in review...

Oh my goodness. It's been awhile. Like a really long while.

So the semester in review.....

Well right before school started I went to Illinois to make friends with these children. They were pretty cool. And I FINALLY got the see the Bean!! I don't know how many times I have been to Chicago and never seen the Bean. But we made it happen this time.

Then school. The semester really wasn't too bad which I'm definelty (I still have no idea how to spell that word) okay with. I'd say it was a pretty good way to end my last semester of classes before student teaching cause I have a feeling that that's going to be pretty crazy. AND......remember how I've wanted to go to Chile for the past forever........And I was actually going to go..........not anymore. I got into a [minor] car accident and then 4 days later my brother got into a [not so minor] car accident. So even though I'd already made my decision that I wasn't going to be able to go that pretty much confirmed that. So sadly I will be in Logan allllllll winter long. PS the brother is fine.

These were my roommates.

Emphasis on the the were part. They all graduated and one got married this semester. Congratulations to them!!

Lots of other fun things happened this semester. In no particular order...friends, football, new job, food, volleyball, road trips, food, Halloween, cookies, basketball, mission reunion, backpacking, food....and maybe I could remember more things if I had written this sooner.....

But. Friends- they're cool.
Football- so much football in my life. I don't play, just do a really good job of pretending to know what's going on during the game.
New job- I quit the Admissions Office my first week of school because I started working at some of the schools in Logan. Now I am quitting that job because of student teaching and its sad. Sad because I liked it and sad because I won't be making any money.
Food- Wow. Lots of food. Good food.
Volleyball- I play volleyball now. No I don't think you could say that I'm any good but I think I have a pretty killer underhand serve and don't tell me not to kick the volleyball.
Road Trip- Took a road trip to Idaho.
Halloween- was fun. I was a cheerleader. Go team!!
Cookies- I like to make cookies.
Basketball- I'm really horrible at basketball. But the Aggies aren't!!!
Mission reunion- Got to see lots of people. It was fun. I heart Puerto Rico.
Backpacking- Went with the family, and I got to go hiking for class one time.
and...more food.

honesty.

At this time I don't have anything profound or controversial to post. Just know this:

Today at the stop sign I was waiting for the light to turn green....
Walking into work I observed that there are 8th graders getting more action than me....

tree climbing.

I just received an email to attend a tree climbing demonstration. The end.

i heart summer.

Well hello there! It's only been.....FIVE months since I have bothered to write in this thing. How sad. Well fear not. I shall let you all know what I have been up to this lovely summer.

Once upon a time I went to Puerto Rico and it was the most amazingly cool, legit, awesome, exciting etc. thing that I have done. Like I said the last time....that I write I didn't think I would ever get to go back. But it happened!! Some of the highlights include but are not limited to: the beach, the weather, the window cave, the beach, people!!!, the food, Culebra, the beach, Old San Juan, the food, people!!, the Indian cave, the beach, the food, and last but not least- pina coladas. I think that about covers it....yup, mmhmm. Here are a few photos to prove the awesomeness I experienced while I was there.

I feel like that is pretty good. I've a lot more of course but I'll just share these.

And then the rest of the summer happened. I was working full time. In a very, very small office space. Scanning things. Scanning and more scanning. There was some good times though. I moved. That also happened. Pretty much just moved down the street. So exciting.

So I promise there were more adventures other than work for the rest of the summer. I went camping with the fam. That's always a good time. I also went to Chicago, then to Idaho, and backpacking. And school started sometime during all that. And that's not really worth discussing.....

And so those were some of the exciting things I did this summer. I hope yours was super great too!!!

Can. Not. Wait.

It has officially been the best  morning of the semester. My first class was cancelled. Awesome. I didn't really sleep in cause it seems that I can't do that anymore. I get up at the same time everyday minus Saturday. So I always wake up at the same time. But that's okay cause I didn't have to get up and start getting ready and all that blahness. Instead I actually did some homework. Gasp! Yup. Homework in the morning. Then I cleaned the kitchen. Also doesn't sound to exciting but it needed to be done. So I cranked the music up. I think that's why I enjoy cleaning the kitchen. Good excuse to listen to my music at unnecessary volumes.

