There are Three Types of People in the World...

Gratitude

2012-01-30T21:14:00.000-08:00

"Grant us faith to look beyond the problems of the moment to the miracles of the future"Gordon B. Hinckley

I am grateful for kind words, answered prayers and the support of family and friends!

I have the BEST husband!

2011-08-16T21:05:00.000-07:00

So when Jeff came home from work he slowly walked into the house with something crinkling behind him. He had his sneaky face on and I knew something was up. I was not sure I was ready for anything because I had to wake up early this morning and go to work (officially). Luckily he presented these as the source of his sneaky face.

Isn't he the BEST! I told him he won a ka-bajillion husband points for that one. I am so blessed to have a husband who thinks about me.

I am so HANDY!

2011-06-23T13:59:00.000-07:00

So, now that it is Summer I have lots of time for projects around the house! Here are just a few things I have done today!

Since I don't have my garden area, I decided to just grow herbs. I can't wait for them to grow and fill my kitchen with lots of yummy smells.

I painted a bunch of frames, I had from my wedding, black so I can make a picture collage. My sister Megan had the idea and I will be waiting for her great eye to help me put it up on the wall.

I hung a clock in my front bathroom. I even think I centered it all by myself.

I repaired a door hing in my master bathroom. Thanks to my dad for teaching me some tricks.

Finally, I got all the boxes out of my bedroom. The clothes are hung up and the extra stuff is down stairs. It feels so good to walk in there are not walk around a large area of boxes.

Now I just have to keep working on the kitchen, guest room and office. I am determined to get it all put together before I have to go back to work.

I'm back....sort of.

2011-04-16T21:29:00.000-07:00

Well, I have been quite a slacker when it comes to blogging. Jeff always writes such great posts I haven't felt the need to blog in a while. He kept asking me when I was going to blog and I would tell him I didn't have have anything to write about.

So, when we made the decision to purchase another home in Lehi he told me that I was in charge of writing about the house. I am much better with pictures then words so here it goes:

Here is the new kitchen with a new oven and a PANTRY! I am so excited to have lots of places to put all of our stuff.

(front/home teaching room)

Jeff went over to the house with the love sack to wait for the delivery men to show up. He is so precious!

So one of the main reasons we started looking for a new house was because I hate not having a master bathroom. It was not negotiable when looking at possible homes. BONUS: LARGE SOAKING TUB! Once we get the water turned on I will be testing it out quickly.

We are also so excited to make plans for our large unfinished basement. For now it will just be storage, but we both have many ideas for what could become of the wonderful space.

To go with the new house we got some new appliances. I was happy to go pick out some nice new toys to go in the house and was even happier to see them put in this morning.

To top it all off we got a new washer and dryer. Our current dryer has been a bit finicky and sometimes you have to dry clothes three times before they are wearable. I shouldn't complain because Jeff (the wonderful husband that he is) does the laundry. Though with the new set I might like doing the laundry.

Well, there you have it. We have a new home and lots of exciting things that come with a new place. I'm sure we will share some our misadventures along the way!

More Europe Pictures

2010-08-14T21:33:00.000-07:00

I just felt like I was in a fairytale while I was in Switzerland and Germany. I guess it was all the castles and rolling green hills. Here are some more pictures from the last half of our trip.

The Temple near Bern, Switzerland

The temple grounds were beautiful and simple (for most temples)

a cute little church next to our hotel (no the bells did not wake me up, I think I was too exhausted from Paris to even notice)

I loved just how green everything was in Switzerland (and most of Germany)

The giant cuckoo clock next to the CUTE cuckoo clock shop in the Black Forest.

Part of the Heidelberg castle

There was a group of men singing German songs in the streets of Rudesheim

Those cherries tasted so good!

Candles in a church (we just happened to walk by)

Did I mention I loved to take pictures of the flowers that were EVERYWHERE!

A cute garden we found walking around one of the smaller German towns.

I am so glad Jeff and I had the opportunity to go on this WONDERFUL trip. It gave me memories and experiences I will treasure forever.

The Colors of Paris

2010-08-05T15:55:00.000-07:00

Sainte Chapelle

Since Jeff did most of the writing and I did almost all of the picture taking I figured I would just share a fraction of the pictures I took in Paris. I will post some more pictures from the rest of the trip some other time.

Along the Seine River at night

Small Park next to the Musée de l'Armée

Napoleon's Tomb

Garden in the Rodin Museum

View from our hotel window. I was fascinated with the windows and the window boxes all over Europe. I took way too many pictures of windows.

Dinner our 2nd night. The potatoes were my favorite!

Arc de Triomphe

Arches National Park Trip: In Photos

2010-05-30T17:00:00.000-07:00

Well, here are just a fraction of the photos I took on our grand adventure this weekend. It was so much fun! I was just so happy that I took my camera with me so I could be the official photographer.

Midnight hike up to Delicate Arch:

This is my absolute favorite picture of them all!

The Fiery Furnace:

(Our interpretation of Abby Road)

Devil's Garden:

Happy Birthday My Love!

2010-05-27T19:09:00.001-07:00

29 reasons I love My Love (sorry for those who don't do mushy, I am required to be mushy on his birthday).

In no particular order

1. What WhAt!

2. is a Geek

3. is a geek who is obsessed with dinosaurs

4. sings me made up songs all the time

5. laughs sometimes when he doesn't even think it is funny

6. can quote all of Star Wars and Lord of the Rings (did I mention GEEK)

7. Lets me be myself

8. Takes me on amazing vacations (we are going to Europe this summer!)

9. snuggles me all the time

10. makes delicious breakfasts

11. is a great writer

12. keeps me safe

13. works REALLY hard so we can live the life we do

14. laughs when I am not trying to be funny

15. doing his Jeff dance

16. lets me cry even when it is his kryptonite

17. keeps the yard looking nice

18. shares my love for reading

19. learns about all sorts of things and then teaches me

20. can think logically when I don't

21. passionate about knowledge

22. kind

23. loving

24. patience

25. does mental math WAY better then anyone else I know

26. Loves pi/pie

27. cute

28. always growing

29. my BEST friend!

There are more, but this will be the list for this year. The best thing is that I get to be with him forever! Jeff, I love you always!

Happy Mother's Day Marme!

2010-05-09T12:48:00.000-07:00

Many sleepless nights with colic or a nightmare

Often a nurse, teacher, chauffeur, therapist, and playmate all at once

Time together creates priceless memories

Helpful hands to a child in need

Eternal

Responsible for who I am today!

I love you Marme and I always will!

Popcorn Popping!

2010-04-11T14:58:00.001-07:00

I looked out the window and what did I see? Popcorn popping on the apricot tree!

Ok, so I sing this song all the time with the Sunbeams at church, so naturally that is what I thought when I got up this morning and looked out my window. I saw that the tree in my front yard had started to blossom, and it gave me hope that warm weather would come to stay for a while.

First time Flowers!

2010-04-02T18:04:00.000-07:00

Today I did something I have seen a hundred times, but have never done on my own before. I put together my first hand tied bouquet, all by myself. Now I know it isn't perfect, but I was happy with how it turned out.

I have watched my mom do wedding flowers for years. Ever since I could hold a piece of floral tape and wire I have been helping her with cleaning and getting the flowers prepared. It looked so easy how she knew just where to put the flowers and greenery (I have come to find out in recent years that some of that was experimenting). I have always thought it would be fun if I could help people with flowers the way my mom did (it was always more of a service then a business).

