ASHTON'S BIRTHDAY

The first person I met at college was Ashton. She was my roommate freshman year and her favorite holiday is her Birthday! Yes, to her, its a holiday! We (Ashton, Jessica, Shanna, and I) had dinner tonight and played a "questions from the past" game. This brought up Ashton's birthday/holiday (and it was just last week so happy birthday). She told us the most adorable thing I have ever heard. She forgets that stores are open on her birthday. Last Thursday she needed to go somewhere but realized it would be closed...until she realized of course it would not be closed. Hilarious. Cute. Stupendous. Loved hearing it. Loved dinner. Love her.

NO LIFE JACKETS ON THE NILE

It just hit me that while I spent 2 days sailing on the Nile River, there were no life jackets (life preservers, PFD, whatever you want to call them). Nothing! Not really shocking because I never wore a seat belt during my excursions in Egypt either. Can you imagine a western cruise line not doing the muster drill or having life boats? No. Well the cruise ships in Egypt only have 6 life boats. Egypt does things their way. Just a thought that came to me that kind of exemplified Egypt. Jessica and Lani will understand. I will say that our time on the Felucca boat was by far my favorite part of the entire trip. "More than seeing the pyramids," you ask? Absolutely! In the above picture we see Kristen, Lani, Sophie, Jessica, and myself enjoying ourselves. In the picture below you see the Felucca (just a strange type of sailboat).

NO PICTURES AND INCEPTION

This blog has no logical ties or connections. I just wanted to post some pictures from Egypt and Amsterdam and talk about the movie I saw last night. The thing is I am not going to put any pictures up. I have tried, unsuccessfully, three times to post some pictures and my blog rejects them. Oh well. I went, I had fun, it was hot. That's the most you are going to get until I start figuring out what stories from my travels I want to tell.

Onto Inception. Go see it, I think. If you have seen it, tell me what you thought. I knew the minute it was over I would 100% be dreaming about it that night. I did. Boy do I know myself. It was a trippy concept with an ending that you kind of have to decide about. I hate that. I love movies to tell me what to think, how to love, who to hate, how to date, and so on. Inception left it up to the viewer (again, I think). Another thing about this movie and movies like it is that they make me feel stupid. My brain can hardly comprehend the story, how do people have the intelligence and creativity to create the story??? Hmmm...drugs? Maybe. All I know is that I liked it. It bugged me. It challenged me. It made me dream crazy ace things. Was I the only one out there that had all these thoughts and feelings?

JUST HOW GOOD I AM AT SUMMER

People always tell me things like the following when they find out I am a teacher:

1. "You must be so patient."
2. "You're too young to be a teacher."
3. "Well you must be crazy to teach junior high."
4. "I think you should go straight to heaven."
5. "How can you handle kids like that?"
6. "They don't pay teachers enough."

My response to all of this: SUMMER!!!!!

Things I have accomplished: whatever the hizzeck I want! Take that working world people. You guys all chose the wrong career. Next up on this blog of all blogs: more picture proof of how amazing summer is.



p.s. I do actually love my job. Please don't think I am a cruddy teacher and work just to have a little mid-year break. I am actually a fantabulous teacher.

0 DAYS

Yes! 0 days. Exactly 3 years ago today, I never thought this day would come. Never ever. I felt like I would be an orphan the rest of my life. Alas, I won't. The parentals come home from the mission today!!! This summer I have been to Amsterdam, Egypt, Washington/Oregon, and rafting the Missouri. None of that crap even compares to what today will be like. The rest of the summer is going to be amazing because it will have mom and dad in it! Holla!!!! God speed ladies and gentlemen.

TRAVELER'S PROCRASTINATION:

A term I use to describe myself in my present state. Lani, Jessica, and I leave for Amsterdam/Egypt in two days. Am I ready? No. Have I done anything to prepare? Not really. What am I doing right now? Sitting in Kaysville, blogging and organizing items in my parents house in preparation for their arrival. What should I be doing? Anything pertinent to my trip. I have a procrastinator's soul, I can't help it. Boo.

LAST DAY:PART II

Today marks the end of my 2nd year as a teacher. What a strange year it has been. I can't really talk about it because a) I don't want to and b) its just too emotional. Let me just leave the year on this note: I have a strange job. The people I see everyday get ripped away from me for three months. Then some of them (9th graders) get ripped away forever. The people that I grow to love can't stay forever. And that's not just students, its teachers too. Today was my last day with Cam. I am actually sitting here in the dark at my desk, probably the only teacher left at OJH right now, crying. I can't believe it has ended. I will never have this back again. I love you Cam! I still have Kath and Allison but it won't be the same without all of us. Good thing for me though, I will only really miss a handful of students. I just wasn't as close to my 9th graders this year as I was last year. Adios year 2. Hola summer travel!

OUTSIDE IN MAY

I didn't have harsh feelings towards Utah when it decided to snow on May 24. I think it adds to the unique character of our state. I do however not appreciate my lack of preparation when it came to getting dressed this morning before looking outside. What did I wear today? A sun dress and flip flops. When I left the house it was early, 6:30am. It wasn't snowing yet, just raining so I thought it would get better. 10 minutes into my drive it turned to snow. To top the morning off, the opening song of the announcements at OJH was "Oh the Weather Outside Is Frightful." Clever of those 9th graders to choose that song but it stung a little because I was so cold and wet. Still love how unpredictable the weather can be here I guess.

p.s. records were broken all across the state for cold temperatures and precipitation

TEACHING DREAM COME TRUE

I have been teaching 2 class periods of 9th grade English the last few weeks. Am I an English teacher? NO. Am I BS-ing my way through? YES. Do you know what I have been studying and creating lesson plans for??? William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet. Why did I agree to do this? Oh well, today is my last day. Whew! The lesson plan for today only took 40 minutes out of the class period so guess what we did the remaining time? Played HEADS UP, 7 UP. I taught the dumb play and we finished it today so of course a celebration was in order.

I haven't played this game since Mr. Merrill's 7th grade science class at KJH. I think we played it about once a week in his class. The students loved it but I totally loved it more. And I didn't feel bad about playing this game because its not my curriculum or subject time wasted. I have wanted to do heads up, 7 up for a long time. Its kind of like a teacher's dream to do it at least once. "See guys, dreams really do come true."

And to top it all off, Leslie is currently en route to Provo for a visit!!!

ps. major props to those who know what my quote is from. And no, its not Romeo & Juliet