Sunday makes me Happy

Staying true to my promise, here is my weekly blogpost. I'm not super good at this blogging thing, probably because I don't do exciting things. This week was Dr. Seuss' birthday and I really enjoyed reading his books to my students. I try to make my kids love reading, and I think that Dr. Seuss definitely gives kids a love for reading. Some of his older children's books are really hard to get trough because they're long and a bit daunting. He wrote the Cat in the Hat using only a list of words that someone gave him. That book began a new type of children's book: easy-to-read picture books. It's amazing that before that picture books were more complex. Now, any of my students could sit down and read one of his books. Praise to you, Dr. Seuss, for making reading FUN.

I would like to post some geocaching photos, but I do not yet have them (ahem Linze). They'll be coming one day soon.

Yesterday was a great day. I woke up with a grown woman on my floor. (Linze spent the night). I immediately said, "Let's go to Kneaders!" Sure enough in about an hour we were enjoying as much french toast as we could eat. After that I had to stop by campus to do some work and there was a basketball game as the same time which made it difficult to find a parking spot. I finally found one, but someone's car was parked in the middle of the road blocking it. Well, I tried to go around him very unsuccessfully and he just laughed and wouldn't move. Finally, I found a spot close by and went there instead. The stupid guy just laughed at me and Linze when we got out of the car. I called him a dumbass all day. There is not a better word to describe him. While I do not advocate bad language, sometimes those are the only words to describe people. I continued to call many people dumbasses yesterday because it fit so well. Now, I am only using the letters DA to describe these people so I can save myself from saying those awful words.

On March 17th I have an interview with ASU and the Marriage and Family Therapy program. Right now I think that graduate school there will be a back-up plan. I feel like I'm being led to stay around Provo for a bit longer. I'm so nervous about getting a job. This is the first time I've actually been nervous about getting something. I have always felt extremely confident with everything I've ever done in my life, but this I am really unsure of. I am praying with full faith, and I feel like since I was led to do Education, the Lord will provide, and I will be able to find a job. Hopefully that's true.

Sunday is definitely my favorite day of the week. This weekend was Stake Conference, and it was probably one of the best Stake Conferences I've been to in a while. We received a new stake presidency, so we had some visiting authorities. This was the first time where marriage was discussed that I truly understood the principle. I felt like the speakers approached from the perspective of wanting YSA to fulfill their potential. It really opened my eyes when we were told that eternal marriage is a commandment, and it is what the Lord expects of us. It was super awesome. Every Sunday I feel so happy and excited about life for no particular reason. Sundays are so relaxing and I really feel like it gives me an opportunity to sit and ponder. I am grateful for our one weekly day of rest. Hooray for Sunday!

In the Land of Content

This is my most recent cake. Everything on it is homemade. I know it doesn't look exactly professional, but I'm definitely getting better. I have really enjoyed cake decorating. I wish I could spend more time practicing. Honestly, if I didn't have to clean up all the frosting mess, I would probably make a cake a day, but the frosting is just too greasy. It takes good, its just all that shortening grosses me out.

This week I realized just how many people are insecure. I went through an insecure phase in middle school, but it ended there. I didn't think that people still aren't sure of themselves as adults. I guess as a college student there are a lot of insecure people, and it is kind of an insecure time because there are so many important decisions to be made and not a lot of opportunities to really know if the ones we're making are right. As I was talking to a friend this weekend, I realized that although there are a lot of people with insecurities, I am not one of them. We all have our occasional moments of insecurity and not feeling exactly like we're doing the right thing, but in general I am extremely and content with my life. I only have a one year contract, which means that very soon I will be searching for a job next year. It's scary because the job market is not as consistent as it once was, but I am content with my life and the knowledge I have that all things will work out. When I go out in public I never feel a need to prove myself to others. I am completely content with who I am, what I want, and the choices I make. I think that in all things of life, it is most important to be content with yourself. This is not to say that we shouldn't seek progress or personal improvement. But, I think that part of my contentment is also in the knowledge that as I live my life the exact way I am doing now, I will progress and grow and reach and achieve more.
Anyway, I can confidently say that I am in the Land of Content.
Part of this certain contentment probably also comes from reading Dr. Seuss books all day. It is his birthday March 2nd, and I will definitely be celebrating it with my students this week. I have read almost 25 Dr. Seuss books in the last day, but I love them. Although most of them are political statements, the words he writes are so full of meaning and true. I don't know how anyone can read one of his books and not feel completely satisfied and happy with their life.

Have a happy day.

