McComb Family

Unfortunately Briana looks slightly like me after a bee sting. This was before she swelled up even more and looked like someone had popped her in the eye.

And here's daddy and son.

Posted in: on Saturday, August 09, 2008 at at 6:53 PM 2 comments  

I got home last night (late, of course, after softball) and had a message saying I will be teaching 1st grade!!! Woohoo!!!!!!

Posted in: on at at 8:47 AM 2 comments  

I'm sure everyone knows what a nightmare last year was for me. I started off teaching 4th, 5th, and 6th grade science and they threw in 7th and 8th grade computers for good measure. Was out almost a month for my treatment, came back for one week and started a kindergarten/1st grade class. Had them for about 6 weeks and became a 1st/2nd grade class. Yes, the only grade I did not teach was 3rd!!! Talk about a nightmare.

Come the end of the year, I'm told I will be teaching 6th grade next year (as in next week now!) but was told to hold off and not pack up my room yet because things may change. Hormonal tween sixth graders would not be my first choice, but hey, it's a job.

A couple of weeks ago I get a call saying my old science position has come open....would I prefer that to 6th grade. Heck yeah!! Something I've taught before -- that would be a novel concept. But again with the disclaimer to wait a bit longer to move back over because things may still change.

Finally, today I get a call that they are going to add another primary class. Do I want to teach a 1st/2nd grade class again. You bet!! However one of the other teachers might want the 1/2 which would leave me with a straight 1st -- even better!!

So after months of not knowing what I would be doing this year......I will be teaching 1st grade (and maybe 2nd)! Now I better get started planning my year out!! : )

Posted in: on Friday, August 08, 2008 at at 3:56 PM 1 comments  

I've been thinking for quite some time that I need to post how to publish a comment since some people seem a little confused about it and I often feel like I'm having a schizophrenic conversation with myself. Are there people out there reading this stuff, and if so, who are they? I was going to tell you that you just need to click on the # comment link at the bottom of the post, type your message, log in or do in anonymously, I've even taken off word verification (you're welcome A.A. =]), et cetera, et cetera, et cetera.

But, this was all before I posted Briana and her outfits. Now there are a double-digit number of comments, so I get it that you know how to comment. I see how things are!!

Posted in: on at at 10:33 AM 1 comments  

Posted in: on Tuesday, August 05, 2008 at at 9:13 AM 0 comments  

Outfit 1

or Outfit 2?

Posted in: on Monday, August 04, 2008 at at 7:58 AM 10 comments  

As I was leaving school one day, a man on a bike asked me if I knew which trail behind the school led to Cool. I had to tell him I had no idea as I've never actually hiked on any of those trails before. He says to me, "You mean to tell me I just drove up from the Bay Area to ride my bike in your backyard and you've never been on these trails?" Uh, yeah, that's exactly what I'm telling you! And the first time I ever walked around the historic Gold Rush town of Coloma was when I taught 3rd grade and had to go there on a field trip. The moral of the story is......people drive from all over to visit these exciting and interesting places yet we often overlook what is right down the street.

I have been wanting for years to walk over No Hands Bridge, but have I ever done it.....NO! I have pictures of it hanging on my wall, a historical book sitting on my coffee table, and day in and day out I drive by it without ever stopping. So, this summer I made a plan with a friend of mine to walk across the bridge. We even set up times to do it, but then things came up. It was too smoky, too hot, too whatever. Finally, we were set to go today, and guess what......things came up. I was determined though and was not going to reschedule -- TODAY WAS THE DAY!! So the kids and I headed down the canyon to the trail enterance by ourselves. While we were on this enlightening journey of ours I figured we better stop by those other places that have always peaked my interest, just not enough to actually stop the car.

First thing when we get on 49 there is a sign that looks like this:

I've always wondered what it's about, because it's not quite to the Bayley House which is a local landmark but closer to our small, sometimes-manned fire house. Hmmmm....turns out we had the first Grange Hall in California. I didn't even know what a Grange Hall was exactly, so I had to look it up. Turns out it's "a fraternal organization for American farmers that encouraged farm families to band together for their common economic and political good." One of the things they tried to do was get rid of railroad monopolies which is ironic since Mr. Bayley was counting on the railroad coming through Pilot Hill and making him rich. Anyway, what is left of the Bayley House has been falling apart and one wall collapsed several years ago. Money has been raised to fix it up and eventually make it into a museum/gift shop but that is still a ways off. Here is the repaired wall and what it used to look like.

Finally, we were off to the river.

This is Briana on the bridge with the north fork of the American River behind her. I wanted Adam to be in the picture with her, but he was freaked out about going over by the edge. It's amazing how high you are when you're actually on top of the bridge. That little barrier certainly isn't going to stop you from falling over!! What's even more amazing is that the bridge has been completely submerged under water - wow!!

We hiked for a bit and then ended up down at the river. The kids promptly took their shoes off and plunged their toes in the cool water. Even though my car said it was 88 degrees, it sure felt a lot hotter. Adam tried to get me to carry him, because his legs were "so totally sore" but that wasn't going to happen.

