more pics

went to myka's first docs appt today. she is perfect and gaining weight! here are some more pics :)

erin

here is our myka

here are pics of Mykaela Astrid Strong

hospital part 2

ok, so after less than 48 hours, we are back in the hospital. went in for the normal weekly visit this morning and the doc said, you are going to the hospital. My protein levels jumped from a trace amount to 3.5 g (high is considered 300 mg). So, long story short we are here til we deliver, which should be sometime early Saturday
exciting stuff!! can't hardly wait

hospital visit

So we got to go to the hospital yesterday afternoon. Don't worry it is a false alarm.

Basically because I am on bedrest and at risk for developing pre-eclampsia, headaches are pretty serious. Yesterday i got a headache that was bad enough that my vision blurred to the point that I really couldn't see. Not fun, really don't want to do that again. Called the doc and she said get to the hospital as soon as you can. Again, probably not a good sign. So, off to the hospital we went, and got on the monitors and all that. They took blood to check enzyme levels to see if I have developed pre-eclampsia, and everything came back normal.

Mykaela was fine, they monitored her for the entire time we were there. My blood pressure is still a bit high even if I am laying down now. So, I have my scheduled appt on Friday and we will see where it goes from there.

At my last appt, my ob basically said if everything stays status-quo, then we will induce on 5/12 -- 5/13. Again, with the hospital visit yesterday, we will see what my appt entails tomorrow :)

myka 3-D ultrasound video

here is the link to the video of the 3-D ultrasound. Thanks chad for your help!!!!!

http://myspacetv.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=vids.individual&videoid=32565615

3-D pics

Here are some of the 3-D ultrasound pics :)

Erin's Baby Shower

Here are some pics of ERIN'S SHOWER

so we have made a decision

Hi to all I know it has been a while but we have decided on a name it is going to be

Mykaela(Myka)Astrid Strong Erin has been to the doctor a few time all is normal, and big according to the ultra sounds I am getting very excited about becoming a dad.

What else can I tell you, I hate Colorado as soon as I can talk Erin in to moving back to Arizona we will be moving back I just hope I can find a job at a Harley Davidson shop there but there's always the club I can work at if need be the hours suck but it would be a job. well i just rant when I do this so til next time

we're having a . . . . . .

little girl! the ultrasound went well, everything is perfect. Now onto names . . . . . any suggestions?
ours so far(in no particular order)

Rowan Elizabeth
Aurora Lynne
Mykaela Rae
Astri (or Astrie) Mykaela
Piper Mykaela
Mackenzie Rae

Let me know what you think!! Erin

Long overdue update

OK, so i have been extraordinarily lax about updating the blog. Life got in the way!

So here is the last year in a nutshell

• Mike graduated and got a job in Colorado




• So, we moved to Castle Rock CO, he is working for Freedom Harley Davidson and I am at a High school here




• We are having a baby!! (and everything is perfect so far)




• got a new puppy -- Thora (pics to follow)




• My masters will be done in May

Isn't she just adorable! Odin is getting used to her, and we think it will be great for him to have someone to play with once the baby comes. Counting down the days -- it will be an interesting end of the semester as the last day of school is May 23rd and I am due May 24th! :)

That is about it for now. New Year's resolution is to actually update the blog more often!

New york and blatent fundraising :)

OK, so i may be crazy, but I have decided to take 20-30 of this year's Metro Tech seniors to New York City for their senior trip. Most of these kids haven't been east of Texas, if they have even been out of the state.
And now for the blatant fundraising :)
We raised a lot of money with prom, and the kids are doing a pampered chef fundraiser, if you like their products, go to this site and order :) go to order products and type in metro tech for the organization name ($10 extra to have it delivered directly to your house!)
Seriously, you don't have to order, but if you are as addicted to their products as I am, and you haven't ordered anything lately, a look can't hurt right? I know I am devious ;)
So, other than planning and getting this trip approved, I haven't been doing much else. Mike is still busy with school, really looking forward to being done! My master's program is changing, and of course the changes are retro active, so I can't get in on the old program, so I will be done next spring (that is spring of 2008). It is OK, it will be here before we know it!
That is about it!
Love to all!
Erin and Mike

Holiday Visits

Ok,

So Mike and I were talking and we have tentatively decided to come up for Christmas and New Year's. We think it will be easier to make the trip once and just stay for the week between Christmas and New Year's then to try to make the trip up twice. And that way we are around for the majority of the holiday festivities :)

AND, we both have that time off of work/school so it will be easier and less stressful on that front! :)

And just an FYI, the hotel that is just down the street from the house is a Best Western, it is on 16th St and Northern. Has a great continental breakfast, can get a room with a fridge, I think the pool is heated, and it has a hot tub :)

Love to all!
Erin and Mike

Save the Date

February 23, 2007
That is the date for Mike's graduation :)

Not sure what time the festivities will be taking place, but probably mid-day. I know it is a Friday, but it would be great if everybody could be here!

