Some (belated) pictures from my swearing in ceremony

Finally, some pictures from my swearing in ceremony:

Christmas Photos

Hi! Thanks for my presents!

Thanks for all of my presents. I really like them. Kate and Ella, I love my princess book. It makes really neat noises. Jackson, I love my big keys. Maybe mommy will let me drive the car now. Mikie, I look cute in my cuddly outfit. Michelle, I love the books, so mommy can read to me. Grandma and Grandpa, the food is great. I really like the nannas and my piggy is too funny. Thanks for spoiling me.....Love Addie

Christmas 2006 Pics

I'M BUYING A NEW HOUSE TOO!

Okay, I'm not; but I just didn't want to feel left out. Watch for me tonight on the Tonight Show I sneaked away from working to go to the taping of tonight's episode with Will Smith and the Blind Boys of Alabama. I don't think the camera ever picked me out, but you never know.

Here is also a funny picture from this weekend. It was my friend from law school's birthday, and he decided he wanted to relive his childhood by going to Chuck E. Cheese. Funny, but weird. We took a picture with the mouse to send to the alumni magazine to show everyone how Stanford yuppies spend their spare time.

Ella's preschool party

Ella's preschool christmas party was so fun. Note the cute shirts they made. We will have a longer drive to preschool now as our offer on the house was accepted. We are excited and nervous. We close in January and still need to sell our house. Stress.

Auntie Michelle tells Addie there's no Santa

Pictures of the less than Palacial Lewis House

The first picture is clearly the kitchen. The second picture is clearly the dinning area. The third picture is clearly the front room or home/visiting teacher room. The fourth picture is Addies bedroom..(note we will be re-carpeting, removing the floral border and painting.) The fifth picture is clearly the family room downstairs that the current owners are using as their Master Bedroom...go figure! Justin and I just love the hangy claw lamp over the TV and the neat birds of paradise wall art.

Our House?

Well, we made an offer on a house today. We weren't planning on moving anytime soon and then we found this house that we really liked so.... We will hear back tomorrow. It is a nice house, on a cul-de-sac, with LDS people on the same street, really good schools and park across the street. I am so excited/nervous. We will let you know if they accept our offer.

Addison is 6 mos. Old

Addison turned 6 mos old today! She is 15 lbs 4 oz and 25 3/4 inches long. She is still holding strong in the 25th percentile. She was a brave little bug and got 4 shots today. Boy, did she have some big alligator tears. It is amazing to see how big she is getting and how fast she is changing. Here are pictures of Addie from birth to 6 mos.

Evals, London, and Coupa Cafe

I've had better Wednesdays.

Tuesday, I caught wind that a parent had complained that I don't lecture enough. Too many activities and group work and such. In spite of the fact that such a notion goes against everything I studied during my masters program, I decided to think it over and do a little research of my own. So when I passed out the mandatory evaluations to my students on Wednesday, I added a question along those lines to get a feel for what my students were thinking. Apparently this was an invitation, to one student at least, to say whatever s/he wanted.

After such gems as "you should teach sixth grade--you'd be good at that, and then we could get someone in here who knows what they are talking about" and "it's our job to figure out plot. it's your job to do the interpretation" (?!), I was done with rich kids for the day.

I went home, changed clothes, and drove my car to downtown Palo Alto. I had two tasks: 1) find a new journal and 2) find a cafe. The journal was easy. The cover says: "Goodbye," she said. "I'm off to join the circus." It seemed appropriate. Not only that, my "Cheers, London" t-shirt won me an offer from the clerk for insider tips if I ever made it back to London to live, since Londres is her home town.

Next item. A cafe. I ended up at Coupa, which Jeff should remember, and the rest of you should check out here. I drowned my sorrows in a ridiculous salad that involved a lot of goat cheese and organic greenery, while I pretended to work and instead listened to the couple next to me discussing all the places the man had lived in London. It was a London afternoon--maybe I'll go back there and teach reading in the projects this summer. It was raining on Wednesday, you know. It could be a sign.

In the end, Palo Alto did the thing it does best, as I walked up the rainy streets to my car and the endless stacks of papers waiting for me at home: I can't believe this town is my charming and slightly ridiculous reality.

