Many Thanks

So I changed our picture finally. Figured it was time to get rid of the old time photo with the guns and booze. lol We are at the St. George Temple in this one....the grounds there are really pretty. But of course, all the temple grounds are lovely :) I have had a really great week and feel much gratitude to my Heavenly Father, so I thought I'd post some of my thoughts for my own memory's sake...skip reading if it's boring :)

I Am Thankful For

*My family....They are more special to me than I can even find words to write.
*My children's first week of school going very well
*My first week of teaching going well...I love it!
*Prayer...the peace it brought me all week was amazing!
*The Book of Mormon....I love how I can read one verse and it will come back to me during the day.
*My Mother....she's a wonderful Grandma to babysit Celine while I'm at work
*My husband's job and his two good ankles....it's been exactly one year since he tore his achilles.
*Rain....we had a touch of rain this afternoon so I ran outside with the kids to let them run around in it....that was fun!
*Pizza....yep, didn't have to cook tonight!
*Hair dye....love my blond highlights. If I just could've kept my toe head blond hair for more than my elementary years :(
*Money...all the bills are paid. That's a miracle.
*Tithing....somehow everything works out when we follow what is right
*Sisters....glad to have mine in town.
*In laws....glad to have them too!
*Dad/Grandpa....best fix it man in the world!! He's a sucker for his girls :)
*A Clean House....we deep cleaned today and it feels great!
*A good mattress....I have been so tired by the time 9 o'clock hits that I put the kids down, get in bed, and don't remember anything until the alarm rings at five.
*My home....I love that it is my family's spot...where we live, love, and laugh together
*Football...man I love that sport!
*Friends....I have seriously been blessed with some good ones.
*The birth of my best friends baby....both are healthy and strong. Yea!!! (might I add her son was 10 lbs. 10 oz.)
*Cell phones....I love being able to get a hold of my kids at anytime.
*Music...I like to listen to uplifting music on my way to work. It sets the tone for my day.
*Young Womens....I adore my calling and my girls.
*Youth of the World....I cannot tell you how much I like the diversity of my students. I love that they are all inherently good children who want the most out of their lives. Wish I could hand the gospel right into their laps and rescue some of them from their sad situations.
*My dogs....they always love me no matter what
*My cars....both are running and getting us where we need to go.
*My computer....how else would I be doing this?
*My blogging buddies...it's the best. I can only check in about once a week now, but I love keeping in touch this way.
*My health....I really ought to take it more seriously so I can be around for a long time.
*Sundays....they are a wonderful day of rest.
*My hubby....he's awesome.

I could keep going forever it seems, but won't put you all to sleep. I just have found that in the midst of anything, if I stop and count all of my blessings verses any of my trials or hard times, the blessing will always outweigh anything else. Another thing on my mind......

McCain or Obama? I seriously don't like either very much. I'm republican, but I feel very strongly that something has to change. I'm worried McCain will just keep going how we are. Although, I think I might like Palin as his pick for vice. Obama....hmm....for sure not my favorite. Why oh why didn't Romney work out? :) I want to do a "mini" vote in my math classes and then work the votes out into percentages. I just want to see how my students actually keep up in politics and what their results would be. This is a critical year for our country...very scary.

So that winds me back to my original thoughts...I will count my blessings and have faith that Heavenly Father will guide us. I love knowing I can do that :)

Woo Hoo!!!

School is going awesome! My kids are all super happy with school. I am loving teaching. And we are all home together by 3:20 in the afternoon :) I am so happy and feel very blessed that things are going great right now. I don't have long to post and I fell asleep at the computer last night looking at other people's blogs (sorry to my friends who got replies that made no sense) lol So this post is going to be short and sweet. Thanks again for all your support and kindness.

I Can't Believe It

It's hard to believe summer is over. I always feel a bit sad when I have to say goodbye to my children and send them back to school. I would love to keep them in my arms where I know they are sheltered from all of the bad things in the world. Even though I will be teaching a set of students myself tomorrow, my mind is on my children. I pray Heavenly Father will guard and protect them while they are away from home. I pray they will have the strength to combat the evil that is out there and the strength to stand for what is right. I will think of them every minute of my day and will countdown to the moment I can talk to them and found out every detail of their school day.