I finally got the opportunity to help with a bouquet for bridal pictures (I felt better about this because then if she hated it then she didn't have to use it). There was a lot of guess work, calls to my mom, trial and error. In the end I think it turned out pretty well. Just don't look too close!

Note to the OCD I fixed the pins later after I notice them in the picture.

Eating Better!

2010-03-11T15:37:00.001-08:00

I have this on going battle with my weight and I think I am winning right now! Lately I have been making such good choices in the food I am eating and making for dinner. My favorite so far was I made a mock version of th California Pizza Kitchen Thai Chicken pizza. I am very proud of myself, and it even tasted good with a whole wheat crust.

Lots of fresh veggies on top make it taste light and delicious!

This is what I came home to and I was a bit worried that the pizza wouldn't turn out good.

The whole wheat dough.

Cooking it up!

Final beautiful product!

Now is the time for FUN!

2010-03-07T12:47:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I haven't been the best blogger as of late. I figured that Jeff does such a good job of keeping everyone informed of the things we are doing and entertaining them along the way that I haven't really had much to say.

Well, here is the quick update from my side of life.

-I just finished Parent/Teacher conferences for the second and last time for this school year! Yay!

-I have been called as the YW camp director and have no idea what I am doing. I have been with little ones for so long that I have forgotten how to teach big people. I think I like it when I am taller then most of the people I am teaching.

Now for the fun news! I got a new DSLR camera! I am having so much fun getting to know all about how to use it and what it can do with photos. It has been a long time since I have done some serious photography so I am a bit nervous to get back into it, but excited at the same time. Well, I hope to take and post some great pics soon (the jelly beans were taken with the new camera and I put them up to celebrate Spring and Easter coming soon).

Wii had a great time!

2010-01-02T11:02:00.000-08:00

Well, it has been a while since Christmas but I wanted to share how wonderful our trip to California was. Since Jeff and I stayed in Utah last year it was California's turn this year. It also happened to be a special year because my Oma turned 90 in November. This meant that all of my family got to come home for Christmas and to celebrate my Oma (who is amazing and wonderful). By Christmas afternoon I had my parents, Oma, all of my brothers and sisters (and 2 sisters-in-love, as Ann likes to call them), and five neices and nephews. We also had my Mom's whole side of the family too. I think it was the first time we had all (the extended family) been together in quite a few years. Family was the best part of it all.

Now, onto the funny stories. My parents are VERY generous people and I love them so much. We had spent Christmas morning opening gifts from each other and watching the small ones enjoy the process of ripping up paper. Jeff and I picked up a rather heavy box from my parents and my mom calls over my dad to watch us open the box. Well, he comes over and picks up his camera. This is code for a special present. I couldn't think of anything that would surprise me so I was a little confused. Maybe it is a new something for the kitchen, I thought. Well, I started to peel back the paper and it took me a second for my brain to comprehend what I was seeing.

My parents bought us a Wii! I was in shock because that was the last thing I was expecting to see. Jeff and I had often thought about getting a Wii, but never got around to getting one. Lets just say the picture speaks for itself and there were lots of hugs of thanks that followed.

The other surprise of the day was a similar looking box that looked and sounded like it would be some kind of board game. I love board games and I had put a few of them on a wish list for this year, but the present had a tag that said I had to guess what was in the box. I had a hard time thinking, but then my mom started giving me clues. "It will remind you of your childhood" was the one that finally tipped me off. I shouted, "It's the BAD GAME!"

Now most of you are probably not familiar with the Bad Game. That is because that is not the real name. It is really Star Wars Return of the Jedi Battle at Sarlacc's Pit Game. As a small child I would want to play this game all the time with my dad (he is the only one who would play with me, and for good reason). I didn't know the name so I just called it the Bad Game and I didn't know how to play. I made up my own rules (different every time, I'm sure) and I magically always won. I still don't know how to play, but it will be fun to actually find out how to play, though I might have to invoke my own rules just to make sure I still win.

Well, like I said the presents were fun, but the best part was being home with my whole family and having Jeff get to see a little bit more of who I am and where I come from.

Anyone up for some Wii?

Gingerbread Adventures

2009-12-31T10:24:00.000-08:00

Every year my family likes to put together a unique gingerbread structure. This year my mother thought of doing an igloo. We had all the family around to help and I think it turned out cute. Unfortunately, we didn't have a lot of time for lots of bells and whistles like we normally do, but it turned out lovely anyway.

Meg did a great job on the penguins!

My Birthday!

2009-12-05T10:50:00.000-08:00

Well, I had one of the best birthdays ever! There were a few points which I will make to show that it really couldn't have been any better.

First, I took the day off from work so I got to sleep in just a smidgen. I didn't have to worry about what I was teaching, or which child was doing what. I simply got to get up and slowly get ready for the day.

Next, I cleaned and organized most of my guest room. Over the last few weeks somehow it became a junk room and it was a cleansing experience putting most things back in order.

Well, I really cleaned it out so the massage therapist could put her table in that room. My sister-in-law was so kind as to arrange for one as my birthday present. I just have to say that I felt wonderful after that and could have been completely happy with my day at that point, but the great thing is that there was more!

In the late afternoon I curled up on my couch with a good book and some light piano music in the background and read for a couple of hours! Jeff gave me "Catching Fire" on Sunday with the rest of his families presents so I had it out and ready to go. I read as the sun went down and until Jeff got home.

When he walked in he asked me where my phone was at in the house. I picked it up to show him it was in my lap and just then I got a text saying for me to check the (ugly, and I wish it would go away) pig, which is a cookie jar that sits on our front porch. I went to open the door and got a wonderful surprise when I saw our good friends Heather and Kayli. They brought me some cookies and a card. I felt so special that they would drive all the way up to Orem to make me feel special. We talked for a while and had some good laughs.

When they left Jeff and I went out on our date for the evening. He took me to my favorite place to eat, Jason't Deli. I just love the fresh deli sandwich and creamy broccoli cheese soup. After dinner we went to the movies and saw New Moon. It was a fun movie and we both enjoyed the story.

It was pretty late when we came out of the movie so we just went home. I walked into the kitchen and on the table was an amazing apple pie from Kneader's and some cute birthday balloons. Thanks goes out to Zack and Delta for bringing them for Jeff. We ate some pie and I opened my presents and cards. Jeff got me a beautiful necklace, that I picked out.

Overall, I just felt special and loved. I want to thank everyone for all the phone calls, e-mails, and messages that let me know how much I am loved. It felt good to know that people cared about making my birthday special. I love you all too!

Another Pair

2009-11-15T09:39:00.000-08:00

I am so excited to write that I have added another pair of shoes to my collection. Now these shoes were not picked on a whim in a store as I walked by. These were chosen with great care and research.

I had decided a few months ago that I needed some new running shoes. My old ones were getting ratty and uncomfortable so I didn't like going to the gym as much (unfortunately that is not the only reason I don't like going to the gym, but that would be a whole different post). I went online to find the best way to pick a good running shoe for me. Well, most of the sites I visited said I should just go to a running shoe store and ask a sales person to let me try on a whole bunch.

Well, after a long time and a lot of shoe comparison I found a style that I liked and it felt good. The bad news was that the sticker price was a lot more then I was willing to pay for a pair of running shoes (maybe if I actually ran I might have thought more about it).