Enjoy this video. It is quite a pretty song.

cake decorating, boring snow, and things i like

Well, I have been really bad at keeping up with the blog. I am more than half way through my first year of teaching. It has gone by crazy fast, and I've loved it a lot more than I expected. I applied to the Marriage and Family Therapy graduate program at ASU, but I have decided to stay around Provo next year and continue teaching. I really am anxious to go to grad school, but I feel like going right now would bring financial ruin. I have to buy a new car...
I absolutely love my students. I will never forget this set of students. They have really tested me, but now that I have them trained, I am ready to continue and get down to the teaching. I know so much more for next year now, and will be a much better teacher. Hopefully getting a job and everything will work out.
Right now I am taking a cake decorating class. I LOVE IT!!! I have wanted to take these classes for years, and was finally able to get into them. I will complete the second level this week, and then take the third class in April. I don't think I'll ever actually do this for money, but it is super fun. The more I practice, the better I really do become. My friend Linze jokes about me making her wedding cake. I think in a couple months, I really will have enough skills to be able to make wedding cakes, which is so amazing to me. I'll never do anything like this for money, just for fun. I am going to be the coolest Mom ever. My kids' friends will be really envious of their cakes. Here are a couple pictures of my creations. I know they aren't the best, but I'm on my way.




I'm making another great cake this week, and I'm learning to basket weave. (using frosting, this isn't just a random skill i'm doing) I don't know how I feel about basket weaving, it looks ok, but its SO much frosting. I'll post pictures of that cake as soon as I'm done.
It snowed today. I feel like the snow makes life super boring. The last thing I want to do is roll through the snow. Lame. All day I just felt like life was ultra boring. I spent some time going through old photos and blog posts, and looking at fun things I've done in the past makes my current life seem lame. It isn't, I'm just living a more normal, less adventurous life right now. When the summer comes, everything will change.

I went to Hawaii this last summer, and never posted any pics from it. It was an amazing trip. The best part was that most of it was paid for. Thank you EFY!!! Here are a couple of the highlights:





I was able to go to Hawaii with some of the best people in the world. They are people I will never forget. Such great times!!!

I have a confession. I am a Bachelor-aholic. I love watching the Bachelor. I really want to go on that show. Ok, I don't really want to go on it, but I really do want to travel with them. It's kind of ironic because I've always thought that shows like that are what's wrong with our society because of its unrealistic depiction of relationships and love, but I am addicted. Who doesn't love a good story?

As my closing remark, I vow to better at blogging. I am going to post more, even if it isn't super exciting.

I have fallen in love with this band named Never Shout Never. I think they are amazing. This is my shout-out to them:

and it's time to move on...

Well, I've learned a couple things in the last little while.
First, I need to take better care of my body and NOT eat late at night. Yep, I've tried it twice this week, and fast food later in the evening and I do not get along. Once again I will have to go to bed with a stomach ache. Boo. I need to move on from fast food.
Second. This week my roommate Mary and I were discussing the spirit, and it is so unbelievable that many people go throughout life without the spirit and direction from HF. I could not live without the constant companionship of the HG and the knowledge I have that I am being led to do what is right. I'm trying to decide what I really want to do with life, and knowing and feeling like I am being led to where I am is the greatest comfort in the world. I am happy with who I am and what I am doing, this gives me less reason to second guess myself. I read an article today about giving advice and it mentioned that giving the advice, "Just listen to your heart," is probably the most useless advice ever. We should not follow and act on emotion alone, but base our actions on careful thought and reason. It's so true though. Times when I feel more emotionally driven are the times when my actions are regretted most. How many people can honestly say that they are grateful for those hasty emotional decisions they make? Not many. As I think about what I want to do in life I am trying to move onto making decisions without emotion. I need to move on from emotional actions.
Third. My new motto is "Patient Perseverance." Yes, this did come from the PMG manual. It is full of wisdom and great advice. One of the teachers on my team is getting married Saturday, and it's been slightly hard for me to listen to all of the wonderful wedding plans. She is a fantastic person and I am so glad she is happy, but I can't help feeling a little jealous of her situation. I may not marry for a while, and that is ok. I am so happy with my life, all that I have accomplished and all of the prospects and opportunities I have because of my current place in life. BUT, I wouldn't mind having someone to share it with once in a while. One day I will find bliss, and all will be ok. Until then, I will patiently persevere in all parts of my life. I need to move on from wanting the lives of others.

Ugh, my stomach hurts. But I am happy. I have so many great things ahead of me and it makes me excited to know how much I can accomplish and become. I love the Lord and know that I am always comforted when I truly need it and find the guidance I need. I love you all and hope things are going well.

Parent Conferences

Well, I'm a teacher! We've been in school for 31 days, and it's been a lot of excitement, enjoyment, heartache and learning. Right now is parent conferences. I only have 5 more students, and I will be so glad when they're over. I don't mind meeting with parents, but telling them that their child is struggling is not the easiest thing. I try to be as positive as possible. I always say, it's something that we're working on and it's getting better. That might not always be exactly how it is, but we're trying. I feel so good about my students. I have been trying really hard with them, and my class averages are the same as others. I have some great students, but I also have some that are giving me extreme challenges. This won't be an easy year. I know that! I have been trying to shape the behavior of a couple students. As I was observed the last couple times, I was told I am a great teacher, but that I have some of the hardest students and that I need to continue to enforce consequences. I am a student lover, and because my kids are so cute it makes it hard for me to enforce the rules and really give some extreme consequence even when needed. I failed one observation, but mostly because of my management. That will continue to be a struggle, something that I will be working very hard with and hopefully improve and have the type of classroom I always wanted to have.