So, I was on fall break this past week. It was great! I really enjoy having a week off in the fall. It makes things flow really well at school, and everyone will hopefully be well rested when we return!

It has finally cooled down here! (well relatively anyway) We have the doors open and it is beautiful (about 75 or so right now at 3pm).

Hope everyone is doing well -- better go -- talk to you all soon!
Love,
Erin and Mike

Tentative Grad dates

Just for Roger :)
just kidding, thought I had put this in somewhere . . . . . Maybe in my head??

Ok, so Mike's graduation date is Feb 3rd (ish) (he is out riding . . . . . . . ) So, lets say beginning of Feb to be safe :)
IF he decides to stay and complete either BMW or Honda, he would graduate about 12 weeks later, which would put him somewhere in April . . . . .
the decision to stay and take more courses will probably be directly related to what type of job offers he gets (and whether they are willing to wait for him) It seems a Strong tradition that the husbands move to the new place before the wives, so we shall see if we continue that tradition :)

My graduation will not be until Fall of 06 or Spring of 07 as I decided to keep my sanity and only take 6 graduate hours (2 classes) instead of 9 hours (3 classes) -- well, they canceled one, but I am really glad they did! So, depending on which catalog they allow me to graduate under will determine whether it is fall or spring. Anyway, I just plan on having a big party and not worrying about the whole pomp and circumstance of a graduation (as a teacher, I HAVE to sit through a graduation every year, I would just rather have a party!! and if it is a fall grad, maybe we could roll it into a New Year's celebration!!)

ok, so that is it on the graduation front. I know that February is fast approaching, so as soon as I have a definite date for the graduation, I will post so that everyone else knows too :)
Love to all!
Erin

ps all are welcome to come down for the graduation -- I know it may be difficult or a quick trip, but it would be fun -- phoenix is beautiful in February :)

Fun Halloween stuff

So while we were out and about this weekend, we found the perfect pumpkin decorating kits :)
(At Target of course)
Here are the pictures -- hopefully our pumpkins will look as good as the pictures.

The weather is finally cooling down in the morning here -- don't even want to know how cool it is in other places -- we will just be jealous!

Hope all is well with everyone!
Love to all!! :)
Erin and Mike

An interesting August

The title really says it all.
But, a short recap --
I went back to school on Aug 1st. 4 days before that I found out that I would be teaching different subjects in a different room. Biology is still the same only more of it (4 periods) and 1 period of Anatomy and Physiology. Very exciting!! And I now have my own room, also very exciting. However, when I got here on Tuesday August 1st, I found my room in shambles. It had not been cleaned by the previous occupand, and so I spend the better part of 30 hours that week cleaning my room and getting ready for the start of school.
My mom also switched from elementary school to high school and the next week, outsite of teaching, i spend time helping her get ready for her first day.
then, the bombshell -- the next week, on August 19th, my Gramp,
(my role-model, my rock) passed away. He ws 101, so it was not totally unexpected, but not easy to deal with. He, my aunt ruthie and my cousin deanne, (who I was with more than not on the farm from 2 weeks old til kindergarten) helped to make me the person I am today. while that may not always be a good thing (hahaha) -- it could be a lot worse!
So . . . . I went back to Iowa for the week, for the funeral and to visit and such. He was an amazing man and will be greatly missed!
Then, I came back and am still trying to get back into the swing of things. My masters classes started last week and there is always catch-up when you are gone, but it is good.
Mike is doing well in his classes. He graduates in February from Harley, but is now trying to decide if he wants to add on Honda or maybe BMW. . . we will see how it goes. A lot depends on whether or not he is recruited by Harley to work at one of their plants.
So, that was August. I think I am glad it is Sept and hopefully it will be a bit quiter around here :)
Love to all!
Erin

too damn hot!