Here is the good news. I am smart. I figured I would just take the brand and style names of the shoe I wanted and see if I could get a better deal online. Well, low and behold, I did. I found the same shoes (in a different color) for over half of the price of the shoes in the store and at a price I could swallow. I even got free shipping with a promotional code!

Now I have cute, comfortable, and affordable running shoes that make it a little bit easier to get back to the gym.

Halloween

2009-11-06T10:13:00.000-08:00

Well, I meant to post right after Halloween, but I had Parent/Teacher conferences this week. That usually takes more time then I think it will, but I am glad they are over and I get today off!

On Halloween Jeff and I kept it simple. After the Haunted House incident I was not in the mood for anything scary. We decided to stay home to make and decorate sugar cookies. They weren't fancy and the "black" frosting was more of a swamp green, but we had fun anyway.

After they were made we decided to share them with our friends, Tammy and Cameron. We were going to just drop the cookies off and say a quick hello, but they invited us in to play Phase 10. It was a rousing game (I lost terribly) and we talked the night away. We had a lovely night full of treats and friends. Just they way I like it

A celebration to remember!

2009-10-12T17:45:00.001-07:00

The trip we have all been waiting for finally happend! Jeff wisked me away on a secret anniversery weekend to celebrate our first year of marrige together. He has had his sneeky face on for quite a while and , as you might imagine, I was ready to find out what we were going to be doing.

We left at about 4pm on Friday and started driving south. This eliminated a few places and narrowed it down to about two options. We talked and laughed about what we had been doing a year ago while Jeff kept a tight lid on where we were going.

Finally, I was getting pretty hungry, so I asked if we were going to be eating soon or should I have some more snacks. He said it wouldn't be much longer which made me think. We started driving though Ceder City and was almost though the town when Jeff pulled off on the last exit. In my head I was thinking, "Hum, I have never been to Ceder City this will be new." I was excited and ready to begin the trip, and I was starving. Jeff had found an old Ma and Pop type steak house where all the locals were coming in and the workers asked where we were from. It was such a friendly place and the food was GOOD.

After dinner we were off to the place we would be staying. Jeff turned back the way we had come and then before I knew it we were back on the freeway. "What!?" "I never said we were staying in Ceder City," Jeff smirks to me. This is when I shout my guess, "We are going to Saint George! We are going to Tuacahnn!" Jeff told me that I was right and that we would be seeing one of my favorite plays, Aida.

Saturday was a bit of an adventure. First, I had told Jeff to find something that he wanted to do on the trip, so he chose to see a "boy movie". Well, it took us driving around for quite a while to finally find the movie theater, but we did find an AMAZING Mongolian BBQ by accident. That was some good food!

On Saturday night we drove out to Tuacahnn to eat at the buffet before the show started. We even had a little time to take pictures before going into the theater. Jeff was so wonderful to get tickets that were third row center! If you haven't been to Tuacahnn, the back of the stage is the mountain and it looks beautiful. As the show begins the backdrop is parcially covered, but as the song changes moods and the "war" begins the front pieces melt away and the people come out of the mountain and horses charge on stage! It was so crazy to see all of the special effects (fireworks, a camel, chickens, sheep, etc.). My favorite was the waterfall that slowly filled another pool and then created another waterfall. This happend about three times and each time it go closer and closer to the stage. I thought it would just run off somewhere off stage, but soon it actually created a river ON STAGE! It looked amazing and I think my jaw dropped.

The next morning it was time to check out and go home. Sunday was our actual anniversery so we thought it would be a good idea to stop by the Saint George Temple on our way out of town to remind us of the special promises we made only a year ago.

On the drive home there was more laughing about the events of last year (how I had to get up so much earlier then Jeff did!) and our favorite memories. We stopped in a park to each lunch, but then finished off the drive home.

It was a wonderful weekend, but the best part was remembering how great the whole year has been. I look forward to an eternity of time with my love.

CrAzY!

2009-10-08T17:08:00.000-07:00

Wow, has it really been that long since I last blogged. Oops! Well, I have had my hands full for a little while with my job and all the new changes that have happend in the school district this year. Well, I just wanted to give all my MILLIONS of readers a heads up for a great new post that is comming this weekend. It happens to be a special weekend.

Getting a Green Thumb?

2009-08-05T08:46:00.000-07:00

Well, I have caught a bug. The green thumb bug that it is. I went home last week and saw so many beautiful gardens and landscapes which got me VERY excited about trying to get my own yard looking, well, like a yard and not just a brown waste land (ok, so I am being a little dramatic). Jeff and I have talked about getting a watering system and other plans of planting a garden, but we haven't really done anything about it (except for trying to controll the weeds).

Well, this week I have started, on my new found energy, to try and work in my yard. I even went to the Home Depot by myself and bought some Round Up and some new (cute) gloves. I still don't have any idea what I am doing, but I figure with asking a lot of questions and some trial and error, Jeff and I just might be able to figure it out!

Letting Go.

2009-07-21T16:36:00.000-07:00

So I got my hair cut on Monday. I asked that only about 3 1/2 inches be cut and then put in some light layers. Well, my 3 1/2 in. is the same as some people's 6 inches. I was fine with the cut dispite the shock at how much was taken off. I have always hung on to my long hair as sort of a security blanket in my life and I think I needed someone to just cut it without letting me know. I feel good about letting go of the long locks and I think the cut looks really great and my hair feels really healthy! Please support me in the letting go process.

It is a little hard to see the hair style, but you get the idea.

My parents are in town!

2009-07-07T16:13:00.000-07:00

My parents are back in town to visit. My brother and sister-in-law just had their third child (Ella Jane Wright) the day before Jeff and I went to Hawaii (so sorry I didn't write about her birth), so my parents are out being Grandparents. My brother is also in the play Singing in the Rain at the Hale Center Theater, Orem, so they are also being supportive parents.

Well, being the only child with a spare room they are staying with us for a couple of days and I LOVE it! Not only do I get spoiled and I get to spend time with them, my parents are so HANDY! I always have a few projects that I want to get done while they are here. My dad and I have a great time bonding at Lowe's or Home Depot and my mom and I often look though the fabric at Joanne's. Here are some of the things we have gotten done this week:

Installed a ceiling fan in my bedroom so Jeff can survive the rest of summer.

Before

Recovered my kitchen chairs. They were stained (before I moved in) and I couldn't get them clean (or at least to look like they were clean)

After

And, as always, we are still slowly repairing the hole in the wall. The plaster needs to be thicker then we thought so it takes a couple of layers so they will dry.

I am still working on re caulking the downstairs sink and a few other things here and there. My parents are wonderful to have around and I like learning how to take care of a house. Soon I will be able to install and repaire all sorts of stuff on my own. Thanks Mom and Dad!

My love of Hawaii

2009-07-03T16:04:00.000-07:00

Here are just a few things that I love about Hawaii.

First, I love to float in the ocean. It is so relaxing to just let the waves rock me back and forth and listen to the sound of the waves crashing on the shore. Jeff would get mad that I could just float in the water for hours and not get tired when he would have to tread water just to keep his head above water. I seem to have some sort of talent that most people don't have because my family last year felt the same way.

READING! I love to just sit around and read a good book. Well, I guess this isn't just something I like to do in Hawaii, but it did take a lot of my time. I finished one book and am almost done with the second book I took with me.

The beautiful scenery. I love that at just about any point on the trip I could have pulled out the camera and taken a lovely picture of the landscape. The colors, trees, flowers and plants are so beautiful . This picture was just taken as I was sitting at one of the shows at the PCC.

