Princess Party

One of the great things about being teacher is having a break in December. This break has been WONDERFUL! I have done lots of nothing, and some other things as well ;-) I invited Maddie and Ivy to spend the night and have a Princess Party. They wore princess pajamas, we watched princess movies, we ate popcorn and had hot chocolate. We even filled up my usually-too-big bedroom by adding two extra sleeping spaces. It was pretty much the coolest thing ever!

Already?

I get called mom all the time at school. Do you remember doing that as a kid? I remember calling my teacher mom once, I was so embarrassed! Now I realize that I didn't need to be, it's a daily occurrence. However, the following incident was a first for me!

Student: Grandma?
Me: Did you just call me Grandma?
Student: Well . . . No . . . I said "Gra . . .mun . . .ooo . . . cookie".
Me: "Gra . . .mun . . .ooo . . . cookie"?
Student: Yep!
Me: (Laughing) Okay!

At the ripe old age of 25 I am already being referred to as grandma!

Christmas 2010 - Part 3

Because we had our Christmas celebration early, it was odd to still have Christmas things going on around me! It made for an even longer Christmas season, which I thought was wonderful!

Teaching 1st grade during December is one of the best parts of my job! I LOVE the energy and enthusiasm that these kids have for the holidays. It is so much fun! We spent our week working hard, and playing hard. We made gingerbread houses out of milk cartons. We didn't use gingerbread, or even graham crackers. I told my kids that it's all about the candy decorations, anyway! (really, I just didn't want to deal with graham crackers for that many kids, but they turned out awesome!)

Wednesday was my last day of school before the break. I was extremely spoiled by my darling students! We played games, read books, watched a movie, and went home for the holidays! YAY FOR CHRISTMAS BREAK!

Thursday my Dad decided that he wanted to take a trip down to Salt Lake. I have gone to Salt Lake numerous times in my life, but never on this:

We took the Frontrunner this time. I LOVE riding trains, so I really enjoyed this. What a fun way to get to Salt Lake, and so much less stress!

We wandered around the Gateway, spent a good amount of time in Barnes & Noble (My next big purchase will be a Nook), and enjoyed the holiday spirit. We went to Deseret Book in downtown Salt Lake to see the art exhibit by Elder Richard G. Scott. It was amazing! What a talented man. I had no idea what an incredible painter he is.

We enjoyed violin music in the Joseph Smith building before heading out to see the lights at Temple Square. It doesn't matter how many times I have seen them, it never gets old.

(Don't we look like the reception bars that are on your cell phone? We didn't do that on purpose!)

After that we met up with Karl and Liz for dinner at Applebees, then it was back on the Frontrunner for the trip home.

Christmas Eve and Christmas day were both very relaxed since we had already done our celebrations. We had a big Christmas dinner on Saturday and invited everyone who didn't have anywhere to go on Christmas to come. It was a wonderful day, and and wonderful holiday season!

I hope you all had a very Merry Christmas!

Christmas 2010 - Part 2

Christmas at our home came early this year. It was the year for my siblings to spend Christmas with the in-laws, so we did our Christmas a week early. It was a fun event, as always. However, this year we introduced many new aspects to our regular celebration.

We had a new, pre-lit Christmas tree, which we all love:

We made a "Happy Birthday Jesus" cake.
The girls loved it!
And it helped them to understand what Christmas is really about.
Plus, it tasted delicious!

The little girls put together a Nativity (with the help of Nana) as Pop Pop read the biblical account of the birth of Jesus. (Notice the flying wise man. He's my favorite)

And we read a picture book that told the Christmas story from the animal's point of view in the stable.

Even with new things, the old traditions were still there. We still had soup for dinner. We still got one present to open on Christmas eve. Like always, they were pajamas. And like always, I love them!