The weather. I believe. Is slowly but surely warming up....at least I am telling myself that it is.

O M G. Did I tell you that I am going to Puerto Rico??? Cause Oh My Goodness I am!!!!!!!! In May after school gets out. You know when you are excited about something and you feel that excited feeling in your stomach. Pretty have that feeling anytime I think about it. Which is pretty often. I AM SO EXCITED. I can hardly stand it. PS I served my mission there. Hence the reason I am so ecstatically excited to return. I will get to see some people AND go to the beach!!!!  I'd probably have to say that's probably about 50% of the conversation is about between me and my roommate. There are four of us going and it is going. to. be. a. BLAST. Once again, I can hardly stand it. We found an awesome deal on tickets flying out of Vegas. Yes you think that is crazy. BUT. Roommate has a natural gas car. So it will actually be a lot cheaper. And four people to split up the cost. It's going to be epic. That's all I can say. Epic.

Wanna know my favorite songs as of yesterday? I knew you would.

Helena Beat- Foster the People
Next to Me- Emeli Sande
My Racing Thoughts- Jack's Mannequin
Who's That Boy- Demi Lovato
Sick of You- Selena Gomez
Welcome Home, Son- Radical Face

They're all great. Go listen.

Rambling....

I don't think there has ever been a more unmotivated semester of school in my life. Like extremely unmotivated don't even care. I forget that things are due or forget to print stuff out....or I just decide that I don't care and do a really crappy job on it. Yup. Sad. But true. But Spring Break is here!!! Well almost. I have to work tomwowm and go to a class (Which I had the option to write a paper so that it was done and out of the way. Did I do it......please. Of course not.)

I have a new hobby. Oh yeah. O. M. G. I am going to Puerto Rico!!!!!!!! Is that not the most exciting new that you have heard this year. I seriously can. not. wait. Pretty much it has been consuming my thoughts for the past few days. We bought out plane tickets and so it is official as official can be. Back to my new hobby. Looking for hotels. Only this is better. Vacation rentals. Like condos and stuff. There is some way killer awesome deals out there. I'm still searching for somethings but I have found some awesome stuff. I don't think I will ever stay in a hotel again. But seriously I am so excited. It is going to be so awesome to get to go back!

So I am a Sunday School teacher. I got called last week or something. I have never taught a Sunday School lesson. Right? You can't believe it. But it's true. I have to teach on Sunday....gahhh. Good thing no one will be there since it's Spring Break/I am now committed to be here all weekend so that I can work on Monday. Is it sad to admit I didn't even realize we were in the Doctrine and Covenants? For some reason I thought we were doing the Book of Mormon? Oh well. And tomwowm is Friday. Which means I have like 2 days to prepare this thing, which let's be honest I probably wouldn't have done it anyways but still...


One of my roommates is getting married next week so we had a bachelorette party last night. It was pretty awesome. We went to Le Nonne this amazing Italian place. So delicious. Then we got henna tattoos. We felt like that was pretty awesome for a party like this.

They turned out soooo way cool. There was some other ones that we super cool to. Like zebra stripes and so cool flowers but this is all I took pictures of. It was a way fun night. Tonight was also awesome because I got a free redbox and free steamed milk at the gas station. Cause I don't like the hot chocolate. And now I need to go do the dishes before I got to bed because they are kind of driving me crazy.

thoughts on the oscars...

Oh hey. So I've just been watching some of the Oscars. Cause I don't have cable. But Hulu is awesome and has the whole things on there. I was watching a few parts. The Les Mis song was way cool. And Jennifer Lawrence fell. We all heard about that. Did you see that Hugh Jackman went over to see if she needed any help. Isn't he just the greatest? And aren't these shows  just so great. All the celebrities giving themselves awards. I'm not complaining I enjoy it. And...I think those are all my comments on the Oscars. Love looking at all the dresses. I would really like to see Silver Linings Playbook.