Shaved ice with sweetend condensed milk. Flavors: Banana, Pinapple, and Coconut. I don't think I need to say anything more.

Hawaii makes me happy. I love the people and the land. I am so glad I was able to share it with Jeff this time and I hope we make it back sometime, and maybe try another island.

Happy Father's Day!

2009-06-21T15:44:00.000-07:00

Happy Daddy's day dad. You are the best dad I could have ever asked for. I love all the memories and the lessons taught. I thank you for helping me become the person I am today. Also, thanks for all the help with the house, I didn't know that was part of the deal!

School is out for SUMMER!

2009-06-08T14:27:00.000-07:00

This was given to me by one of my students on the last day of school and she had all of the kids sign it (on the back). This was one of many cute gifts I recieved.

Well, another school year has come and gone. I have felt that this year I was able to be a better teacher then I ever have been before because I had the time to track my students progress more then I have in the past. I also has an amazing group of kids. They were smart, creative, and always knew how to make me laugh. I think this is the first year I have been truly sad to see my class move on to third grade.

On a different note, I took full advantage of the beginning of my Summer holiday by meeting my sister Megan for lunch and a pedicure. I love getting pedicures because I get to relax and have cute toe nails when I am done. This time I even went with a design. It is a little hard to see all the details in the picture. Anyway, I have lots of plans for this "break" in my life and most of the plans have something to do with cleaning, organizing, or repairing the house and yard so wish me luck. Should be fun!

Sorry if feet gross you out.

Just some pics.

2009-05-09T12:52:00.001-07:00

The oven arrived! I love cooking with my new oven and stove. I had forgotten what it was like to bake with an oven that kept an even temperature the whole time.

Speaking of baking, I never posted the pictures I took of myself making Easter bread. I think it turned out great. I had it for breakfast almost every day until it was gone.

BABYSITTING! Addie and Ian came over to play a few weeks ago so Sarah and Kenny could find some room to breath. We went outside in the backyard and they played in the grass while I BBQ some chicken for dinner. Well, Ian put a little soccer ball in his shirt and then said that he looked like mommy (My sister-in-law is pregnant). It was so funny I ran for the camera. Addie, of course, had to get in on the action too. We had a great night full of snuggles and laughs.

Saturday is a Special Day!

2009-04-19T15:52:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was such a great day! It all started with Jeff taking me to FINALLY get a new oven range. (Please see Jeff’s last Moniversary post for the story on that one) We went to a couple of different places but finally settled on a GE oven range with four burners and a warming burner. It has lots of fun things it can do and the oven is so BIG! I can’t wait to get it and use it this coming Tuesday.

Well, not only am I excited about being able to cook upstairs again, I went online to check if my Praxis PLT test scores were up. Now, there is another part to this process which will make my excitement for checking my scores mean a lot more in the story….

On March 14th I took the last test I will need to get my level 2 license to be a teacher (more pay, not as many people looking over my shoulder, etc.). When I went into the room I wasn’t all the way sure what to expect. I had tried to get some practice things online but they either didn’t work or they cost money, so I was in for a surprise. The test had 25 multiple choice questions, 4 case studies which each had three questions and those questions had two parts each. I was to answer the case studies using short answer essays. It doesn’t sound so bad right? Well, try doing it in TWO HOURS! That was it! I was writing so fast I thought my fingers were going to fall off. My brain was spinning trying to think and write at the same time, and forget having time to read through the case study. I panicked half way though when I realized there was no way I was going to be able to answer all the questions. My last essay I wrote said “draw more” (it was a response to how to help a child with visual/ spatial learning).

When I came out of the test I was FURIOUS! I couldn’t believe they would give a test where there was not enough time to think or process information to a teacher who it trying to prove that she can give GOOD assessments. They were testing how fast I could read and write. I will just say that there were a lot a tears and Jeff had to give me lots of hugs (and do a little math to find out the probability of me passing).

Well, it has been over four weeks and I saw my test scores and I PASSED! There were more tears, but these were happy tears that were full for relief. I can still be a teacher, the only job I would ever want to have. I love my students and would be sad if I couldn’t teach any more.
Saturdays are a great day!

Imelda strikes again!

2009-03-30T20:48:00.000-07:00

Well, anyone who has been around me for a while might know that I am a little obsessed with shoes. My parents even used to call me Imelda when I was little. I don’t own as many as the woman who is famous for her extensive shoe collection, but I own a few pairs (Jeff would say tons, but I know that I could have more, so I am sticking with the FEW) and I love them all. I like all types, colors, shapes, comfy and impractical shoes. On Saturday, with my “fun money” , I was at the Sunflower Market (GREAT PLACE) and I saw a whole wall of Crocs. Kenny, my brother, had purchased some a few weeks ago and I thought that they were so comfortable (of course I tried his shoes on, I wanted to see if I liked them) and I wanted some for myself. I remembered when I saw the colorful wall and the shoes just called out to me (shoes do that sometimes). I quickly looked for my size and then debated on what color to get, green or blue. I decided I would wear them more often if I picked the blue. I have to admit, I checked out as fast as possible, power walked to my car and immediately put the new shoes on. I was right, they were so comfortable. They do look a little silly and normally I am a fan of the cute shoes, but the last time I bought shoes was in December (my snow boots) and that was rough for me. I think I use to average at least one pair a month. Well, have no fear I have found some shoes to keep me content. New shoes always make for a great day.

My Lover Boy!

2009-02-16T15:37:00.000-08:00

So, once again Jeff has proved that he is the best husband in the world! For Valentine's Day he had a whole list of things to make it the best day ever.

1. On Friday he came home with a bunch of red roses. (all the guys at work made a special Friday trip to Costco for all their wives)

2. On Saturday he made me breakfast (now this is normal, but it is still SUPER nice every time he does it)

3. That night he took me on a date that took me back to all the best dates we had while we were dating. Such as...

Going to Los Hermanos for dinner

Taking me to the playhouse we went on the night he told me that he liked me (we both decided that the thought was what mattered and that we were both too tired to sit through a whole play)

A trip to Target (that was the same date as the play) to buy a new something, and I chose to get some new snuggly pajamas.

A movie at home to snuggle together (and fall asleep, oops).

4. Before we watched the movie Jeff hid a box of chocolate and a note in my blanket (this is from the date that I started to fall in love with Jeff). I have to admit that the note made me cry.

Jeff and I have had a lot of fun over the past year and I am excited to see what other surprises await us!

Oldies!

2009-02-04T21:45:00.000-08:00

So I was thinking that it was about time I updated my blog. Well, then I said to myself, "Self, what shall I post on my blog for the world to read?" I thought and thought when I looked next to my computer, and low and behold an old CD of pictures was sitting there winking at me. So here are some fun pics from my old days (ok so it was only about 3 1/2 years ago).

So my roomates and I started taking pictures for a video we were going to put together of the Pink Bible. We never actually got around to making the video but we took a lot of pictures. I was suppose to be depicting that "Men want to see the fantasy, not reality."

This is my roomate Mandy. We were just having fun with the camera and thought that this pic turned out looking pretty cool.

Mandy and I took a trip to San Fran. and went to the Exploratorium. It was so much fun to walk around and play with all the stuff. If you haven't ever been and you are in San F. then you HAVE to go!

What is with me and the potty?

This is us being goofy outside of the Exploritorium.

And me when I was working for a kids summer program (man I was tan!).

