Leah, the Author

Leah is in 1st grade, and is doing very well...she is a great reader and a good writer, too!! Open House was a couple of weeks ago and even though I had to work, Michael went and saw all of the glorious things that she has created this year. One of those thing was this book she wrote, called, The Adventures of William, The Indiana Jones Fish! It is seriously one of the cutest and most creative things I have seen a teacher do. Here is it!! The world wide debut! (I write what she wrote under each picture!)

The Adventures of William, The Indiana Jones Fish, written and illustrated by Leah Koontz

Once upon a time there was an Indiana Jones fish named William.

He was going to find the Pearl of Wisdom.

Suddenly!, there were bad guys coming after him!

He took his whip and swung it. All the bad guys fell.

He thought he was safe but another bad guy came after him!

So, he swang his whip again. He knockd down the bad guy and a rock!

Under the rock was the pearl of Wisdon! He was happy and went on to a new adventure!

The End

And here is her fish that we got to deocrate...Indiana Jones himself!

I cannot believe how creative this little lady is and I am so proud of her accomplishments, I had to share! Enjoy!!

Some Springtime Adventures

The weather has been soooo nice, we couldn't just sit inside and not enjoy it, we had to get outside and ride bikes and take some hikes. Here are some pics of the munchkin on 2 WHEELS!! Wa-hoo!! The pics are backward, but you get the idea. Here she is...

Papa close and ready to catch her, just in case!

Holding her steady!


Don't let me go, Papa

A few weeks ago, we headed up Bouquet Canyon to the Falls, and we couldn't go without Moses!

Leah found a blue-bellied lizard.

He seemed to like her!

The falls were beautiful, after we cleaned up the trash, and ignored the graffiti!!

We can't wait to see what else the springtime brings and we are looking forward to the summertime, too...can you say Hawaii?? Wa-hoo!! We'll be there before we know it!

30 years old!

I'm 30th...here is a pic of me and the hubs at a birthday party I had, and some musings about such a big birthday!!

I have been 30 for 3 days now, and I don't feel any different than 29. I have been doing a lot of thinking though about the past and the future and if I am where I thought "I'd be" at 30. Does that question make any sense? I feel like I have been the type of person who takes each day at it comes, and hasn't had the sense of dread about turning 30 that maybe some other people have had. On Sunday, driving to my parents for my birthday dinner I got to thinking about how much my life has changed in the last 10 years. I am now in my 4th decade and I feel like my 3rd decade went by in a blur. While pondering, I thought of 30 things that I have done or accomplished in the last 10 years...you can stop reading now and know that I look forward to the next 10 years or you can talk a walk down memory lane with me!!

In the past 10 years, I:

- graduated college

-earned a BA in Communication

-taught outdoor science school

-got a teaching credential

-substituted a lot!

-was a "'boss" at Sylvan

-went to Europe with my sister and Chris Kidder

- drove across the country with Chris Kidder

-went to Graceland

-went to Yellowstone and Jackson Hole

-joined EHarmony where I became a success story

-moved to Santa Ana, then to Lancaster, then to Palmdale, then to Santa Clarita

-got a teaching contract

-got an engagement ring

-was a bride on my wedding day, in one of my favorite places

-became a mom to the best kiddo ever

-was a "Room Mom"

-go to parent-teacher conferences instead of leading one

-became a housewife/stay at home mom

-learned a lot (and am still learning) about autism

-made some amazing friends

-went on 2 cruises to Mexico

-became "mom" to 2 special doggies

-am beer-brewing helper

-became a good meal cooker

-am holiday-house decorator

-am blog reader and writer

-was a bridesmaid and matron of honor a few times

-am a Koontz!!

Now that I am here...I am happy to be here and look forward to the next 10 years...can't even imagine what they will hold, but I'm looking forward to it!!