Things I am thankful for - day 1, 2 and 3

1. Andy
2. Annie
3. A job

Seattle

Last week we went to Seattle, Washington. It was an AWESOME trip! We saw and did so much. I think my most favorite thing though was the fall colors. I love fall. It is by far my favorite season and since we don't get much of it in Mesa, I had to take in all I could get.

XXX Root Beer diner. Giant hamburgers and frosted root beer mugs.

Random lake/park we found. Awesome view.

Seattle Temple

Pike Place Market

EMP/SFM (Experience Music Project and Science Fiction Museum)

Japanese Tea Garden

Ride the Duck Tour

Naval Shipyard/Ship Tour

Student-isms...

My kids took a test today. They did a really good job on the problem solving, but I don't think their written answers are quite what the test maker had in mind.

"First I think and I put it"

Technically the answer is right! Either way....I love my class this year!

I'm bored....

4 things

Tagged by a friend. Here we go.

4 Jobs I've had:
1. Doll Seller at a kiosk in the mall
2. Waitress
3. Preschool teacher
4. 1st grade teacher

4 Movies I can watch over and over:
1. While You Were Sleeping
2. The Italian Job
3. Father of the Bride
4. Any of the Bourne or Harry Potter movies

4 Places I've lived:
1. Salt Lake City, Utah
2. Flagstaff, AZ
3. Thatcher, AZ (where I met Andy)
4. Wilmington, Delaware

4 Guilty Pleasures:
1. Dr. Pepper
2. Cake Shows (like watching them...on TV)
3. Sprinkles Cupcakes
4. Sleep

4 TV Shows I watch:
1. Friends
2. The Big Bang Theory
3. The Office
4. The Mentalist

4 Favorite Foods:
1. Shrimp
2. Mashed Potatoes
3. Chicken Noodle Soup
4. Chocolate Chip Cookies

4 Websites I visit:
1. G-mail
2. Facebook
3. Netflix
4. Blogger

4 Places I've been on vacation:
1. Florida
2. Los Angeles
3. New York/Delaware/Boston
4. San Francisco

4 Friends:
1. Andrea
2. Miranda
3. Stacey
4. Michelle

4 Likes:
1. Andy
2. Photography
3. Playing the piano
4. Laughing

4 Places I want to go:
1. Italy
2. Hawaii
3. NYC
4. Ireland

4 Random things:
1. My iPod is pretty
2. Bazinga
3. What is the air-speed velocity of an unladen swallow?
4. 13 days til October break!

4 Dislikes:
1. Mushrooms
2. Cigarette smoke
3. Scorpions
4. Stubbing my toe

Put iTunes on Random.
(1st) 4 Songs:
1. Wannabe - Spice Girls
2. Swing Life Away - Rise Against
3. 4 Minutes - Cast of Glee
4. A Diamond and a Tether - Death Cab for Cutie

----
4 Funny Memories
1. Drunk Jerry at the Denny's in L.A
2. Andy saying "Tubla"
3. Barbie workout video night
4. CoCo Tour Night


Rules: Fill in your answers. Then add one of your own.
Tag: Miranda, Stacey, Nikki, Ashley

Confessions of a not so teenage fan girl...

When I was 13/14 I had a small infatuation with the teen pop sensation better known as Hanson. Oh, who am I kidding. I loved Hanson and I am not ashamed!
My walls were smothered plastered covered with posters similar to and including this one.
It was my dream to see Hanson perform live. And as dramatic as most teenage girls are...I knew I would just die if I didn't get the chance. Well that chance came as a result of wonderful parents that decided that our summer trip to
Denver, CO could include 2 tickets to the Hanson concert at the
Red Rocks Amphitheater (it was the closest to AZ their tour would go). My dad went with me and withstood 3+ hours of screaming, hyped up teenage girls. It was amazing. It will be something that I will never, ever forget.

Fast forward 12 years. Still have a great "like" for Hanson - minus the posters on the bedroom walls. I got a flier in my e-mail saying that Hanson was coming to Mesa. Finally! Hanson in my hometown. Of course I bought tickets.I dragged my friend Miranda along (although I may have converted her a bit...maybe). The concert was amazing. They really are very talented musicians with a strong fan base. They played a lot of new songs with a bunch of their older things mixed in. It was fantastic!! I felt like that goofy 14 year old again....and it felt great!

Piano...

There is a lady in our ward that is a composer and has recently written some songs that she wants to record. Today she asked me if I would play and record the piano part. In an actual studio! I am SO excited!! I don't know many more details other than that, but I am excited.

Birthday Catch-up

My birthday was almost a month ago, but I just am now getting around to blogging about it. This was the best birthday I've had in ages. It actually started the week before with a visit from my mom, brother and his friend.
We filled the weekend with game playing, bowling, eating and a surprise appearance by my most FAVORITE birthday cake of all time.

