Gathering #125

Christmas is coming and I can't wait. My life in the last few months has been super busy. School is crazy. I tutor three days a week and am on two committees. I am still alive and have a goal to post more frequently. Lets see how it goes!

Gathering #124

Sorry life has been crazy!

So here is a quick post of what is on my mind right now

• I love pedicures!
• I miss my family, Carson City is too far away
• Still can't believe I have jury duty on my day off next week
• Made it through another set of S.E.P. conferences
• I am so tired

That's it! 

Gathering #123

Summer is over! I spent the entire summer teaching summer school and getting my room ready. School starts in the morning and I think I am ready to see my kids.

View from my desk

Back of the room

Math Wall and Sink

My Desk

My door

Gathering #122

This weekend was WONDERFUL! Some of my favorite people came to visit. We spent a lot of time eating, and playing. Can't wait to see them again in a couple of weeks~

Traditional picture of these two crazies in our kiddie pool!

Miss, miss, miss this happy face of my best friend 

This little cutie makes me smile

Gathering #121

Pioneer day in Utah! This year was a little less festive then normal for me, but the night did end on a high note. We watched the parade on t.v. and bbqed. The night ended with a camp fire, smores, and watching the neighborhood fireworks. I am grateful for this holiday that reminds me of the sacrifices the pioneers went to for their religious freedoms.

Gathering #120

Last weekend Daniel and I headed down to St. George to go to the Shakespearean Festival. We had a great time with our friends and enjoyed seeing Les Miserable. We ate to much, laughed to much, got into some deep conversations, and just enjoyed being together.  

In the car

Daniel and I in front of the play poster

The ladies

The guys

Gathering #119

Most people don't know what today is. Yes it is July 17!

57 years ago today Disneyland opened, so I started a new family tradition this year and we had Mickey pancakes to celebrate. We listened to the Disneyland soundtrack as we ate, and tonight we will either play Disney Scene it or watch a Disney movie. Nothing big but kinda fun. Can't wait to see what I can plan for next year!

Gathering #118

I spent last night at The Grand America. I had won a gift certificate from my work, so off I went with my two friends. We had a great time. We stayed on the 19th floor and had a great view of the city. We got pedicures, went to eat at Macaroni Grill, and  ate breakfast at the Garden Cafe.

I had a great time. Thank you Heidi and Faye for coming with me, and the Salt Lake City School District for giving me the gift certificate. 

The view from my room

Another view from my room

Best bed I have ever slept in.

Sitting area. See that chair it was so comfy.

Closet area, right outside the bathroom

No worries I took a shower and a bath while I was there

Vanity in the bathroom

Gorgeous garden out in the middle of the hotel

My empty gelato cup. It was yummy

The entrance to the spa where we got pedicures

All the colors to choose from

My finished toes

All three of our feet ready to go to dinner

When we got back to our room Hector had been there to turn down our beds and leave us a little  treat

Our chocolate boxes we found on our beds

Hector also left us a bucket of ice and cups for the evening

My after dinner treat a white chocolate covered strawberry rolled in pistachios and a salted caramel macaroon

Breakfast this morning. We got to eat outside it was lovely. 

There public bathrooms are amazing. Those towels in the middle of the counter are cloth . I was completely out of my element.

This is standing at one side of the public washroom.

Gathering #117

I love the 4th of July. It is one of my favorite holidays. My celebration began on the 3rd, we went to the city park for fireworks, and a concert in the park. Super fun!

First snow scone of the year!

This is my view of the concert

First Fireworks of the year

Gathering #116

Remember how I have been counting down days until summer break, well my break lasted all of a couple hours and today I found out I will be teaching summer school. Yea for me, yea for my credit card bill.
Wish me luck!

Gathering #115

#4- Getting excited to try new things, and hoping it works

#3- Feeling like I can do better and that I affect how well they do

#2- Getting to know them for the rock stars that they are

#1- SUMMER VACATION

Gathering #114

Here are #5 and 6

#6- My kids. They make me laugh, mad, excited, and just happy to be around them

#5- Assemblies. Especially assemblies where kids in my school perform. The 5th grade just put on the jungle book and it was so perfect.

Gathering #113

Sorry life got a little crazy.

Here are:

#10- Rock star status. Anytime I see my students in public its like I am a rock star.

#9- My hours. Technically I work more then this but my contract hours are from 7:45-2:55. Hard life

#8-  The ability to control a room of people with a look or a word.

#7- That I only have 7 more school days, until summer break!

Gathering #112

#11- I call it the light bulb moment. I love it when I am teaching something, and all of a sudden I see that what I am saying makes sense to my students. Its like you can see the light bulb go off.

Gathering #111

#12- The crazy things that I do for my kids. Today involved Popsicle and voting on what we would get next time we filled our jar with gold coins, but I have played minute to win it. In front of 650 kids chanting my name. Next week I will be doing a 6 minute dance just to get them excited about our 5k

Gathering #110

There are only 13 more school days! I like all the rest of the education world are silently counting down those days. So I decided that I would do a little countdown for all of you to follow me on my journey to summer break.
So for the next 13 school days I will being do the top 13 reasons I love being a teacher

#13- I love the location of my school. It is close enough that it does not take me long to get to and from work, but far enough away that I don't run into my students at the grocery store on Saturday mornings when I am in my pj's, hair pulled up on the top of my head, with no makeup on.

