Adventures from the 2nd Grade Classroom

best quote i've heard all day:

2011-04-14T16:39:00.000-07:00

I was sitting at work (Independent Study) when I heard the guy next to me start out his sentence like this

"If a bus hit your computer..."

I can only imagine what was being said.

So here it goes.....

2011-02-24T23:21:00.001-08:00

I'M ENGAGED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

evolution of ron weasley

2010-08-09T11:27:00.000-07:00

this was inspired by a recent post from my dear friend meagan.

wasn't that fun?

4th of July

2010-07-04T00:11:00.000-07:00

:)

If you want to hear the story, just ask.

art in chalk form

2010-06-21T10:34:00.000-07:00

I went with my sister-in-law and mom to the Chalk Festival last Saturday up in Salt Lake. Basically what happens is a bunch of art students get their chalk and do amazing pictures all over the sidewalk. It was amazing.

Basically, I highly recommend this. It's free and it happens every year.

Sequels, Sequels are no fun

2010-06-09T09:10:00.000-07:00

What do you say when people ask who your favorite super hero is? Basically nobody consider hims when they think about heroes, but my favorite super hero is Indiana Jones. He gets through his struggles with a whip and sheer luck.

It was a sad day when I saw the 4th movie. I have too many negative opinions on the movie to list, so I will simply say I didn't enjoy that movie.

After that movie bombed, they have the gall to start making a 5th movie. I must say I'm pretty disappointed. It will be set in the Bermuda Triangle and will star Harrison Ford and Shia LaBeouf again. As much as I love these two, I am just too disappointed with the 4th movie to really appreciate the fact that they're doing another movie.

Monsters in Mystery Grove?

2010-05-28T09:55:00.000-07:00

Last night I went to Mysteries of Monster Grove. It's a play for children and was actually really cute. The costumes were very impressive and they had a lot of audience participation which is always very fun. I can definitely feel comfortable recommending this to anybody who has children or could appreciate things meant for children.

A few pictures of the monsters......

Not exactly sure what my mouth was doing in the last picture. I may or may not have been reciting the first amendment during this picture. Either way, it made for a very fun night.

My secret obsession

2010-05-20T10:40:00.000-07:00

Greek Mythology.

Except it isn't very much of a secret. Especially if people ask about it. I will fully admit to being a Greek mythology nerd. Also a history nerd. But especially Greek mythology. Before the season ended, I would watch a series on the History Channel called Clash of the Gods. I even made a point of watching the episode on Medusa for Halloween night.

Now we move on to Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief. It's basically a Harry Potter, but instead of witchcraft and wizardry, they have Greek mythology. IT IS SO COOL. It is one I could watch repeatedly.

Yeah. I'm a nerd.

Weekly World News headlines

2010-04-07T09:04:00.000-07:00

Do you remember those black and white news magazines in the supermarkets with absolutely ridiculous headlines? Well I actually stumbled upon those this morning while I was looking for something online. Here are a few of my favorite headlines:

Hard-Boiled Snowman Brings Order to the Alaskan Bush
The story includes the local sheriff's attempt to account for the increase in the number of prisoners. These prisoners were apparently found behind icicle bars.

Moving Company Sued for Using Gorillas
The picture for this is somebody in a gorilla suit with a dolly stacked with boxes.

How to Tell if You've Been Abducted by Aliens
This was actually just an advertisement. I still thought it was hilarious.

Here is but another example of my wierdness.

As You Like It

2010-03-19T09:56:00.000-07:00

Last night I went and saw Shakespeare's As You Like It being performed here at BYU. I thought it was an absolutely spectacular performance. I absolutely love Shakespeare, which always helps, and the entire production was fantastic. I highly recommend it to anybody. Actually, I recommend it to anybody with the exception of those who dislike adaptions of Shakespeare as well as those who have a low tolerance for violence. I know that makes it sound like I'm justifying the viewing of violence, but I thought this would have been just fine for a fairly younger audience. That might be because I was sitting on the front row, so it was easy to tell the violence was very, VERY staged.