The little girls:

The big girls:

The boys:

We had our traditional Christmas breakfast, followed by opening stockings and presents. I was THRILLED to get brand new faucets for both my kitchen, and my bathroom, plus a new shower head! This is big stuff for me! I am so excited! Sadly, unlike a regular Christmas I had to spend a good part of the day in my classroom trying to get caught up with tests, grades, etc.

Even a week early, it was a fabulous Christmas!

Christmas 2010 - Part One

Because I have been such a blogging slacker this last month, I am going to spend the next three days trying to get caught up on blogging about Christmas. My Christmas adventures started with a party with some amazing friends. The four of us have been friends since 6th grade. We went through our awkward stages together. We went through our boy-crazy stage together (did that ever end? ;-) These three ladies are the ones who kept me sane during High School. We helped each other through our years of trying to figure our where we wanted to go in life. We don't see each other often, but whenever we do we spend the whole time laughing! We are all completely different, but have way too much fun together! Because of a giant snowstorm that ruined our Christmas party last year, this was the first time we had all been together in two years.

Still the best of friends!

And still complete goof's!

I guess we all had a different idea of where this picture was going!

We ate food, and opened presents, watched movies,

tried to find every possible way to use Beth's scarves . . .

Made Reese into a scarf mummy . . .

and laughed and laughed until the wee hours of the morning.

I'm so glad that some things never change!

Mailbag

Dear Blog,

No, I have not forgotten you. I promise. Life has kicked into survival mode as of late. I hope to return more fully soon - say in a week.

Yours truly,

Me

Dear Macey's,

Thank you for once again carrying my all time favorite hot cereal. I may have jumped for joy and called my mom when I found it. You have made breakfast so much more enjoyable for me. Please continue to carry Bob's 8 Grain Hot Cereal for the rest of forever. My taste buds thank you!

Sincerely,

Katie

Dear Christmas,

Please slow down! I am so not ready for you. Though I am thoroughly enjoying all of your bright lights and beautifully decorated trees.

Best regards,

Katie

Dear Cell Phone Store,

I do not like you. I understand that you are busy, and that all of your employees are experts when it comes to the latest technology. But would it kill you to listen to what I want my new phone to be like? No, I am not interested in the coolest new feature. Nor do I appreciate that you are trying to get me out the door with the one phone you have a major surplus of. Yes, I know I am a girl, but that doesn't mean I need you to tell me what I want. Please keep this in mind.

Thank you,

Katie


Dear Josh Groban,

My offer still stands, in case you were wondering. I really think we may be soul mates ;-)

Love,

Katie

And the winner is . . .

Thank you for all of the great recipe ideas! I excited to try them all. Madison helped me pick a winner.

And the winner is:

Congratulations, Christin! I will get your prize to you this week!

Thank you all for entering!

GIVEAWAY Time!!!

All right folks, it's a week late, but it is time for the Christmas Giveaway. Up for grabs are these lovely items:

• Wee Sing For Christmas (CD & Book of Lyrics)
• Mr. Christmas by Roger Hargreaves
• Little Miss Christmas by Roger Hargreaves

I was so excited when I saw this CD that I bought one for my classroom and one for this giveaway. I will admit, I don't love it as much as I thought I would, though my students are big fans. The first half of the CD has religious songs, and the last half is the Santa stuff. If you have kids, they will probably like it!

To Enter: Leave me a comment connecting me to your blog. In your comment, please share one of your very favorite recipes. Giveaway closes at 12:00 NOON on Sunday, December 5th. I will draw a winner on Sunday night and get the winner the prize as soon as possible. If you live close you will get a hand delivery, and if you live more than 20 minutes away from me, I will mail it :-)

Everybody enter - and don't forget to include your favorite recipe!

Lots of Thanks (Belated)

Thanksgiving break started with a huge storm warning. I spent Monday night calling all of my students parents to let them know that school would be let out early. Tuesday night was spent indoors, drinking hot cocoa, building blanket "houses", and enjoying the storm!

Wednesday was my day off. It was wonderful!