Gathering #109

Changes! Lots of changes in my life. School is wrapping up and I just made my class lists for next year. I was just put in as the Relief Society President (that accounts for my past stress post), and most important change I have a new niece. Can't wait to see her on Friday!

Gathering #108

Stressed! Major stress! Do you ever feel that you are being sucked into a tornado of stress and there is nothing you can do about it? That's how I feel right now. My weeks are running into each other and I have official had to write "read" on my to do list. My coping strategy for the stress is to lay on my bed and watch t.v. but what does that do for me, adds more stress because I am not doing the things I should be doing to relieve the stress. So the t.v. adds stress, and I don't get done the important things. Today I decided to take control of the stress and work my way to the eye of my stress tornado. The eye of a tornado is the calm spot. So as the stress is blowing all around me I will be calm. I will be cool. I will be collected. I will not allow the stress to get to me. I will take action. I know the stress is going no where, but I am. I am going to the eye. I will be calm, I will be calm, I will be calm. I hope it works. Cross your fingers and wish me luck, as I calmly take control of the stress!

Gathering #107

Another favorites post!

Some of my favorites right now are:

York Peppermint patties. I love them, they satisfy my craving for something sweet (and they are not a lot of calories double bonus)

My current play list is the Miss Saigon soundtrack

Jif to Go cups. I love dipping my celery and carrots in it everyday at lunch


And not a new favorite, but for the next little bit (until I have two) my FAVORITE little person in the world. Miss her tons and love when we talk on the phone, play, and just sit quietly.

Gathering #106

I feel like my life is so boring that no body would ever want to read about it. So here are a few of the things I have been up to lately.

• Just got back from Carson City. I love just hanging out with the family. Left with some new phrases that I can't stop saying like "That is isgusting", "a tasty treat", and "stinky stinky". I can't get "big star" out of my head, and I have a new respect for prayers and the joy and simplicity they can bring and be.


• School is busy. We are getting ready for CRT testing and I am cramming things into their minds all day every day.


• Went to see "Mirror Mirror" I am so sorry if you liked it. I didn't!


• Cooking is at an all time low in my life. Trying to shed a few pounds before Benj gets home in August. Lets see how it goes.

On an exciting note:

58 days (including weekends) till school gets out and 127 days till Benj gets home.

I know you are all jealous of my exciting life, but its my life and I love it.

Gathering #105

How was your weekend?

Mine was great! It included:

• 16+ hours of driving
• Swimming with the coolest 2 year old ever.
• Eating lots and lots of amazing junk food
• Laughing with my brothers
• getting pampered with my sister-in-law
• playing with blocks, tents, and just running after my favorite little person

Why cant all my weekends be that fun?

Gathering #104

Heidi and I on Storybrook Canal

Faye, Brittney, and I in the Toy Story Box

Faye and I in line for Toy Story

Brittney and I at the Blue Bayou

In line for Indiana Jones

Presidents Day has come and gone. I went to Disneyland this past weekend and had a great time. I went with some of my friends. We laughed, played, and just enjoyed the happiest place on earth.

Gathering #104

I saw this on my friends blog and thought I would copy the idea.
February (so far) favorites.

I am in love with Downton Abbey. If you have not seen it stop everything and watch it. I love it and it is the highlight of my week.

Smoothies. I crave them and I start every morning with one.

Adele. I know I am a little behind on the times, but her songs get stuck in my head all the time.

Pandora. At work I don't get great reception on the radio. This has started my love for Pandora. I listen to it in the mornings while my students are working, during lunch, and after school. I can always listen to whatever I want when I feel like it.

Donors Choose, if you love a teacher, and want to help them out go onto Donors Choose. It is a program that teachers put things that they need for their class and people donate money toward their project. I love it, my kids love it. It is a win win.

Gathering #103

On my mind...

#1- What am I going to do for math tomorrow?

#2- Why am I so tired?

#3- I need a vacation.

#4- Oh that's right I am going to Disneyland in 21 days

#5- And hopefully to Carson City 2 weeks after that

#6- Kinda craving a smoothie

Thanks for letting me clear my mind.

Gathering #102

Hello world!

Its been a while!

I think I will do a quick update so that we are all on the same page:

1. November: Thanksgiving came and with it Nic, Ash, and Sam spent the week with us. We had a very small but very enjoyable Thanksgiving day. Highlights were: Daniel coming to dinner in a suit, being buried in a pile of leaves by my favorite two year old, Ashley's cheesecake, and my mothers delicious food.
2. December: I only had to work 2 weeks (so that is always nice). Christmas was awesome really low key, but very enjoyable. We went to a couple of movies, spent time as a family, and gained a ton of weight.
3. January: Back to work, no snow, 2 cavities filled, car insurance due, Dad's arm issue. I LOVE January. Just kidding it has not been that bad. Nothing really out of the ordinary.

Lets hope that I can keep up a little better then I did in 2011.