Vote for Toren!

This is my former student Toren. He is an amazing pianist and has entered a Jon Schmidt contest on you tube and he needs people to view his video. Please help support Toren and view his video! Thanks a bunch!

The breath before the storm

I went to the High School today. Wow, I am overwhelmed. I have so much work to do before school starts in (gulp) TWO WEEKS!!! Walking into the classroom was surreal, I felt like my old friends from high school would pop in at any moment. I need to rearrange the room and make it look different, I need to make it my own. So, I need some strong friends to come and help me move heavy bookshelves... any volunteers?
But, before all THAT I went to Orlando for a much needed vacation with my friend, Toffer. We stayed with Ben, Luana and my adorable nephew- Elliott. I also got to see my old mission comp, Aimee Olsen and her two daughters, Megan and Madison. In addition I saw some old friends, Andrea and Adam Daveline, Mallori Evans and Scott Myler. It was a ton of fun! But, I don't think I will ever go to Florida again in the middle of summer- too hot and humid for me! Here are some highlights-

Ben & Luana at the Eal of Sandwich for our first dinner in Orlando

YAY! The Earl of Sandwich!!

Toffer & I with the Lego Tourist family in Downtown Disney

Elliott!

We went on the "Behind the Seeds" tour at Epcot which was a guided tour of their amazing greenhouses. Toffer is a horticulture major, so it was super fun to see him in his element!

Me, enjoying the amazing Bavarian cheesecake at the Biergarten!

Luana making Elliott laugh!

Toffer and I amongst the upper crust!

Ben & Toffer attempting to be warriors...

Luana & I showing them how it is done!

Toffer holding some seaweed in Japan

Me- imitating him :)

Toffer- my favorite viking!!

Hanging out in Norway

At the Animal Kingdom

Mallori our super safari guide!

Toffer was chosen to help with the warthog section in the show "Festival of the Lion King"!

And gained an admirer (she kept flirting with him during the whole show, it was adorable!)

The Magical family at the Magic Kingdom!

Luana, Ben & Toffer riding the tea cups

Me, spending time with Elliott

I love this little guy!

The Haunted Mansion!

Toffer & I at the castle

I saw the Main Street Electrical Parade- so cool!

Don't you just love this face?

The infamous KITCHEN SINK!!

Toy Story Mania!

The Incredible Parkes Family!

And, of course- I had to end my trip with the ROCKIN' ROLLERCOASTER!!

Thanks to Ben & Luana! It was a much needed breath before the storm. And thanks to Toff for coming and having fun with me, I am grateful to have such an awesome friend. :)
Here's to the storm! (Pray for my sanity!)

Old Spice

I came across this on you tube. It is the Old Spice Guy answering twitter questions- HILARIOUS!!

Right place... right time...

The end of summer is looming which brings me so many changes. I have the rest of this week, then about 2 weeks of travel (a theatre teacher conference, then a long over due trip to Orlando to visit Ben's family), setting up the new classroom, West Yellowstone for the last time this summer, moving to a new apartment, then school begins... Whew it makes me tired just thinking about it.

Today we signed a new lease for an apartment in Ft. Union area right in the center of Salt Lake Valley. (It's a great location because it gives each of us a 20 min commute to our various places in the valley). I will be living with my friend Charron and again with the best roomie ever, Amy! Seriously I am so excited to live with this girl again, it's been FIVE years since our tetris block beds in Greenbrier where we practically slept on top of each other! My last semester in college... doesn't seem so long ago and yet a lifetime has passed.

Being in the right place at the right time. Sometimes I wonder if I really do have the faith to allow the Lord to guide me in my life. Knowing if I have trust and believe that I will be in the right place at the right time... I've been living at home with the parental units since the end of April. It has been nice to not pay rent and spend some time with them, but I feel like I have been spinning my wheels a bit. I am ready for my new adventure, I am ready to keep progressing- I am ready to discover the why behind being in the right place at the right time. Why I am guided where I must go; what is in store?

I have also decided to go to grad school. Right now I am working out the details and trying to find a program that will work for me with my teaching schedule and that won't cost me too much money! I'd really like to eventually be a professor and so I'd better start working toward that goal.

Watch out world! I pray that I will be in the right place at the right time.

My Favorite Song, Always

I love music. I love to sing and I love discovering new composers. Last year I discovered Scott Alan, his songs speak directly to my heart. My favorite song is entitled "Always" from the CD "Keys" sung by Sutton Foster. It is the most played song on I-tunes with 117 plays (out of 5,176 songs). I have included the video that features the song, first is a song called "The Dress" and then is "Always"- enjoy! The song starts at 2:36

If there are times you are feeling weak-

Lie next to me, I'll hold you till you fall asleep.

At any time of day, there's nothing to explain-

I'm always on your side.

Hold onto me-

I'll steal you from the hardest days.

Don't be afraid,

You have me here to guide your ways.

Through storms I will be here-

I will not disapear-

I'm always by your side.

Always-

And on my heart-

I promise I will see you through.

When pain arrives-

I'll be right here to hold onto.

With laughter and with prayer-

I promise I'll be there.

Always by your side.

At any time of day-

There's nothing to explain-

I'm always on your side.

Can't sleep- too many thoughts!

I just killed a massive spider that was on my wall. I normally don't kill spiders, I just look at them and ask them to please remove themselves from my sight- but this one was huge. Now I feel a little bit of remorse...

It is 12:10 am and my head is swimming with a lot of different thoughts that I don't want to forget. So, I got myself out of bed and now I am writing this blog about my thoughts.