ok -- so i know we choose to move back to phx and all -- but it is really, really warm!! Brain function starts to dwindle in this heat I am sure!
Other than the melting -- things are good here, finished teaching summer school, and now just working on my own summer school classes. I am taking 3 this summer, 3 this fall and then 2 in the spring and I will have my masters :) Just about the same time Mike is done with school -- timing should work out great.
Speaking of Mike's school -- he is doing well -- was pulled to the side by his instructor last week and told he was one of the two best in class. Pretty cool!
Right now he is in the intro to Harley's block for another couple of weeks, then to electrical or suspension -- not sure which one he is assigned to yet.
We got a call from Nissa a week or so ago asking about the serial killers on the loose in PHX, if you hear about it on national news, they are not in our area, at least not yet. The police are appealing to the community for information, because they are at a loss. It is a bit scary, but what can you do?
Nat's ACL is healing nicely, and my back is feeling better every day -- hopefully by the time I have to go back to school (aug 1st) it will be all better. . . . . . .
Andrea is starting high school in Aug -- I can hardly believe it! It really makes me feel old!
Both Nat and Andrea would heartily agree :)
well -- i guess that is it for us. trying to update more often . . . .
love to all!
Erin

not dead, just busy

ok -- so again we are not dead or abducted my aliens or anything like that, just busy!!
short version
in may -- erin threw out her back at prom (protruding disk)
mike laid down his bike (in a parking lot, not much damage)
end of school year for erin
june -- surprise visit from erin's grandparents,
mike's friend got into a serious motorcycle accident (lifelighted to hospital, but she is ok)
mike finished required classes and moved onto harley's
erin started teaching summer school and taking summer school classes
celebrated 10 year wedding anniversary (happy late anniversary to Roger & Pam and Bryan & Dena)
end of june -- summer school teaching is over
mike switched back to the club for his part time job -- needed extra time during the week for school
other than that -- things are good, oh and I am still in physical therapy for the back, and Natalyn had her ACL replaced -- so we are going to physical therapy together.
now looking forward to not teaching for a month and just concentrating on my own school work. . . . no big plans for the 4th -- Mike has the day off of school, so who knows what we may do. . . . .
hope everyone is well, will try to update more often (at least the thought is there right?)
love to all!
erin and mike

the coolest fieldtrip EVER!

Ok, so i decided about a month and a half ago to take my honor's bio kids on a field trip. We talked about it and they were willing to come in on a sat to go (it is the only way my district will allow fieldtrips that are not sports or ethnic club related to happen -- wouldn't want them to miss educational opportunities in school!!) Anyway, we went to southwest wildlife (click on the name to see) it was too cool!! It is a rehab place in NE scottsdale. The animals we were able to see are ones that they can not reintroduce into the wild. They do have about a 70% reintroduction rate, which is huge! And, while we were there the wolves, coyotes and dogs started howling. The workers call it a "touchdown" because it sounds like you are at a football game for about 30 seconds. If you click on the link above and have your sound on, you can hear an example.
It was too cool!!
everything else is great! mike has moved onto a new clinic, i can't remember what it is right now, and I started my master's (only 7 more weeks of the current classes)
Mike also got another job. he is working at a pet store in PV mall. He has sold 5 dogs in 6 or 7 days. He was told last night that he just surpased their best salesman. He really likes the job and gets to play with puppies the whole time he is there. Odin I think is a bit jealous when he comes home, but that is ok too :)
well, better go -- love to all -- and hey roger, some of that vacation time could be used to come a bit further south :) They repainted Jordan's, you won't even recognize the inside!!

new information

well, so we don't have a whole lot of information. working, going to school, blah, blah :)
Mike is in electrical class now -- still has a 4.0 :) pretty exciting!!!
I am staring my master's program officially on 3/20!! Exciting!!
other than that, just getting through day by day. Been to Colorado, which was fun, and had visitors from Utah, fun too -- got to go to faire as a patron (weird but fun) sorry for all the fun and exciting, gave AIMS tests today, and I am a little brain fried!!
now, at PC, working til 7, but i only have a few weeks left for that
One exciting bit is that I am going to New Mexico over Spring break for NEA training on membership -- i am looking forward to that!
well, better go!
love to all :)
erin