I should get off the couch now and go to the gym....

no words.

I'm dying a little bit right now. I saw this one someones else's blog. Oh gosh. I can't even. No. Nope. Dying. You can see it crawling up her NECK AND ONTO HER FACE. Watch it.




Ok. really I'll start my homework now.

Birthday!!!

Oh hey there. Guess who just had a birthday? Oh that'd be me!! It'd like to think that it was a pretty awesome one too. It was an entire awesome birthday weekend even. Friday I went out to eat with my roommate and her mom. At Jack's pizza. It is a-mazing. Seriously. I probably think about it more than I should. It is so good. It is thin crust wood fired pizza and now I want some.

Saturday I went to the stake women's conference. Which wasn't for my birthday but can pretend that it was ok. It was excellent and we had Olive Garden soup salad and bread sticks...for my birthday!! Then I drove home. And that was great too. I got my new glasses! They weren't even supposed to be in that fast. Birthday bonus here people. Then the whole fam drove down to Sandy to eat at the Puerto Rican restaurant that I heard about. So. Good. I convinced the little bro to get Malta. This really not so excellent pop that they drink. The food was delicious. The rice and beans took me back to all those days of eating rice and beans. And the tostones!! o.m.g. so good. They could not have been any better. I am ready to go back to try something different. When we got back home me and my dad opened our presents. Cause his birthday is 2 days before mine so he just waited. A few of the fav gifts were 2 months of Netflix!! Chocolate covered pomegranate things of goodness. And exercise pants. Then we ate cupcakes. I love store bought cake.

Sunday the gma came over and we had Sunday dinner. My cousin made me a cake and she came over and we ate it. Also delicious. Vanilla cake with raspberries and a cream cheesy orange layer. Yes it looked as good as it tasted. I didn't get around to watching the Super Bowl...I keep having to ask who won...I did watch some commercials and the half time show online yesterday. The farmer commercial everyone keeps talking about was great. And the budweiser one with the horse. Holy cow, tear jerker.  

In review. Birthday was great. Let's go eat at that restaurant. I talked a lot about food just now. Homework time!!

strange quesitons.

Awkward conversation that I probably shouldn't share and that you probably don't want to know about.

Her- "Are you going to have your period soon? Or, are you ovulating right now?"

Me- "Uhhhh.....I don't know......?"  

(I suppose I should know the answer to those questions? oh well...)

how it is.

Hey!!!! My Christmas break was great! Top three Christmas presents in no particular order. 1- space heater!!!!!! 2- ipod!!!!! 3- Just Dance 4!!!!! They are all so very great. New Year's was fine. And now school has started. Finding it a little hard to be motivated....... Good thing my classes haven't been to demanding at least these first two weeks. I have a feeling its going to start picking up a little bit........ Sad. I pretty much live on campus though. Like literally. I am  up there all day everyday. It's interesting.

And the cold. I won't even start cause you either know. Or you don't want to. SO. COLD. Snow and ice and slippery sidewalks and frozen fingers and frozen cars and cold apartments and ice on the inside of the windows and space heaters!!! I said I wouldn't start but I did so I thought I'd end on a positive note. The space heater is quite possibly one of the most best things ever to be invented. My first few days back in Logan me and the space heater pretty much lived on the couch.

Also. Candles are awesome. And not wax or oil burners or plug in thingys. Those are fine. But candles. The kind in a jar with a wick that you get to set on fire with a match and it slowly starts to melt spreading the good smell all over your house. Those are just awesome. My mom gave me a tiny one to use during Christmas (Balsm and Cedar. Very lovely) and I plan on burning all of it. It's almost done. And the roommate has another lovely one that also gets used. (Its from Anthropologie. Which I think is so cool.)

Finally!