Trajan is the big man on campus this year heading into 8th grade. I cannot even fathom the idea that I will have a child in high school in one year. Kira begins junior high this year which is pretty stressful. She is very excited though and feels quite prepared.....Way and I are another story. Keenan is also the big guy at school since he's in fifth grade. Somehow he just doesn't seem old enough to be top of the school....I miss my chubby faced little boy when I see how grown he has become. Logan is entering first grade and is very nervous about eating lunch tomorrow. I hope he feels okay and everything goes smoothly for him. Celine is excited for her Grandma and cousin to be coming to babysit her. Hopefully she won't get too bored....I will have to schedule some play dates for her. I will miss her dearly and it will be a hard adjustment.

Life is amazing isn't it? It just keeps going..... In my mind, I still feel 25. Now I have children who are growing up so quickly and time is racing by me. It's late now, and I should be asleep because I work tomorrow, but here I am wide awake. I just can't stop thinking about their day and my prayers that they will be okay. Maybe it's because I have been at work all week and met many of the junior high aged kids at orientation and reality hit me what my own children face. Maybe I'm just over sentimental because I know that I am back working full-time and that's a bit stressful. Or maybe it's just me....missing my kids already. They are so awesome. I had to make a powerpoint presentation for my classes with all of my procedures....thought that would be a better way than just lecturing. Anyway, I typed in the info. and then asked Kira if she would spruce it up because she's really good at powerpoints and likes to do them. Two and half hours later....it was done and it was awesome!!! She put in so much time to add animation and details that I would NEVER have thought of. She didn't complain or whine, she just made it great for my class. I was so proud of her. I know I talk about my kids on every other post, but they are such great examples to me. I learn from them all the time and can only hope I teach them all they need to know.

Anyway, best better try to find a way to get to sleep....five am will come very quickly I'm sure. To all of you moms out there sending your kids off to school....good luck. I'm sure I can't be the only one feeling sentimental about it. We will all say our prayers and have faith that Heavenly Father is watching over our little ones. It is just so wonderful that we have the knowledge that we have our eternal Father guarding our children. No words can express my gratitude for that kind of guidance. We are all very blessed.

My Birthday Boy Then and Now

Happy 39th Birthday Wayland! I love you so much --- I have been going crazy this week and you have been more than supportive as I've gotten back into my teaching career. My life is wonderful because of you and I hope you know you are an awesome husband and father. The kids and I adore you and are so blessed to have you as the patriarch of our home.

By the way, wasn't Wayland the cutest little boy? Now he has five of his own and I know he counts them as the greatest blessings ever given to him (besides me....of course :) lol Love you Babe!

39 Reasons We Love Our Dad

1. He loves us
2. He's a good example of the gospel

3. He plays football with us

4. He cheers us on at games

5. He supports us

6. He makes us laugh

7. He is a nerd at home

8. He is strong

9. I love him

10. He dresses nice

11. He helps picks out our clothes

12. He sings good

13. He gives us blessings

14. He takes us on vacations

15. He helped us catch crawdads

16. He cooks good food

17. He tells funny jokes

18. He lets us have sleepovers

19. He buys us stuff

20. He loves Heavenly Father

21. He's nice

22. He plays games with us

23. He pushes us to do our best at everything

24. He's fun to joke around with

25. He's strong

26. He prays for us

27. He takes us to practices

28. He lets me borrow his clothes and shoes

29. He gives good talks

30. He will try anything once

31. He thinks we're awesome

32. He watches movies with us

33. He lets us drink his soda

34. He has a soft heart

35. He defends us

36. He loves the gospel

37. He is handsome

38. He helps others

39. HE IS THE BEST DAD IN THE WORLD! :)

We love you Dad! Happy Birthday!

The Camera Issue

Okay, it's official....I am a dork. Remember the "dot" camera I was talking about that I said I had no idea what it was? So today, the same teacher was talking about it again and I thought she said "doc" camera. This makes more sense. My guess is that it's a document camera, otherwise known as an Elmo. I have absolutely no idea how the cameras work in the classroom, but I hear they are pretty useful. So I just thought I'd throw that out there as a bit of useful information that most of you will never do anything with. And by the way....my classroom is finally done being decorated. Now for planning..... Isn't that a typical woman? My class looks good but doesn't have one ounce of classwork ready. lol Guess we all know what I will be doing for the next five days. Have a great day everyone!!!

Thank You :0)

Thank you to all my great friends out there! Your comments are all way too nice and I so appreciate them. You have pumped me up to go out there and give it my best shot. I'll let ya know how it goes after the first week with kids. And as for the dot camera, no one seems to know what it is so maybe the person talking about the camera didn't know what they were saying...lol....makes me feel much, much better!!!

