I need to give credit where credit is very long overdue. I give credit to the 20 beautiful faces that I see each day, to the 20 hugs, and 20 smiles, and 20 silly stories. I give credit to the 20 minds that are open to what I teach, and the 20 hearts that love me even though I am not perfect. So, here's to the 20 children that have stolen my heart and who have it forever.
1. B-I love what a great artist you are and I love that you share your talent with others!
2. A-I love how cheerful you are everyday! I love that you try when it gets scary and hard! Never give that up!
3. K-I love what a wonderful friend you are. You look to the heart of a person, and not their outward appearance.
4. L- I love your enthusiasm for life. I love your beautiful smile...missing teeth and all!
5. J-I love your stories and that you want to share them with everyone! You are so creative and intelligent!
6. R-I love your style! Keep rockin' those pink boots!
7. H-I love your willingness to do whatever I ask. You never complain, even when life gets hard.
8. C-I love how hard you work and how perfect you strive to be, even when you don't feel good!
9. S-I love your hugs! You have such a wonderful, sensitive heart that makes me happy each time I see you!
10. G-I love how you keep everything in order, and how you have the best handwriting I have ever seen!
11. A-I love all of the pictures you have drawn me! My life is more colorful because of you!
12. S-I love that you love science, and that you find enjoyment reading science experiments!
13. X-I love your laugh! Especially the little giggle you give when you realized that you called me mom.
14. A-I love your honesty! You are a great example to me of courage even when it isn't easy to be courageous.
15. N-I love how hard to you try at everything! You work so hard even when things don't come easy!
16. B-I love that you are my little secretary. You help me keep it together. I couldn't do it without you.
17. A-I love how beautiful you are! I love that you aren't afraid to be silly, and that you know when it is time to be silly and when it is time to be serious.
18. S-I love how meticulous you are. You keep everything neat. A person after my own heart!
19. L-I love how unique you are. You are my little Stargirl. Never change!
20. I-I love that you and I can talk about sports! BYU Basketball all the way!
Thank you for teaching me how to love better.
Thank you for teaching me courage in a scary world.
Thank you for making me feel like a cool teacher...even when I feel like I am not.
Thank you for changing my life.
Monday, March 21, 2011
Saturday, December 4, 2010
It's been awhile.
October and November are gone. Thank you. They were tough. Things are looking up though. I feel good, I am happy. Thanks to The Cure for getting me through...but more so lots of prayer.
Friday, September 17, 2010
My New and Improved Paycheck
In the next week or so I will be getting my very first paycheck as a full time, certified, graduated from college, get to work at 7:15 am, hard-working teacher. This will be a big moment for me. I have never earned anything near what I will be getting paid. Now, please don't rain on my parade. I know that many people scoff at the idea of teacher salary, but to someone who doesn't know what that kind of money looks like in their own pocket, this is a big deal. I have been thinking about what to do with some of the "leftovers" that doesn't go to a bill or mortgage. I know my parents would say to save it. And I will. I promise. But I kinda want to buy a few luxuries that I normally forgo due to my lack of funding. Here is what I have been thinking about:
1. Estee Lauder mascara and primer. I am tired of the cheap crap that I have been wearing for the past two years. I have lost some eyelashes because I have been too poor to take care of them properly. My eyes really do deserve better.
2. Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. Great Value and Western Family just aren't cuttin' it anymore. I will gladly pay a few more dollars to have the taste and refinement that Kraft offers.
3. Cinemark 16 movies. Bring on the stadium seating! (It was usually a treat for us to go, we felt like kings in thrones.)
4. The Mall. I usually avoid this place. Whenever I have gone in I felt like a poor kid at Christmas looking through the Sears catalog wishing for all the toys. I probably looked like a fool with my nose pressed against the glass doors at Dillards just dreaming about a nice pair of shoes.