I was in the play "Fiddler on the Roof" where I played the oldest daughter.

BEACH TRIP!

Ok, so this was a little more then 4 years ago, but it was just too cute not to put up. I loved our hot tub! Thanks to the older siblings who did all the work!

Well, thanks for walking down memory lane with me for a bit.

Our First Christmas!

2009-01-10T11:17:00.000-08:00

Jeff and I had our first married Christmas and it was amazing. I have to admit, I was a little (maybe a lot) worried about spending my first Christmas away from my family and not spending it in California. For 27 years of my life I have been with my parents, sister Meg and various other family (depending on the year) in our cute little Clovis home. Well, there were many tears in the month leading up to the vacation, but as Jeff and I started our life together I became so excited to spend the holiday with him. HE was the important part of Christmas this year. Not that I didn't miss my family, but I was able to have a great time with people I love (his family is great) and I will have many years of Christmas being different then my childhood years, as it should be. All I have to do to make it be a great Christmas is be with people I love and celebrate the gift of the Savior and giving.

Here are a few details from our cute little Christmas.

Christmas Eve morning I made my families traditional breakfast for Jeff. I made maple sausage and strawberry creps. I think they tasted really good and it made me feel like I wasn't missing out on too much in California.

I made Jeff's stocking. It was a first attemp at sewing something other then a pillow on my own.

Jeff has this "sneeky" face that he gets when he is excited to suprise me and that always makes me really excited for whatever surprise he has to give me. Naturally, he had this face before we went to bed on Christmas Eve so I was too excited to sleep. I woke up on Christmas morning so many times I finally asked Jeff at about 7:00 am if we could get up and start opening presents.

We had a great time opening presents together. We took turns opening them and we had a rule that every time we opened a present we had to kiss (we thought it was a good rule).

We both got some fun stuff. I think that one of my favorite gifts from Jeff was my ihome. I had just talked about wanting one on Christmas Eve because I didn't like my old alarm clock. That might have been when the sneeky face came out, but I didn't realize at the time he had already bought one for me about two months earlier. He knows me so well and is so good at picking things I really love.

I also loved giving Jeff his Pi shirt and a digital photo frame that he can put in his office.

Together we ended up getting over 21 DVDs for Christmas. We have been watching them slowly over the past couple of weeks.

We also had a VERY white Chirstmas. It was the first time in my life that I have had a white Christmas. It was fun to see the snow falling when I woke up in the morning! Unfortunatly, because of all the beautiful snow Jeff and I got the car stuck at his parents house that night. It took a lot of hard work and time but we finally got it out.

Christmas is a great time of year and one of my favorites. I'm glad Jeff and I had such an amazing first Christmas and I look forward to many more Christmases to come.

I've been tagged...

2008-12-28T21:39:00.000-08:00

Here is a list of different things people have done in their lives. Everything I've done on this list will be bold.

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6.Given more than you can afford to charity
7.Been to Disneyland
8.Climbed a mountain (how far do you have to climb to make it count?)
9.Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee jumped
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14.Taught yourself an art from scratch (does food art count?)
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20.Slept on an overnight train
21.Had a pillow fight
22.Hitch hiked
23.Taken a sick day when you’re not ill
24.Built a snow fort
25.Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors (grandparents count?)
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language (not well, but I learned some...)
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing (thanks Kev!)
40. Seen Michelangelo’s David
41. Sung Karaoke (all too well)
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight (and ripped my pj's climbing over a fence)
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel Tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling (in Hawaii and I saw some really cool fish)
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theater
55. Been in a movie (Do my family's childhood endeavors at cinema count?)
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class (Kenny was a great teacher that day)
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies (I think I ate more then I sold)
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi Concentration Camp
67. Bounced a check
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Saved a favorite childhood toy
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar (yuck! It was slimy and salty)
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the Changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper (when I was little)
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House (I was outside, but I didn't get up early enough to go with Ann and Meg and I am ok with that)
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating
88. Had chickenpox
89. Saved someone’s life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous (Audra McDonald)
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee

Wow, I really haven't done too much. Not that I haven't done things in my life, but some of the things on the list sound really fun. I should try saving someones life, that doesn't sound too hard, right?

Oh, and I don't have many people to tag so if you happen to read this blog and want to be tagged then you are it!

Let it SNOW!

2008-12-21T19:13:00.000-08:00

Well, dispite my lack of enthusiasm for snow, being from Central California, I was so proud of myself for having a first in my life this week. I shoveled snow for the very first time in my life! It might sound crazy to people who have lived where it has snowed their whole lives, but I have never lived where it snows enough to shovel and then when I moved here I always lived in a condo complex where they shovle for you. Jeff was going to have to go out in the dark and do the whole thing himself so I offered to come and help even though I had no idea what I was doing. He went out and bought another shovel and gloves for me to use. I finally got the hang of it after a few failed attempts at throwing the snow.

We had a great time working side by side to make our home a great place to live. I still don't like snow or shoveling it, but I do have to say that I loved working with my husband and made our home look great.

I love how the toung shows how hard I am working.

It's Beginning to Look a lot Like Christmas!

2008-12-15T17:27:00.000-08:00

We FINALLY decorated for Christmas. I was sad because we had been so busy and sick, so we haden't gotten around to getting a tree and decorations. Jeff, the amazing husband that he is, decided that we would make sure we would get decorations on Saturday. We went to Target and found a really nice pre-lit tree and some ornaments. I even found some cute boots! I have been searching for cute boots that will keep me warm in the snow and have (until Saturday) come up short. Jeff tried to convince me that no such boots existed, but I was victorious.

I was so excited to get the boots I just had to wear them while we decorated. We put up the tree and then I put up the garland while Jeff put hangers on the glass balls.

I was so happy to have the lights twinkling in our home. It really helped me to have the Christmas spirit and I am SO excited to spend Christmas with Jeff. As gooey as it might sound, spending time with Jeff will be the best part of all.

Wedding Pics!

2008-11-08T14:40:00.000-08:00

Here you go. These are just a few of the pics that I liked from the wedding day. We have more but I can't put them ALL up.

We came out and stood for the people.

These are the people.

The Wright Siblings (some of them)

The Stockett Siblings

It was a little windy.

It was a great day!

Halloween!

2008-11-02T11:21:00.000-08:00

Well, Jeff and I had a low key holiday. As a teacher Halloween is not my favorite holiday. The crazy children sort of ruin it for me. I did have fun dispite my lack of enthusiasm.

We spent the start of the night by going to dinner and a movie with Jeff's brother, Zack, and Zack's girlfriend, Delta.

We came back to the house for some dessert I had made ealier that day.

I made a fun graveyard cake using dry ice. (thanks for the idea Ann!)

This is me holding the cake. It is not a great pic but I wanted to show that I was super proud of it!

Then naturally we played with the dry ice by putting it is such things as apple juce and milk. (the milk was sort of gross)

We had a good time and hope to do it again soon.

By the way, for those of you who are disapointed that I didn't put up wedding pics, stay tuned, they should be up soon. (hopefully)

Honeymoon!

2008-10-19T16:13:00.000-07:00

Well, I could write about the honeymoon, but Jeff already did a great job. Here is the link to his blog. I will just add that it was the perfect vactation for us, and Jeff knows me so well that everything was just amazing.

http://odoyle42.blogspot.com/

Wedding Update!

2008-09-22T17:01:00.000-07:00

Planning and Preparing for a Wedding!