What Ten Years Can Do

So as all of you know, I went back to work this week. I have now attended two days that were full of meetings and one day over at my new school. It has been eight years since I taught full-time and ten years since I opened the school I am returning to as a teacher this fall. I have noticed some things this week that are vastly different.....all in just ten years.

1. There are specific rules for cell phones and ipods at school. I think cell phones were still giant when I taught last....you know, like the kind that had antennas which easily could poke an eye out. Now they are small, inconspicuous, and they type.

2. There is something called a dot camera that is readily used in the classroom. HELP!!! I have no idea what this is and I didn't want to ask and look dumb because everybody else knew what it was except for me and another returning housewife (we talked about this too). Now that I'm typing this I realize it would've been better to have asked than to announce my ignorance to the entire blogging world....oh well.

3. Modesty is gone out the window for the majority of junior high students. Thank you for being a good example all of you out there who still care about what your appearance means to those around you :0) I am a little bummed that I can't wear my spandex and midriff to school....it would've looked so nice.

4. There is A LOT of technology.....I don't know where to start. I can hardly control this blogspot and it took me 3 1/2 hours to figure out how to input info. on my son's football team website that I am in charge of updating. This could prove highly difficult.

5. Lesson plans....this one is crazy. In order to plan, I have a set of state standards, a course syllabus, a set of county standards, the power standards and the course benchmarks. Somehow I'm supposed to combine all of these items into one lesson. Maybe the one room schoolhouse wasn't so bad after all.

6. My body is definitely not fitting as well into my teacher's chair, teaching clothes, and isle ways. Must start exercising.....just think if I had started that ten years ago....

7. Clark county school district has raised my salary about $13,000 since the 90's. Too bad it's still very low compared to the cost of living here and most teacher's cannot buy homes until they have a master's degree.

8. My brain is not functioning right. I spent an hour and a half standing in my empty room figuring out where I wanted my desk to be. It seems like before I just picked a spot and went with it. This time around, I went through about 30 scenarios of where the students would come in, how they would sit etc. etc. Most of the time, I just sat there too overwhelmed to do anything and then finally it all came to me and I moved all the furniture myself including the wardrobe closets because I didn't want to wait for the janitors to do it.

9. Another ten year change....my back cannot handle moving wardrobe closets. I paid for my impatience. when did my body go straight downhill?

10. And lastly, most things have not changed. Teachers are still the people who shape and mold the world's future. Students are all inherently good and desire to do well in their lives. The four walls of a classroom are still empty canvasses waiting to be filled with motivating posters, student work, and colorful artwork. And public education has still revolutionalized our nation. That's pretty awesome!

So amidst all the changes, I find myself rededicated to the task at hand. My panic and confidence are shifting places on a regular basis, so I jump from highs to lows on a moment's notice. I wonder if I can reach all of my students? Can I give them something more in their life? Can I help them know they are special, unique, and so precious in this world? Can I be an example that will someday come back to them in a positive light? Can I motivate them to want to seek knowledge? Can I help them embrace diversity and relish in life's differences? Can I help them feel the love I have for each of them? Can I be a teacher they will remember because they felt secure in my classroom? Can I provide the consistency needed to raise the expectations of every child? Can I teach and respect every child the way I would like my child taught and respected? These are the questions that plague my mind nightly. When I finished college, I was ready to go out and change the world. I didn't ask questions.....I just went and did it. After having children and knowing the importance of my position, I feel the weight of the task at hand. My job makes a difference.....every day to every child. I can lift them higher than they believe they can with my attitude, desire, and enthusiasm. So really, the question is not "Can I?"....it is "Will I?"

Will I help one of Heavenly Father's children to see their potential, grasp onto their future, and reach for their goals? Yes.......without a doubt yes!!!! This is going to be an awesome year :)

My Take On Things :)

I have been super busy this week, but figured I should update just a bit. Let me start by saying I love my kids so much!!! Of course I always do, but this past week especially. I had a lot going on with work, young womens, and a visiting friend....this caused me to be gone from home A LOT. My wonderful children didn't complain when I had to go serve and they weren't upset when I spent hours talking with my friend....they just went with the flow. Trajan babysat without complaint and I just want them to know I love them. I even had a few hours to go with my friend, Christa, and my mother-in-law to the temple....no whining from the kids. On Friday, we had a Young Women's super activity that lasted about ten hours (super fun). My kids were so great. Even though they called to see where I was at and how much longer I would be, they still did it. I'm thankful for their willingness to allow me to serve and their understanding that when I serve, our whole family is blessed :) So with that said...here I go :



1. Breaking Dawn. I am about three quarters of the way through because I just didn't have time to be ultra involved in it like I always get with books, but so far....I like it. This "like" comes with a few warnings though. If you are one of my Young Women reading this post....I suggest you don't read BD. I think this one is a bit too mature for youth (maybe a senior on up). I think it pushes the limits to the very brink...so although there's nothing graphic...definitely not for my young women :) Also, so far I think there is too much info. crammed into one book....like she's trying to shove it all in and bring it to a tidy bow at the end. I'm not sure if I'm right, so I'll let you know when I finish.

