Hide and Seek

Ewww! This morning I was forced once again to play hide and seek. Normally I don't mind the game but not with you! You hide in the strangest places and when I find you, I usually can't help but scream. Lucky for you this morning it was a quiet gasp. And what else? Every time I do find you, you cheat! Instead of the game being over and letting us both move on, you run away! The way you run just sends shivers down my spine that sometimes give me nightmares. I don't like playing with you! This morning I got you though. While I was sleeping you cleverly squished your body behind my loose light switch cover. I am sure you were just giggling as you hid early this morning thinking your hiding spot was so clever. Well, you lost. You're creeping crooked leg was poking out. I almost missed you on my way to work but I found you thanks to my keen OCD observation skills. Now we are done playing because I squished your gross eight legged body between the cover and the wall. I hope your friends take that as a lesson that I don't like playing hide and seek with spiders!

Early Winter Storm

Dear Massive Swarms of Gnats-
Please go away! You are everywhere. I have a newly speckled windshield of your carcasses. I drive down the street and see you fluttery by like the first snowfall of the winter. I stop at a stop sign and you cover my windshield (which you now are yucky smears :) You fly in my face and smack the faces of the dedicated joggers that foolishly run up Wall Street. I don't like you so please go away.
Thanks!

Dear Life....SLOW DOWN!

Ever since I have graduated college life seems to be flying at warp speed! Each year seems to get a little busier and crazier, I need more and larger vehicles when I move because my things seem to multiply, I lost my first stack of my students' papers (sorry kids) and I get less and less sleep. I want life to slow down! I know that it won't, especially when others give me that twinkle-in-the-eye smile that says, "Good luck I tried that one already!" So here I am noticing all the good things in life right now: I live with two great roommates downtown, have some great girlfriends and one great boy one (I'm not taking questions at this time ;) ), I am still mostly sane, I always seem to have chocolate for emergencies, I seem to never be home (which must me I am busy having fun right?)and I have 28 1st graders that adore me ;). What more could I ask for? Well today, after attempt #2, I received my "unofficial" email that I was accepted into Utah State's Master's program. It seems to me that the chaos and craziness is self-inflicted, however, I am excited for my new adventure and grateful for the opportunity to help my brain grow a little more so that I can assure it doesn't shrink :)



Girls weekend in Park City!


The "one great boy one" with me at Bear Lake this summer.

The church MUST be true!

I was able to go to my friend's cabin this weekend for Memorial Day weekend. He has a place out by Strawberry Reservoir. This morning, Sunday morning, we headed off to a tiny branch 20 minutes out from his cabin. The branch is a tiny barn sized building clearly not meant to hold many people. We get inside, chapel packed, foyer packed, make-shift chapel seating in the hall by the coat rack, packed. We turn the corner, sunday school room, primary room, any room, packed. In fact the floors and the floor in the hallway...packed. We found our little spots in the hallway to sit and take the sacrament and sit on the floor in the hallway. Now why in the world, when we are on vacation, would we take them time to sit on the floor of a church to listen to the kids playing, some in Levi's and sweatshirts, when we can't even hear the speakers? All I could think of was, the church must be true. All of us travel through this life hoping to do the best we can and that this best will be good enough. I watched a father and his daughter, decked out in their Levi's, as his daughter was smashing the air out of his cheeks. Now clearly they, nor I, was listening to the speaker even if we could hear him. However, we were all there for the same reason. We hoped to get some spiritual insight at church but it was more a symbol of our dedication to the gospel; living by example. If we were to have stayed at the cabin and missed church it wouldn't have mattered. I have made that choice before. But when we can, our actions mean something to the outside world and to all those children that did go to church with their parents in Levi's and sweatshirts.

It's official! A quarter of a century...and counting.