I thought that with my simplistic attitude planning a wedding for October 11th would be simple. Well, I was slightly mistaken. There are so many little details with timelines that you don’t really think about until someone says “so what will you wear to the luncheon?” and I think to myself “I guess that is another trip to the department store after a full day of work.” I am amazed at how long things take me to do. I haven’t finished sending the invitations or gotten a dress to wear to the luncheon and a few other important things like writing sub plans for when I am gone from work. CRAZY I tell you!

Ok, so this is a little bit of a downer entry and I realize that I am not even close to being the only person to feel this way, but it was nice to get it out of the way so I could write about the great things that have been happening through all the stress (and now Mono for those of you who haven’t heard).

Jeff! That is what has happened through it all. He has been my hero (gag for those who don’t like sap and you might just want to stop here just in case you can’t stand anymore). He has stuffed envelopes, dealt with an exhausted and now sick fiancé, gone to the post office and given me hugs and held me when I cry. I am feeling so blessed for the stress of wedding planning (even crazier, I know) because it has given me the chance to be grateful for a man who will take up responsibilities that I would normally feel like they were mine, but now I can share them and not feel so overwhelmed. Jeff has shown me true service and love in the past few months and I know that will carry on into out marriage. I am so EXCITED for October 11th to come (with or without a new dress) .

Happily Ever After

2008-07-24T10:32:00.001-07:00

So the evening started with Jeff bringing me a beautiful bunch of roses!
We hiked up to our special meadow for a picnic dinner of sandwiches and grapes.
Jeff then suggested a walk through the medow. On the walk we happend upon a rose with a note attached. We kept walking and there was another rose and note in the grass. This happend six times all together before we went back to the picnic area.

At this point Jeff said that he had another surprise and told me to sit down on a log and close my eyes. He set a present in my lap. I opened it and it was a book telling the story of how we started met and started dating.

At the end the book ended in the meadow with a picture of Jeff proposing in the exact spot that we were in.
I of course started crying and I am not sure if I said yes or not but Jeff put the ring on my finger and took the crying as a yes.

We are now happily engaged and will now spend the next few months planning for our October wedding!

California Girl!

2008-07-22T16:45:00.000-07:00

I had the best trip home I could have asked for. It is always so great to go home and be with my family. I also have the opertunity to finally have Mom and Dad meet Jeff. We had such a good time with all the activities of the week. We went to the community theater production of The Music Man. Jeff and I also went to the beach. There were a few other activites as well.

We took Jeff to Grants Grove to show him the giant readwood trees.

Most important of all was that I went through the Temple for the first time. It was a beautiful and amazing experience. I was so happy to have so many people there will me. It was so nice and I will always remember how good I felt.

Well, It was warm but I just am always so amazed at how comfortable I feel when I go home. It is one of the best places I can go.

Memory Tag

2008-07-20T00:05:00.000-07:00

I got this from Ann's blog!

1. Leave a comment of a memory of ME!

2. Put these instructions on your blog so I can visit you and leave a memory I have of you.

Ok, the instructions may be short but my computer is acting weird so I can't copy and past and I didn't feel like typing it manually.

I'm home!

2008-06-26T17:46:00.000-07:00

I have been so torn for the last two weeks. I loved Hawaii and I REALLY missed Jeff. Well, at least I survived and I now have Jeff back and a lot of beautiful memories of AMAZING Hawaii. Here are just a few of the beautiful things I saw.

This is my favorite picture that I took and it was from the deck of where we stayed the first week.

This is me looking oh so cute at the PCC!

I love my FAMILY! That was the best part of the trip, being with everyone.

I am a Nerd!

2008-05-17T11:26:00.000-07:00

Space, the final frontier. These are the voyages of Robyn Noel Wright, her continuing mission to explore all realms of nerdiness. To seek out new nerdy friend and places of nerdiness. To boldly go where many have gone before.

OK, so the other day when I was explaining an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation to someone I had to stop and think about how nerdy I was sounding. I loved watching that show with the fam. Star Trek has some fond family memories attached to it. I think one of my favorite episodes was the one when they are stuck in the time loop. Dr. Crusher was on top of that one. What was your fav?

I admit it...

2008-04-19T21:16:00.000-07:00

I am now officially admitting that I, Robyn Noel Wright, have a boyfriend. Yup, that is all I have to say about that.

Shoe-aholic

2008-04-06T17:18:00.000-07:00

I will forever be a shoe-aholic. I was just going to go into the store and have fun trying on shoes. Then it happened. Something takes over by body and it tells me that I need more shoes. It always seems to go for the impractical shoe too. Anyway I slipped these lovely little ones on and I couldn't help myself. GOOD NEWS! They were only $10.00. I very well couldn't pass that up. Now I can pretend to be a ballerina when ever I want. Happiness is a new cute pair of shoes!

Happy Easter!

2008-03-24T12:59:00.000-07:00

I love Easter! It is one of my favorite holidays because it gets my family together and we have AMAZING food. Ken was a genius again with his fabulous shashlick (sp?).

Another great part about Easter is I bought myself a happy Easter dress that matches my favorite shoes. It can't get much better then that.

OK, so it is also a wonderful time for reflection and gratitude, and I am always grateful for that time to help me focus on what is truly important in my life. Happy Spring!

I have survived!

2008-03-08T11:18:00.000-08:00

I made it through parent teacher conferences this week. I had to meet with 27 sets of parents of the course of two days. To say the least I am GLAD that this week is over.

Spinning?

2008-02-25T22:20:00.000-08:00

OK, so Saturday one of my friends had a birthday party. Now that sounds fun doesn't it? Well, this was no ordinary party. This friend has a love for triathlons and exercising. She decided that she would have a spin class for her party (she also did karaoke later and I dominated that!). I thought it would be fun to try it but as soon as I sat on that little seat I knew I was in trouble. My sit bones are still bruised today! My muscles were not too soar but I couldn't sit very well and I am only just now starting to recover. My friends all tell me that I just have to keep going and I will get use to it. I'm not too sure about that, but I am planning on going back to the gym. I have to get ready for my summer trip to Hawaii!

It use to be so simple!

2008-02-20T16:25:00.000-08:00

I had mom send me some of my baby pictures and I was thinking about how much simpler life seemed when I was little. Today I have been thinking about grading, taxes, car rentals, ward activities and other assorted grown up tasks. I think I would like to just go back to the day when I could put on a sweat band, chew on some pens and not have a care in the world. I guess I will just be have to be happy with the cute pictures and be glad that I have become at least a little more independent.

New Look!

2008-02-09T23:56:00.001-08:00

Hey, a thanks goes out to Ann for finding a fun site that helped me get out of this crazy slump I have been in (since I have never changed the background since I started this blog). I think this background suits me a little better.

Book Tag!

2008-02-08T17:07:00.000-08:00

Thanks Ann for the tag. I am reading a really cool book called "The house of the Scorpion" by Nancy Farmer and even though it is taking me forever to get through it, due to lack of time, I am really enjoying it.

Well, here is the 5th (pluse) sentence on page 123.
Matt didn't know where to begin.
"If you say you're sorry; she'll forgive you," Celia said. "She's a good kid."
"I did apologize," Matt managed to say.
"And she wouldn't accept it. Well, that happends sometimes. Sometimes we have to grovel to show we really mean it."

Ok so that is more than three sentences but I thought that it would be a little more interesting with the extra words. Also, I would tag but I don't know anyone else who hasn't been tagged already. Happy reading!

