The last few weeks my second graders have been learning about how animals survive in winter.We learned about animals that hibernate, migrate, and stay active during the winter.We did lots of fun activities, but the one that was the students’ favorite was when we learned about how some animals change colors during the winter so they can blend in with the snow (cool, huh?)After learning about why animals camouflage for safety reasons, each student was given a rabbit that they were suppose to color so that it could “hide” in the classroom.After all the students had left for the day we hid them all over.The next morning the students had a blast trying to find every rabbit.I think there are still some that haven’t been found yet!Can you find the rabbits ;-)
Winter and I use to be good friends.I loved the months of fluffy, white snow, icicles, sledding and snow angles.Wintertime was the highlight of my year.I still enjoy winter.I still find snow to be magical.However, the cold is really getting to me this year!And I find myself craving a long run OUTDOORS.
I do better when I run outside.The simple fact that the earlier the go, the less people I will have to pass motivates me to get up early.And if I decide to take a 3-mile loop, I can’t decide to quit running 2 miles into it, because home is still another mile away!The fresh morning air and the sun rising over the mountains are beautiful!I really enjoy running outdoors.The last time I ran outside was in December, and I came dangerously close to falling flat on my face because of black ice.So I am trying to make friends with the treadmill.
I do try to run indoors.My problem is that if I decide to run the same 3-miles, around mile 2 it is easy to just step off the treadmill and be done.So I have been trying to find my motivation for running inside.And I think I may have found it!
I have started watching “The Biggest Loser”.I have never watched an entire season before, and I am LOVING it!I watch it while I run, and can I just tell you, it is so incredibly motivating!It is the best workout I have all week!It’s awesome!
So until the weather warms up, the ice melts, and the air clears from all this pollution (doesn’t that sound heavenly), I will continue to find my motivation with the Biggest Losers!
What do you think of my new blog background? Did you know that I went an entire year without changing it? I know, it is a bit pathetic, but it is true. I manage to post, but making blogs all cute and personalized is not something that I do well! I have been playing around with this idea for a while, and finally asked my SIL, Liz, to help me. She was kind and helped me update my blog (aka – she did the whole thing while I looked on confused). I am very excited with the results!
As a thank you to Liz, I decided that I would do a post about her. I am sure she is so excited about this! I am going to tell you the story of how she became my sister-in-law. I think it is quite a funny!
In fall of 2005 my student ward got a big group of incoming freshman. Liz was among them. For the longest time I thought her name was Michelle, but that is beside the point. Karl (my brother) and I hung out with a really good group of people, and Liz began joining us. The more I got to know her, the more I liked her.
One Sunday dinner in November, while Karl was not home, I announced to my family that I had found the perfect girl for Karl, and that we all needed to start praying for them. While it was said in jest, I was kind of serious!
I remember my sister calling me in January to tell me that Karl had asked Liz on a first date. I was ecstatic! And then there was a second date. And a third.
Then, a few months later, I knew something was going on with the two of them. Everyone kept telling me that I needed to talk to Karl, but they couldn’t give me any details. I was so sure they had broken up. I was heart broken. I waited all night until my brother got home and demanded that he tell me what was going on. He gleefully informed me that he and Liz had decided to get married. I think I may have been as excited as they were.
So that is how my prayers were answered Liz became my SIL. Some pretty powerful prayers ;-)
I have a problem.After straightening my hair I ALWAYS have a bunch of shorter hairs on top of my head that poke all over the place.I have always had this problem, but it seems to be getting worse as I have gotten older.I have tried tons of products.Above is a picture of the stuff that I have tried just in the last 6 months or so. From anti-frizz gel, to hairspray, to regular hand lotion.I have tried them all. I go into a beauty shop, tell them what I need, and they recommend a different product.I go home all excited to finally get rid of my lion's mane.Sadly, no product I have tried has been able to eliminate my frizz.Every product does manage to calm it slightly for a while, for which I am grateful. But after a few hours it wears off. Let me show you an example.
Before any product: (scary, I know)
After product:
Does anyone else have this problem?Can anyone suggest something I haven’t tried yet?I want a product that keeps my frizz down without plastering all my hair to my head, or looking greasy.
As I am sure you all know, I am working with a second grade class right now. I have been amazed at the academic jump that students make between first and second grade! It is truly amazing to see the progress they make! Though they are much more advanced in many ways (especially reading) they still say things that crack me up. The conversation I am about to share with you is completely true. If an older student had said it, it probably would have been just to get a reaction. But it was an innocent 2nd grader who really didn’t know what he had said. It was one of my first days, so I was observing a group while their teacher worked with them.
Teacher: Who remembers what we call the punctuation mark to show that someone is talking?
Student: (waving hand in air) Isn’t it a constipation mark?
My sister, Lacey, directed me to this blog that talks about the concept of one little word. On her blog, the author describes exactly what one little word is:
"A single word can be a powerful thing. It can be the ripple in the pond that changes everything. It can sharp and biting or rich and soft and slow.
Can you identify a single word that sums up what you want for yourself in 2009?
It can be something tangible or intangible. It could be a thought or a feeling or an emotion. It can be singular or plural. The key is to find something that has personal meaning for you. This is not your mother's word or your spouse's word or your child's word - this is YOUR word.