5. Not having to put things back at the grocery store. A few of our shopping trips consisted of us making the rounds and then re-tracing our steps to put stuff back that we couldn't afford. It is sort of embarrassing putting stuff back. I am sure that Michael will appreciate not having to add up and count the cost of our mounting grocery bill with every item we put in the cart. But it was a good talent he cultivated and if things get bad in the future we have the survival skill under our belts.
I did learn a lot from being poor. Well, I'm still poor, who are we kidding, but not poor in the sense that we will have to sell some of our clothes to buy groceries poor. I learned a lot of great ways to save money, and I plan on still using those methods. Maybe you can use them too?
1. The Dollar Store is great for buying lunch baggies, garbage bags, tupperware, make-up remover wipes, tin foil, and...pregnancy tests (for those oops times).
2. TJ Maxx and Ross have an impressive selection of home decor, and men's ties, and scrapbook paper.
3. D.I. Just fix it up and it looks like new. Hey, I'm not too proud.
4. One word. IKEA.
5. Ask for essentials for Christmas. I never thought I would have approved of something like that. I used to hate getting things I needed as gifts, but the food-storage has come in handy. (It was a bitter pill to swallow, reality is a pain in the butt.)
6. Go visit your parents. A free meal once in awhile doesn't hurt. (And you thought I was coming over because I wanted to see you...how cute!) Just kidding. I love you Mom and Dad.
I guess I dedicate this post to our parents. Thank you for taking care of me while I was in school. Thank you for not letting us go hungry and friendless. Thank you for teaching us the value of hard work and how far a dollar can really go. Pat yourselves on the back for a job well done. We have almost made it. We're just waiting on Michael now....slowpoke. Again, just kidding. He worked very hard during the worst of it.
1. Estee Lauder mascara and primer. I am tired of the cheap crap that I have been wearing for the past two years. I have lost some eyelashes because I have been too poor to take care of them properly. My eyes really do deserve better.
2. Kraft Macaroni and Cheese. Great Value and Western Family just aren't cuttin' it anymore. I will gladly pay a few more dollars to have the taste and refinement that Kraft offers.
3. Cinemark 16 movies. Bring on the stadium seating! (It was usually a treat for us to go, we felt like kings in thrones.)
4. The Mall. I usually avoid this place. Whenever I have gone in I felt like a poor kid at Christmas looking through the Sears catalog wishing for all the toys. I probably looked like a fool with my nose pressed against the glass doors at Dillards just dreaming about a nice pair of shoes.
5. Not having to put things back at the grocery store. A few of our shopping trips consisted of us making the rounds and then re-tracing our steps to put stuff back that we couldn't afford. It is sort of embarrassing putting stuff back. I am sure that Michael will appreciate not having to add up and count the cost of our mounting grocery bill with every item we put in the cart. But it was a good talent he cultivated and if things get bad in the future we have the survival skill under our belts.
I did learn a lot from being poor. Well, I'm still poor, who are we kidding, but not poor in the sense that we will have to sell some of our clothes to buy groceries poor. I learned a lot of great ways to save money, and I plan on still using those methods. Maybe you can use them too?
1. The Dollar Store is great for buying lunch baggies, garbage bags, tupperware, make-up remover wipes, tin foil, and...pregnancy tests (for those oops times).
2. TJ Maxx and Ross have an impressive selection of home decor, and men's ties, and scrapbook paper.
3. D.I. Just fix it up and it looks like new. Hey, I'm not too proud.
4. One word. IKEA.
5. Ask for essentials for Christmas. I never thought I would have approved of something like that. I used to hate getting things I needed as gifts, but the food-storage has come in handy. (It was a bitter pill to swallow, reality is a pain in the butt.)
6. Go visit your parents. A free meal once in awhile doesn't hurt. (And you thought I was coming over because I wanted to see you...how cute!) Just kidding. I love you Mom and Dad.