Thursday was thanksgiving! Oh how I love this holiday. Not only to I love everything that it stands for, but I am a huge fan of the thanksgiving menu. The whole family was there as we ate, and chatted. Lacey planned an activity for the girls to make a special treat for everyone's plate:

We went bowling after we were all turkey-ed out, and had a great time.

Around 8:00 that night I started to feel sick. Not the "I-just-ate-way-too-much" kind of sick, but the flu kind of sick. Several of my students have had this over the past month, so it wasn't huge shock, but it was not fun anyway. Even though it was quite a miserable little bug, I found lots, and LOTS to be thankful for.

I was thankful that I could call my dad at 1:00 in the morning to come and give me a blessing when I thought I was going to die.

I was thankful when my mom showed up with my dad, bringing with her Gatorade, a rice bag, and pajamas so that she could sleep over.

I was thankful to have my mom there. Even though she was asleep while I threw up, it was nice to know that I wasn't alone.

I was super thankful for my mom the next day who cleaned/sanitized my house while I sat and miserably watched.

I was thankful that KBYU decided to make the day after thanksgiving an "Anne of Green Gables" marathon, giving me an entire day of entertainment. Is there anything better to watch when you can't move from the couch?

I was thankful that Anne and Gilbert finally got together. It never gets old. It always makes me smile. It reminds me to have hope.

I was thankful that I actually slept Friday night.

As odd as it is, I was thankful I got sick over a break so that I didn't have to worry about finding a substitute, and then worry about the substitute all day.

And today I am extremely thankful to be almost back to normal, just in time to head back to school.

I hope that you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving, minus the whole puking part.

Stay tuned, this week is the GIVEAWAY week!

ME!

My friend Katie did this blog a while ago. I thought it was fun, so I copied her. I think it is a fun way to look back over time and see how you change.

I am... unique.
I think... way too much. Seriously.
I know... that I am a daughter of God.
I want... to learn to let go of things.
I have... oh so many blessings.
I wish... I was coordinated.
I hate... cloves. Yuck.
I miss... college. I know, nuts.
I fear... regret.
I feel... excitement that the holiday season is here!
I hear... "TEACHER", all day long.
I smell... autumn.
I search... for my desk. It is a constant battle. (my goal is to find it before I leave each day, but it is ALWAYS covered in papers)
I wonder... how my life will turn out.
I regret... not buying more Oatmeal Squares when they were on sale for a dollar.
I love... being in nature.
I care... about other peoples happiness.
I always... have a book with me.
I am not... athletic.
I believe... that it will all work out in the end.
I dance... a lot when it rains.
I sing... as I jog.
I don't... know how to play chess.
I write... blog posts to keep track of my life.
I win... nothing. I have the worst luck at contests! WAIT! I won a candy bar last month!
I lose... everything. Yikes!
I never... get up when my alarm goes off.
I listen... to Ashley's IPOD when I run. It's fun to have different music!
I can usually be found... trying to get caught up at school.
I am scared... of failure.
I read... blogs religiously but don't comment very often.
I am happy about... a lot of things. Life is good.

A 1st Grade Conversation

Before I tell you about my funny conversation with my students this week, I need to give you some background. I do not like being called teacher. I try to remind my students to call me Miss (enterlastnamehere). When they do call me teacher I usually call them student, and that makes us all laugh.

Also, they know that my first name is Katie. My full name is printed on the bottom of each of their lunch cards, so it didn't take them long to figure it out. They think it is so cool that they know my name! We have a deal that they can call me Katie instead of Miss (enterlastnamehere) as soon as they are 18.

Student: TEACHER!!!
Me: What's my name?
Student: (mischievous look in eyes) KATIE!
Me: (laughing) Yep, that is my name. When can you call me Katie?
Student: When I'm 18
Other Student: But what if you're dead by then?
Me: WHAT?!?! How old do you think I am?
Other Student: (Shrugs)
Me: (Quick calculations in head) When you are 18 I will be 36. Not quite elderly yet!