Anyway, at the end of the performance, there is a marriage celebration which resulted in dancing. That was fun and expected and whatnot. What wasn't expected was how different men in the cast walked out and grabbed unsuspecting girls on the first row and brought them on stage to dance. Yes, I was pulled on stage by the guy being pinned on the floor. I was actually the first person pulled up on stage. My roommate sitting next to me told me he looked like he was coming toward me "with determination". Yeah, try not to get creeped out when that happens to you.

Throughout the performance, there was a guy with a guitar playing and singing and whatnot. At the end of the curtain call, he tossed the guitar pick to me. I'm probably going to be keeping this for quite some time.

St Patricks Day Anticipation

2010-02-24T10:28:00.001-08:00

I don't know why, but I love St Patricks Day! For some reason, it's always been such an exciting day. I'm pretty sure I'm going to buy green food coloring tonight. Also, I plan on eating only things that are green on this day. NO, not lettuce and brocolli all day, that's what the food coloring is for. Sounds gross, but oh well. If anyone wants a cupcake with green frosting, just let me know!

Who am I?

2009-12-14T10:11:00.000-08:00

Who am I?
I was born in very humble circumstances.
I was unschooled and unlearned.
I taught new and revolutionary religious teachings.
I was ridiculed and rejected by local religious and government leaders.
I healed the sick.
I was tried before a corrupt judge.
My life was taken by wicked and corrupt men.
I gave my life so that others might learn of the gospel of Christ and live.

Now think about the scripture D&C 135:3 "Joseph Smith, the Prophet and Seer of the Lord, has done more, save Jesus only, for the salvation of men in this world, than any other man that ever lived in it."

It amazes me how the life of Joseph Smith almost parallels the life of the Savior. I taught the lesson in Relief Society yesterday and thought about the similarities between these two men. Anyway, this is not a very typical post for me. Maybe I'm just on a little kick from the lesson. I guess I just wanted to share this one more time and say how grateful I am for both of these men, especially during this Christmas season.

When you just gotta go

2009-12-08T16:47:00.000-08:00

This was my physics class today. I sat in the middle of the row. Where no one wants to move for you when you need to go use the restroom. Here was my thought process today:

"Swift run the sands of time except in the hour of pain." Or perhaps the hour when you need a restroom. I have needed a potty break since 9:07. It is now 10:28.
Drip. Drip. That is what I am seeing, feeling, hearing in my head. Also, I'm cold. Not helping.
10:31. Almost 10:32. 15 seconds. 8 minutes left.
But I have to remain conscious.
I can't make it. Can I? I can. I can do it. 10:33.
I am trying to do anything--ANYTHING--to get my mid off of this.
10:34. I don't understand or care about radioactive decay. Will it affect my using the restroom?
Ionizing radiation. What is that? 10:35
10:36. Will the professor let class out early? This is the last concept we're discussing! He said it's the last concept today!!
Wait. We're doing a quiz? Really? 10:37.
He said we'll end with the quiz. FINALLY.
The answer is d. THE ANSWER IS D!! We're done!
Yes?? And we're done!!
No?? No!!! He forgot one thing! A demonstration?
It's not important! It's not important!!
10:39. One minute!
What do you mean start the demonstration over? We haven't even started, how can we start over??
We're done? 10:40! We're out!

And I lived happily ever after.

CUPID IS ARMED AND READY TO FIRE!!!

2009-11-19T22:14:00.000-08:00

I conveniently wrote a song on Sunday about days like this-the days where you are having such a bad day, but you get to see that special guy and you decide it's a good day. Here it goes.

SEE YOU AGAIN
My toast was burnt, I got up late,
My shower was cold, then I broke a plate.
Guess it's one of those days for me.
The clouds were gray, the sun was gone.
It started to rain, the day was already long
At 9:53.
It was about that time I saw you look my way,
And I guess it was a good day

[chorus]
Cuz you're the sunshine in my rain
and you bring color to the day.
I'm feeling warm even in the wintertime
And knowing every day you're mine.
You are the melody of my song,
You fill my dreams all night long.
I don't know how this day will end,
but it'll be so good if I
See you again.