SNOW!

2008-01-28T20:01:00.000-08:00

Have I ever mentioned how snow is REALLY not my favorite! It took me an hour to drive home today and I was afraid for my life the whole time, and it wasn't even snowing very much by the time I finally got out of work. I have decided that I may not live in the snow for more than another year and that might be pushing it.

Maybe I should end this on a positive note before you all think that I am a complaining fool. I do have to say that it was an answer to a prayer that the blizzard didn't start until after I got to work this morning and that the snow stopped just before I needed to drive home. I can say that at least the storm had good timing.

Alphabetizing!

2008-01-19T14:56:00.000-08:00

I always thought that having things is alphabetical order was silly. Well with my new outlook on life I find it slightly handy. I don't have everything in my room alphabetized but I at lest got my (very few) movies in order. It is a start and I only have a few more days before I can officially say that I have made cleaning a habit. I even vacuumed and dusted my room. Just a little at a time and I will be a lean, mean, cleaning machine!

Clean Room and a Freash Start

2008-01-09T18:22:00.000-08:00

I have made a new goal for the year 2008. Since I have moved into my new condo I decided to become organized and keep my room clean. Some might say that in the past I have been a little on the disorganized, cluttered, and messy side. I have so far made it 9 days without leaving clothes or papers out of place. The room is not perfect (it is kinda small) but with Megan's help everything has a home (aren't you proud of me Ann). But seriously, it feels really nice to have a clean room and to start learning a new habbit of cleaning up as I go so I don't ever let my messes get out of hand. I hopefully have turned over a new leaf and will be known as "the tidy one" from now on!

YOU CAN SEE THE FLOOR!

Merry Christmas!

2007-12-26T20:48:00.000-08:00

So Meg, Ann and I got a little silly this year (seeing as it was just the girls at home. Sorry, Daddy.) and we decided to get matching pajamas. We look, oh so, cute in our new jammies, but it did take a while to agree on what jammies to get. Meg didn't want a coller and I didn't want buttons. Ann had to have long sleves and I couldn't have rough fabric (ok so I might have been a bit more picky then the other two). In the end we found comfortable pajamas and we has tons of fun spending Christmas together.

This year we also attacked the wonderful world of gingerbread! Our task was to make a library that at least resembled a library. I think we did it. We might have made Mom a little crazy with the mess, but the good news is that we are now old enough to clean it up.

Well, I have had a great holiday and hope you enjoyed your's as well.

I've been tagged

2007-12-10T20:09:00.000-08:00

OK, so Melissa tagged me but I only know Sarah and Melissa as bloggers and they have both been tagged so I will just do the 7 interesting facts and sort of forget about the tagging part (sorry).

1. I can cross my eyes in three different ways. I can have one crossed and one straight, one crossed and the other move in a circle, and I can have them switch back and forth. My friends say that it is a little freaky.

2. I have an unhealthy addiction to Mike and Ikes!

3. I have written in my journal everyday for at least the last 10 years of my life. Don't worry there isn't anything of great value in there (except to me).

4. I would sing and listen to show tunes all day long if I could and I sort of wish my life was a musical (I kind of make it one anyway).

5. I am watching "Mary Poppins" this second as I type.

6. My favorite book to read over and over again is a book written by Mary Stewart called "This Rough Magic". I would recommend most of her books.

7. One of my favorite pairs of shoes to wear are my red sparkly flats that are reminiscent of the Ruby Red Slippers from "The Wizard of Oz".

Well, there are just a few things about me. I hope you feel a little more informed about me. Thanks for reading.

Homeless in Utah!

2007-11-29T16:30:00.000-08:00

I am only having slight panic attacks lately because I don't have a new place to live and the move out date is fast approaching. My roommate who owns the condo sold it and I have to be out but Jan. 5th and so far I am at a loss of where to go. I have been making phone calls and looking, but nothing has gelled yet. I hope it all works out.

Bakin' up a storm!

2007-11-17T13:05:00.000-08:00

I am so EXCITED! I finally bought myself a baking stone and it even came with a pizza peel. I used a gift card I got almost last year (thanks Ann) and it only cost me 98 cents. I can't wait to try it out. I think I am going to try foccacia bread. I will let you know how the stone works out.

What a beautiful day!

2007-11-12T20:55:00.000-08:00

Saturday was so beautiful Meg and I couldn't possibly stay inside. We decided to take the munchkins to the park for about an hour (hoping that it might give Ken and Sarah some well deserved time) and we all had a blast together. We even had a "picnic" on the grass (ok so it consisted of juice and crackers, but the kids loved it anyway). After we dropped the kids off, Meg and I continued our day outdoors by walking in Rock Canyon for a little over an hour (we needed to get home before it got dark). It was cool and the light was at just the right angle for some really nice pictures (with the 35mm not the digital). I can't wait to see them developed. Anyway it was a nice day and I was happy to spend it with my favorite little sister.

Memories!

2007-11-11T14:14:00.000-08:00

Ok so I was looking for videos for my class and I came across one that I haven't seen in years. It always makes me laugh and I thought that I would share it with you. I originally found this on YouTube so I am not too sure how to credit it otherwise.

Lavender

2007-10-24T18:42:00.001-07:00

I took a silly personality test that my cousin found (thanks Melissa) and this is the insight it gave me. Do you think it is right? (Don't worry about offending me, I know that I have plenty to work on)

you are lavender#E6E6FA
Your dominant hue is blue, making you a good friend who people love and trust. You're good in social situations and want to fit in. Just be careful not to compromise who you are to make them happy.Your saturation level is very low - you have better things to do than jump headfirst into every little project. You make sure your actions are going to really accomplish something before you start because you hate wasting energy making everyone else think you're working.Your outlook on life is bright. You see good things in situations where others may not be able to, and it frustrates you to see them get down on everything.

http://spacefem.com/quizzes/colors

The Pictures

2007-10-13T09:53:00.000-07:00

These are the pictures they sent, but for some reason they wouldn't upload on the other post.

ATTENTION! Mom and Dad are making me so jelous!

2007-10-11T16:22:00.000-07:00

Mom and Dad decided to send pictures of their time in Hawaii. I AM SO JELOUS! I want to go so badly. I think I would just melt into the surroundings and no one would ever be able to find me again (I might be ok with that). Well, I figured it is only about 7 1/2 more months until I get to go with the whole fam (if it works out like that) and I suppose I can wait that long. Untill then I will just let out long sighs.

JOKES ON ME!

2007-09-29T22:09:00.000-07:00

OK, so Stacey put a whoopie cushion under my blankets on my "bed" tonight and when I went to open up my computer I sat on it. I was so surprised but my first thought was "Oh, no! My air mattress popped. What am I going to sleep on now?" Then I realized that it was the whoopie cushion. Stacey and I laughed so hard. Pranks can be funny (sometimes).

I ran (walked) a 5K!

2007-09-19T17:37:00.000-07:00

Robyn and Delta at the Aspen 12th ward 5K!

So, I finally got my time and pictures from the ward 5K I ran/walked. It was a fun and new experience. I have never been in a "race" before and I became slightly competitive even though I knew I was not going to beat even half of the people. It did give me insight into my competitive drive not only with others but with myself as well. Now here comes the sad news. I ended up making it in 42.00 minutes. Not bad but not great either. Maybe I need to find a sport that I actually like.

THE FINISH LINE!