Although I hear time and time again, 25 is not old it is still young. I know, mid-20's is great right? With that I also hear time and time again, "I think 25 is when everything started going down hill." Well thanks. :) No matter what anyone says, I am enjoying life. Yes, my life isn't going exactly as planned, but since when does life go exactly as planned for anyone. I enjoy my job as a 1st grade teacher, I happily corrected one of my students the other day that said "We have 33 days left of school!" "No, 13 actually" :). I go to work tired each day, but it reminds me that I have made some great friends and that being single is great for now. Life has it's ups and downs, dating has it's ups and downs but friends and family make it all worth it. I am so grateful for the people in my life that help me to keep going and for the people in my life that rem ind me why we are here together. Most of all I am grateful for the knowledge of the gospel and of a Heavenly Father that loves me and will be there with me every step of the way throughout this mortal life.

A little ironic....don't you think?

I felt the need to quote a classic Alanis Morisette song today because as I was driving home from work, exhausted from my 8 hour entertaining gig at Carl Sandburg Elementary, I could chant in my mind...38 more days til summer. I can do it. Now it may seem that I hate my job. Those of you that know me really well must know that in fact I do love my job mostly because I fit in with my first graders all too well. However, those of you that are teachers, or have lived with one, been close to one, or just hear one talk frequently, know that spring fever, unconditioned classrooms, short attention spans, and just the pure annoyance of staring at the same back of the head all year just starts getting to you...and to the kids ;). Now for the fun irony. I am now nearing the end of my 3rd year (2nd 1/2 for you technical folk), and was thinking about how fast it has come. Naturally I started thinking of my first year and how much smarter I am since then. For those of you that also know me extremely well, know that I am sentimental and cry over just about anything. I remembered a time when my eyes glistened when I talked to my dad about sending my "adorable little first graders" off to second grade. After that flashback, I couldn't help but giggle to myself. "I was sad? Sad about what? That they wouldn't say hi to me in the halls?" It is sad to see some go but not tears worthy sad. Ok, sorry some tears are shed to see some go...but those are more tears of joy and relief :). Again, it was just another moment for me to realize that although I am no longer in college or continuing my education (until July and I start my master's) I am learning and I am getting smarter. :)

Brown-nosing according to a six year old

This is the time of year when my students start getting spring fever and getting a little crazy. One of my students that I have a contract with didn't have a good day. On his way out, instead of looking down trodden and sad, he tried another approach. He packed his backpack and said "Teacher, you are the best teacher in the world...and the cutest." Now wasn't that nice way back when, when you could say whatever you wanted to someone else and not worry about their reaction?

Signs of Spring

After a long winter, or really short but cold ones lately, I welcome the signs of spring...no matter how unusual they are.
-Birds chirping in the morning
-Blizzards in the morning, sunshine in the evening
-A sunny drive home :)
-Cadbury chocolate eggs
-No more big coats, "All you need is a light jacket!"
-Bugs on my window (yuck!)
-Really long days and really short nights...of sleep
-Kids bouncing off the wall because "it's warm outside!"
-Tattling around the clock from my students, "Teacher, she keeps looking at me!"
-Counting down the days until summer vacation. :)

Life Happens...

I initially started this blog to keep friends and family members informed of my trip to Africa. While that was an excellent way to not only let them know I was alive and well, it was fun. I like to write, especially about myself ;) just kidding. But I seem to have been bitten by the blogging bug. Since Africa, a lot of life has happened. Although I am as single as ever, my single adult side has grown. First step, I have made the big final move out of the parents house into an apartment. It was such a big move that we still have the same zip code. Baby steps right? This situation was ideal and I have met some great new friends. Since the big move, my relationship with my roommate Kami is blossoming and we have taken many trips together with our friend Brooke to the Caribbean and we just ran a race in Moab. We are currently looking for a house and hoping to expand our family, our roommate family that is. Not quite what I was expecting for my life at this time but I couldn't have asked for a better roommate and friends for this everlasting long stage of life.

My roommates Steph, Kami and I at our 1st and most likely last annual Ugly Sweater Party.
After all of our races in Moab. Brooke ran the half-marathon and Kami and I ran the 5-mile.
Waiting to go swim with some sting rays in Grand Cayman with Brooke and Kami.