Then the next day, the clouds were gone.
My shower was warm and I saw the sun.
It was going well, I'd say.
The sky was blue and the trees were green.
The birds were outside and I heard them sing
As I walked along the way.
But these aren't the things that make my day,
It's when I see your face

[chorus]

And now I feel very fulfilled. I am sure I'll have a great night's sleep with this sensation of euphoria. :)

A day in the life of a Snuggie™

2009-11-04T11:07:00.001-08:00

First, I visit the local art museum.

After that, I need to study for my big test.

Then it's time for music lessons. I can keep nice and warm when I'm wearing my Snuggie™.

Here I go into the HFAC for work! Yay work!

Answering phones is a very important part of my job.

As you can see, the Snuggie™ has had a busy day.

It's Heaven

2009-10-26T11:43:00.000-07:00

So lately, I've been writing a lot (relatively) of songs. My first one was a little bitter and, frankly, just not me. This one is a little more like me. Naturally it's written about a boy. I hope you like it!

It's Heaven

I saw you the other day. You were walking along,
Wearing your gray hat; you were humming a song.
I don't think you knew how you took my breath away.
Don't know how you make me feel this way.
All I know is everytime I see your face,

[chorus]
It's like I'm seeing clearly for the first time.
Even when it rains, I'm seeing sunshine.
Everytime you smile, I know it's gonna be alright.
I hear your voice, my heart stops beating.
You say my name, I'm hearing choirs sing:
"Halelujah!" It's heaven now you're in my life,
It's heaven.

You smiled and waved at me, you startede walking my way
I went weak at the knees, now what can I say?
I'm falling for you, I'm seeing it more each eday.
It's so strange I feel the way I do.
I can feel it every time I look at you.

[chorus]

And then it just kinda ends.....
But I like it. I actually really like the tune and everything.

What I found in the store...

2009-10-22T10:08:00.001-07:00

Well, it would be surprising if the whole world didn't know about my Snuggie™ fascination, so naturally I had to take picture when I saw these at the store:

The brest cancer awareness Snuggie™.

The Wild Side Snuggie™.

The Snuggie™ for boys. Notice the high fives.

This is the Snuggie™ for dogs. They have pink or blue, depending on your dog's preference.

This is the back. Yes, even dogs need to be warm when watching TV or playing board games.

Who knew the Snuggie™ was such a thriving industry?

Surprise, surprise!

2009-10-19T18:51:00.001-07:00

So I'm not sure how many of you know, but I just recently found out that you can edit pictures and make the color look AWESOME! Take a look at these.

A nice, gray little mountain lake becomes.....

Though this first one is very nice by itself, the addition of the red just does something magical. Don't you agree?

This final bit is my snuggie. Nothing has been enhanced. My favorite part about this picture is that while I was getting a picture of me getting the mail, I actually did get a letter that day. Happy day!

Snuggies Part 1

2009-10-15T16:10:00.000-07:00

It's finally here!!!! Well, sort of....I will be posting every couple of days with more Snuggie™ pictures. Stay tuned for more Snuggie™ awesomeness!

The Snuggie™ keeps me warm while I'm driving!

It can get pretty cold when putting gas in the car. Good thing I have my Snuggie™!!

Now I don't have to worry about getting cold while making dinner. Thanks Snuggie™!

A laugh or two

2009-10-11T18:31:00.000-07:00

So this is my favorite comic strip called F-Minus. I hope you enjoy these few clips while you wait for the eventual Snuggie Post

Yep-LOVE.

Get over it

2009-10-05T16:02:00.001-07:00

I don't quite have enough pictures for the Snuggie post just yet. For now, I will just post the song that I wrote last night!

A little background--I am not a negative person. I admit I was a bit frustrated with somebody last night, so I decided to write a song to let out my frustrations. The rhythm is a bit funky, but here it is:

Get Over It

VERSE 1--Because you aren't thin,
You just don't fit in
With that crowd.
Your hair is a mess.
You're wanting to just
Scream out loud.