I guess I dedicate this post to our parents. Thank you for taking care of me while I was in school. Thank you for not letting us go hungry and friendless. Thank you for teaching us the value of hard work and how far a dollar can really go. Pat yourselves on the back for a job well done. We have almost made it. We're just waiting on Michael now....slowpoke. Again, just kidding. He worked very hard during the worst of it.
Saturday, September 4, 2010
I've Crossed Over...
...to the "grown-up" side. Yesterday I called my mom. We talked for 27 minutes and 17 seconds. All the while I kept thinking a strange thought, well, not too strange, but I kept thinking about when my grandma and mom would talk on the phone .I remember just sitting and listening to their conversation wondering what grandma was saying on the other end and only being able to decipher part of the conversation based on what my mom's responses were. I then thought about how I am doing the same thing. I am calling home to talk to mom. I wonder if anyone sits on the other end wondering what we talk about. Probably not though because the boys don't care about that stuff...they just interrupt and ask regardless of the phone. They are lovable though. Anyway, I think calling home is a grown-up thing. I call home for help on W-2's, insurance, how long to boil eggs, what the difference is between salted and unsalted butter and if that really matters, I call to brag about my cooking conquests (which is really just to show my competence because I think home sometimes wonders),and I call to ask about moral dilemmas. These are grown-up things to do. Grown-ups ask their parents. It is the responsible thing to do, and grown-ups are responsible. My kids better call me too.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
It Smells Like 2nd Grade
I haven't felt very witty lately, hence the lack of a blog post in a few weeks. A lot has happened though in these weeks since I talked about how going to the movies stresses me out. I started teaching again. This is my second year teaching second grade. Is that like a golden birthday or something? I spent most of the week leading up to school starting in my classroom preparing things for my new students. It felt good to get my hands and mind busy after a summer of general malaise and lack of productive behavior, except for when I supervised Michael while he painted our guest bedroom and the living room.
Back to school. I have seen these three little words written on a myriad of cardboard advertisements and not so funny Staples and Wal-Mart commercials. For some it probably brings a sense of dread. I on the other hand, revel in the the school supply shopping. Nothing says "Back to School" more than buying a new notebook, backpack, pens, pencils, filler paper, tabs, calculator, etc. It is a regular wonderland for me. I love the colors, the straight lines, and the organization! Anyway...back to school, for real.
Wednesday and Thursday night was sort of a back to school night where I teach. As I was meeting and greeting and all that, I happened to overhear a 6th grade boy walk into the other 2nd grade classroom and say, "it smells like 2nd grade!" What does that even mean? I didn't know that 2nd grade had an odor. I know that 6th grade has an odor, but definitely not my little 2nd graders. I have been mulling this thought over in my mind for about a week or so and today it hit me, literally. Second grade smells like poopy pants and bad breath.
More to come....
Back to school. I have seen these three little words written on a myriad of cardboard advertisements and not so funny Staples and Wal-Mart commercials. For some it probably brings a sense of dread. I on the other hand, revel in the the school supply shopping. Nothing says "Back to School" more than buying a new notebook, backpack, pens, pencils, filler paper, tabs, calculator, etc. It is a regular wonderland for me. I love the colors, the straight lines, and the organization! Anyway...back to school, for real.
Wednesday and Thursday night was sort of a back to school night where I teach. As I was meeting and greeting and all that, I happened to overhear a 6th grade boy walk into the other 2nd grade classroom and say, "it smells like 2nd grade!" What does that even mean? I didn't know that 2nd grade had an odor. I know that 6th grade has an odor, but definitely not my little 2nd graders. I have been mulling this thought over in my mind for about a week or so and today it hit me, literally. Second grade smells like poopy pants and bad breath.
More to come....
Friday, July 23, 2010
Shouldn't This be Fun?
The last few times that I have been to the movie theater I have started to notice a trend...going to the movies stresses me out! Is it my age? Am I slowly progressing towards the "no patience for anyone, or anything" side? I feel like I am going through a puberty of emotions. I don't remember feeling this way when I was younger. Let me explain.