Well, Parent Conferences are almost done. It's been a long night. Meeting with parents from 2:30-8 its a bit overwhelming, but it's great to be able to talk to parents and get an idea of where my students come from. It's times like these that make me feel like I absolutely love my students. I haven't written on my blog since June, and so much has happened. I need to post some pictures from my trip to Hawaii and my experiences at EFY. But, right now I am enjoying life. I am having struggles, wishing things would work out differently, but who doesn't?

I survived my first set of Parent-Teacher Conferences!!!!

My classroom, my team and hail in June

This is the hail that came down today, June 15th. It's about the size of a quarter. This was actually my first experience seeing hail so large, and while it was cool, I'll definitely pass in the future.

Below are pictures of my decorated classroom. The bulletin boards are a little sparse, but I'm waiting for school to start so I can use things we've made in-class. These past two weeks, as a team, we've been putting together curriculum maps. We actually have binders for each subject with every assessment and worksheet we'll be handing out throughout the year. It was an insane amount of work, but I feel much more relieved knowing that I have a lot of work done already. I'll be going back in August to put up all the finishing touches, but at least you can get an idea of what it looks like and will be going on. I'm so excited to start teaching!!!








These are some of the teachers at my school. We're all BYU grads, and all single, which makes for great friendship. The two on the left are both 2nd grade teachers, and the one next to me is the teacher who's room I'm in, she has moved up to 3rd grade. They're great people. Notice my hair. I cut and dyed it, it's a much improved color.

Wonderful Wednesday

Well, I went to AZ last weekend, and it was amazingly fun. I really love it there, and depending on how this winter goes, I may move there. Utah weather is not my favorite, and it may push me over the edge; it will be my fifth winter here. We swam everyday (except Sunday, of course) and had a couple BBQ's. We went tubing down the Salt River, which was ironically pretty cold. I love my fam and had a great time in AZ with everyone.

This Wednesday was the only day I had to run errands and take care of important things because I have started working at my school doing curriculum maps and such for the next school year. It's taking a lot of time and it's a lot of work, but I know it will make my life so much easier later. As an intern, I have to turn in full lesson plans for every lesson during the day, so having a map with a mini-plan and all the handouts ready will make doing that much easier. I had to teach the Adolescent Development class I TA for in the morning, it was a lecture on Culture. (Good thing I'm really cultured, haha) After I went hunting for scrapbook paper to use with the Cricut to make things for my classroom next year. As most know, scrapbooking paper is extremely expensive, and since I haven't had a paycheck since December, the funds are running low. I bought a package for $20 and I was stressing a bit because I have other things I need to buy as well, so I was wondering exactly how I'll pay for everything. I ended up going somewhere else and found the paper I needed for only $5 and gave me 100 sheets of cardstock rather than the 60 I had originally purchased. Thank goodness for that. After I spent some time in the EFY office getting things ready for the summer. There is so much work behind the scenes of EFY it's kind of ridiculous. I had receive my EFY nametag in the mail a couple weeks ago and was less than enthused when I saw it said 'Samantha' instead of 'Sam'. Yes, my real name is Samantha, but I MUCH prefer Sam, and, in fact, no one refers to me as Samantha; it makes me cringe slightly. I was sitting in the office and someone said, "I have an extra nametag that says 'Sam'." I jumped at that and now have my preferred name on my nametag. I decided after to hit up Jamba Juice because it had been a slightly warm day, and sometimes Jamba just hits the spot. As I arrived I found out that their computer system was down and there were not charging anyone in the store. I ordered a Jamba larger than I had intended and got one for my roommate, too. My roommate ended up being sick, so bringing one to here was just the kind of thing she needed that day.

Ok, what is the point of my ramblings so far? All of these experiences made me feel really BLESSED!!! I think sometimes the Lord gives us days like this so we realize we really don't have any reason to complain. I had so many wonderful things happen that I feel like they were little answers to prayers, letting me know that there are people praying and caring for me, and the Lord loves me and is my friend. I really am so blessed, I have a job for next year and I am confident I am doing what the Lord has asked. Overall, it was a fantastic day that has made me just that more grateful.


I haven't added any pictures for a while, mostly because I haven't taken many. But, I went on a date to an archery range the other day, and here are some pictures from it:

MMMM...Chocolate Chocolate Chip Smiley Face Pancakes

Yep, I'm pretty good. I even made it in the yellow section. It's almost a bullseye.

If you're wondering, that IS my muscley arm. I'm super strong.