You might not like it,
But here's my advice.
I'd like to have you
Think it over twice.

Get over it, deal with it,
Who really cares?
We all have our own problems.
I'm well aware
That you think you're the only
one that's been kicked while you're down.
Just look around,
And get over it!

VERSE 2--You spend Friday nights
Sitting at home
By yourself,
With chocolate and ice cream,
the chick flicks lined up
On your shelf.

Just call me crazy,
But here's my two-cents:
That is no way to get
Self-confidence.

Get over it, deal with it.
Get a real friend.
Turn off all your movies,
They're only pretend.
I know this sounds harsh, but it's
Your fault that you're all alone,
that you're on your own.
So get over it.

VERSE 3-You sit by yourself,
Eating your lunch
All alone.
All the people just pass you
And that's when you
Pull out your phone.

Trust me, they all know that
Nobody's there.
And here's where you really wish
Somebody cared.

Get over it, deal with it
All on your own.
It's time to admit now that
You're all alone.
Just shoot down your pride and
Watch it all fall to the floor.
I'll say it once more,
Get over it!

Get over it......

Yes, I feel as though this was a mean song. But I do really like the tune that I have in my head. And it's been stuck in my head all day. Anyway, my next post will not be so down. 'Til then.....

SNUGGIES!!!!!!!!!

2009-09-30T17:20:00.001-07:00

I got a snuggie for my birthday.

But mine is blue.

I'm pretty sure I'm going to model it. Much like these pictures. (Please take note of the different colors and the dramatic model pose!)

I will post pictures of me in my Snuggie soon.

Bedtime Stories

2009-09-19T13:50:00.000-07:00

Every night for the past week, my dear friend, Franklynn, that took me to the High School Musical Summer Celebration, has been telling me bedtime stories. Here are some of my favorites:

4-Once upon a time there was a circle who had no friends at the school of squares. When he grew up he went to work at a circle store.

3-There was this old lady who ate a fly. But the certain fly was carrying a bad disease. So then she died. Too bad for her.

2-There was a hippo who sued an elephant over chapstick. The elephant was so mad that he sat on the hippo.

AND MY FAVORITE:
1-There once was a hippo and an elephant who got married and had the ugliest kids ever.

I hope you enjoyed these as much as I did. Also, I got called to be Relief Society Instructor and I teach my first lesson tomorrow. Wish me luck!

Procrastination Station--All Aboard!!!!! Whoo Whoo....

2009-09-02T16:40:00.001-07:00

I should be doing homework, but I thought I'd just update everyone on the choral auditions. I tried out for Sister Hall on Monday. Not good. I just wasn't singing up to par and I knew it. Long story short-I didn't get into concert choir or singers, but I think I'm okay with that. I believe that whatever happens is happening for a reason. It's very likely that I'll get into Women's Chorus, so I'm looking forward to that. Nothing is quite final until Friday. Hopefully it will work out the way I want it to, but if it doesn't, that's fine. Until next time, enjoy this comic.

What a day this has been, what a rare mood I'm in...

2009-08-30T08:10:00.000-07:00

Great news!!!!! I'm not sure how many of you know just yet, but this is my exciting news!! So this week, they had the choral auditions at BYU, as I'm sure many of you know. Now this was a little stressful for me because I was also moving in at the time. I was almost late to both auditions. On the way to the audition with Sister Applonie, I was coming down from Sandy and was fighting terrible traffic the whole way. I was about to take it as a sign that I wasn't supposed to be in a choir this year. Luckily, I got down here just in time. (I even had time to go home and change into something nice for the audition) Then it happened....

During my audition, Sister Applonie kept saying, "Very nice," which was incredibly encouraging. Then, at the end of my audition, she said she asked if I was okay with her recommending me to Sister Hall and Dr. Staheli for Concert Choir and BYU Singers!! I'm pretty sure my jaw just dropped. I was in complete shock that entire day. I'm almost still in shock. It almost feels like if you asked for a small vanilla ice cream cone and they gave you a gallon of mint chocolate chip.