2. Las Vegas HEAT! I absolutely can't stand Vegas in the month of August. My garden is dead, my flowers are dead, and my brain is dead. The only thing alive and kicking is my power bill (I know, I whine about this too much). The kids can only swim just so much. We've outplayed Life, Monopoly, and Deal or no Deal. My kids are now on their fourth 1000 peice puzzle (we're going to modge podge them with all this work), and we're all getting a little stir crazy. Can't wait for October :)

3. My Wardrobe: Okay, this is bad. Over the past years of staying home and not being in the work force...I have no working clothes. I think I can come up with five outfits that don't look like a "mormon mom". That will have to get me through until I can buy some more....lol. Maybe I'll be like one of the crazy science teachers who always wears the same outfit on test days. Better yet, I could just wear one of the lab coats and nobody will know what I have on underneath. And, I won't even touch the shoe department. What will I do without daily flip flops?

4. Rest in Peace Grandma: My Mom, Dad, and Sister met with my Aunt, Uncle and a handful of others to lay my Grandma's ashes to rest. It's so nice to know she is at peace and with those we love who have also passed on. I am grateful every moment of every day to know that the gospel is true. I know family's are forever and that life is eternal. If you are one of my relatives, and while reading this you wonder how I can know this.....I will tell you!!!! If you will but just entertain the idea that there is a God who loves us very much, I can show you how to know and understand the rest. One of my young women last night straight up asked me why I decided to be a mormon. She didn't understand really why anyone would CHOOSE that. So I told her my straight and simple answer. I asked God if the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints and all of its teachings were true....my answer was undeniably yes. I cannot describe the feelings in my heart to any of you except to say I know as surely as I breathe, it is true. For me to deny the answer I was given, would deny God Himself. The material things I give up in this life for the blessings of the gospel are minute....If any of you ever feel inclined to know....I would love to share my thoughts. I feel like I've been given a gift to know this truth and I would be amiss if I didn't try to share with some of you. Love you guys!

4. Skymania: this is a giant warehouse full of wall to wall trampolines. We took our young Women there and let me just reiterate....I AM OUT OF SHAPE! I was running around like I was a superhero and totally took a dive on the tramp...TWICE. I mean, it wasn't even pretty. Now, I love myself....don't get me wrong. But you have to imagine that I am a good sized woman. I'm running on these trampolines: hips, butt and thighs a-goin'. The girls and I are playing tag. I cannot catch ANYONE. I cannot BREATH. My legs are getting WOBBLY. BAM....face plant. I jump up, to show I can still hang with these young girls, and about five seconds later...BAM. Another face plant. I seriously can't breathe at this point so I beg one of my beehives to take over my spot. Although it was totally fun, I am re-energized to continue running on my treadmill. And yes....I'm very sore today.

5. The Temple: I love the peace going to the temple brings to my life. Being a convert, I love the fact that I can go and help someone else receive the blessings of the gospel that may or may not have been presented in their lives. I need to go more often.

6. The Olympics: I'm so excited they have started. I missed most of the opening ceremonies because we had our great YW activity, but I already started watching last night. I did not know they had badmitten in the olympics. The girls volleyball this morning was AWESOME! I just really love watching this olympics.

7. Journal: I have a new goal to write in my journal more often. yes, I'm keeping this blog, but obviously I don't update that very often (sorry everyone). I'm trying to stay focused on one journal that holds my spiritual moments and one that holds every day things. I just remember Sister Hinkley's journal notes. She would be the cost of something she bought that day and it was neat to see how things change over time. Anyway, just a goal.

Okay, well I can tell I'm getting pretty boring by now, so it's time to go read. We're taking the kids to the pool, so maybe I'll finish the book up today. :) I will go brave the heat once more and quit whining about it. It's all in our attitude right? Life is great....live it that way.

( Does anybody watch Run's House? I feel like I'm ending this post the way he does. ha ha ha Only those who've seen it will know what I'm talking about...I'm a dork)