It made me laugh all day!

P.S. The picture has nothing to do with the story, but I thought it was so cute! I love this time of year, and I loved taking a bunch of little turkeys to our schools Thanksgiving feast!

Getting Out of the Blogging Funk

I decided that a good way to get out the blogging funk would be to change the blog a bit. After way too long, I switched this:

To this:

Ashley taught me how to use her digital scrapbooking program. It was so much fun! I couldn't find a picture that I liked well enough to use, so for now my school picture will have to do. We'll see how long it lasts. Knowing me, it could stay up for a long time.

P.S. Just a heads up - my next step for getting out of the blogging funk is a giveaway. It's been a while, so I am doing one for Christmas. I think it's a really exciting one! I'll put it up right after Thanksgiving.

"Katie's" Book

Yesterday I went to dinner at my parents house and found this book sitting on top of a pile of my stuff:

This conversation followed:

Me: Ummmm . . . Mom, did you buy me a book?
Mom: Oh no. I found it. Isn't it yours?
Me: While I could probably use it, no, it is not.
Mom: Hmmmm.

Later on that evening Lacey, Steve, and Ivy arrived. Ivy immediately picked up the tiny book and started to "read" it to herself. It was quite darling.

When we tried to tell Ivy that it was time to come and eat dinner, she was not happy because she was busy reading "Katie's" book. Ivy was not there when I had the conversation with my Mom. The book was no longer sitting with my things. And yet, even at the young age of 2 Ivy could understand that it was really Katie who needed the book. I felt quite pathetic (really, I just laughed really hard. My first graders like to bring up my marital status enough that I think I am becoming quite use to it).

I think that maybe someone was trying to send me a message. Maybe I am suppose to read Dating for Dummies. I am the first to admit that I am not a fabulous dater. I guess Dating for Dummies couldn't hurt!

This Thing Saves Me:

Quite literally. Without it I wouldn't get any sleep. You see, I am a horribly light sleeper. I blame it on growing up in front of a farm where the only noise you ever heard was a cow or donkey. And that was rare. Cars didn't drive by. Neighbors didn't live really close, and they were quiet. It was blissfully silent. Not to mention dark. The ideal sleeping environment.

I wish I was one of those people who could sleep anywhere. I wake up to the slightest noise. Open my bedroom door and I am wide awake. The doorbell. The neighbors dog. A person walking on a different floor. A television on. The list goes on and on.

In China, Brazil and college I wore ear plugs every single night. They kept it quiet enough I could sleep, and since I am a light sleeper I could still wake up to my alarm clock even while wearing them. It seemed to solve my problem.

Then I moved. For several months I lived alone in a house where the noise of cars/dogs/neighbors is constant. I tried wearing earplugs. This time it didn't work. You see, along with being a light sleeper, I also have an overactive imagination, especially when I am alone in a house. Every time I heard a noise through my earplugs I wondered if someone had come in. I freaked myself out for a week.

After a week of almost no sleep I started researching white noise machines. Yes, they are used mostly for infants. But some adults find them helpful. I ordered one and tried it out. After using it for several months I have to say that I LOVE it. Seriously. I can sleep without ear plugs. I sleep more soundly. It took a while to get used to, but I would highly recommend it to anyone who can't sleep because of noise. It is lovely. It really saves me.

I decided that I wanted purple hair

At least for a night. I have never, ever, in any way, changed the color of my hair. Even temporarily. When I decided to be a "My Little Pony" for a Halloween Party, it seemed like a good time. I wore a pink sweatsuit (really, the only reason I decided to be a MLP was so I could wear this all night) and sprayed my hair purple. I didn't take into account that Red Hair + Purple Hairspray might not turn out like I wanted. It looked normal red in some lights, and maroon in others. Quite exciting!

Check out the eyelashes! They were the coolest part. Until halfway through the party when I couldn't handle them anymore and pulled them off. They were fun while they lasted!