I did mmy audition with Dr. Staheli that same day, and my audition with Sister Hall is tomorrow. I'll definitely write again to announce the final outcome. Wish me luck!

Healthy Wingers

2009-08-19T21:07:00.000-07:00

I went out to lunch at Winger's up in Draper and I decided to be adventurous. I got a veggie burger. Do you know what's in those things? I found a whole corn kernal in the patty. It was definitely a new experience. I'm not sure I will ever do that again, but I'm glad I tried it.

After that, I ate celery rather than fries. Because who wants fries?

Car Accessories

2009-08-13T17:13:00.001-07:00

I saw this the other day.

One of my dreams is to have a car that says "K-Dizzle". I will then blast Stevie Wonder music or possibly the Temptations. I will also put my hair up in a fro.

Just one of my many dreams.

Fake Parade Day

2009-07-30T23:21:00.000-07:00

Fake Parade Day is a day that is very close to my heart.

This tradition was started last year. My dear friend Taralyn Smith lives near a busy street, and decided to have a Fake Parade Day. It's always just before the 4th or 24th of July. This year it was by the 24th. We made a sign.

Last year, we just waved, but this year we created a new system. When there is a truck, we try to get him to honk. When there are people on bicycles or walking, we cheer, and when there is a lone car, we will all point at it.

This year we came equipped with a cooler full of Otter Pops and water bottles.

Basically, this is the highlight of my summer. Go figure.

Excitement!!

2009-07-06T23:16:00.000-07:00

I don't know why, but it seems like my summer thus far has been rather dull and is now just starting to pick up. Or atleast become more interesting.

Case Study #1
Mosquitoes have always seemed to be especially attracted to my older brother, Bryan, and me. I don't know why, but there's something in our blood that makes those bugs go crazy. The third, for example, I came home from work and sat outside for probably ten minutes talking to my mom and sister. Three mosquito bites. Not joking. Pathetic. Sunday, I was taking a nap outside when I got a bite on my lip. It began to swell and looked like I got in a fist fight. Seriously.

Case Study #2
The boy across the street and I grew up together. We are all but leagally brother and sister. Well he is on his mission in Belgium right now. Apparently another elder in his mission right now knows me. Not only does he know me, but he has a crush on me. Or did. And he would go to Chick-fil-a in the summers just to see me. I can either be really flattered or totally creeped out.

Case Study #3
My older sister came down and told me she just got a call from Bryan asking for ideas on how to propose to the girl he's been dating....tomorrow night! She actually got the call last night, so he proposed earlier tonight and they are now officially engaged!!! However, he currently lives in Arizona and will be coming up for law school in the fall. They want to be married before he moves up here, which will be around August 18th, so the wedding will be in 1 month plus a few days. They do not yet know the exact date. Here's the happy couple...

In conclusion, everything has been so incredibly calm and uneventful for all of May and June. All of a sudden, here we are.

My Deep, Dark Confession

2009-06-28T23:53:00.000-07:00

I have a confession. There is a poster hanging up in my room. It has been up there for quite a few months, since January, I believe. Here it is.

In my defense, I did not put the poster up. It was put there by my older sister and I found it quite hilarious. Then I watched an episode. The acting was terrible, the storyline was very typical, but cheesed up. Is it strange that I enjoy how awful it is? I find it entertaining and funny. Is this wrong? I am now a fan of the Jonas Brothers.

High School Musical Summer Celebration

2009-06-28T22:23:00.000-07:00

Yes. I did it. I went to the High School Musical Summer Celebration. And it was AWESOME!!!! Everyone was either between ages 4 and 10, or the parents of children between ages 4 and 10.

I'll be completely honest, I find all movies hilarious because they are so ridiculous. My favorite scene from the 2nd movie is when Zac Efron sings to his reflection in the little lake on the golf course. That whole song is actually just plain old amazing. So funny.

Anyway, I went with my friend, Franklynn, to this concert. He conveniently looks like Ryan Evans, or Lucas Grabeel, from the show.

