you would not know it. He has aged well. Yeah, I see him slowing down every once in awhile, but I love him. He is an amazing guy who has taught me the value of work and that any job worth doing is worth doing well. I love him for all he has taught me.

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Happy 70th Birthday Big Daddy!

During my time at summer camp, one weekend, Wyatt, my nephew and I drove from Naches straight to Ritzville to celebrate with family for Grandma Galbreath's 97th Birthday party.  It was a long drive, but I am glad we took it.  She looks amazing and is still going strong.  She is an amazing lady who has done a lot in her lifetime and continues to be an example to all those around her. 
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Grandma Galbreath 97th Birthday party and her posterity
 (well, most of them. We were missing a few!)

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Amazing Grandma G.
Still going strong at 97

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Cami & Lucas G.
July 2011

While I was away at camp, Cami and Dan (Wade's brother) had another baby.  It is a boy.  Thay names him Lucas Dale.  He was 9 pounds 4 ounces, 21 1/4 inches long.  Here is a photo of mom and  baby.

Wade and I celebrated our 14^th wedding anniversary. Hard to believe how time flies. We didn’t do much. I made him a nice dinner(steak, potatoes, etc.) and we stayed home and watched a movie. Not too romantic, but he did have to work early the next day and besides, in July, he came to Yakima and I met him and we spent the night at the Red Lion, had dinner at Red Lobster and went to Target and we each got a nice gift (he got a new Tom Tom GPS (his 3^rd GPS, he goes through them quickly and I got a FM transmitter that I can play my iPod through the car radio). We decided that we would call that our early anniversary.

Also, in August, Lynette and I met Mike and Melissa in Spokane and we went to go see Michael Buble. Oh my! What an incredible concert! Net and I were center stage about 10 rows from the front. Naturally 7 opened up for him. It was amazing!!!! Loved every minute of it as well. I would definitely go and see him again! A-mazing!!!

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See how close we are to the stage? I think it was 10 rows back.

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Michael Buble Concert
Spokane, WA
August 2011

Ana & Spencer
Grant County Fair
Moses Lake, WA
August 2011

Wade and I were not planning on going to the fair, but my good friend Debbie (who lives on the west side) came over with her two kiddos. Debbie, her two kids and I headed out to the fair and Wade joined us after he was done with work. Here is a photo of the kids. They were in a little play but wanted to enjoy their shaved ice instead. They had fun.

The birthday boy, Big Daddy
visitng with friends-Jim & Kathy Thayer
Marissa Blankenship

The rest of August I spent getting into a routine, and enjoying life.  We celebrated my dad's 70th birthday.  There was a party at the church.  We had cake, icecream and homemade rootbeer.  It was fun. 

Wade thinking while we played Scrabble
 sitting outside on the patio

September came and went.  Wade and I decided to take a quick get away, so we spent a few days in Cour d'Alene, Idaho.  It was nice to just get away.  The condo is about 10 miles east of CDA, so it is really away from life.  It was good to rest, relax and get away.  I also celebrated another birthday.  Didn't do anything special.  Just dinner.  I continued to sub in the schools, started offering piano lessons again while Wade continued to drive many miles with Medstar.

October we continued to work and do scouts and we did the same thing in November too.  We celebrated Lynette (my sister's birthday) and had Thanksgiving at Wade's parents house on Thanksgiving day (we missed Grant and Carlyn and the boys), but spend the day with the rest of the Galbreath clan.

Chief Moses Middle School
Moses Lake, WA

December brought a little snow, but it soon faded away.  :(  I continued to work and started a long term at CMMS teaching 6th, 7th and 8th grade choir.  It has been an interesting assignment.  Just like parenting, I am "picking" my battles.  It has been an interesting month.  I go back on the 4th and finish out the semester.  After that, we will see what happens.  We also celebrated my brother Kevin's birthday.  We went bowling, had dinner and cake.  It was fun.  Here are some photos.  

    

John & Wade Kevin, Allyson & Mom 
They would do the 1-2-3 throw and then compare their scores. 
They each got strikes in this shot.

We spent Christmas Eve's Eve with the Rackham side of the family.  Opened presents, had a good dinner and played games.  Saturday, for Christmas Eve, we headed down to Ritzville to do the Galbreath side of the family.  Christmas day we went to church, then went to my parent's house for soup and sandwiches, games and had more fun.  It was the four parts of Christams.  Wade had to work the rest of the week.  I don't go back until the 4th of January, so I have been doing a whole lot of nothing for break.  I went to Spokane Wednesday and spent some time with Mike, Mel and Maddie.  It was fun. 

Tonight is New Year's eve.  Wade and I are enjoying staying home, watching some sports-watched some football and while I type this, Wade is watching his dawgs play the ducks. It is quite entertaining.  I love listening to him watch bball.  Quite entertaining!!!

Well, we will soon close the books on 2011.  May all the best come to you and yours as we usher in a new year.  May it be a year full of good health, happiness, prosperity and peace, love and joy.  Until next year.....adios~J.