It was a fantastic weekend.
Fast forward to my actual birthday which included funny gifts from friends, a surprise visit/Sprinkles cupcake from Michelle, an awesome cake made by our school librarian, BEAUTIFUL flowers sent to me from Andy, a great dinner with friends on Friday and an Ebert family dinner at Red Lobster on Saturday.
It was the perfect birthday!

Date Night....

We hit up a dollar movie....

...got Pete's Fish & Chips...


...and had a picnic by the temple

Looking forward to:

Second Guessing....

Personal feeling time. Skip if this isn't your cup of tea.

I read a quote on a friends Facebook that said "Would you like you if you met you?"
Sometimes I just don't know. I feel like I am constantly second guessing everything I say. Making sure that I'm not offending...or too loud...or if people can't tell its a joke...or anything. I know someone that is very confident, but also not outgoing to people she doesn't know. It can come across as being snobby, but when I got to know her a bit she told me that she has enough friends so why put herself out there. However right or wrong that attitude may be I was a bit jealous that she even has the capability to feel that way. Chalk it up to years of trust issues, but I feel like I have to prove myself. Prove I'm nice enough or funny enough. Waiting for the shoe to drop, that yet again....I'm not good enough as a friend. Darn you ugly little trust issues. You sneak up on me.

Enough with the Debbie Downer. Now it's time for a little positive pep talk....


....and a smile

3 Strikes...

Last year at school we had a power outage. The power was out for 95% of the day. So what do you with 23 kids in a room with no windows? Apparently you keep teaching. Just because it's pitch black does not mean that should stop you from practicing math facts. Duh.

That's strike one.

Since this school year started 12 days ago we have spent exactly 12 of those days in rooms without a/c. Actually....that's not true. Technically the 85 degree air that circulates through my classroom could be considered a/c because it is cooler than the 112 that it is outside. The air blows in the morning...when it's cool-ish outside...and there are not 27 sweaty little bodies in a confined space...so it give the delusion of a/c. I've almost been conned into believing this a/c ruse several times. When I find myself wondering if being outside....in Southern AZ...in the summer would be a better option, I know something is wrong.

Strike two.

That brings me to today. Picture if you will an elementary school. Said elementary school has 550 - 600 kids, give or take. All of these "kids" use the restroom, drink water, wash their hands, etc. All of these activities involve water. Well imagine that you get an announcement saying that a water main has broken and because of this....there is no water. No drinking fountain. No hand washing (went a little nutso with the Germ-X) and NO BATHROOMS. Well all 27 little wonders in my classroom, who up to this point had been working just fine, suddenly ALL had to go to the bathroom. Of course. Luckily there was one bathroom on the other side of campus (in the dreaded "big kid" area) that was available. There was a momentary uplift in the mood when the kids discovered the wonder that is an air dryer. We then got the announcement that we were not to fear because we would soon be provided with bottled water and.....wait for it....Porta Potties. Yay. Big, stinky, portable toilets...to be used by hundreds of cute...but lets face it, not so hygienically inclined kids. Fine. Life gives you lemons, make lemonade right? Wrong. I open the door to my classroom to find this...
...just a few yards away.

Strike Three.

Just because....

I don't really have anything to say, but I felt like blogging. I've said before and I will say again...I LOVE a song that moves you in a way that you can't explain. It's a song that you listen to over and over again and it evokes some kind of emotion in you. Maybe it is the fix to feeling sad or the accompaniment to a great day. Either way. I love it.

This is one of those songs. And so is this.

School started. I like my class a lot so far. Being that they are second language learners they interpret things VERY literally. I have to be extra careful how I say things to make sure they are translating correctly. Learning period for me too. Work is kind of lonely. I miss my neighbor. I probably took for granted how much of a support it was to have someone right next door. Other than that I work with some fun people...with a few screwballs thrown in...that definitely keep things interesting.

Self Diagnosis time. I am a worrier. A certified worrier. I don't like that about myself. I don't like the stomach churning anxiety I feel when I am worrying about something. It takes over and I can't seem to shake it. The worst part is that it's not like I'm really, truly suffering. Nobody has died....I'm not sick....I mean all in all things are well! And yet I worry. :-P How do I fix that?

P.S. AMAZING rain storm yesterday. Thunder. Lightning. Pouring Rain. It was fantastic.
Rain ALWAYS makes me happy.

So does this.
And this.

Student-isms

New school year....new student-isms.

Today I was reading my students this book and there is a part where they are looking for the worlds smallest circus under a magnifying glass. I asked the kids to tell me what they could see in the picture and one little boy looks at it carefully, raises his hand and says "I definitely see a hobo."

Time for a change....

http://www.happiness-project.com

Personal Commandments
(work in progress)
1. Be Me
2. Let it Go
3. Be Grateful
4. Find the Good

Trip to Utah....

We went to Utah for Jaydin's baby blessing. It was so much to finally meet the little guy!
It was also fun to spend time with my family and to see my grandparents,
aunts, uncles and cousins.

Chariots of Fire...

I love a movie that makes you think, makes you feel
and inspires you to do better.