Let's compare pictures, shall we?

People thought it was really him. Mostly the kids did. Before we even sat down we had a girl ask for his autograph. The entire night was filled with people asking for his autograph and taking pictures with him. While the parents knew it wasn't him, all the kids were completely convinced it was the real deal.

Long story short-awesome night.

HOORAH FOR SUMMER!!!!!!!!!!

2009-05-02T21:04:00.000-07:00

So basically, here is one of the reasons I love spring. And summer. And fall. And any season that doesn't have snow. I love color and life. You have to agree that plants are much more fun to look at when they're alive. I have been able to take all of these pictures within the last week. Thank heavens we won't get winter for another five or six months!!!

All I can say is YAY SUMMER!!!

Mein Bester Freund

2009-04-27T19:00:00.000-07:00

Since school got out, I've been jus' chillin wit ma dawg!!! But literally, I have been hanging out with my dog, Zak. He's old and fat, but oh so cute.
This is Captain Zak Sparrow. Arrrrrrf
Yes, he does have a driver's license, I'll have you know. And the next picture is his begging face. He has it down. And this one up top is when he decided to be all up in my bizness.

My final days....

2009-04-25T14:28:00.000-07:00

This Thursday, I went to Wasatch Elementary to help out for the last time. I overheard one of the little boys say, "Listen to me, I can talk Western." He then whipped out a Southern accent and said, "Don't you be sassin' on my career!" I am definitely going to miss these kids.

My favorite color...

2009-03-27T16:55:00.000-07:00

Usually people will tell you their favorite color is blue or green or pink or whatever. If people ask what my favorite color is, I try to see if they are genuinely interested in the answer. In general, my favorite color is blue. Specifically, I have two favorite kinds of blue.

The first was discovered almost 5 years ago when I went snorkling at Hanauma Bay. While there, my mom, brother, and I were able to see a sea turtle swimming. The color of the water was absolutely beautiful! This is definitely one of my favorite kinds of blue.

I discovered my other favorite kind of blue only recently. I was walking home on the south side of campus, when I looked up at the mountains. Then I saw the blue sky right above them. It is such an incredible color when contrasted with snowy peaks. This is absolutely beautiful.

Please, next time someone asks your favorite color, don't just say "green" or "red". Give a reason.

March 18-A lot of funny stuff happened today

2009-03-18T13:12:00.001-07:00

Sorry, I know this is so much to read, but if you enjoy funny things that kids do, this is definitely worth it.

1-Today I was at the class, the teacher began to ask miscellaneous farm questions in anticipation for a field trip. She asked the class what plants needed in order to grow. She was able to get the first three answers right away-water, soil, the sun. Dear little Rick was raising his hand very high indeed. When called upon, he answered, "Love." Apparently, plants do need love in order to grow.

2-While she was asking this same group of questions, the teacher was looking for a certain term for wheat. She began to say "It starts with..." just when Isaiah, the one who sings The Sound of Music all the time, took a wild guess that it started with an "f". Just threw that one out there.

3-Also in this group of questions, the teacher asked what kind of nutrients we gain from eating meat. She let them know it started with a "p". Sweet little Gavin, very bright kid, guessed it was protolesterol. Please put this kid on jeopardy.

4-The teacher told the class that if they weren't quiet, they would have to lose some recess time. This is a very big deal. They all began to be quiet and shush eachother when little Isaiah, the singer again, yelled out, "It's one thirty!" He had a lot of humorous random outbursts just like that today.

5-Also, Isaiah made a good number of "piggy" noises while talking about the farm. Mostly snorts.

6-When I first got there, the class was with another teacher learning good communication skills-"Polite or Not Right" They had to make it rhyme. Anyway, they were acting out two different situations on how to have a conversation-one the polite way, and one the 'not right' way. Michael and Cydney got up to perform. Michael asked what Cydney's favorite color was, but he was acting out "not listening to the answer" and would not look at her. He stood in the exact spot as though he were listening, but his head would look just about everywhere else. You probably had to see it to understand how funny it was.