One little word can have big meaning in your life if you allow yourself to be open to the possibilities. And here's one thing that is totally interesting: sometimes a word will pop into your brain and it will not make any sense to you right now. Give it some time. Let it percolate a bit. I have often found that our hearts speak to us in very unique ways. Maybe this is a word you need to hear but just aren't ready for it yet. Again, be open to the possibilities."
I love this idea. Instead of writing a list of new years resolutions, just picking a word that you want to focus on throughout the year. It was so much fun to read about the words that people chose for themselves. From discipline, to love, dedicate to simplify. There were so many words that people chose. However, the moment that my sister told me about the “one little word” idea, I already knew which word I would spend 2009 focusing on – JOY.
Back in October, Thomas S. Monson gave a talk that really stood out to me called ‘Finding Joy in the Journey’. One of the things he said was:
"I plead with you not to let those most important things pass you by as you plan for that illusive and non-existent future when you will have time to do all that you want to do.Instead, find joy in the journey - now."
He also took a quote from the movie, The Music Man which says “You pile up enough tomorrows, and you’ll find you’ve collected a lot of empty yesterdays”.
Since hearing his talk I have though a lot about joy. While I am generally happy and enjoy life, I don’t think I am finding enough joy in small things, or routine things. I have a bad habit of looking forward to the end of the week/month/semester, whatever. So this year I want to focus on joy.
Merriam-Webster described joy as a state of happiness or felicity. So after a long and wordy post, that is the point. I want to work on finding more joy in my life, finding more joy in the journey. I know that doing so will be to become a better person.
I have seen people do ‘Thankful Thursday’s’ on their blogs before, but I have never done one.However, this week I am feeling incredibly blessed, and thought I would write about just a few things that I am thankful for today.
My car door opening!IT’S A MIRACLE!After a week of being horribly stuck, and being told that it would not open unless I replaced the handle, it just opened one day.It acted like nothing had happened.I am thrilled that I no longer have to shimmy across the seat to get out the passengers side :)And being able to pull up on my first day of student teaching without making a spectacle of myself exiting my car is definitely something to be thankful for!
A fantastic student teaching placement!I worry too much, but this time I had nothing to worry about!I am working with a really great teacher who helps me a ton.The students are great and extremely well behaved.I couldn’t ask for more!
NOT getting in an accident on Monday.It was one of the super cold days and the roads were pure ice.An SUV tried to make a left hand turn in front of me.All I can figure is that he didn’t see me, because it was WAY to close.He got stuck trying to turn, and when I hit my brakes my car didn’t stop (shocker) and started going off the side of the road.At the exact moment I was sure I would hit him, he managed to turn and my car came to a stop. I didn’t even go off the road.It scared me to death and I could barely drive after that, but no harm done. So, so blessed.
Those are just a few things that I am feeling thankful for this Thursday.I hope you are all having blessed week as well!
It's so cold. Red nose, teeth-chattering, painful fingers kind of cold Slippery roads, icy walks, door-frozen-shut kind of cold. Ears burning, nose-hair freezing, shivering kind of cold. I wore a hat today. I never wear hats. But it is so cold. Toe numbing, runny eyes, dreaming of a beach kind of cold. BRRRR!
*I know that some of you will give me grief about the whole nose-hair freezing thing. But anyone who has been spent a morning in ridiculously cold weather has experienced this!
Yep, it is true.I have no job.And it is a good thing! I had hoped to save enough money to not work through my senior year, but that didn’t happen.However, I was able to save enough during last semester to make it through student teaching without working.This will be greatly appreciated as I can now focus wholly on lesson plans and activities.
I have worked at the same place for two years – one year before my mission, and a year since returning.It has been the ideal student job.A wonderful boss, fun coworkers, and the ability to study or read during the slow times. I am so grateful to have had such a good job through my college years!
My last day was on Wednesday, and I went out with a bang!I worked 37 hours during the 3 days I worked this week (very unusual circumstances, not usually so demanding).However, I got to work with one of my best friends, and actually got to do a lot of things that needed to be done so it wasn’t bad at all.
It feels so strange not having a job.No more weekly schedule.No more nights or weekends.Craziness.I feel like I have so much time!That will all end soon enough when I start my student teaching next week.I am so excited!
Here are some pictures of my last week at work:
Bethany showing of her “Ballet Shoes” poster and working on her cross stitch (she has been working on this for years! Very pretty though!)
I spent my time reading, and getting my blog ready to print
Last night my family welcomed the new year with our traditional finger food feast. For as long as I can remember this has been how we spent new years eve. We always have a bunch of really yummy food, and no utensils are allowed on the table. Everything must be eaten with your fingers, or toothpicks. It is so much fun! This year we had quite the spread! It was wonderful!
For dessert my mom wanted to try a recipe she found for shortcut cannoli. I love cannoli's, and enjoyed these a lot. They aren't quite traditional, but taste amazing! We served them with fresh berries (where fresh berries come from in December, I don't know!) I thought it looked so pretty!
My friend, Kim, came over and joined in our celebration. After dinner we all enjoyed a movie together before heading off to watch a small firework show that my brother, Karl, was setting off. It was fun to see, and a great way to ring in the new year!