Summer is a great time- I don't do a whole heck of a lot- so as a result I do WAY too much thinking. It's no secret that leaving my job at Valley has been especially hard for me. Even though it's nice to have a break, there is a part of me that wants to already be at Hunter so I can just jump into the thick of things. Today, Kirsten, the gal who is taking my job called and left me a message asking about my program and such. I am going to call her back tomorrow. By the way, I am so glad they hired her, she was my #1 choice. She is a spunky graduate fresh from BYU and I think the kids will love her.
Anyway, I pulled out my yearbook and read some of the things that the kids wrote and cried like a baby. How did I get to be so blessed to be doing what I do? One of my students, Jami- wrote me a very touching letter- "First off, I would like to thank you... about a million times over. You have done so much magnificent and amazing things for this school. You are one of those teachers that make a difference in a student's life. Even if it's someone simply putting a smile on their face at one point during the day, it makes a difference, and that would be you.
I know of countless students who absolutely love and adore, and I just so happen to be one of them. You have taught me to take chance, to take risks and to put myself out there. You have shown me that actually putting my best foot forward, can lead me to my own path of success.
Having you as a teacher for both seventh and eighth grade in fact was an honor on my part. You're merely perfect for the job of a drama teacher. For you know exactly how to break kids out of their shell and show themselves in an entirely new aspect. Once again, I just so happen to be one of those kids.
I cannot put into words how heartrending it is to see you leave, but how enlivening and proud I am to see you be given an opportunity like this. I hope you know I wish you the absolute best and that your career continues in the path it's traveling.
You have truly changed my life and taught many things I never knew before. Please don't forget that you have a student here that will always be using what you taught her for her future, because she will never forget someone like you.
Teaching has made me realize the power that everyone possesses to influence others. Yes, I am a teacher and therefor I am in close proximity to teens... but we all have opportunities to teach and lift each other. It is my hope and prayer that people take the precious opportunity to do this- to lift others, to help them realize their potential. We have such a power as human beings to make an impact on each other (but it up to us whether it be positive or negative.) It is my prayer that mine will be positive.

I also spent some time recently with some old friends from high school who have made drastically different life choices from my own. We had a great time laughing and reminiscing. They joked about trying to corrupt me, but were sure that by so doing they would earn a lower spot in heaven. ;) Anyway, even though it was fun, it just made me so grateful for the choices that I have made. My choices haven't always been easy, and there have been many times I just want to throw in the towel so to speak. But, oh how it is all worth it! And I realized something- I am in the right place and the right time for me. I am precisely where the Lord would have me be, it is now just up to me to seek His will and do it!

And that my friends is all for now- so hopefully now I will be able to get some sleep. Thanks for reading!

Maddie

This is my niece, Madeleine- one of the funniest people that I know. Yesterday she got on face book and proceeded to send the following messages to people she knows:

• To me: Do you like cheese? I love you too! What do you like? Would you have a fun day tomorrow? I love you as much as space! Do you love me?
• To her Dad: I love you Dad, you are so precious. You can see all the stars in the skies. You are really sweet. You can do lots of stuff. This will be sent on your crazy computer! I got some gum.
• To her sister, Ivy: Ivy you are cute, I mean cute & handsome. I love you (10x)! Glue glue glue. You are my favorite sister! I mean your only sister. I love to sing but this will be sent on your computer, Buh-bye
• To our family friend, Nate: Nate, you are great. You are cute. I mean handsome. This will be sent on your computer.
• To her Aunt, Luana: I love you.... you are my friend, friend, friend friend. (10x) You are like a star.
• To her Uncle, Ben: What are you doing today? I love you! I love singing songs! Do you love me? You are really far away. This will be sent on your computer.
• To her Uncle, Jeff: You are funny. What are you going to do tomorrow? You like to kiss? Do you like kisses... I mean the candy. I want to bite you. You are space. You are like a star.
• And finally, her own status: Madeleine is cute, and likes EVERYTHING!!! is really sweet and likes to sing... la la laa la laaaa! This message was sent on my computer!

I was laughing so hard I could barely breathe!

Best Audition Song EVER!!

Change it UP!

One of the things I love in life is hair.

Long, short, wild, smooth, blonde, brunette- I've done it all!

However, what looks best?

Here are some looks I've sported over the past 3 years, please weigh in on your preference!

I LOVE HAIR!!

Here is my current hair style-

Previous to that-

  Last Summer

Long Brunette

Long Blonde

The Bob

 

Long Red

And my Sassy Wigs!

The Island of Misfit Toys

Do you ever feel like you just don't belong? Like there is a place for everyone else except you?

That, my friends is what it is like to be 31 and single in the LDS church- you no longer have a place.

You are too old for the singles ward.

Too single for the family ward.

And still feel too young for the older singles ward that goes to 45...
What's a girl to do?

Choice #1- Become the crazy old cat lady in the ward who remains single.
Choice #2- Try the older singles ward...
Choice #3- Get married.

Hmmmm... I think I'll choose #3. So where to begin? A few years ago I had some accounts with some online LDS dating sites, I spent some money and spent two months making a great profile, winking and smiling at people, even chatting a few times all to no avail. So, I cancelled my account (it never did feel right to be on there, I just had a friend who convinced me to do it) And I went on my merry way. Hoping and praying that the Lord would provide someone for me in a more 'organic' way. (i.e. we meet in person).

But here I am.

Today I decided to peruse those sites again. I reactivated my LDS mingle account, and took an incredibly long survey on eharmony.com.

On the LDS mingle site, I looked at some profiles and quickly became depressed. I hate dating web sites, they are SO impersonal. Why can't I just meet the right guy for me in real life.

It seems like the guys are all searching for the 'perfect girl' which I am not.
DEPRESSING...
So, to all of you, I am asking some help. I feel like I need to date more. If you know anyone that you feel may be a good match for me, please send them my way.

I don't want to be a crazy cat lady...