Top 10 Vacations Spots....

2009-03-12T16:59:00.000-07:00

10. Canada-I would either go to Vancouver and enjoy some fun time on the beach, or I would go to West Edmonton Mall, the largest mall in the world. It includes a waterpark, an amusement park, a hotel, and hundreds of stores.

9. Australia-This vacation would be completely relaxed. I would just spend time on the beach and seeing nature.

8. New York-I would love to go a Broadway show again, preferably The Little Mermaid. Also, I would spend time in Central Park, the Empire State Building, and Times Square. I would then travel over to Palmyra and see church historical sights.

7. New England-I would just go on an "American Revolution" tour, just hitting all of the historical sites in Boston, Philadelphia, etc.

6. Holland-I would definitely have my mom come with me. I would get to visit all the places she went on her mission, along with places our ancestors lived. Also it would be fun to see the few friends I have made again.

5. England-I would definitely hit all of the famous sites here. I would see Big Ben, ride the trolleys, etc.

4. Hawaii-I could live here and definitely would not mind. This is another spot I'd have a very relaxing vacation. I would go to every luau possible and spend all day on the beach. Oh, and the water actually is that blue.

3. Paris-I would naturally go to see the Eiffel Tower and the Louvre. There are also many historical sights to see for geeks like me who love the French Revolution. Also, I would love to buy about half of my wardrobe over there.

2. Italy-Probably around Venice is where I would spend my time, but this would be an incredible city. Of course I would go see an opera. Of course I would go see the art museums here. It only makes sense.

1. Vienna-I would love to live here as well. I can't even put in words how many things I would do here. There are so many historical and cultural things to do here. Salzburg is not very far from Vienna. It would be fun to have a Julie Andrews moment and run out into a field singing. If I had the choice of one place in the world to go, I would choose Vienna.

10 Reasons why I hate winter...

2009-02-14T11:57:00.000-08:00

10. It's cold and flu season.

9. Everything that is exposed (and even things that aren't) become numb within minutes.

8. Everything is dead and depressing. Especially the flowers.

7. There is one choice for my hairstyle today: wet (occasionally with snow sprinkled on it)

6. No luck at spending any pleasurable time outside. Too cold.

5. Everything that can get wet, will get wet.

4. Ice hides around every corner waiting for you to slip.

3. The wind is 2,734,476,179,093 times worse when it's cold.

2. The sun hibernates for 5 months.

1. I hate cold.

What have I done?

2009-02-13T20:19:00.000-08:00

Well, my blog was going to be just about the funny stuff that happened while I was tutoring over at the elementary school, but I have been led to the dark side.... This blog will now be the story of my life.

Here we go...
Bold the items you have done:

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

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

15. Adopted a child

16. Had food poisoning

17. Been to the Statue of Liberty

18. Grown your own vegetables

19. Seen the Mona Lisa at the Louvre

20. Slept on a 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

35. Seen an Amish community

36. Taught yourself a new language

37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied

38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person

39. Gone rock climbing for real.

40. Seen Michelangelo’s David

41. Sung karaoke

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

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

52. Kissed in the rain

53. Played in the mud

54. Gone to a drive-in theater

55. Been in a movie

56. Visited the Great Wall of China

57. Started a business

58. Taken a martial arts class

59. Visited Russia

60. Served at a soup kitchen

61. Sold Girl Scout Cookies (Camp Fire Cookies)

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

72. Tied 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

85. Read the entire Bible

86. Visited the White House

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

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

100. Visited Italy

My Teaching Days Are Only Beginning....

2009-02-04T17:21:00.000-08:00

February 4-I was given charge over the class today. The teacher needed to leave 15 minutes early to go to an appointment and she left me in charge. I can't even explain how great that feeling was. I was left in charge to mold the kids into any shape I pleased. I could force them to become philanthropists or liberators. It was all up to me. Bwahahaha! Previous to this monumental experience, I had been able to help the kids with their work and whatnot. Quite the usual. One of my favorite quotes of the day came from a little girl wanting the boy near her to be quiet. She told him the web address of her favorite website. www.stoptalking.com.