I went to a Halloween party at a friends house. Some of us dressed up, others did not. The other three dressed like musicians. And I was a pony. I stuck out a bit :-)

We ate soup in pumpkin Soup Bowls.

Lovely.

And then we played Clue by candlelight. Better in concept than in execution. At one point Nicki and I were scraping wax off the board so that we could play.

After I went home I got doorbell ditched. I didn't think much about it, I figured it was Nicki, Sandra and Jessica. When I looked outside and didn't see anything I didn't investigate. This morning I found this on my window:

An Oreo question mark. Totally made my day.

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

P.S. The Halloween Mac & Cheese tasted better than normal Mac & Cheese. Seriously!

Getting out of the Funk - Part One

The article that I found suggested that one of the ways to get yourself out of a funk is to pamper yourself. I decided that this was an easy one to accomplish, so I stopped by Wal-mart on my way home last night. I had a gift card from a student, and decide it to spend it on something that I would not normally buy for myself. I walked past the very practical (but very nice) first aide kit, and wandered around like a kid in a candy store. I wandered through the hair & beauty supplies, but didn't find anything that felt quite right. I skipped the candy isle (that's all I need!) and passed this:

Halloween Mac & Cheese! I couldn't pass it up. Who doesn't love pumpkin shaped noodles? I am so excited to eat it!

I decided to spend the rest of my gift card on these:

Yes, pistachios. I love them but they are kind of pricey, so I don't buy them. I ate some after school today. They were fabulous.

In a Funk

It's true, I am in a funk. I have used the term for most of my life, but just today looked up an actual definition. For those of you who may not have been raised using this truly funky term, a funk is described as being grumpy and disengaged from life in general, or a feeling of being dejected.

I can't pin point the reason for my funk. Life is good (really, there is no reason to worry). I have an excellent job that I love most days. My students are excellent, and this year in general is going quite a bit easier. It is fall, which is my favorite. Fall means lots of yummy foods, (pumpkin things are some of my favorites). We are going into the holiday season. It even snowed today. I should be the happiest person out there.

So why am I in a funk? And why can't I shake it. It's been a while (if you couldn't tell by my lack of blogging). I see pictures of myself lately and can even see it in my eyes. I'm off. I literally googled "In a Funk" today to see if I could get some tips. I found this article giving tips on how to get out. We'll see how they work. Changing my sheets, spending time with a child (more, really? okay), and getting more exercise are on my list. I am thinking of joining a gym. I have never been a gym person, but it is in serious consideration at the moment. Sadly, spending time on the beach and going for a hike are out of the question at the moment.

I will tell you this - high amounts of chocolate have not been able to clear out this funk, though it was worth a shot ;-)

Any tips? What do you do to get out of a funk? Anyone up for a trip to California so I can spend some time soaking up sun and feel the sand between my toes. Apparently it does wonders for the mind.

To end on a higher note, my new favorite Halloween joke:

What happens when a ghost get's lost in a fog?

-
-
-
-
-

He's mist!

Visiting the Falls

I spent UEA break visiting Karl & Liz, and playing with two of my favorite little girls in the world.

We spent our time playing at the park, watching movies, taking naps, and eating lots of pumpkin pie.

Maddie and Brooklyn also got early Christmas presents when we fell in love with some shoes at the store. Aren't they so fun? I wish they had them in my size!

We fed ducks and geese . . .

And they completely surrounded us. Brooklyn loved it. I found it pretty creepy.

Since Karl is finishing up his internship in Idaho Falls, they will likely be moving pretty soon. Since this was probably my last visit before they leave, we took a trip to see the falls of Idaho Falls. They were beautiful!

There is also an ideal view of the temple from the falls. It is gorgeous. Plus, I love the sound of waterfalls. I could have stayed for hours.

Thanks for letting me come and visit! What a great way to spend a long weekend!