Andy and I watched this movie today (apparently a requirement for becoming a member of the Kilgrow family...although this was 7 years too late for Andy) and not to get overly sentimental, but there are so many aspects of this movie that can be applied to life.

To make a long story short the story is about 2 British sprinters wanting to compete in the 1924 Olympics. One named Eric Liddell runs because he believes that God gave him the ability to run and to show he is thankful he will run his very best. However, one of his heats is on a Sunday and he will not compete on a Sunday. The British Olympic committee and even the Prince of Wales try to convince him to compete. They bring up loyalty to country and how if there was ever a time to be loyal this was it. To this he simply replies, "Sir, God knows I love my country. But I can't make that sacrifice."
He drops out of that race, but goes on to win 2 other Olympic medals.
What an amazing show of character and faith.


"I want to compare faith to running in a race. It's hard. It requires concentration of will, energy of soul. You experience elation when the winner breaks the tape - but how long does that last? I would like to give you something more permanent, but I can only point the way. I have no formula for winning the race. Everyone runs in her own way, or his own way. And where does the power come from, to see the race to its end? If you commit yourself to the love of Christ, then that is how you run a straight race."
- Chariots of Fire

Misc.

I have been home alone for 4 days. I am really enjoying the relaxing, but sometimes the silence leaves me too much time alone with my thoughts. Not always a good thing. I read this quote and it summed up a lot.

“A true friend is someone who understands your past, believes in your future, and loves you just the way you are.”

Don't always feel like that's a possibility to have.

Project Attempt-a-craft

So I had a list of 6 projects I wanted to tackle this summer. Well in true Sara fashion I have done one off the list and added like 5 others that are completely random.
This past weekend we had a reunion of sorts with Andy's family and the family of their best friends. I decided to make the 4th of July cake that was on my list for this party. It's far from perfect. In fact, when compared to the original it's pretty rough to look at...but it still had the effect that I was going for and it was fun to do. In the slow, bumpy effort to finish decorating my house I bought some vinyl to add a little to the Americana theme that is apparently going on in the upstairs guest bath. Since I can't just do one thing, I also bought the Gordon B. Hinckley quotes and some tile from Home Depot to make the little plaques.

So...back to the list...1 down, 5 to go!

Happy Father's Day...

I have the best dad. Hands down. He is funny, kind, creative, adventurous, supportive, and hardworking. He has always been there to lend support and push us kids to be better.
I LOVE my dad!

Andy's dad is also a great dad! He has helped raise 5 great kids...one of which is the wonderful man that I am married to. He works very hard to make sure that his kids know that he loves him. We are thankful for all that he does.
My littler brother just became a dad. Already you can tell what a great dad he is.
That little boy is very lucky to have a dad like him.

Andy's brothers Paul and Craig and brother-in-law Chad are also great dad's to some of the cutest nieces and nephews around. They work hard to support their families and to teach their children what is right. They are good examples.
Even though Andy is not yet a father, I know that one day he is going to be an AMAZING one. He is the kindest person I know and I know that he will teach that to our children. I love him more than anything. Our children will be very lucky.

So, Happy Fathers Day to all the dads and future dads in my family!
Thank you for all you do.

Catch Up...

My days have been filled with painting, gluing, scrubbing, more painting, getting glitter in my eye, playing firefighter, debating whether carnivores are cooler than herbivores with a six year old, reading stories and writing the alphabet over and over and over.

Don't be jealous. It's just part of the job.

Summer school ends in 8 days. No counting down here. Just a fact.
When that ends this is what I'll be tackling. I've come across some great blogs (Make It and Love It and Crap I've Made) that have awesome ideas....with tutorials.
Those that can't do....copy.

We spent a really fun weekend in Flagstaff to welcome my brother home from Brazil.
It was fun to see family I haven't seen in awhile.
Lots of laughing, playing games, ping pong, and piano.

Looking forward to July!

Busy, busy, busy!

Life has been super busy since the last time I posted anything!
School ended which is both a blessing and a curse. The kids last day was Thursday and we have a teacher workday on Friday. I had finally cleaned every corner of my room except my desk. By 2:00 on Friday afternoon I had had enough. I put the trash can next to my desk and pushed everything off into the trash. Most of it was random papers and who knows what that the kids had found around the room the day before.
Also, on Friday was our end of the year staff luncheon. Being co-chair of the Social Committee meant planning and executing the entire thing (with my other co-chair). I made a video slide show of pictures from throughout the year. I also collected pictures of all the staff from when they were in jr. high or high school and we played a Who's Who guessing game. It is A LOT of work...but I think it turned out well.
We had Andy's brother/wife/kids stay with us this weekend. We had a lot of fun and really enjoyed them being here. The house is so quiet now!
Now I have a small break before summer school starts on Thursday. I have started making cards with some of the pictures I've taken. I've thought of trying to sell them...maybe. At least I know my mom likes them!
Also, I really want this. If only it wasn't $300. Maybe I can figure out how to make it myself.