I'm Baaaaaaaaaack!

2009-02-04T17:05:00.000-08:00

January 28-Well I went back. I was able to sign up for the same time and same class. And they missed me. They missed me! Right when I got there, one of the girls came up and told me she missed me. Then I was given charge over the little boy that I mentioned a few posts ago, the one who was humming Sound of Music. I really didn't need to help him do anything but focus. After I left, I was just soaring. I had missed this. I had been needing this for a long time. This fixes more than a brownie or ice cream (or both)could.

The end....? Or the beginning? Stay tuned to find out!

2008-12-03T13:56:00.000-08:00

December 3-So one of the little girls, Michelle, was talking to a few kids who had gotten laffy taffy's. Being the little kids they are, they were eating with their mouth open. Michelle looked at them, completely disgusted, and said, "Will you guys eat nicely and close your mouths please?" Then she just rolled her eyes.
Well today was supposed to be my last day, but luckily I was able to talk to the teacher and of course she wanted me to stay. It was just lovely. So instead of waiting until next semester to go back, I'm just going to go right through the holiday! Halelujah!!!!

The Wise Analysis of a 7 Year Old

2008-11-26T16:06:00.000-08:00

Nov 19-Today the teacher read a book to the class. It was something like "When Africa was Home" or something very similar. It was about a little boy from Africa who moved to America with his family and didn't quite understand things like tv's, radios, etc. In the book, the boy describes a tv as a "box in which people live and talk a lot". The teacher asked the kids what he might be referring to. Most of the kids understood it was a tv, but one little boy in the back called out, "Homeless people!"

Two of a kind

2008-11-26T16:01:00.000-08:00

Nov 5-The little boy Isaiah that gave me a hug last week is the coolest kid ever. He and I have so much in common. First off, I was helping the kids do a 'leaf art' station and while he was doing that, he kept humming "So Long, Farewell" from the Sound of Music. It was awesome! Then when he was done with his 'leaf art', he wanted to write on his paper, "I hereby declare that leaves should be left on the tree." So dramatic! What an awesome kid!

Scissors, Pencils, and Hugs....What Joy!

2008-11-26T15:42:00.000-08:00

Oct. 29-One of the boys, Jedrick, had a hangnail and I took him down to the nurse to get it taken care of. I was explaining that what I usually do is just clip the nail and put a bandaid on it. He didn't know what nail clippers were so I explained they are basically scissors shaped especially for cutting fingernails. I then went on to say that if worse came to worse, you could always use scissors to get it off. He looked at me, terrified, and said, "I don't want them to cut my finger off!!!" His look was priceless.
After that, I was helping Jedrick with his work and he started to complain about how he couldn't find 2 of his pencils. He went up to a girl in the class and started accusing her of stealing it. They argued about it for a little while until the girl's friend walked over to him, pulled up his shirt just enough to show his pocket which held his two pencils.
My absolute favorite part of the day was when I was leaving and Isaiah, the little boy I had just helped with his math, came up to me and gave me a hug goodbye. It was the best time that I'd ever had while tutoring.

In the absence of the class....

2008-11-26T15:37:00.000-08:00

October 15th-After a few weeks of tutoring, they had a short-day. I wasn't able to tutor. It really was so distressing. I was quite distraught. The kids had been so fun though. They are so willing to learn and accept help.
October 22nd-This week I just helped the teacher move to classrooms. The second week in a row that I wasn't able to play with the kids. It killed me.

September 24th-Day One

2008-11-26T15:09:00.000-08:00

I finally decided what I want to write about on my blog. I started tutoring at Wasatch Elementary and these are some of the cutest kids I have ever seen. I have so many stories about them, so I'm going to just start writing them.

September 24th-The first day rocked! The best part of the day was when a little kid asked if I would be back next week-he had a concerned look on his face. When I told him yes he looked so relieved and said, "Oh good." He then ran off to recess.