I stress out about tickets. I feel like I have to buy them a day in advance just to be sure. There is nothing that kills the mood more than showing up to a movie only to see that little sticker that says, "SOLD OUT". I hate that sticker. What comes after the sticker is even worse. You stand there like fools trying to decide if you want to see something else, or if you should wait another three hours just to see the next showing...so not only are you wasting the ticket seller's time, but also the large, impatient crowd lined up behind you. Solution: We usually pre-buy our tickets. I have common sense.
Once inside the theater, Michael and I quickly choose our spot. We like the middle with the bar because you can rest your feet on it. So we are usually the first people to arrive at our showing, and pick the best spot accordingly, but there are occasional times where we aren't the first inside. This is fine, the low lights are still on and there is still plenty of seating, so we choose the next best spot for us, and sit down. Not that difficult, except this is where I really start to stress. As the theater starts to fill up, spaces with two and three seats together are hard to come by. I always get the feeling that someone is going to ask me to scoot over to the people next to us that we don't know, so that these late-comers can easily take the seats on the edge. No. I am not having that. I came on time to choose the spot that I want to sit in. If you and your girlfriend want to sit together, come on time! Don't tell me to move over when I made the extra effort to get my seat. What really irks me is that the whole front row is still available, but these morons think they are too good for a neck ache. If you ask me, they deserve to look up the whole movie for not making any effort to come on time. That is what late people should get.
Can you tell that I am very passionate about this subject?
One last thing...don't invite me to see a movie with you if you want me to help save seats. I'm not doing it. I hate all the crusty looks I get when I tell people that the 40 seats around me are saved...and I just hate answering the question, "is this seat taken?" It kills me.
The most enjoyable part of the movie going experience is when the lights go dark and the previews start...because I know that the crowds of idiots looking for seats dwindles down and I don't have to worry about the ulcer forming in my stomach for the next hour and a half.
I stress out about tickets. I feel like I have to buy them a day in advance just to be sure. There is nothing that kills the mood more than showing up to a movie only to see that little sticker that says, "SOLD OUT". I hate that sticker. What comes after the sticker is even worse. You stand there like fools trying to decide if you want to see something else, or if you should wait another three hours just to see the next showing...so not only are you wasting the ticket seller's time, but also the large, impatient crowd lined up behind you. Solution: We usually pre-buy our tickets. I have common sense.
Once inside the theater, Michael and I quickly choose our spot. We like the middle with the bar because you can rest your feet on it. So we are usually the first people to arrive at our showing, and pick the best spot accordingly, but there are occasional times where we aren't the first inside. This is fine, the low lights are still on and there is still plenty of seating, so we choose the next best spot for us, and sit down. Not that difficult, except this is where I really start to stress. As the theater starts to fill up, spaces with two and three seats together are hard to come by. I always get the feeling that someone is going to ask me to scoot over to the people next to us that we don't know, so that these late-comers can easily take the seats on the edge. No. I am not having that. I came on time to choose the spot that I want to sit in. If you and your girlfriend want to sit together, come on time! Don't tell me to move over when I made the extra effort to get my seat. What really irks me is that the whole front row is still available, but these morons think they are too good for a neck ache. If you ask me, they deserve to look up the whole movie for not making any effort to come on time. That is what late people should get.
Can you tell that I am very passionate about this subject?
One last thing...don't invite me to see a movie with you if you want me to help save seats. I'm not doing it. I hate all the crusty looks I get when I tell people that the 40 seats around me are saved...and I just hate answering the question, "is this seat taken?" It kills me.
The most enjoyable part of the movie going experience is when the lights go dark and the previews start...because I know that the crowds of idiots looking for seats dwindles down and I don't have to worry about the ulcer forming in my stomach for the next hour and a half.
I know how this guy feels.
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
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