We are buying a house!

Wow! I finally got this picture to post...it was only my 6th try! Well...Justin and I are buying a house. Pictured to the left. I'm pretty freaked out about the whole thing. We really want a house, but having a mortgage is scary. The house is in clearfield and is in between the train tracks( I'm not so excitied about that) but it is nicer than most of the houses we have seen. It is a 2100 sq ft rambler. 4 bedroom 1 bathroom. 2 car garage. Hardwood (pergo) floors in the entry and kitchen. The basement is partially finished with 1 bedroom being done and a family room and a big storage room ( which we will probably make smaller ) The laundry room is downstairs but not really finished...there is also room for another bathroom and bedroom downstairs. It has a nice little backyard, so Addie can run around outside.

TO MICHELLE:

So Miss "I think we should have a blog" where are your comments and posts? Hmmm....

We decorated the Christmas tree for FHE last night. It was fun!

To Grandma and Grandpa

to groma from kate groma thanks for the treats i luve you


From Ella: THANKS ELLA

JEFF- How do I get my pictures to load?

I have tried to post a picture a couple of times and it keeps telling me there was an error and it won't come over. I compressed it, so it is small enough...how come your picture worked and mine won't?

Reaching for the Stars!

Since Mikie hasn't let anyone know - I guess it is up to me! Mikie will be sworn into the Bar on Friday at 4:30 pm. Judge Acuda (sp) will perform the ceremony. After 19 years of school and an excrutiating bar exam, he has finally climbed over the ivy wall and landed firmly on the other side! Way to go son, we are proud of you! I wish we could be there to witness the event!

I can't believe I figured out how to do this! (I only had to call Angie once.)

Hi Fam,

Thought I'd join the family blog. Had a great time last night at the Billboard Awards. Hobnobbing with celebs...you know me. Seriously, it was interesting. I honestly didn't watch very much of the show as my ah, attention was engaged by, shall we say silicone valley with a sprinkling of Vegas on top. So much for modest is hottest.

Kids are good. Some rotten boy punched Katie in the head and got sent to the Principal's office yesterday. I wanted to...well, I better not say or my blog will be censored. She told me she didn't cry because she didn't want to in front of all those people. She said she's learning to keep her tears in around lots of people.

Ella is enjoying preschool as much as ever. She was talking to me today about Christmas and how she was so excited to get presents. I, of course, was explaining the joy of giving, etc. (You know the lecture!) And after I had finished and felt pretty good about my message she said, "Yeah, but will I still get presents?" That's my Ella.

Jackson is discovering the joy of big boy underwear. I am not. I am guessing his talents do not lie in the bathroom arena. I am hoping that he will figure out the whole thing before high school. However, we aren't very optimistic. He is still cuddly though so I guess I'll keep him!

I think I better start working on my Christmas letter. Yikes. Hey, Mikie, like what do you want for Christmas? Can you send your shirt size? (This question is just to throw you off the scent, don't worry your present will be a big, big suprise. Yeah, that's right. Feel free to answer the question in detail, anyway, though.)

Love you all,
e

Addison's Christmas Wish List

Dear Santa-
Please bring me CandyCane flavored binky's. ( My mom doesn't think it is a good idea, but I think it would be yummy!) Second, some magic shoes would be nice...I'm trying very hard but I can't seem to get anywhere or perhaps I could just borrow one of the reindeer. I love to bounce so maybe a trampoline and then last but not least...what girl wouldn't want a little bling bling!

I hope this finds you cozy and warm....Addie

How to Send Your Child to Private School

1) Become a doctor
2) Become a lawyer
3) Sell real estate on the mid-peninsula
4) Two letters: VC
and not to be forgotten
5) Race horses

Yes, it's true. My student's father just broke the record for the most races won in a single career:


http://sports.espn.go.com/sports/horse/news/story?id=2682915

Check out the last line--it was three days of MY class that kid was missing. I told him he still had to turn in his essay on time. I know, I'm terrible.

Picture of Me in Big Sur

This is a picture of me from the day in August when I went surfing with Rob in Big Sur. Unfortunately, we needed someone with a telephoto lens.