The semester is O-VER. It still feels so great. I still can't quite believe it. So to celebrate I found an awesome deal for a pedicure on groupon. It was soooooo awesome. I can't even tell you. So. Nice. Now I have lovely mint green toes. You should go get one. I still can't believe that I survived 18 credits. 8 classes. Lots of homework. And finished off with some pretty darn good grades if I do say so myself!!!!!!!!!! That deserves a few exclamation points.

There has been so many Christmas treats. Officially in Christmas treat overload. BUT that doesn't mean I can't still make a Christmas treat myself. So I was making it. And I was coming to the last part. Where you make the chocolate and pour it on top. And it seized. Oh my gosh. Has this ever happened to you. You do something stupid like deciding to put gel food coloring or corn syrup in your beautifully smooth melting chocolate and all of a sudden it becomes this big ugly lump. This actually has happened more than once today. To quote my roommate just now "Don't forget. The same DAM thing happened to Saren this morning." (She was speaking in the third person) I might be laughing a lot right now. She fell victim to the gel food coloring mess. Apparently anything with water or moisture will make the chocolate seize. I didn't take this picture but this is what it looks like when your chocolate seizes.

That right there is some bad chocolate. So tragic. So ugly. But fear not! Google to the rescue!! I googled how to fixed ruined chocolate and google told me to put vegetable shortening in it. And it. Was. A. Christmas. Miracle. Christmas miracle. It fixed it and was awesome.

Another awesome thing. I GOT NETFLIX. The free trial. I thought it was a good idea for the break. So what is the first thing you watch when you have Netflix? Well the Justin Bieber documentary Never Say Never of course. It really was good. If you haven't seen it I would highly recommend it. Then you can watch a highly cheesy Christmas film with a guy that looks like Captain America only kinda sleezy looking. And listen to more awesome quotes from the roommate.

So close...

Almost there.....

Just a few more days.....

My Thanksgiving break...

Was great.
Worked on Wednesday for only a little bit.
There was food. Lots of food. It was all delicious.
There was also pizza. On Saturday. Which was also delicious.
Awesome mom bought me groceries. 
Suits! I love that show. Watched all 12 episodes of the first season in two days. So great.
Ate lots of cookie dough on Friday.
Did lots of homework. The Spanish essays of death are officially all over and done with.
I had this extremely unrealistic goal of getting all homework for the semester done. Didn't happen. Like i said. Unrealistic. Maybe if the essay of death hadn't of been in the way. hahaha. unrealistic.
The family is awesome.
Learned you can can chicken and meat. Like in a pressure cooker. And it tastes good. Still looks gross though.
Turkey noodle soup and salad with Olive Garden dressing for Sunday dinner. 
So thankful for lots of things.
Thanksgiving break was great!! 

so excited.

So I've decided that I really like surfing movies. I've never seen a bad surfing movie. I can actually only think of two at the moment but I really like both of them. So that's why I want to go see Chasing Mavericks. Cause it's about surfing. So it's gotta be good right? Go youtube the trailers, there are a couple I think. Or better yet, go watch the movie!

Also. I thought this was really good. I don't think I understood it all. I could probably watch it again. But I liked what she had to say and how she said it. It's 18 minutes. So find yourself some 18 minutes to sit down and watch it.





I am so excited for Thanksgiving!!!!!!! I was sitting at work. Scanning documents. Typing in A numbers. And I just got really excited. I love the feeling of the holidays. You know. That feeling. Of wintery family together sitting around the table talking and laughing holidayness. That feeling. It's a good one.

So this one time...

Oh hey there. It's me. Not doing homework. It's just soooooooooooooooooo hard to do something when its not due for 2 more weeks. Even if it's a 10 page paper that i NEED to be working on right now. Cause i will (already am) going crazy with all the homework that I have. Ya know? It's just soooooooo hard to find the motivation.

How was your Halloween. Really mine wasn't to exciting. I watched Rear Window. Alfred Hitchcock? Anyone? It was ok....It's like the original Disturbia. Which I actually happen to like. Oh and pizza. Little Ceasers is always great.

I haven't eaten dinner yet. I'm kinda hungry. The two pumpkin eggo waffles don't count that I had earlier. So frozen kit-kats it is.