Finally, here is a picture of all three bridges -- No Hands Bridge, the 49 crossing, and Foresthill Bridge. Pretty cool.

So, what do you know about your neck of the woods??

Posted in: on Friday, August 01, 2008 at at 1:19 PM 2 comments  

Of our entire 5 acres, we have a little postage stamp sized lawn, but I guess it was enough to attract a dreaded gopher. Or maybe I should say family of gophers. These guys are moving more earth than Bret does with the backhoe. When our lawn first started showing fresh mounds of dirt -- that telltale sign of unwanted guests -- he put the garden hose down their hole and tried flooding them out. Water started coming out of very unexpected spots letting us know that their tunnel system was much more elaborate than we had anticipated.

Time goes by and we discover them over by the pond. Now, the only way to get over there from the lawn is to go under the slab. Yep, piles of rock are now showing up on our lawn which they are digging from under the driveway. We expect the whole thing to collapse on us one of these days!!

In the meantime, obviously the water method did not work so Bret went on to try other methods of destruction. He tried pouring gasoline down the tunnels and lighting them on fire. No such luck. Maybe diesel would work better. Again, fresh piles of dirt soon showed up. Patiently waiting with a shovel over their hole.....well, he got one that way but it didn't seem to make much of a dent in the destruction taking place. There must be dozens of the little buggers down there. Let's see.....he also tried gopher bombs, one of those emitters that vibrates and makes chirping noises around the clock, even chocolate X-Lax (now that was embarrassing having to ask for in the store!). Needless to say, the list goes on and on.

His latest method has just been to stop watering the grass completely and hope they'll go find a more lush home elsewhere. Let me just say that the sod and trucks of soil we had brought in cost a pretty penny and there was plenty of work involved in putting that postage stamp lawn in......I'm not willing to give it up!!! So, sure enough yesterday I go out to see he has come up with yet a new method. Now he's trying to fumigate them out with a little help from the quad and Adam the throttle controller.

Can you say Caddyshack anyone?!

Posted in: on Monday, July 28, 2008 at at 9:35 AM 5 comments  

There are many hats that I wear -- mother, wife, daughter, friend, teacher, team manager/coach, softball player (I'd say athlete, but you'd all know I was lying!!), and on and on. There seems to be one that stands out above all others to many people though, and that is......TEACHER. One of my former students, who I may have again this year, told her mother this morning, "I didn't know Mrs. McComb was such a party animal." Actually after that comment I probably won't have her this year!! He he! : ) Anyway, it all started Friday night when she came over to my house. We had invited several couples from our team to come over (as happens after every game -- it just ended up being our house this time), as well as her parents who are actually "the opposition"!! [Side note: Their team beat us, and as that was the only team we hadn't played yet, we are now officially in last place.....but that's a whole different post!!] We left the game and got here about 10:00, so it was a late night. Everyone left about 1:00, and I guess she later told her mom she couldn't believe I was still up. I hate to tell her that if she and her parents hadn't been here, maybe I wouldn't have been up, but...details!!! Anyway, the next day was her dad's birthday so we went to their house for his birthday party. We had lots of fun. It was even a Mexican theme, so Bret fit right in!! There was swimming, pinatas (one for the kids and one for the adults), food, drinks, and my favorite.....volleyball. I actually have bruises on my forearms today from playing so much last night. Fun, fun. Anyway, we left about 12:30, and I'm guessing that was probably past my "teacher curfew" as well. I'm not sure how I rated as the only party animal out of all the people who were there, but that kind of things seems to regularly happen. I know it always amazes kids when they see their teacher at the grocery store or somewhere out in public, but many parents seem to have the same reaction. I don't get it. They go to their jobs and take care of their daily responsibilities just like I do. Just because I spend my work day in a classroom, does that somehow make me different?? I don't see myself any differently. I'm working to make money for my family and I to live the life we'd like to live just like all families do. I go to work and try to do my best job. Are there times I could do better - heck yeah, but I'm human. Hopefully other people will recognize that too.

Posted in: on Sunday, July 27, 2008 at at 6:13 PM 2 comments  

So I'm on Skype tonight with Ken in Australia and I hear some noises in the background but don't think too much about them. Loud noises and Adam go hand in hand. He finally comes in to tell me there is bad news in the kitchen and that I better come see. Just what every mom wants to hear! I go in there and he hands me an open beer. Well, kind of open. There is a hole that the beer can come out of, but the cap is still on. Here is a picture of the bottle.
He then proceeds to hand me a second one (he was a busy boy!). He must have thought I was really thirsty! : ) Turns out he banged on them with one of our wine stoppers and somehow managed to open them without breaking the glass or spilling them. Pretty amazing!! What will he come up with next?? Ken was more than happy to take one of them off my hands for me -- too bad he's on the other side of the world! He's definitely his daddy's little boy! : )

Also, just to prove that we are consistent -- we got creamed again tonight!! We make a lot of people happy, just none of them are on our team!!! He he!!

Posted in: on Friday, July 18, 2008 at at 10:40 PM 6 comments