Back to School!

2007-08-25T16:07:00.000-07:00

Well, summer is over and I have been working like a mad woman trying to get my classroom put together in time to be a place of learning and growth. Well at least it will be a place where they won't trip over my boxes of stuff! I am excited and nervous about another year of teaching. It will be OK but I have a feeling that it will be a little more intense then last years group. I just hope they learn something worthwhile.
OK so this is my school, but it doesn't have the fence or grass like that anymore. At least the building looks the same.

So you think you can get a little obsessed?

2007-08-09T14:24:00.000-07:00

OK, so I have to admit that I am obsessed with So you think you can dance! I love to watch great dancing and the fact that there are new and amazing dances each week makes my life so much more enjoyable. Really I just wish I could dance like that and I live through watching others. I will have to stick with dancing alone in my apartment or with Addie to satisfy my dancing cravings. I just can't wait to see what they have in store for next week!

Flaming Gorge

2007-08-07T22:04:00.000-07:00

I had the BEST camping trip this summer at Flaming Gorge. I went knee boarding and I didn't kill myself. I also hiked, was a good luck charm for the fish, rafted, and tried craw fish! It was a jam packed trip and I had the bruises and soar muscles to prove it. I think having tons of people there (it was a ward trip) made it even better. I never got tired of being with people because I was with different people all the time. I even got to know things about people I didn't know before. Nature is great and to be able to share it with great people made it even better. Though next time I need to take a better sleeping mat.

Harry Potter!

2007-07-19T14:12:00.000-07:00

OK, so most of you know that I am a Harry Potter geek and that I am way too obsessed for my own good. With only 1 day and a few hours until the final book comes out I am trying to keep myself from jumping out of my skin. Not only that but I am terrified that the book with be ruined for me by the leeks that have come out of the book. I have a feeling that I will be wearing my ipod all night when I go to pick up my book as a precautionary effort to thwart such an evil act. It is silly but I really do love the books and the great story it tells and I would be VERY disappointed if it was spoiled for me.

There is no place like home!

2007-07-14T19:23:00.000-07:00

So I went home for two weeks and it was amazing! I love going home so much. Mom and Dad are always so loving and I get to feel like a kid again at least for a little while. I don't have all the grown up cares to worry about. It was also fun to be with the munchkins in Mom and Dad's big house. I will always love home and being with my family. Life can't get better then that!

Trip to Cali!

2007-07-03T11:31:00.000-07:00

I had so much fun on my trip to L.A. with 20 friends from my ward. It started out as just a few people but it got bigger and bigger as time went on. The great thing was we didn't really have any problems, meaning we all got along just fine and we all made it back in one piece.

Well, here is the basic outline of the trip. We drove out on Thursday (Stopping in Vegas for lunch at the Cheesecake Factory!). Friday, we spent all day at Magic Mountain (or at least most of us did, we only had a couple of people who couldn't handle the heat or the rides). Saturday was the day we spent at the beach. I was in the group that decided to go Geo cashing (I think that is how you spell it, well at least that is how you say it) on the beach, and I ended up bolder hopping for at least a mile in flip flops. It was fun and we found so really awsome rock formations and tide pools. Well, Saturday night was the night we went to see Wicked at the Pantages theater in Hollywood. It was a beautiful show and I am glad I was able to see it again (I saw it in San Fran.). Sunday was church and the drive home so it was just a quiet day. I actually drove all the way from Baker to Orem so I wasn't as relaxed.

Overall the trip was a success, and I had tons of fun with my friends. I would do it again in a heart beat.

Mastering a Mountain

2007-06-20T17:30:00.000-07:00

I hiked up a mountain on Tuesday with a couple of girls. It was one of the hardest hikes I have ever done in my life! I wasn't so sure I was going to make it to the top a couple of times. When you have blisters the size of quarters on your heels and you have to sing "Put your shoulder to the wheel" over and over to yourself to keep going, I think it might be a hike that shouldn't have been started. Well, the good thing for me was I had really nice friends to wait for me and I am extreemly greatful that at least on the way back everything was down hill (imagin what it was like on the way up!) Let's just say that I won't be doing any major hiking again anytime soon. Well, at least not until I can get into better shape.

I'm DONE!

2007-06-08T12:18:00.000-07:00

I am so proud of myself! I have survived my first year of teaching and I only have a few emotional scars. I am just so happy to have made it to this point in my life where I can say that I have accomplished some of my goals and that I am on track to make a difference in the world. I was a little sad to have to say goodbye to my kids, for they were my life for the past eight months. I will miss them, but I am also excited for the oppertunity to plan for next year and to have at least a little bit of fun this summer. I will have to report more about that at a later time.

I love the mountains!

2007-05-27T12:46:00.000-07:00

Oh, how wonderful it was to be out in nature this weekend! I went up to Payson Lakes and camped with a bunch of friends overnight Friday. It was so cold but beautiful to wake up in the morning. I am so excited for summer to come because if I had my way I think I would be up in the mountains all summer long. I forgot how much I love camping with the smell of the fire at night and in the morning. I even built and kept the fire going. I probably need to get a little more practice in before I can call myself a true fire expert, but it wasn't bad for not having tried in years (even then Dad always took over or some other camp leader). I have a feeling that this will not be the end of my camping trips for the summer!

To audition or not to audition?

2007-05-20T18:35:00.000-07:00

Well, I performed for our ward talent show on Saturday. I had so much fun getting up and singing again. I have really missed singing and dancing for other people besides my roommates and Addie. I still am really unsure about my abilities to be a performer that people pay for, but I was talking to a guy who is playing the Beast at the local theater company and he said that I should audition for "Thoroughly Modern Millie". I got thinking about it, but I am not sure I want to make that much of a time commitment at the beginning of a new school year. I know I only have one life, but I have to balance my time because I have a habit of doing the fun stuff and forgetting that I have more important responsibilities. Oh well, it has just been in my head today.

Where would I go?

2007-05-16T21:12:00.000-07:00

I got to thinking...there are only 14 more working days left until the end of the school year. Yay! So, if I could celebrate by going anywhere in the world where would it be? HAWAII! I have always wanted to go to Hawaii. Not for the weather and the great beaches, but I am facinated by the amazing life style and culture. The Aloha Spirit is something I want to live and learn. I will get there one day!

Back to teaching...

2007-05-07T20:31:00.000-07:00

Well, I was doing state testing all last week and it felt weird having to go back to teaching full time. Making lesson plans and keeping the excitement up is hard enough in the middle of the year, I forgot how hard it is at the end of the year when you only have four weeks left. I think I might relate it to trying to keep a hippo in a room the size of a closet. The kids are bursting at the seems to have vacation. Truthfully, I think I might be my own hippo. I want to have a break so much but I have to make things interesting and useful up to the end. I will do it, but I have a feeling that it will have to take a lot of creative energy.

Just Starting Out!

2007-05-06T15:33:00.000-07:00

First I must give an explanation for the name of my blog. Many years ago my father was giving one of his famous dinner time speeches for his children to learn and grow from. As he was speaking he was starting to quote the famous saying "There are three types of people in the world..." As he reached this point, in my innocent voice, I pipped up and said, "And I am one of them!" Well, the whole family burst out laughing. It still took me a few years to figure out what was so funny about that comment, but to this day I still like to think that I am a one of a kind in this world and that I have a unique personality. This is a place to share that personality with others who might think that it is interesting or, if nothing else, entertaining.