Oh yeah. Rememer that one time I went to New York less than two weeks before a giant hurricane came through?? Well, it was awesome.






We ate lots of good food and did lots of exciting things. The 9/11 memorial was really neat. I'm so glad we got to go see it. There is two pools like that were both of the towers were.

 Can I just say this strawberry guava french toast was amazing. A-ma-zing. So delicious. It had cornflakes on the outside and the guava sauce on top was probably my favorite part.

 I got to see Mirna! She is from Puerto Rico. She was in my first and last area and she served a mini mission so we were actually companions for a week. It was so awesome to see her. And we got to see the Central Park Zoo for free!!

Times Square is always so cool. And they are doing stuff to St. Patrick's Cathedral but it was still cool.

And then we were really really exhausted from all the craziness of one of the coolest Fall Break's ever!!! Then we came home and I was still really tired but it was so very worth it!

falling leaves.

So I kind of wish I had a house. With a tree. So that I could rake up the leaves. Or maybe just a rake so that I could rake up someone elses leaves.

Last night I went to bed at 10. (and the night before too. Still recovering from New York City) But for some reason I woke up was pretty sure that it was around 6 am and that I would have to get up soon. I almost got out of bed. I looked at my clock and it was 1:00 something and I was SOO confused. I looked again because I was worried/convinced that it was wrong. Then I tried to see if Saren was in her bed. I couldn't really tell on account of the fact that I am kinda blind. I decided that she was. And that I should believe the clock and go back to bed. Then I was SOO excited to go back to sleep cause it was only 1ish. Usually when that happens it's like 5:47 and I have like 17 minutes to sleep. Which is the worst.

Oh yeah. I went to New York City! I will have to tell you all about it later. Cause I am determined to get all my homework done. Just know that it was totally awesome.

Thanks for listening about my strange sleeping habits. Cause yes. I kinda feel like that sorta thing is a habit. I am always waking up and thinking I should get out of bed for some reason and almost doing it before stopping myself. Or being paranoid about the time. Strange much? Yup.

Teaching Philosophy

 One of the main reasons that I wanted to become a teacher was really because I like to work with kids. I like interacting with them and help them to gain new knowledge. One of the things that I like best is when you able to see that a child has really learned something or grasped a concept or learned to love something new that they never knew existed. 

My plan for teacher is to try to help the kids learn something new that will be valuable to them in their everyday lives. As a geography teacher I want to be able to teach them about people and places and help them to think outside of their own lives or cities and how people are affected in different ways in different areas of the world. I hope that they are able to grasp the importance of learning and understanding new people and places and how it relates in their own lives.  

donde esta la biblioteca??

Can I just say that I am glad that I have never had to learn Japanese?? ok. thank you.

I am glad that I have never had to learn Japanese. Nor do I plan on ever learning Japanese. I am perfectly content with English and Spanish.

You should all go download the free iTunes song from A Fine Frenzy. It's a good one.

Also...

A few days ago I checked a book out from the library! Like the university library. So exciting. I also thought it was fun to go find the book. Like more fun than should be granted such an activity. Way more interesting than looking on the internet for stuff. Sad part. Pretty sure I left a paper that I needed at the check out desk. Sad day.

Also. I do not like the word activity. I can't ever spell it right. Especially when its activities. I had to write that word a bunch for a test I took today and pretty much spelled it wrong every single time.

Also. I'm feeling very much like today should be Friday. Don't get your hopes up. It's not. But almost.

Also. Did I tell you my brother is getting married? That's exciting right? I think it is. Sarah is awesome and I am so excited for them. (Yes. Her name is Sarah. Crazy right?) Daniel is pretty cool too I guess.

Also. It felt like fall today. As in a little to cold for my taste....So I celebrated by having tomato soup and a grilled cheese sandwich for lunch!!! I am pretty sure I could eat those 2 things every day and not ever get tired of them. So delicious.

Also. I am going to New York City over fall break!!!! 2 weeks from today. Awesome.